Paleo Properties

The paleo diet is also a lifestyle change. Exercise should become a part of your life as well. As a family we participate in cross-fit which are short, high intensity work outs. The workouts are designed to maximize your workout in just a few minutes. (For more information about cross-fit please click here).

The simple basics to eating paleo are as follows:

1. Your meals should be high in fat (the good fat), moderate in animal fat and moderate to low in carbohydrates. Forget about calories and no portion control is recommended.

2. Saturated fats such as coconut oil, butter and beef tallow are recommended for cooking. (All the meat you consume should ideally come from a grass fed, free range animal). Oils such as avocado, olive and macadamia are great for dressings but not for cooking.

3. This is a meat high diet (think caveman, yes this is sometimes refereed to as the caveman diet. If you aren't sure if what you are eating is paleo, just ask yourself if Fred Flinstone would have access to it). This includes red meat, poultry, pork, eggs, organs, fish and shellfish. You do not have to utilize all of these, for example we do not eat any organs in our home. Do not be afraid of the fatty parts of the meat either, you want the protein.

4. Vegetables are a must and eat plenty of them. It doesn't matter if they are frozen, or not or raw or cooked. Sweet potatoes and yams are also a good source of non-toxic carbohydrates.

5. Eat a moderate to low amount of fruits and nuts. However, try to stay away from sugary fruits and nuts such as peanuts. Try to stay with fruits that are high in antioxidants such as berries. Almonds, walnuts and macadamia nuts are high in omega-3s.

6. It is suggested that you cut out all cereals and legumes completely. This can include wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, brown rice, soy, kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans and black eyed peas. However, we do not always follow this in our home but all those meals are made gluten free.

7. Try and eliminate sugar and dairy. This again is not something we always follow.

8. Eat when you are hungry and do not worry about eating a set amount of meals during the day.

9. Do not over exercise and try to eliminate stressors in your life. Cross-fit is great because it only lasts a few minutes and you do not have to do it every day. Yoga is also a great workout and allows you to alleviate some stress in your life.  As always, walking is great too--even if it is just walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator.

If you would like more information about switching to a paleo lifestyle please check out Paleo Diet Lifestyle website.

The paleo diet is not a quick fix for weight loss. It is a lifestyle change and a great one!