The decision to change takes courage and commitment. Are you ready? A few things you can look forward to early on...
* A new way of thinking about food. It takes an attitude adjustment and a willingness to change.
* You will learn new ways of fueling your body and maintaining a healthier lifestyle that is backed by thousands of studies and solid scientific evidence.
* You will be learning to eat every 3 hours; meats, vegetables and healthy fats.
* Preparing meals in advance and prepackaging them into individual servings is key. Once learned it is easy to maintain... It is a skill that keeps you from the temptation of easy access & 'processed' foods.
* You will experience what it is to be full and satisfied but not bloated.
* You will not be sluggish in the mornings or mid-afternoon and discover the power of an awakened, alert, focused brain!
* You will be feeding muscle and losing fat. A leaner body composition comes to those who stick with it. Persevere!
* It takes a month to set a new habit. Start with small changes and you will experience small results. Drastic changes lead to drastic results. Something to ponder. How will you begin?
* Prepare for a body composition change that can be transformed with the combination of clean dining and exercise (especially weight training for strength and conditioning.)
- Paleo Guidelines post on Dec. 4, 2011
- http://robbwolf.com/what-is-the-paleo-diet/get-started/
-Whole30.com
-Whole30.com
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| Photo credit: thefivetribe.com |
The American way of eating according to the food pyramid includes lots of grains, pasteurized dairy and massive doses of sugar (which is added to nearly all processed foods). The Paleo way of living is the polar opposite. It is uber clean and truly simple... but it takes some retraining of the brain to get the hang of it. (Read the blog entry 'Paleo Guidelines' for more detailed info).
In a nutshell: Your daily menu will be simplified to cooking healthy meats with good fats and vegetable or two. Whole fruit for dessert (especially berries) a few times a week... with a limited amount raw or roasted nuts and seeds. It is that simple. Keep that tip in mind as you look for recipes, shop and prepare meals.
Tip#2 Clean Out the Pantry
A big help to eating clean is getting rid of the temptation that processed foods hold over you. When you arrive home from a long day at work, hungry and tired... what is the first thing you reach for? Be honest. Most of us grab whatever is already packaged and ready to eat. Get rid of it. Remove the temptation and fill the pantry with good things that you will need for clean eating.
*If you are unsure about throwing away crackers, cake mixes, cereal, pasta, dried beans, sugary sweets, sauces, dressings and everything else that is suspect to a long, dry shelf life; donate it. Unopened, non perishable foods are always welcome at a local food pantry.
Tip #3 Out with the Old - In with the New
Restock the pantry, fridge and freezer with items needed for cooking most of the recipes in this blog.
Tip #4 Plan Ahead and Cook Once-A-Day
Morning:
* Google a 'Paleo' recipe that uses the main ingredient (meat or vegetable) that you are wanting to prepare.
* Peruse the ingredient list, make a list for the grocery store.
* If meat is frozen, place it in a large bowl of cold water in the fridge to thaw.
After work:
* Shop. My husband or I will stop at the store for misc. ingredients if needed, on our way home after work.
* Meal Prep - After work, we prep for the meal (clean, chop, mix and cook, grill, roast, etc).
* For us it is key to keep our recipes simple... just a few ingredients.
* In under 30 minutes we are sitting down to a delicious, healthy dinner of meat, a steamed or roasted vegetable and a salad. Care to join us?
* After dinner, leftovers are packed as complete meals (meat & vegetable) in glass, single serving containers. Stack the meals in the fridge or pack lunch bags with meals the next day.
Plan ahead and you will experience success! It seems crazy but cook triple the amount of meat and vegetables you would normally prepare for dinner to allow enough leftovers for meals and snacks the next day, but this system works. Another tip: Don't be afraid to try meat, a handful of nuts (good fats) and a vegetable for breakfast. You can still have a more traditional egg, salsa and fruit breakfast... with caution. Reduce egg intaketo once or twice a week. Reason: Eggs, lactose & milk, gluten & grains are foods which can produce sensitivity and allergic reactions in many people.
Save only the recipes that appeal to you and your loved ones. As you gain experience you may want to cook in bulk and prepare several different meals at once. Some families cook once every two or three days, others prepare meals once a week or once a month and freeze them.
Author: w.lynne