In hopes of inspiring others to health and fitness...
Basic Paleo Guidelines:1. Eat lean animal protein at EVERY meal. This includes grass-fed meats, pork, poultry, wild game, eggs, organs, wild-caught fish and shellfish.
2. Enjoy a colorful variety of seasonal vegetables. Fresh, seasonal and organic is best. Consume them raw, steamed, stir fried or roasted at every meal. Starchy vegetables like potatoes should be avoided. However, sweet potatoes and yams can be enjoyed in moderation.
3. Enjoy fruits, nuts and seeds. Fresh, seasonal and organic is best. Berries, apples and pears are low glycemic and excellent fruit choices. Bananas should be consumed sparingly and only post work-out. Nuts and seeds should be consumed in moderation. Enjoy a handful of nuts occasionally... especially walnuts, almonds and macadamia nuts.4. Eliminate all cereal grains and legumes from your diet. These foods include but are not limited to the GLUTEN GRAINS: wheat, rye, barley and oats as well as corn, rice, brown rice, spelt, soy, quinoa, etc. LEGUMES: peanuts, kidney, black, pinto, navy beans, black eyed peas, etc. Fiber??? No worries. Compared to whole grains, non starchy vegetables have 8 times more fiber.
5. Cut out the 'bad fats'. Vegetable, hydrogenated and partly hydrogenated oils include but are not limited to: Margarine, soybean oil, corn oil, Crisco, peanut oil, canola oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil. Healthy fat alternatives include: Olive oil, walnut oil and avocado oil. These are fine to use in salad dressings and drizzled over prepared food. Cook with olive oil or coconut oil. Clarified butter (Ghee) and butter from grass-fed cows is fine to use sparingly.
6. Eliminate dairy and all dairy products. Almond or coconut milk are healthier options.
7. Eliminate all processed foods.
That includes all refined sugars and artificial sweeteners, soft drinks, juices (including fruit juices) and pre-packaged, processed products. If it is processed, it is suspect!
8. Beverages. Drink plenty of water. How much is enough? Half your body weight in ounces per day is minimum. Enjoy coffee or tea in moderation. Natural sweeteners like honey or real maple syrup may be used sparingly.
9. How often and how much?
Some people need to eat smaller meals more often and others do well on two or three squares a day. Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are satisfied. How much? A fistful of lean meat with as many 'non starchy' vegetables as you want at every meal. Add in some healthy fat, fruits, nuts and seeds in moderation. Variety is optimal!
10. Plan ahead. It is essential for staying compliant and seeing results. Prepare larger meals and save leftovers for breakfast and/or lunch the next day. Preparing food in advance is key to eating clean!
Real life example of smart planning... My sister is a surgeon in a large hospital. She is also a brilliant, healthy, strong, CrossFit woman with a crazy, busy, upside down, unpredictable schedule and she has been highly successful on Paleo for 3 years. How does she do it? Once a week, she cooks several dishes and stores them in individual serving containers; enough for the entire week. Having meals she can 'grab-n-go' keeps her on track and eating clean no matter what her schedule dishes up.
11. Free meal.
Enjoy an occasional 'cheat meal' 1-3 times a week to take the edge off of 'cravings' and help you eat clean the rest of the week. It is not a license to binge but an offers an occasion to cheat a bit. It will not affect the nutritional advantages that come from eating clean consistently.
12. Get rid of stress.
Strive toward reducing external sources of stress, as much as it depends upon you. Get 8-9 hours of sleep. Try to wake up without an alarm and go to bed when it gets dark. Sleep in a completely dark, quiet room.
13. Exercise regularly.
Keep training sessions short and intense. Cross training to include cardio + resistence/weight training is essential. Daily variety in a workout is preferable to long, repetitive cardio sessions.Play in the sun, be active, laugh, read, relax, serve, learn, discover and enjoy your life. It is a gift!
Science.
The Paleo Solution, by Robb Wolf
The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain
The Paleo Diet for Athletes by Loren Cordain and Joe Friel
The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson
Editor's note: All photos are courtesy of google images.