Paleo… what’s the big deal? Lately, we’ve been hearing people recommend eating like a caveman. Is this all a bunch of B.S., or is there some merit in its thinking?
Well, I have some news for you: everyone should do it for at least 30 days. It works. It’s awesome. But it’s not for everyone. I guess you may be wondering what the heck “Paleo” is.
Paleo (short for Palaeolithic) style eating is the process of mimicking the food choices of our Palaeolithic ancestors. You know: cavemen and early Homo sapiens. The purpose is to eat foods that we evolved to eat (as opposed to processed and agricultural foods). The reason for this is that processed and agricultural foods were only introduced to Homo sapiens just recently (compared to the length of time humans have been on this Earth) and have not evolved to be equipped to digest these foods.
How to Eat Paleo
With Paleo, you basically aren’t allowed to eat grains, dairy, legumes, and processed foods. This means no milk, yogurt, corn, oatmeal, beans, peanuts, and junk food (this includes beer). While the scope of this article isn’t to bust a nut on these foods, you should know that most people are allergic to these foods in one way or another. For example, you know that beans are a magical fruit, and the more you eat, the more you toot. Well, if you are digesting food correctly, then it shouldn’t make you need to fart. The same goes for foods that make you have a carb coma, give you diarrhea, kill your energy, and/or give you acne or arthritis (like most grains).
If you can’t have these foods, then what can you have? All kinds of meat and eggs (preferably grass fed organic), all types of vegetables (preferably from your garden or your local farmer), herbs and spices, organic nuts and seeds (excluding peanuts, which are technically a legume), organic fruits (preferably local), organic avocadoes, and organic oils (coconut oil and olive oil; oils from grains and legumes are not allowed). Basically, you’re allowed to eat the most delicious foods on this Earth and have to cut out all the “meh” foods.
Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
Technically, potatoes are agricultural foods. Yet, most people have zero allergies to them. Weird but awesome. Eat them post workout.
Why Everyone Should Experiment With Paleo
Now, I’m not saying that Paleo is for everyone, I’m just saying that everyone should try Paleo for at least 30 days. The reason behind this is that you will never know what you are truly allergic to until you cut it out for 30 days. Some people walk around all day farting (or sharting), feeling tired, being sore all over, and blaming their genetics. It’s not your genetics, it’s what your family has taught you to eat. New diseases like diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, and acne are usually misdiagnosed for food allergies. It’s not your doctor’s fault. It’s the fault of biased, government funded research.
Once you start eating Paleo, you feel like a human again. You feel awesome and energetic. You feel happy again. You feel confident. Life is good when you feed your body good food.
As an added benefit, ever person I’ve seen who eats a Paleo diet has shredded abs.
Why Paleo Isn’t For Everyone
Here’s the good news: some people can tolerate grains, dairy, and/or legumes better than most people. If this is you, it means that your ancestors probably herded cattle, domesticated grains, or lived in an area full of legumes. You are an exception to the rule.
In this case, you will want to first go Paleo for 30 days, then slowly reintroduce foods one at a time, week by week. If you notice anything even remotely negative with your health, then you shouldn’t be eating it.
Arguments Against Paleo
- Grains are a good source of fibre. Fruits and vegetables are a much better source of fibre.
- I get my calcium from milk. You should be getting your calcium from leafy greens instead. Eating a diet rich in meats and vegetables will provide more magnesium to the body and decrease the need for calcium.
- Commercials say that canola oil is the best choice. Commercials also advertise things like “Jersey Shore” and breakfast cereals that are “healthy”.
- I eat cereal in milk every morning for breakfast. Well, that’s unfortunate. Your best bet would be to skip this meal completely.
Plan of Attack
Here’s what you need to do. Don’t just dive into the 30 days of Paleo. Most people will fail. You are “most people”. You need to take things slow.
Start by identifying all the foods that you eat that are prohibited on a Paleo diet. 2 seconds later, decide on a food to immediately stop eating. Each week, keep doing this until you are eating Paleo. Once you are there, continue to eat this way for 30 days. After, introduce either: grains, dairy, or legumes (only one) each week. Monitor how you feel that week. If you felt crappier than you did while on the 30 days of Paleo, then you shouldn’t be eating this food. Take it back out.
Have a go at this and you will get ripped and healthy. Also, I know that someone will ask, so the answer is, “yes, you can combine Paleo and Intermittent Fasting for a lethal combination”. Try Paleo and your farts will be a thing of the past (along with your belly fat).
If you’re looking for some Paleo Recipe ideas, then I recommend The Paleo Recipe book. You can learn more about that here: Paleo Recipe Book
We value your privacy and would never spam you