Is the Paleo Lifestyle Sustainable?

The paleo lifestyle often refers to adopting a paleo diet for life. This is often referred to as the ‘cavemen’ diet because it is how our early ancestors ate and lived.

Several questions will come to people’s minds when they first hear of the paleo diet. Is it healthy? Is it expensive? Why do I have to sacrifice my favorite foods? Is it uncivilized?

All these questions are often based on misconceptions and false notions. The paleo diet though slightly restrictive is perfectly healthy and sustainable. As with anything that needs to become a habit, it will take some time to adapt to the paleo diet and make it a way of life.

Most diets are not sustainable in the long run. They are either too low in calories, based on false information or just too restrictive and not feasible for a long term solution.

The paleo diet recommends a diet rich in meat, eggs and healthy fats. The meat and eggs are best if they are organic. Grains, sugar and refined or processed foods are strictly not allowed. This is where most people face the biggest hurdle.

Giving up their favorite foods such as chocolates, cakes, pastries, ice-creams, etc. is such a sacrifice. Is it even worth it? This is a question every individual will need to answer for themselves. There are paleo recipes to make desserts, smoothies and even ice-creams. So, it’s not that bad but of course, you’ll have to forget the Dunkin Donuts.

You’ll have to decide if you want good health and a lean, fit body. The good thing about the paleo diet is that after you have been on it for 3 months, your cravings for sweet foods will diminish greatly. A lot of your past cravings will not be there anymore. You will not feel the need to raid the refrigerator at night and binge eat.

When the body has all the nutrients it needs, it doesn’t have sudden cravings. So, in the long run, it will not seem like a sacrifice at all.
The paleo diet is not more expensive than a normal diet. You are just substituting foods. In fact, since the paleo diet often recommends that you buy your meats and fresh foods in bulk, often there will be cost savings. You are also encouraged to cook for yourself.

That means overall, you will be saving money. Any savvy paleo dieter will be able to adroitly get better bargains from his local meat suppliers. The only investment you will have to make is on a freezer to store your meats. This, however, is a one-time investment that will last for years.

So, to summarize, the paleo diet is actually cheaper than the standard American diet. Not to mention, you will save on medical costs since you will be less susceptible to the normal health issues that affect most people on a poor diet.

The paleo diet is definitely sustainable in the long run. You will benefit from it greatly. The only difficulty is in the beginning when you are first getting used to it. Once you cross the hump, it will be smooth sailing the rest of the way and you’ll realize that the paleo lifestyle is an excellent way to live.

The Paleo Diet or Low Carb Diet? Which is better?

This is an excellent question and a very popular one too. It is often asked by people who are trying to lose weight and are trying to make sense of all the weight loss information floating around. This question is not really an easy one to answer because it all depends on the person adopting the diet.

This article will state the pros and cons of each diet and in the end, the decision lies in the hands of the reader. One diet is slightly better than the other but it’s more difficult to adopt. So, decide wisely.

The paleo diet is not really about weight loss. It is more concerned with healthy food choices. Eating food that is good for your body and avoiding food that is not. The paleo diet is highly effective and as a result, people lose weight and this creates the idea that the paleo diet is about weight loss.

You will be eating lots of meat while on the paleo diet. Grass fed meats, eggs, healthy fats such as coconut oils and grass fed butter, etc. You will not be allowed to eat anything containing sugar, grains and refined or processed products.

This is extremely difficult for many people because they will have to give up many of their favorite foods. It’s a huge sacrifice for them. This makes the paleo diet much more difficult to adopt than the low carb diet. However, if you conquer your cravings and adopt the paleo diet, you will lose weight, look better and be healthier.

You will have fewer allergies, fewer potential health issues and a better relationship with food. The cravings will disappear in about 2 to 3 months. Your weight loss will be permanent and you will have a much lower chance of gaining weight since your blood sugar levels will be stable and there will not be any insulin spikes from high GI foods.

The low carb diet on the other hand, advocates a diet that is extremely low in carbs or even in some cases, no carbs are allowed. Unlike the paleo diet which recommends a certain amount of carbs from vegetables and fruit.

A low carb diet may mean that you can consume carbs but in small quantities. Many dieters make the mistake of consuming carbs such as whole wheat bread or ‘healthy’ cereals. Even small amounts of these carbs will cause insulin spikes.

A low carb diet also leaves people feeling lethargic and irritable. The human body needs a certain amount of carbohydrates. If you consume too little, your metabolic rate will drop. Unlike the paleo diet which encourages the consumption of nutrient dense foods, which may make up for the lack of carbs, the low carb diet does not do that.

All too often, the dieters on the low carb diet consume too few calories and this impedes their fat loss progress. The only positive thing about the low carb diet is that it has much more leeway in its food choices. It’s not as harsh as the paleo diet. No foods are forbidden in a low carb diet.

There may even be cheat days which allow you to gorge yourself and leave you lying somnolent on a couch unable to move. The paleo diet has no cheat days.
To summarize, if you have the discipline and determination, go for the paleo diet and you will have a diet that will last you a lifetime. Your health will improve vastly and you’ll feel great.

If you just can’t muster the determination to avoid your favorite foods, then go for the low carb diet. But, do remember that this is a short term solution. You will always be in a battle to fight the bulge. The cause of weight gain is poor food choices. So, no poor food is better than low quantities of poor food. In the end, it’s your choice.

The Pros and Cons of the Paleo Diet

The paleo diet is an awesome diet that has thousands of fans all over the world. Books on this subject have become bestsellers. People have lost weight, reduced allergies, gained control of their health issues like diabetes, cholesterol, etc. and much more with the paleo diet. In fact, it is considered one of the best diets around.

However, no diet is perfect and the paleo diet is no different. It has its pros and cons which this article will discuss. You will have to decide for yourself if the pros outweigh the cons. Thousands of people decided that it did and adopted this diet.

First, you will need to understand the paleo diet. It is a diet that is more concerned with food choices rather than calories, nutrient timing, carb cycling, detoxing, etc. In theory, the paleo diet is simple. Eat these foods and avoid these other foods. All you need to do is follow the food list. In practice, however, the paleo diet is extremely difficult in the beginning because it involves sacrifice. Nobody likes that.

You are encouraged to eat grass-fed meats such as beef, poultry, bison, turkey, pork, etc. Fish is good too. Especially wild salmon that is rich in omega-3 fatty oils. You may consume fruit and non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, green beans, spinach, etc. You may consume nuts such as pecans, almonds, walnuts and cashews. Peanuts are NOT allowed.

Eggs and plant based oils are also encouraged. Coconut oil, olive oil, macadamia oil, etc. are sources of fat. These foods are an integral part of the paleo diet.

The foods that are not allowed are grains, such as oats, wheat, barley, and rice. You’re also not allowed to consume starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn. All dairy products are not allowed. Sugar, processed meats such as hot dogs, salami, etc. are a big no-no. Salty food, processed foods, refined foods are all not allowed.

This eliminates a huge chunk of foods that people are normally used to eating. This is one of the biggest pros of the paleo diet. Most of the foods not allowed are unhealthy and some foods such as soya beans and grains just do not go down well with most people.

The paleo diet is rich in protein and it keeps your blood sugar levels stable and prevents insulin spikes. This prevents weight gain. The diet is also very clean and that means it is anti-inflammatory. Most people on normal diets often complain of aches and pains for no reason. This is due to cell inflammation from food that is not good. No such problems with the paleo diet. These are some of the pros of the paleo diet.

There are a few cons. This diet is not suitable for vegetarians. Paleo dieters often do not balance their meals well. Too much protein is consumed without adequate carbs. So, they’ll need to carefully keep track of what they eat. When food choices are limited, more attention is required to keep the diet balanced. The paleo diet can seem too rigid and strict to many people. So, many drop off the diet.

You will need to assess your goals and weigh your options. If you’re willing to make sacrifices for better health and fewer health issues, you definitely want to adopt the paleo diet. It is well worth the effort.

The Real Truth about the Paleo Diet

The paleo diet has its fair share of fans and detractors. The diet itself has gained massive popularity over the years and thousands of people swear by it. They often claim to feel much better and healthier as a result of adopting this diet. Thousands of people have also lost weight by adopting the paleo diet, which is also known as the ‘caveman’ diet.

The diet basically focuses on eating single ingredient foods such as fish, grass fed meat, goat, poultry, rabbit and a lot of other meats. You are also encouraged to consume a variety of vegetables from broccolis, carrots, cabbages, etc. Contrary to popular diets, the paleo diet also encourages the consumption of healthy fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, macadamia oil, grass fed butter, etc. The emphasis is on wholesome, nutritious foods that our early ancestors ate during the paleolithic era.

Grains, refined and processed foods, sugar and other modern foods that the typical American consumes is anathema to the avid paleo dieter. They are not allowed to consume these foods at all as part of the paleo diet.

The trend in obesity has skyrocketed and it has reached epidemic proportions. Thousands and thousands of Americans are obese and the food industry is to blame. Paleo dieters have dumped the Standard American Diet, which is known as SAD amongst paleo fans, for a healthier alternative.

The results prove that the paleo diet works. Thousands of testimonials show that people have lost weight using this method. They report feeling much better ever since they stopped eating grains and process foods such as white bread or products which are marketed as ‘healthy’ by billion dollar food manufacturers. Going natural has made a world of difference to the paleo dieters.

Now, of course there are people who say that the paleo diet is not healthy because you will not get all the nutrients your body needs. This is not true. The only time that your body lacks nutrients is if you do not consume a varied diet. By eating a variety of foods, your body will have all the nutrients it needs.

Another point that detractors may throw up is that consuming too much meat and eggs will raise your cholesterol level. However, studies have shown that dietary cholesterol has minimal impact on your blood cholesterol level. The real culprit is modern day foods that inflame the body and cause cholesterol to be formed to heal the inflamed cells.

On another tangent, there are folks who say that the paleo diet is uncivilized. This is purely an image issue. The fact that the diet is modeled after a caveman’s diet and is actually called that, conjures up images of feral men tearing into raw meat in some caves. This is just a psychological issue. Most paleo dieters just eat more meat and they cook it well, spice it up and in many cases, their food tastes just as good as or even better than a greasy steak you may find at a local diner.

The crux of the matter is that the paleo diet is extremely beneficial to one’s health. The saying, ‘Don’t knock it till you try it’ applies here. It will do you good to give it a try and you just might find yourself a fan of this remarkable diet.

What Are The Best Foods For a Paleo Diet?

The paleo diet is based on a rough dietary plan modeled after what our ancestors may have consumed during the paleolithic era. The diet itself is extremely healthy and wholesome if adhered to. Thousands of people all over the world have reported many health benefits and positive results from adopting this diet. While the paleo diet may not be the panacea for all ills, it has numerous benefits.

The diet itself is pretty easy to understand conceptually. You have a list of foods that you can eat and a list of foods that you should not eat. It is very basic and anybody can understand it. Unlike other diets which use nutrient timings, food combinations, detoxes, lemonade, etc. the paleo diet is straightforward. However, it is not an easy diet to follow.

You’ll need to be determined to get over the initial hump when your body is adjusting to the new foods. You will have cravings that will be gnawing at you constantly. Sugar cravings for the most part. Once you get past this, it will be smooth sailing.

So what are the best paleo foods?

The paleo foods you consume will be nutrient dense and natural. It is highly recommended that you eat organic produce and grass fed meats. Even eggs should be free range. However, this may prove to be expensive. So, if you cannot afford organic vegetables and grass fed meats, then by all means get the normal produce and meats. Most importantly, stick to the food list recommended by the diet.

There are many types of foods you can eat while on the paleo diet. It would be best to get a book on the paleo diet or paleo diet recipes to look at the options available to you. This article will give you a few suggestions, but it is by no means comprehensive. You will benefit more from research.
The following foods were recommended on the website, Theultimatepaleoguide.com.

Meats – Poultry, Bacon, Pork, Ground Beef, Grass Fed Beef, Chicken Thigh, Chicken Leg, Chicken Wings, Turkey, Chicken Breast, Pork Tenderloin, Pork Chops, Steak, Veal, Lamb rack, Shrimp, Lobster, Clams, Salmon, Venison Steaks, Buffalo, New York Steak, Lamb Chops, Rabbit, Goat, Elk, Emu, Goose, Kangaroo, Bear, Beef Jerky, Eggs, Bison, Bison Steaks, Bison Jerky, Bison Ribeye, Bison Sirloin, Wild Boar, Reindeer, Turtle, Ostrich, Pheasant, Quail, Lean Veal, Chuck Steak, Rattlesnake

Now, of course you may balk at some of these foods and some might be next to impossible to obtain, but this is just a list. Pick and choose what you like and eat those. It does not have to be a rigid diet. Some flexibility is good.

Vegetables - Asparagus, Avocado, Artichoke hearts, Brussels sprouts, Carrots, Spinach, Celery, Broccoli, Zucchini, Cabbage, Peppers (All Kinds), Cauliflower, Parsley, Eggplant, Green Onions

Fats - Coconut oil, Olive oil, Macadamia Oil, Avocado Oil, Grass fed Butter

Nuts - Almonds, Cashews, Hazelnuts, Pecans, Pine Nuts, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Macadamia Nut, Walnuts

Fruit - Apple, Avocado, Blackberries, Papaya, Peaches, Plums, Mango, Lychee, Blueberries, Grapes, , Lemon, Strawberries, Watermelon, Pineapple, Guava, Lime, Raspberries, Cantaloupe, Tangerine, Figs, Oranges

If you consume only the foods on the list above, you will notice your health improve and you will look and feel better. Of course, always eat in moderation and not surfeit. If you eat sensibly and follow this diet, the results will be fantastic. Do give it a go.

What Is the Paleo Diet?

The paleo diet, also popularly known as the ‘caveman’ diet is a dietary plan roughly based on what our ancestors consumed during the paleolithic era. The current day diet is not an exact replication of their diet. Just a concept of what their diet would have been like – basically healthy, wholesome food that is not full of additives, preservatives and other harmful substances so often found in our current diet.

The paleo diet has seen a surge in popularity with thousands of people extolling its benefits. Books on the subject such as The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf have becoming bestsellers. There is no denying that the paleo solution works and it is a healthy way of life.

The diet itself is simple. There is a list of foods you can eat and a list of foods that you can’t eat. The simplicity stops there. The difficulty arises when one has to strictly adhere to the foods that you can eat.

Most of us grew up on cereal, bread, milk, chocolates, burgers, ice-creams, etc. Foods that we have grown to love. In fact, we love these foods so much that obesity has reached epidemic proportions.

While most normal diets give you a list of foods that are not good for you, the paleo diet goes one step higher and just strikes off ingredients. For example, a normal diet will state that you should not eat doughnuts. The paleo diet states that you will not consume sugar.

With this one condition, it has just eliminated a huge chunk of foods. Grains are also not allowed.

Really? Yup. That means that bread, pizzas, burgers, etc. are out too. So, are processed meats such as hot dogs, salami, etc.

You are only expected to eat grass fed meats, fish, poultry, fruit, non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, spinach, etc. Eggs and vegetable oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, macadamia oil, etc. are allowed as fats. You can only consume these foods.

There are a few other foods you can consume while on the paleo diet. It would be best to get a paleo cookbook and learn what you can eat and how to transform these foods into tasty dishes. Paleo dishes can be tasty too.

Just because the diet is restrictive does not mean that it has to be boring. In fact, it is highly advisable that you have as many paleo recipes as possible at your fingertips. Since you have sacrificed so many foods that you considered delicious, your body will be craving these forbidden foods. Tasty paleo dishes will ease the mental torture.

Once you have gotten used to the diet, naturally your cravings will slowly decrease till there are none left. In fact, even the smell of junk food may turn you off in the future. Your body will be used to healthy food and will be repulsed by food that is not good for it.

You will be leaner, healthier and feel much better. These are the priceless benefits of the paleo diet and worth all the sacrifice. It would be great to incorporate an exercise program into your daily schedule so that you reap the full benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Then, you will truly be fit and fabulous.

Will the Paleo Diet Help With Diabetes?

The paleo diet is one of the best ways of combating diabetes and keeping it under control. There is absolutely no doubt about this. Thousands of people who were suffering from diabetes reported benefits after adopting the paleo diet.

The paleo diet focuses mostly on eating meat, healthy fats and whole vegetables that are beneficial to the body. Sugars, simple carbohydrates, refined foods, potatoes, etc. are not allowed in the paleo diet. By following the paleo diet assiduously, one will keep their blood sugar level stable and there will hardly be any insulin spikes.

This is one of the major benefits of the paleo diet and it is exactly why the diet is so suitable for diabetes sufferers.

The key to keeping diabetes and its ill effects under control is by keeping your blood sugar stable. That is the cornerstone to staying healthy despite having diabetes. The normal way to keep diabetes under control will be to use medication, which is what most doctors will prescribe.

However, many patients have still reported having diabetic ulcers, unexplained fluctuations in blood glucose levels and other issues. The reason for this is that the foods they are consuming are not suitable for diabetic patients. The paleo diet eliminates most of these ‘problem’ foods.

Another problem that many diabetics face is cravings for sweet foods or foods that are not ideal for them. These cravings are often caused by poor food choices. The more sugary foods you consume, the greater your cravings for sugary foods will be. It’s a vicious cycle.

The paleo diet puts an end to all these cravings since it eliminates sugar from the diet. It may be difficult in the beginning to adapt this diet, but once you have adapted and accepted it, your cravings will disappear and your life will become much easier. You will not face a mental struggle and guilty feelings by fighting or giving in to cravings.

When blood sugar levels spiral out of control, insulin is often required to stabilize the blood sugar levels. Often, these require professional medical treatments that are time consuming and expensive. The simple fact is that it is relatively easy to keep blood sugar levels under control. Not only will you be spared the hassle of making and keeping medical appointments, but you’ll also save money.

Eating foods that have a high glycemic index will send your blood sugar levels through the roofs. An example of a high GI food would be a bowl of sugary cereal. A much wiser choice would be 2 half boiled eggs with a light dash of pepper.

What’s the difference?

The doughnuts are not allowed if you’re on the paleo diet. The eggs are allowed and recommended. The former will give you health problems while the latter will be beneficial for your well-being.

Since the paleo diet will also result in you shedding the excess pounds, you will also end up leaner and healthier. It’s a win-win situation. If you’re a diabetic, you definitely want to look into the paleo diet and give it a try. It might change your life for the better.