Paleo

I’m just beginning to look into and follow the Paleo Diet style of eating. The book I’m reading:

The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Food You Were Designed to Eat, by Loren Cordain

I’m not going to be doing Paleo strictly, at first. It is a pretty flexible plan and there are a few differences I’ll allow for me. For example, I don’t believe in limiting eggs, the more the better. And, I’ve been diagnosed as a person who needs more salt then average (plus, left to my own, I tend to eat too little). So today I’m having olives for my MUFA with lunch, not a Paleo choice.

The main kinds of changes that are happening for me are: I’m increasing my fish portion from 3-4 ounces to 8-10 ounces. And, I’m increasing my green vegetable from 1-1.5 cups to 2-3 cups. I may eat a few more nuts and seeds and fruits than I have been, but will basically keep a rein on those because of the weight loss issues. And, I’m doubling my salad greens weekly budget. =)

I have a lot more of a learning curve before I’ll even try to eat *true Paleo* and in the meantime I’ll be forgiving of myself and finish off some of the groceries already purchased. I’ll put links to the Paleo websites (thanks CrossFit team!) on the right side of my front page.

Here is a snippet from Loren Cordain’s free email newsletter to help understand what this way of eating can look like. Please check out thepaleodiet.com for more info.

Many people new to the Paleo Diet have a hard time figuring out what to eat. They often tend to eat the same thing they’ve always eaten, but just remove the grain. So instead of hamburger and fries, they may just have a hamburger patty. Instead of cereal and a banana, they’ll have just the banana. The result – hunger!

Here are a few tips to make eating Paleo a routine part of your lifestyle:

For breakfast, make an easy omelet. Quickly sauté onion, peppers, mushroom, broccoli, add eggs (keeping only one or two yolks), and leftover turkey or chicken breast for extra protein.

Paleo lunches are easy: Make a large salad at the beginning of the week big enough to cover lunch each day. Include mixed greens, spinach, radishes, peppers, cucumber, carrots, avocado, walnuts/almonds, sliced apple/pear, etc and place in a large Tupperware container. Pack single servings each morning from the large batch; bring a can of tuna (or salmon, chicken/turkey breast, ground buffalo) to top.

For dinner, try spaghetti squash as a substitute for any pasta recipe. Top with pesto, marinara and meatballs, or simply salt, pepper, and garlic. Roasted beets, and their greens, make a great side dish for pork. Asparagus, broccoli, and spinach can be steamed quickly. Salmon, halibut, or tilapia filets grill well with accompanying foil packs full of cut veggies with olive oil and garlic.

Berries and other succulent fruits make a great dessert, and pre-cut carrot and celery sticks, sliced fruit, and pre-portioned raw nut/dried fruit mixes are easy to grab and pack for snacks.

Welcome to my journey!

UPDATE: Just found this BEST overall description and starter page with LINKS!! HUGE!!!

Paleo Diet Lifestyle in 5 Easy Steps