I’m not into restrictive diets with crazy ‘rules.’ But, I am into healthy eating with a focus on veggies and protein. Enter Paleo. Are some foods getting cut out? Yes. Why? Bottom line: Inflammation. Inflammation is essentially the root of disease so saying, ‘Peace out,’ to these foods for a time or forever might just do your body a world of good.
Paleo may seem daunting at first, at least it did to me, but, if you focus on what you CAN eat not on what you can’t, it becomes a whole different ball game and a much simpler one at that. So, what do you eat?
EAT
WHOLE, UNPROCESSED FOODS (anything in its whole form coming from the ground and not man-made in a lab)
GRASS-FED/PASTURED MEATS (any and all meats, NOT conventional, factory farmed meat, look for grass-fed, pastured, truly free range, and organic)
FISH (wild caught)
HEALTHY FATS (grass-fed butter like Kerrygold, coconut oil, avocado oil, ghee, olive oil)
TONS OF VEGGIES (except white potatoes)
FRUITS
NUTS (not peanuts, they’re legumes)
SEEDS
LIMITED NATURAL SUGAR (raw honey and real maple syrup)
DON’T EAT
PROCESSED FOODS (anything that comes from a box or package with a long, chemical ingredient list including frozen foods)
GRAINS (including corn, rice, oats, wheat, etc.)
LEGUMES (peanuts, peas, soy, beans, etc.)
DAIRY (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.)
UNHEALTHY FATS (vegetable oil, canola oil, margarine, hydrogenated oils, etc.)
REFINED SUGARS (white sugar, brown sugar, Splenda, Nutrasweet, Equal, etc.)
PALEO FOOD GUIDE FROM BALANCED BITES (get your own larger version here + other great guides!)
IN CASE YOU ARE IN QUESTION… 😉
FATS: HOT & COLD
Got it!? Think: eat from the ground, tons of veggies, pasture raised/grass-fed meats, healthy fats, fruits, nuts, seeds and you’re golden. Tea and coffee are great, just nix the sugar. Desserts are definitely going to happen, they will just be a lot healthier! And, breakfasts won’t be sugar-filled comas, but more like lunches and dinners and Paleo cereals, which aren’t really cereals, but nutrient-dense bowls of awesomeness and EGGS!! Lots of eggs can happen in the morning! I happen to have an egg allergy, don’t get me started! But, don’t let that deter you from eating all the eggs your heart desires. I’ve been creating Paleo boards on Pinterest to give you an idea of the foods Paleo-folk eat…GET THE DINNER MEAL PLAN!!! Takes the guesswork right out of what to eat for dinner each week. I am 100% doing Holstic Squid’s meal plans, I am too crazy busy with work, school, preschooler, 7-week-old and cooking from scratch already that having dinners covered is a must. They will pretty much save my life and give me the time to put together other meals and whip up fun snack and dessert recipes.
Get this. I was trying to come up with my own meal plans for you guys…FAIL. I could have done 60 days of meal planning, but then realized WHY WOULD I DO THAT TO MYSELF?? I’m half sleep deprived as it is! Holistic Squid already has it all done for us at a ridiculous price. Click the pic to check it out:
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Pic source: Robb Wolf
Pic source: Cole Bradburn
Pic source: Balanced Bites
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