August 7, 2022: Paleo Diet

My weekly Get Your Stuff Together Sunday email series gives you one actionable focus for the week that will make your life a little easier.

{Did you miss last week’s GYSTS email? No prob! Go here and scroll to the bottom for a complete archive of all GYSTS emails}

Have you ever wanted to eat like a cavewoman? Well…here’s your chance. The Paleo diet, which became a popular eating plan ever since they hitched their wagon to the Crossfit movement, is still one of the hottest diet plans around. This week, we’re going to talk about what you need to know about the Paleo diet and if it’s a good choice for you.

The Paleo diet is one of the most used diets in the US today. This type of eating plan focuses on foods that may have typically been eaten during the Paleolithic period—some 2.5 million years ago (or so).

The eating plan focuses on lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, or foods that the typical hunter/gatherer would have eaten.

It also limits foods that are processed, or ones that started around the time farmers started planting and harvesting grains.

Why do people do the Paleo diet?

One of the main reasons why someone would choose the Paleo diet is to get back to the basics of eating. It is believed that when farming started, grains, legumes, and other foods were introduced to the public, and the body was unable to adapt.

Some experts believe this loss of adaptation may be partly responsible for the rise in obesity, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Most people who follow the Paleo diet do it to reset their bodies and metabolism and to lose weight and plan their meals better. And it can work. By cutting out most grains, legumes, and higher-calorie food items, you should lose weight.

However, depending on the plan you follow, it can be too restrictive with the foods you eat, and you get a loss of nutrients you may need, such as fiber.

But here’s the thing about the Paleo diet: If you follow this plan to lose weight, then you may need to make this a part of your lifestyle. Just like any other diet, if you follow this plan, you will lose weight and get to your goal weight.

However, if you quit the plan, the chance you will gain your weight back—and more—is very likely. This is true of Keto, Atkins, and other extremely low-carb diets.

Since the Paleo diet is very restrictive, and often low on the calorie side, resorting back to your previous eating patterns often lead to weight gain, due to an increase in calories.

Do I recommend Paleo?

Short answer: no. Longer answer: read on.

Although there are many different diet plans on the market today, the Paleo diet is still one of the most popular. By following this plan, you may see weight loss, and better health…but you need to make it part of your lifestyle moving forward. Fluctuations, or resorting back to your previous eating patterns, could lead to increased weight gain, and a higher risk for chronic diseases.

If you really want to change your diet, and see more sustainable weight loss, you can take tiny bits of this plan and adapt it to your life.

For example, increasing your intake of lean proteins, more fruits and vegetables, better selection of fats, and reducing your intake of processed foods could go a long way to sustained weight loss, and better food choices.

If you like the idea of the Paleo diet, go for it. Give it a try, since we’re all different and our bodies and minds like different methods.

Next Sunday, we’ll talk about the benefits you can expect from using light weights.

Want some expert help with reaching your health goals painlessly? Check out my programs! I also have some really awesome monthly subscriptions. We’ll get everything taken care of in a way that fits into your current lifestyle so you never have to think about your health again.

Do you have a friend who could stand to G(her)ST? Feel free to forward this!

I hope you have a wonderful week,

Kelly

Kelly Morgan, Ph.D.

Tsirona - www.tsirona.com

My weekly GYSTS email give you one actionable thing to do for the week that will make you life a little easier. As "they" say, "Fail to plan; plan to fail." Get these emails (and more!) delivered right to your inbox by clicking HERE.