Whether you have chosen to embark on a Paleo lifestyle or are a tried and true Paleo veteran, the New Year is an opportune time to get back to the basic premise of a Paleo diet and focus on simply eating better.
It can often feel overwhelming when beginning something new – there is so much information and you may not be quite sure where to start. At the same time, when you have been following a program for a while, small habits, behaviours and choices tend to creep in slowly, possibly minimizing some of the benefits you felt in the beginning. Revisiting a few of these tips can help you reset.
Balance Your Meals
Many incorrectly assume that the Paleo diet is about all-you-can-eat bacon or porterhouse steaks at every meal. While well-sourced animal protein plays an important role in the Paleo diet, you want to eat balanced meals that have just as many vegetables as meat on the plate along with a generous serving of naturally occurring fats. If there is an imbalance, let there be more vegetables on your plate.
Stock Up
Stock your fridge and freezer full of Paleo friendly foods. This way there are always options and your brain understands there is enough to eat.
Buy more vegetables. Every time you go to the store make it a habit to load up on vegetables. an array of vegetables is important on any Paleo plan and not eating enough of them is one of the reasons people fail to see results. Whenever possible, opt for organic produce. This will save your body from having to deal with the toxic load of pesticides and herbicides as well as ensure sustainable farming practices.
When choosing protein, grass-fed beef and pastured animals are significantly better for you than grain and crop fed livestock. It only makes sense that eating the food that an animal has evolved to eat will produce healthy, nutritious protein for you to eat. Paleo principles are based on humans eating their optimal diet and our animals should do the same.
Remember your seasonings. Most of your favorite herbs and spices are Paleo, and many have vitamins and antioxidants to help you out nutritionally.
Eat with the seasons. Eating the same foods all year long is definitely not what your ancestors did. Eat fruits and vegetables when they are in season, as this is when nature intended you to eat them. They taste better and are better for you.
Remember Your Fats
It is important to consume healthy fat every day. The Standard American Diet includes hardly any healthy fat and low-fat dogma has infiltrated every aspect of modern life. Correct this imbalance by making sure you eat well-sourced animal, fats (like lard and tallow) and coconut oil for saturated fats, avocados, nuts, seeds, and healthy oils to get the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat into your life. Use coconut oil for cooking and baking and cold pressed oils for drizzling and seasoning.
When in doubt or in need of a tasty and nutritious treat, try some of Pete’s Paleo bacon. What other nutrition plan has bacon on the approved foods list? Take advantage of this and use bacon to make meals and snacks feel indulgent.
Get Adventurous In The Kitchen
Surround yourself with plenty of resources for Paleo recipes. Try a new dish or a new ingredient or two.
Revisit your kitchen, your cooking skills and your meal repertoire. Getting better or more creative at cooking results in greater food enjoyment for you and your loved ones.
Soups and stews are a delicious and easy option to make a hearty and satisfying meal that has a lot of room for human error. It really is tough to mess up a soup recipe, and Paleo soups are complete meals that require no side dishes. Pete's Paleo bone broth is a convenient and delicious foundation to many a slow cooked recipe.
Trying organ meats may not sound too appealing at first (especially if you are trying to sell the idea to your family), but when prepared right they can be quite tasty. These are loaded with vitamins and minerals and are very in line with ancestral eating.
Enlist Help
You may find yourself with a few obstacles keeping you out of the kitchen – perhaps you are not yet confident enough to cook for yourself or your family or your busy lifestyle makes preparing food in a timely manner challenging.
Although there are many convenience foods and options that are not made with high quality, real ingredients, nothing beats a well prepared, hot, delicious plate of food. Pete’s Paleo has all the Paleo food you want to eat, perfectly sourced, chef-prepared and delivered right to you – no apron required.
Special Offer
Try 5 Meals for $30 off the normal price. Use the discount code "SAVE30NOW" at checkout. Discount will be reflected on payment step.
Feel Supported
Until relatively recently, humans lived in tight knit communities, hunting and gathering in groups and migrating together to find better resources or farming and living in large, extended family units. Being able to follow and embrace the Paleo lifestyle with others is your key to lasting and sustainable success. Although friends and family may be best, online and in person groups and meetups can provide valuable support.
Simplicity Is Best
Keeping things simple on the Paleo diet is essential if you want to succeed. In our modern, overly complicated world where food options, choices and combinations are numerous and often overwhelming, it takes effort to keep things simple and straightforward. When it comes to your meals, for the most part, stick to the basics. The more you complicate a meal the less Paleo it is.