My experience with Paleo is just that-my own. There are a number of reasons people jump on the diet train and a very specific reason on why people change diets so often. What if I was talking about a life-changing outlook, adaptable to your own personal needs? You don’t have to feel lousy to benefit from the Paleo. Most people switch to Paleo due to a food intolerance with dairy or gluten, maybe, you just want to loose weight. Some are switching because they want to create cleaner eating habits to simply feel better. People are coming to find that Paleo does not only offer many benefits to our health, but is manageable and sustainable.
Let’s talk Paleo for a moment. You as an individual can choose to go as deep as you want when it comes to eating Paleo. For instance, if you suffer from a severe food intolerance you may want to check out the Whole30. I don’t want to go there just yet. The food that I work with and you see on this blog are foods that work well for someone suffering from type one or type two diabetes. So before we jump in full force let’s just focus on changing our mindset about the foods we keep in our home and consume everyday. In just a few words, here is what you need to know about Paleo.
The basic concept of the paleo lifestyle- is to eat whole foods and avoid processed foods.
I want you to understand this, because when we look at Paleo as changing what we eat as a whole and eliminate the idea of a “diet” we start to see foods and flavors we are not familiar with.
What foods should we focus on:
Are you thinking about trying Paleo? If so, where do you start? Let me give you a couple tips that helped me when I first started Paleo and how I have maintained it as a busy, homeschool mom of three.
- Eliminate all processed and non-paleo items from your kitchen. (You can donate to the food pantry or a family in need) This may seem like a waste in money, but the day I decided to try Paleo I had just gone to the grocery. I knew if I didn’t get rid of everything non-paleo it was going to cost me more money down the road and not to mention, setting myself up to not succeed.
- Make sure to buy the basics. Below you will find a starter guide to Paleo. As long as you have those things in your kitchen, you will be ready to go. Your next trip to the grocery will be eggs, meat and veggies. You can’t get much better than that.
- Plan ahead. Meal planning will be your best friend. Don’t leave the house without a healthy snack.
- Be patient. This is all new to you. The first couple weeks will be hard, but so are most things in life worth working towards. Don’t give up. That’s why this blog was created so that you can be encouraged and succeed in changing your eating habits. I have done most of the work for you. The only thing you have to do is hold yourself accountable for making these meals, consistently and being prepared
Here are a few must-have pantry items:
- Coconut oil
- Coconut Aminos
- Coconut Milk (canned)
- Almond Milk
- Raw Honey
- Maple Syrup
- Almond Butter
Here are a few must-have spices:
- Bay Leaves (dried)
- Cayenne pepper (ground)
- Curry Powder
- Dill
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Oregano (dried)
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Thyme (dried)
YES FOODS
- Avocados
- Eggs
- Fruits
- Grass-fed butter or Ghee
- Coconut oil
- Meats
- Nuts
- Olive oil
- Olives
- Vegetables
NO FOODS
- Grain
- Sugar
- Legumes
- Beans
- Dairy
- White Potatoes
I can’t stress enough that these are guidelines to better eating and can be adjusted to each person. If you are just looking for clean eating, you may eat some of the “no” foods on occasion. If you are someone that suffers from a serious food intolerance, like gluten or dairy, you may want to be more restricted.
You can do this! No need to go out and buy new cooking equipment. Start out simple, one recipe at a time.
BEFORE YOU GO, A FEW ANNOUNCMENTS:
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- I love to share my favorite health food hacks and recipes created in the kitchen and MORE!!
LET’S GET STARTED!!!
Tara