The Paleo Series Part 2: Simple Steps to Implement the Paleo Lifestyle
- Olivia Borer
- Sep 18, 2015
- 4 min read
In my last post, I laid the groundwork for the basics of the Paleo diet. It was a ton of information packed into a small post. I hope to expand on it in numerous iterations in the future, but for now, it serves as a great starting point.
As discussed previously, the Paleo diet focuses on adding nutrient rich food and eliminating potentially problematic foods in order to achieve optimal health. On paper, that sounds amazing, but actually implementing the Paleo practices can be a challenge.
But it can be done!
In order to properly implement the Paleo diet and start reaping the plethora of benefits, you need to decide for yourself which of the following two approaches works best for you:
The Cold-Turkey Approach
The Incremental-Change Approach
As the name suggests, the first approach focuses on jumping into the Paleo lifestyle with full force, completely overhauling your eating habits and cleaning out your fridge and pantry. This is the approach for those who don’t mind radical change and often jump right into new adventures without pondering the consequences. Throw out all the foods on the "no" list and buy more foods from the "yes" list and start cooking!
On the other hand, the second approach emphasizes taking smaller steps toward implementing the Paleo diet into your daily life. This is the route I chose. I began slowly over a year ago, first reading all the research I could about the Paleo lifestyle and, from there, I took the steps I felt were best for me. I started by eliminating bread and most dairy products, while at the same time increasing my vegetable and fruit intake. Then, with time, I quit eating my beloved “healthy” cereal (Kashi cereal=not the greatest in case you were wondering!) and started adding in foods I had previously viewed as prohibited and unhealthy, liked eggs and fat sources like coconut oil and ghee. Recently, I completely stopped eating grains (a gluten-free oat blend hot cereal was the only grain product I was eating) and started focusing on eating more non-starchy vegetables, healthy fats (olives and avocados especially), and proteins. Now, I am 100% Paleo, but it took well over a year to transition to this point.
However, everyone has a different starting place. In that case, it’s best to decide what steps are best for you to start with. Below are several examples of great steps to try for yourself:
Replace your vegetable cooking oils with healthy fats like coconut oil, avocado oil, and extra virgin olive oil (this is my number one tip – get rid of those corn, soybean, canola oils asap!)
Start by going gluten-free (really check your labels - gluten is everywhere!)
Eliminate sodas (diet too!) and replace with water or tea
Focus on having at least five servings of vegetables a day
Stop eating cereal at breakfast- try an egg and vegetable scramble with avocado
Eliminate dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese) and replace with other protein rich foods (fish, meat, eggs)
At every meal, make sure you have a protein, carbohydrate, and fat source
Stop using conventional salad dressings and condiments – make your own! Google Paleo _____ recipe and I guarantee something will come up! (Ex: Paleo mayo)
Instead of rice, make cauliflower rice by pulsing cauliflower in a food processor or blender and lightly sautéing for five minutes
Use zucchini noodles (made from a spiralizer or vegetable peeler) instead of pasta (this really is good, and you can do this with a number of different vegetables and fruits. See here for more ideas!)
Make a stir fry of a protein and all the vegetables in the fridge and season with salt, pepper, and garlic – this is a great way to use up vegetables that are about to spoil!
Stop buying and eating processed foods
Start saying "no thank you" to sweets (always have a piece of fruit or some nuts with you to have to help you resist the urge to eat the sweets)
Honestly, I could go on and on, but the point of this list is not to overwhelm you. You do not have to do them all at once. Start with one or two. Master those steps and move on from there, picking another two. Change takes time, especially when you’ve been eating a certain way for years. But, if you want to take control of your health, and promote a better well-being, these steps are a great way to start!
If you are like me and like to see diagrams and read books to get information, here is a list of books and websites I highly recommend. They have amazing recipes and insights into the Paleo diet and beyond. These are not all of the resources (just do a quick Amazon search to confirm that!), but it includes the ones I reference often.
Books:
Websites
I’ll leave you with one last nugget:
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
Keep this in mind as you begin your real, whole food journey to nourishment.
If you have any questions about where to start with the Paleo diet, please contact me! I’d love to help you navigate those first few steps (which are often the hardest!). In the next post in this series, I'm going to start breaking down each macronutrient category: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
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