The Paleo or Paleolithic diet is based on what humans ate in the Paleolithic age. People were simple hunter-gatherers at that time. They ate whatever they found or killed. They would seldom eat big meals - with the possible exception of meat if they managed to kill a big animal. Food was never stored or preserved. Everything was eaten raw and fresh. It is not known if they cooked their meat or not.
The Paleo Diet Rules Out All Grains, Refined Foods and Sugars
The Paleolithic people did not plant any foods. Grains were unheard of. There were no high carbohydrate foods except fruit or berries, and those were only eaten in season. In our age, the majority of our calories come from grains and refined foods. If we cut out all grains and refined foods from our diets, our calorie intake would probably be halved. This alone would guarantee weight loss.
The Paleo Diet Rules Out All Trans Fats and Fried Foods
The only fats that Paleo people ate were those in the meat or fish they hunted. There is evidence that they always ate all the fat of the animals they caught. But, there were no grain-fed meats available then so meats were less fatty. Fish fats are good because they contained little to no saturated fats. Pasture fed animal fat would also be acceptable. All trans fats and hydrolyzed fats are out. You can eat a little butter if need be.
The Paleo Diet Does not Include Dairy. Dairy products were unknown as there were not yet domesticated animals and farming. The use of dairy products should be kept to a minimum, if possible only using dairy products from pasture fed animals.
The Paleo Diet Includes Plenty of:
- Vegetables and herbs. Leafy vegetables and herbs are packed full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. These give resistance to disease and keep you healthy. Your Paleo diet should include a good variety of leafy vegetables, preferably organic, and eaten raw.
- Plenty of fish and meat - all pasture fed. All the organs as well as the meat and fat were eaten. Your diet should include sufficient proteins in the form of pasture fed animals and fish
- Eggs, nuts, fruits were allowed in the Paleo Diet
Apart from the diet, the Paleo lifestyle would include plenty of exercise while seeking for food, small frequent meals were eaten as they went along. To lose weight and keep trim, it is necessary to begin an exercise program if you have not already done so. Exercise builds muscle while burning fat.
Some tips for succeeding with the Paleo Diet for Weight Loss include:
- Always plan ahead, make sure you have the correct food types available so you are not tempted to cheat.
- Eat small frequent meals before you get hungry
- Never starve yourself
- You choose your own foods at your local supermarket
- Your rule of thumb should be, if it can be picked or hunted, it is healthy. This helps you to make rapid judgments as to what is good and what is not.
