Getting Started in Paleo/Primal:

Personally I find the hardest thing to beginning something new is the getting started part. Often times it really is hard to know where to start and what to do. Well first things first, let’s start out on the web. I am going to list some websites that I frequent and that helped me and still help me. I would greatly suggest you check them out and get your feet wet.

Here we go:

1. Mark’s Daily Apple

2. Latest in Paleo

3. Paleo Hacks

4. Free the Animal

5. Archevore

There ya go. That will be more than enough to get you going for days and help you acclimate yourself with the process. One of the things that you will notice when you stop poisoning your body with carbs, gluten, and sugar, is that for the first few days to a week or so, you`ll probably be a bit of a grump until your blood sugar normalizes. The way I weaned myself off of the carbs and sugar was to supplement my diet in the beginning with some good fresh fruit. I found that filling the gaps with a couple of oranges or bananas in the beginning really helped with the transition. As my blood sugar normalized, my sugary fruit intake naturally fell off. I still enjoy fruit but in more moderation.

The next thing I would recommend is that you get your significant other(s), be it your wife, boyfriend, girlfriend and or your family on board with your lifestyle change to not only make your transition easier, but to educate them on the Primal/Paleo way of life. Make sure they know what you are doing and what foods and drinks are out. Also, be prepared for some neigh saying, weird looks, questions, and even criticisms in the beginning. This is normal and like all of us, they have been fooled and hoodwinked by popular culture, mass marketing attacks, and the status quo for many years. It isn’t their fault. I really feel the assimilation in understanding by those close to you and even your coworkers is very important to early Paleo success.

Another thing I would suggest if you`ve not had a normal workout routing is to work into this portion of the lifestyle slowly to avoid burnout and fatigue, both physical and mental. If you are a couch potato don’t go out and try running five miles tomorrow. Do one of the most natural of human movements….walk! Go short at first and then increase your distance over time. Also start working in some simple bodyweight exercises like pushups and sit-ups. Remember that this is a lifestyle change and thus a marathon not a sprint. Forget the “instant gratification” you, me, and everyone else has become accustomed to and take your damn time!!

There is a little more to the recipe, but not really a whole lot more. The stuff I have listed here is what worked for me, a middle-aged father of two small kids with a long commute and stressful job. Make progress not excuses!

Paleo Crisis: To Veg or Not To Veg

When I decided to give the paleo diet a try, my biggest question was “Do I stay vegetarian or not?” I know many vegetarians who successfully switch to a paleo diet but my biggest problem is that I’m a chronic on-again-off-again vegetarian (currently hovering in the “semi on” state) so when push comes to shove… I usually get pushed. I know that without a clear commitment, I will have decided to go back to meat. And if I go back to meat I’ll probably devolve into eating it at every meal (even if at first I say it’s “just once in a while”) and then I’ll end up stuffing my face with McDonalds quality meat. That’s not going to end well.

So, as part of my commitment to have a clearly defined paleo diet meal plan, here are the guidelines I’m putting in place,

Vegetarian is the default: whenever there are options choose vegetarian.

There is never an excuse for a meat “snack”: chomp on some nuts, carry around an apple, or even drink water to pass the time until I can get my hands on some veggie food.

If given the choice between a paleo meat and non-paleo vegetarian food, opt for the meat. If it’s possible to remove the meat and still have a healthy, sustaining meal do so. If not, eat only a small portion of meat.

If given a choice between non-paleo meat (for instance a hot dog) and non-paleo vegetarian options (for instance, beans or pasta), go vegetarian. Not being able to keep paleo is not an excuse to abandon the veggies!

If I eat meat more than 3 times (times, not days) in a week, it’s time to have a heart-to-heart with myself about what’s going wrong.

A completely vegetarian, healthy, nourishing, sustainable paleo diet is the ultimate goal.

Paleo Diet Meal Plan

So you want to get fit, eat healthy, and feel better? Humans have been around for a really long time and modern farming hasn’t. Maybe our bodies work better with a different diet. If you’re here, you may have already determined that the paleo diet is right for you. So now what? If you’re like me, the theory part is easy. A paleo diet mea lplan helps us turn the theory into practice.

When I start any new program, whether that’s an exercise program, a healthy eating diet, or even a commitment to read more books, I consume tons and tons of information. In just a few days (or sometimes in an all-night binge), I become an expert on the subject. I can probably explain in depth to you the pros and cons of most diets and exercise programs out there. But do you know what is hard for me, finding explicit instructions on what to do. I’m not an expert so I need someone to tell me exactly what exercises to do and how to do them. Or in our case, which foods to eat and how to prepare them.

A paleo diet meal plan can help you start strong and will set you up for success.

Paleo may be a funny sounding word but the foods that comprise the diet are not so strange at all. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t normally eat emu and kohlrabi (I don’t even know what kohlrabi is!), but I do know what steak, chicken, apples, apricots, and spinach are. You can get a list of paleo foods here.

I had the same hesitations when I first heard about the paleo diet. Turns out there’s a whole lot of food–and tasty food!–that fits in with a paleo diet meal plan. Now, if you go a 12-hour road trip, don’t pack any food, and find yourself famished six hours in, it might take some work to put together a fulfilling meal at a gas station convenience store. Thankfully, much paleo food is portable.

Fruits and vegetables don’t require cooking or refrigeration and thus make excellent choices for paleo food on the go. If it’s paleo and vegetarian, it’s probably quick, easy, and portable… find some fruits and veggies you like and stock up! With a little planning, you can take meat on the road as well. A room temperature steak probably doesn’t taste so good but a salad topped with chicken might (make sure you eat it within four hours!). If you’re going somewhere with a refridgerator (or at least a cooler), you can take more meat on the road with you.

For the office workers and cubicle junkies out there, plan ahead, prepare your lunch the night before, store it in the fridge and bring it to work with you. You may get some funny looks, but you’ve got to admit, explaining persimmon is a good conversation starter!

I need a paleo diet meal plan!

Paleo Cookbooks - Recipes for the Paleo Diet

Ok this is all well and good. But now it’s time to stop reading and starting eating. But where to start? After some searching, I found the perfect combination: Nikki Young put together two paleo cookbooks AND a 30-day meal plan to help you get started. The Paleo Cookbooks are used and endorsed by world record holders, Crossfit coaches, and people from all walks of life.

Take a look at the product and see what other folks are saying.