Paleo Diet
While there are many diets to choose from, The Paleo Diet has been a slow but steady contender in the world of diet trends. The series of books that make up the diet system include “The Paleo Diet” and “The Paleo Diet for Athletes.”
Dr. Loren Cordain is the man behind the diet plan and has received recognition for his expertise in the human dietary field including features on Dateline NBC and the front page of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. His personal list of awards, honors and recognitions is extensive, a direct result of his lengthy career as a health field professional.
The Paleo Diet is often referred to as, the Stone Age Diet or the caveman diet. The basics behind the diet plan are that a person’s diet should revert back to the diet of our hunter and gatherer ancestors. This includes foods like the animals and plants that were largely a part of the Paleolithic food intake. Obviously, though, the Stone Age diet is modernized to utilize the animals and plants available, today. Meats incorporated into the diet plan are, usually, meant to be those which are grass fed and pasture raised. The diet excludes things like legumes, any dairy, sugars, salts and oils.
The Paleo Diet Plan
If you decide to make the Paleo Diet part of your life, you should be aware there is a good deal of planning and preparing involved. Of course, those who swear by it will vouch for it being worth the work. The reason the Paleo Diet Plan was started by Neely Quinn and Jason Glaspey, was to help people follow the plan, without having to stray from it, due to time constraints. With this plan, you get the tools you need to succeed, on the Paleo Diet.
- You get shopping lists you can easily print to take with you for fast and easy grocery market trips.
- You also get easily adaptable meal plans to help you determine your breakfasts, lunches, dinners and even snacks.
- Also included, in the Paleo Diet Plan are recipes to make your food preparation a much simpler task.
- Not to mention, you also gain access to resources provided by the website with helpful tips and information available to you, at all times.
Paleo Plan Food Choices
One very helpful thing about the Paleo Diet Plan is that many foods can be replaced or substituted so you are never forced to eat something you don’t like. The recipes available to you for the plan include breakfast, lunch, dinner, meat only options, sides and even desserts. A few examples of breakfast choices include Baked Eggs in Bacon Rings, No “Oat” Oatmeal and the Roasted Pepper and Sausage Omelet.
Lunch selections include a variety, like you would want to have for lunch options, including soups and salads. In fact, a Chicken Fajita Salad and Egg Drop Soup are just two examples of the many options. There’s also some specialty items, such as the Paleo Pizza or Paleo Shepherd’s Pie. For dinner, the menu choices are even more extensive, even the chili comes as either Bison Chili or Just Plain Chili. Catfish, Salmon, Roast show that, basically, if you want it, it will be on the menu.
Side dishes include a wide variety, including things like an Apple Coleslaw, Coconut Bread and Rosemary Green beans. For snacks, you can get the diet specific Paleo candy bars or stick with things like Guacamole Deviled Eggs. To end your meal you can opt for things like Carrot Banana Muffins, Paleo Cookies or Paleo Ice Cream.
Pros of the Paelo Diet
One main positive aspect of this diet, is that it is balanced. With many diets, you must sacrifice a good deal of foods to stay on the plan. This, along with an elevated intake of proteins, helps people lower the risk of problems like diabetes and heart disease, just to name a few. One thing many followers of the Paleeo Diet love is the ability to forget all that calorie counting and food measuring.
Cons of the Paleo Diet
On the other hand, there are some foods that are restricted that the dieter may miss, like pastas. Obviously, another drawback to the Paleo Diet, is that there are no vegan options nor could it be suitable for vegetarians. Also, the diet can be complex and require a great deal of planning and preparation. Those who do not have the kind of time required to work the Paleo Diet Plan may find it frustrating, if not impossible.
Conclusion
For those who are looking for a method of healthier eating from their diet, as opposed to just a good deal of weight loss, this could be ideal for you. If you have time to commit to healthy eating and are not a vegan or vegetarian, you can enjoy some good food choices and notice some serious improved health effects. If you go this route, however, just expect you may suffer some cravings, early on, before your body adjusts to your new diet.