What is the Paleo Diet Meal Plans, and What Results Can You Expect?

One of the major diet trends in the fitness industry is the Paleo Diet. Its history probably goes back much farther than you realize. It began in 1913 when Joseph Knowles set out to create a diet alternative for people that were healthy and different from the conventional wisdom of the day. He embarked on the journey of living in the woods for two months. He was attempting to live like a hunter-gatherer of the Stone Age might have lived. When he returned from the woods he went about telling everyone how healthy and fit he had become. No one knew it at the time, but this was the birth of the Paleo Diet.

Paleo Diet Meal Plans
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What is the Paleo Diet?

It wasn’t until 1975 when Walter Voegtin wrote his book, “The Stone Age” diet that the “Paleo Diet” got its name. All history aside, the recent rise in popularity is due mostly to the publishing of more recent books, and the endorsement it has received from the ever-growing CrossFit community.

Recipes for Paleo Diet

At its base, the Paleo Diet centers around eating whole, unprocessed foods, and the end goal is to eat single-ingredient foods. The Paleo Diet focuses on grass-fed beef, and eggs, wild-caught seafood, and tons of organic vegetables. A moderate amount of fruits, nuts, and seeds are also consumed. Processed foods and grains are to be avoided at all times on the Paleo Diet. Interestingly enough, dairy is in a bit of a grey. It really depends on who you ask, but in its strictest interpretation, the Paleo Diet does not allow for the consumption of dairy products.

Rules for Paleo Diet

What are Some Mistakes People Make on the Paleo Diet? For some reason people seem to confuse Paleo with Atkins, and this is a mistake. The Paleo Diet encourages consuming a large amount of vegetables, which Atkins does not.

One thing to look out for with the Paleo Diet is the quality of meat you are consuming. Since Paleo is very meat reliant, the quality is of extreme importance. That’s why organic, grass-fed beef is recommended. As with most diets, your results are dependent on the quality of the food you consume, not just the quantity.

Foods For Paleo Diet

What Kind of Results Can You Expect? Following the Paleo Diet protocol, you are going to really be limiting your carbs. The carbs you consume will be of the high fiber, low glycemic index variety. It has been well established that low carb diets are effective for weight loss at least in the short term. The truth is that we do not yet know the long term effects of eating in manners as it is a relatively recent trend. Having said that, when compared to other diets the Paleo Diet has shown itself to be an effective way to reduce body fat, decrease waist size, lower cardiovascular risk factors, and improve overall health.
No matter what your opinion of the Paleo Diet is, one thing cannot be argued – there is an inherent benefit to your health to eat whole, unprocessed foods. The foods that have the least amount of ingredients on the nutrition label tend to be healthier choices. Of course, a bag of sugar is an exception to that rule.

The Paleo Diet is a solid alternative and hopefully, it can provide the structure you need to finally reach your fitness goals.