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Is Meal Planning Really The Key To Successfully Following The Paleo Lifestyle Blueprint?
One of the easiest ways for you to set yourself up for the Paleo diet lifestyle is to get yourself into the habit of planning your meals.
When you let yourself get hungry, you let yourself fail – it is that simple.Â
As soon as those insulin levels start acting up and your stomach starts to growl you’ll instinctively grab for the first thing that will stop those hunger pains.
That’s why planning your meals is so important, so that no matter what time of day you get hungry you’ll already know what you’re going to eat and you’ll already be in a position to eat it.
When you know the right way to plan your meals your hunger won’t control you, you’ll control your hunger.
Whether you’re following my Paleo Lifestyle Blueprint, The Keto Diet, The Mediterranean Diet, or any of the countless other different types of diets, one of the secret keys to your success will definitely be meal planning.
Hands down, meal planning when following the Paleo Lifestyle has got to be one of the most essential elements to your success.
What All Your Paleo Meals Should Have
One of the greatest things about following a Paleo lifestyle is how freeing it is.
There’s no counting points, you’re not watching carbs, and you don’t have to starve yourself.
Unlike so many other diet and healthy eating lifestyles out there that require a major transition for you, switching to following a Paleo lifestyle is simple and easy.Â
The rules are simple, make sure that every meal has protein, good fat, and good carbs and watch your body change like never before.
When you’re planning out your paleo meal plan a handy guideline on portions is usually around 56–65% of your calories should come from animals, 36–45% from plant based foods. You’re going to want to keep proteins high at 19-35% carbohydrates at 22-40% and fat at 28-58%.
Easy Tips for Your Paleo Meal Planning
If you’re stuck trying to find new ways to plan your paleo friendly meals, here are a few easy tricks to get you started.
When you have some downtime in your week, get into the habit of spending an hour or two to go through your Paleo diet books .and pick out some recipes that look good to you. Plan your meals for the next week, (making sure that you have enough meals to cover you until you go back to the grocery store again), and figure out what you are going to have for each meal of the day.
You don’t just want to plan your breakfast, lunch, and dinner either, you also want to plan ahead for any snacks and desserts you will want to eat.
Another good tip is to try to plan ahead for your busy days. For instance if you know that the kids have after school activities on a certain night and you won’t get home until late, plan to make a double portion of dinner the night before so that you can have leftovers on the night that you will get home late.
In order to make your planning easier, try to keep a notebook of all of your favorite recipes. This way instead of wasting time scouring the internet or flipping through all of your recipe books to find that one recipe that you really liked you’ll have all of your favorite recipes in one spot. Not only can you take your recipe notebook with you wherever you go but you’ll have one place to store all of your favorite recipes for those times when you’re in a pinch to make something.
An easy way to take the stress out of making meals is to make as much as you can ahead of time. The only things that you want to make ahead of time are those things that you know can sit for a few days before starting to go bad.
- If you’re into making big salads you might not want to cut up the avocado until
the day that you’re going to eat it. However, you can still make some hard
boiled eggs, bake some chicken, and make some homemade salad dressing and store those all in your refrigerator until you’re ready to eat. - If you’re making a Paleo dinner you won’t be able to do much with the meat before, however, if your side dish has carrots, sweet potatoes, or squash you can always peel and cut these items days before you actually need them.
- If your meal is going to require you to spiralize or grind up nuts or shred anything, throwing it into your food processor, or spiralizing a few days ahead of time and simply storing it until you’re ready for it.
Following these easy tips you will be able to enjoy a healthy Paleo lifestyle, even on your busiest week. No matter what kind of a meal it is that you are making, if you look closely you’re bound to find some way that you can make part of that meal ahead of time. Pick one day a week and make all of these ‘ready made’ items to have on hand. You’ll be glad you did.Â
What To Eat When Following A Paleo Lifestyle
Eating a Paleo Diet is more about experimenting than limitations. Mother Nature provides a large variety of delicious foods to explore. Instead of settling for a box of processed macaroni and cheese, feast on a meal that excites your taste buds and your energy level.
As we know the paleo diet is based on a rough dietary plan modeled after what our ancestors may have consumed during the Paleolithic era. The diet itself is extremely healthy and wholesome if followed properly. Thousands of people all over the world have reported many health benefits and positive results from adopting this lifestyle and while it may not be the cure-all for all illnesses, it positive effects can’t be denied.
The diet itself is pretty easy to understand conceptually.
You have a list of foods that you can eat and a list of foods that you shouldn’t eat. As we have discussed before it’s very basic and anybody can follow it. Unlike other diets which use timings, food combinations, detoxes, lemonade, etc. the paleo is very straightforward.
However, it isn’t always easy to follow.
You’ll need a certain level of determination to get over the initial phase when your body is adjusting to new foods and eating habits. You will have cravings that may gnaw at you constantly. Sugar cravings are especially hard to ignore however once you get past the initial phase, you will find it much easier to stick to than other types of diets.
So What Are The Best Paleo Foods?
The foods you consume will be nutrient dense and natural. It’s highly recommended that you eat organic produce and grass fed meats whenever possible. Even eggs should be free range. However, this may prove to be expensive. So, if you cannot afford organic vegetables and grass fed meats, then by all means get the normal produce and meats. Most importantly, stick to the food list recommended by the diet.
Don’t worry that you are going to be limited to only a few foods. There are many types of foods you can eat while on the paleo diet. If you haven’t done so it is a good idea to invest in a good paleo diet recipe book that includes a list of options available. You can also find many food lists online. Just make sure that they come from a reputable source.
Proteins
Grass-fed meats (when possible)
Fish/seafood
Eggs
Fresh fruits
Apple, Avocado, Blackberries, Papaya, Peaches, Plums, Mango, Lychee, Blueberries, Grapes, Lemon, Strawberries, Watermelon, Pineapple, Guava, Lime, Raspberries, Cantaloupe, Tangerine, Figs and Oranges.
Fresh vegetables
Asparagus, Avocado, Artichoke hearts, Brussels sprouts, Carrots, Spinach, Celery, Broccoli, Zucchini, Cabbage, Peppers (All Kinds), Cauliflower, Parsley, Eggplant and Green Onions
Nuts/Seeds
Almonds, Cashews, Hazelnuts, Pecans, Macadamia, Walnuts, Pine Nuts, Pumpkin Seeds and Sunflower Seeds.
Make sure to include healthy oils (olive, walnut, flaxseed, macadamia, avocado, coconut) which will really help intensify the flavor of your foods.
Foods To Avoid
Cereal grains
Legumes (including peanuts)
Dairy
Refined sugar
Potatoes (up for debate)
Processed foods
Overly salty foods
Refined vegetable oils
Candy/junk/processed food
Food lists like these make it easier to pick and choose what you like to eat and create a customized plan that you can stick to.
The most important thing to remember is that it doesn’t have to be a rigid diet. You have the freedom to be flexible.
When you consume only the approved foods on the list above, you will soon notice that you will start to your look and feel better.
Of course, always eat in moderation and not to excess. Portion size still matters. If you eat sensibly and follow this diet, the results will be fantastic.