How Does the Paleo Diet Work? Let’s Find Out

If you’ve been researching different diet plans, it’s inevitable that you will find a lot of people talking about “going paleo.” You might have noticed that it’s especially popular among dedicated weight lifters. So now you’re wondering, what’s the paleo diet?

Essentially, the paleo diet—which is sometimes referred to as “the caveman diet”—involves dedicating yourself to eating only foods that are similar to those that were eaten by human hunter-gatherers before the invention of agriculture over 10,000 years ago. Predicated on the concept that our human ancestors from this period lived highly active lives, ate only unprocessed whole foods, and had extremely low instances of lifestyle afflictions like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, studies have shown that the paleo diet can be a highly effective way to lose weight.

How Good is the Paleo Diet for You?

The main benefit to the paleo diet involves weight loss and muscle gain. Research has shown that paleo can result in fat reduction, and thanks to its generally high-protein content it can also support your fitness efforts by helping to build muscle -- of which protein is a key building-block.

Studies have also shown that paleo can help with managing diabetes thanks to reduced fat levels and increased insulin sensitivity. There is also research indicating that, in conjunction with exercise, paleo can help prevent heart disease.

So how good is the paleo diet for you? It turns out that going “caveman” can be a great way to achieve a fitter, healthier you.

Does the Paleo Diet have Any Health Risks?

The next logical question involves any potential health risks. Is the paleo diet bad for you?

One of the only risks to the paleo diet involves not getting enough important nutrients. For example, with an improperly balanced paleo meal plan you can risk experiencing deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, both of which are essential for bone health.

The solution to this involves making sure that you’re eating meals that are properly planned to deliver all of the nutrients you need for health. Meals from Whole Body Fuel help achieve this by providing a full range of nutritional content. Our pesto chicken with roasted acorn squash and steamed broccoli, for example, is rich with vitamins and nutrients, and of course, taste!

What Foods Should You Eat on the Paleo Diet?

The following foods fit within the guidelines of the paleo diet:

• Meat: Beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, pork, and so on
• Fish and seafood: Shrimp, salmon, trout, shellfish, squid, etc.
• Eggs: Ideally free-range, omega-3 enriched, or pastured
• Vegetables: Broccoli, kale, spinach, onions, peppers, etc.
• Fruits: Apples, avocados, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, berries, etc.
• Tubers: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, yams, etc.
• Nuts and seeds
• Healthy oils: extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc.
• Spices like salt, pepper, cinnamon, thyme, rosemary, oregano, etc.

As you can see, it’s easy to fit many of your favorite foods into the paleo plan.

What Foods Should You Avoid on the Paleo Diet?

Essentially, paleo dieters attempt to cut out any foods that would not have been available to hunter-gatherers. These include:

• Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup: Common in soft drinks, fruit juice, coffee and tea sweeteners, refined sugar, ice cream, candy and more
• Grains: Breads, pasta, wheat, rye, spelt, etc.
• Legumes: Beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
• Dairy: All forms of dairy including milk, butter, cheese, and yogurt (though there are paleo diet versions that incorporate full-fat dairy foods like butter and cheese)
• Some vegetable oils: Sunflower oil, soybean oil, grapeseed oil, corn oil, and others
• Trans fats: Common in many processed foods
• Artificial sweeteners: Sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, potassium, and others
• Highly processed foods of any kind

While it’s generally advised to avoid alcohol and candy due to their high sugar content, it is acceptable to consume wine and quality dark chocolate in small amounts because their sugars are largely acquired naturally.

Paleo Diet vs Whole30 Diet

If you’re familiar with the Whole30 diet, you might have noticed that it shares many similarities with the paleo diet. So on the question of the paleo diet vs the Whole30 diet, what’s the difference?

There are two main differences between the two. First, while the paleo diet is considered a long-term lifestyle plan, Whole30 is more of a short-term “reset” plan that’s limited to 30 days. Second, Whole30 requires you to cut out most or all sugars, including the total elimination of naturally occurring sugars in honey or maple syrup, and the significant cutback of fruit consumption. Paleo allows you to eat these naturally occurring sugars.

What’s more, while the main goal of paleo is weight loss, Whole30 tends to focus more on solving issues relating to indigestion, food omissions, and bloating.

Need Paleo Meal Prep Delivery? Whole Body Fuel Can Help!

One of the hardest aspects of sticking to the paleo diet, and indeed any diet, involves making meals that are delicious while adhering to the rules of paleo. At Whole Body Fuel, we’ve got you covered by providing paleo meal prep delivery you can count on.

When you sign up with Whole Body Fuel, you’ll enjoy weekly batches of fresh, healthy prepped meals that are conveniently delivered straight to your front door. Not only our paleo meal prep delivery make it easy to ensure that you’re sticking to your diet while receiving the proper nutrients, but it also means that you’ll be eating delicious meals while you’re at it. We’ve been providing our services for nearly a decade now, and in that time we’ve helped countless people achieve their fitness goals thanks to tasty, healthy eating that supports the paleo lifestyle.

Every meal that you receive from Whole Body Fuel is specifically crafted to offer the optimal nutritional content for your diet plan. With our paleo meals, that means plenty of whole foods that are high in protein and low in carbs. And in the event that you need to make adjustments to a meal to tailor it to your tastes or needs, just let us know and we’ll deliver exactly what you’re looking for.

Sign up today, and you can get your first paleo meal prep delivery this Sunday. Thanks to Whole Body Fuel, eating healthy, delicious paleo food has never been so convenient.

To get your first week of prepped, delicious paleo meals, place your order online now, or call (855) WBF-FOOD today!