Living a Paleo Lifestyle in DFW: How to start Paleo

Does starting the Paleo lifestyle sound like something you'd like to try, but you don't want to filter through the blog posts to read up on tips/tricks/advice? No need to feel discouraged because I made this page specifically for people with limited time who need to get right down to the core of Paleo.

It takes 21 days to make a habit, right? Then it stands to reason that a 30 day Paleo challenge would help you keep up this habit. So I'm personally challenging you to try Paleo for 30 days, a mere month. If after the 30 days you find that the Paleo lifestyle isn't for you then go back to your old eating habits, it's that simple!

What is a Paleo diet?

The Paleo diet is based on the hunter-gatherer preagricultural human diet in the Paleolithic era for health and wellness reasons.
It consists of eating only fish, lean meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit, fungi, roots, nuts (but not peanuts), and seeds. (Things that could only be hunted or gathered by homo-sapiens.)

Excluded food list and why?

Things you do not eat are grains, legumes (beans), dairy, refined salt, refined sugar, and processed oils.
Why:

Grains, Legumes, and Dairy: contain gut irritating proteins, protease inhibitors, antinutrients, and they can increasingly irritate auto-immune diseases. (For a more extended explain visit my blog post Grains and their effects plus Against the grain.)
Refined salts, Refined Sugars, and Processed oils: I think their titles speak for themselves, but they are all processed and therefore not natural, so they could not have been around to be hunted or gathered back in Paleolithic times!
Peanuts: they are technically a legume not a nut, please refer back to #1.

Alright, easy enough. So how do you eat Paleo?

Paleo Food Shopping and Prep & for a great money saving tips Affording Paleo
Check out my personal recipes section for easy at-home cooking.

Essiential Paleo kitchen items (in my opinion):

Cooking oils (organic if possible):

Coconut oil
Extra virgin oil olive
Avocado oil

Spices (organic if possible):

Garlic powder
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper grinder
Thyme
Oregano
Basil
Cayenne pepper
Paprika
Ground mustard seed
Rosemary
Italian seasoning

Cooking utensils (you don't need to purchase these to try Paleo, they just make your life easier):

If you're more of a tell-me-what-to-do personality here is a sample menu for you:

Drink at least half of your weight in ounces of water a day. (ex: 200lbs = 100oz of water)
Breakfast: 2 pieces of bacon, 2 eggs cooked the way you like, orange juice (I choose Florida's Natural with pulp) or fruit smoothie (I personally like the Strawberry-Banana by Bolthouse Farms brand) to drink because of the vitamins.
Morning Snack: Mixed nuts (excluding peanuts. Planters makes a great mixed variety Nut-trition Heart Healthy Mix or you can get a raw version from your local Whole Foods/Sprouts farmer's market, Central Market/Market Street are also good options if you don't have the other 2 near your house.)
Lunch: Tuna-Avocado salad (mix 1 can of albacore tuna and 1 avocado, you can add diced tomatoes and pickles to perk it up, and use sea salt and pepper to taste if you'd like), a small serving of fruit, and a small salad or carrots.

Note: You can also use your left overs from dinner, which is perfect for those that are cooking for one!

Afternoon Snack: More veggies! I usually eat carrots or make a cucumber salad (on my recipe page).
Dinner: Baked Salmon (season with lemon, garlic powder, pepper, basil & bake at 450F for 4-8 minutes (depending on salmon size) each side starting with the skin side down (peeling off the skin and seasoning the other side once turned) serve with a salad, baked sweet potato (with no toppings) or steamed vegetables (asparagus, fresh green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms)

Note: You can also make Bake/Grilled chicken, Burger Lettuce wraps (grass-fed beef or turkey burger wrapped in a leaf of romaine lettuce with all the fixings), Spaghetti using grass-fed beef and spaghetti squash as your "noodles".

Dessert: 1 square of Lindt 85% Dark Chocolate or a small serving of fruit.

Note: it is important to know that 85% cocoa chocolate is Paleo approved, but eating a dark chocolate version with milk is obviously not, check the ingredients.

Although is is not recommended for the Paleo lifestyle to buy packaged items as they have been processed. It is very important to read your ingredients list anytime you buy anything in a package. Soy is a legume so that is a no-go, also watch for high-frutose corn syrup as it is neither healthy nor Paleo.

*For those of you interested in a Vegan approach to Paleo, please see my Paleoveges post!

*If you want to delve a little bit deeper into the nutrition aspect here is a great post about your fat intakes.
*If you want to detox your body to help jump start your Paleo challenge:

Take 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar every morning for the first week
Take 2 fish oil supplements 3x's daily (breakfast, lunch, & dinner) during your 30 day challenge
Drink plenty of lemon water (squeeze 1/2 a lemon into each 20 oz glass of water)

Physical Activity

Now I'm not saying you have to go all out like a body builder, but you do need to work out. Here are some work out basics, and when you're feeling confidant check out some more rigorous work-outs.

Make sure you warm up: I suggest walking on the treadmill for 5 minutes at a moderate pace to get your heart rate ready for cardio.
At least 20 minutes of cardio.
Weight circuits: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. Start with low weight and if you're not a little sore the next day try upping it next time. Alternate your muscle groups: arms one day, legs the next, then core the next, and repeat. Allow yourself one day for just cardio to let your muscles rest. (You don't have to go everyday. Use the routine when you go. Ex: Monday- arms, Wednesday- legs, Saturday- core.)
Cool down by stretching it's very important for recovery and the overall well being of your body.

Accountability Partners

The basic concept is to have a partner who will help you stay on track for eating Paleo and working out. Let's face it for whatever reason we, as people, need someone to lean on. If you do not have someone to hold you accountable, feel free to follow me on any social media listed below for inspiration/motivation.