New to Paleo? Need some help finding resources or just need to know where to start? Check out this page for all the who’s-who and what’s-what for someone new to Paleo! And don’t forget to check out my FREE Downloads page for all sorts of fun, helpful and did I mention FREE resources!
Let’s get some basic out of the way first:
Paleo is based off of the way your zillion times a zillion great grandparents ate. Because they were hunter-gathers they literally hunted + gathered their food. Which translates to them only being able to find things like fruits, nuts, meat, some vegetable – and probably some other not so pleasant stuff like dirt, grubs and other things I’d rather not even mention. But you get my drift!
Then you fast forward a few zillion generations and you get today’s modern take on what they ate: Paleo. Now some people divide paleo into two categories, Paleo and Primal. The difference being that Paleo doesn’t include things that are gray area and Primal does {like dairy + white rice!}. If you ask me? It’s all the same thing, don’t worry about labels, just worry about feeding your body some rock awesome-yummy food and feeling good!
Still with me? Awesome!
So from this mentality of let’s do the caveman thing we get a basis for how we might want to eat. It includes things like:
• Meat – bacon included!
• Fish
• Vegetables
• Fruit
• Nuts
• Seeds
Then you get your gray area:
• Dairy
• White Rice
• White Potato
• Natural Sweeteners such as: raw honey, maple syrup
• Chocolate
Then the things you really should just stay away from and I highly suggest you don’t eat:
• Grains / Wheat / Gluten/Corn
• Soy
• Legumes
• Sugar {like high-fructose corn syrup, table sugar, etc}
• Overly processed foods
Trust me these lists aren’t nearly as scary as they look. The most important thing to remember is that you’re eating for your body. There is no clear cut, black and white you must live this way set of rules. This isn’t weight watchers or Jenny Craig – this is Paleo! It’s easy and it’s fun. Ok it’s easy and fun after you’ve gotten used to it but trust me – you can still eat cookies and you can still find ways to modify things. Best part – there’s no limit to Bacon.
Let me say that one more time: There’s No. Limit. To. Bacon.
•••> The most important thing to remember is that Paleo is person specific. Your version of Paleo is going to be different than mine which is going to be different than Mr. POAB’s. All because our bodies are totally different and we all have different aliments we’re trying to heal. So if you see a recipe on here or another site / book that isn’t in compliance with what you need to be healthy, it doesn’t make it “not Paleo”! It just means that it’ll fit someone else’s version of Paleo – and maybe one day it’ll fit yours too!
And because you’re just starting out it’s totally normal to need some rules to color within – then, once you’re comfy you can be a badass like the rest of us cool kids and make up your own!! Bwahahahaha. Ok sorry – back to being “serious”
Needing some guidelines, plans and ways to get comfy within Paleo or any lifestyle change is totally normal – which is why I have some ideas for you!
Check out these programs:
•• Whole 30 {it has a matching book called: It Starts With Food}: The Whole 30 is a squeaky clean eating program that normally lasts for 30 days! The people who run it – Melissa and Dallas are pretty much rock stars and this program will seriously allow you to heal your body, find out what foods you can and cannot eat and just give you this awesome reset!
•• 21 Day Sugar Detox {it has a matching book called: 21 Day Sugar Detox and a matching cookbook called: 21 Day Sugar Detox Cookbook}: Maybe you don’t really need help with eating squeaky clean but you’re a sugar addict – Diane has set up an amazing program for you. Within 21 days you’re going to have kicked sugars cute, sweet little butt and you’ll be the champion of all champions!
Maybe you’re not a program kind of person, that’s cool – I can dig that!
It just means I’ve got a list of different books for you to check out:
• Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf
check out his website: robbwolf.com
• Your Personal Paleo Code by Chris Kresser
check out his website: chriskresser.com
• Primal BluePrint by Mark Sisson
check out his website: Mark’s Daily Apple
And if you’re super geeky and nerdy like me, you NEED to read one of these books:
• Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes
• Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes
Both are very similar books – Good Calories, Bad Calories is just more of an in-depth explanation!
Need some cookbook ideas? Oh I’ve got those too!
• Paleo on A Budget by Elizabeth McGaw
• Paleo Meal Planning on a Budget by Elizabeth McGaw
{I know, I know I’m shameless xo!}
• Paleo Eats by Kelly Bejelly
check out her blog: A Girl Worth Saving
• Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo
check out her blog: Balanced Bites
• Against All Grain by Danielle Walker
• Meals Made Simple by Danielle Walker
check out her blog: Against All Grain
Phew, I feel like we just went on a Lord of the Rings size journey together. Good news – we saved Middle Earth, you’ve got your basics for Paleo, you’ve got some book ideas to read through and even some website to check out!
What’s next? Digest all this information, make some cookies, check out the free downloads section and get your self some pretty freebies and relax a bit!!
xo,
Liz-
**Affiliate Link Disclosure – In order for me to keep Paleo On A Budget in the life it’s accustomed to I may receive a small monetary compensation for any links or images to any products or service in this blog post. Don’t worry, the price never changes for you guys and I only link up what I like, trust and would recommend even without the affiliate link- it’s just my way of keeping us up and running and looking oh-so-pretty! And thank you for helping to keep POAB running if you click one of the links — you totally rock and I wish I could send you a cookie or bacon or something equally as awesome!