Tuesday 16 July 2013

The Paleo Diet + Meal Plan

What is Paleo?

Paleo, short for Paleolithic, is sometimes commonly referred to as the "Caveman Diet".  It is made of up nuts, fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and eggs.  And that's it.  No dairy, grains, legumes, or sugar.  Food quality is also very important, so you will often find Paleo people eating food that is organic, free-range, grass-fed, etc.

I really don't know a whole lot about the ideas behind what is and is not included in the Paleo diet - but there is a TON of information (complete with inforgraphics) at this website: Fitbomb: What is the Paleo Diet?  My understanding is that proponents of the Paleo diet believe that our bodies are not ideally suited to digest and receive nutrients from foods which were cultivated by mankind, thus eschewing anything which came from the Agricultural Revolution.  I have some big issues with the ideology behind this diet, but we'll discuss that on Friday when we tell you about our experience!

Before that, we'll be sharing the experience of my best friend and her husband who have been following the Paleo Diet for two years now, and have found it to be really great for their lifestyle.   I am super excited about letting you hear from her.   We'll also share some really neat recipes we tried and loved.

For now, here is the meal plan we used for the week we ate Paleo!

Our (Almost) One-Week Paleo Meal Plan
*Note* This is what we actually ate that week.  You'll see there were some holes.  Come back on Friday to hear about why!

Monday
Apple with almond butter, Eggs and Bacon

Big Salad with eggs, avacado, tomatoes
Non Paleo at parents - macaroni salad

Tuesday
Bacon and Eggs, Smoothie (Swiss chard, mullberrys, almond milk, ice, banana)
Big Salad
Paleo Chinese Stir Fry
Snacks: Peaches and Almond Butter, Sweet Potato, Leftover smoothie

Wednesday
Fried Eggs and Avacado, Smoothie (see above, with frozen mango and coconut oil)
Andrew: Leftovers
Stephanie: Out to eat: Beet and Spinach Salad, and non paleo appetizers (quesadilla, coconut shrimp, baked brie) and non paleo dessert: triple chocolate godiva cheesecake
Free Range Roasted Chicken, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes

Thursday
Bacon & Eggs
Leftovers
Swiss Chalet Chicken & Spinach Salads
Stephanie: Pepperoni Pizza Slice

Friday

Bacon & Eggs
Stephanie: Pasta & Meat Sauce
Andrew: Salad with grilled chicken
BBQ - Sausages, pork chops, chicken, tomatoes Stephanie: half a baked potato

Saturday
Paleo Pancakes
At the beach!: Avocado, Pepperettes, Watermelon, Orange
Dinner: Hamburgers (no buns), guacamole, tomatos, sauted onions and mushrooms.

Sunday - Took the day off.

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1 comment:

  1. Science Debunks the Paleo Diet—Again
    http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/07/16/science-debunks-paleo-diet-again

    In recent years, the “paleo diet,” a diet based on the perceived eating habits of prehistoric people has become wildly popular. But, says paleontologist Christina Warinner, this diet is based on an incorrect view of how early humans lived. Using modern day research, Warinner traces the roots of the human diet to discover what we can really learn from the food of our ancestors. http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/Debunking-the-Paleo-Diet-Christ

    If the Paleo Diet fad is so healthy and responsible for brain growth, then why didn't the Neanderthals survive and thrive? They had 300,000 years in Europe following the diet to make themselves into "Einsteins!" Speaking of Albert Einstein, this is what he had to say on the subject of health and survival: "Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." http://www.veganfitness.net/viewtopic.php?t=723 & http://nutritionfacts.org/.

    You get better results with a vegan lifestyle, without the risks of cancer and heart disease. It's eliminating processed foods and eating veggies that make you healthy!

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