Want to convert to Paleo? Here's some ways to begin...

I stumbled and fumbled when it came to starting this diet.  I had no intentions of following the Paleo diet - I wanted to be on what I called "a whole foods diet."  Wheat, other grains, legumes, dairy - you name it, and I was willing to eat it as long as it was unprocessed and organic.  But once I realized what wheat, grains, legumes and dairy were doing to me, I was quick, though tearful, to rid my life of nearly all of them (except dairy, as you've read in a previous post).

If you've considered converting to Paleo nutrition (I really hate calling it a diet), here are some steps you might find helpful.

1.)  Clean out your cabinets and fridge.  This was BY FAR the most painful thing for me to do.  I had a lot of delicious foods stored up, foods that I had made plans for, foods I had known since their infancy, foods I had started a college fund for (okay, I was ridiculously attached to these evil foods). 

Gather up and get rid of:
-  Food that is processed (read the labels - if the ingredients contain weird words that sound like chemicals, it goes in the toss pile)
-  Food that contains wheat or grains (yes, goodbye oatmeal, spelt, quinoa, rice, etc.), legumes (no more beans, peas, green beans and peanuts), dairy, or corn in any form
-  Flours containing corn, wheat or any other grains
-  Sodas
-  Anything with any added sugar high fructose corn syrup or any other kind of artificial sweetener

You can either donate this food or throw it away.  Either way, it needs to get out of your house ASAP if you're going to stick with this.  When I was finished, I had a couple of canned foods (organic pumpkin and coconut milk) and lots of nuts and fruit on my shelves.  My fridge looked like a ghost town until we filled it with meat, veggies and fruit.  Though, it took me a few months to throw away all the condiments in the side of the fridge.../sigh.

2.)  Get thee to a grocery store.  It’s time to start this, and start this right.  Here's a list of Paleo musts. 

-  Buy organic/local food whenever you can.  No pesticides and supporting local farmers = WIN
-  If you can't buy a product that's both, go for local.
-  If you can't find local, go with organic.

Great stores to frequent (if available in your area):

-  Trader Joe's
-  Earth Fare
-  Whole Foods
-  Local farmers' markets
-  Fred Meyer
-  Costco
-  Kroger/QFC

Suggested foods:

-  coconut oil
-  extra virgin olive oil
-  fish (especially wild pacific salmon)
-  grass-fed ground beef (if it doesn't say grass fed, just say no)
-  grass-fed beef (steak, roast, etc.)
-  free range chicken
-  free range eggs
-  pork (no nitrates)
-  salad
-  onions
-  mushrooms
-  cucumbers
-  yams
-  apples
-  avocados
-  greens (kale, chard, spinach, etc)
-  oranges
-  grapefruits
-  bananas
-  strawberries
-  blueberries
-  blackberries
-  raspberries
-  celery
-  cherries
-  kiwi
-  limes
-  lemons
-  plums
-  pomegranate
-  arrowroot (thickener)


These are just some of my favorite things – if you were to visit us and go through my fridge, it’s very likely you’d find well over half this stuff in it.

Here’s a great resource for Paleo-friendly foods:

http://altmed.creighton.edu/Paleodiet/Foodlist.html

Oh, and the link above says you can have beer in moderation.  Most beer contains gluten, so that’s a no-no.  Also, be careful with mercury content in fish.  Search online to find fish with low mercury levels (salmon is one of the best).

3.)  Have a positive attitude, and commit to it.  Your body is addicted to grain, massive amounts of sugar, and a whole host of other things you’re used to eating.  This is going to be difficult.  Ask my husband how many times I’ve raved about pasta or Coke or bread or cupcakes.  You’ll probably be like a drug addict and go through withdraws and insane cravings.  DO NOT GIVE IN.  These cravings pass in time.  Commit to a Paleo lifestyle for at least a month, and see how you feel.  I think if you really commit to it, you’ll love the results.

4.)  Do your research.  Most of what I have told you so far is based on my experience and my research, but it’s very important that you do some research for yourself.  Here are some resources that I have found incredibly helpful:

Websites

-          http://robbwolf.com/faq/

-          http://www.paleonu.com/

-          http://everydaypaleo.com/

-          http://thepaleodiet.com/

-          http://www.growinguppaleo.com/
-          http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Books

-          The Paleo Solution:  The Original Human Diet by Robb Wolf and Loren Cordain Ph.D.

-          The Paleo Diet:  Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat by Loren Cordain

-          The New Evolution Diet: What Our Paleolithic Ancestors Can Teach Us about Weight Loss, Fitness, and Aging by Arthur De Vany

Please, as always, share any recipes, books, websites, stories, questions, comments, and anything else you think might be help to others.

If you have any questions, let me know.  I definitely don’t have all the answers, but I’m always willing to search for them for you!

Happy Hunting and Gathering!
Sasha

p.s.  If you have questions about the science behind all this, please read at least the first book referenced above - it explains it all.

*Disclaimer:  I’m not a doctor, so I’m not here to cure you or diagnose you.  You should consult your doctor before starting a new diet if you have any concerns about it or any medical problems.  I’m also just a fan of the websites and books I’ve mentioned, however, I’m in no way affiliated.  They’re just awesome people with awesome info.