What is the Paleo Diet?

So, someone recommended and is raving about the paleo diet and you may be wondering, "what in the world is the paleo diet?" One thing that we are experts on is all things paleo! We wanted to be able to share some of our knowledge with all of you in hopes to give a better understanding of what the paleo diet is, where is came from, and how can it benefit you.

Looking back in time during the paleolithic or "caveman" period, we know that humans were hunters and gatherers. For thousands of years, we were nomadic people, finding food close to home, where ever and whenever we could find it. Over time our bodies evolved to accept this kind of "primal" eating as the most optimal way to fuel our bodies. People during this time period and living this lifestyle had much healthier and less obese bodies. This was before modern day agriculture of grains, cereals, starches, and the modern day evil, processed foods. Today food is intertwined with many unhealthy habits, satisfying cravings, and many life-threatening medical conditions, however, it is designed to be our fuel source, much like gasoline fuels our vehicles. Would a race car driver put nasty, cheap, low quality gasoline in a race car at the Indy 500? Absolutely not! It could damage the car and dwarf performance. The same analogy applies to food and the human body. The paleo diet, or "caveman diet" as it is popularly known, focuses on this key attribute that FOOD IS FUEL. 

• Lots of lean meats, fish, and other seafood
• As many fruits and non-starchy vegetables as your heart desires
• Nuts and seeds in limited quantities

• No cereals
• No legumes
• No dairy products
• No processed food

"By following these nutritional guidelines, we put our diet more in line with the evolutionary pressures that shaped our current genetics, which in turn positively influences health and well being," says Loren Cordain, PhD, professor of health and exercise science at Colorado State University and author of The Paleo Diet.

After seeing the benefits of the paleo diet in his own life, Executive Chef Richard Bradford, partner of RSB Foods, sold his successful catering business and launched Pre-Made Paleo with a vision to help people live better lives through the paleo diet. Though not a medical plan, our customers have given countless testimonies of feeling better both mentally and physically. Paleo is not really a diet, but rather a lifestyle. 

• Eat a lot more protein from meats than the normal diet.
• Eat less carbs than other typical diets and make sure they come from fruits and veggies rather than grains, starches, and refined sugars.
• Fat is not evil... all the time. Some fats are really good for you such as monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, omega 3 and omega 6 fats. Only avoid the nasty saturated fats which are in most of the refined cooking oils such as vegetable oil. 
• PREPARE, PREPARE PREPARE! Have your meals planned out and prepare food and snacks before hand. Being hungry on the go with a busy lifestyle can cause you to compromise your diet. Planning ahead is a HUGE key to success!

Here are a few more articles that get a little deeper into what the paleo diet is and how it can benefit you: