Oct 21
2010
Paleo Diet Lifestyle in 5 Easy Steps
Written by Travis | posted in Paleo Diet, The5 | 32 Comments
The Paleo Diet
Most people wonder what’s the easy way do nearly everything. We agonize on how to best start something new because we don’t want to fail. And when it’s diet that we’re talking about, watch out!
I have a secret for you.
The fastest shortcut to reap the benefits of the Paleo diet is . . .
eating a Paleo diet.
I know, I know, mind-blowing isn’t it? But no other way will get you there faster. I guarantee if you make your next meal a Paleo meal you will feel the difference immediately.
But how do you get started? Here are 5 easy steps to the Paleo diet lifestyle.
1. Educate Yourself
Research foods which are considered Paleo. On your journey you’ll find that a Paleo diet is comprised of the most nutritious and natural foods on the planet.
Eating a Paleo diet means you will eat unprocessed, lean meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds.To a newcomer, it may appear a Paleo diet severely restricts your food choice. And it does restrict what you eat, but think of it as restricting the processed, nutrient deprived foods which get shoved in our face every day. It’s all about your approach.
Education
- The Paleo Diet
- The Paleo Diet book
- Robb Wolf
- The Paleo Solution book (NY Times bestseller)
- Paleodiet.com
- The Whole9 blog
2. Commit 30 Days
Commit yourself to a Paleo diet for 30 days. Remind yourself why you’re focused on the Paleo diet. You want to lose body fat, feel energized and balanced, right?
Think about your commitment at each meal if you begin to struggle, but you’ll get no sympathy from me. Let me explain. I’m not really a jerk, but I can’t eat a Paleo diet for you while you feel all great things that come from the Paleo diet. Regardless of your motivations for going Paleo, you’ll find one reason that strikes a chord deep inside. Remain focused on that reason if you begin to slip and slide around the diet. Pull yourself back to the centerline and focus. You eat a Paleo diet for you, no one else, only you.
I started the Paleo diet to drop body fat and to control a heart condition. Read more about why I started eating a Paleo diet here.
Commitment
- Whole30 by the Whole9
For the real deal on the 30 day commitment, check out Whole9’s thoughts on 30 day commitment. Their Whole30 program is one of the best about moving to a Paleo diet.
3. Make a Plan
It’s always easier to stick with something new if you have a plan. And knowing what you’re going to eat during your transition to the Paleo diet will keep you on track.
Two important keys to success with your Paleo plan, (1) knowing what you’re going to eat before you’re hungry, because (2) when you’re hungry is not the time to decide what to eat. 
Cement these two keys to success in your mind and you’ll be further than most on your freeway to success.
Paleo Food List
Make It Easier To Start
Remove all sugar dispensers in your home. That’s right, the one by the coffee maker, the baker’s stash, and the small packets of sugar mutants that are so colorful.
Ridding your home of sugar(s) is the easiest and most beneficial step in the correct direction. Then move on to exterminating your home of processed foods, but don’t go wild. Unless you decided to go “cold turkey” Paleo, then toss all non-Paleo foods away my friend. Otherwise, make the transition slowly. You know you better than I know you, so do what works best for you.
Throw out ALL the processed foods in your pantry. Yes, you must toss those Oreos. And the Pringles.
4. Go Shopping!
You’ve educated yourself on which foods you need. You’ve committed to it, and you have a meal plan. It’s time for action.
It wasn’t easy for me the first time I went to the supermarket to buy foods that qualify as Paleo.
My basket looked odd not filled with dry cereal, frozen pizza, soda, and pasta. Instead, it was full of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, almonds, macadamia nuts, Canadian bacon, turkey meat, chicken breasts, and Bison meat.
I keep getting a weird feeling people were staring at my basket like I was a quack. Some did mention how healthy I was eating, and I must be a health freak. Others looked at me like I was jerk for buying nutritious foods while they filled their baskets with frozen pizzas, potato chips, soda, and ice cream.
Paleo Recipes
- Paleo Diet Cookbooks (301 Paleo recipes!)
- Everyday Paleo (videos too!)
- Paleofood.com
5. Get others involved to stay motivated.
Tell others why you’re changing your diet. If they understand what’s driving the change in your diet and in your life, they’ll cheer you on. Everybody wants to help someone who is helping themselves. We all, with a few exceptions, want to see others succeed.
It counts to have someone in your corner when you want to eat cool ranch Doritos and your lover says, “That’s not a Paleo food, you shouldn’t eat that. How about an apple instead.”
When you decide to give the Paleo diet a try, I would love to hear it. Leave a comment!
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Photos by thebittenword
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Alexander Briceño and Travis Schefcik, Travis Schefcik. Travis Schefcik said: 5 Easy Steps To The Paleo Diet Lifestyle http://ow.ly/2X4Ul #paleo #primal #hunter #gatherer #diet [...]
Hey Travis,
Awesome post! It’s so detailed, so informative!
I know a lot of people are overwhelmed over the science and huge amount of discussion when it comes to starting Paleo. This article is just what I need to convince my friends to (finally) give Paleo a shot.
I’m going to be highlighting this post in my blog. Thanks a lot, Travis!
Hendra,
Thank you for commenting! I’m happy you found the post informative.
Sometimes, people use playing around in the science of the Paleo diet as an excuse to delay moving to a Paleo diet. Why not just bake a spaghetti squash to replace the pasta and eat!
I hope your friends make the lane change to a Paleo diet. We need more Paleo dieter in the world!
All the best,
Travis
This is a good post, it makes the Paleo lifestyle seem nothing like the junk food diet that we should prefer to steer clear of. What it looks like is a whole food diet. Nature’s food that produces health and wellness.
I would like to be optimistic and think that most people would shop like you do. However, convenient, cheaper, and manufactured food seems to be what they look for.
The potentially huge inherently healthy paleo lifestyle may be able to reverse the trend. Earlier generations grew up on this type diet. Now our inferior so called “food” is preceived by consumers as fit to eat.
Blanche,
Thank you for stopping by, and for commenting! You’re correct, the Paleo diet is comprised of whole foods.
Most people are convinced still that the Paleo is some sort of a fad diet. I guess I could agree with that, if fads last for thousands of years.
All the best,
Travis
We are now in the second week of our 2 week (short, yes I know) paleo challenge at the gym. I am pretty much paleo anyways so I have gone hardcore for the sake of it, no gum ( i dont eat anything with Aspartame anyways), no ……anything except real foods..not even my dark Chocolate…yikes!!
I have not always ate this way, I can say, just with anything else, the key to success in my eyes is first developed in the mind. One MUST be serious about the change. Paleo is NOT a 60 day diet plan, it is a lifestyle change for the BETTER. And like anything else at the start it will be a challenge but as you overcome the initial obstacles it becomes easier and you feel better, becuase your body will be taking in what it needs.
Then an amazing thing happens, you no longer desire those foods once craved. You get hungry and you want to eat real foods, because you know if you dont eat what your body truley can use you will not feel as good, mentally or physically..
It comes down to a few things and blood sugar contro is one of the top. Paleo is an easy and tasty way to achieve it, K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid) no need to complicate things any more then they have to be.
Now, now,,,,of course we cheat, no need to be super healthy if you cant enjoy yourself and indulge..
P.S. I will never give up dark chocolate:)
Nathan,
Thank you for commenting brother!
You’re dead-on with the mental part of the Paleo diet. It seems like it would be hard to skip cupcakes when you first begin the Paleo diet, but after being Paleo for a short time cupcakes aren’t even appealing anymore.
I honestly believe that most people are initially turned off by the Paleo diet because it is so simple. The word “diet” has almost became synonymous with “difficult”. The Paleo diet is not that way.
All the best,
Travis
P.S. I would eat a Boeing 767 if it were made out of dark chocolate (85% or higher).
Dude, i did once eat 747 made out of chocolate..keep the good info coming…linked from my blog today..
Thank you for the link Nathan!
Oh man, tell me you smothered the chocolate 747 in coconut butter?!
All the best,
Travis
[...] diet, hunter gatherer, if you can grow it, catch it or kill it, eat it.Check out Uncommon Wellness for a great and depth easy guide……….It was also thought that are ancestors would [...]
[...] 5 Easy Steps to The Paleo Diet Posted: October 27, 2010 by Patty in Uncategorized 0 For those of you who are interested in switching to a Paleo diet or to try it out just for a bit here are 5 easy steps that can help you get started. You can find this article and many other great articles on uncommonwellness.com. [...]
Great summary
I have been on paleo for the past 5 months and I lost 22kgs without any sweat – literally cos in the midst I was laid up for 2 months following my knee surgery.
Boundless energy, I also look less haggled (I work in a very high stress environment) and recently managed to convince my boss to also try the paleo way of life
I will definitely be sending her your posts to read
Thank you for commenting!
Lost 22 kg in 5 months while injured, how cool is that! I hope your boss enjoys the information and exchanges her current diet for the Paleo diet.
And thank you for the referral to your boss.
All the best,
Travis
I’ve been doing the Paleo diet now for exactly one week..and I’ve dropped 12lbs… Was 262 exactly one week ago…have been hard core (absolutely NO cheating) and now I’m 250. This works, and that was with just one day (hard) at the gym. I’m going to increase gym time to 3x this week, and continue on this way of eating. Eggs and bacon, and avacoados are my friends!
Michael,
Thank you for commenting!
I’m so happy you’re eating a paleo diet! You will continue to drop body fat, and you’ll feel better throughout the day. When you feel it’s getting tough to stay paleo, remember why you started.
Please let me know how things are going for you on the paleo diet. Can’t wait to hear about your progress!
All the best,
Travis
[...] into the Paleo diet would attract more people and make it easier to convince them to switch to a Paleo diet so they, too, would reap the [...]
My sister introduced me to the paleo diet. Her trainer told her about it and she went on it. She said she lost weight even though I thought she was thin enough. When I thought I would try it, it was a little rough at first, body used to all those carbs and junk. It took me about 2 weeks to actually start feeling better. I am going on 3 weeks now and it’s amazing. I have lost weight, not sure how much, I don’t like getting on a scale, but my cloths are actually fitting better. I am getting more savvy on what I need to buy at the grocery store, and I have always been a meat eater, so I am in heaven. I love to cook and I was getting really lazy on meals until I started eating paleo. I am creating the most awesome food, and my husband, who I don’t think will ever give up bread, raves about. One thing about my body I have noticed is that my joints aren’t as stiff as they were before. I have more energy and I sleep better. I now go shopping and watch others buy all that sugary cereal, chips and processed food and I think, man that really isn’t good for you. I have finally found a way to eat that I will stick with the rest of my life, yes once in a while I need a pepsi fix, ir maybe a peice of cheesecake, but I only do that once in a while. all in all, I am thrilled that I have found a lifestyle that I can manage and enjoy very much.
Susanne,
I love it! I’m happy you decided to switch to a Paleo diet. Isn’t it amazing how it makes you feel?
You and I both think alike at the grocery store. I always argue with myself because I want to preach Paleo, but I know in the end, it might not matter to them and I don’t want to turn them off if they ever decide to give a go.
Look forward to updates on how your doing, and thank you for commenting!
All the best,
Travis
THANK YOU! So helpful
Hey Dawn, you’re very welcome. Which part did you find most helpful?
And thanks for commenting, but even more, thank you for stopping by!
All the best,
Travis
Sometimes I think the term Paleo diet can mean an all natural way of eating. For me it is fine to juice even carrots and still be eating no refined food and using protein as your main source of nutrients.
Green juices may of course be better. I wonder if it is all or not at all for most people.
Any change in the right direction would bring some good results.
Hi all
My family of four (35, 35, 9, 
will be starting the Paleo Diet as of April 1st. We will be eating what is in the house until then. After that, Paleo only. None of us is really even close to trim except maybe my daughter. We’re all carb junkies at present. Essentially, our current diet is the opposite of Paleo. We are the family you all dread LOL.
Time to change all of that and get my family healthy. They kind of understand that this is a permanent change, but I don’t think it will really ‘hit them’ until the pasta is all gone and the bread doesn’t show up for lunch. I know it will be worth it. I’ve got the one month commitment from all of them. The kids are homeschooled so that will help with keeping everyone on track and limiting temptation for them.
As for working out, we’ll be doing some at home but most will be going for walks to start with (we’re really out of shape).
Thanks for the website. The encouragement, I’m sure, will come in very handy in the upcoming month.
that was supposed to be a 7 and not a smiley face with sunglasses
Charity,
Wow! An entire family, awesome!!
Us Paleo’rs don’t dread a family like you mentioned, we just want them to make the change that you’re about too.
That’s amazing that you have a 1 month commitment from everyone in your family, and even more amazing, is that you took time to talk with your family about going Paleo. Seems many people get stuck there, and never talk about it.
Walking is great way to get started. You’ve got a great attitude to kick this off with your family.
Prepare to feel awesome!
All the best,
Travis
P.S.
A friend of mine named Brent had his son go Paleo for 30 days, and around the 18th day, his son “got it” and understands how real food makes you feel awesome. His son is still eating a Paleo diet. I believe it’s not only a sign of a motivated child, it’s also a sign of a great parent for caring so much.
OK, so I have been eating as close to paleo as I have been able to muster. I relapsed last night though and caved and ate my beloved and missed toast. Oh boy, did I pay!!!!!! I was up at 2 am praying to the porcelain god!! I will not make that mistake again!
But, why did the bread make me hurl?
Adele,
That’s interesting. I wonder if you have a gluten intolerance issue? Or could it be something else?
Curiously waiting,
Travis
Hey,
I’ve been vegetarian & on & off vegan for the last 3 yrs, yet have been raised in a vegan house hold most my life. Yesterday i broke my vegetarian vow on some tilapia fish & 2 huge salads with balsamic vinaigrette dressing, with a little fruit. This meal was the gate way to my 30 experiment of the Paleo diet, in hope of having less body fat, more energy & strength in my training/life style (although did loose over 15lbs quitting meat, & shrank so much had to change my pants, shoes, & shirts, jackets, ect.) I’m very excited to see what this transformation will do with my weight, body fat, strength, endurance, energy, & mental clarity.
Johhnie,
That’s great! I hope you’re prepared to feel awesome.
Stay focused and strong during your 30 day experiment, and let us know how it’s going for you.
All the best,
Travis
Our family of 8 have been doing Paleo for nearly 4 weeks. We are already amazed at the results. We have adopted special needs kids and the dietary changes have improved behavior, attitude, fine muscle control, tooth grinding, hunger after meals, etc. I can’t wait until we have been doing this for 6 months! Three of us are adults and we have all dropped weight, feel healthier and sleep better.
The 30 day challenge is great because anyone can do it in 30 days and if they are not cheating….positive results are guaranteed!
Thanks for getting the word out.
Nancy
Nancy,
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment! Much appreciated.
That’s great to hear about your adopted children’s improvements. The benefits are only beginning too! Stop back by and let us know who you’re doing!
All the best,
Travis
I hope this article gets people curious about knowing more, because this is a fantastic lifestyle.
Paleo works….period. I look and feel better now that I have in 20 years.