When it comes to taking the first step towards changing the way you eat, I often get asked, "Where do I start?" It's understandable to be overwhelmed when you're focusing on all the foods you are no longer "allowed" to eat. But truth is, you're allowed to eat anything you want.
Shifting my mentality towards focusing my attention on all the foods I could eat, instead of all the foods I shouldn't, was an effective step towards changing my dietary habits. I reminded myself that I could eat anything I wanted, I was simply choosing this as opposed to that now. Instead of overwhelming myself with the thoughts of never having bread again, I reminded myself that I could now eat bacon, egg yolks and red meat without scrutiny. Bacon alone should be enough to entice anyone in my opinion....
Shifting my mentality towards focusing my attention on all the foods I could eat, instead of all the foods I shouldn't, was an effective step towards changing my dietary habits. I reminded myself that I could eat anything I wanted, I was simply choosing this as opposed to that now. Instead of overwhelming myself with the thoughts of never having bread again, I reminded myself that I could now eat bacon, egg yolks and red meat without scrutiny. Bacon alone should be enough to entice anyone in my opinion....
If you take a look at my list of approved foods here, it's no coincidence that I didn't include a list of forbidden foods. It's not that these aren't important to learn, they most definitely are (you can start your own research here). But that list has some variables depending on each individual and my goal is to not overwhelm you with too much, too soon.
So, where to start you ask? Slow. Start slow.
It's tempting to find your nearest Whole Foods and spend your entire pay check (it's been dubbed 'Whole Paycheck' for a reason) on organic, grass fed, all natural, gluten free everything! Truth is, I still can't afford to buy all organic produce and grass fed meat. Don't beat yourself up over it if you can't either.
Paleo is meant to be a sustainable lifestyle; meaning one that can be followed for a long period of time. So ease into it to increase your chances of success.
One activity I like to recommend is to start educating yourself on the foods you currently eat or are in your house now. Instead of going through your pantry and fridge and throwing away every single thing on the "no" list, take your time to look through each one of them. Read every advertisement on the front of the package and compare it to the ingredients label on the back. What do those ingredients mean to you? Can you pronounce them? Do you recognize them?
Remember, if you don't recognize an ingredient, neither will your body.
Generally, my advice is usually to take it one meal at a time. Start with breakfast, or whatever time you eat your first meal. Instead of starting your day with multiple packs of questionably flavored instant oatmeal (like I use to) or cereal with skim milk, eat something that is going to keep you full through the lunch hour.
So, where to start you ask? Slow. Start slow.
It's tempting to find your nearest Whole Foods and spend your entire pay check (it's been dubbed 'Whole Paycheck' for a reason) on organic, grass fed, all natural, gluten free everything! Truth is, I still can't afford to buy all organic produce and grass fed meat. Don't beat yourself up over it if you can't either.
Paleo is meant to be a sustainable lifestyle; meaning one that can be followed for a long period of time. So ease into it to increase your chances of success.
One activity I like to recommend is to start educating yourself on the foods you currently eat or are in your house now. Instead of going through your pantry and fridge and throwing away every single thing on the "no" list, take your time to look through each one of them. Read every advertisement on the front of the package and compare it to the ingredients label on the back. What do those ingredients mean to you? Can you pronounce them? Do you recognize them?
Remember, if you don't recognize an ingredient, neither will your body.
Generally, my advice is usually to take it one meal at a time. Start with breakfast, or whatever time you eat your first meal. Instead of starting your day with multiple packs of questionably flavored instant oatmeal (like I use to) or cereal with skim milk, eat something that is going to keep you full through the lunch hour.
:::Take the Challenge:::
Eat bacon. Eat eggs with the yolk. Cook them in butter or rendered bacon grease. Sauté some veggies in there while you're at it. Use full fat heavy cream and a few drops of vanilla extract in your coffee. If you're going to use sweetener, stick to stevia or keep it real with a very small amount of minimally processed coconut sugar or honey. You can even throw in some safe starches like potato on your plate, just include fat. Then add some fruit that is high in fiber like strawberries, blackberries or blueberries.
Mmmmmm... sounds delicious, right?
The reason a meal like this will be so effective at keeping you full is that the amount of fat, protein and fiber will keep the levels of your blood sugar stable.
When you eat something high in sugar/carbs, like an extra large caramel mocha latte frappe whatever, it causes the level of your blood sugar to spike up, triggering your body to release insulin to drive that sugar into your cells so it can then be used for energy.
This then results in a sharp decrease of your blood sugar, also famously known as an energy crash. When you keep your blood sugar levels stable, you also make better choices at your next meals.
Why 10 days? Well, cause it just sounded good to me for one. Second, how easy is it to commit to 10 days? Lastly, your taste buds actually have a lifespan of approximately 10 days or less. Meaning if you start off hating the taste of your coffee without all that sugar in it, you may come to appreciate it in the next 10-20 days without it.
So there you have it, a quick tip on where to start. This obviously isn't the only meal you can try this challenge with, but you get the point. Limit the packaged convenience foods and sugar first thing in the morning and load up on some fat, protein and fiber. Your body will thank you for it!
Let me know how you do! It's just 10 days....
Mmmmmm... sounds delicious, right?
The reason a meal like this will be so effective at keeping you full is that the amount of fat, protein and fiber will keep the levels of your blood sugar stable.
When you eat something high in sugar/carbs, like an extra large caramel mocha latte frappe whatever, it causes the level of your blood sugar to spike up, triggering your body to release insulin to drive that sugar into your cells so it can then be used for energy.
This then results in a sharp decrease of your blood sugar, also famously known as an energy crash. When you keep your blood sugar levels stable, you also make better choices at your next meals.
Why 10 days? Well, cause it just sounded good to me for one. Second, how easy is it to commit to 10 days? Lastly, your taste buds actually have a lifespan of approximately 10 days or less. Meaning if you start off hating the taste of your coffee without all that sugar in it, you may come to appreciate it in the next 10-20 days without it.
So there you have it, a quick tip on where to start. This obviously isn't the only meal you can try this challenge with, but you get the point. Limit the packaged convenience foods and sugar first thing in the morning and load up on some fat, protein and fiber. Your body will thank you for it!
Let me know how you do! It's just 10 days....
