Are you ready to succeed big time with the paleo diet and exercise for weight loss?

The extremely popular Paleo diet gets its name from the word ‘Paleolithic’ or the Stone Age. This term is used to refer to a period in human development when the humans had not discovered farming etc. The paleo diet and exercise for weight loss has become extremely popular in today’s modern world as a way of eating for health and longevity, and of course weight loss.

PAELO WEIGHT LOSS BASICS

The concept of a paleo diet is based on this limited knowledge of humans during the Stone Age. The Paleo diet includes the consumption of food items which were available to man in that era. It excludes certain foods grown by farming like wheat, lentils, etc. This diet believes that the food we consumed than was the best for us and the human body is not made to ingest the food items that we produce by farming etc. which cannot be consumed in their original form. In short, it advocates us going back to the way humans lived in the Paleolithic age.

If your goal is specifically to lose weight, here is a quick run down on how to tweak the pale diet to get the best results:

• Consume organic lean protein and healthy fats at every meal.

• Eat as many fresh fruits and vegetables as you like. Aim to consume at least one plant product each meal.

• You do not need to diet or deprive yourself. If you want the weight to stay off, you need to work with your body. It is possible to lose weight without being hangry.

• Determine what carb level works best for you and your body.

• Exercise to remain physically active will serve you well. Walking is a great option to start. If you need some exercise inspiration check out our recent strength training for beginners article.

• Focus as much as possible on meat and vegetables; try to avoid all the delicious Pinterest Paleo “cookies,” “pancakes,” and other treats. Too many of these treats can result in weight gain.

• You should not need to count calories (or carbs, or grams of fat, or anything else). As you get started, it can help to keep a food journal to identify potential issues later down the road.

If you need some help in developing a paleo meal plan, check out this 14-day weight loss plan.

WANT TO KNOW THE TOP 6 TIPS FOR THE PALEO DIET AND EXERCISE FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

1. NATURAL MOVEMENTS

Sticking to this stone age diet can also transfer into your workout. Today, due to the busy lifestyles and time constraints, people rely on gym equipment to maximize their workout results. However, if you think back to the stone age they did not have classes or fancy equipment. Start implementing some “paleo workouts” and focus on natural movement only. Instead of using machines or equipment that only focus on a limited set of muscles, work your entire body while following the diet. .

2. POWERLIFTING

A lot of people ask questions regarding powerlifting while on paleo. Powerlifting while on paleo is not at all problematic. This could be a good step if you want to increase muscle mass. The only disclaimer that it comes with is, you will have to be a little more cautious about your diet. You will need a lot more calories than a person who does not powerlift. Otherwise, you might lose muscle mass. You will need a lot of carbs and protein-rich food. Even though nuts, cheeses, and beans often get described as protein sources, they may not enough if you are into powerlifting. Focus on your diet.

Focus on lifting heavier weights at fewer reps and don’t be afraid to mix in compound liftswith some isolated exercises.

3. CROSSFIT AND PAELO

Crossfit is one of the leading fitness programs that individuals on the paleo diet get into. Through its programs, it focuses on overall body strength. It helps you choose from a range of bodyweight exercises and lifting exercise to decide what suits your fitness needs.

Crossfit is an intense fitness program. The intensity borders on insanity, but it is so amazing. So, brace yourself for it. If you want fitness programs of less intensity, a lot of other programs or bootcamps are available to you. You can pick the one which suits your needs the best but don’t be afraid of trying out Crossfit. I personally head to Crossfit Currie Barracks and if you ever want to join me, shoot me a message!

4. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

Most importantly, the key to any diet or work-out routine is listening to your body. What works for your friend might not work for you. This includes following the paleo diet and exercise for weight loss. I recommend that you make a customized plan for both for your food and your workouts. Experiment with new routines and pick the one which works the best for you. Show your body some love and if you just need something that is ooey gooey and delicious don’t forget to try the best vegan cinnamon rolls.

5. REST AND RECOVER ON THE PALEO DIET

Contrary to the mainstream training programs, paleo style training programs do not aim at burning as many calories as possible. They do not treat exercise as voluntary torture you put yourself under for eating. All the paleo training programs leave out a couple of rest days so that the body can relax and rebuild and repair muscles. This is about a lifestyle, not a quick fix. This is one of the reasons I really like the programs that people on the paleo diet tend to follow.

6. LIFESTYLE MOVEMENT FOR WEIGHT LOSS

You guys, listen up! We spend up to 8 hours sitting. This is not healthy. You need to incorporate movements into your daily routine. On the flip side, working out for a couple of hours and then spending the rest of the day sitting in one place is not healthy either. Set a timer for 45 minutes when you are sitting down and every time the timer goes off take 5 minutes to get up, walk around and have a quick stretch. I promise you the work you are doing will be better and by completing simple lifestyle movements like this you can increase your energy and lose weight.

FOODS TO AVOID ON THE PALEO DIET

A simple rule of thumb to follow is if the food looks like it was made in a factory, don’t eat it.

Here is a list of some other common food items to avoid while on this diet:

SUGAR: Soft drinks, fruit juices, table sugar, candy, pastries, ice cream, and many others.

GRAINS: Breads and pastas, wheat, spelt, rye, barley, etc.

PROCESSED: Pretty much everything labeled "diet" or "low-fat" or that has a long list of ingredients.

THE BOTTOM LINE

As mentioned previously, the paleo diet is modeled after the hunter-gathering lifestyle. To summarize, avoid processed foods and focus on healthy, whole foods.

For healthy paleo and similar friendly recipes posted every week, jump in the FREE community group here.

Are you ready to try the paleo diet and exercise for weight loss? Join me, one powerful group of women on one transformation adventure in the next 8-week program. Apply here. Spaces limited. 

Stay strong. Be the fire.