My Paleo Adventure

Today, Michael and I are starting our adventures into the Paleo lifestyle. I'm very excited about it, but I'm sure I won't be so excited the first 1000 times I have a craving for a chocolate milkshake.

The basic premise of the Paleo diet is that our bodies are designed to need fats, proteins, and carbs. Our bodies, however, have a hard time digesting certain foods. You avoid those foods: all grains, dairy, processed anything, and legumes. In essence Paleo is not a "low-carb" diet; it is just lower-carb than the average American diet. (which btw contains way more than the recommended amount of carbs) People have asked me, "What in the world will you eat?" I have to admit that the transition from my normal diet to Paleo isn't all that daunting. I already don't eat any dairy, the occasional delicious cheese excluded. In addition, my simple carbohydrate intake has been nearly cut in half since I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I found that after I delivered I was already used to eating less grains and sugars, so I never fully reverted back.

Without much ado, here is a list of the foods I plan on eating this week.... for my incredulous friends. :)

Breakfast this week: Hard-boiled eggs, fruit, leftovers from dinner. (I've never really liked "breakfast foods" anyway.)

Morning snack: Carrot sticks, tuna salad (paleo style), crab meat with mango/cilantro/peppers. (I sometimes skip this snack.)

Lunch: Butternut Squash soup, salad with veggies/nuts/dried fruit, leftovers from dinner.

Afternoon snack: Walnuts, almonds, dried fruit, fruit, celery with the tuna salad, banana with almond butter. (Sometimes I skip this too.)

Dinner: Salmon with a honey mustard dill glaze, baked zucchini, and butternut squash soup. Roasted chicken with roasted cabbage and steamed broccoli. Chicken and veggie soup. Pork Chops with a cranberry glaze and roasted kale chips. Homemade red sauce served over spaghetti squash.

Dessert: Baked apples, no sugar.

Splurge item: 1 pack of bacon. (Ideally, you are supposed to eat lean meats, but bacon isn't exactly a prohibited food.)

**I'm not doing this to lose weight, but that'll be an added bonus. It is claimed by many to help with a wide range chronic ailments such as : acne, headaches, sunburn, gastrointestinal problems, diabetes, obesity, fatigue, fibromyalgia, interstitial colitis, allergies, among many others.