A healthy, balanced diet is essential for overall health, especially long-term. The devastating effects that a poor diet has on the body can lead to the breakdown of fundamental bodily processes. No matter where you are, it is important to establish healthy eating and exercise practices whether that be cutting out meat once a week, sugar once a week, or dairy once a week, little steps can make a big difference. In this blog post, we are going to focus specifically on the Paleo Diet and design a one-week meal plan to encourage you to give this diet a try.
The goal of the Paleo Diet is to eat that which is found naturally on the Earth. Sometimes, this diet is called the “caveman diet” because researchers believed that cavemen ate exclusively whole foods, which is what someone on the paleo diet is allowed to eat. Many find that this diet contributes to weight loss without calorie counting and to a clear mind.
The following are allowed on the Paleo diet: fruits, vegetables, eggs, meats, fish, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, healthy fats and oils.
The following are not allowed on the Paleo diet: processed foods, sugar, soft drinks, grains, legumes, dairy products, vegetable oils, artificial sweeteners, margarine, trans fats.
Below is a sample of a one-week Paleo meal plan by healthline.com:
Monday
- Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables fried in coconut oil. One piece of fruit.
- Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil. Handful of nuts.
- Dinner: Burgers (no bun) fried in butter, with vegetables and some salsa.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Bacon and eggs, with a piece of fruit.
- Lunch: Leftover burgers from the night before.
- Dinner: Salmon fried in butter, with vegetables.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Meat with vegetables (leftovers from night before).
- Lunch: Sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables.
- Dinner: Ground beef stir-fry with vegetables. Some berries.
Thursday
- Breakfast: Eggs and a piece of fruit.
- Lunch: Leftover stir-fry from the night before. A handful of nuts.
- Dinner: Fried pork with vegetables.
Friday
- Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables fried in coconut oil.
- Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil. Handful of nuts.
- Dinner: Steak with vegetables and sweet potatoes.
Saturday
- Breakfast: Bacon and eggs with a piece of fruit.
- Lunch: Leftover steak and vegetables from the night before.
- Dinner: Baked salmon with vegetables and avocado.
Sunday
- Breakfast: Meat with vegetables (leftovers from night before).
- Lunch: Sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables.
- Dinner: Grilled chicken wings with vegetables and salsa.
For more information on healthy living and healthy lifestyles, contact Village Family Clinic.
