Paleo and Whole30: A Delightful Dilemma

Many of you have sent me questions regarding the Paleo and Whole30 lifestyles that are being touted all over the internet.  I, personally have completed a Whole30 and currently maintain an 80/20 Paleo lifestyle which you can read about on my Paleo Challenge Page.  To answer some of these questions I have enlisted some help!  I am so excited to have Kelly Everson posting on my blog today to shed some light on these two lifestyles.

A little bit about Kelly…

Kelly Everson is MA in English Literature and an American Author. Her work comprises of articles appearing or forthcoming in over a dozen health information websites covering beauty skin care, weight loss, diet and overall men’s & women’s health.

When she’s not educating strangers with her writing, she’s most likely researching about new discoveries in health, fitness and beauty industry. You can see more of her work at ConsumerHealthDigest.com. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Paleo and Whole30: A Delightful Dilemma

It seems like they are some many different diet plans out there that it is hard to determine which ones are effective and safe to follow. Certain foods that are allowed on one diet are not allowed on another. It can be a little bit confusing. There are two diets that have been shown to be safe and effective at helping a person lose weight. The Paleo diet and the Whole 30 are easy to follow and will help the pounds come off.

What is the Paleo Diet?

Paleo diet has a simple principle that has to be followed. If the cavemen did not eat it during their time you should not eat it either. Of course, things are a little different. You do not have to go out and kill your own food. You can still purchase it at the store.

Things that are included on the diet are foods that the cavemen could have hunted for or gather in nature. These foods include meats, fish, vegetables especially the leafy green ones, and seeds.

Foods such as pasta, curial, sweets, and anything processed are off limits. On this diet, a person does not have to worry about counting calories. They can eat when they are hungry and eat their fill until they are full. While a person is following this diet not only will they be losing weight fast but they will be gaining lean muscle mass.

How the Paleo Diet Works!

Before the time of processed foods, cavemen were hunters and gathers. The genetic codes of the human body have not changed that much over time. People were able to eat the foods that they could find and the body would stay healthy according to this.

When the industrial and agricultural revolutions happened quick and easy to prepare foods became popular. The types of foods that people ate changed but the way their body processed foods did not.

The human body is not built to process these new foods.  The foods that are eaten on this diet are high in protein. A person will use the energy from the foods and there will be nothing left over to store as fat.

Sugars and grains causes a spike in blood sugar and leaves a person feeling tired. With the Paleo diet, there is no spike or crash. A person will be able to use the stored fat in the body for energy instead of carbs allowing them to lose weight.

What is the Whole 30 Diet?

This diet plan will help a person lose weight in just eight easy steps. A person will learn how to eat properly so the body can burn off extra energy and allow a person to lose weight. In addition to changing their eating habit,s a person will learn how to change their entire lifestyle so they can resist temptations and avoids foods that are bad for them.

Steps to starting the Whole 30 diet

• Step one of this diet eliminates certain foods that have a negative impact on a person’s health. They will eliminate sugars, grains, dairy, and even legumes. A person will not be allowed to consume any of them for the next 30 days.
• Step two cuts out alcohol from the system even if it is used during cooking. A person can eat seafood, vegetables, some fruits, and healthy fats including nuts and needs.  Once a person knows what is allowed and what is off limits.
• Step Three allows them to pick a start date to officially begin this diet and change their eating habits for healthy weight loss. Many people say that the success of a diet depends on the support system a person has.
• Step Four has a person seek out friends and family that will support them along the way as they are following this diet plan. They will provide encouragement and help a person resist the urge to eat foods that are off limits.
• Step Five is very important. A person has to go through their house and get rid of all the foods including sugars and sweets that are not going to be allowed while on the diet. This will help them resist the urge to eat these foods and help prevent cheating while on the diet.
• Step Six has a person avoiding the scale. Weight can change over the course of a day or two so the numbers of the scale are not very important on this diet.
• The last step of this diet Step seven has a person putting this diet plan into action. Within the first couple of days on this diet, they will feel healthier and feel like they have more energy.

These diets will not only help a person lose weight they will improve overall health as well. These diets will allow a person to eat the foods that their body needs and foods that will provide plenty of energy without the fat.

I hope this information has been helpful to you in deciding if one of these lifestyles will be beneficial to you!  Thanks again to Kelly for providing this article!  Hop on over to her Facebook or Twitter accounts to read more of Kelly’s articles!