New to Paleo? Start Here

Take a couple minutes to read the Brady Nutrition Paleo Philosophy This is a quick rundown of some core Paleo guidelines mixed in with some of our own perspectives.  After you run through that here are a few additional tips to keep you moving in the right direction.


Paleo Movies
I started Paleo immediately after watching "The Perfect Human Diet" and never looked back.  So I guess this would be a pretty good place for anyone to start and get a jolt of motivation.

Paleo Websites
The number of Paleo websites out there can be dizzying.  There is no shortage of Paleo lifestyle and recipe sites and most are actually very good.   The hard part can be navigating the sometimes contradicting content of the sites.  Here are a few pointers when navigating the Paleo-Web.

• There are a number of grey areas in Paleo and many sites provide lists of foods that are or are not Paleo.  Many of these directly conflict.  Instead of following a list exactly use them as a general guide as you shape your own personal plan.  Develop an understanding of the general philosophy and develop your own as you get familiar with Paleo.  
• I have run into a number of people who have come to believe something is Paleo because they saw it in a recipe on a Paleo site.  Don't make that assumption.  Many recipes out there use ingredients that some strict Paleo will not touch and others do occasionally.  Again keep your mind open, think philosophy, and make your own choices.

Here are a few good sites to start with:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com
http://thepaleodiet.com/
http://www.fatburningman.com/
robbwolf.com
http://nomnompaleo.com
http://paleomg.com
http://www.thepaleomom.com/
http://ultimatepaleoguide.com

Podcast
There are a lot of Paleo podcasts out there and they can be a great resource. Podcasts are an excellent way to stay motivated and learn a lot about Paleo in a short time.  My two favorites are the Abel James' "Fat Burning Man Show" and Robb Wolf's "The Paleo Solution".

Paleo Books
For every website you run across there are probably two, three, maybe ten books.  Keep in mind many books suffer the same inconsistency as the web, so follow the same guidelines I laid out above.

Recipe Books
I would stick to the web as a resource for your recipes until you think you have exhausted that approach.  There are so many great recipes freely available and you will soon find that you cook things using the skills you already have or learn through others recipes.  I am sure if you spring for a recipe book or two you won't be sorry.  The Paleo community loves to cook delicious things and many of the recipe books I have seen are beautiful.

Educational Paleo Books
You can't go wrong picking up one or two books that are aimed at sharing the science and philosophy behind Paleo.  These can be a great reference especially when you are wondering why or if you should add or remove something from your diet.  Initially stick with the founders, Dr. Loren Cordain, Robb Wolf, and Mark Sisson.  I would also recommend Gary Taubes.

Shopping
The first week or two shopping food is tough.  We didn't buy nearly enough and ended up being pretty hungry the first week.  Depending on how you ate before will depend how different your shopping will be.  Here is a good rule of thumb.  Get as much eggs, meat, fruit, and vegetables as you think you will need, then double the vegetables, double the eggs, add about 50% to the meat, and you will probably be good.  You also want to stock up on a few Paleo staples like fresh ground almond butter, extra virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and sweet potatoes.

30 Days
Whether your intent is to do Paleo for a short period to get in shape or make a full lifestyle shift the adjustment takes time.  The first week will likely be very hard.  You will be hungry, you will want sugar bad, you will want carbs bad, shopping will drive you nuts, and you will constantly be wondering what you can eat while seeing things everywhere that you can't.  If you are fairly strict, sometime during the second week you will begin to feel fantastic.  At this point you will likely be seeing results at the scale too.  By the end of 30 days you will have felt and seen the benefits and gained some excellent habits.  If you can stick it out for the first 30 days there is a huge chance you will not want to go back.  After the 30 if you are still going strong but don't want to be very strict you can start to consider things to try re-incorporating in moderation

You and Your Doctor
Don't forget to talk with your doctor before starting out.  If your doctor is not supportive or doesn't know anything about Paleo try shopping around.  I have a doctor that is a huge supporter of my lifestyle and I believe he is starting to recommend it to others.

Summary
I am certain, if you can stick with it, Paleo will make you feel great, lose fat, gain muscle, and give you a whole new perspective on life.  Commit for 30 days, spend some time reading up, and jump in head first.  Please let me know if you decide to give it a try, shoot me any questions you have, and let me know how it works out for you.

Hope you have a great day,
Chuck