How To "Paleo-On-The-Go" In 5 Simple Steps

Learn how to keep up with your Paleo lifestyle and your busy life all at once.

 If you’re like the majority of the American population, you’re always out and about running errands, commuting to work, taking the kids to practice, getting groceries, etc. Such a hectic schedule lends itself to crappy eating, and crappy eating lends itself to sabotaging your new lifestyle completely.

I don’t want this to happen to you. It’s happened to me before, and it took me a few days to get back on track. Some people never get back on track. Therefore, I want to provide you with the tips and tricks I learned for keeping up with a Paleo lifestyle in the midst of a busy life and where i find the best deals on products!

1.     Always, always, always keep Paleo friendly snacks in the car or in your purse (you may need a cooler). I recommend things like a bag of nuts or a bag of seeds, granola bars (Paleo-approved, not the sweet, half-chocolate kind), a bag of vegetables or a bag of fruit. You can take fresh fruit or even dried fruit.

2.     If you don’t have anything on you at the time the hunger hits, you can visit a grocery store with a fresh foods section (Hello, Whole Foods), and grab a healthy salad, a cup of fruit, a bag of trail mix, etc.

3.     If you failed to bring any snacks with you and you cannot make it to a grocery store, you can visit a fast-food restaurant if you need to. If you must do this, order a salad with just veggies, protein and a healthy fat (if they have it). For example, you could order a side salad from Wendy’s and a grilled chicken sandwich without the bun or sauce. At Subway, you can order a salad with protein and a side of avocado (when it’s in season). You should also probably skip the dressing at fast-food restaurants unless you can get just fresh olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice.

4.     For sit-down restaurants, what you order will depend on what type of restaurant you’re visiting. Here are some examples of meals:

• Bar & Grille: a turkey burger without the bun or sauce and a side salad with boiled eggs and no premade dressing; a chicken sandwich without the bun or sauce with a baked sweet potato on the side (I find coconut oil is a great sub for butter on the potato); or, just a healthy salad loaded with veggies is great too (if they have avocado, that would be even better to add to your salad)
• Breakfast joints: Eggs, eggs and more eggs with some veggies and avocado would be a great option; a large fruit cup would be a nice snack
• Chinese: Grilled veggies and seafood/veggie combos; sushi (if you don’t go crazy on the rice)
• Mexican: Beef or chicken fajitas without the fajita and loaded with veggies and a side of guacamole
• Italian: Stick with a bare salad with a protein on top
• Steakhouses: Fill up on the steak and veggies and a sweet potato; if you’re feeling dessert, opt for a fruit cup
• Deli: Any type of salad with protein; a protein-filled lettuce wrap; other wraps not made of grains (spinach or tomato, for example)

5.     If you’re searching for snacks for your busy life, be sure to check these out from the Thrive Market, one of my FAV sites to shop!!

Finally, I just want to mention – it’s so important not to over-complicate this lifestyle. If you do this, you will stress yourself out and not enjoy the process of becoming healthier. Sometimes, it just isn’t possible to eat Paleo-approved, so do your best with it and remember – every little step in the right direction, no matter how small, is still a step towards optimal health and your best self.

XOXO~S & A

The Ultimate Guide: All About Paleo, The Cavewoman's Diet Part 3

So What Can You Eat?

SO PUMPED you have taken the time to read all the way to Part 3 of The Ultimate Guide: All About Paleo, The Cavewoman’s Diet! You’re going to be glad you kept reading because there is a sweet bouns at the end!!  Plus, if you haven't yet read the first 2 blogs in this series, jump back and do that now!  Part 1 & Part 2

So… you know what the Paleo lifestyle is all about and all the things that are on the “DO NOT EAT” list and the reasons behind each one.  Now for the best part, what you CAN eat!!! 

Breaking Down What You Can Eat

Here is a basic list with what you should and shouldn’t be eating in your Paleo diet. However, for more advice on this, please contact me or refer to our Paleo program!

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DO NOT EAT:

• Cereal grains
• Legumes (including peanuts)
• Dairy
• Refined sugar
• Potatoes
• Processed foods
• Salt
• Refined vegetable oils

EAT:

• Grass-fed meats
• Wild-caught fish/seafood 
• Fresh fruits and veggies
• Eggs
• Nuts and seeds
• Healthful oils (Olive, walnut, flaxseed, macadamia, avocado, coconut)

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Since you’ve made it this far, here is a sample day in the life of a Paleo lifestyle!!  Hope you enjoy!! 

Curious to find out what your perfect nutrition plan is?? 

Contact me at SandAWellnessDuo@gmail.com

for more in depth Health Coaching, and we will figure out what is perfect for you and exactly what your body needs to be living vibrantly!

XOXO~S & A

The Ultimate Guide: All About Paleo, The Cavewoman's Diet Part 2

The Reasons Why Grains, Sugar, Processed Foods and most Dairy are not part of a Paleo Lifestyle

Welcome to Part 2 of The Ultimate Guide: All About Paleo, The Cavewoman’s Diet! Being that you have made it to this next article in the series shows that your health is important to you, and that is important to us! If you skipped the first blog in this series, hop back and read it here!

So we now know that the Paleo lifestyle excludes grains, sugars, processed foods, and dairy…but why??  Read on to see how each of these affect the body.

Glucose, The Un-Sugar Coated Truth

The glucose, or sugar, consumed through grains by the majority of Americans is the first reason grains aren’t allowed.

But why? Grains contain starch which digests into glucose. When we consume the typical lunch; sandwich, chips and a soda, all of that glucose can't be used for energy at once.  Some is converted to glycogen by the liver but the bulk is converted to fat and shuttled into your fat cells. You can see this example in action by just looking around you at the obesity epidemic. Put simply – eating grains make us gain fat, and being overweight is harmful to every system and cell in your body.

The second-way people consume glucose is pretty much straight up. In their sugary coffee, in their baked goods, in their pantry, in their fridge, and probably most other places you look.

We all know that too much sugar is bad. And quite frankly, I hate to break it to you but any sugar that is not natural – such as what is present in fruits and vegetables – is bad.

Sugar doesn’t just make you fat; processed sugar harms nearly every component of your body. It spikes your blood sugar, harms your liver and causes insulin dependence, and those factors are just the tip of the iceberg.

Lectins, Glutens...Oh, My!

The second thing we should discuss are the two other things found in grains that also put your health in jeopardy. These evil little things are called lectins and glutens, which pose a serious risk to our bodies.

Gluten is a protein that an overwhelming majority of Americans are sensitive to and leads to a solid number of diseases and disorders. I’m sure your eyes and ears have been inundated with the term “gluten-free”, and that’s exactly what we’re talking about.  Sensitivity and intolerances are different, but the same side effects that come along with intolerances can also be the same side effects of a sensitivity to gluten. 

Grains also contain lectins, but we should probably just call them what they are – TOXINS, which are not meant to be consumed by the human body. What do toxins do? Prevent your body from doing its job. They damage the lining of the intestines and contribute to leaky gut.

The grains we consume today are definitely not the same grains your Grandparents used to eat back in the good ole’ days!

What about Dairy?

I know you’re probably wondering what’s so bad about dairy. As part of a Paleo lifestyle, you likely wouldn’t be consuming dairy (many don’t). Many people, again, have an extreme sensitivity to dairy, which causes many other health problems. But don’t worry; dairy isn’t as important as the dairy industry makes it out to be.

Can you drink it? Yes, you can. Do you have to have it to be healthy and is it considered in the Paleo diet? No on both accounts.

I do want to mention raw milk is a benefit to a Paleo diet, and some Paleo experts suggest it. Raw dairy contains the enzymes needed to digest it, while pasteurized dairy does not. Therefore, some people that are sensitive to pasteurized dairy and whose body does not contain the enzyme, lactase, to help digest it, may do better on raw milk – if that’s what they choose.

What’s Important to You?

By going grain-free and only consuming natural foods, you’re preventing all of these toxins from entering your body, thereby boosting your health immediately, draining your body of toxins and boosting your immune system so that illness and disease stands no chance against your body!

Going Paleo is a personal choice that only you can make. But before you eat that next French fry or chug down that soda, be mindful of what it’s doing to your body – creating a perfect environment for disease to enter and thrive.

For tips and tricks that will help you kick grains to the curb for good, visit my blog post here:

5 Secrets To Going Grain Free

Have specific questions or need advice on your health? Contact me at SandAWellnessDuo@gmail.com

XOXO~S & A

The Ultimate Guide: All About Paleo, The Cavewoman's Diet Part 1

What is Paleo and why it might be what your body needs

I’m sure you’ve heard the term “Paleo” by now. Most people have heard of it, but many are not quite sure what it is. I’m here to tell you all about Paleo and why it is hands-down the ultimate way to eat and to live.  Before I go any further, remember there is no one size fits all, PERFECT way to eat, workout etc. for everyone.  You have to be your own detective and figure out exactly what works for you and what doesn’t; that is the key to optimal health, for YOU!  So many, myself included, suffer from a whole host of food allergies and sensitivities that make certain parts of some plans difficult to follow. So make sure you adapt any nutrition plan to best fit you, and what your body needs!!  Now, what the heck is Paleo?

To explain – picture yourself as a cavewoman millions of years ago. There was no such thing as cooking, let alone electricity to do it. So what would you eat? The answer is: anything that you can find.

Cavemen and women ate anything they could find in an effort to survive: fish, meat, seeds, nuts, and greens made up the majority of their diet. Eating certainly wasn’t a hobby such as what it has been made into today, but a means for survival – a means to nourish the body and thank it for all it does.  I now you’ve heard the saying “Eat to live, don’t live to eat”.  This, to me, sums up how we should approach every day! 

Now, I’m totally not saying you can’t indulge from this day forward as long as you live; I don’t even think that is possible!  But, once you are in tune with what your body needs and how it reacts to certain foods, you will be more aware more than ever of what foods actually do to your body.  For instance, if you know you are going to a holiday party this weekend, stick to your guns all week long in the kitchen and gym, prepare your body so that when you do have that extra treat at the party your not sabotaging all your efforts up to this point.  

You’re probably thinking – That’s a great history lesson you’re teaching, but what does that have to do with me? My answer is: It has a lot to do with you, especially if you’re looking for a way to eat healthier, get happier and live longer.

You can do a Google search for Paleo studies in your spare time and learn about the massive effects a Paleo lifestyle has on a person’s health, but I’ll give you the rundown: it kills depression, slows down or prevents diseases and autoimmune disorders, gives you a boatload of natural energy and provides your body with every nutrient it needs. And that’s not even all.

As a matter of fact, Paleo is so popular these days that millions of people follow it as a lifestyle, including Hollywood stars Jessica Biel and Megan Fox. But why?

Before I get into the benefits in part 2, let’s state the hard, cold reality of Paleo – there are NO grains allowed, NO sugar allowed, NO processed foods allowed and for the most part, NO dairy allowed.

Wait, what did she just say?

Yep, you heard it right. Your favorite grains – cereal, rice, oatmeal, crackers, quinoa, bread, pasta…oh for the love of pasta, etc., etc. – aren’t typically in a Paleo lifestyle, and there’s a very good reason for it. Neither are your sugary treats (yes, go ahead and put away those last lingering pieces of Halloween candy), prepackaged meats or yogurt.

Before you ditch this 3 part article series altogether and tell yourself there’s no way you can do that, listen up. Trust me, your health is in jeopardy if you don’t.  Stay tuned, part 2 explains why the typical Paleo lifestyle excludes your favorite grains, sugar, processed foods and most dairy – this is going to be good!!

Have more specific questions or need advice on your health?  Contact me at SandAWellnessDuo@gmail.com

XOXO~S & A

5 Secrets To Going Grain-Free

The ugly truth about grains … dun, dun, dun

I’m sure you don’t want to read another line in this article, because come on, we all love our grains, right?? Keep reading:) I promise you will learn a thing or two about how to kick grains to the curb!

Grains, grains they’re good for your heart, the more your eat, the more you....get healthy!?…that’s how that saying goes.... right? Wrong!

This food group plays such a big role in the eating habits of millions of families and kids around the world. Oatmeal, YUM! Crackers, YUM! Mashed potatoes, YUM! Toast, YUM! Cereal, YUM!  Who can relate?

Sure, we always tell our kids and family that we need to eat our veggies too, but we also serve some sort of grain as a main dish or with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks as well.

We all do it!  I’m just as guilty as the next person trying to eat right & thinking I am doing a great job, it's all a learning process!

So this means grains have to be just as important as meats, fruits and veggies, …right?  Wrong.

But grains make up a hefty spot on the food pyramid so they must be healthy! Wrong! Just because the government says it’s healthy, doesn’t mean it is.  Remember for the last two generations, the government called for a low fat, high carbohydrate diet because they thought all fat was bad for the heart.  Last fall, the experts on the committee that oversees our dietary guidelines acknowledged that they had ditched the low-fat diet because there was no "appreciable relationship" between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol.  It turns out that over the past 50 years that we have cut fat intake by 25% and increased carbohydrates by more that 30% and we have had an astounding increase in obesity, diabetes and heart disease.  I can name 10 foods off the top of my head that are banned in other countries but served here.

But I need the fiber! Um, sorry…wrong again. You can get it elsewhere, like in countless of fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds – sources that don’t have all the other bad stuff in them like toxins.

So as you can see, the importance of grains in a diet is actually pretty much a tale twisted by the American Food Industry that has become a part of every household routine around the world. That’s a tough pill to swallow, isn’t it?

The role of grains are so ingrained (cute, huh?) in our lifestyle that my clients and so many others say they want to ditch the grains, but find it difficult to actually do it. So I want to share with you some of my tips for going grain-free!

1. Don’t go cold turkey and ditch the grains all at once. Some can do this, but most people will quit all at once and then sabotage their efforts a few days later with a binge. To gradually incorporate this new lifestyle, you can first begin by ditching the unhealthiest grains (sugary cereal, fruit bars, rice, etc.) and instead opt for healthier versions (quinoa, brown rice, etc.) Once you’ve done that, gradually cut down your portions of grains meal by meal until none exist in your diet.

2. Fill up on proteins, veggies and healthy fats. If you eat plenty of these items, you’re not going to crave the grains as much because your nutrient needs will be satisfied, and you’ll feel fuller longer. For example, eat lots of fish, clean meats and veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, peas, bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes, etc. Also, don’t forget to add the healthy fat to each meal – such as avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, nut butters, etc.

3. Don’t keep the grains in your house. As they say – out of sight is out of mind. This holds true for the grains. If you don’t keep them in your house (after they’re gone for good), you’ll be more likely not to eat them.

4. Prepare meals in advance. MY LIFESAVER!  This tip has saved me so much time, patience, and sanity when I decided to change my lifestyle. I always write a meal plan at the beginning of each week and then shop, and prepare the food all in the same day. Prepping meals once a week prevents you from binging on grains when you’re hungry. Purchase glass containers and mason jars to store your food in the freezer after cooking, and then all you’ll have to do is pop your food in the microwave. There will be no time to reach for the granola bars.

5. Indulge in scrumptious Paleo recipes. Another nuisance that could prevent you from experiencing success with your new lifestyle choice is boredom. If you’re making the same chicken and broccoli every day, you’re going to get bored and revert back to your old lifestyle. Therefore, it’s so important to try out new recipes all the time. In our Paleo program, we provide you with over 50 mouthwatering Paleo-approved recipes for you to enjoy. When you purchase the program, you can print out these recipes and when you’re making your meal plan for the week, include various recipes each week to spice up your weekly menu.

Our Paleo program provides everything you need to adopt a Paleo lifestyle. Health advocates around the world, especially those who follow a Paleo lifestyle, understand that grains can actually pose a great harm to your body, leading to illness, disease and even death. To learn more be sure to check out our Paleo Programs; we have a Paleo 3 Day Mini Cleanse program designed for those who want to get their feet wet and figure out what the heck Paleo is all about, and a 14 Days of Paleo program designed for those who are ready for a 14 day kitchen revamp, jam packed with tons of delicious recipes and all the tools you need to experience Paleo!

Want to know more about this lifestyle?  Be sure to check out our blog series, The Ultimate Guide: All About Paleo!

XOXO~S & A