5 paleo mistakes I made!

The hardest part in paleo is embarking … At the beginning, especially the first 5 days, you try to survive more than anything else : fatigue, stress and hunger are in the game. How will we live without bread, pasta, pizza, or worse without cheese or wine? How will we do if we are invited? Will we still be invited?

And then, little by little we start forgetting those things, we discover new foods, our body gets used to this way of life and even thanks you! Soon, the first signs of improvement are here… Better health, improved fitness, weight loss, increased sleep quality, stress better managed, in short we are better in you boday and it makes us want to continue. Personally, it took me less than two weeks to convince me. In fact, when we meet people who made us discover paleo, my boyfriend and I were confident even before we started. This was for us.

Yes but, because there’s always a « but », when we start something new, we don’t really know what’s good for us. We say, that’s how I have to do this, how I have to do that… But it’s a little more complicated than that and there isn’t only one way of eating that fits everyone. You have to find what suits you. The method « trial / error » is a good way … Mistakes make us learning. Here are, among others, those I made…

1. Saying "it doesn’t matter, it’s paleo!"

Big mistake ! This isn’t because a food is paleo we can eat without moderation. Bacon, nuts, pastries, breads … I ate a lot of them! I stayed very long addicted to nuts. I couldn’t stop eating them. That’s true that they have many advantages but can also have their drawbacks. « A cake is still a cake ». Most recipes have all have the same basic : nuts (flour, butter, oil), coconut (fat, sugar, butter), ghee (clarified butter), maple syrup, honey … Although individually these foods may have some benefits, all together and in large quantities, it remains that this is a calorie bomb. In addition, the fat-sugar tandem is a devilish combo. We always want more!

2. Eating too much or not enough carbohydrates

I spent a little time looking for a balance. If I eat too much carbs, especially starchy ones (sweet potato, plantain, banana, beet, winter squash …) I feel bloated quickly after and my body shows it. I gain very fast weight if I don’t compensate by working out. And you know that I don’t like at all this approach. For me, sports don’t have to be done just to slim down or to stop feeling guilty for what we’ve eaten. Maintaining health, taking care of yourself, relieving stress, clearing your mind, relaxing, learning new skills, meeting people, these are approaches that I love. On the other hand, if I don’t eat enough carbohydrates, I feel tired, I don’t sleep well, and I’m in a bad mood (not always easy for my boy). After a moment I crack and I can eat a (very) large amount of food and obviously I feel bad (not just in the head).

We’ve been told and told that we need to have a serving of starchy food at every single meal so we think it’s essential. The best way to eat carbs is to have them in the evening, especially after a good workout. They will help you to recover but also to have a good night sleep. For breakfast and lunch, go for vegetables, they contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. Their fibers will help you to feel full!

3. Eating too much fruit

Fruit is fructose and therefore sugar. Too much sugar doesn’t really suit me so I try to limit my intake and especially when I feel that I have a bit too forced on food (read: and I became a ball).

This is only a personal opinion following my feelings. Anybody can do anything they wish regarding their goals. My point is that if you don’t get the desired results in paleo, perhaps reducing the consumption of sugar and fruits may be an option.

4. Being too strict

Eating strictly paleo can be a choice regarding your health. After nearly two years of paleo and periods of several months very strict, I found my balance : eating strictly while giving me occasionally small treats such as cheese, a buckwheat galette, a square of chocolate, a glass of wine or cider, a piece of very good fresh bread (only in France)… I often keep these occasions when I’m with family or friends. For me, no going out because we are paleo isn’t a good idea. We deprive ourselves of a social experiment as necessary as eating well.

My rule : if I really want something I eat it! I learned to listen more to my body, be more reasonable (sometimes with some failures …) and especially I always choose quality first. If what you crave is popcorn, some made with love and good ingredients only can make you happy!

5. Trying too many things at once

Exercising more, walking on your lunch break, moving more, trying sprinting, increasing veggies intake to decrease sensation of hunger, reducing fruits, eating Keto, making a Whole30, eating AIP for several weeks … All these tests are good to go. They allow you to understand your body and its reactions.

In order to identify what exactly have effects on you, whether physical activity or a particular food, it’s important to test one thing at a time (not what I always done), over several weeks and following good protocol back to « normal life ». For example, if you want to know your food sensitivities by an elimination diet (Whole30, AIP …), test yourself at least one month and add back the foods in question gradually. Try each food three or four days apart to see if you react or not. Some reactions may occur many hours after ingesting the food.

Paleo can be compared to a scientific method of trial and error. But we mustn’t lose in sight its goals. Even if we focus a lot on those short terms (often fitness or weight loss), don’t forget that paleo is essentially a bet on the long term. Focus on a healthy and natural diet, an active lifestyle and enjoy life as long as possible!

The worst mistake we can make in paleo is to stop because we think it doesn’t fits us or because our objectives aren’t achieved. Paleo isn’t a « patch » diet that we make to loose weight after the holidays or before the summer. It totally misses the potential of this lifestyle.

Anyone can find some benefits in paleo, it’s all about finding the good settings.