Progression to Paleo: Evolution Step I

By Leslie Why Reap

Changing the way you eat may be the most transformative action you can take.  

Terri Trespicio

The goal of evolving to “Paleo,” in my mind, is really the goal of evolving to a healthier, happier, and more energetic you.  It’s a better you, plain and simple.  Just think, you get to keep all of your good traits while throwing out some of the bad stuff - like mood swings, low energy and feelings of irritation.  With your renewed energy, you can acquire some fabulous, new "you" bits and bobs - like a more active/fun lifestyle, a leaner physique, relief from a chronic illness or a more positive outlook.  Our very fundamental goal here is to feel great - consistently.  We can start to do this by choosing to nourish ourselves with high quality, nutrient dense foods and eating at regular intervals.  This will allow us to begin to take control of our energy levels by better controlling our blood sugar, the subsequent insulin response, and the chronic inflammation it can produce.  Chronic inflammation is viewed as a deadly condition and it is the underlying, contributing factor for all chronic and degenerative diseases today, such as heart disease and cancer and more.

On a more positive note...today we are going to tackle Step I of our Evolution!  If this step is too rudimentary for you, then give yourself a hug and see if you can help your child, parent, sibling or friend evolve and look forward to Step II.  However, make sure you are doing Step 1consistently since it is the foundation upon which all else will be built.  It is also the most difficult Step, I believe, because you are overhauling your nutritional beliefs at the very core.  When things start going south for me, I return to Step I, the basics!  If you can accomplish Step I, you can do anything.

Nutritional Evolution, Step I:

A.  Add in 6 servings of vegetables and 3 servings of fruit everyday

Vegetables and fruits come center stage or center plate, if you will.  Vegetables and fruits should become the base of each meal/snack and fill about half of your plate.  A serving of vegetables equals a ½ cup of raw or cooked veggies or 1 cup of leafy greens.  A serving of fruit is 1 small banana, 6 strawberries, or 15 grapes.  Don’t go crazy on the fruit.  Yes, fruit has wonderful vitamins, minerals, fiber and free-radical fighting antioxidants, but it is also high in sugar.  We are trying to avoid large doses of sugar.  Even fruit, if eaten in excess will elevate blood sugar and trigger a rapid insulin (and inflammation) response. 

This produce should be organic and/or locally grown and in season whenever possible.  I know that organic/local/in season can be a stretch for many of us so do the best you can, especially with soft skinned vegetables and fruits where you eat the "skin." 

I am willing to bet you, my evolving self-educating friends, that by simply adding in 6 servings of fresh vegetables and 3 servings of fresh fruit, you will see your consumption of “fillers” diminish.  What are "fillers?"  Energy/granola bars, pretzels, crackers, and other packaged "whole grain" carbohydrate foods.  These are the same foods that spike your blood sugar and provide quick energy that converts to stored fat unless immediately utilized.  Heading out for a run?  Fine, grab a piece of granola bar if you must.  Sitting at your desk?  Don't do it!  You will end up with one more dose of unwanted body fat plus cravings for more within an hour or two.  Looking for a better choice?  Keep reading....

B.  Just drink water  http://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm

I like this little calculator.  It’s handy and pretty accurate.  However, if you don’t have time for handy and accurate, then you can estimate your fluid needs at approximately half your body weight, converted to ounces.  For example, if you weigh 125 lbs, exercise 45 minutes a day and live in New England (among a few other parameters), then you need to drink about 67 ounces (2 liters).  If you eat a healthy diet consisting of the above servings of fruits and veggies, then you can reduce that amount by 20% and drink 53.6 ounces (1.6 liters).  Yes, a cup of organic coffee or herbal tea (preferably decaf as excessive caffeine will also trigger that insulin and inflammation response in your body); a smoothie made with unsweetened coconut milk, greens & fruit; and a glass of red wine with dinner, all contribute to your water goal for the day. 

Time for some forced elimination.  Soda, juice, sports drinks, flavored waters and any drinks with High Fructose Corn Syrup, artificial sweeteners, food colorings, and unrecognizable ingredients need to be eliminated.  They are addicting by design.  Someone is making a LOT of profit by your addiction and what do you get?  Weaker bones, a higher BMI and an empty wallet.  Drink your water, eat your calories and stay away from toxic, scary artificial stuff.  If it doesn’t bubble up from a spring somewhere, don’t drink it.

C.  Eat three meals and two snacks a day of REAL food

This step requires a little preparation.  So recognize that fact and give yourself over to it.  If you want to evolve, you need to put in a little effort.  

What is Real food:  Vegetables, fruits, nuts, minimally processed dairy (plain Greek yogurt, plain kefir), nut butters, unsweetened nut milks (coconuts, almond, skip the soy), eggs, chicken, fish, and meat (preferably organic, grass fed, free range) and fun items like homemade salsa, hummus, guacamole, and some limited amount of beans/legumes.  If you are going to continue with grains, transition to sprouted Ezekiel bread and muffins (do contain some gluten), wild or brown rice, quinoa, millet and more gluten free grains.  These low or gluten free grains are a SIGNIFICANT improvement over your wheat based products such as most pastas, crackers, pretzels and breads.  Just remember, the Latin root for the word "gluten," is "glue."   Hmmmm.....Finally, if you need a little sweetener for your yogurt try a tiny amount of liquid stevia or a drizzle of raw honey.

Where to find Real Food:  Start with the perimeter of your grocery store and you will find Real Food.  (As a guide, if the food comes in a package and has more than 5 ingredients, put it back.  These are usually found in the center aisles).  If you are a little more adventurous, head out to a local farm stand or farmers market.  No time or in the city?  Check out this link http://www.localharvest.org .  This can be an excellent tool to get you more familiar with the farms and offerings in your extended area as well  shop online for grass fed meats, free range poultry, dairy and much more! 

When to eat Real Food:  Always.  Oh right, the timing....If you can eat at 7am, 10am, 12.30pm, 3pm and 6pm that is great.  If not, adjust it to your schedule but the key is to eat about every 2.5 to 3.5 hours in order to prevent a big dip in your blood sugar.  Ever feel a dark mood coming on quickly?  Irritation, hunger pangs, headache, and foggy thinking?  First two things to ask yourself:  when did I last eat?  Am I hydrated?  Most likely, your blood sugar is low or less likely, you are dehydrated.  Snacks should consist of: 1 serving of fruit or 1-2 servings of vegetables and a small amount of protein with some fat, such as nuts, nut butter or a little plain yogurt (add in spices and make it a veggie dip!).  Meals should consist of: 2 servings of brightly colored and/or dark green vegetables (perhaps one starchy such as a sweet potato), a 3-5 ounce serving of protein (eggs, chicken, fish, meat) and 1-2 TBSP of healthy fat such as flaxseed oil dressing, avocado, or walnuts.  This combination of carbohydrate, protein and fat should keep your blood sugar stable and provide you with consistent, predictable energy throughout the day.

So, eat your fruits and veggies, drink your water and eat Real Food regularly.  Simple concepts that are challenging, but worthy evolutionary steps.  Give yourself as much time as you need to make each one of these your new lifestyle, your new eating habit.   Step up and own the change.  Aim for 100% but recognize that if you eat this way 80% of the time, you have evolved considerably.  You are moving significantly closer to your very early ancestor that stood straight and tall, ran like the wind and slept like a baby, congratulations!

Leslie Why Reap
“Evolving, one day at a time….”

Nutritionist Leslie Why Reap brings a fresh and dynamic approach to helping you build your Paleo/primal health. Learn about Leslie in the About page.