A Quick Paleo Update
It seems a bit amiss to be writing a Paleo Diet update during the middle of a global pandemic, but since being furloughed I have a lot of time on my hands and I’m guessing you do too.
If you read my original post here, you will know that I originally started eating Paleo after a pretty nasty allergic reaction. However, I’ve got to be honest here, I have fallen off the wagon spectacularly. So much so, the wagon is no longer in sight.
Part of that is because panic buying initially meant that my Paleo staples were constantly out of stock in the supermarkets. Also, I’m a complete emotional eater, so all this extra anxiety surrounding COVID19 has been a great excuse to dive headfirst into comfort food.
Now we’ve got the disclaimer over with, I can say this:
I felt so much better in myself whilst eating Paleo.
I noticed that my energy levels were so much more stable throughout the day. Back in the glory days of working in an office, an afternoon snack was non-negotiable. Yet after a few weeks of Paleo, I just didn’t need the sugar high to see me through the rest of the day.
Once I got my head around what the basics of what you can/can’t eat it was actually really easy to follow. There are lots of recipes/apps/groups around to help you make the most of it and expand skills in the kitchen.
I was a bit worried a lot of the recipes would be time-consuming or complex, and not be manageable through the working week however many only took 30-40minutes or less. If you’re interested in trying Paleo cooking, the Paleo Leap app is a great place to start!
Admittedly, I was still calorie counting whilst doing Paleo, because I wanted to loose weight for my wedding (I’m a basic bitch, I know.) According to MyFitnessPal, I should have been aiming for around 1,200 calories a day – but this was hard!
Turns out if you’re eating Paleo, it is genuinely difficult to eat that many calories, unless you just eat for the sake of it. And even then, it’s hard (trust me, I tried.)
I’m naturally a huge fan of snacking, but even I was amazed at how much I could eat without going over the calorie target.
When it comes to downsides, the cravings for “normal” foods was really hard during the second week. Apparently, it’s completely normal and thankfully after a week or so they reduced dramatically.
The only times I really struggled with cravings were Friday/Saturday nights when water and fruit just didn’t seem enough. There’s lots of discussion about what treats/drinks are Paleo friendly so I’d suggest just having a look into it and making your own mind up.
Personally, I opted for wine and dark chocolate. If I was really struggling and wanted something savoury, salted cashews were a surprise winner and I basically became obsessed with them!
The biggest downside for me had to be the fact you cannot be spontaneous at all. Literally every single meal has to be planned. It’s so easy to buy a quick snack, but buying an on-the-go meal is a whole ‘nother ball game. The idea of picking something up on the way home is best forgotten.
Also, eating out is another huge problem, or at least it was in my local area.
Often the only Paleo-friendly option would be some sort of chicken salad, and who wants to go out knowing you can only order a salad?
That last sentence probably says a lot more about me than it does you. Oops.
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