Common Paleo Diet Mistakes You Need To Avoid

Deciding to make the change over to following a Paleo diet can seem challenging, but it is the most important step you can take to improve your health. You will soon start to feel the benefits that so many others have and which is why even several well-respected nutrition experts recommend that people consider following this diet today.

But changing over to Paleo is only the first step you need to take if you want to become even healthier.

For every person who has reaped the benefits of following this diet, there are plenty of others who have given up because they haven’t seen the results they wanted. But before you do give up then you need to consider the following and remember that by choosing to switch to a Paleo diet this is only the first step you have taken to help optimize your diet. It is important that you evaluate what changes you have made to ensure that the diet you are following is right for you.

This is a very important step, that needs to be taken and which those new to the Paleo diet often forget, and which can lead to you giving up before the diet has had a chance.

Below I take a look at 5 of the most common mistakes that you could make when you choose to change to a Paleo diet.

Mistake 1 – You Avoid Carbohydrates For No Apparent Reason

This is one of the most common mistakes made by those who are struggling with following a Paleo diet. Quite a lot of people opt to follow this diet as they see it as a quick and easy way to lose weight, whilst still enjoying foods like avocado and bacon, which are low in carbs.

Unfortunately, over recent months and years, there has been plenty written saying that carbohydrates are in fact bad for us. They can lead to us not only put on weight but age prematurely. Also, it can lead to issues relating to our cognitive functions and also may lead to cancer. Because of this, many of us are being put off eating all forms of carbohydrates including the ones you find in healthy foods like starchy fruits and vegetables.

Yes, a low carb diet may prove beneficial to some people, like those who suffer from diabetes, severe digestive conditions or diseases that affect our cognitive functions, there are plenty of others who followed such a diet because they believe that we don’t need them. If we do eat them then they could lead to them suffering from health issues. The problem is that quite a lot of these people are active and are doing high-intensity exercises every day. This really isn’t a good thing to do.

What you need to realize is that carbohydrates are in fact good for you when your body can metabolize them properly. Okay, limiting your intake may help you lose weight initially. However, by reintroducing them into your diet when you combine with ensuring you are eating the right amount of calories and exercising regularly will further help you lose weight.

If you are someone who doesn’t have problems relating to their blood sugar levels then you could cause more harm to your body when you limit how many carbs you eat. In fact, this is something that we women should know.

Really what you should do is eating enough carbs that your body can cope with and needs. If you are following a low carb diet at the moment and have noticed that you feel lethargic or moody, you rarely felt well, and you are putting on weight again then increasing your carbohydrate intake could help to relieve some if not these symptoms.

Mistake 2 – Not Getting Enough Calcium On A Paleo Diet

You need not include dairy in your diet in order for you to provide your body with the calcium it needs to function correctly. As you will learn there are plenty of other foods that are acceptable as part of a Paleo diet that contains high amounts of calcium in them.

The only problem you find yourself faced with is that most foods that have high levels of calcium in them that are acceptable to this diet are ones that you won’t be eating regularly. The kinds of foods where you can get your calcium from include leafy greens, properly prepared nuts, bone broth and fish with the bones in. If you can try to aim for eating at least 600mg of calcium every day, which you can get from whole foods.

You are probably including a lot of Almond milk into your diet, which is fine. But there is just one problem with doing this in that our bodies have problems with absorbing the kind of calcium it contains. The reason for this being is that this type of milk also contains Fat-Soluble Vitamins D, A, and K2. These all help to regulate not only your metabolism but also the amount of calcium our bodies can absorb.

However, as you know I don’t always strictly adhere to Paleo and I have included things like yoghurt, cheese, and kefir into my diet. If you want to go down this route then make sure that you go for grass-fed full-fat dairy products only.

So don’t be afraid of including dairy in your diet. You may find by adding this into yours helps you to face the challenges of following a Paleo diet more easily and effectively.

Mistake 3 – Not Eating The Right Kinds Of Vegetables Or Eating Too Many

Quite a lot of people who suffer from digestive problems like IBS will be told that following this diet is a good idea for them. Yes, they often do see improvements, but it also could be because of them eliminating wheat and dairy products from their diet.

However although some people see an improvement, there are many others who don’t and are may wonder why this is? Well, one reason could be because of them not eating enough carbs, which our bodies need. This may not be the only reason for you still suffering from digestive problems, it could also result from your thyroid not functioning properly or the amount of healthy bacteria in your stomach has become reduced.

But having said that it could also be because of you eating too many of the wrong vegetables when you follow this diet. Yes eating plenty of vegetables is good for you, but when you suffer from a condition like IBS your body finds digesting certain ones very difficult.

If you do suffer from a digestive problem like IBS then you should avoid eating any kind of food including vegetables known as FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharide’s and Polyols). These are a particular type of carbohydrate to be found in a variety of different whole foods that help to feed certain kinds of bacteria in your stomach. Although these are ideal for those whose digestive system works properly, for those of you with IBS it can cause your stomachs to produce even more pathogenic bacteria in your stomach that can cause more issues in relation to your digestive system. Eating foods like apples and Brussel sprouts can lead to a person with IBS developing GJ distress.

For those who do suffer from digestive problems then you should look closely at the kinds of fruit and vegetables you are eating. If your problems don’t seem to get any better then you may need to think about reducing how many vegetables you eat.

Mistake 4 – Eating Too Many Nuts And Seeds

Quite a few people when first following a Paleo diet will often eat more nuts than is good for them. The simple reason for this being that they are readily available, are cheap to buy and they’re convenient to eat. Whilst eating a handful or two of nuts and seeds that have been properly prepared is okay each day, it is easy to go overboard.

When it comes to eating such foods the first thing you need to understand is if they haven’t been prepared in the right way your body will find it hard to digest them. The first reason for this being that they contain a high level of insoluble fibre in them.

Also, the other reason why you need to limit your intake of nuts and seeds is that they contain quite a lot of Omega 6 fatty acid. Eating them in moderation is fine, but when eating them make sure that you also include foods in your diet that contain plenty of Omega 3 fatty acids also.

Don’t forget that baked goods containing almond flour should also be eaten in moderation. If you really want to make sure that you aren’t eating too many nuts or seeds then include them within meals rather than enjoying them as snacks.

Mistake 5 – You’re Being Too Restrictive

When it comes to following a Paleo diet there is every opportunity to become too restrictive regarding what you eat. In fact, this is a very common mistake made by many people who choose to follow this kind of lifestyle.

Everyone has their opinion about what is acceptable and what isn’t when it comes to following a Paleo diet. However, instead of following what others have done I would recommend that you create your own plan. It is important that when choosing to follow this type of diet you create a plan that works within the confines of your lifestyle and which will provide you with what your body needs.

Bu restricting what you eat can lead to you developing other health problems. You may put weight on, or suffering from digestive problems. Although you may feel great now you will find that the problems far outweigh the benefits.

You may find that like me by reintroducing certain foods into your diet even those considered to be non-Paleo prove beneficial to you. I have included some dairy products like kefir, yoghurts, and cheese back into my diet. Plus I also sometimes include some wheat products. I am very lucky to find an artisan bakery that makes their products using only natural organic products. One particular favourite of mine is their courgette and lime cake.

If you have been following a restrictive Paleo diet and cannot give any reasons then now is the time to add things in you wouldn’t normally eat. Life is too short and rather than constantly worrying about what you are eating will not help. Instead, what you should do is make your mental health and happiness a priority.