When starting a new diet, you need to have a weekly meal plan in place. This will make the transition from the old diet much easier. However, meal planning is not as easy as you think, whether you are a beginner. So what can you do to make a Paleo diet meal plan work smoothly?
We all know how important it is for a person to follow a diet plan. Especially in terms of the food they eat. A diet will not be as effective if they are not willing to comply with a meal plan. The plan needs to be one that suits the purpose of the diet, including one suitable for weight loss. The same goes for the Paleo or Caveman diet although it is one of the easiest diet plans to follow. Understanding the plan is easy, but creating a Paleo diet meal plan that suits the diet may not be the same.
Creating a Paleo diet meal plan is easy when done with dedication and you are willing to follow it.
There are many tips you may encounter along the way for creating your own weekly meal plans.
These can come from different sources such as
- Books
- From the Internet
- Through A Friend or CoWorker
- A Family Member
- A Paleo Expert
The problem is this information may prove a little overwhelming or hard to follow. We all have our own needs and preferences. Going totally against your preferences may not be the wisest decision to take.
So How Can You Create An Effective Paleo Diet Meal Plan And Succeed?
It’s easy actually if you keep the following tips in mind:
Don’t Do It Abruptly
One thing that a good many people do when creating a meal plan, is they jump into it too suddenly? A sudden change won’t just shock you, but also your wallet and the people you live with. This is especially important with kids. By now they’ve probably got used to having processed foods regularly. Before you jump into creating weekly meal plans, make sure you have considered all things (and people) who will be caught up in the change in your diet.
Get Everyone Involved
If you are living with someone or have a family, you must consider how they will take to the diet. Kids, in particular, will have a lot of questions. They will probably be more excited than adults if presented with exciting Paleo recipes on your weekly meal plans. Also, present easy meal plans so everyone’s tummy, mindset, and schedule can adjust to the Paleo foods you will serve. If you are living on your own, it will definitely be easier to create your own Paleo diet meal plans.
Know the Foods Well
There are foods in the Paleo diet you may not like or may be hard to find in your area. Getting to know what is Paleo and what is not will give you an idea of how much time and money you need to spend on your Paleo diet grocery list. Carrying out research will also help you find the best alternatives for the Paleo foods you cannot find in your local grocery store. This will also let you see which foods that appear in Paleo diet recipes you will need to add into your weekly meal plans.
Get Creative!
Creating your Paleo menu plan should be exciting and creative. There are some people who claim that Paleo is full of boring or bland tasting meals. This is actually untrue and is not even close to how Paleo diet meals should be. There are so many Paleo recipes you can use to give your Paleo diet twist. The Paleo diet is a versatile diet plan – whether you enjoy pasta, stew or BBQ, you can find alternative recipes that will fit in perfectly with your new Paleo diet regime.
Include More Than Food
The Paleo diet is not just about food, it also requires you to participate in activities that will make you more active. There are exercises you and your family can enjoy. But going to the grocery store or the Sunday market, making the list for your weekly meal plans or preparing food are already fun activities you and your family can enjoy doing.
Ready Your Mind, Not Just Your Body
When you follow a new diet, it doesn’t just require you to ready your body, so it accepts the changes regarding the food you will be eating. It will also require you to change your mindset. Just like how our body will have the urge to go back to how it has been in the past, your mind will also have some difficulties in adjusting to the new diet you will introduce. You definitely will have cravings for the meal plans you enjoyed before you changed over to your new Paleo lifestyle. There is one particular Paleo approach you need to consider is that you take the time to adjust to these changes. Having easy meal plans in place so that your mind and body can make the adjustments that will occur once you commit to the Paleolithic diet.
Create A Template
Making your own Paleo Diet meal plan template will be better than making wild guesses along the way. A menu template will also help you organize which meals you will enjoy for the week. It will also allow you to come up with Paleo recipe ideas for the following week. It will also give you a better grasp of the food you and your family enjoy and what you don’t. Most professional meal planners have their own template which they use for their meal planning. Whether it’s meal planning for two or ten, a weekly meal plan template can help.
Begin by first making a note of the main Paleo foods you should include in your various meals. The kinds of foods we are talking about here that should appear at the top of any Paleo diet grocery list are as follows:
- Lean Proteins – Such as lean meats
- Plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables
- Plenty of healthy fats, such as coconut oil and olive oil.
Get Professional Help
If you are really not about being able to make effective meal plans, ask for professional help from seasoned Paleo meal planners. They will give you samples that can work well with the kind of Paleo lifestyle you have. Most of the plans they make are easy ones to follow and that will work for you whether you are living on your own, with a partner or a family.
There are so many ways for making your Paleo diet meal planning an easy task. Remember that when it comes to making your meal plan, it need not be a stressful task. The Paleo diet is proven to be a flexible diet that can help you have a healthier body without making your meal planning harder.