Which Foods Should You Eat If You Want To Lose Weight?

It’s no secret that I subscribe to the paleo philosophy when it comes to nutrition.  I therefore have a bias toward paleo eating for weight loss.

If you want to hear me explain my rationale for this way of eating, listen to the interview I did with Jimmy Moore on his podcast this summer.  A paleo diet (short for paleolithic) consists of foods that humans ate prior to the agriculture age i.e. meat, fish, eggs, tree nuts, vegetables, roots, berries, animal fats etc.  If you can hunt, pick and gather it, you can eat it.

The way to hunt, pick and gather in a modern supermarket is to shop the outer perimeters of the store and avoid the boxed and packaged food as much as possible.

Foods like dairy, beans/legumes, all grains, soy, sugar and fake foods (aspartame, trans-fats, high fructose corn syrup) came much later in history  and are not part of the paleo way of eating.  The premise behind the paleo diet is that the more we ate grains, sugars and processed foods the fatter and more unhealthy we became.

The die-hard paleo eaters avoid all grains and I think there is a lot of merit in that.  I personally avoid wheat gluten and dairy but I do eat some quinoa, oats, and brown rice so technically I’m not “true paleo”.

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to nutrition and the debates are on-going. The New York Times just published this contrarian article on Monday, Paleolithic Humans Had Bread Along With Their Meat, but when I work with people who struggle with weight loss I tend to guide them toward a low-sugar, low-grain approach. However, I’m constantly adapting menu ideas to people’s travel schedules, kids schedules and busy lives.  I always say, “if you hate it or find it too restrictive then stop, but at least give it a try for 14-21 days.”  You really have nothing to lose (except weight 🙂 ) as you’re eating real, whole, non-processed food.  More often then not people are surprised that their energy increases, their weight decreases and they start to look better –clearer eyes, better skin, less bloating, etc. when they eat more of a paleo-based diet.

Here are some general guidelines:

1.  Eat colorful fresh vegetables, a little bit of protein and some good fats (see #6) at every meal.

2.  Do not skip meals. And ideally eat 4-6 times per day.

3.  Drink plenty of water.  I know, you hate drinking water, I hear it all the time.  However, our bodies are 70% water and mild dehydration will actually inhibit weight loss among numerous other physiological problems so Drink Up!

4.  Eliminate wheat and white flour products.  Note any changes you see on the scale and your energy level.  If you notice a big difference (which a lot of people do) you might want to consider avoiding wheat and flour products on a more permanent basis.

5.  Keep your fruit intake to two pieces of fruit per day.  If you find you need more starchy carbohydrates to sustain your energy, eat “real” carbohydrates which are naturally full of fiber i.e. sweet potatoes, steel cut oats, brown rice, quinoa, teff bread, etc.  Do not let yourself go hungry, especially if you are exercising!  This is not about deprivation instead it is about balancing your blood sugar, insulin and cortisol through eating consistently and avoiding refined sugars.  You will become metabolically efficient and burn more energy when you eat this way.  But don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself and see what happens.

6. Don’t be afraid of fat. (Olive oil, butter, coconut oil, fish oil, flax seeds, avocado, walnut oil).  Avoid trans fat (margarine, partially hydrogenated oils in packaged foods)

7. Eat a protein based breakfast!  Even if you don’t follow a paleo way of eating, having breakfast is one of the most important things you can do to maintain health, energy and weight.  I see positive results all the time in my patients who eat a low-sugar, high protein breakfast.  In other words toss the sugary granola and enjoy *real* eggs!

8.  Some sample meals, any of these could be eaten as breakfast, snacks and, or lunch, dinner:

• Grilled fish, stir fry vegetables in olive oil
• Whey protein shake ( I like Jay Robb’s brand), fresh blackberries, unsweetened almond milk, ground flax seeds, coconut oil
• Grilled chicken breast, roasted asparagus, red peppers, onions, zucchini, sweet potato with butter and cinnamon
• Bison (buffalo) burger, leafy green salad with walnut oil
• Eggs (hard boiled, scrambled, poached) with steamed veggies and butter
• Fresh berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries) and some raw almonds

9.  During active weight loss, avoid the following:  sodas, fruit juice, alcohol, sweet tea, packaged foods (cereals, chips, candy bars, baked goods, pasta, bread etc), refined vegetable oils (corn oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, canola oil).

10.  Shopping List: This is NOT an exhaustive list, instead it is meant to give an idea of paleo-based proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

PROTEIN:

Fish– Sardines are excellent if you like them, for a complete list of low-mercury containing fish visit the Environmental Working Group website.

Meat – Bison (buffalo), turkey, chicken, lamb, eggs, beef, pork, wild game (elk, quail, etc)

CARBOHYDRATES:

Vegetables – Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, red, green and yellow peppers, eggplant, chard, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, lettuce, cabbage, artichokes, celery, zucchini, asparagus, green beans, snow peas, garlic, onions, seaweed.

Fruit– Berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, etc) cherries, figs, lemon, pineapple, pears, apples, bananas, avocados.

FATS:

Nuts & Seeds– Flaxseeds, walnuts, almonds, pecans, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, cashews.

Oils- Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, butter, ghee, sesame oil, walnut oil, fish oil.

BEVERAGES: filtered water, green tea, herbal tea.

SWEETENERS: Stevia.

Now if that totally stressed you out and made you throw your arms in the air and say, “There is NO way I can eat like that! I mean seriously, I can’t imagine not eating bread?”   No worries!  I work with people like you all the time.  I see patients during the week in a medical doctor’s office in Denver and I also do phone consultations if you don’t live in the Denver Metro area.  Email me: jolene@healthydiscoveries.com and I’m happy to set up a time to help you with your diet concerns and challenges, paleo or not!

In the meantime, here are some Paleo Resources for further information:

The Paleo Diet 

The Paleo Solution