The Paleo Diet

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The Paleo Diet Page 17

by Cordain, Loren


  The Paleo Diet is humanity’s normal diet. The abnormal diet, the odd diet, the out-of-the-ordinary diet is actually the grain-, dairy-, and processed food-based diet that currently pervades the Western world. It’s time for a change.

  9

  The Meal Plans for the Three Levels of the Paleo Diet

  The Paleo Diet is a lifelong way of eating that will gradually restore your normal body weight, health, and well-being. If you follow the dietary guidelines and principles I have laid out, you will reap all the benefits that humanity’s original diet has to offer. Your health will immediately improve, and you will definitely begin to lose weight.

  In this chapter, you’ll find three two-week meal plans. Any of them will work for you; the only difference is in the number of Open Meals. Level I allows you three Open Meals per week, Level II allows two per week, and Level III allows one. Just use the appropriate number of Open Meals for your level of the diet, and you’re set. Use these guidelines and the recipes in chapter 10 to help you embrace the diet that nature designed for us all.

  If you are a beginner, you may want to adhere to Level I for two to four weeks before you move to Levels II and III—or, if you’re happy there, you may want to stay at this level of the diet. Note: You should try to include no more than one Open Meal on any given day, and do not try to make up for lost time with your meal choices. Use them as a safety net as you get used to humanity’s real foods: fresh, lean meats, seafood, and fruits and vegetables.

  Should you definitely plan to move up to Levels II and III? Not necessarily. Depending on your nutritional and weight-loss goals, you may be happy with the results you achieve at Level I, particularly if you limit your consumption of the non-Paleo foods while consuming your Open Meals.

  If you decide to jump into the Paleo Diet more rapidly by advancing to Level II, then you may substitute two Open Meals a week for any of the meals in the meal plans.

  If you are one of those people who can make long-term behavioral changes abruptly and want to go cold turkey to the Stone Age, or if it is absolutely essential that you maximize the weight-loss and health benefits of this program, then you should adopt Level III. On Level III you should substitute one Open Meal a week for any of the meal plans.

  However, most people do quite well at Level II, and this is the level I recommend for maintenance, except for dieters with chronic diseases, who may do better with long-term adherence to Level III.

  Snacks

  When our ancient ancestors were out foraging for food, they often snacked on some of the food they gathered, or they took portions of a previous meal along their journey. The snacks on the Paleo Diet—like those of our Paleo ancestors—are healthy, wholesome, and made of real food. Most of them are easily portable, so you may want to bring some of them along on your own daily journeys. You may eat snacks between meals whenever you become hungry.

  • Fresh fruit of any kind

  • Homemade beef jerky (without salt)

  • Homemade dried salmon strips (without salt)

  • Raw vegetables: carrots, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, cucumbers, cauliflower (with homemade guacamole or salsa dip)

  • Cold skinless, broiled chicken breast

  • Avocado or tomato slices

  • Nuts: almonds, pecans, walnuts, filberts (limit to 4 ounces a day if you’re trying to lose weight)

  • Dried fruit (limit to 2 ounces a day)

  • Hard-boiled egg

  • Cold slices of lean beef

  • Peel-and-eat shrimp

  • Unsalted sunflower seeds (limit to 4 ounces a day if you’re trying to lose weight)

  Level I: Entry Level

  The key to Level I is the 85-15 rule, and here’s how it works: Most people eat about twenty meals a week, plus snacks. On this beginning level, three of your meals—15 percent of the meals you eat all week—can be “open.” This way, you don’t have to give up your favorite foods. Again, the flexibility of the Paleo Diet allows you to cheat occasionally without losing the overall benefits of the diet. The three Open Meals provide a good opportunity to taste some of the foods you may miss the most.

  There is great potential for abuse here, and you should do your best to avoid it. Do not consider these Open Meals as your chance to pig out on forbidden foods. For example, having two pints of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream for lunch would be a bad move and self-defeating. But if you’re invited to a party or go out to eat with friends, the Open Meal is your chance to indulge a bit. A single scoop of Chunky Monkey won’t hurt, particularly if you’ve been on the diet all week. Or eat a slice of toast with your breakfast or have some potatoes with your dinner entrée. But again, don’t eat six slices of toast or a pound of mashed potatoes. The basic idea is to ease the feeling of deprivation that generally accompanies the start of any change in diet. If you handle these Open Meals wisely—treating yourself, but not to excess—you’ll soon find that you don’t need to cheat at all.

  At first, many people find it difficult to give up bread, cereals, and dairy products. But when you cut down on these foods gradually, you’ll eventually be able to replace them with more healthful fruits and vegetables. With Level I, you may want to use some “transitional” condiments. These contain sugar and salt but are low in fat. As you become accustomed to your new eating plan, you’ll want to reduce or eliminate them. Transitional condiments include:• Low-fat salad dressings. Use these in moderation and read the labels. Stay away from brands that contain large amounts of corn syrup or salt.

  • Commercial sauces. Mustard, hot sauces, prepared salsa. Note: No catsup (except for the Paleo version, the recipe for which is included in chapter 10); regular catsup is too high in salt and fructose.

  If you are a coffee, beer, or wine drinker, you may continue to enjoy these non-Paleo beverages in moderation, working toward cutting back on them as you become accustomed to the Paleo Diet. Transitional beverages include:• Sugar-free soft drinks. Use these in moderation. All of them contain artificial sweeteners, which are best left out of your diet.

  • Alcoholic beverages. Use these in moderation.

  • Coffee. Use it in moderation. Excessive caffeine is associated with a number of illnesses and health problems.

  Sample Two-Week Meal Plan for Level I

  SUNDAY Breakfast:

  Open

  Lunch:

  Almond Chicken Salad*

  Herbal tea

  Dinner:

  Tomato and avocado slices

  Grilled skinless turkey breast

  Steamed broccoli, carrots, and artichoke

  Bowl of fresh blueberries, raisins, and almonds

  Water with lemon slice

  Snack:

  Basic Beef Jerky,* celery sticks

  MONDAY Breakfast:

  Bowl of diced apples, shredded carrots, and raisins

  Poached eggs

  Cup of decaffeinated coffee

  Lunch:

  Brockway Tuna Salad*

  Handful of almonds

  Mineral water

  Dinner:

  Escargots (prepared without butter)

  Tossed green salad

  Broiled halibut steak with lemon juice and dill

  Steamed asparagus

  Sliced. kiwi fruit and tangerine wedges

  Glass of dry white wine

  Snack:

  cold lean beef slices, carrot sticks

  TUESDAY Breakfast:

  Cantaloupe, strawberries

  Broiled lean pork chops

  Herbal tea

  Lunch:

  Spinach salad with choice of Paleo dressing*

  Broiled orange roughy with fresh orange juice and oregano

  Steamed cauliflower

  Apple

  Mineral water

  Dinner:

  Paleo Zucchini Soup*

  Slow-Cooked Veal with Salsa*

  Figs

  Iced tea

  Snack :

  hard-boiled egg
s, walnuts, raisins

  WEDNESDAY Breakfast:

  Grapefruit

  Strawberries with blackberries

  Cold leftover Veal with Salsa*

  Cup of decaffeinated coffee

  Lunch:

  Open

  Dinner:

  Avocado and tomato slices

  Oysters on the half shell

  Altamira Stuffed Chicken*

  Ratatouille*

  Fresh boysenberries, raisins, and almonds

  Cup of decaffeinated coffee

  Snack:

  mango, unsalted macadamia nuts, Dried Salmon*

  THURSDAY Breakfast:

  Raspberries with walnuts

  Scrambled eggs with a small beefsteak

  Herbal tea

  Lunch:

  Lime and Dill Crab*

  Figs and fresh nectarines

  Iced tea

  Dinner:

  Spicy Tomato Soup*

  Green salad with black olives (rinsed of salt)

  Burgundy Walnut Beef Roast*

  Steamed cauliflower with lemon juice and paprika

  Fresh peaches

  Glass of red wine

  Snack:

  cold chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, celery sticks

  FRIDAY Breakfast:

  Blueberries and cantaloupe

  Cold crab legs

  Water with lemon

  Lunch:

  Gingery Chicken and Veggies*

  Tomato/black olive (rinsed of salt), green salad, and Anaheim Cilantro Salsa* dressing

  Iced tea

  Dinner:

  Open

  Snack:

  hard-boiled eggs, cold broiled salmon steak

  SATURDAY Breakfast:

  Casaba melon

  Cold chicken breasts

  Herbal tea

  Lunch:

  Tahoe Shrimp Salad*

  Melon slices and strawberries

  Sugar-free soda

  Dinner:

  Cold mackerel

  Tomato and cucumber wedges with olive oil and lemon juice

  Auroch Beef Cabbage Rolls*

  Chopped pecans, raspberries, and Medjool dates

  Water with lemon wedge

  Snack:

  Basic Beef Jerky,* apple slices

  SUNDAY Breakfast:

  Bowl of sliced bananas, strawberries, and walnuts

  Cup of decaffeinated coffee

  Lunch:

  Waldorf Salad*

  Apple

  Water and lemon juice

  Dinner:

  Open

  Snack:

  Guava, dried apricots, kiwi fruit, Dried Salmon*

  MONDAY Breakfast:

  Cantaloupe Stuffed with Blackberries and Pecans*

  Herbal tea

  Lunch:

  Spinach Salad à la Cordani*

  Orange sections

  Mineral water

  Dinner:

  Chicken Vegetable Soup*

  Marinated Mushrooms*

  Omega Meatballs*

  Baked Walnut-Cinnamon Apples*

  Iced tea

  Snack:

  Spicy Beef Jerky,* dried apricots without sulfur

  TUESDAY Breakfast:

  Fresh or frozen blackberries and raspberries

  Trout sautéed in olive oil and lemon juice

  Water with lemon wedge

  Lunch:

  Turkey burgers

  Tossed green salad with olive oil and lemon juice

  Apple slices with lemon juice and mint leaves

  Iced tea

  Dinner:

  Tossed green salad with flaxseed oil and lemon juice

  Paleo Zucchini Soup*

  Baked Tomatoes*

  Savory Steamed Mussels*

  Fresh melon

  Mineral water

  Snack:

  fresh peaches, peel-and-eat shrimp, walnuts

  WEDNESDAY Breakfast:

  Fresh or frozen strawberries and/or blueberries

  Grilled lean venison sausage

  Herbal tea

  Lunch:

  Open

  Dinner:

  Celery and carrot sticks dipped in Guacamole Fiesta*

  Spicy Tomato Soup*

  Steamed asparagus

  Sautéed Rocky Mountain Chicken Livers*

  Pomegranate

  Cup of decaffeinated coffee

  Snack:

  hard-boiled egg, unsalted macadamia nuts

  THURSDAY Breakfast:

  Fresh plums

  Small lean beefsteak covered with Peach Salsa*

  Cup of decaffeinated coffee

  Lunch:

  Gazpacho*

  Shrimp-Stuffed Avocado*

  Apple

  Iced tea

  Dinner:

  Tomato, cucumber, and red onion salad with olive oil

  Red Snapper in Snappy Sauce*

  Carrot-Mushroom Stir-Fry*

  Peach-Almond Delight*

  Glass of dry white wine or mineral water

  Snack:

  cold crab legs, tomato quarters

  FRIDAY Breakfast:

  Grapefruit

  Scrambled Basil Eggs Topped with Salsa*

  Herbal tea

  Lunch:

  Tossed green salad with olive oil and lemon juice

  Paleo-Correct Meat Loaf*

  Glass of lemon water

  Dinner:

  Marinated Mushrooms*

  Altamira Stuffed Chicken*

  Spicy Stuffed Squash*

  Baked Walnut-Cinnamon Apples*

  Mineral water

  Snack:

  sliced cold turkey breasts, sunflower seeds, hard-boiled eggs

  SATURDAY Breakfast:

  Open

  Lunch:

  Broiled Tenderloin of Pork with Spicy Rub*

  Honeydew melon

  Herbal tea

  Dinner:

  Waldorf Salad*

  Chicken Cacciatore*

  Steamed broccoli with lemon juice

  2 or 3 Medjool dates

  Diet soda

  Snack:

  carrot and celery sticks, dried pears, walnuts

  * See recipes in chapter 10.

  Level II: Maintenance Level

  Level II of the Paleo Diet is structured around the 90-10 split. Two Open Meals are permitted each week; the rest of your meals are made up of modern Paleo foods. At this level, you should restrict or eliminate all of the transitional foods, except during your two Open Meals. As in Level I, all snacks should be chosen from the list of Paleo snacks (see “snacks” near the beginning of this chapter). Many people do quite well at this level and find that there’s no need to move to the next level unless weight loss or health considerations are paramount.

  Sample Two-Week Meal Plan for Level II

  SUNDAY Breakfast: Open

  Lunch:

  Beef and Spinach Scramble*

  Herbal tea

  Dinner:

  Tomato wedges and cucumber slices dipped in flaxseed oil

  Salmon Steaks in Curry Sauce*

  Steamed brussels sprouts

  Tangerines

  Mineral water

  Snack: apple with Spicy Beef Jerky*

  MONDAY Breakfast:

  Half a cantaloupe, strawberries

  Cold halibut steak

  Herbal tea

  Lunch:

  Brockway Tuna Salad*

  Tangerine

  Water with lemon

  Dinner:

  Tomato and cucumber slices with Veggie Dip*

  Omega Meatballs*

  Steamed carrots and cauliflower with dill and paprika

  Kiwi fruit and strawberries with walnut pieces

  Iced herbal tea

  Snack: Spicy Beef Jerky,* celery sticks

  TUESDAY Breakfast:

  Grapefruit

  Two-egg (omega 3-enriched) omelet with avocado, scallion, and tomato filling cooked in olive oil

  Herbal tea

  Lunch:
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  Gingery Chicken and Veggies*

  Apple and walnuts

  Diet soda

  Dinner:

  Tomato wedges

  Artichoke leaves dipped in Omega 3 Mayonnaise*

  Tossed green salad with flaxseed oil and lemon juice

  Salmon Steaks in Curry Sauce*

  Fresh or frozen berries

  Glass of nonalcoholic wine

  Snack: carrot sticks, sliced zucchini, cold boiled shrimp

  WEDNESDAY Breakfast: Open

  Lunch:

  Gazpacho*

  Cajun Catfish Bake*

  Fresh peaches

  Herbal tea

  Dinner:

  Chicken Vegetable Soup*

  Ambrosia Salad*

  Barbecued Alaskan Shrimp*

  Fresh blackberries

  Glass of ice water and lemon wedge

  Snack: walnuts and raisins, hard-boiled egg

  THURSDAY Breakfast:

  Fresh pineapple slices

  Broiled small breakfast steak covered with Anaheim Cilantro Salsa*

  Herbal tea

  Lunch:

  Spinach Salad with Crabmeat*

  Fresh oranges

  Mineral water

  Dinner:

  Butter Leaf Avocado Salad*

  Baked Haddock Italiano*

  Steamed summer squash with lemon pepper and paprika

  Fresh Cinnamon Applesauce*

  Water with lemon slice

  Snack: cold chicken breasts, celery and carrot sticks

  FRIDAY Breakfast:

  Pink grapefruit

  Chilled steamed prawns

  Cup of decaffeinated coffee

  Lunch:

  Tossed green salad with Omega 3 Russian Dressing*

  Grilled lean pork chops covered with Raspberry Barbecue Sauce*

 

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