The fact that the Paleo diet is getting so popular and well known is a good thing. Sort of. It’s good because people are getting exposed to a very healthy, intelligent diet. With that, they’re also being exposed to things like lifestyle changes, local and organic food, pastured meats and sensible, functional movement. It’s bad though, because – to the casual observer – Paleo can look like just another “diet.” The Paleo diet just gets thrown into the heap with all the other diets. Now there’s ONE MORE “diet” for the casual dieter to try or just read about and wonder if it can work for them to finally “lose weight.”
I’m at the point in my own “Paleo evolution” where the diet part of the Paleo diet isn’t even that interesting to me. I know what to eat and what not to. For me, it’s more about:
- Finding better quality, local food and making better connections with those who produce it
- Creating habits that make me do what I know I need to without thinking about it or struggling or using “willpower”
- Being kind and nurturing to my body
- Reducing stress everywhere I possibly can
- Building a lifestyle that is fully aligned with my health, training, career and spiritual goals
The above is more involved, more interesting and more important to me than debating whether my ancestors could have eaten bananas in February or whether my morning smoothie is actually Paleo since it requires an electrical device to prepare.
It’s All in Your Habits…
I talked about how “cerebral” we like to be in an article for Paleo Magazine recently. There are a few reasons we’re like this, but I think a major factor here is that thinking about stuff is a lot easier than doing it.
It’s easier to spend two hours debating about a minor diet topic on Facebook or Paleo Hacks – with other people who are sitting at their computers too – than it is to implement change and start setting yourself up into a long term habit pattern that will get you where you want to go.
It’s hard to break out of your current, less healthy, habits and routine and do the uncomfortable work of building a new routine that puts you on track to be better than you are today in 6 months or a year or two years or more. It’s a lot easier to put off your changes until you “have more information” or “are completely sure this is the One True Path.”
My New Habit…
Most everyone who reads my stuff knows that I’m big on yoga and mediation. Overall, I’ve been quite consistent with both since I started back around 2007. “Overall” doesn’t mean day in and day out though. Since I tend to run out of steam for writing and working on the computer around 3pm or so anyway, I’ve decided to implement a DAILY habit of yoga followed by meditation at 4pm EVERY DAY. This is a time that I can pretty much guarantee I’ll be home and it’s a good bet that whatever writing and computer work I’m doing will be done – or I’ll be too tired to do more – by this time.
I’ve become fully convinced that this change will take me to the next level of health and well being – and I’ve even gone so far as to find a meditation teacher to work with weekly.
I’ve seen what habits can do – and some of mine over the past year have led me to mixed results. So, this is my effort to very consciously start laying in new habits that will take me where I want to go over the next year or two and more…
You Have to Change Your Life…
Whatever it is that you’re struggling with health-wise – be it overweight, depression, anxiety, digestive illness, limited athletic performance, inflexibility, back pain, etc. – the issue is the CUMULATIVE effect of all your life choices, your habits and even your thoughts large AND small. In fact, the small behaviors are very often more important than the big ones. The small ones are the ones you don’t really notice and they’re the ones that can silently add up to big results – good OR bad.
Crash Diets and Good Habits…
In a recent post from Seth Godin – Crash Diets and Good Habits – Seth talks about exactly what I’m talking about here:
“The reason [crash diets] don’t work has nothing to do with what’s on the list of things to be done (or consumed). No, the reason they don’t work is that they don’t change habits, and habits are where our lives and careers and bodies are made.”
– Seth Godin
Challenge Yourself…
If you’re reading this blog then you very likely know (or are reasonably sure) Paleo is the way to go for your health or performance goals – whatever they are. And, if you follow my stuff you know that “Paleo” is a broad and adaptable enough template to deliver for nearly everyone.
Now, ask yourself this:
Is it really more INFORMATION you need to take the next step and create some healthier habits and more fully implement good practices in your diet, training and life? My bet is that you probably KNOW what you need to at least get started. Do you know enough to get started? Would committing to Paleo and doing it 100% every day likely make a positive difference in your life?
Usually, people like to fire back with more questions – “what about my calcium levels,” or “how much fruit should I eat” or “Dr Oz says meat is bad” or – my favorite – “when do I get to ‘cheat’?”
The bottom line is, there are virtually NO negative consequences to adopting a diet of pastured, hormone free meats and organic local vegetables and fruits. There are also virtually NO downsides to slowing your life down a bit, doing some healthy movement and meditation, getting out in nature and turning off the computer earlier.
Do you REALLY need to read another book, spend another five hours arguing with someone online or wait for a doctor or expert to tell you it’s “safe” to do? Even if Paleo wasn’t the “best” approach, could it possibly be SO far off that correcting course would be a massive effort? Do you really need more information to start?
I’m not saying not to pursue more knowledge or information in general – I’m saying not to pursue more information BEFORE YOU START. Just start.
In my case, I know enough about yoga and meditation (though I don’t know a ton) to know that doing it every day will accumulate massive benefits for me and my life – particularly given my particular needs and challenges. And, I know more than enough to get started with a daily habit. I’ll learn the rest as I go over the months and years. I don’t need more information to START…
ttys
Adam
Great info and just at the right time for me!
Glad you liked it, Carolyn! 🙂
Adam
Great article. I hate it when people say “the problem with Paleo is that when you go back to a standard diet you gain all of the weight back.”. That statement sort of answers itself and like you say it is more about the healthy lifestyle than weight loss anyway.
Thanks
DSG
ZenPresence.com
LOL Yeah, why would you go back?!?!?!?!
Best post, ever, Adam! Bravo!
Thanks, Kathleen! 🙂
A Paleo diet is a new find for me. I came via It Starts with Food and Whole30, which I am currently following this month. I can already tell I will likely be Paleo for life. It just makes so much sense…and so do you! Wise words! Glad I found you!
Thanks a ton, Cyndi! Yeah, Paleo is a great diet and lifestyle. Definitely good that it’s getting out there into the world.
Keep in touch!
Adam
“Building a lifestyle that is fully aligned with my health, training, career and spiritual goals…(but) thinking about stuff is a lot easier than doing it.”
I really enjoyed this article! The content really spoke to a major HABIT of mine – gathering information, then thinking about the information, then thinking about making a decision based on the information! Enough already!!!
I know what changes I need to make. Now.
Thank you, Adam.
SO GLAD you liked it, Teresa! I have the same habit – it was fine 10 years ago when you could collect a book or two and a few magazines a month on the topic, but now there’s more information on ANYTHING you can think of than you can ever consume. We have a good strategy, but the world has changed.
If you think about it, in the pre-internet world, you’d have collected some information and resources, learned some stuff and started with what you had. That’s what I always did. When I started working out seriously I had “Joe Weider’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding” and a bunch of magazines – Flex, Muscle and Fitness, Ironman, Muscle Media 2000… How’s THAT for starting with incomplete information!?!?! But I started and learned as I went. I got maybe ONE book a YEAR on working out and had some of my most happy and productive training days and YEARS back then. Lots of training time and lots of time spent with the information I DID have…
Keep in touch and let me know how the changes go for you!
Adam
Hey brotha!
First time passing by this site and really enjoyed it! I did the raw diet at one point, and then embraced a more paleo local wild diet. I have been comfortable in finding balance now, and tend to have the exact same tastes and urges for certain foods that I had before I began my “die-ts”, and now have just raised the quality of what I eat, rather then the specifics or restrictions. Doing this for the most part guarantees a fairly great level of health. The real issue is with GMO, Hormones, sugars, etc. Those are the killers, and to pursue local organics, and supporting people you trust and interact with, rather then corporations and mass industries! Someone I enjoy is Daniel Vitalis, he really taught me alot! Great article!
Glad you liked it, bro! I’ll be sure to check out Vitalis.
Adam
I incorporate blood type nutrition (Dr. P. D’Adamo) along with paleo concepts into my lifestyle. All it takes is developing healthful habits that fit my blood type and doing my best to select a paleo route. I find it works exceptionally well for me.
That’s really interesting, Laura. I never liked the “Eat Right for Your Type” stuff because it wasn’t Paleo. You have an interesting idea combining them, though…
I have been 99% paleo for almost 2 years i dropped 112# by changing my eating life style and doing crossfit and running its a great life style.
Paleo lifestyle started out “full on in” for my husband and I in January. Went through cupboards and fridge throwing out everything that didn’t fit “whole foods”. It started out for us as a weight loss method but very quickly like you said… weight is now secondary not the priority. Eating healthy is top priority and when we lose in the process… that’s a major bonus! We both lost 30 pounds the first 3 months and now have more or less stabilized at a good weight, still usually losing a pound or two a month. We are now adding exercise. Paleo lifestyle has changed our health/lives! So appreciative of all the great information out there!!
Cool that weight loss isn’t primary anymore, Grace. Once you go Paleo you really do start to see a whole new world open up…
Hey Adam – great article. I just finished doing a 21 day eating challenge which was the whole no dairy, no sugar, no wheat/grains etc basically super strict paleo I guess you would say and today is the last day hooray! But have found your website really helpful about the next steps to take and how to re-introduce SOME starchy carbs back into the mix but still sticking to the Paleo way. I feel so much better already and I really like the bit in this article: “Even if Paleo wasn’t the “best” approach, could it possibly be SO far off that correcting course would be a massive effort? Do you really need more information to start?” because well it’s all good whole foods that you are eating, no processed stuff that is so easy to grab and go. Looking forward to keeping updated on your website and looking through all the stuff I have missed too! 🙂
Thanks, Rosa! Glad you liked it!
Great article with far too many take out comments to quote here!
But you’re spot on. Just get on and do it. Thinking about change is simply that – thinking. Thinking is not doing!
The best thing we can do as Paleo followers is to say that we follow a Paleo lifestyle too, and not a ‘diet’.
Martyn
“Thinking is not doing!”
Right on, Martyn!
I love it – I did actually come to Paleo in order to try and lose weight. As yet I’ve not seen any of the losses everyone else seems to get but I do know my body is healthier than it’s been in decades. I’m sure the fat loss will come in time…
Hey Dianne! Glad you hear you’re healthier on Paleo. Your body should reach its ideal weight in time..
Hello Adam. Thankyou for this wonderful article. Yes paleo is more than just a weight loss diet- although I started paleo for this end goal. After few months on paleo, I realized how it changed my lifestyle, and how i was “badly” nourished before i went into paleo. I have been eating lots of food considered unhealthy, and today i couldn’t be thankful enough that I am starting to live a real healthy life. My challenge right now is how to involve my partner who since day one has been skeptic about this diet, as well as how to introduce paleo to my kids. You see, I am very much convinced that paleo eventually should be a family lifestyle. Maybe slowly but surely, i will attain this goal. And yes, yoga is next on my list of must do. Thank you for inspiring me.
Kathy
So glad things are going well for you, Kathy, and that this is becoming a lifestyle for you! Be sure to check out Paleo Magazine (http://paleomagonline.com/) if you haven’t already. The editor and his wife are raising their family Paleo and they have some family-oriented stuff in there pretty often. Be sure and check out the back issues too!
All the best and keep in touch!
Adam
Thanks so much Adam for this tip. Will be heading straight right now to the site you mentioned. I am just too excited to find out how these couples are going about raising paleo kids.