So, you asked, “Is the paleo diet the best way to lose weight?” The paleo diet is designed to promote overall health by returning to a simpler, more natural way of eating. As a lifestyle, it helps people think about food differently, and pay more attention to their bodies and their nutrition. While it is not specifically a weight loss diet, it often naturally leads to weight loss.
How the Paleo Diet Supports Weight Loss
Improved nutrition
The paleo diet focuses on simple, digestible, high-quality foods. Many people find that by simply eating foods that are richer in nutrition and avoiding highly processed foods, added sugars, and refined oils, they lose weight without even specifically trying.
Blood sugar stabilization
Added sugars, artificial sweeteners, and refined carbohydrates all have a damaging effect on our blood sugar levels, which can lead to weight gain and even health conditions like hypoglycemia and diabetes. Eliminating these elements from your diet naturally stabilizes your blood sugar, which helps every aspect of your overall health, from hormones and hydration to digestion and mood.
Reduced cravings
Uneven blood sugar levels, diets that restrict fat or carbohydrate intake, and foods with low nutritional value all cause food cravings. Under these conditions, a person can feel hungry even if they have recently eaten, which then leads to overeating. The paleo diet naturally reduces or eliminates these factors, leading to a satisfying level of fullness and reduced food cravings. Due to these effects, the paleo diet often leads to weight or fat loss without any restriction of portions or calories. However, if your goal is to lose weight, there are a few ways to modify the paleo diet to help you reach that goal more quickly.
How to Use the Paleo Diet for Weight Loss
Unmodified, the paleo diet allows you to eat as much as you want, as long as you are eating paleo foods, which improves the quality of the food you eat. However, if you want to lose weight on the paleo diet, it is helpful to monitor and reduce the quantity of your food as well. When using the paleo diet for weight loss, you don’t need to count calories or track nutrition, but it is best to practice portion control.
Paleo Portion Control
Every meal should include protein, healthy carbohydrates in the form of fruit and vegetables, and a source of healthy fats. Eating protein, good carbs, and fat all together helps balance your blood sugar, improve your feelings of fullness, and reduce cravings. If you imagine your meal in your mind, your protein should be about 1/3 of your plate, and good fruits and vegetables should be the other 2/3, all either cooked in or dressed with good fats. Use this mental habit of dividing your food into virtual thirds, even if it’s a mixed dish like a salad or a casserole, to keep your proportions balanced. Then, to reduce portions, simply decrease the size of your plate, even when it’s an imaginary plate.
Of course, for faster weight loss, it is best to reduce between-meal snacks, desserts, and alcohol and other caloric beverages. The paleo diet is one of the best way to lose weight and get healthier without even trying, but with just a little portion control, it can help you meet your weight loss goals as well.
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