Our paleo journey hasn’t been smooth sailing, no. Quite the opposite! We’d lose weight, put it back on, get obsessed with nuts, eat too many sweet treats, eat too much meat and so on. We’re now at a stage where we are really happy with how we feel, inside and out. Today we share our paleo weight loss tips, take these as a guide, it’s how we live at the moment (we have no doubt that things will change… they always do!).
(Oh wow, it’s 2022 now… we don’t diet anymore haha… get an update on why and how it was the BEST thing ever over here!)
Our Paleo Weight Loss Tips:
- Portion control. We say go crazy with your greens but watch the amount of meat, carby veggies, nuts and seeds. When in doubt, use some scales (just to get used to the serve sizes!). These are our our serve sizes: 100-150g of meat/chicken/fish, 30g nuts, 100g carby veggies.
- Set a goal. There is nothing better than accomplishing a goal. But you’ve got to set it to reach it. So write it down and tell someone close to you so they can help you stay accountable. We write all of our goals on our pantry doors (we painted them with chalk board paint!).
- Nuts. Nuts are on the YES list (which is dangerous). So if you get nut crazy like we did we’d recommend weighing your serves (it should be around 30g). If you seriously can’t stop, then don’t eat them! Go for something else (this worked for us) like veggie crudités or a slice of our savoury bread.
- Meat. Again with portions (go for 100-150g per serve) but if it’s not organic and grass-fed you may be consuming excess omega 6 oils and antibiotics without even knowing (this can make you gain weight).
- Starchy, high carb vegetables. When we first started our paleo journey we used to eat a lot of sweet potato chips. Don’t get us wrong, they are much better than the normal chippies you buy but eating them every day maybe twice a day caused us to put on weight. Again, if you’re struggling, weigh out a 100g serve and stick to that. Same goes for other root veggies.
- Focus on adding more good. When trying to lose weight, it’s easy to get lost in what you can’t eat. Instead, focus on the good stuff you can add to your plate! We like to say it’s ‘crowding out the baddies’.
- Water. Drink it and drink lots of it! Where you can, try and filter your water to get rid of any chemicals. We aim to drink 2 litres a day. Drinking water will naturally cleanse your body, boost your metabolism, keep you feeling full and keep you regular!
- Eat your greens. That’s right, we see no harm is packing your plate full of green veggies. Think spinach, zucchinis, lettuce, brussel sprouts, kale – anything green! This will fill you up and give you the necessary nutrients.
- Start your day with a kick. Every morning, enjoy a glass of water with fresh squeezed lemon juice and a tbs. of apple cider vinegar. This little cleansing tonic will kick start your metabolism for the day and cleanse your system.
- Don’t eat buffet style. This is a huge issue when we visit merrymaker mum and dad! When the food is in the middle of the table it is free for all! You pick and you go back for seconds, thirds and fourths! If you serve your plate first and leave the leftovers in the kitchen you’ll think twice about going back for another serve! And try to remember that leftovers = lunch for tomorrow!
- See the big picture. When you’re following a paleo lifestyle, remember that it’s not just about weight loss. Think of the big picture and ALL of the benefits you’ll experience. Like a clear head, fully functioning organs, more energy, shiny hair, strong nails. Plus your story will inspire friends and family to do the same (read more about going paleo here).
- HAVE FUN! That’s right, losing weight doesn’t have to be a chore. Try new recipes, new fitness activities and make it social where you can!
- Eat yum! Eating yum is also super important. Our three rules for all of our recipes is that they have to be quick, easy and delish. There’s over 200 on our site and we’ve also got affordable eBooks available for download here.
- Get support! If you need some support then have a think about getting a holistic health coach.
Do you have any other weight loss tips to add to the list? If you do, share in the comments section, your experience will inspire others to make a healthy change!
Always merrymaking,
Emma + Carla