Is the Paleo Diet for You?

Category: Lifestyle

What Is the “Paleo Diet”?

| Advanced Surgicare

It seems as though everyone is talking about the “paleo” diet these days. You might be wondering what it is and if you could benefit from trying it. The answer is that, yes, the paleo diet might be beneficial for individuals who are trying to decrease their percentage of body fat. Let’s take a closer look at what it entails.

Eat Like a Caveman (or Woman)

“Paleo” refers to the Paleolithic era, otherwise known as the Old Stone Age. Thus, the paleo diet is based on the idea of eating as if one were living during the Paleolithic era. Given that our Stone Age ancestors were hunters and gatherers (and not farmers), this means eating only food items that could be hunted or found in nature (versus those that are farmed and / or processed). Basically, if a caveman did not have access to a certain type of food, individuals following the paleo diet will not eat it.

Foods That Are Allowed on the Paleo Diet

Individuals following the paleo diet eat:

  • Fish and other seafood
  • Grass-fed meats
  • Fresh veggies
  • Fresh fruits
  • Eggs
  • Seeds
  • Nuts
  • Healthy oils, such as olive, coconut, avocado, flaxseed, walnut and macadamia

Foods That Are Not Allowed on the Paleo Diet

Those on the paleo diet do not eat:

  • Legumes (including peanuts)
  • Cereal grains
  • Dairy
  • Refined sugar
  • Potatoes
  • Processed foods
  • Foods high in salt content
  • Refined vegetable oils
  • Candy / junk food

The Philosophy Behind the Paleo Diet

In order to understand the philosophy behind the paleo diet, envision the timeline of humanity as a 12-month calendar. For the first 11.95 months, our human ancestors were hunters and gatherers. It is only in the past .05 months of the year that we have started farming. Farming has caused a dramatic transformation in our diets, which now include processed grains and dairy products, neither of which were part of our early ancestors’ diets. Adherers of the paleo diet posit that although our diet has changed as a result of agriculture, our genetics have not had time to adjust to the new diet; therefore, the human body still responds best to the type of diet our Stone Age ancestors followed.

Learn More About Healthy Living

For individuals recovering from bariatric surgery, following the paleo diet can be beneficial to their weight loss efforts. For more information about available bariatric surgery options, such as the Lap Band System or gastric bypass, contact Dr. Kuzinkovas of Advanced Surgicare. He will work with you to devise a weight loss surgical treatment plan, complete with nutritional counseling, to help you lose weight successfully and keep it off over the long run.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kuzinkovas to learn more about your weight loss surgery treatment options, please contact Advanced Surgicare by calling 1 300 551 533.

3 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Stay Active

| Advanced Surgicare

At Advanced Surgicare Clinic, we understand that it can be hard to stay active, especially when you are just starting to make fitness a priority or after a long day at work. However, doing a manageable amount of exercise each day will help you stay healthy as well as provide other benefits such as helping you manage stress. With this in mind, here are three ways to motivate yourself to stay active.

Set Manageable Fitness Goals

If you are just starting out with your fitness goals, go slowly. You do not have to do 100 pushups immediately or run a marathon. Instead, set manageable fitness goals that you feel you can achieve and maintain. If you set unrealistic goals off the bat, you will only end up feeling discouraged.

For instance, take a 10-minute walk each day or take the parking spot that is farthest away from the door when you are grocery shopping. Add a small amount of incidentalexercise into your daily routine, build on it each week and before you know it — you will achieve significant progress.

Make Fitness Fun While Enjoying the Scenery

When exercising, it is important to choose activities that you find fun! The time really does fly by when you are having fun and are focusing on the beautiful or interesting scenery around you.

For example, go for a hike while enjoying your natural surroundings. Other ideas include taking your dog for a walk on the beach, swimming in the ocean or playing with your children in the yard. You can also participate in various charity fun run / walk activities in the city or countryside. These events usually attract thousands of people, provide a fantastic atmosphere and are extremely motivating in that seeing other people in excellent spirits who are doing their best to stay healthy tends to inspire others to do the same.

Reward Yourself for a Job Well Done

Once you have reached a fitness goal (no matter how small), reward yourself — just not with food. Instead, treat yourself to new clothes, a date with your favorite friend, a massage, a hot bath or simply quiet time with a book. Choose a reward that is meaningful to you, but that does not impede your healthy lifestyle.

Making Fitness a Part of Life

By starting small, making fitness fun and treating yourself to a well-deserved reward when you have attained your goals, staying active will soon become a permanent part of your life.

To learn more about transitioning to a healthy lifestyle, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Kuzinkovas by contacting Advanced Surgicare Clinic at 1300 551 533.