Paleo for Beginners: Essentials to Get Started with the Paleo Diet by John Chatham

As the title states, this is a great book for Paleo beginners! It’s difficult to leave behind processed foods, grains, starches, and refined sugars and base your diet on lean meats, nuts, and plant fats, and Chatham’s book shows he understands how hard it can be to make these changes. He starts with general information about the Paleo diet, but then focuses on preparing the reader’s mind, body, and physical environment in order to follow through and make a successful shift into the Paleo diet lifestyle. He even provides a whole chapter that gives you a daily task to complete the week before starting the paleo diet, so that the transition will be as easy as possible.

There are also a lot of practical tools included in the book. It includes an extensive list of acceptable Paleo foods, and the meal plans and recipes are very simple. There are hints on where to shop for high quality foods, what time of day to eat, how to avoid common pitfalls, and even quizzes for personalizing your approach to the diet. Chatham does not dismiss the difficulties you may encounter when you begin the diet, and I appreciate his realistic approach. He wants you to see that the initial challenges are well worth the gains, and help you truly adopt the Paleo lifestyle.

What really drew me to this book was how literally down to earth it is. Chatham sets up a really simple plan to follow that has its roots in how the early cavemen ate. By keeping to a simple diet consisting of lean meats, healthy fats, nuts, fruit, and vegetables, you’ll feel and look healthier, and shed some serious pounds. This diet isn’t unrealistic or complicated, and requires no exotic ingredients or crazy exercise routines. While this is more of a life-style change than a crash diet, it will eventually eliminate your cravings for all the bad food that causes so many health problems. As a person with a gluten allergy, I especially liked how it was naturally gluten free. I also enjoyed Chapter 5, which included sample meal plans and recipes (including recipes for entertaining non-Paleo friends) and Chapter 4, which talks about preparing mentally for the diet. I felt it was truly motivational. I can’t wait to start looking and feeling better by eating like a modern day cave-dweller!

Description

The Paleo diet is not just another fad diet; it is the diet humans were designed to eat. Also known as the Primal diet, the Caveman diet, and the Stone Age diet, the Paleo diet focuses on low-carb, high-protein meals, and removes all processed foods.

Paleo for Beginners will show you how to adopt a paleo lifestyle in order to feel healthy, lose weight, and increase your energy level. With Paleo for Beginners, start enjoying the best health of your life today–all while losing weight and decreasing your odds of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and many other modern health maladies.

Paleo for Beginners is a comprehensive yet concise guide to embracing the Paleo lifestyle, walking readers through a successful Paleo diet in a straightforward, easy-to-read format.

•  Successfully make the transition to a Paleo lifestyle with a 7-day, step-by-step plan for beginners
• Set yourself up for success with the Paleo shopping guide and a list of 117 Paleo-recommended foods (and an extensive list of what food items you should avoid).
• Enjoy Paleo-friendly versions of 99 mouthwatering recipes for every meal. Recipes include Eggs Benedict Paleo Style, High-Protein Grain-Free Burgers, Chicken Avocado Wraps, and Paleo Waffles.

Starting a new diet can be difficult, but with Paleo for Beginners learning how to do so shouldn’t be.