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In Paleo Food and Fitness on a Budget Part 1, I promised to show you ways to integrate some of these healthy eating principles into practice. Ideally, nutrition and fitness plans should be tailored to your individual needs, health issues and activity levels. Body type, size, and goals also play a part. I HIGHLY recommend taking a 23andme DNA test so you can figure out what’s best for your unique genetics.
In Paleo Food and Fitness on a Budget Part 1, I present 5 steps to follow. Read that first and then come back, I’ll be waiting for you!
Ok, so here is a rough guideline and food list (all of which you can get at Aldi in one trip for cheap).
If you don’t have an Aldi near you, Amazon is my go-to source for anything that’s not fresh meat or produce!
Remember, Don’t eat more than 60-100 calories from fat when you’re also eating a NON-VEGETABLE CARB.
- Meal 1 – Pro + Carb (Low Glycemic)
- Meal 2 – Pro + Fats
- Meal 3- Pro + Fats
- Meal 4- After Weight Training Shake = High Glycemic Carb + Whey Protein
- Meal 5 – Pro + Carb (Low Glycemic)
- Meal 6 – Pro + Fats
Protein sources:
- Eggs
- Chicken Breast
- Ground turkey breast
- Tuna
- Tilapia
- Salmon
- Ground beef 93% lean *96% is even better if you can find it!
Carbohydrate sources:
- Oats – *This is not paleo, but I have no issues with it.
- Brown rice
- Sweet potato
- Yam
- Chickpeas – some paleo folks don’t do legumes, that’s ok, sub something else.
- Black beans – again, make you’re own informed decision about legumes, I love to include them in my choices.
- Quinoa *I don’t find often at Aldi, so I buy truRoots Organic Quinoa .
Fat sources:
- Egg yolk
- Olive oil
- Fish oil
- Evening Primrose Oil
- Avocado
- Walnuts
- Almonds
- Ground flax seeds which I can’t get at Aldi so I buy Bob’s Mill from Amazon. Be careful with flax if you have excess estrogen as this can sometimes aggravate the associated conditions!
Unlimited amounts of these Spices/Condiments:
- Apple Cider Vinegar – The best kind is Bragg’s Organic Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar “With the Mother”
- Cayenne Pepper
- Sriracha Sauce
- Hot sauce (not wing sauce, as they often have soybean oils and other additives)
- Stevia powder for sweetness – Kal Stevia is my favorite.
- Stevia flavored liquid for water/tea/coffee
- Ceylon Cinnamon (This is different from the cassia cinnamon most commonly found. Ceylon cinnamon is proven to help lower your blood sugar).
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Cumin
- Curry
- Tumeric
Veggies – in order of best nutritional density vs. calories- have with each meal if you desire:
- Leafy Greens such as kale, spinach, mixed greens, etc….
- Cauliflower/Broccoli/Cabbage
- Brussel Sprouts
- Asparagus
- Peppers
- Green Beans
- Carrots
- Tomatoes, which are technically a fruit but Roma tomatoes have thermogenic properties and speed up metabolism.
- Any variety of spicy peppers
Fruits – High Glycemic Carbs – Use sparingly and timed around workouts
- Grapefruits and Apples
- Blueberries/Raspberries/Strawberries
- Grapes, Kiwi, Oranges,
- Bananas – be careful with going overboard on bananas, they tend to really spike your insulin levels.
Supplements:
*Please note that these are NOT necessary, especially when trying to watch costs. Also, please research these and/or speak with your doctor before you take any of these. These are what I use ONLY when I want the optimal results. I use these strategically when training and not every day except for a multi-vitamin and Vitamin D.
- Green Tea standardized for EGCG (200-400 mg) twice a day
- Multi-Vitamin
- Vitamin D at least 5000 mg a day
- 5-HTP at bedtime
- ZMA – Useful especially when using heavy weight strength training
Also, be VERY careful when buying supplements. This is one area where it really makes sense to pay a bit more. Read this post for more recommendations on supplements.
This plan works great for me when I want to lean up quickly. I don’t completely eat this way all of the time – I’d say its 80% sticking to this plan and 20% not. Twice a year I try to follow this more strictly for a few weeks. Usually in January and then again before vacation.
Now, go read Paleo Food and Fitness on a Budget PART 3 where I will give you my super efficient fitness plan for an entire month!
You don’t need to join a gym, you hardly need any equipment, AND you won’t be working out for more than 30 mins a day!
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