The Paleo lifestyle may not make you feel hungry or deprived, but it can sure seem hard to find travel-friendly foods. Grass-fed meats and organic veggies are great for your health, but they don’t exactly fit into a cup-holder! Fortunately, even the busiest of us can stick to our diets. All it takes is a little forethought and planning.
Cook in Bulk
If you’re serious about the Paleo diet, you’ll probably need to prepare most of your food in advance. Set aside one or two days a week when you’ll cook your beef, chicken, fish, and other proteins. This is also a great time to roast veggies and assemble salads. If your planning is on-point, all you’ll need to cook each day is your eggs.
Use Dried Foods
Dry and dehydrated foods are boons for people who struggle to stay Paleo throughout their workdays. If you’re surrounded by unhealthy snacks at your job, keep some nuts, seeds, and dried fruit in your drawer. Just make sure you don’t over-indulge, as these are also some of the most calorie-dense foods you can eat. Almonds are great, but downing a whole jar can really take a toll on your fat loss plan!
Rethink Meal Frequency
Forget the conventional wisdom that says you need to eat every three hours to “boost your metabolism.” This has been proven to be bunk, and it’s just not practical for anyone with a steady job. Instead, eat when you’re hungry – and don’t stress over a missed meal here and there. Recent studies have actually shown that short-term fasting has metabolic and hormonal benefits, and a couple hours of hunger will NOT put you into “starvation mode.”
Substitute and Make Do
Ultimately, you might not be able to make every meal one hundred percent Paleo – but you can come pretty close! There are plenty of varieties of canned, wild-caught fish, and most are great substitutions for the fresh stuff. You may also be able to find low-sugar varieties of jerky.
Even when you’re eating out, you can tweak most menus to suit your needs. Order simple items like grilled meat and fish, nix the sugary sauces, and get vegetables on the side. Your meal might not be grass-fed, hormone-free, and organic, but it’ll be a lot better than eating the usual restaurant fare.
What are your tips for staying on track? Any go to’s that you know will work in a pinch? Share your ideas below or post on our Facebook page. It takes a Paleo village!
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