The Paleo Diet | Personal Training Vancouver | Momentum Fitness

For thousands of years, our species ate to survive by hunting and gathering. They instinctively were able to balance calories put into the body and calories expended by the body. They ate in anticipation of scarcity, so in winter when food was less abundant they could stay warm and have stored energy. Our species is a product of our surroundings and the environment influences the systems that comprise and regulate our bodies. The hunting and gathering subsistence became obsolete with the onset of farming. A critical shift occurred with the introduction of agriculture and the domestication of animals. Though our digestive system has undergone very little change over time, our diet has changed drastically. Unfortunately because our food availability developed to be stable and abundant and the concept of mobile societies was replaced with a much more sedentary lifestyle, obesity and a host of diseases have reached epidemic proportions.

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As a Vancouver personal trainer, I like to stay in tune with the latest nutrition models and therefore I would like to share with you this introduction to the ?Paleolithic/Caveman? Diet. This latest trend mimics our hunter/gatherer ancestors and focuses on foods found in nature for optimum health and physique. By consuming such foods as meat, fish, vegetables, eggs and nuts, the ?Paleo? Diet maintains the belief that less obesity and disease will exist.

The key concepts of the ?Paleo? Diet are as follows:

1. Eat a generous amount of fat and animal protein (preferably free range or grass fed). Choose less fatty cuts of meat and don?t eat salty cured meats.
2. Eat a lot of vegetables, excluding tuber vegetables such as yams and sweet potatoes and all legumes.
3. Consume fruits that are lower in sugar (like berries) and nuts and seeds that are high in Omega 3, but lower in Omega 6 (such as: walnuts, brazil nuts, pumpkin and hemp seeds). Nuts are to be consumed less often by individuals whose goal is weight loss.
4. Try to eliminate all cereal grains and grain-like seeds.
5. Try to eliminate vegetable oil (except olive/avocado in their raw form).
6. Eliminate sugar.
7. Eliminate all dairy products. (Note: we are the only species in the world that consumes dairy products beyond infancy and that being from another animal source).
8. Eat when you are hungry.

Though these ideas seem fairly basic, many people are concerned with the fact that the ?Paleo? Diet seems to vilify grains and dairy, but condones saturated fat. That being said, the principle theory is to follow the nutrition that most closely resembles the hunter/gatherer way of life. Advocates for this diet strongly support that it leads to having a better handle on how nutrition influences our bodies and health, in addition to enhancing our performance and preventing obesity. Read further details about the Paleo Diet here

I hope this brief introduction to the ?Paleolithic/Caveman? Diet from a Vancouver personal trainer has given you something to ponder. I suggest that taking from it what you personally feel is worthy is the best answer. Without sounding cliche, it has definitely left me with ?Food For Thought?!

About Cassandra: My passion for health and fitness, coupled with my teaching background, led me to becoming a personal trainer. I strongly believe in the necessity for an active, fitness oriented lifestyle which encompasses a balance of cardio, strength, flexibility and recreation and this has undoubtedly had an impact throughout my lifetime. It gives me great satisfaction to pass along my knowledge and enthusiasm with the highest standard of service, safety and professionalism to all those who want to adopt a lifestyle of physical and mental health and wellness. To book your appointment with Cassandra call us at 604.732.4884 or email us today!

Source: http://www.mypersonaltrainervancouver.com/vancouver-personal-training-the-paleo-diet/

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