What is the Paleo Diet?

The Paleo Diet is a new lifestyle diet that is sweeping the fitness industry. With people seeing so many great results, and feeling better than ever, it's easy to see why it's gained so much popularity. But what is the paleo diet, how do you go paleo, and is it right for you?

Paleo is a diet that aims to work with natural human genetics to provide optimal nutrition to the body. The diet outlines foods that our ancestors would have eaten, and does away with food that they wouldn't have had access to. That means no dairy, processed sugars, starches, or things of the like. The idea is that we are bombarded with food that we weren't made to eat, but do because it is easily accessible and popular. For the same reason you wouldn't feed a chicken a hot dog, paleo claims that you shouldn't feed yourself foods that evolution does not intend for humans to eat.

People on paleo eat diets consisting of meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, healthy fats and oils. The diet claims there is no need to count calories or portion your meals -- simply eat when you're hungry and stop when you're satisfied. People have reported weight loss, increased energy, muscle gain (when combined with exercise), healthier bodily functions, and feeling and looking better, from the paleo diet. If these things sound good to you, try going paleo for a week, and see how you like it!