The 10 Biggest Paleo Challenges

Eating Paleo is a rewarding experience all around. People who go Paleo get to eat delicious, healthy foods while (often) dropping weight and reaching their prime state of health. However, the Paleo lifestyle does come with its own set of challenges! Our hope is that by identifying these challenges, you will better prepared to overcome them! Here are ten of the most common Paleo challenges, and ways to overcome them.

The 10 Biggest Paleo Challenges and How to Beat Them

1. Keep True: It can be hard to stay true to the Paleo diet with so many temptations all around. The best way to keep on track is to clear all non-Paleo friendly foods out of the house. If that’s not an option, the person doing Paleo should share their diet rules with everyone else in the home who isn’t doing Paleo. This can help the person be held accountable and they will no longer be offered non-Paleo friendly foods.

2. At Work: The office has a multitude of enemies for a Paleo dieter. From the free donuts to the delicious lunchtime snacks that coworkers bring to their desks, a Paleo dieter might just have their toughest time while their at their place of work. Although work can act as a distraction from cravings and should certainly be leveraged as such, some days, breaking the Paleo diet might come close to irresistible.The most important thing to do is to always eat breakfast, pack a lunch and snack that are Paleo friendly, and have dinner already planner (or prepared) for the evening at home.

3. Restaurants: When coworkers and friends suggest outings, look ahead of time and see what is Paleo friendly on the menu. While there are really no restaurants widely accessible that cater to Paleo dieters, there are plenty of ways to “hack” the menu and get a delicious Paleo-friendly meal while eating out. Know the Paleo rules and it probably won’t be that hard. After all, a salad and a steak are pretty common pairings.

4. Staying On Budget: Paleo can surely get expensive, just like any diet plan. Since Paleo requires high-quality and unprocessed food, the grocery bill can quickly add up. Making smart choices at the grocery store can save a dieter big money. A shopping list should always be planned ahead of time. To avoid letting food go to waste, so should the weekly menu. The dieter should organize their kitchen, clean out their fridge, and only buy the items they need each week rather than “stocking up”. Buying extra is a bad idea since it will most certainly go bad quickly.

5. The Holidays: The holidays are a difficult time for any dieter. Thanksgiving brings a delightful feast, Christmas brings glorious sweets—and don’t forget Halloween with all its candy! But, Paleo dieters can stay on track by simply volunteering to host. A Paleo-friendly menu during the holidays can include a few cheats for non-Paleo guests (like cranberry sauce) and no one will even notice the difference! For get-togethers, Paleo dieters should always bring their own Paleo-friendly dish so they’ll know at least one thing on the table will be ready to eat all night.

6. Social Pressure: It’s hard to stick with a diet when a person’s friends and family are telling them to just ditch it and eat with them. Social pressure is easy to fall under the influence of, and it takes incredibly willpower to push through the suggestions. No matter how family or friends approach it, the dieter should keep in mind that it’s their decision and it’s in the best interest of their health. Their family and friends have not done the research into why the dieter is eating Paleo, and there’s no reason for them to. A dieter’s best bet is to let family have their opinion and continue on with what they’re doing. 

7. The Bread Weakness: Many Paleo dieters suffer from their bread cravings. It’s the case that many people didn’t even realize how much they like bread until attempting a Paleo diet. While some Paleo alternatives are available, like cloud bread and similar recipes, it sometimes just doesn’t compare to the “real” thing. But, dieters should remember why they got on Paleo to begin with. There are many gluten-free options pre-made on the shelves if a dieter really wants to splurge (because they do tend to be expensive) but bread should not be a staple when eating Paleo.

8. The Sugar Weakness: Even more so than bread, millions of Americans and people around the world suffer from a bonefide “sugar addiction” that can be incredibly hard to cure. Getting away from sugar is extremely tough in the short-term, but it is 100% true that cravings will begin to disappear in 3-4 weeks. Paleo dieters should completely avoid the “cheat meals” that are used on other diets. Weaning oneself from sugar is only possible by quitting cold turkey and completely avoiding any consumption of it.

9. Time Constraints: Whether on a diet or not, countless individuals suffer from not having enough time to get in the kitchen and cook a good meal. This can be solved by setting aside a cooking day each week where the person takes a few hours and prepares meals ahead of time. All the meals for the entire week will be prepared and (in many cases) cooked, then stored in the fridge until they are about to be eating. This make-ahead trend has really taken over, and a bunch of great Paleo recipes are available.

10. Cravings: Overall, cravings are one of the biggest things people struggle with on any diet. When trying to eat healthy, it almost acts as a constant reminder of the delicious things a person could be eating instead of the healthy plate in front of them. However, if a dieter is regularly being cranky due to cravings, they actually need to be looking at their nutritional intake and seeing what marks their missing.

 Pure Health Clinic in Howell, Michigan

At Pure Health Clinic, Drs. Chris and Krystal Hohn want to help their patients live their best lives. Nutrition pays a vital role in properly fueling the body. Contact Pure Health Clinic in Howell, Michigan today to start your road to wellness! Drs. Hohn would love to walk with you on your chiropractic and nutrition journey.