The Modern No-Nonsense Guide to Paleo Book Review
Book Title:
The Modern No-Nonsense Guide to Paleo
Author:
Alison Golden
Have you ever felt like Paleo is just too hard to follow?
Or maybe you feel like you’re getting nowhere despite giving up all that bread, pasta, and chocolate cake! Not to even mention ice-cream.
I’ve definitely been there before, and somehow managed to pull myself through it all. My journey was haphazard, rollercoaster-ish, full of drama and not to mention even some tears! Yes, some parts of the month are emotional!!!
So, what am I getting at? Simply this – that there are certain tips, skills, and facts to going Paleo that will make your lifestyle change so much easier with fewer tears and way less pain. And Alison Golden (a fellow Brit living in the US) has got these all down pat (she’s the blogger at Paleo Non Paleo!
4 No Nonsense Tips For Ensuring Paleo Success
Reading The Modern No-Nonsense Guide to Paleo was filled with a bunch of “aha,” “oooh,” and “hmmm” moments for me. I relived many of my own discoveries in Paleo as well as many falls off the wagon that could have been avoided with her advice. But best of all, I picked up many more tips that I will be applying well into the future!
Here are a few of my personal favorites:
- “The first actions to take are: Get enough sleep, Lower your stress, Follow the diet.”
I love how she emphasizes sleep and stress first. We all know to avoid wheat and processed foods, but when it comes to sleep and stress, too many of us seem to discount just what horrific impact they can have on our health and general wellbeing. It’s taken me years to realize just how stressed I constantly am in fact. - You can change gradually or suddenly.
I’ve gotten a lot of emails from people on the 21 day sugar detox or on the whole30, and I think it’s great to start Paleo that way. However, I also always tell people that they can change gradually too – that’s the way I did it. I remember trying to cut out all bread, pasta, sugars in one fell swoop just before a few final exams. It was a seriously bad idea – I felt lightheaded, dizzy, and had no clue what I could eat! I lasted approximately 1.4 days before caving in and getting a sandwich. After that I did things a bit more gradually, by eating fewer sandwiches, avoiding bread at restaurants, and foregoing pastas. It took me a few months before fully making the transition, and even then I still had a few cupcakes and brownies occasionally. Finally, just over a year ago, I had my last gluten-filled dessert! It’s taken a few years, but I finally got there. - “Talk to yourself as you would your best friend.”
I’ve never thought about it this way before, but it’s soooooo true. I am way harsher on myself than I am on my friends. I berate myself continuously for not working hard enough, for skipping the gym one day (or many days), for having too much chocolate when I’m stressed, and so forth. But if my friend called telling me they’d just done something stupid, I would comfort them and tell them it’s ok because they won’t do it again. - Buy cooking tools when you go on vacation.
The last 2 vacations abroad that I’ve been on, I’ve rented out places where I can cook my own meals. This has been a huge life changer for me. I no longer have spend my vacations feeling crappy despite being on vacation, and I no longer have to suffer from the “week-after-vacation” syndrome, where you battle constantly against your inner cupcake demons. I would go even further on this 4th tip, and suggest that you take your own favorite cooking oils with you (that’s what I did!). And the best part of this tip is just how much money it also saves you when you don’t eat out!
There’s a ton more fantastic advice and food for thought that Alison has provided me that I couldn’t fit here. So, if you’re looking to live healthier and stay healthy, then you’ll love Alison’s book, which you can buy on Amazon here.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of The Modern No-Nonsense Guide to Paleo for free for review purposes. I received no other compensation, and this review is based on my own opinion. Links are Amazon affiliate links.