Last updated on November 21st, 2021 at 11:55 am

Let’s get one thing quickly out of the way.  Let’s decide what “Paleo” stands for…Here’s what the dictionary tells us “Paleolithic” means!

Pa·le·o·lith·ic

ˌpālēəˈliTHik/

adjective

1. of, relating to, or denoting the early phase of the Stone Age, lasting about 2.5 million years, when primitive stone implements were used.

   • the Paleolithic period.

So now that that’s cleared up, at least we know we’re talking about Cavemen.  

But can a Caveman still be nerdy?

The answer is hell yes.  Actually, with the use of this diet you’re going to have people wishing they were all cavemen.  Rip that shirt off or throw a quick flex in their direction and they’ll know you mean business.  Hey, if Brandon Routh can land a gig as Superman and then The Atom (this guy’s rockin’ two different Superheroes in one lifetime) using this diet, you can transform yourself too!

Just because we know what the word paleo stands for and the definition, that really hasn’t got us much closer to knowing how to diet following the paleo guidelines.  For that reason, we’ll steal another definition that will make it a bit more clear.

Pa·le·o di·et

ˈpeɪlioʊ ˌdīət/

noun

1. a diet based on the types of foods presumed to have been eaten by early humans, consisting chiefly of meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit, and excluding dairy or grain products and processed food.

Now you’re getting nervous, huh?

Well settle down, we’re still going to break it down a bit more and crack the code for this diet in length.  Let’s start by covering the different food groups you’ll be able to chow down on.  An easy roadmap for food shopping is to not go down any aisles.  Follow the outside of the grocery store and skip the bakery.  That will allow you to hit all your food groups!

Moderate-High Fat, Moderate Protein, Low Carb

Protein

We’ve all been a part of this craze over protein, and the paleo diet also revolves some of it’s portions around the amino acids. Protein promotes muscle gain, healthy bones and also optimal immune function. Protein will also help keep you satiated between meals. While the paleo diet uses lean meats, seafood, eggs and even some nuts and seeds to receive the protein intake, it’s not necessary to focus your time and energy on hitting .75-1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight like other diets will suggest. You will notice that you still receive an awesome gram count without having to chug down 2 protein shakes a day. Some people actually don’t realize their protein overload is actually stalling their weight-loss (I know, I must be speaking LIES!!!).

Fruits, Vegetables and Carbs

You might have been wondering where your carb intake was coming from when you began reading the food groups. Paleo turns you into a fat burning machine, but still gives you a chance at receiving necessary carbs throughout the day. Both Fruits and Vegetables are high in necessary nutrients, minerals and vitamins. It’s important to also realize that fruits are very high in sugar while vegetables are not. If your goal is weight-loss it’s smart to cut out your fruit intake while continuing to receive your nutrients, fiber and low-carbs from vegetables. If you’re looking for a carb re-load vegetable for those of you who will be training a lot, a great choice is sweet potato. This is another food to try to cut out when shooting for weight-loss.

Healthy Fats

One thing that’s been put into peoples head is that fat and cholesterol is BAD!  People see the word fat as a macronutrient and immediately tie it to the word fat on their gut.  They’re two completely different words, and they are not related!  Healthy fats will actually help satiate you, and turn you into a fat burning machine.  How ironic, right?  Some healthy fats are olive oil, coconut oil, grass-fed butter, avocados and avocado oil, and some nuts.

How do I lose weight? Is this Keto?

These are two questions I always get when explaining the Paleo Diet. That being said, I want to answer those questions before I even get into other health benefits. I’d also like to take this time to throw some weight loss tips your way, while even teaching you how to get some much needed fats into your diet!

You’re going to lose weight because all the food you will be eating is much more nutritious and satiating then when you load yourself with sugars and starchy carbs, so it will be MUCH harder to eat more then you should be.

You will also be cutting your refined carbs, giving you the chance to take advantage of the low carb diet advantages. While this is not a keto diet, there are ways to quickly put yourself in and out of ketosis to increase your fat loss.

Here are two articles that will show you how to include Intermittent Fasting, and also Bulletproof Coffee. I’ll take a second to tell you what these things are!

Intermittent Fasting: Periods of fasting that will allow you to not only increase fat burning, release more human growth hormones, help you with sugar and food cravings, but also give you many more health benefits.

SuperHuman Fuel: Coffee that will load your body with healthy fats to keep you satiated, turn you into a fat burning machine, all while keeping you in your fast!

• Intermittent Fasting: Paleo, Bulletproof and Hugh Jackmans Wolverine
• SuperHuman Fuel – The Coffee Behind Every Superhero Morning

Disclaimer: Intermittent Fasting and SuperHuman Fuel combined with Paleo can also be used for lean muscle gain, as you will see used by Hugh Jackman as he prepared for his role as Wolverine.

Health Benefits from the Paleo Diet

In order to train and act like a Superhero, you’re going to need to feel like one.

We stole this picture from Primal Palate because it does an amazing job of showing you just some of the health benefits the paleo diet can bring you. If I didn’t feel like a superhero while eating this way, I wouldn’t be suggesting it to you.

“The reason I KNOW you’ll be able to stick to the Paleo diet is because you’ll never want to give it up when you start feeling the results it brings to your body, mind and overall performance. -Mike”

But, what if I KNOW I can’t miss out on Pizza and Carbs…

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Well unfortunately if you can’t live without refined sugar, pizza, and junk food…then the paleo diet probably isn’t for you.

I’m not saying you’ll never be able to eat these foods again. I cheat occasionally, and you’ll eventually be able to as well, but it’s important to get the full effect before you dig into other foods.

For that reason, I’m going to challenge you to not cheat for 30 days. I give the same challenge in the SHJ Starter Guide and Nutrition Blueprint because it’s so important for you. This will help you be consistent and never quit – even if you cheat with a slice of pizza every week or two!

Challenge: Don’t cheat for 30 days!

If you’re a beginner then it’s safe to say your body isn’t used to the paleo diet. You’ve most likely never felt your full potential…

No, I’m not talking about a sugar rush, or even the feeling you get after a pre-workout!

I’m talking about being full alert, recovering faster, sleeping better, feeling stronger, and many other benefits that come along with it. I’m challenging you to not cheat for 30 days for your own benefit. It’s not because I don’t think you can do it, it’s because I want to force you to feel how I feel.

If you’re trying to bring out your inner superhero, this is how you do it.