One of the most popular diets in the world, the paleolithic (paleo) diet involves eating whole, unprocessed foods, emulating what hunter-gatherers ate.

This diet is believed to reduce the risk of modern health issues, including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Hunter-gatherers did not have these diseases back then.

In fact, following a paleo diet has been shown in multiple studies to cause major health improvements and significant weight loss.

What Is Paleo Diet?

The paleo diet encourages consuming whole, unprocessed plant and animal foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, eggs, meat, and fish.

Processed foods, grains, dairy, and sugar are off-limits on this diet, but some alternative versions of this diet allow options like rice and dairy.

This diet is different from most diets. It does not involve counting calories. It only restricts foods that are major sources of calories in the modern diet.

Diets focusing on whole foods have been shown in research to be better for weight loss and overall health. They have fewer calories and are more filling. What’s more, they reduce the consumption of processed foods, which are associated with several diseases.

Paleo Diet and Weight Loss

Here’s why the paleo diet is better for weight loss.

1. It is low in carbs

One of the best ways to lose weight is limiting your carb intake.

In fact, a low-carb diet has been shown in multiple studies to be more effective for weight loss compared to low-fat diets.

The paleo diet eliminates common sources of carbs, including rice, potatoes, and bread, thereby limiting your carb intake.

It is however important to note that carb food sources aren’t unhealthy at all. It’s just that restricting your intake of carbs can lower your daily calorie intake and help you shed extra pounds.

2. It is high in protein

The most important nutrient for weight loss is protein, as it can help reduce your appetite, increase your metabolism, and control several hormones that control weight.

It can be noted that the paleo diet promotes eating protein-rich foods like eggs, fish, and meats. In fact, an average paleo diet involves consuming between 25 and 35% calories from protein.

3. It reduces calorie intake

Reducing your calorie intake is very important if you want to lose weight.

Choosing foods that are filling can help you eat less because they fend off hunger. Thus, it is highly important to choose and eat filling foods.

The paleo diet is incredibly filling; thus, it can help reduce your calorie intake. This is especially great for those struggling with hunger.

In fact, it has been found in some studies to be more filling compared to other popular diets like the diabetes and Mediterranean diets.

What’s more, it has also been shown in studies to help produce more hormones that help suppress your appetite and promote fullness and satiety compared to diets based on traditional guidelines. These hormones include GIP, PYY, and GLP-1.

4. It eliminates added sugar

Excessive consumption of added sugar can sabotage your weight loss efforts and health in general.

Like highly processed foods, added sugar is low in nutrients and adds calories to foods. Additionally, consuming too much added sugar may increase your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Interestingly, the paleo diet limits added sugar. Instead, it encourages consuming natural sources of sugar from fresh fruits and vegetables.

On top of providing natural sugars, fruits and vegetables are also chock-full of essential nutrients like water, fiber, and vitamins—all are beneficial for health.

5. It eliminates highly processed foods

Obesity is on the rise today because of our modern diets, which involve eating highly processed foods that are low in nutrients, packed with calories, and may lead to several diseases, including cancer and diabetes.

In fact, increased consumption of highly processed foods has been found in many studies to mirror the rise in obesity.

Since highly processed foods did not exist during the Paleolithic time period, they are also off-limits in the paleolithic diet.

It can be noted that the paleo diet promotes eating fresh fruits and vegetables, lean sources of protein, and healthy fats. It basically involves eating foods that are nutrient-dense and low in calories.

Studies Showing that the Paleo Diet Helps You Lose Weight

Multiple studies have shown the efficacy of the paleolithic diet when it comes to weight loss.

One study of 14 healthy medical students following the paleo diet for three weeks has found that participants lost an average of 2.3 kg and their waist circumference decreased by 1.5 cm.

Interestingly, the paleo diet has also been found in some studies to be more effective for weight loss compared to the traditional low-fat diets, even with similar intakes of calories.

In fact, one study of 13 people with type 2 diabetes following a paleo diet and then a diabetes diet over two consecutive 3-month periods found that the paleo group lost 4 cm more from their waist lines and 3 kg body weight than the diabetes group.

However, it is important to note that most research on the matter is fairly new, thereby necessitating more studies on the diet’s long-term effects.

How to Maximize Weight Loss on a Paleo Diet

Here are a few tips to help you achieve weight loss while on a paleo diet.

Prepare in advance: Preparing a few meals in advance can help you prevent temptation and go through busy days.

Eat various fruits: Fruits are nutrient-dense and incredibly filling, so aiming to eat 2–5 pieces per day is a great idea.

Eat more veggies: Veggies can help you stay full for longer, as they contain fiber and are low in calories.

Stay active: Staying active through regular exercise helps burn extra calories, thereby improving weight loss.

Get plenty of sleep: A good night’s sleep can keep your fat-burning hormones regular.

The Paleo Diet Also Improves Other Several Aspects of Health

Aside from being weight loss friendly, the paleo diet also offers several other health benefits.

It may reduce belly fat.

Belly fat increases the risk of several health conditions, including heart disease and diabetes. It is extremely unhealthy.

Interestingly, the paleo diet has been shown to be effective at reducing belly fat.

In fact, one study of 10 healthy women following the diet for 5 weeks found that participants’ waist circumference reduced by 8 cm (an indicator of belly fat) and they lost 4.6 kg of their body weight.

It may reduce inflammation

Inflammation is part of a process that helps your body fight infections and recover; it therefore plays an important role in healing.

However, chronic inflammation can increase the risk of several diseases, including hay fever, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.

Good thing the paleo diet promotes eating foods that are beneficial to chronic inflammation, including fresh, antioxidant-containing fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants help prevent unwanted inflammatory responses by protecting tissues from damage against reactive oxygen species and other free radicals.

In addition, the paleo diet involves eating fish, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s suppress hormones that promote chronic inflammation, including IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α. This can help reduce chronic inflammation.

It may improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels.

Insulin sensitivity refers to how sensitive your cells are to the effects of insulin.

High insulin sensitivity is an indication that your body is more effective at eliminating sugar from your blood.

Fortunately, the paleo diet has been found in some studies to increase insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar.

A two-week study of 24 obese individuals with type 2 diabetes following either a diet with moderate salt, low-fat dairy, legumes, and whole grains or a paleo diet found that the paleo group experienced increased insulin sensitivity with stronger effects.

It may reduce heart disease risk factors

The paleo diet is low in salt and promotes fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and lean sources of protein.

Thus, this diet may reduce heart disease risk factors and promote heart health.

LDL cholesterol: Eating a paleo diet has been found in several studies to reduce LDL “bad” cholesterol by up to 36%.

Blood pressure: This diet has been found in an analysis of four studies with 159 individuals to reduce diastolic blood pressure by 2.48 mmHg and systolic blood pressure by 3.64 mmHg, on average.

Triglycerides: Eating a paleo diet has also been found in several studies to reduce total blood triglycerides by up to 44%.

Daily Paleo Meal Plan Sample

Fortunately, paleo meals can be easily made using your modern stove. Below is a daily paleo meal plan sample for you to consider, especially if you are just starting out with the diet.

Breakfast: Boiled or fried eggs on a bed of spinach or arugula; a bowl of some fresh or dried fruit nuts, seeds; and black coffee, tea, or plain water to drink.

Lunch:   Some fish with vegetables or salad or a slice of meat like steak with a fresh salad.

Dinner: Fried or grilled fish or meat with veggies and a bowl of fruit or a handful of nuts for dessert.

Snacks: Dried meat, dried or fresh fruit, and nuts.

Simple Paleo Shopping List

There are a wealth of paleo diet foods on the planet. Here is a simple shopping list to help you get started:

• Fish, such as trout, salmon, and mackerel
• Meat, such as lamb, pork, and beef
• Poultry, such as turkey and chicken
• Eggs
• Fresh vegetables, including lettuce, greens, carrots, tomatoes, onions, and peppers
• Frozen vegetables, including various vegetable mixes, broccoli, and spinach
• Fruits, such as bananas, apples, oranges, pears, and avocado
• Berries, such as blueberries and strawberries
• Nuts, such as macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds
• Almond butter
• Coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Olives
• Condiments, including sea salt, garlic, pepper, parsley, and turmeric

As you get started with the paleo diet, start clearing all unhealthy temptations in your kitchen, including ice cream, cookies, pastries, cereals, crackers, and sugary sodas. Those are off-limits in the paleo diet.

Conclusion

The paleo diet is low in carbs and high in protein. It also eliminates added sugar and highly processed foods and may also suppress appetite.

Following this diet has been well known to help you achieve weight loss. It is in fact a great option if you’re looking to lose weight without necessarily counting calories.

However, it is worth noting that this diet may not be for everyone. Some people may find it difficult to adapt to the food choices on the paleo diet. This includes individuals who struggle with food restriction.