A Hearty Paleo Meal

I was really hungry today.  Starving.  I had a huge workout this morning and came home famished.  Before the paleo diet, I would have reached for the cheap carbs immediately: rice, pasta, bread.  Since these things aren’t in my diet anymore, I have no choice but to look elsewhere.  I quickly discovered that the quality of calories you consume has a direct correlation to how satiated you feel.  An effective training diet happens to be a great weight loss diet, too.  Many sources say that a good target calorie percentage for protein-carbs-fat is 50/30/20.  That means that 50% of your calories should come from a protein source vs. 30% carbs, and 20% fat.  Today, I had turkey tenders, brussels sprouts, and butternut squash.  Delicious and very filling.  I blanched the vegetables, keeping them firm and full of flavor.  I sautéed the turkey in olive oil.  How does this meal break down into calories?  402 calories: 48% protein/34% carbs/18% fat.  I could have saved some fat by not using olive oil at all.  Planning meals for the day may have influenced that decision and that’s the power and responsibility  you  have with your diet.  Let’s compare this meal to homemade spaghetti and meatballs.  I choose this meal because that’s what I use to eat before I knew better, and whenever I was really hungry.  Total calories 1100, and a ratio almost totally opposite of my meal today.  18% protein/57% carbs/25% fat.  The daily difference in calories between these two meals can equate to over a pound a week in your body weight.  If you’re considering the paleo diet to loose weight, improve your health, and enhance your athletic performance, you’ve made the right decision.