By Chloe Dinsdale

The Paleo diet has become the latest lifestyle diet. No, not fad diet, lifestyle diet. The Paleo diet is not a diet that will fade out because of iffy results; this lifestyle brings a new meaning to health and well-being by feeding the body the fruits of the earth. Many people have gone Paleo, not only for the fitness and weight loss factor, but also for the healthy benefits it brings to one’s lifestyle.

Founder of the Paleo movement, Loren Cordian, assures that the Paleo diet will optimize health, minimize risk of chronic disease and aid in weight loss.

The name of the Paleo diet came from the term “Paleolithic” which refers to prehistoric times when the cavemen who walked the earth ate its natural ingredients. Their diet consisted of protein from animals that fed off grass, fish, fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts and seeds of the earth. Never in their diet were processed foods present, which in today’s society is the root of many health issues like obesity and some cancers.

Cordain said the key to the Paleo diet is “If a caveman didn’t eat [it], neither should you!”

Even though the diet has a stricter list of foods to eat, one can still get foods they enjoy by following the 80:20 rule which allows three non-Paleo meals a week. Fortunately, for those people eating Paleo because they can’t consume gluten or have restrictions because of things like Celiac disease, they can still enjoy foods that they could’ve eaten before their switch.

Bailey Sorensen, a college student who exercises the Paleo diet because of health complications, said, “Her body demands this diet.” She doesn’t get to have cheat meals. Lucky for her, most of America is making health accommodations for her lifestyle and many Paleo believers blog and make cookbooks. Many grocery stores offer Paleo- friendly ingredients to make foods like pancakes, brownies and even ice cream. Better yet, there are even Paleo restaurants popping up all over the map.

Sorensen, a marathon runner, said the ingredients she consumes feed her energy and help shed fat because the items are not processed, meaning they are easier to metabolize and help her body reach maximum potential. Daniel Weinberg, a professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter, agrees with Sorensen. He said that the diet helps him to “physically perform his best and reach the weight needed to fight.” He said the weight sheds right off with his inclusion of “high fat, moderate protein and low carbs.”

Surprisingly, calorie counting is not part of the Paleo diet. As long as one sticks to the primal diet plan, the calories don’t matter. The food intake is so nutritious that the body can easily process the chemicals and ingredients and metabolize the food quickly. Because of this, many people feel hungrier. Luckily, since calories don’t matter in this diet, one can keep feeding the body, creating lots of energy and happiness. Weinberg mentions that he “feels as if he has more energy and happiness” by eating Paleo.

Another Paleo practitioner, Samuel Clark, provides some advice for people wanting to switch their eating habits.

“Work hard, plan ahead and seek out places that support this diet,” he said. Being from Dallas, Clark mentioned that places like HG Suply Co., Origin Kitchen + Bar, Green Grocers and Trader Joe’s are just a few places that he can shop for his Paleo ingredients.

Clark also likes to cook. He took a nutrition course that helped teach him about managing the diet. Many gyms, like Crossfit, are beginning to inform their members of this diet because of its benefits to the body.