Are you new to joining the paleo diet bandwagon? You might know it mainly includes the kind of foods hunter-gatherers ate centuries ago before humans started farming. And whether you want to lose weight or are keen on improving your health, a paleo diet will certainly help with both.
Here are 4 useful tips you can follow to keep your paleo diet simple and yet enjoy a variety of tasty meals every day.

• Load up on micronutrients
  Stock your kitchen with plenty of colorful vegetables. While meat is allowed in a paleo diet, the kind and variety of micronutrients that fresh, seasonal vegetables offer are incomparable and an absolute necessity for the proper and smooth functioning of your body. You can make different types of salads and keep them ready for the week ahead, or simply toss some colorful veggies in sandwiches when hunger strikes unexpectedly. Vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, and bell peppers, among others, are a powerhouse of antioxidants, so eat them in plenty.
  
• Use substitutes
  Dairy, grains, sugar, and highly processed foods are a big no-no in a paleo diet. But don’t worry. While white sugar and processed foods do not provide any kind of nutrition, you can get your share of proteins and vitamins from substitutes to dairy and grains. For example, you can use almond or coconut milk instead of cow’s or goat’s milk. Similarly, in place of white sugar, you can use dates, raisins, honey, or maple syrup to sweeten your dishes naturally.
  
• Keep meals simple
  The best way to benefit from a paleo diet is by not processing or cooking foods too much. Eat raw as much as possible, and to add some variety and taste, light sautéing or steaming of foods is perfectly alright too. Add fresh or dried herbs and spices to flavor the foods. A glass of kale and banana smoothie topped with some roasted nuts, or a bowl of fresh lettuce and orange salad garnished with heavenly smelling rosemary or basil leaves can make mealtimes enjoyable and healthy.
  
• Plan ahead
  Plan your paleo meals in advance. It will help you shop for the right ingredients and enable you to prepare at least a few meals ahead of busy days. This way you can avoid skipping meals or reaching out for unhealthy junk foods when in a rush. Slice meat, chicken, or fish the way you like them, and peel and cut vegetables and freeze them when you have time. By prepping meals in advance at least for a week, you can make sure food is readily available when hunger strikes. Since there is no one “perfect” paleo diet, you can choose the foods in accordance with your preferences and health conditions. Contrary to popular belief, a paleo diet is incredibly flexible and easy to follow, that is, if you plan ahead.
• Bonus tip
  Choosing the right type of foods is essential to good health no doubt, but being physically active is equally important. Remember that hunter-gatherers had to move from place to place in search of food and shelter and that kept them active and fit. Therefore, daily moderate exercise, and spending time outdoors in nature is important. It will support the paleo diet that you choose to follow.