How can you eat all that fat and red meat and still be healthy?

If you've been part of the Paleo lifestyle for any length of time, you'll ultimately get asked this question:

"How can you eat all that meat and fat and be healthy?"

My first response has been that nearly all of my previous medical symptoms are gone, but that's not enough for some of my more studious friends, so after extensive Googling and online research, I found this from Robb Wolf.

For most people the fact the Paleo diet delivers the best results is enough. Improved blood lipids, weight loss and reduced pain from autoimmunity is proof enough.  Many people however are not satisfied with blindly following any recommendations, be they nutrition or exercise related. Some folks like to know WHY they are doing something. Fortunately, the Paleo diet has stood not only the test of time, but also the rigors of scientific scrutiny.

With a very simple shift we not only remove the foods that are at odds with our health (grains, legumes, and dairy) but we also increase our intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Here is a great paper from Professor Loren Cordain exploring how to build a modern Paleo diet: The nutritional characteristics of a contemporary diet based upon Paleolithic food groups. This paper also offers significant insight as to the amounts and ratios of protein, carbohydrate and fat in the ancestral diet.

And if that's not enough, I found this.

Most critics love to point out that the Paleo Diet is “mainly meat based” (as stated in this Huffington Post piece).  They then spend the rest of their talk/article explaining that we, in fact, didn't eat all meat, and that we mostly ate plants! And thank goodness! As the internet has recently pointed out, meat will kill you (actually, it won’t).

Although some people may choose to follow the Paleo Diet by eating primarily meat, and yes a majority of the protein consumed on a Paleo Diet does come from animal sources, I would argue that a true Paleo Diet is actually mostly vegetable based, supplemented by a protein source which often happens to be meat.  So, the critics and advocates of the Paleo Diet are in agreement on this – mostly plants!

Paleo and Atkins are not synonyms. People that are all-in on a Paleo Diet tend to have 2/3rds of their plate filled up with vegetables, and a small portion of meat added. Yes, some people choose to eat more meat than that, but nowhere in the basic Paleo principles does it state that Paleo Diet is mainly meat based.

A diet that promotes the consumption of more vegetables, and whenever possible eating meat from pasture raised or free range animals?

Sounds like something we can all be in agreement on.

Ultimately, it's up to you to decide if the Paleo lifestyle is right for you. Like Cavegirleats likes to say, "Eyes on your own plate."  Words to live by.