Primal, Paleo, Low carb, oh my!

You and I could be related. I'm also a definite sugar addict and cut out gluten and am attracted to the Paleo lifestyle AND don't have a lot of time to cook. I'm in the middle of a Whole30 at the moment, which is a really strict, 30 day elimination period meant to tell you if Paleo is "for you." I've done one before and loved it - I'm doing this one to try and kick the sugar habit for good. I've been off gluten for about six months, but gluten free treats have gotten more and more frequent and.. you know how it goes.

I think the best way to make Paleo realistic is to not be dogmatic about it. Use its principles to guide you, not keep you in a cage - you don't have to say "I'm never going to have a gluten-free waffle with my kids again." Just don't do it every day, and know that your calories are better spent on more nutrient-dense foods. My rule is that I never, ever eat gluten, but I accept that I will eat grains (rice, oats) every now and again. I don't buy them, but if I'm at a restaurant and having a tough time finding something to eat, those are compromises I'm willing to make. I also don't eat legumes, but I never crave those so it isn't hard for me not to. To help with my sugar issues, another rule I have is that I don't bake my own treats (unless it's the holidays, I buy one at the store and that's it). It's hard to strike a balance - especially with sugar - but I think it's definitely doable.

To save time, I often cook a lot more than I need and store the rest and eat it throughout the week. I've also just bought a slow cooker, which I'm very excited about. Apparently they are great time savers, and lend themselves very well to Paleo food. I try to keep quick lunches on hand, too - like lettuce cups and unprocessed slices of meat, with avocado oil mayonnaise and mustard. Takes a minute to put together and you're good to go. Soups are great to make in bulk, too. Making your own salad dressings and keeping lettuce/spinach in your crisper at all times is another way to make meals really easy. Have a salad on its own, or grill up some meat/fish and you have an instant side dish.

Here's a website that specifically deals with Paleo slow cooker recipes: http://www.mypaleocrockpot.com/
And here's one that talks about strategies for cooking a week's worth of food in advance: http://breakingmuscle.com/nutrition/how-plan-and-cook-week-s-worth-healthy-tasty-meals

One thing I know for sure is that nothing has ever worked for me like Paleo does. I feel better mentally and physically. I definitely recommend you try it - even if it's a slow transition and you don't go all in at first.