What is my plan of attack to win this battle with my scale?  Well, I’ve been researching this for quite a while and haven’t found a single diet plan that I feel I can embrace fully and follow for the long haul.  There are too many rules with many of the diets out there.  When to eat, what to eat, restrictions, counting, logging, it’s all too much for me manage.

I have busy days, and no two alike, managing the kids and household with school projects, sport practices, appointments, and so on.  I can’t fit into my schedule the added hassle of counting calories and keeping a log.  This needs to be simple without extra steps to my “normal” routine.  So I’ve come up with a combo approach.  I like that both the Paleo and Mediterranean diets don’t require counting or logging so I’m halfway on board already.  There are restrictions, however, on what to eat but I think I can manage it if I keep it simple and not over complicate it.

In the chart below, you’ll see my comparison between the two diets and what I plan to follow.

Now that I have decided on a diet plan, creating meals that my family will enjoy is the next challenge, especially with my two little picky eaters.  And let’s not forget deciding on an exercise plan!  I’m currently looking into this and will include my exercise plan in an upcoming post along with successful yummy recipes.

Rule	Paleo	Mediterranean	My Plan
No processed food
No refined grains
No refined sugar
No refined oils
No trans fats
No dairy		Skim/low fat, no butter	No milk, yogurt, margarine, occasional skim/low fat cheese and butter
No peanuts
No added salt
No Alcohol		Wine 1 glass/day (women)	I don’t really drink alcohol so 1/day is too much to commit to, however I do enjoy a glass on the weekend or special occasion
No potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Fish, seafood, poultry		2-3x/week
Grass produced meats		Lean meats, 2x/month
Olive oil, Coconut oil		Mainly olive oil
Fresh natural fruits & veggies
Eggs
Nuts & Seeds
Whole grains			Occasional whole grain  bread/pasta
Legumes			No peanuts

Diet Plan (printable pdf)