The Paleo Diet (23 page)

Level II of the Paleo Diet is structured around the 90-10 split. Two Open Meals are permitted each week; the rest of your meals are made up of modern Paleo foods. At this level, you should restrict or eliminate all of the transitional foods, except during your two Open Meals. As in Level I, all snacks should be chosen from the list of Paleo snacks (see “snacks” near the beginning of this chapter). Many people do quite well at this level and find that there’s no need to move to the next level unless weight loss or health considerations are paramount.

At Level III, it’s the 95-5 rule—with one Open Meal a week, and the balance of meals made up of all the delicious modern Paleo meals I’ve discussed in this chapter. At this level, you should restrict or eliminate all the transitional foods, except during your Open Meals. As in Levels I and II, all snacks should be chosen from the list of Paleo Snacks. This is the highest level, designed for the true Paleo Diet aficionado who wants to maximize health and well-being, or for individuals suffering from actual obesity or high levels of chronic disease who need to maximize the therapeutic effects of the diet.