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The 10 Types of Paleo Followers

Since I started eating this way and got more involved with the Paleo community, I can’t help but notice several distinct types of Paleo Followers.

1. The Ex Vegetarians and Ex Vegans

I am always amazed at how many people fall into this category. To go from a Vegan diet, with all of the legumes and grains that includes; and complete lack of animal products – to the complete opposite; eating all parts of many different animals from head-to-toe and no grains or legumes?

When you think about it further, it isn't really all that surprising. Vegans and Vegetarians tend to be health conscious and chose what, at the time, appeared to be the healthiest course of action. It can’t be easy to make such a radical transformation, particularly as being Vegetarian or Vegan almost becomes an identity.

2. The “I Want a Bikini Body/ Get a Six Pack in 10 Days” Group

Most of these people don’t hang around for long. They are looking for a magic super food they can eat with their usual meals that will make the fat melt away. Overnight. Paleo sounds like a good option – you can’t argue with bacon and eggs for breakfast and the premise that calorie counting is not required. This falls down because Paleo isn't “a diet”, it’s a lifestyle to follow for the long haul. Without addressing the lifestyle factors like sleep, sunshine, stress and fitness, it’s not going to have the same benefits.

A minority of the weight loss entrants do realise there is more to this lifestyle than vanity. Health problems reduce or disappear, energy levels increase and they realise weight loss is just a positive side effect – the real reason for Paleo is health.

3. The Scientists

This is perhaps the most influential and loudest group. We all know who they are! Instead of focusing on common ground, this group like to create and resolve contentious issues. Paleo must follow prescribed macro nutrient ratios. Blood tests and specific supplements are essential. A Very Low Carb Ketogenic diet is optimal. Carbs are essential. Cold water immersion. Safe Starches. Food Reward. Fructose. As soon as one debate dies down, another rises.

I'm happy for them to argue these issues out in the background, so long as it doesn't distract from the 99% of common ground they all share. Meanwhile, I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing, experimenting and exploring which brand of Paleo works for me.

4. The Antagonists

There are both Antagonists within the Paleo community and those Antagonists alone in their Paleo adventures.

The Antagonists within the community are vocal in their outlandish views – and aren't afraid to call out when they feel someone in the community is not right or just. Provocative yet fun – and essential in keeping those in the community accountable.

Others followers come to Paleo as Antagonists. These people positively enjoying riling their fat-fearing friends, by eating copious amounts of meat. Without cutting the fat off. Or pouring away the excess fat. When their concerned friends and family try to intervene and push margarine on the Antagonist, they will be among the first to challenge their friends to a six-pack-off.

5. The Covert Paleo

These are the sneaky converts. They've been watching and mocking you for months. They've shot down everything you've said about nutrition and were the first to tell you what a silly idea this Paleo nonsense is. But you've recently noticed you haven't seen them eating bread for a while – and their skin is looking clearer and brighter? That’s right – they've finally realised you were right all along, but feel a bit too sheepish to admit it to you. Best to invited them round for a hog roast and say no more about it.

6. The Athletes

They heard Paleo might increase their performance. Despite being sceptical about avoiding the pre-race pasta party they gave it a try – anything to get an advantage is worth a shot. Amazed at the improvements, the next step is minimalist footwear!

7. The Formerly Unwell

There is nothing like being sick to force a change. Many people go from doctor to doctor and drug to drug. The net effect is often side effects from the drugs – rather than improvement of symptoms. Fortunately many people reach a point where they take on the role of detective themselves and question the role of their nutrition and lifestyle in their health and stumble upon Paleo and become avid followers.

8. The Parents

They may have had no more than a passing interest in nutrition – until they became Parents. Suddenly the responsibility of another person and desire to be healthy to bring the child up spurs them to find out how they can eat and live to thrive as a family.

These are one of the most important groups, with the power to influence the next generation – and the burden of trying to influence the outdated views of the schools and other parents they need to interact with.

9. The Wannabes

These people love the idea of an ancestral lifestyle and being part of the Paleo community. They’ve even done a Whole30. Apart from at Friday work drinks. And business trips. And family meals. And when they were in a rush to get to work. And when they forgot to go shopping that time.

“Cheats” creep up from rarely, to a daily occurrence. A small amount of good quality dark chocolate occasionally, becomes a daily indulgence in cheap junk chocolate.

They aren't Paleo anymore, but haven’t quite acknowledged it.

10. Paleo Fanatic

They follow all the key Paleo blogs and are quick to jump in when a friend ponders whether to go for brown or white bread. They find themselves tutting when noticing strangers feeding their children with Neolithic junk and often have to hold themselves back from commenting.

Their bookshelf resembles a who’s who of Paleo authors and they are on first name terms with their local butcher, who knows to put aside chicken feet and heart. Their kitchen is the frequent location for experimental cooking and a scoby isn't a cartoon character.

Which Type of Paleo Follower Are You?

I confess, I was a 2, who was starting to become a 7 – but now I am most definitely a 10 working towards a 6…

Did I miss any groups? Which group do you fall into?

Weston A Price Foundation Conference New Zealand Australia Events Sally Fallon-min

Weston A Price v The Paleo Diet

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I went across to Auckland, New Zealand at the weekend to hear Sally Fallon-Morell, of the Weston A. Price Foundation, speak.

As with the Melbourne Sugar lectures, the audience was full of people new to the concept that the government approved low-fat diet is not the right approach. It is great to see so many people interested in making changes to their diet and I find it encouraging how many people were in attendance.

I meet up with Julianne Taylor at the talk – and I also meet and spoke Paleo with Rodney Hide. There’s nothing like being able to have real-life conversations on your favourite topic, is there? After the talk Rodney introduced me to Sally, which having had her book Nourishing Traditions for such a long time, was a real privilege.

Whilst there are some important differences between the Paleo style diet that I follow and the WAPF diet, I think it’s more useful to focus on the similarities, of which there are many. Whilst I believe a Paleo style diet is the optimal nutrition plan, if anyone were to convert from a SAD diet to a WAPF plan, I think they would see tremendous health benefits. If they then went one small step further to a Paleo or Primal diet, I think they’d see even more health benefits.

There are a number of principles that are the essence of the nutrition recommended by the WAPF.

FIRST PRINCIPLE: No refined or denatured foods

So much SAD food is refined or modified in some way; sugar, flour, industrial seed oils, HFCS and so many more. If people did just one thing differently, completely removing these products from their diet would surely be the most beneficial. On this point Paleo/ Primal and WAPF are in complete agreement.

SECOND PRINCIPLE: Every diet contained animal products

As with Paleo, the WAPF believe that a healthy diet needs to include animal products and an optimal diet can’t exclusively contain plant food. Organ meats were mentioned a lot in the talk as an important source of many nutrients.

THIRD PRINCIPLE: Nutrient Density

The primitive diets studies by Weston Price were far richer in nutrients than much of the food available today. Mineral content in soil is depleted so many produce just don’t have the same nutrient density. This is where selecting good quality food comes in. Organic, home grown and grass-fed all promote far better nutrient density than the same items produced from intensive farming. Again, this is completely in line with Paleo.

FOURTH PRINCIPLE: All cultures cooked some or most of their food; but always ate some of their animal foods raw.

Weston Price noted that whilst primitive cultures did cook animal products, they also all ate some raw. This came down to raw dairy, which, whilst I agree it is absolutely better than pasteurised dairy, I find a big grey area. The talk focused on comparing processed dairy to raw dairy – where clearly raw dairy is the winner. Excluding dairy wasn't discussed, which is the approach taken by a lot of the Paleo community, myself included. My areas of concern with dairy are around the insulin response and the growth hormone IGF-1, which weren't mentioned at all during the talk. I’d like to come to a more definitive view point on dairy, so had hoped to hear compelling reasons why dairy should be included. As it stands, until I find more conclusive evidence, I'm still of the view that dairy is best excluded.

FIFTH PRINCIPLE: High Levels of Enzymes and Beneficial Bacteria

This focuses on foods that provide enzymes to promote good digestion & metabolic health. Whilst raw dairy is noted as a good source, the super-foods here seems to be lacto-fermented foods such as Sauerkraut. The take-away point for me here is on fermented foods – something I need to make a conscious effort to include in my diet far more.

SIXTH PRINCIPLE: Seeds, grains, legumes & nuts are soaked, sprouted, fermented or naturally leavened

This principle starts off in line with Paleo, observing how components such as anti-nutrients, phytates and lectins in grains are not desirable. Where Paleo excludes grains and legumes altogether, WAPF promotes preparing these foods to minimize the damage. As with the dairy issue, I didn't hear any compelling reasons why it is better to have grains in this form, than not at all. This is the main point on which Paleo/ Primal varies to the WAPF – whilst I’m certain people transitioning from a SAD diet to a WAPF would see significant improvements by preparing grains and legumes – I think their health would be far more optimal foregoing the grains and legumes altogether.

SEVENTH PRINCIPLE: Total fat content of traditional diets varies from 30% to 80% of calories, but only about 4 of calories come from polyunsaturated fatty acids.

This is a key point on which Paleo and WAPF are in agreement. I would probably promote this as the key point, since it concerns the importance of saturated fat and the dangers of the industrial seed oils.

EIGHTH PRINCIPLE: Nearly Equal Amounts of Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

This is also essentially in line with Paleo, stressing the importance of maintaining a good Omega 6/ Omega 3 ratio. This comes down to making the right choices in choosing quality meat and avoiding seed oils.

NINTH PRINCIPLE: All diets contained some salt

I think this point is hard to accept for people transitioning from Conventional Wisdom, where we are told how dangerous salt it. Once the processed food is removed the natural levels of salt remaining are often very low, so supplementing with a good mineral salt is very beneficial.

TENTH PRINCIPLE: All traditional cultures made use of bones, usually as bone broth

Another point I need to work on, bone broths are such a great source of nutrients, easy and cheap to make and very satisfying.

ELEVENTH PRINCIPLE: Traditional cultures made provisions for future generations

This principle was very interesting and concerns issues such as optimal spacing of children, nutrition of pregnant and nursing women and teaching nutrition to the younger generations. This seems to be all too often ignored or not considered in modern society.

Paleo vs Weston A Price?

I learnt a lot from this talk and it was a great reminder that I need to make sure I make provisions to include more organ meat, fermented foods and bone broth in my diet. I plan to make sure I include these regularly.

Whilst I completely agree that prepared grains are far superior to their refined counterparts – and that raw dairy is far superior to pasteurised, I didn't hear anything to make me consider changing my anti-grains, legumes and dairy stance.

What do you think about the Weston A Price principles? Do you agree with their stance on dairy and grains?

The Butter Guilt Trip: Is It Justified?

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Here in Australia a commercial that I find particularly irritating, is for a brand of Margarine, MeadowLea. Their advert is centred on concerned mothers promising to switch from butter to margarine. If the product was pixelated out and the words replaced, you could easily think the mothers were pledging to give up hard drugs for the sake of their families – such is butter vilified in the advert.

The MeadowLea website explains how Saturated Fats are bad fats which increase cholesterol in the blood and should be limited. They list fatty meats, butter, chicken skin, cream, full cream milk, cheese, coconut oil and palm oil in the danger category. (I wonder how much longer until the lipid hypothesis is finally laid to rest?)

The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated categories – which they say can be included in “everyday healthy eating”, include margarine spreads, canola oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil and cottonseed oil. So basically they pretty much recommend the complete reverse to Paleo, as you’d expect from a company making money from selling margarine.

Think of the Children!

Their new campaign is to encourage Australian families to improve their diet by swapping butter for (their brand of) margarine – and once enough people make the pledge* they will plant seed gardens in children’s hospitals in Australia.

From a corporate perspective, it’s actually a pretty smart campaign. They know mothers tend to procure the families groceries and therefore control the family diet. They also know mothers are concerned about their families’ health. Tying the campaign in with children’s hospital almost puts an extra pressure on mothers; it almost feels as though if families don’t stop eating butter, they won’t be helping out children’s hospitals – how selfish. I also think tying the campaign in with hospitals will make people subconsciously associate their choice of butter or margarine, with ill health – particularly the ill health of children. “Swap butter for margarine and we’ll build an animal rescue centre” just wouldn't have the same emotional pull, would it?

Imagine the outcry if a cigarette company promised to build hospital wards, if enough people converted their families from non-smokers to smokers? Surely there is enough information in the public domain now, for substantial objection to the health claims of a margarine manufacturer? Yet they are allowed to guilt-trip mothers into making ill-informed decisions into the nutrition of their families.

Mainly Natural Sources

In case you wondered, the ingredients for MeadlowLea are:

Vegetable Oils 65% (containing 52% Canola & Sunflower Oil), water, salt, <1% (emulsifiers (soy lecithin, 471), preservative (202), food acid (lactic)), milk solids, maltodextrin, natural colour (beta-carotene), vitamins A & D, flavour.

I'm very curious as to what the mysterious 13% of vegetable oils is, that isn't listed? Their site and labelling seem very coy on this. But hey, “99% of the ingredients in MeadowLea are from natural sources” – so it must be good! Using that logic, it must be positively healthy to add Petroleum to lunch, given that it’s a natural product from natural sources.

The typical ingredients in butter:

Cream, water.

People only seem to eat margarine because they buy into the health claims – I'm yet to hear of anyone who actually prefers the taste. Once the mainstream come to accept they've been mislead on fats, I can’t see how companies making products like margarine will be able to survive. Campaigns like this are perhaps an inevitable part of the companies’ frantic journey through the unwinding of the lipid hypothesis.

Have you seen the advert yet? Did you feel similarly irritated by it?

*If you happen to look at their website and see the number of people who have made the promise, reduce the number by one. I accidently clicked the promise button – and they don’t have a button for un-promise’s. As much as I don’t like breaking promises, this is one I will take pride in breaking – starting with lots of animal fat for dinner.

The Real History of Margarine

It’s worth taking a step back and looking at where margarine actually came from. Originally developed in the 19th century as a cheap butter alternative for the French military, margarine was never intended to be a premium or health-promoting food. Early versions were made from beef tallow and skim milk. Later, as vegetable oils became more accessible and industrial seed oil processing was developed, margarine evolved into the highly processed spread we know today.

During World War II, rationing pushed margarine into more homes, and over time, food manufacturers promoted it heavily as a modern, scientific upgrade from butter. This narrative aligned perfectly with the emerging lipid hypothesis of the mid-20th century, which incorrectly blamed saturated fat for heart disease — a claim that has since been widely challenged, if not debunked, by modern nutritional research.

So it’s rather ironic that something with such artificial roots is now sold to us as a health-conscious choice. The food industry didn’t start making margarine to improve health — they made it to maximise profits. That hasn't changed.

Understanding Industrial Seed Oils

Margarine’s primary ingredients — canola, sunflower, soybean, cottonseed, and corn oils — are all industrial seed oils. These oils are not cold-pressed or naturally extracted. Instead, they undergo intensive processing involving high heat, chemical solvents like hexane, deodorisation, and bleaching to make them palatable and shelf-stable.

This process strips the oils of any nutritional value and makes them prone to oxidation, which can cause inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. Some margarines are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, creating trans fats — now widely recognised as harmful and banned in many countries, though still present in trace amounts in ultra-processed foods.

Even the so-called “non-hydrogenated” versions are problematic due to their high omega-6 content. In excessive amounts, omega-6 fatty acids can promote inflammation when not balanced with omega-3s — something virtually impossible on a modern processed-food-heavy diet.

What About the Cholesterol Argument?

Many people still avoid butter due to its cholesterol and saturated fat content. However, new research has shown that dietary cholesterol has minimal impact on blood cholesterol levels for most people. In fact, the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans removed the long-standing recommendation to limit dietary cholesterol, stating it’s “not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption.”

Moreover, saturated fat plays a vital role in hormone production, brain function, and the integrity of cell membranes. Demonising it based on outdated and flawed studies does a disservice to those trying to make informed decisions about their health. Naturally occurring fats from quality animal sources — including butter — provide fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K2, all essential for long-term health.

Why Butter is the Ancestral Fat

Butter has been a staple fat in traditional diets around the world for centuries. Whether it’s clarified into ghee in Indian cuisine or simply churned from raw cream in Europe, butter is as close to a whole food as you can get in the fat category. It’s naturally rich in nutrients, especially when sourced from grass-fed animals.

Grass-fed butter contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been linked to fat loss and improved metabolic health. It also boasts higher levels of vitamin K2, a nutrient critical for directing calcium to the bones and teeth, rather than soft tissues like arteries. None of these benefits exist in margarine — and they certainly weren’t added by MeadowLea.

Marketing Over Meaning

What’s perhaps most concerning is how much sway food marketing continues to have over public health narratives. Colourful labels, wellness buzzwords, and emotionally manipulative ad campaigns often distract consumers from the actual ingredient list. It becomes about what a product represents — not what it is.

The butter guilt trip plays into fears and outdated science, instead of empowering families to embrace real food. Encouraging parents to swap a traditional fat like butter for an industrial spread based on flawed cholesterol science isn’t just misleading — it’s irresponsible.

Choosing Health Over Hype

If you’re still unsure whether to choose butter or margarine, here’s a simple way to decide: look at what your great-grandparents would have eaten. Margarine didn’t exist in their kitchens — butter, tallow, lard and other traditional fats did. These fats have stood the test of time. They didn’t need health claims or hospital tie-ins to be considered food — they just were.

So rather than being guilted into giving up butter, perhaps we should be questioning how margarine ever gained such a health halo in the first place. Health is not found in chemically altered, plastic-like spreads — it’s found in nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods that our bodies recognise and thrive on.

🧈 Have you made the switch back to real fats like butter? Do you notice a difference in how you feel? I'd love to hear your story in the comments below!

The paleo diet weekend event sydney Australia NSW buy tickets seminar conference expo-min

Have You Booked The Paleo Weekend Yet?

Note: This is an old post – the next weekend has not yet been finalised, but please sign up to my newsletter if you are interested in the next event!

JUST ANNOUNCED! Limited number of seminar only tickets for the Paleo Weekend; $145 for Saturday/ $95 Sunday or $195 both days!

I'm very excited to announce the first Paleo weekend in the Southern Hemisphere will be held on 12th & 13th May, 2012 on the beautiful Cockatoo Island, in Sydney Harbour.

Whether you've been living a Paleo lifestyle for a while, have been interested but are yet to dip your toes in – or are looking for a way to finally improve your health and fitness – this is the weekend for you! To secure your place, buy your ticket today!

For full details – read the Paleo Weekend FAQs

What Was the Paleo Weekend All About?

The first ever Paleo Weekend in the Southern Hemisphere, held on 12th & 13th May 2012, was truly a milestone moment for the ancestral health community in Australia. Hosted on the iconic Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour, this immersive event brought together like-minded people from across the country who shared one common goal: to live better, healthier lives using the principles of the Paleo lifestyle.

Whether you were already living Paleo, just starting out, or simply curious about what it all involved, this weekend offered a chance to learn, share, and connect. It was more than just a seminar – it was a full experience in living, moving, and eating the ancestral way.

The Unique Setting: Cockatoo Island

There couldn’t have been a more fitting location for this event than Cockatoo Island. With its rich industrial history, panoramic harbour views, and the distinct sense of stepping away from the hustle of modern life, the island gave attendees the perfect space to unplug and fully immerse themselves in the Paleo lifestyle – even if only for the weekend.

Some chose to ferry in for the day, while others camped overnight or stayed in the island’s heritage accommodation. Meals, talks, workshops, and movement sessions all took place with the backdrop of the Sydney skyline and the gentle lapping of the harbour – a true blend of nature, nourishment, and knowledge.

Who Attended the Paleo Weekend?

The Paleo Weekend attracted a broad mix of people – from health practitioners and personal trainers, to busy parents, students, and even complete newcomers who had never heard of bone broth or fermented veg. It was this diversity that made the weekend so special. Everyone brought their own stories, questions, and energy to the event, making it a shared learning experience for all involved.

Many attendees came alone but left with new friends, accountability partners, or even future collaborators. The sense of community was tangible. It reminded everyone that while Paleo may go against mainstream nutrition advice, none of us are truly doing this alone.

Highlights From the Event

Although the original Paleo Weekend ran over a decade ago, the energy and insights shared at the event remain as relevant as ever. Here are some of the standout features from that weekend:

Expert Talks: Presentations from well-known figures in the Paleo world, sharing cutting-edge research on nutrition, movement, and ancestral health.
Cooking Demonstrations: Live demos on how to make staples like bone broth, liver pâté, cauliflower rice, and fermented vegetables – the kind of practical tips that make a real difference.
Fitness Workshops: Natural movement sessions, mobility drills, and barefoot running basics offered participants a chance to move in ways our ancestors would recognise.
Community Meals: Sitting down to nutrient-dense, lovingly prepared Paleo meals together made it easier to ask questions, share ideas, and build relationships.
Sunshine, Sleep, and Simplicity: Being outdoors, moving regularly, and focusing on real food created the perfect environment to reconnect – not just with nature, but with ourselves.

Common Questions About the Paleo Weekend

If you missed the original event, or are considering attending a future one, here are some frequently asked questions:

Was the event suitable for beginners?

Absolutely. Many attendees were at the very beginning of their Paleo journey. The event was designed to be inclusive, informative, and non-judgemental – perfect for anyone ready to make a positive change in their life.

What topics were covered?

The weekend covered a broad range of topics, including:

The science behind Paleo nutrition
Meal planning and prepping Paleo on a budget
Gut health, fermentation, and immunity
The psychology of lifestyle change and habit formation

Were kids and families welcome?

Yes! One of the great things about the Paleo Weekend was its family-friendly atmosphere. Children were welcome, and many parents appreciated the chance to learn how to nourish the whole family through real food.

What Makes a Paleo Weekend So Special?

While there are plenty of health expos and wellness festivals out there, what sets the Paleo Weekend apart is its focus on a holistic, ancestral approach to wellbeing. It's not about gimmicks or trendy products. It’s about getting back to basics – sleep, movement, connection, sun, and real, nutrient-dense food.

It’s also about stepping away from screens and distractions. By spending a full weekend immersed in this lifestyle, many attendees found clarity, renewed energy, and inspiration to make sustainable changes at home.

Looking Ahead: Will There Be Another Paleo Weekend?

While the next Paleo Weekend hasn’t yet been announced, there is a strong possibility it will return – especially with the resurgence of interest in ancestral health, gut-friendly eating, and natural living across Australia and New Zealand.

If you’re keen to be among the first to hear about future dates, sign up for the newsletter. That way, you’ll get advance notice when tickets go on sale – and, potentially, access to early bird pricing and special offers.

Future events are likely to include more hands-on workshops, speaker panels, and optional wellness experiences like cold exposure, breathwork, or guided forest walks. We’re also exploring locations beyond Sydney – perhaps the Central Coast, Byron Bay, or even regional Victoria.

How to Create Your Own Paleo Weekend at Home

While there’s nothing quite like the real event, you can recreate some of the magic of the Paleo Weekend in your own home. Here’s how:

Switch off your devices and spend the weekend screen-free.
Plan your meals ahead – make a batch of bone broth, grill grass-fed meat, prep a salad, and roast some sweet potato.
Get outside – walk barefoot, hike a trail, or just lie in the sun for a while.
Do a natural movement session – crawl, squat, jump, hang from a tree branch. Reconnect with your body.
Read or listen – choose a book or podcast from the Paleo world and spend time learning something new.
Connect – invite a friend over for a slow-cooked Paleo dinner or host a potluck with other real food enthusiasts.

Want to Host a Paleo Event in Your Area?

If you're passionate about ancestral health and love the idea of bringing people together, why not consider hosting a small local event? It could be as simple as a Sunday picnic, a fermented foods workshop, or a morning walk and coffee meetup with like-minded locals.

Reach out via the contact page or drop a comment below if you're interested in tips or co-hosting opportunities. Let’s grow this movement from the ground up – one local event at a time.

Final Thoughts

Looking back, the 2012 Paleo Weekend marked a turning point for many of us in the Australian ancestral health community. It brought together a diverse group of people united by a desire to live better – not through restriction or fads, but through real food, mindful movement, and a return to what makes us human.

If you were there, I’d love to hear your memories! And if you missed it, don’t worry – this is just the beginning. With your support and enthusiasm, the Paleo Weekend will rise again, stronger than ever.

Make sure you’re on the mailing list, stay tuned, and get ready to be part of something amazing.

Why I Propose a No-Fat Paleo Diet

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I propose a Paleo style diet, based on a Zero Fat, Low Carbohydrate, Moderate Protein and High Lipid intake, when compared to a SAD diet.

I think it’s time to replace the word “Fat”, when discussing dietary fat, with the word “Lipid”. A straight swap. Find. Replace all.

Despite the increasing understanding of the importance of dietary fat, so many people are still afraid of it. They would rather have margarine with 20 ingredients they can’t pronounce (never mind procure) – rather than butter. They would rather have breakfast of 97% fat-free cereal, swimming in skim low-fat milk – instead of bacon and eggs. They will only eat the leanest cuts of meat (with all visible fat trimmed of) in a wholegrain sandwich – rather than meat and vegetables.

When people talk about fatty foods, the word fat is usually spat out with contempt. An avocado is not the image that comes to the mind of the average person, on hearing the term “fatty foods”.

Sadly the word “fat” immediately conjures up images of excessive body fat, rather than fat of the dietary variety. Someone overweight is refered to as “fat”, not “carbohydrate overburdened”. This negative connotation is, of course, going to make people think twice about consuming more fat in their diet. If people are reluctant to consume more fat it’s going to be harder to encourage them to reduce refined carbs and make safe, sensible dietary choices.

What if we were to rename dietary fat? What if all of the nutritional labels had to change? What if the word fat only related to body fat from this point forwards?

Nutritional labels could detail the triglyceride, glycerol and fatty acid components of food products, with not a single reference to “fat”. Or quite simply the word “Fat” could be replaced with the word “Lipid”. Fat could even be called Steve – I don’t think the actual name matters – what matters is that it is no longer called fat, with all of the negative associations that brings.

Whilst I and most of the people reading this are interested in nutrition, most people just aren’t interested and probably never will be. But these are often the very people who need to change how they eat. They need to understand it’s the refined carbohydrates making them fat and ill, not the dietary fat. To go a step further and make these people realise how essential a good fat intake is to their body, is likely to be a step too far.

If you ask the general public to play a word association game, starting with the word fat, how many would come up with words like health, brain function and energy? I think the words more likely to be associated with fat, are along the lines of overweight, unhealthy and ill. Associations like this do nothing to encourage people to increase their healthy fat intake – and decrease their carbohydrate intake.

I think people would react a lot more positively to advice to increase their lipid consumption, than they do when told to increase their fat consumption. Perhaps with the word fat completely banished, the fear of fat will start to dissolve.

Entire countries have been renamed in the past. Is it really inconceivable to change the term we use to refer to dietary fat?

Do you think changing the word for dietary fat would help to remove the resistance to consuming it? Which word would you choose to replace “fat” with?

Rethinking the Role of Fat in a Paleo Diet

The fear of fat has been deeply ingrained in the public mindset for decades. From the low-fat craze of the 1980s to the food pyramid that told us to base our diets on grains and avoid saturated fat, mainstream nutrition advice has long vilified fat — and we've paid the price. Chronic disease, insulin resistance, hormonal issues, and obesity are more rampant than ever.

Within the Paleo community, we’ve already rejected many of these outdated ideas. We understand that fat — or rather, lipid — plays a crucial role in everything from hormone production and brain health to nutrient absorption and cellular function. But the terminology itself might still be a sticking point for the broader population. Maybe it’s time for a linguistic rebrand.

Why Language Shapes Behaviour

Words matter. They shape public perception, influence emotion, and ultimately drive behaviour. The word fat doesn’t just refer to dietary macronutrients — it’s also an insult, a body type, and a fear. That dual meaning makes it harder to have constructive conversations about healthy fats like avocado, grass-fed butter, ghee, coconut oil, tallow, or fatty fish.

Contrast that with the word lipid — a more scientific, neutral term. It doesn’t come loaded with judgement or cultural baggage. When we talk about lipids in the context of brain development, cell membranes, or the nervous system, we’re engaging with fat in a way that’s about function, not fear.

Lipids vs. Carbohydrates: The Real Villain

If the general public began to associate excessive weight gain with excess carbohydrates, particularly processed grains and sugars, rather than fat, we’d likely see a shift in dietary habits. That shift is already happening in the Paleo, primal, and keto communities, but it needs to go mainstream.

What if food labels stopped listing Total Fat and instead listed Total Lipid Content? What if public health messaging spoke about lipid balance rather than low-fat choices? We might finally start to reverse the decades of misinformation.

Practical Steps to Embrace Lipids in Your Paleo Lifestyle

For those still unsure about how to incorporate more healthy fats (lipids) into a real food lifestyle, here are a few ideas:

Cook with saturated fats like tallow, duck fat, or coconut oil, especially for high-heat cooking.
Add avocado or olives to salads and meals for a plant-based fat boost.
Make bone broth using fatty cuts like oxtail or marrow bones — rich in flavour and nourishing lipids.
Choose fatty cuts of meat over lean when possible — they’re more satiating and nutrient-dense.
Don’t discard the egg yolks — they’re loaded with choline and healthy cholesterol.

And of course, don’t fear real butter. Especially if it’s from grass-fed cows, butter is rich in vitamin K2, butyrate, and healthy saturated fats.

It’s Time to Leave “Fat Phobia” Behind

The real issue isn’t fat — it’s misunderstanding. Changing the language from fat to lipid may not seem like much, but if it can help more people embrace ancestral nutrition and reject ultra-processed, low-fat, high-carb “health” foods, it’s a shift worth making.

As the Paleo movement continues to grow, we have a unique opportunity to change not just how people eat — but how they talk about what they eat. Let’s lead the way in flipping the narrative on fat and remind the world that lipids are not the enemy.

What do you think — would renaming dietary fat to “lipid” make a difference? What’s your favourite source of healthy fat (or lipid)? Drop a comment below — let’s start a new conversation.

24 Mistakes People Make on a Paleo Diet

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Are you making any of these Paleo Diet Mistakes?

1. Increase Fruit Intake

When starting any “healthy eating” regime, so many people seem to make mistakes, like replace the junk food with endless fruit salads, fruit smoothies and snacks of whole fruit. Just because it’s natural, it doesn’t mean it’s a good choice. Fruit is very high in fructose, something that should be minimised to prevent inflammation, insulin response and ultimately conversion into fat storage.

2. Failing to Make Time to Get Organised

If you’re organised, eating healthily doesn’t have to take much time, but prior planning is essential. Being organised and having the ingredients you need at hand, meals planned and contingency plans in place for tricky situations (such as social events) is essential for success. If you find yourself hungry at a party you knew you were going to, you haven’t set yourself up to make the right food choices. I've just finished my first book, the Paleo Breakfast Recipe Book – the aim of this book is to make delicious Paleo Breakfast's possible and easy with a bit of organisation. I'd love to hear what you think of it!

3. Expect to Lose 20kg/ Gain an Athletic Body Composition in 7 Days

I read about a lot of people who are disappointed that they’ve been following a Paleo eating plan for a week and have not lost any weight/ changed their body composition yet. This isn’t “a diet” for short term cosmetic benefits – it’s a lifestyle you can follow for the rest of your life, leading to long-term health benefits. If you’re looking for a diet to get into your bikini in 4-days time (before returning to your previous way of eating and exercising), you’ve come to the wrong place!

4. Try to do Junk Food Paleo

It’s not realistic to expect to replace a junk food diet with paleo equivalents. Whilst you might be able to find packages food that are broadly Paleo these are no substitute for properly prepared foods – with good quality ingredients. There is a place for packaged “Paleo” foods, such as when on the road – but these times should make the exception, rather than the rule.

5. Keep Old SAD Foods in the Pantry

There might be hundreds of dollars worth of pasta, packet meals and bread-making ingredients in the pantry. It might seem wasteful to throw it away – but to really commit to a better way of eating, there is no place for this in your kitchen. Donate it or throw it away, but don’t “use it up” first, or hang on to it “just in case”. Commit. Get rid. Restock.

6. Overdoing Nuts

Nuts are Paleo, but they are calories too, lots of them. It’s all too easy to snack on a few too many nuts. Some nuts also don’t have favourable Omega 3/ Omega 6 ratios – another reason to go easy and limit the nuts to no more than a very small handful each day.

7. Being Scared of Fat

It’s probably not surprising, but after years of being told about the evils of fat, many people are scared of it. Despite reading and understanding the Paleo concepts, when it comes to eating, some people are still wary – and may cut the fat off meat, or cook in as little coconut oil as possible. I think it just takes time and reinforcement – make sure your diet contains adequate fat.

8. Ignoring Portion Control

Calories do matter. I read so many comments where people have been strictly Paleo, but are not losing (or are even putting on) weight. It’s not a correct assumption that you can eat whatever you like – certainly not when you are overweight.

9. Become Fixated with a Certain “Brand” of Paleo

There are lots of different ways of eating, within the Paleo spectrum. Some people may do very low carb for instance, and others may follow an auto-immune protocol. If it isn’t working, move on and try something new. To stick to a set prescription, which clearly isn’t working for you, makes no sense. Experiment. Find what works.

10. Let one Slip Ruin the Day/ Week/ Month

Sometimes things do go wrong. You ate something that wasn’t Paleo, by any stretch of the imagination. Instead of using this as an excuse to eat more SAD food, it is the perfect opportunity to start fresh and move on. There is nothing wrong with occasionally having non-Paleo food, providing it isn’t allowed to ruin the rest of your efforts.

11. It’s a Science not a Reenactment

You hear people who start to question everything through Paleo lenses. Computers and modern medicine weren’t around in the Paleolithic era – so we shouldn’t use them? This may be true, but we have the benefit of modern science and research to combine with Paleo, to get the best possible results – it would be foolish not to take advantage.

12. Don’t Sleep Properly

Sleep is such an important part of a healthy lifestyle. I’d argue it’s actually the most important factor. Without sleep, you might be eating a perfect Paleo diet and have a great fitness regime, but you won’t be in the best possible health. Without adequate sleep your body mechanisms won’t function efficiently, you won’t recover properly from exercise – and you won’t deal with stress as well. Working out why you aren’t sleeping properly and taking steps to resolve it will work with your Paleo lifestyle to bring your health forward in leaps and bounds.

13. Trying to Make Things Fit

You know your morning skinny latte or daily glass of wine isn’t in the spirit of Paleo, but you try to make it fit (all those antioxidants must be Paleo, right?). If you have to justify it, you probably shouldn’t have it – at least not so often.

14. Avoid the Sun

There seem to be more studies every week showing us just how crucial Vitamin D is – yet so many people still avoid the sun and cover themselves in sunscreen at the mere mention of the word “sun”. Even in Australia, at the right time of day, for the right duration sun exposure is a good thing.

15. Refuse to Cook

Not cooking seriously limits eating choices and will makes it so much harder to eat well. Cooking doesn’t have to be hard or time consuming – it can actually be relaxing, fast and very rewarding.

16. Turn a Blind Eye to Social Occasions and Restaurants

It’s all too easy to let a few poor choices slip in when eating out socially – but these can really add up. With steps such as finding out the food options in advance and not going out hungry, you can make good choices and minimise the damage. If it’s too hard to eat differently to everyone else, perhaps arranging social events that aren’t food based – or offering to cook for friends will be a better alternative.

17. Obsessing on a Weekly Cheat

Paleo should not be boring or restrictive – if it is, you need to introduce more variety and try new recipes. When a planned weekly cheat becomes the focus of your week, it’s time to address what isn’t working and fix it. With a varied Paleo diet thoughts of SAD food should be very few and far between.

18. Don’t Move

Fitness is an important part of a Paleo lifestyle. Whilst nutrition is a huge part, the importance of being active and lifting heavy things once in a while should not be ignored. Paleo doesn’t begin & end with food.

19. Don’t Take Measurements

When you feel well, it’s hard to remember how you felt before. If you have blood tests and take a note of your measurements and how you feel every few months, it will be obvious how well Paleo is working for you and what you can improve on.

20. Listen to Conventional Wisdom

Following Conventional Wisdom often isn’t very compatible with a Paleo diet and could get very confusing. Once you decide to stick to Paleo, it’s helpful to filter out many of the health stories in mainstream media, or just read them for entertainment value.

21. Fail to Read and Research

Those who stick to a healthy lifestyle seem to be those who understand the impact it has on their health. The more you read and research, the more you can tweek your lifestyle and improve your health. Following a lifestyle based on someone else’s example, without an understanding of the principles, will be very hard to stick to and follow properly.

22. Don’t Tell Others

In any change, it’s really important to have support. Family and friends will (hopefully) accommodate your nutritional wishes and may even follow your example. If you’re finding it difficult, having a support network is invaluable. Finding others following Paleo is great way of building a support network of people going through the same as you.

23. Not Persevering

Changing diet can be hard. Carb flu is a distinct possibility when moving from a SAD diet, to a Paleo diet. It might feel all too easy to give up at this point – when in reality a bit of perseverance will see this stage end and everything will get easier. Sticking with it, however hard it feels, however many mistakes you make, will be so worthwhile.

24. Hanging onto an Old Favourite

Diet Coke immediately springs to mind as something people often struggle to give up. Products like this seem extremely addictive, but certainly aren’t working with your Paleo nutrition towards your health goals. Whether it’s changing routine, finding an alternative – or going cold turkey, it’s time to let go.

What mistakes would you add to the list?

It’s Dangerous to Quit Grains (Sponsored by Kelloggs)

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I received an interesting comment pointing me to an article on the website of the Dietitians Association of Australia (update: this has since been removed), all about the Paleo Diet. The four paragraph critique questions whether there is any merit to this way of eating. It concludes that they do not support the diet, as

It excludes nutritious core foods such as breads and cereals, and dairy foods

They are also concerned that

The Paleo Diet encourages restrictive eating – an approach that is not sustainable in the long-term. And by banning certain nutritious foods, followers of the diet will be at a greater risk of falling short on important nutrients, such as calcium. Like many fad diets, the Paleo Diet, is no substitute for expert, individual dietary advice from an Accredited (SIC) Practising Dietitian.

There is a lot of evidence to suggest calcium balance, rather than calcium intake is of crucial importance – something that a paleo diet promotes. Sadly they don’t mention the other nutrients they are concerned about. This would interest me greatly, as when I have tracked my daily diet I have greatly exceeded all of the micro-nutrient RDA’s (except calcium) by eating in this way.

They say Australians should eat a diet with a wide variety of food from all food groups; that meets their health needs; that is sustainable in the long term and that fits in with their lifestyle. This implies that they don’t consider a Paleo diet meets these criteria. I know I'm not alone in finding Paleo is the best diet for my health; very sustainable and fits in easily into my lifestyle. The fact that it is restrictive in not including processed foods and grains, certainly isn't what I’d call restrictive. I don’t consider grains a proper “food group” and I think my diet is far more varied than those who eat from the food pyramid.

Before I let the inaccuracies and complete lack of research and studies bother me further, I had a look at the partners of the Dietitians Association of Australia. It might surprise you to see that their partners include Kelloggs, Nestle, Unilever, Dairy Australia and the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council!

Just to be completely clear, that’s Kelloggs, who make “healthy” high-carb breakfast cereals. Nestle who make drinks, snacks, breakfast foods and confectionery – which for the most part all share grains, sugars and other un-Paleo “foods” in their ingredients lists. Unilever – whose products include margarine and diet meal replacement shakes. I think we can guess which foods Dairy Australia and the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council endorse.

Sadly I think the more popular Paleo becomes, the more we will read stories like this warning about the dangers of a Paleo diet. There just isn't the same degree of money for the food industry in real, unprocessed foods like meat and vegetables.

How can we trust an organisation that has a financial relationship with these partners, to give us true, researched dietary advice? I wonder what would happen to their partnerships if they were to take a different stance on grains?

What Happens When You Actually Quit Grains?

For all the alarmist headlines, very few critics of Paleo actually explore what happens when you stop eating grains. The reality? Most people experience significant health improvements. From reduced bloating and clearer skin to stable energy and improved blood sugar control, ditching grains is often the catalyst for transformation.

It’s important to remember that grains — particularly highly refined ones — are a modern staple, not an ancestral one. They dominate processed food products and are heavily subsidised, marketed and fortified. But the presence of fortification doesn't equal health. Adding synthetic nutrients to a product doesn’t make it nourishing — it makes it artificially compliant with government guidelines.

When people remove grains, they often increase their intake of nutrient-dense whole foods: vegetables, healthy fats, animal proteins and mineral-rich broths. These are the foods that humans have thrived on for millennia. Grains, by contrast, often displace these more beneficial options in a typical modern diet.

The Calcium Question — Again

One criticism that always rears its head is calcium. “But where will you get your calcium without dairy?” they ask. The assumption is that dairy is the only source of this vital mineral. That simply isn’t true. Leafy greens like kale, collards, and bok choy are excellent sources of calcium — and unlike dairy, they don’t come with added hormones or inflammatory proteins that affect sensitive individuals.

Moreover, it’s not just about calcium intake; it’s about calcium balance. A real food diet low in sugar and rich in magnesium, vitamin K2, vitamin D and phosphorus supports proper calcium regulation. Bone health depends on the synergy of nutrients — not simply consuming high-calcium foods. Ironically, grain-heavy diets may actually decrease calcium absorption due to the presence of phytates, which bind to minerals in the gut and inhibit uptake.

Sustainability and Variety — A Paleo Reality

It’s often said that Paleo is unsustainable. That it’s too restrictive. That it’s anti-social. But the reality is that Paleo can be tailored to fit a wide range of lifestyles, from busy families to competitive athletes to weekend foodies. With proper planning and a bit of creativity, Paleo is no more restrictive than any intentional way of eating — in fact, many people report feeling far less limited once they discover how varied their food choices can be without processed grains, seed oils, or refined sugar.

One of the beautiful things about Paleo is that it actually encourages variety. You’re not eating the same sandwich every day for lunch or reaching for another box of cereal because it's convenient. Instead, you’re trying new vegetables, experimenting with slow-cooked meats, and embracing seasonal, local produce. If anything, Paleo widens your food horizon, especially when you explore ethnic cuisines that use traditional cooking methods and whole ingredients.

Questioning the Conflict of Interest

Let’s address the elephant in the room: how can we rely on nutritional advice from organisations financially tied to ultra-processed food manufacturers? It’s not a conspiracy theory — it’s a matter of documented fact. When the same companies that manufacture sugary cereals and hydrogenated spreads are also the key sponsors of the bodies issuing dietary guidelines, how can we pretend this isn’t a conflict?

Imagine if a company selling cigarettes sponsored lung health research. You’d rightly question the findings. Yet in nutrition, this is business as usual. Public confidence in dietary recommendations is eroded every time “experts” dismiss ancestral diets in favour of branded products with nutrition labels designed by marketing departments, not by ancestral logic or biochemistry.

The Rise of Independent Nutrition

The good news? More people than ever are thinking critically about their food choices. They’re turning off the mainstream noise and doing their own research. They’re using apps to track their nutrient intake, not just calories. They’re connecting the dots between what they eat and how they feel. This is especially empowering when you realise that decades of eating by the pyramid have led to rising rates of obesity, metabolic dysfunction, autoimmune conditions, and lifestyle-related disease.

Paleo isn’t the only way to improve health, but it is a powerful reset that removes the most inflammatory elements of the modern diet and helps people reconnect with real food. It doesn't require supplements, meal replacements or a subscription. Just meat, seafood, vegetables, fruit, herbs, natural fats — and a willingness to let go of outdated food rules.

The Bottom Line

Quitting grains isn’t dangerous. It’s not extreme. And it’s certainly not irresponsible. What is dangerous is blindly following nutrition advice shaped by commercial interests that rely on keeping us hooked on addictive, low-nutrient foods.

If you’ve found better health by stepping away from the grain aisle, trust your experience. No headline or dietitian soundbite can override how your own body feels when it’s properly nourished. Keep asking questions. Keep reading ingredient labels. And most importantly, keep listening to your body — it knows more than you’ve been led to believe.

🥣 Have you been told Paleo is too restrictive or unhealthy? How do you respond when people question your grain-free lifestyle? I’d love to hear your experiences — drop a comment below.

Sugar melbourne conference event seminar quit give up-min

Melbourne Sugar

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On Saturday I went across to Melbourne for a series of lectures on Sugar, Paleo and related topics given by a fantastic lineup of presenters.

Dr Rod Tayler organised the event and gave the first lecture, which was quite an eye opener into how much sugar the average Australian actually eats. It’s quite frightening to think how much sugar most people mindlessly consume – something we have no real requirement for.

Dr Ken Sikaris gave a fantastic talk about fructose metabolism, which I wish had been recorded. He was a fantastic speaker and I learnt so much from his talk. I really think he should speak at the Ancestral Health Symposium on Fructose this year! I knew that fruit isn’t the wonder food that conventional wisdom would have you believe, but Dr Sikaris explain exactly why – and exactly what happens to the fructose. I really hope the Paleo community get to hear more from Dr Sikaris.

Dr Anastasia Boulais was up next and gave a great talk about making the right food choices with a framework to guide this process. This was a great talk, as I think a lot of people think it’s too hard to eat a Paleo diet – and that it’s an all or nothing approach – which just isn’t the case.

I really enjoyed Jamie Scott ‘s lecture about what Paleo is – and isn’t. It was great that he also spoke about the lifestyle factors – not just what we eat, as the whole lifestyle is important, not just nutrition in isolation.

David Gillespie was next. I read David’s book “Sweet Poison” when it first came out and found it so well written, that it became one of those books I regularly lend to interested friends and families. It was really good to meet the man himself and to hear his talk. David spoke about his background as a lawyer, and how he came to give up sugar – his talk linked in very well to those before and built up a compelling case. I’m looking forward to getting started on his new book “Big Fat Lies”.

After the break, another familiar face took to the stage. I’d met Dr Ted Arnold in LA at the Ancestral Health Symposium last year (there were a few of us from this part of the World at the AHS!). He spoke about where we’ve come from and looked at the ever changing (but not in the right direction) nutritional advice and food pyramids.

We then heard a completely different angle from Alice Hucker, who spoke about the psychological barriers to healthy eating. I think this is such an important topic, yet one that doesn’t get discussed very often. I’d have like to have heard more on this topic.

Finally we heard from Dr Michael Axtens and his positive experience with changing his diet

I was so impressed to see so many people at the lecture – I bet just a couple of years ago filling the room would not have been possible. There was a great mix of people, from those already following some sort of Paleo/ ancestral/ low-carb/ no-sugar eating plan, to those very interested in making positive changes to their diet and health.

A significant number of those in the audience were doctors, medical professionals and dieticians. I spoke to one dietician who had been told about the event by a client and was very interested in learning as much as she could. It’s so encouraging to see more and more of these people showing an interest in a Paleo approach.

It was so pleasing to appreciate the huge wealth of knowledge and expertise we have in Australia and New Zealand – I think we can definitely give the American Paleo folk a run for their money! I can’t wait for more homegrown Paleo events!

Key Lessons from the Event

It’s been a few days since the Melbourne event, and I’m still reflecting on the insights I gained from each speaker. The sheer depth of information was inspiring, and it reminded me just how powerful knowledge can be when you’re trying to make real, sustainable changes to your health. What stood out most was the consistent thread linking all the talks: the importance of questioning conventional dietary wisdom and looking at nutrition through a more ancestral lens.

Standout Presentations

One of the most powerful takeaways for me was the growing momentum behind the sugar-free movement in Australia. David Gillespie’s presentation made me reconsider how far we’ve come—and how far we still have to go. His personal story of quitting sugar, combined with the legalistic way he dissected health claims, was compelling. I noticed so many heads nodding during his talk, especially when he pointed out the dissonance between mainstream health advice and actual science-backed outcomes. It’s conversations like these that help build grassroots awareness—and push back against misleading food industry narratives.

Equally compelling were the scientific underpinnings Dr Ken Sikaris provided on fructose metabolism. What really hit home was his explanation of how even seemingly ‘healthy' foods, like fruit juices, can be detrimental when consumed in excess. His message wasn’t anti-fruit, but rather a nuanced breakdown of how our bodies respond to different types of sugar. It’s information like this that makes me feel grateful for these kinds of events—because we rarely get this level of detail from mainstream sources.

It was also interesting to hear multiple speakers, like Jamie Scott and Dr Anastasia Boulais, place a strong emphasis on lifestyle factors—not just food. Sleep, stress, physical activity, and even community were highlighted as essential components of wellness. As someone who came to Paleo through food, it was a powerful reminder that a healthy life is about more than just your plate. It’s about your environment, your mindset, and how you move through the world each day.

I found myself particularly drawn to Alice Hucker’s talk on the psychological side of nutrition. While many presentations focused on biochemical pathways and macro/micronutrients, Alice zoomed out and asked: why do we struggle to implement what we already know? Her reflections on emotional eating, habits, and internal resistance really resonated with me. I think it’s a topic that deserves more time and attention at future events, especially as so many people know what to do, but still find themselves stuck.

Another encouraging theme that emerged was how many medical professionals are now attending these events with open minds. I overheard conversations between GPs, dietitians, and nurses who were clearly intrigued—even if they weren’t fully converted just yet. The fact that these professionals are showing up and engaging is a strong sign that the movement is shifting. A decade ago, the idea of a mainstream dietitian attending a Paleo event would have seemed laughable. Now, it’s a reality.

Audience Insights

There’s also something incredibly energising about being in a room with like-minded people. Whether they were seasoned Paleo veterans or complete newbies, there was an unmistakable sense of community in the air. Conversations flowed easily, and I noticed a real willingness to share resources, recipes, and experiences. Events like this remind me why I love this lifestyle so much—it’s not just about eating differently, but about building a different kind of life altogether.

The Future of Paleo in Australia

I left the event feeling proud of the quality and credibility of our local speakers. From New Zealand to Melbourne, there’s a growing number of passionate, well-informed advocates who are pushing the conversation forward. We don’t have to wait for international names to come here—we’re building our own platform, and it’s growing stronger by the day. I hope to see more events spring up in Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, and regional centres, giving more people the chance to connect and learn.

So what comes next? For me, it’s a renewed commitment to sharing what I’ve learnt—whether that’s through this blog, in conversation with friends, or even just by continuing to make conscious decisions about what I eat and how I live. If you ever get the chance to attend one of these events, I wholeheartedly recommend it. There’s nothing quite like it.

If you were at the event too, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Which speaker impacted you the most? Were there any ‘aha' moments? And if you’ve never been to a Paleo or health seminar before, what would it take to get you there?

Here’s to more knowledge, more empowerment—and hopefully many more inspiring events to come!

The first Australian Paleo Weekend Event Conference Retreat Primal Sydney Australia Seminar Expo-min

The 1st Australian Paleo Weekend!

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Note: This is an old post – the next weekend has not yet been finalised, but please sign up to my newsletter if you are interested in the next event!

I'm very excited to announce the first Paleo Weekend in the Southern Hemisphere will be held on 12th & 13th May, 2012 on the beautiful Cockatoo Island, in Sydney Harbour.

Whether you’ve been living a Paleo lifestyle for a while, have been interested but are yet to dip your toes in – or are looking for a way to finally improve your health and fitness – this is the weekend for you!

I’ve got together some of the leading experts from this side of the World (including Jamie Scott, Dr Anastasia Boulais, Julianne Taylor and Dr Ron Ehrlich), to talk about all aspects of health, nutrition & fitness and to demonstrate and teach techniques to participants. The Paleo Weekend will be held on 12^{th &} 13^th of May 2012, on Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour – an absolutely fantastic venue! The weekend will be fully catered with an amazing Paleo menu. There is also the exclusive option for a limited number of attendees to sleep on the island overnight, in pre-erected luxury tents (it doesn’t get much more Primal than that!).

Attendees will: –

· Learn about Paleo nutrition and health

· Have the opportunity to quiz the experts,

· Learn through a demonstration session how to cook quick and healthy Paleo meals,

· Learn how to get on the fast track to peak sporting performance, by opening the door to their mind

· Learn barefoot running techniques

· Enjoy an early morning yoga session on the harbour shore to kick start the day

· Enjoy a social Paleo feast on the Saturday night with like-minded new friends

· Have the unique opportunity to sleep on the island

· Enjoy fantastic Paleo meals prepared for them

· Enjoy a life changing Paleo Weekend in a unique venue like no other!

Sessions Include: –

Cookery Demonstration; learn how to cook quick and easy Paleo meals at home

Barefoot running technique

Early morning Yoga overlooking the harbour

Fitness techniques – learn how to improve your technique and fitness – details to be announced

Paleo Nutrition lectures – on a variety of topics to be announced soon

Paleo Health lectures – on a variety of topics to be announced soon

Learn how to achieve improved health results & how to get on the fast track to peak sporting performance, by opening the door to your mind

Ticket prices are currently on sale at an early bird discounted rate until 31st March.

Numbers are strictly limited due to the island licensing – so book yours today to avoid missing out!

The Unexpected Trick That Boosted My Training

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Since I started considering the mental aspect to Training, I've found I can achieve more reps, better reps, faster reps and lift heavier weights. It still amazes me how much of the hard work is down to my mind and not my body.

I thought I was doing everything well in my Training Sessions; I had the right mental attitude, the right pre and post workout Paleo nutrition and was focusing on good form in everything I did. Well, almost everything…

I've been talking about the mental aspects of training at great length with a friend, who recently came along to an interval training session with me. After the session he commented that he'd noticed in the rest between activities, my posture completely changed. I would put my hands on my knees and look towards the ground. I hadn't realised I adopted this position until it was pointed out, but after noticed that it was my default rest position after a high intensity set. I also noticed when forced to pause a run by traffic lights, I’d also drop my shoulders and look to the ground.

I've been noticing a lot of other people in the gym adopt their own version of negative posture during their sessions too – sometimes even sitting down or lying in a heap on the floor! It seems I wasn't alone.

“Slumped” positions like this enable the muscles to relax, which feels like a good idea, especially during a hard tabata session. However, it’s logical that putting the body in this position signals that you are tired and resting. When the rest ends a few seconds later, this is not an easy position to come back strong from. In this position, lung capacity is significantly smaller, making it harder to intake as much oxygen as the body requires – making the rest period even less effective – and the following activities that much harder.

Since this revelation, it has been so easy to change my posture in the rest between high intensity activities. As soon as I have finished my reps I stand up straight and tall looking straight ahead, never down. I've found this posture makes me feels strong, focused and ready to get onto the next exercise. It’s actually hard to think negative thoughts about being worn out and not able to lift any more when I adopt this posture.

Why Your Resting Posture Matters More Than You Think

After adjusting my posture between sets, I began noticing more than just physical improvements. My overall focus sharpened. Standing tall with shoulders back and eyes forward, I found myself re-entering each round of activity with better concentration and drive. This subtle shift didn’t just make workouts feel more productive – it actually was, in measurable ways.

Rest periods are often seen as passive, but in the Paleo mindset, every moment counts. Those seconds between sets are prime time for recovery and recalibration. When you slump, your lungs compress, oxygen uptake drops, and blood circulation slows. Upright posture, in contrast, promotes oxygen flow, energy circulation, and confidence. From a primal perspective, slouching suggests submission or fatigue – signals we unconsciously respond to. Standing tall tells your brain and body you’re ready for action.

The Science Behind the Power Pose

Research in the field of embodied cognition supports the idea that our physical posture can directly influence mental states. Amy Cuddy’s studies on “power posing” found that upright, open postures increase testosterone and decrease cortisol – the hormone linked to stress. In practical terms? You feel more in control and less fatigued. Exactly what you want during a tough training circuit.

By adopting an alert, powerful stance between sets, you’re telling your body, “We’ve got this.” Even when the reps get brutal or your muscles scream, this position encourages resilience. You’re primed to push again, rather than slump into defeat.

How I Rewired My Habits – One Set at a Time

Initially, it took conscious effort to stay upright between rounds. I’d start to fall back into old habits – hands on knees, eyes down – especially during longer workouts or those tough last few minutes. But I caught myself. I made posture a priority. Over a few weeks, it became automatic.

Now, when I finish a round, I immediately stand tall. I pull my shoulders back, plant my feet shoulder-width apart, and lift my gaze to eye level or higher. It’s amazing how much faster my heart rate drops. My breath becomes deeper and more effective. Mentally, I stay in the zone.

Training Tips to Reinforce Positive Posture

Visual Cue: Stick a small marker at eye level on the wall where you usually train. Look at it during rest breaks to encourage upright head position.
Breathwork: Focus on deep, diaphragmatic breathing through the nose. Keep the chest open to allow maximum lung expansion.
Timer Mindset: Treat rest intervals like preparation periods, not relaxation. Think: “Ready mode” rather than “collapse mode.”
Mirror Feedback: If training at home or in a gym with mirrors, use them to check in with your posture between sets. Self-awareness is key.
Mental Cue: Choose a trigger phrase like “reset strong” or “stand ready” to say to yourself after each round. This can anchor your mindset and posture together.

It’s Not Just About the Gym

What’s been most surprising is how this posture shift has carried over into other parts of life. I’ve caught myself correcting my stance when working at my desk or waiting at the bus stop. It’s led to less back stiffness, better digestion, and a clearer mind overall. It's not just a gym hack – it's a lifestyle improvement rooted in the Paleo principle of conscious movement.

And in a culture where we’re constantly hunched over screens and slouching into sofas, regaining that strong, upright alignment might be one of the simplest, most effective health upgrades available – no equipment needed.

The Paleo Way to Train Smarter, Not Just Harder

If Paleo is about aligning with our evolutionary blueprint, then posture absolutely fits in. Our ancestors didn’t hunch over after a sprint – they remained alert, breathing deep, scanning the horizon. There’s wisdom in that. So next time you train, think like a hunter-gatherer: poised, aware, and powerful – even in rest.

I’d love to hear what changes you’ve made in your own training that had unexpected results. Have you discovered any mindset tricks or posture hacks that made a big difference in your performance? Share them below!

How is your posture between sets? Have you found changing how you stand – or think – has improved your performance?