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24 Mistakes People Make on a Paleo Diet

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?

Is It Paleo?

4 Comments

I'm sure, like me, you've seen lots of question on Paleo forums, asking if a particular processed food is Paleo. Perhaps friends, inspired by your positive changes, are making similar nutritional moves themselves –asking for your guidance on what is and isn't “Paleo” along the way.

A Return to SAD Foods?

The food raising the question generally seems to be some kind of snack or sauce, perhaps a nod towards the person’s previous SAD diet. Often the first ingredient is arguably “Paleo”, perhaps some kind of meat, vegetable – or as it often the case in processed foods – water. But the further down the list you go, the ingredients become less and less agreeable. There is often some form of sugar or sweeteners, preservatives, stabilisers, my favourite “natural flavours” – which really could mean just about anything – and perhaps the catch all “spices”. So maybe there isn't a lot of wheat; but not a lot is still some wheat! Things like gluten seem to linger in the body for a long time, so complete abstinence makes a lot of sense – there’s no such thing as low-gluten.

The other issue is that nutritional information panels don’t display the quality of the ingredients. If they don’t specify that the beef is organic and grass-fed – I think we can assume it almost certainly is not. Would you have bought the ingredients yourself – and if not, why are they suddenly acceptable just because they’re in a packet or bottle?

Unless you've made something, from ingredients you've sourced and understand; can you ever really know what you’re eating?

No Time?

Processed foods are, no doubt, easier, quicker and cheaper. That’s surely part of the reason we’re in this nutritional mess in the first place. As with lots of things in life, the best things generally aren't the easiest things! Yes, you can buy mayonnaise for a few dollars and use it instantly – or you can invest time and make your own Paleo Mayonnaise knowing exactly what you’re eating – and what you’re not. I know which I’d rather.

I often wonder whether the person asking the question is hoping to gain approval to revert, at least in part, to their old pre-Paleo ways. Whilst some processed foods are clearly a lot more Paleo-friendly than others, I do wonder where to draw the line. If you “allow” a mass-produced tomato sauce with a few dubious ingredients – perhaps that canned chicken soup doesn't look so bad?

So, is it Paleo?

Almost everything I buy doesn't have a nutritional label. Meat from the butcher, eggs and vegetables generally don’t come in packets with nutritional information – and if they do, they are the only ingredient – or I don’t buy it. The only exceptions in my supermarket trolley that I can think of are coconut milk (if I could grow my own, I would!) and nut butters, which I very rarely use.

As a general rule, I think it’s fair to say; if you have to ask, it isn't Paleo!

Decoding the Ingredients List

Learning to read ingredients lists is a skill worth developing if you're serious about sticking to a Paleo approach. The most deceptive products are often marketed as “natural” or “healthy,” yet are packed with hidden nasties. Even “organic” products can include preservatives or sweeteners that don’t align with a Paleo lifestyle. Always start by checking how many ingredients are listed – and if there’s anything you wouldn’t cook with at home, put it back on the shelf.

Keep an eye out for alternative names for sugar, such as maltodextrin, glucose syrup, rice syrup, agave nectar, or evaporated cane juice. These are all refined and processed, even when dressed up with more wholesome-sounding names. Likewise, look for hidden sources of gluten like malt extract, hydrolysed wheat protein, or anything containing the word “barley” or “rye.”

Marketing Gimmicks and Greenwashing

Just because something is labelled “gluten free,” “low carb,” or “paleo-inspired” doesn’t mean it’s actually Paleo. Food marketers are savvy and know that slapping a few buzzwords on the packaging can appeal to health-conscious consumers. “Keto-friendly” doesn’t mean grain-free. “Dairy free” doesn’t mean it’s made from clean, recognisable ingredients. And “all natural” could still mean full of seed oils and preservatives.

True Paleo eating isn’t about following trends – it’s about opting for real, whole, unprocessed food. The moment something has to be shelf-stable for 12 months, you can bet something unnatural has been added. Make it a habit to ignore the front of the label entirely and flip straight to the ingredients list on the back. That’s where the truth lies.

Reframing Convenience

It’s easy to associate convenience with packaging – but what if you reframe convenience as preparation? If you batch cook on a Sunday and fill your fridge with roast veggies, boiled eggs, grilled chicken, and a jar of homemade sauce, you’ve made your weekday choices easier, healthier, and cheaper. That’s real convenience.

Having a few Paleo staples on hand means you’ll be less likely to reach for the bottled dressing or pre-packaged protein bar. A few minutes of planning each week can eliminate the need to compromise on quality just because you’re short on time.

The Slippery Slope of “Just This Once”

Perhaps the biggest risk with borderline processed foods is not what they contain – but what they represent. It’s easy to rationalise one small deviation, especially when it feels like a minor indulgence. But what starts as a “once off” treat can subtly lead back to old habits. The psychological effect of reintroducing packaged foods often snowballs faster than you think.

This doesn’t mean perfection is the only way forward. Life will always present moments when you have to make the best possible choice, not the perfect one. But the more honest you are with yourself about those decisions, the easier it becomes to stay intentional about your food choices.

Home-Made Alternatives That Taste Better

If you're tempted by a store-bought version of something you used to love, try making your own Paleo-friendly alternative instead. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to create versions of your favourites that taste better, nourish your body, and skip all the dodgy additives.

Craving tomato sauce? Simmer diced tomatoes, garlic, and herbs in olive oil. Blend until smooth.
Need mayo? Whisk egg yolks, lemon juice, and avocado oil until thick and creamy.
Want something sweet? Try a date and nut bar made with a food processor and five clean ingredients.

Most of the time, these homemade versions store well in the fridge and last several days. Plus, you’ll know exactly what’s in them – and what isn’t.

Social Situations and Shared Meals

One of the most common times processed foods sneak in is during shared meals or social events. You may not want to be “that person” reading every label at a friend’s barbecue or questioning ingredients at a dinner party. But there are respectful ways to honour your health without being awkward.

Bringing your own dish to share, politely declining mystery sauces, or eating beforehand are all viable options. If you do choose to eat something questionable, be honest with yourself about the choice and accept any consequences – whether it’s digestive discomfort or a temporary slip in energy. Awareness matters more than rigid rules.

Finding the Grey Area

Not everything is black and white, and not every Paleo enthusiast agrees on every ingredient. Some people tolerate small amounts of dark chocolate or raw honey. Others occasionally use almond flour baked goods or coconut aminos. The key is to find a balance that works for you while still staying as close to unprocessed, natural foods as possible.

If a product contains one or two borderline ingredients that you recognise, tolerate well, and don’t use often, it may be something you’re okay including occasionally. But if you find yourself justifying choices frequently, it might be time to reassess and simplify.

Building Your Own Standards

The Paleo label isn’t a pass or fail test. It’s a template to build your own standards around food. Start by asking: Does this food support my health? Will it nourish me or inflame me? Is it made from real ingredients I recognise and trust?

Once you develop your own non-negotiables, it becomes easier to shop, cook, and eat with confidence. For some, that might mean absolutely no seed oils. For others, it might mean prioritising grass-fed and pasture-raised meats. Your version of Paleo can evolve as your needs do – just make sure you’re moving forward, not back toward convenience culture.

Final Thoughts on the Paleo Litmus Test

In the end, the question “Is it Paleo?” isn’t really about the food at all – it’s about your values. Are you prioritising real nourishment, intentional living, and long-term health? If so, you’ll know what to do the next time you pick up a packet and feel unsure. The best foods rarely come in plastic. And if you have to ask? You probably already know the answer.

Are there some border-line foods that you consider Paleo? What do you buy that has an ingredients list?