Paleo diet Book Review: Paleo Girl

A newly released book about the Paleo diet is personally reviewed by Team CommutaVie… 

Author: Leslie Klenke Release Date: June 2014  Summary: Paleo Girl is an instruction manual for teenage girls who want to live a Paleo/Primal lifestyle. It covers all aspects of growing up, from eating to skincare to peer pressure. The book starts with definitions and simple explanations about how our bodies work. The chapters move from the basics of food and exercise to hormones, sleep, and stress. There is a chapter with stories from other Primal girls, talking about their typical daily Paleo diet food, the hardest part of living Primal, their support system, and other challenges of growing up. The last section is devoted to recipes teenagers can cook themselves. Many of the foods discussed are fat burning foods.   Target Audience: This book is written for girls ages 11-21.  Book Structure/Layout: There are 7 Chapters, with a Glossary of common terms in the back.

• Chapter 1 – Diet 101: The Skinny

o   This chapter gives you the basics of aPrimal / Paleo diet, with high level explanations of terms such as organic, omegas, and pasture-raised. It lays out simple guidelines for everyday eating, with examples and lists.

• Chapter 2 – Fitness 101: Work it Girl

o   The focus here is on getting your body moving. Much of the chapter is devoted to a step-by-step guide – with pictures – of the essential stretching and fitness moves in order to achieve or maintain a healthy body.

• Chapter 3 – Life 101: The Other Important Stuff

o   Chapter 3 reminds girls about the importance of other functions in life: sleep, stress, and mental fitness.

• Chapter 4 – Puberty 101: The Down and Dirty

o   The book takes on this sensitive topic from odors to dating to hormones. It gives the “what and why”, as well as options to make life easier in each area. This is a long chapter, with a lot of solid information in it.

• Chapter 5 – Motivation 101: It’s a Date!

o   Contrary to the name, it’s not about boys but about how family and social circles deal with a girl’s decision to live Primal. This chapter focuses on how to cope with resistance and temptation, delving into topics of body image and illnesses such as bulimia.

• Chapter 6 – Success 101: Nailed It!

o   7 teens/young adults share their stories of success in an interview format that keeps the topic clear for the reader.

• Chapter 7 – DIY 101: Let’s Make It!
• The focus is on simple, inexpensive solutions to help girls stick to their chosen lifestyle, with basic recipes for all types of food (including fat burning foods), plus a smattering of beauty products

   Who Should Read This: Teenage girls & their moms  Level of Technical Detail: The book does a good job of balancing immediately useful information with technical detail. Readers aren’t overwhelmed with biology and physiology, and there’s a helpful Glossary in the back for reference. It’s definitely a “101” book – it assumes the audience has only heard about Paleo and is curious enough to start learning more.  Is it Worth It? Amy’s Opinion: Yes – I learned something, and there are recipes I’d like to try! My own teenage daughter is reading it now. Where to Buy: Most anywhere!

Here are a few common on-line stores:

http://www.primalblueprint.com/product/Paleo_Girl/Books_and_Media (there are free gifts if you buy through Primal Blueprint)

http://www.amazon.com/Paleo-Girl-Empower-Yourself-Awesome/dp/1939563135  

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