Three Ways to Be as Fit as your Hunter-Gatherer Ancestor

Why adopting a paleo-inspired lifestyle still makes sense.

“Going paleo” (short for the Palaeolithic era — the age of stone tools and hunter-gatherers) had its big moment about 20 years ago. It was also one of the first eating approaches that actually supported me to lose some weight. Yes, the paleo trend received a bit of criticism, mostly because some people pushed it to extremes, but I still think the basic idea makes sense. Humans evolved over millions of years to eat certain foods and live a physically active life — walking, gathering, climbing, hunting. Then agriculture arrived, and more recently, ultra-processed foods that our hunter-gatherer ancestors wouldn’t even recognise as food. Add modern desk jobs and the fact that physical activity is mostly optional, and it’s no surprise our bodies feel out of sync.

From a biological point of view, we are not that different from our hunter-gatherer ancestors.

The idea behind “going paleo” isn’t to live in a cave — it’s simply about eating and moving more like our ancestors did. Here are three practical ways to bring a bit of the paleo approach into modern life:

#1 Eat whole and unprocessed food

The core of the paleo approach is simple: focus on real, whole foods. Think fresh vegetables and fruit, eggs, meat, seafood, poultry, nuts and seeds. Traditionally, paleo leaves out farming-era foods like grains and dairy. For me, that actually worked brilliantly — I’m lactose- and gluten-intolerant, so cutting those out made a huge difference to my health.

But not everyone’s built the same. Some people have ancestry that adapted well to grains and dairy over the past few thousand years, and they can tolerate them just fine — even thrive on them. Paleo also tends to avoid legumes like beans and lentils, but if you’re vegan, those foods become essential.

So, the real takeaway? Use the principle — eat whole, minimally processed food — but shape it in a way that fits your biology, your lifestyle, and your values.

#2 Skip the foods your body wasn’t built for

Right at the top of the “avoid” list are sugar and sweetened drinks. Our bodies can handle sugar — just not at the levels most of us are eating (and yes, sadly, alcohol fits into this category too). Artificial sweeteners aren’t much better. Even though they contain little or no sugar, they still trigger our sweet-taste sensors, which can confuse the hormonal signals that regulate appetite and blood sugar. Many of them also seem to have unwanted effects on our gut microbes.

Ultra-processed foods in general are worth steering clear of, but industrial seed oils deserve a special mention. Oils like sunflower, soy, and corn are extremely high in omega-6 fatty acids, which throws off the natural balance between omega-6 and omega-3 in the body. That imbalance can tip the scales toward inflammation — something most of us already have too much of.

#3 Move the way your body was designed to move

So how did our hunter-gatherer ancestors actually move? In short: a lot. Hunting and gathering meant hours of walking every day. Studies on the Hadza people in Tanzania — one of the few remaining hunter-gatherer groups — show they average 15,000 to 17,500 steps a day. And it wasn’t just walking. They sometimes had to sprint away from danger, climb trees, swim across rivers, and carry the day’s haul back to camp.

You get the picture. A “paleo-style” approach to movement would be varied, natural, and built into daily life. Even a long lunchtime walk is a great start. And wherever possible, do it outdoors. Sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D — essential for immunity, bone health, mood, and overall wellbeing.

Conclusion

The paleo approach offers a simple shortcut for figuring out what might actually support our health. It’s no surprise that most advice for a healthy lifestyle overlaps: eat plenty of vegetables, avoid sugar and ultra-processed foods, and move your body regularly. Applying these principles in real life, though, often requires a more personalised approach — one that considers your ancestry, health history, habits, lifestyle, values, and preferences. As a Nutritionist and Health Coach, I work with clients to develop a tailored plan that fits their unique profile and long-term goals. And the best part? Not a single mammoth needs to be hunted in the process 😊

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