A good spear, a loin cloth, and a cave.

teflon isn't paleo, it actually leeches chemicals into teh food

You don't really NEED anything to start paleo except a good understanding of the principles, and a bit of time to find good food and learn to cook it.

When you're ready to start replacing things, though, this list was gleaned from having done a 2 month x-country road trip in 2 packs (on a motorbike), and it's where we recommend starting from, when you're ready to get your home into the game along with your head and body:

Cooking:

• Cast iron dutch oven w/ skillet cover OR 2 Cast iron skillets
• 3 wooden spoons (one with spatulate top)
• silicone spatula
• 10 qt stock pot (enameled or stainless steel)
• Good set of knives (particularly butcher's and paring)
• Wisk
• masher
• Reliable source of cooking heat
• cloth bag(s) for collecting food, greens, etc. (or for shopping at convenient farmer's markets in the area)

Exercise:

Body -- everything you need to do you can do with the body you've got. If you're gonna wear shoes, make sure you've got good ones, though -- injuries will NOT help your fitness program. (I'm a fool for my Vibrams and Zems)

These suited us, and we figured out that the rest were just bonuses--not that bonuses don't make things a LOT easier, but from an ancestrally-minded perspective, we need a lot less than we think we do.

1. Your significant other on board. Maybe not a "necessity" but it sure helps. If you don't have a significant other (or your current s.o. is dragging you down), the improved body comp, skin, energy level, sex drive, and teeth will allow you to be more selective in choosing a mate....so you can pick one who's down with the paleo scene.

2. The ability to apply the principles to any situation and think on your feet...("OMG, I HAVE to go to Applebee's for a work party...what do I do?")

3. Thick skin. It doesn't do ANY of us (including yourself) any good to lash out at peoples' ridiculous comments about your newfound way of life. Be respectful and answer any questions. However, the resulting cortisol release because of the frustration with others' stupidity will only blunt your progress, especially if it involves step #1.

4. A good stand mixer (great for shredding cooked meats, making homemade whipped cream, beating eggs, etc.) I also have the meat grinding attachment for mine, so I buy cuts of meat and make my own burger....HMMMMMMMM

5. As others have mentioned, cast iron skillets and a dutch oven. A good toaster oven for reheating is a huge plus, as well.

6. A Sams' Club or Cosco membership, for buying butter and whipping cream in bulk (if you're cool w/dairy) as well as veggies and meats (unless you can afford to buy everything from the local farmer's market).

7. A way to pre-plan your meals. I have a google spreadsheet with a plethora of menu items. Every Sunday we plan out our meals for the week and put them in our Google Calendar and we make sure we have the raw materials ahead of time. We both work so it's hard to shoot from the hip. Shooting from the hip often leads to neolithic crap.

8. A good chest freezer. During good years, I may bag two or three deer, so it's nice to have somewhere to keep the meat, as well as any other meat I pick up in bulk. I will often buy tons of bacon, hamburger, chicken breasts, etc. when they are on sale. You can't do that with a tiny freezer.

9. A well-stocked spice rack and a knowledge of cooking. If you can't cook, get some paleo cookbooks. It's really not that hard. If you run out of ideas, you're just being lazy. Deal with it and move on.

10. (Most important) The desire to live a longer, more productive, and healthier life, free of the agendas perpetuated by the FDA, Pfizer, Kraft, the Corn Refiners Association, or anybody else who wants to keep us all sick, fat, and depressed.

Welcome, Charles.

Here are my thoughts, though there are other similar threads as well, i.e. on minimalist cooking.

One, get rid of teflon. It's got a lot of bad stuff in it, and in my mind isn't in line with the paleo lifestyle. Just my opinion. Instead, invest in good cast iron. My skillet set doubles as a dutch oven (one skillet makes the lid). Thus I don't need a pot or pan.

Two, if you want to exercise in a more paleo way, bodyweight is really all you need in my mind. If you get to a point where something like a pull-up bar seems good, then go for it. For some good simple exercises, checkout Hillfit.com by Chris Highcock. Great stuff for strength and endurance. Also check out http://www.wildmovement.com/ There are some good free resources there of ways to paleo exercise without investing in equipment.

Three, if you want to start barefooting, that's a really cheap and easy way to reconnect with the earth. My only pair of shoes are Vibram FiveFingers, so I get the barefoot feeling wherever I go. If you're into that sort of thing, they are a good investment.

Lastly, anything you get, make sure it is something you enjoy. For example, I love my Vibrams, and my skillets or ulu cutting board. They're simple and efficient, but most of all they enrich the process of living paleo. If some item won't do that, don't get it. Paleo should be about feeling good and living well.

Totally minimalist kitchen? 1 sharp chefs knife, 1 cutting board, 1 enameled cast iron pan, 1 saucepan, 1 can opener (for tuna and coconut milk). Beyond absolute minimum, I'd add a second saucepan and a crockpot.

For exercise, my minimum would be a pull-up bar and an elastic band for rotator cuff work. Often those are the only pieces of equipment I use in combination with bodyweight exercise.

Don't forget your "beauty products." Water, baking soda, sea salt and coconut oil.

It's so interesting to me that many of us find Paleo along the path from Minimalism.

I am now a firm believer that health is generally 80% diet 20% exercise, so I would recommend focusing on the diet first. I got rid of 50 pounds in my first 3 months on almost diet alone, with the idea to take it easy on the exercise for the first 6 months until I get back to a healthy weight range.

I would also recommend skipping the weights entirely for awhile and stick to full body-weight exercises and movements. Stuff like this and this. You can always add in some heavy lifting down the road if you like.

Essential cooking tools for me (in addition to a good knife and cutting board) so far include: the oven, a baking pan, a cast iron skillet, tongs, metal and rubber spatulas, a crock pot, and a wooden spoon.

I definitely second the dutch oven/cast-iron skillet suggestions. Those two and a stock pot can pretty much do anything you need them to in the kitchen. As for exercise, the only two things I use are a doorway pull-up bar, and a sandbag. I have Vibrams that I wear in the summer when I can't go barefoot, and this winter I've been wearing Soft Stars.

What are the items that are most necessary for starting to live Paleo? What group of items would cover most of my needs for the least money?

• Search on craigslist for a cast-iron pan, you can even use it in the oven. You can use it for anything and everything, bacon, eggs, sauces, steak, stir fries, fish, even soups and curries if you're making a small amount.
• If you can afford a chef's knife, great, if not, any knife will do, really.
• One wooden spoon.
• A cutting board, I use wood.
• Pint-sized Mason jars to store individual-serving leftovers!

These items are basically all that I use every single day.

As for exercise, I don't like it "forced exercise", so the cheapest and most effective thing I can suggest to you is a jumping rope!

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[1]: http://Bialetti Aeternum Eco-Friendly 10 1/4" Nonstick Saute Pan