Did the Cavemen Have it Right?

What comes to mind when you think of a caveman? Probably a towering neanderthal-like man with rippling muscles foraging through the wilderness with a spear in one hand and a limp fish in the other. Depictions of cavemen are always hairy, always strong and always with a few extra pounds around the middle - oh wait!

Cavemen men were lean, mean, muscle machines!

A recent movement has rushed our nation. It’s name? The Paleo Diet. Maybe you have heard about it on popular talk shows or seen the name splashed across book covers at your local bookstore. The premise of this new diet?

Eat like a caveman and look like a caveman (you know...low body fat, rippling muscles, plentiful body hair...)

Loren Cordain, Ph.D., a professor of Health and Exercise Science at Colorado State University, recently penned the book The Paleo Diet in which he describes and promotes a pre-historic menu. Along with a decrease in bodyfat, Cordain says that followers of the diet will experience a lower risk for health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, many kinds of cancer, osteoporosis, asthma, and a host of digestive diseases, along with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Cordain goes on to say that most of the chronic illnesses of our time are a direct result of poor eating habits.

The Caveman Menu: So what did the cavemen eat? Great question! The parameters of the Paleo Diet can be summed up in 6 simple ground rules.

Rule #1: Eat all the lean meats, fish and seafood that you want.
Rule #2: Eat all the fruit and non-starchy vegetables that you want.
Rule #3: Cereal is not allowed.
Rule #4: Legumes are not allowed.
Rule #5: Dairy products are not allowed.
Rule #6: Processed foods are not allowed.
           
Rave Reviews: Despite its stringent requirements, the Paleo diet is converting new followers by the boatload. Most people report losing 10 or more pounds in their first month on the diet. Others say that when they eat like a caveman they no longer feel bloated and sleepy after meals.

Should You Eat Like a Caveman? So, in light of the proclaimed benefits above, should you throw out your spaghetti and breadsticks in exchange for a hunk of meat and pile of veggies?

Not so fast.
Though the Paleo diet has been proven to promote weight loss, times have changed since cavemen roamed the earth. Namely, who has time to hunt down a dinner of lean meat while nibbling on a handful of leafy greens?

Yeah...I didn't think so.

So, where do you go from here? You want to lose weight, to protect yourself from disease and to look and feel great, right? Of course you do.

A great solution, that doesn't require drastic dietary restrictions, is to gleam 3 sound bits of advice from the caveman - advice that will promote weight loss, decrease your risk of disease and will get you looking and feeling great.

1. Eat More Fruits and Veggies: You’ve heard it before, whether from your mother or through a '5 a day' campaign. So why is it that 5 daily servings of fruits and veggies still eludes you? Try keeping ready-to-eat produce on hand rather than produce that requires prep time. This will make for a healthy on-the-go snack, which can easily replace processed, packaged and nutrient-deficient convenience food.

2. Cut Down Processed Food Consumption: This goes hand-in-hand with eating more fruit and veggies! As was just mentioned, a simple way to promote weight loss and to encourage good health is to eliminate processed foods from your diet. When you replace processed foods with fresh produce your results will be phenomenal. Not only will you feel healthier, you will have more energy than you know what to do with!
* Want to eat a Paleo Perfect dinner? Check out my recipe below*

3. Be Active: Since you will need an outlet for all that extra energy, acquire a new hobby - one that gets you moving. Have you ever met a lazy caveman? Of course not. (And this is not just because you were born a few centuries too late!) Cavemen were forced to be active in order to survive. Hunt dinner. Build a fire. Move a fallen tree. Create shelter. You get the idea… If you want a lean, muscular body then exercise must become a part of your daily life.

This is where I come in! I want to meet with you, one-on-one, to design an exercise program that will fit your unique goals. Call or come in today to get started! 

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