My Simple Cave Man Diet Seems to Work!

There was a time when I lived in a little apartment only a block from the Las Vegas strip .I was happy to be a single guy, but I did not like my own cooking very much. For the price, it was so much easier to go to a buffet and there are some good ones. Unfortunately, I gained a lot of weight grazing the endless fields of food. When you put that together with the famous happy hour cheap drinks I did not feel very healthy .

Fortunately, I have some friends over in Hawaii who wanted me to come for a visit. I gave up my life in the city and moved over to the islands for awhile. I was fortunate to fall in with some real health nuts. I did not go so far as adopting their life style completely, but I did pick and choose from a lot of influences like the surfers and body builders. Since I don’t want to turn this into a recipe book, let me just run down some general ideas about my caveman diet.

Since our life is a circle, there is no starting and ending point. Let’s start with waking up in the morning. Drink lots of cool, clean water when you wake up. A cup of coffee is all right, but don’t overdo the sugar and cream. Some juice like orange or cranberries is good, but go for the fresh squeezed. Avoid concentrates or jugs loaded with sweeteners. Try some fresh carrot juice from the health food store. A whole grain bread toasted and some hard boiled egg whites makes a good breakfast. Forget about omelets with cheese, fried potatoes and bacon. Eat lightly in the morning. A little butter or cream cheese on your toast is all right, but no margarine. You can have a little jelly, but only the premium brands. If you like cereal, try granola.If you must use sugar, try the dark brown kind.

Give yourself plenty of time and don’t rush at all in the morning. There should not be any stress involved in eating .

Here are some tips about food, in general. I am no vegetarian, but here are a few thoughts about meat. From now on, no more hamburger. Just look at the run off fat and think about that pipe clogging junk going into your veins. In fact,don’t eat fat of any kind. Buy only chicken breasts and strip the skins off before cooking. Avoid the fatty dark meats. Forget about pork completely.

Make friends with fish. I am not talking about fish sticks or patties. Avoid anything that comes in a box or a bag. That crust is full of salt and MSG anyway. You don’t want to be consuming TV dinners or any prepared meals.

Get to know your meat department and see what kinds of fresh fish they have. Salmon and catfish are pretty good, but move up to the “Ahi” and “Mahi Mahi”, if available. Use pure virgin olive oil to cook with and avoid most other oils.

When it comes to vegetables, use a steamer or eat them raw. The greener the better! Say goodbye to potatoes and use rice sparingly. I like a half and half mix of white and brown rice which is more appealing than plain brown rice. Support your local farmers who grow organically and avoid genetically modified crops.

Eat healthy and not too much during the day. Save your big meal for the evening and make a big deal out of it. Don’t watch television or be unconscious when you should be savoring your meal. It’s all right to indulge a little as long as you don’t overdo it. It’s better to avoid snacking foods like chips and dips, but have a nice dessert if it makes you happy.

Of course, the subject of exercise has to come up. At the end of the day, it’s always good to have a walk or swim. It’s very calming and good for your sleep cycle to have some relaxing physical movement. Get away from the cars and crowds to have some time in the most natural environment available. Any exercise is better than none. Try pumping some iron every other day. The more muscle you have, the better to keep the fat off.

There are a variety of versions of the caveman diet and mine was derived from many sources. I was at 240 pounds when I started. Now I am down to 195 at six feet tall This seems to be my natural weight level and I have never felt more healthy than this.

One last bit of advice. Lay off the fast foods and no eating in your car. Take the time to enjoy eating or just give it up. Try this diet for a month and leave a comment to tell me how it worked for you.

Here are links to a couple of other articles I wrote:

The Meditteranean Diet Saved My Life
Three Iconic Figures of Fitness Inspired Me
A Layman’s Guide to Cholesterol Control

Thanks for reading.