Have you ever really looked at the eating habits of the animal kingdom? Most animals, insects and even fish have a very simple diet. They eat the same types of food every meal, every day. They either eat meat, or vegetables, or fruit. There are very few omnivores in the animal kingdom that can eat from more than one of these food groups and even fewer that can eat from all three. Man is at the top of the food chain and is an omnivore that can eat from all three or these food groups. The problem with our diet is that we've added another food group to the list and that is why we are getting fat.
The Cave Man Diet is based on the idea that man was designed to eat a certain way. If you believe in Creation, then what was the diet in The Garden of Eden? Meat, vegetables, fruit and water were the diet of Adam and Eve. If you believe in Darwinism, then man evolved from the cave man and his diet was meat, vegetables, fruit and water. No matter what you believe in, what was the diet of early mankind? Meat, vegetables, fruit, and water is what they ate. That is what our bodies were designed to eat.
DIETS DO NOT WORK! That is as plain as I can say it. I'm 43 years old and have been on many diets. Each time I loose some weight and then gain it back. The Cave Man Diet isn't a diet where you have to get special foods; it is plain regular foods you get from the grocery store. They are everyday foods that we all know are good for us. Beef, chicken, and fish are probably a part your every day diet already. The problem is that it's wrapped in a bun or fried. Adding vegetables and fruit to your daily meals just makes good sense.
This is about a lifestyle change. This is about putting down the sugary food and the breads and eating basic food like people were meant to do. The cave man was a hunter-gatherer. He hunted his meat, gathered his vegetables and fruit, and ate with his tribe. Try cooking meat and some vegetables, and sitting down with your family for a meal. Nothing beats it.
**** Before starting any diet, consult with your doctor first. ****
I figure I better say that before some idiot tried to sue me.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
My Results:
I started this diet around the end of March 2007, after just turning 43 years old. I weighed almost 330 pounds. That's the heaviest I've ever been in my life. The first month I lost almost 20 pounds. Of course I was on the diet more strictly back then. If a cave man couldn't have or wouldn't have eaten it, then I wouldn't. After that I relaxed a little. This is more about a lifestyle change for me than anything else. I want to loose enough weight so I can take hang gliding lessons in the spring of 2008.
Since my first month of loosing 20 pounds, I've consistently lost weigh every month, even the month when I went on vacation for a week. I lost about 5 pounds a month for a while and then I started to level out. This meant that the weight quit coming off. So I started exercising in late September by joining a karate class. I take classes twice a week and we exercise and work on our moves for 30 minutes. I'm a Yellow belt now and should have my Orange belt in December. The Karate classes have helped the weight to come off a little quicker. In October I hit the 50-pound mark. Right now it looks like I'm going to loose at least another 5 to 10 pounds in November.
The belt that I really love to show people is the belt that holds up my pants. I've had to drill holes in it as new notches for it. The notch that I'm using now is 5 inches from where it was in March.
Since my first month of loosing 20 pounds, I've consistently lost weigh every month, even the month when I went on vacation for a week. I lost about 5 pounds a month for a while and then I started to level out. This meant that the weight quit coming off. So I started exercising in late September by joining a karate class. I take classes twice a week and we exercise and work on our moves for 30 minutes. I'm a Yellow belt now and should have my Orange belt in December. The Karate classes have helped the weight to come off a little quicker. In October I hit the 50-pound mark. Right now it looks like I'm going to loose at least another 5 to 10 pounds in November.
The belt that I really love to show people is the belt that holds up my pants. I've had to drill holes in it as new notches for it. The notch that I'm using now is 5 inches from where it was in March.
The Cave Man Diet Plan:
The Cave Man Diet is an easy one, except for the first three weeks. The first three weeks you need to limit yourself to 22 carbohydrates a day. This is to break the sugar addiction in the body. The problem is that sugar cravings are as bad as trying to quit smoking, but they don't last as long. The way to help break these cravings is to take calcium supplements. Calcium helps to get over the meanness that comes from breaking the sugar addiction. Also take daily vitamins.
After three weeks, treat yourself and go out and cheat on the diet. That's right Cheat! I take at least one meal a week and I cheat big time. That is when I fill that craving that has been bothering me all week. I love to get a fried seafood platter, or a bag full of soft tacos, or a cheeseburger plate with french fries and onion rings. It's just one meal a week so it doesn't throw you off course that badly. That is another great thing about this diet, it's easy to jump off and back on to it.
After three weeks, treat yourself and go out and cheat on the diet. That's right Cheat! I take at least one meal a week and I cheat big time. That is when I fill that craving that has been bothering me all week. I love to get a fried seafood platter, or a bag full of soft tacos, or a cheeseburger plate with french fries and onion rings. It's just one meal a week so it doesn't throw you off course that badly. That is another great thing about this diet, it's easy to jump off and back on to it.
My Version of The Cave Man Diet:
This is the way I work my version of the Cave Man Diet. You can make your version anyway you like it, there are no diet police here. I get up in the morning and have a huge mug of coffee. (I know, cave men didn't have a French Press coffee maker.) I sweeten it with an artificial sweeter and use Coffeemate, sugar free, french vanilla cream in it. This mug of coffee has between 2 and 3 carbs in it. By the way, it's a big mug of coffee, about 3 cups. However, that is all I have for breakfast. The surprising thing is, I used to be the type person who started the day with a huge breakfast, not anymore. That mug of coffee last me about 3 to 4 hours.
Lunchtime is my big meal of the day. I make a steak or a chicken leg and eat some vegetables with it. I have enough to fill me up. Later on in the day, if I get hungry, I'll have an apple of some raisins or something like that as a snack. Lately though I've been chowing down on cheese sticks.
For supper I usually have meat and vegetables again. A nice roast or whatever but I cook plenty of it. I save the leftovers for lunch the next day. I make sure I don't eat too much for supper. I just eat till I'm satisfied. That's because bed time is coming up soon and there is no reason to go to bed with a full stomach, if you do it will all just turn to fat anyway.
If I forget to pack the leftovers for lunch, then I go to the drive through for lunch and order a burger or two from the value menu. I throw away the bun and eat the meat with the lettuce and tomato. That's a steak and salad right there.
Lunchtime is my big meal of the day. I make a steak or a chicken leg and eat some vegetables with it. I have enough to fill me up. Later on in the day, if I get hungry, I'll have an apple of some raisins or something like that as a snack. Lately though I've been chowing down on cheese sticks.
For supper I usually have meat and vegetables again. A nice roast or whatever but I cook plenty of it. I save the leftovers for lunch the next day. I make sure I don't eat too much for supper. I just eat till I'm satisfied. That's because bed time is coming up soon and there is no reason to go to bed with a full stomach, if you do it will all just turn to fat anyway.
If I forget to pack the leftovers for lunch, then I go to the drive through for lunch and order a burger or two from the value menu. I throw away the bun and eat the meat with the lettuce and tomato. That's a steak and salad right there.
What To Eat?:
The problem with any diet is, "What to fix?" I like my vegetables with butter or sour cream on them. I love salads and even though Ranch dressing and Italian are best for this diet, I use 1000 Island. I make a great spinach casserole with butter, sour cream, onions, and 3 different types of cheeses. For a snack I have 5-can salad. (That’s a can of french cut green beans, a can of mushrooms, a can of diced tomatoes, a can of corn, and a can of kidney beans. Drain the mixture and then add a little sweetener and Italian dressing. Keep in the fridge and have when you need a snack.) Cheese sticks work well for on the go eating.
I like to grill my meats. Chicken leg quarters are very cheap and make great leftovers. Steaks taste better from the grill and so do some vegetables. If I can find a roast on sale, I love the crock-pot for that. I put it in before I go to work with a bunch of spices, veggies, and some water, when I come home, wow, the aroma lets me know I have something special waiting.
Whatever you decide to cook, take it easy on the starchy vegetables, leave off the bread, and keep the sugar off the table. Also, remember to eat some fruit, but stay away from fruit drinks. Take it easy on the milk and read the label on the other dairy foods to keep the carbs low. Try to find sauces that are low in fructose, molasses, and sugar.
I like to grill my meats. Chicken leg quarters are very cheap and make great leftovers. Steaks taste better from the grill and so do some vegetables. If I can find a roast on sale, I love the crock-pot for that. I put it in before I go to work with a bunch of spices, veggies, and some water, when I come home, wow, the aroma lets me know I have something special waiting.
Whatever you decide to cook, take it easy on the starchy vegetables, leave off the bread, and keep the sugar off the table. Also, remember to eat some fruit, but stay away from fruit drinks. Take it easy on the milk and read the label on the other dairy foods to keep the carbs low. Try to find sauces that are low in fructose, molasses, and sugar.
Sauces:
The right sauce makes the meal. The problem is that most sauces are made with molasses, high fructose corn syrup, or sugar. Be sure to read the label before using or buying a sauce. Let's say you want a nice barbecue sauce, well they are all made with something sweet. You need to look for the one that has the lowest carbs. However, you also need to find one that tastes good. Try to meet somewhere in the middle on this subject.
Sauces can make or break a diet. Whatever you buy, be sure to use it sparingly. That includes Ketchup.
Sauces can make or break a diet. Whatever you buy, be sure to use it sparingly. That includes Ketchup.
Water:
It is very important to drink water every day. You and everybody else in the world by now has heard about the 8 glasses a day water system. If you can stand it, go for it. I can't stand it though. When I first started to drink water on this diet I figured it up this way. Eight glasses of water a day, each glass is eight ounces, so 8 ounces X 8 glasses = 64 ounces. That's the same amount as a 2-litre bottle. So I took an empty 2-litre bottle that used to have some diet soda in it and rinsed it out and replaced it with water. Then I put my new water jug into the refrigerator. The next day I drank that 2-litre bottle inside of 30 minutes and thought, "Well that's out of the way." I was very pleased with myself till I got the worse headache.
I found out that they mean 8 glasses, 8 different times during the day. Do not over indulge in your water intake. If you don't get all the water in by the end of the day, don't try to make up for it before going to bed, it makes for a long night of trips to the rest room. As for myself, I try to get in 4 to 8 glasses a day. I do my best but I'm not going to over do it.
I found out that they mean 8 glasses, 8 different times during the day. Do not over indulge in your water intake. If you don't get all the water in by the end of the day, don't try to make up for it before going to bed, it makes for a long night of trips to the rest room. As for myself, I try to get in 4 to 8 glasses a day. I do my best but I'm not going to over do it.
Rambling Diatribe on Sugars:
Mankind did not live on white bread while we were evolving or after we were created. We were not designed to live on bread, nor snack cakes, or whole grain bars, or cereals. Grain is a product that the Cave Man didn't eat. As a matter of fact, what do they feed a cow to fatten it up? Grain.
It wasn't till much later that man learned to take a seed from a type of grass and turn it into flour. Bread evolved from man's intelligence but it is not a food that should be a staple in our meals. Grains are a starch that turns to sugar in the blood stream. Sugar is not a product the body was designed to run on as a constant fuel.
My Ex-wife has been diabetic since she was 7 years old. In the 10 years I was married to her, I learned a lot about the effects of too much insulin on the body. It can destroy organs, weaken blood vessels, and it can add fat cells to the body. If you put sugar into your blood stream, the pancreas has to react and produce insulin to counter the extra sugar in your body. The idea here is to lower the body's use of the pancreas.
So, is this a "Low Carb" diet? Yes and no. The first three weeks are designed to cut the body's dependence on sugar. Did you know that you are probably addicted to sugar? Sugar is a very addictive product. The tobacco industry found out how addictive sugar is and added it to cigarettes. They knew that nicotine is addictive but they wanted it more addictive so they added a little sugar to the tobacco. This made cigarettes 10 times more addictive that nicotine alone.
Man is designed to handle some sugars in moderation. Apples have natural sugars in them and so do most fruits. That is why we were made with the pancreas in the first place, to handle these natural sugars. There are starches in corn and many other vegetables too, and these are things that primitive man ate too. So why are these acceptable? I look to the American Indian for that answer. Maze, or corn, was a staple of the American Indian diet. They lived long, health lives with this starch in their diet. However, look at the American Indian now. They have the highest rate of diabetes for any demographic in America. What was the diet of the American Indian before the Europeans came to this land? Meat, vegetables, fruit, water. They used the vegetable corn to make their bread from, not wheat.
African Americans have similar problems when it comes to diabetes as the American Indians. They have a much higher rate than White Americans for diabetes and diabetes ravages their bodies much worse than it does White Americans. The traditional diet of the African people did not include the high use of sugar either.
Did you know that the average American eats 142 pounds of sugar a year? That's over a third of a pound a day of sugar.
Sugar is billed as an almost healthy food in America. Sugar is "Fat Free". Put sugar between two slices of whole wheat bread and you have a sandwich that is very low in fat. Have you noticed how bigger people have gotten since they started pushing "Fat Free"? Those "Fat Free" but sugar-loaded devil's food cakes are not good for you. They even try to sell you sugar coated, fat free cereals as being healthy.
"I've lost weight on the low fat, high carb diet though”. Yes you have, but did you keep it off? I didn't. The reason is because of the addictive power of sugar keeps drawing you back in. Sugar is a quick burn food while protein is a slow and steady burn food. Like those energy drinks that give you a boost, when they burn out, you feel drained, that is what sugar does to you. How do you get over that drained feeling? Eat more sugary food. The cycle continues and you get fatter.
Using just fat as a food source isn't the best for your either. That is why this diet does not promote eating fatty foods. This is about eating smart. Meat give you protein that gives your muscles what they need to function. The vegetables give you nutrition. The fruit gives you a healthy boost, a sweet treat, and vitamins.
It wasn't till much later that man learned to take a seed from a type of grass and turn it into flour. Bread evolved from man's intelligence but it is not a food that should be a staple in our meals. Grains are a starch that turns to sugar in the blood stream. Sugar is not a product the body was designed to run on as a constant fuel.
My Ex-wife has been diabetic since she was 7 years old. In the 10 years I was married to her, I learned a lot about the effects of too much insulin on the body. It can destroy organs, weaken blood vessels, and it can add fat cells to the body. If you put sugar into your blood stream, the pancreas has to react and produce insulin to counter the extra sugar in your body. The idea here is to lower the body's use of the pancreas.
So, is this a "Low Carb" diet? Yes and no. The first three weeks are designed to cut the body's dependence on sugar. Did you know that you are probably addicted to sugar? Sugar is a very addictive product. The tobacco industry found out how addictive sugar is and added it to cigarettes. They knew that nicotine is addictive but they wanted it more addictive so they added a little sugar to the tobacco. This made cigarettes 10 times more addictive that nicotine alone.
Man is designed to handle some sugars in moderation. Apples have natural sugars in them and so do most fruits. That is why we were made with the pancreas in the first place, to handle these natural sugars. There are starches in corn and many other vegetables too, and these are things that primitive man ate too. So why are these acceptable? I look to the American Indian for that answer. Maze, or corn, was a staple of the American Indian diet. They lived long, health lives with this starch in their diet. However, look at the American Indian now. They have the highest rate of diabetes for any demographic in America. What was the diet of the American Indian before the Europeans came to this land? Meat, vegetables, fruit, water. They used the vegetable corn to make their bread from, not wheat.
African Americans have similar problems when it comes to diabetes as the American Indians. They have a much higher rate than White Americans for diabetes and diabetes ravages their bodies much worse than it does White Americans. The traditional diet of the African people did not include the high use of sugar either.
Did you know that the average American eats 142 pounds of sugar a year? That's over a third of a pound a day of sugar.
Sugar is billed as an almost healthy food in America. Sugar is "Fat Free". Put sugar between two slices of whole wheat bread and you have a sandwich that is very low in fat. Have you noticed how bigger people have gotten since they started pushing "Fat Free"? Those "Fat Free" but sugar-loaded devil's food cakes are not good for you. They even try to sell you sugar coated, fat free cereals as being healthy.
"I've lost weight on the low fat, high carb diet though”. Yes you have, but did you keep it off? I didn't. The reason is because of the addictive power of sugar keeps drawing you back in. Sugar is a quick burn food while protein is a slow and steady burn food. Like those energy drinks that give you a boost, when they burn out, you feel drained, that is what sugar does to you. How do you get over that drained feeling? Eat more sugary food. The cycle continues and you get fatter.
Using just fat as a food source isn't the best for your either. That is why this diet does not promote eating fatty foods. This is about eating smart. Meat give you protein that gives your muscles what they need to function. The vegetables give you nutrition. The fruit gives you a healthy boost, a sweet treat, and vitamins.
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