Thursday, January 15, 2009

Captain Caveman

I have been wanting to read The Paleolithic Diet for Athletes for quite sometime. I decided last Saturday to pick up a copy at Borders and check it out. The main premise is that we should eat more like a caveman would. Lean meats, fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds. The original diet has been modified to incorporate some different carbs for endurance type athletes. The book seems to make a lot of sense, although I do not like the ubiquitous references to evolution and about some of our supposed ancestors. Although, after the Polar Bear Plunge with Trail Zombie, there may be some truth to it. Putting that aside, I agree wholeheartedly about eating fresh products close to its natural state as possible. Processed foods have been stripped of most of the essential nutrients and lot of them should not be labeled as food. Jack Lalanne has always said, "If man has made it is probably not good for you." Who can argue with Jack who is in his 90's.

I have been on the diet since Saturday, which I really struggle with the term "diet". This implies that it is something short term and not a lifestyle. Any thing we change in diet or exercise should be something that we originally plan on sticking with. I not opposed to trying something new and it not being feasible, but you should go in the with the mindset of it being a permanent change. It definitely has been a challenge to stick with it. I have felt at times that I have never been so hungry, yet I am eating all the time. I think part of the problem has been not taking in enough fat. I have added in some more almonds and walnuts to try and help that. I literally feel at times as if my stomach is going to reach out and smack my face and say, " Eat Some Dang Pasta!" I am going to give it a go a little longer, but I am not for sure how long it will last. Who will win the stomach or the mind?

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