Time to Man Up

Health/Fitness is a lifestyle.  Seemingly, it’s an un-American lifestyle, what with the obesity “epidemic” on the rise.  It doesn’t help that we’re in a country full of enablers, either.  Obesity is a disease.  Over-eating is a psychological problem.  That’s all well and good, if you’re going to overeat, overeat the RIGHT food!!  Problem solved!!

I grew up on the typical American diet, most meals based around a slab of meat with some potatoes and a veggie.  Throw in there the occasional fast food treat, loads of sugary drinks, ice cream, candy, cake, etc., etc., etc.  It’s a recipe for disaster and certainly not what’s best for our bodies.  With all the experts telling us to eat loads of grains and dairy, it’s hard to know what is best to eat.

I recently did a lot of research on the subject.  Read a few books, scoured the Internet, and talked to some people who seem to be pretty healthy.  No experts or anything, just people that are fit, real people.  I’ve come to the conclusion that the Paleo diet makes the most sense for me.

What is the Paleo diet?

In a nutshell, the Paleo diet is simply what our stone age ancestors used to eat.  Lean meats, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and nuts.  There is no calorie counting, no portion control, nothing like that.  I recently read the book “The Paleo Diet.”  It taught me a lot about how different foods affect our bodies and why the Paleo diet was the right choice for me.  The Paleo lifestyle has a virtually unlimited amount of delicious food that fits within the guidelines of the diet that  you can get at your local grocery store.  I’ve been on the diet for two weeks now, and I feel great.  I have energy all day long, with no lows from sugar withdrawal, and I’m rarely hungry.  If I am, I can snack all I want, as long as it’s on healthy food.  Again…lean meats, fruit, veggies, nuts, things like that.

What can’t I eat?

Things that are restricted on the diet are grains, processed foods, sugar, starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams), legumes (peanuts, peas, beans), and unhealthy fats.  Basically, everything that the caveman had access to is in the diet, the things they didn’t (which are things that came about with the Agricultural revolution) have access to are out.  It’s pretty simple.

If you’re looking for a way to lose weight or you just want to eat healthier, I highly recommend that you do your research and look into the Paleo way of life.  Take a look at the book I linked above, and also look at Robb Wolf’s 30 Day Total Transformation.

This is not some fad diet that will work for awhile and then stop.  This is a lifestyle change.  Not only will it help you lose weight and get to your optimum weight, it can help fight diseases, it will ensure you get the required amount of vitamins and minerals that your body requires for healthy living.  Don’t take my word for it, though, try it yourself.  It can’t hurt to give it a shot.  Try it for 30 days, and if you don’t feel and look better, then give it up.  I think you’ll find that you WILL feel and look better, though.  Comment below, let me know your thoughts, your experiences with it.