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Back To Basics- Ever heard of the caveman diet?

By Akinlolu Oluwamuyiwa
01 March 2017   |   11:23 am
  Keeping fit is a constant battle for most people. We spend majority of our life span aiming for the “perfect” body, so when a new diet surfaces we ask ourselves could this be it? Will I finally get the summer bikini body if I obey a few rigorous rules? Let's introduce you to the…

 

diet

Keeping fit is a constant battle for most people. We spend majority of our life span aiming for the “perfect” body, so when a new diet surfaces we ask ourselves could this be it? Will I finally get the summer bikini body if I obey a few rigorous rules?

Let’s introduce you to the Paleo diet, also known as the caveman diet, apparently the new in-thing that’s aimed at getting your body on track. According to Robb Wolf, a former research biochemist, health expert, and author of the New York Times bestseller The Paleo Solution, the diet is described as, “the healthiest way you can eat because it is the only nutritional approach that works with your genetics to help you stay lean, strong and energetic!” The basic deal with this diet is about taking us back to the Stone Age, essentially going back to our ancestral diet and excluding modern toxins, which cause heart diseases and obesity.

So how does this diet really work? According to the specialist, you should only be eating fruits, vegetables, lean meats, seafood, healthy fats, nuts and seeds. While we are advised to avoid grains, processed food, sugars, legumes, starch and alcohol, mostly everything we learned to make later in history like cheese. Would the diet work with our Nigerian meals? Let’s run this through your daily meal plan.

Breakfast

You’ll have to avoid eating those yams for breakfast! Those should be replaced with some lean meat, healthy fats and a fruit.  Prepare some sliced avocado with scrambled or boiled eggs and a piece or two of lean bacon.  Remember to replace your fatty oils with olive oil and you’ll be good to go! Also, dairy is a no-no, so that means no cereal with powdered milk and refined excessive sugar.

 

Snack time!

It is inevitable that you’ll eventually get hungry between breakfast and lunch, so keep it light and simple.  Avoid the small chops or the meat pies and get yourself an apple with a reasonable size, perhaps a hand full of cashew nuts. Note that peanuts (groundnuts) are not allowed because they are considered to be legumes.

 

Lunch

Sticking to the Nigerian way of life, we can have some spicy stir-fry using olive oil or palm oil (unrefined) as these oils contain mostly saturated fats, followed by monounsaturated fats and are excellent cooking oils because they are much stable options when it meets heat and light. You can add in some ugwu leaf, with some lean beef or fish and chopped up sweet potatoes. Make it look pretty by throwing in some onions, red, green and yellow peppers also for better seasoning. Although sweet potatoes are high in sugar, it is allowed in moderate portions because while they influence blood sugar levels, it doesn’t occur rapidly. Swallows are carb heavy and should be excluded from the diet but you can eat soups such as egusi, okra and vegetable soup (with paleo-approved oil). Replace your heavy carb load with protein, as this fills you up just as effectively as carbs.

 

Snack time! Again

Not every snack time is necessary, but many people focus better when they’re snacking or get a bit peckish during the day. So, ignore that bag of chips and have a cup of green or herbal tea with some walnuts.

 

Dinner

As this meal happens much later in the day, there’s absolutely no need to overeat and remember, having dinner much earlier than later always works better for you. There’s a variety of lean protein to choose from, you can have skinless chicken or turkey with lightly fried or steamed broccoli and cabbage. You can occasionally add some white rice, not brown rice into your paleo diet, to be eaten in extreme moderation if you’re trying to lose weight and great if you’re trying to add mass on the paleo diet.  

There you have it!  The paleo diet is possible with some minor tweaks to your everyday eating habits.  The most important thing about diets is that they’re most effective when you can stick to the meal regulations and a workout plan. Would this diet work for you? Now that’s for you to try and find out.

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