January 27, 2009

5 x 5 Bench Press

21-15-9
   MedBall Squat Cleans, 20/10
   One Arm Snatch – Right, 40/20
   Kettlebell Swing, 2 pood
   One Arm Snatch – Left, 40/20

 
The Paleolithic Diet
There are a bunch of “diets” that have an early man focused. Neanderthal Diet, Caveman Diet… Depending on your views on creation, evolution and such you will find these site more or less annoying in their proselytizing. However the human race got here at this point in time, the nutrition principles apply, we are who we are and there is a best way to feed ourselves for maximum performance and health.

The caveman didn’t eat waffles or a bowl of cereal for breakfast. The truth is, unless he had something hanging in his cave or left in a bowl from the night before he had to leave the cave, kill something and drag it home. He ate what he could kill, pick or steal. Caveman probably didn’t eat as regularly as you do either. Since he didn’t have domesticated animals he wouldn’t have had milk. Paleo man ate animals and fish, found eggs and ate seasonal fruits and vegetables. The Paleo Diet asks you to do likewise.
 

From the invaluable Paleo site The Paleo Diet, here is the best summary of the Paleo Diet. I have it linked on the right in the nutrition links section.

Describe how The Paleo Diet works
With readily available modern foods, The Paleo Diet mimics the types of foods every single person on the planet ate prior to the Agricultural Revolution (a mere 500 generations ago). These foods (fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and seafood) are high in the beneficial nutrients (soluble fiber, antioxidant vitamins, phytochemicals, omega-3 and monounsaturated fats, and low-glycemic carbohydrates) that promote good health and are low in the foods and nutrients (refined sugars and grains, saturated and trans fats, salt, high-glycemic carbohydrates, and processed foods) that frequently may cause weight gain, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and numerous other health problems. The Paleo Diet encourages dieters to replace dairy and grain products with fresh fruits and vegetables — foods that are more nutritious than whole grains or dairy products.

How does The Paleo Diet differ from the glut of diet books constantly bombarding the public?
The Paleo Diet is the unique diet to which our species is genetically adapted. This program of eating was not designed by diet doctors, faddists, or nutritionists, but rather by Mother Nature’s wisdom acting through evolution and natural selection. The Paleo Diet is based upon extensive scientific research examining the types and quantities of foods our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate. This nutritional plan is totally unlike those irresponsible, low-carbohydrate, high-fat, fad diets that allow unlimited consumption of artery-clogging cheeses, bacon, butter, and fatty meats. Rather, the foundation of The Paleo Diet is lean meat, seafood, and unlimited consumption of fresh fruits and veggies.

 
I personally find some of that offensive. Any diet that excludes bacon and cheese is probably wrong and likely immoral. Tomorrow we will loosen the bounds of the Paleo diet a little for you… I will probably also explain why Paleo restricts these things while other plans don’t.

Grass fed beef and veggies sauted in olive oil - yum