Society as a whole is accustomed to eating three meals a day – along with a wide variety of snacks to tide us over until the next meal. But what if we did away with “mealtime” and instead simply ate when we were hungry?

What happens when 12:00 rolls around and you aren’t really hungry? Du you still eat lunch? Or do you wait another hour or two until you’re really hungry?

Most of us seem to think there’s something magical about eating meals at their appropriate time. But what would happen if you didn’t? You certainly won’t starve.

Granted, it’s probably easier for families with kids to eat meals on a set schedule. But why not try “eating when hungry” yourself? Bring a few breakfast and lunch items with you to work, and rather than follow the madding crowd, simply eat when you’re hungry. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Photo by kennymatic

**************************************************************************************************************************

Today’s Menu

• Three Tablespoons of Peanut Butter (ran out of eggs)
• Coffee with milk
• Two Trader Joe’s Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage
• Handful of Nuts
• More Coffee with Milk
• Two Trader Joe’s Sweet Italian Chicken Sausages
• Coke Zero

Today’s Workout

• Step Class at the YMCA

Today’s Weight

• 175 lbs.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I’ve tried so many different diets and weight loss plans over the years, I’ve lost count. I went to Weight Watchers. I did the 4 Day Wonder Diet. The Aitkins Diet. The Cabbage Soup Diet.

And I have to say, none of them worked very well for me.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to the realization that when I eat white things – sugar, bread, processed carbs – I feel sluggish. I gain weight. Or at least I don’t LOSE any weight.

Which led me to the conclusion, at age 42, that I should focus my diet on protein, fruits and vegetables – foods that are “closer to the earth,” shall we say.

I spend a lot of time reading magazines and books and browsing websites. A recent web discovery is Mark Sisson’s website, Mark’s Daily Apple, which backs up my realizations about that “closer to the earth” philosophy.

Mark is a former triathlete and the author of The Primal Blueprint, which I’ll be reviewing on Little Black Dress Fitness Tips. Mark’s nutrition and exercise philosophy consists of “following the direction of our evolutionary biology.” In other words, he believes in eating like our caveman ancestors -  lots of lean meats, fish, greens, nuts, vegetables and some fruits, and staying away from grains in general – not just processed carbs like bread and breakfast cereal, but ALL grains.

While it’s true that the human body needs carbohydrates, it doesn’t need as many carbs – or as many overly-processed carbs – as the typical person eats every day. The average Amercan consumes between 350 and 600 grams of carbs every day. Here’s a breakdown from The Primal Blueprint of the range of carbs consumed daily and the benefits or dangers associated with the amount:

• 300 or more grams/day - Danger Zone!
• 150-300 grams/day – Steady, Insidious Weight Gain
• 100-150 grams/day – Primal Blueprint Maintenance Range
• 50-100 grams/day – Primal Sweet Spot for Effortless Weight Loss
• 0-50 grams/day – Ketosis and Accelerated Fat Burning

And note that the majority of those carbs should come from vegetables and some fruits.

You could say that I’ve “gone primal” with my diet. About 90% of the foods I eat are protein, veggies, and some fruit. It’s pretty easy to stick to – I eat a lot of salad and chopped vegetables with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar (I’m NEVER going back to what the food industry calls “dressing”!), and lots of steak, hamburger, and chicken.

I’m not perfect – I can be tempted into some macaroni and cheese every now and then (like tonight – thanks Nick!), but for the most part, my craving for carbs has gone away.

The biggest benefit from eating this way is that I rarely get that stuffed, bloated, uncomfortable feeling I would get after eating a traditional meal filled with carbohydrates.

I’ll be participating in The Primal Blueprint Health Challenge over at Mark’s Daily Apple. Follow along, or join me for the thirty day challenge!

Photo by mckaysavage

**************************************************************************************************************************

Today’s Menu

• Three Scrambled Eggs with Veggies
• Coffee with milk
• Trader Joe’s Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage
• Chop Chop Salad – chopped cucumber, tomatoes, onions and avacodos drizzled with Trader Joe’s balsamic vinegar and olive oil
• Cheeseburger
• Small Side of Mac & Cheese

Today’s Workout

• 50 Situps
• 50 Lunges
• 50 Squats
• 50 Push Ups

Today’s Weight

• 176 lbs.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!