“If you desire good nutrition, don’t waste your money on so-called health foods.  If you want stronger, larger muscles, learn to exercise intensely but briefly.  Don’t waste your money on mega dosages of vitamins or on protein bars or shakes.  Don’t get snookered into the notion of amino acids and anabolic lingo.

“Forget the idea that you can eat your way to super health.  The notion is great marketing, because it plays into the hands of what people already want to believe.  But it is bad science.

“If you are concerned with losing fat and if you intend to become lean and defined: control your caloric intake.  Caloric accounting is the only common denominator to measure and track the heat value of foods and assess their ability to add or nor to add to your body fat.”

Well said, especially since our goal is to regain a ‘lean and defined’ physique, not to create a bodybuilder’s mass of non-functional muscle.  So focus on eating lean protiens, lots of non-starchy vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts and seeds and avoid as much as possible all other foods and non-foods.

It begins with the understanding that to create and improve on one’s health and fitness you most know that diet and what you fuel yourself with during the course of the day makes up 70-80 percent of your effort; the other 20-30 percent is done on the field of battle (or as we perform it today – play.

It has often been said that you cannot outwork a crummy diet.  This is ever so true, my new warriors.  That is why we will focus on the discussion of what type of diet to choose – and there are many paths here as well.  Some will follow a plan that is vegan, others, lacto-vegan, some vegetarian, and others a meal plan of paleo and primal eating that is heavily focused on lean proteins (meat, fish, fowl), lots of green vegetables, some fruit and the avoidance of most grains.

There is no one perfect path to follow when it comes to diet, but trying to eat as our ancestors did would lead us to believe that some kind of Paleo Diet was most likely the optimal choice.  I am going to go with Mark Sission (Mark’s Daily Apple) and choose his Primal Eating Plan for myself.  It seems to to give me all the benefits of a paleo program and lots of leeway for eating without spending hours in the kitchen preparing meals.

As for our exercises, we will begin slowly and with the understanding that until we can master own body weight, we really have no business handling other weights (dumbbells, barbells, heavy rocks, etc.).  Basic body weight exercise movements, some simple yoga movements, and a cardio plan that is based on short bursts of high output, rest, repeat, will make up our physical training to start.  As we progress, we will add more movements, some basic free weight exercises, adapt some of our cardio exercises, and always, always focus on eating as clean and primal as we can (no, we’re not going to catch the deer and eat it raw, and yes, we will be using utensils).

So join the Slow Fitness / Slow Food movement with me and let’s get ourselves back into the shape and physical condition we were meant to have by our creator.

I have ordered the “Primal Blueprint” book from Mark’s Daily Apple and should have it in a few days; meanwhile, I’ll be focusing on learning and memorizing the 10 Primal Blueprint Laws:

1.) Eat lots of plants and animals

2.) Avoid poisonous things

3.) Move frequently at a slow pace

4.) Lift heavy things

5.) Sprint once in a while

6.) Get adequate sleep

7.) Play

8.)  Get adequate sunlight

9.) Avoid stupid mistakes

10.) Use your brain

As Chuck at www.chuckpruitt.wordpress.com says, “It’s never too late to become what you were meant to be.”