The Power of the Warrior Diet

Creating the ‘Warrior Instinct’ through food and exercise is the basis of the Warrior Diet, developed by Ori Hofmekler. As Editor-In-Chief of the men’s fitness publication Mind & Muscle Power, and former fitness columnist for Penthouse magazine, Ori has zoned in on a strength-based, endurance mentality for eating and working out. The Warrior Diet is based on the principles of cyclical eating, in combination with intensive and powerful training. The emphasis on the warrior mentality is based on the Roman cultures of centuries ago; Ori insists that Roman and Greek warriors became lean, mean, fighting machines through a very simple and basic nutrition strategy, and by building physical stamina with specific exercises.

The diet and nutritional components of the Warrior Diet focus on sustainable, raw, and natural approaches to eating. It is not necessarily an ‘all-or-nothing’ approach, although many might consider it akin to fasting. The focus of the Warrior Diet is instead on the impact of large and small meals, and the benefits of ‘undereating’ in order to revitalize the body. Over a period of time, undereating will of course create a fat burning state. However, you are not required to undereat. Instead, the approach is based on whole and natural foods, away from the processed and packaged goods lining common supermarket shelves. The Warrior Diet is not ‘low-carb’ in anyway; it embraces carbohydrates as the natural energy source that athletes and warriors essentially live and thrive on. By eating powerful and healthy carbohydrates, Ori hopes to encourage all followers of the Warrior Diet to stay in the best shape possible. In addition, one key trait of the Warrior Diet is the inclusion of an ‘overeating’ phase. Since Ori acknowledges the human need, and often uncontrollable urge to ‘binge’ after deprivation (actual or otherwise), the diet ‘allows’ for an overeating phase. This is essentially an increase in consumption of healthy carbohydrates and proteins once per week; it may help a beginner to ease themselves into the new eating strategy and plan.

The workout that accompanies the Warrior Diet hopes to achieve a high, and optimal, level of conditioning for anyone hoping to build their current stamina, increase strength, and revitalize their entire body. For exercise, Ori suggests that strength and endurance are built through speed training, balance, coordination, and resistance. These types of exercises are to be performed in short, intense, and often explosive sets or series, that enable the athlete to work themselves ‘to fatigue.’ According to Ori, working to failure point is just the start; it is only at this time that an athelete can gauge what their fitness level is, and then take the next steps. The objective is to reach the point just one step away from failure; this encourages growth, builds stamina, and rapidly increases resilience in a short period of time. Another objective is to work under a state of ‘controlled fatigue.’ When you are in a tired or weaker state, your muscles are required to work harder and will use up more energy. The actual exercises can range from weight training, body and weight resistance, and even aerobics where a cardio routine can be increased to a level of fatigue. For participants of the Warrior Diet, this is considered the ideal time to achieve your peak training.

Speed training is nothing new; high-intensity sprinting, for instance, requires the same build-up of stamina and endurance over time. Other intensive sports training today may even parallel warfare-training routines, both of which follow some distinct training patterns. Techniques and skills built on speed, agility, flexibility, and balance, will help you create a firm and strong ‘core.’ This in turn can help any athlete or warrior through even the most strenuous activities.

The Warrior Diet may be one avenue for the high-performance oriented individual. It combines an endurance-based workout routine with a simplistic energy plan that can help build, create, and expend your physical energy in new ways. The power of the Warrior Diet is a combination of focused self-improvement, high levels of physical conditioning, and a tough training schedule. The Warrior Diet isn’t for everyone; it does require resilience and is a performance-based approach to dieting, weight loss, and for building endurance. However, it can be very effective as a resource that focuses on natural food and strength-building processes. The ‘wisdom’ derived from Roman and Greek warrior schedules has helped Ori Hofmelker develop and maintain the Warrior Diet, and can promote resilient performance for those who are willing to undergo the process.