The Warrior Diet-Applying an Old Warrior-Lifestyle to Modern Life
The Warrior Diet is basically this: fast for 16-18 hours of the day, and eat a singular, large meal consisting of healthy things, lots of protein, unprocessed carbs, fruits, vegetables, and the like. If you must eat something during the day, make it live fruit or vegetables, whenever possible.
Ancient warriors did all their work during the day, taking little or no time to eat (hence the fasting during the day), and eating one large meal at night, presumably an animal they had killed while hunting during the day (hence the ‘overeating’ phase of the plan, the one big meal at the end of the day.)
It’s definitely an interesting idea. In Ori’s book, named after the diet, he backs up his claims very nicely. A lot of people say that fasting during the day is a bad idea, and that it won’t work, that it’s bad for you, etc.,
Ori has a different outlook. Maybe I’m just weak-minded, a human sheep, or gullible, but Ori presents a compelling argument.
So compelling, in fact, that I have started the diet myself, and have to say, it works nicely. During the day, minimize your eating, do all your working out, ‘hunt’, if you will. During this time, your body is burning excess fat as energy. You’re getting leaner. Obviously, don’t allow yourself to get hunger pains or anything like that. (I’ve found that a handful of almonds and a tall glass of water is very effective at staving off hunger.)
I’ve been using the Warrior Diet myself for about two months, and it works for me well. A lot of times, you might not be able to work out or anything because you’re bloated from lunch or breakfast an hour or two ago. If you aren’t working out because you’ve overeaten earlier, you’re doing yourself wrong in two ways: you’re not getting stronger, though you could’ve, and you’re getting fatter (even if slightly.), which could’ve been prevented.
This is something of an extension on the ‘training on empty’ idea. Another interesting thing that Hofmekler discusses in his book is how the under-eating phase is detoxifying, in that there is little to no food coming in, allowing the digestive system to rest for a bit before the compensation (‘overeating’) phase of the program.
Something you may want to note: if you start the Warrior Diet, and you’ve been eating junk for a lot of your life, you can expect junk to exit your body during the first week or two of following the diet, during the under-eating phase. Your bowels may actually feel lighter. I’ll just leave it at that, and leave the pleasant visual to you, the reader or future Warrior Diet-er.
However, there have been some complaints and discussions regarding whether or not the 16-18 hour under-eating phase would cause the catabolization (‘eating’) of muscle (for energy). Ori argues that, with proper hydration and nutrition during the under-eating phase, catabolization will not occur, or, at least, be minimized. On myself, I have witnessed no catabolization. If anything, I have gained some mass. Three pounds of lean mass, I believe it is.
Actually, Ori makes a good point. In the book, he describes how going long periods with little protein (the under-eating phase) increases the body’s protein utilization efficiency, so that, when protein is taken in (the overeating/compensation phase) it is used for maximal effect.
Another fascinating point made by Ori is that of the hormone fluctuations caused by eating. The way the Warrior Diet is constructed, these hormone fluctuations are controlled and leave you feeling more energetic and strong-willed.
During the time that I’ve been on the Warrior Diet, alongside my long-standing work out habits and eating habits, I’m starting to see the beginnings of an eight pack. Seeing what you expel from yourself when your body is given the opportunity, in the case provided by the Warrior Diet, is, unto itself, incentive to eat healthier. I say this not to boast of my gains, but to encourage you to make your own.
In summary, the diet works like this: under-eating phase is 16-18 hours, burning fat for fuel, metabolism slowing down a little bit. This is followed by the overeating or compensation phase, which is 6-8 hours, burning food for fuel, spiking metabolism greatly.
If you would like to delve into the eating habits of your ancient ancestors and explore the ‘hunter instinct’, as Ori calls it, that lies latent in each and every human, and take full advantage of the mechanisms nature has provided you, I strongly recommend you try the Warrior Diet. You won’t regret it.
