James Abel - Intro to Paleo: Quick-Start Diet Guide to Burn Fat, Lose Weight, and Build Muscle

Paleo. Hunter-Gatherer. Caveman. Primal. Ancestral. Wild.Prehistoric.

Depending on whom you ask, these terms may provoke confusion,dismissal, anger, or cult-like loyalty. It doesnt matter what you callitthey all boil down to the same general idea: We should eat like ourspear-wielding cavemen predecessors.

Its true. Our genetics are nearly identical to those of ourhunter-gatherer ancestors. Your Stone Age body still thinks youre chasingwooly mammoths around the savanna, dodging saber-toothed tigers, andbrowbeating your enemies into submission.

People often ask me if I eat like a caveman. I take it as a compliment,because I certainly wouldnt want to be accused of eating like a StandardAmerican. That would be brutal.

Its no secret that I am a proud advocate of a diet thatapproximates the nutritional composition of what we are genetically adapted toeat. I encourage my fans, listeners, and clients to experiment with the Paleoapproach to eating and lifestyle, and I am active in the Paleo and Primalcommunities.

So, yes. I eat like a caveman.

The Paleo and Primal approaches to healthy living are often viewedas being on the fringe. I believe this is mostly due to the fact that criticsmisunderstand it, or they fear change, or have some ulterior motive. There arealso the die-hard cavemen types who take the Primal approach to the extreme byrefusing to use soap or toothpaste, or by participating in bloodlettingparties. These are the ones who seem to get attention from the media.

But most Paleo folks are more mainstream. You might not evennotice that theyre all around you (aside from the fact that they arenoticeably lean, strong and glowing). People can make all the caveman jokesthey like, but there is no question. Paleo nutrition works.