*My life has gotten much busier, so sorry about the late post!*

It has been a couple of months now since I’ve started the caveman approach. Basically, no grains, no legumes, and no processed foods. I do still eat potatoes now and then, and I stick to this type of diet about 80 – 90% of the time. As for the intermittent fasting (IF), I have my first meal around 12:30pm or later on the weekends and I stop eating around 9:00 pm or later depending on when my first meal was. Basically I aim to fast for 16 hours.

My lunches are basically what I used to eat for breakfast, which is fruit and yogurt, sometimes with some nuts for crunch. And dinner is usually a ton of vegetables, occasional roots and some sort of meat. Usually fish, seafood, beef or pork.

As for workouts, I was doing 15 minutes of HIIT and a 15 minute toning workout, each twice per week.

I lost almost 6 lbs between weigh-ins and a couple of inches around my waist! My clothes fit great, (or too lose!) and my belly is almost as flat as it was when I was working out like a fiend and counting calories!

It really hasn’t taken much effort, and I’m reaping the benefits!

Here are some recent before and after photos

In July, I only stopped eating rice and started HIIT, by the September weigh-in, I had been going full caveman for only 2 weeks and saw a big difference. The latest photos are from this month, after being on vacation and reducing my workout schedule quite a bit.

I will admit though, the week we were in Okinawa, I did not stick to my usual lifestyle at all. There were many sweets, rice, alcohol, breads, and other goodies that are not usually in my diet. Also, it being vacation, I did not exercise. By the end of the trip I felt fluffier than usual but it was likely due to water retention caused by the alcohol and sugars and such. Once I went back to my regular lifestlye it all went back to normal. When we came back from vacation, my work load was doubled so I have not exercised more than once per week, putting both workouts in the same day. I don’t feel like I’ve gained any weight or fluff, but I don’t feel like I’ve lost any either (haven’t had access to a scale in the last 2 weeks).Though I feel like the latest pictures look a bit fluffier than the previous ones, the measurements say I actually lost half an inch! However, I’m not actively trying to lose too much more. I’m happy with where I am now, but if my waist goes down to 24″ (just half an inch away!) and I can keep it there, that’d be great. As for weight, I don’t really care. I just want to feel light, and healthy and have a flat tummy so I can wear my favorite jeans.

Wintertime Diet and Fitness Adjustments

Now, winter is coming and that means it’s dark and cold and there’s no way I’m getting up early to work out. It also means we’ll  be eating nabe hot pots most nights! The thing is we suaully make really big ones and end up eating enough for at least 3 to 4 people between the 2 of us. While the ingredients are mostly veggies, The amount is still bigger than our summer dinners.

Some winter diet adjustments need to be made!

Because I will be exercising less (only once a week) and will be eating a bigger dinner, I will change my lunch from fruit and yogurt to a much lighter but filling and warming vegetable soup on the days I work and probably just extending my fast longer whenever possible on other days. That should balance out the reduced physical activity and the increase in dinner volume.

The theory is, I will continue to tone up, maybe slim down a bit more, or at least stay the same through the winter months.

I will keep you posted on what happens!

UPDATE 1: It worked! I did not gain any weight through the winter even though I wasn’t exercising.  I felt so good doing intermittent fasting through the winter, I decided to continue this lifestyle even when I do exercise.

UPDATE 2: Over two years later, I still follow an intermittent fasting primal lifestyle and still feel great! I’m completely used to living like this and enjoy it. Not only that, adding exercise to a mostly primal diet and IF really helps speed up fat burning and muscle recovery. It certainly works for me!

Let me know if you try it and how/if it works for you!

Stay healthy!