The Wild Diet

I’m back with another installment on my path towards my upcoming marathon. Before I can really get into the long runs, I’ve got to purge my recent holiday pounds that seem to return every year. I’m not one that follows a diet to the letter, but I do like to be provided a guideline that can give me structure that will in turn give me results.

Last week was the kickoff to Lent. This is a time we focus on self-improvement in my faith upbringing. I’m not going to be one that gives up candy, soda, booze or social media. I’m trying to add something to my life that I truly enjoy, but never give myself the time to do it. I’m going to try to read…actually read books on a regular basis.

What better way to kill two birds with one stone and focus on weight loss with a book. That’s just what I did when I read “The Wild Diet” by Abel James over the past couple weeks. 

Today, I’m going to share with you a few reactions to the program and how I’m going to utilize the information in my next chapter towards physical wellness.

A program I can live with

I’ve turned towards a lot of diets in the past, for those that have read my previous posts may recall that I used to weigh over 310 pounds. That was almost 10 years ago, but it’s never easy to fully forget those days and the possibility of going back to those ways is a constant battle.

The first step towards fitness I took was back in 2007 with a book called “Body for Life” by Bill Phillips.  It really clicked with me and gave me the first foundation for a life of nutrition and exercise. As the years went on, fads came and went and I did my best to not buy into one all the way, but simply glean portions of them into my life to enable me to benefit from them.

My first impression of “The Wild Diet” was that it was an advanced, more focused version of “Body for Life”. This is pretty high praise coming from me as I really look at BFL as one of the things that may have truly saved my life as it made losing weight something attainable.

Now that I’m nearly 90 pounds lighter than my former self, I need something a bit more “industrial strength”. Simple 5Ks and 10-day detoxes don’t seem to suffice. I need something that I can engage in long-term for real lasting results. I’d still like to drop 20-30 more pounds and this program may be the thing to get me there.

What I like about “The Wild Diet”

I’ve summarized my favorite facets of this program by listing them as my Top 5 benefits to “The Wild Diet”. Here they are in no particular order.

#1: It is Paleo at its core

There are several things that I really find appealing about this program. One is that it is rooted in the Paleo lifestyle. This is one thing that I’ve kept relatively close to in my home life for the past 5 years. Don’t get me wrong, I love pizza, beer and all things non-paleo. However, it’s always served as my guidepost to bring me back down after an occasional bender or vacation.

Paleo has been a lifestyle that I can get behind because it focuses on food as the cure. I’ve always loved cooking, was raised by elderly parents that emphasized the importance of eating real meals and the first that I do when I get sick is start to make a batch of scratch-made chicken soup.

The quality of the food you buy is also paramount in “The Wild Diet”. I love the term RAW as it relates to the food you select, which should be Recently Alive and Well. If you are eating quality food, it takes less to fill you up and you’re putting good nutrients into your system.

To be totally honest, the biggest drawback to the Paleo lifestyle for me is they often obsess over grass-fed, cage-free, organic or ethically treated. These products aren’t always as available as you’d wish. James provides great structure to live by; i.e. if grass-fed is not available, he lists out the order of what you should choose. It really made it easier to approach for me.

#2: When you eat is as important as what you eat

The new angle that “The Wild Diet” provides is that you don’t have to live by the Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner structure. He introduces you to the Fast and Feast approach.  You eat when you’re hungry and you abstain when you’re not.

I’ve already tried this a couple times and I can tell I have more energy than when I’m constantly eating just for the sake of eating. It’s also given me more time to do other things like read or workout. He’s very specific on listening to your body, when you fast. If you’re hungry, then it’s time to eat.

#3: Recipes that you can actually make

Another great attribute of this book is the recipes. They are simple, straightforward food that doesn’t try to be too fancy It gives you great starting point if you’re looking for ways to eat by this program. He breaks the recipes into two parts: Prep Day and Feast Day. If you lead a busy lifestyle, you can get the prep work done ahead of time. He also tells you how to store it and what to do on the day you are going to actually cook and eat it: Feast Day. I’ve already made a few of the recipes and they are fantastic.

#4: You don’t have to be perfect

One of my favorite parts of this program is the Cheat Meal. This goes back to my “Body for Life” mindset. There is always a day you need to treat yourself with food that is typically “against the rules”. It allows you to be 90% perfect. Beyond the simple pleasure this cheat meal provides, it also trains your body to accept things that are not typically part of your diet so you become more of a flexitarian and won’t blimp up with the slightest misstep.

#5: The author himself

The final benefit I have to say on this book is the author himself. I find a lot of similarities in his story and that of my own; former obese musician turned nutrition fanatic. We live in a pretty incredible time of accessibility. With Twitter and Facebook, I’ve been able to interact with the author directly. If I have a question, I’ll tweet it to him and he’ll respond. Sure, it may not be him actually, but the advice itself is meaningful and helpful. In addition, he hosts a website and a podcast called “The Fat Burning Man” in which he talks about the program and his journey.

This isn’t a book report, it’s my mission statement.

I’m not trying to use this as a plug that everyone should go out to buy the book and get on this diet. I just wanted a reason to put down some of my reflections on it and serve as more of a commitment to this lifestyle as I continue to focus on my self-improvement.

The next couple months promises to be exciting for me as I’m leaving my cave for a 10 day trip to Europe. This will start on St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland! Things will probably get wild and the diet may take a backseat for this trip. As for my next book, it’s not going to be as serious as this. I’m thinking “It” by Stephen King. What better way to celebrate lent than a story about a child-tormenting clown?

Thanks for reading.