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Eat Better to Hunt and Live Better

By Davie FerraroSeptember 18, 20132 Comments

LAST UPDATED: May 1st, 2015

We are lucky to have the luxury of categorizing hunting as a sport, as if it is a mere game for fun.  If our ancestors didn’t conquer this so-called “sport”, we as individuals would not exist here on earth today. Our ancestors were gatherers and hunters. They lived off the land by harvesting available fruits and vegetables and all types of animals that roamed the land. Their diet relied upon wholesome, one-ingredient products. Food and supplies were not brought in by a truck, supermarkets did not exist on every corner, and neither did pre-packaged meats nor processed foods. They had to rely on the availability of their food as it was grown and ready for harvest. They used bones from the harvested animals to make tools and weapons, and the fur as cover for warmth when the weather was extreme. They were always active with one goal in mind…. to survive.

r1Unlike our ancestors, today’s bowhunter doesn’t have to rely on a kill to survive…but that may not be a good thing.

Fast Forward
Technology has advanced mankind so we no longer have to live in this manner.  Now you can get your meat pre-packaged on every corner, and any fruit or vegetable year-round. The average American meal travels thousands of miles from the field before it ends up on our plates. It is handled by many different individuals and companies. Not to mention, it is loaded with chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and preservatives to increase shelf life. Farm raised meats rely on someone to feed them making them tenderer and fattier in nature. They lose their touch with their survival instinct, and turn from a wild athlete to a couch potato.

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Most of the food available today is harmful in many ways. This makes food that is killed or caught on your own an even better choice.

A better option would be to have the majority of your meat come from your backyard or not far from it; which is typically where you hunt or fish. In the wild, animals carry out their natural behaviors and rely on natural ingredients, such as berries, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and grains as their source of food.  These top-notch athletes embrace their “fight or flight mode” in order to survive. Only the strong survive and only the strong will have the opportunity to choose their mate.  This provides us as hunters with a higher quality source of protein packed with nutrients.

Every year, millions of outdoors-men and women venture into the backcountry in search of the most unprocessed, untouched protein. At the end of a successful hunt, they are the first person to ever touch the game. The game goes to feed their family and friends at gatherings and comes with a great story to share. It comes with a sense of appreciation and gratitude because you are the one who was the responsible provider. As hunters, we practice stewardship of the land, venturing out and exploring the backwoods and studying habitat in its most natural form. However, today’s mainstream society is what I refer to as the scavenger instinct; a fast-paced lifestyle relying on fast food for convenience. Highly processed foods loaded with preservatives and multiple ingredients leading to degenerative diseases such as atherosclerosis, obesity, type II diabetes, etc.  These types of diseases are what keep some hunters out of the woods enjoying what they love. Fact: most meals within the United States are eaten in a car from fast food restaurants.

Studies show the most used appliance when preparing food is a power window!  I was born and bred this way. My favorite foods were southern homemade skillet corn bread and fried foods, especially fish and game meat we hunted, and of course everything was washed down with sweet tea. Now, I eat and drink almost exactly opposite from that way, excluding wild game and fresh caught fish. It’s all fresh fruits and vegetables. All my game is baked, smoked, broiled, grilled, or sautéed. I Train to Hunt, I Hunt Strong, and I eat what I have killed, also known as the Hunt Strong Lifestyle.

Hunting Application
Nutrition is the most important component of the Hunt Strong Results Formula.  (Results Formula= eating right + weight-resistance training + cardiovascular training). It is what potentially separates you from holding the antlers or horns of your ultimate trophy! In order to be successful in living a healthy lifestyle, you must be prepared at all times. I have a saying I follow known as the 6 P’s: Prior Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. I am nutritionally prepared every day, for every occasion. One of my favorite on-the-go snacks I bring everywhere with me is my signature wild game jerky. It does not have to be refrigerated so you can essentially take it anywhere. Another way I stay prepared is to place a big pork loin, wild turkey, venison, or elk roast in a slow cooker and use the leftovers for the next day’s meals.

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The physically prepared bowhunter is a deadly bowhunter. This means eating right and exercising regularly

What you eat determines how well you will perform. You don’t want to arrive home empty-handed because you were not properly prepared. Your results should end up on your wall and in your freezer with a story to reminisce upon. Release your Hunter Instinct and set yourself up for success. You can have all of the best equipment, but if your most important weapon, “your body” is not prepared for the hunt, you will struggle to be successful. I am committed to educating today’s outdoors-men and women with the ultimate formula for lifetime physique transformation. I want to grow their success in the field so we can continue to grow our kingdom of hunters, one hunter at a time.  Commit to the preparation! The hunt starts here.  Hunt Strong, Train To Hunt.

Davie Ferraro
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