LAST UPDATED: May 1st, 2015
If you committed to yourself that you were going to make one change in your life, which change would make you a healthier person…..eating right or exercising? Correct answer: EATING RIGHT! Believe it or not, nutrition is the most important component of the Results Formula. (Results Formula= eating right + progressive weight-resistance training/cardiovascular training). It is what potentially separates you from holding the antlers or horns of your ultimate trophy! Optimal results do not come from sub-optimal eating habits, in other words, it doesn’t matter how hard you train if you don’t control what you eat. So now you’re thinking, “what does eating right mean?” Let’s start with what it doesn’t mean…
Temporary Results
Ever hear the words “conventional dieting” i.e. calorie counting? Let’s be honest, almost everyone has tried a conventional diet at some point in their life. But what was the outcome? I will take a guess, you either failed to lose fat or you regained it all plus some shortly after. Truth is conventional dieting programs are designed to make you fail. They are temporary solutions that make you become lifetime dependent upon them. The founders of these programs aren’t dumb, they want your money, over and over again! You can’t turn on the television without some company advertising the magic pill or weight loss program that will intend to give you the results you want. Simply stated, conventional dieting is not a way to lose body fat or a way to get you within reach of harvesting big game animals! You absolutely do not learn anything from following these types of diets; except for how far you can push your will power until you give in and bounce back like a rubber band.
Calories Are Evil?
Thanks to these programs, most individuals have a negative outlook on eating. So called experts, have trained our minds to think calories make people fat. So we all look at eating as being bad because eating is the process of ingesting calories. Typically, the first step in most conventional diets is to cut calories. There are 4 grams per calorie in proteins and carbohydrates and 9 grams per calorie in fats. So, the first macro-nutrient to be eliminated from the diet is fat. Fat consumption has almost diminished from our diets, but yet the obesity rates have increased. I don’t ever recall seeing someone who is obese sitting down at the dinner table drinking a glass of extra virgin olive oil.
It’s the consumption of preservatives and highly refined cheap carbohydrates mixed with low quality fats and sedentary lifestyles that make people fat. Not all calories are created equal either. You can have six doughnuts a day or have six meals of lean wild game and broccoli. Is 12 ounces of water equivalent to 12 ounces of Diet Coke? The total number of calories is the same. You tell me which is more nutritious.
If you’re looking to maximize your efforts as a predator, then physical fitness and eating clean should be a fundamental part of your overall program.
Food For Thought
When an economy is in a recession, families have to be frugal when it comes to grocery shopping. What are the most expensive items in the grocery store? If you guessed meats, you are exactly right. So during a recession, what gets eliminated from the grocery list? Meats. And it gets replaced with cheap processed forms of foods. So, when you cut calories in your diet, you are putting your muscles (Active Tissue) at risk for loss because your body will break them down and convert them for energy output. Exactly what you don’t want, especially if your goal is to be in shape. Muscle, after all, shapes the human body and makes it attractive, appealing, increases your metabolism, and is mandatory for your success in the backwoods.
I believe there are two types of instincts that exist; Hunter/Gatherer Instinct & Scavenger Instinct. There are several distinct differences but yet they can each survive to stay alive. Both instincts can’t and shouldn’t be combined at the same time. One is superior, while the other is inferior. The question is “Which one do you exemplify?” Let’s take a closer look at the meaning of these two instincts.
Hunter/Gatherer
A healthy mature doe, slightly quartering away, with a perfect vital shot is feeding on fallen acorns just in front of my stand. She is clueless to my whereabouts. Me, I am at full draw with my bow and Spott-Hogg 30 yard pin resting on her first rib. My heart is pounding as the adrenaline rush flushes blood through my veins. I take a deep breath, exhale, and squeeze my Scott Release and the mystical flight of the arrow flies in mid-air until the broadhead pierces her vital organs and she runs fifty yards before expiring. Much like the ultimate predator, the king of the jungle, the lion, hunting an impala on a grassy plain in South Africa, I am a hunter practicing my right to release my Hunter/Gatherer instinct. The Hunter/Gatherer work in order to get their food. They are focused and know exactly what they are after. There is a sense of time & priority. They are in tune with their 5 senses. Hunters make the best selection of meats, eating fresh foods in a relaxed manner.
Scavenger
Today’s society is what I refer to as the Scavenger Instinct; a fast-paced lifestyle relying on fast food for convenience. What’s the most exhausted appliance Americans use when it comes to consuming food? If you guessed a power window, you are correct. These types of foods lead to degenerative diseases such as atherosclerosis, obesity, type II diabetes, etc. Scavengers are much like a vulture, relying on someone else’s actions in order to get food. They have no sense of priority and must eat whatever is available and for the most part, they “eat on the go”. They are clueless as to the nutritional value of the foods they eat. Eating is more of an action than a requirement to live.
Which One Are You
Can you release your hunter instinct and not be a hunter? Absolutely. If you are putting forth the effort of reading nutritional labels, cooking and preparing your foods, you are living like a hunter. If you buy meats in the grocery store, buy organic grass fed meats that come from animals that were treated in a humane way and not injected with antibiotics and hormones. Choose to consume wholesomeness, in other words, eat one ingredient food items. For example, a sweet potato is a sweet potato. There is no list with ingredients you can’t pronounce. Plan your meals ahead of time for if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. I always tell my clients to rely on no one, just you.
If you fail to plan you are planning to fail. Prepare your food ahead of time in order to prevent “spur of the moment” eating.
The Bottom Line
There is no doubt that what you eat determines how well you will perform while you are training for a competition, a challenging hunt, or a prolonged quality of life. Do you really want to return home empty handed from the next challenge you face in the woods simply 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. As the owner of HuntStrong, I am committed to educating individuals with the ultimate formula for a lifetime physique transformation that will not only make their quality of life better, but improve their success in the field. Will you commit to the preparation? The hunt starts now….Hunt Strong, Train To Hunt.
Below is a list of good proteins, fats, and carbohydrates to consume to ensure you success while in training for your next hunt. Remember, always keep it wholesome and rely on no one.
Proteins
Keep it lean & green. Buy hormone/antibiotic free grass fed meats. Be sure to trim all fat prior to cooking. Bake, Broil, Grill, Smoke, but never fry! Avoid high sodium meats such as deli meats.
Examples: All wild big-game, all game fish, lean beef (eye round/London broil), lean pork, chicken breast, turkey, salmon, tuna, halibut, eggs, homemade jerky, etc.
Fats
Examples: Extra virgin olive oil (especially when cooking), canola oil, coconut oil, real cheese (parmesean, goat, blue, feta, gorgonzola), avocado, all natural peanut/almond butter, nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, etc.)
Carbohydrates (choose complex/fibrous over sugary carbs)
Complex Carbs: sweet potatoes, gold potatoes, red potatoes, jasmine rice, brown rice, oats, couscous, quinoa, barely.
Fibrous Carbs/Vegetables (eat unlimited): broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, collard greens, cabbage, lettuce, brussel sprouts, asparagus, celery, egg plant, zucchini, mushrooms, onions.
Sugary Carbs (fruits): blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, bananas, peaches, apples, grapefruit, oranges, grapes, prunes. Avoid simple sugars & sweeteners at all costs.
