October 2020 - Page 2 of 3

Best Biceps Exercises That You Need to Familiarise Yourself with ASAP

If you want to get those strong muscles for boosting your strength, then you need to take a look at our guide of the best biceps exercises.

Pumping up biceps continue to remain one of the top-most priority of fitness enthusiasts across the globe. Whether it is for strengthening them or flexing them or to improve their overall appearance, people work their sweat out to boost their biceps.

Therefore, we have decided to help you learn the five most important biceps exercise that would do wonders to your arms. Keep on reading to find out about them.

Best Biceps Exercises for You

Your biceps are nothing but a large muscle group on the frontal part of your upper arm. They help you in flexing your elbow and in rotating your forearm. With the help of biceps exercise, you can improve your strength, stability, muscle mass, and appearance. The following exercises would convert your fitness level from generic to biceps-oriented.

Concentration Curl

First up on our list of best biceps exercises is the concentration curl. It is an isolated bicep exercise that helps you to focus solely on building muscle mass to your upper arm’s core section. For this, you would need a dumbbell and while using heavy weights is always encouraging, the main point here is to pay attention to the act of contraction.

To perform this exercise, you first need to sit on a bench by spreading your legs. You then need to rest your arms (that is holding the dumbbell) on the same side leg. Make sure it is just beneath your knee and the weight is hanging between your two legs. Proceed to place your off-hand on your thigh. This would help you in keeping your torso stable and upright. Slowly, curl the weight up. Pause for a second and then squeeze your biceps at the top.

Next, you need to slowly reverse the movement to return to start. Make sure to repeat it on the opposite side as well.

Chin-Up

One of the most common biceps exercises, chin-ups may not necessarily isolate your biceps, but they surely train them hard. In here, you need to use your shoulders, arms, back, along with your biceps to pull your entire bodyweight from a bar. It greatly contributes to your serious upper-body strength.

To perform this exercise, you need to, first of all, find a chin-up bar. You then need to grab it by maintaining a shoulder-width underhand grip. Make sure to hand at your arm’s length. Proceed to squeeze your shoulder blades back and down. You also need to bend your elbows and bring the top of your chest to the bar. Wait for a few second and then gently lower yourself down to the starting position.

Spider Curl

Spider curls help in strengthening your arms by making use of smart positioning. A key note that you need to bear in mind while performing this exercise is the weight of the dumbbell. It is recommended to pick a lighter weight than you usually pick. This will enable you to handle the complete challenge.

To perform this biceps exercise, you need to grab a dumbbell and sit on an incline bench facing forward. Next, you have to squeeze your bicep in order to curl the dumbbell way up in a clean form. Be sure to move only at the elbow. After that, move your shoulder out of the equation. You can do this by keeping your back engaged.

Standing Barbell Curl

Standing barbell curl can be regarded as one of the most basic, yet effective biceps exercise out there. Barbells help you in strengthening your arms evenly and simultaneously. The position of your grip allows you to work on the various parts of your muscles.

In order to perform standing barbell curls, you need to grab the barbell with an underhand grip. Make sure that your hands are positioned as wide as your hips. To focus on the inner portion of the biceps, you need to take a wider grip. Else, if you want to focus on the outer part of your biceps, then you have to bring your hands closer together.

Begin by holding the bar at hip height. Contract your biceps and squeeze your core to curl the bar up to shoulder height. Be sure to squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement. After that, gently lower your weight back to the starting position. You need to ensure that you control the weight all throughout the process. Your feet must be solidly planted during the entire tenure of the exercise. Make sure not to use your hips to lift the weight under any circumstance.

Standing Resistance Band Hammer Curl

For our next biceps exercise, we need you to put down the dumbbells and barbells and pick up some resistance bands. These bands help you in working through the entire range of motion by providing resistance through the unconventional part of the exercise alongside the curl lift. Brachialis is a type of lower muscle that helps in making your arms look thick. In this exercise, the hammer grip puts the focus on the brachialis.

To perform standing resistance band hammer curl, you have to step on the centre of a resistance band. Grip one end of the implement in each hand. Try to hold the resistance band with your palms being parallel to each other.

Next, you need to curl your hands towards your shoulders and squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement. Proceed to lower your hands back down the sides. Be sure to maintain tension on the band. Your elbows must be stable and stay in position at your sides throughout the movement.

Summary

Biceps exercises are not there to merely beautify you. They are responsible for increasing your strength and stability. These aforementioned exercises can serve as the basis of your biceps-training workout regime.

Remember to warm up beforehand and don’t forget to squeeze at the top of each muscle contraction. In addition, take adequate rest so that your muscles are able to benefit from the exercise you are performing. Be safe and be healthy!

How to Aim for a Healthy Diet?

Starting a diet is easy, but maintaining it, is not. This is about to change when you follow a flexible plan for a healthy diet. Take a look.

It goes without saying that a healthy diet is an absolute necessity for your overall well-being. From keeping your organs functional to keeping you away from various chronic diseases, a healthy diet checks all the boxes for a wholesome life.

What you eat, how you eat, and when you eat are some of the biggest factors that govern your health. Almost all of us have, at some point in our lives, decided to incorporate changes in our diet. It is also true that many of us have failed to do achieve our diet plan. We plan to change that narrative. Find out how we plan to do so.

Tips to Achieve a Healthy Diet Plan

From the numerous research and studies that we have conducted, we have found that the single biggest factor as to why people fail to maintain their diet plan is because they put a huge target in front of them. This is why we decided to suggest small changes instead of a major or dramatic diet plan.

We don’t think that you have to follow a high-end or a stringent diet to stay healthy. Our plan is quite flexible and achievable that makes sure you stay healthy without binding you with chains. Wondering how?

Time for us to put together the basics of a healthy diet for you.

The Essence of Wholesomeness

Carbohydrates comprise a major portion of our diet. This is why it is quite fitting that we start the healthy diet plan with a small change in the type of bread that we eat, which is a major source of carb.

We recommend you to pick wholegrain bread instead of refined-grain bread because of the health benefits that the former brings with itself. Not only it lowers the risk of cancer, heart diseases and type 2 diabetes, but it is also rich in zinc, manganese, magnesium, iron, vitamin B, and fibre.

Moreover, wholegrain bread tastes better than refined ones.

Egging it in the Morning

Eggs are a great source of high-quality proteins. They are also rich in other essential nutrients that are not found in other food items, such as choline.

Having eggs in the morning for breakfast is extremely healthy as they give you a feeling of fullness. As such, you are less likely to consume calories in the following hours, thereby aiding you in weight loss. So, instead of only cereals or croissants, pick eggs for your breakfast. Another great thing about eggs is that you can cook them in a dozen different ways. Therefore, you will never get bored.

Baked over Fried

Most people love eating grilled, fried, deep-fried, and broiled food. However, they can be extremely unhealthy as their preparation process leads to the formation of several toxic compounds such as Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs), Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs), and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). These can lead to several heart diseases and even cancer.

Thus, we suggest you to go for food items that are prepared through baking, poaching, boiling, stewing, or slow-cooking. And by the way, you can choose fried food every now and then as occasional treats.

Go Green

A healthy diet is incomplete without the inclusion of green vegetables. Many people don’t like them, but they have to be included if you want to stay healthy.

It is ideal if you make the green foods as part of your starters. This way, it is ensured that you are consuming them when you are at your hungriest self and eating less of other less-healthy food later.

In addition, eating green veggies before carbs have beneficial effects on blood sugar levels. So, they are mandatory for people with diabetes.

Ode to the Greek Yoghurt

If you want to consume yoghurt, then we suggest you select Greek yoghurt over regular yoghurt because the former is creamier and thicker than the latter. Greek yoghurt has a higher portion of protein and fat as well. It also helps in boosting your immunity, thereby protecting you from various diseases.

As such, you end up feeling fuller after consuming it. It will help you in managing your appetite and consuming fewer calories overall. Try to pick the non-flavoured ones as they have added sugar and unhealthy ingredients in them.

Chew Fruits over Drinking Them

We all know fruits are a must for a healthy diet, but how you consume them can play a vital role. Fruits contain fibres and other essential plant compounds. This is why the natural sugar content of fruits can be digested easily without causing major spikes in blood sugar levels.

The same is not true for fruit juices. In fact, many of them are not even made from real fruits and contain sugar and concentrates. Also, fruits juices contain a lot of preservatives that should be avoided as much as possible.

Black it up

We know how much people love their caffeine beverages. Coffee is an ideal source of antioxidants than help control liver diseases, diabetes, and mental illness.

However, consuming coffee with heavy cream, syrup, sugar, milk or other sweeteners is of no use as they have unwanted calorie content.

So, try to drink black coffee instead. At first, it might be difficult. So, go for gradual changes instead of dramatic ones. Slowly and steadily, cut off milk and sugar from your coffee every day.

Keep it Hydrated

No matter how much effort you make in putting together a healthy diet, it would be of no use if you don’t hydrate yourself enough.

Water helps in weight maintenance and burning calories. Drinking water before a meal can also aid you in your calorie intake. Most importantly, you need to remember that no other beverage can substitute water as water is free of calories and sugar content.

Summary

While picking a healthy diet, you need to remember that you need to allow your body to slowly adapt to the changes. This way, you would be able to maintain your diet. The goal is to aim for small changes which you can achieve.

So, include green veggies, black coffee, eggs, wholegrain bread, and Greek yoghurt in your diet. Check fruits instead of drinking fruit juices. Go for baked foods over fried ones. Hydrate yourself.

Lastly, watch the pace at which you are eating. Always chew your foods properly instead of gulping them down hastily. Not only would it help in easy digestion, but it would also lower the number of calories.

What is the Afterburn Effect?

Afterburn effects makes sure that your body is still burning fats after your workout routine is over. Learn about it in detail from here.

If you are into fitness, then you need to understand that your workout session doesn’t end when you stop exercising. This is because when you through an intense workout session, your metabolic rate increases dramatically.

Today, in our coverage of the afterburn effect, we are going to take a look at when does it occur and the types of workouts that provide the most afterburn effect. So, get into your workout gear and get ready to take your fitness to the next level.

Understanding the Basics of the Afterburn Effect

Scientifically known as Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC), afterburn effect refers to the amount of oxygen that is needed to return your body to its resting stage after an intense workout session.

Your body needs oxygen to produce fuel in the form of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). This helps in boosting your muscles during workout sessions. Your body can also call on stored energy sources that don’t need any additional oxygen.

Your resting state includes the following:

Removing lactic acid
Restoring oxygen levels
Restoring ATP levels (a molecule that gives your body the energy for processing exercises)
Repairing muscles

Your EPOC is at its highest level immediately following a workout session. It diminishes slowly and steadily thereafter. Research has shown that this elevated level could persist for as long as 38 hours.

There is basically a direct correlation between your workout sessions and the time it will take your body to reach the resting stage. This means that the more intense your workout session is, the longer it will take your body to rest.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has been recognized as a highly effective way to induce significant EPOC. When you engage in HIIT, you consume more oxygen which is the reason you end up stimulating a higher EPOC. These short rounds of intense exercises are fragmented with equally small recovery periods.

As you can figure out, your body gets depleted of ATP during the exercising. Recovery helps in replenishing the lost ATP.

Benefits of Afterburn Effects

In the past couple of years, the importance of afterburn has been recognised across the globe. This is why trainers and fitness enthusiasts are capitalizing on the effective-but-fast way of training that shifts between multiple rounds of intense exercises.

This helps you in burning fats and calories and building muscles. In fact, HIIT also enables you to stay in fat-burning mode for a long time even when your workout routine has finished. As such, you don’t have to worry the next time you go out with your friends to treat yourself with a delightful brunch on the weekends.

To put it simply, the afterburn effect of HIIT makes sure that you are able to reap the rewards of your one-hour workout for days to come.

As we stated earlier, HIIT is the best and most effective afterburn-inducing training regimes. However, other forms of exercises, such as aerobic exercises also have a role in EPOC. Of course, it goes without saying that for low-intensity workout sessions such as a treadmill jog, the afterburn effect is much lower.

Another point that should be noted here is that your body weight, muscle mass and fitness level can also play a significant role in altering your individual afterburn rewards. It has been noted that people who are more aerobically fit tend to be much better in burning fats than others.

Workouts that Give You the Best Afterburn Effects

Now that you have a fair understanding of what afterburn effects are all about, it is time for us to acquaint you with the workout routines that would ensure that you get the most afterburn effects out of them.

Swimming

Swimming can be intense as well as relaxing, depending on how you see it. It is a low-impact yet highly effective exercise that provides a total body workout. It builds strength, improves your coordination levels and boosts your endurance. To get the most afterburn effects from a swimming session, you need to do the following routine.

Start with a 5-minute warmup.
Follow it up with a 50-metre freestyle sprint
25-metre recovery
Complete a 50-metre backstroke sprint
25-metre recovery
Proceed to do a 50-metre breaststroke sprint
25-metre recovery
Follow it up with a 50-metre freestyle sprint
25-metre recovery
5-minute cool-down period

Cycling

Cycling helps in combining cardiovascular endurance with low body resistance training. You can get the most afterburn effects from cycling if you follow this routine:

A 10-minute warm-up on a flat surface with a slowly increasing pace.
A 2-minute period of increasing resistance, riding with 75% effort.
A 2-minute period of low resistance, riding with 60% effort.
4-minute cycling in a seated position wherein you need to sprint all out for 30 seconds on and off.
Recover on a flat road for around a minute
For the next 5 minutes, increasing and maintain your resistance and ride with 75% effort. At this stage, keep alternating between standing for 30 seconds and sitting for 30 seconds.
In the next 5 minutes, sprint all out with low resistance. Again, keep on alternating between standing for 30 seconds and sitting for 30 seconds.
Cool down for the next 5 minutes.

Plyometrics

Plyometrics involve dynamic jumping moves that help in increasing your power. You would be exerting a lot of effort while performing these activities as it would require you to contract and stretch your muscles. Keep in mind that this is not for beginners or anyone with an injury. You can try the following routine. Take two minutes of rest between each section.

20 jump squats
15 burpees
20 box jumps
15 frog jumps
20 mountain climbers
20 lateral skater jumps
30 plank jacks

Strength-based Training

Compound movements help in increasing the afterburn effects. This is especially true for short recovery intervals between heavy training loads. For these exercises, you need to pick up a weight that you feel you can lift without being too comfortable or too uncomfortable. Once you do, then you need to do the following. Take two minutes of rest between each section.

15 squats
5 deadlifts
15 dumbbell shoulder presses
15 dumbbell rows
20 push-ups
15 reverse crunches
20 bicycle crunches

Summary

Afterburn effects help in making sure that your body is still burning fats and calories while also building muscles after you are done with your workout session. So, they are very beneficial.

However, too much of anything is not good. Make sure to cap HIIT sessions (that help in providing afterburn effects) at a maximum of 30 minutes per session. Do not participate in more than three sessions in a week so that your body gets the proper recovery time and not injures itself.

Showering After a Workout: Is It Good or Bad?

For those who are wondering if showering after a workout is necessary or not, we bring out all the answers to that.

When it comes to showering after a workout, the opinions are extremely polarizing. Some people head to their showers immediately, while others wait for a few minutes before getting themselves wet. And then there are those who completely avoid it. But have you wondered that something as basic as showers can have a large impact on your fitness?

Well, if you have not, then it is time to think about it now. We are going to evaluate the impact of showers after workout by taking a scientific approach. So, let’s find out about it.

The Time between Your Workout and Shower

An intense workout can leave you sweaty and greasy. Now, you may be tempted to take a shower immediately but you should wait out a bit. We recommend you to wait for at least 20 minutes after your workout before taking a shower.

This time duration is required for your body to cool down after your workout session. Consider it as the opposite of warm-up. In fact, there are various low intensity stretches that you should perform after working out as they would help your body muscles to enter the relaxing stage. They also help you in normalizing your body temperature and heart rate.

It should also be noted that different people sweat to different degrees. This is why an ideal way to assess whether your body is ready for showering after a workout session is to keep a note on when you stop sweating profusely. For some, it can be within 15 minutes, while for others, it can last up to 30 minutes.

Use this downtime to rehydrate your body by drinking water or non-sweetened fruit juice.

The Necessity of Showering After a Workout

Before we list out the benefits of showering after a workout, we must also tell you that it is very important to change into a fresh pair of clothing after working out. You should not wait more than 30 minutes to change into your new set of clothing after a shower. It is suggested to wash your workout clothes on a daily basis with an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal solution if you can.

With that being said, let us take a look at the benefits of showering after a workout.

Avoids Build-up of Bacteria

Workout makes you sweat and when you sweat, it is a perfect playground for various types of bacteria to thrive in. The most common regions where these bacteria are prevalent are your feet, groin and underarms.

Showering after a workout session helps in cleaning up your body and, in turn, killing those bacteria which otherwise would cause skin infections.

Prevents the Appearance of Acne

There is hardly a person on Earth who doesn’t have to worry about acne. People who are into fitness often notice acne appearing on their skin. A major reason behind it could be not taking proper showers after working out.

As we stated earlier, sweating results in the build-up of bacteria on your skin. These bacteria clog the pores of your skin, making it vulnerable to irritation and inflammation. This is why you need to make sure you cleanse your skin of all the dirt, sweat and other impurities that you pick up while working out.

Protects from Yeast Infection

Showering after a workout also helps in preventing harmful yeast infections. Most people wear tight clothes while exercising. This leads to various parts of your body being damp with sweat for a long period of time.

Changing into a new set of fresh clothes after working out is going to be of no use if you don’t clean out the sweat and dirt accumulated on the skin. And the only way to do so effectively is through a proper shower.

Boosts the Health of Your Skin

If you happen to be one of those who has a severe skin condition such as eczema, then it is all the more important for you to rinse your body after an intense workout session.

This is because the excess sweat can be a perfect breeding ground for microbes, which will exacerbate the condition even further. Therefore, head out to your washroom, use a herbal soap and work up a lather and take a relaxing shower.

Avoids Athlete’s Foot

As we previously mentioned, your feet are one of the moistest areas during a workout session. Sweat accumulates in that region making it susceptible to various microbes.

A major problem people face is that of an athlete’s foot, which a fungal disease. It causes immense itchiness and leaves you with a burning sensation. You would also see blisters appear on your skin. Thus, after you are done with your workout, immediately get out of your sweaty socks and shoes, cool down your body and then use an anti-fungal or herbal soap to take a shower.

Hot Shower v/s Cold Shower

Hot showers help in triggering a smooth flow of blood throughout your entire body. As a result, your skin glows and all types of muscles soreness are alleviated.

On the other hand, cold showers help in cooling your body down and in normalising your heart rate. Cold showers also help in inhibiting the build-up of lactic muscles which makes sure that you don’t feel any burning sensation or any muscle pain after working out.

Remember, you need to cool down right after working out by doing stretches and sitting down. Jumping into a cold shower to cool down your body is not the solution. It is a gradual transition.

As far as what type of shower should you take, here’s what you need to know. After waiting for around 20 minutes after your workout, start with a cold shower as it will help in lowering the inflammation of the joints, tendons, and muscles. After that, switch to a hot shower since it will improve joint and muscle recovery. Please keep in mind that the water shouldn’t be too hot or too cold as it will send shockwaves to your system.

Summary

Showering after a workout is extremely important since it helps in avoiding the accumulation of dirt and bacteria, thereby keeping you safe from various diseases. It also helps in relaxing and cooling down your body and in providing complete recovery of your muscles.

You should wait at least 20 minutes after your workout session before starting your shower. Start with a mild cold shower and then switch to a warm shower to get the best results. After that, don’t forget to rejuvenate yourself with the right type of food.

Signs of Overtraining You Should Watch Out For

Are you worried that you might be overtraining? Take a look at these vital signs to find whether you are pushing yourself too hard or not.

When we get into our workout gears, most of us have the mindset of giving it our all and not quitting under any circumstances. While that is a valiant attitude to have, you need to remember that your health should be your priority at the end of the day.

Sometimes, we train ourselves so hard and push so deep that we put our life at risk. Overtraining takes place when you workout continuously without giving your body and mind enough recovery time between sessions. It can not only result in injuries but in some cases, the results could be fatal.

Clearly, this is something that you want to avoid. To help you avoid this situation, we are going to help you identify the signs of overtraining.

What is Overtraining?

Before we list out the signs of overtraining, let us explain to you what it is in detail. Overtraining Syndrome (OTS), as it is known medically, can jeopardize your fitness level, thereby, negatively affecting your performances and causing injuries. Overtraining is mostly seen in single-sport athletes.

Many people aren’t aware of the dose-response relationship, which essentially means that the more you work out, the more benefits you receive. However, there is a tipping point after which if you exercise, you would end up harming your body than helping it.

Signs of Overtraining

Please remember, not all of the following signs will be seen in everyone. Most of them are very subjective. Some people might witness all the signs. Others might feel a couple of them, while others might experience just one of them. The important thing here is not to underestimate the signs. Fitness is all about developing an understanding of how your body works.

Alright, with the groundwork being laid, it is time to put down the signs of overtraining.

Fatigue

Feeling tired after exercising is normal and nothing out of the ordinary. However, if you feel excessively drained during or after the workout to a point where you feel you don’t even have the energy to do basic movements, then you should be alert. This basically happens when your body isn’t able to fully recover from the workout session.

Agitation and Irritation

Fitness adds a level of calmness to you. Your body feels relaxed and stress-free after a healthy workout session. Overtraining, on the other hand, can cause depression, mood swings, and mental fogs as it dramatically stresses your hormone levels. You would also experience difficulty in concentrating and would be plagued by a feeling of restlessness. Your level of enthusiasm would see a significant drop as well.

Inadequate Eating

People who overtrain often cut back on their calories to a point where it negatively affects their health. When you push yourself too hard, you deplete your body of the energy that you have. As a result, you might develop various nutritional deficiencies such as anaemia. Furthermore, a loss of appetite or an unwillingness to eat can severely affect your gastrointestinal, endocrine, and cardiovascular systems. You might also develop complications in your nervous and reproductive systems as well. A dramatic weight loss in a short span of time can also be a major sign of overtraining.

Improper Sleep

Overtraining can disrupt your hormones, which would make it difficult for you to relax. As a result, it will take a longer time for you to go to sleep. You won’t be well-rested. If you don’t take proper actions, you might even develop insomnia. Your body needs a solid seven hours of sleep after a workout session. When you can’t sleep due to overtraining, it would further add to the tiredness the next morning.

Frequent Cold

Another underestimated sign of overtraining is catching cold. Most people wouldn’t associate with overtraining. But if you dig deep to the root cause of the cold, you may be surprised. This is because overtraining can harm your immune system. This, in turn, makes you more susceptible to fall sick every time you encounter a virus. So, do not neglect this point if it happens frequently.

Reduced Sex Drive

When you are severely exhausted, you would lose interest in sex. It has been seen that one of the reasons for low libido is due to increased intensity in training. This is true for both men and women. Of course, hormonal changes are a big factor in it, which results from overtraining.

Workout Sessions Seem More Challenging Than Usual

When you are overtraining, your workout session would seem more challenging than it used to previously. You would feel that you are required to put much more effort. This might be because your heart is beating at an unhealthily fast rate and is taking a long time to rest.

Halted Progress

Are you feeling that your body is not showcasing any change despite you working out to the best of your abilities? Well, this might be another sign of overtraining. This is because your body stops growing or worse, goes through the opposite direction of growth when you are overtraining. Your muscles need a chance to repair and rest. This happens when you are giving them the time to recover and rest.

Insatiable Thirst

Overtraining makes you have an unquenchable thirst. You would feel that no matter how much you drink, you are still thirsty. This happens because overtraining puts your body in a catabolic state. This means that your body is in a constant state of dehydration.

Summary

On average, if you are spending more than five hours in the gym or if you finding yourself to be addicted to it, then you are definitely someone who could be overtraining. Take note of all of the aforementioned signs and make sure to keep yourself protected.

Remember, no amount of workout is worth your life. After all, what good a workout is if it injures you and puts your life at jeopardy?

Everything You Wanted to Know about Primal Diet

Eliminate all the toxic and processed food items by going the age-old way with the help of a primal diet. Take a look at what it is from here.

Most people who don’t know much about primal diet thinks of it as a high-end fancy diet that only rich people can afford. If you are one of them, then you would be surprised to know that a primal diet is more basic and economical than you think it to be. It is based on the concept that the western lifestyle and dietary habits have significantly shifted from that of traditional hunter and gatherers.

To put it simply, a primal diet resembles the diet of early human. As such, it is low in carbs and high in fats and proteins and is almost free of harmful chemicals.

Today, we are going to take a deep dive into everything related to a primal diet. We will tell you what food items are included in a primal diet, the guidelines you need to follow to keep up with a primal diet, its benefits alongside a food menu for the same.

So, get ready and give your taste buds and overall health a dash of change with this unique diet plan.

What is a Primal Diet?

A primal diet is basically a dietary plan wherein your eating habits are determined by that of primitive humans. It focuses on the consumption of raw, minimal processed foods such as dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and certain types of oil.

Now, before you panic, let us tell you, meats are allowed to be cooked. However, all other foods must be kept as close to their natural state as possible. For instance, milk should be consumed in its raw, unpasteurized form.

The basic idea of this diet is to decrease the amount of sugar that a person consumes, which, in turn, comes from eating zero processed foods. More focus is put on farmed foods such as grains. This diet is still in its early stages and researches are still being done to improve it and make it more practical.

Followers of the primal diet believe that the early humans had lower rates of diabetes, heart diseases, obesity and other chronic health conditions because of the types of food they used to consume.

A primal diet also includes recommendations for mental stimulation, physical activity, sleep, and exposure to sunlight and overall nature. However, it is not entirely strict and allows for moderate consumption of coffee, fermented and raw milk whole fat dairy, and nightshade veggies.

Types of Food Items Included in a Primal Diet

The majority of your food consumption in the case of a primal diet should comprise of whole, raw, and unprocessed food items. Here is a list for the same:

Fruits – All types of fruits (preferably organic)
Vegetables – Kale, broccoli, zucchini, avocado, cabbage, etc. (preferably organic)
Fish and Shellfish – Trout, halibut, shrimp, lobster, scallop, salmon, tilapia
Meat – Lamp, chicken, turkey, pork, bison, elk, venison, grass-fed beef (preferably organic)
Eggs – Whole eggs and egg whites (preferably organic)
Nuts and Seeds – Walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, macadamias, pine nuts, natural nut or seed butter
Spices and Herbs – Cinnamon, black pepper, cumin, basil, cilantro, rosemary, sage, etc.
Healthy fats – Extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, grass-fed butter, lard, ghee, etc.
Milk alternatives – Unsweetened almond, cashew, coconut, hemp, and flax milk

In addition to these, you can consume the following food items in moderation:

Beverage – Unsweetened tea and coffee (plain or with creamer or whole fat milk)
Legumes – Soaked or sprouted lentils, dry roasted peanuts, edamame, peanut butter, fermented whole soy products such as tempeh
Natural sweeteners – Real maple syrup, honey
Dairy – Organic or raw full-fat dairy, yoghurt, full-fat cream, milk, kefir
Starchy vegetables – Winter squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes

The following food items can be consumed as occasional treats and are often referred to as “sensible indulgences”:

Dark chocolate – with at least 70% cocoa content
Cheese – Sheep’s or goat’s milk cheese, cheddar, gouda, feta, blue cheese, etc. (preferably raw and grass-fed)
Alcohol – Scotch, whiskey, brandy, light beer, cognac, white or red wine

Food Items to Avoid in a Primal Diet

If you are following a primal diet, make sure the following items are avoided as much as possible:

Grains – Whole or refined grains, barley, bread, pasta, muffins, rye, spelt, cereal, pancakes, etc.
Sugar-based items – Soda, table sugar, pastries, cakes, candy, milk chocolate, cookies, ice-cream, etc.
Vegetable oils – Soybean oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil, etc.
Trans fats and hydrogenated fats – Margarine, shortening, foods containing partially hydrogenated oils.

If you really need sugar content in your food, go for natural sugar substitutes such as stevia and monk fruit instead of artificial sweeteners. However, minimalize their consumption too.

Benefits of Primal Diet

A primal diet is a multi-beneficiary diet and this is exactly why it is getting popular with each passing day.

First and foremost, the most prominent benefit of this diet is that it helps in decreasing the risk facts for multiple heart diseases. Secondly, it also helps people with Type 2 diabetes in controlling their blood sugar levels. This is because this diet minimalizes your sugar and card intake.

Furthermore, the lifestyle factors associated with this diet helps in alleviating stress and in improving your mood. As such, you are less likely to suffer from stress and anxiety.

A Primal Diet Menu

To help you get a better grasp of this diet, let us give you some menu choices for your breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Breakfast

Spinach, eggs, and peppers cooked in coconut oil
No-grain oatmeal made from almonds, blended coconut flakes and pecans
Veggies fried in a skillet with coconut oil
Poached eggs
Coffee with cream
Raw whole milk with blueberries and cinnamon
Green tea

Lunch

Green salad with cucumber, tomatoes, pine nuts, and avocado
Chicken salad with lettuce wraps
Burrito bowl with cauliflower rice
Roasted pepper and onions with guacamole and salsa
Grilled grass-fed steak
Bison burger patty with homemade vinaigrette
Mixed fruit

Dinner

Roasted vegetables
Bison burger with a lettuce wrap
Baked sweet potatoes
Baked salmon with pesto
Roasted pork tenderloin
Roasted Brussels sprouts
Side salad

Summary

Based on the eating habits of early humans, a primal diet is a highly-beneficiary diet that focuses on eating mostly whole foods and discarding processed foods. In addition, it also encourages you to engage in physical activities that, in turn, help in reducing stress levels. So, talk to your dietician and see whether this is an ideal diet for you or not. If yes, then feel free to follow our guide.