The best way to lose weight and get fit - without the hype.

[Matt Emery]

Okay, i'm fed up with all the misinformation I keep hearing about exercising to lose weight.  So i'm just going to say it plain and simple;

"You do NOT need to spend hours at the gym to lose weight"

Running on a treadmill for 30 minutes non-stop, followed by isolating certain muscles with weights or machines is a big fat waste of time!

Now that i've said that. Here it is, the best way to lose weight and get fit;

Short bursts of intensity with small rests in between each exercise, for no longer then 20-30 minutes in total.

Click here for the "The Caveman Power 15 Minute Workout" -  a great example of what to do.

I can tell you this with total confidence, because I have practised these methods on myself (and others) with complete success.  I have also sourced numerous scientific papers to substantiate my statements (for those that like physiological evidence).

I have lost 18 kilos using these methods (assisted with diet), and I have witnessed a weight loss of up to 14 kilos in others in less than 12 weeks.  And the good part is, we're not just getting slimmer, we're getting fitter - much fitter.

You can speed up this process by using the Caveman Power Diet (more on that topic later...) but even without dieting you will still lose weight and get fitter.

I'm completely frustrated by seeing people slogging it out in the gym and never getting the results they want, and it's not their fault...  they're just following the same old crap every one else has been told.

Please feel free to ask me any questions 

[viking]

Thanks for the great website, Matt.  Tell me - what were you eating during the period that you trimmed up?  Every man's different, but I still want to know how you broke up the eating plan.  were you using your caveman diet?

[LAChick]

Hey Matt, my question is about post exercise stretching. Do you have some evidence to suggest that stretching muscle groups after intense exercise is no longer current thinking? I've noticed that in most of your writings about exercise there is no mention of this. Just curious 

[Matt Emery]

Hey Matt, my question is about post exercise stretching. Do you have some evidence to suggest that stretching muscle groups after intense exercise is no longer current thinking? I've noticed that in most of your writings about exercise there is no mention of this. Just curious 

Good question! Stretching is great, no doubt about it - after a workout it promotes blood flow through the muscles etc.

Personally, I don't stretch after a workout.  If there is a critical need to stretch, then I haven't done the workout correctly.  I prefer full body compound movements, and I like to follow the natural movement of my skeleton and muscles.  So I don't see a need to stretch.  My only evidence for such, would be the fact that my body feels wonderfully supple compared to when I use to do the normal style of gym workouts.  Additionally, all the folks I work out with do not report feeling tight a day or two after a workout.  The only exception would be when we're doing the 3 Minute Challenge or One Tonne Challenge, because in both cases there is less variety in our movements.

Quite often i'll ride to the gym and ride home.  This I feel, is in the vain of a hunter-style type of physical activity i.e. stalking the prey, chasing it vigorously, and then carrying it back to camp over rough terrain.... you get the idea.  Warming up and warming down, with intense activity in the middle, is in my opinion very natural.

Go ahead and stretch if you like, but you will find that the Caveman Power Workout can be done in such a way that it requires little stretching before and after.   I see guys doing workouts where they isolate and obliterate individual muscles groups... it's unnatural, and it's probably the reason they require extra stretching, almost as if it's a form of damage control.

[Matt Emery]

Thanks for the great website, Matt.  Tell me - what were you eating during the period that you trimmed up?  Every man's different, but I still want to know how you broke up the eating plan.  were you using your caveman diet?

My pleasure Viking, thanks for the encouragement, and for being a part of things

I did indeed use the Caveman Power Diet to lose all the weight.

During my weight loss phase, I ate once a day.  My meals consisted of Nuts, Tuna, Vegetables, Chicken, Red Meat, and once or twice a week I would feast on lollies, cake, chips, pizza, or whatever else I felt like.

Basically, I tried to go for unprocessed foods as much as possible, and I didn't hold back on eating a good amount of healthy fats; Olive Oil, Nuts, Salmon etc.  The first week was difficult because I was addicted to carbs, and hence there was some fatigue.  But after that, my energy levels became quite high, and I no longer experienced slumps or peaks during the day.  In fact, I felt great!  The trick is to persist through the first week.

I still eat once a day, but occasionally I might have an extra meal here or there on social occasions or if I feel like it.

Does that answer your question?

[LAChick]

Quite often i'll ride to the gym and ride home.  This I feel, is in the vain of a hunter-style type of physical activity i.e. stalking the prey, chasing it vigorously, and then carrying it back to camp over rough terrain.... you get the idea.  Warming up and warming down, with intense activity in the middle, is in my opinion very natural.

Intriguing...that makes complete sense to me - thanks!

[viking]

yep.  I'm just getting back into the groove of working out, and I'm trying a lot of different things.    see,  do, right? weightlifting worked for me in the past, but i'd rather do something functional this time around.  I'm not sure that your style of eating and biking will work for me, but my body will tell me what i need -  I'm just not sure that my genetics and yours are predisposed to the same routines....
Laters

[Matt Emery]

but my body will tell me what i need

Excellent!  I love the fact you are listening to your body and keeping it natural.

What type of exercises do you plan on doing?

[Jen]

Hope it's not too late to post here, but strongly agree you do not need to go to the gym to get fit - possibly it was even the start of where it went wrong for me;   when I initially gained weight it followed moving from the countryside to city living.  I guess I didn't really know how to transfer or adapt my previous lifestyle to the city.  At the end of the day gym workouts didn't provide an equal exercise regime compared to the day-to-day life in the country. Before moving to London was pretty active - cycling to get anywhere, walking, horse riding, canoeing etc (w/e jobs on farm!), but once in city although started off with good intentions found gyms and classes unstimulating and boring until they gradually petered to be replaced with socializing   

[/quote]

keeping it natural.

[/quote]

A couple of years ago, in efforts to lose weight, in addition to diet, went to gym every single night for over 2-3 hours for over 6 months - Result not a pound lost and disillusioned gave up.  What struck me though was the number of school children also pounding away on the treadmill, which I found quite unnatural  (compared to my childhood) particularly as we were surrounding with acres of playing fields!

[Matt Emery]

A couple of years ago, in efforts to lose weight, in addition to diet, went to gym every single night for over 2-3 hours for over 6 months - Result not a pound lost and disillusioned gave up.  What struck me though was the number of school children also pounding away on the treadmill, which I found quite unnatural  (compared to my childhood) particularly as we were surrounding with acres of playing fields!

I've seen people at the gym who remain unfit, even after years of working out.  They are addicted to a certain routine, and religiously stick to it, even though it is inefficient and ineffective.

I'm starting a little research into the psychology behind this strange phenomena.  Once I understand it more I then might be in a better position to help people.

[Jen]

They are addicted to a certain routine, and and religiously stick to it

I feel it has something to do with fear of breaking routines and losing control.  We’re habitual creatures and it’s easy to get into routines, eating and exercise, healthy or unhealthy.  If you break a routine how does it affect your life and what do you replace it with?  By promoting such an energising alternative, you’re already well on the right road to helping people.

[munster]

hi Matt cool site. Am just about to start being like a caveman and was wondering best things to help with hunger pangs (got a lot of bad food habits) and am not very energetic. also i would need to lose 25 +kg and was wondering what sort of time span i should aim at. thanks for helping me motivate myself!

[Matt Emery]

hi Matt cool site. Am just about to start being like a caveman and was wondering best things to help with hunger pangs (got a lot of bad food habits) and am not very energetic. also i would need to lose 25 +kg and was wondering what sort of time span i should aim at. thanks for helping me motivate myself!

Hi there, and thanks for dropping by.   

Firstly, I would recommend getting a medical pre-screening from a registered doctor.  It's important to see if there are any physical or dietary barriers.  And if there are any barriers you would need to respect them, and work around them accordingly.  For instance, low blood pressure or excessive weight would require a progressive approach i.e. start off easy and build your way up.

If you are eating and exercising as i've outlined on the website, you can expect to lose weight (fat) rather quickly, it wouldn't be unreasonable to lose 25 Kg in less than 3 to 6 months.  However, this is ONLY if you are fundamentally healthy and your body can cope with rapid weight loss.  Alternatively, a safer approach would be to to gradually lose weight over 12 months.

I've seen people lose over 20kg in less than 6 months, but they were generally young and healthy, and they were vigilant about meeting their nutritional requirements.  So in essence; be wise about what you're doing, and don't jump into the deep end too quickly.

Hunger pangs (cravings) are common for people who are addicted to carbohydrates, especially those contained in bread, sweets, pasta, rice, and sweet drinks (including orange juice).  And upon cessation of such unnecessary foods, you will find that your body craves these things for several days, but the cravings will drop to tolerable levels after that time.

To combat the cravings, I would recommend adding more fat to your diet, and less carbohydrates.  Good fats include; Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Oily Fish (Salmon, Sardines), Free Range Eggs and Nuts.  Eating these types of foods will fill you up and keep you full for longer times.  And most importantly, it breaks the body's addiction to carbohydrates.

I encourage you to learn about good fats, and what foods to find them in.  They usually are incredibly tasty, and very satisfying.  Avoid bad fats such as those found in deep fried foods, and grain fed meat.  Grain fed meat (and eggs) have a higher proportion of Omega-6 fats.  What you need is a nice proportion of Omega-3 fats.

The paradox of eating more fat and less carbohydrates is simple; fats fill you up for a long time, and carbohydrates make you crave more, it's the heroin of food.  Once you start, you can't stop.  For example; the typical person may consume high-carb cereals for breakfast, and as a consequence they crave more food 3 hours later.  However, eating a low-carb breakfast will not cause this "rebound" effect.

In summary; feed your cravings with healthy fats.  And remember, as far as food types go; fat does not make you fat - addiction to carbohydrates makes you fat.

Also, remember to drink plenty of water, because protein requires more water than carbohydrates for metabolising.  And eating more fat usually means you'll be getting more protein.

Yell out if you have any more questions. 

[munster]

thanks Matt,
i hear what your saying. i am looking for slow permanent loss. while not fit I'm able to do everything i want. so d-day for me is 17/09/07 time to take the first step. breakfast could be tricky! feel hungry just thinking about it! 

[munster]

OK hi all one week down and still not a cannibal! might be down a couple of kgs but its hard to see the dial without my glasses. had a few bad moments and resisted most temptations (well I'm not perfect). having good days and not so good days and it helps when people ask if I've lost weight . i think I'll do two more weeks of stage 1 and maybe low level exercises. i will keep you posted

[Matt Emery]

OK hi all one week down and still not a cannibal! might be down a couple of kgs but its hard to see the dial without my glasses. had a few bad moments and resisted most temptations (well I'm not perfect). having good days and not so good days and it helps when people ask if I've lost weight . i think I'll do two more weeks of stage 1 and maybe low level exercises. i will keep you posted

Excellent work.  We're all proud of you 

Keep us posted!

PS I think exercise is calling you...

[munster]

well week two is now over and I'm still on target. my first landmark is within sight, i feel small targets are more attainable and less likely to cause upset if failed. as for that calling you heard Matt, i must be a little bit   deaf in that ear, definitely didn't hear a thing. I intend exercising once i find something suitable for me . I am open to suggestions p.s. exactly when is piazza etc supposed to taste not so nice? I had one the other night and man..........

[Matt Emery]

...as for that calling you heard Matt, i must be a little bit deaf in that ear, definitely didn't hear a thing. I intend exercising once i find something suitable for me . I am open to suggestions

haha, no worries mate, you'll hear the call soon enough when the weight drops off and you feel like doing cartwheels   

Here's a great way to measure your increasing fitness;

Do one round of;
 - 10 chinups
 - 10 pushups
 - 10 situps
 - 10 squats

Time how long it takes!
It may take an hour the first time you do it, but each day you will notice it getting quicker and quicker.  Feel free to cheat on the chinups by jumping up to the bar and lowering yourself slowly.  You can cheat on the pushups by doing them on your knees.  Also, get something or someone to hold your feet down when doing the situps.

Do it as fast as you can!  Don't hurt yourself though.

...exactly when is piazza etc supposed to taste not so nice? I had one the other night and man..........

hehe, yeah, Pizza is great, I love it too, but I don't crave it as much as I use to because I know it will make me feel terrible, and I prefer feeling good!  You will notice your cravings getting less - it may take a bit longer, but trust me, they will!  So don't worry too much about that... it will take care of itself.

I binge at least once a week on any food and quantity I want,  it feels natural to do that.  Just like a Caveman would possibly find a feast every week or so in the bush.

The point is, that cravings decrease in frequency and strength when you get in tune with being healthy.

Anyway, it sounds like you're doing a great job.  I like the small targets approach too   

[munster]

OK hi all week three nearly down re read the guidelines, must have missed the graze lightly part! should were my glasses more often. stage two could be more difficult and i think i need a longer lead in time( really long). i have been doing some exercises but just need to up the frequency. ( once counts doesn't it ). as for the chin ups, if i try them i will look like a caveman dragging my hands on the ground! they are an exercise i always found difficult but i will give the others a go and if i don't pass out i will record some times . when would you guys think the best time to weigh oneself is, i prefer first thing in the morning when the stomach is empty or is that giving me a false reading? looking forward to hearing some opinions. bye for now

[Matt Emery]

OK hi all week three nearly down re read the guidelines, must have missed the graze lightly part! should were my glasses more often. stage two could be more difficult and i think i need a longer lead in time( really long).

Mix it up if you like, the idea is to make you crave good foods, and break carbohydrate addiction.

i have been doing some exercises but just need to up the frequency. ( once counts doesn't it. as for the chin ups, if i try them i will look like a caveman dragging my hands on the ground! they are an exercise i always found difficult but i will give the others a go and if i don't pass out i will record some times

You can substitute for the chin-ups, by jumping up to the bar and lowering yourself as slowly as possible.  Doing this will eventually enable you to perform proper chin-ups.  You absolutely need to learn this exercise.

when would you guys think the best time to weigh oneself is, i prefer first thing in the morning when the stomach is empty or is that giving me a false reading?

Forget about weighing yourself and focus on improving your time on the circuit.  As your time gets faster, you will get fitter, leaner, stronger etc.  And once you master the circuit, start doing 3 rounds, and eventually, 5.

Seriously, weighing yourself is useless.  You will be building lean muscle, which is heavier than fat.  So please, don't go anorexic on us by obsessing on weight - throw the scales out! lol 

Focus on performance, and you'll look great as a result.

[munster]

no worries about going anorexic! but i insist on getting under 100 kg . am increasing exercise lots of walking at work carrying weight over difficult terrain. am doing push ups sit ups squats trying to do them everyday . but i am improving body shape is improving and I'm working on getting stage two going

[Matt Emery]

no worries about going anorexic! but i insist on getting under 100 kg . am increasing exercise lots of walking at work carrying weight over difficult terrain. am doing push ups sit ups squats trying to do them everyday . but i am improving body shape is improving and I'm working on getting stage two going

That's brilliant!

Eventually, some before and after photos would be good

[munster]

before and after photos? do you want to get the website shut down? will see what i can do but the after ones will have to wait

[Matt Emery]

before and after photos? do you want to get the website shut down? will see what i can do but the after ones will have to wait

No pressure mate... 

[munster]

ok guys i haven't gone away hit a bit of a wall lately hassle every way i turned but have come through it relatively ok. i think i am back on track again. now that winter approaches finding spare time is a bit more difficult. still haven't fully moved onto stage 2, it's hard not to have a spud with the dinner i am irish after all , as you say yourself ,youv'e got to be true to your roots lol
i do promise to try harder