The real simple diet
By Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D
Succeeding at weight loss doesn't have to be complicated. Way back when humans evolved, everyone stayed lean and strong without thinking about weight control. They did it the simple way: They ate the food that grew all around them, and got lots of exercise while they hunted and gathered that food. It occurred to me that anyone would lose weight if they kept up a similar level of activity and ate like our ancestors did, a concept I developed in a new book, The Origin Diet: How Living in Tune With Your Evolutionary Roots Will Reduce Disease, Boost Vitality, Add Healthy Years to Your Life, and Help You Lose Weight (Henry Holt and Company, 2001). But all this was rather abstract. I wanted to see how real people living in the 21st century would do on the plan. I decided to recruit some volunteers at my gym to test the diet. All of the people I chose were healthy exercisers, in their early 20s to their 60s. While some had elevated cholesterol or were on medications, most just wanted to lose weight. About 40 stuck with the diet for six weeks, and some of those stayed on for another six-week study with 15 volunteers from another local gym. 30 pounds in 15 weeks
After six weeks on the Origin Diet, everyone who'd wanted to lose weight did -- up to 30 pounds in 15 weeks! Cholesterol levels and blood pressure dropped, menopausal hot flashes lessened, and some people were even able to reduce their medications. They all slept and felt better and had more energy and fewer cravings.
