Page 55 - Winter2008

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The Warrior Diet: is urged to consume vegetable juices either
Switch on Your Biological Powerhouse from a juicer or blender and light proteins, such
For High Energy, Explosive Strength, as yogurt, kefir or whole eggs. Live foods are
and a Leaner, Harder Body emphasized for their enzymes, but Hofmekler
By Ori Hofmekler never mentions the enzyme inhibitors found
Blue Snake Books, 2nd ed., 2007 in some raw foods. Coffee is fine, as is lots of
water. While he calls this fasting, one could also
Let’s be clear, the purpose of The Warrior view it as a series of small meals, which is often
Diet is not to lose weight. This way of eating is recommended for weight-loss.
largely directed at people who are already very The evening feast has specific rules:
active, and is about their feeling great and hav-
ing their edges honed sharp. That being said, the 1. Start with subtle-tasting foods and move to
overweight person who chooses this diet would stronger flavors.
probably lose some of the extra pounds. But it’s 2. Include a wide variety of tastes, colors and
not easy. Hofmekler was a member of the Israeli textures in your meal.
Special Forces and still works out hard every day. 3. Stop when you feel satiated or when you feel
His methods are demanding even by the stan- more thirsty than hungry.
dards of experienced trainers and weight lifters,
and he goes for the long, lean, functional body, Hofmekler’s diet choices are generally
rather than bulk. His exercise routine is detailed WAPF-friendly, but with some glaring excep-
in the book, but is not required for the diet. tions. His “avoid” list includes refined flour and Hofmekler
The diet itself revolves around the idea that sugar, margarine and hydrogenated oils, soy says his diet
our ancestors did not eat three square meals a powders, commercial whey powders, too much will work
day. Hofmekler gives detailed accounts of what polyunsaturated oil, and synthetic supplements,
and when the Romans and Greeks ate, and their but includes exaggerated concerns about mer- without the

attitudes about food. He points out that hunter- cury in fish oils. He loves juicing, but is clear that workout,
gatherers would have feasted on meat when some vegetables need cooking—particularly the but it is
available, and that many generations of humans cruciferous ones. He believes that meat should
have experienced cycles of abundance and scar- also be cooked for better assimilation. Except unclear how
city as far as food is concerned. The warrior diet for salads, all evening vegetables should be his method
makes deliberate use of this pattern to stimulate cooked. of eating is
the body to heal and rejuvenate. The pattern of Hofmekler highly recommends fermented
eating is as important as the food choices. foods of all kinds for their enzyme benefit, and terribly
The eating cycle Hofmekler advocates seems is also fond of bone broth. He has nothing nice different from
at first to be in opposition to common dietary to say about pasteurized dairy and cites raw milk calorie
advice: One eats very lightly during the day and as beneficial. He has no objection to salt, but says
heavily at night. The day-time regimen can be a that sea salt is vastly better. However, Hofmekler restriction, or
pure fast of water only, but Hofmekler himself also recommends raw nuts and seeds and loves simply eating
considers this to be extreme. One eats lightly to eat unsweetened dry cereal at the end of the more healthy,
enough to still experience hunger, however; and meal. And while he gives a qualified plug for
unless one is an extreme athlete, carbohydrates saturated fats and approves of butter and cocoa nutrient-
are not allowed. During the fasting period, one (Continued on page 54) dense food.

WINTER 2008 Wise Traditions 55