When I set out to lose weight I weighed 191 pounds. This morning the scales read 163 pounds. My target is 161 pounds. Nearly there!

So far I have lost 28 pounds, slowly.

What has been the secret of my success?

It seems that without giving it much conscious thought I have been following what I have come to think of as a Caveman Menu and a Caveman Lifestyle. I will write a lot more about this in the near future. But for now you should think about what a caveman or cavewoman would have eaten in the days before agriculture.

For now all I can say is that it works.

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Oranges are healthy because they have a unique combination of digestion conducive food fibre and more than 170 plant substances. The interaction between the plant substances and the food fibres has a very positive effect on your health and is said to prevent cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Tip. If possible eat all of the orange to get all of the benefits from it. The peel has plenty of anitoxidants and can be used in wok-meals, desserts and in bread and cakes.

Engery per 100 grams: 51 kcal
Protein: 0.9 grams
Fat: 0.6 grams
Carbohydrate: 11.5 grams

Recipe of the Day:

Snapper with Orange and Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

* 1 Snapper fillet, cut half
* 1/2 small Onion (not shallot but yellow onion), minced
* 1 clove Garlic, minced
* 1/2 tablespoon Olive Oil
* A dash of salt and pepper

Marinade:

* 5 tablespoon Olive Oil
* Rind of 1 Orange
* 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
* 1 clove Garlic, crushed not minced

Sauce:

* 1.35 fl.oz White Wine
* Juice of 1 Orange
* 1 ripe tomato, skinned, seeds removed and diced
* Rind of 1/2 Orange
* Sugar to taste, adjusted according to the sweetness of orange juice
* 1 Orange, skin removed and cut into chunks

Directions:

Save 2 tablespoon of marinade oil for frying later.

1. Marinate fish in marinade oil for 30 minutes.

2. Remove from marinade and season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat pan with marinade oil saved earlier.

4. Pan fry fish on both sides till browned and cooked.

5. Remove and set aside.

6. Heat oil in new pan.

7. Add onion and garlic.

8. Stir fry till onions are soft.

9. Add white wine.

10. Let it simmer till it is reduced to half.

11. Add orange juice, rind and tomatoes.

12. Cook for 1 minute or till sauce thickens.

13. Add sugar to taste.

14. Add orange chunks and cook for another 10 seconds.

15. Pour sauce over fish.

16. Serve immediately.

Exercise of the Day:

Stretches back of thighs and buttock muscles.

Lie flat on your back on the floor, legs straight, arms by your sides.
Raise your RIGHT leg without bending your knee. Reach down and clasp your right ankle with both hands. Gently pull your foot up towards your head until you feel the back of your right thigh and buttock muscles stretching. Lower right foot back to floor.
Raise your LEFT leg without bending your knee. Reach down and clasp your left ankle with both hands. Gently pull your foot up towards your head until you feel the back of your left thigh and buttock muscles stretching. Lower left foot back to floor.

Repeat 5 times with each leg.

Peas are healthy because they contain plenty of food fibre and a lot of protein. They are also full of vitamin-C which helps to strengthen your immune system and is a part of your body’s connective tissue protein. They also contain some niacin which is important for the production of hormones and folate, which influences your body’s production of blood.

Tip. A palm full of peas is a healthy snack.

Energy per 100 grams: 70 kcal
Protein: 5.9 grams
Fat: 0.7 gram
Carbohydrate: 12.9 grams

Recipe of the Day:

Spring Pea Soup

Ingredients:

3 – 4 cups water

2 cups fresh spring peas
½ cup cilantro
½ cup mint
½ - 1 jalapeno – seeds and ribs removed
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1-2 tablespoon cooking water from peas
1 -2 tablespoon tempeh

Directions:

Boil water and add peas. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes until peas are bright green and fragerant.
Remove from water with a slotted spoon and place in work bowl of food processor.
Add cilantro, mint, jalapeno, 1 tablespoon olive oil, pinch salt and pinch pepper.

Puree until smooth – around 2 minutes. Check consistency and seasoning.
If the soup needs thining, add the cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time, while processor is running. Also, stream in remaining oil.
For a creamier consistency, add tempeh to the pure and process for a further minute.

Exercise of the Day:

This exercise is good for your balance and tones your inner thigh muscles.

Stand up straight with both feet flat on the floor, arms by your sides.
Stretch both arms out to the sides, parallel with the ground.
Raise your LEFT knee until your thigh is parallel with the ground, toes pointing down to the ground.
Stretch your left knee out to the left at far as it will go, until you feel the inner thigh muscle tighten. Then return to the center and lower your foot to the floor.
Raise your RIGHT knee until your thigh is parallel with the ground, toes pointing down to the ground.
Stretch your right knee out to the right at far as it will go, until you feel the inner thigh muscle tighten. Then return to the center and lower your foot to the floor.

Repeat 5 times. Build up to 10 repetitions.

Portobello mushrooms are healthy because they contain quantities of niacin, which helps your metabolism to operate. They also deliver plenty of selenium which is said to prevent cancer. As Portobello mushrooms contain minimal fats the calorie count is very low which is great news for slimmers.

Tip: grilled mushrooms make an excellent substitute for meat. Using mushrooms greatly reduces the calories in your meal and avoids the unhealthy saturated fats in meat.

Energy per 100 grams: 26 kcal
Protein: 2.5 grams
Fat: 0.2 grams
Cargohydrate: 5.1 grams

The Recipe of the Day:

Rich, creamy mushroom soup…

without adding cream!

Ingredients:

1 lb portobello mushrooms
1 onion (white)
1 oz butter
A tablespoon of concentrated beef broth (or veggie broth)
1 tablespoon of flour
Salt and Pepper to taste
Paprika (a few sprinkles of it)
Dill (a few sprinkles of it)

Directions:

The secret ingredients here are the paprika and dill! I know it sounds like an odd combination but it adds the punch to this delicious hearty soup!

1. Slice mushrooms and onions. Reserve a few slices of mushrooms to decorate the dish.

2. Sauté mushrooms and onions in butter for a few minutes until soft or until mushrooms are fragrant and their juices have come out.

3. Sprinkle in the paprika and dill and stir

4. Pulse the entire mixture in the blender til nice and smooth

5. Return it back to the pot. Mix the concentrated beef broth with the flour and add it to the soup. This helps to thicken it up.

6. Add milk if you want the soup to be thinner.. (not really necessary)

7. Season with salt and pepper

Exercise of the Day:

This three step, step exercise will tone up your thigh and calf muscles.

Stand at foot of stairs, start with your LEFT foot. Go: left foot UP to step 1, right foot up to step 2, left foot up to step 3, right foot up to step 3.

Then, left foot DOWN to step 2, right foot down to step 1, left foot down to floor, right foot down to floor.

Repeat 5 times, build up to 10 repetitions.

[Photo used under this license]

Seaweed is healthy because it contains truly enormous amounts of iodine, which protects you against metabolism diseases. It also contains the liquid regulating substance potassium and calcium.

Seaweed includes extra plant substances, which are good for your immune defenses.

Tip: Use dried seaweed in soups or buy ready-made seaweed salad in your supermarket or fish shop.

Energy per 100 grams: 249 kcal
Protein: 7.9 grams
Fat: 0.6 grams
Carbohydrate: 55 grams

Recipe of the Day:

Tuna, Rice & Seaweed Salad

Ingredients:

* ½ cup jasmine rice (or brown rice which is better for your health)

* 3 oz tuna in olive oil (about half a can)

* Nori seaweed

* dried shiitake mushrooms

* Dashi/chicken/vegetable stock

* black pepper to taste

* ½ teaspoon sesame oil, or to taste

* soy sauce to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Soak the shiitake mushrooms for at least 10 minutes to soften them. cut them into slices.

2. Wash & cook the rice, shiitake mushrooms, and seaweed in the dashi/stock. I usually just throw everything into the rice cooker, adjusting the amount of water/stock as I go along.

3. When the rice is done, heat the tuna chunks up. I use the microwave for this. Season with black pepper.

4. Flake tuna chunks into the rice/mushrooms/seaweed mix. Give everything a good stir & add the sesame oil, adjusting for taste. Add black pepper & possibly a few drops of soy sauce, as needed. Add (dried) seaweed scattered over the top, as well, if desired.

5. This tastes just as good cold, so it makes a great packed lunch as well.
Exercise of the Day:

Run up and down stairs. At least 10 steps. Repeat 5 times. Build up to 20 repetitions.

[Credit: Photographer Tyler Morrison]