Health Watch: No Guilt Holiday Feast 'Caveman Diet'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A way to pig out at Thanksgiving and not gain weight. It's not impossible. 3 On Your Side Health Reporter Stephanie Stahl has more on how you can have a no guilt holiday feast.
Turkey and all the fixings, usually a scale buster. But if you think of Thanksgiving like a caveman experts say your diet doesn't have to suffer.
Gloria Romaro dropped four dress sizes on the Caveman or Paleo Diet.
"It was fantastic. It was just amazing," said Gloria.
The premise is that our bodies are genetically programmed to eat like our Paleolithic ancestors. They hunted, fished, and gathered plants for food.
"You can eat all you want, whenever you want, from this big list of very tasty foods - meat, fish, fowl, eggs, nuts, seeds, vegetables, a little bit of fruit, some chocolate, maybe a little red wine -- you can eat all you want, whenever you want," said Mark Sisson, Author of "Primal Blueprint."
But you have to eliminate dairy, sugar, grains, beans and processed foods. With the focus on protein and fiber, insulin levels stay stable. You stay fuller longer.
Caveman eating helped Renee Linde get rid of her cravings and over eating.
"I almost have to remind myself to eat," said Renee.
And a reporter, on the Caveman Diet, watched her cholesterol drop from 221 to 170. She lost 30 pounds, ate all the time, and never felt hungry or counted calories.
"How many things do you know work this well in this short a period of time?" said Dr. Lynda Frassetto, a Researcher.
The caveman recipe for Thanksgiving includes salad, load up on turkey, green veggies and carrots. And have just a little mashed potatoes or yams. Stay away from gravy, stuffing and desserts,
"I have nothing but good things to say about it," said Robert Lustig, an Endocrinologist.
Most diet experts agree that staying away from processed food and sugar is critical, but critics of the Caveman Diet say eliminating dairy and whole grains isn't healthy.
And in terms of eating like a caveman for Thanksgiving, in addition to helping your diet, experts say it can also improve heart and brain function.
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Reported by Stephanie Stahl, CBS 3
