Trying to shift those last few extra pounds of weight can be a struggle; there's no denying it. No matter what you do, they just don't seem to budge. You've tried everything from starvation to sit ups and nothing seems to work. Everywhere you look there are countless so called solutions and you've tried them all, but the pounds still persist. Perhaps it's time to take a look at our Stone Age ancestors for an answer; after all, they didn't have to fight the battle of the bulge the way we do today!

Back then they lived entirely on an indigenous diet of meat and fish, fruit and vegetables. They were the hunter-gatherers. Hunting down their next meal and foraging for fruits and berries on those wild and untamed lands. They lived a natural life without supermarkets, ready-made meals or processed foods, and they had never heard of diets.

Their meals were simple. No complicated formulas to consider, no weighing and no counting calories. There were other health benefits connected with their diet too. Evidence suggests that some of the modern day ailments like arthritis and immune disorders that plague us today were non-existent back then. We know too that their diet was high in polyunsaturated fats - particularly the Omega 3 fatty acids, as well as containing all the vitamins and minerals required for a healthy diet. So where did we go wrong?

The main difference between what our ancestors did way back then and what we do now is that they ate a diet that consisted of only unprocessed, natural whole foods. They didnt have stabilisers, sugars, thickeners, preservatives, artificial flavourings and colourings that are so commonplace in our foods today.

In modern times, The Stone Age type of diet is often used to identify food allergies. The idea is to restrict sufferers to a natural diet of whole foods and then slowly introduce other foods little by little, in order to determine what foods are causing problems. This was how I stumbled across the unexpected weight losing benefit of this diet. I was suffering from food allergies and tried this method but very quickly it became apparent to me that not only can you eat as much as you want, those extra pounds slip quietly and quickly away without a fuss.

With just a little modification of the Palaeolithic, or Stone Age Diet, as it is often referred to, you can kick start your body into kicking into touch that unwelcome extra weight. You will naturally and quickly eliminate those extra few pounds, but not only that, it will help to detoxify your body from some of those toxins that modern day living generously bestows upon us all. You see, genetically we are not really that different from our ancient ancestors and so our bodies are more able to efficiently process foods that were naturally and readily available at that time.

Our aim is to shift those last few stubborn pounds, and as most of us are not cavemen anymore, and we are not trying to identify allergies, we will allow ourselves some modern luxuries such as tea and coffee.

So what can you eat? Basically, anything in the list below and in any combination you like, avoiding all foods in the forbidden list. What you can eat

Meat, (no bacon) chicken,turkey, fish, seafood,eggs, fruit, nuts (apart from peanuts which are really a type of bean), berries, all vegetables (particularly root vegetables) including potatoes ( no chips or fries)

What you can drink

Water, bottled mineral water, black tea (no sugar), black coffee (no sugar), natural Fruit juices (unsweetened), fruit smoothies, vegetable juices, herbal teas

Absolutely forbidden

Grains, pasta, bread, noodles, beans, lentils, pulses, peas, dairy produce, sugar, salt, alcohol, processed foods, tinned food, dressings, sauces

Included here are some sample menus to help inspire your own ideas and to get you started.

Breakfast

Day 1 - Boiled or scrambled eggs Day 2 - Smoked mackerel Day 3 - Bowl of chopped fruits, nuts and berries Day 4 Fruit smoothie Water, fruit juice, herbal tea, black tea or coffee

Lunch

Day 1 - Selection of fruit Day 2 - Mixed Salad Day 3 - Tuna chunks mixed with chopped vegetables Day 4 - Soup made with chicken or beef stock, and vegetables Water, fruit juice, herbal tea, black tea or coffee

Dinner

Day 1 - Steak with a selection of vegetables Day 2 - Lamb, beef or chicken casserole with selection of vegetables Day 3 - Omelette, no cream or milk made with vegetables Day 4 - Grilled fish - any kind, with salad or vegetables Water, fruit juice, herbal tea, black tea or coffee

Be as creative as you like. For variety, select a different combination of meats and vegetables, fruits and salads each day. If you follow this programme and remember not to touch any of the forbidden foods, you will lose around 2- 3 pounds per week, the natural way.

Copyright 2006 David McEvoy