The Warrior Diet is hard but has a history stretching back through the ages.

Can you picture yourself traveling through the countryside all day, drinking fresh water from a stream as it becomes available? Maybe a few nuts or berries are in season, and you stuff them in your pack to add to a future meal. Then you gather some fresh greens or roots along the riverbank as you wait for the fish you just caught to cook over an open fire. Can you envision that fish and salad being your only meal of the day?

That’s the essence of this extreme form of intermittent fasting.

“If you prefer a less extreme form of intermittent fasting, you’ve got choices.”

Without the gathering and fishing activities, it’s how I’ve eaten most days since the 80s.

People wonder, “How do you do it? I’d starve!”

In my case, it’s just what I’ve become used to doing. And doing it well before the Warrior Diet was “a thing.”

Occasionally. I’ll eat lunch or breakfast with friends and family to be sociable. But my main meal is mainly dinner - whether it’s eaten in the afternoon or evening.

Don’t get me wrong, I love food. There’s nothing like the enjoyment of savoring a dozen (or more) raw oysters on the half-shell; a well-seasoned veggie-legume stew or Buddha bowl; sautéed soft shell crabs; Margherita pizza; a New England clam bake with lobster, clams and fresh corn on the cob steamed over a firepit and shared with a group of friends.

I celebrate Mother Nature’s bounty by making that one meal a special event in my day. The rest of the time it’s just tea, nuts, seltzer and, possibly, an adult beverage.

So, as long as I’m in good health - normal blood pressure, no cholesterol issues, plenty of energy – I’m sticking with it.

Not ready to go Full Warrior? If you prefer a less extreme form of intermittent fasting, you’ve got choices.

Absolute Beginners:

• 12-Hour Intermittent Fasting – Eat three basic meals a day then abstain from eating anything after dinner. Since most of the non-eating interval occurs while you’re asleep, it’s the easiest regimen to follow.
• Skip a Meal – Follow up on your success by extending the 12-Hour Intermittent Fasting plan for one more meal. Skip breakfast or dinner.

Skip a Day or Two:

• 5:2 Fasting – Eat your basic meals for five days of the week while eating a very limited number of calories the other two days.
• Alternate Day Fasting – Either cut back considerably or eat within a short interval every other day.
• Once a Week Fast – Pick a 24-hour period where you will consume nothing but water. Eat normally the other six days.

Some reports claim intermittent fasting may reduce inflammation and improve brain health. But as the legal disclaimer much loved by lawyers everywhere states, individual results may vary.

The Drink Wine - Eat Plants section of my website is dedicated to sharing recipes I enjoy with you, my friends. There are some seafood recipes suitable for those enjoying a Mediterranean diet regime, but I’m offering you mostly plant-based meal choices. Although very few are either strictly vegan or gluten free, I’m sure you know how to adapt the ingredients listed to match your culinary needs. I’m not going to pretend to know what the best substitutes are. I would love to hear your expert opinions on the topic. Please share in the Contact section.

Bon Appetit!