10 Real-Life Reasons Why the Primal Blueprint Works for Me
There’s been a lot more talk in the mainstream recently about “caveman” diets and barefoot training. Primal/Paleo/Evo seems to be gaining in popularity and may be nearing the critical mass needed to garner mainstream appreciation. John Durant appeared on Stephen Colbert last week, Art De Vany was featured in Der Spiegel, Born to Run is a NYT Bestseller and my book recently made the top ten Health and Fitness titles on Amazon. Even so, we Primal types still get those occasional looks of derision or incomprehension when we show up at the gym with our Fives on and a bag of homemade jerky hanging off our belt to do a quick 15 minute HIIT session. I think there’s a sense among outsiders that the Grok fairy tale trumps the science within the Primal crowd – that the notion of living like a caveman is a cute ideal but irrelevant in a 21st century high-tech context. Of course, it’s not true; science always leads the way here at MDA and on most Primal/Paleo/Evo sites. But even with the science completely supporting the idea that we ought to emulate our hunter-gatherer ancestors in many aspects of life, I still hear things like, “I trust my doctor too much to give up the statins and start eating fats.” Or “I’m lazy, undisciplined, and I love good food too much to be able to change this late in my life.” Hey, me too! So for those of you who are looking for more detailed rationale why living Primal is best for everyone (including your doubting spouse and your parents), here are my 10 Real-Life Reasons Why the Primal Blueprint Works for Me.
1. I’m lazy.
Ironically, I spent 25 years of my life pursuing high level fitness and peak health through hard work, discipline, sacrifice and misery. That didn’t work out for me. I’m over it. Now I just want the best results with the least amount of pain, suffering, and sacrifice. I jokingly tell my ex-triathlete buddies, “I’d rather look fit than be fit.” Of course, the irony is that when you actually do what it takes to look fit (eat right, cut the Chronic Cardio, sprint a bit now and then and lift intensely two or three times a week ) you become VERY fit. And healthy. And happy. And more productive. The best part of Primal Blueprint living is that you can get appreciably better results with significantly less time, less effort and less sacrifice. Instead of the old 20-30 hours a week I used to put in training, I now train less than three hours total a week. I try to play the rest of the time.
2. I love good food.
Some people mistakenly think the Primal Blueprint requires giving up eating good food. Nothing could be further from the truth. When I was a college endurance athlete, my buddies nicknamed me “Arnold,” after Arnold Ziffle, the pig on Green Acres. I could eat more than just about anyone in school (including the football linemen). I ate everything and enjoyed it all. But I became a slave to the carbs and to the hunger that they generated every three hours of my life. Later, when I retired and researched the damage I was doing eating grains, sugars, hydrogenated oils and all the other stuff I consumed to fuel my massive cardio efforts, I feared I might have to suffer a lifetime dearth of gustatory delights if I wanted to keep my boyish figure. Never happened. Primal eating reprograms the genes in a way that takes the edge off hunger, while assuring more-than-adequate energy and stable blood glucose levels. Now, I eat as much as I want, whenever I want from a list of fabulously tasty foods. I just avoid eating most things from that other list. Hunger doesn’t drive my life the way it used to. When I sit in a restaurant with a rare 20-ounce rib eye steak, a bowl of butter-sautéed mushrooms and a glass of fine Cabernet in front of me, I never feel sorry for myself that I didn’t order pasta or that I won’t be having the bread or potatoes or rice. And for dessert, if I’m still hungry, I’d really rather have another lamb chop or a bowl of berries than a slice of cardboard cake or mucous-inducing ice cream. Worst case, I can have a small taste of the latter and be satisfied.
3. I like to play.
I spent a fair amount of my life training for grueling endurance contests (marathons, Ironman triathlons, 24-hour relay running events). Only just recently did it occur to me that I NEVER really had fun while I was competing or while I was training. Admittedly, I could sometimes get into “the zone,” but that’s really only a temporary zone of less pain. I did appreciate the valiance of my efforts and certainly felt pride in my accomplishments, but from the time the gun went off until I crossed the finish line, I never once could truthfully say, “Isn’t this fun?” In contrast, today I plan most of my (minimal) training around being able to participate in fun activities later. And while I don’t necessarily see play as “workout time,” it is most assuredly contributing to my fitness. Primal Blueprint training gives me the functional strength and endurance to jump into an aggressive Ultimate Frisbee game, stand-up paddle and surf for two hours, take a 90-minute trail hike with sprints thrown in, play a round of golf, or snowboard for five days in a row. I stay fit so I can play at stuff I find FUN.
4. I like to sleep.
I used to feel guilty if I slept too much. As if I were missing out on something that might be taking place while the lights were still on somewhere. Now I get at least eight hours every night and embrace the idea that I am NOT wasting time, but am recharging the batteries and will probably live longer as a result. I think most people would prefer to get adequate sleep, but feel like it’s a sign of weakness that they “need” eight or nine hours. It’s not. Sleep is integral to health.
5. I don’t like being sick.
No one does. At the peak of my endurance career, I got colds and flus five to seven times a year. I also had severe seasonal grass pollen allergies. The nature of Chronic Cardio training (all that cortisol) and the obligate high carbohydrate diet (all that sugar) kept my immune system so trashed that anything that was going around was going to take me down with it. And stuff is always going around. The Primal Blueprint works because everything about it is contemplated to support or boost the immune system and not trash it. My allergies have long since disappeared. I rarely get any kind of cold or flu now and, if I do, it’s with no real down time and over quickly. Many people argue that this benefit alone is worth the switch to Primal.
6. I’m vain (I want to look good naked).
The Primal Blueprint exercise laws are designed to sculpt a lean, muscled and balanced look without being overly “huge” or disproportional the way bodybuilders can get. It works perfectly for both men and women. I often say here that 80% of your body composition is determined by how you eat. The remaining 20% is a combination of genetics and exercise. If you dial the eating in properly, it doesn’t take very much exercise to optimize muscle size and strength, and to cut the last few percentage points in body fat. Notice I said optimize and not maximize. Think Calvin Klein underwear and SI Swimsuit models as opposed to swollen Muscle&Fitness or WWF cover models.
7. I like to be tan (vain part 2).
Sorry, I never understood the porcelain skin thing. I notice the dramatic effect a lack of sun has on my disposition as much as I notice it on my skin if I skip a few weeks (winter sucks – except for snowboarding). Getting adequate sunlight daily is an integral part of the PB as it has been for humans for millions of years. Vitamin D is critical to maintaining good health. As I say in my book, I honestly believe we’ve seen an increase in overall cancer incidence as a result of (ironically) heeding the advice of doctors to stay out of the sun. I think everyone would rather be outside for a while every day if they knew it was not only NOT harmful, but beneficial. A slight tan just looks good, and it’s indicative of a healthy Vitamin D status. Getting sun also improves mood and productivity as numerous studies continue to show.
8. I’m not organized.
If you saw my desk you’d probably cringe. Stuff all over it everywhere. Same goes with my training style these days, and I love it. I almost never train with anyone, because I like being able to head out the door on a whim and go sprint or hike or bang off a few hundred pushups. I hate having a set training schedule or the idea of having to meet someone at such and such a time to work out together. Don’t get me wrong, I do train with friends once in a while, but the Primal Blueprint training outline fits my fractal, sporadic, random, intermittent, flakey and spontaneous nature. If I don’t feel like training today, the PB says “take the day off – you’ll be stronger and more focused tomorrow.” Not to be outdone, the Primal Blueprint eating style is also unorganized. Not set meal times, no regimentation, no calorie-counting or portion control. Eat when you want and as much – or not – as you want. Of course, none of this is to say you HAVE to be disorganized to benefit from the PB. If you’re organized, it works that much better. But for those who eschew schedules, the PB is perfect.
9. I want to stay uninjured.
Downtime from injury sucks. As I said earlier, I want to get more play time now as I get older. I recognize that my body doesn’t recover from workouts as easily as it used to. I also notice that I have to pay attention to potential soreness a bit more. PB fitness provides a set of guidelines and workout styles that foster balanced, functional strength. It actually focuses on injury prevention and avoidance, while building muscle and burning fat.
10. I like certainty.
I’m a skeptic at heart (OK, I’m actually a cynic). I hate investing my precious time, money, energy or emotion in anything I don’t feel confident will yield dividends. It has to be based in science, rational thought and real results. Conversely, I hate thinking that some of my choices in exercise, diet and health may have been wrong (as they were so egregiously when I followed Conventional Wisdom). I need to have confidence that my choices are good ones. The research backing the PB is the most solid there is. Evolutionary biology and modern genetic – and epigenetic – science are proving that we have remarkable influence over how our genes express themselves throughout our lives. Stuff we do and things we eat turn genes on or off. It’s that simple. Intervals and Tabata work have been proven over and over to be more effective at increasing speed and stamina than Chronic Cardio. The dietary science of low-carb is nearly irrefutable now, as more and more researchers and docs begin to understand the true nature of insulin and they rethink the cholesterol hypothesis. Look, there is no right or wrong here. You can eat Twinkies and smoke cigarettes for the rest of your life and you still might reach 90 or 100. But I have never in my life been more certain of anything than I am that the Primal Blueprint way of eating, exercising and living is the optimal way to have the most energy, the most fun, look the best and live the longest. And I know I can do this for the rest of my life.
What would you add to this list? Let me know in the comment board and thanks for reading!
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
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Yes on #8. Anyone who has ever dabbled with Weight Watchers can tell you point counting really sucks the fun out of eating. And scrutinizing nutritional labels really sucks the fun out of grocery shopping. My new Grok-method of grocery shopping = me wondering around the produce section looking for colorful things to toss in my salad. 100% spontaneous. 100% delicious.
I am having a tough time. I love eating this way. But it seems, and maybe because I am 59(!) but feel and look a lot younger, that I am gaining, gaining too easily. It’s like every time I do a great day, I gain weight anyway and I can’t afford to gain more! I did recently stop doing my day work and am starting a new business, so I am not out of the house as much, meaning besides exercise, I am not moving as much!
I even did good exercise days and still didn’t get lighter or gained??
What can I do?????
You’re right – counting calories, tallying points, and weighing food all take the joy out of eating. It leads people to agonize over their food choices and develop a negative association with eating.
But real food doesn’t make you fat. We all require tons of vegetables, quality meats, and flavorful fats to become lean and achieve optimal health. It’s a blessing that we don’t need to starve ourselves, sip cabbage soup, or eat dinky branded dinners to get ripped. We just need to refuse to eat low quality, calorie-dense processed foods in favor of REAL food.
I don’t like being manipulated by corporations: Things like high fructose corn syrup or msg hijack our biological reward systems, making us think they are good, when they really aren’t. This is good for corporations when they make us addicted without having to actually put nutrients in the food.
I hate to admit it, but I’m now a proud owner of a pair of Vibram Five Fingers shoes. Went on a hike for the first time with them yesterday – in the snow.
Fine, I can see what the fuss is all about.
Damn you Grok Straps! What have you Paleo nerds done to me?!
You will wear ridiculous footwear and eat red meat and love it, muaaaah hahahahaha
I love My VFFs. 5-6 miles every other day on pavment or varied trails. No problems what-so-ever. Oh, to go truly barefoot, thats the next great leap! Enjoy.
Hi Matt! Have you tried Barefoot Ted’s sandals? Easier to get on…
I am up to 2 pairs of vibrams. I love the new bilika LS!
I started PB because I liked the idea of not having to run for an hour a day to “be in shape.” At 23, having no cartilage left in my knees, knee caps that constantly pop out of place, and arthritis as a result, the idea of being able to cut out hour after hour of running was truly liberating (more running = more pain). Being able to adapt workout schedules to how my knees feel on any given day let’s me not feel like I’m a fat/lazy a$$ on the days I don’t work out. Then add to the fact that I can eat all this delicious food and not have to worry about my weight or count calories or try the next fad diet… the lifestyle is priceless!
Holly, I suggest you learn to run and move like Grok runs and moves…
Knee pain due to misuse will become a thing of the past.
BFT
11. I like not having high blood sugar.
12. I like confounding and confusing my doctor when he looks at my blood work.
13. I like not being hungry!
14. I like not feeling guilty about eating things that taste good.
15. I like having dropped 70+ pounds in six months with no effort.
16. I like not having to use a wheelchair.
Awesome!!!
I love making doctors look stupid….I am a cancer survivor….The oncologist tested my blood and my hemoglobin was that of “what cross country runners in the olympics usually blood dope to get to” …illegally.
During chemo i did my research. Went to a chiropractor who did natural diet stuff. He put me on the Paleo diet. That’s enough for me.
I’m pretty new to Paleo diet myself but am having a great experience with it. My mom was just diagnosed with cancer and I am looking for information on Paleo diet and cancer and can’t find much. Do you have any sources? Her doctor told her to eat a diet high in whole grains and drink carnation instant breakfast drink with whole milk to try to put some weight back on!
well i’m not an expert on cancer, but I can tell you for sure that whole grains and carnation instant breakfast are NOT going to cure cancer. i cannot believe how uninformed doctors are. a strict paleo diet would probably be very beneficial, but also here is a link to another source i trust… http://www.naturopath4you.com/IfYouHaveCancer.htm
OMG. That is terrible advice!. I hope you have come up with a lot better alternatives to that advice. I would recommend going off of dairy altogether, eat organic fruits and vegetables, have her eat 6 smaller meals a day, 3 regular and 3 healthy snacks. Also doing a series of colonic hydrotherapy cleanses to clean her colon. There are a couple of really good books out there right now. I have a book coming out this Fall on eating healthy as well, but not addressing your mom’s concerns. The books I do recommend are: Healing Cancer from the inside out; Mike Anderson. and
Cancer, step outside the box, by Ty Bollinger. Excellent resources for alternative healing of diseases, including Cancers. I also recommend taking Apricot seeds, but they have to be very organic. I get mine from: go on line and put in: info@apricotsfromgod.com Jason Vale. And also Marks book on the site you are on of course!! Good luck. Look for my book this fall of 2011 called. The Nuts and Sprouts of Healthy Eating. by Gael D. Meyer
Everything about that comment from the doctor is just wrong! If she went raw vegan during this process she would benefit dramatically and also combine that with having a series of colonic hydrotherapy cleanses to clean the colon out of very old waste. gael.
Wow Griff that is awesome! Keep up the good work.
GREAT for you!
17. I like not gaining any weight when I’m pregnant! (vain part 3)
18. I like having a baby that doesn’t get sick.
I dont understand…dont you have to gain SOME weight during pregnancy to be healthy? Assuming you werent overweight pre-pregnancy…
Amy, the wt you gain during pregnancy should only be the weight of the baby and the supportive fluids. Gone are the 30-40# weight gains. Most ob’s recommend only 15-20#. You only need 300 extra calories per day to have a completely healthy baby. Quality calories, of course.
Double awesome!!!!!!!
After 30 inches of snow Saturday and 20 more expected tomorrow, amen to “winter sucks.” I can’t wait for the spring day when I can find a warm place outside to soak up a little sun and make some natural vitamin D.
Great list!
So you are in the Baltimore – Washington DC area too. Tomorrow should be fun.
If I had to try and rank it:
1) I love meat. Yeah, I’ve found some good recipes here and I’ll choke veggies down to be good to my body but I love the meat portion of my meals more than anything. I’m not 100% carnivore but I love that meat is important to a primal diet.
2) I want to look good naked.
3) I can’t believe that I feel better at 40 than I did at 18. When I was 18 I was in a rock band and eating McDonald’s and Taco Smell non-stop. I still looked good naked but I didn’t feel like this. I “feel” thin.
4) The meat that’s good for you is good for the environment too. How cool is it that grass-fed beef and pastured poultry are good for your body and the best thing from a humanitarian perspective? Win, win. Well, kinda.
5) I don’t like junk food anyway. I was never a sugar addict but I would occassionally rock a 3 Muskateers with a Yoo Hoo. Now, I can’t imagine eating that stuff and even my occassional sweet tooth is satisfied with much less now. It’s not real food.
6) I hate being sick.
7) Cows not chemists. That’s right. I think that God gave us what we need for the most part. Butter tastes better and I know what’s in it. Butter wins.
9) I like having fun. I hate gyms and I hate running. If I can look like this and feel like this with some mountain biking and skiing, I’m there.
10) I like to cook, so I don’t mind staying home and cooking up yummy meals.
Im with you there with loving meat! Definetly my favorite part of every meal. I’m working on buying and eating grass-fed beef, pastured chicken and eggs etc. Looking for good affordable options here in Buffalo. It is totally worth it. But a lil difficult with a family, budget etc
Amen to not being constantly hungry! My husband can’t believe how I’m no longer a ravenous, cranky beast if I don’t eat within 3 hours of my last meal.
I can’t really get on board with the tan thing, though…I’m a burner. I burn, peel, and am all porclain and freckles afterwards again. I burn through my hair, for goodness sake (yes, it’s blonde, and fine). It’s uncomfortable, so I just weat a hat in the summer, and only stay out in the sun for play (when I may well resort to sunscreen). I don’t use it spring/summer/fall…I’m far enough north that the intensity of the sun isn’t much of an issue except for in high summer.
Jennifer,
You might try astaxanthin, 4mg to 8mg per day. You will find you can stay in the sun much longer without burning. I can mow without a hat for 3 or 4 hours in hot southern sun. I will get a little red but not really burnt and be just tanned the next day. Before astaxanthin I would have been burnt and peeling badly.
To add to this, try Neptune Krill Oil (its all essentially from the same company so brand does not matter). Krill eat algae, astaxanthin is found in algae. Absorption is much higher than taking straight astaxanthin because the krill have already converted astaxanthin into a usable form (esterified astaxanthin).
ORAC value: 378
Also contains vitamin A and E; can’t get much better than nature
Krill is like fish oil on ROIDS, without the back acne of course!
My hair is blonde, thick and luxurious! And I still burn through it! Especially around the part!
haha, great list. I’m still a bit skeptical about going totally paleo, but it’s hard to argue with your points. Who doesn’t like being lazy, eating good food, and having fun doing it?
Type A personalities?
True. I’m definitely not Type A.
I am especially a fan of Numbers: 1, 4, 5, and 8.
One little post correction to be had… Number 10: remarkable influence over how OUR genes express themselves.
As a certified Type-A personality, I can say:
a) I love eating a truly gigantic salad, topped liberally with toasted pine nuts, homemade salad dressing (made with olive oil — the horror!), and STEAK while my mostly female co-workers stare jealously and slurp their fat-free yogurt. WIN!
b) I love any excuse to sleep 9 hours a night. But also, I love the look on people’s faces when I tell them I regularly sleep 9 hours a night. WIN!
c) I love recording new PBs in the squat cage while all the other girls climb rapidly nowhere on the Stairmaster. And then I destroy them in hockey. WIN!
Amen to destroying all the other girls in hockey!
Is the stairmaster bad? I thought it might be primal since it was like climbing stairs. I do this at least twice a week but am worried it might be bulking up my legs. Thoughts? Thanks
Overall, I think you are thinking too much about it. Primal movement is about doing what you want more than what you think you should.
I think the Primal-ness of a stair-climber is more based on how you use it, rather than the equipment itself. Are you using it for your slow and frequent moving, or for your High-Intensity Interval Training?
I assume you are female, and it’s pretty rare that women have to honestly worry about bulking up. If you are following a primal diet, your body will balance itself out to create a toned look. Larger legs that are toned and muscular (like my wife’s) are still attractive. Stick-skinny legs are not. Don’t stress about it.
Amen to sunlight. Winter does suck and I can’t wait to get the hell out of Michigan. I use to literally hate winter and now do my absolute best to enjoy it.
But, there is nothing like playing a round of golf in the morning or afternoon with some buddies or your family members. Unfortunately this is only possible for half of your life if you live in Michigan.
I am not fully onto Primal living but I am getting there. Once I am on my own I am going 100% Primal. I know I will love it to death and will be more happy and healthier because of it.
Amen.
Great list!
For me, the best thing about the Primal Blueprint is how natural and effortless it is to maintain. In my fast-food, carb-junkie days, I used to dread the idea of any restriction in my diet, thinking it would make life miserable. What’s the point of eating healthy, I thought, if it just means a long life of tasteless food? Little did I realize it was my own tastes that needed fixing.
When I finally tried dropping grains and sugars, I was shocked at how quickly my appetite adjusted downward. All that carb-rich food that comprised the bulk of my diet doesn’t even look edible to me anymore. These days I rarely indulge a carb craving, but when I do, it’s fruit and it tastes amazing — better than any candy or dessert ever did.
Also, I’ll second the praise for the Vibram Five Fingers. Mine just came last week, and running through the grass in them is liberating beyond belief!
Now that’s a post with PASSION! Well said my friend! Very visceral (isn’t that primal word?), and HUMAN. No softening agents used in this post. Good stuff Mark – I am really diggin the post over the past few months!
The Primal Blue Print works for me because it virtually cured me of a freak form of diabetes I contracted four years ago, at 23 years old as a non-overweight person. No more insulin shots and blood sugar swings.
The thing I like most about the Blue Print is that — contrary to what a typical “health” program may lead people to believe — there is actually a lot of flexibility and simplicity in it.
A lean and healthy body should never be so complicated, and should never sacrifice the fine things in life.
Best,
Johnny
Mark, you think you’re lazy? I’m so lazy I’ve been following Doug McGuff’s Body By Science Big 5 routine that involves heavy lifting only once a week (at most) with only one set per exercise. 12-15 minutes per week, and if I miss a week due to traveling or something–no sweat! And I’m seeing great results on the BBS routine.
Me too! Great workout routine.
Me too! I don’t follow their exact routine but the concept at least.
The Primal lifestyle accomodates so many of us because…it’s so damn accomodating! Kick grains to the curb, eat as needed, be active as you should and the rest takes care of itself. Like others who have mentioned similar thoughts – I’m 41 and in the best functional shape of my life. I’m doing more pushups than ever, my body fat is leaner by the day and I’m getting better and better inventing primal recipes on the fly. Tonight I had chicken breast that I cut up – put it in egg wash, drizzled it with coconut flakes and then fried it in coconut oil. Then I put all of that on top of a Big Ass Salad with peppers. Pure joy and a filling meal. I’m loving this way of life for all the reasons Mark mentions, all the ones already listed and all the intangibles that go with great health. Grok On!
Oooooh, your chicken sounds really good!
I started eating primally out of vanity, pure and simple. But then it got pretty excited to be eating eggs and bacon for breakfast — seriously, if I IF for a day, I’m probably going to eat breakfast for dinner because it’s so awesome!
Sprinting for 15 minutes is way better than chronic cardio, and I was already privvy to the advantages of weight training, even as a female.
And then I discovered that good meat and steamed veggies are actually never boring. Good meat is just, good.
The longer I stay primal, the less I want junk food. I feel a craving for chocolate chip cookies coming on, but I think it’ll be from my own homemade almond cookies with some dark chocolate chips instead of the garbage from the grocery store. But that’s the 80/20 principle for ya!
I would love to get a copy of that almond cookie recipe if you’d share!
Sounds like, as you said, a good 80/20 moment and especially great for secretly coaxing friends in on the primal thing too. ^^
This is a yummy recipe w/ almond flour. I don’t use the agave, and usually sub a little bit of honey.
http://www.elanaspantry.com/chocolate-chip-cookies/
these cookies are awesome! I also love Elanas brownie recipe–best brownie ever without all of the sugar and flour
I am form land down under and I will disagree about tan thing, to cancerish
Then you’ll be interesting the study that shows that Australian office workers get more skin cancer than the lifeguards… and that geographic epidemiological study of skin cancer in the US shows that most of it is crowded around the northern US, where there’s a lot less sun.
Link pls, I moved here from Europe. And at the beginning I was not aware of sun, cos I was not used to. And jeez I can see effects on my skin. Not I surf every weekend so not sure I am office worker
Echoing everyone else. For me it has been very liberating. No longer a slave to 6 meals a day or being hungry. You wouldn’t think if you ate all day, you’d be hungry. Eating 3 squares and an occasional snack if I feel like it.
Fasting for 24 hrs once a week and not going all grrrr if I miss a workout. Never liked running so sprints hit the mark even at age 50.
Hiking, playing, oh my…what a life!
I dont get herpes outbreaks anymore I used to gulp down 1 pill of valciclovir a day to keep the outbreaks to happen if I did’t take the pills in a week I would get the outbreaks.Now I been primal for 5 months without the pills and haven’t have an outbreak, besides having lost 30 lbs in those 4 months and 4 inches of waist!!!
I love that my husband and I lightly chat with people about their own eating habits and constantly have to explain why rice for dinner isn’t going to cut the cravings of hunger! Keep in mind I am typically looking at someone who is very overweight and trying to cut their “fat and calories.”
I love:
1) Going to a restaurant and never feeling ‘guilty’ about it.
2) Ridiculous amounts of consistent energy
3) Finding excuses to workout (I love weights and just dance around / hike the rest of the time) rather than not to
4) Not owning scales but having visible abs for the first time ever
5) The taste of coconut oil
6) Marks Daily Apple!
6) Working in a nutrition centre and eating bacon in front of the co-workers miserable fat-starved cracker-stuffing faces, while they look on in envy…
I agree with the abs thing! I use to weigh myself obsessively and eat as little as possible and I have never had as flat and muscular tummy as I do now. Paleo Rocks!
Feeling amazing feels amazing.
That’s why we do it.
The best bit for me is the relationship I now have with my brother as we Grok on together
priceless.
I have flirted with the Primal Blueprint for 6-8 months now, and in fact it was the final influence that got me over my 16 years of vegetarianism! I tried moving directly from vegetarianism to PB for a while and it was a nightmare as I knew nothing about even how to eat most meat, not to mention cooking it!
I have to say, after leaving it for a more conventional diet (Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle and I finally got abs), I LOVE carbs. I love beer, I love taco shells, I love pasta…. etc. etc.
What I can’t imagine is leaving them out of my life for the rest of my life. One of the big reasons I was interested in meat was so I could enjoy the delicacies of the world. It seems that if i switched over to the PB I would once again be unable to eat a HUGE percentage of the world’s food.
Are there any travel bugs out there? What do you do? Just always get whatever American food (steakhouse) you can get? The rest of the world eats carbs in everything, just like they eat meat with nearly everything. Doesn’t make it right, but it sure makes it hell if you want to enjoy high tea at the Peninsula Bangkok, a proper paella in Barcelona, or hash cakes in amsterdam
Before wholeheartedly embracing the PB, I think many people feel the way you do right now. For someone who loves tacos, how to eat one without the shell? What’s a burrito without the tortilla? A hamburger without the bun? Chicken curry without the rice? It all seems a bit overwhelming.
But, once you really decide to eat primally, the starches begin to seem like useless fluff. The taco shells, the tortillas, the buns, rice, bread, mashed potatoes, are simply vehicles for delivering the good stuff. Just eat the filling and you discover that’s where the flavor really is.
I still love to go for dim sum. I simply remove the wrapper from the shumai. I love Italian food, but that doesn’t have to mean pasta. Every ethnic cuisine has non-starch choices, but you can always have a little taste if you want and fill up on the healthy food.
Perfection isn’t the goal, excellence is. Avoid this ‘all or nothing’ mindset.
I’ve found that since I’ve started eating Primal(6 weeks now), occasional carby meals aren’t as debilitating. Foods that used to put me in a coma for an afternoon don’t have much of an impact if they aren’t eaten often.
I can eat out with my brothers without being a stick in the mud about restaurants and still lose weight. (12 pounds since New Year’s)
Believe me, the appeal of carbs goes away a lot faster than you think it will. My husband and I had our first wedding anniversary on December 27th, only four months after I went Primal and cut out grains, and when we had the traditional bite of wedding cake-that-had-been-saved-in-the-freezer-for-one-year, it tasted disgusting! Overly sweet, and then I had the wheat allergy reaction from hell. No, I can’t imagine eating sweets or bread or any of the high-carb, grain-and-starch-laden foods we all used to think of as “normal.” They’re not food for humans!
As an aside I’m often struck by how everyday traditional language/idioms seem to “support” the Primal way:
“Chewing the fat”
“Bringing home the bacon”
“Beauty sleep”
“Daily constitutional” (a bit archaic this one meaning, I guess, “to walk daily”)
“Red blooded” or “fire in the belly” surely an instinctive reference to hormonal levels ; )
I find that my “argument” for primal seems to be more compelling for people when I drop in these terms-connecting up what feels traditional with what they thought was new or faddish.
But then they’ll often talk in terms of “daily bread” ah well…
Great stuff, I agree wholeheartedly. I don’t miss anything I’ve stopped eating and I enjoy the exercise that I do and it is never a chore. My mood is way better and my energy levels have doubled. What a revelation living this way has been in just a few short months. I think your last point is the most valid though Mark. I can do this for the rest of my life.
Great list and additions! I’m losing weight and getting back in touch with how my body moves. My body also seems to have re-set itself to be comfortable eating 2 meals a day, instead of worrying that I won’t have something to snack on all day long when my blood sugar drops from the insulin roller-coaster I used to ride everyday.