A Cereal Addict Goes Primal
Many of you may relate to the story of Derek and his wife. It’s not a tale of dramatic weight loss, but a story of discovering an ideal body hiding within the body you’ve grown accustomed to.
If you have your own Primal Blueprint success story and you’d like to share it with me and the community please contact me here. Have a wonderful Friday, everyone, and thanks for reading!
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Hi Mark,
Love your website and all the success stories. Our story is a little less profound than some in regards to total weight lost, but eating Primal has significantly improved both my life and that of my wife’s.
I’m 38 years old and my wife is 36 years old. I’ve been athletic my entire life, nordic ski racing, bike racing, climbing, backcountry skiing, endurance running, etc, etc. My wife, since she has been married to me (10+ years), has been very active as well. With my athleticism, I always had a ferocious ability to consume food, with my staple being Frosted Shredded Wheat, home made bread, pasta, and a myriad of other wheat based foods. I’m 6 feet tall and have weighed 200lbs for the past 15 years. I could run a marathon off the couch or ride a century, endurance was my specialty. I was always really aerobically inclined and just assumed that 200lbs was my ideal weight. But then I saw a picture of myself one day, then my mother joked to my wife that I was “getting a gut”, then I hopped on the scale and it read 204lbs. That was the beginning of the end for me.
My wife, when I met her, was a “skinny fat” product of the standard American diet, weighing in at a paltry, protein deficient 105lbs at 5’3″ tall. Over the years, her activity level rose and she became quite athletic and a strong rock climber. During those years, her back went south and she suffered with sciatica and eventually had a microdiscectomy to correct a bulging disc. After surgery, and even before, her weight steadily crept up to an eventual 135lbs despite being very active. She too just considered that her homeostasis.
So last February I decided to measure what I ate for breakfast every day. I was shocked when I realized my morning bowl of Frosted Shredded Wheat with 1% milk was 900 calories! I have been a cereal addict my entire life. I could eat it three meals a day. So I started simple by eating 1/3rd less, then eventually 1/2 less of my cereal. I cut out the big cookie I had at lunch, then quit snacking throughout the day. Eventually my breakfast self-evolved into egg whites, 1 piece of toast, and some ham. Then it was usually flat bread, tuna or lean meat for lunch, and a light meat diet for dinner. I was burned out on back country skiing and skiing in general that winter, so I spent 3-5 days per week lifting. Needless to say, my weight plummeted by about 1lb per week or slightly more. I was pretty excited.
As time progressed, my diet continued to self evolve into a more Primal Blueprint diet. I stumbled across your website, and upon first read, I thought it was a little extreme. But after more and more reading of this site, and others like it, I decided to gradually eliminate all wheat and processed foods. The weight continued to come off, I felt very healthy, did far less “chronic cardio” and primarily lifted and did aerobic hiking/cycling about 4 hours per week total. Last spring I reached 175lbs (lost 25+ pounds) and have stayed there since, fluctuating by a few pounds lately due to increase muscle mass. I have absolutely no difficulty maintaining.
Besides the pleasant side effect of losing weight, the biggest improvement in my health has been no more acid reflux and no more exercise induced asthma. I used to have terrible acid reflux that would keep me up at night and plague me throughout the day. It is now ENTIRELY gone, but will come back in a hurry if I get tripped up in eating wheat to any extent. I also used to have terrible cold weather, exercise induced asthma leading to frequent winter pulmonary infections, a constant cough, wheezing, and the need to take Albuterol and inhaled corticosteroids, and often times antibiotics for mild pneumonia following otherwise benign chest infections.
My summary: Eating Primal and exercising “smarter” allowed me to be leaner, fitter, and stronger in everything I do, it has also rid me of asthma and acid reflux. The benefits of eating paleo are in no way subtle for me, they are night and day.
At the time I started changing my diet, my wife obviously did too. It was winter, and she doesn’t ski much, so she started doing P90X. Her weight plummeted as well, about 0.5lbs per week by simply eating less processed foods, counting calories, and doing strength training. Her goal was initially 120lbs, which she reached fairly easy in about four months, with a few plateaus along the way. She eventually phased out wheat almost entirely as well, only eating small amounts very infrequently. Over last summer, she reached 115bs, was very lean, looked great, and was an aerobic machine when we went hiking or biking. It was pretty amazing. I would be hiking my normal pace, which was usually quite a bit faster and out of her comfort zone, but last summer she was absolutely killing it. Always right behind me, charging away, even sometimes with a heavy pack on longer trips.
Intelligently losing 20lbs and gaining muscle on her already small frame was impressive, but this wasn’t the most significant gain for her from eating paleo. We have been trying to conceive for the past four years with absolutely no success, none at all. About mid summer last year is when she eliminated wheat/grains almost entirely from her diet and had reached a comfortable set point in her weight, and was doing mostly strength training with some light cardio. This last September, she announced to me that she was pregnant. There’s no proof, but it seems suspicious that we had no luck with this at all until she started eating Primal and eliminated wheat. Perhaps it’s just coincidental, but I don’t think so.
During her first trimester she had significant nausea and vomiting and a highly erratic palate for foods. During that time, she pretty much ate whatever she could, which often times was processed foods, lots of sugars, etc. But it was that, or eat nothing at all. We didn’t worry about it in the slightest. She is now in her second trimester and back to mostly eating Primal, getting her carb cravings from potatoes and fruits. She looks great and mostly feels great. The funny observation about her “diet” is that of her coworkers. They are all convinced she should discuss her “diet” with her doctor, because apparently, eating whole foods isn’t healthy. Hahahhaha! I love the logic of the ill informed.
My wife’s summary: Eating primal and exercising “smarter” has allowed my wife to become a lean, fit, healthy woman, and we think, was a significant adjunct in her being able to get pregnant.
We are looking forward to busting myths that having a child means you have to eat processed foods and live in the drive through window. I’m sure we’ll both be just as fit at forty as we are now. Maybe more so.
Best regards,
-Derek
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
Great story!! I was a big cereal (and granola) eater once upon a time too. Now I get my cereal fix with “nutty granola” which I make myself. It is grain free, made with soaked raw nuts, dates, apple, a little maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and a few other things. Food process and then dehydrate (I have an Excalibur which I use all the time, so I make big batches of this granola – it is a bit of work, but so worth it!!). I eat it with whole milk, cream, almond milk, or plain. My two-year-old loves this stuff more (thank god) than the Frosted Mini Wheats or Trix which his grandma buys for him.
PRK, your grain free granola mix sounds divine. Can I have the complete “recipe.” Also, if I don’t have a dehydrator, would you recommend baking the batch in the oven at a low temperature. Thanks in advance, SRK
Here you go – this is from Raw Food Real World. Once upon a time I was a mostly raw foodie (for a brief bit) and there are some holdovers in my Primal lifestyle – raw nuts being the main one, and salads of course :=)
I honestly can’t make any recommendations for oven baking this granola. I have tried different recipes, oven baking nuts, and I always burn them darn it. You would have to experiment for yourself I guess!
NUTTY GRANOLA
Soak at least 6 hours, or overnight:
1/2 c. raw sunflower seeds
2 c. raw almonds
3 c. raw pecans
1 c. raw pumpkin seeds
Soak separately for a few hours:
2 c. dates (pitted)
In food processor combine:
1 apple, cored and chopped
Soaked dates from above, drained
1/2 c. maple syrup or raw honey (or less)
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. orange zest
1 T. vanilla extract
1 t. ground cinnamon
2 t. sea salt
Food process on high til smooth. Transfer to large bowl.
In same food processor bowl (no need to rinse), place drained nuts and seeds that were soaked above (drain and rinse in fresh water first).
Food process until coarsely chopped (how coarse is really a personal preference – just don’t process too long or it will turn into nut butter).
Transfer to large bowl with rest of ingredients. Mix well. Stir in:
1 c. dried cranberries
Divide evenly between three Teflex-lined 14″ square dehydrator trays. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 12 hours or so, flip the granola off the Teflex sheets onto regular trays, and dehydrate for a further 12-24 hours (again, dependent upon humidity, the type of dehydrator, personal taste, etc.).
Enjoy!
If you don’t live in a relatively dry climate, you may want to store this in the fridge.
You can also vary this recipe – use different nuts, a different dried fruit, different spices, etc.
PHK,
I like lean meats for taste, that’s all. I’ve never had the ability to gobble meats with tons of visible fat hanging off of it.
I make my “Powerbars” with coconut oil for the “glue” to help hold them together. Plenty of SF in those.
thanks.
You’re like my husband who does not like fatty cuts.
so he gets his SFA from butter/heavy cream/coconut oil.
i am the opposite. i always found skinless lean meat, bland & dry. (even during my “SFA phobia” days.) i think i’m more a fat eater than meat eater. XD.
cheers,
Congratulations! I’m sure your pregnancy is not a coincidence at all. As someone who endured fertility treatment (and was successful) and then reversed reproductive problems with diet many years later, I’m glad you found this out now and can bring your family up Primal from the get-go.
Good story — pregnancy part is nuts.
We have three kids and when they hear McDonalds they think ei ei ohh!!! As in the farm!!! So, the answer is definitely NO about having to eat processed foods and go to drive thru!!!
What an inspiring story, loved the pictures, thanks for sharing.
Kim
Congratulations! How can your results not be “profound” with the creation of a new little one? When I took out gluten, and most grains out…oops…three little ones arrived 6 years after we married. I definitely feel there is a connection. Congrats again, and as always, thanks, Mark, for all you do and creating a place for sharing all this information!
Congratulations! Your story made me cry. You both looks so healthy. I’m sure you will be great parents!
It’s pretty funny how idiots who know nothing about nutrition like to make comments to people who are making obvious physical Improvements.
I have a aunt who is a nurse (a complete imbecile) who likes commenting on my diet and supplementation.
I am a 6’2″ bodybuilder who weigh in at 245 lbs (prior to 1-1-11).
I’ve been on the Atkins diet many years (no grains)but my new years resolution was to eliminate dairy.
I don’t want to lose weight but today I notice that my love handles are completely gone…(I haven’t weighed myself).
I do not want to eliminate coffee but black coffee tastes pretty bad. I have been making coffee smoothies with black coffee, cashews and coconut flakes in a VitaMix It’s pretty good, try it!!!
I stumbled onto this website as I was researching celiac/disease gluten intolerance. Your wife getting preggers after eliminating gluten/wheat is pretty common from what I have been reading. In fact, my new doc advised me to cut out gluten immediately as gluten intolerances can flare up autoimmune disorders (rom which I already suffer…thyroid disease). He then proceeded to “warn” my husband and I “to take precautions” once I eliminate it as many of his patients get pregnant soon after (many after being told they were infertile and babies were a lost cause for them).
I am looking to handle my autoimmune disease in a more holistic manner: ie through diet and exercise. Paleo seems to be a natural fit, so I’m a new fan
I already love Fridays. But I look so forward to these success stories. And I love reading the comments too. I’ll take anecdotal evidence over “clinical” evidence any day. Anecdata is personal experience – I find that a little more real. I wish I could get my man on board but he can’t do without the carbs. You don’t realize just how addictive they are until you stop but continue to watch someone else.