Not from Auschwitz page

[pieter d]

After Mark was so kind to mention my video on his blog a few days ago, there were a lot of nice reactions. thanks for those!


There were a few people talking about my physique ('like a prisoner from Auschwitz', too skinny). When I read it, I was a bit surprised, but understood that there was something wrong with the video height/width (some conversion error, I guess).


Normally I don't care that much about my physique (I am rather tall and slender), but because some of the commenters thought that my Auschwitz appearings were a result of the primal lifestyle, I thought to post this still of the movie. Hopefully this time without distortion.


I do not intend to get compliments, nor do I want comforting remarks. Just showing the commenters that with a primal lifestyle (and really no more training than the ones you see in my videos) you will not get the appearance of a marathoner.

[PrimalJewishAmericanPrincess]

It looks like only 2, maybe 3 people made a comment like that. Don't let the minority get you down. Everyone has their own idea of fitness and the ideal. I think you might be setting yourself up for more backlash by posting this on the forum.

For what it's worth, I think you look great.

[Indiscreet]

Pieter, you look pretty hot, if that helps.

Maybe we need a buff primal males picture thread? *looks hopeful*

[Mick]

The link doesn't work. I'm sure Pieter looks just fine.


I think people's builds is an interesting issue. At one time psychologists had a model: mesomorph, ectomorph, endomorph. There were suppose to be three basic builds - and combinations thereof. Moreover, an individual's psychology was said to bear a relationship to his build. AFAICT, the build was conceived as stable and as genetically determined.


There may have been something to it.


However, I think anyone who has found his way here would be somewhat sceptical of that. It seems doubtful that one's build - like a lot of other matters - is fixed by genetics. It's clear that a real "fatty" can shed pounds just by eating the right foods. We *all* go up and down a bit, and anyone who pays attention to the matter *knows* that's on account of what we eat.


There is probably a genetic component behind it. Also, as well as what you eat, there's probably the question of what your parents' ate, and what your mother ate when pregnant and when breast-feeding you.


North American Indian skulls pre-contact were thicker and heavier - see figure 27 here:


http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library/price/price6.html


My father's fingers are much thicker than mine, which is interesting. Maybe that's just a random change: maybe it's down to change in the diet in early life over time. Wouldn't it be interesting to know?


I suspect that there are a lot of people with thin, light bones around these days. I'd guess that people who'd been eating nearer an optimum diet than the current Western one for perhaps three or more generations would have thicker and heavier bones. People in the West get plenty of calories - it's a rich society - but the quality of their food, and - in particular - its mineral, vitamin, and fat content leaves something to be desired.

[pieter d]

As I said in the opening post, this really is NOT about my feelings being hurt nor my ego being wounded or so. Really not. Really really not ;-) And I'm certenly not angry at any of the commenters. In fact, I understand their comments and questions.


I posted the photograph to show them that even for a probably more ectomorph person like me, it is easy to build a more athletic physique by following the primal blueprint laws. Of course some will most certainly grow more muscles than I have, it is indeed partly genetic (think of the gigantic bodybuilder like cows who live more or less sedentary :-)


Building lean body mass is important for health, and the primal lifestyle will help you building these muscles, rather easily. So don't be afraid of it.


Oh, PrimalJewishAmericanPrincess and Indiscreet, although it wasn't necessary, thanks for the compliments.


(I'm not a native English/American speaker, and without body language, I know it is possible for some nuances to get lost on fora like these. I really want to assure you that I'm writing this reaction with a smile)