First off, thanks so much Mark! Your website has become a daily staple, and I really credit much of my own success to your teachings. It’s truly great to have found MDA!

Where to begin. I always ate carbs. Grew up eating a baguette every evening with dinner, which was almost always loaded with pasta. As an Italian, we loved pasta and bread. I actually wasn’t terrible with sweets until I got to and then left high school, but boy did I love them. During high school, I was your typical story – lots of exercise and sports, and I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Never really gave it half a thought. As I got older, I knew I should be eating “healthy,” but my definition was way off. I would feel guilty when eating both a chocolate bar and a steak – I really didn’t know the difference, I just knew that I wasn’t listening to my body’s signals, or caring to do so. I just wasn’t at that place in my life yet.

When I got to college, my habits got way worse. Drinking heavily three to four nights a week, tons of junk food and late night pizzas, very little and sporadic exercise, odd sleep routines, and just a general lack of care for my body. Looking back it’s pretty shameful. Regardless, I stayed in relatively decent shape. At 6’2″, I was usually between 185-190 pounds – occasionally hitting the 200 mark. I could get myself down to 175 if I ran and lifted weights for a month, but my motivation never stuck around and I was usually right back to the 190ish spot pretty quickly. By my senior year of college, I noticed that I was developing insomnia, and had real issues with getting regular sleep. I often had stomach aches and nausea, and credited all of my health woes on alcohol. I had seen a doctor or two about recurring nausea, but it never dawned on me that diet could be affecting me. The doc would ask what I ate, I told him, and he’d say “that all sounds normal, stay away from the bad stuff.” Funny how everyone’s definition of “bad” is different…

I graduated in 2007 and drove across the country to California with my best friend. He’s very fit, and we spent about three weeks camping, hiking, and climbing the country. It made me feel a bit ashamed seeing his awesome body next to mine, and I really wanted to get rid of the spare tire I was carrying around. At that point though, I had told myself that it was part of me, some people are lean and some aren’t, and that I should just give it up and accept it. I felt bummed that I could never have a “beach body,” but I sort of let it go. I just assumed that I wasn’t at the gym enough, and that I needed more discipline. Pass the bread!

The next few years were more of the same. Lots of pasta. Lots of Wendy’s. Lots of beer. More stomach aches, bad sleeps, and fat around the belly. By this point, I had met my future wife (Marie) and we were partners in crime. We both love food, and she is an amazing cook – so we’d go to town! I never said no when it came to food. She, too, is Italian, and our meals were typically pasta and grain based. I never got “fat”, per se, but I always carried a load around, and felt sort of weak and unattractive.

In 2009, we decided to move to Korea to teach English for a year. What a rewarding experience! While there, we were going to vacation in Thailand, and Marie wanted to lose some weight for the beach. This was the beginning of our transformation. We didn’t really know what we were doing, but we were trying. We started by cutting deserts and riding our stationary bike for a half hour every night. We started to see some results – nothing amazing, but it was nice dropping a few pounds. After the vacation, we decided to get more serious. I read both of Michael Pollan’s books, and it just made sense to me that we should be eating more “food” and less “stuff.” Being in Korea actually made our transition easy, because they eat so much meat and produce there. I really think I unintentionally started becoming Primal there! I was still totally on carbs though, and I had still yet to make the distinction that grains = bad. After our diet change, Marie and I both committed to doing the “Insanity” workout, by the same guys that do P90X. It was working! Our friends commented on the weight we were losing, and it felt great. By the time we left Korea, I was down to 165. I noticed, however, that I felt tired a lot, and our efforts felt unsustainable. I knew I couldn’t be doing 90 minutes of cardio, six days a week, for the rest of my life. And although I looked noticeably better, I still didn’t feel cut or muscular, at all. If anything, I felt just smaller. But, I was on the right path (critically thinking about what I ate) and had the motivation to look good. I was starting to get a taste of feeling better, and I wanted more.

The next few months were tough. Our hardcore Insanity was done, we were back in the states, and everyone wanted to visit, eat, and drink. I crept back up to 170, and I wasn’t feeling fit. I didn’t look muscular like my fit friends. I was starting to get discouraged. I couldn’t understand it. I was biking a TON (taking up 50-100 mile rides regularly), hitting the gym with weights and group spin classes, and eating like crazy to compensate. I could sort of feel that I was burning myself out a bit, but I figured that this all was good for me, especially according to CW. Meanwhile, Marie is cooking a low fat, moderate protein, moderate carb diet for us. We had the right drive, for the most part, but we were still running off of a lot of misinformation. We were getting better, but it was slowly, and we had a lot of learning to do. Meanwhile, my mother had developed a serious gluten insensitivity, and was dealing with it. So, we had ended up hearing a lot about the evils of gluten for a few months, dealing with her dietary restrictions, and just questioning things in general. This, looking back, was a good precursor for me.

Then, my lucky day. A friend Facebook messaged me and told me to read a book – Good Calories, Bad Calories, by Gary Taubes. I barely got through the first chapter and it all sounded so… right. I zoomed through it. The same friend sent me to MDA next, and I’m eternally grateful. I was immediately hooked. Marie joked about how I needed to shut up – I wouldn’t stop yammering on about all the new things I was learning! She wasn’t convinced, but being the good partner that she is, she let me run my mouth and heard me out. I slowly started to convince her that you were onto something, and we decided to go Primal! It only took me about a week or two to come around. Once I started reading things, I felt “enlightened” and couldn’t eat a sandwich without feeling differently! It just made too much sense to me.

It was remarkably easy, I must admit. I thought it would be way harder. Much of that is probably due to the fact that Marie is such a good cook, she barely missed a beat while switching to Primal, and made it extra easy for me. Our grains became extra veggies and larger servings of meat. My hangover lasted about a week, but I’ve barely ever had any cravings since. People ask me how we do it – I always laugh and tell them that I get to eat the best parts of every meal! We eat so well now – only fresh, local organic fruits and veggies, tons of grass fed beef, bison, and lamb. Fresh bacon, eggs, chicken, and fish. Lots of nuts. Lots of coconut products. Lots of Primal bars! I cheat with chocolate or cake every now and then – but to be honest, it’s not even that tasty anymore. I’d rather have some bacon or a hard boiled egg. Both Marie and I have noticed that even when we go out now, both of us have gotten really good at ordering off the menu yet still staying Primal – it’s easier than you’d think. Many of our friends won’t even notice our wacky orders if we are smart about how we do it. Hah. I never leave the house without a container of almonds, and hard boiled eggs have become a regular quick-snack. Fresh berries have become our desert, and I’ll have an occasional hunk of dark chocolate to satiate the craving.

Our Primal eating coincided with our new found love of rock climbing, which Marie surprised me with one evening. We are now regulars five times a week at our local climbing gym – riding six miles round trip, and climbing for an hour. I feel like climbing is about the most Primal you can get – works every single muscle group, there is great stretching, a few “sprint” moments, and lots of breaks in between. It’s definitely kept me intrigued during my workouts, and I love that every day is different. Just thinking about going back to the weight room makes me roll my eyes… I’ve found greener pastures! It also amazes me every time I walk into the climbing gym how good of shape everyone is in. Just when I’m starting to feel super confident, ten ripped guys will walk by and put me to shame! It reminds me that this sport breeds the “LGN” people – everyone seems to have a killer body! I’ve gotten mine pretty quickly by just doing what Grok would do – climb some stuff! This activity is one I can’t recommend enough, and we’ve already converted several of our friends. If you’re lucky enough to live near one, check it out! I’ve also switched over to some Vibram shoes, which I can’t love enough. Sure, they look goofy and take a few days of getting used to. Well worth the stares. I’m fast and light with these things!

Final results? I am, without a doubt, in the best shape of my life. I’m 6’2″, and running between 155-160 pounds on any given day. I have a six pack! Never thought that would happen in a million years. I have so many arm muscles! I am constantly getting told by friends and family how good I look. Marie stops me mid sentence almost daily to point out some new muscle that is now popping through somewhere. I feel lean and quick, I take stairs three to four at a time every day, I wake up before my alarm, and just feel generally excellent! Primal living just came at such a perfect time for me, as I was really trying to do the right things, but nothing was making exact sense, until this. I haven’t had any tests/numbers run, but my body fat has to be around 6-7%, if not lower. It has literally MELTED off me since I started going Primal. Ten pounds fell off in the first two weeks, and I’ve steadily dropped from about 170 (when I thought I was fit!) to about 157 for mid-day weight. I used to be a TIGHT 34″ pants – I am now having a lot of difficulty finding clothes that fit, and have had to re-do my wardrobe, I’m down to a 31″ waist! I can even squeeze into a 30″ if I try!

The eating has been the beginning, but I can feel the Primal lifestyle taking hold. We have local veggies delivered, we are composting, walking and cycling more, and are just generally concerned about how the world affects us modern day Groks. I feel enlightened. I’m lucky to live in SF, where there are many like minded people, and making changes like this is easy. But I do want people to know that it was surprisingly easy! Sure, cheating happens – but I know that my permanent lifestyle has changed. I know too much now! Although becoming Primal was one of the final steps in my transformation, I really feel that without it, I wouldn’t be complete. It wasn’t until I went full Primal that I saw my last ten pounds of body fat truly melt away. The difference was amazing – Marie and I would literally laugh before bed every day at how good my body was looking! The difference in how I felt, although impossible to quantify, is what sold me. It was incredible how good I started to feel, always! Happy, light, energetic, sharp, fun, and ambitious. I swear, going Primal changed me for the better!

I know, deep down, that this is the right path. It just… feels right. I know it’s anecdotal, I know it’s unscientific, and it goes against what I like – provable hypotheses. Nonetheless, it just feels right in my heart. I’ve been sharing this with everyone. I want to tell the world. I want to open everyone’s eyes! Thanks so much Mark for helping me change my life for the better. We are exploring so many different avenues that we had never before considered, thanks to the Primal lifestyle, and all of the advice that you and the commenters give. I can honestly say that I approach health and living in a totally different (and way better!) way, thanks to you. I really feel grateful that you’ve spent this time to help all of us out! I know I’ll be paying it forward as long as I can speak! I know Marie has a story of her own to post shortly here, as hers is just as good as mine. Here are some pics of me, before and after – in jeans on my 2007 road trip, big-bellied and full faced on vacation in 2009, and then the good ones! The muddy one was me right after I finished Insanity, at a mud festival in Korea. You can tell I was getting excited with my body! And here I am today, on my honeymoon, and back in my house. I couldn’t feel more awesome. I look how I wished I did my whole life! Rock on, go Grok!

4 years ago, before I had even an inkling of Primal.

Two years ago, on vacation. During my “I’m lifting weights, why isn’t it working??” stage. My face is wide! I tried that bathing suit on during my honeymoon… no matter how tight I pulled the strings, it just fell off! So cool!

Started getting better! I’m down to a 33″ waist here, and loving it.

The good stuff! This is me the other day, at 158 lbs. Never thought I’d look like this!

Yeah! Thank you, rock climbing! These muscles were either non-existent or buried underneath – probably a combo of both. Regardless, I couldn’t be happier!

The end* result!

*it never ends… but these are awesome results, in my opinion. I couldn’t be happier! Thank you so, so, so much Mark. I know you must hear this all the time… but really, your writings helped me change the course of my life for the better. I truly feel like the track I’m on is the healthy, sustainable, and conscious one that will lead me through a long, happy, and prosperous life. Thank you. I will forever recommend your book and website.

Check back next Friday for a Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from Nick’s wife, Marie!

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