The Unconquerable Dave
Dave first emailed me about a year ago. He had just bought the Primal Blueprint Cookbook and was seeing some real results. Occasionally I’ll get an update from him. One can really get a sense of Dave’s energy and excitement for life from his emails (often written in all caps), which I’ve reprinted below. Read on to catch a bit of Dave’s enthusiasm and spirit. It’s contagious.
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!
September of 2009…
March 19, 2010…
HI MARK
JUST GOT YOUR BLUEPRINT AND AM AWAITING THE COOK BOOK. WHICH I INTEND TO TRY TO ADD TOO!
AFTER 25 YEARS OF RAISING A FAMILY AND NOT DOING THE “GROK” ANY MORE IT SHOWED BIG TIME….
TALK ABOUT “THE LIVING DEAD”…
I’M A SUPER COOK AND BAKER AND JUST ABOUT SLAYED US ALL….LOL
IT’S BEEN ABOUT 3-4 MONTHS OF EATING AND THINKING MORE PALEO… IF I CAN’T KILL IT- FIND IT-OR GATHER IT… I DON’T EAT IT…. SO IT’S REAL EASY TO EAT WELL. JUST THINK ABOUT GROK AND WHAT YOU’RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT. SIMPLE!… AND THE WIFE AND KIDS STILL AROUND ARE IMPRESSED WITH MY NEW ATTITUDE AND LOOK.
HAVE LOST AT LEAST 20 POUNDS OFF A HEAVY BONED HUGE BEAR FRAME…
6′-1″ AND HEADED FOR THE LOWER 200′S. I HAVE 18 “ARMS AND THICK CHEST AND THE ABDOMEN AND CORE ARE COMING RIGHT ALONG…!!!
LEGS ARE FEELING STRONG AGAIN. ASS IS TIGHTENING UP AND I’M INTO A 38 JEAN.
YOUR BODY TELLS YOU WHAT IT WANTS, AND IT WANTS REAL AND STRONG AND ABLE.
WHICH = SMART!!… HEAD AND BODY ARE TUNING IN WELL…
TIME TO BUY NEW CLOTHES…ALMOST!
LATER BROTHER
STAY IN THE LIGHT
GROK RULES!
DAVE PARSONS
April 22nd…
40 LBS LIGHTER IN 6 MONTHS…no problem and lovin’ it!
53 Y.O.
6’1″-240LBS AS OF 4-20-10
AND STILL SHEDDING THE EXTRAS….36 JEANS…AIMING FOR 34′S.
and a solid 220 of all muscle!!!!
YOU are ONe…of MY Two INspirations!!!!
Thanks Mark…
and if you don’t get enough hugs brother…
davegrok sends hug to Mark!!!
Illumination……..so much fun to re-learn again….still…always….
Grok on
July 18th…
HI FOLKS-
OCTOBER 1ST 2009 TO JULY 10TH 2010.
FROM 280 LBS DOWN TO 210 LBS.
JUST FROM THE PALEO DIET AND MILD EXERCISE.
ROCKIN’ THE HOUSE!!!!!!
ALL LEAN MUSCLE MASS AND NEVER LOOKIN’ BACK….THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE INSPIRATION-GUIDANCE-AND ONGOING WAY OF LIFE.
DAVE
September 9th…
IT HAS BEEN AN EXCITING AND COMPLETELY DIFFERENT YEAR NOW.
I HAVE GOTTEN IN WAY BETTER HEALTH. LOST 80 POUNDS. CAN RUN AND CLIMB AGAIN. AND AM GOING ON 54 YEARS OLD. LIFE HAS THROWN THE CURVE BALLS. THE UPS. THE DOWNS. ALL THE WORK AND LIFE RELATED “FOR BETTER- OR FOR WORSE” ISSUES…YOU GET IT. BUT THE DAILY APPLE AND THE PRIMAL LIFE GOES ON…EVERYDAY. IN ALL THE CONFUSION…IT REMAINS A SOLID PLATFORM TO WORK WITH AND ON. I READ THE APPLE….EAT THE APPLE AND EVERYDAY YOU JUST MAKE IT OKAY TO BE WHO I AM…AND BE A MEMBER OF THE PRIMAL LIFE CLAN….
NO MATTER WHAT COMES ALONG…
I KNOW SOMEONE OUT THERE IS MY FRIEND AND WE THINK ABOUT THE SAME STUFF.
THANKS MARK
THANKS BEES
THANKS TO MARK’S WIFE FOR BEING ABLE TO HANDLE THIS!
YOU HAVE NO IDEA …….OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME.
I SALUTE YOU ALL
DAVE
December 10th…
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND ALL THE CREW!!
Santa got a lot thinner!…hohohohoho!
Dave
January 3rd…
primal work outs…. your approach (WAY BETTER) and actually more of a primal way than a gym gorilla. I have my Paleo gym of trees and rocks and stuff….
check it out…54 in a month and 6 ft and 205 lbs.
a 404 lb dead lift…kickButt!!!!
Thanks Mark
January 26th…
DEAR MARK AND ALL THE PRIMAL PEOPLE OUT THERE,
I’M NOT GOOD WITH SPEECHES SO I FIGURE IF A PIC IS WORTH A 1000 WORDS.
I WILL BE 54 THIS FEB. 8TH.
TALK ABOUT PRIMAL. THAT’S ABOUT 300…DOWN TO 200…RIGHT THERE TODAY JANUARY 19TH…AND THERE AIN’T MUCH LEFT TO LOSE…..SIZE 44 TO SIZE 34.
I REMEMBER THIS….I WAS THIS SIZE WHEN I WAS 18 YEARS OLD….I THINK I MAY BE STRONGER NOW!
GROK ON AND THANK YOU FOR THE ILLUMINATION!
DAVE PARSONS
—
To steal words from Walt Whitman…
“I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable,
I sound my barbaric YAWP over the roofs of the world.”
A transformed man, arms to the sky, wearing flip flops in the snow. If ever there was an image of the verve and indomitable spirit of going Primal, this is it. Dave, today half a million people heard your YAWP. May it echo to half a million more. Grok on, brother. GROK ON!
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
Thanks Dave. I don’t know if you have ever thought of yourself as an inspiration, but you are. But if you have a hard time swallowing that, you are definitely THE example. That bar has been set way up there, but my 35 yo fat ass is jumping for it!!! Grok on dude!!!
Another WOW!
VERY IMPRESSIVE!
Nice work and the progression photos are amazing.
OMG! My eyes were full of tears of joy while I read this. GO DAVE!!!
After seeing the vegan episode on Oprah this week I just had to submit this post and ask them to consider doing a show on primal. Everyone needs to know this stuff!
Dave, you have given hope to a lot of people. I know you will be blessed for all the rest of your days.
What a great idea Jen! My eyes filled with happy tears too.
That last picture is beautiful!
The last picture is magnificent. I love this guy!!
Forget Oprah.
. . . also Dave rules.
I thought the same thing that Oprah needs to give Primal?paleo equal time.
Congrats Dave…ANY RECIPES TO SHARE??!!
Me too! I love reading the primal success stories every week, but this one is the first one that made me cry!
WOW! Unbelievable…amazing!
Oh man, this guys sounds like so much fun. Love it! Grow the beard back, brother!
Dave, that is a truly awe inspiring transformation!!! You look ABSOLUTELY AMAZING and probably feel the same! What an inspiration and you give me hope that I can look as good(in female form). Grok on, brother!!!
Frickin’ Awesome!!! Way to go Dave! Your attitude and inspiration is amazing. This is just the motivation I needed to kick it into high gear! Grok On Dave!
YAWP! congratulations on your success and new way of life! enjoy!!!
Huge respect for what you have done. Bravo! May it inspire others to do the same.
That brought a tear to my eye. Standing ovation.
Awesome. Absolutely AWESOME!
This guy frakking rules!
Hot damn! Way to go, Dave. You’re an inspiration — and a head turner!
Dave and Mark are my heros!!! A big YAWP to you Dave!
AWSOME…amazing story..I loved his gym..tree..rocks…i also have rocks in my apartment instead of weights and i go to park do my sprints and climb the trees there too. i agree way much better than gym..
I showed my husband this. He is now COMPLETELY on board
He loves the outdoors: hiking, fishing, camping, climbing trees all that stuff and hates going to the gym. So this is gonna be a cinch!!! YAY im so happy. thanks for this story. Finally I got him to agree that he doesnt need to eat crap -especially after he ate a donut last night after dinner from the gas station (omg)and complained of an upset stomach all night.
Wow! ‘nuf said.
Epic — guy looks like a true wildman
Wow. This is an awesome transformation. And not only does he look healthy & fit … but his hair and beard look awesome & fitting now too.
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whoa. just speechless.
this is very inspirational to me, great job Dave I to hope to look that good!!!
My first thought was “Santa!”
My next thought was “Hey! My birthday’s on the 8th as well!”
Next: “Holy crap he’s gotten thin!”
My last thought was “400 lbs to 200 lbs in 14 months is… just over 14 lbs lost per month (on average). Wow.”
Congratulations- and happy birthday to us both!
Best one yet! Great job Dave.
WOW. If you were single and lived near me I would be available any time for a primal blueprint-friendly beverage. HOT. You look amazing, Dave!!! I’ve been having a difficult time ousting my sugar-addiction and this is really great motivation to just DO it. Thank you. Love your sentiment, too–there is nothing like knowing that there is a growing community of like-minded “brothers” or sisters out there to help you feel strong.
… uh, I don’t want to seem sleazy. I realize that you are NOT single and I was just being complimentary. You look great. ;D
Wow! Who knew a big bearded caveman like Dave could put tears in my eyes so quickly! I too am sending this to my parents who believe they’re too old (64) to bother changing their diets now. Thank you for sharing Dave, you’re awesome. And again, thank you Mark for inspiring us all.
Dave, YOU ARE AWESOME!!!! I seriously want to go hiking with this guy or something! It’s a good thing that e-hug to mark tho, or else mark might not have ribs anymore! Awesome job dave, I’m inspired to go do some ass-kicking primal-living of my own today!
Truly incredible.
This just brought a tear to my eye! Great job, Dave! Such an inspiration!
WOW, amazing and truly inspiring! Great job Dave!