Mark,

After one full year of Primal Living, I thought now was as good a time as any to share not only my story, but my thanks as well for where I am today.

I feel alive for the first time in years!

A friend of mine had been chirping in my ear for months about Primal/Paleo as well as her obsession with CrossFit. Her boundless energy and enthusiasm was a bit much at times, but it was nonetheless curious to me. I had spent the past few years living a high stress, sedentary, and depressed lifestyle which, looking back on now, was extremely unhealthy and setting me up for an early demise. It’s odd how easy it is to blind yourself to the unhealthy actions you take upon yourself without a conscious understanding of their effects. However, after a few emotional breakdowns and panic attacks that hit me in the latter half of 2011, my awareness became attuned to the dire emotional and physical situation I had put myself in.

So, on a whim I decided to ask my friend what she was talking about. In late December 2011, on a Saturday afternoon, she sent me straight to Mark’s Daily Apple. Five hours later, I realized I hadn’t stopped obsessively devouring everything I was reading on this site. I consider myself a fairly smart person, and as I finished reading each of the Definitive Guides, it was quite literally a face-palm moment of clarity; “This makes so much sense. How did I not understand this before now?!” Needless to say, the very next day, I decided to give this new way of life a try.

I’m 33 years old, 6’1”, and started the year at 322 lbs which was very near the heaviest I’ve ever been. I stopped weighing myself during that time, but I think I peaked around 330-340 earlier the previous year. The photo was taken last December.

On January 1, 2012, the only thing I changed at first was what I was eating. I eliminated all processed foods and grains and switched to healthy fats, meats, and veggies. I continued to work long days and lead a sedentary lifestyle. However, just changing the food I was eating yielded IMMEDIATE results. Within the first few days, I felt like I was no longer living in a fog – my mind was clear – and I found myself with newfound energy. I dropped four pounds the first week, four and a half the second, and another four pounds the week after that – and I didn’t feel like I was even trying! Talk about motivation! It turns out we really are what we eat! I furthered these efforts for a few more months, and saw continued and consistent weight loss, a lack of mood swings, and crazy amounts of newfound energy. In March I started jogging a bit following the Couch to 5K program, simply because I had to do something with all the energy I now found myself with.

Now a full year into my new lifestyle, I find myself 105 lbs lighter, with ALL of my previous health issues and risks eliminated completely. It’s enjoyable to see my doctor dumbfounded and in awe of my results. The second photo was taken just a few days ago, the little guy is my beautiful new nephew.

I’ve completed a 5K, a 10K, and have started training for a half marathon. Now that I’ve established a base, and felt the effects of healthy living, I need to focus more on a few of the finer points of Primal Living; lift more, play more, and (reluctantly) give up beer. I’m not quite where I want to be physically, but I’m well on my way to a long and healthy life as I continue to “Grok on!”

Thanks Mark, for simply making sense and dispensing it to the masses. I don’t know where I’d be today without having found this journey.

Andy

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