The Primal Blueprint has always been, at its core, about living your best life. Besides the 10 Primal Laws, here are 7 concrete things I do to attain maximum health and happiness in balance.
Great post Mark. I just turned 78 and discovered Marks apple more than 10 years ago, and that led to a whole set of diet, exercise and lifestyle changes. That of course takes discipline, but I think you are hitting on a key theme in this post. The push to optimize everything in our lives can be very destructive. Consistency and marginal changes seem to me to be what is sustainable, and over the long haul have enormous impact. The emotional damage of obsessing over very little detail likely offsets any possible marginal gain. I think your post about alcohol also goes down this path. Healthy balance lets you be successful over the long haul. I've already made it almost to 80 and have very healthy metabolic markers, and mobility, so enjoy that, and extend it.
Great advice! That's coming from an 80-year-old who sometimes marvels at how many projects and other activities have been accomplished in the 9 years since I retired. So I understand the slowing of time you've occasionally mentioned in the decade since I subscribed to MDA. But I'm also thankful for the nutrition awareness that my wife and I gained early in our marriage 57 years ago and for recognizing by 40 that I needed to consciously work on physical fitness to compensate for trading homesteading for city life.
I've never been a "gym rat", but I developed a morning exercise routine, rarely skipped, that relies on yoga and qigong-inspired stretching movements and a couple dozen push-ups. This, along with a low-carb diet and an active life, has kept me fit and vigorous. I get plenty reminders that I'm old but so far nothing that interferes with enjoying life. I can tell that you're enjoying yours too.
1. I sauna almost every day. The sauna is one of my favorite ways to calm my body and mind.
2. I no longer optimize my diet or my workouts. As someone who has obsessed over both, I've learned that the 80% rule is more than good enough. I don't need to eat clean 100% of the time or go for a personal best in the gym every workout.
3. I listen to my body. If I go to the gym and my body is telling me to lighten the load, do less reps, or skip a particular exercise, that's what I do. If I feel a tweak or a twinge while lifting, I no longer power through it. The #1 goal in the gym is to NOT GET HURT.
Great post Mark. I just turned 78 and discovered Marks apple more than 10 years ago, and that led to a whole set of diet, exercise and lifestyle changes. That of course takes discipline, but I think you are hitting on a key theme in this post. The push to optimize everything in our lives can be very destructive. Consistency and marginal changes seem to me to be what is sustainable, and over the long haul have enormous impact. The emotional damage of obsessing over very little detail likely offsets any possible marginal gain. I think your post about alcohol also goes down this path. Healthy balance lets you be successful over the long haul. I've already made it almost to 80 and have very healthy metabolic markers, and mobility, so enjoy that, and extend it.
Great advice! That's coming from an 80-year-old who sometimes marvels at how many projects and other activities have been accomplished in the 9 years since I retired. So I understand the slowing of time you've occasionally mentioned in the decade since I subscribed to MDA. But I'm also thankful for the nutrition awareness that my wife and I gained early in our marriage 57 years ago and for recognizing by 40 that I needed to consciously work on physical fitness to compensate for trading homesteading for city life.
I've never been a "gym rat", but I developed a morning exercise routine, rarely skipped, that relies on yoga and qigong-inspired stretching movements and a couple dozen push-ups. This, along with a low-carb diet and an active life, has kept me fit and vigorous. I get plenty reminders that I'm old but so far nothing that interferes with enjoying life. I can tell that you're enjoying yours too.
Love it!
I have a few to add:
1. I sauna almost every day. The sauna is one of my favorite ways to calm my body and mind.
2. I no longer optimize my diet or my workouts. As someone who has obsessed over both, I've learned that the 80% rule is more than good enough. I don't need to eat clean 100% of the time or go for a personal best in the gym every workout.
3. I listen to my body. If I go to the gym and my body is telling me to lighten the load, do less reps, or skip a particular exercise, that's what I do. If I feel a tweak or a twinge while lifting, I no longer power through it. The #1 goal in the gym is to NOT GET HURT.
This is great.