The Primal Blueprint
Fitness expert and author of popular health blog Mark’s Daily Apple, Mark Sisson recently compiled his somewhat controversial thoughts on diet and exercise into a 270-page book called The Primal Blueprint.
He begins by contrasting the lives of modern man (Ken Korg) and his early ancestor (Grok), highlighting the many ways we’ve deviated from what our genes are actually programmed for. As its name suggests, The Primal Blueprint isn’t a rigid nutrition and training regimen; it’s a malleable lifestyle plan designed to promote optimal gene expression by living according to 10 simple rules our primal ancestors instinctively followed:
1. Eat lots of plants and animals. Grok’s diet consisted of these foods and our genes expect us to eat them. Organic whole eggs (not the ones on the recall list), meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds should be our staples.
2. Avoid poisonous things. Aside from snakes and spiders, this includes grains and any other foreign foods that Grok did not have access to; they promote inflammation, cause Type 2 diabetes and heart disease because our bodies have not yet evolved to efficiently digest and use them for fuel.
3. Move frequently at a slow pace. Grok spent most of the day walking, not sitting on his butt behind a computer.
4. Lift heavy things. Moving boulders, building shelter and hoisting dead animals were all necessities in Grok’s world, and we respond best to this type of stress by getting bigger and stronger.
5. Sprint once in a while. Grok didn’t survive by jogging away from hungry animals; he sprinted his ass off!
6. Get adequate sleep. Rest and recovery were crucial for Grok to continually lift heavy things and run for his life, and that hasn’t changed. The greatest improvements in hormone levels occur when we sleep.
7. Play. All work and no play made Grok a dull boy too, and productivity continues to depend on adequate leisure time.
8. Get adequate sunlight. Grok spent his life outside; our genes need the sun to synthesize vital hormones like Vitamin D.
9. Avoid stupid mistakes. A no-brainer… Grok didn’t survive long enough to pass down his DNA by doing things worthy of a Darwin Award.
10. Use your brain. Modern technology has actually made us dumber because we rely so heavily on machines to do our work.
While good health is the cornerstone of Sisson’s plan, he stresses that weight loss is effortless when you live the way we have evolved to survive as a species. This includes keeping insulin levels low (Sisson is definitely a low-carber!) by avoiding sugar, grains (even whole grains) and any processed foods that were unavailable before the advent of agriculture, as well as emphasizing short, intense, infrequent and sporadic workouts that trigger favorable hormonal responses over planned programs and “chronic cardio” bouts that deplete muscle glycogen and cause sugar cravings.
Yes, much of what Sisson writes runs counter to “Conventional Wisdom;” but while he draws a lot from his own experiences as a former competitive endurance athlete, he also supports his ideas with sound research. (Don’t worry: The book is an easy read with the major points listed at the end of each chapter.) He does note, however, that his recommendations might not be best for athletes who rely heavily on muscle glycogen and the accompanying energy pathway it fuels. (Then again, he isn’t big on foam rolling, stretching or even organized sports, for that matter.) But for those interested in optimal health, fitness and body composition, a Primal Blueprint approach certainly seems to make sense. So if you aren’t afraid to challenge what you’ve always been taught, pick up a copy at your local bookstore or order one here.
Go primal!
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