The Primal Blueprint
Combining modern genetic science and evolutionary biology, The Primal Blueprint dispels a number of the myths that modern medicine and conventional wisdom have come to accept as fact. Author Mark Sisson takes the reader on a fascinating journey through human evolution, comparing the life and robust health of our hunter-gatherer ancestors with a day in the life of a modern family - exposing potential health issues that arise from trying to do the right things living in the 21st century. Sisson offers a solution in 10 empowering 'Blueprint Lifestyle Laws' that can help us reprogram our genes away from disease and pain towards a direction of effortless weight loss, vibrant health and boundless energy. The reader learns how the right high-fat diet can actually help one lose weight; how popular low-fat, grain-based diets might trigger illness, disease, and lifelong weight gain; why doing too much cardio exercise might actually suppress the immune system and how some of today's most common medications might make a health condition even worse. The consummate book on 'Paleo' or 'Primal' health.
Stats for nerds
9recommend
11mentions
11people
2010–2016years
82% recommend18% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- Started exercising.
But seriously.
"Maximum results" is nebulous. I always recommend starting off by understanding that what you're seeking is a long-term process: it takes time.
First: start moving. Doesn't matter what. Don't overstress joints and ligaments unused to strenuous activity. They develop an order of magnitude more slowly than muscles. Walk. Take the stairs. Favor self-motility over technology. Take breaks from sitting (or if you have a standing desk, take breaks from standing). Explore your range of motion. Stick to bodyweight exercises (pushups, pullups, planks, and squats).
Try Nerf Fitness if you lean that direction (the FB group is highly supportive).
Once you've been walking, try something like a couch-to-5k/10k. Zombies, Run! is fun. Try something like the Primal Blueprint (also has a 21-day "reset" plan which can be beneficial).
Enlist partners (not necessarily "gym buddies", but people who will hold you accountable on the days you cannot).
Plan for the long haul.
- Most of what I read is related to startups or economics, but for the short list of change-my-life books:
This year I read a lot about what you might loosely call the Paleo movement / anti-carbs and sugar movement. The New Evolution Diet, The Primal Blueprint, books by Gary Taubes, and so on. I think this is going to change how I eat and exercise forever.
The Gift of Imperfection and other works by Brené Brown. Lately this is being promoted by Oprah, which isn't usually a good sign. I think it stands apart because it's not theory or poetry; it's based on some solid research on what people living more productive and satisfying lives are actually doing. If nothing else, her books have made me a better friend when my friends are in pain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw
- [The one I self-published](http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/52397119/decrypting-rita...).
It's the second volume of three. The change is still ongoing; book 1 has garnered me some new fans at the top of the comics game, some cool short-form opportunities, and some tentative little beginnings of nibbles from publishers. I figure bringing book 2 to cons will keep that going; I'm pretty confident that by the time I run out of copies of book 3 and want to publish an omnibus, I'll have someone interested in taking care of that and the distribution for me.
Oh, wait, you want books we read, not any books, huh? I'd have to say [The Primal Blueprint](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982207786?tag=egypurna-20&camp=0&...), which got me seriously thinking about what I put in my body and how I use it. I've been backsliding from the fabulous shape I was in during the year I was taking burlesque class, and while I haven't gotten it back, reducing my carb intake and trying to regularly remind myself to just run around for the hell of it! has been keeping things mostly under control.
I mean, I've actually started eating salads, made from awesome locally-produced ingredients that actually have flavor. I still eat a decent amount of junk, I'm nowhere near following a hardcore Primal diet, but I'm doing better than I was a couple years ago.
- Too many times have physicians, from my point of view, fall short of common agreement with regards to my health, especially when it comes to nutrition. I tend to be skeptical of their opinion on the matter, more even so since I switched to a paleo diet and literally dropped the weight that I was supposed to be "genetically" stuck with. So have several of my friends around me.
I doubt the answer is as easy as some would like it to be, but empirically it seems low carb diets have tremendous benefits. I'd recommend reading the Primal Blueprint (http://primalblueprint.com/) for a more thorough explanation of the theory behind it, I'll stick with with my current diet as all indicators (including regular doctor checks) show a drastic increase in my health.
- The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson is also great and changed my life. Reading 'Good Calories Bad Calories' now from Gary Taubes (the author of the op) and it is awesome too.
- The Primal Blueprint is the best source of information on this approach. It's less of a diet and more of a lifestyle change. It was a great read.
