primal.

during this month, i've been shifting my life towards a more primal existence. no, i haven't been searching for a cave or hunting razorback hogs with sharpened stone. what i have been doing is blending my modern digital life with a life my genes are more familiar with. it all started with these shoes: vibram.

which led me to this guy: ted.
which led me to this guy: mark.
which led me to this book: primal blueprint.

i've been out of work for the past few months and spending a lot of time on my ass, which in turn, has gained a bit more plump. in fact, i can't fit into my clothes without sucking it in and when i'm in, i can't move, and look like a poor imitation of an out of work rodeo dood (aka ass clown). i'm 5'11" and at 190 lbs, the heaviest i've ever been. it's uncomfortable, unhealthy, and unattractive. you can say that it's a natural process of growing older but i have to disagree. it's me sitting on my ass feeling sorry for myself.

in primal blueprint, the author breaks it down to 10 simple, flexible rules.

1. eat lots of plants and animals. bugs too, if you want.
2. move around a lot at a slow pace.
3. life heavy things.
4. run really fast every once in a while.
5. get lots of sleep. (siesta!)
6. play.
7. get some sunlight every day.
8. avoid trauma. (don't be an idiot.)
9. avoid poisonous things. (don't be an idiot.)
10. use your mind. (don't become an idiot.)

for more detail, go: primal 10.



pretty simple yeah? for most of my life, i've gotten so much contradicting information on diet and exercise that i was starting to feel guilty about EVERYTHING i ate and did. i tried vegetarian and raw but that left me extremely on edge, fucked with my sleep pattern, and at times in muscular pain. and exercising ALL the time was ridiculous. the point is, before agriculture, our ancestors ate what they could and occasionally went hungry. they also didn't have baked goods, hot rice, or heavily processed foods loaded with salt + sugar.

in the first week of eating just veggies and meat, i lost eight pounds. i didn't move all that much either. i biked around as usual, played beached whale, and watched a bunch of movies. but i cut out everything with added sugar and grains, like wheat. SO simple. i'm shooting for 165 lbs.

this whole concept is what i've "known" to be a proper lifestyle. i've always believed our beautifully evolved bodies are capable of amazing daily feats, and our current world of air conditioned interiors and over sanitized hands is bad news.

more than anything, i've regained a middle ground with myself. i just feel better knowing that i knew what i was doing. the real revelation has to be the knowledge about grains and sugars which spikes our insulin levels which makes us "feel" hungry. on the second day i started this change, i was completely satisfied on an avocado and a hard boiled egg. without my insulin spiking, i didn't feel the need to keep eating until i felt full. i just ate and realized i was content.

i feel good.