JUST GIVE ME 10 DAYS ~ ROUND 98
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58 yrs. 4'11" or less...
SW: 160 lbs.
CW: 157.8 lbs
SW Round 97 (my 1st): 156 lbs
UGW: 98 lbs (subject to change)
R97 (1st for me) SW 156 EW 157.8 (+ 1.8 lbs)
Round 98
Day/Weight/Comment
12/09 158.6 lbs Another bad day, today. I planned meals, but then binged late night... I've got to do better than this! Not giving up yet!
12/10 158 lbs stuck to food plan, today.
12/11
12/12
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12/18
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Sunrise from our window at Best Western of Long Beach
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39, male, 5'8
Original Starting Weight: 386.6 lbs, 1/1/2019
Long term Goal Weight: 186.6 lbs
Round 98, 15th Round for Me
Starting Weight: 283.6 lbs
Goal Weight: 283.6 lbs
(in maintenance mode for the remainder of December)
Day/Weight/Comment
12/09: 284.9 lbs (+1.3) … been bouncing around lately around the same weight for a couple weeks now. I’ve been pretty frustrated with my lack of progress during that time… but stepping back a bit, that feels ridiculous. I’m very happy with what I’ve accomplished so far this year, and I don’t like the idea that I’m stressing out over my rate of loss as much as I am.
I’ve decided that I’m going to allow myself to eat up to maintenance for the remainder of December. I’ve pushed myself hard for 11 months now and have seen some pretty great results from it, but I wouldn’t mind a little bit of a rest. Not going to push myself to eat at a certain number of calories, I’ll just eat more if I feel I need to, as long as I keep myself at or below maintenance.
Then I’ll start again with my regular deficit on the first, just like I did this year.
12/10: 285.3 (+0.4) … up a little bit. Not concerned. Hopefully while eating at maintenance I can at least stay under 286.6 lbs (the -100 mark for me).
12/11: 285.3 (+0.1) … nearly no change. Very happy about that after having a fairly indulgent day. Work holiday party was last night.
12/12:
12/13:
12/14:
12/15:
12/16:
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12/18:
Challenge delta: +1.4 lbs
Total Weight Loss: 101.6 lbs
My jgm10d HistoryR84: 319.3 (+0.5)
R85: 314.7 (-4.6)
R86: 311.5 (-3.2)
R87: 309.7 (-1.8)
R88: 307.8 (-1.9)
R89: 303.1 (-4.7)
R90: 299.1 (-4.0)
R91: 298.1 (-1.0)
R92: 297.1 (-1.0)
R93: 290.6 (-6.5)
R94: 291.0 (+0.4)
R95: 286.9 (-4.1)
R96: 283.2 (-3.7)
R97: 283.6 (+0.4)
My PlanPhase 1: 1/1/2019 (386.6 lbs) - 8/1/2019 (317.7 lbs)- Log all foods as I eat them
- Aim for 2000 calories/day intake
- Increase walking, park further away at work
- Push exercising more, starting with cardio / running
- Couch to 5k Program
- Aim for 2000-2200 calories/day intake
- Intermittent Fasting 16:8, targeting 1700 calories/day intake.
- Cardio (running) 2x per week
- Strength training with a personal trainer once per week, one session on my own.
- Walking at least 10,000 steps per day.
- Eat at or below 2,700 calories per day (maintenance)
- Continue working out twice weekly at the gym
- Continue logging everything I eat as I eat it
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OK, so I'm going to give this a try since working alone has not been successful.
My Story:SpoilerSo here's the scoop on me. I never struggled with my weight when I was younger because I was active and had a great metabolism. Many times I was underweight. In my 30s I started really focusing on fitness but then a few surgeries set me back slightly. In my early 40s I was teaching group exercise classes and increasing my strength workouts. I loved the way I looked when I was lean and defined. Then *BAM* I started to go through pre-menopause and (pardon the language) everything went to hell in a handbasket. From age 42-48 (now) I have gained 25 pounds and loss significant muscle weight. At age 47 I officially went into menopause and with the help of bioavailable hormone replacement, that part of my life is back on track. Just not the weight.
Motivation. My motivation is my husband. We've only been together for 4 years and I'm not happy with how my body has changed for the worse. I want to be fit and happy again. I'm not looking for a miracle, just the mindset to get it done and not have to deal with weight issues again.
Goals. Long term goal is to get back down to a healthy weight but be lean again. I'm not so much concerned with the number on the scale as long as I am lean. Would I like to lose the 25 pounds I've gained over the past 5 years...you bet! But I want to look good, not just focus on the number on the scale.
No longer can I use hormone imbalance as an excuse. I am medically within normal limits for my age and menopause status. Time to just get real, cut back on the alcohol, and get to the gym whether I want to or not.
Female / Age 48 / 5'9"
OW: 165.6
UG: 145.0
12/09: 165.6
12/10: 165
12/11: 164.6 - down 1 pound!!
12/12
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12/1813 -
Name: Hayley
Age: 31
Height 5'9ft
R87 SW 210.8 - EW 206.8 (-4lbs)
R88 SW 206.8 - EW 205.6 (-1.2lbs)
R89 SW 205.6 - EW 202.2 (-3.4lbs)
R90 SW 202.2 - EW 198.4 (-3.8lbs)
R91 SW 198.4 - EW 195.5 (-2.9lbs)
R92 SW 195.4 - EW 192.3 (-3.1lbs)
R93 SW 192.3 - EW 192.3 (+/- 0lbs)
R94 SW 192.3 - EW 190.4 (-1.9lbs)
R95 SW 190.4 - EW 185.7 (-4.7lbs)
R96 SW 185.7 - EW 183.9 (-1.8lbs)
R97 SW 183.9 - EW 183.3 (-0.6lbs)
SW - 212.3
CW - 183.3
R98 GW - 179.9
GW (year end) - 180
UGW 150
Day/Weight/Comment
12/09 - 185.3 Oops! Went out for dinner last night and had waay too many cookies. Back on it today!!
12/10 - 184.1 Yay! Right direction!
12/11 - 183.9
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Hi, I’m Karen and I’m 53.
OSW-187 Sept. 2018
Gym weight lifting class 2 x week
Walk +/- 7 miles 3 x week
Drink plenty of water, alcohol on weekends only.
12/9-171- Salty dinner out.
12/10-169-Hopefully a walk today, the rain is finally gone.
12/11-167-Got 1/2 of walk done and then went and shoveled mud for hours making trenches. Grueling but worth it; I’m sore.
I’m glad you are all here!!😊☕️15 -
39, female, 5'4ish
Original Starting Weight: 167 12/3/19
Long term Goal Weight: 135 lbs
Round 98, 1st Round for Me
Starting Weight:167 lbs
Goal Weight: 164 lbs
My story: I am a military wife and mother to 6 children, with my youngest being 2.5 year old twins. I have struggled with weight my entire life. I got so close to my ideal weight after my 3rd child and again after my 4th, but I always put on way too much during my pregnancies (binge eater), and I have not been able to get myself together after the twins. I have recently hired a personal trainer and started counting macros to hopefully retain/build muscle while continuing to burn fat. It is hard for me to eat as much as she wants me to eat, because I just can't seem to trust the process...but I am trying. I am going to limit myself to weighing in weekly, because I know how slow this will go. Here for accountability, and hopefully more like-minded friends to check in with. Please add me!!!
Day:
12/09: Stayed under my calorie goal of 1400. Did 15 minutes of full body circuit training, 7 minutes on rower, and 20 minute walk.
12/10: Walked for 45 minutes (about 3 miles), and stayed under my calorie goal.
12/11:
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R60 SW: 219.7 EW: 217.1 AW: 218.3R96 SW: 207.0 EW: 205.9 AW: 206.5 (-0.5)
R61 SW: 217.1 EW: 217.3 AW: 217.1 (-1.2)
R62 SW: 216.4 EW: 216.9 AW: 216.6 (-0.5)
R63 SW: 215.1 EW: 214.2 AW: 214.6 (-2.0)
R64 SW: 213.4 EW: 214.2 AW: 215.6 (+1.0)
R65 SW: 214.7 EW: 215.1 AW: 215.0 (-0.6)
R66 SW: 214.9 EW: 214.7 AW: 214.5 (-0.5)
R67 SW: 214.9 EW: 212.9 AW: 213.5 (-1.0)
R68 SW: 212.7 EW: 211.8 AW: 212.7 (-0.8)
R69 SW: 213.6 EW: 212.7 AW: 213.2 (+0.5)
R70 SW: 213.1 EW: 213.1 AW: 212.7 (-0.5)
R71 SW: 212.9 EW: 212.7 AW: 212.4 (-0.3)
R72 SW: 213.4 EW: 210.9 AW: 212.0 (-0.4)
R73 SW: 211.6 EW: 208.3 AW: 210.4 (-1.6)
R74 SW: 208.9 EW: 210.0 AW: 209.3 (-1.1)
R75 SW: 211.4 EW: 208.3 AW: 209.3 (0.0)
R76 SW: 207.6 EW: 208.9 AW: 208.4 (-0.9)
R77 SW: 207.8 EW: 209.6 AW: 208.5 (+0.1)
R78 SW: 206.1 EW: 207.4 AW: 207.4 (-1.1)
R79 SW: 207.0 EW: 207.2 AW: 207.1 (-0.3)
R80 SW: 207.2 EW: 207.4 AW: 206.6 (-0.5)
R81 SW: 207.2 EW: 207.4 AW: 206.7 (+0.1)
R82 SW: 207.0 EW: 206.5 AW: 206.1 (-0.6)
R83 Vacation
R84 Vacation (8/10 days) SW 214.7 EW 214.7 AW 214.7 (+8.6)
R85 SW: 212.7 EW: 212.7 AW: 212.1 (-2.6)
R86 SW: 213.4 EW: 212.0 AW: 212.3 (+0.2)
R87 SW: 211.2 EW: 209.4 AW: 211.4 (-0.9)
R88 SW: 208.9 EW: 210.0 AW: 210.0 (-1.4)
R89 SW: 209.8 EW: 208.3 AW: 208.7 (-1.3)
R90 SW: 208.5 EW: 207.4 AW: 207.9 (-0.8)
R91 SW: 207.2 EW: 208.3 AW: 207.4 (-0.5)
R92 SW: 207.2 EW: 208.1 AW: 207.7 (+0.3)
R93 SW: 207.6 EW: 206.5 AW: 207.2 (-0.5)
R94 SW: 206.5 EW: 207.0 AW: 206.9 (-0.3)
R95 SW: 207.0 EW: 207.0 AW: 207.0 (+0.1)
R97 SW: 207.9 EW: 205.6 AW: 207.0 (+0.5)
Day/Weight/Comment
12/09 -205.9 Yesterday I was able to keep my evening snacking under control. I'm going to try to go out for a run tonight before it gets dark outside.
12/10 -206.5 I got home late yesterday after work, so it was too dark to run outside. I may have to bite the bullet and go to gym and run on the treadmill after work today. I did not get enough water today, working on that today.
12/11 -206.5 Yesterday at work there was a Christmas lunch and cookie exchange, and, assuming everything goes as usual, I expect a bump on the scale in another day or two. However, I am proud that I didn't go totally overboard and only ate those things that I really wanted to eat and enjoyed. Strength coach tonight.
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Female 59, 5'3"
MFP start October 28.18 - 191
Round 95 - Nov 09 - 18.19 EW 158.4
Round 96 - Nov 19 - 28.19 EW 158.4
Round 97 - Nov 29 - Dec 08.19 EW 157.5
Day/Weight/Comment
12/09 – 158.5 - ouch
12/10 - 159.0 - not sure why I am up, I have been good.
12/11 - 157.2 - better
12/12
12/13
12/14
12/15
12/16
12/17
12/1815 -
Height: 5'4"
Age: 45
Starting weight a very long time ago: 150 lbs
Current weight: 134.2 lbs
Ultimate goal weight: 130 lbs (I will reassess once I get there)
Goal this round: To get under 134 lbs. Honestly, this close to the holidays, I'd be happy to not gain.
I'm a pickleball addict and have been plagued with shoulder/chest/elbow/wrist injuries for about a year. My new plan is to incorporate strength training.
Day/Weight/Comment:
12/09 - 134.2 - the weight is going to come off slowly partly because that's my MO and also because I'll be strength training and hopefully adding muscle. Took my measurements last week and will compare those in a month or two. Feeling motivated and on task!
12/10 - 134.2 again - works for me. I kicked yesterday's *kitten* . 2 hours of pickleball and 30 minutes of strength training (chest and triceps). And ate on point, ended the day with a protein smoothie for dinner. Was pretty exhausted by the end of the day and thought I'd be crazy sore this morning but I'm only a little sore, not too bad at all. Today is a rest day, will do it all again tomorrow. Planning homemade vegetarian chili for dinner tonight. I find it harder to eat right on rest days - partly because I'm not busy working out so I get bored and hungry and partly because I don't have the extra calories available from exercising.
12/11 - 135.2 - hmmph. I’m sure I’m holding onto water as my muscles repair because I am sore from the weight lifting Monday. That has to be it because my calories were under goal yesterday. I may have also had a tad too much salt in the chili last night. Not to worry, still on the right path.
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12/18 -11 -
47, male, 5'11"
Highest weight ever: 245.0
Original SW/BF%: 229.2/19.6 (7-31-2019)
Ultimate GW: One-derland
R85 EW/EBF%: 224.6 (-4.6)/19.0 (-0.6), AW/ABF%: 228.1/19.37
R86 EW/EBF%: 226.2 (+1.6)/19.2 (+0.2), AW/ABF%: 226.4 (-1.7)/19.19 (-0.18)
R87 EW/EBF%: 225.6 (-0.6)/19.1 (-0.1), AW/ABF%: 227.1 (+0.7)/19.27 (+0.08)
R88 EW/EBF%: 223.8 (-1.8)/18.9 (-0.2), AW/ABF%: 224.5 (-2.6)/18.98 (-0.29)
R89 EW/EBF%: 226.6 (+2.8)/19.2 (+0.3), AW/ABF%: 225.3 (+0.8)/19.04 (+0.06)
R90 EW/EBF%: 223.8 (-2.8)/18.9 (-0.3), AW/ABF%: 224.3 (-1.0)/18.95 (-0.09)
R91 EW/EBF%: 224.6 (+0.8)/19.0 (+0.1), AW/ABF%: 224.6 (+0.3)/18.99 (+0.04)
R92 EW/EBF%: 221.8 (-2.8)/18.7 (-0.3), AW/ABF%: 223.7 (-0.9)/18.89 (-0.10)
R93 EW/EBF%: 221.4 (-0.4)/18.6 (-0.1), AW/ABF%: 220.4 (-3.3)/18.53 (-0.34)
R94 EW/EBF%: 215.8 (-5.6)/18.0 (-0.6), AW/ABF%: 219.4 (-1.0)/18.40 (-0.13)
R95 EW/EBF%: 217.2 (+1.4)/18.2 (+0.2), AW/ABF%: 216.3 (-3.1)/18.10 (-0.30)
R96 EW/EBF%: 216.2 (-1.0)/18.1 (-0.1), AW/ABF%: 217.0 (+0.7)/18.17 (+0.07)
R97 EW/EBF%: 219.4 (+3.2)/18.4 (+0.3), AW/ABF%: 219.9 (+2.9)/18.47 (+0.30)
Total loss since returning: 9.8 lbs/1.2% BF
Average loss per round: 0.75 lbs/0.092% BF
Goal(s) for this round: Get under 217.0
Day/Weight/Comment
12/9: 219.2 (-0.2)/18.4 (0.0). I had a "day out" that included dinner out with my wife, brother-in-law, and his girlfriend. I ate reasonably, and shared some ice cream with my wife as we walked around after a movie. I'm STILL sore from basketball (on Saturday), but it's a "good" sore (muscular, but nothing "pulled").
12/10: 219.4 (+0.2)/18.4 (0.0). For some reason my "good sore" turned into both of my knees hurting pretty bad yesterday. They're better today, but that was at least mildly distressing. The next couple of days are going to be pretty busy for me. I likely won't get to the gym until Thursday or Friday; I'll just think of the next couple of days as continued recovery from one day of basketball. Hmm... maybe I need to reframe that.
12/11: 219.8 (+0.4)/18.4 (0.0). I'm having some minor medical issues to go along with my migraines, which have been off-and-on since last Sunday (a week and a half). If I wasn't aware of it before, medical issues are a trigger for me; I apparently believe that all of my symptoms will disappear if I eat enough food (I have no evidence to support this theory, by the way). I'm struggling to stay on the right track. I'm not going to be able to go to the gym until Friday, which is cramping my good workout habits as well. I will keep trying to right this ship, however. I'm not giving up!
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12/18:13 -
Just started MFP today and found this thread. I feel it's a good way to start!
51 year old Female. Recently retired. Need to move more!
12/09 -n/a
12/10 - 215
12/11 - 215.4
12/12
12/13
12/14
12/15
12/16
12/17
12/1812 -
Round 98
MY NAME IS DONNA. I AM 59 YEARS YOUNG & FROM THE MIDWEST USA. I AM APPROX 5’ 5” TALL.
ROUND 56 FOR ME.
“We will encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” ~Maya Angelou
MY STATS:
Highest weight ever (2014/2015): 253
Original starting weight for this current journey : (1-11-2018) 235.0
R97 EW= 188.4
R98 EW= TBD
Current New Goals:
Weight:
Short Term Goal: Lose 2 pounds this round.
My First Long Term Weight Goal: Weigh 174.X by Jan 11, 2020 (my 2 year anniversary of current LCHF dieting).
Final goal: 145-155. We’ll see how I look & feel when I get there.
Exercise:
During each Weight goal I plan on walking as much as possible and always reaching my 10,000 steps. I would also like to do some aerobic level dancing in my livingroom whenever possible.
********LOOK AND SEE HOW THE UPS & DOWNS OF MY JOURNEY JUST HELPS ME BE A STRONGER & MORE DETERMINED ME********
COLOR CODE: Fuchsia is a Happy Weight Loss for me. Blue is a sad weight gain. Black is no change.R43 through R53 (06/07/18 thru 09/24/18) = [/b][/b][/color=fuchsia] …..19.4 LOST[/b][/b][/color=fuchsia] (Ending weight 176.0)
R53 through R63 (09/24/18 thru 01/02/19) = …..9.5 GAINED (Ending weight 185.5)
R63 through R73 (01/02/19 thru 04/12/19) = …..6.3 GAINED (Ending weight 191.8)
R73 through R83 (04/12/19 thru 07/21/19) = …..3.6 GAINED (Ending weight 195.4)
R83 through R93 (07-21/19 thru 10/29/19) = …..7.4 LOST (Ending weight 188.0)
R94 = …..1.2 LOST (Ending weight 186.8)
R95 = …..1.0 LOST (Ending weight 185.8)
R96 = …..0.2 LOST (Ending weight 185.6)
R97 = …..2.8 GAIN (Ending weight 188.4)
R98 = …..xxx LOST (Ending weight xxxxx)
Day/Weight/Comment
12/08 …..188.4….. ENDING WEIGHT LAST ROUND
12/09 …..188.2 ….. That is little consolation but better than nothing I suppose. Busy Bee here, off to do more wrapping & decorating! Good luck everyone on this round!
12/10 …..188.8 ….. Dinner at a friends yesterday. Chicken Alfredo loaded with pasta. I also gave in to the ice cream for dessert. She is FAMOUS for eating bad junk and not understanding why she isn’t losing weight (or why she is gaining). This morning I see things more clearly. The buck stops here. Today will be a good day. Yesterday I walked nearly 9 miles and well over 20,000 steps at the school. I have arranged with the principle to get into the school during the 2 week holiday closing. He will change the computer lock-down on the doors to be open until 2:00 pm daily (except Christmas & New Years Day). Once I’m in, no time limit. That is the good news my fat belly needed! Babysitting DGS #4 today (almost age 3). DGS #2 has to go to the hospital (a bit of a trip from here) for x-ray. He fell in the school yesterday and ankle is swollen (hopefully not broke.) I hope to do some marathon wrapping while babysitting. I hope I can still walk later at the school.
12/11 …..188.8 ….. In the middle of a wrapping marathon which involves standing in one place all evening. Waiting for results of xray on GS #2.
12/12 …..xxxxx …..
12/13 …..xxxxx …..
12/14 …..xxxxx …..
12/15 …..xxxxx …..
12/16 …..xxxxx …..
12/17 …..xxxxx …..
12/18 …..xxxxx …..
9 -
Age: 40
Height: 5'9"
Lifestyle Plan: What is Primal Blueprint?https://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-101/
The Primal Blueprint is a set of simple instructions (the blueprint) that allows you to control how your genes express themselves in order to build the strongest, leanest, healthiest body possible, taking clues from evolutionary biology (that’s the primal part).
Sometimes we get so lost in the science of human biology we just can’t see the forest for the trees. We overlook the simplicity and ease with which we could all be achieving exceptional health and fitness.
Living in modern society is extremely complex. With daily mind-boggling achievements made in science, technology and medicine, and with an ever-expanding knowledge base that increasingly grows more esoteric and niche, it is no wonder that we often look for complicated scientific solutions to problems that really only require simple answers. One of the best examples is the huge – and expensive – race to identify all the new possible genetic variances (or SNPs) within the human genome that might predispose some of us to certain health conditions. Hardly a week goes by without a new announcement of the discovery of a so-called “defective” gene that increases someone or some group’s risk of being obese, of getting cancer, of developing type 2 diabetes or arthritis. The net effect of all these announcements and the sensationalized news headlines is that many of us have become accustomed to blaming our health conditions on our unlucky inheritance of these “defective” genes. As if it weren’t enough to abdicate responsibility here, we then cross our fingers and close our eyes and hope that the scientists can create pharmaceutical “answers” to our particular condition before it’s too late. In most cases a few lifestyle adjustments are all that are needed to address all but the most serious of these genetic variations. Yes, I agree that some serious genetic diseases exist which are best treated with modern, truly life-saving drugs, but for the vast majority of the minor genetic variations that exist throughout the human genome, the real deciding factor as to whether or not a particular gene will be expressed in a particular manner, if at all, comes down to what you eat, how you move, what kind of air you breathe, what you think – in other words your environment. Big Pharma (CW) doesn’t want us to believe that most of our ills can be so easily solved, and so billions of dollars are being spent to unlock the so-called secrets of the genome. Meanwhile, the real secrets – and solutions – are contained within the DNA of every single one of our cells.
The essence of the Primal Blueprint is this: Most of life is really much simpler than modern medicine and science would like to have you believe. You can have a tremendous impact on how your genes express themselves, simply by providing your cells the right environments. All you need is a basic understanding of how your body works and a simple philosophical roadmap you can use to find answers to just about any questions of health and fitness – whether it involves personal choices or lifestyle adjustments or whether medical intervention might be appropriate. With this simple strategy, you will forever be able to examine or evaluate any food choice, any form of exercise or any other behavior in the context of how it impacts your genes! Even if you decide to opt for a “bad choice”, at least you’ll know why it’s bad…
You may already have a pretty fair understanding of how the human genome evolved to exactly where it is today (or 10,000 years ago, to be more precise) based on the environmental and behavioral factors under which our ancestors lived through natural selection. Tens of thousands of anthropologists, evolutionary biologists, paleontologists, geneticists and others have worked for over 100 years to piece together a fairly detailed picture of all the elements that helped influence our development as a species. Ironically though, when we examine all of the many environmental influences and behaviors that shaped our genome, we arrive at a very simple list of general things our early ancestors did to become what and who they were and which allowed them to pass 99.9% of those genes down to us. In essence, this list is the original “Primal Blueprint” since it provided the only set of behaviors they knew – the exact behaviors that enabled then to shape their bodies into healthy, robust, happy beings.
The Original Primal Blueprint® – The Rules of Living 10,000 Years Ago:
1. Eat lots of animals, insects and plants. This is the basic description of everything our ancestors ate to get the protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phenols, fiber, water and other nutrients necessary to sustain life. But it was a huge list of individual foods – some anthropologists say it may have been 200 or 300 food choices at a time depending upon the geographic area. The net result was a dietary “breakdown” of fat, protein and carbohydrate that was far different from what Conventional Wisdom considers optimum today. This diet provided all the necessary fuel and building blocks that, along with specific exercise, prompted their genes to create strong muscles, enabled them to expend lots of energy each day moving about, to maintain healthy immune systems, to evolve larger brains and to raise healthy children. They ate sporadically, too. When food was plentiful, they ate more than they needed (and stored the excess as fat). When times were scarce, they survived on fat stores. This random or “non-linear” eating pattern kept their bodies in a constant state of preparedness.
2. Move around a lot at a slow pace. We know that our ancestors spent an average of several hours each day moving about at what today’s exercise physiologists might describe as a “low level aerobic pace.” They hunted, gathered, foraged, wandered, scouted, migrated, climbed and crawled. This low level of activity prompted their genes to build a stronger capillary (blood vessel) network to fuel each muscle cell, to be able to store some excess food as fat, but also to be readily able to convert the stored fat back into energy. Of course, they did all this without the benefit of paved sidewalks or comfortable shoes. Because every footfall landed at a different angle, every muscle, tendon and ligament worked and became stronger together in balance. Note that they did NOT go out and “jog” at 80% of their MAX Heart Rate for long periods of time as Conventional Wisdom suggests today!
3. Lift heavy things. The women carried their babies much of the time (hey, no babysitters in those days), as well as bundles of firewood, or whatever they had gathered, foraged or scavenged. The men carried heavy spears or other tools, they dragged heavy carcasses of animals they had hunted, and they moved large boulders or logs to build shelters. They also lifted themselves into trees or up onto higher ground when escaping from danger or to scout a new route. The biochemical signals created by these very brief but intense muscle contractions generated a slight surge in growth hormone and a reduction in myostatin gene expression, prompting an increase in muscle size and power; particularly fast twitch fibers.
4. Run really fast every once in a while. In a world where danger lurked around every corner, your ability to run was a strong indicator of whether you would live long enough to pass your genes down to the next generation. (Note to Nietzsche: That which didn’t kill Grok made him stronger). Avoiding a charging beast to save your life, or surging forward to catch a different beast for dinner, the net effect was still survival. A combination of the hormonal events that occurred simultaneously and the resultant gene expression within fast twitch muscle made sure that the next time this happened Grok could sprint a little faster.
5. Get lots of sleep. Our ancestors got plenty of sleep. Even after the discovery of fire, it wasn’t as if they stayed up all night partying. From sunset to sunrise it was safer to huddle together and rest. Long days of hunting and gathering and otherwise working hard for every bite of food also required sufficient time to repair and recover. Studies of modern hunter-gatherers suggest it wasn’t necessarily always an uninterrupted nine or ten hours, either. It’s likely that they slept together as families or as small tribes, keeping a watch out for predators, breast-feeding the baby or just dozing in and out throughout the night. Growth hormone and melatonin were the major hormonal players. Of course, the occasional afternoon nap was also available when the urge hit, with no guilt about what else they really should have been doing.
6. Play. Just like in modern times, all work and no play made Grok a dull boy. Hunter-gatherers have always generally worked fewer hours and have had more leisure time than the average 40-hour-plus American worker. Once the day’s catch was complete or the roots, shoots, nuts and berries had been gathered, our ancestors spent hours involved in various forms of social interaction that we might categorize today as “play.” Young males would chase each other around and wrestle, vying for a place higher up in the tribe social strata. The males might also practice spear- or rock-throwing for accuracy or chase small animals just for sport. Young females might spend time grooming each other. To the extent that play was considered enjoyable, the net effect was to solidify social bonds and to prompt the release of endorphins (feel-good brain chemicals) and to mitigate any lingering stress effects of life-threatening situations.
7. Get some sunlight every day. Cavemen weren’t really men (or women) who lived their lives in caves all the time. Most of the day, they were in the great outdoors pursuing their various survival tasks. Regular exposure to sun provided lots of vitamin D, an all-important vitamin which they could not easily obtain from food and which their bodies could not manufacture without direct sunlight.
8. Avoid trauma. Our ancestors required an acute sense of self-preservation matched with a keen sense of observation. Always scanning, smelling, listening to the surroundings, on the watch for danger, aware of what immediate action needed to be taken, whether it was running from a saber-tooth tiger, dodging a falling rock, eluding a poisonous snake, or just avoiding a careless footfall. Remember that a twisted knee or a broken ankle could spell death to anyone who couldn’t run away from danger. In fact, it was probably trauma (or a brief careless lapse in judgment) that was most responsible for the low average life expectancy of our ancestors, despite their otherwise robust good health. Avoid trauma and there was a very good chance you could live to be 60 or 70 – and be extremely healthy and fit. Modern day hunter gatherers maintain strength and health often well into their 80s.
9. Avoid poisonous things. Man’s ability to exploit almost every corner of this earth was partly predicated on his ability to consume vastly different types of plant and animal life. But moving into a new environment and trying new foods posed a danger that the new food might contain potent toxins. Luckily, our liver and kidneys evolved to handle most brushes with novel-but-slightly-poisonous plant matter – at least to keep us alive anyway if the stomach didn’t regurgitate it first. Our keen senses of smell and taste also helped us sort out the good from the bad. The reason we have a sweet tooth today (dammit) is probably an evolved response to an almost universal truth in the plant world that just about anything that tastes sweet is safe to eat.
10. Use your mind. Obviously, one of the most important things that separate man from all other animals is his intellectual ability. The rapid increase in the size of our brains over just a few thousand generations is the combined result of a high-fat, high protein diet (see rule #1) and a continued reliance on complex thought – working the brain out just like a muscle. Hunter gatherers all around the world have developed language, tools and superior hunting methods independently. The fact that some haven’t entered the industrial age doesn’t mean they don’t possess the same ability to process information rapidly and effectively (try living in a jungle where you need to catalog thousands of different plant and animal species, knowing which can kill you and which can sustain you).
That’s it.
That’s the full – albeit general – list of behaviors that shaped our current genome (OK, I left out the sex part because that kind of goes without saying. On the other hand, having sex with your partner IS a natural part of the Primal Blueprint. I’ll cover it in a future post)…
If there’s any doubt on your part about whether or not we should emulate our ancestors’ behavior (but in a context of a modern world) let’s at least agree that we are looking to achieve some very similar benefits. Certainly, we all want to be:
Healthy
Ideally, we’d never want to be sick. We’d want to be in the best possible health all of the time.
Energetic
We’d want to have lots of energy to do all the fun things life has to offer and not feel like we are dragging at any point during the day.
Happy
No one wants to be depressed or miserable. It’s no way to go through life. We want a reason to get out of bed every day and take on all the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Lean
We’d want to be in a metabolically balanced state where we burn off our excess or stored fat, where we find a point at which we have enough fat to be healthy, but we rarely (or never) store any more additional fat.
Strong
Let’s face it: we’d want muscles that not only look great in a bathing suit, but that serve us well in allowing us to move, to play, and to stay balanced throughout that movement. That means well-balanced strength with proportional muscles.
Bright
We’d want full access to our mental faculties, to be bright and alert, creative, focused when appropriate, able to recall all the great memories, etc.
Productive
We’d certainly want to feel as if we are contributing to ourselves, our family and society.
We know from evolutionary biology that our ancestors exemplified all the above healthy traits (as I will detail later). Those may or may not have been their stated goals, but those attributes certainly allowed them to survive the rigors of a hostile environment and be in a position to pass their traits along to the next generation, and finally, to us.
Now, understanding that everything we do, eat, think and breathe can affect our 10,000-year-old genes, how does that Original Primal Blueprint compare to what we might have to do today to achieve robust good health, a well-sculpted body, a strong immune system, boundless energy and an increase in productivity – all the goals we are after? Ironically, it’s almost the exact same thing.
The Modern Primal Blueprint® – The Rules of Living Today:
1. Eat lots of animals, insects and plants. Focus on quality sources of protein (all forms of meat, fowl, fish), lots of colorful vegetables, some select fruits (mostly berries), and healthy fats (nuts, avocados, olive oil). Observe portion control (calorie distribution) week to week more than meal to meal. Eliminate grains, sugars, trans- and hydrogenated fats from your diet.
2. Move around a lot at a slow pace. Do some form of low level aerobic activity 2-5 hours a week, whether it is walking, hiking, easy bike riding or swimming. Ideally, and when possible, find time to go barefoot or wear as little foot support as possible. Low-level activity is necessary (especially if you find yourself chained to a desk every day). The combined effect will be an increase in capillary perfusion, fat-burning and overall integration of muscle strength and flexibility.
3. Lift heavy things. Go to the gym and lift weights for 30-45 minutes, 2-3 times a week. Focus on movements that involve the entire body and in wider ranges of motion – not just on isolating body parts. Emulate the movements of our ancestors: jumping, squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling, twisting, etc. This will stimulate your genes to increase muscle strength and power, increase bone density, improve insulin sensitivity, stimulate growth hormone secretion, and consume stored body fat.
4. Run really fast every once in a while. Do some form of intense anaerobic sprint bursts several times a week. This could be as simple as six or eight (or more) short sprints up a hill, on the grass, at the beach… or repeated intense sessions on a bicycle (stationary, road or mountain bike). These short bursts also increase HGH release (HGH is actually released in proportion to the intensity (not the duration) of the exercise).
5. Get lots of sleep. Get plenty of quality sleep. Our lives are so hectic and full of things to do after the sun goes down that it’s often difficult to get enough sleep. Yet sleep is one of the most important factors in maintaining good health, vibrant energy and a strong immune system.
6. Play. Spend some time each week involved in active play. In addition to allowing you to apply your fitness to a real-life situation, play helps dissipate some of the negative effects of the chronic stress hormones you’ve been accumulating through the week.
7. Get some sunlight every day. Contrary to the“Common Wisdom” dispensed by dermatologists (who suggest you shun the sun), the Primal Blueprint would insist that you get some direct sunlight every day. Certainly not so much that you come close to burning, but definitely enough to prompt your body to make the all-important vitamin D and to support the mood-lifting benefits. A slight tan is a good indicator that you have maintained adequate Vitamin D levels. Natural sunlight also has a powerful mood-elevating effect, which can enhance productivity at work and in inter-personal interactions.
8. Avoid trauma. Eliminate self-destructive behaviors. These concepts are self evident to most people (wear seat belts, don’t smoke or do drugs, don’t dive into shallow water) yet so many of us live our lives oblivious to impending danger. Develop a keen sense of awareness of your surroundings.
9. Avoid poisonous things.
Avoid exposure to chemical toxins in your food (pesticides, herbicides, chemicals, etc) and on your skin. But also try to avoid the hidden poisons in foods like sugars, grains, processed foods, trans and hydrogenated fats, and mercury in certain fish.
10. Use your mind. Exercise your brain daily as our ancestors did. Be inventive, creative, and aware. If your work is not stimulating (or even if it is), find time to read, write, play an instrument and interact socially.
As with the Original Primal Blueprint, this list is very general, designed simply to allow you to understand that everything our ancestors did can benefit us as well. Except that we can do it having fun, enjoying every aspect of the lifestyle and without worrying about our survival! In future blog posts (and to a much greater extent in my book) I will be going into much more detail as to how and why these behaviors work and exactly what foods to eat, what exercises to do and how to otherwise find ways to allow your genes to recreate you in the healthiest, fittest way possible.
Historical SW: 251.6 lbs 9/14/2015
Restart W: 241.4 7/12/2019R83 EW: 238.5 Goal ✅R96 EW: 201.5 Goal ✅
R84 EW: 234.5 Goal ✅
R85 EW: 231.4 Goal ✅
R86 EW: 229.8 Goal ❎
R87 EW: 226.7 Goal ✅
R88 EW: 223.3 Goal ✅
R89 EW: 221.8 Goal ❎
R90 EW: 218.8 Goal ✅
R91 EW: 216.2 Goal ✅
R92 EW: 212.9 Goal ✅
R93 EW: 208.8 Goal ✅
R94 EW: 208.7 Weight Goal ❎
Immune system goal ✅
R95 EW: 206 Goal ✅
R97 EW: 204.8 Goal ❌
Goal: Release 2 lbs per round.
Incremental Goals:
229.xx ✅ August 19, 2019
219.xx ✅ September 21, 2019
209.xx ✅ October 27, 2019
199.xx ✅ December 2, 2019
189.xx
179.xx
Ultimate Goal: 175 lbs, reevaluate at that point
Progress Photo
🌨️❄️⛄ December ⛄❄️🌨️
9:
10: 204.8 First day fully back into my regular routine. I expect these few added pounds to disappear pretty quickly now. I need to drink more water though.
11: 200.0 Hallelujah! Goodbye water weight. Back on track!
12:
13:
14:
15:
16:
17:
18:
There's no such thing as failure; only feedback.12 -
Round 98 - Dec. 9-18
Female, 5’, 66 years. SW – 165.6, GW – 163 or 4 something (the 165 is a recent blip up so hoping it will come down easily), UGW – 140. (This really should be 125 or 130 but that seems like such a long ways to go and 140 would be a huge improvement.)
Goals – finish calorie log each day, 30 min. of movement every day, gym 2-3 times a week, only yogurt or fruit in the evening and nothing after 9 p.m.
Day/Weight/Comment
12/09 – 165.6
12/10 - 165
12/11 – 165.2 – Made it to the gym on Monday but today will have to exercise at home. I’ve finished off or frozen dessert leftovers so there should be no temptation.
12/12
12/13
12/14
12/15
12/16
12/17
12/18
12 -
Back for this round again. I'm Christie, 33, from Australia.
GOALS THIS ROUND:
- Lose any amount of weight
- Walk 6,000 steps daily
- Do 20 mins of intentional exercise daily
- Track calories dailyWEIGHT HISTORY:
OSW 134.7kg (Nov 14, 2019)
UGW 65kg
ROUND HISTORY:
R95 | SW 134.7kg | EW 133.8kg | 0.9kg loss (joined mid-round)
R96 | SW 133.8kg | EW 135.0kg | 1.2kg gain
R97 | SW 135.0kg | EW 134.6kg | 0.4kg loss
KEY:
✅ denotes goal met
❌ denotes goal not met
R98 SW 134.6kg
Day | Weight | Delta | Steps | Exercise mins | Log | Comments
12/09 134.6kg
12/10 133.9kg | -0.7kg | 4,610 steps ❌ | 0 mins exercise ❌ | Did not track ❌ | I have no explanation for this dip in my weight. Sudden drop of water retention? Maybe. I did not do very well yesterday with my food choices and I did not exercise. I am just so tired. I think I need to start taking my iron supplement again, I've been working on getting more sleep but it's just not helping.
12/11 133.5kg | -0.4kg | 3,087 steps ❌ | 0 mins exercise ❌ | Did not track ❌| Again, no explanation for this dip, but I like that it's sticking around!
12/12 133.6kg | +0.1kg | 4,705 steps ❌ | 0 mins exercise ❌ | Did not track ❌ | It was my son's first birthday on the 11th, so I have been super busy this week preparing for that and Christmas, as well as helping hubby with our home renovations (we're putting in a walk-in pantry in the kitchen - it's almost finished now and I can't wait!). We had a fun day at home celebrating with our son and my mother-in-law came to visit for the night as well.
12/13
12/14
12/15
12/16
12/17
12/18
11 -
I’m Anne, 42 from Australia.
My second round! I failed my first, just fell off track so never finished.
Height 5'8"
Starting weight this round: 64.8kg / 143 lbs
Goal this round is to get back to under 64kg(141lbs), and reduce my sugar intake.
Day/Weight/Comment
12/09 - 64.8kg / 143lbs (binged last night on cereal, corn chips, cake and chocolate 😓😓).
12/10 - 64.65kg / 142.5lbs (good day within calories)
12/11 - 64.2kg / 141.5lbs (take away Thai for dinner, but just had a smaller portion.
12/12 - 64kg / 142 lbs
12/13 -
12/14 -
12/15 -
12/16 -
12/17 -
12/18 -13 -
69 years old female...5'5" ...I used to be 5'7" but arthritis hit and I lost two inches, so now that two inches is squished around my waist like the billows of a big accordion... ...Oh, well. I'll just keep working on it.
Trying to get back to walking 5 miles a day. A pinched nerve and back surgery side-lined me for about a year.
Left hip and knee bothering me a lot. Hip Doc said surgery in April. Ugh!
Heaviest: 192.2
Round GW: 140.0
UGW: 132.2
12/07 - 141.2 at 8:30 a.m.
12/08 - 140.8 at 8:30 a.m.
Day/Weight/Comment
12/09 - 143.0 at 5:30 a.m. Sleepin' in really makes a difference!
12/10 - 142.6 at 5:30 a.m.
12/11 - 144.4 at 5:30 a.m. ...bwahahah! I don't thinks so...
12/12 -
12/13 -
12/14 -
12/15 -
12/16 -
12/17 -
12/18 -
Chris12 -
Height 5'6"
Starting weight this round: 159.8
Day/Weight/Comment
12/09 - 159.2 - really difficult day because I'm completely exhausted. food wise it's been fine though
12/10 - 159.4 - went slightly over my calories for today but I'm about to work out for the first time in... a while... so it's all good!
12/11 - 159.8 - the people I live with baked cookies tonight so willpower is low but didn't eat any
12/12 -
12/13 -
12/14 -
12/15 -
12/16 -
12/17 -
12/18 -9 -
Looking to stay between 135-138 right now to see if it is doable. My lowest has been 137.1, so still looking to lose a little bit more, but not in a hurry and not actively working to lose. Just trying to figure out maintenance and if I continue to lose very slowly I will be stoked. It has taken me almost 18 months to lose 40 pounds, but it looks like I finally made it, lol. Let's see how maintenance goes.
12/09 - 138.8 Not bad for a Monday. I think I am officially in maintenance. I would like to drop a couple more pounds, just so I have that cushioning for when I go on vacation or have a fun night out, but I am pretty happy where I am right now.
12/10 - 138.3 Oldest daughter's has a Christmas choir concert tonight. Last one she will have in high-school. Can't believe how fast time goes. Hopefully I will stay on track today and get back to 137.xxx in the next couple of days. In less than 6 months I will have 3 children that have graduated high school and in college.
12/11 - 138.3 Two meals out yesterday. Low calorie, but I am sure the sodium wasn't great. Was hoping I would be a little lower, but I guess not. On track for today and hopefully lower tomorrow. My only free night is tonight, so dinner at home and watching a movie with the hubby.
12/12 -
12/13 -
12/14 -
12/15 -
12/16 -
12/17 -
12/18 -10
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