10 Ways to Get Primal!
Guest Post by Mark Sisson at Mark’s Daily Apple: Here at Mark’s Daily Apple, we advocate the Primal Blueprint Lifestyle, that is, a health philosophy that in large part acts to mimic the diet and physical activity of our pre-agricultural ancestors.
And, while we’ve explained in the past what it means to “Get Primal,” we figured what’s not to love about a bulleted list that reminds us how to incorporate these methods into our everyday lives.
Read on to learn how you can get primal on every level on every occasion:
Hike
Whether it was searching for food, shelter or just greener pastures, our ancestors spent a lot of time taking the heel-toe express! (Though, it wasn’t exactly heel-toe in those days.) These days, of course, we have planes, trains and automobiles to get us from A to B, which means hoofing it has become our least likely mode of transport. To get back to the Primal Blueprint, set aside some time every week to participate in sustained activity as a way to return your body to its natural state (that is, being in a constant state of motion). And, although hiking was the primary modality for sustained exercise for our predecessors, feel free to substitute it for biking or any other low-level physical activity you can do for a long period with little interruption.
Sprint
Although eat or be eaten is no longer really considered a threat in today’s society, for our ancestors, it was a pretty big (and potentially lethal) deal. The solution? Run fast, run hard, and run for your life! You can incorporate these same theories by adding a series of short sprints into your exercise routine (see Mark explain his sprint routine here). The idea here isn’t necessarily to be the fastest kid on the block (although that would be awesome), but rather to give all you’ve got for a brief period of time. Also, bear in mind that this concept of going hard and fast for a few seconds isn’t limited to the act of sprinting; you could try water sprints, power cycling, jump rope intervals or any other activity that requires short, intense bursts of energy.
Lift Hard
Think Cavemen killed time pounding weights in a dingy gym? Think again! Our ancestors tested their strength only in real-life situations (as opposed to having a pose-off with the meathead in the cut-off shirt!) and grew strong by doing, for the most part, weight bearing exercises. Naturally, they focused on activities that would help them carry out real life functions. Want to work out like your primal ancestors? Try weight bearing activities such as squats or dead lifts, which our ancestors did when lifting a heavy rock or log for building; lunges, which mimic the action of transversing steep terrain or stepping into a throw; pull-ups and standing rows to mimic the movement of pulling a heavy object towards the body; pushing, to mimic the motion of… well, pushing things; and twisting motions such as medicine ball throws or cable woodchoppers, which our ancestors did when throwing spears or hoisting objects. For a new challenge (and an exercise that combines just about all of the above motions, try the Turkish get-up (YouTube link)
Ditch Grains and Sugar
With the tagline “so simple even a caveman could do it,” the commercial suggests that our ancestors were, well, not the sharpest tools in the shed. But, clearly they were smart enough to shun grains and sugar (a feat that the majority of current day Americans have yet to accomplish). In fact, according to some anthropologists, our ancestors only consumed about 80 g of carbohydrates per day, largely because sources of carbohydrates ‘ such as grains, beans and potatoes ‘ are toxic in raw form. To keep it primal, avoid all grains, including bread, pasta, rice and noodles, and all refined sugar. It should also probably be noted that the majority (if not all) of processed foods are packed with carbs – either in the form of a grain, sugar, or both – so it’s best to cut those out too!
Eat Meat and Fish
When dinner time rolled around for our ancestors, they weren’t exactly reaching for the yellow pages! Instead, they were reaching for a spear, ax or some other weapon to catch their meal. While we’re certainly not advocating that you begin hunting for your own entrees (people might talk!) we do recommend that you begin thinking about your diet in a way that resembles their dietary habits. That is, if you can’t catch it or find it in nature, you can’t eat it. In short, opt for meat and fish and don’t get hung up on the fat content. Not only is fat integral to health, it will also help keep you feeling satiated longer!
Eat Berries, Nuts and Unbridled Amounts of Veggies
Again, when selecting foods, remember that you’re playing the role of the hunter and gatherer, so feel free to indulge in foods you would find in nature. Specifically, the Primal diet recommends berries, which are low in sugar and packed with vitamins, antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients, and nuts, including walnuts, brazil nuts, macadamias and almonds (but not peanuts which are a legume and should also be avoided for fear of aflatoxins). When it comes to vegetables, seek out root vegetables including carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas and Swede (but not potatoes or other starchy, high-carb varieties), leafy greens, tomatoes and other brightly-hued vegetables (which not only add color to dishes, but also seriously improve the nutrition value).
Drink Water
Although there is some back and forth about how much water our early ancestors actually consumed (with some anthropologists suggesting that early man got most of his water from the vegetables he consumed as opposed to risking his life standing in line with the other predators and prey at the local waterhole), the reality is that even if early man didn’t consume that much pure water, he certainly wasn’t reaching for a Coke. Get back to your primal roots by ditching the Gatorade, the soda (including the diet ones ‘ they’re nearly as bad!) and especially the juice. All you really need is water, and lucky for you, it’s as easy as turning on the tap.
Sleep Smart
When the sun went down, early man started prepping for bed. When the sun sets today, most men (and women) will do the dishes, watch Grey’s Anatomy, finish up paperwork, pay bills and check their email before falling asleep with the television blaring Conan O’Brien. No offense to Mr. O’Brien, but when nature starts heading to bed, so too should you. To catch Zzzs like our ancestors, remove all electronics from the bedroom and focus on creating an environment that is dark, quiet and serene. Also, while it might seem counterintuitive to not close the blinds, allowing natural light to be your wake-up call is far more refreshing (and natural) then waking to the shrills of an alarm clock.
Relax
As much as we harp on about how hard early man had it (what with having to work hard to survive and all that), make no mistake, early man liked his downtime too! Unlike our ancestors, however, many of us tend to spend our downtime plunked in front of the TV or computer engaged(?) in mindless activity for hours on end. To get back to our primal roots, select an activity that will clear your mind and help you recharge and refocus. And don’t forget that part of this getting up and moving around a bit.
Crack a Coconut, Spear your Dinner and Sleep in a Cave
Ok, maybe we’re kidding on this last one. But imagine how primal it’d make you feel!
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And to think I did just that on Sunday–crack a coconut!! Great post again MOD!
Sarena – Ha. Wish I could take the praise, but it’s Marks Daily Apple you need to give the credit to! Good stuff over there (one of my personal top blogs to read)
I’m glad you like it, Sarena!
Thanks for the guest post, Mike!
Mark – always a pleasure as you and your staff do top notch work over there at MDA!
You may get a kick out of this MOD. Today in class (im in a personal trainer program at scool) we were being “taught” the basic exercises (curl, leg press, calf raise, etc) and when I had to get down and practice crunchs and could not feel the “burn” as I told them, my teacher asked what I do for training. When I said the classic lifts and gymnastic progressions such as the planch she gave me the strangest look. I kept it at that. This semester is going to be one interesting one.
On a side note, the IF life and Mark’s daily apple are two of my favorite blogs. Awesome stuff.
Kevin – I can’t comment on the state of the fitness industry, as it saddens me. Your check is in the mail
Great, my two favorite fitness/nutrition blogs together. Both of you guys do a great job providing information that can actually change peoples lives in the ever mixed up world of food and fitness. Keep up the great work.
I like this list, but you forgot fight. Fighting is the ultimate primal activity.
In todays world you don’t have to fight against a rival tribe but you can get into kickboxing, wrestling, etc.
You will find these combat sports, or combat sports training, can give people the ultimate morale boost in their training program as well as a primal physical release.
This and all the articles have been amazing!!!! I have not stopped reading article after article. Thanks for the truley awesome articles for healthy, happy living =)
Mike, in terms of eating, I want to get something clear. The staples should be meat and veges? All processed foods, sugars and starches should be removed from the diet. What about fruits? They have sugar in the form of fructose. Are raisins ok to eat? I eat alot of broccoli, I am assuming that that is ok as well.
Would it be possible for you to give like a guide/list of foods to eat.
I am vegetarian and after reading your articles etc. I have decided to resume eating eggs and to eat fish like 2 times a week. I realised that that diet is not necessarily the healthiest in the long term.
I do thank you for your articles.
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.