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Mark Sisson, publisher of MarksDailyApple.com, author of the best-selling Primal Blueprint, and leader of the Primal/paleo/evolutionary health movement, presents an easy-to-follow, practical guidebook to help you “get Primal” in only 21 days. First, you’ll learn eight Key Concepts for living Primally. � en, you will tackle � ve Action Items that will literally reprogram your genes for a long, healthy, and energetic life. Fi-nally, you'll embark upon a lively 21-Day Challenge, featuring daily diet, exercise, and lifestyle activities, each with extensive journal exercises to chronicle your progress and provide long-lasting reference material.

You’ll transition out of the carb-dependent, fat-storing Standard American Diet, the overly-stressful exercise patterns recommended by Conventional Wisdom, and other unhealthy elements of modern life. Instead, you’ll return to the evolution-tested behaviors of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. By eat-ing Primally, you’ll transform from a “sugar-burner” into what Sisson calls a “fat-burning beast”, where your stored body fat becomes your preferred source of daily calories; and your energy, hormones, and immune system are optimized automatically. With Primal workouts, you’ll get exceptionally � t in only a few hours per week - and have fun while you’re at it!

� e Primal Blueprint 21-Day Transformation is presented in a colorful, easy-to-read format, packed with over 100 custom photographs, concise section summaries, workout descriptions and visual sequences, resource lists for Primal-approved foods and foods to avoid, recipe suggestions, and detailed real-life success stories to help you stay con� dent and focused on your Primal journey.

“After seven years of nagging, diet-related illness, I felt completely recovered within one week of eating Primally - one week! I’ve experienced a breakthrough in energy and vitality that feels better than winning the lottery.”

Timothy W. Lost 32 pounds (185 lbs to 153 lbs at 5’9½”) in 2 months

“With my insulin and blood glucose under control, I can go a whole day without food and still feel energized. I’m freaking happy all the time, and losing weight without really trying!”

Tara G.Lost 82 pounds (235 lbs to 153 lbs at 5’9”) in 18 months

Workout Guide & Photos • Meal Plans • Shopping & Restaurant Tips • Daily Logbook & Journal

Mark Sisson

Get Stronger, Leaner and Fitter Shed Excess Body Fat Increase Daily Energy Levels Improve Cholesterol and Blood Sugar

Get Primal for Life!

$22.95

A COMPLETE, STEP-BY-STEP,GENE REPROGRAMMING ACTION PLAN

Thousands of other Primal enthusiasts have shared their success stories at MarksDailyApple.com. Will you be next?

Front cover models Mark (age 58) and Carrie (age 55) Sisson generously donated their

modeling fees to the AARP.

THEPRIMAL BLUEPRINT

21-DAY TOTAL BODYTRANSFORMATION

“I designed this program as

a 21-day adventure.

Reading and putting the program

into action will take less than

an hour a day - really!

The results of your gene

reprogramming will benefit you

for the rest of your life - as long as

you remain on the Primal path.”

- Mark SissonMalibu, CA. October, 2011

15Introduction

4 The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation

THE PRIMAL BLUEPRINT21-DAY TOTAL BODY TRANSFORMATION

© 2011, Mark Sisson. All rights reserved.Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, reproduction or utilization ofthis work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafterinvented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and in any information storage andretrieval system, is forbidden without written permission of Mark Sisson.Library of Congress Control Number: 2011915858Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataSisson, Mark, 1953–The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation / Mark Sisson

ISBN: 978-0-9822077-7-21. Health 2. Weight Loss 3. Diet 4. Physical Fitness

Writing/Consulting: Brad KearnsDesign/Layout: Caroline DeVitaProject Manager/Pie Charts: Aaron Fox, Primal NutritionPhotography/Cover Model: Carrie SissonCover Design/Photo Editing: Farhad MostaediFront Cover Design: Ralph NacepoText Editor: Greg BrownSlackline: Kyle Sisson

For more information about the Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation, please visitprimalblueprint.comFor information on quantity discounts, please call 888-774-6259

Publisher: Primal Nutrition, Inc.23805 Stuart Ranch Rd. Suite 145Malibu, CA 90265

DISCLAIMERe ideas, concepts and opinions expressed in this book are intended to be used for educational purposes only. isbook is sold with the understanding that author and publisher are not rendering medical advice of any kind, nor is thisbook intended to replace medical advice, nor to diagnose, prescribe or treat any disease, condition, illness or injury.

It is imperative that before beginning any diet or exercise program, including any aspect of the Primal Blueprint pro-gram, you receive full medical clearance from a licensed physician. Author and publisher claim no responsibility to anyperson or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of theuse, application or interpretation of the material in this book. Sorry, but that’s what my lawyers forced me to say inorder for me to be able to offer you my insights. If you object to this disclaimer, you may return the book to the pub-lisher for a full refund.

5Contents

contents

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

KEY CONCEPTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Yes, You Really Can Reprogram Your Genes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

The Clues To Optimal Gene ExpressionAre Found In Evolution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Your Body Prefers Burning Fat Over Carbohydrates. . . . . . . . . 33

80 Percent of Your Body Composition Success IsDetermined By How You Eat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Grains are Totally Unnecessary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Saturated Fat and Cholesterol Are Not Your Enemy. . . . . . . . . 67

Exercise is Ineffective For Weight Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Maximum Fitness Can Be Achieved In Minimal TimeWith High Intensity Workouts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

ACTION ITEMS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Eliminate SAD Foods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Shop, Cook, and Dine Primally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Make The Healthiest Choices Across the Spectrum. . . . . . . . . . 101

Exercise Primally – Move, Lift, and Sprint!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Slow Life Down. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

21-DAY CHALLENGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

INTRODUCTION

8 The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation

e 284-page Primal Blueprint (released in September 2009) took three years of research and writing,and over 30 years of immersion into the world of diet, fitness, performance nutrition, and elite athlet-ics. I was honored by the resulting critical acclaim and sales popularity, as it climbed to the #2 best-seller overall on amazon.com in March 2010. Personal satisfaction aside, the popularity of the PrimalBlueprint, MarksDailyApple.com and the Primal/paleo/hunter-gatherer movement in general sendsthe clear message that people are tired of flawed Conventional Wisdom and are ready to embrace thelessons of our past when striving to lead a healthy, happy, active life.

“Going Primal” offers an appealing alternative to the distorted messages conveyed by ConventionalWisdom - that we have little control over the aging process, or our genetic predispositions to healthproblems and excess body fat. Instead, you can actually reprogram some of your genes, press the“reset” button on the runaway decline in human health in the modern world, and reconnect with yourown recipe for optimal health, ideal body composition, and longevity that has been molded by twomillion years of human evolution. In fact, as you will soon discover, it is your birthright to be lean,strong, fit, healthy and happy. I’m here to take you through the steps to regain that birthright.

Aer the Primal Blueprint was released, I started receiving recurring back-handed compliments alongthe lines of, “Wow – really comprehensive work Mark, great detail and excellent research. But...whatexactly do I do now? What are the precise steps I can take to start living Primally today?”

e Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation is the answer to that question. It’s a practical,action-oriented guide for how to eat, exercise and live Primally – a “cut to the chase” resource to makea smooth and quick transition into a Primal lifestyle. First, we will cover eight Key Concepts – “thingsyou need to know” – to succeed. ese Key Concepts represent the most important day-to-day ele-ments of the Primal Blueprint, and address some of the common questions posed by readers of thebook. Once you are armed with the knowledge and understanding of these Key Concepts, you can pro-ceed with confidence and focus to tackle the five Action Items – “things you need to do.” Finally, youwill jump into the 21-Day Challenge – “time to get to it!” is is a step-by-step journey of daily chal-lenges (categorized as Diet, Exercise, or Lifestyle challenges) relating to the Action Items, with corre-sponding journal exercises.

So, when I ask you to throw away a large percentage of the food that currently occupies your fridge andpantry – staples that probably have sustained you for your entire life – you’ll be buoyed by a clear un-derstanding about how these dietary shis will profoundly improve your metabolism and health. Orwhen I explain why you really don’t need to spend that much time exercising, you won’t be inclined todoubt me (or try to sneak in some “extra credit” workouts!).

“

‘‘

e Primal Blueprint is about getting the great-est health and fitness benefits you can with theleast amount of pain, suffering, and sacrifice.

9Introduction

Unlike many other diet and exercise “programs”, the Primal Blueprint philosophyoffers tremendous flexibility for personal preference, and even the hedonistic en-joyment of comfortable modern life. You can be sure that I walk my talk, but I’mno ascetic or tightly-wound fitness freak. As I detailed in the Primal Blueprint,I’ve been there and done that during my career as an elite marathon runner andironman triathlete. Today, my goal is to look super fit without having to follow anexhaustive, time-consuming exercise regimen, enjoy the heck out of my mealswithout the slightest hint of deprivation or restriction, and essentially neutralizethe aging process by engaging in lifestyle behaviors that promote optimal geneexpression. I want you to experience that kind of freedom and empowermentas well.

A 21-DAY TRANSFORMATION –

THAT WILL LAST THE REST OF

YOUR LIFE

Your genes are extremely sensitive to environmental influences, many of whichyou control directly, so you really can make great progress toward reversing yearsof adverse lifestyle habits in just 21 days. By eating and exercising Primally, youwill transform from a sugar-dependent, fat storing organism that constantly bat-tles hunger, illness, depression and weight gain, into what I call a “fat burningbeast” who burns stored body fat day and night, at exercise and at rest, as yourprimary energy source. By recalibrating delicate hormonal processes that havebeen thrown out of whack by hectic modern life, you’ll be able to manage stresssmoothly, avoid burnout, enjoy elevated immune function and high energy levelsall day long, fall asleep easily each evening, and awaken refreshed each morning.

Twenty-one days represents a benchmark in the gene reprogramming process,and, not coincidentally, is also believed by many experts to be the length of timerequired to eliminate old habits and replace them with new ones. Make a sincereeffort to follow this program for 21 days and you’ll be transformed for life - aslong as you remain on the Primal path.

If you visit MarksDailyApple.com and check out the success stories link, you willsee that profound changes in body composition happen quickly when you go Pri-mal. A few of my favorite success stories are presented here. It’s reasonable to ex-pect a reduction of three to seven pounds of excess body fat in your first 21 days,and to continue at that rate safely until you reach your ideal body composition.

I’m confident that the benefits you’ll experience will promote a transformation innot only how you eat and exercise for the rest of your life, but also in your beliefs

introduction

10 The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation

about diet, exercise, aging, immune function, prescription medication, and numerous other elementsof Conventional Wisdom that have been surreptitiously compromising your health for decades. One ofthe most common testimonials on MarksDailyApple is “I’ve lost 50 pounds effortlessly, but it feels likeI’ve also lost 1,000 pounds off my shoulders - because I know I can live like this for the rest of my life!”

While you’ll hopefully experience an exceptional first 21 days, it’s possible that you’ll have some diffi-culty out of the gate, depending on your particular history and lifestyle circumstances. If you’ve spentyears eating the Standard American Diet (let’s call it “SAD”, shall we?) marked by heavy consumptionof processed carbohydrates, sugars and certain unhealthy fats, and if you’ve been immersed in what Icall a “Chronic Cardio” exercise pattern, you may struggle with occasional swings of hunger and en-ergy for the first 7-21 days of eating Primally. Have no fear; these symptoms will dissipate with eachpassing day as you gradually repair some of the metabolic damage from SAD eating, normalize yourinsulin levels, and reprogram your genes to burn stored body fat for energy.

Shoot - Just For Kicks!Consider taking a “Before” photograph at the outset of your 21-Day Transformation. This isnot about winning a trip to Hawaii by starving yourself and snapping an amazing “After”photo. Rather, it’s recording for posterity - and for fun - the starting point of a long-termlifestyle transformation. Please don’t feel any negativity about your starting point - justgrab a camera and snap a full-body shot in private. In 21 days, you will likely be down afew pounds of excess body fat (if desired), a jeans size or two, and may noticeadded/toned muscle. However, you should emphasize enjoyment of the process overphysique changes, allowing results to happen at a comfortable pace. Who knows? In threemonth’s time, or a year’s time, your improvement may be dramatic enough to submitan “After” photograph to MarksDailyApple.com!

Marie Bencivenga from San Francisco went from 157 lbs to 123 lbs on her Primal journeyin 2010-2011

11Introduction

introduction

TAKINGRESPONSIBILITYYour Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation will be characterizedby flexibility and personal empowerment. Hence, I hesitate to use words like“program”, “regimen”, or “diet” when talking about the Primal Blueprint. Re-ally, this journey is about understanding the behaviors that promote optimalgene expression, and taking responsibility for the consequences of your day-to-day lifestyle choices. When you embrace this mentality, you will be able toskirt the all-too-common phenomenon of diving enthusiastically into a pro-gram, regimen, or diet, becoming fixated on a specific result, and then losingmomentum for various reasons: because the “programs” are too difficult, im-practical, or physically and mentally stressful to sustain long-term; you don’tachieve the result you expected; and you don’t have any fun in the process.Worst of all, you are likely to experience a decline in health despite devoted ef-forts to do the right thing by Conventional Wisdom.

Your Primal efforts must be fun, energizing, and easy to maintain at all times,otherwise you are destined to fail. What are the best workouts within in theparameters of the Primal Blueprint Fitness principles? Whatever is the mostfun for you – seriously! What are the best foods to eat within the parameters ofthe Primal Blueprint Food Pyramid? e ones that you enjoy the most!

ere is no greater feeling of empowerment than when you begin to compre-hend how much influence you have over your health, fitness and well-being.Once you realize that your genes respond to environmental signals that youlargely create, you are no longer at the mercy of your parents’ legacy, your doc-tor’s nebulous warnings, or the tremendous momentum against health andbalance in hectic modern life. Everything changes from the time you first“own” the Key Concept that you can influence gene expression on a day-to-daybasis. In many cases, you can choose which genes to flip on and which to flipoff through your food and activity choices!

is is a profound responsibility to reflect upon. We live in a world of suchabundant choice and freedom that we can direct gene expression away fromhealth and still not suffer any penalty in the traditional “survival of the fittest”evolutionary sense (today, unfit humans are not eaten by predators, and fur-thermore, are able to reproduce freely!). For two million years, humans were

Your primal efforts must be fun, energizing,and easy to maintain at all times, otherwiseyou are destined to fail.“

‘‘

12 The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation

subjected to unimaginably severe selection pressures, and adapted and thrived to enjoy a position atthe top of the food chain. Since the advent of civilization 7,000 years ago, the typical evolutionary se-lection pressure ceased to the extent that we are literally “devolving” from the pinnacle of humanhealth represented by our hunter-gatherer ancestors.

I strongly support taking advantage of free choice, but I’d like you to reflect for a moment on the obli-gation you have to yourself, your loved ones, and the planet to take good care of yourself. Today,cloaked in the veneer of affluence and rampant consumerism, there is far too much unnecessary, ex-pensive, and totally preventable pain and suffering caused by poor health practices and unconsciouslifestyle choices. is program is about you making informed choices with personal responsibility andempowerment!

WHOM TO TRUST? HOW ABOUT YOU!

I must admit that some of the Primal Blueprint Key Concepts are hotly contested, with respected sci-entists and health professionals passionately defending their life’s work on both sides of the debate. Itcan be quite disconcerting to absorb conflicting advice when determining the best course of action foryour health. I don’t want to force dogma down your throat and urge that you simply take my word forit with so much on the line - particularly since I’m not an accredited scientist or doctor. Instead, I’llpresent you with my interpretation of a variety of scientific, medical and anecdotal data relating to theKey Concepts, and let you decide for yourself. But the anecdotal evidence of the success of my 21-DayTransformation approach is there: I have had the pleasure of seeing thousands of people lose fat, in-crease energy, and regain excellent health by following the Primal Blueprint.

First, you might want to take stock of how things are working for you right now. For example, are youone who enjoys engaging in chronic exercise – always balancing on the edge of burnout, illness, andinjury? Do you enjoy strictly controlling fat intake in the name of weight control, avoiding some of themost delicious foods on the planet (steak, eggs, bacon, butter, macadamia nuts, avocados, etc.)? Doesportion control and the hassle and regimentation of trying to balance calories consumed with caloriesburned each day work effectively for you? Do you already enjoy optimal health, fitness, and body com-

Regardless of your starting point, pastfailures, or bad luck with familial genes,you can turn things around quickly -starting with your next meal and nextworkout. Your genes expect you to belean, strong, energetic and healthy.

‘‘“

introduction

13Introduction

position, and have you managed to avoid the overstress/burnout syndromethat is epidemic in our hectic modern world, or could things be a little - or awhole lot - better?

It’s clear that even today’s most devoted health and fitness enthusiasts strugglewith weight control, recurring fatigue and minor illness, chronic pain in jointsand muscles, increased risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases, and an agingprocess that is vastly more accelerated and debilitating than it has to be. What’salso apparent from recent scientific advances is how readily and efficiently ourbodies embrace behaviors that promote optimal gene expression. Regardless ofyour starting point, past failures, or bad luck with familial genes predisposingyou to excess body fat and other health problems, you can turn things aroundquickly and build momentum for lifestyle transformation - starting with yournext meal and next workout. You can literally recreate, rebuild and renew yourbody using the Primal Blueprint principles. Based on two million years ofhuman evolution, your genes want – and expect – you to be lean, strong, ener-getic and healthy.

I have great respect and interest in science, medicine, epigenetics, evolutionarybiology, and exercise physiology, but I default to personal experience when-ever I’m conflicted about what is the best course of action to promote myhealth. I strongly encourage you to do the same. If you aren’t having fun atworkouts, then whatever you’re doing is dead wrong for you. If you’re not en-joying meals, then your diet is literally unhealthy. One caveat here: I aim to behealthy, happy and energetic, and I want to achieve that with the least amountof pain, suffering, sacrifice, discipline, calorie-counting and portion controlpossible. I will make the assumption that you do too.

14 The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation

{ {THE PRIMAL BLUEPRINT 21-DAYTRANSFORMATION: KEY CONCEPTS ANDACTION ITEMSe eight Key Concepts create the framework around which you will smoothly transition into acustom-designed Primal lifestyle. Once you understand these concepts, you can implement the fiveAction Items with confidence - dialing in your eating, exercise, sleep, and play for the rest of your life.

KEY CONCEPTS1. Yes, You Really Can Reprogram YourGenes: More than just determiningyour fixed heritable traits, genes areresponsible for continually directingthe production of the proteins thatcontrol how your body functions everysecond. Genes turn on or off only in re-sponse to signals they receive from theenvironment surrounding them - sig-nals that you provide based on thefoods you eat, the types of exerciseyou do (or don’t do), your sleepinghabits, sun exposure and so forth.

2. The Clues to Optimal Gene Expres-sion are Found In Evolution: Two mil-lion years of selection pressure andharsh environmental circumstances cre-ated the perfect genetic recipe forhuman health and longevity. Our genesexpect us to be lean, fit and healthy bymodeling the lifestyle behaviors anddiets of our hunter-gatherer ancestors –even in the context of hectic modernlife. Plants and animals(meat/fish/fowl/eggs, vegetables,fruits, nuts and seeds) should comprisethe entirety of the human diet, with al-lowances for the moderate intake ofcertain modern foods. As for exerciseforms and frequency, less is often more.

3. Your Body Prefers Burning Fat OverCarbohydrates: Conventional Wis-dom’s grain-based, low-fat diet has ar-tificially created a sugar andcarbohydrate-based metabolism thatyou’ve been stuck in, and sufferingfrom, for your entire life. Going Primalshifts you into the fat-based, all-day

energy metabolism that has supportedhuman survival for two million years.This is the most liberating aspect ofPrimal living.

4. 80 Percent of Your Body Composi-tion Success is Determined by HowYou Eat: Many modern foods (evenones you thought were healthy) arecausing you to gain weight and getsick. Moderating insulin production byditching grains, sugars and legumes,and lowering inflammation by eliminat-ing harmful manmade fats, will pro-mote efficient reduction of excessbody fat, effortless maintenance ofideal body composition, increaseddaily energy levels, decreased risk forillness, and optimal function of variousother hormones systems (stress, ap-petite, immune, metabolic, sleep, thy-roid, etc.).

5. Grains are Totally Unnecessary: Thecenterpiece of the Standard AmericanDiet (SAD) offers minimal nutritionalvalue, promote fat storage by raisinginsulin, and contain anti-nutrients thatpromote inflammation, compromise di-gestion, and often interfere with im-mune function. There is no goodreason to make grains (or legumes, forthat matter) any part of your diet un-less you want a cheap source of calo-ries that easily converts to sugar.

6. Saturated Fat and Cholesterol AreNot Your Enemy: The ConventionalWisdom story about heart disease isonly validated when you eat lots ofsugar and refined carbohydrates. Cho-lesterol is one of the body’s most vital

15Introduction

ACTION ITEMS1. Eliminate SAD Foods: Outwith the objectionable foodsthat promote weight gain andchronic health problems.

2. Shop, Cook, and Dine Pri-mally: Re-stock your pantryand kitchen with Primal foods,and implement winningstrategies for shopping, mealpreparation, dining out, andsnacking.

3. Make The HealthiestChoices Across the Spectrum:Make the best choices in thecategories of meat, fish, fowl,eggs, vegetables, fruits, nutsand seeds, fats and oils, foodsallowed in moderation such asdairy, and occasional sensibleindulgences.

4. Exercise Primally – Move,Lift, and Sprint!: Pursue broadathletic competency with anintuitive blend of workoutshonoring the three PrimalBlueprint Fitness laws (MoveFrequently at a Slow Pace,Lift Heavy Things, and SprintOnce in a While).

5. Slow Life Down: Take thetime to enjoy simple pleasuressuch as “slow food” over in-dustrialized food; balanced in-stead of chronic exercise;focused work habits insteadof multitasking; interpersonalrelationships over socialmedia; calm, relaxingevenings instead of excessiveartificial light and digital stim-ulation, and plenty of time forplay, sun exposure, rest andrelaxation.{ {

molecules. Saturated fat is ourpreferred fuel. The true heartdisease risk factors - oxidationand inflammation - are drivenstrongly by polyunsaturatedfats, simple sugars, excess in-sulin production and stress.Limiting processed carbohy-drates and eating more highquality fats and whole foods(including saturated animalfat) can promote health,weight management, and re-duced risk of heart disease.

7. Exercise is Ineffective forWeight Management: Burningcalories through exercise haslittle influence on your abilityto achieve and maintain idealbody composition. When youdepend on carbohydrate (glu-

cose) as your primary fuel, ex-ercise simply stimulates in-creased appetite and calorieintake. Chronic exercise pat-terns inhibit fat metabolism,break down lean muscle tis-sue, and lead to fatigue, injury,and burnout.

8. Maximum Fitness Can BeAchieved in Minimal TimeWith High Intensity Work-outs: Regular brief, intensestrength training sessions andoccasional all-out sprints pro-mote optimal gene expressionand broad athletic compe-tency. Enjoy more benefits ina fraction of the time spentdoing the chronic exercise ad-vocated by Conventional Wis-dom.

KEY CONCEPTScontinued

{ {These twopages haveeverythingyou need toknow to getPrimal!

introduction

16 The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation

OUT WITH THE OLD1. Grains, sugars, sweetened beverages:Processed carbohydrates drive excess insulinproduction, which can lead to lifelong insidi-ous weight gain. Even if you don’t have excessbody fat concerns, a high insulin-producingdiet promotes systemic inflammation, fatigue,and burnout. Grains might be the most offen-sive foods in your diet because they also con-tain “antinutrients” that may cause healthproblems beyond just gaining weight.2. Industrial and polyunsaturated oils: Transand partially-hydrogenated fats (from heavilyprocessed snack or frozen foods); deep-friedmenu items (from fast-food joints), assortedpackaged snacks and baked goods (chips,crackers, cookies, etc.), margarine-typespreads, and bottled vegetable oils (canola,corn, safflower, etc.) promote oxidation and in-flammation, setting the stage for cancer andheart disease.3. Beans and other legumes: Beans, lentils,peanuts, peas, and soy products contain anti-nutrients that compromise digestion, immunefunction, and general health. e highly-toutedfiber in beans is problematic, and the carbohy-drate content in all legumes is high enough towarrant cutting or eliminating them in the in-terest of moderating insulin production.4. Dairy: Most commercial dairy products areunhealthy for everyone - laden with hormonesand other impurities. Organic butter and heavycream are the preferred forms of dairy, if youare lactose tolerant.5. Chronic exercise: Workouts that are toohard, too long, and done too frequently withinsufficient recovery lead to burnout and failedweight loss efforts. Reject the notion thatreaching a consistent level of mileage, hours, orworkout frequency is the key to fitness.6. Sedentary patterns: Prolonged sedentaryperiods (commuting, desk jobs, and digital en-tertainment) promote fat storage, elevated car-diovascular disease risk, joint pain, muscle

21-Day TransformationSneak PreviewHere’s a quick overview of the lifestylechanges you will make during your 21-Day Transformation, and beyond. Theway you proceed with your 21-DayTransformation is up to you. If you arethe deliberate, analytical type, feel freeto read the entire book before you em-bark on your first kitchen/pantrycleanout or Primal workout. If you arethe enthusiastic, fast-action type, youcan implement lifestyle changes as youmake your way through the text, build-ing some momentum immediately withthe following “Out with the Old” and “InWith the New” sneak previews.

We’ll detail everything over the courseof the book, but the essence of Primalliving is not complicated. It’s about re-ducing the complexity of modern lifeand adapting the simple lifestyle prac-tices of your hunter-gatherer ancestorsinto today’s world as best you can.

introduction

17Introduction

weakness, and diminished energy and focus on peak performance tasks.7. Poor sleep habits: Excess artificial light and digital stimulation in theevening disturb the optimal flow of sleep and stress hormones, compromisinghealth, fitness, weight management, and longevity.8. Somber, spartan approach to lifestyle transformation: No more caloriecounting, portion control, rigid meal timing and menu choices, guilt, or bing-ing cycles. No regimented workout schedule or predetermined mileage, time,or rep standards to attain without regard to daily fluctuations in energy, moti-vation and performance levels. No struggling or suffering in the name ofhealth and fitness! Going Primal can truly feel easy, effortless, and natural -once you break free from die-hard old habits.

IN WITH THE NEW

1. Primal foods: Meat, fish, fowl, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, highquality fats, a moderate intake of high-fat dairy products and supplementalcarbs (for heavy exercisers and growing youth), and occasional sensible indul-gences such as red wine and dark chocolate.2. Primal eating philosophy: Enjoy tremendous freedom and flexibility tochoose your favorite foods and recipes within the incredibly broad PrimalBlueprint guidelines. Eat to your heart’s content, with full awarness and appre-ciation of natural hunger and satiety cycles. Indulge sensibly with a clear con-science that it’s okay to enjoy life!3. Increase daily movement: Make a concerted effort to engage in more gen-eral daily movement (neighborhood strolls, using stairs instead of elevators,spontaneous play sessions, walk breaks at work, etc.). Conduct regular low-level (easy) aerobic workouts at appropriate heart rates, and take frequentmovement breaks when engaged in prolonged sedentary tasks.4. Brief, intense workouts: is is a centerpiece for optimal gene expressionin muscles, heart and lungs, and is essential to maintain high energy, anti-aging, and broad athletic competency. Go harder but less frequently and forless duration. irty-minute strength workouts or 15-minute sprint workoutsare plenty - any longer is probably too much for most people.5. Calming evening rituals: Aer dark, minimize exposure to artificial lightand digital stimulation, and wind things down with calming endeavors (e.g. -strolling, reading, socializing).6. Fun approach to lifestyle transformation: Explore exciting new foods,recipes and spontaneous, intuitive Primal eating practices. Exercise for energyand fun, and avoid overtraining. Tap into your youthful spirit by taking shortbreaks and grand outings to play. Power down your hyper-connectivity incli-nations and appreciate the simple pleasures of family, friends, and personal re-flective time. Realize that being healthy and fit – even super-fit – does not haveto involve suffering or deprivation, and can actually be fun!

18 The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’REEXPECTING...TO GO PRIMAL!• Anti-Aging: A 2011 study published by the Cooper Institute in Dallas suggested that your fitness

level – represented by how fast you can complete a one-mile run - is an excellent predictor oflongevity. Primal Blueprint Fitness workouts will build strength, speed, and endurance safely andquickly. Over time, fitness improvements will facilitate improved psychological health, furthercounteracting the aging process as it is perceived today.

• Appetite: As your genes redirect your cells to derive more energy from fat and depend less onglucose, you’ll be freed from the need to eat frequent high-carb meals and snacks to continually propup sagging blood glucose levels. Your appetite will “self-regulate” to the point that you’ll tend not toovereat anymore. Eating Primally also enables you to easily engage in Intermittent Fasting (I.F.) -both spontaneous or structured - to boost immune function, cellular repair, and fat metabolism.

• Blood Markers: You can expect significantly lower triglyceride and “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels,higher “good” (HDL) cholesterol levels, normalized blood sugar, healthier blood pressure, andimprovements in other critical blood test markers, in as little as 21 days.

• Body Fat: Expect to lose excess body fat at a rate of 4-8 pounds (1.8-3.6 kg) per month until youachieve your ideal body composition. is happens incidentally when you switch to Primal eating,even if you’ve had extreme difficulty losing weight by the conventional calories in/calories outmethodology. If, in rare circumstances, you struggle to attain this rate of fat loss, the Primal Leapprogram (primalblueprint.com) will enable you to dial in fat reduction with greater accuracy.

• Cravings: As you train yourself to more easily burn fat and depend less on glucose (blood sugar) forenergy, your cravings for sweets will lessen. You just won’t “have” to have them so oen. Similarly, asyou remove processed foods and grain-based products, you’ll tend not to seek out commonly cravedsalty foods.

• Digestion: Eliminating processed foods foreign to your genetic makeup will quickly help alleviatesymptoms of digestive dysfunction, even lifelong “issues” that may seem like normal by-products ofstressful daily life, genetic frailties, or aging. You may even repair damaged digestive tissue. Allergies,asthma, inflammation - anything with “-itis” - will minimize or disappear in a matter ofdays or weeks.

• Drug-Free: Experiencing rapid improvements in blood markers and disease symptoms can enableyou to progress toward an important goal of eliminating your reliance on prescription medications -something your doctor will support when your blood markers return to normal range.

• Energy: When your body transitions to deriving most of its energy from stored body fat, you

introduction

19Introduction

won’t be subject to the blood glucose swings and burnout cycles that happenwith the Standard American Diet. Instead, you will notice - in 21 days or less- increased and more stabilized daily energy levels, even if you find yourselfinadvertently skipping meals or forgetting to eat.

• Immunity: Moderating production of cortisol (a primary catabolic stresshormone) and reducing levels of glucose and insulin in your blood will helpyour immune system function optimally. You’ll probably get sick less oenand recover more quickly if you happen to get run down.

• Measurements: Your clothes will fit looser as you decrease body fat,systemic inflammation, and the water retention and bloating thataccompanies it. You’ll see the most results in your rear end, hips, thighs, andwaist - typically the primary storage areas for fat.

• Muscle Mass: You can increase or sculpt muscle while dropping fat – ormaintain muscle mass if you already have as much as you need. In contrast,the Conventional Wisdom approach of chronic exercise andhigh-carbohydrate eating commonly results in muscle catabolism (breakdown) in order to deal with wildly fluctuating blood glucose levels.

• Sleep: Aligning your lifestyle with your circadian rhythm will enable you togo to sleep easily, sleep soundly, and awaken naturally (no alarm) eachmorning, refreshed and energized.

• Stress: Living Primally and rejecting the SAD/chronic exercise pattern willregulate your body’s stress response system, helping you to avoid the fatigue,burnout, disease and dysfunction that are driven by hectic modern life.

• Total Fitness: Primal Blueprint Fitness involves full-body, functionalexercises that develop broad athletic competency and a balanced physique.is allows you to pursue a variety of fitness and athletic goals without therisk of overtraining and injury common with narrowly-focused programs.

• Various Other Health Markers: Directing optimal gene expressionimproves bone density, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, bloodpressure, hormone balance, and many other benefits…including LGN(Looking Good Naked).

Out of thiswhole list,the "Energy"bullet isperhaps themostlife-changing

KEY CONCEPTSThings you need to know

22 The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation

key concept #1YES, YOU REALLY CANREPROGRAM YOUR GENES

Inside each of your cells is a DNA “recipe” - a set of general instructions for how to build a lean, fit,happy productive human being. I say “general,” because how things actually play out in your life is afunction of activating or deactivating thousands of very specific genes (which are subsets of the DNA)on a day-to-day basis.

Genes are commonly viewed as fixed traits that you inherit from your parents - hair and eye color,height, body type, and predispositions to alcoholism, flat feet, rheumatoid arthritis, shyness, wide hips,and so forth. You have minimal influence over heritable traits such as these, but you can directly influ-ence genes involved in muscle development, body fat storage, inflammation, and many other aspects ofgeneral health and longevity. Your ability to influence this gene expression is the very foundation of thePrimal Blueprint.

Many thousands of genes are constantly at work throughout your life directing cellular functions: or-chestrating the building of critical structures and enzyme pathways; and repairing, regenerating andsometimes even destroying your cells based on the signals they get from their immediate environment.You can control these environmental signals through the foods you eat, the workouts you conduct, thesleeping and lifestyle habits you engage in, and even the medication you take.

Genes can be viewed as an assortment of “on/off ” switches for building the protein molecules that in-fluence every element of body function and structure. Turn on “good” gene switches and you buildmuscle, increase fat burning, or knock out an invading virus. Turn on “bad” gene switches and youmight experience inflammation and indigestion, or, over the long-term, you may develop obesity, heartdisease, and cancer.

To really grasp this Key Concept, it’s essential to recognize the difference between the particulars ofyour unique familial genes, and the basic human genes that we all share. We all build muscle and bone,burn and store fat, or combat germs the same way, using the same biochemical pathways in our Homosapiens genes. It’s just the degree to which we do these things that varies among individuals. Some ofus – thanks to mom and dad - build muscle a little faster and better than others. Some of us seem to

e genetic recipe for a strong, fit, healthyhuman exists in almost all of us. It’s our“factory setting” at birth.“

‘‘

keyconcepts

burn off fat with far greater ease. Some of us have genes that make us more proneto getting cancer or heart disease. But in most, if not all, of these cases, you havesignificant power to affect whether genes get switched on or off. You just have toknow which behaviors or which foods affect which genes. Luckily, discoveries inhuman evolution coupled with recent advances in mapping the human genomeprovide many of the clues.

Here’s a big problem though: Your genes have strong expectations to receive aspecific and narrow range of signals from you, but they don’t really know or care

23Key Concepts

Gene Expression in Practice: Otto and Ewald

Otto and Ewald, pictured here in 1969, are German twins whopossess identical copies of the genes their parents gave them.They achieved notoriety in scientific circles as a compellingcase study for how environment influences gene expression.Otto was photographed while in training for long distance run-ning, while Ewald was a competitor in field events (discus, shotput, hammer throw) which call for brief, explosive bursts ofpower. Otto’s low-intensity endurance workouts trained hismuscles to process oxygen more efficiently, but partly deacti-vated the genes that trigger protein synthesis and increasedmuscle size. Ewald’s high-intensity training increased gene ac-tivity involved in protein synthesis, so his muscles grew largerand more capable of brief, explosive efforts.

From Michael J Rennie, G.L. Brown Prize Lecture, 2005

if you make “good” or “bad” lifestyle choices. ese myriad on/off switches are hard-wired from mil-lions of years of evolutionary selection pressure to first and foremost keep you alive until you are oldenough to reproduce. Hate to break it to you, but your genes will pursue this mission without takinginto account the effect upon your long-term health.

It’s fair to assume that your genes prefer the path of least resistance/best health, and are always readyand waiting to build a strong lean, fit, healthy, happy human. When you conduct an all-out sprintworkout, your genes stimulate a pulse of anabolic hormones, enabling your body to adapt and growstronger for your next sprint session. at’s a good thing. On the other hand, when you mismanageyour genes with poor dietary habits or chronic exercise patterns, you will likely suffer from obesity(through the chronic overproduction of insulin), fatigue (poor sleep habits disturbing optimal hor-mone balance), and systemic inflammation and burnout (chronic production of “fight or flight” hor-mones in the face of unrelenting environmental stressors).

When you get type 2 diabetes, it’s not necessarily a sign of defective genes; in fact, it’s an example ofyour Homo sapiens genes (with some familial influence) doing what they think is appropriate to pro-tect you from your having too much sugar in your bloodstream. However, abusing this lifesavingmechanism is definitely a bad thing for your long-term health. With this in mind, ironically, everyoneis naturally predisposed to developing type 2 diabetes if they send their genes the wrong signalsenough times.

It’s important to recognize that “results may vary” due to the particulars of your familial genes.Olympic athletes and magazine cover models represent optimal expression of their specific physical ge-netic attributes, but the hard-wired limitations of your familial genes might preclude you from everwinning a gold medal. Accepting this reality, it’s critical to settle for nothing less than superior health,maximum longevity, and avoiding the devastating pattern of decline and disease that is endemic tomodern life. Realizing your genetic potential is as simple as knowing what switches to flip.

24 The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation

Yes, You Really Can Reprogram Your Genes Summary

• Genes are like “on/off” switches for building protein molecules that influenceevery element of body function and structure.

• Genes are more than fixed heritable traits - they constantly direct the repair,rebuilding and regeneration of your cells.

• While some genetic functions are beyond our control (eye color, skin pigment,etc.) we have tremendous influence over day-to-day operations through theenvironmental signals we send to our genes (diet, exercise, and lifestylechoices).

• Genes strive to promote short-term health in response to all environmentalsignals, whether health-promoting long-term or not (e.g. – type 2 diabetes).

• Accept the limitations and predispositions of your familial genes, then focus onoptimal expression of your Homo sapiens genes

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