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If you’re a guest at Thanksgiving this year, you’ve likely already asked your host if there’s something you can contribute. Maybe it’s your famous sweet potato casserole or another pie to add to the roster. Whatever it is, though, it needs to get from point A to point B safely, which can sometimes feel like a bit of a challenge when there’s a long, bumpy car ride in your way. Here are five tips to ensure your dish makes it to your destination unharmed.

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From Apartment Therapy → Holiday Party Must Have: IKEA Bar Cart Hacks

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I’m warning you now: If you ever come over to my house for a meal — be it a Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings, a blowout Christmas dinner, cake and Champagne for my birthday, or just a weeknight pasta party — you won’t be allowed to help me clean up in the kitchen after we’ve eaten.

Yeah, I know. I made the food, I did all the prep work, I sweated over the details, so I should be allowed to sit back while you do dishes and take care of the rest, right? Wrong. So, so wrong.

Don’t be offended. I understand you’re coming from a place of kindness and you really just want to help. But the best thing you can do for me and for the other Monica Gellers of the world is to let us do us. This goes double for post-Thanksgiving dishes.

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Greetings, readers. It’s time to announce the publication of another book—called The New Primal Blueprint. Recognize the title? Yes, this is a comprehensive expansion, revision and update of the original 2009 bestseller, and the official name is indeed The New Primal Blueprint! And no, it’s not a mere reprint with me wearing a newer shirt and older smile on the cover. This publication is the culmination of a massive six-year R&D project involving several staff members (especially Brad Kearns, Managing Editor and Primal Blueprint Publishing sidekick), a team of researchers, several of the world’s leading Primal/paleo authors and experts, and you—yes, processing feedback from the collective experiences of Primal enthusiasts over the past seven years.

When I started this update/revision project over two years ago, my intention was to update the message, clean up some misunderstood topics, and cover some new ground on breaking subjects like gut health.

Alas, like many things we take on here in Primal-land, it ended up going big-time. And so I present to you a 584-page beast, full-color with extensive photographs, illustrations, cartoons, and graphs to deliver a most engaging and comprehensive read.

I can legitimately call this book my magnum opus, and I have no problem stating that this volume can stand as the ultimate comprehensive guide to living the Primal Blueprint lifestyle and gaining a total understanding what the Primal/paleo/ancestral health movement is all about. Even if you’ve read the original Primal Blueprint, I think you will get a kick out of this book and allow it to take the place of the original in your resource library.

As any devoted MDA reader knows, lots has changed in the last decade since the early days of the Primal/paleo movement. My team and I take pride in being open-minded, flexible, and adaptable to revising our positions and message in light of breaking science, as well as feedback from real live Primal enthusiasts. My favorite thing to do is dig into the research, engage with other thought leaders, evaluate feedback from Primal Blueprint enthusiasts and MDA readers, and carefully consider my stances to continually improve and chart an appealing course to health and happiness.

Thanks to events like PrimalCon, Paleo F(x) and the easy exchange of information over the Internet, I’m only a click or call away from the world’s leading experts on assorted subjects, and—believe me—I take advantage of my rolodex with unabashed questioning and debating when I’m compelled.

For example, Katy Bowman convinced me that increasing and varying everyday movement is just as important as a formal cardio regimen. Dr. Phil Maffetone convinced me that his “180-age” formula for aerobic maximum heart rate is the end-all calculation to develop a fat-burning beast and avoid the perils of chronic cardio. Kelly Starrett convinced me that devoting time to flexibility/mobility is just as important to fitness as hitting the gym and the sprints regularly. Finally, Dr. Cate Shanahan helped me become a little more flexible in my promotion of the values on the Primal Blueprint Carbohydrate Curve to allow for individual variation and optimization of carb intake—especially for females wishing to avoid thyroid and hormonal problems relating to sudden and extreme carb restriction after decades of high-carb eating.

In this post, I’ll provide details and rationale for the recent revisions to the Primal Blueprint Food Pyramid and Primal Blueprint Fitness Pyramid, as well as discuss some key areas of the new book that have been expanded or revised from the original hardcover Primal Blueprint in 2009 and the paperback update in 2012.

See what you think, and feel free to comment—I read and consider them all!

2016 Food Pyramid

The new bullet points attempt to provide an at-a-glance education about the benefits of Primal eating. We’ve done a bit of tidying up of the descriptions and benefits in the food categories but no major policy shifts or big surprises. On account of de-emphasizing the O6:O3 ratio concerns relating to healthy foods like nuts (more shortly), I emphasize the Primal Blueprint’s acceptance of all nuts and seeds, toning down the previous distinction of macadamia nuts as superior because they are higher in monounsaturated fat (and lower in omega-6 fats) than other nuts and seeds. Supplemental carbs for athletes is renamed to “high nutrient value carbs”—an acceptable choice for anyone who feels the need for these foods and additional dietary carbs in general.

2016 Fitness Pyramid

The main revision here was to rename Primal Blueprint Law #3 to “Move Frequently” instead of the previous “Move Frequently at a Slow Pace.” Previously, my Law #3 message emphasized doing aerobic workouts at the proper heart rate, with only a casual mention of the importance of moving around more in daily life. The new pyramid makes an effort to broaden the concept of Move Frequently to emphasize not only structured cardio workouts, but general everyday movement and the assorted physical endeavors categorized as Flexibility/mobility.

In today’s sedentary world, moving more is everything. The active couch potato syndrome is the real deal, and it ain’t pretty. In short, even if you are devoted to fitness with a faithful daily slog on the road or trip to the gym, you aren’t immune to the negative effects of lengthy stretches of inactivity—commutes, desk jobs and digital entertainment leisure time. The new Flexibility/mobility section is where those complementary fitness activities enter the picture: Pilates, yoga, tai chi, gymnastics, dancing, self myofascial release with rollers and balls, general stretching, and customized mobility/physical therapy exercises to address your particular prevention or healing concerns.

Regarding the optimal heart rate for aerobic activities, we’ve decided to depart from calculations based on maximum heart rate (Previously, the Primal Blueprint specified 55-75% of max heart rate as the aerobic exercise zone) and instead promote Dr. Phil Maffetone’s 180-age = maximum aerobic heart rate formula. Dr. Maffetone is the undisputed leader in this realm, and his formula is easier and more effective than calculating exercise intensity off of maximum heart rate. There is too much potential for error going off max heart rate, especially overestimating your aerobic limit.

Primal Endurance goes into great detail on this concept, because it’s so important for everyone who does cardio to essentially slow down and ensure they are burning fat, instead of allowing heart rate to creep up, introduce more glucose burning and stress hormone production into supposedly comfortable workouts and—over time—drift into a destructive chronic exercise pattern.

It’s pretty simple: subtract your age from 180, get your magic number, and honor that limit during your cardio sessions. (There are some adjustment factors for certain individuals, detailed in Primal Endurance or in Dr. Maffetone’s work.) You will likely have to slow way down from the typical indiscriminate pace of most joggers, cyclists and gym equipment users. By doing so, you will experience what it’s really like to become an efficient fat burner instead of being overstressed and carbohydrate dependent.

“Lift heavy things” and “sprint once in a while” stand strong as the preferred exercises to build or preserve lean muscle mass, optimize fat metabolism and hormonal function, promote organ reserve, and support bone density.

Various types of strength training—from the simple Primal Essential Movements to Jacques Devore’s cutting-edge Maximum Sustained Power training—work for Lift Heavy Things, but you have to put your body under load regularly to stay strong.

Similarly, sprinting once in a while stimulates that desirable brief fight-or-flight response, the spike of adaptive hormones like growth hormone and testosterone coursing through your bloodstream, and helps you blast through body composition plateaus like no other exercise. When you sprint, even just once in a while, you become stronger and more resilient in mind and body—not only for sprinting, but also for all types of exercise at lower intensities.

The New Primal Blueprint: Other Updates and Revisions

Here are several other topics from the book that are additions or revisions from the original publication.

Chapter 1 – Shout out to the hatahs: I spent a little time clarifying my position against detractors who have misinterpreted the Primal Blueprint as me manipulating evolutionary science into a regimented program. I totally appreciate experts with carefully considered opinions and health approaches that differ from mine. Heck, my old buddy from the professional triathlon scene, Rip Esselstyn, is killing it with his Engine 2 Diet and line of food products seen at Whole Foods. We differ on material matters like the role that whole grains and saturated fat play in healthy eating, but by and large this guy is motivating and inspiring people to be “plant strong,” so all the power to him.

However, when the book Paleofantasy attacks the paleo diet as a farce because our ancestors ate all kinds of different diets, or when the book Cult Diets asserts that because no single diet is a perfect fit for everyone that Primal/paleo is ill-advised, I say: “Wait a sec, man!” These are exactly the arguments I make as to why regimented diets are illogical—and why I insist that we must discover our own optimal eating habits within the framework of evolutionary health principles.

Chapter 1 – Genetics: I have provided further clarification for the rationale that we should model our lifestyle behaviors after our hunter-gatherer ancestors for purposes relating to health and directing optimal gene expression because we are genetically identical to them. This assertion is often misinterpreted, and examples that “humans are still evolving” are bantered about.

Really, we are getting into a semantic argument when we consider the effects of genetic drift and global population expansion on the human genome. I discuss the interesting examples of rapid genetic changes like lactase persistence among those of herding ancestry, the lightening of skin pigment for those migrating further from the equator (believed to have happened between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago—after a couple million years of humans being black), and the varied ability to digest starch based on prevalence of the AMY1 gene (a salivary enzyme). Gene expression is still strongly influenced by the environment, and there is no selection pressure to stimulate true DNA change in the manner of Darwinian evolution (I explain this further in case it’s been a while since middle school science class).

Another addition addresses the idea bantered about that humans might be devolving from adverse modern lifestyle practices. Again, we are not technically de-evolving, but a growing body of research suggests that genetic changes caused by environment can be passed to offspring through epigenetic transgenerational inheritance. Yep, binging on ice cream during your pregnancy can promote insulin resistance in your little one. Scary stuff, but again a confirmation that we are in control of our gene expression by making the right diet, exercise and lifestyle choices.

Chapter 1 – Primal/paleo rationale: A commonly cited paleo litmus test is if a food didn’t exist 10,000 years ago, you shouldn’t eat it—the rationale being that we have not had sufficient time to adapt genetically to “modern” foods. This assertion usually makes sense, but it is not stand-alone valid.

The reason we should not eat certain modern foods like grains, sugars and refined high polyunsaturated vegetable oils is because they are unhealthy, not necessarily because we haven’t genetically adapted to them. Hence, I had to do a bit of cleanup on my breezy language from years ago to highlight this distinction. Recall, however, that I have from the start taken a more relaxed approach than traditional paleo dogma, arguing that certain modern foods are acceptable to consume because they offer nutritional benefits and no health objections—like high-fat dairy products and dark chocolate.

Furthermore, throughout evolution, humans have encountered brand new foods that we have not genetically adapted to, but that are healthy, and we have thrived consuming them. Thanks, Matt LaLonde, for pressing this point very well in recent years.

Another message cleanup (thanks, Tracy Kearns, for the challenge) came during the frequent mention of the evolutionary model as inspiration for peak performance and longevity today. This is a bit of a stretch, or literal disconnect, because the ultimate goal of evolution is simply to survive long enough to reproduce. Since any video-gaming, candy-chomping teenager can reproduce just as successfully as an Olympic sprinter or PhD mathematician, surviving to reproductive age is not a lofty accomplishment today.

Instead, we must appreciate the nuance of applying the evolutionary model to make lifestyle decisions that honor our genes, but taking the spirit of the Primal Blueprint many steps further in order to promote longevity, happiness and management of the unrelenting stress of modern life.

Cases in point: the orthorexia phenomenon warns us that it’s not good enough to eat foods off the “yes” list and avoid foods on the “no” list; you have an obligation to yourself and your loved ones to enjoy the process of healthy eating and experience the joy and complete satisfaction provided by nutritious foods and celebratory meals (shouldn’t every meal be a celebration? It was for our ancestors). Similarly, over-exercising (even if it’s moving frequently, lifting heavy things, and sprinting once in a while) might generate a sequence of short-term positive gene expression events, but will lead you right to burnout instead of happiness and longevity.

Bottom line: I encourage you to live according to the Primal Blueprint principles, but I insist that you enjoy yourself along the way!

Chapter 3 – Omega-6:Omega-3 ratio: The dietary omega-6:omega-3 ratio has long been a hot topic in Primal/paleo circles. The basic notion is that we consume vastly excessive amounts of omega-6 in relation to omega-3. This imbalance promotes inflammation in the body because omega-6s deliver a pro-inflammatory effect and omega-3s are the anti-inflammatory powerhouses. Unfortunately, the concept has been oversimplified to the extent that omega-6s are seen as “bad.”

The true concern is that many unhealthy foods are high in omega-6, such as refined high polyunsaturated vegetable oils and packaged grain-based snacks and prepared meals. The problem is not the consumption of omega-6 per se, but the consumption of those unhealthy, pro-inflammatory foods that are high in omega-6. Furthermore, pro-inflammatory mechanisms in the body are critical to health; the key is to keep inflammation in balance, not to suppress inflammation in general. While it’s a good idea to obtain ample amounts of dietary omega-3 (the main dietary source is oily, coldwater fish), there is no reason to eschew healthy sources of omega-6 (nuts, seeds, nut butters) in the quest to improve your ratio.

Chapter 4 – Optimal protein consumption: The long-standing consensus recommendation for average daily protein intake (supported by both The Primal Blueprint and mainstream dietary resources) is now being called into question by respected primal/paleo types as it might be an overestimation, and detrimental to our health. It’s obvious that we must meet our minimum needs to ensure the health of our tissues and organs. Otherwise we enter a catabolic state, break down lean muscle mass and compromise immune function. That minimum need to support basic metabolism is agreed to be around .5 grams per pound (1.1 grams per kilogram) of lean mass.

From there, most resources promote the idea that your protein requirements escalate according to your activity level. So calculating off the basic requirement of .5 grams, a moderately active person might want .7 grams per pound (1.5 grams per kilo), while a highly active person is recommended to reach one gram per pound (2.2 grams per kilo) to ensure adequate health and recovery from exercise.

Dr. Ron Rosedale, a leading voice in the concerns about excess protein, suggests that .5 grams of protein per pound of lean mass is plenty for everyone. He believes that even high protein demand people (the highly active, growing teens and pregnant women) need only add 5-10 grams per day to that calculation to ensure optimal protein intake. When you slam your body with excess protein—more than it needs to fulfill the growth and repair functions that are the primary uses for protein—it works hard to either excrete it or convert it into carbohydrates via gluconeogenesis, which are then used for energy (or, if you’re in a calorie surplus, stored as fat).

The conversion of excess protein into glucose will compromise your fat-loss goals, and essentially turn anything considered a high-protein diet into a high-carbohydrate diet in reality (due to gluconeogenesis). What’s more, excess protein consumption continually primes you for accelerated cellular division and growth, instead of the more natural pattern of varying between anabolic (repair, rejuvenation, growth), catabolic (breakdown from exercise and life stressors) and metabolic (normal chemical reactions producing energy).

Chapter 4 – Carbohydrate intake: There’s been some pushback against adhering to a strict low-carb paleo eating pattern as many enthusiasts, especially females, have reported adverse effects from cutting carbs. A sudden and/or significant reduction in carbohydrate intake has been blamed for thyroid problems, fatigue, and even disturbances in gut health. While there is never any rationale to consuming refined, nutrient-devoid carbs like grains, sugars and sweetened beverages, the inclusion of high nutrient value carbohydrates into the diet is certainly acceptable by the Primal Blueprint.

The level of your intake is probably best determined by personal preference. That said, the widely adopted Primal Blueprint Carbohydrate Curve will still accurately predict your success or failure with reaching and maintaining your ideal body composition. If you are interested in losing excess body fat, the surest path to get there is to reduce total carbohydrate intake, which reduces insulin production and enables you to access and burn stored body fat. The upper limit of the maintenance range is 150 grams per day, which allows for an abundant intake of vegetables, sensible intake of seasonal fruit, and an ample amount of incidental carbs from primal-approved foods like nuts, seeds and dark chocolate.

What I used to call “Supplemental carbs for athletes” is now called “High nutrient value carbs.” This category includes sweet potatoes, squash and other starchy tuber vegetables, wild rice and quinoa. My effort here was to reposition the big picture on carb intake to be less strict and more left to personal preference.

If you are trying to lose excess body fat, the most direct path is to moderate carb intake. There is no call for anyone to consume grains, sugars, sweetened beverages or other highly processed, high-carb fare, ever.

Chapter 4 – Ketones: With ketogenic eating and endurance training being such a hot topic today, the discussion has been greatly expanded. In particular, I emphasize how glucose burns “dirty” in your body, creating considerable metabolic waste products, inflammation and oxidative damage; while fat and ketones burn “clean.” Glucose is metabolized quickly and easily for energy, but mitochondria and oxygen are not required for glucose burning. Hence, you can lose out on the free-radical protection that mitochondria provide during calorie burning.

When you are locked in a carbohydrate dependency diet, your mitochondria can actually atrophy. This atrophy increases your susceptibility to all forms of oxidative stress, not just from diet but also from chronic exercise, pollution and the stress of hectic modern life. Note: glucose can also be burned with oxygen and mitochondria, but even then more free radicals are generated in comparison to burning fat and ketones.

The best way to optimize mitochondrial function and protect yourself against general free radical damage is to become fat- and keto-adapted. Utilizing lots of oxygen and mitochondria to metabolize calories, requiring fewer calories to survive (because insulin and hunger hormones are moderated when you are fat adapted), engaging in Intermittent Fasting, and dipping into that rarified state of ketone burning—even if it’s just occasionally—all support mitochondrial biogenesis. Mitochondrial biogenesis is the manufacture of additional mitochondria (and optimizing the functioning of existing mitochondria) to better diffuse the oxidative stress of burning calories and simply being a living, breathing human.

Ketone burning has been shown by science to facilitate rapid fat reduction, improve the function and development of mitochondria (the energy centers of our cells), exert a potent anti-inflammatory effect, improve immune function, boost cellular repair, control epilepsy, deliver assorted benefits to cognitive function (especially for those with dementia, autism and ADHD), and even fight cancer (by starving cancer cells of their main fuel, glucose.)

Check out The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living by Dr. Steven Phinney and Dr. Jeff Volek for a comprehensive education with scientific detail about the wonders of ketones for the aforementioned conditions, and watch Dr. Dom D’Agostino’s TEDx Talk “Starving Cancer” for details on that subject. Interestingly, the therapeutic benefits of ketone burning have prompted the manufacture of consumable sources of ketones, allowing one to override the delicate macronutrient restrictions and achieve elevated blood ketone levels.

Chapter 5 – Prebiotics and probiotics: This all-new section details the burgeoning health concept that connects the state of the bacteria in your intestinal tract to various diseases, and how many doctors now consider microbial diversity (how many different types of gut microbes you have—more is better) to be an important health marker. The immune system in particular depends upon a healthy balance of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, a state characterized by a predominance of “friendly” bacteria over the “bad” bacteria that can cause illness.

Contrary to the oversimplified layman’s view of germs and bacteria as universally bad and dangerous, our bodies are constantly covered and populated by all manner of germs and bacteria, both good and bad—no matter how hard we try to scrub and cleanse everything we eat and touch.
Beneficial bacteria are the most important line of defense for your immune system. They help quell inflammation, neutralize toxic substances, turn fiber into special health-promoting fatty acids, and even produce important nutrients like B vitamins and vitamin K. Interestingly, 90 percent of the production of your body’s critical “feel good” neurotransmitter serotonin happens in the gut, regulated by intestinal enterochromaffin (EC) cells and other forms of intestinal bacteria. Gut microbes also produce other adaptive hormones like dopamine and noradrenaline.

In this lengthy section, I talk thru the particulars of probiotics (fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, fermented soy products like miso and tempeh), kombucha drinks and even dark chocolate) and also explain how prebiotics (aka resistant starch such as potato starch, cooked and cooled rice or potatoes, or green bananas) are metabolized by bifidobacteria in the colon into a short-chain fatty acid called butyrate—the prime energy source for your colonic cells. Butyrate communicates with your immune system, helping to regulate inflammatory processes. Resistant starch consumption has also been shown to boost insulin sensitivity, improve the integrity of your gut lining (combating the aforementioned leaky gut), reduce fasting blood sugar levels, and lessen the glucose and insulin responses to high-carb meals.

Chapter 6 – Hydration: The original Primal Blueprint position was to simply obey your thirst. Indeed, your body’s thirst mechanism does an excellent job dictating when and how much to drink, and your kidneys do an excellent job regulating fluid balance in your body even when fluid intake is not ideal.

It’s difficult to become dehydrated, because your thirst mechanism kicks in big time long before you reach a level of dehydration where your health is at risk. There is a much greater risk of hyponatremia these days—an overconsumption of fluid such that your sodium levels are dangerously diluted. There have been several reported cases of inexperienced marathon runners hydrating obsessively to the extent that they became comatose or died from hyponatremia.

Here’s the thing: it’s difficult to become dehydrated, but for ambitious fitness enthusiasts or those performing work in hot climates, it’s possible to mute the ideal function of your thirst mechanism and get into a pattern of insufficient fluid intake and some minor, perhaps chronic, level of dehydration.

The work of Dr. Stacy Sims at Stanford and the aggressive promotion of hydration as a more nuanced concept by Dr. Kelly Starrett, author of Becoming a Supple Leopard and Deskbound and purveyor of MobilityWOD.com, have been instrumental as I’ve refined my position to offer some strong caveats and elaboration from the oversimplified, “obey your thirst, like Grok” initial position.

Optimal hydration is about being sensible and strategic in addition to being highly aware and responsive to your thirst mechanism. Furthermore, it’s critical to pay attention to your sodium balance to the extent that optimal hydration entails not just slamming water, but including a bit of salt with each serving. It’s been found that adding a bit of carbohydrate to your fluid can enhance absorption. That said, there is no call to go purchase popular energy or sports drinks that are typically grossly excessive in carbohydrate intake. You can simply prepare a pitcher or bottle of water and add a pinch of salt and perhaps a few drops of honey or other sweetener and do just fine. Anything beyond a bit of carbohydrate will actually slow absorption in the intestines.

Folks, there are plenty more improvements you will appreciate as an original Primal Blueprint reader, so much so that I really encourage you to update your library with this new volume and give it a read.

I have a collection of my favorite go-to books that I read over and over (perhaps I’ll do a post on this someday, hmmm…) as I believe we retain less information than we realize, and that repetition of the really important stuff is the best way to master material. Besides, with the colorful photos, drawings, charts and graphs, it’s fun to just sit down and skim through pages and let the Primal Blueprint wash all over you. Check out the special offer below and consider “upgrading” your library, or going all-in for the first time, with The New Primal Blueprint.

Per Mark’s Daily Apple tradition, I’ve put together an exciting limited-time offer for my new book release.

Order one or more copies of The New Primal Blueprint from Amazon.com in either Kindle or hardcover format by Nov. 23, then fill out this form, and you’ll get the following bonus items for FREE:

A coupon for a free bottle of PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Ranch dressing at PrimalBlueprint.com: Use this coupon to pick up a FREE bottle of our newest PRIMAL KITCHEN™ creation and the holy grail of dressings: ranch! This dairy-free ranch is an uncompromisingly delicious, rich, full-flavored, and oh, so healthy dressing. Using 100% pure avocado oil as a base, our ranch includes only the finest health-enhancing, all-natural ingredients, including organic garlic, onion, dill, cage-free organic eggs, black pepper and chives. And that means no dairy, no buttermilk, gluten, soy, canola or sugar in sight. So go ahead and finally enjoy your childhood favorite again! No guilt here.

A digital download of The Primal Slow Cooker Cookbook: I know you folks are busy with the kids and work and workouts, so I’ve put together this collection of broths and slow-cooked, nutritious and delicious meals that will be ready for eating when you walk through the door. Enjoy creations like Chicken Adobe with Coconut Aminos, and Tender Braised Brisket with Caramelized Onions and Tomatoes.

How’s that for a bonus bundle?

Just click here to grab your copy of The New Primal Blueprint on Amazon and fill out this form here to get your free bonuses.

FINE PRINT

• This special bonus offer ends at 11:59 pm, Nov. 23, 2016 (PST).
• All receipts must be received by 11:59 pm, Nov. 24, 2016 (PST). The forms will stop working on Nov. 25, so be sure to fill out the form and submit your pre-Nov. 23 receipt(s) by then.
• On an iPhone? You won’t be able to upload your receipt from it, unfortunately. You’ll have to use a computer.
• You will receive access to The Primal Slow Cooker Cookbook and your PrimalBlueprint.com gift certificate via email within 24 hours.
• Pre-orders will be honored for all bonus offers.
• Both orders placed online (from any source) and in brick and mortar retail locations will be honored.
• Both domestic (U.S.) and international orders are eligible for the bonuses.
  All book formats are eligible, including physical books and digital versions (e.g. Kindle).
• The PrimalBlueprint.com gift certificate expires on December 23, 2016, and is valid for a single use on one bottle of PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Ranch dressing, you just pay S&H.

The post Introducing The New Primal Blueprint! appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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It’s time to start your holiday shopping! Or perhaps you’ve already started? (If so, we applaud your dedication and organization!) Either way, you might be doing it wrong if you aren’t arming yourself with these necessary supplies.

Here are five things to pack with you to help any shopping excursion run a little more smoothly.

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Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/

Earlier in the year, I heard something that made my head explode.

The 2016 Summer Olympics had just ended. The internet was aflutter with a debate about Usain Bolt, the fastest man on the planet.

The debate was about how quickly Usain Bolt could run a mile.

Scientists, marathon runners, cross country coaches, Olympians, and others had one heck of a debate. People started calculating his pace from 100 meters or 400 meters and extrapolated that out over the course of a mile. Math geeks couldn’t get enough of the thought experiment.

So obviously this begs the question: “Well, how fast does he actually run a mile?”

There’s just one problem:

Usain Bolt has never run a mile.

WHAT?!

As pointed out by the New Yorker, “Usain Bolt’s agent, Ricky Simms, won’t say whether he believes that his client could run a mile in less than five minutes. But Simms confirmed that the world’s greatest sprinter has, in fact, never tried running that far: ‘Usain has never run a mile.’”

Let that sink in for a second.

The fastest man on the planet has never run a mile. In Usain’s mind and his coach’s mind, he’s built to run short distances quickly, so why even bother running a longer distance? He has built a healthy frame designed to do exactly what he needs it to do.

I thought about this, my own training, and the training of the people whose physiques/talent I admire… and it made me come to a logical conclusion:

For most people, training in a way that you enjoy will get you 90% of the way there (with a good nutrition strategy). 

However, if you want to LOOK or perform a certain way, how you train IS crucial.

And like Usain, it may not fit your typical idea of what fitness is. Instead, you’ll be deliberate with your daily choices, training and eating in a way to build the body (and physical performance) you want. 

Follow these 3 missions and learn how.

Want to look like the superhero of your choice? Change your mind.

The other day I was talking to a close friend about my personal 3-year transformation thanks to gymnastic rings and advanced bodyweight exercises.

His response surprised me: “That’s just not me, though. I’m not built like you, like a gymnast, so I can’t train with rings. I don’t have the body type to do what gymnasts can do.”

I have heard things like this from other members of our community, and I bet you’ve said similar things too:

• Easy for him to run a marathon, he’s got the body of a runner.
• Of course he/she can [do that activity you admire], he/she has genetics like _______.
• I need to lose a lot of weight before I can try rock climbing/martial arts/parkour. To the treadmill, ugh.

We see somebody doing something we want to do, or looking how we want to look, and our first thought is “Well, because genetics/lifestyle/opportunity/excuse, they can do that and I can’t.”

We use this mentality to justify our current position, let ourselves off the hook for not trying, explain why we don’t look a certain way, and give ourselves an an excuse why we can’t try/do something.

Or, we might think we need to be a certain weight until we can start doing that thing that we’re intrigued by. So we do a few machines, we run on a treadmill, we do a few bicep curls. We move from diet to diet or from workout plan to workout plan.

We do “fitness,” dislike it, and then also get mad that we’re not building a body we’re proud of and that we don’t like the people on magazine covers.

THIS IS THE WRONG WAY TO THINK.

STOP IT!

This is me smacking you on the nose with a rolled up newspaper. Stop it.

The truth of the matter is the exact opposite: our bodies are INCREDIBLE pieces of machinery – they reshape themselves and adapt to whatever is thrown at them.

Run fast, and your body builds muscle in the right places to be more efficient with sprints. Train like an MMA fighter and your body will start to resemble a guy that gets in the octagon. Run distances and your blood cells and joints and muscles start to adapt to covering long distances and tiring less easily.

So change your thinking right now. FORM (your body) follows function (the stuff you do with your time):

Gymnasts don’t train on gymnastic rings because they are built like superheroes. The opposite is true: they are built like superheroes BECAUSE they train on gymnastic rings!

Runners don’t just look like runners and thus run a lot. They look like runners BECAUSE they run a lot!

MMA fighters aren’t built like machines and thus fight and do martial arts. They look like MMA fighters BECAUSE they train in a certain way.  

Usain looks like Usain because he intentionally trains to build that sprinting machine!

This means you need to identify the TYPE of person you want to look like or have skills like and follow a specific plan to train like them. Or in Nerd Fitness Terms, pick your class (explained below) and then ask “What would [my future avatar] do?”

You need to find your own path to “fitness,” and forget the rest of it.

If it’s going to be a challenge, you might as well be challenging yourself in a way that actually helps you achieve your goal physique, right?

Mission 1: Select your Class

Take the next few minutes and find somebody known for a particular skill or sport you admire, or someone who you’re interested in looking like.  What activity are they good at or known for?  What’s the body type you’re going for?

And then start acting like that person. Immediately.

I’m guessing you’re here (or you first came to Nerd Fitness) because you wanted to lose a few pounds (or hundreds of pounds), gain some strength/muscle, look better naked and feel better about yourself. And that’s exactly how I started training (for me, it was wanting to get bigger, stronger, and feel better about myself).

Whatever brought you here, welcome. Now let’s get you where you want to go.

Know this: the path to that success is dependent on knowing the TYPE of physique or skills you’re looking for, and then training, eating, and acting like the people who have that particular physique or can do those particular things.

(It sounds simple, but nearly everyone misses this point in how they decide to train. Most people have training ADD and don’t focus on nutrition.)

Here’s why this methodology is so important.

Your body responds to every piece of stimuli it receives and adapts accordingly. The more signals you can send it to adapt in a certain way, the more likely it will be to adapt to handle that stimuli.  

This means it’s time to start hitting your body with the right stimuli immediately and frequently:

You don’t need to lose weight before you train like a gymnast. Start training like a gymnast NOW so your body starts to develop like that of a gymnast from day one.

You don’t need to lose weight before you train like a parkour traceur or a marathon runner. Start training like a traceur or go for your first long walk or 10 second jog NOW and your body will start to adapt over time to look like your heroes.

You don’t need to become more bendy before you can try Yoga. You become more bendy BY trying Yoga. The more you do, the more your body responds accordingly.

Want to get bigger and build muscle? Don’t run just because you think fitness = running (this path will never get you where you want to go!). Start hitting your body with strength training and barbells and bodyweight movements and tell it “better get used to this by getting stronger!”

Every meal, every push-up, every step walked, every mile run, every second practicing a handstand, every second doing ANYTHING is sending tiny signals to your body “change and get better at this thing.” THAT’S how you get started building a body to be proud of, and that’s how you end up building a body that looks like the body you want to have!

I love video games that operate like this, games like Morrowind or Skyrim: You don’t allocate points to improve skills – there’s no “add +1 to archery” or “add +1 to sword fighting.” You improve those skills by USING them! Shoot enough arrows, and archery gains +1, swing a sword enough times and you gain +1 sword fighting!

Conveniently, that’s how life works too.

Note: this doesn’t mean doing the workout of the most elite people you can find. Jumping into the Octagon and fighting an MMA bout tomorrow if you’ve never thrown a punch is bad news bears.  Going from your couch to running the Boston Marathon next week is a recipe for disaster. Instead, start with the basics for the TYPE of person you want to be. But START TRAINING LIKE THEM IMMEDIATELY. That’s the most important part.

Here’s what this looks like in real life:

• Want to look and perform like a marathon runner? Get started with long walks and small jogs.
• Want to look and perform like Georges St. Pierre or Ronda Rousey? Find a beginner Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class and show up.
• Want to look and perform like Usain Bolt? Try your first hill sprint and see if you can find a beginner sprinters program. Also know that strength training will be crucial for you.
• Want to look and perform like NF Team Member and deadlift hero Staci? Try your first barbell deadlift or bodyweight squat. But start.
• Want to look and perform like NF Yoga instructor Kate? Do your first downward dog today. It doesn’t have to be perfect. 

Whenever I’m faced with a decision of what I need to do, if I should workout or skip it, if I should eat this or that, sleep in or get up, etc., I ask myself “What would future Gymnast Steve do?”

And then I do that thing.

Remember: if you just want to lose a few pounds and not hate exercise, pick something you love. If you’re looking to build a certain type of physique, make sure you are training and eating in a way that lines up with those goals and forget the rest!

Of course, this poses a challenge: It’s possible (likely in fact) that you’ll be afraid to start. Why? Because you’re probably going to be awful at whatever you are just starting!

If you’re really overweight, the thought of doing parkour might make you want to throw up. Or if you’ve never done a gymnastics move before, you might think you need to get really strong first before you even attempt any movements. Going for a run is a ‘fit person’s game’, not yours. That’s why its crucial that we learn to get terrible out of the way. It sounds terrifying, but embracing terrible, as I explain in this video, is a LOT of fun!

Once you have your training path selected, it’s time for your next mission:

Mission 2: Overcome Genetics and Age with Lifestyle

In this game of life, you are randomly assigned a character/race. You might be a waifish high-elf, or a lumbering troll/ogre. You might be predisposed to be better at strength training or running. Or predisposed to Type-2 diabetes and had parents that fed you junk food your whole life. It ain’t fair, but that’s life, bub.

Just like some players get power-leveled, BUY the best gear, or cheat in some video games, there are genetic freaks out there and people who have opportunities you don’t. The top 1% of athletes or actors or actresses in their respective field have incredible genetics, financial incentive to succeed at their physical craft, and decades of training in a very that have allowed them to sculpt their physiques to suits their life’s needs: to be the best at something.

Some people just hit the genetic lottery, and it is what it is.

Some are naturally predisposed to running fast, others are predisposed to running for distance. Some people build muscle effortlessly, while others struggle to put on any weight at all. Some people are naturally predisposed to accumulating fat.

As we explain in our Guide to Genetics: You might be predisposed to being a great runner, but WANT to be a powerlifter, or vice versa. Or, you might put on fat easier than other people and want to be a marathon runner. Welp, you can either complain about it, force yourself to do the thing you dislike just because you’re better at it, or you can just DO the thing that brings you happiness and purpose with your training.

Depending on your genetics, age, job, lifestyle, how many kids you have (playing life as a Multiplayer Game!), or how much disposable income you have, yes: all of these factors will affect your training and ability to transform.

But you WILL be able to transform.

You might have a slower journey or lower maximum skill level based on the above factors. But it’s not your starting location/race, but rather your choices once you start playing that will determine how your character transforms.

You see, we all have baggage. ALL OF US. We’re all pretty freakin’ weird people with inner and outer demons we’re battling.

And yet, we find ways to succeed despite our baggage. We have single moms doing Nerd Fitness Yoga with their sons in our community. 60-year-old women who started powerlifting at age 59 (and are now going to powerlifting competitions). Age does not matter! Guys who are built like ogres have fallen in love with marathon training. We have a community of parents, students, people struggling financially, with mental health issues, and with incredibly difficult physical health issues, all making progress each day.

REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU ARE IN LIFE, I guarantee we have somebody in our community who has it worse, is older, has the same injury you do, has more children, less money, and has found a way to succeed in the way you want to succeed.

This realization leaves you with two choices:

• Rationalize why you don’t look like that person, why you’re a unique snowflake with unfixable problems for whatever reason, and go back to Netflix. (I get it. So many good shows!)
• Get EXCITED: if they can do it, so can you! Yes. Even you. Even in that situation. I promise. Learn from them. And then do what they do.

Once realized, this is amazing:

… that you AND YOU ALONE have the ability to do and become whatever you want.

But it starts with personal responsibility, the GREATEST skill you can learn if you want to live better. Wherever you are right now– age, money, family size, waist size — is your place in life at this moment. Some of those things are things that you chose, other things have been thrust upon you (genetics, etc.).

Find somebody your age, with your body type, who has succeeded how you want to succeed. And start emulating them. You might not have the potential to look like King Leonidas or Black Widow, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get to a place that YOU’RE proud of with your particular genetic makeup and situation. 

It might not be your fault, but it’s your responsibility to accept it, and take action with it.

Mission 3: Conquering Nutrition is 90% of Physique

Now that we’ve talked about picking your character type and training like them despite whatever your life situation is, we need to talk about your nutrition.

I can see you eating that donut right now, by the way. Put it down.

Every day, your body uses a certain number of the calories you consume to perform basic bodily functions like breathing, pumping blood throughout your body, brain functions, liver functions, and so on. This is called your basal metabolic rate. Any calories you consume over this amount essentially need to go somewhere and do something.

Depending on how you train and how much you eat, your body will respond to those extra calories in one of three ways:

• Your excess calories go to building more/bigger muscles.
• Your excess calories are burned off with additional activity.
• Your excess calories get stored as fat.

Conversely if you eat LESS calories than you burn every day, your body has to make tough decisions and determine what to do with the lower quantity of calories it consumes: does it preserve the muscle you have and burn the fat you’re storing? Does it conserve those calories and burn fat and muscle equally? Does it use the calories to fuel runs instead?

So how do you tell your body WHAT it should be doing with calories and transform the way you want?

Through your own Sorting Hat, like in Harry Potter! Each calorie entering your body is sent to the Sorting Hat, which tells them which of three houses to join:

• Build muscle and strength: Pick up heavy things or do advanced bodyweight training and you’re “sorting” those extra calories into muscle building.
• Burn as energy: If you choose to run a lot, the body will sort the calories into “use as energy” house, fueling your runs with more and more efficiency.
• Store as fat: If you sit around like a bum, you’re signaling to your whole body “meh, please sort these calories to the “fat storage” house. Mmmm double stuf oreos.”

Like Harry influencing the Sorting Hat to put him in Gryffindor, you can influence how the Sorting Hat works for the calories you consume through training type, intensity, and frequency!

Take me for example: I’m built like an elf. I have thin wrists and ankles, I struggle to put on any weight, and I’m naturally predisposed to be a runner (I was built like Steve Rogers but wanted to be Captain America). But since I wanted to look like and train like a gymnast, I just started doing that! And over time my workouts and diet signaled to my body, “you better build big muscles here and here so Steve can do his strenuous rings workouts.”

And unsurprisingly, my body listened, and I’m stronger, bigger, healthier, and happier than ever.

My training and diet each day signal: “I am a gymnast, and I am strong.” It flies in the face of my genetics, but I get to direct my own Sorting Hat!

It’s all to signal to my body what I chose: “YOU ARE A GYMNAST, BETTER ADAPT AND LOOK LIKE ONE.”

Start asking your new identity the following question, and where you want your body to sort the calories you consume:

• Am I signaling to my body through my training to my body what to do with these calories?
• Am I eating how the person I want to look like would eat?
• Am I recovering how the person I want to look like would recover?

Don’t overthink it, just ask yourself with each meal: “is this what a [what you want to be] would eat?” Ask yourself this with EVERY nutrition decision you make every day. The more times you can answer yes to that question every day, the faster you will see results.

To show how important your training signaling is to your diet: Imagine two identical twins eat the exact same food for 3000 calories a day. Twin 1 lifts heavy weights every day. Twin 2 sits on his ass every day. 12 months later, one will have used those extra calories to build muscle and more closely resemble King Leonidas. The other will have used those extra calories to store more fat and resemble Jabba the Hut.

They eat EXACT same amount of food and have the same genetics, but due to different signaling through activity, their Sorting Hats will make sure they develop VERY different physiques and abilities.

Hang something on your wall that says “what would a runner/Olympic lifter/fighter do?” and then do that.

Repeat this, meal after meal, decision after decision, month after month, year after year, and you will start to become that person.

Just don’t expect to have it happen overnight!

Impatient? Use performance goals, not physique goals

I leave you with one final piece of advice: be patient, my friend.

Although your mentality can change in an instant, it can take years and years for your body to catch up. Depending on what your goals are, you might need to make DRASTIC sacrifices like Katniss Everdeen. 

Your nutrition might need to be solid, your training might need to be intense, and you might need to start saying no to a lot of things you enjoy but don’t line up with your goals.

If this is really what you want, that’s okay!

Three years ago when I started my gymnastics journey, I told my friend Anthony (who is coaching me online) how I had made some progress in the past but would always slide back after a few months. I was eager, willing, and ready to get started and couldn’t wait to get results, and he told me:

“Stop thinking in terms of weeks and months. We’re going to think of your training in terms of years and base our daily expectations on that. A decade from now you’re going to be in better shape than you are right now. But it starts by expanding your timeline and setting proper expectations.”

So, how did I get out of my head and be okay with the long journey?

I stopped worrying about what I looked like, I started thinking about performance based goals instead:

• Can I do 5 muscle ups in a row? (I can now!)
• Can I hold a handstand for 60 seconds?
• Can I deadlift 405 pounds?
• Can I hold a front lever for 5 seconds?

With my goals focused on performance, I didn’t have my eye on a the final form I would take and be “done.” Instead, I just picked whatever the “next” level of difficulty is. No “Before” and “After” – just “what’s next?” And that’s how I actually, finally, transformed.

So start asking yourself THESE types of questions instead of what the scale says:

Can I run a mile in 7 minutes flat?

Can I last 3 rounds in a MMA fight?

Can I squat 1.5x my bodyweight for 5 reps?

Use performance goals to keep focused on what’s in front of you, while signaling to your body each day to transform the way you want to transform. The number on the scale doesn’t define you. Instead, focus on what you’re capable of today that you weren’t yesterday, and fuel your body to help you achieve that goal.

As they say, “Appearance is a consequence of fitness.” Work on getting better at the skill, and your body will develop as a result. Make sure your nutrition is dialed in, and things will happen.

What are you going to do today?

Which brings us to TODAY. Start by asking yourself: “Am I training like the person I want to be? Am I eating like the person I want to be? Am I making decisions like the person I want to be? Am I recovering like the person I want to be? Am I working towards goals that help me become the person I want to be?

Here are some steps to get you started:

• Surround yourself with people who are succeeding like you want to succeed. We have 40,000 people in our free message board community, and each guild/group would love to have new recruits!
• Structure your environment to constantly remind you of your new identity and minimize the steps between you and taking action. 
• Start training like future-you, right now. Check out our Beginner’s Guide to Rings, our Beginner’s Guide to Handstands, our Beginner’s Guide to Parkour, How to Not Suck at Running, or our starter series on Strength Training.
• Start eating properly.  Whether just looking to eat healthier, or want to get big and strong like a superhero 
• Try our flexibility challenge: a two week flexibility challenge with videos to help you start determining your bench marks for mobility and improving the way your body moves. No more feeling like the Tin Man!

If you’re looking for a more Comprehensive Path to follow, try one of our premium courses. It’s tough going it alone, and often times it’s easier to have a specific path and resources to keep you accountable and tell you exactly what actions to take next.

If you want to build a specific physique, we can get you there if you’re willing to work for it:

• The Nerd Fitness Academy – Join 25,000 students in our flagship course to get you started on the right foot with your first year of fitness. We walk you through your journey to help you build strength, lose weight, and get started living healthier with workout routines, boss battles, missions, meal plans, and more. We cover mindset, habit building, and more.
• Nerd Fitness Yoga – Easy-to-follow stretching routines that makes learning the basics of Yoga fun. Watch these videos on any device and get started fixing lower back pain, improving your posture, and finally touch your toes for the first time!
• Nerd Fitness Rings and Handstands – For the aspiring gymnast or those who just want to learn great party tricks while also building strength, muscle, and power. The course is closed currently but we’ll be opening doors again in 2017, so sign up to be notified! 

It’s your turn. Leave a comment below and tell me who you want to look like:

1. Name/Type of person you want to emulate.
2. How they train: running, yoga, martial arts, powerlifting, gymnastics.
3. What your OLD self would use an excuse as to why you don’t look like them.
4. TWO signals you can teach your body today to start training like that person:
   • One workout adjustment you can make to help your body adapt.
   • One dietary adjustment to fuel your body for your activity.
5. Some sort of “HELL YEAH, STEVE” from you letting me know that you’re in.

And I’ll even bribe you because I want you to START. Leave a comment below, and I’ll pick 5 winners at random to snag a signed hardcover copy of my book, Level Up Your Life!

Ready? Gooooooo!

-Steve

###

Bolt: Hilts uk

Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/

Earlier in the year, I heard something that made my head explode.

The 2016 Summer Olympics had just ended. The internet was aflutter with a debate about Usain Bolt, the fastest man on the planet.

The debate was about how quickly Usain Bolt could run a mile.

Scientists, marathon runners, cross country coaches, Olympians, and others had one heck of a debate. People started calculating his pace from 100 meters or 400 meters and extrapolated that out over the course of a mile. Math geeks couldn’t get enough of the thought experiment.

So obviously this begs the question: “Well, how fast does he actually run a mile?”

There’s just one problem:

Usain Bolt has never run a mile.

WHAT?!

As pointed out by the New Yorker, “Usain Bolt’s agent, Ricky Simms, won’t say whether he believes that his client could run a mile in less than five minutes. But Simms confirmed that the world’s greatest sprinter has, in fact, never tried running that far: ‘Usain has never run a mile.’”

Let that sink in for a second.

The fastest man on the planet has never run a mile. In Usain’s mind and his coach’s mind, he’s built to run short distances quickly, so why even bother running a longer distance? He has built a healthy frame designed to do exactly what he needs it to do.

I thought about this, my own training (I haven’t run a mile in over 5 years for a number of reasons, including this one), and the training of the people whose physiques/talent I admire… and it made me come to a logical conclusion:

For most people, training in a way that you enjoy will get you 90% of the way there (with a good nutrition strategy). 

However, if you want to LOOK a certain way or build a certain physique, how you train IS crucial.

And like Usain, it may not fit your typical idea of what fitness is. Instead, you’ll be deliberate with your daily choice, training and eating in a way that build the style and body you want. 

Learn how in three missions.

Want to look like the superhero of your choice? Change your mind.

The other day I was talking to a close friend about my personal 3-year transformation thanks to gymnastic rings and advanced bodyweight exercises.

His response surprised me: “That’s just not me, though. I’m not built like you, like a gymnast, so I can’t train with rings. I don’t have the body type to do what gymnasts can do.”

I have heard other things like this from other members of our community, and I bet you’ve said similar things too:

• Easy for him to run a marathon, he’s got the body of a runner.
• Of course he/she can [do that activity you admire], he/she has genetics like _______.
• I need to lose a lot of weight before I can try rock climbing/martial arts/parkour. To the treadmill, ugh.

We see somebody doing something we want to do, or looking how we want to look, and our first thought is “Well, because genetics/lifestyle/opportunity/excuse, they can do that and I can’t.”

We use this mentality to justify our current position, let ourselves off the hook for not trying, explain why we don’t look a certain way, and give ourselves an an excuse why we can’t try/do something.

Or, we might think we need to be a certain weight until we can start doing that thing that we’re intrigued by. So we do a few machines, we run on a treadmill, we do a few bicep curls. We move from diet to diet or from workout plan to workout plan.

We do “fitness,” dislike it, and then also get mad that we’re not building a body we’re proud of and that we don’t like the people on magazine covers.

THIS IS THE WRONG WAY TO THINK.

STOP IT!

This is me smacking you on the nose with a rolled up newspaper. Stop it.

The truth of the matter is the exact opposite: our bodies are INCREDIBLE pieces of machinery – they reshape themselves and adapt to whatever is thrown at them.

Run fast, and your body builds muscle in the right places to be more efficient with sprints. Train like an MMA fighter and your body will start to resemble a guy that gets in the octagon. Run distances and your blood cells and joints and muscles start to adapt to covering long distances and tiring less easily.

So change your thinking right now. FORM (your body) follows function (the stuff you do with your time):

Gymnasts don’t train on gymnastic rings because they are built like superheroes. The opposite is true: they are built like superheroes BECAUSE they train on gymnastic rings!

Runners don’t just look like runners and thus run a lot. They look like runners BECAUSE they run a lot!

MMA fighters aren’t built like machines and thus fight and do martial arts. They look like MMA fighters BECAUSE they train in a certain way.  

Usain looks like Usain because he intentionally started training to build that sprinting-machine!

This means you need to identify the TYPE of person you want to look like and follow a specific plan to train like them. Or in Nerd Fitness Terms, pick your class (explained below) and then ask “What would [my future avatar] do?”

You need to find your own path to “fitness,” and forget the rest of it.

If it’s going to be a challenge, you might as well be challenging yourself in a way that actually helps you achieve your goal physique, right?

Mission 1: Select your Class

Take the next few minutes and find somebody known for a particular skill or sport you admire, or someone who you’re interested in looking like.  What activity are they good at or known for?  What’s the body type you’re going for?

And then start acting like that person. Immediately.

I’m guessing you’re here (or you first came to Nerd Fitness) because you wanted to lose a few pounds (or hundreds of pounds), gain some strength/muscle, look better naked and feel better about yourself. And that’s exactly how I started training (for me, it was wanting to get bigger, stronger, and feel better about myself).

Whatever brought you here, welcome. Now let’s get you where you want to go.

Know this: the path to that success is dependent on knowing the TYPE of physique you’re looking for, and then training, eating, and acting like the people who have that particular physique or can do those particular things.

(It sounds simple, but nearly everyone misses this point in how they decide to train. Most people have training ADD and don’t focus on nutrition.)

Here’s why this methodology is so important.

Your body responds to every piece of stimuli it receives and adapts accordingly. The more signals you can send it to adapt in a certain way, the more likely it will be to adapt to handle that stimuli.  

This means it’s time to start hitting your body with the right stimuli immediately and frequently:

You don’t need to lose weight before you train like a gymnast. Start training like a gymnast NOW so your body starts to develop like that of a gymnast from day one.

You don’t need to lose weight before you train like a parkour traceur or a marathon runner. Start training like a traceur or go for your first long walk or 10 second jog NOW and your body will start to adapt over time to look like your heroes.

You don’t need to become more bendy before you can try Yoga. You become more bendy BY trying Yoga. The more you do, the more your body responds accordingly.

Want to get bigger and build muscle? Don’t run just because you think fitness = running (this path will never get you where you want to go!). Start hitting your body with strength training and barbells and bodyweight movements and tell it “better get used to this by getting stronger!”

Every meal, every push-up, every step walked, every mile run, every second practicing a handstand, every second doing ANYTHING is sending tiny signals to your body “change and get better at this thing.” THAT’S how you get started building a body to be proud of, and that’s how you end up building a body that looks like the body you want to have!

I love video games that operate like this, games like Morrowind or Skyrim: You don’t allocate points to improve skills – there’s no “add +1 to archery” or “add +1 to sword fighting.” You improve those skills by USING them! Shoot enough arrows, and archery gains +1, swing a sword enough times and you gain +1 sword fighting!

Conveniently, that’s how life works too.

Note: this doesn’t mean doing the workout of the most elite people you can find. Jumping into the Octagon and fighting an MMA bout tomorrow if you’ve never thrown a punch is bad news bears.  Going from your couch to running the Boston Marathon next week is a recipe for disaster. Instead, start with the basics for the TYPE of person you want to be. But START TRAINING LIKE THEM IMMEDIATELY. That’s the most important part.

Here’s what this looks like in real life:

• Want to look and perform like a marathon runner? Get started with long walks and small jogs.
• Want to look and perform like Georges St. Pierre or Ronda Rousey? Find a beginner Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class and show up.
• Want to look and perform like Usain Bolt? Try your first hill sprint and see if you can find a beginner sprinters program. Also know that strength training will be crucial for you.
• Want to look and perform like NF Team Member and deadlift hero Staci? Try your first barbell deadlift or bodyweight squat. But start.
• Want to look and perform like NF Yoga instructor Kate? Do your first downward dog today. It doesn’t have to be perfect. 

Whenever I’m faced with a decision of what I need to do, if I should workout or skip it, if I should eat this or that, sleep in or get up, etc., I ask myself “What would future Gymnast Steve do?”

And then I do that thing.

Remember: if you just want to lose a few pounds and not hate exercise, pick something you love. If you’re looking to build a certain type of physique, make sure you are training in the way that lines up with those goals and forget the rest!

Of course, this poses a challenge: It’s possible (likely in fact) that you’ll be afraid to start. Why? Because you’re probably going to be awful at whatever you are just starting!

If you’re really overweight, the thought of doing parkour might make you want to throw up. Or if you’ve never done a gymnastics move before, you might think you need to get really strong first before you even attempt any movements. Going for a run is a ‘fit person’s game’, not yours. That’s why its crucial that we learn to get terrible out of the way. It sounds terrifying, but embracing terrible, as I explain in this video, is a LOT of fun!

Once you have your training path selected, it’s time for your next mission:

Mission 2: Overcome Genetics and Age with Lifestyle

In this game of life, you are randomly assigned a character/race. You might be a waifish high-elf, or a lumbering troll/ogre. You might be predisposed to be better at strength training or running. Or predisposed to Type-2 diabetes and had parents that fed you junk food your whole life. It ain’t fair, but that’s life, bub.

Just like some players get power-leveled, BUY the best gear, or cheat in some video games, there are genetic freaks out there and people who have opportunities you don’t. The top 1% of athletes or actors or actresses in their respective field have incredible genetics, financial incentive to succeed at their physical craft, and decades of training in a very that have allowed them to sculpt their physiques to suits their life’s needs: to be the best at something.

Some people just hit the genetic lottery, and it is what it is.

Some are naturally predisposed to running fast, others are predisposed to running for distance. Some people build muscle effortlessly, while others struggle to put on any weight at all. Some people are naturally predisposed to accumulating fat.

As we explain in our Guide to Genetics: You might be predisposed to being a great runner, but WANT to be a powerlifter, or vice versa. Or, you might put on fat easier than other people and want to be a marathon runner. Welp, you can either complain about it, force yourself to do the thing you dislike just because you’re better at it, or you can just DO the thing that brings you happiness and purpose with your training.

Depending on your genetics, age, job, lifestyle, how many kids you have (playing life as a Multiplayer Game!), or how much disposable income you have, yes: all of these factors will affect your training and ability to transform.

But you WILL be able to transform.

You might have a slower journey or lower maximum skill level based on the above factors. But it’s not your starting location/race, but rather your choices once you start playing that will determine how your character transforms.

You see, we all have baggage. ALL OF US. We’re all pretty freakin’ weird people with inner and outer demons we’re battling.

And yet, we find ways to succeed despite our baggage. We have single moms doing Nerd Fitness Yoga with their sons in our community. 60 year old women who started powerlifting at age 59 (and are now going to powerlifting competitions). Age does not matter! Guys who are built like ogres have fallen in love with marathon training. We have a community of parents, students, people struggling financially, with mental health issues, and with incredibly difficult physical health issues, all making progress each day.

REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU ARE IN LIFE, I guarantee we have somebody in our community who has it worse, is older, has the same injury you do, has more children, less money, and has found a way to succeed in the way you want to succeed.

This realization leaves you with two choices:

• Rationalize why you don’t look like that person, why you’re a unique snowflake with unfixable problems for whatever reason, and go back to Netflix. (I get it. Too many good shows!)
• Get EXCITED: if they can do it, so can you! Yes. Even you. In that situation. I promise. Learn from them. And then do what they do.

Once realized, this is amazing:

… that you AND YOU ALONE have the ability to do and become whatever you want.

But it starts with personal responsibility, the GREATEST skill you can learn if you want to live better. Wherever you are right now: age, money, family size, waist size, is your place in life at this moment. Some of those things are things that you chose, other things have been thrust upon you (genetics, etc.).

Find somebody your age, with your body type, that has succeeded how you want to succeed. And start emulating them. You might not have the potential to look like King Leonidas or Black Widow, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get to a place that YOU’RE proud of with your particular genetic makeup and situation. 

It might not be your fault, but it’s your responsibility to accept it, and take action with it.

Mission 3: Conquering Nutrition is 90% of Physique

Now that we’ve talked about picking your character type and training like them despite whatever your life situation is, we need to talk about your nutrition.

I can see you eating that donut right now, by the way. Put it down.

Every day, your body uses a certain number of the calories you consume to perform basic bodily functions like breathing, pumping blood throughout your body, brain functions, liver functions, and so on. This is called your basal metabolic rate. Any calories you consume over this amount essentially need to go somewhere and do something.

Depending on how you train and how much you eat, your body will respond to those extra calories in one of three ways:

• Your excess calories go to building more/bigger muscles.
• Your excess calories are burned off with additional activity.
• Your excess calories get stored as fat.

Conversely if you eat LESS calories than you burn every day, your body has to make tough decisions and determine what to do with the lower quantity of calories it consumes: does it preserve the muscle you have and burn the fat you’re storing? Does it conserve those calories and burn fat and muscle equally? Does it use the calories to fuel runs instead?

So how do you tell your body WHAT it should be doing with calories and transform the way you want?

Through your own Sorting Hat, like in Harry Potter! Each calorie entering your body is sent to the Sorting Hat, which tells them which of three houses to join:

• Build muscle and strength: Pick up heavy things or do advanced bodyweight training and you’re “sorting” those extra calories into muscle building.
• Burn as energy: If you choose to run a lot, the body will sort the calories into “use as energy” house, fueling your runs with more and more efficiency.
• Store as fat: If you sit around like a bum, you’re signaling to your whole body “meh, please sort these calories to the “fat storage” house. Mmmm double stuf oreos.”

Like Harry influencing the Sorting Hat to put him in Gryffindor, you can influence how the Sorting Hat works for the calories you consume through training type, intensity, and frequency!

Take me for example: I’m built like an elf. I have thin wrists and ankles, I struggle to put on any weight, and I’m naturally predisposed to be a runner (I was built like Steve Rogers but wanted to be Captain America). But since I wanted to look like and train like a gymnast, I just started doing that! And over time my workouts and diet signalled to my body “you better build big muscles here and here so Steve can do his strenuous rings workouts.”

And unsurprisingly, my body listened, and I’m stronger, bigger, healthier, and happier than ever.

My training and diet each day signal: “I am a gymnast, and I am strong.” It flies in the face of my genetics, but I get to direct my own Sorting Hat!

It’s all to signal to my body what I chose: “YOU ARE A GYMNAST, BETTER ADAPT AND LOOK LIKE ONE.”

Start asking your new identity the following question, and where you want your body to sort the calories you consume:

• Am I signalling to my body through my training to my body what to do with these calories?
• Am I eating how the person I want to look like would eat?
• Am I recovering how the person I want to look like would recover?

Don’t overthink it, just ask yourself with each meal: “is this what a [what you want to be] would eat?” Ask yourself this with EVERY nutrition decision you make every day. The more times you can answer yes to that question every day, the faster you will see results.

To show how important your training signaling is to your diet: Imagine two identical twins eat the exact same food for 3000 calories a day. Twin 1 lifts heavy weights every day. Twin 2 sits on his ass every day. 12 months later, one will have used those extra calories to build muscle and more closely resemble King Leonidas. The other will have used those extra calories to store more fat and resemble Jabba the Hut.

They eat EXACT same amount of food and have the same genetics, but due to different signalling through activity, their Sorting Hats will make sure they develop VERY different physiques and abilities.

Hang something on your wall that says “what would a runner/Olympic lifter/fighter do?” and then do that.

Repeat this, meal after meal, decision after decision, month after month, year after year, and you will start to become that person.

Just don’t expect to have it happen overnight!

Impatient? Use performance goals, not physique goals

I leave you with one final piece of advice: be patient, my friend.

Although your mentality can change in an instant, it could take years and years for your body to catch up. Depending on what your goals are, you might need to make DRASTIC sacrifices like Katniss Everdeen. 

Your nutrition might need to be solid, your training might need to be intense, and you might need to start saying no to a lot of things you enjoy but don’t line up with your goals.

If this is really what you want, that’s okay!

Three years ago when I started my gymnastics journey, I told my friend Anthony (who is coaching me online) how I had made some progress in the past but would always slide back after a few months. I was eager, willing, and ready to get started and couldn’t wait to get results, and he told me:

“Stop thinking in terms of weeks and months. We’re going to think of your training in terms of years and base our daily expectations on that. A decade from now you’re going to be in better shape than you are right now. But it starts by expanding your timeline and setting proper expectations.”

So, how did I get out of my head and be okay with the long journey?

I stopped worrying about what I looked like, I started thinking about performance based goals instead:

• Can I do 5 muscle ups in a row? (I can now!)
• Can I hold a handstand for 60 seconds?
• Can I deadlift 405 pounds?
• Can I hold a front lever for 5 seconds?

With my goals focused on performance, I didn’t have my eye on a the final form I would take and be “done.” Instead, I just picked whatever the “next” level of difficulty is. No “Before” and “After” – just “what’s next?” And that’s how I actually, finally, transformed.

So start asking yourself THESE questions instead of what the scale says:

Can I run a mile in 7 minutes flat?

Can I last 3 rounds in a MMA fight?

Can I squat 1.5x my bodyweight for 5 reps?

Use performance goals to keep focused on what’s in front of you, while signalling to your body each day to transform the way you want to transform. The number on the scale doesn’t define you. Instead, focus on what you’re capable of today that you weren’t yesterday, and fuel your body to help you achieve that goal.

As they say, “Appearance is a consequence of fitness.” Work on getting better at the skill, and your body will develop as a result. Make sure your nutrition is dialed in, and things will happen.

What are you going to do today?

Which brings us to TODAY. Start by asking yourself: “Am I training like the person I want to be? Am I eating like the person I want to be? Am I making decisions like the person I want to be? Am I recovering like the person I want to be? Am I working towards goals that help me become the person I want to be?

Here are some steps to get you started:

• Surround yourself with people who are succeeding like you want to succeed. We have 40,000 people in our free message board community, and each guild/group would love to have new recruits!
• Structure your environment to constantly remind you of your new identity and minimize the steps between you and taking action. 
• Start training like future-you, right now. Check out our Beginner’s Guide to Rings, our Beginner’s Guide to Handstands, our Beginner’s Guide to Parkour, How to Not Suck at Running, or our starter series on Strength Training.
• Start eating properly.  Whether just looking to eat healthier, or want to get big and strong like a superhero 
• Try our flexibility challenge: a two week flexibility challenge with videos to help you start determining your bench marks for mobility and improving the way your body moves. No more feeling like the Tin Man!

If you’re looking for a more Comprehensive Path to follow, try one of our premium courses. It’s tough going it alone, and often times it’s easier to have a specific path and resources to keep you accountable and tell you exactly what actions to take next.

If you want to build a specific physique, we can get you there if you’re willing to work for it:

• The Nerd Fitness Academy – Join 25,000 students in our flagship course to get you started on the right foot with your first year of fitness. We walk you through your journey to help you build strength, lose weight, and get started living healthier with workout routines, boss battles, missions, meal plans, and more. We cover mindset, habit building, and more.
• Nerd Fitness Yoga – easy to follow stretching routines that make things fun. Watch these videos on any device and get started fixing lower back pain, improving your posture, and finally touch your toes for the first time!
• Nerd Fitness Rings and Handstands – if you’re an aspiring gymnast or just want to learn great party tricks while also building strength/muscle and power. The course is closed currently but we’ll be opening doors again in 2017 so sign up to be notified.

It’s your turn. Leave a comment below and tell me who you want to look like:

1. Name/Type of the Person you want to emulate
2. How they train: running, yoga, martial arts, powerlifting, gymnastics
3. What your OLD self would use an excuse as to why you don’t look like them
4. TWO signals you can teach your body today to start training like that person:
   • One workout adjustment you can make to make your body adapt.
   • One dietary adjustment to fuel your body for your activity.
5. Some sort of “HELL YEAH, STEVE” from you letting me know that you’re in.

And I’ll even bribe you because I want you to START. Leave a comment below, and I’ll pick 5 winners at random to send them signed hardcover copies of my book, Level Up Your Life!

Ready? Gooooooo!

-Steve

###

Bolt: Hilts uk

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

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http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Thanksgiving is a vegetarian’s delight because, let’s face it, it’s really all about the sides. Who needs turkey when you have bowls heaped with gingered carrot coins and platters laden with brown-buttered green beans? Not to mention the perfection that is mashed potatoes and gravy. And have I mentioned stuffing yet?

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