A Way of Life Has No Finish Lineby
Mark Sisson Recently by Mark Sisson: 100 Days of Change – My Transformation Story
I have wanted to write my own success story of my life on the Primal Blueprint diet ever since I reaped the initial benefits only three days into the commitment, but I was waiting until I had “finished” my goals. It’s now been more than nine months since my adventure into the Primal lifestyle began, and I have begun to realize that there really is no finish line in personal wellness and contentment. This has become a way of life, and one can always improve oneself. Mark said it best about the Primal Blueprint diet: “This is not the most ripped contest.” From the age of 6, I was a very active child and an especially athletic one. I joined my first competitive swim team that year and it became the focus of my life for the next 12 years. Swimming for five to ten times a week in competitive training kept me extremely fit and health never crossed my mind as I had not an ounce of visible fat anywhere on my body. Keep in mind, though, I was never very cut or ripped either. I grew up in the south, and my diet reflected the region: lots of meat, chicken fried steak, lots of potatoes and corn, etc. I had sit down family meals with freshly cooked dinners most nights, so in my opinion everything at my dinner table could be considered “healthy,” because hey, at least I wasn’t eating fast food, right? I ate a lot at meals, with heaping amounts of white gravy poured over meat and potatoes, to the point that I had to lay down after each meal.
By the time I was in 7th grade, I had picked up long distance running and joined the cross-country team, in addition to being on the swim team. A normal day for me consisted of 1.5 hour swim practice before school, 5-7 mile run after school, then a 2 hour swim practice after that. Like Michael Phelps, I had to consume massive amounts of calories in order to even maintain my small weight of 145 lbs. (I am 5’10”.) My mom was unable to cook enough to meet my caloric needs, so I turned to eating quick frozen foods between meals. I could easily eat four Hot Pockets at a time, more than once a day in addition to my regular meals. Things started to change for me when we moved. In 9th grade we moved to Michigan, where I continued my athletic and eating frenzy. Now, I don’t want to say that Michiganders are more unhealthy than southerners, as I have no proof of this, but the city suburban life coaxed me into eating more and more fast food and frozen/boxed meals at this age. This is where my problems began. By 16, I started to have excruciating bouts of heartburn after every meal. It was so terrible that I would have to lie on my side for half an hour after each meal with my eyes closed (a nurse told me this helps put the esophagus in a neutral position). This continued untreated for several years, until I was about to graduate high school. By the time I graduated, I had horrible stomach pains, diarrhea and indigestion, in addition to the heartburn after every meal, every day. After weeks of tests, I found out that I had inexplicably become lactose intolerant, literally overnight; in addition I had two of the three markers for celiac disease. The doctor said it was not enough to be conclusive, and that I likely didn’t have gluten intolerance. So I was sent on my way with a high-powered medicine for my heartburn and a new ban on dairy products. What happens when you tell an 18-year-old that they have no problem with gluten and that they can take a pill for the pain instead of changing food choices? They start eating worse! Listen to Lew's recent podcast with Mark Sisson December 26, 2012 Copyright © 2012 Mark's Daily Apple
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