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More Vegetables for Better Health and Wellness

The bulk of any Primal/Paleo meal should be vegetables. As stated in my article about the Primal Blueprint Food Pyramid, your vegetables should be diverse and of many different colors. You want to “eat the rainbow,” as they say. These various colors of fruits and vegetables are a result of the chemicals held within them. They give us an array of nutrients with high antioxidant values. So each day, we want to provide our bodies with a “rainbow” of micronutrients! What follows are 5 ways to eat more vegetables every day, as explained in How to Be Well, by Dr. Frank Lipman.

Shop and Prep your Vegetables

After buying your vegetables, set some time aside to wash and chop/slice them up for the week ahead. That way you can make colorful salads and stir-fry veggies in no time, and have a variety of healthy snacks on hand every day.

Roast your Vegetables

On your prep day, you can make one or two batches of roasted vegetables (sweet potatoes, beets, squash, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.) with a healthy fat for the days ahead.

Make a Soup

Blend steamed vegetables with your homemade broth and have that in the fridge for the week.

Replace Pasta with Spirals and Strands

Dr. Frank Lipman explains: “Make noodles from spiralized zucchini, winter squash, sweet potato, and more….You can also roast a spaghetti squash and scoop out the strands….While you’re at it, replace rice with the cauliflower kind – it also stands in as the basis for pizza crust.”

Stock your Freezer

It is easy to have different bags of frozen organic vegetables in your freezer, ready to be used. If you make a large batch of vegetable soup, you can freeze some of it too.

In Summary

Keep in mind that some vegetables may not work well for everyone. It is up to you to experiment and see how your body responds to each food you eat. It is better to buy locally grown fresh produce and organic. To know exactly how to pick vegetables, you can check my blog post on What to Buy Organic. A great book to read on how to select and prepare vegetables (and fruits) is Eating on the Wild Side: The Missing Link to Optimum Health, by Jo Robinson. How (& Why) to Eat More Vegetables, by Dr. Thomas Cowan is an awesome read too!

Happy 4th of July!

Reference

Lipman, Frank M D. How to Be Well: The 6 Keys to a Happy and Healthy Life. Houghton Mifflin, 2019, pp. 58–9.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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Yoga and Intentional Breathing

My neighborhood yoga center reopened last weekend. I was happy to attend an in-studio class again. Last January, I wrote about Why Yoga Poses Can Be So Beneficial. From maintaining muscle tone and flexibility, to improving balance and breathing skills, to strengthening how organs can function through various poses, all these are good reasons for practicing a few yoga asanas every day if you can. Yoga is great at helping reduce daily stress as well.

This past weekend, we practiced box breathing again. I really enjoy this calming breath exercise that helps regulate the autonomic nervous system. There’s no simpler way to help you reach a relaxed state than a quick intentional breathing exercise. So here’s the technique for box breathing (previously mentioned), along with a few other breathing exercises, to help you unwind!                                                                                                     

Box Breathing

Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds, and count for 4 seconds before breathing in again. You can increase the number of seconds as you become more skilled but always practice in moderation. And just a few minutes (up to 5 minutes) at a time is plenty.  

Belly Breathing

This technique is explained by Dr. Frank Lipman in the July/August 2018 Experience Life magazine, which you can also find in his book How to Be Well: “Place both hands on your belly, just below your bottom ribs. Rest the tip of your tongue behind your front teeth. Take a slow, deep inhalation through your nose. Draw your breath all the way into your belly, past your chest. Notice your diaphragm moving downward and feel your belly and rib cage expand. When you can take in no more air, exhale slowly through your nose until your lungs are empty – you’ll feel your belly falling under your hands. Repeat 10 cycles. As you continue, see if you can extend the exhale until it is twice the length of the inhale. Breathing this way helps quiet spinning thoughts and brings you back to your body in the present moment.”

Vagal Nerve Stimulating Breathing Exercise (also called 4-7-8 Breathing)           

This exercise (which I love to do every day) is well described by neurologist Dr. Maya Shetreat-Klein in a Bulletproof podcast. Begin by sitting comfortably without crossing your arms or legs. Place the tip of your tongue right between your palate and the upper teeth. Breathe in for 4 seconds through the nose. Hold the breath for 7 seconds. Breathe out through the mouth for 8 seconds, making a “whoosh” sound as you keep your tongue placed between your palate and upper teeth. Repeat 4 times only, twice a day.

Breathing Exercise Paired with Visualization

I read about this breathing exercise in a book titled The Fourfold Path to Healing, by Dr. Thomas Cowan, Sally Fallon, et al., and find the visualization very relaxing. Picture yourself by the seashore and as a wave comes crashing at your feet, breathe out. Pause for a few seconds, then as a new wave forms in the distance, take a deep breath in. Hold your breath for a few seconds, then breathe out as the new wave reaches your feet again. Repeat this breathing exercise a few times.

Which breathing exercise is your favorite?

Until next time!

References 

Asprey, Dave. Talking Dirty about Spiritual Plants and Microbial Biodiversity. blog.daveasprey.com/talking-dirty-spiritual-plants-microbial-biodiversity-426/. Accessed 17 Aug. 2019.

Cowan, Thomas S, et al. The Fourfold Path to Healing : Working with the Laws of Nutrition, Therapeutics, Movement and Meditation in the Art of Medicine. Washington D.C., Newtrends Pub, 2004, pp. 50–3.

Greenfield, Ben. Boundless : Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging. Las Vegas, Victory Belt Publishing Inc, 2020, p. 49.

Lipman, MD, Frank. “6 Keys to a Happy and Healthy Life.” Experience Life, July 2018, pp. 68–9.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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Doing Away with Nutrient-poor Foods 

Once we decide to do away with processed foods and the traditional nutrient-poor foods found in most supermarkets, the amount of money we are going to spend on food is probably going to increase a bit. The next time you are looking at the low price tags on some processed foods, keep in mind that they are cheap because many of them are just a mixture of inexpensive fat, sugar, flour, and salt with barely any nutrients. On the other hand, when we consume real nutrient-dense foods, these will keep us satiated for a long period of time. We won’t feel the need to constantly have snacks throughout the day. Although at first it may seem you will be spending more when trying to eat cleaner, applying some of these simple strategies below will help to eat healthy on a budget.

Strategies to Eat Healthy on a Budget

Here are a few of these strategies, as described in The Wild Diet, by Abel James:

  • Buy in bulk and cook large meals ahead of time.
  • Shop at a food co-op (member-owned “cooperative”).
  • Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm.
  • Shop at farmers’ markets.
  • Look into volunteering at local farms.
  • Grow your own garden.

There is also what is called “cowpooling.” This is when you decide to buy with your friends a whole butchered cow at a local farm, each one of you getting a section of it.

To locate where you can buy meat and produce in your area, you can check eatwild.com, localharvest.org, americangrassfed.org, and slowfoodusa.org.

Online, Thrive Market is an awesome option to buy low-cost paleo and keto products.

In Summary

Eating healthy on a budget doesn’t have to cost a fortune. It is also important to keep in mind that eating nutrient-dense foods will most likely save you some money down the road by providing better overall health in the many years to come than would the traditional processed foods. Knowing that we are all unique individuals with specific requirements and sensitivities, as always, see which foods work for you and buy accordingly.

Until next time!

References

James, Abel. The Wild Diet:  Go Beyond Paleo to Burn Fat, Beat Cravings, and Drop 20 Pounds in 40 Days. New York, Penguin Random House, 19 Jan. 2016, pp. 300-301.

Sisson, Mark. The Primal Blueprint : 21-Day Total Body Transformation. Oxnard, Ca, Primal Blueprint Publishing, 2016, pp. 94-96.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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No Recipe Needed

Have you ever tried cooking without a recipe? If you want a simple primal meal or snack, just putting a few ingredients together is all you have to do. Once your kitchen has the basic paleo/keto non-perishables, getting in-season vegetables and a few cuts of well-sourced meat is all you’ll need. These simple meals can be such a help at times!

How to Cook Without a Recipe

The following meal/snack ideas are mentioned in the Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals, by Mark Sisson and Jennifer Meier:

  • A big salad: just mix together some green leafy vegetables with a few other pre-cut vegetables and a protein of your choice (a dinner leftover, a couple of hard-boiled eggs, a can of sardines, or a handful of nuts, for example). Add your favorite primal-friendly dressing (homemade or not).
  • Stuffed avocados: cut an avocado in half, remove the pit, and put a mashed hard-boiled egg in the center of it. Feel free to drizzle some bacon bits on top.
  • Nut butter, homemade or in a jar, is a great dip for veggies and fruits (also mentioned in my article, 12 “On-the-go” Healthy Snack Options).
  • Lettuce wrap: on a Romaine lettuce leaf, add bits of leftover meat, cut-up tomato, and avocado, for instance, with some mayonnaise. Fold the leaf over the filling tightly.
  • Omelet or frittata: add to the beaten eggs any leftover you have on hand, meat and/or vegetables, and cook in the pan.
  • Coconut soup: bring to a boil some chicken stock and coconut milk (about the same amount of each). Add to the mixture some spinach and shrimps. Cook gently 2-3 minutes.
  • Smoothies: these can be very simple too by blending together 2 or 3 ingredients of your choice. For example, you can have some coconut milk with frozen berries. Another idea is blending ice, cucumber, avocado, and tomato. There are tons of possibilities here!

In Summary

Simple primal meals and snacks take no time to put together. With a little bit of imagination, you can have delicious meals done in just a few minutes. This is one way to tap into your creativity as well. There are many delicious primal recipes to choose from, but it is also nice to know that you can eat primal even when you are in a big rush. One less thing to stress about!

Until next time!

Reference

Sisson, Mark, and Jennifer Meier. Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals : Delicious, Primal-Approved Meals You Can Make in under 30 Minutes. Oxnard, Primal Blueprint Publishing, 2018, pp. xx–xxi.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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Be Patient with Yourself

Have you ever decided to start a new exercise regimen just to see the whole thing fall apart just a few days after? Oftentimes we want to take on way too much, way too soon. It is normal that when we want to start something new we are excited about it, and therefore we want to make a big change right away. But building new habits and getting rid of old ones is a process that takes time. As mentioned in a previous post, author Dr. Kyra Bobinet explains in her book, Well Designed Life, “As the new behavior is practiced more and more, the neural connections underlying that behavior get stronger and stronger. It is like wearing a rough footpath through repeated use, and then once established, paving that road (i.e., adding myelin to neural networks) to make it faster. Eventually there are two neural pathways that are of equal strength—the old habit and the new one—and you can imagine two highways that you could choose from. When we hit this point, the new behavior is as good an option (and equally likely to occur) as the old default behavior.” Building a new habit requires patience, dedication, and consistency.

The “Two-Minute Rule”

In his book, Atomic Habits, James Clear mentions the Two-Minute Rule, which means: “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.” By starting something new that takes only a couple of minutes, there is very little chance of failing. James Clear gives five examples:

  • “Read before bed each night” becomes “Read one page.”
  • “Do thirty minutes of yoga” becomes “Take out my yoga mat.”
  • “Study for class” becomes “Open my notes.”
  • “Fold the laundry” becomes “Fold one pair of socks.”
  • “Run three miles” becomes “Tie my running shoes.”

James Clear adds that “The point is to master the habit of showing up.” Of course you want to end up building on those two minutes. But if it is really just two minutes at first, that’s fine too. For example, if you want to start meditating, meditating for two minutes is an okay start. The new habit that you want to implement should not feel like a challenge.

In Summary

To build a new habit for good, you want to take steps that are easy to implement on a regular basis. As explained in Atomic Habits, opening your notes can lead to studying for ten minutes, to maybe studying for three hours, to getting better grades, to getting your degree. Doing a few stretches throughout the day, as I do, even if you don’t have the time for a complete workout, is just enough to keep strengthening the right mindset. You are building a new habit, but also a new identity, the one of someone who keeps showing up. It’s all about taking small steps easy for you to repeat every day. Once the habit is established, you can build on this new foundation and reinforce it even more for the better!

Until next time!

References

Bobinet, Kyra. Well Designed Life : 10 Lessons in Brain Science & Design Thinking for a Mindful, Healthy, & Purposeful Life. Walnut Creek, California, Engagedin Press, 2015, pp. 295–96.

Clear, James. Atomic Habits : Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results : An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. New York, Avery, An Imprint Of Penguin Random House, 2018, pp. 162–67.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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“Premium Fuel” For Your Brain

One of my favorite childhood memories is when my brother and I would go on a ski trip on Easter with my grandmother. There is nothing like skiing all day to increase your appetite. And in the mountains, we would buy some delicious little blueberry pies at a local pastry shop. Of course, now I would only eat a pie if it was made with paleo-friendly ingredients, but did you know that blueberries are one of those foods highly beneficial to the brain? There is a group of foods that are proven to nourish the brain and protect it from oxidative stress. These foods are like “premium fuel” for your brain. Here’s a list of 10 of these awesome brain-boosting foods:

Avocados

Avocados‘ monounsaturated fat helps to support healthy blood flow. Avocados also enhance spatial working memory and attention span.

Blueberries

Blueberries, with their high amount of flavonoids and flavonols, can help protect the brain from oxidative stress. They help lessen the effects of brain aging and can aid with memory.

Bone broth

Bone broth is rich in glycine, an amino acid that can help with improving memory.

Broccoli

Broccoli is high in vitamin K, which is good for cognitive function and memory. 

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is good for focus and concentration. It can boost endorphin levels. The flavonoids in chocolate can help enhance cognitive function.

Eggs

The choline in the eggs helps with boosting the brain and improving memory, especially when it comes to both verbal and visual memory.

Green Leafy Vegetables

Green leafy vegetables are high in vitamin E, which helps lessen the effects of brain aging. They are also a good source of folate, which helps to enhance memory. As a side note, kale, Swiss chard, and romaine lettuce all have nutrients that can help with preventing cognitive impairment and dementia.

Salmon, Sardines, Caviar

Salmon, sardines, and caviar are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help lessen the effects of brain aging too. Omega-3 fatty acids help strengthen the brain cells’ membranes and the synaptic connections between neurons.

Turmeric

Turmeric (with its active ingredient: curcumin) helps with lowering inflammation, increasing antioxidant levels, enhancing the brain’s oxygen intake, and improving cognitive function.

Walnuts

Walnuts are rich in antioxidants and vitamin E, good against brain aging, beneficial to the neurons. Walnuts are also rich in zinc and magnesium, helping with your mood.

In Summary

Consuming nutrient-dense foods like the ones mentioned above, full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants is a sure way to better your brain, your mood, your energy levels, and your overall health. I eat each of these on a regular basis, some of them every day. Most of these are simple whole foods, easy to prepare and can make great snacks too. To your brain health!

Until next time!

References

Greenfield, Ben. Boundless : Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging. Las Vegas, Victory Belt Publishing Inc, 2020, pp. 82-4.

Kwik, Jim. Limitless. Hay House Inc, 2020, pp. 130–32.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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Flow in your Work

Do you ever long to find more flow in your work, this feeling of continuous effortlessness when working on a given task? I do. I love the feeling of being hyper-focused when I am writing, but it doesn’t happen the minute I start typing. Flow follows a curve, and on certain days it can take quite a bit of time, and frustration, to reach this state of being fully in the present moment with what you are doing. But once you reach that state of undisturbed flow, everything feels just right and in sync. According to Jim Kwik in Limitless, “Reports have suggested that flow can make you as much as five times more productive.” So how does it work?

8 Characteristics of Flow

In Limitless, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi defines flow as having: 

  • Absolute concentration
  • Total focus on goals
  • The sense that time is either speeding up or slowing down
  • A feeling of reward from the experience
  • A sense of effortlessness
  • The experience is challenging, but not overly so
  • Your actions almost seem to be happening on their own
  • You feel comfort with what you are doing

The Four Stages of Flow

In Limitless, author Steven Kotler defines flow as unfolding in four stages:

  • Struggle: Before reaching optimal flow, this is like the warming-up phase when you put things together, brainstorming or otherwise, in order to move forward in the right direction. This is where frustration can take place. Persistence is key.
  • Relaxation: Now that you have a handle on how your work is going to unfold, or how you are going to piece everything together, getting into a relaxed state beforehand is important. Taking a brief walk or doing a breathing exercise can really help.
  • Flow: You are now ready to dive and immerse yourself fully in your project knowing the outline and the main steps to take. You are confident and experience optimal flow. The work can still be challenging, but not excessively so.
  • Consolidation: This is the wrap-up of what you have just accomplished. It’s like a cool-down phase. Review your work, and take a breather or a break if you plan on diving back into more work.

5 Ways to Find Flow 

Jim Kwik highlights the fact that to reach this flow state in your work as much as possible, a few things have to be put in place:

  • Eliminate distractions
  • Give yourself enough time
  • Do something you love
  • Have clear goals 
  • Challenge yourself…a little

Jim Kwik explains that you want to avoid multitasking, stress, fear of failure, and lack of conviction.

  • As stated in my previous post, 8 Ways to Keep your Mind Sharp, multitasking directly impacts your attention and concentration. You really cannot experience a true flow state if you are multitasking. 
  • Stress is going to take you out of the present moment, which will directly conflict with finding your flow. So even if it isn’t easy, do you best to keep stressors at bay. 
  • Fear of failure implies a fear of not reaching perfection, but perfection doesn’t have to be the goal. It is okay to tackle a project just a little outside your comfort zone, as alluded above, but it is important to do so without a fear of failure.
  • Lack of conviction is a stressor too. You have to be confident and believe in the chosen task so you can find your flow. This goes back to the preparation work (brainstorming, mapping things out, etc.) you have to do before diving into optimal flow. If you have gone over everything successfully in the “Struggle” stage, lack of conviction will not be present.

In Summary

To bring more flow into your work, you want to make sure you gather the right conditions, as listed above. To cultivate flow on a regular basis, it is important to keep possible stressors at bay. Flow is an awesome and very rewarding state of mind to experience, whatever your work and undertakings may be.

Until next time!

Reference
Kwik, Jim. Limitless. Hay House Inc, 2020, pp. 169–177.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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Use it or Lose it

Have you ever heard the expression “use it or lose it?” When it comes to our brain, cognitive testing shows that this “use it or lose it” saying can clearly unfold after being done with school and when in retirement. Newton Baker said, “The man who graduates today and stops learning tomorrow is uneducated the day after.” But if we keep on being committed to learning new things throughout life and continue to positively stimulate our minds on a daily basis, cognitive decline doesn’t have to happen. All it takes to keep a sharp mind are simple practices – habits to incorporate into our daily life, year after year. Here are some of the suggestions offered in The Neurogenesis Diet and Lifestyle, by Brant Cortright, Ph. D.:

Reading

Whatever your favorites are, implement a daily habit of reading several pages or for a specific period of time. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, newspaper articles, blogs, magazines, and social media posts are all good options.

Writing

Write to your heart’s content: journaling or letters, emails, texts, stories, memos, poems, articles, blog posts, ads, and marketing materials.

Problem Solving

Problem solving includes doing puzzles, playing board or card games, house repair, work problems or other life challenges to tackle.

Attention and Concentration Exercises

Meditation is a good practice in order to solidify attention and concentration skills. The same goes for any task you choose to focus on for several hours in a row as opposed to multi-tasking or jumping from one thing to another.

Executive Function Tasks

Executive function tasks include organizing, planning, executing, following through, and completing tasks, whether it is at work or at home. These skills still have to be utilized even after retirement, so finding projects to implement no matter what your age is very important.

Discussion Groups

Discussion groups allow you to expand your mental flexibility. This is about learning how to express yourself, how to articulate your thoughts in a concise way while acknowledging and being respectful of others’ viewpoints even if they differ from yours. Being open to new ideas also helps in building constructive dialogue, which can be a useful, lifelong skill.

Musical Training

Learning how to play an instrument is a great hobby to take on, no matter what your age! And even if it seems like an impossible task at first, just remember that when we are young, failure does not stop us. We keep trying and practicing until we get it right. Stay patient and persistent!

Education

New learning is key at any age. Taking on a new language is a great example. I enjoy using the Duolingo app to practice Spanish and Italian, two languages I had studied in high school. There are also tons of online courses on any range of topics. Coursera offers many courses, for instance. For learning, the setting can be formal or informal, it doesn’t matter.

In Summary

Keeping a sharp mind as the years go by doesn’t have to be a difficult task. We just need to apply ourselves to implement the above practices, a little bit every day. As Brant Cortright states, “Each brain requires special nourishment, and we must experiment with different activities to find out what works for us, what we enjoy doing, and what our optimal engagement is.”

Until next time!

Reference

Cortright, Ph.D., Brant. The Neurogenesis Diet and Lifestyle: Upgrade Your Brain, Upgrade Your Life. Mill Valley, CA, Psyche Media, 2015, pp. 160, 178–182.

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What is the Ketogenic Diet?

The ketogenic diet is a type of low-carb diet in which carb consumption is reduced enough so that the body can start making and utilizing ketones. As mentioned in a previous post, ketones (special energy molecules) are a by-product of body fat that is tapped into if we fast or if we limit our carb intake to a bare minimum. The body’s stored fat and the healthy fats consumed during the day (along with reasonable protein intake) become the main fuel source on a ketogenic diet, as opposed to getting glucose from carbohydrates for energy. Eating keto means eating mostly (well-sourced) meat, fish, eggs, certain vegetables, nuts and seeds, little fruit, and healthy oils.

If you’re wondering what type of meals one may be eating on a ketogenic diet, here are a few examples for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (as described in Keto for Life, by Mark Sisson and Brad Kearns).

Breakfast

  • Fasting with water, tea, or coffee
  • High-fat coffee or other beverage
  • Omelet with pastured eggs, vegetables, cheese, avocado, bacon, salsa
  • Hard-boiled egg bowl with walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, avocado, and avocado oil-based mayonnaise
  • Full-fat yogurt with nuts, cinnamon, and cacao nibs
  • Bone broth with egg yolks

Lunch

  • Fasting after one of the above breakfast options
  • Salad with vegetables, nuts and seeds, well-sourced protein, and healthy oil dressing
  • Salad made with sauerkraut or kimchi

Dinner

  • Grass-fed beef, bone-in cuts
  • Organ meats 
  • Whole chicken or turkey
  • Wild-caught fish
  • Vegetables (mostly above-ground vegetables like cruciferous and leafy green vegetables, as opposed to starchy tubers): steamed, baked, or pan-fried, with plenty of healthy fats (butter, lard, coconut oil, avocado oil)

In Summary

As you can see, there are options abound on keto too! Limiting carbs doesn’t mean depriving yourself of delicious meals or snacks. For more ideas and recipes, you can visit Mark’s Daily Apple. Eating keto can have many benefits, as stated in Keto Answers, by Dr. Anthony Gustin and Chris Irvin: more energy, improved brain health/function, fat loss, improved insulin sensitivity, lowered inflammation, improved blood sugar control, improved mood, etc. Make sure you check with your physician first if you decide to start eating keto. As mentioned in My Paleo/Primal Eating Habits article, I like to stay in mild ketosis during the day and refeed with some healthy carbs at the end of the day. I enjoy the extra energy I get by eating that way. See what works for you!

Until next time!

References

Gustin, Anthony, and Chris Irvin. Keto Answers : Simplifying Everything You Need to Know about the World’s Most Confusing Diet. Middletown, De, Four Pillar Health, 2019, pp. 3-10.

Sisson, Mark, and Brad Kearns. Keto for Life:  Reset Your Biological Clock in 21 Days and Optimize Your Diet for Longevity. New York, Random House, 2019, p. 72, 82.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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How Easy Staying in Shape can be

Moving and exercising enough shouldn’t feel like yet another challenging goal to put on your to-do-list. Our ancestors were doing basic functional movements (squat, crawl, walk, run, jump, climb, carry, throw, etc.) when going about their daily activities. Our lifestyle has changed tremendously over the centuries, especially in the last 100 years, but this doesn’t mean that we cannot throw in a few stretches and bodyweight exercises (for instance) as simple 1-2-minute-breaks throughout the day every day. The Primal Blueprint Fitness Pyramid highlights how easy staying in shape can be without going overboard on any type of fitness activity. Moving frequently, exercising your muscles and getting your heart rate up occasionally is all you have to do.

Move Frequently

The base of the Primal Blueprint Fitness Pyramid is comprised of three types of activities:

  • Flexibility/mobility, such as with Pilates, yoga, tai chi, gymnastics, dancing, and dynamic rolling/stretching/therapy work
  • Cardio workouts at your target heart rate (Cycle, hike, walk/jog, water activities) – Your target heart rate is a simple calculation: 180 BPM – your age
  • More general daily movement to avoid prolonged inactivity

As mentioned in my post, Why Everyday Movement is Non-Negotiable, when we have to sit for long periods of time, such as when working at a computer, we want to get up, stretch, and walk a little bit every 30 minutes or so. The same goes if we are at a standing workstation. Enough movement throughout the day is necessary for proper blood flow to be delivered to the different muscles we use, which means more oxygen and nutrients, along with “waste removal.” In short, moving throughout the day (along with other variables) ensures proper cellular health.

We also want to add a few cardio sessions done at a comfortable heart rate. No chronic cardio here. Whatever fits your schedule the best. Cycling, swimming, running, or even just walking are all good options, whatever your energy levels of the day make you feel like doing.

When it comes to working on improving flexibility and mobility, there are a plethora of options, as listed above. Yoga is my favorite, but I also do some basic stretches every day and some tai chi exercises. Having a foam roller handy is helpful too in order to massage muscles and break up knots.

Lift Heavy Things

To lift heavy things refers to strength training: brief, intense resistance exercises. It doesn’t have to be more than twice a week for 10-30 minutes at a time. In this category, you find basic bodyweight exercises like the 4 Primal Essential Movements (planks, pushups, squats, and pullups). Keeping things simple and not too demanding is a sure way to build a habit in a concise way. I like to do planks, squats, and bridges on a regular basis. You can also use free weights and resistant bands.

Sprint

Every 7 to 10 days, if you are 100% energized, you can do several 8-20 second bursts, during a cycling or running session, for instance. There is no need to do more than that. These short all-out sprints are a great addition to moving frequently and lifting heavy things on occasion for optimal primal fitness.

In Summary

The Primal Blueprint Fitness Pyramid highlights what should be at the core of an individual’s movement regimen in order to be fit in the most down-to-earth way. It is modeled after the ways our ancestors moved in everyday life. Simplicity is key. Moving frequently, lifting heavy things occasionally, and sprinting when you are fully rested is all you have to do. Including time for recovery, which includes adequate sleep and relaxation is mandatory. And it is also good to include play, which refers to any spontaneous outdoor physical activity like running around with your kids outside, or your dog. Being and staying fit is not a difficult goal to attain. The main thing to keep in mind is not to be in any specific position for a prolonged period of time. As they say, “The best position is the next one you will be in.”

Until next time!

Reference
Sisson, Mark. The New Primal Blueprint : Reprogram Your Genes for Effortless Weight Loss, Vibrant Health, and Boundless Energy. Oxnard, Ca, Primal Blueprint Publishing, 2017, pp. 314–369.

You can also find me on Instagram.