On the Fast-Track to Obesity, Diabetes, and Prescription Drugs

Recently by Mark Sisson: How To Interpret Cholesterol Test Results

It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!

I was a typical American kid that enjoyed summers, playing sports, riding bikes, camping and exploring. My inner Grok ran rampant in the beginnings of my life. As I got older, I began to fall into that same trap many Americans fall into (T.V., video games, fast food and overall sedentary life). I expressed my inner Grok less and less, down to not at all. I became overweight, less confident, and started having knee and lower back issues in my early to mid 20?s! I naturally blamed this on genetics, and was on that fast track to a life of obesity, blood pressure issues, diabetes and a dependency on a plethora of medications.

I was in my mid 20?s in a high demand corporate job that I did not like, and had no time (or at least thought I had no time, but really just made excuses) or desire for any physical activity. My diet consisted of whatever I can eat on the go, eating out, or just take home. Fast food, soda and other processed foods made up the bulk of my diet. I approached 260 lbs and approximately 30% body fat. I rarely did anything physical, and did not have any endurance the few times I tried. I made excuses when hiking with my girlfriend, and often became negative around the whole subject. My self confidence was so low that I hated hiking or other physical activities, because I did not have the energy or capability to do them. I began to develop a “why bother” attitude. I blamed genetics and not my own actions, because I have overweight parents and extended family.

There were a few things that caused me to make a change. First, someone very close to me was diagnosed and then passed away of cancer. It caused me to look at things differently and notice that quality of life seemed to be changing in America. I noticed more people were obese and diagnosed with medical problems at earlier stages in life. I looked in the mirror and realized I was headed down the same dead-end road. I was tired of not having energy and not enjoying life like I did when I was younger. I was only twenty-something, but felt much older due to lack of energy and overall vigor. I began asking myself, was I suppose to be like this at this stage in my life? How did I get here? And most importantly, did I CHOOSE to be here? I discovered answers I did not like, nor was proud of. I took the easy road in the way I ate, lived, and being stationed in a lackluster, sedentary career. I became determined to change everything, starting with my health.