UPDATE: This post is a little old, now! If you’re curious to see more recent photos of my progress, please click here.
This is so embarrassing.
I’m shy. It’s true! Not so much with the words and social situations, but with something equally important: my body. My weight has been a constant issue for a solid decade now, fluctuating wildly before and after college, so trust me when I say that I have self-image issues like you wouldn’t believe. I’m the kind of person who can’t do anything but criticize what I see in the mirror, always spying something to be unhappy about.
That’s a sad cycle. A vicious cycle, too, and one that I’ve been working every (damn) day to try and break free from. Posting these pictures is just one step closer to doing that — I’ve been holding on to them for about three weeks, now, afraid to put them online, utterly convinced that I should wait just a few more months and post them when I’m fully happy with how I look.
But that’s the problem, isn’t it? That’s the never-ending cycle. So I’m doing the right thing and posting these now to prove two hugely important points: that eating bacon and butter nearly every day of the week does not make you unhealthy, and that Primal living has radically changed my health for the better.
Pictures after the break. I’m regretting it as I type this, but maybe that’s a good thing after all.
The photo on the left is from early April, while the photo on the right is from just a few days back. That’s just under six months of difference, which is pretty crazy when you scroll a bit further down and see what I’ve done in the way of exercise.
Exercise!
Not much.
I’m not being clever, either. I haven’t run a mile or been in a true weight room in about six straight months. My cardio consists of sprinting for about fifteen minutes once a week and taking a short (30 minutes at most) walk at least once or twice a week.
I have been working out, but in a pretty simple way. Twice a week I do two sets of pushups, pullups, squats, and a few other exercises, totaling at about thirty minutes of activity (for more information, check out the free Primal Fitness eBook). That’s it! Bodyweight exercises and absolutely nothing else. I’ve been a little lazy, admittedly, and have skipped out on my workout at least once for the last few weeks with no noticeable downsides.
Nutrition!
Bacon. Lots of bacon.
That I’m being clever on, but only partially. Rather than beat you over the head with information on why fat (especially saturated!) is good for you, I thought I’d include what I ate today as an example of a typical Primal meal plan.
Breakfast: 3 egg omelette with onions, red/green/yellow peppers, cooked in a tablespoon of butter. I also had a cup of coffee mixed with (extraordinarily high-fat!) coconut milk.
Lunch: Two chicken legs, medium-sized portions of sweet potato and squash, and a pear.
Dinner: A big steak, two bowls of vegetable soup, and a sizable shake made from coconut milk and mixed berries.
Snack(s): Macadamia nuts by the handful and a bowl of coconut flakes.
Truth be told, I ate a little light today. Normally I’d throw some bacon in with the omelette, but with the steak incoming I knew I wouldn’t be lacking for protein. Likewise, I usually get at least two or three tablespoons of coconut oil during my daily routine, but I wasn’t around the house enough today to get my usual amounts of fat in.
And that’s it!
This is easy. It was weird, in the beginning, to pass on the bread and pasta, but substituting the grains for ‘guilty pleasures’ like bacon and macadamia nuts made the transition incredibly bearable. I’d even go as far as to call it enjoyable, as it’s hard not to wake up with a smile when you know you’ll be frying eggs in bacon grease the minute you hop out of bed.
And you’ll have to bear with me for just a moment, as I’m about to get just a teensy bit emotional. I have a hard time expressing just how massive of a change this is: I kinda like my body. I still see room for improvement whenever I stand in front of the mirror, but I’ve also caught myself thinking “Hey! Not bad!” on more than one occasion.
I don’t think I’ve ever had that kind of reaction to my own body. That’s a little sad, in retrospect, but I think it’s a little incredible, too, how six months of bacon and butter have started to peel back years of self-doubt and misery. And the best part? I am so excited to see where I can go from here. I’m going to keep burning fat over the next six months, and I absolutely can’t wait to to stack my photos side by side to see how far I’ve come in a full year.
So why not give Primal a try? And if one story isn’t enough to convince you, check here or here for further proof that these crazy grain-shunners might just be on to something. What do you have to lose besides a few pounds?
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Curious about the Primal way of life, but not sure where to begin? Start here for a glorious summation of the Primal concepts, and please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions about the lifestyle.
Thanks so much for reading! If you like what’s going on around here, then why not have free updates sent directly to your inbox or to your RSS reader? I really appreciate it!
25 Comments
I'm a writer, minimalist, and health dork with three goals in mind: to teach you how to lose weight, move more, and be happier by living a simple, natural life. It works. Like what you read here? Get 3NL delivered straight to your inbox!
Matt,
As your friend (and a married woman–gasp!), let me tell you that you look great. It takes guts to post pictures of yourself no matter what you look like. Models are some of the most insecure people you can meet, because they know better than anyone about judging. I mean, how does it make you feel to be airbrushed??
Congrats on your success, both physically and emotionally. It’s a huge milestone. Now go celebrate with some bacon! LOL
Already did.
Three eggs and four slices of bacon for breakfast! Haha.
Thanks for the kind words, Jen. I felt incredibly narcissistic posting it, but I thought it was important for both the few readers who might be interested in Primal eating and for, er, me! Because I’m horribly shy about my body, as I’ve mentioned, and this was a great way to overcome that.
And thanks so much for reading!
Thanks for sharing. I’m on a similar journey myself. Just discovered you blog, I’m going to keep on reading it.
Best of luck on your similar journey, then! Are you talking Paleo or something?
And thanks for stopping by.
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I lost 35 pounds a year ago and haven’t put a single pound back on. I followed the same program you linked to with the fitness link. Throw in a day or so a week of fasting and I don’t even think about my “diet”. Congratulations.
Hi Matt. I totally agree with you on the diet except for one thing. I also eat a diet as close to the natural way as I can. I have coconut milk, eggs, heaps of olive oil, homemade chips eg
The only thing I don’t have is meat. Now don’t dismiss me as a wierdo please
I initially stopped and started for health reasons but then my boyfriend and I watched a doco called Earthlings. Now neither of us has eaten meat since May. I also rarely have dairy. I feel more in touch with the planet and all living beings. I’m far healthier and have lost weight without trying and I’m now at my perfect weight!
My hardest meat to give up was bacon so I can understand if you cringe at the idea of no meat. However everything else I read from you seems so in line with my own lifestyle So I would love to know what you think of the idea of not eating the flesh of another animal?
Just subscribed by the way. Love the blog!
Oh and I almost forgot. You look HOT. Congrats.
Hi, Debbie! Now I’m blushing.
Thank you!
I’m undecided, honestly, on vegetarianism. I understand the arguments for it (especially having seen the state of the food industry in America!) on a moral/emotional level, but I can’t say I’ve seen compelling evidence that going meat-free is significantly better for your health. I’ve also never looked for it, haha, but that’s because I’ve always been swayed by all the evidence of meat consumption during the Paleolithic era.
That’s not to say a vegetarian can’t survive in the modern world, and your own experience is perfect proof of that.
I know I’d be concerned about vitamin deficiencies (I’ve heard B12 is a pretty significant problem), and I’m not wholly comfortable with the idea of supplementing large quantities of a certain nutrient just to meet the minimum requirement. The body doesn’t handle high doses of any supplement all that well, for one, and it’s hard for me to justify dealing with all of that when I could just eat meat (which is arguably the most nutrient-dense food on the planet).
I imagine most people give up meat on ethical reasons alone, though, and that’s where I deviate from the norm. To most people, the science probably doesn’t matter — but it does to me. The current system for meat production in many places around the world is not ideal (not even close), but is that reason enough to forgo the immense benefits of eggs, fish and meat? Not for me. Realizing that you’re consuming the meat of another animal certainly takes the romance out of it (
), but is that a good reason to skip it? Again, not for me.
I guess that’s my stance. I’m really, truly interested in giving my body every nutrient (macro or micro!) that it needs, and I see meat as an integral part of that process. You can be healthy without meat, but I honestly don’t know how healthy, and I don’t know the long-term ramifications of giving up animal products. I do know, though, that the meat I include in my diet (which is less, now, than what I wrote in the post) is helping me achieve the body I’ve always wanted, so I don’t know if I’d try going with out.
At the end of the day, though, it’s what works for you. Meat or not, you and I both have made huge changes by focusing on natural, healthy food, so it’s no surprise we’re both supremely happy with our progress.
Did that answer your question? If you’d like to discuss it further, please don’t hesitate to email me. I’m a nerd, at the end of the day, so I tend toward science instead of the ethics of the meat situation, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to hear more about your point of view.
Thanks for the great question, Debbie! I hope to see you here again!
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I’ve wondered about this lifestyle for a long time and usually always see positive stuff about it. Thanks for posting your progress. Looks like you’ve done really well.. (and may I say NIIIIICE!) ;D *ahem* …sorry…
Congratulations. Very excellent progress. You should be proud of yourself.
And thanks for the link love.
My pleasure, Richard!
Thanks for your site. And hurry the hell up with the next Leangains post, would ya?
Great results. And it only gets better…
Watch those coconut flakes though. I used to work in surgery and twice removed a pile of coconut flakes from an intestine. Seems that the patients had some little diverticuli, and the coconut flakes (which don’t digest well) got stuck in the pocket. The result was a blocked colon and subsequent removal of about a foot of said colon. Now, this patient ate like a half a bag, but still, it’s something I stay away from becuase it just don’t digest well. On the other hand I’m drink coconut milk daily. I have an old fasioned quart milk jug and pour in one can and then cut it with ahalf can of water. Tastes great chilled with protien powder and a couple of raw eggs.
Man! That’s kind of scary.
Thanks for the info! My coconut flake consumption has gone down (alongside snacking in general), but I’ll keep that in mind whenever I start craving a bowl. I’ve never had any digestive issues with them, but then again I don’t eat huge quantities, either.
That coconut milk mixture, though, sounds delicious. It shouldn’t be legal to love coconut milk as much as I do.
Hey Matt,
Just found ur blog . It is amazing !! I really like ur posts ( at least the ones i read so far) . It is been a while i am trying to lose some weight , tried so many diets but nothing worked as i cant stuck to them .. From 3 days ago , i decided to take my friend’s advice which is skiping bread , potatoe , pasta & rice from my daily meals at least for one month , then start introducing them lightly in order to mainting my weight . Hopefully it’d work , if not , i will come back to get more info about the primal way .
PS: U look great
Hey Matt- dood, I have to send a huge thanks your way for introducing me to Mark Sisson! I’ve been doing the 4 Hour Body challenge and when I read up on Mark’s Primal Blueprint, something just clicked more than with Tim’s regiment.
Marks site also lead me to Dr. Davis’ Heart Scan Blog, which is truly a life-savor bro. I’ve been dealing with some cardiac issues for the past decade (I’m 34) and after years of research and tests it appeared I had hit a dead-end. With Dr. Davis’ help I’m back in the game baby!
It’s truly amazing how a simple link can change a person’s life for the better in an instant. Just wanted to let you know how your site had an impact on me. Thanks bro- great results too!
Eric
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Found your site interesting! I started eating Paleo 4 months ago after living years with obesity and several health issue’s that continued to get worse as time went on. I am 51 years old and seven weeks after eating Paleo I had lost 15 pounds my blood pressure lowered the doc had to start reducing my meds, blood sugars are now completely controlled by diet alone and all blood chemistry came back excellent!Was she pleased.I never in my life ever dreamed of giving up grains….Bread was my favorite thing ever! I have not looked back once for a second and won’t. I am now down between 40 & 50 pounds as I only weigh at the doctors. I am down 3 sizes and ready for my next new pair of jeans. I do not crave…I am not hungry. I eat a full variety of different fruits and vegetables every week…I even enjoy going grocery shopping!I feel totally amazing and look forward to my next day of new found health and happiness….I was totally inactive so at the two month mark I hired a personal trainer and I train 3 times per week using mostly all my own body weight and kettle bells, at home I dusted off my treadmill that had maybe a mile on it….I walk just at a nice pace at least 12 to 15 kil per week. I had a health scare and was put on a waiting list for Bariatric surgery last January I got my call to begin the process for surgery. I was so proud to tell them I know longer needed the spot. I have a long way to go yet but like my trainer Tim tells me “Your on a journey not a destination and you WILL get there” I have around 60 pounds left to lose…on my wonderful journey.
Congratulations, Shelley!
That’s amazing success.
Thank you for sharing, and I wish you all the luck and good health in the world as you continue to get stronger and healthier. Your trainer has a wise perspective on it, too. Don’t forget that this is a journey above all else, one that you have the rest of your life to keep taking.
Great job, Matt! I’d say because you seem to have cut out complex carbohydrates, your blood sugar has been able to stay at a more consistent level, which can lead to weight loss. You’re not quite on Atkin’s, because of the presence of fruits and sweet potatoes.
As someone who’s a workout junkie, it wouldn’t be horrible for you to hit up a gym, or work on your stamina in running distance. It sets a foundation for leaner muscle, rather than just reduced body fat. I too could cut out complex carbohydrates and refined sugar, but feel much better about working out.
BUT! I’m not Danielle Downer. You look fantastic, and keep up the good work.
Hi Matt!
I love the honesty in this post about you and especially a guy that is shy, I must say well done for the big steps that you took so far! Fantastic blog!
I love that you do the simple things in exercises! Push ups, pull ups and squats can make all the difference in the world! A lot of people will stay away from that because they feel that it will never produce real results! Well I guess you have proofed them wrong!
Thank you for your insight and I will be sure to come back for a lot more!
Take care Matt!
Michael
Thanks so much, Michael! I appreciate the kind words.
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