Dhiamer from the Philippines wrote…Hi! Mehdi, after reading the 5×5 report i was really skeptic about it!! as you mentioned on page 40 the WARNING page!! i was laughing while reading the page because every single thing on that page and on are happening to me… and every time i was going to the gym all those things you mentioned about the crabs around me every big guy that looks strong but can’t even lift 30lbs dumbbells doing dumbbell hammer i was laughing on my mind while watching them..i read your report last march 13,2011 and stay all night reading it.. and decided to try it in the morning the next day march 14,2011 the people at the gym really laugh at me! who wouldn’t? seeing a big guy with an empty bar doing the squat/bench? im mean its friggin hilarious.. but heck! i don’t care if they laughed at me.. i always keep in mind after 12weeks lets see who will have the last laugh..at present im still reading your report and currently on page 63… ive decided to print the page 40 to 49 and reading it over and over again.. just like you i can’t even do a single push-up before doing the SL5X5.. and hoping that after 12weeks of consistency and not missing even a single session will eventually be one of the guys who will prove that STRONGLIFTS 5X5 really works!!thanks for the message, and more power..-Dhiamer, 22y old, 180lbs 5’8 and a half inches from the phillipinesDon’t be concerned, I was a skeptic too, it actually took me 12 months to finally try the 5×5 method – everyone in my gym trained one muscle per day using high rep isolation exercises, so I believed that’s how you lift. I was very very very wrong. Luckily I tried the 5×5 method or I wouldn’t be writing this today.Here’s a recent success story from StrongLifts Member Will (“Sid”, 23y, USA, page 11 inside the 5×5 report) to inspire you. Like me, Will never did any kind of sports in his life before he began lifting weights. And like you, Will started with very light weights on his Squat and Bench (only 65lb) in March 2009.2 years and 37lb weight gain later, here’s his most recent accomplishment that he shared in his training log inside the StrongLifts Community…Squat- 5×135 5×225 3×265 3×335 3×385 1×445 1×500 PRThe last thing I remember was being in the hole and just pushing for what seemed like an hour, and then slowly starting to come out. I don’t remember locking out the lift and I blacked out after racking it and collapsed onto the bench someone had left behind the rack.I didn’t have one of my sometimes-training partners with me, but there was a guy watching me who ran over to help when I passed out. This guy is probably the strongest in our gym and can squat around 600. He’s been training for hypertrophy for a while though. I remember him and his training partner watching my form when I started SL5x5 and was squatting 65lbs.When I came to, he was standing in front of me. I guess I had a confused look on my face, like “Did I make it?”, so he pointed to the rack, with the weight sitting on the hooks, and just smiled and nodded. After checking that I was alright, the first thing he said was “Hell of a lift man. I remember when you were squatting what, like 95? That was maybe 2 years ago?” I smiled, kinda coughed and said, “Yeah. Almost 2.” He said, “we used to call you the squat guy cause you were always in here doing them. But you always had good form. Whatever you’ve been doing, that’s some serious progress man. Makes me wanna get back at it and get my lifts higher.”It’s funny, I wouldn’t have thought that this guy even knew who I was. But he remembered me from when I was a 165lb-er in the gym squatting quarters three times a week. That’s a good feeling.-StrongLifts Member Will, 23y, USADon’t be one of those guys starting heavier because you care about what the others think. Starting light is always better than too heavy because you don’t want to plateau early on and the weight increases fast anyway (60lb/month on Squats). Almost everyone on SL5x5 is Squatting 225lb within 12 weeks. Several guys like StrongLifts Member Will even Squatted 300lb within 6 months.So let them laugh and mock, it will be short lived anyway, their laughter will quickly change into amazement and respect a couple of weeks from now. Trust the StrongLifts5x5 program, it works – you will blow them away. Please share this post with your friends so more guys start training smart and eating right. Share on Facebook | Share on Twitter | No comment StrongLifts Recommends Show and Go - How to Improve Your Flexibility for Squats Muscle Gaining Secrets - Discover Why 95% of Hardgainers Train Wrong Burn The Fat - Transform Your Body (Forever) in 49 Days Flat Resistance Bands Fractional Plates My Recommended Books - 5 Bestselling Books Every Man Must Read Follow Me on Facebook The StrongLifts Fan page on Facebook features daily updates and content not on the blog. You can also ask questions to other StrongLifts fans and get advice. There are almost 10,000 fans already, click here to join the StrongLifts Fan page today. Want to Publish This Article On Your Website or Newsletter?Go for it! Just keep all the original links inside the article intact and include this complete blurb with it (with all links active): --- They Laughed When They Saw Me Squatting 65lb Inside The Power Rack, But When I Squatted 500lb 2 Years Later… Author Info: Mehdi is a 500lb raw Deadlifter and highly sought after strength coach with over 15 years of in-the-trenches experience presently communicating his advice to 9-million guys each year. His website StrongLifts.com is the place where Men seeking fast and dramatic physique transformation and greater strength, fitness and confidence come together. To get a free copy of his new 5x5 report at no cost whatsoever click here. --- STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.
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They Laughed When They Saw Me Squatting 65lb Inside The Power Rack, But When I Squatted 500lb 2 Years Later…
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April 11 2011, 1:00pm | Comments »
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The Unconquerable Dave
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-unconquerable-dave/
Dave first emailed me about a year ago. He had just bought the Primal Blueprint Cookbook and was seeing some real results. Occasionally I’ll get an update from him. One can really get a sense of Dave’s energy and excitement for life from his emails (often written in all caps), which I’ve reprinted below. Read on to catch a bit of Dave’s enthusiasm and spirit. It’s contagious.
If you have your own Primal Blueprint success story and you’d like to share it with me and the community please contact me here. Have a wonderful Friday, everyone, and thanks for reading!
September of 2009…
March 19, 2010… HI MARK JUST GOT YOUR BLUEPRINT AND AM AWAITING THE COOK BOOK. WHICH I INTEND TO TRY TO ADD TOO! AFTER 25 YEARS OF RAISING A FAMILY AND NOT DOING THE “GROK” ANY MORE IT SHOWED BIG TIME…. TALK ABOUT “THE LIVING DEAD”… I’M A SUPER COOK AND BAKER AND JUST ABOUT SLAYED US ALL….LOL IT’S BEEN ABOUT 3-4 MONTHS OF EATING AND THINKING MORE PALEO… IF I CAN’T KILL IT- FIND IT-OR GATHER IT… I DON’T EAT IT…. SO IT’S REAL EASY TO EAT WELL. JUST THINK ABOUT GROK AND WHAT YOU’RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT. SIMPLE!… AND THE WIFE AND KIDS STILL AROUND ARE IMPRESSED WITH MY NEW ATTITUDE AND LOOK. HAVE LOST AT LEAST 20 POUNDS OFF A HEAVY BONED HUGE BEAR FRAME… 6′-1″ AND HEADED FOR THE LOWER 200′S. I HAVE 18 “ARMS AND THICK CHEST AND THE ABDOMEN AND CORE ARE COMING RIGHT ALONG…!!! LEGS ARE FEELING STRONG AGAIN. ASS IS TIGHTENING UP AND I’M INTO A 38 JEAN. YOUR BODY TELLS YOU WHAT IT WANTS, AND IT WANTS REAL AND STRONG AND ABLE. WHICH = SMART!!… HEAD AND BODY ARE TUNING IN WELL… TIME TO BUY NEW CLOTHES…ALMOST! LATER BROTHER STAY IN THE LIGHT GROK RULES! DAVE PARSONS
April 22nd… 40 LBS LIGHTER IN 6 MONTHS…no problem and lovin’ it! 53 Y.O. 6′1″-240LBS AS OF 4-20-10 AND STILL SHEDDING THE EXTRAS….36 JEANS…AIMING FOR 34′S. and a solid 220 of all muscle!!!! YOU are ONe…of MY Two INspirations!!!! Thanks Mark… and if you don’t get enough hugs brother… davegrok sends hug to Mark!!! Illumination……..so much fun to re-learn again….still…always…. Grok on
July 18th… HI FOLKS- OCTOBER 1ST 2009 TO JULY 10TH 2010. FROM 280 LBS DOWN TO 210 LBS. JUST FROM THE PALEO DIET AND MILD EXERCISE. ROCKIN’ THE HOUSE!!!!!! ALL LEAN MUSCLE MASS AND NEVER LOOKIN’ BACK….THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE INSPIRATION-GUIDANCE-AND ONGOING WAY OF LIFE. DAVE
September 9th… IT HAS BEEN AN EXCITING AND COMPLETELY DIFFERENT YEAR NOW. I HAVE GOTTEN IN WAY BETTER HEALTH. LOST 80 POUNDS. CAN RUN AND CLIMB AGAIN. AND AM GOING ON 54 YEARS OLD. LIFE HAS THROWN THE CURVE BALLS. THE UPS. THE DOWNS. ALL THE WORK AND LIFE RELATED “FOR BETTER- OR FOR WORSE” ISSUES…YOU GET IT. BUT THE DAILY APPLE AND THE PRIMAL LIFE GOES ON…EVERYDAY. IN ALL THE CONFUSION…IT REMAINS A SOLID PLATFORM TO WORK WITH AND ON. I READ THE APPLE….EAT THE APPLE AND EVERYDAY YOU JUST MAKE IT OKAY TO BE WHO I AM…AND BE A MEMBER OF THE PRIMAL LIFE CLAN…. NO MATTER WHAT COMES ALONG… I KNOW SOMEONE OUT THERE IS MY FRIEND AND WE THINK ABOUT THE SAME STUFF. THANKS MARK THANKS BEES THANKS TO MARK’S WIFE FOR BEING ABLE TO HANDLE THIS! YOU HAVE NO IDEA …….OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME. I SALUTE YOU ALL DAVE December 10th… MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND ALL THE CREW!! Santa got a lot thinner!…hohohohoho! Dave
January 3rd… primal work outs…. your approach (WAY BETTER) and actually more of a primal way than a gym gorilla. I have my Paleo gym of trees and rocks and stuff…. check it out…54 in a month and 6 ft and 205 lbs. a 404 lb dead lift…kickButt!!!! Thanks Mark
January 26th… DEAR MARK AND ALL THE PRIMAL PEOPLE OUT THERE, I’M NOT GOOD WITH SPEECHES SO I FIGURE IF A PIC IS WORTH A 1000 WORDS. I WILL BE 54 THIS FEB. 8TH. TALK ABOUT PRIMAL. THAT’S ABOUT 300…DOWN TO 200…RIGHT THERE TODAY JANUARY 19TH…AND THERE AIN’T MUCH LEFT TO LOSE…..SIZE 44 TO SIZE 34. I REMEMBER THIS….I WAS THIS SIZE WHEN I WAS 18 YEARS OLD….I THINK I MAY BE STRONGER NOW! GROK ON AND THANK YOU FOR THE ILLUMINATION! DAVE PARSONS
— To steal words from Walt Whitman… “I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable, I sound my barbaric YAWP over the roofs of the world.” A transformed man, arms to the sky, wearing flip flops in the snow. If ever there was an image of the verve and indomitable spirit of going Primal, this is it. Dave, today half a million people heard your YAWP. May it echo to half a million more. Grok on, brother. GROK ON! Get the Primal Blueprint Fitness eBook, Free Health Tips and Primal Recipes Delivered to Your Inbox
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February 4 2011, 5:46pm | Comments »
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Tons of Doctors and No Solution
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/tons-of-doctors-and-no-solution/
It is my pleasure to share Tara’s success story with you today. Follow her journey through marriage, the birth of her twin boys, and a year and a half transformation to a healthy lifestyle. When doctors fail, when WebMD fails, it’s time to take health education into your own hands.
If you have your own Primal Blueprint success story and you’d like to share it with me and the community please contact me here. Have a wonderful Thursday, everyone, and thanks for reading! Hi Mark! I had been fairly healthy my entire life, but had always carried about 10 extra pounds. When I turned 24, that changed. All of a sudden, I started experiencing allergies. Major weight gain. Depression. Acne. Itchy scalp. Boils. Missed periods and debilitating pain when they did come. Joint pain. IBS. These were all new things to me. I saw dozens of doctors – German ones, Canadian ones, American and Dutch. Some told me I was suffering from allergies. Others made me keep a food journal and count calories. Some gave me acne medication. I was poked, prodded and bled. The one conclusion that all of the doctors shared was that I was overreacting, hysterical and wasting their time. According to them, I was just fat and lazy – and probably a hypochondriac. I was miserable. I tried everything to lose weight, but I was just so tired all of the time. I diagnosed myself with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Metabolic Syndrome, endometriosis and depression, which the doctors then confirmed. They put me on Prozac, which made me gain more weight. At my heaviest, I was around 235 lbs. I am a 5′9″ female. 235 lbs is not a healthy weight. When I asked the doctors HOW to lose weight, I was told, “We don’t know. Just lose it. Then symptoms will go away.” So, Google it was.
After months of trying to find information on PCOS online, I discovered a random comment on someone’s journal that said that some women with PCOS had had success losing weight with a low carb diet. That was the only help I could find. I dropped carbs that first day. I went zero carb overnight and felt amazing. I got my energy back. Exercising became fun again. I shed 40 pounds in two months and kept it off. I stabilized at 185. I realized that my previous diet had consisted of nothing but simple, refined carbs. Thinking I needed lots of carbs for energy (thank you, USDA!) I had thought nothing of eating an entire plate of white rice for dinner, with nothing else. Things got better – but only slightly. I started eating carbs and grains again – in moderation. When I found I could maintain my weight and pretty much eat whatever I wanted, I let it slide. I practically killed myself to get down to 175 for my wedding in April 2005. I had to go to the gym and work out 5 days a week, hard and watch everything I put in my mouth. I was still eating grains and everything was going soooo slowly. The minute I said, “I Do,” I gained 5 pounds. By the time we got back home from Las Vegas, I was back at 185 lbs and didn’t know why. From 2005 to 2009, my hormonal issues were wiggin’ out of control. That was 4 years of hair falling out, suicidal lows, no sex drive, mysterious hives, rashes and boils. Tons of doctors and no solutions – the only help they would give me were useless tests and pharmaceuticals. I had my thyroid checked over 10 times. Each time it was fine. Google and I were on close terms, and according to it, my hormones were way out of whack (or I had some sort of cancer. Nothing like WebMD for scaring the crap out of yourself!) Because I didn’t know any better, I didn’t realize the part that insulin was playing, and instead, concentrated on getting my estrogen/testosterone levels right. Which didn’t work. Once again, the doctors had failed me. The whole time, I was freaking out for a baby. We had to resort to IVF to get pregnant, since the endometriosis had ravaged my fallopian tubes. I had a miserable, sugar-soaked, bed-ridden pregnancy and identical twin boys in January of 2009. My kids were born two months early, but I had somehow managed to gain 80 pounds during the short pregnancy. By May of that year, I was still 235 pounds and PISSED OFF because I had been told (and believed) that breastfeeding burns calories and that the weight would “just melt right off!”
My brother, who I am super proud of and who is one of my greatest influences and motivators, sent me Mark Sisson’s book, The Primal Blueprint in May of ’09. It literally changed my life. It made so much sense to me that we should be eating the way we had evolved to. I looked up the Primal/Paleo lifestyle and found a community of people who had been suffering from a lot of the same maladies as I had been but who now seemed to be completely CURED. Where did I sign up? I immediately cut out all grains and sugar, but I still didn’t have it right. I had been eating so much sugar before that cutting it out completely was unbearable to me. It was my only vice so it seemed so justifiable. Instead of Sweet Tarts and donuts, though, I ate fruit. A lot of it. And tons of nuts, too, since they are allowed on the Primal diet. I didn’t stop eating dairy, either. But cutting out grains and white sugar was having an effect. I lost 20 pounds pretty quick. I started tweaking my diet. Way less fruit – mainly berries and the occasional apple. Whipping cream instead of half and half. Limiting nuts to once a week. More fat, fewer carbs. My palate changed. Biting into a kiwi gave me the same satisfaction that Sweet Tarts used to. Salads came alive and cooking became fun again. The Primal Blueprint allows for “cheats” if you stick to the lifestyle 80% of the time. So, I allowed myself treats from time to time but I planned them and enjoyed the hell out of them. I didn’t suddenly pack on 10 pounds if I ate something bad, because I stopped at that one thing. Instead of “falling off of the wagon,” I listened to my body and occasionally gave into cravings when they came. It became easier and easier to say “no.” During this time, I noticed that most of my hormonal issues were disappearing. My periods became super regular. I barely noticed them, to be honest, which was NOT the norm for me. My skin cleared up, I didn’t need to use moisturizer anymore, I was freakin’ HAPPY all the time, and I was losing weight. It was slow, about a pound a week but it was coming off. And I wasn’t really trying all that hard! The Primal Blueprint mentions that nutrition is 80% of the battle. I especially liked Mark Sisson’s take on fitness – you don’t actually have to do as much as the industry would have you believe. I also learned that most people are working out incorrectly. Hours of “chronic cardio” on the treadmill is actually having the opposite of the desired effect – people are overtraining, injuring themselves and making themselves hungry as hell. (It’s a lot easier to justify a donut when you’ve worked out hard, right?!) I didn’t have to work out hard to see results. I now do CrossFit once or twice a week, yoga once (maybe), sprints now and then and the occasional walk around the neighborhood with the kids. I guess when I stop to consider it, I probably do do more exercise than the average person – I tend to do a proper deadlift when I lift each one of my 30 lb boys and will sometimes drop down and do a couple burpees for no reason at all. I blame that on all the extra energy I now have. I’ve just passed my one-and-a-half-year anniversary with the Primal lifestyle. I’ve been so enamored with this way of life that I have completely changed the way I live. I’ve done tons of research, reading and studying. I had never really thought too much about the environment, but some of the stuff I uncovered – about pesticides, chemicals, hormones and antibiotics being used in the food industry – has made me change a lot of the ways I do things and I feel like I’m doing my part for the environment now. I compost with worms for the free fertilizer, I’m growing a lot of my own vegetables and I even got a few chickens for my backyard. I get 4 organic, free-range eggs a day and I don’t have to worry about them being loaded with antibiotic residue. I eat grass-fed beef.
Mainly, I eat real, whole foods and I eat less than I did before. I’m at 153 lbs as we speak. I’m 5′9″ so I’m at my goal weight for the first time ever. I weigh less and am smaller than I was in high school! In order to lose the dreaded “last 10 pounds,” I incorporated intermittent fasting. Since my insulin and blood sugar are working properly now, going a whole day without food actually leaves me feeling fantastic and energized. I couldn’t have imagined missing even a single meal in my old life! In fact, since my blood sugar was so out of whack, missing a meal meant bouts of hypoglycemia, where I felt like shit and was a total bitch to everyone around me. That’s gone. I take 6000 units of Vitamin D a day and I’m sure that is helping towards my overall health. My depression, PMS, PCOS, endometriosis and everything else is just… gone. I’m currently training to become a Certified Personal Trainer, and when I’ve finished that, I’m going to get a certificate in holistic nutrition so that I can officially start helping others. Mark Sisson, the Primal Blueprint and Mark’s Daily Apple have changed my life and I would like to pay it forward. Tara
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December 24 2010, 3:00pm | Comments »
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