The Primal Blueprint
Reprogram your genes for effortless weight loss, vibrant health, and boundless energy
by Mark Sisson · first published 2009
82% recommend18% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Accessible, lifestyle-oriented introduction to low-carb, ancestral-style eating and fitness. Humorous in tone, it treats the approach as a way of living rather than a diet, making it suited to newcomers.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Combining modern genetic science and evolutionary biology, The Primal Blueprint dispels a number of the myths that modern medicine and conventional wisdom have come to accept as fact. Author Mark Sisson takes the reader on a fascinating journey through human evolution, comparing the life and robust health of our hunter-gatherer ancestors with a day in the life of a modern family - exposing potential health issues that arise from trying to do the right things living in the 21st century. Sisson offers a solution in 10 empowering 'Blueprint Lifestyle Laws' that can help us reprogram our genes awa
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2008–2025Good calories, bad calories
Gary Taubes
Recommended by 91 · mentioned by 13291 recommend · 132 mention91 recommend · 13291 recommend
2008–2026Starting strength
Mark Rippetoe
Recommended by 191 · mentioned by 294191 recommend · 294 mention191 recommend · 294191 recommend
2007–2026Infinite Jest
David Foster Wallace
Recommended by 145 · mentioned by 421145 recommend · 421 mention145 recommend · 421145 recommend
2007–2026Guns, Germs, and Steel
Jared Diamond
Recommended by 214 · mentioned by 510214 recommend · 510 mention214 recommend · 510214 recommend
…this diet. For more resources on the topic I suggest a few books. http://www.primalbody-primalmind.com/ - Primal Body Primal Mind by Nora Gedgaudas – Lots of science. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ - Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson – Lot more accessible. Give it to your parents etc. http://www.amazon.com/Good-Calories-Bad-Gary-Taubes/dp/14000... - Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes – Very long, but explains…
on “ How to Keep Feces Out of Your Bloodstream (or Lose 10 Pounds in 14 Days) ” ↗The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson is also great and changed my life. Reading 'Good Calories Bad Calories' now from Gary Taubes (the author of the op) and it is awesome too.
on “Salt, We Misjudged You” ↗The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson. He puts some sense of his own sense of humor into the book and I like his overall lifestyle approach.
on “ How to Keep Feces Out of Your Bloodstream (or Lose 10 Pounds in 14 Days) ” ↗The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson and Linchpin by Seth Godin. I had started Linchpin first but I’m now focusing on finishing The Primal Blueprint instead. If you like to question Conventional Wisdom and want to take a…
on “Ask HN: What books are you reading” ↗…copies of book 3 and want to publish an omnibus, I'll have someone interested in taking care of that and the distribution for me. Oh, wait, you want books we read, not any books, huh? I'd have to say [The Primal Blueprint](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982207786?tag=egypurna-20&camp=0&...), which got me seriously thinking about what I put in my body and how I use it. I've been backsliding from the fabulous shape I was in…
on “Ask HN: What book changed your life in 2013?” ↗…stuck with. So have several of my friends around me. I doubt the answer is as easy as some would like it to be, but empirically it seems low carb diets have tremendous benefits. I'd recommend reading the Primal Blueprint (http://primalblueprint.com/) for a more thorough explanation of the theory behind it, I'll stick with with my current diet as all indicators (including regular doctor checks) show a drastic increase…
on “Why We Get Fat” ↗…or economics, but for the short list of change-my-life books: This year I read a lot about what you might loosely call the Paleo movement / anti-carbs and sugar movement. The New Evolution Diet, The Primal Blueprint, books by Gary Taubes, and so on. I think this is going to change how I eat and exercise forever. The Gift of Imperfection and other works by Brené Brown. Lately this is being promoted by Oprah, which…
on “Ask HN: What book changed your life in 2013?” ↗…squats). Try Nerf Fitness if you lean that direction (the FB group is highly supportive). Once you've been walking, try something like a couch-to-5k/10k. Zombies, Run! is fun. Try something like the Primal Blueprint (also has a 21-day "reset" plan which can be beneficial). Enlist partners (not necessarily "gym buddies", but people who will hold you accountable on the days you cannot). Plan for the long haul.
on “Ask HN: How did you start exercising after being completely out of shape?” ↗The Primal Blueprint is the best source of information on this approach. It's less of a diet and more of a lifestyle change. It was a great read.
on “Salt, We Misjudged You” ↗Yes and no. Most mainstream paleo isn't low carb enough to keep you in ketosis. Sisson's Primal Blueprint is probably the closest to advocating for keto. In reality the mechanism for weight loss is most likely increased satiety from higher P&F intake vs Carb intake (without dropping below ~50g C/day for keto).
on “Palaeolithic diet: Should we all eat like cavepeople?” ↗I'm not attacking Sisson's framework. I haven't read much of his stuff, but the Primal Blueprint does seem to base a lot of its information off of assumptions about what Paleolithic hunter gatherers are supposed to have eaten. The article above makes a pretty good case for why building your diet…
on “Why the Paleo Diet Is Half-Baked (2013)” ↗