Ancestral Reset Journey by Jon Sherman
1) What motivated you to embark on the Ancestral Reset journey? Now that you’ve completed the program, how did the experience address that original desire or motivation?
I’ve been training consistently and with increasing frequency for years. And while I’ve became stronger, more flexible, and athletic, I’ve never really looked like it. So let’s call a spade a spade: I did it for vanity. ‘Cause sure, it’s awesome to notice you feel stronger, more flexible, and athletic, but it’s even more awesome when other people notice. And yeah, this definitely addressed my totally shallow motivation: people have noticed.
Please describe how you felt before the Ancestral Reset Experience. How did you feel at the halfway mark? How do you feel at the end of the 9 weeks?
I felt pretty good at the start, so it was a surprise to me how much better I felt as I went through it; more capable in the gym, more alert at work, and a general sense of overall wellness that steadily increased.
What specific changes have you noticed in your day to day life now that you’ve completed the program?
I didn’t know I had sugar cravings or crashes – until I stopped having sugar cravings and crashes! And I’ve been amazed by how fast my workday seems to go by, which I attribute to not feeling tired or groggy after lunch.
Did you learn anything new about yourself you didn’t know before during the experience? If so, please share what you’ve learned.
Like most people I used to justify what I ate with the training I did. “I can have this,” I’d tell myself, “I worked out today.” But going through the reset (and seeing the changes) has completely flipped that on its head. Now instead of eating poorly because I train, I eat well because I train. Another way to put it: instead of eating in spite of your exercise, eat in support of it. Because that’s the only way you’ll see results (unless you’re in your 20’s and a professional athlete, I guess).
2) In your experience, how is the Ancestral Reset different than other weight loss/diet challenges you’ve tried in the past?
In the past I’ve done Atkins, Weight Watchers, Zone Diet Delivery – and they all kinda sucked. From the minute I began I felt overly constrained, hungry, and usually I didn’t enjoy what I was supposed to be eating. On this program I didn’t have any of those issues. Years ago I stopped putting half-and-half in my coffee to cut calories. And while I still enjoy it black, now I also can put heavy cream in it without guilt. I’ve also enjoyed confusing my co-workers who’ve been watching me eat eggs, bacon, and avocados on the regular while they have “healthy” fruit and granola, low-fat yogurt, or packets of oatmeal.
Did your relationship with food change as a result of participating in the program? Do these changes empower you? In what ways?
For sure. I pretty much broke up with bread, pasta, and potatoes. But I have new, deep and intense relationships with all kinds of pork products (especially belly, rinds, and cracklings), coconut milk, ghee, butter, cheese, avocados, ribeye steaks, protein-style burgers, and other foods. I confess that the ‘fruit guilt’ is a little weird at first – but you get over it. The most empowering part of these changes is the ability to eat things that feel decadent but are actually supporting your ability to burn fat.
Did having a community of people training and eating the same way as you did on the Ancestral Journey help you accomplish your personal goals? If so, how?
100%. Doing this as part of a group fostered a sense of accountability (and, to a degree, competition). It also provided a sounding board, a repository of resources, and a place to share my own discoveries and experiences.
Would you recommend the Ancestral Reset to like-minded friends and colleagues looking to make positive changes to their lives like you did? How would you persuade them to give it a try?
Absolutely. I’m a 49 year-old married guy with two young kids, a full-time job – and for almost the whole duration I HAD NO KITCHEN (our dishwasher blew a line, leading to a near-total remodel we never meant to embark on). So if I can do this, anyone can.
3) At what point in the program did you begin to notice changes to your body composition and overall physical aesthetic? How did seeing that change make you feel?
After three weeks I’d already dropped the majority weight that ended up coming off, so what most surprised me was how much different my body looked even though my weight wasn’t really changing. Seeing the changes kept me motivated to keep going with it – and to keep going even after the nine weeks.
How did the Ancestral Reset experience impact your performance:
· In the gym? Endurance, strength, and recovery all improved.
· At work? No afternoon crash or fatigue. Improved focus and mental energy.
· In your everyday movement outside the gym? Less pain/inflammation (in joints and back)
· In the bedroom? A smaller body makes your dick look bigger!
Were there particular aches, pains, ailments or other areas of discomfort that were alleviated by the Ancestral Reset program? In what ways were these physical issues impacted?
I won’t say this made my back better, but over the last 14 months it had been limiting me in the gym. It wasn’t till I changed my diet that I started noticing major changes – and that’s only continued on this program. Deadlifts are back, baby!
Did you notice any change in your mental acuity and sharpness while on the program? If so, what were these changes and how did they impact your work? Your life?
See above. I’m both sharper and more efficient. And maybe more creative.
Did you notice any change to your emotional state of being during the experience? How did these changes impact your relationship with friends, family, co-workers and most importantly, with yourself?
Overall I’ve been more even-tempered, patient, and thoughtful (I think) – but also generally happier and more confident.
3) How has this experience equipped you to take responsibility for your diet, rest and movement practice beyond the time of the Ancestral Journey?
After doing this and seeing the changes, I’ve come away wondering, “why would I go back?” There’s no reason I can’t sustain this on a regular basis – but there’s also no reason I can’t take breaks from it if I’m on a vacation. In fact, that’s a good way to think of it: you don’t live like you’re on vacation all the time – why eat like you are? It’s about balance.