Different versions of this same question get applied to other paleo/primal luminaries. Saw a photo of Robb Wolf, whose sweater looked a bit bunched around his waist, with some online commentator asking, "OMG, does Robb have a stomach?" ("Has he put on weight") And how did Mark Sisson recently respond to a critic who claimed Mark has gotten "out of shape"? Mark posted on one his signature shirtless photos, with the day's newspaper to prove currency. (Mark in fact turned out to be his usual lean, toned, healthy looking self.)

I confess I felt a bit sad that Mark felt that necessary. In the sense that we all know what it's like to know the right thing to do, the right what to live, the right choices to make ... And we all also know how difficult it can be to practice skillfully, effectively, over time. That's to say: If either Robb or Mark ends up adding a few more pounds than they may want, that would have no bearing on my views toward their books or their life works overall.

Many people use the phrase "walk your talk" solely as an accusation of failing to do so, as if the failure could only be willful, hence hypocrisy gets invoked.

Suppose we agree to acknowledge that Cordain, Lustig, Wolf, and Sisson, are all on "the path"?

And also acknowledge Antonio Machado's wise words: "We make the path by walking."

If on the other hand, you happen to be perfect, you get to be exempt from this exercise.

I don't mind if I take some heat for this, but watching the videos and looking at the pictures from AHS surprised me in that everyone just looked kinda normal. Aside from Stephan and Staffan (ahem), and of course Mark, nobody really stood out. Stephan and Mark have probably had the same BF% with every diet they have ever eaten though. Mark Advocates a high fat intake but he also earns it with a high activity level. It's an important point. Honestly, I would attribute what I observe/d to the prevalence of high-fat eating in the paleo community that is unhinged from activity level. Adipocyte management is a really straightforward process of mobilization, transport and oxidation that has to be balanced with storage. A lot of people are skeptical about dietary fat being stored in adipocytes. Blows my mind every time I read it. Some people can find that intersection point between fat intake, satiety and fat oxidation and end up relatively lean without activity. Lots and lots of people can't however.

As far as Lustig goes, supraphysiological doses of fructose are indeed bad but removing all fructose from one's diet doesn't magically result in total leanness. If that's all he personally does, I wouldn't expect him to be lean. If Cordain is really busy without being really active I could see that accounting for it. I'd be really surprised if he could gain much fat eating what he advocated in the first edition of his book though unless he's totally sedentary.

It'd be a bit like if you attended a conference on muscle hypertrophy and I was up there giving a lecture. You'd be wondering why the hell you should listen to some scrawny guy. If he knew everything about hypertrophy wouldn't he have at least gained some amount of noticeable muscle? Or if I was at a baldness reversal symposium. No really, guys, I used to be a lot balder than this...listen to what I have to say! Paleo isn't all about weight loss, but let's face it, it's what hooks people initially in many cases.

The sad fact is that you can't really sell diets without being lean. A sadder fact I suppose is that you can sell anything with a 6-pack.

Another way to look at this is to say, "I wonder how much more overweight they'd be if they didn't eat paleo!"

While neither Dr. Cordain nor Dr. Lustig are whipcord lean, neither is obese. Plus, both must be in their late 50s or early 60s at least. While they may not be the best examples, they are far, far, far from the fattest medical doctors or academics I've seen.

They get somewhat of a pass on their appearance because they are professional researchers and to a degree they are saying “based upon my research, I advise this…”

I think their appearance is another example though that losing weight can be a lot more complex issue than what it is often made out to be by diet books.

I give Lustig a pass - he isn't really advocating paleo. He just says "frooktoz iz teh ebilz". That's fine by me.

Yes, it's annoying that Cordain gets to be the front man for paleo/cave man diet to the media, simply because he wrote the book. Hopefully, people will google around enough to realize that his word is not the last word on paleo.

I didn't watch this video b/c my computer is not behaving right now. But I've seen enough of Lustig that I think his appearance really eats into his credibility. His is an especially disturbing case because he wants to tax sugar in the name of the burden of costs of healthcare. That is somewhat hypocritical ... and a slippery slope.

There's also a second option you didn't consider Andrew: That they DO practice what they preach but aren't being magically transformed into Jack Lallane or Art DeVany ... I find this possibility more disturbing/discouraging. As ambassadors for a movement looks/results DO matter. This is where I've been criticized for my criticism of many low carbers, but I think it is valid. In 2009 when I had plateaued out at a higher than desired weight, I looked around the web for women around my age to see how they were faring. At the time I came across disturbing images of Laura Dolson (About.com LC specialist), Dana Carpender (LC cookbook author and weight loss success story) and Mary Vernon (noted LC doctor). They were all obese at the time, the latter two appear to have slimmed down some since that time. What I wasn't finding were truly lean low carb women. That may just be what it is for women of a certain age, but it is all part of the information on which to base one's lifestyle choices. Thus I look at a Denise Austin and think daaamm she looks good (not perfect!) ... but she was never overweight.

Hi Panteleimon,

I don't agree that low BMI is "clearly" associationed with higher mortality. Studies on this are conflicting and the recent bruhaha about lower bmi in women 15% to 18% as well as 18% to 20% ranges being associated with higher mortality has plenty of critics. As time passed, the association shrank indicating that thinness caused by a pre-existing condition was likely the cause of increasedd mortality and not the thinness itself. BMI is woefully innacurate as 2 petite women can weigh the same but one will be mostly muscle and another much higher fat. Look at slender Asian women -- low bmi and they live much longer until they eat like Westerners and get chubby/fat. I'd rather be thin than than fat or even pleasingly plump as I age. Easier on the joints and if I ever need surgery, thin heals better. Maybe plump can arguably make a gal look younger in the face if she happens to genetically gain weight in the face (I don't -- skinny face even when heavier) -- no worries. That's why our eyes start failing at mid-40s so that we have a buit-in "soft focus" like they use on aging actresses...I say arguably because I don't think double chins and jowls look particularly youthful. But again, who cares. How you you feel is what counts, not how you look. I'm ownin' my photoaged skin and lovin' it.

Walking the talk so to say is an important aspect of of credibility coming out of the gate it seems...I feel it should continue to be so throughout, but I think most people just blow it off as human nature to have some points in life where your not putting your best foot forward.

On the other hand leading by example is nothing but beneficial, both for yourself (internal conflicts can be a bitch) and for those you are hoping to lead. It is hard not to judge those who are a bit more prominent, but really your just speculating if you think their physical appearance is a direct result of their research or ideas.

I'm amazed by the head coaches in the NFL...90+% probably start off in good shape and end up completely obese. Obviously stress plays a role and you can visibly see the new guys plump up over a couple of years on the job. Does show you don't always follow your own advice.

Some of the best professional football coaches in the world have never played pro football nor do they look like they could (Bill Belichick, John Madden and Mike Shanahan to name a few). K.C's current coach never played a game of football even in highschool.

Cordain is included because he wrote the definitive book. When any of the typical media outlets talk paleo, it is his original diet they are referring to. Dr. Lustig is included because he is local. This question and especially some of the answers and comments are a bit too ageist for me.

It"s funny that on a "Paleo is everything site", we see excuses for Cordain/Lustig et al for not walking the talk. They are old and they are busy. Hogwash! This Paleo Diet Template, done correctly, offsets so much of hormonal aging it is a joke. And too busy falls flat too. My exercise program has sunk to all time lows due to a back injury in late August and I'm still making BF cuts and keeping muscle mass. All this with adrenal glands at half stregth and a sluggish thyroid. I can accept that they like to eat shit! I'm happy to make fun of them, but it doesn't affect my Paleo Menu in the least.

Bryce Wylde interviewed Robb Wolfe and Gary Taubes last March. it is mostly a luv fest

Are they overweight, for their age? Perhaps not, as low BMI is clearly associated with higher mortality.

Perhaps middle-aged people are just not going to be persuasive role-models for younger people.

Hi Panteleimon. I'm not surprised elderly folks with extra fat survive cancer better because Western cancer treatments like chemo and toxic drugs cause nauseau, vomiting and ensuing weightloss. Also, cancer can cause cachexia (wasting) so therefoe the skinny would likely fare worse generally speaking. But ask a surgeon -- Quilt may have good insights here -- and my experience has been that they generally say "skinny always heals better." I asked a surgeon why and he said because extra fat has to heal to and thus the healing process is slower and generally more painful and with more complications. I've heard this from 3 surgeons (vascular, gynecological and breast cancer) but maybe the type of surgery also matters. Back to the purported correlation between very low bmi and risk of death -- correlation is not causation. BMI is notoriously bogus for the very petite, very muscular, those with odd proportions such as very long or short torso and most importantly, says nothing about body composition -- fat versus muscle. BMI to me is "Basically Meaningless Interpretation."

http://lastdaysoftheincas.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Mashco-Piro.jpg

genetics has a lot to do with it, heres a picture of hunter gatherers from a hidden tribe in south america. They don't exactly look like fitness models, are they healthy, probably. No matter how you eat or exercise your still going to have a certain body type, you may not see weight above 200 lbs as a woman on the paleo diet but i wouldn't be surprised if you hovered around 130-150lbs.