So I read Sisson's book and have been a regular reader of his website [...]
I found that the book gives a good introduction to the Paleo-style way of life (cut the sugars, grains, processed carbs, and processed fats/trans fats) and focus on proteins and fats (good fats). This is from the simple premise that we evolved in an environment where grains weren't highly available and that sugar was difficult to extract (as there were NO government-subsidized grain programs and NO Green Revolution of the 1960s to mark the explosion of cheap grain availability). Furthermore, our primitive ancestors tended to be a lot more active than what we have been especially over the past half century (hugely to blame thanks to sedentary-style desk jobs that much of America has switched onto).
It all makes sense, and I do believe with everything Mark is saying --- and I would recommend this book.
The only reasons why I gave this book a 3/5 was because I felt that the biochemistry needed a bit more explanation as it was a little unorganized (he gives some basic facts about human metabolism but doesn't really explain it all the way through), and then goes on giving recommendations for how to do the program. It would have been helpful if he gave some more quantitative data as well.
For instance, he doesn't really explain how much higher carb intake to fat deposit turnover is compared to fat intake to fat deposit rates. It's important to describe these things quantitatively (and I understand it can't be too too complex given the audience) because a 100% rate stands out a lot more than say a 5% or even a 1% rate compared to the other.
So he will describe some basic biochemistry (which again is appropriate) but neglects to fill in some other pieces that make the entire picture clear.
The second minor complaint was that the book never really made references to its sources for evidence WITHIN the text and it should have used footnotes and not endnotes at the very least. The way the book is setup is that it makes verifying his claims more difficult to do because he doesn't cite sources when he needs to. This is important because it lends more credibility to what he is saying, and helps those who are doubtful to reassure themselves at the appropriate points when necessary.
Third, I don't like the subtle recommendations for his own supplements --- I mean, it's his book yeah, but I think it is unprofessional to be recommending your own products especially when you're trying to teach people the right thing. It makes the author look biased for the wrong reasons, looking for a quick buck especially when there are a lot of competing nutrition guides out there with similar claims. My advice is: Don't waste your money on any supplements as they're overpriced here, and you can find better deals at other stores. The only supplements that I use, btw, are a Centrum Multivitamin, Omega 3 fish oil pills (take 2 1000 gs a day), and 1000 IU of Vitamin D3 (I live in a high latitude/long winters). And how significant these benefits are by taking these specific supplements is still up for debate --- in Sisson's own words, you may be literally pissing gold. Mark, if you read this, you should realize that your message will be more easily accepted by people, who are already skeptical of supposed health claims, if you don't advertise in your book for your own personal profit.
Fourth, there should have been more recipes and a recipe guide/schedule in visual format that would help people get started on the Paleo-style way of eating.
The book is about 270-280 pages long, and it's in relatively big size font, and at the price it's selling at, I'm sure that the next edition (if there will be one),can afford and should include a good template for a beginner 30 day recipe guide for commonly/easily available foods/spices/condiments/etc. in American grocery stores.
Besides these points, the book is a good read, and is not overly complex or overly simple and it has a good balance of information and advice to follow.
Nevertheless, I would also urge all of you to read the book (and any other nutritional book) with a critical mind and don't just passively accept the arguments the author makes without verifying it for yourself.
Finally, I would also be cautious/wary of all the 5-star reviews that this book and any other book gets on Amazon.com and any other website --- especially seeing as you really can't tell if the writers work for the publisher/author, or if they may be influenced by a hive mind mentality (following the crowd), a placebo effect, or are just plain dumb.
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