Mark Sisson's Blog, page 104

Primal Grilling Guide (+ 7 Recipes)

We’d argue that grilling is one of the best parts of summer. Over the years, Mark has served up tips for making the most of your grill cooking, including these Primal grilling tips and techniques as well as a guide for how to cook a whole fish on the grill. For those cooking away from home, we’ve even got ideas for some car camping favorites. Today we’re rounding up more than just grilling resources but seven recipes you can enjoy this month. From beef to seafood to vegetables, we hope these ideas inspire some great dinners.

Sticky Ribs With Teriyaki

The story behind these sticky, fall-off-the-bone ribs? Two delectable sauces to flavor pork spare ribs. We start with a sweet, salty, umami (from fermented fish sauce) marinade with the nuanced spice from chili sauce and the warm bite of fresh ginger, and let that seep into the ribs for a few hours. Then, we baste the slabs with Primal Kitchen No Soy Teriyaki before and during grilling to ensure a caramelized crust on the exterior of the meat.

Sausage and Veggie Skewers

Summer cooking means skewers, and this recipe offers a unique kick beyond the typical beef or chicken kabob.

Grilled Shrimp Kabobs

For some lighter fare, we love these Primal- and keto-friendly kabobs with summer veggies. Primal Kitchen® Lemon Turmeric Dressing and Marinade makes this dish incredibly easy and flavorful—without much time and effort on your part. Just a few minutes at the kitchen, another few at the grill, and this delicious, low-carb dinner is served. It’s great for a quick family meal or an impromptu get-together.

Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad

Grilled Romaine is an unexpected summer classic. Paired with shaved Parmesan and gluten-free croutons (totally optional), it’s a perfect (and fast) way to put a show-stopping salad on the table.

Mark’s Grilled Steak 

It doesn’t get much better than a juicy New York strip hot off the grill. Throw in a generous side of broccolini and some steak sauce (I happen to know a good one), and that’s dinner for me. Grilling a steak isn’t hard work, but a few things can make a big difference for the end result.

Primal Burger With Secret Sauce

It’s an all-American, grass-fed burger (and fries for those who want to splurge) with a triple classic condiment special sauce. You can’t go wrong with this summer favorite.

Turkey Burger Lettuce Wraps

For those who prefer a more creative spin on the traditional burger experience, this turkey burger offers a tropical taste. Creamy avocado and optional pineapple make for a sweeter summer meal.

Enjoy your summer weekend, everyone! Have a grilling recipe you’d like to see Primalized (or keto-fied)? Let us know on the comment board.

The post Primal Grilling Guide (+ 7 Recipes) appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Weekly Link Love — Edition 32

Research of the Week

Modern hunter-gatherers probably don’t live in particularly marginalized areas, at least compared to other subsistence groups.

Since 2008, diabetes incidence in the US has actually gone down (apparently driven mostly by non-Hispanic whites).

Bipolar disorder increases the risk of Parkinson’s.

DIY skills are dropping.

Even the liver’s circadian rhythm responds to light at night. So does the insulin sensitivity of your muscle tissue.

Mortality benefits leveled off at 7500 steps per day in older women.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 346: Endurance: Dude Spellings: Host Brad Kearns chats with the best name ever about his Primal Endurance journey.

Episode 347: Steven Gundry M.D.: Host Elle Russ chats with Steven Gundry about his new book, The Longevity Paradox.

Primal Health Coach Radio, Episode 14: Erin and Laura sit down with Elle Russ to discuss the power of vulnerability as well as the permanent injury that changed her career trajectory and broadened her perspective on life and health.

Each week, select Mark’s Daily Apple blog posts are prepared as Primal Blueprint Podcasts. Need to catch up on reading, but don’t have the time? Prefer to listen to articles while on the go? Check out the new blog post podcasts below, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast here so you never miss an episode.

Media, Schmedia

Famous Finnish vegan blogger and cookbook author has turned to burgers, admitting her diet ruined her health and triggered early menopause.

Why dreary meetings are so dreary.

Interesting Blog Posts

It pays to play.

Stressed out and anxious humans have stressed out and anxious dogs.

Social Notes

I recently appeared on the Armchair Nutritionist (great name) podcast.

Everything Else

Huge swarm of ladybugs shows up on radar.

Exercise helps teens sleep more efficiently.

The Genghis Khan of macadamias.

At this point, who hasn’t gotten it on with ancient hominids?

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

I expect a lot more of this kind of thing: Those CRISPR babies from last year might have an increased mortality risk.

I’m not surprised: Intense experiences that we view positively—like a bungee jump—acutely improve cognition.

Figuring out this could be the key to everything: Children begin to lose the intrinsic motivation to exercise by age 9.

Nuance is everything: Vitamin D supplements don’t seem to decrease cancer incidence, but they may reduce cancer mortality.

This is a powerful video: Early lumberjacks felling giant redwoods.

Question I’m Asking

What’s the best way to keep kids from losing their intrinsic motivation to exercise? How do we keep movement for movement’s sake?

Recipe Corner

Eskimo ice cream.
Easy teriyaki salmon from NomNomPaleo.

Time Capsule

One year ago (June 2 – June 8)

Supplements for Brain Health: What Nutrients and Supplemental Foods Make the Most Difference? – What to eat for your brain.
Dear Mark: Saturated Fat More Harmful to Liver Than Sugar? – Could it be?

Comment of the Week

“1/2 inch thick ain’t a steak, that’s a slice of sandwich meat!”

– Ha, PK!

The post Weekly Link Love — Edition 32 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Grilled Shrimp Kabobs

With June here, we’re all about grilling. For some lighter fare, we love these Primal- and keto-friendly kabobs with summer veggies. Primal Kitchen® Lemon Turmeric Dressing and Marinade makes this dish incredibly easy and flavorful—without much time and effort on your part. Just a few minutes at the kitchen, another few at the grill, and this delicious, low-carb dinner is served. It’s great for a quick family meal or an impromptu get-together.

Ingredients:

Bag of Jumbo Shrimp (16-20/pound)
2 Medium Red Bell Peppers
1 Large Yellow Squash
1 Large Red Onion
1 Large Zucchini
1 cup of Primal Kitchen Lemon Turmeric Dressing and Marinade
3 Tbsp. Fresh Italian Parsley
1 Lemon
Sea salt and black pepper (to taste)
Optional: 2 cups of Butter Lettuce (or other greens of choice)

Instructions:

Let shrimp marinate in Primal Kitchen Lemon Turmeric Dressing and Marinade for 15-30 minutes.

Wash and chop vegetables into bite-sized chunks (about 1 1/2-inch pieces). Alternate vegetable pieces with marinated shrimp on skewers.

Spray grill grate with Primal Kitchen Avocado Spray Oil to prevent sticking (very important when grilling seafood). Heat the grill to medium/medium-low.

Grill kabobs for 1-2 minutes per side.

Serve on top of butter lettuce with lemon wedges. Drizzle with additional Lemon Turmeric Dressing as well as salt, pepper, and parsley.

Nutritional Info (per kabob, without optional lettuce):

Calories: 248
Total Carbs: 13 grams
Fat: 18 grams
Protein: 12 grams

The post Grilled Shrimp Kabobs appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Why Does the Keto Reset Allow 50 Grams of Carbs?

If you look around the online keto-sphere, you’ll notice that 20 or 30 grams is often the standard daily limit for carbohydrate intake. Any more than that, they say, and you’ll never get into ketosis, never become fat-adapted, and waste all your efforts at reducing carbohydrate intake. And then you come to Mark’s Daily Apple, sign up for the June Keto Reset, or buy a copy of The Keto Reset book and see that I allow 50 grams of carbs per day and don’t even consider non-starchy vegetables as counting against that total carb count.

What gives?

Why does the Keto Reset allow 50 grams of carbs per day? Why don’t I count non-starchy vegetables?

There are several main reasons.

I Allow 50 Grams of Carbs Because I Don’t Subtract Fiber from Total Carbs. I Don’t Do Net Carbs. I Count It All.

Most keto plans subtract fiber from total carbs to arrive at “net carbs.” They do this for a very good reason: Fiber is not digested, does not count as glucose, and does not impact ketosis. I get it. I’m not denying the fact that the body treats indigestible fiber differently than digestible glucose and fructose. The fiber you eat does not affect your ability to generate ketones. Sure, the body doesn’t treat indigestible fiber the same way as digestible glucose.

But I find it’s just way simpler to count total carbs rather than ask people to pore over the labels and do a bunch of subtraction. This has the effect of giving a “higher total” carb allowance, but the actual number of digestible carbs remains about on par with other keto plans.

Non-Starchy Vegetables Don’t Impact Ketosis in Most People.

For all intents and purposes, foods like spinach, chard, broccoli, and others do not impact ketosis one way or the other. The vast majority of them are so low in carbs that you burn more glucose digesting them than you’re able to extract from them. I’d rather your average 62-year-old retiree who’s trying to get healthier and lose the extra 30 pounds so he can take retirement by the horns not have to weigh and measure his romaine lettuce and spinach. I don’t even want him to have to think about his romaine lettuce. Just eat the stuff!

I’m sure there are extra-sensitive people out there for whom a spinach salad does impair ketosis, but I’m creating general guidelines that work for the largest number of people. Most people can eat one and remain ketotic. And the limit is an upper limit; it’s not a requirement that everyone has to reach.

Non-Starchy Vegetables Offer Many Unique Benefits to the Keto Eater.

Many of them, like spinach, have satiety-inducing effects that reduce cravings for high-carb junk food and make dietary adherence even easier. And they’re often the best sources of micronutrients that keto dieters otherwise have trouble obtaining, like potassium and magnesium.

We Want to Nourish the Gut Biome.

One of the potential downsides to conventional keto diets is the disruption of the microbiome. Several years ago, a study came out claiming to show that “chowing down” on meat and dairy had horrible impacts on the gut biome. Looking more closely, the “meat and dairy” diet was actually a processed meat diet completely bereft of non-starchy plant matter. It didn’t say anything about the type of diet that Primal eaters eat, but it did represent a strike against the conventional caricature of the “salami and cream cheese keto diet.” That’s the “salami and cream cheese” keto diet, the one I cannot support and definitely do not recommend. Having 50 grams of carbs available and not counting non-starchy vegetables makes it easier to eat the plants that contain the prebiotic fiber that nourishes and supports your gut bacteria.

Ultimately, the 50 grams limit with unlimited non-starchy vegetables gives you plenty of wiggle room.

I’ll admit that this has been confusing for some folks. There have been questions about “50 grams” and “not counting non-starchy vegetables.” But it also means that I’m not getting a deluge of questions about whether you should count the carbs in avocados and Brussels sprouts (no and no), whether the asparagus you had last night is going to send you back to square one (it won’t, unless it was breaded and fried and you ate a pound), whether you committed a grave sin by having three bites of roasted potatoes (you only committed a small transgression), and all the other minutiae that bog people down. To me, on net, that balances out in the Keto Reset’s favor. It shows me that people by and large aren’t overthinking the errata (worrying about their broccoli intake). They’re focusing on the big picture (getting fat-adapted while eating a nutrient-dense diet).

How do you folks approach carb counting on your diet? Do you worry about the spinach and broccoli? Do you use net carbs?

Thanks for reading, everyone!

References:

Stenblom EL, Egecioglu E, Landin-olsson M, Erlanson-albertsson C. Consumption of thylakoid-rich spinach extract reduces hunger, increases satiety and reduces cravings for palatable food in overweight women. Appetite. 2015;91:209-19.

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Electrolytes and Keto: Why They Matter for the Transition

The one piece of advice all newcomers to the ketogenic diet receive is to “get enough electrolytes.” It doesn’t matter what flavor of keto diet you’re talking about—paleo, carnivore, Primal, standard, clinical, mainstream, salami-and-cream-cheese. They all mention the importance of getting your electrolytes, particularly during the transition from a higher-carb diet.

I’ve said it. I say it. It really is important. Heck, a major part of the much-maligned “keto flu” can be directly attributed to inadequate intake of sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Oftentimes, increasing your electrolytes stops the flu from happening in the first place.

Why, though?

Why Do Early Stages Of a Ketogenic Diet Trigger an Increase In electrolyte Requirements?

One of the first things that happens when you go keto is you lose a bunch of glycogen from almost everywhere. For one, depletion of liver glycogen—the storage form of carbohydrates in the body—is the trigger for the liver to begin producing ketone bodies. It can’t make ketones if it’s full of glycogen. And, two, since you’ve just removed virtually all the digestible carbohydrates from your diet and your body hasn’t adapted to burning fats directly, it’s going to burn through the stored muscle glycogen and ramp up ketone production to make up for the rest of your energy requirements.

If you’re going keto (and doing it right), you’ll be depleting your glycogen stores. It’s totally normal, but there’s a side effect: water loss.

Each gram of glycogen in the body is stored with four grams of water. Every time you lose a gram of glycogen, you lose four grams of water and a bunch of sodium, magnesium, and potassium. When sodium drops, your kidneys start shedding potassium to maintain the right sodium:potassium ratio. But even though the ratio might be “right,” the absolute amounts of sodium and potassium are inadequate for optimal function.

As you get better at burning fats directly and your body gets acclimated to utilizing them for energy, you won’t have to maintain empty liver glycogen to stimulate massive ketone production. You can use fats for the majority of your energy requirements and can begin storing more glycogen rather than shedding it instantly. As a result, you won’t shed as much water or lose as many electrolytes.

Another factor is that going keto lowers insulin, and low insulin levels reduce sodium retention. This is one reason why low-carb diets are so good for people with salt-sensitive high blood pressure—they help you get rid of excess sodium.

A Few Signs of Low Electrolytes During the Keto Transition
Headaches

When sodium gets too low, your body will reduce water stores to maintain proper sodium ratios. This creates a vicious cycle of dehydration that can trigger headaches. Luckily, salt repletion will fix most keto headaches.

Postural Hypotension

If you’ve ever felt dizzy and unsteady upon standing up from a seated position, you’ve experienced postural hypotension. Blood pools in the lower half of your body while sitting and the blood pressure is inadequate to adjust in time. Without enough blood in your brain, things don’t work so well. It only lasts for a second or two, but it’s no fun.

Sodium depletion—as occurs in the early stages of keto—is a major risk factor for postural hypotension. Eating more salt is a quick fix. This isn’t keto broscience, either. Standard medical treatment of postural hypotension is to have the patient consume up to a tablespoon and a half of extra salt per day.

Poor Physical Performance

When you go keto, you might notice a drop-off in your physical performance in the gym or on the field. Part of this is a transitory effect of your tissues adapting to a new energy source. But another explanation is that you have low potassium levels.

In the muscle tissue itself, potassium acts as an electrical conduit during muscle contractions—and muscle contractions are what make a muscle “go.”

Low Energy

To some extent, low energy is part and parcel of the keto transition. You’re not great at burning fat and ketones yet. You’re still missing carbs. That’s okay, that’s normal. It’s a necessary evil, and it will pass.

But low energy can also be a symptom of low electrolyte status, as potassium and magnesium are all important co-factors in the production of ATP, the body’s energy currency.

How To Re-establish Optimum Electrolyte Balance During Keto Transitions

The fix is simple. Eat more sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

For sodium:

Salt your food to taste (your salt appetite is a good barometer of your sodium requirements).
Drink salty broth (true bone broth is ideal, but good bouillon or store-bought is also acceptable).
Aim for 3-5 grams of sodium.

For potassium:

Eat zucchinis, avocados, leafy greens, and medium-rare steak with all the juices (the juice contains tons of potassium).
Use potassium citrate.
Aim for 3-5 grams of potassium.

For magnesium:

Eat leafy greens, halibut, dark chocolate, nuts.
Consider hemp seeds. They’re incredibly high in magnesium, low in phytate, and a little bit goes a long way.
Use magnesium supplements. The chelated magnesiums (those ending in “-ate,” like citrate, glycinate, or threonate) tend to be the best absorbed. Another option is to use topical magnesium chloride oil.
Aim for 500 mg of magnesium.

My favorite way to get a big dose of these electrolytes in one fell swoop is to pour a big glass of sparkling mineral water (I like Gerolsteiner) and add juice from 2 limes or lemons, a teaspoon of salt, and a scoop of magnesium powder. Great and incredibly refreshing. Sip on that twice a day, and you’ll be fine.

In my experience, electrolyte loss is the biggest stumbling block for people new to keto. It’s also one of the easiest to avoid. So get after it!

What’s your favorite way to get enough sodium, potassium, and magnesium? Got any great no-sugar electrolyte drink recipes you’d care to share?

Thanks for reading, everyone.

The post Electrolytes and Keto: Why They Matter for the Transition appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Primal+Keto Cooking Made Easy: Mark’s Grilled Steak

Happy Monday, everybody. I’m welcoming you to my backyard today with one of my all-time Primal (and keto) favorites: grilled steak. It doesn’t get much better than a juicy New York strip hot off the grill. Throw in a generous side of broccolini and some steak sauce (I happen to know a good one), and that’s dinner for me.

Grilling a steak isn’t hard work, but a few things can make a big difference for the end result. Check out the video below to see how I do it.

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Mark’s Grilled Steak Recipe

Servings: 1-2

Prep Time: less than a minute

Cooking Time: 9+ minutes (depending on how well done you like your steak)

Ingredients:

1 ½-inch thick preferably grass-fed New York strip steak (12 ounces), trimmed (I like Butcher Box’s New York strip steaks.)
1 tablespoon Primal Kitchen® Avocado Oil or Primal Kitchen Spray Avocado Oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

About 10-20 minutes before grilling, take the steak out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. In the meantime, heat the grill to high. Rub or spray avocado oil on the grill to prevent sticking just before putting the steak on.

Season the steak well with salt and pepper. Place the steak on the grill and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. I like to leave the grill lid up at this point.

Turn the steaks over and continue to grill 3 to 5 minutes for medium-rare (an internal temperature of 135ºF), 5 to 7 minutes for medium (140ºF) or 8 to 10 minutes for medium-well (150ºF). I put the grill lid down for this last part of cooking.

Transfer the steaks to a cutting board or platter, tent loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Add your favorite sauces (including Primal Kitchen Steak Sauce), and dig in! Enjoy, everyone.

Nutritional Information (per 6 ounce serving, grass-fed):

Calories: 175 
Net Carbs: 0 grams
Fat: 12.75 grams
Protein: 17.25 grams

The post Primal+Keto Cooking Made Easy: Mark’s Grilled Steak appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Keto-Friendly Birthday Cake

A good keto diet is about healthy whole foods, but now and then life calls for something special. Birthday cake is one. While not everyone who goes Primal or keto chooses to bake traditional treats, some do. And for those who do, it’s nice to have a lower carb version to enjoy.

This cake recipe uses Swerve in place of sugar. If you tolerate sugar alcohols well, Swerve can be one tool for Primal and even keto friendly baking—so you can have your keto cake and eat it, too.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 40 minutes (plus chill time)

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

Cake:

3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
40 g chopped 90% Chocolate
¼ cup Almond Butter
2.5 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp. Coconut Milk
3 Eggs, separated
1 cup Almond Flour
½ cup Cacao Powder
7 Tbsp. Swerve
1 tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Baking Soda
Pinch of Salt

Buttercream:

¾ cup Unsalted Butter, softened but not melted
¾ cup Powdered Swerve
½ tsp. Vanilla
2.5 Tbsp. Cacao Powder
1-2 Tbsp. Shredded Coconut (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325 ºF/162 ºC. Set up a double boiler and gently melt the chopped chocolate and butter together until the mixture is melted and smooth. (If you don’t consume dairy, this cake can be made dairy free by substituting coconut oil for the butter. For the buttercream, use a 2:1 ratio of palm shortening and coconut oil.)

Remove from the heat and stir in the almond butter, vanilla extract and coconut milk. Allow the mixture to slightly cool before adding the egg yolks. Whisk together until well combined and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the almond flour, cacao powder, granular Swerve, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly mix the dry mixture into the wet mixture a bit at a time until incorporated.

In another bowl, whisk the egg whites. (Whisking the egg whites help create a light and airy cake texture. You can whisk by hand or use a mixer. If using a mixer, start on a lower setting and increase after 1-2 minutes until soft peaks form.) As you whisk, they will become foamy and eventually start to stiffen. Once they begin to form soft peaks, carefully fold the whites into the batter until just combined. (Overmixing will cause the batter to lose the airy texture.)

Pour the batter into two greased 6” round pans (glass pyrex work well, too). Bake for 20-25 minutes. The cakes are done when a toothpick Just comes out clean or the top of the cake feels firm but springy. Set aside to fully cool.

To prepare the buttercream, combine the softened butter and vanilla. Sift the powdered Swerve into the butter a bit at a time and mix together until it is all combined. Set aside 1/3 of the buttercream mixture. To the remaining 2/3 of the mixture sift in the cacao powder and mix. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Stack the cake layers with the vanilla buttercream in the center of them and place on a cake stand. Frost the top of the cake with the chocolate buttercream and use a spatula to dab frosting along the outside of the cake and turn the stand as you spread the frosting with the spatula. If desired, sprinkle shredded coconut on top of the cake. Chill the cake until the frosting is set and slice.

Nutrition Information (per slice, 1/8 of cake):

Calories: 356
Net Carbs: 6 grams
Fat: 33 grams
Protein: 7 grams

The post Keto-Friendly Birthday Cake appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Weekly Link Love — Edition 31

Research of the Week

Researchers find 120,000-year old evidence of starchy tuber consumption.

General intelligence in orangutans.

Ravens feel bad when their friends feel bad.

Two things that recent research suggests is good for multiple sclerosis patients: red meat and keto.

Habitual coffee consumption may reduce all-cause mortality by improving resting heart rate.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 344: Endurance: Brad’s Tough Guy Warning: Host Brad gives a warning to all you tough guys out there about proper recovery and its effect on testosterone.

Episode 345: Gary Foresman, MD: Host Elle Russ chats with Gary Foresman about using low dose naltrexone to treat autoimmune disorders.

Primal Health Coach Radio, Episode 13: Erin and Laura sit down with triathlon influencer, Taren Gesell, to talk about his successful business transition and his belief in the power of action steps.

Each week, select Mark’s Daily Apple blog posts are prepared as Primal Blueprint Podcasts. Need to catch up on reading, but don’t have the time? Prefer to listen to articles while on the go? Check out the new blog post podcasts below, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast here so you never miss an episode.

Media, Schmedia

The mainstream is beginning to admit that ultraprocessed foods are terrible for us.

Overinvested “bully parents” are ruining youth sports.

Interesting Blog Posts

Why methane is different.

Why Americans use so much air-conditioning (and why it’s probably better for the environment than heating).

Social Notes

I agree with this list of best low-carb, keto-friendly snacks.

How I do cold brew.

ButcherBox is offering up a super grill deal to kick off summer. Get a $59 array of their amazing New York Strip Steaks, Baby Back Ribs, and Ground Beef totally free with your first box order.

Everything Else

College kids aren’t checking out books from the library anymore.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Article I’m reading: Walt Whitman on What Makes Life Worth Living.

Thing I’d love to try someday: Free-diving with sleeping whales.

Concept I’m mulling over: The complicated role of testosterone in development, competition, and human reproductive behavior.

I agree: Teens should start businesses.

Chapter I’m reading: “Design Flaws.”

Question I’m Asking

With Google stopping development of its glucose-monitoring lens and all the other failures and dubious advancements, tech is realizing that biology’s a hard nut to crack. Do you think technology will ever figure out human biology and vault us into sci-fi territory?

Recipe Corner

Green goddess burgers with charred broccoli (the charred broccoli is a real standout).
Cauliflower tabbouleh. What can’t cauliflower do?

Time Capsule

One year ago (May 26 – Jun 1)

8 Misconceptions About Fiber – Get the lowdown.
Summer Reset: 30 Days, 30 Actions – Some things to try.

Comment of the Week

“Regarding adoptions of ‘easy wins’ discussed in your Sunday with Sisson letter — I think it mostly comes down to habits. It’s difficult to establish a new habit. Even an easy one, such as daily push ups takes effort to establish. Also, and here’s what’s often not appreciated, our current habits usually kick in automatically and interfere with the development of a new one. What’s the solution? The most effective way to establish a new habit is to remove yourself from your typical situation. Why? Because our habits are triggered by the cues in our environment. Change the environment, even by moving your morning routine or ritual from one room of your home to another, can remove these powerful triggers and allow you to more easily focus on your new habit.”

– Great thoughts from Aaron Blaisdell.

The post Weekly Link Love — Edition 31 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Last Call For the June Keto Reset + The Grand Prize Giveaway!

Don’t miss tonight’s deadline (midnight PDT, 5/31/19) to join the June Keto Reset and to register for the BIGGEST grand prize I’ve ever given away.

Have you been thinking about going keto or recommitting to a keto routine? The all-new June Keto Reset offers one month of personal guidance, exclusive resources, great deals, and fantastic giveaways. Best of all, it’s totally free. All you do is SIGN UP.

You’ll also have the chance to grab the Keto Mastery Course for free (a $147 value) with the purchase of a Primal Kitchen® Keto Kit. Also, anyone who signs up by the deadline will be entered to win our Keto Reset grand prize giveaway. I’ll randomly select one participant who will bag a full year’s worth of Butcher Box standard meat boxes—plus a $1000 gift certificate to PrimalBlueprint.com. Don’t miss out!

What You’ll Get

Throughout the month of June you’ll receive two emails a week from yours truly with exclusive guidance, tips, and recipes for going keto the right way. You’ll learn how to optimize fat burning and get the results you’ve always wanted.

Heads up: You won’t find these resources on the blog.

(And for those of you who did the January Keto Reset Kickoff, the June experience is completely new—from top to bottom, so join us again!)

Throughout the month you’ll receive:

Bi-weekly Emails with Exclusive Keto Tips
Food Lists
Recipes
Personal Keto Reset Journal
Keto Reset Guide To Calculating Your Macros (a printable guide that you can hang on your refrigerator).

You’ll have everything you need for a successful Keto Reset.

Simply sign up now and enter your email to register.  (Enter your email in the email collector just under the banner at the top of the page and click subscribe. You don’t need to purchase anything to participate.)

You only have a few hours left! Registration closes May 31, 2019, at midnight PDT. 

But, wait. There’s more…

The Keto Reset Month Giveaways and Grand Prize

Last but not least: the giveaways, including the biggest grand prize I’ve ever offered on Mark’s Daily Apple…. 

One lucky winner will walk away with:

One year’s worth of meat boxes from ButcherBox. Every month enjoy a standard box (one of their curated box options or your own customized box) of premium grass-fed, pastured and heritage bred meats. It’s the meat I serve at my own table and unmatched in quality both in terms of healthy sourcing and incredible taste.
A $1000 gift certificate to PrimalBlueprint.com. Yup, a thousand dollars to enjoy your favorite Primal supplements, Primal Kitchen collagen products, bars, mayos, dressings, condiments, sauces, and oils, as well as Primal Blueprint books and courses.

It’s the ultimate giveaway package to fuel your Primal-keto journey.

Simply register for the Keto Reset Month by midnight PDT 5/31/19, and you’ll be entered to win. One winner will be randomly chosen at the end of the Keto Reset Month and announced on the Mark’s Daily Apple blog.

Plus, beginning now and throughout the month of June, follow Mark’s Daily Apple on Instagram for weekly giveaways with partners like Medlie, Bonafide Provisions, Taylor Farms, Nuttzo, Vital Farms, and Epic Provisions.

The Keto Deal You Won’t Want To Miss

I’m giving everyone who enrolls in the Keto Reset Month a chance to get the Keto Reset Online Mastery Course for FREE (that’s a $147 value) with the purchase of a Primal Kitchen® Advanced Keto Kit. You get my absolute favorite keto-friendly products, plus the most comprehensive multimedia educational experience around, designed for anyone interested in the ketogenic diet. It’s an unbelievable deal.

If you missed the chance to grab your free course in January, here’s your shot. Note: You can sign up for the Keto Reset Month without taking advantage of the Mastery Course deal.

If you participated in the January Keto Reset Kickoff and took advantage of the Mastery Course offer then, we hope you still join us for the entirely new Keto Reset experience. You’ll find new resources and supports to enhance your keto transition.

Plus, through the end of the sign-up period (5/31/19 midnight PDT), you can grab a free box of keto-friendly Coconut Lime Protein Bars free with any $30 purchase on PrimalKitchen.com (a $32.95 value!). Click here to take advantage of that offer or use code FREECLBARS at checkout.

The team and I are pumped for this June. I can’t think of a better way to kick off summer than the Keto Reset Month. I hope you’ll join us.

Thanks for reading, everybody. Weekend Link Love is coming up, as is a great summer soup recipe with the folks from Bonafide Provisions.

The post Last Call For the June Keto Reset + The Grand Prize Giveaway! appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Chilled Zucchini Basil Soup (+ A Giveaway!)

Soup is one of the most overlooked ways for incorporating a rich variety of vegetables in your diet. That goes double for summer soups. We’re loving this keto- and Primal-friendly Zucchini Basil Soup that can be served either warm or chilled any day of the year. But the nutritional goodness isn’t just in the vegetables and herbs. It also serves up the richness of full-fat coconut milk (feel free to use whole milk or cream if you prefer regular dairy) and all the benefits of collagen protein with the help of Bonafide Organic Chicken Bone Broth. Enjoy—and be sure to check out our community giveaway with Bonafide Provisions below!

Servings: 5 bowls

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

3 medium organic zucchini (peeled and diced in to 1/2 inch cubes)
3 Tbsp. Primal Kitchen® Avocado Oil
1 shallot, chopped into chunks
2 large garlic cloves, chopped into chunks
1 ½ teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 package Bonafide Organic Chicken Bone Broth (24 oz.)
1 large handful fresh basil (35 g)
1 can organic full-fat coconut milk
Optional and highly recommended: extra diced zucchini and bacon top

Instructions:

Heat Instant Pot to Saute setting and drizzle in Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil. Saute scallion and garlic until the onion is translucent.

Sprinkle in 1/2 tsp salt. Add in chopped zucchini, coconut milk and Bonafide Organic Chicken Bone Broth. Cook on Manual High for 5 minutes.

Puree (or immersion blend) soup until smooth.

Add in basil and blend. Feel free to add another teaspoon of salt (or to taste). Chill and store in mason jars.

Serve warm or chilled, and top with optional zucchini and bacon.

Nutritional Information (per serving without toppings):

Calories: 269
Net Carbohydrates: 5 grams
Fat: 24 grams
Protein: 8 grams

Now For the Giveaway…

Enter to win $100 in keto staples from Primal Kitchen (including our Keto Starter Kit + Collagen + Protein Bars), a Keto Reset book and Keto Reset Cookbook, plus one of each of Bonafide Provision’s bone broths (turkey, frontier, chicken, beef) and an 8-pack Keto Broth (dairy-free).

To enter:

1. FOLLOW @bonafideprovisions, @primalkitchenfoods, @marksdailyapple & @theprimalblueprint

2. COMMENT on the giveaway Instagram post in one of the above accounts with your favorite thing about summer.

3. BONUS entries: Sign up for our FREE Keto Reset month here before midnight PDT, 5/31/19.

We’ll be choosing TWO lucky winners. Open to U.S. entries only. The winners will be announced and contacted via Instagram direct message on Friday, June 7th. Good luck, everyone!

The post Chilled Zucchini Basil Soup (+ A Giveaway!) appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.