Mark Sisson's Blog, page 137

How My Response to Stress Has Changed Through the Years

Even after I fixed my diet, ditched the chronic cardio, and cleaned up my overall lifestyle to be more in line with our evolutionary upbringing, one big problem remained: my response to stress.

This had always been an issue for me. Part of it was that I kept a full plate at all times. Whether it was my training load, my businesses, my overall type A personality, stress was simply unavoidable, I thought.

How did I approach the situation and manage my stress differently over time?

First, I agonized over the existence of stress. My entire modus operandi throughout life had been to handle problems when they arose. I didn’t let things fester, I didn’t accept bad situations and learn to deal. I took care of things. If a problem didn’t resolve quickly , I assumed I was doing something wrong. Applied to stress, though? Man, what a disaster. I quickly realized that it was impossible to avoid stress, or eliminate it altogether. I needed a new approach.

So the first major step was admitting that stress is a fact of life, that stressors would arise, and what mattered was how I responded to them. My response could make the stress worse, or it could make it more manageable.

The first way I figured out how to improve my stress response was with smart supplementation. When I was still competing and doing the chronic cardio training required to succeed, I developed a supplement you might recognize by its old Primal Calm label and now called Adaptogenic Calm—designed to mitigate the negative effects of all that training stress. Both Brad Kearns and I used it, and it actually became an underground hit in the endurance scene. Athletes of all kinds were taking it and seeing great results. Of course, most of us just used it to allow our bodies to train even more and accumulate even more stress, which was one of the problems that got me into this mess in the first place.

The next step was realizing that even if I couldn’t eliminate stress entirely, I could eliminate unnecessary stress. First on the list was my training. You’ve heard the story before, so I won’t get too deeply into it. Suffice it to say, I was engaged in way too much endurance training—what I call chronic cardio—and spending way too much time out of the aerobic zone in the no-man’s land of moderately high-intensity that leads to sugar-burning and depresses fat-burning. This training was killing me, taking up all my time, necessitating an inflammatory high-carb, high-sugar diet that led to chronic GI distress and joint pain, and getting in the way of living.  If any of you can identify a big stressor upstream of a bunch of things going wrong in your life, take action and eliminate it. Changing how I trained led to the development of the Primal Blueprint and the resolution of most of my health problems.

Meditation always intrigued me. Even before it became an Internet sensation and every podcaster/blogger/CEO/coach out there credited their success to their morning meditation routine, I was surrounded by meditators. My wife, Carrie, has done it for decades. Lots of my athlete friends used it to—you guessed it—fight stress. And Malibu, CA, where I lived until a few months ago, is no stranger to yoga studios, health food stores, and other similar hives of mindfulness. I tried it. But it didn’t work for me. My mind was too active to become aware of its (lack of) self. Still, the science was convincing and I didn’t want to give up on what looked to be a potent anti-stress tool:

Lengthening of telomeres.
Upregulation of genes responsible for energy metabolism, longevity, mitochondrial function, inflammation, and insulin secretion.
Blood pressure normalization.
Stress reduction.
Greater resistance to stress.
Improved cognitive function by reshaping the actual brain.
Promoting neuroplasticity.
Anxiety reduction.
Immune system improvements.

If sitting meditation didn’t work, maybe there was another way to get to a similar mindstate.

In a post I wrote about meditation alternatives, I gave 15 options and readers followed up with dozens of awesome suggestions in the comments. Standup paddling, hikes (or just hanging out) in nature, and guided meditations were my alternatives. They help me achieve the hyper-present flow state I’d only had glimpses of during “real” meditation. And sure enough, stress melts away as I’m doing the activity, I’m far less reactive to stressors (I have an extra split second or two to decide how I want to respond) throughout the week, and I appear to have greater resistance to stress. It’s almost an adaptogenic effect: rather than blunt or eliminate the stress response across the board, I’m able to call forth cortisol when the situation is serious. A car honking at me doesn’t trigger it, in other words.

Where am I today?

Stress is still there. It won’t ever go away, and I’m okay with that. I’ve got a growing food and supplement business, I’m as busy as ever with the writing, I just moved to Miami.

Meditation has gotten easier, but I’m still not a “meditation guy.” I don’t expect to be doing a 10-day silent retreat anytime soon.

Adaptogenic Calm remains a staple for me. The nutrients it contains are supraphysiological responses to the supraphysiological doses and durations of stress we receive in the modern world.

I welcome stress. If I align myself with the things I truly find meaningful and maintain active participation in life and avoid becoming a passive character in someone else’s storyline, the stressors become obstacles that make the narrative of my life more interesting. They propel me forward. Without stressors, I’m not living. I’m not doing anything. Stressors indicate action. They mean you’re bouncing up against reality and testing its mettle (and it, yours).

What’s your stress response journey? I’d love to hear how you’ve handled stress in the past, what you’ve learned along the way, and how you handle it now. Thanks, everybody.

I’ve got a contest coming up later this morning, so be sure to check back.

The post How My Response to Stress Has Changed Through the Years appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

10 Ideas to Make Workouts More Fun (and a Contest)

Workouts are work. There’s no way around that. Whenever you move matter through space and time, whether you’re displacing your own body weight or a barbell or a kettle bell, you’re doing work. It’s just physics. But there’s another meaning of “work”: an unpleasant but necessary activity that helps you achieve a desired outcome. Far too many of our workouts end up embodying this second definition. They’re chores, strains. That’s why so many people—all of whom know they should be exercising on a regular basis—remain sedentary, unfit, weak individuals. Physical activity is no longer required to survive. We don’t “have” to do it anymore. If it feels like a miserable experience, why would we?

There are ways to escape this mindset, though. There are ways to make your workouts feel more likely play and less like work. Let’s look at a few today, and I hope you’ll share what works for you in the comment section. Btw, I’ve included a video of me doing one of my favorites below—and a contest to share the fun.

Find an Activity That’s Intrinsically Rewarding

When training, extrinsic rewards are always going to be present. You’re always trying to look better naked, lose weight, hit a PR, get better health markers. But if your training is also intrinsically rewarding—if you derive satisfaction, pleasure, and meaning from the act of training itself— you’ll have no problems sticking with it. Only the hardest of hard core will maintain a training regimen they hate. Everyone will keep a training regimen they love. Find something you enjoy doing, that you’d do even if it provided no health or aesthetic benefits, and make that at least part of your training regimen.

If You Hate Something, Try Something Else

This is the most fundamental mindset shift. Don’t do things that you hate.

A workout doesn’t have to be a walk in the park. Not everything is going to leave you bursting with joy. But if your training regimen is leaving you miserable, if you dread it and find every excuse to skip it, that’s worth heeding.

Maybe you hate back squats, but front squats are downright enjoyable. Maybe you hate spin class, but hill sprints are fun. Maybe you hate dedicated cardio or HIIT sessions, but pickup basketball twice a week does the trick. Find an alternative that accomplishes the same thing.

Try Competing Against Other Entities

I enjoy competing against myself. I like beating my own records, surpassing my own achievements, improving on my former self. I also like competition against other humans. That’s why I ran marathons and competed in triathlon for so long—I liked beating the other guys. It’s also why I love Ultimate Frisbee. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of competition to make you forget about how hard you’re working and how great of a workout you’re getting.

You can compete in CrossFit, in pickup games at the park, in adult rec leagues. Anything at all will work.

Get Better Goals

Me? My goal is to play better:

I want to be able to play Ultimate every weekend with guys 3o years younger (and keep up).
I want to go out for a paddling session whenever I want and not have it feel like work.
I want to hit the slopes all weekend and be able to drive home without my quads cramping up every time I hit the brake.
And I want to do all that while staying injury-free.

My training focus, then, is to maintain: my fitness, my muscle mass, the viability of my connective tissue, my bone mineral density. I’m not going for PRs anymore because it’s too risky at this stage while bringing me no closer to my goals. But that’s fine. I’ve found what works for me and my goals. And it makes the more “boring” training that much more enjoyable, because I’m working toward something that I love and frankly need to be healthy and happy.

Half my training is play. The other half is training that supports the other half, the play, and gets me closer to it. I know what and I’m doing and why. Do you?

Integrate Training Into Your Work Day

When you’re plugging away behind the computer, take ten minutes to go for a walk, run some sprints in the stairwell, do a few sets of pushups and squats, or swing the kettlebell you keep in your office when you feel like a break. You’re still working, but it’s different. You’ve switched from the mental to the physical, and that change is everything. Suddenly you want to train, because it’s not filling out a report or writing another email.

The added benefit is that taking fitness breaks will make you more eager to get back to work and, thanks to better blood flow to the brain, more productive when you do.

A ten-minute break to move or train every hour is the sweet spot, I find.

Take Up a Martial Art

Humans have a predilection for violence. Human history is in many respects a history of violence. We all need to acknowledge that and integrate it. That doesn’t mean we should be violent. It means there’s nothing wrong—and perhaps a lot right—with developing our capacity for physical conflict in a controlled, safe environment. Sparring, not street fighting. Staying calm in tense situations, not freaking out and escalating. Roughhousing, not brawling.

One of my big regrets is not learning a martial art. I have been learning a bit with an experienced friend, who’s shown me a few things and runs drills with me, and that’s only made me realize how much I’ve missed out on. Don’t make that mistake.

Set a Few Rules

Making rules that “force” you to exercise can be liberating.

One rule I’ve been following lately is “exercise when Shanti (our dog) exercises.” I’ll take the ball or frisbee out to the park, and every time I throw it I’ll exercise until she brings it back. I’ll do as many pushups or bodyweight squats as I can. I’ll hold a plank. Maybe I’ll even bring a kettlebell along and do swings or overhead presses or cleans or goblet squats. Depending on how far you throw the ball and how fast your dog is, you can end up doing short or long sets. This has ended up being one or two of my workouts each week.

Another example is people who hang pullup bars in a doorway and have the rule that they must do five (or however many) pullups each time they pass through. Without fail. If it’s a heavily trafficked part of the house, you might accumulate 30 or 40 pullups on an average day. Those add up.

Maybe you do squats while brushing your teeth. Or “sprint every hill you see.” Or “walk after every meal.” The point is to repeat these rules and stick to them until they’re part of you, and you find yourself training without making the decision to do it. What begins as an arbitrary rule (what rule doesn’t?) will eventually become sacrosanct.

Dance

If you have kids, this is a great way to spend some awesome family time. Have everyone hang out in the kitchen as you prep dinner. Throw on some music. Dance. Get silly. Try something new, don’t be afraid to really move. A Spotify (or similar service) account works well here, because you can create playlists and just throw them on when needed.

I’m partial to the “A to Z of African Dance” YouTube video. Great beat, great dancing, and it’ll give you some good ideas to try that provide a good workout.

Go Creek Walking

Don’t have a creek at hand? Apologies. If you do, however, I want you to visit it at least once a week for the next month—and spend at least an hour during each visit traveling up and down it, jumping from rock to rock, balancing on logs, wading through the water, squatting down to look for crawdads (or crayfish) and frogs and salamanders (but definitely not newts), sprinting up banks, crawling, lifting heavy rocks and logs. It’s a great opportunity to get a variety of movement patterns, expose yourself to nature, and get some barefoot time.

Make the World Your Playground

No matter where you live, the environment offers a wide variety of options for movement, play, and exercise.

Trees: Climb them, do pull-ups on the branches, do handstand pushups against the trunk.

Stairs: Run them, jump them, bear crawl up and down them.

Park Benches: Jump over them, crawl on the back, balance on the back.

Hills: Roll down them then sprint back up.

Traffic Lights: pull-ups, sprint across intersections (when green).

Curbs: Treat like balance beams, do calf raises (or stretches) off the edge, single leg hops up and down.

Target (Store): Hurdle and climb those big red balls they have at the entrance (beware of dirty looks from parents whose kids try to emulate you).

Everything is an opportunity for movement and exercise. You just have to be willing to stand out.

I’d say make the local playground your playground, but certain cities have strict laws against adults using playgrounds without children. Too bad.

Still, know you can always add workout “toys” to your own the backyard (or a willing friend’s if you don’t have one yourself). The slackline has been one such piece of play equipment for me. Check it out—and then see how you could WIN one yourself. 

Now For the Contest…

I want to hear your favorite ways to turn exercise into play—and your questions around enjoying more play in your (and your family’s) life. Simply leave a relevant comment here by the deadline, and you’ll be entered to win.

The Prize: 

Your very own Slackline + The full line of PRIMAL KITCHEN® Collagen products (Collagen Fuel, Collagen Peptides, and Collagen Bars)—the ultimate ways to support the health of your joints, tendons and muscles (not to mention skin, hair and nails).

The Deadline: Midnight PDT, June 21th, 2018

Thanks for stopping in, everyone. Good luck!

The post 10 Ideas to Make Workouts More Fun (and a Contest) appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Midweek Quick Cooking: Matcha Collagen Fuel Latte

Whether you’re looking for a coffee substitute or a Primal treat, this Matcha Latte offers plenty of flavor and goodness. Primal Kitchen® Collagen supports healthy connective tissue as well as skin, hair and nails, while matcha offers antioxidant power. The result? A warm treat that brightens your morning and boosts your anti-aging arsenal.

Coffee may have just met its competition….

Time: 10 min

Servings: 1

Ingredients

1 cup almond milk
1 tsp. Tenzo Matcha
1 packet of Primal Kitchen Vanilla Coconut Collagen Fuel

Instructions

Pour 1 cup almond milk into a small stove pot. Heat the milk on medium setting.

Pour the heated milk into a cup. Add a packet of Primal Kitchen Vanilla Coconut Collagen Fuel and 1 teaspoon Tenzo Matcha.

Stir to combine, and enjoy!

For more great recipes, check out the Primal Kitchen blog.

The post Midweek Quick Cooking: Matcha Collagen Fuel Latte appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Great American Campout, Worker Bee Trips, and a Contest!

On June 23rd, the world changes. Every RV, Subaru Outback, and pickup truck in every neighborhood across the country disappears from city limits. Expect the swoosh of fiberglass poles sliding through tent fabric to resound across the land and millions of campfires to produce enough smoke to block out the sun. Molted marshmallow flows will destroy hundreds of homes, and millions of fathers sitting on Doug fir rounds by the fire will tell so many ghost stories that they summon actual phantoms from the spirit world. The nation’s circadian rhythms will get a hard reset back to the superior factory settings, thanks to avoidance of artificial light after dark. Or so we could hope….

June 23rd is the Great American Campout, that time of the year when the National Wildlife Federation arranges a series of mass public camping sessions across the country and encourages everyone else to do the same in their local communities. If you haven’t heard of it, you’re not alone.

The unfortunate truth is that the vast majority of people still don’t camp. Chances are, the average person won’t even be aware that the Great American Campout is happening. This is a tragedy.

Regular camping could change the world. Imagine if every citizen spent at least a couple nights per month under the stars, gazing into a dancing campfire, getting fresh air and plenty of natural sunlight during the day, going on hikes, lounging in hammocks with a book, and ignoring their smartphone (because there’s no reception). The world would be a better place. People would be happier, healthier, and more tuned in to everyone’s ancestral homeland: the wilderness.

You might think it’s cheesy, or lament the imagined crowds, but you’d be making a mistake. Getting more people to enjoy and experience the outdoors will ensure we hold onto them for years to come.

There are many ways to take part:

Host a public campout. Arrange your own public campout in your community.
Attend a public campout. Go join in on the fun.
Just go camping. Participating in the Campout doesn’t have to be formal or registered. You can just camp in solidarity with everyone else.

If you’re new to camping, want to level your camping up, or are just interested in why camping is so important for our health, take a look at the posts I below. 

Here are the main benefits of camping.
Here are tips for mastering the wilderness.
Here is where I explain why artificial blue light after dark is so bad for our sleep and circadian rhythm. A big reason to go camping on a regular basis is that it removes the worst source of nighttime artificial light, like electronic devices and street lamps.
Here is where I explain how to access and foster your wild side.
Here’s how to grill.
Here’s how to take better hikes.
Here are some ideas for good Primal non-perishables.

Go to the website, make the pledge, and start getting friends and family together for an awesome time together. There’s no way you’ll regret camping. Even the rough situations, like storms in the middle of the night, make for great stories—but you almost certainly will regret letting the opportunity slip through your fingers. Chances are, camping is one of those things you “resolve” to do more of but never actually do. Now’s your chance. Consider it a mini-challenge within your 21-Day framework.

Want some inspiration for camping and other active vacations? Some of our Worker Bees are sharing their favorite trips today. And be sure to leave your own anecdotes/suggestions for camping and active vacations in the comments for today’s contest (details below).

My favorite type of vacation is a good balance between relaxation and activity. I love getting up in the morning for a hike or taking a walk on the beach at sunset. Then, finding time to read, recharge and connect with the natural beauty of my surroundings is where it’s at! Also, water is a must! I feel the most relaxed near the lake or an ocean. This photo is a Rocky Mountains camping trip.   – Ana G.

Destination races! My husband and I sign up for races as an excuse to visit other countries, like when we ran the Great Wall of China Marathon. It’s pretty much the opposite of sitting poolside with a mai tai! You get to meet amazing people—other participants, race volunteers, and locals—you’d never normally encounter and see things the average tourist misses. It’s a wonderful way to travel.  – Lindsay T. 

My favorite active spot around the globe to vacation is Costa Rica! I especially love Dominical, a little surf town on the Pacific Coast. Great for yoga, kayaking, surfing, hiking, running, and swimming, there are literally endless adventures to be had in a place so rich in different ecosystems and outdoors escapes.  – Annie M.

Morning run in Tel Aviv, Israel!  – Chloe M.

One of my most memorable places for vacation was Lake Tahoe, absolutely gorgeous scenery and amazing time spent with family. We paddle boarded, canoed, and fished!  – Michelle F. 

I spend a lot of time in the North Woods and North Shore (Minnesota). It’s beautiful hiking there, and we enjoy gorgeous sunsets on the rocky beaches.  – Jen W.

I’m lucky to live just a few hours away from Big Bear, California, and it’s definitely a favorite getaway spot. With breathtaking views, epic hiking trails and calm water, there’s no shortage of activities to keep you moving!

Last time I was there, I linked up with the Bee the Wellness tribe for one of their adventure retreats. It’s so nice to just show up somewhere with all your activities and (paleo!) meals planned, so you can sit back and really enjoy your surroundings. In fact, I’ll be joining them again this July in the Redwoods! If you miss PrimalCon, you’ll LOVE this (and you might see a few familiar faces too).  – Liz M.

Favorite active vacation spot: San Diego, CA

Favorite activities: 

1. Hiking in Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve (attached photo taken on one of the trails that overlooks the beach) 

2. SUP/paddleboarding in Mission Bay 

3. Family bike riding on Coronado Island

4. Kayaking and jetskiing in Carlsbad Lagoon

5. Trail running and hiking in the San Elijo Hills

– Sabrina T.

Now For the Contest…

The Bees and I want to hear your stories and suggestions for camping adventures and active vacations. Simply leave a relevant comment here by the deadline, and you’ll be entered to win.

The Prize: The Primal Blueprint Platinum Supplement Package

The Platinum Package is the ultimate in supplementation, and a daily dietary boost favored by Mark Sisson, his wife and thousands of other health-conscious devotees. This comprehensive supplement plan includes: Primal Master Formula, Primal Fuel, Primal Probiotics, Primal Omegas and Primal Sun. With a 30-day supply of a high-antioxidant multivitamin complex, omega-3 fish oils, healthy probiotics, vitamin D and a 21-day supply of delicious, coconut-based Primal meal replacement shake, the Platinum Package is a complete, convenient and cost-effective way to live a healthy, Primal life in the modern world.*

The Deadline: Midnight PDT, June 19th, 2018

Thanks for stopping in, everyone. Take care.

The post Great American Campout, Worker Bee Trips, and a Contest! appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Contest: You Might Be Primal If…

The Prize:

The full collection of Primal Kitchen® Bars…

12 PRIMAL KITCHEN Chocolate Hazelnut Bars: The PRIMAL KITCHEN Chocolate Hazelnut Bar is the coveted combination of chocolate and hazelnut we all remember and love, and it’s guilt-free to boot. Nutritional bonus: it’s packed with beneficial healthy fats, 15 grams of protein and low in carbs and sugar (only 3 grams). To craft the perfect high-protein, low-sugar bar, we’ve toasted our hazelnuts for sweet aromatic flavor and crisp, crunchy texture, and paired them with unsweetened chocolate.

12 PRIMAL KITCHEN Macadamia Sea Salt Bars: Who doesn’t love the distinctly buttery, sweet flavor of macadamia nuts with a hint of sea salt? PRIMAL KITCHEN Macadamia Sea Salt Bars were created with Mark’s favorite nut in mind and contain only 12 grams of carbs—the lowest carb bar in the PRIMAL KITCHEN lineup!

12 PRIMAL KITCHEN Dark Chocolate Almond Bars: Turkish almonds and roasted pumpkin seeds are enrobed in a dark chocolate, chewy, caramel coating with an added touch of coconut for a subtly sweet taste and mightily beneficial impact on your health. All PRIMAL KITCHEN protein bars are made with grass-fed collagen protein from Brazil. Collagen has been shown to help improve joint mobility, improve sleep quality, support skin, hair and nail growth, and enhance digestion.*

12 PRIMAL KITCHEN Coconut Cashew Bars: What do you get in a PRIMAL KITCHEN Coconut Cashew Bar? Monounsaturated fats for heart health, prebiotic fiber for digestive health, plus antioxidants, minerals and 15 grams of protein from grass-fed collagen. That’s more collagen than a cup of bone broth! Cashews, almonds and pumpkin seeds satiate with a nutty crunch, while coconut imbues our bars with a creamy, sweet flavor.

The Contest (an Oldie but a Goodie):

If you were alive in the mid-1990’s, you may remember comedian Jeff Foxworthy’s empire of “You might be a redneck if…” humor. Today I’m looking for “You might be Primal if…” jokes. Think one up and leave it in the comment board.

Examples:

You might be Primal if you’ve been banned from your local grocery store for repeatedly violating the “No shirt, no shoes, no service” policy.
You might be Primal if you’ve never used an elevator. Ever.
You might be Primal if you prefer your apple with worms.
You might be Primal if you accidentally broke your neighbor’s second story window with a kettlebell.
You might be Primal if every butcher in America can recognize you on the spot.
You might be Primal if you measure friends, relatives, and children not by the mettle of their character, but by how far you could throw them.
You might be Primal if you’ve started to use Tabata intervals for dish washing, shopping, shaving, and dating.
You might be Primal if you make guests take off their shoes before leaving the house.
You might be Primal if you measure time by the number of cows you’ve consumed since an event occurred… “When did we take that trip to Portland?” “Oh, that was about 3 cows ago.”

Eligibility:

Anyone in the world can enter, though this prize may only be available to U.S. contestants. In the case of an international winner, substitute prizes of equal value will be shipped.

The Contest End Time:

Tuesday, June 18th, 2018 at Midnight PDT

How the Winner Will Be Determined:

I’ll pick a handful of my favorites and let all of you decide the winner through a reader poll.

Save

The post Contest: You Might Be Primal If… appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Dear Mark: Potato Diet, Lean Gains, EVOO/Butter/Ghee, Exogenous Ketones, and Early IFing

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering several questions drawn from the comment board of last week’s post on fasting vs carb restriction. First, how do I square my recommendations with the successful reports of potato dieters losing weight on a high-carb tuber diet? Second, is Leangains optimal for mass gain? Third, how do I use extra virgin olive oil, butter, and ghee? Fourth, could exogenous ketones help a man with dementia, MS, and seizures? Fifth, how should a woman with stalled weight loss integrate fasting?

Let’s go:

Walter Sobchak asked:

If “carbs” are so bad, how do people eat only potatoes and lose large amounts of weight? Andrew Taylor (SpudFit.com) and Penn Jillette (Penn & Teller) are two high-profile people, but there are lots more. Of course, I wouldn’t recommend an unbalanced diet of only one food, but the point is that potatoes are a natural food and are not inherently detrimental.

I agree that potato-only diets are a quick weight loss hack.

Potato-only diets work well because they’re so monotonous. When your only option is a plain potato, it’s extremely hard to overeat. It’s the combination of fat and carbohydrates that’s so easy to overeat, and that causes the most metabolic problems.

Potatoes are surprisingly nutrient-dense. They have complete protein, containing all the necessary amino acids. You won’t be bodybuilding on all-potatoes, but there’s enough protein in there to stave off muscle loss for a week or so.

Cooking and cooling your potatoes converts some of the glucose into resistant starch, which feeds your gut bacteria and cannot be digested by your body. This lowers the effective glucose load.

I could recommend the potato-only diet, ditch the keto/low-carb/Primal talk, and people who listened to me would still lose weight. But they’d miss out on all the other benefits, not least of which is the delicious food. In short, the potato-only diet isn’t the worst thing out there, but I wouldn’t recommend it as a long-term strategy.

Check out what I’ve written about potatoes in the past. You might be surprised.

Mattias Carlsson asked:

I have a question for advice if someone know. According to most sources I find the so called anabolic window persist at least 24 hours after resistance training. How can then an intermittent fasting with 8 hour eating as in lean gains, from what I understand, be optimal on training days. It seems to me that a bit of overeating on carbs and protein during all this time would be most beneficial?

I don’t know that it’s optimal for sheer mass gain. But it does seem to strike a nice balance between “gains” and “staying lean.” You may not bulk up as quickly as you would cramming food in your gullet. You will gain lean mass without gaining so much of the squishy mass that normally accompanies what passes for “gains.”

Michael Levin wondered:

Question: EVOO, Ghee and grass-fed butter–which to use when and for what?

EVOO: salads, marinades, sautéing. It’s actually far more resistant to heat than most people think; the polyphenols protect against oxidative damage.

Ghee: Indian cooking, Thai cooking, high heat searing.

Butter: Cooking eggs and other breakfast items, melted with broccoli/shrimp, finishing steaks and reduction sauces.

Beth Olson asked:

What are your thoughts on exogenous ketones? My dad has MS and dementia and seizures way too often. Should we try adding these?

I can’t give your dad any medical advice. You can talk to his doctors, however, and show them this study where exogenous ketones reduced seizure activity in mice. You can show them that coconut oil and MCT oil—two other routes for generation of ketones—have shown efficacy against cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

I suspect exogenous ketones can help. I also suspect they’d be far more helpful on top of a low-carb, high-fat diet with plenty of healthy lifestyle modifications.

That’s the thing with dementia: there isn’t a pill that fixes everything, or even a single intervention. In the one study that actually got major results, researchers had Alzheimer’s patients undertake a dramatic diet, exercise, and lifestyle shift. Here’s what each subject did:

Eliminate all simple carbs and follow a low-glycemic, low-grain (especially refined grains) diet meant to reduce hyperinsulinemia.
Observe a 12-hour eating window and 12-hour fast each day, including at least three hours before bed.
Stress reduction (yoga, meditation, whatever works for the individual).
Get 8 hours of sleep a night (with melatonin if required).
Do 30-60 minutes of exercise 4-6 days per week.
Get regular brain stimulation (exercises, games, crosswords).
Supplement to optimize homocysteine, vitamin B12, CRP levels.
Take vitamin D and vitamin K2.
Improve gut health (prebiotics and probiotics).
Eat antioxidant-rich foods and spices (blueberries, turmeric).
Optimize hormone balance (thyroid panel, cortisol, pregnenolone, progesterone, estrogen, testosterone).
Obtain adequate DHA to support synaptic health (fish oil, fish).
Optimize mitochondrial function (CoQ10, zinc, selenium, other nutrients).
Use medium chain triglycerides (coconut oil, MCT oil). You could possibly use exogenous ketones here too.

Bring that study to your dad’s doctors and see what they have to say. If they aren’t blown away by the possibilities and open to give it a try, I’d be shocked. Hopefully your dad is game. I’d love to hear how it works.

Lisa Chupity asked:

I went Primal/Paleo back in March of 2012. I lost the 15 pounds I wanted to lose. In 2015, 7 pounds crept on, and for the life of me, I can’t lose ‘em! April of this year, I went Keto. I track my macros, and do my best to keep my carbs to 20 grams per day, tho I don’t beat myself up if I have 24. I haven’t lost an ounce! I’m going to have to do the IF thing, I’m sure. As it is, my breakfast is bone broth (1 1/2 cups) and a mug of Coffee with Brain Octane in it. Lunch is yer basic “Big Ass Salad”. Dinner is good, too, and within Keto guidelines. I try to keep my caloric intake to ~1600 calories/day.

To add to the mess, I have Multiple Sclerosis, so stuff like Cross Fit is outta the picture. I can manage some stationary cycling, and some Pilates, with lighter modifications. Any advice?

If you try IF, do the “early restricted feeding” rather than late. You’re already doing a kind of “fast” in the morning, just drinking broth and coffee with MCTs, and it doesn’t seem to be working.

Eat some fat and protein for breakfast with a few carbs. Eggs and bacon with a side of cantaloupe or berries. An omelet with spinach and onions and cheese. Steak and greens and half a banana. Emphase whole-food fat and protein. Have coffee and broth, too, if you like. This and lunch should be your biggest whack of calories.

Eat your Big Ass Salad for lunch. Drop dinner, or make it really light and no later than 5 or 6 PM.

Terry Wahls has a great Primal-friendly MS protocol. Check out her Ted talk and go from there if it interests you.

Good luck and keep us apprised of your results.

That’s it for today, folks. Take care, be well, thanks for reading and writing!

The post Dear Mark: Potato Diet, Lean Gains, EVOO/Butter/Ghee, Exogenous Ketones, and Early IFing appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Weekend Link Love — Edition 508

Research of the Week

Bigger waists, lower vitamin D.

People with severe mental illnesses are more likely than the general population to have diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Broccoli sprouts improve symptoms in kids with autism.

Gene-editing with CRISPR might cause cancer.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 253: Karen Martel: Host Elle Russ chats with Karen Martel, a certified Transformational Nutrition Coach and weight loss expert who specializes in helping women break weight loss plateaus.

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.

Interesting Blog Posts

The argument for global cooperation on antibiotic misuse in agriculture.

When to drink your coffee.

Media, Schmedia

Investigators shut down a $100 million alcohol study after discovering the researchers had colluded with and received funding from the alcohol industry.

I’m not sure “more drugs” are the answer to our suicide problem.

Everything Else

Why most mammoth fossils come from young solitary males.

There are some major problems with the “lab meat will save us all” story evangelists tell us.

The latest example of an evolutionary mismatch causing health issues is a surprising one: braces.

I don’t think “Hotel Influenza” is a very good name for a hotel, at least from a marketing standpoint.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

I can’t improve on this headline: “Hart County grandmother kills rabid bobcat with bare hands.” I thought about “Hart County grandmother shows real heart…” but the original is better.

Now I regret leaving the state: California says coffee is safe, guys.

I can see the ads now: “Install our bioelectric pacemaker and burn 15% more calories!”

I’m not even surprised anymore: Turns out the famous Stanford Prison Experiment was a total sham.

Article I enjoyed: How Mr. Rogers talked to children.

Recipe Corner

Watermelon (which is lower-carb than you probably think) is in season, so it’s time to make Mexican watermelon salad.
Cincinnati chili is a great dish to make on Sunday and nibble on throughout the week.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Jun 10– Jun 16)

My 16 Favorite Fat Sources (Plus My Latest Big-Ass Salad) – How I like to get my fat.
Cool Things You Notice Happening Once You Start to Lose Weight – What to look for.

Comment of the Week

“Julia Child gone Paleo!?”

– I’ve always thought that Julia would have fit right into our little community, Schnytlik.

Happy Father’s Day, everybody!

The post Weekend Link Love — Edition 508 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Garlic Aioli Burger With Parsnip Fries

It’s grill season, and we’ve got an uber-flavorful update on a true summer classic— Primal Kitchen® Garlic Aioli Mayo Burgers! Grab some grass-fed beef chuck, and pull together your favorite toppings and parsnips fries for an unbeatable primal burger packed with all-American flavor.

Mix and match your favorite toppings, and dig into juicy burgers infused with our mouthwatering Garlic Aioli Mayo. Dairy-free, gluten-free and undeniably delicious, it’s an easy win for your backyard parties or “nights in” this summer.

For more Primal Kitchen recipes and inspiration, check out the Primal Kitchen news and recipe blog.

Time: 40 min

Servings: 2

Ingredients

12 oz. freshly ground, organic and grass-fed beef chuck
1/4 cup Primal Kitchen Garlic Aioli Mayo
Primal Kitchen Avocado Spray Oil
Primal Kitchen Ketchup (optional)
Primal Kitchen Mustard (optional)
Toppings: pickles, avocado, chiles, lettuce, onions
Salt & pepper

Instructions

Spread 12 oz. of freshly-ground, organic and grass-fed beef chuck (roughly a 70/30 mix) out on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, and then toss the meat back together gently.

Grab half the meat, and lightly move it from hand to hand until you form it into a ball.

Pat the ball into a disk (3/4- to 1-inch thick) on the baking sheet. Do the same for a second patty.

Add a thick layer of Garlic Aioli Mayo to both patties.

Preheat the grill to medium or medium-high heat. Oil the grate with Primal Kitchen Spray Avocado Oil.

Grill the burgers (flip when the meat once it releases from the grill grate without sticking, or after about 5 minutes). Remove the burgers from the grill, and wrap them in butter lettuce (or other lettuce of choice).

Top with more Garlic Aioli Mayo, Primal Kitchen Ketchup, Primal Kitchen Mustard, tomatoes, chiles, pickles, onions, avocado, and more.

Serve with parsnip fries. Enjoy!

The post Garlic Aioli Burger With Parsnip Fries appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Contest: Submit Your Success Story!

The Prize:

A year’s supply of either Primal Kitchen® Collagen Fuel or Primal Fuel plus Primal Probiotics. That’s 12 months of ultimate, low-carb, high-protein shake mix delivered right to your door—along with the restorative power of probiotics!

Primal Fuel and Collagen Fuel serve as the perfect post-workout meal replacement; curbing hunger with healthy fats, helping build and maintain muscle mass with 20 grams of whey-protein isolate (Primal Fuel) or 11 grams of grass-fed collagen protein with its unique support for healthy connective tissue, skin and hair (Collagen Fuel).

Go with Vanilla Coconut or Chocolate Coconut…or alternate between the two for either product. Winner’s choice!

The Contest:

We’re just a few days into the 21-Day Challenge, but I know many of you have seen amazing results going Primal leading up to the Challenge. Weight lost, muscle built, complexions cleared, even meds kicked. Now’s the time to share it! This means you have the opportunity to show the rest of the community who you are and what you’ve accomplished. In the process you’ll inspire thousands of people to take control of their health just as you have. I don’t know about you, but I get a kick out of that.

So for this contest I want to hear your story. Write it up and include a photo. Including both pre-Primal and post-Primal pics is even better, but not required. Don’t worry if you’re not a chiseled Adonis. This isn’t a “who’s the most ripped” competition. Whether you’ve lost 100 pounds over two years of Primal living or you’ve simply managed to kick that Diet Coke habit, just tell me what going Primal has done for you. I’m looking for interesting and personal tales. Details about your health history, how you found MDA and the Primal Blueprint, what has worked and what hasn’t, what differences you’ve seen in how you look and feel, and anything else you think readers might be able to learn from and you’re open to sharing are welcome. It doesn’t have to be a thousand word diatribe, but hopefully more than a couple paragraphs. Feel free to be creative with your story format, too. Remember, good stories usually have a beginning, a middle, and an end, and honesty is king.

I’m sure many of you have thought about sending your story in, but just haven’t gotten around to it. There is no better time than now. I’ll be featuring reader stories during the 21-Day Challenge and beyond, so get yours in soon!

Email me your story along with pictures (as large as possible). Please use the subject heading “My Primal Story.” Otherwise, there’s a good chance I may completely miss your submission.

Examples:

One of the most memorable stories published on MDA: The Unconquerable Dave. If you haven’t read it, do it now. You won’t regret it. YAWP!

View other Success Stories here for ideas on how to write your own story.

Eligibility:

Anyone in the world can enter.

Additionally, everyone who has submitted a Success Story to Mark’s Daily Apple since the last year’s Challenge is automatically entered to win, so don’t worry if you emailed me just a few days ago. You’re entered!

The Deadline:

June 25th, 2018, midnight PDT

How the Winner Will Be Determined:

An executive decision will be made to determine which stories and accompanying photos get published on MDA. The winner of the prize package above will be chosen at random from those submitted.

Save

Save

The post Contest: Submit Your Success Story! appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

I Began By Eating, Not Starving

It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!

I was 40-years-old, 205 pounds and only 5 foot 6 inches. I ate whatever I wanted. Which usually meant a sleeve of cookies, a quart of soda, a bag of gummy bears….pretty much whatever. Twelve years before I had been a slim fit Marine and had since put on 60 pounds without notice. My vision was getting bad, my sleep was never sufficient, my motivation non-existent. And obviously, my marriage suffering from my lack of interest, poor disposition and dwindling testosterone.

A few years earlier I had gone on the Atkins diet and did lose weight. But I couldn’t sustain it because my cheat days kept increasing till I was back eating junk and was even fatter than when I started.

I literally stumbled on The Primal Blueprint and took the chance, bought the book and read it. Read it like a book. Not like stereo instructions, where you skip ahead past things you “know.” The light came on. Mark’s way of explaining things clearly and directly opened my eyes. I began by eating, not starving. Eggs and sausage, real meat, fresh veggies and just walking.

Seemingly overnight my tight 34″ pants were falling off. I had no belts that worked and my XL shirts looked like ponchos. I didn’t even own a scale, so I bought one and when I stepped on it I was dumbfounded—165 pounds in less that 4 months. I needed all new clothes. Nothing fit. I lost 4″ in my waist and now wore a medium shirt. As I felt great, I wanted to work out because I could. So I left behind the body weight exercises and hit the gym weightlifting and still walking and doing sprints. I also began intermittent fasting.

Family members began asking if I was sick. I told them I felt great and was changing my eating habits and working out. When I explained it further I was told how my cholesterol was surely high and I was advised to see a doctor for blood work. Well, guess what? My blood work came back perfect.

As a side note, it was time to renew my state drivers license and the lady at the DMV made me get a new picture because I looked so different.

Skip ahead to today. I am going to be 50 next year. I am 145 pounds, 28″ waist and 38″ chest. I squat and deadlift 300+pounds and jump rope, and love going to the gym. I have to force myself to take rest days. My last blood work was a waste of time since I knew what it was going to be. Perfect! I have refined my consumption to be more seasonal. I eat loads of venison and wild boar that I hunt. Lots of caught trout, eggs and avocados, coconut oil and spinach with citrus are staples. I get about 75% of my calories from fat, 15% or so from protein and the rest from veggie based carbs. Fruit isn’t that important to me. The commercial stuff is way to sweet.

And I’m spreading the word! In fact when people get to know me and see that I’m not some crazy marathon runner or grass eater they start the conversation. They want what I have. My closest friend went from 235 pounds to 175 pounds. Five co-workers in just the last month have bought the book and are all on the way to a great life. As I type this I just got a text from one telling me his wife is down 10 pounds, and he’s down more than 15.

I’m a success story for one simple reason. Mark. I owe every bit of it to you. You literally gave me a life back. You showed me the path through the jungle of fad diets and misinformation. I will, forever, be indebted to you. There’s no doubt in my mind that had I not read The Primal Blueprint, I would be on insulin, 250 pounds, probably divorced and headed to an early grave. Instead I feel like a 20-year-old, look like a stud and and chase my wife around like a teenager!

Thanks again, Mark. Grok on , brothers and sisters!

Kellet Stephens

The post I Began By Eating, Not Starving appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.