Warrior Fit Boot Camp Fitness Fun!

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With Thanksgiving just a few days away, you’re probably in full menu mode — but don’t forget about your table! If you’re serving up that gourmet meal on your same-ol’ table, you’re doing it a disservice. Whether this means getting out the “good” dishes (if you have them), using cloth napkins instead of paper ones, or getting some flowers on the table, it’s worth making an effort to do all that delicious food justice.

Don’t worry, though — you don’t have to run a special errand. We scoured Amazon to find these inexpensive (Prime-able) items that’ll make your table feel even more special.

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Kitchn’s Delicious Links column highlights recipes we’re excited about from the bloggers we love. Follow along every weekday as we post our favorites.

For years I’ve been telling my toddler that the magic words are “please” and “thank you,” but apparently I was wrong. Clearly the magic words are “taco soup.” I had never had taco soup before, but as soon as I heard the phrase, I knew I needed it in my life immediately.

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Full confession: I was supposed to write this post weeks ago. It was my idea and I was excited to write it. But I couldn’t put my finger on this “best way.” Every time I’d pick something, I’d think of something else. And then something else. So I just kept not writing this story.

Then, a week ago, I was at the Target headquarters in Minneapolis (yes, my head basically exploded), and I got to spend some time with Jill Sando, Target’s Senior Vice President of Merchandising, Home, and I decided to have her do my job for me.

I asked her to tell me the single best way to spend $20 at Target right now, and she only hesitated for one second before answering.

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“Aren’t you tall!” they cooed, and they were right. I was tall at six foot five.

“And aren’t you skinny!” they chorused, but they were both right and wrong; only parts of me were skinny, others were not.

Skinny arms with pencil thin wrists and skinny legs with non-existent calves were all stuck onto a torso that—in direct contrast—was well rounded. Not massive, of course, though my elder brother oft compared me to Mr Potato Head, but enough for me to have a bulging gut, love handles (or should it be handfuls!) and a chest devoid of muscle yet plump with fat.

“It isn’t fair!” I frequently told myself, staring mournfully into the mirror, and it wasn’t! For ten years, as one of the million UK commuters to London, I would rise early; breakfast on toast, cycle to the train station (six miles) walk/run/stagger from the other end of the line to work and slump exhausted in my chair where cheap instant coffee would keep the twin pangs of hunger and fatigue at bay until the midday refuel. Oh, hang on, I would snack frequently…on cheap rainbow coloured heartburn tablets in futile attempts to ease the daily bouts of heartburn.

Lunch would be one of those meal replacement shakes or couscous, followed by a session at the gym, more work followed by my jaunt home. Prior to getting back to the house I would collect my children from an after-school club and scold and chide their slow walking pace home simply because I was absolutely ravenous— desperate even, for some food. On some days, I would leave the children stumbling in my wake to dash across the threshold and dive into the cupboard to cram some toast, cheese or both down my throat.

“I should be as skinny as a rake!” I would tell my glum faced reflection. He would nod in agreement, patches of wobbly fat shaking slightly as he did so.

“Calories in – calories out,” they told me, so I bought smaller plates and began restricting calories to starvation levels. My wife joined me in solidarity and together we punished ourselves for 30 long days with tiny bowls of risotto, meagre portions of pasta and more high sugar, low calorie milkshakes (skimmed milk of course!). We gave up in unison, neither of us having lost any weight.

“No Pain, No Gain” they told me, so I upped my exercise. Mind you, I had always been fairly fit; cycling and running were my main forms of fat-fighting, with annual half marathons being my motivation (“You need to have something to aim for”). But my knees were starting to hurt. In the car or cinema I would often have to contort my body in some weird way so that I could stretch out my legs, thereby staving off the dull pain that would creep in after about 20 minutes of sitting. I purchased a popular DVD workout series, the name of which rhymes with Banality, though it was anything but! I loved the smug feeling I got when I told friends and family of my nightly sweaty exploits on the kitchen floor (the workout DVD, ladies and gentleman!) and I loved the endorphin buzz and the feeling that this was it…I would finally blast away those fatty deposits in the burning furnace of my exercise regime.

I lost a single, solitary pound in that sweat drenched, grueling, exhausting 60 days. I couldn’t even purchase the “I didn’t it” tee-shirt because I wasn’t a U.S. citizen!

Even worse, my gut still hung low when performing any kind of horizontal movement. My chest still wobbled when I ran. My knees still hurt. My love handles still called out to be handled.

Then I found this site, and I found hope.

Within a month I had ditched grains, pasta and those popular shakes. I ate eggs, cheese and fatty cuts of meat with large rainbow coloured piles of vegetables. I lost weight—half a stone in a month, and felt great.

It was as if I had been made privy to the secret! Suddenly, health was something I could actually achieve rather than as a result of lucky genes. I read and read and read from Mark’s Daily Apple to Grain Belly to all of Taubes work, and as my wisdom and knowledge grew, my waistline shrank.

My knees stopped hurting (and as a bonus people stopped staring at me in the cinema!), and my heartburn vanished. I began walking more—moving to take in scenery and fresh air. The family came too and together we began to appreciate the little things.

This year I ventured into Primal 3.0 (to quote Mr. Sisson), and in one swoop I went Keto and enrolled on the Primal Health Coaching Course. As I write this, it has dawned on me there are clear parallels between the two: both are scary to contemplate, tough when you first start but incredibly rewarding once you give it your all.

The final parallel is this: I am still not at the end of my journey, but I am now, finally, in control and I want others to be in control too.

— Anthony

The readers featured in our success stories share their experiences in their own words. The Primal Blueprint and Keto Reset diets are not intended as medical intervention or diagnosis. Nor are they replacements for working with a qualified healthcare practitioner. It’s important to speak with your doctor before beginning any new dietary or lifestyle program, and please consult your physician before making any changes to medication or treatment protocols. Each individual’s results may vary.

The post I’m Finally In Control appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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True to their name, poke cakes are cakes that are baked, then (you guessed it!) poked, then filled with a liquid or syrup to add extra flavor and moisture into each bite. These no-fuss cakes are one of oldest baking hacks in the book.

So what kind of fillings work best with poke cakes? Well, just about anything you can think of: sweetened condensed milk, caramel or chocolate sauce, velvety creams or puddings, and puréed fruit are all great options. Sure, poke cakes are a bit kitschy and old-school, but that’s what makes them so fun. Below we’ve rounded up 10 of our favorite poke cake recipes to show just how creative you can get with them.

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Hey folks, I’ve got a success story coming up in just a few (yup, Success Stories are moving to Monday!), but I wanted to mention that I’ve been reading your feedback about the recent schedule changes and taking it all under consideration.

Years ago before Weekend Link Love came to Sundays, it was a Friday staple, and that’s where it will be landing (hopefully for good). For those of you who like to take your time perusing the links and reading top to bottom, the latest news will be a great way to begin the weekend (whichever day you choose to hop on and read). Look for the first Friday Link Love this week, right after the Thanksgiving holiday. I’d say good Primal news gives Black Friday a run for its money any day.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and—as always—being part of this community. Have a great week, folks.

The post Announcement: WLL Is Returning to Fridays appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Among the gorgeous marble-and-wood cheese boards and the $58 cake stands, Anthropologie has plenty of inexpensive, budget-friendly holiday gifts. In fact, if you sort the kitchen gear by price, the first three pages are still just $24 or less. The options are actually overwhelming — so we combed through the offerings to find you the 10 best gifts for just $25 or less.

Here are 10 sweet, thoughtful, and inexpensive gifts that are sure to make your loved ones feel extra special this holiday season.

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Did I just describe you? If so, I applaud you for making time on your days off for physical activity. Unfortunately, such sporadic bursts aren’t enough to counteract the harmful effects prolonged sitting has on the mind and body. To get the benefits of exercise, you need to move much more often—every single day—by sitting much less. In other words, you have to swap your sedentary lifestyle for an active one.

Don’t panic: That doesn’t mean you have to find an extra hour in your busy day to get to the gym or a fitness class. By doing simple things like taking standing and walking breaks during work, plus occasionally engaging in brief but higher-intensity exercise, you’ll be moving like our active hunter–gatherer ancestors did and be well on your way to enjoying better health.

Think about your typical work day. Do you sit at a desk for eight hours, commute home in a car, and sit in front of the TV until bed? If so, you’re not getting the full benefits of exercise—even if your weekends are full of workouts. Find out why. #healthylifestyle #chriskresser

Six Reasons Why Sitting Is So Bad for Your Health

A sedentary lifestyle, comprising prolonged sitting and minimal physical activity, has a negative effect on nearly every aspect of human health. As a result, it increases your risk of developing serious chronic diseases and even early death. Although we’re not 100 percent sure why sitting raises these risks, thanks to the emergent field of sedentary physiology, we have some pretty good ideas. (1) For example, we know that sitting is associated with decreased calorie expenditure and poorer metabolic functioning, including reduced insulin sensitivity. (2) As I’ve discussed before, sitting too much can lead to weight gain over time—even if you’re exercising when you step away from your desk.

Reason #1: It’s Hazardous to Your Heart

Studies have linked being sedentary with cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary heart disease, stroke, heart attack, and CVD-related death. (3, 4) It appears that sitting decreases activity of the enzyme lipoprotein lipase (LPL), which leads to higher levels of triglycerides (a type of fat that moves through your bloodstream and is sometimes an indicator for CVD) and lower levels of HDL (“good” cholesterol). (5) Sitting too much has also been found to increase blood pressure and decrease the diameter of arteries, making heart disease more likely.

Reason #2: It Impairs Insulin Sensitivity, Putting You in the Diabetes Danger Zone

Sitting has been linked to insulin resistance, a risk factor for diabetes. In one investigation, on the day participants sat for five consecutive hours after consuming a high-calorie drink, their plasma insulin and glucose levels were more than 20 percent higher than on days when they interrupted sitting with short breaks. Other research suggests that sitting for just two hours after a meal could increase your blood sugar levels. Over time, that sets the stage for insulin resistance and diabetes. (6, 7)

Reason #3: You Set the Stage for Osteoporosis in Your Lifetime

Researchers now associate sitting with lower bone mineral density and osteoporosis in both men and women. (8, 9) The lower your bone mineral density—think calcium and phosphorus—the weaker your bones. Some of the latest studies have looked at adolescents and the amount of time they spend at a computer, watching television, or playing video games, finding a negative association between sitting and bone mineral content and density, particularly in teenage boys. (10, 11, 12)

Reason #4: You Boost Your Chance of Cancer …

… by up to 66 percent, according to one study. (13) Researchers found sedentary behavior to be associated with a:

• 24 percent higher risk of developing colon cancer
• 32 percent greater chance of endometrial cancer
• 21 percent increased risk of lung cancer

Watching TV, in particular, was associated with a 54 percent higher likelihood of colon cancer and 66 percent greater chance of endometrial cancer. These links remained strong even in people who worked out regularly. A large study also linked sitting to a higher risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and multiple myeloma. (14)

Reason #5: You Lose Your Mind—Literally

One recent study from UCLA reported that participants who sat for long stretches of time had thinning in regions of the brain involved in memory formation. This decreased thickness can serve as a precursor to cognitive decline and dementia. (15)

Reason #6: Ultimately, It Can Kill You

Multiple studies from around the globe have found an association between increased sedentary time and the risk of early death. In the summer of 2018, results of a survey of more than 125,000 adults were released that found that those who sat for six or more hours a day were 19 percent more likely to die over the next two decades than those who spent less time sitting once their workday was over. And the higher risk of death remained even in people who exercised. (16)

Think Exercise Is the Only Answer? Think Again

Notice something about many of the studies shared above? Several found the same negative health outcomes in people who were completely sedentary and “weekend warriors,” those who worked out but still spent the majority of each day seated. And there are many other studies that confirm those conclusions.

Some research even suggests that people who exercise intensely, like marathon runners, are more likely to be sedentary when they’re not exercising, falsely assuming their training offers them the full benefits of exercise and protects them from the harmful effects of sitting. (17) What’s more, in some cases marathons, triathlons, and long-distance bicycle rides can result in overtraining, and studies have linked these activities with heart, muscle, and joint damage. (18, 19)

In industrialized societies, this “active couch potato” phenomenon has unfortunately become the norm rather than the exception. If you work in an office, commute by car, and watch a few hours of TV each night, it’s not hard to see how you could spend the vast majority of your waking life (up to 15 hours a day) sitting on your butt. This is far outside of the evolutionary norm for humans, and it has serious consequences for our health.

How to Get the Benefits of Exercise: Stop Being Sedentary and Move Like Your Ancestors

What is the evolutionary norm? Our hunter–gatherer ancestors didn’t work out; they just lived. They naturally spent a lot of time outdoors in the sun—walking, hunting, and gathering. They had to exert themselves, and often quite strenuously, to survive. Our ancestors sprinted, jogged, climbed, carried, and jumped intermittently throughout the day, on top of walking and running. They also alternated strenuous and demanding days with days of rest, an instinctual response that protected them from injury and fatigue.

Stand

One of the easiest ways to undo the harmful effects of sitting is simply to stand up! Standing engages muscles that boost LPL activity and boosts your metabolism. (20) In general, I recommend standing or walking for at least 50 percent of your day.

Try this:

• Use a standing desk. There are several types of standing desks on the market, ranging from stationary to adjustable models, or you can make one yourself. (A few low-tech ideas: Try putting your laptop on a sturdy box or crate, an old speaker stand, or even some stacked books.) Many employers permit them and even provide them for their employees.
• Take standing breaks. If you’re unable to work at a standing desk, be sure to stand up for at least two minutes every 30 to 45 minutes, and either stretch or take a quick walk (do this when you’re sitting at home, too). Even short breaks like this can make a huge difference. Set a timer on your phone or look for an app that will remind you to move on a regular basis. Also try standing for part or all of your meetings.

Walk

Again, let’s keep it simple: Walk more and sit less. (Other light exercise such as gardening and household cleaning is also beneficial.) Research has shown that even low to moderate physical activity like walking lowers post-meal blood sugar, insulin, and triglyceride levels. (21)

Try this:

• Walk while you work with a treadmill desk. I use a treadmill desk myself and average between 15,000 and 18,000 steps a day. As with standing desks, there are several options for configuration. You can buy a treadmill for an existing standing desk or buy a desk that fits above your existing treadmill.
• Hold walking meetings. Who says meetings have to sit around a boardroom table?
• Walk or bicycle to work. If you live too far away to walk or ride exclusively, consider driving part of the way and commuting on foot or bike for the remainder.
• Use the stairs whenever possible, and rack up steps.
• Find a hobby that moves you. Ballroom dancing, bowling, gardening, and cooking are fun choices that get you walking around. Pick something that’s fun and that fits your lifestyle—that’s the key to sticking with it.

Push

In addition to standing and walking more, you need to occasionally push yourself as our ancestors did with bouts of more intense exercise; just don’t overdo it. I recommend following the guidelines established by my friend and colleague Dan Pardi.

Try this:

• Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week (jogging, yoga, or dancing), which requires 50 to 70 percent of your maximum effort to perform; OR
• Get 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity a week (running, Zumba, or sports), which takes 70 to 90 percent of your maximum effort; OR
• Complete 30 sets (roughly 30 minutes) of highest-intensity exercise per week (sprinting, jumping rope, or resistance training), which needs greater than 90 percent of your maximum effort; OR
• Do some combination of the above.

A note about your maximum effort: I use percentages here because your “maximum effort” will differ from someone else’s based on a number of factors. Someone who’s living a sedentary lifestyle, for example, might consider a light jog to be a vigorous-intensity workout, while a runner might call it moderate. The key is to pay attention to your body and push yourself.

The third bullet refers to a type of exercise often called high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which involves performing movements at very high intensity for very short periods of time, usually between 30 seconds and two minutes. If you’ve been taught that “chronic cardio” (as Mark Sisson calls it) is the way to go, this approach may seem too good to be true, yet studies have found HIIT superior on nearly every level. It’s a great option to help you move like your ancestors.

I hope you now see that truly active living is key to optimal well-being, and that as long as you sit for the bulk of your day, you run the health risks of a sedentary life. If you want to get the full benefits of exercise, it’s time to SWAP things up.

Now, I’d like to hear from you. What’s your exercise routine? How long do you sit in a typical day? Let me know below in the comments!

The post Why You Need to Move Every Day to Get the Benefits of Exercise appeared first on Chris Kresser.

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Kitchn’s Delicious Links column highlights recipes we’re excited about from the bloggers we love. Follow along every weekday as we post our favorites.

Kevin Lynch, the Toronto-based food blogger and photographer behind Closet Cooking, says that the website got its name honestly… because his kitchen is the size of a closet. I can totally appreciate trying to meal-prep in a pocket-sized kitchen right now, the kind of place where your elbows bump into opposite walls if you’re not careful while you’re chopping vegetables.

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If you’re new to Aldi, like I was, it only takes one visit for you to become a customer for life. On my first visit, I couldn’t believe how many groceries I got for just $25!

Besides the low prices, I’m constantly impressed by Aldi’s produce and snacks. The store also has a great selection of cheeses (like aged cheddar and cranberry goat cheese), stuffed olives, and flavorful spreads to help you make inexpensive appetizer platters for parties. Plus, any grocery store that throws in cheese and wine advent calendars to make the holidays that much more enjoyable is a winner in my book!

Although it’s fun to try seasonal goodies and new products at Aldi, I typically try not to stray from my usual weekly list — and there’s one frozen item in particular that’s always on it. Seafood-lovers, are you ready for this one?

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