http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Good morning, everyone. I’ve got a Weekly Link Love coming up, but first I wanted to share some news with you. 

So, it’s a big day. One of the biggest in my life.

Twelve years ago I set out on a mission to change lives with the beginning of the Mark’s Daily Apple blog. The ancestral health movement was at its very beginnings then, and the push for more natural and organic food choices was still small compared to the conventional offerings and messaging out there. Time went on, and that vision grew into vast new dimensions, including the creation (and dizzying growth) of Primal Kitchen®, my vision for the world’s best-tasting, health-enhancing, real-food pantry staples.

And change lives, we have. Over the last decade, I’ve had to adjust my goal from helping 10 million people claim better health to helping 100 million people do just that. It’s a good problem to have.

I’m excited to share news that I believe will help our Primal community knock that goal out of the park.

The Kraft Heinz Company—the leading player in condiments, makers of the iconic Heinz Ketchup and Grey Poupon mustard—is acquiring the Primal Nutrition and Primal Kitchen® brands. We’re joining Kraft Heinz’s Springboard, a dynamic platform created to partner with founders and brands that will disrupt the food industry.

Primal Kitchen will continue to operate autonomously, the entire team will stay on (with our headquarters based in Oxnard), and Morgan and I oversee the explosive growth of our brand. The products you have come to know and love will continue to be available (and now at more locations), made using the same awesome ingredients, curated as always by yours truly. And I get to spend even more time on my favorite part of the business—developing new sauces and dressings.

Kraft Heinz understands where the consumer is headed: better-for-you products with high-quality ingredients; which is why I’ll continue to man the helm. Primal Kitchen will continue our vision of offering real food products with nothing processed or artificial. So, rest assured—and I say this with certainty—the integrity of our ingredients won’t change. You’ll find the same high quality food products you’ve come to enjoy and trust from Primal Kitchen.

We founded and built the Primal Kitchen business on the unyielding commitment to creating the best-tasting, health-enhancing, real-food pantry staples on the market. This philosophy will stay with us as we leverage the resources of this new partnership. It’s an incredible development for the brand and an amazing opportunity for the Primal health mission.

And, I have to say, it’s a huge testament to how far we’ve come as a movement….

Kraft Heinz recognizes the value of our Primal Kitchen mission and the consumer demand for it. While Primal Kitchen’s growth to date has exceeded all industry standards and expectations, our partnership with an industry leader like Kraft Heinz now offers an unrivaled opportunity to reach millions more of the consumers who have been seeking products like ours for years. Based on the significant time I’ve spent with the Kraft Heinz team, we share a common vision regarding the future of food and the importance of consumer choices. I want you to know that I’ll be staying on as the face and guide for the brand, and I look forward to working with them to grow this partnership.

Finally and most importantly, I want to offer my immense gratitude to my amazing staff and to you, our incredible readers, customers, supporters and fellow travelers on this Primal journey. Twelve years ago, I couldn’t have envisioned this moment or the phenomenal growth of this movement. Your enthusiasm and encouragement have inspired me more than I could ever say and contribute to this vision every day. I’m thrilled to see what’s possible as we move forward together. Thank you for being a part of it.

The post An Amazing Development For the Primal Movement… appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Chocolate bark is one of those things that always looks way more complicated than it is. I know, I know, people say that about *a lot* of things, but this is true, you guys. Most of these recipes only contain a few ingredients and most of the “cooking” involved is just melting chocolate and crushing candy. You can handle that.

I’ve always been particularly fond of Oreo bark, because it adds another layer of texture to chocolate bark that is usually lacking. A few of these recipes, you’ll notice, use whole Oreos to create interesting layers in the bark. Other times they’re just crushed up with the rest of the candy and thrown on top. I’ll leave it up to you to decide what suits you best.

READ MORE »

http://chriskresser.com/

If this frustrating scenario sounds familiar, you’re not alone. I regularly see these symptoms in my patients—ironically, among those who are most committed to living a healthy lifestyle. The likely culprit surprises them, and it may surprise you too: undereating.

We all know the hazards of overeating. But eating too little on a daily basis has dangers of its own. Studies show it can actually slow your metabolism, put you at risk of muscle loss, and cause a host of other symptoms that make you feel unwell. Fortunately, once you understand the biology of undereating—and recognize the warning signs—it’s fairly simple to find your personal calorie zone so you can lose (or maintain) your weight and feel great too.

You follow your exercise regimen religiously, you focus on healthy foods, and yet you stopped losing weight. What’s the problem? You may be undereating. Here are six signs that you’re not eating enough. #paleo #nutrition #chriskresser

What Happens When You Don’t Eat Enough

Our bodies evolved during an era when food was scarce. As a result, we’re programmed to keep weight on. The brain can’t distinguish the difference between healthy weight loss and starvation, so when we start losing body fat, it senses trouble and triggers a variety of complex hormonal mechanisms designed to prevent us from losing too much.

Eating too little activates this powerful anti-starvation system—and can sabotage your efforts to lose weight or even maintain a healthy weight in a number of ways. For instance, when you start shedding pounds with most traditional diets, your metabolism slows. That’s partly because your body becomes smaller, and smaller bodies burn fewer calories. But it turns out that many people experience an additional metabolic hit that can’t be chalked up to reduced body size. (1) In fact, the number of calories you burn during the day can drop by as much as 40 percent—so even though you’re eating less, you might hit a weight-loss plateau or start gaining. (2)

Eating too little can also lead to muscle loss, which not only decreases your strength and fitness but also contributes to the decline in metabolism because muscle is the tissue that utilizes the most calories. (3) As soon as the quantity and quality of that vibrant sinew drops, your ability to burn off the food you consume declines—and you store the excess calories as fat. Meanwhile, undereating also causes your body to start churning out more of the hormones that drive hunger and diminishes those involved in satiety. (4)

Fortunately, this outcome isn’t inevitable. The Paleo diet, which has plenty of healthy protein, fat, and carbs, fills you up naturally, so you can feel satisfied with fewer calories—without crossing the line into undereating. Because the Paleo diet eliminates processed, refined carbs, most people end up eating fewer carbs overall, which can keep your insulin and blood sugar—and your hunger—in check.

Indeed, research shows that, calorie for calorie, the Paleo diet is more satisfying than either the Mediterranean diet or a low-fat diet. (5) And because it contains a healthy amount of nutritious protein, which has all the building blocks your body needs to maintain muscle tissue, it also helps you maintain muscle mass—along with a healthy metabolic rate—when you lose weight. (6)

The Six Key Signs of Undereating

When you’re trying to lose weight and eat healthfully, it can be easy to wind up restricting your food intake too much. Here are the most common red flags of undereating.

1. You Don’t Have Energy

Calories are fuel—the source of energy that keeps everything from your brain to your muscles functioning optimally. When you don’t eat enough, the level of glucose (the sugar your body uses for energy) in your blood plummets—and your energy takes a dive too.

2. You’re Experiencing Mood Swings

Eating too little can make you cranky—more likely to snap at your spouse or get infuriated at the slow driver in front of you. And there’s a good reason. Serotonin, the brain chemical linked to both mood and appetite, is affected by hunger and may play an important role in the sensation of being “hangry.” (7) When blood glucose drops, every organ in your body is starved for fuel, including your brain—and one of the first noticeable effects is a reduction in self-control.

3. You’re Not Sleeping Well

If you’ve ever gone to bed hungry, you know it can be tough to fall asleep. But eating too little can make it difficult to stay asleep, too. Studies have linked undereating with a reduction in deep sleep—the sleep during which your body is making critical repairs to muscle tissue and other organs—as well as poor sleep quality. (8) The good news: higher-protein diets, including the Paleo diet, may help.

In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 44 overweight or obese people were put on one of two calorie-restricted diets: one featuring normal amounts of protein, the other high levels of protein. Every month for four months, participants completed a standard sleep-quality questionnaire. At the three- and four-month follow-up, the dieters who ate more protein (1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight) reported improved sleep compared to those in the lower-protein group, who consumed about half the amount of protein. (9)

4. You Feel Cold—All the Time

Calorie restriction decreases your core body temperature. Feeling cold 24/7 isn’t comfortable, and it might be a warning sign that your thyroid hormones have gone awry. Studies show that the drop in body temperature appears to come at least in part from a decrease in T3, a thyroid hormone that helps maintain healthy body temperature. (10) Since low thyroid is linked to low energy, low mood, and diminished health, the impact of feeling constantly cold is far reaching.

5. You’re Losing Your Hair

If you’re seeing more hair in your brush or comb, it could very well be due to inadequate calorie consumption. Hair loss is a sign of both eating too little overall and getting too little protein—so following a Paleo diet, which is chock full of nutritious protein, may help. (11)

6. You’re Daydreaming about Food

Studies show that weight loss triggers cravings for high-calorie foods—and even after 62 weeks, one study found, participants’ levels of hunger and their desire to eat were higher than before they lost weight. (12) Likewise, in one of the earliest, most well-known studies of starvation, conducted in the 1950s, researchers found that when your body is undernourished, it’s natural to become preoccupied with thoughts of food. (13)

The lesson: If you can’t stop thinking about your next meal, you probably need to eat more.

How Many Calories Do You Need?

Most estimates of caloric need are just that: estimates. But if you want to avoid both undereating and overeating, it can help to get a little more specific by taking your individual body type and lifestyle into account. Enter the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, a formula that has been shown to be the most accurate way of estimating your bottom-line caloric needs: the number of calories your body burns at rest.

Yes, you’ll need to do a little math, but we’ll keep it simple. Here’s the step-by-step approach to determining the bare minimum number of calories your body needs to function. (You’ll need your weight and height in metric units for this. Use this conversion calculator.)

For Men

1. Multiply your weight in kilograms by 10.
2. Multiply your height in centimeters by 6.25 and add that to the number above.
3. Multiply your age by 5 and add an additional 5. Subtract that number from the number above.

Here’s how it looks in an equation:

(10 x weight (kg)) + (6.25 x height (cm)) – (5 x age (years) + 5)

For Women

1. Multiply your weight in kilograms by 10.
2. Multiply your height in centimeters by 6.25 and add that to the number above.
3. Multiply your age by 5 and subtract 161. Then subtract that number from the number above.

Here’s how it looks in an equation:

(10 x weight (kg)) + (6.25 x height (cm)) – (5 x age (years) -161)

Now, to find your high number—the number of calories your body needs to maintain your current weight—use this calculator at from the United States Department of Agriculture, which takes into account your age, height, and activity level.

If you want to lose weight at a healthy rate—and feel well while you do it—your calorie consumption should be somewhere between the number of calories you burn at rest (your bare minimum number) and the number you require to maintain your current weight. That’s your ideal calorie range. If you’re having trouble finding a healthy balance that allows you to lose weight and avoid the common symptoms of undereating, reach out to a Functional Medicine practitioner or health coach for guidance. They can review your overall diet and help you identify trouble areas.

After working with hundreds of patients in my practice, the California Center for Functional Medicine, I’ve found that the Paleo diet is so satisfying that it makes it easier to stay in your safe calorie-consumption zone and still lose weight. It’s one of the few approaches I’ve found that allows you to eat less without really trying—and without suffering the consequences of eating too little.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Have you experienced symptoms when you’ve tried to lose weight? If so, what were they? What weight-loss strategies help you avoid the doldrums of undereating? Share your experiences in the comments section below so we can get a dialogue going about this all-too-common problem.

The post Are You Undereating? Here Are 6 Common Signs and Symptoms appeared first on Chris Kresser.

http://www.thealternativedaily.com/

Everyone is at risk of type 2 diabetes…everyone. Over 80% of the American population is currently in an insulin resistant scenario. According to Dr. Wes Youngberg, Clinical Nutritionist and Lifestyle Medicine Specialist, this is where the pancreas is producing a ton of insulin to keep blood sugar normal. But, according to Youngberg, this just isn’t […]

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

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.

“It takes how many ingredients?” Whenever I see a recipe that ostensibly requires fewer components than I have fingers on my hand, I feel like I have to click it, if just to see if the author includes salt and pepper on the ingredient list. Salt and pepper are technically ingredients, but including them sometimes feels like including water or heat — because you might need them for the recipe, but you’re probably not going to have to leave the house to get them.

But when this baked chicken Caesar recipe says it only requires four ingredients, it really means it.

READ MORE »

Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/

Let’s be real for a moment: you’re not always going to have a home cooked meal prepared and waiting for you.

Sometimes you need to depend on a fast food chain to keep hunger at bay, scanning the menu for a healthy option.

However, when you add in a highly restrictive diet like Keto, Paleo or low-carb, the task can seem impossible.

“Forget it. I’m screwed. Order me a burger and chocolate shake and I’ll get back on track tomorrow.”

WAIT!

You don’t have to throw in the towel quite yet.

Just because you pulled into the drive-thru doesn’t mean I’ll let you fall off that low-carb wagon. In this Guide, I’ll tell you exactly what to order so you can stick to Keto. And a couple other options in case my first suggestion isn’t jiving.

To start, let’s discuss some general tips when ordering low-carb at a fast food chain. Or you can click below to jump to any specific restaurant, in case you are reading this in line and need to make up your mind quickly.

Don’t fret, instead click here:

• Boston Market
• Burger King
• Chipotle
• Dunkin Donuts
• McDonald’s
• Starbucks
• Subway
• Wendy’s

Quick Tips for Low-Carb Fast Food Dining

If you’re interested in learning about the Keto Diet, make sure to read our MASSIVE guide on the subject. We have included everything but the kitchen sink in the article. And in the next update, I’m getting that sink in there.

Personally, I don’t think carbs deserve the bad rep they currently have, as I lay out in our “How to pick the perfect diet for you” article – but that’s neither here nor there.

Instead, we’re gonna tackle it as if you’re somebody that thrives under a low-carb environment but has to eat fast food for whatever reason!

Keep these rules in mind for dining out while following a low-carb diet.

• Ditch the bun. Oftentimes, making a low-carb meal at a restaurant is as simple as saying “no bun please.” And really, it’s pretty much required if you’re following Keto. For example, including the bun on the McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounder adds an extra 30 grams of carbs. Some forms of Keto recommend 20 grams of net carbs (total g of carbs minus g of fiber). Lettuce wraps are your friend.
• Focus on meat, veggies, and cheese. Carbs can creep into all sorts of items in fast food. Take an order of coleslaw from KFC. Sure, there are veggies in there all right. But it also has a lot of carbs, 14 grams for one serving. 10 of which, is sugar! Order simple things like meat, veggies, and cheese, which will generally have less hidden carbs.
• Avoid fried or breaded food. You would think that fried would be fine with Keto, because of the fat involved. However, they’ll add flour into the mix (meaning carbs) so stay away from mozzarella sticks or fried chicken. Grilled over fried, everytime.
• Salads can be problematic. If you find a salad that’s just veggies, meat, and cheese, go all in! However, you’ll run into trouble with the added croutons, dried fruit, or sugar covered nuts. Be careful and check ingredients. Also, the dressing can be loaded with sugar. Speaking of dressing…
• Condiments on the side. One packet of Honey Mustard Sauce from Chick-fil-A has 10 grams of sugar. That could be a lot of your carb allowance for the day. Ask for all sauces and dressings on the side, and stick to fattier options like Caesar, ranch, and oil when you can. Chick-fil-A’s Garlic and Herb Ranch sauce only has 1 gram of carbs per packet.
• It’s okay to special order. Often times the low-carb solution at a fast food joint is there, you just have to ask for it. “Can I have the chicken salad, but instead of the normal dressing it comes with, can I just have ranch?” Restaurants want to help you. It’s okay to ask for what you want. You are special.

Consider these above highlights for navigating fast food under a Keto Diet or low carb diet. Want to be told exactly what to order? We got you.

In line? Staring at the menu and can’t figure out what’s low-carb?

Order the following, just make sure you look at both calorie intake along with carb count!

It’s not gonna help much if you stick low carb but eat 5,000 calories worth of fast food! So make sure the calorie count fits into your daily allotment whenever possible.

Low-Carb Options at Boston Market

Because you choose your sides here, it’s relatively easy to get a meal at Boston Market that will comply with Keto. They also have a nutrition calculator online to help with macro ratios. However, Keto at Boston Market does mean you are going to have to pass on the dinner roll or side of cornbread.  Pick the following:

Our Low-Carb Favorite:

• Three-Piece Dark: Lot’s of protein, decent fat, and no carbs.
  • Calories: 300
  • Protein: 37g
  • Net Carbs: 1g
  • Fat: 16g
•  Green Beans: Keep it simple.
  • Calories: 90cals
  • Protein: 1g
  • Net Carbs: 4g
  • Fat: 5g
• Fresh Steamed Vegetables: Following our “simple” strategy.
  • Calories: 60
  • Protein: 2g
  • Net Carbs: 4g
  • Fat: 3.5g

Other Low-Carb Recommendations:

• Turkey: Lot’s of protein, but less fat than the chicken order.
  • Calories: 230
  • Protein: 43g
  • Net Carbs: 0g
  • Fat: 6g
• Caesar Salad: While it has some carbs, it’s not considerable when weighed against other options.
  • Calories: 150
  • Protein: 3g
  • Net Carbs: 6g
  • Fat: 13g

Low-Carb Options at Burger King

The name of the game at Burger King is “no bun please.” Luckily, their nutrition calculator lets you customize your order, showing you exactly how many carbs you’ll save by removing the bun. For us nerds who love data, that’s awesome. Although I’ll gripe that this customization functionality doesn’t work on BK’s salads.

Our Low-Carb Favorite:

• Double Cheeseburger (no bun, no ketchup): It’s simple, but simple works. You’re basically getting meat, cheese, and a pickle.
  • Calories: 250
  • Protein: 20g
  • Net Carbs: <1g
  • Fat: 19g

•  Garden Side Salad (no croutons): We’ll make up for the lack of veggies here.
  • Calories: 60
  • Protein: 4g
  • Net Carbs: 2g
  • Fat: 4g

• Ken’s Ranch Dressing: The fattiest dressing they have.
  • Calories: 260
  • Protein: 1g
  • Net Carbs: 2g
  • Fat: 28g

Other Low-Carb Recommendations:

• Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no bun, with mayo): In case you don’t feel like beef.
  • Calories: 270
  • Protein: 30g
  • Net Carbs: 2g
  • Fat: 16g

Low-Carb Options at Chipotle

Chipotle is a personal favorite of mine, as it’s one of a few chains where you are able to order a “paleo-ish” meal. That, and it’s easy to follow low-carb here. If there’s a Chipotle near you, it could be a great resource for a quick and painless Keto meal. Scope out Chipotle’s nutrition calculator here, which will cover any customization you can imagine.

Our Low-Carb Favorite:

• Salad Bowl (with Carnitas): order it with Fajita Vegetables, Fresh Tomato Salsa, Sour Cream, Cheese, and YES for Guacamole.
  • Calories: 710
  • Protein: 34g
  • Net Carbs: 12
  • Fat: 51g

Other Low-Carb Recommendations: Stick to the Salad Bowl. However, go ahead and pick out any meat you’d like. Carnitas just has the highest fat content, which is why we recommend it for a Keto Diet. Steak and chicken are also fine.

Low-Carb Options at Dunkin’ Donuts

Proving that you can get a low-carb meal pretty much everywhere, we have Dunkin’ Donuts. As a nerd that grew up in New England, Dunkin Donuts will always hold a special place in my heart.

Granted, you won’t be ordering a donut (sorry). Also, for drinks, stick with black coffee or unsweetened tea. Everything else is a sugar landmine.

Our Low-Carb Favorite:

• Sausage Egg and Cheese Bagel (no bagel): Sausage and egg are a breakfast staple. Plus, cheese!
  • Calories: 370
  • Protein: 16g
  • Net Carbs: 3g
  • Fat: 33g

Other Low-Carb Recommendations:

• Egg, Sausage and Cheese Wake-Up Wrap: If you’re following a strict Keto protocol, stick to the sausage and egg bagel sandwich, sans bagel. If you have some leeway with your carb allowance, you might be able to get away with this wrap which will net you 14 grams of carbs. If the Carb Police arrests you for this one, I warned you.
  • Calorie: 290
  • Protein: 11g
  • Net Carbs: 14g
  • Fat: 20g

Low-Carb Options at McDonald’s

If one image is associated with fast food, it’s the arches of McDonald’s. In America, you’re never too far from one. Or really, even in most of the world. Can you be low-carb here? Yes! Plus, like Burger King, their nutrition calculator includes all the bunless customizations you can think up. I like that.

Our Low-Carb Favorite:

• Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad (Use the Balsamic Vinaigrette listed below for a 9g carb meal): It’s mostly greens, grilled chicken and a little bacon. No customization required. Your salad comes in under 400 calories.
  • Calories: 320
  • Protein: 42g
  • Net Carbs: 6g
  • Fat: 14g
• Newman’s Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette: The lowest calorie dressing found at McDonald’s.
  • Calories: 35
  • Protein: 0g
  • Net Carbs: 3g
  • Fat: 2.5g

Other Low-Carb Recommendations:

• Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (no bun, no ketchup): Lot’s of fat, decent protein, and little carbs. You can order any burger on the menu this way with similar results.
  • Calories: 590
  • Protein: 45g
  • Net Carbs: 4g
  • Fat: 43g

• Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no bun; vinaigrette carb content is negligible so go for it): Not a lot of fat with this order, but very low-carb with a decent source of protein.
  • Calories: 160
  • Protein: 29g
  • Net Carbs: 1g
  • Fat: 4g

• Sausage McMuffin with Egg (no muffin): I know, it seems sacrilegious to lose the muffin. However, it’s the only way to keep the order low-carb.
  • Calories: 340
  • Protein: 16g
  • Net Carbs: 3g
  • Fat: 29g

Low-Carb Options at Starbucks

At this point in civilization, there’s a Starbucks on the corner of every Starbucks. Which is good if you follow the Keto Diet, because you can make an order from this chain work. If you get coffee or tea, keep it unsweetened. If you want some cream, ask for “heavy cream.” They’ll give you the full-fat version they have in the back. With Keto, always go full fat.

Our Low-Carb Favorite:

• Sous Vide Egg Bites, Bacon & Gruyere: The lowest carb count of the egg bite options. A great protein to carb ratio. Plus fat. Always fat.
  • Calories: 320
  • Protein: 42g
  • Net Carbs: 6g
  • Fat: 14g

Other Low-Carb Recommendations:

• Chicken & Greens Caesar Salad Bowl: Greens, chicken and a fatty dressing. This will work in a pinch.
  • Calories: 340
  • Protein: 19g
  • Net Carbs: 7g
  • Fat: 25g

Low-Carb Options at Subway

It’s estimated that 18.5% of all fast food restaurants are a Subway.^[1]The more you know.  The good news is, it’s pretty straightforward to order a low-carb meal here. Every sub they sell can also be made into a salad, forgoing the bun.

Go ahead and ask for cheese (duh) and get plenty of veggies. Get ‘em. Also, bacon and guacamole are your Keto friends. For dressings? Stick with oil and vinegar.

Our Low-Carb Favorite:

• Tuna Salad: This will give you the most fat for the fewest carbs. Plus, a solid serving of protein. Nutrition info below is with lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, onion, green peppers, cucumbers, and olives, with oil and vinegar as dressing.
  • Calories: 500
  • Protein: 15g
  • Net Carbs: 7g
  • Fat: 45g

Other Low-Carb Recommendations:

• Oven Roasted Chicken: If tuna isn’t your jam, go ahead and get the chicken. Follow the same idea as the tuna salad and grab it with lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, onion, green peppers, cucumbers, and olives, with oil and vinegar as dressing. Also, feel free to add bacon and guacamole to increase your calories. Your nutrition info will look like this if ordered as above:
  • Calories: 490
  • Protein: 24g
  • Net Carbs: 11g.
  • Fat: 35.5g

Low-Carb Options at Wendy’s

I’ve always been amused by Wendy’s, probably because they make square burger patties. Wendy’s, you cray. You can also get a decent low-carb meal here.

Our Low-Carb Favorite:

• Southwest Avocado Chicken Salad: It is nice not to have to special order anything. Go ahead and eat this salad as is. Lots of fat and protein and low-carb(ish).
  • Calories: 600
  • Protein: 42g
  • Net Carbs: 11g
  • Fat: 41g

Other Low-Carb Recommendations:

• Baconator (no bun, no ketchup): If a salad isn’t what you’re after, a meal of bacon, meat, and cheese can keep you going. I wouldn’t recommend this all the time (see the calories), but the beauty of Keto is, a pile of meat and cheese can get you by.
  • Calories: 760
  • Protein: 53g
  • Net Carbs: 2g.
  • Fat: 60g

Eating fast food doesn’t mean you have to give up on keto or low-carb

Just about anywhere you go can offer you a low-carb meal. We just covered 8 popular restaurants and provided exactly what to order to stick with the Keto Diet.

Even if you find yourself at a restaurant not covered in our guide, DON’T PANIC!

Stick to the advice at the start of this Guide, and remember, it’s okay to request a special order. The staff at restaurants want to make you happy, so good ahead and tell them what would make you happy.

The good news is, this is getting easier and easier. As the Keto and the low-carb trend continues to skyrocket in popularity, more and more chains are working to accommodate.

Go ahead and let the store know about your low-carb requirement. They’ll listen. And the next time you stop by, there might be something on the menu specifically designed to meet your needs. That’s how you end up with The Low Carb Thickburger at Carl’s Jr/Hardee’s. Capitalism at work!

Another note: If you’re following a low-carb or Keto Diet, my GUESS would be that you’re doing so for weight loss goals.

What can I say, I’m a mind reader.

Also, you look nice today.

No matter what nutritional strategy you pick for weight loss, navigating your food choices will be critical. As we say in our Guide on Healthy Eating, 80-90% of your success will depend on how you eat. Low-carb or non-low-carb, real food should be at the center of your fitness plan.

If this stresses you out, we can help!

If you find yourself on the road frequently, and constantly finding your health and fitness goals sabotaged by travel, a hectic life, or just being too damn busy, I hear ya.

This is why we launched our own private online coaching program that works with you to meet your goals! We help busy people like you to structure a complete life overhaul: handcrafted workout routines, accountability, mindset changes, and nutritional strategies.

We can help you be successful with Keto, or any other kind of diet. We can build routines and strategies for the weeks you’re traveling, and the weeks you’re home.

If you want guidance from a trained professional, schedule a free call with Team Nerd Fitness by clicking on the image below and see if we’re a good fit for each other!

Save this guide

Use this Guide as a resource. Something you can fall back on for a quick reference when you find yourself in a food court with no way out and your rumbling stomach is leading the way.

Bookmark this page your in phone and pull it up whenever you’re in doubt.

Don’t let a drive-thru derail your fitness goals. Often times what you order can be just as, if not more important, than where you order.

If you are following a low-carb or Keto Diet for a weight loss goal, hitting up a fast food joint doesn’t mean you have to abandon it. Stick to the orders of this Guide. If you find yourself at a restaurant not covered here, fear not! Reference the tips at the beginning of this article and you’ll do just fine.

We’d love to hear from you:

Any other restaurants you want us to cover as part of our Guide?

Interested in other fast food guides, like for paleo?

Let us know in the comments!

-Steve

PS: It should go without saying, that you probably shouldn’t live off fast food. But I get it, sometimes you have to do the best you can, with what you have, where you are. Just don’t consider this Guide as a pass to live life through a drive-thru window.

###

All photo citations can be found in this footnote^[2].

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Making cold brew coffee at home comes with its share of challenges. To name a few, not getting the coffee-to-water ratio correct can result in a bitter or flavorless brew, it’s notoriously messy, and requires equipment that some basic kitchens just don’t have, like cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer.

While you technically don’t need a dedicated brewer to make cold brew, the right one can make it a lot easier. We’re already fans of the KitchenAid Cold Brew Coffee Maker, but normally retailing for $100, its an investment. Which is why we were especially thrilled to find that its currently 50% off on Amazon. If you’re wondering why we’d suggest buying a cold coffee maker at the end of November, you’ll be thanking us when the temperatures warm back up. But we know plenty of year-round cold brew drinkers who should be jumping at the opportunity to save on this at-home system.

One caveat: While the deal is still good on Amazon, it’s been so popular that deliveries might not arrive until after Christmas. If you want to start making cold brew now (or want to wrap it up and put under the tree), Jet is offering the exact same deal. It’s on sale at a few other online retailers as well, but those are the lowest prices we were able to find.

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Look, I understand that the holidays aren’t always full of cheer. There can be a lot of pressure to deliver the perfect holiday party fare, instead of the same old boring wine and cheese spread you find yourself snacking on every year. You want to impress your judgmental relatives so that they’re all talking about the ingenious appetizers you served before Christmas dinner for years to come.

In theory, these deviled eggs that are supposed to look like Santa Claus might ease that pressure, by showcasing your culinary craftiness. There’s just one problem: They don’t look entirely appetizing (sorry).

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

As a kid, you probably drank hot cocoa by the gallon. It always seemed like the right time for a cup of hot cocoa, and yet in adulthood I would bet that you don’t drink it too much anymore. What hot cocoa really needs is a grown-up upgrade. Enter: the Dirty Snowman cocktail. It’s basically childhood nostalgia with a boozy twist.

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

If you’ve ever been tempted to wrap up a package of Oreos, slap it with a sparkly bow, and call it a holiday present for the biggest chocolate sandwich cookie lover in your life, this year that’s finally socially acceptable.

The omniscient powers that be at Mondelez have concocted a new (very special) package of Oreos meant to give as a gift. Presenting … the Oreo Music Box!

READ MORE »