October 1, 2021
Welcome to Ben Greenfield's Weekly Roundup and Cool New Discoveries!
Ben Greenfield's discoveries, from the latest news on the fronts of fitness, nutrition, health, wellness, biohacking, and anti-aging research. I also recap my upcoming events and special announcements so you can keep up with giveaways, discounts, and more!
New Discoveries Of The Week: Cool New Things I'm Trying, Books I'm Reading, And More!
My New Nighttime Obsession: Giant Sleep-Enhancing, Gut-Nourishing Jell-O Chunks
So if you haven't heard the recent news, my crack team of flavor wizards, scientists, formulators, and nutrition geniuses at Kion just totally retooled our incredible Aminos formula—a product I consider to be the veritable “Swiss army knife” of supplementation.
The new formula is a potent blend of upgraded essential amino acid ratios based on the latest science (now nobody else in the supplement industry comes close to what we've developed)…
…and it's even better tasting (seriously, the new flavor profiles are addictively good).
But here's the deal…and stay with me for a sec here: you may recall that I *also* interviewed nutrition and supplementation guru Joel Greene last year in an epic two-part podcast series (Part 1 & Part 2 here), in which he revealed his go-to “nighttime Jell-O” recipe for crushing appetite cravings, amplifying sleep time and recovery, building muscle, and nourishing the gut and losing fat, all with a chunk of low-calorie homemade Jell-O.
So I got to thinking…
…what if I could combine the magic of nighttime Jell-O with the knock-your-pants-off benefits of the new Kion Aminos?
And that's what I did. What you are about to read is not a difficult recipe (you could just about make this stuff blindfolded), and it tastes stellar to boot. I ate my first two giant Jell-O chunks the past two nights and flew through two amazingly productive days with hard workouts and cognitive demands, all on about six hours of sleep per night (that's all my body seemed to need with this stuff on board!).
Step 1: Heat up about 30 ounces of coconut water (in my experience with homemade Jell-O making, coconut water works best) until it's at a low simmer.
Step 2: Stir in about 10 tablespoons of good gelatin (I used Great Lakes Gelatin).
Step 3: Stir in about 10 scoops of Kion Lime or Kion Berry Aminos (I used berry and I think it tastes probably better than lime would, though I haven't used lime yet).
Step 4 (optional): Toss in a few extra dropperfuls or teaspoons of stevia, monk fruit, and a good sea salt for extra sweetness and saltiness.
Step 5: Refrigerate overnight.
Boom. That's it.
Now I just need your help naming this stuff. “Super-Jell-O”? “Jell-Amino”? “Jell-O On Steroids”? I dunno. But leave your ideas below, let me know what you think once you've tried it, and definitely let me know any creative twists you come up with for this one!
Book I've Been Enjoying: “The Practice Of Groundedness”
This new book I've been reading is, in my opinion, a powerful antidote to heroic individualism and the ensuing epidemic of burnout.
As you may know, achievement often comes at a cost. Angst, restlessness, frayed relationships, exhaustion, and even substance abuse can be the unwanted side effects of an obsession with outward performance. While the high of occasional wins can keep you going for a while, playing into the always-on, never-enough hustle culture ultimately takes a serious toll.
In The Practice of Groundedness, author Brad Stulberg shares a healthier, more sustainable model for success. At the heart of this model is groundedness—a practice that values presence over rote productivity accepts that progress is nonlinear, and prioritizes long-term values and fulfillment over short-term gain. To be grounded is to possess a firm and unwavering foundation, a resolute sense of self from which deep and enduring, not shallow and superficial, success can be found. Groundedness does not eliminate ambition and striving; rather, it situates these qualities and channels them in more meaningful ways.
Interweaving case studies, modern science, and time-honored lessons from ancient wisdom traditions such as Buddhism, Stoicism, and Taoism, Stulberg teaches readers how to cultivate the habits and practices of a more grounded life. Readers will learn:
* Why patience is the key to getting where you want to go faster—in work and life—and how to develop it, pushing back against the culture's misguided obsession with speed and “hacks.”
* How to utilize the lens of the wise observer in order to overcome delusion and resistance to clearly see and accept where you are—which is the key to more effectively getting where you want to go
* Why embracing vulnerability is the key to genuine strength and confidence
* The critical importance of “deep community,” or cultivating a sense of belonging and connection to people, places, and causes.
Provocative and practical, The Practice of Groundedness is the necessary corrective to the frenetic pace and endemic burnout resulting from contemporary definitions of success. It offers a new—and better—way. Add this book to your line-up. It reminds me quite a bit of Stillness Is The Key by Ryan Holiday, so if you enjoy it, read Ryan's book too and you'll notice a whole new appreciation in your life for presence and stillness.
Podcasts I Recorded This Week:
Two Female Biohackers Reveal Their Top Tips For Enhancing The Feel-Good Effects Of Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, Endorphins & More!
This episode was brought to you by Kion Coffee, Organifi Gold (code BENG20), Butcher Box, and FUM (code BEN).
This episode was brought to you by Kion Aminos, Ladder App (code BENG20), Organifi Green Juice (code BENG20), Levels Health (skip that line and join Levels today by using the link levels.link/BEN), Lucy Nicotine Gum (code BEN20), and The Boundless Cookbook.
Ben Greenfield's VIP Text Club: To receive exclusive texts from Ben Greenfield, text the word “FITNESS” to 411247 (within the U.S. only).
Articles I Published This Week:
My full article feed and all past archives of my articles are here if you want to check out past articles.
Product Of The Week
::: Save 15% Off This High-Performing Brain Health Boost :::
I’m asked all the time, “what’s the best nootropic?”
But brain nutrition isn’t about the “best ingredient.” It’s about the right combination of ingredients, which accounts for the complexity of neurochemistry.
Qualia Mind gets this right more than any nootropic stack on the planet.
Its 28 ingredients for mental performance and brain health are impressive, but it’s really about the synergies between those ingredients.
Qualia Mind was formulated through painstaking ingredient synergy research, found in detail on their website.
And when I call Qualia Mind “The God Pill,” it’s from firsthand experience. The difference in my focus, energy, memory, and mood was (and is) undeniable.
Qualia Mind is the “best nootropic” because it approaches nootropics right, which is many nootropics brilliantly crafted into an ideal formula.
Upcoming Events:
The Gathering (October 7-9, 2021)
Join me and my wife Jessa, and a small number of elite CEOs and entrepreneurs for three days of mitochondrial optimization, biohacking, fitness training, five-star organic meals, and authentic human connection in Austin, TX. This will be my 6th time attending The Gathering at RUNGA, the event that I consider to be the most exclusive, comprehensive, and restorative wellness retreat on the entire planet. Click here to grab one of the very limited spots we have open to the public for The Gathering this October.
Keep up on all of my LIVE appearances by following bengreenfieldfitness.com/calendar!
Introducing My New Training Program!
This week, I announced I will be launching my new training program, Boundless, exclusively on the Ladder app. With my program, I will provide you with my own personal training plan every week, including 5 Tabata/bodyweight sessions, 1 active recovery session, and 1 day dedicated to “biohacking.”
This is the next best thing to training with me in person and at an incredible rate. In addition to programming, you’ll get access to a community of individuals who will also help hold you accountable.
So no more guessing. No more planning. No more excuses. Boundless will take care of all of that for you. We begin training together as a team on Monday, September 20th. To secure your spot, join my waitlist and you’ll get your first week of training FREE.
Join my waitlist to secure your spot and get your first full week free!
I Want To Know What You've Got Cooking
I'm so stoked about the positive feedback I've been getting about my new Boundless Cookbook. The cookbook was a labor of love, but I'm really proud of the end result (especially considering I'm definitely not a trained chef).
Now that the Boundless Cookbook is available on Amazon, I have a favor to ask…
If you have the cookbook and you love it, can you hop on over to Amazon and leave a review? Amazon reviews—as I bet you know—are super important. I want your honest feedback and I'll be reading them to hear what you think.
You can leave your review on Amazon right here (and if you don't have a cookbook yet, and you're an Amazon Prime member, you could have your copy at your doorstep as early as tomorrow).
Kion Product Of The Week: Deliciously Bold, Organic, Pre-Ground Kion Dark Roast!
Caramelized sugar, dark chocolate, toasted hazelnuts…
Organic, specialty-grade, and mold and mycotoxin-free…
Why I am describing Kion Dark Roast coffee, you ask?
Well, today is International Coffee Day, which is the perfect time to tell you all that the delicious, bold, and ever-so-smooth Kion Dark Roast is now available pre-ground.
Now, normally I’m not a fan of pre-ground coffee, but I can tell you that with this nitrogen-flush bag system that Kion uses, my main concern, which is freshness, is not an issue. With Kion Ground Dark Roast, you’ll know from the moment you open the bag—when that mouthwatering aroma hits you square in the nostrils—that your coffee is as fresh as the day it was roasted.
Kion Dark Roast has been a huge, smash hit since the day we launched it, and we’ve been getting a lot of people asking for it ground, so I know this stuff is going to fly off of the shelves.
*The FDA hasn't evaluated these statements. Kion products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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Leave your comments and any news or discoveries that you think I missed below!
Cheers,
Ben
Hello Ben – a debt of gratitude is in order for the book suggestion; I as of late completed The Obstacle is The Way by Ryan Holiday, and I’m cherishing the shift between absolutely science and exploration and some more internal centered substance. It’s too simple to even think about stalling out in a solitary type. Talking about, how goes your next dream novel?
JellAmp
Gelaminos for the win!
Hey Ben – thanks for the book recommendation; I recently finished The Obstacle is The Way by Ryan Holiday, and I’m loving the alternation between purely science and research and some more inward-focused content. It’s too easy to get stuck in a single genre. Speaking of, how goes your next fantasy novel?
The jello looks top notch! What are your thoughts on NOW brand gelatin? I do like that the Great Lakes one is grass-fed and pasture-raised… do you have any thoughts on NOW brand in general? They are generally quite reasonably priced across the board, but that might raise an eyebrow as to why?
And now, what you’ve all been waiting for…
JELLO NAME SUGGESTION: Twilight Amino Zigzags
Go get it!