The 2011 Primal Blueprint 30-Day Challenge Begins Now
If you want to lose weight, gain muscle, reduce stress, increase energy or just generally look and feel healthier you’ve come to the right place. Oh, and you can win lots of cool Primal gear, too. That’s right, it’s the annual Primal Blueprint 30-Day Challenge!
The 30-Day Challenge Details
So what’s the challenge? To get Primal, of course! I hold this 30-Day Challenge every year to encourage Primal beginners to give this way of eating, moving and living a try because I know it works, I know how empowering it is, and I know it changes lives.
I also do it to motivate those that have been dabbling with the Primal lifestyle for a while, but haven’t fully committed or still have some room for improvement (myself included!), to go all in and resolve to finally tackle whatever it is they want to address in their lives.
The actual challenge itself is pretty straightforward. The details can be found in the image below. I recommend downloading the 30-Day Challenge flyer here, and clicking on the links to learn more about each of the topics. (And maybe print a few copies to hand out to friends!)
No sign-up required. Anyone can participate. Just commit to the challenge, and check back every day for motivation and guidance.
Above and beyond the challenge as outlined below, I encourage you to make your own personal challenges. Customize your goals to fit your needs and commit to 30 days starting now.
The Primal Leap – One-on-One Support
This 30-day challenge perfectly complements The Primal Leap. The Primal Leap is my effort to provide one-on-one support and step-by-step guidance to those looking to lose weight, take control of their health and get Primal for life. If you would like expert feedback and be told exactly what to do and when to do it The Primal Leap is for you. Learn more here.
Community Support
Just like last year, I highly encourage you to use the forum during the challenge. In it you can start a “Primal Challenge Journal” to publicly state your goals and track your progress.
Create a journal to receive positive feedback, advice and help along the way from myself and the Mark’s Daily Apple community.
The 30-Day Challenge Contests FAQs
The main challenge itself isn’t competitive but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some friendly contests along they way!
Over the course of the next month Mark’s Daily Apple and sponsors will be giving away thousands of dollars in prizes.
Here are some rules and answers to FAQ:
- There will be a new contests nearly every day for the duration of the 30-day challenge (through Oct. 11), so check back daily!
- All contest prizes relate in some way to the Primal lifestyle. You won’t find any miracle weight loss pills, tummy crunching sling-a-ma-doo-dads, or whole wheat health blast jazzer snackers.
- Some contests will require a bit of leg work while others will require something as simple as commenting on a blog post.
- There is no limit to how many contests you can participate in.
- The duration of any one contest depends on the nature of the contest. Some will last a few weeks (to give you time to complete the contest task) while others will be as short as one day. All deadlines are Pacific Standard Time.
- Contest prizes will be awarded either by a random drawing, by reader voting/polling or by an executive decision (who I think should win!).
- Some prizes will only be available to United States residents. If you live outside the U.S. and win a prize that can’t be shipped internationally an alternate prize of equal value will be awarded.
- I’m not being paid by any company that is sponsoring the contest with a prize.
To track all the contests visit the 2011 Primal Blueprint 30-Day Challenge Contest Page for daily updates.
New to the Primal Blueprint and Mark’s Daily Apple?
If you are new to the Primal Blueprint and Mark’s Daily Apple and don’t know where to begin here are some resources to get you started:
1. Not sure what it means to “Go Primal”? Check out these articles for the basics:
- The Definitive Guide to the Primal Blueprint
- The Definitive Guide to the Primal Eating Plan
- How to Succeed with the Primal Blueprint
2. The Primal Blueprint 101 Page
3. The Forum – Ask any and all questions you have about the Primal lifestyle.
4. The Book
5. What to eat? – Primal Blueprint Recipes on MDA and The Primal Blueprint Cookbook and Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals
6. Have a question? – Contact Me
Tell your friends and family about the challenge so they can get Primal, too! Use the “ShareThis” link below to send this article via email.
Subscribe to the Mark’s Daily Apple Newsletter and Get Challenge Updates All Month Long
Posted By: Mark Sisson
Day 7. One week in and liking the results. More energy, discipline and slept well last night. Got some sunlight while reading today. Once Con Ed fixes the gas problem I’ll be cooking. Literally!
I’m just getting around to commenting – wanted to say that I am IN for the challenge. My goal is moving a lot more, and more joyfully. I am looking forward to a bike ride later today, maybe a little goofy boogaloo while making dinner, long walk&play with dog on the beach. Aspiring to lifting heavy things. This has been a year of health recovery, now I’m ready for the FUN of health! Thanks.
This is so timely. I’ve been following a “mostly” primal diet now for about 6 months and have seen great results.
However, I still allow the occasional pizza, ice cream etc.
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about going Primal for 30 days and what do ya know…Mark launches this contest.
I’m in. I’ll be sharing my experience doing this (while working a full-time job and being a Dad) on my blog.
OK shameless mini-plug of my blog but hey, it’s for the benefit of the other Dad’s out there who are in the same boat!
Day 8 (Monday) through Day 10 (Wednesday) less than 60 (!) grams carb. Still NO weight loss – at all – since I started the challenge last Monday. Feeling good, sleeping well, not hungry, lots of good food, but no weight loss. Whatever.
Well, for whatever reason…keeping to this goal of under 70 grams carbs isn’t doing what I want for weight loss.
I’m out of ideas here.
Anybody…any tweaks I can make to this to start weight loss again?
Listening to my body but it’s not listening to me (hehehe).
Try reducing carbs further. Or not eating carbs for breakfast, only fat/protein. http://www.gnolls.org/2181/the-breakfast-myth-part-2-the-art-and-science-of-not-eating-breakfast/
Thanks for your insight.
For the last week, only having one tbsp coconut oil plus my fish oil tablet for breakfast. No hunger until noon, then protein/veg (low, low carb!) lunch. That has worked fine for me, but again, no weight loss…puzzling.
have you tried the “paleo” version of this rather than the “primal” version?
here it is:
Veggies
Meat
Nuts
Seeds
Berries
small amt of other fruits
little starch – so have sweet potatoes in moderation
no sugar
THAT’s it.
no corn
no grains
no wine
no cheese
that’s 100% paleo for 30 days. then go back to primal or 80/20 paleo
in 30 days you will be 1-2 sizes smaller
Thanks for your comment. The plan you outlined is what I’ve been following, except I have been eating 1 cup yogurt (0 fat greek style) and some cheese (never more than 3 ounces in one day, usually only 1 ounce, and not more than 4 times per week). I can try cutting out the cheese altogether, but I need to get my calcium from other sources in addition to Citrical, because I get leg cramps at night from low calcium/magnesium/potassium. Still trying to get minimum mag/potassium from foods, but not able to balance all the little requirements within the framework of the lifestyle. I haven’t had grains for months; in fact up until I started keeping carbs under 70 for this challenge, I was losing weight steadily at 0.5-1 pound per week. Go figure!
I’m pretty sure the guidance said to not weigh yourself during the 30 day challenge. Plus, over the course of two days there are two many variables to account for when dealing with weight loss. Weekly weigh ins are best. Maybe you’re not losing weight, but staying the same weight and having fat turned into muscle.
Thanks for your reply. I’ve been doing the scale thing for months now, and it has just been so kind to me until lately. I agree, many variables. I’d love to say I’m getting more muscle, but I’m only walking and sometimes sprinting and since I’ve been doing that for months, also, I don’t think that’s it.
But thanks for your kind thoughts.
magnesium and calcium: get Peter Gillham’s Natural Calm – it is powdered Mg and Ca – take at night – about 2 teaspoons at bedtime -will help your cramps, help you sleep, and help regulate many other functions.
oh- only put it in with a shotglass size amount of water because it’s really sour
thanks for your information. I’ve located this product, and will be ordering it ASAP. Potassium is also in there, and every bit helps!
I quit smoking and am craving sugar like mad.
I have all the energy in the world though! Getting things done, having energy after, and powering thorough my workouts. Thank you for starting me on this path to success.
Day 11, super primal. Barefoot almost all day. Ate paleo. Saw the Bodies exhibit, to learn more about the body. Then had a very good ballet class. Feel great.
What you have done with MDA is truly remarkable. I practice and preach the Primal laws with most of my friends & family and have enjoyed the freedom and liberation that I’ve got. Wanted to seek permission to post the above link and the transformation template on my blog. Please let me know if it is OK.
Thank you.
Karthik
Day 12. Fried some nice fish, which was delish. Almonds and tea for late night snack. Yoga class was smooth and even pumped some iron for the first time in two weeks. Barefoot, sleep but no sunlight as it rained all day. Still going strong!
Day 13. Started very strong but a moment of weakness at the museum reception left me eating some bad snacks. However, before that was delicious leftover fish and the a sweet potato after a blistering Krav working, which included sprints and kettle bell swings. Will shoot for 7 day sugar free during this challenge. Haven’t weighed myself but the ‘beltbuckle’ is looser.
Day 14. Great day. Nutrition call which yielded new knowledge about sleep patterns. Now plan to go earlier (duh) but also to ‘go analog’ one hour before. Heavy training day, sprints, jumps and contact in Krav Maga class. Followed up with sweet potato, fish and veggies. Feel very strong and positive. Oh yes, checked the scale first time in days and am happy.
Day 15. Another very good day. Barefoot, sunlight, rest, no physical activities. Ate salad with avocado/eggs and finished off the fish from earlier in week. Happy.
Day 16. Still going strong. Full contact Krav class, with heavy emphasis on kicking. Sausage and peppers for dinner. Lots of energy and satiety. Halfway there as far as the challenge goes, but this is a way of life I’m proud of.
Day 17. Mellow day as far as activities. Recovered from heavy workout. 30 minutes in sauna followed by 10 minutes in pool. Finished the sausage and pepper and mixed salad from yesterday and still liked the taste. Got soaked in the rain but didn’t bother me. Still happy with the challenge.
Day 18. Yoga. Barefoot. Analog. Chicken and veggies. Another good day.
Day 19. Bacon, eggs. Pork loin, cucumbers. Golf swings, rest. Lots of sleep. Still on track.
Day 20. Brisk walk, barefoot. No sunshine due to rain and clouds. Deep sleep. More pork loin, bacon and eggs. Keeping it up.
Day 21. First step backwards. Caved in for some cookies, but stuck with eggs and fruit for nutrition. First cold shower of the challenge and will do that again. Vow to finish off with a flurry.
Day 22. Back on track. Sausage and peppers, salad, ballet class, cold shower, barefoot. Feeling primal and I like it.
Day 23. Feel real good. Excellent Krav Maga class which included sprints. Cold shower, sunlight, burgers. Happy. (Though I’m sad the passing of Steve Jobs.)
Day 24. Meat, veggies, nuts. Cold shower. Reading in sunlight. Yoga, rest. Great day.
Day 25. Eggs and bacon. A classic. Cold shower (getting used to this) read in sunlight. Run and ballet class. Full day. Tired and happy.
Day 26. Rest. Read, write in the sun. Cold shower. Sauna. Intermittent fast, with apple, orange and banana. Energetic and mentally strong.
Day 27. Hours of sunlight. Veal parm, broccoli. Hike with fall foliage. Nature is awesome!
Day 28. Nearing the finish line. Sun, and the NYC parade for Columbus. Bacon, eggs, spinach, carrots, mushrooms…yummy.
Cold showers are becoming easier to deal with. Sleeping well. Rested after long hike yesterday.
Day 29. Ballet class, sauna, swim, sun. Sweet potato, spinach and peppers with chopped beef. Cold showers still more comfortable. Happy again.
Day 30. Another ballet class, sauna, salmon, brussel sprouts, bacon and eggs. Finished this project proudly. Will start another one in a few weeks!!
Hi Mark,
Will you be doing the challenge this year? In September? Can’t wait!!