I’m not familiar at all with sprouting, but I see the seeds and jars at Natural Grocers all the time and Brendan Brazier recommends it in his book. I really want to try this.
Great information about the three big lifts that everyone should be including in their routine – squats, deadlifts and the overhead press. This article will explain proper form and how you can make progress when doing these lifts.
This is a crossfit Tabata style workout that I plan to do. I’ve never done a Tabata workout, but I’m always saying how much I want to do one. I’ve changed my routine recently, so I’ll finally be able to fit it one in. Here’s how a Tabata style workout usually works – 5 minutes of warm-up, 8 intervals of 20 seconds all-out intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, then 2 minutes cool-down.
I don’t buy organic because I don’t want to spend the extra money, but after reading about the pesticide contamination on non-organic fruits and veggies, I might have to bite the bullet and spend the extra dough.
I don’t doubt that this program works. I’ve done a similar program with great success. If I can ever get my hands on an affordable power rack, I want to give this one a shot.
I have lots of problems with my shoulders, so this is a great video. A bit long, since he goes through full sets, but very informative. Was this taken using a phone camera?
I love this because it’s completely different. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a routine so different from the rest of the stuff out there. I’m gonna print this one out and use it when I go back to the gym (I’m currently working out at home, while a shoulder injury heals).
I came across this recipe for vegan cocoa hazelnut banana pancakes last week and I couldn’t resist making them over the weekend. Mine didn’t look as fancy as the ones in the original recipe, but they still came out tasting great. They aren’t what I’d call healthy, so if you’re not trying to cut calories or if you’re looking for a cheat meal, try them out!
I’ve also calculated the nutritional information. This is one serving, considering that the entire batch makes 4 servings. For me, this added up to 4 pancakes at about 4-5 inches in size.
I was raised to think that just cutting mold off of my foods was all that was necessary from poisoning myself. Turns out I was wrong. No more moldy bread for me!
Chomp! is a free event that takes place once a month here in Denver, CO where various chefs get together and cook a bunch of delicious vegan foods for attendees. I attended the most recent Chomp! dinner last week and ate this awesome dessert. It’s funny because as I was eating the Baklava, I was telling my fiance that I wish they would post the recipes online. And here it is!
I few years ago I read a study about the benefits of using waxy maize starch as a simple-carb post-workout supplement. I’ve never tried it, but I’ve been recently looking into it and according to this article, there are much better and cheaper alternatives.
I love sweet potato fries and they’re super easy to make. All you have to do is cut up the potatoes, put on seasonings and olive oil, shake it up and bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
I think snacking is a problem for most of us. If you’re going to snack, and we all know you will ;), reach for something healthy. There’s a great recipe for making roasted chickpeas too!
If you don’t have a spotter to help you figure out your one-rep max, or if you do have a spotter and are looking for a good number to start with, read this formula to help you estimate it.
There are a lot of misconceptions about how sugar affects the body and this article does a lot to clear those up. Did you know that high fructose corn syrup can actually be good for you? If your an athlete it is. If not, you put your liver through hell and risk gaining lots of fat. There’s a lot more to learn.
There have been lots of reports about the consequences of wearing toning shoes, so you may already know about this, but here’s a detailed article from Consumer Reports. The gist of is, if you have balance problems or weak ankles, be extra cautious.
Many doctors who study the effects of barefoot running still aren’t sure whether or not running barefoot or in “barefoot” shoes are beneficial, but if you want to take it up, there are some excellent tips here on getting started to help prevent injury.
Did you know that even on a vegan diet, you can gain weight? Of course! There are unhealthy vegan foods too. You have to watch what you eat just like any other diet. I really like the comments on this post from people with real-life experience.
Apple cares about their designers, so they’ve created an exercise guide designed specifically for them. As a person who sits at a desk all day to work, this should come in handy.
This is very important information that anyone who’s eating Tilapia needs to know. I hate the taste of all seafood but because of the perceived health benefits and bland taste, I started eating tilapia a few months ago. Then I started doing some research and found out all I needed to know about tilapia farming to make the decision to stop eating it. Farmed tilapia pretty much loses most nutritional value and isn’t worth the purchase.
These are some great tips, all of which I’ve had to learn during my own journey of becoming physically fit. You should keep all of these tips in mind if you want to burn fat, not just a choice few.
I’m actually not a big user of cable machines, but I have nothing against them. It just seems like more can be done with free weights. I like to change up my routine to keep from being bored though, so these moves will see some rotation in my regimen soon.
I absolutely love cycling, but I think “spinning” is the most boring cardio exercise ever. I’ve noticed though that when I do any type of cardio exercise, using a type of plan such as intervel training can make time fly and is actually enjoyable. These three workouts look like they would do that job perfectly.
I have a pair of compression shorts that I use when I go cycling and pair of compression pants for cold mornings. I always saw other cyclists wearing them so I started doing some research on benefits and they seemed to work. This article goes through 17 different studies related to performance improvements and compression clothing. Each summary is short so you’ll be able to quickly get the information you need to decide on if you should buy some stretchy pants. I like mine, and never go cycling without them. I also found them beneficial to wear under my workout shorts when taking yoga classes at the gym to prevent any unintentional flashing.
Probiotics seem to be gaining in popularity a lot lately but it’s not something that I’ve really picked up on yet. Everything I read seems to suggest probiotics are great. If you’re looking to add some beneficial bacteria to your diet, read this article for some ideas of probiotic foods to add to your diet. I’ll be honest – a lot of these foods don’t sound too appetizing to me. I love yogurt though!
I first read about the Tabata method in a Muscle & Fitness magazine several months ago and I’ve been wanting to try it out. The entire workout is only 4 minutes long. It looks simple on paper, but I know that it’s gonna be super-tough.
Rodney Yee is the king of yoga. I actually have two of his DVDs, which I’ve reviewed previously and continue to use regularly. Check out this new series on YouTube to get some great, relaxing stretches that you can do right at your desk.
There are so many conflicting studies about the benefits of caffeine, it’s hard to determine whether or not we should be drinking it. This recent study claims that caffeine is good. I’m not sure myself, but I’m going to continue getting my caffeine fix from my pre-workout formula, N.O. Explode in addition to the occasional cup of tea.
Due to the recession and in hopes of bringing in a new type of customer, Easy Gym in Spain has started offering the option for nudists to come in and workout completely naked. It’s an interesting idea for sure, but I think it’s disgusting.
This study showed that when a protein called hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (NPY) was suppressed in rats, they lost weight, even after being fed a high fat diet. If they can get this to work in humans, it would be huge.
I’ve never eaten greek yogurt or done any research on it so this was a helpful article for me. I’ve heard people say that greek yogurt is disgusting so I’ve never had a desire to buy it, but it looks like it packs quite a bit of protein. Maybe I’ll pick some up this weekend to give it a shot.
I’m not a fan of seafood in any form. I don’t like crab, shrimp, sushi or anything. I can stomach a few things like Mahi Mahi, but I’d rather just eat something else. This article will be handy for me though because my fiance left behind several cans of tuna before going vegan and I have to eat them. I hope one of these recipes does the job.
This looks like a super-fun training program, but it would require the use of a boxing or MMA facility. He eats quite a bit, but trains hard. I would like to do a program like this at some point.
This is interesting because every one talks about the benefits of fish oil pills, but according to this report, based on many studies, fish oil has no benefits and might even lead to an increased risk in prostate cancer. I take fish oil pills daily myself, but after reading this, I may reconsider. I’ll be keeping my eye on this topic.
Rebecca Kelley is an awesome writer and is great inspiration as someone with extraordinary accomplishments in fitness. She works in the same industry as me, internet marketing, so I’ve been a fan of her writing for a long time. If you want to know why, read this post. It’s hilarious!
You should read this article if you’re considering becoming a vegetarian or vegan. It’s a common misconception that you can’t get the calories, protein and nutrients you need as an athlete or bodybuilder while on a vegetarian diet. There are alternatives. And speaking from experience, tempeh and seitan are delicious alternatives to meat if you find some good recipes 😀
If you’re not a fan of protein bars, make your own protein brownies or banana bread instead. The banana bread has 7.5g of protein, 13.6g of carbs, 1.2g of fat and 84 calories. The brownies have 7g of protein, 11g of carbs, 0.8g of fat and 81 calories. Those are some pretty good nutritional values for foods that are normally unhealthy.
Every weekend I publish a recap of the best health and fitness articles I’ve read over the past week.
Usually I would’ve posted this on Friday or Saturday, but I spent all Friday celebrating Earth Day and planting trees. Then I spent most of Saturday in the hospital with my fiance who suffered a terrible knee injury at the gym. We believe it’s a meniscus tear, but we’ll find out more after tomorrow.
Anyway, I’m lucky to have found some time to post this at all, considering that it’s Easter today. I’ll be spending time with my family in about an hour 😀
I really didn’t want to procrastinate posting any longer though, so I made some time after cooking up my meals for the upcoming week.
I don’t have a bike trainer and I’ve never even used one, but I love cycling. I’ve actually been looking for a good deal for a bike trainer to show up on Craigslist for the last couple of months now. I wish I could afford the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine. That one seems to the best one around based on all the research I’ve done, which is quite a bit actually.
Another good one from “Jon is Fit.” I get tired of doing the same yoga routines over and over so for me this is a great resource. I hook up my computer to my TV when watching yoga videos from my computer, which makes it much easier to follow.
It’s a simple question with a simple answer. Grass-fed is better. Read the article to learn why. The benefits are definitely worth seeking out a grocery store that carries it.
I know I have running problems that I need to work on. I’ve had a pair of Vibram FiveFingers for a few years now, but I’ve only taken them out to run twice. I walk in them all the time though. I should try running in them more often to work on my fore-foot running. Anyway, read this article to get started on diagnosing your own running problems.
This is very science-filled (but not too boring) discussion about amino acids and how they help your body build muscle. A bit on the geeky side, but interesting and worth a read if you have some time. If you plan on building muscle, it’s important you understand how BCAA’s work.
Digestive problems are common when changing your nutrition plans or going on a diet. Read this article and learn more about how you can keep your digestive system in check.
Georges St-Pierre is one of the toughest UFC fighters in the world. He has recently created a new 8-week fitness program called Rushfit which costs $89.99 and this video is the physical assessment before partaking in the program. I don’t plan on buying Rushfit, but the physical assessment looks crazy.
Good tips on what to look for when choosing a protein bar. I haven’t eaten a protein bar in over a year now, but I plan to start with my upcoming nutrition plan change in about a month, so I’ll be doing plenty of research myself.
Anyone dieting loves a cheat meal, but it usually ends with a feeling of disappointment. Don’t get yourself down. Having a cheat meal here and there is actually a good thing. Read this post to learn how it can help, and how you should implement it into your own diet.
I’ve been hearing so many good things about low-carb diets lately and this recent study seems to indicate that a ketogenic diet (low-carbs, moderate protein, high fat) may be able to repair kidney failure damage in as little as a month.
The girlfriend of a close friend of mine is always trying new fad diets and workout routines with no success. She has almost zero motivation but she wants to be thin. I can tell you the exact reason for her problems too.
She doesn’t track anything other than her weight.
If I were to give her advice, I’d tell her to write down her body circumference measurements, weight, body fat %, and body water percentage. Then she should set a goal for herself based on improving several of those things.
If you’re in the same boat, which all of us are in the beginning, these are the steps you need to follow.
After taking your measurements, you need to design a workout routine and a meal plan. This isn’t easy. You need to learn about how different types of exercises can help you burn fat and target multiple muscles (compound exercises as composed to isolation exercises. Compound exercises target multiple muscles and are great for anyone trying to build muscle and losing fat. Isolation is usually better left for those who are body building or if you have a problem area you really want to work on.
Then you need to learn about nutrition and how many calories you should be eating per day. Not only that but how much fat is contained in the food you’re eating, as well as carbohydrates, sodium, sugar, and protein. I track this stuff in an Excel spreadsheet. It takes some time to set all of this up, but preparation is key if you want to succeed.
My go-to source for routines and nutrition plans have always been bodybuilding.com. There are tons of success stories on the site too, with complete nutrition plans and routines. You can emulate these to start with.
Plan ahead and don’t stress yourself out trying to put everything together at the last minute. As a matter of fact, I plan on updating my routine and nutrition plan over the next two weeks so that I can transition smoothly.
Track your progress the entire time and you’ll push yourself to meet your goals. Now let’s see if I can get my friends girlfriend on the right track. She’s kinda stubborn so we’ll see 😉
Here are a few articles I found interesting over the past week. Looks like most of it is nutrition related this time around. Lots of good stuff to read over the weekend!
If you can’t make it to the gym and don’t have room in your home to set up big workout machines, it’s great to have a few small things on hand to squeeze out a quick workout. While you won’t become a huge bodybuilder with this minimalist gym, you can still build muscle and burn fat in the comfort of your home.
A very interesting take on the popular Paleo Diet. A coworker of mine just sent me some info about the Paleo diet so this perspective has come at the perfect time, in case I decide to try it out.
My fiance is vegan so this issue of the P90X newsletter will be very useful. This issue includes a guide to vegetarianism, the pros and cons of becoming a vegetarian and two great recipes – Spinach Salad with Quinoa, Garbanzo Beans, and Paprika Dressing and another recipe for Brown Rice Italiano.
Are you a muffin person or a bagel person? Find out which one is better for you pre-ride and why. I love muffins and bagels, even completely plain. I guess I just like bread in general.
It seems Chinese scientists have found a way to implant genes into cows which allow them to produce milk that closely resembles that of human breast milk. First of all, do people not even care about the unnatural things they do to these poor animals? Second, would you actually consider giving your newborn baby this genetically modified milk? I sure as heck wouldn’t.
When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to keep your calorie deficit low, but that’s hard to do when you’re constantly hungry. Food cravings lead to cheating on your diet, so try eating foods that keep you full longer.
This is awesome! When me and my fiance go to the movies, which is usually about once a month, we never order anything from the theatre because it’s all so unhealthy. The press release states that ALL AMC theatres will now have the deal for only $7. Now I can’t wait to go see another movie!
I read a lot of fitness and health related articles every day and I thought I’d start sharing the ones I find most interesting on my blog. Here are some of my favorites from last week. I’ll try to get these posts out on Friday from now on so that you have time to read them over the weekend. Enjoy!
Great article about why you should stop wearing gloves at the gym. I wear gloves at all times when I’m lifting weights. Maybe I’ll take a week off and see how it feels.
A cleanse sounds very interesting, but I always hear conflicting studies about them. This Shakeology cleanse claims to help you lose weight, cleanse the colon and flush out toxins, all while keeping you full. I’m not sure I completely believe it, but it’s interesting and might be worth a shot.
I’m a huge fan of the Workout of the Day (WOD) provided by various Crossfit gyms around the world. I can’t afford a Crossfit membership, so I do them at Bally’s or at home. This one is called the Balboa.
I like this one because it’s simple and something I need to include in my day. I sit at a computer for more than 8 hours a day. I should have put together a routine like this for myself a long time ago.
Did you read my post a couple days ago about what body mass index is and how to calculate your own BMI? Basically, your BMI number can tell you if you’re underweight, normal, overweight or obese.
I came across this interesting visualization of BMI by country and wanted to share it. I’m not surprised to see that the U.S. is in the overweight category, but It’s interesting to see that most of the world is also generally overweight. A large portion of Asia and Africa are considered normal and Egypt and Kuwait are generally obese.
If you want to see more detailed information check out the interactive map.
