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Fitness Articles of the Week #10

image courtesy of Falashad

Every weekend I publish a recap of the best health and fitness articles I’ve read over the past week. Here are my favorites.

The Burger Lab: Building A Better Big Mac

The Big Mac is one of my favorite fast-food hamburgers of all time. I don’t really eat fast-food much anymore and when I do, I definitely don’t get the Big Mac now that it’s the size of a tiny hamburger and is priced at $4. What a rip-off. But now with this in-depth rebuilding of the Big Mac, I can make my own!

Finally, the Truth About Soy

This is a must-read. Just in the past two weeks since announcing that I will be transitioning to veganism, so many people have told me that soy is bad for me and will cause man-boobs (moobs). I’ve read many studies over the years on both sides of the argument, but I lean more to the side that says soy is safe. It’s not the only thing I’ll be eating once completely vegan, but I’m certainly not afraid of it.

Fat Burning Zone Myth; Going Slower Burns More Fat

When I started doing cardio to burn fat a few months ago, I had this same question. The elliptical machines and treadmills at the gym showed that keeping your heart rate only slightly elevated would burn more fat than high heart rates. It didn’t make any sense to me. Some research showed exactly what this article explains. Basically, it’s not true.

Gaining Mass with P90X

If you’ve ever done P90X, it should be obvious to you that you aren’t going to be the next Arnold Schwarzenegger, but you will get in great shape. If you do want to get huge though, read this mass building plan created by the P90X team.

Ryan Hughes’ Muscle Building Program

I always love these programs from Bodybuilding.com. This one looks difficult, but doable. That’s a ton of calories to eat though. 4,689 calories per day is enough to make most people sick. I would imagine it would take me a week or longer to get used to that diet.

Ryan Jones Transformation Story: 45 lbs of Monstrous Muscle Gains

This is an inspirational story for anyone who has felt self-conscious about being skinny. I was just as skinny as this kid when I was his age and people don’t realize how embarrassing it is. I wish I had come across this post when I was a teenager.

Breaking News! USDA Replaces Food Pyramid with MyPlate

It’s about time the food pyramid has been updated. The new dietary guidelines set forth by the USDA now recommend that plates contain half fruits and vegetables and less meat and dairy. Sounds like a good step forward in reducing obesity rates in the U.S.

This Week’s Must-Have – Cacao Tea

Mmm, this sounds delicious. I wonder if my local supermarket has them in stock yet. I hope they aren’t too expensive.

Hero Training Workouts Get You in Shape and Prepare You For Heroics

If you want to be able to jump from rooftop to rooftop, you’re going to have to work on strength, speed and endurance. Do these workouts to get in “hero” condition.

Cycling in the City: How to Stay Safe

A friend of mine was just hit by a car while riding his bike through the city. He broke his wrist, dislocated his knee cap and broke his tibia in 15 places. It wasn’t his fault, but it’s a good reminder to make sure you’re taking all the proper precautions when riding your bike.

Jack3d Review

Jack3d is a preworkout supplement that I’ve been wanting to try. I just did a review of N.O. Xplode which is in the same category as Jack3d. Both seem to come highly recommended from people all over, but most preworkout formulas also have their drawbacks.

Tips to Deal With Your Obese Child

If you’re a parent, you need to be cautious of your child’s nutrition. There are lots of great tips here on dealing with an obese child as well as preventing it.

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Setting Up a Bicycle Camera Mount

I set up a camera mount on my bike a couple of months ago and I got a chance to use it recently after finally purchasing an SD card for my “flip” style camcorder. I’ve edited the video to include some Dubstep music because it’s what I listen to when riding to work. It helps keep me pumped. Watching this video puts me right back into the ride 🙂

I had planned to record my entire trip to Denver from my home, which is about 14 miles one way, but the camcorder stopped working after about 20 minutes. I think the batteries were running low. I still haven’t checked.

Anyway, you may or may not be able to tell in the speedy version of the video I’ve posted above, but the camera mount didn’t absorb much of the shock from the bike so I’m going to add some more rubber washers. Hopefully that does the trick. If you’re interested in how I did it, check out the Photojojo DIY Bikecam tutorial. It’s real easy and cheap too.

In the future I hope to record more of my rides, at least on the more interesting trails, such as rides up to Golden and near the mountains. There’s so much beauty on the trails that we never get to see when we’re traveling in a car.

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My Review of the Pre-Workout Formula N.O. Xplode


N.O. Xplode from BSN is designed to increase mental focus and provide a boost of energy to help you push harder during your workouts. Tons of people swear by the results and others say it hasn’t helped at all or that they’ve suffered side-effects that deem it unusable.

I’ve never used a product like N.O. Xplode before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The label says to start out with a minimum dose of 1 scoop and depending on tolerance, you can move up to 2-3 scoops. The BSN website doesn’t state how much caffeine N.O. Xplode has, but one source I found online claims that a serving has 100 mg.

I have a very low tolerance to caffeine and sometimes get anxiety from it, so I started with 1 scoop. I took it right when I woke up, about 30 min. before getting to the gym. I’m not sure when it kicked in, but I definitely had more energy than usual. I noticed higher focus levels as well.

There were a few side effects. I had a small amount of anxiety, but nothing too bad and I kept feeling the urge to pee. It wasn’t too bad, but somewhat uncomfortable while at the gym.

After that, all was well until about around 11am, about 6 hours after taking it. I guess I crashed from the caffeine, because I got a ridiculous headache that lasted until I went to sleep that night.

The next day I took a half scoop instead of a full scoop. This was much better for me. I still got a good boost of energy and focus, and this time didn’t suffer a headache. It wasn’t as big as an energy boost as the day before, but it still worked.

The third day I took a half scoop and felt no change at all. In fact I felt miserable the entire day. I think maybe I wasn’t giving my body enough rest and there really wasn’t anything that the N.O. Xplode could do for me.

I increased it to a full scoop the next day and noticed an energy boost again. I did have a slight headache for the first few hours of the day, but no other side-effects.

I continued taking one full scoop each day after that with no side-effects whatsoever. Fast-forward to 8 days after my first use and the stuff was working great. I’ve been using it for about two months now and it gives me no problems whatsoever and I feel great at the gym. It gives me tons of energy and every morning I can’t wait to start working out. I’m not sure if it’s a placebo effect, but I also seem to get some great pumps during my workout too.

At first I was worried that I would continue having side-effects of using N.O. Xplode, but I kept using it in hopes that my body would adjust, and sure enough it did. I’m glad that I decided to keep going because now I really like it.

N.O. Explode is one of the few supplements that I was worried about taking. It’s super-strong and has a lot of ingredients that I don’t know much about. You can’t even shake it up or else it’ll build pressure like a soda would. Kinda weird I think.

Despite the minor problems early on, I’d definitely recommend N.O. Xplode, at least with my experience with it so far. Oh and further research shows that it’s vegan too, so I don’t have to seek out an alternative pre-workout formula now that I’m switching to plant-based nutrition. Sweet!

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Fitness Articles of the Week #9

image courtesy of eddiecoyote

Happy Memorial Day weekend! Enjoy the outdoors, BBQ and spend some time with the family! Oh, and read the articles below 😉

Laura Bailey Fitness 360

Laura Bailey is one super-fit woman and a 2011 BodySpace Spokesmodel finalist. Working with Bodybuilding.com, she has put together a complete fitness program – one for muscle building and one for cutting fat. Choose the one that fits for you and stick to it.

Top 10 Detoxifying Foods

I’ve never tried a detox before or even really had the desire, but I might consider adding some of these foods to my diet. This article has a nice list of things you can consume to provide a gentle detoxification to aid in the removal of toxins in the body.

Soy Free Vegan Ice Cream

I wasn’t sure how this was going to come out since it’s just frozen bananas and peanut butter, but it actually came out really good. I liked it a lot.

Top 10 Veg-Friendly Major League Ballparks

I would’ve never guessed that many baseball fields would have any good vegan options, but it looks like plenty of them do. And what’s even better is that Coors Field in Denver, which is where I live, is at number 5. Sweet!

Eat to Compete: Training Diet

A carb-rich meal plan from the Iowa State University teaches you how to eat before, during and after training. This is an awesome resource. Read it!

5 Great Food and Nutrition Tools

There are four really cool tools mentioned here and one that I’ll never use because I’m not in the Weight Watcher’s program.

Mushroom Compound Suppresses Prostate Tumors

A compound called polysaccharopeptide was extracted from the “turkey tail” mushroom and during early test trials in mice, it has been found to be 100% effective in suppressing prostate tumur development. Awesome stuff!

Spinach Stir-Fry

Another awesome vegan recipe from the P90X newsletter. These guys just keep putting out awesome stuff.

3 Ways To Bench Press Safely When You’re Training Alone

Anyone who has ever bench pressed alone has asked this question. I definitely have. I would love to get a power rack in my house but I just can’t afford it right now. I’ve always kept the collars off my bar so that I could dump the weight to the side in case of failure, but I really like the “roll of shame” tactic mentioned in this article.

Mark Zuckerberg Only Eats What He Kills

The CEO of Facebook has started a new diet in which he will only eat what he kills. My favorite quote – “A bunch of people told me that even though they loved eating pork, they really didn’t want to think about the fact that the pig used to be alive. That just seemed irresponsible to me.” This means that most of the time he’s a vegetarian, but he has killed a lobster, chicken, pig and a goat for food so far.

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Fitness Articles of the Week #8

*image courtesy of Haseo

I would like to start out this round-up by mentioning that I’ve recently decided to go vegan, so you’ll probably see a little more posts like that in here. I won’t be cutting out any interesting “meat” eater articles I come across though. I’ve also just finished my first week doing the Occams Protocol workout routine from The Four Hour Body book by Tim Ferris so you might be seeing a little more of that in the future as well. It’s a minimalist workout designed to bulk up. Stay tuned!

Every weekend I publish a recap of the best health and fitness articles I’ve read over the past week. Here are my favorites.

Indigo-3G Repartitions Nutrients into Muscle Instead of Fat

This is one of those things that sounds completely unbelievable. According to this article, their studies has shown that pure C3G, can override your body’s nutritional uptake signals to drive anabolic nutrition into muscle cells and starve fat cells at the same time. If this is true, this is one absolutely amazing supplement. They will be releasing it in limited supply soon, so keep an eye out.

Should I Consume Simple Carbs Post-Workout?

Consuming simple carbs after a workout can be good and bad. Learn how to get the best results with good timing.

How to Make a Healthy Pizza

I love pizza. Too bad it’s so unhealthy. Learn how to make a healthy pizza and indulge without feeling guilty.

Make Your Own Veggie Chips for Cheap and Easy Snacking

I’ve made kale chips before, which are awesome, but I’ve never thought about making chips with other types of veggies.

How I Went From A 210 Pound 3% Body Fat Bodybuilder To A 175 Pound Ironman Triathlete – And How YOU Can Lose Weight For Triathlon Or Endurance Sports

I would have never guessed that people would want to lose muscle to compete in endurance sports, but after reading this article it makes a lot of sense. If you want to compete in a triathlon, you should read this. It’s a long article, but packed full of great info.

Steve Novella and Banachek on Power Balance bracelets

A friend of mine actually gave me a Power Balance bracelet and I was immediately skeptical. I didn’t believe in it all so I guess that’s why I didn’t get the “placebo” effect.

8 Weeks to Super Bench

Everybody always wants to bench more. Follow this program and you’ll be lifting much heavier in only 8 weeks. You’ll need a spotter for this one, especially when doing negatives.

Plaintain Taco

I’ve recently decided to transition to veganism so it’s great to see such a delicious looking recipe right off the bat. I’ve already bought the ingredients to make these tomorrow. I’ve never had a plaintain before, so I hope I like it.

Easy Tofu Scramble Recipe

I just used up the last of my eggs and I won’t be purchasing any more, so I needed to find an alternative for breakfast. During my search I came across this easy tofu scramble recipe, which I’ve already made. It doesn’t taste like eggs, but it looks and feels like scrambled eggs, which should be enough to trick my mind into thinking it’s breakfast food. It tastes good too 😀

How to Eat Healthy When You Live with Someone Who Eats Like Crap

This is a must-read if you live with someone who eats unhealthy and keep dragging you back into bad habits. I have a friend who definitely needs to read this.

The secret to keeping underarm odour at bay

Did you know that sweat from your underarm is an odorless saltwater solution? Yup, it’s not the sweat that smells, but the bacteria on the skins surface that thrives in moist conditions. Gross.

A Bulking Up Workout Plan For Skinny Guys To Gain Lean Muscle Without Ruining A Defined Physique!

I’m a skinny guy who has always had problems bulking up. I’m currently trying out the bulking plan from the “The 4 Hour Body” book from Tim Ferris, so I’ll probably come back to this one later. It looks good.

High Fructose Corn Syrup: The Real Story

I’ve written about high fructose corn syrup before, mentioning an in-depth and scientific article with lots of references. I definitely recommend going back and reading that, but check out this quick article if you have time too.

Controlled-Carb Bulking Strategy

Here’s another really good bulking plan. I like this one because it specifically states that you should already be quite lean before taking this on, which I am. It’s an in-depth program designed to consume carbs only around the workout – an idea I like a lot.

Tricks to Keep Food Fresh

I’ve never been great with keeping my fruits and veggies fresh, so these tips should come in handy. Especially now that gardening season is upon us!

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Fitness Articles of the Week #7

Every weekend I publish a recap of the best health and fitness articles I’ve read over the past week. Here are my favorites.

How I Lost 25 Lbs. in 3 Months

This is my own personal essay of how I lost 25 lbs. in three months while doing the Transformation Challenge from Bodybuilding.com. This goes through my exact routine, my diet and the supplements I used while on the program. How could I not mention it in my weekly roundup? 😉

Hack Your Muscles: Comparing the Best Post-Workout Beverages

What should you drink after a hard workout? Maybe milk, maybe cherry juice. Many people choose sports drinks and flavored waters. This article also discusses the use of cherry juice and even beer. Personally, I drink a protein shake with L-glutamine and creatine.

Athletes Get Faster Recovery With Weird Yoga Exercise

I’m not sure I care for the sensationalist title of this article because if you think the seated twist is weird, you probably think any yoga move is weird. Anyway, I’ve seen a few videos from Julie Downey and they’re always good, despite that she takes FOREVER to get to the point. Check out this video on doing the seated twist which Julie claims to help increase respiratory capacity.

3 Massage Therapy Benefits That Helps Exercise Recovery

For a long time, massage has been used to aid in recovery after hard workouts. Some studies say they are beneficial and others claim them to be pointless or to even have a negative impact on recovery. This article was written by someone with tons of experience, so I definitely suggest reading it.

Going Meatless – Post from Raul of VegLatino

This is an interesting interview with a Raul, a long-time vegetarian since 2006. He discusses how and why he became a vegetarian, the myths of meat being a nutritional requirement and finding things to eat when you’re on a meatless diet.

Do You Think Liposuction Will Get Rid of That Fat Forever?

This study shows that people who have had a liposuction procedure eventually see fat return within a year, which is redistributed to other areas of the body. The cosmetic shape benefit is usually retained, but liposuction is not a weight loss procedure.

Sitting is Not Bad For You

The news and the internet has been chock-full of information lately about how sitting all day can increase the chance of heart attack, so it’s nice to see an article on the other side of the coin. This article says that you shouldn’t stay in one posture all day, sitting or standing. Sounds like good advice to me.

6 Reasons Yoga’s Great for Guys

There are some great points in this article. I love yoga personally, but I always hear from my friends about how they don’t think it’s worth adding to their routine because it won’t build muscle or make you stronger. How wrong they are.

Get Rid of That Stitch in Your Side with This Three Minute Fix

Don’t you hate getting a side-stitch in the middle of a good run? Here are some quick tips to fix it. One method that I use that wasn’t mentioned and has seems to work for me is changing my breath to inhale/exhale opposite of the leg that was hitting the ground previously. It’s just something I heard a long time ago and started to do.

Joy’s Recipe Revamp: Banana Bread

Mmm, nutritionist approved banana bread. I can’t wait to make this one.

10 surprisingly healthy treats

If you have a sweet tooth and need some healthy options to keep you away from fatty desserts, check out these 10 recipes. These all look delicious.

Gym In a Bag Review (Minimalist Home Gym)

This is an awesome idea, but this official version is too expensive. They are selling the “Gym in a Bag” for $90, but I bet you could put this together with the stuff you need for less than $50.

No Blender? No Worries! 5 Novel Uses for Protein Powder

If you’re not the type of person who likes to drink their protein, consider using it in your food instead. I’ve actually made variations of two of the recipes in this article; protein pancakes and protein fruit dip. Both are awesome and tasty!

Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness by Robert Cheeke Review

I’m definitely considering switching to a vegan lifestyle sometime in the future, but I want to do lots of research first to make sure I have a supplement and nutrition plan in place to make sure I stay as strong as possible. This review looks like it has pointed me in the right direction for one of the first books I should be ordering.

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I Lost 25 Pounds in 3 Months

Almost 3 weeks late, I finally got around to publishing my essay for the Bodybuilding.com Transformation Challenge. It’s probably too late to even be included in the finals of the contest, but that’s ok, that’s not why I took the challenge. Actually taking part in a challenge was a ton of fun.

I told everybody I knew that I was taking part in it and that definitely held me accountable. It also kept me motivated. I wasn’t going to let anybody down, especially not myself. The accountability kept me working harder than I ever have in the past and I’m happy to say that it was with great success.

I lost about 25 lbs. in those 3 months and I also learned how to control my diet, which is something I’ve always been terrible at. Now I never want to go back to my old bad habits. I’ve also learned to love cardio. I thought that torturing myself with the elliptical machine or treadmill everyday would drive me crazy, and it did at first, but then I just got used to it. Now, I feel like my day is incomplete without it and I crave it. Weird huh?

I started the challenge officially at 174 lbs. although I tested the program for about 2 weeks before actually registering and I weighed in at 178 lbs. When I finished the program I was at 154 lbs. That’s one hell of a difference. I had to put two new holes in my belt!

My essay at Bodybuilding.com details my workout schedule, my diet, and my supplement schedule if you’d like to see exactly what I did to lose all of that weight. I’d love to hear your comments either here or on my post at bodybuilding.com

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Fitness Articles of the Week #6

image courtesy of nate steiner

Every weekend I publish a recap of the best health and fitness articles I’ve read over the past week. Here are my favorites.

Another Side of Tilapia, the Perfect Factory Fish

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.

Shed While You Shred: 8 Fat-Burning Workout Tips

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.

Cable Built: 8 Moves For Massive Muscle

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.

Vegetarian Diets Reduce Cataract Risk

Another reason to consider a vegetarian diet. I’m still gonna eat meat for now, but good info nonetheless 😉

Three Good Indoor Bike Trainer Workouts

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.

Does Compression Gear Really Help Recovery & Performance, Or Is It All Just A Silly Ploy To Get Us To Dress Up In Stretchy Pants?

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.

Top 10 Probiotic Foods

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!

Warrior Blog : P90X Before & After Pictures!

These are some awesome before and after photos from the P90X program.

The Tabata Method, Perfected

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.

GAIAM Desk Yoga Neck Shoulder

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.

New Evidence That Caffeine Is a Healthful Antioxidant in Coffee

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.

Gym in Spain’s Basque region offers naked workouts

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.

Scientists: we can make bad fat turn into good fat

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.

The super-smoothie: Scientists devise blend of 13 fruit juices so good for you it could lower heart disease risk

Sounds like a delicious smoothie if you can find the ingredients.

Is Greek Yogurt Healthier Than Regular Yogurt?

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.

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Fitness Articles of the Week #5

Every weekend I publish a recap of the best health and fitness articles I’ve read over the past week. Here are some of my favorites.

How To Save Money On Healthy Food

Some good tips on buying cheaper fresh foods from places like Walmart and washing away the pesticides and other chemicals.

The Worst Gym Attire Ever!

This one’s funny. Make sure you’re not one of “those” people 😀

8 Ways To Prepare Tuna: Never Be Bored Again

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.

Brian Stann’s Muscle Building Program

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.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Linked to Prostate Cancer Risk

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.

Old Ladies Think I’m a Big Deal

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!

Becoming a Vegetarian Athlete: No Meat Athlete’s Great How To’s

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 😀

Protein Brownies and a Banana Bread Recipe (Gluten-Free)

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.

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Fitness Articles of the Week #4

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.

Enjoy and Happy Easter!!!

Four Advantages Of Using A Bike Trainer

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.

10 Sites to Find Free Yoga Workouts

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.

Grain-Fed vs. Grass-Fed: Which Beef is Healthier?

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.

5 running mistakes you didn’t know you make

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.

Do Amino Acids Really Help You Exercise Or Are Nutrition Supplement Companies Pulling A Fast One On You? – Part 1 and Part 2

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.

Makeover Your Burger: Delicious Curry Chicken Burgers

I haven’t made this yet, but plan to. It sounds delicious. And easy.

Help For Digestive Problems

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.

Meat Glue: It’s Likely Lurking in Your Food

It’s stories like this that lead me closer and closer to vegetarianism every day. How unnatural will foods be in 5+ years?

GSP Physical Assessment

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.

Pick the Perfect Protein Bar

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.

The Cheat Meal Manifesto

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.

Low Carbohydrate Diet May Reverse Kidney Failure in People With Diabetes

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.