powerDOJO

Category: Nutrition

  • Fat Loss Nutrition Science

    It’s a bit of a pain to type right now seeing as the index finger on my right hand is about double its normal size…

    I sprained it (the metacarpalphalangeal joint to be specific) a week ago sparring not because my right cross is overly powerful but because the sparring gloves I was using were a piece of crap. They seem to channel all force through the one knuckle.

    Therefore, I highly recommend against cheap (Title Platinum) sparring gloves unless you enjoy typing with a bag of peas secured to your finger to keep the swelling down.

    Sports injury therapy at its finest.

    That’s what I get for being cheap – damn you Chinese genetics!

    A couple of days ago I picked up a pair of Top Ten Superfight gloves before my last sparring session. Even though my finger was already in pain, I was no worse for wear afterwards. Highly recommended!

    Anyway, I’d been meaning to write this post up but have put it off due to the finger and also because I’ve been very busy dealing with Amanda who just won her first fight at the Canadian Nationals tournament – 2 more to go!

    Now, what I want to talk to you today is about fat loss nutrition science.

    I haven’t talked a lot about nutrition lately, focusing more on training, but nutrition is at least 50% of the performance puzzle.

    When you’re in your 20’s, you can get away with eating like crap and your body might not show much for it and it might not even impact your performance that much.

    With that being said, if you were to clean up your eating, who knows how explosive and energetic you’d be…

    The thing is, as you age, nutrition becomes more and more important.

    Our bodies simply can’t deal with crap all day long and will rebel, just like your girlfriend would if all you ever did was go hang out with your buddies. Trust me, I’ve been there. 🙂

    Now the reason why I’m talking about fat loss specifically here is because your body tells me how you’re doing with your nutrition.

    Your Body Has No Mechanism For Lying

    You can talk all day about how well you eat but if you’ve got a thick layer of insulation covering your abs or you’ve been considering getting fitted for a sports bra (manzeer or BRO for you Seinfeld fans), then it’s time to listen up and clean it up.

    Before we continue, I’ve got one question…

    [poll id=”10″]

    Thanks for voting…

    Now, there’s a lot of hype and hoopla surrounding fat loss on the net, in magazines, on TV and even in the academic world, too.

    Because of this, I want to clear up one of the most popular myths that is still hanging around today about fat loss: the myth that FAT makes you FAT.

    Yes, it’s true – fat DOES NOT make you fat.

    Nor does it negatively impact your cholesterol.

    Real, natural fat, that is.

    But trans fat will make you fat. Or kill you. Probably both.

    Read those 4 sentences above again, just to make sure you get this important point.

    .

    .

    Need actual proof?

    Well I say good for you!

    Don’t just believe whatever some guy behind a keyboard typing with a bag of peas elastic banded to his finger says.

    That would be stupid.

    So let’s talk scientific proof.

    This study compared obese women separated into 2 groups:

    “One group of dieters was instructed to follow an ad libitum diet with a maximum intake of 20 g carbohydrate/d… After 2 wk of dieting, subjects were permitted to increase their intake of carbohydrate to 40–60 g/d only if self-testing of urinary ketones continued to indicate ketosis… The other group of dieters was instructed on a calorie-restricted, moderately low fat diet with a recommended macronutrient distribution of 55% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 30% fat.”

    The important point is that those following the low carb diet could eat as much of whatever else they wanted, as long as they kept their carb intake to certain levels.

    The study lasted for 6 months and here’s a graph showing the results:

    The high fat/low carb group lost 10 more pounds than the low fat/low calorie group.

    You can also see that from 3 to 6 months, the low calorie/low fat group started gaining weight again.

    Speaks for itself, doesn’t it?

    Now, that’s great, we’ve got some scientific proof showing fat doesn’t make you fat.

    “Sure, fat might not make me fat, but won’t it give me a heart attack?”

    Good question.

    I’m sick of science. I want to look at something more interesting. Let’s look at some trends.

    Just remember that when looking at these trends, I’m not implying causation, but you can make your own conclusions based on the facts.

    Before 1920, heart disease was rare in America.

    From 1910 – 1970, butter consumption declined from 18 pounds per person per year to 4 pounds.

    If saturated fat were the cause of heart disease, reducing butter this much should’ve made a big difference, right?

    But in that same time period, heart disease went from being rare to the leading cause of death among Americans!

    Oh and in that same period, the consumption of vegetable oils in the form of margarine and refined oils increased 400% and sugar and processed foods increased 60%. Overall fat intake declined.

    In reading this, what are your conclusions?

    I know what mine are: natural fat from things like butter are OK while refined oils, sugar and processed foods will kill me.

    Cultured butter is made with active bacteria (like yogurt). This is my fave.

    There’s a ton of science backing this up, like this study, and this one, but like I said, sometimes I just get sick of the science.

    Because the only studies that really matter are the studies you perform on yourself.

    No matter what the research study is, it doesn’t take into account the differences of each and every individual.

    You, my friend, are a unique individual with unique needs.

    So my recommendation, despite everything I’ve said here, is to drop any dogma and instead, be your own lab rat.

    Make your best educated guess as to what might work for your goals.

    If fat loss is your goal, you’ve got a simple blueprint to follow up above.

    Then, make a plan and stick to it. Observe the results. If it worked, keep going. If not, try something else.

    Easy peasy!

    [sharebox5_no_text]

    Got a plan?

    Feedback?

    Questions?

    Hate mail?

    I’d love to hear it. Even the hate mail. Let’s chat.

    Leave it below:

  • Increase Testosterone: Training, Nutrition, Supplements and More

    GUYS: this is a mucho-importanto post to read with solid scientific info that will help you increase your testosterone.

    Failure to heed the advice given may result in excess pectoral adiposity, regression to adolescent behavior and/or the inability to sustain a prominent erection.

    English Translation: Follow the advice given to prevent man boobs, act like a man instead of a whiny little child and/or be a tiger in the bedroom.

    When putting this blog post together, I gathered all of the notes I have written down and in random word documents on my computer and started reviewing them to include what I thought the most important info about increasing your testosterone was. And this is just a sample – there’s more to come… 

    After all was said and done, I’d reviewed 41 scientific studies, a bunch of websites and my human biochemistry textbook from university for good measure. Saying that testosterone is a deep topic is an understatement.

    I felt like I was back in school cramming for an exam or scrambling to finish a final paper.

    I’d planned on writing this post yesterday, but seeing as I had to attend to my bleeding eyes, I’d decided to put it off until today.

    The bleeding has stopped, so here we are, ready to get into what’s been actually PROVEN to increase testosterone.

    No hype.

    No hoopla.

    Just some good ol’ fashioned scientific research coming your way.

    Can I kick it?

    “Yes you can!”

    How to Increase Testosterone through Exercise

    After reviewing the science with respect to training effects on T, one thing is clear: training can cause ACUTE bumps in testosterone, but not chronic adaptations.

    So you’ll get a boost after a training session, but over time, your workouts won’t have much of an impact on your testosterone levels over time.

    To boost T after strength workouts, big muscle group exercises, particularly involving the lower body and a standard bodybuilding style protocol gives the best results.

    With respect to conditioning, interval training, with a variety of work:rest ratios showed a bump in T.

    Understanding that, we don’t have to get too crazy with our workouts if low T is an issue, however, we do have to consider the opposite – can training negatively impact testosterone levels?

    Yes it can.

    Any training session that results in a boost in cortisol will negatively effect T.

    Think about it this way…

    T is the main sex hormone in men. As such, its main  function is to drive us to reproduce.

    Cortisol is a stress hormone whose main function is to help us survive.

    Now let me ask you a question – if you were in a bar fight or being chased by a masked man with a gun, do you think it would make sense for your body to have high levels of a hormone that makes you want to make a baby?

    Of course you wouldn’t.

    Survival is a higher priority than reproduction, therefore when cortisol is floating around your blood stream, it takes precedence over T, and since T feels unwanted, it simply goes into hiding until big-bad cortisol goes away.

    This is an important concept to grasp, as you now understand that if stress, regardless of where it comes from, is not effectively managed and overruns your system, whatever you try to do about your low testosterone levels won’t help.

    When cortisol is around, your body doesn’t care about your under-active  libido or your ever-increasing need to wear a sports bra when you workout.

    A lot to take in?

    Just take a deep breath.

    Relax.

    And get back into reproduction mode with me.

    Well not with me, but, uhhhh, you know what I mean.

    Basically, with respect to training, to avoid over-production of cortisol, keep your workouts under an hour with a focus on intensity vs. endurance.

    One study I reviewed actually showed that baseline levels of T are depressed in endurance trained men vs. sedentary men.

    So stick with the strength/power training if T is a main concern of yours.

    Now, let’s move on to our next topic of the day…

    How to Increase Testosterone through Nutrition

    To increase testosterone with nutrition, the main key is to eat  good, natural food minus the chemicals and pesticides that have penetrated our food supply.

    Pesticides and a lot of chemical additives are something called xenoestrogens, which I talked about in Part 1 of this series, mimic the effects of the female sex hormone estrogen.

    If you can, eat grass-fed, pasture raised, organic meat.

    I buy an eighth of a cow and a few pounds of pork every few months  from a local farm and I’ll never go back.

    I’m still working on sourcing some good chicken and fish though.

    If you don’t have access or the money for it, choose leaner cuts of conventional meat, as chemicals are stored in the fat of the animal.

    Organic fruits and veggies are also lower in xenoestrogens compared to their conventional counterparts because they aren’t grown with pesticides.

    If you can’t go 100% organic, use this list here and work your way down, choosing organic versions of fruits/veggies that  you eat most often that are highest on the list. That’s where I started on my path to organics when money was tight.

    And if you eat canned stuff, try and buy cans that don’t have BPA – canned foods from Eden Foods are 100% BPA-free (I love their beans).

    One thing that’s key to keeping T levels high as well as hormones in general at healthy levels is eating cholesterol.

    That’s right – eat cholesterol. Daily.

    If you don’t, your body is forced to produce cholesterol, adding another physiological task it needs to perform.

    The best source? Eggs.

    I recommend eating 2 eggs per day, 5-6 days per week.

    And for those of you who are worried about this because of all the fear-mongering that’s taken place on fat and cholesterol, let me quote some text directly from a 2011 study in the British Journal of Nutrition titled “Dietary cholesterol: from physiology to cardiovascular risk“:

    “What do the few studies on eggs and the risk of CVD tell us?

    The Framingham study (with fewer than 1000 subjects) concluded as to the absence of the relationship between egg consumption and the risk of CVD.

    The Harvard study on a cohort of 38 000 men and 80 000 women has shown that eating up to one egg/d (or seven eggs/week) did not increase the risk of CVD.

    Similarly, in the prospective cohort study of 21 327 men from the Physicians’ Health Study during an average follow-up of 20 years, egg consumption was not associated with incident myocardial infarction or stroke.

    The only exception concerned diabetic women, with a slight increase in risk for those who ate more than one egg/d relative to those who ate less than one egg/week.”

    So eat your eggs, unless you’re a diabetic woman, then maybe take it easy.

    Choose eggs raised by a local farm where you can see the hens running around. Most organic eggs and “free run” eggs in the supermarkets aren’t worth the extra price.

    If you can’t find a local farm, just buy omega-3 eggs, as at least you know what you’re getting.

    There are a few other nutritional tips and tweaks I’ve come across but these are the main points I wanted to share with you here.


    How to Increase Testosterone – Going Deeper…

    I can see that I’m well past my self-imposed 1,000 word limit and I haven’t even touched on the biggest area of my research on boosting T: supplements.

    There are definitely some supplements to use, some to try and some to avoid completely.

    I’m actually still in the process of reviewing everything and putting all of the things I’ve used and new things I’ve learned together in an easy-to-follow format.

    Some of the research I uncovered will surprise you. It definitely surprised me.

    The reason why I’m choosing to stop right now is that I’ve already given more info than most people will apply.

    Information overload is a problem in today’s society and there’s also a lot more knowledge out there than application going on, so before going further, I want you to go through this post and pick 1 or 2 things to DO.

    I’m not here just to entertain you or make you feel good; I’m here to help you change your life.

    I’ve done my part, now it’s up to you to do yours.

    It’s a team effort after all!

  • Low Testosterone Facts and Figures

    Low testosterone is becoming an epidemic in today’s modern society. 

    From Justin Bieber blasting on the airways to drugs in MMA, low T is everywhere.

    This past weekend at UFC 139, Dan Henderson, who fought to a 5-round decision with Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, has said publicly that he’s on testosterone replacement therapy.

    The ethics of this are up to debate, but the fact is that he’s doing nothing illegal and he’s within the legal limits.

    The fact of the matter is that until the rules are changed, you’ve got to do whatever you can to compete, if this is going to be how you make your living.

    HOWEVER, if you’re not down with drugs or the associated costs, there are a lot of things you can do naturally to keep your T high, which we’ll be talking about soon…

    A year ago or so, I watched a documentary called “The Disappearing Male” that talked about the role of environmental toxins on the globally declining birth rate of males. [You can watch the full documentary here]

    The documentary was based in Sarnia, Ontario, a town whose economy is based on the petroleum industry.

    The theory is that the refining of petroleum products is spewing chemicals in the air called xenoestrogens that mimic the effects of the female sex hormone estrogen in the body.

    When estrogen levels are high it skews the estrogen:testosterone balance towards femininity.

    This is why many more baby girls than baby boys are being born in Sarnia, Ontario, say the documentary creators.

    It’s also possibly why men have accepted the idea of wearing skin tight jeans.

    I couldn’t imagine putting those things on, not to mention walking around in them!

    Anyway, this is all just theory, but here’s some hard data for you to swallow:

    A 2007 study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism showed that from 1987 to 2004, testosterone levels in men have been on the steady decline.

    So if you’ve felt that there’s been a general ‘sissification’ of men as time has worn on, your feeling might be right.

    And it could all be due to low testosterone.

    And it doesn’t just happen in men, women are also feeling the effects of a skewed estrogen:testosterone ratio, as you may remember a post I wrote called “Hormones and Body Fat” about a boxer who I felt may have had some T issues, which was preventing her from losing fat.

    [UPDATE: Since implementing the changes I outlined in that post (and a few others), she went from 130+ lbs to make  her weight class of 112 lbs to win the Provincial championships]

    But most of you reading this are males, who, like me don’t mind a bit of hair on their chest or feel that scratching your crotch and burping loudly are god-given rights you must exercise on a regular basis.

    Except I’m Chinese and I couldn’t grow hair on my chest for a million dollars…

    But the other two I’m with you on.

    Anyway, there are a whole range of symptoms that could be related to low testosterone.

    Because testosterone is such a powerful hormone in our bodies, if it’s thrown off, a range of bad things can happen.

    Unless of course you enjoy chick-flicks and talking about your feelings.

    In all seriousness, here’s a list of things to look out for that might mean you’ve got low testosterone:

    Possible Signs of Low Testosterone

    • Low sex drive, but not necessarily the inability to get it up ie you can get it up but you just don’t feel like doing anything with it
    • Problems gaining muscle mass, despite proper training and nutrition
    • Gaining body fat disproportionately in the chest (man-boobs) and thighs relative to the rest of your body
    • Poor motivation to do things ie you start a lot of projects but never follow through
    • Inability to focus and concentrate; short attention span

    The bottom line with testosterone is that it’s the MAN hormone and if it’s low, you just don’t feel like how a man should feel: strong, confident, motivated to get shit done and full of vitality.

    Now one thing that I preach is that you should never put all of your eggs in one basket.

    Related to low testosterone, it means that if you have 1 or 2 or all of the symptoms, they’re still all ‘subjective’ measures – to be sure, the next step is to get your T levels tested.

    You can go to your doctor, a naturopath, or buy a testing kit online and ship them your blood or saliva sample and they’ll send you your results.

    [I actually just bought a testing kit from ZRT Labs and I’ll report my results as I get them and my results from any interventions I do]

    Once you’ve gotten your test results, you have both subjective and objective measures to work with, which will better guide your treatment protocol.

    As I mentioned earlier, I suspected that a boxer I train had messed up testosterone:estrogen levels and I designed the training program taking that finding into consideration.

    The result is that she lost the fat that she’d been unable to lose to get down to the 112 pound weight class and compete for a spot on the Canadian Olympic team.

    Was it the fact that I identified the T issue and addressed it accordingly?

    Possibly, but we did so many things, it could’ve been any of them. In the real world, you don’t always have the luxury to isolate one variable hoping to notice a significant results.

    Sometimes, you’ve just gotta go for it and if it works you’ve done your job – who cares if you didn’t isolate that one single variable.

    Now, we’re focused on peak performance for the National tournament coming up in January.

    Well, I’m almost at 1,000 words here, and I know that attention spans are short these days (could it be low T?) so I’m going to end it here.

    But we’re not finished yet…

    In the next post, I’m going to recap some of the changes we made to address low testosterone and share the science  I’ve uncovered related to boosting T – so stay tuned for Part 2!

  • Your MONEY Meals

    As you may have noticed, the new tagline I’ve chosen for my blog redesign is “Strength and Conditioning Science. Simplified.”

    It’s because I feel that over the years, that’s what I’ve evolved to.

    Simplification. Making things easy for you.

    Like Master Bruce said, “It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity.”

    In my last article I shared a simple training concept that will boost your confidence, skyrocket your training results and invigorate you after your workouts… but only when used in small doses.

    You don’t even need a special program – it can be applied to your current program right now. [BTW – if you haven’t applied it and left your Comment, what’s holding you back? Make sure you take action then leave your Comment on “The MONEY Set” article ASAP]

    Today, I want to share a similar concept, but with respect to what you eat.

    Simple, applicable, with tremendous benefits.

    Most guys I know are a lot like me – they ate a lot of junk food growing up and didn’t have to learn how to cook until they “left the nest”.

    Very few grew up with what we now know as “healthy”.

    Now, I definitely enjoy making fancy things like pate, roasted chicken with stuffing, and ginger mashed sweet potatoes.

    Homemade burger, tabouleh, and sweet potato chips… YUM

    The thing is, a lot of the same guys I see still lack skills in the kitchen and could never dream of anything fancy like this.

    It’s not because of inability.

    Everyone has the ability to cook.

    It’s all a mental block.

    I often hear things like, “I just don’t know how to cook” or “I’m not very creative in the kitchen”.

    Here’s the thing:

    1) You know stuff now. Maybe some MMA skills. Or how to write your own name. That means you’re capable of learning, which means that you can learn how to cook.

    2) Cooking doesn’t require creativity. It requires the ability to follow a recipe, with most having simple, step-by-step instructions.

    I’m going to leave you some simple step-by-step instructions at the end that you can follow to prove to yourself you can do both #1 and #2. [Failure to follow these instructions should worry you]

    When it comes to nutrition, to get 80-90% of “optimal”, some very BASIC things will work for you:

    • Eat a fruit/vegetable that came straight from the ground with every meal
    • Eat a natural protein source that was hacked off an animal with every meal
    • Avoid refined carbs (sugar, white flour, white potatoes, white pasta)
    • Don’t overeat (if you have to unbutton your pants or your stomach hurts, you over ate)
    • Don’t starve yourself
    • Drink only water and lots of it

    I just gave you the keys to nutrition success.

    There goes my shot at a NY Times bestseller!

    So now that you’ve got the basics, one of the ways to make it work is to have your MONEY meals.

    What is a MONEY meal?

    Example of a good resource to find your “MONEY” meals

    A MONEY Meal is a go to meal that:

    • You can whip up quickly
    • You always have the ingredients available in your fridge
    • It either gets you closer to your goals or keeps you where you are – it never sends you backwards
    • Possibly the most important: you enjoy eating it

    It’s like GSP with his takedowns. No matter what’s happening, he knows he can pull it off.

    GSP’s “Money” Move

    So if you’re short on time, short on energy, or simply have no brainpower left after a hard day’s work, you can pull off a MONEY meal.

    They can change over time, or you can have the same ones for the rest of your life. Doesn’t matter.

    Most of mine have been the same for years.

    This is a big reason why I’ve been able to maintain 7-8% body fat for years.

    As long as you have MONEY meals in your arsenal, you’re 80-90% of the way to optimal nutrition.

    I want to know what your MONEY meals are, and here are a few of mine:

    Eric’s MONEY Meals

    BREAKFAST

    1) Oatmeal + Natural Peanut Butter + Fruit (berries, banana, apple, pear, even raisins) + Cinnamon

    2) 2 Sunny side up Eggs fried in Olive oil + Black Beans + Vegetable (sliced tomato, cucumbers, peppers)

    LUNCH/DINNER

    1) Broiled beef/chicken/fish/pork seasoned with black pepper, sea salt and garlic powder + Vegetables or Salad + rice/rice pasta (dinner only)

    SNACKS

    1) Handful of Nuts + Fruit

    2) Cottage cheese or Yogurt + Natural Peanut Butter + 1 tsp Crofter’s jam (all-natural, no refined sugar)

    Uhm, yeah, that’s pretty much it.

    Not too glamorous.

    But keeps my abs visible. And gives me loads of energy. And a ton of other good stuff.

    Can you do it?

    Of course you can.

    The real question is, WILL you do it?

    You can take the first step right now:

    1. Hit Like below (good karma)
    2. Think about what your “MONEY meals” are
    3. Share your “MONEY meals” in a Comment below

    Also, if you have any questions or general Comments, leave ’em below:

  • Starchy Carbs: Rice vs. Bread

    Here’s a short little nutrition tip I recorded on my iPhone. [The iPhone rules, btw]

    I call it, “Rice vs. Bread”.

     

    Rics vs. Bread. Who Will Reign Supreme? (said in Iron Chef announcer's voice)

     

     

    You can listen by LEFT-clicking the link, or download and listen to on your iDevice by RIGHT-clicking.

    The choice is yours, but don’t hesitate, otherwise you’ll never get around to it.

    Trust me, I know what it’s like to procrastinate. 🙂

    DO IT NOW:

    TURN YOUR SPEAKERS UP YO!

    Starchy Carbs: Rice vs. Bread (mp3 audio)

    TURN YOUR SPEAKERS UP YO!

    Got a ?uestion or just something to say?

    Then leave it below. Let’s chat:

    – Eric

    P.S. 5 bucks to the first person to correctly name the specific type of bread pictured above.

    P.P.S. The 5 bucks may be delivered in Monopoly money.

    P.P.P.S. Don’t forget to hit the ‘Like’ button on the way down. 🙂



  • Mocha Snack Bites Recipe

    I haven’t always been a clean eater…

    Nutrition knowledge wasn’t very widespread in the 80’s and my mom was busy taking care of 5 kids, so I learned how to cook on my own.

    Unfortunately, I cooked a lot of Mr. Noodles, Kraft Dinner, hot dogs, and for snacks, I’d always love getting my dirty little paws on some WAGON WHEELS.

    Ever have ’em?

    From what I remember, they were da bomb.

    Well now that I’m grown up (in age, not necessarily actions), I’ve learned to forsake the wheels for something healthier…

    You can never have too many weapons in your nutritional arsenal. That’s why I’m always looking out for and testing new recipes.

    One of my latest tests has been for Mocha Snack Bites. They put wagon wheels to absolute shame.

    Make these bad boys and you’ll want to eat the whole pan!

    (more…)

  • Shrink Your ‘MOOBS’ Now!

    In this video, you’ll discover:

    • 2 Things NEVER TO USE in the Kitchen
    • An ugly, UGLY picture of what would happen to me in the future if I did use these things
    • An easy, 4-spice rub for pork that’s delicious (or any meat)
    • My review of the new Metabolic Cooking program

    [jwplayer config=”560×340 (posts)” mediaid=”2808″]

    Here’s the link to the Metabolic Cooking site where you can grab the program at the 50% off launch special price, plus get access to a 1 hour nutrition teleconference/webinar where you can get all of your Q’s answered by me, LIVE:

    ==> http://www.MetabolicCook.com

    FAST ACTION BONUS: there are 2 bonuses for those who order on the first day of the launch special, go check it out now if you’re interested in this package with 250+ tasty fat melting recipes.

    Note: if you purchase the program from the link above, I’ll make a commission that I can put towards buying that new Ferrari Testarossa I’ve had my eyes on since I was 4, or maybe towards my July wedding whose budget is growing like Overeem after a visit to the ‘doctor’, or maybe just maintaining this site and paying for all of the video, web hosting and other stuff that goes along with being online. I haven’t decided yet.

  • Hormones and Body Fat

    If you think you’re carrying a lot of body fat on a certain area of your body, perhaps you’ve got man-boobs or you carry all of your fat around your stomach, then you may be suffering from a hormone imbalance.

    Thank the estrogen (or plastic surgeon).
    Thank the estrogen (or plastic surgeon).

    Your hormone levels direct where excess fat is stored on your body.

    Don’t believe me?

    Then think about it – what makes a woman different than a man (other than the desire to own more clothes than necessary as my fiancee can prove)?

    The big thing is the different levels of the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone.

    Estrogen is the female sex hormone. During puberty, when estrogen levels ramp up, body fat starts accumulating in the chest and sometimes the bum, for some more than others.

    Testosterone is the male sex hormone that as men, deepens our voice, hairies up our chest (and in some horrific cases, back, neck and shoulders…) and adds a whole lotta muscle mass so we can do impressive things for those estrogen dominant humans we’re always trying to impress.

    [Wikipedia has more on sexual differentiation if you’re so inclined]

    Believe me now?

    Great, then let’s continue…

    (more…)

  • Cheat Day Nutrition Tips

    Nobody is perfect.

    Not you, and heaven knows not me.

    I don’t meticulously count my calories or shun foods that I know aren’t optimal.

    I cheat.

    But when I do so, it’s conscious and I enjoy it – I don’t feel guilty for indulging and neither should you, as long as you’re in control.

    If you’re not in control, then you’ve got to work on THAT – don’t worry about being perfect, just get under control.

    With that being said, here’s the video with my ONE TIP to survive your Cheat Day without setting yourself back too far:

    .

    [jwplayer config=”512×288″ mediaid=”2424″]

    Just because it’s Cheat Day, doesn’t mean you have to eat absolute junk! You can, but I tell my clients/athletes, “On your Cheat Day, just don’t go crazy.”

    And here’s my ‘secret’ Whole Wheat Crepes recipe that my man Jeremy who’s in my MMA Ripped program (and has cut 13 lbs of fat in 5 weeks so far) made me share that is not only more delicious than any ‘cheat’ breakfast you could have, but is super easy to make and healthy as hay…

    First, here’s what he thought about ’em:

    (more…)

  • Nutrition Interview with Brad Pilon

    This is what I’ll be tackling over the holidays:

    My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

    Can’t wait.

    Anyway, I know a lot of people tend to pack on weight over the holidays simply because they eat too much.

    To counteract this, you could try intermittent fasting.

    Here’s how to do it:

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