Forget searching for optimal. Instead focus on what matters.
When it comes to health and fitness, what’s often overlooked in the decision-making process is prioritizing what fits YOU — specifically, what fits your individual needs, schedule, limitations, and family life. And it’s not just practical—it's powerful. It renders many of the nonsense ‘what’s optimal?’ arguments totally irrelevant. A classic example: “What frequency is best for building muscle?...
You’re not on a diet — this is just how you eat
A while back a new client was having a tough time and emailed me the following question: "When does it stop being so hard?" I immediately shot back: "It stops being hard on June 17, 2024. At 2:37 pm. Eastern Time." I then quickly followed with this: "It stops being hard when the process becomes routine and also kinda fun.” That's the honest truth. Not “when it’s over” or even “when you start...
Everything is connected: Dealing with stress
Work with me and you'll hear the same few expressions muttered over and over. One is "everything is connected," meaning that if something happens in one area of your life, it will undoubtedly affect the others. A classic example? Too much stress affects sleep and cravings, which affects training and food choices, which affects mood and body composition, which leads to... more stress. Yeah, ugly....
Are you guilty of this?
Goal-setting is popular in the fitness industry. Always has been. And the most common goal people are setting? Dropping pounds or inches. “Drop 3 dress sizes for my wedding day. Lose 25 pounds by Halloween so I can squeeze into a nurse costume so inappropriate its banned in most non-western countries. Dump 30 kilos by National Talk Like a Pirate Day. I’ve heard it all. The problem is, these are...
THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE IS COMING
You can thank Daylight Savings Time. There are plenty of tips, hacks, and of course supplements that supposedly help with fat loss. Unfortunately, the vast majority don’t do a damn thing—at least compared to the basics of calorie control, eating enough protein, resistance and cardiovascular exercise, sleep, and stress management. Yet even the brilliant basics only work if you’re consistent with...
Stop worrying about the minutiae
Stop majoring in the minors. Adults with jobs, kids, and responsibilities have FAR less time to devote to training. No big surprises there. Now there are some VERY good bodybuilders that have made it happen—even with busy families—just by being mercenary with time management (and having awesome spouses!) or hiring a coach. But they also don’t sweat the small things and worry about the minutiae...
The difference between hunger and craving
Are you hungry or bored? Understanding the difference between hunger and cravings can literally determine if your fat loss diet is a success. Hunger is literally the physical distress caused by lack of food. Period. A food craving is an intense desire for a specific food. They can be triggered by emotions, stress, and environment. Someone can even experience strong food cravings without feeling...