My friend Sam said that he was “quitting bodybuilding.” Now Sam isn't a bodybuilder per se. He’s never competed or immersed himself in the seductive world of Pro Tan, posing trunks, and tuna farts. But he does take his physique seriously, and until recently seemed very pleased with his progress. Hell, I was pleased with his progress. In a few short years he’d gone from a sloppy-looking cubicle...

The circle is complete. Welcome to the Dad Bod era. Era is a bit of a stretch. I see this lasting about as long as an ill-advised fashion trend, like those 5 minutes when Kriss-Kross convinced teenaged mall rats to wear their pants backwards. For those who don’t know, a “Dad Bod” describes a guy whose body isn’t fat or thin, but somewhere in-between. Physically he’s just like, you know,...

“Duty is the essence of manhood.” – George S. Patton "What destroys a man more quickly than to work, think, and feel … as a mere automaton of duty?" -- Friedrich Nietzsche I struggle with duty. I‘m not alone. It’s said that men are born with an innate sense of duty. Or at least a need to “serve” other than their own self interests. They’re just waiting for something to awaken it, like faith or...

I wake up in a great mood. The earlier the better. I love opening my eyes when it's still dark outside. It's like awakening to find you're at the head of the line. The reward for your discipline is crushing a few hours of quality work before most have found the snooze button. I've learned to cherish everything about waking up. The first splash of cold water on my face. The smell of fresh coffee....

People love rules. Lift weights 4 times a week for 60 minutes and you’ll gain 2 pounds of muscle in 8 weeks. Now get to work. Sorry, but that’s not how any of this works. A huge frustration, especially among more experienced dudes, is the size versus strength conundrum. When you’re first starting out, there’s considerable overlap. Your first year you can add weight to the bar almost every...

Lean people get attention. Actually they get scrutiny. Lots of it. It’s because they’ve got something that most only dream of having – a healthy, strong, desirable body. But with great power comes great responsibility. In this case, being in shape means enduring non-stop questioning from your not-so svelte colleagues. Do you eat breakfast? Or do you fast? Do you eat carbs? What about fat? Have...

What’s the number one thing preventing people from sticking to a diet and losing fat? Is it hunger? Lack of variety? Cost? Inconvenience? Nope. It’s anxiety. From too much information. The health and fitness world is in information overload. It’s absurd  -- people even “share” utter bullshit, just so they can tear it apart and make themselves look smart. The problem, especially to newbies with...