As of 2010, approximately 70% of Americans were either overweight or obese as defined by their Body Mass Index or BMI. Obesity related health issues are significant because they increase health care costs, decrease productivity and result in premature death. Discussing BMI invokes a great deal of passion because it...
Fats, carbohydrates and proteins are a group of nutrients known as the macronutrients. Macronutrients are the body's source of energy (calories) fueling daily activities, exercise and recovery from injuries. Protein is a special macronutrient because unlike fats and carbs, it provides the building blocks for all tissue within the body....
I don't ask much of my fellow gym-goers: wear deodorant, don't do bicep curls in the squat rack and above all: follow my simple directions when giving me a spot. The bench press is the only exercise where dropping the weight would cause some serious problems for a lifter. If...
Waffles are a popular breakfast food, but unfortunately, healthy vegans have two main problems with them: 1) they are usually unhealthy, and 2) are typically made from off-limit animal products, specifically: eggs and milk. After a few trial batches, I've finally settled on a healthy, vegan and simple recipe that's...
The sauna is a magnet for overweight people who want to lose weight. While sweating out buckets of water causes a temporary drop in weight, saunas do nothing for long term weight prospects. A sauna, or any hot environment, forces the body to sweat for temperature control. You're not sweating...
When I first started The Calorie Project, my ultimate goal was to gather enough data in order to analyze the relationship between calorie intake, energy expenditure, weight and body fat. Fully understanding these relationships would allow me to gain, lose or maintain weight more precisely without having to guess the...
In Part 2 of The War on Bulking, I discussed the typical bulking cycle; a period in which a bulker is obsessed with gaining muscle, yet ends up fat and unhealthy. Muscle growth is limited to about 10 pounds per year. This growth isn't limited by calorie intake, and...
In Part 1 of The War on Bulking, I discussed the mentality of the typical bulker. This "do anything to gain weight" attitude negatively impacts health. Though many bulkers claim to be healthy, their actions suggest they are much more concerned with gaining unlimited amounts of body weight than...
I subscribed to the bulking theory of doing whatever it took to pack on as much weight as possible for quite awhile. This dangerous bulking mentality allows you to get away with a lot. While pretending to be healthy, you eat as much as you want, follow few, if any...
Long road trips have the potential to wreak havoc on a healthy lifestyle. Not only do you have to sit in a car for an entire day (sometimes a few days), you also have to rely on convenience store junk or rest stop fast food for most meals. For the...
