The idea seems like something you’d see on TV at 3 am, with some cheesy, fit pitchman making too-good-to-be-true claims. As you process the reported benefits—more muscle, less fat—everything in your body screams “scam,” but the source isn’t QVC—it is The New York Times. And we’re not talking about a piece of equipment that looks like it was dreamt up by 13-year-old boys, it’s research published in the American College of Sports Medicine Health and Fitness Journal.

Next thing you know, Forbes is writing about the workout and the buzz has spread to Good Morning America. The 7-minute workout is real and it works…at least that’s what the mainstream media would have you believe. And yet, doesn’t this feel a little played out? I mean, have we already forgotten about “8-Minute Abs?” It’s been nearly 20 years since it was released, and during that time obesity rates have nearly doubled.

Here’s a disclaimer: new scientific discoveries are capable of uncovering new information that alters what we believe and thought was true; in fact, it happens all the time. The problem is we oftentimes trust what we want to believe rather than seek to prove if it’s true. That’s the issue with the recent release of the 7-minute workout. We’ve been misled by some very false claims.

There’s no denying that exercise—in any dose—is good for your body. In fact, when I travel, I’m constantly settling for 10-15 minute workouts instead of my normal 30 to 60 minute session. And you can have a great workout in less than 10 minutes; and that approach can be part of a weekly routine.

But let’s not confuse the part from the whole: I did not build a healthy body by working out 7 minutes per day and only performing bodyweight exercises, which is the foundation of the program in question. And I’ll go on record saying that you’d be hard pressed to find anyone that has. After all, if it only took 7 minutes to get into great shape, don’t you think fat loss would be less of an issue?

Before you start cranking out the “perfect workout” at home and expecting dramatic results, or buy into the inevitable 7-minute Zumba session coming soon to a gym near you, here’s what you can really take away from the research, and what you can realistically expect to achieve if you follow this routine.

Where the 7-Minute Study Failed

Understand that research in the exercise field oftentimes falls within two categories: Studies that use prior research to validate concepts that are tested, or designs that test something new while building on previous research. The 7-minute workout is more of the former; it looked at the perceived benefits of a 7-minute workout, and deduced many benefits based on research that was already completed.

That doesn’t make the research bad or inaccurate, if not for one small problem: The studies used to “prove” the concepts don’t mirror the workout that is being lauded as the 7-minute fix for your body. That’s like saying that because there’s research showing low carb diets help with weight loss that a diet with no carbs will guarantee that you will drop fat. It doesn’t work like that. As always, the devil is in the details.

In the case of this circuit-training program, the claims outpace reality. That’s why I reached out to Brad Schoenfeld, author of The Max Muscle Plan. Schoenfeld is one of the leaders in muscle-building research, and a guy who literally wrote the book on packing on muscle. Here are some of his takeaways:

Not All Circuit Training is Equal

The general idea of the 7-minute workout is that you perform 12 bodyweight exercises as a circuit. This type of exercise is categorized as “high intensity circuit training.” No problem there, but once we moved beyond how to label the type of exercise that’s where the problems begin. “The authors make big leaps that are not substantiated,” says Schoenfeld.

Remember, the justification of this program is validated by prior research explaining why this type of workout will build muscle and burn fat. And yet, three of the four references cited are based on types of high intensity training—not interval training. “And the one circuit training study they do cite by Murphy et al. 1992 used a protocol that was nearly 3 times as long as the one proposed by the authors,” says Schoenfeld. Even then, that study found a boost in EPOC (consider this your metabolism) that resulted in a whopping 25 additional calories burned. I don’t know about you, but I don’t consider 25 extra calories a fat-shredding workout.

Mistake #1: The type of training in the 7-minute workout is not as good for fat loss as claimed.

Not All Exercises Are Equal

The other big flaw of this workout—besides the fact that the benefits are based on dissimilar types of training—is that the design of the program doesn’t lend itself to some of the big claims being made. No matter what anyone tells you, not all exercises are created equal. Some require more effort, activate more muscle fibers, and will generate more results. Does anyone really think that bodyweight squats are as hard as heavy barbell squats?

The authors correctly state, “When resistance training exercises using multiple large muscles are used with very little rest between sets, they can elicit aerobic and metabolic benefits.” That’s true. But if you look at the 7-minute solution, many of the exercises—crunch, plank, side plank—are not large muscle exercises, says Schoenfeld.

Another issue is that these exercises are all bodyweight moves. That’s not to say bodyweight exercise can’t be effective. I’ve seen enough crazy YouTube videos to know that bodyweight moves does a body good. And they are also extremely convenient for anyone without access to a gym. But the greatest benefit of high intensity training—not to mention the circuit training study mentioned–wasn’t performed with bodyweight exercises; they were done with added resistance, says Schoenfeld, where the weight could be manipulated to correspond to a given rep-max. (In other words, a percentage of your max strength.) The use of bodyweight does not afford this benefit, and for those who are fairly fit it would be difficult to achieve a consistent maximum level of intensity for 30 seconds that would compare to doing a similar length of time with added resistance. To use the squat example: Doing 80% of your 1-rep max on squats for a similar period of time would be much more difficult than doing 7-minutes of bodyweight squats.

What’s more, from an aerobic endurance standpoint, it has been shown that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be an excellent alternative to traditional steady state exercise. “However, the types of exercise performed here are not ideal for accomplishing the task,” says Schoenfeld. Exercises such as the crunch, plank and side plank will have minimal effects on energy expenditure and the amount of calories you can burn.

To further weaken their claims, the 30-second duration is not ideal for building muscular endurance. Generally you’d want it to be about twice as long to really focus on local muscular endurance, adds Schoenfeld. Even in terms of muscle building, the research is being stretched to muscle-defying limits

Mistake #2: The exercises in the 7-minute workout as not as effective at achieving the reported benefits.

Strength (and Muscle Building) Requires Added Resistance

Just in case you were wondering, it’s also very unlikely that this routine would optimize strength. The low-intensity studies (bodyweight is low intensity) have consistently showed suboptimal strength gains when compared to heavy weight training, says Schoenfeld. “That’s because the big problem with bodyweight exercise is that you are limited to what you weigh—there is no means to overload the muscles within a given repetition range. Thus, this routine would be a poor choice for anyone looking to maximize their strength.”

Mistake #3: Based on the research quoted, in order to receive the optimal benefits suggested by the 7-minute workout you need added resistance.

So What Does The 7-Minute Workout Really Accomplish?

The 7-minute workout undeniably has some benefits. In fact, I gave it a test drive and it raised my heart rate, and I’ve been training consistently for more than 15 years. To that end, there is nothing wrong with the workout, and it can be a great solution for anyone looking for a quick workout.

The problem is with the claims being made. The suggested benefits are very overstated for anyone who possesses even modest muscular fitness, says Schoenfeld. More importantly, it is not a well-designed routine for anyone who wants to maximize specific fitness goals such as burning fat, building muscle, or increasing strength. The funny part? The science used to “support” the claims is the same science that proves the claims are inaccurate.

While I wish the promises were true, changing your body will still require more than 7 minutes per day.

Make it Count,

Born

The post The Truth About the 7-Minute Workout appeared first on Born Fitness.

Men—and women—are aging at a more rapid pace than ever before. The reasons are lifestyle factors that have caused mutations to your mitochondria—the cellular energy plants of your body. Mitochondria perform the lion’s share of work turning your food into energy. But in men, certain mutations of the mitochondria might be impacting how quickly you age, says Australian researchers. Meaning that not only are you starting to look older at a younger age, but as a result your health is declining faster, too.

Unless you want 30 to become the new 60, you need to take action. Exercising helps, and so does sleeping. But the quick fix is not waiting in spa treatments, OTC products, and anti-aging cleanses that make promises that go beyond their abilities.

The Fountain of Youth

If you want to age better you have to focus on where the aging problems begin: The cellular level. The natural cleansing of your body is called autophagy and it is the real secret to helping you never look older than your age.

Autophagy helps you repair injuries, makes your brain function a little better, helps with muscle growth and fat loss, and even assists in your ability to walk and breathe.  You see, every day there are millions of cellular reactions occurring in your body. Some of this activity causes damage within your body. Like any equipment that is used a lot, the daily stress causes breakdown. Fortunately, your body is built for such circumstances and can naturally heal anything that isn’t working at an optimal level. This is autophagy.

So what happens when your internal repair is slow and lazy and doesn’t get the job done? That’s when you have a damaged internal environment. More specifically, when your workers don’t repair your mitochondria—the “cellular power plant” of your body—then your body is screwed.

You age faster. You suffer from chronic disease. You lose your hair. And you get fat.

You don’t want any of this. Which brings us back to hormones, and in particular growth hormone, which helps the natural process of autophagy. And lower levels are the real reason your reaching for the wrinkle cream.

The Anti-Aging Eating Plan

What’s the best way to pump up the autophagic process into a group of grind-it-out interns that will work when needed? Strategic eating.

This isn’t about specific foods or how much protein, carbs, and fats you eat. It’s simpler than that. This is about when you eat. Or more specifically, when you don’t eat. The more time you spend eating—as in actual hours during the day eating—the less time you spend enjoying the “benefits” of autophagy.

Listen, I’m not the first to suggest this. Far from it. The first time I learned about how to manipulate it came from Brad Pilon, of Eat Stop Eat fame. That’s why intermittent fasting fires up the autophagic process and cleanses your cells. The results if you aging better. The upside is that this type of eating still offers you the freedom to still eat the foods you love, and follow the diet of your choice—whether it’s low carb, vegan, or the meat-eaters delight (our personal favorite).

By turning on autophagy you’re going to promote cellular repair, which is going to give you all the benefits you can’t immediately see—but are exactly what you need to help facilitate a healthier internal environment. But more importantly, the cells that keep you looking your age—or younger—will be healthy and refreshed. As a result, you won’t look old and your brain will work more efficiently, and research shows that you can even fight off disease such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimers. Autophagy will change your life, your mind, and your body in ways that will have your internal organs working like a machine and looking like a man.

For more information on intermittent fasting and other tips that will help you burn more fat and build more muscle, pick up a copy of Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha.

Make it Count,

Born

The post How to Fight Aging appeared first on Born Fitness.

If you’re like most people who struggle with their weight or simply have difficulty looking the way you want, odds are you have an eating problem. And it’s not necessarily that you eat the wrong foods—it’s that you eat too much. And why do you eat too much? Well, it’s because you’re always too damn hungry. Whether you wake up needing food, a scavenging for snacks at work, or come home famished, your stomach seems to be in perpetual starvation mode.

And that’s because it is.

Recent research has found out one of the main reasons why you’re always hungry, and it’s nothing to do with what you’re eating. The problem is how you’re sleeping. Research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that a lack of sleep impacts your brain in a way that pushes you towards a “see food” diet, which explains why you always want to eat.

Just how bad is it? Only one night of insufficient sleep (less than 6 hours) triggers an area in your brain that is involved with your need to eat. Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg. A lack of sleep also increases ghrelin, a hormone that increase appetite, while decreasing leptin—the hormone that keeps you feeling full. This is what allows you to keep on eating…and eating…and eating…even as you put more energy (food) into your body.

It’s mind control, and you have no solution other than to get more rest, or be forced into a world where you desire more food when you don’t need it. Focus on getting at least 6 hours of sleep and making it a priority as part of your program, and you’ll quickly find that your hunger pangs will subside after each meal. In an upcoming blog, I’ll share how I put my own body up for science and went through sleep deprivation to see the impact on hunger. The bottom line: I was hungry all the time and craving foods I don’t normally crave.

It might sound crazy, but sleep really can—and will—help the physiological desire to eat. And while that’s not the only thing driving hunger, it can make a big difference.

Helping you troubleshoot your hunger—and finding other ways to naturally help your hormones so your body can function normally—is the backbone of Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha. It’s an in-depth look at why our bodies seem to work against us, and what you can do to cut through all the confusing information, not rely on unnecessary supplements, and simply apply practical solutions that will make you feel dramatically better.

To find out more, visit EngineeringtheAlpha.com

Make it Count,

Born

The post Why Am I Hungry All the Time? appeared first on Born Fitness.

Watch. Enjoy. And get fired up. We’ve written something special for you.

Before you watch. Consider the following:

Fun fact #1: I was supposed to be filmed in the sex scenes with my wife. Not sure how much her parents would have liked that.

Fun fact #2: While bacon is featured in the trailer, I have never consumed bacon. It’s a kosher thing. But bacon is Alpha approved.

The post The Official Book Trailer for Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha appeared first on Born Fitness.

Which is why I decided about two years ago that I would stop writing books just to write books. That’s not to say I’m not proud of what I’ve written. Or that people will be let down by what I’ve published. I’m proud of my work and those books have helped many people and taught me a lot about publishing and the fitness industry.

This decision was about adding more value to the work I created. A book shouldn’t just be about workouts. It should create conversation. The dialogue shouldn’t be what you can find in a magazine—it should be written with it’s own unique voice. And purpose. A great book should be a good investment. Entertainment at its finest. Whether you agree or not with everything in the book, you should be happy that you spent your money. Feel rewarded in your investment. And walk away thinking, “Yeah, I’d do that again.”

One of my favorite “health” books is The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Do I agree with everything in the book? No. Same can be said of the China Study, 4-Hour Body, Born to Run or The Paleo Solution. But all of them made me think, entertained me, and were worth my time.

Ultimately, this is why I teamed up with John Romaniello to write Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha. I wanted to write what hadn’t been written. I wanted to cover topics that hadn’t been discussed. Raise issues that make you think. Entertain you in ways that you didn’t think you could be entertained. And in the end—regardless of whether you agree with everything we write—we wanted you to walk away feeling like you would buy the book again. Or read something else from us again. After all, the work is a representation of us.  

This book is everything my others are not and reestablishes a standard for what all books should be. It’s raw. It’s different. And it’s filled with a bunch of stuff you haven’t seen me discuss in major magazines. That’s why I’m so excited to share it with you. And my hope is that you’ll buy it.

A Real World Guide to an Unreal Life

I don’t hide my intentions with this project: I want it to be a New York Times bestseller. And for that I need your help. I’ve built my reputation on providing high quality information, and this book is no different. We’ve included more than 50 published studies in this book, and interviewed top experts. We also put more than 300 people through the test program so that we knew our diet and workout approach would work for you. Is the information bulletproof? No. Some are battled tested and other parts are controversial. But all of it will help you see the bigger picture clearer than ever before. And it will allow us to break down some of the barriers that stand in the way of better health, more muscle, and less fat. Or as we say: It is a Real World Guide to An Unreal Life.

I also want this book to hit the top because of what it represents: A commitment to rewarding you for the money you spend on the book. And a representation of what a book should be.

Writing has been watered down over the years and the value or journalists (and writers and editors) has been diluted by the online space. No one loves the Internet more than I do, and I think it’s the greatest platform in the world for writers (especially self-publishing). At the same time, many have taken advantage of this and not taken the time or effort to hone their efforts and write in a way that people enjoy. We did not take that approach.

This book was a labor of love. It is a throwback and a step forward. We honor literary theory, philosophers, and great prose. At the same time, we use viral techniques and throw in the occasional F-bomb because, well, that’s just how we talk. And as Joel Goodson once said (Risky Business, if you’re lost by the reference),

“Sometimes you just have to say, ‘What the fuck.’ Make your move.”

The Only Way to Find Out…

We’ve made our move with this book. As part of my dedication to provide added value, we’ve made sure that if you buy a book you get more value than any other book you’ve ever purchased. We’ve added bonuses that range from free workout bags and a year supply of supplements, to online apps, food discounts, workout equipment, and free t-shirts.

Basically when you buy a book, we’ve made it impossible for you to regret your purchase.

So buy a book. Buy three and give some to your friends.  This is our version of a book launch. The Alpha Launch. Fun. Different. And designed to leave you satisfied and wanting more.

Let’s turn the game around. Let’s allow everyone to read this book, break through barriers, and approach health in a new way. A better way. Because clearly what we are doing is not working. And I’m tired of it. This step 1 of the solution. And that step is progressive thought and conversation.

Grab a copy and your free bonuses here.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for your support. And let me know if we did our job and created the type of book you enjoy. If you do, post it on Facebook.

Make it Count,

Adam

The post Writing What Hasn’t Been Written: Engineering The Alpha appeared first on Born Fitness.

The information below is a purely scientific analysis of the benefits you receive from different types of amino acids. In general, if you receive enough protein in your diet, you probably don’t “need” to supplement with additional aminos. However, I’ve experienced (non-scientific) benefits from taking additional BCAAs, whether it’s with recovery or muscle growth. Therefore, they are typically part of my training routine, especially when following an Alpha-style diet, such as the one prescribed in Man 2.0. 

To determine if you should add amino acids to your diet, read this and decide for yourself.

-Born

Every You Need to Know About Amino Acids

By Kurtis Frank and Sol Orwell

Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are a collection of three amino acids with a side chain that is branched. They are leucine, isoleucine, and valine (usually in a 2:1:1 ratio).

They are marketed mostly to athletes during periods of caloric deprivation, as these BCAAs are found in all protein sources. Their niche lays in the fact that sometimes you only want these three amino acids and all the others merely add unwanted calories.

Leucine itself is known to be an anabolic factor and signal for muscle protein synthesis, and in the presence of inadequate nutrition (you’re eating less than normal) this anabolic signal appears to stall muscle cell loss. This anabolic effect does, however, extend to most cell types rather than just muscle. While BCAAs tend to be high in leucine, all complete protein sources contain enough leucine to provide a benefit.

When looking at studies, comparing BCAAs to no protein intake makes it appear that BCAAs do benefit you. However, the limited studies comparing BCAAs to another protein source showed that BCAAs were no better.

While the nutritional label on BCAAs may not list any calories, this is because the FDA allows anything under 5 calories (per serving) to be listed as 0 calories.

BCAAs may have a role in preserving skeletal muscle mass during periods of severe caloric deprivation, but that is not something most people experience (and again, can be mitigated by consuming protein). The decision to use BCAAs may come down to a decision between 30 calories and 120 calories.

The bottom line: BCAAs will save you some calories, but their benefits over other protein sources is marginal, at best.

Essential Amino Acids (EAAs)

Essential amino acids are in a grey area between BCAAs and whole protein sources, and rather than giving only the three BCAAs they give all amino acids that have the aforementioned essential status.

The most practical usage of essential amino acids would be to supplement the diet of a vegan who generally under-consumes protein and is not otherwise using protein supplementation. Additionally, they confer the same benefits as BCAAs, although with a slightly higher caloric content.

Practically speaking, however, the previous choice between 30 and 120 calories has now become a pedantic 80 calories and 120 calories. Practical situations in which EAAs are useful are highly limited to times where every calorie becomes critical.

The bottom line: EAAs are useful if you have no source of protein. Otherwise, hard to see any additional benefit.

Glutamine

Glutamine gets special mention here due to its popularity as a standalone supplement.

When looking at isolated muscle cells, glutamine introduction above normal levels appears to cause dose-dependent increases in muscle protein synthesis. It is from this information, as well as the clinical usage of glutamine in burn victims (to aid in tissue regeneration) that glutamine is marketed as a muscle building agent.

At this moment in time, glutamine ingestion for the purpose of building muscle tissue in otherwise healthy people is wholly unsupported. (Sorry supplement industry.) Glutamine deficiency, the prerequisite for glutamine actually building muscle, is probably more uncommon in nonclinical settings than scurvy.

That being said, because the intestines sequester glutamine so much the supplement does indeed make a good intestinal health supplement (which can also just be mimicked by protein sources with a high glutamine content such as casein).

The bottom line: Do not bother with a glutamine supplement. You will get enough via protein sources. However, it might help with intestinal health and your immune system.

Want to know more about Protein?

The following articles will tell you:

• How much protein you really need.
• The best sources of protein for your body.
• How to decide what protein supplement to purchase.

For a complete diet and exercise program and all my protein recommendations, check out Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha. 

The post Do You Need Amino Acids? appeared first on Born Fitness.

I used to wonder what it was like to go to a school party. I’d have those thoughts all the time because I’ve never been to one.

When I was in high school I never went to homecoming. Or the prom. Hell, I never went to any organized dance that didn’t include the words “Bar” and “Mitzvah” smashed together.

If you ask anyone from my high school, they might tell you they don’t remember me. In fact, I’ve seen people that I grew up with who have no recollection of my existence. Apparently, I just didn’t make much of an impact. Maybe it wasn’t my time, or maybe I was a late bloomer.

Whatever the explanation, I knew that the world around me—and the way others perceived me—wasn’t how I felt about myself inside. And yet, in many ways I let the perception of others shape the world I lived in. And that, in turn, led me to question what I could do, what I could become, and what I would achieve.

I bring this up now because I was recently given the “distinction” of being named one of the “50 Hottest Trainers,” according to SHAPE Magazine. It’s humbling and awesome to receive any type of praise, let alone one that compliments your appearance. (Yeah, I know it’s completely subjective.) But it made me think about perception. Not the perception I have of myself or even what people from high school would think of me now. That doesn’t matter to me. I thought about your perception of me, and the path I took to get here.

You see, most of us believe that some people are just born successful…or good looking…or lucky and fortunate. We believe that this is a society of have and have-nots. While it’s true that some might have an easier path, it doesn’t mean that you can’t create the type of existence you want.

Throughout all of high school, I never dated anyone. So it would have been easy to consider myself ugly. In my early and mid 20s I didn’t make much money, and thus you could have considered me unsuccessful or without direction. And for much of my life, I struggled to understand why my own perception of myself differed from the one the world created for me.

I’m sharing this now not because I want you to feel bad for me. And it’s not because I want you to applaud me for turning things around. I’m telling you my story because it’s important for you to understand the power you have over your own life.

WHY WE FAIL

I’ve said this before in another story I wrote for Greatist, but I truly believe that my success and happiness is a byproduct of my failures. It wasn’t until I understood that my perceptions mattered more than the perceptions of others that I was able to take control of my life and start determining what I could achieve, and the difference I could make in this world.

The truth is, I’ve failed in every aspect of my life. I’ve been viewed as a loner, a loser, or someone that just wasn’t meant to succeed. The key word here is “viewed.” I never believed that, but I did allow it to prevent me from taking steps I should have taken or wanted to take. At some point I realized that the bumps and bruises might never end. So I could either accept that fate and what others thought of me, or start taking control, stop making excuses, and pushing towards what I wanted—no matter what.

If you take a brief look back, you’d see that I’ve fallen or been knocked down repeatedly:

• When I started lifting weights, I could barely bench press the bar. One time, I was even crushed underneath a whopping 65 pounds.
• For years I tried to gain muscle and become stronger—only to become skinnier and seemingly weaker.
• In relationships, I’ve failed many times. In fact, I was even engaged once before and watched that turn into one of the most miserable experiences of my life.
• When I wanted to become a journalist, I applied to 27 different jobs and received 27 rejections for 27 difference publications.
• When I applied for grad school, a certain program (and Pac 12 rival) told me, “You are an academic. You will never be able to write for the general population.”
• Once accepted into grad school I wanted to teach. The university told me no.
• Then, once in a grad school I tried to get a job at the local paper. I was rejected…again.
• Even when I had some success and got a job at a major publication, I had multiple book ideas rejected and my superiors questioned if I had the talent to succeed.

This all led to a fundamental decision that changed my life.

THE HAPPINESS F-WORD

So what happened? I said, “F-it.”

No, not that “F.” I decided to flip it. Flip the perception. Flip the expectations. And flip the negativity and make it positive. The world can be a cold and dark place, but you can warm everything up if you choose to be happy, smile, and be the change. (Yeah, I lived in Boulder but I promise this isn’t some hippy mumbo-jumbo. It’s a truth too many people fail to accept.)

By flipping my perception I was able to:

• Work on my bench press to the point that I could press 315 pounds for reps.
• Transform from 130 pounds of skinny fat, to a solid 175 pounds.
• Trade my failed engagement into the woman of my dreams. And I couldn’t be happier or more grateful.
• Earn that teaching job. I flew to the school, and met with every professor possible to prove that I could teach. And I did.
• Fight for my first steady journalism gig. But I had to grind it out and work for free to have a chance. It all started with the rejection, and deciding to attend high school football games, write stories without assignments, and then force my way into an editor’s office and prove that I could do the job I didn’t have. It was aggressive, but it worked.
• Take the criticism of every editor and turn it inward; I focused on what I could improve, I sought out more people to learn from, and I decided to always be a student and focus on what I could do better. The result was much less complaining and a lot more success.

FINDING MOTIVATION, SUCCESS, AND HAPPINESS

I’m a firm believer that your destiny is not pre-determined. Your destiny is what you make of it. Whether you believe it or not, you choose what you become. You choose if hurdles stand in your way. And you can build the type of life you want.

Finding motivation is about setting out a course for happiness and having a vision.

Don’t take this as an overly optimistic view of the world. I know some hurdles might seem insurmountable. And that not every single goal can always be achieved. But most people don’t realize what is possible because they stop when one door is closed. Or they decide not to try when a wall seems too high or impossible to climb. We say, “I can’t have this.”

F-it. You can have it.

Your destiny is dependent on being true to yourself. It’s about looking deep within, deciding what you want to be, and then pursuing that goal as if nothing else in the world matters. Because you know what—nothing else does.

Your job is to be happy. So imagine what that happiness looks like, and then go after it.

What do you want to be? What change do you want to make? What do you want to accomplish? These are the questions you should ask and the ends that you should pursue.

Whether you actually accomplish all of them is not the point. It might be your primary goal, but success and happiness are more likely to be achieved by pursuing the version of the life you want—and not the life that others create or typecast for you.

Our society is one of preconceived expectations. We put people in boxes, judge others, make perceptions, and then almost force people into a universe not of their own choice.

F-that.

Flip it. Don’t let the world define who you are and what you can become. I wanted more control over my life, so I started with my body. Once I discovered that I could control how I look and feel, then I found happiness in my ability to “be me.”

That breakthrough was the motivation to write Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha. It’s a book that charts personal transformation as much as physical transformation, and I’m proud of it because of its honesty.

The more I was able to “be me,” the happier I became. The more I was able to shape my world, my destiny, and help people around me, the more I understood that success is not about reacting to everything. It’s not about seeing what others say or do and responding to it.

The world you want—one fueled by motivation and happiness—is for those that are proactive. For those that believe life has something better for them, and that goals and dreams can come true, as long as you don’t quit.

None of my goals ever had anything to do with being a “hot trainer.” It’s flattering, but I honestly couldn’t care less. And you know what? My goals didn’t include being a best-selling author, either. It all started with wanting to be fit, healthy and the best writer possible, while covering a topic I love. Everything else has been a result of following that dream and never losing sight of it, no matter what stood in my way.

Don’t believe what others say or think. Believe in what you can become. Believe in what you can do.

It will take you from a life of wondering to a life of living. And that might be the best party of all. Your invitation is waiting for you.

Make it Count,

Born

Taking the Next Step

If you want to know more about overcoming hurdles, improving your body, and living an unreal life, check out my book Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha. 

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To help you decide what is best for your goals–and what is worth your money–we separate marketing myth from hard science. As with every part of The Ultimate Protein Guide, the researchers at Examine.com provided the content and research.

What is The Difference Between Protein Powders?

By Kurtis Frank and Sol Orwell

Concentrate

Concentrate is usually the most basic form of protein. By law, being labeled as concentrate means that the product needs to be at least 35% to 80% protein by weight. (So, if you scoop out 100g of protein powder it can be called concentrate if anywhere between 35 and 80g of that is protein).

There is not much else to a concentrate. If you want an idea of how whey concentrate is created, here’s a good visual: If you imagine whey falling off a conveyor belt into buckets, all you need to do is filter out impurities, dehydrate it, flavor it chocolate, and call it “Delicious Chocolate Whey Concentrate.” (Coming soon to a supplement store near you!) Some supplement companies may do more than that to their concentrate products, but it is not required.

With such a simple process, concentrates also tend to be the cheapest sources of protein supplementation.

Protein Powder Rules: Concentrate just means that at least 35% to 80% of powder is protein.

Isolate

Isolate, from a legal standpoint, also has very little restrictions on what is required, except that more than 90% of the weight must be protein. Going back to our 100g example, if you scoop out 100g of protein you will be getting over 90g of protein.

It is merely another form of standardizing the amount of protein per scoop. There are no other legal requirements for isolates beyond this stipulation.

Many supplement companies tout that their isolates are more ‘pure’, and may brag about what filtration processes they use (ion exchange, cold-filtration, ultra or microfiltration; these terms are common for whey and casein proteins), but this is up to the company to decide and not an inherent attribute of whey isolate. That’s not to say these don’t have benefits, but isolate itself is defined by protein by weight.

Isolates tend to have a higher price relative to concentrates. Whether it is worth the money is a personal decision on the protein to calorie ratio, as well as perhaps solubility. (Some companies may intentionally make isolates more water-soluble for better mixability in shakes).

Protein Powder Rules: Isolate just means that at least 90% of powder is protein.

Hydrolysate

Unlike concentrate and isolate, hydrolysates are actually significantly different from a processing standpoint. A hydrolysate is a protein that is enzymatically and acid treated to reduce particle size and destroy “quaternary protein structures.” (That’s a mouthful; but it means say bye-bye to any bioactive immunoglobulins, which can help support immune function.). The origin of hydrolysis in dietary protein arose from a need to make baby formulas non-allergenic.

Due to low particle size, hydrolysates are very water soluble. (Some brands to the point of fully dissolving in water.) But beware because milk hydrolysates offer a very bitter taste; the bitterness is due to the amino acid proline no longer being constrained in a protein structure and it being free to assault your tastebuds with a large bolus of incredible bitterness. Proline and leucine make a very bitter duo.

Hydrolysates are indeed faster absorbed than isolates, mostly due to no gastric digestion being needed for hydrolysates.

Protein Powder Rules: Highly water soluble, hydrolysate is treated so its molecule size is very small. Fastest absorption.

What about Soy Protein Variations?

Scared of phytoestrogens? Do the terms genistein and daidzein and the mysterious equol sound disturbing? (Or do they sound triplets from a Sci-Fi movie?) The real quest: Are these three molecules, known as soy isoflavones, going to halve your testosterone levels and make all your hard-earned muscles wither away?

Let’s start from the top.  All soy sold in food products (except raw soy products such as edamame), including soy protein, are heat treated before they are sold. This heat treatment destroys select enzymes in the soy, and will cleanse any heat-treated soy product of trypsin inhibitors, which are known to prevent the digestion of protein in your stomach and small intestine.

Beyond that, soy takes two main routes during processing. Once you have soy flakes (heat treat the beans, standardize moisture, crack the hulls, flake them, and extract with hexane) you can either go the soy isolate route, which begins the mathematical process of getting more than 90% protein by weight. Alternatively, you can go the soy concentrate route where you simply leech them with ethanol, neutralize the pH, dry them and begin to mill them.

Ethanol leeching removes most of the soy isoflavones, which are left floating in the ethanol and no longer in the soybean. This is an important step because it means that soy concentrate supplements are incredibly low in soy isoflavones, and thus they are not really a practical concern. The extra processing steps are due to soy being a very popular commercial food. (Many foods add soy chips to increase the protein content.)

As for soy isolate, the ethanol leeching is not mandatory (instead it is optional) and thus it is still possible that soy isoflavones may be present.

As for the soy isoflavones themselves (let’s assume you do routinely consume them), they are not too much of a concern for male fertility and health. But that doesn’t mean soy can’t have any hormonal impact. When the soy isoflavones act on the estrogen receptor they can indeed induce ‘estrogen-like effects,’ but are weaker than estrogen in doing so; sometimes the soy isoflavones get in the way of estrogen and prevent estrogen from signalling. Technically, all three soy isoflavones can either be phytoestrogens (estrogen promoting) or antiestrogens, depending on how much circulating estrogen you have. In menopausal women (minimal estrogen) they do not need to compete and thus induce estrogenic effects while in men or women with high estrogen levels they may compete with estrogen itself (and prevent a good deal of signaling).

What to make of it all? Most of the concerns about soy are overblown, although not completely misrepresented. You do not need to worry about these ‘bad things’ in soy protein concentrate. And while soy isoflavones will not put you on the fast track to gynecomastia (achem…”man boobs” or “moobs”) there is a potential estrogenic impact.

Want More To Know What Really Impacts Your Testosterone?  

Check out my latest book, Man 2.0: Engineering The Alpha. It offers a real world guide to optimizing your hormones, naturally boosting testosterone and growth hormone, and living an unreal life.

The post What is the Difference Between Protein Powders? appeared first on Born Fitness.

According to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people that eat avocados daily are healthier than those that don’t.

While this is a survey (so we can’t assume that a daily dose of avocado is a cure-all because of study limitations), the results are still pretty interesting. The avocado eaters were about 50 percent less likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome, which is the stomach punch of bad diseases. If you have metabolic syndrome, you’re more likely to suffer from type-2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. So anything that keeps you farther from those dangers is always a good thing. (At least in my book it is.)

The avocado lovers also had smaller waists and better cholesterol levels. Not surprisingly, those who ate avocado also had more fiber, fat, vitamins, and minerals in their diets. But that’s like saying people who work out are more likely to have gym memberships.

Studies like this oftentimes make you excited about certain foods, but ultimately we shouldn’t make overarching statements because any direct relationship between the food (avocado) and the result (better health) wasn’t investigated. Instead, we can learn is that people who eat avocados also happen to be healthier, but don’t guarantee you will be healthier. Which is to say, eating avocado is a good habit. And in a world where health is built on habits that are both good and sustainable, eating avocado is a behavior you should add and use as a gateway to other healthier habits. (Have you ever tried a salad with avocado? I don’t have a study to prove it, but I’m pretty sure avocado improves taste and satisfaction by 200 percent.)

What’s more, this isn’t the first time avocados have been linked to better health.  Avocados are packed with heart-healthy fats that are good for everything from lowering your cholesterol to controlling blood sugar by improving your insulin levels. And studies have shown that the compounds in avocados—namely lutein, beta-carotene, and vitamin D—can help fight the growth of cancer cells. They allow for better absorption of phytochemicals of other foods. So when you pair avocados with other foods (not named fried chicken), the avocados might allow you to receive even more nutritional benefits (think the vitamins and minerals) from your healthy choices.

The Born Reality: Avocados are healthy and part of a good diet. Enjoy, but keep an eye out for how much you eat each day. They are high in calories, so eating too many can restrict the benefits, especially if weight loss is your goal.

Looking for More Diet and Nutrition Advice?

Pick up a copy of my newest book, Man 2.0: Engineering The Alpha, which includes diet and fitness plans. (And of course, avocado is involved.) Or, if you want to work with me personally, click on the coaching section or join me in the Renegade Inner Circle, where I work with the best experts in fitness and nutrition to provide fitness plans and diet advice to help you reach your goals.

The post Are Avocados Healthy? appeared first on Born Fitness.

-Adam

What Is the Best Protein Powder?

By Kurtis Frank and Sol Orwell

With the endless supplemental protein options available, how do you know what’s best for you? Easy–just read this overview. It provides a breakdown of the benefits of each type of protein powder, and how it can work in your diet.

Whey

Whey protein is the most popular form of supplemental protein, and is derived from milk. During the process of cheese making, the milk is coagulated, which causes it to split into solids and liquids. This process is known as ‘separating the curds and the wheys’ (those that love poutine know all about cheese curds), and the ‘wheys’ (the liquid part) is literally whey protein.

In essence, whey is a synonym for water-soluble milk proteins. Of the protein extracted from milk, only 20% is whey (the other 80% is casein).

Whey is a complete amino acid source with moderate to high levels of most essential amino acids, but a relatively large amount of l-cysteine; the amino acid precursor to n-acetylcysteine and to the anti-oxidant enzyme glutathione. (Just making sure all you science nerds are awake and feeling excited.) Beyond the cysteine, whey protein also has some bioactive peptides that may reduce blood pressure (by acting as weak ACE inhibitors).

Whey is popular in part due to the mysticism of fast absorption being good for muscular gains. (Whether it is true or not, its practical benefits are far overstated by marketing. In other words: Yeah, it digests faster. And yeah, whey helps your muscles. But does the speed of digestion of whey make much of a difference to your body? Probably not.)

It was also once considered a waste product and thus cheap to procure. It has since greatly increased in demand, and is no longer as cheap. (As you can determine by walking into any supplement store and being able to blow your entire paycheck.)

The Bottom Line on Whey: Whey is derived from milk, and was originally a waste byproduct. It is (relatively) absorbed quickly by the body (with the importance of speed being vastly oversold), and it provides all essential amino acids.

Casein

Casein protein is milk protein minus the whey. Technically, casein protein refers to water insoluble proteins derived from dairy sources. It is the only other dairy protein, so if you are not consuming whey, you are consuming casein.

Casein is a complete protein source and its amino acid profile is relatively high in glutamine. It is touted as ‘slow absorbing’ due to its gel forming properties, which may either be your favorite thing about casein (pudding!) or your most hated, as it has really bad mix ability (not shaker-cup friendly).

The gel forming properties, although not providing too many health benefits, sets casein apart from other proteins merely from a practical standpoint. Casein protein inherently forms gels (which is why it has been used historically to make glue), and putting two scoops of casein into a bowl and adding a little bit of water makes pudding. (Eds note: It’s why I love BioTrust protein for my world famous Born’s protein ice cream. What? You don’t think it’s world famous? Try it first, and then get back to me.)

The physical properties of casein are novel, and allow protein powder to be made into different culinary spectacles. Using casein protein, you can enter a new world of protein cheesecakes and protein muffins (this can be done with other proteins like whey or rice, but you would need to purchase xanthan gum or glucomannan as gel-forming agents independently).

At least for some of your loved ones who may not like a healthy lifestyle, why not give them a chocolate cinnamon pudding that has the same protein and calorie content as two chicken breasts? Protein powders in general have come a long way in the flavoring department, and even then adding some at-home flavoring agents (blueberries, vanilla extract, etc.) can make some tasteful treats. But we digress.

Speaking of health properties, casein is not too remarkable when compared to whey. It does have a high calcium content (up to 60% of the RDA per scoop in some brands) but beyond that you won’t find any additional benefits. One important note: the allergic response tends to be far stronger with casein than whey. So if you have a dairy issue, you might need to lay off.

The Bottom Line on Casein: Casein is also derived from milk. Unlike whey, it has gel-properties, so that it thickens when mixed with water (pudding!). People allergic to milk should stay away from casein.

Soy

Soy is protein derived from the soybean (Glycine max) and is commonly included in supplements as well as food products because it’s a fairly cheap protein to produce. It seems to verge on the border of being a complete and incomplete protein source, with the methionine content varying depending on growing conditions.

Excluding other bioactives in soy protein (which we’ll expand upon later in another part of this guide, including the discussion on estrogenicity), the protein itself seems to be a decent source for supplementation. It does consist an adequate amount of amino acids, has a taste that is easily masked by flavoring agents, and can be processed in such a way that many undesired byproducts can be removed, making it a fairly pure solution of amino acids.

Although there isn’t sufficient evidence to support soy being ‘better’ than other protein sources, soy can act as a plausible alternative to dairy proteins assuming no allergies. (We’ll discuss hormonal issues in another section.)

The Bottom Line on Soy: Soy is a valid protein source. No better or worse than other sources in terms of amino acids and protein quality.

Rice and pea

These two protein sources are bundled here due to their frequent usage together. Both protein sources are inherently vegan and both incomplete protein sources. But by adding them together in a balanced 1:1 ratio…ta-dah!…you have a complete vegan protein source.

Rice is a very thin and smooth tasting protein source low in lysine, while pea seems to have gel-forming properties similar to casein. It is possible that pea protein has as much versatility as casein protein when it comes to cooking due to these gel forming properties, while rice is likely to mix very well in solutions.

Additionally, rice protein is said to be low allergenic and is marketed to people with allergies to eggs, dairy, and soy. It seems to hold somewhat of a niche in this aspect.

Interestingly, the cumulative amino acid profile of a rice and pea combination (due to the high cysteine content of rice) is very similar to that of whey protein; due to this, a rice and pea combination formula is sometimes said to be a vegan source of whey protein.

The (quite limited) comparative studies suggest no significant differences between a rice and pea protein mixture when compared to other non-vegan sources.

The Bottom Line on Rice and Pea Protein: Rice and pea are independently incomplete sources. Combined, they are a complete source and they are good for people with allergies.

Egg

Egg protein is the protein fragment from egg whites, heat treated, and dehydrated into powder form.

It should be noted that there is a concern with eating raw egg whites. Here’s why (for all your Rocky lovers): a molecule known as avidin is an amino acid present in egg whites binds to the vitamin biotin, rendering the biotin unusable in your body. Although moderate raw egg white consumption is not associated with biotin deficiency, it has been reported in some isolated case studies where a few hundred grams of egg whites were consumed daily for a prolonged period of time.

Regardless, avidin is destroyed in the heat-treatment process, and is unlikely to be a concern in egg white protein supplements. The egg yolk tends to be excluded from protein powders due to being high in dietary fatty acids, and some leucine may be added to the egg white protein to make it more balanced (usually, leucine is found in the egg yolk).

Egg white protein can be useful to round out dietary protein needs, but it lacks enough evidence to support its usage over other protein powder sources. Additionally, there is a faint eggy taste that seems to persist over all but the strongest flavoring agents.

The Bottom Line on Egg Protein: As effective as any other protein, hard to see its benefits.

Beef (yeah, in the powder form)

Beef protein is marketed to be a protein powder derived from dehydrated and processed beef (with the first beef protein on the market being blueberry flavour).

There is insufficient evidence to support the usage of beef protein, in any form, over other protein sources; especially when in the context of a mixed diet.

From a practical standpoint, the financial cost of dehydrating large amounts of meat into powders is exorbitant, and it is highly plausible that purchased beef protein is not beef protein in the sense of buying beef and processing it into a powder. Isolated amino acids can be put in a certain ratio to mimic complete protein sources, but this would exclude any particular meat-derived bioactive peptides. Essentially, there is a high chance your ‘beef protein’ is just glorified gelatin. Beef protein is new on the market and under-researched as a supplemental protein source.

In the end, beef protein is scientifically unsupported yet has a high probability of not being better than other protein sources, and it’s possible that it’s not actually beef. It would be better, and (probably) more delicious to eat the meat itself.

The Bottom Line on Beef Protein: Hard to see its benefits, especially considering its costs. We recommend you eat the real thing and skip the powders. 

Hemp Protein

Hemp protein is a protein product derived from hemp seeds. To clarify:

1. Hemp with a high THC content was on the market until the 1930s. It was removed during the beginning phases of the ‘war on drugs’ and was not allowed to be grown or sold
2. It has since been reintroduced to the market using a particular strain of hemp that is low in this particular psychoactive cannabinoid

For these reasons, hemp protein does not confer the same neural effects as smoking marijuana; the cannabinoid known as thc (tetrahydrocannabinoid) is not in sufficient quantities.
Hemp seeds are initially balanced in the three macronutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) and during oil extraction to produce hemp seed oil the residue left over is referred to as hemp meal or hemp seed protein. This byproduct is high in dietary protein on a weight basis (70-90% or so) and is used in hemp protein supplements.

Hemp protein is known to be high in both arginine and tyrosine relative to other protein sources, but is deficient in leucine and lysine; due to the insufficient amounts of lysine, hemp protein is deemed an incomplete protein source.

There are a variety of health claims associated with hemp, most of which are related to the oil portion (fatty acids in hemp seed protein are around 10% or less of overall calories) and due to how the oils are a fairly even balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. The omega-3 fragment comes from alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the same as in flaxseed, and not of the two omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil (EPA or DHA). There are not too many studies using the oil portion in isolation, but nothing remarkable is noted with it relative to other fatty acid sources. Do note that ALA is not as easily-converted by your body as EPA and DHA are.

Although there is a lack of thc, there are other cannabinoids in hemp seed that do not have significant psychoactive properties (cannabidiol and cannabidisin B) but there is not enough evidence to suggest the minute quantities in hemp confer enough of these bioactives to exert unique health properties.

Hemp is not a bad protein source (consistently ranked lower than casein protein due to insufficient lysine and leucine contents), and there is indeed potential for the cannabinoids to exert some health effects. The magnitude of these health effects and whether dietary inclusion of hemp seed protein over other protein sources is relevant is not well studied, however.

The higher-than-normal dietary fiber content of hemp may be the most practically relevant deciding factor when purchasing hemp, as even the hemp seed meal is high in fiber.

The Bottom Line on Hemp Protein: Overall, a lack of evidence to support hemp as a superior protein source. The fatty acid portion is fairly overhyped and not too magical when in the context of a mixed diet, but the inclusion of dietary fiber might be an interesting point to consider when looking at hemp protein if there is a lack of fiber in your diet.