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Your Guide To Better Sleep [Why you Need it & How to Optimize it]

February 3, 2020
Written by Lisa Franz

17 Min Read

Key takeaways

1

Sleep is the biggest contributor to better health, hormones, muscle, and recovery.

2

Sleep deprivation happens at a very early stage and is more common, as well as negatively impacting, then people realize.

3

To master your sleep habits, you can follow some simple things on a consistent basis to unlock better sleep and a more optimal body.

Proper, healthy sleep is critical in our body’s ability to recover from the daily challenges we put it through, whether that’s from our workouts or just our everyday lives. Sleep is also the first thing we as humans ignore to focus on! Yet time and time again, we hear that we need to prioritize sleep to achieve optimal health…

The odds of being sleep deprived (less than 6 hours a night for adults) has increased significantly over the past 30 years as the lines between work and home have become blurred and digital technology has firmly become part of our lifestyles. Poor sleep health is a very common problem with 25 percent of U.S. adults reporting insufficient sleep or rest at least 15 out of every 30 days. The National Institutes of Health predicts that America’s sleep debt is on the rise and that by the middle of the 21st century more than 100 million Americans will have difficulty falling asleep. (1)

This is not only bad from a health perspective, but from many other aspects. For example, drowsy driving may be a factor in 20% of all serious motor vehicle crash injuries!

Another example is the enormous impact on our economy, as sleep deprivation and untreated sleep disorders are estimated to cost over $100 billion annually in lost productivity, medical expenses, sick leave, property, and environmental damage. (2) 

Not to speak of the many mistakes that are made at work places regularly due to sleep deprivation, for instance doctors amputating wrong limbs or surgeons making fatal errors.

Before you think this guide is not for you, because you do just fine on 5 hours per night. Let me just say that the chances are very slim that you are one of the individuals with the rare genetics that are not affected by sleep deprivation. Sleep researcher Matthew Walker says “No aspect of our biology is left unscathed by sleep deprivation (…) In case you’re wondering, the number of people who can survive on five hours of sleep or less without any impairment, expressed as a percent of the population and rounded to a whole number, is zero.” (3)

But it not only the duration of the sleep that counts, but also the quality that needs to be addressed. 

Non-REM sleep, (also known as deep sleep or slow wave sleep) is most related to recovery for your body, while REM sleep is vital for recovering your brain. However, the daily life stressors, the challenges we face, the stimulus of electronic devices and our surroundings can keep our brain and body from reaping the benefits they deserve from quality sleep.  

But don’t worry, here is your ultimate guide to increasing the time and quality of your slumber so that you can not only improve your performance, aesthetics, energy throughout the day, mental health…but also live longer and maintain cognitive health as you age. (4)

We will cover

→ Why we even need to sleep (and the stages of sleep)

→ Short term consequences of sleep deprivation

→ Long term consequences of sleep deprivation

→ Recommendations and tips for sleep (the stuff that you are actually here for 🙂 in regard to

→ Training

→ Nutrition 

→ Supplements

→ Lifestyle 

→ Specific guidelines for sleep

→ FAQ 

Why we even need to sleep (and the stages of sleep)

The main reason why we get to a point where we can’t hold our eyes open anymore and why we are even able to sleep can all be connected to a single neurotransmitter in the body, Adenosine. Adenosine is a ‘messenger’ in our brain that accumulates throughout the day and it is that buildup that causes you to feel tired as the day progresses on. It is adenosine’s main role to signal to the body that energy reserves are low and that the body is in need of sleep so that it can build back up its energy stores. Therefore, in order for you to have optimal energy levels, your body and mind has to physically sleep and sleep well. (5)

Throughout the night we go through various stages of sleep. Each one of them has a purpose and is important in its own way.

REM sleep is a stage in which the brain is active but the body is paralyzed. REM, stands for “restless eye movement” and comes from the fact that during REM sleep our eyes dart about underneath our eyelids. It’s during REM sleep that we have our most vivid dreams.

Non-REM sleep is a stage in which the brain is relatively inactive and our body is movable. Non-REM is further divided into stages based roughly on how deep the sleep is and how difficult it is to wake someone up from it.

There are 5 stages of sleep. According to the American Association for Sleep Medicine (AASM) classification, there are 5 stages of sleep:

→ Stage W: Wakefulness

→ Stage N1: Relaxed Wakefulness

→ Stage N2: Light Sleep

→ Stage N3: Deep Sleep, or Slow-Wave Sleep (SWS)

→ Stage R: REM Sleep: Dreaming

Stage N1

Stage N1 Sleep is a transition stage between wakefulness and the deeper stages of sleep. It is easy to wake up from this stage. During N1 you are aware of your surroundings but you become increasingly relaxed as you drift off to sleep. 

During the first sleep cycle, you usually spend less than 10 minutes in Stage N1 sleep. It accounts for approximately 5% of total sleep time.

Physiology: Core body temperature drops at sleep onset, slow eye movements, lack of sleep spindles in the EEG

Experiences: Hypnic jerks, illogical thoughts when drifting off to sleep, reduced awareness of surroundings

Function of N1 Sleep: Transition from wakefulness to the deeper stages of sleep

Stage N2

Stage N2 sleep is stage of light, regenerating sleep. It is still relatively easy to wake up from this stage of sleep. As you fall asleep, the muscles in your upper airway relax and make your airways narrower, causing you to start breathing heavily. N2 stage sleep makes up the majority of our sleep: 45–50% in healthy young adults. With 8 hours of sleep, that is 3.5–4 hours of N2 stage sleep per night.

Physiology: decreased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, no eye movements

Experiences: fragmented dreams, brief arousals from sleep

Function of N2 Sleep: rest and recuperation

Stage N3

Stage N3 sleep, deep sleep or slow-wave sleep (SWS) is the most rejuvenating and restorative sleep stage. During deep sleep, the glymphatic system removes waste, like neurotoxins and beta-amyloids, from the brain.

There are several ways to get more deep sleep, from establishing good sleep hygiene to taking hot showers before bed, but more later on. But keep in mind that all stages of sleep are important for health and good-quality sleep, not only deep sleep.

Physiology: EEG shows slow-wave brainwaves, decreased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, release of growth hormone, no eye movements

Experiences: very difficult to wake up from deep sleep, if awoken, disorientation and grogginess

Functions of N3 sleep: cell repair and rejuvenation, replenishing glycogen, long-term memory, removal of waste from the brain: glymphatic system

Stage R

REM sleep is a sleep stage in which the brain is active, but the body is paralyzed. Vivid dreams happen during REM sleep and your heart rate and respiration rate are increased. In terms of brain activity, REM sleep resembles wakefulness.

You tend to get more REM sleep later in the night. REM sleep may be completely absent from the first sleep cycles of the night. 

REM sleep is linked to the circadian rhythm of our body temperature: our core body temperature starts to drop off when we fall asleep and reaches a nadir in the early morning hours. If you go to bed much later than usual, you may skip the first cycles of sleep (including regenerative deep sleep stages) and even go straight to REM sleep.

Physiology: rapid eye movements, loss of muscle tone, low amplitude mixed frequency EEG, limited thermoregulation, shivering or sweating, elevated heart rate, elevated respiration rate

Experiences: vivid dreams, erections and blood flow to the genitals

Functions of REM sleep: learning and problem solving, memory consolidation, mental health (6)

I won’t go into the many benefits of sleep, because – let’s face it – there is basically no physiological or mental process that does NOT benefit from sleep. 

Want to enhance your performance and recovery? – prioritize sleep.

Want to remember more and have more energy for your job? – prioritize sleep.

Want to live longer, healthier and have a more positive outlook on life? – prioritize sleep.

You get it and I think we all know that we should probably sleep more.

Repercussions of Sleep Deprivation

Short term (from as little as one night onwards)

→ Even one night of sleep of 4 to 6 hours can negatively affect our cognition and problem-solving abilities

→ Even the modest effects of sleep loss have been clearly shown to have a negative effect on a person’s hunger and satiety hormones, leptin and ghrelin

→ Reducing insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, which will also hinder your fat loss goals by not allowing you to handle the carbohydrates you are taking in. 

→ Noticeable impact on the amount of testosterone that a male produces as well as being connected to lower libido and infertility levels. 

75 percent of a person’s Human Growth Hormone (HGH), a hormone that is particularly important for growth and repair of the body’s tissues gets released during sleep with the major period of that HGH release occurring during the first period of deep sleep. 

→ Raised cortisol, which is also linked to fat gain or to hindering fat loss. Cortisol is the hormone that helps you wake up in the morning, this is when its high, and it drops at night which helps you get to sleep. If you’re not getting enough sleep then you will have raised cortisol levels for a longer period of time. E.g. if you get 4 hours of sleep instead of 8 it means you have about 4 extra hours of raised cortisol levels during the awake state and the more sleep you miss throughout the week the more cortisol will build up. Soon you will have higher cortisol levels all day which will produce more stress, less sleep and ultimately less fat loss. 

→ In addition to these hormones mentioned, the quantity and quality of sleep also has a huge impact on several different hormones in the body, a few of which you may not know much about, but they all have a big impact on the dieting process such as ADH or Antidiuretic Hormone – it is ADH that tells the kidneys to not release as much water, reducing your need to go to use the toilet during the night or in general make all of those trips to the bathroom. Prolactin – as it is primarily known for promoting the creation of breast milk production in women, however, most do not know that it also plays a role in 300 separate functions in the body, with two of the biggest being immune system regulation and metabolic rate…

→ If you want to read more about the negative effects of sleep deprivation check out this blog post. 

Long term: 

→ Can worsen numerous chronic and degenerative diseases with just a few of them being cardiovascular disease, ulcers hypothyroidism, autoimmune conditions, depression, anxiety, Alzheimers and mood disorders. 

→ Accelerates the aging process (higher oxidative stress and less toxins are being cleared out of the body.

→ Disrupted circadian rhythm (for example through shift work or prolonged periods of sleep deprivation). 

→ This interrupts the production of many of their important neurotransmitters in the brain. As, it is through many of those same neurotransmitters that regulate a person’s mood, level of depression and or anxiety, cognitive performance, and of course, their super important energy levels.

→ It also disrupts cell autophagy (which is one of the main reasons that chronic insomnia leads to 3 times the risk of dying of ANY cause). During the regular course of the day, the cells in the body have to produce energy so the body can function and as a by-product of that energy creation process, that oxidative stress develops and it can contribute to the damage of cell parts which can render parts of those cells dysfunctional. If a person’s circadian rhythm is being chronically disrupted, then all of that healthy recycling that should be taking place during sleep, gets disrupted.

→ The sleep that someone loses they can never get back and the consequences from sleep that is lost from one single night is much different from the consequences from persistent lack of sleep night in and night out. 

General Recommendations for Sleep

An optimized circadian rhythm is the ground work that needs to be laid before anyone can have a high level of sleep efficiency. The reason why, is that the circadian rhythm controls the depth and the quality of your sleep, and it directly modulates a person’s health wakefulness, stress, appetite and energy hormones, neurotransmitters and their longevity. The human body is tied to the rise and fall of the sun. Meaning that every person 24-hour natural clock in their brain that controls all sorts of things based on 24-hour cycles of (natural) light and darkness. The human body has evolved to run on sunlight and when you take it away for longer periods of time or neglect to pay attention to the sun, it can throw a huge curve ball into a person’s quest for good quality and efficient sleep. 

Training: 

→ Don’t train too close to bed time, in order to avoid a cortisol spike right before you try to wind down. You might find yourself unable to go to sleep.

→ Keep your training volume at a level where it is effective for your goals, but also where your cortisol levels are not going to be chronically elevated, otherwise you might find yourself waking up multiple times per night or getting up to pee too frequently (this can be a sign of over training or training at an intensity too high)

→ If you cut your sleep short (less than 6-7 hrs) in order to get up and train you might shoot yourself in the foot and actually achieve the opposite of what you are trying to do. As mentioned, sufficient sleep is probably the most underrated performance enhancing ‘drug’ there is and can contribute massively to muscle growth, recovery and performance.

Nutrition:

→ Calorie consumption: Eating ‘enough’ food over the course of the day is one of the best things you can do to help with sleep (this does not mean you should stuff yourself before going to bed). If we are in a caloric deficit, sleep is almost always going to suffer eventually. This is one of the reasons why it is important to monitor biofeedback and take diet breaks throughout a cut (so to periodize your nutrition)

→ Don’t eat too close to bed time (larger meals at least 2-3 hours before bed, smaller meals at least 60 minutes before bed). Don’t consume too many fluids close to bed time either, in order to avoid having to go to the bathroom throughout the night. But also make sure not to go to bed too hungry as mentioned above. 

→ Meal composition: Carbs can help us relax and can therefore be beneficial for sleep, however make sure to stay away from sugary foods or highly processed foods as they can cause insulin spikes throughout the night and cause you to wake up. Ideally your pre-bed meal should also contain some protein to help with muscle protein synthesis throughout the night

→ Caffeine: It is wise to cut off caffeine consumption about 10 hours before going to bed. This might seem excessive, but in some people caffeine has shown to take that long to be cleared out of the body. Caffeine basically works by blocking the adenosine receptors for some period of time. If these are blocked it is hard for melatonin to be produced and therefore our sleep to be initiated.

→ Alcohol: It is often believed that alcohol helps us go to sleep. Alcohol helps us relax and induce sleep, yes, but when consuming alcohol we almost always remain in lighter sleep stages, causing us not to recover in the same way. Regular alcohol consumption is therefore advised to be kept to 1-2 nights per week as opposed to having your daily “night cap”.

→ Sleeping pills: sleeping pills are basically a “band aid” that might offer a short-term help, but not an actual solution since they don’t address the problem (cortisol, circadian rhythm etc). We may drift off to sleep quicker, however, similar to under the influence of alcohol, we do not get as restful of a sleep as we naturally would.

Supplements:

I am no one to acclaim that supplementation will fix your sleeping issues, but for the inclusiveness of this guide, I am going to provide a fairly in-depth list of natural sleep supplements that might help with your sleep issues (given the basics, such as nutrition/training/lifestyle recommendations, are covered).

Helpful for people who tend to have an active mind at night:

→ Magnesium: acts as a critical electrolyte that helps with body temperature regulation, allowing it to log more sleep time. Other research shows that magnesium increases the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain, which is responsible for calming your mind and helping you fall asleep.

→ Calcium: helps your brain manufacture the sleep-inducing substance melatonin. Melatonin then helps your body lower its core temperature. If your calcium levels are low, you are likely to experience disturbed sleep patterns, particularly in the REM sleep phase.

Omega 3: form the building blocks for a vast number of compounds involved in regulating body temperature, among other critical body processes. Also, the DHA that your body synthesizes from your intake of omega fatty acids stimulates melatonin – a critical hormone that supports sleep.

→ Valerian Root Extract: contains a variety of natural chemical compounds that support sleep and may reduce anxiety, including Valerenic acid and Isovaleric acid. Valerenic acid helps to prevent the breakdown of GABA, a neurotransmitter that helps calm your nervous system, and thereby supports more restful high-quality sleep, and lowers anxiety levels. Isovaleric acid helps your body produce melatonin, known as the “sleep hormone,” that tells your body when it’s dark outside to prepare it for sleep).

→ Lemon Balm Extract: contains chemicals called terpenes and eugenol. Terpenes play a role in the herb’s relaxing effects. Eugenol helps to calm muscle spasms and numbs tissues. Various studies show that the combination of lemon balm combined with other calming herbs (such as valerian) helps to reduce anxiety and promote sleep. Another study showed that lemon balm on its own increased mood and significantly increased calmness and alertness. 

→ Magnolia Bark: contains various bioactive compounds, including honokiol and magnolol, which give it anxiolytic properties, helping to reduce anxiety and stress, indirectly promoting sleep. The bark can also act as a sedative, more directly facilitating sleep. It also boosts GABA, a calming neurotransmitter in the brain, helping to reduce anxiety further and promote sleep. May lower levels of the adrenaline (which is alertness-inducing), making it an effective natural sleep aid for people with higher levels of stress. Research shows at least one bioactive compound in magnolia bark can increase the amount of time you spend in both REM sleep and NREM sleep and reduce the time it takes you to fall asleep.

→ Jujube Fruit Extract: contains the phytochemicals saponins and flavonoids, which can trigger changes to neurotransmitters, including GABA and serotonin, which calm the mind and quiet neural activity, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. And jujube contains a specific flavonoid compound called spinosin, which appears to trigger sleepiness through its effects on serotonins. Research suggests that one of the flavonoids in jujube can increase time spent in slow-wave sleep (NREM-3) and REM sleep, the two most restorative stages of sleep.

→ Glycine (can help you fall and stay asleep by lowering your core body temperature. It also may have a calming effect on your brain. Studies show that a glycine-induced lowering of core body temperature supports non-rapid eye movement (REM) sleep NREM sleep.)

→ The nutrients L-theanine, L-ornithine, L-arginine, vitamin B6 and potassium help you achieve deep, lasting, relaxing sleep, so you can wake up refreshed and ready to execute tasks all day long – instead of feeling sluggish with brain fog.

→ Helpful to achieve REM sleep.

» Melatonin (a hormone produced in the pineal gland to signal the body when it becomes dark outside, telling the body it’s time to sleep. The production of melatonin decreases with age, with a sharp yearly decline after age 30, which likely contributes to increased sleep difficulty with age, as well as to overall susceptibility to disease. Several studies show that melatonin may increase REM sleep.)

» GABA (produced by neurons in the brain, which helps control REM sleep timing. Low GABA levels can disrupt or even prevent REM sleep. Evidence shows that the combination of GABA and glycine support REM sleep by “switching off” the specialized cells in the brain that allow muscles to be active, paralyzing the body temporarily, which is required for REM sleep.) You can find a great product which combines GABA, melatonin and magnesium here.

» 5HTP (an amino acid your body produces as a precursor to serotonin. Low serotonin levels are associated with sleep disorders, among other conditions like depression and anxiety. Studies with 5HTP have shown promise with sleep disorders and insomnia, especially increasing REM sleep.)

» L-Tryptophan (our bodies convert L-tryptophan to 5HTP. By helping the body maintain its 5HTP levels, supplementation with L-tryptophan acts as a time-released 5HTP. In this way, it supports REM sleep indirectly.)

Lifestyle:

Try to manage your stress as best as you can. As mentioned earlier, chronic stress leads to chronically increased cortisol levels and can be one of the main causes for mental health issues and sleeping disorders. 

Include more stress relieving techniques such as going for walks, reading, listening to music, attending a yoga class, breathing exercises, meeting a friend for coffee, including just the right amount of exercises, fostering your social connections, striving for a life filled with purpose/passion/joy…

→ That also includes time spent outside, if possible. The fresh air itself will contribute to better sleep, but it really is the daylight that is important. It is so important in certain areas of the world that do not receive enough of it that super high rates of the medical condition called ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder’ or SAD (yes really, that’s the name) take place. With the main reason behind the development of that condition being that sunlight is vital for the creation of the feel-good neurotransmitter Serotonin. Therefore, lots of sunlight usually means more serotonin and it is that very same neurotransmitter serotonin that just happens to be the precursor to another important sleep hormone in the body, melatonin. Serotonin stimulates melatonin, so it makes sense the more sunlight that a person gets, the more serotonin that they will produce which then equates to more melatonin production, which prepares a person for sleep and is one of the biggest factors that can set the stage for a healthy circadian rhythm. It has also been shown that as a result, the brighter the light that a person can get in throughout the day, the better they will sleep at night because of that increase in serotonin production and resulting melatonin. That means sunlight serves as a trifecta, by the fact that it helps in creating a healthier circadian rhythm, it will make a person feel better and be more energized due to the increased levels of serotonin and lastly in that it can make a person fall asleep easier at night.

Make an effort to go outside daily, most beneficial would be within 30 minutes of waking, but some is better than none (lunch break, parking further away from work, get a dog to motivate you…). If you know you are not getting enough Vitamin D (which is the majority of people) make sure you supplement.

→ Blue light – Before the arrival of artificial lighting, the sun was the major source of lighting, and people spent their evenings in relative darkness. Now, our evenings are illuminated, and we take our effortless access to digital devices for granted. As the sun disappears, your body goes into a mode of sleep preparation. Ideally, blue light exposure should be limited as much as possible at night to ensure a healthy sleep-wake cycle. Unfortunately, aligning ourselves naturally is somewhat challenging in the digital age, especially if you’re prone to digital separation anxiety. For many of us looking at our phone is one of the first and last things we do on a daily basis. But research reveals that artificial blue light suppresses the secretion of melatonin, as mentioned the hormone that influences circadian rhythms. Blue light wavelengths, which are beneficial during daylight hours, but seem to be the most disruptive at night. In other words, our beloved electronics housing all our favorite apps, tools, TV shows, and games, keep us awake at night.

→ Setting your devices up with “night mode” is a start, but that does not block out the blue light completely. 

Limit blue light exposure completely at least 30 minutes before bed (so keep phone out of the bedroom if possible) and wear blue light blockers 2-3 hours leading up to bed time. 

Specific recommendations

Stick with the same bed time and rising time every day. Week day or weekend. One of the most beneficial things you can do in order to improve your circadian rhythm. 

Create a bed time and a morning routine. For example: 2 hours before bed last meal, 30 minutes chores, 1 hour tv, – bed time alarm goes off (as a reminder to go to bed), switch off electronic, last 30 minutes before bed get yourself ready, read, lights off.

Invest in a good quality mattress, duvet and cushion. Ideally, you will spend 8 hours of your day in bed (1/3) that means, it is worth it!!

Keep your room dark. No artificial light and try to get good blinds to keep any outside light out as well. Alternatively wear an eye mask.

Keep your room quite or at least as much as you can. White noise can help blocking out some external sounds if you have noisy neighbors or wear ear plus

Keep your bedroom cool. Research shows that between 59.9-66.92 degrees Fahrenheit (or 15.5- 19.4 degrees Celcius) is an ideal temperature to go to sleep. Core temperature has to drop in order for sleep to be initiated that is why the ideal temperature is so important. Use fans wisely, choose the right bedding, get a bed cooler, take a warm bath (sounds counter productive, but studies prove otherwise). You can also consider taking contrast showers (10s hot, 20s cold, alternate at least 5 times).

Sleep trackers such as the oura ring can be helpful to generally determine how much time you spend in what phase of sleep. They can also help you determine your readiness factor for your training etc the next day. Nonetheless, use them wisely and keep in mind that no machine knows your body as well as you know yourself.

The bedroom is for bedroom activities only. No TV, eating, studying, working etc. in bed. Help your mind switching off by making that clear distinction between the location where we ‘go to sleep’ and where we do our ‘living’.

Keep animals out of the bedroom. Yes, you likely consider them as family members, but in the end your sleep comes first and animals move around and make noises, likely impairing the quality of your sleep.

Practice some kind of mindset work that helps you wind down, relieve anxiety and calm your mind before going to bed. For example breathing exercises, reading, doing a ‘mind dump’ (writing everything down that is on your mind so you don’t have to think about it at night)…

Travel recommendations: try to adjust to time zones straight away (switch your time to local time) and avoid napping throughout the day in order to adjust your circadian rhythm quickly (unless you are only there for a very short amount of time). Travel with ear plugs and eye mask and consider supplementing with 5g of melatonin 30 minutes before bed, in order to help induce sleep. Stick with your regular meal times (8am breakfast, 12 noon lunch etc.) to help your circadian rhythm even more.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Can I split my sleep?

A: Split sleep (e.g. 4+4) is better than just generally short sleep (4-5 hours), but it is not the same quality of sleep as a full 8 hours sleep opportunity.

Q: Can I bank sleep?

A: Banked sleep (trying to sleep 10 hours for a few nights, because you know you have a few nights of sleep deprivation coming up) is better than not banking any, but it still can’t compare to 8 hours of sleep opportunity every night.

Q: Can I catch up on sleep?

A: Catching up on sleep is better than not catching up on sleep, but “damage” done by sleep deprivation cannot be ‘undone’ per se.

Q: But what if I am a night owl?

A: Yes, genetically we do have personal preferences as to what time of the day we are most productive etc. BUT research shows that if electronic lights and usual lifestyle factors are removed and people were placed in a natural environment without a clock – EVERYBODY would go to bed and rise with the sun.

Q: Is there such a thing as sleeping too much?

A: Yes, there is no exact number of hours, as this is rather person dependent, but most individuals operate best on 7-10 hours. 

Q: How do sleep requirements change as we age? 

A: As you get older, you sleep more lightly and get less deep sleep. So you spend less time in NREM-3. Aging is also linked to shorter time spans of sleep, although studies show you still need (and should try to get) as much sleep as when you were younger.

I hope you found this helpful. 

If you want more detailed info on sleep I highly recommend the book “Why we sleep” by Matthew Walker. If you don’t like reading, he was also on ‘The Joe Rogan Podcast’.

Or if you feel like you need a little more help and direction than that, fill in the form in this link to apply for a free strategy call, since our nutrition coaching also includes lifestyle recommendations, and with that sleep. 


Resources:
  1. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0215-enough-sleep.html
  2. https://www.sleephealth.org/sleep-health/the-state-of-sleephealth-in-america/
  3. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/24/why-lack-of-sleep-health-worst-enemy-matthew-walker-why-we-sleep
  4. https://blog.swanwicksleep.com/sleep-and-muscle-recovery/
  5. https://ncicertifications.com/level-2-certification/
  6. https://www.healthycell.com/blog/maximize-the-4-stages-of-sleep?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-66To4iJ5wIVClYMCh3YbAe1EAAYAiAAEgIKbfD_BwE
  7. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/what-are-facts-about-insom
  8. https://blog.swanwicksleep.com/bedtime-routine-tips/
Linked blog posts:

http://old.boomboomperformance.com/sleep-results/

http://old.boomboomperformance.com/periodization-fat-loss/

http://old.boomboomperformance.com/8-ways-instantly-sleep-better/

Linked podcast:

https://www.mixcloud.com/TheJoeRoganExperience/1109-matthew-walker/

Linked products:

https://topnotchnutrition.com/products/omega-3-fish-oil-wild-caught-sustainable

https://topnotchnutrition.com/products/top-notch-sleep

https://topnotchnutrition.com/products/vitamin-d3-clean-sustainably-sourced

https://www.swanwicksleep.com/

https://ouraring.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIo7ufv4KQ5wIVB7LtCh26xALzEAAYASAAEgKWxvD_BwE

https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams/dp/1501144324/ref=sr_1_1?crid=YM94OZ0CILAV&keywords=why+we+sleep+matthew+walker&qid=1578032085&sprefix=why+we+sleep+ma%2Caps%2C230&sr=8-1

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Lifestyle
EPISODE 2: Determination Leads to Success

Week 1 is complete! And DAMN…. That was a long week! But the best feeling…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] Don’t Live With “What If’s”
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Don’t Live With “What If’s”

Don’t Live With “What If’s” If you ask any person who is over the age…

Daily Dose
A Day in The Not So Average Life – VLOG Ep.2
Lifestyle
A Day in The Not So Average Life – VLOG Ep.2

For a chance to start your 30 day transformation, visit the links below! The 30…

Lifestyle
2014, Your Year For Growth
Lifestyle
2014, Your Year For Growth

The New Year is upon us, which means its resolutions time. Many people think it’s…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] Every detail matters.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Every detail matters.

Every detail matters. I’m writing you from my hotel room, here in St. Louis, while…

Daily Dose
What’s The Best Workout Split For You?
Training
What’s The Best Workout Split For You?

This is a VERY common question we get at TCM (what’s the best workout split?),…

Training
The Ultimate Hardgainer Guide to Getting Jacked
Training
The Ultimate Hardgainer Guide to Getting Jacked

You’re reading this because you feel skinny, unathletic, weaker than you should be, or as…

Training
Fat-Loss’s Worse Enemy… Stress.
Nutrition
Fat-Loss’s Worse Enemy… Stress.

Plateaus suck. Plain and simple, they suck. You’re losing weight, getting results, and out of…

Nutrition
3 Key Things That GUARANTEE Results.
Nutrition
3 Key Things That GUARANTEE Results.

Access, Association, and Accountability. Within the first line of this article, I’ve given you the…

Nutrition
The Secret To Success
Coaching
The Secret To Success

  This weekend, I learned the secret to success. Not how the most rapid fat…

Coaching
How To Properly Warm Up, For Strength Training
Training
How To Properly Warm Up, For Strength Training

Warming up for a strength training session is often a boring, yet unbelievably critical, task…

Training
Boom Boom’s Fat Loss Secrets
Lifestyle
Boom Boom’s Fat Loss Secrets

As a fitness and health professional, it is a crucial must to know everything there…

Lifestyle
Practical Experiences and Applications Of Intermittent Fasting
Nutrition
Practical Experiences and Applications Of Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting, time restricted eating, carb fasts, water fasts, 24 hour fasts, multi-day fasts… There…

Nutrition
The 8 Biggest Diet Mistakes
Nutrition
The 8 Biggest Diet Mistakes

What else goes into weight loss besides eating well and exercising? In reality, there are…

Nutrition
Cardio… what’s right, what sucks, and implementing it yourself.
Training
Cardio… what’s right, what sucks, and implementing it yourself.

Cardio… Man, it sucks. Plain and simple. None of us like it, yet all of…

Training
EPISODE 9: Associate Pain vs Pleasure to Commit to Success
Nutrition
EPISODE 9: Associate Pain vs Pleasure to Commit to Success

Week 9 people! I got to be honest… I’m addicted to this lifestyle. In other…

Nutrition
Understanding Your Neurotype (Personality Testing For Individualized Results)
Coaching
Understanding Your Neurotype (Personality Testing For Individualized Results)

  Understanding Your Neurotype Table of Contents What is Neurotype Training? Who Should Use Neurotype…

Coaching
Research Round Up (Refeeds, BCAA’s, and Energy Expenditure)
Nutrition
Research Round Up (Refeeds, BCAA’s, and Energy Expenditure)

Each month I will cover a few of the top research articles on nutrition, training,…

Nutrition
The Best Diet Plan… [Ketogenic? Intermittent Fasting? Carb Cycling?]
Nutrition
The Best Diet Plan… [Ketogenic? Intermittent Fasting? Carb Cycling?]

“So what is the best diet?” A question I’ve heard many times and if you…

Nutrition
"The Begging Bowl"
Lifestyle
"The Begging Bowl"

  Today I read a story, the kind of story that makes you stop, shut…

Lifestyle
How Hormones Influence Fat Loss and Muscle Growth
Fat Loss
How Hormones Influence Fat Loss and Muscle Growth

Achieving your fitness goals, whether it’s shedding unwanted fat or gaining lean muscle, goes beyond…

Fat Loss
[Daily Dose] Don’t Avoid Difficulty, Accept It.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Don’t Avoid Difficulty, Accept It.

Don’t avoid difficulty, accept it. I just started my diet a couple days ago, to…

Daily Dose
Training Volume: How Many Sets Per Week is Enough?
Training
Training Volume: How Many Sets Per Week is Enough?

The Volume Landmarks The optimal amount of volume is going to be somewhere between the…

Training
Before and After, The Reverse Diet...
Client Case Study: Successful Reverse Diet (15 Month Process)
Coaching
Client Case Study: Successful Reverse Diet (15 Month Process)

A “Reverse Diet” is a HOT TOPIC in the nutrition space… and after the article…

Coaching
3 Steps To Building A Better Butt
Training
3 Steps To Building A Better Butt

When I decided to write this article, my first thought was actually just being surprised…

Training
January Research Review: Measuring Training Performance With A Mask (COVID) and RPE/RIR’s Effectiveness
Science
January Research Review: Measuring Training Performance With A Mask (COVID) and RPE/RIR’s Effectiveness

Research Review #8 Brandon Roberts, Ph.D., CSCS Chief Science Officer Study #1  Title: Wearing of…

Science
Why You SHOULD Drink Coffee… [Myths vs. Truth/Benefits]
Nutrition
Why You SHOULD Drink Coffee… [Myths vs. Truth/Benefits]

As a huge coffee lover, I’ve decided to take some time today to stand my…

Nutrition
Are Body Fat Machines Accurate? [Truth About Body Fat Testing]
Coaching
Are Body Fat Machines Accurate? [Truth About Body Fat Testing]

That’s a question I get quite often inside of our coaching practice and rightfully so,…

Coaching
Why You Can’t Keep The Weight Off
Nutrition
Why You Can’t Keep The Weight Off

“Weight regain is generally the rule, with long-term follow up studies indicating that one-third to…

Nutrition
5 Laws of Conditioning
Training
5 Laws of Conditioning

A lot of people get confused about or over think their cardio/conditioning. This could be…

Training
EPISODE 4: Create Habits, Achieve Results
Lifestyle
EPISODE 4: Create Habits, Achieve Results

Week 4 has begun! That means I got through the first quarter of the game,…

Lifestyle
The Most Avoided, Neglected, and NEEDED Concept of Training & Nutrition
Nutrition
The Most Avoided, Neglected, and NEEDED Concept of Training & Nutrition

Recovery… The least sexy topic in the industry? The most misunderstood topic in the industry?…

Nutrition
How To Get 6-Pack Abs (3-Step Guide To A Shredded Core)
guides
How To Get 6-Pack Abs (3-Step Guide To A Shredded Core)

  How To Get 6-Pack Abs Table of Contents How To Get 6-Pack Abs 1….

guides
7 Things Killing Your Testosterone [AND The Solutions]
Physiology
7 Things Killing Your Testosterone [AND The Solutions]

Fill In Your Email Address Below To Receive Your FREE Downloadable Copy Of This Infographic…

Physiology
The Most Important Amino Acid & How To Optimize Your Meals With It (Leucine Threshold)
Nutrition
The Most Important Amino Acid & How To Optimize Your Meals With It (Leucine Threshold)

The Importance Of Leucine Threshold For Building and Retaining Lean Body Mass   Leucine threshold….

Nutrition
How Sore Should You Be After A Workout?
Training
How Sore Should You Be After A Workout?

Many people question whether or not getting sore after a workout (training session) is a…

Training
[Daily Dose] ACTION > motivation
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] ACTION > motivation

ACTION > motivation Pablo Picasso has by far one of the best quotes of all…

Daily Dose
[VIDEO BLOG] Losing Stubborn Body Fat
Nutrition
[VIDEO BLOG] Losing Stubborn Body Fat

Stubborn Body Fat – AKA Our Biggest Enemy. You know… Spare tire, love handles, hips,…

Nutrition
A Simple Guide To Women’s Health (FAQ)
Nutrition
A Simple Guide To Women’s Health (FAQ)

When it comes to writing nutrition plans, we at TCM believe that everyone deserves an…

Nutrition
What is the easiest diet to stay on?
Nutrition
What is the easiest diet to stay on?

Over 15-million google searches tells us that this is one of the most commonly asked…

Nutrition
The Mind Muscle Connection: The Key To Better Awareness, Injury Prevention, and Progress
Training
The Mind Muscle Connection: The Key To Better Awareness, Injury Prevention, and Progress

When it comes to increasing muscle mass and getting stronger, there are a number of…

Training
10 Things People Who Stay Lean Year Around Do. (#7 Will Surprise You)
Coaching
10 Things People Who Stay Lean Year Around Do. (#7 Will Surprise You)

When it comes to creating the lean body we all want, the ultimate goal is…

Coaching
[Daily Dose] Why I’m not losing any weight…
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Why I’m not losing any weight…

Why I’m not losing any weight… This is me being totally transparent… And my nutrition…

Daily Dose
Stretching For Hypertrophy {Muscle Growth}: Does it work?
Training
Stretching For Hypertrophy {Muscle Growth}: Does it work?

Training Intensification Tip Part 2: Inter-set Stretching & Stretch Mediated Hypertrophy Intensification techniques, also known…

Training
47 Simple Ways To Kick Start Your Fat Loss
Nutrition
47 Simple Ways To Kick Start Your Fat Loss

1.) Go Harder – You should be training hard. “Duh Boom Boom”… Yeah, well many…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] The Only Person in Your Way, is YOU.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The Only Person in Your Way, is YOU.

The Only Person in Your Way, is YOU. There’s so many of us who want…

Daily Dose
Functional Upper Body Training Session [Full Workout Explained]
Training
Functional Upper Body Training Session [Full Workout Explained]

Watch the video below to get access to an exclusive functional hypertrophy training program [for…

Training
Relationship Status : "Dieting"
Nutrition
Relationship Status : "Dieting"

Today is not about a strategy to lose more weight, a new theory on building…

Nutrition
Why Losing Weight Gets Harder and Harder… [& How To STOP It!]
Lifestyle
Why Losing Weight Gets Harder and Harder… [& How To STOP It!]

The majority of the people I work with, including myself, want to lose body fat….

Lifestyle
Stay Fit While Traveling
Lifestyle
Stay Fit While Traveling

Traveling while in the middle of working towards your fitness goals can be stressful for…

Lifestyle
How To Track Macros When Eating At Restaurants
guides
How To Track Macros When Eating At Restaurants

  How To Track Macros When Eating At Restaurants Table of Contents How To Track…

guides
The Simplicity Of Success
Nutrition
The Simplicity Of Success

I’m a trainer at a gym (the best gym in state… just sayin’), I am…

Nutrition
37 Power Foods For Men
Nutrition
37 Power Foods For Men

THIS IS NOT CLICKBATE! These are REAL foods that men THRIVE off of. I had…

Nutrition
What Motivates You?
Lifestyle
What Motivates You?

“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] They’re Tools, Not Time Machines!
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] They’re Tools, Not Time Machines!

They’re Tools, Not Time Machines! “Tools and time machines…? What the hell are you talking…

Daily Dose
Body Fat Overshooting (Post Diet Consequences)
Nutrition
Body Fat Overshooting (Post Diet Consequences)

We live in what feels like the peak of a fad diet culture, where media…

Nutrition
46 Tips To Build More Muscle
Nutrition
46 Tips To Build More Muscle

1.) Start Explosive. Doing something explosive at the beginning of your workout will fire the…

Nutrition
5 Science-Based Ways Maximize Exercises For Muscle Growth
Training
5 Science-Based Ways Maximize Exercises For Muscle Growth

A Science-Based Approach To Maximizing Muscle Growth 5 Things To AVOID For Muscle Growth (+…

Training
Your “Part by Part” Guide To More Muscle, Less Fat.
Training
Your “Part by Part” Guide To More Muscle, Less Fat.

First and foremost, let’s talk about whom this article is for. Plain and simple, this…

Training
[Daily Dose] WTF is President’s Day…?
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] WTF is President’s Day…?

WTF is President’s Day…? Yesterday, one of my employees texted me asking if we had…

Daily Dose
Resistance Training vs. Cardio PT.2 [Ending The Debate]
Training
Resistance Training vs. Cardio PT.2 [Ending The Debate]

What’s better – Resistance Training or Cardio, ending the debate once and for all The…

Training
How Your Testosterone Levels Impact Muscle Growth
Hormones
How Your Testosterone Levels Impact Muscle Growth

Table of Contents Introduction: Understanding the role of testosterone in muscle growth The science of…

Hormones
Training in a Hotel or Apartment Gym (VLOG – Complete Workout, Coached Through)
Training
Training in a Hotel or Apartment Gym (VLOG – Complete Workout, Coached Through)

This Workout Program (Below) 1.) Ankle, Hip and Thoracic Mobility – 5-10 Min 2a.) DB…

Training
Consistency
Lifestyle
Consistency

You’ve tried everything in the book, twice, and you still haven’t reached the fitness goal…

Lifestyle
Nutrition

10 Ways To Boost Metabolism & Burn MORE Fat 1.) Drink More Water. – A…

Nutrition
Low FODMAP Diet Guide For Beginners
guides
Low FODMAP Diet Guide For Beginners

Low FODMAP Diet? What is that and could it help you get to the bottom…

guides
How To Change Your Behaviors and Lose More Weight
Nutrition
How To Change Your Behaviors and Lose More Weight

We appear to be going about health and weight loss all wrong. As nutrition coaches,…

Nutrition
Recovery 101 (Discover What Actually Determines Your Results)
Nutrition
Recovery 101 (Discover What Actually Determines Your Results)

I actually couldn’t believe the result when this study came out… But when I really…

Nutrition
5 Reasons Meal Timing Matters
Nutrition
5 Reasons Meal Timing Matters

Meal timing was a HUGE thing in the fitness, health and nutrition industry for a…

Nutrition
7 Reasons Your Diet Is Failing
Nutrition
7 Reasons Your Diet Is Failing

I got some unfortunate news for you today…. Every single diet you’ve ever tried, thought…

Nutrition
The Definitive Guide To Creatine Monohydrate
guides
The Definitive Guide To Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine Monohydrate… might just be our favorite supplement.  Why? Well, because we can recommend it…

guides
Nutrient Timing (What The Science Actually Tells Us)
Nutrition
Nutrient Timing (What The Science Actually Tells Us)

Nutrient Timing – Here’s what you need to know: • Calories in vs. calories out…

Nutrition
4 Ways To Increase Productivity Towards YOUR Goals
Lifestyle
4 Ways To Increase Productivity Towards YOUR Goals

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] Your efforts need to match your goals.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Your efforts need to match your goals.

Your efforts need to match your goals. I attended a webinar recently and the speaker…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Use Doubt As Fuel, Not Hydroxide.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Use Doubt As Fuel, Not Hydroxide.

Use Doubt As Fuel, Not Hydroxide. Do you know what hydroxide can do to your…

Daily Dose
Superfoods (Fact or Fiction?)
Nutrition
Superfoods (Fact or Fiction?)

Kale, chia seeds, berries… Most of us have heard these and other foods called “Superfoods,”…

Nutrition
8 Ways To Instantly Sleep Better
Lifestyle
8 Ways To Instantly Sleep Better

Sleep… None of us “get enough” and we all want “more hours in the day”……

Lifestyle
Science Behind Fat Cells & Ibuprofens Effect on Hypertrophy (Research Roundup)
Nutrition
Science Behind Fat Cells & Ibuprofens Effect on Hypertrophy (Research Roundup)

Each month I will cover two research articles on nutrition, training, sleep, supplements, or anything…

Nutrition
Does Caffeine HELP or STOP Fat Loss?
Nutrition
Does Caffeine HELP or STOP Fat Loss?

Caffeine can help you burn fat… But wait it can mess with your adrenal glands……

Nutrition
Fast & Efficient Recovery
Training
Fast & Efficient Recovery

When it comes to training there are always some aspects that people leave out or…

Training
50 Science-Backed Anti-Aging Strategies For Life Pt.2
Hormones
50 Science-Backed Anti-Aging Strategies For Life Pt.2

There are 4 key parts of health and longevity promotion and today we are discussing…

Hormones
How To Use Supersets In Your Training
Training
How To Use Supersets In Your Training

Training Intensification Tip Part 1: Supersets Intensification techniques, also known as advanced techniques, are a…

Training
Quinoa: The Ancient Super Grain Reborn in Modern Cuisine
Micronutrient Index
Quinoa: The Ancient Super Grain Reborn in Modern Cuisine

Quinoa, an ancient grain originating from the Andean region of South America, has a rich…

Micronutrient Index
The Ultimate Kettlebell Workout Guide
guides
The Ultimate Kettlebell Workout Guide

Kettlebell workouts are one of the most diverse training modalities out there. Depending on the…

guides
The "Body Fat Set Point"…. Myth or Truth?
Nutrition
The "Body Fat Set Point"…. Myth or Truth?

The body fat set point… Myth or Truth? Such a great topic, also a really controversial…

Nutrition
Does Training To Failure Maximize Strength and Hypertrophy? [Research Review]
Training
Does Training To Failure Maximize Strength and Hypertrophy? [Research Review]

Research Review #10 Brandon Roberts, Ph.D., CSCS*D Chief Science Officer *Note from Brandon: if you…

Training
Is Food Addiction Real? A Comprehensive Guide.
Nutrition
Is Food Addiction Real? A Comprehensive Guide.

Food Addiction: The Science Behind Our Cravings You’ve just polished off a satisfying dinner, but…

Nutrition
Two-A-Day Training: Is More Better? Or Destructive?
Training
Two-A-Day Training: Is More Better? Or Destructive?

Training twice per day, also known as two-a-days, stems from the idea that more is…

Training
The Repeated Bout Effect (Is Muscle Damage A Good Thing…?)
Science
The Repeated Bout Effect (Is Muscle Damage A Good Thing…?)

What is the repeated bout effect? The repeated bout effect (RBE) occurs when a single…

Science
How To Get Jacked As A Vegan [The Detailed Nutrition Plan For Vegan Lifters]
Nutrition
How To Get Jacked As A Vegan [The Detailed Nutrition Plan For Vegan Lifters]

Many people think being vegan and gaining muscle are oxymorons, they are opposites, you can’t…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Nobody is Self-Made.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Nobody is Self-Made.

Nobody is Self-Made. We’re here out in Arizona for a team retreat and wow… my…

Daily Dose
Can You Drink Alcohol and Lose Fat?
guides
Can You Drink Alcohol and Lose Fat?

Alcohol… Whether it’s Monday Night Football, summertime BBQ’s, date night with your wife, or just…

guides
Overtraining or Under-Recovering? (Killing Yourself in The Gym is Killing Your Progress and Hormones)
Nutrition
Overtraining or Under-Recovering? (Killing Yourself in The Gym is Killing Your Progress and Hormones)

Why Killing Yourself In The Gym Might Be Killing Your Progress (and Wrecking Your Hormones)…

Nutrition
How Your Intensity Determines Your Results
Training
How Your Intensity Determines Your Results

Intensity… It’s a sexy word in the fitness world. It makes us feel like we’re…

Training
Why YOU Are Not Getting Results.
Nutrition
Why YOU Are Not Getting Results.

I think everyone, at least once within his or her training history, has been stuck….

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Maktub – “It Was Written”.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Maktub – “It Was Written”.

Maktub – “It Was Written”. This is an Arabic phrase that’s used throughout the book,…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] What is Body Positivity, Really…?
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] What is Body Positivity, Really…?

What is Body Positivity, Really…? Body positivity… This is an interesting topic. It’s actually a…

Daily Dose
Heat/Cold Therapy To Reduce DOMS and Improve Recovery + Health Benefits Of Fasting – March Research Review
Nutrition
Heat/Cold Therapy To Reduce DOMS and Improve Recovery + Health Benefits Of Fasting – March Research Review

*Note from Brandon: if you want to learn how to interpret research go read each…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] It’s not what you do, it’s how you feel.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] It’s not what you do, it’s how you feel.

It’s not what you do, it’s how you feel. Maya Angelou has a famous quote,…

Daily Dose
What Becoming an IFBB Bikini Pro Taught Me
Coaching
What Becoming an IFBB Bikini Pro Taught Me

Dieting down to get stage lean might be one of the most strict diets on…

Coaching
[Daily Dose] Crucial conversations.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Crucial conversations.

Crucial conversations. This is the title of a book (i.e. Crucial Conversations) that I’ve read…

Daily Dose
50 Science-Backed Anti-Aging Strategies For Life
Lifestyle
50 Science-Backed Anti-Aging Strategies For Life

Aging healthy, happy and with grace. Isn’t that what everybody wants? Many people think that…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] Power List.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Power List.

Power List. One of the most SIMPLE things you can do to get more shit…

Daily Dose
Research Roundup (Do Weight Vest Help Fat Loss and is Betaine Worth The Hype?)
Nutrition
Research Roundup (Do Weight Vest Help Fat Loss and is Betaine Worth The Hype?)

Each month I will cover a few of the top research articles on nutrition, training,…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] The 10 Nutrition Commandments.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The 10 Nutrition Commandments.

The 10 Nutrition Commandments. Like I told you on yesterday… I’m bringing you the 10…

Daily Dose
Kale: The Nutrient-Packed Green
Micronutrient Index
Kale: The Nutrient-Packed Green

Kale, scientifically known as Brassica oleracea var. acephala,  is a leafy green vegetable that has…

Micronutrient Index
[Daily Dose] Have you quit yet?
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Have you quit yet?

Have you quit yet? It’s February 1st today… So that means you need to audit…

Daily Dose
5 Travel Strategies To Avoid Falling Off The Wagon
Lifestyle
5 Travel Strategies To Avoid Falling Off The Wagon

Travel is a part of life no matter if it’s for work or pleasure, with…

Lifestyle
What’s Your "WHY"?
Lifestyle
What’s Your "WHY"?

Todays post is all about the most important question we need to ask ourselves on…

Lifestyle
How Low Can You Take Your Calories?
Nutrition
How Low Can You Take Your Calories?

People want to lose weight as fast as possible, but at some point it becomes…

Nutrition
Contagious Inspiration
Coaching
Contagious Inspiration

Have you ever been inspired by someone? I mean like, truly moved and motivated to…

Coaching
[Daily Dose] Quick results are a lie.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Quick results are a lie.

Quick results are a lie. I’d have you consider that success isn’t an easy game…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] How To Turn A Bad Day Around
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] How To Turn A Bad Day Around

How To Turn A Bad Day Around I had a pretty shitty day today. Yesterday,…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Find Your Low Hanging Fruit.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Find Your Low Hanging Fruit.

Find Your Low Hanging Fruit. Want to know the easiest way to start losing fat?…

Daily Dose
How and Why To Use Diet Breaks [Research Review: The ICECAP Trial]
Nutrition
How and Why To Use Diet Breaks [Research Review: The ICECAP Trial]

Research Review #10 Brandon Roberts, Ph.D., CSCS*D Chief Science Officer *Note from Brandon: if you…

Nutrition
[PODCAST INTERVIEW] OPEX Fitness: Cody "Boom Boom" McBroom
Coaching
[PODCAST INTERVIEW] OPEX Fitness: Cody "Boom Boom" McBroom

I was recently interviewed on The OPEX Fitness Podcast [OPEX: Fitness Explained] and it was…

Coaching
Training Under The Influence
Training
Training Under The Influence

After reading the title I’m sure your all a bit confused, why would you train…

Training
Downhill Metabolisms [What Actually Happens When We Diet]
Nutrition
Downhill Metabolisms [What Actually Happens When We Diet]

For a while you could hear the words “broken metabolism” everywhere in the online space….

Nutrition
Entrepreneur’s NEED To Take Their Health Seriously, More Than Most.
Lifestyle
Entrepreneur’s NEED To Take Their Health Seriously, More Than Most.

If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur of any kind, intrepreneur on a serious grind for…

Lifestyle
The Truth About Gluten
Nutrition
The Truth About Gluten

The biggest question on gluten… Should we avoid it? Or is the media hype on…

Nutrition
The "All or Nothing" Mentality, That Kills Long-Term Progress.
Nutrition
The "All or Nothing" Mentality, That Kills Long-Term Progress.

Yes, that sounds good, I’ll take some nothing too! We’ve all been there, we’ve all…

Nutrition
3-Phase Fat Loss Diet System
Nutrition
3-Phase Fat Loss Diet System

People often look at training program design and immediately consider periodization – because how can…

Nutrition
Why YOU Should Add Super-Shakes To Your Diet [PLUS 4 Recipes!]
Nutrition
Why YOU Should Add Super-Shakes To Your Diet [PLUS 4 Recipes!]

Super-shakes are an awesome addition to almost anyone’s diet and so many people are failing…

Nutrition
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) vs. Percentage Based Training (PBT)
Science
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) vs. Percentage Based Training (PBT)

Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) vs. Percentage Based Training (PBT) Training intensity is more than…

Science
[Daily Dose] No Fluff, Just Planning + Execution.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] No Fluff, Just Planning + Execution.

No Fluff, Just Planning + Execution. I’m going to keep this short and sweet today….

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] YOLO…
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] YOLO…

YOLO… There’s something about being a human that innately slows you down or tries to…

Daily Dose
The ABSOLUTE Best Way To Burn Fat
Training
The ABSOLUTE Best Way To Burn Fat

Everyone always wants to know, “What’s the absolute best way to burn fat?!” And I…

Training
How To Create The Best Training Atmosphere
Training
How To Create The Best Training Atmosphere

When it comes to training there are so many aspects to think about, especially if…

Training
Lower Body Training Session Vlog (Working Around Low-Back Issues)
Training
Lower Body Training Session Vlog (Working Around Low-Back Issues)

  Today I’ll be doing something a bit different than usual, going to do a…

Training
[Daily Dose] Growth must be forced.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Growth must be forced.

Growth must be forced. This is going to be short, to the point, and powerful…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Self-Made is Made Up.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Self-Made is Made Up.

Self-Made is Made Up. If you’re a hip-hop head (i.e. someone who loves rap music),…

Daily Dose
Achieving Results As A Shift Worker [Circadian Rhythm, Hormones, Obesity…]
Lifestyle
Achieving Results As A Shift Worker [Circadian Rhythm, Hormones, Obesity…]

Almost 20% of people in Europe and the US work in scheduled shifts (shift work).1…

Lifestyle
Top 3 Micronutrients You Are Missing, Yet Desperately Need
Nutrition
Top 3 Micronutrients You Are Missing, Yet Desperately Need

At some point in time, micronutrients became really uncool to consider as an important part…

Nutrition
How To Make Your Own Pre-Workout (Science-Based Formula)
Science
How To Make Your Own Pre-Workout (Science-Based Formula)

Pre-workouts are a dime a dozen. If you use your favorite search engine you’ll soon…

Science
17 Diet Lies’ They Told You, And You Believed.
Nutrition
17 Diet Lies’ They Told You, And You Believed.

  Fasting before cardio will burn more body fat. Plain and simple, this is just…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] They Thought They Took Steroids…
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] They Thought They Took Steroids…

They Thought They Took Steroids… This is probably the most remarkable study ever done inside…

Daily Dose
Train Like an Athlete
Training
Train Like an Athlete

For many reasons, everybody should aim to train like an athlete. First of all would…

Training
[Daily Dose] Just Show Up.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Just Show Up.

Just Show Up. Hey. I’ve been sitting here staring at a blank screen for at…

Daily Dose
Finding Clarity & Presence [Day 2 Resurrection Week]
Lifestyle
Finding Clarity & Presence [Day 2 Resurrection Week]

The second day of the most eye opening week of my life has arrived and…

Lifestyle
2 Ways to Make Your Diet Easier & More Successful
Nutrition
2 Ways to Make Your Diet Easier & More Successful

2 Ways to Make Your Diet Easier & More Successful 1.) TRACK WHAT YOU EAT!…

Nutrition
3 Step Checklist to Supplementation
Nutrition
3 Step Checklist to Supplementation

As I’m sitting here on this plane to Vegas for my mentor Luka Hocevar’s fit-business…

Nutrition
Do you Eat TOO Much Protein? or Not Enough?
Nutrition
Do you Eat TOO Much Protein? or Not Enough?

Love posting a status asking what y’all want to read about and getting TONS of…

Nutrition
Nutritional Periodization For Fat Loss
Nutrition
Nutritional Periodization For Fat Loss

This is my second time writing this article, to be honest. The first go around…

Nutrition
5 Things I Wish I Knew When Starting My Weightloss Journey
Lifestyle
5 Things I Wish I Knew When Starting My Weightloss Journey

Many people don’t know this, but I was once a fat kid, or as my…

Lifestyle
What Do YOU Stand For?
Lifestyle
What Do YOU Stand For?

What do you stand for? No really, don’t just read that… Ask yourself and seriously…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] Ready, Aim, FIRE. Repeat.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Ready, Aim, FIRE. Repeat.

Ready, Aim, FIRE. Repeat. I’m going to keep this short and sweet today. There is…

Daily Dose
3 Exercises That Should NEVER Leave Your Program
Training
3 Exercises That Should NEVER Leave Your Program

There is no “Best Exercise”, just like there is no “Best Diet”. That’s just the…

Training
How To Lean Bulk Properly (Build Muscle, Without Gaining Fat)
Nutrition
How To Lean Bulk Properly (Build Muscle, Without Gaining Fat)

Table of Contents What Is A Lean Bulk? What Is Dirty Bulking? Who Should Lean…

Nutrition
Cracking The "Carbohydrate Code"
Nutrition
Cracking The "Carbohydrate Code"

I get a ton of nutrition questions on a daily basis, but the topic that…

Nutrition
Client Case Study: 8 Months To Get Shredded
Coaching
Client Case Study: 8 Months To Get Shredded

I’m going to dive into the exact process of getting my man shown below, Jeremiah,…

Coaching
Food Wars!
Nutrition
Food Wars!

Today I am going to start a battle of food! Hopefully I can answer many…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] 90% of your results boil down to this.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] 90% of your results boil down to this.

90% of your results boil down to this. I posted on instagram that 90% of…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] You can’t win, if you’re afraid to lose.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] You can’t win, if you’re afraid to lose.

You can’t win, if you’re afraid to lose. This actually comes straight out of a…

Daily Dose
6 Reasons You’re Not Getting Results
Nutrition
6 Reasons You’re Not Getting Results

Most of us are doing many little things throughout the day and week that are…

Nutrition
Is Your Metabolism Damaged?
Nutrition
Is Your Metabolism Damaged?

Metabolic Damage [Refeeds, Cheat Meals, Reverse Dieting & How To Utilize Them For Results] So…

Nutrition
Boom-Boom’s Protein Balls [Recipe + Macros]
Nutrition
Boom-Boom’s Protein Balls [Recipe + Macros]

What could be a better snack then something high in protein, low in calories, easy…

Nutrition
Emotional Intelligence, Positivity, Being Present… Happiness.
Lifestyle
Emotional Intelligence, Positivity, Being Present… Happiness.

    I’ve had many people tell me that I never get mad, I’m always…

Lifestyle
The Final Chapter…
Lifestyle
The Final Chapter…

  I love this saying above, because I’ve often referred to life as a book….

Lifestyle
EPISODE 6: 5 Steps To Habitual Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle
EPISODE 6: 5 Steps To Habitual Lifestyle Changes

I am officially six days away from the half way marker of this 12-week journey……

Lifestyle
5 Ways To Burn MORE Fat Daily
Nutrition
5 Ways To Burn MORE Fat Daily

Today, you will learn 5 ways you can burn more fat on a daily basis……

Nutrition
Diet Breaks: Defined and Applied
Hormones
Diet Breaks: Defined and Applied

Today we are going to talk about how you can maximize the effectiveness of your…

Hormones
[Daily Dose] Be You, Everyone Else Is Taken.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Be You, Everyone Else Is Taken.

Be You, Everyone Else Is Taken. I’m here to tell you that God put you…

Daily Dose
Fish Oil Supplementation 101
guides
Fish Oil Supplementation 101

Fish oil supplements are widely used for their health and wellness benefits. Fish oil is…

guides
Discovering True Human Optimization [Harsh Reality]
Nutrition
Discovering True Human Optimization [Harsh Reality]

Human Optimization is a word that’s thrown around a lot today. Some say it’s being…

Nutrition
7 Not-So-Obvious Ways To Break Plateaus
Nutrition
7 Not-So-Obvious Ways To Break Plateaus

Plateaus suck. We’ve all been through them, some of us break through and others don’t….

Nutrition
KAIZEN
Lifestyle
KAIZEN

“Continuous Improvement” “Embrace Change” “Change for the Better” These are all definitions of the Japanese…

Lifestyle
Prescription Weight Loss Drugs: Potential Risks & Benefits
Nutrition
Prescription Weight Loss Drugs: Potential Risks & Benefits

An introduction into weight loss prescription drugs Losing weight can be a journey full of…

Nutrition
The 5 Most Common Things Keeping You Fat
Nutrition
The 5 Most Common Things Keeping You Fat

Stop constantly doing these things and your body will drastically change for the better. The…

Nutrition
Better Gut, Better Abs.
Nutrition
Better Gut, Better Abs.

  Do the things I’m going to share with you in this article today, and…

Nutrition
Diet Hopping (How "Chasing The Shiny Red Ball" Is Holding You Back….)
Nutrition
Diet Hopping (How "Chasing The Shiny Red Ball" Is Holding You Back….)

Quit Chasing The Shiny Red Ball Do you bounce from diet to diet? Or try…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Redirect Your Impatience.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Redirect Your Impatience.

Redirect Your Impatience. My daughter is about to turn 4 next month and she has…

Daily Dose
Take Advantage of Our Personal Trainer App with These 13 Tips
Training
Take Advantage of Our Personal Trainer App with These 13 Tips

When someone, i.e. you, wants to decrease their body fat, increase their strength or muscle…

Training
How to Build Lasting Habits, While Breaking The Ones Holding You Back
Lifestyle
How to Build Lasting Habits, While Breaking The Ones Holding You Back

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to effortlessly follow through with their workout…

Lifestyle
"Active Recovery" – Burn More Calories & Build More Muscle on Your Rest Days.
Training
"Active Recovery" – Burn More Calories & Build More Muscle on Your Rest Days.

As a reader of my blog, I can assume your goal is to look, perform,…

Training
A man going trough his rever dieting documents on an iMac
Reverse Dieting 101 [Your Guide and Explanation To All Things Reverse Dieting]
guides
Reverse Dieting 101 [Your Guide and Explanation To All Things Reverse Dieting]

Reverse Dieting is a subject that gets talked about A LOT… and for good reason….

guides
7 Healthy Christmas Recipes – To Keep You On Track This Holiday!
Nutrition
7 Healthy Christmas Recipes – To Keep You On Track This Holiday!

It’s that time of year again, the Christmas spirit and cheer is here and along…

Nutrition
High Carb Diets Work Better For Fat Loss Than Low Carb Diets
Nutrition
High Carb Diets Work Better For Fat Loss Than Low Carb Diets

What if I Told You That Science Says Low Carb Diets Suck…? ….for fat loss…

Nutrition
CLAIMING MY POWER. [Day 3 & 4, Resurrection Week]
Lifestyle
CLAIMING MY POWER. [Day 3 & 4, Resurrection Week]

  “Wow, its day 3 already… In the weirdest way, it feels like its been…

Lifestyle
Old Geezer Metabolic Syndrome
Nutrition
Old Geezer Metabolic Syndrome

“So, it’s happening to you too? Your metabolism keeps slowing down each and every birthday?” …

Nutrition
Mini Cuts… Secret To Fast Tracking Your Results? Or All Hype?
Nutrition
Mini Cuts… Secret To Fast Tracking Your Results? Or All Hype?

Can you seriously lose 8-10lbs in 6-8 weeks, without destroying your hormones and binge eating…

Nutrition
7 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight
Nutrition
7 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

I wrote an email for my subscribers the other day called “White Noise”. It went…

Nutrition
How To Avoid Injury
Training
How To Avoid Injury

Injury prevention is something I’ve had many people ask me to write about, and I’ve…

Training
[VIDEO BLOG] What is a refeed day? (NOT a cheat day!)
Nutrition
[VIDEO BLOG] What is a refeed day? (NOT a cheat day!)

Coach: “Alright! Day 1 starts tomorrow! I got your nutrition prescription as well as a guide…

Nutrition
How To Use A TDEE and BMR Calculator To Lose Weight
guides
How To Use A TDEE and BMR Calculator To Lose Weight

How To Use TDEE and BMR Calculator To Lose Weight BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and…

guides
[Daily Dose] Watering Your Lawn While It’s Raining.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Watering Your Lawn While It’s Raining.

Watering Your Lawn While It’s Raining. Have you ever heard this analogy? Or even worse,…

Daily Dose
Make Life Awesome
Lifestyle
Make Life Awesome

Are you doing everything in your power to be the best you possibly can be?…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] The Gardener.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The Gardener.

The Gardener. What does a gardener and a champion have in common? A Prolific Sense…

Daily Dose
Body Recomposition (Learn To Burn Fat and Build Muscle, Simultaneously)
guides
Body Recomposition (Learn To Burn Fat and Build Muscle, Simultaneously)

Depending on what studies you read, you might find that, technically, building muscle while burning…

guides
My Interview on – ‘The Easy Wins Healthy Lifestyle Podcast’
Nutrition
My Interview on – ‘The Easy Wins Healthy Lifestyle Podcast’

When we talk about “Easy Wins” and “Healthy Lifestyle”… We need to discuss routines and…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] You should love how you look!
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] You should love how you look!

You should love how you look! I saw a picture that was taken of me…

Daily Dose
11 Reasons You Need Fish Oil
Nutrition
11 Reasons You Need Fish Oil

Inflammation is the leading cause of chronic disease in today’s society. Thankfully, there are various…

Nutrition
THE GREAT SUGAR DEBATE : Is Sugar Safe? Will it Ruin Results? What is Proven?
Nutrition
THE GREAT SUGAR DEBATE : Is Sugar Safe? Will it Ruin Results? What is Proven?

Sugar has been scaring us for decades, from the claims of it impacting and being…

Nutrition
Opening My Eyes To REAL Life & The REAL Me. [Resurrection Week: Day 1]
Coaching
Opening My Eyes To REAL Life & The REAL Me. [Resurrection Week: Day 1]

  Last week I was Resurrected, which technically means being raised up from the dead……

Coaching
The Busy Man’s Fit Guide
Nutrition
The Busy Man’s Fit Guide

“You practically live in the gym, Cody. And even when you’re not literally there, you’re…

Nutrition
Should You Do A Bikini Competition?
Coaching
Should You Do A Bikini Competition?

I honestly can’t believe that just over a year ago I was going hard in…

Coaching
The 10 Diet Commandments
Nutrition
The 10 Diet Commandments

  In honor of the one of the greatest hip-hop artists to ever touch the…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Gratitude Is MOTIVATION.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Gratitude Is MOTIVATION.

Gratitude Is MOTIVATION. People are constantly seeking things to motivate them more… You probably do…

Daily Dose
What To Do After The CrossFit Open
Coaching
What To Do After The CrossFit Open

We’ve talked about periodization a few times prior to this post on the BBP blog,…

Coaching
[VIDEO BLOG] Training To Prevent Injuries
Training
[VIDEO BLOG] Training To Prevent Injuries

One of the biggest mistakes I see in the training world with clients… is training,…

Training
September Research Roundup (Alcohol & Fat Loss/Performance, Intermittent Fasting)
Nutrition
September Research Roundup (Alcohol & Fat Loss/Performance, Intermittent Fasting)

Each month I will cover two research articles on nutrition, training, sleep, supplements, or anything…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] You deserve MORE.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] You deserve MORE.

You deserve MORE. I’m going to keep this short and to the point. Whatever you’re…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Patience, Persistence, & Positive People.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Patience, Persistence, & Positive People.

Patience, Persistence, & Positive People. If there was ever a formula for success… this is…

Daily Dose
The Truth About Calorie Calculators
Nutrition
The Truth About Calorie Calculators

The truth about calculating calories is frustrating, sadly. But as sad as it may be,…

Nutrition
The 10 Rituals For Better Living
Lifestyle
The 10 Rituals For Better Living

If you follow my blog pretty consistently, you’ve probably been noticing that I have been…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] Your Circle Determines Your Growth
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Your Circle Determines Your Growth

Your Circle Determines Your Growth If you’re a hip-hop fan, you probably know of Nipsey…

Daily Dose
12 Reasons Strength Training Trumps Cardio
Training
12 Reasons Strength Training Trumps Cardio

90% of people who come to me expect that they’ll need to do a bunch…

Training
[Daily Dose] Stop living with “what if’s….
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Stop living with “what if’s….

Stop living with “what if’s…. If you ask any person who is over the age…

Daily Dose
Your Gut (The 2nd Brain) Determines Body Fat, Health, Disease and More…
Nutrition
Your Gut (The 2nd Brain) Determines Body Fat, Health, Disease and More…

The human gut, or “The Second Brain” as most are calling it – which makes…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Win The Rest of 2022, By Doing This.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Win The Rest of 2022, By Doing This.

Win The Rest of 2022, By Doing This. I think most people fail to reach…

Daily Dose
Successful Intuitive Eating (9 Step System)
Nutrition
Successful Intuitive Eating (9 Step System)

What to eat, how much to eat, timing what you eat, and then actually seeing…

Nutrition
Should YOU Be Eating Dairy? Does It Ruin Your Progress?
Nutrition
Should YOU Be Eating Dairy? Does It Ruin Your Progress?

Dairy, Dairy, Dairy…. I always hear so damn much talk and questions about it and…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Habits and Addictions Are The Same
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Habits and Addictions Are The Same

Habits and Addictions Are The Same This is crazy, but did you know that less…

Daily Dose
Eliminating Your Cravings, For Good (5 Simple Strategies)
Coaching
Eliminating Your Cravings, For Good (5 Simple Strategies)

When fat loss is the goal, cravings can be your worst nightmare… and even when…

Coaching
[Daily Dose] ALL IN or all out.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] ALL IN or all out.

ALL IN or all out. Now, I rarely recommend an all or nothing mentality… But…

Daily Dose
Is a Carb a Carb? Do Nutrients Matter? How much do I need?
Nutrition
Is a Carb a Carb? Do Nutrients Matter? How much do I need?

Is a carb a carb? Does it matter where we get our macronutrients? Or is…

Nutrition
Yoga For Meatheads (Should Weightlifters Do Yoga?)
Training
Yoga For Meatheads (Should Weightlifters Do Yoga?)

Many guys (and even gals) who are into strength training switch off when they hear…

Training
13 Bulletproof (Yet Simple) Strategies To Maintain Progress During Vacation
Nutrition
13 Bulletproof (Yet Simple) Strategies To Maintain Progress During Vacation

Swimsuit. Sun Glasses. Print Airline Tickets. Pack Car. As you go through your vacation to-do…

Nutrition
Never Give Up
Lifestyle
Never Give Up

Sometimes waiting to reach our goal can feel like an eternity, especially when that goal…

Lifestyle
"Eating Organic" – All Hype? Or Vital For Health?
Nutrition
"Eating Organic" – All Hype? Or Vital For Health?

Organic food…. Is it worth the extra money? Will you get sick and diet if…

Nutrition
Hip Mobility – Remove Low Back Pain & Improve Results in 5 Minutes or Less!
Training
Hip Mobility – Remove Low Back Pain & Improve Results in 5 Minutes or Less!

I’ve witnessed hip mobility literally save some of my client’s abilities to lift, play sports,…

Training
[Daily Dose] Eliminate These 2 Things In Order To Get Better Results
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Eliminate These 2 Things In Order To Get Better Results

Eliminate These 2 Things In Order To Get Better Results There are TWO very specific…

Daily Dose
[FREE NUTRITION COURSE] Learning How To Eat For Results, The Right Way.
Nutrition
[FREE NUTRITION COURSE] Learning How To Eat For Results, The Right Way.

Macro’s, Calories, “Clean Eating”, Food Tracking Software, Going Keto, Intermittent Fasting, Paleo… The fitness nutrition…

Nutrition
How Much Protein Can You Absorb In One Meal?
Nutrition
How Much Protein Can You Absorb In One Meal?

What Does “Protein Absorption” Mean…? From a nutritional view, absorption describes the passage of nutrients…

Nutrition
Intermittent Fasting – Everything You NEED To Know
Nutrition
Intermittent Fasting – Everything You NEED To Know

Intermittent Fasting… Talk about a dietary can of worms! Typical bodybuilders and “Meat Heads” hate…

Nutrition
Why Losing Weight Fast Is A Bad Idea.
Nutrition
Why Losing Weight Fast Is A Bad Idea.

  Losing weight fast is a very popular topic in the fitness and nutrition industry….

Nutrition
[VIDEO BLOG] Strength Training For Fat Loss
Training
[VIDEO BLOG] Strength Training For Fat Loss

When it comes to fat loss… you shouldn’t “Train for Fat Loss”… You should “Train…

Training
[Daily Dose] Winners Arent Afraid To Lose
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Winners Arent Afraid To Lose

Winner’s Aren’t Afraid To Lose. This actually comes straight out of a Chris Stapleton song,…

Daily Dose
Cortisol – The Double Edged Sword of Fat Loss and Muscle Growth
Physiology
Cortisol – The Double Edged Sword of Fat Loss and Muscle Growth

Cortisol… one of the most feared hormones, also one of the most misunderstood. It’s also…

Physiology
Time to Take Action!
Lifestyle
Time to Take Action!

These past few weekends I have had the opportunity to learn and hang with some…

Lifestyle
7 Steps to a Stress Free Life
Lifestyle
7 Steps to a Stress Free Life

Stress is everywhere and within every person out there. Very few people are completely stress…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] If people hate, it means you’re winning.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] If people hate, it means you’re winning.

If people hate, it means you’re winning. When I say hate, I don’t just mean…

Daily Dose
The Exact Breakfast For A Leaner Body [What To Eat & Why]
Nutrition
The Exact Breakfast For A Leaner Body [What To Eat & Why]

“Exactly What To Eat For Breakfast To Get A Leaner Body” Follow These Exact Breakfast…

Nutrition
The Definitive Guide to Getting Lean After Your Freshman 15
Nutrition
The Definitive Guide to Getting Lean After Your Freshman 15

As many of you probably know, the “Freshman 15” is very real. In fact, the…

Nutrition
The TRUTH About Meal Timing
Nutrition
The TRUTH About Meal Timing

The great debate of fitness nutrition has always been Nutrient/Meal Timing. I get so many…

Nutrition
Pre | Intra | Post – Mastering Your Workout Nutrition
Nutrition
Pre | Intra | Post – Mastering Your Workout Nutrition

High carb vs. low carb is a seemingly endless debate on my Instagram feed, with…

Nutrition
What I’ve Learned From Setting Targets Too Big
Lifestyle
What I’ve Learned From Setting Targets Too Big

Things that take hard work, scare you quite a bit, push you further and harder…

Lifestyle
Fit over 40
Lifestyle
Fit over 40

One thing I always hear in the gym that irritates the hell out of me…

Lifestyle
The Beginner’s Guide Series [ALL VIDEOS]
Nutrition
The Beginner’s Guide Series [ALL VIDEOS]

My goal with this blog, is to bring all of “The Beginner’s Guide” videos to…

Nutrition
A Strong Case For Tracking Macros
Nutrition
A Strong Case For Tracking Macros

You’ve probably heard of counting calories, but what about counting your macros? With any nutrition…

Nutrition
"Rich is not What you have, it’s Who you have beside you."
Lifestyle
"Rich is not What you have, it’s Who you have beside you."

Sometimes horrible things, like nightmares, can be a blessing in disguise. I had a nightmare;…

Lifestyle
How To Count Your Steps For Weight Loss
Science
How To Count Your Steps For Weight Loss

Does Your Body Adapt To NEAT Or Walking, Making Your Step Count Less Effective At…

Science
The Ultimate Protein Guide
guides
The Ultimate Protein Guide

Let’s talk Protein. Highly debated, greatly misunderstood, over-consumed by gym rats, and vastly under-consumed by…

guides
[Daily Dose] Fuck mediocrity.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Fuck mediocrity.

Fuck mediocrity. Look around. At each area of your life. Your body. Your mind. Your…

Daily Dose
Podcast Interview on "Hefty To Handsome" – A Nutrition Plan For Real People with Cody Boom Boom McBroom
Coaching
Podcast Interview on "Hefty To Handsome" – A Nutrition Plan For Real People with Cody Boom Boom McBroom

  “A Nutrition Plan For Real People”…. (Podcast Interview with Gene Fox of Hefty To…

Coaching
Probiotics and Fermented Foods (Worth The Hype?)
Nutrition
Probiotics and Fermented Foods (Worth The Hype?)

Your gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a complex organ system that digests food from your mouth…

Nutrition
The Ultimate Evidence Based Supplement Guide
guides
The Ultimate Evidence Based Supplement Guide

The supplement industry is MASSIVE. In fact, it’s currently a 36.6 Billion Dollar Industry. Crazy,…

guides
Getting Through The Holidays [Without Ruining Your Progress]
Nutrition
Getting Through The Holidays [Without Ruining Your Progress]

The holidays are a time for friends, family, and yes, lots of good food! But…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] 6 Quotes + 3 Steps To Supercharge Your Monday
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] 6 Quotes + 3 Steps To Supercharge Your Monday

6 Quotes + 3 Steps To Supercharge Your Monday Today, I need to bring some…

Daily Dose
Top 4 Nutritional Questions, Answered
Nutrition
Top 4 Nutritional Questions, Answered

Being in the fitness industry I get a TON of questions about just about everything,…

Nutrition
"Selfish" or "Self-Interested"
Nutrition
"Selfish" or "Self-Interested"

Are you Selfish? Or Self-Interested…? Have you ever felt selfish for trying to start something…

Nutrition
Top 3 Most Under-Rated Supplements
Nutrition
Top 3 Most Under-Rated Supplements

Whenever I get questions about supplements it always makes me laugh because it leads to…

Nutrition
Your Bikini Competition Crash Course (What-To-Know Before Competing)
Coaching
Your Bikini Competition Crash Course (What-To-Know Before Competing)

Heading into my first bikini competition I had at least one hundred random questions.  Even…

Coaching
Get Shredded for Summer! [Free Diet Plan]
Nutrition
Get Shredded for Summer! [Free Diet Plan]

  What is the best fat loss diet plan? I always get that question and…

Nutrition
[VIDEO] Individualizing Your Calorie Intake
Nutrition
[VIDEO] Individualizing Your Calorie Intake

The key to actually seeing success from a nutrition plan or diet protocol, is individualizing…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] The Greats and YOU… Are the same.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The Greats and YOU… Are the same.

The Greats and YOU… Are the same. Here’s some crazy facts for you, to show…

Daily Dose
The Thanksgiving Blueprint: [ How To Avoid Ruining YOUR Results ]
Nutrition
The Thanksgiving Blueprint: [ How To Avoid Ruining YOUR Results ]

Turkey Day is upon us and if you’re as excited as I am, then you’re…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] MJ, Kobe, Tom Brady… You.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] MJ, Kobe, Tom Brady… You.

MJ, Kobe, Tom Brady… You. Full context here – I don’t like watching sports, AT…

Daily Dose
Boom Boom’s Excellent Adventure: Episode 1
Coaching
Boom Boom’s Excellent Adventure: Episode 1

Wow… I have a lot of respect for bodybuilders, bikini and physique competitors. Well, I…

Coaching
Shut Up and Listen!
Lifestyle
Shut Up and Listen!

After reading the title your problem wondering, “What in the hell will Boom Boom be…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] The Pursuit of Fulfillment
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The Pursuit of Fulfillment

The Pursuit of Fulfillment Someone asked me on my IG story Q&A the other day,…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The gift is WITHIN the process…
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The gift is WITHIN the process…

The gift is WITHIN the process… This week we’re hosting a coaching mastermind at the…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Why you hate Monday.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Why you hate Monday.

Why you hate Monday. Hating Monday is a sign that you have a lack of…

Daily Dose
Artificial Sweeteners: Good or Bad? Diet Help or Danger?
Nutrition
Artificial Sweeteners: Good or Bad? Diet Help or Danger?

Artificial sweeteners were created to make food taste better without adding calories. Some of the…

Nutrition
The Hero’s Journey To Total Transformation
Nutrition
The Hero’s Journey To Total Transformation

If you’re a movie geek like me, you know exactly what the hero’s journey truly is….

Nutrition
Overfeeding and Weight Gain (What Science Says About Our Metabolic Processes)
Nutrition
Overfeeding and Weight Gain (What Science Says About Our Metabolic Processes)

The fear of gaining weight is real. People who have lost a large amount of…

Nutrition
Cardio 101 (8 Proven Methods To Upgrade Your Conditioning)
Training
Cardio 101 (8 Proven Methods To Upgrade Your Conditioning)

Cardio is something that most of us avoid, some of us hate, and very few…

Training
Are you eating enough?
Nutrition
Are you eating enough?

This is a question that I personally have had to ask many clients, even myself…

Nutrition
Metabolic Adaptation: Why Dieting Slows Down Your Metabolism & How To Fix It
guides
Metabolic Adaptation: Why Dieting Slows Down Your Metabolism & How To Fix It

Metabolic adaptation has many names. It is referred to as “starvation mode” or “metabolic damage”…

guides
"The Handful Diet" – Infographic, Meal Prep Template
Nutrition
"The Handful Diet" – Infographic, Meal Prep Template

For a printable version,that you can use at home or on the go to stay…

Nutrition
Getting Your Period Back
Nutrition
Getting Your Period Back

This article does not contain medical advice. If you are experiencing symptoms of amenorrhea, please…

Nutrition
Nutrition For Pregnancy [Fueling Your Body Pre, During, & Post Pregnancy]
Nutrition
Nutrition For Pregnancy [Fueling Your Body Pre, During, & Post Pregnancy]

So you’re growing a human (or maybe thinking about growing a human) and therefore, you’re…

Nutrition
Resistance. The #1 Thing Holding Us Back.
Coaching
Resistance. The #1 Thing Holding Us Back.

Overcoming resistance is success, period. To achieve a result, we need to overcome resistance. And…

Coaching
Dad Bod Epidemic (10 Steps To Avoiding The Dad Bod)
Nutrition
Dad Bod Epidemic (10 Steps To Avoiding The Dad Bod)

Fatherhood…. WOW IT’S APPROACHING FAST!! Within a week, I will be having my baby. Which…

Nutrition
Is Flexible Dieting Good For Weight Loss? IIFYM vs. Meal Plans
Nutrition
Is Flexible Dieting Good For Weight Loss? IIFYM vs. Meal Plans

Is Flexible or Rigid Dieting Better For Weight Loss? People who use a flexible diet…

Nutrition
The 10 Training Commandments
Training
The 10 Training Commandments

  After the popularity of my article, “The 10 Diet Commandments”, I decided to bring…

Training
[Daily Dose] Cultivate Your Power Tribe.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Cultivate Your Power Tribe.

Cultivate Your Power Tribe. I’m really struggling to find the words for this daily dose……

Daily Dose
Your Nutrition Strategy Heading Into The Open
Nutrition
Your Nutrition Strategy Heading Into The Open

Do you workout fasted or are you one of those people who absolutely has to…

Nutrition
Why I Love Weight Watchers…
Nutrition
Why I Love Weight Watchers…

Yes, I love weight watchers. And no, this is not a joke. What most people…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Be A Leader, Not A Follower.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Be A Leader, Not A Follower.

Be A Leader, Not A Follower. If you’re reading this, it means you want to…

Daily Dose
The Ultimate Fat Loss Plan (The Final 5%)
Nutrition
The Ultimate Fat Loss Plan (The Final 5%)

I received a question on instagram the other day that said, “What would be your…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Self Limiting Behaviors.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Self Limiting Behaviors.

Self Limiting Behaviors. Hey… You or someone you know NEEDS to read this. So please,…

Daily Dose
6 Easy Changes To Kick Start Your Fitness Journey
Lifestyle
6 Easy Changes To Kick Start Your Fitness Journey

So you want to start exercising and eating “clean,” but where do you start? There…

Lifestyle
The Ultimate Guide To Cardio For Fat Loss
Fat Loss
The Ultimate Guide To Cardio For Fat Loss

Cardio For Fat Loss This article is more than likely the most in-depth AND practically…

Fat Loss
[Daily Dose] But what if you gain the weight back…?
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] But what if you gain the weight back…?

But what if you gain the weight back…? This is a VERY common question we…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Become Your Own Stoic.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Become Your Own Stoic.

Become Your Own Stoic. You ever wonder how stoics and the old famous philosophers became…

Daily Dose
[VIDEO BLOG] The Purpose of Reverse Dieting
Nutrition
[VIDEO BLOG] The Purpose of Reverse Dieting

Reverse Dieting… This is a really hot topic right now, but why? What’s the ACTUAL purpose…

Nutrition
Top 7 Nutrition Mistakes CrossFit Athletes Make
Nutrition
Top 7 Nutrition Mistakes CrossFit Athletes Make

CrossFit is an incredibly demanding sport and taxing on the body. A combination of pure…

Nutrition
"Fat-Burning Foods" [ Truth or Myth? ]
Nutrition
"Fat-Burning Foods" [ Truth or Myth? ]

Do you ever read media titles that say things like, “Eat Salmon to burn MORE…

Nutrition
Why You Are Fat, Lazy and Tired All The Time.
Lifestyle
Why You Are Fat, Lazy and Tired All The Time.

I know the title of this article is a little harsh, blunt and “in your…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] You should love how you look!
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] You should love how you look!

You should love how you look! If you don’t know what copywriting is, it’s the…

Daily Dose
"Post College Party Pouch"- Losing Weight After College
Nutrition
"Post College Party Pouch"- Losing Weight After College

College is full of beer, parties and cheap microwave dinners and although that may sound…

Nutrition
Navigating Through The Holidays (Realistic Holiday Health Outcomes)
Lifestyle
Navigating Through The Holidays (Realistic Holiday Health Outcomes)

This isn’t your typical “Thanksgiving Survival Guide” nutrition blog that’s going to save you from…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] Repeat After Me…
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Repeat After Me…

Repeat After Me… This will be short, not necessarily sweet, and very much to the…

Daily Dose
Maximizing Your Performance During The CrossFit Open
Nutrition
Maximizing Your Performance During The CrossFit Open

Five weeks of serious CrossFit action coming at us as we’re only a month away…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] The Correct Way To Diet…
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The Correct Way To Diet…

The Correct Way To Diet… Unfortunately, there’s A LOT of bad diet advice out there……

Daily Dose
Nutrition Periodization (The Revised and Simplified Guide)
Nutrition
Nutrition Periodization (The Revised and Simplified Guide)

Nutrition periodization is something that I’ve been passionate about teaching for a long time now….

Nutrition
The Stress ≤ Recovery Paradigm
Lifestyle
The Stress ≤ Recovery Paradigm

The Recovery Paradigm, something not many talk about – yet 100% of people are affected…

Lifestyle
‘Cheat Meals’, Refeeds & Diet-Breaks – What Actually Works
Nutrition
‘Cheat Meals’, Refeeds & Diet-Breaks – What Actually Works

“Cheat Meal”… The two most holy words in the diet vocabulary that every single client…

Nutrition
Do Macro-Based Diets Actually Work? (The What, Why, & How of IIFYM)
Nutrition
Do Macro-Based Diets Actually Work? (The What, Why, & How of IIFYM)

Macro based diets are pretty common inside of the nutrition world right now (have been…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] “SHUT UP, WEAK-BRAIN! // Speak up, strong-brain!”
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] “SHUT UP, WEAK-BRAIN! // Speak up, strong-brain!”

“SHUT UP, WEAK-BRAIN! // Speak up, strong-brain!” I committed to a handful of habits for…

Daily Dose
The Liver Detox Diet (Not Your Average ‘Quick Fix’Detox)
Lifestyle
The Liver Detox Diet (Not Your Average ‘Quick Fix’Detox)

The liver is the main organ in charge of detoxification. It constantly “clears out” toxins…

Lifestyle
3 Reasons You NEED Mobility To Lose More Fat
Training
3 Reasons You NEED Mobility To Lose More Fat

What is Mobility?   If your goal is fat loss, you NEED to incorporate mobility…

Training
Are You Progressing? [FREE GUIDE: Key Strategies To Progressing Your Training For Results]
Training
Are You Progressing? [FREE GUIDE: Key Strategies To Progressing Your Training For Results]

Anyone who is into bodybuilding, or even just training for specific goals and results, knows…

Training
What SHOULD & SHOULDN’T Run Through Your Mind, On Your Death Bed
Lifestyle
What SHOULD & SHOULDN’T Run Through Your Mind, On Your Death Bed

I get asked the questions, “If I could recommend one book, what would it be?”…

Lifestyle
The Hypertrophy Guide
Science
The Hypertrophy Guide

First, let’s define hypertrophy and why you may want to strive for it: hy·per·tro·phy /hīˈpərtrəfē/…

Science
[Daily Dose] ACTION → RESULTS → MOTIVATION
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] ACTION → RESULTS → MOTIVATION

ACTION → RESULTS → MOTIVATION Want to know how to unlock unlimited motivation…? Take action…

Daily Dose
Low Calorie Foods That Fill You Up
guides
Low Calorie Foods That Fill You Up

When you think about hunger, what comes to mind?  Pain in your abdomen or a…

guides
The Training Solution For Those Who "Don’t Have The Time"
Lifestyle
The Training Solution For Those Who "Don’t Have The Time"

Making enough time for fitness seems to be a pretty common roadblock amongst people. In…

Lifestyle
Intermittent Fasting and Time Restricted Feeding [Magic or Myth?]
Nutrition
Intermittent Fasting and Time Restricted Feeding [Magic or Myth?]

Raise your hand if you’ve ever had someone tell you how amazing Intermittent Fasting is? …

Nutrition
EPISODE 7: Be Accountable, Become Successful
Nutrition
EPISODE 7: Be Accountable, Become Successful

Damn, it’s already week 7… I don’t mean “Damn” like it’s ONLY week 7, but…

Nutrition
Cody McBroom holding a pile of books
Reverse Dieting, Body Recomposition, and How To Train While Cutting
Nutrition
Reverse Dieting, Body Recomposition, and How To Train While Cutting

Every single month, our Chief Science Officer Dr. Brandon Roberts puts together a Research Review…

Nutrition
A Day in The ‘Not So Average’ Life of Boom-Boom : Vlog Ep.1
Lifestyle
A Day in The ‘Not So Average’ Life of Boom-Boom : Vlog Ep.1

Tune in to what a Day in My Life looks like… We go from my…

Lifestyle
Intuitive Eating Sounds Great, But What If I Still Want To Lose Weight?
Coaching
Intuitive Eating Sounds Great, But What If I Still Want To Lose Weight?

“Can’t I just eat ‘intuitively’ and lose weight?” I have been asked this too many…

Coaching
Concurrent Training: A Practical Guide, Backed By Science
guides
Concurrent Training: A Practical Guide, Backed By Science

Introduction: What is Concurrent Training? Concurrent training consists of combining aerobic/anaerobic training (e.g., long distance…

guides
Muscle Growth For The Female Lifter
Nutrition
Muscle Growth For The Female Lifter

Gaining – a scary word for most women to hear or even think about, especially…

Nutrition
21 Rep Schemes To End Training Boredom (And Shock New Muscle Growth)
Training
21 Rep Schemes To End Training Boredom (And Shock New Muscle Growth)

At some point in your training, the basics just get boring. Let’s face it. 5×5,…

Training
5 Tips For More Consistency
Training
5 Tips For More Consistency

  So many times we, yes I’m including myself, want to add all the little…

Training
The Elimination Diet
Nutrition
The Elimination Diet

“Why on earth would I want to completely remove all that stuff, which I enjoy…

Nutrition
Quick Fix For Low Back Pain
Training
Quick Fix For Low Back Pain

Low back pain is probably one of the most common issues of pain within the…

Training
What Happens If You Eat Too Much Protein? (More Protein = More Fat Loss…)
Nutrition
What Happens If You Eat Too Much Protein? (More Protein = More Fat Loss…)

What is Protein Overfeeding? Protein overfeeding, commonly known as over-eating protein to the everyday individual,…

Nutrition
Is It Healthy To Be A Vegetarian? (Putting Ethics Aside)
Lifestyle
Is It Healthy To Be A Vegetarian? (Putting Ethics Aside)

What is the healthiest way to eat? What is the best way to eat to…

Lifestyle
How to Create A Fat Loss Meal Plan
Nutrition
How to Create A Fat Loss Meal Plan

First we need to define and differentiate the different kinds of diets you can follow…

Nutrition
EPISODE 8: Trust The Process
Nutrition
EPISODE 8: Trust The Process

Week 7 is complete, week 8 is here and my physique show feels like it…

Nutrition
10 Ways To Kill Cravings
Nutrition
10 Ways To Kill Cravings

When you’re on a diet, one of the most annoying things you’re going to come…

Nutrition
7 things you didn’t know about carbs (but need to)
Nutrition
7 things you didn’t know about carbs (but need to)

Carbs, carbs, carbs… love them or hate them they’re a topic to discuss because they’re…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Understand Your Pain, Double Your Progress
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Understand Your Pain, Double Your Progress

Understand Your Pain, Double Your Progress If you don’t know what copywriting is, it’s the…

Daily Dose
15 Challenging Workout Finishers You Need To Try
Training
15 Challenging Workout Finishers You Need To Try

You just finished your workout—you’re semi-gassed out, sweating from head to toe, each of your…

Training
[Daily Dose] The 80/10/10 Rule.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The 80/10/10 Rule.

The 80/10/10 Rule. This is a training principle that I teach many of my clients,…

Daily Dose
5 Recipes That’ll Make You Want To ‘Eat Yo Greens!’
Nutrition
5 Recipes That’ll Make You Want To ‘Eat Yo Greens!’

One of the biggest struggles for me when I started “Dieting”, I hate that word…

Nutrition
Intermittent Fasting
Nutrition
Intermittent Fasting

  Intermittent fasting has been expanding in popularity right now more than ever and tons…

Nutrition
[VIDEO BLOG] The Smartest Approach To Program Design
Training
[VIDEO BLOG] The Smartest Approach To Program Design

Training program design, is a pretty big deal. I mean… it’s LITERALLY the thing that…

Training
[Daily Dose] TRY HARDER.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] TRY HARDER.

TRY HARDER. Try harder. Period. And I should just end it here. Because honestly… why…

Daily Dose
Biofeedback (The Most Important Metrics You’re Not Tracking)
Nutrition
Biofeedback (The Most Important Metrics You’re Not Tracking)

“Biofeedback…? What exactly is that and why should I care about it?” Biofeedback – a…

Nutrition
Everything You Need To Know About Carb-Cycling
guides
Everything You Need To Know About Carb-Cycling

Following a diet can be hard – psychologically, physiologically, and physically. Meaning, the diet is…

guides
The Battle Against Carbs
Nutrition
The Battle Against Carbs

    So many people have a confusion towards carbs and don’t know how to treat…

Nutrition
The Decline Of Male Testosterone (Why It’s At An All Time Low)
Nutrition
The Decline Of Male Testosterone (Why It’s At An All Time Low)

Testosterone is perhaps the most well known and most sought after hormone in the male…

Nutrition
Periodizing Your Nutrition (The Key To Results That Last)
Nutrition
Periodizing Your Nutrition (The Key To Results That Last)

Ok, first of all… “What the hell is periodization?” – Glad you asked: Periodization –…

Nutrition
What Are The Health Benefits To Eating Organ Meat?
Nutrition
What Are The Health Benefits To Eating Organ Meat?

Food fads come and go. An acai bowl one year, hemp hearts the next. Superfoods…

Nutrition
The G-Flux Theory: Eat More, Move More, Burn More…?
Nutrition
The G-Flux Theory: Eat More, Move More, Burn More…?

Our bodies are remarkable at adapting to different stimuli that we can then manipulate to…

Nutrition
The Funeral Question
Lifestyle
The Funeral Question

So…. It’s Monday…. Another week, but unlike the mass majority of the population… this gets…

Lifestyle
[VIDEO BLOG] Paleo Vs. Macros (Which One’s Better…?)
Nutrition
[VIDEO BLOG] Paleo Vs. Macros (Which One’s Better…?)

Paleo vs. Macros… This debate has and probably will go on for eternity in the nutrition…

Nutrition
The "Handful" Diet
Nutrition
The "Handful" Diet

What you will find here today is, in my opinion, the easiest possible diet to…

Nutrition
Fitness Gimmicks VS. Lifestyle/Habits
Training
Fitness Gimmicks VS. Lifestyle/Habits

Everybody see’s all the gimmicks when it comes to fitness and the fads the industry…

Training
How To Create The Most Effective Full Body Training Program
guides
How To Create The Most Effective Full Body Training Program

Full Body vs. Split Training…? Which is better? This question has been answered by 1,000,000…

guides
The Complete Guide To Using Cluster Sets (What? Why? How?)
guides
The Complete Guide To Using Cluster Sets (What? Why? How?)

Cluster Sets are a training method that has been around for a VERY long period…

guides
The World’s Greatest Morning Routine (Use This Proven Point System)
guides
The World’s Greatest Morning Routine (Use This Proven Point System)

That’s a bold statement… the world’s GREATEST morning routine. But in all honesty, I truly…

guides
The Recovery Guide (What’s Worth Your Time and What’s Not)
Nutrition
The Recovery Guide (What’s Worth Your Time and What’s Not)

Sauna, ice baths, cryotherapy, steam room, massages… with so many ever increasing recovery methods it…

Nutrition
11 Life Changing Facts About Intermittent Fasting
Nutrition
11 Life Changing Facts About Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting is a pretty popular, yet controversial, topic that’s been floating around in the…

Nutrition
EPISODE 12: Pancakes, Abs & Chasing Unicorns
Nutrition
EPISODE 12: Pancakes, Abs & Chasing Unicorns

LESS THAN 2 WEEKS OUT!!!! Wow…. I think it finally hit me that I will…

Nutrition
Cardio vs. Lifting… What’s Better For Fat Loss?
Training
Cardio vs. Lifting… What’s Better For Fat Loss?

Cardio vs. Lifting.  Which is better for fat loss or improved body composition?  As with…

Training
Research Roundup (Exercise Order and Fast vs. Slow Weight Loss)
Nutrition
Research Roundup (Exercise Order and Fast vs. Slow Weight Loss)

Each month I will cover two research articles on nutrition, training, sleep, supplements, or anything…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] 9 Habits That Increase Dietary Success
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] 9 Habits That Increase Dietary Success

9 Habits That Increase Dietary Success When it comes to ACTUALLY seeing success from your…

Daily Dose
Does Cortisol Affect Fat Loss?
Hormones
Does Cortisol Affect Fat Loss?

Do High Cortisol Levels Prevent Fat Loss From Occurring? [Research Review] Cortisol is a glucocorticoid…

Hormones
25 Ways To Be Awesome
Lifestyle
25 Ways To Be Awesome

Being awesome is to say the least, well its awesome. So in my opinion everyone…

Lifestyle
Become Lean AND Healthy, Long-Term
Lifestyle
Become Lean AND Healthy, Long-Term

  When I reflect back on all that I’ve been through in this lifestyle of…

Lifestyle
38 Tips To Burn MORE Fat
Nutrition
38 Tips To Burn MORE Fat

The second I finished my “46 Tips to Build More Muscle” blog, I knew I…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] The 10 Training Commandments.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The 10 Training Commandments.

The 10 Training Commandments. Full transparency, I stole these from another strength coach (Ben Bruno)….

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] It’s Boring & Un-Sexy… But it WORKS.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] It’s Boring & Un-Sexy… But it WORKS.

It’s Boring & Un-Sexy… But it WORKS. Have you ever noticed that the strategies, methods,…

Daily Dose
Metabolic Adaptation and Concurrent Training [October Research Round Up]
Nutrition
Metabolic Adaptation and Concurrent Training [October Research Round Up]

Each month I will cover two research articles on nutrition, training, sleep, supplements, or anything…

Nutrition
Death To The Meal Plan [5 Reasons Why Your Meal Plan Failed & Will Keep Failing]
Nutrition
Death To The Meal Plan [5 Reasons Why Your Meal Plan Failed & Will Keep Failing]

I’m going to try and keep this one short and too the point – notice…

Nutrition
Sleep = Results Part 2
Lifestyle
Sleep = Results Part 2

 So we talked about sleep and why it directly links to your results in the…

Lifestyle
8 Ways To Handle Your Diet On Christmas
Nutrition
8 Ways To Handle Your Diet On Christmas

1.) Don’t Stress, Have Fun! Might seem weird that the first tip for not ruining…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] The Intention-Behavior Gap.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The Intention-Behavior Gap.

The Intention-Behavior Gap. This is crazy, but did you know that less than 50% of…

Daily Dose
11 Things to Step Up Your Diet Game
Nutrition
11 Things to Step Up Your Diet Game

1.)  Water.  I put this as number one because it is obvious but not done…

Nutrition
Should YOU Take a Cheat Meal?!
Nutrition
Should YOU Take a Cheat Meal?!

The biggest question I get with this subject is obvious, “Do cheat meals/days actually work?!”….

Nutrition
The Pursuit Of Happiness: 5 Steps to a Happier Lifestyle
Lifestyle
The Pursuit Of Happiness: 5 Steps to a Happier Lifestyle

Sometimes the most important thing in life is to simply just be a good person……

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] “WHY NOT YOU….?”
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] “WHY NOT YOU….?”

“WHY NOT YOU….?” There’s something about being a human that innately slows you down or…

Daily Dose
How to Intensify Your Workout: 7 Proven Training Techniques
Training
How to Intensify Your Workout: 7 Proven Training Techniques

How to Intensify Your Workout: 7 Proven Training Techniques What happens when you feel your…

Training
The Volume Battle (How Training Progression Works)
guides
The Volume Battle (How Training Progression Works)

This article is a dive into the science of volume for optimizing hypertrophy. I encourage…

guides
Sleep = Results
Lifestyle
Sleep = Results

For as long as man has been around people have always said how important sleep…

Lifestyle
EPISODE 11: Surviving The Struggle
Nutrition
EPISODE 11: Surviving The Struggle

I’m just over 2 weeks away from my first physique competition and the closer I…

Nutrition
Being Real About CrossFit – The Good and The Bad
Nutrition
Being Real About CrossFit – The Good and The Bad

For the past 6 months, I’ve been infatuated with CrossFit. And when I say CrossFit,…

Nutrition
Finding Your Protein Flavor
Nutrition
Finding Your Protein Flavor

What is Protein Powder Good For? Intense workouts cause damage to our muscles and we…

Nutrition
How To Individualize Your Nutrition Plan (8 Ways To Tailor Your Diet)
Nutrition
How To Individualize Your Nutrition Plan (8 Ways To Tailor Your Diet)

To Individualize what you do, is not only the most optimal way to see results;…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] If you take offense, you probably don’t take action
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] If you take offense, you probably don’t take action

If you take offense, you probably don’t take action Nothing is going to slow you…

Daily Dose
Does Periodization Matter For Hypertrophy Training?
Science
Does Periodization Matter For Hypertrophy Training?

What is Training Periodization? Periodization is the manipulation of training variables over time to reach…

Science
How Much Protein Is Too Much? [What The Research Says]
Nutrition
How Much Protein Is Too Much? [What The Research Says]

I have heard countless times, whether in magazines, from YouTubers, vegans and even health professionals…

Nutrition
Second podcast
Coaching
Second podcast
Coaching
CASE STUDY CLIENT [Breaking The Diet-Rebound Cycle]
Coaching
CASE STUDY CLIENT [Breaking The Diet-Rebound Cycle]

Goodbye All-or-nothing Mindset, Hello sustainable Weight Loss! Maybe you can relate – You are great…

Coaching
"The Perfect Diet: Paleo + IIFYM + Intermittent Fasting" Ft. on DrJohnRusin.com
Nutrition
"The Perfect Diet: Paleo + IIFYM + Intermittent Fasting" Ft. on DrJohnRusin.com

Getting stuck into a dogmatic approach or claiming a “camp” with your nutrition, is dumb….

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] SIMPLICITY > complexity.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] SIMPLICITY > complexity.

SIMPLICITY > complexity. Have you ever noticed that successful people are always telling you to…

Daily Dose
Clean Eating VS. Tracking Macros
Nutrition
Clean Eating VS. Tracking Macros

So here’s my take on the “Clean Eating” diet… It can make you fatter, not…

Nutrition
Top 10 Principles For Results Based Nutrition [Printable Infographic]
Nutrition
Top 10 Principles For Results Based Nutrition [Printable Infographic]

For a printable version of this, for you to keep, click here .

Nutrition
HIIT vs. LISS: What Cardio Strategy Burns More Fat?
Fat Loss
HIIT vs. LISS: What Cardio Strategy Burns More Fat?

HIIT vs. LISS: Which Works Best and When To Use Them Introduction A common question…

Fat Loss
Blue Light Blockers (Benefit or BS?) and Trainings Effect on Sleep: Research Roundup w/ Dr. Brandon Roberts
Science
Blue Light Blockers (Benefit or BS?) and Trainings Effect on Sleep: Research Roundup w/ Dr. Brandon Roberts

Each month I will cover two research articles on nutrition, training, sleep, supplements, or anything…

Science
How Paleo Can Excel YOUR Results, Long-Term!
Nutrition
How Paleo Can Excel YOUR Results, Long-Term!

Paleo, paleo, paleo… Paleo is everywhere now! But really, what is paleo? Is it even…

Nutrition
Designing The Perfect Workout Finisher
Training
Designing The Perfect Workout Finisher

Let’s talk about finishers. First – what exactly IS a finisher? You can’t beat the…

Training
EPISODE 3: The Successful Mindset & Attitude
Lifestyle
EPISODE 3: The Successful Mindset & Attitude

Two weeks down…. Only ten more to go. Damn… TEN?! I think time has slowed…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] Is Your Body A Sports Car? Or A Junk-Yard Cruiser?
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Is Your Body A Sports Car? Or A Junk-Yard Cruiser?

Is Your Body A Sports Car? Or A Junk-Yard Cruiser? Would you trade your life…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Your Time is Worth More Than Money.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Your Time is Worth More Than Money.

Your Time is Worth More Than Money. I’m the type of person who values his…

Daily Dose
The Ultimate Fat Burning Supplement Stack (Backed By Science)
Fat Loss
The Ultimate Fat Burning Supplement Stack (Backed By Science)

  Fat Burning Supplement Stack Table of Contents The Ultimate Fat Burning Supplement Stack Create…

Fat Loss
25 Reasons Low Carb Diets Suck
Nutrition
25 Reasons Low Carb Diets Suck

Low Carb Diets… I’m not a fan. Just being honest. Why? Well, let me give…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] FULFILLMENT > satisfaction
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] FULFILLMENT > satisfaction

FULFILLMENT > satisfaction Something I’ve always struggled with is not being satisfied with anything… I…

Daily Dose
What Does Your Body Store As Fat Easiest? Carbs vs. Fats
Nutrition
What Does Your Body Store As Fat Easiest? Carbs vs. Fats

Is it harder for the body to store carbs as fat, than it is to…

Nutrition
One Rep Max Calculator (Tool + Supporting Research)
Training
One Rep Max Calculator (Tool + Supporting Research)

The 1RM (One Rep Max) Calculator An Introduction To The 1RM Calculator (One Rep Max) …

Training
EPISODE 10: Monster Mentality
Nutrition
EPISODE 10: Monster Mentality

Week 10 is here and for lack of better words… Shit just got real! Actually,…

Nutrition
The Athlete’s Guide To Weight Cutting
Coaching
The Athlete’s Guide To Weight Cutting

This is not a guide for how to quickly lose 10 pounds of fat, so…

Coaching
Harnessing the Power of Antioxidants: Your Complete Guide
Nutrition
Harnessing the Power of Antioxidants: Your Complete Guide

Welcome to our ultimate guide to antioxidants. This is your go-to resource for everything you…

Nutrition
6 Vitamins That Actually Get You Jacked (That You Can Find At Any Grocery Store)
Nutrition
6 Vitamins That Actually Get You Jacked (That You Can Find At Any Grocery Store)

The reason I’m writing this is simple… I kind of hate the supplement industry, to…

Nutrition
LEAVE A LEGACY, LIVE FOREVER.
Coaching
LEAVE A LEGACY, LIVE FOREVER.

It’s tough for us to say, but we will all someday be dead. Finished. Non-existent….

Coaching
Can I Exercise with a Muscle Strain?
Science
Can I Exercise with a Muscle Strain?

Muscle strains seem to happen at the most inopportune time. They are a common injury…

Science
The PMS Cure (Natural Ways To Improve Your Hormones and Your Periods)
Nutrition
The PMS Cure (Natural Ways To Improve Your Hormones and Your Periods)

Pinch me, I think I’m dreaming!! – The first time I read that I can…

Nutrition
The Essential Guide to Salmon Nutrition and Its Health Advantages
Micronutrient Index
The Essential Guide to Salmon Nutrition and Its Health Advantages

Salmon, known for its rich flavor and nutritional value, holds a significant place in various…

Micronutrient Index
The Complete Guide To Dietary Fats
guides
The Complete Guide To Dietary Fats

Dietary fats are essential to give your body energy and to support cell growth, they…

guides
[Daily Dose] What If You Couldn’t Fail…?
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] What If You Couldn’t Fail…?

What If You Couldn’t Fail…? I was asked this question recently and it literally stopped…

Daily Dose
What Type of Protein Powder is Most Effective?
Nutrition
What Type of Protein Powder is Most Effective?

While there aren’t many supplements we at BBP recommend to clients, protein powder is one…

Nutrition
Top Strategies For Mastering Your Meal Prep
Nutrition
Top Strategies For Mastering Your Meal Prep

When counting macros, consistency is the name of the game! I’m sure you’ve heard nutrition…

Nutrition
Why Fad Diet’s Work… At First.
Nutrition
Why Fad Diet’s Work… At First.

Fad diets do work, at first. And then the results slowly taper off until they…

Nutrition
Keto: The Best or The Worst Diet For Fat Loss?
Nutrition
Keto: The Best or The Worst Diet For Fat Loss?

A recent study showed that keto doesn’t work like many people once thought it did……

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Success is how you SEE it.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Success is how you SEE it.

Success is how you SEE it. 90% of the results you see are pre-determined based…

Daily Dose
The Final 10lbs…
Nutrition
The Final 10lbs…

The last 10lbs… It’s like the final put in a golf game. Precision comes into…

Nutrition
High Carb vs. Low Carb… Which one is better?
Nutrition
High Carb vs. Low Carb… Which one is better?

Seems that in today’s society, specifically the dieting world, you need to be in part…

Nutrition
Training To Failure (Yes or No?) and New Year Resolutions (How To Not Fail) – February Research Review
Science
Training To Failure (Yes or No?) and New Year Resolutions (How To Not Fail) – February Research Review

*Note from Brandon: if you want to learn how to interpret research go read each…

Science
FAQ: Tracking Macros (What You Need To Know, Before Tracking Macros)
Nutrition
FAQ: Tracking Macros (What You Need To Know, Before Tracking Macros)

For years you have been calling people who track their macros, record their food, and…

Nutrition
10 Things Most Coaches Won’t Tell You (The Reality Of Fat Loss)
Nutrition
10 Things Most Coaches Won’t Tell You (The Reality Of Fat Loss)

Today on my instagram story, I shared this current progress picture of myself… (Top is now, bottom…

Nutrition
Understanding Gut Health (How Your Gut Determines Your Health)
Nutrition
Understanding Gut Health (How Your Gut Determines Your Health)

We covered probiotics a few weeks ago, which just barely scratched the surface of gut…

Nutrition
Top 3 Overrated Fads, in the Diet World
Nutrition
Top 3 Overrated Fads, in the Diet World

Today my goal is simple and hopefully a quick one… That is to break down,…

Nutrition
Your Diets Effect on Hormones & How To Benefit From Them
Nutrition
Your Diets Effect on Hormones & How To Benefit From Them

One of the most underestimated factors in achieving fitness results, which can actually be the…

Nutrition
How To Naturally Boost Your Testosterone Levels
Hormones
How To Naturally Boost Your Testosterone Levels

Introduction Testosterone is a critical hormone that plays a key role in muscle growth, fat…

Hormones
[Daily Dose] People Who Take Offense, Don’t Take Action
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] People Who Take Offense, Don’t Take Action

People Who Take Offense, Don’t Take Action Nothing is going to slow you down more…

Daily Dose
Optimizing Nutrition for Muscle Growth
Nutrition
Optimizing Nutrition for Muscle Growth

An Introduction To Nutrition for Muscle Growth When we’re thinking about gaining muscle, nutrition plays…

Nutrition
The 5 Metrics You MUST Be Measuring
Coaching
The 5 Metrics You MUST Be Measuring

Have you ever heard the saying, “what gets measured gets improved?” Progress can be measured…

Coaching
[VIDEO BLOG] In Defense Of Rigid Meal Plans…
Nutrition
[VIDEO BLOG] In Defense Of Rigid Meal Plans…

Rigid Meal Plans… you know, eating 6 meal s a day out of plastic containers…

Nutrition
13 Things That Make A Perfect Diet
Nutrition
13 Things That Make A Perfect Diet

There is no such thing as a “perfect diet”… Even though I did record a…

Nutrition
Nutrition For Endurance Athletes (An Evidence Based Approach)
Nutrition
Nutrition For Endurance Athletes (An Evidence Based Approach)

“Some races are lost with a 0.05% difference, sometimes less. In a lot of sports,…

Nutrition
Steps to Success
Lifestyle
Steps to Success

Most people do not truly understand what it takes to become successful, I’m yet to…

Lifestyle
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