As a nutritionist one thing I’ve been focused on lately is something called “metabolic flexibility.” Metabolic flexibility is the ability of the human body to ramp up the use of fuels that are more ... Continue Reading
Science Takes a More Realistic Look at Post Workout Carbs
One of the most talked about facets of nutrition for athletes is the timing of carbohydrates for performance in endurance. There are a lot of studies out there with varying results. One frustration people ... Continue Reading
Where You Buy Your Food Affects the Food You Buy
Ever wonder if where you shop for groceries or the area that you live in and the availability of high quality food options effects what you actually buy? Ever wonder if where you shop for ... Continue Reading
Healthy Hydration for Athletes: 8 Thirst-Quenching Articles
Hydration is a crucial element of maximum performance, not to mention healthy living - this is common knowledge. Nevertheless, with all the drinks out there that claim to be the best options, it can get ... Continue Reading
The Four Rs: How to Restore Optimal Gut Health
You dedicate your life to a routine: you train hard, eat right, supplement right, and try to get enough sleep. But what if all that hard work and supplementation was being sabotaged by poor gut ... Continue Reading
Science Says Post Workout Meal Not Necessary
Today’s study tries to uproot one of the most sacred tenets of strength training. It flies in the face of everything we call holy, including Sunday afternoon cookies at grandma’s house, and possibly even ... Continue Reading
What You Drink Doesn’t Matter, Just Stay Hydrated
In a recent article here on Breaking Muscle I looked at a study that reviewed the effects of a sports drink on performance during 90 minutes of cardio. There was no real difference performance-wise by ... Continue Reading
You May Not Need the Post-Workout Carbs After All
One thing we hear about from supplement companies and people at the gym is the ratio of carbohydrates to protein you need to take after a workout. If you don’t get that insulin spike you won’t be absorbing ... Continue Reading
How To Tell If Your Gut Bugs Are Out Of Whack
Last week I talked about the potential link between gut bacteria and obesity. There was a great response to the article, and one of the comments was a question asking how we assess whether or not our gut ... Continue Reading
How to Plan and Cook a Week’s Worth of Healthy, Tasty Meals
The two biggest objections I hear to eating healthier, whether it be paleo, primal, or whatever you want to call it, are that it’s too expensive and it’s hard to cook interesting meals. The truth is, ... Continue Reading
Gut Bacteria and Obesity – A Hidden Connection?
If you didn’t already know, in the late 1970s, this country adopted a near universal fear of dietary fat, and ironically, it might be what’s behind the current obesity epidemic. At a lecture the ... Continue Reading
Why Proper Sleep and Melatonin Are Absolutely Essential
Getting good quality sleep is very important for your health and fitness. Who hasn’t heard that muscle only grows when you rest? From a biochemical standpoint that might not be totally accurate, but we can ... Continue Reading
Staying Hydrated Helps Heart Rate Recover Faster
When we exercise - especially when we do cardio for extended periods - the increased metabolism results in a thermic effect. In fact, mechanical inefficiency in the conversion of energy in the actual work ... Continue Reading
How Much and How Often? 7 Articles About Protein
"Make sure you get enough protein." Seems simple enough, right? If you're an athlete you know it's not so straightforward. How much is enough? How much is too much? Do I really need supplements, and if so ... Continue Reading
Simple Answers on Protein Based on Science
One of the first nutritional concepts we begin to wonder about when we start lifting weights is protein consumption. There’s something mystifying about protein. It’s what our muscles are made out of, we ... Continue Reading
Creatine May Reduce Helpful Antioxidants
Creatine is a great supplement. It belongs on anyone’s top five supplements list if not top two or three. It’s fairly cheap, it’s proven effective at promoting better strength and endurance in adults of ... Continue Reading
10 Foods Clean-Eating Women Have in the Kitchen
You’re either making excuses or you’re finding a way to make a clean life happen. Through my experiences working with women in the Los Angeles area, I’ve learned that it’s one hell of a rat race and you ... Continue Reading
Top 10 Nutrition Articles of 2012
With all the different nutrition advice out there, it can be hard to find reliable information. When you throw in questions like, "What should I eat before I work out?" or "What supplements should I take ... Continue Reading
Is Vitamin E Good or Bad For You?
Vitamin E is the egg of the supplement world. It seems like every other year we hear how awesome it is to take vitamin E for its antioxidant effects only to hear later it’s actually bad for you. It’s hard ... Continue Reading
How to Choose the Right Nutrition Coach For You
Looking to start the New Year on the right foot with a closer look at your health? With more and more of us becoming aware of how food affects our health and well being, it’s important to seek out people ... Continue Reading
Protein Supplements Might Help Maintain Muscle
Many people often go through phases in their training. Sometimes they will use part of the year to put on some muscle, usually called a “bulking” phase. The bulking phase typically goes hand in hand with ... Continue Reading
Dissecting Anti-Nutrients: The Good and Bad of Phytic Acid
Along with saponins and lectins, phytic acid is considered an anti-nutrient, which means thoe who follow paleo nutrition have probably eliminated it from their diet. Phytic acid (aka phytate) is a ... Continue Reading
Toward a More Holistic Approach to Diet
I've lived and breathed the strength and conditioning game - first as an athlete, then as a coach/trainer - for well over 35 years now. And when it comes to questions of diet, I can tell you this: unless ... Continue Reading
Making Meals Ahead of Time Can Help You Lose Weight
Losing weight can be tough for anyone except the most motivated athlete. Whether your goal is to trim up for health, or to get leaner for your sport, we have a biological imperative to gain weight rather ... Continue Reading
