Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/

Most supplements in the fitness world are a complete waste of money.

Some supplements aren’t even absorbed well, making for some expensive urine!^[1]

Others, like “weight loss pills,” can actually be outright dangerous.^[2]

However, there are a few supplements which could be an exception to this rule.

And one of those supplements is creatine.

Creatine is one of the most popular and tested fitness supplements on the market.

Technically, it’s an amino acid derivative, but you don’t really need to know that.

That is, unless you are a chemist.

We get loads of questions here at Nerd Fitness on using creatine correctly, so today I’ll jump right in and give you the low down.

We’ll discuss everything you need to know about this supplement:

• What exactly is creatine?
• If you were to take creatine, how much should you use?
• What time of day is best for taking creatine?
• What are some of the best creatine supplements on the market?

Let’s go!

WHAT IS CREATINE?

Creatine is a naturally occurring substance found in muscle tissue.

Right now you have creatine, specifically creatine phosphate, in your body. All vertebrate animals do.  

Yes, even corgis.

Think of creatine as an energy reserve your body taps into when it needs a boost. Or like, an extra energy tank in Metroid or Mega Man.

Our bodies naturally produce creatine in our liver, pancreas, and kidneys.

We also obtain it from certain foods, because all vertebrate animals contain creatine in their muscles.

So if you eat meat, you are getting extra creatine in your diet. Red meat in particular (beef, lamb bison), has the highest levels of dietary creatine.

(Don’t eat meat? Cool. Read our plant-based guide.)

Outside of diet, people often supplement with creatine. It’s one of the more popular supplements taken, and in fact, is THE most popular supplement taken amongst college athletes.^[3]

The reason people supplement with creatine: the more creatine you consume – whether through nutrition or supplementation – the more will be found in your muscles.

Why should you care? What does creatine do, exactly?

WHAT DOES CREATINE DO?

Science time! To discuss supplementing creatine with any justice, we need to talk about ATP.

All cells rely on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for energy. It’s our body’s energy currency.

Sort of like “Mana” in World of Warcraft or Magic: The Gathering, ATP is a fuel tank for doing awesome things like running, doing pull-ups, or summoning lighting.

But much like “Mana,” ATP can be replenished only so quickly by your body. With intense enough exercise, you’ll use more ATP than your body can produce. Which means you’ll run out.

It’s why people can only sprint at 100% maximum effort for a short amount of time. You just plain run out of juice, or ATP.

And depending on how you are exercising, your body will replenish its ATP through one of three ways:

• Less than 10 seconds, for exercises like short sprints or heavy lifting, ATP is replenished with creatine phosphate stored in muscle tissue.
• 30 seconds to 2 minutes, for activities like swimming a few laps, ATP is replenished with glycogen found in your muscles.
• Greater than 2 minutes, ATP is replenished with oxygen and glucose. You can think of endurance activities for this stage.

I get it, there’s a LOT more to it than that (The three systems often blend into each other, so it’s not so clear cut).^[4]

Why I bring all of this up: your body can quickly convert creatine to ATP (in seconds).

This means the more creatine you have stored in your muscles, the longer you can utilize the phosphagen system – short and intense energy – to produce ATP.

It’s math: the more creatine you consume, the more will be found in your muscles. The more creatine you have in your muscles, the longer you should be able to sprint at max effort (or lift heavy, etc.).

Granted, there’s a point where your muscles become saturated with creatine and your body can’t hold anymore.

We’ll talk about dosage and absorption rates shortly. But first…

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CREATINE?

There is good evidence to suggest that creatine supplementation does, in fact, allow for longer periods of intense exercise by helping to produce more ATP. ^[5]

One such study found that supplementing with creatine for 28 days allowed users to increase their bike sprint by 15% and bench press performance by 6%.^[6]

This is generally why people supplement with creatine. If you can produce more energy for more intense exercises, you can workout harder.

Instead of stopping at 10 reps because of exhaustion, perhaps you can squeeze out that 11th rep if you are storing more creatine. Or instead of slowing down your sprint at 10 seconds, you keep going until 12.

If you’re looking to improve physically, being able to achieve one more rep or just a few more seconds of a sprint can be critical.

Creatine has a boatload of other benefits too:

Cell signaling. Creatine has been shown to increase satellite cell signaling, which helps your body communicate its “needs” better. I personally picture a little cell crying out “help me, I’m broken” when thinking about cell signaling. However, improvements in cell communication can have an impact on muscle repair and growth.^[7]

Cellular hydration. Creatine helps your muscles retain water, which helps them work more efficiently.^[8] Hydrated muscles perform better than dehydrated muscles, so creatine as a performance enhancer seems appropriate.

Muscle growth. Creatine supplementation has been shown to increase the hormone IGF-1, which is needed for muscle growth.^[9] In fact, the International Society and Sports Nutrition states “Creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes in terms of increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training.”^[10]

Don’t get thrown off by the “creatine monohydrate.” We’ll talk about types of creatine shortly. Just know that creatine has been shown to aid in muscle growth.

Brain health. While not technically a muscle, your brain stores creatine. Can more stored creatine help with brain health?

There is research and evidence that suggests some conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and epilepsy can all be helped by supplementing with creatine.^[11] A creatine supplement might also help with memory and cognition in the elderly.^[12]

Also, I have to highlight this study linking creatine supplementation with working memory and intelligence.^[13] This makes sense because your brain also uses ATP, which remember, creatine helps produce.^[14]

All of these studies are going to lead to a natural question…

SHOULD I SUPPLEMENT WITH CREATINE? IS TAKING CREATINE SAFE?

The use of creatine has been “extensively studied,” which makes my job of recommending it easy.^[15]

The International Society of Sports Nutrition analyzed over 500 studies on creatine usage and concluded: “There is no scientific evidence that the short- or long-term use of creatine monohydrate has any detrimental effects on otherwise healthy individuals.”  

However, we should acknowledge there is anecdotal evidence that taking creatine can cause kidney damage, dehydration, diarrhea, and an upset stomach.^[16]

Kidney damage would be the most serious of these, let’s talk about that specifically for a moment.

Again, no study has been able to verify the claim of organ damage, and kidney function with creatine supplementation has been looked at specifically.^[17]

However, if you have a history of kidney problems, it might be a good idea to talk to a doctor before you start supplementing with creatine. Better safe than sorry.

The other concern would be dehydration and diarrhea, which actually might have an easy cause and solution.

I mentioned earlier that taking creatine can help with muscle hydration. Because your muscles are holding onto more water, this leaves less water for other places. So if you start taking creatine, you should also increase your water intake!

Shoot for 16-18 ounces of water (a half liter) for every 5 grams of creatine you take. We’ll devote an entire section to dosage in just a moment.

It should also be noted, that being dehydrated puts extra stress on your kidneys. It can also cause diarrhea.

Drink water.

HOW TO TRAIN ON CREATINE

The reason creatine is so popular is because of its impact on athletic performance.

For you to receive most the benefits of supplementing creatine, you’ll need to work out. The creatine won’t lift that barbell for you.

The interesting thing about creatine: nearly any type of physical performance has been linked to improvement when combined with creatine supplementation:

Strength training. If you’re looking to grow strong, you need to lift heavy. Taking creatine has been shown to increase muscle strength.^[18] In other words, taking creatine can help you lift slightly heavier or slightly more. If you do this consistently, you could start to achieve gains faster than you would without creatine supplementation.

This is the number one reason people take creatine.

Endurance. Despite creatine’s popularity for strength training, it can also be used as a tool for endurance athletes. That’s because creatine has been shown to increase glycogen stores.^[19] If you remember our example from earlier on different metabolic ways to replenish ATP, you’ll recall that glycogen is a medium to long term energy source.

Meaning the more glycogen you have, the longer you can run. If you’re looking into improving an endurance sport, creatine might be worth checking out.

Recovery. Creatine has been shown to help reduce inflammation and muscle soreness.^[20] Shorter recovery times, means you can get back to training sooner. More gym time can equal a stronger you.

No one likes being overtly sore. Creatine may help a little here.

When you start to learn more about creatine, it makes sense why so many athletes take this supplement.

However, I do need to mention that a majority of the benefits of creatine supplementation kick in with the conjunction of a regular exercise practice.

Supplements must be combined with a good solid workout! You don’t get big muscles or faster speeds from only protein and creatine.

They need to be combined with a proper training program!

If you’re not quite sure how to get going, I’ve got a few resources for you.

The first is our Beginner Bodyweight Workout.

It’s a circuit – where you quickly go from one exercise to the next – that you can start doing tonight in your living room or basement or spaceship. It’s one of our most popular routines here at Nerd Fitness, and it’s something you can do from your own home. No gym required.

If you want someone to help guide you – and hold you accountable – we can help with that too! We have an uber-popular 1-on-1 Online Coaching program where we work with busy people just like you to complete life overhauls. We can help you start strength training, offer nutrition recommendations, or provide you with accountability and structure to start working out from home. No matter where you need to go on your fitness journey, we can help guide you there.

If you want to learn if we are a good fit for each other, click on the big box below:

COMMON MISTAKES WHEN TAKING CREATINE

So far this article has more or less come out as an advertisement for creatine supplementation.

While there are a lot of great benefits of creatine, and not much in the way of studies showing harm, we need to talk about one potential downside.

Bloating.

Since creatine helps you retain water, you might feel a little bloated after taking it. Granted, hydrated cells perform better. But it can still be uncomfortable and cosmetically unappealing to hold onto a bunch of water.

The dosage and timing of taking creatine might be a factor, which we’ll talk about soon.

However, if bloating continues to the point that it’s interfering with your life, stop supplementing with creatine.

Speaking of creatine challenges, there’s also the fear that taking too much creatine could upset your stomach.^[21]

We’ll get to proper dosage of creatine in just a moment, which might solve this.

It should be noted, that certain types of creatine are sold as “anti-bloating” and “easy on the stomach.”

Let’s talk about types and brands of creatine right now, by looking into these claims.

WHAT IS THE BEST CREATINE TO TAKE?

Creatine actually exists in multiple forms. We’ll go over each one briefly, plus give our recommendation on which type to take.

We’ll then leave you with a brand or two to try out.

First, some different types of creatine:

Creatine Monohydrate is the most common, and thus the most studied form of creatine.

It’s essentially a creatine molecule and a water molecule combined.

This would be the form of creatine we recommend. When we discuss the benefits and safety of creatine, we mean creatine monohydrate, because it’s the form that ends up being used in research.^[22]

If there is a downside to creatine monohydrate, it would be that your body might have trouble absorbing all of it.^[23] Which means you can pee a lot of it out. When people sell other types of creatine, they’ll generally claim their version has a better absorption rate.

Creatine Ethyl Ester is thought to be absorbed into the body easier than creatine monohydrate. There may be some evidence this is true.^[24]

However, when it comes to body composition, creatine monohydrate still looks to be superior.^[25]

Creatine Hydrochloride is another form of creatine that is touted as being absorbed easier than creatine monohydrate. You’ll also see claims that it won’t make you bloated.

Early evidence may back some of the claims of better absorption rates, but I would hold off on this form of creatine until more studies are done on its safety.^[26]

Buffered creatine attempts to solve the stomach issues that are anecdotally reported as a side effect of creatine consumption. This form of creatine is mixed with an alkaline powder, with attempts to make it easier to digest. So far studies on the results of these benefits are mixed.^[27]

Again, for now, I’d avoid buffered creatine until the research concludes its safety.

Hopefully, I convinced you to stick with creatine monohydrate. Again, it’s the most tested version of creatine there is, which makes it the most recommended.^[28]

Want some recommendations on brands?

The brand of creatine monohydrate I personally take: Bulk Supplements.

dotFIT is another good brand for you to check out. MyProtein also carries a good choice. Both of those are creatine monohydrate options.

If you are going to take creatine, take creatine monohydrate. Which leads to the next question…

HOW MUCH CREATINE SHOULD I TAKE?

The question “How much creatine should I take?” will lead us to the topic of creatine loading.

The theory on creatine loading goes like this: at first, you’ll want to take more creatine so your muscles start storing it in greater quantities. Then you can taper off, as your muscles will already be saturated to their max with creatine phosphate.

Studies have shown this is the most effective way to increase creatine levels in muscle.^[29]

Note, your results may vary, though the strategy below is well researched. Do what works best for you! I’m no doctor, nor do I play one on TV.

For 5 days, consume 20 grams of creatine per day to ‘load’ your muscles. After this period, then you can go to 3 to 5 grams of creatine per day.

If you’re concerned about taking 20 grams of creatine a day (more is not necessary or beneficial), the other strategy would be to just take 3 to 5 grams of creatine a day. In three to four weeks your creatine stores will be full.^[30]

If you have stomach issues with 20 grams a day, forget about loading. Stick to 3 to 5 grams a day and you’ll be fine.

This is the strategy I employ: 5 grams of creatine on training days mixed in a small amount of water, consumed like a shot, immediately following my workout.

Which leads us to…

WHEN SHOULD I TAKE CREATINE?

Studies demonstrating the best time of day to take creatine are mixed.

When it comes to “Should I take creatine before or after my exercise?” this study showed it didn’t really matter.^[31]

It might be up to your personal preference on whether to take creatine before or after your training.

However, there is evidence you should take creatine somewhere close to when you exercise.

One study split subjects into two groups. The first supplemented with creatine immediately before and immediately after their exercise. The other took creatine first thing in the morning and again at night.

The study found the first group gaining the most muscle and strength.^[32]

I would recommend taking creatine either before or after your training practice. Maybe split your intake and do a little bit of both. Take a mixture with you to the gym, start drinking it before working out and finish it right after.

On rest days, when you take creatine matters less. The point of taking creatine on a rest day is to keep the creatine phosphate content of your muscles raised for when you do workout next.

Take it whenever it is convenient on rest days. But take it close to when you workout on a training day.

THE VERDICT ON CREATINE

You don’t need to supplement with creatine.

If you’re eating a varied diet that includes a little bit of meat, you’ll be consuming and building plenty of creatine.

Our stance at Nerd Fitness: if you have a healthy diet, you don’t need to worry about any kind of supplementation. Eating nutrient dense foods like vegetables, fruits, and meat will provide you with all you need to thrive.

However, if you are strength training and looking to maximize your gains, a creatine supplement might be worth looking into.

There’s decent evidence in support of it allowing people to increase their athletic performance.^[33]

And all of the downsides of creatine don’t appear to be supported by the data.^[34] Although to be fair, more long term studies will be welcome on the safety of creatine supplementation.^[35]

However, just to be safe, if you have any history of kidney trouble, make sure you talk to a doctor first before you start supplementing with creatine.

Okay, I think that about wraps up the article on creatine.

Now I want to hear from you:

Do you have experience taking creatine? What results did you see?

Does it sound like I’m being sponsored by the supplement industry? Or am I not praising creatine enough?

What other supplements would you like me to look into?

-Steve

PS: As a reminder, if you’re looking to take creatine for a boost in athletic performance, you need to actually train. If you don’t know where to start, we can help! We offer a 1-on-1 Online Coaching program to help busy nerds just like you level up their lives.

If you want someone to tell you exactly what to do, click on the big image below to find out if we are right for each other:

###

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Research of the Week

Self-expanding activities increase sexual desire in long-term couples.

Why you’re so naked and sweaty.

New isotope analysis reveals that Neanderthals were mostly carnivorous.

Alzheimer’s can’t touch musical memories.

We have a 7th sense—the link between the brain and the immune system.

Why the zebra got his stripes.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 313: Carrie Forrest: Host Elle Russ chats with Carrie Forrest, a thyroid cancer survivor and host of the Clean Eating for Women podcast.

Episode 314: Keto: Choosing Carbs Wisely (Especially for Kombucha and Chocolate): Host Brad Kearns gives his take on the best carb sources to spend your glucose on.

Each week, select Mark’s Daily Apple blog posts are prepared as Primal Blueprint Podcasts. Need to catch up on reading, but don’t have the time? Prefer to listen to articles while on the go? Check out the new blog post podcasts below, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast here so you never miss an episode.

Media, Schmedia

Don’t do this.

Remember the CRISPR babies from last year? Turns out that obscure gene the scientist deleted—CCR5, most notably involved in resistance to AIDS—also happens to affect cognitive function.

Interesting Blog Posts

Here’s what exactly a health coach can do for you. Double that if it’s a Primal Health Coach.

The utility of genetic tests for people with autism.

Social Notes

I appeared on the Onnit Podcast with Kyle Kingsbury to talk about my mission.

Everything Else

Belarusian man beats muscle-up world record with 26 in a row.

American man unofficially beats a world record by running 10 marathons in 10 days, averaging under 3 hours for each.

Another American man trounces them all, finishing the 2,181 mile-long Appalachian Trail in 45.5 days while carrying a 25 pound pack and completely supporting himself (no team following along with food and shelter). For a great film about the previous record holder, watch this.

I wonder if they still say “namaste.”

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Good advice for those who need it: How Jocko Willink recommends you get yourself to get out of bed when you don’t feel like it.

Finding I found interesting: Psychology’s research replication crisis just got worse.

I’m totally unsurprised: High-fat diet (that’s actually also high-carb and also the fat comes from soybean oil) destroys microbial diversity in the gut. “Move away from high-fat diets,” indeed.

A film project I’m supporting because it’s that important: Diana Rodger’s Sacred Cow, a film (actually, now a docuseries) about meat and environmental sustainability that promises to counter the overwhelming barrage of vegan anti-meat propaganda. We need this.

This is jarring: Gymnastics in the 1950s alongside gymnastics in 2016. Bonus: Banned skills in gymnastics.

Question I’m Asking

What’s your mission?

Recipe Corner

• West Lake beef soup? More like Best Lake beef soup.
• Keto Italian chicken cast iron skillet meal.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Feb 17 – Feb 23)

• Restless Legs Syndrome: Causes, Factors, and Treatments – What’s going on here?
• Does the Fasting Mimicking Diet Live Up to the Hype?– Well, does it?

Comment of the Week

“Increase ferritin with an iron man and an iron pan. That’s Mark’s iron plan.”

– Pretty catchy, Clank.

The post Weekly Link Love—Edition 17 appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss

I called my dad crying and told him the bad news. On the very last run and very last jump of the day, I landed wrong on my skis and tore my ACL. The doctor said it would be at least a year before I’m weightlifting again and that I’ll need surgery to repair it. I was devastated and furious at myself for doing that jump. I began to rant about how I should have been smarter. I should have been more careful. I just spent the past six months working my ass off to come back from an ankle injury and was finally making progress in the gym.

read more

http://chriskresser.com/

We’re living in a time of incredible innovation and advancement, yet we’re sicker and more overweight than ever before. And unfortunately, there’s every indication that, based on projected statistics, many people will never get healthy and stay that way.

Some days it seems as if there’s no solution for our health woes, not to mention the pain and suffering caused by the financial burdens of chronic illness. But I can assure you that that’s far from the case and that we can break this cycle.

It’s possible to halt and even reverse the current disease epidemic—using a strategy we have access to right now. It isn’t a brand-new drug, device, or surgical procedure. The solution is ancestral health. By following the blueprint for healthy living that our hunter–gatherer ancestors laid out for us so long ago, we can stave off the long list of uniquely modern chronic conditions, stay naturally lean and fit, and age gracefully.

Chronic disease has reached epidemic levels, and modern medicine can’t seem to halt its progression. Find out how ancestral health—moving, eating, and living more like our ancestors did—can stem the rising tide of chronic illness. #paleo #healthylifestyle #chriskresser

Chronic Disease Is Common, But It Isn’t Normal

Chances are that either someone close to you has a chronic disease or you’re dealing with one yourself, if not both of these scenarios. Chronic illness is so prevalent now that it’s almost impossible to imagine life without it: six in 10 U.S. adults have a chronic disease, while four in 10 suffer with two or more chronic conditions. (1)

• Nearly six million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s. (2)
• More than 100 million Americans have either prediabetes or diabetes. (3)
• Some 50 million people in this country have an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s, rheumatoid arthritis, or multiple sclerosis. (4)
• Worldwide, an estimated 2.2 billion people are either overweight or obese; among the most populous countries, the highest prevalence of obesity can be found, you guessed it, here in the States. (5, 6)
• One-third of Americans suffer from high blood pressure, with some statistics suggesting that hypertension may actually affect half of all U.S. adults. (7, 8, 9)

Paleontological and archaeological findings have confirmed this, but perhaps the best evidence is the fact that remaining hunter–gatherer societies—who live as closely as possible to the way our Paleolithic ancestors did hundreds of thousands of years ago—don’t generally suffer from the most common chronic conditions.

One study of the Tsimané people in Bolivia found that they have a prevalence of atherosclerosis 80 percent lower than ours in the United States and that nine in 10 Tsimané adults aged 40 to 94 have completely clean arteries and no risk of heart disease. Researchers also found that the average 80-year-old Tsimané male has the same vascular age as an American in his mid-50s. (10) Studies of the Hadza of Tanzania reveal that less than 2 percent of Hadzan adults qualify as overweight. And type 2 diabetes is so rare among these and other contemporary hunter–gatherer populations that few reports looking into its prevalence even exist. (11)

Mismatch: Why Your Health Is So Different From Your Ancestors’ Health

So what happened? How did the majority of us go from being naturally inclined toward health to being seemingly guaranteed at least one debilitating diagnosis?

All organisms are adapted to survive and thrive in a particular environment. When that environment changes faster than the organism can adapt, mismatch occurs. This is a fundamental principle of evolutionary biology, and it applies to humans as much as it applies to any other organism in nature.

Our environment is almost unrecognizable from that of our ancestors, and we aren’t  eating, moving, or resting like the hunter–gatherers that we still are, biologically. We know from hard evidence that this mismatch—pitting environment against biology—is the primary driver of chronic disease.

Some of the starkest examples of this include studies and observations of existing 21st century hunter–gatherers reporting that when they leave their villages and trade their traditional ways for a Western lifestyle, they develop diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular complications. (12, 13)

Back in Balance: The Basics of an Ancestral Lifestyle

It’s clear: the fastest way to recover your natural health is to return to a way of eating and living that more closely matches what your genes and biology are designed for. I’ve written and talked extensively about this approach online, in my books, and on my podcast, but here’s a broad overview to set you on the path, right now, to reclaiming your vitality through ancestral health.

Eat Real, Nourishing, High-Quality Foods

We know, without a doubt, that our Paleolithic ancestors ate animal products. Indeed, most researchers believe that consuming meat and fish is what led to our larger brains and smaller guts compared to other primates. (14, 15, 16) Though no ancestral population following a completely vegetarian or vegan diet has ever been discovered, it’s evident that hunter–gatherers did also enjoy plant foods, such as starchy root vegetables. (17)

Some traditional cultures also consumed grains and legumes. But those who did went to great lengths to break down the natural nutrient inhibitors these foods contain; these methods included soaking, sprouting, fermenting, and leavening.

In addition to the harmful presence of refined sugars, flour, and seed oils, processed foods also deliver high levels of chemical additives and preservatives. Some of these ingredients have known negative effects, from leaky gut and autoimmune disease to stroke and kidney damage, while the effects of others are still unknown. (18, 19, 20)

Here’s your ancestral diet action plan:

1. Bypass bags and boxes. Of course, not all foods that come in bags and boxes are harmful, so this isn’t meant to be taken literally. It’s just a helpful guideline to steer you toward real food (see below). Butter is often packaged in a box, and frozen vegetables (and some fresh) come in plastic bags. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat butter and vegetables. But in general, if you follow this precept, you’ll minimize your intake of health-damaging flour, sugar and other sweeteners, industrial seed oils, and other processed and refined ingredients.
2. Base your diet on real, whole, nutrient-dense foods like meat, organ meat, fish and shellfish, eggs, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, and starchy plants like potatoes and sweet potatoes, along with healthy fats to aid in nutrient absorption.
3. Exercise caution with grains and legumes. If you choose to eat these foods, it’s best to soak them prior to cooking to maximize nutrient bioavailability.
4. Focus on quality over quantity. Choose local and organic produce and pasture-raised animal products or wild-caught fish whenever possible, which most closely mimic the foods available to our ancestors via hunting and foraging.

Sit Less and Move (Much) More—Sometimes Intensely

Movement played a major role in daily life for hunter–gatherers. After all, they spent the majority of their time, well, hunting and gathering. They had to exert themselves, and often quite strenuously, to survive: our ancestors sprinted, jogged, climbed, carried, and jumped intermittently throughout the day, on top of walking an average of six miles and running one-half to one mile per day. (21)

In other words, they didn’t sit all day like so many of us do. We spend endless hours working at computers, watching TV, and commuting by car. In fact, the typical U.S. adult is now sedentary for about 60 percent of his or her waking life and sits for an average of six or seven hours every day. (22, 23) Sitting has been called the new smoking, and for good reason: it’s linked to heart disease, insulin resistance, cancer, and the list goes on. What’s more, research has found these same negative health outcomes in those who exercise but still spend the majority of their day seated.

Your ancestral movement action plan:

1. Stand up. It’s the simplest way to sit less. I recommend standing for half of your day.
2. Talk a walk. Actually, take lots of walks and regularly engage in other low-intensity activities. Consider walking or bicycling to work, doing your own household chores, and finding a hobby like gardening that, quite literally, moves you. If you can build a daily walk into your workday—parking further away from your office, walking during your lunch break, or walking with your child or a pet after work or dinner—it becomes a habit that’s easy to keep.
3. Push yourself occasionally throughout the week with bouts of more intense exercise; just don’t overdo it. I recommend a protocol established by my friend and colleague Dan Pardi.

Sleep More and Stress Less

I’m sure if I asked you to conjure up an image of a hunter–gatherer, he or she wouldn’t be lounging lazily on a sofa. Although they were almost always on the move, these people relaxed, too. Our ancestors alternated strenuous and demanding days of physical activity with days of rest, an instinctual response that protected them from injury and fatigue.

Our modern lifestyle is a stark mismatch in this regard. We live in a culture that values productivity and activity above all else and is almost scornful of rest and relaxation. “Resting” for many people means browsing the internet or engaging with some other kind of sleep-sapping, artificial light-emitting electronic device that is anything but restful for the brain and the body. We’ve not only forgotten the value of rest—we’ve forgotten how to do it.

Thus, we’re stressed out. Constantly. Our ancestors experienced stress when fleeing a predator or out on a hunt. But, as I shared above, they punctuated these stressful times with moments of calm. We simply aren’t built for chronic stress, as evidenced by the immense amount of research illustrating that it wreaks total havoc on our bodies.

Your ancestral action plan for R&R:

1. Sleep soundly, and for seven to eight hours a night. You can’t be healthy without adequate sleep. Period. Check out my steps for beating insomnia and adopting good sleep hygiene.
2. Manage your stress. There’s no way to completely remove stress from your life, but you can avoid unnecessary stress by learning to say no to projects or commitments you can’t handle, staying away from people who get your blood boiling, and turning off the news (or at least limiting your exposure to it), as examples. To mitigate the harmful effects of the stressors you can’t avoid, try relaxation practices and techniques such as meditation, yoga, and calm breathing.
3. Prioritize pleasure. Listening to music, playing with your pets, laughing with friends, and spending time outdoors all can help you cultivate more pleasure in your life, and pleasure is the antidote to chronic stress.

Now I’m interested to hear your thoughts. Is your lifestyle in line with that of our ancestors? What changes can you make to your habits to get more in tune with your hunter–gatherer heritage? Comment below and let me know!

The post Ancestral Health: What It Is and How It Can Help You appeared first on Chris Kresser.

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Millions of Americans start their day off with a hot cup of coffee. There is just something comforting about the aroma and taste of a good cup of joe. There are lots of good reasons why I feel good about my love of coffee, and I have found a new way to reap even more […]

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Many of us following a Paleo lifestyle slide into a comfortable eating routine. Maybe you have perfected your meal prepping. Maybe you have a reliable rotation of favorite recipes. Maybe you eat have your basic breakfast down to a tasty science, switching up the veggies and protein as desired. When you’re in your own element and have total control over your food supply, it’s easier to stay on track. But what happens when you take a road trip or travel for your job? Take it from me, you’ve got this! I travel extensively, from book tours and conferences to vacations, so I know what it’s like to face this challenge of staying committed to this way of eating. But it’s doable—and I’ve gathered the best tips and tricks for staying Paleo while traveling, all in one place.

It can be hard to eat healthy while traveling. But with a little planning and flexibility, it is possible to stay Paleo on the road. Check out this article for my tips and recommendations on the best Paleo travel snacks. #paleo #healthylifestyle #chriskresser

Five Tips for Packing Paleo Travel Snacks

As you’re packing that suitcase, leave plenty of space for the snacks. Bringing your own food gives you the best control over the situation, so that you won’t find yourself hungry and cranky, tempted by a bright drive-through sign five hours into a long road trip.

1. If Possible, Bring a Cooler

Logistically, it’s definitely easier to pack a cooler for a road trip than for air travel, but however you’re hitting the road, being able to bring one will expand your eating options considerably. If you can bring a light-weight cooler—which you certainly can do if you’re traveling by car (or bus or train), there are loads of food possibilities:

• Hard or soft-boiled eggs, perfect with cherry tomatoes and avocado
• Thinly sliced leftover meats to pair with Paleo mustard or mayo
• Lettuce wraps with leftover meats and veggies
• Pumpkin hummus*
• Full-fat yogurt or kefir (though not technically Paleo, some people tolerate dairy and incorporate it into their “Paleo template”)*
• Cheese from grass-fed cows’ milk
• Paleo “granola bars”
• Raw veggies or fruit, like carrots, sugar snap peas, sliced bell peppers, and apples
• “Dump ranch” dressing to dip veggies in*
• Nut butters for dipping fruits (macadamia, almond, and hazelnut butters are best)*
• Baba ganoush, but if you’re on the autoimmune protocol, you’ll want to skip this one because eggplant is a nightshade*
• Fruit smoothie, with coconut milk, almond milk, yogurt, or kefir as a base*

A note on the foods starred with an asterisk: If you’re bringing these liquid or liquid-like foods through airport security, they will have to meet national Transportation Security Administration (TSA) restrictions—that means packed in clear containers and in amounts that are 3.4 ounces or less. (Check with your carrier for the latest TSA guidelines.) On top of that, bringing melting ice and cool packs can get a little tricky with the TSA.

Here is one workaround: Don’t use cool packs. Instead, use a freezer-grade resealable bag with ice to keep your food cool when you leave home, and bring some extra bags. Throw out the bag of ice at security, and then replenish the ice in a new bag at a food vendor in the airport. Most vendors will charge you for cups of ice, but it’s definitely worth it because you’ll have a cooler-full of Paleo snacks to satisfy your hunger. (And it’s worth pointing out that if you’re checking your bag, you can pack extra items that don’t require refrigeration, and just bring enough on the plane to get you through your flight!)

2. Try Paleo-Friendly Packaged Food

In general, I try to avoid packaged foods, which likely contain industrial seed oils, added sugars, excess sodium, preservatives, artificial colors, and other questionable ingredients. But, traveling can be an exception to this rule. I would rather have high-quality beef jerky and some dry-roasted nuts on hand than be forced to choose between fast-food restaurants after not eating for 12 hours. The key here is high quality. Learn how to read a nutrition label and ingredients list.

Some of my favorite packaged Paleo travel snacks include:

• Grass-fed beef jerky
• Prepared meats like salami, pepperoni, and coppa
• Organic lunch meats, served with mustard
• Smoked salmon (make sure it’s soy free)
• Nuts and seeds (dry roasted or raw are best, as most manufacturers roast in industrial seed oils)
• Olives to eat with nuts, cheese, meats, and pickles (watch out for artificial colorings)
• Canned salmon or tuna (packed in water or oil)
• Nori chips or sheets
• Pork rinds
• Siete “tortilla chips” made with cassava flour
• Kale chips
• Individual containers of plain yogurt, kefir, or nut milks
• Freeze-dried fruit
• 90 percent cocoa dark chocolate
• Coconut flakes (these are surprisingly satisfying and filling)

Energy bars are often considered Paleo because they only contain “Paleo” ingredients like dates, cashews, and egg whites, but I would only buy these in a pinch. This type of calorie-dense, semi-processed treat walks a fine line between real food and a dessert.

3. Go Plastic Free

Don’t put your grass-fed beef taco lettuce wraps into plastic storage containers! Plastics are among the worst environmental toxins. Even BPA-free plastics have been shown to disrupt the endocrine system. (1) Ditching the plastic wrap, bags, and containers also cuts back on waste.

My favorite containers for packing food to go are stainless steel LunchBots. Also check out reusable beeswax wrap, glass mason jars of all sizes, and Pyrex glass containers with lids.

4. Fuel Up before You Hit the Road (or Consider Fasting)

I deliberately eat a big meal at home before leaving for a trip. If the trip is half a day or less, this is often enough to tide me over until I reach my destination.

As an alternative to eating before you leave (or if you didn’t have time to prep any snacks), don’t be afraid to fast! Occasional fasting was common for our Paleo ancestors, and regular intermittent fasting has been linked to many health benefits, including weight loss and improved cardiac health. (2, 3, 4)

5. Shop Smart and Get Creative

Even if you’ve packed snacks and have a good meal before leaving, eating on the road is inevitable, especially for longer trips. Typical rest stops, gas stations, or convenience stores generally don’t have much to offer, but some might sell hard-boiled eggs, cheese sticks, or roasted nuts. Thanks to smartphones and GPS, it’s easy to search for other food options beyond the fast-food places that populate most interstate exits. But instead of searching for “restaurants near me,” type in “grocery store.”

Not every exit will have a Whole Foods, but even an average grocery store will have some reasonable options, including the Paleo-friendly packaged foods I listed above. If you’re unable to find those, or you’re looking for something different, try one of these creative meals instead:

• A rotisserie chicken (remove the skin since the seasoning may contain sugar)
• A shrimp cocktail ring (just skip the cocktail sauce)
• A raw vegetable or fruit platter (these can be pricey, but items are conveniently already washed and sliced)
• Pre-washed sugar snap peas, green beans, or other veggies
• Salad bar items that are Paleo friendly, including grilled chicken, veggies, and olives

How Eat Paleo in a New Place

When you’re away from home, don’t expect to wander into the nearest food establishment and find grass-fed steak and organic, locally grown grilled vegetables on the menu. When eating Paleo in a new place, planning is the key to success.

First, whenever possible, I book a hotel with a kitchen or at least a kitchenette in the room. That way, I can brew my own tea, keep my kombucha in the fridge, and save any delicious (but large-portioned) leftovers from a nice dinner.

Next, research nearby restaurants ahead of time. If I’m heading to a book signing in a new city, I always get great recommendations from social media. Or try searching for keywords like these:

• Local
• Foodie
• Gluten-free
• Grass-fed
• Organic
• Pasture-raised

For a group dinner, take the initiative and suggest a restaurant from your research. If you can’t choose the restaurant, visit the menu online and call the restaurant to inquire about special accommodations. If the menu is severely limited, eat a healthy snack before you go.

Here are some other tips for navigating a restaurant while staying Paleo:

• Opt for grilled, steamed, or roasted meat, steamed or baked veggies, and a simple starch like potatoes or white rice.
• Avoid sauces, which usually contain sugar, gluten, and/or soy.
• When ordering a salad, request dressing on the side to avoid industrial seed oils. Try asking for olive oil and vinegar instead.
• If you’re gluten intolerant, always ask if a dish has gluten. Restaurants notoriously have sneaky gluten additives, in spice blends or as thickeners in sauces.
• Don’t be afraid to be “that person” who asks the server a million questions. Maybe if more people kept requesting the same menu adjustments, restaurants would better accommodate Paleo customers.

Remember: You Can’t Control Everything

Obsessing over every morsel of food during a long trip can be downright exhausting. In fact, I don’t think it’s healthy to be so rigid that there isn’t any wiggle room to try the world’s best beer when you’re in Belgium or authentic, freshly made pasta if you’re in Italy. Likewise, when your flight gets delayed five hours, it might be better to buy a chef salad or have a burger without the bun than end up grumpy, “hangry,” or light-headed.

More Holistic Health Travel Tips

Eating nutrient-dense, whole foods is just one aspect of healthy living. Don’t ignore other aspects of health while traveling:

• Find time to move around. Walk around the airport terminal, do chair squats on long flights, and try some jumping jacks at car rest stops. Taking a long morning walk in your new location will familiarize you with the area and is especially beneficial for your circadian rhythm if you’re traveling to a different time zone.
• Stay hydrated. When flying, it’s recommended that you drink a cup of water for every hour in the air.
• Make sleep a priority. It’s important to maintain the same healthy habits you follow at home. If you normally go to bed at a certain time, try to stick to your established routine as much as possible.
• Meditate, practice mindfulness, and find time to relax.

Now I’d like to hear from you. Do you have any other tips on how to eat Paleo while traveling? What are your favorite Paleo travel snacks? Let us know in the comments!

The post Paleo Travel Snacks: How to Eat Healthy While You’re On the Go appeared first on Chris Kresser.

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Jessica Gouthro from Paleohacks is joining us today to offer tips for bodyweight-focused arm workouts. Enjoy, everyone.

Do you ever have those days when you want a good arm workout, but you don’t have any workout equipment?

Curls, presses, tricep kickbacks, and rows are all great for your arms if you’re at the gym with plenty of dumbbells, barbells and cable machines. But what about those days that you just can’t make it to the gym—or simply don’t want to?

Luckily, I’m here to prove to you that a good bodyweight workout is just as good as what you can get at the gym. The best part is, you don’t need anything other than yourself and just 15 minutes at a time to sculpt and tone your arms into incredible shape.

The top three muscle groups we want to focus on when working on our arms are:

• Triceps: Our largest muscle group of the arm, located on the back of the upper arm. Its function is to extend the elbow joint (straighten your arm).
• Biceps: The muscle in the front of our upper arm that flexes the elbow joint to bring the forearm towards the upper arm (bend your arm).
• Shoulders: The muscle primarily targeted in shoulder development is the deltoid. This muscle is responsible for both raising and lowering of the arm as well as overhead pressing movements.

This bodyweight workout focuses on these three muscle groups, helping you form a balanced strengthening approach.

The result of this workout is going to be sleek, defined, strong-looking arms, but even better, you will be gaining real, functional strength at the same time.

Here’s how to do this 15-minute arm workout:

• Spend 1 minute on each of the five exercises, repeating the circuit three times without breaks between rounds.
• Beginner (30:30): Follow 30 seconds of work with 30 seconds of rest. (If you need even more rest, you can take it. Good form is always more important than sticking to time!)
• Advanced (45:15): Follow 45 seconds of work with 15 seconds of rest (Just enough time for a few deep breaths and setting yourself up for the next exercise.)

Diamond Push-Up

This triceps move also shapes your chest, shoulders and core for a full-body functional exercise.

In a push-up position, bring your hands to touching, forming a diamond shape with fingers and thumbs.

Tighten your core, and ensure that your body is in a straight line from shoulders to feet.

Bend your elbows to lower your chest towards your hands.

Stop when you are about four inches away from the floor, then press your palms down into the ground to rise back up to the top.

Keep your elbows close to your body as you lower and lift to put the focus on the arms and shoulders.

Tricep Wing-Backs

This exercise is surprisingly challenging when done with focus and intention.

Get into a low squat, with your knees bent and back straight.

Lift your arms up behind you like you’re reaching for the back wall. Spread your fingers and flex your arms all the way straight.

On an inhale, bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle, making sure to keep your arms up high. Focus on flexing your bicep muscles.

Exhale to extend your arms straight again, flexing your triceps.

With each rep, focus on contracting your muscles.

Single Leg Pike Push-Ups

This just might be the hardest shoulder press you’ve ever tried.

Start in downward-facing dog position, on your hands and toes with your hips in the air. Make sure your hands are at least shoulder-width apart.

Lift one leg up high in the air, pointing your toes towards the ceiling.

Inhale to bend your elbows, lowering your forehead towards the ground between your hands.

Exhale to press your palms down into the ground to lift back up to straight arms.

Lower your leg back down and immediately lift your right leg.

Continue to do the same push-up move, alternating lifts of each leg for the allotted work time interval.

NOTE: Single Leg Pike Push-Up is a challenging move that requires upper body strength and balance. If you cannot do it with good form or do not feel comfortable doing it, do push-ups (or modified push-ups on your knees) instead.

Regular Push-Up

Put feet about shoulder width apart with toes touching the ground. Put hands alongside chest and spread your fingers. Begin to push up, keeping elbows close to the body.

Take some of the work off the wrists by making your fingers “grip” the floor as you push up.

Modified Push-Up

A modification of the traditional push-up that lessens the weight on the upper body. Follow the same routine as the traditional push-up, but use your knees as the point of your lower body touching the floor (instead of the toes).

Extend upward just as you do in a traditional push-up.

Superman Lift-Off

This move tones your shoulders and arms while also strengthening your lower back.

Lie belly down on the ground with arms and legs extended long.

Take a big breath in, then on the exhale, lift your arms and legs off the ground like Superman.

Inhale to lower back to the starting point.

Repeat this lifting and lowering, following the pace of your breath.

Downdog Ankle Tap Twists

This shoulder and tricep blaster is also a great spine-lengthening stretch.

Start in a downdog position with hands and feet shoulder-width apart.

Exhale, and reach your right hand towards the outside of your left ankle to tap it.

Inhale to come back to downdog, then alternate and do the same on the other side.

Continue alternating left and right, one move per breath.

Congratulations! In just 15 minutes, and with no equipment, you have worked your arms in the best way possible.

You may feel sore tomorrow, so give those arms a rest and allow at least 24-48 hours recovery before tackling this workout again.

For best results, I recommend incorporating this workout into your routine two to three times per week, spaced apart to allow for recovery.

Thanks again to Jessica Gouthro for today’s tips. Be sure to check out Jessica’s other workout lineups on MDA:“13 Ways To Move More At Work” and “10 Moves To Help Ease Joint Pain.”

Questions or comments about bodyweight exercises or arm strength? Share them below, and thanks for stopping by.

The post Arm Workout Without Weights appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Gossip, defined as casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, occasionally involving details that are not confirmed as being true, can feel really enticing at times.

That said, I will also be the first to concede that I have engaged in gossip far more times than I care to admit and that I have secretly really enjoyed it sometimes, even though I know it can be very damaging.

Sharing vs. Gossip: What’s the Difference?

Here’s an important question: Is there a difference between sharing a situation with a friend for perspective and gossiping?

I happen to think there is. Generally speaking, we find comfort in sharing challenging or frustrating situations with other people. If you have been wronged or treated maliciously by someone, or if you’re feeling triggered, a natural reaction is the desire to reach out to a friend. Is that bad? I don’t think so. We are wired for human connection and sharing our lives is a useful and productive part of this process.

I believe that the key is to share these situations with friends or family members whom you trust, and who will allow you to talk it out while also being honest with you. Talking to a loved one who will be a sounding board and provide valuable insight while allowing us to be vulnerable is important and necessary.

(As tempting as it may be to call the friend who will willingly join you in hurling insults and wishing ill-will on the person you are discussing, it’s probably not the best course of action)

While some may argue that gossip is inherent, I would argue that it’s a learned behavior — one that we likely adopted early in life. As previously noted, we all have a need and desire for human connection, but it can be really easy to use gossip as a means to connect with others, bypassing real intimacy.

My most meaningful relationships are built on honesty and vulnerability with one another, not on gossip and idle chatter. In my opinion, gossip is like choosing the cheap seats, while maintaining integrity with our words and actions is springing for the VIP package: it’s the same show but a completely different experience.

When the Urge to Gossip Hits

Let’s be honest — haven’t we all gotten lost in the rabbit hole of reading about the latest celebrity gossip? Please tell me I’m not alone here! In total transparency, I’ve also texted my sister on many occasions with just the words, “I’ve got tea” (code for, “I’ve got gossip”) and it’s usually not about celebrities.

When I feel the urge to gossip or talk maliciously about someone, I usually use it as an opportunity to reflect on why I’m so triggered by this person.

• Am I jealous?
• Am I finding myself caught in the comparison trap and feeling unworthy?
• Do I feel I’ve been wronged by this person in some way and am simply reacting out of hurt and anger?
• Or do I just find the gossip entertaining?

While all of these reasons can feel justifiable, reasonable or even simply entertaining, the truth is, gossip can not only be harmful to those we are discussing, but it can also be harmful to ourselves.

When we spend so much energy spreading negativity about others, it can leave us feeling unhappy with our own lives, experiencing loneliness, isolation, and bitterness, even ruminating over how unfair life is for us or how much easier it is for other people. Generally speaking, gossip drains us energetically.

Seldom do we leave a gossip session feeling better about ourselves or the situation.

Not only does it perpetuate a culture that thrives on negativity, and possibly lies, but it also has the potential to ruin our reputation.

“Gossip — be it in the form of a rumor that’s sweeping the nation or a gripe session between friends — reflects the insecurity of those who initiate it. When we make negative statements about others behind their backs, we often do so because we want to feel powerful — and that’s usually because we in some way feel powerless, unworthy, not courageous enough to be forthright. Hurtful words also send the message — both to ourselves and to those with whom we share them — that we can’t be trusted.” — Oprah Winfrey

When I find myself particularly drawn to engaging in gossip, here are some questions I typically ask myself:

• Why am I sharing this information?
• Am I being truthful?
• Do I have ill intentions?
• What am I hoping to get out of this conversation?
• It is harmful?

Asking myself these questions can usually provide me with some good perspective and understanding.

How to Navigate Gossip in Social Situations

While holding ourselves accountable for not perpetuating gossip is something we can control, navigating gossip when we are in a social setting with other people can feel uncomfortable or particularly difficult to maneuver.

What’s the best way to handle those situations? Here are three approaches to try if you find yourself being unwillingly pulled into gossip which doesn’t feel productive or kind.

1. Change the Subject

Once those juicy tidbits start flowing, it’s hard to stop. The urge to hear more is enticing. If you don’t want to find yourself sucked into the rumor mill, a great option is to change the subject relatively quickly. As soon as you hear the conversation broaching on dangerous territory, find something else to discuss.

2. Find a Reason to Walk Away

Gossip is contagious. It’s my responsibility to protect my own energy. If attempts to change the subject don’t work, and you don’t want to be involved in gossip or negative energy, you can politely excuse yourself from the situation. You can excuse yourself to go to the bathroom, make a phone call, or simply say, “Excuse me,” and walk away.

3. Speak Up

An amazing way to hold yourself and those around you accountable is to speak up when someone is dishing out the gossip, especially if you find it harmful or malicious. You can be the one to say that you think the conversation is toxic and unfair, and that you would prefer to discontinue this particular subject. You can even use it as an opportunity to discuss the perils of gossip or how you have personally found it hurtful.

A Last Word

As juicy and enticing as it is, gossip is largely unproductive if we are just using it defame people’s character or as a reaction to feeling triggered.

It’s important that we always hold ourselves accountable, hold space for others in a way that is helpful and honest, and treat others with the same kindness, empathy, and compassion that we would want to be shown.

When we frame our conversations from that perspective, we can more readily ensure that we are engaging in conversation that is not harmful to others. In a world that pegs women as catty and backstabbing, we can do our best to demonstrate true sisterhood in our deeds and our words.

The post Harmful or Normal — What’s the Deal With Gossip? appeared first on Girls Gone Strong.

Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss

It’s been a while since I posted but to get back into the swing things in 2019, I am going to kick it off big with a series of instructional articles and videos starting with an often overlooked topic – ankle mobility. The videos below were created with Wade Maselich, our PT at Precision CrossFit, my gym in Agoura Hills, California.

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Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss

There is no doubt that if a runner regularly hits the hills, they get stronger, more powerful, and ultimately faster. I am all about speed! However, you should vary the structure of your hill program throughout the season. Since hill work is stressful, adaptation, progression, and periodization are of the utmost importance. A healthy dose of hill running can be a valuable component of your weekly training program.

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