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January 20, 2023

The Total-body Comeback Workout Plan

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: — admin @ 1:20 pm

You’ve decided to make this year yours. You want to feel confident, resilient, and strong—in mind and muscle. So, you need to get on a workout regimen. This comeback workout plan builds muscle and burns fat, whether you’re brand-new to fitness or just returning after a hiatus.

How it Works

Sending you into the gym for the first time (or first in a long time) with just a list of exercises is asking for trouble. Since we can’t be there to spot potential muscle imbalances or restrictions to your flexibility, we’ve come up with a warmup that loosens tight areas and prepares you to lift heavy weights properly. Do it before each session—no excuses—to make sure you get the most out of it.

Once you’ve warmed up, you’ll perform a strength-training routine for the whole body. Note the tempo, or rep speed, assigned to the exercises. Controlling reps builds coordination and conditioning, and helps you develop proper form. Establish good habits now, and you’ll be bigger and leaner—and better—in no time.

Directions

Perform each of the three workouts once a week with at least one rest day in between. When exercises are marked “A” and “B,” do a set of A, rest, then B, rest again, then repeat. Note that a specific warmup has been provided for you on this page. Use the same one before each of the workouts.

Note: Many exercises are assigned a tempo. The first digit is the time, in seconds, you should take to lower the weight; the second is the time you should pause in the bottom position; the third digit to the lifting portion of the exercise; the fourth is the duration of the pause at the end. A “0” indicates no time, and an “X” means you should perform the movement explosively.

For example, an ab rollout with a tempo of 4-3-X-0 would be done like so: Take 4 seconds to roll the wheel out, hold the stretched position for 3 seconds, come back fast, and begin the next rep without pausing at the start.

The Warmup

1A. World’s Greatest Stretch
Sets: 1
Reps: 3 (each side)
Rest: 0 sec.
Get into a deep lunge position so your front thigh is parallel with the floor and your rear leg is straight. Twist your torso in the direction of your lead leg and reach your hand overhead.

1B. Inchworm
Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Rest: 0
Bend forward and plant your hands on the floor in front of you. Walk your hands forward so your torso straightens and you end up in the top of a pushup position— then try to walk your hands out a little farther. Keep your abs braced and don’t let your hips sag. Reverse the motion.

2A. Wall Slide
Sets: 1
Reps: 10
Rest: 0
Stand with your back against a wall and your arms stretched overhead with the backs of your hands against the wall. Maintain contact with the wall as you draw your elbows down to your sides.

2B. Mini-Band Side Step
Sets: 1
Reps: 15(each side)
Rest: 0 sec
Loop a small band around your ankles and bend your hips and knees so you’re in a half squat. Take a small step to your left to put some tension on the band, then walk sideways, left leg then right—keeping the band taut—for 15 steps. Then repeat going the opposite way to return to where you started.

DAY I

1A. Front Squat
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Tempo: 4-0-X-0
Rest: 60 sec.
Grasp the bar with hands shoulder-width apart and raise your elbows until your upper arms are parallel with the floor. Take the bar out of the rack and let it rest on your fingertips— as long as your elbows stay up, you’ll be able to balance the bar. Step back and set your feet shoulder-width apart with toes turned out slightly. Squat down without losing the arch in your lower back.

1B. Neutral Grip Pullup
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Tempo: 4-0-X-0
Rest:60 sec.
Use a chinup station with handles that allow you to pull yourself up with your palms facing each other (if you only have a straight bar, hook a V-grip cable handle—like the one shown for the T-bar row, below—over it). Hang from the bar and then pull yourself up until your chin is over it.

2A. Ab Rollout
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Tempo: 4-0-X-0
Rest: 60 sec.
Use an ab wheel, or load a bar with 10-pound plates and kneel on the floor behind it. Begin with your shoulders over the wheel. Brace your abs and roll forward, reaching in front of you until you feel your hips are about to sag. Roll yourself back.

2B. T-Bar Row
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Rest: 60 sec.
Use a T-bar row station, or wedge a barbell into a corner and hook a V-grip handle under it,as shown. Straddle the bar and, keeping your lower back arched, bend forward at the hips so your torso is nearly parallel with the floor. Grasp the handle and row it to your ribs.

3. Leg Press
Sets: 1
Reps: As many as possible in 60 sec.
Sit comfortably with your hips beneath your knees and your knees in line with your feet. Remove the safeties and lower your knees toward your chest until they’re bent 90 degrees, then press back up. Choose a weight that you’re sure you can perform at least 15 reps with but do as many reps as you can in 60 seconds. In Week 2, perform reps for 80 seconds. In Week 3, go for 100 seconds, and in Week 4, 120 seconds.

4. Stretch
Stretch out your lower body, including your hamstrings, hip flexors, quads, and glutes. See mensfitness.com for examples of stretches.

DAY II

1A. Romanian Deadlift
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Tempo: 4-0-X-0
Rest: 60 sec.
Hold a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Bend your hips back as far as you can. Allow your knees to bend as needed while you lower the bar along your shins until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Keep your lower back arched throughout.

1B. Dumbbell Bench Press
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Tempo: 4-0-X-0
Rest: 60 sec.
Lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold the weights at shoulder level, arms 45 degrees from your sides, and press the weights straight up.

2A. Barbell Hip Thrust
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Tempo: 4-0-X-0
Rest: 60 sec.
Rest your upper back on a bench and sit on the floor with your legs extended. Roll a barbell up your thighs until the bar sits on your lap (you may want to place a towel on your hips). Bend your knees, brace your abs, and drive your heels into the floor. Extend your hips and raise them until your butt and back are parallel with the floor.

2B. Pushup
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Tempo: 4-0-X-0
Rest: 60 sec
Place your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart and set your feet close together. Keep your abs braced and draw your shoulder blades together to lower your body until your chest is about an inch above the floor. Press back up.

3B. Leg Curl
Sets: 1
Reps: As many as possible in 60 sec.
Line your knees up with the machine’s axis of rotation. Curl the pad until your hamstrings are fully contracted. Choose a weight that you can perform at least 15 reps
with but do as many as you can in 60 seconds. In Week 2, try for 80 seconds. In Week 3, 100 seconds. In Week 4, 120 seconds.

4. Stretch
Stretch out your lower body, including your hamstrings, hip flexors, quads, and glutes. See mensfitness.com for examples of stretches.

DAY III

1A. Overhead Press
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Tempo: 4-0-X-0
Rest: 60 sec.
Set the bar up in a squat rack or cage and grasp it with your hands just outside shoulder width. Take the bar off the rack and hold it at shoulder level with your forearms perpendicular to the floor. Squeeze the bar and brace your abs. Press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward and shrugging your traps as the bar passes your face.

1B. Back Extension
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Tempo: 4-0-X-0
Rest: 60 sec.
Lock your legs into a back-extension bench. Allow your torso to bend forward so that your hips are bent almost 90 degrees, but do not lose the arch in your lower back. Then squeeze your glutes and extend your hips so that your body forms a straight line.

2A. Lateral Raise
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Tempo: 4-0-X-0
Rest: 60 sec.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with palms facing your sides. Raise the weights out 90 degrees until your arms are parallel with the floor.

2B. Swiss-Ball Pike
Sets : 4
Reps: 8
Tempo: 4-0-X-0
Rest:60 sec.
Get into pushup position, resting your feet on a Swiss ball. Bend your hips to raise your butt toward the ceiling and continue until your torso is almost vertical and your hips are bent 90 degrees.

3. Resisted Sprint
Sets: 1
Reps: 8
Attach an exercise band to a sturdy object and loop the free end around your waist. Sprint in place so that you’re pumping your legs hard. Sprint for 10 seconds, then jog lightly for 20 seconds. That’s one rep. Adjust the sprint and jog intervals as follows: Week 2, sprint 12 seconds, jog 18. Week 3, sprint 14 seconds, jog 16. Week 4, sprint 16 seconds, jog 14.

4. Stretch
Stretch out your lower body, including your hamstrings, hip flexors, quads, and glutes.

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Sylvester Stallone Shares Inspiring Message Explaining the Role Fitness Plays in His Life – Men’s Health

Filed under: Fitness — admin @ 12:29 pm
sylvester stallone inspiring fitness message

Jamie McCarthyGetty Images

Having played the likes of Rocky Balboa and John J. Rambo, it’s fair to say that Sylvester Stallone has been in pretty impeccable shape throughout his acting career. Now aged 76, the legendary actor has naturally slowed down a little since his heyday, but exercise, it seems, remains an important part of his life.

In a new post on his Instagram account, the 76-year-old shared a clip of himself opening up about the benefits of exercise for his mental health and how working out has helped him to achieve his goals.

‘I’ve been thinking more and more about the aspect of working out,’ he told his followers. ‘It’s more than just about narcissism or ‘look at me, I wanna flaunt this and that’. There’s no doubt in my mind that if you’re not feeling good and strong, like you’re competing, or if you’re reminding yourself of the way you used to be, it affects everything.’

This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Stallone goes on to talk about how exercise and feeling good physically has helped him to focus on his goals. ‘It’s not about living in a gym,’ he said, ‘but just finding something that gets the blood flowing through the body.

‘It will affect your brain, it’ll affect your confidence, it’ll affect your optimism. That’s why when people feel sick, they only have one dream – to feel better. And when you don’t feel sick at all, there’s 10,000 things they want. When you’re that distracted, you’re wanting that many things, it’s hard for any of them to come to you.

sylvester stallone in 'rambo iii'

Columbia TriStarGetty Images

‘You need to be focussed, laser focussed, on a specific target. Can you imagine if I threw ten bullseyes and you started shooting at them? You wouldn’t hit one. But, if I kept one stationary and you could focus on it, out of repetition, you’re going to nail it.

‘This all gets back to one thing: feeling good about your physical situation. Because, man, once that starts to falter, it’ll feel like you don’t have breath.’

Stallone is set to appear as Barney Ross in Expendables 4, which is due to be released later on this year, as well as Stakar Ogord in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Luke is Men’s Health UK’s senior ecommerce writer, specialising in reviewing the latest health and fitness products.

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How often should you change up your exercise routine?

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: — admin @ 2:01 am

People asking for exercise advice are usually looking for a simple answer. Do this over that. Do this many of that thing, for this long. Get these gains. In reality, things are never that simple.

That’s certainly true for the age old question of how often one should change up one’s exercise routine. Unfortunately, there’s no single, perfectly designed study that answers this question exactly; much depends on things such as how fit you already are, your goals and how you train.

But if you’re thinking about changing your routine, here are some factors to consider.

READ MORE: Three new additions to Apple Fitness+ could help you stick to your New Year health goals

Fitness instructor assisting athletic woman in exercising with dumbbells at gym.
Exercise releases endorphins which help relieve pain, reduce stress and improve your sense of well-being. (Getty)

Progressive overload and diminishing returns

The notion you should mix up your exercise routine likely comes from the concepts of progressive overload (where you need stimulus to get continued improvements) and the principle of diminishing returns (where the more experienced you are at something, the less you progress with a given stimulus).

One way people try to incorporate these principles into training is via something called “periodisation”.

That’s where you manipulate certain aspects of a training program, such as exercise volume, intensity and frequency.

Periodisation models typically keep a consistent exercise selection for a designated period of time, usually an eight to 12 week program.

The two main periodisation models are linear and undulating. Linear periodisation involves gradual increase of a variable. For example, over an eight week program, the loads may get heavier but the amount of sets or reps you do gets lower.

READ MORE: 22 best-sellers designed to make your life easier

Undulating periodisation involves manipulating different variables (usually volume and intensity) on different days. So, Monday you might do some heavy lifting, then Tuesday’s focus would be on higher repetitions, then have an explosive or speed priority for the next day.

Research shows periodised programs seem to outperform their non-periodised counterparts, with no difference between undulating and linear models.

Even if you aren’t knowingly doing a periodised plan, most exercise programs tend to be eight to 12 weeks long and incorporate some of the standard linear progressions mentioned above.

It depends on your goals

Person about to lift weights at the gym
Using a varied selection of exercises can enhance motivation. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

What about mixing up the actual exercises themselves? Research has shown people gain comparative or greater muscle strength and size when they opt for variable exercise selection compared to fixed exercise selection.

Variable exercise selection is where you don’t always stick to using the same exercise for the same muscles groups. For example, you might swap between a squat, and a leg press the next session. Alternatively, fixed selection means for the duration of your program, you stay with the same exercise (say, the squat).

And using a varied selection can improve motivation.

Conversely, excessive rotation of exercises appears to have a negative influence on muscle gains.

When it comes down to it, many movements are skill-based; by not practising as much, you may not progress as fast. This is likely only applicable to complex multi-joint exercises such as those performed with a barbell (as opposed to, say, gym machines).

READ MORE: Mystery bruise was woman’s only clue of terrible danger

Does this matter? If you have a performance-related goal to lift a certain amount, or something similar, then maybe it does. But if you are training for health and wellbeing, it may not be a factor for you.

What about running?

Many of us run the same loop, at the same pace, for weeks and years on end. Is that a problem?

Runner man running fast in industrial city background.
Running can have many health benefits including improving cardiovascular fitness. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Some researchers recommend increasing your training stimulus after six months of endurance exercise, as most of the benefit occurs between three and six months, then tends to plateau without changing training regimes.

But is it enough for health? Our current national physical activity recommendations do not mention the need to progress or vary exercise. They simply state the amount, intensity, and type of exercise for health benefits. Exercising for performance or ongoing improvement seems to be a different story.

If thinking about how frequently we should be changing up our exercise, consider the time it takes for the body to adapt following exercise.

Research has show muscle growth can occur as early as three weeks into a resistance training program and plateaus at approximately three months in previously untrained people.

Adaptations to cardiovascular fitness can occur as early as approximately one week into a training program but have been shown to plateau within three weeks if no additional progressive overload is applied.

Even following a progressive longer term aerobic program, measurements of cardiovascular fitness tend to plateau around nine months into training.

READ MORE: The $40 dupe for the expensive tights everyone wants

Do what you enjoy and can stick to

So what do we make of all of the evidence above?

Adaptation occurs quickly, but also plateaus quickly without ongoing stimulus.

Even so, we do all have a “ceiling” of adaptation, beyond which it will take significant effort to progress.

This comes back to the principle of diminishing returns, where the more you train, the less able you are to improve.

All things considered, the traditional approach of changing your program every 12 weeks might actually make sense in order to prevent plateaus. However, there is no hard and fast rule about how often you should mix it up.

Perhaps the best approach is to do what you are most likely to stick to and what you enjoy the most.

After all, you can’t get gains if you don’t actually do the work.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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No time to exercise? Here’s 15 ways to fit a workout into your life

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The Best (and Worst) Jerseys in Sports

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: — admin @ 1:36 am

What makes a great sports uniform? It’s twofold. Aesthetics are critical, of course. The outfit has to be easy on the eyes, because the rules of dressing well don’t disappear just because the setting is a soccer game rather than Paris Fashion Week. But a quality jersey is also about meaning. To enter the upper ranks of sports fashion, a look has to symbolize something—success, a style of play, the bond between a team and its fanbase, or some other source of passion.

What makes a terrible sports uniform, on the other hand? Well, it’s having none of those traits. Some jerseys are neither aesthetically pleasing nor meaningful, and those are the ones eligible for consignment to the dustbin of history. Sports organizations are always rolling out new uniform designs as they look to keep their branding fresh and find new things to sell to fans. Unfortunately, a lot of these ensembles are horrendous.

Here, we surveyed major sports leagues and highlighted seven of the best and three of the worst team jerseys ever. Which of these uniforms would you hang on your wall?

The Best (and Worst) Sports Jerseys of All Time

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January 19, 2023

One Piece Fitness Gym Lets You Lift Meat Barbells – Anime News Network

Filed under: Fitness — admin @ 10:45 pm
barbell
©尾田栄一郎／集英社

The “ONE PIECE FITNESS BragMen” fitness gym inspired by the world of One Piece opened in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward last Friday. One of the most bragworthy features of the new gym is barbells shaped like meat, which the Jump Festa ’23 event first previewed on December 18. The voice actors took turns lifting them and were very impressed.

Other features at the gym include a weight vest with the Red Hair Shanks pirate flag and group training programs held in a studio styled like a ship deck.

The training programs all have deliciously on-brand names, like “Great Pirate Dance Series: Alabaster Belly Dance” and “Projector Combat ‘Haki.'” The programs consist of standard exercises designed to improve walking, running, standing, lifting, and other skills. There is also a one-on-one training plan with trainers dressed as naval officers. In a special area, the trainer will create a menu according to each member’s (called the “crew”) needs and carefully guide them through their training.

The gym also implements a “Pirate Rank Up System” point system; the goals are determined based on the members’ body fat scale. To encourage further training, the gym gives away original One Piece merchandise based on “bounty points,” which visitors accumulate every time they visit. Other goods, such as T-shirts and protein products, are available at the counter.

In addition, the gym operates a “pirate school” aimed at elementary school-aged children and a café space called the Utage Café serving themed food and drink.

op1
©尾田栄一郎／集英社

The establishment is a reference to the Brag Men book, which is mentioned in the manga’s 13th compiled volume. The book describes adventure tales from the Grand Line and introduces the Little Garden island, where the Straw Hat pirates eventually journey.

There are five categories of membership determined by the day and time of the week. The “Premier Crew” allows full use of the gym on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays; “Day Crew” allows weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., “Morning Crew” for weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; “Night Crew” allows weeknights from 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m, and “Holiday Crew” allows the entire day on weekends. The admission fee is 27,000 yen for the Premier Crew and 27,000 yen for the Night Crew.

Each membership has an initial joining fee and a monthly fee. The joining fee is 27,500 yen (about US$192) for Premier Crew and 13,200 yen (US$92) for the other groups, while the monthly fees range from 15,400 yen (US$107) to 27,500 yen (US$192).

Source: Comic Natalie

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The Best Golf Courses in All 50 States: Where to Tee It Up in America

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: — admin @ 9:30 pm

Come one, come all. That’s the motto behind this titanic 50-state compilation of the best golf courses in America. Whether you’re a single-digit handicapper or a weekend hacker, anyone can nab a tee time at these top-notch public access destinations. Consider this an anthology of resort courses, daily fee links, casino tracks, and munis from the Maine woods to the Arizona desert, the Oregon coastline to the Last Frontier.

Since this guide is broken down by state, every corner of these United States gets a turn at the podium. Some courses are high-priced Top 100s (ahem, TPC Sawgrass in Florida) that bucket-list golfers yearn to play once before they’re buried in a pot bunker à la Pete Dye. Others are up-and-coming hotbeds in less-visited states (Big Cedar Lodge in southwest Missouri comes to mind). Then, of course, there are the certified steals that you could make your home course and play over and over again (Circling Raven in Idaho, we’re looking at you).

We’re lucky to live in an era when tremendous public golfing options aren’t limited to any single destination—they’re everywhere. So kick back, grab a pen and piece of paper, and map out your next golf-centric adventure. Better yet, print out this best golf courses list and strive to play ‘em all someday. Now that’s a 10-year plan worth sticking to.

The Best Golf Courses in Every State

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10-Year-Old Powerlifter Jordan Mica Scores a Beltless 83.9-Kilogram (185-Pound) Deadlift

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , — admin @ 6:01 pm

Mica is redefining the boundaries of what a young powerlifter should be capable of.

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At 10 years old, many children probably aren’t thinking about picking up heavy objects and lifting them repeatedly. When not in a fifth-grade classroom, they might be outside riding their bikes or watching anime while eating a “delicious” bowl of sugary cereal. Powerlifter Jordan Mica might still do these things whenever he gets a chance, but he’s certainly rare in the respect of pushing his strength in the gym at his young age.

On Jan. 17, 2023, the parent/manager who runs a public Instagram account for Mica shared footage of the young man successfully completing a 83.9-kilogram (185-pound) beltless deadlift. Not only does the 10-year-old Mica get his barbell into a locked-out position completely raw, without a belt, but he makes the lift look rather easy and shows no sign of struggle or hesitation. According to Open Powerlifting, this pull nearly surpassed Mica’s all-time raw competition best of 85 kilograms (187.4 pounds) with ease.

More from Breaking Muscle:

Mica’s massive deadlift is part of his ongoing preparation for the 2023 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Third Street Barbell Open. As a younger competitor, he will feature in his usual Youth Division in the contest currently scheduled for Feb. 4, 2023, at the Third Street Barbell gym in Sacramento, CA. Mica will compete in the 52-kilogram (114-pound) weight class. Notably, his competition category throughout the 2021 competitive year was 47 kilograms (105 pounds) and he moved up to the 52-kilogram class in 2022.

Per the parent/manager of Mica’s Instagram, he takes his time with his training and never goes full throttle at the risk of harming his long-term health. The young man is apparently a multi-sport athlete, also focusing on being an adept wrestler, and usually takes off roughly two to three months from lifting weights to let his body fully recuperate. When he returns to strength training, he always starts from “square one” — a barbell with no added weight — and progressively works his way back up to a strong place.

“Jordan never attempts to pick up from where he left off. This is a life-long strength journey.”

In a precursor to his upcoming contest, Mica’s competitive history is rather impressive from a glance, regardless of his youth. According to Open Powerlifting, one of the notable contests from Mica’s career came during the 2021 USAPL WARCATs Iron Initiative. He took first place in the Youth 47-kilogram weight class. He followed up that victory by replicating his first-place success at the 2021 USAPL California State Championships, and again did the same during the 2021 USAPL Warcat Open.

The upcoming USAPL Third Street Barbell Open contest in early February 2023 will mark Mica’s first contest appearance in 2023. It will also be his first competition since the August 2022 USAPL California State Championships, where Mica set California state records for his squat (72.5 kilograms/160 pounds), bench press (37.5 kilograms/82.7 pounds), deadlift (85 kilograms/187 pounds), and total (195 kilograms/430 pounds).

More from Breaking Muscle:

It’s abundantly clear Mica is not like other children his age. As he continues to carve out an impressive early powerlifting career, his wide-spanning journey is only just beginning.

Featured image: @jordan_mica on Instagram

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Nutritionist-approved protein snacks that will help you manage your food cravings

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: — admin @ 4:01 am

If you find you just can’t stop at two scoops of gelato or you devour the entire packet of salt and vinegar chips chances are you are hungrier than you thought you might be.

And often, that hunger can come down to not eating enough protein.

Studies show that protein is by far the most filling. It helps you feel more full – with less food. This is partly because protein reduces your level of the hunger hormone ghrelin. It also boosts the levels of peptide YY, a hormone that makes you feel full.

So to help crush your cravings in a simple but effective way, nutritionist Kathleen Alleaume has shared some of her top protein snacks with 9Honey Coach.

snacks
(Getty)

Nuts

Nuts are lauded as one of nature’s nutritional powerhouses. Not only are they full of plant protein, but these nourishing staples dish up the gut-friendly fibre and healthy fats.

One handful (30g) = 6 grams protein.

Edamame

Need to up your veg intake? Look to the freezer for edamame (soy) beans. These green bean pods are low in saturated fat and serve up plant-based protein and gut-filling fibre for a great pick-me-up. Heat up in the microwave and sprinkle with paprika for a savoury delight.

50g serve (1/2 cup) = 7 grams protein.

These green bean pods are low in saturated fat and serve up plant-based protein.

Roasted Fava beans

Like the sound of a crunch when you snack? Swap out crisps for Fava beans. Not only will you slash the salt and saturated fat, but you’ll down more fibre and plant protein: two key nutrients that may help to satisfy your hunger and regulate your appetite.

1 serve (25 grams) = 7 grams protein.

Greek yoghurt

Greek yoghurt is packed with bone-boosting calcium and probiotics cultures – ‘friendly’ bacteria known to improve the microbial balance in your intestine. Paired with berries and a sprinkle of cinnamon is like having a dairy dessert but without excess kilojoules.

Look for brands with 10 grams protein per 100 grams.

Greek yoghurt with honey on a blue and white tablecloth
Greek yoghurt is packed with bone-boosting calcium and probiotics cultures. (iStock)

Protein muesli bars

When you’re on the go and need some sustenance to throw in your bag, a protein muesli bar can satisfy you, as part of a healthy varied diet. To pick the right bar that’s filling and contains a balanced blend of ingredients, look for a wholegrain bar that contains protein.

UNCLE TOBYS Protein muesli for example has 7 grams of protein per bar. 

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21. Steak

20 of the cheapest protein sources, ranked by cost

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Keto diet’s popularity plummets as searches down 87 per cent in 2023

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: — admin @ 2:01 am

The keto diet may have had its heyday, with new data revealing the restrictive form of eating for weight loss has seen its popularity plummet over the last three years.

Analysis of Google data shows online searches for the keto diet in the US, for example, have dropped 87 per cent from their peak in the first week of January 2019 compared with the first week of January 2023.

In fact, online interest in the once-famed keto diet has decreased every year since peaking in 2019, with 2023 being the lowest ever, according to the new finds by FeastGood.com.

READ MORE: Dietitian reveals foods that are healthier than you might think

ketogenic diet with nutrition diagram, low carb, high fat healthy weight loss meal plan
Analysis of Google data shows online searches for the keto diet have dropped 87 per cent. (iStock)

Goodbye keto

The ketogenic diet – also known as the keto diet, low-carb or no-carb – is an extreme weight-loss diet that restricts food. The term comes from the word ketosis, or the body’s process of burning calories from fat instead of sugar.

Ketosis is the metabolic process of using fat as the primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates. The keto diet had been a popular choice among celebrities, chefs, and many a ‘health-conscious’ person over the years.

But no more.

“It’s not surprising that the keto diet has decreased in interest over the last few years. I don’t see the trend reversing either,” Brenda Peralta, a registered dietitian for FeastGood.com

“Keto is a highly restrictive diet, cutting out almost an entire macronutrient group. While people find that keto can lead to short-term weight loss, it is not easy to stick to it long-term”.

And she’s not wrong. A previous study showed 37 per cent of people who quit keto do so because it was too strict a regimen.

“People today are searching for more sustainable approaches that allow greater flexibility, not one size fits all.”

READ MORE: Stop hating on pasta – it actually is healthier than you think

The once-popular belief that ‘cutting carbs is the way to go’ has been disproven many times.

Humans need carbs

The ketogenic diet, characterised by very little carbohydrate and a lot of fat, is probably the most talked-about low-carb diet there is.

Its adherents follow it with religious-like fervour, but Professor John Hawley from the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, said few of its claims are supported by research on humans, especially very active humans.

“We’ve done studies on it, we’ve tried to make high-fat diets work. They don’t work!” he previously told 9Honey Coach. “That’s from the athletic point of view. But do they work from the health point of view?

“There’s some evidence that if you are a true diabetic, then cutting out some carbs with a high glycemic index – those foods that induce a higher rise in blood glucose – can be beneficial.”

Tired after exercise and workout. Overtraining concept. Exhausted woman lying on floor breathing and resting after heavy cardio training in home gym. Sad fitness athlete. Too much working out.
If you exercise you need energy. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

But Hawley believes those benefits are too small to make the ketogenic diet worthwhile for the average person looking to drop a few kilos.

He adds most people who think they’re doing keto probably aren’t: a true ketogenic diet allows for as little as 30 grams carbohydrate a day (equal to about a single slice of white bread), which is near-impossible to plan and maintain without a nutrition expert’s supervision.

READ MORE: The $40 dupe for the expensive tights everyone wants

Carbs = energy

Hawley disagreed with the once-popular belief that ‘cutting carbs is the way to go’. He is a firm advocate of carbohydrates, because they’re your body’s go-to source of fuel. Say goodbye to carbs and you say goodbye to energy.

“Carbohydrate is stored as glycogen Glycogen is what you use for energetic [activities] like running or swimming or cycling, whatever,” he said.

For each gram of glycogen stored in your body, you store 2-3 grams water with it. So when you stop eating carbohydrates, you lose glycogen – but you also lose water, which can make weight dip by several kilograms.

“But that initial loss is just water loss. That’s why it’s so rapid,” Hawley explains. “It’s not true weight loss.”

– additional reporting by Sam Downing.

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Wholegrain, low carb, high protein: Wraps ranked by calories

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January 18, 2023

Oleksii Novikov Wants to Break His Hummer Tire Deadlift World Record By More Than 51 Kilograms (112 Pounds)

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Ever one to bite off as much as he can chew, Novikov is aiming high this year.

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In many ways, 2022 was quite a year to remember for Oleksii Novikov. The prolific Ukrainian strongman stood on top of the podium on three separate occasions at the 2022 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM), Giants Live Strongman Classic (GLSC), and Strongman Rogue Invitational (RI). In addition, the former World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion (2020) set a new all-time Hummer Tire Deadlift World Record of 549 kilograms (1,210 pounds) at the 2022 Shaw Classic. Some would be content with such a resume over an entire career, let alone in a single year. Novikov is not wired that way. He’s never been one to do anything but put the pedal to the metal and go headlong into the next challenge.

On Jan. 16, 2023, Novikov posted a Q&A video to the English version of his YouTube channel, breaking down his upcoming plans for the 2023 calendar year. Among the more notable revelations is that Novikov will try to build on his Hummer Tire Deadlift World Record by successfully pulling 600 kilograms (1,322.7 pounds) at the next iteration of the Shaw Classic, on August 19-20, 2023. This mark would be an astonishing 51 kilograms (112.3 pounds) over his current record achievement.

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In discussing why he wanted to extend his Hummer Tire Deadlift record by such a staggering amount, Novikov noted that he didn’t really prepare much before the pull in 2022. He believes that a greater commitment to the process this time around could only result in a dramatic leap skyward as he tries to separate himself from his peers.

“I would also like to go to the Shaw Classic and pull 600 kilograms (1,322.7 pounds) in this [Hummer] Tire Deadlift,” Novikov said. “Because last year I did 549 kilograms (1,210 pounds), now I want to pull 600 kilograms to close the topic about this deadlift. Last time, I didn’t train it at all.”

Aside from extending record marks, Novikov unsurprisingly plans to defend his ESM and RI titles. The 2023 ESM is scheduled for Apr. 1, 2023, in Leeds, England, and the 2023 RI will likely take place in Fall 2023 on a yet unconfirmed date. Plus, while he was unsure about scheduling, Novikov maintained he will appear at a measure of Giants Live competitions, too.

Last but certainly not least, the strongman will vie for another WSM title on Apr. 18-23, 2023, in Myrtle Beach, SC. If he successfully dethrones the reigning two-time champion, Tom Stoltman, it would be Novikov’s second WSM victory in four years.

“What I am planning at the moment is the Europe’s Strongest Man, the World’s Strongest Man, and the Rogue [Invitational],” Novikov said. “That’s what I want. I also don’t know exactly all the dates and events of Giants Live. So, if it is all OK, I’ll confirm myself competing there.”

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Some athletes put their minds to their tasks and achieve nominally great things on occasion. Novikov is, again, not like other athletes. When he has a goal in his crosshairs, chances are he’ll reach it and exceed all expectations.

Featured image: @novikov_strong_wsm / Instagram

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