Whole Life Challenge

How Small Habits Rewrote My Life: A Journey Beyond the Gym

Richard Dreyfus — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 17:35:30 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

I used to think health was about hitting the gym hard, eating kale salads, and tracking my sleep like a scientist. I’d scroll through fitness blogs on sites like Whole Life Challenge, nodding at the advice—move more, sleep better, eat clean. It all made sense, but it felt like a checklist, a series of boxes to tick off on my way to a “better me.”…

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How the Whole Life Challenge Taught Me Impulse Control

Travis Gates — Thu, 22 May 2025 12:00:20 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Over the years and through trial and error, I’ve discovered the ways in which I move best through this world. I now have blanket policies that instruct me to avoid intense math at all costs, refrain from engaging in political posts, and resist correcting my friends’ grammar via text.

Thanks to my many shots at the Whole Life Challenge, I’ve also learned that I need accountability to control my impulses and stay in my healthy-eating lane.…

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The Power of Small Habit Change: Building a Better You, One Step at a Time

Michael Stanwyck — Tue, 20 May 2025 16:00:37 +0000

Reading Time: 7 minutes

In a world obsessed with overnight transformations—think crash diets, intense fitness boot camps, or 30-day productivity challenges—it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that big, dramatic changes are the only path to self-improvement.

But what if the secret to lasting change lies in the opposite approach?

What if the smallest, most incremental adjustments to your daily routine could lead to profound, sustainable transformation?…

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What Non-Religious People Can Learn from Traditional Prayer: Finding Meaning Without Belief

Michael Stanwyck — Tue, 13 May 2025 15:53:50 +0000

Reading Time: 8 minutes

Over the last half century or so, it has become increasingly common for people in the western world to adapt and adopt traditional spiritual practices from around the world, particularly the east, into their personal daily practices and search for greater meaning in life.

From meditation to mantras to pilgrimages and more, many have seen the value of creating a personalized ritual space and practice drawn from age old wisdom from around the world.…

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Mobility vs. Flexibility: The Ultimate Guide to Staying Active and Independent as You Age

Michael Stanwyck — Tue, 06 May 2025 17:56:18 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

As we age, maintaining physical health becomes a cornerstone of a vibrant, independent life. While flexibility often takes center stage in fitness discussions, mobility—a broader, more functional concept—deserves the spotlight.

Mobility encompasses not just flexibility but also strength, balance, coordination, and joint health, all of which are critical for aging gracefully. This blog post explores why prioritizing mobility over simple flexibility is essential for older adults, how it impacts daily life, and practical ways to incorporate it into your routine. …

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The Role of Hydration in Mental Health and Cognitive Performance

Charlotte Spaight — Thu, 01 May 2025 21:31:20 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Water is the essence of life, making up about 60% of the human body and driving nearly every physiological process. While hydration is often linked to physical health—supporting muscle function, digestion, and temperature regulation—its impact on mental health and cognitive performance is equally vital. In 2025, as mental wellness becomes a global priority, understanding how hydration influences mood, focus, and brain function is essential.…

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Mental Health and Nutrition: How Diet Impacts Mood, Anxiety, and Cognitive Function

Michael Stanwyck — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 16:00:19 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

As you navigate your 30s, 40s, and beyond, balancing career, family, and personal goals can strain your mental health. Stress, anxiety, or brain fog often creep in, impacting your daily life.

What if your diet could help you feel calmer, sharper, and more resilient? Science shows that nutrition profoundly influences mood, anxiety, and cognitive function, with omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and the gut-brain axis playing starring roles.…

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High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for Busy Schedules: The Ultimate Guide for Professionals

Michael Stanwyck — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 16:00:05 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Are you juggling a demanding career, family responsibilities, and the desire to stay fit? If you’re past your 20s with a low to moderate fitness level, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) could be your game-changer. This time-efficient workout method delivers maximum health benefits in minimal time, perfect for busy men and women. In this guide, we’ll explore why HIIT is ideal for your lifestyle, how to start safely, sample workouts tailored for beginners, and tips to stay motivated.…

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Stay Strong, Move Better: The Ultimate Guide to Functional Fitness for Aging Gracefully

Michael Stanwyck — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 16:00:57 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

As we age, the desire to live vibrantly—free from aches, limitations, or the fear of falling—becomes a top priority. Enter functional fitness, the game-changing approach to exercise that’s helping people over 40, 50, and beyond move better, stay strong, and age with confidence. Unlike traditional workouts that chase aesthetics, functional fitness focuses on real-world movements to enhance mobility, balance, and strength for everyday life.…

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Move Your Body in only 10 Minutes – No Gym, No Stress, ALL SWEAT!

Leah Barto — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 15:50:17 +0000

Reading Time: < 1 minute

OK, it’s time to put it all together! Only got 10 minutes? That’s all you need!

Let’s take the movements you’ve learned this week and put them together into a quick and powerful full body, strength, balance, and stability building workout. Any stage of the progression for each movement will work.

This quick, beginner-friendly workout is designed to get you moving, boost your energy, and build functional strength—no gym, no equipment, no stress.…

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How to Master the Dumbbell Pull-Through: Beginner-Friendly Guide

Leah Barto — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 16:00:38 +0000

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Today we are targeting upper body strength and core stability with the Dumbbell Pull-Through.

The dumbbell pull-through will add the critical element of stability to the balance you’ve worked on this week with the handstand and the lunge.

This beginner-friendly tutorial will teach you how to properly perform the dumbbell pull-through—a simple but super effective move to target your core, abs, and deep stabilizer muscles.…

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Master Lunges for Strength and Fitness: Top Tips and Techniques

Leah Barto — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 17:07:17 +0000

Reading Time: < 1 minute

We’ll follow up yesterday’s handstand tutorial with a powerful lower body movement—The Lunge.

Unlike the squat, the lunge requires much less flexibility and mobility but it equal to the squat in building strength in your legs. It does involve a bit more balance, so be prepared to improve that as well!

First, lunges don’t have to feel awkward or painful – so let’s fix that!…

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Go Head Over Heels with the Handstand

Leah Barto — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 17:19:08 +0000

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Coach Leah is back this week with a few more moves for you to work into your workout and practice routines.

This week we’ll start by getting upside down with the handstand.

Don’t worry if you haven’t done one since you were 8, there is no experience needed!

Coach Leah will walk you all the way back to the simplest progression and give you the steps to gain confidence and skill in getting inverted.…

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Running on Empty: To Exercise or Not to Exercise When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep

Michael Stanwyck — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 16:00:59 +0000

Sleep and exercise are two pillars of a healthy lifestyle, but what happens when they clash?

If you’ve ever tossed and turned all night only to wake up groggy and wonder whether you should still hit the gym, you’re not alone. The question of whether to exercise when you don’t get enough sleep is a common dilemma.

On one hand, physical activity can boost energy and mood; on the other, pushing your body when it’s already running on empty might do more harm than good.…

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Sleep Supplements: Boom or Bust?

Charlotte Spaight — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 16:00:14 +0000

Reading Time: 4 minutes

In 2025, sleep supplements are everywhere—gummies, powders, capsules, you name it. Why? Our sleep habits stink, and it’s not just making us tired.

Walk into any store or scroll online, and you’ll see shelves bursting with melatonin, magnesium, and a wave of newer sleep aids promising to lull you into dreamland. The market’s booming, with melatonin alone projected to hit over $1 billion globally by 2033, and magnesium riding a wave of hype for its calming effects.…

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Push, Pull, Sqaut—Full Body Strength and Fitness in 10 Minutes

Leah Barto — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 14:00:21 +0000

Reading Time: < 1 minute

This week we welcome Leah Barto from Brazen Fitness as a fitness contributor to our blog.

Leah will be bringing you simple and practical movement tutorials and workouts that you can add to your Whole Life Challenge or your life.

Today we’ll put together everything we’ve learned this week into a simple and effective full body workout you can do in your living room.…

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Build Full Body Strength With the Renegade Row

Leah Barto — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 14:00:22 +0000

Reading Time: < 1 minute

This week we welcome Leah Barto from Brazen fitness as a fitness contributor to our blog.

Leah will be bringing you simple and practical movement tutorials and workouts that you can add to your Whole Life Challenge or your life.

Today we move on to a slightly more complex movement, building on the push up. But rather than work the front of your body exclusively, this one will hit your back—the renegade row.…

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How To Squat Like Your Health Depends On It

Leah Barto — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:00:25 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

This week we welcome Leah Barto from Brazen fitness as a fitness contributor to our blog.

Leah will be bringing you simple and practical movement tutorials and workouts that you can add to your Whole Life Challenge or your life.

We started this yesterday with the push up. If the push up is the fundamental movement for the upper body, the squat is the king for the lower body.…

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The Last Push-Up “How To” You’ll Ever Need

Leah Barto — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 14:00:36 +0000

This week we welcome Leah Barto from Brazen fitness as a fitness contributor to our blog. Leah will be bringing you simple and practical movement tutorials and workouts that you can add to your Whole Life Challenge or your life.

This week we’ll start things off with the fundamental of fundamental movements, the humble but powerful push up.

There are a lot of ways to get stronger that don’t require any equipment.…

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Why You Need to Ditch Your Goals This Year

Cody Limbaugh — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 13:00:27 +0000

To be successful, ditch your goals.

Say what?

Yes, you heard that right. Ditch your goals.

We’ve been taught to set goals anytime we want to achieve anything. They should be SMART: specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time sensitive. But the motivational gurus who’ve taught us this didn’t necessarily take into account the psychology involved in personal growth and achievement.

The problem with traditional goal-setting is that it can be a stressful and disheartening experience as often as it is a motivating and exciting one.…

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Commitment: The 3 Hard Choices for Success

Jon Gilson — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 13:00:59 +0000

Commitment is hard, harangued by the twin devils of temptation and convenience, hamstrung by lack of preparation, blown back by our general aversion to difficult work.

Undoubtedly, you’ve decided to change something today. You’ve decided to accomplish something.

‘Tis the season, after all.

Regardless of the nature of your goal, you would do well to commit with more than mind. You’ll need to change your environs and alter patterns.…

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How to Use Discipline to Add New Habits and Gain More Time

Chris Holder — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 13:00:01 +0000

Each new year offers a fresh start, new beginnings, and a worldwide surge to becoming the person you always wished to be. No matter your resolution for this new year, there is one solidifying factor that resonates throughout all our goals: discipline.

I want to lose 25lbs. I want to eat better. I want to stop swearing. I want to exercise three to five times a week.…

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How to Find Peace and Beauty: Find Your Spot

Chris Holder — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 13:00:08 +0000

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Remember when we were kids? You know, when you and your friends were out playing and you always ended up at so-and-so’s house, or in your best friend’s back yard, or maybe a simple place out in the trees behind where you lived.

These places we gravitated toward not only hold some of our fondest memories, but when you look closer, they served as sanctuaries or feel-good spots that made us happier about being alive.…

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The Chaos Monkey: How to Improve Your Life Through Failure

Teddy Kim — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 13:00:23 +0000

Reading Time: 5 minutes

In 2000, I ventured onto a then-new website called “Netflix.” I can still remember how exciting it was to see the familiar red DVD mailer when I opened my mailbox.

Then in 2007, Netflix launched a streaming service. As an early adopter, I distinctly remember how crummy the the streaming service was at first. I don’t think I was able to finish a movie for the first year.…

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A Friend Indeed: Off-Season WLC Skill Practice

Jon Gilson — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 13:01:06 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Off-Season WLC Skill Practices are mini-challenges intended to help you fine-tune different aspects of your health and wellness. Offered between Challenges, these weekly practices address fitness, nutrition, stress reduction, productivity, and personal connection — because health is about far more than food and the gym (and we could all use a little practice)

This Week, Take Time Each Day to Connect with a Friend

Simple Instructions:

Each day this week, reach out to a friend.

…

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Golden Latte: The Simple Winter Drink with a Health Punch

Robert Morton — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 13:00:17 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Before I got rolling on the good-for-you food train, if you had told me I’d regularly drink turmeric and like it, I’d have sworn you off as a quackish spice-hugger. No way that can taste good or have enough health benefit to be worth choking down with any regularity, right? To my mind, turmeric was just another super/titanic/power-packed [insert other superlative for incredible health punch] food on someone’s clever list that perhaps I should be eating, if I loved my taste buds less.…

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Solve the Procrastination Problem: Off-Season WLC Skill Practice

Becca Borawski Jenkins — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

End Procrastination with Small Steps Each Day This Week

Simple Instructions:

Do one thing each day this week that you’ve been “meaning to do” for a long time.

…

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Play Time: Are You Missing Out on a Powerful Health Habit?

Darryl Edwards — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 13:00:50 +0000

Until recently, it was relatively easy to dismiss the positive benefits of play for adults. Play, after all, was something that we “outgrew” as we got older, right? But researchers from a number of different scientific disciplines — from neuroscience to psychology — now say that play can be just as important for adults as it is for children.

One of the founders of the “play movement” for adults is Dr.…

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A Walk Alone: Off-Season WLC Skill Practice

Jon Gilson — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 13:00:53 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Take a 10-Minute Walk Alone Each Day This Week

Simple Instructions:

For the next seven days, take a 10-minute walk each day (with no particular destination in mind).

…

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Guilt-Free Dairy-Free Avocado Chocolate Pudding

V "Paleo Boss Lady" Capaldi — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 13:00:50 +0000

Everyone I serve this avocado chocolate pudding to simply goes nuts. It is one of the easiest and most delicious treats to make and offers up healthy fats, antioxidants, and much more. This dish works for a treat at any time of day, and everyone seems to enjoy it — because we are talking chocolate pudding here.

The best part about this avocado chocolate pudding is that you can modify it in so many ways.…

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No Electronics Before Bed: Off-Season WLC Skill Practice

Becca Borawski Jenkins — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 13:00:38 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Turn Off All Electronics Before Bed Each Night This Week

Simple Instructions:

For the next seven days, turn off all electronics thirty minutes before you intend to sleep.

…

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How to Make Health a Year-Round Lifestyle (and Still Enjoy Holiday Dinners)

Chris White — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 13:00:01 +0000

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Parents and their children are constantly on the go with work, school, after-school programs, sports, and other activities. You come home after working long hours, you help your kids with their homework, and then you cook, clean, and prepare the house for the next day. There may be little time for you to sit and have a conversation with your children.…

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5 Unexpected Ways to Achieve the Benefits of Mindfulness

Ellen Wayte — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 13:00:27 +0000

I have always hated yoga. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that it could help me with nagging hip pain and do wonders for my general state of mind. But I have found every single second I have spent practicing it to be excruciating.

My body aches and complains of discomfort, but worst of all is my mind. To refer to my mind during yoga as a “monkey” would be an understatement.…

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5 Ways Your Bucket List Gets in the Way of Happiness

Ellen Wayte — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 13:00:33 +0000

Reading Time: 8 minutes

The Taj Mahal sat across the river from us, bustling with lines of people in the setting sun. Our location was a spot on the bank only accessible via a narrow footpath and inhabited by a handful of locals and a few mangy dogs.

Despite its lack of amenities, our spot was ideal. As the group’s tour guide, I’d researched the perfect place where the sun would set just to the side of the marble minarets, bathing them in warm light.…

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The 4 Steps to Finding the Best Fitness Community for You

Eric Stevens — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 13:00:23 +0000

Reading Time: 5 minutes

I’m an introvert. I don’t like fairs, carnivals, airports, or malls. I don’t particularly like loud, overcrowded, sweaty fitness classes, which is ironic considering I’ve taught thousands of them. But despite my personal preference for a low-key vibe, group fitness environments can provide the extra motivation and accountability some people need to thrive.

One thing I have learned over and over again, as both a student and a coach, is that when it comes to reaching and staying at your goals, support matters.…

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How to Play the Whole Life Challenge When You’re Sick

Hilary Achauer — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 13:00:48 +0000

Reading Time: 7 minutes

It’s easy to stay on track when things are going well. When life is predictable, there’s time to plan meals, exercise, meditate, and get enough sleep.

Unfortunately, life is rarely predictable. Even if your sleep, nutrition, and exercise are on point, you might get sick at some point during the Whole Life Challenge.

This doesn’t mean you have to give up!…

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The Golden Mean Training Plan: A Simple Template for Success

Andrew Read — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 12:01:36 +0000

Reading Time: 5 minutes

At the beginning of each year, it is easy to be fooled into thinking you need a new workout. New year, new you, and all that jazz. Don’t be fooled by fitness marketing hype.

The basics are the basics for a good reason — they work.

Let’s face it, squats don’t stop working to make you stronger just because you’ve been doing them for a while.…

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Quick Weeknight Fish with Wicked Easy Sauce

Robert Morton — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 12:00:31 +0000

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Weeknights at our house trail only weekday mornings for unbound mayhem. Practices, lessons, homework, late work meetings, pet needs, to-do catch-up from what didn’t happen the weekend before, nuttiness aplenty. This is particularly true early in the week before the golden light of Friday begins to dawn.

In this sanity-deprived environment, we cherish super simple dinner recipes that everyone will eat (in our place, that means two adults and three young ones ranging from ages nine to sixteen).…

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Why It’s Okay to Eat All the Halloween Candy

Andy Petranek — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 12:00:43 +0000

Today, I’m going to let you off the hook. (Sort of.)

And just in time to shove a bunch of Halloween candy into your mouth. (Maybe.)

The holidays are coming up, and with them, a seemingly endless stream of parties. First it’s Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and then things really kick into gear with Christmas, Hanukkah, and the December holidays. Oh yeah, and don’t forget about ringing in the new year!…

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The Importance of “Whole” in Your Whole Life (Challenge)

Hilary Achauer — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 12:00:09 +0000

Reading Time: 5 minutes

In the early 2000s, the pomegranate was the new super food. This antioxidant-rich miracle fruit was said to improve cardiovascular health, fight prostate cancer, and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Soon, the refrigerators of most health-conscious people contained POM Wonderful pomegranate juice in those funny, double-bulb shaped bottle.

The Super Food That Wasn’t

POM Wonderful, the company, was founded in 2002 by the billionaire couple Stewart and Linda Rae Resnick.…

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Leverage: The Simple (But Not Easy) Element of the Challenge That Changes Lives

Andy Petranek — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 12:00:12 +0000

Reading Time: 7 minutes

I’ve been in the fitness coaching business for over 25 years, and in that time, I’ve tried many strategies to gain leverage over people. Why do I need leverage? Because when left to their own devices, people invariably make choices that undermine their own best intentions to get fitter and healthier.

It’s easy to make the “right” choices in the presence of your coach or trainer, but it’s a different story when you’re back at work, at home alone, at a party, or opening the freezer for a midnight snack.…

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Daily Squat Challenge: Off-Season WLC Skill Practice

Becca Borawski Jenkins — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 12:00:09 +0000

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Do Squats Every Day This Week

Simple Instructions:

Each day this week, you will do 20 bodyweight squats.

…

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When You Should Be Eating if You Want to Lose Weight

Sophia McDermott Drysdale — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 12:00:31 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

There are so many aspects to eating for weight loss. What to eat is one aspect. How the body processes your food is also incredibly important. But when you eat is an often overlooked and critical component of successfully losing weight.

I wrote recently about how your body processes calories based on your metabolism and how dieting and long-term calorie restriction can destroy your metabolism — making it nearly impossible to lose fat.…

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Water, Water, Everywhere: Off-Season WLC Skill Practice

Becca Borawski Jenkins — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:00:37 +0000

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Drink Water with Each Meal and Snack This Week

Simple Instructions:

Each day this week, when you eat a meal or have a snack, drink a glass of water.

…

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Better Than Fun: Why You Should Always Do the “Hard” Things

Hilary Achauer — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 12:00:40 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Adam Carolla, Loveline host turned podcaster, said something years ago that stuck with me.

He was talking about having kids. Someone asked him if it was fun having kids. He paused, thought for a minute and then said, “No, it’s not fun. It’s better than fun.”

Fun describes things like watching a movie, going to dinner with friends, or jumping on a trampoline.…

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Booze Free: Off-Season WLC Skill Practice

Jon Gilson — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 12:00:28 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

We’re Taking 7 Days Off From Drinking

Simple Instructions:

Each day this week, abstain from drinking alcohol.

…

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Low Back Pain: Do You Suffer From the Bobblehead Doll Effect?

Anders Varner — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 12:00:09 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

The American Chiropractic Association estimates 31 million Americans will suffer from back pain in their lives. An alarming statistic that tells us back pain is a mainstay in American culture. We all have it, share it, and without talking much about it, are looking to solve it.

But you are different. You do your daily workout, go to yoga twice a week, walk the dogs, and then in a lazy attempt to get things done, you bend over to pick up the laundry and there is it, your back goes out.…

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Seize the Day: Off-Season WLC Skill Practice

Becca Borawski Jenkins — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 12:00:13 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Get Up 30 Minutes Early Every Day This Week

Simple Instructions:

Each day, set your alarm to wake you 30 minutes earlier than normal.

…

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How to Create a Winning Team of Voices in Your Head

Karen Katzenbach — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 12:00:22 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Fielding a great team is crucial to winning on any playing field. The same is true in building long-term, sustainable health and fitness.

But I’m not talking about your friends, family, co-workers, and gym buddies who are there to help keep you motivated and accountable. Those people are important — but just as important, if not more so, is the team that is with you 24/7, giving you advice, encouragement, or, alas, discouragement no matter what you’re doing.…

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How Going Sugar-Free Actually Made My Life Sweeter

Jessica Wolf — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 12:00:01 +0000

Years ago, when I first became a mother, I was at the playground trying to shield my son from germy interactions with runny-nosed toddlers, when one mom posed what I considered a ludicrous question.

“Do you think it’s just a coincidence that ‘cold season’ comes right on the heels of our kids eating their weight in Halloween candy?”

Was she insinuating that eating candy made people sick?!…

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The End of the Whole Life Challenge: Now What?

Andy Petranek — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 12:00:29 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Here we are at the end of the Whole Life Challenge, and you may be asking yourself, “Now what?”

That’s a very common question.

The answer is — you go back to your “normal” life.

Now is when you take the things you’ve been practicing in the Challenge and see what works in your regular life.

Watch this video for advice from Whole Life Challenge co-founders Andy Petranek and Michael Stanwyck.…

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Easy Tahini Banana No-Bake Dessert That’s Better Than Cheesecake

Jannine Myers — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 12:00:14 +0000

A very talented foodie friend who has the most amazing cooking and baking skills introduced me to this dessert a couple years ago. Although I’ve modified her recipe, it’s still very close to Laura’s original.

What I love about this no-bake dessert is that even though it’s deliciously creamy and decadent, it’s also impressive in terms of its nutritional quality. Compared to a traditional mini-cheesecake recipe, the differences are fairly substantial:

Regular mini-cheesecake dessert: 17g fat, 5g saturated fat, 45-50g carbs/sugar, 39mg cholesterol, 230mg sodium, 0.90g fiber

Laura’s tahini banana no-bake dessert: 11g fat, 2.8g saturated fat, ~33g carbs/sugar, 0mg cholesterol, 2.4mg sodium, 2.95g fiber

While the protein content is similar, the no-bake dessert contains considerably less fat, sugar, and sodium.…

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How to Swim Out of the Storm When Life Is Drowning You

Lauren Meers — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 12:00:03 +0000

Reading Time: 8 minutes

I am struggling to get air into my burning lungs. I can see firm ground in the distance — but it’s just out of reach. A wave of panic starts in my gut, rolling up my spine — I might not get through this.

No, this isn’t a new extreme workout I’m floundering through or a flashback to water polo in high school PE class.…

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2 Ways Vulnerability Can Make You a Better Man

Adam Stanecki — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 12:00:31 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

It wasn’t so long ago I would have rejected the idea that vulnerability could make me a better father, a better husband, and ultimately a better man. These days, I know better.

Like most men, I once viewed vulnerability as weakness. Then I discovered true vulnerability.

It all happened when my wife became pregnant.

To say my wife suffered horrific morning sickness would hardly describe how completely debilitated she was during each of her pregnancies.…

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Recipe: Oatmeal Hemp Pancakes with Blueberry Cacao Syrup

Jannine Myers — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 12:00:21 +0000

Reading Time: 3 minutes

These hemp pancakes are one of my favorite weekend recipes. They not only satisfy my appetite after a long morning run, but they also keep me feeling full for hours. One of the reasons they promote satiety is because they contain a half cup of hemp protein powder, and if you didn’t already know, hemp seeds are a great source of fiber (and iron!).…

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How to Find Fulfillment and Happiness: Identify Your Hedgehog

Teddy Kim — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:00:08 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

The world is made up of hedgehogs and foxes. The foxes are clever. They can run and jump and bite. They can attack hedgehogs in any number of ways. The hedgehog is very simple. Under attack, a hedgehog always does the same thing. He rolls up into a ball with his spines pointed out. The fox is clever, but the hedgehog keeps it simple, so the hedgehog always wins.…

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Recipe: Fresh Chicken and Sausage Stir Fry

Jon Gilson — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 12:00:07 +0000

Rainbow-colored veggies, butcher-fresh sausage, and air-chilled chicken combine to make the perfect one-pan dish. This recipe is an awesome way to up your vegetable intake with a minimum of effort, packing an entire season of vegetables into every serving.

Fresh Chicken and Sausage Stir Fry

Rainbow-colored veggies, butcher-fresh sausage, and air-chilled chicken combine to make the perfect one-pan dish.

Course Chicken, Dinner, PaleoCuisine Kickstart, Lifestyle, Performance

Prep Time 15 minutes minutesCook Time 20 minutes minutesTotal Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Jon Gilson

Ingredients

2 pounds air-chilled chicken tenderloins

1 pound sweet Italian sausage

5 Brussels sprouts

1 zucchini

1 summer squash

1 bunch asparagus

1 yellow pepper

1 orange pepper

1/2 white onion

fresh basil

Salt pepper, cayenne powder

Olive oil

Instructions

Shred Brussels sprouts.

…

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The Single Biggest Truth About the “Right” Way to Exercise

Chris Holder — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 12:00:07 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

What I am going to tell you is going to send the fitness world into a frenzy. I’m sure this one statement will put a bounty on my head and I will be blacklisted from any and every gym and corporate meeting from coast to coast.

But, my priority is you and it’s time you hear the truth.…

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How to Persevere as a Beginner and Get Past Intimidation

Eric Stevens — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 12:00:12 +0000

When I first learned to ski, I was in junior high. I was a late bloomer, and I was old enough to feel the pain of being judged by my peers. Old enough to know the feeling of failure. Old enough to know that when you fall, you feel pain and you can get hurt in the process.

With that as my backdrop, I was full of apprehension on my first day of skiing.…

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What You Need to Know About Your Body’s Hormonal Response to Food

Sophia McDermott Drysdale — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 12:00:07 +0000

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Even if we keep fairly active and eat reasonably healthy, most of us at some stage want to lose a bit of weight. And we may end up willing to try almost anything to drop those stubborn pounds. This is why the weight-loss industry is one of the biggest industries in the world. Unfortunately, there is much misinformation out there that makes weight-loss confusing for some and daunting for others.…

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5 Unexpected Ways Walking Can Make You Happier and Healthier

Karen Katzenbach — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 12:00:13 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

As a CrossFit coach and athlete, I can find it difficult to go slow. Most of my workouts have some sort of time element to them. I’m trying to go as fast as I can, beat the clock, and do more work. Even if you don’t do CrossFit, you may feel the daily pressure to do more and do it faster.…

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Too Busy for Healthy Habits? Here Are 4 Easy and Fun Solutions

Hilary Achauer — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 12:00:12 +0000

I have a little trick I use when facing a task I dread.

If I can’t bear the thought of making yet another salad, or I really, really don’t want to clean the guinea pig’s cage, I set a stopwatch and time how long it actually takes me to complete the task I’ve been avoiding for an hour.

In the case of making a salad, the answer is less than five minutes

“Well, that wasn’t so bad,” I think when I’m done.…

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The 5-Minute Mug Breakfast Recipe for Reduced Morning Chaos

Robert Morton — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 12:00:50 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Weekday mornings in our house are full-on bonkers. There are two adults, three kids, a dog, and a cat in our circus — most of whom need to both inhale a breakfast meal and whip up something for lunch each morning. And all in the space of about thirty minutes. Think frenetic restaurant kitchen scene meets Turner & Hooch level pet-destroys-house vignette.…

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Build Better Posture with 3 Simple Bodyweight Exercises

Brandon Hofer — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 12:00:09 +0000

Chronic bad posture — you know, slouching and hunched shoulders — can result in everything from restricted movement, to tension and headaches, to an inability to breathe well. An important element of building better posture is spinal movement.

Here are three simple (but not necessarily easy) bodyweight exercises that will help create flexibility and more fluid motion in your spine. Better posture, in turn, will have you feel better and move better through your whole body.…

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It’s Okay to Be the Turtle: How to Win Big by Going Small in the Whole Life Challenge

Elisa Taub — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 12:00:26 +0000

Reading Time: 7 minutes

I don’t know about you, but when I first started the Whole Life Challenge, I was overwhelmed by the enormity of it. With 7 Daily Habits to attend to, and a myriad of rules to follow, I questioned whether I could actually complete it.

Plus, everyone I knew who had done the Challenge was a CrossFitter, and let me tell you I was nowhere near the athletic prowess of that group.…

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Recipe: Guilt-Free and Gluten-Free Oats-n-Seeds Bread

Jannine Myers — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 12:00:23 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Whole Life Challenge doesn’t expect you to be perfect. We don’t even want you to be perfect. And that means sometimes you’re going to want to do things — like eat bread. But that doesn’t mean you have to fall back into old habits of eating unhealthy ingredients.

This gluten-free bread recipe is a tried-and-true way to make a super nutritious and tasty treat with ingredients that conform to the Whole Life Challenge standards.…

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Try this Kettlebell Mobility Sequence to Release Your Shoulders and Back

Brandon Hofer — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 12:00:09 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Even if you’ve adopted a standing desk and good movement habits into your life, chances are you still spend a fair amount of the day sitting or with your upper back hunched and shoulders rolled inward. Chronic bad posture can result in everything from restricted mobility, to pain and tension, to an inability to breathe well.

So let’s help your shoulders and back open up by using this simple sequence of corrective exercises.…

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Cheese-Free Saag Paneer: Spice Up Your Nutrition with this Recipe

Alma Schneider — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 12:01:05 +0000

I love Indian food, but some of the dishes are just not compatible with my approach to healthy eating. Recently, I took my favorite Indian dish, saag paneer, and eliminated the non-compliant cheese. It came out great! I also swapped the traditional spinach for kale and it lost none of the delicious comfort of the original recipe.

If you’re a fan of Indian food (or even if you’re not), give this simple recipe a try and spice up your nutrition!…

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The 4 Principles of Healthy and Effective Exercise After 40

Andrew Read — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 12:00:25 +0000

I am inundated with health and fitness advice daily. I’m sure you are, too, and just like you, I need to apply a careful filter to what I pay attention to and what I ignore.

One of the things I am less and less inclined to pay attention to is the advice of someone much younger than me. The reason is quite simple — a thirty-year-old just doesn’t know what it’s like to try to stay active in their forties.…

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Double Your Fun: 5 Partner Workout Strategies + 10 Workouts

Peter Haas — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 12:00:05 +0000

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. — African Proverb

Let me ask you something: Would you rather trudge through a workout on your own? Or would you like to meet up with a friend and knock it out together?

5 Benefits of a Partner Workout

You’ll push harder.
You’re less likely to quit.

…

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How to Harness the Hidden Power of Practice

Teddy Kim — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 20:26:27 +0000

Reading Time: 8 minutes

Several years ago, I suffered a cervical herniation between my C5 and C6 vertebrae. It happened during sparring at my Brazilian jiu jitsu academy. I got caught in a guillotine and rather than tap, I tried to fight out of it. Why did I do that? Because I’m an idiot. More on that later.

As the day wore on, my neck became more and more stiff.…

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Easy, Healthy Breakfast Recipe: Egg & Sweet Potato Cups

Jannine Myers — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 17:28:50 +0000

I often spend Sunday afternoons preparing make-ahead meals and snacks. I find that having delicious options on hand makes it easier to make healthy choices throughout the week, not to mention it saves me time and money.

During one of these recent occasions, I came up with the idea for this healthy breakfast recipe: egg and sweet potato cups. The version I made contains just three wholesome foods that go gloriously well together: eggs, avocado, and sweet potato.…

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Pistol Squat Variations for All Strength and Mobility Levels

Brandon Hofer — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 11:13:05 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Today we’re going to work on a series of pistol squat variations, one of which is likely perfect for you. The pistol squat is also sometimes called the single-leg or one-leg squat.

This video will walk you through the progressions to the full pistol squat. But even if you can’t do a full pistol squat or never intend to, you can still get a lot of benefit from training its different variations.…

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So You Can Stay Longer: A Letter to My Fellow Fathers

Chris Holder — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 22:06:44 +0000

Reading Time: 7 minutes

As fathers, one of the greatest blessings of our lives are the births of our children. I can’t speak for all of you, but I’m sure the vast majority of you dads feel the way I do about my kids. I love them so much it hurts. I have three, a boy and two girls and they are the best part of my day.…

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Body Fat, Consistency, and Understanding the Whole Life Challenge

Jon Gilson — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 09:00:09 +0000

The journey to changing body composition can be rapid (and you can do it quickly).

Here’s the formula:

Cut (way) down on your intake of processed sugars and high-glycemic index foods.

Increase your intake of protein and high-quality fats.

Eat lots of vegetables.

Make water your primary beverage.

Ramp up the volume (and frequency) of your fitness training.

Incorporate focused recovery into your training, including mobility and low-intensity aerobic work.

…

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8 Quick and Delicious WLC Compliant Salad Dressings

Peter Haas — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 09:00:08 +0000

“The look of excitement on her face quickly turned to one of disappointment and then horror. For Zeus had packed the box full of all the terrible evils he could think of. Out of the box poured disease and poverty. Out came misery, out came death, out came sadness…”

— Pandora’s Box…or someone reading salad dressing ingredient labels.

It’s almost impossible to find compliant salad dressings in the store.…

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Skater Squat: A Bodyweight Exercise for Balance and Strength

Brandon Hofer — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 09:00:04 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Today, we’re going through progressions and regressions of a single-leg squat known as the “skater squat” or “shrimp squat.” This version of a one-leg squat is easier on your knees than the pistol and requires less flexibility, as well. So it’s a great way to build up your strength and balance. That said, it’s harder than a regular lunge, so it’s common to need to modify this movement when you first start training it.…

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Your Body Is Not Your Masterpiece — Your Health Is

Hilary Achauer — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 09:00:27 +0000

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Recently, I came across this short article, Your Body Is Not Your Masterpiece.

“Stop spending all day obsessing, cursing, perfecting your body like it’s all you’ve got to offer the world,” Glennon Doyle Melton wrote in the piece. “Your body is not your offering. It’s just a really amazing instrument, which you can use to create your offering each day.…

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A Simple But Powerful Workout for Kettlebell Beginners

Brandon Hofer — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 09:00:25 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

For those of you just getting started with kettlebells, here is a simple sequence you can dive into immediately. It’s easy to scale this up or down for your fitness and strength levels, and the technique involved in these movements is perfect for kettlebell beginners who need to practice the basics.

The exercises are:

Deadlift into front rack position
Halo
Goblet squat

For details on these movements, watch the video above.…

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Slow Cooker Apple Barbecue Pulled Turkey

V "Paleo Boss Lady" Capaldi — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 09:00:08 +0000

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Whether it’s summertime and you’re trying to avoid heating up the house — or it’s winter and you could use a warm meal of comforting food — this pulled turkey recipe fits the bill. And, even better, this traditional-feeling turkey is done so simply in the slow cooker.

Of course, a big part of turkey is the leftovers and this recipe delivers.…

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Get Fit by Trusting Your Gut: 5 Questions You Need to Ask

Andrew Read — Thu, 25 May 2023 09:00:41 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Training and diet aren’t rocket science. Any website or article that tries to tell you otherwise is just trying to sell you something.

Inside all of us is a very perceptive brain, often called the lizard brain. The lizard brain is a throwback to our ancestors and is often associated with visceral feelings. You know that time you got a bad “vibe” from that one guy and he turned out to be a criminal?…

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A Simple, But Not Easy 20-Minute Weight-Loss Workout

Chris Holder — Mon, 22 May 2023 09:00:59 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

The idea of “cardio” has a bit of a stigma. Cardio, by definition, is currently out-of-style and because of the tough-guy mentality that pervades many of the training systems in today’s fitness industry, classic cardio for weight loss and conditioning has become taboo.

Well, I’m here to tell you, there’s a workout out there that not only keeps us old timers who love our cardio and our cardio machines happy, but will also give the “hard as nails” group something to chew on.…

The post A Simple, But Not Easy 20-Minute Weight-Loss Workout appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

6 Easy Ways to Get a Big Green Scoop of Nature Into Your Life

Lauren Meers — Fri, 19 May 2023 09:00:40 +0000

Reading Time: 7 minutes

We were standing on a dirt trail in the middle of pristine oak woodlands that gave way to rolling golden hills stretching down to the Pacific Ocean. I was lead hike docent that morning, and we paused in the shade for the group to snap a photo, and I stared out at the ocean.

“Dude, you can’t see anything man-made anywhere from here!”…

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The Kettlebell Swing for Beginners: A Simple and Safe How-To

Brandon Hofer — Wed, 17 May 2023 09:00:22 +0000

This video will walk you through a simple sequence to learn the kettlebell swing. If you’re just getting started with the swing, these movements are great tools to help you along your way to being able to safely and effectively perform the full kettlebell swing. Each move builds upon the next until you are doing the complete exercise. In the video, you’ll see me perform each part of the sequence and I’ll explain how to do it in detail.…

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Make a Healthy, Easy Breakfast With These 3 Shake Recipes

Jessie Holder — Mon, 15 May 2023 09:00:39 +0000

Reading Time: 4 minutes

I love my morning protein shakes. I love that I can start off my day with quality nutrition that is not only fast and easy to make, but also portable, so I can drink it on my morning commute.

Every morning, I simply combine two scoops of my favorite protein powder, one scoop of fiber, and ten to twelve ounces of water in a shaker, shake like crazy, and then drink over ice.…

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Lack of Sleep: The Many Ways It’s Silently Ruining Your Day

Amber Larsen — Thu, 11 May 2023 09:00:52 +0000

Reading Time: 7 minutes

In today’s hectic society, sleep is a hot commodity. For most people, sleep doesn’t make it onto the list of important tasks. Many of us are so inundated by daily stress that it affects our sleep patterns in a major way. Let’s take a look at how this sleep deprivation affects our bodies — and I’ll warn you, it’s not for the best.…

The post Lack of Sleep: The Many Ways It’s Silently Ruining Your Day appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

The 3 Steps to Training Smarter as You Pass 50

Andrew Read — Mon, 08 May 2023 09:00:19 +0000

Reading Time: 5 minutes

When it comes to training information, there has never been a better time to be alive. All the best authors and greatest minds are right there at your fingertips. Books, research papers, blog posts, and even forum posts directly from these authorities make learning easy. But the information is often pitched at one demographic — the twenty- to thirty-year-old male looking to be (pick one) jacked, super strong, or ripped.…

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6 Simple Tips for Creating New Habits That Actually Last

Brandon Hofer — Thu, 04 May 2023 09:00:21 +0000

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Creating new habits that last a lifetime is tricky business no matter what realm of human experience we are discussing. As a personal trainer and lifestyle coach, I find it is often a struggle to guide others in creating healthy habits, but I’ve learned a few strategies that work more often than others.

Now more than ever, we’re all working to re-establish old healthy habits that we may have lost and new ones that will serve our health and well-being better than ever before.…

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Quick and Easy Roasted Vegetables

V "Paleo Boss Lady" Capaldi — Tue, 02 May 2023 09:00:27 +0000

Reading Time: 3 minutes

When I first started eating more consciously, I realized I did not eat enough veggies. Not only that, but my plate tended to be all one color and not a rainbow. In order to get all the nutrients needed to be healthy, my goal was to have each meal be comprised of many different colors.

When I was a kid, my mother was famous for steaming all our vegetables so we did not worry about adding “evil” fats.…

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How to Get Your First 10 Push-ups

Timothy Bell — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 09:00:59 +0000

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The push-up is a classic staple of bodyweight training and a great total body exercise for developing strength. But when most new trainees think of push-ups, it just brings back bad memories of trying to perform them in gym class in high school.

The push-up, out of all the exercises I have beginner clients perform, is the one that creates the most dread.…

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A Beginner’s Guide to Fat Loss, Part 2: The Shortcut

Jon Gilson — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 10:00:57 +0000

Reading Time: 9 minutes

If you want to achieve ideal body composition — for most of us, lean, strong, and athletic — there are certain paths to follow. Keep in mind, they’re not necessarily those laid out by the mainstream media (especially as targeted to women).

In no particular order, here’s some of the misinformation you’ve been subjected to:

Eat fewer calories

Run/bike/elliptical more

Stay in the low-intensity, long-duration “fat burning zone”

Don’t eat fat

Target your abs

Insert (miracle berry, powder, pill) into your diet

Tone problem areas with light weights

Each of these is wrong (or incomplete) in its own special way, and in this series, we’ll deal with them all, but today, we’ll further our case by addressing the number one thing you should be doing beyond diet.…

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A Beginner’s Guide to Fat Loss, Part 1: Sleep and Your Appetite

Jon Gilson — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 09:00:12 +0000

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Stop me if you’ve heard this one. Lack of sleep is making you fat.

Turns out this isn’t a joke.

It’s a research-supported finding you’d do well to understand — how long you sleep directly influences your energy, hunger, and body fat levels. In other words, those late nights and early mornings are royally screwing up your fitness plans.…

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The Surprising Ways Helping Others Can Improve Your Health

Hilary Achauer — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 09:00:00 +0000

The line is long, and for an hour I don’t stop moving. First a spoonful of beans on the plate, then a squirt of ketchup and mustard on each hamburger. Everyone is patient and polite. Some look me in the eye, and smile, or make a quick joke. Some look at the floor and seem to have trouble forming words. One man in a polo shirt asks my name, tells me his, and when he returns for seconds he says, “Thank you, Hilary.”…

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How to Modify 2 of the Most Troublesome Yoga Poses

Brandon Hofer — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 09:00:42 +0000

Reading Time: < 1 minute

In this video, I’m going to walk you through two of the yoga postures I see people struggling with most often. Instead of forcing yourself into a pose, we can use a yoga block as a prop to help us get the benefits of the pose while still keeping healthy form and avoiding injury. It’s less about making yourself look like the “right” way of doing a pose and more about staying true to the nuance and intention of the pose.…

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The Walk/Run Program 2.0: Run for 60 Minutes Straight in 13 Weeks

Andrew Read — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 03:00:47 +0000

Reading Time: 8 minutes

Running is one of those things that most people either love or hate. Usually, the two camps are divided by one factor — skill.

The group of people who love running tend to have run earlier in life and picked up some skill at it. Like with many things, those who develop a particular physical skill early will often have a seemingly “natural” ability at it later, even if they don’t perform that task often.…

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Your Gut—It’s Not Just for Pooping Anymore

Charlotte Spaight — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 18:37:57 +0000

Reading Time: 5 minutes

The gut is often called the second brain, and for good reason. The health of your gut can affect everything from your mood and energy levels to your immune system and overall well-being. It plays an important role in digestion, immunity, metabolism, and even mood regulation.

Unfortunately, modern diets and lifestyles can often disrupt the delicate balance of the gut microbiome.…

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How Meal Prep Makes Your Life Better, Plus How to Do It

Teddy Kim — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 09:00:51 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Meal prepping has always been a big part of the bodybuilding and figure scenes. Of necessity, bodybuilders take their nutrition more seriously than just about any other athlete, so it makes sense that meal prepping would be such a mainstay of the sport. Most meal preppers cook a bunch of food ahead of time, and then use a custom cooler bag to tote around a single day’s worth of meals in their highly organized, stackable plastic cartons.…

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5 Seated Stretches to Open Your Hips and Close Your Day

Peter Haas — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 09:00:37 +0000

Reading Time: < 1 minute

If you spend your day sitting in a chair, a great way to balance out your body is to spend your evening sitting on the floor. Here are five simple seated stretches that you can do before bed or while you’re watching television. You can do one, you can do them all, or you can flow from one to the next.…

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How to End Suffering and Frustration by Embracing “Practice”

Chaz Franke — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 09:00:49 +0000

Reading Time: 8 minutes

In terms of a journey, there is no greater process than the pursuit of our wellness. The Buddha knew this, and he made it his life’s mission to ensure as many people heard this profound simplicity as possible. But for many people, the journey stalls as a result of needing to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible.…

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How to Get a Killer Workout When You Only Have a Park Bench

Timothy Bell — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 10:00:27 +0000

Reading Time: 6 minutes

You don’t need a gym membership to get your exercise. All you need is a knowledge of bodyweight-based training and some creativity when it comes to using everyday objects. When you develop these two traits, you’ll be able to get in a high quality workout, anywhere in the world, regardless of your access to equipment and regardless of your current fitness level.…

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