This article reviews the best nutrition coaching certifications in the fitness industry. Nutrition coaching is a lucrative, rewarding career that can set you up for success in the fitness industry. We break down the top nutrition certifications to help you decide which one makes the most sense for your specific career goals.

As part of our research, we consulted with Tyler Read, a fitness industry expert and the founder of PTPioneer, a website and brand that has helped thousands of nutrition coaches and personal trainers excel in their careers by choosing the right certifications for their specific goals.

Whether you are a personal trainer looking to be able to help your clients reach their fitness goals, or just someone looking to improve their own health and body composition, becoming a certified nutritionist is a good idea.

However, choosing the right Nutrition Certification program can be an arduous task. Therefore, we’ve compiled a list of the best options available to you right now with details regarding why you might choose one over the other.

After finishing this review article, you should have a firm grasp on which one of these picks is right for you and go down the correct path toward success as a leader in the field of nutrition coaching.

Quick Roundup of the Best Nutrition Certifications

• Best overall certification: ISSA Nutritionist Certification
• Best nutrition science: NASM Certified Nutrition Coach
• Best for performance nutrition: NCSF Sports Nutrition Specialist
• Best for behavior change: ACE Fitness Nutrition Specialist
• Best for online nutrition coaching: Precision Nutrition Level 1

Benefits of Nutrition Certification

Becoming a nutrition coach by earning one of the best nutrition certifications offers many benefits for a variety of different types of fitness professionals. As a personal trainer, adding nutrition coaching to your offered services means increasing your ability to deliver results, appeal to more clientele, and ultimately, command a higher salary.

Additionally, if you prefer not to work on the gym floor itself but enjoy the process of working 1-on-1 with clients, then nutrition coaching can be a great option. It also adds an entirely different dimension to the experience of being a fitness professional. In many cases, individuals have deeper struggles with food than they do with exercising.

As such, if you enjoy the behavioral coaching aspect of the fitness industry and helping clients, then nutrition coaching can be a great career option, and earning your nutrition coach certification is the right place to start.

Types of Nutrition Certification

If you’ve decided nutrition coaching on the whole is the right path for you, you’ll still need to decide the type of nutrition you want to go after. Depending on what your specific nutrition niche goals are, each certification has different strengths and weaknesses.

General Nutrition Certifications

Some certifications are a great overall approach across the board to bringing you on board with everything you need to adequately perform the job of a nutrition coach. In this instance, we highly recommend the ISSA Nutritionist Certification.

Science-Heavy Nutrition Certifications

That being said, other certifications have a much deeper emphasis on the actual nutrition science components of the nutrition coaching profession. If you are someone who enjoys science or prefers to really know the biological basis of everything in nutrition, then consider the NASM Certified Nutrition Coach.

Performance Nutrition Certifications

For some careers, focusing on performance nutrition in the context of athletic endeavors may be more important. Most general population-focused nutrition certifications do not have as much emphasis on nutrition strategies to optimize performance. If your career involves making nutrition plans for athletes, then consider the NCSF Sports Nutrition Specialist certification.

Behavioral Change-Focused Certifications

Behavioral change is another vital component of nutrition coaching and may be relevant if you expect to train clients who desperately need to improve their health but are highly resistant to behavioral change. In this case, a nutrition specialization with a solid framework for coaching clients through each stage of behavior change is necessary. For this, consider the ACE Fitness Nutrition Specialist.

Nutrition Certifications for Online Coaching

Finally, in the era of technology, not only are certifications taken online, but in many cases, clients want to be coached digitally as well. This can include meal plans and calendars delivered electronically, video meetings instead of in-person meetings, and other methodologies that allow clients to receive nutrition coaching without ever stepping foot into a nutritionist’s office. For this career path focus, we highly recommend the Precision Nutrition Level 1 certification.

Best Nutrition Certifications: The Deep Dive

The following section does a deeper dive into each certification that is made out top 5 nutrition coach certifications list.

1. ISSA Nutritionist Certification

The ISSA Nutritionist Certification is our top choice for best overall nutrition certification, and as such, comes in first on our list. The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) is well known for its personal training certification, but they also offer an excellent nutrition credential as well. Respected across many countries, the ISSA truly stands out as an international organization, with links to many different gyms and fitness studios.

ISSA was one of the first institutions to take their certifications online, so they made the whole process very streamlined. Everything in the ISSA Nutritionist

Certification is available through the online portal, including the final test.

This is a great nutritionist certification for those who are first dipping their toes into the field of nutrition coaching as you learn all the basics you need to know to be a nutrition coach. Plus, the structure and layout of the textbook make understanding the content a breeze.

It’s also a great option for experienced fitness professionals who may have informal training on nutrition coaching but care enough to add a more in-depth approach to their nutrition coach skillset. We cannot say enough great things about the ISSA Nutritionist certification, and it certainly won’t steer you wrong as you make your foray into the world of nutrition coaching.

Curriculum contents of the ISSA Nutritionist

The ISSA Nutritionist Coach curriculum begins with the origins of how humans select the food they eat.

You also learn the anatomy of how the digestive system works, along with the fundamentals of energy balance and systems.

This is followed by sections on the macronutrients, how they work, and good dietary sources for each one.

Knowing the mechanisms of protein, carbs, and fat is essential to understanding why and what amounts to implement in a balanced diet.
ISSA then covers chapters on micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

Hydration components are covered along with how dehydration affects athletics. Knowing the effects of dehydration and how to prevent it is key for safety and risk mitigation during exercise.

After the science of nutrition is covered, you get a section on the practical skills of coaching, including how to coach clients, create goals, assess their current status, and use the stages of change model to inform your coaching methodology. This will help your clients get the results they want from working with you.

You also learn how to build an actual business as a nutrition coach, which is a topic left out of a lot of certifications. Having this expertise in the business side of things allows you to actually create a real income from your nutrition skills. You can understand everything there is to know about diets and nutrition programs, but if you have no paying clients, it’s hard to use that information.

ISSA also includes a good section with an emphasis on the role of the nutrition coach in the overall fitness industry. As a nutritionist, you must know your place in the healthcare continuum, alongside other experts such as physicians and dietitians. Thus, ISSA ensures you fully understand the proper nutrition coach’s scope of practice.

You are not a doctor or a healthcare professional, so you cannot diagnose patients’ diseases based on symptoms like high blood pressure or prescribe specific nutrition plans or foods. You can show your clients the data that exists and use the general guidelines to inform them of healthy alternatives.

Cost and package options for ISSA Nutritionist

The ISSA Nutritionist comes in at $639 by itself with the current discount, which you can pay upfront or in interest-free payments over a 12-month period.

• For that price, you get the following resources:
• ISSA Nutritionist Textbook (Digital)
• Practice Exams and Section Quizzes
• Nutritionist Education Bootcamp
• Library of Client Forms
• Online and Home Study Exam
• Online Student Forum
• Free Professional Website
• Unlimited Educational Support

ISSA’s online website is very straightforward to use but fairly basic when it comes to the user interface. You don’t get the same levels of “flash” as NASM or ACE. However, you still get plenty of assistance and the ability to take courses at your own pace. Each practice quiz provides great feedback as well, ensuring you have a seamless exam prep experience.

In my experience, ISSA’s site support staff does a really good job at answering any questions you have about the course content, so feel free to reach out to their team if you have any questions during the studying process for the exam.

What we like about the ISSA Nutritionist

This program includes sales skills, which are a necessity for any trainer looking to make a career as a nutrition coach. Having the right overall business practices is certainly a game changer.

I also think the textbook strikes a good balance between detailed content and a conversational style that helps make complicated nutritional topics easy to understand. ISSA also allows you to retake the final open-book exam for free versus other options which add a retest fee if you fail the first time.

What we don’t like about the ISSA Nutritionist

The ISSA Nutritionist is a really good value if you bundle it with ISSA’s training certification, but as a stand-alone program, it can feel a bit pricey.

Comparatively, NCSF and ACE both cost less.

We also personally like the user interface of the online study systems from NASM and ACE better than ISSA.

ISSA Nutritionist’s overall rating

Overall, ISSA gets a 9.3 out of 10. It is perhaps the most practical choice of all the certifications on this list, given the business skills and content coverage. Fitness professionals should know how to coach but also sell their services, so they have someone to coach.

2. NASM Certified Nutrition Coach

The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) offers its NASM Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC) program, which is probably the most well-known certification course on this list. They are most known for the CPT, but they offer a huge range of certifications and specializations. They also partner with AFAA for their Group Exercise Certification.

You don’t need a bachelor’s degree or any other nutrition degree to become a NASM CNC, although the NASM CPT is recommended, and you need to be 18 years of age. The NASM CNC also gives continuing education units and is great for most careers in the fitness industry. This is true for most personal trainers as well as group fitness instructors, who experience a ton of overlap when it comes to nutrition coaching.

Note that like any other nutrition certificate program, the NASM CNC doesn’t have official accreditation itself. This is because professions like health coaches and nutrition coaches are not considered licensed, unlike professionals in dietetics who are licensed through the rigorous process of becoming a registered dietician.

However, as a provider of other NCCA-accredited certification courses, NASM maintains an incredibly high standard of professionalism and commitment to science-backed nutrition coaching.

As we’ve mentioned, the NASM CNC is incredibly valuable if you are a science-minded person who enjoys or would benefit from a deep look into the scientific components that go into nutrition coaching.

Curriculum contents of the NASM CNC

The NASM Certified Nutrition Coach curriculum is perhaps the most in-depth of all the fitness certification providers on this list. You get 800-plus pages of content delving into nutrition information. Certainly, of all the textbooks, this is the largest and reflects NASM’s commitment to a scientific approach to all the curricula they publish.

You learn the science fundamentals, but also a focus on practical mindful eating tips.

One of my favorite sections is where NASM discusses popular nutrition myths and the research behind why that’s the case. Most coaches run into clients who believe these fallacies, so knowing why they’re false and the evidence behind why will take you far. Plus, when you are armed with the actual research needed to debunk these claims, you have a much better shot at steering your clients in the right direction.

NASM also includes a chapter on the dangers of alcohol and how to include or exclude it in a diet plan. Nutritionists need the skillsets to coach clients through problematic drinking habits. It’s not uncommon to have clients who binge drink on the weekends, for example. This habit, along with daily drinking habits, can make success on a weight loss program difficult given the caloric value and metabolic effects of alcohol products.

You may have clients who eat well overall, but then consume surplus calories through their alcohol consumption. Although you cannot prescribe any clinical treatments for alcoholism and must be prepared to refer to the appropriate professionals, you do have the ability to steer clients toward healthier habits and discuss what generally healthy drinking patterns might look like for adults.

As with any nutrition certification, you learn about nutrients and energy balance principles as well. The final section of the book puts everything you’ve learned together into case studies where you see how to actually coach clients in regard to nutrition. This benefits you as you can take what you’ve learned and apply it in a variety of scenarios.

The case studies are also great for any new nutritionist who might have anxiety about the process of working with clients.

Cost and package options for NASM CNC

Right now, the NASM-CNC is $539 with current discounts, but the price does move around.

Normally NASM has a number of package options with their certifications, but in this case, you just have one option.

This pricing includes the following course materials:

• 1.9 NASM continuing education credits (CEUs)
• 24 in-depth chapters
• Chapter quizzes
• Over 40 high-quality lecture videos
• Over 200 downloadable handouts and infographics
• High-quality, user-friendly digital portal
• NASM nutrition final exam

The NASM study portal is excellent. In fact, NASM actually has the largest online educational video library of any of the certification organizations. This is as true of their CPT as it is with their nutrition coach program. Overall, NASM’s CNC gives more than enough resources to ensure you pass the certification exam and can successfully work as a professional nutrition coach.

What we like about the NASM CNC

The NASM CNC is perhaps the most detailed of all the nutrition certifications. Also, NASM’s online study materials are among the best in the industry.
If you want an excellent deep dive into the topic of nutrition with a world-class learning system to match, this is the program for you.

What we don’t like about the NASM CNC

Similar to the ISSA, the NASM CNC is also a bit pricey for a nutrition certification, but this is the price you pay for the NASM name and high-quality study materials.

The lack of business skills in this certification does sting a little bit as well since it can be tough to build your own nutrition coaching practice without any prior experience or business training development.

NASM CNC’s overall rating

NASM also gets a score of 9.5 out of 10 here. Their curriculum is second to none and this is a well-respected organization with a great study system. This is one of our top recommendations, despite the slight shortcomings.

3. NCSF Sports Nutrition Specialist

The NCSF Sports Nutrition Specialist is a performance nutrition-focused certification with an incredibly in-depth curriculum. The National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF) is a comparatively newer organization than many of the others on our list. The NCSF has been around for over 25 years in the fitness industry, but that’s still less time in the game than NASM, ISSA, or ACE.

They are known for their affordable but high-quality certifications. Each of their certifications can be purchased at an extremely competitive individual price or bundled with other certifications for a discount on each. In many cases, the bundled cost for NCSF certifications comes in lower than the cost of individual certifications from other providers, without a corresponding drop in quality.

Their Sports Nutrition Specialist (SNS) is a little different from the other credentials on this list because it’s a sports nutrition credential.
As such, this type of certification places more emphasis on nutrition approaches in order to improve sports performance as opposed to the general weight loss and health focus of traditional nutrition coaching certifications.

This means the SNS pairs well with other strength and conditioning certifications out there such as the NCSF Certified Strength Coach or NSCA CSCS, which are great certifications if you plan to be in the sports performance coaching business.

Curriculum contents of the NCSF SNS

The NCSF SNS is designed as a sports nutrition coaching certification program rather than a general population nutrition coaching credential, so the coursework focuses slightly more on the connection between nutrition and performance in athletics. With that said, the curriculum certainly gives you the flexibility to apply this sports nutrition education towards your personal training clients, provided you refer out to the appropriate healthcare professional as needed to stay within your scope of practice.

This certificate course is composed of 4 categories:

1. Macronutrients
2. Micronutrients
3. Dietary Supplements and Ergogenic Aids
4. Nutritional Analysis and Weight Management

From the start, the certification reviews the specific nutritional needs of different sports. This is sports nutrition knowledge that you’ll need to know if you coach athletes on nutrition for any length of time.

The Macronutrients section discusses how to determine carbohydrate needs for athletes and different strategies. You also learn protein and fat needs and how to determine the quality of the types of nutrients for each, along with the proper timing to ingest fuel for different performance needs. These include increasing the size and strength of your clients’ muscles, reducing body fat when appropriate, improving endurance for long-distance events, and ensuring your clients meet their macro and micronutrient requirements within their individual sport.

Some of my favorite content is in the Nutritional Evaluation section of the textbook, where you get a plethora of ways to calculate energy needs and understand food labels and ingredients.

Other areas covered in the certification that you won’t find in other courses are the sections on performance-enhancing supplements. Supplementation is a topic covered in these other nutrition programs, but not to the same level of detail as you find here.

Cost and package options for NCSF SNS

You can either take the exam by itself or choose 2 of the study programs: the Home Study ($349) and the Home Study Plus ($399).

Both package options include NCSF’s eLearning platform, more than 200 practice questions, online videos, and study flashcards. Overall, the packages hand you everything you need to not only pass the exam but perhaps more importantly, you’ll develop the skills for success in the performance nutrition coaching industry.

We’d recommend the basic Home Study package for most learners on account of the fact that it includes most of everything.

However, if you would like to have a hard-cover textbook option, adding another $50 to the package is still a good deal. Many students like being able to highlight a physical copy of the textbook, so definitely consider the home study plus if you fall into this category of learner.

What we like about the NCSF SNS

Here are the pros of the NCSF sports nutrition. It’s a great program at a reasonable price, especially if you’re looking for a sports nutrition coach certification, this is a quality option. Like ISSA, the textbook for this is well organized and easy to get through. I especially like all the tables they include for various sport-specific needs and ways to tailor your athlete’s nutrition protocols to meet those needs.

The combination of competitive pricing and stellar curriculum make the NCSF a solid contender in our list of the top nutrition coaching certifications.

What we don’t like about the NCSF SNS

Because this is a sports nutrition certification, there isn’t as much content on how to motivate regular clients to change their eating habits, such as simple tips and tricks to eat healthier. You do learn the science behind nutrition, but knowing how things work is only half the battle.
Behavior change coaching is a practical skill needed in a lot of cases with clients.

You also need to get your clients to stick to choosing healthier habits, and the NCSF program doesn’t have as much material on this subject.
With that said many athletes do not lack the motivation needed to achieve success. By the time an athlete is in front of you and ready for coaching, they should more or less be fully on board with whatever nutrition program you will implement.

NCSF SNS overall rating

Overall the NCSF SNS gets an 8.5 out of 10. It does a fine job at teaching sports nutrition. However, if you want to be a nutritionist for the general population, you might want a nutrition program with a greater degree of behavioral strategies to aid your coaching or you will need to supplement these skills from other sources.

4. ACE Fitness Nutrition Specialist

The American Council on Exercise Fitness Nutrition Specialist (ACE-FNS) is a specialization that provides CEUs but also can be taken as a standalone course. The ACE FNS covers many tools you can use to help clients stick to a diet and nutrition plan.

It’s an excellent choice to pair with the ACE Certified Personal Trainer program (ACE-CPT) or other personal training certifications that require you to complete continuing education units.

Since this applies to virtually all NCCA-accredited certifications, the ACE FNS course is a good option for most personal trainers.

As an organization, ACE provides some of the best certifications that revolve around habit change, including their Health Coach Certification. Health coaching is a field similar to nutrition, so you might want to look into that as well.

Overall, stacking health coaching with nutrition coaching can be a good approach for offering a complete holistic coaching program to clients who want fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle improvements in order to reach their different goals.

Curriculum contents of the ACE FNS

ACE is well known for its behavioral coaching tools.

The curriculum here starts with a lecture series that gives an overview of the nutrition coaching scope of practice, which has some differences from fields like being an RD (registered dietician), which requires a bachelor’s degree, sometimes a master of science or another graduate degree as a requirement, and additional licensing lessons under qualified faculty.

On the flip side, the ACE FNS only requires a high school diploma, making it a career with much more accessibility than RDs (registered dieticians), provided you stay within the scope of practice.

After covering the scope of practice, you learn how to develop sound nutritional programs and there’s a grocery store tour, so you can give your clients a cursory guide on how to choose healthier grocery store options. This is an excellent practical element of nutrition coaching in the real world and guiding clients through making good choices about their nutritional needs.

ACE even includes other nutrition advice like cooking demonstrations, so you can teach your clients how to make healthy recipes in your coaching sessions or share the content with them.

Often, people think they need a larger budget to eat healthy meals without excess sugar and empty calories, but that’s not the case if you are able to cook your own foods and prep nutritious options rather than buying unhealthy alternatives at the last minute because of a busy schedule. Plus, disease prevention by addressing nutrition needs lays the foundation for lower medical bills in the future, so framing food choices in this way can be helpful as well.

Lifestyle changes can take a big push and the ACS FNS has a whole section on Stages of Change theory, which can help move a client from a place where they’re thinking of making healthier nutrition choices to a stage where those changes are fully integrated into their lives.

The impact and difference of improving these nutritional factors cannot be understated. Having the ability to implement these changes with a client from any background is a great way to increase the compensation you receive as a nutrition coach or instructor. Plus, you’ll boost your confidence as well after you begin providing real results.

ACE also includes some business development guidance as well, which is great for helping you think about prices, planning, and other career considerations.
Cost and package options for ACE FNS

ACE offers two packages that include access to the study portal. The version with an ebook option for the textbook costs $399, and the package with a hard copy textbook comes in at $424.

Both of these costs include study materials and ACE’s online study system accompanied by learning modules along with the textbook itself. The format allows different learning styles to succeed within the ACE coursework.

Everyone has their own learning style, so it’s nice to have options when immersing yourself in the material. Of course, these other certifications have online tools as well, but I think ACE training courses do it better than almost everyone else save NASM.

What we like about the ACE FNS

Because, as a nutrition specialist, you are not a dietitian, most of what you’ll be helping your clients with is providing ways to change their daily habits to achieve their nutrition goals, whether those include weight loss, overall wellness, or muscle gain.

You won’t be giving specific nutrition plans, just general advice.

This is where ACE shines. Instructors get a plethora of habit-change tools to help every person they work with succeed in all aspects of their nutrition and potentially improve health conditions.

What we don’t like about the ACE FNS

Technically the ACE FNS is a specialist program, not a full certification. In addition, you have to already be a certified personal trainer (from an NCCA-accredited organization) to hold the title of Fitness Nutrition Specialist. Graduates of the program who are not CPTs can still take the program, they just do not get the title once they pass the exam.

This is one of the only programs with these certification requirements, so take this in mind.

While these are not huge negatives, they are important to keep in mind. Remember these are only prerequisites that apply to you holding the title, you can still take this course without being a PT.

ACE FNS overall rating

ACE gets a 9 out of 10. The lack of full certification and exercise science stands out from a negative perspective; however, this is one of the best specializations if you want to learn behavioral coaching strategies to use with clients.

ACE also wins out from a price standpoint. On a final note, ACE research methods and credibility, such as on plant-based nutrition, are incredibly in-depth, with the reason being in large part due to their non-profit status.

5. Precision Nutrition Certification Level 1 (PN1)

The Precision Nutrition Level 1 certification comes in at #5 on our list and is the best option if you want to coach clients with an online nutrition coaching model.

Precision Nutrition was founded by Dr. John Berardi and Phil Caravaggio in 2005. Unlike other certification providers like NSCA, ACSM, and NASM, Precision Nutrition as an organization focuses solely on nutrition.

They are the largest private nutrition certification organization out there with a solid reputation as one of the best names in nutrition coaching. Level One, is one of two nutrition classes Precision Nutrition offers, with the addition of Level Two. This is a great option if you don’t have a bachelor’s degree as well since it does focus heavily on the marketing component.

Precision Nutrition is also known for its coaching software, ProCoach.

Curriculum contents of the Precision Nutrition

The Precision Nutrition Level 1 course outline covers these topics:

Unit 1 – The Precision Nutrition Approach

1. Introduction
2. Your learning plan
3. What is a great coach?
4. Helping people change
5. What is good nutrition?

Unit 2 – The Science of Nutrition

1. Intro to Nutritional Science
2. Systems and cells
3. Through the GI tract
4. Energy transformation and metabolism
5. Energy balance
6. Macronutrients
7. Micronutrients and whole foods
8. Water and fluid balance
9. Stress, recovery, and sleep

Unit 1 – Working through the PN Coaching Process

1. Coaching in practice
2. Working with Level 1 clients
3. Working with Level 2 clients
4. Working with Level 3 clients
5. Special scenarios
6. Business 101

The assessment of your learning throughout comes from the workbook/study guide, various case studies, and chapter tests. This is an optimal way to ensure students understand the new information and stay on track.

The case studies and online video tools are perhaps some of the best sections in this program and give you a good framework to coach anyone and everyone. You can even use the templates they provide to give you a head start.

After completion of the course, you have a free trial of Precision Nutrition’s online software: ProCoach.
The ProCoach software is excellent as well and definitely gives you a leg up in terms of tracking everything with your clients (although it’s a bit expensive to use after the free trial expires).

Cost and package options for Precision Nutrition Level 1

The main package available to you is $999, but if you join the pre-sale list you get 20% off.

This makes this one of the more expensive nutritionist certifications out there even with the deals Precision Nutrition offers.

With your purchase, you get the following materials:

• The three-unit textbook
• Twenty animated video lectures
• A workbook and study guide
• Additional assessment forms and questionnaires for your clients
• Online access to the study forum
• More than 40 premium coaching tools
• What we like about the PN1

This program is the most detailed in regards to the coaching aspect of nutrition coaching. The software you get access to is superb and the case studies and business skills in the course prepare you for growing your roster of clients and knowing how to use your nutrition skills in real-world scenarios.

What we don’t like about the PN1

On the cons side, there is less nutritional science information in the PN1 than I’d like to see from a nutrition program. Also, as previously mentioned, the Precision Nutrition Level 1 certification is quite pricey compared to the competition and you have to get a waitlist to even qualify to take the course. No other nutrition certificate has this waiting list prerequisite. There is certainly some exclusivity with this cert, because the enrollment is capped, but the extra step in terms of registration is a downside from my perspective.

Precision Nutrition’s overall rating

Precision Nutrition gets an 8.5 out of 10. The name carries a lot of weight and this program gives you excellent coaching advice and a platform to use with clients, but the cost makes this the most expensive of all these companies and I don’t know if you get the most from a money-to-value ratio.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the prerequisites to become a nutrition coach?

Individuals and candidates who want to become a nutrition coach typically just need a high school degree. Most certifications allow you to take the program without any other specific qualifications like a bachelor’s degree.

What is the difference between nutrition coaching for men and women?

The needs and men and women are similar nutritionally, however, there are some differences, especially with regard to pregnancy, but those are beyond the scope of most nutrition coaches.

What are the benefits of improving nutrition habits in clients?

Benefits of nutrition coaching include improved health and even beauty. You might see improved skin, hair, and face appearance due to overall health improvements, and addressing many other types of problems average people face that are caused by poor nutrition.

Do you need an Instagram to be a nutrition coach?

No, you do not need Instagram to be a nutrition coach. However, if you have a product that solves a problem for your customers, including nutrition coaching services or even physical items, then a strong social media presence can be an asset. Take a page from successful influencers if you want to be an online nutrition coach and consider growing your online presence.

My overall thoughts on these nutrition certification programs

Personally, we think ISSA is the best pick here. It’s not as expensive as Precision Nutrition, and they’re more comprehensive than ACE or NCSF.
NASM will be the best for anyone looking for the most amount of knowledge on exercise science, but ISSA is a good place to start if the content in NASM seems overwhelming.

We still think NCSF, ACE, and Precision Nutrition have their place and would be good ones as well. There are times when you would pick these options for the various reasons we discussed. NCSF gives you more in regard to sports nutrition. ACE stands out in the exercise psychology and behavior change area, and Precision Nutrition is a premium organization with a lot of clout and tools to help you from an online nutrition coaching perspective.

Becoming a nutrition coach can be an amazing thing. You have the ability to alter someone’s life for the better, so they might not have to rely on blood pressure medications, diabetes intervention, or just so they can feel better about themselves. This treatment revolves around positive changes that you get to see them enact in their own lives. Plus, you get to be part of these healthy outcomes.

This article should give you a good idea, based on your individual needs, of what company to pick.

Good luck out there with your decision!

M&F and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.

The 2023 Olympia Weekend will be the culmination of a year-long fitness journey for hundreds of athletes that gather in Orlando, Florida. Many champions and contenders will be recognized and appreciated for their effort on Nov. 2-5. What most people that watch the Olympia may not know is that bodybuilding’s biggest weekend will also be the beginning of a journey for many athletes as well.

Karah Jones understands this very well because she has had Olympia dreams herself. The CEO of Angel Competition Bikinis was once a competitor herself. She had started competing as a new goal after graduating college.

“I love everything about bodybuilding,” she said proudly. “What I love the most is the mental discipline that I gained.”

After her first competition, she felt there was a need for competitors to have high-quality bikinis made so they can make the biggest events of their careers even more special.

“The Bikini division had only been out for four years, and there weren’t any companies that specialized in the Bikini division. So, that was where this started.”

She started her company in 2013 out of her apartment with her identical twin sister, Lauren. They both wore their own bikinis onstage at a show in 2014, and the reception they got was overwhelmingly positive.

“They had looked a lot different than what other girls were wearing,” she explained. “They were crystalized, fit perfectly, and our suits definitely stood out backstage. A few months later, we both quit our jobs and went all in on this new business.”

Fast forward to 2023, and Jones will now see several of the world’s greatest physique athletes take to the biggest stage in the world wearing Angel Competition Bikinis themselves. Past Olympia champions such as Ashley Kaltwasser and Janet Layug will be among them. She also will see competitors from other divisions wearing her outfits onstage as well, including Women’s Physique competitor Brooke Walker.

“We make suits for all divisions, and we like to be at the forefront of bodybuilding. We move very fast, and we follow the evolution of the industry.”

Jones and her team won’t just be in Orlando to celebrate their success and watch their favorite athletes compete. They will also have a booth at the 2023 Olympia World Fitness Expo on Nov. 3-4. Jones will be excited to help fitness enthusiasts and fans take the first steps in their own competitive journeys that may lead them back to the Olympia as competitors in the future.

“We will have a raffle to give away a suit, goodies, provide opportunities to be fitted by one of their three stylists, who are all nationally qualified NPC competitors, and they can start the process of creating their competition suits for 2024.”

The competition bikini isn’t the only part to consider. Practice outfits are just as important to have during the prep for that first contest. Competitors shouldn’t use their suits for the stage during prep because it could suffer damage.

Jones explained, “the practice bikini fits just like your competition suit, but it doesn’t have any crystals on it.”

The folks at the booth will share even more knowledge to help prepare future competitors for their debut onstage and there will be an Angel Fashion Show, featuring women that will inspire many women to pursue their own form of personal fitness success.

“We really love the space that this show creates because it’s very diverse, it’s very empowering for every fitness body type. Some women may be in improvement season, others may be in peak week, and it shows all aspects of the sport in a fun way. It allows the ladies to showcase their personality onstage.”

Jones wants to do more than sell products, she wants to leave a lasting impact through education and inspiration. She is proud of her business and the success it has achieved in ten years, but she’s prouder of the difference and contributions she has made to the sport. It may have been hard to imagine how far it would go in ten years, but she looked back at the journey as a positive one.

“It’s been a roller coaster ride. Lauren and I have been so passionate about the creativity behind it since the beginning, and here we are. I’m getting chills just thinking about being at the Olympia for the fourth time.”

To learn more about Angel Competition Bikinis, go to www.acbikinis.com, and follow them on Instagram @angelcompetitionbikinis . If you’re going to be in Orlando this November, make sure you stop by their booth at the World Fitness Expo. Tickets can be purchased at www.mrolympia.com .

For almost six decades, the world champions of bodybuilding were crowned at the Olympia. In recent years, it has evolved into showcasing the best of strength sports as well such as powerlifting, armlifting, and even strongman competitions. Other sports have noticed this and want to partner with the Olympia World Fitness Expo to introduce their brands to our fans, including combat sports.

One organization that has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years is the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. The sport is exactly as you may have envisioned it to be. Two competitors boxing in a ring with no gloves or tape on their knuckles.

Brian Soscia is unofficially known as the voice of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, and he feels that the rise in the sport can be credited to the entertainment value they provide.

“We’re more than just fights. We’re a production, we’re a show, and we have shows all over the world,” said Soscia. “We’re everywhere, and we have the smoke and lighting. I also interact with the crowd quite a bit.”

Their mission is to provide competitive fights with high-quality production, but this isn’t like simple backyard fighting. Safety measures are in place.

“We have doctors there, done countless studies to make sure that our fighters are okay,” Soscia explained. “We want to make it sanctioned and safe for the competitors.”

When you see a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship event, two fighters step into a unique ring, known as the squared circle, a term borrowed from professional boxing or wrestling. The stage is square, but the ring ropes make a circle.

Soscia said that “this is built for action. There is nowhere to hide.”

The fighters (both men and women) then “toe the line” when they face each other in the center of the ring and receive instructions from the referee. Each round lasts two minutes, and there are up five rounds per match, equaling a ten-minute fight.

Aside from the bare knuckles and being able to work in the clinch, most of the rules for the sport fall in tradition with boxing. The fighters have a ten-count to get up after a knockdown, the fight can be stopped if blood affects a fighter’s vision, and they must wear the appropriate attire and protection such as a cup and mouthpiece. The fights are available to watch on their “Bare Knuckle FC” app, which is available in all the major app stores.

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship made its first appearance at the Olympia Expo in 2022 at the Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada, and they felt it was very successful. Soscia remembered his experience very well.

“It was awesome. I felt like I needed to bring another suitcase, so I could’ve gotten some of the stuff and free samples. We had a very, very booth as well.”

They will be back at the Olympia World Fitness Expo, but this year’s edition is in Orlando, FL on the weekend of Nov. 3rd and 4th. Soscia shared some of their plans this year, and they plan on topping their success in 2022.

“It looks like we’re going to be doing Bare Knuckle tryouts. Some of our champions are going to be there, signing autographs, taking pictures, and helping out with the tryouts.”

As of this writing, they don’t have all of their plans laid out just yet. One possibility is a search for ring girls, or what they call “Bare Knuckle Bombshells.” They also intend to have a punching machine that fans can test their punching power with. What Soscia could confirm is that they hope to attract many bodybuilding fans to become fans of their sport as well.

“We want to bring people into the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship experience.”

Following the Expo on November 3rd, they plan on having a Bare Knuckle show. Details of that show are expected to be announced soon. Soscia is very optimistic about being a part of the Olympia for another year.

“The Olympia was already a juggernaut, but it’s become even bigger, and it’s exciting to be a part of that this year. To link up with a great team like that is awesome. We could meet new fans, possibly new fighters, and it can help us grow as our own sport.” For more information on the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, go to www.bkfc.com and follow @bareknucklefc on Instagram. To purchase Olympia Expo tickets, go to www.mrolympia.com .

Backed by big names like Tony Robbins and Serena Williams, Dougal Bain-Kim, co-founder and CEO of LifeForce, spearheads a movement to make comprehensive, personalized healthcare accessible for all. Lifeforce delves into your health status through biomarker blood testing, scrutinizing over 40 biomarkers to provide a lucid insight into your current health standing.

Bain-Kim was a guest on the M&F Reps podcast hosted by Muscle & Fitness Chief Content Officer Zack Zeigler. Here is the TL;DR:

411 on Lifeforce

Life Force delivers at-home blood tests coupled with personalized plans to nurture health, offering an easy route to experts and tools for a deep understanding of one’s internal body functioning, promoting health optimization and longevity.

At-Home Blood Testing

Life Force presents a comfortable alternative to traditional doctor visits by offering at-home blood tests and personalized plans to enhance health.

Dougal’s Career Journey

Hailing from Australia and now residing in California, Dougal shares his journey into the realm of technology-driven healthcare following personal health challenges post-childbirth.

Birth of Life Force

The lack of a singular solution to understand internal body functioning led Dougal to create Life Force, emphasizing the value of aligning passion with work.

Comprehensive Blood Tests

For an upfront fee of $349 and a monthly charge of $129 thereafter, members receive a thorough blood test, providing a fuller picture of health compared to wearable devices.

Regular Biomarker Testing

Continuous biomarker testing is crucial for tracking progress, finding your optimal health zone, and making necessary medication adjustments, as each individual’s body reacts differently.

Personalized Recommendations

A fully licensed medical group provides an integrated system for easy access to biomarker testing results, with personalized supplement and lifestyle recommendations to fill the current market gap.

Identifying Deficiencies

Blood biomarker testing helped identify a long-unnoticed vitamin D deficiency in Dougal, showcasing its capability to enhance health and reduce frequent doctor visits.

Proactive Health Management

Investing in biomarker testing enables proactive health management for a longer, healthier life. The challenge lies in educating customers to uplift their healthcare expectations.

Notable personalities like Tony Robbins and Peter Diamandis are associated with Life Force, reflecting its rising recognition in the health and wellness sector.

More M&F Reps Vids & Audio:

• Video Podcast
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• Spotify
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• Stitcher

This episode of M&F Reps is sponsored by:
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From rigorous training regimens to precise nutrition plans, athletes and fitness enthusiasts are always seeking ways to push their boundaries and achieve new levels of success. Amidst the intense workouts and competitions, recovery is a crucial yet often underestimated aspect that can make all the difference.

While rest days are important to any training program, active recovery is a strategy that takes it to the next level. Active recovery can not only enhance your body’s ability to rebound but also push you toward improved performance.

What is Active Recovery?

Active recovery refers to a strategy where individuals engage in low-intensity exercises or activities following a period of intense physical exertion. The goal of active recovery is to promote healing, reduce muscle soreness, and aid in the overall recovery process without causing further fatigue or stress to the body.

Active recovery typically involves performing light exercises such as walking, cycling, or gentle stretching. These activities help increase blood flow to the muscles, which can assist in flushing out metabolic waste products that accumulate during intense exercise. Active recovery also helps maintain flexibility and prevent stiffness in the muscles and joints.

The concept of active recovery is based on the idea that complete rest following intense workouts might not always be the most effective way to recover. Light physical activity can enhance circulation, deliver nutrients to the muscles, and support the repair and rebuilding of muscle tissue.

It’s important to note that the intensity and duration of active recovery exercises should be kept low to avoid further strain on the body. The specific activities chosen for active recovery should be based on individual fitness levels, preferences, and the type of workout or training that preceded it.

Active recovery can be a valuable component of a well-rounded training program, helping athletes and fitness enthusiasts find a balance between challenging workouts and proper recovery, ultimately contributing to improved performance and reduced risk of injury.

If you are interested in learning more about working with athletes and fine-tuning their training techniques, check out ISSA’s Exercise Recovery Specialist program. Personal trainers who use exercise recovery techniques in their sessions build the most holistic health and fitness programs available.

How Can Active Recovery Benefit Athletic Performance?

Active recovery can benefit athletic performance in several ways:

1. Improved Blood Circulation: Engaging in low-intensity activities during active recovery helps increase blood flow to the muscles. This increased circulation helps deliver oxygen and essential nutrients to the muscles, aiding in their repair and recovery.
2. Reduced Muscle Stiffness: Light movement and stretching during active recovery can prevent muscles from becoming excessively stiff. This maintains flexibility and range of motion, which is important for optimal athletic performance and injury prevention.
3. Faster Waste Removal: Intense exercise can lead to the accumulation of metabolic waste products like lactic acid in the muscles, which contributes to muscle soreness and fatigue. Active recovery promotes the removal of these waste products, helping to reduce soreness and improve muscle function.
4. Maintenance of Fitness Level: While complete rest is necessary for recovery, extended periods of inactivity can lead to detraining and a decrease in fitness level. Active recovery allows athletes to maintain a certain level of physical activity without overexerting themselves, helping to preserve their fitness gains.
5. Prevention of Muscle Imbalances: Active recovery can help prevent muscle imbalances that may arise from intense training. By engaging different muscle groups or performing gentle movements, athletes can ensure that all muscles are receiving some attention and maintain a better balance in their musculoskeletal system.
6. Injury Prevention: Through its impact on circulation, flexibility, and muscle balance, active recovery contributes to reducing the risk of injury. Maintaining these factors helps ensure that athletes can continue their training regimens without interruptions due to injuries.
7. Psychological Benefits: Active recovery can have positive psychological effects, helping athletes unwind and reduce stress levels. This mental relaxation contributes to overall well-being and a more positive mindset, which can enhance performance during subsequent training sessions or competitions.
8. Enhanced Adaptation: Active recovery helps facilitate the body’s adaptation to training stress. By providing a gentle stimulus, active recovery encourages the body to adapt to the demands of training more effectively, leading to better long-term performance improvements.

It’s important to tailor active recovery strategies to individual needs and the specific demands of the sport or activity. The duration, intensity, and type of active recovery exercises should be appropriate for the individual’s fitness level, the intensity of their training, and their overall recovery needs.

When to Use Active Recovery Versus Passive Recovery

The choice between active recovery and passive recovery depends on various factors, including the intensity of your training, your fitness goals, your overall health, and how your body responds to different recovery strategies. Here’s when you might consider using active recovery versus passive recovery:

Active Recovery:

1. After Moderate Intensity Workouts: If you’ve engaged in moderate-intensity exercises that don’t leave you overly fatigued, active recovery can help maintain blood flow, prevent muscle stiffness, and aid in waste product removal.
2. Between Intense Workouts: If you have a high-frequency training schedule or back-to-back intense training sessions, incorporating active recovery on rest days can provide a balance between staying active and allowing your body to recover.
3. For Injury Prevention: Active recovery can help maintain joint mobility and muscle flexibility, reducing the risk of injury and imbalances caused by prolonged inactivity.
4. Psychological Benefits: If you find that staying somewhat active improves your mood, reduces stress, and helps you relax, active recovery can offer mental and emotional benefits.
5. Maintaining Fitness Level: Active recovery helps prevent detraining during periods of reduced training intensity or frequency.

Passive Recovery:

1. After High-Intensity Workouts: Following intense training sessions or competitions, passive recovery (complete rest) might be more appropriate to allow your muscles and energy systems to fully recharge.
2. Injury or Illness: If you’re dealing with an injury or illness, passive recovery can give your body the necessary time to heal without risking additional strain.
3. Overtraining or Fatigue: If you’re experiencing signs of overtraining or extreme fatigue, passive recovery allows your body to recover without adding more stress.
4. Deep Sleep and Regeneration: Quality sleep is a form of passive recovery that’s crucial for muscle repair and overall recovery. Prioritizing sleep can be especially beneficial during intense training periods.
5. Tapering for Competition: In the days leading up to a major competition, reducing physical activity and prioritizing passive recovery can help optimize your performance by allowing your body to reach its peak state.

Ultimately, the decision between active and passive recovery should be based on your individual circumstances and how your body responds. Some individuals might benefit from a combination of both strategies, alternating between active recovery on certain days and passive recovery when needed. Pay attention to your body and your energy levels and consider working with a personal trainer or other fitness professional to create a recovery plan that suits your specific needs and goals.

Active Recovery Workout Examples

Active recovery workouts involve low-intensity exercises that promote blood flow, flexibility, and relaxation without causing additional strain to the body. Here are some examples of active recovery workouts:

1. Light Cardiovascular Exercise: A light jog or brisk walk for 20-30 minutes can increase blood flow and promote recovery. Riding a stationary bike or going for a relaxed bike ride are other effective ways to engage the muscles without exerting too much effort.
2. Swimming: Swimming at a casual pace can provide a full-body, low-impact workout that helps with recovery.
3. Yoga: A slow and gentle yoga sequence can help improve flexibility and reduce muscle tension. Restorative yoga involves holding relaxing poses for longer periods, promoting relaxation and stress reduction.
4. Stretching: Static stretching, holding gentle stretches for various muscle groups, can improve flexibility and prevent muscle tightness. Dynamic stretching, performing controlled, fluid movements that take joints and muscles through their full range of motion, can enhance mobility.
5. Foam Rolling or Self-Myofascial Release: Using a foam roller or other self-massage tools can help release tension in muscles and fascia, promoting better circulation and recovery.
6. Light Resistance Training: Using light resistance bands or bodyweight exercises, perform low-intensity strength training movements to promote blood flow and maintain muscle activation.
7. Tai Chi: Tai chi is a gentle, flowing movement practice that promotes relaxation, balance, and mindfulness.
8. Low-Intensity Group Fitness Classes: Some fitness centers offer classes specifically designed for active recovery, such as mobility or flexibility classes.

The key to active recovery is keeping the intensity low and focusing on promoting relaxation, blood flow, and muscle release. These activities should not leave you feeling exhausted or sore; instead, they should leave you refreshed and better prepared for your next fitness session. The specific activities you choose will depend on your preferences, fitness level, and any specific recovery needs you might have.

If you love exercise and want to expand your training knowledge, become a Certified Personal Trainer with the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA). ISSA is proud to be the top rated and reviewed personal training certification program in the nation.

On Sept. 29, live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium, ONE Championship will crown its inaugural Atomweight Submission Grappling World Champion at ONE Fight Night 14, when Danielle Kelly takes on Jessa Khan during an all-female card set to be broadcast live on Prime Video.

Here, in an exclusive interview with M&F, Kelly opens up about her challenging start in grappling, the intense training that she undergoes, and a “weird” meditation technique that relaxes her at the end of each demanding day.

Now 27 years of age, Danielle Kelly’s journey to grappling greatness serves as inspiration for any fledgling athlete. While she is known today as an elite competitor that has defeated the likes of the former UFC Women’s Strawweight champ; Carla Esparza and is revered for her vast arsenal of submissions, clinical takedowns, and superior conditioning, the road to the top has been a bumpy one to say the least. Bullied when moving to a new school at the age of 10, Kelly vowed to take control of her own destiny.

While she already had some karate experience, moving homes had meant she needed to look for a new coach. “I didn’t know what jiu-jitsu was, back then, it was around 2006, so jiujitsu wasn’t really as popular as MMA,” explains Kelly, who at that time weighed around 60 pounds and was perhaps an all too easy target. “Luckily, where I was living at, two blocks up was a (jiu-jitsu) gym … Dad found it online but then my mom took me there … I originally wanted to learn striking because I went from karate to jiu-jitsu, but at the time I didn’t know what jiu-jitsu or anything like that was, so I was like; ‘yeah, I wanna lean how to fight, because I’m being bullied a lot.”

Danielle Kelly Learned That Grappling Is Perfect for Taking Down Larger Opponents

Grappling with jiujitsu, Kelly soon realized that there was more to defeating an opponent than strikes, earning the understanding that jiujitsu prepares you for bigger opponents, and ways of protecting yourself should a fight go to ground. “My first ever class, actually, was in a sparring class going against boys and I took them down,” beams Kelly. “I learned my first rear naked choke, which I really love, and do in my matches still, and yeah, the rest is history.”

Just four months into her jiu-jitsu training, Kelly entered her first tournament, and a passion for competing was seriously ignited. In eighth grade, Kelly was shoved in the hallway. Her instincts kicked in and she decked the bully with a double leg takedown. “I did feel bad, because this person didn’t know how to defend herself,” reflects the student grappler on her newfound powers. She was suspended for two days as a result of that brawl, but not everyone was disappointed in her. “My dad took me to Dunkin’ Donuts … we had Pumpkin Munchkins, good times, and I didn’t get in trouble [at home]…” Tragically, Kelly lost both of her parents to illness as a young adult, but says that she is forever motivated by what they did for her both physically and mentally, and feels like each fight is about making them proud of their daughter.

To build her experience while still in school, Kelly had also joined the school wrestling team. “No girl had ever joined the wrestling team,” she says of being the only female in a male dominated world, and recalls that she often felt unwanted as a teammate. At high school, in her sophomore year, Kelly recalls a particularly upsetting incident when the wrestling team had a group picture, and she was the only person not given an official sweatshirt to wear. Instead, she had to wear the long-sleeve shirt that was worn by the female managers. Then there was the high school wrestling coach that never travelled to any of her wrestling meets. Understandably, she felt completely unsupported. “I had to see a lot of mean things as a kid,” she shares.

In searching for the positives in her journey so far, Kelly now understands that being forced to grapple with boys and later men was a sure-fire way of building strength and improving her jiujitsu technique. Kelly’s dad had introduced her to the benefits of weights and cardio from a young age, and so she also feels that her early start in building conditioning provided a great advantage to her career. These days, there are many more women in full-contact sports, and it is thanks to brave trailblazers like Danielle Kelly that the next generation can see themselves represented and feel like they can get involved too.

Danielle Kelly Is Training to Use All Her Tools Ahead of ONE Atomweight Championship Clash

Kelly eventually settled at the Silver Fox BJJ dojo under the legendary coach, Karel Pravec, and earned a black belt by the time she was 24. In February, 2022, Kelly signed with ONE Championship and in her debut there, she drew with the Japanese veteran, Mei Yamaguchi but earned the “Performance of the Night” gong for her efforts. Kelly won her second match, and another performance of the night award when she defeated the Sambo World Champion, Mariia Molchanova with her beloved rear naked chokehold. Then Kelly battled to a unanimous decision over Ayaka Miura, and is now heading into her all-important championship clash with Jessa Khan, to be contested inside the cage, with great momentum.

“With the cage being added, it’s a tool to be used in strategy,” says Kelly who understands that the walls of the cage can be used to help gain control of a fight, but this added dimension can also test the conditioning of all who enter into it. “My focus for the last few weeks has been drilling. I wake up, I train every morning,” By 9 a.m., Kelly is sweating it out in the dojo for three hours. In the afternoons, she goes for a run or lifts weights to build muscle endurance. From 5pm to 6.30 p.m. Kelly teaches jiujitsu and then she continues her own training until 10pm or sometimes midnight depending on travel.

Danielle Kelly Uses a ‘Weird’ Meditation Technique to Unwind After Intense Training

“So, I feel like jiu-jitsu, even just working out in general has given me a lot of confidence and helped my self-esteem,” says Kelly. But when it’s time to stop and unwind, she has her own way of switching off and this includes her deaf, 5 year old dog Griffith and some quality screen time. “When I like to come home from a long training session, he’s there, he’s my buddy, like, he helps me relax, we watch jiu-jitsu matches together (laughs). I get made fun of people think it’s weird, but it’s just how I meditate. But, the week of my match, I’ll either watch a lot of anime, like Avatar, or something like exciting anime shows or horror movies where someone, it’s like gore and bloody … I’m kinda crazy so that’s what keeps me content.”

Right before a match, Kelly meditates again by relaxing her mind, so that she is not too rigid before it begins. “Pretend like it’s just another day at work and just go with the flow,” she explains. With just days to go before the biggest night of her life, Kelly is grateful to those that have supported her. “It’s really cool to be part of this experience, and I just wanna prove what I can do, and to showcase my jiu-jitsu.” For more info on ONE Fight Night 14 on Prime Video visit onefc.com.

Brendan Quisenberry is like many members of the United States Armed Forces because he is one of multiple generations in his family to have served America. Both his grandfather and father devoted portions of their lives to defending freedom in different parts of the world. It may appear that the Michigan native knew he would be following in his footsteps, but he was inspired by something else.

“It was Rambo, First Blood for me,” said Quisenberry. “I was seven or eight years old back then, but I had that whole natural inclination of loving that military lifestyle.”

Quisenberry described himself as a naturally active, athletic, and competitive kid. He played sports such as football, track, and took part in powerlifting meets, but there was no doubt he was going to be a part of the military. He was proud to say he felt no peer pressure from his family.

“It was just that sense of wanting to serve.”

Even though he had a good feeling about what he wanted to do, the September 11th attacks cemented the goal in his mind. After graduation, he joined the United States Army and would find himself in the 82nd Airborne Division. Even as athletic as he was, training and fitness in the military took on a new meaning.

“You have to be very diversified,” he shared. “You can’t be just a big guy throwing weight around or an insane runner. You have to have balance and be able to throw a ruck sack on and walk 12 miles consistently.”

Quisenberry found that once he shifted his focus on training, he was a more well-balanced athlete. Later in his career, Quisenberry was a part of the 101st Airborne Division, and he would end his career by reaching his goal of joining the Special Forces and becoming a Green Beret. In total, he served his country for two decades and was very involved in the Global War on Terror. While he prospered with physical fitness, he admitted that he didn’t address mental fitness with the same enthusiasm until much later, and that became a much bigger problem later in his life.

“It created a lot of problems for me and my family because I thought I could handle it on my own. I would also address it with the bottle and suppress my emotions. That was the old-school mentality.”

Quisenberry almost made a permanent choice to address his problems, but his wife managed to stop him. They then spoke about what he was going through and took steps to address those issues. He hopes others will not make that same mistake of ignoring their mental health because no one is exempt from the struggles, but anyone that needs help can get it. He hopes that sharing his story not only helps veterans seek help but younger members of the service address those issues early so they can have a healthier future.

“More often than not, it catches up with everyone. When veterans leave service, there is a culture shock that comes with civilian life. It’s very different than when you’re in the military. Over time, it really did help to get those mental tune ups.”

Quisenberry is a father himself. He hopes to pass the lessons he learned on down to his three children so they can avoid making the same mistakes he made. When asked about a possible fourth generation of service, he said he intends to follow the same philosophy with his children that he received from his father; no pressure, but if they want to serve themselves, he would be supportive.

“I will leave it up to them.”

Quisenberry is now involved with another career as the Executive Director of the Transcend Foundation. He described his job as the mission of the Foundation as addressing the “invisible ones,” meaning issues such as Traumatic Brain Injuries, and Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS), and others. He emphasized that he left the D out of that abbreviation on purpose.

“There’s a lot more hope saying PTS or PTSI, meaning injury, than disorder.”

Aside from standing up against those barriers, the Transcend Foundation also addresses hormone imbalances. Quisenberry reported that this is an issue that is very common among those in the military, but it’s not being identified. They not only work to identify them but provide the care needed to make a difference.

“What we do at the Foundation is a very comprehensive blood panel to identify what is going on with you. When we see those places you may be sub-optimal at, We then can address it and fix it so they are optimal.”

While the Transcend Foundation are doing their part, they hope others can step up to the plate as well. Quisenberry shared that there are around 43,000 nonprofit organizations that support servicemembers. Many of them are reactive, but he feels there needs to be more proactive action taken.

“That’s what makes the Transcend Foundation different,” he said proudly. “We’re working to change the system.”

Aside from his work with the Transcend Foundation, Quisenberry is involved with another project, the 7X Human Performance Project, which is a research initiative to help reduce veteran suicides. As a part of this project, Quisenberry will be with a team of Special Operations soldiers, conducting seven skydives, seven marathons, and seven swims on seven continents in seven days. Aside from collecting data on how the body reacts to such extreme stress, there will be a documentary as well as a manual on recovery.

“I’m excited to be a part of this project, and I’m confident that it will make a difference in the lives of veterans.”

Focusing on physical health and finding ways to make positive differences has helped Quisenberry thrive and live a blessed life after service. He intends to continue doing all that and more in his years ahead, and he hopes that other veterans will do the same in their own ways.

“I’m determined to make a difference in the world, and I know that I can do it with the support of my family, friends, and fellow veterans.”

For more information on the 7X Human Performance Project, go to join7x.com. You can find out more about the Transcend Foundation, at www.transcendfoundation.com.

Natalia Abraham Coelho is preparing for her first title defense as Women’s Physique Olympia champion on Nov. 3-4 in Orlando, FL at the 2023 Olympia Weekend. Coelho is not only one of the most popular women in her division, but she may be among the most popular athletes in the entire IFBB Pro League. Her success speaks for itself. Outside of her one Olympia title, she has two Arnold wins, two New York Pro titles, and she’s won the Pittsburgh Pro twice. Whether she is onstage, in the gym, or doing interviews, her fans are following her moves on social media, cheering her on in the comments, and even sporting her shirts and merchandise at events.

Her supporters always ask her questions to get to know her as well. We saved those fans some time and effort by sitting down with the champion in our latest “10 Questions With…” column. As you may find out, she’s successful in bodybuilding for a reason.

If you could sit and watch any TV series or movie, what would you watch?

I honestly don’t watch TV at all. I do, however, watch and listen to a lot of podcasts. Most of the podcasts I watch are educational or with the purpose of learning something that can make me a better athlete, bodybuilding ambassador, person, or human being. I love to understand how the human body works, from how our neurons interact with each other to how our gut neurotransmitters communicate and can control our feelings, thoughts, and emotions. All the bodybuilding podcasts that I watch religiously keep me up to date on everything that is happening in our industry.

But if I would sit and watch something, it would be Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, Lou Ferrigno: the Incredible Hulk and of course I am a big fan of Wonder Woman.

Got a favorite protein shake recipe or quick meal that you go to?

I always take my time and prepare my food in advance. That’s the key to success right there. I used to create all different recipes with the foods that were in my diet plan, but not anymore. To be honest, I don’t really care about the taste of foods anymore, and just eat for fuel. I keep it simple and eat clean and plain foods.

What is the first meal you have following a contest?

I stay healthy even after the contest is over. I have two big, dry, plain baked potatoes and a lean steak. No dessert.

What were your favorite sports as a kid?

I absolutely love sports! I grew up in Brazil and used to play so many sports, I was a very active kid. My favorite was soccer, ballet, Muay Thai and my true love, weight training.

If you weren’t a bodybuilder, what would you be doing for a living?

Something in the health/holistic field. I have my Sports Nutrition degree, my bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Sports & Exercise Science, my Diploma in Gut Health, Personal Trainer credentials, aside from the certificates in health-related subjects. So, with all that being said, you can tell how much I love learning and educating myself about the incredible machine that the human body is. Education is close to my heart. My living is educating people on preventative ways of keeping their bodies, healthy and strong. And being a professional athlete is perfect so I can apply all my knowledge to improve my health in all aspects.

Favorite athletes outside of your division, past or present?

I look up to so many athletes. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronnie Coleman, Lenda Murray, Jay Cutler are some of my favorite legends. I can’t not mention how much I admire Dennis James, Wolf, Dorian Yates, Kevin Levrone, Phil Heath. Honestly, the list is too long! I am a true fan of our sport and admire and respect these athletes so much.

If you don’t already own your dream car, what would your dream car be if you have one?

I am not too big in material things, but I would rather have a dream gym!! As long as the car is clean and nice, and takes me to where I need to go, I am OK!

If you didn’t compete in Women’s Physique, what division do you think you would be in?

Well, I started competing as a Figure athlete. I believe I would still be Figure or possibly transitioned into Wellness a as I have the Brazilian genetics and love their look. But, Women’s Physique is where my heart is, and I don’t plan on going anywhere else as of now!

What hobbies do you have outside of bodybuilding that your fans may not know about?

My fans know everything about me, and I turned my favorite hobby (bodybuilding) into my career.

If there was a private plane ready to take you anywhere in the world that you wanted, where would you go?

Brazil without thinking twice!! I would go home to Brazil to visit my family, or I would send that jet to Brazil to bring my family and friends over here. Family is everything! And by saying that, I include my closest friends as part of what I consider “family” to be too!

Follow Natalia on Instagram @ifbbpronataliacoelho

When the upcoming NBA season kicks off, the Los Angeles Clippers will be one of the teams expected to contend for a title. The only thing that has stood in the way of the franchise from fulfilling those expectations the last four seasons has been health. Arriving to the Clippers last season via trade, Norman Powell is excited to get the season underway as he knows that if healthy, no team boasts the depth and matchup problems they do.

It’s been one of the busiest offseasons in the shooting guard’s career, managing a schedule that includes three-a-day workouts, traveling, family, friends and expanding his Understand The Grind brand. M&F caught up with the nine-year veteran after an afternoon workout session to discuss how his offseason approach hasn’t changed, why he still enjoys competing in pick-up runs and how meticulous he is when it comes to taking care of his body year-round.

MF: How did the ‘Understand The Grind’ concept begin and when did you decide to turn it into a brand?

Norman Powell: Honestly, it was never the plan to have a brand or clothing line. Honestly, the mantra came from me and my friends growing up. One of them was having a conversation about how come so many top players coming out of San Diego don’t make it or don’t seem to last. One of my boys said because they don’t understand the grind. They don’t understand what it takes to be successful. From there, we used that saying as a motivational tool to keep going and to go after our goals and dreams and not let anything stop us.

From there, it kind of just took off organically. I was add it underneath different posts on social media. When I had my first basketball camp back home in San Diego for the youth, we had t -shirts and things made for the players and for the coaches. When I was in Toronto, the dans wanted a shirt from the camp. We decided to just try it out and see what happens and just took off from there. But the main goal was to continue to motivate, not only our group, our family, our friends, but the next generations that are striving for success and going after the goals.

How do you usually handle your workload progression in the offseason?

I’ll take about two or three weeks to do completely nothing. I’ll go on a trip, see family, and friends and just chill out. Then, I can’t sit still and that’s kind of been a development over the course of my career. Before, I’d only take about two days off and tell my trainer, let’s get some shots up, form shooting, stationary ball handling. I couldn’t get away from it because I always wanted to improve and I was eager to get back out there. Now, I’ll take two weeks just to let my body calm down and decompress and get my mind away from it a little bit. Then, I’ll start to slowly get my body active. I’ll do like hot pilates, yoga — just to get my body moving and ready to go. So I do two weeks of like hot pilates, impact workouts and  after those two weeks, I’ll start to incorporate, stationary things like ball handling, form shooting to get back on the court. Then it’s a buildout process on how we’re going to ramp up through the course of the summer.

How has the approach to taking care of your body changed as you’ve gotten further along in your career?

My approach has definitely changed. You know when you’re younger and you think you can eat some junk food and be alright and be able to get your body weight to a certain number going into training camp. As you get older, it’s a little bit harder to do that, so you’re working out a little bit more. Having a chef to find different diets that work well with my body, doing food allergy tests to see the food spikes you don’t get to see when you’re just stepping on a scale. You actually see how your body responds to eating apples, cashews, pork, red meats and fish.By doing that, I’m going to be able to extend and have more longevity to my career.

This season, I didn’t want to go through a lot of fluctuations with my weight. I wanted to have a good baseline throughout the summer to manage some of those nagging injuries. I had a foot injury coming in after being traded and some tendonitis in my knee, so I wanted to you know get a head start on that so I’m not battling through that throughout the course of the season. It was about having my diet on point from start to finish and being really strict on what I do eat and when I can have a cheat meal—just to have some balance in life. I really focus on my diet and doing the things that I need to do to help my body recover. I have a personal PT working on my body before and after workouts at the end of the day, a two-hour recovery session so my body can be ready to go the next day.

Do your objectives change each offseason?

Honestly, I approach every single office in the same way, which has been a good and bad thing, especially talking to [Clippers head coach] T. Lue and [general manager] Mark Hughes and [president of basketball operations] Lawrence Frank. They’re always like, “You’re working too hard and you don’t need to do three workouts a day.” I have such  high expectations and how I view myself that I’m always trying to push and get better. I think the biggest thing that I have that a lot of players don’t is that I have a personal basketball trainer that I’ve been working with since pre-draft in Austin Diggs.

He’s always breaking down films for me throughout the course of the year, giving me my numbers after 10 or 15 game to see analytically where I’m at, where I struggled at and where I excelled. At the end of the season, he’ll do a full season analysis and that kind of dictates and tells you what you need to work on going into the summer. It’s always about getting better and trying to find ways to improve. I always say I like to make my weaknesses, my strength and my strength stronger, and that’s my focus going into every single offseason.

You’re one of the guys who plays pick-up in the summer and a lot of guys prefer just drill work. Why does playing pick-up suit you?

I think it’s different for everybody. I’ve seen the best guys not play pick-up and come in and average 30 like it’s nothing. I’ve seen guys struggle with not playing and it takes a few games to get their feet underneath them. I love playing pick-up because I love competing. I do so much working out. I’ll do three workouts a day, five days a week, individually, throughout the course of the summer. Being able to go up against other guys who aren’t in your workouts, don’t know what you’ve been working on and are playing defense to take you out of some things—you get to actually work on some of the stuff that you drilled on, and that you’re trying to improve on.

You can do it in live action. That way, you can go back and say this work, this move worked, this shot I liked, this is what I don’t like. I want to add this. I need to strengthen up my handle, my finishing going left—whatever it is against live competition. You listen to All The Smoke and Matt Barnes and Jack talk about all summer, there weren’t really individual workouts back then. They would go to different cities and play pick up with different guys and that’s how they got better. I like to go against free flowing competition and see the work that I put in unfold through five on five.

What ways have you found to combat the stress placed on your body from the travel you guys go through?

Using all the tools available. Foam rolling, getting in the cold tub, hot tub, using those compression pants that you wear underneath your sweats when you’re traveling—that’s supposed to combat inflammation. I do it all. Drinking tart cherry juice, beet juice. Those are the things that a lot of people don’t see us doing. They see us go out there and perform, but I’m getting my body worked on every single day after every session, especially in the off season because I put my body through so much. It’s about making sure that everything is lined up and going well. During the season, you’re just staying up to date with your trainers, doing like, BFR, which is blood flow restriction training, where it’s not wear and tear, like lifting heavy weights, but more body weight stuff and it’s low impact. You’re still getting the gains that you need and your body is recovering naturally through the hormonal responses from cutting off circulation in the different parts of your body.

With training camp beginning in a few weeks and you guys getting a chance to gel more, how excited are you for the upcoming season?

I’m excited every single season. I’ve been fortunate enough throughout my career to be on a championship team. I’m always excited to go into the season, especially with the team that we have. I think the biggest thing that everybody is worried about is just the health factor. You want to stay healthy so you can be ready for those playoff battles. You look at Denver. They were a team that was hanging around for a few years. A few injuries here and there that take them out of it and they finally get fully healthy and they’re able to win the title. I think we have that team but we just need a little bit of luck to go our way and guys to be healthy up and down the board.

I think we get a lot of flack for [Paul George] and Kawhi [Leonard] being out, but some of those injuries we can’t control. They’re not going out there trying to get hurt. We’re going out there, laying it on the line so we can be in the playoffs and fight for the title. Hopefully this year, we can get a full season in. As long as we’re all clicking and rolling at the end of the season and ready to go for the playoffs, I think that’s the main focus. If we can do that, we have a really good chance at winning it all. I’m really excited about this year and the team that we have with the different pieces that we’re going to be able to play and move around to give teams different looks night in and night out. We have different guys that will be able to step up and be the guy each night because we have so many weapons.

Norman Powell Total Body Strength/ Conditioning Day Workout

Mobility

1. Tri Stretch – Ankle Dorsiflexion (Calf Mobility)
2. True Stretch – Quad Hip Flexor Stretch
3. True Stretch – Lateral Hip Stretch
4. Mobility Stick – T- Spine Rotation

Strength

Block #1

1. DB RFE:  3 sets, 3-8 reps each (Heavy Slow Resisted Training)
2. Keiser Drop Step Row: 3 sets, 3-8 reps each
3. Banded Squat External Rotation: 3 sets, 30 seconds each

Block #2

1. Barbell Glute Bridge: 3 sets, 3-8 reps
2. DB 1-arm Curl to Press: 3 sets, 3-8 reps
3. MB SL Balance Throws: 3 sets, 10 reps (each side)

Block #3

1. DB CL Lunge Matrix: 3 sets, 2 reps at each spot (3 spots – forward, lateral, drop step)
2. Keiser X High Row:  3 sets, 3-8 reps each
3. Keiser Palloff Press: 3 sets, 10 reps with 10-second hold

Conditioning

1. Versaclimber: 10 sets, 60 seconds (aim for 175-200 ft each set)
   1 min rest between each rep.

Follow Norman on Instagram @normanpowell4

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There is no more feared word in the gym vernacular than Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat (RFESS). The mere mention of it on the gym floor brings dirty looks from gymgoers and horror stories of taking the stairs after RFESS day. Neither is pretty, and it is best to speak this word with soft tones or else watch out.

Almost every time it’s in my program, a cold shiver goes down my spine all the way to my glutes and quads.

The RFESS is a sneaky exercise where the suck creeps up on you. The first few reps, you think you’ve got this, and after six or more, you’re close to calling 911. It can be brutal, but there is a reason to put yourself through the agony: muscular gains and improved performance in and out of the gym. Here, just in case you forget about the RFESS, we’ll get you reacquainted with one of the more feared exercises in the gym.

What is the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat?

The regular split squat is a squat performed in a split stance where the back foot acts like a support or kickstand, and most of the load is on the front foot. The RFESS takes all this up a notch. Elevating the rear foot reduces your stability even further, increases the range of motion, and puts more demand on your hip mobility. In short, they are more challenging than the regular split squat.

How to Perform the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat

1. Place your back flat on the bench or other elevated surface behind you.
2. Get your front foot comfortable, grip the floor, and find your balance.
3. Drop your back knee to the floor while keeping your chest up, shoulders down, and a slight forward lean of your torso.
4. Once you reach your ROM, drive through your front foot and return to the starting position.
5. Reset and repeat for desired reps.

Muscles Worked By the RFESS Exercise

The RFESS is primarily a lower body exercise with the upper body playing a supporting role with good posture and holding weight. Here are the major muscles trained by the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat.

Glutes: If you have ever had trouble feeling your glutes, the RFESS is the answer. Due to the extended ROM, your glutes have to contract hard to pull you out of the bottom of this squat.

Adductors: The adductors are often forgotten with bilateral squats, but you will feel them with the RFESS. They assist with hip flexion and extension, keeping your knee tracking correctly and stopping you from falling on your face.

Quads: Your quads extend your knee with every squat variation. But if you allow your knee to travel forward during the RFESS, you’ll get more quad engagement, making it harder to take the stairs.

Core: The offset nature of the RFESS engages your anterior and posterior core to keep you upright so the lower body muscles can do their job.

Benefits of Performing the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat

The biggest reason you perform RFESS is to improve the size and strength of your glutes and quads. It would be best if you remembered that when your muscles and lungs are burning, there are other benefits to recognize, which are listed below.

Improved Performance with Bilateral Squats And Deadlifts: When rising from the squat hole or the initial pull from the floor, both need leg drive, which is a make-or-break factor whether you make the lift. This leg drive comes from the quadriceps, and what exercise strengthens those? If you thought of the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat, collect your gold star once you’ve finished reading.

Strengthen Imbalances: When performing bilateral lower body exercises, your dominant side can pick up the slack for the weaker side. Improving muscle imbalances (if they exist) on your weaker side will reduce your injury risk and help increase overall lifting numbers. It’s easy for a bilateral squat or hinge to hide potential strength or mobility imbalances. The RRESS will uncover these somewhat brutally.

Better Muscle Recruitment: RFESS will make you work harder and recruit more muscle fibers to perform the same squat movement. Performing a squat on one leg forces your abductors and core to stabilize your pelvis while performing the RFESS. It’s a case where you’ll be using less weight but working more muscle.

Improved Core Strength: Training unilaterally throws your body off-balance, and your anterior and posterior core kick in to keep yourself balanced and not falling flat on your face. RFESS will strengthen your lower body, legs, and core and improve hip mobility simultaneously.

Common RFESS Performance Mistakes

Besides losing your balance and using too much weight, both of which are easy, here are a few common mistakes that stop you from getting the best out of this exercise.

Elevated Surface Too High: Various tools are used for the elevated split squat, with the weight bench being one of them. Suppose you’re unable to get the working leg close to parallel, and the back leg is unable to drop down to facilitate this. In that case, the elevated surface may be too much for your hip mobility, or you lack the hip mobility to perform it well. If so, perform from a lower surface and work on your hip mobility.

Staying Too Upright: A vertical torso while squatting is not bad, but there is a tendency to force this with the RFESS, which may have your knee and back saying this is not on. You shouldn’t force your torso to remain upright, especially if it feels awkward, because there is nothing wrong with leaning forward with the RFESS, no matter what the form police say.

Not Staying Grounded: Losing your balance and hopping around while performing the RFESS happen, but besides setting up in the correct stance for you, there is a simple thing you can do to reduce this. Ground your working foot by either screwing your foot into the ground or gripping the foot with your toes. Both will provide the tension necessary for better balance and muscle engagement.

Programming And Loading Suggestions

There are multiple tools and methods to load the RFESS, including dumbbells, kettlebells, and barbells. Generally, the further away the load from the legs, the harder it is. Dumbbells and KB can be held by your side, goblet, and the front racked position. The most challenging barbell variation is best held in either a high or low back squat position. Choose your suck wisely.

Here are a few programming suggestions depending on your goals.

• Improved Strength: Three to six reps and between four to six reps work well; the best variation for this would be the barbell one.
• For Improved balance: Three to four sets of 10 to 15 reps using either dumbbells or kettlebells work well.
• Improved Hypertrophy: Three to four sets of 8 to 15 reps with a moderate load will have you gasping for air. The double-racked KB variation above works nicely for muscle and improved strength.

Whether you’re new to bodybuilding or you’ve been following the sport for a while, you can always learn more and apply that knowledge to your own training and even contest prep if you decide to compete. The best sources are those that are in the trenches or have done what you want to do. That’s why you should have your YouTube subscriptions set for both the Olympia TV and Muscle & Fitness YouTube channels. Check out this week’s shows alone if you want to see why watching every week can make you a better fan.

In the vast landscape of athletic performance, an emerging field of study captures the attention of researchers and professionals alike: the human gut microbiota. Home to a staggering array of hundreds of microbial species, our gut is not just an organ—it’s an intricate ecosystem affecting our overall health.

This complex understanding of our gut is largely due to the pioneering work of one individual, Claudio De Simone, MD. Through his probiotic formulations, athletes are reimagining their performance and recovery routines with groundbreaking benefits.

Internationally recognized for his novel research in intestinal microflora, Professor De Simone has dedicated his career to exploring the untapped potential of our gut. His monumental contribution to the field is a proprietary probiotic mixture, a product of decades of intensive research and clinical trials. This formulation serves as the scientific foundation for an emerging wellness company, LYVECAP.

Yinka Davies, MD, the founder and CEO of LYVECAP, partnered with Claudio De Simone to bring the STRONG formulation to market, a probiotic supplement positioned to redefine the health and fitness industry. LYVECAP STRONG is a first-of-its-kind probiotic system that is clinically proven to enhance performance, recovery, and overall wellness.

LYVECAP STRONG: A Clinical Advantage for Athletes and Everyday Health Enthusiasts

LYVECAP STRONG is an elite probiotic blend for athletes invented by Professor De Simone. This formulation is not only designed to counteract tissue disruptions caused by strenuous physical activity, but it also exerts a targeted influence directly on the human intestinal cells themselves.

The probiotic bacteria in the Formulation uniquely create an oxygen-sparing effect occurring in the intestines a few hours after consuming LYVECAP STRONG. The human digestive system is then able to reduce its oxygen consumption during intensive physical activity since its metabolism is switched mainly to pathways not requiring oxygen for producing energy.

The oxygen spared at the intestinal level is then more available for delivery to the muscles, and short-term essential organs such as the heart, and brain. Simultaneously, the formulation protects the intestinal cells from oxidative stress. This means muscles and other vital tissues have a greater supply of oxygen and energy, without any collateral damage to the gut function.

It is important to note that this is a crucial point of differentiation of LYVECAP STRONG from other probiotics on the market today. This patented probiotic is the first and only probiotic that is clinically proven to increase oxygenation and decrease lactic acid build-up, which is a game-changer for athletes and weekend warriors. Reduction of lactic acid also increases cardiovascular endurance, improves energy levels, and regulates muscle metabolism.

A balanced microbiome reduces gut-related issues such as intolerances during endurance exercise, illness, fatigue, and other physical setbacks. The result is improved gut health, overall wellness, nutrient absorption, and immune system function. LYVECAP STRONG allows you to work harder, recover faster, and live well every day.

Probiotics Masterclass with Professor De Simone

When Yinka Davies, MD, was just starting her career as a gastroenterologist, she came across a patient struggling with significant clinical symptoms that were caused by a dysfunctional gut. Although the patient tried a number of other probiotics, her symptoms did not improve until Dr. Davies recommended the De Simone Formulation (Visbiome® in the USA).

Previously, the Times of London headline “Bugs Better Than Drugs” had caught the medical community’s attention, highlighting clinical evidence that the De Simone Formulation could treat inflammatory bowel diseases safely and effectively. These are conditions that have been historically very difficult to manage. “Gastroenterology,” “American Journal of Gastroenterology,” “GUT,” and other important scientific journals published articles on the De Simone Formulation, confirming that it helped inflammatory bowel disease patients with intestinal inflammation after reconstructive bowel surgery.

A camera in the patient’s intestines could show mucosal layer healing. Repair was restored by bacterial equilibrium. Dr. Davies’ career was revolutionized by this occurrence, which emphasized gut health and probiotics’ transformative effects. Professor Claudio De Simone invented the “De Simone Formulation,” and he recently created the LYVECAP Formulation.

A Deep Dive Into the LYVECAP Formulation

At the heart of LYVECAP STRONG is a carefully curated blend of 8 bacterial strains, 200 billion CFUs per gram, alongside amino acids Leucine and Taurine. This mixture of bacterial species is central to the formulation’s efficacy, driving its role in fostering a balanced intestinal environment.

However, this potent blend’s integrity is only as good as the process that protects it. Recognizing this, LYVECAP ensures a stringent cold chain process throughout production, safeguarding the viability of these bacterial species.

Prof. De Simone’s extensive understanding of the best strains to choose and how to combine them led to the creation of LYVECAP STRONG. More than 300 studies and over 100 clinical trials have focused on the De Simone Formulation, all of which have contributed to the accumulation of Prof. De Simone’s body of knowledge through time and led to the creation of LYVECAP STRONG.

The integrity of a product is defined not only by its formulation and the science backing it, but also by the quality of its production. Adherence to stringent quality standards is a fundamental principle at LYVECAP.

Every batch of LYVECAP STRONG is produced in a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Certified facility, ensuring that the product delivered to your doorstep meets the highest quality standards. In addition, it bears both NSF-Sport and the Informed-Sport Certification, further affirming its efficacy and safety for all consumers, from fitness enthusiasts to elite athletes.

The Future of Human Performance with LYVECAP

Yinka Davies, MD, driven by her experience as a doctor and seeing the significant benefits of the De Simone formulation, initiated a partnership to revolutionize the supplement market. Their flagship product, LYVECAP STRONG, transcends traditional offerings with its reliable, clinically-backed solution. Today, it is trusted by everyone from Olympic athletes to health enthusiasts.

This venture is more than just providing a product. Davies and De Simone aim to deliver transparency and scientific rigor in an often confusing market, making LYVECAP a beacon of trust in gut health solutions.

Advocates like Professor Claudio De Simone and Dr. Davies are pioneering our understanding of gut microbiota with science-backed solutions like LYVECAP STRONG. This product doesn’t just balance our gut—it empowers us to live well, reach peak performance, and stave off disease, truly embodying the essence of prevention over cure.

Choosing LYVECAP means choosing a scientifically proven path to enhanced wellness. Backed by decades of research and countless testimonies from health enthusiasts to elite athletes, LYVECAP continues to lead the way in revolutionizing the future of human health and performance.

The LYVECAP formulation is a groundbreaking discovery for athletes and anyone seeking to optimize their physiological performance and recovery. Starting in our gut and resonating throughout our entire being, the essence of LYVECAP is to “Live Well.”

M&F and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.

You may have noticed that pro wrestling is enjoying a resurgence in popularity as of late. WWE just merged with UFC in a sale to the Endeavor firm, creating a $21 billion entertainment company in the process. Their closest rival; AEW just set a record crowd of more than 80,000 fans in London’s Wembley Stadium, and the long tenured promotion; IMPACT Wrestling has just celebrated its 1,000th epic episode. As excitable viewers inevitably flock to wrestling schools in order to try and become the next Hulk Hogan, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, or John Cena—and Brian Myers.

M&F sat down with respected coach and prolific performer Brian Myers to find out how he found success, the advice he imparts, and what it takes to cut it in the larger-than-life world of ‘Sports Entertainment.’

“I feel like I’m in the prime of my career,” says Myers, who at 38-years-old is still considered to be a spring chicken in an industry where Bill Goldberg has wrestled into his 50s, Sting is still going strong at 64, and Ric Flair last wrestled at 73. “This past weekend was IMPACT 1,000, and it was a big deal to me because I was on WWE Monday Night RAW 1,000, SmackDown 1,000, and IMPACT 1,000.” It’s a lofty feat than no other man can boast. (The only woman to complete the same accolade is Trinity Fatu.)

Of course, becoming a pro wrestler and enjoying a long running career that continues to pay the bills are two very different things. For Brian Myers, he’s seen it all during his years of work with WWE, as a top talent in IMPACT, and as a coach at the “Create a Pro” Wrestling Academy in Hicksville, NY.

Myers has officially ‘been there and done that’ when it comes to carving out a successful professional wrestling career. He got started after begging his older brother to drive him to the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY, to watch an Extreme Championship Wrestling show back in 1999. A short time later, the young hopeful received training under ECW’s Mikey Whipreck, and in 2023, having now already wrestled in that same venue multiple times for WWE, he was able to return to the hallowed ground with IMPACT Wrestling and take on two of ECW’s originals in the form of Tommy Dreamer and Rhyno.

How to Create a Pro Wrestler Tip No. 1: Face Reality

In a world that blends action, drama, fantasy and sports, it’s easy to see why newbies have grandiose visions of becoming the next Dwayne Johnson or Undertaker before they’ve even laced-up a pair of boots. But make no mistake, pro wrestling is a highly physical affair that takes thousands of hours to master, and even a relatively straightforward task like running the ropes is far more difficult than it looks on television. “Create a Pro is gonna be ten years old in March,” says Myers. “People still come with no clue what their getting themselves into, which is always baffling to me. People think that wrestling isn’t a real sport so it must be really easy. No, this is just like anything else in life, you have to put in some serious hard work and you reap what you sow … if anything, it’s more difficult, because how many pro wrestlers are out there making a living? Not many, if you think about it … it takes hard work, discipline, and a lot of blood sweat and tears for real.”

How to Create a Pro Wrestler Tip No. 2: Presentation is Key

In a competitive market, standing out from the crowd is essential if you want to make a promoter take notice. “Very early on in my career, or life, I was always a student of the game,” says Myers. “I read an article and some interview with Bret Hart where he said that backyard wrestling wasn’t (legitimate) wrestling, so he said to apply yourself to sports and things like that while you can, and I just took that to heart. I did football, baseball, wrestling; straight through to high school.” As a student, Myers knew that a key aspect of being noticed by promoters was to become as athletic as possible, while working on his presentation so that he would be viewed by audiences as a tough guy that would win bouts. He also became a fan of lifting weight, swearing my by the tried and tested bench press, deadlift, and squat. “I feel like you have to control what you can control,” he says. “My diet, my regime, my look, that’s ultimately super important in the business.” These days, Myers tells M&F that he owns a fully kitted out gym in his home so that he can spend as much time as possible close to his family when not on the road. A personal trainer sends him workouts that he can then perform at his leisure.

In this digital age, social media is another way to gain exposure and this is something that Myer’s has proven to be a master of. “I feel like I have a cheat code,” he shares. Through YouTube, Podcasts, and by sharing his own fandom and love of wrestling memorabilia, Myers has tapped into an audience that he’s able to make instant connections with.

How to Create a Pro Wrestler Tip No. 3: Brian Myers Says, Never Stop Learning

Brian Myers was a quick learner and a respectful member of the locker room. He was able to go from independent debut to WWE TV in around three years. The wrestler was drafted to SmackDown in 2007 and as one of Edge’s body doubles, was also involved in a storyline that saw him help the “Rated R Superstar” dethrone the legendary Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship. A couple of years later, however, creative was failing to come up with new material for Myers, so he took it upon himself to head back to WWE’s developmental territory, known as FCW at that time. For him, it was about continuing to work on his craft and spend more time in the ring.

“I moved myself, on my own dime, didn’t get paid for a year,” he says of his time in Florida. “Even though I was under contract, I pretty much got it all in one video game (royalty) check and my downside (guarantee) was next to nothing. It was a career saving and life altering move that I just did all on my own because I got to go down there and get reps, and work as a singles wrestler pretty much for the first time in my career. I had the privilege and honor of doing promo class with ‘The American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes every week for a year. Literally, I didn’t have the confidence to cut a promo prior to that, and after that it altered my career.”

How to Create a Pro Wrestler Tip No. 4: Entertaining is More Important Than Winning

Many pro wrestling fans will tell you, rightly, that the ladder match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon at WrestleMania X was one of the greatest wrestling confrontations of all time, and yet those same people might have to do a bit of mental gymnastics to remember who won the match. While Michaels has found himself on the losing end of that one, he left Madison Square Garden feeling like a million bucks, because he’d arguably stolen the show. In WWE right now, The Miz finds himself on the losing end more often that not, and yet he’s a staple of Monday Night RAW and one of the companies most relevant performers. Myers himself has the distinction of owning a WWE losing streak record with 269 consecutive losses, but the storyline pay-off saw him capture the RAW tag team titles with Zack Ryder (Matt Cardona) at WrestleMania 35. The lesson? The scoresheet is not as important as creating memorable moments when you are a pro wrestler. “People really remember it,” Brian Myers of his time staring at arena ceilings. “Instead of being negative about it I was very positive, and it wound up being legit one of the most fun things that I’ll probably ever do in my career.”

How to Create a Pro Wrestler Tip No. 5: Embrace Different Styles

“The true mark of a pro is someone that travels the world,” shares Brian Myers. “Wrestling is everywhere, and it’s different everywhere.” Of course, pro wrestling is firmly embedded in American popular culture, but the the direction that this artform takes is largely driven by international influences such as strong-style Japanese wrestling and the technical wizardry of British grappling. Myer’s has travelled the world and is well aware of the lessons that he’s picked up on those journeys. “I tell my students all the time: you can’t become a great wrestler and never leave your home town, right?”

In October, Myers will fly to England with IMPACT Wrestling where they are excited to be embarking on their first tour there for several years. The iconic grappler tells M&F that he is feeling an ECW vibe within the current IMPACT product, and says that it is a place for “miss-fit toys” that should have flourished elsewhere, but are finally getting a chance to shine in a major wrestling promotion. IMPACT has international television deals with DAZN and can be accessed via YouTube’s on demand service. They are also on the FITE.tv app and have a weekly show on AXS TV. “I truly believe it’s the most well-rounded professional wrestling program on television,” he says, proudly. “And the people that are watching… they know. I don’t have to tell them.”

For tickets to see IMPACT Wrestling live and in person both in the US and the UK visit: https://impactwrestling.com/events/

It’s no secret that kickboxing is one of the best full-body workouts you can get. The martial arts sport contains both strength training and cardio while improving balance, coordination, and flexibility. Not to mention stress relief and a confidence boost that your mind will thank you for.

And, unlike the hamster-wheel feeling cardio machines can put off, kickboxing is one of the most fun ways to sweat!

The experience of joining a kickboxing class can also ward off a lack of motivation in fitness, and the awkward feeling some may experience when exercising in a gym setting solo.

“Traditional gym workouts may be intimidating, and or, it may be hard for individuals to motivate themselves to go. Joining a good kickboxing class with an experienced and welcoming instructor, can provide a healthy outlet for stress and build a routine of exercise into their daily lives,” says Lian Gentle, a third-degree black belt, and certified personal trainer, who has been practicing martial arts since the age of 7, who has also programmed and taught various style kickboxing classes.

With that, the third-degree black belt gives an up close and personal look at why kickboxing has a unique way of upgrading your fitness level and mental health.

These Benefits Will Make You want to Kick and Punch the Bag Right ASAP

“Martial Arts is a full body exercise and requires the use of just about all muscle groups, equally depending on the style,” explains Gentle, and notes, that it is equally cognitive in having to remember forms, self-defense, various kicks, and punches. Here are some powerful benefits of kickboxing (and martial arts) for all who engage.

• Mental Health Benefits:
• Relieves stress
• Boosts self-confidence
• Lessens the symptoms of ADHD
• Helps relieve anxiety and depression
• Builds self-esteem

Benefits for Children, Teens, and College Students:

Gentle expresses she would not be the same person she is today if she hadn’t been active in martial arts as a kid as it not only built her physical strength but her mental and emotional health as well. For kids, teens, and college students ages, here’s what to expect:

• Character builder
• Self-discipline
• Teaches and builds respect
• Development of leadership traits
• Refines Listening skills
• Sharpens Teaching skills
• Boosts Communication skills
• Boosts Mental Focus

The Physical Benefits of Kickboxing for All Ages

• Increased physical strength
• Improved strength and conditioning
• Better Balance
• Better Body Control
• Stronger Motor control
• Improved Coordination
• Encourages Spatial awareness
• Superior Cardiovascular fitness
• Builds a stronger core

Kickboxing Is a Must-Do Sport for Those Who Want to Protect Themselves

Beyond total body conditioning, the sport of kickboxing is a great way for both women (and men) to learn how to protect themselves. “Kickboxing is especially beneficial and important for women of all ages to feel confident in their ability to protect themselves, ’says Gentle. So, while getting your sweat on and improving your mental health, you’ll also reap the benefits of self-defense. Win-win!

Pro Tips for Becoming a Better Kickboxer

In a group fitness level setting, Gentle explains the classes are more focused on the fitness aspect of it versus the traditional form, leaving a lot of variability in how each trainer or instructor chooses to run a fitness-style boxing class. However, the third-degree blackbelt holder does stress the importance of wanting to learn more about the sport as this will help you be the best you can be in the sport.

The best way to do that is to get involved. Here’s how:

Find a Reputable Kickboxing School and Instructor: Although there are endless benefits to joining fitness-style kickboxing classes, if you’re looking to take it up a notch and get serious about the sport, a school would be the best choice. When it comes to gym-style kickboxing classes, “Instructors may only know the sport on a fitness level, so they may only know the basic punches or kicks but not necessarily the minute details of how to execute those punches and kicks. She explains. However, it’s a great place to start!

Just Keep Kicking

Practice makes perfect! Gentle stresses that practicing the moves over and over, as well as additional training in the gym, for example, weight training, plyometrics, and exercises that will help you to physically improve, are fantastic ways to build your kickboxing character; Especially if you stick to it.

Focus on Mobility and Flexibility

Yes, these are benefits that come naturally with kickboxing, however, to better your game, putting in the work to increase mobility and flexibility will go a long way for you in the sport of kickboxing.

If you’re unsure how to grow in these areas, hiring a personal trainer or fitness professional will get you started on the right foot.

Kick the Winter Blues (and Stress) Aside this Coming Winter

The days are still bright, but soon they will be shortened and darker, making kickboxing the perfect sport to take up. “Kickboxing is a bit unique in comparison to other physical activities and sports, where you don’t need to always have someone else there to practice, you don’t necessarily need a lot of gear, and it doesn’t need to be practiced outside,’ says Gentle, which is perfect for ‘beating’ those winter blues. There’s no off-season. “Kickboxing requires minimal equipment, making it an ideal activity to do during the colder months,’ she says.

With that, if you’re who tend to feel down during the colder months, need to level up your conditioning, try something new, or even beat stress, kickboxing just might be the muscle-building, stamina-strengthening, and confidence boosting activity you may be missing in your current training program.

Welcome to our comprehensive Fountain TRT Review!

Are you looking for the best online TRT clinic?

Curious if Fountain TRT is the #1 online TRT clinic in the United States?

Then you’ve come to the right place. In this in-depth guide, we cover everything you MUST know about Fountain TRT, including how they can help you optimize your testosterone levels and transform your life.

We will examine their legitimacy, treatment options, benefits, and costs associated with their services.

We even answer your most important questions, including:

• Does Fountain TRT accept insurance?
• What services does Fountain TRT provide?
• How do I schedule an appointment with Fountain TRT?

In addition to our in-depth analysis of Fountain TRT Review, we will also compare testosterone injections versus creams and explore alternative providers available in the market.

Our aim is to furnish you with the data required so that you can settle on a knowledgeable decision concerning whether Fountain TRT is the ideal choice for your particular needs.

What is TRT?

TRT, or testosterone replacement therapy, is the #1 medical treatment in the world for men with low testosterone levels.

TRT is designed to optimize men’s total testosterone levels, eliminating men’s symptoms of “low T” and improving their overall health and well-being.
If you are suffering from signs and symptoms of low testosterone levels (like reduced sex drive, low energy, or a flabby physique), then testosterone replacement therapy is the fastest way to eliminate your symptoms and maximize your physical and mental health.

The Benefits of TRT

Researchers have been studying the effects of testosterone therapy for decades, and they are consistently blown away by how powerful it is for men with low T.

Some of the biggest benefits of testosterone therapy include:

• Better mood and mental clarity: Optimized testosterone levels can help alleviate depression, anxiety, irritability, and brain fog [1].
• Increase in muscle mass: Testosterone plays a crucial role in building lean muscle mass. Men on TRT often find it significantly easier to build muscle mass and recover from intense workouts [2].
• Fat loss: Balanced testosterone levels make it far easier to lose body fat, and keep it off for good. In fact, most men on TRT lose body fat right away, even without any change in their diet or exercise program [3]!
• Better libido and sexual performance: It’s no secret that testosterone plays a huge role in regulating men’s sexual health. Research shows that most men on TRT experience a substantial improvement in their overall sex drive and sexual performance [4].
• Greater energy levels: Men on TRT report having significantly greater energy levels. If you want to have more energy to attack the day, then you have to look into TRT [5]!

If you’re experiencing any symptoms related to low T, or simply want to improve your overall health as a man, then talking to an experienced testosterone doctor about TRT should be high on your priority list!

Determining Your Testosterone Levels

Research shows that men’s testosterone levels have been dropping by 1% per year for the past 50+ years [6]. This is alarming, and explains why so many men today are complaining of low testosterone levels!

So how do you actually measure your testosterone levels? The truth is the only way to accurately measure your blood testosterone levels is with a blood test.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Reference range: The reference range for men’s testosterone levels is 300 – 1,200 ng /dl.
• Declining T levels: Researchers have been forced to lower the reference range ot 250 – 800 ng / dl, as men’s total testosterone levels have been declining in recent years
• Symptoms: Most men start experiencing signs and symptoms of low T when their total testosterone levels fall below the 600 – 800 ng / dl range.
• Clinically low T: Men with testosterone levels below 300 ng / dl have clinically low testosterone levels, and may require testosterone therapy to optimize their hormone levels

Reading and interpreting your blood work can be tricky.

Fortunately, the expert testosterone doctors at Fountain TRT will guide you through the process of performing your blood work, and interpreting the results.

Who is Fountain TRT?

Fountain TRT is the #1 online TRT provider in the United States.

Fountain TRT is one of the only online TRT clinics that offers comprehensive testosterone replacement therapy solutions for men – including consultations, blood work, customized treatment options, and several different medication options including testosterone creams and injections.

If you’re interested in testosterone therapy and searching for a good online TRT provider, then Fountain TRT should be at the top of your list!

Services Offered by Fountain TRT

Fountain TRT offers a comprehensive range of TRT services that are designed to help you optimize your total testosterone levels, and address other issues identified by your comprehensive blood work.

Some of their treatment options for testosterone therapy include:

• Testosterone injections and creams (most popular)
• Testosterone gels, pellets, and patches (less common)
• Other medications when necessary

You can think of Fountain TRT as a one-stop solution for all of your testosterone therapy and hormone optimization needs!

Expert Medical Team

Fountain TRT was founded by Dr. Doron Stember, a board-certified Fountain TRT boasts a team of experienced medical professionals who specialize in testosterone replacement therapy.

He understands how important it is to work with experienced doctors when getting started with testosterone therapy.

That’s why he’s assembled a team of some of the most experienced testosterone doctors at Fountain TRT!

• Experienced Doctors: Fountain TRT’s team includes knowledgeable doctors who are adept at handling all aspects of TRT.
• Expertise in TRT: Their medical professionals bring years of experience and a deep understanding of testosterone replacement therapy.
• Comprehensive Patient Care: The clinic’s doctors are dedicated to the health and well-being of the patients, and they constantly monitor and adjust treatment plans as needed.

If you’re looking for an experienced team of experts who can help you optimize your testosterone levels, then look no further than Fountain TRT!

Why Choose Fountain TRT?

It’s simple: Fountain TRT is the #1 online TRT clinic in the United States.

They have the most experienced doctors (who truly care about you and your health), a streamlined process for getting started with TRT, and a variety of medication options for you to choose from.

Other benefits of fountain TRT include:

• Online Convenience: As an online clinic, Fountain TRT offers you the flexibility to manage your therapy without disrupting your routine.
• Personalized Treatment: They prioritize personalization in their treatment plans, catering to the specific needs of each individual patient.
• Best in Class: Recognized as the best online TRT clinic in the United States, you can trust in their commitment to quality care and excellent service.

Click Here to get started with Fountain TRT today!

Is Fountain TRT Legit?

Testosterone therapy is a big deal, so it’s critical that you do your research before choosing an online TRT clinic to work with.

So, is Fountain TRT legit? The answer is a resounding YES!

There are several reasons why Fountain TRT stands out as the best online testosterone clinic for men:

• Experienced Doctors: Fountain TRT employs highly experienced doctors who specialize in hormone replacement therapy. These professionals have years of experience treating patients with low testosterone levels and can create customized treatment plans based on individual needs.
• Patient Results: The results speak for themselves – countless men have seen significant improvements in their symptoms after starting treatment with Fountain TRT. From increased energy levels to improved muscle mass and reduced body fat, patients consistently report positive outcomes from their treatments!
• Five-Star Reviews: Fountain TRT has more 5-star reviews from satisfied patients than almost every other online TRT provider. Patients have been vocal about their approval of not only the treatments but also the remarkable customer service they’ve experienced!
• Affordable Prices: Testosterone replacement therapy can be expensive, but Fountain TRT offers competitive pricing without compromising on quality or patient care. This makes it an accessible option for those seeking effective treatment for low T symptoms!

In summary, if you’re looking for a reliable and reputable online provider of testosterone replacement therapy, look no further than Fountain TRT!

With its team of experienced doctors, proven patient results, glowing reviews, and affordable prices – there’s no doubt that this clinic deserves its title as the number one online TRT clinic in the world today!

Fountain TRT | Benefits

As the #1 online TRT clinic in the world today, Fountain TRT offers numerous benefits for men with low testosterone levels.

Here are some of the major benefits you can expect when choosing Fountain TRT:

1. Enhanced Energy Levels

Testosterone plays a crucial role in regulating men’s testosterone levels. This makes sense, as men with higher testosterone levels always seem to have more energy and vitality.

Here are just a few of the energy-related benefits you can expect from working with Fountain TRT:

• Boost Overall Vitality: Fountain TRT can dramatically improve your vitality and overall energy levels. This is good news if you prefer to live a fast-paced, exciting life!
• Reduce Fatigue: Men with low testosterone often deal with chronic fatigue. TRT can help by eliminating chronic fatigue, giving you the energy you need to attack the day.
• Enhance Well-being: Fountain TRT patients often report improvements in their overall well-being and quality of life, thanks to their enhanced testosterone levels.

If you are looking to optimize your testosterone levels and feel like a new and improved version of yourself, then getting started with Fountain TRT is the obvious choice.

2. Improved Sexual Health

It’s no surprise that men’s sexual health is directly correlated to their total testosterone levels. However, you might be shocked at how much of a difference testosterone therapy can make in your overall sexual health and performance!

Benefits of TRT for sexual health include:

• Improve Libido: Testosterone levels have a direct impact on your sexual desire. Testosterone therapy with Fountain TRT can help increase libido and overall sexual satisfaction.
• Address Erectile Dysfunction: Low testosterone can contribute to erectile dysfunction. By optimizing your testosterone levels, you can eliminate your symptoms of low T and improve sexual performance.

If you’re struggling with your sexual health or performance, then a fully customized treatment protocol with Fountain TRT can help!

3. Enhanced Physical Fitness

Are you having trouble building muscle, or losing body fat? If so, testosterone therapy can help!

Research shows that TRT has the following benefits for your physical performance and appearance:

• Improved Muscle Mass and Strength: Testosterone therapy makes it MUCH easier to build muscle and get stronger in the gym. In fact, many men find they get bigger and stronger, even without any changes to their diet or workout routine.
• Enhanced Physical Performance: Athletes should be aware of the fact that testosterone therapy can massively boost your athletic performance. Of course, TRT is considered a “performance-enhancing drug” in some athletic organizations, so do your homework before getting started!
• Reduced Body Fat: Interested in losing body fat, especially around your midsection? Testosterone therapy can help with that too! Research shows that men on TRT immediately start losing body fat, even without any changes to their diet.

4. Better Cognitive Function

Believe it or not, research has found that testosterone therapy improves men’s cognitive abilities, including memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills.

Other benefits of Fountain TRT and testosterone therapy for cognitive function include:

• Improve Memory: Optimal testosterone levels may improve your short-term and long-term memory.
• Enhance Concentration: Research shows that men on TRT experience improved focus and concentration. This is important in today’s fast-paced world, where social media is trying to distract us every few seconds!
• Boost Problem-solving Skills: Some studies suggest that testosterone therapy might positively influence men’s problem-solving skills, helping them perform better no matter the situation.

5. Better Heart Health

Believe it or not, optimal testosterone levels have been linked to other health benefits including improved heart and cardiovascular health.

Benefits of Fountain TRT and testosterone therapy for overall cardiovascular health include:

• Improve Heart Health: Research shows that men with higher testosterone levels have improved cardiovascular health markers, including reduced risk for atherosclerosis and heart disease.
• Promote Red Blood Cell Production: Testosterone therapy can improve your red blood cell production. This allows for more oxygen to be transported throughout the body, which improves your overall physical health.

Testosterone therapy has a myriad of other benefits, including improved bone health, reduced risk of depression, and decreased risk for all types of chronic disease.
It’s no wonder so many older and younger men have chosen to get started with testosterone therapy!

Fountain TRT Treatment Options

Fountain TRT offers a wide variety of treatment options for men new to testosterone therapy. Some of their most TRT popular treatment options include:

• Testosterone Injections
• Testosterone Creams
• Testosterone Patches
• Testosterone Pellets

Fountain TRT tends to use testosterone creams and injections with most of their patients. This makes sense, as testosterone creams and injections are easily the two most popular and effective treatment options for TRT.

Testosterone patches and pellets are also viable options, but they tend to result in poorer patient outcomes, so they are not nearly as popular.

Testosterone Injections

Testosterone injections are the traditional “gold standard” treatment option for testosterone therapy. They have been studied for decades, and they have a long track record for producing excellent patient outcomes.

• How they work: Testosterone injections are normally performed 1-3 times per week. Using a sterile syringe, the testosterone medication is injected into a large muscle group (such as the shoulder or glutes).
• Benefits: TRT injections have an enormous amount of clinical data backing them. They have been successfully used for decades, and they result in great patient outcomes with relatively low side effects [7].
• Side Effects: Some side effects of TRT injections may include skin irritation, nausea, increased red blood cell count, and skin acne [8].

Testosterone injections are one of the 2 best TRT treatment options (along with testosterone creams). They are extremely effective, and only have to be performed 1-3 times per week.

However, not all patients like the idea of performing injections in general. If this applies to you, then testosterone creams may be a better choice.

Testosterone Creams

Testosterone creams are the best alternative for anyone who dislikes the idea of performing testosterone injections.

Testosterone creams are just as effective as traditional injections, but they do have some differences that you need to be aware of.

• How they work: The testosterone cream is applied on the skin twice per day, in the morning and night. The testosterone medication is absorbed directly through the skin, and results in a rapid increase in blood testosterone levels [9].
• Benefits: Testosterone cream is completely painless, has minimal side effects, and is extremely easy to apply. However, it is a little more expensive than testosterone injections [10].
• Drawbacks: Testosterone cream has to be applied 1-2 times per day for optimal results. It is also more expensive than testosterone injections, and you have to be careful to avoid transferring the medication to other people via skin contact immediately after application.

Testosterone creams are an excellent treatment option for testosterone therapy and the preferred treatment option for the expert TRT doctors at Fountain TRT.

They are completely painless, easy to apply, and have minimal overall side effects.

Testosterone Pellets

Testosterone pellets are less popular, but some patients may prefer them over testosterone injections or creams.

The pellets slowly release testosterone into the body over a 3-month time frame, meaning they are a low-maintenance treatment option.

• How they work: The testosterone pellets are surgically implanted into the body, usually near the hip. The pellets slowly release testosterone in the body over a 3-month period and have to be surgically replaced every 3 months or so [11].
• Benefits: Pellets require the least maintenance of all the testosterone treatment options. After you perform your surgery, you are good to go for approximately 3 months.
• Drawbacks: Testosterone pellets tend to result in larger fluctuations in testosterone levels, require surgery to be replaced, and do not always result in optimal testosterone levels [12].

Testosterone pellets are an OK option for some patients.

However, overall the doctors at Fountain TRT strongly prefer testosterone creams and injections for most patients.

Testosterone Patches

Testosterone patches are another potential treatment option for TRT.

• How they work: Testosterone patches are applied directly to the skin, usually on the shoulder. They slowly release testosterone into the body over a 24-hour period. After that, they are replaced for a new testosterone patch [13].
• Benefits: Testosterone patches only have to be applied once per day, do result in increased testosterone levels, and are painless.
• Drawbacks: Testosterone patches result in more wild fluctuations in testosterone levels than testosterone creams, which is why Fountain TRT typically opts for testosterone creams instead.

Overall, testosterone patches are a viable option for testosterone therapy.

However, the team at Fountain TRT tends to prefer testosterone creams instead as they are just as easy to use, but tend to result in better patient outcomes.

How To Get Started With Fountain TRT

Interested in getting started with Fountain TRT? Don’t worry – it’s simpler than you might think.

All you have to do is head over to the Fountain TRT website, and follow these simple steps:

1. Fill out their low T questionnaire: Fountain TRT gives you the option to fill out a simple low T questionnaire. This is your chance to talk about the signs and symptoms of low T and to learn how Fountain TRT can help.
2. Schedule your risk-free consultation: After completing the online questionnaire, the team at Fountain TRT will help you schedule a 100% free consultation with one of their expert doctors. This is your chance to discuss your signs and symptoms, and how testosterone therapy can help.
3. Perform a comprehensive blood test: Your Fountain TRT doctor will order blood tests to measure your exact testosterone levels. This step is critical, as the only way to truly measure your testosterone levels is with blood work.
4. Review the results with your doctor: Your Fountain TRT physician will review your lab results and develop a customized treatment plan based on those findings. They’ll also answer any questions or concerns you might have regarding therapy.
5. Start using your prescription testosterone medication: The last step is to start using your prescription testosterone medication! Fountain TRT will ship your testosterone medication directly to your home. From there, you can start using your medication and enjoy all the benefits of an optimized hormonal profile!

Fountain TRT makes it as simple as possible for men just like you to get started with testosterone therapy.

Book your 100% risk-free consultation today and get ready to be their next success story!

Click Here to get started with Fountain TRT today!

Testosterone Injections vs. Creams

Fountain TRT knows that no two patients are alike. That’s why they use a variety of different testosterone medications with their patients, including testosterone injections and creams.

Let’s quickly review the pros and cons of each option, so you can figure out which one is right for you…

1. Testosterone Injections

Testosterone injections are one of the oldest and most effective testosterone medication options. To use this option, you would inject your prescription testosterone medication into a major muscle group (such as the shoulder or glutes) 1-3 times per week.

Optimal doses typically range from 100 – 200 mg of testosterone per week, depending on your goals and blood work analysis [14].

Testosterone Injection Pros:

• Research-backed: Testosterone injections have decades of peer-reviewed research studies backing them up. This means they are highly effective for treating low T in men.
• Superior results: You can expect extremely stable blood testosterone levels with testosterone injections. You can also make precise changes in dosing protocols, depending on how you feel.
• Infrequent dosing: Testosterone injections only need to be performed 1-3 times per week for optimal results. In contrast, testosterone creams must be applied up to twice per day.
• Extremely affordable: Testosterone injections are extremely affordable, with typical prices ranging from $99 – $199 per month. This includes ongoing checkups with your TRT doctor.

Testosterone Injection Cons:

• Can be painful: Some patients find testosterone injections uncomfortable or painful. If this describes you, then Fountain TRT’s testosterone cream may be a better choice.
• Higher risk of side effects: Testosterone injections sometimes result in additional side effects on the skin – particularly at the injection site.
  Overall, testosterone injections are one of the very best administration options for testosterone replacement therapy.

If you dislike the idea of performing injections, then testosterone creams are an excellent pain-free alternative offered by Fountain TRT.

2. Testosterone Creams

Testosterone creams are one of Fountain TRT’s most popular treatment options.

Unlike testosterone injections, which are injected into major muscle groups, testosterone creams are absorbed directly through the skin. This makes testosterone creams a reliable, pain-free alternative to traditional testosterone injections.

Testosterone Cream Pros:

• Easy to use: Testosterone creams are extremely easy to use. All you have to do is apply the prescription testosterone medication directly on the skin 1-2 times per day (ideally morning and night).
• Pain-free: This goes without saying, but testosterone creams are completely painless. This makes them a great alternative if you do not like performing injections.
• Superior results: Testosterone creams have a large body of research backing up their efficacy. These creams produce reliable, consistent increases in men’s total testosterone levels.
• Minimal side effects: Unlike testosterone injections, testosterone creams have virtually zero side effects – especially when performed under the supervision of a qualified medical professional.

Testosterone Cream Cons:

• Daily application: Testosterone creams have to be applied 1-2 times per day for optimal results. In contrast, testosterone injections only need to be performed 1-3 times per week to be effective.
• Higher cost: Testosterone creams tend to cost more than injections. However, for many patients, the extra cost is more than worth it!

Overall, testosterone injections and creams are both extremely effective treatment options.

We highly encourage you to talk to your Fountain TRT doctor to understand which one is best for you!

How Much Does Fountain TRT Cost?

Fountain TRT is committed to making testosterone therapy as affordable as possible for men living in the United States.

Here’s what you need to know about Fountain TRT’s prices:

1. Testosterone Injections – From $99 / Month

Fountain TRT’s testosterone injections generally cost between $99 – $199 / month. This includes the prescription testosterone medication, other supplies, and ongoing medical support.

Testosterone injections are the most affordable option, making them a great choice for cost-conscious buyers.

2. Testosterone Creams – From $199 / Month

Fountain TRT’s testosterone cream is slightly more expensive, coming in at approximately $199 – $399 per month. Testosterone creams are more expensive than injections as it is more expensive to manufacture the product. The exact cost varies from one person to the next, depending on the individualized treatment plan.

Regardless of which plan you choose, your monthly plan will include your prescription testosterone medication, plus other benefits, including:

• Consistent Blood Work: Regular blood tests are an essential component of any testosterone replacement therapy protocol. The experienced doctors at Fountain TRT will help you monitor your blood work, ensuring you are getting the most out of your TRT protocol.
• Ongoing Health Monitoring: Fountain TRT continues to monitor all aspects of your program on an ongoing basis. If any changes to your protocol are needed, including adjustments to your weekly testosterone dosage or additional medications, the team at Fountain TRT has your back.
• Expert Consultations: With Fountain TRT, you have the opportunity to perform additional consultations with your testosterone doctors. Whenever you have a question, their team of experts is there to help!

Other treatment options such as testosterone patches, pellets, or gels typically cost $200 – $500 per month.

Regardless of which plan you choose, Fountain TRT is sure to provide you with the highest possible quality of care!

Fountain TRT Review | Pros And Cons

Pros of Fountain TRT

• Experienced Doctors: Fountain TRT has a team of knowledgeable medical professionals who specialize in hormone replacement therapy. You can rest easy knowing you are getting a fully customized TRT plan to help you reach your goals.
• Customized Treatment Options: Fountain TRT offers various treatment methods such as injections, creams, patches, and pellets to cater to individual needs.
• Affordable Prices: Their pricing is extremely competitive compared to other providers in the market. And they are able to do this without compromising on quality!
• User-friendly Onboarding Process: Getting started with Fountain TRT is straightforward. All you have to do is fill out their low T questionnaire at their website, and they handle the rest, including scheduling your risk-free consultation!
• Ease of Website Navigation: The Fountain TRT website is extremely user-friendly, making it easy for potential clients to find relevant information about their services quickly.

Cons of Fountain TRT

• Limited Availability: Fountain TRT operates in almost all states in the continental United States. However, some people will not have access to their services.
• Contact Required for Pricing: You will need to contact the Fountain TRT team directly to get accurate pricing details specific to your situation.

Overall, Fountain TRT is the #1 online TRT clinic in the United States. They offer state-of-the-art treatment protocols at extremely competitive prices!

Fountain TRT Alternatives

Fountain TRT is our #1 choice for any man interested in testosterone replacement therapy.

Of course, there are a couple of other online TRT clinics which also deserve your attention:

• Peter MD – Specializing in TRT and growth hormone replacement therapy
• Evolve Telemedicine – An all-in-one men’s health clinic for all your health needs

Both of these clinics deserve your attention – especially if you are searching for a good alternative to Fountain TRT…

1. Peter MD

Peter MD is a world-class online TRT clinic that offers personalized treatment plans for men with low testosterone levels.

Unlike Fountain TRT, Peter MD also offers a wide variety of hormone replacement therapy services, including various treatments for low growth hormone and others.

Benefits of Peter MD include:

• Experienced doctors
• Various treatment methods (injections, creams, patches, and pellets)
• Variety of hormone replacement therapy services (testosterone, growth hormone, etc.)

Peter MD provides a convenient way for patients to get top-notch care through virtual doctor visits, allowing them the luxury of talking with physicians from their own homes.

They offer various treatment options such as injections, creams, patches, and pellets depending on your specific requirements.

Ready to get started with Peter MD? Here is where you can learn more:

Click Here to get started with Peter MD today!

2. Evolve Telemedicine

Evolve Telemedicine specializes in hormone optimization and overall wellness.

They are an excellent choice for any man looking for a general men’s health clinic to assist with testosterone therapy and other health needs.

Benefits of Evolve Telemedicine include:

• Comprehensive men’s health clinic
• Customized treatment plans suited just for you
• Extremely competitive pricing compared to in-person health clinics

Their team of skilled healthcare providers works closely with you throughout the entire process – from initial consultation to ongoing support during your journey towards optimal hormonal balance.

With a focus on convenience and accessibility, Evolve Telemedicine ensures that you receive quality care without any hassle or unnecessary travel time.

Here is where you can learn more:

Click Here to get started with Evolve Telemedicine today!

Fountain TRT Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Is Testosterone Therapy?

Testosterone therapy is a medical treatment designed to eliminate signs and symptoms of low T in men.

Testosterone therapy aims to optimize men’s testosterone levels, so they can look, feel, and perform their best.

2. What Are The Benefits Of Testosterone Therapy?

The benefits of testosterone therapy can include:

• Improved energy levels
• enhanced mood
• Increased sexual desire
• Enhanced cognitive function
• Increased muscle mass
• Reduced body fat

It can also help to improve the overall quality of life in individuals with symptoms related to low testosterone.

3. Who Is Fountain TRT?

Fountain TRT is the world’s premier online TRT provider. They make it as easy as possible for men just like you to get started with testosterone replacement therapy!

4. What Are The Benefits Of Fountain TRT?

Benefits of Fountain TRT include:

• World-class TRT doctors
• Easy-to-navigate website
• Customized treatment protocols
• Variety of testosterone medications
• Ongoing medical support

With Fountain TRT, you know you are in good hands!

5. How Much Does Fountain TRT Cost?

The cost of Fountain TRT varies from one patient to the next. However, here are some general guidelines:

• Testosterone injections – starting from $99 / month
• Testosterone creams – starting from $199 / month

6. What Are The Best Fountain TRT Alternatives?

The best Fountain TRT alternatives include Peter MD and Evolve Telemedicine.

Peter MD specializes in hormone replacement therapy (including testosterone and growth hormone therapy), while Evolve Telemedicine is an all-in-one online men’s health clinic.

7. Why Should I Choose Fountain TRT?

Fountain TRT is the #1 online TRT clinic in the United States and the best way for beginners to get started with testosterone therapy.

With their world-class TRT doctors, streamlined process, and affordable plans, Fountain TRT is the clear winner!

Is Fountain TRT Right For You? | Verdict

Choosing the right online TRT clinic for your needs is a big decision.

Our team of experts has personally reviewed and tested every major clinic in the United States. After extensive testing, our verdict is clear:

Fountain TRT is the #1 online TRT clinic for beginners and experienced testosterone users!

Here are a few of the factors that made us choose Fountain TRT over all of the alternatives:

• Comprehensive Services: Fountain TRT offers a wide range of services, including bloodwork, medication shipment, and various testosterone administration options, making it a one-stop solution for testosterone replacement therapy.
• Expert Medical Team: They boast a team of experienced and knowledgeable doctors who specialize in TRT, ensuring you receive the highest standard of care.
• Personalized Treatment Plans: The clinic’s commitment to personalized care caters to the specific needs of each individual patient.
• Flexible Pricing: With a pricing range for their services, Fountain TRT aims to accommodate various budgets, ensuring quality healthcare is accessible.
• Holistic Approach: The benefits of TRT with Fountain include not just physical improvements such as increased energy levels, enhanced physical fitness, and improved sexual health, but also mental benefits like improved mood and cognitive function.

In summary, Fountain TRT provides a comprehensive and personalized approach to testosterone replacement therapy.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of low testosterone and are seeking an online clinic that combines medical expertise, flexible treatment options, and a patient-centered approach, Fountain TRT may be the right choice for you!

This is sponsored content. M&F is not endorsing the websites or products listed in this article.

Hot super lightweight boxing prospect, Richardson Hitchins represented Haiti in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, and has racked up seven knockouts since turning pro the following year. Now set to fight for both the WBC Silver and IBF North American championships, this 25-year-old is nearing the end of his preparations to face the more experienced Jose Zepeda on Sept. 23 in Orlando, FL, in what will prove to be a defining moment for both competitors.

M&F talked exclusively to Hitchins, who fights out of Brooklyn, NY, following one of his grueling cardio sessions, and we soon learned that the fighter utilizes interval training to be sure that his conditioning is just as on-point as his jab.

Richardson Hitchins (16-0-0) appears unstoppable as he goes into what many boxing critics believe to be his toughest test yet against Jose Zepeda (37-3-0), in his third fight since signing with Matchroom boxing. Zepeda, now 34, has knocked out 28 of his opponents and has the clear advantage as relates to experience, but the young lion Hitchins has fought on the big stage many times, from the Olympics to Madison Square Garden, and has certainly come a long way since witnessing shootings and violence on the streets as a 12-year-old kid who watched WWE wrestling for the escapism that he needed.

It was during the WrestleMania 24 pay-per-view (in 2008) that Hitchins first became familiar with Floyd Mayweather, who was a special attraction on the show, facing off against “The Big Show” Paul Wight in the Super Bowl of pro wrestling. “You know, he came on WWE, and he was talking a lot of junk,” remembers Hitchins fondly. “I started looking at Floyd on YouTube and I started seeing him, and Oscar (De La Hoya), and how he was talking s**t and still winning, and after that I just fell in love with [him], like I’ve never seen a guy talk so much s**t and be so confident, and he always wins! I was like; ‘I don’t know how he do it,’ but I fell in love with the sport after that.” As his interest in becoming a boxer in his own right piqued, Richardson Hitchins learned that being around coaches would keep him off the streets and make sure that he got fed.

“It was God’s plans,” says Hitchins. “I’m not gonna lie to you. It sounds clichéd, but at that time my sight wasn’t being on being a famous boxer, or to be like Floyd Mayweather, or make money … I was just a guy that walked into a boxing gym, I was around guys like Christopher Cobert, Bruce Carrington, and other great fighters coming up, and it was like a brotherhood. I was seeing things in boxing that I couldn’t see without boxing. We were sleeping in hotels, being taken out to restaurants. Or, If I’m leaving the gym, I’d make my coach take me to Denny’s or other restaurants to eat. These are the things, these are the luxury’s that I wouldn’t have got, if I wasn’t going to the boxing gym.”

The young upstart threw himself so hard into becoming a serious contender that he represented Haiti during the 2016 Games in Rio, and incredibly, it was there that he met his hero Mayweather, later being signed as a protégé. Mayweather gave Hitchins a great deal of encouragement and tools to succeed, perhaps seeing a younger version of himself, and although Hitchins is now signed to Matchroom boxing and is attempting to blaze a path towards a world title, it’s hard to miss the similarities between the former master and his student. Richardson Hitchins is lightning fast, and understands the importance of having an edge over his opponents as far as conditioning is concerned. A huge part of his arsenal is to utilize interval training in order to build his levels of stamina.

What Is interval training and How Does It Benefit Athletes?

Interval Training is the process by which an individual will vary the duration of their cardiovascular workouts as well as their rest periods. Interval training with sprints has been shown to promote beneficial physiological adaptations, improving the capacity of healthy adults as relates to oxygen uptake and overall cardiometabolic health, providing the same results in significantly less time than regular steady state exercise. In contrast to High Intensity Interval Training, Interval Training may reduce the potential for overtraining since the lower-intensity recovery periods allow the body to adapt to stressors. Mixing up the duration and intensity of your workouts can also make training more mentally stimulating, reducing the chance of disengaging.

How Does Richardson Hitchins Utilize Interval Training?

“Being conditioned is the number one rule in boxing,” says Hitchins. “Guys always try to come and if they can’t beat me in a boxing fight then they put on the pressure, and go to the body. And for me to be able to last in a fight, I’ll always have to be able to (throw) that snappy jab, have that footwork to evade and (have) that illusiveness because I’m not a still target, I don’t stand there for nobody, so I’m a guy that’s very tricky, very illusive, and I use a lot of movements in the ring, so I think to be able to do that for 12 rounds, versus a high calibre guy, your conditioning is the number one thing, because if a guy like me is conditioned, with my skills, and my talent, it would damn near be impossible to beat me unless you catch me with a lucky punch and knock me out, and I don’t see that happening.”

Richardson Hitchins embarks on a daily run of varying distances. “I run anywhere from 3 miles, to sometimes 8 miles,” he shares. And, the undefeated boxer also practices Interval Training inside the ropes. “Sometimes I’ll box anywhere from 8 rounds to 15 rounds,” he explains, adding that his team will even vary the duration of a round. “Sometimes we’ll put it on 4 minutes, and sometimes we’ll box 9 minutes straight,” says the fighter. It’s little wonder that Hitchins says he’s always entered a fight feeling that his conditioning is on point.

Of course, this hot prospect will need to be at the top of his game when he faces Zepeda on Saturday, broadcast live on DAZN from the Caribe Royale Hotel in Orlando, FL. Fortunately, Hitchins is backing himself all the way, and has undoubtedly learned a few lessons in confidence from his legendary mentor. “It’s like, I’m damn near perfect, you know what I’m saying?” asks Hitchins. “With the athleticism, the speed, the jab; one of the most masterful jabs in boxing, the most important punch. The defence, range control, everything that you would want in a fighter, I have. I think now, it’s just about my experience, getting experience in the ring to make me that complete fighter.”

This is sponsored content. M&F is not endorsing the websites or products listed in this article.

Are you tired of battling with unexplained weight gain? Do you find yourself struggling to shed those extra pounds, despite countless efforts? Look no further! Intermittent fasting might just be the game-changer you’ve been waiting for.

Get ready to explore the top five reasons for unexplained weight gain and learn how intermittent fasting can help you combat those stubborn pounds for good! Say goodbye to fad diets and hello to a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle!

Reason 1: Hormonal Imbalance

One of the leading causes of unexplained weight gain is hormonal imbalance. Hormones play a crucial role in regulating our metabolism, appetite and fat storage. When our hormones are out of whack, it can lead to unwanted weight gain.

Intermittent fasting helps restore hormonal balance by allowing the body to enter a fasting state, which promotes insulin sensitivity and encourages the release of growth hormones. This hormonal optimization leads to increased fat-burning and a more efficient metabolism, making weight loss easier and more sustainable.

Reason 2: Emotional Eating and Stress

Emotional eating is a common culprit behind unexplained weight gain. When we’re stressed or overwhelmed, we often turn to food for comfort. Intermittent fasting can help break this cycle by providing structure and discipline to our eating patterns.

By setting specific fasting and eating windows, we gain control over our food choices, reduce mindless snacking, and develop a healthier relationship with food. Additionally, intermittent fasting has been shown to reduce stress levels, thanks to the release of endorphins during fasting periods, which can curb emotional eating tendencies.

Reason 3: Sluggish Metabolism

As we age, our metabolism tends to slow down, making weight loss more challenging. Intermittent fasting acts as a metabolic reset by increasing metabolic flexibility. During fasting periods, the body switches from burning glucose for energy to utilizing stored fat as a fuel source.

This process not only helps shed unwanted pounds but also revs up the metabolism, leading to long-term weight loss and increased energy levels. Intermittent fasting has also been shown to improve mitochondrial function, the powerhouse of our cells, resulting in a more efficient metabolism overall.

Reason 4: Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance is a condition in which our cells become less responsive to insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar levels and increased fat storage. This metabolic dysfunction often leads to weight gain and can eventually progress to type 2 diabetes.

Intermittent fasting has been proven to combat insulin resistance by reducing blood sugar levels, improving insulin sensitivity, and promoting healthy glucose regulation. By implementing intermittent fasting into your routine, you can effectively manage your blood sugar levels, prevent weight gain, and reduce the risk of developing diabetes.

Reason 5: Plateau Breaker

Have you hit a weight loss plateau, despite your best efforts? Intermittent fasting can provide the breakthrough you’ve been searching for. By alternating between fasting and eating windows, intermittent fasting keeps your body guessing and prevents it from adapting to a set routine.

This constant variation challenges your metabolism, reviving your weight loss progress and breaking through stubborn plateaus. Intermittent fasting also promotes autophagy, a natural cellular cleansing process that aids in fat loss and overall health improvement.

How to Get Started with Intermittent Fasting

Now that you understand the power of intermittent fasting in combatting unexplained weight gain, it’s time to take action. Here are a few steps to get started on your intermittent fasting journey:

Consult your healthcare professional: Before starting any new dietary regimen, it’s important to consult with your healthcare professional, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking medications.

Choose the right fasting method: There are several intermittent fasting methods to choose from, such as the 16/8 method (16 hours of fasting, eight-hour eating window), alternate-day fasting, or the 5:2 method (eating normally for five days and restricting calorie intake on two non-consecutive days). Select the method that aligns with your lifestyle and preferences.

Gradual adjustment: Ease into intermittent fasting by gradually increasing your fasting window over time. This allows your body to adapt and reduces the chances of experiencing intense hunger or discomfort.

Stay hydrated and nourished: During fasting periods, it’s essential to stay hydrated by drinking water, herbal tea or black coffee. When breaking your fast, focus on nutrient-dense, whole foods to nourish your body and support your weight loss goals.

Listen to your body: Pay attention to how your body responds to intermittent fasting. Adjust your fasting and eating windows based on your energy levels, hunger cues and overall well-being. Remember, everyone is unique, so finding the approach that works best for you is key to long-term success.

Add Inno Fast to your daily lineup: Inno Fast is the ideal companion if you want to embrace intermittent fasting. A blend of carefully selected ingredients supports the fasting process, helping to manage hunger pangs and stabilize energy levels during fasting windows. Its unique formula is tailored to complement fasting regimens, ensuring that you can adhere to your fasting schedule with greater ease.

The Bottom Line…

Unexplained weight gain can be frustrating and demoralizing, but with intermittent fasting, you have a powerful tool at your disposal. By addressing hormonal imbalances, emotional eating, sluggish metabolism, insulin resistance and breaking through plateaus, intermittent fasting offers a sustainable and effective solution to achieve your weight loss goals.

And if you need a little extra support to stick with your intermittent fasting program, Inno Fast is exactly what you need to take your fasting game to the next level. Here’s to unlocking the secret to a healthier, happier you. Start your intermittent fasting journey today and watch those unwanted pounds melt away!

This is sponsored content. M&F is not endorsing the websites or products listed in this article.

Walk through any dairy aisle in 2023 and you’ll be overwhelmed by the boundless choices of milk. Sure, you’ve got your standard dairy options: skim, 1%, 2% and whole milk. But in recent years, plant-based options have become omnipresent, to the point where you can now find cartons of milk made from peas, sesame seeds and pistachios. No longer does soy and almond milk rule the roost as the market becomes increasingly crowded. The Food and Drug Administration recently ruled, to the anger of the dairy industry, that these products can indeed use the word ‘milk’ on their labels.

Though specific techniques vary by brand, the process of making milk from plants is fairly simple: nuts, seeds, grains or legumes are soaked, blended with water and then strained to remove any solids. After which other ingredients including vitamins, sweeteners, oils and thickeners can be added.

If you have a dairy allergy or sensitivity, plant-based milk is, without question, a great option for you. Finally, a latte without later-on tummy issues. But, these days, many people are making the switch believing that these drinks are a healthier option than cow’s milk. In recent years, it’s become trendy to vilify cow’s milk for its saturated fat content, impact on the environment and status as a common allergen.

But are plant-based kinds of milk actually any good for you? Here are some important things you need to know about the nutrition of these milk masquerading products before you float your cereal in the stuff.

1. Many are protein lightweights

Save for soy milk and newer on the market pea milk which have about 8 grams and 5 grams in a cup, respectively, plant-based milks are typically very low in protein. Some like almond, rice and coconut milk can barely have a single gram of this macronutrient in a cup serving. So they will do little on their own to help you pack on muscle. It can take several cups of many of the products on the market to get the same amount of protein you obtain from a single glass of cow’s milk, which remains best in class for protein quality. There are a few options on the market now that are being beefed up with extra protein from sources such as soy protein isolate and pea protein.

This dearth of protein is not a big issue if you are just adding a splash of oat or almond milk to your coffee as you would not be getting much protein from milk or cream in this instance anyway, but it can be a concern if you are giving up dairy completely and not making up for the loss of quality protein elsewhere in your diet.

2. They can be liquid sugar bombs

A serious concern when making plant milk the base of your post-gym protein shakes is that they can include a concerning amount of added sugars. Unless you buy those labeled “unsweetened” assume sugar has been added to a non-dairy milk. The words “vanilla”, “chocolate” and even “original” on the carton are good tip-offs the drink has been sweetened. A cup of chocolate almond or cashew milk can deliver up to 19 grams of added sugar in a cup serving, which is a lot. Plain cow’s milk does contain sugar but this is all naturally occurring in the form of lactose which for people who are not sensitive to it does not pose the same health risks as sugars that are added to foods and drinks. Drinks made from oats, peas and rice will have a higher naturally occurring sugar content than those made from nuts like almonds and cashews.

3. On their own, they are not exactly nutrient-dense

When using plant-based milks, keep an eye on the vitamin and mineral content which can be alarmingly low. (The process that makes plant-based milk typically results in a liquid with little of the nutrition found in the item it is made from.) Many of the non-dairy milks on store shelves are now fortified with vitamins and minerals in an attempt to make them nutritionally more similar to cow’s milk. But not all brands add these in as it is not mandatory. So look for options enhanced with nutrients including calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12, the same items you would get when drinking moo juice. If the drink you are using is not beefed up with these you’ll need to make sure to get them elsewhere in your diet so you don’t come up short. Consumers of milk-alternative drinks may be at greater of risk iodine deficiency, according to the findings of a study in the British Journal of Nutrition. The researchers discovered that the majority of plant-based drinks did not have adequate levels of iodine, with concentration levels found to be around 2% of that present in cows’ milk. There is virtually no plant milk on the market that is fortified with iodine. Iodine is required to make thyroid hormones and, thus, important for the functioning of this organ. If you avoid milk and other dairy products, you need to ensure that you are getting iodine from other dietary sources, which include seafood, seaweed and iodized salt.

Interestingly, new research shows if you’re concerned about your vitamin and mineral intake, some plant-based milks may be better than others. A comprehensive nutrient analysis presented at the fall 2022 meeting of the American Chemical Society, showed that two types of plant-based milk—pea milk and soy milk—had higher levels of four essential minerals found in cow’s milk: magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium. These are items you won’t find on nutrition labels but are essential for good body functioning. Other drinks in the analysis were almond, cashew, oat, rice, hemp, and coconut, with the latter testing for the lowest levels of these micronutrients. However, the researchers said there could be high variation in micronutrients across brands. None of the plant-based milks in this research could top cow’s milk for zinc levels. Dairy milk also had the same or more phosphorus and selenium than all alternatives except pea milk, as well as higher amounts of magnesium than all save for soy and hemp milk.

4. They can help you with calorie control

If you are trying to trim a few calories from your diet to trim a few pounds off your frame then it can be reassuring to know that plant-based milks are typically less caloric than dairy milk. A cup of unsweetened oat milk has about 45 calories with the same amount of sugar-free almond delivering a mere 30 calories. A cup serving of 2% cow milk delivers about 122 calories. Of course, the addition of sugars will bump up the calorie count a bit. So these products can certainly help you stay below a daily calorie threshold.

With this said, you should know that the stingy calorie counts are a tip-off you are paying for a lot of water. Considering that a cup of whole almonds has roughly 828 calories yet a cup of unsweetened almond milk may have only 30 calories it is clear the nutrition of the nuts has been watered down. So don’t expect to get anywhere the same levels of beneficial fats, micronutrients like vitamin E (some brands add this back in) and fiber when nuts are milked.

5. They often contain a potentially hazardous ingredient

When you scan the ingredient list of plant-based milk you’ll often find carrageenan, locust bean gum, guar gum, or other emulsifiers. These are commonly used in various processed foods like plant-based milks to improve texture, flavor, and shelf life. While most people don’t give these much thought, emerging research is questioning whether we should be eating them so liberally. Conducted by French researchers, a 2023 study in The BMJ followed a group of nearly 100,000 participants, predominantly female, and discovered that those with higher intakes of emulsifiers were at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Some other recent research has indicated that emulsifiers can disturb gut bacteria. But before you write off these drinks completely because of these additives it’s important to keep in mind that we still don’t have any data to show that consuming reasonable amounts of them poses a health risk and whether some types of emulsifiers are more detrimental than others. The deleterious effects may not be generalizable across all emulsifiers.

Bottom line: If you are thinking of making the switch from cow’s milk to plant-based ones, or just want to include one or two in your diet for the sake of variety, there is certainly nothing stopping you from doing so. Just be aware that most should not be considered nutritious and deserving of the health halo they have been awarded. Always keep the following points in mind when using these products:

• Choose options labeled “unsweetened” to side-step loads of added sugar
• Try milks made from soy or pea which are higher in protein and certain micronutrients
• Look for products that are fortified with some nutrients, especially vitamin D which is hard to get from other food sources.
• It’s also possible to take a DIY approach to plant-based milk and make your own which can save you cash and also help you side-step less desirable ingredients like sweeteners and emulsifiers. And the whole process is easier than you think. For instance, here is a no-fail method for making flavorful oat milk.

 Make Your Own Oat Milk with This DIY Recipe

Step One: Place 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats in a bowl, and add enough water to cover by a couple of inches. Set aside to soak for 15 minutes.

Step Two: Drain the soaked oats in a sieve and rinse them thoroughly under running water to prevent your milk from becoming slimy.

Step Three: Place oats in a blender container along with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. You can also add 1 teaspoon of vanilla for flavor. Blend on high speed until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Add another 2 cups water and blend again for 20 seconds.

Step Four: To strain, place a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth over a pitcher or large glass jar and pour the mixture through. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Refrigerate for up to 5 days

Since the very first film starring Keanu Reeves in 2014, the “John Wick” franchise has delivered four movies to date, and has earned more than $1 billion around the world. The story focuses on a network of assassins that revolve around the supposed sanctuary of the fictional Continental hotel chain, and follows a criminal underworld bent on control, self-interest, and stopping at nothing in their battle to either take lives or avenge those that have already been taken.

Now, the world of John Wick is set for a three-part prequel—The Continental that hopes to answer some of the questions regarding the origins of the Continental hotel, and how some of the sagas’ most established characters were shaped. M&F sat down with Larnell Stovall, who served as an action director and stunt coordinator on Peacock’s new mini-series (which premieres Sept. 22), to find out how he went about bringing the action to a universe that is already known for some of the best sequences on screen.

Larnell Stovall is the architect behind many of film and televisions most exciting scenes. He’s contributed to existing franchises such as Fast & Furious 8, Creed, Captain America, Escape Plan, Titans, and a list of projects so long that it would need its own feature. He’s also a 5th dan blackbelt in Shotokan karate and a former world champion in fighting, weapons, and forms. It’s not surprising then, that his extensive experience with martial arts provides a solid base for the drama and action that he is able to wow audiences with.

What is Kata and How Does it Inform Projects Such as ‘The Continental’

“Kata is a series of pre-arranged movements that can be applied to live action demonstrations, or different techniques for ‘what if?’ situations, because that’s what martial arts is, a lot of the time. It’s a lot of ‘what if?’” Stovall tells M&F. Kata means “form” in Japanese, and is a series of moves that are choreographed, practiced, and exhibited either individually or as a group. Kata can be seen at work in numerous martial arts such as judo, kendo, and karate, or in taekwondo where it is more known as “hyung.” There’s no questioning that Stovall has a deep understanding of the mechanics of fighting. He won the Kung Fu Nationals in his hometown of New Orleans in 1992 in the kata division, and went on to win USKA Kickboxing titles in 1994 and 1995. As a martial arts champion, Stovall didn’t just look up to Bruce Lee, he would later follow in his path of choreographing sequences to be captured on film.

By putting the characters within his projects into different life and death situations, Stovall has been able to consistently keep his action scenes fresh by understanding the varying ways that each of those characters would react. “Being that (different situations will) force your body to move in unique ways; from stances to chops, to blocks, to punches, to strikes etc, to grappling, to defensive moves, laying down, all of that becomes part of kata sometimes,” he explains. “Now, when it came time to transition that into what I will say is fight choreography, [I] have all these moves in [my] head already. How can I incorporate these moves into a live action fight scene? Keeping within the context of the story, keeping it entertaining, and keep it fresh, that’s the payoff, because you have a grounded base of kata’s and now you can have fun.”

Just like the John Wick movies, The Continental includes high-octane, full throttle action that owes much of it’s slickness to the techniques of various martial arts. “It was very exciting,” shares Stovall. “I mean, look, to have a chance to be a part of this universe that fans have fell in love with and has been very successful … it was great to hop in and work with a great team.”

Larnell Stovall praises the cast of The Continental

While M&F won’t be dishing out any spoilers, we can share that the premise of The Continental is to go back to the 1970s, before the advent of the John Wicks films, in order to find out how Ian McShane’s character “Winston Scott,” played by Colin Woodell, and the late Lance Reddick’s “Charon,” played by Ayomide Adegun sank to the depths of New York’s criminal underbelly. Expect epic thrills and spills, including an insane sequence on a staircase and a gripping getaway attempt to name but two notable moments.

Initially, Stovall would demonstrate the movements to the cast in what is known as a pre-stunt or a pre-vis in order to illustrate to the actors how a particular sequence would work out.

“Everybody had a chance to have their own time with learning their characters movements and us refining it based on how they are catching on to the training,” says Stovall. “Everyone had their own bootcamp and we had consistent training throughout. When you are on a tight schedule, my goal is to keep (the whole process) efficient and effective. If I know you don’t have a fight scene until three months from now, it gives us time to give you the basics, it gives us time to get you grounded, understand some principles of martial arts, so that way you truly understand where we [as the directors] are coming from. But, if you’ve got a fight scene three weeks from now, then that makes a big difference. Our job is to make sure you stay safe, make sure you stretch properly, and learn the fight scene wholly, because that’s what you have time for. You do the fight scene over, and over, and over, just like your lines .. if all you know is that one fight scene, and you look like a bad a**, and natural, then boom. Well done, job accomplished.”

Fortunately, Stovall found himself working with a stellar cast, devoted to giving it their all. “Everybody really did bring something special to the table,” he shares. “Because, it was all very unique and new to them; this world, and styles, and the commitment to this training. It was a joy watching them grow. We got to commit to these huge sequences but also give the same commitment to the smaller sequences. Whether it was Ben [Robinson], Jessica [Allain], Kate [Nhung], Colin [Woodell], Mark [Musashi], I mean everybody, I really can’t pick anybody, some people came in with martial experience and some people came in with no martial arts experience, but the love and commitment was the same for everybody.”

Another huge cast signing, appearing in The Continental, is action movie icon Mel Gibson, whose Lethal Weapon movies are another action franchise phenomenon. Here, Gibson portrays the role of “Cormac,” perhaps best described as a complicated father figure to Winston and Charon. “He’s a pleasure to work with,” says Stovall of Gibson. “Obviously, an acting veteran, and intelligent, savvy, you don’t really have to tell Mel what to do, he understands what do to because he has that natural instinct and experience. You know, he really just sat back and made suggestions for anything that involved any type of physicality, and then he adds his little flavor and brings it to life. What more can you ask for?”

Those who follow Arik Armstead on TikTok, more than 1.5 million of us, know that the San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman is a big guy that eats even larger. During a recent interview, M&F uncovered the intense training that the 29-year-old goes through in order to hang as an elite NFL athlete, but we also wanted to know more about just how those epic training and workout sessions are fueled.

Recently, Armstead posted a video that went viral, detailing a day in his life as relates to eating so, we followed up feverishly with some questions on food, soon finding out that this giant approaches mealtimes with the same passion that he displays while making an impact on the football field.

“It definitely is a full-time job in terms of a nutrition plan, and cooking,” says Armstead. “I’ve had various chefs and meal prep people throughout the years, so it’s definitely a lot of work.” Eating all of those calories is also a lot of work on his end too, but fortunately the multiple time Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee is a self-professed “foodie” and loves to make fun out of his feasts. And that’s just as well, since a player can easily burn around 600 calories per hour on the field in a game or in training, and then there’s those gruelling gym sessions to factor in, since Armstead often hits the gym twice each day.

@arikarmstead

Is this more or less than you thought it would be? #nfldiet #whatieatinaday #bodybuildingdiet #nfloffseason

♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim

Arik Armstead’s Diet Plan

Breakfast:

• 2 pieces of peanut butter on toast
• 4 scrambled eggs
• 2 cups of fruit

Example Snack:

• Smoked chicken wings with assorted dips
• Mixed salad and fruit with dressing
• 1 gallon of water

Lunch:

• Ahi tuna
• Seaweed Salad
• Rice

Dinner:

• Mixed salad with dressing
• Vegetables
• Potatoes
• Steak with sauce

Total Daily Caloric Intake: 5,500 calories

How Arik Armstead Consumes 5,500 Calories Per Day

Hovering between 290 and 300 pounds, the hulking defensive lineman consumes almost triple the number of recommended calories for men as suggested by the FDA. Of course, Armstead is not your average Joe. He needs an abundance of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats in order for him to build strength, feel energized, and recover in order to tackle the next day. The man-mountain gets this fuel from whole foods such as unprocessed meat, rice, and leafy salads and doesn’t partake in sugary desserts during the week. Given the kinds of foods that he is eating such as tuna, eggs, lean meat, and salads, it can be difficult to comprehend how his intake can add up to such a high calorific total, but when you factor in dressings, dips, and sauces, and account for at least 2 snacks per day, plus shakes and supplements, that figure doesn’t seem so outlandish after all.

“I live by the 80/20 rule,” Armstead tells M&F. “I’m 80% clean eating, and 20% I enjoy myself. I’ll go out and eat, and I don’t have a problem with that. I enjoy my cheat meals as well.” When asked to imagine his perfect cheat meal, the 49er shared that one of his favorite restaurants is Nobu. “I would order, like fifteen items off of their menu and find some chocolate chip cookies with some oat milk to finish off the evening,” he says of the epic fantasy order. With Nobu offering up culinary delights such as oysters, lobster, steak, and an incredible array of desserts, this writer was quick to offer his services if the footballing foodie ever needs some company over dinner, just so long he gets the check after a gigantic meal like that of course. “I got you,” Armstead replies to my delight. Now, footballer versus food is an experience I would love to witness first hand!

Follow Arik Armstead on TikTok and check out his new weekly podcast where he breaks down the 49ers’ games: “Third and Long.”