Advanced Diet and Sports Nutrition Blog

In this week’s segment of Ask Dr John, I answer the following question: “I’m trying to increase my fruit and vegetable intake and was wondering whether I should focus on organic produce vs. the regular kind?”

We all know that jocks are dumb and brainiacs are 98-lb weaklings… right? Well, not necessarily. In fact, dodgeball may help you get an A+ on that math test.

You probably know that getting hooked on drugs, booze, gambling, or other vices isn’t very healthy. But what if your addiction WAS — in theory — “healthy”? Are you a cardio abuser? Here’s how to know… and how to fix it.

In this week’s segment of Ask Dr John, I answer the following question: “I’ve used quite a few protein powders over the years and I never feel good using any of them. Do you think I could be allergic?”

Do your intestines need redecorating? A little paint, a little wallpaper, maybe a new lining and some happy dancing bacteria? We tackle the “14-day probiotic challenge” and find out how probiotics can really spruce up the place.

Most women realize that what they eat while pregnant can have important effects on the health of their baby. However, very few women know exactly what to eat and what to avoid. Check out this article to learn more about the best nutritional strategies for pregnant women.

In this article, I’m going to share with you some strategies for maintaining and/or improving your fitness, even while pregnant. That’s right, you can exercise and even set fitness goals during pregnancy. Click here to learn more.

What’s the secret to getting lean? Well, it might be as simple as… keeping it simple.

In 2000, Jon Hinds opened Monkey Bar Gym (MBG). This was after heading up the NASM, strength coaching in the NBA, competing in BJJ, and completely rehabbing a blown out knee with yoga. Now you’ll find Hinds in Madison, WI running MBG and helping people get their fitness and nutrition on track. This guy is fascinating and full of knowledge. I decided to catch up with him to ask 7 questions.

We’re looking for a talented writer who knows how to tell great stories and write great copy. So, if you’re a professional writer and are looking for a new job, we’ve got a really cool opportunity for you – the PN Writing Competition. Impress us with your work and have the chance to win $5,000 and a full-time writing gig with PN.

This week’s video, part of the Eat and Run program we’ve produced in conjunction with Competitor.com, is all about Organic Foods – Are They Really Better For You? Our Eat and Run series is full of useful nutrition tips for active folks. Check it out by clicking the link above.

Thermogenesis literally means the making (genesis) of heat (therm). In our body, muscle thermogenesis helps keep us warm. Thermogenesis also helps burn calories. How does this work… and could we eventually harness its power to stay lean?

What happens when the student becomes the teacher? When star basketball player Jody Burrows became the assistant coach of Northeastern University’s women’s team and learned about the PN system, she realized she had a chance to learn from her mistakes… and to share that insight with others.

Imagine seven people all lined up next to each other. Each one of them reports that they have the exact same thyroid-related symptoms: fatigue, difficulty losing weight, constipation, the “blues”, cold hands and feet, and feeling puffy all the time. Interestingly, each of these seven people can have a different defect in thyroid physiology and there is a strong likelihood that none of them will be diagnosed correctly.

You’re a calorie-conscious eater. You read nutrition labels. So you should be safe, right? Wrong. A new study shows that nutrition labels on processed foods seriously underestimate the food’s calorie counts. Just one more reason to avoid that Denny’s Grand Slam breakfast.

Today I’m really excited to announce my new TV show. It’s called Body Fuel and it kicks off next week on the Canadian network – Men TV. Check it out.

In general everybody is gung ho for any type of efficiency. You never hear, “I’m trying to be as inefficient as possible this year.” Nope. It’s all about efficiency… until you start talking about losing weight.

Since our last Lean Eating group wrapped in late Dec of 2009, anxious participants and observers have been blowing up our in boxes wondering who won the 10K male body transformation prize and the 10K female body transformation prize. Well wonder no longer. Click here to find out.

For you strength and nutrition coaches working with hockey or basketball athletes, there’s a symposium coming up in May that’ll be right up your alley. Click here to find out more.

You may have heard the old-timers at your gym say, “If you want big arms, squat.” They mean that the hormonal release generated by large exercises improves overall muscle gain results. But is that true?

In today’s update, PN’s Dr Bryan Walsh attempts to answer the question: is coffee good for us or not? And he tackles the question by looking at the effects on our neuroendocrine and immune systems. Whether you drink coffee or abstain, this is one article you’ll want to check out.

This week’s video, part of the Eat and Run program we’ve produced in conjunction with Competitor.com, is all about Preventing Dehydration. Our Eat and Run series is full of useful nutrition tips for active folks. Check it out by clicking the link above.

Oh, the agony of the post-squat waddle, or the post-bench-press tooth brushing. Wouldn’t it be nice to find a way to alleviate delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)? Well, one new supplement shows promise. (That is, if you can make your post-superset-row arms work well enough to open the jar.)

Back in 2008, in conjunction with the release of Gourmet Nutrition V2 – The Cookbook For The Fit Food Lover, we ran an article called “When Gourmet Meets Nutrition.” Well, it’s been 2 years since that article ran. And, just the other day, I realized that it’s high time I shared a few more examples of “gourmet nutrition” in action.

This week’s video, part of the Eat and Run program we’ve produced in conjunction with Competitor.com, is all about Caffeine and Athletes. Our Eat and Run series is full of useful nutrition tips for active folks. Check it out by clicking the link above.

Fast food is cheap. But metabolic syndrome — a consequence of poor diet and inactivity — is expensive. Luckily, the solution to metabolic syndrome is also pretty cheap… at least, if it doesn’t involve drugs.

The anti-aging movement has it completely wrong. It’s not about hormones. It is about brain function. And in this article, we provide a broad overview of the brain as well as share some important ways of improving brain function through nutrition.

This week’s video, part of the Eat and Run program we’ve produced in conjunction with Competitor.com, is all about Eggs. Our Eat and Run series is full of useful nutrition tips for active folks. Check it out by clicking the link above.

For those of you that didn’t get into this year’s Lean Eating program, or for those of you who aren’t yet ready to take the Lean Eating challenge – we’re still here to help. Indeed, you don’t have to be a Lean Eating client to get into the best shape of your life in 2010. Here are 6 tips, complete with video lessons, that you can use to live your healthiest and happiest in 2010.

It’s that time again. The next Lean Eating group is about to kick off. And we’re doing something extraordinary. We’re offering 40K in prize money. And while this prize money will go a long way toward getting you motivated to change your body, there are THREE THINGS that must come first. Click here to find out what they are.

Does adding something potentially good to a junky food make the junky food better? Does it turn French fries into broccoli? Well, ask yourself: are “light” cigarettes a health supplement?

This week’s video, part of the Eat and Run program we’ve produced in conjunction with Competitor.com, is all about Watching Your Sugar Intake. Our Eat and Run series is full of useful nutrition tips for active folks. Check it out by clicking the link above.

It’s that time again. The next Lean Eating group is about to kick off. And we’re doing something extraordinary. We’re offering 40K in prize money. But that’s not all. We’re also planning on giving you access to the NUMBER ONE fat loss advantage. Click here to learn what that is.

Increasingly, evidence shows that our children and even grandchildren can inherit non-genetic elements — stuff that’s not our DNA, but rather changes in the way our DNA can be expressed. And as it turns out, feast or famine can affect the fatness of future generations. If you’re struggling with your weight, perhaps it means your grandma survived a tough winter.

This week’s video, part of the Eat and Run program we’ve produced in conjunction with Competitor.com, is all about Fish Oil for Athletes. Our Eat and Run series is full of useful nutrition tips for active folks. Check it out by clicking the link above.

It’s that time again. The next Lean Eating group is about to kick off. And we’re doing something extraordinary. We’re offering 40K in prize money. And while this reward is pretty freakin’ cool, reward only represents 1/2 of the fat loss equation. Click here to check out the other half.

It’s a truism that exercise helps with stress. But have you ever wondered… why? Could it be your DNA? A gang of swimming rats takes the plunge to find out.

Uh, yeah, about that diet advice I gave you last year… ha ha, well, there’s been a small misunderstanding. I need to apologize for a few things… Hooboy, this is awkward. OK, look, there’s this hippo…

It’s that time again. The next Lean Eating group is about to kick off. And we’re doing something extraordinary. We’re offering 40K in prize money. And in this video, I’m not only going to tell you why, I’m going to tell you how you can compete for it.

Whether you’re Paleo or vegan, raw foodie or ovo-lacto-pesco-pollo-flexo-whatever, here’s where you all go wrong with your nutrition.