by Juston Torres-Gibbs | Mar 24, 2023 | Bodybuilding, Supplements
Seems too good to be true, but we assure you, the answer to “Is Sermorelin a Scam?” is a flat no. Sermorelin is a peptide, a class of substances long studied and comprehended, and a particularly safe one among them. As with anything, there’s depth we must appreciate and nuance we must come to understand. What I can tell you off the bat are two things: A) it is safe. And B) It can prove an excellent tool in your toolbox when it comes to building the new you.
Peptides (,amongst which we find Sermorelin, as mentioned above,) aren’t anything new. Having recently made waves in the fitness industry as a next-level supplement, they beyond what you’d scoop up at GNC. They also fall short of things like SARMs and Anabolic Steroids. Thanks to this, your “Natty Card” is safe also.
Peptides hit that sweet spot in terms of yield while also avoiding any significant compromises to health and safety, allowing for a more balanced approach, and serving as that extra boost for someone looking to accelerate their progress toward a more athletic physique rather than those with bodybuilding aspirations.
So if it is legit, then how exactly does it work?
What is Sermorelin, And How Is It Not a Scam?
First, let’s start with an actual description. Sermorelin Acetate, commonly abbreviated to Sermorelin, is a peptide analog (meaning of similar molecular structure and function) of GHRH i.e. growth hormone-releasing hormone. While often used as a diagnostic agent to assess a patient’s growth hormone secretion in order to possibly diagnose growth hormone deficiency, it also has its use of inciting greater GH secretion levels for the sake of improving a number of factors beneficial to the athletic process, such as overall performance in terms of strength and resistance, recovery, tissue growth, and nutrient partitioning (which leads to lesser levels of fat retention).
Why is it not a scam? Because again, while this may sound too good to be true, it’s not. Murphy’s law is more of a social phenomenon and doesn’t really factor into something backed by empirical evidence. Sermorelin is long established, and its effects and subsequent benefits are confirmed through numerous peer-reviewed studies.
Furthermore, the most amazing part is that the compound it replicates, HGH, while more potent, is also vastly more expensive. HGH averages $1000-$1500 a month, while Sermorelin provides an output similar in potency for a less than $10 a day.
That comes up to barely a few hundred a month, with full doctoral supervision, an unbeatable price point for the benefits you’ll gain by incorporating it.
How is Sermorelin Used?
Now that we know the what, it’s time to contemplate the how.
As mentioned above, Sermorelin’s medical use is to treat growth hormone deficiencies, often for cases in which HGH itself isn’t viable (can be anything from a personal incompatibility to financial constraints).
For our goals, though, we’d be incorporating Sermorelin as an addition to your current supplement stack, adding that extra kick to boost you past your current plateau and accelerate your path toward the physique you yearn for. Given this objective, here are a few potential dosing protocols that’ll serve as educational examples of how Sermorelin is typically administered:
- Minimalist– Dosing below saturation* levels pre-bed ie: ~50mcg
- Pre-bed Saturation– 100mcg as opposed to the aforementioned ~50mcg. Results in better overall health, recovery, and well-being. This is a solid general anti-aging protocol.
- Pre-bed & Post Workout Saturation Dose– PWO serves protein metabolism well and increases protein synthesis. Twice-a-day saturation doses have increased recovery, contribution to anabolism, injury healing, better well-being, and serious anti-aging properties.
- Pre-bed, PWO, and Morning Saturation Doses– The morning dose, when fasted, engages the release of fatty acids which can be burned off for energy during activity. Three saturation doses per day further increase anabolism and decrease catabolism. Local growth factors will rise including systemic IGF-1, but within physiological levels, resulting in no enhanced health dangers, and no abnormal organ or structural growth.
*A saturation dose is defined as 1mcg/kg of body weight or 100mcg, the latter being the most commonly used. Some minority of people have sleep interruption rather than better sleep from pre-bed dosing. Often a move to the smoother Ipamorelin will remedy this. If not, moving the pre-bed dose to the morning often does.
These are, again, examples, serving for educational purposes only, as we’re looking to illustrate what proper administration of the peptide in question would look like. Please consult with an educated professional before commencing a regime.
Cost vs Benefits of Sermorelin Use
As exciting as this all seems, you shouldn’t make a choice like this without weighing the risk & reward, pros & cons, costs & benefits against each other.
Thankfully, in this case, while it is always paramount to do so, things are nice and gracefully clean-cut. Below I’ve laid out a table in which we can compare the two lists:
| Costs |
Benefits |
| Monthly expense of ~$300 |
Body Composition Improvements |
| Minority chance (<1%) of side effects |
Denser Bone Composition |
|
Greater Neuromuscular Efficiency |
|
Better Join Health |
|
Higher Exercise Performance |
|
Reduced Cardiac Risk |
|
Faster and More Efficient Metabolism |
|
Reduction in Skin Thickness |
|
Stronger Immune Function |
|
Bolstered Libido |
|
Overall Quality of Life Increase |
As you can see, that’s quite a few empty rows in the “Costs” column; the list is pretty clear cut, and when laid out in this way it seems almost like a no-brainer.
This, however, is a general overview, and one should always both take into account individual factors that may (and most likely will) skew them from the norm, as well as ideally consult with a medical professional before commencing any sort of pharmaceutical regime.
As safe as Sermorelin has proven to be over the decades, everything from Opiates to Penicillin to Ibuprofen demands a degree of caution and respect lest we veer from proper use.
Prime Candidates for Sermorelin
After the what and the how, we arrive and the who and the when. Who should consider incorporating Sermorelin into their regime, and when should they do so?
In cases of human growth hormone deficiency, Sermorelin is most commonly prescribed to youth who’s development would be impacted without it. These are closely followed by middle and advanced-age individuals, often swapping spots on the “leaderboard” depending on the country.
Outside of a strictly medical use profile, however, the intent of which is just bringing an individual back to a healthy baseline, we find the cases that we’re looking for.
One of the most common use profiles for enhancement purposes can be found in younger individuals. These often being athletes looking for an edge (big ethical no-no, but one that is not easily prevented); some even as young as high school age. The most prevalent, however, is adult men and women from 30-60 years old, with a male-to-female ratio of 6:2.
What does this tell us? It tells us that no one is excluded from the benefits to be had by incorporating Sermorelin into your regime, be they young or old, men or woman, and believe it or not, fit or unfit. Whether you’re just starting out, or deep in the game, Sermorelin is going to benefit you all the same. Just as whether you’ve got $20.000 in your bank account, or $200.000, a few extra grand never hurt.
Avoiding Misuse
Finally, with all this new information about an exciting new supplemental compound to boost your performance and bolster your progress, comes both hope and concern. While not an outright anabolic steroid or endocrine-suppressive substance, it’s no creatine either, and demands a degree of knowledgeability. This can come from pouring hours into meticulous study in order to better understand and apply the compound in question, or, it can come from the oversight of an experienced professional. Should the latter sound of appeal, someone to assuage your worries and handle all the ins and outs so that you can focus on making progress and continuing to grow, we’ve got just the thing for you.
Fred Chevry, professional natural bodybuilder and MuscleMania champion, with two decades of training experience and over a decade of experience with clientele, can guide you on this path and make sure that every step, every leap, and every bound is maximized, allowing you to learn from his mistakes, and avoid your own, circumventing every setback and breezing past every hurdle, bringing you to a better version of yourself than you would’ve otherwise achieved, and faster than your would’ve otherwise gotten there. Click here, and take the first step down that path, coming that much closer to the best version of you.
by Juston Torres-Gibbs | Mar 17, 2023 | Nutrition
Technically, it depends on your goals, but in terms of the sheer protein to “everything else” ratio, yes, Quest bars are worse. In their need for both a palatable texture and an enjoyable flavor, are forced to pump in further nutritionally void ingredients in pursuit of their final product. This applies to protein bars in general, but we’ll explain the specificity regarding Quest Bars in a moment. On the other hand, protein shakes needn’t look further than some sugar at most, which is often even excluded in favor of caloric sweeteners. This, again, depends on what you seek out of them, but even if your goals favor a more calorie-heavy approach, there are some extra factors at play that you should consider
And what factors are those, exactly?
Many things need to be taken into account when comparing the viability of these two options, from more immediate and apparent aspects such as the nutritional value, monetary viability, digestive impact, and so on (all of which will be alluded to further on), to the deeper and more debatable factors at play such as the manufacturer’s credibility, the health repercussions of other ingredients within the product that don’t directly play into its caloric weight, as is the case with aspartame in some zero calorie drinks, or sucralose in others. The amount of thought that one should put into their dietary choices, when weighed up against the amount of thought that often does, shows a startling disparity. Thankfully, we’re here to level things out a bit, by taking the temporal burden of time and energy required to investigate and inform oneself of your hands, and handing over the final product. Now, with all that said, let’s dive right into the first, but by no means the most damning factor; buckle up, there’s quite a road ahead.
Why Exactly Are Quest Bars Worse Than Protein Shakes?
Let’s clarify that by “worse”, we mean less efficient at accomplishing their goal, which assumedly, is protein dispensation, leaving Quest Bars in the losing spot. This can vary though, as some use them more so as a dessert with high protein content, or favor the high-calorie count, or the convenience they offer. Generally, though, when this is discussed, it is meant in a “best nutritional option” sense. And in that sense, I’m afraid, protein shakes take the metaphorical cake. They possess a low calorie-to-protein ratio, are more readily absorbed, and are substantially cheaper in the long run, making them more viable as a supplementary staple in one’s diet. The first of these points, though, was not always the case. This doesn’t mean that protein bars don’t have their place, though, be it as a slightly more nutritionally complete snack, a fiber boost, or simply an indulgence with a tad more balance to it. When it comes to protein dispensation, however, the cards are down, and no four-of-a-kind is beating the royal flush. Finally, the time has come to explain why “Quest” is sitting there bold and bright in the title. It serves as an example of just the kind of b.s. that occurs with products like these, and leads to options like these being less reliable when it comes to foods that will be frequent contributors to your diet.
The Lawsuit That Put Protein Shakes on Top
We’re in fact talking about the Nutritional Content Accuracy Lawsuit filed against Quest Nutrition LLC in 2018 in the U.S. District Court of D.C. The plaintiffs alleged that Quest Nutrition LLC was understating the calorie contents of their protein bars by a full 20% margin, while also significantly overestimating the fiber content within each bar. Quest responded by providing the nutritional testing records of their products, which seemingly cleared their name. This testing, however, was faulty. Quest Bars themselves are composed of approximately 30% isomaltooligosaccharides, or IMOs.These IMOs require anywhere from 12-16 to fully digest, and thus, depending on local government regulations, can be discarded as dietary fiber given that the human body will fail to fully break them down before they exit the digestive system. One defendant countered a plaintiff by claiming that “saying IMOs are calorically available according to conventional American testing methods (which incubate the matter in question for ~16h in digestive-enzyme-like chemicals) is like saying that the Empire State Building is water soluble because the grand Canyon eroded after millions of years”. A wee bit exaggerated to say the least, but the same principle nonetheless. The problem is, though, that despite most people’s inclination to divide the world into black and white, reality is simply not binary. IMOs break down gradually, meaning that while their full caloric potential is not utilized by the human digestive system, it’s a countdown, not a switch-flip. And Quest had failed to account for the fact that at least a portion of the caloric content would indeed be digested. The ruling was in the plaintiff’s favor, and Quest ended up altering the nutritional info on its products to more accurately reflect their true content, giving us a conclusive answer to the “Are Quest Bars Worse Than Protein Shakes?”. The implications of this, though, stretch far beyond a single case.
What This Means for Quest Bars and Protein Shakes
Many will claim that, as an isolated incident, one needn’t really worry about what implications this could have regarding other similar products. I, however, would disagree, pointing to a principle most clearly expressed in this conversation in the “Ozark” TV show, even more concisely refined into the last line: “It’s not the first time she stole from you. It’s the first time you caught her.” There are numerous biases found in human thought processing and rationale that contribute to why many people would shrug this off as a one-time thing, but this would be an incorrect conclusion. When wrongdoing is found, it is exactly that; the wrongdoing that has been found, not all that there is. You think when a farmer finds a pest on one of his plants, he just shrugs it off? Hell no, he immediately takes action because he knows his whole damn crop is infected. This lawsuit tells us that within this particular food group, there is f**kery afoot. Similar issues are not regularly found in protein shakes (at least, whey in particular), and given their nature, there isn’t really much room for these hijinks to begin with. All this leads to the conclusion that, when faced with the choice, protein isolate powders now have a rather decisively sturdier track record, something paramount when considering which to use regularly.
Is One Really Worse Than the Other?
The aforementioned point, however, evaluates both products as a whole within the industry. On an individual basis, we allow for a little more leniency, particularly when we’re not contemplating them as regular dietary choices but rather as one-time tools. Other factors, such as:
- Convenience
- Price
- Taste Preference
Will dictate more immediate choices, and rightfully so. As long as we’re self-aware in our decisions and don’t allow short-term remedies to become long-term solutions, as warns the quote “There’s nothing more permanent than a temporary solution”, then one needn’t worry too much about the nitty-gritty of each option. Just remember to take what comes on all these labels with a grain of salt, because, at the end of the day, these are corporations doing the minimum legally necessary, not the dogmatic word of Demeter passed on to man. There’s a reason why the nutritional info of the same Quest Bar is different in the U.S.A. than it is in Canada: because it’s about following the rules, not about informing the customer.
Goodies Besides Supplements to Keep Your Eyes On
You know something that won’t turn out to be more fattening than you were told? Electronics! Specifically, these bad boys right here, which, if you sign up for our giveaway (ha, it’s the same link, got em), could be yours! To stay up to date on more giveaways such as these, as well as have a consistent flow of informative, insightful, and investigative fitness-related content such as this article, make sure to stay tuned, as we’ll be ensuring a weekly drop of topics ranging from chronotypes to the consequences of overtraining, and everything in between. Looking forward to seeing you at the next one!
by Juston Torres-Gibbs | Mar 11, 2023 | Uncategorized
How do cheating natural bodybuilders pass drug tests? For, uuuuuh, purely educational purposes, of course. Jokes aside, supposedly natural competitions, from bodybuilding to Olympic sports, face the reality of doping. In a contest of athletic performance, it is paramount that all competitors be on a level playing field; sadly, though, the hunger for an advantage drives many to abandon the principles of sportsmanship and cheat both their opponents and ultimately themselves in order to gain an edge on the competition, abandoning the tenets of natural bodybuilding in the process.
But, aren’t drug tests in place to stop precisely that? How do they get passed them?
An excellent and highly pertinent question. While drug tests have never claimed to be unbeatable, the sheer number of doping cases, let alone those that go undiscovered, prompts the question: Just how are they circumventing them?
It poses a problem for the sport, a stain on the reputation of the community, and an injustice to those who find themselves left in the dust by the metaphorical equivalent of a marathon runner bringing a bicycle to the race. Thankfully, we’ve got our very own Fred Chevry, with his 10+ years of experience as a pro natural bodybuilder, to give us the insider scoop on the inner workings of this world, and relay some of his own first-hand accounts on the matter.
The Reality of Drug Use in the Bodybuilding Scene
Now, bodybuilding and steroids are practically synonymous, even to the layman. Which, whether one wants to accept the fact or not, impacts all under the umbrella of the term. This includes everything from the pressures under which each individual competitor finds themselves subjected, to the image of the industry as a whole, something even (so-called) natural bodybuilding isn’t safe from.
Why “so-called”? Well, because despite its label and often genuine attempt at impeding the use of PEDs by its competitors, this proves impossible( at least not without a significant margin of error). Be it due to corruption, or simple inability, natural bodybuilding is more so “undetectable PED” bodybuilding, a reality which, to those who choose to remain true and push themselves without pulling an Armstrong, proves insanely frustrating, to say the least.
But what’s the point of drug testing if it seems so easily overcome? Yes, it may filter out some more indiscreet compounds, but can bodybuilders really get away with cheating that easily and frequently? How are they doing it?
How Exactly Bodybuilders Pass Drug Tests
Here’s the bread and butter, the meat and potatoes of why you’re here. And unfortunately for the reality of the bodybuilding scene, there’s quite a hefty helping to be had. Bodybuilders looking to cheat the system and deprive anyone, including themselves, of an actual win, can deploy some of the following methods:
- Urine swap-out: Ol’ reliable right there, athletes often carry a clean sample that they’ll submit to testing instead of their own, be it through a demand for privacy before making the switch or the use of a Whizzinator to fool the observer. Some tests are so simple that mere diuretics allow for enough urine dilution to make the metabolites undetectable, coupled with creatine supplementation to throw your levels off.
- Compound timing: Instead of duping the test, some competitors opt to pass it through bad faith compound use, timing their dosages and regimes in such a way that they piss clean come time to be checked. MuscleMania Natural Champion and Profesional Bodybuilder, Fred Chevry, tells us of a fellow competitor who revealed to him how he would go on full-blown cycles in the off-season, only to taper off in time to test clean before the show, and even go so far as to hop back on numerous quick acting compounds between the test and the actual competition. This competitor went on to win the world title, and after returning to his home country, gave an interview on national television claiming natural. One example of who knows how many.
- Bribery & Corruption: I might’ve jumped the gun by calling urine swap-out ol’ faithful, because this method is as old as man himself. As early on as the concept of trade has existed, bribery and corruption have been right there with it. Money isn’t always the object either, with anything from social influence to sexual favors coming into play, which in turn sullies the industry’s image as a whole, significantly diminishing its already dwindling legitimacy. Fred retells another example of a competitor who didn’t even bother cycling off for shows, and how it was not only blatantly obvious in his physique, but in the fact that they didn’t even require him to register, forgoing at least putting on the facade. Absolute, unabashed corruption.
But wait, there’s more! Not only are there these methods when it comes to passing a urine test a competitor would have otherwise failed, but we haven’t even gotten into the amount of PEDs available which simply can’t be screened for when properly used. These include, but are not limited to:
And while this covers quite a bit of ground on the matter, it by no means fully encompasses all that these cheaters have at their disposal to dodge regulations. Now that we’ve covered the how, let’s take a look at the why, as well as the aftermath of it all.
How It Affects the Bodybuilding Scene as a Whole
While you’d think the heading of this section would imply that its effects are, well, the effect, while the substance misuse is the cause, in reality, they each lead to one another, creating a vicious, self-sustaining loop in which bodybuilders use PEDs to obtain an edge, prompting others to partake also lest they be left in the dust.
This isn’t the only reason, though, with a number of other instigators existing, often, surprisingly enough, not coming primarily nor directly from the competitor themselves. Oftentimes sponsors push those they support to cheat in order to further guarantee a win and therefore promote the brand more efficiently, or show hosts will invite prominent social media figures and conveniently fumble their drug tests so that, if (or more aptly once) said guest of honor wins, the show receives that much more publicity, bolstering the hosts status as well as bring a little extra money to their pockets, both in the short and long term. All of these factors together work tirelessly to deteriorate the image of bodybuilding as a whole, and to make the scene all the less safe for new and existing competitors, as well as, again, discourage those who stay true to morality.
Fred remarks to us about how dishonesty surrounding the industry was rampant to the point of ironic honesty within, with a foreign competitor once stating in broken English “Yes, me steroids” without a care in the world. Because that’s just how broken the system is, that he didn’t even fear repercussion.
And let’s not forget that the bodybuilding scene stems beyond the shows themselves. Drug abuse amongst those who are the face of the industry promotes a standard unattainable to the unknowing novice, leading them to become discouraged & disillusioned, or to resort to PEDs themselves, merely out of body image issues rather than any inherent “need” for them. Not to mention instilling inherent dishonesty throughout the industry, as it’s come to be reluctantly accepted that they can’t tell the truth lest they lose sponsorship opportunities and therefore in large part their livelihoods.
“A lot of the poster boys of these organizations & supplement companies aren’t even drug users, they’re drug abusers, they’re walking pharmacies, so, that’s a little bit of a problem if you fail to mention that” – Fred Chevry
Many will say that no industry is without its problems, and while yes, that is indeed the case, whataboutism doesn’t change the fact that this specific industry’s problems aren’t inconsequential and have realistically straightforward avenues through which said problems can be addressed.
What Natural Bodybuilding Should be and How to Get it There
So what are these avenues? What can be done to start moving the state of the industry in the right direction?
Well, for starters, natural bodybuilding has a marketing problem.
“Natural Bodybuilding organizations, which should be promoting health and fitness, are doing a terrible job at marketing themselves; they don’t get much attention, despite fighting for a good cause. They’re just not great, and that’s an issue” -Fred Chevry
This is already a blatant flaw in need of address. The organizations in their current state have gotten comfortable pushing the wrong things, for the wrong reasons; if the proper attention were put into reshaping the way in which it’s sold, not a shady bastion of supposed-but-openly-dishonest drug-free bodybuilding, but rather an actual celebration of health and fitness, here to display what can be achieved through a balanced pursuit of physical development and optimal health, then maybe we’d begin to see some change, some momentum moving the scene forward in the right direction. But alas, if only change were so simple as identifying the problem.
Another, more obvious avenue, is more stringent testing, perhaps even to the extent of being regulated by third-party organizations, in order to diminish the bribery issue spoken of earlier in the article. Accountability is needed, as those on top have shown that they can’t be trusted to operate fairly without it.
Conclusions
While somewhat disillusioning to conclude that the path to improvement is long and arduous, it would’ve been insincere to believe that over the course of a single article, a quick and concise method toward change could be found. But the problems are obvious, and the fix, while not easy, is surprisingly simple. It’s just a matter of actually setting things in motion.
In the meantime, though, let’s end things on a tad more of a jovial note. If you click here, you’ll be able to enter our site wide giveaway, setting you up for a chance to win any number of goodies be they electronics, supplements, coaching packages and more! Come on over and win yourself something special.
by Juston Torres-Gibbs | Mar 4, 2023 | Bodybuilding, Nutrition
You’re ready. It’s time to get BIG. You’ve cut, leaned out, and you’re content with your bf%; the time has come to begin bulking and pack on that muscle. So what does that mean? More chicken, rice, and broccoli, just 6 Tupperware worth instead of 4? Maybe a tad more rice with each meal? No. It not only doesn’t have to be that boring, but that’s not even the best way to do it. Allow me to introduce you to the Flexible Diet, i.e, IIFYM.
IIFYM? What do you mean by Flexible Diet?
IIFYM (short for “If It Fits Your Macros”) and a Flexible Diet are borderline synonymous. They refer to a dietary system that allows any food that can be fit within your macronutrient allowance. Gone are the days of chicken, rice, and broccoli. Whether you feel like some roasted salmon, pesto pasta, or a four-cheese pizza, it’s all on the table. You simply need to make sure it fits (your macros). Say that, in a day, you have to consume 3000kcal, of which your macros must be:
- Protein: 180g
- Carbs: 400g
- Fats: 90g
Well, as long as what you eat throughout the day checks those boxes, without going over nor falling short, anything goes. You can hit that protein purely through Whey, the fats by chugging oil, and the carbs by shoveling in bread by the slice. Now, all of that obviously wouldn’t be ideal, as it isn’t the healthiest, but it would be viable. Balance is always preferred though, but with such an approach, comes an immense amount of freedom.
Can such a system really work, though? It doesn’t seem realistic that you could eat pizza daily, and gain muscle without layering the fat as well. But I assure you, it does work, and you can do it, as hard as that may be to believe. We know it, the literature knows it, and in 5 minutes, you’ll know it too. Stick around, and throughout this article, we’ll explain why it’s the best for you, and how to take it on.
Bulking Has Never Been Easier
For some, bulking is the time to relax. The easy part. You can eat till you’re full, and then some, rather than having to push through hunger to chisel your physique. But this isn’t the case for everyone. Some (including myself at one point) struggle to eat past a certain limit, and weight gain can therefore prove to be quite the challenge. But thankfully, with a flexible diet, you can break through that wall.
Leaning into your cravings & wants come time to eat makes all the difference, particularly in your appetite. Given that the barrier is, at the end of the day, mental, you’ll benefit that much more from prioritizing foods you enjoy, thus taking most of the strain out of the process. After all, it’s easier to push yourself when you’re actually looking forward to whatever it is that’s on your plate. I know I for one am that much keener on shoveling in one last serving of pesto pasta than I am on another soul-crushing portion of lifeless white rice.
And overall ease isn’t something to be scoffed at, as it can be a key factor towards remaining consistent, which, if you don’t know it by now, is THE key factor towards actually getting anything done long term.
A Flexible Diet Means Flexible Choices
The point above leads to this next one: This shift in dietary approach grants an extra degree of convenience that would otherwise be lost on the traditional, stringent “meal plan” structure.
With the ability to swap out your foods at a whim, your flexibility grows. You can opt for meals out, for alternatives should need be, or time meals differently throughout the day. It’ll help you stay more productive, allowing your life to not be dictated by your eating schedule. Gone are the days of whipping out a Tupperware at dinner. Gone are the days of having to forego an invitation because it would conflict with your ever-demanding routine.
Even when it comes to workflow! No cutting into a busy schedule to squeeze a meal in, or losing an hour a day to cooking on days when that isn’t a realistic option. If need be, you can order takeout. Use a meal substitute. Or skip a meal entirely and make up for it by divvying those calories and macros amongst the rest. The options that open up to you are plentiful, and the ease they bring with them makes all the difference.
With this approach, you get that bit of breathing room. And with that extra degree of breathing room, you’ll be able to enjoy the process, or more so avoid despising it. Discipline is important, but enjoying the process makes it a maker rather than a breaker long term.
The Mental Benefits of IIFYM
And thus we segway into our next point, which I would personally say is one of the truer highlights; the improvement of your mental state.
Now, YMMV, but generally, people prefer not having to deprive themselves of things they enjoy. Shocking, I know. People also prefer not to lack the time needed to properly coordinate their schedules. Two for two on groundbreaking revelations today. When these needs are met, as we’ve just explained they will be, a third benefit emerges, which is a healthy absence of lifestyle-related stress.
I, for one, know I work that much more efficiently, play that much more happily, and overall have an extra pep in my step when food and training are a joy rather than a burden. This difference often goes overlooked, but enjoying an aspect of your life makes it, and subsequently your life as a whole, all the better, particularly when it’s something so central to your well-being. One less thing to stress about means less stress overall.
And with less stress, comes greater overall performance. Your mental state improves. With it, your drive in other pursuits. Your fitness progresses and bolsters this further still, all the while elevating you to new heights, socially and professionally, as the foundational aspects of your character grow and strengthen. It’s a snowball effect, and it all starts here.
The Benefits of a Flexible “IIFYM” Diet Go Beyond Bulking
Now you’d think those previous points alone would be enough of a sell, but I’ve got one more banger for you; the growth that’ll come with this approach stretches beyond physical.
There are what some would consider cons to this dietary style, but where others see hindrances, we must see an opportunity for improvement.
There will be times when you’ll find yourself gliding down the slippery slope of temptation, after a couple of slices that genuinely fit into your macros lead to another that doesn’t, or how a single drink unlocks a chain of further, unwelcome ones to follow. But these moments of weakness are when you’re given an opportunity to choose strength, and build willpower that will cement a stronger work ethic long term.
And this is one example of many. You’ll find a challenge to be had in ensuring proper micronutrient balance, avoiding excessive financial strain when leaning into the convenience of takeout, and so on and so forth. With these though, you’ll subsequently come to improve your understanding of nutritional sciences, your management of financial matters, and all other skills necessary to handle what’s thrown your way. Because with conflict, comes resolution. And thus from a place of weakness, we find strength.
But How Do You Make The Most of This Newfound Potential?
All this said, though, it will very much be a challenge. Both in terms of the more immediate difficulties that may appear here and there, as well as the pressure to maximize your potential on this newfound path. The Dalai Lama didn’t seem to account for situations where you can fix something, but may fail to do so, and that exact worry is what could easily come to plague you today. But there is still no need to worry, as I’ve got just what you need to ensure that you do not fail, but rather are launched into the best version of yourself that you can be.
When charting new waters, guidance is key. Or, more apt for this specific metaphor, your boat. Because yes, you can stay afloat without one, but you will neither get very far by the hardiness of your breaststroke, nor be terribly efficient in the process. With a guiding, experienced hand, you can sail that much further through this metaphorical sea of self-improvement, and enjoy the process that much more; a bountiful voyage rather than a grueling struggle.
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by Juston Torres-Gibbs | Feb 25, 2023 | Uncategorized
The afternoon-evening is often deemed the “best” time to train, but this doesn’t account for the 4 sleep chronotypes. The 4 sleep chronotypes are categories within which each individual fits according to how certain variables manifest in them. These can easily outweigh said factors and shift this supposed “ideal time” to train elsewhere in the day.
So Which Of The 4 Sleep Chronotypes Are You? And How Should Your Routine Account For It?
In this article we’ll look at the 4 sleep chronotypes, laying out the details regarding what they are and what it entails to be each one. From ideal workout times to the ideal moments throughout the day to focus on creative endeavors, productive pursuits, or simply unwind, we’ll cover what valuable changes can be made to your routine according to what you’ll learn here today.
The First Sleep Chronotype: The Bear, For Mid-Day Workouts
The most common chronotype, the bear’s qualities gives us an idea of why the “normal” schedule is what it is; they’re most at ease adhering to the solar cycle, they sleep at a “reasonable” time in the evening as well as starting the day bright and early. This also segways into an overall productive day, save a slight slump in creative & productive output around 2-4 pm. On the flip side, though, this presents a golden window of opportunity.
In that two-hour slot, the bear finds it’s mind in a prime state to take on a task such as working out, and the body in the midst of the energetic peak of the day. Not to mention, that by allocating this slot to working out, the prime mental acuity hours of the day can be reserved for work or other matters more demanding in that area.
A typical bear day could look something like:
- 7am: Rise and Shine
- 7am – 8am: Freshen up, breakfast, getting ready for the day
- 8am – 10am: Lighter, less demanding tasks, a “warm-up “ of sorts
- 10am – 2pm: Deeper, more important work, the priority of the day
- 2pm – 4pm: Optimal time to train
- 4pm – 6pm: Last few work related tasks for the day
- 6pm – 10pm: Free time for any and all other activities
- 10pm – 11pm: Wrapping up the day, prepping for bed
- 11pm – 7am: Sleep
If you find the description of the bear chronotype to be one you identify with, give this routine a try. It could just be the re-alignment you need to boost your efficiency even further.
The Second Sleep Chronotype: The Wolf, For Evening & Night Training
The most nocturnal chronotype, those who fall into the “Wolf” category find themselves as far from “morning people” as one can be, this period of the day proving to be the hardest, leaning more into the night hours and slowly ramping up in productivity as the day goes on (often relating to those “Me during the day vs Me at 3am” memes). It’s often recommended that they immediately start their day with a stimulating activity, such as a 20-min walk and some coffee afterward, to kick things into motion.
The Wolf’s day is most productive moments come in spurts, as opposed to the bears more consistent flow, with an initial bout during the early afternoon, and another later on in the evening. If you find yourself more aligned with the Wolf chronotype, then shifting your schedule a few hours further into the day may be just what you need for everything to fall into place and flow that much smoother
A typical wolf day could look something like:
- 9-10am: Wake up
- 9-10am – 11am: Morning walk, coffee, and a light & easy task to get the day on the right track
- 11am – 12am: Lighter, less demanding tasks, ramping up into the first productive burst
- 12am – 2pm: Deeper, more important/creative work
- 2pm – 5pm: Another bout of lighter, less demanding tasks
- 5pm – 7pm: Second burst of higher productivity, finishing off the work day strong
- 7pm – 9pm: Optimal time to train
- 9pm – 12am: Relaxing, leisure, time to yourself
- 12am – 1-2am: Winding down, getting ready for bed
- 1-2am – 9-10am: Sleep
For many this seems oddly late for something that would actually be recommended as an ideal schedule, but for the Wolf, accepting that inclination towards the later hours and leaning into their strength is just what needs to be done.
The Third Sleep Chronotype: The Lion, For Morning Workouts
Those relating with the Lion chronotype the most are the ones alluded the expression “The early bird catches the worm” alludes to, beating out the bear in terms of the earliest riser of the 4 sleep chronotypes. The epitome of a “morning person”, the Lion finds the beginning of the day to be the most invigorating, and gradually winds down as the day progresses, with the mid-day portion being an especially grueling one, sometimes even prompting a nap depending on the person.
This tells us that the sooner their workout is gotten out of the way, the better, regardless of whatever metabolic factors were to boost strength or power output; those can’t really be ut to good use if you’re mentally checked out come time to train.
The day of this chronotype tends to be more gracefully simplistic in nature, with their energy simply counting down with each hour until the day is done. An example of an optimized Lion schedule would look something like:
- 6am: Wake Up
- 6am – 8am: Workout
- 8am – 12pm: Focus on deeper, more demanding work
- 12pm – 4pm: Begin winding down, tackling gradually less demanding tasks
- 4pm – 9pm: Relax, enjoy personal time, slowly ease things to a halt
- 9pm – 10pm: Tying the knot on the day and getting ready for bed
- 10pm – 6am: Sleep
Best suited for the box we often find ourselves pushed into by social conventions and established work schedules, the Lion has what it takes to thrive in environments that the rest find themselves struggling with that little bet more. If this is you, make use of that pre-disposition.
The Fourth Sleep Chronotype: The Dolphin, For Afternoon Training
The Dolphin chronotype, similar to the Lion, benefits more from a stronger start earlier in the day, with the main difference being that while the Lion can also manage somewhat at night, for the Dolphin it’s best to avoid high intensity training later on as the yield will not only be lesser, but the rest of their day would be impacted also. Starting off with perhaps some easier tasks to get them into the swing of things, the Dolphin would want to put a little time between sleep and their workout, but only a touch more than the Lion does.
Unfortunately, Dolphins typically struggle with a degree of background fatigue, often due to their anxious sleeping behaviors. This subsequently can lead to an inability to achieve quality rest at night, struggling to even get to sleep to begin, as they’ll often “give out” rather than purposefully preparing for bed. For this reason, short power naps can often prove useful to them, similarly to the Lion, in order to maintain a solid productivity output throughout the day.
A typical Dolphin day could look something like this:
- 6am: Wake Up
- 6am – 8am: Start the day handling some less demanding tasks, getting the ball rolling
- 8am – 10am: Workout
- 10am – 4pm: Focus on the bulk of the days work, and it’s more demanding tasks
- 4pm – 5:30pm: Nap
- 5:30pm – 9:30pm: Begin winding down, enjoying personal time, bringing things to a halt
- 9:30pm – 10pm: Prepare for bed
- 10pm – 6am: Sleep
Another schedule seemingly contrarian to a lot of what we’re often told, but we must remember that general advice appeals to the majority, and so, if you’re finding yourself identifying with the Dolphin, which represents only 10% of the population, general advice just isn’t for you.
How to Properly Make Use of This New Information About Your Chronotype
Sleep, of all things, isn’t something that we often consider customizing. It’s the general consensus that there’s an ideal way to do it, and that we ourselves do best aiming for that standard. But, with sleep as with many things, this simply isn’t the case. Every person is unique, and while in 90%+ of things we are practically identical, but that last ~10%, such as the 4 sleep chronotypes, changes everything.
Following general advice will only get you so farther, and more importantly will actively hold you back from fulfilling 100% of your potential. Are you eating as well as you could? Training as often, to the optimum degree? Do you even know what it would entail to achieve those things? There’s no shame in your answer being “No”, because unless you’re an expert, that’s exactly what it should be. Anything else is hopeful at best and ignorant at worst.
But you don’t have to be an expert to reap the benefits an experts knowledge comes with, all you have to do is find one that can help you. Click here, and end that search before you even have to start it.
