The Protein Corner

Many people think willpower works like a battery: It starts each day fully charged and drains as life throws challenges your way. The more fatigued you get, the harder it becomes to stay disciplined. Psychologists call this ego depletion , and it’s a common excuse for skipping workouts, cheating on a diet, or avoiding tough tasks after a demanding day. But does hard work really erode discipline, or is it more a matter of mindset? Scientists at Stanford University put this question to the test. First, they asked 66 people to rate statements like: “After a mentally strenuous activity, you must rest to recharge your energy.” “Your mental stamina fuels itself; even after tough tasks, you can keep going.” The researchers labelled people who agreed more with the first as having a “limited” view of willpower, while those who sided with the second had a “non-limited” view. Next, everyone completed two 5-minute tasks. The first was simple—crossing out every “e” on a page of te...

A simple health hack:  Get outside in the sun every day and move around until you get at least a little sweaty. You might be surprised at how much this can help with your physical and mental well-being. Also, try to get that sun on your skin soon after you wake up.  This helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythm, which impacts various vital physiological processes like your sleep/wake cycle, eating habits, and digestion, and can improve mood and metabolic health. Make time to meet face-to-face with people you like, too. Texts, DMs, and even video calls are a shabby substitute for real human interaction. Yet another:  Give yourself at least one day per week of no vigorous physical activity (no intense training, sports, etc.). This will improve your recovery more than just about anything else you could do. One more:  Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day as often as you can (including the weekends). This too helps normalize your body’s circa...

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify | Listen on YouTube In this episode, I discuss when to consider TRT, the benefits of sauna use for recovery and overall health, whether colostrum supplementation lives up to its reputation and lots more. As always, these questions come directly from my Instagram followers, who take advantage of my weekly Q&As in my stories. If you have a question you’re dying to have answered, make sure you follow me on Instagram (@muscleforlifefitness) and look out for the Q&A posts. Your question might just make it into a podcast episode! If you like this type of episode, let me know. Send me an email ( mike@muscleforlife.com ) or direct message me on Instagram. And if you don’t like it, let me know that too or how you think it could be better. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (05:38) Lower reps with more sets? (13:07) Hip pain as I age? (21:59) Caffeine on empty stomach? (22:10) Vitamins D, K, C with Triumph? (24:28) Recharge results time...