The Protein Corner

Taking a greens supplement instead of eating green foods is like electro-shocking your muscles instead of training.  It doesn’t work like that. Still, greens gummies are booming. They promise all the benefits of a healthy diet—more energy, better digestion, stronger immunity, and sharper focus—in a chewable, candy-like treat. It’s an appealing shortcut. But like most shortcuts, there are tradeoffs—and in this case, major ones. So before you swap your fruit and veggies for greens gummies, it’s worth looking at what’s actually inside them, how they’re made, and whether they can realistically do what they claim. Key Takeaways Greens gummies are mostly candy—50–80% of their weight is sweeteners, gelling agents, and flavorings, leaving little room for active ingredients. To fit dozens of ingredients into the tiny remaining space, brands use doses that are far below what research shows is effective. Many formulas hide behind proprietary blends, which let companies list impress...

Both bulking and cutting have pros and cons. If you’re trying to decide which you should do, the answer depends mainly on your body fat, training experience, and goals. Bulking adds both lean mass (yay) and body fat (boo), and cutting unveils your abs (hooray) but stunts muscle growth (hiss). And it’s this dilemma that makes for a fitness purgatory of sorts where you don’t really commit to one strategy or another and thus stagnate in terms of progress. In this article, you’ll learn exactly when you should bulk, when you should cut, and when neither is the right choice. Key Takeaways Whether you should bulk or cut depends mainly on your body fat, training experience, and primary goal (build muscle vs. lose fat). Bulk if you’re relatively lean and want to maximize muscle and strength gain; cut if you’re carrying more body fat and want to get leaner. If you’re new to weightlifting, you can often build muscle and lose fat at the same time by eating at maintenance or in a small c...