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Ice baths, cryotherapy, and cold showers. I’m sure you’ve heard or done at least one before and here I’ll share the science behind using these cold therapies and why you should or should not add them to your routines.  The biggest thing to consider when you're looking at adding cold therapy into your routine is what type of athlete you are. I’ve categorized the article by the following athlete types: Strength/Power Based Athletes Combat and Multi-day Event Athletes Endurance Athletes General Fitness Athletes Non-Athletes This is a very general categorization, although I feel it was specific enough to allow everyone to put themselves into a category. There are really only 4 types of cold therapy available to the general public. I’ve listed them below in order of lowest to highest intensity: Cooling Devices for Palms Cold Showers Cryotherapy Cold Plunges/ Ice Baths There aren’t many different types of cold therapy, but they do vary in degrees - literally and figuratively. Studies have shown that you’ll get benefits from cold water as high as 59 degrees for as little as 30 seconds so you don’t have to start by jumping into a frozen lake. Even for experienced individuals maximum benefits can be reached in a short period of time. A cold plunge of around 44 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes can give maximum benefits to even the most experienced cold exposure experts.  A cooling glove that circulates cold water has recently been developed for research in increasing strength and endurance in athletes and has also shown to improve the lives of patients with multiple sclerosis. The glove simply circulates cold water through tubes in the palm of the glove. The palms lay flat in the glove and cool capillaries in the fingers and palms which then circulate cooled blood back to your core and immediately show an increase in overall muscular endurance and strength. This is by far the least intense form of cold therapy on the list, but also the most difficult to access because it’s not publicly available. Cold showers are next in line as an intro for anyone looking to experience some benefits without totally freezing their tail off. This is the most accessible form of cold therapy for everyone. Whenever you have access to a shower you can simply ignore the hot water handle and you’ll be getting some awesome superficial benefits. The longer you stay in the water and the colder it is the bigger your benefits will be. Cryotherapy is third on our list and comes in a few different varieties from standing outside in frigid temperatures to full body exposure cryo facilities that can cost up to $75 per visit. Cryotherapy typically uses cold air that can feel as low as -200 degrees Fahrenheit! The benefits of cryo are great, although the air can’t penetrate as deeply as cold plunging before damaging skin. Cryo facilities typically cap exposure at 3 minutes maximum. Finally my favorite, but the most difficult and intense experience, the cold plunge/ice bath. The cold plunge varies from putting single parts of your body to fully plunging your entire body into frigid waters. The plunge reaches much deeper tissues due to the duration of exposure and increases when you plunge from the neck down. Ice baths can get as cold as 33 degrees and companies that have developed cold tubes that circulate water typically cap their lowest temperatures around 44 degrees. Benefits to Athletes and Non-Athletes For anyone training or generally working out the idea is to train harder and recover faster, but finding out how to maximize recovery is an individual challenge. There are a number of factors that influence recovery speed outside the scope of this article, but we’re focusing on cold therapy specifically. My consensus is that cold exposure can help everyone regardless of what they may or may not be training for. Cold therapy ranges from simply adding 10 seconds of cold water at the end of a hot shower to full immersion cold-plunges. The difference is the duration, penetration, and purpose of each therapy.  Let’s look at general benefits and then I’ll move into athlete specific recommendations. Cold therapy is all about resiliency - we’re strengthening the body and the mind at the same time. If you don’t like the cold and you subject yourself to the cold you’re getting mentally and physically tougher. For everyone alike, any type of cold exposure can have the following benefits: Tightening and clearing up skin Reducing inflammation Increasing circulation Increasing alertness Increasing thermogenesis  Spiking dopamine and other neurotransmitters and protective proteins Improving sleep quality This all comes down to burning more fat, sleeping better, and being happier overall simply from taking a cold shower or ice bath. Now for some athlete specific recommendations: Strength/Power Based Athletes This category includes athletes primarily in the type II muscle fiber category such as bodybuilders, powerlifters, sprinters, and strongman competitors. In short, type II athletes who rely on strength and peak power output may not benefit from continuous cold therapy due to the reduction of inflammation around muscle tissues that would actually help repair muscle and aid in muscle growth. If you’re an athlete trying to maximize recovery in this category it’s recommended that you have an active recovery protocol and utilize heat therapy instead. Although as stated above, there are still significant benefits for every type of athlete that aren't recovery related. Another thing to note is that a competitive bodybuilder will have to take into account the significant caloric expenditure when doing a cold plunge and adapt his or her diet for the days in which he or she does a plunge. Finally, athletes of all types should allow the body to recover naturally for a short period and should not rely on any type of cold therapy immediately after a workout to reduce pain or inflammation.  Injured, Combat, and Multi-day Event Athletes Cold therapy is amazing for injury and also creates cold shock proteins and increases glutathione (an antioxidant) that protect muscle. Athletes fighting structural or connective tissue injuries can benefit greatly from cold and also maintain more muscle mass in areas that are affected and cannot be trained, limiting muscle atrophy. This means that athletes who compete in multi-day events like decathletes, and even fighters can see huge increases in recovery and muscle maintenance after fights, intense training weeks, and of course injury. Athletes that are competing in multi-day events that are higher intensity events should limit ice and cold therapy during training to maximize muscle growth, and multi-day endurance based athletes have seen benefits in as much as a daily cold plunge. Endurance Athletes  Endurance athletes, especially those who are keto and need to adapt to burning more fat, benefit the most from cold therapy in terms of sport specific recovery. Some research has shown a larger increase in mitochondria in endurance athletes using cold therapy in contrast with those not using cold therapy of any type. The boost in mitochondria is thought to help increase overall endurance and atp production. General Fitness Athletes Your body should recover immediately after a workout on its own so wait for a while after training if you do use cold, but general fitness athletes see all the same benefits in reduced inflammation and increased mood and sleep. There’s no downside to being mentally tougher either. Non-Athletes For anyone who isn’t working out on a regular basis or training for an event, you get the benefits listed in the intro of this article. You’re getting the boosted resilience and immunity and the cold exposure can even help fight off symptoms of depression and anxiety. Short ice baths and cold showers in the evening have been shown to improve sleep quality as well. I would definitely recommend experimenting with different types of cold therapy to see if you enjoy the feelings you get after warming back up.  No matter what you do you should try out some cold exposure and become more of a beast in your day to day life. Keep Battling! Devin    https://news.stanford.edu/2017/12/27/cooling-glove-helps-athletes-patients/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3766664/

Have you ever heard the term “smart drugs?” If so, you may have already done some research into nootropics to see how they can change your life. If not, let me introduce you!  Nootropics, a.k.a. “smart drugs,” are a wide variety of different substances that can improve memory, focus, brain function, and even athletic performance. The best nootropics occur naturally in our bodies and diets, although most of us don’t have a diet rich enough in the right foods to get the most benefit from these compounds. Luckily, we have the opportunity to supplement our diet with an array of nootropics in the form of pills, powders, and liquid additives that can completely change your ability to perform. I’m a huge proponent of these smart drugs, and benefit greatly from supplementing additional nootropic drugs into my diet every day.  In this article I want to introduce what nootropics are, the ones I take on a daily basis, and how you can couple these same nootropics with your foods to maximize mental clarity and getting sh*t done - i.e. productivity. What exactly are Nootropics? By definition, nootropic is a compound that increases mental functions including memory, motivation, concentration, attention, energy levels, happiness, and even overall physical performance. Some of these compounds exist already in the brain like phosphatidylserine, some come from our diet like caffeine, and some are synthetic like Piracetam. Everything from the caffeine molecules in coffee, to pharmaceuticals like Adderall are considered nootropics as they have an effect on neurotransmitters in the brain and subsequently how the brain functions.  There are dozens of nootropics available both over the counter and with a prescription, but in this article I’m only going to introduce 5 non-prescription nootropics that I take on a daily basis to increase focus, memory, and even athletic performance. 5 Common Nootropics I Use Daily L-Theanine L-Theanine is an amino acid that has structural similarity to glutamine and both neurotransmitters that are produced from it (GABA and glutamate). Benefits include reduced anxiety and stress as well as an increased ability to relax. If taken close to sleep times, this effect likely also leads to an increase in sleep quality. My main use for L-Theanine is as an antagonist to caffeine where it can reduce high blood pressure and jitters from high doses of caffeine. The combo of caffeine and L-theanine reportedly promotes focus and cognition. Phosphatidylserine Phosphatidylserine, or PS, is one of the most significant phospholipids in the brain, a compound similar to a dietary fat that comprises and protects certain types of brain tissue. It is vital for cognitive function, and although the body synthesizes it, supplementation in older individuals seems to improve memory and cognitive capacity. Alpha-GPC Alpha-GPC (Alpha-glycerophosphocholine is a choline-containing supplement that appears to be pharmacologically active at higher doses and it appears to have cognitive-enhancing properties and attenuate the rate of cognitive decline in the elderly. Alpha-GPC at high doses (1,200 mg) appears in studies to be effective in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. In terms of athletic performance, alpha-GPC has been shown to increase growth hormone production and enhance power output.  Caffeine (Coffee) Found in or synthesized primarily from coffee, Caffeine is a powerful stimulant, and it can be used to improve physical strength and endurance. Habitual caffeine use is also shown to reduce risk of Alzheimer's, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Caffeine provides increased energy through a sense of wakefulness by competing with adenosine in the brain, the molecule that tells your brain you’re tired.   Creatine One of the most heavily researched supplements in the world, Creatine is a molecule that's produced in the body from amino acids and carries a phosphate group that can be added to ADP to create ATP, or if you remember from high school biology, the body’s primary energy carrier. This increased ATP availability can increase muscular endurance and power output in anaerobic fitness as well as highly demanding mental activity. There is also some evidence that shows a possible correlation to increased testosterone through creatine supplementation, although there may be other factors that influenced increased testosterone in each of these studies. *Disclaimer* Always consult your physician before adding any supplements to your routine.  Where Can You Find Nootropics The nootropics I’ve listed above are all supplements I consume in powder form, but they can all come from natural sources. As a side note, I add all of these supplements to my morning coffee, just before I get to the grind of things like writing these articles! Creatine can be found in red meat and fish. L-Theanine is found in large amounts of tea. Phosphatidylserine in cow brains, pig spleen and chicken hearts. Alpha-GPC in red meat products and organ tissue. And of course, caffeine in coffee, tea, and cacao. Most of these are incredibly difficult to get from foods in doses concentrated enough to actually benefit cognition or performance, so I’ve built my primary supplement stack around these 5.   If you’re interested in trying any of the supplements in my list check out nvrrest.com for coffee, supplements, and more. Don't Want To Take Supplements?  If you’re not interested in supplementation then try to ensure a diet full of healthy fats, meats and fish, eggs, greens, and definitely coffee :) If you avoid breakfasts and lunches with heavy sugars you’ll have a clearer head regardless of supplementation. If you’re eating heavy breakfasts or lunches like sugary cereal you may experience huge dips in energy and motivation. This is due to the quick release of glucose that spikes insulin and makes you crash. Instead, eating breakfasts and lunches with complex carbohydrates will release glucose more slowly and allow your blood sugar to remain stable while providing you a more consistent stream of energy.  Proteins like eggs and bacon are on my top foods for breakfast, just make sure you stay light on the bacon due to it’s sodium content. Nuts, yogurts, and greens are also amazing breakfast, lunch, and snack foods. Now, one important thing to clarify is that your diet and meal timing has to be specific to you. Lunch and dinner refers more to the times of day you would want to be most productive. If you’re an endurance athlete and are looking to consume heavier portions of carbohydrates, you may want to put those meals toward the end of your day and front load the more protein and fat heavy meals to maximize both productivity and recovery for your body.  Diet varies significantly for all of us, but the general rules apply to most of the population - avoid processed foods, sugars, alcohol, and try your best to source foods that are sustainable and clean. Sources: https://examine.com/refer/devinl_11 https://examine.com/supplements/theanine/ https://examine.com/supplements/creatine/ https://examine.com/supplements/phosphatidylserine/ https://examine.com/supplements/caffeine/ https://examine.com/nutrition/creatine-testosterone/ https://examine.com/supplements/alpha-gpc/ https://nootropicsexpert.com/nootropic-foods-the-effects-of-nutrients-on-brain-function/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4258547/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5021479/

You could be using coffee to lose weight, burn fat, and add lean muscle faster. Here's how!

 Can you do all three together? Many others and I do on a near daily basis. There are rules, but the rules say drink more wine and eat good food. Just follow some easy guidelines and you'll see the fat loss come soon enough. **DISCLAIMER** If you’re looking to positively change your lifestyle and maintain it - instead of just trying a fad diet - then go extreme on this diet for ONE week - then begin adding some foods back into your diet after you’ve seen the results. Now, Red wine may not be the drug of choice for everyone, but it's a good substitute in moderation. Keyword being MODERATION ladies and gentlemen. I've been asked what kind of diet I follow if any many times, and I surprise people when I say I'm relaxed compared to what I used to be (I did the whole bodybuilding thing for a while). I occasionally have a glass of wine, I enjoy some carbs, and I eat out with friends and family somewhat regularly. There are still some simple rules I live by, and they make shopping quick and easy. Read on…   No simple carbs or sugars. Except for the occasional pre-workout. This includes sugars in fruits! There are few things we get from fruit that can't be substituted with veggies. Mostly the flavor. There are also veggies to avoid including some starches like potatoes for most of the week. No wonder bread, and very little rice or oatmeal. Now those aren't all simple carbs, but more on that later. Replace all lost calories from carbs with vegetables and beans I replace most of the carbs in my meals with vegetables of all sorts. Especially eating out. Just ask the waiter/waitress to substitute those carbs. I've NVR had this not work for someone. Use a variety to ensure you’re getting the vitamins you need. The more difficult to eat veggies are good for shakes and stir fry, like spinach and kale.  Eat lots of protein – Grass-fed steak, bacon and eggs, chicken fajitas, and lots of fish I don't eat much pork (outside of bacon) but you'll find most of my fridge to be lean meats and veggies. Chicken fajitas are great, especially if you’re eating out. When eating out anywhere simply substitute your sides. If you avoid the carbs (the chips, tortillas, and rice) entirely you'll have no problems with the extra meat in your diet.  Don't count calories and Don't be hungry I don't count Cals or portion meals, but I never let myself be hungry. If you're hungry you're unprepared. And then you eat that whole bag of Gummy Bears... Damet Devin… Limit wine to no more than a glass a night Or don’t drink at all… but when you’re looking at an overall healthy lifestyle instead of a fad diet, you’ll occasionally want to enjoy the finer things in life. I'm not gonna lie, I enjoy drinking, and I regret it every time, but I do it again anyway. I digress... Red wine does have a small amount of health benefit. It makes you happy, has antioxidants that combat free radicals (kind of), helps reduce swelling, helps with cholesterol, and it makes you happy. Have a cheat day if you've been perfect the rest of the week If I've avoided my carbs and had zero alcohol (sometimes I can't stop the party y'know) then I have a cheat day with no limits. Just realize you may feel a bit rough (usually significantly rough) after eating clean for a week and then eating like trash but don't worry it won’t affect your progress. After a day or two you’ll see the scale and fluid drop back to where they were. ​​ This diet is consistently my diet, year-round, and it never gets old. I’ve adapted, and cycle through, different versions of paleo diets, slow carb diets, and keto diets to create this one, but the thing that they all have in common is cutting out the grains, simple carbs, and especially the sugar. These changes help to reduce the effects of diseases like diabetes and even cancer. I know it seems like a lot, but it's an easy guide to consistent fat loss and happiness. Plus, this list is all without the help of a single barbell or treadmill. Imagine the difference in fat loss when you add that in.  Just remember, you’re here to conquer your goals, not half-ass them. Be strict where you need to be, keep your goals in mind, and treat this like every other goal you’ve crushed before. NVR doubt your capability. NVR Quit trying when the challenge gets absolutely daunting. NVR REST in your pursuit of growth.