In previous posts, I discussed why the so-called “negative” emotions of anger, shame, sadness, and fear are actually good friends and guides. In this post, I am going to close the loop on this project by outlining why joy, a “positive” emotion, can be your enemy. How…

I have struggled with my weight and body my entire life. When I was young my mom always called me “big boned” while other kids (and myself) knew that I was really just “chubby”. It also didn’t help that my parents didn’t know anything about eating right. My dad cooked all the time, but…

In ‘Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It’, Gary Tabues spends a lot of time debunking the theory that to lose weight we need to exercise more. He details many studies conducted on unsuspecting laboratory rats, of which I’ll spare you the details. But there was one study that really resonated. Danish…

If you get in your car in Los Angeles to drive to New York, do you just pull out of your driveway and start down the road? Or do you get a map and plan your route? The answer is obvious – careful planning pays off. So if your goal is to become fit, lean…

It’s May, and for most people that means its time to get serious about getting your body into better shape. Prime beach weather is closer than you think, and you’re probably starting to get serious about hitting the gym regularly. But overdoing your workout can do more harm than good. In fact, your athletic…

One of the best aspects of your daily routine to apply a life hack to are your personal fitness goals. This is something we’ve covered in past posts, but today we’d like to expand the list. By carefully selecting the time of your workout, the combination of techniques, and the proper post-workout snacks…

Say the words “weight loss”, and people instantly think of hitting the gym or eating meager meals of rice cakes and tofu. But if you use some sneaky tricks, you can lose weight without feeling like you’ve made major lifestyle changes. You won’t even realize you’ve been working out or dieting if you make…

You grasp many life lessons only after making a mistake and realizing, “Oh crap. I wish I’d done something very different.” For some lessons, that’s not that big of a deal. In other areas, you’d be a lot better off if you could get started working to counteract the problem before it happens. Here are eight…

It’s the holiday season, which means those New Years resolutions are coming up fast. For those of you who are considering exercising more this upcoming year, here is a workout specially designed for the geek in you. The Problem with Traditional Workouts The number one problem with most workout plans for the life hacker is that they…

Do you sometimes wish you were fitter? And maybe slimmer? I do. In fact, I’m determined to lose 7 kg in four weeks and get really fit. But how to get fit in a hurry – without spending hours at the gym? One of the fastest ways to get fit is to start running. It can…

Leg Press All you have to do is load it up, strap yourself in (not really) and push as hard as you can.  I’ll admit, it can be pretty satisfying to see that much weight move because of your own strength and will.  Unfortunately, the leg press is not without its flaws. First of all, it can…

Fat season.  That’s what we call it around my office.  It starts on Halloween, and it usually runs straight through January.  We are bombarded by holidays that require us to consume copious amounts of meats, pies, cookies, chocolates, and alcohol.  On top of that, for those of us living in the north, it gets dreadfully…

Are you looking forward to the New Year or are you bogged down with unfinished tasks from this year?  No matter what sort of year you have had, you still have the opportunity to end this year on a high, and start the New Year on a positive note. You will have had a number…

Have we Been Missing the Point? For all our research, resources, technology and collective intelligence there’s still way more that we don’t know about managing the human body, than we do. We like to think we’re more enlightened than ever but in many ways we’re still failing miserably when it comes to creating optimal health…

When I was very young—I can’t remember how old, but let’s call it six or seven—I was introduced to spreadsheets. It introduced me to the world of statistics, of using data to track progress and predict the future, to work towards tangible, measurable goals instead of lofty, obtuse and too-often forgotten resolutions that people so…