Dispatch #9
"I get up at six to workout. I've done it since school, it's always been a part of my life." - Ray Liotta.
Here’s how things work around here:
Each issue of this newsletter is divided into two sections. Brain & Body is where I will share information that relates to health and fitness in a direct and somewhat tangible way. This is where you’ll find tips on exercise execution, recipes, as well as any news items or research that fits under the (admittedly large) umbrella of Health and Fitness. The second section, Heart & Soul, is where we will explore the more esoteric side of life. Art, movies, books, politics, ideas—important stuff that makes the world go ‘round.
Got it? Great! Let’s get started.
Brain & Body
Changing Up Your Fitness Routine Can Help Revive That Faded Passion
Let’s start things off with a piece from yours truly. The word “routine” takes on a very literal meaning when speaking of fitness training (or any sort of training, really). In this here article I offer some bits of advice on how to keep your gym-time from going stale without becoming enamoured with novelty for novelty’s sake.
10 of the Most Overrated Exercises (and What to Do Instead)
This piece serves as a nice companion to the above. Nothing motivates like progress. When you start noticing muscle mass where once there was none; when you start outlasting yourself during particularly hellacious workouts; when you start to feel like a million bucks—that’s what fuels a lifelong addiction to training. Unfortunately none of those things will happen if you’re focused on the wrong exercises. I don’t agree with everything on this list (Farmer’s Carries rule!) but the author defends their choices well.
What Science Says About Veganism for Athletes
I’ve been on a pretty strict plant-based diet for 10 years or so. For me it’s all about animal rights. The arguments about veganism being the “healthier” choice don’t interest me at all. “Healthier than what?” is my question? Healthier than the Standard American Diet (is there a more fitting acronym??), sure. But so is pretty much any diet. Anyway, my point is the magical health benefits of being vegan are somewhat overrated. The reason I’m sharing this piece is mostly for the “Tips for Vegan Athletes” section. If you don’t eat meat, get yourself some creatine. Not only does it help with adding muscle mass, the human brain loves creatine.
Heart & Soul
Breed Doesn’t Determine a Dog’s Behaviour
As the human companion to an outlawed dog, learning that breed doesn’t determine behaviour is a little yawn-inducing. What else are you going to teach us, science? That water’s wet? The sun is hot? It should be obvious to anyone who has spent time around animals of all stripes (including the two-legged variety that’s most often found staring at screens) that nurture plays as big, if not a bigger, role than nature.
TikTok means nothing to me. I will never use the app. It seems pointless to me, but then again I’m a 42 year-old adult with a fairly strong attention span. Maybe you’re like me and have no interest in another social network but you also dislike ignorance. If that’s the case, the above will teach you all you need to know about TikTok in around 60 seconds.
10 Surprising Facts About Everyday Household Objects
Did you know that the first napkins were clumps of dough? Or that plates were once made from bread (RIP Tim Hortons Bread Bowl). These are just two of 10 weird facts about everyday items. Now you know!
That’s all for this dispatch. Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next installment. And as always, please share this with someone, anyone!
