Blog

You’ve probably noticed shit’s been weird for a minute. We’re a year into the COVID-19 pandemic as I write this, and it seems like every day we see examples of people experiencing the devastating soul-crushing weight of the global pandemic.

An ass-shaped dent in the couch, the abandoned newfound love of bread baking, feeling-too-lazy-to-cook take-out dinners and the changing out of sweats into pajamas — all of them tell the story of our collective fatigue. And the struggle is real.

Most people's idea about stress is a little one-dimensional. "Yup, it's bad," we think to ourselves, and move on. Often, we only think of stress as a thing that happens in traffic, at work or in an argument. But stress doesn't just come from a last-minute deadline, it can be way more subtle. Exercise, a hectic but fun vacation, or an exciting action movie all activate the body's stress response.

Want a cookie fix without feeling like crap after? It’s probably no surprise that baked goods throw off blood sugar in a big way, leaving you with lackluster energy, fatigue, sleep problems, food cravings, inflammation and mood issues. Oh, and possibly unwanted weight gain.

But in the interest of making life a fun place to live while still achieving health goals, here’s a recipe for a chocolate chip cookie that won’t leave your health or your goals high and dry.

I’ve seen it a thousand times. A group of young gym bros walk up the stairs, arms swinging non committedly, eyes searching the room to see if their favorite pec deck is open. They might do a couple of wide, lazy arm circles as they get closer, and one of them tilts his head from side to side as if his neck needed to crack. It is obvious they think they have warmed up, and to their credit, something is better than nothing. Call me an old fart, but a lackluster warmup isn’t going to cut it as they get older.

Some people say that liking fall is basic. Allow me to bring up the counterpoint that hating on fall lovers for loving fall is basic AF. Haters are only mad because they don’t have a tasty beverage to warm their cold, callous hearts with.

Let’s talk about the #1 question fitness and nutrition pros hear — “What do YOU eat?” Most of the time, people are genuinely interested or looking for some inspiration. But sometimes if feels like they’re looking for a magic formula or maybe just an excuse to eat pizza. So let’s get it out of the way: there is no magic formula, and we don’t need excuses for enjoying our favorite foods.

“I know what to do, I just need to do it,” said Nicole, an attractive woman in her forties who had struggled with weight all her life. I could tell right away that she was used to being able to achieve something if she just worked hard enough. She had accomplished everything she wanted - she had a rewarding career, a loving and committed relationship and a beautiful house.