Beyond Fit

Recently I decided to go through a fat loss period. As I've talked about before, I still go through phases of cutting and bulking on a semi regular basis. I was especially focused on what lessons I could glean from this period beyond the normal fat loss tips like step goals, voluminous foods, limiting liquid calories, and things like that. (All very useful tips by the way!) Here I share 10 fat los...

Here I talk about my weekly review which takes the form of a check list. The important part of this to me is that it helps me to see that my day to day life is on course with my higher priorities and values. This review also allows a set time for monotonous, yet important, tasks that need to be done weekly.

I'm always talking about routines & habits in some form. They truly make us who we are and what we want to become! Habits are what keep us healthy mentally, physically, emotionally, and in healthy relationships. Today I shared my own habits, covering: why and how I do what I do, cultivating stillness & clarity, avoiding the business trap, building confidence, manifesting positivity, and mu...

Here are my top 5 takeaways from Naval Ravikant's How to Get Rich (Without Getting Lucky) Tweet Storm turned podcast (and blog). Naval is a former tech entrepreneur and founder of https://angel.co/ (Angel List). He now spends his time focused on what I might describe as lifestyle optimization, philosophy, and happiness. Check out my most recent Instagram post for more! (@JakeParker. Fit) The Origi...

Steven Pressfield may be best known for his book "The War of Art" in which he discusses how a force called the Resistance can keep us from our goals and how to overcome it. It would be extremely limiting, however, to only mention this project in Steve's career as he has authored over 20 books as well as working as a screen writer. An interesting element is his story is that it took him many years...

I fell off the wagon with these book reviews lately, but with new systems in place I plan to get back to doing these once a month! Getting Things Done by David Allen is much more than a productivity book, it is all about helping us become our best selves by way of defining and realizing our goals. Included topics from the book I discuss- having a "mind like water", how David defines "work" and "pr...

Like many of us, Alan has been able to train less frequently lately, this started when he and his wife had a baby. Congrats Alan! This led to Alan getting lean and facing the fact that his numbers on the barbell can no longer be as high. Alan's YouTube, Instagram, and Website: https://www.youtube.com/alanthrall https://www.instagram.com/untamedstrength/ http://www.trainuntamed.com/ Timestamps: 1:2...

As you may have seen if you follow me on social media, this week I recorded a podcast with one of my idols and role models, Steven Pressfield. Steven has written over 20 books, one of his most famous, and my favorite of his, is The War of Art in which Steven talks about the battle against Resistance. As Steven is a writer, much of the way he communicates is through the lens of a creative but his s...

On today's episode I was fortunate to be joined by professional natural bodybuilder, adjunct professor at the University of Tampa, and coach Chris Barakat! This conversation was a blast, Chris and I hit it off right away! We talked about the nuts and bolts of training and nutrition, the staples of and pitfalls of macro tracking/meal planning, and ended with some thoughts about habits specifically...

One thing I've learned in taking my health and physique to the next level is that it isn't about "working hard" but rather working SMART. You can beat yourself into the ground with diet and exercise but if there's no thought behind it, it won't be effective. Similarly, if you don't enjoy your exercise and diet you will have a hard time sustaining it. These days more and more we are hit with the hu...

My friend Nick Krantz joined me for this episode. It's his third time on the show, grateful for you Nick! Nick is a big, strong guy but recently a recurring concussion sidelined him from training, and largely from life! Find out how he made the best out of a bad situation (something we're all trying to do right now!) We spoke about positive habits, making good choices, and how/why to think deeply...

We all know people in our lives who have benefitted from certain diets. I myself am often asked what diet I'm on or follow. In this episode I explain why diets work (2 main components) and the rationale behind dieting. I also make the case for why you shouldn't diet but rather find a lifestyle of eating that is sustainable for you!

My friend Mason Woodruff joined Beyond Fit for a second time recently. In this episode we spent the first half talking about "motivation porn" and how a focused period in your life of self-improvement and lifestyle optimization can impact you. We also discussed Mason's reading habits now vs. in the past and taking action on all the information you're acquiring from podcasts, books, etc, and caught...

Many of you may be familiar with the 80/20 principle (80% of the results are achieved by 20% of the effort). I go over it in this episode and discuss how it applies to health and fitness. I can get into some pretty complex/esoteric topics on this podcast, it's what I really enjoy! But sometimes we just need a reminder that doing a few simple things right is all it takes to achieve extraordinary he...

For Johnny's third time on the show, I thought it would be fun to talk about interests and hobbies that keep us occupied during all of our down time these days. Our conversation was wide ranging and addressed: individuality, chasing success, values, antifragility, pivoting away from perfectionism, how and why to overcome society's focus on apathy, and much more! We both agree that now is a great t...

“ Get action ; do things; be sane; don't fritter away your time; create; act; take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action ." -Theodore Roosevelt. In this podcast I describe the whys and hows of taking action. In times when we are pent up, it can be easy to be sucked in by mindless, surface level activities like watching shows or scrolling our phones. If you want to feel fulfilled you...

My friend Mike Gibbs joined the show again, mainly to discuss the role of hormones in fat loss. Mike talks about circumstances in which calories in vs. calories out isn't the whole story. Mike doesn't recommend keto for reasons he mentioned, but he did acknowledge how diets like the Atkins Diet can be helpful to someone looking to lose weight without counting calories.  Also addressed: steroi...

In this podcast I discussed protein, how much you need, 3 of its major benefits, and sources. I also talked about if you should trust foods labeled "high protein." Here's a useful graphic that relates to the discussion. I plan on posting a related one on my Instagram this week! https://www.instagram.com/p/B8aR54ZD-cd/

I really enjoyed this conversation with Jeremiah where we discussed a wide range of topics including: Our similar mindset, interests, & outlook. Who we like to follow in the evidence based fitness space and the relatively modest following size they have. Calorie counting & getting lean. Jeremiah's P3 fat loss method. Metabolic adaption and hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin. My goal o...

Seneca said "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." When I first heard Mike Matthews say to "keep spinning the wheel" on his podcast, it really resonated with me. I feel like continuing to work daily on things that are important to you is the only way to live a fulfilled life focused on goals. In this podcast I talked about what this phrase means to me and why its important to work towards g...

Many are concerned about these four common substances and whether they should limit them, add more, or even indulge in them in the first place. I broke down each one and explained what it is, why it's used, and how much you should be having. Quickly: creatine is underutilized, is natural, and increases not only muscle & strength but cognition, sodium/salt is a crucial mineral and is demonized...

The fitness industry is confusing because those in the best shape do not necessarily have the most useful knowledge and vice versa. Most PHDs in exercise science/physiology won't be posting shirtless pics on Instagram, and superior genetics/steroids make it difficult to decipher if someone got in great shape from calculated effort or more by way of bro science. In this 5 Minute Fit Tip I discuss k...

I've wanted to be big and strong for as long as I can remember, but it took me years to take my fitness to a level I'm happy with. Here I share many of the lessons I've learned along the way. A few main lessons: the shift happens more in mindset than body, its SIMPLE but not EASY, you have to make it into/a part of lifestyle (consistency is key). Let me save you the struggle of internal battles an...

In this podcast I discuss how this common notion in our culture, is advice grounded solid reasoning and good intent, but not necessarily truth. It is in my opinion, a myth! Find out why this is & more by tuning in.

My friend Max Nottonson just finished his ebook "Never Diet Again." We talked about what went into the book and broke it down, I even got to talk to Max about the creative process and the discipline it took to complete the book! Beyond this Max and I got into a talk centered around habits and positive behavior change as well as diet culture and the restrict-binge dynamic. 1:40 Max introduces his n...