Ready To Drink Cold Brew Single Shot Coffee

We all know that approximately 99% of the iced coffee you’ve had in your life is a joke. For the most part, it’s just burnt, double brewed coffee that’s been cooled down with a bunch of ice. It’s a big middle finger to you and your taste buds. Slingshot Coffee is a delicious way to wipe your palate clean. The stylishly brew comes both as a ready-to-drink beverage and as a concentrate for you to use and play around with. The company hand brews and bottles small batches right hear in the good old US of A.  They only use two ingredients: In-season coffee beans and filtered tap water from Raleigh, North Carolina. That means you get a real coffee taste from fresh beans without anything muddling up that deliciousness.

You Can Buy Slingshot Coffee here.

You can enjoy your Slingshot Cold Brew in lots of different ways, starting with these great recipes from the Slingshot Coffee Co. Pop-Up Bar:

 

OAK CITY SUMMER

• 3 ounces Slingshot Cold Brew (ready-t0-drink)
• 1 ounce lavender-honey simple syrup
• lemon zest
• Combine in a shaker with ice. Pour into glass.
• Suggested liquors: vodka, tequila

FRANKLIN STREET FIZZ

• 3 ounces Slingshot Cold Brew (concentrate)
• 1 ounce cocoa nib simple syrup*
• 1.5 ounces club soda
• orange peel
• Combine in a shaker. Pour over ice.
• *This is a simple syrup made using cacao nibs from Escazu Chocolate. You can use 1/2 – 1 ounce of a high-quality cocoa syrup as a substitute.
• Suggested liquors: vodka, Patrone XO, bourbon

MARFA

• 3 ounces Slingshot Cold Brew (ready-to-drink)
• 1 ounce honey-lemon simple syrup
• maraschino cherry
• Mix and pour over ice.

HOME OPENER

• 2 ounces Slingshot Cold Brew (concentrate)
• 1 ounce cherry-infused simple syrup
• 1 ounce irish whiskey (Concannon is recommended)
• dash of bitters
• Combine in a shaker with ice. Pour into glass.

DECEMBERIST

• 3 ounces Slingshot Cold Brew (concentrate)
• 3 ounces egg nog
• 1 ounce bourbon
• Mix and pour over ice.

BEST SMOOTHIE EVER

• 2 bananas (sliced and frozen)
• 1/2 cup Slingshot Cold Brew (concentrate)
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter (recommended: Big Spoon Peanut Pecan)
• 3/4 cup ice
• Combine in a blender. Pour into glass.
• Guys In The Know recommends adding a scoop of your favorite chocolate protein

Let us know what you think of this slingshot coffee or if you have tried others.

~Guys In The Know

Ready To Drink Cold Brew Single Shot Coffee

Invite The Girl To Your House For Game Day

Next time you want to watch the game with that girl you met last weekend why not watch the game at your place.  These easy recipes will make you look like a hero and give you a chance to get a little closer.  Another idea is to invite her over an hour before and make this great game day snacks together.

What other game day ideas do you have when spending time with woman?

Crescent Jalapeno Poppers

Shock her with this great spin on chile poppers.

Ingredients:

• 4 jalapeno chiles (about 3″ long)
• 1/3 cup Boursin cheese with garlic and herbs (from 5.2-oz container)
• 8 slices packaged precooked bacon (from 2.2-oz package), halved
• 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1/2 cup pineapple or fruit salsa, if desired

Directions: Heat oven to 375°F. Carefully remove stems from chiles; cut each in half lengthwise and again horizontally to make 4 pieces. Remove and discard seeds. Spoon about 1 teaspoon cheese into each chile quarter. Wrap half slice of bacon around each.

On cutting board, unroll dough; separate dough into 8 triangles. From center of longest side to opposite point, cut each triangle in half, making 16 triangles. Place chile, cheese side down, on dough triangle. Fold 1 point of triangle over filling; fold 2 remaining points over first point. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve with salsa.

Tuna melts

Catch the defense off-guard with this direct snap to the back. Tuna melts aren’t always a popular party choice, but they’re a perfect way to mix up the play selection.

Ingredients:

• Sliced rye bread (1 per sandwich)
• 2 cans tuna, drained
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1 cup cheddar cheese

Directions: Lightly toast the bread. Combine tuna, mayonnaise and onions. Place a dollop of mix on each piece of bread. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake in a 500ºF oven for three to five minutes or until cheese is melted.

Bacon-Cheeseburger Calzones

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
• 1/4 cup dried instant minced onion
• 1/4 cup chopped hamburger pickle slices
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing
• 2 Italian plum tomato, thinly sliced, if desired
• 4 slices (3/4 oz each) American or Cheddar cheese, each cut in half
• 2 cans (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375°F. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 2 minutes. Add ground beef and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain if necessary. Stir in pickles and ranch dressing.
2. Unroll dough and separat each can into 4 rectangles; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press each into 7×4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal.
3. Spoon about 1/3 cup ground beef mixture onto one end of each rectangle. Top each with tomato slices and 1 piece of cheese. Fold dough over filling; press edges with fork to seal (sandwiches will be full). Brush tops with egg.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Invite The Girl To Your House For Game Day

Don't Cross Over To These Exercises

Men like to push themselves to the limit to get stronger, but is there a price for pushing your body to the limit in the wrong way? We know that injuries can’t always be avoided, and training hard poses more risks than training half-assed. As an athlete wanting to chase the dream with less than perfect genetics you must push yourself to the limit.  However, there still needs to be a understanding of risk versus reward with every chosen exercise.

Check out this great article published on T Nation about Dangerous Exercises.

Don't Cross Over To These Exercises

Protein-Rich Meals For Pennies

The Dollar Menu should never be your way of getting protein on the cheap? Your body deserves better. Take control of your nutrition without going broke!

Almost all books and articles you read about eating healthy on a low budget will tell you that protein foods cost the most money. This can be pretty discouraging when you’re trying to come up with high-protein meals to eat before or after a workout.

Fortunately, those books and articles are only partly correct. They deem proteins the most costly part of a food budget because they look almost exclusively at meats. It’s a protein-rich world, folks! It’s time to pound some alternative protein sources.

The key to eating a high-protein diet on a low-protein budget is to get strategic. Skimp on the packaged protein foods like bars and shakes, and use proteins other than meats to stretch the meat you do use. Know what you’re looking for when you go to the store, so you can do price comparisons and recognize a smokin’ deal when you see one.

Once you’ve got the hang of targeted food shopping, it requires far less work than you might expect. Plus, you’ll see the difference in your checking account right away.

1 / Chicken and Peppers with Brown Rice

This recipe gives you some of the flavors of your favorite takeout, but without all the fat, salt, and dough (both literal and metaphorical). This takes about 20 minutes to cook—less if you cook the rice ahead—and will cost a whopping $6 or so for two big servings.

Ingredients

• 2 6-ounce Chicken Breasts, cut in 1/2-inch strips
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 clove Garlic, crushed
• 1 cup uncooked Brown Rice
• 1 large Red Bell Pepper, sliced thin
• 1 medium yellow Onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup Low-sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 tsp Corn Starch
• 1 tsp mild Curry Powder
• 1 tsp Salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp Pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare brown rice in the microwave per package instructions, adding 1/2 teaspoon salt before cooking.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken breast and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Sauté chicken, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.
3. Add onion, red pepper, garlic and curry powder and cook for another five minutes.
4. Combine chicken broth and cornstarch in a covered plastic container, shake well and add all at once to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, for about two minutes or until smooth and thickened.
5. To serve, spoon 1 cup cooked rice onto a plate and top with half of the chicken and peppers.

2 / Quinoa and Yogurt Parfait

This recipe is great for breakfast, but it also makes a nice snack or dessert. You can cook the quinoa the night before if you’re having this for breakfast. Just reheat it in the microwave for about one minute before you put the parfait together.

The total cost for two servings is only about $3.50, and potentially significantly less if you buy the ingredients in bulk.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Quinoa, cooked according to package directions
• 1 large firm Apple, such as Cortland or Fuji
• 1 large ripe Bartlett or Anjou Pear
• 1 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt
• 2 tsp Stevia in the Raw
• 1 tsp Cinnamon

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Cover to keep warm.
2. Peel apple and pear and cut into chunks. (You can leave the peel on if you prefer.) In a small bowl, toss fruit chunks with Stevia and cinnamon. Microwave, uncovered, for one minute.
3. Spoon 1/4 cup quinoa each into the bottoms of two bowls or dessert dishes. Add 1/4 of the fruit and then 1/4 cup Greek yogurt. Add another 1/4 cup of quinoa to each dish, and another 1/4 cup yogurt. Top with remaining fruit and serve.
4. Makes two servings.

3 / Open-Face Florentine Omelet Sandwich

Breakfast is an important meal. If you’ve been skipping it because you don’t have time, try this recipe. It takes about five minutes to make and it will provide the energy you need to start the day.

This big breakfast cost about $1.50 to make and is great for lunch or a quick dinner too.

Ingredients

• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1/2 tsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup frozen Spinach, thawed and well-drained (or 1 cup fresh)
• 1/4 cup Cottage Cheese
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 2 slices Toasted Whole Wheat Bread

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring often, for two minutes.
2. Add eggs to the pan and cook, stirring frequently for about one minute or until just starting to set. Add the cottage cheese, salt and pepper and cook for another 1-2 minutes until eggs are done.
3. To serve, place toast on a plate and divide egg mixture between the two slices. Makes one serving.

4 / Chicken Hummus Wrap

This wrap is a great quick lunch that travels well, so you can take it to work or the gym. It’s a versatile recipe; add any fresh vegetables you might have on hand to bulk it up and add more fiber.

The cost is only about $2.50, and equally important, it’ll keep you out of the deli.

Ingredients

• 3 ounces of sliced deli Chicken Breast (about 6 thin slices)
• 2 tbsp prepared Hummus
• 1 medium Apple, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 large leaves of Romaine Lettuce

Instructions

1. Place romaine lettuce leaves in a shallow bowl of ice water for about five minutes to crisp them.
2. In a small bowl, combine hummus and cumin, mixing well. Add the apple and stir to blend well.
3. Lay one lettuce leaf lengthwise on a clean surface, with the widest edge closest to you. Lay three pieces of chicken breast onto the lettuce, then spoon half of the hummus mixture in a mound about two inches in from the edge.
4. Roll up burrito-style and repeat with the remainder. Makes two wraps for one serving.

5 / Peach Protein Smoothie

This smoothie harnesses the protein power of Greek yogurt to make a sweet snack or breakfast. It takes about a minute to make and it tastes as good as anything you’ll get at a smoothie bar, for a lot less money. This can be made for about $2, or less if you find frozen peaches on sale.

Ingredients

• 1 cup vanilla, honey-flavored, or plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup frozen Peaches
• 1 teaspoon Flax Seed
• 1 handful of Ice Cubes

Instructions

1. In a blender, combine the yogurt, peaches and flax seed and blend until smooth. Add the ice and blend again until thick and smooth. Makes one serving.

Recipes curtsy of BodyBuilding.com

Protein-Rich Meals For Pennies

SmartShaker Review: The Best Protein Shaker?

Does this situation sound familiar?  You are headed to the gym, but you need your pre-workout, during workout, and post workout powders.  But all your supplements are in 5lb contains. The solution is the SmartShaker.

Why Guys In The Know Choose The SmartShaker

The SmartShaker has 3 storage compartments, is made of high quality plastic, and has multi-functional storage compartments. The nice thing is that the storage containers are large enough to store several servings of nutritional supplements. Each morning, just load your SmartShake with three servings of nutritional supplements, one in the shaker, and two in the compartments. SmartShake is ideal for bringing to work or school and can be used before, during and after workout. A few tips on what you can store in your SmartShakeNutritional supplements, e.g. protein or soups.Capsules and tablets, e.g. omega3 and vitamins.Fruits and berries.Water, milk or yogurt.Musli, nuts and raisins.Jewellery while training.

SmartShaker Review: The Best Protein Shaker?

How To Pick Up The Hottest Bartender

Fact: Many female bartenders are SINGLE. That’s right. These hot, single women ‘meet’ 100′s of guys over the bar each weekend…and they still can’t get a date! Why does this happen?

From our experience, we’ve found that it was usually due to these 2 factors:

1. Most female bartenders don’t have much of a social life outside the bar they work in.
2. Most guys hit on female bartenders in the wrong way.

This provides you with a BIG opportunity to find a cool girlfriend, or at least enjoy a quick, sexual relationship. So, how can you stand out from the crowd and get the attention and interest of these hot (and often single) women?

How can you tell if a female bartender likes you for real and is not just being friendly? How can you get a bartender’s number, no matter how many other guys are around competing for her attention? If you want to learn how to pick up a bartender, read on…

Call it every man’s kryptonite, or the naive hope that the grass is greener on the other side, but the bartender has perennially been portrayed as the sexy vixen behind the sticks who knows how to have fun for a reason, right? But she is not there to party; instead, she is working, which makes her an even harder target than most women a guy will encounter throughout his day.

Because this is quite the challenge, many have tried and failed terribly because this is not a situation for amateur hour. Would you walk into a foreign boardroom and start courting the first executive blonde you see? No, it would be nearly impossible because she is working and you are a complete stranger. But every man loves a challenge so they will try.

As crazy as it sounds, just like with everything in life, there is a science to picking up the bartender. Once you do jump over the initial hurdles to get to know them, you will find that these women are amazing. They have an amazing wild and fun side to them, and they are experts in bed with skillful craft of foreplay.

So stop chasing around the normal boring girls you would normally court! Those girls most likely have STD’s at this point. Now, onto the quick steps on how to score yourself a bartender this summer. But it is key to remember that none of these girls have boyfriends because they either work too much or that no guy knows how to pick them up correctly.

Timing is everything

The biggest mistake that men make is being off with their timing. The faux-Elite man will try to pick up the bartender when the bar is packed and busy, usually because they are drunk and flattered with her beauty. If she is at work and she is busy, then why would she waste her time flirting when she is supposed to making money through tips? She will look at you as annoying if you try to do this.

The only time you should ever try to pick up a bartender is during an off night, like on a Monday or Tuesday. Another opportunity opens at the beginning or the end of the night – this is when there is less of a crowd and she will be able to pay attention to your pick up lines and easy flowing conversation. The key is to command her full attention, so it is imperative that you focus on these times of the night. If your timing is off you will never be able to pull this off.

Positioning

What is your second key to landing the bartender? Positioning, positioning, positioning. Oh, and positioning! This is everything when it comes to picking up a bartender. While focusing on the proper timing is important, if you are in the wrong position then she will not address your advances.

So remember: she will not be the only bartender working and each bartender has their own territory, so you need to make sure you are positioned in her territory, rather than that of the other bartender’s. This will ensure you that she will always be hovering in your area of the bar. Try to shoot for the middle of her territory – this is usually where the soda guns are, so she will be in this spot frequently to catch your attention.

Execution

Once you have the timing and your positioning down, it is time to execute the art of picking up the bartender. First off, always remember that you must be charming and outgoing. You do not want to make it obvious that you are being flirty with her; rather, you want to just let her fall into your conversation. Keep the talking as casual as possible by asking one question at a time. Remember questions are the root behind all conversations. Here are some good ones that kick the conversation off:

How long have you worked here? You like it?
So how’d you end up in this line of work?
What do you do when you’re not pouring drinks?

Once the conversation has kicked off, do not offer anything about yourself until she asks. She will eventually ask after you have thrown around some funny jokes here and there while throwing the questions above. She is used to men hitting on her, usually very drunk men who try to impress her with all kinds of different tactics. So you will not impress her with the mundane details of your life.

Lesson? Do not offer your personal narrative until she asks to hear it. Use your time to find out more about her by giving her the opportunity to tell you about herself and just listen. If she is engaged with the conversation then you are half way there. You are just there to give her an outlet to talk about herself and become attracted to you through your willingness to listen.

After you have gone through this phase, it is important to remember that she is going to have to attend to different customers. When she does so be cool about it and pretend like it does not even phase you one bit, or throw you off. Do not stop her as all girls hate guys that are protective – especially strangers they just met.Another important lesson is to drink slowly and remain sober.

You do not want to seem like a sloppy drunk as most of the guys she gets hit on are highly intoxicated. So when dealing with bartenders you must make sure she never labels you just like all the other guys.

Get the hell out of there

As with all attempts to woo a woman, you must have your escape plan ready. This is not to run away, but the fact is that woman like a guy who does not hold their hand all day. So after you successfully gain her interest, acknowledge the fact that she is at work and you have other things to do. Get her contact info and tell her that you want to hangout soon – you may even tell her to call you after work. And guess what? She most likely will.

The point is to go do something else – whether that be going back to hangout with your friends or going to another bar altogether. By giving her the room to reciprocate your efforts, she will feel comfortable enough to do so.

No one likes the stage five clinger hanging out across the room staring at you while drooling. That is just weird. So go hangout with your buddies, you will get her soon enough. Get her number on a napkin or the back of your receipt and the home stretch will be ahead of you.

Congratulations, you just landed the bartender. Stay classy, guys in the know.

 

How To Pick Up The Hottest Bartender

Does Cardio On An Empty Stomach Burn More Fat?

Whether cardio on an empty stomach can speed up fat loss is a commonly debated fitness topic. Some believe fasted cardio is more effective at burning fat while others believe it can decrease performance and limit fat loss.

Who is right? The following will inform you of what research has to say about the topic and offer compelling reasons why fueled exercise leads to greater overall fat burn.

Cardio on an Empty Stomach Burns More Fat DURING Exercise

Two fuel sources—carbs & fats—are used to generate energy for muscle contraction during exercise. For endurance exercise performed at a moderate intensity, you obtain 50–60% of energy needed from glycogen (which is stored energy from carbs) and the rest from fats.

When you deplete glycogen stores by fasting overnight, or going several hours without refueling, fatty acids break down in the mitochondria to be used as a secondary energy source. As workout intensity increases, your reliance on carbohydrates increases as well.

In one study that tested the fat burning effect cardio on an empty stomach, six healthy men cycled for 60 minutes at a low to moderate intensity:

Group 1-Fasted overnight before the bike ride.

Group 2- Performed the bike ride after ingesting 0.8g/kg of glucose or fructose to replenish glycogen levels 1 hour prior to the workout.

Results: After 20-30 minutes of exercise, the rate of fat burn was higher in the fasted group than in the glucose or fructose group. This trend continued throughout 50-60 minutes of exercise. There was also a higher quantity of FFAs (Free flowing fatty acids) available in the blood in a fasted state throughout the exercise.

The Take Away: This particular study suggests that more fat was burned by the group that performed MODERATE activity on an empty stomach… DURING THE EXERCISE ITSELF.

So Should You Perform Cardio on an Empty Stomach?

Not so fast. Notice how “moderate” exercise is emphasized in the example above? Research shows that people who burn fat during their workouts actually burn less fat the rest of the day. Overtime, fat burning is not an immediate process, rather, it occurs over the course of, not a few hours, but a few days.. As you burn more carbohydrates during your workout, the body will burn more fat post exercise. This “afterburn effect” where your metabolism is elevated for several hours or days following your workout is critical when debating the benefits of fasted cardio. While you may burn more fat during your workout on an empty stomach, your overall workout output will be lower. Your body’s ability to burn fat post-exercise is compromised. Consider the whole 24 hour period and cardio on an empty stomach is less effective.

Evidence supporting fueled exercise

Researchers from Italy investigated the contrasting reports on whether training in a fasting condition enchances weight loss. 8 healthy young men performed early morning slow cardio under 2 conditions:

1. Empty stomach

2. After eating

Eating increased both oxygen consumption (VO2) and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) significantly, 12 hours after the cardio, VO2 was still higher for the group who had eaten, although RER was significantly lower in the FED test, indicating greater fat burn.

The group that ate before the moderate cardio session continued to burn significantly more calories up to 24 hours after the exercise bout. The authors concluded that “when moderate endurance exercise is done to lose body fat, fasting before exercise does not enhance lipid utilization (fat use); rather, physical activity after a light meal is advisable.”⁵ Check out this article for more on pre-workout meal ideas.

High Intensity Cardio on an Empty Stomach Can Burn You Out

During intense exercise that approaches your maximum effort, most of your energy comes from glycogen. If you deplete your glycogen stores, you compromise your energy output. As glycogen stores in the muscles and liver are depleted, and the blood glucose level begins to fall, fatigue, lack of coordination, light-headedness and lack of concentration can occur.⁶ Commonly known as “hitting the wall” or “bonking,” fat simply can’t be metabolized fast enough to support the higher pace, so you slow down or even stop.

While research and studies are still ongoing, there are a few certainties. Steady state fasted cardio might burn more fat during your workout, but your post-workout fat burn is compromised. When performing high intensity cardio and exercises, glycogen levels need to be restored to achieve optimal performance and results. Doing cardio on an empty stomach if you aren’t able to sustain adequate energy levels, your workout will suffer.

Always choose energy and sustainability over anything else. Even early in the morning, grab a protein shake, piece of fruit, or handful of trail mix, to help your body to use efficient energy sources to power your workout.

Does Cardio On An Empty Stomach Burn More Fat?

Guys in the know, know "how to smoke a cigar"

Guys in the know don’t just smoke a cigar, they know “how to smoke a cigar”. If you don’t or need a few pointers to not make yourself look foolish the next time you are out, than take a look at this cheat sheet. Don’t forget to grab a good whiskey and enjoy the night.

Guys in the know, know "how to smoke a cigar"

CES 2013: latest news, features and more

The Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, is one of the largest showcases of new technology in the world.

Hosted by the Consumer Electronics Association in Las Vegas, CES 2013 will open to press and exhibitors from every facet of the electronics industry, and TechRadar is here to deliver the latest news from the show.

We’ve descended upon the gambling capital of the world for four days to bask in the glow of the latest computers, televisions, cameras, phones and more.

The curtain lifts…

As day one of the show begins, there are tons of announcements from LG, HP, and Haier to name a few.

In fact, LG confirmed during a press conference on Jan. 7 that they will release a range of “tier one” handsets to market in 2013.

This follows earlier rumors that LG is looking to wedge itself in the 5-inch smartphone market that which was launched by the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.

Click here to see more about what we’re excited to see at CES.

 

CES 2013: latest news, features and more

12 Must Read Men's Fitness Articles From 2012

2012 has come and gone and it’s time for a new year and new resolutions. But before we put 2012 completely behind us, we thought we’d take one last look back. 

12. How to Get Lean: 25 Ways to Lose Fat Faster >>>

Don’t want to just hear, “get a trainer” or, “get on a diet plan”? This feature provides 25 solid tips to shedding extra fat and building lean muscle mass.

11. Back to Basics: The 3 Most Powerful Workout Moves >>>

You can read and research for hours upon hours about all different types of exercises that will claim to burn more fat and build more muscle, but nothing will ever compare to the absolute tried and true basics—big, compound moves.

10. The Abdominal Trifecta Workouts >>>

Want to get well on your way to a sliced and diced mid-section? Pick a high-protein, high-fiber and reduced carbohydrate diet you can tolerate and package it up with these gut-busting workouts.

9. Six Recovery Strategies for Workout-aholics >>>

It’s not always about throwing around weights and eating the right food. Muscles are trained, exhausted and torn down in the gym. Muscles build during rest and sleep. Don’t neglect proper recovery—a must read for anyone addicted to the iron.

8. Seven Reasons You’re Not Getting Stronger >>>

Didn’t break any new bench press or deadlift personal records in 2012? Here are 7 things you need to change to make it happen this year.

7. The Most Important Body Parts You’re Neglecting >>>

There’s nothing good about loose ends and weak links—the same goes for your body. Probability of injury rises, performance dips and you become discouraged. Neglecting certain body parts is a vicious cycle of getting no where fast.

6. Five Terrible Ways to Fuel Up Before a Workout >>>

To get the most out of your training you need to be prepared and fueled up properly. You don’t expect a lean, muscular physique with a crap diet, do you?

5. Nine Foods That Should Be in Every Diet >>>

Doesn’t matter whether you’re trying to bulk up or trim down. These are the foods that should be in every diet, regardless of your goal.

4. Six Not-So Obvious Newbie Training Mistakes >>>

Getting started for the first time in the gym can be intimidating and it could take a while to figure out your strengths and abilities. You’ll learn certain aspects of training, but somethings aren’t quite as obvious. Here are 6 every newbie should be aware of.

3. Five Muscle-Building Moves You’ve Probably Never Tried >>>

You can never fail with the basic big moves like the deadlift, squat, overhead press and bench, but sometimes change is needed, or you’re looking for a new fun technique. Give these moves a shot in your routines of 2013. 

2. Ten Reasons You’re Not Building Muscle >>>

Building muscle is hard enough to do even when you’re doing everything right. Maybe one of these 10 reasons has been holding you back and packing on more pounds.

1. Top 25 Fitness Tips and Strategies from the Experts >>>

The fitness industry is constantly changing and evolving with new ideas and concepts, but somethings never change. Our experts all agree with these 25 strategies.

 

12 Must Read Men's Fitness Articles From 2012

What We're Eating This Week: Pomegranate Seeds To-Go

Fresh pomegranates may be incredibly heart healthy, but could nature have invented a more annoyingly inaccessible fruit? Find out how to get the goods—without the hassle.

There are plenty of reasons that you should be incorporating heart-healthy pomegranate seeds (aka: arils) into your diet. Not only are they high in fiber (around 5 grams per half a cup) but they’re loaded with age-fighting antioxidants and compounds that slash your rish for cardiovascular disease.

But while you may already understand that these bright red seeds are a no-brainer for your body, getting them out of their shell—without making a huge mess—can be a hearty challenge. That’s why we were stoked to learn that Pom Wonderful (the company that helped start the pomegranate juice craze in the first place) is doing the hard work of removing the arils and putting them in a snack-size cup…so you don’t have to.

From late Fall through the end of this month, you can grab their 4.3 oz- and 8.0 oz-sized cups of fresh pomegranate seeds at your local grocery store, and use them for everything from topping breakfast cereal, yogurt and salads to mixing into post-workout smoothies. Or—because they’re just that good—you can eat ‘em straight from the cup.

That’s what we did. For more info, check out pomwonderful.com.

What We're Eating This Week: Pomegranate Seeds To-Go

Four Way Women Try To Attract Men

They Do It Too

Just as men try to attract women, women try to attract men. It’s important to understand what this really means as far as strategy. Both genders have the same strategy, applied in different ways. The goal is to attract the members of the opposite sex who are attainable, and to attract a lot of them.

This means that often people will limit how high they shoot as far as who they can “get.” Also, this means that people try to attract the opposite sex passively, not through direct “marketing.” In other words, women will do things that a lot of men will notice, instead of interacting directly with a handful of specific men.

Clothes

It’s funny how we tend to overlook how women dress because women using clothes to accentuate their bodies is so common-place. Men take it for granted if a woman wears tight jeans or a low cut shirt. The reality is that women are hyper-aware of their bodies and how they look to men. A woman’s self-image is inherently sexual – she sees herself as a man sees her. This means that everything she is wearing is deliberate, and somehow intended to express sexuality.

My favorite way to approach a woman is to tell her she looks great in whatever she’s wearing. I don’t say, “Nice dress,” I say, “You look nice in that dress.” And trust me, if she is wearing a sexy outfit, it’s because she’s hoping men will notice.

Makeup

Makeup is the same as clothing. The more makeup, the more attention she’s hoping to receive. I personally like women who don’t wear much makeup, but if I see a woman with a bright shade of lipstick, I know that she put thought into making that choice for a reason. She is hoping to get men’s attention. If a woman is wearing a lot of makeup, it’s safe to say she’ll welcome your attention. Tell her how pretty she looks!

Movement

Women move their bodies to attract men through dance, through their walk, and many other more subtle ways. Women touch parts of their bodies they want men to notice, for example, a woman man rub her legs or ankles, or brush her hair away from her breasts. Sometimes it’s unconscious, but nonetheless, she is calling attention to her body so that you notice.

Don’t be shy – tell her you noticed her, or glance at a part of her body you like, and then look in her eyes and smile (and yes it’s ok to check out a woman’s breasts, just don’t linger disrespectfully).

Talking to Other Guys

This is common, and something that bothers a lot of guys. Don’t get jealous. If it seems like she’s talking to other men in front of you, it’s because she wants you to pay attention to her and try harder. Not all women do this – it’s a game. If this happens, ignore her when she is engaging other guys. Talk to other people, especially other women if possible. Let her come back to you, and be sure to ask her questions that get her talking when she engages you.

Four Way Women Try To Attract Men