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Hey folks! This week Erin is shedding light on the truth behind common nutrition myths – everything from the “8 glasses of water per day” rule to the benefits of longer fasts and the best forms of exercise. Got more questions? We love getting them, so post yours below in the comments section or over in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group.

Jaime asked:

“I always hear that I should be drinking eight glasses of water a day, but it takes a lot of unnatural effort to get close to that. Is it just me? What’s your take on the water rule?”

The body has a miraculous system for preventing dehydration. It’s called thirst. So, that 8-glasses-of-water rule you’ve been trying to follow? It’s fine if you like doing it, but probably not essential. Drinking 8 glasses of water – or half your bodyweight in ounces of water – is one of the most common nutrition myths out there.

It’s based on outdated guidelines from the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board that said people should consume roughly 2.5 liters of water a day (and here’s the part most people missed), the majority of it coming from food.

That being said, it might be easier to eat your way to better hydration rather than guzzle it from your water bottle. Here are a few of my favorite hydrating foods if you choose to go that route:

• Cucumber
• Celery
• Tomatoes
• Lettuce
• Zucchini
• Watermelon
• Berries

With everyone toting around their high-tech water bottles, chugging gallons of water at the gym, and gushing over their favorite filtration systems, it seems the hydration mandate has been burned into our subconscious. Conventional wisdom has us believing that if we’re not drinking non-stop, we’ll be subject to constipation, kidney stones, UTIs, and unneeded hunger (spoiler alert: if you feel hungry, you just might actually be hungry, not thirsty, like you might have heard).

Instead of force-drinking your daily H2O, try tapping into these things first.

1. Notice when your lips get dry. Or when your throat gets a little scratchy. That’s your body giving you not-so-subtle signals that you’re thirsty.
2. Respond accordingly. Drink some water or have a piece of fruit. Heck, you could even have a cup of coffee or tea since caffeine causing dehydration is another nutrition myth.
3. Pay attention to your conditions. Did you just come back from a long run? Do you live in a hot or humid location or at a higher altitude? There’s a good chance you need to hydrate.
4. Use sea salt or electrolytes. Especially if you follow a keto or low-carb diet. This article has tons of great info on why it’s important. Long story short: a hydration plan is not just about drinking water.

Martine asked:

“I’ve been doing keto for a while and still can’t seem to go more than 12 hours before I get hungry. Might be all the walking I do, but it sure would be nice to fast longer. Any advice?”

I love a good satiating eating plan – it really is the ultimate metabolic secret weapon. Kudos to you for achieving 12 hours of satiety! Total game-changer.

When you follow a keto diet, you use ketones (hence the name) for energy instead of glucose. And in general, this stabilizes your blood sugar, keeps your cravings at bay, and allows you to fast for longer periods of time.

Here’s the thing though. Everyone has different needs, so, you could see someone killing a 16-, 24- or even 72-hour fast while you’re barely making it 12. That doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. You may, in fact, be doing it exactly right — for you.

There are tons of ways to practice IF. One of the most common being a 12-hour fast. And studies show that longer fasts aren’t necessarily better.¹

Also, the idea that you shouldn’t ever be hungry when you eat keto is nonsense. Your body is designed to give you signals (yes, hunger is a signal). Instead of fighting hunger or worrying/wondering why you can’t go longer, try tuning in and trusting what it’s telling you.

Have some appreciation for the fact that you’ve transitioned away from a Standard American Diet and embraced a way of eating that’s better for your overall health. Be grateful for a body that can keep you satiated for a whopping 12 hours, without scrounging around the kitchen looking for something snacky.

Honor your hunger levels and know that you’re doing what’s right for your body, right now. As you continue, you might find that you can and want to go longer, but it’s not a hard and fast rule for eating keto.

Eat when you’re hungry. Don’t stress about it. And remember, you’re doing great.

Kristin asked:

“There are so many opinions out there regarding how one should exercise. In the past, I’ve started and stopped so many different workouts and ways of training because I get overwhelmed about which is the best. Hoping you can add some clarity!”

Ask ten different people what the best form of exercise is, and you’ll likely get ten different answers. Why? Because your goals aren’t necessarily their goals. Also, your body is probably going to respond differently than their body, considering you’ve got different metabolic needs, different caloric intakes, and different lifestyles.

If it was that easy to put out a one-size-fits-all exercise routine (that works) we’d all be effortlessly chiseled. That’s why a lot of folks like working with a health coach or personal trainer — someone who can create a customized plan. But you don’t have to work with a health professional to figure out what workout is right. You do, however, need to get clear on a few things:

1. What are your goals? Are they to lose fat/build muscle, get healthy, reduce stress, carry more grocery bags from the car?
2. How much time are you willing to dedicate per week? Twenty minutes per day? An hour? Only on weekends?
3. What kind of exercise do you enjoy? Running, biking, hiking with your kids, jazzercise, strength training, dancing, planks, gardening, walking the dog?
4. When are you planning to work out? The clearer you can be about the what and the when, the more apt you are to do it. Are mornings good? How about after work? Or every time you get up from your desk?
5. What’s your why? Your motivation will always waver, but remembering why this goal is important to you (and the consequence of not achieving your goal) will keep you showing up every time.

As you can probably guess, the only exercises that work are the ones you do. So, if someone tells you that CrossFit is the best workout, or HITT training, or low-intensity exercises — and you hate doing them – then they’re not the best for you.

What nutrition myths did I miss? Share ‘em in the comments.

The post Ask a Health Coach: Common Nutrition Myths Debunked appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Lasha Talakhadze of Georgia is the most dominant weightlifter of his generation and he is well on his way to being the first man to break the 500 kg total in weightlifting.

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Dear stressed-out life hackers, I’m with you. Have you ever stressed yourself out by trying to incorporate too many stress management tactics? Have you lost sleep trying to fit more into your sleep routine?

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This is a beginner’s walking routine. A beginning beginner. If you’re starting from a full sedentary life, this is for you. If you can walk but you generally don’t “go for walks,” this is for you. You may shop in grocery stores, trundle down to the mail box, take the garbage out, walk from your car to the office, but you’re not hiking, walking to the post office, taking strolls around the block, logging 10,000 steps a day.

Make no mistake, walking is truly exercise and must be approached as such.

People who ask me how to get started with exercise are surprised when I say: Just f**king walk. That’s it. Go for a walk. Start walking. Get moving. The responses are pretty similar across the board.

Isn’t exercise supposed to be hard? Yeah, but you build up to that.

Isn’t walking too easy? Sure, and that’s the whole point of doing it.

Is walking even exercise? Absolutely. It’s the foundation of every human movement pattern. You gotta walk before you run, swim, sprint, lift, cycle, row, paddle, play Ultimate frisbee, and everything else.

Before you begin, make sure you’re actually walking correctly. Here are some tips, tricks, and queues for ensuring you’re walking the right way.

Walk with feet pointing straight ahead. Avoid the duck foot, where you splay your feet out to the side. Doing so isn’t just inefficient (you’re moving forward and your toes should point in the direction you’re moving; pointing outward wastes energy), it’s ultimately damaging. If your feet are pointing to the sides, lots of bad things happen over time.

• Your arches collapse, and then your knees collapse inwards. This can slowly degenerate your knee joint.
• You land on the outside of your feet, rather than the whole foot. Bunions can develop, and then walking becomes painful.

Activate your glutes as you walk. Eventually, this happens subconsciously, but if you’ve spent a lot of time not moving or you sit a lot for work, your glutes may be “turned off.” To check glute activation, place your hands on your glutes as you walk. With each step, you should feel them activate under your hands. Get to know that feeling and then remove your hands, checking every few steps to make sure they’re still activating.

Maintain an upright posture. Imagine a string is attached to the top of your head lightly tugging you upward. Maintain that posture.

Don’t listen to music or podcasts or anything as you walk. Focus on the environment around you. Focus on your legs and feet and posture. Being aware of your environment also keeps you safe.

Walk with as little shoe as possible. Not everyone can manage this right away. If you have neglected your feet, if you have flat feet with poor arch support, if you simply don’t know how to walk without support, you can stick to your regular thick shoes. But work towards titrating down . Maybe take the insoles out. Maybe switch from a shoe with pronounced heel to one with a flat “zero-drop” heel. And then, once you feel comfortable enough, get a truly minimalist “barefoot” shoe. And then

Spend as much time as you can in bare feet. While I won’t recommend that everyone walk around outside of the house barefoot— I don’t know what kind of environment you’re dealing with— I will recommend that everyone go barefoot around the house. Get a feel for feeling the world with your feet. Allow those nerve endings to wake up from their slumber and begin transmitting information to your brain. While it may feel weird at first, eventually you’ll be at home in bare feet. Eventually your brain will start utilizing the sensory information coming in from the nerve endings on your feet and implementing the input. Your gait will improve and your walking ability will ascend.

Get comfortable walking on different terrains. It’s nice to start walking on flat linear surfaces like sidewalks, but you should graduate to uneven surfaces that activate different muscles in the feet and lower body. Walking on uneven, non-linear, bumpy, textured surfaces like sand, trails, hills, tree roots, gravel, and a million other types of walking surfaces will not only make walking healthier, it will make it more enjoyable and interesting.

Once you’ve internalized all that, you’re ready to start the walking regimen.

Beginner Walking Regimen

Well, it’s pretty simple. Just f**king walk.

But you want to start small, especially if you’re one of those true beginners I referenced earlier.

Week 1, Day 1

Walk around the block twice a day. This should take between 5-10 minutes each time. If you time your walks after meals, you will lower the blood glucose response and improve your metabolic health.

Week 1, Day 2

Walk around the block twice a day. This should again take between 5-10 minutes each time, but feel free to push the pace a bit if you feel up to it.

Week 1, Day 3

Note how you feel when you wake up. Any pain? Any stiffness? Do you feel like you have the energy to walk again, perhaps even farther? If so, take 2 slightly longer walks—10-15 minutes each. If not, keep your walks at 5-10 minutes.

Week 1, Day 4

Again note how you feel upon waking. If you’re feeling good, take the longer walks. If you’re still feeling a little sore or stiff, maintain the 5-10 minute-long walks.

Week 1, Day 5

By now, you’re ready for a long walk. Early in the day, take a short 5-10 minute walk as normal. Then, for your next walk, push it to a half hour. 30 minutes of pure, unadulterated walking.

Week 1, Day 6

Take a good long walk. Ideally, find a hiking trail nearby. Try to go for at least an hour straight. Go as slow as you need to, but just keep walking.

Week 1, Day 7

Rest. Take a short 5 minute walk after your main meals, but otherwise keep it light.

Week 2

Follow the same basic schedule, starting where you left off. If you were taking 2 15 minute walks a day, start there and work your way back up, adding 5-10 minutes to your walks as you feel up to it. Instead of a 30 minute walk on Day 5, go for 45 minutes. Instead of an hour long walk or hike on Day 6, do an hour and a half. As always, don’t be shy about titrating your time down if you feel like you’re going too fast. Walking should always be comfortable, always be pleasurable.

Week 3

Repeat. Add 5-10 minutes to your twice daily walks. Add another 15 minute onto your longer Day 5 walk and another half hour to your Day 6 hike or walk.

Week 4

Repeat and add time as needed.

Week 5

Repeat and add time as needed. If you feel up to it, consider adding some resistance. You can carry light dumbbells or kettlebells in your hands for the short walks. You can put a few heavy items in a backpack and wear it. Or not. It’s just an option if you want to spice things up.

Week 6 onward

Keep adding time and adding weight to walks when you feel up to it. I wouldn’t do heavy loaded walks every day, but they can be nice 1-3 times a week.

By week 6, you should live and breathe walking. It should be part of your day, part of your routine, part of YOU. Because it is part of you. Walking, as I’ve often said, is the human condition. That’s what humans do: we just walk around. We walk for pleasure, for sustenance, for adventure, and for no reason at all.

Okay, enough talk. Go walk!

The post JFW: Beginner’s Walking Routine appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Erwan Le Corre is a pioneer in natural movement and the founder of MovNat. He is also a US National Record Holder. Recently, Le Corre, a Breaking Muscle favorite contributor, held his breath for 6 minutes and 46 seconds, beating the previous record for Static Apnoea (STA).

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Of all the topics I write about, collagen garners perhaps the most questions. Not that I’m complaining. I’m happy to wax on about the benefits of collagen all day long. I’ve said before that I consider collagen the fourth macronutrient, and it doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. The more people who get turned on to it the better, as far as I’m concerned.

Collagen used to be abundant in the human diet, back in the days before we decided that gnawing on bones, eating the stringy bits, and boiling down the skin was “icky.” We lost a significant source of critical amino acids when we started eating the lean muscle and discarding the rest, and we’re less hearty as a species because of it. And yes, my company produces a line of collagen products, but that’s not what I harp on it so much. The opposite, actually. I started making collagen supplements because I think collagen should be on everyone’s radar, not the other way around. Frankly, I don’t even consider collagen “supplemental.” It’s food.

Today I’m rapid-fire tackling twenty questions that have come in recently. A bunch more remain in the queue, so I’m already planning a follow-up post. If there’s something else you’d like me to cover, leave your question in the comments section below.

What is collagen made of? Where does it come from?

Collagen is a type of protein. Collagen peptide supplements contain specific amino acids you need in order to synthesize the more than two dozen types of collagen found in the human body. Collagen supplements are derived mostly from the skin, bones, and connective tissues of cows, pigs, chicken, and fish.

What does collagen do? Why is it important?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. It’s integral to the structure of tendons, ligaments, fascia, bones, skin, blood vessels, hair, nails, and even your eyeballs. Insufficient collagen leads to pain, weakness, joint issues, and inability to heal wounds and other injuries.

What is collagen good for? Why should I consider taking collagen peptides?

Collagen peptides provide amino acid “building blocks” that your body uses to produce and maintain collagen protein, including in hair and nails. In scientific studies, collagen supplementation alleviates joint pain,¹ speeds wound healing,² reduces wrinkles and promotes skin elasticity.³ Glycine in collagen improves sleep quality⁴ and gut health.⁵

What is the difference between hydrolyzed collagen and collagen peptides?

There is no difference. Collagen proteins are long chains of amino acids. The process of hydrolysis breaks them down into peptides, which are just shorter chains of amino acids. Collagen supplements are variously labeled as “hydrolyzed collagen” or “collagen peptides,” but they’re the same.

Who needs collagen supplements?

In my opinion, pretty much everyone could benefit. Most people don’t eat bones, skin, and connective tissues—the parts of animals that contain collagen. That means they don’t get the amino acids (especially hydroxyproline, glycine, and proline) that are found in collagen but not much in muscle meat.

How much collagen should I take per day?

There is no RDA for collagen, and to my knowledge, no studies have established optimal dosing guidelines. You might need more or less depending on your dietary intake. To be safe, it’s always a good idea to follow the dosage instructions on your collagen supplement of choice.

Can you take too much collagen peptides?

Many things in nature follow a J-shaped curve—too much or too little are both bad. The same might be true for collagen supplements, but unfortunately, there’s no indication of what would constitute “too much.” There’s also no evidence that collagen toxicity is a concern if you following dosing guidelines.

I’ve seen Mark suggest take 30 grams of collagen per day. Lots of serving sizes are 20 grams. Where did he get the 30 grams per day?

First, 20 grams isn’t wrong. I arrived at 30 by working backwards. Your body needs 16 grams of glycine, minimally, for basic metabolic processes. Most people get around 6 grams from diet and endogenous synthesis, leaving them 10 grams shy. Collagen is roughly 1/3 glycine, hence 30 grams.

Can I take collagen peptides every day? Should I?

I see no reason why not. You can consume meat and bone broth every day. Collagen peptides are just amino acids in a different form, albeit more concentrated. The only caveat is that I wouldn’t supplement if you’re getting plenty of collagen in your diet. There’s no need.

Do I have to supplement collagen if I’m getting adequate protein?

It depends. By “adequate protein,” do you mean that you are tracking your food in a macronutrient app and hitting your protein target? That’s great… but did it all come from muscle meat? What about skin, connective tissue, bone broth? If you’re not eating nose-to-tail, you probably want to supplement.

Collagen side effects? Are there risks associated with taking collagen peptides?

Collagen peptides are generally regarded as safe. In studies, the main complaint associated with collagen supplementation seems to be gastrointestinal issues. At least in one review, adverse effects were no different than in control groups.⁶ Of course, stop supplementing if you notice any undesirable side effects.

How do I know if I should adjust the dose?

This is tricky. Collagen isn’t necessarily a fast-acting supplement. I’d say give it at least six or eight weeks to work based on typical study protocols. If you ever experience any issues like gas or a metallic taste in your mouth, try halving your dose.

Should collagen and complete protein (meat or whey) be taken separately?

“Don’t mix protein and collagen” is one of these pieces of advice that circulates around the internet, but I can’t find any evidence that it’s really necessary. I’ll sometimes make a point of separating them just in case it does improve absorption, but I’m not convinced it matters.

What is the best time of day to take collagen? Morning or night? On an empty stomach or with food?

There’s not enough research to say definitively one way or another. Feel free to experiment with different protocols and see if you have a preference. Since the glycine in collagen promotes sleep, it makes sense to take it in the evening if better sleep is your goal.

Does it matter if I mix collagen peptides in hot or cold liquid? Can hot liquid damage collagen peptides?

No, it doesn’t matter. According to one study, collagen starts to become denatured, or degraded, around 570 degrees Fahrenheit (300 degrees Celsius), but it probably isn’t irrevocably altered until closer to 650 degrees Fahrenheit (345 degrees Celsius).⁷ That’s much hotter than any liquid you’d ever consume.

What can I do to enhance the effectiveness of collagen peptides or make them more bioavailable?

Vitamin C and zinc both stimulate collagen synthesis.⁸ I regularly use collagen plus vitamin C as a pre-workout, and I’ve had great success rehabbing tendon issues by combining collagen peptides with 50 mg of vitamin C.⁹ (I don’t routinely supplement zinc because I get plenty from meat and shellfish.)

Are collagen peptides and gelatin interchangeable?

Yes and no. They contain the same amino acids, so they’ll deliver the same collagen building blocks. However, collagen peptides are smaller and probably more easily absorbed. In the kitchen, you can use gelatin—but not collagen peptides—to make gummies or thicken soups, stews, or pan sauces.

What do you think of marine collagen?

Marine collagen, which comes from fish scales, bones, and skin, seems to have similar benefits to collagen derived from mammals. It’s a great option for folks who are allergic to bovine collagen. It might even be slightly more bioavailable than bovine collagen. However, it’s also less stable at high temperatures.¹⁰

Are there any good vegan collagen supplements?

Only animals produce collagen, so it can’t be vegan. Scientists have started to genetically engineer vegan “collagen” from yeast and bacteria, but so far, studies haven’t demonstrated that it’s as beneficial as animal-derived collagen. Vegetarians may find collagen supplements made from eggshells to be a suitable compromise.

How does bone broth stack up to collagen peptide supplements? Is one better than the other?

I love bone broth, but if you want to be sure about how much collagen you’re getting, opt for supplements. The amount of collagen in bone broth can vary significantly from batch to batch depending on what you throw in the pot and how long you cook it.

Stay tuned for round 2 soon! 

The post Collagen Peptides FAQ: Answering 20 Questions about Collagen Supplements appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Research into the gut-muscle axis finds some interesting connections between the role of inflammation and gut microbiota in the development of muscle failure in older populations.

The implications is also relevant in more general terms because of the role of gut microbiota (GM), probiotic supplementation, and the impact on muscular development.

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Postmenopausal women deal with the struggles of managing their weight, their cholesterol, and many other health related issues. A new study in The Journal of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) found dancing effective in lowering cholesterol levels, improving fitness and body composition, and self-esteem in postmenopausal women.

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The big boys of fashionable fitness, Equinox and SouldCycle, will be requiring proof of vaccination of all of their New York attendees starting early in September. In an internal survey of its members and employees, Equinox had found that an overwhelming majority of support for its vaccine mandate.

So, no biggie. Sadly, all of SoulCycle’s cycles go nowhere, no matter how hard you pedal, so if you just have to sit there and take the abuse if the anti-vaxxers come up on you all, “don’t card me vaccine Nazi!”

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Sleep is fascinating. We all know it is good for us, and most of us would like to get more, yet, according to research, 43.2% of adults are sleep deprived.

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