How much protein does one need to be in nitrogen balance?

The figure below, from Brooks et al. (2005), shows a graph relating nitrogen balance and protein intake. A nitrogen balance of zero is a sta...

Should you do resistance exercise to failure?

Doing resistance exercise to failure is normally recommended for those who want to maximize strength and muscle mass gains from the exercis...

The lowest-mortality BMI: What is its relationship with fat-free mass?

Do overweight folks live longer? It is not uncommon to see graphs like the one below, from the Med Journal Watch blog ( ), suggesting that, ...

Gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time: A more customized approach based on strength training and calorie intake variation

In the two last posts I discussed the idea of gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time ( ) ( ). This post outlines one approach to mak...

Gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time: Various issues and two key requirements

In my previous post ( ), I mentioned that the idea of gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time seems impossible to most people because...

HCE user experience: The anabolic range may be better measured in seconds than repetitions

It is not uncommon for those who do weight training to see no gains over long periods of time for certain weight training exercises (e.g., o...

Protein powders before fasted weight training? Here is a more natural and cheaper alternative

The idea that protein powders should be consumed prior to weight training has been around for a while, and is very popular among bodybuilder...

Finding your sweet spot for muscle gain with HCE

In order to achieve muscle gain, one has to repeatedly hit the “supercompensation” window, which is a fleeting period of time occurring at s...

Maybe you should stop trying to be someone you are not

Many people struggle to lose body fat, and never quite make it to their optimal. Fewer people manage to do so successfully, and, as soon as ...

Do you lose muscle if you lift weights after a 24-hour fast? Probably not if you do that regularly

Compensatory adaptation (CA)  is an idea that is useful in the understanding of how the body reacts to inputs like dietary intake of macronu...

Does strength exercise increase nitrogen balance?

This previous post  looks at the amounts of protein needed to maintain a nitrogen balance of zero. It builds on data about individuals doing...

How much protein does one need to be in nitrogen balance?

This post has been revised and re-published . The original comments are preserved below.

Strength training: A note about Scooby and comments by Anon

Let me start this post with a note about Scooby , who is a massive bodybuilder who has a great website with tips on how to exercise at home...

How lean should one be?

Loss of muscle mass is associated with aging. It is also associated with the metabolic syndrome, together with excessive body fat gain. It i...