Problems and Solutions

Your body probably looks similar to one of these shapes.

Overweight

Average

Underweight

Fit

And you probably desire to be fit and healthy.

Problems

"I'm always hungry."

Appetites are increasing and we're eating bigger portions.

"I don't feel like moving."

We move less and sit around more.

"I can't help eating this."

Donuts are delicious and sugary foods are more addictive than cocaine.

"I'm always tired and in pain."

Many of us are suffering from anxiety, depression, stress, obesity, diabetes, and lack of sleep. Many of us require medication.

"No matter how hard I try, I can't get the weight off."

We're confused and frustrated. Orange juice is bad for you, yet oranges are good? Why?

Solutions

1. Most of your meals have to be homecooked. This is non-negotiable.
2. For every meal, eat twice as many vegetable portions as meat portions.
3. Does it have added sugar? Don't eat or drink it!
4. For every hour you spend on computer/television/phone screen time, match with exercise time. Too much? Then you probably can make time to exercise for just 1 hour, 3 times a week.
5. Many of us can improve our quality of life, be happier, appear younger, and live longer just by making lifestyle changes.

The solutions are here. Internalizing them is a process.

Comparing Diets

The Two Diets

Diet #1

100 Grams per Item

1. Spinach, 2. broccoli, 3. orange, 4. eggs, 5. salmon, 6. kidney beans 1. Water, 2. tea, 3. black coffee, 4. coconut water, 5. beer, 6. wine

Diet #2

100 Grams per Item

1. Pizza, 2. ice cream, 3. French fries, 4. bagel, 5. cheesecake, 6. chocolate bars 1. Pop/soda, 2. energy drink, 3. juice, 4. blended coffee, 5. hot chocolate, 6. milkshake

Diet #1 and Diet #2 have a combined weight of 1.2 kg each. Let's break them down.

Comparing Foods

Water in Foods (100 g per Item)

Calories in Foods (100 g per Item)

Generally, the more water in your food, the less Calories you consume. Why? Because water has 0 Calories.

Comparing Drinks

Water in Drinks (100 g per Item)

Not much variance with water in the drinks here, however…

Calories in Drinks (100 g per Item)

The less sugar in your drinks, the less Calories you consume.

Why? Because water has 0 Calories and sugar has 4 Calories for every gram (mL).

Calories by Weight

Diet #1

Food Item (100 g)	Calories	Calories from Sugar	Drink (100 g)	Calories	Calories from Sugar
Spinach	23 kcal	(1 kcal)	Water	0 kcal	(0 kcal)
Broccoli	34 kcal	(7 kcal)	Tea	2 kcal	(0 kcal)
Orange	47 kcal	(36 kcal)	Black Coffee	2 kcal	(0 kcal)
Eggs	155 kcal	(4 kcal)	Coconut Water	19 kcal	(10 kcal)
Salmon	208 kcal	(0 kcal)	Beer	39 kcal	(2 kcal)
Kidney Beans	127 kcal	(1 kcal)	Wine	85 kcal	(2 kcal)
Total	594 kcal	(49 kcal)	Total	147 kcal	(14 kcal)

Diet #2

Food Item (100 g)	Calories	Calories from Sugar	Drink (100 g)	Calories	Calories from Sugar
Pizza	266 kcal	(14 kcal)	Pop/Soda	41 kcal	(41 kcal)
Ice Cream	207 kcal	(84 kcal)	Energy Drink	46 kcal	(40 kcal)
French Fries	312 kcal	(1 kcal)	Juice	45 kcal	(32 kcal)
Bagel	250 kcal	(24 kcal)	Blended Coffee	67 kcal	(30 kcal)
Cheesecake	321 kcal	(88 kcal)	Hot Chocolate	77 kcal	(40 kcal)
Chocolate Bars	462 kcal	(184 kcal)	Milkshake	140 kcal	(84 kcal)
Total	1818 kcal	(395 kcal)	Total	416 kcal	(267 kcal)

At the same portion weight, we're looking at 3X more Calories with Diet #2! Basically…

Equivalent Calories

Diet #1

3X more food and drinks

1. Spinach, 2. broccoli, 3. orange, 4. eggs, 5. salmon, 6. kidney beans 1. Water, 2. tea, 3. black coffee, 4. coconut water, 5. beer, 6. wine

Grand Total

2234 Calories

Diet #2

No change

1. Pizza, 2. ice cream, 3. French fries, 4. bagel, 5. cheesecake, 6. chocolate bars 1. Pop/soda, 2. energy drink, 3. juice, 4. blended coffee, 5. hot chocolate, 6. milkshake

Grand Total

2234 Calories

This simple demonstration shows that Calories is king.

But wait, there's more.

The Health Correlation

Water vs. Calories vs. Nutrients

Water

Water has zero Calories. The more water your food contains, the more hydrated and less hungry you become.

Calories

The more Calories you consume, the more weight you put on. Keep in mind, dietary fat has 9 Calories per gram vs. 4 for carbohydrates and for protein.

Nutrients

The more nutrients (vitamins and minerals) you consume, the healthier (and less hungry) you become. Remember, sugar has zero nutrients.

Note: The scale above is based on nutrient density per Calorie.

Habits and Health

Proper diet and exercise are the two core components of leading a healthy lifestyle. They have profound compounding effects that affect our overall well-being.

Most of us live the common Western lifestyle, which negatively affects our well-being.

Check out the causes and effects of these two very different lifestyle habits.

The Healthy Lifestyle

By changing a few major lifestyle habits, you can see how by even changing one positive action can create a chain of several positive effects for your mental and physical states.

Result: Fit

• Decreased risk of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease
• Decreased cholesterol and blood pressure
• Improved balance and mobility
• Improved physical attractiveness and libido
• Improved happiness, mood, and confidence
• Improved health and fitness

The Western Lifestyle

By indulging in just one poor lifestyle habit (e.g. eating more sugar), it can create other negative lifestyle habits. Since the actions and causes are largely interdependent, it is easy to fall into a downward spiral. One lifestyle action can create mental and physical consequences that then influence lifestyle decisions.

Result: Unhealthy

• Greater risk of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease
• Higher cholesterol and blood pressure
• Decreased balance and mobility
• Decreased physical attractiveness and libido
• Decreased happiness, mood, and confidence
• Decreased health and fitness

Keep in mind, a lifestyle means it's not temporary (like "dieting"). It's for life.

Understanding Foods

SSF Food Pyramid

What makes plants and animals so great?

Our species, Homo sapiens, appeared around 200,000 years ago. Bread became widespread only after the First Agricultural Revolution 10,000 years ago.

The math is clear: as humans, we started eating bread for only the last 5% of our existence. Taking it further, human-like species of the Homo genus came into existence two million years ago, which means our diets were virtually always restricted to what was available to forage in the existing environment, namely plants and animals.

Hence, food found in nature are what our brains and bodies were ultimately designed for. We were not designed to consume processed/refined foods such as added sugars, which became popular barely over 200 years ago.

Food Energy-Health Graph

Nutrient-dense foods are essential, which means that it's exactly what your body requires in order to function properly.

When you load up on junk food, sugars, and low-quality fats, you're getting all of the Calories and none of the benefits.

Nutrient density is what keeps you full – and keeps your body from overeating.

What Makes Unhealthy Meals?

Sugar, flour, salt, and fat are the main ingredients in food products that are high in Calories and low in nutrients.

Did you make that pasta by hand, or did you buy it processed? Did you bake that bread using 4 ingredients, or does your store-bought package list 13 ingredients? Is it sweet or is it savoury? There are many factors, but the answers are clear:

• Buy and consume whole foods. Homecooked meals made from fresh, whole ingredients are health-promoting.
• Restaurants, fast foods, pre-cooked packages (e.g. microwavable dinners) and processed stuff (e.g. macaroni and cheese) mostly serve meals that are fattening and unhealthy.

Looking at these two, are you feeling full or hungry? How much of each can you eat in one sitting?

Healthy Meals

SSF Diet

The Simple Science Fitness Diet focuses on nutrient-dense food sources based on the SSF food pyramid, list of essential foods, and energy-health graph.

You can follow the diet by using the suggested recipes or the healthy plate diagram.

The SSF Diet is the least restrictive compared to other popular diets and arguably works just as well, if not better, due to the flexibility, variety, balance, and ease of incorporating into a sustainable lifestyle.

In premium, you can learn about all the pros and cons of well-known diets including paleo, keto, Mediterranean, vegan/vegetarian, and MyPlate.

Healthy Plate

Based on the SSF Food Pyramid, this is what your ideal plate would look like.

Portion Sizes by Type

Macronutrients by Weight (g)

Note: The above is an average. In Premium, you'll see how the plate ratios change based on workout days and rest days.

Macronutrients by Calories (kcal)

Note: The above is an average. In Premium, you'll see how caloric intake ratios change based on workout days and rest days on a cut or on a bulk.

Nutritional Profiles

If each food group was a superhero, they would (on average) contain these nutritional profiles.

For comparison, here are some unhealthy food profiles.

Healthy Foods

Essential Foods

Below is your weekly checklist to stock your pantry and fridge. It factors in your required nutrients to make healthy meals.

Afterwards, we'll learn how to cook with these ingredients.

The following selections would allow you to assemble exclusively healthy meals.

Supplements

Do You Need Supplements?

Supplementation requirements depend on your fitness goals, health, and diet. Most supplements are a waste of money but there are a handful that have been shown to provide potential benefits.

The most beneficial are whey/pea protein, vitamin D3, fish oil, creatine, and caffeine from black coffee or tea.

Buying Supplements

High quality supplements at great prices can be purchased from these suggested links based on my own research. I also earn a small commission from the following links:

Making Meals

The Big Buts

"But I don't have time!"

Consider the time it takes to travel to a restaurant, wait for a meal (and dessert), wait for the bill, then consider the time it takes to travel back home. You could argue it's quicker at a fast food restaurant, but it's certainly not healthier or cheaper.

Cooking can actually save you time if you make lots of it in one go to produce leftovers. For example, one can make from scratch shepherd's pie, jambalaya, and chunky chicken soup in 1.5 hours. That's a lot of meals.

"But healthy foods are expensive!"

Not necessarily. I'm not talking about healthy food products, but rather whole foods. While prices of whole foods do vary by location, it's important to know what is inexpensive in the region you live in. For example, if you live near the coast, fish is likely cheaper.

Also, buying food in bulk or buying from a local market will save you significantly more than from most commercial grocery stores.

Lastly, do consider that individual and societal medical- and health-related costs can be significantly more expensive.

"But I'm tired and I'm not motivated!"

Hunger is one of the most motivating human forces, and making a quick meal is as simple as simmering buckwheat or quinoa, blending a shake, or microwaving a meal out of Foundation: Express.

Add in an apple and some almonds and you'll feel like having more motivation.

Cooking Essentials

The links below are based on my own experience with these products, and of my recommendations. I earn a small commission through sales from these links.

Cutting Board

Bamboo cutting boards are great at resisting moisture so that bacteria doesn't form. It's also strong enough to take on the sharpest of knives.

Chef's Knife

One high quality chef's knife is all you need for all of your chopping.

Utensils

These essential utensils help measure out your ingredients and put them to use in your cookware. Wooden spoons don't scratch up your cookware and don't conduct heat.

Cookware

In most cases, one large cast iron and a pressure cooker, good pot, or Dutch oven may be all that you need for the coming decades. Whatever you choose, here are the highly recommended choices.

Cooktop

You likely already have an electric or gas stovetop, so you don't really need an induction oven. What's great about an induction oven is that it heats quickly, is easy to clean, and takes up little space. Note that induction ovens only work with cookware that contains iron such as cast iron, Dutch ovens, or some stainless steel.

Other Cooking Items

Not essential, but these items can be very useful and convenient.

SSF Make-a-Meal

Make all kinds of stir-fries, soups, and stews with this simple cooking method.

1. The Base

Select three or four bases (aromatic vegetables) and chop into small, uniform pieces.

Cook with an oil or fat, stirring occasionally, at medium temperature for 10–15 minutes. The bases are finished when they appear soft and "sweaty."

2. The Meat

While you are cooking your base, pick one (recommended) or two types of meat. Cut into pieces if required. Slather on salt, plus any appropriate herbs, spices, and seasonings.

Cook separately with an oil or fat at medium heat until the meat is browned and cooked properly in the center.

3. The Stock

Next, pick a liquid stock (e.g. water, broth, milk, wine, beer).

Add more water if you are making a soup.

4. The Bulk

Lastly, mix in the base, meat, and stock with one or two starches (e.g. potatoes, beans, lentils, rice, quinoa, buckwheat).

Cook covered at simmering temperature for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Feel free to add in more vegetables.

Why Exercise?

What's the Point of Exercise?

Aside from the fact our bodies were designed to run, jump, climb, crawl, and lift, there are numerous mental and physical benefits that contributes to overall happiness.

Mental Benefits	Physical Benefits	Result
More energy	Less lethargy
Improved fortitude	Improved resilience
Better sleep	Better strength, stamina, and endurance
Lower stress, anxiety, and depression	Slows down biological aging
Improved sharpness and alertness	Improved performance
Increased testosterone	Improved libido and sexual ability
Better tolerance to cortisol (stress hormone)	Stronger immune system, reduced cholesterol and improved heart health
Releases irisin, a fat-burning hormone	Weight reduction and management
Improved affirmation	Improved mobility
Improved confidence	Improved aesthetics

The Big Buts

"But I don't have time!"

If you have time for TV and Internet… Besides, you can have a solid workout in just 30 minutes.

"But I don't have money or space!"

Bodyweight fitness is free and can be done virtually anywhere.

"But I'm tired!"

Post-exercise gives you an energy boost and helps you sleep better.

"But I'm not motivated!"

External factors are not responsible for your personal well-being. Since you are in full control of your body, your health is in your own hands.

The Big Question

How do I lose weight and build muscle?

This question has been asked a million times. The solution is really, really, really simple. Simple, but not easy. It is human nature to choose the path of least resistance. In other words, most people are lazy and tend to make excuses.

If you really want to build muscle or burn fat, you'll have to put in some physical effort beyond a proper diet.

How to Build Muscle and Burn Fat

Muscle Growth

Time Under Tension

In this illustration, you can see how time under tension works. In the lowering phase (eccentric movement), the bicep is resisting against gravity and the weight of the dumbbell. When full range of motion is achieved (lengthening), the bicep can then contract (concentric movement).

Ideally, eccentric movements (with gravity) should be slower while concentric movements (against gravity) are "explosive."

Human Limitations

If the weight is heavy enough (not too heavy), there are a limited number of repetitions the body can endure per set. There is an interdependent balance between our abilities and limitations, mentally and physically.

The Sweet Spot

"Resistance training" is a type of hypertrophy, strength, or weight lifting program. It falls under the sweet spot for not only its benefits, but because it is the most efficient type of training. Resistance training workouts can be achieved for only a few times a week and for as short as 30 minutes per workout.

Fat Burning

Diet is king, but pairing it with exercise is essential. Observe why exercise accelerates and compounds fat burning:

1. A single high-intensity workout uses up Calories.
2. That high-intensity workout gives metabolic and hormonal benefits for up to 48 hours.
3. Energy (Calories) is required to repair and build muscle.
4. Increased muscle mass means more food energy (Calories) required to maintain that new muscle mass.

Essentially, when combined with exercise, you could potentially eat a few hundred extra Calories per day just to maintain your body weight!

Of course, you can get excellent exercise through sports, swimming, or climbing, among many others, but when it comes to the trade-off between results and time, resistance training, especially at high intensity, gives you the best value.

Seeing Results

Progressive Overload

Building upon physiological challenges to adapt mentally and physically, in order to see improved fitness results is called progressive overload.

Here's a rough illustration of this concept:

The more you can lift and the longer you can last, the stronger you have become. Don't expect overnight changes or miracles. It takes time and consistency.

You start with your own unique baseline, and you build from there.

Each week, you try to improve upon the previous week through adaptation. When you improve your progression, you slowly and surely will start to see and feel results. You can improve your weekly workout progression in a number of ways:

• ↑ resistance weight
• ↑ leverage
• ↑ repetitions
• ↑ sets
• ↑ exercises
• ↓ rest time

Remember, your progression also depends on the quality of your diet and sleep.

The Big Six

The following six powerful compound exercises work your entire body. They are essential movements and are the foundation of your physical abilities.

Vertical Push

Lower Body

Squat

Type: Barbell weight training

Described as the king of all exercises, squats work primarily the legs and is often considered a full-body exercise. The barbell squat is probably the most intense yet rewarding of all exercises to perform. Front squats are a superior alternative or addition to the barbell (back) squat.

Learn: Video and Technique

Primary Muscles

• Quads
• Hamstrings
• Glutes

Secondary Muscles

• Abs
• Spinal erectors

Substitutions

Upper Body

Overhead Press

Type: Barbell weight training

Also known as the barbell military press, this excellent shoulder exercise also works on the arms.

Learn: Video and Technique

Primary Muscles

• Deltoids

Secondary Muscles

• Traps
• Triceps
• Abs

Substitutions

Vertical Pull

Lower Body

Deadlift

Type: Barbell weight training

Often competing with squats for the king of all exercises, this powerful movement works the entire posterior chain. Deadlifts are also taxing on the central nervous system, so short and heavy are usually enough. If you cannot deadlift due to an injury, a combination of planks, ring rows, chin-ups, and dips may help.

Learn: Video 1, Video 2, Technique 1, and Technique 2

Primary Muscles

• Spinal erectors
• Hamstrings
• Glutes
• Traps

Secondary Muscles

• Quads
• Abs
• Forearms

Substitutions

Upper Body

Chin-Up

Type: Bodyweight training

The chin-up is a powerful exercise for the lats and underrated as a bicep builder. Beginners will often struggle with only one or two reps, but over time, even weighted or leveraged chin-ups would be possible. Chin-ups are palms facing toward the body while pull-ups are palms facing away. Arnold Schwarzenegger considers the chin-up to be the best bodyweight exercise.

Learn: Video 1, Video 2 and Technique

Primary Muscles

• Lats
• Biceps

Secondary Muscles

• Traps
• Pectorals
• Triceps

Substitutions

Horizontal Push

Bench Press

Type: Barbell weight training

Often included in the "big three," this chest exercise is also a good arm builder. Push-ups are an excellent alternative when using body leverage and with gymnastic rings.

Learn: Video and Technique

Primary Muscles

• Pectorals

Secondary Muscles

• Deltoids
• Triceps
• Biceps

Substitutions

Horizontal Pull

Barbell Row

Type: Barbell weight training

An exercise that works the full back, including traps, lats, and rhomboids. If doing the barbell row, ensure that the movement starts and ends with the barbell on the ground. Gymnastic ring rows are a fantastic alternative and is preferred for injury prevention.

Learn: Video and Technique

Primary Muscles

• Full back

Substitutions

Gyms

Home Gym

If you are comfortable working out alone, then a home gym is a convenient and excellent long-term financial investment. The recommendations below are all that are necessary to build an effective, quality home gym where you can perform many exercises, including the Big Six Lifts.

The links below are based on my own experience or research with these products, and of my recommendations. I earn a small commission through sales from these links.

Gym Memberships

Gym memberships are useful when accessing equipment that you don't have at home. It may be motivating to work out with other people, however it's low-cost only in the short term.

Personal Trainers

If you are an absolute beginner, unsure of how to do proper form and technique, or would like to have guidance and motivation, working with a personal trainer can be a worthwhile investment.

Gym Attire

T-shirts, shorts, and athletic wear are suitable attire to wear for training. Many enjoy listening to songs with with smart watches. For footwear while doing heavy weights, flat-bottomed shoes such as the Converse Chuck Taylor and Vibram Fivefingers are recommended. Some go barefoot while working out at home. The Vibram Fivefingers are also useful for running, along with a variety of other running shoes.

Our Stories

My Story

“There's a perception that there are secrets to attaining exceptional fitness. Except, there are no secrets, because exceptional fitness has always been attainable.

Here's my story.

Two decades ago, during my teens, I was strict about my diet and fitness. Or so I thought. I worked really hard and yet, I wasn't seeing results.

Everyone had faith in the well-known dietary guidelines from the government, media, and even science. While I carefully followed their guidelines, I couldn't seem to shed off that excess fat. I struggled to see that elusive six pack. Despite all my best efforts, the last straw was when my doctor told me that my blood pressure was too high. Imagine being told that when you're 20 years old.

Misconceptions, outdated information, broscience, corporate greed, however you want to call it – dominated the fitness world. A lot of unlearning was needed. I went back to the basics. After trial and error and extensive research over the years, I pieced together solutions that worked. And it worked really well. At first, I packed on serious mass up to 215 lbs on my 5'10" frame. It was when I effortlessly burned off 40 lbs in 4 months that everything clicked together.

After getting a NCAA-accredited certification in Personal Training, and maintaining a lean 185 lbs in my late 30s, I am the healthiest person I know. Despite having obesity genes [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] uncovered from genetic testing, I apparently have the health of a teenager (so my doctor says), given my excellent blood work and ideal blood pressure.

While this website has been a valuable resource for thousands of people over several years, new research continues to validate my work. This indicates that the site has been ahead of its time, but we're actually only rediscovering what we've been programmed for all along.

I've accumulated knowledge that will work for your goals of losing weight, gaining muscle, and living longer. By maintaining this mission to share information that is timeless, I am helping numerous people achieve their health and fitness goals through common sense nutrition and exercise, all backed up by science.”

My Wife's Story

“Lazy, impatient, indulgent – not my best qualities. Especially when I want to meet certain fitness goals: 1) looking 'toned' but not bulky, 2) keeping my energy up, and, 3) feeling good about myself.

After over 10 years of trying different workout regimes and classes, I finally found something that works for me! While I was initially skeptical of my husband's guidelines for diet and exercise, I’m now in the best shape of my life! I’ve never seen my arms so toned or my legs so slender. By making small changes such as three 30 minute workouts per week and having balanced homemade meals from my husband's recipes, I’ve finally found a healthy lifestyle that is easy to maintain.”

Memberships

Social Media

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Twitter: @simplescifit

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