What do you want to know?
So I’m going to start writing a new book about health/fitness/diet but I don’t really know where to start and what issues to tackle or what questions to answer or what problems need solving.
What do You Want to Learn?
In the past few months we’ve had some good discussions on this blog and it’s becoming apparent to me that I don’t really know what you want to learn about when it comes to health and fitness. Some topics that I thought were really important seemed to get glossed over…and then other topics that I thought were old news and obvious seemed to get the most interest and discussion.
So I need your help.I need to know what this book has to say to be the most useful diet/fitness/health book for you.
Here are the things we got covered so far:
1) Eating for weight loss – We’ve got this covered with Eat Stop Eat and all of the Eat Stop Eat family of materials that really explain how fat loss really works.
2) How Much Protein for Muscle Building – We’ve already got this covered with Brad’s book “How Much Protein”
3) Working out for your best proportioned look – We’ve got this covered with Adonis Index and soon to be available the Venus Index
My thought at this point is a book about the diet/health/fitness industry and how to tell what is truth from what is nonsense. I guess you could say it would be a diet/fitness/health myth busting manifesto…a proverbial handbook or user’s guide to the health and fitness industry.
I’ve been so far into this industry for so long that it’s easy for me to forget that you probably don’t have a graduate degree in nutrition and human physiology, or a career formulating and developing sports supplements, and haven’t been a strength and conditioning coach, or done clinical trial research, or trained with a powerlifting team or any of the stuff that I’ve been doing for the past 15 years.
So I need your help. I need you to let me know what you want to know. Your answer will be what I use to formulate the basis and topics of this new book.
For now the project name is called “The Health and Fitness Survival Guide” …I think this is an ironic sounding name because the words health and fitness seem to already be synonymous with ‘survival’!
Please put your suggestions in the comments section.
John
76 Responses to “What do you want to know?”
Leave a Reply
Blogs
Getting in your best shape for women
Building the perfect body for men
The most flexible diet you will ever find-
March 14th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
The myth busting manifesto sounds like a good plan. You need to take everything that doesn’t matter and put the lies to rest. If you don’t eat every 6 hours your metabolism will slow down…you must eat/drink protein before and after every workout…people need to do slow cardio to lose weight, etc.
People think that all this stuff is true and it’s keeping them from their goal of fat loss.
A good source for your book might be going back through your podcasts and find things that you’ve covered in there but not in Eat Stop Eat, How Much Protein, and Adonis Effect.
Will this be an eBook or will it be printed? Have you guys ever tried to get a publishing house to print your material. Part of the problem is the fact that your not catching the eye of a lot of the people who need your material. They’re in Borders, Barnes & Noble and your stuff isn’t there. I look in the diet section occasionally, usually just to see what they’re pushing this week and the only book I’ve seen come close to the truth is “Low Calorie Dieting for Dummies.” Maybe you could look at some of these books and prove their claims are false. Good luck.
March 14th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
It’s a sticking point for a lot of us. We just don’t have the technical know-how to evaluate research, claims, etc. I’ve thought about reading some books and learning more about this. I assume it would take a lot of work to really become knowledgeable in these areas, and I’m a bit on the lazy side. lol. Right now I’m just trying not to react too much to the alarmist stuff out there. I can’t really debate the fearmongering, I can only ignore it. Not that I need to debate it. I just need to listen to you and the Brad’s and eat less and that’s enough. At any rate, Brad just wrote a blog about reducing stress, and at the very least, seeing through the BS will reduce our stress levels. That’s a good thing.
March 14th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
First of all, I really appreciate what you and the Brad’s are doing so much because I actually have a workout goal now.
One issue that I see a lot of is the timing of meals, ratio of macronutrients and all that stuff. Does it matter? Where is the research that says timing your meals makes you perform better (from a workout point of view)? That is one issue I would like to see covered.
March 14th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
hey john, hmmm…not a big fan of the title but looking forward to the book, i would say something that incorporate all of the different book ie. eat stop eat, how much protein, adonis effect and kind of just tie it all together. one of the reason i became a big fan of u is that i been following your progress since december and it motivated me to get off my butts and do the same thing so the book could be about your progress from 210+ pounds to 176 pounds based on scientific facts. let’s face it, most of the diet guru’s are never fat to start with, what the hell they going to teach anyone else. I don’t even see brad pilon being fat at any time but i know for a fact you were fat and you sure know what your talking about. thank you
March 14th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Manny,
And that was only when I was 215 or so. 5-6 years ago I was even bigger (235lbs or so)! man I must have been fat…that was during my powerlifting/bulking days when I was telling myself that it was mostly muscle and eating tonnes of calories to build more muscle yadda yadda…I was just lying to myself!
It’s nice to be out of the perpetual ‘bulking’ cycle and into the living lean portion of my life…I’ll never go back.
JB
March 14th, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Sorry, I guess I am not much of a help. I’m REALLY interested in the Venus index and how my measurements compair right now with whatever info you will be providing. I try not to worry about the scale, as long as my measurements are going down and the clothes are fitting right. –Jennifer
March 14th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
Hey John,
I find the most interesting stuff from you guys the stuff you write from the aesthetic perspective on physique. There are lots of people who teach how to lose weight, gain muscle, or become more healthy but you are the only resource I know of for building a physique that’s optimal for attracting women.
I would say anything else along this vein would be great. Like:
- The fine micro-details of how individual muscles or muscle groups should look to maximize aesthetic appeal
- How the variations of your individual body can affect ideal shoulder to waist ratio, and the other ratios on your body. Examples: your height, your race, the size of your head, etc.
- “Shaping” exercises designed specifically to make micro-adjustments in the look of a particular muscle group.
- Aesthetic elements beyond muscle, such as your vascularity, flexibility, and posture
- Ways to use your physique to attract women…I have found the way you present and use your physique makes a huge difference and I’m sure you have too.
-Dan
March 14th, 2010 at 6:26 pm
I agree with the masses on myth busting…no BS approach. Also maybe tying everything together and focus some on non fasting days. As you know, it’s relatively easy to blow 2 days worth of fasting in 5 days. People like to know what you guys eat on non fasting days as an example. Looking forward to info on the Venus Index as well
Do you teach anything in regards to nutrient timing? or is that worth considering when in a deficit?
March 14th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
John, I have been meaning to write a letter to you arguing that you and Barban should collaborate on a book about exercise and eating for life extension, as there is now a whole body of evidence I have read outside of your own work that A.) caloric restriction is the number one way to increase lifespan in mammals, and B.) resistance training is ESSENTIAL to a healthy, active lifestyle well into your later years. I would also be interested in knowing how essential cardio is in that long lifespan; it seems to me that long-lived Chinese probably are not running on treadmills. I have also heard the main benefit of cardio seems to be cancer risk; aerobic athletes get cancer at a far lower rate than the general population.
Of course, a myth busters book would be a quick and easy write for you as well.
Why not do both?
March 14th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Anthony,
There isn’t enough evidence for it to make a solid book…but there isn’t enough evidence against it to myth bust it. In other words, the research just isn’t there yet.
Brad and I attended a scientific conference on life extension/longevity research at the university of cambridge (UK) this past september because we were researching this exact concept.
Our take home message is that the research isn’t quite there yet. And it seems that the most we’ll ever be able to do for life extension is calorie restriction and weight training…in it seems that intermittent fasting style of calorie restriction might actually be the best way to calorie restrict…
But all of this is just speculation as it can never be studied in humans.
JB
March 14th, 2010 at 8:12 pm
John,
I really loved the podcast in which you deconstructed the HIIT study. I would love to read a book that really breaks down the different studies that all of the industries claims are based on. I think that is one of the biggest gaps between people who participate in the industry and the ones who run the industry. If we had a lay-person bible helping us navigate the scientific studies that run the industry I think it would be a huge help.
I would also be really interested in a technical to semi-technical anatomy based book that explains from the cellar/gene/hormonal level up how muscle is built and fat is lost.
March 14th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
I like the myth busting idea.
One thing I would like to see in depth is the Starvation Mode issue, together with more information on “Dieter’s Edema, and how such false gains confuse the issue. Similiar to Brad Pilon’s paper on this, but taking it further.
I’d like to see something showing minimum energy requirement differences of large and very small people…especially women.
Something like a graduated scale of general calorie intake RMR recommendations, starting with rock bottom numbers,..like that 800 basic calorie number you mentioned recently…how does that differ for small people…Surely it can’t be the same rock bottom number for large people and for small people.
I’d like more basic calorie information that would be very supportive to smaller women, especially those who, like me, are choosing a sedentary lifestyle as we age. Although there are many small women who have to work very hard to get and stay small, almost every diet book is geared to the “average” size person, giving food, calorie information, and food plans which (if followed) actually would cause weight gain in small females..especially older ones.
“The secrets of Skinny Chicks” by Karen Bridson, is almost the only “diet” book out that has realistic information on what specific women do to maintain their ideal bodies. It refers to 20 actual people..what they eat and how they exercise. But I would like to see an explaination of the discrepancy (such as is demonstrated in the book, but not explained) between the “recommended” energy numbers, and the calorie number breakdown of how females “really” eat and exercise.
The difficulty of maintaining weight loss, and the body’s struggle to regain lost weight is also a Topic of much interest.
March 14th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
You did the ideal male body, the ideal female body. I guess the next logical thing to do is the ideal pet (dog,cat) body. Just a thought
March 14th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
Some of the most successful personal improvement books I’ve read have been full of research to back up claims made. Books like “Learned Optimism”, “Flow”, “Emotional Intelligence” and others use practical English and relevant anecdotes to translate what the research says.
If you could do this with an eye on myth busting the fitness/nutrition industry, I think the book will do well.
March 14th, 2010 at 11:45 pm
John, I 2nd Phyllis. There really isn’t enough info (at least that I’ve seen) for true calorie needs for small women.
March 15th, 2010 at 5:33 am
Brad, I think you should write a blog post about yourself. As narcissistic and irrelevant as it may sound, I’m sure many of us would like to know how you got into this whole fitness thing, when you started, what did you do first, your interest in college that led you to the degree and masters you pursued, and some tidbits about your life, whether you’re single, attached, and how (if you did) you noticed life has changed with the change of perspective towards the perfect body and the company of people you’ve sought out and have attracted to you ever since. It’ll add great perspective to understanding many of the blog posts you wrote before and in the future!
March 15th, 2010 at 5:35 am
Oops, I meant John! I was reading your post and the name Brad Pilon just stuck to me because i was thinking about his book on How Much Protein! Lol. I meant you John Barban, should write a blog post about yourself!
March 15th, 2010 at 8:13 am
John:
what about cellular senescence… isn’t the theory at least pretty sound, even though it’s hard to study in humans?
March 15th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Anthony,
Yes there seems to be evidence for cellular senescence, but there’s nothing we can do about it per se. Not anything from a lifestyle diet/exercise standpoint…any innovation in lifespan will be an engineering genetic/medical/technology intervention…the best we can do is stay healthy enough long enough that hopefully when a new technology is discovered we’ll be around to use it.
JB
March 15th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Great idea on the myth busting manifesto…and I would include a chapter on one of the “biggest” myths out there of eating “clean”.
March 15th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
One of the most overlooked areas of any successful weight loss, eat better, eat quality foods mantra is the aspect of discipline. There are far too many excuses and reasons disguised as a lack of discipline. It isn’t the program that fails, but the individual who fails the program.
March 15th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
How about figuring out a workable definition for the word “healthy,” then nutrition/exercise recommendations to work toward that definition?
March 15th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
I would love to see some real guidelines for water intake for athletes and those seeking weight loss. In recent years, the medical community has confessed that the “eight 8oz glasses of water a day” guideline that we’ve all heard has no research supporting it and they aren’t even sure where it came from on the first place! Yet, fitness books continue to stress the notion of drinking lots of water (even more than 64oz). I am curious whether there is actually anything to back that up for athletes (or those desiring weight-loss) or whether that is as invented as the recently-debunked recommendation for the general public.
March 15th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
I know that being gluten-free makes me feel better but have never been tested for intolerance. I believe it is improving my health, not just limiting my carb intake. Are there only gluten intolerant people and then everyone else, or is there a continuum? I do not believe that this has been fully decided.
March 15th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
How about information on age and diet and fitness? In other words, do you have to work out longer and harder and/or eat less to get the same results as a younger person?
I think you should also address slow weight training. I find that research very interesting and it’s the approach I currently use.
March 15th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
I would like to know more about over eating & leptin levels followed by IF for fat loss & how it may help bust through plateaus. Does it work or is it just another one of those myths floating around the net.
March 15th, 2010 at 3:28 pm
How about core muscles. I know that since I’ve been living a sedentary lifestyle, post-college, my core muscles have really gone south. Is there a way to restrengthen them that can be incorporated into your day-to-day without requiring a new regimen?
March 15th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
How about writing about strength and general fitness training for those of us over 60? I have nagging problems with shoulder pain, but want to continue lifting and stretching on a regular basis. If these is a body of good research out there about fitness training for “seasoned citizens”, I for one would like to hear more about it.
March 15th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Tips for vegans–not to persuade people to be vegan, but making sure to have tips for people who are vegan, or are thinking about it.
Maximum amount of exercise needed for good health–different from being thin. Some thin people don’t exercise or eat well at all!
March 15th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Hey!
I ain’t dead yet!
What have you got in your bag of tricks for us studious oldsters who haven’t exercised a day in our lives. (My excuse is Exercise-Induced Asthma so I am not about to start now.)
I’ll wait for the book. But don’t take too long, I am 88 years old.
Iz Olin
—————-
March 15th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Comparative review of exercises/movements efficiency for a bodypart.
March 15th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
How bout writing about a proccess on how to get into the best shape possible for an upcoming event, such as a wedding, vacation, etc.. And strategies on how to not gain weight while you are there while still eating all the good food
March 15th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
I have read a variety of material on the quality vs quantity of calories on fat gain. I’ve even read up on some studies that were performed showing that when only the highest quality of foods are consumed, regardless of calories over a certain period of time, no gain in body fat resulted. On the other hand, there is more than enough information out there that states even with the healthiest of items (ex. raw walnuts, avocados, veggies, etc), body fat can and will increase if the calorie consumption exceeds one’s own daily maintainance amount. This is a very debatable topic which I’d LOVE to read and learn more about!!!!
Another great topic I’m still a bit fuzzy on is the relation of food converting to body fat. At what point does this occur? For example, if I decide to consume an entire box of oreos, when/how much of these calories are converted to body fat? Is it possible to “work off” excess calories BEFORE they are converted to fat? how much time do we have to do this?? Is it possible to “undo” a poor eating choice the day after? Elaboration on this would be great.
March 15th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
I would like you to write a manual showing exercises to strengthen muscles so that the underlying BONES would be improved. Not for “body building” or huge muscle development, but for bone health. Are there different exercises for a “big” muscle versus a “strong” muscle? Bones need strong muscles. With osteoporosis becoming a huge problem for the aging population, and the recommendation that “weight bearing exercise” be done, does this mean body weight exercises are sufficient or is weight lifting essential? What are the best exercises to strengthen the femur neck (the location of most fractures)?
With the recent exposure of the true consequences of osteoporosis drugs (they actually increase fracture risk) people must learn how to prevent and reverse the disease.
It would also be interesting to see actual studies done on creating an alkaline diet which is the healthiest for bone health. Dr. Young says it must be done with a vegan diet, but the paleo people insist it is possible with meat but no dairy, no grains and no legumes. I eat over 5 lbs. a day of raw green vegetables, no grains, no legumes, but I do eat low fat dairy and yet have an ACID result to urine ansd saliva testing. Why? Supplements containing magnesium stearate?
March 15th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Hi, I have tried various of the suggestions like ESE and others to loose some kilos. Somehow it does not work. I am 72 and try to loose 6-8 kilo. Nothing works. Why is that? Perhaps others have similar difficulties?
March 15th, 2010 at 4:43 pm
One question that has always puzzled me is if it is possible to Gain Muscle and cut fat at the same time. I have always heard the old wisdom that in order to gain muscle you have to take in 2500 calories more than you burn but of course to lose fat you need to burn more calories than you take in SO IS IT POSSIBLE TO DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME OR SHOULD ONE JUST LOOK TO DO EACH SEPERATLY?
March 15th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Eat stop eat is good but its not easy. Your body tries to trick you any way it can to eat if you stop. I have found that eat breakfast, don’t eat lunch, then eat supper works. You can do this consistently and you don’t get as hungry.
March 15th, 2010 at 5:13 pm
I would like to know once and for all whether studying hard requires calories above and beyond the BMR. Why do I get so hungry when I study, but am sitting on my butt all day? How can I get through the next 6 years of university without piling on the kilos? Thanks john!
March 15th, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Hey John
Like Christina, would love to hear your take on the studies that seem to imply that eating only ‘high quality’ foods has not resulted in increased fat gain, and also really interested to find out the actual time it takes for calories to be converted to actual body fat! Scales are obviously not reflective simply of body fat, but pretty much every woman I speak to has an underlying belief / idea that there seems to be a time lag from a period of over-eating to actually seeing / being aware of the fat!
Also would love to find out more about the different alkaline recommendations (every food list you read says something different!).
Thanks!
Caroline
March 15th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
Hello John,
i know that there has been a buzz around Hollywood bodies, and how exactly they achieved their physique. But with one Actor (Ryan Reynolds) i believe their has been some false information shared on how he truly dieted and worked out to get the body he got. I’ve done as much research on this as the next person and it still seems like a very skeptical case. well if you have any free time i would like to hear your professional view on this subject.
March 15th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
I’d love to know more about whether a plant-based diet (no meat, dairy, or their derivative products) is really healthier than a standard clean-eating, body-building diet. I’d like to know whether it is possible and advisable to follow a plant-based diet for achieving optimal body composition. I think the whole vegan movement is really gaining steam and it’s an attractive way of life to many folks looking to limit their exposure to chronic disease, help the environment, and (maybe most importantly) kick nasty junk-food habits. What I really want to know is–will following a plant-based diet provide any real advantages for a person wanting to look awesome?!
March 15th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
I would really appreciate to see some nutritional information for vegetarians. Almost all diet books have plans and recipes that assume one eats meat/fish. It would be great to see if or how you can get similar nutritional value with a vegetarian diet.
March 15th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
Hey John,
I think something on weight loss with muscle gains for the average person would be cool. I read so much (no offense) about the AI Index, having a caveman’s body, bulking, cutting, etc.
What about just getting in shape for your health, family, and longevity? I get the whole ego thing and trust me I don’t do it without enjoying the progress and the ‘experiment of me’ as you say.
But, in the end, I just want to be healthy (whatever that means in my terms, not some magazine, book, or website). So, six pack abs? Sure, would be cool, but don’t really care. Would rather be able to bike for a couple of hours and enjoy a summer day. Big wide shoulders to impress women. Whatever, I have a woman. Don’t care to have them for others… and so on.
That’s what I want.
Jim
March 15th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
@Ty — You don’t need anybody’s professional view on buffed out Hollywood stars. Use your head. It’s drugs. Norton in American History X? Drugs. Bale in Batman? Drugs. That kid in the Twilight movies? Drugs. You see somebody who gets paid to take his shirt off and looks UNBELIEVABLE, assume drugs. You’ll be right three times out of four.
@J.B. — I’d love to see somebody target a book for so-called intermediate trainees — people one, two, maybe three years into their programs. There are tons and tons of “get started” programs, and a fair number of specialty or advanced programs, but I guess nobody thinks there’s money to be made from the folks in between.
But what if you seem to be doing everything right, are working hard, and STILL aren’t getting the results? What if you’ve been working on your deadlift for a year and still can’t pull your bodyweight? What if you’ve been doing YTWLs for months on end and your shoulders still ache? I think lifters need a trouble-shooting guide.
March 15th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
I would like to see micro nutrients covered in detail. People talk about vitamins and minerals like they are an essential supplement, but do they make a difference? Especially when eating low calorie – if I only eat 1 meal a day am I getting all the micro nutrients I need? Should I take a multi-vitamin?
March 15th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
I would love to her your views on HGH pills and sprays that are all the rage. If any of them actually work and if so, are the sprays better than the pills.
March 15th, 2010 at 7:14 pm
I got one for you…the big T…TESTOSTERONE!
Have you seen how big this has been getting attention recentlty.
“Eat this and boost test”…”Do this workout and boost test”…”Breath like this and…blah blah blah.
You get the point, most people you have encountered have wanted to gain musle I bet, even in order to achieve the Adonis index and what not, but how much is really needed?
At what point does the test receptors saturate? Do some foods really help? Do some workouts really help?
We have seen many bodybuilders overdo the test, yet manage to gain only 5 pounds with massive quantities, yet a teenager just starting out can put that on naturally (maybe water but who knows).
Anyway, I am sure there is enough research to make a good section for this subject, and avoid all those supplements!
March 15th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
Sweeteners!
Is Sugar better than Corn Syrup?
Is agave “The natural answer to Sugar” any better than Sugar, or Corn Syrup? What about Stevia? Brown Rice Syrup? Lo Han? Xylitol? Grade A versus Grade B Syrup?
Is it really just the balance of Sucrose/Glucose? Or is that another fallacy of the marketers?
Is sugar from Beets better than than Sugar from Sugar Cane, or other sources?
Do any of these tax the liver more or less?
The Pancreas?
Do any of these induce a Carb/Sugar load more than the others?
Is there a difference between the time that they release into the blood system?
Is one better than the other to prevent Adult Onset Diabetes?
Will I crave more food (Sugar) after eating Sugar than Agave?
Than Xylitol? The Others?
Does one increase blood sugar levels more than the others? Less??
Does one cause Liver inflammation more than the others? (I’d hate to be a human version of Foi gras?)
Is one better for you?
Does it matter??
Am I (and many, many others) caught up in multiple marketing campaigns and not able to differentiate between them because they are all bogus???
Is this just another “Natural Fallacy”?
Is this really just a matter of whatever is cheapest?
Or Politics?
Should I just go with Taste and Personal Preference?
Are you laughing at the question yet?? (I would be, except that I am serious!)
Help!?!?!?!
March 15th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
Please do write about how to weight train and do cardio with eat stop eat for the ultimate fat loss effect.
March 15th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
Effects of alchohol consumption on diet and weight loss. Eating disorders and/vs. being obsessed with nutrition.
March 15th, 2010 at 11:11 pm
Supplements the final word. What works and what doesn’t.
March 15th, 2010 at 11:50 pm
John,
It’s a popular argument to say that a reduced calorie diet is a failed diet because of the so-called metabolic compensation and energy regulation.
Perhaps this is something that can be covered in your book, or at least in a future post.
Always enjoy your sight.
Best,
Johnny
March 16th, 2010 at 12:27 am
Yo John,
I am curious about this because, I have asked expert on Brad Pilon eat stop eat they are not convinced with the information provided in ESE.They say eat 5-6 meals as stated in Cheat Your Way Thin by Joel Marion is better in losing fat pounds rather than fasting for 2 days 24 hours per day. Do I really need to count calories using ESE?
Thanks.
Yi Shen
March 16th, 2010 at 1:12 am
Hi John, I’ve been interested in fitness and nutrition for a long time now. As a fan of Tnation articles and a subscriber to newsletters of online fitness pros like Eric Cressey, Craig Ballantyne, John Romaniello, Mike Boyle and many others, I can safely say I’m reasonably acquainted with fitness information now.
I have an ambition to establish a career in fitness and sports, maybe as a fitness coach in soccer, a fitness trainer or a sports journalist. But it’d have to be dealing with resistance training and fitness. But to do that, I have to further my knowledge of the fitness world.
In lieu of this, I wish to ask you if you do have any recommendations of books that I can read regarding to training and exercise and/or nutrition? Your top 10 books pertaining to these fields, perhaps? They don’t necessarily have to be overly advanced, though I can handle profound content. What’s most important is that they’re useful and contain cutting-edge information. Thank you very much!
March 16th, 2010 at 3:50 am
How about:
Does it matter WHAT you eat? even if you are taking the required amount of calories to attain a certain goal?
Lots of debate on that one.
March 16th, 2010 at 3:51 am
Hi John, what i personally would like to see is a book called ‘nutrition for idiots’. i am a single man. no wife to cook 4 me, work long hours, basically…. work hard and play hard. Never had to buy a weeks food or cook for myself…so a comprehensive book on good nutrition…what to buy, how to prepare, when to eat what to eat…. i have all the motivation and 100% effort, but lack the tools for nutrition! if someone laid it all out for me…so much easier!!! but you eat, stop , eaty seems to be working, lost over 5kg of fat…but 1kg of muscle…love your fasting concept… if only i could eat better all the other times!! thanks mark
March 16th, 2010 at 5:20 am
Carbs!! So much talk about low carb, high carb, good carbs – bad carbs!! What do we really need for fat loss, strength, health etc!
March 16th, 2010 at 5:32 am
Does “Eat Stop Eat” lifestyle (because it is not a diet or program or nutrition plan) can affect the blood sugar level in a long run. It definitely affects this level in the short run, but I’m interesting in year or more time frame.
Thanks in advance.
March 16th, 2010 at 6:14 am
Hi John I believe that there would be significant interest in a properly researched book on longevity, nutrition and exercise. It is not just the Baby Boomer market which is interested but there is a significant proportion of the readership who want to know how to take care of their bodies. They need to know the correct ways to utilise nutrition, exercise etc to enhance their quality of life and not killing themselves with junk food or steroids. Also I am sure there would be interest in research showing the varied benefits of the various fasting protocols(alternate day, Eat Stop Eat etc.)
March 16th, 2010 at 6:18 am
Hi One of the phenomena that I and a few more on here would like explaining is, Why after a lifetime of being fit, muscular and eating well, by well I mean good food well mixed diet, also playing sports, Rugby/Karate, one injury and I’m out of condition.
I’m 66 soon and have noticed a few things recently. I have always been a little overweight but trained 3 times a week since I was 18 and really fit..
How come a knee injury 3 years ago takes me out and I put on 3 stone in that time.
I’ve been back in training twice a week for a year now and have lost 7 pounds only.
I been following Rob Poulos’s training styles and walking 4 miles on the days I’m not in the gym, but no improvement other than general fitness.
Don’t get me wrong I aint complaining some of my mates are in electric wheelchairs (smokers). Bt how about looking into how age affects what changes in routine you should make to enable you to stay trim and fit. as you get older.
March 16th, 2010 at 8:09 am
Mythbusting is always a good idea! But it depends how the myth is busted. I have read a lot of books that looked like they busted some myths, but always missed some key points. Mostly because the evidence use against the “myth” was not that conclusive. So first of all the science has to be solid.
Why not make a book in which you guys test myths yourself to back up the science? For instance: Is there a nutrient that makes you fat faster than others? Allong with the some solid research (for both side of the story) you could do small experiments. In this case you could try to get fatter for a few weeks while eating mostly carbs or protein and fat while keeping the rest of the nutrients to a absolute minimum.
It would be interesting to see how you guys respond to these two extreme diets eventhough it should not matter for fat gain. Would it be harder to get in the calories on the carb diet or on the fat diet? How will you feel during the diets? How did your cholesterol, HDL, LDL respond? Was it easier to loss the fat gained on one particular diet? And so on.
So what I suggest is making mythbusting personal…First showing the evidence against the myth and then testing it personally.
I know this kind of concept can’t be used with a health and fitness myths, but I think it will be fun to read.
Some extra questions:
Does training one muscle group 3-4 times a week while doing the minimum for the rest of the body really make the muscle grow and become stronger faster? Is there a limit to how fast a muscle can grow? Is there really a rebound effect after a period of “overtraining”?
Come to think of it…You maybe could combine these two “myths”. Specialising on a muscle while eating a surplus of calories from fat or carbs. (with some control “groups” off course)
March 16th, 2010 at 9:59 am
Hey John!
I think that you should write a tell all book exposing all of the nonsense,parroting and misinformation that goes on within the diet and fitness industry. I also think that if you write such a book that you should give visual examples of what can be achieve natural vs what can be achieved with drugs and maybe give out a chart based on somatotype of what to expect. I think a lot of the so called exercise guru’s give people a false sense of what can be achieved naturally and it would be great for people to see what can be actually be achieved without drugs. I’m pretty sure a lot of people would be surprised to see what natural muscle looks like compared to enhanced muscle and that will more then likely expose some of the ” so called drug free fitness Models” That you see plastered even on mens health magazines.
Id also love for someone to address and expose the good ole boy club that’s been going on lately with the so called internet diet and exercise gurus. Most people should know what I mean especially if they are on multiple diet and fitness lists like I am…but If not ……It’s when you get 50 of the same e-mails from different “intenet diet guru’s” Who spam another friends garbage diet and fitness program not because they really believe in it but it’s because they get money to do so. Now Don’t get me wrong..I’m not saying that a person should not endorse a friend but there is a huge group who I call the Good ole boy club who constantly pimp out each others BS programs for profit. Hell I understand that people need to eat but these guys throw out and use just about every marketing BS statements and falsehoods and the bottom line is that they do this because they get $$$ kickbacks. Id have no problem with these people if they were honest about it but they all seem to use every marketing tactic to hide behind the truth lol. Call me jaded but as a person who has been lied to many times before Im tired of the BS. I personally believe that you, Brad Pilon and Brad Howards are some of the few guys who really tell it like it is and I can’t thank you enough for that!
All the best
Ralph
March 16th, 2010 at 10:33 am
A book on LOSING WEIGHT WITHOUT EXERCISING would be great! Hate objectifying my body as if it were just a machine but counting push-ups calories etc. The only exercise that I like that is natural to me is exercise- when I feel like it and need to.
March 16th, 2010 at 10:56 am
[...] What do you want to know? | JohnBarban.com [...]
March 16th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Janis,
Get a copy of Eat stop Eat. I lost 27lbs doing no exercise at all.
March 16th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
The correlation between losing body weight/body fat to a decrease in waist size. Meaning, “if you lose 1-2 pounds per week, you lose an “X” number of inches from your waist either per week/month or whatever the amount of time is” I think there is some relation but I cannot pinpoint it, I haven’t seen anything about it either and my “self experiments” have not gone well with this one
March 16th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
John, there are veryyyyyyyy few articles on loose skin after weight loss…..so it would be quite interesting if you would write something on that YOUR way !!!!!!!!!!
p.s im a brad pilon fan
p.s im also becoming a john barban ”fan”
March 16th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Seems to me eating “bad” with a “good” attitude far outweighs eating “good” with a “bad” attitude. of course, could write a chapter of what it all means, but you’re the author … lol … i’d want to know if there is any scientific, logical, rational way to demonstrate my point, i.e. my hunch?
Good luck and bon courage with your book project.
Beat
March 16th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
I am looking forward to the Venus Index, but I’m also afraid I’ll be disappointed in it. The thing is, I can’t afford a gym membership right now, nor can I afford a home gym. I am more than happy to do workouts that don’t require equipment, and I’ve read and bought whole books on the subject (bodyweight exercises), but these books aren’t really clear about how much to do, when to do it, and what results I can expect… so with all the confusion, I haven’t made much progress in the area of muscle building. I am close to a body fat percentage I’m happy with, but I don’t have the beautiful musculature I aspire to (think Jessica Biel). The question I’d really like to know the answer to, and that I can’t find anywhere, is this: Is it possible to develop a body like that – to achieve my Venus Index – without going to the gym or having access to smith racks and heavy dumbbells? And if so, how?
I would really appreciate an answer to this. Maybe you could just do a blog post about it? Yours and Brad’s work on diet has been a tremendous help to me, but I just wish I could figure out the other side of the equation, that is, exercise.
Thanks,
Alice
March 16th, 2010 at 11:18 pm
Why is NO ONE addressing menopause and its effect on weight gain and diet? Is there something we can do to bypass the effects of menopause on the hormonal system and age related effects of digestive system? It certainly affects a lot of people. I can’t seem to shake the gain of 20 lbs. I dropped 45 lbs through diet and exercise and the BAM, the weight creeped up. I exercise and am using eat stop eat, but it is really tough. Talk to me!
March 23rd, 2010 at 4:42 pm
How about writing something about alcohol and lifting weight?
March 23rd, 2010 at 9:39 pm
I’d love to hear why eating clean is idea produced by the industry. I remember Brad once mentioned the statement. What made you say so?
March 24th, 2010 at 12:38 am
I have a question regarding body weight and muscle. I’m trying to figure out how much muscle a person can add without drugs. So one idea I have is to see how much muscle people had before steroids were invented. Here is Bobby Pandour
http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Pandour/pandour.htm
He is 5 foot 6 and 160 pounds seems right to me. Yet what do you make of this
http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Nordquest/nordquest.htm
This guy is 5 foot 8 and 200 pounds there must be some mistake. Any insight?
March 27th, 2010 at 3:12 am
Something very simple but overlooked, TDEE, for different individuals. Two people that are the same size ,weight, bf and age, doing the same exact work out, eating the same food, will not have the same results if one has a desk job and the other does something physical like serves tables, construction , delivers mail on foot, etc. The deficit gets larger and its not taken into consideration. So if this isnt noticed, a person will be in constant starvation mode. Correct? Its like every book is written for someone who has a desk job that is obese.If they are burning 3500 -4500 calories a day and they eat 2000 calories well wont they be in starvation mode constantly?
June 30th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
I would like to know: how many calories one needs in order to keep the same weight; how many calories if you want body composition changing (lets say i weight 200 pounds 6ft6in and 15% bf and want to be 200 pounds same height obviously and down to 10% bf; how should i eat for that purpose?); if i eat know, for how long am i in fed state? (since we dont need to eat every three hours like many diets “ask” for, when would be a good time, other than when hungry?)
If i come up with some others, I will be pleased to commen them here
July 14th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
There is something I would really like to know about “diets”. I would like to know what you think of metabolic typing (I`ve been reading a lot lately, and there are some respected physicians that use this type of diet; like Dr Mercola who for what I`ve seen, is quite a respected authority; I could be wrong)