I'm Craven.
I'm here to help you improve your life.
I'm here to help you improve your life.
|
LET’S SETTLE THIS ISSUE ONCE AND FOR ALL: OPTIMAL REPS PER SET FOR GAINING MUSCLE
The research is in. Here's the optimal rep range you should be using if you're looking to add some size to those muscles. |
|
Supplements You Should Be Using
A comprehensive guide to which supplements you should be taking if you weight train, regardless of goals, gender, or age. Ah yes, supplements. I came home from the gym this evening and thought I'd throw a lil' sumthin-sumthin together about dietary supplements after hearing one kid talk about his "sick supp stack, bro" I couldn't help but chuckle as I thought, "boy, this kid...KEEP READING |
|
A FEW WORDS ON CARDIO
I can’t go anywhere without overhearing a conversation about how people are attempting to lose weight. The common go-to lines I hear from women are almost always: “I’m really going to start running.” |
|
The Truth About ALCOHOL: Do You Think You Can Handle It?
You should never have to choose between your fitness and having a good time. Find out how you can attain that 6 pack while enjoying a 6 pack! |
|
Balanced Fit LIfe: Why "Training" 3 Times a Day Is The Only Way To Make Gains
While training your body is the most obvious aspect to achieving that ultimate physique and lifestyle you have to remember that it is only one piece of the bigger pie... |
|
Drop It Low, Ladies: Everything You Need to Know About Glute Gains
Find out how to get the most out of your glute training here |
|
This Summer's Foolproof Fat Loss Tips
Summer’s right around the corner and as the beaches are heating up, so is everyone’s attempts at finally attaining that illusive beach-ready body. |
|
Nutrition Strategies for Traveling This Summer
The weather's heatin' up as spring transitions into early summer. Sweaters and coats have long been put away and girls are rockin' their shorts while dudes are following the "sun's out, gun's out" mantra by leaving the house with no sleeves everyday. You've been religiously sticking to your nutrition and training all winter and finally made some progression both in the muscle "gainz" and fat loss department....Keep Reading |
|
Day of the Shred IV: Confidence-How I Got It, Where You Can Get It
"Dude, how do you do that?" This is by far the most frequently asked question people seem to be asking me lately...Keep Reading |
|
Foolproof Fat Loss Formula in 4 Steps
Today’s society would lead you to believe that the more complicated something is, the more effective it must be. “The illusion of complexity” is the psychological terminology for it... |
|
FLEXIBLE DIETING MYTHS DISPELLED: If Your Diet Isn’t Flexible, You’re going to BREAK
For those who are familiar with me and my work, you’re probably well aware that I am a huge proponent of “Flexible Dieting.” If you haven’t heard the term “flexible dieting” before, I’m about to hit you with some life changing knowledge. |
|
Why Fitness Should FIT Into Your Life, and not BE Your Life
DON'T MAKE YOUR LIFE ALL ABOUT THE GYM. MAKE IT FIT INTO YOUR LIFE. I'm talkin to all you bros, cross-fitters, meatheads, squat-girls, fit-fammers, and IIFYMers out there. |
|
Metabolism Myths: You Have More Control Over Metabolism Than You Think
The bodily function everybody love to hate, "The metabolism". Find out what the top 5 myths are about metabolism and what you can do to make yours work better for you. |
|
How to Shape the Perfect Male Physique
Make the most of those excess carbs this holiday season and learn how to shape a physique that Zyzz himself would admire!. |
|
THE ENERGY BALANCE EQUATION: THE KEY TO UNLOCKING EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LOSING AND GAINING WEIGHT
How the energy balance equation applies to your body and why your body composition is based almost entirely on this fundamental property |
|
Interview with Alain Gonzalez of MuscleMonsters.com
In this interview, we discuss some of Alain's professional background, his preferred training and nutrition methods that he uses not only on his clients, but on himself as well, and a little about what it takes to build your own business with whatever it is you're truly passionate about. |
|
HOW MUCH A WOMAN SHOULD BE EATING FOR FAT LOSS: THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE
And by “definitive guide”, in reality I mean it’s more like the “it depends guide.” I apologize to anyone who came here looking for a specific and exact fat loss plan for women. Anyone who tells you there’s a plan for all shapes and sizes that will work regardless of who you are is straight up blowing smoke. In fitness and nutrition, everything is based on context and variables that are constantly changing. That’s why when I say “it depends”, I honestly mean it...KEEP READING |
doyoueven.com
|
QUIT WORRYING ABOUT EXERCISING AND FIX YOUR NUTRITION
If you’re going to read only 1 of the many pieces that I write, I implore you to read this and only this article. |
|
The 7 Highly Effective Habits of Fit People: Methods Adapted from the Best Selling Book to Attain Health and Wellness Success
Personal development. Self-improvement. Self-help. These are topics that aren’t typically associated when someone thinks of bodybuilding, powerlifting, or even something as simple as getting off the couch and getting some activity in the gym for a few hours each week. |
|
MAINTAINING LOW BODY FAT AND HOW TO LOOK AWESOME EVERY DAY
Avoid adding body fat to your frame this fall and find out how you can stay shredded year round while still increasing your gains! Ah, the end of summer. Every bro's favorite time of the year as they can stop doing their endless amounts of sit-ups, pretending to care about what they're eating, and can finally start their oh so longed for "winter bulk" phase....KEEP READING |
|
THE IMPORTANCE OF SETTING A GOAL
Success. How do you define it? A lot of people tend to associate success with making a lot of money. While it never hurts to make a ton of money doing something that you love, money isn't everything. It's A LOT of things, but not everything. Remember this...Keep Reading |
|
BREAKTHROUGH YOUR FITNESS PLATEAUS WITH THESE 5 STRATEGIES
Working in the field of fitness and nutrition isn’t always a picnic with sunshine and lollipops. When I’m out meeting new people and the topic of careers comes up, I often like to say I’m employed as a professional pecan farmer. It’s a good ice breaker and instantly I rival “the most interesting man in the world” as “the most interesting man in the room.” |
|
LOOKING FOR AN EFFECTIVE WEIGHT LIFTING ROUTINE? THINK P.H.A.T. FOR NEW GAINS
Looking for a new training program? Give Dr. Layne Norton's P.H.A.T. training program a shot to find some new gains. |
|
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE NOW WITH THESE EASY TECHNIQUES
Many of us get caught up in our own lives that we tend to neglect the quality of our lives. Here are a few easy to impliment techniques that will increase your health and get you back to enjoying your day. Most of us walk through life like we've been bitten by zombies. I'm certain lack of sleep is one of the main reasons people deal with small bouts of depression and general apathy that we feel from time to time...KEEP READING |
|
HOW TO MAKE CRAVEN’S KICKIN’ CROCK POT CHICKEN
The recipe and preperation process to make some of the most delicious chicken you could ever make! |
|
Breakfast: The Most Important Meal...To Skip???
Learn how holding off on eating breakfast can help you increase your fat loss and body re composition goals! |
|
DAY OF THE SHRED III: FITNESS RESOLUTIONS
Don't be a sucker when it comes to jumping on the "this year I'm going to lose 30 pounds FOR REAL THIS TIME" train. Here are the real changes you need to make, the ones you should have made last April. |
|
YOU EAT DONUTS AND ICE CREAM? BUT YOU'RE RIPPED!
Why "Clean" Eating is a myth, and why your diet must be FLEXIBLE in order to be SUSTAINABLE. (and yes, that is a hamburger with donuts for buns) |
|
AVOID THESE 5 COMMON TRAINING MISTAKES THAT ARE LIMITING YOUR MUSCLE GAINS
Weight training and improving your physique is a balance of discipline and strategy, not excess. Save yourself a lot of time and frustration by avoiding these common mistakes in and out of the gym...KEEP READING |
|
DAY OF THE SHRED VOL. 3: LET’S TALK “REFEEDS”
Get the down-low on what a "refeed" is, how it can work for you, and why it's been extremely effective for my own personal fat loss goals. |
|
9 REASONS YOU'RE NOT LOSING BODY FAT
9 reasons? Why not 10, Craven? Because 9 seemed like an underused number for these list-type articles that have become so popular all over the inter webs machine. So let's get into it. 1. You’re unknowingly consuming too many calories This might seem like a pretty obvious point for most people, but for some reason there’s a whole lot of folks that seem to think “calories don’t matter”, as long as you restrict your carbohydrate intake...Keep Reading |
|
CARDIO AND CHICKS: THINGS THAT DON'T MIX
You could walk into any gym at any time of the day and there’s one sight you’ll always see (besides bros doing bicep curls in the mirror) and that’s women glued to the cardio machines. More often than not, these women are desperately toiling away on the elliptical machine in effort to slim down a bit or shed some excess body fat. Unfortunately, as I hope all of you reading this know, cardio alone is extremely in effective as a tool for fat loss...KEEP READING |
|
GAINS FOR LIFE: QUALITY CONTENT FOR THE MIND AND BODY VOL. 2
Being an all around “fit” and “healthy” person requires more than just hitting the gym a few times a week. People often get so concerned with improving their physical appearance and body compositions that they often neglect training the most powerful part of their bodies: their minds...KEEP READING |
|
LET'S KEEP IT SIMPLE: TRAINING FOR FATLOSS
So let’s talk about training for fat loss, and what you should consider if you’re trying to get the most out of your efforts...KEEP READING |
|
HOW TO START A NEW HABIT. AND KEEP IT FOR LIFE.
This is a guest post from one of my favorite authors and wellness enthusiasts, Nate Green. I encourage you all to check out more of Nate's work at The Nate Green Experience Today I’m starting a habit I hope to keep for the rest of my life. It will help my body feel better throughout the day. It will serve as a small break from doing my work. And it will make every physical activity I do (inside and outside of the gym) more effective. |
|
GAINS FOR LIFE : QUALITY CONTENT FOR MIND AND BODY (6/8/2015)
Being an all around “fit” and “healthy” person requires more than just hitting the gym a few times a week. People often get so concerned with improving their physical appearance and body compositions that they often neglect training the most powerful part of their bodies: their minds...KEEP READING |
|
All Diets Work. Make Yours Work Better
Juice Diets. Low-Fat Diets. High-Fat Diets. Atkins Diet. Vegan Diet. Paleo Diet. Mountain Dog Diet. All Organic Diet. Twinkie Diet. Fast Food Diet. If It Fits Your Macros Diets. Fasting Diets. Eat only grapefruit and lettuce for 9 weeks diets. I think you get the idea. There's a lot of diets out there that claim to be the "best" and "most effective" diet for weight loss...KEEP READING |
|
67 TIPS ON HAPPINESS, FULFILLMENT & LIFE
It's not too often that I read something and feel immediately compelled to share it. This was one of the better posts I've come across in a while, written by Jason Ferrugia. (see more of his awesome stuff atjasonferruggia.com)...KEEP READING |
|
THE NO-NONSENSE APPROACH TO CARB-CYCLING FOR FAT LOSS
I'm a man who loves his fluff, in everything such as training and nutrition articles, my pillows, and smeared between two pieces of white bread to give the peanut butter some company! (This is a peanut butter-fluff sandwich, make one after reading this.) ...KEEP READING |
|
WHAT EVERY WOMAN OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT BUILDING MUSCLE Ladies, don't think I'd forget about you. The following are some basic principles every woman in the gym should know if they're looking to get the most out of their workouts...KEEP READING |
|
CHEAT MEALS: THE "CLEAN EATING" DISORDER
"Eating clean" may possibly help you look better, but it might be making you an emotional wreck and ruining your relationship with food. When I think of eating disorders I think of high school health class and watching one of those terrible “after school special” videos talking about the dangers of anorexia, bulimia, etc. |
|
VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF DIETING
Ultimately, the goal of any diet is to be sustainable and to see the best impact on health and body composition. |
|
THE SCIENCE OF BINGE DRINKING: 7 TIPS TO GET WASTED WITHOUT WASTING YOUR GAINS
This particular article was written by Menno Henselmans. Meno is owner and operator of Baysian Bodybuilding and has a lot of other informative articles on nutrition and training so be sure to check him out! I read this article a few weeks ago and couldn't decide if it was something I really agreed with...KEEP READING |
|
DAY OF THE SHRED 2: WHAT A SCREWDRIVER CAN TEACH YOU ABOUT FAT LOSS AND FITNESS GOALS
A lot of people don't remember too much about their earliest years of life on this earth, but whatever memories they can conjure up probably have some sort of sentimental meaning to them. Some memories might be of their first bike. A memorable Christmas. Trips to Disneyland. One of my earliest, and fondest memories, is wandering into the garage and seeing something completely captivating that can put me in a trance like state to this day: My dad's toolboxes...KEEP READING |
|
DAY OF THE SHRED 1: WHAT I'M CURRENTLY DOING
Rewind to a typical day about 3 years ago. They all started something like this: It's 6:30 a.m. Spread across the kitchen counter are a half dozen assorted tupperware loaded up with boiled chicken breast and brown rice; a process assembly line Henry Ford himself would be envious of. 6:45 I'm cooking up the standard "clean eaters" breakfast fare: 6 egg whites, cup of oatmeal, serving of fruit, and maybe a protein shake for good measure...KEEP READING |
|
HOW “CLEAN EATING” MADE ME FAT, BUT ICE CREAM AND SUBWAY GOT ME LEAN
Guest Post from Mike Samuels from www.healthylivingheavylifting.com Enter Mike….. He’s health personified. A 20-year old personal trainer who preaches the benefits of clean eating...KEEP READING |
|
QUIT "JUST" EXERCISING AND START TRAINING
If you want to make REAL improvements to your body composition, you need to stop "working out" and start TRAINING. A major issue I've recently noticed about people is they often manage to confuse ACTIVITY with ACCOMPLISHMENT. This is in regards to all aspects of life you can imagine. Especially in the health and fitness realm. Maybe it's due to this current social phenomena of "something for nothing", "instant gratification", and "feeling entitled for no reason whatsoever" |
|
PROTEIN: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Why you don't need to go over-board with your protein consumption to build muscle and burn fat. Okay, people. Enough is enough. Somewhere between ridiculous supplement recommendations and "brosicence" locker room talk, protein intake has gotten out of hand...Keep Reading |
|
GAIN MUSCLE. LOSE FAT. HERE'S THE PLAN.
A lot of you have been asking for recommendations for an easy to follow nutrition program. I'm currently working on publishing my own protocol right now, but this is a very effective program that uses the foundation of just about all of my previous posts. If you're interested in gaining muscle and cutting some body fat, I highly recommend giving this program a shot...Keep Reading |
|
ANOTHER ONE FOR THE LADIES: DON'T MAKE THESE MISTAKES WITH YOUR DIET AND TRAINING
Ladies, think you're making the right choices in the gym and in the kitchen? Be sure to avoid these common training and diet mistakes! Mistakes. We all make them. In fact, I probably do a lot more things wrong than I do correctly; that's why pencils have erasers, right?...Keep Reading |
|
Why All Calories Aren't Equal
Learn the basics of why a calorie isn't just a calorie. You've all heard it before. The umbrella fat loss phrase people mindless recite when talking about calories. It always goes something along the lines of "You've got to burn more calories than you consume! It's thermodynamics!" Um, not exactly...Keep Reading |
|
ONE FOR THE LADIES: WHAT EVERY GIRL SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FAT LOSS AND TRAINING Ladies,quit wasting time and effort with fad diets and pointless workout routines that don't yield results. Learn the basics of what your diet and training should consist of! Ladies, ladies ladies. What's not to love about you all? Guys love just about everything about women, flaws and all, but what really makes an impression on every guy is when a girl knows how to maintain herself: mentally and especially physically. For as long as I can remember, there has been loads of misinformation and myths propagated regarding females and fitness. The biggest one, which I hope has been fully debunked by now...KEEP READING |
|
EVERYONE KNOWS EATING FAT MAKES YOU FAT! OR DOES IT?
' Why eating dietary fat doesn't make you fat, and why shedding your fat-phobia will make you shed body fat! Does anyone remember watching the tv show in the early '90's, Married With Children? If you do, then you'll know how quick-witted husband Al Bundy always had an insulting remark for everything. One of my favorite's from that show went something like this: Peggy: "Al, does this dress make me look fat?"...KEEP READING |
|
INSULIN: ARE YOU MAKING IT WORK FOR YOU OR AGAINST YOU? Learn how to use this important hormone to improve your health, and more importantly, optimize your GAINS! Insulin. We all know what this is, right? Okay, good. Wait, you don't? Well that's no problem, because you're not the only one. In fact, if you ask anyone what insulin is, you'll have a hard time finding someone who knows what this vital hormone exactly is, and more importantly, how it's used in your body....KEEP READING |
|
...BUT DR. OZ SAID TO NEVER EAT BEFORE BED! HEAVEN FORBID YOU EAT CARBS! Enjoy your carbs. Especially at night! Why what you've been told your whole life is factually inaccurate, and why you should eat your carbs in the evening. This one's going to be a doozy. And it's been known to ruffle some feathers in the "health and fitness" community. For as long as you care to remember, I'm sure you've always been told "Never eat late at night", and heaven forbid you eat CARBS before bed...KEEP READING |
|
I'M HERE TO HELP YOU MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER
For those of you who may be unfamiliar with me, my name is John Craven, and I'm here to help you make your life easier. Let me explain, I promise...KEEP READING |
|
|
|
