Body Composition
Demystified
Science-backed guides on body fat, muscle building, and tracking your physique. No broscience. No fluff. Just what works.
Articles
The Alcohol Toxin: Ethanol's Effect on Lipolysis
Ethanol has a profound impact on your body's lipid metabolism. Frequent alcohol consumption impairs your ability to break down fats (lipolysis).
Testosterone & Environmental Toxins
Environmental toxins wreak havoc on hormonal balance. Testosterone is particularly vulnerable, with toxins compromising both synthesis and function.
Glycogen Repletion: The Anabolic Window is (Sort of) Real
The anabolic window suggests a critical post-exercise period for nutrient intake. While sometimes overstated, glycogen repletion provides a sound basis.
Fructose: The Liver Toxin
Fructose enters the bloodstream through processed foods and sweetened beverages. Once there, it's ferried to the liver. This is where trouble begins.
Autophagy: The Cellular Recycling Plant
Cells possess a sophisticated mechanism to maintain balance - autophagy. It facilitates the removal and recycling of cellular components.
The Comparison Trap: Social Media and Body Dysmorphia
You are comparing your everyday body to someone's best angle, best lighting, best pump, and possibly best editing. This comparison destroys progress.
The Cut-off Time: Why You Should Stop Eating at 7pm
When you eat matters almost as much as what you eat. Late-night calories are processed differently than daytime calories due to circadian biology.
Rest Periods: The Forgotten Training Variable
How long you rest between sets affects what you are training for. Short rest builds endurance. Long rest builds strength. Most people rest randomly.
The Refeed Day: Strategic Carbs for Fat Loss
Extended dieting downregulates metabolism. Periodic high-carb days restore hormonal function, replenish glycogen, and make fat loss sustainable.
Creatine: The Most Underrated Supplement
Decades of research, proven benefits, minimal side effects. Creatine monohydrate is the most effective legal performance enhancer available.
Heavy Metals: The Hidden Load Slowing Your Progress
Lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium accumulate in your body over decades. They disrupt hormones, impair detoxification, and create a metabolic burden you cannot see.
Lectins and Leaky Gut: Food Sensitivities Explained
Some healthy foods contain compounds that damage your intestinal lining. Understanding lectins helps explain why certain diets work better than others.
EMF Exposure: Is Your WiFi Sabotaging Recovery?
Electromagnetic fields surround us constantly. The research on their impact on sleep and recovery is more concerning than most people realize.
The Leucine Threshold: Why 30g of Protein is Non-Negotiable
To maximize muscle protein synthesis, understand the leucine threshold. Leucine acts as a primary trigger for anabolic signaling pathways.
The 72-Hour Fast: A System Reboot
Fasting for 72 hours triggers critical biological processes. This extended period forces your body into intense repair and renewal modes.
Seed Oils: The Cellular Inflammation Factor
Seed oils, abundant in omega-6 fatty acids, trigger molecular havoc. Their unstable, easily oxidized nature causes oxidative deterioration in your cells.
Mitochondrial Density: The Real Reason You Have No Energy
Reduction in mitochondrial density directly impacts your energy levels. Mitochondria are the cellular power plants responsible for ATP generation.
Identity Shifting: You Are What You Do Repeatedly
The brain's plasticity suggests that habits carve neural pathways dictating identity. Identity is anchored in repeated actions which shape brain structure.
Hypertrophy Math: Volume vs. Intensity
Understanding muscle hypertrophy can help you overcome plateaus. It results from two primary factors: total volume and intensity.
Endocrine Disruptors in Your Shower
Endocrine-disrupting compounds infiltrate your bloodstream through your skin. Your morning routine might be a daily assault on your hormonal balance.
Dopamine Detox: Resetting the Reward System
Dopamine plays a critical role in the brain's reward system. Constant engagement with overstimulating activities can dysregulate your dopamine pathways.
Cold Plunge Protocol: Minimum Effective Dose
A regular cold plunge engages your body's thermoregulatory system. Cold exposure increases norepinephrine levels, enhancing vigilance and focus.
Blue Light Toxicity: Your Phone is Making You Fat
Blue light from your phone disrupts melatonin production. This isn't just a sleep hormone - diminished melatonin leads to insulin resistance and fat storage.
Discipline is an Algorithm, Not a Feeling
Discipline operates like a biological algorithm. Considering discipline a feeling misleads - feelings ebb and flow. Discipline thrives on consistency.
The Insulin Switch: Why Your "Calories" Don't Matter (Yet)
Shift your focus from calorie counting to understanding insulin. As a hormone switch, insulin regulates blood glucose and determines fat storage.
The Science of NEAT: Why Your Gym Session is Irrelevant
We all have that mate who eats everything and stays lean. You're grinding out reps while they polish off meat pies. The difference? NEAT.
The Reverse Diet: How to quit your cutting diet without getting fat
You finally hit your goal. You're shredded. Now you're ready to eat normally again. This is the most dangerous moment in the entire process.
How to eat like a bodybuilder (and actually progress your physique)
Most people's diets are all over the place. But if you look at how an actual bodybuilder eats, it's consistent and strategic. Here's how to eat for real progress.
Protein Timing vs. Total Intake: Debunking the Anabolic Window
We've all seen it - the bloke frantically shaking his shaker cup post-workout. But is the anabolic window really that critical? Let's debunk the myth.
The Ultimate Guide to Lighting for Physique Photos
You can look like a Greek God in one photo and 'soft' in another, 5 seconds later. The difference? Lighting. Consistency is king for tracking.
Insulin Sensitivity: The Secret Weapon for Staying Lean
We all know someone who eats whatever and has abs. Meanwhile, one slice of bread makes you bloated. It's not magic - it's insulin sensitivity.
Sleep Deprivation: The Biological Anti-Muscle Signal
We wear sleep deprivation like a badge of honour. Culturally we value hustle over rest. Biologically? Your body hates it - and so do your muscles.
Zone 2 Cardio: Why Walking Can Be Better Than Running for Longevity
The 'no pain, no gain' mentality is wrecking your metabolic engine. If you're not dying, you're not working? Wrong. Enter Zone 2 cardio.
Inflammation: Why You Look Puffy (And How to Fix It)
Ever wake up lean then look puffy by 4pm? That's not fat - that's inflammation. And it's your body's way of saying 'help me'.
Why You Should track 'Trends' Not 'Absolutes'
The scale is a liar. It measures water, bone, muscle, and last night's burrito. If you gained 2lbs overnight, that's not fat - track trends instead.
The hard truth about trying to build muscle when you’re overweight
If you're trying to start strength training while overweight, you're probably confused. Half say "lift and eat big," the other half say cardio. Here's the truth.
The Failure of BMI: Why Body Composition is the Only Metric That Matters
Doctors have relied on BMI as the gold standard for health. It is simple, cheap, and for most athletes and fitness enthusiasts, completely wrong.
"Everyone is watching me": The cure for Gym Anxiety
I remember my first day in a commercial gym. I felt like I had a giant neon sign pointing at me that said: He does not belong here.
The legal performance enhancer: Why your playlist is more important than your pre-workout
You walk into the gym mentally elsewhere. Then you put your headphones on, scroll to that track, and suddenly you're locked in. Music matters.
Visceral Fat vs. Subcutaneous Fat: What You Need to Know
If you could unzip your skin, you'd see two very different types of fat. Knowing the difference might save your life.
PhysiqueAI is Now Available on the App Store
Track your body composition with AI-powered analysis. Download PhysiqueAI for iPhone and start your transformation today.
Get smarter about body composition
Join 5,000+ people who get our weekly breakdown of what actually works for tracking and improving your physique.
Start Tracking Free