This may be my most creative title ever.  I’m going to share some of my favorite blog posts and articles from the past week, and I hope you’ve enjoyed them as much as I have.  I’ve done a hell of a lot of reading in the past week or so, and I have a lot to share.  Let’s get right into it, shall we?

Yes, that’s actually a name to an e-book from Krista Scott-Dixon of Stumptuous.com.  Clock on that big ol’ picture above, enter your e-mail, and Krista’s 41-page e-book is sent to you as a free PDF.  I have it on my computer, my phone, and a thumb drive, and I’d really suggest you read it.  Krista describes the book as “An irreverent, foul-mouthed yet surprisingly useful guide to what you put in your eating hole.  Guaranteed to offend, surprise, and delight.”  It’s a great read, and you’ll find yourself laughing your head off while thinking, ‘Damn, that makes sense!’.  Seriously, download it.  Don’t make me cuss at you, let Krista do it.

Krista’s book  recognizes the need for real food, not the processed crap we typically eat in America. Her statement about vitamins is great: “Nature laughs at your puny human attempts to replicate its wonders in a pill...Eat real food.”  Eating Amen to that.  I like vitamins as a nutritional insurance policy, but not as a cure all for a poor diet.  When it comes to vitamins and minerals in your diet, you should be getting them real food.  Seriously, eat real food.  According to  a recent New York Times article:

Higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D and vitamin E are associated with better mental functioning in the elderly, a new study has found.

You can read the Times article HERE.  After you read that, read THIS post from Juliet of HeyJoob.com.  It was published this morning, and she did a great job of providing concise, simplified explanations of the need for Omega-3’s in our diet.

Real food made from plants and animals is going to do your body right.  You probably agree, and want an example.  HERE it is.  Jon Goodman from The Personal Trainer Development Center published an awesome recipe for an inexpensive but nutritionally dense chilli.  Make it, eat it, and remember that healthy eating can be inexpensive and delicious.

Time for a video break.  One of my former roommates from the University of Delaware is currently in Texas to earn his masters and doctoral degrees in musicology.  He’s pretty damn smart.  He’s also really fun, and plays with recording equipment in his spare time.  Check out this ‘Erictronica’ remix of Ke$ha’s Your Love is My Drug from Eric Daino.

My boy’s wicked smaht.  Can I assume that Daino’s dubsteppy remix made you want to dance?  Good.  And when you dance you use your hips?  Good.  And your first thought after ‘Hips’ is ‘Back!‘, because you squat and deadlift, right?  Well I hope so!  Regardless, check out this post from Anthony Mychal on EliteFTS.com.  Learn How to Hinge in Three Easy Steps can make even the most sleep posterior chains wake up in a hurry.

A few days ago, Meg from DashOfMeg.wordpress.com published an insightful post called “I Want to Look Like Her“.  She elaborates on her thoughts after seeing that comment on a picture of a fitness model, and touches on the idea of being inspired by somebody versus aspiring to be like them.  Big difference, and big post from Meg.

Speaking of big posts, Ben Bruno published his Good Reads for the Week earlier today, and it’s a great list as always.  Ben does an amazing job of collecting posts from great authors and coaches, and I’ve found his lists to be a great resource to learn the ‘real world’ side of training.  Check it out HERE.

I’ll leave you with two more videos, the first being from the Lexen Xtreme powerlifting team.  My training partner for today’s max effort lower body day sent it to me to build up for the training session.  I’m already pumped; those guys are strong as hell.

Before you say, “Well powerlifting isn’t for everyone,” maybe you should reconsider that.  Watch the video below, and read Mike Robertson’s 7 Reasons Why Everyone Should Do a Powerlifting Meet.  Now, I’m off to the gym.