5 Reasons To Love Dates

Dates are a delicious fruit packed with an impressive list of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. They've been a staple food of the Middle East and the Indus Valley for thousands of years. And for good reason. Besides being a tasty treat, there's an abundance of health benefits.

What is a date?

Botanically; they are the fruits grow on the palm tree belonging to the family of Arecaceae, in the genus: Phoenix, and scientifically named as Phoenix dactylifera. The tree is believed to originate in the lands on the banks of Nile and Euphrates Rivers of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Date palm is now grown extensively for its edible fruits under warmer climates across all the continents.

Fresh dates compose of soft, easily digestible flesh and simple sugars like fructose and dextrose. 100 g of mejdool dates hold 277 calories. When eaten, they replenish energy and revitalize the body instantly. For these qualities, they are being served to break the fast during Ramadan month since ancient times. So they make a great choice for breakfast.

I love dates. They're sweet, chewy, and delicious.  And addictive. It's hard not to eat just one. A handful (3 to 5) makes a great a great post-workout snack or morning treat. They're great in oatmeal. Try blending a few into your smoothie. 

So here's 5 reasons you'll love dates, too.

1. The fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which prevents LDL cholesterol absorption in the gut. Additionally, the fiber works as a bulk laxative. It, thus, helps to protect the colon mucous membrane from cancer-causing chemicals binding to it in the colon.
2. Dates are an excellent source of iron, carry 0.90 mg/100 g of fruits (about 11% of RDI). Iron, being a component of hemoglobin inside the red blood cells, determines the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
3. Further, they are an excellent sources of potassium. 100 g contains 696 mg or 16% of daily-recommended levels of this electrolyte. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that help regulate heart rate and blood pressure. They, thus, offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases.
4. Date fruits are also rich in minerals like calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Calcium is an important mineral that is an essential constituent of bone and teeth, and required by the body for muscle contraction, blood clotting, and nerve impulse conduction. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required for the production of red blood cells. Magnesium is essential for bone growth.
5. Further, the fruit has moderate levels of B-complex group of vitamins as well as vitamin K. It contains very good amounts of pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), niacin, pantothenic acid, and riboflavin. These vitamins are acting as cofactors help body metabolize carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Vitamin K is essential for many coagulant factors in the blood as well as in bone metabolism.

I can keep going. Dates contain antioxidant flavonoids such as Beta-carotene, lutein, and zea-xanthin. These are antioxidants found to have the ability to protect cells and other structures in the body from harmful effects of oxygen-free radicals. Eating dates can offer some protection from colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers. 

Okay, so there you have it - Five good reasons to include dates as part of a healthy diet. 

The views expressed on this site are my opinions and should not be taken as a substitute for qualified medical expertise. I am not a Doctor. I do not give medical advice or make claims to cure any sickness, disease or affliction. I simply share my understanding of health and fitness. Please consult your Doctor or Health Care Practitioner before starting any diet or fitness routine.

Affiliate link disclosure: I use affiliate links on my Blog. This means that in some cases when I link to an online retailer I get a commission for referred sales. Meaning, if you click one of these affiliate links and make a purchase the retailer gives me a cut of it. For what it’s worth, I never write articles and insert affiliate links for the sole reason of earning a commission.

Get "Fight Club" fit with Brad Pitt's Workout

In 1999 I saw the movie Fight Club. It blew my mind. God, has it It been 15 years?

Okay, so if you haven't seen Fight Club, you are probably living under a rock and not reading this post. Seriously. It's a must see classic. The movie is focused around Edward Norton’s character ‘the narrator’ or ‘Jack’ going through continual life crisis situations, on a quest to liberate himself of all ego attachments with the help of a cunning guide, Brad Pitt, as Tyler Durden.

For the rest of you who have seen the movie, who can forget Tyler Durden? Witty, fearless, and a unique fashion style all his own. Just plain cool. What a memorable character. His confident, "let go" attitude and willingness to be authentic, even dangerous, is what many people love most about him. In Tyler we trust, right?

Oh, there's also the killer abs. At 6% body fat, Tyler Durden was the definition of lean and mean. I was impressed by how Brad Pitt was in outstanding shape, while still being able to look hip and stylish in his regular clothes. After Fight Club was released, many people sought a workout that would produce similar results. Yes, it's been 15 years, but this movie has made such a large impact in the fitness industry and people still talk about Brad's physique in the movie.

So today we're going to take a look at how Brad Pitt got is shape for Fight Club. 

“I’m breaking my attachment to physical power and possessions, because 

only through destroying myself can I discover the greater power of my spirit.” 

“The first rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is: you do NOT talk about Fight Club. Third rule of Fight Club: someone yells stop, goes limp, taps out, the fight is over. Fourth rule: only two guys to a fight. Fifth rule: one fight at a time, fellas. Sixth rule: no shirts, no shoes. Seventh rule: fights will go on as long as they have to. And the eighth and final rule: if this is your first night at Fight Club, you have to fight” 

Brad Pitt’s Fight Club workout centered on training a different muscle group each day. He focused on one muscle group a day, and just “killed it.” He would allow the muscle group to rest for the remainder of the week. Brad Pitt was able to showcase so much lean muscle because he is an ectomorph. Ectomorphs, or “hard-gainers” are those people who find it hard to gain muscle or fat. No matter how much they eat or train, they can’t seem to gain weight.

Pitt utilized this to his genetic advantage of being an ectomorph by going for a look that showed off his lean muscle-Tyler Durden look. This was achieved by doing high reps and eating a lot of protein. So being on the thinner side, and doing high reps, he got ripped. If you are NOT an ectomorph, it will be hard to chisel your way down to 6 percent body fat. You may have to do more cardio to melt away the fat.

Most ectomorphs find success in low-rep, high intensity workout routines. This was the opposite of what Brad Pitt did in his workout. Still, he allowed for optimal rest. This is also important for ectomorphs to do. Because it is so hard for them to gain muscle, 2-3 days of rest, if not a week is best when trying to gain muscle. Brad Pitt would often use a Nautilus machine instead of doing free weights. This is because the machines tend to build max resistance where your muscles are strongest.

Pitt used a semi-bodybuilding type workout to promote growth, annihilating one group per day with numerous sets. This is very beneficial for adding muscle mass, as muscles grow during rest periods and not during the actual time in the gym. 

Finally, at the end of the week, he finished off with a good cardio workout. This put his body in fat-burning mode, which served to shed any extra padding that covered his muscles, giving him that chiseled look.

Personally, I don't follow this "blast your muscles" routine, but for the sake of those out there who want to go hard core, and want to give it a go, I thought I'd share what I learned about Brad Pitt's routine. So take into consideration you metabolism, diet, fitness level, and time restraints before tearing up this workout. If you are looking for lean and mean, you might want to go with Rusty Moore's Visual Impact Program. It's the one I am currently following to go for the lean, "Holywood" look.

Fight Club Workout Routine

The Brad Pitt workout comes from his interviews with Men’s Heath UK. Here is the exact workout:

Directions: Do 3 sets of each exercise, 15 reps each time. Make sure to rest for 60 seconds between each set. Find a weight that allows you to complete at least 15 reps. Make sure that you use good form, and are fatigued at the 15th rep. If you find 15 reps easy, make sure to go up in weight next set.

Monday Routine = Chest Day The Brad Pitt Fight Club workout starts with chest on Monday, then rests that muscle group for the rest of the week. The chest routine utilizes pushups as a good warm up. Bench Press and Incline Press are the core of the workout, with cable flys to extend range of motion and flexibility. 

25 Pushups 

3 sets of each, 15 reps:
Bench Press
Incline Chest Press
Machine or Cable Flys 

Tuesday Routine = Back Day

3 sets of 5 each, 15 reps:Pull UpsSeated RowLat PulldownsT-Bar rows
Go for 5 Pull Ups per set, since they are just a warm up. (Use a resistance machine, or have a partner hold your legs if you need to cheat a bit)

Wednesday Routine = Shoulders Day
Ectomorphs generally have small shoulders and Brad Pitt had to work hard to add bulk to his shoulders. One of the main reasons why Brad Pitt’s body looks so ripped, is because his shoulders are so big. The trick is that the bigger you get your shoulders, the smaller your torso will look in comparison.
3 sets of each, 15 reps:Military Shoulder PressArnold PressLateral Dumbbell RaisesFront Dumbbell Raises
The Brad Pitt Fight Club Workout used the Arnold version of the military press. This is where you start with your palms facing inward and toward your body, and end with your palms outward and facing out in front of you. This is great because it works the front, rear, and lateral deltoids as you swing the weights through the movement.

Thursday Routine = Biceps/Triceps

3 sets of each, 15 reps:

Nautilus curl machineEZ cable curlsHammer curlsTricep pushdowns

Friday = Cardio

Walking or (preferably) running on the treadmill for 45 minutes at 65% to 75% of your maximum heart rate

Saturday/Sunday = Rest

If you want to achieve this look, you really need to be at a low body fat percentage. Pitt was somewhere near 6% – pretty impressive considering your average “fit” guy is around 12% (women probably around 25%). Dialing in your diet with lots of protein, low carb and low fat will be tour best eating plan. Getting in the single digit fat percentage is when you are really going to start seeing the type of ripped definition that will give you the Tyler Durden look.

“I say let me never be complete, I say may I never be content, I say deliver me from 

Swedish furniture, I say deliver me from clever arts, I say deliver me from 

clear skin and perfect teeth, I say you have to give up! I say evolve, and 

let the chips fall where they may!” 

The views expressed on this site are my opinions and should not be taken as a substitute for qualified medical expertise. I am not a Doctor. I do not give medical advice or make claims to cure any sickness, disease or affliction. I simply share my understanding of health and fitness. Please consult your Doctor or Health Care Practitioner before starting any diet or fitness routine.

Affiliate link disclosure: I use affiliate links on my Blog. This means that in some cases when I link to an online retailer I get a commission for referred sales. Meaning, if you click one of these affiliate links and make a purchase the retailer gives me a cut of it. For what it’s worth, I never write articles and insert affiliate links for the sole reason of earning a commission.