Bigger Leaner Stronger

by Michael Matthews

  This is a highly unreliable way to learn and communicate. Without a precise, standard, and agreed-upon lexicon, we can never really know if we’re understanding others correctly or are being understood correctly ourselves. It’s like trying to play a game with others without first agreeing on the rules.

  So, what is gloaming? It means the time of the day when the sun is just below the horizon, especially the period between sunset and dark. In other words, twilight. The sentence I shared earlier is now crystal clear, isn’t it?

  This is why the humble dictionary is an unsung hero of culture and civilization. It forms the intellectual bedrock upon which all ideas are formed and disseminated.

  This is also why the first part of Bigger Leaner Stronger is going to be something you don’t see in many books. We’re going to review the exact dictionary definitions of a number of the most important words related to the main topics we’ll be discussing throughout this book.

  I know that reading the definitions of words is dry and unsexy, but it won’t take long, it’ll ensure we’re on the same page on the fundamentals, and it may even set off some sparks in your brain. Chances are you’re going to sort out at least a few long-standing misconceptions you’ve had and connect some dots in new and interesting ways.

  And ironically, by perusing the meanings of these keywords, you’ll know more about health, nutrition, and fitness than most guys ever will. Seriously. If you don’t believe me, go ask every trainer in your gym to define the word calorie.

  What’s more, this first, crucial step will go far in inoculating you against the constant and overwhelming barrage of false information hitting people’s eyeballs and eardrums every day. Once you understand the ideas that form the underpinning of health, fitness, and wellness, you become a lot better at detecting and discarding BS.

  So, let’s get started with the first list of keywords, shall we?

  5

  What Most Men Will Never Know about Getting Fit – Part 1

  Being ignorant is not so much a shame as being unwilling to learn.

  —BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

  In this first keyword list, we’re going to review basic physiological terms that you must understand to grasp the most important concepts in Bigger Leaner Stronger and achieve the best possible results.

  (Physiology, by the way, is the scientific study of the normal functions of living organisms and their parts.)

  Most men (and women for that matter) will never learn what these critical terms really mean, and their bodies will suffer for it. And therefore even their lives, in some cases. Don’t underestimate the destructive power of misunderstanding the basics of something you’re trying to learn and apply. It alone can be the difference between success and failure.

  And in case you’re wondering, every definition in this chapter (and the next one) comes directly from, or is a combination of definitions from, one of the following dictionaries:

  New Oxford American Dictionary, Third Edition (my personal favorite dictionary)

  Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged

  Random House Unabridged Dictionary

  I highly recommend that you purchase one of these dictionaries, or all three (great for cross-checking definitions), and start using it to clarify the meanings of words you don’t understand. Consider the money and time an invaluable life investment. I do.

  All right, let’s get started with the keywords.

  •••

  Energy

  Energy is the power received from electricity, fuel, food, and other sources to do work or produce motion.

  Energy is the physical or mental strength of a person that can be directed toward some activity.

  Matter

  Matter is a physical substance, as distinct from the mind and spirit.

  In physics (the branch of science concerned with matter and energy), matter is that which occupies space and can be moved with force, especially as distinct from energy.

  Chemistry

  Chemistry is the branch of science concerned with the substances of which matter is composed of, the investigation of their properties and reactions, and the use of such reactions to form new substances.

  Chemical

  Chemical means having to do with chemistry, or the interactions of substances as studied in chemistry.

  A chemical is any substance that can undergo a chemical process or change.When people refer to chemicals, they’re usually talking about manmade substances, but the definition isn’t limited to just this meaning.

  Organism

  An organism is a single living thing, such as a person, animal, or plant.

  Cell

  A cell is the basic unit of all living organisms.

  Some living organisms exist only as a single cell, and according to the most recent research, your body is made of approximately 37.2 trillion cells.1

  Cells produce energy, exchange information, multiply, and eventually die when their time has come.

  Tissue

  Tissue is a group of cells in animals and plants that forms a definite kind of structural material with a specific function.

  Muscle

  Muscle is a tissue in the body, often attached to bones, that can tighten and relax to produce motion.

  Skeletal Muscle

  Skeletal muscle is muscle tissue connected to the skeleton to form part of the system that moves the limbs and other parts of the body.

  Muscle Fiber

  A muscle fiber, also called a muscle cell or myocyte, is a collection of long, threadlike strands called myofibrils that contract, along with other structural elements that you find in other cells in the human body.

  Fat

  Fat is an oily or greasy substance found in animal bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain organs.

  Fat is a substance of this type derived from animals and plants that is solid or liquid in form, and often used in cooking.

  Organ

  An organ is a group of tissues that work together to perform a specific function in an organism, like the heart, skin, and lungs.

  Skeletal muscle is not an organ because it contains just one type of tissue.

  Gram

  A gram is a unit of weight in the metric system. One pound is about 454 grams.

  Kilogram

  A kilogram is a unit of weight in the metric system equal to 1,000 grams, or 2.2 pounds.

  Celsius

  Celsius is a scale of temperature on which water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees.

  In the Fahrenheit scale used in the United States, water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees.

  Calorie

  A calorie is the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius.

  This is also called a kilocalorie or large calorie, and is used to represent the energy value of food.

  Element

  An element (also called a chemical element) is a substance that can’t be broken down into smaller parts by a chemical reaction.

  There are more than 100 elements, and they are the primary building blocks of matter.

  Compound

  A compound is a substance made up of two or more different elements.

  Molecule

  A molecule is the smallest particle of any compound that still exists as that substance.

  If you were to break a molecule down any further, it would separate into the elements that make it up (meaning it would no longer exist as that original substance).

  Acid

  An acid is a chemical substance that can react with and sometimes dissolve other materials.

  Amino Acid

  An amino acid is a naturally occurring compound found in proteins.

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p; Protein

  A protein is a naturally occurring compound that’s composed of one or more long chains of amino acids.

  Proteins are an essential part of all organisms and are used to create body tissues such as muscle, hair, and skin, as well as various chemicals vital to life.

  Essential Amino Acid

  An essential amino acid is an amino acid needed by the body to maintain growth and health that must be obtained from food.

  Gas

  A gas is a substance that is in an air-like form (not solid or liquid).

  Carbon

  Carbon is a nonmetallic element found in all life and much of the matter on earth.

  Oxygen

  Oxygen is a colorless, odorless gas that is necessary for most living things to survive.

  Hydrogen

  Hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, flammable gas that is the simplest and most abundant element in the universe.

  Carbohydrate

  A carbohydrate is a molecule composed of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen that can be broken down in the body to release energy.

  Digestion

  Digestion is the process of breaking down food so it can be used by the body.

  Enzyme

  An enzyme is a substance produced by organisms that causes specific chemical reactions.

  Metabolism

  Metabolism is the series of physical and chemical processes that occur in an organism in order to maintain life.

  Metabolism involves the production of energy as well as the creation, maintenance, and destruction of cells and tissues.

  Anabolism

  Anabolism is a metabolic process in an organism by which energy is used to make more complex substances (such as tissue) from simpler ones (such as proteins).

  This is also known as constructive metabolism.

  Catabolism

  Catabolism is the metabolic process by which more complex substances (such as proteins) are broken down into simpler ones (such as amino acids), together with the release of energy.

  This is also known as destructive metabolism.

  •••

  That’s it for the first round of keywords! Great job!

  Feel free to go over these words again to ensure everything is completely clear, because in the next chapter, we’re going to build on the concepts you’ve just learned.

  Bianconi E, Piovesan A, Facchin F, et al. An estimation of the number of cells in the human body. Ann Hum Biol. 2013;40(6):463-471. doi:10.3109/03014460.2013.807878.

  6

  What Most Men Will Never Know about Getting Fit – Part 2

  There is one remarkable circumstance in our own history which seems to have escaped observation—the mischievous effect of the indefinite application of terms.

  —NOAH WEBSTER

  In this second keyword list, we’re going to build on the work we did in the last chapter and review basic terms that you need to know to successfully navigate the treacherous waters of diet, nutrition, and supplementation.

  Just as before, these terms shipwreck more fitness-minded people than you would care to know. All it takes is a few core misconceptions to make entire categories of knowledge seemingly incomprehensible.

  Is this stuff confusing? It can be. But it doesn’t have to be. Let’s dig in and master these words.

  •••

  Healthy

  If a body is healthy, it has good strength and high energy levels and is free from pain, illness, damage, and dysfunction.

  If something is healthy, it’s beneficial to one’s physical, mental, or emotional state.

  Nutrient

  A nutrient is a substance an organism needs to live and grow.

  Food

  Food is material taken into the body to provide it with the nutrients it needs for energy and growth.

  Nourish

  To nourish is to provide with the food or other substances needed for growth, health, and good condition.

  Nutrition

  Nutrition is the process of getting nourishment, especially the process of getting food and nutrients and using them to grow bigger, build and replace tissues, and stay healthy.

  Macronutrient

  A macronutrient is any of the nutritional components of the diet required in relatively large amounts.

  Specifically, these are protein, carbohydrate, fat, and minerals, such as calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, and phosphorous.

  Vitamin

  A vitamin is a substance that an organism needs for cells to function, grow, and develop correctly.

  Hormone

  A hormone is a chemical that’s transported by the blood or other bodily fluids to cells and organs, where it causes some action or has some specific effect.

  Mineral

  A mineral is a carbonless substance that forms naturally in the earth.

  Humans need various minerals, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and zinc, for many different physiological functions, including building bones, making hormones, and regulating the heartbeat.

  Diet

  A diet is the food and drink that a person usually consumes.

  A diet is a special course of controlled or restricted intake of food or drink for a particular purpose, such as weight loss, exercise support, or maintenance therapy (a treatment designed to help another primary treatment to succeed).

  Sugar

  Sugar is a class of sweet-tasting carbohydrate that comes from various plants, fruits, grains, and other sources.

  Glucose

  Glucose is a sugar that occurs widely in nature and is an important energy source in organisms.

  Glucose is a component of many carbohydrates.

  Milligram

  A milligram is a unit of weight in the metric system equal to one-thousandth of a gram.

  Milliliter

  A milliliter is a unit of capacity in the metric system equal to one-thousandth of a liter, which is equal to about 4.2 cups in the United States customary system.

  Blood Sugar

  Blood sugar is glucose in your blood.

  Blood sugar refers to the concentration of glucose in your blood, measured in milligrams of glucose per 100 milliliters of blood.

  Sucrose

  Sucrose is a sugar that occurs naturally in most plants and is obtained commercially especially from sugarcane or sugar beets.

  Sucrose is commonly known as table sugar.

  Fructose

  Fructose is a very sweet sugar found in many fruits and honey, as well as sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup, both of which are about 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose.

  Fructose is converted into glucose by the liver and then released into the blood for use.

  Galactose

  Galactose is a type of sugar found in dairy products that is metabolized similarly to fructose.

  Lactose

  Lactose is a type of sugar present in milk that contains glucose and galactose.

  Glycogen

  Glycogen is a form of carbohydrate found primarily in the liver and muscle tissue.

  Glycogen is stored energy and can be readily converted to glucose to satisfy the body’s energy needs.

  Simple Carbohydrate

  A simple carbohydrate is a form of carbohydrate that breaks down quickly into glucose in the body.

  Fructose, lactose, and sucrose are simple carbohydrates.

  Complex Carbohydrate

  A complex carbohydrate is a form of carbohydrate consisting of a chain of simple carbohydrates linked together. Because of this structure, a complex carbohydrate takes longer to break down into glucose in the body.

  The sugars found in whole grains, beans, and vegetables are complex carbohydrates.

  Starch

/>   Starch is a complex carbohydrate found naturally in many fruits and vegetables and added to certain foods to thicken them.

  Insulin

  Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas and released into the blood when you eat food.

  Insulin causes muscles, organs, and fat tissue to absorb and use or store the nutrients from food.

  Index

  An index is a system of listing information in an order that allows one to compare it easily to other information.

  Glycemic Index

  The glycemic index (GI) is a numeric system that ranks how quickly the body converts various foods into glucose. Foods are ranked on a scale of 0 to 100 depending on how they affect blood sugar levels once eaten.

  A GI rating of 55 and under is considered low on the index, while a rating of 56 to 69 is medium, and a rating of 70 or above is high.

  Simple carbohydrates are converted into glucose quickly and thus have high GI ratings. For example, sucrose’s rating is 65, white bread’s is 71, white rice’s is 89, and white potato’s is 82.

  Complex carbohydrates are converted into glucose more slowly and thus have lower GI ratings. For example, apples’ rating is 39, black beans’ is 30, peanuts’ is 7, and whole-grain pasta’s is 42.

  Fiber

  Fiber is a mostly indigestible type of carbohydrate found in many types of foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains.

  Fatty Acid

  A fatty acid is an acid found in the fats and oils of animals and plants.

  Essential Fatty Acid

  An essential fatty acid is a fatty acid that’s vital for proper bodily function and must be obtained from food.

  Saturated Fat

  Saturated fat is a type of fat that’s solid at room temperature and found in many animal and some plant sources, including meat, cream, cheese, butter, lard, coconut oil, cottonseed oil, and palm kernel oil.