Men have more sex—and better sex—when their girlfriend is a guy’s girl, not a girly girl. Best of both worlds, right? Eh, this is kind of a catch 22. The reason you’re having more sex is because of all her guy friends. You feel you’re competing for her attention and affection, according to a study published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology.

You want to remain the man on top, literally, and no one can blame you for that. In fact, this may be a good thing. Your lady enjoys more romantic attention, and you enjoy more sex, but there is a caveat. Though you’re in between the sheets more, you’re also fighting the sneaking suspicion that she’s being unfaithful.  

Lead study author Michael Pham told Fusion: "A lot of work shows that men are sexually aroused by their partner when they estimate a greater likelihood of partner infidelity."

Researchers questioned 400 men in relationships, asking them to report on how attractive they found their partner, how many male friends they believed their partner has, and how attractive they believed these friends find her. The study found that the more guy friends you think she has, the most sex you’ll have as a couple. 

"We need to be reminded that our partner is valuable to us and desirable to others," Pham told Fusion. "This makes us keep working at maintaining relationship satisfaction."

While the study didn’t investigate whether your girl will initiate more sex if you have a lot of girl friends, it’s a pretty safe bet that striking up some jealousy in your partner will optimize your sex life together. Just don’t go overboard. The idea is to keep your girlfriend.

6 Things You Should Never Change for Any Female>>>

Sculpting healthy, well-rounded muscles doesn’t only require that you bomb them with heavy weight. (Though that certainly helps, of course.) New science shows that light sets of low-impact exercises specifically target your connective tissue—tendons, ligaments, and the “extracellular matrix”—and allow for “improved energy transfer to the overall muscles” when you work them out, says Luke O’Brien, a physical therapist at Howard Head Sports Medicine in Vail, CO. 

In other words: The stronger and more robust your connective tissue, the stronger your overall muscles. But remember: This collagen-building workout should be considered supplemental training. Do it independently of your normal routine. 

DIRECTIONS
Perform this workout at least six hours before or after your normal training. For example, if you lift weights at night, complete this routine in the morning. Perform four sets of 15 reps for each exercise, moving slowly so that it takes five seconds to complete each repetition.

Harness the Power of Your Muscle Matrix >>>

1. SINGLE-LEG DEADLIFT (PAGE 1)
Raise your right leg slightly behind you so you’re standing on your left leg, and bend your hips back. Try to bend until your torso is parallel with the floor, or you’re about to lose your balance. Your lower back should be flat and your right leg in line with your torso. Squeeze your glutes to return to the starting position. Complete your reps, then repeat on the opposite leg. That’s one set.

2. CALF RAISE
Stand on a block or step (hold on to something for support if you need to). Bend your knees slightly and sink your heels toward the floor until you feel a stretch in your calves. Rise back up until you’re standing on the balls of your feet. Complete your next set with your knees locked the entire time; alternate sets of bent-knee calf raises and straight-leg calf raises until you’ve completed four total sets. If the reps feel too easy, hold a dumbbell in each hand.

3. LATERAL BAND WALK (ABOVE)
Loop a band around your shins and assume an athletic stance (hips and knees bent) so there’s tension on the band. Take a wide step to your left, then bring your right foot in to return to the athletic stance, keeping the band taut. Each step is one rep. Repeat in the opposite direction (that’s one set).

4. REVERSE LUNGE
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and step backward. Lower your body until your rear knee nearly touches the floor and your front thigh is parallel with the floor. Complete your reps, then repeat on the opposite leg. That’s one set.

5. T PUSHUP
Grasp light dumbbells and get into pushup position with your body straight. Perform a pushup, then row the dumbbell on your right side. From there, rotate your torso to the right, raising your right hand overhead so your body faces 90 degrees to the right and forms a “T” shape. Repeat on your left side.

6. WRIST EXTENSION
Hold a light bar in both hands and sit on the edge of a chair. Rest your forearms on your thighs with palms facing down. Extend your wrists, raising them so your knuckles face the ceiling. 

The 30 Best Legs Exercises of All Time >>>

American Giant's heavyweight sweatshirt had been on the market for 10 months before a Slate article deemed it the "greatest hoodie ever made." Next thing you know, sales blew up, and people were waiting for months just to get their hands on one. Hit up American Giant's website and you'll find tons of satisfied customers gushing over the $89 hoodie. Zip one up and you'll quickly realize those five-star reviews are anything but hyperbolic praise. Made of 100% cotton, these insanely comfortable hoodies have a tailored (not boxy) fit. Deputy editor Dean Stattmann sits down with American Giant founder and CEO Bayard Winthrop to find out what else makes these sweatshirts so damn popular.

Looking for new headphones?  There are many, many options. The large e-tailers carry a thousand-plus choices.  Picking the right one is a question of priorities. 

For those that put a high value on African Zebrano Wood detailing AND Ethiopian Sheepskin Leather ear cushions, Ultrasone offers the Edition 10 for $2,500 (above). 

If frequency response of 5 - 42,000Hz (whatever that means) is at the top of the priority list, take a look at the Stax SR-009 ($4,500). 

But I've never met anyone with these priorities.  Most want headphones that produce good sound, include a microphone, feel comfortable and don’t require a credit application to purchase.  Here are some choices we like.

BEST WIRED IN-EAR

Monster iSport Victory

Great all-around headphones that sound good and fit most people, and stays put during a workout.

Price: $120

Pros:  sound quality above average, water (sweat) resistant

Cons: a little pricey

Buy at: amazon.com

Also look at:

Sony MDRXB50AP ($55): Surprisingly good sound quality for the price.

Yurbuds Inspire 300 ($40): Designed to be “sweat resistant”, some of our staffers swear this is the best workout headphones for the price.

BEST BLUETOOTH IN-EAR

BlueAnt Pump

Even if you sweat like this guy, these headphones won’t let you down.  The BlueAnt Pumps even work in the pool for surface swimming (Bluetooth doesn’t work underwater). 

Price: $100

Pros: waterproof, battery life, workout-ready

Cons: Sound quality is sacrificed a little less than others

Buy at: myblueant.com

Also look at:

JayBird BlueBuds X ($160): A little pricey, but great sound quality and comfortable, secure fit.

Jam HX-EP310 ($40): We were surprised how good they sound at this price point.  A decent choice if you are prone to losing your gear or want wireless headphones at a low cost.  Our testing did turn up some echo problems when we made calls, but this was fixed by a reboot.

BEST OVER-EAR WIRED

Sony MDR-10R

There are many solid choices, but these headphones deliver great sound and comfort at a reasonable cost.

Price: $100

Pros: Sound, comfort

Buy at: sony.com

Also look at:

Audio-Technica ATH-M30x ($70): Good sound, lightweight.

Creative 51EF0640AA008 Hitz MA-2400 ($30): A contender if price is the biggest factor over sound and build quality.

BEST NOISE CANCELLING

Bose Quiet Comfort (QC) 25

To our ears, the QC25’s are the closest we have found to a portable sensory deprivation tank.  Even better, they are extraordinarily comfortable making them an ideal choice for multi-hour use.

Price: $300

Pros: Sound quality, perfect for long flights

Cons: pricey

Buy at: bose.com

Also look at:

Monoprice 110010 ($150): A good choice for about half the coin of the Bose QC25’s.  

Harmon Kardon NC Premium ($140): Good sound quality for the cost.

Reebok is closing 2014 with a bang. Earlier this month the brand announced a partnership with the UFC to become the exclusive outfitter and apparel provider for the mixed martial arts organization. Today, Reebok announced its new partnership with Kendrik Lamar, one of the freshest names in the hip-hop industry.

“Reebok has a long history of working with trail-blazing music artists, but we knew a partnership with a lyricist like Kendrick had to mean something bigger for our brand,” said Todd Krinsky, Global Vice President of Reebok Classics and Entertainment.

As part of the new partnership, the “i” rapper will be featured in Reebok’s global campaign celebrating the 25^th anniversary of Reebok’s Ventilator shoe, which is set to debut in March 2015 and will include signature Ventilator styles inspired by the artist’s life, style, and personality. Those editions will be available in June 2015, according to a press release. 

Reebok, the official sponsor of the CrossFit Games, has also partnered with hip-hop stars Swizz Beats and Rick Ross in the past. Lamar’s work with Reebok started with a short film created to honor is hometown of Compton, CA, and was directed by acclaimed director Anthony Mandler. The video, titled “Reebok Presents Kendrick Lamar,” is narrated by the rapper and includes a verse called “Kendrick Lamar – I AM.”

Lamar said he’s been a fan of the Reebok Classic brand since middle school where he remembers members of Cash Money Records wearing white Reebok Classics with over-sized white t-shirts.

“I remember arguing with a group of homies in class on day about what store had the exclusive colors- Avalon Swapmeet or the Compton Swapmeet," said Lamar. "I’d buy new colors from Compton and feel like I got the one-up on the whole school." 

If you want to be healthy and fit, hang out with healthy and fit people. And thanks to social media, it’s easier than ever to do so.   

The makeup of your social circle has huge implications for your health and fitness. Research shows when someone becomes obese, his or her friends are a whopping 57 percent more likely to become obese too. If one of your friends quits cigarettes, the chances you’ll smoke decrease by 36 percent.  Social influence remains surprisingly strong even in the case of second and third degree connections. If a friend-of-a-friend becomes obese, your odds of putting on extra pounds rise by 20 percent; if a three-degrees-removed acquaintance starts smoking, it impacts the chances you will light up by a not insignificant 11 percent.  

Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to quickly overhaul your social circle… Or is it?

How to Become a Successful Social Media Influencer >>>

This is where the cutting edge work of clinical psychologist and health behavior expert Dr. Sherry Pagoto comes in. Pagoto studies the impact of social media on health, and what she’s finding is fascinating. In a recent research project, Pagoto asked people trying to lose weight about the support they received from their “virtual” friends (i.e., Twitter and Facebook) versus their “real” friends (i.e., physically present). Those in her study rated their virtual friends as significantly more supportive and less negative than their real friends. (Note: Twitter seems to be the best place for encouragement, slightly edging out Facebook.) What’s more, there’s evidence that the virtual support really works: participants in Pagoto’s study that used social media for weight-loss goals shed more pounds than they had in their most recent prior attempt. 

Why Social Media Works

Dr. Pagoto speculates that the effect of social media is strong for a number of reasons. For starters, she explains that “when you enter the social media universe, it really opens things up. It’s so easy to find people that are embarking on similar challenges to you.”  In essence, instead of asking everyone in your city who is also running a marathon for support, you’re asking everyone in the world who is also running a marathon for support.  When your pool is so vast, “you’re a lot more likely to find someone going through exactly what you are,” Pagoto says.  Although Pagoto’s research focuses on more common goals (e.g., weight loss and getting regular exercise), the “widening-pool-effect” of social media may be even more valuable for fringe athletes embarking on less common journeys (e.g., power-lifters, Ironman triathlons, ultra-marathons, adventure racing). 

Once you’ve found your digital-health-goal niche, social media creates an avenue for instantaneous feedback. “The historical challenge to behavior change is that it’s impossible to know when we’ll need the extra encouragement,” Pagoto explains. “It’s hard to predict when we’ll feel like abandoning our goals, and even if we could, it’s not exactly like you can call on a licensed behavior change counselor for help on Sunday at 8 a.m.[when we’d rather eat chocolate chip pancakes than go to the gym].  But we can post on Twitter, Facebook, or Reddit, and get pretty close to instant support.”  

The 10 Most Important Fitness Goals >>>

As a competitive endurance athlete (in my own mind, anyways) I’ve often used social media for instantaneous support without even realizing it. “Four-hours on the indoor bike” with a picture of my triathlon bike set-up in the living-room tweeted off really just amounts to a call for some encouragement at 6 a.m. on a Sunday – when few outside of my virtual circle would be there to give it, let alone be able to empathize with the misery of riding one’s bike indoors for four hours. 

Getting Started

While giving someone the advice to “go make friends that have the same health and fitness goals as you” may seem outlandish, in today’s digital world, it’s actually spot-on. This three-step plan can help:

First, clearly define your goals and make an honest appraisal of your ability level and the type of support you are looking for. For example, are you a beginner trying to run your first 5-K, or an experienced runner trying to go sub-3 for the marathon?

Next, do some homework. Google around for relevant forums, search for different hashtags, and find people that you might want to “follow.” Spend some time browsing conversation threads, and find the forum/group/network that aligns best with the type of assistance you need.  

Just post! While there is always the potential for trolls to spew off nonsense and for some folks to give less-than-perfect advice, Dr. Pagoto still encourages people to be proactive. “Don’t be scared to reach out to and ‘friend’ strangers. "Generally speaking, if you post something that is genuine and you’re in the right group (i.e., appropriate for your skill-level and prior knowledge), you’ll be amazed by the outpouring of support you’ll receive in the response.” 

The Cure for Fitness Burnout >>>

I’ll be the first to admit that, for years, I was a social media detractor. I particularly thought people’s posts about training and the like were nothing more than ego-driven boasts. When I finally joined Twitter I quickly learned I was wrong, and now Dr. Pagoto’s research explains why.  

If you're looking for support, start with me. On Twitter I'm at @bstulberg. I may also call for some encouragement on hour three of my early morning stationary bike ride.

For many of us, socks end up being an afterthought. Something that is required to fill the void between our soles and those of our shoes. Socks are a tricky addition that can either be the well-executed period on the end of our sartorial sentence, or the flat punch line of a failed footwear joke. Either way, socks are pretty much a must, so there is no abbreviation around it. 

Now, thanks to the deliverable fashion resource powers-that-be, there is a way that we can check sock-buying off our shopping list with ease. No more forgetting to head to the sock department of the frustrating department store, or putting off sock purchases because you can live with that hole in the heel one more time (we’ve all done it). Now, a company called Nice Laundry is offering a Sock Drawer Takeover. Here's how it works: You get seven pairs of socks every three months for only $49. (You cannot buy decent socks on sale for that price. Trust me, I am all about a sock on sale.)

With the Nice Laundry Sock Drawer Takeover, you get six everyday pairs plus one special seasonal pair per shipment. This includes Nice Laundry’s colorful, athletic, and other socks that have yet to be released. They insure your socks will always be stylish, fresh, and functional. In addition to all of that awesomeness, you can recycle your old socks with their Forever Fresh recycle program that helps eliminate textile waste and reduce electricity used in production. And if super fresh feet and a better planet aren't your things, you can cancel at any time.

7 Tips for Winter Running >>>

If you're looking for a well-rounded workout to suit all of your needs, this is the one. By combining running, sprinting, body weight exercises, and resistance exercises, this workout will build muscle, burn fat, and boost your endurance and stamina. And we tracked our progress with the new Fitbit Charge. (Enter here for a chance to win one). For more of our test-runs of the Fitbit, check out our Longest Day Ever.

THE 10,000 STEP WORKOUT

Run 2 miles

Complete 5 rounds of the following circuit. Rest as needed.

10 Dumbbell Thrusters
Sprint approx. 20 yards
20 Overhead Kettlebell Walking Lunges
Sprint approx. 20 yards
10 Burpees
Sprint approx. 20 yards
40 Yard Sandbag Carry
Sprint approx. 20 yards

Run 2 miles

STYLING:
Shoes:Mizuno Wave Rider 18
Tops/Bottoms:QOR

In terms of fashion brands with name recognition, ISAORA hasn’t been around too long. That being said, I don’t see them going anywhere anytime soon. Launched in 2009 by Marc Daniels and Ricky Hendry, ISAORA was founded on the belief that premium performance and progressive style do not have to be mutually exclusive. ISAORA combines the functionality and benefits of high-performance technical apparel with a progressive modern aesthetic. Once you wear a piece from their Winter 2015 collection, it’s easy to see these guys really seem to know their stuff. 

From the new launch of their Feelbetter collection, the standout piece is certainly the Microlight IR Down Jacket for $225. It is jammed packed with function while keeping its cool out in the wild. Feelbetter uses ThermaDown infused with groundbreaking CELLIANT infrared technology. CELLIANT is a potent compound of thermo-reactive minerals that transform body heat into infrared energy, medically proven to promote circulation, increase tissue oxygenation, aid cell recovery, and optimize performance.

CELLIANT technology has been decades in the making, found in many products from bedding and apparel to veterinary and medical supplies all over the world. ISAORA is one of the first companies to integrate this fascinating high performance technology into a modern fashionable item ready for the urban guy-on-the-go. In sleek colors and trim fits, ISAORA’s full collection ranges from simple shirts and pants to jackets and accessories that can be integrated into a modern man’s wardrobe with little effort. 

Additional attributes of the ISAORA product offering include the use of three-layer, waterproof, breathable stretch and ripstop nylons from Japan, precision laser cuts and fully taped seams throughout and neoprene knits exclusively developed in Italy with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish. ISAORA is built to look just as awesome as it performs and there is no doubt the collection will continue to grow and redefine what it means to be “cool”.

The Best Winter Training and Ski Gear >>>

It’s time to banish lightweight warm-weather fragrances in favor of aromas that are complex, grounded, and masculine. Try one of these classics updated with a refreshing, modern twist.

Issey Miyake Nuit D’issey
This post-sundown scent is built on leather with subtle woods and spices mixed in. 4.2 oz, $87.

Everything Chanel does is timeless, and this masculine scent—fresh and clean, combining citrus and wood notes—is no exception: 3.4 oz, $110. 

10 Scents That Will Drive A Woman Wild >>>




Paco Rabanne Invictus 

Offbeat but masculine, Invictus, a paean to victors everywhere, has top notes of grapefruit and tones of guaiac wood and patchouli. 3.4 oz, $82.

Perry Ellis Cobalt

Perfect for rallying after a hard workout, this cool and clean-cut scent will revive and energize your body with ginger root and citrus notes. 3.4 oz, $65.

Yves Saint Laurent L'Homme Sport

YSL’s energetic new iteration of L’Homme Sport is a magnetic blend of woody spices, featuring bergamont and vetiver. 3.3 oz, $85.

Michael Kors For Men

Thyme, black pepper, and sandalwood make up this new fragrance from Michael Kors—the perfect companion for travel,ideally to a private island. 4 oz, $78.

Here’s what you should know about Nikola Vucevic: He was born in Switzerland and raised mostly in Belgium, where his father played professional basketball as a member of the Yugoslav national team. His family moved to Montenegro when he was a teenager. He speaks three languages.

Vucevic, a 7-foot center for the Orlando Magic, came to America in 2007 and played his senior year of basketball at Stoneridge Prep in California before he went on to play at the University of Southern California.

He was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers, where he played one season before he was shipped to Orlando.

At 24 years old, Vucevic is well traveled. So is his palette. In-n-Out is his favorite fast food joint. Even authentic Philly cheesecakes haven’t made the top of his life. His mother’s crepes though – nothing quite compares to that.

“[Traveling] really helped me develop,” Vucevic said. “You know how people are scared to try different foods? Living in different areas has really helpd me to learn to like different stuff. I like pretty much everything. There arent’ a lot of things I don’t like to eat.”

Well, except vegetables. But more on that later.

Vucevic is also a rising star in the NBA, averaging more than 18 points and 11 rebounds per game and is tied with Anthony Davis, Pau Gasol, John Wall and Chris Paul for the most double-double games in the league this season (13).  That’s more than Tim Duncan and more than Kevin Love.

Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers called Vucevic called him “an All-Star and a terrific player. He’s the best player in the league that nobody knows about,” Rivers said.

And that’s quite a compliment coming from one of the league’s most respected head coaches.

Nik, shared a meal with us for this edition of DISHED, a series where athletes are sharing exactly what’s on their plate.

PROTEIN: Grilled chicken. I eat a lot of chicken. It’s easy and it’s good for you and it’s easy to digest, which is big for me. Whn you eat too much you feel sleepy and slow. Grilled chicken is something a lot of players commonly eat but especially for me. I eat it all the time.

GREENS: Asparagus. The first time I ever ate it was when I came to the states. I won’t say I enjoy the taste but I know it’s good for me. It doesn’t really have a taste. I hate broccoli. I can’t eat it. There’s also that other vegetable that looks like broccoli but it’s white. Cauliflower. I hate that too. I just can’t eat it. Asparagus is something that I know I can eat and I know I need vegetables so most of the time I’ll go with that.

CARBS: Mashed potatoes. I’ll usually either do mashed potatoes or rice as a side.

Nik’s Favorite Home-cooked Meal

My mom makes these crepes (back home in Montenegro). When I go back home that’s the first thing my mom makes for me. My mom makes them sweet. Her recipe for them is just to make them very good.

Nik’s Favorite Cheat Meal

My favorite fast food is In-n-Out. I like Panda Express or McDonalds.

Nik’s Go-To Post Game Meal

If I’m on the road we just try to grab something as quick as we can. It’ll usually be some kind of pasta or vegetables. After a game you can really eat whatever you want. But no bread, no sauces, no sweets. None of that. I try to do that as much as I can but definitely not before games. I have a rule on sweets. I’ll only eat them once a week.

Nik’s Favorite Desserts

There’s a place in downtown Orlando called Kress. I get the white chocolate bread pudding. It’s probably the best dessert I’ve ever had.

The North Shore of Oahu is the place to be if you're an aspiring surfer, bodyboarder, or waterman looking to make a name for yourself in the industry. It's got incredibly consistent, quality surf, and the ideal backdrops for jaw-dropping, print-worthy images. But don't think it's as easy as packing your board and hopping on a flight. Swells are big, powerful—sometimes rogue—and the lineup is fiercely competitive.

Good luck paddling out at Pipe and think you're entitled to getting a set wave. Ain't happening', brah. Locals take priority.

The stretch of varying reef breaks and treacherous shorey is referred to as the Seven-Mile Miracle. Essentially, there isn't much need to travel elsewhere on the island in search of surf. The season starts around October, peaks between December and February, and runs through April with north and westerly swells hitting the coast after being generated by powerful storm systems in the North Pacific. The winters on the North Shore attract a circus of surfers and photographers, crowding lineups competing for the perfect barrel, potential wave of the winter, cover shot, and of course, physical licking of a lifetime.

We ventured to the Pacific Island chain during one of the most publicized surf competitions, the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, a three-part series consisting of events at Halewia Beach Park (Reef Hawaiian Pro), Sunset Beach (Vans World Cup of Surfing), and Pipeline (Billabong Pipe Masters). During our visit we spent some time hanging at the GoPro Media Shack at Rocky Point with three well-established professional surfers and GoPro athletes—Mark Healey, Jamie O'Brien, and Anthony Walsh.

Healey discusses his big wave surfing expeditions and the physical and mental demands; O'Brien breaks down Pipeline, one of the scariest (and beautiful) waves in the world; and Walsh shares some secrets to shooting with the GoPro like a real professional.

---

Congratulations to John Florence for taking the #1 spot in the SURFER POLL; ending Kelly Slater's 10 year reign.

Dusty Payne for winning the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Halewia Beach Park

Michel Bourez for winning the Vans World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach

Billabong Pipeline Masters is currently running. Head over to vanstriplecrown.com for on-going coverage.

Additional footage provided by GoPro. Additional photography provided by Shawn Parkin.

Since the 2011 smash-hit Warrior, we haven’t seen as many mixed-martial-arts dramas popping up on TV as we would have expected. That’s about to change with DirecTV’s Kingdom, starring Matt Lauria, Nick Jonas, and Warrior alum Frank Grillo. Lauria is the odd man out, in both his role as an excommunicated ex-con and his status as the sole vegan actor on set. But as he demonstrates, you don’t have to eat flesh to get muscled.

Kingdom has quite an eclectic cast—what happened when you were all suddenly thrown together to do the show?

Jonathan Tucker, Nick Jonas, and I went through an intensive two-week fight training camp prior to shooting. So every day we’d all carpool out to Pomona [CA], where the gym was, and spend the day together having this crash course basically “intravenously injected” into us: wrestling, Muay Thai, boxing, jiu-jitsu. I think the exertion and the hours we spent together really bonded us, so when we started shooting, we were like brothers.

Take us through a typical day of MMA training camp.

We trained with Joe “Daddy” Stevenson, who’s a notable MMA fighter and revered coach and trainer. We’d start with 10 minutes of jumping rope barefoot...If you’ve ever been cracked on the tip of your bare toe with a jump rope, you know [that’s] something you’ll try not to do again. Every day was a different tactic; we had a day of just wrestling takedowns, we’d have a day of just cage defense.

Did you get any flack on the set for being a vegan?

Absolutely. I would constantly catch shit from the guys, some more than others, but it was all in good fun. I’d started out a little depleted because of the vigorous training; and during those two weeks, there was no time to go lift and eat a lot. But as the season rolled on I remember Tucker saying, “Dude, you’re really turning the myth of veganism on its ear.” A lot of people think vegans are just these skinny, scrawny, weak, gray-skinned little people—but I did great.

You were a football player in the Friday Night Lights TV series. How is that different from playing an MMA fighter in Kingdom?

It’s exhausting. Lights was a different type of show and a completely different type of character. When we were in pads and helmets, we had extraordinary doubles who could raise the level of authenticity with all the physical stuff. But on Kingdom, when it’s just you and a pair of shorts, you really can’t fake it, so more responsibility falls on your shoulders. They were hoping for guys who had some physical aptitude and were game to fight. I think all of us really approached the fighting with a sort of “all-in, all the time” attitude. We wanted not only to serve the characters in the story but also to do justice to the sport.

Q&A: Lone Survivor's Alexander Ludwig Talks Fitness >>>

The more you exercise, the better off you are health-wise and mind- and body-wise, but you already knew that. What you might not know is 80 percent of the fat that leaves your body is expelled through your lungs. That’s right. You’re breathing away those pounds, according to recent research published in the British Medical Journal. Ahhh, science. 

You see, human fat cells store triglyceride—a type of fat in the blood—which is made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. These atoms are released through oxidation and when that happens, fat is burned off.

Scientists from the University of New South Wales in Australia did some math. When 22 pounds of fat is oxidized, 18.5 pounds leave the body through the lungs as CO2.  The remaining 3.5 pounds becomes water. 

The thing to remember here is that the oxygen needed to complete this metabolic process weighs nearly three times the fat being lost. So, to completely oxidize 22 pounds of human fat, 64 pounds of oxygen must be inhaled. 

Out of breath thinking about all this yet? Don’t hyperventilate. It’s really not that much. And hyperventilating to expedite the process will probably only result in weird looks from strangers and a strong chance of passing out.

Consider this for some context: someone weighing 154 pounds, at rest, taking 12 breaths a minute, or 17,280 times a day will lose at least 200 g or—wait for it, wait for it—.44 pounds. There’s a decimal there. And a third of that weight is lost during eight hours of shuteye.

Basically, thank your lungs. They’re the primary organ through which we lose weight. Also, keep exercising. Don't think breathing alone will accelerate your fat loss.

Is Exercise Making You Fat? >>>