A blog to help you optimize your full-body and life performance

The holiday season is magical: we spend lots of time with friends and family , eat delicious, warm meals, and get to reflect on the past year. But let's be honest: these traditions also come with crowds, travel, and chilly, dry air: the perfect recipe for a seasonal cold.

And speaking of tradition, everybody has their own supposed immune-boosting or cold-relieving "secrets:" their grandma's tonic recipe, a laundry list supplement regimen, or even an intense sweat session. But do these methods actually work?

Craving that mid-afternoon coffee? Hitting your coworker’s candy bowl come 3:00PM? Too tired for that evening gym session? You’re not alone!

Even the InsideTracker office struggles with the dreaded afternoon slump sometimes. So, as usual, we took matters into our own hands and did some digging into easy ways to boost energy – besides coffee, of course. 

Want to banish fatigue, keep your afternoon productive, and maybe even save a few bucks? InsideTracker customers will find these recommendations and more in our "Boost Energy" goal.

Is your energy low? Don’t just chalk it up as “one of those weeks”—you might be deficient in certain nutrients! Fatigue is a common complaint for many individuals, and it becomes more common with age. Fortunately, there are plenty of simple ways to boost your energy levels, but you need to find out what’s going on inside of your body first.

Pre- and post-workout nutrition are crucial to performance, but when does the body require a mid-workout boost? How do you know when your glycogen stores will adequately fuel your exercise? And what should you be eating in the middle of a race? While it may take some experimentation to find your refueling bliss, the proper mid-exercise refuel can help you to achieve peak performance.

What’s a small thing you can do that can have a big effect on your performance? Drink enough water. Our bodies are mostly comprised of fluid, which means that every cell, tissue, and organ needs enough water to function. While plain H20 is the most important part of hydration, you also need electrolytes like potassium and sodium to perform at your best.

Many athletes believe that caffeine helps them feel more energetic during a workout and gives them an extra edge during competitions. But what does caffeine really do, and do the downsides of caffeine outweigh its benefits?

Getting regular exercise during the cold winter months can be difficult, especially if you hate jogging on the treadmill or riding the stationary bike. Snow, wind, and freezing temperatures can discourage even the most motivated person from exercising – but it doesn’t have to be that way!

Advertising can often be misleading. Food manufacturers want you to assume that since sports drinks contain the word “sport” on their labels, they must be beneficial for people who play sports or other forms of activity. New sports drinks appear on the market each day. Flavors like “organic cherry” and “blueberry açaí” are meant to conjure up thoughts of superfoods and enhanced performance for athletes and non-athletes alike. Many brands make claims about helping you perform better during athletic events and even suggest they will improve your health. But do sports drinks really enhance performance? Are all sports drinks created equal?

The 2012 Boston Marathon is almost here! On April 16th, more than 20,000 runners will participate in the oldest annual city marathon in the world, occurring every year since 1887. The race, which attracts roughly 500,000 spectators, is one of the country’s most prestigious marathons due to its long history, challenging course, and competitive qualifying times. In order to be eligible to participate,

Exercise certainly plays an important role in improving your health, but you definitely can’t live well without good food! Healthful eating after a tough workout helps your body maximize the benefits that are gained from exercise, which means that you can get even stronger and faster just by eating right!