After hours of overnight fasting, your body is ready to absorb nutrients in the morning, so you need to be careful about what you eat because not all foods treat your body kindly.

What to eat on an empty stomach?

Acid levels rise on an empty stomach, making your digestive system more sensitive. Whatever you eat first is absorbed quickly by the body and has a direct impact on your blood sugar level, energy, and mood. So the wrong choice can hit harder.

But to know what to and what not to eat on an empty stomach, you should first know why it is important to eat well.

• Blood sugar regulation: Sugary or processed foods can cause a sharp sugar spike and then an energy crash.
• Stomach issues: Spicy or acidic foods can damage the stomach lining and cause heartburn or pain.
• Hormone imbalance: Your cortisol is higher in the morning. Adding foods like caffeine can result in jitters or anxiety.
• Efficient Digestion: Nutritious foods improves digestion by helping run the process smoothly.
• Nutrition absoprtion: Your body absorbs nutrients better in the morning, so make sure to eat healthy.
• Energized body: Eating healthy food on a empty stomach keeps you energized throughout the day.
• Improved metabolism: Eating nutritious meals first regulate metabolism and appetite throughout the day.
• Improved mood and focus: Eat healthy to improve mental clarity and emotional balance throughout the day.

Foodstuffs to eat on an empty stomach:

• Yogurt: It provides probiotics to improve gut health and protein to boost energy.
• Banana: It is full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. It digests easily and is a natural energy boost.
• Oatmeal: Oatmeal is rich in iron, vitamin B, manganese, magnesium, zinc, and selenium which keeps you full for long and stabilizes blood sugar levels in the body.
• Eggs: Undoubtedly the best breakfast food because they are rich in protein, vitamins A & B, iron, and are good for muscle growth.
• Almonds (or other nuts): They are packed with healthy fats and vitamin E that improve stamina.
• Green Leafy Vegetables: It is an energy boosting food, full of vitamins A and C, magnesium and minerals that keeps you energized for long.
• Chia Seeds: Mix a spoonful in water and drink it to get fiber and omega-3s that will aid digestion, reduce inflammation and provide energy.
• Berries: They are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and help fight inflammation, heart ailments, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
• Whole Grain Toast: Complex carbs and fiber that digest gently and stabilize blood sugar.
• Green Tea: It is an antioxidant-rich drink to kickstart metabolism. It contains L-theanine that helps reduce anxiety. It is also a rich source of an antioxidant pigallocatechin gallate that prevents cell death and neurological disorders, like dementia.

What not to eat on an empty stomach?

Given below is a list of foods that affect your health adversely when consumed on an empty stomach. They should be avoided to stay free of stomach and other health issues.

• Pancakes
• Pastries
• Fruit Juice
• Waffles
• Muffins
• Breakfast bars
• Bacon/sausages/ham
• Biscuits and gravy

Does your breakfast contain any of the aforementioned foods? It might be time to give it/them up.

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Greca is a personal fitness trainer who has trained multiple celebrities, including Kim Kardashian, Bebe Rexha, and Miranda Kerr. On February 21, she posted an Instagram video displaying the single-weight workout techniques that target almost every muscle group in the body.  

The caption to her post read, “Full Body Workout – 1 Dumbbell or Kettlebell(no rock needed). Total Body every muscle burner. Make sure to SAVE and SEND to besties.”

Greca performed a total of 6 exercises in the video. They were:

• The Senada Get Up
• RDL to squat clean
• Hollow body pec presses
• Lateral lunge with rows
• Push up to cross-body knees
• Reverse lunge with press

Greca also recommended performing 3 sets with 8 to 12 reps of these movements for maximum benefits.

However, this one was far from being the only video where she displayed how working out with a single weight can also help tone the physique.

Seneda Greca Displays a Full-Body Workout With a Single Dumbbell

On February 28, Greca took to her Instagram once more to demonstrate a full-body workout with a single weight. But the facility changed to a gym from the beach, and the rock was replaced by a dumbbell.

Greca captioned the post “Full Body Workout – 1 Dumbbell Full Body – Total body, every muscle burner….”

The exercises she demonstrated were:

• Sumo dumbbell squat swings
• Hollow body chest presses
• RDL to goblet clean squat
• Alt leg reverse lunge to press
• Lateral lunges with rows
• Plank DB pull-throughs

She advised performing 3 rounds with 8-12 reps, and she even recommended including 4 sets for “beastmode.”

It seems that Greca is on a mission to help her fans become fit and healthy. So are you thinking of following her lead?

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On February 9, an Instagram post from Business Growth Mentor revealed the 101-year-old physician and professor at Loma Linda University, Dr. John Scharffenberg’s secret to a longer and healthier life.

Scharffenberg emphasized a simple factor that could work wonders to keep a person healthy. He neglected the complex health indicators like “BMI,” “cholesterol,” and “blood pressure,” counting “how much you move every single day” as the biggest factor that determines one’s health quotient.

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Dr. Scharffenberg’s claims align with multiple studies. According to Business Growth Mentor, a 2021 meta-analysis revealed that physical activity helps people live longer. It detailed the benefits, mentioning, “Movement lowers inflammation, stabilizes blood sugar, and strengthens your heart like nothing else”.

A study of 272,550 older adults by Eleanor L. Watts and team, published on the JAMA Network, USA, also found similar results.

At 101, Dr. Scharffenberg has outlived both his younger brothers. Reflecting on the situation, he said, “I have outlived my two brothers, 13 and 17 years respectively. And every year that’s going to increase another year. And I’m not going to die next year. So it’s going to keep going up”.

But apart from daily exercises, Scharffenberg believes people need to follow some lifestyle approaches for better longevity.

Dr. John Scharffenberg’s other key secrets to longevity

During his appearance in a 2025 Viva Longevity YouTube video, Scharffenberg revealed some other secrets to a long life.

No sm***, no al*****, no sugar:

Dr. Scharffenberg never sm**** in his life, and he is proud of it. He said, “To**** harms nearly every organ”. When it comes to al****. He is also not a fan of sugar and believes in creative swaps. For instance, instead of direct sugar, he would prefer oat-based waffles topped with cashew cream and berries.

Eat smart and live long:

Dr. Scharffenberg follows an intermittent fasting routine. He eats breakfast and lunch and skips dinner. The Dr. believes this habit has helped him maintain his weight and age-related issues. He also avoids:

• Saturated fat
• Meat

He may not eat meat, but he eats eggs and milk for protein. His plate also contains foods like:

• Nuts
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Seeds
• While grains.

He believes, “Mangos, persimmons, macadamias—nature has given us all we need”.

Are you also thinking of following his postulates to live healthily for a longer time?

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So let’s take a look at the origin story of the sports meet that originated in Columbus, Ohio, in 1989, and gradually spread to several other countries, including the UK

Arnold Sports Festival: History and Impact

• The Beginning:

Throughout the 70s and 80s, Arnold Schwarzenegger was already a legend, dominating both his bodybuilding and acting careers. He won six consecutive Mr. Olympia titles (7 total) and is the one who popularized bodybuilding in the mainstream world.

It was during this time that Arnold met Jim Lorimer, a former FBI agent, chairman of the U.S. Olympic Committee for Women’s Athletics, and a sports promoter in Columbus, Ohio. Lorimer invited Schwarzenegger to compete in the 1970 Mr. World contest in Columbus and personally arranged a flight so he could attend.

Schwarzenegger won the contest and promised Lorimer that the two would promote events together after his retirement. Little did they know that their simple promise would redefine the world of sport.

• The Birth of Arnold Classic

Arnold retired from bodybuilding in 1975, and from 1976 to 1986, he and Lorimer promoted six Mr. Olympia contests. The success of these events gave them the idea of creating their own contest, instead of promoting someone else. So, finally, in 1989, the duo organized their first bodybuilding competition, The Arnold Classic. 

The idea behind AC was to introduce people unfamiliar with the sport to bodybuilding and enjoy it. So, they spent a lot of time explaining everything to the audience.

Rich Gaspari was the first Arnold Classic winner, and Tonya Knight won the women’s division. The event was widely popular; it aired on NBC and was even featured as a sketch on Saturday Night Live.

• The Expansion into Arnold Fitness Expo

By the early 90s, the Arnold Classic started to evolve beyond bodybuilding. In 1993, it was renamed the Arnold Fitness Expo as it was the first time it expanded to different sports and fitness activities, and a year later, it became a three-day festival.

The event included everything from martial arts and dancing to fencing, wrestling, strongman, table tennis, and more. Instead of just watching from the stands, here fans could meet their favorite athletes and buy the latest merchandise.

In the beginning, only a handful of vendors were part of the event. Speaking to the Columbus Dispatch in 2012, Jim Lorimer said,

“We were in the basement at Veterans Memorial the first few years, and people kept coming up to us and saying they had products to market…So we started a small exposition, maybe six vendors the first year — and it took off.” 

In the first year, 200 exhibitors sold supplements, clothes, and equipment, with approximately 15,000 attendees. Today, the expo features 1,000 individual booths and is an important yearly event for many sellers.

• The Introduction of The Arnold Strongman Classic

In 2002, the introduction of the Arnold Strongman Classic brought a new level of global prestige to the festival. It was designed differently from the traditional strongman contests, focusing on explosive strength, and featured different strength contests.

• Over the Years

Today, the Arnold Sports Festival hosts tens of thousands of athletes participating in dozens of sports. The Arnold Sports Festival wasn’t just a U.S. event anymore; it has become a global brand, with festivals organized all over the world.

• 2011: The Arnold Classic Europe.
• 2013: The Arnold Classic South America
• 2014: The Arnold Classic Australia
• 2015: The Arnold Classic Africa
• 2016: The Arnold Classic Asia
• 2021: Arnold Sports Festival United Kingdom

The economic impact of the festival became known in 2019 when ASF generated an estimated $53 million.

Over the years, the ASF has faced many challenges, from organizational issues to political setbacks. Still, its core mission of promoting sports and fitness remains constant. Through it all, the festival has continued to be one of the most prestigious events in the sporting world.

While Schwarzenegger has many feathers in his illustrious cap, the ASF remains his most enduring legacy.

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On February 21, American bodybuilder and fitness trainer Mike O’Hearn posted an Instagram video with a powerful message for his followers. In the video, he performed a seamless bench press.

The bizarre part was his form, instead of holding the barbell in a pronated grip, he held it in a supinated grip and still looked at ease.

The video came with an inspiring caption: “You can fake a lot of things in this world, you can’t fake well-performed intelligent consistency.”

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A post shared by Mike O’Hearn (@mikeohearnshow)

Even at 57, his toned and powerful physique amazes everyone. His followers were quick to react to the video, commending him for maintaining his progress. People commented things like “The GOAT,” “4 plates on that?! That’s insane,” and Supreme wrist power.

Besides being a bodybuilder and a part-time meme icon, O’Hearn is an experienced powerlifter. Apart from flexing his experience with such videos, he also spreads his knowledge through fitness training. Watching him train his clients in his training videos is enough to know how deeply knowledgeable he is in fitness and bodybuilding.

During one of his sessions, his client faced a strength imbalance while performing the incline bench press. One side was stronger than the other, resulting in an uneven press. To fix that, O’Hearn placed a small yoga block under his client’s shoulders.

He explained the remedy by saying, “This will give less room for his back; he has to stay more balanced.” When the client performed some reps with the changes, he was more balanced and was able to lift properly.

Mike O’Hearn’s workout that keeps him fit at 57

Workout

Chest:

• Incline Barbell Bench Press (3 sets of 10 reps)
• DB Bench Press (3 sets of 10 reps)
• Incline Fly (3 sets of 8 reps)
• Decline Chest Fly (3 sets of 8 reps)
• Push Press (3 sets of 10 reps)

Back:

• Underhand-Grip Lat Pulldown (3 sets of 12 reps)
• Cable Row (3 sets of 10 reps)
• Underhand-Grip Chest Lat Rows (3 sets of 12 reps)
• Elevated Pulldowns (3 sets of 10 reps)
• Back Extensions (3 sets of 10 reps)

Legs

• Back Squat (4 sets of 8 reps)
• Leg Press (4 sets of 10 reps)
• Hack Squat (4 sets of 10 reps)

Arms

• Triceps Pushdown (4 sets of 10 reps)
• Skullcrushers (3 sets of 10 reps)
• Triceps Extension (3 sets of 10 reps)
• Barbell Curls (3 sets of 12 reps)
• Cable Curls (3 sets of 12 reps)
• Cable Concentration Curls (3 sets of 10 reps)
• Preacher Curls (3 sets of 10 reps)

Are you ready to try this workout? Tell us in the comments.

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One of only three men to ever defeat ‘The Austrian Oak,’ Zane changed the script at the Mr. Universe competition in 1968. He emerged as a serious challenger to Arnold, who was already far ahead of his time in terms of sheer size.

Zane had a smaller frame, weighing around 185 lbs, compared to Arnold’s massive 235+ lbs. But when the judges announced the scores, it shocked everyone, especially Arnold.

“The winner, a smaller guy named Frank Zane, was much more cut than I was,” Schwarzenegger wrote. “I was far too smooth. I’d missed a big thing.” He wrote this in his book ‘Be Useful’. Arnold even revealed that the owner of Gold’s Gym, Joe Gold, even called him balloon belly.

Well, the defeat was necessary for him, as after that, the fitness icon trained with more established bodybuilders in Los Angeles who encouraged him to lose a significant amount of body fat.

Schwarzenegger went on to win Mr. Olympia six years in a row from 1970 to 1975, becoming one of the most recognizable faces in the sport. But why was he defeated? Well, let’s hear it from Arnold himself.

Arnold Schwarzenegger says Six-Pack Abs Defeated Him

“I have a normal six-pack, which looks good, but Frank looked like each one of the muscles in his midsection was traced out of an anatomy textbook and chiseled from granite,” Schwarzenegger shared in his book.

Frank Zane showed Arnold that, despite weighing under 200 pounds, he packed enough muscle to take on the biggest competitors.

Apart from the abs, what caught Arnold off guard was his calf development, “Calves are basically the biceps of the legs. I had 24-inch biceps. I did not have 24-inch calves.”

The loss ensured that Arnold made changes to his regimen, and the result was a history that was unparalleled at the time.

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While many people struggle to complete 3 sets, Zapata, who took over the spot from Lennert Schots of Belgium, completed 12,345 pull-ups in 1 day, setting a new Guinness World Record on January 31, 2026.

The news was later confirmed by the athlete himself on his Instagram, where he posted the Guinness World record’s update with the caption, “someone climb the pole…. And the next one becomes able to reach it”.

This was the 3rd pull-up crown he conquered. The first achievement: 4, 949 pull-ups in 8 hours, later broken by David McCarthy with 5450 pull-ups. His 2nd achievement was completing 7,100 pull-ups in 12 hours, a record later broken by Rémi Girard with 7300 sets.

He completed most of his reps in sets of 7 or 8. After setting the 24-hour record, Enrique Zapata said to GWR, “It took discipline, belief, and an extraordinary team”.

He added, “The record is dedicated to my team: my wife, Mariana; Humberto, my physiotherapist and friend; Alex and David, my mindset coaches; Rosendo; Jorge; and everyone who stood by me during the hardest moments”.

He ended his statement by saying, “This record is about perseverance over time. If I can do this, everyone can”.

Now, the question is what strategy does Enrique Zapata follow during his performance?

Enrique Zapata’s data-driven system

After breaking the record of 7100 pull-ups in 12 hours, Enrique revealed his strategy during his appearance at Saltwater Experience.

From the podcast, 5 vital points have been identified:

• He focuses on nasal breathing optimization. He said, “I only breathe through my nose. It keeps me efficient, keeps my heart rate down, and keeps me calm under extreme strain”. Nasal breathing helps maximise oxygen levels in the body.
• Another part of his strategy is cooling the palm to delay muscle fatigue. He admitted, “Temperature is the hidden killer. Cooling my palms, face, and feet keeps my mitochondria functioning longer”.
• Pull-ups can put a lot of strain on one’s body, which is why Enrique minimizes them to preserve his muscle mass.
• Annual joint ultrasounda are a common thing for Zapata to monitor his soft tissue adaptation. He said, “My fascia, tendons, and joints are stronger now. My body has calloused itself structurally”.
• During his performance, he follows a special diet. For instance, he consumes beet and carrot juice for glucose support. Zapata also consumes amino acids and electrolytes for neurotransmitter stability. He said, “In extreme fatigue, neurotransmitters crash. I fuel the brain, not just the muscles”.

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Ahead of her fight with Gina Carano, Ronda Rousey is turning up the intensity of her training by putting her Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills front and center. Her recent Instagram video from her camp shows the former UFC champion training in grappling exchanges.

But even during this intense time, Rousey is keeping her mind at ease with some light humor. Though the video is intense, the caption will surely make everyone laugh.

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A post shared by Ronda Rousey (@rondarousey)

It shows Rousey trying a new grappling move and coining a new name for it. The caption of the post said: “There’s so many BJJ moves that have these super dramatic names like ‘anaconda,’ ‘crowbar,’ ‘jailbreak,’ ‘night of the living dead,’ ‘kiss of the dragon,’ ‘electric chair,’ etc that we decided to start giving moves the most pansy ass names possible to amuse ourselves. Behold: The Spaghetti-O.”

This video might be a little humorous, but some of her other videos serve as a clear reminder to Carano of what is to come from one of the most dominant figures in mixed martial arts.

Last Wednesday, Rousey shared a clip of her first training footage with trainer AJ Matthews, hitting the pads hard. If that video is any indication, it’s not going to be an easy fight for Gina Carano.

The Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight is scheduled for May 16 at the Intuit Dome in California. The fight will be streamed on Netflix.

15 habits Ronda Rousey follows to stay healthy

Whether fighting or not, here are 15 habits Rousey follows every day to stay active and healthy.

1. Follows in-ring stamina workout
2. Includes protein in her dinner
3. Snacks on healthy items
4. Practices punching for an hour
5. Performs functional workouts
6. Eats organic foods
7. Follows a full body workout
8. Performs conditioning workouts
9. Loves cold baths
10. Practices flexibility
11. Maintains low body fat
12. Eats a full breakfast
13. Never forgets her strength workouts
14. Doesn’t believe in cheat meals
15. Do 4-hour workout sessions

Who do you think will win the Rousey vs. Carano fight? Let us know in the comments.

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On December 14, 2025, a health and fitness content creator, Sierra Clark, posted a video on her YouTube channel featuring Pelka in which he revealed the secret behind his fitness. 

Let’s deep dive into Bruce’s fitness. 

Bruce Pelka’s workout

Bruce likes to do the same workout daily. He starts his workout by warming up his shoulder “with some light weights.” Then Pelka warms up his body and said, “I do 30 pull-ups, 30 push-ups, 25, 25, back and forth until I get 100.”

After that, he continued with weighted pull-ups.

Bruce also revealed that “Even if I don’t feel like coming to the gym, I come to the gym. I do something.” This consistency is the key behind having such a shredded physique at 72. 

Post-workout recovery shake

After finishing the training session, Bruce likes to have a recovery shake, which helps with hypertrophy, muscle repair, and provides him with energy. His shake includes:

• Protein powder (Chocolate flavor)
• 5g of Creatine 
• Collagen 
• Water 

This energy booster allows Pelka to recover quickly and provides energy for training the next day. 

Bruce Pelka’s balanced breakfast

Bruce told Sierra Clark that he wakes up at 6 am and goes to bed at 10 pm or last-to-last 10:30 pm. He practices gratitude daily.

For breakfast, the military veteran cooked a healthy and delicious meal, which had:

• 2 eggs cooked in olive oil 
• An avocado
• Peppers and onions
• Salsa with grated cheese
• Black coffee
• Liquid turmeric  
• CoQ10 (Ubiquinone)

This simple, quick, and filling breakfast gives him a perfect kick to his morning. 

Bruce Pelka’s healthy dinner

He prefers a nutritious and protein-rich dinner. He loves to cook. So, for Sierra and himself, he cooked

• Flounder (breaded and pan-fried)
• Sautéed zucchini in Oilive oil
• Along with lemon and garlic seasoning 

Bruce also said, “This is what I normally eat: either fish or chicken, sometimes a steak.” He admitted that he likes Filet Mignon.

Bruce Pelka’s dessert

Bruce does not consume sugar at all, but when it comes to dessert, he likes a quite odd kind of dessert, which is 

• Peanut butter
• Unripe bananas

He consumes his last meal at 5:30 or 6:30 pm. He also admitted that he sometimes follows a 24-hour or 36-hour fasting window.

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On 17 December 2025, the American bodybuilder shared an Instagram video that displayed him instructing his son while Titus performed several exercises inside the gym.

He captioned the video, “my workout partner, my son” @titusohearn.

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A post shared by Mike O'Hearn (@mikeohearn)

In the wholesome session, Titan was seen doing movements like:

• Barbell overhead press with low weight
• Assault bike or Air bike
• And a couple of movements with the help of a medicine ball.

Mike also encourages his son to maintain a journal so that he can visually see Titan’s reps and sets and measure his “consistency of the last couple years”.

He revealed his son has the “habit of being active first thing in the morning before school, other activities include: We switch it up with morning swims, tumbling, wrestling, or foot drills”.

Titan O’Hearn’s passion for bodybuilding and fitness goes beyond the gym as he has recently qualified for a state-level competition.

Mike O’Hearn’s Son Qualified for Wrestling

Titan O’Hearn recently qualified to compete in the 80 lbs division at the California State Wrestling Competition.

The update was shared on his Instagram account, where Titan wrote, “I qualified for state with my win today. Thanks to the help from my schools”.

Apart from that, Titan also has a history of appearing on a big stage of bodybuilding with his father. Last year, Mike O’Hearn shared a special moment with Titan over the weekend during the Idaho Muscle Classic, 2025. He posed with his son at the event where he was a guest.

So, do you think Titus will follow in his father’s footsteps to become a pro-bodybuilder in the future?

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