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The Top 40 Legion Articles of 2014

Another year has blinked by and as this is the season to reflect on what has passed and will come, a “best of 2014” post seemed in order.

I reviewed the traffic and social activity of the 200+ articles posted here on Legion this year and chose the top 40, broken down by category.

There’s a bit of something for everyone here: fat loss tips, muscle-building advice, metabolic adaptation, a critique of the low-carb hysteria, proper training frequency, delicious diet-friendly foods, and more.

So, are you ready to do some reading? Alright then, let’s get to the list!

Top 10 Diet & Nutrition Articles of 2014

How to Speed Up Your Metabolism for Easier Weight Loss

how-to-speed-up-metabolism

If you’re struggling with weight loss (or would like to lose weight easier) and want to know how to speed up your metabolism, you want to read this article.

The Definitive Guide to Effective Meal Planning

meal-planning-tips

Meal planning doesn’t have to feel like a ball and chain. You can lose weight and build muscle eating foods you like, and this article shows you how.

How to Lose Body Fat and Not Muscle (Without Following a Ridiculous Diet or Grueling Exercise Routine)

Mike Matthews shirtless.

When you want to get lean, the goal isn’t simply to lose weight–it’s to lose body fat and not muscle. Here’s how to do it.

Why Rapid Weight Loss Is Superior to “Slow Cutting” (And How to Do It Right)

rapid-weight-loss

Many people believe that rapid weight loss is unhealthy, but if done correctly, it’s far superior to “slow cutting”…

7 “Healthy Habits” That Are Overrated or Even Unhealthy

healthy-habits

If you want to improve your long-term health, avoid these 7 “healthy habits” and you’ll be better for it.

The Definitive Guide to Why Low-Carb Dieting Sucks

low-carb-diet

The low-carb diet is the latest fad to take America by storm. And like most fad diets, it has a pretty sales pitch but can’t deliver the goods. Here’s why.

The Definitive Guide to the “Fat Burner” Supplement: What Works and What Doesn’t and Why

targeted-fat-loss

The “fat burner” is one of the most popular–and profitable–supplements on the market today, with an almost endless supply of options. How can we know which are good and which aren’t?

7 Diet Mistakes That Make It Damn Hard to Lose Weight, Build Muscle, and Feel Good

diet-mistakes

If you stop making these diet mistakes, you’ll be able to lose fat and build muscle with ease, and actually enjoy the process.

You’ll Stop Worrying About Sugar After Reading This Article

sugar-facts

Sugar is one of the most feared and demonized substances you can eat…but it’s not nearly as bad as many people say. No, it’s really not.

The Refeed Day: When Dieting Should Include Overeating and Why

refeed

If you’re having trouble going from “lean” to “shredded,” then the refeed day might be just what you need.

Top 10 Exercise & Workout Articles of 2014

The Simple Science of Losing Belly Fat…For Good

belly-fat-loss

If you’re struggling to understand how to lose belly fat, and want a tight, toned stomach, then you want to read this article.

The Ultimate Arms Workout: The Best Arm Exercises for Big Guns

arms-workout

If you’re looking for the best arm exercises for big, strong biceps and triceps, then you want to read this article and do this arms workout.

The Ultimate Chest Workout: Chest Exercises for Awesome Pecs

mike-matthews-upper-chest

The best types of chest workouts and chest exercises aren’t what most people believe. In this article, you’re going to learn what it really takes to build full, strong pecs.

The 3-Step Skinny Fat Solution

why-im-skinny-fat

The glut of crappy weight loss advice out there has created a skinny fat epidemic, and it needs to stop. This article can help.

6 “Everyday” Weightlifting Mistakes That Keep People Small, Weak, and Frustrated

weightlifting-mistakes

Want to make little-to-no gains in the gym? Make these weightlifting mistakes.

Why and How I Use Fasted Cardio to Lose Fat as Quickly as Possible

fasted-cardio

Some people swear by fasted cardio whereas others say it’s not only ineffective but harmful as well. Well, both are right–it’s effective if you do it right and harmful if you do it wrong.

How Training Frequency Can Help or Hurt Your Muscle Growth

training-frequency

How frequently do you have to train your muscles to make gains in the gym? Read on to find out.

11 Scientifically Proven Ways to Increase Your Bench Press

how-to-increase-bench-press

If you follow these 11 scientifically proven tips, you can quickly increase your Bench Press strength and prevent injury.

The Best Forearm Workouts to Increase Grip Strength

best-forearm-workouts

Grip strength is more important than you might think. Here’s why, as well as the best forearm workouts for increasing grip strength.

8 Proven Ways to Break Through Weightlifting Plateaus

weightlifting-plateau

When it comes to working out, nothing is more frustrating than hitting a seemingly unbreakable weightlifting plateau.

Top 10 Food Articles of 2014

7 Healthy Protein Bar Recipes So Good It Feels Wrong

protein-bar-recipes

If you like to make delicious on-the-go snacks, you’ll love these healthy protein bar recipes.

7 Gluten-Free Recipes That Taste Amazing

gluten-free-cookie

Whether you have issues with gluten or not, you’ll love these 7 gluten-free recipes. They’re a great way to cut down on calories without sacrificing taste.

5 Healthy PB2 Recipes That Will Change Your Life (Without Ruining Your Diet!)

healthy-pb2-recipe

If you’re not working healthy PB2 recipes into your diet, you’re missing out on some seriously delicious eats…

7 Healthy Muffin Recipes That Make Awesome Snacks

zucchini-muffin-recipe

If you’re into baking, then you’re going to love these delicious, high-protein, healthy muffin recipes.

5 Post-Workout Meals That Blow Protein Shakes Away

post-workout-meals

Your post-workout meals are a perfect chance to eat a lot of tasty food without ruining your diet. Here are 5 delicious recipes that are perfect for the job.

7 Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes That’ll Make You Love Your Crock Pot

slow-cooker-recipe

Great slow cooker recipes are some of my favorites–they’re extremely easy to prep, they taste great, and there’s minimal clean-up.

7 Killer Barbecue Recipes for the Ultimate Backyard BBQ

chinese-bbq-pork-recipe

These delicious barbecue recipes make for a killer cookout that doesn’t add a couple inches to your waistline.

7 Healthy Salad Recipes That Even Meat Eaters Like Me Can Love

healthiest-salad-recipe

No matter the season, it’s always a good time to work some healthy salad recipes into your diet. These will hit the spot even if you’re not a “greenie.”

7 Healthy Pizza Recipes That You Can Eat Guilt-Free

health pizza recipe

The words “healthy” and “pizza” don’t usually go together, but these deliciously unique recipes break the mold!

5 Low-Fat Greek Yogurt Recipes That Are Better Than the Traditional Dishes

greek-yogurt-recipe

Low-fat Greek yogurt recipes are perfect for enjoying creamy, delicious meals with more protein and less calories than you’d think.

Top 10 Motivation & Happiness Articles of 2014

Shut Up and Train (Or I Really Want to Get Fit But…)

shut-up-and-train

You’ve got excuses and I want you to shut up and train. Let’s see who wins…

The Problem With “Finding Your Passion”

finding-your-passion

Finding your passion and living a life of fulfillment and success sounds great…but there’s a problem…

Opportunity Doesn’t Knock–It Whispers

opportunity-knocks

Success in any endeavor, in any aspect of your life, requires opportunities. Everyone knows this, but here’s something everyone doesn’t know: opportunities are whispers, not foghorns.

The Struggle is the Way

Hercules-Bronze-Left-Side-Close-Up_IMG_3621-e1281541688866

If you want to gain an “unfair” advantage in life, then you want to learn how to embrace the Struggle…

The Simple Science of Effective (and Ineffective) Goal Setting

goal-setting

Whether you realize it or not, your goal setting is either helping or hindering your ability to make things happen. Here’s what works best for me.

3 Motivating Reasons to Start Working Out Today

Motivating reasons to work out.

Looking for motivating reasons to start working out? Here are 3 powerful ones, and they’re far greater than merely looking good.

16 Destructive Things You Have to Stop Doing to Be Happy

how-to-be-happy

There are many ways of sabotaging your happiness, but some are far more effective than others and the worst of all are also the most common.

Why Not You?

why-not-me

We spend more time asking Why me? Rather than asking the far more powerful and pertinent question: Why NOT me?

Get Workout Motivation: 7 Ways to Get Fired Up

ultimate-workout-motivation

Looking for some workout motivation? Well, by the end of this article, I bet you’ll be itching to hit the gym…

8 Ancient Laws for Creating a Simpler, Happier Life

Laws to a simple and happy life.

Life can be simple and you can be happy, and these 8 time-proven laws point the way.

2014 Was Great But Let’s Make 2015 Even Better

As good as 2014 was, let’s not dwell on our successes. What’s done is done and what we’re doing is what matters most, so keep an eye on the blog (or sign up for email updates below!) to get updates on everything we’re up to.

Well, that’s it for now. As always, I’m humbled by all the support you’ve given me and will continue to work hard to earn my place at your table.

What are your big plans for 2015? Have anything else to share? Let me know in the comments below!

Want to know how to build muscle and lose fat eating delicious foods like these?

"Dieting" doesn't have to suck. You CAN eat foods you like and have the body you want!

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OVER 100,000 PEOPLE HAVE USED MY COOKBOOK TO GET THE BODY THEY WANT EATING THE FOODS THEY LOVE. WILL YOU BE NEXT?

What if I told you that just about everything magazines and trainers “teach” you about dieting is wrong?

What if you could build muscle and lose fat eating “naughty” foods every week?

What if you didn’t have to suffer through low-carb dieting to get lean? In fact, what if you could eat all the carbs you wanted?

And what if you didn’t have to gorge yourself just to gain muscle and didn’t have to put on pounds and pounds of ugly fat, either?

In short, what if I told you that proper dieting--whether you want to maximize fat loss or muscle growth--is much simpler and more enjoyable than you’ve been led to believe?

Imagine eating delicious, filling meals every day...never feeling starved or stuffed...having great energy levels and workouts...and watching your body respond exactly as you desire, dropping fat or adding muscle each and every week.

And imagine finally understanding how proper dieting really works, never again falling for the BS, tricks, and gimmicks pushed by “gurus” and other shysters.

Well, I have good news.

All these “fantasies” can be a reality...if you know how to do a handful of “little” things correctly.

You see, when you know how to diet properly--and this doesn’t mean learning to eat boiled chicken and raw broccoli six times per day--getting lean and muscular becomes simple, convenient, and dare I say...enjoyable.

And this book will show you the way.

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Free Worldwide Shipping & Returns

Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!

Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you live in the UK or Canada, your order ships free when it’s over $99.

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That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.

Free Worldwide Shipping & Returns

Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!

Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you’re outside the USA, your order ships free when it’s over $199.

Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money. But! We're also hustling to improve our international logistics and will be passing our savings along to our international customers.

Also, if you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon.

We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. No returns. No forms. No nonsense. Holy moo cows.

That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.

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While artificial sweeteners may not be as dangerous as some people claim, studies suggest that regular consumption of these chemicals may indeed be harmful to our health.

That’s why all of our supplements are naturally sweetened and flavored and contain no artificial food dyes, fillers, or other unnecessary junk.

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Many ingredients in supplements don’t have any scientifically validated benefits. That’s why we only use choice ingredients shown to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific studies.

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“Natural” doesn’t always mean “better,” but in many cases, natural ingredients are superior to artificial ones for various reasons, including purity, safety, and efficacy.

That’s why all of our ingredients in all of our products come from plant and animal sources, including sweeteners, colors, and flavors.

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Some popular pre-workouts are all-natural. Some contain the right mix of high-quality ingredients. Some provide clinically effective doses. But only Pulse checks each of these boxes.

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