Healthy Fitness Recipes

Discover delicious high-protein meals, healthy snacks, muscle-building recipes, fat-loss meals, and easy fitness meal prep ideas designed to help you achieve your fitness goals.

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Best Healthy Recipes for Muscle Growth & Fat Loss

Nutrition is one of the most important parts of building muscle, losing fat, improving recovery, and maximizing athletic performance. These healthy fitness recipes are designed to help you stay consistent while enjoying delicious meals packed with protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and nutrients.

High Protein Meals

Build lean muscle and improve recovery with protein-packed recipes.

Fat Loss Recipes

Low-calorie meals designed to keep you full while supporting weight loss.

Meal Prep Ideas

Quick and easy recipes perfect for weekly meal preparation.

Featured Fitness Recipes

High Protein Chicken Bowl

A delicious muscle-building meal packed with lean protein, rice, and fresh vegetables.

• 45g Protein
• 520 Calories
• Perfect for Meal Prep

View Recipe

Healthy Overnight Oats

An easy high-fiber breakfast recipe designed for fat loss and sustained energy.

• 28g Protein
• High Fiber
• Quick Breakfast Idea

View Recipe

Low Calorie Protein Pancakes

Fluffy protein pancakes perfect for muscle recovery and healthy weight loss.

• 35g Protein
• Low Sugar
• Fast & Easy Recipe

View Recipe

Why Healthy Nutrition Matters

The right nutrition plan can improve muscle growth, speed up recovery, increase energy levels, improve cardiovascular health, and support long-term fat loss. Combining healthy recipes with science-based training is one of the best ways to achieve sustainable fitness results.

Muscle Growth

Fat Loss

Improved Recovery

Better Health

Start Your Fitness Journey Today

Explore our workout programs, stretching routines, cardio guides, and healthy recipes to build muscle, lose fat, and improve your overall fitness naturally.

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1 Month Workout Plan for Kettlebell

 

1 Month Kettlebell Workout Plan 

Week 1:

Monday:

• Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 2-3 rounds of: 10 kettlebell goblet squats, 10 kettlebell swings
• Strength work: 3-4 rounds of: 5 single-arm kettlebell push press (per arm), 5 single-arm kettlebell rows (per arm), 10 kettlebell goblet squats, Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds
• Conditioning: 4-5 rounds of: 30 seconds of kettlebell swings, 30 seconds of kettlebell goblet squats, 30 seconds of kettlebell push ups, Rest 30 seconds between rounds
• Cool down: 5-10 minutes of static stretching

Wednesday:

• Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 2-3 rounds of: 10 kettlebell goblet squats, 10 kettlebell swings
• Strength work: 3-4 rounds of: 5 single-arm kettlebell push press (per arm), 5 single-arm kettlebell rows (per arm), 10 kettlebell goblet squats, Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds
• Conditioning: 4-5 rounds of: 30 seconds of kettlebell swings, 30 seconds of kettlebell goblet squats, 30 seconds of kettlebell push ups, Rest 30 seconds between rounds
• Cool down: 5-10 minutes of static stretching

Friday:

• Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 2-3 rounds of: 10 kettlebell goblet squats, 10 kettlebell swings
• Strength work: 3-4 rounds of: 5 single-arm kettlebell push press (per arm), 5 single-arm kettlebell rows (per arm), 10 kettlebell goblet squats, Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds
• Conditioning: 4-5 rounds of: 30 seconds of kettlebell swings, 30 seconds of kettlebell goblet squats, 30 seconds of kettlebell push ups, Rest 30 seconds between rounds
• Cool down: 5-10 minutes of static stretching

Week 2:

 Monday:

• Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 2-3 rounds of: 10 kettlebell goblet squats, 10 kettlebell swings
• Strength work: 3-4 rounds of: 5 single-arm kettlebell push press (per arm), 5 single-arm kettlebell rows (per arm), 10 kettlebell goblet squats, Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds
• Conditioning: 4-5 rounds of: 30 seconds of kettlebell swings, 30 seconds of kettlebell goblet squats, 30 seconds of kettlebell push ups, Rest 30 seconds between rounds
• Cool down: 5-10 minutes of static stretching

Wednesday:

• Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 2-3 rounds of: 10 kettlebell goblet squats, 10 kettlebell swings
• Strength work: 3-4 rounds of: 5 single-arm kettlebell push press (per arm), 5 single-arm kettlebell rows (per arm), 10 kettlebell goblet squats, Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds
• Conditioning: 4-5 rounds of: 30 seconds of kettlebell swings, 30 seconds of kettlebell goblet squats, 30 seconds of kettlebell push ups, Rest 30 seconds between rounds
• Cool down: 5-10 minutes of static stretching

Friday:

• Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 2-3 rounds of: 10 kettlebell goblet squats, 10 kettlebell swings
• Strength work: 3-4 rounds of: 5 single-arm kettlebell push press (per arm), 5 single-arm kettlebell rows (per arm), 10 kettlebell goblet squats, Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds
• Conditioning: 4-5 rounds of: 30 seconds of kettlebell swings, 30 seconds of kettlebell goblet squats, 30 seconds of kettlebell push ups, Rest 30 seconds between rounds
• Cool down: 5-10 minutes of static stretching

Week 3:

 Monday:

• Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 2-3 rounds of: 10 kettlebell goblet squats, 10 kettlebell swings
• Strength work: 3-4 rounds of: 5 single-arm kettlebell push press (per arm), 5 single-arm kettlebell rows (per arm), 10 kettlebell goblet squats, Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds
• Conditioning: 4-5 rounds of: 30 seconds of kettlebell swings, 30 seconds of kettlebell goblet squats, 30 seconds of kettlebell push ups, Rest 30 seconds between rounds
• Cool down: 5-10 minutes of static stretching

Wednesday:

• Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 2-3 rounds of: 10 kettlebell goblet squats, 10 kettlebell swings
• Strength work: 3-4 rounds of: 5 single-arm kettlebell push press (per arm), 5 single-arm kettlebell rows (per arm), 10 kettlebell goblet squats, Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds
• Conditioning: 4-5 rounds of: 30 seconds of kettlebell swings, 30 seconds of kettlebell goblet squats, 30 seconds of kettlebell push ups, Rest 30 seconds between rounds
• Cool down: 5-10 minutes of static stretching

Friday:

• Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 2-3 rounds of: 10 kettlebell goblet squats, 10 kettlebell swings
• Strength work: 3-4 rounds of: 5 single-arm kettlebell push press (per arm), 5 single-arm kettlebell rows (per arm), 10 kettlebell goblet squats, Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds
• Conditioning: 4-5 rounds of: 30 seconds of kettlebell swings, 30 seconds of kettlebell goblet squats, 30 seconds of kettlebell push ups, Rest 30 seconds between rounds
• Cool down: 5-10 minutes of static stretching

Week 4:

 Monday:

• Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 2-3 rounds of: 10 kettlebell goblet squats, 10 kettlebell swings
• Strength work: 3-4 rounds of: 5 single-arm kettlebell push press (per arm), 5 single-arm kettlebell rows (per arm), 10 kettlebell goblet squats, Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds
• Conditioning: 4-5 rounds of: 30 seconds of kettlebell swings, 30 seconds of kettlebell goblet squats, 30 seconds of kettlebell push ups, Rest 30 seconds between rounds
• Cool down: 5-10 minutes of static stretching

Wednesday:

• Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 2-3 rounds of: 10 kettlebell goblet squats, 10 kettlebell swings
• Strength work: 3-4 rounds of: 5 single-arm kettlebell push press (per arm), 5 single-arm kettlebell rows (per arm), 10 kettlebell goblet squats, Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds
• Conditioning: 4-5 rounds of: 30 seconds of kettlebell swings, 30 seconds of kettlebell goblet squats, 30 seconds of kettlebell push ups, Rest 30 seconds between rounds
• Cool down: 5-10 minutes of static stretching

Friday:

• Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 2-3 rounds of: 10 kettlebell goblet squats, 10 kettlebell swings
• Strength work: 3-4 rounds of: 5 single-arm kettlebell push press (per arm), 5 single-arm kettlebell rows (per arm), 10 kettlebell goblet squats, Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds
• Conditioning: 4-5 rounds of: 30 seconds of kettlebell swings, 30 seconds of kettlebell goblet squats, 30 seconds of kettlebell push ups, Rest 30 seconds between rounds
• Cool down: 5-10 minutes of static stretching

Benefits of kettlebell with example workout

Kettlebell workouts are a popular form of exercise that involve using a weighted ball with a handle to perform a variety of strength and conditioning exercises. These workouts can be an effective way to improve overall fitness, build strength and power, and increase cardiovascular endurance. However, it is important to use proper form and technique to avoid injury and get the most out of your workouts.

One of the main benefits of kettlebell workouts is that they can help improve overall physical fitness. Kettlebell exercises involve multiple muscle groups and can improve strength, power, and endurance. For example, kettlebell swings and goblet squats are great for building lower body strength, while push press and rows can help strengthen the upper body. In addition, kettlebell workouts can also improve cardiovascular endurance by increasing the heart rate and challenging the cardiovascular system.

Another benefit of kettlebell workouts is that they can be done with minimal equipment and space. A single kettlebell is all you need to perform a variety of exercises, making it a convenient and affordable option for people who want to workout at home or on the go. Kettlebell workouts can also be easily modified to suit different fitness levels, making them suitable for beginners and advanced exercisers alike.

Despite the many benefits of kettlebell workouts, it is important to use proper form and technique to avoid injury. Kettlebell exercises can be physically demanding and may not be suitable for people with certain health conditions or injuries. It is always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional or certified fitness instructor before starting any new exercise program.

In addition, it is important to start with a lighter weight and gradually increase the intensity as you become more comfortable with the exercises. It is also essential to warm up properly before beginning a kettlebell workout and to cool down afterwards to help prevent muscle soreness and injury.

Conclusion:

Overall, kettlebell workouts can be a highly effective and convenient way to improve overall fitness and build strength and power. However, it is important to use proper form and technique, start with a lighter weight, and listen to your body to get the most out of your workouts and avoid injury.

Example workout

1. Warm up:

• 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching (e.g. leg swings, arm circles, inchworms)
• 2-3 rounds of:
  • 10 kettlebell goblet squats
  • 10 kettlebell swings

1. Strength work:

• 3-4 rounds of:
  • 5 single-arm kettlebell push press (per arm)
  • 5 single-arm kettlebell rows (per arm)
  • 10 kettlebell goblet squats
  • Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds

1. Conditioning:

• 4-5 rounds of:
  • 30 seconds of kettlebell swings
  • 30 seconds of kettlebell goblet squats
  • 30 seconds of kettlebell push ups
  • Rest 30 seconds between rounds

1. Cool down:

• 5-10 minutes of static stretching (e.g. forward folds, lunges, cobra pose)

Note: This workout can be modified based on your fitness level and goals. You may want to start with lighter weights and fewer rounds, and gradually increase the intensity as you become more comfortable with the exercises. It's also important to listen to your body and rest when needed. Consult a healthcare professional or certified fitness instructor if you have any concerns about starting a new workout program.

5 Best books to learn programming

NOTE: All of the books listed below can be found at pdfdrive.com for free.

There are many excellent books available for those looking to learn programming, but here are five highly-rated options that are often recommended for beginners:

"Head First Java" by Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates: This book is a comprehensive and engaging introduction to the Java programming language. It covers all the essential concepts and is written in a way that is easy to understand for those new to programming.


"Python Crash Course" by Eric Matthes: This book is a fast-paced and comprehensive introduction to the Python programming language. It covers the fundamentals of programming and also includes chapters on working with data, building web applications, and creating games.


"C Programming Language" by Brian W. Kernighan and Dennis M. Ritchie: This classic book is considered the definitive guide to the C programming language, and it is an essential resource for anyone looking to learn C. It covers all the fundamental concepts and is written in a clear, concise style.


"Eloquent JavaScript" by Marijn Haverbeke: This book is a comprehensive introduction to the JavaScript programming language, with a focus on helping readers develop a deep understanding of how the language works. It covers all the essential concepts and includes interactive exercises to help reinforce learning.


"Learning Python" by Mark Lutz: This book is a comprehensive and easy-to-follow introduction to the Python programming language. It covers the fundamentals of programming and includes chapters on data structures, object-oriented programming, and working with databases.

No matter which book you choose, it's important to practice what you learn and to seek out additional resources if you need help. With dedication and practice, you can become proficient in programming and start building your own software and applications.

8 Must-Read Books for Personal Growth and Development

NOTE: Books listed below and many more can be found at pdfdrive.com

Self-improvement books can be a great source of inspiration and guidance on the journey towards personal growth and development. Whether you want to learn new skills, overcome challenges, or simply become a better version of yourself, there are plenty of books that can help you achieve your goals. In this article, we've rounded up 8 of the best books for self improvement, each with a brief summary to give you an idea of what to expect.

1. "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey

https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/0743269519

In this classic self-help book, Stephen R. Covey offers a framework for developing good habits that can lead to personal and professional success. Covey's 7 habits, including "be proactive," "begin with the end in mind," and "put first things first," are based on principles of effectiveness and can be applied to any area of life.

2. "Awaken the Giant Within" by Tony Robbins

https://www.amazon.com/Awaken-Giant-Within-Immediate-Emotional/dp/0671791540

Tony Robbins' "Awaken the Giant Within" is a motivational guide to unlocking your full potential and achieving your goals. Robbins encourages readers to take control of their lives, overcome their fears, and tap into their inner strength. Through practical exercises and personal anecdotes, he shows readers how to transform their lives and achieve success.

3. "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz

https://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Freedom/dp/1878424319

In "The Four Agreements," spiritual teacher Don Miguel Ruiz offers a simple but powerful set of principles for living a happier and more fulfilling life. The four agreements are: be impeccable with your word, don't take anything personally, don't make assumptions, and always do your best. By following these agreements, Ruiz suggests, we can break free from limiting beliefs and patterns of behavior that hold us back.

4. "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808

In "The Power of Now," spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle teaches readers how to find peace and happiness in the present moment. By learning to quiet the mind and become more mindful, Tolle argues, we can overcome negative emotions, reduce stress, and experience a deeper sense of fulfillment.

5. "Daring Greatly" by Brené Brown

https://www.amazon.com/Daring-Greatly-Courage-Vulnerable-Transforms/dp/1592408419

In "Daring Greatly," researcher and storyteller Brené Brown explores the concept of vulnerability and how it relates to courage, authenticity, and connection. Drawing on her own research and personal experiences, Brown encourages readers to embrace vulnerability and take risks in order to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

6. "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl

https://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/080701429X

In "Man's Search for Meaning," psychiatrist Viktor Frankl shares his experiences as a Holocaust survivor and the lessons he learned about the human capacity for resilience and strength. Through his concept of logotherapy, Frankl argues that finding meaning in life is the key to overcoming adversity and achieving happiness.

7. "Mindset" by Carol Dweck

https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322

In "Mindset," psychologist Carol Dweck examines the role of mindset in determining success and happiness. Dweck introduces the concept of a fixed versus growth mindset, and shows how a growth mindset – the belief that we can improve and learn new things – can lead to greater achievement and fulfillment.

8. "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" by Mark Manson

https://www.amazon.com/Subtle-Art-Not-Giving-Counterintuitive/dp/0062457713

In "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck," blogger and self-help author Mark Manson challenges the traditional notion of positive thinking and argues that it is more important to focus on what really matters. Through a mix of personal stories and philosophical insights, Manson encourages readers to embrace their limitations and embrace the things that truly matter in life. By learning to not give a fck about things that don't matter, Manson suggests, we can live a more authentic and fulfilling life.

Free Kindle Books for the week of Aug. 29, 2021

 

The Top 10 Benefits of Regular Exercise

Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and the benefits of regular physical activity are numerous. 

In this article, we'll explore the top 10 benefits of regular exercise, and how incorporating it into your daily routine can improve your physical and mental well-being.

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1. It can make you feel happier

Exercise has been shown to improve your mood and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress.

It produces changes in the parts of the brain that regulate stress and anxiety. It can also increase brain sensitivity for the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine, which relieve feelings of depression.

Additionally, exercise can increase the production of endorphins, which are known to help produce positive feelings and reduce the perception of pain.

Furthermore, exercise has been shown to reduce stress and improve symptoms of anxiety.

Interestingly, it doesn’t matter how intense your workout is. It seems that your mood can benefit from exercise no matter the intensity of the physical activity.

In fact, a study in 24 women who had been diagnosed with depression showed that exercise of any intensity significantly decreased feelings of depression.

The effects of exercise on mood are so powerful that choosing to exercise (or not) even makes a difference over short periods.

One review of 19 studies found that active people who stopped exercising regularly experienced significant increases in symptoms of depression and anxiety, even after only a few weeks.

SUMMARY

Exercising regularly can improve your mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.

2. It can help with weight loss

Some studies have shown that inactivity is a major factor in weight gain and obesity.

To understand the effect of exercise on weight reduction, it is important to understand the relationship between exercise and energy expenditure.

Your body spends energy in three ways:

• digesting food
• exercising
• maintaining body functions like your heartbeat and breathing

While dieting, a reduced calorie intake will lower your metabolic rate, which can delay weight loss. On the contrary, regular exercise has been shown to increase your metabolic rate, which can burn more calories to help you lose weight.

Additionally, studies have shown that combining aerobic exercise with resistance training can maximize fat loss and muscle mass maintenance, which is essential for keeping the weight off.

SUMMARY

Exercise is crucial to supporting a healthy metabolism and burning more calories per day. It also helps you maintain your muscle mass and weight loss.

3. It is good for your muscles and bones

Exercise plays a vital role in building and maintaining strong muscles and bones.

Activities like weightlifting can stimulate muscle building when paired with adequate protein intake.

This is because exercise helps release hormones that promote the ability of your muscles to absorb amino acids. This helps them grow and reduces their breakdown.

As people age, they tend to lose muscle mass and function, which can lead to an increased risk of injury. Practicing regular physical activity is essential to reducing muscle loss and maintaining strength as you age.

Also, exercise helps build bone density when you’re younger, in addition to helping prevent osteoporosis later in life.

Interestingly, some research suggests that high impact exercise, such as gymnastics or running, or odd impact sports, such as soccer and basketball, may help promote a higher bone density than non-impact sports like swimming and cycling.

SUMMARY

Physical activity helps you build muscles and strong bones. It may also help prevent osteoporosis.

4. It can increase your energy levels

Exercise can be a real energy booster for many people, including those with various medical conditions.

One older study found that 6 weeks of regular exercise reduced feelings of fatigue for 36 people who had reported persistent fatigue.

Furthermore, exercise can significantly increase energy levels for people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and other serious illnesses.

In fact, exercise seems to be more effective at combating CFS than other treatments, including passive therapies like relaxation and stretching or no treatment at all.

Additionally, exercise has been shown to increase energy levels in people with other conditions like cancer.

SUMMARY

Engaging in regular physical activity can increase your energy levels. This is true even in people with persistent fatigue and those with serious health conditions.

5. It can reduce your risk of chronic disease

Lack of regular physical activity is a primary cause of chronic disease.

Regular exercise has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, heart health, and body composition. It can also decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

In contrast, a lack of regular exercise — even in the short term — can lead to significant increases in belly fat, which may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

That’s why regular physical activity is recommended to reduce belly fat and decrease the risk of developing these conditions.

SUMMARY

Daily physical activity is essential to maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the risk of chronic disease.

6. It can help skin health

Your skin can be affected by the amount of oxidative stress in your body.

Oxidative stress occurs when the body’s antioxidant defenses cannot completely repair the cell damage caused by compounds known as free radicals. This can damage the structure of the cells and negatively impact your skin.

Even though intense and exhaustive physical activity can contribute to oxidative damage, regular moderate exercise can actually increase your body’s production of natural antioxidants, which help protect cells.

In the same way, exercise can stimulate blood flow and induce skin cell adaptations that can help delay the appearance of skin aging.

SUMMARY

Moderate exercise can provide antioxidant protection and promote blood flow, which can protect your skin and delay signs of aging.

7. It can help your brain health and memory

Exercise can improve brain function and protect memory and thinking skills.

To begin with, it increases your heart rate, which promotes the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. It can also stimulate the production of hormones that enhance the growth of brain cells.

Plus, the ability of exercise to prevent chronic disease can translate into benefits for your brain, since its function can be affected by these diseases.

Regular physical activity is especially important in older adults since aging — combined with oxidative stress and inflammation — promotes changes in brain structure and function.

Exercise has been shown to cause the hippocampus, a part of the brain that’s vital for memory and learning, to grow in size, which may help improve mental function in older adults.

Lastly, exercise has been shown to reduce changes in the brain that can contribute to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia.

SUMMARY

Regular exercise improves blood flow to the brain and helps brain health and memory. Among older adults, it can help protect mental function.

8. It can help with relaxation and sleep quality

Regular exercise can help you relax and sleep better.

With regard to sleep quality, the energy depletion that occurs during exercise stimulates recuperative processes during sleep.

Moreover, the increase in body temperature that occurs during exercise is thought to improve sleep quality by helping it drop during sleep.

Many studies on the effects of exercise on sleep have reached similar conclusions.

One review of six studies found that participating in an exercise training program helped improve self-reported sleep quality and reduced sleep latency, which is the amount of time it takes to fall asleep.

Another older study showed that 16 weeks of physical activity improved sleep quality and helped 17 people with insomnia sleep longer and more deeply than the control group. It also helped them feel more energized during the day.

What’s more, engaging in regular exercise seems to be beneficial for older adults, who are often affected by sleep disorders.

You can be flexible with the kind of exercise you choose. It appears that either aerobic exercise alone or aerobic exercise combined with resistance training can both improve sleep quality.

SUMMARY

Regular physical activity, regardless of whether it is aerobic or a combination of aerobic and resistance training, can help you sleep better and feel more energized during the day.

9. It can reduce pain

Although chronic pain can be debilitating, exercise can actually help reduce it.

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In fact, for many years, the recommendation for treating chronic pain was rest and inactivity. However, recent studies show that exercise helps relieve chronic pain.

In fact, one review of several studies found that exercise can help those with chronic pain reduce their pain and improve their quality of life.

Several studies also show that exercise can help control pain associated with various health conditions, including chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic soft tissue shoulder disorder, to name a few.

Additionally, physical activity can also raise pain tolerance and decrease pain perception.

SUMMARY

Exercise has favorable effects on the pain associated with various conditions. It can also increase pain tolerance.

10. It can promote a better sex life

Exercise has been proven to boost sex drive.

Engaging in regular exercise can strengthen the heart, improve blood circulation, tone muscles, and enhance flexibility, all of which can improve your sex life.

Physical activity can also improve sexual performance and sexual pleasure while increasing the frequency of sexual activity.

Interestingly enough, one study showed that regular exercise was associated with increased sexual function and desire in 405 postmenopausal women.

A review of 10 studies also found that exercising for at least 160 minutes per week over a 6-month period could help significantly improve erectile function in men.

What’s more, one study found that a simple routine of a 6-minute walk around the house helped 41 men reduce their erectile dysfunction symptoms by 71%.

Another study demonstrated that women with polycystic ovary syndrome, which can reduce sex drive, increased their sex drive with regular resistance training for 16 week.

SUMMARY

Exercise can help improve sexual desire, function, and performance in men and women. It can also help decrease the risk of erectile dysfunction in men.

The bottom line

Exercise offers incredible benefits that can improve nearly every aspect of your health from the inside out.

Regular physical activity can increase the production of hormones that make you feel happier and help you sleep better.

It can also improve your skin’s appearance, help you lose weight and keep it off, reduce the risk of chronic disease, and improve your sex life.

Whether you practice a specific sport or follow the guideline of 150 minutes of activity per week, you will inevitably improve your health in many ways.

 

Learning Code for Free: The Ultimate Guide for 2021

Programming Books

Why Blogs are Free ✍

Alright. I’m sure this sounds silly. Of course blogs are free. It’s kind of obvious.

But hear me out: many of the awesome resources we have for free online are so good that someone would pay for them. These resources include Interneting is Hard, the Front-End Developer Handbook, or the Complete Guide to Flexbox — things that are just gold.

One reason for this: amazing resources offer digital marketing and brand exposure.

Tools like the Front-End Developer Handbook is sponsored by the video learning platform, Front-End Masters. While the handbook provides immense value, the guide advertises their own courses throughout.

Individual bloggers, like Sam Gavis-Hughson’s blog on Byte by Byte, offers concise and valuable blogs and freebies on recursion and discrete math concepts. As many blogs do, the freebies lead to an email list, which promotes the business, which in this case is premium consulting and interviewing courses.

Many bloggers want to grow something — whether that be their name or their business — and a great way to do that is simply by giving people value. When you give value, people will respond. That response can be powerful.

This is why many programmers use blogging to promote their personal brand. With a blog, they become a standout developer, gaining an advantage in interviews, boosting them throughout their programming career.

Despite these reasons, I do believe programmers blog also just to help others. You do not need to have another motive to be a tech blogger. A well-known tech blogger, Tania Rascia, says in her website philosophy: no ads, no affiliate links, and not even Google Analytics tracking. Reluctantly, she added a donate button, saying the following:

For the first few years, I didn't have any donate button at all because I thought it seemed weird, spammy, and needy to have one, but I realized when you do something cool, people want to show their appreciation.

Bloggers are people, and people have different philosophies about money and conduct their blog in different ways. May of them offer paid ebooks and courses, but not always. Often, they are just generous.

Programmers see a need. And they fulfill that need.

It’s as simple as that.

Why Video Courses Are Free 💻

Why are quality, free resources in such abundance? Why do we get such amazing crops for no cost?

When it comes to video course offerings like Scrimba, Udemy, Frontend Masters, and others, only a small subset of their courses are free. They offer for free a selection and then charge for more premium courses. This is what we call a freemium model.

A freemium model gives something away at no cost, creating a lower barrier to entry for the platform. This paves the way to offer premium products afterward, particularly if the customer enjoys the free product. Freemium products are also great for the buzz they generate about the service, drawing in more customers without investing more in marketing and sales.

When the pandemic began and many learners went completely digital, many video course platforms upped their free offerings as a move to attract more customers during a time when the public was feeling nervous about spending and more conscious about saving.

Why Interactive Courses are Free ⌨

We want people to become programmers.

We want to give everyone the tools they need to foster their learning.

We do not want to gate access from anyone.

That’s why we have amazing, completely free resources like freeCodeCamp. freeCodeCamp is a non-profit organization that has a donation-based model. They provide so much incredible value that alumni who learned through the platform do donate.

It exists to make coding education accessible to everyone.

Other than freeCodeCamp, other services have a model similar to video courses: they offer some courses for free and other courses for a premium.

Other interactive courses with a MOOC model, like EdX or Coursera, offer courses for free as an ‘audit’. The video courses are free, but the interactive portions are gated. They might also offer an official certificate of completion that you can only get if you pay.

The Danger of Outdated Free Resources

Just about every free resource article out there talks about how free resources are just so great. But let’s stop, take a moment, and talk about what isn’t so great.

With all the cupcakes and rainbows that we witness in this world of learning to code for free, there are a few things that need to be kept in mind. The tech world changes with the speed of greased lightning. 

Coding languages and platforms see continuous improvement and development right from the time of their conception. As trends keep evolving in sometimes unpredictable ways, resources can rapidly become out of date.

We need to understand that the resources that are free can be the best way to learn to code, but we need to keep resources in check. It is vital to make sure whatever resource you use is up to date and as per the latest technology. 

I have asked the dev community openly why so many good resources by amazing, individual programmers are free.

I got a response that surprised me:
Many developers feel that when they create something, they must also maintain it.

As developers, we have a maintenance mindset. Code is a living thing, and so is our writing and learning resources.

To a developer, the cost of maintenance is the true cost of the product. To create something and share it and then maintain it — that is a paid service. But to create something once and put it in the world without maintenance — that is free.

This is a mindset that may occur with some, but not all, of our free resources.

So many, probably too many, amazing developers share quality content for free.

To those who give quality coding resources for free, I think it’s important to share appreciation, love, and support. The currency of ‘free’ for the creator is often in exposure and positive energy.

72 Best Free Learning Resources By Category

Are you prepared for the barrage of amazing free resources? It’s going to be intense.

Books 📚

1. Learn Python the Hard Way

This is a substantial sample of the book, Learn Python 2 The Hard Way, which includes a preface, introduction, and the first 8 exercises of the book as well as the introductory text to the other 45 exercises.

2. Learn Ruby the Hard Way

The 3rd edition of Learn Ruby the Hard Way is completely free in digital form. It includes 52 fun-sounding, creative Ruby exercises including Doing Things with Arrays and You Make a Game.

3. A Byte of Python

This is a free digital book on programming using Python version 3 with an option to buy the print version. The book goes over all of the programming fundamentals, including object-oriented programming, exceptions, modules, and data structures.

4. Ruby on Rails Tutorial

This digital book covers Ruby on Rails in detail, from deployment, to building static pages, to building dynamic pages.

5. Launch School Open Book Shelf

This is a library of ebooks created by Launch School that teaches basics. Titles include Introduction to Regular Expressions, Introduction to HTTP, and Agile Planning. You do not need to enter any information. Just start reading.

6. Conquering the Command Line

This digital book explains UNIX and Linux commands for developers through 9 detailed chapters from Ack to cURL to tar.

7. Front-end Developer Handbook 2019

Produced by Frontend Masters, this free ebook lists tons of resources, both paid and free, for front-end developers. The guide includes a career roadmap and practical career advice.

8. Eloquent Javascript

Eloquent Javascript third edition is free digitally. If you purchase a physical copy, you get a bonus chapter.

This book is free digitally. The bestseller hardcopy is paid and produced by No Starch Press with a bonus chapter. This book is a favorite for its quality and for its free pricetag.

9. You Don’t Know JS Yet (Book Series)

This entire series of books is free on GitHub and paid if you want any other format. This series is also a bestseller despite the content being free.

10. JavaScript for Cats

This guide is “so easy your human companion could do it!” This guide explains Javascript in simple terms. It includes cat illustrations and cat-centric examples.

11. O’Reilly Free eBook Library

In exchange for your email, you have access to a substantial library of quality ebooks and book samplers. You can probably find a book on any technical topic under the sun.

Blogs and Text-Based Tutorials ✍

12. Lydia Hallie

This blogger posts on Medium and the DEV community. Her illustrated tutorials on Javascript are detailed and quality.

13. Randall Kanna

Randall Kanna is a senior software engineer who often blogs about hiring, interviewing, and career success as a programmer.

14. David Walsh

David Walsh is a front-end engineer who blogs about all sorts of front-end technologies, from React to Node to API fetches to everything in between and beyond.

15. Tania Rascia

Tania Rascia has blogged throughout her entire career, since 2015, writing clear and concise, beginner-friendly tutorials about front-end technologies.

16. Kent C. Dodds

Kent C. Dodds is a software engineer and now full-time instructor who publishes his instructional material at not just his blog, but egghead.io, Frontend Masters, YouTube, Twitter, and his own sites like TestingJavaScript.com and EpicReact.Dev. 

17. Joshua Comeau

Joshua Comeau’s blogs site design is adorable, with tons of artful CSS touches, like the blue grid of dots that react to your mouse position.

Joshua Comeau released his blog in 2020, and the site itself is an absolute joy to explore, with artful CSS touches everywhere. The front-end tutorials are detailed and with fun energy.

19. Robin Wieruch

Robin Wieruch is the author of simple, clear courses and guides including The Road to React, The Road to Redux, and The Road to GraphQL. His blog is packed with detailed tutorials on web development tools and frameworks.

20. Tyler McGinnis (UI.dev)

Tyler McGinnis teaches courses on React, Redux, and other modern Javascript. Tyler explains concepts simply, clearly, and thoroughly.

21. DevDojo

DevDojo is a blog with multiple authors. Its most popular topics include Laravel, PHP, Linux, Javascript, and DevOps.

22. freeCodeCamp News

freeCodeCamp’s blog has many guest authors who post frequently. It’s packed with tutorials that are valuable and relevant.

23. DEV Community

Like Medium, the DEV community houses blog posts and podcasts from a community of authors who do not need approval to publish. The community is active and friendly and a great place to get involved.

24. CodeWall

This blog is regularly updated with code tutorials to “motivate and encourage code lovers”. Topics this blog covers is CSS, PHP, IDEs, Laravel, Node.js, and more.

25. SitePoint Blog

SitePoint’s blog covers a wide variety of topics, including front-end development, UI design, mobile development, and even entrepreneurship.

26. CSS-Tricks

CSS Tricks is a classic blog, starting in 2007 and still going strong, sharing a huge variety of CSS resources and projects. The guide section is an incredible resource, including A Complete Guide to Flexbox, Media Queries for Standard Devices, and A Complete Guide to Grid.

27. Google Web Fundamentals

This is Google’s “opinioned” guide about building a fast, integrated, reliable, and engaging website. The guide is divided into those four categories: preventing slow loading performance, creating integrated experiences, promoting reliability, and going beyond functionality with highly-engaging content.

28. HTML Dog

Step-by-step guides, techniques, examples, and references for HTML, CSS, and Javascript.

29. Interneting is Hard

A beautifully-designed, clean, simple, and thorough explanation of HTML & CSS.

30. Ruby in Twenty Minutes

A 20-minute Ruby tutorial that creates a MegaGreeter class that is friendly and knows how to greet everyone.

31. Ruby Koans

Ruby Koans is a text course with downloadable files. It is valuab le for those who already know Ruby looking to solve unique and interesting problems.

32. Envato Tuts+

Envato Tuts+ has free tutorials, ebooks, text guides, and eBooks covering a wide array of topics and projects including web accessibility with ARIA, PHP fundamentals, and more.

33. A List Apart

A List Apart is a multi-author blog that details creative projects surrounding many topics from code to content to design to business.

34. Learn with Google AI

This guide includes information and exercises about machine learning. If you want to get started in machine learning, this is a great place to start.

35. MIT OpenCourseWare

This free resource platform is not quite a blog and not quite a course: it offers all course materials and assignments for free, but it does not do any handholding.

You have to do all of the work yourself.

The initiative by MIT to make all of its course content public is what powers this platform. This platform is just the perfect match for beginners who want to aid their process of learning to code for free. With courses like programming for beginners to expert level courses, this is a great platform for the young.

36. Hackr.io

Hackr.io has free programming courses and tutorials for many programming languages and technologies, including Python, JavaScript, Java, Android Development, Data Structures & Algorithms, C++, React, Angular, HTML, and more.

37. Mozilla Developer Network

The MDN web docs is a popular, classic resource like the Wikipedia of web development. MDN docs covers about every web technology and serves as a fantastic resource.

38. W3Schools

W3Schools covers everything under the sun about web development, with documentation about every HTML tag and CSS rule.

39. Learn to Code HTML & CSS

Learn to Code HTML & CSS is a fantastic, free text tutorial guide with 12 lessons, including Building Your First Web Page, Opening the Box Model, Positioning Content, Working with Typography, Adding Media, and Building Forms.

40. CSS Tutorial

CSS Tutorial is exactly as the name describes. The teaching style of this tutorial is first showing the HTML and a styled page, then walking through the CSS of the example.

41. WebAIM

WebAIM is one of the most complete and comprehensive resources for web accessibility with articles about how to use ARIA to write accessible HTML as well as accessible CSS and alt text.

Video Courses 💻

42. Bento.io

Bento is created by Jon (Say, “Hi, Jon”) who is a self-taught developer creating a learning platform he wished his younger self had. He says, “More than two-thirds of developers identify as being self-taught. I think that one of the best ways to get everyone to code is to help people teach themselves.” The site has tons of free tracks for learning front-end development.

43. Scrimba

Scrimba has some impressive free video courses for Javascript, Vue, CSS grid, and more.

Scrimba offers many premium courses with a handful of quality free ones. You can take free courses in CSS grid, Vue, Algorithms, React, and more.

44. Udemy

You may find volumes of coding resources on Udemy. Even though Udemy has all sorts of topics, it is very good for material related to coding. Where it has paid courses, it also has some great free courses.

45. PluralSight

Let me be clear: PluralSight is not free most of the time.

But it sometimes is. If you are subscribed to PluralSight’s email list, they announce free weeks or weekends of PluralSight to access their massive library of courses. Recently, they were free for the entire month of April.

46. BitDegree

BitDegree offers free video coding courses. Popular courses include How Math is Used in Video Games, Learn How to Make a Puzzle Game App, and Beginner Guide to How to Make a Game with Unity.

47. Watch and Code

The design of the Watch and Code website is deceptively simple: plain black-and-white, and a bold claim that this learning platform aims to be “unapologetically boring”.

Watch and Code offers a “one-of-a-kind, unapologetically boring curriculum.” What does that mean? Well, according to the plain black-and-white home page, the courses do not focus on what’s trendy but what is timeless in programming. More than just video courses, Watch & Code aims to help the “serious learners” with accountability through daily accountability meetings and video chats for help when you get stuck. For Watch & Code, the introductory Javascript course is free, and instead of teaching syntax and features, the course teaches real-world development. The instructor is relatable and talks about knowing that big learning gap between the basics and more advanced material.

48. The Code Player

The Code Player shows the process of coding an element on a web page in real time. It is actually very cool and feels a bit like watching the landscape to go by on a train. This is different from a video tutorial in the sense that it has mistakes (such as typos) and meandering along the way to get to the solution, just like how someone would arrive at a solution in real life.

49. Mammoth Interactive

Mammoth Interactive offers lots of premium courses and trainings, but there is a small selection of free ebooks and trainings, including Learn to Make a Game in 30 Minutes for FREE and 2-hour Python Coding Bootcamp.

50. Programming with Mosh (on YouTube)

Programming with Mosh offers premium courses on his own site (which I have taken personally and loved). But Mosh also posts free tutorials straight to YouTube. He is a clear, upbeat instructor who produces quality tutorials on a wide range of programming topics.

51. The Net Ninja (on YouTube)

The Net Ninja offers high-quality video tutorials for free on YouTube, organized neatly into playlists. Some free video tutorials include Modern Javascript, Flutter for Beginners, Node.js, HTML & CSS, and more.

52. Upskill

If you create an account with Upskill, you have access to over 200 free lessons: The Essential Web Developer Course (197 lessons) and Javascript Basics (18 lessons). Upskill’s teaching style sets them apart, focusing on explaining things simply and down to the theory behind the lessons.

53. Khan Academy

Khan Academy is marketed toward grade-school students, but the computer science principles offered in these free computer science courses still apply. Khan Academy is a non-profit educational organization created in 2008, aiming to help educate students in a range of topics.

Interactive Courses and Games ⌨

54. freeCodeCamp

freeCodeCamp is a nonprofit. This means that you can expect nothing but learning for free: no premium offerings or upsells — just learning. freeCodeCamp’s interactive tutorials are wide-ranging and valuable, cumulating into rewarding and hard-earned certificates that will make you feel proud.

55. edX

The good part about edX is its university backing. This platform has content from prestigious institutions like MIT, NYU, and Harvard. There are many different programming languages sorted into many different classes that aspiring developers can take.

56. Coursera

Another popular platform for learning things online is Coursera. It has over a hundred courses that can help you learn to code. There are a few really good free courses available here.

57. Codeademy

You can learn coding online via Codecademy using its free course offerings, or sign up for a free Codecademy trial. There are several languages in which you can program and you will be able to find most of them on Codecademy.

58. Learn Javascript

Learn Javascript has beginner-friendly interactive tutorials about Javascript. These tutorial exercises range between the classic “Hello, World!” to Object-Oriented Design and Javascript scope contexts.

59. Learn Python

Learn Python is by the same author of Learn Javascript. Complete beginner-friendly interactive tutorials about Python, ranging from (you guessed it) “Hello, World!” to closures and decorators.

60. Codepip

Flexbox Froggy is a free game that teaches how to use flexbox CSS rules. Move the frog to the correct lily pad.

Codepip produces free CSS games, including the free games, Flexbox Froggy and Grid Garden, which teaches Flexbox and CSS grid respectively. I admit, I have a soft spot for Flexbox Froggy. When I worked at an agency, we all played Flexbox Froggy — even the creative director and the designers — and it felt like such a fun empathy-building exercise for front-end development.

61. Javascript.com

A very short, sleek and attractive tutorial on Javascript. Be warned, it’s very short (but as I said, very sleek)! And it leads straight into a sell for a premium product.

62. Skillcrush’s Free Coding Bootcamp

This is one of the best platforms for people who have just started the coding journey. This platform helps you stay committed to the tasks, and that too, in the easiest of manners. This will also help you in determining if learning to code is your true calling.

63. CodeGym

CodeGym lessons feel like a story-based sci-fi fantasy adventure game.

CodeGym was created because boring lectures are, well, boring! This program aims to teach Java with imagination and fun. CodeGym is highly gamified with rewards, currency, and ‘quests’. It also has an informal speaking style, narrative, and fun, cartoonish illustrations. To use CodeGym, you need to register and select your language. Then you can start your lessons for free.

64. Codewars

Codewars believes in achieving “mastery through challenge.” Codewars allows you to start writing code in the browser right away and use test-driven development (TDD) along the way. The platform is also gamified with ranks and honors.

65. CodeCombat

In CodeCombat, you guide your hero through perils by writing code that controls your hero. In the first lesson, you guide a hero with simple methods such as hero.moveRight() and hero.moveDown().

CodeCombat is more intended for kids, but I cannot help but mention it, because I love RPGs. In this free game, you write commands to control your character through mazes and through fights. Like a classic RPG, you equip your character and get more skilled over time.

66. Code.org

Code.org is also primarily intended to teach kids to code. Their learning games are fun and top notch.

67. GA Dash

GA Dash teaches you the web fundamentals — HTML, CSS, and Javascript — through projects you can do in your browser. This service is provided by General Assembly, which has both online and in-person workshops and immersives.

68. Edabit

Edabit aims to help you learn to code in the “fastest, easiest, and most addictive way.” Edabit offers free interactive tutorials in a variety of languages, including C++, Java, Javascript, PHP, Python, Ruby, and Swift. Edabit has gamification features such as the ability to earn XP and level up.

69. Ruby Monk

You can become a Ruby Monk with these semi-interactive tutorial, where you click to run single lines of code and get words of affirmation from your Ruby master.

70. The Odin Project

The Odin Project offers a free full-stack curriculum, which entails HTML, CSS, Javascript, Git, databases, Ruby, Ruby on Rails, NodeJS, and even getting hired. The Odin Project (TOP) offers tracks, including Full Stack Ruby, Full Stack Javascript, and a purely front-end development track. TOP’s goal is to provide a complete path to bring students from zero to an employed web developer.

71. SoloLearn

SoloLearn offers interactive lessons on a sleek mobile app, complete with lots of quizzes you can use to sharpen your coding mind while you’re at the checkout at the grocery story. SoloLearn offers a series of courses, including Python, Java, C, Javascript, HTML, machine learning, data science, and more.

72. ShortcutFoo

ShortcutFoo is a cute desktop app that allows you to practice your speed and recall with keyboard commands. I have personally used ShortcutFoo to get better at using Vim. You can also do drills for Git or for your text editor. These drills will make you look like a keyboard wizard and impress your friends!