Stuff We Like

Waterproof, TPU chassis for stability, molded heal counter, generous toe box.

I prefer to get my cardio in the mountains... and I prefer to not fall down those mountains while screaming like a little bitch. After a few precarious slips while hiking around in gym shoes, I decided to invest in a pair of real hikers.

These shoes have a grippy lug outsole that digs deep on the inclines and defeats scree on the declines. You can slosh through puddles and step on the sharpest of rocks without ever feeling a thing.

They're tough too. If I'm ever eaten by a bear, at least they'll be able to identify my remains by my perfectly intact feet. That's a thing, right? – Chris Shugart

Hyperlock TPU film heel counter for security, breathable mesh lining, integrated insole

Your feet and ankles have over 100 muscles. And they don't get much work in over-built gym shoes. This can create problems all the way up the chain, even leading to hip issues and back pain. Barefoot training can help you strengthen those underused muscles and re-educate the nervous system.

Problem is, you have nasty feet. Really, everyone says so. And no one wants to see them at your gym. So what you need is a shoe with minimalist construction that gets you as close to the ground as possible. These zero-drop Merrells may be just what you're looking for.

They're also certified vegan. So I guess you can eat them without guilt or whatever. – Chris Shugart

Waterproof upper, insulated with fleece lining, outsole made for icy conditions.

You know how the T Nation coaches are always recommending that you take long walks to boost your NEPA and speed recovery? Great advice, but it gets tricky in the winter. Your gym shoes aren't going to cut it. It's time to invest in a shoe built for ice and snow.

This one is waterproof and insulated. And it has the "M Select ICE" outsole, meaning you're less likely to bust your big ass on a slick spot. Now bundle up and hit the road, because beach bodies are made in the winter. – Chris Shugart

Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds

David Goggins is the only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller. Oh, and he's a record-breaking endurance athlete who was named "The Fittest (Real) Man in America" by Outside magazine. Need more? He did all of this after enduring a childhood wracked by poverty, abuse, and prejudice.

Now, when that kinda guy offers you some life advice, you'd be wise to shut up and listen.

When we asked T Nation Instagram fans to name the one book that influenced them the most, this one came out on top. – Chris Shugart

Maximal Results, Minimal Time. Go Beyond High-Intensity Interval Training

Hey, want to do something in the gym that's boring AND doesn't really work all that well? Then do slow cardio. Doesn't that sound like fun? No? Then this book is for you.

It's all about sprint-intensity training. These types of workouts promise to recruit all three muscle fiber types, including both types of fast-twitch muscle fibers, "thereby conditioning the anaerobic and aerobic processes of the heart muscle in many different ways."

On top of that, the workouts will trigger a tsunami of natural growth hormone release that's equivalent to injecting it. And you'll only need three, 20-minute workouts a week.

Okay, yeah, the book's ad copy is a little over the top, but it was recommended to us by Christian Thibaudeau, who knows a thing or two about training, so it's worth looking into. – Chris Shugart

How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win

The problem with leadership and management books is that they all start to sound the same. The same tired analogies, the same cliché platitudes, the same inspiring (but ultimately meaningless) drivel that makes you throw up in your mouth a little... or a lot. That's what makes this book a breath of fresh air: it's none of those things.

In short, this book takes SEAL leadership tactics and training to the masses, and it does it in a way that's practical and immediately applicable. It's inspiring and real, and the war-story narratives will keep you flipping those pages. – Chris Shugart

A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

This is the self-help book for men who'd rather palpitate their prostates with a dirty spatula than read a self-help book.

You will not be coddled; you will be slapped across your dumb face. This book is anti-positivity, anti-feel good, and anti-participation trophies. There's not a single unicorn or rainbow within its pages, and you definitely won't be advised to "manifest your truth to the universe" or construct a dream board.

And weirdly, after you read it, you may find yourself in the place you need to be to discover true happiness. No, really. – Chris Shugart

Turn Your Passion for Health and Fitness into a Powerful Purpose and a Wildly Successful Career

John Berardi got his start here at T Nation way back in the year 2000, and since then he's certainly made a name for himself in the world of nutrition. But this isn't a diet book. Nope, it's a book about how to find success as a fitness professional.

In this detailed and interactive career guide, Berardi offers up a blueprint to follow for fit pros and those thinking about becoming fit pros. It covers everything from broad principles to the nitty-gritty details that'll help you make more money in this cutthroat biz. – Chris Shugart

The Revolutionary Plan to Prevent Heart Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes

Here's a fun fact: you're probably going to die of heart disease. Yes, even if the tests your doctor gives you come back from the lab looking good. And yes, even if you hit the gym often.

See, there are genetic factors involved. And the way most doctors test for vascular disease today isn't the most up-to-date method. That plaque in your arteries sorta "hides" from conventional tests.

The cardiovascular specialists here have a different approach, one that promises to help you outsmart the "heart attack gene." This book breaks it all down in an easy to understand – but kinda repetitive – manner. But it's worth checking out since 50 percent of us carry at least one of the genes that makes us prone to ticker problems. – Chris Shugart

Variety pack: Sugar-free ketchup and two BBQ sauces (original and hickory).

You know what makes bland chicken breasts taste better? Barbeque sauce! Ah, but therein lies the rub. Most sauces, especially barbeque sauces, contain a lot of sugar and other crap. In fact, the main ingredient is often high-fructose corn syrup. Same with ketchup.

Luckily, pit master G. Hughes created a line of sugar-free sauces. At only 5 to 20 calories per serving, you can pretty much have all you want. The barbeque sauces and ketchup taste damn close to the real thing. His marinades, honey mustard, and sweet chili sauce are great too, so toss some of those into your Amazon cart as well. – Chris Shugart

Made with avocado oil and organic, paleo-approved ingredients.

Even if you haven't gone "full paleo" and you enjoy your salad with a side of bread (gasp!), these dressings are worth checking out.

Regular salad dressings usually contain junky soybean oil, sugar, and other craptastic ingredients. Not these. They're made with good-for-ya avocado oil and don't contain any soy, canola, dairy, gluten, or sugar.

Now, these aren't low-calorie dressings, but they are low carb. So watch those portions, which can be tricky because these caveman dressings are damn tasty. – Chris Shugart

8-pack, 130 calories, 20g protein, 3g net carbs. Made with whey and milk protein isolates.

Get this straight, kale chips are not a substitute for potato chips. People who eat them should be stripped naked, slathered with Crisco, rolled in kale "chips," and thrown into a verdant field until their bones have been picked clean by kale-eating caterpillars.

But wait, lookie here, the Quest Nutrition people have made a super low-carb, gluten-free "potato" chip that's made out of protein and that actually tastes like a potato chip!

What's more, these protein chips don't violate the tenets of any diet. Paleo people, gluten avoiders, keto dieters, or anti-potato zealots have nothing to fear from these chips except flavor. Quest's protein chips were somewhat mediocre before, but version 2.0. is out and they're really pretty good. Munch on these and relive your days as fat, slobby, potato-chip eating kid sitting on the couch watching Dawson's Creek. – TC Luoma