The first week of March is when many people start to question their New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you started strong in January, but now you’re looking for a way to speed things up. Suddenly, you see ads promising rapid results: “Lose 20 pounds in 30 days!” “Build muscle FAST!” “Sign up for free—no commitment!” We all want quick wins. But the truth is, sustainable fitness doesn’t come from gimmicks. It comes from consistent effort. So, how can you tell if a shortcut will actually work or if it’s just another dead end? Let’s apply a simple four-question test to some common fitness trends and see how they hold up. The Shortcut Test: Is it sustainable? Can I keep doing this for years, or is it a short-term fix? Is it safe? Will it harm my health in the long run? Does it build over time? Will I continue to improve? Does it stand...

This might be the most straightforward thing you’ll ever read about metabolism that isn’t trying to sell you a supplement or quick fix. Your metabolism is simply the rate at which your body burns energy. Think of it like fuel consumption in a car. Your body requires calories for energy—just like your car needs gas to run. You use calories for essential functions like digestion and circulation, but you also need them for movement and exercise. When you consume more calories than your body needs, the excess is stored as fat. Things get tricky when sugar is involved—sugar can signal to your body that a flood of calories is incoming, and it’s usually right. That’s why sugary foods are so easy to overconsume, leading to fat storage. But we’ll keep it simple for now. A faster metabolism means your body burns more calories. If you want to lose weight, you...

Welcome to Ranting with Rich, the short-cast where I dive into fitness, CrossFit, and everything related to getting stronger and healthier—without the long-winded emails you’re probably skipping over! In this episode, I take you on a journey through the history of BayWay CrossFit, the best CrossFit gym in Baytown, from an idea between a few passionate 5 AM training partners in 2012 to becoming the longest-standing CrossFit affiliate in Baytown, Texas. But this isn’t just a gym story; it’s a story about passion, struggle, perseverance, and most importantly—people. I’ll talk about the early days, the challenges of starting a CrossFit gym in Baytown, my personal journey from coach to competitor to full-time owner, and how our incredible community kept BayWay strong through every hurdle—including the COVID shutdowns and a massive relocation. BayWay CrossFit isn’t just a gym. It’s a fitness community in Baytown. And as we enter 2025, I can confidently say this is the best version...

This is my short-cast where I go on quick rants about fitness, CrossFit, and anything training-related that comes to mind—without sending you a long email that you’re probably going to skip. For my first episode, I’m tackling the unsexy workout. You know the ones—those workouts that don’t look flashy on paper, that don’t leave you gasping for air, and that some of y’all conveniently “miss” each week. I’m talking about heavy days and aerobic days. Yes, they may not feel as fun as a spicy metcon, but skipping them is keeping you from getting better. So today, I break down exactly why these “unsexy” workouts are essential to your progress, why skipping them leads to plateaus, and how showing up on these days can actually make you faster, stronger, and better at the workouts you do love. If you’re someone who has been training for a while but feels stuck—this episode is for you....