The Buffed Historian

  #booksandbiceps  My thirty-first book,  Soldier of Rome: Kingdoms Fall  (Book 7 of the Artorian Dynasty), has been released! It is available on Kindle , paperback , and most eBook readers . *** The year is 104 A.D. Two years have passed since King Decebalus knelt in submission to Emperor Trajan. The recent war between Rome and Dacia was brutal and costly for both sides. The graves of many thousands lie between the River Danube and the gates of Sarmizegetusa. With peace finally come to the frontier, Trajan returns to Rome in triumph. Yet Decebalus’ feigned surrender was but a ruse. With echoes of the previous war, the spirits of vanquished warriors crying out for retribution, and the humiliation of kneeling before the Emperor of Rome, the King of Dacia renews the call to arms. Tiberius Artorius Castus’ tenure as Deputy Prefect of the Imperial Horse Guards is ending. But before he can begin the next chapter in his life, perhaps returning to his native Britannia, the...

  Sup·ple·ment, noun    1. Something that completes or enhances something else when added to it. 2. Add an extra element or amount to. 3. (in real-world terms) A multi-billion pound / euro / dollar industry, often full of snake oil peddlers selling overhyped or completely ineffective mystery substances to the desperately gullible seeking that elusive "magic pill" which will make them lean and fit. These are often shilled by celebrities or dangerous con-artists on TV. - Full disclosure: I spent most of my life as that very person seeking the magical quick fix in a bottle. List a supplement, I've probably tried it. Everything I rant about in this post I am 100% guilty of. And I still use supplements to this day, because there are some that actually work ... however , the key is in their name, they supplement health and fitness. They are not the solution in and of themselves. - Newsflash: You cannot "lose thirty pounds of fat in thirty days" with the aid of a pill...

  Ham and Bacon Omelette, with Toast Who said eating healthy has to be boring?? As mentioned in my previous blog, I've always been reasonably fit, even when fat. Many of the rants in this post are the very mistakes I've made over the vast majority of my forty-eight years on this planet. Hopefully, some of my rather painful lessons learned will help you avoid making the same nutritional pitfalls! With that in mind, let's dive in. - Calories In vs Calories Out (CICO):  Let's get this out of the way. There is no magic pill, "special trick," or great secret that will cause one to lose or gain bodyfat. Any diet and exercise program works for one simple reason: you're burning more calories in a day than you're taking in. That's it. Period. Full Stop.  Coach Greg Doucette has a slew of videos on this very subject that I highly recommend. Below is one example you should watch now: - Forget dieting: To put it bluntly, diets are bullshit . Why is this? Beca...

Summer 2019 (280 lbs) vs Summer 2023 (206 lbs) While this blog is dedicated to health and fitness across history, I'm often asked about my own fitness journey, especially since I don't look like the stereotypical "bookish" type (whatever that is). The following is a bit of background on my personal journey, with basic overviews of my current routine. This is not an advice column, but  simply a very brief summary of what has worked for me. It may or may not be what is right for you. "Books and Biceps" 😁Hmm, the pic on the right makes me look like I have 20" arms. In reality, they're not even close to that. Honestly, it was just a good camera angle!  Some Background:  As of this post, I'm forty-eight years old, leaner, fitter than at any time in my life, often mistaken for someone in their early to mid-thirties. To be fair, I use lots of face moisturiser, and my hair colour comes in a box! 😄Those who've only known me for the past few years ...

  My thirtieth book,  Soldier of Rome: Beyond the Frontier (Book 6 of the Artorian Dynasty) , has been released! For twelve years a disgraceful pall has hung over the Roman Empire. Trouble along the Germanic frontier forced an abrupt end to Emperor Domitian’s war against King Decebalus of Dacia. The terms were an embarrassment to Rome and a drain on the imperial coffers, with two million denarii paid to the Dacians every year. Now, a new Caesar is firmly ensconced upon the imperial throne. Emperor Trajan vows to subjugate the Dacians, humble their king, and restore honour to the Empire. A massive force numbering over 100,000 soldiers, one-third of the entire might of Rome, gathers along the Danube. It is the largest Roman army assembled in over a hundred years. Tiberius Artorius Castus has matured into his position as Deputy Prefect of the Imperial Horse Guards over the past three years. Still a young man, he is a world away from the naïve youth who first came to the capital n...

  Steve Martin as Orin Scrivello, the sadistic dentist in Little Shop of Horrors (Warner Bros. 1986) You'll be a dentist! (You'll be a dentist) You have a talent for causin' things pain! (Pain) Son, be a dentist! (Son, be a dentist) People will pay you to be inhumane! (Inhumane) Every six months, the classic song from Little Shop of Horrors echoes in my mind. Thankfully, I was born with good teeth, never required braces, and my dentist visits are usually brief and painless. It helps brushing twice a day, having an electric toothbrush that can reach way back to my wisdom teeth ... and because I actually floss! I've also never smoked and rarely, if ever, consume processed sugar. But what of our ancestors? We all know the stereotype, as seen in endless films, of the medieval peasant with either missing or black, rotten teeth. So naturally, going back another thousand years or so, we must assume the Ancient Romans also had wretched teeth, right? Actually, on the whole, neit...