Welcome to the positive corner of the internet. Every weekday, we help you make sense of the complex world of wellness by analyzing the headlines, simplifying the latest research, and providing quick tips designed to help you stay healthier in under 5 minutes. If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free daily email here.
Today’s Health Upgrade
Something to consider for those late-night meals
Come train with the APC team (in person)
The 5-year brain boost
The 500+ supplement study
A Little Wiser (In Less Than 10 Minutes)
Arnold’s Pump Club Podcast is another daily dose of wisdom and positivity. You can subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
On Our Radar
Does Eating Late Make You Gain Weight?
Weight management is ultimately a game of calories in and calories out. But the behaviors that affect the equation can sometimes be surprising.
If you struggle with hunger and weight management, a recent study suggests that when you eat could change how hungry you feel, how many calories you burn, and even how your fat cells behave.
Researchers recruited adults who struggled with being overweight or obese and had them eat identical meals either earlier (1, 5, and 9 hours after waking) or later (5, 9, and 13 hours after waking) in the day. Everything else (sleep, activity, etc.) was tightly controlled.
Even when calories were identical, eating the same meals 4 hours later in the day made people hungrier, burned fewer calories per day, and shifted fat tissue toward storage rather than burning it.
So while it still comes down to calories in and calories out, earlier meals could influence how much you eat (calories in) and how much you burn (calories out).
In particular, eating your meals later in the day doubled hunger probability (from ~10% to ~20%), decreased daily energy expenditure (by about 60 calories), increased the hormones that make you feel hungrier, and altered the gene activity that favors fat storage.
All that said, the study was short-term, only included 16 people, and didn’t track real-world food intake. In everyday life, late eaters often consume more total calories, so it’s hard to separate timing from quantity.
While the research isn’t definitive, it suggests your body may fight back harder if you push meals later into the night. If fat loss or appetite control is your goal and you’re struggling to see changes, it might be worth shifting your eating window earlier, especially for your biggest meals. But remember: total calorie intake still matters most. Think of meal timing as a small lever that might help, not the main switch.
Together With GORUCK
Come Train With The APC Team
You can ruck anywhere. You can deadlift anywhere. But where else can you ruck the California coast, lift at the birthplace of modern bodybuilding, and get live coaching from Pump App experts—surrounded by a community that wants to see you win?
On Saturday, October 25th, Arnold’s Pump Club is teaming up with GORUCK for a one-of-a-kind event at Muscle Beach in Venice, CA.
We’ll start with a ruck. You decide the challenge — keep it casual with friends or push the pace like a race. Either way, you’ll finish with the satisfaction of carrying the weight and moving together.
Then it’s time to step onto the platform. The Pump App coaches will be there live, offering hands-on guidance to clean up your form, build confidence, and help you chase a new PR. This isn’t just a workout, it’s a rare chance to train with world-class coaches, right beside the Pump Club community.
Mark your calendars and grab your spot:
Where: Muscle Beach, Venice, CA
When: Saturday, October 25th, 2025 @ 9:00am PST
As a Pump Club reader, you get 30% OFF with code PUMPCLUBLA30.
This is discipline in motion, community in action, and a story you’ll never forget. Reserve your spot now.
Instant Health Boost
Can 6 Months of Hard Work Keep Your Brain Sharp for 5 Years?
You expect exercise to build muscle or boost endurance. But what if just six months of the right workouts could rewire your brain — and keep it sharper for years after you stop?
Consistently performing high-intensity workouts provided older adults with memory and brain benefits that lasted for at least five years.
Researchers followed healthy adults between the ages of 65 and 85 who were randomly assigned to either low-intensity exercise, moderate exercise, or high-intensity interval training three times per week for six months. Everyone improved their fitness, but only the high-intensity group saw significant boosts to the part of the brain tied to memory and navigation.
Even more remarkable: MRI scans revealed that high-intensity interval training protected against the normal shrinkage of the hippocampus that occurred in the other groups. The cognitive improvements persisted for at least five years after the program ended.
Scientists believe the bursts of higher effort increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a chemical that helps brain cells grow and connect. In simple terms, pushing the intensity gives the brain the same kind of “muscle-building” stimulus that weight training gives your body.
The results were strongest in older adults, but the lesson likely extends to all ages: intensity matters. Gentle exercise is excellent for health and longevity, but if you want to challenge and protect your brain, occasionally pushing into higher heart-rate zones could make a lasting difference.
Together With Momentous
Scientists Analyzed More Than 500 Studies. Only These Supplements Were Effective
Walk into any nutrition store, and you’ll be bombarded by powders, pills, and promises. However, the science suggests that out of hundreds of supplements on the market, only a small handful are actually effective.
An analysis of more than 500 studies found that fewer than 10 supplements deliver proven performance benefits.
Scientists sorted performance supplements (not including general health supplements) into three clear categories:
Category A: Strong Evidence, Safe, and Effective
Category B: Mixed or Limited Evidence
Category C: Little to No Evidence (or Unsafe)
Out of all the supplements on the market, a select few have been designated as Category A. The most proven supplements are creatine monohydrate, protein powder, caffeine, carbohydrates, nitrates (such as beetroot), sodium bicarbonate, and essential amino acids.
The researchers found that when people focused on protein, creatine, and caffeine alone, they covered the biggest performance and recovery benefits.
That’s not to say all other supplements are worthless, but that the evidence is less convincing or inconclusive. If you’re worried, Category C products include fat burners, testosterone boosters, and supplements with a proprietary blend.
Remember, good performance starts with a well-designed program, prioritizing whole foods, hydration, and sleep. But if you’re looking for supplements that feature no proprietary blends, are backed by science, and invest in third-party testing to ensure quality, purity, and safety, we recommend Momentous.
If you ever wanted to try Momentous, for today only, you can save 40 percent on your first subscription order.
Whether you want standouts like Creatine, Whey or Plant Protein, or evidence-based general health options like fish oil, magnesium, or Vitamin D3, today is your chance to try the most trusted, third-party tested formulas.
Simply select your subscription product, enter the code PUMPCLUB40 at checkout, and enjoy a 40% discount on your first delivery.
The offer ends tonight. Lock in your 40 percent savings before midnight.
Better Today
Take any of these tips from today’s email and put them into action:
Struggle With Your Appetite? Try Limiting Big Late Night Meals: Eating just 4 hours later in the day could increase hunger levels and trigger changes that favor fat storage over fat burning.
Training Intensity Protects Brain Health: Just 6 months of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) three times per week provided lasting cognitive benefits and prevented brain shrinkage.
Few Performance Supplements Have Strong Scientific Evidence: After reviewing over 500 performance supplement studies, researchers identified only creatine monohydrate, protein powder, caffeine, carbohydrates, nitrates, sodium bicarbonate, and essential amino acids as having established evidence for effectiveness and safety.
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
