My 16 Rules For Supplementing To help You Build Your Best Body Ever

1. Whey first thing:

Immediately upon wakening, down a small whey protein shake 30 or so minutes before your solid breakfast meal. This will halt the catabolic state you may have undergone while sleeping. 20 to 30 grams should do the trick.


2. Pre workout whey:

It’s also a good idea to get in about 20 to 30 grams of fast-acting whey protein 30 minutes or so prior to training. As said before, this can kick start the rebuilding process during training by saturating the blood with muscle-building amino acids.

3. Post training whey:

To keep the rebuilding process alive, take in 40 to 50 grams of whey within 30 minutes of training. This will ensure the depleted muscle will have ample protein to draw upon for repair.


4. Post training simple carbs:

This would be one of the few times each training day to get away with taking simple carbs. As said in the nutrition section, Gatorade, fruit juice or even specialized supplements such as dextrose are good choices. This quick insulin spike will aid in recovery.


5. Post casein:

If it is in your budget, replacing around 10 to 20 grams of your post-training whey shake with a casein product may be a good idea. More research is justifying the benefits of this slow-digesting form of protein regarding immediate recovery.

6. Casein before bed:

Another great time to ingest casein is before bed. Since you are virtually fasting for eight hours while you sleep casein is a perfect fix due to being a slow-digesting protein.


7. Creatine before training:

Everyone knows the benefits of creatine by now. It saturates the muscle with fluids, therefore aiding in protein synthesis, it can boost recovery between sets and workouts. Consume 3 to 5 grams with your pre-workout protein shake.


8. Creatine post workout:

Again, another great time to shuttle nutrients in starving muscle is within 30 minutes after training if not sooner. Take in another 3 to 5 grams with your post-workout protein shake.


9. Glutamine:

As one of the most abundant amino acids in muscle cells, glutamine aids in recovery by strengthening the immune system. 10 or so grams both pre and post training will help in the recovery process.



10. Carnitine:

As another “supplement behind the curtain,” carnitine helps transport fats to the mitochondria of muscle cells to be burned as fuel. Try one gram morning, pre and post workout and again before bed.


11. ZMA at night:

The combination of zinc, magnesium and additionally vitamin B6 has actually been shown to increase IGF-1 and testosterone levels. 30 to 60 minutes before sleep take 30 mg of zinc, 450 mg of magnesium and around 10 mg of B6.

12. The antioxidant C:

With all of the hype surrounding the latest and greatest in supplement science, you cannot forget your foundation. Vitamin C is a powerful supplement you may never “feel.” It works hard to strengthen the immune system so you can come back stronger every time. Take around 500 mg with your post-training whole food meal.


13. The antioxidant E:

Vitamin E has the ability to reduce muscle cell damage and helps with recovery. This antioxidant is also important for skin, nail and hair health. Go with 200 to 400 IUs with your post-training whole food meal.


14. BCAAs:

BCAAs are made up of leucine, isoleucine and valine which are used for fuel during intense workouts thus preventing your body from scavenging hard-earned muscle for energy. At other times of day BCAAs help stimulate protein synthesis and ward off cortisol, the catabolic hormone that can scavenge hard-earned muscle. Try 5 to 10 grams upon waking and pre and post training.

15. Arginine:

converted to Nitric Oxide (NO) in the body arginine is a powerful supplement with a host of benefits including increased blood flow allowing nutrients and hormones to do there job. Go with 2 to 3 grams upon waking, pre-workout and 30 to 60 minutes prior to sleep.



16. Give green tea often:

Green tea can inhibit the enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine resulting in higher levels of the metabolic hormone and increased fat loss. Combined with caffeine, green tea extract is one powerful and widely used natural supplement chalk full of antioxidants. A cup or so three times per day before meals can aid in recovery and help burn fat.

Five Foods You Should Never Eat

The perfect diet for six pack abs is simple. Eat fresh, whole, healthy foods with as few ingredients as possible. Translation? A whole, fresh apple contains one major ingredient: apple. On the other hand, apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal contains sugar, preservatives, additives, and a whole laundry list of chemically altered substances in addition to the tiny bit of apple flavoring and oats you may get. Now, which sounds better to you?

1) White, bleached, enriched, or otherwise altered flour-based products. There is a reason diabetics are not supposed to eat white bread. White flour has absolutely zero, zilch, nadda, and zip in the way of nutritional value. Got that? Nothing. However, it is converted by the body to sugar when it hits the blood stream, which means that you are just about as well off eating a cupcake as you are to eat a sandwich on white bread. It is nutritionally bankrupt and makes you fat, period.


2) French fries and potato chips a good diet for six pack abs does not make! Yes, I know, they say that everything’s fine in moderation. Wrong! Not only are these snacks made of nothing but starch and usually have chemical preservatives, but they are also marinated in trans fat oil. Stay away! If you must have fries, make them yourself at home from fresh potatoes and bake them in the oven.

3) High fructose corn syrup. You knew it was coming, right? This little substance that has become so popular wreaks havoc on your abs nutrition, not to mention the rest of the body. It is not processed in the body the same way as table sugar, but rather has to go through the liver first. Manufacturers are beginning to call it “corn sugar” as well, so be very careful to read labels. Hint: no sodas!


4) Frozen “diet” meals. You know, the ones that have the word “lean” in the name? They are nothing but one big chemically altered smorgasbord of terrible. Besides, a fresh grilled chicken breast with scallions tastes 10 times better anyway!

5) Fast Food. Most fast foods contain a lot of Trans Fats. You know the fats that have no essential purpose other than to lower you good cholesterol and increase your bad cholesterol. In other words, the only thing these kinds of foods is good for, is giving you a heart attack! Not to mention it will only take you away further from being ripped as well.

Is Your Nutrition Allowing For Success

When it comes to building muscle, nutrition is half the battle.I am constantly preaching to the athletes I work with you’ve got to train your heart out to give your body the stimulus to grow new muscle tissue, but without the right building blocks (food), it can’t do a thing! What’s more is that it’s not good enough to just “eat healthy” or “eat a lot” like so many struggling beginners say they do. You’ve got to actually construct a proper muscle building diet!

Don’t worry, though, because that’s actually a lot simpler than it sounds. There are, however, a few crippling mistakes you’ve got to watch out for. Avoid these pitfalls, and you’ll be well on your way to a strong, muscular, and lean physique!
Mistake 1: Eating Low Fat

For the most part, the low-fat diet craze of the eighties and nineties is over. However, there are still a few bodybuilders out there who would recommend a super-low-fat diet to those looking to improve their health and physique. Not only is avoiding all fat NOT healthy, it’s horrible for building muscle!

First of all, dietary fats play a large role in your body’s maintenance of proper hormone levels. The most important hormone for building muscle is testosterone, and yours is going to be miserably low if you avoid things like eggs, beef, and other fat-rich animal foods. Even some of that saturated fat is good for your health and hormone levels as long as you balance it out with other types of fats from oils, vegetables, and other plant sources.

Also, there are plenty of vitamins which are fat-soluble. If you live on a diet nearly devoid of fat, your body will not be able to digest important nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, or K. That’s bad news if you want to get big! Your body has priorities, and if its basic health “concerns” aren’t being met, it’s not going to want to embark on the hard, energy-demanding process of building NEW muscle tissue!

Finally, one of the great things about fats is that they are extremely energy-dense. You can eat tons of breads, grains, and low-fat meats and dairy and never get enough calories to grow. However, just one tablespoon of most oils has well over 100 calories! Of course, those who tend to gain weight easily will have to keep an eye on things, but this energy density is great for hard-gainers!
Mistake 2: Not Getting Enough Protein

Just about everyone knows how important protein is for building muscle, but most lifters still don’t get enough. If you think of building muscle literally as a “building” process, then think of protein as the “bricks” – it’s what the muscles are being made of! Carbs and fats give your body the energy it needs to train hard, but without adequate protein, it’s got nothing to “work with.”

One of the most important things you can do for your protein intake is to think of protein as the “main” part of every meal you eat. Every meal needs some type of meat, fish, poultry, eggs, or in some cases, dairy or protein powder. You can add on to that, but the protein is the main event!

Another thing you should do is get a quality whey protein powder. Whey is cheap, convenient, mixes well, and is almost pure protein. You can drink protein shakes plain when you’re in a pinch, or you can add whey to a blender shake or meal to boost your protein intake. However, don’t rely on powders – whole food sources, especially meat, are best.

Finally, if you’re on a budget, you’ll have to be tactical about which protein sources you consume. It’s surely the most expensive nutrient in your muscle-building diet, but you don’t have to break the bank! Focus on whole eggs, cheap cuts of beef and chicken, and the occasional on-sale fish when money is tight.
Mistake 3: Eating Too Few Calories

There seems to be an endless array of different muscle-building diets out there, and they often seem to be in conflict. However, nothing can change the fact that to build muscle, you have GOT to consume more calories than you burn. This surplus of energy is the only way for your body to build NEW muscle tissue (get bigger)!

So, how should you get all of these extra calories? If you’re eating enough protein, then you’re probably already getting quite a few calories from that, as well as from the fats that naturally occur in protein sources like eggs and meat. To make up the difference, you’ll have to eat quality, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats.

Does this mean you need to eat five, six, even seven times a day like so many bodybuilders do? Not necessarily. A big reason why so many guys trying to gain weight eat so often is that that is simply the only way to get that much food in during the day! However, not everyone needs such a mass of calories, and not everyone has as hard a time getting lots of food down.

You should focus first on getting lots of calories and especially carbs in around your workout time – this is when your body is most primed to take advantage of the extra nutrients. Big pre- and post-workouts meals combined with a few more, protein-focused, smaller meals throughout the day should have you gaining quality mass – that is, muscle without a bunch of extra body fat.

Weight Loss Guide for the Perplexed...

Nutri-this, diet-that, Atkins, Zone, South Beach, it can all be very confusing - if not overwhelming. Here are some basic principles to start you off in your journey of transformation.


Weight loss or Fat loss?

When we talk about losing weight, we really mean losing fat. Weight loss can be muscle, water (fluid), or fat. Standing on the scales gives you no clue as to your body composition - so don't weigh yourself too much - it can really play mind games. Our weight is always fluctuating (often due to hydration levels). The mirror, clothes-fitting, old photos, etc -- can all provide feedback on our fat loss -- not just the scales. I am being kind here folks. The scale does not tell you what you really are. The mirror tells no lies.

How do you lose fat?
In a nutshell, it's a simple law of energy intake and expenditure. Eating more than you are using means you gain weight. Burning more than your eating means you lose weight... Unfortunately the real outworking of this is not so simple. Losing fat (for most people) is hard -- get used to the idea then you won't struggle so much with disappointment. Stop feeling sorry for your lazy ass and stop looking for fix it quick solutions. They don't exist. Here is what works and I am giving it to you for free.

*My Five Fit principles to keep in mind* -

1) Diet (Nutrition- good foods eaten at the correct times centered around your training schedule. Not your need to feed your face)

2) Cardio (Exercise- Without it your just skinny fat! Yuk!)

3) Dedication (Consistency- if you don't have it you will never reach your goal)

4) Goals - Come on you have them right? Your not just going through life with no purpose are you? Of course not. make your goals clearly defined. Believe in them don't let any one stand in your way. Keep yourself surrounded by like minded positive people who will believe in you and will be inspired by you. You can do this.

5) Weight training ( look I will make this very easy for you. Science has proven and documented the following

Increases muscular strength.
Increases muscular endurance.
Is an outstanding means of body shaping.
Increases bone and ligament strength, cartilage thickness and capillary density in the muscles.
Improves health and physical fitness.
Improves sports performance.
Increases flexibility.
Increases power and speed.
Helps relieve the stresses and tensions of everyday life.
Promotes a positive self-image.
Teaches discipline and motivation that carry over into all other areas of life.
Helps control body weight and reduce body fat.
Strengthens your heart, intensifies metabolism levels and normalizes blood pressure.
Can increase your longevity.
Improves the quality of your life.
Helps prevent many medical problems such as osteoporosis.
Increases both hemoglobin level and red cell count.
Is an appropriate activity for men and women of all ages, can become a valuable couple and/or family activity. "OK I like this one so I added it"
Is an excellent form of rehabilitation for muscle and joint injuries; can be used by handicapped individuals who have at least partial use of their arms and/or legs.
Has been proven to reduce cholesterol levels.

What's weight training got to do with fat loss?

Weight (or strength) training is not essential to lose fat - but it sure helps. A weight training workout boosts metabolism for the whole day and helps build lean muscle. Muscle is metabolically active - it needs fuel - and therefore helps you burn more calories all the time. Muscle is what gives your body shape. Muscle is what allows you to look good in those jeans or a T shirt. If you are thinking about weight training - think on this:

Do I want my body to be strong, lean, sexy and useful, or is my body only for people to look at?

Lifting weights makes your body strong, lean, sexy and useful.


Can't I just eat less and skip meals?

It's naturally what we want to do - but it's not quite right. "I must lose weight so I'm gonna starve myself". This is where things get a bit confusing. Starve the body too much, and it gets the hint and slows down, you actually gain more weight as your body goes into self preservation mode - you'll feel irritable, fatigued, cellulite in woman will begin to make it's presence on your body known and you will begin to lose muscle. After clawing your way through hunger pangs and dreams of food, the chances are you will binge, or start eating back how you used to. Guess what happens? The weight piles on and you become huge or worse yet "skinny fat" because your body is still in "slow" mode. Fat loss is all about calorie reduction, but a calorie intake that is too low will cause problems. The answer is weight training & cardio combined with smart eating habits. No fancy pills or supplements will ever do it. You can not convince me otherwise.

Why bother with exercise?

There are few people that have lost fat (and maintained it), without making exercise a part of their life. Cardiovascular fitness has many health benefits - primarily keeping your heart strong. Including some form of exercise as a natural part of your life will give you an even bigger chance of success. Just remember consistency! Cardio exercise could be something like; brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, treadmill, elliptical trainer. However to really reach your goals and change your life, you need to lift the weights guys/girls.
There's so much to learn - Help !?
There are hundreds of diet books and weight training programs out there. Many of them have terrific claims, but remember:

There is no one-size-fits-all weight loss program, pill, diet
system etc...
There are no magic bullets or miracle instant cures. Well sorry not true. None other than hard ass kicking work!! Your not afraid of work are
you. Of course not.
There is absolutely EVERY chance that you can and will transform yourself.
It is completely possible for you to lose the fat build lean sexy muscle and get healthier. Remember a great body is the product of education and hard work.
Believe in yourself. Educate yourself, Be dedicated and again Believe in yourself.

Do I have to buy something (book, subscription, etc)?

No. If you have enough nutritional knowledge and a whole lot of motivation you can sort out your own lifestyle change. However most of us don't have the time or know-how to go-it-alone -- so we pay someone else to design, explain, or customize a fat loss program.

Do Online Weight Loss Programs Work?

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) decided structured on-line weight loss programs worked better than "just browsing around". (Vol. 285 No. 9, March 7, 2001). "Participants who were given a structured behavioral treatment program with weekly contact and individualized feedback had better weight loss compared with those given links to educational Web sites."

What's with all the different diets?

There are hundreds of diets. Some diets work for some - others don't. There are other diets that are clearly faulty. Here's some simple guidelines. Avoid extremes (e.g. very-low-carb or very-low-fat). Learn about carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Learn about whole foods and learn how to reduce your intake of processed foods.

Where do I start?

It's possible to get started just by taking some of the higher-calorie items (soft drinks,candy, white bread etc) out of your diet, and trying to get out for some exercise. However you will find that without some serious commitment and identified goals - you will soon lose interest. There's nothing like results to keep you motivated.

The chances are you will need some serious help, and this is where some of the man & woman who have the answers can help you and get you started. My site AbFitt (free) http://AbFitt.blogspot.com , http://gregplitt.com/, friend of AbFitt " http://www.issacertifiedtrainer.com/jleesfitness, http://www.bodybuilding.com/ , are some I suggest you try out. Most of these programs have journals, goal-setting tools, and discussion forums with others to help keep you motivated.

Can it work for me?

Here's the deal - we are all unique. Different physical characteristics, different genetics. This is why each of us will have to do slightly different things to get the fat & muscle building dialed in. Be prepared for a life style change, long-term commitment, a belief in change, and a new way of seeing yourself. Living a AbFitt lifestyle will not only help you to feel emotionally and physically better, but it will also save you money by empowering you and allowing you to have complete control of your most valuable possession. You!


You can do it. Say goodbye to being a victim of the supplement company's and media. Small step by small step, you can achieve your goals. You may trip up, you will trip up, you may have setbacks - but remember - failure isn't fatal ! Live Fit, Be Fit for life with AbFitt-

This Is Fitness

Strength Is The Product Of Struggle...5 Food Myths Uncovered

Food Myths just make my job a lot harder. That’s because nutrition misinformation fools men & woman into being confused and frustrated in their quest to eat healthily, even if they’re already achieving great results. Thankfully, you’re about to be enlightened by science. Here are five food fallacies you can forget about for good.

Myth #1: “High protein intake is harmful to your kidneys.”

Back in 1983, researchers first discovered that eating more protein increases your “glomerular filtration rate,” or GFR. Think of GFR as the amount of blood your kidneys are filtering per minute. From this finding, many scientists made the leap that a higher GFR places your kidneys under greater stress.
What science really shows:

Nearly 2 decades ago, Dutch researchers found that while a protein-rich meal did boost GFR, it didn’t have an adverse effect on overall kidney function. In fact, there’s zero published research showing that downing hefty amounts of protein—specifically, up to 1.27 grams per pound of body weight a day—damages healthy kidneys.
The bottom line:

As a rule of thumb, shoot to eat your target body weight in grams of protein daily. For example, if you’re a chubby 200 pounds and want to be a lean 180, then have 180 grams of protein a day. Likewise if you’re a skinny 150 pounds but want to be a muscular 180.

Myth #2: “Sweet potatoes are better for you than white potatoes.”

Because most Americans eat the highly processed version of the white potato—for instance, french fries and potato chips—consumption of this root vegetable has been linked to obesity and an increased diabetes risk. Meanwhile, sweet potatoes, which are typically eaten whole, have been celebrated for being rich in nutrients and also having a lower glycemic index than their white brethren.
What science really shows:

White potatoes and sweet potatoes have complementary nutritional differences; one isn’t necessarily better than the other. For instance, sweet potatoes have more fiber and vitamin A, but white potatoes are higher in essential minerals, such as iron, magnesium, and potassium. As for the glycemic index, sweet potatoes are lower on the scale, but baked white potatoes typically aren’t eaten without cheese, sour cream, or butter. These toppings all contain fat, which lowers the glycemic index of a meal.
The bottom line:

The form in which you consume a potato—for instance, a whole baked potato versus a processed potato that’s used to make chips—is more important than the type of spud.

Myth #3: “Red meat causes cancer.”

In a 1986 study, Japanese researchers discovered cancer developing in rats that were fed “heterocyclic amines,” compounds that are generated from overcooking meat under high heat. And since then, some studies of large populations have suggested a potential link between meat and cancer.
What science really shows:

No study has ever found a direct cause-and-effect relationship between red-meat consumption and cancer. As for the population studies, they’re far from conclusive. That’s because they rely on broad surveys of people’s eating habits and health afflictions, and those numbers are simply crunched to find trends, not causes.
The bottom line:

Don’t stop grilling. Meat lovers who are worried about the supposed risks of grilled meat don’t need to avoid burgers and steak; rather, they should just trim off the burned or overcooked sections of the meat before eating.

Myth #4: “High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is more fattening than regular sugar is.”

In a 1968 study, rats that were fed large amounts of fructose developed high levels of fat in their bloodstreams. Then, in 2002, University of California at Davis researchers published a well-publicized paper noting that Americans’ increasing consumption of fructose, including that in HFCS, paralleled our skyrocketing rates of obesity.
What science really shows:

Both HFCS and sucrose—better known as table sugar—contain similar amounts of fructose. For instance, the two most commonly used types of HFCS are HFCS-42 and HFCS-55, which are 42 and 55 percent fructose, respectively. Sucrose is almost chemically identical, containing 50 percent fructose. This is why the University of California at Davis scientists determined fructose intakes from both HFCS and sucrose. The truth is, there’s no evidence to show any differences in these two types of sugar. Both will cause weight gain when consumed in excess.
The bottom line:

HFCS and regular sugar are empty-calorie carbohydrates that should be consumed in limited amounts. How? By keeping soft drinks, sweetened fruit juices, and prepackaged desserts to a minimum.

Myth #5: “Salt causes high blood pressure and should be avoided.”

In the 1940s, a Duke University researcher named Walter Kempner, M.D., became famous for using salt restriction to treat people with high blood pressure. Later, studies confirmed that reducing salt could help reduce hypertension.

What science really shows:

Large-scale scientific reviews have determined there’s no reason for people with normal blood pressure to restrict their sodium intake. Now, if you already have high blood pressure, you may be “salt sensitive.” As a result, reducing the amount of salt you eat could be helpful.However, it’s been known for the past 20 years that people with high blood pressure who don’t want to lower their salt intake can simply consume more potassium-containing foods.
Why?

Because it’s really the balance of the two minerals that matters. In fact, Dutch researchers determined that a low potassium intake has the same impact on your blood pressure as high salt consumption does. And it turns out, the average guy consumes 3,100 milligrams (mg) of potassium a day—1,600 mg less than recommended.
The bottom line:

Strive for a potassium-rich diet, which you can achieve by eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and legumes. For instance, spinach, broccoli, bananas, white potatoes, and most types of beans each contain more than 400 mg potassium per serving.

AA-

Respect the Recovery Process

Training is only the initial stimulus for your body to undergo physical change. You build muscle, burn fat, and alter your physical appearance via all of the metabolic, hormonal, and physiological processes that take place in between training sessions. If you train too frequently and short circuit the recovery process, you will not see visual improvements no matter how hard you train.

Inadequate recovery equals no adaptive response. This equals no muscle growth, no metabolic boost, no burning off body fat, and no change in physical appearance. In the worst-case scenario, it can actually make you more prone to storing body fat, due to chronically elevated levels of the hormone cortisol. You might as well just sit at home eating (insert your favorite junk food), and watching (insert your favorite junk TV show). At least that is a fun way to get fat; trust me I've done it.

Here are just a few of the physiological processes that happen in the recovery phase from a weight training session:

Satellite cells are activated when muscle fibers receive trauma or damage.
Satellite cells fuse to existing muscle fibers and help to repair/regenerate the damage by increasing the size and number of contractile proteins (called actin & myosin) within those fibers.
The body restores cell fluids, electrolytes, and minerals lost during training.
The body must refill muscle glycogen stores as glycogen is the primary fuel used during high intensity training. Contrary to supplement marketing, this doesn't just happen with a single high-carb post-workout shake. It takes multiple balanced meals to adequately restore glycogen levels.
The immune system responds with a sequence of actions leading to inflammation. This inflammation is what causes muscle soreness. The purpose of this inflammation is to contain the damage within the muscle cells, increase blood flow and nutrient delivery to the damaged area, repair the damage, and clean up the injured area of waste products.
Antioxidants scavenge free radicals and repair oxidative stress caused by the increased rate of oxygen consumption during the training session.
Growth factors (such as IGF-1) regulate insulin metabolism and stimulate protein synthesis.
Testosterone, cortisol, and growth hormone levels rise, fall, and return to baseline levels in their own respective patterns (assuming you are training naturally without performance enhancing drugs).
All of the above processes can take up to 48 hours under normal circumstances but can be delayed by many factors including poor dietary decisions, lack of sleep, and high stress levels just to name a few.
On a side note, all of the above actions require energy (calories). This is why we say that strength training boosts the metabolism (the rate at which your body burns calories on a daily basis) and is so crucial to the body composition change process.


Here is the take home message: Recovery is a complex process, and the advanced trainee trying to maximize their results must balance intense training with recovery. Of course if you train like a wimp, you can train every day, because you have nothing to recover from. I'm really just speaking to the athletes who make a sincere effort to bust their butts in the gym in order to change their bodies.

Overtraining Syndrome
The frequency recommendations at the beginning of this article were set for a reason. They were not just blindly pulled out of a hat. And remember, these recommendations are for people training primarily for physique development. I understand that participation in competitive sports may require more frequent and longer training sessions to maximize sport performance and/or adhere to competitive schedules. But that's also why competitive sports have off-seasons.

What happens if you train more often than you can recover from? There is an actual technical term for the physiological state that results from training too long or too frequently on a regular basis: Overtraining Syndrome. According to the NSCA Overtraining Syndrome is "Excessive frequency, volume, or intensity of training that results in extreme fatigue, illness, or injury which is often due to a lack of sufficient rest, recovery, and perhaps nutrient intake."

And what are some of the effects of this overtraining syndrome? Here you go:

Emotional and mood disturbances including increased irritability, anxiety, and even depression-like symptoms.
Sleep disturbances.
Altered immune system functioning including increased rates and duration of illnesses and infections.
Decreased desire to train and decreased joy from training—that is if you even like training to begin with.
Altered hormonal patterns including a reduction in anabolic, muscle building/fat burning hormones (testosterone, growth hormone, IGF-1) and an increase in catabolic, muscle destroying/fat storing hormones (cortisol).


This last one is the worst side effect for those concerned with body composition change. Physique development is way more complicated than just the simple calories in vs. calories out theory. It really comes down to properly managing and manipulating natural hormone levels and metabolic rate through diet and exercise. Do this the right way and getting into shape is a smooth process. Do it the wrong way, and dropping body fat will be impossible no matter how many calories you cut or how much you exercise.

Negative hormonal alterations (such as reduced testosterone/growth hormone and increased cortisol production) are the primary reason why many who overtrain struggle with fat around their midsection DESPITE their high levels of exercise. Abdominal-specific body fat often has a lot to do with abnormally high cortisol levels. These people tend to be fine everywhere else on their bodies, but tend to hold a lot of flab around the midsection.

I see this most often with endurance athletes. Research has shown that this group of athletes has the most compromised hormonal profiles—meaning lower than normal amounts of testosterone and higher than normal amounts of cortisol. People who engage in frequent and excessive amounts of aerobic activity are shooting themselves in the foot in terms of physique development. They may be improving performance (as in the ability to run farther or at a faster pace) but they are not optimizing hormones, metabolism, and thus, physique development results.

But it’s important to note that overtraining can happen in any form of exercise, including strength training. So don't think because you stay away from the treadmills and sling the weights around that you are immune to the overtraining syndrome. Every athlete needs to balance training with recovery.

Rich Fit / 10 Fit tips

I have a very important question I want to ask you. Ready? Why are you working out? Seriously. What is your primary health or fitness-related reason for exercising? Are you being honest with yourself about why you’re at the gym? There are many reasons to engage in a regular exercise program. The most common—though often the least discussed—is to look good naked. Hey what ever it takes to get your ass in the gym. with the summer nearing it's end I have some great training tips to carry you looking better than ever into the fall season.

1) Cut out (or at least limit) long distance endurance training, a.k.a. traditional cardio. Instead, make anaerobic activity—strength training, and to a lesser extent interval-based cardio—the foundation of your exercise program.

2)Strength train three to five days a week. Give yourself two to three days off from training to optimize recovery (although outdoor walking is cool).

3) Keep workouts to about 30-60 minutes. Intensity is more important than duration.

4) Train each body part once every five to seven days. Use body part splits over full body/total body training.

5) Train one to three muscle groups per session.

6) Perform three to five exercises for large muscle groups, two to three exercises for small muscle groups. Perform two to four sets per exercise. Perform six to 15 reps per set. Rest 45 to 120 seconds per set.

7) Focus on basic exercises—squats, deadlifts, various presses and rows. Save the fluff for the weekend warriors. Focus mostly on free weights, using machines to supplement.

8) Keep the rep tempos around two seconds up, two seconds down. Lower weight under control, lift under control, and don’t pause or lockout to rest in between reps. Don’t cheat by swinging or using rebound/momentum. Keep constant tension on the muscle.

9) Focus on stimulating and overloading the muscle, not just how much weight you lift. Think about feeling the muscle work during the set, not just on moving a weight from point A to point B.

10) Switch training variables. Vary—within the confines of the overall parameters—regularly (exercises, order of exercises, reps, etc.) in order to change the training stimulus.

Try to enjoy the process. Results are a by product of consistent training & proper eating.

These principles are based not just on the physical, anecdotal evidence of the fittest “looking” people in the world ( athletes and fitness models), but also on the scientific principles of human physiology, exercise physiology, and kinesiology. It’s not “meathead bodybuilding,” it is scientific-based body composition training. The goal is to combine the best of both worlds, the scientific and the practical. This prevents us from getting caught up in the fitness trends or health club hype that are more geared towards selling the consumer a product, service, or "system" rather than giving them real-world results.

A boxing Tribute: Blood Sweat & Tears

Hmmm..... What Can I Accomplish Today?

Part of the beauty of living a fitness lifestyle and challenging yourself to build muscle or lose fat is that quality physiques have been built using all different styles of techniques. There is no “one right way” that everyone should follow.

Things like rep range, rep tempo, frequency of training, machines vs. cables, and volume are just a few of the things that have been argued over, but one thing that no one argues is the fact that progression is the key to growth. I will say it again, In order to grow you need to keep progressing! That can mean increasing weight or increasing the number of reps.

It’s this overload that stresses the muscle and causes the body to repair the micro tears thus making a muscle stronger. Personally I like to train between 6-20 reps with the majority being between 8-12. One thing I always do is keep my body from adapting by manipulating rest time, volume, and exercises.

Through the use of different shocking principals (forced reps, drop sets, supersets, rest pause etc) I keep progressing. After a couple of weeks I change everything up again and shock the body in a new way.

Being able to listen to your body is huge. After training for years you learn to listen to signals that your body is sending. Sometimes it’s as easy as resting or adding calories, so when I plateau the first thing I evaluate is my diet and recovery. Other times I change up the split or throw in a new exercise. bottom line keep the body guessing and force it to adapt to new stresses. Live Fit, be Fit!