Holiday Weight Gain

It's that time of year again: ham, cookies, and all other tasty temptations await you at every party.  How do you deal with holiday weight gain?  I'll give you a few suggestions:


1. Get Real

What you eat at Christmas dinner isn't the problem: the real problem is what you have been eating and doing those other 364 days of the year. 

How many people, for example, say something like this: "I'm really blowing my diet."  How many of those people are exactly the same size they were last year?  

In other words, I'm challenging you to be honest with yourself.  Don't blame the holiday season for a whole year's worth of bad habits.


2. Be Flexible

Let's say you really do want to limit the damage done during the holidays.  I'd suggest you be flexible and realistic.  Limit your splurging to a few parties or meals, but don't try to completely avoid the holiday goodies (it just doesn't work).  Here's what I think many just don't understand: one meal doesn't make much difference if you are consistent most of the time. 

This is one of the negative messages conveyed in The Biggest Loser (I love the show, but it isn't perfect).  You see contestants doing all-out training for hours on end.  Then comes the "temptation challenge."  Bob and Jillian act like it's the end of the world because some guy scarfed down a pizza or bowl of ice cream to win the challenge.  But one meal rarely makes that much difference for those who are training hard and eating right the rest of the time.  Sometimes the before-mentioned binge eater ends up winning the next weigh-in.

Be flexible and don't feel guilty over a good holiday meal.  That's wasted emotional energy.

3.  Prepare for New Year's

Let's say you are starting to think about losing weight or getting back in shape.  Why not wait and make it a New Year's resolution?  Wait until there are fewer temptations around to short-circuit your goals.  The New Year may energize you with thoughts of new beginnings.

Final Thoughts:

What will I be doing this December?  The "Santa Claus" diet!  That's right--I'm pretty much going to eat what I want.  I'm going to enjoy the holidays, then start the new year with renewed focus on my fitness goals. 

Vince Delmonte Birthday Sale

Vince Delmonte is celebrating his birthday with a sale!  Tons of training information for under 200 bucks.  Save by buying in bulk and you'll be ready for your 2011 fitness goals.  Just CLICK HERE: Vince Delmonte Birthday Sale.

Fitness Blog

Well, it's officially been two years since I started this fitness blog.  It's been such a rewarding, enjoyable experience!

The idea for this all started after I spoke at a church (my "real job").  A young man asked me about going to the gym and I started giving him some pointers on training, supplements, etc.   This wasn't anything new--I used to help beginners all the time with weight training. 

But it gave me an idea--I decided to start sharing my thoughts to a broader audience.  I figured this would give me a venue to interact with a much larger group of people.  Hopefully it is accomplishing that.

Much of what I now know came from trial-and-error type training (and much wasted money on bodybuilding supplements).  I hope this blog will keep people from making some of the dumb mistakes I used to make.

Here's another funny thing: I never really planned on making money from this blog.  But I did (accidentally) discover programs I could promote with a clear conscience.  Here are a few examples:

*No-Nonsense Muscle Building for those who want to put on muscle.

*The Truth About Abs for those interested in fat loss. 

*Triple Threat Muscle for those looking to build that lean, strong "gladiator" physique.

*Minimalist Training, which is packed with loads of simple but brutally effective routines. 

There are others, but these have been some of my best sellers.

This fitness blog has kept me motivated to stay in the gym.   I love training, of course, but this blog gives me all the more reason to love it.  After all, I really can't talk about training if I'm not doing it myself. 

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to visit and/or comment!  Keep training hard!

Training Journal: Longevity

I haven't written an training journal in ages, so here goes.

Lately I've been thinking about longevity--taking steps to avoid injuries and stay in the gym for the next few decades.  I started making some adjustments a couple of weeks ago:

*Higher rep ranges: I really like training heavy (5 rep range), but my body needs a break from it.  I'm training in the 8-12 rep range to give my joints a break from the heavier lifting.

*No barbell bench pressing:  I love the barbell bench press, but dumbbells allow the shoulders to be in a safer, more natural position.  I'm strictly doing dumbells bench press--indefinitely.

*Squats:  I'm taking at least a couple of weeks off the back squat.  My spine just needs a break.  I've been front squatting for the past couple of weeks.

*Abdominal Training: I believe my abs are a weak link in my overall strength.  I need to spend a few weeks focusing on that.

Love it!

*Scheduled Break: I'll be taking a complete break from training for a week or two in December.  I think a week or two off of training is great for experienced lifters.  It's much better to have the time off and return hungry than to start dragging around in the gym doing half-effort training.

Last but not least, I'm really enjoying reading over Ferruggia's Minimalist Training program.  This one is going to be very valuable in planning my workouts for 2011.

Muscle Up Exercise

Here are a couple of video demonstrations of the Muscle Up. This is an exercise you can do with just your body weight and a bar. I saw this exercise mentioned in Ferruggia's Minimalist Training e-book.

Enjoy the videos. You can read my review of the before-mentioned book here: Minimalist Training Review

This one is a tutorial.


Here's another one of 20 Muscle Up's:

Minimalist Training Review Jason Ferruggia

I promised to give you a review of Jason Ferruggia's Minimalist Training, so here goes:

This e-book is 80 pages, packed with some of Ferruggia's favorite routines.  It is composed of simple, intermediate and advanced routines.  Some of them are designed for linear progression (just lifting a little more each week), while others are based on periodization (intentionally starting a cycle with less weight and building up to heavier weights each week).

The workouts consist of 3 exercises at most.  There are 3, 4, and 5 day training options, but Ferruggia is partial to the 3 day a week training schedule.  I also like the 3 day split--I have found it to be the ideal balance of training and rest (not to mention very practical for those of us with lives outside of the gym). 

I like this e-book because the principles are sound: hit a few basic, compound lifts and go home.  Keep things simple.  Get stronger in the basic lifts and you'll end up with a bigger, more powerful physique. I also like the value--you won't find many more cost-effective training manuals out there. 

UPDATE: I started implementing one of the routines from this book since I first wrote this review (the "70's Strength and Mass" workout).  I LOVE it!  

I give Minimalist Training a thumbs-up.  Just CLICK HERE if you'd like to check it out at a discounted price--only 47$.  This is a special deal for all Strongandfit.net readers, so take advantage of it.  

I also endorse other programs created by Ferruggia.  You can read my reviews and email me if you have any questions:


Muscle Gaining Secrets Review (for beginners/hardgainers)


Triple Threat Muscle Review (for intermediate/advanced trainees).

Minimalist Training Jason Ferruggia

Jason Ferruggia has a new ebook--Minimalist Training. Here's a general description:

It's got over 15 full training programs and more than THREE YEARS worth of workouts in there.

This is a compilation of some of Ferruggia's favorite programs that he has used over the last 23 years in the Iron Game.

The best part is they are all simple, Zen-like programs with no more than three exercise per workout and no overly complicated formulas or techniques to add to the confusion and stress in our already busy lives.

This is the ultimate resource for personal trainers and strength coaches as it gives you a huge collection of simple, yet brutally effective workouts to use with your clients.

For everyone else, Minimalist Training will be your guide to rapid gains in size and strength throughout 2011 and beyond. 

Note:
I've arranged for a special price for this program--only 47$!  Just click any of my links here for the discount.  You won't find a more cost effective way to access this training information. 
I've also written a review of this program since I first made this post:
Minimalist Training Review 


I also endorse other programs created by Ferruggia.  You can read my reviews and email me if you have any questions:

Muscle Gaining Secrets Review (for beginners/hardgainers)

Triple Threat Muscle Review (for intermediate/advanced trainees).

UFC 123: Rampage vs Machida Preview

Video preview of UFC 123: Rampage vs Machida Preview

HIT Training

HIT, or "High Intensity Training" was made popular by Mike Mentzer. 

I was fascinated when I first read about him, and even bought one of his Heavy Duty books.  This was back in my early 20's, when I was still wandering aimlessly in terms of training.  To be honest, I was kind of disappointed in the book--it seemed to be mostly philosophical musing and little training information.   The routines in the book were built around one all-out superset.  I did try it for a while, but I wasn't very impressed with the results.  

I'll have to give Mike credit--it really took guts for him to take such a radical stance against the training philosophies of the day.  He advocated only one to three sets every 7-21 days--this in a time when Arnold was known for spending hours in the gym.  The HIT philosophy did make many of us re-think how much training volume one actually needs.

But I would not recommend high intensity training for the following reasons:

*Many have noted that Mentzer himself built his physique through more conventional (higher volume) bodybuilding routines.

*One set is a good way to get fat.  Most of us are interested in losing fat in addition to gaining muscle.  This super-abbreviated kind of training just isn't going to burn enough calories to reach that goal.

*Other types of training are much more practical for athletes.  One superset isn't really going to prepare you for the football field, the martial arts match, etc--all of which require strength and endurance.  A program like Triple Threat Muscle, on the other hand, is more likely to help.

*I've gotten better results from slightly higher volume, such as 5x5 routines. 

Don't get me wrong--I don't believe you have to spend all day in the gym to get big and strong.  I prefer shorter, intense workouts (such as prescribed in Muscle Gaining Secrets).   But I think HIT training is an over-correction and misses the mark on training volume.

Wood Chop (Dumbbell Variation)

Here's a variation of the "wood chopper" exercise using a dumbbell. You can also use a kettlebell or just grab a weight plate.

Twinkie Diet

The news has been abuzz lately with the so-called, "Twinkie Diet."  Mark Haub, a professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University, ate Twinkies and other junk foods for 10 weeks and lost 27 pounds.  His cholesterol and triglyceride levels also improved.

Haub's experiment was designed to show that a negative calorie balance is the primary factor in weight loss, regardless of the type of foods used.  One advantage to using Twinkies was he could keep a very close watch on how many calories he consumed (one Twinkie=150 calories).  How do we explain the improved cholesterol/triglycerides?  Well, cholesterol tends to drop when we are losing weight and rise when we are gaining weight.

I will give you a couple of warnings in case you are thinking of trying the "Twinkie diet."

*First and foremost, compliance (sticking to the diet) is always the decisive factor in whether or not a diet "works."  I think it would be really difficult to stick to this diet--especially if you want to exercise (which I would recommend).  Seems like you'd feel an energy crash and be starving within about an hour of eating a junk food "meal."

*Next I would consider what Haub actually accomplished.  Did he improve his body mass index and overall health?  Yes.  Did he develop a lean, muscular physique?  I don't think so.  His body fat dropped from 33.4 to 24.9 percent.  This is an improvement, but it isn't anywhere near what most people hope to accomplish through diet and training.   It isn't really that difficult to get down to 25% body fat.  But to get lean and lose stubborn fat  most of us have to do intense training and carefully manipulate our diets (restricting carbohydrates, etc).

Conclusion:
I think Haub's experiment will help us not to demonize sweets--you can have them if you keep track of your overall calorie balance.  But I don't plan on trying the Twinkie diet anytime soon.

Fat Burning Workout

Here's another video from John Romaniello ("Roman"), creator of Final Phase Fat Loss.  This particular video features combination training, a fat burning workout.

You can read my complete review of this program here:
Final Phase Fat Loss Review

Body Mass Index

A few interesting coincidences happened to me over the past 24 hours.  I happened to run across a body mass index (BMI) chart similar to the one below:

I'm about 5'10 and 195 lb, so my BMI would be 28-29.  This is classified as "overweight" (almost obese) on the BMI system.

I met a couple of nursing students the next day (while visiting a college campus).   They approached me and asked me to fill out a little survey about my health.  My answers on the form probably looked contradictory: I wrote my perceived health as very healthy, yet I had to mark "overweight" for the BMI question.

Having said all this, I don't hate the body mass index chart/system.  It doesn't work well for me or other muscular individuals.  But most people don't have high BMI numbers due to muscle mass.  This system is just a quick, easy way for the average Joe/Jane to have some idea of his/her ideal weight range.

1,000 Rep Muscle Challenge Review

It’s time for me to write my review of Vince Delmonte’s 1000 Rep Muscle Challenge.

Before I start this review I should tell you something up front: I’m positively biased towards Vince Delmonte’s products. His No-Nonsense Muscle Building (a program for beginners/hardgainers) is one of my best sellers here at Strongandfit.net. He’s also one of the first guys to help me learn I can make "good" profits in the fitness industry. In other words, I’ve learned I can make money and keep my integrity. This is of the utmost importance to me because I wasted a lot of money on supplement scams in my early years of training.

Now, let’s talk about what you get with this program:

The 1000 Rep Muscle E-book:
 This is basically the introduction to/explanation of the program. It’s a pretty easy read—about 28 pages.

The 100 Rep Muscle Worksheets:
You can print these and track/log your progress.

The Coaching Calls:
The system is set up to give you access to three call-in sessions: 1. Customization 2. Advanced Nutrition Strategies 3. Supplementation for Newbies.

Here’s how it works: once you buy the program, you are eligible to participate in sort of an online call-in session that allows you to get your questions answered. You can also download the Q/A session as an MP3 file.

The Videos:

Artus Shakur

I’m going to spend a little more time talking about the videos. These videos are, in my opinion, what make this program worthwhile. They feature Vince and another fitness model champ named Artus Shakur.  As you can see in the picture, Artus has a physique a lot of use would like to emulate--muscular and ripped.

The introductory video is more motivational in nature. Vince simply challenges his audience to make no excuses and focus on the goal of having a great physique.

The explanation video, as the name implies, is the explanation of the 1,000 rep challenge. I won’t go into details of the program, but I will say it is a combination of lower rep schemes and higher rep schemes. It makes sense—hitting different muscle fiber types. I’ve used similar strategies with good results. 

The workout videos take you through the complete routine, a four-day split (meaning you train four days a week). These are training/coaching videos.

Watch these videos and I’m willing to bet you’ll be fired up about going to the gym. That’s the one thing I’ve always liked about Delmonte’s products—video content just gives a special touch to digital training programs.  I do enjoy e-book based products (and sell quite a few of them), but videos just add another motivational element. 

I do recommend this program, but keep in mind it is a lot of volume and it is not for new trainees. Here’s who I would recommend this for:

*Trainees who have at least two years of training, have reached a plateau, and want to take things to the next level.

*Those who are willing to work really hard and spend four days a week in the gym.

Just click here if you want to check out the 1,000 rep muscle challenge. Please use my links if this review has helped you—you’ll be supporting an honest voice in the fitness industry.

UFC 122: Marquardt vs Okami

UFC 122: Marquardt vs Okami--video preview

Density Training: Final Phase Fat Loss

Here's a video about density training from John Romaniello, creator of the Final Phase Fat Loss program.  This program is designed to break through fat loss plateaus or to lose the last few pounds of fat. 

You can read my review of his program here:
Final Phase Fat Loss Review

Supplements and the Placebo Effect

I'm sure most of you are familiar with the placebo effect--a perceived improvement in one's health when no actual medicine was administered.  This has been very well documented in multiple studies--patients feeling better when taking only sugar pills.

I believe supplement industry thrives on this phenomenon.  A young man reads a bunch of hyped-up claims in an advertisement, shells out his hard-earned money, and is convinced he has a better "pump" the next time he hits the weights.  It's a profitable recipe for naive consumers and unethical marketers. 

What supplements are you taking right now?  Is there any real evidence to support their use ( think double-blind, placebo-controlled studies)? 

Think about it.  Spend your money wisely.

Fortalecer Músculos

¿Quisiera aprender la manera verdadera para fortalecer y agrandar los músculos? Revise Culturismo Sin Tonterías: Culturismos Sin Tonterias. Este programa de Vince Delmonte es el #1 en ventas de programas de culturismo aquí en Strongandfit.net.

No-Nonsense Muscle Building (Spanish Version)