By: David Robson

Let’s face it: walking through our workouts, with a lack-luster attitude, will produce very little in the way of size gains. We all know those who shuffle from one piece of exercise equipment to another in an aimless fashion, looking at their watches and hoping for their session to come to an end so they can drive home and watch television.

One wonders why these people train in the first place. After all, real gains come only from intensive training and their half-hearted sessions, lacking the necessary intensity, more often than not, fail to deliver even minimal results.

We all know real champions are those who push their physiques to the limit and accept nothing but the best from themselves. These people are the ones who move quickly and purposefully around the gym, like human dynamos with expressions of intensity on their faces – their physiques reflect the intensity they apply. These people clearly demonstrate discipline, the essential component that often separates the awesome from the mediocre.

What Is Discipline?

People generally hate discipline because it often means forcing oneself to confront the realities of their life: the dieter for example who must rigidly adhere to a stringent eating plan.

Discipline therefore has negative connotations for many. It is, however, an immensely important variable, as far as developing a phenomenal physique is concerned.

Mental Control
A Life And Death Situation

Essentially, exercising discipline means having control over ones mind – using our inner voice to force a particular result. Imagine performing a set of bench-presses with a non-disciplined mind-set. The weight lifted and number of reps would probably be at least 25% below what could be achieved with sufficient motivation.

A Non-Disciplined Mind-Set
Can Reduce Achievements By At Least 25%

Imagine then a raving lunatic approaching with a gun and demanding you load an additional 20kgs and pump out and extra 5 reps. In all likelihood this would be achieved.

The lifter has disciplined themselves to lift this weight because their life has depended on it. This is precisely the type of attitude needed to excel in bodybuilding, and sport in general. Training needs to become a life or death situation, as extreme as this may sound.

Before beginning the aforementioned set of benches, the lifter, in the first instance, has taken the easy way out. This is a natural part of the human condition. We are likely, when faced with difficulties, to take the easy option because we are pleasure seeking beings.

Obeying The Doctrines Of Oneself

We all love to feel good and this makes sense. However, we need to apply self discipline, and make things hard when training muscle is the aim. Clearly an unpopular concept, discipline (which means adhering to the doctrines of another) must be used to push the boundaries of physical capability.

Self discipline could be extrapolated to mean obeying the doctrines of oneself. This means we must set goals and continually seek ways to enhance motivation levels. In short, self discipline is the ability to get the job done, regardless of ones emotional state.

Given its competitive nature and the degree of excellence needed to separate oneself from others of similar proficiency, sport is one arena where self discipline is needed in abundance. One who understood the importance of self discipline was Great coach, Vince Lombardi, who said,

	“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”

How To Practice Self-Discipline

Self discipline is essentially a frame of mind. When we think positive thoughts, self-discipline is more readily activated. On the flip-side, negative thoughts promote a sloppy attitude and a weak mind.

	The Necessity Of Negative Thinking. Contrary to what positive thinking devotees say, applying negative thinking is often necessary to achieve your goals and improve your life. Let’s start off by going over some of the pitfalls of positive thinking.

This leads to low self-discipline. The key to activating self-discipline through positive thinking is to perfect our inner dialogue – the little inner voice that talks to us all the time, and gives out instructions.

Those who have experienced a negative childhood, generally have a very negative inner dialogue. Thoughts planted in our heads from a young age tend to crystallize into a particular mind-set that leads us into adulthood.

If negative thoughts are planted, it is much harder to activate a positive mind-set and consequently self-discipline is harder to practice.

On the other hand, a positive upbringing will probably lead to a more optimistic voice and a higher degree of self-discipline as a result.

Given training success depends to a large extent on discipline; one will need to try and change any nagging self doubts and negative internal dialogue.

Before attempting a set a heavy squats it is advisable to train your inner voice to say, for example, “this will be the most enjoyable set of squats ever and the weight will be lifted with ease” as opposed to the negative “this weight is very heavy but I will attempt it anyway”.

“This Is The Most Enjoyable Set Of Squats Ever!”

By repeating the former, a positive, lasting, thought pattern will be established. This will help to obviate any lingering negative feelings which inevitably impede training progress. Practice the following to ensure your inner voice becomes positive, which will help to forge self-discipline and enhance training.

1: Forget The Past

Focus on the present, and future if previous negative experiences are holding you back. This will help to establish a positive inner voice and self-discipline.

Negative thought patterns are often established in childhood. Constantly dwelling on childhood experiences will reinforce negative patterns and dilute the present.

2: Your Inner Dialogue Must Be Specific

Before training arms, for example, think about exactly what is to be achieved. “I will lift the heavy weight” probably won’t cut it. Rather, “I will curl the 85lbs and contract my biceps to develop massive arms” is more detailed and conjures a vivid image of an end result.

3: Visualize

Repeating positive statements to develop a positive inner voice does not have the same impact as visualizing exactly what you want to achieve while making these statements. Imaging building biceps like mountains, while saying “my arms are exploding with new growth”.

4: Try To Avoid Negative Events & People

Both will sap energy and dilute enthusiasm. Negative people will plant negative thoughts in those of whom they come in contact with. Surround yourself with positive people as this will reinforce your own positive thought patterns.

A good training partner can help to strengthen self discipline with their insistence that you complete “one more rep”.

Surround Yourself With Positive People.

5: Learn To Master Problem Solving

An important step to establishing self-discipline is taking control of ones emotions. Becoming upset and angry will only serve to derail positive thinking and self-discipline. We all encounter problems. How we deal with them differs depending on a variety of factors. Self-discipline, and control, certainly help when it comes to solving a problem, and moving on.

Those who find it hard to move on are often those with minimal self-discipline. An injury, for example, might mean weeks, or months, away from the gym. Continuing positive self-talk, and keeping ones eyes on their goals, will assist a smoother transition back to the gym, when the injury has healed. A strengthened resolve and sufficient self-discipline will help in this respect also.

6: Focus On Discipline, Often

Discipline, by its very nature, is not an easy trait to establish. However, by putting ourselves in challenging situations throughout the day, while resisting the temptation to become sloppy and unfocused, one can strengthen their ability to rouse discipline when it counts.

For example, when sitting in a chair, one might try to keep their back straight; despite the fact they are tired and feel like slouching back. Another way might be to resist staying up late or sleeping in, excessively. These things might encourage complacency and a resultant lowering of discipline over the long term.

	How Your Personality Affects Your Training! By developing greater insight into who we are, training weak points can be challenged, and overcome. Read below to find out more about different personality types! [

Indeed, focusing on discipline, with a view to building it, can be elegantly explained with a bodybuilding analogy: in short, the more you train discipline, the stronger it becomes, and, just as it takes some muscle to build more, it, similarly, takes some self discipline to establish additional levels.

Progressive Resistance

The key when using this analogy, to establish self discipline, is to consider the principal of progressive resistance, as it applies to weight training (the lifting of progressively heavier weights, or the addition of repetitions, to increase training intensity, and promote muscular gains).

Taking on challenges that are close to ones capabilities will promote increases in self discipline, more effectively than unrealistic, largely unobtainable, targets.

Therefore, to build self discipline, take it slowly and establish it at a progressive rate, rather than diving straight into the heavy stuff and risking injury, metaphorically speaking.

It is next to impossible to achieve every objective, regardless of how self disciplined one is. It is, therefore, more advantageous to correct the so called smaller problems, such as eating that extra bite of pizza, or stopping short of failure when training with maximal weights, rather than trying to tackle a 300lb behind-the-neck-press, when ones training weight on this movement is 120lb.

7: Work Hard

This could be the single most important piece of advice pertaining to the achievement of self discipline. To put all of the above into practice, one needs to work exceedingly, and consistently, hard.

Hard work to some might conjure up images of self denial, and suffering. However, all the good things in life come as a result of the kind of sustained hard work that makes these things worth having, and life worth living.

The biggest barrier to self discipline is a weak mind, and this often results from failure to set goals, and execute a plan of action (explained soon). As mentioned, self discipline can be strengthened like muscle tissue, and the more one practices self discipline development, the more they will become strong mentally.

How To Apply Self Discipline

Knowing all of the above will undoubtedly help when aiming to strengthen self discipline, but without a plan of attack, the best idea and knowledge base in the world might fail to gain traction. Using the following plan will help to bring ones self discipline goals to fruition.

1: Choose the area of life that needs strengthening.

For simplicities sake, a basic weight training example will be used. An area that might need addressing could be the amount of weight lifted on the bench press. A lifter might stop short of adding an extra 5-10lb due to complacency, or lack of self discipline.

2: Create a plan of attack.

The plan would, therefore, be to consciously add weight to this movement, as per the progressive resistance example mentioned earlier. At this point, self discipline is actively being put to the test, as a change in mind-set is being occurring.

3: Execute the plan.

The execution phase is where the lifter will either succeed, or fail, as the mind-set is challenged to actually put into practice what has been planned.

Not dissimilar to classic goal setting, this is the essence of self discipline – the execution of a plan to break a negative cycle of self delusion. Indeed, without goal setting, we live our lives floundering in a sea of ill discipline.

	The SMART Way To Set Goals! The SMART Goal Setting principles will help you reduce your chances of setting goals that you wouldn’t be able to obtain even if you had some sort of superhuman powers. [

Conclusion

To achieve ones bodybuilding goals, a large degree of discipline is imperative. The sloppy thinking and complacency that result from an undisciplined mind (which is itself the product of negative thinking) may result in a complete lack of focus and low self-belief.

To counter this state, it is advisable to focus on developing discipline. The strategies suggested in this article might sound silly to some, but they will have profound results if practiced religiously.

Anything that encourages a positive inner dialogue is conducive to success in any sphere. Given bodybuilding is an intensive activity, a large degree of self-disciple is needed.

Self-discipline (the strategy we use to get ourselves to do something that does not come naturally) can only be developed through a strong sense of self belief coupled with a positive inner voice.

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A fitness training diet is actually dependent on just how fit you wish to be. Many people like to be fit but not as fit as a world-class athlete. There are different levels of fitness for those that are seriously competing and those who prefer to be just healthy. Integrating a good fitness training diet into your life is a blessing that allows you to maintain your health and prolong your life.

Usually, people go on a fitness training diet a few months before a big event. This is a preparation for the activities and pressure that a big event usually means. The fitness training diet must correspond to the needs of the individual regarding the sport or event. Some sports need a lot of lean muscles therefore the individual must develop muscles which are suitable for the event. Other sports may entail needing stamina while others will need to lose weight.

What Not To Eat

We all know that fatty foods as well as some oily foods should be avoided if you intend to keep to your fitness training diet. What some people do not know is to also regulate one’s consumption of sodium. Sodium plays a big role in maintaining our hydration, but too much of this can also affect us negatively. Sugars also need to be regulated or avoided altogether when on a fitness training diet. Sugars tend to give an artificial high which can leave you feeling tired in the long run.

Tips For Maintaining Your Fitness Training Diet

To be able to fully maintain and stick to your fitness training diet you should purge your home of any foods that may tempt you to break your diet. Comfort foods that you feel you need must still be avoided as long as you have started your diet. Make sure that you have adequate stock of the foods that you need to follow your fitness training diet. Easy access will thwart any temptations to run to the grocery to squelch the craving for your fattening foods. Sticking to the routine, no matter how boring or tiresome, is another way of keeping on track of your fitness training diet.

A dietician, in order to maximize the efficacy of your training, usually formulates a fitness training diet. The right amount of calories, vitamins and minerals are enough to make you as fit as you possibly can to perform the task that you have been training for.

By: Baily Richards

Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article77111.html

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By: Crystal Matthews

An Interview With Jessie Pavelka

“Diet Tribe” is Lifetime’s new reality series that follows the emotional journey of five friends as they attempt to go from “fat” to “fit”. These women have made a commitment to lose their unwanted pounds together.

With the help of professional fitness trainer Jessie Pavelka and psychotherapist Stacy Kaiser (of “Celebrity Fit Club” fame), each woman will change her eating and exercise habits over the course of three months and confront the issues that caused her to gain weight initially.

Through the course of the five-episode series, cameras follow the tight-knit group as they deal with real-life temptations, struggle to stay on track through the toughest workouts of their lives and face the scale each week to see how far they have come both mentally and physically.

With The Help Of Jessie Pavelka Each Woman
Will Change Her Eating And Exercise Habits.

As the trainer in the first season of Diet Tribe, with hopefully many more seasons to come, Jessie Pavelka brings a compassionate approach to training.

He is one of the hottest fitness coaches in the country, having worked with thousands of people of all walks of life to achieve a new sense of health and well-being. Jessie has appeared as a fitness model in several fitness magazines, and has appeared on the television series “Friday Night Lights”.

This is what Jessie had to say when Bodybuilding.com caught up with him recently and learned some secrets from the celebrity trainer.

• Hometown: Corpus Christi, TX
• Current Residence: Los Angeles, CA
• Age: 26
• Height: 6′
• Weight: 195 pounds
• Marital Status: Single
• Education: Calallen High School, and attended the University of North Texas
• Hobbies: Guitar, music, writing, painting and any outdoor activities

[ Crystal Matthews ] What do you consider your first big break in the industry?

[ Jessie Pavelka ] First off, it’s always been a lifestyle. I started working out with my Mom in 4th grade. She used to take me to the track.

I Started Working Out
With My Mom In 4th Grade.

My first break in the industry was probably when I met Ed Conners. He is well known in the bodybuilding industry and franchised one of the first Golds’ Gyms. He approached me and let me know that I could really do something with my physique, that I had something more than I thought I had. That was the point I decided to dedicate my life to fitness and health.

I was 21 and living in Texas at the time, and decided to move to California to pursue fitness. I started to compete in bodybuilding, and got involved in fitness modeling and got wrapped up in the whole industry.

[ CM ] Tell me about your work with bariatric patients.

	What Does Bariatric Mean? Bariatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention, and treatment of [those who are extremely overweight]. The field encompasses dieting, exercise and behavioral therapy approaches to weight loss, as well as pharmacotherapy and surgery.

[ JP ] Australian Fitness Star David Rylah and I started our own personal training business for the overweight. We worked with a doctor who referred his patients to us. I may not have been living my life the best, but I was able to tell people how to live their life the best. Finding out what I shouldn’t be doing helped me let people know what they should be doing.

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[ CM ] What made you decide you wanted to make a career out of being fit?

[ JP ] When I came out to California the first time bodybuilding was my life, but I wouldn’t consider myself to be living a healthy lifestyle. When I had enough of the scene, my girlfriend at the time and I decided to move back to Texas, and I became a super attendant for a commercial construction company.

It was a total change, but it was necessary. I knew what I was doing (in California) wasn’t right or healthy for me. I hated my job and decided to move back to my home town and do some soul searching and went back to my roots. I went back to the stuff that made me who I was.

It Was A Total Change,
But It Was Necessary.

I started exercising for me and taking care of myself the right way. On 7/7/07 I woke up and I had this spiritual experience, and I told myself I’m moving back to California and doing it the right way. That day I wrote a five and a ten year plan, and 2 months later I headed back out again and ended up in Long Beach.

You set goals, but I had to deviate a little bit and started back out training one client that is big in the financial world. I traveled with him – did his diet, made his meals and trained him twice a day.

[ CM ] What attracted you to the Diet Tribe show? How do you feel about training all women on a women’s network?

[ JP ] I read what the show was all about. I originally didn’t want to do reality, but I realized how much impact this show could have. It was a show where people could watch and realize they could do it too. Losing thirty pounds in three months is a short term goal, so it makes it seem more attainable. Lose the 30 lbs. and then you have more confidence to learn the next 30. Break it up.

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I did the audition for the show, and was actually thinking about how bad I needed something to take me to the next step in my career when the call came in from the producers, and they loved me. I went back in, wrote up a diet and exercise program and trained a lady from the production company.

It was between me and another female trainer, but they liked what I was about and signed me on. I was very excited, and I’m really enjoying it. Lifetime is a great network. I definitely have a soft spot for women. I was raised by women – my Mom and two older sisters. I’ve been surrounded by estrogen since I was born.

[ CM ] How is the show doing?

[ JP ] We got number one ratings on our first night. We’ve wrapped our first season, but I still keep in contact with some of the girls. The main thing I love is they’ve all gained a conscience from this show. Now they feel guilty if they get off their healthy path. I’m excited for Season 2 to start!

I Still Keep In Contact
With Some Of The Girls.

[ CM ] How are you handling all the interviews and press that you’re getting for the show? Are people starting to recognize you?

[ JP ] We did Access Hollywood, E! and a lot of other press for the show. It’s still surreal; I haven’t let it all sink in yet. People are starting to recognize me, and it can be hard because I’m a really nice person and people will ask me uncomfortable questions like they know me, and I’m just like umm… can I walk away now?

[ CM ] What was it like filming the show? Was it hard for you to keep up your own health and fitness routine?

[ JP ] The first time I met the girls was their first day of personal training. We filmed at many different locations in L.A. Since we only trained an hour and a half out of the day I was able to follow my normal routine.

BODYBUILDING.COM FORUM: SCHEDULE THREAD
Maintaining Nutrition With A Busy Schedule. Hi, well I’m constantly on the go, and have trouble eating healthy! Do any of you ladies have any tips on how to eat well with a very busy schedule?	Started By: KatyP84

[ CM ] Was the cast’s weight loss diet something they could do as a lifestyle or did you tweak anything to help them drop the pounds fast?

[ JP ] Everything about our show is a lifestyle change. We don’t take the women out of their element. They live at home, cook their own meals. I’m with them an hour and a half out of their day and give them the tools they need to do it on their own. Their goal of losing 30 lbs. in 90 days is something everyone can do.

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[ CM ] How influential can it be (have you seen it to be) to work out with friends who have the same goal as you? Do you think the girls having each other made a big difference in their success?

[ JP ] I think it’s important. Americans make their New Year’s Resolutions to do it on their own, and then they start just to stop again. I think it would be really cool if America woke up and said you know I’m spending all this time at home, I’m not happy, and they called up a few of their friends and made a plan to go to the gym together.

Not only does that build a really cool bond between you and your friends but a healthy one. That’s why I love this show. The thing that we’re trying to sell is getting your friends together, changing your lifestyle, so that everything in your life can get better.

[ CM ] One of the ladies is an ex personal trainer who in her words, ‘let her self go’. Do you think it was easier for her to get her health on track than others who have had no experience with a healthy lifestyle?

[ JP ] Definitely. The biggest reason people don’t do things is knowledge. Many people don’t go to the gym because they don’t know what the heck they’re doing.

Click To Enlarge.
The Biggest Reason People
Don’t Do Things Is Knowledge.

My advice to people who’ve never been to the gym and never worked out is to take advantage of the free initial training sessions they offer when you sign up. The main thing is to JUST DO IT. There is a big difference between not knowing what you’re doing and having a bad attitude about what you’re doing. Having a bad attitude will set you up for failure way worse.

[ CM ] How do you handle a ‘food enabler’ when you are trying to change your lifestyle, but you have someone around who wants no part of it?

[ JP ] The number one person in your life is you. If you’re not happy with your weight and you want to change and your significant other doesn’t support you and your decision, you’re with the wrong person.

[ CM ] What is your workout program like for someone overweight?

[ JP ] When I’m first starting out with someone who is very overweight, my main focus is getting their body back in motion. I don’t start out with weights right away. I focus more on cardio and hitting their target heart rates. Then I will combine a cardiovascular-weight routine.

It’s a lot of constant movement and improvising. They may not be able to do a regular pushup, but you can improvise on the movement so they can still get the benefit.

[ CM ] What is your meal plan like for someone overweight, how does that compare to the meal plan for yourself?

[ JP ] The problem with people overweight is that they are going to have cravings. Their insulin levels are going to be very sugar sensitive and uncontrollable throughout the day. Many overweight people only eat one enormous meal at night. Since their body thinks it has been starving all day, their metabolism has dropped and their body stores all the calories they took in that night.

For someone who is very overweight, I try to get the cravings out of the way. There are different types of food that help with that. Natural foods like coconut water and agave (a natural sugar substitute) can help keep them at bay. I have somewhat of the same diet for myself. I try to keep my insulin levels balanced by having consistent meals and foods with a low G.I.

My Diet Plan for the “DietTribe” Women

Eat “Clean”

The most important thing about staying healthy is to eat wholesome foods that I call “clean.” These are unprocessed, organic foods.

The Most Important Thing About Staying
Healthy Is To Eat Wholesome Foods.

Read the labels on your food. If there are all kinds of ingredients listed that your grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food, then don’t eat it. Fast foods and processed foods are loaded with hidden sugars and fats. Treat your body right and give it the kind of wholesome energy it needs to be healthy.

Plan Ahead

The most important thing you can do to lose weight is spend time planning what you are going to eat. Eating clean means you’ll be doing a lot of your own meal preparation, because processed foods are full of ingredients that will undermine your progress, even if they are labeled as “diet” or “low calorie” or “low fat.”

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Be in control of your food. If you have time to get a manicure, then you have time to grocery shop or prepare food. Each evening, prepare your lunch and snacks for the next day. If you get to a meal time and don't know what you're planning to eat, you are more likely to go off the plan and eat something convenient that is full of calories, fat and sugar.

Take time for yourself. Make yourself and your food a priority. Plan ahead. It's the only way to make sure you stick to your diet.

1,500 Calories Per Day

To lose weight, you have to eat. On my plan Megan, Morgan, Shawna, Anna and Lydia all ate 1,500 calories per day. That is enough calories to ensure proper nutrition and provide the energy required for their workouts. But it was still less than they had been eating, so they were guaranteed to lose weight.

Three Meals And Two Snacks

The women all ate five times per day: three meals and two snacks daily. If you don't let yourself get too hungry, then you won't binge when you do eat.

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The key is to keep a steady stream of calories feeding your body. You need food to fire your metabolism, so keep the fire burning steadily instead of flaming up and burning out. You'll feel better all day long. Here's how I broke out the calories throughout the day:
• Breakfast: 350 Calories
• Morning snack: 150 Calories
• Lunch: 350 Calories
• Afternoon Snack: 150 Calories
• Dinner: 400 Calories

50/30/20

50% Protein:
My plan for the five ladies focused on protein. Fifty percent of their daily intake of calories was to be from clean protein. Our workouts focused on building muscle, and you need protein to make muscle. When your body has more muscle, it will burn more fat. So more protein means more muscle, which means less fat on your body.

When Your Body Has More
Muscle, It Will Burn More Fat.

30% Complex Carbohydrates:
Complex carbs are whole grains that help provide a steady stream of energy without turning into too much sugar in your bloodstream. They are a good source of fiber and provide a wide variety of nutrients.

20% Good Fats:

Good fats are unsaturated fats that help the body absorb nutrients and maintain and already healthy cholesterol level. See my food list for examples of all these types of protein, complex carbs and good fats.

Food List

Here is a list of foods that are clean and healthy and follow my plan. Take time to experiment with creating your own combinations of food. Avoid fried foods.

Water:

Drink at least eight glasses of water per day. This helps flush your system and keep you hydrated for workouts.

Fruit:
Eat at least one serving of fruit per day (one cup or a small apple/orange, etc.).

Vegetables:

Eat at least two servings of vegetables per day.

Dairy:

Use only skim milk, fat-free yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese. (Hint: Cottage cheese is an excellent source of protein.)

Supplements:

Please take a multivitamin daily.

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Snacks:

• Try low-fat/sugar-free cereal bars.
• Low-fat popcorn = 150 calories.
• Fruit.

Desserts:

• Sugar-free gelatin is great.
• Also try fat-free puddings.

Salad Dressings:

Fat-free only; vinegar and a little oil is best.

Proteins:

• Chicken/turkey: 3 ounces = approximately 175 calories.
• Beef: Read the labels; usually 3-4 ounce serving of top round, sirloin, lean ground beef, buffalo.
• Fish: Usually 60 calories per ounce of tuna, salmon, lobster, shrimp, trout, tilapia, cod, orange roughy and swordfish.
• Vegetarian proteins: tempeh, seitan, soy.

Carbohydrates:

For packaged products, read labels and count calories per serving.
• Sweet Potato
• Yam
• Squash
• Pumpkin
• Wild Rice
• Oatmeal
• Barley
• Kidney Beans
• Strawberries
• Melon
• Apple
• Whole-Wheat Bread
• High-Fiber Cereal
• Whole-Wheat Tortilla

Vegetables:

• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Green Beans
• Green Peppers
• Mushrooms
• Spinach
• Tomato
• Peas
• Brussel Sprouts
• Artichoke
• Cabbage
• Celery
• Zucchini
• Cucumber
• Onion

Good Fats:

• Avocado
• Sunflower Seeds
• Pumpkin Seeds
• All-Natural Peanut Butter (Also has lots of protein)
• Olive Oil
• Safflower Oil
• Canola Oil
• Sunflower Oil
• Flaxseed Oil

[ CM ] I’m so not a fan of the scale – I know you put a lot of emphasis on the weigh-in, and I understand the importance of this when you are looking for extreme fat loss. We all know muscle weighs more than fat, so do you incorporate a different way to measure results later once the extreme fat-loss has been achieved?

[ JP ] I don’t like using anything to be honest with you. If you’re working out and doing what you gotta do, you’re going to get results. A lot of people get obsessed with the scale, it’s unhealthy. It’s not about a number.

A Lot Of People Get Obsessed
With The Scale, It’s Unhealthy.

When I was in bodybuilding I got on the scale every day. It was sick – so unhealthy. The scales are more for the show. The girls weighed themselves every two weeks. I agree with using the scale as long as it’s in moderation.

[ CM ] Do you take any supplements? How important is supplementation?

[ JP ] In the morning I wake up and I have my Omega 3s, a supplement called E3Live that helps with your brain functions, an açai berry bowl with granola (which is loaded with antioxidants), Dymatize whey protein shakes, and for my mid-morning snack I’ll add whey protein powder to my yogurt, and of course I take a multivitamin.

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I think supplements are more important in helping you get enough nutrients in your diet, and they're so convenient. I wish supplements could be a little less chemically enhanced and a little more raw, but I think in the future manufacturers will end up heading in that direction.

[ CM ] Okay, now onto you? I hear you’re a believer in ‘The Law of Attraction’. How do you implement ‘The Law of Attraction’ into your life?

[ JP ] If you go to my computer you will see pictures and post-it notes surrounding my computer. Everyday is a new day for me. I wake up and I write all my short term goals down for the day. I use that as the law of attraction.

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I’m a very creative person believe it or not. I think things in my head and manifest them to happen. I think the biggest thing that keeps people from achieving is fear. It stops a lot of people. They won’t do something because they justify it in their head that they can’t. If you really want something and you go for it and you take the steps necessary, you can do it.

[ CM ] What’s your least favorite physical attribute that you have to work the most?

[ JP ] It’s hard for me because fitness model Greg Plitt was my roommate and he has the most incredible abs, so I was a bit envious of his abs. But you know what, my physique is the way it is and I embrace the person I am and the person I’m trying to be.

[ CM ] So I have to ask about all your tattoos, any special significance?

[ JP ] The one on my left shoulder is the Japanese symbol for inner power/inner strength. That was my very first tattoo. I got it when I was seventeen almost eighteen. Shortly after, I got the cross on my right arm that I drew up myself. I have one on my stomach that says ‘Fear No Man’ in Japanese.

I have one on my side that says ‘For My Brother’ in cursive writing, and that’s for my best friend. You know, you go through a point in your life when things get tough, and there’s someone there to help get you through that time, and he was there. He got the same tattoo.

I Have One On My Side
That Says ‘For My Brother’.

I have one on my wrist that is the alpha & the omega (the beginning and the end in the Greek alphabet), and I got that because of a necklace my mother gave me with the same symbol.

The cross ring that wraps around my left ring finger was the most painful tattoo emotionally. I was with a girl for a very long extended period of time. We were very serious, but I was young, dumb and full of fun – and yeah… she didn’t get one, that’s the funny thing.

Finally, I have two tribal angel wings on my back; they’re symbolic. Not that I’m an angel, but I think angels are all around us. No more tattoos. This is it. Wait I can’t say that – today this is it.

[ CM ] What’s the big difference between bodybuilding and fitness modeling competitions?

[ JP ] I did both the bodybuilding and the Fitness America Pageants. I think fitness competitions are a much healthier avenue to go. You can do everything that’s healthy for your body while getting ready for a fitness competition, and wake up the next day and continue to live the same healthy lifestyle.

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Now with a bodybuilding competition, you bulk up, then you cut and train like a maniac, and then for a week you don't drink water. Then you carb-load/carb-deplete, sodium load/sodium deplete, etc. It's not a lifestyle that's maintainable. It's not what life is all about.

[ CM ] Who do you admire most in this industry?

[ JP ] That’s hard to say – if I look at drive and dedication, growing up, Arnold was always an idol of mine. Everything he said he wanted to do he did. Female wise; I love Jamie Eason’s story. She’s obviously a very beautiful person; she’s gone through a lot. She had a lot of things going against her and she prevailed. That says a lot about a person.

[ CM ] What advice would you share with someone who wants to make a career in the fitness industry?

[ JP ] Being involved in bodybuilding and fitness competitions helped me get exposure. Just by competing, not even winning, it can help you make connections. Look at your self, look at your physique, if you feel it’s something you really want to do and you’re cut out for it then go for it.

Being Involved In Bodybuilding And Fitness
Competitions Helped Me Get Exposure.

The most important thing is to be the best you, if that’s being successful in the fitness industry then great, but you don’t have to make it in this industry to be happy.

• Jessie Pavelka
• jessie pavelka girlfriend
• Jessie pavelka on tv

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By: David Robson

Ashley Borden: the name is synonymous with physical performance results, and advanced body transformation. Excellence: what Ashley strives for when aiming to take her clients’ health and fitness goals to new heights and what her clients themselves have come to expect from Ashley. And results and excellence are probably responsible for the LA fitness guru and body transformation specialist’s reputation and success as a celebrity personal trainer.

Traditionally a population with high aspirations and standards, the celebrity crowd are, as would be expected, an exceedingly challenging group to work with. As their careers either live or die based on how they look and perform, it is Ashley’s job to ensure that each of her clients’ enjoys longevity and prosperity as an entertainer, a role she never tires nor fails at.

In an industry where you are hot one day and not the next, each celebrity Ashley guides seeks her out specifically, to help keep them at the relevant end of the entertainment spectrum.

Ashley Borden.

But what separates Ashley from the thousands of personal trainers currently expanding into the celebrity market? For one thing she has 17 years experience training a wide range of people, from the housewife to the elite sporting-star.

Then there is her personal battle with eating disorders that have, understandably, given her a strong sense for helping others and the experience necessary for turning negatives into positives. And this goes to the very heart of body transformation.

By its very nature, a body transformation necessitates a strong will to overcome some kind of physical flaw, whether largely perceived as in the muscular bodybuilder who sees himself as being small, or startlingly real as in the overweight housewife in dire need of an effective fat loss program.

Regardless of how extreme, any body transformation requires professional intervention from one who has both the experience and the desire to really help, to make a difference and to facilitate positive change. This is what separates Ashley from the pack and makes her the best in her field.

With almost 20 years experience as a trainer, Ashley has learned many lessons. As a celebrity trainer she has had experiences most of us mere mortals can only dream about. In the following Bodybuilding.com interview she shares her knowledge and her experiences.

Interview

[ Q ] How long have you been a personal trainer Ashley?

I’ve been a personal trainer for 17 years.

[ Q ] Was celebrity personal training a gradual progression for you or was this something you started out doing?

No, since I started my training business it (the celebrity training) has just been an ongoing progression. A lot of celebrity training has to do with living in the town where the action is happening so it just happened through referrals. I was just working at the gym and they had someone come in. It was a referral and then it was all basically word of mouth from there, especially in the entertainment industry.

[ Q ] Who was your first celebrity client?

My first celebrity client was Sean Hayes who was on Will and Grace. We worked on building muscle. I put about 17 pounds of muscle on his frame and we trained the whole off-season (when not filming) and he got so muscular and looked so good the producers were horrified that he was so big. And they were, “You know what, he is too muscular.” I was, “You don’t have to hate on it; you can make him look skinny and scrawny.” But he was great; he and I worked very well together. He is one of my dearest friends here.

.
Sean Hayes And Ashley Borden.

[ Q ] When he first began training with you he was training specifically to get big for another role or for personal reasons?

No, he was on Will and Grace and he just had a goal. He wanted to get bigger and stronger. At the time we were actually doing the Body for Life program together – he is incredibly strong and just ate well. It was just a goal he had. And we did it together.

	Body for Life Body for Life is a 12-week diet and exercise program, and also an annual physique transformation competition. It was created by Bill Phillips, a former competitive bodybuilder and the founder of EAS, a manufacturer of nutritional supplements. It has been popularized by a bestselling book of the same name.

[ Q ] And he dropped his body fat correspondingly?

Absolutely!

[ Q ] Was this the first time Sean Hayes had trained specifically for muscle size?

No he had a trainer before at the same gym. He left his trainer and came and worked with me.

[ Q ] I understand you also worked with multiple UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships) Champion, Matt Hughes. What specifically did you do with Matt?

I actually did not manage his training; I managed his food.

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[ Q ] You were his nutritionist?

Well I am not a nutritionist nor am I a registered dietician, but I still handle many people’s food intake, depending on what their goals are. I call this role the food manager. Basically, with Matt, what we discovered was he was eating more like a bodybuilder than an endurance athlete.

Matt already ate great; I mean he didn’t eat bad food. He’s not a sugar eater; he’s a very clean eater but part of it was he needed to eat way more low glycemic carbohydrates.

When he was training for a fight he was losing up to four to six pounds (bodyweight) a workout so he really needed to make sure he was not burning muscle, and that he was burning up carbohydrates, that he was not consuming at the time. So we just tweaked his ratio of carbs to protein to fats and educated him a little bit on what carbohydrates would really be good for him to eat, that would give him sustained energy.

Part of it is that Matt was already incredibly strong but part of the issue was he would not get his second wind until late into his workout; he would start to really feel strong then. Which is great but the problem was he was eating into his muscle. And he didn’t realize the difference. So we changed his post and pre-workout drinks, and his carbohydrates, and put him on Udo’s (Choice) Oil and he went great.

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[ Q ] Just to clarify, what benefits did Udo’s Oil give Matt?

Udo’s (Choice) Oil is a pure blend of a 2:1 ratio of omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids; it is in a glass bottle and it is made from an incredible company that is based out of Canada. The oil helped with recovery; it helped to load more lean muscle tissue on him and he took it pretty consistently. That was something that he changed.

He also works with Nutritox, which has great products as well. So he was on a really good combo of the right amount of supplements without overdoing it and also getting most of his nutrition from real foods, which is what he prefers.

Ashley, Jennifer Galardi, Matt Hughes, Lauren Kim, Alan Jouban.
Ashley Was The Technical Director/Assistant Director For Matt’s Plyomix Fitness DVD
The Other People Were The Talent In The DVD.

[ Q ] So prior to you managing Matt’s nutrition, he already had a good diet but just needed to make a few subtle changes, nothing too drastic.

Yes, absolutely. He just needed to change his carbohydrate ratio and understand what carbs, from low to moderate, were the good ones for him to have as opposed to high glycemic carbohydrates.

[ Q ] What were Matt’s measurable results?

Matt never, ever complains and never whines or anything about feeling tired or sore. So his thing was really the sustained energy throughout his long training. He splits his training throughout the day and he was just able to do it and he wasn’t having the bonking as much. He wasn’t hardcore bonking; it was just a matter of having more sustained energy for him throughout his whole workout.

[ Q ] Did his performance in the Octagon improve?

I don’t know really. Another thing: Matt didn’t eat enough greens before and I think he became a real broccoli man so that was good. He was not big vegetable eater and we really tried to get him to eat a lot more green vegetables so he would have more good fiber and carbs. I think he felt a lot better after doing this. We also took away his red meat during his training phase.

[ Q ] He would have got his creatine and iron from supplements?

Yes, Nutritox took care of that.

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[ Q ] When you are working with a bodybuilding athlete versus a mixed martial artist, would you tend to increase protein and decrease carbohydrates?

Well I think it depends. If it is someone who is really in competition, for the art of being absolutely as lean as possible, I would hand that off to somebody who is an expert in that area because that takes a lot more specific science; to get somebody to three percent body fat. I would probably have somebody work with me who has worked with bodybuilders before so they could help manage it.

[ Q ] You specialize more in body transformations?

Yes, absolutely – body transformations and also getting the job done. For instance when Matt and I were in Hillsborough, avocados were really out of season. But we went to this Mexican food restaurant and I said, “Lets just ask the manager if they get shipments of avocados from somewhere else, lets see if they can get you a whole crate of them.” And it is just where if the athlete doesn’t have it they won’t eat it.

Matt had so many other things to worry about. It is kind of like I make sure they have all of their supplements, and all the foods they need so they have the least amount of things to think about. They can then just consume the food and worry about their training.

2008 Bodybuilding.com Transformation Guide! Whether your goals are to gain motivation, make a personal transformation, lose fat, gain muscle, or both then look no further. [ ]

[ Q ] You mentioned avocados a moment ago. I have found with my own clients that using avocados as a healthy source of fat is an excellent idea as it really fills the individual up and satiates them while providing valuable nutrients.

You know what, it is great. I have really found that there is a fat shortage. People with their diets are like, still living in the ’80s and not eating any good fats. And I really found that increasing your good fats, especially from avocados, supports a host of health benefits, and it’s also satiating for people who maybe psychologically love butter or cream cheese or spread: they can use avocado as a spread and the texture of it is really creamy and good and it helps to satiate people who might be used to a certain taste. It is a great alternative to bad fats.

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[ Q ] As far as training goes, do you have a specific approach for all males who want to gain as muscle mass as possible or do you design each program based on the individual’s personal requirements?

Every single one of my clients, whether they are professional athletes or a stay at home mom, all learn the same basic system which is basically called the LIFT system (Lift Integrated Systematic Training) and that way I approach everybody, bodybuilder or non-bodybuilder, in a way that assesses the body in the most aesthetically correct way.

I start with them taking their shoes and socks off and I look at the arches of their feet when they are standing in a neutral position. So I start from there and depending on how the arches look, this will give me a compete map of the chain of the rest of their body.

If somebody comes to me and says, “I can’t get my back and triceps up or my rear deltoids just won’t develop,” the chances are they have probably more a collapsed arch and they have forward head carriage and they are not even aware of it. And they are not posturally aligned. The training that I do really focuses on all of the postural stuff, the postural muscles and the whole kinetic chain; very biomechanics-based.

	Editors Note: One of the most prevalent postural deviations is called anterior head carriage (or forward head carriage) and is usually the result of sitting for prolonged periods with the head tilted forward (as in sitting at a computer desk all day long). Mothers who breastfeed or parents in general who spend time leaning forward to attend to their infant or child also experience this problem. This problem causes excessive neck strain and can seriously affect everyday movement and performance. It can be corrected with the help of a professional like Ashley Borden who teaches correct postural alignment.

[ Q ] That’s a smart approach.

And I incorporate a lot of myofascial release, a lot of that.

[ Q ] Can you explain this concept further?

Myofascial release is, in layman’s terms, is a very deep tissue massage, basically. For instance I worked on Matt when his shoulders were feeling tight. There is a way of working certain pressure points, and moving the muscle around releases the muscle so it becomes more open and stringy and more blood flows through it.

So when you go to train you haven’t just stretched a tight muscle with a lot of muscle adhesions, you have actually opened up the muscle and all the tissue. So then when you stretch it, it is able to stretch in a healthier manner in the tissue rather than making the knot tighter so it won’t stretch. It’s great.

I do it with all of my clients and most of them use a PVC pipe as opposed to the white foam rollers that a lot physical therapists use. I go a little bit deeper than that and like to use a PVC pipe. It’s an integral part of the system (LIFT), the training session as well. They “roll out” for about ten minutes before they train.

[ Q ] It sounds like you could actually change the shape of a muscle through myofascial release.

Absolutely. I mean quicker than anything I’ve ever witnessed in my life. It’s great for body changing.

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[ Q ] With a biceps peak, for example, through this method you could free up the muscle belly itself to promote additional growth.

Exactly. And for somebody who has a really tight biceps, they are not going to be able to really get their triceps to fire or become more sculpted. So you have to release the biceps so they can fire or contract the triceps.

[ Q ] Moving onto some of your other celebrity clients, what did you do specifically to improve the shape of Christina Aguilera and Mandy Moore in terms of both diet and training?

I trained Christina for about three and a half, four years, stopping two years ago. I went on tour with her and trained her in LA; also did her strip tour with her.

When I started working with her she was very young and had a naturally skinny body, and Christina really wanted to work on her strength and training. And she was more reluctant about her food, so over the course of time it was really just educating her in more of a passive way – how changing her food will affect her stamina onstage.

If she wants she will be able to perform a lot longer and not feel like she will crash from it. When they got the menu for the venues I would look to see what food would be in there. I would then change things to make sure that we had turkey slices and vegetables as opposed to just Doritos and Jolly Ranchers.

[ Q ] That sounds like a full-time job for you?

Well it was a full-time job (laughs).

[ Q ] So you would put all of your other clients on hold while you dealt with Christina? Is that how it worked?

If I was touring with her I was with her 24/7. When I was at home (in LA) I was seeing her four times a week.

[ Q ] What strategy did you use with Mandy Moore?

With Mandy, when I trained her we got her into the most phenomenal shape I have ever seen. Mandy was somebody who grew very quickly; she’s very tall (5′ 10″).

When we first started working together she did not have really good proprioceptive work and balance and did not feel in very good control of herself muscularly, so we really worked on her posture. She had some spinal issues and we had to work on myofascial release – being rolled out.

Mandy Moore And Ashley Borden.

[ Q ] Did she become very strong as she progressed?

Yes and her endurance improved also. Absolutely. When she learned how to control her body she became incredibly, 100 percent stronger. She was like a different person. She moved like an athlete as opposed to somebody who had no control over her body.

[ Q ] Did she train for anything specific?

She had been dating Andy Roddick when I first started working with her and, again, she was doing it because she just wanted to. She had never trained before. And again I had met her at a gym and she was training with somebody else and then she asked if she could work with me.

[ Q ] Over what period did you train Mandy Moore?

From 2004 to 2006, and Christina was probably three years ago.

[ Q ] How long do you train an average client?

For one hour.

[ Q ] And how long would their transformation take, on average?

My average client stays with me for about four to six years.

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[ Q ] Who has been your easiest celebrity to train and why?

Annabeth Gish is the easiest celebrity to train by far. She is a phenomenal actress. She is like an athlete; she really understands the body and has done a lot of her own work on her own body and on her training. She loves the systems that I teach and she can do an incredibly focused, very slow specific workout, or I can just kick her @ss all over the gym. She is just a lot of fun to train: just a normal person.

[ Q ] People who want to train are generally the easiest to train. Right?

Yes. When I trained Mandy, Mandy was good. She was there to train three or four times a week. She came to every gym session; very low key and not a diva at all. But I would say that Annabeth is probably the most fun to train.

[ Q ] When you talk about divas, do you mean those who place a lot of unnecessary demands on you as a trainer outside the training spectrum?

To me when you are training, you are coming in to train, focus and then leave. It’s a focused, serious hour of doing the work that I want to do with them. Some people, male or female, don’t respect the time or respect themselves enough to take the training really seriously.

Just having me wait is one thing. I’ve had clients who have had me sitting there waiting in the next room while they are on the phone for 45 minutes. Then they get 15 minutes of training and wonder why their body is not changing.

[ Q ] No respect for your time.

Yes and these people I find don’t have respect for themselves as well, so it usually goes hand in hand.

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[ Q ] Have you had a client who was especially difficult to work with?

Oh God, would I say that out loud. Sure, there is nobody (laughs).

[ Q ] Your lips are sealed for now.

Well you know I honestly don’t feel there is anybody I could not work with. I’m able to do my work and not be as emotionally involved as I think some people might be.

[ Q ] How often do you have people who cause you to wait while they are on the phone?

I have had that happen many times.

[ Q ] And these are mainly celebrity people.

Probably, yes. I actually had a celebrity client once who wanted to smoke a cigarette during the training session. I am not kidding.

[ Q ] Who was this, a rock star of some sort?

Not even a rock star; that is the worst part (laughs). You know I think that is sometimes part of the whole game when working with celebrities.

I think what’s really important is that there are so many really great trainers out there that don’t train celebrities that should give way more attention to other people. And that’s something that I have always been aware of; that my training and education is probably 100 percent way more important than who I train, but I guess that who you train is what makes it interesting for people.

It’s sad because there are a lot of phenomenal trainers that have an incredible amount of information to give out, but because they don’t train celebrities, people don’t care. It is just that they don’t have a vehicle to get the information out so easily.

[ Q ] Now that you are an established celebrity trainer, do people seek you out to train them, or are you always looking for potential clients? How does that work?

It is usually word of mouth. At our gym we have a team of people, so generally it is like a network of people. Part of it too is if you work with that population, you respect their privacy and “get” that it is just part of your job. You are not the rock star; you are working with them.

[ Q ] And there is a special code of conduct and confidentiality protocol that governs what you do with celebrity people versus the general population?

Yes, absolutely.

[ Q ] You would sign a waver before training each celebrity?

Yes I have had to do that many times.

NIKE Stretch Photo.

[ Q ] Who is the most interesting or eccentric person you have ever trained?

You want me to name people?

[ Q ] Yes, or just give me some more examples. The person who asked to smoke while training sounds crazy to say the least.

I would say the person who wants to smoke while training is more of an addict (laughs) or has a death wish. Even if there was something negative to say there is nobody who I could talk about (laughs).

[ Q ] I guess it all comes under the confidentiality agreement.

Yes, and you still want to work in this industry.

[ Q ] For people who read the gossip magazines and wish to emulate a particular person, like Brad Pitt for example, what advice would you give them?

The first thing I would say is before you go obsessing over wanting to be somebody else, I would first take a look at their body type and make sure that it is a body type that is similar to yours. If you want to look like Elle McPherson and you are 5′ 2″ it is never going to happen.

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[ Q ] So be realistic.

Yes, look at the body structure and the body type and know that no matter what, you will have to have a similar or the same body type. I even say to people, to wish that you were a celebrity or look like one, the energy you put into this could be put into improving yourself; what you want to improve about yourself, not what you want to look like.

[ Q ] The by-product of that approach would be better mental and physical self-development.

Yes you have to identify what it is you really want.

[ Q ] What is your take on people who become obsessed with the way they look and their training in general?

Well I recovered from some eating problems, compulsive exercise and everything, and the gift (I have) is that I understand it. I had a professional Karate woman who was very much an over trainer. She would train three times a day and her body was just continuously breaking down.

There is a lot of psychological stuff that goes along with over training. It’s a step-by-step process, like anything. Whether it is under training or over training. With over training people sometimes think what a great thing to have, but it can incredibly damage your body and break you down way quicker than you think, especially as an athlete: it can end their career much quicker.

[ Q ] I suppose on one level you would be a counselor, helping people to make positive lifestyle changes; developing their mental approach. Which would, in turn, assist their training efforts and enhance their life in general.

Oh definitely because I feel like, for myself because I had such a mental change – had to change my life and how I approached everything – that I really feel like many people have disordered eating – not necessarily an eating disorder. I think that when you are able to break it down, that does help.

You need to keep a journal. That is one big thing I have my clients do – always keep a journal. Even if they just set an egg timer and write a stream of consciousness for ten minutes at the end of the day, they will be a lot less likely to binge or overeat because they are able to stop their feelings somewhere and not have them be in their food, which is usually a huge trigger.

Also they can see in their own handwriting how great they feel when they are training and eating well. Your own handwriting is a much better way of identifying, “Oh that’s right I did feel that way before.” As opposed to just trying to remember the times when you did feel great.

[ Q ] What exactly is a stream of consciousness?

A lot of people say they don’t want to write in a journal; that they don’t know what to say. So I’ll say, “Do this.” So you don’t have to worry about the time and you don’t have to feel like it is an overwhelming amount of time. People usually aren’t used to writing.

The thought of sitting down and writing for an hour seems like forever. So I usually say use something like an egg timer (so you know when it begins and ends) and set it for ten minutes.

Get out a piece of paper and start by writing. You might feel like you don’t know what to write, but that is your stream of consciousness. Write what you are feeling and slowly it will just start coming out. It is just like a practice in journaling for people who have a hard time putting pen to paper.

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[ Q ] So you just write it all out regardless.

Yes, if you don’t know what to say, write that out. Just write out exactly what you are thinking in the moment just for ten minutes. Chances are you will get to what you want to put on paper.

[ Q ] Or you may have to go back to decipher what you have written to make sense out of it all (laughs).

(laughs) Correct, I would say you are playing detective with yourself.

[ Q ] If somebody comes to you with a body image problem, what would you do? Have you ever encountered this in any of your clients?

Oh yeah. The body image problems I encounter with men are usually: they either think that they are way smaller than they are – and that’s a big one – or no matter what they do they constantly think that they are small. They want to be bigger or they don’t see themselves as big as they actually are.

Also men, or women, who are heavy their whole life growing up, it is the same thing: they look in the mirror and see themselves as that overweight little kid still, even if they have an incredible body. That’s why I think a lot of it is the mixture of the mental and the physical; you kind of have to heal both.

[ Q ] No matter what they achieve in the gym they are never really satisfied with how they look.

Exactly.

[ Q ] Have you ever encountered someone who is so obscenely large but feel they are really small?

Men who use steroids in general really are people who are hiding in their bodies. Steroid abuse, while not as prevalent where I am, which is not at Gold’s, is seen commonly. You will have guys who use Winstrol and they don’t talk about it. That’s the thing: if you are going to do steroids then tell people that you are doing them. There are a lot of people who don’t know much about steroids and they think if that guy is big they might get to that level too.

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[ Q ] If people were more honest about their drug intake it would not provoke unrealistic expectations in others?

Yes, but I understand it is illegal. And number two: it is still not worth it in the big scheme of things. There are pros and cons to it. But it is like anything else, if you are cheating and you don’t want to tell people you are cheating. I think it is just better if you tell people what you are doing.

[ Q ] If a guy is on steroids and decides to stop taking them, is there a possibility that he will become very unhappy?

Oh yes, are you kidding me? Absolutely. It’s an addiction; steroids are addictive. I have been very close to steroid addiction; it is awful. Steroid abuse leads to so many more negatives in your life that have nothing to do with the way you look. You rage and all of that.

	Editors Note: Ashley knew someone on an intimate level who was using steroids for many years.

[ Q ] If someone has a body image problem to begin with and then takes steroids will he compound and exacerbate that problem?

Yes, it is that you are not really addressing what is going on (on the inside), you are just putting on a different suit.

[ Q ] But steroids can have some positive uses, if used sensibly, in an intelligent fashion.

Well with steroids you are not even getting performance enhancing benefits. You are just getting bigger. You are not even in a sport. What are you doing?

[ Q ] So you are saying bodybuilders take steroids for purely aesthetic reasons? But steroids can also improve strength and speed, so in that sense, are performance enhancing also.

And ego. I just want to say, if you are going to do it just be honest and say, “This is what I do.” I think this would demystify what a lot of men don’t get and why they feel defeated when they have been in the gym for six weeks and don’t understand why they are not getting the same results and pump the guy next to him who is doing a Deca and Winstrol stack is getting. Then they feel they have to take them too.

[ Q ] It’s an arms race with chemicals.

Exactly.

[ Q ] You train celebrities and the average person. Do you take a different approach when training celebrities? Do you have to consider any additional aspects when working with this population?

I am very confident with what I do, thank God, and don’t really work from a place of fear. I’m very comfortable with what I do. I trained a very high profile person who was in the Rap industry. He had a very bad reputation and I said I don’t train men in their homes and that if he wanted to he could come to my gym, I would train him there.

So I trained him along with another guy. And he did; he trained with me seven times. He showed up, he was on time. He listened to everything I said and there was nothing inappropriate. But it had to be in the setting I was comfortable in. I would not have done it if he wanted me to go and train him in his house.

[ Q ] And who was this person?

I cannot say.

[ Q ] No problem. Do you do any kind of in-home training?

Yes I do in-home training but it really depends on how comfortable I am. Put it this way: that was probably one of the only times where it was an uncomfortable situation. I have had such great clients; I have never had any problems, ever.

This was a unique situation and I didn’t feel conformable in his home with him. But he was really cool about it. The key is you have to be very clear and know where your boundaries are and that way you are able to be professional and not feel like you have to compromise anything.

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[ Q ] When training a celebrity is there a greater awareness that these people are in a completely different social class and therefore what you do with them might be placed under the microscope to a greater extent?

It is. Christina Aguilera is like nobody else. She is a mega superstar; with her unique set of circumstances and what she has to experience not a lot of people experience so I think a big part of it too is you have to go with the flow. We were ready to train whenever she wanted to train but you also had to be willing to go with the flow. It’s just different.

It’s not as regimented as when you are training somebody who is in the office at 8:00am and who leaves at 5:00pm. Especially when you are on the road with them (celebrities). Whoever I’m with I just try to make sure they can eat well and drink a lot of water and do body work and train as much as they want to.

[ Q ] In saying all of that you wouldn’t treat them any differently than you would an average client, right? Your exercise protocols stay the same.

That’s right, everybody is treated the same.

[ Q ] I suppose you would be privy to a lot of secrets being on the road with these people.

Yes. I mean I guess it depends on the client. But that is why they have you sign confidentiality agreements.

[ Q ] Maybe one day you can write a book about your experiences on the road. And then they might sue you, right?

Right and then I will get sued (laughs). But I get it. I get that you want to have people around you in a positive way. People are just so quick to exploit people in a negative way. I just really understand it (what the client wants). I can’t imagine having people around you who just want to publish books and write stories about people; you have absolutely no privacy.

[ Q ] But in saying that there can be a fine line between simply digging up any old dirt on someone and publishing something that is relevant, that captures the publics’ interest in a positive way; something that might entertain and/or educate.

Yes but if I am in the privacy of their home, it is private; so what I see and hear there stays there.

[ Q ] Very good point. Thank you for your insights Ashley. Is there anything you wanted to mention in particular before we end this interview?

Well I did want to mention the roller that I told you about before; I am looking to come out with my own line of rollers to enable myofascial release. I will have information on my website about it. They will be phenomenal. And then there is the book which can be purchased through my website also.

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By: Josh Hewett

“True strength comes from within”.

We’ve all heard similar sayings. Most successful athletes know that their mentality plays a strong role in their performance. Many recreational athletes and trainees also realize on some level that their thoughts and moods affect their workouts. But very few actually dedicate sufficient time to their Mental Conditioning (to “train their brain”).

The fact is that the mind (especially the subconscious mind) actually has INCREDIBLE power that many don’t acknowledge. Our mind has the ability to make us stronger, more muscular, more athletic, more powerful, even wealthier and happier! Sound unbelievable? As this article will explain, your inner world creates your outer world.

The intention of this article is to share some of the basics of exercise and sport psychology and to illustrate the importance of our thoughts and emotions relative to our physical goals. I will also describe some simple techniques that you can use regularly to improve you performance.

This information is directed to those readers who are already participating in a regular bodybuilding or strength training program and are motivated to achieve greater results.

The truth is that it’s our mind that determines what results we will achieve.

The process goes something like this:

Your thoughts and beliefs lead to your emotions, which in turn lead to your actions, which cause your results. Unfortunately, most of us put up our own psychological barriers that interfere with our performance and limit our success. The four-minute mile was a famous example of a psychological barrier.

For years runners were apparently not able to run a mile in under four minutes, although many came close. That led to the common belief that this was physically impossible.

Incredibly, within a year and a half after Roger Bannister’s famous breakthrough, 16 other athletes accomplished it! It wasn’t because these athletes were suddenly training harder. They were no longer limited by their beliefs once Bannister had demonstrated what was possible.

	Roger Bannister: 1 Of 3 A medical student at Oxford University at the time, Bannister ran the mile in 3:59:4 at a local meet at Oxford’s Iffley Road track.

What I’m saying is that with a bit of mental conditioning you can expect far superior results from your training, and in many cases it’s all that’s holding you back.

The four basic principles of mental conditioning are as follows:

1. Set SMARTER Goals.
2. Create a strong, clear mental picture of these goals using Visualization and Imagery training.
3. Reinforce these ideas often using Affirmations.
4. Maintain a positive focus on your objectives and employ interventions such as negative thought-stopping techniques.

The field of exercise and sport psychology is significantly more involved than this, but these principles provide a great starting point for developing a mental training program.

Mental Conditioning.

1. Setting SMARTER Goals:

Studies have shown that appropriate goal setting leads to performance enhancement, with moderate to strong effects. To remember the key principles of effective goal setting, think SMARTER; your goals should be:

• Specific – Indicate precisely what is to be done. Avoid vague alternatives
• Measurable – You should be able to quantify your goal
• Action-Oriented – develop concrete plan of actions required to move toward your goals
• Realistic – start with moderately difficult goals, rather than too easy or difficult to reach
• Time-Constrained – Set specific time limits for both short term and long term goals
• Evaluated – Record and monitor your progress regularly
• Reversible – In cases of injury, or failure to achieve a difficult goal, reset goals as needed

Take some time right now to write down your short term goals as well as your long term “dream” goals (the ones that may seem a long way off and harder to achieve). Writing your goals down is the basis of a contract with yourself. It also helps to publicly acknowledge your goals.

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Short-term or daily goals are the most important because they provide a focus for our training in each and every session. Past research on elite athletes found that setting daily training goals was one factor that distinguished the successful performers from the less successful.

Many have also found it useful to write a Mission Statement for themselves, which summarizes their basic goals and primary objectives in their life.

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By: David Robson

John DeFendis’ bodybuilding career could be viewed as an exercise in patience and perseverance. Noted as having the potential to go all the way in the iron sport, John as a teenager began training in 1978 with a view to some day capturing bodybuilding’s biggest amateur crown, the Mr. USA title.

17-years-later, in 1988, he did just that with a physique hewn to perfection through many years of torturous training. The word torturous is not often used when describing the training protocols followed by most bodybuilders of today, but it is one that fits John’s approach perfectly.

Typically bodybuilders train with intensity. Well, John’s training bordered on insanity, hence the training system he helped to popularize: “Intensity or insanity.” Along with his mentor and good friend, Steve Michalik, a 17-year-old John would learn the true meaning of gut-busting work under the guidance of the Triple Crown (Mr. Universe, America and USA) champion Steve.

Fast-paced, exhausting, exciting and intense, the “Intensity or Insanity” system of up to 60 sets per workout was not for the faint of heart. John thrived on it. The only teenager ever to win the overall Mr. New York, John is also credited with being one of the world’s best personal trainers.

For the past nine years John has won personal training hotbed Florida’s trainer of the year award and he has trained many celebrities and thousands of regular people using knowledge gained over 32 years of inspiring people to be at their very best.

Since he first began training at age ten with a Dan Lurie barbell, John has observed many training trends come and go. Today he is well positioned to separate training truth from fiction.

On August 25, 2007, along with other greats such as Harold Poole and Samir Bannout, John will be inducted into the WBBG Hall of Fame and honored for his contributions to the bodybuilding and fitness industries. The man whose barbells he used to craft his physique all those years ago, Dan Lurie, will present the award. I spoke with John on the eve of his induction and we discussed his life as one of the world’s best bodybuilder’s and top personal trainers.

Interview

[ Q ] What have been some of your standout moments in the bodybuilding/fitness industry, and as a competitor?

It has been an incredible journey and every moment in the gym and onstage has been a standout moment, even the bad ones because they always taught me something that enabled me to move forward and better myself as a person and competitor.

My best competitive moments were when I was fortunate and blessed by God to win the Teenage Mr. Metropolitan and Overall Mr. Metropolitan when I was just 19 years old. I was the only teenager to ever achieve that success in New York.

My second biggest moment in competition was winning the Mr. USA title in Las Vegas in 1988. This was a 17-year-old goal that I never let go of, and again, by the grace of God I was able to fulfil. Winning the USA was exciting and an incredible experience.

John Winning The 1988 Mr. USA.

I also always looked forward to the magazine interviews and covers (24 total). It is always exciting to read the authors version of your interview. I still look forward to this as I just read an interesting article that was written this month on me in MD.

The most exciting moments and the moments that I will remember most though are the monumental moments in the gym – the “survive or be killed” moments that I spent training with the great Champion, Steve Michalik. The years that he brutalized me and educated me and instilled in me the will that I would need to succeed in bodybuilding as well as in life.

Steve Michalik.

It was those seemingly endless moments in the gym that were responsible for the person that I have become: one that truly respects life, our God (probably because I was blessed to live through those moments), our journey and the legacy that we will leave behind.

I learned that you could accomplish anything in life if you have the faith, the passion, the desire, the discipline, the will and the ability to go after your goals. I managed to live through those workouts and they didn’t kill me – they strengthened my body and my soul.

They taught me that anything that was worth having was worth working for. A work ethic that I try to instill in everyone that I meet – I call it “Old School Attitude.”

It rarely exists in today’s society but it needs to exist for the youth to realize that life is the most incredible journey if you are willing to work for it!

The last and most important standout moment is this one, the (WBBG) Hall of Fame event and award.

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It is a lifetime achievement and one that I will cherish.

It is a culmination of 40 years of focus and effort towards a goal that I will now share with the greatest bodybuilders of all time.

It is a defining moment in my life, one that I will share with my mentor and trainer, Steve Michalik, a great champion, and one that I will share with Bob Gruskin, a great leader.

[ Q ] Provide some background on your bodybuilding career. How did you get started?

I started training at age 10 when my father first handed me a barbell – a Dan Lurie barbell.

I continued and at 13 I was reading the magazines and got really inspired.

The standout article was a few years later. It was an incredible article on the great champion Dave Draper, now a good friend and fantastic human being. Dave inspired me and made me realize my goal of one day winning the Mr. USA title. At 16 years old I met Bob Gruskin and he started helping me.

At 17 years old I met Steve Michalik and he tortured me. Well, it seemed like torture at the time but I soon realized that his workouts were the beginning of what would be a great future for me. For that I appreciate every workout we ever had. The rest is history. With Bob and Steve in my corner the outcome could only have been a good one!

John’s Competition History:

• Teenage Mr. New York (1978)
• Mr. New York – metropolitan (Only person to win as a teenager) (1978)
• Mr. North Eastern America (1979)
• Mr. USA (runner-up at 20 years old)
• Mr Eastern America (1980)
• Mr. Western America (1983)
• Mr. Eastern States (1988-to re-qualify for the USA)
• Mr. USA (1988)

[ Q ] What recent projects have you been involved in?

I currently oversee and manage the most successful personal training operation in the country. It is called Ultra Fit Personal Training. I have the pleasure of surrounding myself with the greatest people. Our trainers care. They are truly the best.

I also am blessed to be working with a great team of managers, which include Nationals Champion and IFBB Professional bodybuilder, Mat DuVall. Mat is one of the most incredible people I have had the pleasure of getting to know.

He epitomizes the word champion in every way.

I respect him and admire his Integrity, work ethic and passion to succeed and help others succeed.

I also work with Shawn Kephart and Tony Racanelli.

These are two individuals that care about helping people attain their goals and I rely on them to manage my clubs.

John DeFendis.

We have employed over 250 personal trainers and we have helped thousands of people reach their fitness and health goals. My life for the past 32 years has been training people to be the best that they can be. This includes Health, Fitness, Bodybuilding and Sports training along with many other types.

I have personally trained over 300 bodybuilding, fitness and figure champions and taken more than 100 pounds off of more than 200 individuals in the past 2 years. (100 pounds each, that is).

My team of Ultra Fit personal trainers at Coop’s Health and Fitness in Greenville and Anderson, South Carolina and TNT Family Fitness in Port St. Lucie, Florida is the best. We work together to afford people a healthier life and a better quality of life. It is what we live for!

I am also in the process of authoring the course and textbook for the Business Course for Personal Trainers for the ISSA.

I was offered this great opportunity because of the success that we have had in managing our Ultra Fit personal training operation. The course should be complete and available within one year. It will revolutionize personal training.

[ Q ] What is your current training philosophy?

It is and always has been Intensity or Insanity Training.

To train hard, to put everything you have into it.

This applies to bodybuilders and anyone with a goal, especially one to be healthier. We challenge everyone to be the best that they can be and do the best that they can.

It is amazing what each individual is capable of doing when they are pushed and challenged. Everyone improves!

John DeFendis On The Cover Of FLEX.

[ Q ] What is your personal approach to nutrition?

ULTRA FIT.

Ultra Fit Nutrition is a program that I designed over 20 years ago.

It is the best program for anyone looking to be healthier, leaner, more muscular and better. It is the best there is.

The premise of Ultra Fit is to feed the body the best sources of quality proteins, carbs and essential fatty acids to enable it to recover and build more muscle.

We focus on Weight Training and not cardio when in the fat loss stage.

Because of our success with Ultra Fit, we have been featured on almost every major television show there is.

This includes:

• 20/20 with Barbara Walters
• Hard Copy
• Good Morning America
• CNN
• ESPN
• The Joan Rivers Show
• NBC Sports
• FOX News

[ Q ] Exactly what gains did you get training with Steve Michalik and using the “Intensity or Insanity” method you mentioned earlier?

Steve was instrumental in my success as a bodybuilder and Intensity or Insanity training allowed me to win the USA, train thousands of success stories and manage a team of great trainers, and has culminated with the Hall of Fame induction.

I would say that Intensity or Insanity training is powerful.

John DeFendis.

[ Q ] As the name suggests, this method is very intense. Could you describe how it works?

In a nutshell: Hard and heavy and a lot of sets.

40-60 sets per body part -INTENSE!

Fast paced, exciting, exhausting and – INTENSE!

[ Q ] Is this system suitable for the average person?

It absolutely is, IF all variables are set correctly.

Intensity or Insanity Training is great for everyone if they wish to eat perfectly, train hard and get enough rest and recovery.

It just has to be applied correctly with each individual’s condition and goals in mind.

If one variable is off, then they will not succeed.

That’s why a personal trainer is important.

We know exactly how to apply the training, nutrition and protocols.

John Winning The 1988 Mr. USA.

[ Q ] How long have you been involved in the personal training industry and how did you get started in this area?

I got started in personal training at 18 years old when I realized that I had the knowledge to save and change people’s lives.

My mother had some serious health problems and also weighed over 300 pounds. At 16 years of age I helped her and she lost over 180 pounds. It was a defining moment in my life. It was God’s message to me.

God was giving me the ticket to my mission in life, which was to help others to become healthier, and to live a better quality of life.

My mother is now 76 years old and she is living a great life.

I was fortunate and blessed at a young age.

I have now been a personal trainer for over 32 years.

[ Q ] You are known for having trained many high-profile people. Who are some of more memorable people you have trained and why did they come to you?

My celebrity list is long and some of them are anonymous by choice. Some of my most successful clients have been:

• Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich
• Professional Baseball player’s, Mike Piazza and Luis Alicea
• Former CEO of American Express, Jim Robinson
• Fashion Designer, Calvin Klein

Most of these people were sent to me by referrals and reputation in the industry. I was fortunate enough to embrace the opportunities and thankful for them.

Every one of my clients has been a blessing and a great experience in fitness and in life.

John DeFendis.

[ Q ] What are the secrets to your success as a bodybuilder and personal trainer?

God’s will: My passion, persistence, knowledge, experience and ability to visualize a goal and go after it.

[ Q ] For the past nine years you have won Florida’s Trainer of the year title. What separates your approach to getting results for your clients from other trainer’s methods?

Once again…

God’s will: My passion, persistence, knowledge, experience and ability to visualize a goal and go after it.

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[ Q ] Recent research suggests weight training to be superior to cardiovascular training for controlling weight. Do you believe this to be the case? If so, why?

Without a doubt: Yes. Weight Training is the key to weight loss.

Your body is composed of Lean Body Mass and Fat Mass. Your body fat percentage as a total of your total body weight is your fat mass (in lbs) and the remaining weight, in lbs, equals your lean body mass.

function bmicalculate() { var bodymass = “”; var measurement = “”; var fatperc = “”; var bodymass1 = “”; var bodymass2 = “”; var pounds = “”; if (document.bmi.bodymass.value==”") { alert(‘Oops, please enter your weight.’); return false; } if (document.bmi.bodymass.value<0) bodymass =" parseFloat(document.bmi.bodymass.value);" measurement =" document.bmi.measurement.selectedIndex;" measurement =" document.bmi.measurement.options[measurement].value;" measurement="="" pounds =" (bodymass" pounds =" bodymass;" fatperc="document.bmi.fatperc.value;" fatperc ="="">100) { alert(‘Oops, percentages cannot be over 100%.’); return false; } if (fatperc<0) bodymass1 =" Math.round(pounds-(pounds/100*fatperc));" bodymass2 =" Math.round(bodymass1/2.2);" innerhtml =" bodymass1" innerhtml =" bodymass2" odoc =" oFrame.document;" odoc =" window.document;" x =" 0;" x =" 0;" name ="="" x =" 0;" theob =" Get(" x =" 0;" theob =" Get(" bmi2 = "" innerhtml =" bmi2;" innerhtml =" bmi2;" value = "" value = "" selectedindex = "0">

Most people who are trying to “lose weight” are trying to decrease this body fat percentage, or total fat mass. Therefore, you must increase your lean body mass, or muscle mass, so that your body composition becomes less fat and more muscle- plain and simple. The most effective way in which to do this is to start a weight-training program with an Ultra Fit trainer.

The more muscle you have on your body, the greater the amount of fat loss. In addition, with a higher amount of lean body mass, the greater your resting metabolic rate will be because of the fuel needed for these muscles to work and perform.

If you are spending endless hours in a gym on an elliptical trainer for 45 minutes a day without any weight training program at all, and are not seeing any results, I am not surprised. Long bouts of steady paced cardio workouts (whether it be running or biking at one pace for an hour or two) without any variation in speed or intensity will not do much for making your body lean.

You may drop some weight in the beginning, if you are overweight and have never worked out before, starting this type of program. However, our bodies are smart and will start to adapt to this long, slow distance and your results will begin to plateau. Keep in mind that you can get more bang for your buck at the gym by lifting weights for 30 minutes rather than running for 60 minutes.

In fact, lifting weights for three to four times a week for about 60 minutes each time, while increasing intensity, will get you the results you want, to not only increase your composition in favor of the lean body mass, but to help you gain some overall health benefits, such as an increase in core strength and higher overall aerobic capacity.

Also, your body will lose fat just through the muscle recovery process. Once you have finished training and have broken down muscle tissue… Your body must utilize quality foods to rebuild and recover the broken down muscle.

In the recovery process the body will break down protein (chicken, fish, lean meats, egg whites, etc) into amino acids and use those amino acids to rebuild muscle. Your body will also utilize the quality complex carbs to restore glycogen (fuel within the muscle). This process will increase your lean muscle mass, decrease body fat and support a normal healthy metabolic rate.

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Cardio or excessive cardio will cause you to burn the quality calories ingested and prevent you from utilizing those calories to repair and build new muscle, therefore causing you to plateau in your fat loss.

[ Q ] What are your thoughts on the current state of bodybuilding?

I am a big fan of “Old School Bodybuilding.” – The champions of yesteryear and the ones being inducted into the (WBBG) Bodybuilding Hall of Fame on August 25, 2007. They were the pioneers and the champions who believed in a vision and went after it. I have a home gym with over 100 photos of those great champions. (Michalik, Arnold, Draper, Scott, Coe, Bannout and Reeves)

The current state of bodybuilders is comprised of another era of great champions, but the new crop of bodybuilders have taken the emphasis off of aesthetics, symmetry, shape and a classic physique and placed it on sheer muscle mass.

It is a different look and one that I personally don’t aspire to, but, it is still a difficult look to achieve and I respect every one of them for the hard work and effort that they put in.

The exception to the un-aesthetic rule is my favorite bodybuilders of this decade, which are Mat DuVall and Darrem Charles. I feel that they have great shape and size and the look that encompasses the greats of the past, but with more muscle.

These two gentlemen are also great representatives of the sport of bodybuilding and champions that I respect.

[ Q ] What are your future goals?

To continue the mission that God has given me, to manage and direct a team of great people and help as many people to live a better life and to focus on the future in fitness and health and to empower as many trainers with the passion, knowledge and materials necessary to make a difference in the world.

Most of all: To encourage and motivate as many people as possible to see the vision ahead and that they can all achieve great goals in an effort to be the best that they can be!

[ Q ] Who are some key people you would like to thank for helping you in your career so far?

First and most importantly, Jesus Christ for the gift of life and it’s journey.

My mother for allowing it all to take place and for putting up with me and my father for handing me my first Dan Lurie Barbell.

Dan Lurie for inspiring me with Muscle Training Illustrated and his champions.

My mentors and trainers, Steve Michalik and Bob Gruskin.

And my wife Sherry, for being a great wife, a proud wife, a person that I would like to share the rest of my life with.

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By: Author Rea

In our society a reality has at last become accepted: Age and sexual gender do not dictate athletic potential. With the main stream acceptance of high quality sports supplementation came stronger fitter bodies of all ages and entire thirty, forty and fifty-something generations pouring into the once undisputed young man’s domain…the gym.

The term “sports chemistry” once meant anabolic/androgenic steroids (AAS) and seedy images of team doctors closing their office doors to inject some illicit substance into an already enhanced athlete. Oh how things have changed!

I often marvel at the way that mere perception alters the responses one will receive to any given statement of fact… so let’s open with a good one:

Action/Reaction Factors

Before anyone gets their panties in a bunch and dials up all of the three letter organizations that investigate illegal activities, let me explain that statement of fact. All organic and inorganic matter is made up of chemicals and chemical substrates. Any living organism (uh, like you and me) not only has the ability to, but an absolute need for interaction with the environment around it through Action/Reaction Factors.

As an example, think of the saturated fat in red meat and eggs (don’t get me started on synthetic trans fats). The liver utilizes saturated fats to manufacture or synthesize a steroid called 5-Cholesten-3b-ol. (Most people know this chemical by the name of cholesterol) Through Action/Reaction Factors controlled and induced by natural endogenous (manufactured inside the body) enzymes the body (begins its illegal activities) utilizes a series of chemical biosynthesis pathways that include the following:

Officer, arrest that body! It just manufactured an illegal AAS and administered it without a doctor’s prescription.

If this body had not been provided with saturated fats (chemical substrates) it simply would have utilized unsaturated fats as the initial testosterone precursor. If the intake of all fats had been excluded, the eventual outcome would be predominant loss of lean muscle mass, energy, and libido with dramatic increase of female pattern fat deposits.

The term “sports chemistry” now refers to everything from diet and supplementation to hormone therapy with testosterone, growth hormone (GH), IGF-1, HCG, and progesterone. Thanks to the major advances made by the sports supplement industry the main differences between each of these is the issue of prescription -vs.- OTC since each is merely a chemical/chemical substrate.

This fact has leveled the playing field for athletes of all ages, level and gender by blurring the fine line between chemical muscle enhancement and nature. Interestingly enough, training and the results that come from it are nothing more than chemistry as well. What few people realize is that there are specific training protocols that result in specific responses. This again is controlled by a series of Action/Reaction Factors and, to a great degree, are readily altered to induce a specific response of choice.

Hormones & Horomone-like Substances

Testosterone, GH, IGF-1, insulin, and many other hormones and hormone-like substances are manufactured endogenously by the body in response to different training stimulus if the proper chemical substrates are provided. Since each of these has multiple and significant different effects upon an individuals physiology, and more specifically upon muscle and fat tissue, it is therefore possible to significantly effect the outcome of a chosen training and supplemental protocol. I realize that many have unnecessarily accepted the level of mediocrity that is often justified by the catch-all words “genetic potential” and touted by way to many magazine articles.

This of course means that I am about to make some bold and crazy statement to the contrary. (Definition of crazy: Not accepted by the main stream publications as their current point of view) Anyone can significantly effect their own genetic potential in a favorable way and by specific choice. (Yeah, I said and have proven that many times.) I am not saying that everyone can be an Arnold, Dorian, or Ronnie, but I am factually stating that through specific-intent protocols and phases an individual can significantly effect specific results far greater than ever imagined by the average athlete regardless of age or sexual gender. (Ya, I said that too)

Okay, I hate the quoting research sites game simply because any idiot can alter a quote or statistic of most research results. But just to momentarily quiet those who erroneously depend upon them for sole validity (instead of actually training and being living examples themselves etc.) I would like to point out a few actual findings. (Geez, you would think a few pictures would do the job, huh?)

8-Week Study On Heaving Weight Training

Sometimes good information comes from unexpected places. In a study done to evaluate what effects 8 weeks of heavy weight training has upon serum lipid and lipo protein concentrations scientist made an interesting series of discoveries.

As the scientist analyzed the data from 32 college males and females after concluding an 8 week heavy weight training protocol they realized that the test subjects muscle fibers showed evidence of converting from type-I (slow twist) to type-II (fast twist) muscle fibers. First realize that this occurred in only 8 weeks. Second, the fact that the aerobic muscle fibers changed into size/strength oriented (therefore high growth potential) muscle fibers in itself validates the potential for specific training stimulus for specific results issue. By the way, it is good that the researchers were able to extract this finding from their research project. (Research projects are not cheap to fund) In fact an 8 week period is not enough time to produce any type of result concerning lipid profiles.

Each of us possesses type-I (slow twist) and type-II (fast twist) muscle fibers in different ratios in different muscle groups. The so-called “average” individual initially possesses about a 50/50 body ratio. Type-I fibers are considered low growth potential aerobic oriented muscle fibers and type-II fibers are considered high growth potential anaerobic/strength muscle fibers. Obviously the greater an athlete’s muscle fiber ratio favors type-II fibers, the greater the potential for muscular growth and strength increase.

Type-II Muscle Fiber

The ability to alter the ratio through specific training protocols means also the ability to effectively alter genetic make-up. A study done in Oslo, Norway examined long term and short term (acute) hormone responses of 9 experienced test subjects to two different training intensities. The high intensity work-out required the test subjects to perform free bar back squats (front and back) using 100% of their 3 rep max for sets. The moderate intensity work-out required the athletes to do the same exercises utilizing 70% of their 3 rep max for sets. Rest periods were 4-6 minutes.

Results Of The Study

The test subjects blood samples were taken before, after 30 minutes into, and every 15 minutes for the first hour after each work-out. Next, blood samples were taken at 3, 7, 11, 22, and 23 hours post work-out.The analysis of the blood samples was for:

(1) Hormones positively affecting anabolism (tissue synthesis): LH (leutenizing hormone), FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), testosterone (free), insulin, growth hormone (GH), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).

(2) Hormones that affect catabolism (tissue wasting): ATCH (adrenocortotropic hormone) and cortisol.

• Other substrates analyzed include creatine kinase and lactate. (As indicators of actual training intensity)

The test results verified that high intensity training induced a significantly higher level of testosterone and cortisol secretion (and moderate intensity did not) as a short term hormonal response. Though both testing protocols showed a decreasing testosterone level in the post-training hours, the high intensity training results were consistently higher than those of the moderate intensity. LH and FSH levels were not significantly altered as a result of either training intensity. This is a huge finding that exceeds the evidence of higher intensity training protocols being the better method for triggering a significant increase in testosterone.

The majority of endogenous (naturally produced inside the body) testosterone synthesis in males is handled and regulated by the hypothalamus-pituitary-testes-axis (HPTA). It all begins when the hypothalamus receives neuro-net impulses that signal the release of leutenizing-hormone-releasing-hormone (LHRH) which in turn tells the pituitary gland to release leutenizing hormone (LH). LH then makes contact with the testes Leydig’s cells that produce testosterone and release it into the vascular system. However, there is a secondary testosterone synthesis pathway that may be hyper-activated as a result of high intensity training protocols.

The adrenal glands produce several different hormones. The hormone of interest for this issue is called dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). DHEA is an androgen that is responsive to enzymic alterations called conversions. Two of the enzymic conversion products of DHEA are 4-androstenedione and 4-androstenediol which in turn are converted into testosterone by the 17-BHSD and 3-BHSD enzymes respectively. Of course under normal metabolic conditions there are several other potential conversion products possible including estrogens. But high intensity training appears to foster a pro- 17 & 3- BHSD environment that results in a favorable conversion rate of these two DHEA conversion products to testosterone.

So specific training does have specific hormonal responses. What does that have to do with altering genetic potential?

Other Professional Opinions

Histochem Cell. Biol. 113(1): 25-29, 2001

It is well documented that consistent heavy resistance training actually increases the concentration (number) of androgen/anabolic receptor-sites on trained muscle tissue. All AAS, whether produced endogenously or provided exogenously (form outside the body), exert their serious anabolic effect by binding or merging with androgenic/anabolic receptor-sites on muscle cells. If muscle cells and fibers possess a greater number of these receptor-sites they also possess a greater genetic growth potential. Guess what. Yup, testosterone is an AAS.

J. Streng Cond. Res. 14(1): 102-113, 2000

So you have been told that you can not alter the peak of your bicep or build a wider chest and back? To a great degree…B.S. Muscle is not merely a bunch of fibers that attach to bones contracting and relaxing to provide potential movement. Muscle is composed of multiple fiber sizes and types. Each fiber is made up of different size cells with different individual metabolisms, and different contractile potential and amino acid profiles. This means that during different exercises and different angles of execution there is a different recruitment pattern of different regions of the muscle (confirmed by EMG). Therefore it is possible to trigger the growth process on a more site-specific basis. So is it obvious yet that you can utilize specific protocols to induce growth in specific areas resulting in an alteration in shape?

J. of the Amer. Med. Asso. 286(10)

It is too often accepted that age is the final deciding factor for muscular growth potential. Without a doubt this is the silliest reason of all for anyone to endure mediocrity.

When we are discussing the issues of muscular accruement we are actually discussing which side of the protein-turn-over-rate (PTOR) an individuals body favors. The PTOR is the rate at which an individuals body builds new proteins (anabolism) and destroys old ones (catabolism). This means that for actual muscular accruement to occur an athlete’s body must build more new proteins than it destroys each day.

At the University of Texas in Galveston researchers utilized amino acid tracing techniques to study 48 healthy men. The protocol was intended to track the rate at which test subjects bodies created muscle proteins and destroyed muscle proteins. What the researchers found was that the PTOR (protein turn over rate) for both younger and older men is nearly the same. This means that an individuals potential for lean muscle mass gain is potentially the same regardless of age.

It seems that the reason for lean muscle tissue loss and weakening is not necessarily age related. A sedentary life style is a sure way to cause a dramatic decline in endogenous anabolic hormones such as testosterone, GH and IGF-1. Poor dietary habits not only increase insulin insensitivity but also alter an individuals body biochemistry to a point that disallows the ability to properly utilize protein from food.

Bottom line here is that training protocols, diet, hormone profiles, and life style are the main deciding factors for alterations in “genetic potential” regardless of age and sexual gender. Building the perfect beast is a matter of choice and letting go of the eternal dogma that holds each of us in mediocrity. Oh ya, and…

This may appear an over simplification of a normally complicated topic, but in truth it is the tip of the ice burg and only the introduction to what is possible for anyone who chooses, and what has been embraced by those have experienced the reality.

My Book – Chemical Muscle Enhancement

“Chemical Muscle Enhancement” (CME) is the equivalent of a bodybuilders “Physician’s Desk Reference”. Not only does CME profile hundreds of bodybuilding pharmaceuticals, many of which have never been discussed before, it does so in a fashion that has application to the greenest neophyte to the hardcore seasoned bodybuilding veteran.

This is not a steroid picture pop-up book, but an in depth study in bodybuilding biochemistry. After reading CME, one walks away with the knowledge of not only how and why various bodybuilding drugs work in the body, but how to use them in the safest manner possible. From beginner to advanced, adult man or woman, this is the must have book for the chemically enhanced athlete.

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By: Derek Beast Charlebois

In part I of this series on HMB, we examined the proposed mechanism by which HMB exerts its effects. Part II examined three studies that examined HMB on three diverse populations.

At this point, it appeared as if everyone agreed that HMB was beneficial. But this is not the case according to some researchers.

The Studies That Concluded HMB To Be Ineffective

Kreider RB, Ferreira M, Wilson M, Almada AL. Effects of Calcium ß-Hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB) Supplementation During Resistance-Training on Markers of Catabolism, Body Composition and Strength. Int J Sports Med 1999; 20: 503-509^[1]

This study by Kreider et al. concluded that supplementing with HMB (3 or 6 g/day) does not effect changes in body composition or strength and does not increase markers or catabolism. This conclusion is the same as Kreider’s conclusions in his two previous studies on HMB ^[2,3]. Let’s examine the methodology of Kreider’s third study.

Subjects

This study consisted of 40 males with at least one year of resistance training experience. The average training experience of the subjects was 5.5 years. The subjects’ average weight was 82.4 kg.
Resistance-Training Programs For TOTAL Beginners!

Experiment Design

All subjects were to continue their current training program and diet. They were to record their workouts (weights used, repetitions completed, etc.) on workout logs and nutritional intake on diet logs.

Since all subjects were doing different workouts and consuming different diets, there was no training or dietary control.

If the average subject weighed 82.4 kg, this means the Control group consumed 2999.36 kcals/day, the 3 g HMB group consumed 2809.84 kcal/day, and the 6 g HMB group consumed 2949.92 kcal/day at the first nutritional data entry.

The final nutritional input showed that the Control group consumed 3493.76 kcals/day, the 3 g HMB group consumed 3098.24 kcal/day, and the 6 g HMB group consumed 3188.88 kcal/day.

We see that the Control group was consuming 395.52 kcals/day more than the 3 g HMB group and 304.88 kcal/day more than the 6 g HMB group. Clearly this caloric difference would impact the results.

Results

Body Composition:

Though the increases are small, we see that despite the caloric difference between the groups (the Control group consuming more calories) the 6 g HMB group gained three times as much lean mass as the Control group. This pattern and gains are similar to the results in one of the studies done by Nissen ^[4].

Strength:

Again, despite the small increases, the HMB groups’ strength increased more than the Control group’s.

Even though the Control group consumed more total calories per day, the HMB groups made better progress. Though the difference is not statistically significant, it still exists. One flaw I see in this study is that there was no dietary control. Therefore, it is difficult to isolate other variables to further identify either positive or negative contributions from HMB.

Since the HMB groups’ caloric intake was hundreds of calories lower than the control group, I think this demonstrates how effective HMB can be. I would like to know what the results would have yielded if the HMB groups consumed the same number of calories?

Another flaw in the study is there was no training control. We do not know if the subjects were training to failure, what % of their 1-RM they were using, whether or not they were increasing the weights they used when possible, etc.

Training provides the stimulus for growth. If the subjects were not inflicting a stimulus strong enough to cause growth, they will not grow or get stronger.

The study concluded that HMB does not affect lean mass or strength, but the results show it does. However, the lack of control in the study makes the results questionable. This findings show why it is important to read entire study articles and not just the abstracts.

So How Should You Use HMB?

In part II of this series, we examined a study by Nissen et al ^[4] The subjects using HMB experienced much better results than the control group, but all three groups increased their lean mass.

The increases in lean mass seen during this three-week study were greater than the lean mass gains seen in Kreider’s study.

This could be due to the fact that the subjects in Nissen’s study were untrained and the subjects in Kreider’s study were trained, or it could be due to the strict training protocol in the Nissen study.

In the Nissen study, all subjects started out by lifting at 90% of the one repetition maximum (1-RM), which should have allowed them to get a complete three to five repetitions.

When a subject became stronger, the weight used was increased so he would stay within a range of three to five repetitions.

Each training session was monitored by a supervisor who decided when they subjects should increase the weights they used. This is different from the Kreider study in which the subjects just continued to follow their current training routine.

Why would this make a difference?

The body is like a machine that wants to maintain a state of homeostasis (a relatively steady environment). A common example of this is the body’s desire to maintain internal temperature.

When we get hot, we sweat. When we get cold, we shiver. The body does what it needs to in order to adapt to the current stimuli being applied. This principle holds true for resistance training.

Resistance lifting can be viewed as a stress being placed upon the body. When this stress is greater than what the body is accustomed to, it tries to adapt by strengthening itself.

Resistance training causes damage to muscle cells and connective tissue. The body then repairs this damage and becomes stronger in order to prevent further damage ^[5].

If these strengthening adaptations did not occur, we would never have to increase the weight we are lifting in order to grow.

Types Of Training

There Are Two Specific Times When A Muscle Is Really Stressed To Adapt:

1. After time off or strategic reconditioning
2. And when you increase the weight you lift.

If you have ever taken a week off from exercising, you know that during the week you return you experience a large degree of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

Why? Because this stress is now something your body is unaccustomed to. After about two weeks, the amount of DOMS you experience will have most likely decreased.

	What Does DOMS Mean? Recently popularized acronym for Delayed Onset Muscular Soreness, the phenomena of muscle soreness from sport or exercise afflicting the body a day or two after performance. Causes and desirability are subject to discussion.

When you increase the amount of weight you lift, you are applying an unaccustomed stress to your body. It would be great if you could continuously increase the weight you lift every workout, but that is not possible.

That is why people use periodization in their training programs. Periodization is organizing training sessions into workable units.

A Periodized Program Is Broken Up Into:

• Training Session – A single workout.

• Micro Cycle – Made up of training sessions during a certain span. The most common are 5 to 10 days.

• Mesocycle – A 1 to 4-month period made up of different micro cycles.

Each training session, micro cycle, and meso cycle should all have a specific purpose. It could be to cause hypertrophy (myofibrillar or sarcoplasmic), increase capillary density, maximal strength, muscular endurance, etc.

Periodization based programs* allow you to continually apply an unaccustomed stress to your body by using different strategies.

This is accomplished by methodically varying your training by changing the rep range you use, the number of sets you complete, the % of your 1-RM you use, changing exercises, etc.

* Popular examples of programs that use periodization are Hypertrophy Specific Training (HST) and West Side Barbell’s Cybernetic Periodization.

View All Periodization Articles…

	Hypertrophy-Specific Training Program! Hypertrophy-Specific Training (HST) is based on physiological principles of hypertrophy first discovered in the laboratory. Try this program. [ Click here to learn more. ]

Why Some People Don’t See Results With HMB

What happens when you follow the same training program for a long period of time? Your body adapts to it and you eventually reach a plateau.

Often times, people will add HMB to their program because their gains have slowed. The problem is they do not change their training.

Therefore, HMB will not be as beneficial because their body is not trying to adapt to an unaccustomed stress. They are most likely not lacking the substrates needed to proper repair cellular damage. It would be like adding water into an already full pitcher; the excess water would just spill over the sides and be wasted.

If you are not causing damage to muscle cells, HMB will not be effective for you (though it will have effects on protein degradation).

With the above in mind, it would make sense that using HMB during periods of unaccustomed training (after time off or with periodization) would improve recovery.

The body is trying to adapt to this new stress and damage. Supplementing with HMB would provide the necessary substrate needed to restore muscle cell membrane integrity.

Another reason why some people do not see impressive results is they are using HMB while bulking, which means they are in a caloric surplus. HMB exerts one of its main effects by decreasing protein breakdown.

While protein breakdown is definitely a concern while you are hypercaloric, one will be eating sufficient calories to negate the protein breakdown. I feel HMB is much more useful when one is hypocaloric and trying to lose fat while maintaining muscle.

Dosage & Timing

Now that we understand how HMB works, the studies that support it, and when it should be used, we need to know how to use it. Most research has shown positive results when using 3 g HMB per day. I personally feel this should be the minimum amount used.

About half of the supplemented HMB is the studies by Nissen was loss in the urine ^[6]. This is due to its short half-life.

The half-life of HMB was measured as 1 hour in rats, 2 hours in pigs, and 3 hours in sheep, with human HMB metabolism found to be the same as pigs’ ^[7] with a half-life of 2-3 hours ^[8]. This means your HMB doses should be spread out evenly.

I suggest taking a serving before and after training because of the increased blood flow to the contracting muscles. First thing in the morning and before bed would also be good times.

Example For Someone Who Works Out In The Morning Taking 3 Grams A Day:

• 6 AM (Pre-workout) – 500 mg
• 7 AM (Post workout) – 500 mg
• 11 AM – 500 mg
• 3 PM – 500 mg
• 7 PM – 500 mg
• 10 PM (Bedtime) – 500 mg

If you decided to take more than 3 grams per day, you could spread the doses out more or increase the amount you take at certain times (such pre/post workout and before bed).

Final Conclusion

From the research I’ve done and my experiences with HMB, I feel it is a great supplement. It can be especially useful for natural athletes looking to decrease protein degradation while dieting or are looking for a decrease in recover time from workouts while bulking.

It Is Important To Remember Though That If You Are Not Creating An Environment For Growth With Your Training:

1. You will not progress
2. And HMB will not be as effective.

Anyone dieting would also benefit from HMB due to the reduced substrates for protein synthesis and repair from their decreased caloric intake.

Since HMB’s price tag has become more reasonable, maybe you should give it a second look. I recently added it back into my supplement arsenal, and so far I am very pleased.

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Note that this is a generic program designed to provide a template for building strength. You should always consider utilizing the services of a personal trainer or strength coach to individualize a program based on your goals, existing fitness level, access to resources, and time available for training.

What Does Basic Strength Achieve?

Basic Strength is a weight training program designed to prioritize strength, rather than muscle size and definition (bodybuilding) or muscle endurance. Even so, a program such as this will build some muscle size and endurance because of the amount of work done.

Who Can Benefit from the Basic Strength Program?

This weight training program is for anyone who wants to get strong for functional purposes, personal development, weightlifting, sports, or for activities in which strength is a priority. I emphasize that an individualized program written specifically for you by a competent gym instructor or strength coach in the discipline of your choice is the best way to move to the next level, which may include serious competition.

Feel free to customize this workout plan to suit your goals while adhering to the basic principles of strength development–heavier weights, fewer repetitions, and more rest between sets. For example, a workout could look somewhat different for a 50 year-old woman wanting to build strength for track sprinting compared to a 20 year-old football player getting ready for the season ahead. Nevertheless, the basic principles would be the same–just the details of the training program would differ. The woman trainer may feel more functional doing squats with dumbbells rather than a bar and plates, for example.

Basic Principles

Strength is developed by lifting relatively heavier weights with a longer rest period in between sets. This differs from bodybuilding and strength endurance programs, which tend to utilize lighter weights with less rest in between sets. It’s all relative, of course, and many bodybuilders do indeed lift heavy weights compared to those who train less. Lifting heavy weights rather than light weights enhances the response of the nervous system and its stimulation of nerve fibers.

The Program Outline

The strength program I’ve developed is deliberately simple in design, as it should be to accommodate the widest range of possible users. Be aware that strength training is hard work because of the higher-intensity workload. If you are used to doing strength endurance training or “toning” with light weights and higher repetitions, then strength training can come as a shock. That’s why I recommend you work up to this with the Basic Strength and Muscle program of three sets of 12 repetitions maximum (RM) repetitions.

Number of exercise sessions: 20; two or three each week, to suit.

Exercises included: Squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, lat pulldown, seated cable row, triceps kickback, biceps arm curl. The first six exercises are basic strength-building compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups. The last two are isolation exercises included to target arm muscle groups important in the performance of the compound exercises and for all-around, balanced development. The legs need no extra work other than the squats and deadlifts included in the program, provided that good form is practiced.

Sets and repetitions: In contrast to the basic strength and muscle program of three sets of 12RM repetitions, this strength program uses five sets of 5RM repetitions followed by three sets of 5RM repetitions in any consecutive session. This applies if you do two or three sessions each week. Just alternate how much you lift in each session to give your body a break. On the lighter day, you can add an extra 20 minutes of cardio to round-out the session, if you wish.

Repetitions maximum: You need to calculate, by trial and error, a weight for each exercise that will allow you to do five repetitions maximum. This is the stage at which you can’t do another repetition without resting. You need to be able to continue for five sets. Exercises such as squats and deadlifts are very taxing with heavy weights, so don’t expect too much too early. Try to pick a weight that allows you to complete all five sets and repetitions.

Recovery: You need adequate recovery to get the most from a strength program. After eight sessions, do only one session in the next week and the same after the next eight sessions to allow your body to recover. Depending on how you adjust to the burden of heavy squatting and deadlifting, it is an option to adjust the number of sets down to less than five to assist with recovery at any time.

Rest period: Rest for at least two minutes between sets, if possible.

Eight exercises are included in this program. All major muscle groups are worked with compound and isolation exercises.

Squat: Mainly works the quads (thigh) and gluteal (butt) muscles; the hamstrings and inner thigh muscles are involved, depending on form and feet position. Feel free to use fixed barbells, plates, or dumbbells. Dumbbells can be positioned hanging at your sides or held at your shoulders. Barbells can rest on your shoulders behind your head (back squat) or in front, though the back squat is the standard. The basic squat form is similar for all methods used, with minor adjustments for position of the bar or dumbbells. The most important form reminders are:

• Don’t lean forward or get too far onto the front of your foot; keep your knees beyond the line of your toes.
• Keep the spine straight, not curved over, as you go down and up.

Bench Press: Works the triceps (back of arm) and chest pectoral muscles. A dumbbell press on an adjustable bench can be substituted for the more formal bench press with rack, although you will need to go to the rack for lifting heavier weights. Use a spotter, if necessary. As you move an adjustable bench more to the upright position, the deltoid shoulder muscles become more involved.

Deadlift: Works the hamstrings, quads, back, neck, gluteals, arms, and abdominal muscles with varied intensity. Deadlifts are a great all-round bulking-up exercise, but they require very hard work. You can do complete lifts from the floor and then back down again under control, resting for a few seconds and repeating. Or, you can lower the weights to shin level without release, then repeat. A straight back is key to the safety of this lift, and you must work up to the 5X5 using light weights. An adequate warm-up is mandatory for each session. This is usually done with very light weighs or even a bar without weights.

Overhead Press: Works the shoulder and triceps muscles. Done properly, it also involves the abdominal muscles as you brace for the lift. This exercise can be done with a barbell or dumbbells, sitting on a bench or standing, or with a shoulder press machine.

Lat Pulldown Machine: Works the mid to lower back muscles, biceps, and lower-arm muscles.

Seated Cable Row Machine: Works the mid to upper back muscles, as well as the rear shoulder muscle. Varying the width of grip can emphasize different individual muscles for this exercise and the lat pulldown.

Triceps Kickback: Works the triceps muscles at the rear of the upper arm.

Arm curl: Works the biceps and lower front arm muscles.

Summary of Weight Training Programs

This 20-session program is designed to fit into a larger cycle of weight training and should not be done prior to the preparatory Basic Strength and Muscle program, or something similar. These preparatory programs get the body used to the stresses, strains, and processes of weight training. Once you have completed a preparatory program, you may need to decide what suits your goals best.

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What’s worse is that selling supplements, most of which are not needed, has become such huge business in the commercial weight training and bodybuilding ‘industry’ that it is almost impossible to know if you are getting an objective evaluation of bodybuilding diet and nutrition.

Here’s what you need to know about diet and nutrition for weight training and bodybuilding. In fact it’s not all that different from a normal healthy athlete’s diet, except for some emphasis on quantity and meal timing in various training phases. This however, is where the detail becomes very important.

Start with a Healthy Diet

Although various diets like Atkins and South Beach and Ornish have become popular, the general consensus among dietitians and nutritionists is that a healthy diet is somewhat different — less stringent in requirements and more balanced across the major nutrients. You can see the key recommendations for the general population in Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Guidelines from other western countries like the UK and Australia are similar.

In summary the recommendations are:

• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds; some lean meats, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy products; and mono and polyunsaturated oils
• Limit intake of saturated fat, cholesterol, salt, alcohol and an excess of added sugars and sugary foods
• Drink plenty of water
• Maintain a normal weight
• Exercise regularly.

Recommended dietary intakes or allowances (RDI or RDA) are set by authorities for all essential nutrients – protein, fat, carbohydrate and vitamins and minerals.

Guidelines and RDIs usually include slightly modified recommendations for men and women, including pregnant women, and adolescents and children. Older adults may also have special requirements and recommended intakes.

Weight Training Nutrition

People who exercise have different requirements to sedentary people because the greater expenditure of energy usually requires a greater intake of food. The more you exercise the more you have to eat to sustain that level of activity to the point where some elite athletes such as Tour de France cyclists need to eat huge quantities of food to sustain their activity. Simple enough, and this also applies to casual exercisers, but it may not apply to you if weight loss is one of the reasons you took up weight training.

Nutrition for weight loss. In this case you need to create an energy deficit; which means that the energy you consume in food is less than the energy you expend in exercise and daily living. Creating a 15 to 20 percent deficit in energy balance should ensure weight loss occurs over time. Your weight training in this case is to assist with fat loss while attempting to maintain muscle.

Yet weight losers need to do the very tricky thing of holding onto muscle and bone while shedding fat. It’s tricky because the body is not used to breaking down tissue like fat and building up muscle at the same time. Breaking down is called catabolism and building up is called anabolism, as in anabolic steroids. This is a contradictory process. See my article How to Burn More Fat for an in-depth look at losing fat.

That’s why weight training is so important in any weight loss regimen: it helps to maintain muscle while you lose fat.

Nutrition for bodybuilding. If you weight train for sports, weight lifting competition, bodybuilding or even as a way to maintain fitness or appearance now that you’ve reached ideal weight, you will probably be more interested in gaining muscle and maintaining low body fat.

The dietary specifics will be different in each case. In this article we’re emphasizing bodybuilding diet and nutrition so let’s take a look at what’s required.

Muscle Building, Bodybuilding Diet

To build extra muscle you need to eat in excess of what you currently eat and to work out with weights on a regular basis. How much muscle you can gain, how quickly and with what definition is largely determined by your genetics and age. But everyone at almost any age should be able to gain some muscle and strength with weight training. Proper nutrition is a crucial element in the muscle building process.

That overeating is not a good idea if you are already overweight is surely something you already know. Get fit first.

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