Update on the upcoming competition – March 27

I’ve been asked by several of you to post my current workout as part of my preparation for my contest.  First, my goal is to come in weighing right at 164 lbs.  I started dieting down January 1st at 179 lbs, and as of this morning I’m at 169lbs.  As far as the diet, I’ve significantly reduce the number of grams of carbs I normally eat as well as increased the protein.  I have also increased the number of meals from 6 to 8 meals a day and it includes a lot of fish, chicken and steak.

My workout has altered somewhat from my book, but not significantly. Specifically, I do not workout on weights any more frequently than I wrote in the book, but I have added a few exercises specifically for defining muscles.  I am doing my full body workouts on Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Every workout is still full body (no split routines like when I competed before), but each workout will slightly differ in how I attack each muscle group.  All exercises still follow HIT (High Intensity Training) principles I talk about in the book. Specifically, I do only one set to failure and get between 8 to 12 reps. Less than 8 reps, I reduce weight and more than 12 I increase weight. Each repetition is performed with a 3 to 4 count on both the way up and way down with a 2 count at flex point (where applicable) to help pull out the definition in the muscle. No resting at the bottom…continued motion throughout the entire set. Finally, no more than 60 seconds between exercises.

Now, with that said, here is my workout from this morning. I will post Wednesday’s workout so you can see the contrast between days:

Total Gym Time: 50 minutes

1. 5 Minute Warm up on stationary bike (I’m sweating already)

2. Lunges performed on a Smith Machine

3. Standing Calf Raises on a machine

4. One-Legged Leg Extension (emphasizing the flex position for 3 seconds)

5. Crossover Cable Deltoid Lateral Raises – here you lower the cable to the lowest level, then grab right side cable handle with left hand, left side with right hand so that your arms cross in front of your body at lower position.

6. Same as number 5 but leaning over so that you emphasize the rear deltoids rather than middle deltoids (note: this is a deviation from book, but required to pull out definition in shoulders)

7. Lat Pull Downs (front)

8. Incline Dumbell Presses

9. Decline Bench Dumbell Traps – this allows me to use a heavier weight without risk to my back. Here, you raise an incline bench to a high level.  Grab the dumbells and then sit face against the back of the seat and keep your chest and torso flat against the bench back.

10. Hanging Leg ups

11. Ab Crunches

Stretch, stretch, stretch

Again, I was in and out of the gym in 50 minutes.

Thanks for reading!

Richard

Traveling workout

I travel about once a month, and when I do I try not to miss my workouts. Consistency is one of the key ingredients to my workout plan I describe in my ebook, so don’t let traveling prevent you from your workouts.  I write this because I not only want to motivate you to be consistent, but I also want you to accept diversity in your workouts. Take whatever your hotel will give you.

For example, while on the road, many hotels will have gyms conveniently located on the premises.  And while you may not be able to do the exact workout plan that I outline in my book, you can get a workout in.  And, just so you know, diversity in your workouts is a good thing for your muscles and your metabolism.

Here’s a suggested travel muscle workout guide. You never know what equipment you will have, so I offer you simply the compound movements to workout the entire body.

1.     Quads

Best Case: Leg Extension

Worst Case: Air squats-no weights, good form, slow continuous movement high quantity-one set and make them burn

2.    Ham Strings and Calve

Best Case: Leg Curl Machine

Worst Case: No machine, don’t risk it.

3.    Chest and triceps

Best Case: Bench Press machine

Worst Case: Pushups to failure, slow controlled continuous movements.

4.    Lats, back and biceps

Best Case: Lat Pull Down Machine

Worst Case: No machine, don’t risk it

5.    Shoulders & triceps

Best Case: Shoulder Press Machine

Worst Case: Shoulders only: Empty your suitcase or computer bag, support yourself with one hand/arm against a wall. With the other hand,  grab    your bag by the handle and have it by your side. Raise your arm laterally away from your body keeping your elbow straight and the palm of your hand facing down. Once your arm is parallel to the ground, lower it back to your side in the same slow, controlled and continuous movement. Add or subtract clothing for weight in the suitcase as necessary. Perform one set to failure. Switch arms and repeat.

6.     Abdominals

Best Case: Leg Raise or Abdominal Sit Up Bench

Worst Case: Leg raises with back securely on the floor. Crunches with knees up and feet flat on floor, and be sure not to pull up on the neck.

The worst case is nothing like your gym workout, but it certainly beats not working out at all.

Good health to you.

Richard

You’ve heard it’s true, but maybe you don’t know how diet affects aging exactly. If our diet affects how we age, how can we stop or perhaps even reverse the effects? Research actually proves we can mitigate and even reverse the effects our diet has on our aging.

Advanced Glycosylation End Products (also and appropriately called AGEs) are the result of sugar molecules attaching to a protein without the controlling action of an enzyme. Where the sugar attaches to protein is where inflammation occurs, and when sugar attaches to a collagen protein wrinkles form as the inflammation produces enzymes that break down the collagen. The collagen protein, which was once soft and supple, becomes stiff and inflexible. Basically, the sugar molecule attachment prevents the protein from doing it’s original job. Aging skin is a direct result of AGES in our bodies.

AGEs are well known in the medical community, but are relatively unknown to the rest of us. Research has shown AGEs to be linked to diebetes, cardio vascular diseases, decreased brain function, as well as many other age-related diseases. The majority of the AGEs that attack our bodies as we get older are a result of genetics and our environment.  However, roughly 10% of AGEs are through consumption of foods, and research has proven that we can not only reduce AGEs effects but can also reverse them through diet.

We can reduce the amount of AGEs in our bodies by consuming less sugar and changing the way we cook.  Consuming products that are high in sugar increase the sugar levels in our bloodstream. The rise of sugar in the bloodstream increases the reactions between sugars and proteins which lead to the production of AGEs. Additionally, cooking food until brown is also a major cause of AGEs in our bodies. Scientists have known that cooking foods until brown, or proteins and sugars cooked together without water, forms advanced glycation products.  Grilling a chicken until brown is a good example. That browned skin may taste very good, but that browned and brittle skin is a good representation of what the AGEs do to your skin.

As an example, the National Academy of Sciences of the US says that cooking cereal (granola) for 25 minutes at a temperature of 175 degrees Celsius increases the AGE content by 400%. More examples, click here. Likewise, this same organization shows that a diet soda (with dark coloring) contains almost 9000 more units per cup of AGE content than Orange Juice, click here for table.

Nicholas Perricone, MD, goes into detail about AGES in his book, “Ageless Face, Ageless Mind: Erase Wrinkles & Rejuvenate the Brain” It’s very enlightening, and Dr. Perricone goes into a lot of detail about how AGEs affects the skin and how to change our diets to reduce and reverse AGEs effects on our skin and body. In the book, he suggest that if you are going to grill, cut meats into smaller portions so that they are exposed to high heat for less time. Additionally, he suggests eating fiber-rich fruits and vegetables (see my post on June 10, “Zoning in on Diet“).

Other resources used in this post: Advanced Glycation Endproducts And Aging Skin

I encourage you to provide comments here.

Thanks for reading and find “Efficiency in Fitness” using my program, “Fat Burning Secrets”

Richard

That’s what Stephen Covey wrote in “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” Motivation, desire, and constant steps towards a goal are key to success. We use goal setting in other parts of our lives, so why not for obtaining the physique we desire?  If you don’t use goal setting and have a hard time getting motivated to workout, then give it a try.  Here are some ideas:

1. What the mind can conceive the body can achieve

This means you should have a firm mental image of what you want to look like. Is it a six pack you’re after? If so, you should have a picture of the body you are working towards. Maybe it’s a picture of you in that prom dress back in high school? Pull it out and dust it off.

2. Put a date to your goal

Put a definite date as to when you will achieve your goal

3. Make a short list of things you will do to reach your goal

Plan your workouts a week in advance and review them

Plan your meals out to insure you are eating the correct foods and proportions

4. Review the image and your list twice daily

Now you have a picture of what you want your body to look like and a list of things you will do to meet your goal. You need to review this picture and the list first thing in the morning when you get up as well as right before you go to bed.  It is important for you to find a quiet place so to read your list out load and look at your picture. Hearing your voice saying the words will help tune the brain into your goal.

Here’s an example what that list might look like:

By December 1, 2009 I will have the same waist size I had in high school: 34 inches. I will achieve this by following this plan:

1. I will follow my workout plan outlined for each week

2. I will eat the correct 30-40-30 proportions of proteins, carbohydrates & fats at each meal

3. I will use low glycemic index choices for carbohydrates

4. I will eat smaller meals 6 times per day

As you read this list and view the picture, you should imagine yourself already achieving the goal. After you read the goal and look at the picture, close your eyes and picture yourself meeting your goal and what that will feel like. By reinforcing these goals and believing that you are already there, you will find yourself doing the necessary things to achieve your goal in your day to day life.

This is not a new principle. The steps I mention above have been written about by several authors. It is the basis for many books, including:

• “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill -  While Mr. Hill wrote this book specifically to achieve financial goals, these principles can be used for all aspects in life
• “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne

So, THINK AND GET FIT!

Richard

OK, I’ve taken the program that I outline in my book and have modified it as I mention in the Welcome post to my blog.  Now, instead of doing a 3 day a week full body workout, I am working out with weights every third day. So, my routine this week looks like this:

Sunday – Rest

Monday – Cardio (Swimming)

Tuesday – Weight Training, full body workout with heavy emphasis on Chest-requires 72 hours rest

Wednesday – Cardio (Stationary Bike)

Thursday – Cardio (Stationary Bike)

Friday – Weight Training, full body workout with heavy emphasis on Back/Lats-requires 72 hours rest

Saturday – Rest

On my program, I’m in and out of the gym in 45 minutes for a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes per week. I’m emphasizing a body part in three consecutive weight workouts (I completed two of the chest in the previous week).  After I complete back/lats next week, I will focus on legs, then shoulders, then biceps & triceps, and finishing up with calves.

Richard

Welcome to Every Man Fit’s blog. My name is Richard Webb and I am the author of “Fat Burning Secrets.” My ebook shows bodyfat burning secrets.  I combine a weight, cardio and diet plan together that will dramatically reduce the time it takes to loose body fat naturally. Yes, NATURALLY…no steroids, fat burning pills, or surgery! Each of these plans (weight, cardio & diet) have solid research behind them, and together they are very powerful.

The response to my ebook, “Fat Burning Secrets”, has been great. Thanks for all your input and emails.  The response has been so good in fact, that I created this blog to discuss the ebook and related topics. Additionally, I am so excited about my ebook that I will use a modified version of it to GAIN weight (read muscle) and compete in another Natural Bodybuilding Contest in early 2010.  What makes this unusual, you ask? Well, here’s the thing, using these three plans (weight, cardio & diet) together I can add muscle mass and keep my bodyfat very low.  I will document my workouts and diet on this blog, and I encourage you to provide your input.

Thanks for viewing!

Richard