(Borat Wearing the Neon Green “ManKini” is Priceless!! Exactly How “Nappy” Are Those Brown Shoes He’s Holding in His Left Hand??? Haha.. You Know That Girl on the Right Can Smell Those Stinky Shoes While Trying to Smile for this Pic.. Not Sure How Much Longer That Mankini Can Keep From Busting Open!)

The sun is hot, the birds are chirping, the waves are crashing, the sound of a boats motor rings through the air! Whether your at the community pool, spending the day at the lake with friends, or posted up on the beach on a Sunday afternoon, you have an opportunity to dress your body in a swimsuit that turns heads.. I personally take lots of pride in my presentation & this is common among all of us diet & workout all year to look & feel amazing in our own skin.. Being by the water, shirtless, is absolutely a time to show off your hard work in the gym & really set yourself apart from the others.. A nice bathing suit that fits your body type is important in drawing the right kind of attention to yourself.. Rule #1 in looking by the water, is to have a really nice, athletic looking body that is lean with muscle & low in body fat.. Rule #2, have on a pair of shorts that presents your body the best.. We have a few months of summer left over in the States (This article isn’t too appealing to my EURO crowd right about now.. Did you see the gusting winds & sweater covered bodies @ the British Open Golf tournament last weekend?!? Its cold over there! But.. that’s OK.. This is a good time for you guys to hit the gym hard now, so when your sun comes back out, you’re Lean & Ready for a new Bathing Suit!) Let’s look at a few Summer Bathing “Garbs”..

Long Board Shorts are a Safe, but Young Look..
Board Shorts Look Good.. They’re Safe & Pretty Conservative.. We’ve all seen this type of suit coming assorted colors, flower imprints, Billabong & Quicksilver Stamped on the Leg, & pretty much any style you are, you can find a pair of board shorts to match your trend.. (Skulls, Roses, Skulls with Roses.. ANYTHING can printed on a pair of board shorts..) In my opinion if you’re over the age of 21, Board Shorts may be too young-looking for you.. 97% of the guys at the beach, or pool are going to have Board Shorts on, but take this opportunity to be a little different.. Here’s my problem with Board Shorts: 1) You are completely covering your legs because they hang so low.. (Know it or not, girls like nice legs on guys)  2) Board shorts are a “young” style.. You’re not a kid anymore.. (Surfers wear board shorts for more of a functionality of the sport, so don’t try & look like a surfer, if you’re not a surfer..)  3) Long Board Shorts can make you look shorter than you are.. Remember the article I wrote on “Getting lean can make you look taller? When you have shorts on that are too long & baggy, they make your legs & torso look short.. Not good for showing off a lean body.. 4) Lastly, I think too many people wear them.. I’m in to being unique.. I have 10+ pair of board shorts, but they are mostly worn around the house or to lounge in.. When I’m at the beach or pool, I choose something that does my body more justice..

(If you’re in good shape, You’ll Look Best In These Swim Trunks! The length of these trunks are perfect, in my opinion.. They show off your well developed legs, but aren’t too short to where you feel violated wearing them.. ha.. This is the hottest look this summer in Men’s Swim Trunks & Actually considered “Conservative” in Europe (The Blue Shorts on the Left are the ones Worn by James Bond in Casino Royal).. These shorts make you look leaner, longer, & can show off your trim obliques without having to “Sag” your shorts down below your knees.. This is a Very Athletic Looking Style of trunks that Highlights Your Entire Body.. Notice the Model that’s Wearing them Above.. Lean and Trim.. That’s the Look we Want)

The New Trend in Swim Trunks for Men..
This is the New Trend in Swim Trunks for Men.. There’s a skimpier version of these that I’ll get into next, but if you’re body fat is below 10%, you probably look best in these.. However, these trunks do look silly if you’re beefy with Muscle.. Wearing this style swim trunk will get your pale legs some sun, stretch the look of your physique out to make you longer, taller, & leaner, & fit tight to show off a nice butt.. If you think girls aren’t looking at your butt when you’re in your swim trunks, you’re wrong.. This look is almost a bit of a Vintage throwback look from the 50’s & 60’s (Truly a Classic & Eclectically Great Era to live in..) Most “In” trends are moving back to the Vintage look.. New Car manufactures are going to back to old body styles, hairstyles are tracking back to more classic clean looks, & designers are bringing back the classic “James Dean” form fitting clothing trends.. I really like it because these looks are perfect for lean bodies, just like these swim trunks.. Don’t be afraid to take a risk and bust out with the “short shorts” in August.. They look awesome on lean bodies & prove to be a look that’s back!

(They look huge on the computer screen huh.. Not so big when you put them on You Have to Be Extremely Secure and Confident when you wear these.. If you’re in shape & in the right environment, people may chuckle a bit at your Courage to Wear These, but Deep Down Their Hoping Their Girlfriend Isn’t Drooling Over Your Body!)

How Confident Are You?
Could you wear these swimtrunks? But, Could you Really Wear These?? You can’t put these shorts on & be 1% insecure in them.. I wouldn’t wear these in front of anyone (outside of my ”Circle of Trust.. ) unless my body fat is below 8%, or unless I’m Staging a Funny Joke.. They are very common in urban trendy-leading areas of the world.. I spend a lot of time in Miami, & South Beach is loaded with Latin men “Wearing” these perfectly.. The area I live on the West Coast of Florida isn’t ready for these shorts yet..  I do have a pair of these though and do wear them when I vacation to these Latin/European hotspots, but the “weenie-bikini” doesn’t come out often.. Its not that my shape isn’t ready for it, but my community & peers aren’t ready to accept it yet.. This look is common in many areas around the world, but please get super lean & toned before you show this look off.. I’ve spotted many “heavyweights” prancing around the beach in the “banana hammock” & its not a sexy sight.. However, I commend them on the confidence & lack of concern for what anyone thinks of them.. You have to appreciate and respect that..  I just think they would be better “suited” in any other style of swim trunk..

It summer & I love it (Getting a little bummed that its coming to an end, but then I have the Holidays to look forward too.. Life is Good!) I love showing off my hard work in the gym & have now started to pick a nice style bathing suit that looks good on my body.. Its nice to be unique, feel clean and healthy, & present yourself as a confident person.. When in doubt, no matter what you decide to where to your pool, or beachside, be confident and strut your “stuff”.. If you’re working hard in the gym & staying disciplined in the kitchen, then you’re well on your way to “Fit Freedom” (A place where every outcome in your mind becomes positive because you once have the will and strength to take control of your health, anything is possible!) Keep up the hard work & good luck with searching for the right “Suit” to show off your Lean and Sexy Beach Body during the last few months of Summer..)

John Fit.. (Thinking about throwing on the Weenie Bikini & Heading to the Ocean for a Refreshing Swim..)

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(Ahhh.. 4th of July! The beach.. The Smell of Barbeque.. The taste of Corona.. The Sound of Fireworks.. The Tan Lean Bodies Walking Through the Sand.. The Birds Chirping.. The Warmth of the Sun.. Making Plans for Fun with Friends and Family.. I Love the 4th of July.. Its a Great Day to Show off Your Hot Body!)

July 4th is exactly 28 days away, and for all my Non-US readers, this is a US “Independance Day” & sunshine date when our crazy Americans get to “let it all hang out” and have some fun! Since it does fall in the middle of the summertime, there will be more people in bathing suits & shirtless than any other date on the calendar.. My July 4th plans just got a face lift, as I’ve found out that I will be playing host to a number of college friends (To the Tune of about 10-15 East Coast Ft. Lauderale/Miami girls that will be rockin hot bodies when they get here! There will be some guys too, but ONLY because they didn’t listen when I told them to stay home! ) I can’t wait! I’m also going to have some family in from out of town that I haven’t seen in a while.. July 4th is a day when I want to look great! Here’s a synopsis of where my bodies at now.. I weighed in this morning at 173 lbs. & I estimate my body fat is around 7.5-8%.. My stomach is really cut and looks great, but my body does look and feel really dry right now because I’ve been maintaining for about 2 months now.. I haven’t been trying to put on muscle, but I haven’t been cutting hard either.. Just trying to keep my leanness and maintain my size.. But, as I signed off of my last post, this week was the beginning of my “Add 5-7 Pounds of muscle to my frame” phase that should only take me about 4 weeks.. My new focus and date for this short term goal is July 4th.. I want to step out on the beach on the 4th of July @ 180 lbs, & at most 8% body fat.. That will leave me full in my “beach muscles” (Chest & Back), but still show off my cut abs and lean stomach.. Here’s my “Sexy-Time! For July 4th” routine and diet..

My Diet is the Most Important Piece..
I need to eat to grow.. Since my body is so pretty dry now from eating clean, & doing lots of cardio, the excess calories and carbs I take in for weight gain should go mostly to fueling new muscle.. This is where fitness models like Gregg Plitt, Gregg Avedon, & Eric Carlson get away with eating tons of calories and not putting body fat.. It’s a “metabolism thing”.. When you have a fast metabolism, most weight gain will go straight to fueling lean muscle.. (I will be posting on how to speed your metabolism to create this soon).. So, I will be raising my “energy in”, and & taking in more calories through clean carbs to fuel this new muscle I want.. Here’s a layout of my new diet that I will stick to for the next 17 days..

8 am-  1 Scoop of Isopure
1 Banana
5 Fresh Strawberries
2 Cups of Oats

11 am- 1 ½ Cuts of Oats
4 Egg Whites or Lean Turkey Slices

2-3 pm- 2 Cups of Rice
2 Cans of Tuna

6-7 pm- Avocado (Good Fats with Some Protein)

9-10 pm Salmon or Chicken Breast (3/4 of a Pound)
1 Sweet Potato or 1 ½ Cups of Rice
Some Form of Veggie (Probably Broccoli.. My Favorite!)

I used to count calories so closely, but that drives me crazy now.. Today, I just look at my meal and try to portion out how much protein, carbs, and fat I’m eating.. I’m taking in lots of carbs on this gain muscle plan (Probably 350+g of grams throughout my day here) but they are clean carbs and my sugar intake is low (with the exception of the high glycemic fruits in my shake in the morning.. When I start cutting about 7 days prior to the 4th, I will eliminate the banana and strawberries..) This is roughly about 2700-3000 calories, and emphasizes clean carbs for energy, with some protein & good fats, coming from the Oats & Avocado.. Plenty of Nutrition here to add good muscle without a lot of fat to my frame.. The late night eating is a killer I know, but I need to eat to grow, so I’m willing to take in those calories at night to make sure my muscles are receiving the fuel to grow and get denser..

(Lee Kholafai Shows How Good “Lean” Can Look When You Lay that Foundation of Muscle First.. Lee’s look totally changed from the bigger/heavier pic on the left (180 lbs. & 10% BodyFat), to the Lean, Toned (165 lb. 6% Body Fat) Pic on the Right.. Not only does his stomach look better, but look how his chest is better shaped & looks bigger.. When you’re cut, you deceivingly look bigger, even though you weigh less.. Looking Good “Lean”, requires that you first lay that foundation of muscle as he was doing in the bulkier/heavier pic on the Left.. These Underwear Ads are Ridiculous for Me to be Splattering on my site because I Really Don’t Want to highlight this guys “package”.. So don’t get the wrong idea.. I just think visuals are great support tools for me to show you how to achieve an athletic, attractive physique. We wish the visuals were from the waist up huh.. ha (I had to get that little disclaimer out there.. I feel better now))

To Get Cut & Lean, 10 Days Prior to July 4th, I will Make a Few Small Changes to My Diet..
To hold on to muscle and only cut body fat, I will tweak this diet very finely.. I will eliminate the banana and strawberries in the morning shake, & eat the rice/sweet potato at 6-7pm, instead of 9-10pm.. The only elimination in calories will come from cutting out the high glycemic fruit in the morning.. I want to keep my calories up to maintain this muscle because if I cut them to low, my hard-earned muscle will crash.. I will rely on my “Energy Out” levels (As I spoke about in a recent post.. I will raise my activity by adding in lots of cardio) to do the cutting for me.. So, my calories stay high enough to nourish muscle, so the muscle is on my body by the 4th.. Cardio will define my body & lean me out, along with the clean foods I will be eating.. I’ve never liked cutting calories, as you know.. If I’m super lean, its because I’ve been doing a lot of cardio.. If I’m looking bulky, then I need to hit the treadmill.. I always eat and lift to fuel lean muscle to keep my muscles hard & tight..

My Workout to Look Great on the 4th!
My workout rarely changes unless I’m looking for a new challenge, or my muscles need a “shock” to get over a plateau. I mix exercises around sometimes, & may change the volume, or amount of work I put on a particular muscle, but for the most part, I lift heavy weights with low volume.. I think this is the best formula for lean muscle because it blends heavy resistance to tear down fast twitch fibers for strong, hard muscle, but the volume is low enough that I’m getting enough rest to benefit from the training & no overdevelopment takes place.. (For me, if I perform more than 8 INTENSE sets of work on any given muscle in a workout, the muscle will shut down and stop responding, and this actually does more harm than good..) So, here’s the workout I will follow..

Monday- Upper Body (Chest 6 Sets, Back 6 Sets, Shoulders 3 Sets, Arms 3 Sets)
Tuesday- Abs/Stretching
Wed. – Lower Body (Legs 8 Sets)
Thr. – Abs/Stretching
Friday – Upper Body (Same as Mon. with Different Exercises)
Sat.- Abs/Stretching
Sunday- Off

Monday – Lower Body (Legs, 8 Sets.. Different Exercises Than Last Wed.)
Tues. – Off
Wed. Upper Body (Same as Last Monday & Friday but Different Excercises than Last Friday).
& So on.. & So “Forth”.. (Forth, not to be confused with the 4th.. The Unveiling Party Day!)

Miscellaneous Notes For the Formula..

• Rep Range- 6-10 Reps
• I will not repeat any exercise in back-to-back to workouts..
• I will start doing 30-45 Min of HIIT Cardio in the AM on Friday the 20th every day & Even on the morning of the 4th.. (Depending on how I feel &  Look will depend on the duration of the cardio workout..)
• I will be Resting 1-1 ½ Minutes between sets
• I won’t focus too much on my arms & shoulders because when I’m eating excess calories, these muscles grow really easily on my body and could lead to disproportion’s. Keeping those muscles tamed at 3 sets will be enough to keep blood in the muscle & pumped, but not enough to stimulate growth.. Plus, intensely working Chest & Back gives the arms a bit of a workout anyway..
• I’ll drink water only and no soft drinks.. (Red Wine in Moderation @ Night if I’m out with Friends)
• I will get at least 8 hours/night of sleep..

My workout usually last about an hour in the gym if I go at it intensely.. I’m more focused on staying true to my diet because that will shape my look.. If I eat at a restaurant, I will eat only lean meats on salad or wraps.. I don’t trust too many of the carb choices our restaurants offer as they are mostly loaded with sodium, cooked in bad fatty oils, & contain sugars to make them taste better.. Chicken salads, Salmon wraps, & those types of foods are a better fit for my goals to gain only lean muscle and keep body fat off my body.. Even though I only have 4 weeks to achieve this 5-7 more pounds of muscle, I expect this plan to cover the bases in the get fit formula.. I have enough food energy to grow new lean tissue, I am lifting heavy weights to spark that lean growth, but I’m doing it at low volume so I’m resting enough to let the process take shape & no overdeveloping or overtraining will result.. I love having something to look forward to, and the 4th will be a great day! Does anyone else have a plan to get in shape for the 4th?? Let me know what it is.. It’s a big day to show off a great body, so I’m hoping I can get some of you to set some goals with me.. I’m @ 173 now and 7.5-8% Body Fat.. I want to be 180lbs & 7% on July 4th, 2008! Who wants in??

John Fit.. (Summer’s Here & Looks Like it Brought the Heat.. 93 Degrees in Sunny Sarasota Today..)

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I noticed some lean attractive bodies while out of the country, but its interesting how many unique body types there are in need of different sculpting strategies.. Its important for you not to “work against your genetics” because that could lead to body fat retention or underdevelopment of dense muscle.. I want to lay out the different genetic shapes & give you areas of focus to give you a Lean and Toned Beach Body worthy of Hollywood sex appeal.. The goal is to move away from being a “black & white” body type, & create more of a blend giving you what your genetics are missing..

Ectomorph
The Movie “Fight Club” was swarmed with Ectomorph bodies.. Brad Pitt, Jared Leto, Ed Norton all have  fragile & delicate frames that appear to be lightly muscled with definition.. Usually you’ll see narrow shoulders, small bones, thin wrists, skinny legs, and a hyper-fast metabolism here with this group.. Ectomorphs look great in Hollywood films because the camera adds roughly 10lbs (& 2 inches of height), & lean with a little muscle tone is a great look that fits well in clothes and shows off definition.. However, just because your ecto, doesn’t necessarily mean your lean..

Fit Tips for Ectomorphs..
An ectomorph wants to focus on forming that “V” from Shoulders to Waist.. Put emphasis on developing  the Shoulders, Back, Upper legs, & Butt to give you added shape for sex appeal. You want to use heavy  weights to create density & size, while keeping cardio to a minimum.. Add a little muscle to your frame because the tendency is for your body to resort to skinny, dissolving muscle tissue. You also need a little more good fat in your diet.. Try making 30% of your calories based from fitness fats..

What to Look Forward To With Hard Work..
When an ectomorph adds nice lean muscle to their frame, you’ll see a Hillary Swank (Million Dollar Baby shape), Brad Pitt (Troy) & Ed Norton (American History X) type result.. These ectomorphs blended their lean genetics with the muscle-building traits of a mesomorph, and the result turned out great for their Leading “Hero” Roles! Notice in those films, Pitt and Ed Norton added muscle without adding body fat.. This is the beauty of an ectomorphic shape.. You can add a little size without taking on lots of body fat, with the correct diet & workout routine.. A little “Meso” in your “Ecto” is a good thing..

Mesomorph
The Mesomorph has the best foundation for building muscle, as seen with Sly above.. Don’t go overboard though, because you will swell up quickly from little work in the weight room.. Mesomorphs are typically athletically built with hard bodies, bigger boned than an ectomorph, but have to work harder to trim the waistline. Most fat on this body type is stored around the midsection.. Women want to accentuate their genetic hour glass shape here, and men should focus on trimming the waist line creating a Tapered Look..

Fit Tips for Mesomorphs..
Focusing on shape and definition to your muscles will be the primary goal.. Cardio here is really important and should be performed regularly.. Alternate between heavy and light days to keep muscle tissue tight and dense, while burning calories to lean up.. Your body will quickly react to anything, so choose carefully what you focus on.. Cardio is where I focus most of my attention as a mesomorph because I grow really quick & don’t want to be overdone with obnoxious bulky muscle..

What To Look Forward Too..
Don’t go overboard in the gym with the weights.. I love Rocky and when “Eye of the Tiger” is blasting in my IPOD, I feel like I could even whip Evan Drago’s butt.. But, Stallone was pretty thick there from the weights and his frame was overbuilt with muscle in my opinion.. Slender with tight lean muscle from a lot of cardio and focused dieting strategies will swing a mesomorph into many Ecto features showing off definition, slim waist, & a long & lean appearance.. This is a very attractive shape that most models have acheived.. Jennifer Garner is the protypical lean mesomorph (making her look more like an ectomorph)

Endomorph
(Did You Even Realize There’s Another Picture Besides Kim Kardashian? I’ll Bet Not..) The Endomorph is what you see on the front line of any NFL team.. However, I do see more women than men having this body type.. Most men that appear to be Endomorphs, are typically just overweight Mesomorphs.. This body contains highly densed-bone and is round in shape.. This body type will probably never see the day it has a 30inch waist (For Men), or a size 4 (For Women), but that’s ok.. You’re curvy and sexy when toned appropriately.. Hollywood and professional athletics, reward these types of bodies with highly paid roles, when you can tone and use this body efficiently..

Fit Tips for Endomorphs
The goal for this body type is to create shape, and get away from looking the pear shape.. Light Weights with as much cardio as you can take will tighten and shape this physique. The thought behind the light weight lifting is, even when you’re lifting weights outside of cardio, you need to be burning calories and make the workout as aerobic as possible. Diet, Diet, Diet, Diet.. 99% of your carbs need to be fiber-rich.. (If I were built like an Endomorph, I would probably eat so many  vegetables that I would turn into a rabbit..) When your body tones up and bodyfat drops you, you will appear more mesomorph and your curves and density will then give you a sexy powerful look (Endomorphs have a strong presence that garners respect when they enter a room.. Great genetic to have).. The best way to create this is cardio everyday, eat high fiber carbs only, and do more cardio..

What to Look Forward to
Jennifer Lopez & Kim Kardashian! (Enough said huh..) These two endomorphic bodies will never shrink to 110lbs, (& if they did they’d look sickly ill), but their shape is so attractive, healthy and toned, men can’t stop starring.. An endomorph can get toned! A good example of a male endomorph, would be any NFL Lineman.. I’ve seen a number of these guys lose weight, lean up, and actually get moved to Defensive Ends and Middle Linebackers.. Their bodies become more functional and adaptable to uses in genetic strength when they train to become more mesmorphic.. Plus, their bodies are more attractive looking and aesthetically pleasing..

You’ve probably heard this info time and time again if you research fitness and body types.. But I see so many people looking to tighten their bodies up, and their working out against their own genetics.. I see skinny ectomorphs pounding the treadmill, and thick endomorphs power lifting & resting 4 minutes between sets.. If you can work to blend your body type with the closest “leanest” type, you will sculpt your body into a more attractive shape..

I’ve had an overwhelming response to all of you, and I love the interactions we’re having.. I’m going to start posting some of the pics and stories of the guys and gals, working hard, staying discipline, & showing progress from my programs.. So keep me in the loop with your progress.. In the meantime, get to know your body type before designing your program, so you can use your genetics to your advantage and shape up the lagging features..

John Fit (Stop Looking at the picture of Kim, and Start Thinking About Your New Program.. )

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Girls with Hot Beach Bodies, like Guys with Hot Beach Bodies.. For a hot beach body, I need you to have lean & toned muscle with low body fat & no Bulkyness.. Let’s go get it!

I was the kid in junior high & high school that had shoulders resembling a clothes hanger, really sharp bony elbows, & when I’d sit down on my Mom’s lap she’d say, “John Fit.. Your bony ass is cutting into my leg”.. and she would rotate me to the other leg, and then back to the other leg, and then finally ask me to find my own seat.. haha.. I definitely wasn’t the thick kid in class that gave the really hard noogies & extreme headlocks.. But, I began to fill out as I grew older, & now my fast metabolism works totally to my advantage.. I can actually gain as much lean weight as I want now because I’m well studied with how my body type operates & gaining lean muscle now is very easy. I thought having a fast metabolism would plague my progress, but now I use it to my advantage to put on clean lean muscle without bulking. This keeps me lean all year & photoshoot ready. This article will lay out the plan I’ve used in the past to add “lean muscle ONLY, with no excess bodyfat”.

Is it possible to Gain Only “Lean” Muscle Weight?
This is a question being battled constantly in the fitness industry. Can you gain muscle without putting on fat? My answer.. Absolutely! Many say no.. John Fit, says Yes.. My bodyfat has never risen over 10% in my life, and my weight has fluctuated within a range of 25 pounds before in a 7 month period. My buddy Mens Health Model Gregg Avedon has gone from 180 to 200 lbs inside of a year & keeps his bodyfat below 8% at all times. I think the whole idea of bulking (As you know I’m not a fan of..) is an eating-style beefy bodybuilders use to try put on massive amounts of muscle quickly. This is from lack of patience & discipline in my opinion. Gaining lean muscle without a rise in bodyfat is feasible, but it DOES take discipline & time. Stray from your eating strategy below, & it will throw your lean gains for a loop.

What to Eat?
As I’ve mentioned in past posts, if you aren’t eating, then you aren’t growing. If you want to add lean muscle to your frame, then you need to introduce calories in your diet.. A good barometer of how many calories you need to eat is, take your current body weight & multiply that number by 16 (180*16=  2,880 calories). This will give you the daily number of calories needed for consumption to build “Lean Only” muscle. As far as macronutrient ratio’s, I split them up as follows:

40% protein (1152 Calories, or 288 Grams)
Lean Red Meats, Fish, Chicken, Turkey,  Tuna, Egg Whites, Protein Powders

40% carbohydrates (1152 Calories, or 288 Grams)
Instant Oatmeal, Brown Rice, More Oatmeal, Veggies, Low Glycemic Fruit, Sweet Potato (I personally stay away from bread.. Even Wheat.. It Makes Me Feel Bloated & Gluten is a rising concern in the health community)

20% Essential Fats (576 Calories, or 64 Grams)
Avocado (My Favorite!), Fish Oil, Olive Oil (Cook Using only Olive Oil.. This comes in a spray can), Almonds & Pumpkin Seeds

Those foods above, make up my daily menu of food choices almost everyday.. There is no sugar in any of this (Maybe a hint of sugar in the Protein Powder & fruit but keep the fruit low glycemic) & it is also low in Saturated Fats.. That 20% fat has been detrimental to my success in gaining lean muscle. If you have low muscle density, your body needs sufficient testosterone to grow muscle, and if you’re not eating the essential fats, testosterone levels will crash quickly..  If you are 180 lbs., & eating 2,880 “clean” lean calories day, your body will be fueled for “lean only” growth (Muscle gained with no added bodyfat). Eating from this menu is a habit for me and I’ve grown accustomed to it. I stay well nourished, & athletically lean all year! I’m at the point where my taste buds are so sharp from eating clean, that I’m able to pick apart the sodium content in an Outback Steak & Baked Potato, and feel the saturated fat resting in my belly from a Mickie D’s cheeseburger (Pretty gross).. I do eat out often though, but I’ll typically order a lean piece of meat and get a double side of veggies. A chicken salad is always a good choice for me as well. My experience with restaurant food is the carbs they offer are cooked in greasy oils, & contain excess salt & sugars.. Sticking with Salads topped in lean meats, and veggies is usually a pretty safe choice.

How do I Workout on a “Lean Only” Muscle Gain?
Since you’re eating all these calories & looking for muscle gain, I stayed away from cardio on this plan. If you have to do it, walk for 30 minutes on an incline, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Sometimes I walk just to clear my mind & it feels great. Remember though, we’re focused on gaining lean muscle, not losing weight in this program.

A skinny guy lacks strength. You lack density and thickness in your muscles. Have you ever seen a lean ripped body in the weight room. See how thick the muscles look and how carved into the skin they are. Skinny guys usually have smooth muscle with very little cuts. You want to bring that hardness to your frame. To get those lean cuts, you need the muscle first. A great quote that pulled these concepts full circle for me came from the great Bodybuilder Franco Colombu. He said, “if you aren’t strong then it will show on stage when you are posing because your muscles will lack density & look soft”. (I’m not into bodybuilding at all.. But this is good info. because even a lean “model looking” body has to have a hardness & denisty to the muscle). I need you to have that muscle density & hardness. To get that, you must lift heavy weights.. You need to train to get stronger..

The Program Objectives that took my body from Skinny to Lean with no bodyfat:
1 Body part a day (With the Exception of Arms)
12 Total Sets for Each Body Part
4-10 Rep Range (I do two Warm up Sets, then Go Straight to the heavy set while I’m fresh & feel strong.. Reverse pyramid is a great way to grow thickness in the muscle, but be sure you’re warmed up before heading to the heavy stuff..)
Rest: 3 Minutes Between Sets
Cardio: Walk for 30 minutes @ 3.5 M/Hr on a 4-8% Incline (I do this first thing in the morning on an empty stomach)

Monday:
Chest
Decline Flat Bench: (Warmnup, Warmup, 4, 6, 8, 10)
Flat Hammer Strength (4, 6, 8, 10)
Dips (4, 6, 8, 10)

Tuesday:
Back
Weighted Pullups: (4 Sets to Failure)
Seated Row (4, 6, 8, 10)
Deadlifts (4, 6, 8, 10)

Wednesday:
Biceps/Triceps
Olympic Bar Curl (Warmup, Warmup, 4, 6, 8, 10)
EZ Bar Curls (4, 6, 8, 10)
Incline DBell Curls (4, 6, 8, 10)

French Press (Warmup, 4, 6, 8, 10)
Rope Pressdown (My Favorite Tricep Excercise!) (4, 6, 8, 10)
Reverse Grip Pulldown (Can’t Go Quite As Heavy.. Hurts the Wrist) (8, 10, 12, 15)

Thursday:
Shoulders
Shrugs: (Warmup, Warmup, 4, 6, 8, 10)
Upright Rows: (4, 6, 8, 10)
Military Presses (4, 6, 8, 10)

Friday:
Legs
Squats (Warmup, Warmup, 4, 6, 8, 10)
Leg Press (4, 6, 8, 10)
Quad Extensions Supersets w/ Hamstring Curls
(8 reps, then 10 reps)

Saturday & Sunday- Hit the Beach & Show Off Your Body!

75% of athletes looking to gain lean muscle, overtrain in my opinion. Rest is really, really important. So, the key here is one body part a day for 12 sets (4-10 Reps) then get out of the gym, relax. and eat some clean calories & let your fast metabolism work to your advantage.

Miscellaneous Important Facets of a “Lean Only” Muscle Gain Program:
Your body needs sleep! Get as much as possible. I take naps when I feel tired, I sleep in when I can, and I go to bed by 10 pm (I only stay up later when I’m blogging for my “Get Fit” Friends). Also, your body is made up of 70% water.. How crazy is that? Drink as much water as you can stomach. I down 2 big glasses first thing in the morning & keep drinking all day. Its great for your skin & awesome for your organs. Stay away from access alcohol. Alcohol dehydrates your body and we all know side effects of alcohol on your system. I’ve found Gin as the probably the least damaging liquor on the body. A Gin and Light Tonic is a great social drink. I personally stay away from any beers.. The yeast in it (as I mentioned the bread as well) makes me feel bloated and congested.. I just don’t like it for me, but a light beer isn’t the worst thing you could be drinking.

These tips above have taken my body from 170lbs, to 185lbs in as little as 3 months without my bodyfat even creeping over 8%. I won’t eat anything that isn’t congruent with staying lean. For me, gaining tons of muscle quickly isn’t that important if I have to bulk extremely to get it. I like the beach body look and that does mean lean cuts are what I’m looking for. So, to get the muscle for the cuts, the above info. got me there quick enough. Let me know if you have any questions.. I love helping out in any way I can.. I’m always available for Q&A..

John Fit.. On my way to the Gym..

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