What a long week its been! Between work, chasing the kids around, or girls around (depending on what phase of life you’re in..) & getting into the gym, its finally the weekend & the grill is fired up! Now, if you’re a disciplined eater and conscious about taking care of your lean body, then you’re already second-guessing the decision to pig out.. How much salt is in the food their cooking? How much sugar is in all the stuff people are reaching for? These are the questions that often float through my mind, when I’m not eating at home, but lets be honest.. No one wants the scrutiny & negative attention from looking too straight-edge with your diet, at the party.. So, the question is.. Do I cheat & pig out on foods I shouldn’t normally eat? Or do I be strong and “turn the other Lean Cheek”? Let’s “dig in” and figure this out..

How Often Are You Eating Clean, & Do You Deserve A Cheat Meal
I’ve said a number of times that if you can eat clean 90% of the time, your body will make leaps and bounds of progress and it should only take a few months to transform your body.. The reality of it is, MOST people don’t eat clean and they have very little discipline in the kitchen.. Look around your gym.. How many people are actually boasting a low body fat percentage? My gym is full of guys who grunt and groan to push up the heavy weight, but they have higher body fat percentages because they’re not eating correctly.. I see many people who are performing consistent amounts of cardio, but still don’t have a flat stomach.. 80% of the way you look, is a reflection of the way you eat.. Your body won’t get better or get worse after one meal.. Its my believe that whatever you’re doing the most consistently will shine through in your appearance.. If you’re not eating clean, organic foods more than foods that are high in sodium, saturated fat, & sugar, then you’re body will not make struggle to improve..

Genetics Play an Important Part of this Decision..
The winner of the title is the one who is usually willing to sacrifice the most to get what they want.. If your genetics are staged to hold body fat, more like an endomorph, then you may even look like a cheater, when you only cheated a couple of times.. While on the other hand, an ectomorph will obviously be able to eat what they want and only grow lean mass because of it.. I’ve seen many endomorphs get lean and look amazing because their genetics blend beautiful dense bones, with lean strong muscle mass.. However, it takes a very high amount of disciplined to get to this point.. Limiting cheat meals is a good idea for a big-boned, body fat retaining type of physique.. Don’t kid yourself here.. If you’re serious about getting in shape and you’re holding body fat, eating that pizza is couterproductive & your body will show the effects of it..

Cheat Meals “Rev-Up” Your Metabolism?? I Don’t BUY it!
Yadie Yadie Yada!! Your metabolism is a reflection of the type of foods that your body is ingesting, & the activities your performing.. I don’t SUBSCRIBE to that fact that my body’s metabolism is benefiting more from eating pizza & chips, than sticking to chicken and vegetables.. No doubt, there’s types of “good” bacteria in these trashy foods that can provide a temporary aid to your immune system, but weighing your digestive system down with heavy fats & high sugars isn’t congruent with losing body fat, at any time.. If you’re focused on losing body fat, clean calories should be what you’re putting in your body MOST of the time..

Look at Lean, Caveman Bodies.. Take Note of Most Medieval Physiques.. What Were They Eating ALL the Time??
You can’t deny that your body, really is a cut and dry machine.. If you’re suffering from a Thyroid Condition, or any Genetic Illness that attacks the Immune System, then only a Doctor Should be Advising your on what to eat.. But, if you look at these lean & hard Medieval bodies, they lived off fresh Game Meat & Vegetables.. Their bodies were fat burning furnaces because they were active all day & had no sugar or additives/preservatives in their diet.. If it didn’t Run, Walk, Grow, &/or Respond to Sunlight, it wasn’t even on the Medieval Menu.. Take Notes of these cultures and apply what you can learn..

Now Let’s Get Serious.. Unfortunately, You Have to Satisfy that Craving..
I like the model of eating really clean (lean meats, vegetables, & fresh Fruit.. Pretty much any food that doesn’t contain sodium, sugar, or high amounts of Saturated Fats..) 90% of the time.. I eat around 4-5 meals a day, so it is conceivable that I could have a cheat meal every 2-3 days.. However, I WANT To stay lean.. I love looking & feeling great.. As I get older, I see many people jumping off the “Lean” boat, and it makes me feel even stronger and healthier that I’m sticking to my commitments.. I love the feeling when I get looked at twice.. I love when my girlfriend touches my body… I love breathing well, sleeping deep, and having a healthy blood pressure & heart beat.. I can’t wait to take my shirt off!!!  Because of all of these reasons, and I could name 100 more, I eat clean, organic foods & I’ll do it forever..  But unfortunately, I was fed Pizza & Ice Cream just enough when I was little, that my taste buds now quiver with joy right before that first bite of junk food.. McDonald’s Double Cheeseburgers melt in my mouth like a hot donut.. I DESPISE the way I feel when I’m done eating this food, but in that beginning moment, I’m in heaven.. SO, if I can stick to eating clean all week (not one cheat meal, with an occasional glass or two of red wine at night..) & not missing one of my cardio sessions, I will eat whatever my heart desires twice over the weekend, whenever I choose to do it.. I typically eat pizza till I feel sick & ice cream till my stomach burns with ache, but I guarantee that when its over & Monday rolls around, I have truly satisfied my craving & I don’t need it.. One of even two meals isn’t going to make or break your phsique (I’m a Mesomorph by the way) as long as you’re disciplined MOST of the time (I call “Most” 90% of the time..).. However, we all know, the longer you stay clean & off the junk foods, the quicker your body will change.. No doubt there..

Summary on Cheat Meals
I don’t think cheat meals are bad, and they can actually supply your body with “good” bacteria that you may be missing from clean eating over time.. I avoid dairy completely during the week because I have an allergy to those foods, but when I eat that pizza over the weekend, my body is supplied with the necessary bacteria from the cheese that I need.. I don’t feel great after I eat it, but I think there’s a little “good” in taking in this type of food once in a long while.. However, if you’re trying to cut body fat & tighten up your body to look like a Stud Statue, I suggest eating clean 90% of the time..

John Fit.. (Let Me Know How/If You Guys/Gals Cheat.. I noticed that most people are either Sugar-Fiends, or Salt-Fiends.. I’m a Sugar-Fiend Myself.. I love Sweets..)

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(Whoa! Whoa!… Crazy Huh… Whoa!)

My arms don’t fit into my sleeves of my shirt anymore! My big back won’t let my arms relax at my side! My neck is busting out of my dress shirt like the Incredible Hulk! Are these symptoms the reality your physique has created? Or maybe you’re not quite too big now, but you see the Fit Bus heading down the road to bulkiness.. As I’ve mentioned before, I went through a phase of getting “jacked” and trying to look as big as possible, but now other goals have influenced my focus and I’m no longer looking to grow my traps up to my ears.. Do you think people REALLY want to look like Ronnie Coleman? Does Jay Cutler have a physique that looks attractive in normal, casual clothes?? Just last weekend I had the luxury of spending some quality time with 3 beautiful ladies at a Sarasota Nightly “Hot Spot”.. This classy restaurant/bar attracts an entourage of Sarasota’s Premier Young Professionals, Ex-Big Business Owners who are retiring in the sun, & some of the most beautiful & intelligent women in Florida. While we’re carousing and exchanging stories of past laughs and good times, I notice an “Incredible Hulk-Like” figure walking by us with these traps busting out of his dress shirt, neck marinated in veins, & kind of a pissed off look on his face.. (Beefy Guys sometimes have a look that says “Don’t mess with me, or deal with my muscles!”) So, I asked my lady friends, “What do you girls think of that?” One girl comments, ”Scarrry! That guy looks like he’s coming to eat me..” Another girl notes, “He’s so cheesy-looking.. He’s gotta be on steriods..” Big, swollen muscles are cheesy-looking! This guy didn’t even look comfortable in his own skin (which is the worst part).. He had very nice clothes that spoke highly for his clean cut effort, but his body looked “stuffed” in his nice clothes! Even if you’re not on steriods, people assume you are, when you’re too thick with muscle.. Is that the presentation you want to deliver? Is that the type of attention you want brought to yourself?? Not only does having a nice lean, toned, & trim body get you more positive attention from the opposite sex, but this is more of a sustainable look & a healthier functionality for your body.. Let’s dig into the overdeveloped muscle plan, & see if we can unravel a few things to get your body away from the bulk, & saying goodbye to the Hulk!

Some Guys/Gals Need to Put on Muscle..
First of all, I don’t mean to bash bodybuilding.. Anytime a person is committed to making progress in anything & they are dominating their goals (Even if it is to grow your arms to 23 inches like The Terminator) I respect the dedication & work ethic.. I personally choose to channel my energy into a different place than making my body as big and swollen as possible; none-the-less, it’s impressive to see these athletes stick to their plan.. Now, if you are skinny, bony, & heavily ectomorphic, with a low BMI, adding a little muscle to your frame is a good thing.. Gaining weight can actually support a healthier immune system, create lean muscle tissue for bone support, & can add spice to your sex life.. Adding muscle is fine, but bulking in excess to get it is a red flat for lack of patience.. My experience & research shows, if you’re gaining more than 1 pound a week, you’re probably putting on excess fat in an effort to grow muscle too quickly.. Fat cells never disappear, or go away, when you’re trying to lose weight.. Those cells just shrink, so its important to not take them on in the first place.. This is bad news for bulkers.. Taking on more fat cells to gain muscle, leaves your body an outlet to get fat again & swell up later on when you slouch on your discipline eating habits.. The key is to get lean, and stay lean.. Put on muscle patiently, & don’t rush the growth process..

Calories, Calories, Calories + Lack of Cardio = Overdevelopment.
Again, if you’re over-muscled with mass, I commend your commitment to hard work, but have to question your eating habits.. In my opinion, A Discliplined, Clean Eater is more respectable than a Good Weight Lifter.. Weight lifting and working out is a 1 hour committment/day thing, where as sticking to eating right is an all day everyday thing.. Bodybuilders & “Big-Bodies” over-consume foods in the off season loaded with sugars and saturated fats to swell up their bodies and stage more room for muscle and expansion.. If that bodybuilder would lighten up on the calories & become less sedentary by jumping on a treadmill, their bodies would stop expanding & tighten up. You look the way you eat.. If you are big, thick, & bulky, you are simply overeating & under-active. If you don’t over-feed the muscle, it won’t overdevelop.. If you balance out your “Energy In vs. Energy Out” your body will lose its puffiness.. If you’re muscles are too big, then stop feeding them so much & reframe your focus to getting as lean & cut as possible.. When I’m performing 30 minutes of cardio 4-5 days a week (& Strength Training for 3 days), I typically only need about 13 calories per pound to keep my muscle.. If you have a genetically slower metabolism, and more endomorphic-shaped, get that number down to 11-12 CLEAN calories/pound.. To go from bulky to lean, like the guys you see in GQ, Mens Health, & other “good looking” Men’s periodicals, you have 2 options.. Stop over-consuming calories & feeding your body into expansion, (I would suggest a good maintenance level is 11-13 CLEAN calories/pound if your moderately active & performing aerobics at least 3 days a week) &/or crank up the cardio.. Both of these options will reduce “puffiness” in your shape, and shred your bulk into a lean & cut physique..

(Wow.. The Crazy Bodybuilder Markus Ruhl Pic Get’s ”Whoa”, while the Ladies here get a “Wow!” Big Difference Look how Lean and Toned Sports Illustrated’s pin-up girl Marissa Miller is.. (She’s the blonde-haired gal on the right).. Marissa couldn’t have that Lean, Firm, Tone without Strength Training.. Have lifting weights made her bulky at all?? No.. Strength training and a Sexy Fit body go hand-in-hand.. Her diet is obviously very clean & she looks great because of it..)

Strength Training Isn’t the Reason You’re Bulky..
How many times have we all heard, “I don’t want to lift heavy weights because I don’t want to get bulky”.. Bulkiness and over-developement is a by-product of overeating, not your weight training routine.. If you were eating overeating calories, and NOT lifting weights, you would still swell up without the influence of weights.. Muscle comes in two forms.. Hard or soft..  To be lean and toned, you need that muscle to be firm & hard.. Heavy weights gets you there.. I’ve seen female runway models lifting weights in a heavy rep range to add firmness to their bodies & these women are the epitome of slim physiques.. Victoria Secret Models are asked to be firm and lean, not plump & soft.. The firmness only comes from heavy weights, and “leanness”/low body fat, comes from cardio and diet.. High reps will leave your muscles soft & spungy.. If lean and toned is your goal, you are not doing yourself any favors by lifting light weights that can be lifted over 15 reps.. This is only aerobic work, and if you’re choosing this routine to lose weight, you’d be better off going straight to the treadmill.. Bulky, Overweight, Skinny, Skinny-Fat (The Worst Combination), or whatever your shape, heavy weights speeds metabolism, adds lean tissue, upgrades intensity in your workout, & tightens muscle fibers for better bone structure support.. Strength training isn’t why you’re bulky and overdeveloped, so this doesn’t have to be eliminated (Great News for Big Bulky Bodies.. Bulky Guys are typically obsessed with pressing iron, so trying to keep them away from this would be Torture.. The Strength Training Can Continue!) You will tone up & slim down, in the kitchen & on the cardio equipment..

A Lasting Note on Trimming Up..
There’s a community of bodybuilders that are dedicated to & only focused on “getting huge”.. I commend the work ethic and discipline from these guys.. But, you may notice these huge bodybuilders look awkward in professional attractive clothes, more girls are turned OFF by their bulky muscles and turned ON by the lean, trim, sexy abercombie-style body-type, & these bodybuilders aren’t popular on the big screen.. Why doesn’t Hollywood endorse Bulky, Heavy-Muscled Bodies? Maybe its because the look doesn’t sell.. Most people aren’t attracted to thick, heavy bodies weighed down with muscle.. Arnold Shwartzeneggar, Steve Reeves, & Louie Ferrigno are rare bodybuilding exceptions that broke into Hollywood, but none of the three swelled up and bulked intensly like bodybuilders today.. (They had abbreviated bulking cycles, but stayed fit & lean most of the year) Arnold weighed between 220-240lbs for his big hit movies (Slim for his genetics.. A bodybuilder of his genetics and frame today could easily bulk to 300lbs. but Arnold never did.. He even kept cardio in his regimen in the off season). Steve Reeves is my favorite bodybuilder & aggressively speaks out against today’s “bulking for muscle” mentality.. And Louie.. Louie was the Incredible Hulk (The biggest of the 3, and got stuck with the scary monster roles.. Lou Ferrigno’s a great guy though and I do respect him).. This summer, step into more of a lean and cut physique by getting away from your bulking/bodybuilder mentality by picking up the consistent cardio & clean eating habits.. You’ll look and feel more like an efficient, healthy, attractive athlete that wants to live forever!

John Fit.. (Enjoy Your Workout Today! Have Fun.. Summer’s here & the Sun’s Out! Life is Good..)

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(Gabrielle Reese & Laird Hamilton are 2 athletes with Lean Bodies that aren’t advocates of Low-Carb, Calorie-Cutting Diets.. They Fuel Lean Muscle with Quality, Rich Food Energy, While Expending Lots of Energy To Keep Fat off Their Body and Metabolism Flying.. Great Bodies are Great Eaters!)

For years, I’ve researched & played with different formulas and programs to get me the most pleasing looking, & feeling body I can possible carve out of my genetics.. I am a “formula type of person” that loves structure in anything I’m doing.. I feel like the most successful people in any environment have some form of structure to how they operate their craft, that gives them vision and purpose.. Most tasks become really tough when you have no idea where you are going.. I’ve seen big businesses crumble because the leader stopped communicating vision to his subordinates and this totally unravels structure.. I want you to maintain structure in your fitness regmine & never lose sight of what it takes to have a great physique.. This concept of “Energy In vs. Energy Out” will dictate what direction you are aiming for with your fitness goals.. I see most people looking to get in shape and the first thing they do is cut calories.. I personally think this is an unhealthy way to get lean.. I actually want you to consider taking in MORE calories (The right kind of calories) while increasing the intensity of your cardio & strength training workouts.. Doing this will create more of a lean, toned look, instead of a skinny, flat, & deflated body.. The concept we’ll analyze to acheive this is “Energy In vs. Energy Out”.. Let’s dig in!

What Do You Mean by, “Energy In Vs. Energy Out”??
When I refer to “Energy in”, I’m referring to the consumption of food eaten throughout the day.. “Energy out” would be the amount exercise, or calories burned throughout the day.. Any food you eat will serve as energy & nutrition for your body in the form of calories (“Energy In”).. Any type of activity you perform that will burn calories, & build lean muscle (“Energy Out”).. Your body will get leaner, more toned, and be dressed with more lean muscle as both of these numbers rise higher! The Key is balance among Energy In Vs. Energy Out.. Let’s see what happens when these numbers become imbalanced..

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(This is actually 2 separate pics.. The little guy on the right read my blog, decided to slim down & touched up his trend with some new shorts. Now look how tall & trendy he looks as he stands on the left!! .. I don’t know if this is a Biker/Male Dominatrix Rally or what’s going on here, but I gotta get tickets to the event..)

This concept of looking taller from weight loss & toning is not a miracle, but only an illusion.. But, it is an illusion that  plays to your advantage if getting lean and losing weight is on your agenda.. I hear many people complaining about their height & wishing God would’ve granted them JUST 2 MORE INCHES.. By the way, what do you think about shorter girls that walk around in those crazy “clunker” clod-hopping shoes with platform heels? I would rather see them in a regular, normal-heeled shoe, in good beach shape, with a big smile on her face, feeling great about herself, & smelling like flowers.. The 5-inch heel should stay in the closet.. But, that’s just me.. Anyway, by getting in shape, dropping pounds, and tightening up your body, you will appear taller.. Here’s why..

Posture Plays A Huge Role in Your Appearence & Shape..
Your back is the predominant support system for your frame.. If you’re not lean, toned with low body fat levels, you’re probably, naturally, slouching and that’s not doing your height any favors.. If you’re carrying too much muscle or fat in your chest and shoulders, your back is probably slouching from the stress of supporting that mass.. Look at a models posture.. The shoulders are back, chest is exposed outward, and neck is straight with the chin slightly up.. Too much muscle in your chest & shoulders creates imbalance with your back muscles, and that “frontal heaviness” creates a slouch due to lack of back support (This the same principle behind women having breast reductions to reduce pain in their back).. Practice pinching your shoulders blades behind you, popping your chest out, and keeping your chin up.. This will not only improve the length of your upper torso/back, but will also save you from future back & neck pain. Improving your posture is Rule #1 in the modeling industry, & can prop your height up a few notches..

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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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When deciding how much cardio to do to achieve a Lean Physique, it’s first important to establish what your goal is. However, part of this equation is to understand your genetics and what your body naturally resorts too when you’re not putting it through stressful workouts. My metabolism has always been a little on the faster side, so I’ve always been thin (not necessarily lean) with the inability to gain weight easily. (Older men have referred to me as a “flat belly” that will appreciate the fast metabolism later in life, but for years I felt my genetics were cursing my ability to gain lean muscle.) So, you first have to understand how your genetics will cheer or fear, for a little cardio added to your workout..

Cardio is a good thing.. Cardio is a great thing…

Cardio is great for the heart and offers endless value to the immune system and other vital organs of the body. It is a natural detoxifier helping the body eliminate infection and virus, and also supplies our lungs with refiltered oxygen. Cardio is good for health, but should not be abused if a hard lean physique is what your goal is.

What if my genetics are on a little on the “Heavy Side”?
Then turn and burn.. A big boned, naturally thicker frame is a body that absorbs nutrients from food easily, holds on to fat, and typically has a slow metabolism that isn’t burning calories. A heavy set body (bodyfat over 18%) needs to have its metabolism kickstarted! To do this takes discipline dieting tactics, coupled with a rich cardio routine. If you can imagine metabolism as a fire that burns deep in your stomach that breaks down food and shoots it through your bloodstream while eliminating wastes, that will help visualize how your bodytype operates. This fire probably needs to be re-lit, with a couple huge logs of wood thrown on top, in a heavy set body! Light that fire by doing 30-45 minutes of cardio 5 days a week @ 75% of your target heart rate (On a 200lb person @ 30 years old, this would around 143 beats a minute). My favorite cardio piece is old fashioned running, but the stationary bike and elliptical machine can be supplemented as well. When I’m trying to get super lean, I burn the most calories on the elliptical, but running makes me sweat more, which feels great!

What if my genetics are a little on “Thin Side”?
Rest is the most important thing for you, and if gaining lean muscle is your goal, you should not be doing too much cardio. I suffer from a fast metabolism, but still like the feeling of getting some sort of aerobics in my schedule, so I take long walks, or walk on an 6% incline for about 20-30 minutes (set the incline to build my legs up while burning a little fat. This is also a mental tool for me as a little walking lets me strap on my IPOD and get some thinking done. Some of my most creative business plans have been established while I was walking). Cardio will make your metabolism fire up even more, so if you already have the genetic fast metabolism that fire is already burning hot.. Let is burn and leave it alone. Shy away from excessive cardio. A routine of too much cardio will chew up your hard-earned muscle.

What type of Cardio Should I do for Weight Loss while retaining muscle?
This is a great question.. My suggestion for maximum fat loss while retaining muscle is to do high interval sprinting on the treadmill. Making your heart rate chase up and come down, over and over again, is a good way to set your body in fat burning mode. A good example of this proof would be to look at the physique of a track sprinter vs. a long distance runner. The sprinter is ripped with muscle, strong legs, and low bodyfat, while the distance runner is skinny with little muscle and still retains a little fat. (Asafa Powell pictured below in the yellow is my Favorite Sprinter. This guy’s ripped and totally not overdone.. Great athletic look)

Sprinting is the #1 ingredient of a cardio program designed for muscle retention with fat loss. Remember a lean physique has muscle with low body fat.. We need that muscle. Don’t go crazy on the treadmill burning calories needed to fuel muscle growth.

Cardio is a wonderful way to get lean & show off those heardearned abs and trim waistline, but depending on your genetics it can work for you or against. I would suggest interval sprinting as the main source for fat loss while retaining muscle to acheive a lean hard body, while the elliptical is also a great tool for burning up calories. Remember, if you’re a bit thin and need that muscle, but still love the feeling of getting a little aerobics in, try walking on an incline.

Enjoy the tips and implement them into your current cardio program to get “JohnFit” with a lean, hard physique!

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