(The Olympics Always Remind Me of Michelangelo’s Statue of David.. Strong, Lean, Toned & Clean.. These Olympic Athletes Represent Some of the Most Functionally Fit Bodies in the World..)

The Olympics are well underway, almost complete I suppose, and a few new fitness realities have set in for me.. #1- Michael Phelps is a man among boys.. #2 Dana Torres is inspiringly sexy for the age 40 & over fitness crowd.. and the 40 & under fitness crowd.. ha.. #3 I need to step up my workouts intensity after watching these Grade A athletes showing off their functionally-advanced bodies.. This is really the first Olympic Games that I’ve paid close attention too.. In 2004, I was finishing up my tenure @ FSU, so I was more interested in wrapping up classes & where the next party was being held.. Now, after being involved with John Fit, and focusing on taking my body from Good to Great, I’m watching all of the competitions from Gymnastics to Synchronized Swimming..  A few words that sum up what I’m witnessing out of these athletes would be, focus, discipline, & sacrifice.. To see the emotion that comes with the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat paints the picture of years in preparation to get to this point.. I’ve applied a few lessons learned from these Olympic athletes and applied them to my workout as well as my business.. I can’t help but be inspired in all realms of life from what’s going on in Beijing.. These athletes have been totally committed for the past 4 years to perfecting their craft, and to compete in this venue I’m sure is rewarding in itself, without a Gold Medal hanging from the neck. But 8 GOLD MEDALS! We gotta talk about this guy Michael Phelps.. Did I see a dorsal fin on his back? Dana Torres! 40-years old and leaner & functionally more fit than her 22 year old teammates & competitors!?!? Wow.. My 2 highlighted “Fitness” inspiring Olympians are Michael Phelps and Dara Torres.. Let’s talk about it..

(Michael Phelps has an Extremely Fast Metabolism.. This Isn’t Always Genetic, so Learning What These Guys Do to Have that “Swimmers Body” Can Be Good to Implement into Your Workout.. Swimming Doesn’t Burn Quite the Amount of Calories of Running, but More Than Biking..)

Michael Phelps Eats 12,000 Calories a Day.. And Noted As Having Only 4% Body Fat..
The next time you hear that a low cal diet is the way to get lean, think about Michael Phelps.. 12,000 calories a day! That’s 20 Big Macs.. 5 Pizzas.. 30 of my Berry Blast Protein Shakes.. This guy is a human garbage can (One of those Big Industrial Garbage Cans at that..).. I won’t doubt that Michael has days where he doesn’t eat the 12,000, but do you think there are days when he actually eats more? The bottom line is, even if that 12,000 he quoted on NBC is exaggerated, the guys metabolism is flying at the speed of light, and he isn’t gaining fat from all the calories because of it.. He was noted as only having 4% body fat, but think that’s a stretch.. He looks more like 7-8% to me because I’ve seen 4, and it looks leaner and tighter the he is.. But none-the-less, the guy’s lean! Michael’s cardio workouts, consisting of hours in the pool, have fed this metabolism & all the calories actually keep his metabolism burning fast well.. This guy is my new template example of high energy in vs. high energy out to get lean and be functionally fit.. Low Cal diets are not the route to quality fat loss.. Increasing energy outputs with more cardio, longer cardio, & running instead of walking, are all ways to fire up your metabolism & cut out body fat..

Michael Phelps just recently began lifting weights..
Does Michael Phelps have big muscles? No.. He has lean muscle that is more attractive muscle than big muscles on big body builders.. Unless you’re extremely ectomorphic and really skinny, you probably don’t need to be pounding the weights 5 days a week.. Look at Michael Phelps and you’ll see that swimming is enough resistance to shape your muscle, without overdevelopment.. This is the same principle that says cardio is all the leg work your leg muscles need.. Squats and leg presses can overdevelop your leg muscles, the same as mindless barbell curls can overdevelop your arms and make you muscle bound.. I think swimming has a similar effect on muscle shaping as performing resistance training with workout “bands”.. Putting on tons of muscle may be your goal, and is what some skinny guys & gals need, but pounding the weights 5-6 days week can lead to a bodybuilding physique.. To get lean & look “long”, focus on cardio & minimal weight lifting..

(Dara Torres.. How Many Guys Would Like To Have a Body LIke This?? Probably More Than a Few..)

Dara Torres.. What a body!
This girl has inspired me the most.. I watched an ESPN special on her after she qualified for Beijing, and since then I’ve become a huge fan of her workout & diet.. Women’s bodies take twice the effort & discipline to shape up and “lean out” than do mens bodies.. With a lack of testosterone & natural water/fat retaining characteristics a females body takes precise clean eating & intense cardiovascular & resistance training to show off a lean attractive shape.. Plus Dara has 2 children! (I give Big Bonus Points for getting lean post Children..)For Dara to look like this @ 41 years of age, convinces me she has the lean & toned formula nailed down!

(Lean and Toned is Sexy.. Dara Reminds Me of Drago’s Wife from Rocky 4.. Tall, Lean, & Sexy.. Her Committment and Dedication to Staying Fit has Propelled Her to Glory @ The Olympic Venue.. I Noticed Many Female & Male Swimmers Looking a Little Soft and Pudgy, but Dara’s Fit Body @ Agr 41 Still “Blows the Other Girls Out of the Water”..)

Dara’s Workout Is a Great Model for Girl’s & GUYS Looking to Get Lean and Toned..
These days take more from the workout of a female that’s in great shape, than a muscle-bound male that’s on the cover of Bodybuilding Magazine spreading his Gross Looking Lats! Dara’s Body is balanced, functionally excellent, & in my opinion, the epitome of lean and toned.. Here’s What Her Workout Consists of:

A lot of Core Work on a Swiss Ball (Sufers Like Laird Hamilton Use the Swiss Ball in their workouts.. This is a Perfect Tool For Creating Balance & Harmony in Your Muscles.. The Swiss Ball is insurance against overdevelopment because if the core can’t support the weight you’re lifting, its too heavy for now..)
 

In the Weight Room She Focuses on Equipment That Works Many Muscles at Once.. (Compound Movements as Opposed to Isolating Bodybuilding Bicep Movements..)
 

Dara Lifts 4 Days Week for 1.5 Hours per session.. 2 Days Upper Body, 2 Days Lower Body! (John Fit Endorsed Split..)

She is in the Pool from 8am-10am 5 Days/Week.. 2 Hours of Cardio.. (We Don’t all have the time for this, but the rule of thumb is, she’s spending twice as much per week doing cardio, than hitting the weights.. Lean comes with Cardiovascular Strength..)

Dara Has a Resistive Stretching Routine She Does 3 Days/Week.. (I Will Be Writing Soley About the Importance of Stretching to Looking and Long and Lean.. Stretching is Very Important in Staying Limber)

Dara Says.. “I eat what I want, when I want, but I exercise so I can do that.” See an overlapping trend here with Michael Phelps.. If you are doing cardio with loyalty, then you can get away with eating a lot of food.. I doubt Dara is eating Pizza everyday, & neither is Michael.. As a matter of fact, Dara says her breakfast consists of a Protein Shake of Berries, Milk, Fruit, Protein Mix.. She also says lean protein is a huge source in her diet.. Dara Eats A LOT of healthy foods.. She doesn’t cut calories, but also doesn’t eat junk food.. I know that’s vague, but there’s no secret to looking great like she does.. She does 10-15 hours of cardio/week, and resistance trains for 5-7 hours/week.. Maybe you don’t have the time for this regimen, but look at this way, if you can just squeeze in 4 hours of cardio/week, and 1.5 hours of resistance training per week, then your body will tighten up! It may take longer to look as good as Daras, but improvement is what we’re looking for here..

We’re learning nothing new here I know, but its becoming more apparent that the faster your metabolism, then the more calories you can get away with eating.. Eating a lot of nutritious food, mixed with increased activity during your day will lead to your best lean and toned look.. Notice the lack of isolated weight training in these athletes.. They have lean and sharp muscle, but not puffy and bulkyness.. You would be surprised at how lean and thin Mike Phelps looks in person.. I’ve been really inspired from these Olympic games and will continue to refine my workout to keep my body as lean and toned as I can get it.. I like the way lean and toned looks and feels on my frame.. These 2 athletes were great models for me in reexamining my stratey in maintaining a Lean and Toned Fit Body..

What Olympian or Other “Fitness” Inspiration Have You Been Following These Days?

John Fit.. (Ran This Morning, but Passing on the Weights Tonight and Running Again..)

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(Eva Mendez is Flat-Out Gorgeous! I saw her on The Conan O’Brian Show a few nights ago, and wasn’t too impressed with her personality (She “Giggled” A Little Too Much, & Seemed A Little “Silly” For My Taste), But If There’s One Physical Attraction I Have to A Hollywood Celebrity, Here She Is! Her Clear, Exotic Skin Tone Makes Her “Look”, in My Opinion.. Look at the Way the Light Bounces Off Her.. Her.. Neck and Chest .. Good Skin Can You Make You Shine Like a Flower That’s Had the Perfect Amount of Sun! That Was Border-Line Poetic..)

Great muscles on irritated, dry, rough skin isn’t what we’re looking for! I continue to refer to the “look” that we’re going for, as the “Hollywood Look”.. This is a combination of lean & toned muscle, low body fat, clean cut grooming, & healthy glowing skin.. 50% of ”Hollywood Look” is Glowing, Healthy Looking Skin.. Even high paid Actors & Actresses become extremely vulnerable & insecure when their skin is acting up (Note Jessica Simpson & the “Hollywood Like” narrating the Proactive Solution Commericals).. Skin care is one of those aspects of a woman’s body that is taken care of day in and day out and they shine like the sun because of it.. Have you ever seen an attractive a girl without beautiful skin? Most people look cover models & comment on their perfect teeth, great bone structure, beautiful muscle tone, but all of this is overshadowed with blotchy skin.. Why do women have to be the only ones conscious about skin care? Is it a bad thing to be a man and take care of your skin?? The guy you see on the cover of the magazine has perfect skin.. Don’t overlook this maintenance step in your daily regimen.. I had the opportunity to play a small role in a film in 2002 as a Lifeguard @ the beach.. (What a great story that goes along with how I landed the part, but I won’t go into that now.. It was Classic story of being @ the right place at the right time.. BUT, being “out there” in the mix is where opportunity is created, and it paid off big time for me..) Before I showed up to the set, I was told to bring my cleanest looking skin.. Hollywood puts a premium on actors/actresses with good skin & complexion, and its something that will trump all your hard work in the gym, if you don’t take good care of it.. To me, the most attractive women in the world are Latin, Italian, Brazilian women.. I love their exotic looks and dark hair (Just my preference), but probably the most attractive aspect of these ethnicity’s is their glowing, thick, radiant skin.. I’ve seen guys with great muscle tone be plagued by sun-damaged skin, & acne camouflaugin their hard work in the gym.. Most forms of oil based skin problems, or even dry skin such as rosacea and dermatitis are typically genetic; however, you have the ability to make this better if you want to.. I would suggest you take great care of your skin & always be conscious of what’s going on with it.. To be athletically lean without good skin, is almost moot.. Let’s look at how Men & Women can take better of their skin..

No Matter Your Situation.. You Can Make Your Skin Better..
Chronic Acne can make you back & chest look as your face, so if you’re in this Cystic Stage of Acne, I would suggest you line up an appointment with a Dermatologist.. I went through a phase late in my teens where I started to get concerned about my skin, and went to the Dermatologist and got it taken care of.. I didn’t need Accutane, but I stayed disciplined to the routine I was put on.. Retina, Hydrocortozone Cream, Accutane, whatever the case, if you need a physician to control your skin, don’t wait.. Get that help sooner, than later. Scars from not handling this stuff up front is not what you’re looking for.. With that being said, I do want to point out that the Medical Industry is as much a business, as the Internet Marketing Company I run.. Your doctor needs to prescribe medicine to you whether you need it or not.. Studies today show that some medical assistance can be doing as much harm, as good, on your body.. Unless you have Cystic Acne, I think you can calm your skin down & improve it with a few good habits.. Most problems just short of Cystic Acne are actually worsened from irritation of harsh products, picking a pimple, or overuse of moisturizer.. I use Cetaphil on my face twice a day (maybe even 3 times, if needed) as this is a fragrance free & soap free cleanser.. It’s the only thing that I will put on my face besides sunscreen.. Less is more, when it comes to skin.. The goal is to keep your skin clean & restore PH balance, not “dry out” acne, or lubricate skin.. Your skin will look the best when its “clean”.. Easy on the harsh, heavy detergents, & oil-based moisturizers.. If you have sensitive skin, I would suggest Cetaphil & cool water showers.. Heat is bad for skin.. It causes swelling, broken capillaries, and irriation.. I’m not a dermatologist, but these are things I’ve learned over the years & I’m passing them to you..

Foods Have No Effect On Your Skin?? Wrong! What You Eat, Has Everything to do With Your Complexion..
If you are in the small percentage of men or women that have skin that is unaffected by ANYTHING, then good for you! Thank Mom and Dad for this blessing.. Most people struggle to keep their skin looking great & this is more for them, not you Mr. Genetic! The foods you eat have so much to do with your skin.. Imagine what a plant looks like if it doesn’t get its Water.. It loses glowing color & shrivels up.. Imagine what a Vegetable does if it doesn’t get the proper nutrients to grow.. The skin whelps up & dies from the outside in.. Your skin is a reflection of your immune system.. I’ve seen people with extremely sensitive skin get flushed & dry out from a ceiling fan blowing on them.. You can strengthen your skin by strengthening your immune system.. Loading up on Fruits & Veggies & foods high in antioxidants will make your skin look better immediately.. Foods high in sodium (Chinese Buffet Food tastes so good to me! But I notice a huge drying in my skin from all the salt in it.. Your skin wears what’s going on inside your body..) will dry your skin out & lead to redness.. What you eat is truly the way you look! Not only do the foods you eat carve out body fat and build lean muscle, but they also paint your skin’s health in the quality of foods that you eat.. The good news is this.. The more sensitive your skin is, the more responsive it will be to improvements in your diet.. Staying away from ingredients that “Stress” your body out like, Sodium, Saturated Fat, Sugar, & Spicy Foods will also keep your Skin at ease and less “active”.. That’s the key.. You want your skin to be less active.. When it gets stressed & burned from too much sunlight, hypertension, stressful foods, or wind burn, your skin becomes active & starts trying to heal damage, making it wrinkle & turn the wrong colors.. Eat fresh, low sodium, low saturated fat, low sugar foods, less spicy foods to keep your skin from ”stressing out”..

Ways To Think About What’s Going on With Your Skin..
Again, if you’re suffering from cystic acne, medication will help this process.. However, if you’re just wanting to brighten up the color of your skin, or lose the “Redness” think about these things.. Redness is typically from irritation.. You can over-moisturize leading to Redness, or dry your skin out leading to Redness.. Your skin will look best when its “Clean”.. For me, this means cool water (not even warm) & Cetaphil (No-fragrance or grainy stuff that scratches my skin.. You want to clean your face without stressing it out in the process..) If you have Oily Skin, eliminate greasy oily foods.. If you have dry skin, amp up the water and fats.. Your skin tells the story.. Its just reacting to what you’re doing to it.. The worst thing you could do to your skin is pick and scratch it.. I’m not a fan of abrasive exfoliates, or squeezing pimples.. Leave your skin alone.. Just keep it clean!

(Jonathon Ryhs Myers & Jerod Leto are two guys in Hollywood that Get Their Fair Share of “Double-Takes” from the Ladies & High Paying Roles.. I wanted to post these pics up because notice how they have very Fair-Toned, Irish Skin.. They aren’t tanned, but don’t need to be because their skin is clear & clean.. Too many Guys & Gals Bask in the Sun Looking for A Tan when Their Genetic Skin just Burns & Looks Worse.. You Can’t make Fair Skin, Tan (Naturally).. Stay Out of the Sun! Focus on Clear, Clean Skin & Let the Nutrients from the Quality Food You Eat & Water You Drink, Bring Out Your Best-Looking Skin Tone)

Eating “Good Fats” are Very Important Pieces to Good Skin Care..
My skin went from good to great as soon as I started eating the Avocados everyday.. Water is by the far the best thing in the world for hydrating your skin & nothing can trump its benefits.. Every living organism needs water, right.. Your skin is alive.. Without gallons of water, it won’t look its best.. However, Foods such as lean meats, nuts, avocados, & fish oils are GREAT for your skin.. They supply hydration & suppressive therapies to free radical damage (The type of damage that makes your skin look worse than it really is..) I’ve always said the most important thing that is left out of a “Muscle Building” program is Good Fats.. Notice how my last post “The Paleolithic Diet” is loaded with Good Fats.. Some muscle building diets & the FDA call for 30% of your calories to come from good fats.. If you “amp-up” your Good Fats, you’ll notice the brightness & glow come back to your skin even before the improvements in your muscles! Very few Americans are eating enough Good Fats, but its imperative for Clear Skin with a Healthy Color..

John Fit’s Tips for Hollywood Skin..

• If you have Cystic Acne, See a Dermatologist.. Don’t Wait.. Get this Under Control.. You Want Healthy, Attractive Skin..
• Drink Water, Drink Water, Drink Water.. Then.. Take a Sip of Water.. Flood your body with Water.. This will “lean up” your body and flush your skin with Hydration!
• Stop picking, squeezing, or using products that scratch your skin.. Don’t Stress Out Your Skin.. Don’t even touch your skin..
• Avoid Foods that are Spicy, High in Sodium, High Sugar, High in Saturated Fats..
• Quit Smoking, Today.. Nothing Good comes from the “Cancer Sticks”.. Especially, Attractive Skin
• Wear Sunscreen! No-Brainer.. Melanoma & Melasma are not Attractive..
• Keep Your Face Clean.. The only thing I put on my face is Sunscreen & that’s only when I’m outside.. I think most women wear too much makeup.. The most attractive women I’ve ever seen are the most beautiful without the Clown Face..
• Don’t Use Products that Have Too Much Fragrance.. This is like eating foods with additives & preservatives.. Part of keeping your face Clean is keeping all the “Smelly-Stuff” off..
• Raise Your “Good Fats”.. Your Skin Will Improve Dramatically When Feed it A little Good Fat.. I keep my “Good Fats to No-Less than 20% & Raise it to 33% when I’m putting on Muscle..
• Exercise & Do Cardio.. I won’t ever run to complete Exhaustion, but Cardio does circulate blood and will aid in Free Radical Damage..
• Take Another Sip of Water..

I don’t claim to be a Dermatologist, but I’ve always been very conscious of taking care of myself.. Having good looking skin is a vital sign of Health.. Heart rate goes up, skin shows it.. You get upset or stressed, skin reflects it.. You eat well (Free of Sodium, Simple Sugar, Processed Carbs, & Saturated Fats), drink water, & exercise to get the blood flowing your skin is bright, tight, & healthy.. Remember, your skin is your presentation of your health.. Low body fat & all the muscles in the world doesn’t look as impressive, as that package with gorgeous skin.. We’ve never seen a model without beautiful skin, so work on yours to be more attractive & healthy.. Clean up the habits and be conscious as to what your putting in your body because your wearing those habits on your skin..

John Fit.. (Putting the Whole “Fit” Puzzle Together for a Better You..)

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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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