(Getting in Shape Can Do Wonders For the Attractiveness of Your Face.. Larry Scott is the Cover Guy for Aqua Di Gio Cologne.. Larry Obviously Has Great Genetics, but Without Low Body Fat Levels from Exercsie & a Healthy Lifestyle, His “Look” Takes a Backseat to Less-Than-Perfect Features.. EVERYONE Has the Ability to Improve Their Appearance with Lean and Healthy Fitness..)

There are so many great things that happen when you get in shape & drop body fat levels.. First of all, reducing the risk of illness is something that has become the most important to me.. Getting lean, and looking toned used to be the biggest advantage for me to getting in shape, but its now “riding shotgun” to the health of my “ticker” (Ticker=Heart.. I’m fresh out of the gates, riding the Pun’s & Metaphors hard.. ) The most common theme on my site is creating a better “look” to give you more confidence, but this is never to be overshadowed by the inner-cleansing from exercise and wellness.. Scary concepts like, high blood pressure, heat attacks, & diabetes are common topics of conversation around my family dinner table, so believe me when I say, turning and burning miles on the treadmill & eating clean, natural foods is to keep me from falling victim to illnesses wrath! HOWEVER, since we’re doing all this work to detoxify our bodies & keep our heart beating like a new drum, you’ll be glad to know that your “look” is also improving.. In this post, I’m not talking specifically about your abs, or your chiseled arms, but specifically about your face.. Your face will improve dramatically by cutting body fat and getting in shape.. Everything from the sharpness in your eyes, to the overall shape of your face will improve with lower levels of body fat, tipping the scales on your attractiveness!

Attractive Eyes Hide Behind Body Fat & Unhealthy Habits..
When I’m having a conversation with anyone, I spend most of my time looking into their eyes.. The eyes can tell so much about your health.. An unhealthy, non-lean body often shows off, bloodshot or red eyes, accumulated bags under the eyes, &/or tired looking, sagging of the eyes.. These are all signs of a body & immune system that isn’t operate at its highest quality. There is no cream that can take care of this. A cream may temporarily mask this, but your best prescription for more attractive eyes, is ample internal hydration from drinking water, sunblock, & a natural, organic, lean muscle diet.. The eyes really can present so much about someones health.. Not sleeping well? Your eyes will show it sag and look tired.. Been drinking too much?? Your eyes will look dehydrated and bloodshot.. Eating too much saturated fat? The swelling and bags under your eyes from internal inflammation will reflect it.. Attractive, lean, healthy bodies typically have crystal clear pupils & tight, moisture-rich skin surrounding their eyes that come from hydration within the body, not lotions slapped on top of the skin .. Just how body fat makes your body sag, it has the same negative affect on your eyes.. Body fat overtime will create a sagging, lazy, droopy-the-hound dog look to your eyes that gets worse over time.. Food allergies and histamines may be keeping your eyes from looking fresh as well, and I will be posting on that later.. Many people have un-realized food allergies that they continue eating keeping them bloated & swollen looking from triggered inflammatory responses inside the body. We’ll dig into more of that detail later.. I’ve noticed that people who lose body fat and have nice lean attractive bodies, also have the most attractive eyes.. Make sense??

Your Face Shape Will Improve When you Start Cutting Body Fat..
“Beauty is in the bones”.. I heard a Dr. say that once on TV and it really is true.. Genetic bone structure determines your “frame” which is the foundation for your look, especially for your face.. I’ve seen skinny facial bone structures that look better with added LEAN mass making their face look fuller, and I’ve seen naturally round faces that look best as dry and thin as they can get it.. Remember, we want LEAN, not skinny.. Skinny sags your body and your face.. This is the effect of a Low Carb Diet (Remember the Katie Holmes Crash Low-Carb, only Lettuce & Grapefuit Eating Diet.. She’s since improved her look by probably adding more nutrients to you her diet, but that was a pretty “gaunty” & scary, skinny face..) Thin or Wide Facial Frame is all pre-determined by your genetics, but neither scenario looks best with added body fat.. Getting lean and dropping body fat with give you a tighter, stronger jaw line, that creates more shape & defined sharpness to your face that is more of an attractive look.. Also when you lose body fat, expect a bigger, brighter smile that isn’t overshadowed by puffy cheeks.. When you first lose body fat, its common for the muscles in your face & free radicals in your skin to go through a period of adjustment and re-contouring that will improve & looks better and better with time.. This is common among people who lose a lot of body fat quickly.. It’s almost as if their body suit, the skin and muscle, are a bit lagging with your new found work ethic and discipline.. Your skin will tighten & suction to the leanness in your face over time, so don’t quit working hard or eating clean because your look isn’t quite great yet.. The longer you stay lean, the more toned and balanced your chiseled face will look..

(Tom Cruise has one of the most prominent faces in Hollywood.. I’d guess he was around 10-12% Body Fat in the Pic on the Left, & around 15-17% on the Right.. Look How his Grin on the left is more attractive than his Smile on the Right.. The Smile’s Supposed to Be Better! But, Not When Puffy, Fat Cheeks are in the Way.. Also, where’d the Jawline go on the right & who invited the Extra Chin? His Square-Jaw is one of his best features, but when Body Fat Invades, You can see how it even interrupts your Smile.. Top Gun wouldn’t cast that guy on the right huh.. Tom’s $20 Million Dollar Actor When He’s Lean)

What Body Fat Level Do I Have to Reach To See A Big Improvement??
Glad you asked! Anytime you’re losing body fat, your face is improving as well.. But hence the term, body fat.. Not just weight loss.. Your focus needs to be losing only body fat & maintaining lean muscle weight.. Losing weight could mean burning muscle as well, which could lead to lack of tone in your face.. Going from 15% to 10% body fat is where the most noticeable difference in your facial appearance comes in for men.. For women, going from 25% body fat to 15-17% is the leap that makes others say, “Wow! You look amazing!” When you get that response, they’re not talking to your new abs covered underneath your shirt (although you can’t wait for them to see that too!), they’re responding to the difference in the shape of your face.. I can look at persons a face and accurately predict what their stomach looks like.. Everything from the shape of your face and how tight & toned your jawline is, to the clarity of your skin & eyes, tells the story of what’s going on inside your body.. Ridding fat off your body & keeping it off, will insure a more attractive look for your physique AND for your face..

Quick Tips to Keep Your Face Lean & Sexy..

• Never Cut Cardio out of Your Regimen.. Muscle is Great, but at the sacrafice of Body Fat, its not worth it.. Be patient with Putting on Muscle to Stay Toned & Keep Your Face From Showing the Effects of Bulking..
• Avoid High Saturated Fats- Saturated Fat Like Fried Food Create Inflammation in Your Body.. Good Fats Like Avocado Aid in Eliminating & Calming inflammation, which Keeps “Puffiness” Down in Your Facial Cheeks & under your eyes..
• I Personally Avoid Dairy- If you think you may have a food allergy, start with eliminating Dairy.. Its one of the Most Common Food Groups that Cause Swelling from Histamine Reactions inside Your Body..
• Eat High Levels of Fruits and Veggies- Not Only do Fruits and Veggies have high levels of fiber that keep fat off & metabolism burning, but they also contain nutrients to keep your skin bright & organs flushed of toxins..
• Drink Water- Water is the best hydration for your body.. Diet Coke is not.. Drink Water to Flush Toxins, & don’t worry about Water Retention.. If sodium Levels are in check, you won’t get “Puffy” from Water Renention, but Only Look Brighter & Hydrated From the DeTox that Only Water Can Provide..

John Fit.. (Whever you are in the World, I Hope You Are Well!)

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(Steve Reeves in Hercules was Lean, Strong, Not Overdone, & Natural.. This 1950’s California Kid is the One Fitness Model Pioneer I’ve Always Admired & Patterned My Strategies After.. I Don’t See Reeves as a “Bodybuilder” because His Size & Look Is More Similar to Today’s Fitness Models. Steve Was More of an Aesthetically Balanced Trainer that Didn’t Want to Ruin His Hollywood Looks with Grossly, Overgrown Muscle Mass.. Steve is a true legend of “Get Lean” Fitness..)

While everyone was obsessing over Arnold Schwarzenegger’s gigantic muscles, I was busy studying 1950’s Steve Reeves workout & diet strategies.. I always felt Arnold’s huge arms, and mammoth chest were the by-product of superb genetics and steroids, so mimicking Arnold’s workout would burn me out more than build a 54″ chest.. Steve Reeves was a pure & natural, blue collar guy in the weight room that just outworked everyone, & I really respect that.. He didn’t have the genetics, or steroid support, Arnold had, and was never focused on King Kong mass like bodybuilders of today.. Steve Reeves was a California Kid that valued aesthetics, & clean, good looking muscle that looked as great at the beach, as they did on the Fitness Stage.. He was big, but not too big or overdone, & looks more like a fitness model than a conventional bodybuilder.. He took the “Strongman” mold from the early 20th century, & pioneered those techniques into Muscle-Shaping regimes to create a well balanced strong, & attractive body.. He was always well-groomed, and represented a bodybuilding style that I see as acceptable and a regime worth looking into.. When I’m faced with adversity in any niche of my life, I always go back to the fundamentals & “basics” to clear confusion & redefine purpose.. Too many people look for the “quickest & easiest shortcut” to get results when approached by difficulty, but I think the fundamentals never change & have to be resorted too.. Steve Reeves represents the foundation of natural clean, lean muscle shaping, so his plan is the fundamental for me if I’ve ever in a “funk” in a need of a shock of lean muscle growth.. (Arnold used high octane steroids to create his look, so its hard to decipher what his real, clean aesthetic really is.. Because of this, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s regime has never inspired me.. His results are blind to my mind because of the abusive, steroid use.. The thing I do like most about Arnold though would have to be his personality.. I think muscles got his foot in the Hollywood door, BUT his cocky/arrogant confidence is what made him great.. He really was a pretty funny & intelligent guy with a well-devised plan to become a Hollywood Star..) Let’s look into what Steve Reeves valued to make his body one of the most Legendary Fit and Attractive Bodies of all time..

Steve Reeves Only Lifted Weights 3 Days/Week.
You see many bodybuilding splits today that promote working lifting 5-6 days per week, but to build classic, hard muscle that natural way, you only need 3 days per week of training.. This is great news for those on a busy schedule.. I’ve noted in many previous posts, that fitness enthusiasts encourage excessive weight lifting for building muscle, but this leads to over-training way too easily.. Lifting weights is extremely taxing on your nervous system & muscle fibers, so less is actually more if lean, hard muscle is the goal.. Steve’s workouts were also full of compound movements promoting strength gains & testosterone production.. This should be the focus of 75% of your workout.. Squats, Deadlifts, Barbell Presses, Pull Ups, & Barbell Curls are all powerful exercises that will add hard, dense muscle to your frame leading to “Leanness”.. No matter your body type, these are the best exercises for Gaining Lean Muscle.. This is a strength-focused workout that has to be endured to build a classic lean physique..

Steve Reeves Split His Calories Into: 60% Carbs, 20% Protein, & 20% Fats
Put a Low-Carb diet in front of Steve Reeves & I doubt you’re gonna sell him on it.. I think strategic cycling of carbs, can be effective for a short period of time, but the best way to get lean is Old Fashioned Hard Work.. Steve worked out with intensity & performed cardio to stay lean, while letting clean calories hold on to his hard-earned lean muscle.. Even though he ate a lot of carbs, Steve didn’t consume useless calories leading to fat gain.. He kept his meals to 3 per day, with a few protein shakes in between.. There’s no rocket science to the way Steve Reeves ate.. He put healthy, natural foods in his body, and completely avoided white flour & white sugar.. Steves favorite healthy energy booster and carbohydrate was Oatmeal with fruit & almonds in it (My favorite too!) Also, note his lack of importance for Protein.. Conventional bodybuilding diets request you eat 50-60% of your calories from protein. Protein is a bit overrated, & shouldn’t be the focal point of your diet.. Clean Carbs will keep your metabolism ramped up, keeping fat off your body and your lean muscles full of needed glycogen for a toned appearance. Clean Carbs are the most important piece of your diet that won’t make you fat, if you’re eating the right kind.

(This is a Great Picture of Steve Reeves on the left.. He looks pretty big there, but I think this was the peak of his size, which still isn’t grossly overgrown & was always lean.. What I like most about this pic is his style.. Even though this picture was taken in the late 1950’s, it could easily pass for a 21st Century “Look”.. He was Definitely a Trend-Setter & Presented a Polished Look that Won-Over Hollywood.. The pic on the right shows a more recent view of Steve Reeves focusing on the cardio with competitive biking.. He’s slimmed up alot as he aged and always kept cardio in his regimen to keep body fat levels low & his “ticker” healthy..)

Steve didn’t perform High-Intensity Cardio.. He Power Walked.. Great Technique for Holding on to Lean Muscle, While Cutting Unwanted Body Fat..

This is interesting but makes sense if you’re lacking muscle.. When trying to add lean muscle to your body, excessive cardio can interfere with needed development.. Aerobics is a great way to get “cut” and tone your body, but if you abuse it, muscle will be burned in the workout slowing “Get Lean” Progress.. Remember our ultimate goal is to be lean & toned, but neither can happen if you don’t have that foundation of muscle.. Steve Reeves felt power walking wasn’t intense enough to where his thinking was blurred by flooding/rushing blood to his brain from exhaustive cardio (Steve approached cardio as an opportunity to fuel his well-being, almost as a form of active meditation.. This can’t be executed if you’re exhausted from overly-intense cardio, performed in HR ranges higher than the “Fat Burning” Zone..) Steve’s power-walking wasn’t zapping calories by the second, but it was performed for long enough that a high number of FAT ONLY calories would be burned.. Its important to never eliminate cardio from your regimen, but regulating the intensity & duration has a dramatic impact on your shape.. If retaining, or building, muscle is in your “Get Lean” plan, consider Power walking, or Walking on an incline to burn FAT ONLY calories.. I use this method when I’m trying to add a little muscle to my frame, or feel too much muscle is being burned from excessive intensity on the treadmill..

Below is a list of Steve’s Suggested Body Weight with Heights to Own a Classic Physique, the Natural Way.. (I’ll add that this list suggests an appropriate weight with no more than 10% of body fat)

Here is the height-to-weight chart for building a classic physique: (This chart represents a Meso/Endomorph Body Type; the Same Body Type Reeves Was.. If you are a Ecto/Meso or Pure Ecto (Thinner Bone Structure than Steve Reeves), I would subtract 10-15 pounds to keep your thinner frame from shooting for a Weight that Will Make you Look Bulky)

5′5″ – 160 lbs.
5′6″ – 165 lbs.
5′7″ – 170 lbs.
5′8″ – 175 lbs.
5′9″ – 180 lbs.
5′10″ – 185 lbs.
5′11″ – 190 lbs.
6′0″ – 200 lbs.
6′1″ – 210 lbs.
6′2″ – 220 lbs.
6′3″ – 230 lbs.
6′4″ – 240 lbs.
6′5″ – 250 lbs.

I really respect and admire Steve Reeves.. He was a highly confident, successful guy fueled by sweat equity & hard work.. I’ll end this post with a few great quotes by Steve..

“Today, everything about the top bodybuilding champions is oversized; they have lost the whole purpose of bodybuilding which is to create a harmonious whole, not to exaggerate the development of one part or parts, of the body… If a man’s arms appear bigger than his head, his body is thrown out of proportion.”

“Today’s bodybuilders are carrying too much muscle for their frames, which distorts and obscures the natural lines of the body. Why these men would aspire to deform themselves at such tremendous sacrifice is incomprehensible. This has been indulged in to such an extreme that I’m thinking of sanctioning a special Steve Reeves Trophy to be presented at shows to the man whom I think has the most classical proportionate, tastefully developed physique. The man who doesn’t actually win the contest might win my trophy, which in the long run might be more prestigious.”

“I don’t believe in bodybuilders using steroids. If a man doesn’t have enough male hormones in his system to create, a nice hard, muscular body, he should take up ping pong.”
My Favorite Quote! (I Agree with Him Here..)

“I’m often asked how I would compare myself with Arnold Schwarzenegger. I think Arnold Schwarzenegger is in great shape. But if there were two buttons, and I could push one button and look like Steve Reeves did in Hercules, and push another button and look like Arnold Schwarzenegger did in Conan, I’d push the Steve Reeves button..

John Fit.. (Still Working Hard in the Gym.. I hope you are too!)

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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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(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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(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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(Top Clothing Manufacturers Like Calvin Klein Want Their Models To Have Low Body Fat With ONLY Athletic Muscle..)

I’m constantly throwing out “How To’s” on getting in shape with your diet & the “ins & outs” of great workout routines, but none of this matters if you aren’t willing to be discipline and show signs of commitment.. I want to take some time in this post to talk about goal setting for your new physique and get you a little pumped up to keep up your hard work.. I’ll be honest.. I’ve been on such a roll lately with my personal progress.. I noticed my bodyfat creeping up a bit and my body feeling a tad bit sluggish about a month ago.. But since I’ve started this blog, it’s been the best thing in the world for my personal fit strategy.. Writing for you guys on my ideas of getting that great lean beach body is something that I really love doing, but I’ve also become quite the reader of my own work and its flipped my focus into overdrive.. Staying motivated is something that doesn’t come to tough to me.. As I’ve mentioned in past articles, I’m a bit of an OCD personality, so when I want something I become pretty obsessed with getting it (Not dangerously obsessed, but it’s a healthy quality, I would like think).. I want to address here how I set my goals and create an obsession with taking care of my body, and the rewards that come with a great feeling/looking body..

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(Again.. Eye Candy For the Ladies.. But Motivation For The Guys! Nick Auger’s Really Lean, Balanced & Symmetrical, & Has a Great Beach Shape with Low Bodyfat..Attainable for Anyone w/ the Right Plan & Patience)

When I was in college, I went through the bodybuilding phase of trying to put on as much size as possible, seeing if I could grow my arms bigger than my head (tough task but I tried).. Attending Florida State University without a nice body wasn’t an option for me.. I mean, when you’re surrounded by 20,000 tan, beautiful, Florida women everyday, there’s a premium put on guys with ripped stomachs, and “stud-like” bodies.. Even though I have different goals now than “beefy muscles”, I’m glad I layed that foundation of muscle because my body will always have that density I talk so much about. Now, I can just focus on staying lean and being as organic as possible to create longevity in my health.. One of the Best Tools I use now to stay lean, by maintaining muscle even on a busy schedule, is an Upper/Lower Body Split Training Regimen. This plan breaks down enough fibrous tissue to stimulate lean muscle & symmetry on a time budget, but doesn’t carry the intensity of a bodybuilding split inducing over-training, &/or over-development of any one muscle.

Bodybuilding Routines/Splits Lead to Unbalanced Physiques..
Have you ever seen someone with huge arms, but no chest? Or oversized shoulders that hunch forward because of the lack of back support? I see this more times than not in the gym. This is from NOT giving certain areas the quality of workout that you’re giving other areas, and the result is a sloppy looking physique. Your lifting routine should bring out the harmonious development of all muscles at the same time creating balance & symmetry in your physique. I would personally rather have all little muscles, than one big and one small, which is bad on your posture & looks worse. The upper/lower body split keeps you from undertraining or overtraining any one body part, resulting in a balanced physique. A bodybuilding routine often calls for 15+ sets of chest on Monday.. I say, let’s spread all those sets out.. Do 6-8 sets on Monday, then 6-8 sets again Friday.. Approach your workout like your diet.. Is it more beneficial to fill up on one meal, or spread the meals out during the course of the day?? Same principle. “Graze” in the weight room to keep your muscles tight & harmoniously flowing through the workout week.. This will keep lean tissue forming, but won’t be enough stress on the muscle to induce overtraining or overdevelopment.

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