Just to hold all you guys and girls over for another couple of days till I re-work the theme of this site, I’ve posted a couple pictures for you to look at and get motivated.

For the Guys!

For the Ladies

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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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Skinny- Very little muscle mass, skin is laying on bone, neck tends to be thin like a Chicken (Also known as “Chicken Neck, or Pencil Neck”). This type of body typically has a weak immune system, and is suseptible to illness. This body isn’t necessarily low in bodyfat but is very weak in muscle and thin-boned.. Screech Powers and “The Skinny Pirate” From Pirates of the Carribean are prototypical Skinny Pencil Necks.. (I think I remember Zak actually calling screech a pencil neck..)

Lean- Low in bodyfat, but high in muscle mass. Very strong immune system and body operates like a machine. This body takes many calories to operate at optimum level, BUT only eats the right kind of calories. This body rejects junk food and will not function on sugar, and saturated fat. A Lean Body is strong and Hard from the Density of the Muscle. Nutrient flows through this body and absorb well into the vital organs. This body is looked at twice on the beach. Lean is good!

What Do I Eat to Go From Scrawny to Brawny?
This is a question that JohnFit was faced with years ago! I was scrawny skinny and need to add some lean muscle weight. Calorie cosumption is the key. If you’re not eating your bodies not growing. If your genetics garner a skinny makeup, then you must start eating. You need to eat lots of protein! Fish, chicken, even a little red meat isn’t a bad thing. Turkey, and Tuna are Your New Best Friends. Carbs are also important! Your body needs carbs. Fill up on brown rice, sweet potatoes and Oatmeal. All of this low carb to get in shape is only nonsense for you. You need Carbohydrates to fuel your soon-to-be muscular frame. The Key is Sugarless Carbs. There’s very little sugar in Old Fashioned Oats, wheat bread, and brown rice. Eat up these good filling carbs! Fats.. Your body needs fats.. Good Fats such as; Olive oil, Fish Oils found in Salmon, Nuts (Specifically Almonds are my favorite) are to represent about 25% of your diet. Again, the key here is Fat without Saturation, but a little Red Meat will Do Your Body Well.. Bottom line: Feed your body with alot of calories.. You need the nutrients..

How Do I Need To Work Out To Go From Scrawny to Brawny?
You need to add muscle, so the key is to get stronger. Lift Heavy Weights! I believe there is a relative positive correlation between muscle size and strength. You should be lifting around 4 Sets of 3-7 Reps to build density in Your Muscles. I would stick to this low volume, heavy weight for at least the 6 straight weeks.

How Often Should I lift?
The reason why you’re so skinny is because you probably have a high metabolism. So, stay away from the cardio, and lift 4-5 days a week. I prefer lifting one muscle per workout if you’re trying to add muscle. Alot of fitness enthusiasts disagree with me, but the most important thing you need to focus on is tearing down that muscle, eating, and resting. Overtraining is much more common than you think. Your skinny body needs to relax while absorbing nutrients to feed your new found lean muscle. Blast each muscle with about 12 sets in a rep scheme of 3-7.. Again.. You need Muscle first, to be lean.. Eat, Eat, Eat.. Then Eat again.. Quality calories as much as you stomach.. Shoot for gaining around 1-3 pounds a week.

What Type of Exercises Should I Do?
Focus on Compound Movements.. Squats, barbell presses, deadlifts, barbell curls, skull crushers.. Stay off the machines and pick up the Free Weights.. You need to tear down the “Fast Twitch” Muscle fibers in your body and compound movements are the way to do that.. I will posting an article later on the difference in each type of muscle fiber in your body.. For now, hit those compound movements explained above with heavy weights to stretch out those muscles for growth!

A typical skinny body with high metabolism will add about 70% muscle for every 1lb. of weight gained, if you’re lifting weight and eating clean calories. This Takes Descipline to not stuff yourself of sugar, but focus on Food Consumption here and building that dense foundation of muscle with heavy weights to see results. Remember we need muscle first, before we can achieve a lean physique.

When this program is used with discipline, here’s the transition you’ll see.. Anythony Ellis is the Template Example of Acheiving the lean results from a Scrawny to Brawny Program.

30 Lbs of Natural Muscle Gained and actually lowered his body fat… In only 12 weeks!! That’s good Work.. You can Do it as well.. Just Takes Discipline & the right program!!

John Fit..

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