The TRUTH About Exercise and Metabolism (Hard Science)

Strength training, exercising, conditioning, boot camps, working out, Richard Simmons videos (wait, what?!)...

You hear about it all the time these days.  I talk about it during our training sessions, during the “Maximize Your Metabolism” classes, with my online-Meatheads coaching clients, and pretty much to anyone else who will listen.

Seriously, you can't get anymore "Forrest Gump at a bus stop" than me when it comes to training.  Truth is, though, that I'm passionate about it and want to give people a ton of fitness information that'll help them get leaner, get healthier, and finally feel good.

And that's why I want to tell you about exercise:

It's great for your Metabolism.  It's awesome for your physique.  It's crucial for your health.

BUT….

What's the real science behind it?  Does it really help?  How does it help?
The easy answer is right here from my buddy and RD, Jayson Hunter:

Strength Training and Metabolism

So now you understand WHY it's good for you, but HOW should you exercise to REALLY jack up your metabolism? Well, Elliott Hulse (remember him from a few posts back how he explained Lean Hybrid Muscle Training?) is hooking you up with an exact design of his workouts at his gym, Strength Camp, in St. Pete, Florida!

Get Your Done-For-You Hybrid Workouts Here

Leave a comment below and I'll send you a copy of Elliott's E-Book "Building the Warrior Physique"! Train hard to rev your metabolism!

Tony

Passion is the Name of the Game

by. Aaron Anderson, Traininsanebc.blogspot.com

You got it. Passion is the name of the game and is the variable that will take you to the promise land. So many people never get what they want out of life for two simple reasons:

1. They have no clue what they actually want

2. They lack passion.

Life is about taking chances, doing what you love, and loving what you do. Life is too short to live the same day twice. I don’t care what you are trying to accomplish in life; if it isn’t fueled with passion, you might be missing the boat every time. Take strides each and every day to be 1% better than you were the previous day. Start living your dream. Because if YOU don’t chase your dream, then who will?

Why wait till tomorrow? The time is now!

"I'm going to lose 50lbs.... starting right... uh, tomorrow!"

I am going to be straight up with you... it takes an extraordinary amount of courage to live out your dream, but I can promise you this:

If you have a huge amount of passion, you will find a way to make it happen.

Choose what activities you want to experience while living. These are your dreams; prioritize them into goals and begin living them out every day. If you do that, you will wake up each and every morning with tremendous joy. Every day, take one task that scares you, and tackle it! Find activities that you are passionate about and go after them with a 'laser-like' focus! Don’t live someone else’s life. Live the life YOU have always dreamed of! Life is not a spectator sport, so start participating, and be an ALL-STAR!!

Aaron is the co-owner of the highly successful Train Insane Boot Camp in Anaheim, Ca. You can follow what Aaron and his crew are doing at their blog, TrainInsaneBC.blogspot.com

Fighting Hormones with Hormones

by John Romaniello

RomanFitnessSystems.com;

FinalPhaseFatLoss.com

As you’ve may have heard me say before (and if you haven’t, you’re going to hear it now!), when you are breaking through a fat loss plateau or trying to get to the Final Phase of leanness, things get a bit murkier than they do with traditional fat loss.

Rather than dieting excessively in order to create a calorie deficit, we are now looking to enter into energy debt...and we do this with intelligently designed training protocols. That’s because keeping energy intake high ensures that Leptin levels don’t drop and throw another hormonal monkey wrench into the machinery.

You see, when you’re getting very lean or you’ve hit a plateau, fat loss is not just about calories in vs. calories out. It’s about your hormonal environment and the way that affects fat storage, and thereby fat loss.

When you’ve lost the first 20 or 30 or whatever pounds, you’ve lost the "easy" fat. What you’ll notice about your body is that you’re now holding fat specifically in your trouble areas; and those trouble areas are determined by your specific hormonal environment.

It’s not just about energy debt or cardio or to a lesser extent, diet (although all of those things do factor in quite a bit, obviously). When your fat loss has stalled and you’re trying to break through that wall, or when you’re trying to rid yourself of those last stubborn 5-10 pounds, it’s a hormonal battle.

And there is only one way to win: fight hormones with hormones.

So, let’s look at the three specific hormones that cause the most common types of regional fat storage.

1. Estrogen - The female sex hormone responsible for lower body fat storage patterns.

2. Insulin - Or rather, insulin resistance. This nasty little dude heavily influences fat storage in the love handles and lower back area.

3. Cortisol - The appropriately dubbed "stress hormone" is part of the reason you’ve got more flab than ab.

There you have it...those are your enemies!

Now, I want to talk to you about how you can actually increase the production of other hormones through the manipulation of training methods in order to offset the above mentioned "bad" hormones.

In this corner...

Estrogen vs. Testosterone

Now that we’ve established estrogen is the main reason lower body fat storage occurs, we need to know how to work around that.

Well, how else would you combat estrogen but with testosterone?

To put it bluntly, when it comes to fat loss and muscle gain...

Testosterone GOOD - Estrogen BAD

It’s for that reason that professional athletes, bodybuilders, and the juicers down at the Jersey Shore use illicit steroids that are derivatives of testosterone.

Of course, that’s not an option for us - and certainly not desirable.

Instead, we are going to increase testosterone levels naturally; through training. Not only will this increase the net fat-burning effect of all exercises, but more appropriate to our purposes here, it will also facilitate in getting rid of lower body fat.

I should mention something here to alleviate any concerns. It is NOT possible to produce a detrimental amount of testosterone through training. So ladies, you don’t have to worry about any masculinizing effects.

Instead, training produces what we would term a "high" amount of testosterone from a physiological perspective, relative to what your body normally produces. For the guys, this means that such training will help you put on a bit more muscle - just not steroid muscle.

Got it? Okay, moving on.

At this point, I know you’re thinking, "All right Roman, get to the point, what do I do?"

Great question! Well, the answer is Density Training.

Training in a way that seeks to increase training density is one of the best ways to spur your body to produce and release more testosterone, which will (obviously) help you lose that estrogen related fat storage.

Training density can be defined as the amount of work you do in a given amount of time during a training session. So, if you want to increase density, you can...

(1) Do more work (sets, reps, or both) in the same amount of time

OR

(2) Do the same amount of work and decrease the time in which you do it

However, I’ve come up with a method of Density Training that is specific to radical fat loss! This means that not only will you produce the testosterone necessary to mitigate your regional fat issue, but you’ll also lose more fat on the whole.

Pretty cool, eh? So here is how we do it...

As an example, let’s pick 3 exercises: the overhead press, the dumbbell row, and the squat.

Setting these up in a circuit fashion, you perform them one after another with little rest in between.

Sounds like just about any circuit training protocol, right?

WRONG!

Instead of having a set number of reps, we’re going to be performing each of these exercises for TIME - you simply have to do as many as you can in a given time period.

To make it easy, let’s say you did each of the above exercises for 30 seconds. In performing such a circuit, your results might look like this:

Overhead Press - 25 pound dumbbells for 20 reps

DB Row - 40 pound dumbbells for 18 reps

Squat - 100 pound barbell for 22 reps

Not too shabby. Now, HERE is where it gets crazy.

We’re going to take advantage of some cool things that happen in the body; triggers that will make you more efficient and more capable.

So, to do that, we’re going to INCREASE the weight by 10-20% and try to do MORE reps.

Does that seem impossible? It isn’t.

Due to neuromuscular junction and neural activation, in almost ALL cases, you’ll be able to do just that.

Your second attempt at that circuit might look like this:

Overhead Press - 30 pound dumbbells for 23 reps

DB Row - 50 pound dumbbells for 20 reps

Squat - 120 pound barbell for 25 reps

Now, I know you’re having trouble believing that outcome is even possible (much less common), but I implore you, try it for yourself!

Density Training is fun, challenge-based, burns a heck of a lot of fat, and most importantly, is one of the best training modalities around for increasing testosterone production and release. And that’s why training for increased workout density will help you shed stubborn lower body fat AND more fat on the whole.

Insulin Resistance vs. IGF-1

Insulin resistance is combated very nicely by a hormone called IGF-1, or Insulin-like Growth Factor One.

Producing extra IGF-1 via training will help you (and me!) improve insulin sensitivity and begin to rid ourselves of our love handles and lower back fat.

We know that insulin resistance is very common, particular in people who were previously overweight. So, if you have lost some fat and you’re now struggling to lose a bit more (and that fat happens to be in your love handles), I’m willing to bet you’re suffering from some degree of insulin resistance.

In order to get rid of that fat, we need to do fat burning workouts (obviously) and increase insulin sensitivity to the greatest degree that we can. As a result, we need to employ what I call Dynamic Training.

Dynamic Training is pretty much the over-arching concept of how I design fat loss training programs; it consists of using fast-paced movements to teach the body how to move more efficiently.

Because this style of training is extremely expensive in terms of energy (calorie) demand, Dynamic Training is excellent as a general fat loss modality.

Perhaps more importantly however, is the fact that utilizing these types of exercises and setting them up in a non-competing circuit fashion under the Dynamic Training umbrella is an incredible way to produce IGF-1. And doing that is one of the most effective methods to mitigate insulin sensitivity.

Take it from someone who knows!

Nothing is better for combating love handle fat than increasing insulin sensitivity - and like I said, one of the most effective ways to do that is to produce more IGF-1 through Dynamic Training.

Cortisol vs. Growth Hormone

And now we come to our final bout of the evening--the main event, as it were.

We have touched on cortisol a bit, so I won’t rehash that too much. Suffice it to say that the higher your cortisol levels are, the more fat you’re going to be storing on your belly. Given that fact, it stands to reason that if you store fat primarily in the abdominal region, you’re a victim of high cortisol.

Never fear, though: Growth Hormone is here!

Also known as the "Fountain of Youth", growth hormone is the single most effective compound your body can produce to affect both fat loss and muscle gain. The more of it you produce, the faster you’ll lose fat and build muscle. It’s just as simple as that.

Now, in addition to that awesome little fact, growth hormone is going to whoop cortisol’s ass AND help you burn belly fat.

Also, you’ve probably heard that one of the ways to reduce your cortisol levels is to get more sleep. That’s something you hear on nearly all of the medical TV shows. What you don’t hear is the reason.

You see, sleeping is one of the main ways by which your body produces growth hormone. In other words, while you're sleeping, it’s your body’s primary opportunity to produce growth hormone. And, as I stated previously, growth hormone is one of the main hormones that reduces the effects of cortisol.

So, sleep more and you’ll produce more GH! Produce more GH and you’ll have less cortisol! Therefore, sleeping more, results in lower cortisol levels. Got it?

Of course, I’m not suggesting you can just sleep your way past a fat loss plateau (although getting more sleep does help). I’m merely illustrating the relationship between cortisol and growth hormone.

Which leads us to the production of growth hormone as it relates to training...

While nearly all forms of exercise produce both growth hormone and cortisol, some types are better than others.

For example, cortisol is heavily produced in long duration cardio sessions. But let’s not do that.

Instead, we’re going to utilize a style of training that produces more growth hormone...Lactic Acid Training (in order to get to the growth hormone, you must first produce lactic acid).

By definition, lactic acid is a by-product of the chemical reactions that take place during exercise. This substance is wildly irritating to the nerves, and your body responds. Think of lactic acid as a type of oil...igniting fires as it flows through you. Your body will put those fires out by dousing them with soothing, cooling growth hormone.

Okay, maybe I’m being a little simplistic with my metaphor, but it gives you a general idea.

In any event, we must structure training to produce the most lactic acid possible. And because lactic acid is primarily produced in the concentric (positive) phase of anaerobic exercise, we will extend that period, and decrease the eccentric period.

What that means is that we lift the weight very, very slowly. And then we lower it very, very quickly so that we can have a fast turn around.

As an example, if you’re doing a squat, you’ll descend to the bottom of the squat very quickly (drop down fast, but still controlling the weight somewhat) and then lift the weight sloooowly, oh so sloooowly - over a period of 4-6 seconds.

This will create tremendous amounts of lactic acid, which will in turn send GH production into overdrive.

Now, I must mention that training in this way necessitates the use of lighter weights than you would normally use on any given exercise. Therefore, if you’re interested in Lactic Acid Training, I suggest you reduce the weight you’d use on any exercise by about 30% in order to be both safe and effective.

With traditional training methods, you’d lift the weight pretty quickly and lower it slowly. Here we’re doing the opposite, in order to produce the most lactic acid possible...which will then lead to a corresponding increase in the production of growth hormone.

This will result in not only reducing cortisol, but also reducing cortisol related fat storage in your belly. And on top of it all, it’s great for fat loss in general!

Closing Thoughts

Although the battle against hormone-related fat storage can be a tough one, it’s certainly easier when you have hormones on your side - tougher, stronger, better looking hormones! So...

- Say goodbye to cortisol and belly fat by increasing growth hormone production via Lactic Acid Training.

- Make estrogen issues and lower body fat (and possibly, "man boobs") history through Density Training.

- And combat the ol' love handles and insulin resistance with Dynamic Training and IGF-1 production.

With Final Phase Fat Loss, stubborn becomes easy. Slow becomes fast. And it's all because every single workout within the Final Phase system has been specifically created to combat the hormonal reasons you're NOT losing fat.

So, are you ready to start losing fat again? Are you ready to finally see your abs? Then click *HERE* to get going!

The finish line is just around the corner...

Keep going strong,

Roman

www.finalphasefatloss.com

Keep training in your imagination between sets to increase your strength

Imagine that!

Studies have shown that by "training in your imagination" you can actually increase strength and performance, thus increasing muscle mass, fat loss, and strength gain. While there appears to be only slight increases in the previously mentioned results, it does look to be promising in terms of getting your mind ready to complete the task at hand. Personally, I think we'd all do ourselves a bit of good by taking a few moments to look inside of ourselves and focus before doing any kind of lifting... Visualization is a very key, yet often overlooked, factor in training, hell, in life!

Before any kinds of lifting, I always have my clients visualize the lift before it happens. Establishes inner confidence, which exudes outward.

Who would've thought? Maybe there is something to the saying "Think your way thin."

For all interested parties, check out this link...
http://www.ergo-log.com/traininginimagination.html

What do you think? Silly? Voodoo stuff? "Totally awesome?!"

6 Pack Abs - The Secret to 6 Pack Abs

By: Vince DelMonte Everywhere you turn, someone's promising the next secret to getting 6 pack abs. Some of these so called 'secrets' have some degree of accuracy, while others, not so much. Deciphering which are the best methods to getting 6 pack abs is going to be critical to your having success with this goal. The biggest area you need to focus on when trying to obtain 6 pack abs is going to be on your diet. Like it or not, the old saying that 'abs are made in the kitchen', is probably one of the most truthful statements in the fitness industry. If your diet isn't in line, your stomach is going to show it. So, what should you be doing with your diet? First, ensure you are getting enough protein. Not only is protein going to form the key building blocks you need to build muscle tissue, but it's also going to provide you with a better feeling of fullness than eating just carbohydrates alone would for example. Protein is more "expensive" than any other macronutrient meaning that your body will burn more calories breaking down protein compared to carbs and fats. Next, don't be afraid of dietary fat that comes from primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as olive oils, fish oils, a mix of nuts, natural peanut butter and avocado. While it's true that eating fat will increase your calories fast, as long as you keep it between 20-30% it can be one of the best things to get 6 pack abs fast. The important point here is that dietary fat helps keep your insulin level stable, which, when high enough can actually cause fat gain itself. Furthermore, dietary fat will keep you feeling the fullest for the longest duration in time; longer than both protein or carbohydrates would. Interestingly, some diets high in fat can get you 6 pack abs fast because your body learn to metabolize fat for energy. So, while you do need to watch it, be sure you are getting some in your diet. Finally, when it comes to carbohydrate intake and getting 6 pack abs, you want to focus most of your carbohydrate intake around the post workout period. Why? The biggest reason for this is because this is when your body is going to need those carbohydrates the most and will really suck them up into the muscle tissue. When you eat them at this time, it is least likely that they will turn into body fat. Additionally, consuming carbohydrates during this period will also help to aid with muscle recovery and repair, so that means less down time from the gym for you. If getting 6 pack abs fast is your goal than each meal you should consist of 1-2 cups of raw vegetables to control insulin levels, improve absorption of your protein and flood your body with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. So, if you are aiming to get 6 pack abs in the coming months, have a good hard look at your diet. That is the big secret that must not be overlooked if you are to succeed.

---------------------------------- About the Author: Vince DelMonte is the author of Your Six Pack Quest found at http://www.YourSixPackQuest.com He specializes in helping chubby guys and gals get six pack abs without gimmicks, supplements or dieting.

Choosing the Right Exercises for Fast Muscle Gain

By Jason Ferruggia

When I first started training, I didn’t know any better so I went to the gym and did all the machine exercises and isolation movements that I saw everyone else doing. I figured these would all lead to fast muscle gain and I would be huge in no time.

My dad knew a steroid-using Italian guy named Tony who owned a gym and competed in several bodybuilding shows. He asked Tony if he could write me a program and Tony obliged. I was bursting with excitement and thought this would be the difference maker in my training. I met with Tony at his office one day, and in a scene that could have been straight out of an episode of The Sopranos, he interrogated me about my muscle building program. I gave him a piece of paper with my workout on it and he took a long, hard look at it.

“Here’s whatcha gonna do. And I don’t wan any a’guments. You do dis and you’ll grow. Ya undastand me?”

“Yeah, definitely. No problem.”

He pulled out a legal pad and scrawled out my new training program. It was loaded with all of the exercises that all the top name bodybuilders in the magazines were always shown doing. Stiff arm pullovers, concentration curls, leg extensions, cable flyes, you name it—they were included.

I took my new program, thanked Tony, and left. The next few weeks would surely be an amazing time for me, I thought. The growth that I was about to experience would be dramatic, I just knew it.

But nothing happened.

You know why? Because those exercises suck, that’s why. Sure, the volume was too high for my limited recovery ability at the time, but if he had me doing the right exercises, I might have experienced some kind of gains.

Choosing the right exercises could ultimately be the difference between lightening fast muscle gain and absolutely no muscle gain whatsoever. No matter how well thought out your workout plan is, if you use the wrong exercises, it will be completely useless. Even a bad training program will yield some results if you are using the right exercises. For these reasons, exercise selection is one of the most important components of any muscle building system.

So how do you choose the best exercises?

The best mass building exercises are always multi joint, free weight, compound exercises that use as much muscle mass as possible and allow you to use heavy weights. This includes movements like squats, deadlifts, chin ups, dips, overhead presses and rows. If you are desperately seeking fast muscle gain, the last thing you should ever waste your time doing is using machine or isolation exercises during your workouts. These exercises are great at producing that burning feeling that so many people love and can often lead to a great pump, but they do very little to pack on massive size or build real world, functional strength.

For a very unique, scientifically advanced rating system which gives you a complete list of the best exercises on the planet, proven to lead to insanely fast muscle gain and mind blowing strength visit MuscleGainingSecrets.com now.

Jason Ferruggia is a world famous fitness expert who is renowned for his ability to help people build muscle as fast as humanly possible. He is the head training adviser for Men’s Fitness Magazine where he also has his own monthly column dedicated to muscle building. For more How to Build Muscle Fast tips, check out http://www.musclegainingsecrets.com/

Myth Busters: Light Weight/High-Reps to Burn Fat.. or not!

Myth: High-reps and light weight to burn fat and get toned.  Heavy weight and low reps to get "bulky."

At some point during our lives, most of us had heard that very myth.  Even the most novice of trainers knows that burning fat requires the use of high-reps and light weight, you know, to "go for tone, not bulk."

I remember when I first started training.  Everything that I'd read or hear was about doing high-rep work to lose weight and get lean and using heavier weight to build muscle.  I guess I can understand where people are coming.  High-reps put your body under tension for a longer period and they cause a lot of lactic acid accumulation (known to be a potent fat-burner).  

5lbs of muscle vs. 5lbs of fat

But, what if this weren't necessarily true?  

Busted: http://www.ergo-log.com/epocafterheavyweights.html

Check out this study I found on weight-training and post-exercise fat-burning.  While there is still more research that needs to be done, the findings might surprise you!

By the way, I believe that the best way to see if something works is NOT to read about it in some study, but to try it out on yourself in a smart way.  

http://www.ergo-log.com/epocafterheavyweights.html

Thoughts?

Tony

Carry Like Crazy!

By Zach Even Esh
Underground Strength Coach

The simplest movements can often yield the most powerful results. Is this why I never saw anyone doing farmer walks with the 180 lb dumbbells at some gyms I've been to?

Or heavy rack pulls, heavy squats, heavy military presses (standing not seated) or heavy barbell rows?

Getting some pressing done... The first girl actually floor pressing (video, not picture) is Cynthia Ramos. Her testimonial is to the right.. Notice a difference? Too bad more girls didn't train like guys, huh?---->

These movements pack on the real muscle and make you stronger than a Bull! What about farmer walks with the farmer walk bars?

I snagged a great pair of farmer handles from http://elitefts.com

I used the econo farmer bars and they arrived 2 days later! These long bars make the carries much harder and really hammer the lower body. Normally we used our 130 lb dumbbells or heavy kettlebells but these long bars were different and better for full body work!

You can also perform the other basic carries with dumbbells and sandbags. These movements will develop full body strength and you want to include these HEAVY in your workouts on a regular basis. These are the basics. After the basics you can start getting more advanced by using cross carries or mixed carries. I'm talking about zercher carries and bear hug carries using sandbags or carrying a stone around the backyard in between sets of kettlebell work.

The cross carries can be used with dumbbells, kettlebells and even sandbags. All you need to do is hold them in two different positions. This awkward loading of the body strengthens the muscles and the body from unique angles that don't get worked through traditional movements.

Some more of my favorites are rack walk + overhead carries or overhead and farmer walk mixed together.

Carrying heavy objects of any type are awesome for full body strength development and work capacity.

In addition, the first rep of every set is some form of a power clean and/or deadlift just to get the weight off the ground. Putting the weights down requires control, so no dropping, only squatting/deadlifting the weights down under control.

Some heavy carries we did at AST!

I've met some seriously strong men who never touch free weights, their strength came from manual labor carrying objects, lifting them, throwing them, power cleaning them into truck beds, etc.

The guy who used to pick up our garbage when we were remodeling our house had an old pick up truck, it seriously looked like Steve Justa's truck!


This guys name was Tony. Tony picked up junk for people as a side job, but it was always heavy stuff. Odd objects that makes you stronger than a freight train.

He would pick up all our stuff: toilet bowls, dish washers, heavy contractor bags filled with sheet rock, an old deck and more! I remember talking to him about strength training (as I always did) while we were loading his pick up with 20 + bags of sheet rock. He was holding one bag with a straight arm as he causally spoke with me! I was using two arms and my entire body to heave those bags up and I was starting to sweat bullets.

Tony was used to carrying car parts, scrap metal and other seriously heavy and odd objects. Essentially, all he did was carry junk. But, remember, like I said, when you carry objects, you power clean them up / down as well as deadlift the weight up / down.

It can't get any simpler than that!

Now it's time you begin to carry some odd objects!


About the Author
Zach Even - Esh is a Strength & Performance Coach from Edison, NJ and is the owner of The Underground Strength Gym and creator of The Underground Strength Manual. Zach's Underground methods have spanned the globe and have helped men and women of all ages to dramatically improve athletic performance, pack on rugged muscle and develop brute strength. Zach is the Strength & Conditioning advisor for TapOuT Magazine and is also a featured writer for Men's Fitness Magazine. To learn more about Zach and his methods visit UndergroundStrengthManual.com

"How to Design Your Own Hybrid Workout" Pt. 2

As promised, here is Pt. of "How to Design Your Own Hybrid Workout" with Elliott Hulse. I will add that we trained & conditioned with a LOT of the Hybrid Workout principles at AST and in the Meathead workouts and saw incredible gains in muscle, strength and fat-loss from it! I've even included a video of some of the Hybrid Training in action...

Hybrid Workout Design Part 2 Preview

The Lean Hybrid Muscle Building Program is Ready
Get Your Done-For-You Hybrid Workouts Here

Get Your Done-For-You Hybrid Workouts Here

Liberate Yourself From Classical Weight Training

By Charles Staley, B.Sc, MSS
Director, Staley Training Systems

During recent talks in Bellaria Italy, a theme developed which reflects what I consider to be a problem in the way that most people think about resistance training. In particular, during one roundtable discussion on EDT training, I fielded numerous questions about the so-called “correct” number of sets, reps, rest duration, etc., etc., for EDT workouts.

Finally, I saw the underlying problem behind the various questions I was fielding: the attendees were focusing too much on the means of optimal weight training and not enough on the ends. As I thought about it, virtually ALL resistance training systems and philosophies focus on means, often to the total exclusion of the ends.

Case in point: HIT training. HIT (which stands for "High Intensity Training") revolves around the performance of only one (or sometimes two), all-out sets to failure, as opposed to the more conventional methodology of several sets per exercise. Thus, the defining feature of HIT is the use of an unusual set of means.

Another example of a popular training system that focuses on means is Power Factor Training. This system advocates the use of restricted range of motion (for example, performing leg presses over the last 6 inches of extension only) in order to allow for the use of heavier loads. Again, the salient feature of this system is the means rather than the ends.

Enter Escalating Density Training

As I described to my lecture audiences in Italy, when I set out to codify the training system I had been gradually developing over the course of several years (the system that eventually came to be known as Escalating Density Training, or EDT for short), I eventually arrived at an arresting premise: in resistance training, the ends must dictate the means.

This realization struck me as profound, because it’s the exact opposite approach that virtually all other systems are based on! So in other words, what I became focused on is this question: "How can I organize sets, reps, rest intervals, etc., in such a way that I can perform the most amount of work possible in a pre-determined time frame?" (which in EDT parlance, we call "PR Zones").

In the process of asking this question, a fundamental truth emerged: work capacity is a function of managing (rather than seeking) fatigue.

This principle is universal in the lives of all successful people in all fields of endeavor. It is the hallmark of all effective people. In his excellent book Leadership, Rudolph Giuliani states that one of his primary objectives was to get as much done as possible in the first hour of the day, while his energy was still high.

This is a strategy that I have used in my own professional life for many years, and maybe you have too. The point is simple: effectiveness, whether at the office, at home, or in the weight room, is a function of managing energy.

EDT manages energy expenditure in the following seven ways:

1) Antagonistic Pairings:

Sherrington’s Law states that when a muscle contracts, it’s antagonist must relaxó otherwise, no movement would occur. Therefore, if the trainee performs a set of leg extensions in between two sets of leg curls, each muscle group recovers faster as a result of the work performed by it’s antagonist. In EDT, three type of antagonists are recognized:

True Antagonist: For example, pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi

Bilateral Antagonist: When using unilateral exercises (such as dumbbell rows for example), the left side becomes the ìantagonistî for the right side, and vice versa.

Proximal Antagonist: In some regimes of EDT training, two distal muscle groups are trained together in the same PR as a way to manage fatigue. For example, leg curls and incline presses.

2) Optimal force-velocity relationship:

In the body composition aspect of EDT training, trainees are advised to select a weight that can be lifted 10 (but not 11) times - in other words, a 10RM weight. Most importantly, each PR Zone starts with sets of 5 with this 10RM weight - exactly the opposite of what most training systems recommend.

The rationale? By selecting a moderate weight and lifting it acceleratively (See point # 7 on CAT training below), we strike a balance between force and speed which results in the highest possible motor unit recruitment and work output.

3) The Chronological Governor (PR Zones):

Most automobiles have a "governor" which sets a limit on how fast the vehicle may be driven. This is designed to protect both the vehicle and yourself. EDT training uses a similar device, called the PR Zone, to limit the amount of high intensity work you perform in an exercise session.

Typically, EDT workouts feature 2-3 PR Zones, usually 15 minutes in duration. Note that most exercise systems provide you with a certain number of exercises, sets, and reps, and then you perform that workout, regardless of how long it takes to complete. EDT employs the opposite approach: you first set the time limit, and then perform as much work as possible within this time frame.

4) Definitive Progression Targets:

Unlike most training systems, EDT workouts provide a specific performance goal for each PR Zone. You start the workout knowing exactly how much time you have and exactly what must be accomplished. This provides focus and clarity each and every workou.

5) The Distraction Principle:

During an EDT workout, you’ve always got one eye on the clock and the other on your training log. There’s little time to consider how tired you are, what you’ll eat for lunch afterward, or any other distracting thoughts.

6) The Conscientious Participation Principle:

Workout by workout, each individual finds the best set-rep-rest strategy to permit a maximal performance. Slow-twitch dominant exercisers often find that higher reps and shorter rests result in the best performances. Fast-twitchers, just the opposite.

There are a number of individual factors that determine optimal exercise performance for each person, and EDT provides the flexibility to capitalize on individual talents and predilections.

Consider this analogy: water, being flexible and adaptable, always fills the shape of it’s container. Most systems are more like ice however - it only fits if you’re the right container!

7) CAT: Compensatory Acceleration Training

This phrase was coined by Dr. Fred Hatfield, the first man to officially squat 1000 pounds in competition. The central premise is that you move the weight quickly, and compensate for momentum by accelerating the weight even faster.

The body is hard-wired to accelerate heavy objects, and training styles should reflect this reality. After all, if you had to move a 100 pound box from the floor onto a high shelf, would you move slowly in order to maintain continuous tension, or would you move it with as much speed as possible?

When you run a one mile course, your rate of energy expenditure is greater than if you walk that same course - in other words, you did more work per unit of time. Similarly, when you move a weight a certain distance, a faster execution results in greater work per unit of time. Forget about Super Slow training - it only applies to Tai Chi molasses wrestling events.

Static Versus Dynamic Systems

Another shortcoming in most training systems is that they are static. In other words, "Here’s the program, now go do it."

The problem with this approach is that everyone is different. Not only that, but each individual has different needs at different points in their lives. Most training systems prescribe a particular exercise/set/rep/rest/tempo recommendation for everyone.

A select few do a little better by tailoring these parameters for the individual exerciser. EDT takes it a step further by enabling the exerciser him or herself to participate in the design of the workout.

Even further, the exact parameters of each workout often change in accordance to the trainee’s innate experience and understanding about what it will take to beat the pervious best numbers. Interestingly, the flexibility just described does not blur the basic structure of the system.

The Perfect Training System

In fact, there is no singular "perfect" system, in any field of endeavor. However, the "best" systems are dynamic, flexible, and respect the established principles that are known to guarantee a successful outcome.

In the field of resistance training, EDT dynamically conforms to the end-users needs from workout to workout while at the same time ensuring the stringent application of the established principles of athletic training.

---

About The Author

Charles Staley...world-class strength/performance coach...his colleagues call him an iconoclast, a visionary, a rule-breaker. His clients call him “The Secret Weapon” for his ability to see what other coaches miss. Charles calls himself a “geek” who struggled in Phys Ed throughout school. Whatever you call him, Charles’ methods are ahead of their time and quickly produce serious results.

Click here to visit Charles' site and grab your 5 FREE videos that will show you how to literally FORCE your body to build muscle, lose fat and gain strength with "Escalating Density Training," Charles' revolutionary, time-saving approach to lifting that focuses on performance NOT pain.

How To Design a Hybrid-Muscle Program

Hey Meat,

You may remember a while back when I interviewed Elliott Hulse, professional strongman, owner of Elliott Hulse's Strength Camp, and co-creator of the Lean Hybrid Muscle system. Well, the interview was awesome and I sent out the audio file for the interview as a gift for subscribing to the blog (if you haven't heard it yet then comment below with your email and I'll hook you up).

At the time, Elliott was getting ready to launch his muscle-building meets bodyfat shredding workouts, designed to get guys lean, rugged, dense, granite-muscle as quickly as possible. Obviously, with his program just getting released, he didn't want to share to much about what made the workouts blast the fat and pack on size, but now he's spilling the beans about how YOU can design a kick-ass hybrid muscle program!

Check it out! This will be a 3-part series so check back often to get all of the info, but first, get your mind right with the first video!

Here's a Q&A about lifting and getting your head ready!

The Lean Hybrid Program is Ready
Get Your Done-For-You Hybrid Workouts Here

Intermittent Fasting- What have you got to lose?

A quick message from Tony: ****Hey, Meatheads! So not too long ago I did an interview with an Intermittent Fasting expert named Martin Berkhan. It had a ton of awesome information in it regarding the woes of frequent eating and why it's so much more beneficial and conducive to long-term success. His clients have had great success with it. I'm going to post that interview within the next day or so, but as I was doing some more research I came across another article on Intermittent Fasting. I asked Brad, the author, if I could repost it here so you guys could take a look at it.

Leave a comment below with your email address and let me know what you think. Bogus? Intriguing? Let's hear it! I'll also send you a copy of his Ebook The Dirty Dozen: The 12 Most Excessive Compulsive Eating Habits and How to Break Them.****

Intermittent Fasting- What Have You Got To Lose?

By Brad Pilon, MS

www.eatstopeat.com

So just what is intermittent fasting and why should you care? Intermittent fasting has become quietly popular in circles where people are striving to come up with ways to reduce caloric intake without harming their workout goals and still allow them to lose weight while strength training.

Intermittent fasting in a nutshell is the practice of short-term fasts, 24 hours in length, once or twice per week. There are variations on that theme, but in general that is the norm. This is done not so much to “cleanse the system” as many would have you believe, though it will to a degree. It's merely a simple and fast way of decreasing caloric intake so you can achieve your weight loss goals without starvation plans or other fad diets. You don't have to be overly concerned about the types of food you consume while you're not fasting, although it should be noted that fasting once or twice per week won't really help you reach your goals if you spend the other five or six days stuffing yourself with all manner of junk. A little common sense is called for.

By allowing a sensible freedom in your food choices, it relieves a great deal of the anxiety present when it comes to most diets. Many times we feel totally constrained and restricted, while this approach leaves us able to not only choose what we'd like to consume, but brings balance and sanity back into our diets. Intermittent fasting as a lifestyle will bring about changes that will last a lifetime. Start by taking it slow at first, and really learn to listen to what your body is trying to tell you as you go through your first few weeks of this. If you find yourself feeling lethargic or underfed, change it up a bit. Your body will tell you what it needs. (And that usually isn't a monster double cheeseburger!) Many times, especially at first, your body will be going through some withdrawals, and it's important to learn how to differentiate the signals. Also, you need to factor in what effect any workout routines you may be involved in will have on your intermittent fasting plans.

The most important thing to remember about intermittent fasting is that it is not merely a diet plan, but a lifestyle, worthy of consideration along those lines. In order to get the best results possible from this type of plan, you need to befriend it. Your fasting should be something that you look forward to, as you most certainly will after you start reaping some of the benefits of this intermittent fasting lifestyle. Making this type of plan fit into your life is key to making a lifetime of good eating and healthy living possible. There are a lot of inherent freedoms built into a diet plan like this, and while that can backfire on you if you're not careful, it can also enable lasting success. Look into what intermittent fasting can do for you!

****
Brad Pilon is a nutrition professional with over eight years experience working in the nutritional supplement industry specializing in clinical research management and new product development. Brad has completed graduate studies in nutritional sciences specializing in the use of short term fasting for weight loss.

His trademarked book Eat Stop Eat has been featured on national television and helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat without sacrificing the foods they love. For more information on Eat Stop Eat, visit www.eatstopeat.com

Related keywords: Quick weight loss, short term fasts, weight loss, fat loss, burn fat, eating to lose weight

The Top 55 Lean-Body Whole-Foods to Build Muscle and Lose Body Fat (guest post)

Hey, Meatheads! Here's a guest post by Mike Geary, founder of TruthAboutSixPackAbs fitness site. This dude, knows a thing or two about lean eating and getting ripped!
*********
by Michael Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer

In most of my Lean-Body Secrets Newsletters, I like to provide a healthy snack or meal recipe that not only is delicious and healthy, but also helps to get you closer to that hard-body appearance that everyone is looking for, while also more importantly, improving your health for life. In this article, I'd like to give you healthy food ideas in a different way. This time, I figured I'd just give you some ideas of what I stock my fridge and cabinets with.

Remember, if you don't have junk around the house, you're less likely to eat junk. If all you have is healthy food around the house, you're forced to make smart choices. Basically, it all starts with making smart choices and avoiding temptations when you make your grocery store trip. Now these are just some of my personal preferences, but perhaps they will give you some good ideas that you'll enjoy.

Alright, so let's start with the fridge. Each week, I try to make sure I'm loaded up with lots of varieties of fresh vegetables. During the growing season, I only get local produce, but obviously in winter, I have to resort to the produce at the grocery store. Most of the time, I make sure I have plenty of vegetables like onions, zucchini, spinach, fresh mushrooms, red peppers, broccoli, etc. to use in my morning eggs. I also like to dice up some lean chicken or turkey sausage into the eggs, along with some swiss, jack, or goat cheeses (preferably raw grass-fed cheeses when I can find them).

By the way I'm talking about whole eggs, NOT egg whites. Always remember that the yolk is the most nutritious and nutrient dense part of the egg, so only eating egg whites is like throwing away the best part... and no, it's NOT bad for you because of the cholesterol... eggs actually raise your GOOD cholesterol. Try to get free range organic eggs for the best quality. Here's an entire article I did on the topic of whole eggs vs egg whites.

Coconut milk is another staple in my fridge. I like to use it to mix in with smoothies, oatmeal, or yogurt for a rich, creamy taste. Not only does coconut milk add a rich, creamy taste to lots of dishes, but it's also full of healthy saturated fats. Yeah, you heard me...I said healthy saturated fats! Healthy saturated fats like medium chain triglycerides, specifically an MCT called lauric acid. If the idea of healthy saturated fats is foreign to you, check out my healthy fats article

Back to the fridge, some other staples:

• Chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds - delicious and great sources of healthy fats.
• Cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and yogurt - I like to mix cottage or ricotta cheese and yogurt together with chopped nuts and berries for a great mid-morning or mid-afternoon meal.
• Whole flax seeds or chia seeds - I grind these in a mini coffee grinder and add to yogurt or salads. Always grind them fresh because the omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are highly unstable and prone to oxidation, creating high levels of free radicals in pre-ground flax.
• Whole eggs - one of natures richest sources of nutrients (and remember, they increase your GOOD cholesterol so stop fearing them).
• Salsa - I try to get creative and try some of the exotic varieties of salsas.
• Avocados - love them...plus a great source of healthy fats, fiber, and other nutrients. Try adding them to wraps, salads, or sandwiches.
• Butter - don't believe the naysayers; butter adds great flavor to anything and can be part of a healthy diet (just keep the quantity small because it is calorie dense...and NEVER use margarine, unless you want to assure yourself a heart attack).
• Nut butters - Plain old peanut butter has gotten a little old for me, so I get creative and mix together almond butter with sesame seed butter, or even cashew butter with macadamia butter...delicious and unbeatable nutrition!
• Leaf lettuce and spinach along with shredded carrots - for salads with dinner.
• Home-made salad dressing - using balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and Udo's Choice oil blend. This is much better than store bought salad dressing which mostly use highly refined soybean oil (full of inflammation-causing free radicals).
• Whole grain wraps and whole grain bread (look for wraps and bread with at least 3-4 grams of fiber per 20 grams of total carbs).
• Rice bran and wheat germ - these may sound way too healthy for some, but they actually add a nice little nutty, crunchy taste to yogurt or smoothies, or can be added when baking muffins or breads to add nutrients and fiber.

Some of the staples in the freezer:

• Frozen berries - during the local growing season, I only get fresh berries, but during the other 10 months of the year, I always keep a supply of frozen blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cherries, etc. to add to high fiber cereal, oatmeal, cottage cheese, yogurt, or smoothies
• Frozen fish - I like to try a couple different kinds of fish each week. There are so many varieties out there, you never have to get bored.
• Frozen chicken breasts - very convenient for a quick addition to wraps or chicken sandwiches for quick meals.
• Grass-fed steaks, burgers, and ground beef - Grassfed meats have been shown to have as high as, or even higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids than salmon (without the mercury). Also, grass-fed meats have much higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) compared to typical grain-fed beef. I recently found an excellent on-line store where I buy all of my grass-fed meats now (they even deliver right to your door in a sealed cooler) - www.healthygrassfed.com
• Frozen buffalo, ostrich, venison, and other "exotic" lean meats - Yeah, I know...I'm weird, but I can tell you that these are some of the healthiest meats around, and if you're serious about a lean healthy body, these types of meats are much better for you than the mass produced, hormone-pumped beef and pork that's sold at most grocery stores.
• Frozen veggies - again, when the growing season is over and I can no longer get local fresh produce, frozen veggies are the best option, since they often have higher nutrient contents compared to the fresh produce that has been shipped thousands of miles, sitting around for weeks before making it to your dinner table.

Alright, now the staples in my cabinets:

• Various antioxidant rich teas - green, oolong, white, rooibos are some of the best.
• Whole wheat or whole grain spelt pasta - much higher fiber than normal pastas
• Oat bran and steel cut oats - higher fiber than those little packs of instant oats.
• Cans of coconut milk - to be transferred to a container in the fridge after opening.
• Brown rice and other higher fiber rice - NEVER white rice
• Tomato sauces - delicious, and as I'm sure you've heard a million times, they are a great source of lycopene. Just watch out for the brands that are loaded with nasty high fructose corn syrup.
• Stevia - a natural non-caloric sweetener, which is an excellent alternative to the nasty chemical-laden artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharine, and sucralose.
• Raw honey - better than processed honey... higher quantities of beneficial nutrients and enzymes. Honey has even been proven in studies to improve glucose metabolism (how you process carbs). I use a teaspoon or so every morning in my teas. Yes, it is pure sugar, but at least it has some nutritional benefits... and let's be real, a teaspoon of healthier raw honey is only 5 grams of carbs... certainly nothing to worry about.
• Organic maple syrup - none of that high fructose corn syrup Aunt Jemima crap...only real maple syrup can be considered real food. The only time I really use this (because of the high sugar load) is added to my post-workout smoothies to sweeten things up and also elicit an insulin surge to push nutrients into your muscles.
• Organic unsweetened cocoa powder - I like to mix this into my smoothies for an extra jolt of antioxidants or make my own low-sugar hot cocoa by mixing cocoa powder into hot milk with stevia and a couple melted dark chocolate chunks.
• Cans of black or kidney beans - I like to add a couple scoops to my Mexican wraps for the fiber and high nutrition content. Also, beans are surprisingly one of the best sources of youth promoting antioxidants!
• Dark chocolate (as dark as possible) - This is one of my treats that satisfies my sweet tooth, plus provides loads of antioxidants at the same time. It's still calorie dense, so I keep it to just a couple squares; but that is enough to do the trick, so I don't feel like I need to go out and get cake and ice cream to satisfy my dessert urges.

Lastly, another thing that's hard to go wrong with is a good variety of fresh fruits and berries. The staples such as bananas, apples, oranges, pears, peaches are good, but I like to also be a little more adventurous and include things like yellow (aka - mexican or champagne) mangoes, pomegranates, kumquats, papaya, star fruit, pineapples, and others. Also, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cherries are some of the most nutrient and antioxidant-dense fruits you can eat.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this special look into my favorite lean body meals and how I stock my cabinets and fridge. Your tastes are probably quite different than mine, but hopefully this gave you some good ideas you can use next time you're at the grocery store looking to stock up a healthy and delicious pile of groceries.

****************

If you're interested in some more classic info from Mike, go to Mike's Truth about Six Pack Abs site today and discover the exact system that Mike is using to help thousands of his clients from all over the world get leaner than they've ever been before. This system will help you to lose that stubborn stomach fat that has plagued you for years, so you can finally get that sexy six pack that you've always wanted. Here's the site:

Leave a comment below! Share some of YOUR favorite healthy foods and your email and I'll hook you up with Mike's FREE Ebook, Training and Nutrition: Insider Secrets to a Lean Body!

5 More Fat-Burning Tips For You

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

At this time of year, we can use every last tip to help avoid
holiday weight gain.

So here are 5 more fat loss tips for beginner & advanced readers.

1) No liquid calories (with the exception of a post-workout drink).

Get rid of all the juices, the sodas, and the sports drinks. Liquid
sugar is the last thing you need when you are trying to lose fat.

You must also limit your alcohol intake - especially if you are
adding mix to drinks...that is a double calorie bomb! A single "Jackand Coke" is over 200 calories (100 calories from booze and 100 calories from mix).

2) No fast food.

Do not eat at fast food restaurants. Even if you choose what you
think is healthy, remember this:

Fast food restaurants are all about profit.

And in order to profit while giving you cheap, quick, and easy to
prepare foods, the quality of the food ingredients will be poor -
especially the protein.

Now you might have read that you can still make healthy choices at fast food restaurants. But you know what, that's just
politically-correct opinion. If it's fast food, it's poor food.

Walking into a burger joint and grabbing a chicken breast on a
white bread bun with a piece of old lettuce and a half-green,
half-pink tomato is "barely" healthy eating.

The politically-incorrect truth is that it's going to take time and
effort to eat properly. You will have to plan, shop, and prepare
healthy meals. You will have to spend time cleaning, cutting, and
cooking your food. That's the truth.

But believe me, it will taste so much better than fast food, and
healthy eating will make you more alert. Eating fast food will make you feel terrible, and will make you want to have an afternoon nap at your desk.

Make one small improvement to your nutrition everyday for the rest of your life.

3) Eat more fruits and vegetables.

If you are eating 2 servings per day, then go up to 4 servings per day by the end of the week. And even if you think you are doing great by having 5 servings per day, you still need to double that (take 2-3 weeks to work your way up to 10 servings per day).

Stick with fiber-rich fruits and vegetables - organic if possible.

4) Eat 1oz of almonds or walnuts per day (1/2 oz in the AM, and the other half in the afternoon).

Most nuts are roasted in oils (possible source of trans fats), so
stick to natural or dry-roasted nuts.

Don't panic...this small amount of nuts won't make you fat, but will fill you up and help you lose weight.

5) Be consistent with your workouts.

And make sure the workouts are efficient and effective. To make it easy for you to follow, stick with the Turbulence Training fat burning workout system.

It doesn't matter if you train in the morning before or after
breakfast, or at night before or after dinner, or at 1pm on days
when the moon is in line with Saturn...don't worry about the
details, just train consistently.

Click here to get Turbulence Training
==> http://www.turbulencetraining.com

6) BONUS TIP: Go for a walk after lunch or dinner (or anytime you eat a big meal). Research shows this will help you control your cholesterol and triglycerides, plus any movement is better than sitting around watching the TV and snacking.

Improve your lifestyle everyday,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

PS - Change your workouts to beat a fat loss plateau.

"The constant shakeup is amazing. I look forward to my workouts. I feel so much better than I did 6 weeks ago. I had almost given up on fitness as I was becoming very frustrated with my plateaus. I started out at 233 lbs and am already heading for 225 in only a few short weeks. Thank you for developing this truly amazing program and for sharing with the rest of us. It's very refreshing to enjoy working out again!"
Dave Heffernan

"Turbulence Training is AWESOME! I started working out in 2004 first time in gym at 39 yrs. Then I discovered T.T. in 2006 and started receiving unbelievable info on xercises/nutrition. Immediately I started incorporating T.T. in my busy schedule which is improving my strength, definition, flexibility and nutrition. Craig is quick to reply to questions and supportive. My confidence and strength has definitely improved. If I only knew of Turbulence Training in 2004. The gym crowd is really checking me out now."
Kimmie Clark

"I lost 14 pounds this month and the weight is just falling off me.
My wife says I now look like when we first met and I still have
more to go. I can fit into my old jeans again which is a big deal
for me. I just cut back on starches and bread and do your routine 2-3 times a week. I never thought in a million years that just 10-20 minutes of weight training followed by some cardio would get me such steady results. I even cheat a bit on the weekends."
Billy Williams

Turn your health around with Turbulence Training:
==> http://www.turbulencetraining.com

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Burn Fat Before Bed! (recipe inside)

Joe Schmoe has had enough. He's finally decided that he wants to lose weight and get in shape. He's gone out and bought a brand new pair of workout shoes, some workout clothes, a membership for a very upscale gym, and is going to start eating healthier.

That's great!

When I ask Joe about his diet he responds with this:

"I want to lose weight so I don't eat after 7pm. If I keep 7pm as my food cut-off then my body won't store the food I eat as bodyfat."

Here is my problem with this- if you go without nutrients, more specifically PROTEIN, for too long then your body enters what is known as a catabolic environment.

What does this mean?

You body will eat away at it's muscle tissue.

BIG PROBLEM.

Muscle is one of the primary "metabolic furnaces" in your body. Without it, you'll suffer from Old-Man Syndrome. This is where you're thin, but are very soft, frail, weak, lethargic, etc.

Bottom line: You need to get some protein into your system about an hour or so before bed. You won't gain fat. It'll actually be the opposite! However, it's very important that you choose the right foods.

A late-night bowl of cereal is NOT the right food. Cookies and milk? Sorry, bub. Ain't gonna happen.

It's got to have a hefty amount of protein, a small amount of fat, and a small amount of calories. You'll retain and even build muscle while you sleep, causing you to actually burn fat while you do absolutely nothing.

Pretty cool, huh?

Here's MY favorite pre-bed meal. It provides you with high-quality protein to help keep your metabolism revving throughout the night and some essential fatty acids (EFA) and fish oil, which are scientifically proven to not only burn fat, but support heart health, balance blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and allow you to properly heal and recover while you sleep:

Metabolic Sleep Food:
1/2c Low Fat Cottage Cheese
1/2 scoop protein (I prefer ProGrade Protein)
2 teaspoons of Almond/Peanut Butter
1 fish oil capsule

Nutrition Information (estimation)
Calories: 250 cal
Fat: 8g
Carbs: 5g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 27g

Sleep tight, Buff Guy!