Archive for the 'Fitness Trainers' Category

Day Water Helps Your Body Stay Fit

Food, nibbles, wine, drinks there’s no better time of the year to fill yourself to your deepest desire! Nevertheless if you’re a health-conscious kind of person, then this paper will show a bit of advice for remaining healthy this vacation season ( while everybody else around you gains five pounds ). Below are five tips for keeping yourself healthy this vacation season : one. Eat Snacks Tolerably let’s be honest, nibbles are abounding in the vacations seasons ( as if they are not already across the year ). If you sit down inside an arm’s reach of the break table, you are going to have a heavy time keeping yourself from unknowingly grabbing smatterings of party mix, candies, and so on and picking at them all day. By sitting on the opposite side of the room, getting to the nibbles involves a studied attempt into getting up and walking over to get at the nibbles.
Two. Exercise, Exercise, Exercise! There’s no better action to take in this festive season than to exercise! If the weather allows it, go out and take a fast walk round the house or block. If the weather is bad, do 10-20 squats, stretches, or other short lived exercise whenever you go to the restroom. You only wish to do enough to raise your pulse rate, though not break out into a sweat.
Probabilities are, nobody will know what you are doing, and you will not have to feel bashful about making an attempt to maintain your figure. Three.
Eat healthier Foods - Take an additional scoop of veggies and fruit when filling your plate, and by the point you finish, you will not have space for the other foods which are higher in calories and likelier to lead you to put on weight. Also, avoid those greasy and fried food ( they taste nice, but you know they are not healthy ) four.
Drink a large amount of Water across the Day Water helps your body stay fit. Drink a fair quantity of water or other unsweetened libation before each meal along with during and between them. The liquid in your gut will help trick your intelligence into not feeling as famished, which decreases the inclination to gorge yourself on probably fat rich foods. Five. Eat In Smaller Portions rather than eating platefuls of food, try eating smaller portions during the day. Doubtless, everything at the table looks superb, and it’s all you are able to do to avoid filling your plate 2-3 times so you can sample everything. Split a piece of pie or cake with your other half, kid, or another relation who could be watching their belly.
Source: The Lion’s Den

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Boxing Training Is an Effective Fitness Exercise

Boxing is not just all about beating up somebody. It can also be a very good form of training fitness program. Not only will it give you a toned body, it will also help you gain more confidence and give you a much stronger body - exactly like that of a fighter’s.
The sport creates discipline among people who are advocates of the sports. That is why, if used as a fitness program, it could create wonders not only in one’s physical appearance but as well as one’s frame of mind. With strong legs and muscles come stronger emotional balance and a sense of inner strength.
Boxing has come a long way from being male-dominated sports full of of punching and has become one of the most sought-after form of exercise because of the high endurance cardiovascular training that a person undergoes that lead to perfectly toned muscles. Especially with the coming of Tae Bo, boxing has become more accepted in mainstream body fitness. It is actually safe to say that it was Tae Bo that made boxing become an institution as a training workout.
Boxing as a fitness workout includes the use of defensive moves, jabs and punches combined with certain aerobic exercises. But this does not mean that since you are learning a modified version of boxing you are already not getting the training of the original boxing form. This is because even if you boxing is already combined with some aerobic moves, you still get to position yourself in the same way that power punchers also position themselves when they fight.
Specifically, training for an hour can help you burn around three hundred to five hundred calories while maintaining 75-85 % of the heart’s regular heartbeat rate. It also helps you become much faster, stronger, flexible and resilient. Muscle reflexes are greatly improved while the repetitive jogging and punching helps your legs and arms become much stronger. Your joints can also become more balanced and coordinated, helping your body to acquire a much better form. In addition, it is also very ideal for beginning workout trainees., especially those who wants to have some specific areas targeted in their workout.
While helping your body keep in shape, you also get to learn how to defend yourself in some unavoidable situations. It is also a good form to relieve stress, relax and learn how to develop strong self-control. You will be surprised how a seemingly brutal sport could actually help you loosen up.
At the Australian Institute of Personal Trainers we are just as passionate as you are, about fitness and a healthy balanced lifestyle. We understand that having personal training courses in Melbourne is all about making a positive difference. Being a personal trainer is all about making a positive difference that is why we have nothing but the best personal training courses,fitness courses,personal training certification, and fitness courses trainer certification.

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Russian Kettlebell Training Primer — Keep FitThe Russian Way

Far from a recent development is the pair of kettlebells. Estimates supported by sports scholars date the weight as being invented about three hundred years ago. That being said, is anyone surprised to hear that the kettlebell is now listed among the trendiest workouts worldwide? And why is this the case? The kettlebell has recently experienced a rapid jump in reputation. So why not try them out? You only need the kettlebells themselves and anyone can begin using these simple exercise routines. Obviously, the more complicated exercises call for more practice before trying them out. So don’t run before you can walk, as your grandpa might say. Most importantly, with Russian kettlebells as with any weight work, you have to make sure that you determine the right weight for your body. Although, when you use kettlebells in your exercises, you need smaller weights than you’d expect. Female beginners will probably be best suited to an eighteen pound kettlebell, while men are recommended to use the 35lb. This may seem unlikely, but it is because the benefits of a kettlebell workout are linked far more closely to the motions proper than the actual weights lifted. You’ll find that it’s smart to get an educational book or DVD to learn from and make certain you carry out the routines correctly. The key routine to work on with the kettlebell ought to be a double-handed swing. It seems simpler than it is, but it’s at the cornerstone of so many other more advanced movements. No matter what your movements must be fluent, taking care not to be hasty. A worthwhile safety pointer bears repeating while you prepare — your back are not the way to lift the weights. Rather, keep the emphasis on your hips.

Once you have this maneuver perfected, you can learn some of the more complex motions. In order to keep your commitment, variation is handy — you could perhaps change the accompanying tunes, move exercises in and out of your daily regime and so on. As you become more comfortable with using it, think about adding another set of Russian kettlebells into the workout program, perhaps even using an assortment of weights. Naturally, you don’t want your routine to decline in effectiveness, and these tricks can help you circumvent that.

It should be noted that should you begin working out with kettlebells with the intent of building your muscle mass or for body building, the results will not exactly enthrall you. What they’ll do is help you reduce weight, develop tone, and boost all round health and stamina. Personally, I recommend folding a session using the kettlebells into your broader workout course. Obviously, the degree to which you use these exercises is a matter of individual choice. Are you aiming to support your weight? Two routines is enough. Or, you can step up your intensity, have 5-6 sessions every week, and ditch that fat.

Visit and go to our super page for kettlebell information!

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Tips for Boosting Your Metabolic Rate

Boosting your metabolic rate is a key factor of long term weight loss. Following these suggestions will improve your metabolic rate and support your weight loss, including rapid weight loss.

Skipping Meals. The frequency and timing of when you eat throughout the day affects weight loss and metabolism. A study published by the American Journal of Epidemiology revealed that skipping meals can effect in weight gain. People who eat four or more times a day are 45 percent less apt to gain weight than those who eat less than three times per day. It’s potent to understand that not eating breakfast is joined to a bigger chance of overweight and obesity.

Large Meals. When we eat a lot at once, our body is deluged and our body systems slows down. The super size mindset of American culture is one of the chief reasons we are so obese. Smaller more frequent meals regulate blood sugar and sustain your metabolic rate solid and active.

Insufficient Exercise. Exercise is a crucial factor to lifting metabolic activity. Muscle mass is tied to higher calorie burning rates. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn, even when you’re dormant. In fact, for every pound of muscle you carry, your body will burn up 50 additional calories a day, everything else being equal.

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Kona Coffee Berry

Coffee Fruit is stuffed with phenolic acids and healthy plant nutrients. These phenolic acids are brilliant antioxidants. Coffee Berry begins it?s wholesome goodness along the inclines of high altitude mountain side with rich organic soil. Nourished by mineral-rich soil and warmed by intense tropical sunlight, coffee plants produce a profusion of wonderful bright red fruit, known as Kona Berry.
Coffee Berryis so exceptionally rich in anti oxidants because it grows in high altitude, low-latitude regions where the sun?s rays are strongest. As the plants mature, they develop these powerful anti oxidants to protect them from damage caused by high doses of the sun?s radiation and the natural byproducts of photosynthesis.
You might be asking what the difference is between a Coffee Berry and a Kona Bean. Coffee berries are the outer layer of the coffee fruit and are a rich source of anti-oxidants. Research reports that 400 mg of concentrate has a radical scavenging activity equal to 9.6 grams of fresh blueberries, 6.2 grams of strawberries, or 4.9 grams of raspberries.
This potent anti-radical power has not been commercially available previously because the fruit rapidly perishes, which is why only the bitter seed has been commercially exploited.
“We have discovered a means of growing, harvesting and processing the whole coffee fruit so that we arrest the development of mycotoxins and thereby render the coffee fruit for human consumption.
Because no one until now has figured out how to do this in a cost effective manner, whole coffee fruit has simply not been available.”
Coffee Berry contains five of eight rare and essential sugars called monosaccharides, with research indicating that these are essential for the proper functioning of various biological systems.
Almost half of the dry weight of the concentrate is made up of polysaccharides, such as mannans and arabinoglactan. Conventional roasting destroys these nutrients, so they are not found in traditional brewed coffee.

Kona Coffee Berry is now available in a new energy drink called XOWii.

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Gym Equipment: What Should You Buy?

Hence you have ultimately made the decision that you are fatigued of fighting traffic to get to the gym and need some gym equipment to work out at home. Now, you must to decide what home gym you want to purchase. This is not as smooth as it sounds. Much of fitness equipment eventually becomes nothing more than someplace to hang your clothes. You should think about the gym equipment and considered your needs as well as your life-style.

The biggest problem working out at home is that dreaded curse known as boredom. You recognize what I am saying, you begin something, you start working out, you get an exercise routine, but at some point you become weary. That is really the key to understanding what variety of physical fitness equipment you ought to purchase. You truly want to plan ahead and purchase gym equipment that lets you to vary your workouts and, as much as possible, prevent boredom.

Besides considering your purchase cautiously, what you’ll determine is that once you get into shape, you will look so good and appear so hot that it will become elementary to master your boredom because you recognise that it is part of how it is done. Exercising is not fun, but what is fun is seeing the effects in the mirror and how people respond to how you appear.

In the meantime, you should plausibly look for gym equipment that is multidimensional. What I mean is gym equipment that will permit you do a variety of exercise. This is important because you don’t want to do the duplicate thing anyways because your muscles will get used to the workout and eventually neglect to respond like when you first started. You need to trick your body and change the workout.

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Seven Biggest Bodybuilding Mistakes: Avoiding Common Obstacles to Muscle Mass

Bodybuilding is hard work. As far as athletics and sports go, it may very well be one of the hardest. I have spent time in competitive boxing, martial arts, powerlifting and yet I think I can say with confidence that bodybuilding caused me to face some of my greatest challenges. All sports present different challenges that are unique only to that specific
sport. My boxing taught me that I needed to take a punch, shake a punch and more importantly do my best to avoid getting punched. Boxing also taught me how to achieve incredible endurance. My martial arts training caused me pain in parts of my body I never knew existed. I learned the importance of stretching, flexibility and mental discipline.

Bodybuilding is completely different. Some of the same factors are there. Bodybuilding requires steadfast discipline, both mentally and physically. However, true bodybuilding is much more than a sportit’s a lifestyle. From the diet, to the supplements, to the workouts that impact your daily schedule, bodybuilding requires dedication unlike anything else. Then, on top of all of that, you must look in the mirror every single day and see progress in the form of new muscle with greater degrees of definition. It can be very disheartening when the mirror doesn’t represent gains that you believe you have earned and worked hard for.

That’s why it grieves me to see novice bodybuilders and even worse, experienced ones, making mistakes and succumbing to obstacles that are avoidable and inhibit their progress. As we consider the following obstacles, let’s remember that they can make or break a bodybuilder.

1. Stick to the basics

Here comes Johnny Newcomer. He skips squats. He skips heavy bent over rows. If you asked him to do a deadlift he would look perplexed and wonder why you asked him such a ridiculous question. He would rather use the machines, swing the light dumbbells, and toy around with the cables. Oh yes, I forgot, he loves to bench press too. None of these things are bad and they all are important, but they must not replace basic, heavy compound movements (barbell). Compound movements involve more than one muscle group (squats, deadlifts, etc) and tax the body in such a way so as to cause the most favorable metabolic and hormonal environmentprovided that you do not overtrain. If you incorporate heavy movements like squats, heavy bent over rows, deadlifts, and standing military presses into your regimen, you will see and feel the difference. Give it shot and let me know. I’m sure you will come back smiling even though they will take their toll physically.

2. Go homeenough already: Stop overtraining

You see them every day in the gym. They move from machine to machine and never seem to want to go home. Sometimes I sit in awe and I wonder, “Does he have a home to go to?” They work 20-30 sets for biceps and then still have the nerve to do some back training after all that. If you’re training for more than an hour, you are overtraining. As far as I’m concerned you have reached what I call the point of no return. After forty-five minutes of intense resistance training your body’s defense mechanisms engage and that in turn causes a sharp increase in cortisol (stress induced hormone). You will also have significant decreases in testosterone and human growth hormone levels. If you cut your workout time and increase your recovery time and your post workout nutrients, you will grow.

3. Exchange light & fluffy for heavy & intense

Put down the light weights and stop looking at yourself in the mirror with such lust in your eyes. If you have the wherewithal to take smoldering glances at yourself in the mirror as you smirk and blow kisses, you may not be lifting a weight that is heavy enough. Muscles will grow only if they are forced to the adaptation necessary to lift something heavier than they are use to and normally recognize. In other words, lift heavy and lift with intensity. Working out hard and working out with intensity are two different things. Intensity is what you should strive for if muscle mass is your goal. How can you lift with more intensity? Lift heavier weight. I say that because I know the word “intensity” gives some people the wrong idea. You can yell and scream in the gym, but that doesn’t mean you’re lifting with intensity.

In order to understand the true meaning of intensity I like to equivocate intensity with overload. I know that there can be a problem with this as well. Some can lift heavy, but lack the mental intensity. But keep in mind that when I use the word intensity I’m not only referring to the mental aspects, but also force, strength and velocity. Keep your rep range in the 4-6 area and do 9-12 sets per body part maximum. Heavy weight would be considered a weight that you can not get more than 6 reps with on your own while using strict form. When you get to this point and you can do 7 reps, add more weight until you continue to fall in this rep scheme. Drop the light & fluffy. Heavy & intense is where the muscle lives.

4. There’s no happy hour here: Focus, focus, focus.

I think that some people see gyms as bars, nightclubs or social societies. I’m amazed when I see people stop in the middle of a set to engage in conversation for 15-30 minutes or more. It’s unbelievable. It’s one thing if you’re done with your workout and you’re cooling down. But that is not the case most of the time. I once witnessed a girl walk up to a friend and begin conversation. Just by the duration I assumed she must have been done with her workout. Well, you know what they say about assumingnever do it. She turned around 35 minutes later as I was leaving and she picked up on the same machine she left off at. Focus and concentration is directly related to your degree of success and muscle growth. Save the conversation for after the workout. Think about and focus on nothing else but the muscle you are training. The only thing you should do between sets is mildly stretch the muscle you’re working on. And I’m not talking about the one in your mouth.

5. Now is the time: The importance of pre/post workout fuel

Last week a guy in the gym approached me and asked me if he should take a protein drink after his workout. I told him that if he didn’t plan on having a protein/carbohydrate drink following his workout, it would have better off for him to stay home. How can anyone think that it is okay to put the body through serious stressful resistance training and then not know how crucial it is to give the body the nourishment it needs to grow and repair? You have a window of opportunity immediately following a workout which could lead to the foundation of an incredibly anabolic (building) environment or one that is catabolic (tearing down). You should always ingest a good protein source at least an hour before your workout and then a protein/carbohydrate drink immediately following your workout. Make sure the pre workout source is pre-digested. It’s never a good idea to workout with anything undigested in your system. I would recommend 5 grams of glutamine before and after every workout. Never miss taking your glutamine.

6. The giver of life: Drink your water.

Your body can last months without food, but only days without water. Your muscles are made up of almost 70% water. Water is responsible for almost every single physiological function in your body. Lack of proper hydration can cause muscle weakness, stunt your muscular growth, cause joint pain, bring a lack of focus and concentration and inhibit your body’s ability to burn fat. That is just to name a few. Drinking your water is the most important thing that you can doperiod. Drink a minimum of one gallon a day.

7. Put down the pills: Eat your food

He walks into the local health food store and the salesman smiles as he sees the eager young bodybuilder with his wide-eyed hunger for muscle. The young bodybuilder then walks out with a box of supplements that he can now get home only with a truck. The biggest mistake that most bodybuilders make is wasting tons of money on pills and potions when they are not eating the proper amounts of solid foods to begin with. Supplements have their place. But supplements must never take precedence over healthy eating habits. Eating 5-6 solid muscle-building meals each day will build more muscle than any pill or powder. Make sure to have a balance of Protein/carbohydrates and fats. For muscle gains I would recommend a ratio of 25% Protein, 50% Carbs, 25% fats or depending on your metabolism another good ratio I put my clients on is 35/45/20. If maximum weight gain is your goal then add 500 calories above your maintenance & total expenditure levels.

Avoiding the common pitfalls can bring about rapid gains in muscle. Try to implement these basics if you’re not currently doing so.

Tony DiCostanzo is a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer (NFPT-CPT) and the Founder of DreamBodies Body & Life Transformation System. With over 20 years of practical experience as a natural bodybuilder in the field of health & Fitness, Tony is also a coach and motivational speaker who has inspired many through his lectures and seminars. He holds certifications in Advanced Sports Nutrtion, Sports Hypnosis and Stress management.
http://www.dreambodies.net

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Fitness & Muscle Building Know How for Hard Gainers

Hard gainers are individuals who train equally hard as other people but somehow fail to make any gains comparable to others. They need a lot more than hard training. Hard gainers need to incorporate many different principles in order to achieve their muscle building ambitions and goals. Many bodybuilders get to discover this through the hard way of personal experience, which results in wasted time, energy and money.

Majority of bodybuilding aspirants go to the gym with a well set belief that there is no such thing as training too often, too much nor too long. They do not bother to spend respectable amount of time in constructing an effective training regimen for themselves. Then there is this myth that if some is good, more would definitely be better. This misconception is the driving force behind most youngsters and hard gainers who weight train for stamina, strength and size.

Training on these principles ultimately, results in lack of muscle growth and to counter this problem they put in more training and the results go from bad to worse. Therefore it is good time to face the truth.

In the sport of bodybuilding; effort and effect do not show any evidence of a linear relationship. On the contrary, our bodies are fuel burning entities which are very complex and depend upon delicate balances. Improper and excessive training breaks downs these balances. Simply put, if you burn your energy reserves faster than they get replenished, you’ll deplete the entire mechanism of strength, stamina and ability to recuperate.

In case you are a beginner bodybuilder, you must get your body conditioned to handle increased levels of stress rather that jump into the drive to achieve your goals quickly. It is wise for the beginners to keep their workout schedule to a maximum of three days per week, training the whole body in each workout and training each muscle group with a maximum of three sets per exercise. Each set should be taken to total failure, not mental failure but physical failure. In other words, don’t quit mentally before your body says by itself to quit.

Bring variety in the types of exercises employed. If you take up exercise “A” for a muscle group in one workout, then take up exercise “B” for the same muscle group in the next workout.

Split training is suggested for the advanced bodybuilders. If your workout schedule comprises of training four days a week Monday, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, separate body parts so that half of the body is worked on Monday and the other half on Tuesday.

As a muscle building addict you need to increase your protein intake with significant amounts than you take up in a normal active life. As soon as you substantially increase your protein consumption, your muscles size will increase gradually. In fact, if you are a hard gainer then this may be your root problem. As per modern standards you need at least two grams of protein per pound of your body weight. A 150 pound individual, for example, needs at least 300 grams of protein a day, to increase muscle size, but most bodybuilders don’t even take fifty percent of this requirement.

Lastly, your training program should emphasize more on the use of free weights over machines. And always be sure that you have warmed up adequately before you start lifting weights for muscle building.

For more info go to: http://www.BigMusclesBuilding.com/

Indy Stewart is a bodybuilding expert who took up this sport for weight loss and to build muscle and has achieved great success in health and fitness. Visit his website for muscle building-fitness related information: http://www.BigMusclesBuilding.com/

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Can You Build Muscle And Lose Body Fat At The Same Time?

One question I am continually asked is, “Is it possible to lose body fat and gain muscle at the same time?” My answer is an emphatic YES!

First of all, to build muscle, you must constantly overload the muscles in the gym. Heavy training is of utmost importance. Even when you are on a calorie-deprived diet to lose body fat, you must be mentally tough and continue to train heavily to preserve-and even build-muscle mass. And, as I’ve discussed several times already, back up heavy training by eating high-quality protein on a consistent basis.

To lose body fat and still gain muscle, you must really watch your diet closely. Keep your daily caloric intake below your maintenance level. When you reduce your calories, be sure to keep your diet high in quality protein. Most of your calories should come from your carbohydrate consumption. Of course, watch your fat intake.

Here is how I suggest you manipulate your carbohydrate consumption: For a couple of days, eat only vegetables for carbohydrates then go back to grains like rice, potatoes, and pasta for a couple of days. Rotate in this manner and see how quickly you start melting the fat. Because carbohydrates give you energy, this may become difficult at times. Nevertheless, it is a very effective strategy.

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Bodybuilding Diet Mistakes To Avoid At All Costs

1) Eating very little or excessive protein.

Protein is the key nutrient in any bodybuilding diet plan. In order to build muscle one should consume at least 1 gram of protein per pound of lean bodyweight. Less protein can actually hinder one’s progress significantly and result in frustration and lack of results. On the other hand excessive protein calories in a diet can be stored as body fat or in some cases used as energy. One gram per pound of lean bodyweight spread over 6 nutritious meals is a great starting point. If you want to build more muscle or you train harder OR you find that you are not recovering as fast you can slowly increase your protein intake to 1.1 grams per pound or 1.25 grams. Protein is the building block for muscle tissue and if you want to build mass OR get ripped you have to start eating more.

2) Eating the wrong types of carbs.

This is one of the most common nutritional mistakes I come across. I see people who want to add muscle and they eat anything for carbs, from chocolate bars & dohnuts to rice & potatoes! Fact of the matter is, not all carbs are created equal and you will be what you eat, eventually! Most people tend to overeat simple carbs (sugars) which give them an almost immediate rise in energy but also an equally sudden slump. A proper bodybuilding diet, whether it’s for mass gaining purposes or leaning out, should consist mostly of complex carbs. Complex carbs are digested slowly and released into the bloodstream steadily over a period of time. This provides a steady source of energy for muscles throughout the day. With complex carbs there are no highs and lows in energy as they stay steady throughout the day.

Imagine your energy as a line in a graph. With complex carbs, your energy is a completely straight line, always staying high. With simple carbs, your energy line is like a few mountain peaks. It has a few extreme highs but it’s followed by extreme lows as well! Carbs have a very significant effect on the way the body utilizes protein. Carbs have a “protein sparing” effect ie when you eat enough carbs, your body will use the protein you give it only for muscle repairing/building purposes. If you don’t give your body
enough carbs throughout the day, it will automatically break down protein to synthesize glycogen for energy. It’s a process called glycogenesis and it will take place when your body is running low on carbs. If your body starts to break down proteins you will enter a catabolic state and your metabolism will slow down significantly. You will also lose muscle & strength.

3) Cheating too much with the wrong foods.

Cheating in any bodybuilding diet is an absolute must. Whether you are dieting for a contest or trying to gain muscle, you should set a specific day of the week where you will be able to have a cheat meal of your liking. The way you cheat depends 100% on how strict you are with your diet. Bodybuilders who are dieting for a contest are the most strict, limiting their cheat meals to once a week or once every two weeks. On the other hand, bodybuilders who are trying to gain muscle mass cheat more often, maybe 2-3 times a week. It is important however to cheat sensibly and not go overboard! If you eat a gallon of ice cream in one sitting and consume over 3000 calories, what do you think will happen? Most likely, the extra calories from sugars & fat will be stored as body fat! The KEY to cheating is to do it with moderation. If you want to be a bodybuilder you should forget about eating anything you want. I don’t care how fast your metabolism is! If you eat a ton of cheat meals,
it will backfire on you and your progress will slow down.

4) Thinking supplements as the “holy grail”.

Nutritional supplements are exactly what they describe! They are there to supplement your diet in case you cannot eat enough nutrients from solid natural foods. Nothing on earth can substitute the power and metabolic effects of natural foods. Supplements provide mostly conveniency when we don’t have time to cook but they are in no way better than food. Do not look at supplements as the “solution” to your lack of progress. Yes, some of them do provide an extra boost in strength or fat loss BUT if you do not have a solid diet & training program as the foundation of your bodybuilding goals, supplements will do very little for you.

5) Not eating enough fats & fatty acids.

All fat is not created equal! Eating some fats can actually help you gain mass and keep your body healthy. Most people try to avoid fats like the plague but this approach can actually hinder their mass gaining or fat loss efforts. Egg yolks, virgin olive oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil, natural peanut butter & fish oils are all excellent sources of healthy fats. These not only support a healthy metabolism & hormone production but can provide healthy calories for your bulking up bodybuilding diet. Stay away from saturated fats & trans fatty acids at all costs! They will ruin your physique and cause havoc to your body & health.

6) Not having variety in your diet.

I asked a bodybuilder friend of mine recently how his diet was. His reply was typical: “You know, Kostas, chicken breasts, brown rice, steak, tuna, more rice, baked potatoes..the usual”. Don’t get me wrong, all of these foods are top of the line for your bodybuilding diets but you can add MORE! Eating the same thing day in day out is really boring. I have eaten so much canned tuna that i cannot even stand to look at it anymore! A bodybuilding diet is a HEALTHY diet first and foremost. Variety is very important - not only for health’s sake but also for your mind’s sake. Having variety will help you enjoy your nutritional program for years to come and you will also cheat less. There are so many bodybuilding recipe cookbooks out there that give you an immense amount of choices, ideas & healthy alternatives to the staples of chicken & rice.

For an absolutely 100% free bodybuilding recipe e-book visit http://www.bodybuildingapplied.com/bodybuilding_recipes.asp

7) Failing to track calories on a daily basis.

Experts say to measure portions, measure plate fulls or just eat as much as you can (when bulking). I find all this completely wrong. In order to make real progress and see how your body is reacting to your specific diet, you need to accurately track calories. If you do not, you are setting yourself up for frustration. Knowing how many calories you are consuming on any given day can help you make necessary changes if you are not seeing the results you want. You can either keep a diary of your daily calories or you can add them up in excel. Counting calories can be a tedious process at first but you get used to it really fast. Eventually you’ll be able to add everything up in your head automatically!

8) Overeating.

If you are trying to gain weight be careful not to fall pray to the “experts” who say that you have to eat everything in sight. Yes, you most definately have to eat a large number of calories & meals every day but that does not mean that you have to stuff yourself like there’s no tomorrow! Overeating calories & especially sugars will only make you gain body fat. You can gain a tremendous amount of weight & mass even if you eat clean foods! The only thing you have to do is eat more of them!!

9) Making big changes all at once.

Changing your diet all of a sudden and following a Mr. Olympia’s diet will not do you any good. You will end up gaining body fat or starving your muscles. If you want to change your diet, make sure you do so by either increasing or decreasing your calories over a period of time. Start by adding 100 calories every 3-5 days until you have reached the desired caloric intake. Once you reach the desired caloric level keep close track of your body weight & body fat percentage in order to assess whether the new changes in your diet are beneficial or not.

10) Not drinking enough water.

Water is probably one of the most important ingredients for life. Over 70% of our muscles consist of water. Water is needed for all metabolic processes, including protein synthesis. It helps get rid of toxins, it is important in fat metabolism and it can reduce fluid retention. A good rule of thumb is to drink 10 cups of water per day, increasing it during the summer months and during hardcore training sessions. Even the slightest bit of dehydration can make you feel sluggish and hold you back during your training sessions. Never ignore water intake!!

Copyright 2005 - Kostas Marangopoulos

Kostas Marangopoulos is a certified personal trainer, natural bodybuilder and owner of one of the best bodybuilding websites & forums on the web, BodybuildingApplied.com. To get Kostas’ free monthy bodybuilding diet & training secrets newsletter, please visit http://www.BodybuildingApplied.com

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