Saturday, March 30, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Friday, March 15, 2013
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Friday, March 8, 2013
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Monday, March 4, 2013
Intermitent Fasting by Lean Gains
The Leangains Guide
Intermittent fasting and Leangains
How does Leangains differentiate itself from some other intermittent fasting based diets? Here's a brief primer.
The basics
In-depth coverage of my approach, and the benefits of intermittent fasting, can be read about here.
A much shorter summary can be found here.
Fasting and feeding
My general position on the fasted phase is that it should last through the night and during the morning hours. Ideally the fast should then be broken at noon or shortly thereafter if you arise at 6-7 AM like most people. Afternoons and evenings are usually spent in the fed state.
However, the fast could also also be broken later in the day depending on your personal preferences and daily routine. I personally tend to break the fast as late as 4-6 PM since I work well into the night and rise later than most people with normal jobs.
The recommendation for fasting through the earlier part of the day, as opposed to the latter part of the day, is for behavioral and social reasons. Most people simply find it easier to fast after awakening and prefer going to bed satiated. Afternoons and evenings are times to unwind and eat. For adherence reasons during dieting, I've also found that placing the feeding phase later in the day is ideal for most people.
The protocols
I work with four different protocols depending on when my clients train. Depending on setup, one, two, or three meals are eaten in the post-workout period.
Fasted training
Training is initiated on an empty stomach and after ingestion of 10 g BCAA or similar amino acid mixture. This "pre-workout" meal is not counted towards the feeding phase. Technically, training is not completely fasted - that would be detrimental. The pre-workout protein intake, with its stimulatory effect on protein synthesis and metabolism, is a crucial compromise to optimize results. The 8-hour feeding phase starts with the post-workout meal.
Sample setup
11.30-12 AM or 5-15 minutes pre-workout: 10 g BCAA
12-1 PM: Training
1 PM: Post-workout meal (largest meal of the day).
4 PM: Second meal.
9 PM: Last meal before the fast.
Calories and carbs are tapered down throughout the day in the example above.
Early morning fasted training
Here's a sample setup for a client that trains early in the morning and prefers the feeding phase at noon or later. Read this for details regarding this protocol.
6 AM: 5-15 minutes pre-workout: 10 g BCAA.
6-7 AM: Training.
8 AM: 10 g BCAA.
10 AM: 10 g BCAA
12-1 PM: The "real" post-workout meal (largest meal of the day). Start of the 8 hour feeding-window.
8-9 PM: Last meal before the fast.
For the sake of conveniency, I recommend getting BCAA in the form of powder and not tabs. Simply mix 30 g of BCAA powder in a shake and drink one third of it every other hour starting 5-15 minutes pre-workout. Tabs are cheaper, but much more of a hassle (you're going to have to pop a lot of tabs). Check my supplements guide for specific brand recommendations.
One pre-workout meal
This is the most common setup for my younger clients that are still in college or have flexible working hours.
Sample setup
12-1 PM or around lunch/noon: Pre-workout meal. Approximately 20-25% of daily total calorie intake.
3-4 PM: Training should happen a few hours after the pre-workout meal.
4-5 PM: Post-workout meal (largest meal).
8-9 PM: Last meal before the fast.
Two pre-workout meals
This is the usual protocol for people with normal working hours.
Sample setup
12-1 PM or around lunch/noon: Meal one. Approximately 20-25% of daily total calorie intake.
4-5 PM: Pre-workout meal. Roughly equal to the first meal.
8-9 PM: Post-workout meal (largest meal).
Key points
* No calories are to be ingested during the fasted phase, though coffee, calorie free sweeteners, diet soda and sugar free gum are ok (even though they might contain trace amount of calories). A tiny splash of milk in your coffee won’t affect anything either (½-1 teaspoon of milk per cup at the most - use sparingly and sensibly if you drink a lot of coffee). Neither will sugar free gum in moderation (~20 g).
* The fast is the perfect time to be productive and get things done. Don’t sit around, get bored and brood about food.
* Meal frequency during the feeding phase is irrelevant. However, most people, including me, prefer three meals.
* The majority of your daily calorie intake is consumed in the post-workout period. Depending on setup, this means that approximately 95-99% (fasted training), 80% (one pre-workout meal) or 60% (two pre-workout meals) of your daily calorie intake is consumed after training.
* The feeding window should be kept somewhat constant due to the hormonal entrainment of meal patterns. We tend to get hungry when we're used to eating and maintaining a regular pattern makes diet adherence easier. If you're used to breaking the fast at 12-2 PM and ending it at 8-10 PM, then try to maintain that pattern every day.
* On rest days, meal one should ideally be the largest meal, as opposed to training days where the post-workout meal is the largest meal. A good rule of thumb is to make meal one on rest days at least 35-40% of your daily calorie intake. This meal should be very high in protein; some of my clients consume more than 100 g of protein in this meal.
* When working with clients I am always open to compromising on the above rule. If your preference is to eat a larger meal in the evening instead of noon, or whenever you break the fast, it's no great harm. Some people prefer to save the largest meal on rest days for dinner with their family instead of having a large lunch and that's fine by me if it makes them enjoy and adhere to their diet better.
* Macronutrients and calorie intakes are always cycled through the week. The specifics depends on the client's ultimate goal: fat loss, muscle gain or bodyrecomposition. The details will be revealed in the book. Generally speaking, carbs and total calorie intake is highest on training days. On rest days, carbs are lower and fat is higher. Protein is kept high on all days.
* Here are the supplements I recommend everyone to take on a daily basis: a multivitamin, fish oil, vitamin D and extra calcium (unless dairy is consumed on a regular and daily basis).
* For fasted training, BCAA or an essential amino acid mixture is highly recommended. However, if this feels like too much micromanaging or simply questionable from an economic standpoint, you could also make due with some whey protein. The importance of protein intake prior to fasted training is outlined in this and this post.
* People sometimes ask me which protocol is best. I tend to look at things from a behavioral perspective first and foremost, so my reply to that is to choose the protocol best suited to your daily routine and training preferences. When dealing with clients I make the choice for them. If you work a 9-5 job and your only option is to train after work, training fasted is generally a bad idea and I always choose the one or two meals pre-workout protocol.
* Even from a physiological perspective, each protocol has it's own strengths and theoretical benefits. With "physiological perspective" I mean in terms of nutrient partitioning, fat loss and muscle growth. This deserves an article on it's own. I have some interesting and compelling arguments that I think are very unique.
Below I'll list some other resources that I think will give you an idea of what Leangains is all about.
Diet methodology
Calories, foods and macronutrient choices play an important role in the optimal diet. The following articles will give you an insight into my philosophy on this topic.
Scorch Through Your Fat Loss Plateau
Maintaining Low Body Fat
Intermittent Fasting, Set-Point and Leptin
Diet psychology
The right mental attitude is a crucial factor for a successful diet and training routine. This is an area that is all too often overlooked. I've explored this subject through many different perspectives.
The Secret Benefit of Being Lean
The Marshmallow Test
How to Look Awesome Every Day
How People Fail Their New Year's Resolutions
Maintaining Low Body Fat
1:24 PM | Posted by Martin Berkhan
Since things have cooled down a bit and I need to get back into the habit of writing, I'm gonna kick off this month with an article that touches on a few factors that I believe are important for anyone wanting to maintain a lean appearance at all times of the year.
I've never been a fan of the bulk and cut approach. An approach often taken to the extreme by some of my peers, with the net result being that they only look decent during the summer months. Simply not my style. Perhaps it's a consequence of growing up fat. Perhaps it's because I'm more impressed by feats of great relative strength, for which leanness is critical. I'm not sure. It is what it is, like the saying goes.
Once I cut down to 5.5% body fat by late December 2007, I decided I wanted to stay that way if it was possible. Possible in this case meaning if I could maintain my sanity, social life and not feel miserable. I questioned the possibility since I failed many times in the past. Sure, I got plenty lean before. That wasn't the problem. I managed to get very lean for shows and photo-shoots back when I was modelling. Getting there wasn't the problem. Staying there was.
But I'd come a long way since my semi-starved modelling career and had managed to adopt a new perspective on things. It would prove to be crucial for my success this time.
This is my current condition. I'm a little heavier than I was in October, but not by much.
Maintaining the lean state
I use and work with four different approaches to intermittent fasting. All of them entails a 16 hour fast followed by 8 hours of feeding. 3 meals usually, 2 or 4 meals less usually.
1. Fat loss. Maximizing fat loss and minimizing muscle loss.
2. Lean gains. Maximizing muscle gain and minimizing fat gain.
3. Bodyrecomposition. Simultaneous muscle gain and fat loss.
4. Lifestyle (or maintenance). Incorporating intermittent fasting as a lifestyle diet that is very sustainable in the long run. The difference between this and other approaches are in the form of much looser guidelines and lessened focus on macronutrient and calorie-cycling. Slow bodyrecomposition can still occur.
The diet changes depending on what my clients favor, but they have many things in common. There's a system to it - specific guidelines for each approach. There's no guesswork. I'm fairly specific. Left are the lowest common denominators that I believe are conducive to maintaining, or achieving, the lean state. I will cover a few of them below.
One of my clients, Andreaz, after months on a lean gains phase. As you can see, he remained lean throughout the whole process. Weight gain was slow, but fat gain almost non-existent. This picture was taken a few days before we switched to a fat loss diet.
Intermittent Fasting
Well, this one was fairly predictable. Nevertheless, it needs to be addressed first and foremost in this article since it played such an important role for me. Intermittent fasting was a key factor in allowing me to stay very lean and looking great 365 days a year. It was the golden ticket. While I don't think intermittent fasting is for everyone, it released me from the chains of feeling the need to eat every 2-3 hours. It spared me the torture from having to be content with tiny kindergarten-style meals that would only leave me wanting more.
Some people may feel differently. Maybe they feel "just right" after a small meal every so often, and maybe they maintain a low body fat doing just that. But I never really felt satisfied with that approach. I always failed when I tried, and I tried for years. I did 5-6 meals of 400-500 calories or so and still felt like I was dieting. Sooner or later I'd blow my diet and overeat (a lot).
I prefer to eat big. When I eat, I eat. When I don't, I don't. That's how I'm wired and trying to fight against my natural inclinations always caused me to fail.
Intermittent fasting is in my opinion a very effective way to maintain some hedonism in your life while staying lean. I'm able to eat awesome meals (some go as high as 2000 kcal) without adding body fat. I wouldn't be able to do that on the six-meal-a-day-diets I tried to maintain on in the past. I never get cravings anymore. I don't fiend around for snacks. I don't need them.
Diet
The foundation of a diet conducive to maintaining and achieving the lean state needs to be built on a few specific dietary fundamentals.
My framework contains a few rules that I adhere to most of the time. Following these rules makes maintenance of the lean state possible and enjoyable. These dietary fundamentals can be said to establish a low body fat settling point (not the same as set point). This is what you can control to make sure you remain lean despite not having the genetic makeup for it. I sure don't. I grew up fat. But with the following strategies, I've remained very lean for years now. And it feels great.
However, I should note that these rules are meant to be broken from time to time. Life will come in the way some days. Flexibility and a non-rigid mindset are important traits to make this work.
Robert has been on a lean gains diet for almost four months without any noticeable fat gain. He's made substantial strength gains despite only gaining 4 lbs.
Protein
Some people rely heavily on cardio in order to maintain their leanness. This allows them to be somewhat more lenient with their diet. I am however no fan of cardio and don't use it to stay lean. In my view cardio as a strategy to maintain a low body fat percentage is not only time-consuming, but also a sure-fire way to hamper muscle and strength gains. If nor time or muscle gain is a concern then by all means continue your cardio regimen. But considering my priorities and those of my clients, I focus on the macrocomposition of the diet to maintain the lean state.
You'll often hear that 1 g protein/lb body weight is a good guideline for muscle gain. That's true. Studies show no additional benefit in going higher than that, assuming adequate calorie intake. But protein has other important qualities. I put great emphasis on it in every diet I design and believe it needs to be kept higher than the generic guidelines.
First and foremost, the effect on satiety is far superior to both carbs and fat. This ensures good diet compliance, since you won't get hungry and risk overeating.
Secondly, TEF (Thermic Effect of Food) is much greater for protein than for both carbs and fat. It's so significant that a researcher named Livesey proposed that protein should actually be counted as 3.2 kcal and not 4 kcal as the current guidelines state. In simple terms, in comparing two hypo-energetic diets at the same calorie intake, the diet with the highest protein percentage of total calorie intake will show superior results.
Last but not least, a high protein intake is absolutely crucial during fat loss if you want to optimize retention of muscle mass while losing weight.
A high protein diet is a key strategy to prevent overeating and warding off fat gain when attempting to gain qualitative weight. For fat loss additional benefits arise in terms of greater satiety, accelerated fat loss and sparing of lean mass.
Food choices
Most of your diet should consist of whole and unprocessed foods. One critical mistake people make when transitioning from dieting to (failed) maintenance or a muscle gaining diet is changing the food composition of the diet significantly. Out goes the fibrous veggies and whole food protein and in comes the refined carbs and protein shakes. Such foods invite overeating sooner or later. Most people don't have a problem gaining weight, they have trouble keeping it off - especially after dieting and reaching a low body fat percentage.
What you ate during your fat loss diet, satiating foods like veggies, fruit, berries, meat and cottage cheese, should also be a staple of your diet regardless of goal (muscle gain, bodyrecomposition, lifestyle). And minimize liquid calorie intake. Chew your calories, don't drink them.
While I'm not big on supplements, there are a select few that should be added to your diet if there is a need for it. For example, calcium increases fat excretion and Vitamin D plays an important role for metabolism. Making sure there is no lack of these micronutrients is therefore conducive to maintaining the lean state. For more on this, check out my supplement guide where I list the stuff I consider useful.
Calories and macronutrients: timing and cycling.
I've talked about this numerous times on the site, but in short I believe macronutrient and calorie cycling is an important part of a proper intermittent fasting setup. I've mentioned the potential benefits with regards to partitioning in the past, but this time I'd like to put a little more focus on the behavioral aspects. Simply put, there's a tendency for people to go lax and take too many liberties on diet setups and don't cycle phases of over-and underfeeding cycles.
Surplus calories should not be consumed each and every day, but in conjunction with training - when they are likely to be used for repair of damaged muscle tissues and recovery of glycogen stores. Conversely, slight underfeeding on rest days may have benefits mediated via mechanisms that kick in during calorie restriction (on top of the independent and positive effects of intermittent fasting), such as improvement in blood lipids and other health markers.
And then there's the fact that people simply get more productive with a lessened focus on food on rest days - they get stuff done. But this effect is unique for the short term. It's certainly not something that occurs with prolonged dieting, where thoughts of food may become overwhelming and obsessive. I actually prefer to have a few dieting days now and then. I've noticed I am at my most productive during those days and I certainly don't experience "dieting" symptoms such as increases in hunger.
So, cycling between overfeeding (training days) and slight underfeeding (rest days) is another excellent strategy to remain lean regardless of your goal. The benefits are not only physiological, but also behavioral.
Social events/eating
Some of my clients get anxious about attending social events, such as big family gatherings, parties and weddings. There will be tempting foods, maybe alcohol and various snacks and they will likely deviate from their diet. And when some people deviate from their diet, they lose control and overeat (usually on a plethora of sub par foods and snacks). Learning how to tackle social events that involve eating is therefore important for anyone wanting to get lean and remain lean - unless you plan on living your life like a hermit.
These events can be made into smaller issues with a good dose of self-control. But I can't assume that everyone is able to "eat in moderation." No, I have special strategy for such occasions. Assuming the event is in the evening, and that the client initiates his feeding phase around noon, I tell them to eat their full allotment of protein for the day before attending the event. They should keep everything else low; fat and carbs are consumed in whatever low amounts that are contained in the high protein foods eaten before the event. This creates a big caloric buffer for social eating AND ensures that the client comes to the party reasonably satiated and less prone to eat a bunch of junk.
Consider this easy and non-challenging strategy yourself. It has been a great help for myself and many clients.
Summary
* I follow intermittent fasting to maintain a shredded physique 365 days a year. For me and many others, it's an excellent way to enjoy dietary freedom without feeling deprived and constrained to your diet.
* I maintain a high protein diet and cycle carbs and fat depending on day. I chew most of my calories and my diet consists of whole foods primarily. By doing this, I'm rarely hungry and the diet is enjoyable and varied. I also believe that there physiological and behavioral benefits to macronutrient/calorie-cycling.
* I'm flexible and never let my diet rule my life get in the way of enjoying myself. Remember, it's the diet that you maintain 80% of the time that will dictate how you look. Not the occasional indulgences.
* There are easy strategies for tackling social situations, such as saving up for a "caloric buffer" later in the day.
So that's all for today. There's a little more to it, but I might save that for another article. Or my book, whenever the hell that will be out.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Greg Plitt: Abdominal Assault Workout
His washboard abs are mind-blowing: stone-hard, sculpted to the max, simply perfect. When Greg Plitt teaches how to build them, the top cover model applies his unique mixture of knowledge, dedication and philosophy, and begins: "You must believe in yourself enough to be the person now that you want others to remember you for later." Get ready to go through the pain today for tomorrow's betterment, as Greg leads you through his Abdominal Assault Workout. Greg takes you through 20 ab exercises you have never seen before in this brutal assault on yours abs. This all-out ab battle plan combines body weight exercises, to build tone and get the cut factor, with weighted exercises, to get the deep valleys and depth between the abs. Greg assures: "If you are ready to be the person today that you'll wish you were tomorrow, my Abdominal Assault Workout is ready for you!" The thrilling preview video:
The full Abdominal Assault Workout is available at www.GregPlitt.com.
Greg Plitt: Deltoid Dominance Workout
"Strength is not found in the victory, it's found in the hardships and what you overcome to get the victory", Greg Plitt puts right. Prepare for great hardship, as Greg leads you through Deltoid Dominance. The top cover model explains: "This punishing shoulder workout will hit your delts from every angle with exercises you have never seen before. This all out assault on your shoulders is guaranteed to unleash the growth while it tests your desire to achieve your true potential. Make it through Deltoid Dominance, and not only will you master the gym, but you just might find the confidence to master life." The thrilling preview video:
The full Deltoid Dominance Workout is available at www.GregPlitt.com.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Barrera says he’s surprised Marquez kayoed Pacquiao
MANILA, Philippines - Marco Antonio Barrera is just one of those who were surprised to see Juan Manuel Marquez score a devastating knockout over Manny Pacquiao last December in Las Vegas.
Barrera was at ringside, as a commentator for a Mexican television, when Marquez stopped Pacquiao with one punch and only one second left in the sixth round at the MGM Grand.
“I was surprised that Marquez knocked out Pacquiao,” said Barrera, who’s in Cebu City for the WBO light-flyweight title fight between Filipino Donnie Nietes and Mexican Moises Fuentes.
It’s the first time Barrera visited the Philippines, and he easily won the hearts of the Cebuanos, according to a report by Philboxing.
The great Mexican champion who fought and lost twice to Pacquiao was full of class. He only had nice words to say to Filipinos.
He graced Friday’s official weigh-in and then attended a media dinner.
Barrera, who fought Pacquiao in 2003 and 2008, said what surprised him during the fight at the MGM last Dec. 8 was that Marquez didn’t do anything different inside the ring.
It was the same old Marquez, arguably the best counter-puncher in the sport today. And it was the same right straight that did the damage as in his first three encounters with Pacquiao.
“Marquez did not do anything new in training. He used the same punches,” said Barrera.
Marquez floored Pacquiao with a sweeping right to the side of the head in the third round, but the Filipino icon dropped Marquez in the fifth.
Pacquiao had Marquez in his hands in the sixth but made the costly mistake of going for the kill in the closing seconds, and got caught by a powerful right straight just before the bell.
It took a couple of minutes for Pacquiao to get up on his feet.
Barrera was not around Marquez when the 39-year-old Mexican trained for four months under Nacho Beristain and conditioning expert Angel Hernandez.
“I cannot explain it. Maybe he has a very good doctor,” said Barrera, without further elaborating.
Talks are on for a fifth fight between Pacquiao and Marquez, and if it happens by the end of the year, Barrera will be at ringside once more.
He thinks Pacquiao still has the upperhand.
Barrera tried to look back at his rivalry with Pacquiao, particularly their first meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
“It was a tough fight, but I know I lost to the best of the best,” he said.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine
Review:
Under the Lid
Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder is created with Creapure brand Creatine Monohydrate, providing consumers with 5 grams (5000 mg) of creatine with every serving. Because Creapure is manufactured to maintain 99.9% purity, this form of creatine allows for better absorption and reduced risk of side effects.
When used in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular strength training, Micronized Creatine can significantly improve muscle mass and physical strength. Additionally, Micronized creatine may even boost ATP production for those explosive bursts of energy you need to push through each rep.
Advantages
Because Creapure is so easily manufactured and produced, Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine is amazingly cheap. At only $10 a bottle, you can experience all the benefits of creatine without the extra out of pocket expense.
Optimum Nutrition promotes that their creatine powder is so refined that it can mix easily with juice or water without the chalky, gritty texture common to other creatine products.
A single teaspoon of Micronized Creatine powder can help power up your protein shakes, meal-replacement formulas, and muscle-building smoothies and will even stay suspended in water for longer periods of time rather than sinking uselessly to the bottom.
Disadvantages
Because Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder only utilizes one creatine absorption channel to provide you with muscle-building results, there is no way to determine whether or not this product will work for you.
Some individuals do not respond to Creatine Monohydrate, even when it’s in its purest form. Additional forms of creatine, such as Kre-Alkalyn, or Creatine Ethyl Ester may be needed in order to produce results.
Although Micronized Creatine absorbs faster than regular creatine monohydrate, thus minimizing the amount of time spent in the stomach, Micronized Creatine still requires a loading phase of 4 or 5 days before you’ll experience any muscle-building results.
Potential Side Effects
Typically speaking, Creatine Monohydrate is known for causing bloating, gas, indigestion, and upset stomach, but Micronized Creatine allows for faster absorption, resulting in fewer negative side effects.
Keep in mind, however, that even though micronized creatine is safer creatine monohydrate, it is not perfect. Many consumers have also reported the following side effects while supplementing with Micronized creatine:
• Water Retention –It will leave your muscles looking fuller but increases risk of dehydration
• Kidney Stress – Water is pulled into the muscles, increasing toxicity in the blood stream
• Mood Changes – It may alter blood plasma levels and the secretion of mood enhancing hormones, resulting in depression, anxiety, and irritability
• Kidney Stress – Water is pulled into the muscles, increasing toxicity in the blood stream
• Mood Changes – It may alter blood plasma levels and the secretion of mood enhancing hormones, resulting in depression, anxiety, and irritability
Money-Back Guarantee
Optimum Nutrition Creatine Powder is available through a wide variety of sellers and is typically sold between $10 and $15 dollars a bottle (or more depending on the size of the bottle). Some vendors back their products with a 30-day money back guarantee, so you can try this formula for yourself completely risk free.
Conclusion
Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine might not be the most impressive creatine supplement on the market, but we are definitely impressed with its straight-forward approach to building muscle and improving physical performance. Despite the long loading phase, Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine is a safe and effective method for making the most out of each workout, and countless positive reviews validate that fact.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)