Here’s my new eBook that follows exactly what I do to prepare for a photo shoot over a 14 day period. In the book I give you my food journal for each day beginning the moment I wake up and following throughout the day with times and the foods for each meal and snack. You can see the picture below-right, which I used this 14 day plan to get ready for. I have no doubt that you can get amazing results in only 14 days is you stick to the plan!

You’ll see how I carb shift, which is something that I talk about in my book Muscle Chow and to make it easy I’ve also included a shopping list. Throughout the 2-week plan I also offer recipes to help make preparation simple, quick and easy. You will find these recipes at the back of the book in the recipe guide, plus quick tips, supplements that I use throughout and more!

Coupon Discount Code!

For monthly newsletter subscribers you will find a coupon code in the October 2011 newsletter. Use this code to get a nice discount at checkout. If you aren’t a monthly newsletter subscriber, no worries – just click to sign up for the monthly newsletter and I will send you the coupon code so you can take advantage of the discount as well. It’s a win/win!

I hope everyone takes advantage of this “inside look” into achieving great results in as little as 14 days!

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Here is your opportunity to achieve YOUR BEST HEALTH EVER in ONLY 3 DAYS…starting right now! It’s my “three-day healthy lifestyle plan.” Anyone can do it, but you’ve got to want to do it. Don’t wait, because one day you might be kicking yourself for not taking this opportunity to create a better, healthier, happier you. These are small changes that will change your world – I guarantee it!

DAY 1

Eliminate 1 bad food from your diet. Pick something obvious that you might eat three or more times a week, like ice cream, candy, sugar, soda, fast-food, sub sandwiches, pizza or mocha frappe lattes for example. If you absolutely cannot eliminate it, cut it down to only 1 day per week.
Add 2 good foods to your diet. Apples and broccoli are two powerhouse foods worth considering because they have lots of fiber, nutrients, and cancer fighting properties.

DAY 2

Protect yourself from toxins and support your body with a good multivitamin mineral. Don’t get a drugstore brand. Go to Whole Foods or Vitamin Shoppe and ask someone to help you pick one that fits your lifestyle and needs.
Eliminate toxic waste and balance your body’s alkaline/acidity levels by drinking at least 8 glasses of purified water daily. Water helps flush the system and enables your body to function at an optimal level.
If you want to go the extra step, add a fish oil supplement to your diet and you’ll see a significant difference in memory, as well as improving the youthful look of your skin and hair. Plus it’s good for heart health!

DAY 3

Eliminate 1 negative thought about yourself and about someone else. This is way easier said than done! Judgment of self and others will hold you back from reaching your fullest potential and creativity. This is a fact!
Balance yourself for five minutes every day by closing your eyes and breathing deeply.  You’ll be amazed by how clear and energized you will feel.
Say at least 1 positive affirmation about yourself every day. This one works wonders: “I love myself, I have faith in myself, I trust myself, every part of myself.” It’s easy to remember and is something that you can repeat throughout the day.

It’s that easy! Just start one day at a time for the next 3 days and you will feel a massive difference in as little as 1 week. Imagine how you’ll feel after 2 weeks, and then 3.

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I get this question all the time, and before I give you my answer, let’s take a quick look back at the history and fundamentals that each style of training offers.

HIT History

The history of HIT training started back in the seventies with a dude named Arthur Jones. This guy was smart—he was an entrepreneur who invented a line of fitness machines called Nautilus that were designed to isolate specific body parts. These Nautilus machines were usually set up in a circuit type setting so that individuals could come to the gym and hit every body part by simply running the circuit in about 20 to 40 minutes. Convenient right? So convenient in fact that gyms began investing in Nautilus machines as a primary feature to sell more memberships.

FUN TRIVIA

Let’s go back about 10 years earlier to the mid 1960’s where arguably some of the first machines were crafted. The country: Austria. The town: Graz. The place: a tiny gym called the Athletic Union Graz. This is where 18 hand-built machines were constructed with the help of a teenage boy…the Austrian Oak himself – Arnold Schwarzenegger! The machines consisted of a preacher curl, a pec-deck, a seated leg press, and a leg curl machine to name a few. The owner of the gym Kurt Marnul, recalls: “I remember when Arnold and I finished that (referring to the preacher curl machine). Arnold painted it, and he couldn’t wait to be the first to use it.” So technically, although he refined and brilliantly marketed the concept, Author Jones wasn’t the first to design fitness equipment! 

There are a few influential people that follow the HIT philosophy, such as the respected Dr. Ellington Darden (who has written a slew of books on HIT training), strength coach Jedi Brzycki, as well as bodybuilders like Mike and Ray Mentzer, Dorian Yates, and Casey Viator.

VT History

Volume training—doing multiple sets of an exercise for a body part—has been around since the invention of the earliest “halteres” dumbbell (about 510 BC). We’re talking about ancient Greece during the time when Spartans were training! If you ever saw the flick 300 this is the time I’m referring to. If you haven’t seen 300, stop reading this right this second and rent it! But let’s get serious and fast forward to the 1940’s with legends like John Grimek (the first Mr. America), Clancy Ross (Mr. America) and the amazing Steve Reeves (who won both the Mr. America and Mr. Universe). These guys were performing multiple sets per body part and believed in the importance of volume training to attain the perfect physique. Fast forward once again to the greatest bodybuilder of all time, Arnold Schwarzenegger and his era of bodybuilders. We’ve all heard the two-a-day training sessions that lasted for hours, the multiple sets and the massive amount of volume that Arnold put into his training. Just about all the guys of that era followed Arnold’s lead. 

The Arnold Disclaimer

Of course the definition of volume training does not have to include massive amounts of volume in your training like Arnold and his boys were doing. Simply put, we are talking about the difference between doing a single set to failure per body part (HIT), versus doing 6 to 12 sets per body part (VT). There’s a sliding scale of volume training, whether it is low-volume training or higher volume training.

HIT vs. VT: Variables and Techniques

How do they stack up? The following chart is a simple breakdown of HIT (High Intsnsity Training) vs VT (Volume Training) on a scale from 1 to 10. The total scores are shown at the end with VT edging HIT by 53 points.

Gregg’s Take

I’m a classic volume training guy and always have been. That’s not to say you’ll see me camping out in the gym for hours doing 25 sets per body part (although I’ve thought about it – lol). I like moderate volume in the 9-12 total sets/2-3 exercises per body part range, and I prefer to train 2 body parts per workout.

I have also found that I get the best results with my personal training clients using multiple sets and exercises for each body part. If done correctly and with a good nutrition plan in place to help support their efforts, overtraining shouldn’t be an issue at all. To me there’s nothing greater than hitting a muscle from different angles, really pushing it to near failure, then allowing myself to recover before getting back under the weight for another opportunity to get stronger and grow.

Within my workouts High Intensity Training has its place and time. I am not opposed to training high intensity for a single set, but I treat it as a set technique to compliment my workout rather than a total method of training. For example, I may add in a drop-set/strip-set for a single exercise towards the end of my workout to enhance the overall training experience, but then finish with a superset of two different movements back-to-back to engorge the muscle and walk out of the gym pumped to the max.

The Avedon Disclaimer

Remember, these are solely my personal opinions. My intent is not to ruffle any feathers for those HIT people out there, nor is it to try and convert anyone from one training method to another. A lot of individuals enjoy High Intensity Training and research has supported the HIT school of thought. The intent is to answer the many questions posed to me about my personal thoughts between HIT and VT. If you’re a HIT trainer and get great results, I encourage you to keep it going and wish you all the best. My ultimate goal is to see individuals maximize their results as much as possible towards reaching their ultimate potential.

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I’ve been supplementing with protein products since the 1980’s when Weider Nutrition first hit store shelves and Tiger’s Milk offered the only bars on the market. They actually tasted pretty good too! Since then we’ve seen major strides in protein supplementation from their quality to improved consistency, mix-ability and of course taste. I’ve taken them all! With that said here is my journey across the powdered protein landscape. I’m not going to bore you with all the details of why you should supplement with protein as there are a billion articles on the worldwide web that will give you all those details. Rather, the purpose of this article is to offer information based on my personal experience to help shed some light on your decision the next time you’re standing in the health food store among a sea of powdered protein products.

WHEY PROTEIN

This is the mother of all protein powders on the market. Whey protein is the bodybuilders choice for high-grade, easily digestible muscle building protein. The popularity of whey protein powder is evident by the sheer number of diverse brands on the market that offer it. It comes in just about every flavor that you can come up with, like cookies and cream, peanut butter, mocha java, strawberry swirl, banana split and of course your basic chocolate and vanilla.

THE 3 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I LOOK FOR:

1. Container size – I don’t like to purchase garbage can sized or jumbo sized containers of protein powders because I feel over time they can become denatured through oxidation (opening the lid or package numerous times allows oxygen to enter the container) as well as prolonged shelf life.

2. Sweetener – Artificial sweeteners are common practice among most all of the popular brands on the market. For example, look for sucralose, aspartame and acesulfame potassium and opt for natural sweeteners like stevia and cocoa.

3. Source – Where is the protein powder coming from? This is a question people often overlook because it’s a powder, but whey originates from milking a dairy cow. Do you buy conventional milk or organic milk at the grocery store? If you answered “organic milk” then you should consider choosing a protein powder that is derived from organically fed, free range cows that have been raised without hormones and antibiotics.

Once you pay attention to the 3 things listed above all of a sudden that massive list of protein choices narrows very quickly. One way to narrow your search on a superstore site is to search for “natural” or “all natural” whey protein. You may find 2 out of 3 that pass my criteria, but it’s always best to find a protein that passes the full enchilada (all 3 important things that I look for as stated above). Some that I use and recommend are WellWisdom Vital Whey , BB3 Formula 1 Whey Protein , Optimum Nutrition 100% Natural Whey Gold Standard, Dymatize All Natural Elete Whey Protein and MRM All Natural Whey Protein.

CASEIN PROTEIN

This form of protein is popular because it is a slower digesting protein. Usually it is recommended for evening supplementation as well as times during the day when you may not eat for several hours. Recently I have had some concerns about casein protein as noted by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., M.D. the author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. In his book he says, “Casein, the major protein in milk, has been shown in animal studies to powerfully promote cancer growth.” This research came from Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study, and while thought provoking, there have been some discrepancies found in the research when it comes to human trials. Overall, casein is found in dairy products, notably cottage cheese. Because there is no comprehensive proof I still enjoy cottage cheese as a late night snack mixed with a little stevia.

EGG WHITE PROTEIN

I don’t really supplement with egg white powdered protein too often. It actually tastes a little weird to me because I can taste the egg whites (maybe that’s just me). I’ll have it now and again and when I do I usually pick up a packet or two of Jay Robb’s Egg White Protein because it’s about as pure as you can find. My only issue with powdered egg white protein is that I have yet to find one derived from cage-free egg laying hens.

PEA, RICE & HEMP PROTEINS

These make a great protein alternative source for those with any allergies to gluten, yeast, milk, eggs, soy, nuts, and shellfish. They are also perfect for vegans and anyone who wants to take a break from animal based whey, casein or egg proteins. Out of the plant based pea, rice and hemp proteins, I use pea and rice the most. They actually taste good, have an impressive amino acid profile, digest easily, and when combined they create a complete protein. Pea protein alone is considered a complete protein! Some of the ones that I currently use are Rainbow Light Protein Energizer Chocolate (which has greens mixed in), Olympian Labs Pea Protein Vanilla (which I get at the Vitamin Shoppe), Sun Warrior Raw Vegan Protein Chocolate, and Lifetime Life’s Basics Pea/Hemp/Rice with Chia Seed Plant Protein (chocolate flavor). With that said there are many more quality plant based protein products out there. I suggest you go to Whole Foods or your local health food store and grab several single serving envelopes to try a few for yourself.

If you’re into building and maintaining your best body ever, protein supplementation is a smart choice to help supplement a healthy diet. In my last monthly newsletter I gave a protein shake smoothie recipe called “The Hulk.” I’ve had tremendous feedback on it and how much people love it as much as I do. If you don’t receive my free monthly newsletter, please be sure to sign up today.

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GETTING STARTED

First of all, this isn’t rocket science, but you do want to consider some of the following tips to ensure you get the best results out of your garden. Here are my top 5:

1. CREATE THE SPACE

You need to create the space for your garden. I had a flower bed that I converted into my garden, but you may need to pull out some sod in order to get yours ready to go. Be sure to pay attention to the location. You want an area that has full sun for a good portion of the day. Some plants will grow well in partial shade, but most veggie plants like full sun. I bought my plants at Home Depot where they have small plastic stakes in each pot that tells you all the info you need, including how much light they require, how high they grow, the spacing needed between plants and more.

2. GO DOWN UNDER

Dig down at least 6-8 inches and get rid of rocks, roots and dried nutrient depleted soil. You need to allow room for your new plants to root-in and drain properly. This is a pain in the back, but it is well worth the effort. If you do it once you won’t need to do it again!

3. GET SOILED

Add a good quality garden soil to your prepared garden area. Home Depot has a bunch of different garden soils and they come in large 1, 1.5 and 2 cubic feet bags that are all under $10 bucks a piece. Most bagged garden soil will come with added plant food, sphagnum peat moss to help control moisture and manure to help improve soil conditions. Depending on the size of your garden you’ll need anywhere from a few to several bags to create the proper environment for your plants.

4. FEEDING TIME

Even though most garden soils already come with plant food mixed in, it’s still a good idea to use a vegetable fertilizer every couple months to ensure you get the most veggies possible from the garden to the plate! They can help to create a strong root system, greener plants and can improve gestation times.

5. BUG ME NOT

This can be an issue for every farmer, including us part-timers. The beauty of growing our own fruits, herbs and vegetables is that we can control exactly what goes on our plants. Unless you’re buying organic all the time there’s a very good chance store bought produce will have some kind of herbicide sprayed on it or wax added to help preserve its shelf life. With that said, we still have to contend with critters that want to eat our plants before we do. One way to keep your foliage from acquiring a fungus and discourage plant eating pests is to water early in the day rather than at the end of the day. This will help keep leaves dry during the evening hours. (If you’re a garden nerd you can install a drip irrigation system that will keep the soil and roots moist without getting on the leaves.) See below under Natural Pest Control for a troubleshooting chart to control insects organically.

YOU DON’T NEED A PATCH OF EARTH

If you live in an apartment or somewhere that doesn’t have access to a yard you can still create a garden. Pots and planters make great herb and vegetable gardens. There’s even upside down planters that will hang from a deck or balcony like the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter. They claim it will give you up to 30 pounds of tomatoes and you can grow other things in it like zucchinis, egg plant, herbs and more.

There is an organic farmer’s market near my house and I was surprised to find that they grow just about everything in pots. I spoke with the women there and she gave me some insight to creating a successful pot and planter based garden. Here are 5 quick tips from what she told me:

1. The types of plants should match the space that you have. Herbs are usually easier to manage while plants with vines can quickly spill over the pots and take over the limited space you may have.

2. Consider the light conditions where the potted plants will be. Do they get early sun and very little late sun? How many hours per day does the sun come onto the area where they will be? Usually vegetables and herbs require a good span of sunlight to properly grow. Home Depot offers herbs and vegetable plants that come with a small plastic stake in each pot that has information about the plant (how much sun/shade, watering, spacing, etc).

3. Make sure the pots or planters are large enough for proper root growth and drainage. Some pots come with a built-in drainage system, but they can get costly so add a layer of stones at the bottom of each pot or planter to allow for water drainage. You never want to have your plants drowning in water, but you also don’t want to let them dry out as they will die very quickly. This is something that should be checked every day and watered accordingly.

4. Soil is an important factor for growing happy and healthy plants. Most come with fertilizer already mixed in. Because you’re growing plants in pots and not the ground it’s better to get potting soil over garden soil. Potting mix is designed to hold onto moisture longer and won’t dry out as quickly.

5. Fertilizer is also important. Just because the potting mix comes with fertilizer already mixed in, you should still have a basic vegetable fertilizer that you can simply sprinkle in the soil around your plants every 1-2 months. Miracle-Grow offers a great vegetable fertilizer that comes in a handy shaker bottle. This will ensure you get the best results with your potted garden.

NATURAL PEST CONTROL

The following natural pest control chart can be found at: http://eartheasy.com

Soft-bodied insects (mites, aphids, mealybugs):

Mix one tablespoon canola oil and a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Shake well and pour into a spray bottle. Spray plant from above down, and from below up to get the underside of the leaves. The oil smothers the insects.

Grubs:

For lawn or garden grubs, there is a natural remedy called milky spore. The granules are spread on the soil and cause the grubs to contract a disease that kills them. This natural control affects only the grubs, leaving the beneficial organisms unharmed. Milky spore multiplies over time and will sit inactive, waiting for grubs to infect. One treatment is said to last 40 years. The grubs are actually the larvae of Japanese beetles. So, when you kill the grubs you kill the beetle.

Mites and other insects:

Mix two tablespoons of hot pepper sauce or cayenne pepper with a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Let stand overnight, then stir and pour into a spray bottle and apply as above. Shake container frequently during application.

Earwigs, slugs, and other soft-bodied garden pests:

Sprinkle diatomaceous earth over plants and around edges of garden beds. The diatoms particles are very small and sharp – but only harmful to the small exoskeletons of insects, slugs and snails. Insects cannot become immune to its action, as it is a mechanical killer – not a chemical one.

Fungal diseases:

Mix two tablespoons of baking soda into a quart of water. Pour into a spray container and spray affected areas. Repeat this process every few days until problem ceases.

Powdery mildew:

Mix equal parts milk and water and spray on infected plants. Three treatments a week apart should control the disease.

Insects and fungal diseases:

Combine one tablespoon of cooking oil, two tablespoons of baking soda and a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Pour into a spray container and apply as above.

So I hope you take some time this season to get outside in the fresh air bring in Springtime. I had a great day with my daughter creating a garden that will last through the summer. And it’s sure to give our family more quality time together as we cultivate and harvest it together. The bonus is having a garden that’s going to produce fresh organic herbs and vegetables to help nourish the whole family.

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In today’s day and age, with technology racing by at the speed of light, our conscious and subconscious mind has been programmed to overachieve. Our inner mind chatter has manifested into this constant dialogue that never ceases to end. How many thoughts are racing through your mind while you’re driving in the car, and how many negative thoughts are you having about the other people on the road? We’ve been so wrapped up in our heads that our best friend has become the ego, who is happily manning the ship!

Meditation is something that I practice on a daily basis, even if it’s only for 5 or 10 minutes. It doesn’t have to be so difficult either. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph. D., founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center is a wonderful person and advocate of meditation. I’ve listened to his tapes and read his books, and in his messages, he explains that the fastest way to quiet the mind is simply to concentrate on the breath. It’s true! One of the best ways I’ve found to begin and learn to meditate is to relax, and concentrate on your breathing. Carmen Harra, who wrote the book “Everyday Karma,” is a wonderful person, true friend, and an inspiration. She talks about the breath:

“The breath is a powerful tool…it creates a bridge between the subconscious and conscious mind, and connects the mind and the body. When you sit and breathe deeply, your physiology will change, and both your mind and your body will relax and become open. Breathing helps clear your head of the thoughts of the emotions and ego, and it allows you to get closer to your true self.”2

As a beginner, there are some great CD’s that will help facilitate the process, and get you into a state of stillness and centeredness. I often go to bed with Liquid Mind by Chuck Wild playing. Any of the Liquid Mind CD’s are great, and with new age music getting more popular, there are many others available.

As an alternative, there are numerous meditation audio tapes and podcasts out there to help guide you through the process as well. I’ve listened to many of them out there, and the one thing that I’ve learned is that the person’s voice mustn’t get in the way of your concentration. For me that is a big obstacle and a big reason why I recommend you start by simply concentrating on your breath…in a quiet setting, with no distractions, and discover that space within by yourself.

As with health and fitness, meditation is something that you’ve got to be consistent with. For some people it’s very difficult to quiet the mind and have the patience it takes to relax completely. It’s for this reason that I say to begin with only 5 minutes of breathing the first few times you attempt meditation. Over time, you can build up to 15 minutes, and eventually longer. You’ll find that when in a state of deep meditation, time flies.

A VERY BASIC BREATHING METHOD

Find A Place

First, find yourself a comfortable place to sit or lay down. I don’t always recommend laying down as you may tend to fall asleep. Therefore you can sit in a comfortable chair with your hands resting comfortably on your legs, and feet flat on the floor. Find a place that’s void of distractions, and one that has a nice calming energy within the room.

Make The Time

You want to pick an opportune time that feels most relaxing for you. I wake up every morning before my family rolls out of bed and take a few minutes to meditate and center myself. The first thing I do is sit on the edge of the bed and give gratitude for something in my life. It can be as simple as being thankful for your health. It is awesome how doing something as simple as this will help set the tone for the entire day. You may find that mornings are also good for you, but any time during the day is fine. 

Take 10 Breaths

Start by taking several deep breaths. I count ten breaths with my hand on my chest. This forces my attention on the rising and falling of my chest, along with focusing on the breath. It will begin the process of quieting your mind and centering you. As you do this you’ll immediately feel a wave of warm energy flowing throughout your body and find yourself in a state of total relaxation. During this time, it’s not unusual for thoughts to come into your consciousness. Simply acknowledge whatever thoughts may arise, then release them by bringing your attention back to your breathing and your chest. Kabat-Zinn tells you to “be the mountain,” while your thoughts are clouds passing by. Don’t fight them, but allow them to be there without judgment…then let them go and quietly bring yourself back to stillness.

Continue To Breathe

At this point, you should be very relaxed and centered. Now take your hands from your chest and comfortably place them on your legs, either palms up, or palms facing down. Palms up helps you draw universal energy, while palms down helps circulate the energy within. You can try both over several sessions, find which feels more comfortable, or simply alternate between meditations. At this point, continue to breathe, but without controlling the breath…just let it happen. Concentrate on your chest rising and falling, then shift your attention to your belly rising and falling, and again shift your attention to the air coming in through your nose and leaving through your mouth. Let the thoughts come and go, enjoy the stillness, and before you know it, 5 minutes have turned into 10.

See The Room With Fresh Eyes

When you’re winding down your meditation, say to yourself, “I am fully present. I am my best life.” Open your eyes slowly without any thoughts of the future or past, just of this very moment. You’ll find that everything is much more vibrant and new. If you walk outside in this state of mind, you’ll feel the vibrancy in nature and the world around you like never before. That’s a state of “Being in the Now.” Eckhart Tolle says:

“With practice, the sense of stillness and peace will deepen. In fact, there is no end to its depth. You will also feel a subtle emanation of joy arising from deep within: the joy of Being.”3

This is the first step toward a regular meditation practice for yourself. Remember, just as in health and fitness, the more consistent you practice meditation, the easier and more rewarding it will be. Give it some time and see how you approach situations that you used to get stressed about. You will see how much centered and happier you will be, you will sleep much more sound and live life with a freshness and awareness that each moment is just as it should be.

OTHER TYPES OF MEDITATION

GUIDED IMAGERY

This is where CD’s, MP3 downloads or podcasts come in handy. There are tons of audio’s available that will take you on a meditative journey. As I stated earlier, it’s easy to become distracted by the moderators voice or music that doesn’t resonate with you, so you’ve got to go through a sort of trial and error sampling yourself. I enjoy the free Meditation Oasis podcasts by Mary Maddux on iTunes and Salle Merrill-Redfield’s The Joy of Meditating: A beginner’s Guide to the Art of Meditation, which can also be found in the iTunes store.

IMAGERY MEDITATION

This is similar to the guided imagery I stated above, but the difference is that you’re doing it on your own, without a moderator. My meditations often evolve from basic breathing to get centered and then progress to going someplace that I create in my minds eye. This can be an imaginary setting, or a tangible place from your memory. Shakti Gawain, author of Creative Visualization, calls this “Creating Your Sanctuary,” and it is a powerful tool.

YOGA

Yoga is awesome! I highly recommend yoga to anyone wanting to get into great shape, mentally and physically. When you’re doing yoga and performing the poses, your brain automatically shifts its attention away from the strain on your muscles and into a state of calm. You just can’t help it because if you try to power through it with thoughts about “holding the pose,” you’ll never make it. That’s why yoga is so fascinating to me, with its connection to meditation.

If you’re a beginner to yoga and want a nice basic program to try, I recommend the GIAM DVD of “A.M. Yoga For Your Week” by Rodney Yee. Rodney Yee takes you through a basic stretching and centering 20 minute yoga programs that are truly calming, and a great way to begin your day. You can use it anytime of the day. There are several other yoga DVD’s offered by GIAM, with many of the same instructors that progress to powerful yoga workouts for the more advanced.

WALKING MEDITATION

This is what a lot of people do on a daily basis without even realizing it. You could be in a busy city like New York, walk into Central Park, close you eyes, feel the wind brushing across your face, take a deep breath, and become totally relaxed and centered. At those times, profound thoughts enter your mind, and you get out of your own way for just a moment. When doing yard work it often happens, or planting flowers, a garden, or doing a hobby, whether it is art related or sports related. These are all different forms of meditation. If you have a basic understanding of meditation you can imagine the possibilities available to take advantage and center yourself. From driving a car, to playing golf to simply walking down the street.

MEDITATION FOR MANIFESTING

There are many teachers out there who advocate the power of thought. Rhonda Byrne’s international bestseller (book and DVD) The Secret is one of the most popular manifestation guides of its kind. Esther and Jerry Hicks The Law of Attraction is another international bestseller that has been extremely popular across the globe. It’s true – if you believe, it certainly can happen. Meditating and manifesting go hand in hand. You visualize positive situations and things coming into your life and they can begin to take form. Dr. Wayne Dyer has a CD dedicated to manifesting as well called Meditations for Manifesting.

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Now I don’t know about you, but I’m not one of those guys who enjoy getting up first thing in the morning to put myself through a grueling cardio session without a morsel of food in my gut. But for those of you who can, I give you all the credit in the world. I’m not saying that I couldn’t train first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, I’m just saying that I’d prefer not to.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always felt better eating a decent sized meal about 45 minutes before training with weights (not cardio). This might not be in alignment with conventional thinking, but it feels right for me on a personal level. I feel like I can lift more weight, achieve a great pump and have enough energy to make it through my workout without losing steam. But let’s get back to the subject at hand – cardio. I’ve said my piece in regards to early morning training on an empty stomach, and in contrast I also wouldn’t be against cycling on and off a training program of morning cardio to maximize my fat burning potential.

RESEARCH SHOWS

The main reason for doing cardiovascular training first thing in the morning is simply to target fat with the potential to burn it. The theory behind this concept revolves around glycogen stores, depleting them and your body’s ability to switch to another source of usable energy – fat stores. We store glycogen in our muscle cells and liver. This is the gas tank for our body. Within our blood stream we have a certain amount of glucose (sugar) floating around for quick usable energy. That amount of blood glucose at any given time is no more than 4 grams (about a teaspoon). As it’s used up, it’s continuously fed from our glycogen stores from within the muscle and liver. The goal is to time your cardio training when the gas tank is close to empty, so it would make sense to do cardio first thing in the morning or immediately post-workout.

Keep in mind that the larger your muscles, the more capacity for glycogen storage, the fuller your muscles will look (glycogen is stored with water), thus the longer it takes for your body to deplete these stores. The average time it might take to blow through your glycogen is about two hours with moderate physical exercise. It would make sense then that this number could be shaved down substantially through higher intense physical activity such as interval training cardio. Fifty-yard wind sprints or cycling in a spinning class are perfect examples of ways to deplete glycogen stores in a hurry.

Blowing through your glycogen stores in two hours or less is a concept that you can happily throw out the window when you consider doing morning cardio on an empty stomach. Essentially you’re heading out of the starting gate with your body primed and ready to target fat cells. While insulin is the hormone responsible for storing usable energy (primarily released when consuming carbohydrates), the opposing hormone would be glucagon. Glucagon is released when insulin is low, like when you consume a high-protein low-carb meal. In fact, protein stimulates the release of glucagon. This hormone helps liberate fat as usable energy (the opposite of insulin, which helps store fat). Along with glucagon, epinephrine is another fat liberating hormone that is released through high intensity exercise or during a stressful situation. Unfortunately carbs also blunt the release of this hormone, thus taking us out of that fat burning zone.

DURATION

So what’s the right amount of cardio in a given session? I often see people drudging along on those elliptical trainers for more than an hour at a clip. Usually they’re watching the television and sweating their asses off as the smell from last nights dinner permeates over to where I’m trying to do my cardio workout – yuck! Don’t be that person. As a weightlifter/bodybuilder, I believe it’s important not to do too much cardio training in one session. More than 30 minutes and you can start to compromise muscle, but less than 20 minutes and you’re not giving your body an opportunity to target fat stores.

Again, let’s talk about the morning cardio session. Say you’ve woken up, stumbled into the gym without any food whatsoever, and your body is primed to target fat stores because you’ve done nothing to cause an insulin response. In fact, higher levels of glucagon should be present, thus causing this shift toward fat burning as fuel. All of this sounds great, but for some people the concern may be a lack of energy. How are your sustained energy levels going to be to maintain the level of performance you’ll need to complete a solid 30 minute cardio session? The good news is that we adapt very quickly as human beings and after a few days on a cardio program you will train your body to rise to the occasion.

John Ivy, Ph.D. and Robert Portman, Ph.D. are the co-authors of books like Nutrient Timing, The Nutrient Timing System, and The Performance Zone. They state: “Do not cut back on nutritional supplementation. This will not help you lose fat. If anything, it will do the opposite. By fueling your exercise properly, you will be able to perform at higher levels for longer periods and burn more calories. By fueling your recovery properly, you will put calories to their best anabolic use.” So my take is that you should have some fuel in your system to maintain a certain level of intensity, thus setting up a more successful afterburn effect. Aerobic training, if done with proper intensity and duration can cause a rise in metabolism that will last for more than an hour to several hours after you finish training (called afterburn). Personally, I can feel this afterburn affect for as long as 3 hours post-cardio depending on how intense I go. I believe this can be achieved in a solid 20 to 30 minute interval training cardio session.

GOOD NEWS FOR WEIGHTLIFTERS

Muscle burns fat – that’s the good news! Doing marathon cardio workouts can cause a catabolic effect. In other words, cardio sessions longer than an hour can cause muscle wasting, which can ruin the possibility for optimum caloric burning potential through muscle development. Now don’t start to celebrate because you’ve got muscles and don’t have to do cardio anymore. And don’t camp out at your favorite all-you-can-eat restaurant either because your muscle mass allows you to burn more daily calories (50-75 calories per day for every pound of muscle). Essentially you’re creating a fat burning machine each and every time you hit the steel to make more muscles! But most importantly, balance between your diet, your cardio and your workouts is key. Just because muscle requires more calories to function throughout the day and during your training sessions, it doesn’t give you the green light to eat like a careless animal either. It’s still important to watch what you’re eating if you want to be lean.

I’ll be honest, there’s times when I’ll stay away from cardio all together just to add a little weight, but I don’t maintain this non-cardio training for longer than two weeks at a clip, and only lay off the cardio about two to three times a year. Keep in mind that I always train with high intensity levels and often fight to catch my breath during my workouts. This means that I’m still getting my heart rate elevated and working.

MY NON-MORNING, ANYTIME CARDIO ANSWER

What’s the best alternative for targeting fat stores if you don’t want to train first thing in the morning on an empty stomach? It’s simple – make sure to eat a more protein based meal 2 hours before cardio training. If you want to eat any carbs, stick to those that are lower glycemically, containing more fiber and those which cause as little insulin response as possible. Raw or lightly steamed veggies drizzled with a little olive oil are a great choice along with a protein source like grilled chicken, poached fish or low sodium turkey. Also, hydrating after a meal with room temperature water is a must to help facilitate gastric emptying time and facilitate proper digestion. After those 2 hours go by you’re ready to hit it hard for optimum fat burning potential!

Another option is to train post-workout because you’re blowing through those glycogen stores just before hitting the cardio. I’ve tried this and see the benefits, but it leaves me with zero energy for cardio because of the intensity of my workout. This is when a good electrolyte drink might come in handy, sipping between post-workout and pre-cardio. Consume half, then continue to sip the remainder of the bottle throughout your cardio session.

THE BOTTOM LINE

I like to do 20 to 30 minutes of interval cardio training with my heart rate pumping at about 75 to 80% of its max for 2 to 3 minutes before pulling back and allowing it to come back down for another couple minutes. Most every modern piece of cardio equipment in the gym has an interval program available for you to choose, so this makes it easy. In a 20 to 30 minute cardio workout I’ll end up doing about 4 to 6 interval peaks and valleys. If you push yourself, you’ll reap the benefits within this relatively short span of time dedicated to heart health and body composition.

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As many of you know I wrote a book through Men’s Health called Muscle Chow that contains nearly 200 easy to make recipes. Every recipe was personally designed by me with close attention paid to the details in each dish for the sole purpose of helping individuals achieve their ultimate body. When we did the nutritional breakdowns I worked closely with the nutritionist from the South Beach Diet book series. She said I drove her crazy because I was so detail oriented over every carbohydrate, every gram of protein and every trace of fat that went into each recipe. Each dish had to fall into a specific category according to the concept of the book and its 3 phases: the relaxed phase, the lean phase, and the ripped phase. My book was published by Rodale and I was super happy for putting something out there that is true to what I do and recommend to others.

This recipe isn’t in my book, but it could be. I’m always looking for easy ways to prep and eat healthy grub that will help feed my hungry muscles and keep me lean. This is one that I’ve been making lately and it’s pretty darn tasty. I usually cook up about 8 skinless boneless chicken breasts at a time and eat them over a 4 day period. They’re great fresh out of the oven and just as good chowed cold out of the fridge a few days later.

Quality is extremely important to me when choosing any meat products. That’s why I always choose free range, natural feed and/or grass fed, hormone free, and humanely treated meats. Anything less is a contribution to a meat industry that has zero integrity and this needs to change. Every time you purchase low-quality meat products from your grocery store you are casting your vote for an industry that absolutely must change. Low-quality meats from animals that are given growth hormones, anitbiotics, fed corn products instead of a natural diet and treated inhumanily are out of the Muscle Chow equation! Take a stand not only for your own health, but for the humane treatment and slaughter of animals as they deserve our respect. After all, they are giving their lives to enhance our health and wellbeing.

EASY BAKED CHICKEN

Okay, you’re going to think this is too easy, but that’s the great part about this recipe. From prep-to-plate it will take about 1 hour.

The herb blend is from Gourmet Garden and it’s their Basil Herb Blend. You can find this in the refrigerated produce section of your grocery store. For a list stores that carry Gourmet Garden you can visit their website at the link here (GOURMET GARDEN).

INGREDIENTS

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed, dried, and trimmed of fat.
• Gourmet Garden Basil Herb Blend Season
• Emeril’s All Natural Chicken Rub

HOW TO MAKE

STEP 1:          Preheat the oven to 350°F.

STEP 2:          Add chicken breasts to baking pan.

STEP 3:          Add 2 teaspoons of Basil Herb Blend to each chicken breast and spread using a fork to cover evenly over each breast.

STEP 4:          Lightly dust with Emeril’s Chicken Rub (just use a little!)

STEP 5:          Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, then switch oven setting to “low broil” and broil for another 10 minutes, watching the chicken so you don’t burn it. You just want to lightly brown it.

STEP 6:           Enjoy!

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It’s the same for perpetual dieters who buy into every new diet fad that hits the market. They see something advertised on TV, in a magazine, or a new book at the bookstore and think that they have found the Holy Grail to losing weight. You’ve probably heard the term “yoyo dieters.” These are people who kick off a new diet with total excitement that this is finally going to be the one that works. They may lose some weight – maybe even lose a lot of weight, only to gain it all back (and more) several months later. What did they do wrong?

Let’s start with what they did right, which is making the decision to try something new and dedicating themselves to it. Where they went wrong is getting stuck in the same old patterns that have served them for years. Many times this is a form of subconscious self sabotage, which leaves one saying, “Why does this always happen to me?” The truth is that most of these fad diets are not sustainable. You can do them for a while, but they become nearly impossible to maintain without feeling completely miserable, and this leads to the inevitable crash and burn (Twinkies and cupcakes). By the way, I just read that 500 million Twinkies are baked each year? C’mon people – really!

The same holds true for the perpetual weight trainer, gym rat, or cardio queen who does the same workout and/or cardio routine day-after-day, month-after-month, year-in-year-out with the expectation to change themselves. The bottom line is if you do the same things you’ve always done, you’re going to get the same result you’ve always gotten! The truth whether you believe it or not, is that many people are perfectly content maintaining where they are. Their workouts allow them to eat what they want and fit in their clothes – and that seems to be good enough (even if their wearing XXL). But others see this as stale and uninspiring. They remember the results they achieved in the beginning and want more of that. I’m on your side!

GET OFF THE HAMSTER WHEEL
It’s time to break patterns and get off the hamster wheel, so here are some adjustments to help you to forge ahead. The best way to get results with your diet is to keep your body off guard just enough to ramp-up your metabolism so it can fire on all cylinders. The following are three of the most popular categories that most of us fall into. Which one are you?

HARD-GAINER
If you’re a hard-gainer (someone that has a difficult time gaining weight), you need to take in enough calories from all three macronutrients; proteins, carbohydrates and fats to put on lbs. The key with any nutrition plan is to eat from high quality sources and stay away from empty sources of calories. This is a pattern I see often with people who fall into the hard-gainer category. They live on fast food, pizza, ice cream and sweets. Why…because they can get away with it – and that’s just not a smart way to eat. Hard-gainers will do very well by adding a high caloric protein shake or smoothie as a supplement to their daily meals and snacks. This helps ensure that they’re getting those extra calories to help facilitate muscle gains. In my book Muscle Chow I offer several different protein shakes and smoothies (the Muscle Juice recipe on page 199 packs nearly 800 calories). Along with that, eating quality foods like whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, and protein sources like chicken, turkey, fish, eggs and lean cuts of red meat are the best choices to make that will pay dividends over time.

ALMOST THERE
If you’re someone who needs to lose those last few pounds to take your body fat into single digits, by making a few simple adjustments it will go a long way. First adjustment: pull back to half of what you’re currently consuming in a week of simple and starchy carbs like cereals, pasta, rice, and breads. Second adjustment: take out the excess fats like peanut butter, fatty cuts of red meat, and cheese. And the third adjustment: hydrate with plenty of water and watch your sodium intake. Read labels and you’ll be amazed at how much sodium is in the average foods you consume. Sodium makes you hold water and will keep you looking bloated! If you follow those few minor adjustments you’ll begin to see your abs pop.

BIG STRIDES
For those overweight individuals that need to drop 15 or more pounds it’s about changing your eating patterns. A lot of these individuals are stuck in an emotional eating rut. They eat because they’re depressed about how they look, or because they’re bored, tired or upset about something. A common pattern I see is individuals that do well all day and then binge eat at night. If this is you, it’s time to break these self-defeating patterns and get a hold of your life. Dropping pounds quickly is only a few pattern-breaking adjustments away. First adjustment: begin to recognize that your eating just to eat and not because your hungry. Pay attention the next time you’re looking for grub to stuff your face with and ask yourself if you really need this. Second adjustment: balance out your meals throughout the day into smaller more manageable meals. This will help keep you satiated and will help ramp up your metabolism (You’ll feel less hungry and burn more fat!) Third adjustment: don’t eat after 8 pm. This is what is called an “evening fast” and it will work wonders for you. At first it will be super hard because the evening time is when you’re used to grazing the kitchen cupboards. But if you make it a habit it will be one of the best self-defeating patterns you can break free from. Have hot herbal tea at night to help soothe your cravings. Fourth adjustment: drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water offers a host of benefits including aiding in the function of your organs, your digestion, metabolism and flushes your system. It helps shuttle nutrients throughout your body, removes toxins and will help give you a calming sense of health and wellbeing.

DON’T WAIT
At some level everyone can get complacent in life – it’s natural. There are times we may find ourselves so far off course from our true ideals and think, “How in the heck did I get here?” Like the ex-football player who worked so hard for years to stay at the top of his game. He trained with dedication, ate the right foods, took the right nutrients, got proper sleep and stayed mentally focused. Then the season ends and he says I’m going to stay in shape and even get better for next season. What happens? He takes a week off to relax, keeps eating a high calorie diet, starts to slide on his food choices, slacks on taking his supplements, chooses video games over proper rest and gets downright lazy. A week off turns into two weeks, then a month and before you know it spring practice rolls around and he’s completely de-conditioned.
It’s easy to get comfortable because subconsciously we all seek pleasure and avoid pain. We like easy. We enjoy the things that make us feel good. And without fully realizing it we begin to settle for mediocrity. Until one day we wake up and see that the habits we’ve accumulated over time aren’t serving us anymore. Don’t freak out! Just make the decision to break the pattern – then get motivated for change and excited to reach your next highest potential.

“When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge.”

Live a High Integrity Life,
Gregg Avedon
www.GREGGAVEDON.com

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Just in the nick of time – I give you the Turkey-Day Survival Guide! Follow these 5 simple rules and you’ll enjoy this holiday season without losing your game in the gym, or around your waist.

RULE #1: DON’T COME TO THE BUFFET TABLE STARVING
I always eat a healthy meal about 3 hours before the holiday feast. If I’m heading to the scene of the crime, the in-laws house where all these delectable treats will be in my face, I make sure to arm myself with a Muscle Chow worthy meal just before heading out the door. This allows me to keep my eyeballs in my head and my portions within reason. If you don’t have time, drink a protein shake or munch a protein bar.

RULE #2: DON’T BE A GRAZER
There’s bound to be plenty of cheese platters, breads, chips, dips, holiday cookies, candy, and other tempting finger food to occupy your time prior to the main meal. Opt for the raw veggie platter, a half-a-dozen water crackers, a handful of nuts, and the fruit plate instead. A key to controlling your grazing is to enjoy everyone around you. Make your rounds, talk with Uncle Phil, give Grandma a kiss, play outside with the kids, and before you know it dinner is served. Do this and you’ll actually have a great time in the process.

RULE #3: HAVE VISION
Think about tomorrow and how your choices today will affect that outcome. I’d rather be hitting the ground running than just hitting the ground! If you lose focus, just look around you for inspiration. A quick look at Uncle Phil’s goliath mid-section should do the trick!

RULE #4: DINNER IS SERVED
Think about nutritional balance and steer clear of the high fat, high sodium stuff. Enjoy a nice sized portion of roasted turkey garnished with a side of cranberry sauce instead of gravy. Forego the mashed potatoes since Aunt Helga added a pound of butter and a tub of sour cream to them. Instead, go for the fresh herbed potatoes, lightly cooked greens, and colorful squash. Its okay to grab a small portion of yams, but the stuffing is an absolute no-no!

RULE #5: AFTER DINNER – COFFEE WILL SOOTHE THAT SWEET TOOTH
While everyone goes for the cakes, pies and other sweets, I always start with a nice tall cup of hot aromatic coffee. Not only does it satisfy that sweet craving, but the caffeine also acts as a hunger suppressant. There’s usually fruit that you can grab as well. If you don’t see any cut up in a bowl, comb through the kitchen for fresh bananas or apples. And if you absolutely have to do a dessert, go for a small piece of homemade apple pie as it’s usually the freshest.

Make it a great holiday season!
Live a High Integrity Life,
Gregg Avedon
www.GREGGAVEDON.com

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