Lose Weight, Gain Muscle, Get Energized

Menu Day 2 - Cruiserweight

2009-06-23T19:41:00.004-04:00

BREAKFAST: 3 multigrain waffles with 3 tablespoons lite syrup, 3 links turkey sausage & 1 cup 1% milk

646 calories, 34g protein, 26g fat, 69g carbs

SNACK 1: 1 ounce dry roasted peanuts, 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese & 1 cup 2% chocolate milk

436 calories, 29g protein, 20g fat, 35g carbs

LUNCH: 2 Turkey sandwiches on multigrain bread. Each sandwich made with 1 tablespoon mayo, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 ounces of turkey, 1/2 cup spinach and 2 tomato slices. 1 cup apple juice

683 calories, 31g protein, 31g fat, 79g carbs

SNACK 2: 1 ounce dry roasted peanuts & 1 cup 2% chocolate milk

359 calories, 15g protein, 19g fat, 32g carbs

DINNER: 1 serving Penne with Italian Sausage & Spinach

616 calories, 40g protein, 28g fat, 51g carbs

Penne with Italian Sausage & Spinach

serves 4

2 cups dried penne, 1lb turkey Italina Sausage cut into 1/4 inch slices, 1 chopped white onion, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 28 ounces diced tomatoes, 1/4 cup pesto, 2 cups chopped spinach, 3 ounces fetta cheese, 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook pasta, drain and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. I large skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, onion, garlic for 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, add pesto and transfer to baking dish. Stir in the spinach and feta cheese. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Menu Day 1 - Cruiserweight

2009-06-23T19:03:00.001-04:00

BREAKFAST: 1 3/4 cups Shredded Wheat and Bran with 1 cup 1% milk, 3 turkey breakfast sausage, 1/2 cup pineapple chunks

658 calories, 37g protein, 18g fat, 87g carbs

SNACK 1: 2 ounces of dry roasted peanuts & 1 cup of 1% milk

459 calories, 21g protein, 18g fat, 24g carbs

LUNCH: 2 Turkey sandwiches made on multigrain bread. Each sandwich with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, 3 ounces of turkey lunchmeat, 1/4 cup spinach and 2 tomato slices.

676 calories, 38g protein, 28g fat, 68g carbs

SNACK 2: 1 ounce dry roasted peanuts and 1 cup of 2% chocolate milk

359 calories, 15g protein, 19g fat, 32g carbs

DINNER: 1 serving of Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry with Brown Rice

586 calories, 44g protein, 22g fat, 53g carbs

CHICKEN & VEGETABLE STIR FRY WITH BROWN RICE

serves 4

1 cup brown rice, 1/4 cup canola oil, 6 boneless skinless chicke breast cut into strips, 1lb frozen stir fry vegetables, 2 teaspoons fresh crushed ginger, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/4 cup water & 2 teaspoons soy sauce.

Cook rice according to directions and keep warm. Heat oil in skillet of wok over high heat and add chicken until no longer pink (30 seconds). Add the vegetables, ginger and garlic, cook until vegetables are almost tender. Add water and soy sauce then cover & steam for 3 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve over brown rice.

Cruiserweight Grocery List

2009-06-20T12:19:00.003-04:00

If you have read the list and meals for the hevyweight, you will notice that it is that same on the cruiserweight and welterweight, with the exception of a few items. However, there is a great difference in the serving and protein/fat/carb intakes that will be listed. Remember, each meal plan is designed to do different things. This cruiserweight plan is designed for the person who is looking to change your body composition without gaining or losing significant amounts of weight.

ONE-TIME ITEMS

Olive oil, Canola oil, dry roasted peanuts, soy sauce, minced garlic, ketchup, mustard, dill pickles, sweet pickle relish, brown sugar, fresh ginger, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, Lemon juice, Dijon mustard,

WEEKLY ITEMS

1 1/2 gallons 1% milk, 2qts of 2% chocolate milk, 1qt apple juice, 1cup orange juice, 12 ounce container 1% cottage cheese, 16 ounce bag shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese, 16 ounce bag shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 pack Cheddar cheese slices, 1 small block Parmesan cheese, 3 ounces feta cheese, 4 ounces goat cheese, small container cream cheese, 2 containers of full-fat fruit yogurt, dozen large eggs, 6 ounce can of water packed tuna (3), 2 loaves of thin multigrain bread, 8 multigrain rolls, 2 plain bagels, 1/2lb spinach, 5 tomatoes, 1 white onion, 1lb asparagus, 1 cantaloupe, 1 pineapple, 3 oranges, 1 banana, 1lb bag frozen stir-fry vegetables, 1lb green beans, 1lb bag frozen mixed vegetables, box of multigrain waffles, 1lb turkey Italian sausage, 2 packages turkey link sausage, 1 1/2lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 1/4lb roasted or smoked turkey lunch meat, 1/2lb slice ham, 1lb bacon, 6-7 ounce salmon fillets (4), 1lb raw shrimp, 2lb T-bone steak, 3lb of 90% lean ground beef, 1 container pesto, box dried penne, box brown rice, box rolled oats, box of Shredded Wheat and Bran, package chili seasoning, 15 ounce can kidney beans, 8 ounce can tomato juice, 28 ounce & 16 ounce can diced tomatoes, 12 ounce can barbecue baked beans, box of saltines & 1 box of granola

Menu Day 7 - Heavyweight

2009-06-17T00:26:00.002-04:00

BREAKFAST: 1 cup Shredded Wheat and Bran with 3/4 cup 1% milk, 5 turkey sausage links.

590 calories, 43g protein, 26g fat, 46g carbs

SNACK 1: 1 1/2 cups of 1% cottage cheese and 1/2 cup pineapple chunks

280 calories, 42g protein, 4g fat, 19g carbs

LUNCH: Tuna sandwich made with fat-free Miracle Whip & sweet pickle relish on multigrain bread

351 calories, 44g protein, 7g fat, 28g carbs

SNACK 2: 1 cup fruit yogurt

218 calories, 9g protein, 2g fat, 41g carbs

DINNER: 2 servings Broiled Shrimp Scampi and 3-5 spears boiled or steamed asparagus

475 calories, 41g protein, 31g fat, 8g carbs

BROILED SHRIMP SCAMPI

serves 4

1lb peeled and deveined shrimp, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.

Preheat broiler. Rinse shrimp and pat dry and in a small bowl mix oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss the shrimp in the mixture and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle shrimp with cheese and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, watching carefully as to not over cook. Serve immediately.

Menu Day 6 - Heavyweight

2009-06-16T15:20:00.002-04:00

BREAKFAST: 1 multigrain waffle w/1 tablespoon lite syrup, 3 turkey sausage links, 1 cup 1% cottage cheese, 1 cup 1% milk.

527 calories, 57g protein, 22g fat, 37g carbs

SNACK 1: 1 cup 1% milk

102 calories, 8g protein, 3g fat, 12g carbs

LUNCH: Two sandwiches, each made with 3 ounces of fat-free turkey lunchmeat, 1/2 cup spinach, 2 slices tomato and 1 tablespoon Miracle Whip on multigrain bread

417 calories, 35g protein, 5g fat, 58g carbs

SNACK 2: 1 1/2 cups 1% cottage cheese, 1 peach

284 calories, 43g protein, 4g fat, 19g carbs

DINNER: 1 serving of Hamburgers

540 calories, 53g protein, 24g fat, 28g carbs

HAMBURGERS

Grill or broil 90% lean ground beef hamburger patties until at least 160 F. Eat on multigrain roll with 1 teaspoon ketchup, 1 teaspoon mustard, 2 pickle slices and 1 tomato slice

Menu Day 5 - Heavyweight

2009-06-15T13:47:00.002-04:00

BREAKFAST: 3/4 cup scrambles, fried or poached Egg Beaters, 2 links Turkey sausage, 1 slice low-fat cheddar cheese, 2 slices of multigrain toast

368 calories, 41g protein, 12g fat, 24g carbs

SNACK 1: 1 cup 1% cottage cheese, 1/2 cup pineapple chunks

203 calories, 28g protein, 3g fat, 16g carbs

LUNCH: Tuna sandwich on multigrain bread

351 calories, 44g protein, 7g fat, 28g carbs

SNACK 2: 1 ounce dry-roasted peanugts, 1 cup 1% cottage cheese, 1 cup 2% chocolate milk

513 calories, 43g protein, 21g fat, 38g carbs

DINNER: 1 1/2 servings Chili, 6 saltines, 2 dill pickle spears

587 calories, 51g protein, 19g fat, 53g carbs

CHILI

Serves 4

1lb 90% lean ground beef, 1/2 cup water, 1 package chili seasoning, 16 ounce can diced tomatoes, 15 ounces kidney beans, 8 ounces tomato juice.

In large skillet cook ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink (3 to 4 minutes). Drain fat & stir in water, chili seasoning, tomatoes (with juice), beans (with liquid) and tomato juice over high heat. Heat to boil then reduce heat to low, cover & cook for 20 minutes.

Menu Day 4 - Heavyweight

2009-06-15T13:34:00.002-04:00

BREAKFAST: 1/2 cup rolled oats with 1/4 cup 1% milk and 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 4 turkey sausage links

462 calories, 43g protein, 22g fat, 19g carbs

SNACK 1: 1 1/2 cups 1% cottage cheese, 1 peach

284 calories, 43g protein, 4g fat, 19g carbs

LUNCH: Tuna sandwich on multigrain bread

417 calories, 35g protein, 5g fat, 58g carbs

SNACK 2: 1 1/2 cups 1% cottage cheeee, 1 cup 1% milk

338 calories, 50g protein, 6g fat, 21g carbs

DINNER: 1 serving of Roasted Salmon with Goat Cheese, 1/2 cup Green Beans

484 calories, 41g protein, 32g fat, 8g carbs

ROASTED SALMON WITH GOAT CHEESE

Serves 4

4 6-to 7 ounce salmon fillets, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 garlic clove, 4 ounces goat cheese @ room temp., 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning.

Combine lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper & garlic in a baking dish and add fish. Coat fish and refrigerate for a minimum of 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 and line a baking sheet with foil thats sprayed with cooking spray. Place fish, skin down on baking sheet and cook for 9 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and remove skins. In a small bowl mix Goat cheese and Italian seasoning. Place 2 tablespoons of the mixture on top of each fillet. Sautee Green Beans in olive oil.

Menu Day 3 - Heavyweight

2009-06-12T10:30:00.002-04:00

BREAKFAST: 3/4 cup Egg Beaters scrambled with 1/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese. 1/2 cup cantaloupe chunks

254 calories, 39g protein, 6g fat, 11g carbs

SNACK 1: 1 cup 1% cottage cheese, 1/2 cup pineapple chunks

203 calories, 28g protein, 3g fat, 16g carbs

LUNCH: Tuna sandwich on multigrain bread

351 calories, 44g protein, 7g fat, 28g carbs

SNACK 2: 1 piece string cheese and 1 cup 2% chocolate milk

343 calories, 24g protein, 15g fat, 28g carbs

DINER: 1 serving of Grilled Steak, 1/2 cup mixed vegetables, 1 multigrain roll

787 calories, 53g protein, 43g fat, 47g carbs

GRILLED STEAK

SERVES 4

4 8-ounce T-bone steaks, trimmed

Place steaks on prepared, preheated grill and cook to desired temperature. Steam mixed vegetable to a tender crisp.

Menu Day 2 - Heavyweight

2009-06-12T09:01:00.002-04:00

Breakfast: 1 multigrain waffle w/tbls lite syrup, 3 links turkey sausage, 1 cup 1% cottage cheese, 1 cup 1% milk

574 calories, 57g protein, 22g fat, 37g carbs

SNACK 1: 1 ounce dry roasted peanuts, 1/2 cup pineapple chunks, 1 cup 1% cottage cheese

381 calories, 35g protein, 17g fat, 22g carbs

LUNCH: Fat-free turkey sandwich on multigrain bread with 1 tablespoon fat-free Miracle Whip, 2 slices tomato & 1/2 cup spinach

279 calories, 30g protein, 3g fat, 33g carbs

SNACK 2: Tuna sandwich made with 1 tablespoon fat-free Miracle Whip & 1 tablespoon sweet relish on multigrain bread

351 calories, 44g protein, 29g fat, 28g carbs

DINNER: 1 serving of Penne with Italian Sausage and Spinach

397 calories, 29g protein, 17g fat, 32g carbs

PENNE WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE & SPINACH

SERVES 4

1 cup dried penne, 1lb turkey Italian sausage cut into 1/2 inch slices, 1 white onion chopped, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon pesto, 2 cups roughly chopped spinach, 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese.

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain & pour into a 2-qt baking dish. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, garlic and onions for about 10 mins. Reduce heat to medium-low and add tomatoes (with juice) and cook for 20 minutes then remove from the heat and add pesto. Transfer to the baking dish then stir in the spinach and feta cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Menu Day 1 - Heavyweight

2009-06-10T10:46:00.003-04:00

BREAKFAST: 1 cup Shredded Wheat with 3/4 cup of 1% milk and 5 links of turkey sausage

590 calories, 43g protein, 26g fat, 46g carbs

SNACK 1: 1 ounce dry-roasted peanuts, 1 cup 1% milk, 1 cup 1% cottage cheese

433 calories, 43g fat, 19g protein, 24g carbs

LUNCH: Sandwich made with 2 slices multigrain bread, 1 tablespoon fat free Miracle Whip, 6 ounces fat free turkey lunch meat, 1/2 cup spinach & two slice tomato

279 calories, 30g protein, 3g fat, 33g carbs

SNACK 2: Tuna sandwich on 2 slice multigrain bread. Drain tuna and mix with 1 tablespoon fat-free Miracle Whip and 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish

351 calories, 44g protein, 7g fat, 28g carbs

Dinner: 1 serving of Chicken-and-Vegetable Stir-Fry

314 calories, 40g protein, 10g fat, 16g carbs

CHICKEN-AND-VEGETABLE STIR-FRY

Serves 4

1 tablespoon canola oil, 6 boneless skinless chicken breast cut into strips, 1lb frozen stir-fry vegetables, 2 teaspoons fresh ginger crushed, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons soy sauce.

Heat oil in large skillet or wok over high heat and cook chicken for 30 seconds or until no longer pink on the outside. Add vegetables, ginger and garlic, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender. Add water and soy sauce, cover and steam for 3 minutes or until chicken is done and vegetables are tender crisp.

Remember, this is a recipe for 4, so decrease or increase increase ingredients as needed.

Meal Plan - Grocery List (Heavyweight)

2009-06-10T10:18:00.003-04:00

For those of you who are using this grocery list and meal plan, do not hesitate to copy and paste it so that you can print out a nice word document instead of trying to write it all down.

GROCERY LIST

ONE-TIME ITEMS

Olive Oil, Canola oil, dry-roasted peanuts, soy sauce, minced garlic, ketchup, mustard, dill pickles, sweet pickle relish, brown sugar, fresh ginger, Italian seasoning, salt, ground black pepper, lemon juice, fat-free miracle whip salad dressing and lite syrup

WEEKLY ITEMS

1 1/2 gal of 1% milk, 1 pint of 2% chocolate milk, 1 package of string cheese, 24-ounce containers of 1% cottage cheese (5), 16 ounce bag of low fat shredded Cheddar cheese, 1 package of cheddar cheese slices, 1 small block of Parmesan cheese, 2 ounces feta cheese, 4 ounces of goat cheese, 8-ounce containers of Egg Beaters or egg substitute (2), 1 container of full fat fruit yogurt, 6-ounce cans of water packed tuna (5), 2 loaves of thin muliti-grain bread, 8 multi-grain rolls, 1/2lb spinach, 5 tomatoes, 1 white onion, 1lb asparagus, 1 cantaloupe, 2 cups pineapple chunks, 2 peaches, 1 1lb bag frozen styir-fry veg, 1 box frozen multi-grain waffles, 1lb turkey sausage, 2 packages turkey link sausages, 1 1/2lb boneless chicken breasts, 1 1/2lb fat-free turkey lunchmeat, 6-to 7 ounce salmon filets (4), 1lb raw shrimp, 2lb T-bone steak, 3lb of 90%lean ground beef, container of pesto, 1 box dried penne pasta, 1 box of rolled oats, box of Shredded Wheat and Bran, package of chili seasoning, 15 ounce can kidney beans, 8 ounce can tomato juice, 28 ounce & 16 ounce can diced tomatoes and 1 box saltines.

Meal Plan 1 Week

2009-06-10T09:49:00.002-04:00

The plans were made for anyone who is using the outlined diet. If you are looking to lose a little weight, then the Heavyweight plan is for you, just adjust the protein and calories of each meal to meet your goals.
The cruiserweight plan illustrates how an average guy can change the look of his body without the significant loss or gain of any weight.
For the guy who wants to put on a weight most definitely should use the diet for the welterweight. This plan shows you how to get enough calories in a day to actually achieve that weight gain goal.
Try as hard as you can to stick to the grocery lists that will be outlined for each meal, including brand names, because based on research done by Lou Schuler in designing the meals are very exact in calorie contents and macronutrients. If you make substitutions, check product labels to ensure that they match the original ingredients. Drink 12 ounces of water with each meal, as well as the specified beverages.
The first two weeks will definitely be the hardets part because it will most likely be a hge change in your eating habits but once you make the adjustment, you will see that not only are you eating a lot but you won't be hungry at all.
The first diet that I will start with is going to be the heavyweight diet, which is designed for those who simply want to slim down a bit.

Meal Plan

2009-06-10T00:28:00.003-04:00

I am curreently putting together a 1 week meal plan for the three different body types that I listed under the protein shake post. They will be laid out in a format that will include a grocery list, breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner. This promises to be a pretty long post, so it will be broken up into three seperate postings. After that, the full workout plan comes, so stay tuned.

Protein Shakes

2009-06-09T14:47:00.002-04:00

Here are three protein shakes for guys to use during the program that is being put together. Any name brand whey protein will work fine as the basis of the shakes. The two that have a very good reputation are EAS and Twinlab. The whey protein is usually packaged with a plastic scoop for measurement, so check the label to see how many grams are in each scoop. For the most part, there are 25g in each scoop.

HEAVYWEIGHT - 230LB GUY

1/2 cup frozen vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup 1% milk

1 tbls + 1teaspoon peanut butter

1tbls unsweetened cocoa powder

45g whey protein

YIELDS ABOUT 10 OUNCES: 480 calories, 47g protein, 16g fat, 37g carbs

CRUISERWEIGHT - 180LB GUY

2 cups 1% milk

3/4 cup frozen strawberries

1 tbls + 1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup frozen yogurt

19g whey protein (3/4 scoop)

YIELDS ABOUT 27 OUNCES: 609 calories, 39g protein, 25g fat, 57g carbs

WELTERWEIGHT - 150LB GUY

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup strawberry yogurt

38g whey protein (1 1/2 scoops)

YIELDS ABOUT 20 OUNCES: 690 calories, 38g protein, 30g fat, 67g carbs

Post Workout/Meal Replacement Supplements

2009-06-09T09:30:00.003-04:00

The key to postexercise recovery is half protein synthesis and half protein degradation prevention combined with carb intake. Insulin prevents the protein breakdown, and after exercising, your body will produce more insulin with a combination of carbs and protein. So if you want to build the most muscle with the least amount of muscle breakdown, you need that carb/protein combination as soon as possible after your exercise. Any of the meals that I will lay out for you later should serve you well after a workout, just make sure you eat it as soon as possible following your workout. Go straight to the dining room from the workout room!!!!! Lost time is lost muscle.

Be hungry, but dont train hungry, because you won't get as good of a workout if you are revenously hungry or so stuffed that you are sluggish. A very good rule of thumb is to exercise 1 hour after a snack or 2 hours after a meal. If you like to exercise in the morning, I recommend that you have a snack as soon as you get up and follow that an hour later with a good workout then immediately have your full meal-breakfast. If you are one of those who desire to workout before lunch, then have your mid-morning snack about an hour before going to workout, followed by lunch. If you decide to workout in the afternoon, ensure that you have had your mid-afternoon snack an hour before your workout.

Knowing how important it is to get your carbs and protein immediately following your workout, it sometimes may be easier to grab a protein shake that also has plenty of carbs. Meal replacement supplements require another level of commitment, along with regular workouts and sticking with a healthy diet. Not to mention, getting your protein and carbs after a workout in liquid form gets the nutrients to your muscles faster. They aren't bad at all, but they aren't the best thing for you either, they are simply more convenient, which is why it is recommended that you limit them to one per day. Even with the one per day limit, you have to acount for the extra calories that are included in the meal replacements when calculating your daily diet.

For instance, if you have a post-workout shake that has 40g of protein (160 calories) and 80g of carbs (320 calories), you have added 480 calories. On a 2000 calorie diet, the shake has consumed almost 25% of your daily total, without giving you the fat. This means you have to either add fat to the shake or make up for it in another meal. Again, meal replacement supplements are convenient and can give you the carb/protein combo, but you have to be aware of the caloric and fat content.

Diet - Breakfast

2009-06-08T16:40:00.002-04:00

Most men operate on one of three options for eating:

We push ourselves until we are at the point of starving, then we just grab anything we can find to eat. It doesn't matter if it's a drive-thru, vending machine, there is no kind of quality control. When we run out of gas, we really don't take the time to ensure that we are getting the best food.
Unfortunately, this one is the worst, and even the top choice for many heavy men. This is the One-Meal-a-Day syndrome. They skip breakfast, eat lunch really fast, grab a snack on anything that can be found, then eat like crazy when dinner comes. This equates to them eating what can amount to the caloric equivalent of three or four meals at one time.
The most efficient, and smartest, way to keep the body fueled. That means you must have breakfast, lunch, dinner and also a mid-morning snack and a mid-afternoon snack.

The most important of these meals is breakfast!!!! There are all kinds of studies that show an inverse link between obesity and breakfast. The more people who ate breakfast, the less likely they were to be obese. Not only that, breakfast palys an even bigger role in total health. The California Dept of Public Health followed a group of people and found that they had seven lifestyle habits that translated to health and longevity. Of course, the first six seemed to be pretty obvious: exercise, weight control, non-smokers, light drinkers, full night sleep and eating planned meals, not just regularly snacking. The seventh habit, which was a surprise, was that the healthiest and longest-living people ate breakfast.

Breakfast, by far, is the most important meal on the plan. By eating a hearty breakfast, you are starting your day with a good ratio of protein, fat and carbs that keeps you from having food cravings later in the day. Plus, the bonus is that you can outlive the people who don't eat breakfast. Cool huh?

Food Plan - The Start

2009-06-08T09:28:00.002-04:00

The diet is based on three calculations that are very important.

Metabolism - amount of calories you want to lose daily
Goals - whether you want to lose fat, increase muscle mass or change your body while maintaining your current weight
Daily protein requirements

METABOLISM

Before being able to make the personalized food plan, you must figure out how many calories you need just to keep the body you have now. This is also based on three categories to rate your current activity level.

MOSTLY SEDENTARY
MODERATELY ACTIVE - If you spend at least 2 hours per day on your feet or have an hour-long exercise regimen daily.
DEDICATED - High intesity exercise almost daily or weight lifting 3 to 4 days a week for the past year.

Age also plays a huge role in our metabolic rate as well, so here are some figures based on age so here are some percentages for you to use based on age levels. Remember, these are percentages that you will be using to calculate how many calories you need to maintain your current body.

Mostly Sedentary

Under 30: 30%
30-40 Yrs: 25%
Over 40: 20%

Moderately Active

Under 30: 40%
30-40 Yrs: 35%
Over 40 Yrs: 30%

Dedicated

Under 30: 50%
30-40 Yrs: 45%
Over 40 Yrs: 40%

Use the following formula for calculations:

Line 1: Your weight in pounds =

Line 2: Your basic calorie needs: Line 1 x 11 (the number of calories you need just to lie on the couch all day

Line 3: Your metabolic factor (refer to percentages chart above): Line 2 x your assigned percentage.

Line 4: Your maintenance diet: Line 2 + Line 3

GOALS

Some of you may be happy with the number you see on the scale and just want to build more muscle and lose a little fat. Some may want to gain or lose weight. With that said, keep in mind that 2lbs of fat equals 7000 calories. So, if you are looking to lose 2lbs a week, you need to subtract 1000 calories from your diet each day. Add 500 calories a day, and the diet and workout plan combined should put about 1lb a week on your frame. There is one stipulation that you must keep in mindm for your calories calculations: Keep your calorie intake at 2,000 or above even if the math says that you need fewer. Going lower than 2,000 per day will severely compromise your testosterone level and your muscle building ability.

PROTEIN

The plan calls for .91 grams of protein per pound of body weight, so multiply your present weight by .91 to get your daily protein requirement.

Now that you have your daily protein and caloric totals, the rest of the diet falls into place. The remainder is about when you are going to eat and why that makes a huge difference.

Diet - Carbs Indexed

2009-06-06T08:34:00.000-04:00

For starters, the intent of this post is not to be anti-carbs, it will deal with the proportion of carbs that are consumed. Noone gets fat by eating healthy carbs like vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains. The truth is that byeating more of them is the first line of defense against cancer and other diseases, with one specific benefit of eating whole grains to protect you from prostate cancer, based on data recently compiled from 59 countries. Now, we will focus on what carbs do for you-good, bad and ugly-and how it will fit into the diet plan.
The way carbs are looked at by nutritionist today is based on the way your body reacts to the carbs instead of the number of sugar molecules. The main tool for measurement is called the glycemic index (GI), because this shows how fast the food turns into glucose. The foods that are quickly digested and turned into glucose are referred to as being high-glycemic, and the ones that are transformed slowly are called low-glycemic. When a person eats foods that are high-glycemic, that quick rush of glucose makes your body use straight glucose for energy, instead of the fat/glucose mixture. Since none of the fat reserves have burned off, any fat that you have eaten is added to your fat reserves. Since your body has then digested the high-glycemis foods quickly, your stomach is emptied out faster, which in turn, makes you hungry faster. Below, you will find a sample GI that assigns all carb containing foods a number that shows how fast your body turns them into glucose. The chart is based on a chart from a book written by Lou Schuler. Foods with GIs of 55 or lower cause only a small change in the blood sugar level, and those with a GI of 70 or more shoot your glucose level higher.

FRUITS VEGETABLES/GRAINS & PASTAS

Cherries 32 Peas 68
Plum 34 Sweet potato 77
Grapefruit 36 Corn 78
Pear 51 Carrots 101
Apple 52 Potato 121
Apple Juice 58 Barley 36
Grapes 62 Rye 48
Orange 62 Spaghetti 59
Grapefruit Juice 69 Brown Rice 79
Banana 76 White Rice 81
Watermelon 103 Instant Rice 128

DAIRY PRODUCTS LEGUMES

Yogurt 20 Lentils 41
Whole Milk 39 Kidney Beans 42
Skim Milk 46 Lima Beans 46
Low-fat Ice Cream 71 Pinto Beans 55
Ice Cream 87 Baked Beans 69

CEREAL SNACKS

All-Bran 60 Peanuts 21
Oat Bran 78 Chocolate 70
Shredded Wheat 99 Potato Chips 77
Puffed Wheat 105 Oatmeal Cookies 79
Cheerios 106 Popcorn 79
Rice Krispies 117 Corn Chips 105
Corn Flakes 119 Jelly Beans 114

PASTRIES BREADS

Sponge Cake 66 Hamburger Bun 87
Bran Muffin 85 White Bread 99
Croissant 96 Whole wheat bread 99
Doughnut 108 Bagel 103
Waffle 109 Kaiser Roll 104

As you can see, many of the simple carbs like fruit and dairy products have a good low rating on the index, while many of the complex carbs like bread have a higher index. Keep in mind, the size of the individual particles of the the food factors into this equation as well. For example, instant oatmeal has a higher GI than slow cooking oatmeal, and whole grain flour is turned into glucose at a much slower rate than refined flour.

There really is only one point in the day when high GI carbs are recommended, and that is after exercising. The good workout will drain your muscles of the glycogen they have stored and a lack of glycogen will cause the body to use two other sources of energy: fat and amino acids. The fat usage is graeat, but you don't want to use the amino acids because that protein comes from your muscles. Therefore, the faster you put those high GI carbs into your body, the faster the body can produce insulin. This does two great things after excercising, first the proteins stop breaking down and starts to synthesize. The higher the GI rating, the faster the process begins, which is why so many post workout meal replacement supplements contain maltodextrin, which is an easy to digest carb made from corstarch.

Next, I will focus on putting together the right pre and post exercise nutrition plan.

Diet - Fat

2009-06-05T11:51:00.000-04:00

There are a few types of dietary fats that have very positive effects on your cholesterol levels. Probably, the most important one is Monounsaturated Fats. These fats are liquid at room temperature and can be found in olive and canola oils and macadamia nuts. With these fats, you get higher HDL (high-density lipoproteins) and lower triglycerides. Many diets that get about 25% of their calories from monounsaturated fats and about 40% of calories from fat have an increase of 8% to 22% in the HDL and a decrease in triglycerides by up to 24% without showing an increase in LDL levels. This is the classic Mediterranean diet that we here so much about on shows like The Today Show.
Another benefit is available from replacing some of the carbs in your diet with Polyunsaturated Fats. There is an abundance of these fats found in fish, nuts, seed and safflower & sunflower oils. These fats are divided into two groups: omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Your omega-3's are found in fish and fish oil; plants and plant oil are generally the omega-6's. Because your body can't produce these fats, you have to get them from the food you eat. One is an omega-6 fat called linoleic acid, that's found in safflower oil, poultry, red meats and walnuts. Another is an omega-3 fat called linolenic acid, that's found in cold water fish like tuna & salmon and in flaxseed oil. By supplementing your diet with omega-3 fats in the form of fish oil, you can lower your triglycerides by up to 63%. However, it is very important to keep in mind the one type of polyunsaturated fats that you want to stay away from is trans fat.
Going beyond the advantages of lowering you risk of cardio disease, one of the greatest benefits of a higher fat diet is what it does to the hormones. Cholesterol is the building block of testosterone, so it make a little sense that a meat consuming diet would yield more testosterone.
Before I show you how to put together the ideal food plan for you, we have to cover the final piece of the puzzle: Carbs.

Diet - Protein

2009-06-04T18:25:00.000-04:00

For your dietary needs when tying it into your workout, you have to decide what your goal is. Is it to lose fat, gain muscle or weight maintenance? If you are trying to lose fat, your diet should consist of equal parts (33% each) of protein, carbs and fat. For the man wanting to build muscle, you want to add as much muscle as possible because that's what will increase your metabolism and eat awway at your body's fat. The diet plan will change to a ratio of 20% protein, 40% fat and 40% carbs. If you are trying to add muscle while maintaining your current weight, your ratio changes to 25% protein and and equal percentage of carbs and fat at 37.5%. This post will focus on the benefits of protein in the diet, with fat and carbs soon to follow.

Protein is naturally found in your body in many different forms: Structure, enzymes, hormones, transporters, muscle contractors and antibodies.

Structure - It forms the framework of all tissues-muscles, bones, skin, organs, tendons and cartilage
Enzymes - Very specialized proteins that help the body perform digestive and energy generation
Hormones - The most common hormone that is a protein is insulin. These hormones act like messengers, because they tell your body when to be stressed, when to be pumped up, when to use food for energy or store it as fat.
Transporters - Hemoglobin, the protein, carries oxygen through the blood to your organs
Muscle Contractors - Actin and Myosin, the little protein filaments, facilitate the contracting of your muscles. The bigger and stronger you get, the more of these proteins you add to your muscles.
Antibodies - These proteins jump in and protect your body from viruses and bacteria

Protein keeps you from overeating because you feel full faster and naturally will eat less. It also speeds up your metabolism. It takes a lot more energy for your body to break down protein than it does for it to break down the other nutrients. Normally, 10% of the total calories that are burned per day are done thru the digestion of food. When you increase your protein intake, you will burn more calories to break down those proteins. This is one reason why this plan produces a metabolic weight control and it will burn more when you combine the protein and workouts that will help you build more active muscle mass. As a sidebar, higher protein intake will result in greater water loss, so you MUST increase your water intake as part of a healthy diet!

Now, more protein doesn't automatically equate to more muscle, you must have the right amount of protein, combined with the right excercise regimen to see a dramatic increase of muscle. The process works in two ways: building new muscle (anabolism) and prevention of muscle loss (catabolism).

Anabolism. In order to create new muscle, you have to damage that muscle. Lifting and lowering weights creates small tears in the tissue. FYI: Lowering the weights actually does more damage to the tissue that lifting, which is why it should be done in a slow manner for maximum results. A single workout can create a muscle building environment that can last anywhere from 24 to 48 hours. These tears require the protein and testosterone needed to make you stronger. By liftinh weightr at least 3 times per week using a progressive program will keep your body in a muscle building mode just about all day, every day.
Catabolism. You also have to prevent the old muscle from breaking down too far. The proper nutrients will limit that breakdown. During a hard workout, your body naturally runs short of glycogen and begins to pull protein from your muscles for that energy. However, if you keep your body properly supplied, on a constant basis, with high quality protein, the breakdown is minimized.

You must maximize both sides of the equation thru good muscle challenging workouts and effective muscle saving meals. This will help you to get the best body possible.

Proteins are made of amino acids, with some being essential, which your body doesn't produce and youhave to get from the foods you eat. The best sources contain all nine of the essential amino acids. You have three tiers of amino acids and here is the rundown on all three.

Best: Dairy products, eggs, pork, beef, fish, nuts, oats, poultry & soy protein

Next Best: Beans, seeds and cornmeal

Worst: White or wheat bread, gelatin, pasta, potatoes, peas & rice

Testosterone

2009-06-04T10:42:00.000-04:00

According to most research, your testes secret this hormone on a regular cyclic schedule. Rule of thumb says that it peaks in the morning, hence that early morning erection! Be aware that your body starts to drop off in production between the mid-20's and late 30s and without intervention, you just continue to go downhill. But, geting that level back up isn't as simple as just grabbing weights and working out every now and then. You will learn what to do to maximize the performance by eating properly, which has a lot to do with the success and impact on your weight training. The how and whys are coming later.

Speed Burners

2009-06-04T10:31:00.000-04:00

As I move along, you will be getting the fastest way to lose fat, build muscle to regain your natural athletic shape and reinforce the vital male essence. The main thing it to tap into the body's naturally supply of testosterone. This is the hormone that, for the most part, plays an inportant part in bone density, muscles, sexual functions and a host of other critical elements for men. By following the plan specifically, you will be able to increase your body's testosterone production, which will allow you to work out harder and longer. Whatever your specific goals, you will be able to achieve them. You will feel better and look better. Its a simple 9 week plan that will begin to show changes after the first few workouts.

Introduction

2009-06-03T15:48:00.000-04:00

Every man is interested in looking their best, being physically and mentally fit right? So why is it so hard? For starters, men have been misled and overlooked by the fitness and weight-loss industries!!! It seems like every exercise regimen is designed to keep skinny people skinny but has done nothing for the majority of men. There is a better way to eat and a better way to exercise. Here are a few facts:

1. Low-fat diets lower men's testosterone levels, which makes it harder to build that muscle and easier to store fat.

2. Aerobic excercise makes it even harder to build muscle and is hard on the joints.

3.The less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism is. Translation: You store more FAT

4. Because weight training enhances the structure of joints, ligaments and tendons, it makes sense that weight training is the best option for men