Rethink your life and enjoy your life

Is it okay to work out twice in one day? And if so, what’s the best way to do it?

The expert: Doug Barsanti, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and owner of ReInvention Fitness in Santa Cruz, California

The answer: Logging double workouts can be safe, but it depends on two things: how long your workouts are and what you’re doing during each one. “People assume that working out more is always better than working out less, but that’s not the case—more isn’t always better, especially if you're doing the same thing,” Barsanti explains.

His advice: Doubling up can work if you :

a) separate your sessions into two smaller, 30- to 45-minute blocks and do them at the beginning and end of the day, and..

b) practice different disciplines during each one. So for example, you could go on a 30-minute run in the morning and then do 30 minutes of strength training at night, or you could do strength training early in the day and then yoga later on that evening.

What happens if you try to exercise for twice a day for longer periods of time? Your body basically collapses. “Generally speaking, working out for longer than an hour a day runs your body into the ground. You’ll get so tired that you’ll actually lose strength and therefore lose muscle—not to mention losing the enthusiasm to exercise,” Barsanti explains. Same goes for repeating the same kind of exercise. "If you don't vary it up, your body gets used to it, and it won't be as effective the second time you do it," he continues.

Your best bet: Aim for a consistent workout schedule that you can definitely stick with every week. And if you do double up, don't break the rules!

The amazing Cucumber

This information was in The New York Times several weeks ago as part of their "Spotlight on the Home" series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems.
1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a
cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that  quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a
cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing,
spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals
in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

 

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before
going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a  few minutes. The phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten,  firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost,

keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a  quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

 

 

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire  cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber  will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing,  relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your

mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel?
Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it
remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

 

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

 

14. Hangover cure - To avoid a morning hangover or headache; eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish many essential nutrients, reducing the intensity of both hangover and headache.

15. Aids in weight loss and digestion - Due to its low calorie and high water content, cucumber is an ideal diet for people who are looking for weight loss. The high water content and dietary fiber in cucumbers are very effective in ridding the body of toxins from the digestive system, aiding digestion. Daily consumption of cucumbers can be regarded as a remedy for chronic constipation.

16. Cures diabetes, reduces cholesterol and controls blood pressure - Cucumber juice contains a hormone which is needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin which has been found to be beneficial to diabetic patients. Researchers found that a compound called sterols in cucumbers may help reduce cholesterol levels. Cucumbers contain a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber. These work effectively for regulating blood pressure. This makes cucumbers good for treating both low blood pressure and high blood pressure.

17. Promotes joint health relieves gout and arthritis pain -Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, which is known to help promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues. They are also rich in vitamin A, B1, B6, C & D, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. When mixed with carrot juice, they can relieve gout and arthritis pain by lowering the uric acid levels

【養生課程】把握16個習慣 能讓你更年輕

☯導讀：誰都想永遠青春永駐，但誰也逃不過時間的考驗。不過有人卻比同齡人看上去更年輕呢，難道是有什麼特別的秘方嗎？今天就來告訴你越來越年輕的法寶！

1。睡眠多，臉不老。長期睡眠不足會加快面部衰老，因為眼周肌肉可在睡眠中眼球快速轉動時得到鍛煉，而睡眠不足，眼周肌肉就會發生萎縮，留下黑眼圈。...

2。經常鍛煉，年輕10歲。美國《內科學檔案》雜誌刊登的一項新研究表明，每週進行3小時一定強度的鍛煉，可以讓人感覺身體年輕10歲。

3。口腔衛生，腦子更靈。英國一項涉及6693名成人的新研究表明，牙病患者智力明顯低於牙齒健康者。其原因是，牙齦出血等問題會導致更嚴重的體內炎症，造成大腦損傷。常刷牙、使用牙線清潔牙縫、保持口腔衛生，大腦才能更靈敏。

4。有晨勃，更年輕。清晨勃起硬度越高，代表著男性血管越年輕。《美國醫學雜誌》最近刊登的一項研究表明，每週性生活不到1次的男性，ED（勃起功能障礙）的發病率將上升2倍，而每週做愛3次以上，ED減少4倍。

5。身體胖，老10年。2007年具有里程碑意義的一項研究發現，男人身體品質指數（BMI）每增加5個點（相當於體重增加13。5公斤左右），其睾丸激素水準就會下降到“衰老10年”的水準。

6。訓練大腦，年輕15歲。做做“腦筋急轉彎”等大腦訓練題，可以讓45歲的人獲得30歲人的大腦活力和記憶能力

7。常用剃鬚刀，年輕5歲半。英國諾森比亞大學調查發現，刮鬍子的男人比鬍子拉碴的男人看上去年輕5。5歲。皮膚學專家肯尼士•比爾博士表示，刮鬍子會刺激臉部膠原蛋白的產生，讓皮膚更光滑。

8。少吃點，多記點。德國科研人員發現，少攝入點熱量有助於減少炎症的發生幾率，而發炎會導致人認知能力下降。科學家表示，最好將每日攝入熱量減少30%，比如原來每天攝入2500卡路里，那麼最好減掉750卡路里。

9。維生素A除眼紋。隨著年齡增加，細胞迴圈過程明顯減慢，皮膚缺乏膠原蛋白。這在人體皮膚最薄處、厚度僅為0。02毫米的眼部表現得最明顯。新研究發現，維生素A有助產生新的膠原蛋白，除皺效果好。

10。養花種草，利長壽。美國芝加哥大學衰老研究中心專家發現，農民長命百歲的幾率是城市居民的兩倍。男性適當養花、種草、農活，有助長壽。

11。常打高爾夫球，增壽5年。《斯堪的納維亞運動醫學雜誌》刊登的一項研究顯示，高爾夫球手死亡率比同齡人低40%，原因是每次打球時在戶外數小時，行走4英里，而且社交機會增加，有益減輕壓力，因而可增壽5年。

12。心跳慢壽命長。想保持年輕，就必須擁有強壯的心臟，讓血液慢而有效地流動。來自美國心臟、肺臟和血液學會的邁克•勞厄說：“人的平均壽命是心跳30億次，若能減慢心跳次數，則可延長壽命。”。

13。每天一杯酒，活到85歲。《美國醫學會學報》刊登的一項涉及6000名患者的新研究表明，每天少量喝酒（不超過3杯），能使壽命延長到85歲的幾率增加97%。

14。充足的睡眠，壽命最長。一項為期22年，涉及21268名成年人的新研究發現，男人每晚睡眠少於7小時，早亡危險增加26%，但超過8小時，也會使早亡危險增加24%。

15。多吃菠菜，長肌肉。男人肌肉發達，看起來更年輕。《美國營養學會雜誌》稱，《大力水手》的健壯秘訣有依據，吃菠菜確實可以促進蛋白質合成，有助肌肉生長。另外，吃菠菜還能防止骨質疏鬆。

16。頭髮短顯年輕。男人到了中年，脫髮越來越明顯。在脫髮早期，剃平頭顯得頭髮更濃密，人也更年輕，長頭髮反而容易暴露頭皮。

A solution to a busy life – Balance and Consistency!

This short plan is ideal for someone who is living a busy schedule like a 9-6 job or a busy timetable. 

Training:-

I am training 5 days a week. I often move these days due to travelling on weekends however I make the effort to hit all the sessions almost every week without fail.

Monday	Rest (not a Monday person)
Tuesday	Back, Shoulders and Biceps
Wednesday	Legs
Thursday	Chest, Triceps and abs
Friday	Rest
Saturday	Back, Shoulders and Biceps
Sunday	Chest, Triceps and abs

Back, Shoulder and Biceps	Wide Grip Chin ups – 4×12 or till failureBB row/Cable row – 4×10/12T-bar row/BOOAR – 4×10/12 Military Press – 4×10 DB Press – 4×12 Lat raises SS with Rear Delt fly – 4×12 Biceps – 4×12
Legs	Squat – 4x10Front squat – 4x10Stiff leg deadlift – 4×10 Goodmornings/hyper extension – 4×10/12
Chest, Triceps and abs	Flat/Incline BB bench press 4x12Flat/Incline DB Press 4x12Some form of fly/pullovers 4×12 Weighted dips/overhead ext 4×10/12 Tricep pushdown/single arm cable extension 4×12 Hanging leg raise 4×12 Cable crunch 4×12

This is something a little different than I was used to – training 2 body parts a week with a higher rep range and for the first couple of weeks I was sore as hell, but my body adapted and OH THE GAINZ!!! I like to do rotator cuff work and stretch considerably after I work out which I advise to everyone with or without an old injury like mine. As you can see I have put on a lot of mass and maintained a semi-lean physique.  (Apologies for the bedroom selfie).

 

Nutrition:-

From counting all my macros day in day out when competing I knew how stressful this was, so I am not doing this at all anymore. Although I do weigh my food to monitor how much I add or take away according to my weight gains aiming for 1 pound per week. I could not tell you the macros but I know roundabouts where it is from experience. I’m eating moderate/high protein, high carbs and low/moderate fats. I do not eat boring food either! All my meals are tasty using condiments and herbs and spices this does not mean ketchup and mayo. Examples are soy sauce, rice wine, pepper, mixed herbs, Chinese 5 spice, cumin, turmeric, garam massala to name just a few!; I enjoy all my meals and most of these condiments are 0 calories so I’m free to play and add as much as I wish without worrying; these spices often have a positive effect on your metabolism as a bonus! I have had a weight gain of 6-7 pounds of fairly lean mass over the past 3 months with the goal of 190lb by the end of November. I eat “clean”: -

Protein: – whole eggs, cottage cheese, chicken breast, pork loin/shoulder, steak, minced beef, salmon, whey protein, casein protein powder and the odd bit of lamb.

Carbohydrate: – Oats, Sweet potato, Brown rice, rice cakes, fruit and berries and a small amount of rye bread.

Fats: – almonds, walnuts, omega 3 oils, associated meat/egg fats, 100% peanut butter and coconut oil.

Supplements: – whey protein, multi vitamins, vitamin D3, Omega 3 oil, Creatine monohydrate, vitamin c and casein protein.

Normal day for me although this will vary slightly:-

 

Meal 1	100g oatsTbls flaxseed powderTsp cinnamon 3 whole eggs Mixed berries 2 Tbls Greek yoghurt Multi vit Vit D3 1 tsp omega 3 oil
Meal 2	100g oatsTbls flaxseed powderTsp cinnamon 2 whole eggs Mixed Berries or vegis
Meal 3	300g sweet potato/100g brown rice300g chicken breastMixed veg
Meal 4	300g sweet potato/100g brown rice300g chicken breastMixed veg
post-workout	25g whey10g creatine1mg vit c 1 banana 1 apple/orange
Meal 5	300g pork shoulder/loin/steak/beef mince/salmon etc.Mixed veg
Meal 6	1 bow of rice, chicken meat,  ½ Tbls peanut butter200g cottage cheese

 

On rest days I substitute whey with casein and have it before bed and won’t eat the fruit.

As I am working 9am-7pm Monday to Friday I am up at 7:15 every morning and going to bed at 11pm, my meals are spaced out every 2.5 to 3 hours. I go straight to the gym from work to train, fortunately I only have a half hour commute, after the gym I will head home to cook my evening meal and all my meals including breakfast for the next day. I get up early on weekends normally 7am to eat and train I feel it’s best to be consistent throughout the week, weekend or not.

The message is if you are willing to put in the time and be organized and efficient it is achievable. I am now fully into my routine and I can confidently say I don’t find it hard anymore! I’ll be using this program until now where ill reassess my physique and either start a slow cut or continue bulking, looking forward to seeing where I’m at!

 

Triceps_workout

Frequency of workouts

Many beginners do not even think that the growth of “mass” consists of two equally important elements: action and inaction, workouts and rest. By itself, workout leads only a mechanism to an action, and muscles are growing when you rest. If, of course, this rest is enough for you. And now we come to the key point. How to find out how much time of the rest is required between the two workouts “to complete failure of the muscles”?

It is clear that after the workout  you feel  yourself differently than before it. You’re squeezed. And this is not the normal tiredness. This is a complete physical devastation. It is quite understandable phenomenon: because you spent a significant part of biochemical resources or, in other words, the resilience of the body. In short, you are like a car that has been run out of fuel.

And the first thing your body is doing after the workout, this is not the construction of the muscle blocks. He will carefully eliminate the deficit of “fuel”, i.e. and will try to fill up the biochemical resources. Moreover, the recovery process will not last five minutes. A full recovery may take several days. And only after that, will start the growing of the very coveted mountain of muscle, it will be the a process of overcompensation. And remember: if you go back to the gym before a full recovery, there will  be no growth!

The recovery process may last a week. Hardly you need a proof. Each bodybuilder would have felt himself still tired on Monday morning, if on Friday afternoon he had had an intense workout. Here’s a typical situation. On Thursday, you went to bed early, expecting to have a serious workout on Friday. You had a good breakfast In the morning and went to the gym in the afternoon. You are in a good mood. You are full of energy. Workout had a real success. Even exceeded all expectations. You had not just squat with a weight of 2.5 kg heavier than in the previous time, but you “extended” a set of three repetitions. You went extremely tired from the gym, but happy. You decided to have a good rest at the weekend and not to train. You were sure that by Monday, you would fully recuperate and be ready for a new  “powerful” workout.

But Monday comes, and your tiredness has not passed.What does it mean? Three days for recovery was not enough, you had not compensated a deficiency of biochemical resources. And if on Monday you go to the gym, then you`ll make a big mistake. In this state, the qualitative results wouldl not be achieved, moreover, you could seriously hurt yourself. But you woke up fresh and alert on Tuesday morning. Tiredness had gone. The energy is not swinging in you yet, but you feel the forces are restored. But having come to the gym, you will not get an uncontrollable desire to train. And your strength will be exactly the same as a week ago, before the last successful workout. You willy-nilly will go back to the previous weight. Because this workout is also a mistake! A new stressful “strain” interferes the “started” growth of mass!

Now we can suppose that you refused to practice on Tuesday. You’re not just recovered on Wednesday morning: you are full of energy and you`re craving to have a workout. To the great joy, you feel you can increase the weight by 1 kg, and add to the set  1-2 reps. What more could you wish now?

But do not rush! You have not read the book to the end and you do not even suspect that the workout on Wednesday is also a mistake! But why? – you`ll ask. But the fact is that by Wensday your body had just completed the recovery process. But it does not use all the features of growth! Wait another day and you’ll be able to make your weight heavier by 2.5 kg and more! Are your sets  will “grow” by 4-5 reps!

Bythe way, today are very popular exercise, it is more of cardio training. In order not to get lost in the woods, bodybuilders and athletes use instruments for gps-navigation or repeater gsm during their jogging. These are the manners of the athletes.

How to Squat?

Squats are also highly versatile: you can do them anywhere, even while brushing your teeth or filling your glass at the water cooler. Multitask by adding bicep curls and other moves tomake them harder.

Since we’re all in backside-toning mode for beach season, here’s a primer on how exactly to do the perfect squat. Keep reading for step-by-step instructions.

1. Stand with your head facing forward and your chest held up and out.
2. Place your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Extend your hands straight out in front of you to help keep your balance.
3. Sit back and down like you’re sitting into an imaginary chair. Keep your head facing forward as your upper body bends forward a bit. Rather than allowing your back to round, let your lower back arch slightly as you descend.
4. Lower down so your thighs are as parallel to the floor as possible, with your knees over your ankles. Press your weight back into your heels.
5. Keep your body tight, and push through your heels to bring yourself back to the starting position.

Start with three sets of 10 squats, and then add more reps (12, 15) as you get used to the motion. It’s definitely awkward at first, so don’t expect to master the squat right away. Focus on your form, and then worry about adding reps.

Abs Workout for beginner

This beginner abs workout hits your abs with 4 sets and 2 exercises. It can be done once or twice a week and added to your current routine.

Workout Summary

Main Goal: Build Muscle

Workout Type:Single Muscle Group

Training Level:Beginner

Days Per Week:1 or 2

Equipment Required:Bodyweight

Target Gender: Male & Female     

 

Workout Description

This ab workout is designed for beginners to weight training who want to build some muscle and strength in their core. It hits the abs with 4 sets and 2 exercises. The workout can be done once or twice per week, and can be added to the beginning or end of your regular routine.
Workout Notes:

1. Perform light warm-up before this workout.
2. Strict technique on all exercises.
3. Aim to improve at least one aspect of your workout each week.

Weekly Workout Routine:

Beginner Ab Workout
Abdominals
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Crunches	4	12-15
Lying leg raises	4	12-15

Abs lower exercise - Hanging Leg Raise

The Abs Workout

Excercise	Reps
Hanging Leg Raise	12-15

Initiate each rep slowly to de-emphasize the hip flexors and keep tension on the abs. At the top, crunch your pelvis upward and hold for a second.

Step 1; 

Step 2; Hanging Knee-Up

Step 3;

How To Set Up A Fat Loss Diet Plan?

Ready to drop a few kg? 
This article contains a 7 step process that will help set up 
an eating plan and cardio approach to maximize fat loss
and body composition.

Before we get started I want to make something clear: this article is not aimed at the hardcore bodybuilder types who already know how to get shredded.

My goal in writing this article is to help those of you who are slightly overweight to lose an extra 10 to 20 kg of unwanted fat. More than this, I not only want you to lose weight, but also to look good when you're done.

There is a difference between weight loss and fat loss. Weight loss is usually imprecise. While the scale might be moving in the right direction, there is no guarantee that you will hold onto valuable muscle tissue as you lose fat.

In fact, most diet plans are both fat loss and muscle loss programs. They really aren't "plans" at all, but rather guesses.

On the other hand, fat loss programs are very precise. They are structured based on specific data, and adjusted based on current results. There is no guessing involved.

This article will show you how to structure a fat loss eating plan. You will learn where to start, and how to make adjustments based on current results. This process will help you maximize fat loss while minimizing the loss of muscle tissue.

The goal: not only lose weight, but look your best after the weight loss process is done.

The magic fat loss question

"I am not seeing results. What's going on?" This is the magic fat loss question.

Ninety-five percent of the time the answer is the same: these individuals can't lose weight because they are only guessing. They think they are eating healthier, and have added weekly cardio, but when asked the following questions they typically can't provide concrete answers.

• How many calories are you eating per day? Um, er, well...no idea really I am eating healthy! Not really counting calories, but I am eating a salad for lunch and using low-fat cream in my grande cappuccino.
• How many grams of protein are you eating per day? Ugg...you mean like protein protein? Well I have yogurt for breakfast, some egg in my salad and then half a chicken breast at night. Is that good?
• How often do you stray from your diet? Well I don't really do that bad. On Monday I had an entire carry out pizza with a large 48 ounce Coke, and on Thursday we went out for the western style buffet. Other than these 2 days I stuck to my diet.

The more precise the diet plan, the more precise your results will be. To lose weight and look your best when it's over you need to stop guessing and start analyzing.

The following steps will help you get started.

Stop Guessing - Start Losing Fat

Step #1 - Detail Everything You Eat And Drink For One Week

Eat normally during this week. Don't hold back or pull any punches. Detail everything you eat and drink during this week, along with the time you eat/drink it. Everything. No exceptions. 

You want to list sizes as well. If you are not sure how many ounces something is, then you can list it in the following manner:

• Fist size portion of mashed potatoes with a thumb-sized pat of butter.
• Full plate of Hamburger Helper.

At the end of the week it's tally time. Head over to one of the (endless) calorie calculation sites on the Internet and figure out what your weekly calorie and protein intake are per day. It will also be helpful to understand what percentage of your diet is coming from carbs and fats.

Once you have these totals, move on to step 2.

Step 2 - Calculate Daily Averages

Using your weekly protein and calorie intake levels, divide by seven to calculate daily averages. These averages will be used as a baseline, or starting point.

So if you took in 25,000 calories last week and 700 grams of protein, your daily averages would be:

• Calories - 25,000 divided by 7 = 3,571 calories per day
• Protein - 700 divided by 7 = 100 grams of protein per day

Step 3 - Map Out Your Eating Tendencies

This might seem like a tedious and pointless step, but it's very necessary. You need to understand when and how you typically eat. Armed with this knowledge you can set up a diet plan that matches these tendencies.

From your weekly data, add up the total number of calories and grams of protein you eat within every given hour of the day. It will look something like this:

• 7am to 8am - 1000 calories and 50 grams of protein eating within this period during the week.
• 8am to 9am - 500 calories and 20 grams of protein eating within this period during the week.
• 9am to 10am - 2000 calories and 50 grams of protein eating within this period during the week.
• 10am to 11am - 250 calories and 15 grams of protein eating within this period during the week.
• 11am to Noon - 7000 calories and 150 grams of protein eating within this period during the week.

From this "eating map" you can now determine when you need to structure your snacks and biggest meals during the day when cutting. It is far better to work with your current eating tendencies then to adopt someone else's eating plan and try to survive it.

Step 4 - Set Your Starting Points

Calories. Take the number of calories you are eating per day and drop it by 300. This is your diet plan starting point. 

Hop on the scale first thing in the morning (after urination). Weigh yourself each day for the entire week. Ignore daily fluctuations. Instead look for any weight loss during this 7 day period.

If you aren't losing weight, drop calories by another 200 calories per day and watch the scale for an additional week. If you find that you have lost weight, consider this your diet starting point. If not, continue to drop your calories by only 200 per day, per week, until you start to see some weight loss.

Protein. You will want to set daily minimum protein intake levels. Eating a sufficient amount of protein will help you to maximize muscle retention while cutting fat. Here are my minimum suggestions:

• Men - Eat at least 170 to 180 grams of protein per day
• Women - Eat at least 100 grams of protein per day

Fill in the rest of your calories with a reasonable amount of healthy carbs and fats. For most people there is no reason to micromanage either. Eat mostly healthy foods, and don't fear healthy fat intake. You want a balanced amount of healthy fats and carbs.

Step 5 - Add In Cardio

Now that you have found your diet starting point, it's time to add in cardio. I suggest 3 to 4 sessions per week of 20 to 30 minutes each.

Resist the urge to rush out and live at the gym, doingcarddio. Cardio itself burns very little fat.

Don't do more than your 3-4 sessions per week right now. You may need to add in some extra cardio later if the fat loss process stalls, so wait until then.

What type of cardio should you do? HIIT or steady state? Morning or post-workout? Walking, stairmaster, other? It doesn't really matter to be honest. Pick something you enjoy, and do it during a time of the day when you have the most energy.

Step 6 - Wait 2 Weeks, Then Adjust

With cardio in place, wait 2 weeks. The goal is to lose about 1.5 to 2 pounds per week. This rate is generally considered optimal when trying to maximize your body composition.

Lose weight faster than this and you risk losing muscle tissue. The result: you may end up thin, but still flabby.

If after 2 weeks you are not losing weight, drop your daily calories by 200 and monitor your weight for an additional 2 weeks. If you are still not losing weight, repeat this process.

Once you reach that weekly weight loss sweet spot, ride it for as long as possible. Do not change anything. Continue on with the same eating and cardio plan until a stall occurs.

Step 7 - How to Deal with Plateaus

If you hit a 2 week plateau then it might be time to take action. I suggest trying one of the following 3 options.

1. Diet Break - Take a week off. Bump your calories up 500 per day, and perform no cardio. Use this as a mental and physical rest week. Return to your normal diet and cardio plan the following week.
2. Cutting Calories - Cut calories by an additional 100 per day and monitor weight loss for the next 2 weeks.
3. Add Cardio - Add in an additional 5 minutes of cardio per session. Check the scale in 2 weeks to see if this is making a difference.

When a stall occur, it is imperative that you remain calm and don't panic. Stay the course. Continue making very slight changes over time until your rate of weight loss returns to normal.

Final Thoughts

Body composition is an art form. Though the road map provided above will help you to retain muscle while losing fat, no system is inherently perfect. It often takes bodybuilders years to master the art of cutting fat.

You will likely make mistakes the first time you attempt to get shredded or diced. Fear not. Learn what you can and apply this knowledge the next time around.

Quads Exercises

Top 10 Quads Exercises

• Decline Bench Barbell Lunge
  Equipment: Barbell
  Mechanics: Compound
  

  

  
  

  
• Walking Barbell Lunge
  Equipment: Barbell
  Mechanics: Compound
  

  

  
  

  
• Narrow Squat
  Equipment: Barbell
  Mechanics: Compound
  

  

  
  

  
• One Leg Barbell Squat
  Equipment: Barbell
  Mechanics: Compound
  

  

  
  

  
• Narrow Hack Squat
  Equipment: Machine
  Mechanics: Compound
  

  

  

  
  
• Speed Squats
  Equipment: Barbell
  Mechanics: Compound
  

  

  
  

  
• Deep Squat
  Equipment: Barbell
  Mechanics: Compound
  

  

  
  

  
• Zerchers squat
  Equipment: Barbell
  Mechanics: Compound
  

  

  
  

  
• Barbell Step Ups
  Equipment: Barbell
  Mechanics: Compound
  

  

  
  

  
• Barbell Lunge
  Equipment: Barbell
  Mechanics: Compound