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Man Cave Etiquette & Managing the Adonis Effect at the Gym

June 29, 2012 by

“The frame of the cave leads to the frame of man.” -Stephen Gardiner

Entering The Man Cave

“The frame of the cave leads to the frame of man.” -Stephen Gardiner

Gymnasium. Fitness Center. Athletic Performance Complex.  These are a few of the many names that refer to my most frequently visited location besides home & work.   I personally prefer to call my training ground, the “Man Cave.”  Living in the digital age, apart from manual labor, it’s the closest we come to our ancestral roots of running, jumping, lifting, and exploring.  Although the “Man Caves” of today are more refined, its a place where you can come and relieve stress from being cooped up in the office or break away from the couch and TV. When I enter the domain of the “Man Cave” all is well with the world.

John Barban and myself recently got into the discussion of how different people conduct their workouts in the gym. Our brief chat prompted me to describe my experience of training and obstacles I’ve had to overcome.

First off… you should know there are all sorts of creatures in the “Man Cave” but no one wants to be the dreaded “Gym Guy.”  I’m sure he lurks wherever there are dumbbells to be dropped on the ground and machine plates to crash together like cymbals.

I’d like to share with you three concepts from “Man Cave Etiquette” that will ensure you become “Golden” and not “Gym Guy.” Remember, the “Man Cave” is a training ground that offers a place of refuge and not chaos.  A place where you can come to cast aside the cares of the world and focus on building a “Golden” you.

Three  Concepts for proper “Man Cave” Etiquette

Man Cave Etiquette

Man Cave Etiquette 101: Re-Rack Weights when Finished

1. Preparation is never Lost Time

As I prepare for photoshoots or competitions it’s important to  gameplan how I’m going to arrive at my ideal physique.  This is often times done in reverse.  Pre-Screening what workouts you will do for the week and then again the night before sets your mind on what you are trying to accomplish and brings you closer to achieving your goals.

You may have to adjust the order of the workouts to accomodate your schedule; which is fine, because the bottom line is that you complete them whether it was: good, bad, or ugly.  This concept will save you time and keep you on track during the workout because you KNOW what’s coming next.

2. Situational Awareness

It doesn’t matter which “Man Cave” you enter, they all have similar characteristics, there is a place for: dumbbells, machines, and bench/squat stations.  Upon entering, locate what equipment you will use for your workout that day.  If there is a back-up on certain things needed you may have to adjust.  If not, go ahead mark your territory in the “Man Cave”  where you will train. Rather it be with a towel, bottle, or your paper copy of the workout.  The AI workouts are designed to keep you in the same place for the duration of that particular module.

As for me, I purposely leave my FAT GRIPZ  on dumbbells or bar that I’m training with when performing a ‘Super’ or ‘X’ Set.   No one has ever taken them while I was briefly away; but it has peaked some interesting discussions…more on that later.

3. Staying the Course: Motivation to complete the workout

While desserts are typically not served in the “Man Cave” you can expect to find yourself eating some “Humble Pie” at any given workout.  There have been times where I’ve bitten off more than I can chew and I need to rest in order to attack the weights with a renewed vigor.

I keep a couple go-to Power Songs in my music playlist when times get tough.  Interestingly enough, despite all the grunting and groaning you hear in the “Man Cave” there is an alternative approach to getting past those sticking points and completing your workout.

I was eating some humble pie on a leg day and I noticed that the workout ended with the dreaded Bulgarian Split Squat.  At that very moment I laughed and thought the workout was insane; I was ready to pack it up and call it a day.   However, as soon as I laughed, I felt a wave, a rush of energy come over me that was enough motivation to finish the workout.

Since this time, I frequently laugh or chuckle to myself as a sort of power-up when I’m approaching a challenging part of the workout.  I’m sure there are many therapeutic benefits of laughter but I’d encourage you to try this technique during your next workout.

 Managing the Adonis Effect

The “ADONIS EFFECT” is a powerful subconscious effect your physical presence can have on all other people around you. | Fitness Shoot feat. FAT GRIPZ | Credits: Air Harp Photography

The “Adonis Effect” is a powerful subconscious effect your physical presence can have on all other people around you.  It appears most evident when your AI ratio is around 1.5 and up approaching a Golden 1.6. The shape and look of your body, coupled with the way you carry yourself, will immediately burn a lasting impression into the minds of everyone who encounters you on a daily basis.

At this point I fell it’s equally  important to talk about momentum.  This is a very powerful principle and a great compliment to the Adonis Effect.  By following the AI workouts consistently, you are putting the law of momentum to work for you.  Your training is focused and goal-oriented, which puts you in the elite category of  “Man Cave” dwellers.  Rest assured you will attract some attention.  While the Adonis Effect is a  flattering experience overall, you have to be careful that all of that extra attention doesn’t put the brakes on your momentum.

Case in point, the “Man Cave” is  where you actually develop and cultivate the Adonis Effect. However, if you have distractions and interruptions at the source of your development then your momentum is hindered from the very beginning.   You may be in the middle of your workout and someone may pay you a compliment or ask you a question.

Which brings me back to my comment earlier about FAT GRIPZ. While performing my AI workouts, several people ask me about them and what I’m doing…this simple “ice breaker” can lead into longer discussions.  I’d love to to tell the story of Adonis Index and FAT GRIPZ, but it’s neither the time nor the place to chat during your workout.  Its proper “Man Cave” etiquette to be polite and courteous to other individuals, however be careful not to enter a 5-minute conversation, for you risk losing your momentum.

In conclusion, these “Man Cave Etiquette” concepts will de-clutter the flow of  your workouts and maximize your training efforts.  Also, recognize that with great power comes great responsibility. The “Adonis Effect”  is completely within your control to manipulate and harness to your total advantage.  Remember to harness your momentum, always respect others and each visit  to the “Man Cave” should be a memorable experience.

Very Respectfully,

Allen Elliott

 

 

Filed Under: body image, Goals, Identity, Sage Advice Tagged With: ,

Another Adonis: Interview with Scott Tousignant

June 27, 2012 by

It’s no secret that I believe in training for shape and proportion vs training for massive size and bulk. I’ve been down the ‘bulking’ road in my younger days and although I was strong it also left me fat and totally out of shape for years. Looking back it seems like such a waste of time…so many years spent out of shape. Even though it took me a while I eventually figured it out and learned that it’s just not possible to ‘big’ your way through life.

Scott now has a Golden Adonis Index Ratio…looks pretty damn good to me!

It’s been years since then and the Adonis Index system and philosophy is how I transformed myself and my entire approach to working out, ‘fitness’ whatever that means, and what it means to be ‘in shape’.

We’ve got solid metrics that are rooted in science and art history and have proven to be applicable for everyone. This goes for both people on our system as well as people who aren’t necessarily following our system.

The point is you can build a golden Adonis Index ratio more than one way. The workout programs I’ve built are my best shot with what I know about program design to get you to your golden AI as quickly as possible. But workout design is an art form, almost like composing music.

You can make an infinite number of songs while still using the same selection chords, musical scale, instruments, notes, keys etc. The only thing that limits what can be produced is the imagination of the artist.

The same thing goes with working out. Even though there are a finite number of exercises, set and rep schemes, and number of workouts you could possibly do in a week, there is almost a limitless number of ways to combine them into a workout that will get you to your goal…as long as the workout designer has their eye on the same prize.

Enter Scott Tousignant. He’s an artist with his eye on the same prize. A perfectly proportioned body.

Scott has been a friend of ours for a while now and he’s is very familiar with all things Adonis Index.

He has a very similar outlook on what has gone wrong in the diet and fitness industry and how a mindset shift towards proportion, shape and maintaining a low body fat level is the real goal for working out.

We both agree that the ‘get big at all costs’ mindset is fading and for good reason…it looks terrible. Setting a bodyweight goal, or a maximum strength goal, or any other performance or overall size metric is all secondary to the true answer we’re all looking for…and that is a perfectly proportioned body for our height.

In todays podcast Scott and I talk about working out and the mindset shift that must take place to start training for proportion and shape instead of overall bulk and size.

Scott is living proof that there is more than one path to a golden Adonis Index ratio. He designs his own workouts and used them to get into the shape in the above pictures in this post. He’s lean, muscular and has a golden Adonis Index ratio. Thats just about as good as it gets.

So would I ever do Scott’s workout? You bet, in fact I need to do other workouts just to get out of my head. Let me explain:

If you’ve ever built workout programs for clients or for athletes/teams it can become very mentally exhausting to follow your own workouts for too long. I become very hypercritical of how my workouts feel, if something should be upgraded, or tweaked or modified. I actually have a very hard time following my own workouts without being somewhat stressed about them as I want them to be perfect. This is of course irrational as there is no such thing as a ‘perfect workout’ but nevertheless this is what ends up happening to me when I follow my own program for too long. I get caught up in my own head and struggle to ‘just do it’. This is something that everyone who follows Adonis Index workouts can do with an AI workout…except me!

I use Scott’s workouts as part of my ongoing workout cycling to allow myself the freedom to go to the gym and ‘just do it’ for a while without analyzing my own workouts. And it feels really good to mix things up.

I don’t do this with just any old workout as I’m still focused on building and maintaining a golden Adonis Index ratio and Scott’s programs fit perfectly for this purpose.

So if you’re interested in checking out Scott’s programs you can pick them up at a discounted rate for Adonis Index customers here:

Scotts Workout Programs

Scott has also agreed to help the Adonis Index members integrate his workout modules with our AI modules to create a new MEGA-GIANT cycle!

Enjoy the podcast.

John

 

 

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Filed Under: Sage Advice

Fitness Modeling: Show Up and Let the Best Win…Oh Really?

June 25, 2012 by

Today we have an interview with Allen Elliott who won the Open Level 2 category in the latest Adonis Index Contest.

Check out his pictures:

Learn posing to present yourself in the best way possible.

Allen is kind of our lifetime achievement winner. Whatever contest we threw at him, he won it. Improving and taking it to the next level each time.

His results are obvious and truly amazing.

AT7 was the first time Allen arrived at his golden metrics.

If you aren’t tracking you are guessing. In order to know whether you are improving or not, you have to measure.

Competing at the National Level

As an ex-athlete Allen was just looking for a way to improve his look. When he found the Adonis Index program three years back, he was preparing for a national show in natural bodybuilding.

And as it turned out, the AI protocol worked pretty well for him;  he finished in the top 3 at this show.

However, bodybuilding wasn’t exactly what he was looking for, so he started searching for something different.

As a result he got into fitness modelling and started pursuing a career there.

At that time there was a new division that just opened – Men’s Physique, in which competitor’s wear board shorts instead of the traditional posing trunks of bodybuilders.  Nevertheless, the criteria to be judged upon is all about getting that hard, attainable, good looking physique -a goal perfectly aligned with the Adonis Index ideology.

And apart from bodybuilding there were clear instructions on what body shape they were looking for, so if you used drugs you would have over done it. This is different compared to traditional bodybuilding where it’s all about big you can get and everyone is using the same drugs.

Allen placed in the top 5 in his first Men’s Physique competition, won the Adonis Index Open Level 1 contest and was pretty satisfied with his results.

Allen also used the fitness competition as an opportunity to get some feedback. He went down to talked to the judges and asked them what areas he should work on.

Then he modified the AI plans to help him target those weaker areas. It worked! He won his next regional show and finished in the top 25 at the final National Level Competition to complete the 2011 season.

This year, things were a little different.

He won the AI Open level 2, however he placed last in the Men’s Physique contest, which shot his confidence down.

The mistake Allen made was that he showed up to his physique competition “too conditioned”. For what they were looking for he was too dry and lean. They wanted to see a slightly smoother look.

If you ever get into fitness modelling, this is what you have to expect.

There is a huge disconnect in what you do to look good and what the judges at each show will want.

You may not realize this.

When you look at Allen’s pictures, that’s the golden look – perfect AI score, incredibly lean, big, but not overly – attainable, realistic, great looking physique.

But for the judges, it was too much this time.

And that’s what this is about. You don’t just train and diet, show up and let the judges pick the best body.

Even if you compete in the shows where there isn’t any drug abuse, you are still left with two major issues:

  1. Politics – Famous model with sponsorships will have better chances of winning
  2. Judges’ body shape idea – What they are looking for, looking good is not enough, you have to meet their specific criteria at that given show too place well amongst your competition.

This is the issue with competitions. Everyone on that stage is in killer shape, the judges are basically splitting hairs.

You also have to match your physique with the competition and judges. Certain competitions want bigger, more muscular look, some may look for the dry, shredded look, while still others want a smooth beach body ideal.

Based on the different criteria each show and each judge is looking for you can win one contest and place last in the very next one you enter.

…This is exactly what happened to Allen.

He showed up with great conditioning, but at the wrong competition.

He showed up the biggest he has ever been at a local show and didn’t do very well, the judges told him he was too big and needed to be leaner. So he took this advice and got much leaner for an upcoming national show, and again he didn’t place well. When he talked to the judges after the national show they said they wanted him to be bigger and not so dry and ripped. So he showed up in the exact opposite shape that the judges at the local and national show were looking for…live and learn.

Presentation Is Everything

What exactly determines your impression?

It’s not just about looking good.

Everyone looks great.

So, what sets you apart?

It’s all about showing off the body.

Once again, presentation is EVERYTHING.

How you flex your muscles, your tanning, the angle at which you present yourself… it all makes a difference and this is just a start.

The shorts you wear make a difference too.

The lines can make your legs either look bigger or smaller. It depends on whether they are vertical or horizontal. If you are like Allen and you have well developed big legs then you need to wear shorts with vertical lines, because you need to put less focus on that area.

Conclusion

Remember, if you want to win, you have to show up with the right look at the right show.

And before you go there, you need a solid game plan, know your purpose for going there. It’s about networking, strategy and feedback from judges.

After the show is over, go talk to the judges and find out what area you need to improve, to work on. Are those your shoulders, arms or upper chest? Go and ask and adjust the workout plan based on that.

Don’t expect to prepare for a show, win, get rich and famous. It doesn’t really work like that.

First of all, it’s rare to win a show the first time you enter it, second, you don’t get any money from the shows. If you win, that’s the prize.

Why?

Well, if you train people and you have won a couple of shows, then you have proof that you really know what you are talking about. It helps you brand yourself and be the authority on this topic.

If you go to shows with the mindset that you are going to present yourself in the best way possible, network with other models, get feedback from the judges, then that’s a good strategy, a good plan.

Look at yourself as a professional, Allen sees himself as a “physique business”, what about you?

You are the one who has was it takes to make the commitment to be a walking billboard promoting yourself as your own personal brand?

Once you do that, you can start pursing this career, look for opportunities. Pursue photographers, sponsorship, modelling work, training work etc.

Just realize that it’s you who has to pursue THEM, not the other way around.

What can this result in?

You will gain an amazing experience.

You will build friendships and hang out with like minded individuals.

Keep moving and keep looking for opportunities, work on yourself in the fullest way possible.

The payoff is huge.

More tips from Allen:

  • The show itself doesn’t pay, how you use the experience to brand yourself will pay
  • No one forces you, it’s your commitment and ability to achieve your goals
  • Competition will build your confidence and self-esteem
  • Everyone should at least get ready for a fitness photoshoot if nothing else
  • As you progress it becomes a routine
  • If you have done something once, you can always do it again
  • If you don’t try, you will never know
  • It’s about changing your body, learning how to fit socially and making yourself a better person
  • No plan and contest prep is ever perfect
  • Harness the fear
  • You won’t be photoshoot ready 24/7, don’t be discouraged if you wake up and your abs are smooth and you feel weak
  • It’s a lifestyle, you can do something you are passionate about and inspire other people
  • Lots of people are in shape, don’t expect photographers to knock on your door, you are the pursuer here
  • Create a brand and carry yourself in public in that way, people will be drawn to you
  • It’s a never-ending process of self-improvement
  • Understand that there are lots of people in shape, you must work on setting yourself apart from the pack
  • Only a few people can make a business with their body, in most cases being in great shape is a compliment to your actual business or work
  • Competitions can help you build yourself as a brand and provide proof of your ability
Links from the interview:

Read Allen’s experience with Adonis Index in his own words:

My experience of the Adonis Level 2 OPEN is best summarized as “The Perfect Storm.”  I have faithfully followed the program for almost three years.  The program has propelled me to success beyond my wildest dreams!  Since picking up the program in May of 2010 I have competed and  placed with top honors in Men’s Natural Bodybuilding, National Physique Committee Men’s Physique, Fashion Shows, and have published work as fitness model.  Adonis Lifestyle has given me unstoppable confidence to pursue …

Click here to read the rest

Listen to the interview here:

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Filed Under: Contest, Podcasts, Stories, Transformation Tagged With: , , ,

Can You Build Muscle without Eating Meat?

June 18, 2012 by

Today we have an interview with Jeremy Inabnit who placed 2nd in our latest Adonis Index Transformation Contest.

Check out his pictures:

Training is important, but if you don’t have much fat to go, diet is what will make all the difference.

And here is one more:

Jeremy’s pictures are awesome. Here’s why: Once you get ripped you need to get a tan, learn to pose and set up proper lighting and background before the photoshoot. How you present yourself and capture your physique will determine whether the photos will be any good.

Jeremy was working in California and had a pretty good job. As things started to spiral down in 2006 he decided to sell some stuff and travel. He was tired of his lifestyle and of working for less and less money.

This desire to travel lead him to some amazing placed like Kenya or Republic of Georgia. He traded one lifestyle for another.

As he was changing his lifestyle and overall approach to life, he also began searching for ways to improve his diet and training.

This lead him to Eat Stop Eat, which he incorporated almost instantly and shortly afterwards to Adonis Index.

He didn’t jumped right into the program and instead just started listening to the podcasts.

At that time he was still following his old workout routine, but searching for a better, more efficient way of training.

After listening to dozens of the Adonis Index podcasts he realized that this is the right choice for him.

And he decided to give the workouts a shot.

He was teaching, doing volunteer work, was constantly around tasty food and thought he wouldn’t be able to follow the program.

But he decided to stop making excuses and jump right in, and the rest is history.

Small Sacrifices Can Lead to Big Benefits

Jeremy actually competed in AT6, but he didn’t like the pictures, so he didn’t submit them. He worked on improving his approach and entered AT7.

For AT7 he used the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle and fasted a few times a week and followed the Adonis Index 3.0 program with some specializations.

What was really interesting was his diet. Jeremy decided to become a vegan and he stayed vegan during the whole AT7 contest. This is a big one, because most people would think that not eating meat, eggs and all the usual sources of protein would lead to strength and muscle loss, but if anything Jeremy GAINED muscle.

And as you can see on his pictures he is far from skinny.

So, if you were curious whether you can be a vegetarian or vegan and still pack on some muscles and get ripped, well the answer is yes, you can. As stated in Brad Pilon’s book How Much Protein, you really don’t need that much protein in your diet as some fitness marketers would have you believe. From research we know that once you are above the average intake it just doesn’t make any difference.

Jeremy wasn’t concern with his protein intake during the whole time, why?

Well, why would he…he wasn’t feeling weak. Quite the opposite and he liked what he saw in the mirror, so there wasn’t any need for him to worry about protein at all.

What we are also getting from research is that as you progress in the gym and gain more experience, your body actually becomes efficient at how it’s using protein. As a result you will need less of it, not more.

Quite contrary to the conventional bodybuilding myth huh?

What Jeremy also noticed is that not only he could continue building muscle while being vegan, but he even lost cravings for all the sweet stuff.

And that’s huge, because this just proves that you can condition yourself in or out of food cravings. Test this yourself, try eating a donut every morning at 9am for 30 days. At day 31 stop and write down how you feel about not having your regular donut. Chances are you will want that donut and will do anything to get it.

Jeremy freed himself from cravings by being a vegan. He threw in some protein shakes just to keep the protein intake in check.

You would think that’s already more than enough changes and “sacrifices” to make even more.

Well, he made one more.

Jeremy completely eliminated alcohol intake.

This is something most people are not willing to give up.

What you eat is your personal choice and no one should tell you otherwise (just limit the amount), so even if you enjoy steaks and ribs, that’s fine. However, eliminating or at least limiting alcohol will have a lot of positive benefits for your life.

So, you might want to give this one a chance. Like Jeremy said, it was a very freeing experience.

As you can see there is a lot more to this transformation besides just a better looking body.

Jeremy was constantly evaluating what he was doing and what kind of person he was and what does he want to do in life.

He is a man of action and the results speak for themselves.

Take home message from Jeremy :
  • If its bringing you down, cut it from your life (habit, people, activity) because no one else will do it for you
  • There is no destination, it’s just a work in progress this goes for your whole life, not just your body
  • You only got one body, one life, so do something about it, take action
  • Find out what you want and go for it, don’t settle for less
  • Its not necessarily easy, but it’s simple
  • Go for it, rock it, don’t settle for excuses, you deserve it
  • Surround yourself with people who are like minded, to help you reach your goals and who won’t bring you down

Links form Jeremy’s interview:

  • Eat Stop Eat – Lifestyle approach to get lean and stay lean all year round, by Brad Pilon
  • Adonis Index 3.0 Program – The Main workout program, also responsible for one of the most amazing transformations online
  • Adonis Index Community – The friendliest and most supportive community in the fitness world. UPDATE: Free access when you buy any Adonis Index program here
  • Adonis Index podcast archive – More than 40 hours of free audio, dozens of interviews and blog posts and the whole uncensored season 1 all at one page
  • How Much Protein – The book that lets you in on the biggest myth of fitness and bodybuilding industry, if the public knew about this, the supplement companies would went bankrupt

Read Jeremy’s experience in his own words:

I first found the Adonis Index program online a couple of years ago but was already engaged in another workout program.  Looking back, I realize that at that time I was still caught up in searching the internet for the better, more-efficient, more rewarding way of working out.  I stuck with the program I was doing but followed along with the podcasts long enough to figure out that the Adonis concepts and the philosophies behind reaching the Adonis Index made sense.  I felt relieved and enlightened when I was able to finally comprehend that I simply needed to work harder in the gym with a good program in order to build muscle and that I needed to eat less than I was burning to lose fat.  For the previous few years, I had become more and more confused by fitness marketers’ programs that asked me to eat more of this and that at various times for various reasons.

I picked up…

Click here to continue reading

Listen to the interview here:

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Filed Under: Contest, Podcasts, Transformation Tagged With: , ,

How to Save Time with Proper Dieting

June 11, 2012 by

Today we have an interview with Todd Burgette who placed 4th in the latest Adonis Index Transformation Contest.

Check out his pictures:

Stop making excuses an get on the path to building a better body today.

Todd is 6 foot tall and was 240 pounds. He lost 60 pounds over the course of 14 weeks. That’s a pretty big accomplishment.

Before training with Adonis Index he was going to the gym regularly, he just lacked any structured workout program. However, the bigger issue was his diet. Or more specifically his binge eating.

As a consultant he had an expense account and was supposed to go out with clients and make them comfortable – recipe for disaster. And of course things got out of control pretty quickly. He was overeating and binging and this combination is what got him to 240 pounds, sounds familiar?

He never had an easy time losing weight, and always envied those people could keep the weight off.

Eat Anything You Want…Wait…What?!?

Todd has been an Adonis Index Member for a while, but when he tried the Anything Goes Diet protocol he started seeing diet and nutrition in a totally different way.

This is what he learned from it:

  • How to manage his weekly calories budget and stopped thinking on a daily basis
  • He could use his personality to succeed rather than to keep struggling
  • Each week he felt like he was moving forward and was achieving his goals
  • It allowed him to take the pressure off of the diet and enjoy the process
  • It’s not about “winning” the day, but rather “winning” the week
  • With his weekly plan he aimed ahead and saved calories for the weekend (yes you can enjoy social eating events!)
  • He can have anything he wants, but it can’t exceed his calorie budget for the week

Calories are exactly like finances.

To acquire wealth you need to spend less than you earn and invest the difference. So in order to lose weight and get a six pack, you need to eat less than you burn, so your body will have to tap into its fat storage. You can look at it as an future investment for a better looking and healthier body.

Here is the harsh truth. If you get in debt, you have to pay it off some day including the interest rate.

…And the longer you wait the worse it gets.

So, when you are dieting you have to realize that the uncomfortable feeling is just a feeling of burning the Sunday pancakes you had for your breakfast 20 years ago.

Nothing gets lost in your body, it’s either used or stored. It just can’t disappear.

And if you don’t lose it, it will stay there wrapped around your body as fat…FOREVER.

What you are doing with dieting is basically paying that fun-eating-debt off. If you never allowed yourself to gain weight, then you don’t have to go through it, but if you did, there is no other option.

Well, at least if you want to look good.

Shield Yourself from the BS Information Out There

There is a lot of information nowadays. And a lot of crap too.

It’s more important than ever to find the truth, what works, quality advice and shield yourself from everything else. People that try to “consume” all of the information there is and not act up on that look the same month after month, year after year.

You need to differentiate what information is true and what impact it will have on your life.

What is the key factor in your diet and training?

Will antioxidants help you lose weight? Or rather will it be your ability to maintain a caloric deficit over a couple of months? What do you think?

And what about the training? Are you making sure you drink your protein exactly 5 minutes after your training (because some trainer said so) and that you always squat with your squatting shoes? OR are making sure you have the best training routine you can get and you are following it 100%?

Find the key factors that will give you the maximum benefit. Most people focus on the new flashy, fancy things that are trendy and sexy, but not so much on what really works.

Here is something to think about – if we were to shoot a movie about someone getting in shape, building muscles and losing weight, it would be the worst, most boring and painfully frustrating movie ever made.

…Oh and it would be freakishly long too!

There is no sexy answer to fat loss or quick magic pill for muscle building.

The stuff that works is simple – follow a good workout plan, train more and eat a balanced diet with less calories.

Plain and simple.

Take home message from Todd:

1. Diet Tips

  • Be proactive, think in advance, plan, save calories, so you can enjoy social eating events over the weekends
  • If you are struggling with a eating disorder, take it slowly, small steps moving forward every day/week/month
  • Figure out when it’s easier for you to fast
  • Don’t eat too often, taking breaks will give you more control
  • Try avoiding snacking
  • Eating breakfast will most likely make you overeat, try to put the first meal off as late as you can
  • If you are a boredom eater, you need to plan to be social
  • If you eat less, you will save time

2. Training Tips

  • Have a well-structured workout plan
  • Have a workout plan written months ahead
  • Keep a workout log/diary that will help you track your progress

3. Mindset Shifts

  • You’ve got to identify the key drivers of your success and work on them
  • It’s all in your head, your body can do it, but you have to believe it’s possible
  • Clear your mind before your workout
  • Work on your key habits and issues every day
  • Find someone who has done what you want, seeing it will give you the confidence to do it
  • Reward yourself with vacation and clothes
  • Be covert, you don’t have to tell anyone what you are doing

Links form Todd’s interview:

  • Anything Goes Diet – No BS Diet Book that lets you in on how fat loss really happens (Hint: It’s different than what you hear from media)
  • Eat Stop Eat – Lifestyle approach to get lean and stay lean all year round, by Brad Pilon
  • Adonis Index Workout – The Main workout program, also responsible for one of the most amazing transformations online
  • Adonis Index Community – The friendliest and most supportive community in the fitness world. UPDATE: Free access when you buy any Adonis Index program here

Read Todd’s experience in his own words:

Participating in AT7 has literally changed my life. Overeating has been a life-long affliction for me, and in the beginning of AT7 I didn’t really believe I would ever be able to escape my bondage to food. I was, however, willing to keep working and trying to find a solution that would work for me. I have successfully overcome this barrier, my confidence in all areas of my life has increased, and I’ve learned the skills necessary to make this change permanent in my life.

Throughout AT7 I focused on…

Click here to read the rest

Listen to the interview here:

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Filed Under: Contest, Podcasts, Stories, Transformation Tagged With: , ,

3 Jedi Mind Tricks to Stop Failing at Diet & Training

June 8, 2012 by

Still not getting results?

There are several mindsets that guys who get results from their diet and training have, let’s look at three of them.

If you are focused on looking for the easy path and getting quick results, you are focusing on the wrong thing.

Trick #1: Stop Looking for Quick Fixes

It’s rooted in us to look for the most efficient and quickest way. However, nowadays we are surrounded with lots of veneer products that simply don’t work. The only way to find the one that will work for you is to realize what you really want.

Here is a good question, do you want lasting results?

Quick fixes never last and shortcuts take too long, that’s what you really need to realize and choose products and approaches based on that mindset.

Hard work pays off, but there are quite a few issues with hard work:

  1. It’s really hard to sell
  2. It’s boring, uninteresting and definitely not sexy to put on a product cover/label
  3. Requires effort lots of effort
  4. You need to invest some time before you get any results
  5. If you are not committed, it won’t lead to anything

Let’s look at what the difference means in the world of fitness marketing.

Take a look at what the truth is about our workout system (and any good system for that matter):

With this workout, you will have to show up at the gym five times a week. Our diet calculator will give you a calorie budget for the week and require you to make smart choices in order to stay in it and lose weights. It’s important to note that you may not see noticeable results until week 5.

And now what you will be told in an ad/infomercial for the latest home workout device:

Introducing the new fitness machine that will take away the stress from going to the gym and the need to spend countless hours on cardio machines to lose weight. No counting calories required! Lifting weights? Forget it, with this machine you will build rock solid muscles in just a few days, 5 minutes a day, bodybuilders only wish they knew about this secret. No need to train everyday anymore, just a couple short minutes doing simple movements while watching your favorite show in the comfort of your home. Why are you still waiting…BUY NOW and get the body of your dreams effortlessly!!!

Which one would you buy?

Seriously, the workout or the machine?

It’s pretty obvious, but let’s pause for a moment. We both know you are smart, if you weren’t, you wouldn’t be reading this article. So, do you really think that it’s possible to build something without any hard work that other people spent years working on before they achieved their desired results?

I’m all for efficiency and fancy new approaches, but seriously do you believe you can get in shape quickly and effortlessly?

Think about it.

If it was easy, everybody would be in killer shape and looking good would not have such a high social value.

Trick #2: Make It a Priority

Let’s be honest, most people don’t want that awesome physique bad enough.

It’s like in other areas of your life.

You want to have more amazing people in your life, but you don’t spend that much time outside your home. You want to build a better body, but you don’t go to the gym as often as you should. And this list just goes on.

If  unsuccessful people share a common trait it’s definitely this one – not wanting it bad enough.

When you listen to the interviews with out contestants (and especially with the 1st place winners) you will notice that they have all, at some point, decided to give the program their best shot.

If you decide and commit to win our contest, and put your 100% effort, then chances are you will win. Obviously the competition gets tougher each time, but if you want to win it always start with that moment of commitment – deciding you really want it and do whatever it takes to achieve it, and as Goethe said at that moment of commitment, the universe conspires to assist you.

So do what it takes, even if it means finding a way to work out while maintaining your four jobs and taking care of your four children.

Getting and staying in shape has to be a priority. If it’s just something that would be nice to have for summer, then you will give up as soon as you run into some obstacles.

Trick #3: Take Action!

Sitting and reading won’t get you the body you want.

Everyone wishes to get better in something, but no one likes to take action. Taking action is uncomfortable and hurts, right? Well, the truth is that EVERYTHING you want is OUT of your comfort zone, so sitting on your butt won’t get you anywhere.

If you want to get moving, here are the steps:

  1. Stand up
  2. Start walking

It’s that simple.

But it’s not easy and there are no results without action.

And don’t make any excuses!

Just go to the gym.

You have the time. Even if you spend two hours at the gym, five times a week, that’s still only 10 hours a week. And I don’t know if you counted how many hours there are per week, but I did and it’s 168 in total.

That’s a pretty big number isn’t it?

Do you even know where are all the hours you have are being spent each week?

Do you know how much time you spend in front of the tv? Three hours a day? Then with those extra 4 on weekend, that’s 25 hours every single week. That’s 1200 hours a year. Do you know how much muscle you could build in 1200 hours?

Let’s be honest you don’t really need to watch that TV, it’s not improving your life in any way and once you make the decision to stop spending hours in front of the TV, you will suddenly find 25 hours that will be available to you every week that you can invest (yes invest) into working out, planning your workouts and cooking your meals. You don’t need more than that!

You will probably need about half of that time.

And this is how you do it.

You set a plan, find a way to make it happen and take action.

take-action

There are only so many tomorrows…

Taking action is key!

Stop reading and get out of your comfort zone NOW!

What should you take away today?

  1. Don’t look for quick fixes, instead aim for long term solutions, this is not a one time thing, while fitness should never be your identity, it should be a part of your lifestyle
  2. Getting and staying in shape must be a priority, you have to want that body as bad as you want to breath, otherwise your results will be mediocre at best
  3. Let it not be just another article you’ve consumed along with your morning coffee and the latest news, try to act on the information you’ve just learned (read the article again if necessary), if you don’t act now, we both now you never will

Talk to you soon,

Vaclav Gregor

 

Filed Under: Greg's Lessons, Sage Advice Tagged With: , , , , ,
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