Archives for January 2013

“Ripped like Renne”

Here’s your new interview with one of the winners from the 9th Adonis Index Transformation Contest.

Today John talks to Renne Ramirez who placed 2nd in our last 12-Week Transformation contest.

Check out his transformation pictures:

Renne Ramirez –  AT9 2nd Place – Before Photos

Renne Ramirez – AT9 2nd Place – Before Photos

Renne Ramirez - AT9 2nd Place - After Photos

Renne Ramirez – AT9 2nd Place – After Photos

Renne’s Interview:

 How old are you?  I’m 33 yrs old.
When did you first start working out? If it was before finding Adonis can you briefly explain the types of programs/workouts you did before finding Adonis?
Other than the Physical Training aspects of the Navy’s program, in which I have over 13 years of service, I  have tried a lot of late night infomercial workout systems.   I went from program to program, but only got minimal results upon completion of the programs.   I have tried Tae bo  (11 years ago),  Slim in 6 (9 yrs ago) , Power 90 (9yrs ago),  P90X (5 yrs ago),  Insanity (4 yrs ago),  RIP 60 (mid 2011), and Six Pack Shortcut (late 2011).
Did you follow any sort of diet programs before finding Adonis? If so what were they and how did they work for you?
Prior to Adonis, The only diet I tried to stick with is the zero willpower eating system which was included with six pack shortcuts (SPS).   I stuck with this diet for about 4 months while doing SPS, but found it to be not sustainable since I got tired easily of eating 5-6 times daily.  Even though I prepared my weekly meals ahead of time, I easily got tired of the schedule and the taste of food.  The tupperware meals I prepared wasn’t really satisfying after heating it up in a microwave.  I just forced myself to eat to get the results I wanted, and even though I gained muscle I looked bulky while doing the program, which wasn’t the look I always wanted.
             How did you find Adonis?
 I found AI through the SPS program through an Interview between Dan Rose from SPS and Brad Howard.   After listing to the podcast I signed up for the news letters to see if the AI program is something I would consider if SPS didn’t work out for me.   I’m so glad I did this since now I found a lifestyle where it got me the physique I wanted that is easy to sustain.
What made you decide to enter the contest?

I wanted to enter AT8 at first, but at that point I was still recovering from my Patella reconstructive surgery that happened a year prior.   I didn’t think I would get the desired results to place since I cannot give my max effort on all the lifts that require my legs.  Also, I  did not want to re-injure myself.  I did shadow the contest however, and found that I was able to get dramatic results even with light weights/resistance.   When AT9 was announced I was more than ready to take the challenge.

What did you expect from yourself during this contest?
I still had doubts about placing since I saw myself already in a decent shape for my before pictures already and I wondered if I could really further my body’s transformation at this point.  After seeing my after pictures, boy was I wrong!  I was still able to transform my physique in my opinion.
How did you fit the workouts into your daily routine?
I workout from home the majority of times so getting the workout in after work was easy for me.   From time to time if not busy I have access to the base gym and would go there early morning or during my lunch break.   I was able to knock out AIG and and twice a week add on a booster.
What did you do from a diet standpoint?
I followed RTD from the “get go.”   I did occasionally go over my recommended weekly calories at least once a month if there where special occasions that happened.   During my over consumption I went over by between 1000-2500 calories during the week.  Luckily I was still able to lose inches and drop my BF% even after my over consumption.
What did you find most challenging along the way and did you have any setbacks?
The only setback I dealt with aside from my disabilty  was during the 1st month of the contest I was transferred to a different base that was about 96 miles one way from my home, my daily commute was bout 3-4 hours a day and found myself too tired to even workout once home the first few weeks.   Once I got used to it though I was back to my routine.
How did people in your life react as your body started to change?
The only people that knew I was in the contest were my wife and kids,  so they supported what I did and saw that I was getting results as my physique began toning up.   However, when other family members  and close friends saw me they though I was sick since they were not used to seeing me this slim.   They didn’t really understood what I was doing and tried to convince me to put on more weight.
When did you realize things were really starting to change?
I realized my body changing as soon as I experienced the Adonis effect from people that I met for the fist time since they had no clue  how I looked like before.   On several occasions whether it be in a gym, restaurant, or stores I often got complimented and people asked me for advise about how to get the physique I possessed.   It was at this point, I realized I had transformed to the body I always wanted.
How did you feel when you looked at your before and after pictures side by side?
I was ecstatic to see the comparison,  I really could not believe it a first when I compared them,  Like what I explained earlier, during the beginning of the contest I wasn’t really sure how else I would transform myself at that point if I was starting off with a decent before body.
What advice would you give to other guys who are sitting on the fence not sure about entering a contest?
Regardless if you have doubts about placing or not, entering the contest will motivate you to push harder towards your transformation.  The results you get will always be priceless.  You have nothing lose in entering one of the contest since it is free to enter.   Aside from that you don’t need to hire a photographer for your after pictures.  It can easily be done by yourself, a friend, or a family member and still get an outstanding picture.
Whats next for you?
I am currently doing ATS and will more than likely shadow AT10.   I ‘m in a middle of a residential move right now which has somewhat affected my RTD tracking and workouts.  Once settled in though I plan on adding more size to my frame to reach my actual AI while maintaining my abs.   I am still under by about 2 inches for my golden waist and and inch under my Golden shoulder, with my new RTD recommendations along with ATS and IXP, I plan on accomplishing this goal in the near future.
Summary of Renne’s Best Tips:
  • Stay Informed. Listen to the podcasts, subscribe to the AI news letters.
  • Reverse Taper Diet (RTD) was followed from the “get go”.  It’s possible to still lose BF% and inched even with moderate over consumption of daily calories.
  • Have a close support group to assist you in the transformation process.
  • An indicator of your transformation progress  is the Adonis Effect, as you interact with others, they may want to know how you were able to possess your exceptional  physique.
  •  If you have doubts about placing, entering the contest will motivate you to push harder towards your transformation.  The results you get will always be priceless.
If you want to get in touch with Renne, talk to him about his approach and get more tips, here’s his profile in our community.

The Downfall of Hero Worship

Here’s the next episode of the UNCENSORED Podcasts Season 2.

Today’s topic: The Downfall of Hero Worship

 

How does Hero Worship skew the reality of our physique goals?

How does Hero Worship skew the reality of our physique goals?

Bigger, Faster, Stronger… but at

what cost?

In the world of entertainment and sports, performance means everything.  So much so that the individual’s who have achieved a superior level of performance in their respective profession are often referred to as a “Hero” by fans and followers alike.

There is no doubt that they have dedicated a tremendous amount of time & effort into becoming the “very best” at what they do. Although this is quite admirable, is it wise to compare ourselves to our favorite hero?

This podcast is unique, because it was spurred from another podcast in which Joe Rogan (from The Joe Rogan Experience) in a highly controversial interview with Victor Conte (from the BALCO scandal) , reveals the widespread use of doping and performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) in entertainment and sports.

This is one of the many examples in which the  views and opinions of our favorite heroes have become jaded once discovered that PEDs played a role in their success.

So…How does Hero Worship skew the reality of our physique goals?

These questions and much more will be answered in John Barban’s & Brad Pilon’s discussion on “The Downfall of Hero Worship.”

They will provide further insight and analysis into this growing investigation of PEDs and what it means for the person whose looking to improve upon their physique.

In today’s UNCENSORED training, you will also discover:

  • Why your favorite hero should serve as a source of inspiration, not imitation
  • Why self-diagnosing will become more prevalent as science and technology develops
  • What are the benefits of Vitamin & Mineral Profiling
  • How genetics play a role in achieving optimum performance
  • The impact of The “Use or Lose” Mentality on entertainment & sports
  • How different athletes’ are tested depending their sport
  • The Culture Difference between “Bodybuilding” and “Entertainment/Sports Performance”
  • If strength will help determine your looks
  • How to determine your ideal Body-Image Model
  • What are some of the benefits of a Transformation Contest
  • The psychological impact of taking progress pictures and undergoing a photoshoot

 

IMMERSION Clients May Login and Download Podcast Here

Not an Adonis Index IMMERSION client? Click here to find out more… and hear a weird story too

AT10 Starts Today

The 10th Adonis Index contest starts today. You can enter your before pictures and stats starting today up until midnight this Friday, January 25th .

Previous Adonis Winners!

The previous contest winners just keep setting the bar higher and higher and our last contest was no exception.

If you’re ready, then it’s time to enter and make it happen for real.

Go to this link to a watch a quick video on how to enter and get started this week.

>>Watch How to Enter Contest<<

Are you gonna be the next guy to be featured as an Adonis Index cover model?

It’s time to go for the Gold!  The Golden Ratio, that is.

John

Phi-Life Series: Muscle Building & The Anabolic Continuum

Today we bring you another podcast from our phi-life series.

Phi-Life is a series of podcasts where John Barban and Brad Pilon discuss their ideas and concepts on the topics of muscle building, fat loss and health. In a nutshell they are just thinking out loud and recording it for your benefit.

Today’s topic: Muscle Building & The Anabolic Continuum

 

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Where are you in the Anabolic Continuum?

 

Muscle Building is one of the most elusive goals of  bodybuilders and gym-goers alike.  Furthermore, it has puzzled scientist’s in research studies who have been unable to effectively control and/or determine the results of a muscle-building research study.

When it comes to muscle building, it’s important to identify where an individual is in the Anabolic Continuum.

The Anabolic Continuum takes into account the several factors that determines your potential for muscle building. A few factors for example are: height, weight, age, and years of training experience.

Your ability to build muscle follows a very logical progression. Specifically, with your response to weight training.

Today John Barban and Brad Pilon will discuss further intricacies of the Anabolic Continuum, as well as provide some tips and suggestions to ensure you remain on track for your training and muscle building goals.

You will also learn and discover:

  • What are confounding variables and how they can impact a research study
  • The difference between responders and non-responders in research studies
  • How to predict your lean muscle mass
  • How to determine where you are on the anabolic continuum
  • Are you in the right place in your weight training life
  • Is there a specific way that you should be training
  • What are the knowns and unknowns when evaluating an individual for a research study

Listen to the podcast here:

Nutrition & Training Triage: Optimal vs. Practical vs. Ideal

Here’s the next episode of the UNCENSORED Podcasts Season 2.

Today’s topic: Nutrition & Training Triage: Optimal vs. Practical vs. Ideal

 

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What is the Optimal approach for nutrition & training? What is Practical? What is Ideal?

When it comes to nutrition & training advice, how do you sort and prioritize what’s best for you?

 

The medical term known as triage, means the determination of priorities for action in an emergency. However, this word is from a french origin and is also defined as the “action of assorting according to quality.”

Both of these definitions are applicable to John Barban’s & Brad Pilon’s discussion on defining what is optimal, practical, or at best Ideal.

With the rise of obesity it’s safe to say that an emergency is on our hands when it comes to our health and we must take action.  But what nutrition & training advice should we follow to attain optimal results?

The ever growing amount of new supplements coming to market only makes this task more daunting. From nutritional strategies consisting of: macro/micro nutrients, slow/fast proteins, and the highly controversial thoughts on meal timing, a person could become easily overwhelmed.

Things aren’t much better on the training side of the house as we are faced with a myriad of factors to take into account. Ranging from: Workout Intensity, Volume, length of actual workouts, and the rest/recovery period.

Why all these things may be optimal, are they ideal or even practical?

Today’s podcast will strive to analyze the ever moving target  known as optimal and provide you with ideal advice to build muscle within your lifestyle.

 

Panel of judges

Each nutrition & training expert has their own opinion on what is optimal. Whose advice is right or you?

In today’s UNCENSORED training, you will also discover:

  • Who you really are comparing yourself to
  • How to prevent goal hi-jacking when someone else’s optimal advice is presented to you
  • How Drugs and Genetics skew the curve of optimal
  • How to debunk a fitness claim  giving optimal device
  • Where Top Level Strength & Conditioning coaches get their training advice from
  • How research papers and marketing claims justify their nutrition & training advice to appear optimal for the masses
  • If optimal nutrition & training actually exists and what that actually looks like
  • Whether Hollywood has an influence on what is considered optimum
  • How to manage your ideal training schedule
  • How to focus on your specific results

 

IMMERSION Clients May Login and Download Podcast Here

Not an Adonis Index IMMERSION client? Click here to find out more… and hear a weird story too

Phi-Life Series: The Most Reliable Tool for Tracking Weight Loss that Nobody Uses

Today we bring you another podcast from our phi-life series.

Phi-Life is a series of podcasts where John Barban and Brad Pilon discuss their ideas and concepts on the topics of muscle building, fat loss and health. In a nutshell they are just thinking out loud and recording it for your benefit.

Today’s topic: Money Doesn’t Lie – Tracking Weight Loss not with Calories, but Your Finances

Do you know how much do you spend on food?

Do you know how much do you spend on food?

If you like numbers, you will like today’s podcast. If you hate counting calories,  then this podcast is for you as well.

It’s something most people don’t think about. However, there is a link between how much money you spend and how you spend it AND the amount of fat you are carrying around your belly.

Money doesn’t lie, where you choose to spend your money is a good indicator of  your diet , what results you can expect from it, and even who you are as a person.  Discovering who you really are may be quite shocking, so not everyone is willing to look at this type of data and face the facts.

When you look at someone’s bank account and more specifically the money spent on food, you can get a pretty good indication of how that person eats.

The truth is, money is neither good nor bad. If you are a consumer, it’s a way of obtaining what you desire. If you are an investor or entrepreneur it’s a tool to make your plans become a reality.  Since we live in a society that’s economy-based, you’re a part of the economy whether you like it or not. So you might as well learn how the economy works and how to make it work for you.

While this is not a website about finances, we recognize that money and calories are tied together. There is a fine line between you paying for energy and paying for weight gain. Once your body has what it needs, anything after is money you are investing only to  to gain a return fat.

In the U.S.,  people spend more than 1.6 trillion dollars a year on food alone. That’s a lot of money…and a lot of food.

What’s also interesting is this data indicates that Americans spend most of their money on food in restaurants and prefer to have it prepared rather than going to the grocery store and cooking it themselves. This is the complete opposite of what most Europeans prefer. Could this one decision or habit affect your ability to lose fat?

In this episode of Phi-Life podcasts, Brad and John will share with you several findings on this subject. They will also discuss the national economic food trends in the U.S. and how the analysis of one’s finances can predict weight gain. It’s pretty incredible, but also very logical when you hear it.

You will also learn and discover:

  • How much red meat does the average American consume per year
  • Why (and how) tracking your finances through  your  food budget can help you lose weight and save money
  • How your  eating habits encourage food companies to produce more food and thus contribute to the growing obesity rate
  • The simple truth about your environment and why  you are fighting an uphill battle with your diet
  • Pro’s and con’s of being an average consumer
  • How you maybe setting yourself up for failure and weight gain with your spending habits
  • How to budget for fat loss (finance not calories)
  • Why you should track how much money you spend on food, and more specifically what type of food and where it comes from
  • Why tracking your finances might be simpler than tracking your calories

Listen to the podcast here:

Support