Want to get ripped? Check this out.

[Ripped2shreds]

I have been replying to people that are looking to cut BF and get ripped. I have mainly been posting two links, I was even slightly flamed for doing so by the rather sexy sounding ' Hot gym chick'. I make no appologies though because using these techniques and theories I have gone from 13% BF to 6% in under 12 weeks. These links lay out the foundations and provide you with the information you need to know to start shedding BF

1: www.fatlosstips.com

2: check post below for full word file of Tom Venuto's advice.


Hope this helps.

[SteR-]

just curious, have u got any pics ripped2shreds? also do u play any sports by any chance?

[TeamRamrod]

I looked over the article. I think it is def. a good primer for anyone to construct a cutting diet, but i think it is a tad vague, and unless he has a superfast metabolism, i doubt he followed that sample diet he posted.

1) i dont think there is nearly enough protein in that diet

2) protein shakes by themselves arent nearly as effective without EFA's

3) IMO his pwo consumption was poor

Just my personal opinion on a couple things. I do think its good for alot of people on here to read and start understanding the concept of dieting. Then construct urself a good diet. Try it out for a couple weeks. Tweak it to better ur body's needs and ur set. Once u find out how ur body works, u found out how to burn fat for life. Makes it easier to cycle from cutting/bulking/cutting and so forth

~TR

[Ripped2shreds]

TR,
You are right his sample diet is pretty lame, I would say to people to pay more attention to the ideas and principals rather than his sample. You are best to construct your own diet around your stats, goals and tastes. Also I think the first article is more just for laying out the basics and the second (scroll down to the advice I have posted from Tom Venturo) helps you as you advance through your cut.

SteR,
Check my profile, I am a light middleweight boxer and run a little track (400mtrs) Here is a pic, it is a scan as I cannot post files for some reason due to file type problems, but you get the general idea:

[Ripped2shreds]

I am going to post the full advice from Tom Venuto as I left some out as it was not relevant to the guy I was posting it for, but may be for others:


Believe it or not, losing a little or a lot of fat involves pretty much the same concept - consistent dieting coupled with cardiovascular exercise and weight training. This is how the professionals do it, and it works.

Many of you may be hesitant to start a weight training program, but the benefits far outweigh any reservation you may have. Weight training enhances your fat loss by increasing your muscle mass and more muscle means more calories burned (faster metabolism). It also it gives your skin a more tone, tight appearance, lowers your blood pressure, strengthens your bones, improves your agility, increases your flexibility, strengthens your immune system and gives you more energy and a brighter outlook on life.

If you have a high level of bodyfat, or you have never been able to successfully lose fat, you should consider trying a program that not only focuses on dieting, but also includes adequate cardiovascular activity and weight training.

If you are already very muscular, and you just want lose a little bodyfat, then a fatloss program that includes regular cardiovascular activity and weight training is perfect for you. The best way to get ripped and maintain as much muscle as you can is to diet slowly. The truth is, when you are on a low calorie diet, your body prefers to use muscle tissue for fuel rather than excess body fat. So, the slower you lose weight, the more likely you are losing fat and not muscle.

Ideally, you should aim to lose no more than 1lb - 1.5 lbs per week that's it. If you are obese, then you should try to lose no more than 1% of your bodyweight per week. Any more than that and you are sacrificing muscle.

Women do tend to lose fat at a slower rate than men, but don't let this discourage you. Women simply store fat more efficiently than men because it is needed during and after pregnancy. As your body fat levels drop, you will notice that the fat loss comes off in reverse of how it was put on. So, the most recent fat gains will come off first, while the old fat that has been there for a while will take the longest to lose.

The most difficult fat to lose usually centers around the waist, belly and lower back areas for men, and the upper thigh and buttocks, area for women. The fat in these areas are the most difficult to totally get rid of. These areas are comprised of mostly brown adipose tissue (fat). This type of fat is difficult to lose because the low blood flow in these areas hinder the fat mobilization. So, if the fat can't be moved into the bloodstream to be used as fuel, those love handles will never go away.

That's why thermogenic agents like ephedrine and blood thinning supplements like aspirin help to improve fat loss - they increase circulation into these hard to reach areas and mobilize the stubborn fat.

Remember that you cannot spot reduce! What I mean by this is that you can't pick and choose the areas that you would like to lose the fat and do exercises that work those areas expecting the fat to just magically disappear in those areas. Your body does not work that way. The only way to decrease the amount of fat in certain key areas is by lowering your total body fat levels. As you lose fat, it will come off all over your body, not just in specific areas.

If you follow a complete diet and weight training program for at least 12 weeks, you will begin to see dramatic changes occurring with your body, and I'm not just talking about the obvious physical changes, I'm also talking about the psychological and physiological changes. You can expect lower body fat (of course), increased muscle mass, increased metabolism, increased sense of well-being, more energy, lower bad cholesterol level, increased good cholesterol level, decreased risk of heart disease, deeper more restful sleep and most important, increased self-confidence.

To be successful, your fatloss program should include the following:

* A calorie restrictive diet, which requires you to eat no less than 10x and no more than 15x

* Regular cardiovascular activity for at least 30-45 minutes 3-4 times per week. Some recommend a moderate pace while other recommend a vigorous pace -- it doesn't really matter as long as you are exercising.

* Weight training.

* Supplementing your diet with vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Vitamin C, L-glutamine, and a good multi vitamin are the bare essentials.

* Adequate dietary fat, including high amounts of Essential Fatty Acids (Omega-6 and Omega-3).


Finally, make sure that the program you decide on is compatible with your lifestyle and schedule. You can have the greatest program in the world, but if you cannot implement it then it is worthless. There are thousands of fatloss diets and workouts that will work, but the hard part is finding one that works for you and the specifics of your diet and schedule restraints.


************************

A WORD ON CONSISTENCY

Ok, so you want the secret to fat loss? Well, here it is: CONSISTENCY. You can have the best diet, the best training schedule, join the best gym that has the best equipment, but without consistency it's all worthless.

Over the past two years, I've talked to hundreds of people who have successfully transformed their physique. Though most of them trained in totally different ways, there was one common denominator that appeared throughout each success story: Day in and day out, they followed their pre-determined plan, consistently without fail. There are many paths to your goal but you will never reach it unless you consistently put one foot in front of the other. You must find the determination and drive within yourself to see this through. If not now, then when?

In the grand scheme of your life, can you afford a slight inconvenience to create a fantastic physique -- or will you continue to be an 'Average Joe' for 80 more years! Which sounds more inconvenient to you?

I can see it's easy to make excuses, after all, I used to do the same thing. Don't get caught up in this. The truth is, the hardest part any training routine is getting started. You've got to break your old habits and make new paths for yourself. If I can do this, anyone can. The only thing that separates me from most other people, is the fact that once I decide on a goal, I will not stop until I reach it. It's that simple.

Gaining muscle or losing fat, like anything in life, is a simple matter of staying focused and being consistent. Fortunately, it's never too late to get started, and you will thank yourself a few months down the road. Remember that saying, 'Do what you've always done, and you will get what you've always gotten'. Now, read it again.


Question
**************

Q: I am slightly overweight female who has a good amount of cellulite on my upper legs and rear. Is it possible to get rid of this?


A: For women, lower body fat and cellulite are very common problems. Unfortunately, it is an area in which the fat stored there has very little circulation. In other words, the lack of blood vessel activity in those areas make it very difficult for the body to move that fat into the bloodstream where it can be used as fuel by the body. The only non-surgical way to remove the cellulite is to simply go on a long-term fatloss program. To begin to see a reduction in these areas, you will have to get your bodyfat levels down to around 16-18%.

Men have a similar common fat storage area around their stomach and waist.

[Ripped2shreds]

Hi,

EVERYONE who wants to get leaner should read this article. Yes, I know it says "Fat loss for beginners," but sometimes we veterans forget what we once knew or we don't practice what we now know. If you're a beginner, this will be an introduction. If you're experienced, let this be a reminder.


1. JUST GET STARTED - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION!
------------------------------------------
There are so many opinions about how to lose body fat that many people end up completely confused and they don't do ANYTHING!

They've read about 27 ways to diet, 34 ways to do cardio, 101 ways to lift weights and 79 supplements to take. But they still don't have a clue how to start.

You stuff your brain with so much information it feels like it's going to explode, but then you never do anything about it. You're like a deer stuck in headlights. Sound familiar?

I call this the "paralysis by analysis" syndrome.

The most important thing you can do is take action. Just begin the journey and figure it out as you go. Better still; get a coach or trainer right from the start.

Actually, losing fat is not that complicated. You don't need a PhD in exercise physiology to figure out that any exercise is better than no exercise. You don't have to be a genius in nutritional biochemistry to figure out that an apple is better than a pop tart. Getting lean is simple: Exercise. Eat healthier foods. Eat smaller portions. Isn't this stuff just common sense? Didn't your mother tell you this?

So what's stopping you? What makes you freeze up?

If you're like most people, FEAR is stopping you. You're so afraid of doing something wrong, you choose to do nothing rather than make a mistake or look foolish.

What you must understand is that people who accomplish much and people who accomplish little BOTH have fears. The difference between the two is that the latter feels the fear and lets it immobilize them. The former feels the fear and does it anyway.

Begin the process. You can always fine-tune your program as you go. Naturally, it's better to aim and then fire, but its better to fire and then adjust your aim later than not to fire at all. You can't win a battle by hiding in the trenches.


3. DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN MINUTIA - FOCUS ON FUNDAMENTALS
------------------------------------------
Read any book about success and it will tell you "pay attention to detail." Sounds like good advice - unless you haven't mastered the fundamentals yet. In that case, it's the worst advice you could follow.

Every day people send me questions like these:

"Should I use a fast acting protein powder like whey or would casein be better? What if I mix both and also add a little bit of Soy? If I use all of them, what ratio of the three would be ideal and when should I take them?"

"I want to do the ephedrine-caffeine stack and it says to take 20 mg of ephedrine with 200 milligrams of caffeine. The ephedrine comes in 25 milligram tablets, so should I chip a little bit off the tablet to get the right ratio?"

Do you see the problem here?

These are legitimate questions, but they're completely moot if you're eating doughnuts and sitting on the couch all day long. Fix your diet and get your butt moving first, then worry about the little things.

Emerson said, "The height of the pinnacle is determined by the breadth of the base." The heights you reach will depend entirely on how broad a foundation you build. Great coaches such as Vince Lombardi and John Wooden credited most of their success to drilling their players on fundamentals.

Forget about ALL the minutia until you have the fundamentals down cold!

* Forget about supplement dosages
* Forget about macronutrient cycling
* Forget about tempo manipulation
* Forget about glycemic indexes
* Forget about the latest Bulgarian or Russian periodization program

Master the fundamentals first!

The fundamentals of fat loss include:

(1) Do your cardio,
(2) Lift weights,
(3) Burn more calories than you consume
(4) Eat 5-6 small, frequent meals and never skip meals,
(5) Keep your fat intake low, but include small amounts of good fats,
(6) Eat natural foods; avoid processed & refined foods,
(7) eat more complex carbs, fruits & vegetables,
(8) eat lean proteins with each meal,
(9) Think positive: visualize yourself as you would like to be.

If you're not doing all these things, and you're looking for the perfect supplement stack or the optimum periodization plan, I'm afraid you're barking up the wrong tree.

I don't want you to think that details don't matter - they do. The "Law of Accumulation" states that every success is a matter of hundreds or even thousands of tiny efforts that often go unnoticed or unappreciated. Everything counts. Everything either helps or hurts. Nothing is neutral.

The problem is when you get bogged down in minutia before you've even learned the basics. Minor details produce minor results. Major fundamentals produce major results.

Don't major in minor things. Lay your foundation first, and then move on to the finer points. And remember, as Jim Rohn says, always be suspicious of someone who says they've found a new fundamental.


4. KNOW YOUR CALORIES
------------------------------------------
The most important dietary factor in fat loss is not how many grams of carbohydrate, protein or fat you eat, the most important factor for fat loss is calories. Eat more than you burn each day and you will store fat. Eat less than you burn each day and you will lose fat. It's just that simple.

Where the calories come from is important too, but unless you understand the calorie concept, nothing else matters.

I'm appalled at how many people claim to sincerely want to lose body fat who admit they haven't a clue how many calories they eat.

Get serious! If you don't have the faintest idea how much you're eating, how can you expect to make any progress?

Did it ever occur to you that your ONLY problem might be overeating!

Do you realize that too much of anything gets stored as fat?

That's right - even if you're eating nothing but "natural and healthy" foods, if you eat too many of them, you're still going to get fat.

Portion control, my friend, portion control!

On the other hand, maybe you're under-eating and slowing down your metabolism. There's a fine line.

For all the details on your daily calorie needs, refer to my article Calorie Calculators


5. NEVER, EVER QUIT! MAKE FITNESS A LIFESTYLE!
------------------------------------------
Do you know what is the biggest fat loss mistake made by beginners?

Quitting!

I the January issue of my E-zine, I mentioned that attendance in our gym shoots up for about 6-8 weeks around New Year's. Well, it's back to normal now because all the quitters dropped out already.

What's especially sad is that most people quit right when they're on the verge of making substantial progress.

Remember: You're never a failure as long as you're working on the progressive realization of a worthy goal. But the second you quit, then its official - you're a failure.

Quitting should not even be an option because...

FITNESS IS A LIFESTYLE!

Don't let these four words slip by you just because it's an oft-repeated cliché. This is an important mindset! You have to stop thinking of getting in shape for a New Year's resolution, vacation or wedding (or a contest, you bodybuilders). You must start thinking about getting healthy and in shape FOR LIFE.

When you're just starting out, firmly resolve that quitting is not even an option. Don't approach this endeavor with an "I'll try" attitude. If you accept quitting as a possibility, you might as well not even start; just grab that remote control, a bag of chips and get back on the couch where you were before.

Also, understand that results may come slowly in the beginning if you're not the genetically-gifted type. This process requires great patience and persistence for most people.

Most beginners never allow themselves the time it takes to get any momentum going. They expect too much too soon, get discouraged and quit.

It takes a big push to get started. It's like getting a rocket off the ground - it uses most of its fuel just launching off the pad, but once it's in the air and the inertia has been overcome, it can keep going with very little energy expenditure. Don't quit just because it's difficult to "launch!"


6. GET A PERSONAL TRAINER, COACH, OR MENTOR
------------------------------------------
Life is too just too short to learn everything there is to know on your own. Don't waste time climbing the ladder only to find it's leaning against the wrong wall! Learn from the experts. Get a trainer, personal coach, or mentor to help you start right - right from the start.

[Ripped2shreds]

7. JOIN A GYM IF YOU CAN, BUT A SET OF DUMBBELLS ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO GET YOU STARTED
------------------------------------------
I admit I'm showing my bias by saying everyone should join a gym (I'm in the health club business), but I sincerely believe nothing beats working out in a high quality health club. In a well-equipped gym, the possibilities are endless, the atmosphere is motivational and people are there to help you.

More often than not, however, beginners start at home. That being the case, I admit that you don't need a gym to get started. You also don't need any of that garbage advertised on late night TV. The only piece of equipment you need has existed for over 100 years - that's right, the humble DUMBBELL!

Remember - don't overcomplicate this - think basics, basics, basics (and dumbbells are as basic as it gets.)

Dumbbells are the single most versatile piece of equipment in existence. You can perform hundreds, even thousands of exercises with dumbbells.

Ladies, a set of 3 to 20 pounds will be more than sufficient. Guys, a set from 10 to 40 pounds should do the trick (for now). Powerblock dumbbells are fantastic for space-saving, by the way.

If you also get yourself a bench and clear out a little corner in your favorite room, then you're ready to roll!

Here it is - The beginner's all-dumbbell routine:

1. Dumbbell bench press (chest)
2. Dumbbell side lateral raise (shoulders)
3. One arm dumbbell row (upper back)
4. Dumbbell extension behind head (triceps)
5. Dumbbell Bicep curl (biceps)
6. Dumbbell Lunges (thighs)
7. Dumbbell One leg calf raise (calves)
8. Dumbbell leg curl (hamstrings)
9. Crunches (abs)

There you have it. Simple and effective. At home or in a gym.

If you're just starting, do this routine for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps per exercise, except calves and abs which you can go up to 20 reps. Rest 1 minute between sets. You'll train your whole body in each workout, 2 -3 three days per week, non-consecutive days.

After 3 - 6 months, you'll probably need to add exercises and move up to a split routine. (So I guess I have to do another article, called 8 tips for intermediates: How to keep going).


8. WEIGHT TRAINING IS NOT OPTIONAL - IT'S MANDATORY!
------------------------------------------
It's is a common misconception that you should start with aerobic workouts and lose the fat first before adding weight training.

Unfortunately, the best you can hope for from diet and aerobics alone is to become a "skinny fat person." You may lose weight, but you'll have a poor muscle to fat ratio and a "soft" appearance.

Obviously, weight training is the key to developing strength and muscle. What few people realize is that weight training also increases fat loss, although it occurs indirectly.

Weight training is anaerobic and burns carbohydrates (sugar).Cardio is aerobic and therefore burns fat. So it seems logical to focus on aerobic training for fat loss.

However, something interesting happens "beneath the surface" when you lift weights. Weight training increases your lean body mass - aerobic training does not.

Low calorie dieting and aerobic training without weight lifting can make you lose lean body mass. If you lose lean body mass, your metabolism slows down, and this makes it harder to lose fat.

If you increase your lean body mass, you increase your metabolic rate and this makes it easier to lose fat. With a faster metabolism, you'll burn more fat all day long - even while you're sleeping!

If you have limited time, and your main priority is fat loss, then do a very brief weight training program and spend the majority of your time concentrating on cardio. But never neglect the weights completely - always do both, and if possible, devote equal attention to each.

END OF PART 1. Check your email for part 2 in the next few days.

[Ripped2shreds]

Hi,

If you've been training for at least three months and now you're ready to kick it into high gear and start learning more about training and nutrition so you can get better and faster results, then this article is for you.

If you're currently not working out at all and you'd like to know the best way to get started, refer back to part one in this series: Fat loss for Beginners - 8 tips to get started.

If you've been training for years and consider yourself "advanced," then the third installment in this series will be for you. But don't skip this one - you might learn something new you missed along the way.



THE SECRET TO INCREASED FAT LOSS IS...
-------------------------------------
Ok, so you just got started on a program of walking or light cardio and some basic lifting, maybe some dumbbell work, nothing fancy. You feel better, you've lost a few pounds, you have more energy and you're confident that you're getting healthier.

But you want more.

You want the results to come faster. You want to look in the mirror and really SEE the difference. You want other people to see the difference too (especially that cute blonde...)

You want more than "a little tone." Maybe you want a nice hard chiseled six-pack with a small waist, or maybe streamlined, muscular thighs. Arms like Linda Hamilton perhaps? Shoulders like Carl "Apollo Creed" Weathers? A Brad Pitt "Fight Club" body maybe? Nothing too crazy - not a miss fitness Olympia body or the massive bulk of a Mr. Universe- but definitely better than average.

Well, if you're prepared to STEP UP to the next level and pay the price necessary to reach the next rung on the ladder, here's how you do it:

The answer is very, very simple. As you leave the novice stage behind, it's time to start WORKING HARDER. That's it.

Were you expecting something more esoteric? Some secret Bulgarian periodization program and thermogenic - anabolic supplement stack? Sorry, but the secret is that there is no secret. A great body all boils down to outright effort and hard work.

Not counting the genetic freaks that seem to have been born with muscles and zero fat, there's one thing that all people with great bodies have in common: they all work HARD, HARD, HARD, HARD, HARD!

If you want to ascend beyond the lowly beginner level you simply have to push yourself harder. And that means DIS-COMFORT. When you're pushing yourself out of the comfort zone, it hurts. Frankly, sometimes it sucks! But outside the comfort zone is where you grow. Staying inside the comfort zone will only maintain you at best but usually it sends you plummeting into a downward spiral.

Most people retreat back into the confines of their comfort zone the minute the effort gets difficult. The comfort zone is a very dangerous place because if you slide back into the comfort zone even once, then it starts becoming a habit.

First, it's stopping just a few minutes short on your cardio or coasting on level 5 when you could be doing level 7. Then you start blowing off workouts completely. Pretty soon, you're sliding back in other areas of your life; you slide back from making those sales calls; you slide back from spending quality time with your family, you slide back from saving money and watching your finances. You become.... A BACKSLIDER!

You can either be a backslider or you can be an ACHIEVER but you can't be both and you can't "hang out" in between - it's one or the other. Although you might think you're safe just "maintaining" in the comfort zone, unbeknownst to you, you are always in motion in either a forward or a backward direction. There's no such thing as standing still; ask any physicist - everything in the universe is always in motion...vibrating... pulsating... growing or dying.

The ACHIEVER is the person who is aware that to "stand still inside the comfort zone" is akin to dying, so he or she is ALWAYS MOVING FORWARD. The only way to move forward is with hard work and effort in the direction of a specific goal.



AVOID THE TEMPTATION TO SPEND (WASTE) YOUR MONEY ON GIMMICKS...AND LEARN TO RECOGNIZE A GIMMICK WHEN YOU SEE ONE
-------------------------------------
Once you begin getting a taste of what real hard training is like, it often becomes tempting to succumb to the error of looking for the "easy way." An electrode on your abs, a "fat-melting" cream, a pill, a drink mix, a drug - anything and everything except sweat and hard work. But shortcuts will always fail you in the long run.

You are setting yourself up for so much trouble if you give in to the lure of the quick fix. You see, it's all about the Law of Sowing and Reaping. This great law of life states that your rewards will come back to you in direct proportion to what you put in. Everything has its price and that price must be paid in advance.

If you were a farmer, how ridiculous would it be for you to skip the planting of the seeds in the spring and then go out in the fields looking for a harvest in the fall? How ridiculous would it be to stand in front of a wood burning stove and say, Ok stove, give me some heat and then I'll put in some wood?

But isn't it the same thing when you take a pill or attach some electrodes to your stomach, or smear some cream on your thighs and expect to lose the flab without exercise or eating right?

Even if you've made the decision to avoid gimmicks, in today's marketplace, how do you know what a gimmick is and what's legit? After all, these marketing people are smart - they know how to play on your emotions and make gimmicks sound scientific. Don't feel bad; judging by the e-mails I get every day, most other people don't know the difference either. Nearly all of these e-mails include this sentence:

Does "IT" work?

Here's how to tell if "IT" is a gimmick or not: If it makes getting in phenomenal shape sound easy and effortless, then it's a gimmick. If it addresses the symptom but not the cause - it's a gimmick. If your gut feeling says it sounds too good to be true - it's a gimmick. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck.... it's a duck!

Do yourself a favor and stop looking for a quick ride to the top. The elevator to success is out of order - you're going to have to take the stairs.



HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR RATE OF FAT LOSS IN THE NEXT 7 DAYS
-------------------------------------
How would you like to learn a way to DOUBLE YOUR FAT LOSS in the next seven days? I know, I know - sounds like a gimmick, right? Well, it's not! It's really quite simple. To burn more fat you have to burn more calories. Most beginners start off with three days a week of cardio training. Usually they see some results initially because their bodies aren't accustomed to exercise and any increase in activity above no activity will always produce some results.

More often than not, the results begin to slow down a bit within a few months of training. Then they scratch their heads and wonder why it's not working anymore.

This is why: Because three days a week is for beginners, and you're no longer a beginner. If you want twice as much fat loss and you want it twice as fast, double your cardio.

Suppose you burn 400 calories per workout for three workouts per week. That's a total of 1200 calories per week burned. If you doubled that to six days per week at 400 calories per workout, you would burn 2400 calories. YOU JUST DOUBLED YOUR FAT LOSS EVERY WEEK! That was a real no-brainer, wasn't it?



HOW TO TRIPLE YOUR RATE OF FAT LOSS IN THE NEXT 7 DAYS
-------------------------------------
While we're on the subject of burning more calories, what would happen if, in addition to increasing your cardio from three to six days per week, you increased the intensity so that you are burning 600 calories per workout? With six workouts at 600 calories per workout you're up to 3600 calories per week.

HOLY ABDOMINALS BATMAN, YOU JUST TRIPLED YOUR FAT LOSS!

Yes it's that simple and the solution was right there in front of you all along.

By the way, this kind of frequent cardio is how I reach 3 - 4% body fat for competitions: Six days per week of HARD cardio, 45 minutes per session.

[Ripped2shreds]

ALWAYS BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SOMETHING TO MOTIVATE AND INSPIRE YOU
-------------------------------------
After the initial novelty of starting a workout program wears off, one problem nearly everyone runs into is lack of motivation. I can personally confirm this just by the membership attrition (drop out) statistics in my health club. 50% of all people who join a health club quit in the first three months. Here's how you can prevent becoming a statistic:

Always be on the lookout for something to motivate and inspire you - anything! Go see a movie, watch a video, read a book or article. Hire a coach or personal trainer. Get a training partner. Think about your goals and write them out repeatedly. Pick a role model of someone you want to look like. Attend a competition. Enter a competition. Hang out with people who motivate you. Ditch the people who don't support you (I'm not kidding - get out of unsupportive relationships fast!) The list of motivational methods is endless.

Some people insist that "motivation" doesn't last. I always tell them, they're right! Motivation doesn't last - but neither does bathing and you do that every day, don't you?

Every day you must ask yourself "What can I listen to, do, find, or watch to get inspired today." Then follow through.

I recently watched a movie called Without Limits, which is the story of Steven Prefontaine, the runner. Even though I'm a bodybuilder and not a runner, that movie got me so motivated I ran to the gym a blasted out a leg workout like never before, smashing through several PR's (personal records).

I also have the videos of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics narrated by Bud Greenspan. If watching Michael Johnson win his races and accept his gold medals doesn't motivate you, then nothing will.

For the bodybuilders, here's an old motivational stand-by. Watch (or re-watch) Pumping Iron.

One of the absolute best ways to get motivated is to spend time in serious thought about what you want to accomplish and then write it down, which leads us to the next subject...



SET NEW (AND BIGGER) GOALS
-------------------------------------
If you ever feel unmotivated and you want to get over it, just take a look at your goal list. What? You don't carry a frequently updated, written goal list around with you? Well, I guess we know why you're not motivated don't we?

Goal setting is not an event - it is an ongoing process. When you move up the ladder to intermediate status, the modest goals of a beginner are a thing of the past. "I am
walking for 30 minutes three days every week" is a great beginning, but now it's time to move out of the minor leagues.

Goals are the fuel in the fire of motivation. Goals get you out of bed early and into the gym in the morning. Goals keep you on the treadmill for forty-five minutes when you feel like stopping at thirty. In a set of ten reps, goals are what make you push for that eleventh and twelfth rep.

Goals are so much more powerful than you can imagine. Read any book on the subconscious mind, such as "Psycho Cybernetics" by Maxwell Maltz or "The Power of Your Subconscious Mind" by Dr. Joseph Murphy and you'll begin to understand why goals are so important. If you don't have goals...and if you don't have a new set of them every few months, then you're not ready to move up to the next level.

And one last thing - a goal is not a goal if it's not in writing - its only a wish (as in wishy-washy)



MOVE UP TO A 2 DAY SPLIT ROUTINE
-------------------------------------
A full body routine performed three days per week is probably the best way for a beginner to start weight training. However, this routine gets old fast. Within months or even weeks, you will outgrow it and you'll need to add exercises.

The problem is, the more exercises you add, the longer your workouts will become. If your workouts are too long, you begin to reach a point of diminishing returns, and ultimately, the excessive duration has a negative effect. The solution is a split routine.

A split routine means that instead of doing all your exercises in one session, you "SPLIT" your body in half and train one half on DAY ONE and the second half on DAY TWO.

Adding more exercises allows you to:
1) Work each muscle more thoroughly and more deeply into the fibers
2) Work the entire muscle group; for example, front deltoid, side deltoid AND rear deltoid
3) Concentrate on each muscle more instead of spreading your attention out
4) Apply more energy and effort to each body part instead of holding back and conserving energy for the last few muscles

Here's a sample 2 day split:

Day one: Chest, shoulders, triceps, Abdominals
Day two: Thighs, Back, Biceps, calves,

And here's how it would fit into the week if you're training four days per week and hitting each muscle twice per week

Mon: Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, Abs
Tues: Thighs, Back, Biceps, calves
Wed: Off (or just cardio)
Thu: Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, Abs
Fri: Thighs, Back, Biceps, calves
Sat: Off (or just cardio)
Sun: Off: Total rest day

Here's one important tip when you're designing your own split routines:

CHANGE YOUR EXERCISES, SET & REP SCHEMES, TEMPO AND REST INTERVALS FREQUENTLY! This will help alleviate boredom and prevent your muscles from "adapting" to the routine (Changing acute training variables every 4 to 12 weeks is called the "muscle confusion" principle.)



JOIN A HEALTH CLUB OR INVEST IN SOME NEW EQUIPMENT FOR YOUR HOME GYM
-------------------------------------
Does your workout still consist of walking around the block, and/or doing the Billy blanks Tae Bo video or the Richard Simmons Sweating to the Oldies video in your living room in front of the TV?

If so, then don't worry, I'm not going to make fun of you - actually I want to congratulate you for doing more than 95% of the lazy world population - you got started! However, if you're reading this, you've expressed interest in moving up to the next level, so it's time to put those 2nd grade workouts back on the shelf and move up to something with a little more "punch" (pardon the pun).

First, I'm going to repeat my advice from part one of this series: Join a health club! Since you'll be adding new exercises, a good health club will put an almost infinite number of exercise choices at your fingertips. Many people are scared to join a gym "until they get in shape." Now that's really putting the cart before the horse isn't it? If you're in this category, let me put you at ease:

You'd be amazed how supportive the environment is in a good health club. I've been in the health club industry for 14 years and I've never heard a member or employee of any club I've worked in make fun of a beginner or someone out of shape. (Personally, I NEVER make fun of the beginners or intermediates. I like to make fun of the blunders made by the "big-ego, know it all experts," but "gym blunders" will have to be the subject of another article.)

I've seen people who were very overweight in our club and the attitude of the staff and members is usually one of "Good for you! Is there any way I can help?" If fact, you're more likely to get a derogatory comment from someone on the street than you are in a health club. You owe it to yourself to put yourself in a positive, supportive, caring environment and there's no better place than a health club.

It also helps to realize that everyone has to start somewhere, and everyone was "out of shape" when they started. We're all in the same boat in the beginning and intermediate learning stages.

If you choose not to join a club, that's fine too, but you'd be well advised to invest in a few additional pieces of equipment beyond the bare basics.

Let's assume you own a bench and a set of dumbbells. The next additions to your home gym should be a barbell set, a set of squat racks and a cable-pulley apparatus with a high and a low pulley. By owning these pieces equipment, you've just opened up a whole new world of exercise options for yourself such as:

Barbell squats, barbell lunges, barbell rows, barbell bench press, barbell shoulder press, barbell curls, barbell tricep extensions, wide grip lat pulldowns, close grip lat pulldowns, low cable rows, triceps pushdowns and cable curls.

By the way, why so much talk about weights? Isn't fat loss mostly nutrition and cardio? Yep, that's true. However, I'm emphasizing weight training because it plays a bigger role in fat loss than most people realize. If you're busy aerobicizing and dieting without hitting the weights, you're much more likely to lose muscle along with the fat. And when the muscle goes, your metabolism begins to go down the tubes too.

[Ripped2shreds]

READ, STUDY AND LEARN
-------------------------------------
I know you're just a budding "intermediate" now, but would you like to know how to rapidly blast through the intermediate stage, into the advanced stage and then ultimately go even beyond the advanced stage and become an expert? If so, here's how:

Read one hour a day, five days a week, about training, nutrition, and personal achievement. In three years you will be an expert.

Suppose you only read 30 minutes a day, but you do it every day as a discipline. That's one book per week, 52 books per year, 520 books in ten years. Think about the level of knowledge you'll achieve.

I personally read two or three hours a day, I have 1700 books in my library and several hundred audio and video programs. I'll miss an hour of sleep before I'll miss an hour of reading. People always ask me how I learned so much about bodybuilding and nutrition. Now you know.


Here are some good places to start:

Get a good book about motivation and psychology. Here's one of the best: "Maximum Achievement" By Brian Tracy:

Also, get a good cassette program about motivation so you can listen in your car and while you do your cardio. What? You listen to music? Thought so. Most beginners do. Highly effective people and achievers always double up and do two things at once whenever possible. Why not kill two birds with one stone? Learn while you get lean! Here's a suggestion: pick up Jim Rohns audio program "The Art of Exceptional Living."


Tom Venuto

---
END OF PART 2. Check your email for part 3 in the next few days.
---

[Ripped2shreds]

HERE'S PART THREE
------------------

ADVANCED FAT LOSS: 12 TRICKS AND TACTICS FOR DESTROYING EVEN THE MOST STUBBORN BODY FAT, by Tom Venuto


1. DO CARDIO 6-7 DAYS A WEEK
-----------------------------
If you do cardio for 30-45 minutes a day 6-7 days per week for 8-12 weeks, you'll get so lean, you'll kick yourself for not realizing it was that simple.

Every time I give this advice, I always hear lots of whining and complaining. Why is everybody so cardio-phobic? Why do people keep fighting me on this when they've tried "everything" else and they still can't get as lean as they want to be?

"But Tom, Bill Phillips says 20 minutes 3 days a week is the solution!"

"But Tom, doesn't daily cardio burn up muscle?"

"But Tom, doesn't weight training boost the metabolism more than aerobics?"

"But Tom, long aerobic cardio is out. 15 minutes of high intensity interval cardio is in."

But, but, but. People have plenty of buts. What they don't have is plenty of RESULTS!

If you want to get lean - get off your "buts" and do what it takes to get the job done - not what the trend of the day dictates you should do. When you want to get extremely lean and you want to do it quickly, make cardio a daily discipline and the RESULTS will absolutely amaze you.

And don't say you don't have time! I know many people who get up at 4 or 5 in the morning to work out because it's the only way they can fit it in their schedule. It's NEVER an issue of time, it's ALWAYS an issue of WILLINGNESS. Are you willing to do what it takes? That's only real question you have to answer.

If you want to know WHY you should do cardio more often, go back and re-read part 2 in this series about the mathematics of calorie expenditure (how to double and even triple your fat loss).



2. DO YOUR CARDIO FIRST THING IN THE MORNING ON AN EMPTY STOMACH
-----------------------------
Morning cardio is still controversial in academic circles, but as far as I'm concerned it's a closed case and the verdict is in: it works! But don't take my word for it - examine the facts, try it and decide for yourself. The argument in favor of fasted early morning cardio burning more fat goes something like this:

1. After an overnight 8-12 hour fast, your body's stores of glycogen are depleted and you burn more fat when glycogen is low.

2. Eating causes a release of insulin. Insulin interferes with the mobilization of body fat. Less insulin is present in the morning; so more body fat is burned when cardio is done in the morning.

3. There is less carbohydrate (glucose) in the bloodstream when you wake up after an overnight fast. With less glucose available, you burn more fat.

4. If you eat immediately before a workout, you have to burn off what you just ate first before tapping into stored body fat (and insulin is elevated after a meal.)

5. When you do cardio in the morning, your metabolism stays elevated for a period of time after the workout is over. If you do cardio in the evening, you burn calories during the session, but you fail to take advantage of the "afterburn" effect because your metabolic rate drops dramatically as soon as you go to sleep.

Instead of going into further discussion here in this newsletter, get the whole story on morning cardio by reading my article "A.M. Fat Burn." This article originally appeared in the August 2001 issue of IRONMAN magazine and it's posted in the Fitness Renaissance website library at http://www.fatlosstips.com/fitren/



3. REDUCE YOUR CARBS, BUT DON'T CUT THEM OUT COMPLETELY AND DON'T STAY ON LOW CARBS TOO LONG
-----------------------------
I'm not a big fan of very low carb (VLCD) or "ketogenic" diets. They make you feel like crap, you get "brain fog," you lose muscle along with the fat, and your training intensity suffers from lack of muscle glycogen (yes, even on a "cyclical" ketogenic diet.)

The worst side effect of the VLCD is one that few people think of because it requires a long-term perspective (and most people are caught up in short term results)...

For the average non-competitor, it's VERY difficult to keep off the fat you lose through low carb dieting. VLCD's set you up for a BIG rebound

Bodybuilders often use VLCD's successfully before contests, but bodybuilders are extreme athletes with incredible discipline and willpower. I know bodybuilders who are so "hard core" that they can eat nothing but tuna fish out of the can for 12 weeks, then go back to a normal, balanced diet, no problem - no bingeing. That's a rare feat.

Lots of people lose weight on very low carb diets. Very few keep it off. I've seen people go on massive, uncontrollable binges of doughnuts, pizza and Ben & Jerry's (Chunky Monkey!), gaining 30 pounds in less than seven days after coming off a very low carb diet.

Folks, very low carb diets ain't the long term solution to fat loss. To use one successfully without gaining everything back, you have to know what you're doing and you must be extremely disciplined. Even then, you should consider low carb diets as "last chance" diets or short term "peaking" diets that are fraught with side effects and disadvantages.

The "balanced" diet, which contains a wide variety of foods including about 50% of the calories from fruits, vegetables, natural starches and whole grains, is almost always the best way to permanently lose fat and it's the way almost everyone should start. This is sometimes referred to as a "baseline diet." All you have to do is exercise, pick the right types of foods and eat less than you burn each day and you'll lose fat.

Once you've mastered all the basics and you've reached the advanced stage, THEN I have to admit, despite the potential pitfalls, low carb, high protein diets can help accelerate fat loss even more.

Almost every competitive bodybuilder I've ever met uses some variation of the reduced carb diet. Maybe not zero carbs; maybe not 100 grams or less, but there's always some degree of carb restriction. Why? Because lower carbs provide metabolic and hormonal advantages that high carb diets do not. They also eliminate water retention and give the muscles a hard, dry look.

Here are the 4 "advanced bodybuilder's secrets" to using a low carb diet successfully:

1) Don't cut out all your carbs, just reduce them to a moderate level so carbs and protein are balanced and carbs are not the predominant macronutrient. 30% to 40% carbs should be low enough to get low carb diet benefits without low carb diet side effects.

2) DON'T eat a lot of carbs at night, but DO eat starchy carbs early in the day.

3) Don't stay on any reduced carb diet more than 12-16 weeks. Always go back to the balanced diet because it's healthier and more maintainable.

4) It you reduce your carbs substantially on ANY low carb program, eat more carbs every 4th day or so. These are called "carb up" days, or "re-feed" days. This will prevent your metabolism from slowing down, keep your thryroid functioning optimally and maintain your energy levels.



4. RAISE YOUR PROTEIN
-----------------------------
If you bring your carbs down, something has to go up or your calories would drop too low. That something is protein or fat (or both). Although many mainstream low carb diets (such as Atkins) are actually high fat diets, competitive bodybuilders usually keep the fats low (15% -20% or less) and eat extremely large amounts of protein - sometimes as much as 40 or 50% of their total calories!

Conventional bodybuilding and fat reducing wisdom says you should eat one gram of protein per pound of body weight. This is good advice for someone just starting to establish good habits and a baseline diet. For a 172 pound man, that' s 172 grams a day, or approximately 30 grams per meal spread over five to six meals.

On the bodybuilder's low carb "advanced diet," 40-50% of total calories comes from protein. That's about 300 - 375 grams of protein a day for most male bodybuilders and 175-225 grams for female bodybuilders.

Yes, I know this is too much protein. In fact, it's an obscene amount of protein. However, (temporary) high protein diets are the way most bodybuilders get so ripped. Eating very high protein speeds up your metabolism due to the thermic effect of protein foods. All the top natural bodybuilders in the high levels of the sport eat 300 - 400 grams a day before contests and sometimes even more. I'm not necessarily recommending this; (like they say on MTV's "Jackass" show, don't try this at home!), I'm simply pointing out that this is how most bodybuilders do it.



6. DROP ALL THE PROCESSED FOODS...YES, EVEN YOUR WHOLE WHEAT BREAD, BOXED CEREALS, BAGELS AND PASTA
-----------------------------
Sometimes I recommend whole grain bread, boxed cereals and pasta for my clients and sometimes I don't. But that's not contradicting myself. What I'm doing is creating totally individualized nutrition programs for each person depending on their genetics, carb-sensitivity, experience and goals.

A basic beginner or intermediate's diet should contain plenty of whole grain products and more carbs than anything else. Certain people - in particular, the "endomorph" or "carb sensitive" body types, seem to gain fat rapidly when they eat processed carbs. Advanced bodybuilders almost never eat any bread or pasta products before competitions.

The rule of thumb on the advanced fat loss diet is never eat anything man-made or processed. The ultimate test for whether a food is natural or processed is to ask, "did this food come out of the ground or off the tree/plant this way?" If the answer is no, it's processed and you shouldn't eat it.

[Ripped2shreds]

7. GET TOTAL CLARITY OF PURPOSE
-----------------------------
To get super-lean, you have to DECIDE EXACTLY what you want and zero in on it the way a guided missile locks onto its target.

The Great Napoleon Hill called it "definiteness of purpose." Achievement expert Brian Tracy calls it "CLARITY." Most of us simply know it as having goals, but I like the terms "clarity" and "definiteness of purpose" better than goals. Vague goals can be your downfall.

"I want to gain muscle and lose fat." That's certainly a goal, but it's NOT definiteness of purpose. It's a poor goal because it lacks clarity.

One of the biggest reasons people fail to move up to the advanced level (especially the guys) is because they can't decide what they want. They become victims of "flip flop syndrome."

Imagine a captain giving no commands and just allowing his ship to just float around rudderless, drifting wherever the currents take it. Or imagine the captain giving instructions to his crew like this: "go east; no, go west; no, go east; no, go west again."

Ridiculous right? This is exactly what you're doing when you lack a specific goal or when you want to gain muscle one day and lose fat the next (or do both at the same time).



YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP YOUR MIND!
-----------------------------
"A made up mind attunes itself to tremendous extra power," wrote Napoleon Hill. You must choose a definite course, make a clear-cut, definite decision and follow through with action in one specific direction.

When you have a clear-cut goal and you're totally committed to it, you TAKE ACTION without thinking about it or forcing it. The process becomes unconscious. If you lack clarity, you flounder and hesitate like a ship with an indecisive captain.



8. FIVE MEALS A DAY FOR WOMEN, SIX MEALS A DAY FOR MEN....OR JUST FUGGETABOUTIT!
-----------------------------
Meal frequency is more important than most people realize. Most fitness conscious people know about meal frequency, but they figure they can "get by" with three "square" meals.

Comparing three "squares" to six meals a day is like comparing a Porsche 911 Turbo to a Yugo. Yes, you can get some results with three well constructed meals, but you'll never get anywhere near your full potential (and it will take a lot longer!)

The benefits of frequent eating include:
a. Faster metabolic rate
b. Higher energy levels
c. Less storage of body fat due to smaller portions
d. Reduced hunger and cravings
e. Steadier blood sugar and insulin levels
f. More calories usable for muscle growth
g. Better absorption and utilization of nutrients

If you want to move up to the advanced level and get super-ripped, you have to take advantage of every weapon in your fat burning arsenal. That means five or six small meals a day, or else, as Al Pacino would say, just fuggetaboutit!



9. GO EASY ON THOSE PROTEIN BARS AND MEAL REPLACEMENT SHAKES - FOCUS ON REAL FOOD
-----------------------------
My clients just HATE me when I take away their cookies n cream protein bars and chocolate Myoplex, but when they're eating only one or two food meals per day and chugging down four or five meal replacements and wondering why they aren't getting leaner, I have to give them my lecture on the thermogenic effects of whole foods versus liquid calories.

If you want to get lean, don't drink too many of your calories and lay off those bars! I don't care what anybody says, whole food gets you leaner. Supplements are for convenience. The weight loss industry is $33 billion and the supplement industry alone is $13 billion. Anyone who advises you that "shakes get you leaner than food" has their greedy little hands in the supplement companies cookie jar somewhere, somehow, someway - trust me!

By the way, this advice applies to ALL liquid calories. Are you drinking fruit juice by the quartful because it's "healthy?" Well, that may be true; you may have a glassful of highly concentrated vitamins and minerals, but if you want to turbo charge your metabolism, get rid of your juicer and eat the fruits and vegetables whole and raw!



10. H.I.I.T. THE FAT!
-----------------------------
High intensity interval training, known as HIIT for short, is the technique of alternating short (30-60 second) periods of very high intensity aerobics with short periods of low to moderate intensity.

HIIT has received a lot of press lately as being superior to steady state exercise. In some ways, it IS superior: HIIT burns a lot of calories during the workout, but where it really shines is after the workout. Your metabolic rate stays elevated longer after the workout is over than steady state cardio.

Here's an example of an ascending 21 minute HIIT workout on the Lifecycle stationary bike:

Level 3: 5 minutes (warmup)
Level 5: 1 minute (work interval)
Level 4: 1 minute (recovery interval)
Level 6: 1 minute (work interval)
Level 4: 1 minute (recovery interval)
Level 7: 1 minute (work interval)
Level 4: 1 minute (recovery interval)
Level 8: 1 minute (work interval)
Level 4: 1 minute (recovery interval)
Level 9: 1 minute (work interval)
Level 4: 1 minute (recovery interval)
Level 10: 1 minute (work interval - maxed out)
Level 3: 5 minutes (cool down)

This is just an example of course; you'll need to adjust the workout based on your fitness level. You can adjust the duration of the intervals, the number of intervals performed and the difficulty level. You can perform similar workouts on almost any piece of cardio equipment.

HIIT is a fantastic way for an advanced athlete, bodybuilder or recreational exerciser to break a rut and inject some variety into a stale cardio routine, HIIT works, but it's not a panacea. What's most important for fat loss is that you burn a lot of calories. If your intensity is moderately high and you sustain a STEADY STATE workout for a long duration, you're likely to burn more calories than a brief HIIT workout, even when the "afterburn" effect from HIIT is factored in.

My best advice is to use BOTH forms of cardio training, focusing on total calorie expenditure and leaning towards HIIT when you're short on time or when you seem to have hit a plateau using conventional cardio.



11. DO YOUR CARDIO HARDER
-----------------------------
Here's an idea that might shatter every paradigm you ever had about cardio training. HIIT is very trendy these days, so if you're trying to lose fat, and you're wondering whether you should do short duration high intensity or long duration, low intensity, the answer might be neither!

The most effective workout is long duration, high intensity!

Push yourself to the highest level you can hold steady for 30-45 minutes nonstop.

In other words, put the cell phone and magazine away and do a real workout. Then watch your body get leaner BY THE DAY!

[Ripped2shreds]

12. USE THE ADVANCED THREE DAY SPLIT ROUTINE
-----------------------------
As a beginner, you started on a full body routine. When you graduated to intermediate status, you moved to a two day split routine. Now you're ready for the advanced three day split. This split is excellent for genetically gifted bodybuilders with good recuperation abilities.

The split:

Day 1:Chest, Back, Abs
Day 2: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps
Day 3: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves

The 2 on 1 off weekly schedule

Mon: Chest, Back, Abs
Tue: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps
Wed: Off (cardio only)
Thu: Quads, Hamstrings calves
Fri: Chest, Back, Abs
Sat: Off (cardio only)
Sun: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps

Pick up with Quads & Hams Monday and repeat the cycle. For extra recuperation, a more conservative version of this split is: 2 on 1 off, 1 on 1 off, 1 on 1 off.

Well, that's it, you've learned every fat burning trick in the book from beginner to advanced. Well, maybe not EVERY trick, but you now have enough tools that - if you apply them diligently - you can get as lean as you want to be.

Tom Venuto. Peace.

[SteR-]

**** dude you are ripped! Didn't know you were a boxer that's pretty cool, must be damn good cardio lol. Anyways I was thinking of starting a little track, maybe start working on my sprinting for football. Not only would it help with my speed but it'd also help me burn some cals and drop some fat..

[Ripped2shreds]

Good idea, it burns a lot of calories and will definately help your football. Make sure you warm those hamstrings up first though, mine give me problems all the time. Peace.

[Bily Lovec]

dont confuse being ripped with just being wormy

[Ripped2shreds]

Originally posted by Bily Lovec
dont confuse being ripped with just being wormy

Define wormy William?

[Cerebral]

I have a statement and a question regarding cardio for fat loss.

I am deciding whether to do cardio in a 15 min (interval) very high Intensity vs. the standard 30-45min cardio, average intensity.

Some folks, including Paul Delia (AST-SPORTS), whom I have some respect for, do not recommend cardio for longer periods than 15, may be 20 min max. His concpet is based on the fact that:

1) Your not doing cardio to burn fat while doing it but rather while your not. So in otherwords, high-intensity cardio in 15min may not tap into the fat stores as much as the 30-45 min while doing it, but you get an elevated "furnace burning effect" all day long while resting which burns more fat.

2) Shorter cardio workouts spare muscle and this also is important. Long cardio, will tap into un-wanted resources for fuel.

Can you share some thoughts on this? Would 15 min of very intense cardio not be sufficent if the daily burning effect is what really counts?

Cerebral

[sonicasian]

Originally posted by Cerebral
I have a statement and a question regarding cardio for fat loss.

I am deciding whether to do cardio in a 15 min (interval) very high Intensity vs. the standard 30-45min cardio, average intensity.

Some folks, including Paul Delia (AST-SPORTS), whom I have some respect for, do not recommend cardio for longer periods than 15, may be 20 min max. His concpet is based on the fact that:

1) Your not doing cardio to burn fat while doing it but rather while your not. So in otherwords, high-intensity cardio in 15min may not tap into the fat stores as much as the 30-45 min while doing it, but you get an elevated "furnace burning effect" all day long while resting which burns more fat.

2) Shorter cardio workouts spare muscle and this also is important. Long cardio, will tap into un-wanted resources for fuel.

Can you share some thoughts on this? Would 15 min of very intense cardio not be sufficent if the daily burning effect is what really counts?

Cerebral

30 - 60 min of sustained aerobics/cardio. is key
that 15 min of intense cardio will burn some calories
but considering the after burn effect it lasts about 5 hours after and you burn about 15 calories extra an hour so 75 calories in after burn so it isnt much. stick with 30 min of cardio 3 times a week and if it doesnt get you the results you want then do it 6 times a week, if stillnothing then throw in some HIIT. the key to the cardio equation is do as much as you need to get the results you want. so experiment with what works best for you. because there is no definet answer.

[Ripped2shreds]

Sup cerebral,
I hear what you are saying and it is true that the higher the intensity of cardio you preform the higher the afterburn effect. I would have to reaserch the difference between the afterburn effect of HIIT compared with longer moderate intensity cardio. IMO both are good ways of burning calories and I would agree with Sonicasian that it does differ person to person.

I would say that if you can, do both. That way you are getting the best of both worlds, maybe a HIIT session in the morning and a relaxed moderate intensity workout in the evening. Or you could test one option first and see what results you achive and if you feel you are not getting the results you want then try the other way.

It also comes down to time I suppose and if you have a busy shedule it maybe hard to find 30-60 mins to fit in a session (although you can get up earlier but you still need to be getting plenty of rest). I use both methods as I am a boxer and a sprinter.

With your second statement it will hopefully be fat that you will be tapping into for fuel which is exactly what you want. When all is said and done the aim of the game is to burn calories and to be creating a calorie deficit and if you are doing this you will lose BF period.
Hope this helps.

[sonicasian]

if you really want a hard core "after burn effect" also know as the EPOC
just do weight lifting
it increases metabolic rate by7% for the next 24.

that combined with long duration cardio or HIIt and a good solid eating plan with a clear cut goal is all you need to get SHREDDED!

[bigray]

Say if i workout at the gym.
But i want to buy some dumbells tomorrow so i can practice more with them.

[Ripped2shreds]

Why not?!

Dont over train though.

[jehst]

does 10-12x bodyweight for cutting apply to everyone? i mean..what if i guy weighed 400 pounds and was obese. fat barely burns any calories per day. multiplying should be based on lean bodyweight.

[Ripped2shreds]

Originally posted by jehst
does 10-12x bodyweight for cutting apply to everyone? i mean..what if i guy weighed 400 pounds and was obese. fat barely burns any calories per day. multiplying should be based on lean bodyweight.

You have a very good point there. However it is hard to calculate your lean body mass. The ratio above is an approx measure so that you can roughly find your basic metobolic rate. The obese man will have a lot more calories to drop if he were to go by lean mass and could result in a drop of over 3/4 of his daily calories. This is too much too quick. You can re adjust your figures as you lose weight.

The idea is to create a reasonable calorie deficit through diet and cardio.

[Faitless]

Ripped2shreds is banned ?

[Nate_7]

guys, i need a little advice..

i lift three times a week, around 50 mins each workout then i do HIIT immediately after, and I do a 30-45 min cadio in two other days.

How can I make sure I won`t lose a lot of muscle? what to eat before and after the 30mins cardio (where i don`t lift that day)?

thanks.

[Sicshift]

Ripped2shreds is banned ?

something in another forum he said. He's still on under R2S

[Faitless]

guys, i need a little advice..

i lift three times a week, around 50 mins each workout then i do HIIT immediately after, and I do a 30-45 min cadio in two other days.

How can I make sure I won`t lose a lot of muscle? what to eat before and after the 30mins cardio (where i don`t lift that day)?

thanks.

Protein Shake, Before And After.