Celebrity fitness trainer ASHLEY CONRAD, who trains Kate Hudson, Kristen Bell and Bradley Cooper, offer tips to keep you from gobbing over Thanksgiving.

http://clutchbodyshop.com/

HOW DO WE ASSURE THAT THE TURKEY IS THE ONLY THING THAT'S STUFFED? It is important to not to starve yourself for that one meal of the day. Instead, eat normally leading up to Thanksgiving dinner. Remember, it is not your last supper â?? in fact, youâ??ll likely eat again that night. If your family has â??round twoâ??, be conscious of the time and eat no later than 7pm. Lastly, if you are going to take some of everything â?? be sure to pay attention to portion size. There should be no serving on your plate bigger than your fist. Remember, the turkey should be the only thing that is stuffed!

HOW DO WE MANAGE LEFTOVERS? Donâ??t take leftovers home â?? they should be left! If your Mother insists, than choose wisely. Take home some turkey minus the skin, instead of stuffing, or mashed potatoes and gravy, take steamed veggies.

HOW CAN WE TWEAK THANKSGIVING DINNER WITH SOME HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES? Healthier versions of the foods we love should be made every day, not just on Thanksgiving. That said, there are easy ways to adjust your recipes to make them low-cal, such as, steaming and eliminating butter. Whether the recipes have been adjusted or not, be sure to exercise good judgment using techniques like removing skin from the turkey and practicing portion control.

http://clutchbodyshop.com/

Check out these new supps @ http://www.narlabs.com/

About NAR Labs:

"Simply add the highest quality ingredients." Seems simple enough, doesn't it? Time and time again, even the largest companies forget the promise they made to their customers and the reason for their success.

NAR Labs was founded in 2010 by Sport Nutrition professionals with over 30 years experience in the Sport Nutrition industry. This experience in our management comes in the form of the highest levels of manufacturing, distributing and retail. We strive to provide our customers with the highest quality of ingredients. Year after year we promise to provide you with safe and effective products to give you the results that you, the consumer, demand.

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Hey New Guy: Bodybuilding Advice for the Beginner in all of Us
Bucking the trend

Look, Iâ??m all for investigating the newest â??breakthroughsâ?? in personal training.
(I even took time away from writing my â??Hey New Guy!â?? articles to take a very temporary Personal Training position at a reputable gym.)

I love the idea of boot camps, crossfit, Zumba, Paceâ??hell, even the stuff I see advertised on late night TV has its place in the fitness world.
What I canâ??t get behindâ??what, to be honest, I was disgusted to see taking place at the club where I was employedâ??is this startling concept that the latest â??fadâ?? in training is the end-all, be-all â??answerâ?? to every single clientâ??s goals.

â??Crossfitâ?? was big at the club. Looking at the results, enthusiasm and dedication of both the trainers and clients involved, itâ??s easy to see why.
Combining endurance principles with timed interval â??stationsâ??â??rotating clients between, say, pull-ups and planks, kettlebell raises and burpees, this hour-long class was phenomenal at getting groups of like-minded (and like-goaled) individuals to sweat it out in an environment designed to stimulate motivation.
Perfectâ??for an hour.
What bothered me was seeing certain trainers adapt a â??crossfitâ?? only mentality, and incorporate the Same. Exact. Workout. into every single one of their clientâ??s programs.

Thatâ??s rightâ??a 55 year old mother of three, interested in losing ten pounds, was performing a program designed by Navy Seals (--â??Sealfit,â?? a crossfit cousin--) and performing it right after a 16 year old soccer prodigy, and two hours after an insecure 27 year old whoâ??d never picked up a dumbbell in her life.

Eight hours of training, eight clients with eight sets of individualâ??and wildly differingâ??goals; eight sets of expectations.
One program.
Can you see the problem here?

Never mind the fact that the 55 year old threw up seven minutes into her program, and that the 27 year old found herself resting against a club wall, unable to continue (--sometime shortly after beginning her program as well.)

Had they been my clients, Iâ??d have been mortified.

The trainer in question?

Had been bragging about his â??accomplishments.â??

Worse?

His superiors were thrilledâ??and encouraged the rest of us to push our clients just as hard.
Needless to say, I quit the gym.
I got into this business because I love helping people reach their goals.
To me, a happy client is a client that feels encouraged by their programâ??not embarrassed at their â??lack of ability to complete it,â?? as the trainer in question put.

Call me old-fashioned, but I get a kick out of seeing them enjoy the processâ??maybe almost as much as the results they inevitable receive by sticking with it.
Iâ??ve never used the same program twiceâ??maybe because Iâ??ve yet to encounter a set of identical twins looking for the same damn thing.
Maybe theyâ??re out there.

I sure as hell wonâ??t be finding them at my old gym.

OperationFitness.com Launches The Shape Up America Campaign 30-City Tour To Fight The Obesity Epidemic

The City Council of Los Angeles has granted Michael Torchia's declaration to make the week of March 14th, 2010 an Annual Holiday called "Health and Fitness Week" in the State of California. Mayor Villaraigosa will personally be awarding the honor to Michael Torchia at the launch of the Shape Up America Campaign 30-city tour. This monumental occurrence is only the first stepping-stone to creating awareness of this dangerously growing epidemic of obesity taking over our country.

Los Angeles, CA ? Michael Torchia, founder of Operation Fitness, will be launching his Shape Up America Campaign 30-city tour with a free Health and Fitness Event at Pershing Square Park in Downtown Los Angeles on March 14th, 2010. Sinbad will act as Master of Ceremonies for the Awards portion of the event honoring Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (Health Advocate Lifetime Achievement Award) and Cesar Millan (Animal Health Advocate Achievement Award). Bodybuilding.com will also be auctioning off a rare piece of equipment from the historical Muscle Beach that has been signed by the legends of bodybuilding at the Award Ceremony. The proceeds will be donated to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's After-School All-Stars Organization.

This monumental will offer free health screenings, fitness demonstrations for children and adults, nutrition lectures, healthy cooking tips/food preparation, athletic competitions, an obstacle course challenge, boxing classes and martial arts demonstrations, Pilates and yoga classes, chair and table massages, pet health seminars, pet fitness demonstrations and dog obedience training. The Airline Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) will also be setting up a flight simulator for the kids to use at the Shape Up America Campaign event in Pershing Square Park. In addition, Craig Fuller, CEO/President of the AOPA is creating a teen entrepreneurship pilot program, so kids can learn to become pilots at an early age.

The Shape Up America Campaign is designed to increase daily physical activity and healthy eating through education by means of programming, physical infrastructure improvements and city policy changes across the nation. The campaign targets all segments of our communities, including schools, city government, civic organizations, community groups, businesses, and other people who live, work and play in America. The goal is to show people how they can create fun, simple ways of working out, along with participating in stimulating activities at home, at the office, in a park or even in the wilderness. In addition, pet owners will learn innovative ways to get their pets in shape and on a healthy track with proper nutrition and sensible exercise.

Special guest appearances include: Bill Germanakos, the winner of the "Biggest Loser" (lecturing), Scott Mendelson (world renowned strongman who will bench press over 900 pounds), Renowned Doctors, Fitness Experts, Holistic Practitioners, Pro Athletes, Bodybuilding Champions, and Celebrities from the entertainment industry.

Health organizations who have already joined forces for the Shape Up America 30 City Tour include: The American Diabetes Association, The Alzheimer's Association, The National Fibromygalia Association, The Liver Foundation, The American Red Cross, The National MS Society, The American Heart Association, and The American Cancer Society.

For additional information on Shape Up America, Operation Fitness or the event launching in Los Angeles, please call 800.933.8633 or visit http://www.operationfitness.com

HANY RAMBOD & KIM ODDO
PRESENT
Championship Series Seminar

http://www.theippa.org/home.html

The International Physique Professionals Association is the only fitness organization dedicated to promoting the science and application of improving physical appearance by integrating scientific research and practical applications of exercise science and sports nutrition. We are the educational authority on Physique Enhancement.

http://www.theippa.org/home.html

The IPPA
If you are looking for better ways to achieve the look you want, then you have found the right place. The International Physique Professionals Association is proud to say that we care how you look and know that you do too. What's new for 2010? You are! You have the chance to take that step either by yourself or with a trainer, to look and feel your best. Whether you are a Physique Competitor, Personal Trainer, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Fitness Professional or just someone who wants to look better, the IPPA can help you achieve your goals faster. Check out our web pages and start your new year right by getting that lean, hard, great looking body you always wanted.

http://www.theippa.org/certification.html

Become a CPS
Attaining the CPS distinction sets you apart from other trainers. It is proof that you know how to get your client's where they want to go. No other certification even mentions physique, let alone discusses it in detail and provides a solution for how to look and feel your best. We embrace physique and give you the tools to help your clients look and feel their best. We know our clients want to look good and so do yours. Becoming a Certified Physique Specialist (CPS) is perfect for any trainer looking for a way to get ahead in this ever expanding profession. It will help you and your clients achieve what they truly wantâ?¦a fantastic physique!

Don't Miss the Exam and Workshops at the Arnold. http://www.strengthpro.com/.

Physique Enhancement Workshop
Have you ever wondered how to get the â??hard bodyâ?? you see in all of the magazines? Or are you already a physique athlete, tired of the extreme low calorie diets and endless cardio sessions to get the look you want? If so, the Physique Enhancement Workshop is definitely your answer! Whether you are looking to step on stage and compete or you just want to be lean and tone in a bathing suit, at the end of the day we are all training for the same reason â?? to look better! Improving your physique and achieving the right â??lookâ?? doesnâ??t happen by accident; a combination of the correct nutritional strategies and exercise program are required to optimize the training response and achieve the look youâ??ve always wanted. In this two-day workshop you will learn basic principles of diet and energy metabolism, muscle physiology, anatomy, and kinesiology; and how to apply science to practice to develop the perfect program to help you or your client achieve a hard core body. Our experts have discovered the key to creating the perfect physique using both real-world application and scientific research to back it up. This is not just a â??how to get in better shapeâ?? training session, but a how -to guide explaining which exercises you need and how to perform them to address specific weaknesses, bring out those tight lines, and shed that fat. If you are already a physique sport athlete, you know that it is more than just a competition; it's a way of life that begins far before you step on stage and will last long after. Along with those hard contest prep weeks comes many myths and misguided training principles. We will show you how to control and enjoy life while still looking great. All aspects of contest preparation will be discussed. From off-season hypertrophy phases to dieting-down and peaking strategies for show day, prepping for a modeling job, or just looking great for the beach. But if you have no desire to compete, donâ??t worry, this workshop will help you get that beach bod or just look better in your jeans! No matter who you are, or what your fitness goals are, you know that the mirror is all powerful. Itâ??s time to build that perfect physique and this workshop will help you do it. [ http://www.theippa.org/workshops.html ]

For more Information on The International Physique Professionals Association go to http://www.theippa.org/home.html

or

Contact
The IPPA
7322 S. Rainbow Blvd. #195
Las Vegas, NV 89139
Call:702-871-8100
800-255-1017
Email: mailto:info@theippa.org

The 2009 Gaspari Mustang Giveaway is over. Zachery S. of Salt Lake City, UT was this year's GRAND PRIZE WINNER and took home $20,000 as his winnings.

Here is what Zachery had to say once he got the phone call telling him he had won. "Thank you Gaspari, bodybuilding.com, strobe marketing and everyone involved. I just got the call from Joe Volgey. AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! My bucket has over 100K miles on it. Its time for an upgrade!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Here is a photo of the very happy Zachery with his check and a ton of great Gaspari Products!

http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/Slimshifty/

Check out the contest thread here:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=113902811.

Hey New Guy: Bodybuilding Advice for the Beginner in all of Us
Tough Love

Admit it?you love to hear you look good.
Its validation, isn?t it? I mean, you put hours?years?of your life into the gym, or on the stage; always working, always translating, that image of your best self in your mind, striving to force it into reality.

You never quite get there, though?in your head, your traps should peak a little higher, and there?s always that phantom inch you?ve been chasing, always just slightly out of reach.

So you love it when your girl, your neighbor, your buddy--or your buddy?s girl?notices the strides you?ve been making, the gains you have achieved. It feels good; even if you?re not the bodybuilder you?re aiming to be, you?re solid enough to impress those around you.

The problem is, sooner or later, if enough people tell you that you look good, you believe them.

Don?t get me wrong?positive reinforcement is crucial to the bodybuilder?s (admittedly fragile) ego. We need to hear we?re making progress, that we?re jacked, solid, lean?whatever.
The danger, however, comes when we begin listening to those around us?and using their perceptions of us as barometers of our progress.

Maybe you begin to figure you?re already there?where you desire to be, physically?and maybe you take it easy the next time ?shoulder day? rolls around.

After all, Debbie-in-accounting said you looked huge at last week?s company barbecue. And Debbie-in-accounting is never wrong.

See, I believe we need to not measure up to the image of our ?perfect? selves. It?s the proverbial carrot-on-a-string dangled in front of us, driving us ever-onward, even when well-wishers and supporters have assured us the race is over.

It?s fire, really?something deep down and innate and wholly personal.

It?s fire that forced you to get off your ass and pick up a dumbbell in the first place; it?s fire that makes you dust off those training trunks every time since.

It?s essential, that drive?that vision of what we could be, if we ignore the
?You?re already huge?
Or
?You?re so lean?
Or
The myriad of comments meant to validate our progress, yes, but invariably dull the need we have to push harder.

After all, if you?re
?Already huge?
now,
just wait ?till they get a load of you come contest season.

It's Thanksgiving and you know what that means: food, family, friends and Sexy Pilgrims?

It's Thanksgiving and you know what that means: food, family, friends and sexy pilgrims. Check out Muscle Milk's foray into the world of branded entertainment with the world's first Thanksgiving R&B slow jam at http://www.sexypilgrim.com.

The video stars Tenacious D member JR Reed and tells the story of the pilgrim who never made it into the history books. Enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

You're Welcome.

http://www.hardbody.com/news/2009/11/09/is-quinoa-better-for-you-than-rice-or-potatoes/
From: Isaac Hinds

The Diet Doctor on http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/quinoa/nutrition/131 web site was asked, ?I went to a restaurant last night and with my chicken breast came a grain called quinoa on the side. The waitress said it?s supposed to be much better for you than rice or potatoes. Is that true? And if so, is this something I should be cooking at home??

Great question but you might be wondering what the heck is quinoa?

The Diet Doctor explains?

Although it looks like a grain, quinoa is actually a seed of the goosefoot plant, and is a relative of spinach. It has been cultivated in the Andes Mountains for thousands of years. Because it is physically similar to grains and can be ground into flour, it?s often called a pseudocereal. Quinoa is a far better choice than just about any whole grain you can name. The main reason for this is because most grains are not complete proteins.

Read the full answer and explanation on http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/quinoa/nutrition/131, it?s an interesting read. Do any of you use quinoa in your diets?

I?m 16, and I?m a bodybuilder: My Outlook
By: Kevin M. Manz

Part 1
You work out on a day to day basis, you look in the mirror on an hourly basis, and you eat in predetermined intervals, because the ultimate goal to look like a bodybuilder is your paramount objective. Everyone, of course at varying degrees, has been fostered to endure this type of lifestyle or have simply chosen to do it on their own. If you pull yourself out of this lifestyle momentarily, and look back on the skills gained, the lessons learned and the knowledge acquired, you will undoubtedly say it was all worth it. Although you don?t flee the threshold of the gym anxiously awaiting an inch on your bicep that night, each session is very rewarding. Psychologically, emotionally and physiologically, every grueling second spent in the gym is worthwhile. For people of all ages, of all body compositions, of all genders and even of all ethnicities, I will offer you the countless benefits of such an exhilarating sport and what I, a 16 year old devoted trainee, have acquired having been ?around the horn?.

The Philosophical Viewpoint of Bodybuilding: Why do you play this game?

Every sport requires the utmost diligence, determination and devotion, but what really sets bodybuilding aloof from the others? Is it the central focus around barbells and rusty old plates? Probably not. Having competed in a bodybuilding competition, participating in an extremely stringent diet and coping with unnecessary stress, I can tell you it?s not because I get to grasp a 100 lb dumbbell. People seldom put themselves under unwarranted bodily stress if they don?t have to. In reality, people devote their life to bodybuilding because they either a) are unhappy with their current body image b) strive to embody the typical ?jacked? guy in the gym c) need to improve strength, endurance or stature for a sport or d) simply feel insecure for whatever reason. Of course there are definitely other reasons looming around out there, but these are the most frequent based on my short experience.

Now, before I go any further, most of you reading this are probably discrediting any insight from a 16 year old because you think ?Hey, what does this kid know? He?s 16!? However, I can assure you, being a high school student, exposed to a myriad of different insecurities, most of what I have encountered I am sure you have as well.

Taking the reasons I?ve mentioned into retrospect, I think most of you can extract one of the reasons and relate them to themselves. I know I can. But why are these insecurities so commonplace? Why does the vast majority, once the new yea rolls around, sign up for a gym membership? To me, the answer is quite lucid; the population is forced to conform under the public depiction of ?normal?. In America, a manicured and beautifully sculpted body is extolled and held in high esteem. However, when one deviates from what is considered ?normal?, a sense of inferiority sinks in. Insecurity, in my opinion, is the seed of bodybuilder where every beginner starts out. Eventually they flourish and become fixed on the sport as if it?s their incessant passion; their lifestyle. From here, people learn, grow (both metaphorically and physically) and develop a new and very different outlook in life. An outlook one never would expect to emerge.

Skills You Will Gain: What makes this sport so special?

Delving a bit into my past experiences with the sport, there are countless skills, elements and tools gained from being a bodybuilding enthusiast. First, if you have not endured the brutality of a diet, the monotony of a workout schedule, or experimented with the complexity of supplements, then I?m not sure you can relate. However, I?m sure you can imagine what each of these things would be like. Sustaining yourself off of bland chicken breast for two months because seasoning contains sodium is definitely not the pinnacle of the sport. What is the pinnacle of the sport, however, is the mental ability to stick with an excruciating diet and looking back at the end and saying: ?I did that!?

Devotion. Dieting is not fun, but learning to stick with something no matter how mentally dull it is, is a life-changing skill. Being a high school student, engulfed in the immaturity my school exudes, I can tell you, for fact, that most people can NOT stick to a diet regimen for any length of time. In fact, I?m sure it is the same everywhere; for adults, for athletes, for everyone. The capability to stay motivated and devoted is a skill gained from bodybuilding that applies to almost any practical situation. The training facet of the sport is just as mentally taxing as the dieting. Lifting, although some enjoy it, is typically a very stressful thing to do on a daily basis. I believe it could even be considered the culprit for most of the unused gym memberships lingering around out there. Bodybuilding, it takes devotion. It takes motivation. If you don?t have it yet, you will after playing the field for awhile. I guarantee you.

Persistence. Throughout the sport, most will encounter a somewhat immoveable wall which we call a ?plateau?. This term means that your improvements, your endeavoring goals, everything, comes to an abrupt halt. Not only are these sudden ?flat lines? unbearably frustrating, but they strip you of all motivation to go back to the gym. Think about it, you aren?t improving, so why go? Why put in the effort? That?s the mentality most people tend to develop. What those people forget, though, is that these ?plateaus? can be easily broken with the proper tactics. There are various methods to even avoid potential plateaus, which include: changing one?s workout routine, differentiating one?s diet (adjusting macronutrient breakdowns), swapping exercises, and even taking a break. The mindset of a trainee must be to carefully asses the current issue, to be persistent, and to not become flustered and quit. Giving up obviously serves as a temporary problem solver; but in the long run, one will lament such a hasty decision. If you can emblazon the simple phrase ?never give up? in your head, you will, without a shadow of a doubt, succeed in bodybuilding and acquire the skill of persistence!

Analytics. During a diet, during the strenuous road to a ?newer you?, there will almost always be a problem. However, unlike a multiple choice problem administrated in school, this one lies dormant somewhere, and you need to go find it. There are many aspects to a training and diet regimen: sets, reps, specific exercises, splits, rest intervals, macronutrient breakdowns, caloric expenditure, hydration, sodium intake, supplement timing, and the list goes on. When one becomes fully assimilated into sport, you gain the ability to look within and analyze the potential reasons for whatever went wrong. This skill, however, is not one you?re intuitively blessed with from your mother?s womb; it is one that takes years to achieve. Analyzing your entire bodybuilding regimen will enhance and sharpen your skills to analyze external factors and practical data.

[ /RelatedContentBlog/2009/11/04/i%e2%80%99m-16-and-i%e2%80%99m-a-bodybuilder-part-2/ ]

I?m 16, and I?m a bodybuilder: My Outlook
By: Kevin M. Manz

Read part 1 /RelatedContentBlog/2009/11/04/i%e2%80%99m-16-and-i%e2%80%99m-a-bodybuilder/.

Part 2

Empirical Lessons Learned Through Experience: Kevin Manz

The sport of bodybuilding has been given a seemingly distorted reputation that I feel needs to be accurately addressed and substantiated. First off, if you were to arbitrarily ask someone on the street what he/she felt the true definition of a bodybuilder was, chances are, you would be unpleasantly surprised. People often tend to keep a superficial speculation on the idea of the sport without really thinking outside the box. They think hulky guys (or girls), overwhelming veins, an obtrusive physical structure -- completely unnatural looking oddities -- are the sport in a nutshell. What people tend to miss, however, are the small components that give bodybuilding its unique authenticity. Certainly not every bodybuilder casts a shadow the size of Michael Strahan and in most cases, people fall very short from that generalization. The sport is about much more than size, mass, and so on; it?s about having an adequate proportion of mass with aesthetically pleasing definition to complement. An imbalance in either of these elements could have a severe impact on your overall physique as well as your endeavor to emulate what the typical bodybuilder looks like.

? For example, on my competition day of OCB?s Eastern Seaboard States, I weighed in at a meager 125 lbs at 4% body fat. I was surrounded by a crowd of older guys who weighed a good 40-70 lbs heavier than me and carried a physique almost double the size of mine. Although a situation like this seems rather discouraging and casts a negative light of infirmity onto my image, it did precisely the opposite. Because I was clearly the smaller dog in the fight, I channeled my focus and began analyzing everyone from a judge?s standpoint. As I surveyed people backstage, I realized that I could potentially overcome the sheer brawn of the bigger contestants. I realized that most of them, although abounding in mass, simply lacked the definition and keenness that corresponds with their size. They were imbalanced -- an aura in bodybuilding that is the linchpin to a person?s overall performance. Those few co-competitors clearly neglected the importance of the pre-contest diet which manifested itself during the award ceremony. The larger guys, putting their massive hull aside, generally placed lower than well-condition guys like?. me!

Unfortunately, some people as they are going through the contest preparation process fail to efface the ?all bodybuilders are huge? misconception from their mindset. As a result, they are forced to swallow the depressive reality that quality, in all shapes and forms, trounces on quantity. Although having a large musculature factors heavily into the bodybuilding equation, it is obviously not the only factor. In fact, trimming away excess fat and tightening muscle bellies via sodium manipulation to develop the chiseled ?look?, is the detrimental factor to one?s success.

As a bodybuilding website and a bodybuilding forum, factions of different people have different theories and approaches to succeed and get ahead of the game. Scientific claims buttress ones theory while converse evidence discredits another. However, I believe we can all come to a terse equation to polish the key elements of a successful bodybuilder:

Bodybuilding? Get Involved! Persistent Work Triumphs!

In the brevity of this article, I have mentioned some of the desirable characteristics that are confined within each and every individual. Although some opt or simply do not exude an aura of devotion, determination or persistence, or just don?t have a hobby to project those skills on, there is always a stepping stone where one can slowly become more involved. I certainly did not spontaneously grasp a barbell and label myself a bodybuilder. It?s a gradual assimilation process that each individual slowly needs to gravitate towards in order to attain a level of comfort before pursuing. However, when one completes the transition from an aspiring fitness enthusiast to a bodybuilder, a previous lifestyle decays as a new one emerges. Devotion, persistence, analytics, the whole nine, becomes the key components in life rather than a honed skill to stabilize motivation. Every aspect of bodybuilding, from the daunting hour of training to the post workout meal, stimulates the best within everyone to surface. Everyone has the capability to narrow their scope and go head first towards their objective, but bodybuilding casts a different light onto accomplishment. It?s your body that is the beneficiary. Your hard work and your will to succeed is manifested onto your body to be carried and flaunted around with you everywhere you go. People will invariably notice as you walk down the street that your body has flourished and evolved. Converting a limp and unwieldy body into something desirable and extolled by literally everyone is going to take some getting used to, but you will adapt. As you are getting ready for work, while mentally scrutinizing your body image as you try on different shirts and pants, a feeling of accomplishment will seep in. A feeling and sensation that is truly incomparable to anything else you have ever imagined.

This is what makes bodybuilding unparalleled to any other sport, hobby or pastime out there. Its authenticity is truly unbeatable.

?Think of yourself as on the threshold of unparalleled success. A whole clear, glorious life lies before you. Achieve! Achieve!?
- Andrew Carnegie

Steps to Blast your way towards Muscle Gain
By: Christian Bonanno

Step # 1: Limited Amount of Energy

It is highly recommended that you train using high intensity for a period of approximately 20 - 30 minutes. This is so because scientists have discovered that the energy the blood contains as sugars starts to deplete after about 20 minutes. One has to be tricky enough to cheat the body by using this fact. Do as much intensive training as possible during a 30 minute period. The exercises should be repeated until failure to maximise muscle growth.

Step # 2: Training Frequency

Everybody needs to rest, especially when one needs to bulk up. Whilst you're sleeping, the body gets energy and heals itself from the training. Lack of rest may result in one losing muscle tissue instead of gaining it. Sleep at least 8 hours a day.

Step # 3: Food Intake

If you are skinny and would like to bulk up, one of the most important things one must not forget to do is eating. When one starts to train, the body will need more carbohydrates, protein and fat. The foods chosen must be high quality food which bulk you up (meat, beans, egg whites, rice...) not food which only get you fat (sweets, food high in sugar).

I am going to give you a simple example, excerpted from one of Vince DelMonte?s newsletters. If you only have a budget of $100,000 you cannot build a house worth $150,000. The same applies to the amount of food one has to eat. One can't gain muscle weight by eating low quality food.

Step # 4: Amount of cardio

People, sometimes argue about the fact that cardio is only needed when one needs to get slim. This, however, is a very common mistake. Cardio is important even when you are bulking up. The amount of cardio needs to be looked after.

The advantages of cardio are various:
i) Cardio makes your heart stronger. Your heart is vital to be strong if you are going to have a big, muscular body.
ii) Cardio increases your lung capacity, thus your training sessions will start to get easier for you.
iii) Cardio decreases your amount of stress.
iv) Cardio improves blood circulation throughout one's body.
v) Cardio increases bone density.
vi) Cardio increases you metabolism.

If you are trying to bulk up, I recommend you to do 20 minutes of cardio three times a week. This won't burn too much calories and you will still benefit from the above advantages.

Step # 5: Heavy Weights - High Repetitions

When one trains using light weights, the body itself thinks that it doesn?t need to build any extra muscle because the weight used to train is already light for the muscle. Thus when using light weights, the body will start to burn body fat instead of build muscle.

In order to build muscle, one has to use heavy weights and the repetitions should be set high (about 6 ? 12 repetitions each set).

You must keep in mind that throughout every session, your body must get approximately 5% better than the previous session. This might obviously involve in you doing any of the following:
i) Lifting heavier weights
ii) Doing more repetitions
iii) Doing more sets
iv) Doing your workout in less time than the previous session

Step # 6: Water is the driver of Nature ? Leonardo da Vinci

As Leonardo da Vinci said, water is the driver of nature. Water also needs to drive your body, which is itself part of nature. After every workout, sweat comes out, which means that water is leaving your own body. This water must then be replaced by other water. I recommend you to try and drink 3 ? 4 litres of water daily, especially whilst you are training and on hot days.

Step # 7: Intensity Cycling

Step # 8: Setting Goals and being Patient

Do you want to look like a bodybuilder from the Golden Era of Bodybuilding? Do you want to start looking like Greek gods? Set your goal to one specific bodybuilder (for example Charles Atlas). When you have set your goals, be patient and train consistently. If you feel exhausted or don?t feel in the mood of training, ask yourself the following question: ?If my goal bodybuilder were me, would he have missed the training session??. You will obviously answer ?no?, and get on with the training. You must also be patient all the time. There was never a bodybuilder who woke up as a skinny or as a fat guy, and by the time he was going to bed he was looking just like a bodybuilder would.

The above tips are there to guide you on your way to become a professional bodybuilder. The myths below include the ideas which many people have about bodybuilding and which were the downfalls for those people who in the past tried to become athletes but because they were influenced by other people, turned out to grow up into too thin or too fat people.

Bodybuilding Myths

Myth # 1: Feel the burning effect in your muscles if you want to build muscle

This is absolutely NOT TRUE. When you feel a burning sensation in the muscles, it doesn?t mean that you are building more muscle. The burning sensation is simply felt when lactic acid is released in the muscle tissue whilst exercising.

Myth # 2: Pumping up to increase more muscle

It is true that when you feel good when you make a good post-workout pump. However, it is not true that the more pumped a workout is, the more effective the workout is.

Myth # 3: The more you work out, the more you will grow

Some people think that the more they train, the more muscle they will gain fast. This myth, is the downfall of most people who tried to become professionals in a very few time. Training more than normal, leads for the body to get over trained. When a body part is worked out properly, the muscle is said to take 5 ? 10 days to heal completely.

Myth # 4: Considerable amount of sit-ups will result in you getting a fat-free tummy.

When you need to decrease belly fat, you will not remove the fat by doing sit-ups and crunches. By doing these exercises, you will be strengthening your belly muscles (which is still important, in other aspects) not burning fat.

Fat, first starts to get burned from the latest food intake. Example, your body will first burn your last few meals. Secondly, your body starts to burn the fat which has been in your body for the least time, and finally the body will start to burn your fat which has been in your body most. Normally, your belly is the first which starts to get fat, therefore you have to get rid of the other body fat before. To do this, you have to do cardio training sessions like cycling, fast walking, running, and rope skipping.

Myth # 5: Having large muscles, will make your muscles tighter and decrease your flexibility.

This lie has been going on since the 1930s. The ?muscle-bound lie? was invented by companies which were selling isometric exercise programs. These companies? goal was to convince people not to do any exercises which concern barbells. This lie was invented simply because it wasn?t practical to send barbells by mail.

Myth # 6: If the pros do it, so should I

You can?t compare your body with that of a professional bodybuilder. If you are training drug-free, your body can?t heal itself as fast as the bodybuilders?. Another concept is that their body is supported with more muscle to lift the heavy weights than the amount of muscle that you have.

Myth # 7: The best way to build muscles is to keep them guessing

This bodybuilding philosophy comes from people who don?t know the muscle growth process. Muscles do not respond with growth just by performing another type of exercise. Muscles only understand the concept of pushing, pulling, extending, and contracting. They will not start to grow larger if instead of lifting iron weights you start to lift bags of sand, if they obviously weigh the same.

Myth # 8: You have to train more than three times a week using weights if you want to gain muscle

It is true that most steroid-assisted bodybuilders train daily using weights; however we people who don?t take any steroids aren?t doing anything wrong if we train three times a week using weights. You will still gain loads of muscle if you work until failure on each set and each repetition in your routine. Remember that you should think quality not quantity. The only problem one might find is keeping fat-free on this training routine. Therefore, one had to keep himself stricter as to what food he should eat.

Myth # 9: Weightlifting equipment should be used in order to stimulate the most muscle gain

Scientific research has shown that most of today?s exercise machines lack the proper eccentric component of an exercise that?s necessary to stimulate muscle tissue to grow. For reference, you may read the article ?Research Confirms that Bodybuilders Should Pay Heavy Attention to Negative Rips? written by Bill Phillips on page 18 of the February/March issue of MM2K. To date, the most effective means of resistance exercises ever invented are those using free weights like dumbbells and barbells. These exercises include the dead lift, the shoulder press, the bench press, and the squat.

The Strongest 8 Year Old I?ve Ever Met ?Super? Sam Bish
By: Matt Weik

Let me just start off with a visual for you all. Imagine yourself as a parent (some of you already are). Now imagine having a perfect life, with a perfect spouse, and 3 beautiful children. One day your child comes to you and mentioned that his knee hurts. What do many parents do? They look at it, brush it off and say ?you?ll be ok kiddo?. But what if they aren?t? What if the reality of the situation was that something was actually wrong with your child? He keeps coming back to you, expressing that his knee just keeps hurting. Yet you don?t see anything wrong with it. There are no apparent cuts or bruises that you can see. Again you tell him everything will be ok. But what if it?s not? Days, weeks, maybe even months go by and still no change in your son. You finally take him to see the doctor. The doctor doesn?t see anything but refers them to go get the knee scanned to make sure there?s nothing wrong with the knee itself. You leave the office with hope that it could just be nothing, but still curious why he keeps saying it is bothering him. The knee gets scanned and you?re waiting for the results. The doctor calls you in and asks for you to please sit down. You begin to get nervous and you can feel the hairs on the back of your neck start standing up and tingling. ?Your son has cancer? comes out of the doctors mouth. Your heart stops and you feel empty, like someone has just ripped your heart straight out of your chest. What do you do? You start to question what you did wrong. Why this could be happening to your child. What will happen? What?s the next step? How is this going to change everyone?s life? Emotions run wild. You calm yourself down and pay attention to what the doctor says next, and the necessary steps that follow to give your child the best chance of beating this.

The scary thing is this can happen. And it does. Unfortunately for the most part it is something we cannot control. I had the privilege to meet a young boy named ?Super? Sam Bish. No ?Super? isn?t really part of his real name but this little boy in himself is an incredible human being. Sam is an eight year old little boy with two younger sisters. He will be turning 9 on January 25. He attends French Run Elementary School in Reynoldsburg, OH. His cancer was diagnosed on August 10, 2009. This mass began in his knee in a form called Osteosarcoma (stage 4)?a type of bone cancer. The cancer is in his right knee and has spread to both of his lungs. Most of the time when it moves to the lungs there will be tumors found in the single digits?not the case for Sam. Doctors have counted tumors ?in the teens? on his lungs. A few days after being diagnosed Sam went to the hospital where an aggressive form of chemotherapy was started to fight the rapidly growing cancer. A Chemo-port was placed in Sam?s chest where all his treatments are administered.

I sat down with Sam along with my good friend Courtney Hodges. She was the first one who told me about Sam and that he would love for me to come visit him. I asked if Courtney would take us to see him. We pulled up to the Bish?s home. It looked like any other normal home, only difference was inside lay a boy who could no longer enjoy being free and running around outside. Most of his day is spent on the sofa or taking a nap in his mothers bed?which to Sam was the most comfortable bed on the planet. I sat down with Sam, we took him some presents to open and also took some goodies for his little sisters as well. He is a good big brother to them and genuinely cares for them. We walked into the family room where Sam was sitting, awaiting our arrival. He greeted us with the biggest smile. Next thing we knew we had him, his two sisters, mom, dad, and dog all in the same room sharing stories and just enjoying everyone?s company. Sam told us that when he grows up he wants to either be a police officer or a cook. From what I was told, he makes the best eggs. Sam was full of energy and said that he was having a good day and that he wasn?t in pain. Like most people who are treated with chemotherapy, he lost his hair. To him this was devastating. It wasn?t until he realized that his idol, Daughtry had a shaved head, which he thought it was pretty cool to look like his idol. Sam?s smile could light up the room and his energy could be bottled up and used as a weight loss pill and sold to millions. He loves chocolate chip cookies, anything Star Wars, video games on his Wii, Batman, Hulk, Ironman, movies, and reading books. He wanted me to stay forever and play video games with him, which next time I?m in town I?ll have to let him show me how it?s done and kick my butt at Wii. But since his chemo began, he started noticing some changes. His taste was changing and foods he once loved he couldn?t even swallow anymore. Smells?he could pick up on smells that no one else could pick up on (some of which bothered him). He now walks with crutches and isn?t allowed to do anything weight barring on it. When he uses his crutches he is to have his leg in a brace. He and his family have a tough decision to make now. Do they have a surgery done that allows him to keep his leg but have it unusable after the surgery, or do they have it amputated and have a prosthetic replace his leg? This is a decision that is going to take some hard thought. Even then he isn?t out of the woods as the cancer in his lungs is the next task at hand. The bills are high and very overwhelming. Already at the age of eight, Sam has already maxed out his insurance and the family is scrambling to pay off his medical bills. There have been donations given and every little bit helps. Meals have been prepared for the family and people across the US have stepped up to help if they were able. I hope everyone continues to pray for Sam Bish as he is one of the strongest and coolest little boys I have ever met. If you could meet him without a doubt you would leave there with a new friend. I hope you also pray for the family, to help them stay strong during this difficult time. I want Sam to grow up and reach all his goals in life and live life to the fullest. We all deserve a chance, and that?s all we want when helping Sam. Give him a chance to beat this cancer and live.

I want you to all think for a minute. What is campaigned all across the US in the month of October? Breast Cancer Awareness. But did anyone every stop to realize that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month? Most people never even heard of it. This is another case where unless it happens to you or someone you know, it simply doesn?t apply and you don?t think about it. I for one am one of those people. I never knew about Childhood Cancer Awareness in the month of September. My question to everyone is (and maybe someone has a legitimate answer for me) why don?t more people know about this? We all know when breast cancer awareness month is, why isn?t there a huge campaign for the children in the month of September? THIS IS OUR FUTURE! These kids are what will make up this world when we are gone. Who is protecting them and giving them a chance and bringing up awareness to all of us Americans? It is truly sad that this campaign does not get more attention. I?m not downplaying any other campaign, just looking to shed some light on something that is not apparent to most.

Here are some extremely scary facts for you to think about:

? 1 in 300 kids have a chance of being diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20
? Cancer is the #1 killer of kids under the age of 20
? Cancer kills more kids every year than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, asthma, and AIDS combined
? The 75% survival rate has not improved significantly in nearly two decades
? You can count the number of newly approved treatments on one hand
? Each day 40,000 children undergo treatment as they struggle to beat this disease
? Pediatric cancers are different than adult cancers and require specialized treatments
? More focus is needed on childhood cancer survivors as they transition from pediatric to young adult care and are faced with a 60% chance of developing secondary cancers, major organ damage, developmental problems and/or infertility from ?the cure?
? Childhood cancer research is vastly and consistently underfunded
? The National Cancer Institute?s (NCI) federal budget was $4.6 billion?of that money breast cancer received 12%, prostate cancer received 7%, and all 12 major groups of pediatric cancers combined received less than 3%

I wanted to share this story and facts with all of you. Put yourself in this family?s shoes. If you can help out and touch just one person in your life, please do it. Not only does it feel amazing and rewarding, but it helps give hope to those who need it most. We all take life for granted. At any point our life story can change, and you might not have the pen to write the final chapter. Please supply the ink for all these children, Sam included. Help them write their own story. Don?t let the chain of love end with you?

Beware of What You might Be Currently Drinking!

Would you purposely take a ?Corn Syrup Solids? capsule? How about a nice ?Fructose? shake to kick start the lean mass gain and fat loss process? Unfortunately, this is what many bodybuilders unknowingly do. We drink our MRP and assume that it is for the best, but in reality, it could be doing more harm than good. With fat promoting maltodextrin and other cheap, filler carbohydrates, we are left with subpar results, a flabby waist and even worse, these cheap but tasty ingredients can also lead to bad health issues. What kind of ?health? supplement is this?

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Fiber
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