Nutrition

Dare To Try Something Drastic

admin — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:16:23 -0400

I have a challenge for you that is going to dramatically improve your training and elevate your mood in just a week.

It's no secret that water is good for you. Making up the majority of your body, it is required to keep things working smoothly. It cleanses and eliminates waste. It hydrates and keeps your cells and organs working at optimum efficiency.

Trainers and nutritionists since the dawn of time have been telling you to drink 8 glasses a day, yet I guarantee nearly 90% of you don't drink near enough water. Instead, you quench your thirst with fruit juice, pop, and beer. All of those contain water - so what's the big deal - you're still getting your water intake - right?

Sugar is a sweet poison. It has absolutely no dietary benefit and takes the place of good nutrients. Every time you eat 100 calories of sugar, that is 100 calories less of something that can build muscle or promote fat burning that you can put in your body. Even worse, 100 calories of sugar is sooooo incredibly easy to put in your mouth, whereas 100 calories of something better for you, isn't.

It amazes me everytime I go out to a friendly dinner or get together, the amount of dessert that shows up. It is unbelievable and like some wierd contest where the more outrageously sweet the dessert, the better. Desserts just taste so damn good, that the thought of not gorging yourself on them, is unbearable.

Well, for any of you wondering how to create a meal plan that will promote your training, and help you achieve your fitness goals, I want to challenge you to do two things for the next week:

1. Stop eating sugar. Cold turkey - eat NOTHING with sugar in it. Doing this will naturally force you to seek out healthier foods - whole grains and so on. (I'll get to refined white flour in another challenge).

2. Drink nothing but water. I won't even tell you to drink your 8 glasses a day, but when you are thirsty, go to the kitchen tap and fill a glass of water or pull out a bottle of water. Water and only water -- no juice, no beverages, no coffee, no nothing. The only exception is milk and even then, only about a glass a day or on your cereal.

Doing just these two things is a huge step forward in your nutritional lifestyle. Eliminating the sugar will make your body work less hard to get rid of it and increasing your water intake without the limiting factor of the sugar will make it so much more efficient. Picture the cleansing water going through every part of your body pulling out all the waste and flushing it down the toilet.

Some are going to say this isn't practical - that completely eliminating sugar and the "good tasting foods" is just going to make you binge harder on those foods later. To all of you, I say -- take some responsibility for your actions. What you put in your mouth is up to you - it's a choice everytime you pick up that doughnut or piece of cake. If that's what you want to do, then fine, admit it and move on, but don't blame your choice on anything other than your choice to eat that sugary goodness.

Do these two things for a week and then make a note of how you feel. You may even want to check your weight or body fat percentage and see what difference a week can make. I would also encourage everyone to come back to this post in a week and leave your comments - how did this make you feel?

Hey Fatty - How Long is it Going to Take You to Lose 10lbs?

admin — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 13:32:25 -0500

There is nothing magical about weight loss. As I've pointed out in the boxing nutrition part of the site, it all comes down to the number of calories you put in your mouth - the number you burn off in day. If it is a negative number (caloric deficit), you lose weight. If it is a positive number (caloric surplus), you put on weight.

So, if you're fat and not liking it, then you know what you have to do - burn calories or prevent them from entering your body in the first place. I think that has been made more than abundantly clear...

How long will it take to lose your bulge?
Photo by Juan Shot

But, how long do you have to wait to start seeing results?

It's actually pretty simple. 1 lb of bodyfat is approximately 3500 calories. So, the quicker you create a deficit of 3500 calories, the quicker you are going to lose a pound.

Let me walk you through it...

Say I am 165lbs and have a bodyfat percentage of 25%.

1. How much of me is fat? Take your total weight and multiple it by your bodyfat percentage:

165lbs X .25 = 41.25lbs of fat.

2. Figure out how much fat you really want to lose. Remember that 3% is absolutely essential for survival and you will live a miserable existence trying to reach that number. For a really ripped look on a man, 7% will do just fine. So take your total weight and multiple it by your ideal bodyfat percentage:

165lbs X .07 = 11.56lbs

3. Figure out how much fat you actually need to lose. Subtract your ideal level of fat from your current.

41.25lbs - 11.56lbs = 29.69lbs

In this case I want to lose 29.69lbs of fat.

4. How many calories is 29.69lbs of fat? Well if one lb is 3500 calories - multiple 29.69lbs x 3500:

29.69 x 3500 = 103,915 calories that you need to lose.

5. Figure out how long that is going to take. To do this you need to know what sort of caloric deficit you have created. Using the boxing nutrition calculators, I've determined that I need to eat 2700 calories a day in order to maintain my current weight. If I stay that course, I likely won't quickly lose any weight. I can do two things: eat less, or exercise more to create the caloric deficit. I suggest doing a bit of both. So, I drop my calories to 2500 and do an extra 30 minutes of cardio in the day to burn 500 more calories giving me a caloric deficit of:

(2700 calories - 2500 calories) + 500 calories = 700 calories

6. Figure out how many days it takes you to lose one pound. If 3500 calories equals one pound, how many days will it take to burn an extra 3500 calories?

3500 calories / 700 calories = 5 days for 1 lb of weight loss.

7. Figure out total days required for your goal. Therefore, how long will it take me to lose the 29.69lbs?

29.69lbs X 5 days/lb = 148.45 days or approximately 5 months.

In reality, as you train you will increase in muscle size and your metabolism will increase as well which will further add to your caloric deficit and speed up the weight loss.

And, finally, here is a calculator that can figure all of that out for you. I didn't present it first, as now you have a good idea of how this calculation is made. Knowledge is power, so if you understand the process, you understand hwo to accelerate or decelerate the weight loss.

So how long is going to take you to reach your ideal level of bodyfat? Leave a comment and let us know.

What to Do When Cheating Leads to Guilt

admin — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:44:39 -0500

Did you honestly think you could stick to your training plan or eat perfectly 100% of the time?

My Situation...

I'm currently sitting in a hotel as I write this. I started a new macrocycle just over three weeks ago and have diligently followed my meal plan for the same period of time. However, I am now in this hotel for a week on business. I have no access to cooking facilities or food preparation. I have a very limited fitness facility. I have to attend social functions and eat in restaurants and pubs. How hard do you think it is going to be for me to stick to my meal plan and training program?

Training wise, I have modified my program to suit what I have available - resistance bands I brought with me and the equipment the hotel does have. Although full boxing workouts are going to be on hold until I get back, I know I am going to be able to continue training.

Guilt: Serves You Right
Picture by Rob!

Food is a different beast. I am at the whim of what I can cobble together off a menu in the local pub - or else starve to death. Starving does bad things to the metabolism and will actually hurt my progress, so I attempt to eat as healthy as I can - but only three times a day vs the six times I'm used to. Meetings, activities, and lack of ability to prep foods are preventing the other three. I admit it, I've cheated on my program. Tonight I had a big juicy burger and fries. Burgers and fries are not on my meal plan.

Lessons Identified...

Now, if you're like me, you've now found yourself in a position where you've cheated and are feeling a little guilty. Especially if you made a serious committment to yourself to follow through with your training. You probably feel like you've let yourself, and maybe others down. That you aren't good enough, strong enough, dedicated enough, or committed enough to succeed. If only you had been a little more prepared and motivated to plan for the unexpected. The guilt is gnawing away at you bit by bit and tempts you to quit altogether or rationalizes cheating some more.

Honestly ask yourself if you are okay with missing that training or eating that piece of cake? If you are, I'd question the level of committment you made in starting your training in the firstplace, or you've mastered your guilt. If you aren't, what you are feeling is normal - that feeling of letting yourself down. How you use these feelings in the next few minutes is going to seriously alter your future training gains.

Guilt will affect you in one of two ways:

Guilt will give you a reason to quit. This is extremely dangerous. If you catch yourself thinking like this you need to immediately get on How to Box and look at your progress reports (hopefully you've been doing them , or visualize how far you have come in such a short period of time. Remember back to the day when you couldn't figure out how to wrap your hands or throw a proper jab; remember when you couldn't last more than thirty seconds on the heavy bag or hold your hands up for an entire round. And now, visualize where you are. See the progress you have made and realize that it doesn't matter if you cheated. You may have spent 21 days getting to where you are - one missed workout or piece of cake is not going to put you back to day one. It doesn't work like that. You didn't just wake up one day fat and overweight, so don't trick yourself into thinking you are doomed to failure. In the long term, as long as you are "in the right" 51% of the time, you are going to succeed. 90% will make you succeed even faster...

Guilt will give you a reason to succeed. This is extremely advantageous. Capitalize on your feelings of anger and resentment towards yourself. Channel it into your training and do it as soon as you can - like right now. If you find yourself angry at yourself for cheating, you can use that to fuel an even more intense desire to train harder and push yourself to never cheat again. Hold on to these thoughts and embed them, so the next time you are tempted you can recall this memory and relive it. To do this, you have to remember every detail of how you are feeling now and burn it into your mind. Now think of a codeword and associate your feelings with that codeword. If you do this right, the next time you are in a situation where you are tempted to break your training plan or eat something not on your mealplan - just think the codeword. If the association is strong enough, your mind will play back the feelings and make you relive your guilt. This could be enough to stop you from making the same mistake.

Time to Learn the Lesson now Identified...

One thing you have to realize is that nobody sticks to their training plan and meal plans 100% of the time. Everyone is guilty at one time or another of cheating. I believe this is true, even of the top competitors in every field. However, those people who cheat less are the same people who become champions in their chosen area of competition. Those who cheat and let the guilt consume them until they quit continue to live their mediocre lives.

You have no reason to feel guilty for cheating. If you have been training hard and following your meal plans, then consider the cheating a reward for all the hard work you have done. Congratulate yourself and let yourself enjoy your predicament -- experience it and then move on. Just remember a reward is only a reward if it is given following a period of hard training. If you cheat everyday, you've fallen completely off track and need to reassess your situation.

I'm not going to tell you to stop feeling guilty because it isn't something normal people can control. If you could, you'd be a sociopath. But when the conditions are right, and you do cheat, use the guilt to your advantage and rejoice in it. You've earned it.

To Whey or Not to Whey - Protein is the Question

admin — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 15:19:22 -0500

There are some people who lump protein supplements in with the rest of the supplement industry - as just another money grabbing product you don't really need sold by snakeoil salesmen. While I completely disagree based on personal experience and study, I feel it is important to present both sides of the story in an objective manner as possible so you can make up your own mind. All of the arguments for and against will be supported with published articles from sources such as the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which are available online if you wish to research further.

I am not going to differentiate between the various types of whey, soy, and other protein supplements, but rather establish the case for and against protein supplementation altogether.

The basic premise of the arguments against protein supplementation revolves around the belief that the human body does not require protein supplementation - that all protein required can be derived from regular foods obtained from eating a balanced diet. Those against protein supplementation believe it is a fallacy that more intense training demands an increase in protein consumption.

How Much Protein Does the Body Really Need?

This is highly debated. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (0.8g/kg/d). Some bodybuilders will balloon this figure up to 2.0g/lb/day (4.4g/kg/day) prior to competitions. (Tom Venuto, Fitness Renaissance). In short, there is no definitive resource or study that has concluded with 100% certainty that in all cases for all persons, you should be consuming XXXg of protein per day. The following studies do exist though:

Effect of resistance training and high protein diets - assessed the influence of dietary protein intake on resistance training induced changes in systemic glucose tolerance andthe contents of skeletal muscle insulin signaling proteins inhealthy older persons. It concluded "that older personswho consume adequate or moderately high amounts (150% of RDA 1.2g/kg/day) of dietary proteincan use resistance training to improve body composition, oral glucose tolerance,and skeletal muscle."

Effect of isometric exercises on body potassium and dietary protein requirements of young men - The changes in nitrogen balance and body weight observedin this investigation support the concept that protein requirements varywith energy intakes. Conversely, they suggest that energy requirements areinfluenced by the level of protein intake. The study found that a level of 0.5g/kg/day was insufficient and that 1g/kg/day seemed sufficient.

Short term protein intake and stimulation of protein synthesis in stunted children with cystic fibrosis - While not directly related to athletic training this study did show a correlation between high doses of protein and improvement of whole body protein synthesis. It concluded "In stunted children with CF requiring tube feeding,the highest stimulation of whole-body protein synthesis wasachieved with a short-term dietary protein intake of 5 g/kg/day".

Protein Metabolism during intensive physical training for the young adult - In this study, although the men didincrease body protein stores and muscle mass with high protein diets, theadditional body protein did not enhance physiological work performance. Itis suggested that in this study 100 g of protein/day was adequate for menperforming fairly heavy work.

Protein Supplements and Exercise - This study concluded that there is strong theoretical basis to expect a beneficial effect for activley training persons taking a protein supplement, especially if it contains the right mix and balance of amino acids. However, no experiments have currently taken place to test this theory. 1.5 - 2.0g/kg/day was tested in this study.

As one can see, there are many studies promoting all sorts of daily requirements. Bodybuilders will swear by the upper end of the spectrum not only because they believe the additional protein helps them build muscle, but also because it helps them burn fat. The process of using protein is metabolically costly, meaning it requires more energy which speeds up metabolism. There is a study to support this theory:

Long term effects of a long term high protein weight loss diet - Concluded - "A reported higher protein intake appears to confersome weight-loss benefit. Cardiovascular disease risk factors,biomarkers of disease, and serum vitamins and minerals improvedwith no differences between groups."

This seems to level off after about six months though, so even bodybuilders will only spike their protein levels upwards of 40% of daily intake while removing some carbs from their diets in pre-contest phases in order to induce gluconeogenesis - which speeds up metabolism - using excess energy to burn the additional protein.

I came across two studies which found protein supplementation or nutritional specialization based on athletic requirements to be a futile endeavour:

Eating for Health and Athletic Performance - This paper suggests that there is no difference between the nutritional requirements of athletes and the rest of us with due awareness of increased caloric needs in some sports. Good nutrition for athletes should be based on sound understanding of energy metabolism, nutrient content of foods, and special needs of athletes.

Effect of a Protein Dietary Supplement on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy - In this study, thirtyy male medical college students were placed on a programof progressive resistance exercise. Half of the subjects weregiven a commercial protein dietary supplement, the other halfa placebo. At the end of six weeks of training there were nosignificant differences between the two groups insofar as changesin body weight, arm volume, upper arm girth or strength wereconcerned.

Googling high protein diets will yield thousands of articles - some for and some against protein supplementation. What is clearly evident is that discussion and testing has and continues to occur around protein supplementation and each new article, study or test is picking an average daily consumption somewhere between the RDA of 0.8g/kg/day and 4.4g/kg/day (in extreme cases prior to bodybuilding competitions).

There you go. Look over everything you can find on whether protein supplementation is useful or not. Check out all of the theoretical models and controlled studies and then make up your mind for yourself whether you should consider protein supplementation as a convenient and useful source of protein.

And now my less than objective comments...

Every study and every experiment means absolutely nothing unless you perform it on yourself. There is a reason bodybuilders use protein supplements and high protein diets prior to competitions -- because they work. Look at them and deny that. Even those that aren't juiced on steroids move to a high protein, lower carb diet prior to competition in order to burn fat and cause changes in their metabolisms that will give them that "ripped" look on stage.

There is no definitive study that concludes 100% for or against protein supplementation. We simply do not know, so the argument for and against can go on forever. That said, we are all humans and we do basically know how these macronutrients affect metabolism and energy processes in the body. Thus, we have a start state. In the boxing nutrition part of this site, I recommend a diet consisting of 30% protein, 55% carbs and 15% fat to get you lean and mean. This is your start state. From there, it is up to you to tweak and refine because --newsflash--we are all different. Different weights, sizes, makeups, moods, stresses, likes and dislikes.

To do this you need to know what you are eating, and it's nutrient makeup. That is where online meal planning software can help simplify the process. If you truly want to tweak your diet, then I strongly suggest you consider using some method of tracking and then making small changes to assess results.

Protein Powder: Put Down That Chicken Breast!

admin — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:53:31 -0500

First, let's establish why you may want to consider consuming a protein powder.

If you are a healthy, adult male, are happy with your weight, and engage in moderate to high physical activity such as boxing 3-4 times a week you need about 2600-2700 calories a day. In accordance with the nutritional principles I mention elsewhere on this site, at times, up to 40% of that should be protein which equals about 285g of protein a day.

Take a look at the following table:

Source	Protein
Chicken breast (2.8oz)	26g
Tuna (3oz)	24g
Egg - 1 whole	6g
Milk - 1%, 1 cup	8g
Lean Beef - 2.5oz	22g
Lentils - 1 cup	16g
Red Kidney Beans - 1 cup	15g
Bread - 1 slice	2g
Rice - 1 cup	4g
Pasta - 1 cup	4g
Oatmeal - 1 cup	13g

So, to consume 285g of protein a day, you would have to eat something like 4 chicken breasts, 7 cans of tuna, 48 eggs, 36 cups of milk -- get my drift. Not only would this be near impossible for you to do on a consistent basis, but think of the cost. I bought 2 chicken breasts for $7 yesterday. That's $14/day or $98 a week just on chicken. That doesn't take into account all the carbs and fats you need to consume as well.

Thus, protein powders were born in order to make the consumption of the required levels of protein easier to do. You don't have to rely entirely on your food to provide you with the optimal levels - you can mix a drink and cut down what you have to eat by at least half. Now a days, they even taste good. It wasn't so long ago, that is was almost preferable to try and eat the protein rather than stomach a protein shake -- now it has gotten tremendously better.

You are doing yourself a huge disservice if you are going to train hard and not consume the recommended amount of protein. Your body needs that protein in order to repair itself. Protein powders provide you with an easy method of doing this.

Until recently, I used a protein powder I could find at my local grocery store. It was made from whey and the cost was right - about $24 for a 2lb bucket. It had 24g of protein per 35g serving (approx 2 scoops). I thought the price was pretty good until I came across Optimum 100% Whey Protein- Bodybuilding.com's #1 Supplement and Protein Powder, 3 straight years It's cost is significantly lower, about $21 for 2lbs even when I include a $30 shipping charge to get it to Canada and it provides a much higher quality protein.

You see, protein powders are not all created equal and the Optimum product above blends the best of all of them. There are two types of protein powders: isolates and concentrates.

Isolate

Isolates are about 90% pure protein and are more expensive than their counterpart - concentrates. They generally taste better than concentrates and can be made in three ways:

Ion-exchanged - This is the standard method of isolate creation, but the process removes beneficial peptides. These peptides include lactoferrin, alpha lactalbumin, immunoglobins, beta lactoglobin and so on. These peptides are active biological agents that can be effective for things like weight loss, other health and muscle building properties. Even when they are present, as is the case in concentrates, they are present in minute quantities - a benefit, but not a show stopper by any means.

Micro/Nanofiltration - This has the best of both worlds, keeping the peptides intact but also filtering down to an isolate. What you end up with is a protein powder that is very low in impurities while providing the health benefits, those little peptides can provide.

Hydrolized - The most expensive of the protein powders as it adds another step to the filtration process. Basically, they take micro/nanofiltered protein and break the protein down even further. This allows it to be absorbed and utilized by the body extremely quickly. However, it has been stripped of all biological activity - no active little peptides and their beneficial health effects. Great for a post workout shake when your muscles need it the most.

Concentrates

Protein powders made from concentrates tend to be about 80% pure protein. Generally not as good tasting and uncomfortable for those who are lactose intolerant, concentrates main benefit is their cost and the fact that they maintain a complete biological profile - meaning all those peptides mentioned earlier are present and active.

There is an ongoing debate over the quality of whey protein vs soy protein. Whey protein powders are the most widely accepted, but soy rears its head every once in a while. There are hardcore bodybuilders and athletes on both sides of the debate. I'll try and break it down for you in simple terms next, but personally I recommend going with Optimum 100% Whey Protein.

Supplements for Boxing Nutrition

admin — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 12:52:56 -0500

For the record, I believe the vast majority of nutritional supplements on the market are a rip off. The benefits they say they can provide are often exaggerated, they aren't regulated by any type of food authority and are a giant waste of money. If you are following a common sense nutritional program, you don't need supplementation -- except in two cases.

For boxers and other athletes, there are two supplements that can be beneficial. They are a protein supplement such as whey or soy protein powder and creatine monohydrate. In the following pages, I'll break them both down for you, because quite frankly, you can find hundreds of variations from hundreds of companies for each, claiming their protein powder or creatine is the most pure, best there is.

But first I want to clue you into what's the matter with the majority of nutritional supplements.

1. The nutritional supplementation industry is absolutely HUGE business.

It makes an estimated $50 billion dollars a year, preying on the hopes, dreams, emotions, and health of people trying to improve their physiques and lead healthy and fulfilling lifestyles. In the neverending quest for money, manufacturers and companies continually bring the latest and greatest nutritional supplements to market - whether they work or not.

2. Nutritional supplements are not regulated.

The FDA does not determine if a supplement is good to go. They investigate issues after something goes wrong. Under DSHEA (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994) it is up to the manufacturers to determine if their product is safe and effective. The manufacturer is to conduct research to determine a product's effectiveness. The manufacturer makes obscene amounts of money of these products. Anyone see a problem with this? The only time the FDA gets involved before a product goes to market is if a "new" dietary ingredient has been introduced into the product. Even then, there is some discretion as there is no definitive definition of what defines a new dietary ingredient.

In short, the manufacturer of the product regulates itself. If that manufacturer is not 100% committed to its customer, it can cut corners in search of profits. Let's face it, companies are companies -- they exist to make money. In the end if it's the companies bottom line or our health, which do you really think they are going to choose? Athletes have to be careful too - lack of regulation means companies can pretty much throw whatever they want into it. It is not inconceivable that a supplement could contain banned substances. Supplement companies are required to label their products with their contents, but again -- they regulate themselves. I even know of supplements claiming to be natural steroids - it's ludicrous.

3. Nutritional supplement ads target our insecurities.

I get it -- these are ads and they are meant to sell the product, but false promises and deceptive marketing techniques are not acceptable. Claims of weight loss, muscle gain, or other health benefits appeal to a person's self image. That is a powerful marketing ploy. It appeals to one's emotions and preys on hopes and dreams. Under the law, all supplements have to carry the disclaimer "This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease." How many of you read the fine print? How many of you care what you read when you see that picture of the perfect body - male or female on the label and promises of a quick fix?

Still not convinced? The Federal Trade Commission has brought over 100 claims to court over false and misleading advertising practices in the last 10 years and that is only a drop in the bucket of the number that could have been pursued.

4. Nutritional supplement testimonials are not necessarily true.

Again, companies stage these things to "prove" how their products work. Take a look at before pictures. For multi-billion dollar companies, their photography department does a worse job than my 7 year old can do with a standard digital camera. The lighting sucks, the model is often slouched over, limp, and generally disgusted with life. The after picture, on the other hand is professionally done, well posed, lighted, and as such offers a huge contrast. The FTC investigated a number of these weight loss claims and testimonials and found that more than 10% of them had claims of weight loss or weight gain that were extremely unlikely if not entirely impossible.

5. Nutritional supplements are bloody expensive.

Unless you can be absolutely and completely assured that the supplement works, then you may as well just throw your money in the garbage (or better yet, please send it to me :) It's addicting. I know people that can't afford to pay their rent, but they will spend $150 a month on ripped fuel or some other bogus supplement when all they really need is a decent meal plan and a training plan to experience ten times the results the supplement claims to give.

Now that I've ranted about what is wrong with nutritional supplements, I do believe there are two that warrant some consideration as I mentioned above. A protein supplement is absolutely essential for any serious athlete while creatine monohydrate is a nice to have that can increase performance. Read on to find out why they should be a staple part of your nutritional regime.

How to Get a Six Pack

admin — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 17:57:14 -0500

How do I get a six pack has got to be one of the top questions asked on How to Box - so here is the answer...

You have probably noticed a lot of boxers with unbelievably ripped abs and you want a set too. Their six packs are literally bursting out there for all to see.

Boxers, like bodybuilders, are masters at cutting fat off their body. They need the absolute maximum amount of muscle they can get and still remain in a certain weight class. That means there is no room for fat on their bodies. That plus the punishment of being hit in the stomach repeatedly means boxers have really nice six packs (abs of steel).

I've got good news for you. You already have a six pack. If you didn't your stomach and guts would fall out all over the place. Take your fingers and push on your stomach. Feel the resistance? Your abs are in there somewhere and you were born with them. They are naturally formed into that six pack (actually eight pack) you want so bad.

Now, the bad news. The only way to expose your six pack is to remove the layer of fat that is suffocating them. That is where boxing and more importantly - boxing nutrition can help you. In the next few pages I will teach you how to create meal plans and menus that will cause your body to eat up all that fat and expose your six pack. Doing 1000 crunches, 1000 situps or 1000 leg raises a day by itself is not going to give you a six pack -- eating right --> will.

I'm not saying exercise is not important. It speeds up fat removal, and ab exercises are important for shaping your six pack. But first you need grab all that fat, rip it off your stomach and expose your six pack so you can see what you are shaping. Unless you plan on cutting it off which I do not recommend :), you need to persuade your body to use the fat it has stored on your abs, your butt, your hips, or wherever else that last doughnut ended up.

A Word on Genetics

Your genes are going to have something to say about how quickly you get rid of the fat and show off your six pack. On the one hand you have those who are genetically advantaged. In the words of Tom Venuto, author of Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle,

Tom Venuto: Fat Burning Expert

Quote:

On the extreme right edge of the curve, you have the people who can eat chocolate and donuts all day long, they don't work out at all and they have "six-pack abs.” These are the “genetically gifted,” or as I affectionately call them, “the genetic freaks.”

On the other hand, are those people who are going to have to work really really hard and be really really patient to get their six pack to show. These people are the genetically disadvantaged. In the middle is everyone else - the vast majority - who are going to get their six pack by following an exercise routine and nutrition principles on a consistent basis.

Notice that eventually nearly everyone will show off a nice set of six pack abs if they are consistent for long enough. There is only a very small percentage (<1%) of people who are beyond hope. Chances are you are not one of them - so don't blame your inability to follow an exercise program or limit what you put in your mouth on genetics.

So, How Do You Get A Six Pack?

Let me make this really easy for you:

1. Start the 12 week boxing training program or some type of consistent exercise program.

2. Read the entire boxing nutrition book on How to Box and use the information to put together a meal plan that burns the fat and builds the muscle. If that seems hard to you, consider a meal planning solution.

The pages that follow explain boxing nutrition in general, but the principles, if applied are literally going to transform your body. You will lean how to control your weight so that you can box in whatever weight division you want and a nice side effect of that will be that your six pack will become more and more visible as the days go on. Stick to it and you too can have a six pack.

7 Proven Ways to Increase Your Energy Levels

admin — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 16:34:12 -0500

Wouldn't it be nice if there were little things you could do right now that would result in huge increases in your energy level and the motivation you have?

Wouldn't it be great if there were was some magic pill that you could take that would keep you on track with your training and ensure that 365 days of the year, 24 hours a day you are totally focused on becoming the best boxer you can possibly be?

Well, I'm not aware of any magic pill, but by implementing the following recommendations into your life, you can use the energy you do have a whole lot more efficiently and will notice the benefit. I'm not going to cover the eat right and exercise lines - by now I'm hoping that you understand those as givens. Instead:

1. Chew your food at least 30 times. The human body has a finite amount of energy that is divided up among the major processes in your body. Your brain requires between 20-25% of your resting metabolic rate (RMR). It is going to get less of that energy if it is tied up in other processes like digestion, and digestion is a huge user of energy. By chewing your food more, you make it more easily digestible and free up energy that would otherwise need.

2. Drink more water. How much water depends on the person and how much exercising you are doing. But the key is to ensure you are not dehydrated. Dehydration will sap your energy.

Having to pound back 8 glasses of water a day is a myth. In reality, it could be more or less, but start with 1/2 glass or glass every hour. The key is to make it regular. If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

With increased water consumption, you will deplete your electrolytes. To combat, don't go out and buy Gatorade, but instead throw a pinch of sea salt into every gallon of water and you'll get more than enough.

3. Sleep in the dark. Human sleep cycles are regulated by light. Sleeping with lights on, during the day or with night lights will decrease the secretion of melatonin. Melatonin is required to induce sleep cycles, so the decrease will mean diminished sleep, less restful sleep and eventually sleep deprivation. That all leads to less energy.

4. Treat sleep as part of your training schedule. The first thing to go when we get busy is usually sleep. It is seen as a waste of time. If you are sleeping, you aren't training, you aren't getting better, or you aren't out having fun. But, if you are serious about your training, your energy levels are going to be regulated by the amount of sleep you get.

The amount you require is different for everyone. Generally speaking if you aren't nodding off during the day, falling asleep as soon as you hit the pillow and can wake up without an alarm clock, then you are getting enough shuteye. That could mean 5 hours for one person and 9 for another - it depends on you.

5. Get the crap out of your head. Anxiety, sluggishness, and a general feeling of overwhelmingness (is that a word?) are the results of stress in your life. Stress will mess you up and slow you down. If your brain is constantly wasting its energy on worrying and sorting through the mess in your head, that is energy that is not aimed to more productive things.

So, get it out, write it down or start using some type of system to get all of the tasks out of your head so you can focus on things that really matter. Focusing your energy will lead to less wasted energy which in turn will feel like more energy.

If you simplify your life, you will immediately notice the benefits. Take stock and get rid of the crap.

6. Do something. No matter what it is, do something. Ever notice how little kids seem to have endless amounts of energy. They run all day and then fight when it is time to go to bed. It's because they are doing something. They have engaged their mind and their bodies and that affects their metabolism. Their metabolism is running at full throttle.

As we get older, sitting in front of the TV starts to get more appealing. When you sleep, the first stages of the sleep cycle slow your body down, decreasing your core temperature, and shutting down your muscles. The same thing happens when you relax in front of the tube. Your body gets the signal to shut down. Instead, fuel your energy levels by doing something and that will lead to more somethings until eventually you'll be the envy of everyone because of all the somethings you can do in a day.

7. Get rid of the idiots in your life. If you have bad relationships or friends that you seem to be constantly at odds with, then maybe you shouldn't be friends or have relationships with these people. The stress these people cause you increase your cortisol levels (a direct result of stress) that causes your body to use its energy to fight the stress meaning energy is unavailable for use elsewhere.

A better option is to hire the idiots as sparring partners - then you kill two birds with one stone -- you get the chance to fight the idiots and you are exercising at the same time.

Remember, that the amount of energy you have directly affects your focus, concentration, and intensity of your training. Any small improvements you can make in these areas will be beneficial in your overall boxing and fitness preparations.

Current Weight		lbs
Bodyfat		%
Total Fat		lbs
Ideal Bodyfat		%
Total Fat to Lose		lbs
Total Calories to Lose		calories
Daily Caloric Deficit		calories
Days to Lose the Fat		days
Months to Lose the Fat		months