Lookin' fit I'd say. Good post.

Great picture! You don't look as funny as you think. Physical fitness is important to everyone and you look in great shape.

If you have some time and interest in day trading, please visit my site at http://day-online-trading.com

Cheers and good luck.

Impressive, but, can it work for the average guy in the street?

Yep, definitely…most of us are just average. I don't have any special physical attributes like a super high metabolism…and I don't live in the gym either.

You don't give yourself enough credit. The swimsuit looks great on you. If you threw on some dork shorts, along with the cigar and beer, you would just look like some creepy beach slob.

Thanks for making me LMAO!!!
Laughing is good for the abs too

Rusty, you look awesome… you're definitely an inspiration!
I'm only 21 but damn that encourages me to achieve lifetime fitness and relieves my fears that "everyone gets fat as they get older" SO not true!!!!

Keep up the great work, LOVE your site!

Hi! I am Rusty's sister and I just wanted you to know that Rusty really looks this good all year round. He is the fittest guy I know and manages to help other peolple get fit too. He has always been good at researching things and finding the very best of what he reads and has found a way to apply it to his life. I am really proud of him and would recommend that your visit his site and listen to his advice because he is a genuine guy who really lives what he teaches.

Sandy Jex

Sandy,

Hey…thanks for the surprise visit…you rock! Also…thanks for the compliment.I do my best to stay fit year round, because who wants to only look good during the summer.

Also…thanks for saying such nice stuff about me. You are an incredible sister (and very fit yourself I might add)!

Rusty

Thanks for coming by and commenting on FatBloggers. You have a great blog here… and the James Bond look suits you.

John,

I think your "fat bloggers" site has a great sense of humor while being helpful. I really enjoyed reading a bunch of the articles there.

Keep up the good work buddy!

Rusty

Hey Rusty,
You have the perfect frame [ectomorph] for lean muscle mass! I'm the same and half way through reading BFFM just an amazing book!
Eating 5-6 meals a day is a challenge but have noticed an amazing difference since cutting out sugar and processed foods etc.
Have you considered acting? lol
Keep up your great blog!
John

John,

I agree with you that Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle is an awesome book. I would say that it is THE Fitness book of this generation.

Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle

So you are doing the 5-6 meal a day thing? That definitely works as long as you are disciplined. For those of us who aren't there are alternatives.

There are WAY too many actors out there an not enough roles. I'l stick with writing!

Thanks for the comment!

Rusty

hey man i love how you keep this site interesting man! haha well i just went to the second sweetest site on the internet did some readings at ezine articles by author rusty moore and i say your 21 day vacation body article is awesome. I switching over to 1 to 2 meal plan a day during those 21 days. I read that i dont need to lift. I played college baseball last year so i think taking off lifting for 3 weeks will be ok. Im gonna try to to get to the brad pitt body 6 foot 170 pound from by the end of this . Which will mean losing 12 pounds in 3 weeks if thats possible. I was wondering if diet sodas were ok to drink and also did you have tips while you were on this beach body workouts?
Rusty your the man

Thomas,

It is certainly possible for someone to lose 12 pounds in 3 weeks.

That is great you play college baseball. I was a pitcher until the age of 14 but didn't play much after that(meaning that I have zero skills)…I can put some heat on the ball, but no accuracy whatsoever! I would beam the heck out of guys. If dodgeball was a professional sport, I would be the man…LOL!

I read so many different opinions about soda and diet soda. Tell you what…I'll do some heavy duty research on this and make this my post for today.

Note: I do drink diet soda quite often, so I know that you can maintain a low body fat percentage and lose weight by drinking diet soda. I'll expand upon this idea tonight.

Rusty

PS: The starting pitcher for the University of Washington was in my fraternity back in my college days. When it snowed outside and we got in snowball fights, he would crush people…seriously, he was like the Jesse James of snowball fights! I saw him blast a beer out of a guys' hands from at least 30 feet away. He was good!

Speaking of "skillz" I wish I would have had in college…

dude thats an awesome video haha i wish i was that talented too… I wanted to say i started today with the one to 2 meal thing and i have to say that i look more ripped when i am not constantly eating every 2 to 3 hours. I just think you look better when your on an empty stomach

I wanted to ask you for one of my meals if it would be ok to have a peanut butter protein powerbar

Thomas,

Yeah…just make sure your protein bar doesn't have too many calories. Anything under 300 would be fine. Also go for the ones with less carbs if possible. They now carry a huge variety of protein bar at places like 7-Eleven, AM PM, and any similar convenience store. I will occasionally snack on one if I get really hungry during the day and I'm away from home (better than eating fast food).

Rusty

Rusty

Ive been reading your article for two months now and I was doing everything except diet part . I was still get results but buy the 5 small meals. I started at 195 and on the six meal plan it took me 10 weeks to lose 10 pounds. Such a slow pace so i decieded to switch over to yours and it was last friday that i did protein shake/bar and apple for breakfeast and then id have chicken pitas at night . I went from 185 to 177 just like that eight pounds and i cant believe how i actually have energy to do my cardio now its and what the crazy thing use to always be wanting sweets and its like that urge is gone to eat anything like that. I got 3 or 4 lbs to go but its just amazazing that the infor your giving out man. Keep it up man

Hey rusty I ve lost 5 lbs so far i was wondering if i could notch my workouts to 3 days a week of 30 mins high intensity cardio and rotate lifting split. I was just wondering if i could results by just working out 3 days a week

I wanted ask you something. I lost 20 pounds and I just wanna stay where i am. I was having a protein shake and then a dinner . If i wanted to maintain the weight i am at would i gain weight if i went to three meals a day?

Edward,

That is incredible! What is funny is those last 8 pounds that you most recently lost are suppose to be harder to lose than those first 10 pounds that you lost.

You see…the closer to your goal you get, usually the slower you are going to lose weight…except if switch over to a superior diet plan. Looks like your body quickly switched from burning carbs for energy to now burning body fat for energy.

Awesome Stuff!

Rusty

Thomas,

If you don't workout as much, you just have to reduce your calories a bit. You can lose weight off of 3 workouts a week no problem as long as your diet is good.

Rusty

Donte,

Yeah…3 meals a day won't be a problem. I would still recommend to keep lunch a little lighter than most people recommend, but you can maintain off of 3 meals a day for sure.

You can actually lose weight off of 3 meals a day as well as long as you are getting in the gym 5 times a week. If you are getting in less than that, then 3 meals a day will maintain your weight.

The main thing to do is monitor your weight a bit…then reduce or increase the size of your meals accordingly.

Sweet job on losing 20 pounds! Very few people have what it takes to do that…you should feel good about that.

Rusty

Heyman i was reading one of your links from Trianing attitute nutrition. The title was called stop losing weight if you want to get lean. I was confused by this article and by doing this since i was only eating one meal will i gain all this fat that i had before.what about skinny fat? I wanted to know your take on this.

Donte,

Training Nutrition Attitude has a different approach to fitness. Both me and Gregg (the author) have the same background as far as experience goes…but I'm really focused more on the lean GQ/ Hollywood Actor and Actress look and he is more focused on muscle gain while being lean.

I do recommend his site, because some guys do want to be bigger and he has the best advice for that on the internet as far as I'm concerned. Like me he works hard to add new original content daily. Both of us have been readers of hundreds of fitness sites for years. He has written a few books and I'm working on my first couple as we speak. He will show you how to gain muscle while getting lean while being a bit bigger….I'll teach ya how to look "Hollywood".

Okay…so your question is a great one! You won't get "skinny fat" on the warrior diet, because after fasting your body becomes a bit anabolic….meaning that you will be less likely to gain fat. It is actually amazing how well this diet works.

Gregg's method works well too…it really depends upon which one feels better to you. I have never been able to get extremely lean eating 6 small meals…but it has worked great for others.

Rusty

Hey rusty love the site..I wanted to ask you a question though Ive been doing your diet for about 12 days straight no cheating at all just doing 2 meal a day GREAt RESULTS. When i was at my last diet i would eat 5 small meals a day six days week and on my 7th i was aloud a whole cheat day to eat anything and everything that i wanted and which i did basically a binge. I was wondering if i could still do that or would there negative side affects from this?
thanks luv ya site

Lisa,

I think that a binge day isn't bad every now and then. What you will find is that after a while on this diet, you won't even like to binge. Whenever I end up eating a bunch during the day, I get tired again and wonder why I ever ate this way.

That being said…I eat a ton during special Holidays, if I'm invited to a picnic, etc…Bottom line is that you have to live!!!!

Try scheduling a binge day each week and see how your body reacts. If you still get good results, then keep doing it. I think the main reason that the other diets allow binge days is that otherwise, you would never get to eat great tasting food. With this diet approach, you get to eat just about everything within reason.

Rusty

thanks rusty so even though i am only eating like 2 meals aday i wont gain a ton of weight back if i just have one of those each week ?

Lisa,

As long as you don't go completely overboard, I don't think it would hurt to do one of those a week. To be honest, however, you will lose weight a bit faster if you don't do that each week. You may want to try going for 3-4 weeks without one of those days at first and then throw that day in every week, when you are close to your target weight.

Rusty

rusty, you look incredible and are correct about most girls liking guys who are a normal size. Guys don't need to get big to look hot. There are some hot big guys, but most of the guys me and my friends are attracted to are normal-sized guys. Great site and funny stuff. You are hillarious BTW!

rusty i wanted to ask you about lifting and intensity… When i am lifting the 3 sets of 5 reps i was wondering should i keep trying to increase the weight and keep the same weight of weights? i wanna be toned not a body builder……… is ok to lift a different body part each day of week like sun chest mon back tue bicep wed tricep thurs shoulder

hey rusty what up I wanted to ask you about my ab workout and what you thought about it

leg raise 8 -12 reps superset by planks -2 times
crunches with weights super set by planks - 2 times

I was wondering does other people use weighted leg raises and crunches to get definition. what is thought on adding that or would you suggest losing the weighted exercise

your the man rusty

Larry,

As long as you have a really healthy lower back, that ab workout will be extremely effective. Just make you really are careful of any pains in your lower back.

I don't think you will needs weights for crunches or leg raises, just do the reps slower, squeeze the abs harder to increase intensity…then do the planks for a longer period of time.

I'm not a huge fan of crunches, because I think that they can eventually weaken the lower back. If you do decide to use crunches, maybe do them for 4 weeks on and two weeks off.

Hanging leg raises are fine…and you can do planks all the time.

How can I possibly be "the man" if you ARE the man…LOL!

Cheers,

Rusty

John,

As far as 3 sets of 5 reps goes. I like to chose a weight I could do 10 times for 5 reps, then a weight I could do 7-8 times and do that for 5 reps, then I pick a weight that I could only do 3-5 times and aim for 5 reps.

The only true work set is that one set. The other sets are just priming your muscles for that work set. The first time I do that heavy set, I may only get 3 reps…within a few workouts I will get 5. Once I get 5 reps with that heavy weight I make a mental note to go a little heavier next workout.

What happens is that strength gains will come on a regular basis, which really helps increase tone…but since the overall volume and work load is low, you will gain only a little mass…not an excessive amount.

I wouldn't recommend lifting a different body part each day of the week. Since you aren't damaging the muscles like a bodybuilder, you don't need as much rest in between working the same muscle group.

Read this post I made, when you get the chance:
Muscle Tone vs Muscle Mass Workout Routines

Great Questions!

Rusty

for the 3 meal approach would these be ok choices
break-cereal, begal, toasts, yougurut
lunch/dinner- grilled chicked sandwhich/ salad, pasta, turkey sandwhiches

would all of these be aloud to eat with going from 5 to 3 meal approach

Damon,

I think you would be okay, but I would avoid the bagels for breakfast. Maybe just once a week with cream cheese. The problem with bagels is that they are made with finely ground white flower, which actually shoots your blood sugar through the roof. The cream cheese can counteract this to a certain extent, but not always.

If you do eat toast, make sure it is with whole grain bread for this same reason…same with your sandwiches if possible. I'll do an article on white flower sometime in the future…it can make losing weight tough.

Cereal isn't a bad idea and yogurt is wonderful food. Everything else looks solid.

Rusty

I like jerrys diet i was wondering could you add a piece fruit to one of those items for each meal and it would be aloud

Damon-

Please becareful of which breakfast cereal you choose. Many are loaded with sugar. Check the nutrition label of your cereal for serving size and grams of sugar per serving.

If you can, eat oatmeal (old fashioned rolled oats) or steel cut oats. The glycemic index/load is much lower, thus it will keep your blood sugar lower and more stable.
This means less fat deposition due to lower insulin response and less appetite stimulation.

Old fashioned oats can be made in the microwave in about 3 mins.

High glycemic index/load foods deposit bodyfat quickly and stimulate your appetite within a couple of hours. This can send you on a blood sugar roller coaster ride.

A good rule to follow with food is:
The more humans have processed or altered the food,
the less healthy it is.

Examples:
processed sanwich meat is significantly less healthy than an unprocessed chicken breast
(in most cases, processed sandwich meat is made up of the left over parts of the animal and contains loads of salt and preservatives)

Whole oats are healthier than instant oats.

Eric,

I totally agree with you on the whole processed food issue. I avoid cereal because it seems to shoot my blood sugar through the roof no matter what type. I have better luck with oatmeal, but I don't even eat that in the morning anymore because I eat the majority of my calories after my workout at night.

I need to do an article on processed sandwich meat as well as white flower in a future article. Definitely two things I avoid for the most part.

Keep the helpful comments coming,

Rusty

Hey Rusty:
1. Your routine sounds logical, but how much time do you wait between sets…?
2. Do you recommend High Intensity Cardio to even a small guy (like myself)?

KaBOOM,

For lifting, I like to rest a decent amount of time in between sets. I'm trying to gain strength and usually do low reps, so I like to rest around 2 minutes between sets…but I will vary this over the course of a year.

I would recommend HIIT even if you are a smaller guy…I just would stick to around 15-20 minutes max, but make it a tough 15 minutes. This will boost your HGH which will help keep that body fat low. Eat a little more after your workout if you do need to gain a little size. I never recommend excessive muscle mass, but a little won't hurt if you are exceptionally slim.

Rusty

Hey rusty,

I am interested in building strength and speed.

I have been doing a lot of research over the last couple of days and come to the conclusions that gymnastics training seems to be amazing for strength, but seems to inhibit speed.

This particular article (http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/…training.html) was quite interesting, and I was just wondering if you could shed any info on how I could alternate workouts to get the best from strength and speed training.

Keep up the amazing work, your site is one of the best.

Alex,

I bookmarked that article. I wanted to do an article on gymnastics, but never got around to it…this article has a lot of great content that I can cross reference. Thanks buddy!

Here is my experience with speed training…I'll tell a quick story about how lifting slowed me down, and how I got that speed back.

Back in High School I was a long jumper and a pretty fast sprinter. My legs were about average sized, but well-toned. In my senior year I took a weight lifting class and within 3 months I was squatting 315 for reps. It was naturally a strong lift for me, so I spent a lot of time under a bar in the squat rack.

Fast forward to two years later…by the age of 20 I was squatting 405 rock-bottom squats for sets of 6. I am around 6'3" so this is pretty decent…I have a long way to get to the bottom and back up. What happened was my legs grew a bunch during this two year period.

The side effect of this growth? It slowed me down big-time! There is a reason that bodybuilders walk slowly. That excessive muscle is gets in the way. In junior high and high school I could dunk a basketball (even though I suck at the game). After I got bigger it was a serious effort to just touch the rim.

After many years of being bigger, I was tired of every physical activity taking so much effort. I wanted to get slim and ripped, but at an average size. It took me 2-3 years to actually lose a lot of that mass I built up (I know many young guys who can't imagine that somebody would purposely lose muscle mass, but you may understand if you put on 30-40 pounds of muscle to your frame…it drains you).

I haven't done a leg lift in over 7 years and just recently I am able to dunk a basketball again. I'm quick for a guy in his late 30's and I feel better than ever…I can also actually fit into cool jeans like Diesel, True Religion, Lucky Jeans, etc…

My advise of speed…train at the "speed of your sport". I am a huge believer in muscular efficiency as well. A good example of this…Bruce Lee was very small but extremely strong for his size. His punches were lightning fast because of this. Take a guy with the same strength level of Bruce Lee, but 30 pounds more muscle mass…he will most likely be slower than Bruce Lee…because his muscles aren't as efficient as Bruce Lee's.

If you really want to add speed, make sure you do interval training, because you will be training at "the speed of your sport" for at least part of that workout.

Rusty

NOTE: I know it is coming…people are going to point out fast NFL guys who have big legs. They have muscular efficiency as well…they just need to be that much stronger, since their leg mass is larger.

I'm glad you mentioned Bruce Lee, because I think he is an amazing athlete.

I suppose good interval training would involve pyramid type cardio, or even the tabata protocol?

Much much thanks,
Alex.

Hey Fabio!

Hehehe, funny picture but the wig rides kinda high or so it seems. It looks like it's placed behind your head, lol

Rusty,

I stumbled across your site by accident a few weeks ago looking for the Laird Hamilton training article. Been looking almost every day since. Just got to say your site is excellent! You combine solid factual information which obviously comes from experience, results, and good research, and all told with a great sense of humour!

You have made me rethink my whole philosophy of how I want to look (i'm 35) and I have realised how a lean, functional physique is far more attractive, healthy, and maintainable as a lifestyle than the muscle mass which many guys are aiming for. Thanks for your advice and entertaining articles, and get that book out there!

Steve,

Thanks for the compliments…The lean look is simply a better look, especially for a guy who is over 30. When the bigger guys get older they quickly develop a sloppy unhealthy look. If you are slim and lean, you can maintain a sharp and tight well into your senior years.

I also think that a slim, yet powerful body seems a bit more bad-ass. Elite military units don't put on mass for a reason, they are much more agile and deadly with slim bodies. A side benefit of being lighter is that you actually feel better as well…and can perform almost any activity more effectively than if you were excessively muscular.

Great comments,

Rusty

PS: Gotta do 3-6 more months of postings, then I'll know exactly what people want in my book. I've already learned a ton…for instance there is A LOT more interest in diet than I would have predicted.

In my opinion the natural state of the male physique is to be lean with a compact but dense muscle structure. Look at any of the (few remaining) tribes around the world such as Papua New Guinea or the Amazon. Those guys almost always have defined but compact muscularity, very low body fat, and have great cardiovascular stamina. Their lives are one constant workout due to the environment and the hunter gatherer requirements of speed, agility and explosive power. Diet obviously plays a major part in their physique. They get to shop locally sourced organic free range meat and vegetables every day, if they can catch it…

Obviously its much harder for us in our sedentary modern world to expose our bodies to the rigours and athletic tasks our bodies are designed for. Through performing frequent cardio workouts, outdoor pursuits such as cycling, hill walking etc and functional strength-orientated weight training we can get that bad-assed tribal warrior look our bodies are born for!

I'm going to put myself on a HIT style heavy weight, short rep weights cycle with the aim of building a stronger, denser, and more compact muscle structure. I need to do cardio every day, not three times a week, and get some variety in there. Like you said in another post, the body looks better for being exposed to a variety of exercises.

I think diet is going to be the hard one, weaning my complaining body off the excessive carbs… You should post up some tasty healthy recipes!

Steve,

I have a few recipes in a comment section of my blog. I'll do a recipe post soon.

Rusty

rusty i was reading your articles on ezine artcles and u wrote about your 21 days to a vacation body.. It said 20 mins out of 60 had to be high intensity.. Do u count low intensity as walking or peddling slow… Also i have one of the old bikes were the handles go back and forth as u peddle….could i just go lightly on that for a min and then peddle as fast as i could?
Thanks tim

Tim,

Yep..just alternate fast peddling for a period of time 30-60 seconds…alternated with slow peddling for a little bit longer period of time 60-90 seconds. If you are breathing hard, your skin is hot and a tiny bit red, and you are sweating…you achieved the desired result.

Rusty

rusty awesome site just found it and been reading it non stop maybe you could help me out and solve some issues i have. Right now i am a college student and have slimmed down alot I went from 190 to 171 it took me a while. I dont wanna look buff I wanna look toned like you. I am also about 6 0 feet tall I am doing the 5 meal and here it goes 1st oatmeal w/protein, 2nd protein shake, 3rd chicken steak or tuna with salad fourth protein bar 5th same as lunch. I eat 6 days a week clean as I can and then on one day a week such as saturday i can eat whatever I want. Which is like a binge day. I have a nutritionist which has worked. Eating five meals a day it seems like my weight is flucuating during the day which ive watched the last couple days just to see. I also feel like i am planning my whole day around eating which sucks. I was also wondering about some of your posts how it takes about 21 days for your body to get into starvation and what happens after those 21 days of getting into startvation? also what kind of foods are aloud that you eat ? what types of bread should you eat? are you aloud cereal(for lunch or dinner) and can you eat lunch sandwhiches like pb& j turkey, ham, also do u cheat all day or just couple meals??
I know this is alot i am sorry for asking so much questions but u look like your in shape and I like getting info from people that are

thanks rusty
Jerry

Jerry,

Thanks for the compliments. Just like you, I like to stay lean and I practice what I preach.

Okay…so I am going to suggest a few posts I wrote to say myself some time.

Questioning the Logic of Six Meals Per Day?
Skipping Meals Will Not Slow Your Metabolism!
Lose Fat by Eating One Meal Per Day

To be honest, just burn more calories than what you consume. It always works. If you ate nothing but junk food, but kept your calories low enough you would still lose weight. The problem is that you want to be healthy…plus your skin and appearance look better with healthy foods.

I basically eat one meal per day…In the morning I will have a piece of fruit as well as a fruit snack later in the day if I'm exceptionally hungry. For my one meal, I try to keep it healthy most of the time 5-6 nights per week…with the occasional pizza night or beer and nachos for Happy Hour with friends.

I try to not schedule cheat days, but they do happen. I will eat as much as I want on Holidays with family -or- If I go on vacation, etc. Sometimes I go weeks without a cheat day, but other times I have 2 cheat days in the same week. You have to live life and know when "to let your hair down" at times.

Hope that helps,

Rusty

PS: You can also do extremely well off 3 meals per day. Keep the first two meals small and eat things like bread at night.

Thats so interesting that you could lose weight by eating unhealthy thats so interesting? how is that possible

Ted,

You really can lose weight while eating unhealthy foods. It is simply a matter of burning more calories than what you eat each day. My sister lived off diet coke, tootsie rolls, and macaroni and cheese before she got married and lost weight on that diet. I don't recommend this type of eating for health reasons. Also junk foods are calorie dense, so too much puts you into a positive calorie balance and then you will gain weight.

Rusty

i wanted to ask u on your cheat days do u eat as much as u want or do u watch to make sure it is just one meal at night?

Thanks rusty

ive been doing the 5 meal thing and have gotten results. I am 2lbs away from my goal weight. Would u recommend getting to my goal weight before switching over to the 2-3 meal plan… Also u talk about low calorie meals…..how many calories is a low calorie meal and would pitas for lunch and dinner be ok and what about peanut butter sandwhichs with 100 percent whole wheat bread… I just wanna get off this high protein crap and not have to plan my day around food

Thanks
Thanks

Tim,

I have a big-time cheat day coming up…called "Thanksgiving". I'm going to eat as much of my Sister's, Aunt's, and Grandma's food as possible…Then I'm going to let the food settle and eat more!

I don't have many cheat days, but when I have a cheat day…I go for it. I don't want to do anything half-assed…LOL!

Rusty

Jason,

Yeah…I used to do the "eat 6 meals per day, with 30 grams of protein per meal" for years! I was a slave to insuring I got enough protein. This isn't a good quality of life!

To get lean…why don't you eat a small breakfast, small lunch about 4-6 hours before working out…then eat a healthy dinner. I would recommend going low calorie and low carb for lunch…and then eating bread and pitas and stuff for dinner after you workout. Your body will use those carbs after your workout…plus if you workout on an empty stomach and no carbs in your system, it will target that last little bit of body fat instead of using "food energy" from your lunch meal.

Hope that helps!

Rusty

ok rhanks sounds good i wanted to ask u if this diet would be ok
break- protein bar and apple
lunch- grilled chicken/steak w ranch dressing
dinner- chicken pitas, spaghetti, fedichini alfredo, tacos , pb sandwhich

Jason,

Yeah…that looks like a great plan. Believe it or not, it may take up to a month to lose those last 2 pounds. It depends upon how lean you are already. Those last 2-4 pounds are the toughest! I have no doubt you will get there.

Rusty

rusty
i know u havent talked about this but how do u get your veins to pop out of your forearms. What are the best exercises

Thanks happy turkey day

Jason,

After a few years of lifting your arms will get more vascular. Your veins will pop out once you get 2-3 years of solid lifting under your belt and you get to a low enough body fat percentage.

Another tip…don't use straps to help with your grip. If you want to speed up the process you could also do wrist curls and reverse wrist curls for 15-20 reps on the end of a bench with a light barbell.

Hope that helps!

Rusty

first of all, your incredibly hot hothot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

second i love your website. and third, i commend you for finally being an advocate of thin and healthy rather than forcing people to consider only "curvy" fat girls as attractive. keep it up.

Lorna,

Yeah…I don't know what this whole "curvy" craze is all about! Pure madness in my opinion! I'm a much bigger fan of the thinner healthier look…Jennifer Anniston, Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, (and any other slim girl name Jessica), etc.

As far as me being hot…"thanks"! I do my best. You love my website? It loves you back!

Cheers!

Rusty

Also Jessica Simpson lol

I noticed on Dave Olsen's site you were showcased for getting over 12,000 visitors in just a few months. I'm just starting out. Any advice?

Malton,

Yeah…I think I hit close to 20,000+ visitors per month by month 3 or 4. It is growing beyond that now. I'll e-mail you and we can discuss some strategies.

Rusty

Hmm…I really like your site, but i am kinda offended by lorna's comment and your reply to her as well. I will never be a size 2, my body is just not built like that. I am colombian and mexican and no matter how much time i spend in the gym or how little i eat my big ghetto booty is not gonna budge. I have thick thighs, a thick butt, and a little waist. I understand everyone has their own preference as far as body type is concerned and i see nothing wrong with that, but that doesn't mean you should talk down on a "curvy" body. It took me soo long to accept my body and seeing comments like that makes me feel as though i'll never be good enough. I don't hate on skinny girls, so please don't hate on us "curvy" girls.

Nathalie,

The LAST thing I want to do is make people feel bad when the read things on my website! To be honest, men love the typical Latino woman's build. I apologize for offending you, it certainly wasn't my goal. I want this to be a friendly place for people to talk about getting ultra-fit.

Sorry and I hope you continue to read…I appreciate that you brought this point up,

Rusty

Hello again, I have another question.

I know your site is all about getting a "lean" look, but do you think that ANYONE can achieve the said look. I mean I guess if your tall and not big-boned it might fit, but what if your short and stumpy? I'm probably medium sized I guess, the look would probably look good on me but can the same be said for naturally bigger people as well?

KK,

I suggest people get a natural lean and slim look in the context of their natural build. "The Rock" has a large frame and naturally has a decent amount of muscle mass, so does Terrell Owens of the Dallas Cowboys. In my opinion these guys are slim and toned for their build. That amount of muscle mass looks great on their frame, because they aren't focusing on building "excessive" muscle mass. The Rock used to be excessive, but he slimmed down and looks great! He has a large frame while someone like Brad Pitt has a much smaller frame, but they both manage to achieve a similar look.

[Women Love The Rock!]

Hope that helps!

Rusty

You're a trip! And you're right…just as people go to hair stylists who they think are attractive and have a good sense of style in hopes that will carry over to them…people need to have that confidence in the person they trust to coach them and inspire them in their fitness. You are REAL. And witty. Which makes reading the info you so graciously pass along that much better Thanks for all you do and keep it up!
Angel

Angel,

I embrace my full "corniness" on this site. I don't even know if that is a word. I decided 6 months ago to stop watching TV and work on helping people in my spare time. What is great is when readers help other readers or someone adds to a post. I'm having a blast building this site and really appreciate all of you guys! Keep on reading and commenting.

Cheers!

Rusty

This is fresh! I love your site Rusty. Not just the usual stuff and I'm feeling jacked up after seeing what a great bunch of folks you have here commenting and sharing thier opinions.

Great stuff…and great job on staying ripped while still going full throttle in Mexico!

Ray,

You are the first person to give me props for looking ripped after many nights of staying up late partying and eating the fattiest food ever. No doubt I looked way more defined 4 days earlier, but I didn't want to put up a photo of me at my best. If anything it is one of the "tackiest" pictures I have ever taken.

Yeah…Right now I have just over 100 posts and over 2,000 comments! I love these guys and girls…my blog seems to attract really positive and upbeat people. I'm extremely lucky in this regard.

I know you linked to your name in the comments, but I'll throw out a direct link right here. This is a highly visited page, so hopefully you will get visitors as result. Your site is focused on building muscle which isn't really the main focus here, but I love how you take potshots at the mainstream Bodybuilding magazines.

http://www.buildingbodies.ca/
(Great unique content for those of you who want to add a bit of muscle mass. He focuses on "natural" bodybuilding, which is what actually works if you aren't taking steroids. Hint: Roid users routines are much different than someone trying to go natural to build mass)

Hey Rusty,

I was wondering what your opinions are about intuitive eating. Basic idea is eat only when physically hungry and then stop when satisfied /full.(Very vague, i know). But i was thinking that when it comes to fitness should your body be able to tell you what it needs and when it needs it?

Bobby,

I can't listen to my body, because then I would be seriously overweight! I think it works for some people, but most people in the U.S. in particular eat whatever they crave and it leads to a serious weight problem.

When I do eat healthy foods, my body feels much much better…the problem is that I crave things that are terrible for me on a regular basis.

Rusty

I definitely understand what you mean. I tried to practice intuitive eating for the past 2 weeks. I managed to eat about 90% healthy foods. At the same time i was still in the back of my mind…..approximating calories….counting home many times i ate. I guess once you start watching what you eat, it is hard to be completely free. And most of the ppl advocating intuitive eating are actually overweight which is turn off. I just wanted to know your thoughts….thanks for the honesty.

What beach is that at?

That is Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Which is basically "the grown up" version of Cancun. Not as much of a crazy college scene, but with amazing night life, tons of locals and world travelers. I give it my highest recommendation!

Rusty

Hey Rusty, I read where you said to Ray last week that you didn't want to put up a picture of you at you're best. I would be interested to see a picture of you at you're best, before 4 nights of a crazy vacation! Cause you looked lean and ripped in that goofy picture up top! I know how disgusting I looked after my vacation last summer. So you must have really been ripped before you're vacation to still look that ripped 4 days later.
I think you should post one for sure!
Also, you're obviously in great shape now. Are you sure you weren't always one of those guys who has been ripped his whole life……just naturally built that way? Cause I def. know some guys like that. They are just ripped no matter what. Thanks Rusty, love the site!

Brad,

I don't take that many pictures in the summer with my shirt off, I'm too busy just enjoying my time outside. Maybe this summer I'll take a few snapshots.

I can't force myself to do the whole thing where I do 4-5 sets of push ups and get pumped for a picture like every other fitness guy does on his website. It is really, really easy to look outstanding for pictures if the lighting is right and you are perfectly carbed up, etc. I just want to be different.

I'm not a guy who is naturally ripped. I am about average. My whole family tree is made up of people who looked "skinny fat" until the age of 30 and then put on weight like crazy from that point on. I chose a different path at a young age and refused to get fat. I was told all my life that it is just in our family genes to get overweight once we reach our 30's. I refused to accept that as my reality!

I am working on a free "vacation prep" ebook. I have learned some things that allow you to look great for the majority of your vacation. I think this will be a really popular ebook that will spread quickly around the internet.

Thanks for the compliments,

Rusty

Rusty,

I just wanted to tell you that today I was eating my salad and my friends (they are not fat, but they should keep their clothes on) were eating pizza. Because I have been losing body fat, they confronted me about it. When I told them that I was simply trying to get into better shape for a marathon (I am an amateur long distance runner), they accused me of being obsessive and eating disordered. What's more, they told a teacher who confronted me, asking me if I "throw up." I was extremely offended by this comment. I have been working so hard do cardio and saying no to foods I love (yeah, I know I have "bad taste" :/ ). Now people think I am this way because I have resorted to unhealthy means.

I wanted to ask, is it just me or do the terms anorexia and bulimia just get thrown around too easily these days? It's wrong on so many different levels to call someone this because there are true sufferers of this illness and it is a mental illness.

IT frustrates me so much that in a world where the general attitude is that it is okay to be fat, unmotivated, lazy, compromising, and (I hate to say it) JEALOUS, the rich, intelligent, successful, and thin people are often victimized and hated. I am not suggesting I am any of these. In fact, I have a long way to go before I can ever be considered thin, even. I just wanted to say that there is nothing wrong with thin women. Women do not need jiggly love handles, thunder thighs, cellulite, and abnormally huge boobs to be attractive and feminine!

Why are people so anti thin? How come when people promote fat acceptance everyone cheers but when someone exercises and watches what she eat, she automatically becomes "too thin" or "obsessive?" I feel sorry for celebs like Nicole Richie and Angelina Jolie who are perfectly healthy women bashed for being "too thin." Yet, if one were to criticize Camryn Manheim or Drew Carey of being too fat, all hell would break lose for that person. Why such hypocrisy?

What is so attractive about fat anyway? There is no way on heaven or earth that having all that excess blubber disfiguring one's body (face included) could be healthy or attractive.

I know I am being harsh but I just had to mention this. I wanted to request you to address this in one of your articles or something. I am sure you know what I mean. A lot of fit men deal with these from meatheads, too.

Thanks for listening.

Lorna

BTW, I was a very fat girl, once and I was not happy at all. 5'7 and 210 lbs :(. Guys ignore us and society in general has very strong beliefs about fat people.

After a lot of hardwork, I am now 125 lbs and would like to be 115. Let's just say I have a lot of male friends now ;).

Lorna

Lorna,

Yeah…they either think that you are obsessed or that you are just "lucky" and have a great metabolism. I'll address this more on my blog. I've written about this and posted about it on some of the social sites. I need to post it here, but I also don't want to discourage people who are now overweight and are working to be healthier and sexier.

My hope is that I can help as many people as possible to look and feel "sexier". You made some incredible points and I completely agree with you!

Nice stuff Lorna…don't give in to the pressure!

Rusty

I still love your site!! i haven't been on in awhile cause of work and school so i just saw your reply to my comment, and i appreciate it. I read Lorna's comment, and although i think at times she can be a bit harsh, i can't help but agree with most of her points. I am sill trying to lose those last 10 lbs and i am considered thin by my friends. I do have big hips and a big butt, but my proportions do give me a nice figure. Anywho, that's not the point.

Lorna…From someone who suffered from bulimia for MANY years I am sorry that your friends are accusing you. One of the worse things to happen in life is to have an eating disorder; I'm sure you were very insulted when they attacked you with that. I use the word "attack" because i'm sure that's how it felt. When my family confronted me it was one of the worst feelings i have ever had. I'm not sure if it really helped me lose weight because i was working out religioiusly and i really was never a binge eater. It was just something that was easy for me to do. It's actually a medical condition. anyways, don't let them get you down. The path to great fitness is a hard one, i know. It has only been about 8 months since i last gave in to my disorder, and i have found that without doing it i have a harder time staying motivated; it's all mental at this point.

On to my next point, fat people. Gosh, what a rough life. I was 180 and 5'2, not cute. Now, i am 140 and though that seems like alot for my height keep in mind i do not have a waif like frame. My body fat percentage is also good, so at your weight i'd look rather hungry. Even when i was at my heaviest it wasn't a soft kind of fat, but boy did i hate it!!! I was never the type who could pretend i was ok with the fact that i was fat, and that's what it comes down too. People need to stop pretending they are ok with it, and do something about it. I don't agree with all Lorna's points on celebrities because there are so many positions that can be taken. Fat actors aren't getting the roles, endorsements, magazine covers, or money that the angelina's and jessica's are. I don't think everyone is, or should have to be super thin. Healthy is what everyone should strive for.

As my closing point, I feel like i'm writing a very poorly edited english paper, I would like to address the jealousy issue. I think if people were more willing to be honest about the fact they are jealous it would make a big difference in how they percieve themselves. Until I was able to openly say that I hated my body because it wasn't like all the popular girls in school it was difficult for me to lose weight, bulimic and all. I also don't feel that striving to look like a celebrity is the way to go either, it's just not realistic. Admiring someone in everyday life i feel yields better results because that person is more tangible and accessible. Find somone fit and athletic to look up too and model their behavior. Not the behavior of some actress who has trainers, dieticians, and stylist at her beck and call. That's it for now!!

Nat

Nat,

Great post…I like it when you guys add comments, because the site becomes a growing resource with many points of view. I agree that getting in as good as shape as a celebrity isn't realistic for everyone. I think you can shoot for something and if you come close that is great. Anyway…my goal is to help as many people as possible slowly get in better shape so they can feel good about themselves. Every bit of progress is great progress in my opinion.

Have a great one!

Rusty

Hey, looks good to me! LOL ;o)

Rusty!
Bond#22, Quantum of Solace is being filmed in Panama. You might just be able to get rid of Daniel for lead role if you hurry.
Sorry couldn't resist. You did ask for it…

Marvia,

I gotta say…you have the hippest "Baptist Pastor" blog that I have ever seen. I have never been to Panama, but whenever I see the "Miss Universe" pageant…the women are some of the prettiest in the world. I am a big fan!

Daniel Craig has nothing to worry about! I can't be serious for more than 3-4 minutes…I would be the worst James Bond ever!

Rusty

Thanks Rusty
I prefer hip to boring.
I like what I have read here so far. You make fitness fun. I'm inspired…
Marvia

Marvia,

Welcome…I hope you read and comment on a regular basis.

Rusty

Rusty:

I just wanted you to check out this article and tell me what you think about it:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/105585

Honestly, I think it is a nice attempt to make regular people feel good about themselves but unfortunately, I do not think it will work. The fashion industry is ultimately a business and they want to make money. Clothes fall on thinner people better and make the clothes themselves look more symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing. What do you think about it?

Lorna

You sure think a lot of yourself don't you…

Lorna,

I think more of us need to get in shape and not just accept being unhealthy as our destiny. I don't like these types of campaigns at all! Our bodies weren't meant to be fat. The modern diet and lack of exercise has made it this way.

Tribals,

I do think a lot of myself. You should think a lot of yourself as well. The world needs more confident and sexy people. It is easy to tear people down, I prefer to take the higher road…I want to help as many people as possible.

Rusty

Nice photo, gotta get me a pair of those trunks. Great site by the way.

If anyone is interested in a Landice Treadmill, please visit my site: http://www.athomefitness.net/Landice-Treadmills

Good luck to all!

Hi Rusty, I recently found your site and I'm loving it. I tried emailing you this question, but for some reason the link isn't working for me. I know this question isn't really on-topic but I'm not sure where else to ask.

Because of my work I'm often in remote areas for long periods of time without access to gym equipment. Truth be told bodyweight exercises also just appeal to me in the sense that they're more "natural" and versatile etc. I'm very thin, 6'1," 145 lbs. Can you recommend some bodyweight exercises/a bodyweight routine that will help me achieve a physique similar to yours? I should also mention that when possible (if not restricted by my location) I maintain a vegan diet. Thanks very much, again, great site. Many of your articles have confirmed long-held intuitive suspicions of mine.

Looking HOT rusty. (:

Alvaro,

I'll get that body weight routine together within the next week or two.

Sandy,

Thanks…always appreciate the compliments

Cheers,

Rusty

I agree with you when you said, "I am always amazed at all these so called fitness experts who have really average looking physiques. Why would anyone take fitness advice from someone who isn't in great shape!" I see this all too much at the gym. It blows my mind when I see someone clinging to every word of advice of these pseudo fitness experts. Thanks for posting about this issue and keeping me sane!

On a brigther note, you look great for you age. I was wondering if you could give me a a quick list of what your meals consist of on a daily basis.

Thanks!

Hey Rusty,

I have been reading your blogs for several months now and have got some great tips. However I am having a little trouble putting everything together, as far as the diet and exercise routines go. I don't want to sound like a stalker or anything, but i was wondering if you could do a blog on your weekly routine. For example, if you could say "Mondays: I wake up at 8am go eat _________ for breakfast, then go to the gym and do _____ sets of ______. Then drink a ___ for a post work out, then eat ___ for dinner. etc. etc." I think it would help a lot of people on this site get their own routine down.
Thanks again,
-Evan

Herb…Evan,

It sounds like people want to know exactly what I'm eating and my workout, etc. It is pretty simple. I was planning on holding off until I put out my first free report. I may do it sooner. I really do need to create free and paid e-books soon to put all of this stuff together in a step by step plan.

Have a great one!

Rusty

Hi Rusty,
Great site mate!
Hope you can help me…Im 6"3 like you, 25 years old and weigh 200lbs. I have been working out for 2 years and made some great gains (particularly in my arms-which i rarely work!!) but am unhappy with my overall progress! Id like a physique like yours or the British swimmer Mark Foster…but am struggling to make adequate gains in my chest. I bench press but in 2 years I have seen no growth-nothing at all!!I also use dumbells. I struggle with pressing motions (long arms!). If I can get a chest and legs like yours Ill be on the road to lean AND mean!!
Ive just come off protein shakes (they go right through me) so am eating 4 meals a day (good fats good carbs lean protein). Also i do 5 reps for everything!How do I make LEAN gains?? Thankyou for any help!!

Dom,

Focus hard on flat bench dumbbell flyes for the next 6 months. This is the best way for "long arm freaks" like us to add a bit of chest mass. If you just do presses, your triceps will give out long before your chest gets worked at all. Be careful to lift really slowly on these…don't bounce at the bottom of the movement, but work your way up to heavy weights. Once you work up to 5 sets of 5 reps with 80-90 pound dumbbells and do that for 4-5 months…the chest will magically appear (well it isn't magic really). Do these first in your workout routine before any other chest lifts…and do three sets at the end of your workout.

Thanks for the compliment, by the way. You sound like you have the foundation to get an outstanding physique.

Have a great one!

Rusty

Hey Rusty,
I weigh about 190 right now and I'm trying to get down to 175 (6 ft tall). I workout 5-6 days a week (30 minutes lifting, 20 minutes cardio), I know you recommend 30 minutes cardio, but believe me I am completely pooped and can barely stand after my 20 minutes. I mix HIIT with steady state. I am trying to increase the time a little each time.

My question is about the eating. Currently I go to classes in the morning then workout at noon, then eat a bowl of cereal. I wait till 6 pm and usually eat a salad w/ egg whites and some meat or cereal for dinner. Then, at about 10pm I usually have another bowl of cereal (I go to bed at 1-2 am). Its usually around 1600-1900 calories a day. Do you think I will be able to loose the weight quickly using this plan? I mean, 2-3 lbs/week? Thanks for your input, I really appreciate it!

Also, is it ok to workout at 8am, then go to class, and not eat my first meal (cereal) until noon? Thanks!

Patrick,

I think the plan you outlined where you workout at noon, followed by cereal (and a few small meals later) would work well. In fact I followed a plan very similar to what you outlined when I went to college and did well. I think it could be hard to concentrate in class if you worked out before hand and then didn't eat. I never could workout before class, but that was just me. Give it a shot, but don't let it ruin your concentration in class…it is important to do well while in school!

Rusty

Ok, Thanks Rusty!
I actually find that when I workout and shower before class, I am much more wide awake than if I just roll out of bed and go to class. However I will try working out before and after class to see which one works best over the next couple of weeks.
Thanks again!

Hey Rusty i was wondering how low should a athletes body fat go before it is detrimental to performance? I ask this because i work up this morning and noticed that i was starting to get the v-line thing with the my abs to really show and i don't know if my bf is to low.

Josh,

I see a lot of high level athletes that look around 8-10% body fat. I would say that this is ideal for high level ahtletics. I actually think that 8% body fat creates a great look. It also depends upon each individual. I've seen guys measure in at 8% that look like they have much less body fat than another person who measures in at 8%. Basically, anything below 11% body fat (for men) looks good.

Rusty

I stumbled across this website 4 days ago and liked it so much I have spent the last few days reading all of the content. 3 days ago I started exercising according to your suggestions, as well as changing from 6 small meals a day to just 1 at night. In 3 days I am down 2 pounds. I am amazed. I have been trying for 2 years to lose the weight I gained during pregnancy (65 pounds!) and my weight has been stuck at 130 lbs - 23% body fat, for the last 4 months. I thought that I was going to have to just accept that this was my post baby weight and give up ever weighing 110 again. I have been working with nutrition and diet professionals and faithfully following their 6 mini meal advice for 2 years, and while I did lose some weight it has been slow and I have had numerous plateaus. I can not express enough my gratitude for you and the information you provide on this site. It has been such a relief the last few days to not have to think about what I am going to eat every 2 hours of my day and actually be able to have a life! I am truly so grateful to you for providing me with information that has given me hope that I can look good in a bikini again. Thank you for having the courage to think beyond the main stream advice and finding a way of eating and exercising that gives incredible results.

Niki,

Life is too short to not look good in a bikini! I know you will get there. As far as eating 6 meals a day, it works for some people. It never worked for me, so I explored alternatives. Eating one meal a day is the opposite way of doing this and works as well. You can still eat a tiny meal of fruit or a protein shake in the morning…and the occasional piece of fruit mid-day. The whole idea is to not be afraid of getting hungry…this is when your body will burn fat for energy…and as long as you eat a sufficient amount at night, your metabolism won't slow down. It works very well!

Welcome to the site!

Rusty

Hey Rusty,

Since this was kind of the beginning of my little journey with eating one meal a day, I felt like I needed to stop by for a quick "Hello!" I looked more into Ori's book and have been going 1 meal a day for 3 weeks now. Although, I haven't dared told my professors, yet *_*

The people I have talked to about it, however, practically flip out. But, hey, to each their own. A buddy of mine is religious about eating 6 times a day - he says that the body is like a fire; you've got to keep feeding it to keep the fire going. After reading Ori's book about maintaining the sympathetic/parasympathetic systems, who wants to stand there all day feeding a fire? I have other things to do! Anyways, enough of the metaphor…

So, 3 weeks in and, from what I can tell, haven't lost a speck of strength. Yesterday, pressed 205# for a new PR on bench. Not bad for a 146# guy, I'd say ^^ Speaking of 146, I gained 3lbs in the past 3 weeks, apparently. Lean, mind you. Too many good things have come from eating one meal a day! I still chuckle at myself at the enormous amounts of food I can down in a 4-hour period. Now, just have to get my 6 minute mile back… preferably take it to a 5:30 mile.

Well, as usual, a quick hello turns into, well, not so quick. But, I wanted to thank you for helping me along to finding a better way of living. I don't see myself going back to a 3-meal day for, well, never. Look forward to new posts

Dennis

Dennis,

Thanks for the great testimonial of how this way of eating is working for you. The 6-meal-per-day approach can work for a lot of people, but for me it makes me tired and I never could get very lean.

Want to see another site that endorses eating fewer meals?

http://leangains.com

I think you will like this site. The author use to be a model and now he is incredibly defined.

Rusty

Just wanted to say, keep up the good work! I' have been struggling for two years with my weight once my anxiety disorder and binge eating got a little out of hand and I gained around 20 pounds. Then I went to university and the freshmen fifteen was not fun to gain either. During this entire time all I could think about was dieting and working out, I'd do well for a week, get frantic that I didn't see results and proceed in "giving up". I'd binge and tell myself I'd start my new diet the next week. Over and over and over again. When I found this blog I was so intrigued because it really does give such valuable information unlike many resources out there that all say the same vague tips. And you got me addicted!! I'm defintely learning the skills of dieting and excercise and I've lost almost twenty pounds in three months..I'm down to 134 lbs, and I'm 5'7. I have never been so close to my ultimate goal. Just to get back to my normal slim size and be happy with myself. My weight was such a huge self esteem killer. Now I am getting back to my old self and I just want to deeply thank you. This blog is literally changing my life. I've been trying to share it with my friends and family when they ask me what I've been doing. I wanna spread the love just like you do! Currently my best friend is working on getting in shape too with the help of this blog once I told her about it. We're working and encouraging each other together!

I know it's a long story but I really wanted to let you know how much I appreciate what you have going on here!
Thank you!