Fitness Tips and Observations From My First 40 Years

The one thing I have started using as my mantra, and I may have even got it here is "You can't out lift a bad diet."
This places the emphasis on what you eat, which is exactly where it should be.
That, and remembering that my stomach is about the size of my clenched fist, when it comes to visualizing portions and utilizing portion control.

Rusty,

Its hard to come up with something you haven't said; however. one of the biggest problems I see are big guys that just keep getting bigger(fatter) if they would just lose the fat they would look great. I would bet 99% of them already have enough muscle mass. On the other hand though, something I would add is that people need to make it a lifestyle. The majority of people hit it hard at first and don't see results like they planned and burn out, but if they make a lifestyle of eating healthy and staying active the results will come. Its all about the kind of lifestyle your living.

Hey, great article. Loved it. I think you are so right about walking! I think people in America don't enjoy walking and it's bad. I have never seen so many empty parks and sidewalks as in America! (I am Russian) I think we all should take example of Japanese gals who enjoy walking not just for fitness but a clear mind…

I do have to disagree with what you've said about fashion sense. I think that fashion is the last thing you should think about when going to workout. Wear what's comfortable! I never wear revealing or stylish clothes to my gym. I don't even wear my contacts so I don't get distracted by other people's stares. LOL (Yes, I'm fit and pretty, nothing wrong with that) I do concentrate on my workout and try to be efficient and focused! However, sometimes I giggle secretly when I see some guy who is obviously a M&F fashion fan…

Rusty,
Great list! At 32 I like to think I have learned a few things myself. My short list is as follows.
1.) Bigger isnt better- It took many years for me to get that one down. The size of a persons biceps or pecs does not define ones character, it doesnt even really define ones level of fitness.

2.) Make health your priority- I know we all want to look good, but train for health! Take a cue from a guy like Jack Lalane who is still going strong in his 90s!

3.) I think this overlaps with one of your points Rusty but have a life outside of the gym. What good does a fit and healthy body serve you if you spend all of your time in a gym? Do you really want to, on your deathbed look back at your life and realize you spent 80% of it in some sweaty health club with a bunch of dudes? Get out there and meet people, have fun, play with your kids, travel, ect. Get to the gym, do what you need to do get the hell out and have a life! If you are spending more than 4 days a week in the gym and you ARE NOT trying to pick up one of the pretty girls in the Yoga class reassess your routine.

4.) Rusty you are dead on with the fact that there are no magic routines or quick fixes. That being said do something you like and can stick with long term.

5.) Make your grandfather your fitness idol (Yes I'm serious) I challenge all of you to take out an old picture of your grandfather from when he was in his 20s or 30s. I am willing to bet that he is in great shape. My grandfather was in the Navy during WW2 and took up surfing after the war. Needless to say he was in great shape and was not overweight a day in his life.

Pretty good list Rusty. I can't say I disagree with any of it.

I pretty much don't eat any bad foods anymore. Not when good food can taste so good! I do overindulge though

Great Post Rusty!

I am not as experienced as you, Rusty but I have been in this working out routine for the past one year and I did figure out one or two things. Like you stressed on the part that eating less calories is what makes us look great. I have noticed that if I am slacking for a month (happened once) I just sticked to a pretty low calorie diet and I really did not feel like I was skipping gym at all. I think diet is the most important thing to look good. It has given me incredible results and I live by it.

Another point which you noted is that no matter how fit we are, we cannot stay away from bad foods once in a while. I eat clean 6 out of the 7 days and on the 7th day I literally indulge in any kind of bad food that I get hold of, I really dont think anything on that day. Beer, like you said, is a godly drink! I am a hardcore beer lover, I have beer every week and I look fit and great too.

We should not be obsessive with our workouts and diets. We should enjoy life whenever we get a chance. Ofcourse we should be clean most of the time.

I know these are just a few things, but I am learning

I learned that consistacy is the key, and this applies to everything really, but in this case to eating and exercise. I have seen that even if you workout 3x per week, as long as you do it consistantly. This also, ESPECIALLY, applies to eating. This one gives me the best results. When I eat clean consistantly I lose the excess weight and look fit, and feel energetic, so I think consistency is definitely one of the most important things I have learned.

Hey Rusty,

Great post as always…I would just like to add one more point that I have picked up from your blog or from one of the reader's comments here

Experiment with your body for you never know what works and how well something works for you (or not at all). I mean if you wholeheartedly follow a given approach its surprising the stuff you learn about what works for your body…..

I think having tried out different approaches and philosophies yourself over time, you are living proof of this…

Regards,
Rahul

Good stuff

Amazing bikini picture by the way! I couldn't look away!

1. "You reap what you sow" or "You get out exactly what you put in", a universal truth and applies to everything in life. If you sow/put in a mediocre & half-hearted workout, that's exactly what you get…mediocre, half-hearted results.

2. "To reveal your abs, eat less & move more" (Brad Pilon) "CALORIE DEFICIT, CALORIE DEFICIT, CALORIE DEFICIT"/…..I'm personally doing this, the weight is coming off & I'm seeing muscles I never thought i'd have…"Hello Abdominals, been hearing good things bout yall!!!"

3. Fat loss boosts confidence and can inspire others to lose weight, so keep old pics and clothes to inspire others.

4. People respect fat loss, because it take work. (Which is worth while for a very long time)

"There is nothing more boring than someone who is obsessed with fitness."

I agree with you wholeheartedly, Rusty. And it's kind of ironic with me too, since I work as a personal trainer. But fitness should be just a tool to help you live a rich and fun life. Take the celebs, fro example. Many are in kick ass shape, but they don't obsess about it, but just put in their hours in the gym or whatever and that's it…

"You can look better with less effort simply by eating less."

Again – this is one of the simplest fitness 'hacks,' yet so few people use it! Though some people do it instinctively…

"Protein Obsession is the #1 reason more people in the gym aren't lean."

I get mad that there are so many young guys that have great proportions to begin with (coming out of highschool) and then they mess their bodies up 'bulking up' – getting fat in the process with some muscle gain…

"Looking "perfect" isn't the goal."

Sean Connery used to be a body builder. Yet as a normal, lean guy in the James Bond movies he looks great. Looks are not enough. Get lean and then fill up the package with who you are 'as a person.' Being valued solely for your physique is pretty shallow…

"Bodybuilders and typical gym rats have terrible fashion sense."

Absolutely. Plus – if you are overweight or even too muscular, think way above your ideal BMI, you will not be able to wear elegant or hip clothes and look good. Pants won't fit and. In my opinion the goal is to look lean, athletic, elegant and youthful in clothes and badass on the beach. The way to do it – low bodyfat and bodyweight and great strength. I wrote one of my first posts on this subject here:

http://relativestrengthadvantage…train-for-a-great-body/

Yavor

Slightly tangential, but my grandfather, who always used to pat his stomach and say "I haven't put on a pound since I left the navy", always used to say to me "sweets make you fat". Obvious – perhaps. He always ate moderate portions and simple food, and was lean and strong until the day he died.

If you want new muscle or strength you need to either increase the weight or reps as often as possible without giving up good form

Make low glycemic vegetables that are high in fiber a staple of your diet and you will always be lean. Try filling up half of your plate at almost every meal with a large bulky portion of greens(spinach/broccoli/water cress).

Drink two glasses of water right before each meal, two glasses during each meal, and two glasses after each meal. Drink more water!

New muscle is added not at the gym but while at rest. If you are not seeing constant improvements in the amount of weights you are lifting the chances are you are not getting enough rest. Get at least eight hours of sleep and do not over train.

Good list.. So many of these relate to me over the years, i won't talk on each one other wise we'll be here all day. It is a detailed version of bugs rules and a recent guest bloggers 'art thou' commandments post.

But i do like the whole bottle thing for sure.

btw, keep up the newsletters, i'm enjoying them

Go to the gym with passion and focus. Do not stand around and talk about football all day. You are there to sweat and work hard.

Learn how to eat until you are 80 percent full and then stop.

Rusty great post. I wanted to help you get 100 comments! The only thing I would disagree with is that over consumption of protein is the number one cause of people at the gym not being lean. Protein and fat have a tendency to leave people satisfied and they don't have the multiplier effect of simple carbs. Forexample for every gram of simple sugar a person consumes he will crave and consume X amount of sugar later. Simple carbs, including those in the sugary supplements, spike insulin levels and create the "American Over Consumption Eating Cycle" that is making people fat today. I guess the point I am trying to make is the guy who has a few extra scoops of whey protein will be in better shape than the guy who takes in a few extra scoops of sugar(white bread/ candy/etc). Anyway I know you are a big fan of low glycemic eating for weight loss so this is not a gotcha comment.

Disclosure: I don't want anyone dying of water consumption, so six to eight glasses a day will be enough too help you not over consume during meals, energize you, and give you optimal performance at the gym. I just wanted to stress the importance of water consumption. I am not a big fan of the water in your food theory.

Love the list. Particularly the part about it not taking over your life. What's the point of being fit if you can't enjoy it?

Don't over train, nothing worse than being exhausted from training too hard.
Don't lift a weight if you can't do so with proper form, you wont see the benefits and you're much more likely to get a injury.
Use compund movments and/or bodyweight exercises to prevent muscle imbalance.
Make sure you enjoy yourself.

You are what you eat!

Don't listen to the mainstream view of 'needing a hearty breakfast' to give you energy for the rest of the day.

If you're like me and enjoy a good sized dinner and average sized lunch, feel free to skip breaky and eat nothing till at least noon. If you feel a bit hungry drink water & or black coffee or tea.

own a dog that needs a lot of walking/running and you get into the exercise habit quick smart or suffer the consequences of a bored and under excercised dog!

Understand that you cycle through phases in your life where your interests and goals may change in priority. I used to think that I'd get to a point where I had it all figured out, but I now realize that will never happen. For example, I listened to all sorts of hard rock music in the 80's. In the 90's, I listened to a lot of country, and I thought I'd never listen to my old rock CDs. Well, I'm listening to the old rock a lot more than country these days. Also, I've been a runner since high school, but my interest in really training and racing goes in phases too. Be aware that your interests and priorities move in cycles.

Also, having said all that, strive for continual growth. I know a lot more about healthy habits than I did 20 years ago (or even one month ago!), and I hope I keep learning more. You'll never know everything, and there is always more to learn. Even though your live moves in phases, do your best to retain the good habits and eliminate the bad habits.

Sometimes you just need a break. Take a week off and let your body and mind recover; it will do a world of good. Just don't take a week off every other week.

My tip would be that you only bring good food back to your house.

When I'm shopping, I only bring primal/paleo foods back to my house. This guarantees i'm only eating nutritious food 90% of the time. My "cheat" meals are ones I share with friends at pubs and restaurants. I lead my life relativley guilt free!

Great post as always,

-Kane

Never throw your scales out!

I'm fed up with reading that the scales dont matter. They do! How else can you keep track of your weight? I threw my scales out for 10 years as I was fed up obsessing over them. And what do you know, 30lbs crept on me and I didnt even notice! You have a subliminal mind of denial and clothes that stretch! So yeah, don't obsess, but keep a check on your weight even if its once a month.

This is just an added pointer to your great point about never letting yourself get more than 10lbs over your natural weight.

Thanks for another great post Rusty

Tusc

Hi Rusty!

Great list.

The first point really hits home with me.

"Many people workout hard, but sabotage their efforts by eating too much."

I had NO idea that the amount of food consumption played such an important role is staying lean. I was going to the gym 6 days a week and doing tae kwon do twice a week and still always 5 pounds away from where I waned to be. Your Vacation Blueprint and tips on your site have been such a BIG help for me!!

This comment did make me LOL!! It's so true!
"Bodybuilders and typical gym rats have terrible fashion sense."

Krista

Rolling with the grandfather theme, mine was a huge inspiration (and still is for me). He definitely knew how to live life, and adhered to many of your blog's tips like working out in a fasted state first thing in the morning, eating only 2-3 meals per day, focusing workouts on strength followed by cardio, etc. To this day he is 70+ years old and is in phenomenal shape. I've heard the eat "grandmother" foods diet before, maybe now it's time to add "and workout like your grandfather"!

do not binge eat unless it produces results and if those results are not optimal for health do not binge eat because sugar and carbs are addictive and they can throw you off if you have lost a bunch of weight

You already said some of my favourites, like don't eat too much, well above all NEVER BULK

Another one you've already mentioned is about those fitness experts who say: my way is the only way, the think they know it all, they think they own the truth, big surprise for them, they don't

I think the best tip i can give is keep it simple, fitness is simple no matter how so many so called experts try to make it look like nuclear physics, it's simple, and have fun in what you're doing, if you don't have fun working out there's no point in sacrificing, there are many ways to achieve a goal, choose the way you have fun with, enjoy Life, be healthy and never be obssessed.

Great post Rusty! Some of the good things I've learned include:
- What you eat idetermines how you look. I lost about 25lbs in the months around the time I turned 30 and now weigh what I did when I was 15 and with a better bodyfat % to boot. I didn't even workout that much.
- Intermittent fasting and primal eating are great ways of balancing out the days when you indulge in pizza and beer.
- I look and feel my best when I don't touch grains and other carbs apart from fruits and vegetables for several days. Bodyfat just kind of melts off in this state.

Unfortunately, some of the bad stuff I've learned:
- There is no shortage of bad health and fitness information out there. For example, Weight Watchers is only a recipe for becoming skinny-fat when you aren't terribly overweight to begin with.
- Most people don't want to take the time to learn about proper nutrition and still cling to the old beliefs that losing weight is hard while stuffing themselves with bagels and non-fat yogurt. Never did I bite my tongue so hard than when a co-worker said she "does fine with grains" all the while being at least 50lbs overweight!

I just bought the adonis effect to put on a little bit of muscle. I know not to do the leg work but could I would like to lean down my calves could I still do calve workouts?

Here is the best advice I ever recieved: Sit down and write a letter to your 10-year-old self. What would you tell yourself about fitness, health, and lifestyle for the next x number of years. Now take that advice and apply to your current self.

A lot of people over complicate the simple. There is no magic routine. Stick to thinks that work and that you enjoy. You probably wouldn't encourage yourself to indulge in candy everyday but you also wouldn't tell yourself to never eat it.

Now go write that letter.

Rusty, excellent article!!!

the number one mistake I see people make at the gym is a lack of intensity whether it be with weights and especially with cardio. Get out of the mindset that if you bust your ass on cardio, you will lose muscle or size. Hard work will not kill you.

Increase your fiber intake with fruits and vegetables because it will fill you up, while consuming less calories. Beans, nuts should be staples in your diet, and some grains such as plain Quaker whole grain oats, fiber one cereal, whole wheat pasta, brown rice are ok occasionally.

don't add unneccessary empty calories to your meals, for example, eat your salad's without dressing, don't eat your vegetables with butter, take the breading off the chicken, go with mustard instead of ketchup. There are many other ways to eliminate calories and still be able to eat good. I know people will say how can you eat everything so plain without sauces and butter, etc but it is all about habit, and if you get used to this habit you won't think anything of it over time.

Good stuff, Rusty. From my 56 yr vantage point let me add:

1. Most people already know what to do, they just don't do it.
2. Put the fork down after EACH BITE. Talk more, eat less at your meals. If you are alone, just enjoy each bite more, take fewer bites.
3. I agree with the glass or 2 of water before each meal, and maybe after, but during, just sip a little if you need it. You don't want to dilute the stomach acids which are trying to digest your food.
4. "See" yourself as the size you want – you will get there faster than if you focus on your flaws.

thanks for your work Rusty. Good stuff!

Very interesting post Rusty!

I am nearing 37 soon so am in the same age bracket as you and have many tips of my own, but will just list what I believe to be some of the most important.

Big muscles are useless if you cannot move! I say this from experience as I successfully passed my Physical Agility Assessment this 9/11/09 for Law Enforcement having to "de-bulk" in order to pass.

I thought I was fit but only by my own standards, so what I am trying to say is measure yourself against different fitness standards to see how you "really" measure up – you may be surprised!

Compound exercises with a free weight that work the whole body completed in less than 30, (45 mins if you must) 3 times a week is all the resistance training most people should need.

Do HIIT on the road, NOT a treadmill or worse an elliptical! This will also help with explosive needs for speed that cannot be achieved safely using treadmills. I have done both and its night and day difference.

Try a weighted vest with body weight exercises and running/sprints, not for excessive distances – nothing over 1.5 miles, this has given me total body conditioning that is truly outstanding.

Make vegetables and fruits your main carb source and its almost impossible to eat excess calories.

Saturated animal fat is not evil, I have incorporated more into my diet – I stay away from vegetable oils and have now got even leaner.

I could go on, but the result of all of this led me to leave many 21 year old applicants standing during my test.

Take care Rusty

All the energy drinks are loaded with sugar and calories. Monster, gatorade, red bull. I can't believe I still see people who want to be lean drinking these regularly. Drink some plain black coffee, like Rusty recommends, and those jet alert pills with 200 mg of caffeine will jack you up enough to get through your workout in a fasted state. Just take one pill and that will be enough.

I think I'd add from personal experience, if the routine bores you, switch! I have never stayed with anything that I didn't enjoy even through the pain. For instance, running on a trail, could do forever, but a treadmill is death on wheels.

When you are lifting, focus on perfect form and feeling the muscle that is being trained, forget about what the other dudes think concerning weight. In the long run all your lifts will be conducted with perfect form and you will truly stand alone.

Rusty,
Great list. Especially enjoyed the style sense of the bodybuilders and gym rats. Too much of that going on in my gym currently.

I can't stress enough the obsessive nature that some people will take with fitness. *Fun suckers I like to call them*. Toting water bottles everywhere and talking like a pro nutrionist is kinda of a turn off.

Mike

I hate to keep harping on this but if you don't truly understand the importance of fiber for staying lean than you are missing out. I don't ever count grams or calories, I just instinctively keep track of the range, but if you must, keep the grams of fiber in the 60-100 range, get the good fats consistenly that are in Avacodoes, nuts, olive oil, whole eggs. More than likely you are prob getting enough protein. I see so many people who pay so much more attention to grams of protein over fiber.

Never overtrain, make your exercise fun, like when you were a kid. Charles Atlas said to "train don't strain", and this has become my mantra. I never train to failure, I always want to leave "a little gas in the tank". Many people are always pushing themselves to do more and more, and actually feel guilty when they miss a workout, they become obsessed with exercise. As Rusty has said, don't let exercise take over your life, let exercise enhance your life. Your body should be worked as a whole unit, one should not do isolation movements, compound movements that work many muscles such as pushups, deep knee bends, and planks. When I lifted weights, I made great progress just doing two exercises, standing presses and squats, both of them being compound movements. Great article, Rusty!

Great list.
1. Leave the car at home. I know this is not easy for all. Heck I rarely do it. But most of us can walk to the store. Even buying a $100 Cruiser bake at Walmart with some baskets riding that to the store is exercise.
2. Love your self no matter how big you are. I am overweight by and BMI/Body fat/Whatever scale but I love my self. Hating your self and the way you look leads to mindless emotional eating that just creates a bad cycle.

Dan

Hey Rusty, what a great post! This is my favorite post from your so far and you know how long I've been following your blog. Most of these tips hit home for me because they are the very same tips that I give to my clients. I am one of those people who like to workout and eat right most of the time and still enjoy my guilty food pleasures when the time is right. I laughed at your comment about gym people having bad sense of style – that is just too funny.

Regarding the walking, I've found that it helps me sort of wind down for the night before I go to bed. I've been sleeping like a baby ever since I started walking my dog (longer) before bed.

Short, intense workouts really are the way to go. Just yesterday, I was in and out of the gym but there were some people who were there when I got there and was still there when I left. Today, I'm doing 12 minutes of KB snatches – I love it!

Thanks for a really great post!

Anna

My no.1 tip would be 'never underestimate body weight exercises'.i hv been doin only body weight circuits for 6 months(though i hv dumbells at home) and lost more than 25 pounds.i almost have a 4 pack so i guess i need 2 lose a bit more.but the funny thing is i gained some strength.i tried bicep curls,should presses(with dumbells) etc.n i could lift my previous weight with ease and for more reps,despite the fact that i havent lifted for 6 months!!!it was a shocker for me coz i was going for fat loss.

Rusty

I cant thank you enough for that,but still i thank you from the bottom of my heart.will remember you always.

Oh I think i hv gained strength with body weight exercises because i am still kinda new 2 lifting weights and BW exercises.

I definitely would add "weigh yourself every day" – not to become obsessed but to be able to figure out if you've done some damage, and then compensate the next day by eating less (ie. fruit/salad only for dinner). This has helped me so much. If I lose my scale, it takes me a while until I notice that my jeans are tight, and then it takes much longer to lose than just a day of damage control.

Excellent points Rusty. Can't say that i disagree with any of them. The one other thing I would add is: Do what works for you depending on your goal(s). "Fitness" can mean different things to all of us. Although the primary goal of this website is to get lean and toned, not bulky, which is my primary goal as well, that doesn't mean EVERYONE out there has this same goal and therefore, everyone should have their own fitness/exercise routine and do what works best for them.

Great post Rusty! I owe where I am now to your post about eating one meal a day and Warrior. I customized it to my lifestyle plus a great workout routine (just by using tips from here and the internet) and am in the BEST shape of my life! I'm 5 ft 5 125lbs but look like I'm 110lbs as most guess I am. I recently joined a gym because my outdoor routine was getting dangerous. (hubby works late and its getting darker sooner and he didn't want me out in the dark running/walking etc) I met with a trainer for the first time. He asked if I do fitness competitions! and described me as cut! I did all of this with just internet advice, DVD's, and Warrior (or a version of warrior). I have no real tips to add as you have covered it all. Just wanted to say thanks and keep up this blog it is GOLD. I think Eat Stop eat and the idea behind Warrior is the fitness worlds best kept secret.

One last thing and then I promise i'll stop. Since diet is at least 80% of the battle, a process to master it would be to think of it as a what, how much, when progression. First get the what down by reading plenty of good information about what the best quality whole foods, what they consist of, when you know what they are, buy only those foods and take everything else out of your house. The how much comes with trial and error, so just tinker with it by adding or cutting down portions based on your goals. The last is timing, you can get that accomplished by understanding ESE and fasted/fed state, low glycemic, low insulin levels. I think portion size took me the longest to master, but it is perhaps the most crucial in my opinion.

Well, said, Rusty.

I would add: Get enough sleep. 6 hours is not enough sleep.

And, never forget that leanness/muscle definition has mostly to do with diet. (I've found that primal is the answer for me.) Workouts are for strength and endurance, not calorie burning (except in the sense that your increased muscle mass will result in higher calorie burn throughout the day).

Alot of great posts here! I like to live by: "Lifelong health". So thats not just health for the body, but for the mind and spirit as well. We need that total health to be whole. Reaching for that goal is a lifelong effort.

So what Ive learned is:
First is to do research all the time for new and different foods, exercises or anything that pertains to your life and health. To try or to add to your base of knowledge. I have found so many different things online that my body and mind have benefitted greatly, however, the research is not over yet! I love having the internet! I cant imagine life without it.

Second is to listen to your body. It's not fun to overtrain, overeat, undereat, have too much stress or do something else that the body doesnt like. The body will let you know. Sometimes its a subtle message, but sometimes its a big one. So listen carefully and adjust the things in your life so it will work well. Just because something works for one person, doesnt mean it will work for everyone.

Last is calling the "bad" foods, FUN FOODS! No food is really "bad". If you have too much of anything, it can become bad. But dont we all have some foods that we love, because they are more 'fun' than the "good" foods? So have FUN foods sometimes, just because they are 'fun'. And we all need FUN in our life!

Patrick,

In regards to your last comment I like The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Johnny Bowden. He features his choices of the 150 healthiest foods on earth and gives you a lot of interesting information based on scientific studies. He also takes a good stand on grains with only whole oats and quinoa make the top 150. He also features experts top ten lists with many other popular nutritionists who give you there top ten food choices. 95 percent of my grocery list comes out of this book.

Here's something I've learned. Losing weight is easy when you understand caloric intake and output clearly.

I can't believe people still believe fiber is good for you. I don't eat ANY fiber, any veggies, any fruit or any grains. Just meat, French butter and water. I weightlift, do intense cardio, hike and box and I am lean.

What I've picked up thus far is to listen to your body. Wherever you feel it being worked, that's where it's being worked! Meaning if an exercise is supposed to target the chest and you feel it in your shoulders, chances are that for you it's getting your shoulders or your form is off.

-Rafi

Katelyn I am a little concerned that your advice and "site" is going to send people to an early grave. The truth is studies have shown that people who eat diets high in fiber live longer than mountain lions, hyenas, and women with eating disorders. Even house cats eat grass from the lawn once in a while.

Hey rusty

quick question if I may. There's a blog Thant I read from a great fitness expert who you may or may not have heard, he's a Freind of Craig ballantyne also. His programs are great though there are a few things you may not agree to in terms of muscle building but both your fat loss HIIT are quite similar. I have a link here and on it there is a picture of an absolutely ripped up guy who isn't huge but has perfect muscle definition and great proportions.

http://www.vincedelmontefitness.com/blog/?p=1651

it's not the juiced up guy but the second picture doing the dumbell curl. Do you have any idea what this guys body fat would be and maybe even weight assuming he is 6 foot tall. I have trouble estimating their weights because they look so lean I have no idea what bf they might be at.

Thanks

Katelyn, are you a proponent of the paleo or primal lifestyle, or is there any other factor that has shaped your eating style. I follow something similar, but with lots of green veggies, i will appreciate any pointers, thanks

Jason,

yeah that 150 healthiest foods is exactly where I learned what to eat. Johnny Bowden also as you know, says many times in that book how he recommends fiber as the number one weight loss supplement. 100% of my grocery list came from that book, I would like to know from what other source you got your other 5% from?

Yes, Charles Atlas said "Train don't Strain". What a great quote! I use the Charles Atlas course myself. I found it online at http://www.charlesatlas.com! What a great inspiration to me!

QUALITY OF LIFE….Diet & Exercise are not a means to an end, they are merely tools to improve this pursuit of QUALITY OF LIFE. And if the by-product of this is a hot body, strength and overall health…then icing on the cake. Life is to short, diet and exercise certainly will not extend your life's departure, they will definitely have a bearing on helping to improve those odds. 'Live Life', we'll reap what we sow!

Katelyn,

That's pretty disgusting. Try some veggies and some healthy grains and you'll look feel (and probably smell) better. Not trying to be mean but come on only meat and butter? I eat a ton of meat and fat but I also eat fruit veggies and grains too. like Buddha would say "balance" is key. I hope your comment was sarcastic. Have fun with intestinal cancer later in live. I heard it's a lot of fun.

"Every fit person I know eats so called "bad" foods from time to time." – Cheers, I'll have a drink to that!

"Looking "perfect" isn't the goal…" It should be. I mean you can't reach perfection but it could help keep you motivated. Whatever floats your boat I guess.

A pretty nifty list, I like it.

Oh and shut up Rusty! It's not an obsession, it's a passion… I'm not boring, I swear! /end sarcasm

Words of wisdom here. You don't have to know everything about fitness to get fit, and when beginners spend too much time learning they lose focus.

Patrick,

The last 5 percent is corn tortillas, salsas, Braggs ginger and sesame dressing, Braggs liquid aminos, wild rice, and hemp milk. I also order spices(that are not on the list) from Savoryspice.com so I can make Indian and Tibetan bean and lentil dishes.

I think that book is the best resource for food choices, but I personally don't drink milk(even organic) after reading the China Study except for special occasions. I also do not eat oats mainly because quinoa is a good enough replacement. I also save red meat consumption for special occasions and small periods of time where I am focusing on gaining muscle size(conservative bulking periods). Eggs, quinoa, whey protein, sardines, salmon, beans and lentils provide me with my protein.

Once again Rusty a great read.It's unfornuate though that it could end up in everyone's hands yet they still don't put it to good use.

I used to be a vegetarian, but I no longer eat any plant food after researching how humans were designed to eat. Do you really think vegetables and fruit were abundant? Grains have been shown to be very deleterious. Well respected low carb doctor Michael Eades has said zero carb / meat only diets are very healthy and cover all nutritional bases. He also has a fantastic post about how fiber works by creating tears in your colon. I injest no fiber and I go regularly with no problems.

Hey Rusty,

I guess mine would be: Knowing what NOT to do is just as important as knowing what TO do. So many times people hinder their progress by training the wrong way, which leads them to injury and setbacks. For example, if you wanna do preacher curls, there are things that you should know NOT to do that are just as important as the proper technique. There are two sides to every coin and one is just as important as the other.

Two more from me:

It is OK to eat half an entree at restaurants. Lately, either I split an entree with my wife, or I take half of mine home. Restaurant portions are WAY larger than what I normally eat at home, and there is no point in eating past the point of simply being full. No more staggering out of restaurants moaning about how stuffed I am. (I also give a more generous tip when the server splits or boxes up my meal.)

It is a good idea to have a backup plan (and a backup of that backup) for workouts. Today's workout for me was Plan C due to unexpected kid stuff. Sometimes you have no choice but to skip a workout. But if you keep your options open, you can still get in a good workout when your plans change.

Lot's of good suggestions although I can't say I agree with everything that is being said. My input to the comments is to find an exercise you enjoy. If you enjoy it you'll get fit while having fun. For me rock climbing is the magic exercise. It's what I do to stay fit, relieve stress, and have fun.

Dear Rusty,
After readed your book n brad's book. I stopped think about how much protein i must eat. It was stupid i think. Now, i never do that "stupid" counting protein, and i am leaner from before.

So i agree with what you said about "Protein Obsession is the #1 reason more people in the gym aren't lean…" that's true

As I too am approaching 40, I've learned 1. work out smarter, 2. use excellent form, which both contribute to #3 – DON'T GET INJURED!
I envy the young bucks out there that can heal almost overnight. For me, those days are gone forever. Now, things take weeks – sometimes months to heal. It sucks but it's a reality.

Some really great tips here! good read

Agree completely with 'low tech is better'. The best mixed martial artist in the world (Fedor Emelianenko) trains in Russia using all 'low tech' gear and it works great for him!

Also great point on every fit person you know eats bad foods from time to time. I have always believed that you have to mix it up, maybe eat healthy during the weekdays and have the weekend off to eat not necessarily unhealthy foods but foods you wouldn't normally eat. Would drive someone nuts eating healthy all the time.

So true on the point of protein obsession. Nearly everyone I know who does weights in the aim to build muscle, thinks massive amounts of protein will benefit them greatly. As you said don't stress about it!

hey rusty,
great list. thanks for sharing.
i definately second your point about widening the scope of our info; meaning that we look at other sources and check up on newer developments.

i would also say from personal experience that we should not try to let someone else, like a friend at the gym, push anything upon us. just stick to what you know and don't let anyone pressure you.
i also must say that the Bond movies exactly emanate and articulate the prototype style, and we need to remember not to go crazy and become neurotic, checking every ingredient or counting every gram of protein.

another thing is to get some consistent quality sleep and keep consistent and various sport and movement activities: basketball, walking, running, boxing, jump-rope. try all different stuff.

and lastly, your point of KEEPING IT SIMPLE is my favorite. FOR INSTANCE, how did guys like connery and brando and newman achieve that well proportioned look? they are OLD SCHOOL, and probably did OLD SCHOOL techniques, which i'm sure weren't too complicated or intricate. anyway, keep to the basics if you know they work, ie, pullups.

anyway rusty, thanks for the great post and congrats on your upcoming birthday! this is one of my favorite posts yet in the almost year i've been reading!

hey josh, you made some EXCELLENT points that i felt compelled to let you know.
the idea that our grandfathers were in excellent shape is a great point. my grandpa was in WWII as well, and he told me he did a bunch of calisthetics and lifting concrete bags, as well as other things. really great idea man!
also, what you said about jack lalane is important as well. nicely put!

and finally, ursula andress is beautiful.

It always pays to be your own motivation. I have found it works best. This is not to undermine in any way the tremendous boost I get from reading sites like this one – just that you can't be fit for anyone else – no matter who that person is. You must take responsibility for your body and soul.
If you want to lose weight start now. Dont think far ahead into the future when you dream of a sexy body etc etc. Right now when it is time to go for your work out get up and go now. Cook a healthy meal now. And dont be afraid of skipping or saying no to unhealthy foods.
Rusty that picture of Bond reminds me of another great star – Yul Brynner. I remember him in "The Magnificient Seven". He walked with such amazing grace – carried himself so well! There are simply no stars like that today. And he did'nt look like he spent hours in a gym. (Don't know if he did or did'nt but it sure did'nt look like he did!)

The thing i dont get is and struggle with is eating less. I'm currently at about 12% bf and trying to lean down do about 7% and i have never done anything harder than struggle to get from one meal to another. My overall calorie intake is just under 2000 calories and not being able to eat carbs absolutley sucks because im so hungary. I sleep fairly late also so getting from my last meal to breakfast is extremely difficult also. I dont want to eat even though im hungry because im afraid that it might be too late in the evening. How do you deal with hunger and very low carbs wihtout feeling like you just really want to give up just so you can eat again? Oh i'm not even talking about eating foods that arent good for you, i never really had a problem with that, its just eating things like bread so im not thinking about my next bland all protein, non filling meal im going to have while trying to stay focussed at uni because my last meal was so bland and unfilling. It might have been low in calories but not sure if its worth it to be honest. How can i push through it?

Always thankful

Rusty, sorry i havnt got a tip, but i have a question, i have tried strenght training, bodyweight circuits, 7 mile jogs, and i have decided that i dont really want to be cut, or have well defined abs or chest etc, i am a bit on the big side with some muscle hiding under a bit of fat, if i engaged in only sprints 4 times a week, will i end up skinny fat or slim and toned. thanks thanks thanks

Do you hav any tips on what I could eat in the evening that won't be detrimental. I was thinking maybe like a carrot or something but even vegeagbles have carbs. This is very very confusing.

Baz, my take on this is, if you are going low carb, you then need to up your steak, chicken and egg etc intake a bit, and those foods are very filling and keep hunger away for a long time, i went from 105kg to 85kg in a very painless and short time, never looked back

Baz, not sure what's confusing. If you use ESE you fast one or two days a week. That takes care of your caloric restriction. Take care not go crazy with breads/pastas. Whole grains occasionally should be okay if you eat well overall and are exercising at least three times a week.

For evenings, some people like cottage cheese, or maybe some nuts.

At Baz: Vegetables have carbs, but very very low calories, and the carbs contained in Vegetables have a very low GI, so you don't have a problem with them.

You can eat a carrot, lettuce, tomato, or a pear (very low caloric fruit, but very rich in water and fibers)

Brad Pilon just released a great video blog talking about doing more excercise because of eating more. Essentially, he's tlaking about the emotional justification of doing more excercise because of eating more or the opposite, justifying eating more because of harder workouts or more frequent longer workouts.

I think it's a great point and everyone should check it out. He points out that a Bell Curve (which exists for almost everything in nature) may help explain why more food and more excercise are not a good way to balance. Eating a little less and finding the optimal amount of excercise for hitting or maintaining your goals is the best way to go.

In my opinion this advice is really sound. It saves you time and money and keeps you at optimal health and looks. Exactly what Rusty advocates as well. I think everyone is appreciative of this powerful new information that Rusty, Brad and Mark Scisson (among others) get out to everyone.

@ Katelyn,

So you eat what humans were designed to eat and that vegetables and fruits were not abundant?

Not only would I dispute this belief about abundance but I would also suggest that humans were not designed to eat butter. Seems odd to me that you write off fruit and vegetables as things we weren't designed for and yet are happy to eat butter.

Katelyn, if you go back to the beginning of time to Adam and Eve, they were eating apples. Plant foods not being available since the beginning of time is an absolutely ridiculous observation. I don't know about anyone else, but ill take my chances that i will not have colon tears from eating too much fruit and vegetables. I guess I should have known a long time ago french butter would get me ripped instead of fruit and vegetables. What the hell was I thinking.

One little tip that I have, that I am not sure if it has been mentioned yet or not is: Bring a friend. Competition is always good and a friend can help keep you motivated. That can also work against you at the same time.

Going to the gym or working out shouldn't be a life style, it should remain something that you do, but not something that defines you.

I personally work out at the gym 3 times a week for about 40-50 minutes each. When my buddy comes, I get the same work out in (or more), but it takes me two hours in the gym. This I don't see as being a waste of time, because we are talking and socializing. It is time in a gym, but its the same thing if we had gone to meet up for coffee instead.

Never rely on formal exercise to medicate a problem induced by daily passivity and poor eating. The American College of Sports Medicine and American Council on Exercise and all the rest of the certifying agencies and organizations view exercise as treatment for diseases that shouldn't be there in the first place (diabetes, metabolic disorder, etc.).

Your diet and activities of daily living should already induce a perfectly fit and healthy body, while exercise should be done mostly for enjoyment and… yes… aesthetics. If you're exercising to treat or prevent a disease, then you've screwed up somewhere.

Some good advice here!

My dad once told me that his parents would always say: You can't eat everything, but you can taste a little of anything

I was operated on monday and have spent the last week on the couch, watching movis, eating junk food. Wow it feels good, unfortunately I know it will take some killer workouts and fasts next week…. and the following

Patrick, let me direct your attention to 'Marks daily apple' things are not always as they seem!

One tip I learned by accident this past year has to do with cutting dairy from my diet. When I did this, I suddenly started losing weight fast (212 to 185 in 5 months). Within a month, I was sleeping better, had more energy and my bowel movements were more regular.

I can see where Katelyn is coming from. Certainly the Inuit and other populations have done just fine on diets consisting mostly of animal food. Only now, with the introduction of a 'western' diet into their communities and a shift from traditional foods are we seeing rising rates of chronic diseases and other poor health outcomes among these people.

However, I try to eat Primal as much as possible and include lots of vegetables, some fruit and no grains in my meals so that I am getting the benefit of those foods as well.

Patrick, the butter won't hurt your chances of getting ripped, but eating too many carbs, which spike your insulin and stimulate fat storage, will. Everyone works differently, but in my own experience I know I drop body fat easily when I stay away from the grains for a few days and look noticeably 'puffier' when I do eat them.

I know that it might seem natural for many primal eaters to defend Katelyn, but let me remind you that both Loren Cordain and Mark Scission want you to eat both vegetables and fruits in "abundance". Saturated fat aside, Katelyn is ignoring common knowledge about antioxidants, fiber, and other healthy fats. These three topics have not been disputed by any nutritional experts including Mark and Loren.

Furthermore we do not live in the primal age anymore. Instead we live in a polluted environment which results in our body being exposed to probably two hundred times more the free radicals than our ancestors did. Similarly the animals are different. So primal eaters(among others) should be eating more antioxidant rich foods then our ancestors. Its also important to remember that the Inuit eat high amounts of sea food not red meat. Sea food has a healthier profile then red meat including the much beloved omega 3's which lower part of the cholesterol from their diet. Inuit women are currently living 14 years less long that the average Canadian woman.

The thing that eventually turned me off from the primal diet is the realization that there appears to be know evidence that this diet is healthy. In fact all evidence links red meat consumption to lower life spans. Similarly instead of championing healthy meat sources like fish and perhaps wild game many of you use this diet to enjoy fatty steaks. The protein in milk, eggs, and even quinoa are of better quality than meat. B12 is the only vitamin that seems to be an asset of meat, and of course this can be obtained very easily from sea foods, eggs, yogurt, brewers yeast, bee pollen, and even a red bull. The truth is that red meat should not be the main source of a persons diet because it is not a nutrient dense food(Per calorie there is little nutrients). The saturated fat would be better obtained from nuts, coconut oil, and dark chocolate. The saturated fat in these foods is healthier. So, for the health conscious, if the body absorbs the protein from other foods better and the fat from other foods is healthier than why would anyone who cares about their health base a whole diet around heavy meat consumption.

Jason,
The majority of my protein consumption comes from the following: xtra lean turkey, grilled skinless chicken breasts, white albacore tuna,beans, nuts, occasionally xtra lean ground beef cooked well done. I don't drink any milk or dairy products, get my calcium from broccoli and spinach. What do you think about the mercury in the white albacore tuna, do you think approx 3 serving a week of it is too much as far as the mercury is concerned?

Patrick,

From what I have heard there seems to be a correlation between genetics and how your body absorbs and retains mercury. Some people will reject it out of their body better. I am not an expert on the subject but will say that canned Alaska salmon has a similar taste to canned tuna and is higher in Omega 3's and lower in mercury. You can get sockeye salmon for a couple of bucks per can. Sardines are also a very low mercury fish. I like eating them whole but I also throw them in my salads.

I am eating healthy fats: saturated and monounsaturated. You would not argue that polyunsaturated and vegetable fats are healthy?

Every study that has been done to try to "force" the issue of how healthy fruits and vegetables are have been a failure–embarrassing to researchers. Look at the famous Framingham Nurses' Study, where those who ate the MOST saturated fat had the lowest incidences of heart disease, and lowest weights.

There are no long term studies on the healthiness of fiber. It is deleterious.

I say this as someone who was vegetarian up until LAST year. I don't just go to every whim diet. Zero Carb has been tested. Is anyone here going to step forth and say there is a human REQUIREMENT for carbohydrates? Not even carb defenders who are scientists will argue that. You will die without water, fats and protein, but you thrive without carbs.

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I totally agree that eating vegeagbles will get you closer to your goal of low bf levels but what kind of effect will fruits have? In terms of nutrients you can't go past fruits and vegetables, but how does the natural sugar in fruits affect diets?

At Katelyn:

There's a reason why you need fruits and vegetables, the reason is vitamines and minerals, you can't get them all from protein and fat sources.

About the rest i agree in part with you, but we need some carbs to survive, our brain needs sugar to function, and our liver too.

What i defend is a low carb diet, never a zero carb, it all should be balanced

Patrick,

A little fat (of the saturated kind) won't hurt you, and may help you. If you're avoiding fat from animal, then I assume you're getting some from, at the very least, nuts and olive oil. But really, look into the importance of saturated fats. It's been a staple of our diets for 2.5 million years.

Once you get past the stage of trying to get your bf% down and into a maintenance phase can you go back to eating higher carbs? Ad long as you burn off what you ingest it should be ok yeah? Cause I gotta say as much as people try to make eating low carb exciting, it absolutely sucks. I really miss eating
actuall food. I mean chicken and meat is good yeah but
I can't wait till I can eat bread and rice With it again without worrying how many carbs it has. Or eating a meal which is different to what ive been eating the last 3 weeks wihout needing to calculate how many calories it makes up. I'm all for high protein but I just love carbs cause they add something to an otherwise boring meal. Oh I miss bread.

Actually it's not so much that I can't at all but when you don't see results as fast as you'd like then it's the bread and rice which you need to be cutting not the chicken.

Katelyn,

Helder said everything that needed to be said. If you eat like a caveman you will think like a caveman. Fiber helps you eat carbs without the big sugar spikes. Carbs fuel your brain. Not to mention that many hormones(for mood example) require the balancing of carbs and proteins,etc. If we were meant not to eat carbs than our body would not have a complex system for dealing with carbs. People can live on meat and they will be very lean, but they will have nutritional deficiencies just like vegetarians that do not eat smartly will also have nutritional deficiencies. Balancing the macro nutrients is the key to good health.

man..ditto.
and thank you for an amazing website and knowledge.

Jason:

You are assuming that you can obtain and absorb the so-called vitamins and minerals in carbs (vegetables and fruits). It is well known that consuming carbohydrates CAUSES the need for increased Vitamin C. If one did not consume carbs, one would not need to eat the carbs to correct the deficiencies caused by them.

Best,
Katelyn

Katelyn,

This statements was taken directly from the Framingham Study website and represents their current conclusion:

Over the years, careful monitoring of the Framingham Study population has led to the identification of the major CVD risk factors — high blood pressure, HIGH BLOOD CHOLESTEROL, smoking, obesity, diabetes, and physical inactivity — as well as a great deal of valuable information on the effects of related factors such as blood triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels, age, gender, and psychosocial issues.

I believe high cholesterol is linked to high saturated fat consumption(butter and steaks are examples of high saturated fat foods). Fiber is believed to lower cholesterol. Saturated fat is needed by the body but moderation is important. I did not find the part in the study about the people who ate more fat had less cardiovascular disease.

This is not so much a fitness tip as a well-being tip.

Every morning I get up from bed I try to do an easy amount of pushups, like 20 or so. Then I do a couple of scissor crunches on the bed and finish with like 20-30 mountain climbers.

I feel _spectacular_ throughout the day. That tiny amount of body exertion in the morning just kickstarts my metabolism and in general how good I feel.

Try it out for a week.

Rusty,
Thanks for the humility. Useful, practical advice but the note that we shouldn't believe anyone has all the answers to health and fitness hit home. I think most of them are egotists, greedy or mental cases.
Your sensible advice is the best.
Dana Law
San Diego, Ca

Love this post Rusty. Love the blog. Here's my view :

Life is a marathon. Eat some fruit and veg every day, drinks lots of water and get lots of sleep. Everything else will work out fine. If you stumble or pig out, enjoy it. Then wake up the next day and get back on track. Over the years all those instances you chose to eat healthy or didn't super-size your meal add up.
cheers
matt

As ever, a great post Rusty!

Glad to see your giving the kettlebells a go!

I'm sure you will enjoy them.

Best Wishes

Matt

Great post! This blog is in my RSS feed but haven't looked at it much. Then I read the post about "The Rock" slimming down and was amening it all the way. This one is great as well. Thanks.

Michael
Nutrition and Physical Regeneration

Rusty, I love your site more and more! I mostly hang out at Mark's Daily Apple and my primary concern for another few months is weight loss. One of my rants as the subject comes up is the artificial look so many people are striving for. Boob jobs and steroids are just the symptoms of deep psychological issues.

The Bond movie look you refer to is just how we looked when I was a kid. Well, not me, I was skinny as a thread. But good looking men and women were not obsessed as so many people are today. When I was young, a "six pack" meant you needed a "church key!"

Give me a healthy natural look any day. Normal fat on a woman, not women trying to look like men.

And that you dig B&W…….wow.

Hey Rusty,

I loved your 'things I've learned in 39 Years Post'. What a no-nonsense, no-BS post. I totally agree: fitness obsessives are BORING. Protein consumptive are BORING and people who can't find much else to get worked up about than working out, are BORING! Your site is never boring! Out of the numerous fitness sites I've come across, yours is the most spot-on, fun-filled and informative. Way to go!

Hi Rusty,

Any tips for emotional eating? I do ESE, but my emotional eating sabotages me on days I dont.

Thanks

I agree with one of the posts that suggests you should weigh yourself everyday. I remember reading about it somewhere (may have been Men's Health) and it stated that people that weigh themselves on a daily basis are more aware of their weight and tend to 'manage' their weight better than those who don't. There are obviously exceptions to the rule. On the whole though, great post Rusty, you never fail to impress with your experiences – thanks for sharing them!

Great article, I agree if you look like you try too hard to work out it's just silly. I want to say get a life to these people. But to each their own. Dig the bond reference, I totally agree.

Rusty,

First time posting on your site and let me say I'm a big fan. I have been on the corporate side of the supplement industry for over a dozen years and I can't tell you how many times a senior exec has sat in a meeting demanding a magic bullet product so he/she can sell more products. Anyway, I digress.

What I want to add to your 40 years of wisdom (I'm working on 46 years, myself) is that stronger does not mean one is fitter. Being able to curl 125 or bench 300 when one can't see his feet becuase his belly is in the way does not mean one is fit. I'm a skinny cyclist that loves to weight train and if I had a dollar for every fat boy that came up to me to tell me how to "get in shape"……

Keep up the fight, brother.

Aaron

thank you for the fitness tips

Excellent advice.

Hi Rusty,
Thank you so much for this blog. I was running miles and miles, not eating much but still overweight, and this was frustrating me. Then I checked this website, and I figured that I had insulin resistivity, I cut all the high GI foods from my diet, did the 3 low carb/high fat -1 high carb/low fat routine, and HIIT and within 2 months I lost 20 pounds! Although my ultimate goal is to be very skinny like hollywood starlets (blame media not me!) I look hot now, and I enjoy life by staying in the 5 pound range. I told my sister what I learned from you and she lost 10 pounds as well (she has been trying to lose weight for years). Thanks again!

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