Since the main subject of this week has been gaining muscle, here is an article that I just got from pro fitness model and natural bodybuilder Vince Delmonte on the subject of traditional bulking. This is really a GREAT article and everyone that is interested in gaining muscle needs to take a look at it.

10 Ways Bulking Can Ruin Long Term Muscle Growth
By Vince Del Monte and 21 Day Fast Mass Building System

In the days of the legendary bodybuilders like Arnold and Franco,
bulking up in the off-season and then cutting up was considered
gospel. Aside from the obvious health concerns linked to packing on
lard, extreme bulking is an inferior approach to trying to achieve
your best body. Here are ten reasons why you can RUIN your long
term muscle gains through extreme bulking:

Reason #1: You can not force muscle growth. Putting back 7,000
calories is not better than just taking 4,000 calories if that’s
what your body needs to grow. It’s not what you put in your mouth
that counts, it’s what gets digested and absorbed.

Reason #2: Extreme bulking leads to insulin-resistance, which makes
it harder to gain muscle down the road. Insulin-resistance results
in carbs going primarily to fat stores, not muscle tissue.

Reason #3: You’ll be forced to diet down harder, which can result
in losing the muscle you gained during the bulk up! That’s called 1
step forward, 1 step back. (Note from Hugo: More like 2-3 steps back
since extreme bulking will increase the number of fat cells in your body
which makes it harder to get lean and much easier to get fat!)

Reason #4: That fatter you get, the harder it becomes to get lean
because insulin resistance is hard to reverse. Ask anyone who
bulked up excessively if they had a pleasant time traveling back
down to low body-fat levels!

Reason #5: The primary metric for measuring success while bulking
up is gaining weight on the scale. Increased scale weight
does not mean increased muscle gain. (Note from Hugo: scale weight
includes water weight gain and fat as well)

Reason #6: Getting fat, intentionally or carelessly, results in
decreased thyroid production – not ideal, because thyroid is
critical for fat loss. (Note from Hugo: the less thyroid hormone, the
less calories your body burns on a daily basis, and thus, the easier it
is to gain fat)

Reason #7: Calories are not created equal. Calories from quinoa
and bison are great for adding muscle; calories from nachos and
beer are not. Bulking up with unhealthy calories can lead to high
blood pressure, diabetes, excess inflammation and cardiovascular
diseases.

Reason #8: The leaner you are, the easier it is to gain quality
muscle because your body becomes more efficient at nutrient
partitioning. This means when you eat, your body transfers the
nutrients to the muscle (as muscle tissue or glycogen) or in the
liver (as glycogen) and less gets transferred to your abdominal
wall!

Reason #9: The more time you spend bulking up, the more time you
spend cutting which means less time you have to gain muscle!

Reason #10: The biggest reason is that extreme bulking can lead to
fat cell hyperplasia. Essentially, when you overeat for a
prolonged period of time, your body increases its number of fat
cells. Sadly, you can not remove fat cells without surgery so by
adding new fat cells your body you’re actually making it more
efficient for gaining fat and worse at losing it! Bulking up and
then cutting down a few times in your life is forgiving, but
attempting to bulk up and cut down every year is a sure-fire way to
ruin your physique!

If you are looking to gain muscle mass without gaining fat and want to
try Cyclical Bulking, check out the 21 Day Fast Mass Building System.

To help you kick off the New Year, you can get the system at 1/2 price
($50) but this 1/2 price SALE ENDS SUNDAY AT MIDNIGHT. PRICE
GOES UP AFTER MIDNIGHT.

If interested, check out the system below:
=> Check out the 21 Day Fast Mass Building System

—- End of Article from Vince —-

I hope that you enjoyed the article above and that you don’t commit the same mistake that many of us made before just because we did not know any better. Luckily we now live in the information era and thus we can empower ourselves with KNOWLEDGE!

And in case you missed it, here are my thoughts on Cyclical Bulking.

If you enjoyed this article please click on the Facebook LIKE button, Twitter button and Google +1 button to share with your friends.

Until next time, take care and train hard!

• Natural Bodybuilding FAQ on The “Anabolic Amplifier” Program
• Natural Bodybuilding Tips for Making Bulking Up Work Without Gaining Fat
• Do You Need to Gain Excessive Weight To Gain Muscle?
• Creatine Basics Video Blog – What is Creatine and How Does It Work?
• Biceps Training Mistakes – Get Bigger Biceps by Training Them Properly

Ben Pakulski and Hugo Rivera talk about how they feel about high carb diets, when carbs should be consumed, and how many fats you need in order to gain muscle naturally.

Don’t miss out Part 3 where Ben and Hugo talk about Bodybuilding Supplementation.

Get Ben Pakulski’s MI-40 Program Here:
http://www.mi-40.com

For my thoughts on Ben Pakulski’s MI-40 program go here:
http://www.hugorivera.net/ben-pakulski-mi40-natural-bodybuilding-system-review.html

Bonus: Natural Bodybuilding FAQ With Ben: Can I Get Muscle and Lose Fat at the Same Time?

Bodybuilding Question: Ben, is it possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time?  If so, how can I do it?

Answer from Ben: I’m not going to sit here and assume you all don’t already know how important nutrition is to optimizing growth. I KNOW you do.

People come to me all the time and ask “What is the BEST approach to take if I want to gain muscle and lose fat?”  Is that even possible?

Well, the truth of the matter is that, yes, it is absolutely possible. Is it easy? Of course not.

BUT it is SIMPLE.

Let me do my best to explain.

Your first consideration when it comes to nutrition is RECOVERY.  You need to always ensure that your body has what it needs to recover when it needs it.  It is very important to nourish your muscles around the workout.  Your muscles need protein, in the form of amino acids, present in the bloodstream ALL the time or the body will start to leach those aminos from other parts of your body (Read: break down your muscles). This is BAD NEWS for those of us trying to build muscle.

REMEMBER: Weight training is a catabolic process — it breaks down muscle! It’s when we leave the gym and feed the body that the growth and re-growth processes occur.

Whenever possible we want to minimize the amount of muscle breakdown during the workout. In order to do this, certain essential nutrients MUST be present:

— branch chain aminos
— glutamine
— arginine
— antioxidants
— glucose
— zinc

This is your first consideration when it comes to building muscle.  The other main considerations of an intelligent nutrition plan are timing of nutrients, and ratio of nutrients (percentage of fats/carbs/proteins).

How do I know WHEN to EAT WHAT?
I think by this point in my life I have probably read EVERY nutrition book ever written (or at least started to read them all. Some are terrible so I toss them out halfway through).  I have probably tried every single logical approach to nutrition at some point in my life.

I was once a vegetarian; I have tried really high carb, low protein; I have tried high protein, low carb; zero carb; zero fat; gluten free; Ketogenic diet; Metabolic diet; Hollywood diet; Fasting diet….you get the idea!  The only one I think I haven’t tried yet is raw food diet because I just don’t think I could support my bodyweight with the limited food sources.

I could tell you pros and cons of each one for someone trying to build muscle and optimize their body composition (a.k.a.,Lose Fat).

My approach to nutrition is very much a hybrid of them all. I believe I have taken the best points from each one and manipulated them to create a formula for people trying to build lean muscle without the excess fat.

3-Phase Nutrition to Doubling Your Muscle Gains

Phase 1 of “3-P” is the “recovery” phase.

This phase is centered around taking the time to ensure that your body is getting everything it needs to recover from the overload of weight training and daily stress that you subject it to.  The idea here is to take time to establish the EXACT minimum requirements to meet your bodies needs on a day- to- day basis. As the recovery process begins DURING the workout, so does the P-1 phase.
The calculations are quite simple and applicable to everyone.
Workout carb requirement:

Lean Bodyweight x 0.3= Liquid carb requirement for growth(G)

Lean Bodyweight x 0.3/2= Liquid Carb requirement for fat loss (FL)

We now use this number [(G) OR (FL)] as our baseline number.

Post workout Window- Protein Requirement:

Multiple your baseline number x 2 for your post- workout protein requirement.

Divide your baseline number by 2 to get your BCAA and Glutamine amount in grams. Split BCAA And Glutamine into 2 equal servings, pre- and post- workout.

So here it is in action…

EXAMPLE

Massive Muscle Builder #1 weighs 170lbs and is 10% bodyfat (therefore 153lbs lean). He is looking to gain muscle. His calculation looks like this:

153 x 0.3= 51 grams of carbs to be consumed *around workout.

1) He should try to consume 102g of protein in the 3-hr “POST WORKOUT Window”

2) He should consume 25g of BCAA and 25g of Glutamine each, divided into two servings. One pre- workout, and one post- workout. (12.5g each time)

Pretty simple, right?

Take the time to calculate YOUR ‘P1’ values NOW!

Do not waste another minute in the gym if you’re not supporting the recovery process.

Phase 2 of “3-P” is “Setting your metabolism”

The second phase of 3-PN is all about establishing your metabolism where YOU want it to be!

Yes, this is absolutely possible.  Someone wanting to lose body fat should look at getting their metabolism going as fast as possible before they start the fat burning process.  For some people, this may take up to 3 weeks; others may achieve it in a week. The standard amount of time for this “metabolic recondition-ing” is 10 days in MI40.

The timing of your food is extremely important. The ratio of protein/carbs/fats is also obviously extremely important.
This phase is also very important for teaching your body how to use nutrients the way you want it to. It’s no secret that 80% of North Americans do not use carbohydrates well. It will be during P-2 that we diligently time your nutrients and use the proper supplementation to allow your cells to re-learn how to properly use carbohydrates.

More effective use of carbohydrates = more muscle growth and less fat!

Phase 3 of “3-P”

Phase 3 of “3-P” is is the phase that is most important to directing and guiding your body exactly where YOU want it to go.

This is the phase where we add or remove calories/nutrients to achieve the specific goal we have set out to achieve.

Most of the participants of MI40 are going to be following what is called a “P-3+” phase.  This is specifically designed to ensure that your body is getting all the nutrients it needs AT THE RIGHT TIMES!  Nutrient timing is THE ONLY WAY to manipulate gains: WHEN your body gets WHAT is the number one most important growth variable outside the gym.

MI40 is going to be pushing your limits of physical performance and growth. Your body is going to require a greater amount of nutrients than it is used to. This is necessary to support all the growth processes.

“But, wont I get fat?”

NO. If you push your physical limits in the gym, your body is going to have a huge increase in demand for nutrients and will burn right through them.

To ensure there is NO FAT STORAGE, MI40 will also prescribe a certain degree of NUTRIENT CYCLING.  We give your body all that it needs to grow. Filly those muscles right up so they are strong and ready to grow and recover. Just when they are just about filled to the max, we manipulate the nutrient ratios and prevent spillage.  ALWAYS maintain your P-1+ status. This means you keep your recovery protocol exactly as prescribed above(+).

This is essential to maintain recovery and prevent muscle wasting.

Note:  For Those of You Who Missed the MI-40 Special Last Week and Are Still Interested in MI-40

==> MI-40 Super Saver Special (Get the MI-40 PDF Files + BRE for $29.95)

If You order, please forward me the receipt via email at hugo@hugorivera.net with the following in the subject line: Super Saver Special.

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In this natural bodybuilding video, IFBB Pro Ben Pakulski and Hugo Rivera talk about bodybuilding training and how MI-40 helps you to gain muscle mass!

Get Ben Pakulski’s MI-40 Program Here:
http://www.mi-40.com

For my thoughts on Ben Pakulski’s MI-40 program go here:
http://www.hugorivera.net/ben-pakulski-mi40-natural-bodybuilding-system-review.html

Bonus: Natural Bodybuilding FAQ With Ben: How Do I Know How Much Work is Enough?

Bodybuilding Question: Ben, could you please tell me how much work at the gym you think is necessary to stimulate muscle growth?  How do I know when I have done enough?

Answer from Ben: For years, I had been searching for the best way to overload my muscles each and every time I go in the gym. I know you can relate to those days when you worked “hard” but still felt like you could have done more.
How do I know when I’ve done enough to stimulate growth? Are my muscles completely exhausted, or should I be doing more? Ever ask yourself that? I know I have. I remember days when I would get in my car after the gym and say to myself “Damn, I wish I had done more” and legitimately contemplate going back in to do more. I’m sure we’ve all been there. “I wish there was a way to know that I had completely exhausted every single muscle fiber that I could!”
I CRAVED something that would ensure that my muscles are taken to their limit, and CREATE NEW GROWTH!

Let’s first understand something about the human body. Our bodies want to maintain EXACTLY as they are.
It’s called homeostasis. For all our attempts to change it, our bodies fight back as much as possible to maintain the status quo. We need to coerce them! We need to show our bodies that there is a reason to grow bigger and stronger. We are going to be placing some increased demands on these muscles, so you better make them bigger!

In order for this to happen, the stimulus you are subjecting your body to MUST be greater than it is used to. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, the problem is that your body is smarter than you are. It’s going to tell your brain to shut your muscles off. It doesn’t want to do all this work you’re subjecting it to, so it starts to create lactic acid.

Lactic acid builds up and your muscles STOP! This is a fact we cannot control.

Being a research junky, I had always read about overloading the muscle and overloading the nervous system to stimulate
new muscle and strength gains, respectively. Time under tension was proven to be the number one factor that correlated with muscle growth and overload!

Something clicked in my brain!Time under MAXIMAL TENSION!! This had to be better than just time under tension!
And so, my GROWTH BABY To Doubling Your Muscle Gains was born!

NEUROLOGICAL OVERLOAD SET-NOS!!
So, you’re in the gym, feeling all cool and pumped up for today’s big workout. You feel strong and you feel like you’re going to build some serious NEW MUSCLE today!

You pick up a BIG weight that you know you can rock for a perfect 8 reps!

You knock out the first 4 reps, piece of cake.

Rep 6 comes around and here comes the burn!

Rep 7, ooooh it’s getting heavy. Muscles burn like fire.

8th rep is darn near impossible, but you get it.

You set the weight down and stand up. You feel a bit of a pump in your muscle, but nothing great. You feel like you could have done more but you know you gave it your all; your body just shut off. Was it because your muscle was actually completely exhausted? Or if someone put a gun to your head, could you have done more? Is there ANY way you could have asked your muscles to continue to work? Maybe you could’ve extended that time under tension just a little bit?
OF COURSE!

Your brain clicks on and you hear “Eye of the Tiger” playing somewhere in the background (Rocky soundtrack always randomly turns on at times like this, people…you know that! )

You grab a slightly lighter weight and keep rockin’!

You blast out 6 more reps! Your Time Under Tension IS WAY greater now.

You even knock out a couple of partial reps with perfect form!

Somewhere in the back of your mind you see Rocky running up those stairs and feel the urge to march on!

You grab the next weight and smash out another 6 perfect reps!!

So fired up, nothing can stop you now! You continue one more time with a slightly lighter weight. WOW!! Now you’re cooked. Your muscle couldn’t budge another rep, not another partial. You could barely lift the weight of your arms.
THIS is what we call VICTORY!

You have just elicited the MOST AMAZING environment for muscular growth imaginable. Congratulations! Rocky would be proud!

By taking this set to complete muscular failure, not only have you overloaded your muscles, and your overloaded nervous system, you have also just started the process of creating the optimal hormonal environment for growth. When you take you muscles to exhaustion, your body now sees a need to make them bigger to adapt to this type of stimulus so it starts releasing Growth Hormone and IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor).

These two hormones are HIGHLY correlated with muscle growth and reduction in body fat!
That brings us to…. the next GAMECHANGER! This one is the glue that binds it all together.

Get Ben Pakulski’s MI-40 Program Here: http://www.mi-40.com

And by getting it through one of these links you also get:

1) A complimentary copy of my own program “Body Re-Engineering” (valued at $39.99). Combining Body Re-Engineering with MI-40 will give you the most incredible gains in muscle mass and you will have half a year worth of muscle building and fat blasting workouts!

2) A NEVER BEFORE SEEN 120-Minute video that I am putting together on how you can combine the power of Body Re-Engineering and the power of MI-40 in order to get the most explosive gains imaginable! This video is valued at $300 but it is my gift from me to you as my way to say thank you for your support! (Value: $300.00)

3) A reserved space on my first Online Bodybuilding Seminar. (Value: $950.00)

4) Ben’s Exclusive 2 Inches in 21 Days Arm Blasting Workout (Value: $25.00).

Remember that between Body Re-Engineering and MI-40 you have almost half a year worth of unique muscle producing and fat blasting workouts!

Again, please make sure that when you pick up MI-40 you forward your receipt to hugo@hugorivera.net with the title ”SPECIAL BRE OFFER” and I’ll get it sent over to you asap (within 24 hours)! I will then send you also the video as soon as I have it ready (in around 2 weeks from today). I want to make sure that you are taken care off.  And if you are a current BRE customer, please bring it to my attention by putting in the title line Special Customer.  That way I can do something really special for you.

TAKE ACTION NOW ==>
I Am Ready To Get Big and Use The Power of MI-40 and BRE to Get HUGE!

By the way, order today (December 1, 2011) and you also get a FREE REPORT detailing the routine that Ben used to put on 2 inches on his arm prior to the Arnold Classic!  I will be implementing this one next week to see if I can at least get an extra half inch!  This offer will only be available until midnight tonight and Ben says that after he is not even making that book available anymore so the time to get MI-40 is NOW!

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OFFER NOW ==>
Sign Me Up for a Copy of MI-40 (Valued at Over $1300) + Body Re-Engineering ($39.99) + 2-Hour Exclusive Video ($300) + Online Bodybuilding Seminar ($950) for Only $47

• Natural Bodybuilding FAQ – Can You Follow The Pro Routines and Other Advice?
• Natural Bodybuilding FAQ – Training Over 40
• Natural Bodybuilding Video: Hugo Rivera and Ben Pakulski Talk Bodybuilding Training
• Natural Bodybuilding FAQ – Should You Train When You Are Feeling Tired?
• Halloween Natural Bodybuilding Survival Tips

Accelerate Your Natural Bodybuilding Gains by Adopting the Five Secrets of Successful Bodybuilders and Fitness Athletes
One thing that I have noticed in all successful bodybuilding and fitness people is that their mindset is very different from that of their less successful peers. Since I have spent my share of time talking to many successful bodybuilders and fitness athletes, I can tell you that there are a lot of similarities among them.

Here are the 5 secrets of successful natural bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts:

1) They view failure as an opportunity to learn, make adjustments, and try again to succeed as opposed to viewing it as a permanent condition. No matter what you do in life, you will encounter some setbacks. Instead of letting these setbacks put you out of commission permanently, use them to learn from them and become a stronger person. Every setback is an opportunity for personal growth and for learning what not to do in the future. The only time that you fail is the minute that you decide to never stand up again.

2) They have the mindset of success. In other words, when problems come up, instead of letting these interfere with their bodybuilding program, they look for solutions to get through them. In order to be successful in bodybuilding you need to have the right mindset. Bodybuilding is both a physical and extremely psychological endeavor. Of course, we all get frustrated when our schedules are affected by work, or any other life circumstance that may be thrown our way. Life is full of monkey wrenches in case you haven’t noticed and it does not make it easy for us to get our workouts and meals in. Therefore, we have to fight aggressively and plan ahead if we want to get our workouts and meals in.

As bodybuilders we must keep our eyes on the ultimate goal, which is always more muscle mass with less body fat. In order to accomplish that one must be consistent with the training and diet. If for whatever reason the program that the bodybuilder has mapped out is too much of a time commitment at a certain period in life, then the solution is to modify the bodybuilding program to one that does fit the time schedule…be flexible. For instance, back in my engineering days there were periods when I had to work 60-70 hours a week, I modified my training to where I would hit the gym 5 days a week for 40-45 minutes of weight training. Since I had no time to do cardiovascular exercise, I would superset antagonistic muscles in order to get some sort of cardiovascular effect (refer to my abbreviated bodybuilding plan at the end of this article). That is all I could afford to do at the time. I always tried to get my training in before work, but if for some reason I would miss it in the morning, then I always had lunchtime to make it up or later in the evening after work. Worst case, there was always the weekend for makeup sessions. Regarding meals, I always brought in all of my meals with me pre-prepared and also enough protein shakes for those times that I was really on the run.

Some of you for whatever reason may not even be able to do more than three sessions a week. If this is the case, then no issue; make the most out of the time that you do have available to train. The key to making lasting bodybuilding gains at the end of the day is that you have a realistic plan that can be executed consistently, not trying to follow one that looks really good in paper but cannot be executed. You will get to where you want to go, it may just take a little bit longer depending on how much time you can dedicate to reaching your goals.

3) They have a positive attitude and believe in their ability to achieve their bodybuilding goals. This point is of extreme importance as if you do not believe that you can accomplish something, more than likely, you won’t. Thoughts are very powerful things and the way that you see things is the way that your reality becomes. It is my experience that most of the obstacles and limitations in life are placed by one’s mind. Thus, make sure that you are not limiting yourself! Unleash your potential by bringing down all imaginary obstacles!

4) They have an incredible work ethic and schedule their workout times and meal times with the same importance as they would schedule any item at work. Most people give their meal times and workout times a secondary importance. “I have too much too do, so I can’t work out”. Thus, the workouts never get done. How often I hear this! Most of us have a lot to do! We are all busy so if we want to get in shape, we need to make a commitment to it! Committing means having a very structured day where you have a time for your work and a time for your workouts. Again, I am not talking of living in the gym. 25-30 minute workouts can get the job done! However, you do need to allocate that time to your workouts. As far as the diet, how often I hear, there is no way I can eat 5-6 times a day. Well, if you have a breakfast, a lunch, and a dinner, with protein shakes in between, there is no reason why you could not go ahead and have all of the required meals. And if the excuse is that there is no time to get all of your meals ready, then I suggest that you prepare your food for the next day the night before. Pre-package everything the night before and that way, when you wake up the next day there is no time wasted in the morning with food preparation. You just carry all of the food with you in a cooler and you are good to go.

5) They have an unbreakable determination. After all, determination is the key to success, and when you have a person that is truly determined to achieve something, there is nothing that can get in the way! The great American President Abraham Lincoln used to say: “”Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way.”

Adopt the behavior of successful bodybuilders and fitness athletes and you will see how your bodybuilding and fitness gains will increase dramatically!

25-30 Minute Natural Bodybuilding Workouts

Workout Notes:
1. Ensure that all sets are performed with impeccable technique and taken to failure; the point at which performing another repetition with good form becomes impossible.
2. Rest 60 seconds between sets.
3. There should be no rest between exercises listed as a superset. Only rest for 60 seconds after the second exercise of the superset is executed.
4. Perform this routine for a month, doing 3 days on and 1 day off. Alternatively, you can work out 5 days a week by doing your workouts on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. That leaves Thursdays and Sundays always off. If you have a good recuperation capability, then simply workout from Mon-Fri resting over the weekends. After a month, change the exercises.

Workout (A): Chest, Back, Calves
Chest and Back:
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press and Wide Grip Pull-ups to Front Superset 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Bench Press and Close Grip Pull-ups (Reverse Grip) 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Flyes and Low Pulley Rows 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Calves:
Seated Calf Raises and Calf Press Superset 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Workout (B): Thighs, Hamstrings, Abs
Thighs and Hamstrings:
Leg Extensions and Lunges Superset 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Wide Stance Squats and Leg Curls Superset 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Leg Press and Stiff Legged Deadlifts Superset 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Abs:
Leg Raises and Crunches Superset 3 sets of 15-25 reps

Workout (C): Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps
Shoulders:
Military Press and Upright Rows Superset 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Rear Delt Machine 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Biceps and Triceps:
Barbell Curls and Triceps Pushdowns Superset 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Preacher Curls and Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions Superset 3 sets of 12-15 reps

If you find the information of this website useful, please feel free to check out any of my best selling natural bodybuilding and fitness publications here.

Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube page at:

www.youtube.com/hugoriverafitness

and to CLICK LIKE on my:

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This is a very common question for beginners who are just getting started in natural bodybuilding.

The answer, however, is a very simple one but before I discuss it, we need to first talk about muscular failure.

What is Muscular Failure?

Muscular failure is the point in which performing another repetition on your own with good form becomes impossible. I always suggest that you stop an exercise once you know that you won’t be able to complete another repetition by yourself with good form. So for example, if you are doing incline dumbbell presses with 60-lb dumbbells and you have done 12 repetitions but know that you cannot do another one, then you have reached muscular failure in the 12th rep.

How to Select the Weight for an Exercise?

Your weight selection for an exercise will be based on the amount of repetitions that the routine calls for. So for example, if your routine calls for 10-12 repetitions of an incline bench press, then you need to select a weight that will allow you to reach muscular failure within 10-12 repetitions. Since you are just starting out, your weight selection will be a trial and error process. Here are the steps that you will need to follow.

1.Start out by knowing how many repetitions the routine calls for. For the purposes of this explanation, we will use the above example of the incline bench press where the routine calls for 10-12 repetitions.

2.Select a weight that you think may allow you to perform 10-12 repetitions to failure with good form.

3.If you fail within the 10-12 repetition range, then keep that weight and use it for the following set.

4.If you fail before achieving the 10th rep (say that you failed at 8), then reduce the weight for the following set.

5.If you fail after the 12th rep, then increase the weight slightly for the following set.

As a beginner, it is imperative that you keep a journal where you write down the weights used for each exercise at a given repetition range. In this manner, you will start getting familiarized with what weights to use every time you go to the gym. This is also a great way to keep track of your progress.

When to Increase the Weights?

Even though you did not ask this question, since this topic is related to the weight selection process, I would like to address it.

The weight for an exercise should only be increased when the current weight used will consistently result in reaching muscular failure above the repetition range that is recommended for an exercise.

For example, let’s say that your workout routine calls for 3 sets of dumbbell curls for 10-12 reps, and your training journal indicates that you use 35-lb dumbbells for this exercise and that you fail at 12 reps. You start the exercise with the 35-lbs but this time you see that you fail at 13 reps. This tells you that it is time now to go up in weight.

Note: Again, this example shows the value of having a training journal.

What is a Good Bodybuilding Workout Routine for Beginners?

As far as what routine to use, please take a look at my guide for Getting Started in Bodybuilding. This guide will not only show you what bodybuilding workout to use, but it will also talk about other important items that one needs to take into account when getting started.

If you find the information of this website useful, please feel free to check out any of my best selling natural bodybuilding and fitness publications here.

Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube page at:

www.youtube.com/hugoriverafitness

and to CLICK LIKE on my:

Hugo Rivera Best Selling Fitness Author Fan Page.

• Natural Bodybuilding FAQ: How to Choose a Good Personal Trainer?
• Can I Make Better Natural Bodybuilding Gains if I Train More?
• Building Shoulder Muscles and Losing Fat at the Same Time Using Natural Bodybuilding
• How Can I Lose Fat Under The Pecs and Increase The Bench Press?
• Can I Do A Second Session of Bodybuilding Training Using Aerobic Resistance Bands?

The Magic Pill or Supplement Stack

Regardless of what your definition of bodybuilding success is, which may change as you move along on your bodybuilding journey, a common misconception amongst those in the beginning bodybuilding stages is the belief that all one has to do is take the right “magic pill”, or bodybuilding supplements, and the body of your dreams will be created in record time.

After 18 years of trying everything out there and being extremely involved in the industry, I can tell you that no matter what unscrupulous advertisers claim on their magazines or cleverly worded TV ads, getting that nice set of and achieving a sculpted body that looks like a fine work of art will not happen overnight. And not only will it not happen overnight, but it will also take way more work than advertised.

The Secret To Bodybuilding Success

The secret to achieving bodybuilding success is a combination of factors described by the formula below:

No matter what your goals are, the formula for success will guarantee that you get the results you want. The only thing that differs is the way in which each individual has to implement it. This is due to the fact that each individual has different goals. For example, most women like to tone up their waist, legs, and their arms while most men are interested in getting large amounts of muscle size everywhere.

The formula is the following:

S=Dx (T+N+R)

Where:

S is the success that you achieve in your program.
D is the determination that you have to achieve success.
T is the bodybuilding training that you’ll use.
N is your nutritional program designed for either lean muscle gains or fat loss.
And R stands for rest & recovery.

How to Apply the Formula

Each component in the formula above can only have two values. A value of 1 is given to a component if it is followed completely. A value of 0 is given to any component that is not followed or followed halfway. Therefore, if every single component is followed, you get a maximum value of 3. In this case the person will get the fastest results possible from their program. If the person stops following one of the components inside of the parenthesis then you get a lesser value and not optimal results. However note that if you don’t have any determination you get a value of 0 and then your whole program fails as you won’t get any results. The reason for this is because determination is by far the most important factor in determining the amount of success you will achieve in your bodybuilding program.

After examining the formula above, now it is easy to see why just purchasing a sophisticated gadget or a couple of “magic pills” at the health food store are not going to cut it. In order to achieve permanent weight loss all of the factors described above have to be present and in perfect harmony. Follow one, but not the other one, and your success will be negatively affected. Now that you have an idea of what it will take to get the body of your dreams, let’s go into each of the individual components of the formula for success.

Determination

This is the most important ingredient by far. If you are not determined enough to make the sacrifices necessary to get in shape, then do not expect to have that coveted six-pack by the summer.

Most people usually think that I have all the time in the world to workout (by the way, most people’s excuse for not being in shape is lack of time). When I tell them that I am married, I have a child, and work an average of 50-60 hours a week, they can’t believe it. I can certainly understand that we live in a very busy age. However, please don’t tell me that you don’t have at least 30 minutes, 3 times a week that you can spare on taking care of yourself; that is simply unbelievable. Only some people on the Medical Profession may have schedules so busy that working out may be most challenging, but then again, I have met very busy surgeons who still make the time.

The people with the time excuse (which is around 90% of the population) are just an example of people that want something, but just don’t have the determination to make it happen.

So remember: Be determined and stick to your goal!

Training

There are two types of training:

A. Anaerobic work (i.e. weight training.) is the number one way to re-sculpt your body. (No ladies, weight training won’t make you muscle bound.) Why? Weight training is far superior to any other type of exercise because it increases your metabolism, which in turn helps you burn fat, and gives shape to your body.

B. Aerobic work (i.e. walking) in your Fat Burning Zone (which is (220 – Age) * .75 = Fat Burning Heart Rate) is a good way to accelerate the fat burning process, as long as it is not overdone, and as long as it is only used in addition to a good weight training program. Cardiovascular exercise should never be used as a substitute for weight training.

Nutrition

Nutrition and training go hand in hand. Have you ever heard of people that say that as long as you workout you can eat anything you want because the workout will burn it off? Well that is wrong! While it is true that if you made the correct food choice you can eat it much more that you thought you could, you cannot go every day to your favorite burger joint and get some fries with a triple bacon cheeseburger to go..

Therefore, remember this, if you follow the wrong diet, or follow no diet at all, then rest assured that your training efforts will be sabotaged and you will get no results at all.

Rest and Recovery

You need 7 – 9 hours of sleep each night in order for your body to run efficiently. Deprive your body of sleep and you’ll have lousy fat loss. As a bonus, you also get muscle loss, which in turn lowers your metabolism. You also get deprived hormonal production, which makes it difficult to build muscle. Finally there is research that points to the fact that sleep depravation may be linked to the following:

1) Heart Disease
2) Depression
3) Bad Temper
4) Lack of Concentration and Lethargy.

Therefore, make sure that you get your ZZZ’s or else you will be forced to live in a body that will not be operating at peak efficiency.

Supplements

If you want to make your program as efficient as possible, then you need some supplements. Why? Because nowadays, foods are so processed that it is impossible to get all the vitamin and minerals that your body needs in order to run at maximum efficiency. Even though supplements are not a component of the formula above, they are a subcomponent of the nutrition one. They make the nutrition component as efficient as possible.

Conclusion

So there you have it. In order to achieve bodybuilding success, you need to take into account all of the variables of the formula described above. No “magic potion”, or even steroids, will provide you with any gains if training, nutrition and rest are not maximized. So that takes us back to the fact that in order to ensure bodybuilding gains, you need to have an uncanny determination that will allow you to do what you need to do day in and day out. In this game, determination and consistency are the true keys to achieving bodybuilding gains.

If you find the information of this website useful, please feel free to check out any of my best selling natural bodybuilding and fitness publications here.

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• Mass Training Tactics – Part 1
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The Weight Training Diary 

Excellent way to keep track of your daily workouts. In this diary I give you the tools you need to keep your training workout on track and to help you  plan your regimen and measure your progress effectively. You’ll find lots of space to log all of the key elements of your training and make the most of every workout.  In addition, if you need new training routines as well, this log book brings plenty of those as well regardless of your training level.

The Log Book includes my Five Directives for good training and four 12-week workout plans that have everything spelled out for you with no guesswork.
There are workouts for weight-training beginners, veterans, and those aiming for a celebrity-style body, as well as a 30-minute plan for people with busy work and/or parenting schedules.

The log book includes space to log the date, days since last workout, time and length of workout, and cycle, cardio exercises (time, distance/intensity, heart rate), and strength exercises (muscle group, weights and reps, types of sets).

The book features a helpful spiral binding that lies flat and stays open, plus a durable, glossy cover- just what a book needs to survive a gym.  The ideal addition to your gym bag, The Weight Training Diary helps you achieve results by taking the guesswork out of your workout regimen and allowing you to focus on ways to identify, track and achieve your bodybuilding and fitness goals.

Click here to get your copy today!

The Body Sculpting Bible for Women 

It’s body sculpting at its best!  Regardless of what your present shape is, The Body Sculpting Bible has the best exercises, the best nutrition plan, and the best training schedule out there, anywhere for any physique goal that you may have.  Whether your goal is to lose a few pounds and tone up, or to get a physique that could enter figure or bikini competition, the Body Sculpting Bible has the right program for you!

The Body Sculpting Bible for Women, Revised Edition is now bigger and better than ever! Now with updated and revised material, it contains all the original detailed exercises that made it a bestselling phenomenon, plus:
• A thoroughly revised diet and nutrition section, including recipes for healthy desserts.
• Three new advanced workouts focusing on losing body fat, toning, and shaping.
• Dozens of new exercises and variations to target trouble spots and build lean muscle.
• A FREE 30-minute instructional DVD to show exactly the right form for maximum results.

This comprehensive guide includes not only exercises but also nutritional tips, psychological tricks, meal charts, workout graphs, different fitness plans, the inside scoop on supplements and vitamins, advice on keeping fit while traveling, and fitness information for teens, seniors, and expectant mothers.

The 14-Day Body Sculpting Workout for Women has been custom-designed to sculpt, slim, and strengthen the unique contours of a woman’s body. The workout never stays the same for long and the results–toned arms, flat abs, tight buns, lean legs, and curves in all the right places–just keep on coming.

With no diet pills, gimmicks, or gadgets, The Body Sculpting Bible for Women, Revised Edition is the gold standard for body sculpting, and the essential guide to getting you the body of your dreams.

Click here to get your copy today!

The Body Sculpting Bible for Men

 It’s body sculpting at its best!  Regardless of what your present shape is, The Body Sculpting Bible has the best exercises, the best nutrition plan, and the best training schedule out there, anywhere for any physique goal that you may have.  Whether your goal is to lose a few pounds and tone up, or to get a physique that could enter a fitness or bodybuilding competition, the Body Sculpting Bible has the right program for you!

The Body Sculpting Bible for Men, Revised Edition is now bigger and better than ever! Now with updated and revised material, it contains all the original detailed exercises that made it a best selling phenomenon, plus:

•A thoroughly revised diet and nutrition section, including before and after workout meals
•Three new workouts focusing on losing body fat, toning and shaping, and bulking up
•Dozens of new exercises and variations, complete with all-inclusive directions and photos
•A FREE 30-minute instructional DVD to show exactly the right form for maximum results

This comprehensive guide includes not only exercises but also nutritional tips, psychological tricks, meal charts, workout graphs, different fitness plans, the inside scoop on bodybuilding supplements, advice on keeping fit while traveling, and weightlifting information for teens and seniors.

The 14-Day Body Sculpting Workout for Men drives your body hard in two-week increments so the workout never stays the same for long and the results–washboard abs, a chiseled chest, big guns, broad shoulders, and tight buns–just keep on coming.

The Body Sculpting Bible for Men, Revised Edition is the gold standard for body sculpting. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted in a fitness book and everything you’ve ever wanted in a training regimen–and it will give you everything you’ve ever wanted in a body.

Click here to get your copy today!

The Hardgainers’ Bodybuilding Handbook   

 If you have always been naturally skinny with issues to gain weight and you are looking to gain serious muscle, this is the book for you. 

If you have always been skinny and lean and you are working out with nothing to show for it, then you are a hardgainer, someone who needs a special plan for building a superbly muscled, strong, lean, and healthy physique.

Now you can get big faster than you ever imagined with the secret techniques revealed in The Hardgainer’s Body Building Handbook.

In The Hardgainer’s Body Building Handbook I reveal:

• The 10 laws of ultimate muscle growth.
• The best exercises for building muscle mass.
• Essential equipment for your home gym.
• How to use nutrition to build muscle without increasing body fat.
• The scoop on supplements, the truth about aerobics, and much more.

Containing detailed beginner, intermediate, and advanced workout routines; packed with information on diet, cooking, and nutrition; filled with training schedules, exercise plans and nutrition logs; The Hardgainer’s Body Building Handbook is a must for anyone who is serious about bulking up!

Click here to get your copy today!

The Body Re-Engineering System

 Body Re-Engineering is the System for you if you are looking for serious bodybuilding gains.  In a easy to follow e-book format that you can download instantly, you get my best system for those interested in achieving a physique that looks like it could enter bodybuilding or figure competition at any point in time.

Body Re-Engineering takes into accounts all of the three different body types and offers precise recommendations for each of them.  In addition, this system can take you from absolute beginner to advanced in no time. 

The Body Re-Engineering Training System is composed of 21 weeks of fully periodized workouts that take your body to the edge of overtraining and then it pulls back by allowing your body to overcompensate and grow.

All the guesswork is taken away as everything (training, nutrition, supplementation and rest) is spelled out for you!  If you are looking to slash body fat and gain pound after pound of lean muscle mass, then Body Re-Engineering is for you.

Click here to get your copy today!

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You can certainly lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. The key to do this is to alternate between short periods of “bulking phases” and fat loss phases. In this manner, over a period of say 12-16 weeks you will have accomplished both goals.

Natural Bodybuilding Principles to Gain Muscle and Lose Fat at the Same Time

Here are the natural bodybuilding principles that you will need to follow:

If Above 10% Bodyfat for Males or 12% for Women, Concentrate on Losing Fat First

If you are above 10% body fat for men and 12% for women, try to concentrate first on getting below that level while retaining, or even gaining, a moderate amount of muscle tissue. This is accomplished by following a diet that is composed of 40% carbs, 40% proteins and 20% fats (please refer to my Bodybuilding Nutrition Basics article). This ratio works very well for most people except for hardgainers that can get away with eating more carbs and fats. Carbs should come mainly from complex slow releasing sources such as oatmeal, grits, brown rice, and sweet potatoes, in combination with fibrous sources such as green beans and broccoli. Proteins should come mainly from chicken, turkey, tuna, turkey, salmon, and lean red meats. Since you are focused on reducing body fat, dairy products and fruits need to be eliminated at this time, not because they are not healthy but due to the fact that the type of simple carbs contained in these foods may slow down fat loss. Finally, you need some fats and these should come on the form of fish oils, flaxseed oil or extra virgin canned olive oil.

As far as the amounts of nutrients required to lose fat, a good starting point is 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, 1 gram of carbs per pound of bodyweight, and 3 tablespoons of good fats per day for men and 1.5 for women.

Once Lean Enough It Is Time To Gain Muscle

Once below 10% body fat (12% for women), the athlete can go ahead and start on a bulk up cycle. All that needs to be done then is just increase your nutrient intake to 1.5 grams of protein per pound bodyweight, 1.5-2 grams of carbs per pound and keep the essential fats at 3 tablespoons per day for guys and 1.5 for women. The athlete should continue to bulk up until a level of 10% body fat is exceeded. At that point, calories need to be reduced again. Understand, that when eating more calories than what the body burns on any given day, some of those calories will be deposited as body fat. However, if your training is right on the money, most of the calories will be used for energy and muscle production.

Weight Training and Cardio

Weight training wise, 4-5 sessions of 45 minutes to 1 hour, at the most, in the gym should get the job done. A good strategy to avoid stagnation is to periodize, which in other words is to change your workout parameters like sets, reps and rest in between sets in a logical and orderly fashion that elicits the most response for the body. So for instance you can do 4 weeks of training using higher reps, such as 12-15, and short periods of rest in between sets, like 60 seconds, and then follow that with 4 weeks of lower rep work (in the range of 8-10) with longer rest in between sets 90 seconds to 2 minutes (Please check out my Advanced Bodybuilding Periodized Routine). As far as cardiovascular exercise, around 5-6 sessions of 30-45 minutes when trying to cut down to below 10% body fat and around 2-3 sessions of 20-30 minutes when trying to add mass should suffice. Now, if you are a hardgainer, which in other words is a naturally skinny person that has problems gaining weight, then no cardio is recommended and also a higher amount of carbohydrates and fats is also advised.

Conclusion

So in a nutshell, alternating between higher calorie periods and lower calorie periods along with a properly periodized routine is the key for consistent progress in terms of muscle gain and fat loss. In this manner, you can gain muscle while staying in good shape throughout the year.

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What Is The Best Time to Workout?

The question of what is the best time to workout is a very common question that unfortunately gets answered in a different way, depending of who you ask.  In this video blog I want to give you some specific guidelines so that you can determine what is the best time to workout for you.

In a nutshell:

The Best Time to Workout = The Most Convenient Time for You.
While this may sound overly simplistic, this is a practical and true statement.  No need to over-complicate matters.

I recommend that if your schedule at work is a steady one, choose whether you want to workout before work (in the morning) or after (in the afternoon). Personally, I like to workout in the morning as I get a nice metabolic boost from it.

The most important thing however to keep in mind is that you choose a time that allows you to create a habit of working out consistently. If you lack motivation, get yourself a workout partner that has the same goals as you and make it a point to meet at the same time every day to get your workouts done.

But Are There Some Workout Times That Yield Slightly Better Results?
To get the absolute fastest results there are certain times that can yield a few more benefits, depending on what your body type is.

If you are a naturally skinny person (a hardgainer) you can benefit more from training in the afternoon, as this allows you to get a few meals in your system, thus increasing your glycogen levels (stored carbohydrates). In this manner, when you hit the weights, you will be able to have better workouts since your glycogen levels will be high.

If you have a slow metabolism (like myself) then you are better off by training in the morning since your glycogen levels will be low, and thus, your body has to rely more heavily on store body fat for energy.

However, if you can’t adhere to these preferential times, there is no need to worry as the most important thing for getting results is that you get the workouts done consistently!

Now, for competitive bodybuilders and fitness/figure athletes, the rules are a little bit different. If you compete, you will need to make the time to workout a few times a day. Competitors should do cardio first thing in the morning to enhance fat loss and later on do the weight training, either around lunch time or later in the afternoon. That way you get two metabolic boosts and you keep the whole workout time short which will in turn preserves muscle mass.

Once again, going back to the most of us, the best time to train is whenever you can program it on a consistent basis.

What If I Have Rotating Work Schedules?
If you have a rotating work schedule then as long as you have your schedule a week in advance, you can program your workout week as soon as you know at what times you work. That way, every day you will know when you need to be ready to hit the weights.

What if I Work Nights?
Same rule applies as what I just said. In this case, figure out if it is better for you to do the workout before or after work.

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If you’ve got any questions on the video or suggestions for more video topics, then just scroll to the bottom of the page and use the comment system.

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Natural Bodybuilding Training and Dieting While Traveling

My job as a fitness author requires a lot of traveling. In order for me to maintain my natural bodybuilding training and dieting during my trips, there are many preparations that I have to make in advance so that I can avoid missing meals and workouts.

Because it is summertime and many of us are traveling for vacation purposes, for business, or both, I decided to write this small article with tips on what you can do to maintain your natural bodybuilding program as you travel.

Planning and Preparation

The key to keeping up with your natural bodybuilding training and dieting while traveling, provided you are determined enough to do so, is planning and preparation. If you do not plan ahead and fail to prepare in advance it may be nearly impossible for you to keep a bodybuilding lifestyle as you travel. The items below will provide you with a list of steps that, if followed, will make the process of planning and preparation very simple.

Natural Bodybuilding Training During Travel

Before you go on your next trip, ensure that you have a place to work out. The following steps will aid you with your planning:

1. Find out if the hotel that you are going to stay in has a small fitness facility or at least a set of dumbbells. Call the hotel and see what they have available as far as fitness equipment. Gather as much information as possible. Most of the time however most hotels are just equipped with some stationary bikes and a “universal type” weight machine at best.
2. If the hotel does not have a suitable fitness facility, then find out the location of the closest gym and plan to work out there. The Internet is a great way of finding out what is nearby the hotel you will be staying at or you can even ask the customer service person from the hotel over the phone to lead you in the right direction. I suggest that once you look at the list of gyms, unless it is a well known chain, you call and ask for daily rates, times of operation and type of equipment. If you are staying over 5 days, also ask if they have a special rate for just one week as opposed to paying for a daily pass each day. In this manner, you save some money.
3. If by some twist of fate there are no fitness facilities in the area (hard to believe), then take with you some exercise bands, which is better than nothing. In this case you will do a maintenance type of routine which consists of the following exercises split in the following manner:

Natural Bodybuilding Exercise Band/Body Weight Traveling Training Routine

Workout (A) – Upper Body
Tri-set #1
Pushups
Rows with the bands
Crunches

Tri-set #2
Lateral raises with the bands
Curls with the bands
Close grip push-ups

Workout (B) – Lower Body/Abs
Tri-set #1
Squats (Close Stance) with no weights
Squats (Medium Stance) with no weights
Squats (Wide Stance) with no weights

Tri-set #2
Lunges (Pressing w/ heels) with no weights
One legged calf raises with no weights
Leg raises

You will perform this routine every day in your room by alternating between Workout (A) one day and Workout (B) the next day using 5 sets of as many reps as possible in each exercise. You may ask if one day in between would be enough for the muscles to recover. The answer to this question is yes due to the fact that you are not lifting heavy weights.

There are two tri-sets in each workout, which are three exercises performed one after the other with no rest in between sets. After all three exercises have been performed, you can take a 1 minute rest and start over, or, for a more pronounced cardiovascular effect, and a quicker paced workout, you can continue performing the exercises in circuit fashion up until all 5 sets have been done. Once you are finished with tri-set#1 then you can move on to tri-set#2. You can rest 60 seconds between the time you finish tri-set #1 and start #2 or you can simply start the second one with no rest.

If you perform the routines in circuit fashion without rest, you can get away without doing additional cardiovascular exercise. However, for those of you who would like to still perform your traditional cardio, a quick power walk for 20-30 minutes after the workout or first thing in the morning if you rather do the resistance portion at night.

Natural Bodybuilding Dieting During Travel

I would say that this is by far the most challenging part of being a traveling bodybuilder. The steps below are the ones that I take to assure that meals are not missed.

1. Make sure that prior to selecting the hotel, you choose one that has a refrigerator in the room and that provides access to a microwave.
2. Find out where the grocery stores are at so that as soon as you settle down you can go grocery shopping. Ensure that you get plenty of Ziploc bags while you are there.
3. The day that you jump on the plane, carry with you a book bag full of chicken sealed on individual Ziploc bags. For carbohydrates you can have bags of brown rice ready as well. I place all of my individual small Ziploc bags of protein in a large one and do the same with my brown rice bags. In addition, bring with you some Tupperware containers, Meal Replacement Packets (MRPs) and/or Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Shakes. This will guarantee that you do not miss meals on the day that you are heading to your destination. As far as water, since now you cannot carry those in the planes, drink as much as you can before the checkpoints and then drink some more during the flight. Believe it or not, when I select my seats on a plane, I always try to get them as close to the lavatory as possible since the water that goes in must come out.
4. Invest on a small George Foreman grill (please take a look at my George Foreman Grill Product Review) so that you can take it to the hotels with you. In this manner you can grill your chicken.
5. Everyday, wake up early, get your meals ready in individual bags or tupperware containers and carry them with you in your book bag.
6. For good fats, get some almonds and have a serving or two of these per day, since you will not be able to carry flax oil with you as it is heat sensitive.

Are Fast Food Restaurants Recommended?

The best way to do things is to use grocery food but if you find yourself for whatever reason without food during the day and there is a fast food restaurant around, here s what you need to do:

1. If it is not your cheat meal day, refrain from fatty choices such as french fries.
2. Drink between 8-16 ounces of water before you get there and then drink an additional 8-16 ounces more while you are eating. This will prevent you from feeling hungry and falling to temptation. If temptation is strong remember two things:
   • There is nothing better than being in shape.
   • You control everything that goes into your mouth. Food does not and should not control you!
3. Always combine a serving of low fat protein (in the case of fast food restaurants, this is either skinless chicken or turkey) with a small serving of carbs. Remember that if you are eating a chicken or turkey sandwich the bread will count as the carbs.
4. Salads in addition to a serving of protein and a serving of starchy carbs are always good since they provide fiber and they fill you up. However, avoid using high fat/high sugar dressings.
5. Refrain from using high carbohydrate sauces or mayo.

In traditional restaurants just combine a low fat protein, such as chicken, with a good carbohydrate such as a baked potato and have a salad to go with it. You may also opt for Wild Alaskan salmon which gives you your daily source of Essential Fats. And remember, drink plenty of water!

Basically, if you stick to the rules I discussed above, no matter where you find yourself at, you won’t have a problem finding something to eat.

As you can see, even though it will take more effort to get or stay in shape if you travel, it is not impossible. If you are determined enough to make things happen, then everything is possible!

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