Most people who have gone into a store to look for supplements have seen that there are shelves lined with fat burners. We want to break down and look at what is in these and how they will affect your body if you take them. Cellucor’s Super HD is a good example of a popular fat burner that a lot of people have heard of or even taken already. We explore what is in them, why you would want to take them, what happens when you do, and good alternatives to it. When it comes to fat loss products, it’s no secret that there are some that do really work. So let’s start with the ingredients and see what is in this particular one. There are several natural ingredients listed in Super HD. There are some B vitamins and, as some people know, these help facilitate metabolism. When your body is stressed it tends to run out of B vitamins because they are water soluble and our bodies flush them out. There is niacin and green tea listed, along with tyrosine, which is an amino acid, rhodiola, which is an herb to suppress hunger, and cayenne pepper which helps increase body temperate to help burn more calories. When you look at the label, you can see that every ingredient in there is helping boost metabolism and shuttle fat into the blood stream for use as energy. Although none of these ingredients jump out as scary or harmful because most are herbs, vitamins, and amino acids, there is still a downside. These products tend to be abused by the users. Unfortunately, even though there is a way to cycle on and back off it the right way, most people assume that the more you take of this product, the more weight you are going to lose. This is a big issue and where the product gets used incorrectly the most. Another downside of this product arises when you need to come off of it. This is not a product that you can stay on forever, eventually it will stop working. When you come off of it, you are likely to gain the weight back and that is the psychological teeter totter. It can make you want go back and buy more of the fat burner to get back to where you were. That reliance on a product to feel lean is where major problems arise. When people become dependent on these fat burners to stay lean, instead of addressing the true problem with their diet and exercise, they can often get caught in the cycle of buying fat burner after fat burner to get back to where they want to be. But, staying in that cycle is harmful to your body. You beat the crap out of your body because you are pushing it into overdrive all the time. This is where people can run in to health problems. It can mess up your thyroid and in the long term mess up your metabolism. Instead of looking to fat burners, the best thing you can do is make dietary changes. When someone’s diet is not dialed in, and they are drinking on the weekend and having too many cheat meals, then the cycle for them cannot change. More often people won’t even see results from these products due to such bad diets, and then beat themselves up for not getting the results a product claims like getting you chiseled overnight. With out the diet and training component, it’s better to just toss supplements like these out the windows because they will not be able to get you where you want to be. At Morellifit, we do not want our clients hooked on fat burners. That’s why if you go to our Primal Body website, you will not see a single fat burner for sale. There is more money in selling fat burners than any other supplement on the market because it had the biggest mark up and that is where the money is at, but that is not the path we want people to go on. Michael believes in quality products, like our Grassfed Whey, and instead of putting a chiseled guy to sell a fat burner on his website, he invests in quality supplements that will actually benefit your health. So what do you do if you want to reap the benefits of a natural fat burner without the downside of possible crashes and metabolic damage? You can use caffeine. We use Grind, a organic fair trade coffee, to help burn fat. You can find organic fair trade coffee at your local health store, online, or even in some local coffee shops. Michael drinks Grind coffee because he knows where it comes from, he believes in it, and the caffeine in it works as a fat burner. It’s the most under utilized fat burner on the planet. It’s been working for Michael for years and he once came from a list of supplemental fat burners that messed him up. At one point he was taking pre-workouts just to function and had become so accustomed to it that he needed it every single day. Pre-workouts are very similar to fat burners in the way that they stimulate your body. Now, with coffee and the natural energy of caffeine, the energy is cleaner. We will be reviewing more supplements as we go, and letting you know how you can benefit your own health and work outs. Cellucor Super HD Summary: Pro: Most ingredients are natural and not harmful in moderation. Con: The teeter totter of dependence on a product as well as the chance of long term metabolic damage. Rely on more natural sources of caffeine instead of all the other stuff that are in fat burners and pre-work outs. Those supplements have long term effects and the thyroid issues and we suggest to stay away from products like that. Change your diet and your lifestyle if you are looking for
If you are an avid lover of coffee, then you know where the obsession over this dark brewed beverage comes from. It’s been called the nectar of the God’s and the first credible reference to coffee trees appearing was in the 15th century. So this age old golden brew has been seducing our taste buds for centuries but also has been providing more than just a delicious drink. The health benefits of caffeine are wide and it’s role in fitness is just starting to get notice. The name for the delicious chemical called caffeine is actually called 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine. Caffeine provides Vitamin B to help produce energy, Vitamin B5 to help the body use fats and proteins, and Manganese which helps control blood sugar. In addition to all that, it contains Magnesium which help keep blood pressure even, Potassium which is essential to your heart and kidneys and Niacin that can help cholesterol levels. For those who have several cups of coffee a day these numbers can really add up, but the daily recommended limit of coffee is about 4.7 cups of drip coffee which equals about 400mg of caffeine. Anything over that limit could interfere with sleep patterns or give the drinker a jittery feeling. Coffee also provides a boost to the brain by temporarily increasing focus and concentration. This can lead to increased learning. But, aside for what it gives out body and our mind, it can help with fitness for those who work out. There are many risks associated with taking pre workout and fat burners, if you want to know what they are, just read their warning levels. Those who are looking for a more natural way to have a burst of energy can drink a shot of espresso or just have a coffee for a natural boost. Caffeine can increase stamina during a work out and can increase adrenaline which can lead to a better work out. Besides an energy boost, caffeine in studies has show to increase fat burning in the body. Along with increased fat burning, it can break down fat as well. Plus, the effects of caffeine can last up to 6 hours after ingestion which means these fat burning benefits last a while. After a hard work out caffeine has been shown to decrease post work out pain by up to 48% in athletes. Caffeine is naturally occurring in the coffee bean, and can be extracted by pressure cooking the beans and leaves with CO2 to produce it in the powder form. This has lead to caffeine being added to a multitude of products including fat burners and pre-workouts. But these products also contain a multitude of other, sometimes unhealthy, ingredients. Instead of risking ingesting questionable ingredients for the sake of energy, you can turn to the tried and true energy from natural coffee. Of course organic and fair trade coffee is always the healthiest choice, but any coffee will give you the caffeine boost and benefits. Next time you drink your cup of joe just imagine all the good things it’s doing for your body. And when thinking about energy for work outs always look for a more natural solution like straight black coffee to get you through. When given the chance always choose organic brands, like Grind Coffee, because regular non organic coffees are one of the heaviest sprayed crops. Non organic coffee can be sprayed with up to 250 lbs of pesticides before it’s harvested. So when you can, buy organic or drink organic coffee. Delicious and beneficial, this drink makes it to the top of our fitness drink list.
Hi From Michael, the creator of the number one fat loss program, HIIT MAX™, with 85,000 copies sold. This video and blog post is for hard gainers, looking for lean muscle gains, or anyone who wants to gain lean muscle really quickly. Today we focus on the two things you can do to gain ten pounds of lean mass in the next 8 weeks. Even if you have the goal of fat loss, it is also important to the have goal of maintaining your muscle mass. Why is this? The more muscle mass you have, the higher BMR you have, the more fat you burn at rest, the easier it is to sustain weight loss, and the easier it is to maintain your body composition. When your goal is to gain and sustain lean muscle mass, you never want to sacrifice muscle for fat. Let’s talk about the two things that will get you there. If you follow these two things, you’ll gain 10 pounds in 8 weeks. TDEE. TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is a number of calories burned with your activity level throughout the day. What does this number mean for your gains? This means if you want to gain 10 pounds, you have to eat above this number every single day. For example, your TDEE is 3,000. In order to put on mass, you have to eat more than 3000 calories a day. It takes 3,500 calories extra to experience 1 pound of weight gain. If you consume that for seven days, 500 extra calories as day, times 7 days, that brings you to an extra 3500 calories a week. That excess will gain you 1 pound in a week. To calculate your TDEE, use the BRM calculator on the blog. On a side note, when we say consume extra calories, this doesn’t mean eat cupcakes, donuts, HoHos, and Twinkies. That’s not what we talking about here. When you eat crap you will gain mass, but it’s very little lean mass and a lot of fat. There are people who do this and put on a lot of bulk, but then they have to cut. To cut they drop calories and then they lose the weight and are right back to where they started. This creates a teeter-totter when you try to bulk with garbage. The goal should be lean mass, which requires you to consume quality calories. If you follow our social media accounts you know what this means. Use our Macro list and grocery list for good references of foods you should be eating. Let’s move on to the second thing. TUT. TUT is Time Under Tension. What does that mean? This means the amount of time your muscles spend under tension during any given set. For example, bicep curls. You add up the time your muscles are in the concentric phase (tension curling up) and the eccentric phase (tension uncurling) in seconds. You total that up and multiply by the number of reps you do. Where you need to be is 40 to 70 seconds TUT every given set. If you have three bicep exercise and four sets each for each exercise, you add up the three exercises times four sets. Every set should be 40- 70 TUT. This is the same when you train legs, shoulders, chest, back, or calves. The goal is always TUT 40-70 for lean muscle gains. Lean muscles gains also mean achieving muscle hypertrophy. You need to use muscle hypertrophy methods in order for them to grow. That happens at 40–70 TUT. People think heavy weights and fewer reps is the only way to do it. Reps do not matter. You have to manipulate the reps. Sometimes you do really light weights and more reps and you still get there. Sometimes you do heavy weights and fewer reps, but you can still get there. Doing fewer reps means that you only do 6, but you do them very slowly. We know this works because Michael has done it, and thousand of clients have done it with him. If you follow this you will get very close to these lean muscle gains in 8 weeks. Some people with get more gains than others because some people are harder gainers than others. Another factor is if you have been working out for a long time and the number can vary for your potential gains. If you just started working out and you are a hard gainer, you can hit this goal. You will be happy and getting these results as long as you also eat clean, whole foods, that are as close to nature as possible. If you feel you have hit a plateau, or are seeing little or no gains and are looking for an effective workout, HIIT MAX™ Elite can help you get the results you want. The program takes the guesswork out of your workouts by showing you what exercises to do, how many reps to do, and the rest times in between. The workouts are set in calendar format and you just choose the day of the month you want to start and follow along while we keep track of your process. Each month the workouts change and progress with you so that there is no plateauing and you gain lean muscle each month. This is just one of the many benefits of HIIT MAX™ Elite, and with membership, you also get nutrition guidance, a forum to communicate with our trainers and other members, as well as an ever growing list of great music for you to enjoy during your workouts. Be patient. Stay the course. And, let’s get fit together!
Has your weight loss stalled? Have you stopped building lean muscle? Perhaps those scales haven’t gone down in a while and you can’t see any changes in your physique, despite working hard and sticking to your diet. I have 6 words for you … “Change the Stimulus, Change the Response.” By doing this, you’ll quickly and easily lose fat faster and build more lean muscle. “If You Train the Same, You Remain the Same.” The biggest issue I see with most people in the gym is that they always do the same things. They ALWAYS do 30-60 minutes on the treadmill at the same speed. They ALWAYS use the 10lb. dumbbells for their bicep curls. They ALWAYS do sets of 20 mountain climbers at the same intensity. They ALWAYS take 60 seconds rest between sets. They trouble with this is that your body gets used to it, and by keeping that stimulus the same all the time, the response also stays the same. That “response” is the equivalent to changes in your body composition – i.e. fat loss, muscle gain or an increase in fitness. Meaning that if you never manipulate the variables in your workout, you’ll never see the progress you are after. Check the video to learn more. 4 Sure-Fire Ways to SMASH Your Plateau So how do we go about changing the stimulus to elicit a bigger response? Simple, there are 4 ways: 1. Sets and Reps The number of sets and reps (TUT) always depends on your goal. 0-20 sec = strength training 20-40 sec = strength/hypertrophy training 40-70 sec = hypertrophy/metabolic training But that doesn’t mean you don’t adjust your training to include a mix of the above. A bodybuilder who always does sets of 8 to 10 for instance can see great gains by switching to a week of working with sets of 15 to 20. If you’re chasing fat loss, why not throw some strength work into the mix to shock your body? If you’re not sure what to do, just add an extra set (increase volume) to every exercise – that’s extra calorie burn right there. 2 .Exercises Experiment with different moves. If your chest session always consists of bench presses, dips, pushups and fly’s, how about interchanging reg bench for incline bench, or inserting dumbbell presses and cable cross-overs? Or something as simple as changing your planks to side planks can also make difference. 3. Weights Don’t be afraid to lift heavy. I’ve seen some of the fastest fat loss in clients who train for strength. You just don’t know. The idea here to continue to manipulate the variables. Even if you don’t want to drop your reps too low (slower reps), you should at least be trying to lift heavier progressively, by using a little more weight every few weeks. 4. Time In Between Sets Do you time how long you rest between sets? If not, you should. Getting lazy and resting too long (or just not trying to rest less over time) is one of the best ways to hinder your progress, so keep a timer on hand, and always see if there’s a way you can cut just 5 to 10 seconds from your time in-between sets. Or better still, pair exercises into a superset to ramp up calorie burn. “But how do I do it?” Now you know what to do, but you go into the gym and think… “I’m still confused. Do I add reps or take them away? I did that exercise last time, am I supposed to do it again, or choose something different? How do I know if it’s time to switch things up?” The answer to any question you could have, is revealed >> here <<. I realize that the only way to get a plan that continues to manipulate the variable so you don’t have to,all programmed to deliver maximum results, was to put everything together into a what i believe s the most intuitive training platform in existence. That’s why I created HIIT MAX Elite. It is the only training program on the web that gives you a different workout every day, ensuring you NEVER hit a plateau. You lose fat every single day. You keep your metabolism and calorie burn at an all-time high 24/7. And, when the first 30 days are up, an entirely new cycle begins again, but with subtle, strategic tweaks so that you get even better results come month 2, 3, 4 and so on. Thousands of men and women are already raving about HIIT MAX Elite, and the fact you also get access to an online forum, over 250 recipes, get interaction with fat loss and strength experts from around the world, and can cancel at any time, it’s no wonder people are talking about HIIT MAX Elite.
Do you ever get that feeling? The horrid, uncomfortable, energy-sapping, weight around your stomach. Those days when you feel so bloated that you’re convinced you gained 15 pounds, even though you know you haven’t? It might happen after a cheat meal, following a vacation or holiday, or, you may just experience bloating on random days, at random times, and for seemingly no good reason at all. The bloat affects us all, but you can banish bloating forever. All it takes is 3 simple steps and a little patience. I lay out each of these steps in order (and give you tips to take action right away). 1. Clean Up Your Diet Maybe your diet is pretty clean already. But is it as clean as it could be? Are you really being honest with yourself? Is 90% of what you put into your mouth, good, wholesome, nutritious food, or are you letting the occasional bit of “junk” creep in? (If you are, it’s okay – I have some advice on this in just a moment.) If you know you’ve slipped a little lately, here’s what I would like you to do. For the next 2 weeks, commit to following your meal plan perfectly. That means eating the foods you’re supposed to eat, eating at the times you’re supposed to eat, and not letting any hidden treats or snacks slip in there, UNLESS they’re part of your cheat meals. Plan your cheat meals for the same days, at the same time each week, and make a note of how they make you feel. Chances are, you may experience bloating, in which case, you know the culprits of that stuffed feeling you’ve been experiencing. Outside of those cheat meals though, stick to the same kinds of foods (lean meats, fish, nuts and seeds, fruits and veggies, some safe starches). 2. Get Wet If there’s one thing that I believe that could banish the bloat, it would be to increase water intake. Good old H2O is the foundation to any successful diet. When you don’t drink enough, your body enters scarcity mode, where it clings on to any water that’s consumed. It also down-regulates digestion. In the video I reveal exactly how much water you need to ensure you never, ever get bloated; 3. Master Mindfulness I’m not a fan of counting calories (especially to begin with). What I am a fan of though, is being mindful and aware. If you consciously focus on how your diet makes you feel, you’ll never over-eat, which means you’ll also follow the first two tips, and as long as nothing hormonal isn’t going on you shouldn’t bloat. While you’re following your clean eating plan for the next 2 weeks, I also want you to keep a food journal. In it, note down what you eat and when, a rough guide on how much you’re consuming, how each bite makes you feel, and whether or not you feel bloated. Once the two weeks is up, go back over it and look for patterns. Can you pick out any particular foods that made you feel tired? How about foods that gave you great energy and helped you perform better in the gym? Doing this helps you create a list of “go-to foods” and foods that you’ll want to avoid at all costs. Banishing the bloat isn’t hard. Give it just 2 weeks of consistency, and I guarantee you’ll never feel bloated and fat again — as long as you continue to apply these steps of course. Done-For-You Banish the Bloat Diet The 3 tips here are almost all you need to eliminate bloating. Sometimes though, no matter what you try, that feeling still plagues you. This could be to do with changes in hormone levels, the odd inner workings of your metabolism, or your body deciding it suddenly doesn’t like a certain food. I found that with my clients, this would happen often. So I created a plan that never fails to banish the bloat. My 7-Day Detox Drop has so far been downloaded nearly 10,000 times at the time of this publication. And the results are astounding. Just click the link above to see some of the testimonials. Men and women alike have used this special combination of foods and juices to lose up to 6 to 12 pounds in just 7 days. This really is a game-changer, and a very sensible investment if you never want to feel bloated and uncomfortable again.
Protein shakes: What’s the deal? They’re the #1 selling muscle-building supplement in the world and can supercharge both your lean mass gains and your fat loss efforts. But what are the best types? It’s one of the most common questions I’m asked, as there’s still a ton of confusion surrounding these “protein powders.” Let’s find out the top 3 protein shakes to build, repair and recover. Protein Shakes vs. Whole Foods Drinking your protein in shake or powder form will never be as good as eating it from whole foods such as chicken, beef, eggs, or fish, but when you’re in a rush, on the go, or looking for a quick muscle-repairing hit post-workout, then protein shakes can be ideal. Whole foods generally contain more vitamins, more minerals, and more micronutrients, so are a much more complete nutrition source. However, one place where protein shakes do have the advantage is in terms of their bioavailability. (This means how easily and efficiently your muscle cells uptake and utilize the protein contained within them.) In fact, you might be surprised just how effective the protein in some shakes is. This isn’t myth or heresy, it’s based on science, and I explain it all in the video. You need to watch the video to understand the next section, so take a few minutes to let you take it all in, then let’s move on. The BEST Protein Shake In this crazy world of modern marketing, we’re constantly being told that a certain supplement is the best one. It’s no surprise, as supplements are a huge industry, but what it really comes down to is what shake has the best bioavailability, this means it’s going to be the most effective, and less protein gets wasted as you consume it. Your top 3 choices (in order) are: Whey Isolate Whey Concentrate Egg Ingredient Investigation Aside from the bioavailability, your top concern when picking a supplement should be the ingredient quality. After all, you are what you eat, and to perform optimally, look your best, and build muscle and burn fat faster, you need to be fueling your body with top quality ingredients. So many powders on the market are packed full of nasty fillers and additives that do you no good whatsoever. My number one tip? Go grass-fed. A grass-fed whey protein powder (isolate or concentrate) will always be better than a standard off-the-shelf mass-manufactured protein powder. Granted, these may cost a little more, but it’s really an investment worth making. Unfortunately, though, there aren’t too many super high-quality protein supplements out there at the moment, and this is why I created my own supplement line – MorelliFit Nutrition. I felt it was my duty to formulate a protein supplement that delivered everything I believed it should. We’re talking high bioavailability, a minimal list of ingredients, no manufactured additives, and a cutting edge nutrient profile. Stay tuned for some seriously exciting news regarding MorelliFit Nutrition, and how you can get your hands on it first. Surprise Bonus … Is There a 4th Best Protein Powder? Now you know the top 3 protein powders to build, repair and recover – Grass-fed whey isolate Grass-fed whey concentrate Egg protein But there’s also a fourth (for vegans only) that I didn’t mention in here. For that, you’ll have to check out the video. This is especially useful for all my vegetarian and vegan friends, and even if you’re a hard-hitting meat-eater, you’ll still benefit from being aware of it. So watch the video, pick your protein powder, throw any questions my way, and let’s get fit, together. Planning Your Protein If you’re wondering how protein shakes can fit into your plan, let me tell you. There are three times during the day when having a shake can be helpful. (And in fact, can actually be BETTER than eating food.) It sounds a little crazy that consuming something “processed” like a shake can at times be more beneficial than a meal, but it really is true. A shake consumed either – First thing in the morning Straight after training When you don’t have time for a full meal Can literally save your fat loss and muscle-building results. Not only that, but sometimes, you just don’t want to spend half an hour cooking, or have to carry around Tupperware containers full of chicken or turkey. This is why I make all my custom meal plans as easy to follow as possible. I tell you exactly what shakes you need and when, to help ramp up your progress, and get results quicker (and easier!) than ever before. To grab your very own done-for-you meal plan, customized to your goals, body type, tastes, and schedule, click here.
So you’re stuck in a plateau? You feel like you’re working hard, putting in the effort, and sticking to your diet, but nothing’s happening? Well, that’s actually very common. In fact, it’s the main reason why so many people get results in the beginning, and feel motivated, invigorated and pumped up, yet gradually become disheartened and fall back into old habits. We all get stuck in plateaus – heck, I plateaued for about a decade! But that was before I found out about the 2 tricks that guarantee you can break through any plateau. Read on to find out what these are, how you can implement them into your training, and get back on track with blasting stubborn fat, building lean muscle and getting the body of your dreams. “Man, I’m so Sore” Are you sore after your workouts? You should be. I’m not talking “not able to walk up the stairs” kind of sore, but your muscles should be fatigued and tired the day of (or the day after) your sessions. Soreness is a sign that you’ve worked hard, pushed yourself and had an effective workout. So if you’re not feeling at least a little sore, chances are you’re in one of these plateaus we’re talking about. I explain a little more in the video. Now, there are 2 ways you can step up your training to get this soreness back, and start progressing again. #1 – Turn Up the Volume Volume is perhaps the most crucial factor in any training plan, whether your goal is to burn fat, build muscle, or both! Volume simply refers to how much work you do. While I firmly believe that a tough 20 or 30 minute workout will always beat an easy, steady, hour-long workout, and that it is possible to get a highly-effective workout done in a short space of time, sometimes, you do need to train for longer. A longer workout, provided you still train with intensity and effort, will amp up your calorie burn, create more overload and stress on your muscles and cardiovascular system, and ultimately get you results faster. To increase volume, try – Extending your workout time Doing more sets on each exercise Adding extra exercises #2 – Getting Dense Density is the amount of work you do in a given time. Say, for instance, you’re currently in the gym for 45 minutes per workout. In that time, you might do 6 different exercises, each for 4 sets, and taking a minute of rest between everything. Well, to get a higher density workout, you’d still do your 6 exercises for 4 sets, but instead of giving yourself 60 seconds rest, you’d reduce this to 30 or 45 seconds, or even pair exercises back to back, so that you get the same workout done, but in less time. This is a sure-fire way to give yourself a huge challenge, improve aerobic capacity and muscular endurance and reignite that soreness. #3 – A Killer Combo Here’s a bonus for you. Instead of increasing volume OR density, why not try both simultaneously? There’s no way on earth that any stubborn fat loss plateau would have the nerve to stick around were you to do this. The first step here, is taking your current workout, and condensing it into a shorter time period, so that you’re boosting workout density. So you might go from a 40 minute workout to a 30 minute one. Then, take that 10 minutes you’ve saved, and add extra exercises. Here’s a practical example for you – Original workout – Jump lunges – 4 sets of 15 reps Dumbbell Clean and presses – 4 sets of 8 reps Pull-ups (bodyweight or assisted) – 5 sets of 5 reps Mountain Climbers – 5 sets of 40 seconds Plank – 3 maximum holds Total time – 40 minutes Revamped workout – Jump lunges super-set with dumbbell clean and presses – 4 sets of 15 and 8 reps respectively Circuit of 5 pull-ups, 40 seconds of mountain climbers and a maximum plank for 5 rounds. KettleBell swings super-set with V-ups for 3 sets of 20 reps each Tri-set of barbell curls, close-grip pushups and lateral raises, each for 2 sets until failure. Total time – 40 minutes That first workout? It’d be relatively tough for a newbie, but after a couple of weeks, your body would adapt very easily. The second though? Holy smokes – that’d be enough to make anyone sweaty, sore and breathing heavily! So try it – how can you revamp your workout to bust through a stubborn plateau? The Take Home Above all, the message here is – “If you train the same, you stay the same.” Remember, to keep progressing, keep losing fat, and keep building lean muscle mass, you have to constantly push yourself, and make things challenging. The 2 best ways to do that are by adding volume and increasing density. Watch the video for more tips –
3 years ago, I thought I knew it all when it came to health, fitness, and nutrition. I was sold on the idea of low-carb and low-calorie diets, thought cardio was the answer to my fat loss prayers and tried every single extreme trick in the book. Well, through trial and (a lot of!) error, I realized that these weren’t the way to achieve my goals. And through my own journey, and working with others, I found out the truth and put together the 10 things I wish I knew before I got fit. Check out the video or read on to find out what lies, myths and misconceptions I fell prey to, so you can avoid making the same mistakes. 1. Muscle Burns Fat Back in the day when I was 180 pounds and 24 + % body fat, I didn’t realize the importance of muscle. I thought muscle was only for bodybuilders, and that if you wanted to get lean and drop pounds, you had to do cardio, cardio, cardio. All day, every day. What a mistake that was. I started weight training, built some lean muscle and the fat just fell off me. Muscle increases your metabolic rate, meaning you burn more calories 24/7 –even while you’re sleeping! 2. Carbs Don’t Make You Fat Good quality carbs are essential if you’re training hard and want to build a fit, strong, ripped physique. It’s refined carbs –your white bread, your soda, and your candy –that make you fat. You never have to completely cut your carbs –you simply have to pick the right types of carbs and cycle them. 3. The More Water the Better This is so simple to do but so effective. My general rule of thumb is ½ oz of water per pound of bodyweight, but more is better. 4. Metabolism Adapts If you eat more, you burn more. If you eat less, you burn less. That’s because your metabolism adapts to what you give it, and is the reason why ultra-low calorie diets end up failing every time. Your body has nothing to use for energy, and so tries to store everything that you eat, meaning your fat loss plateaus and becomes stagnate. 5. Cardio Isn’t the Most Effective Exercise for Fat Loss Are you still pounding away on the treadmill for hours and hours in an effort to lose stubborn fat? Are you making steady state cardio the mainstay of your routine? I can guarantee that this is one of the reasons why you’re not making progress and getting the results you want. Everybody (regardless of age, experience, and ability) is better served to make weight training or HIIT the focus of their program when it comes to getting lean, fit, and healthy. 6. Weight Training is Essential Strength training is so incredibly underrated when it comes to changing your body. Weight training absolutely has to be the foundation of your workouts. You don’t have to do bodybuilding-style workouts, but you should be striving to get stronger, be that with free-weights, incorporating weights and bodyweight moves into your HIIT workouts, or even with machines. A good analogy of this is a sprinter vs. a marathon runner. The sprinter does virtually no steady state work, and focuses on power, yet is jacked, ripped and lean. The marathon runner only does cardio, and is skinny, weak and still, has some stubborn fat. 7. Fats Don’t Make You Fat While the name might imply the opposite, fat isn’t the enemy. Low-fat foods are actually a huge roadblock to your success, as they’re highly processed, contain nasty ingredients your body doesn’t like, and can seriously wreck your results. Stick with natural fats like avocados, almonds and olive oil. 8. Consistency is Key Don’t try to go all out, straight from the start. Just pick a goal you can easily achieve, and stick with it from day one. Even if that means you only commit to two 15-minute workouts each week, you’re far better off doing that, and making it a habit, then declaring you’re going to do an hour every day, then completely falling off the wagon by the start of your second week. 9. Goals “A goal without a date is merely a wish.” People never achieve anything without set, time-defined goals –so start making them. Like point #8, making it attainable is crucial, so goals like – Make sure I get all my workouts in this week Avoid alcohol for the next 7 days Have 4 servings of vegetables every day for the next month Work like a charm. Even better are 30-day goals, such as – Lose 8 pounds Drop an inch from my waist Fit into my favorite suit again 10. Be Patient, Stay the Course and Let’s Get Fit Together I cannot stress how important this is. Patience is a virtue, and never more so than in fitness. If it took you 5 years to put on excess weight, it won’t come off overnight. Sure, you can make quick progress, but try to keep the big picture in mind. This runs into staying the course –nothing worth having comes easy, so be prepared to put the work in, enjoy the highs and ride out the lows. And as for getting fit together? Are you surrounding yourself with like-minded people who are also goal-driven? Are you making fitness part of your life? You know that I’m in your corner, cheering you on, but have you got these kinds of people around you too? A great social support network can be the difference between failure and success. If you need extra support, head over to HIIT MAX™ ELITE, where you will find a community of people just like you who are there to support you, not to mention support directly from me and my team, with updated workout videos that are updated constantly, new recipes every month, complete training guides and much more! For a more in-depth look at the 10 things I
0 SHARES ShareTweet So I’m going back on my word. I guess this could sound like a contradiction. See, I’ve always come across as pretty anti-cardio. I bash long-form cardio and decry it as a method for burning fat. Here’s why – Your typical person who relies on long-form cardio (i.e. a 60-minute steady session on the treadmill, the elliptical or the recumbent bike) is around 20% body fat – possibly even higher. They do their workout, finish up feeling, well – pretty fresh still, hardly having broken a sweat. They repeat this 5, maybe even 6 days per week, and get … Absolutely nowhere. See, there are 2 reasons why this long-form cardio is absolutely useless for our above individual. 1. They’re not focusing on their diet It doesn’t matter how much cardio you do, if you’re not cutting down on junk, monitoring your caloric intake, and eating plenty of good, wholesome, clean foods, you simply won’t burn fat. 2. They’re not an endurance athlete This slow, steady state cardio definitely has a place if you’re a runner, a triathlete, a cyclist, or if boosting stamina is your main goal. If not, it’s a pretty lousy way to torch fat. Finding Your Foundation: Before deciding on what the “best” form of cardio is, you need to sort out your foundation. The foundation is the mode of training you base your whole routine around. When it comes to fat loss, that needs to be weight training. No ifs, no buts – weight training is by far the most effective way to rid yourself of unwanted body fat, torch calories and boost your metabolism. After you’ve got this in place, taking the number 1 spot, it’s time to work out what comes in after the weights in terms of importance. What is HIIT: HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. After weights and diet, it’s just about the best thing you can do to get that lean, ripped body. It’s a form of cardio, but it’s far superior to long-form cardio. HIIT combines very short but very intense, periods of all-out maximum effort – think sprinting, running up a hill, or even pedaling a stationary bike at a super-high resistance for all you’re worth. You intersperse these “sprints” – whether they last 15 seconds, 30 seconds, or even a minute – with resting periods, where you don’t stop, but take it a bit easier to recover, and get ready for your next burst. This cardio is seriously effective. I’ve actually got a whole program dedicated to it, that’s how much I believe in it. HIIT MAX™ has been downloaded by over 35,000 people in just the first 6mo of its creation, and is changing bodies and lives the world over, helping men and women shed fat faster than ever before. Here’s why HIIT is so great – You get an insane metabolism boost, which increases your body’s calorie burning potential. You keep torching calories AFTER you finish working out You get better results in less time It helped me (and thousands of others) go from 25% body fat … to sub-10% body fat. It is that effective. ⚡ Related: Learn whether or not HIIT is right for you What is LISS: Another acronym for you – LISS. That’s Low-Intensity Steady State. Now LISS involves working at a low-intensity, and often fasted, on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning (which is actually what I’m doing in my own training right now.) The benefits of LISS include – It’s an easy way to burn a few extra calories without compromising recovery It can actually aid muscle recuperation, helping you feel less sore It’s easier to do on an empty stomach, so you get the fat-burning benefits of fasted cardio without wanting to throw up It hardly takes any effort. It’s a simple, straightforward, calorie-burning “win”. Once again, LISS should NOT be the foundation of any fat burning program. Just like the scenario, we started this article with – our guy or girl at 20% body fat – making LISS the mainstay in your routine is not a smart option. You need strength training and you need HIIT. That being said, LISS does have a place for certain people. The main reason for this is that the pace at which you do LISS (around 135 to 145 heartbeats per minute) is the optimal zone for burning fat without sacrificing muscle. And when you’re already very lean, (i.e. sub-10% body fat) that matters. The Cardio Continuum Here’s how it goes. How you need to schedule your workouts, your foundations, and your priorities – 1. Strength Work OR HIIT Ideally, I’d like you to make strength training the key player in your regime. But HIIT works too – if you do it right. A program like HIIT MAX™ for example, incorporates strength training as a form of cardio, so you can choose this, or traditional strength training supersets and circuits. 2. LISS This should always be seen as an addition. If you’re starting your journey, it’s unlikely to be the best use of your time, but if you need a simple way to burn a few extra calories, or are pretty much “there” and just looking to burn some flab while preserving muscle, add LISS after your HIIT or strength work, or do a little first thing in the morning. 3. Long-Form Cardio For most folks, this just isn’t needed. But if you want to increase your endurance, or partake in an event like a marathon or triathlon at the same time as getting lean, then make some time for slow, steady, longer duration cardio. There you have it. Cardio has a place in everybody’s routine, it’s just that the type of cardio you do, and how you prioritize it depends entirely on your goals, and where you are in your transformation. So, what method of cardio were you using and will you make some changes?
“Hey Michael, what’s the best thing I can snack on?” I get this question so much, you wouldn’t believe. It seems that snacking right for fat loss is one area people just can’t quite get their heads around. And that’s understandable. In today’s world of convenience foods, on-the-go eating, and where things need to be done as fast as possible, it can be easy to make the wrong snack choices, or worse, forget about snacking altogether. People fall into the trap of buying “health foods” – things like low fat cereal bars, (that are incredibly high in sugar) or highly-processed, poor-quality protein bars, that don’t help your fat loss at all. Instead, I wanted to share with you my own personal favourite snacks – not just from a health and results point of view, but from a taste one too. They’re all quick and easy to prepare and eat, can be made in advance and stored, and taste great. You get a sneak peak inside my refrigerator, to see what I snack on, on a daily basis, and I reveal my top snacking tips. #1 Deli Meat People often associate deli meat with being junk food, or processed, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, if you buy the right type (which I reveal in the video) then deli meat is one of the best snacks out there. It’s high in protein, low in carbs (which is great for your low- or no-carb days on Carb Cycle) and full of the high-quality protein your body needs to build and repair. #2 Veggies The humble vegetable shouldn’t be dismissed as a snack. It’s one of those things that most don’t even think of, but I always keep some pre-cooked, or even raw veggies in my refrigerator, ready to go, to give me that vitamin and mineral boost and get all my nutrients in. #3 Protein Shakes I’d always advise people to get their protein from whole foods (meat, fish, cottage cheese, hard boiled eggs, and so on) but in a pinch, if you think you’re not going to be able to do so, then have a protein shake instead – it’s the next best thing, and better than skipping your snack altogether. #4 Yoghurt I switch between low-fat and high-fat yogurt, depending on what day of Carb Cycle I’m on, but either way, yogurt is awesome. If you want to make it like a dessert, then you can also mix yogurt with protein powder (for an extra protein hit) and berries (to get even more vital micronutrients and slow-digesting carbohydrates.) #5 Tuna It may be a bodybuilder’s staple, but canned tuna is one of the best go-to snacks for anyone on the quest for fat loss. Like deli meat, it’s high in protein, with virtually zero carbohydrate, and it’s very low in calories. I like wild Albacore tuna. It goes great with salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. #6 Nuts On those low-carb days where you just feel like you could just do with a little more energy and need to increase your fats, nuts are the best food to do this with. Tasty and nutritious – a handful of almonds is a perfect snack. Or, you can go with nut butters instead. #7 Beef Jerky If you’re worried about carrying deli meat around with you all day without a refrigerator, then beef jerky is the ideal solution. Again, it’s extremely high in protein, with a very low carb count. Make sure you watch the video if you want to find out exactly what jerky I go for. #8 Granola Granola? That sugary cereal? I know what you’re thinking, and yes, granola really is in my top snacks. But it’s a specific type of granola, and I’d only recommend using it on a high-carb day. There’s also just one granola that’s extremely healthy, and the perfect higher-carb snack. #9 Protein Bars The protein bar market is flooded with products that are loaded with calories, packed full of sugars and artificial ingredients, and actually not that high in protein. But there are a few diamonds in the rough too, and I’ll reveal my go-to bar for the ultimate in high-protein convenience and taste in the video. #10 Dark Chocolate Nope, it’s not a trick – good quality dark chocolate really does make my list. Again, it’s one that should be saved for a high-carb day, but pick the right stuff, and you really can enjoy chocolate as part of a fat loss diet. Snacking doesn’t have to be boring. It doesn’t have to be bland, and it certainly doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Not snacking is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when losing fat. Eating all of these regularly as part of your routine will bring you closer to your goals, and get you to a lean, fit figure even faster. Top Tip: WHEN to Snack If you’re undecided when to snack, here are the 2 golden times – 1. Between meals. You shouldn’t ever go longer than 3 to 4 hours without food, so throw a snack between breakfast and lunch, and another between lunch and dinner. 2. Post-Workout You train hard, right? And hard training means you need nutrients to recover. In fact, if you’re doing an intensive fat loss program, such as HIIT MAX™, you’re potentially sabotaging your results by not refueling after your session. All the above make fantastic post-workout options to kick-start your metabolism, and start delivering essential compounds to your muscles. Want to know more about how HIIT MAX™ can help YOU lose fat? Click here!
