Turn it Up...

When it comes to exercise, QUALITY always beats QUANTITY. Somewhere along the line in the fitness community someone decided that an hour was the standard duration of time for a workout. The best way to judge the effectiveness of a workout is to analyze the intensity level of every minute of that workout. If you can burn twice the amount of calories per minute in a workout then you can reduce the duration of a session by half and still end up with the same (and actually even better) results.

Tip: Focus on the intensity of your workout instead of wasting valuable training time socializing or watching TV...Unless that is your GOAL?

Working on Empty

Exercising on an empty stomach reduces the amount of calories the body can burn during a specific workout. Without food, the body is lacking the energy it needs to “power” through a high intensity workout. This ultimately results in a less effective workout and diminished results. Ideally, you should consume a slow digesting carbohydrate (such as oatmeal or fruits) and some lean protein about 2 hrs before your workout.

Pound for Pound...

A pound of muscle and a pound of fat are both exactly the same weight, ONE pound. Muscle has a higher density than fat, so a pound of muscle takes up a lot less space than a pound of fat. It is similar to comparing cement to cotton candy. One would need buckets of cotton candy to equal one pound where as with cement it would only take a cup or two. As a result, some individuals who are performing an effective resistance training regimen might see a reduction in inches but not such a drastic decline in body weight. They are transforming their bodies through the reduction of body fat percentage and the increase there lean muscle mass, which in turn means they are “taking up less space”

11 weeks til...

I think I calculated my dates wrong on the last post. I actually have about 11 weeks to go after this week. As of Wednesday Feb. 27th 2008... My numbers are as follows

Body Weight: 171
Body Fat%: 11%; of course I am using Bioelectrical Impedence so you could add or subtract about 3% from that number. (I would subtract!)

I am feeling very energetic and strong in throughout the days, thanks to those good carbs. Really not looking forward to those low carb days coming up in a about a month. I will begin taking pics and even video to show you guys the visual progression.

Back Again...

So after a 3 month off-season, which I must say passed by so quickly...Feburary 17th 2008 marked the begining of a new 12 Week Phase as I prepare for my next bodybuilding competition. This would be my first competition as a IFPA Professional Bodybuilder.

The show is the IFPA Pro Bowl located in Richmond, VA. on May 17th 2008.

My weekly stats for the week begining with Feburary 17th 2008 is a body weight of 174
with a Body Fat% of 12-13%. I am a few pounds lighter than where I started of with before my last show, which is a very good thing because I am also alot stronger. This time around is going to be harder due to the timing of the show; right now I am swampped with the duties new business start up and the fact that the show will be right around the begining of the summer. Both of these factors make it so much harder to follow the nutrition plan and keep up with all the exercise I have dedicated myself to.

Right now I am really getting specific with the macronutrient calculations and the baseline cardio. Still really hitting the High Intensity Intervals on the treadmill, stairs, and jump rope.

Only 11 more weeks to go!

No complaints...

The other day I spoke with a guy who was 100% blind. He mentioned that he needed to get back into working out. He spoke about his goals, strengths, and weakness when it came to working out and his nutrition. Throughout this conversation, I actually forgot that he was blind because of his description of his workout routine. He mentioned loving to do cardio but was limited to the bike or elliptical because of "obvious" reasons.
I could not help but think about those of us who complain about not feeling like exercising because of...(insert lame excuse here) and how we all should learn a lesson from a guy like him.
Exercise is not something that everyone can do and we should be grateful for everyday we get to run on the treadmill or do a bicep curl. Motivate yourself when accomplishing even the smallest of things in the gym and set goals to help you strive for improvment. And most importantly...STOP complaining!!

Balancing Act....

Proper balance in life is very important. Whether we are talking about work, time, money, or fitness;in order to optimize "success" we all must make sure to "cover all the bases" of any catogery.
When specifically speaking on Fitness, most people are either all "cardio" or all "weights". The questions is always: Which one is better? And the Answer is: BOTH. Each has its own pros, cons, and specific importance in the Fitness Spectrum. Everyone should be incorporating both aspects into their exercise regimen.
Cardio really works on cardiovascular health and endurance while, resistance training helps with strengthen the joints, building lean muscle mass, and increasing metabolic rate.
Customizing your program to get a varied amount of both of these topics will keep you motivated and excited to exercise and reduce the possibility of plateauing.

Be S.M.A.R.T with goals

Hopefully, this year has started off in the "right" direction for all of you. After a month, we should already have an idea whether or not the goals we have set for ourselves are being accomplished. If this isn't the case, I urge you to not get discouraged with your efforts. Sometimes the problem is not that we aren't trying hard enough to attain those goals, but in fact the goals themselves are not the right goals for us.
When setting goals follow this simple format to ensure you are not setting yourself up for failure before you even begin.
Specific: Goals should be as detailed as possible by describing the actions, processes, and activities needed to accomplish them.
Measurable: This allows the goals to be broken up into smaller "milestones' that allow you to be motivated throughout the process
Attainable: Don't set yourself up for failure by making a goal that isn't attainable due to your "situation" in life.
Realistic: Be true to yourself and realizing that we are all not going to look, be, and act a certain way. Focus on being the best "you".
Timely: Always associate a duration of time with every goal that you set, in turn you will be motivated to stay focused.

Assess for Success...

So we are almost at the end of the first month of 2008. For those of us who decided 23 days ago to change some aspect of our life, we must perform an "assessment" ourselves and address the things that are keeping us from being successful and highlight those things that we are doing that are taking us one step closer to our goal. NO MATTER how little these things are we must remember that "every big goal is made up of many little events".
In fact at the end of each day you should do an assessment of all of your events and activities to ensure that you are spending time, energy, and even money on things that are going to help you reach those goals. This will keep you motivated and cause you to hold yourself accountable when you find yourself repeating those habits that only result in failure. So remember to "Assess for Success".

The "PROS" for Protein

Known mostly for their muscles building properties, Proteins are also responsible for the production of hormones and enzymes, supporting immune system functions, and another source of energy for the body. Made from Amino Acids, proteins are bonded together in various orders and shapes to form specific proteins throughout the body. There are 20 different Amino Acids. There are 9 Essential Amino Acids which we must ingest in our daily nutrition. All animal proteins are called Complete Proteins because they contain all of the Essential Amino Acids. Most plant sources of proteins are lacking in one or more of the 9 essential Amino Acids and for this reason are called Incomplete Proteins.
When considering the ingestion of protein, it is important to understand the “All or None Principle”. Simply put, all 9 essential Amino Acids must be present in order for the body to synthesize protein. If even one is absent, no synthesis can occur. This causes the body to “break-down” muscle to produce the protein needed for other bodily functions resulting in the lost of lean muscle mass and a reduction of overall metabolism.
This situation most be taken into special consideration by those on vegetarian diets. Adequate steps must be taken when arranging meals to guarantee the proper mixture of foods with complementary Amino Acids to lessen the possibility of reduction for lean muscle mass.

2008 is GREAT!

Its been a while since I did some actual cardio, as I was trying to "bulk up" during the off-season. This week I actually got on the treadmill 3 times. It felt as if I had been gone for years. Of course I attempted to do the same intensity as I did when I was in contest shape back in October. And of course I failed miserably, so it is back to the basics. This time around I feel as though it won't be so hard to get back to where I was.
Hopefully all of you are enjoying 2008, and are keeping those resolutions that you made. Remember you have to do something consistantly for at least 120 days before it can become a habit. It at any time you stop or take a break, that 120 days starts all over. So this goes for changing your eating habits and working out. Plan to stick with it for at least 4 months and then it will be all "downhill". But still take it DAY by DAY, HOUR by HOUR, and even MINUTE by MINUTE and all of those goals would be achieved in no time.

All Over Again in 2008....

Happy New Year for all of us at 12weeksfitness.blogspot.com, this year is promising to be amazing. I personally will be competing in my first Professional bodybuilding competition in April. Also planning about 3 more shows throughout the year. The diet began today and we will be going until the 28th of April, about 16 weeks.
Also in July 2008, along with the experts from NsaneTraining.com we will be competing in a Fitness Challenge. This is like a "strong-man" competition only along with strength, there will be events focusing on speed, endurance, agility, and etc.
Best of wishes in 2008, continue to log in and check on the new updates which will be occurring a lot more often this year.