Muscle Mass PDF

Cutting Edge Publishing
51 MacDougal St. Suite 38

New York, NY 10012
USA
Dear Friend,
Thank you for purchasing “The Secrets to Gaining Muscle Mass — Fast!” You will be pleased to know that the
new edition has been updated with the most current “cutting edge” training and diet techniques.
You will notice that my manual is probably unlike any book you’ve ever ordered. I decided to use a 3-ring binder
because I wanted you to be able to customize it to suit your individual goals. You can arrange the pages in whatever
order that works best for you. You can also remove unwanted pages and create your own chapters. I have included
a portable folder so you can carry your diet and training pages with you to the gym and the throughout day. In the
margin of most pages, you will notice an area to jot down your notes. This is very important. If you stay focused
and write down your thoughts and questions as they pop into your head, you will be able to construct your training
plan much faster.
Before you attempt to begin any program, please make sure that you read and understand the entire manual and all
of it's concepts. If you attempt to start the program without fully understanding what you are doing, you will only
be hampering your results. Also, make sure that you read the manual faq pages in the manual and on my website.
This will answer about 99% of all questions you will have.
My personal e-mail address is [email protected]. If your question is not answered in the manual or on
the faq pages, please email me. Be sure to include your order number in the subject line. I always try to answer all
questions within a few hours (usually sooner).
By ordering this manual you have already taken a huge step towards your goal – it is important that you don’t put
this aside for later and lose your momentum. Stay focused. You know what you want, just go and get it.
Let’s get to work,
Anthony Ellis
Copyright © 1999, 2000 Cutting Edge Publishing.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical
without permission in writing from the publisher.
The techniques, ideas, and suggestions in this document are not intended as a substitute for proper medical advice! Consult your physician or
health care professional before performing any new exercise or exercise technique, particularly if you are pregnant or nursing, or if you are
elderly, or if you have any chronic or recurring conditions. Any application of the techniques, ideas, and suggestions in this document is at the
reader's sole discretion and risk.
The author and publisher of this document and their employers make no warranty of any kind in regard to the content of this document, including,
but not limited to, any implied warranties of merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. The author and publisher of this document and
their employers are not liable or responsible to any person or entity for any errors contained in this document, or for any special, incidental, or
consequential damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this document.
Copyright © 1999, 2000 Cutting Edge Publishing. All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical without permission in writing from the publisher.
The techniques, ideas, and suggestions in this document are not intended as a substitute for proper medical advice! Consult your physician or
health care professional before performing any new exercise or exercise technique, particularly if you are pregnant or nursing, or if you are
elderly, or if you have any chronic or recurring conditions. Any application of the techniques, ideas, and suggestions in this document is at the
reader's sole discretion and risk.
The author and publisher of this document and their employers make no warranty of any kind in regard to the content of this document, including,
but not limited to, any implied warranties of merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. The author and publisher of this document and
their employers are not liable or responsible to any person or entity for any errors contained in this document, or for any special, incidental, or
consequential damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this document.
From the Desk of A n t h o n y E l l i s
WHY I DECIDED TO WRITE THIS MANUAL

After more than a year of skirting the issue, I finally gave in. For all the skinny guys out there, this
had to be done! We had yet to be recognized. Day after day, week after week, I am constantly
bombarded with the issues of overweight Americans. They have low fat foods created for them, they
have entire magazines dedicated to helping them lose fat. They even have companies established to
help them lose weight and get fit. On the internet, 95% of all fitness related sites are geared towards
losing fat. But what about us? What about the guys who can't GAIN weight? I believe that our
problem is just as important and as difficult to solve, people don’t believe that underweight or thin
people can be unhappy with their bodies as well.
“Everyone wants to be thin.” “You are so lucky,” they all say. Well, how come I don’t feel lucky?
In my mind, being thin is as difficult to live with as being overweight. But, it just doesn’t sell.
America wants to be thin, so if you already are, they think, you don’t have a problem.
This manual is not intended to be an all encompassing information source for bodybuilding. If you
want something like that you should get Arnold Schwarzenegger's book, The New Encyclopedia of
Modern Bodybuilding.
This book is a compilation of techniques, exercises and tips that have worked for me in my quest to
get to 180 lbs. I do not claim to know everything, but I do know how skinny guys can gain more
muscle.
One point to always keep in mind is that your diet, workout program and nutritional supplements all
work in synergy. They are good alone, but together they will propel you to your goal very quickly.
This is where most people fail. They never have all three in place for any extended period of time. I
did it for 12 weeks, and look what I accomplished.
A Word on Consistency
O.K., so you want the secret to gaining muscle mass fast? Well, here it is: CONSISTENCY. You
can have the best diet, the best training schedule, join the best gym that has the best equipment, but
without consistency it’s all worthless.
Over the past two years, I’ve talked to hundreds of people who have successfully transformed their
physique. Though most of them trained in totally different ways, there was one common
denominator that appeared throughout each success story: Day in and day out, they followed
their pre-determined plan, consistently, without fail. There are many paths to your goal, but
you will never reach it unless you consistently put one foot in front of the other. You must find the
determination and drive within yourself to see this through. If not now, then when?
You will not be on this program for the rest of your life — only a few months! So, try to look at it as
a short-term challenge. In the grand scheme of your life, can you afford a slight inconvenience to
create a fantastic physique — or will you continue to be an "average Joe" for 80 more years? Which
sounds more inconvenient to you? It is time for you to make a stand, and I will show you how. This
manual is my helping hand to all skinny hardgainers out there who are unhappy with their bodies.
Now, you have a choice.
Cutting Edge Publishing 1999, 2000 s All rights reserved s www.musclegaintips.com 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. Weight Training
Terminology..................................................................................................................................... 6
Weight Training Exercises............................................................................................................... 9
Legs........................................................................................................................................... 10
Chest ......................................................................................................................................... 16
Back........................................................................................................................................... 22
Shoulders................................................................................................................................... 26
Biceps/forearm........................................................................................................................... 30
Tricep......................................................................................................................................... 34
Abdominals ................................................................................................................................ 36
Stretching................................................................................................................................... 39
Mass Training................................................................................................................................ 44
Fat Loss Training........................................................................................................................... 53
B. Dieting Strategies & Supplements That Work

Diet Terminology ........................................................................................................................... 58
Dieting For Muscle Gain................................................................................................................ 60
Supplements That Increase Muscle Gain .................................................................................. 70
Do We Really Need Vitamins?................................................................................................... 75
Muscle Gain Supplement Costs................................................................................................. 76
Dieting For Fat Loss ...................................................................................................................... 77
Supplements For Accelerated Fat Loss..................................................................................... 86
Additional Fat Loss Supplements .............................................................................................. 91
Fat Loss Supplement Costs....................................................................................................... 92
Where To Find Cheap Supplements ............................................................................................. 94
How to Look Ripped for a Photo Shoot ......................................................................................... 95
Cooking
Cooking Weights and Measurements ........................................................................................ 97
Planning And Preparation .......................................................................................................... 98
Fast Food and Eating Out........................................................................................................ 101
Grocery Shopping.................................................................................................................... 103
Food Values............................................................................................................................. 105
Recipes.................................................................................................................................... 108
Diet Substitutions ........................................................................................................................ 114
C. Putting It All Together

My Original Program ................................................................................................................... 117
A Sample Day ............................................................................................................................. 121
Staying Motivated........................................................................................................................ 124
My Personal Training Schedule and Diet .................................................................................... 126
D. Your Pre-Set Program

How To Use The Pre-Set Program.............................................................................................. 135
Measuring Your Body Fat............................................................................................................ 139
Your 12-Week Weight Training Routines .................................................................................... 141
Your Pre-Set Diets ...................................................................................................................... 154
Your Daily Schedule and Templates ........................................................................................... 177
E. My Improved 12 Week Program

What Am I Doing Now? ............................................................................................................... 183
How To Use The Pre-Set Program.............................................................................................. 188
Your 12-Week Weight Training Routines .................................................................................... 193
Your Pre-Set Diets ...................................................................................................................... 206
Your Daily Schedule and Templates ........................................................................................... 229
Appendix
Manual FAQ's.............................................................................................................................. 235
Sample Workout Templates/Blank Template Pages ................................................................... 241

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

In addition to the supplements and food required (explained in Section B) during your training
program, you also will need to buy the following:
Additional Expenses
Item Description
Skin Caliper: Used to measure your body fat. Don't bother getting one that's too expensive
$20-$100 — they all have some margin of error. You just need it for a consistent
record. If you can't locate one, you can get a good one here
https://musclega.virtualis.com/corders.html.
Tape Measure: Use for measuring girth of body parts.

$1
Blender: Use to mix your protein shakes at home.

$30
Food Scale/measuring cup: Used to measure food weights. This is absolutely essential in determining
$15 how much you are eating. I use the Health O Meter version. You can contact
them at 1-800-638-3722.
Food Storage Containers: I use the Rubbermaid brand. You will need about 9-12 of their #3 size
$25 "servin' save" containers to store your meals. You will also need 4 of their
small 1/2 cup containers to store your vitamin stacks.
Shaker Bottle: You will need a 32oz. plastic shaker bottle to mix your protein shakes when
$3 away from home.
Cooler: Get the small portable kind. This is used to carry your meals when you are
$20 away from home for any extended period of time.
Weight Training Belt: You will need this when you work up to lifting very heavy weights in the
$35 squat and deadlift exercise. This is the only time you will need to wear this
belt. If you wear it too much it will prevent the natural development of your
lower back and torso stabilizer muscles. I like the soft kind because they
conform to your body much better than the leather.
Loose fitting clothes You don't have to wear the latest styles in gym wear to workout, but you do
and sneakers: need something comfortable and loose fitting. No jeans, no open toe shoes,
$100 no tight belts and no lycra (please!).
Lifting Straps: These are nylon or cloth straps that are used to increase your grip strength
$10 when lifting heavy weights. They allow you to fully exhaust the muscle you
are working, without having to stop because your grip was not strong enough.
Used primarily for shrugs, pull-ups, deadlifts and barbell rows.
Lifting Gloves: These are supposed to protect your hands from becoming calloused. I
$15-$20 personally don't use them because they make my hands too sweaty, so these
are an optional accessory.

A. Weight Training

From the Desk of A n t h o n y E l l i s Weight Training
TERMINOLOGY
This introductory chapter will go over all the basic terminology and concepts that you should
know. I know some readers are beginners, so I will try to be as thorough as possible.
I would first like to cover some weight training terminology. You will hear these words used
quite often, so please make sure you understand what they mean, and when they are used.
Hardgainer: Anyone who has a very difficult time putting on weight, especially muscle
mass. This is usually pre-determined by genetics and bone structure.
Typically, the smaller your wrists and ankles are, the harder it will be for you
to gain weight.
Rep: A rep or repetition is one complete motion of a particular exercise. For

example, if you did one push-up (from the up position to down and back up),
that would be one rep.
Forced Reps: This is when you can no longer do an entire repetition of the exercise yourself
and someone (usually your spotter) helps you to continue doing reps. This is
a waste of time. Once you reach muscular failure, that’s enough.
Sets: A set is the specific number of reps you will perform before you rest. So, in
the above push-up example, if I wanted you to do 4 sets of 10 reps, you would
do 10 reps, then rest, then repeat three more times.
Strip Sets: To do strip sets you start using heavy weight, then after your muscles fail at
that weight, you immediately lower the weight and continue to do reps until
your muscles fail again. Then you lower the weight and continue, without
resting. You will keep lowering the weight until you run out of weight. This
is one of my favorite techniques for working my calves. I also use it as a final
exercise to blast my biceps. I sometimes refer to these as burnouts or drop
sets. It's like one long set where you keep reducing the weight until you just
can't do any more reps. I also do these going from light to heavy to light.
Tempo: Tempo refers to the speed at which you perform a rep. It can be further
broken down into the positive motion (the pressing up motion in push-ups),
and the negative or eccentric motion (when doing pushups, it is the resistance
against gravity as you are going down). I usually express the particular tempo
for an exercise like this: 3/0/1. The first number is the negative motion, the
middle number is the pause before you return to the starting position, and the
last number is the positive motion. So, if we used this tempo for pull-ups, you
would pull-up for a count of one (the positive) and then without pausing,
return back down for a count of three for the negative.

TERMINOLOGY
Negative When you only perform the negative or eccentric portion of the exercise.
Reps:
Progressive The training concept in which you consistently increase your work load at
Overload: regular intervals. This is the most efficient and reliable method of gaining
muscle mass and strength.
Failure: When you can no longer do another rep in good form. You try to complete
the next rep, but you cannot. Your muscles have been exhausted. Most
bodybuilders and personal trainers advocate training to failure for muscle
growth.
Spotter: Someone who watches to make sure you can re-rack the weight once your
muscles fail. That’s all they do. You will usually need a spotter if you train
to failure, although there are many exercise that do not require spotters.
Typically, any exercise that does not require you to lift weight over your head
does not require a spotter. For most machines and dumbbell exercises you
will not need a spotter.
Contraction: This can mean several things, but in weight training, it simply means
squeezing or tightening the muscle you are working, at completion of the
positive motion.
Supersets: A superset is when you complete a set of your main exercise, and then
immediately, without resting, do one set of a different exercise that works the
same muscle group. For example, if you are doing bench presses (which
works your chest muscles) after a set, you could immediately start doing
dumbbell flyes — which also work the chest in a different way. Supersets are
a safe and reliable way to fatigue your muscles.
Burn-out set: When you use a much lighter weight than your last set, and do as many reps
as you can until your muscles fail. I usually use this for the last set of a
compound exercise.
Compound Movements that work a number of large muscle groups simultaneously.

Exercises: These are best for gaining mass as they put stress on many areas of the body at
once. Some examples of these include squats, deadlifts and bench press.
Isolation Movements that work a small, specific muscle. For example, bicep curls only
Exercises: work the bicep, and leg extensions only work the quadricep muscles.

TERMINOLOGY
Metabolism: The rate at which your body burns calories. The faster your metabolism, the
more difficult it is to gain muscle or fat. If you have a slow metabolism, your
body gains weight very easily. It's not easy, but we can alter our metabolism,
to help suit our needs.
How to increase your metabolism:
♦ Increase your meal frequency
♦ Cardiovascular exercise, done at a moderate pace
♦ Increase your amount of muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than
fat
♦ Increase your protein intake
What will decrease your metabolism:
♦ Eating sporadically and infrequently
♦ Having a high percentage of body fat
♦ Inactivity
♦ Low calorie dieting (this is your body's response the lack of calories)
♦ Intense aerobic activity (works your endurance — your body responds by
lowering your resting heartbeat, which means a slower metabolism)
BMR: BMR stands for Basil Metabolic Rate. It is a number that tells you how many
calories your body needs just to sustain basic functions.
1RM: Stands for One Rep Max. It is the maximum amount you can lift for one rep
of a particular exercise. This is difficult to determine exactly, since so many
factors (fatigue, illness, stress, diet) come into play.
Target Heart The number of heartbeats per minute (bpm) needed to achieve a particular
Rate: fitness "zone." The target heart rate for fat loss is 140 bpm, while the desired
bpm for cardiovascular endurance is 180 or higher. To calculate your current
heartrate, simply place two fingers on your carotid artery (on the side of your
neck, next to your adams apple), then count the number of beats for six
seconds. Now simply add a zero onto that number, and you have your total
number of heartbeats per minute.
Aerobic: Literally means "requiring oxygen." Generally used to refer to exercise that
requires you to use more oxygen for a prolonged period of time, like running.

WEIGHT TRAINING EXERCISES

The following are the weight training exercises that I recommend you start with. This chapter is
not too extensive, so eventually you will need more variety. But for right now, just stick with
these. Please read, study, and familiarize yourself with them. The exercises with the (*) beside
them are VERY IMPORTANT for mass building.
Muscle Chart
Trapezius
Trapezius Latissimus dorsi (Traps)
(Lats)
Bicep
Deltoid
(Delts)
Tricep
Pectorals
(Pecs)
Forearm
Abdominals
Quadriceps
(Quads)
Hamstrings
Calves

LEGS
Squat*
Muscles Used: All major leg muscles, back, shoulders.
Technique: Much of the bad reputation squats have gotten is because a lot of people use
poor form while doing them. This exercise is actually very safe when done
correctly. It does require a lot of concentration, so never perform this
exercise if you are not up to it. The best way to do squats is on a power rack
or cage. This enables you to adjust the safety bars to your desired height.
These bars are there to stop the weight from falling to the floor if you fail to
press it back up. Set them just below your desired squat depth. Now change
the height of the bar hooks. Be careful not to set the bar too high or low,
because it will be difficult to remove it from the hooks when you are
squatting a lot of weight. Anywhere in your mid-upper chest area is a good
level.
Now step up, and place your head and upper shoulders under the bar. To
make sure you lift the bar in the middle, aim for the etched middle part of
the bar. The majority of the bar weight should rest on your trapezius muscles
(not your neck or spine). If the bar is uncomfortable to hold, don't worry:
this will go away as your upper body gains more mass and your body gets
accustomed to carrying weights in this fashion. In the meantime, you can
use one of the bar pads. [Note: Using any type of pad on the bar with heavy
weights is dangerous because the bar could easily slip off your shoulders, or
become unbalanced.]
Next, pull the bar off the hooks and step away. Before you begin the actual
squat, make sure you have the correct foot placement. Ideally, your feet
should be slightly wider than shoulder width, with your toes pointing out at
a slight angle.
The actual movement is just as if you were squatting straight down from a
standing position. Without any weight or a bar, you could probably go
straight down or up without changing the angle of your torso. But to keep
balanced with weights, you must lean forward. As you begin to squat, your
knees bend out in line with your toes, and your torso will begin to bend
forward slightly to stay balanced. As you do, always remember to keep your
chest out and back arched slightly, it kind of looks as if you are sitting down
on a chair that is behind you. It forces you to stick your butt out, but that's
normal. Do not hunch over, or look down as you squat. These movements
will take your spine out of alignment and possibly injure your back.
When squatting, do not let your knees bow in. This is very dangerous.
Your knees should always bend outward over your toes. If you cannot
control this, you should lighten your poundage until your strength increases.

LEGS
Squat*(cont'd)
Your aim is to go down until your thighs are parallel (or just short of) to the
ground. This is lower than you think. Some guys do mini-squats where
they don't go down very far at all (wasting their time), and others go down
all the way (too much stress on the knees and lower spine). Just try to get as
close to parallel as you can.
Once at the bottom, don't bounce. Just press straight up. Remember, always
start with the legs. As you stand, concentrate on thrusting your hips back in
line.
Note: When starting out doing squats, concentrate on form and use light weights
and high reps until your trunk stabilizers and lower back muscles have
developed enough for heavier weights.
Tips: Knee wraps and weight belts are not necessary when first starting out. They
are used to stabilize small knee and lower back muscles when lifting very
heavy weights. If you use them, they will impede the necessary
development of these muscles.
Do not put anything under your heels while squatting. Make sure you are
warmed up and loose before performing this exercise. Prior to your
workout, concentrate on stretching your groin, hips, hamstrings and quads.

LEGS
Deadlifts*
Muscles Used: All major leg muscles, shoulders
Technique: Much of the negative comments about deadlifts is also due to ignorance and
people using bad form. It simply involves squatting down, picking up the
barbell on the floor in front of you, and standing straight up with it.
Start with a weighted barbell that is resting on the floor, or an elevated

platform. Next, step up to the bar and assume a narrower than shoulder
width stance with your toes pointed slightly outward. Get your shins as
close to the bar as possible (this gives you more leverage and makes sure
that you are lifting straight up). Now grab the bar with an overhand grip.
But remember you are not lifting with your arms, just holding the bar with
them.
Keeping your shoulders back, chest out, head forward and back slightly
arched, stand straight up with the bar while you exhale. Keep the bar as
close to your body as possible. As you rise, straighten your knees and hip
simultaneously. Once at the top, do not arch your back! You should pause,
take another breath, and slowly lower the weight in the same manner, while
exhaling. Once the weight lightly touches the floor, you will begin the next
rep. Never slam the weight on the floor!
Note: When starting out doing deadlifts, concentrate on form and use lighter
weights and high reps until your lower back and shoulder muscles have
developed enough for heavier weights. You may also have trouble using
heavier weights until you develop sufficient grip strength.
Make sure you are warmed up and loose before performing this exercise.
Concentrate on stretching your groin, hips, hamstrings and quads.

LEGS
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts *
Muscles Used: Hamstring, shoulders
Technique: This is similar to deadlifts, but you do not bend your knees. Simply stand
with a barbell, then slowly lower the weight while simultaneously moving
your hips backwards. As you bend, concentrate on keeping your back
arched, chest back and head up. Also make sure that your knee joints are
locked in a slightly bent position. Once you reach the bottom (without
letting go of the weight), raise back up.
Tip: The point here is to get a really good stretch in the hamstring area. Try to do
this on an elevated platform to get as much of a stretch as possible.
Leg Extensions
Muscles Used: Quadriceps
Technique: This is an isolation exercise and should only be done once compound work
has been completed.
Note: When adjusting the pads, they should ideally rest on the lower part of your
shins.
Tip: When performing this exercise, remember to really squeeze the quads at the
top of the movement.

LEGS
Hamstring Curl
Technique: This is an isolation exercise that should only be done once you have
completed your compound leg work. Keeping your back slightly arched curl
the weight up as far as you can. Then slowly lower the weight back to start.
Tip: To get the most benefit from this exercise, you must squeeze your
hamstrings as much as you can at the top of the movement.
Alternative: This exercise may be performed while lying down or standing
Leg Press
Muscles Used: Quadriceps, hamstrings
Technique: I normally only use this exercise when I’m in a low intensity phase. It is not
a good gauge of true strength. If you do not have this machine at your gym,
just do squats.
Tip: Do not lower the weight so low that it forces your lower back to curl over.
This puts unnecessary strain on your lower back. Just lower it until you get
a light stretch.

LEGS
Calve raises
Technique: Since there are so few calve exercises, you really have to concentrate on
varying your reps and weight.
Tip: The most important thing to remember when doing any calve exercise is to
perform through your full range of motion. In other words, when doing
calve raises, you must go all the way down until you get a complete stretch,
then raise all the way up as far as you can go. It is not sufficient to just go
halfway down. Also, do not use bouncing the weight as a substitute for a
rep.
Variation: Seated or standing. Leg press.

CHEST
Flat Bench Press *
Muscles Used: Pectorals, triceps, anterior (front) deltoids
Technique: Lay flat on a bench and place your hands on the bar with a shoulder width or
slightly wider grip. Lift the bar off the supports and lower the bar slowly to
the middle of the chest, inhaling as it goes down. Once it is about to touch
your chest, exhale and raise the bar back to the starting position. Be aware
that when the bar gets down to your chest, this is your weakest point of the
exercise. This is where most people need assistance. Do not lock your
elbows at the end of each repetition.
Tips: Do not bounce the weight off your chest. It's O.K. to arch your back
slightly, but do not lift your butt off of the bench when pressing back up.
Use a spotter for heavy weights.
Note: Grip width affects which muscles are stressed the most. A narrow grip uses
more tricep, while a wider grip gives more pectoral stimulation.

CHEST
Flat Dumbbell Press
Muscles Used: Pectorals, triceps, anterior (front) deltoids. Works the same muscles as the
barbell exercise, but since you are only as strong as your weakest muscle,
dumbbell exercises are crucial. They help to develop the weaker stabilizer
muscles, which will increase your overall strength in the long run.
Technique: Sit up, place the dumbbells on your thighs and, as you lean back, let gravity
help put the dumbbells into position. This will help take a lot of stress off of
your shoulders when you begin to lift really heavy weight. Start with the
dumbbells slightly above your chest. As you exhale, slowly lift them until
you are almost at full extension, then contract your pec muscles as much as
possible. This will cause the dumbbells to touch each other at the top of the
movement. Then slowly lower the weight back down to the start while
inhaling.
Tips: It's O.K. to arch your back slightly, but do not lift your butt off of the bench
when pressing back up. Do not lock your elbows at the top of the movement.
Note: It is not necessary to have a spotter for this exercise, since you can simply
drop the weights once your muscles fail.

CHEST
Incline Bench Press
Technique: Same exercise as the flat bench press, except that the bench is on a slight
incline and you lower the bar to just below your collarbone. Try to keep the
angle below 30º, otherwise you will be working more deltoids (shoulders)
than chest.
Tips: Do not bounce the weight off your chest. Use a spotter for heavy weights.
Do not lock your elbows at the top of the movement.
Note: Because this exercise works more of your shoulder muscles that the flat
bench, you will be much weaker on this exercise than on the flat bench
press.

CHEST
Incline Dumbbell Press
Muscles Used: Pectorals, triceps, anterior (front) deltoids.
Technique: Same as flat dumbbell press, except done on an incline bench at no more
than 30º.

CHEST
Dumbbell Flyes (flat or incline)
Technique: For incline, adjust the incline bench to no more than a 30° angle. Grab a
pair of dumbbells and lie back. Lift the dumbbells over your head with your
palms facing each other. Now, slowly lower the weights in an arc-like
motion, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Lower the weights until you
have a good stretch across your pecs. As you lower the weights, thrust your
chest out to increase the stretch. Pause, and then raise the weights in the
same fashion. Remember to contract your pecs at the top of the movement.
Tips: Do not lock your elbows at the top of the movement. Do not lift your head
off the bench.
Note: It is not necessary to have a spotter for this exercise, since you can simply
drop the weights once your muscles fail.
Alternative: Use cables.

CHEST
Pullovers*
Technique: To perform this exercise, lie across a bench sideways, with only your
shoulder blades touching the top of the bench. With your feet flat on the
floor grip the dumbbell with both hands and your palms against the flat part
of the weight. Now lift your arm straight up from your chest. This is your
starting position. As you inhale, slowly lower the weight behind your head
in an arch, concentrating on keeping your arms straight. While doing this
you must drop your hips towards the floor to keep yourself balanced. Once
you reach a full stretch, slowly return the weight to the starting position.
Tip: Start with light weights.
Bar Dips*
Technique: This is one of my all-time favorite mass exercises for chest and triceps
because is so simple. Just lower yourself slowly, until you get a good
stretch, pause, then push yourself back to the start. Remember to keep your
elbows in.
Note: Try to keep your lower body as stationary as possible. Do not perform these
if you have a shoulder injury or have dislocated your shoulder.
Tip: It is O.K. to lean forward slightly for balance.

BACK
Wide Grip Pull-Ups*
Technique: With your palms facing away from you, grab a pull-up bar with a fairly
wide, but comfortable grip. Now, just pull your body up until the top of
your chest just touches the bar. Then slowly lower yourself back down
Note: Keep your upper torso angled back slightly, so that your head is not directly
under the bar.
Tips: As you pull up, concentrate on pulling your elbows down towards your
ribcage. Remember to go all the way down, and get a good stretch at the
bottom of the exercise.
If you can't do pull-ups yet, you still should perform this exercise. Start with
assisted pull-ups, then as your strength increases, move on to these.
Alternative: Weighted pull-ups, assisted pull-ups.

BACK
Bent Over Rows*
Muscles Used: Lats, biceps, forearm
Technique: This is a compound exercise that is good for developing overall lat
thickness. Grab the barbell, palms down, with a slightly wider than shoulder
grip. Once you are in position with your knees slightly bent and torso
almost parallel to the floor, pull the barbell towards your chest without
moving the rest of your body. Once it reaches your chest, slowly lower it
back to start.
Note: When doing this movement, you must concentrate on keeping your back flat
and not rounded.
Tip: To make sure that you are in correct alignment, keep your head level with
your back and eyes focused on the horizon, instead of down.
Variation: One-arm rows with dumbbells.

BACK
Lat-Bar Pulldown
Technique: This exercise is good for working the upper and mid back area. Find a lat
bar machine with a straight bar and adjust the seat so you can easily slip
your knees under the pads. Now grab the bar with a wide grip and sit down.
The goal is to pull the bar down towards your upper chest area. As you pull,
remember to lean back and arch your back slightly throughout the entire
movement. The only parts that should be moving during this exercise are
your arms.
Note: Do not swing or jerk your upper body to help perform reps. Also, never pull
the bar behind the neck. This is a very stressful position for your neck and
shoulders.
Tips: Focus on squeezing your lats together at the bottom of the movement.
Alternative: Close underhand grip is my favorite.

BACK
Seated Cable Row
Technique: Sitting on the row machine, grab the cable and flatten your back as you pull
straight back. This is your starting position. With your knees slightly bent,
slowly lower the weight until you get a full stretch, then pull straight back
again.
Note: When you are lowering the weight, do not hunch your back or look down.
Try to keep your back flat and head up.
Tip: Make sure you arch your back slightly and squeeze your lats together at the
end of the movement.
Alternative: One arm at a time.

SHOULDERS
Seated Dumbbell Press
Muscles Used: Front and side deltoids.
Technique: Grab two dumbbells and sit on an adjustable bench with the back set at 90º.
Lift the weights to the starting position with the weights out to the side just
above each shoulder. With your palms facing front, as you exhale, slowly
press the weights straight up until you are almost at full extension. Then,
while inhaling slowly, lower the weight back to the starting position in a
controlled manner.
Note: This is a shoulder exercise, so the weights you use will not be as heavy as in
other exercises. Make sure to warm up your shoulders before performing
this exercise. It is not necessary to have a spotter for this exercise, since you
can simply drop the weights once your muscles fail.
Tips: Do not lock your elbows at the top of the movement. Do not heave the
weight up.

SHOULDERS
Shoulder Press (aka Military Press)*
Muscles Used: Front and side deltoids.
Technique: This exercise is just like the dumbbell press except it is done with a barbell
instead. Start with a wider than shoulder width grip. Lift the bar off the
supports, and slowly inhale as you slowly lower the weight to just below
your collarbone. You may have to lean back slightly to get your head out of
the way. Now, while exhaling, press the bar back up to the starting position.
Tips: Since this exercise has an unusual arc to the movement, you should start out
with a very light weight until you are comfortable with it. Do not lock your
elbows at the top of the movement.
Note: Make sure to warm up your shoulders before performing this exercise.

SHOULDERS
Side Lateral Raises
Technique: This is an isolation exercise for the shoulders. Since your shoulder muscles
and joints are not a very strong area, you should be careful not to use
weights that are too heavy. This area is very easy to injure, so concentrate
on form rather than weight.
Grab two light dumbbells and stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
Now bend your knees slightly and lean forward slightly while you tilt your
hips forward. The motion is to bring the dumbbells up from your sides to a
position where your arms are parallel to the floor. Once there, slowly lower
back to the starting position.
Note: Do not use any type of momentum to help you raise the weight. This
includes swinging your arms and springing up with your legs. Also, your
elbows should always point to the side. Do not position yourself so they
point downward.
Tip: Concentrate on lifting your elbows, not the weight, into position.
Alternative: Cables.

SHOULDERS
Shrugs
Muscles Used: Trapezius.
Technique: Grab the dumbbells and hold them at your sides. Now pull your shoulders
straight up, as if you were shrugging "I don't know." The movement comes
from the shoulder joints and not the arms.
Note: The movement is only up and down. Do not roll your shoulders.
Tips: When you shrug, try to bring your shoulders up to touch your ears. You
want to go all the way up, as far as you can go.
Variation: Dumbbells or barbells.

BICEPS/FOREARM
EZ Bar Reverse Curls
Muscles Used: Biceps, brachialis, forearms.
Technique: Grasp the weighted bar, and, while keeping your elbows at your side, slowly
lift the weight up until your biceps are fully contracted. Then slowly lower
the weight back to the starting position as you exhale.
Tips: Do not use your shoulders, swing or heave the bar up. You must use a
controlled motion, keeping your elbows stationary at your side. If you
cannot do this then, the weight is too heavy. Do not sacrifice form for more
weight — it will not help you.
Note: This exercise is just like regular bicep curls,

except that you use the EZ curl bar (helps prevent
excess stress on your wrists and gives you better
contraction at the top of the movement) and you
will be using a overhand grip. This is done to
concentrate more stress on the brachialis muscle.
Developing this muscle will give your arms the
appearance of having much more mass.
Alternative: Cables.

BICEPS/FOREARM
Dumbbell Curls (seated or standing)
Muscles Used: Biceps, forearms.
Technique: Standing with a dumbbell at each side, slowly lift one with your palms
facing up. Focus on lifting with your bicep, not your shoulder. Once you
reach the maximum contraction, slowly lower the weight and immediately
start the other side.
Note: This and the previous exercise (reverse curls) exercise will also work your
forearms.
Tips: Remember, slow and controlled motion using only bicep, no other muscles.
If you have to swing anything to get the weight up, it's too heavy. Squeeze
the muscle as tight as possible at the top of the movement.
Alternatives: Seated curls, hammer curls (palms facing sideways).

BICEPS/FOREARM
Incline Dumbbell Curls
Muscles Used: Biceps, forearms.
Technique: This exercise is exactly the same as seated dumbbell curls, except that you
perform these on an incline bench. Start with your arms hanging straight
down at your sides and your back flat against the bench. You can choose to
alternate each side or do them both simultaneously.
Note: This is a very difficult exercise, so you should use a weight that is lighter
than normal.
Tips: Make sure you get a good, painful stretch at the bottom of the motion.

BICEPS/FOREARM
Forearm Curl
Muscles Used: Forearms
Technique: Grab a light barbell (close grip) and sit on a flat bench. Position yourself so
that your forearms are flat on the bench and your wrists and hands are
hanging off the edge. Now just curl the weight up as far as you can, and
then slowly lower it to a full stretch.
Tip: Try for high reps on this one.

TRICEP
Tricep Pushdowns
Muscles Used: Triceps
Technique: This is an isolation exercise for the tricep. Usually there are specific
machines for pushdowns, but if not, just use any lat pulldown machine.
Grab the bar palms down. With your chest out and shoulders back, press the
weight down using only your triceps and forearms. The only body part that
should move is your forearm, as it bends at the elbow. Press all the way
down as you exhale, then slowly come back up, keeping the movement slow
and controlled.
Note: Keep your elbows pinned at your sides. Also, do not hunch over or use your
bodyweight and shoulders to press the weight down.
Tips: Try bending your knees for more stability.
Variation: Tricep pulldown (just reverse your grip), rope extensions.

TRICEP
Bench Dips
Muscles Used: Triceps
Technique: This is really good for blasting your triceps. You do these in the same way
you do bar dips, except here, your feet are resting on another bench. You
are not pressing as much weight as in bar dips, but you can really
concentrate on contracting the triceps at the top of each rep.
Tips: Try to go all the way down and get a good stretch at the bottom of each
movement.

ABDOMINALS
Remember when doing ab exercises that more is not necessarily better. You should train your
abs like any other body part. More exercises will not make them magically appear — the only
thing that will do that is to get your body fat down below 8%. Also remember that your abs
work like an accordion, not like a hinge. So when doing crunches, you should concentrate on
crunching together rather than moving your body upwards. This will maximize muscle
tension.
The other key in ab work is tension. You must concentrate on contracting your muscles as
tight as you can. This will cause them to fatigue faster. It does not matter how many reps you
can do; the only thing that matters is how hard you can contract your abdominal muscles. If it
takes you 100 crunches before your abs begin to burn, then you are wasting your time. Your
abs should be bursting at no more than 20-25 reps. If they are aren't, you need to add weights
to your exercise and work on contracting the muscles tightly for each rep.

ABDOMINALS
Crunches
Muscles Used: Upper abdominals
Technique: Lie flat on the floor with your knees bent and legs about 1-2 feet apart, or
you can place your lower legs up on a bench. Rest your hands either gently
behind your head or crossed on top of your chest.
The goal of this exercise is to curl your upper torso forward, bringing your
ribcage toward your pelvis. Keep the rest of the body stationary and you do
not sit all the way up. You should only raise up a few inches off of the floor
and stop when you reach maximum ab contraction. Exhale as you curl up
and inhale as you slowly lower.
Tips: If you are getting a sore neck from doing these, you need to work on
relaxing your neck muscles. Keep your hands and neck relaxed. They
should not be involved in this movement.
Notes: This is not a jerking motion. It should be smooth and controlled. You
should be working for maximum contraction and burn, not how many you
can do.
Variation: Feet up, feet flat, using a weightlifting plate for added resistance. The plate
can be either situated on your upper chest or held behind the head. I prefer
to rest it on my upper chest. It puts less stress on the neck.

ABDOMINALS
Reverse Crunches
Muscles Used: Lower abs
Technique: These are like leg raises, except that you are on an incline bench and should
keep your knees bent. Lie on your back on a slightly inclined bench and
grab the top of the bench. The object of this exercise is to bring your pelvis
up and towards your rib cage by contracting your abs. Exhale as you crunch
up and then slowly lower your legs as you inhale.
Tips: You will not be able to do too many of these, so make them count. Make
sure to contract your abs as much as possible at the top of the movement.
Notes:: Do not swing into position. The motion should be smooth and controlled.
Also, don't let yourself slip too far down the bench, or you will be out of
proper position.
Incline Twisting Sit-Ups

Muscles Used: Upper abs, outer obliques
Technique: These are usually done on a Roman Chair (a very short incline board). The
exercise begins as you lean back to get maximum tension in the abs. Once
you do, use your abs to crunch forward. As you come forward, twist your
torso to one side. If you don’t have a Roman Chair, you can do these on a
simple incline board or the floor. When doing them on the floor, just twist
to one side or the other as you crunch.
Notes: The key here is to really twist your torso to work your obliques, but don’t
use a jerking motion.
Tips: Once you get strong at doing these, you can add weight for more resistance.

STRETCHING
This is a topic that most weight trainers seem to overlook. Stretching is essential to help you
avoid injuries and aid in muscle recovery. It helps to maintain the pliability of your muscles
and connective tissue. Without stretching, your range of motion will become so restrictive that
any movement outside of your range could result in injury or extreme pain. You should never
stretch when your muscles are cold. Always warm-up first with some light form of aerobic
exercise.
Before I work a muscle group, I always lightly stretch that muscle group first. This is not
including my warm-up sets. So, if I was working my chest, after my 5 minute warm-up on the
lifecycle, I would do some light stretching of my chest and shoulder muscles. This usually
takes 2-3 minutes, then onto the actual warm-up for the particular exercise I am performing.
After a couple of warm-up sets, I am usually ready to start the heavy work.
Once I have performed a few heavy sets, I will continue to stretch during and after I finish that
particular exercise. So, after I finish working my chest, for example, I will finish off with a
good, deep stretch of that muscle group.
Stretching before your session is necessary to warm-up and loosen your joints, muscles and
ligaments, while stretching after your workout helps to aid in recovery. When you stretch the
muscles you just worked it will help to remove the lactic acid buildup in those muscles.
Stretching helps in the removal waste from the muscles, and supplies them with much needed
oxygen and nutrients. This will also help to alleviate some of the muscle soreness that
accompanies heavy training.
The technique I use is in two stages: First I stretch the muscle for about 3-5 seconds, then
release. Next, I concentrate on really relaxing that muscle group. I take a deep breath, exhale
slowly and start the stretch again.
On this second stretch, I want to go further than the first time. I hold this stretch for as long as
I can tolerate the pain (about 20-30 seconds), all the while, continually trying to relax and go
deeper and farther. While stretching, remember to breathe and relax more each time you
exhale.
Note: Never bounce or do any type of forceful stretching.

STRETCHING
Light Stretches (for before and after workout)
Chest Shoulders Triceps
Back Bicep Groin/Hip
Calves Hamstrings Quadriceps

STRETCHING
Heavy stretches (during workout)
These are deep painful stretches that you should perform only when you are pumped up. These
are meant to be performed immediately after your set.
Chest
For this stretch you simply relax and hold the bottom
position of the "incline flyes" movement. To increase the
stretch you should thrust your chest out.
Make sure that you do not collapse your arms.
Shoulders
To perform this stretch, simply relax and let your body

sink into the stretch.
Back
To increase the effectiveness of this stretch, you should

round your shoulders and flare your lats as much as
possible. If you can't seem to flare your lats, just
concentrate on holding your elbows "out".
Also make sure you stretch forward as much as
possible. I always use a very heavy weight, to help
stretch me forward.

STRETCHING
Quadriceps
To perform this quad stretch you should set your seat back
as far back as possible and also lower the leg pad to ankle
height. Then you simply hold the bottom position. You are
not lifting the weight, you are just stretching.
This is very painful if you are in the right position.
Hamstrings
Hold this position and breathe deeply. Concentrate on
putting your chest to your knee.
Calves
Relax all the way down, and hold that position as long as
possible.
Try to use very heavy weight to help push you farther into
the stretch.

STRETCHING
Biceps
Hold this position and do not collapse arms.
Triceps
Use heavy weight to increase the stretch.

MASS TRAINING
This section covers all the techniques that I have used to successfully gain muscle mass. There
are many other ways to do this, but I have not used these methods. So many people in the gym
have no clue about what they are doing, and they have no guidance. You do. Put this
information to work and you will be amazed at the results. They work!
Use Heavy Weights

For anyone trying to gain muscle, several things must be done. One is to train
with heavy weights. By heavy I mean a weight that is challenging for YOU.
The average guy in the gym usually works with a weight he can lift for 10-15+
reps. To gain mass, this is too light. Using an appropriate weight, you should
only be able to do 4-7 reps. That's it! Using heavy weights for a few reps puts
your muscles under much more stress than using lighter weights for many reps.
Free Weights, Not Machines

Next, the core exercises in your program must consist of free weight exercises,
not machines. Machines are good for isolating and fatiguing individual muscle
groups, but they are only to be used after your main compound exercise work
has been done. I don't know of anyone who has gained a substantial amount of
weight using just machines.
The main reason for this is a lack of stabilizer muscle development. Since
machines are locked into a specific range of motion and help to support the
weight along that path, they fail to stimulate the muscles that surround the area
you are working (stabilizers). This is a mistake. If your stabilizer muscles are
weak, then the major muscle group will never grow!
Free weight exercises like the dumbbell press or squat, for example, put a very
large amount of stress on supporting muscle groups. That's why you will get
fatigued faster, and will not be able to lift as much weight as you did on the
machine. But you will get bigger and stronger very quickly and have a true
gauge of your strength.
If you use machines in your program, they should be used to work isolated
areas and only after all compound exercises have been completed.
Core (Compound) Exercises

The exercises that work the large muscle groups are compound movements that
involve a lot of muscle groups. These compound exercises should be the
foundation of any mass building program because they are proven mass
gainers. You should schedule your workout so that these exercises come first.

MASS TRAINING
Here are the basic movements:
♦ Bench Presses (chest, shoulders, tricep)
♦ Overhead Presses (shoulders, tricep)
♦ Pull-ups/Rows (back, bicep)
♦ Squats (legs, lower back)
♦ Deadlifts (legs, back, shoulders)
♦ Bar Dips (shoulders, chest, arms)
I cannot overemphasize the importance of these exercises. Do not start a

mass gaining program without them! Without these exercises, your chances
of gaining muscle mass fast is very slim. They will overload your entire
skeletal and muscular system like no machine could ever do. This stress forces
your body to compensate. In the case of weight training, it compensates by
gaining muscle mass. If you can only do a few exercises — do these. They
have been proven (and not just by me) to encourage mass and strength gain
unlike any other exercises.
Training to Failure
To be sure that you have adequately stressed your muscles to stimulate growth,
almost all fitness "experts" tell you that you must go to muscular failure on all
sets. By this I mean you must continue to do reps until you can no longer lift
the weight in good form.
From my experience, training to failure is not a requirement of muscle growth.

Going to failure on each set is not as important as making sure that you are
continually exposing your muscles to "out-of-the-ordinary" stress.
In fact, the whole idea of lifting a weight until your muscles fail seems alien to
me. Where else in life do we do something this extreme to get our bodies to
adapt? Nowhere. If I want a tan (when your body adapts by darkening its skin
for protection), do I go and submit myself to the longest tanning session I can
find and stay in there until my skin blisters? No! I start out slowly and
gradually build up to longer sessions, while my body is adapting naturally. If I
wanted to run a marathon, would I go out and run as fast as I could, until I fell
out from exhaustion? No, I would start with short, moderate paced runs and
consistently increase the effort and intensity as my body adapted.
This is no different in weight training. The only thing you need to do to build
muscle is to steadily increase your workout load in small increments on a
regular basis. So each week, you will be lifting a slightly heavier weight.
These small increases are easier to manage, physically and mentally. Not only
will your body recuperate faster, but because you only increased the weight 5
lbs. or less at a time, you will be mentally prepared to lift the small increase.

MASS TRAINING
To provoke muscle growth, your muscles do not need to be exposed to stress
that is near its limit (like going to failure), it only needs stress that is slightly
beyond what it is normally exposed to.
I do train to failure, but not on every set, and only on certain exercises. On
most exercises, I typically train to initial muscle fatigue, stopping just short of
failure. This is partially because I workout alone, and when you train to
failure, you will always need a partner or someone there to "spot" you and
provide assistance when needed.
Training to failure is one way to train, but it is not the only road to muscle
growth. No training method is perfect, because people respond differently to
different stimuli. The only reliable constant is that your body will adapt — and
once it does, it’s time to change your workout. For beginners, almost anything
will spur temporary muscle growth as long as you do it consistently. So just
pick a method and go.
Changing Your Workouts

The problem with overloading is that eventually your body will become
accustomed to that specific level of stress, and you will stop growing. In the
past "experts" would tell you to simply keep adding more stress (weight) to
keep growing. Well, this is not exactly true. Eventually you will hit a plateau,
and your size and strength gains will cease.
A plateau is simply a size or strength level that your body refuses to go

beyond. Everyone gets to this point sooner or later. This is where many guys
give up. They continue to train, by working their muscles the same way, but
their bodies have adapted to that training routine, and they lose motivation.
To keep your body under "out-of-the-ordinary" stress, you need to change your
workout parameters. Your workout parameters consist of types of exercises,
tempo of reps, length of rest period between sets, number of reps, workout
sequence, etc. Any change of these parameters should spur continued growth.
The best approach is to increase poundage for a short period, then back off and
change your parameters for a short period, giving your body time to recuperate
and get stronger.
Here are a few ways in which you can change your program:
♦ Change the exercises.

♦ Change exercise tempo: Add a pause at the top or bottom of the motion,
and increase or decrease the eccentric portion.

MASS TRAINING
♦ Change number of reps and/or sets: You can do the very famous 10 sets
of 10 reps (using a much lighter weight of course), or you can increase the
reps even more. I once tried a workout that had only 3 sets per compound
exercise, but I had to do 30 reps for my first set, 20 reps for my second set
and 10 reps for my last set! I was exhausted afterwards.
♦ Change your workout order: This involves simply changing the order in
which you do your exercises. For example, instead of doing bench presses
first and doing shoulders last, you would do shoulders first and bench press
last.
Overtraining
There are several things that skinny guys must do in order to build muscle, and
in my mind, the first is to avoid overtraining. If you train too often, several
things happen:
1) You don't give your muscles enough time to recuperate between workouts.
If your muscles have not repaired themselves, you will not be at maximum
strength for your next workout. Rest is essential. Other than eating, this
should be your main focus. Contrary to popular belief, you do not grow
while working out, you only grow when you are resting.
2) You are setting yourself up for burnout or an injury.

I know you are motivated and excited about working out, but don't be
careless. You must pace yourself, you want to be able to keep this up for a
long time, not burnout before you reach your goals.
Symptoms of overtraining include:

♦ Frequent illness
♦ Lack of desire to workout
♦ Muscle spasms while resting (this happened to me)
♦ Weight loss
♦ No strength gains in the gym
♦ Recurring injury (especially in shoulder muscles, wrists or back)
Grouping
I recommend that you work each body part just once per week, or once every
seven days. The body parts I'm referring to are usually defined as
chest, back, shoulders, bicep, tricep, and legs. The only areas that can
sometimes be worked more than once per week are the bicep, tricep, calves and
abdominals. These smaller muscle groups tend to recuperate much faster than
larger ones.

MASS TRAINING
Now, if you have the time to do nothing but workout, you can workout five
days a week, but if you are like me, you don't have that much free time. So we
must work muscles in groups to maximize our workout time.
Grouping involves training muscles that normally work together into the same
workout. This is great because it decreases the number of times you need to
workout, decreases your workout time and increases your muscle fatigue.
This is because when you're working one muscle group, you will also be
working other groups in that area. This is how I group my workouts:
Session 1: (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)

Session 2: (Back, Bicep)
Session 3: (Legs)
For example, when I perform the bench press for my chest, it will also be
working my shoulders and triceps. So, when I am ready to work my shoulders
or triceps, I will only need to perform a few exercises to fully exhaust those
muscles, because they already have been partly fatigued by the bench press.
This is how I can get away with having to workout only 3 days per week! That
gives me plenty of time to rest. It also allows me to keep my workouts very
short — about 60-75 minutes. This is very important.
75 minutes or Less
Try to keep your workouts as short and as intense as possible. Studies have
shown that during weight training, testosterone levels peak after about 60
minutes and begin to decline rapidly thereafter.
People who perform those long 2-3 hour training sessions are not only wasting
their time, they are setting themselves up for injury and possible muscle loss.
My goal is to get in there, blast my muscles quickly, and then get out. No chit-
chat, just work. I've got more important things to do, like eat and rest!
Concentrate on the Negative

Believe it or not, the eccentric (negative) portion of an exercise is what
stimulates the most muscle growth — not the positive. Unfortunately, most
people ignore this movement. During my 12-week program, I concentrated a
great deal on the eccentric movement, stretching it out as long as I could.

MASS TRAINING
This is far more difficult, but highly recommended. You will not be able to lift
as much weight as normal, but you will put more stress on your muscle fibers.
I use a tempo of 3/0/1. I do the positive for a count of one, no pause at the top
of the motion, and stretched the negative out to a count of three. Using pull-
ups as an example, I would pull-up for a count of 1, and then immediately
begin to lower myself slowly to a count of three until I reached the starting
position. There are many variations of this that you can use to vary your
training.
Rest, Rest, and Rest

I not only advocate resting as much as possible when not working out, I
recommend resting while working out also. Because your training is not a
cardiovascular event and you want to be as strong as you can be for your next
set, I advise you to rest three minutes between each set. If it takes a bit longer
to catch your breath and get ready, then take the time. Don't let others rush
you. You must stay confident and go at your own pace. Just don't wait so long
that your muscles get cold and you lose your focus.
Stay Focused
I know it's difficult sometimes to simply go workout and not be influenced by
others in the gym. But the lifted that much so I have to do it too" stuff has got
to stop. This is not a strength contest; everyone has different levels of
strength. How much you lift is irrelevant. It's only a concern of your ego.
Yea, the next guy may be stronger than you, but so what? Does that mean he's
a better person than you? Of course not! It just means he bench presses more
than you. But that also means thousands of guys bench press more than he
does. So what?
You are not training to be a powerlifter. You are in there to improve your
body. I'm not the strongest guy in the gym, nor am I the biggest, but I can
honestly say that I have a better looking physique that 98% of the guys I see
working out. So stop worrying about how much you can or can't lift, and
concentrate on working your muscles.
Also, stick to the exercises in my plan. I've seen guys at the gym doing six and
seven exercises for chest alone. That is insane! They wonder why they don't
get bigger! It's because this is not necessary. You should only do a maximum
of 3 exercises per body part. That's it.
You have a very specific schedule that you must get into the habit of following,
and it does not include foolishly over-training. So for a few months, at least,
just cut it out. If you have to, go to another gym.

MASS TRAINING
Soreness
Regardless of what anyone tells you, never work a body part if it is still sore.
Soreness means that muscle has not fully recovered. If you are working out
again without adequate recovery time, you will be destroying more muscle
than you build. I cannot say how long it will take you to recover, but if I really
blast my muscles, I am typically sore for the next 3-5 days. And during that,
time my main focus is to rest that area.
Body Statistics (You MUST do this. It is not optional)

To make sure that you are progressing, it is very important that you take your
measurements and fat loss reading at regular intervals — every 2 weeks or so.
If you don't do this, you will never know exactly how much you gave gained or
lost. Also, this is a gauge of how well your diet is working. For example, if
you notice a dramatic increase in body fat from the last two weeks of your
mass diet, then you might want to cut back slightly on the calories.
This is also essential for those on fat loss diets. Sometimes when you are
dieting you will not see a change in weight. The scale will read the same each
week. But what you will find out, if you take your body fat measurements, is
that your body fat is getting lower. What is happening is that your muscle
mass is increasing, while at the same time you are losing body fat. You would
never know this was happening if you did not regularly take your body fat
measurements. You might even get discouraged and quit the diet, thinking it
was not working!
Can I Just Work My Upper Body?

If one more person says to me that they don't want to work their legs, and that
they just want a bigger chest and arms, I'm gonna scream. The leg muscles are
your largest, most powerful muscle group. You cannot put on substantial mass
without working them. They stress your entire skeletal structure, spurring
growth all over, not just in the lower body.
This is also very silly looking. I see too many guys walking around in the gym
unbalanced. They have nice upper bodies, but their legs look like a couple of
twigs! What are they thinking? They just ignore that entire area because the
don't want to "bother." Do not let this happen to you. You will not reach your
full potential without blasting those muscles.
Legs are and always have been, my first priority when working out.
Performing exercises like heavy squats and deadlifts have been major
contributors to my overall mass gains.

MASS TRAINING
Key Points
♦ Concentrate on free weight exercises that work the large muscle groups.
♦ Use heavy weights and low reps.
♦ Use slow rep tempo to increase muscles time under tension.
♦ Rest 3 minutes between sets.
♦ Keep each workout at 75 minutes or less.
♦ Work each body part only once per week.
♦ Rest as much as possible during non-training days. Remember, your body grows when it is
resting, not while you are in the gym. Eccentric training causes more muscle damage than
positive only training, so rest is essential. If you can take a 30 minute nap each day. This
will speed up your recovery. I did this during my 12 week program and I guess it helped.
♦ Change your workouts on a regular basis. If you are a beginner to weight training, you
should not worry about hitting any sort of plateau until after about 6-8 weeks of consistent
training. If you have been weight training for a while, you should consider cycling your
routine every 3-4 weeks.
♦ Monitor your progress by taking your tape measurements and body fat measurements every
two weeks.
Note: On the mass diet, do not perform any form of cardiovascular/aerobic exercise!
This will counteract your weight gaining efforts. If you are skinny, it will be
extremely difficult and take a very long time to reach your goals if you were trying to
lose fat and increase your muscle mass at the same time. To reach your goals quickly,
you must concentrate on just gaining muscle. You will concentrate on fat loss later.

Sample Mass Training Routine

♦ 5 min. on stationary bike to warm-up ♦ Exercise guidelines:
♦ Use heavy weight − 2 warm-up sets (8 reps)
♦ Rest 3 min between sets − 4 work sets (6-8 reps, 4-6 reps, 2-4 reps and 1-2 reps)
♦ Tempo: 3/0/1 − 1 burn-out set using first weight (6-12 reps)
♦ Stretch muscles after workout − 1 superset to positive failure (8-12 reps)
Sets
Session 1 (Chest, shoulders, triceps) 2 Warmups 1 2 3 4 Burnout Superset
reps/weight reps/weight reps/weight reps/weight reps/weight reps/weight reps/weight
Incline Bench Press
Flat Dumbbell Flyes (superset to failure)
Seated Dumbell Press
Cable Lateral Raises (superset to failure)
Close Grip Bench Press
Overhead Tricep Extensions (superset to failure)
Decline Board Twisting Sit-ups
Session 2 (Legs)
Deadlifts
Calve Raises (strip sets to failure)
Reverse Crunches
Session 3 (Back, bicep)

Bent-Over Rows (reverse grip, to failure)
Cable Rows (superset to failure)
Lat-Pulldowns (to failure)
Incline Dumbell Curls
Standing Dumbell Curls (multiple supersets)
Decline Board Twisting Sit-ups

FAT LOSS TRAINING

Once you reach your desired muscle gain goal, you will probably want to lose some of the excess
body fat you gained. Remember, this is totally normal. Your program is designed to minimize
fat gain, but anyone on such a high calorie diet will gain some body fat along with the muscle. It
is inevitable.
Why Train for Fat Loss?

If you want to look ripped, defined or see your abs, you will at some point
want to shed some excess body fat. Many guys on mass diets just try to pack
on the pounds and never think about the excess fat that comes along with it.
Don't get into this trap. Bigger is not better, but bigger and ripped is. I cannot
tell you when you should start thinking about losing some body fat, because
everyone is different. Just don't let it get too high. The longer you wait to diet,
the harder it will be to lose.
What's the Difference?

Since you will most likely be on a lower calorie fat loss diet also (you will not
lose fat without dieting), you should focus on maintaining your current strength
level. That's it. You should not be over stressing your muscles in any way.
That means no negative reps. You will also reduce your number of core
exercises, and focus on more machine and isolation work. This is because
when your body is on a lower calorie diet, it is less able to handle the high
stress that heavy weight training can cause.
You will continue to train on your normal 3 or 4 day schedule, but you will
change your exercises and tempo. Your tempo will be 1/0/1, resting only 90
seconds between sets. In other words, you do the positive and negative motion
each for a count of one. You will still work each body part only once per
week, but you should only do a maximum of two exercises per body part.
Exercise Guidelines:
Tempo of 1/0/1
Rest 90 seconds between sets
1 warm-up set (12 reps)
3-4 moderate sets (10-15 reps)
Aerobic Exercise
To speed up your fat loss, you are required to perform some form of
cardiovascular exercise, in the morning (no exception), on an empty stomach,
for 30-45 minutes while keeping your heart rate at about 140 beats per minute.
This may not seem like a lot, but it is the ideal range for fat loss. If you are
working any harder you will be training for endurance and not fat loss. Also, if
you have a high metabolism, you will also be eating up muscle fast!

FAT LOSS TRAINING

I suggest that you do your cardio exercise in the morning before breakfast
because I want you to be burning fat calories when you exercise. I know this
seems unusual, but if you eat before doing your cardio, you will be burning the
calories from that meal and not body fat. This is one of the main reasons why
many people do tons of cardio, but never lose any fat.
I also recommend doing it in the morning because you will not have eaten for
that eight hour period that you are asleep. Your muscles will have used up just
about all of their glycogen (sugar used for energy) stores. Once this happens,
your body turns to using stored body fat for fuel. You are more than welcome
to exercise anytime you like, just do not eat 8-10 hours before.
The exercise I like the most for cardio is the stationary bike. It is no frills,
straight to the point, and I can just be mindless while I do it — somedays that
is the only free time that I have. You can do whatever you prefer. Running
burns the most calories, but that is not important. Anything that keeps your
heart rate at the desired level for 30-45 minutes will do.
Don't get caught up in how many calories you burn each session, because that
is irrelevant. The point of doing cardio is not to see how many calories you
can burn. You are already on a low calorie diet, so why would you want to
burn off more? If you want fewer calories, just eat less!
The point of doing cardio is to increase your metabolism, which, in turn,

causes you to burn more body fat. Studies have shown that your metabolism
will remain elevated for up to 3 hours, after just 45 minutes of cardiovascular
exercise, and for more than seven hours after 60 minutes of cardio1! That's
why I do cardiovascular exercise.
It's best to do your aerobic exercise on non-weight training days, so you will be
as strong as possible when training, but it is not absolutely necessary. If you
can't do it on separate days, just space them as far apart as possible. For
example, do cardio in the early morning and weight train in the afternoon or
evening. I don't recommend doing cardio and weight training during the same
session. With our fast metabolisms, it's murder on our muscle mass!
Spot Reducing
The next item that I would like to touch on is spot reducing. For those who
don't know what I'm talking about, spot reducing is when you perform a
particular exercise to help get rid of the fat in that specific area. For example,
many people do an unnecessarily large number of sit-ups thinking that they
will eventually burn off the fat in that area to reveal their six-pack.
1
University of Victoria "Cycling Fat." Canadian Journal of Sports Sciences; vol. 13, no. 4: 204-207.

FAT LOSS TRAINING

Or they do side-bends with weights to get rid of their love handles, or choose
to use the step machine thinking it will dissolve the cellulite around their lower
body. You cannot do it. Spot reducing does not happen. The only way to lose
body fat in those areas is to diet consistently. That's it. When you do, the fat
will come from all areas. Unfortunately, it will usually come off of your most
unsightly areas last.
Typically for men the most difficult area from which to lose fat is the lower
back and waist, while for women it is their upper thighs and buttocks. Go
figure.
The "ABS"olute Truth
No amount of weird exercises or machines will reveal your abs until you lose
that layer of fat over them. The only way to do that is by consistent dieting and
cardio. Period. All those odd hanging, leg twisting, body contorting exercises
are no better than simple crunches. They will not make your abs suddenly
appear like a bicep or a pec. Abs are not made in the gym, they are made in
the kitchen. Diet, diet, diet.
Fat Loss Training Key Points
♦ Do some form of cardiovascular exercise for 30-45 minutes, 3-4 times per week.
Keep your heart rate around 130 bpm.
♦ To increase your body’s fat burning ability, do your cardio exercise in the morning before
eating, after an overnight fast of at least 8 hours (very important). Note: It is essential that
you do not eat before your cardio. You should not ingest any calories at all. This includes
toothpaste. Since most toothpastes contain saccharin, which is a carbohydrate, you should
avoid them. On cardio mornings, I brush my teeth with an all natural non-sugary
toothpaste. Baking soda is also good.
♦ Train with weights no more than 3 times per week, working each body part only once per
week. Weight training develops more lean body mass (muscle). The more muscle you
have, the faster your metabolism.
♦ Concentrate on using lighter weights and doing 10-15 reps (1/0/1 tempo), resting only 60-
90 seconds between sets.

Sample Fat Loss Training Routine

♦ 5 min on stationary bike to warm-up ♦ Exercise guidelines:
♦ Use lighter weight (reaching failure in 10-15 reps) − 1 warm-up sets (12 reps)
♦ Tempo: 1/0/1 − 3-4 work sets (10-15 reps)
♦ Rest 1.5 min between sets ♦ Stretch muscles after workout
♦ Start cardio 3-4 times per week
Sets
Session 1 (Chest, shoulders, triceps) 1 Warmup 1 2 3 4
reps/weight reps/weight reps/weight reps/weight reps/weight
Incline Bench Press
Flat Dumbell Flyes
Dumbell Side Lateral Raises
Tricep Pushdowns
Crunches
Session 2 (Legs)
Leg Press
Leg Extensions
Hamstring Curl
Calve Raises
Reverse Crunches
Session 3 (Back, bicep)

Wide Grip Lat-Pulldowns
Cable Rows
Preacher Curls
Crunches
Cardio

B. Dieting Strategies & Supplements

That Work

From the Desk of A n t h o n y E l l i s Diet & Supplements
DIET TERMINOLOGY
Calorie: A measure used to express the energy value within foods.
Fat: A macronutrient that serves as a source for long-term energy and energy
storage. Fats serve as a structural component for all cell membranes and
assist in hormone production. Fat contains 9 calories per gram.
Protein: Nitrogen containing compounds found in all animal and vegetable tissue.
The amino acids contained in protein are essential for growth and repair.
Animal proteins contain all the necessary amino acid, to be immediately
used by the body, while most vegetable protein do not. To be used by the
body, vegetable protein has to be combined with other proteins to complete
the amino acid chain. Protein contains 4 calories per gram.
These are the different protein we will be using:

Meat
Poultry, Eggs
Seafood
Whey protein isolate (made from milk curd, and low in lactose)
Soy protein isolate (vegetable protein derived from soybeans)
Carbohydrate: Organic compounds that are used as fuel source for the body. They are
divided into two categories: simple and complex carbs. Simple carbs, like
refined sugar or processed white flour products, usually have no fiber, so
your body converts them into glucose much more quickly that complex
carbs, which have more fiber (brown rice, oats, whole grains, fibrous
vegetables) to slow digestion. Carbs contain 4 calories per gram.
Some examples of simple carbs:

lactose (milk sugar), fructose (fruit sugar), candies, syrups, and any
processed white flour product (like white bread).
Complex carbs can be broken down into two categories:

Starchy: unrefined whole grains, brown rice, oatmeal,
beans and tubers (potatoes, yams)
Fibrous: fiber rich vegetables like celery, carrots, whole oats
Glucose: A sugar that your body burns for energy. Carbohydrates are broken down
into glucose and are either used by the body immediately, or stored in
muscle tissue as glycogen.

DIET TERMINOLOGY
Fiber: Insoluble, indigestible material found mostly in plant life. Fiber reduces
the risk of colon cancer by decreasing waste transit time through the large
intestine. In doing so, it also helps to quickly rid the body of toxins
accumulated in the kidneys, liver, lymphatic and circulatory system.
Free Radicals: Free radicals are unstable molecules that disrupt the functions of and
sometimes kill normal cells. This not only makes you more prone to illness
by weakening your immune system, but it is widely believed that they may
be involved in numerous chronic and life threatening diseases.
Along with city living and job stress, strenuous exercise has been proven to
increase the number of free radicals throughout the body. This is where
antioxidants come in. They are a group of compounds that seek out and
destroy free radicals. Some powerful antioxidants include vitamin C,
vitamin E, grape seed extract and NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine).
Glutathione: The most powerful antioxidant produced by the body.

DIETING FOR MUSCLE GAIN

Out of all the sections in this manual, this one is probably the most important
for gaining weight. Dieting for muscle gain is simply a matter of eating. You
must eat more calories than your body burns off.
Now, when I say eat, I do not mean just anything. All calories are not created
equal. In other words, some types of calories are not equal to others for
gaining muscle. For example, if I said that you need to eat 2,000 calories per
day to gain weight, and you eat 4 bags of potato chips each day, do you think
you would gain muscle? Not likely. The majority of your weight would be fat.
Why? Because potato chips, like most processed junk food, contains empty,
totally nutritionless calories. These foods do not provide you with the correct
nutrient breakdown essential for gaining muscle.
To gain muscle, your caloric intake should be equal to about 15-18 times your
body weight. Your meals must also consist of the correct amount of
carbohydrates, protein and fat. The current ratio that I recommend is 40%
protein, 30% carbohydrates and 30% fat. Some advocate more protein or more
fats, but this is a good starting point for most hardgainers.
Years ago, a higher carbohydrate and lower fat diet was the rage, pushed by
professional bodybuilders and trainers. They claimed that this was the only
way to eat for muscle gain. Unfortunately, the only people gaining muscle on
that type of diet were a genetically gifted few. The rest just got fat. Carbs
serve mainly as energy for the body, while protein provides the necessary
amino acids to build and repair muscle. For muscle growth, carbohydrates are
not as essential as protein and fats. High quality protein, which the body
breaks down into amino acids, should be the center point of all your meals.
Intense exercise increases demand for amino acids which support muscle repair
and growth.2
Proteins
When you train with weights, you should eat a minimum of 1 gram of protein
per pound of body weight. So, for example, if you weight 100 lbs., you should
be eating at least 100 grams of protein per day. You also must have protein at
every meal. You don’t have to have carbs or fat at every meal, but you must
have protein. When I say protein, I am referring to high quality protein derived
from animal sources. Soy protein, tofu and bean curd have their place, as you
will find out later, but for getting bigger and stronger, the only protein you
need to be concerned with are those found in whey, eggs, beef, poultry, and
fish.
2
P.W.R. Lemon and F.J Nagle, "Effects of Exercise on Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism," Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 13.3 (1981): 141-149.


Stick with these basic foods and avoid unusual concoctions like deli meats.
Never use these as a source of protein! Sure it tastes great, but you cannot
count on a reliable measure of how much decent protein you are actually
eating. Most of this meat consists of fat and fillers. As a rule, I stay away
from all processed meats, like hot dogs, sausages, bologna, etc.
On the other hand, beef is great. I love to eat red meat, but it is not necessary
to gain muscle. If you do not want to eat red meat, poultry or fish, your only
alternative is to use whey protein as your primary source. Whey is one of the
most biologically active (easily used by your body) proteins available. If you
do like red meat and poultry, then eat as much as you like. But be aware of
what you are eating. In this day and age, the major danger of eating meats
does not come from the meat itself, but rather from what people put into the
animal. Unless you eat pure organic meats, you are ingesting products that
contain more steroids, hormones and antibiotics that you could imagine. I
cannot say concretely that these things are harmful (there has not yet been a
study of the long-term effects on humans), but how can it not be?
Fiber
The other danger of eating meats deals with how long they stay in your large
intestine. Normally, all food you eat should take about 24 hours to travel
through your digestive system. If it takes longer, you may not be getting
enough fiber in your diet.
Fiber is responsible for keeping things moving “smoothly,” so to speak. The

longer foods stay in the body, the more chance it has to putrefy. When meat
begins to putrefy, it produces toxins that are not immediately harmful, but
which, over many years, can cause chronic illnesses, psoriasis, eczema,
dandruff, body odor, acne, and colon cancer. Just be aware, consume these
things in moderation, and be sure to get plenty of fiber. You should aim to get
20-35g of fiber per day. The best sources are vegetables, whole grains, and
whole oats.
Milk
One favorite high calorie item that bodybuilders like to use is milk.
Unfortunately, I have not included it in my program because I did not use it
much during my original program. I have used is quite a bit after my program,
though. If you are having problems gaining weight on this program, you
should consider adding milk to your diet. Please see page 236 for more on this.


Fat!
Fat is another diet element that is usually forgotten or purposefully left out. If
you want to gain muscle mass, this is a mistake. Dietary fats play an essential
role in hormone production, which in turn is responsible for growth and
strength increases. I have never gained muscle on a low fat diet, though many
people still believe that eating fat makes you fat. This is absolutely false. In
fact, there is a very popular muscle gain diet that bee around for years, called
the "Anabolic Diet" that requires you to eat only fat! Butter, bacon, and heavy
cream are all on the menu. Though quite extreme, this diet does work.
Most people are overweight because of a diet high in simple carbohydrates, not
from eating fats. If your diet is too low in fat, your body will actually make a
point to store any fat it gets, because it doesn't know when it will get more. A
low-fat diet will also lower testosterone levels, something we do not want
when trying to gain weight.
Essential Fats
Studies have shown that dietary fat has a direct relationship with testosterone
production. An increase in dietary fat intake seems to bring on an increase in
testosterone levels.3 The inverse is also true. A decrease in dietary fat intake is
usually accompanied by a decrease in free testosterone levels.4
Whereas saturated fats are the cause of many illnesses, like heart disease and
cancer, Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) are unsaturated fats that are necessary for
thousands of biological functions throughout the body. And since they cannot
be manufactured by the body, the must be provided by your diet. Essentially,
these are the only fats you will ever need. There are two types of EFA's:
linoleic acid (omega-6) and linolenic acid (omega-3). Linoleic acid is
primarily found in oils like canola, sunflower and safflower. Linolenic acid is
found in cold water fish and linseed oil. Oils that contain both fats include
evening primrose, borage and, my favorite, high lignen flaxseed oil.
These fatty acids not only help increase testosterone production, but they also
aid in the prevention of muscle breakdown, help to increase your HDL level
(good cholesterol) and assist in hormone production.5 As stated earlier, if your
diet is too low in fat, your testosterone levels will decrease. That's exactly
what we don't want.
3
M.J. Reed, et al., "The Role of Free Fatty Acid in Regulating the Tissue Availability and the Synthesis of Sex Steroids," Prostaglandis Leukot.
Esent. Fatty Acids 48 (1993): 111-116.
4
E.K. Hamalainen, et al., "Decrease of Serum Total and Free Testosterone During a Low-Fat, High-Fiber Diet," J. Steroid Biochem. 18.3 (1983):
369-370.
5
F. Dray, et al., "Role of Prostaglandins on Growth Hormone Secretion: PGE2 a Physiological Stimulator," Adv. Prostaglandin & Thromboxane
Res. 8 (1980): 1321-1328.


Meal Frequency
To gain weight, you will be eating a large amount of calories. Unfortunately,
your body can only assimilate a certain number of calories at each meal. For
our purposes, eating three meals per day is not beneficial. If you had to eat
3,000 calories per day, then you would end up eating 1,000 calories at each
meal. The average person can only use a portion of those calories. The excess
will be stored as fat or removed from the body.
To enable your body to actually assimilate and use the 3,000 calories you will
ingest, you have to reduce your meal size and increase your meal frequency.
Splitting your calories into smaller, more frequent portions will enable food
absorption and utilization of nutrients6.
I always eat six meals each day, evenly spaced out at three hour intervals. My
goal is to provide my body with constant nourishment throughout the day. So
if it typically takes about 2.5 hours to digest most meals, want to be eating
another meal just as my last meal is leaving my stomach. I do this because my
body is constantly in need of nutrients to repair itself. I do a lot of damage
during my workouts and completely stress my system. My body is trying to
“adapt to the stress,” but in order to do this, it needs consistent fuel.
[Note: I know that six meals per day seems like a lot of trouble, but once you
get used to it, it becomes second nature. Eating six meals per day is no more
of a hassle for me than eating three. Please do not be overwhelmed by this at
first. This is where most people lose the battle. Get your diet under control,
and you are more than half way there.]
If I ate only three meals per day, then my body would be without nutrients for
about six hours between each of those meals! This is unacceptable for skinny
guys. Without food, your body will quickly begin to breakdown muscle tissue
for energy. You must never go longer than three hours between meals. This is
where planning comes in. Make sure that you know where your next meal is
coming from in advance. Don’t wait until the last minute. The only time you
will ever go longer than three hours without eating is when you are asleep.
This is unavoidable, unless you wake up in the middle of the night just to eat,
which, for some, may not be a bad idea. However, it is not, obviously, very
convenient.
6
Jenkins, D.J.A, Wolever, T.M.S., Vuksan, V., et al "Nibbling Versus Gorging: Metabolic Advantages of Increased Meal Frequency." New
England Journal of Medicine 321 (1989): 14:929-931.


Important Meal Times
In order to help ease some of the inevitable muscle catabolism during your
sleeping hours, you must eat a protein rich meal just before you go to bed, and
another immediately after you wake up. Also, in order to get the most from
your workouts, you must eat a protein meal one hour before you workout and
then another within one hour afterwards. These meals are very important. The
meal eaten prior to your workout ensures that your body will be able to put
forth maximum effort during your intense workout session. Your post-workout
meal (probably the most important meal of the day) replenishes all the
nutrients lost during your workout. It also helps to jump start your recovery.
The Importance of Water

While on this program, it is essential for you to make an effort to drink more
water. Unfortunately, in America, the first thing people reach for when they
are thirsty is a sugary beverage. This is the last thing a thirsty person needs. It
may seem to quench your thirst, but it actually makes the problem worse.
Most people walk around dehydrated without even knowing it. When your
body finally signals that you are thirsty, you are way past dehydrated.
To make sure that your muscles stay hydrated, you should aim to drink an
amount equal to .66 times your body weight (in ounces) per day. Not soda or
juice, but water! So if you weight 145 lbs, you should be drinking at least 96
oz per day. You must drink it throughout the day and not try to chug it all at
once. Drinking a sufficient amount of water will not only increase your
vascularity (more visible veins), but it will also help to quickly remove toxins
from the body. Protein generates metabolic waste products that must be
dissolved in water. Without enough water, the kidneys cannot efficiently
remove these wastes.
Mass Dieting Foods (where to get the calorie)

Acceptable Unacceptable
beef nuts deli meat soy protein
fish unsaturated fats potato chips tofu
poultry MRPs alcohol bean curd
whole eggs whey protein cakes mass gainer powder
pasta potatoes cookies processed meats
bread rice candy ham
cheese canned tuna/salmon sweets spam!


Calculating Your Daily Food Intake:
First, we need to determine how many calories you will be eating each day.
This is done by multiplying your weight by 18. If you weigh 135 pounds, for
example, that gives you 2,430 calories. Now divide that number by the
number of meals you will be eating each day (6) and you get 405 calories. So,
you should be eating about 405 calories at each meal.
Total daily calories

1. (weight x 18) = total daily calories
2. (total calories / number of meals per day) = calorie amount for each meal
Next, we need to calculate your nutrient breakdown. Remember that this mass
diet will consist of 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% fat.
First, we will calculate your total amount of protein in calories. Simply

multiply 2,430 (total caloric intake) by .40 (40%). This gives us 972 total daily
calories of protein. Next, we need to determine how many grams of protein
these 972 calories should contain. Since protein is 4 calories per gram, we just
divide 972 by 4. This gives us 243g. Now we know we will need to eat about
240 grams of protein each day. To find out how much we eat at each meal, just
divide that by 6 (number of meals). This gives us 40.5 grams. So, to get 40%
of my total calories from protein, I have to eat about 41g at each meal. Here it
is again:
1. Total daily protein intake in calories

(2,430 x .40) = 972 calories
2. Total daily protein intake in grams
(972 / 4) = 243 grams
3. Amount of protein needed at each meal
(243 / 6) = 40.5 grams
Now let’s do the calculations for carbohydrates and fats.

(Remember carbs are 4 calories per gram, and fats have 9 calories per gram)
Carbs:
1. Total daily carb intake in calories
(2,430 x .30) = 729 calories
2. Total daily carb intake in grams
(729 / 4) = 182.25 grams
3. Amount of carbs needed at each meal
(182.25 / 6) = 30.4grams


Fat:
1. Total daily fat intake in calories
(2,430x .30) = 729 calories
2. Total daily fat intake in grams
(729 / 9) = 81 grams
3. Amount of fat needed at each meal
(81 / 6) = 13.5 grams
So, at each meal, we should try to eat 41g of protein, 30g of carbs and 13.5g of
fat. Wasn’t that easy? These numbers are your guidelines. You will never get
exactly this amount, but you should get as close as possible at each meal.
When you are ready, you can use the calculation worksheet I have created on
page 68.
What if you are not gaining weight?

Gaining weight is simply a matter of eating more calories than your body burns
for energy. If you are not gaining weight, you just need to eat more and rest
more. It's that simple.
Remember, most of you have extremely fast metabolisms. Gaining weight will
be extremely difficult. The only way you will get bigger is to shock your body.
You must shock your body by 1) training with heavy weights, and 2) by eating
a lot of calories.
The first shock is with weight training. You must focus on compound free-
weight exercises, and lift heavy weights which will stimulate the largest
amount of muscle fibers. Your body responds to this stimulus by increasing
your muscle mass.
The second way we must shock our body is by eating more calories than your
body is accustomed to. This is the most important factor in gaining mass.
When you consistently overload your system with plenty of protein and fats,
your body has no other choice but to gain weight (see page 236).


Mass Dieting Points to Remember
♦ Eat six meals per day.
♦ Eat every three hours.
♦ Your diet should consist of 40% protein, 30% carbohydrates and 30% fat
♦ Eat protein at every meal.
♦ Make sure you eat at least 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight.
♦ Do not avoid dietary fats (they are your friend).
♦ Drink plenty of water. You can never have too much. You should aim to drink at least
(.66 x body weight) oz. per day.
♦ Eat a protein rich meal right before you go to bed.
♦ Eat one hour before you workout.
♦ Eat within one hour after you workout.
♦ Monitor your progress by taking your bodyfat and tape measurements. If you are not
getting results, you may need to increase caloric intake.

SAMPLE MASS DIET WORKSHEET
Mass Diet Calculations

Current Weight 145 A
Total Daily water intake (multiply line A times .66) 145 x .66 = 96oz
Calorie multiplier (I suggest 15-20 times bodyweight) 18 B
Total Daily calories (multiple line A times B) 145 x 18 = 2,610 C
Number of meals you will be eating each day 6 D

Calories per meal (divide line C by D) 2,610 ÷ 6 = 435 E
Nutrient breakdown in percentages (I use 40-30-30)

Protein (divide protein percentage by 100) 40 ÷ 100 = .40 F
Carbohydrates (divide carb percentage by 100) 30 ÷ 100 = .30 G
Fats (divide fats percentage by 100) 30 ÷ 100 = .30 H
Daily nutrient breakdown in calories

Protein (multiply line C by F) 2,610 x .40 = 1,044 I
Carbohydrates (multiply line C by G) 2,610 x .30 = 783 J
Fats (multiply line C by H) 2,610 x .30 = 783 K
Daily nutrient requirement in grams

Protein (divide line I by 4) 1,044 ÷ 4 = 261g L
Carbohydrates (divide line J by 4) 783 ÷ 4 = 196g M
Fats (divide line K by 9) 783 ÷ 9 = 87g N
Nutrient grams per meal

Protein (divide line L by D) 261 ÷ 6 = 44g
Carbohydrates (divide line M by D) 196 ÷ 6 = 33g
Fats (divide line N by D) 87 ÷ 6 = 15g
Notes:

MASS DIET WORKSHEET
Mass Diet Calculations

Current Weight A
Total Daily water intake (multiply line A times .66) ______ x ______ = oz
Calorie multiplier (I suggest 15-20 times bodyweight) B
Total Daily calories (multiple line A times B) ______ x ______ = C
Number of meals you will be eating each day D

Calories per meal (divide line C by D) ______ ÷ ______ = E

Protein (divide protein percentage by 100) ______ ÷ 100 = F
Carbohydrates (divide carb percentage by 100) ______ ÷ 100 = G
Fats (divide fats percentage by 100) ______ ÷ 100 = H

Protein (multiply line C by F) ______ x ______ = I
Carbohydrates (multiply line C by G) ______ x ______ = J
Fats (multiply line C by H) ______ x ______ = K

Protein (divide line I by 4) ______ ÷ 4 = g L
Carbohydrates (divide line J by 4) ______ ÷ 4 = g M
Fats (divide line K by 9) ______ ÷ 9 = g N

Protein (divide line L by D) ______ ÷ ______ = g
Carbohydrates (divide line M by D) ______ ÷ ______ = g
Fats (divide line N by D) ______ ÷ ______ = g
Notes:
Make copies of page before using

SUPPLEMENTS THAT INCREASE MUSCLE GAIN

No supplement will work if you are not training and dieting correctly. They
will just give you very expensive urine. All aspects of your program have to
be in order for you to get the maximum benefit from sports nutrition
supplements.
The supplements I used in my program were quite basic. I subscribe to the

K.I.S.S. motto (Keep It Simple, Stupid). The truth is, you don't need all those
expensive supplements to gain muscle. You just need a few choice products
that will enhance your diet and training.
There are many "old school" trainers and bodybuilders who profess the
uselessness of supplements. They are constantly preaching that they don't
work, and that you don't need them. Well, to tell you the truth they are correct,
somewhat.
First of all, it's true that there are a great many supplements that do not work.
There are many companies out there making totally unsubstantiated or
exaggerated claims about their products. Keep in mind, the supplement
business is a multi-billion dollar industry. These dishonest companies will say
anything just to get your dollar. But, with all of the crap out there, there are
some products that will definitely speed up your results and make your training
easier and more convenient.
But, in all honesty, you really don't need them. You would still be able to gain
mass using my program, it will just take a lot longer, and require more work on
your part. Without supplements, you will really have to spend more time
on your diet.
Meal Replacement Powder

For example, the supplement that I depended on the most during my program
was the meal replacement powder called Myoplex. This product is designed to
give your body the correct nutrition in a simple, easy to mix shake form. Each
Myoplex shake replaces one meal. This product mixes in under 2 minutes and
gives me the correct amount of protein and carbs I need, very quickly. Unless
you like to cook (which I don't), using a meal replacement powder 3 times per
day makes dieting much easier. You will then only have to worry about
putting together three additional meals instead of six. Also, the whey protein
in Myoplex saved me from trying to get my huge daily protein requirement
from meat. I would never have made it without these MRP's.


Creatine
Another supplement that has made a tremendous impact on my training and
muscle gain is creatine monohydrate. Creatine is a metabolite manufactured
by our bodies to supply our muscles with energy. It is found naturally in red
meat, but in very minute amounts. There is about 7g of creatine in 12oz of red
meat. Creatine is not an anabolic hormone, or a drug of any kind like
prohormones. For the most part, it is totally safe. There are no studies on
creatine that suggest that it is toxic or harmful in any way -- and there are a ton
of studies with creatine, probably more than any current supplement.
Through many scientific studies, creatine has been found to help build lean
body mass, increase athletic performance, increase endurance and speed
recovery.7, 8, 9 Most people who take creatine experience the greatest size and
strength gains during their first month of using the product. This is partially
because of creatine's cell-volumizing effect. When creatine is stored in the
muscles, it also brings along extra water. This extra intracellular fluid expands
your muscle volume, giving your muscles a more full, "pumped" look. Make
no mistake though, this is not water weight. Water weight is stored just under
the skin, giving you a bloated look. The extra fluids creatine brings into the
muscles are stored within the cells themselves, making them larger. This
super-hydration can possibly increase protein synthesis and minimize muscle
loss.10
There are currently many brands and types of creatine on the market. It is most
commonly found in powder form, but there is also a liquid and what is called
"effervescent" creatine. Be careful with the liquid form because liquid creatine
typically becomes unstable after about 12-24 hours. The effervescent creatine
is designed to reduce the destruction of creatine in the stomach due to stomach
acids. It supposedly allows more creatine to pass into the small intestine where
it is absorbed. Do they work? Probably. But remember, but so does the good
old powder form — it works for me, and it's inexpensive.
I can honestly say that I could not have built the body I have today without the
convenience and enhancements supplements provide. This is a choice that you
must decide for yourself. You will be spending your money on these products,
so make sure that you are doing it because you want to. Don’t do it because I
said you have to, because you don't.
7
A. Casey, et al., "Creatine Supplementation Favourably Affects Performance and Muscle Metabolism During Maximal Intensity Exercise in
Humans," Am. J. Physiol. 271 (1996): E31-37.
8
C.P. Earnest, et al., "The Effect of Creatine Monohydrate Ingestion on Anaerobic Power Indices, Muscular Strength and Body Composition,"
Acta Physiol. Scand. 153.2 (1995): 207-209.
9
R.B. Kreider, et al., "Effects of Ingesting Supplements Designed to Promote Lean tissue Accretion on Body Composition During Resistance
Training," Int. J. Sport Nutr. 6.3 (1996): 234-246.
10
D. Häussinger, "The role of Cellular Hydration in the Regulation of Cell Function," Biochem. J. 313 (1996): 697-710.


The following list contains supplements that have worked for me (except prohormones). It is
not necessary for you to use all of them. There are hundreds of other products out there, but I
cannot personally attest to their usefulness.
Myoplex This is the meal replacement powder that I like. There are dozens out there,
Price: $45.00 and they are all quite similar. Since you will be drinking a lot of these, you
# of servings: 20
Price per serving: $2.25
have to find one that you like. I recommend that you buy as many different
kinds as you can and taste them all. GNC usually sells the packets
individually. They usually cost about $3.00 each.
If you can't stomach them, don't worry, a lot of people can't. Many people
find that the maltodextrin (a simple sugar derived from corn) or fructose
(fruit sugar) will cause them to have upset stomachs, gas, cramps and even
nausea. If you can't find an MRP that agrees with you, you will simply have
to use plain whey protein powder and eat it along with some type of
carbohydrate. Some suggestion: rice cakes, cream of wheat, Ultra Fuel, and
popcorn.
Precision Protein This is the whey protein powder that I usually use. This is not an MRP; it's
Price: $30.00 just pure whey protein. No carbs, no fats. I usually use this powder to add
# of Servings (1 scoop):35
Price per servings: $1.20
protein to a meal. For example, if I ate a small chicken sandwich and felt
that I did not get my required amount of protein at that meal, I would take
one or two small scoops of Precision Protein to bring that meal up to par.
I also use two scoops of this product, with one tablespoon of Udo's Choice
Oil, as my last meal before bed. The protein ensures that my body will have
enough fuel to get through the night without eating up any muscle tissue.
The oil helps to slow the digestion of this meal.
EFAs To provide your body with the necessary essential fatty acids, I suggest you
use a really great product called Udo's Choice. It is a mixture of all essential
fats, combining flax oil, sunflower oil, medium-chain triglycerides (MCT),
evening primrose oil, and more. One tablespoon taken three times per day
will provide you with all the EFAs your body needs. I usually pay around
$17.00 for a 17 oz. bottle. If you can't locate this product, use high lignen
flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil costs about $14.00 for a 16 oz bottle.
Phosphagen HP This is creatine monohydrate coupled with the carbohydrate dextrose (a
Price: $40.00 simple sugar). In a recent university study, scientists compared the effects of
# of Servings: 42
Price per serving: $0.95
Phosphagen HP with that of regular creatine and found that both products
enhance lean muscle mass and strength compared with a placebo. But
Phosphagen HP produced up to 160% greater gains in lean mass while
supporting a reduction in body fat greater than that seen with creatine alone
or the placebo group.
Remember: you first have to load up on creatine to get maximum benefits.

This means you will be taking 5 servings per day (each serving is 5 grams of
pure creatine) for 6 days. That's 30 servings (150g) already. After that, you
will simply take a maintenance dosage of 5 grams per day.


L-Glutamine Glutamine is an amino acid that the body uses to help your muscles combat the
price varies with size stresses of exercise trauma, lack of calories (dieting), or illness. When you
Price for 500g: $40.00
# of servings: 100
train hard, your body demands so much glutamine that it can't create enough
Price per serving: $0.40 on it's own. Supplementing your diet with extra glutamine will help prevent
muscle protein breakdown11 while you're asleep or dieting. It promotes
increased cell volumizing, strengthens your immune system, decreases
recovery time and increases growth hormone levels.12 Glutamine also aids in
the production of Glutathione.
Never take large amounts all at once, however, because most of it gets
destroyed in the gut. It never reaches the bloodstream. The best way to get
maximum absorption of glutamine is to take it in smaller, divided doses. I
recommend you take 15 grams per day in 3 divided doses of 5 grams each.
There are many glutamine powders out there, and some are quite expensive.
Since you will be taking more than 100 grams of this stuff per week, I suggest
save money by purchasing this product in bulk (powder form only, do not get
capsules). I typically buy the large Osmo 500 gram containers for about
$40.00 from the Vitamin Shoppe.
Ultra Fuel This is a carbohydrate drink that I only use immediately after I workout. It is
Price: $25.00 much better than Gatorade, Carbo Force or many other sports drinks because
# of servings: 14
price per serving: $1.78
it does not contain fructose (fruit sugars) or corn syrup. It contains glucose
polymers, which is the perfect carb to help get glycogen to my muscles
quickly. It comes in a powder and liquid form.
V2G (Vandyl Sulfate) This supplement is used by bodybuilders by to increase their insulin
Price: $30.00 sensitivity and muscle pump. This supplement has never been proven to
# of capsules: 180
directly increase muscle mass, but the effects of using it are unmistakable.
Vandyl helps insulin push more glucose into your muscles, to aid in
replenishment and protein synthesis. The extra glycogen in the muscles also
makes them appear larger and more full.
The recommended dosage of this supplement is 2 capsules (15 mg), three

times per day, with meals. I usually take it only twice per day in larger
doses. I've found that taking 20mg with my pre-workout meal, and then
taking 40mg with my post-workout stack, greatly increases my muscle pump
and helps to prevent any fat storage from my post-workout meal.
This product becomes toxic if you continue to take it for a prolonged period
of time, so I recommend that you cycle your intake. Take if for 2 weeks then
stop taking it for 2 weeks.
11
E. Roth , et al., "Glutamine: An Anabolic Effector," J. Parent. Ent. Nutr. 14 (1990): 1305-1365.
12
Welbourne, T.C., "Increased Plasma Bicarbonate and Growth Hormone After Oral Glutamine Load." Am J Clin Nutr 1995; 61:1058-1061.


Prohormones If you are a teenager, or if you are new to weight training, then do not use
Androstenedione these products. I did not use them during my program, so they are not part
Androstenediol
Norandrostenedione
of this program. I only include them here because many people are spending
Norandrostenediol their money on these potentially dangerous products, and don't really know
what they do.
No prohormone has actually been proven to help increase muscle mass.

NONE. Now, that's not to say that they don't work, but there has yet to be a
study that actually proves this. There have also never been any long term
clinical studies done on the safety of using these products over a long period
of time. They DO actually raise your testosterone levels in the body, that's
true, but what companies don't tell you is that they do not increase your
body's natural testosterone production. They actually REDUCE natural
production, and in some cases, shut it down completely! As a response to
consistently elevated levels of testosterone in the bloodstream, your body
will gradually reduce production of testosterone to compensate. In other
words, your sex drive will disappear
If you are thinking of taking mega doses of these products, be aware that
prolonged periods of higher than normal levels of testosterone can cause side
effects such as increased hair loss for those with a family history of male
pattern baldness, enlarged prostate, impotence and acne due to increased oil
gland activity. Another point you need to know about most prohormones is
that a portion of the testosterone is converted to estrogen. The first
prohormone on the market, Androstenedione, is notorious for this. This
product can be converted it into estrogen much easier than into testosterone.
Elevated estrogen levels in men will cause increased sensitivity and
enlargement of the breast and nipple tissue. The medical term for this is
gynecomastia, while the bodybuilder slang for this is "bitch" tits.
During your teen years, you are still growing and producing plenty of
testosterone and growth hormones, why on earth would you want to start
screwing around with your body's natural hormone production? This is
dangerous territory. Your actions now could affect you the rest of your life.
If you are new to weight training, getting the proper diet and training routine
will bring you consistent gains for at least 12 months, so you don't need this
product.
If you do decide to try them, here's what I suggest:

1. 4-androstenediol (also called Androdiol, or 4-AD) — most effective for
the money because it produces higher testosterone levels than other
products. Almost no estrogen conversion.
2. 19-norandrostenediol (also called norandrodiol) — Very difficult to

convert into estrogen. Minimal side effects. Causes less skin and hair
problems. Can interfere with erectile function in some men.

DO WE REALLY NEED VITAMINS?

If you want to gain muscle, you must make sure that you are not deficient in
any vitamin, mineral or trace element that your body needs. I know many
people are going to disagree with me, but I believe that in this day, we
absolutely need to supplement our diet with vitamins and minerals. I know
that those who are against using vitamins are going to say that if we "just eat a
balanced diet. . . ", you know the rest.
Well first, eating a balanced diet is easier said than done. America is the most
overweight country in the world. Most people don't even know what a
"balanced" diet is. Balanced with what? Experts will continue to spout "eat a
balanced diet," while Americans feast on nutritionless fast food and sugar.
Second, not only do our bodies have to deal with the ever increasing external
stresses of everyday life, they also have to combat nutrient-depleting exercise.
Food today is, for the most part, nutritionless — almost totally void of the body
strengthening vitamins and minerals it contained one hundred years earlier.
Instead, we now ingest over-processed, fiberless meals, and under-ripened
vegetables grown in barren, over-farmed soil, laden with pesticides. How
healthy can that be? If you want to ignore the facts and continue on about
"balanced diets," fine. It's your decision. But I, for one, eat a balanced diet,
and I still take vitamin supplements.
Essential Vitamins:
Multi Vitamin Extra iron is needed only for menstruating women. I use the Vitamin
(no iron) Shoppe brand called One Daily Without Iron. It costs about $17.00
for 100 tablets.
Vitamin C Not only a great antioxidant that helps prevent free radical damage,
but vitamin C speeds up muscle recovery time and aids in the repair of
damaged connective tissue.13 Try to get at least 3,000 mg (3 grams)
per day in divided doses. Any kind you get will do. It is all absorbed
and used by the body in the same way.
Herbal Fiberblend Fiber supplement. If you don't eat enough fiber, then you need this
product. It doesn't taste that great, but it may just save your life 20
years from now. You can find this product at
http://www.fiberblend.com.
13
C.L. Phillips, et al., "Effects of Ascorbic Acid on Proliferation and Collagen Synthesis in Relation to the Donor Age of Human Dermal
Fibroblasts, " J. Invest. Dermatol. 103.2 (1994): 228-232.

MUSCLE GAIN SUPPLEMENT COSTS

The Basics
I understand that most of you are on tight budgets, just as I was during my program.
Remember what you have to do is just stick with the basics.
Minimal Supplements Required:

Amount taken Total amount Total amount Cost Total cost for
Product each day used per week used in 10 weeks per week 10 week period
Myoplex Plus (MRP) 2 14 140 servings $31.50 $315.00

(20 per box) $45.00 packets packets (7 boxes)
Precision Protein 2† 14 140 servings $12.00 $120.00

(35 servings) $30.00 scoops scoops (4 containers)
Phosphagen HP 1 7 93 servings $8.00 $80.00

(42 serving container) scoop scoops (2 containers)
$40.00 (includes 30 serv. loading phase.)
Glutamine 3 21 210 servings $8.00 $80.00

Osmo 500g powder 15g (105g) (1,050g, 2 containers)
(100 servings) $40.00
Vitamin C 1,000mg 3 21 210 tablets $2.00 $20.00

(300 tablets) $20.00 tablets tablets
Multi-vitamin
Vitamin Shoppe brand 1 7 70 tablets $1.80 $18.00
(100 tablets, no iron) tablets tablets
$18.00
EFA (Udo's Choice, 3 tbs. † 21 tbsp. 210 tbsp. $9.00 $90.00

17oz bottle, 34 servings) (1.5 oz) (10.5 oz) (105 oz, 6 bottles)
$15.00
Totals $72.30 $723.00
Note: These prices do not reflect the 20-30% discounts given by supplement stores like GNC and The Vitamin Shoppe. Whenever possible,
try to buy these products in the largest containers possible. They will cost more than the smaller quantities upfront, but you will receive more
for your money in the long run.
† The amount of whey protein powder and EFA oil you use will vary, depending on your weight and diet requirements.
The more you weigh the more protein and EFA's your diet requires. The values shown are the minimum required
Additional Mass Supplements:

Amount taken Total amount Total amount Cost Total cost for
Product after workout used per week used in 10 weeks per week 10 week period
Ultra Fuel 1 3 30 bottles $4.50 $45.00
(16 oz liquid, taken bottle bottles
after workouts only)
$1.50
V2G 8 24 240 capsules $6.00 $60.00

(180 capsules, taken tablets tablets (2 bottles)
after workouts only)
$30.00
Totals $10.50 $105.00

DIETING FOR FAT LOSS

Lower Calories
To lose fat, while at the same time gaining muscle, you need to create a caloric
deficit. In other words, you need to burn off more calories that you take in.
Doing aerobic exercise will take care of part of this by burning calories and
increasing your metabolism afterwards. But you must also reduce the amount
of food you are eating. Your caloric intake should be about 10 times your
body weight.
Your meals should consist of 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% fat. The
majority of your diet will consist of high quality protein. This is mainly
because protein has an anti-catabolic effect. During phases of low calorie
dieting, it will help reduce muscle loss caused by lack of calories. Also, high
protein meals will boost your metabolism about 30% within one hour of eating,
while high carb meals only raise your metabolism 4%. This is partly because
protein digestion is more complex and takes much longer.
Meal Frequency
As in the mass diet, you will be dividing your daily calorie requirement into six
meals. Spreading your calories over more meals is an important factor in
changing your biochemistry to burn fat. Basically, the human body is designed
to adapt to any unusual condition to help it survive. So, if we make a habit of
eating a few sporadic meals throughout the day, or even skipping meals, our
bodies go into survival mode. It slows the metabolism and stores most of the
meal calories in fat cells, because it is not quite sure when it will be receiving
more nourishment.
Now, if you eat more often, and at regular intervals, your body will not tend to
store excess calories, because it knows you will be eating again in a few hours.
Eating smaller, more frequent meals has several other added benefits. First, it
increases your metabolism. Every time you eat a meal, your metabolic rate
goes up. This is because your system is starts working hard to turn that meal
into fuel. Also, as a part of digestion, heat is given off in a process called
thermogenesis. This also speeds up your metabolism.
The Problem with Most Diets

As I stated earlier, most people have high levels of body fat because their diet
is too high in simple carbohydrates. People who try to eat healthy by avoiding
fat, are missing the boat. Americans are not fat because of eating too much
dietary fat. They are fat because they are eating too many carbs and not
enough protein.


Let me explain. As I stated earlier, your body needs carbs for fuel. But when
you eat carbs, it first has to convert them into its main fuel form: glucose, a
simple sugar. That's right. When you eat carbs, your body converts them into
sugar. The problem with this lies not with eating the carbs, but with how fast
the sugar is dumped into your bloodstream.
To lose fat, you must control your blood sugar levels. You should never have
large amounts of sugar enter your bloodstream too quickly. If you do, you will
cause an exaggerated insulin response.
Insulin is released into the bloodstream by the pancreas, when there is a large
amount of sugar (glucose) being introduced into the system too quickly. This
usually is caused by eating a meal consisting only of carbohydrates, which are
digested very quickly. The job of the insulin is to lower the level of glucose in
the bloodstream. It does this by forcing most of the excess sugar calories into
the muscles and liver, as glycogen. The excess glucose that can't be put to
immediate use is converted onto new fat and stored in your adipose tissue
(butt, hips, back, waist).
That's right. If you eat carbohydrates alone, you better be doing some sort of
high energy activity to burn off the excess sugar calories. Otherwise, those are
going straight towards building new fat cells!
The majority of this sugar is comes from simple processed carbohydrates like
white bread and pasta. These are processed foods that have very little fiber.
When you eat complex carbs, you will have a slightly lower insulin response,
because they are usually high in fiber. Fiber act to slow digestion, so, in this
respect, complex carbs are the carbs you should concentrate on eating.
But just eating complex carbs will not solve the problem completely either. To
keep insulin levels low and avoid any spikes, you must combine a slow-
absorbing protein with your carbs at each meal. This is essential. If you want
to lose fat, never eat carbs alone! Always eat protein at every meal.
Fat Burning Hormone

Insulin also prevents the production of a hormone called glucagon, which is
known to stimulate the release of stored body fat. Glucagon enables the body
to burn stored body fat for energy instead of turning it into glucose. To help
elevate your levels of glucagon, you should:
• eat adequate protein at each meal
• control amount and type of carbs eaten
• include a small amount of good fat in diet


What To Eat?
Your diet on this phase is very restrictive. You must get control of what you
put in your body. First, you must decrease your intake of simple carbohydrate
(candies, syrups, sugar, alcohol, milk and milk products, and processed white
flour products). Concentrate on eating complex starchy carbs like brown rice,
whole grains, beans, potatoes, and yams.
You can, however, still eat simple solid carbs like rice cakes, cream of wheat,
popcorn, etc. if you make sure to combine them with protein. This should
sufficiently delay digestion to avoid an insulin response.
You are not allowed any fruit or fruit juices for this fat loss period. This is
essential in minimizing fat storage. Remember, from an insulin response
standpoint, there is no difference between drinking orange juice or a soft drink.
Both are simple sugars that produce a high insulin response and suppression of
glucagon. If you are on the fat loss diet for more than two weeks, you can start
eating fruit again once your metabolism has been sufficiently increased.
I don’t recommend it, but if you must have some fruit, green apples are the best
choice. If you eat them with the peel, they contain more fiber and fewer simple
carbs than most other fruits.
You will also be avoiding milk and milk products on this diet. Not only does
milk have a very large amount of fat and sugar, but it also has high levels of
sodium, which leads to water retention and a smooth bloated appearance.
Carbohydrates
Acceptable Avoid
Unrefined whole grains Whole oats White bread Cakes
Brown rice Pasta Cookies
Oatmeal Bagels Energy bars
Beans Fruit sugars (fructose) Sports drinks
Tubers (potatoes, yams) Milk sugar (lactose) Soft drinks
Green leafy vegetables Sweets
Getting your carbs under control will probably be the most difficult aspect of
your diet. Just think about it as making better carb choices, not cutting
something out.


Protein and Fat
For protein, you must concentrate on eating sources that are lower in fat. Do
not try to cut out the fat. Fat does not make you fat. The majority of the fats
that you get on the fat loss diet should come from EFA's only. It is essential to
keep your protein and EFA levels high to combat muscle wasting caused by the
calorie restrictions.
Protein/Fats
Acceptable Avoid
Chicken (white meat) Whey protein Ground beef All types of nuts
Turkey (breast) Soy protein isolate All beef steaks Cooking oils
Any fish or seafood Tuna (fresh, canned) Roast beef Ham
Deli meats Duck
All luncheon meats
Water
Remember try to drink as much water as possible, especially before your
aerobic exercise. The best way to get rid of water retention is to drink plenty
of water. When you retain water, it usually means that your body is not getting
enough, and is constantly dehydrated. Your goal should to be to drink an
amount equal to .66 times your body weight, each day. During this phase I
recommend you drink distilled water because of its low sodium content.
Fiber, Again!
Because of your diet change (decreasing fat and increasing protein), you will
want to make sure that you are getting enough fiber to avoid constipation.
Since your body is accustomed to having more dietary fats, the low fat
environment will temporarily affect the lubricity of your stool, thus slowing
down your bowel movements. The only solution to this is plenty of water and
dietary fiber. Fiber also acts as a bulking agent, filling up your stomach so you
are not as hungry.
This Is Great, But I Still Don't See My "Six-Pack"

To have definition in the abdominal area means you are going to have to
probably diet for longer than 2 weeks. I didn't really see all six of my "packs"
until I dieted for about 4 weeks. To see their abs, men usually have to get their
body fat below 8%, while women have to be under 12%.


Cravings
If you continue on your restrictive, fat loss diet for more than four weeks, you
will probably begin to have cravings for other foods. This is normal. When I
was dieting, I would crave things that I would never eat otherwise. My body
would crave things like Big Macs and banana splits. Normally, I hate those
things. If I watched any food commercial on television, I would want that
food. I never do that, but sometimes I would be beside myself during the diet.
The way I learned to deal with these cravings is to give into them once per
week. In other words, one day per week, I would allow myself to eat anything
I wanted. Period. No guilt and no regret. This day not only helps me satisfy
those annoying cravings, it also increases my motivation and determination to
stick with the diet. After my free day, I am usually very eager to get back on
track. Since I have implemented this practice, I no longer have cravings.
When you plan your schedule, later on in this manual, make sure to give
yourself a free day.
Binges
When you break down and give in to your cravings, this is called binging.
Binging is usually caused by extreme dieting. That is when you diet hard for
too long, without giving yourself a break psychologically and physically. This
causes you to rebound into the other extreme. You gorge yourself with
anything and everything, and, usually the sweeter the better.
You can control this by easing into strict fat loss diets. If you gradually cut
down your sugar and simple carb intake over a longer period of time, your
body will have a chance to adjust. If you do not give yourself a chance to
adjust to the new diet, you will begin to have intense cravings and mood
swings. This will also be helped by giving yourself a free day, as described
above.
Calculating Your Daily Food Intake

For example, let's say you weigh 180 pounds. Now, to get the total number of
calories you should be eating, multiply 180 by 10. That gives you 1,800
calories. Now divide that number by the number of meals you will be eating
each day (6) and you get 300 calories. So, you should be eating about 300
calories at each meal.
Total Daily Calories

1. (weight x 10) = total daily calories
2. (total calories / number of meals per day) = calorie amount for each meal


Calculating your total nutrient breakdown is a little more complex. As I said
earlier, your diet will consist of 40% protein, 30% carbohydrates and 30% fat
calories during this phase.
First, we will calculate your total amount of protein in calories. Simply

multiply 1,800 (total caloric intake) by .40 (40%). This gives us 720 total daily
calories of protein. Next, we need to determine how many grams this 720
calories contains. Since protein has 4 calories per gram, we just divide 720 by
4. This gives us 180. Now we know we will need to eat about 180 grams of
protein each day. To find out how much we eat at each meal, just divide that
number by 6 (number of meals). This gives us 30 grams. So, to get 40% of
my total calories from protein, I have to eat about 30g at each meal. Here it is
again:
1. Total daily protein intake in calories
(1,800 x .40) = 720 calories
2. Total daily protein intake in grams
(720 / 4) = 180 grams
3. Amount of protein needed at each meal
(180 / 6) = 30 grams
Now, let’s do the calculations for carbohydrates and fats.
(Remember carbs have 4 calories per gram, and fats have 9 calories per gram)
Carbs:
1. Total daily carb intake in calories
(1,800 x .30) = 540 calories
2. Total daily carb intake in grams
(540 / 4) = 135 grams
3. Amount of carbs needed at each meal
(135 / 6) = 23 grams
Fat:
1. Total daily fat intake in calories
(1,800 x .30) = 540 calories
2. Total daily fat intake in grams
(540 / 9) = 60 grams
3. Amount of fat needed at each meal
(60 / 6) = 10 grams
So, at each meal we should try to eat 30g of protein, 23g of carbs and 10g of
fat. These numbers are your guidelines. You will never get exactly this
amount, because I suggest varying your caloric and nutritional breakdown at
each meal.


For instance, your post-workout meal will be much larger and contain more
carbs and overall calories than any other meal. This is because your body
needs more of these nutrients after a workout than it would normally. Another
example is your last meal of the day. It will usually only consist of fat and
protein. No carbs. This is because we want to minimize fat storage overnight.
Your metabolism is very slow in the evening, so your body is more likely to
simply store carbs as fat. The opposite is also true. Your metabolism is fastest
in the early morning. Therefore, you should try to consume the majority of
your carbs before the evening.
When you are ready, you can use the calculation worksheet I have created on
page 85.
Monitoring your progress

It essential that you monitor your bodyfat and tape measurements as well as
your weight during this phase. You will need all three the accurately judge
your progress. You cannot expect to just go by how you think you look.
If you don’t feel you are getting adequate results, you should consider lowering
your calorie intake by 200-300 calories. However, you should not be losing
more than 1% of your bodyweight per week. So, if you weight 180lbs, you
should not be losing more than 1.8 pounds per week. If you are losing more
than that you are probably losing muscle mass. You should increase your
caloric intake by 200-300 calories. Your goals is not just to lose fat, but also to
hold onto as much muscle mass as possible!
Long-Term Fat Loss

If you wish to continue on a fat loss diet for more than three weeks, you should
switch your weight training workout to that of my original mass routine
workout. But instead of concentrating on the eccentric motion, you will use a
tempo of 1/0/1. This because if you are on the low intensity fat loss workout
for too long, you will begin to lose strength. Switching back to a more
challenging program will help maintain as much muscle mass and strength as
possible. You will still have to fulfill the aerobic exercise requirements, of
course.
You should also begin to cycle your nutrient profile and caloric intake after
about 4-6 weeks of low calorie dieting to re-adjust your metabolism. Your
body will always try to conserve energy, so if you are on a low calorie diet for
a prolonged period of time, it will slow your metabolism to conserve
energy/calories — making your diet ineffective. By alternating between a low
calorie and slightly higher calorie diet, you can avoid this problem and
continue to lose fat. Adjusting could mean simply adding or removing an extra
200-300 calories.


Fat Loss Dieting Points to Remember
♦ Eat six meals per day.
♦ Eat every three hours.
♦ Your diet should consist of 40% protein, 30% carbohydrates and 30% fat.
♦ Eat an amount of calories equal to 10 times your body weight.
♦ Eat protein at every meal. Never eat carbs alone.
♦ Eliminate all simple sugars from your diet. Concentrate on eating more complex carbs and
less simple processed carbs.
♦ Make sure you eat at least 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight.
♦ Drink plenty of water. You can never have too much. You should aim to drink at least
(.66x body weight) per day.
♦ Eat a protein rich meal right before you go to bed.
♦ Eat a balanced meal as soon as you wake up.
♦ Eat one hour before your weight training workout.
♦ Eat within one hour after you workout.
♦ Monitor your bodyfat levels and weight.

FAT LOSS DIET WORKSHEET
Fat Loss Diet Calculations

Current Weight A
Total Daily water intake (multiply line A times .66) ______ x ______ = oz
Calorie multiplier (I suggest 8-12 times bodyweight) B
Total Daily calories (multiple line A times B) ______ x ______ = C
Number of meals you will be eating each day D

Calories per meal (divide line C by D) ______ ÷ ______ = E

Protein (divide protein percentage by 100) ______ ÷ 100 = F
Carbohydrates (divide carb percentage by 100) ______ ÷ 100 = G
Fats (divide fats percentage by 100) ______ ÷ 100 = H

Protein (multiply line C by F) ______ x ______ = I
Carbohydrates (multiply line C by G) ______ x ______ = J
Fats (multiply line C by H) ______ x ______ = K

Protein (divide line I by 4) ______ ÷ 4 = g L
Carbohydrates (divide line J by 4) ______ ÷ 4 = g M
Fats (divide line K by 9) ______ ÷ 9 = g N

Protein (divide line L by D) ______ ÷ ______ = g
Carbohydrates (divide line M by D) ______ ÷ ______ = g
Fats (divide line N by D) ______ ÷ ______ = g
Notes:
Make copies of page before using

SUPPLEMENTS FOR ACCELERATED FAT LOSS

This is probably one of the most exciting chapters in this manual. This is because there are so
many great supplements to help you increase your body's ability to burn fat. As in the mass
supplement section, I like to keep things simple by sticking with the basics, but in this section
the basics encompass quite a few supplements that really work.
Remember, they are not absolutely necessary. You can achieve similar results with just diet
manipulation, but it will take much longer, with more focus on your diet. These are not "quick
fixes," but rather enhancements to your diet and training. They multiply your body's natural fat
burning ability.
Whey Protein/Soy Protein

Whey protein is still a very important supplement, but for fat loss there is
another one to consider: soy protein. Soy protein isolate has been shown to
help support the body's calorie burning capabilities during low-calorie dieting
phases.14 In other words, it helps prevent your body from slowing your
metabolism when you reduce your caloric intake. This means more fat loss for
you. The only soy that is worth using is Supro, or Soy Protein Isolate. The
other types of soy (soy protein concentrate) are not only difficult to eat, they
are not as beneficial to your body.
The ideal way to construct your protein is to mix Supro with whey protein. I
like to mix Twin Lab's Vege Fuel (or Universal's Soy Pro) with EAS' Precision
Protein. This will give you the benefits of both worlds. You will get all the
necessary amino acids and nitrogen from the whey protein, while getting the
fat burning enhancements of soy.
One product that pre-mixes soy and whey protein in EAS' new Meal
Replacement powder called Myoplex Lite. It is specifically designed for fat
loss dieting. It includes a special blend of phosphates which have been shown
to increase your resting metabolic rate (how many calories your body burns
while you are resting).15
14
V. Stroescul, et al., Metabolic and Hormonal Responses in Elite Female Gymnasts Undergoing Strenuous Training and Supplementation With
Supro® Brand Isolated Soy Protein (Brussels, Belgium: Second International Symposium of the Role of Soy in Preventing and Treating
Chronic Disease, 1996).
15
H. Kaciuba-Uscilko, et al., "Effect of Phosphate Supplementation on Metabolic and Neuroendocrine Responses to Exercise and Oral Glucose
Load in Obese Women During Weight Reduction," J. Physio. Pharmacol. 44.4 (1993): 425-440.


Ephedrine
This is a well known stimulant taken from the herb ephedra. It works, partly,
by increasing your body temperature to promote the breakdown of fat cells for
fuel. When tested on obese women eating a low calorie diet for two months,
the ephedrine group lost three times more fat than the non-ephedrine group.16
They were on a standard dosage of 50mg, 3 times per day. It also works by
decreasing your appetite.
Although some news stories have portrayed ephedrine and ma huang as

dangerous, there are many studies that confirm the safety of ephedrine at the
recommended dosages. The U.S. government even found it safe when given to
animals in large dosages for extended periods of time.17 Their studies
concluded that:
♦ There was no sign of long-term toxicity
♦ There was no decrease in life span of ephedrine fed rats. In fact, it actually
increased the lifespan of the female rats.
Ephedrine, however, does have several drawbacks. First, your body adapts to
its effects very quickly. So after about 2-3 weeks of use, you will become
resistant to its effects. The only way around this is to simply cycle your intake.
Two weeks on and two weeks off.
The next problem with ephedrine is that it increases your blood pressure and
heart rate, and stimulates your nervous system. The most common side effects
are nervousness, agitation and insomnia. It's like being on 10 cups of coffee all
at once. If you suffer from heart problems, cardiovascular disease, angina,
diabetes, enlarged prostate, or hypertension (high blood pressure), DO NOT
take this product. It can aggravate those conditions. If you cannot tolerate
caffeine, then it is probably a good assumption that ephedrine is not for you.
Because of the FDA's crackdown on this drug, it is no longer sold in stores.

You can only get it through mail order! But you can get its herbal equivalent,
ephedra or ma huang. Ma huang is much easier to tolerate than ephedrine,
because it is less concentrated. Yet, from my experience, it works just as well.
You can get ephedrine, ephedra and ma huang on-line here at D&E. Their
phone number is 1-800-927-2610.
16
R. Pasquali and F. Casimirri, "Clinical Aspects of Ephedrine in the Treatment of Obesity," Int. J. Obes. 17.1 (1993): S65-S68.
17
National Toxicology Program: Technical report on the toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of ephedrine sulfate, U.S. Dept. of Health and
Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institute of Health; NIH publication; no. 86-2563. (919) 541-3419.


ECA Stack (ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin)
Research shows that taking ephedrine with caffeine will enhance its effect.18,19
In the correct environment, caffeine has the ability to increase the mobilization
and breakdown of fat deposits, while at the same time increasing endurance.
Adding aspirin to the mix has been shown to extend the fat burning effects by
thinning the blood and increasing circulation into fat deposit areas.
This combination — ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin — is probably the most

popular, legal fat burning combination among bodybuilders. With good
reason, because it really works. Each of the three components of this stack has
some fat burning properties, but together they increase their effectiveness
dramatically.20 But beware, this is powerful stuff. This stack is not
recommended if you are sensitive to stimulants. You should also avoid this
stack if you are taking any MAO-inhibitor drugs for depression or appetite
suppression. If you have ulcer problems you should avoid this also, as the
aspirin and caffeine can aggravate that condition.
The recommended dosage is as follows:
(To be taken on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before your nearest
meal, up to 3 times per day ( I only take it twice per day). Do not exceed
recommended dosages.)
♦ 25 mg of ephedrine
♦ 200 mg of caffeine
♦ 325 mg of aspirin
There are several pre-packaged supplements based on this stack. The most
famous ones are Ripped Fuel and Diet Fuel by TwinLabs. They do not contain
Ephedrine or caffeine, but they do contain the herbal equivalents of each: ma
huang (ephedra), and guarana (caffeine). The herbs are not as powerful, but
they still pack a jolt, and are easier to tolerate. They do not contain aspirin, so
you will have to add that on your own. Hydroxycut is a fairly new product by
Muscle-Tech that does contain aspirin, but I have never tried this product.
I prefer Twinlabs' Diet Fuel, because it also contains chromium picolinate and
hydroxy citric acid (HCA). Chromium picolinate helps to improve insulin
sensitivity and boost your carbohydrate metabolism, making your body more
likely to burn glucose for energy, rather than storing it as fat. HCA is an herb
that comes from the rind of the Garcinia Cambogia tree. It helps reduce the
body's conversion of carbohydrates to fat.21 It also reduces your appetite,
making it easier to stick to your low calorie diet.
18
L. Hobbs and E.H. Ford, Ephedrine & Caffeine: The Ideal Diet Pill? (Irvine,CA: Pragmatic Press, 1996).
19
A. Astrup, et al., "The Effect of Ephedrine/Caffeine Mixture on Energy Expenditure and Body Composition in Obese Women." Metabolism:
Clinical and Experimental 41.7 (1992): 686-688.
20
P.A. Daly, et al., "Ephedrine, Caffeine, and Aspirin: Safety and Efficacy for Treatment of Human Obesity, " In. J. Obes. 17.1 (1993): S73-S78.
21
J.L. Groff, et al., Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism (New York: West Publishing Co., 1995).


Yohimbe
This herb, which is mostly used by physicians to treat male impotence, also has
incredible fat burning qualities. Many believe that just because Yohimbe is
used for treating men, that only men can use it. This is not true. In recent
studies, it has been shown to increase fat synthesis in the body22 and increase
fat mobilization from fat stores in women23 (especially in the lower body area).
Unfortunately, there are many brands out there that have little or none of the
active component of Yohimbe, which is Yohimbine. You should look for a
product with minimum standardized extract of 5mg. The Vitamin Shoppe sells
a good brand with 8mg of standardized Yohimbine. You should take two
capsules up to three times per day.
My Experience
During my first fat loss diet, I simply used caffeine and aspirin and got good
results. The next time, I added 25mg ephedrine, which help me get my body
fat lower than it has ever been. On that particular occasion, I was dieting for
about 4 weeks.
Now when I diet for fatloss, I not only used the ephedrine stack, but I also add
the amino acid L-Tyrosine, which increased the effects of ephedrine up to
50%! (I typically added about 1,000mg of tyrosine). So, because I add the L-
Tyrosine, I only have to take 1/2 the amount of ephedrine (12.5mg) to get the
same results. This means less jitters. To assure that I continue making
progress, I also cycled yohimbe.
When dieting for more than three weeks, I always use my

ephedrine/caffeine/aspirin/tyrosine stack for two weeks and then yohimbe for
two weeks. Because yohimbe works to burn fat using different pathways than
ephedrine, cycling them will help prevent my body from adapting to and
reducing the fat burning effects of each.
Currently, I typically only take my ephedrine stack on cardio days only.

During those days, I only take them twice per day. The recommended dosage
is three times per day, but when I take them too late in the day, they keep me
awake. So beware. A good rule is not to take any ephedrine or caffeine-like
product at least 8-12 hours before bedtime!
22
D. Müller-Wieland, et al., "Inhibition of Fatty Acid Synthesis by Stimulation of Alpha- and Beta- Andrenergic Receptors in Human
Mononuclear Leukocytes," Horm. Metab. Res. 26.4 (1994): 169-172.
23
M. Berlan, et al., "Plasma Catecholamine levels and lipid Mobilization Induced by Yohimbine in Obese and Non-Obese Women," Int. J. Obes.
15.5 (1991): 305-315.


Tip For Short Term Dieting (2-3 weeks)
If you are dieting for a short period (2-3 weeks), try taking your ephedrine on cardio days two
times per day, and then take yohimbe on the other days (3 times per day). I've found that you
will continue to burn fat at an accelerated rate on non-cardio days.
Summary in order of Effectiveness

Product
1. 1/2 Ephedrine (12.5mg), Caffeine, Aspirin, L-Tyrosine 1,000mg (on cardio days)
cycled with Yohimbine (taken only on non-cardio days)
2. Ephedrine, Caffeine, Aspirin alone
3. Diet Fuel (by Twinlabs) with Aspirin cycled with Yohimbine
5. Xenadrine (this product is relatively new and is similar to Diet Fuel with the missing aspirin.)
4. Hydroxycut by Muscle-Tech
5. Diet Fuel alone
6. L-Tyrosine, Caffeine and Aspirin (less stimulating stack)
Supplements To Avoid
In the fat loss supplement world, there is a lot to watch out for. Many times
manufacturers will take supplements that have shown some positive results in
studies, and totally misinterpret that information to the public to make a buck.
Once such supplement is pyruvate. In studies, pyruvate has been shown to
reduce fat without exercise.24 Unfortunately, what they don't tell you is that the
dosage they used for that study is not only huge, but costly and will cause
extreme nausea. The study used pyruvate in doses of 36g per day, which will
cause most people to become extremely sick if ingested orally. Also, this
amount taken daily (36,000mg) would cost more than $40 per day!
Another supplement that is catching on fast is chitosan. This is basically an

indigestible fiber made from the ground up shells of shrimp and clams. It is
supposed to prevent fat from being digested, by binding with it and shuttling it
out of the body. Well, this is all fine and dandy, but like I said earlier, most
Americans are not fat because they eat too much fat! I don't know anyone who
eats too much fat, because everyone is on a low fat kick now. The problem is
with simple carbs, not fat. This supplement works, but is totally unnecessary.
[Note: If you are a woman, make sure that you do not take Twinlab's Male Fuel
or any product that contains Saw Palmetto. It is believed to cause birth
defects.]
24
R.T. Stanko, et al., "Body-Composition, Energy Utilization, And Nitrogen Metabolism with a 4.25-MJ/d Low-Energy Diet Supplemented with
Pyruvate1-3," Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 56 (1992): 630-635.

OTHER SUPPLEMENTS FOR ACCELERATED FAT LOSS

The following list contains other supplements that have helped me to lose fat.
Once again, if you are considering buying a product that I have not mentioned, check with me
first, I may be able to keep you from making a costly mistake.
Betagen This is a product that contains both creatine and a new supplement
Price: $65.00 called HMB (beta-hydroxy beta-methylbuteyrate). Recent studies
# of servings: 90
Cost per serving:$0.72 indicate that HMB may suppress protein breakdown following intense
exercise.25 It also contains creatine, so if you use this product you will
not need to buy additional creatine. The recommended dosage is 3
servings per day, so a 90 serving container should last you 30 days.
Creatine I use Phosphagen, put out by EAS. They were the first to bring it to the
price varies depending on size market and are still the leading sellers of this supplement. But there are
many other reputable companies that sell quality creatine. I suggest you
find one that fits your budget. The price for pure creatine can range
from $20-$75.00, depending on the size of the container.
NAC This substance has been shown to help increase by 500%,26 the levels
Price: $10.00 of the powerful antioxidant glutathione, which aids in the support of
# of servings: 30
price per serving: $0.33 lean body mass during low calorie diets.27 It also helps support
increased levels of Glutamine in the bloodstream (necessary for muscle
repair). This is a very powerful antioxidant.
[Note: NAC and vitamin C work indirectly to increase glutathione
levels. It has been shown that directly taking a glutathione supplement
does not significantly increase blood levels of this antioxidant. It is
believed that it does not survive digestion.28]
The recommended dosage is 200 mg, 3 times per day. I usually just
take 600 mg right after my workouts.
25
SL Nissan, et al., "The Effect of the Lucien Metabolite ß-Hydroxy ß-methylbuteyrate on Muscle Metabolism During Resistance-Exercise
Training," J. Apple. Physio. 81.5 (1996): 2095-2104.
26
S.A. Ebb, et al., "Effect of Ascorbate or N-Acetyl Cysteine Treatment in a Patient with Hereditary Glutathione Synthetase Deficiency," J.
Pediatr. 124 (1994): 229-233.
27
R. Kinscherf, et al., "Low Plasma Glutamine in Combination with High Glutamate Levels Indicate Risk for Loss of Body Cell Mass in Healthy
Individuals: The Effect of N-Acetyl Cysteine," J. Mol. Med. 74 (1996): 393-400.
28
A. Witschi, et al., "The Systematic Availability of Oral Glutathione," Eur. J. Clin. Pharmaco. 43 (1992): 667-669.

FAT LOSS SUPPLEMENT COSTS

The Basics
Below are the basic supplements that you need for my fat loss program.
Amount taken Total amount Total amount Total cost for

Product each day used per week used in 2 weeks 2 week period
Precision Protein* 6† 42 84 servings $90.00

(35 servings) $30.00 scoops scoops (3 containers)
Vege Fuel* 3† 21 42 servings $30.00

(30 scoops) $12.00 scoops scoops (2 containers)
Creatine** 1 7 14 $15.00
(4oz, powder) $15.00 serving servings
Diet Fuel*** 6 42 84 $28.00

(120 capsules) $28.00 capsules capsules
Aspirin 2 14 28 $2.00
Glutamine 3 21 42servings $40.00

Osmo 500g powder (15g) (105)g (210g)
(100 servings) $40.00 (1 container)
Vitamin C (1000mg) 3 21 42 tablets N/A

(300 tablets) $20.00 tablets tablets (use leftover)
Multi-vitamin 1 7 14 tablets N/A

Vitamin Shoppe brand (no iron) $18.00 tablet tablets (use leftover)
Totals $205.00
Note: These prices do not reflect the 20-30% discounts given by supplement stores like GNC and The Vitamin Shoppe. Whenever possible,
try to buy these products in the largest containers possible. They will cost more than the smaller quantities, but you will receive more for your
money.
* Precision Protein and Soy protein powders can be substituted for Myoplex Lite.
** Can be substituted with Betagen.
*** This stack can be substituted with any other thermogenic stack like Ripped Fuel or the ECA stack.
† The amount of protein powder you use will vary depending on your weight and diet requirements. The values shown
are the minimum.

FAT LOSS SUPPLEMENT COSTS

Additional fat loss supplement and costs:
Amount taken Total amount Total amount Total cost for

Product each day used per week used 2 weeks 2 week period
Ephedrine 2 14 28 $12.95
Caffeine (Vivarin) 2 14 28 $10.00

Yohimbe 4 8 16 $15.00
(100 capsules) $15.00 capsules capsules
NAC 1 7 14 $10.00
(30 capsules, 600mg) $10.00 capsule capsules
Myoplex Lite 3 21 42 $64.00

(20 servings) $32.00 servings servings
Chromium piccolinate 1 7 14 $7.00

(100 tablets) $7.00 tablet tablets
Betagen 3 21 42 $65.00
(90 servings) $65.00 scoops scoops

WHERE TO FIND CHEAP SUPPLEMENTS

BEST PRICES HANDS DOWN
If you want the cheapest prices, you should consider ordering your products
online. There are a couple of really good companies that have incredible
prices. You can usually save around 30-40% of retail price! For more info on
buying supplements, I recommend, please go to my supplements page at
http://www.musclegaintips.com/members/supplements.html
If you live in NYC, you have access to the cheapest supplement prices
available to you. I only recommend you buy your bodybuilding supplements at
the following places. They have the lowest prices anywhere, and have a huge
selection:
Westerly Health Foods Eva's Vitamin Shop

913 8th Ave. 11 West 8 St.
(212) 586-5262 (212) 982-2500
Outside of New York City, an adequate place to get bodybuilding supplements

is from GNC, on the first Tuesday of each month. This is when GNC has its
20% off sale. This is the only time I recommend you buy from them,
because their products are usually overpriced.
Buying from GNC should be a last resort. If you don't want to order
supplements online, I recommend going to the nearest Vitamin Shoppe. They
always have some sort of special going on. They usually have 25-30% off
regular prices anytime, and occasionally they will have a "buy one and get the
next one for half price" sale. This is also the best place to buy any sort of
vitamin or unusual health product. They have everything, and the salespeople
are usually very helpful. You can contact them at 1-800-223-1216, and ask for
their latest catalog, or visit their website at http://www.vitaminshoppe.com.
If you are going to order any EAS products, you should call them directly.
They have a huge mail order business and usually give large discounts to those
customers. Their number is 1-800-297-9776, and their web address is
http://www.eas.com.

HOW TO LOOK RIPPED FOR A PHOTO SHOOT

Here's the methods I used to get ripped for my "16 week" photo shoot. If you
think you look good enough already, then you don't need to do this. It's not
necessary. But, if you really want to try to get that little extra bit of definition,
then these tips can help.
If you are not already on my standard fat loss diet, it will take about four
weeks. I am assuming you have already been on a low fat, fatloss diet for at
least two weeks, so you will only need two weeks to get ready for the shoot.
Just continue on with your fat loss diet, while making these changes:
Two weeks from shoot:
♦ Discontinue use of any product that has unnecessary sugar, dairy, and white
flour. This will prevent the usual bloating and "thick skin" look that
accompanies the ingestion of these foods. This includes any MRP that
contains maltodextrin or any other simple carbohydrate.
♦ Stop taking creatine (you will be reloading later on).
♦ Stop taking vandyl sulfate.
♦ Start tanning, slowly. Tanning helps to get rid of some of the excess water
beneath the skin. Darker skin also brings out your definition and cuts.
7 days from shoot:

♦ Have your last leg workout. For your legs to look ripped and vascular you
must allow then to fully recuperate and heal. If they are swollen or sore
from working out, they will look smooth.
5 days from shoot:

♦ Reduce your carbohydrate intake to 50g or less for the next 3 days. Your
goal is to deplete your muscles of glycogen. Once depleted, you will begin
loading up on carbs for the last 2 day. This depletion and reloading will
cause your muscles to overcompensate by taking more glucose into the
muscles, making them look much larger, harder and more full!
♦ Begin to lower your sodium intake. Excess sodium leads to water
retention. Do not cut your sodium all at once, though. This will cause your
body to compensate by retaining water. When you slowly reduce your
sodium intake, your body continues to flush out excess sodium thinking
more is on the way.
♦ Start taking 1,000-2,000 mg of potassium each day. This will help to offset
the effects of the sodium reduction by keeping your cells hydrated.
♦ Start reloading with plain creatine (no sugar). Load six times per day for
the next 4 days. Reloading helps push more creatine into your muscles.
♦ Increase your cardio to five times this week

HOW TO LOOK RIPPED FOR A PHOTO SHOOT

4 days before shoot:
♦ Start drinking at least one gallon of distilled water each day. Distilled
water has no salt.
3 days from shoot:

♦ Start taking vitamin B6. It helps to reduce water retention beneath the skin.
♦ Stop tanning. Each time you tan, you skin becomes swollen and inflamed.
This will give your skin time to heal.
2 days from shoot:

♦ Perform a very light workout.
♦ Cut out salt completely.
♦ Start taking 1000mg of Dandelion Root three times per day. This is a
natural diuretic which will flush out excess water.
♦ After your cardio session, start loading carbs. Begin eating about 50g
every three hours for the next 2 days. Be careful not to overdo it, otherwise
you may look smooth.
1 days before shoot:

♦ Perform very light workout.
♦ This is the last day of cardio.
♦ Drink only 2/3 gallon of water today.
♦ Shave all hair from chest, back, arms and legs. If you have a lot of hair use
barber clippers first, then use a razor in the shower.
♦ To further increase your vascularity and definition, before bed drink 8oz. of
red wine (or Grand Marnier) and 50ml of glycerol with 16oz of water. This
will really bring out your veins!
Morning of shoot: (assuming shoot is at noon)

♦ Only sip a small amount of water when thirsty.
♦ Eat a very small meal consisting of mostly complex carbs (brown rice,
whole grains) at least 3 hours before your shoot. Along with that meal be
sure to take 20g of vandyl sulfate and creatine.
20 minutes before photo shoot

♦ Drink glycerol/wine mixture (see above)
♦ Pump up for shoot with high reps and very low weight. If you don't have
weight equipment, just do a lot of push-ups, and pull-ups.

COOKING WEIGHTS & MEASUREMENTS

Grams 1 tsp.* 1 tbsp.** Ounces 1/4 cup 1/2 cup 1 cup 1 pint 1 pound 1 quart 1 liter 1 gallon
Grams 1 5 14 33.33 56.3 113 227 454 454 909 960 3,650
Tsp.* .2 1 3 12 24 48
Tbsp.** .0714 .33 1 2 4 8 16 32 32 64
Cups .06 2 2 4 4.2 16
Ounce .03 .17 .5 1 2 4 8 16 16 32 33.8 128
Liter .0625 .125 .25 .5 .9 3.8
Pounds .125 .25 .5 1 1
Pint .5 1
Gallon 128 16 .25 1
Quart 1.1 4
Milligrams 1,000
* Teaspoons.
** Tablespoons.
I have found this table to be very useful when I need to convert weights and quantities. To use
it, first go to the far left column and find the measurement that you are converting. For
example, I just figured out that I need to eat a total 105 ounces of lean meat each week. I now
need to convert that to pounds, so I know how much to buy at the grocery store. So I simply
follow the ounces row all the way over to the 1 pound column, where it says 16. That means
that there are 16oz in each pound. Next, I just divide the number of ounces I need (105) by 16,
and that will give me the amount of pounds I need to buy (6.5 lbs.). [105/16 = 6.5]
Here's another example: I take 3 teaspoons of glutamine everyday. I just bought a large 500g
container of glutamine, and I want to know how many days this container will last. So I need
to know how many grams are in 3 teaspoons. To convert teaspoons to grams, I just follow the
teaspoons (tsp.) row on the far left over to the grams column, where it says .2. Now I just
divide the number of teaspoons I take each day by .2, and I get 15. So each day, I should be
taking 15g of glutamine (1 tsp.=5g). Then I simply divide 500 by 15 and I get then number of
days this will last me: 33. [500/(3/.2) = 33]. The formula is to divide the side column by the
top column (side/top). This will give you the desired value.
Measurement Constants
Here are a few common measurements that are always the same no matter what:
♦ 1 gram of any type of carbohydrate always has 4 calories
♦ 1 gram of any type of protein always has 4 calories
♦ 1 gram of any type of oil or fat always has 9 calories
♦ 1 tablespoon of any oil always has 14 grams of fat and around 120 calories
♦ 1 cup of uncooked rice will yield three cups cooked
♦ 1 cup of dry beans will yield 2 cups cooked

PLANNING AND PREPARATION

Why Plan?
The key to successful dieting is planning. Whether you are dieting to gain
weight or to lose it, you must plan ahead. Don’t wait until the last minute to
determine where your next meal is coming from. This is the fastest way to
blow your diet. You should always have your meals planned and prepared in
advance, so you don’t have to worry about them. This is very difficult to
manage at first, but once you get used to it, you will not want to go back to
your old disorganized ways.
[Note: On your mass phase, you can eat whatever you like, provided it contains
the correct amount of protein, carbs and fats.
During your fat loss phase, your diet is much more restrictive and controlled.
If you don’t want to cook for your mass phase, fine, but you must cook for your
fat loss phase. This is not an option!]
The way I usually do it is to cook several days in advance. Some people have
told me to cook a week in advance, but week old chicken is not my idea of an
appetizing meal. So three days in advance is about as far as I can go. This
means I only have to cook two times per week (counting one day as my free
day to eat anything I want).
To pull this off, I calculate exactly how much protein and carbs I have to eat
for those days. Then I plan my meals. Once that’s done, all I have to do is go
to the grocery store and get the items I need.
Once everything is cooked, I simply measure out the portions for each meal
and store them in separate Tupperware containers. What I end up with is 9
small containers, each with one complete meal. [Note: Keep in mind that there
are some things are not so great when stored. Foods like scrambled eggs, and
baked potatoes are best eaten immediately, while hard-boiled eggs and mashed
potatoes taste O.K. when stored for short periods of time.]
When it is time for me to eat, I just throw a container in the microwave, and
I’m ready to eat in under 3 minutes. How convenient is that? You can take
these almost everywhere you go too, as long as you have a refrigerator to store
them. If you will not be in a place that has a refrigerator, or you are away from
home for long periods of time, then you need to buy a small, portable cooler.
Place a freezer pack in there, along with the number of meals you will be
eating. This will keep your food from spoiling.
Now, planning helps to alleviate some of the possibilities of blowing your diet,
but there will always be surprises. There will always be incidents which are
unexpected. Remember, no one’s perfect.


I try to be as prepared as I can. This includes carrying back-up food. If I find
myself in a jam and am unable to eat my planned meal, I go to my safety meal.
I always carry a small plastic shaker bottle and a couple packages of my meal
replacement powder with me, wherever I go. I just add water, shake and my
meal is ready to drink! This has saved me many times. MRPs are essential if
you have a busy lifestyle.
If you do get caught without your planned meal, simply do the best you can.
Never skip a meal, though. There are always relatively safe items at most fast
food and full service restaurants.
Cooking
To tell you the truth, I hate to cook! It is one more chore that I just don’t need.
In my personal diet, I like to keep things very simple and easy to manage. A
baked turkey breast with rice and asparagus is my idea of an ideal dinner.
Unfortunately, many people are not like me. They need exciting variety to
help them get through their program. All I can say to those people is “It’s just
for 12 weeks. Get over it!” Isn't 12 weeks of healthy dietary change worth a
whole new body? Thousands of people have achieved incredible physiques on
just chicken breasts and a baked potato. Think about that.
With that said, below you will find some of my kitchen tips and tricks to help
you get your meals together. Also, in the next chapter there are some very
simple muscle gain and fat loss recipes that will help renew your taste buds and
make you look forward to eating.
When dieting to lose fat, it is essential that you stick to your diet and cook all
your own food! You must have total control over what you eat. You must
abstain from eating all simple sugars, milk products and white flour products.
When you do this, within 2 weeks you will immediately see a difference in
your definition. When I say cooking, I do not mean some elaborate dish. Just
put together the basics of what you need to fulfill your meal requirements.
The preferred method of preparing meats is to broil, roast, grill or bake them
on a rack, so that the fat can drain away. Frying is not acceptable since the
food is usually sitting in its own fat, becoming more and more saturated every
second! Also, if your meat has any skin or fat on it, be sure to remove that
before cooking.
When cooking vegetables, the preferred method is steaming, boiling or grilling.

Make sure not to overcook them, and don't drown them in some sort of sauce
or butter. The simpler the better.


More Cooking Tips:
♦ When making mashed potatoes, you can use chicken broth instead of milk,
and Molly McButter is a pretty good butter substitute.
♦ When eating baked potatoes, instead of sour cream you can use low-fat
cottage cheese with a little lemon juice, or plain yogurt seasoned with
herbs.
♦ When choosing vegetables, fresh is best (from a vitamin standpoint), but

canned or frozen is much more convenient. I usually use Birds Eye's
frozen mixed vegetables. They take under 10 minutes to prepare and are
very good. If you eat canned veggies, make sure that they contain no
added sugars, salts, msg or fats
♦ Anytime you need to fry something like eggs, just use 2 or 3 sprays of any
non-stick oil.
♦ To add more flavor to white or brown rice, cook with chicken broth (the
kind with no msg) instead of water, or mix the two, half and half.
♦ To spice up plain grilled meats, take advantage of the many low fat, low
calorie sauces available at your supermarket
♦ Sprinkle lemon juice and herbs on steamed veggies.
♦ Scrub potatoes, cook and serve with the peel for more fiber.
♦ Try marinating your meats in the refrigerator to add more flavor. A good
beef marinade consists of 2 tablespoons of tarragon vinegar, 1 tbsp. of
Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 tsb. of garlic powder, 1/8 tsp. of pepper and 1/4
cup of sliced onions. Pour this over the meat, and let it sit in an airtight
container in the refrigerator for 3-6 hours
FAST FOOD & EATING OUT

You will be in this situation sooner or later: Eating out with friends, or caught away from
home without your food. What do you do? Don’t panic and skip your meals. There's always
some safe selections available to help you get your required nutrients without breaking your
diet too severely.
Restaurants
When eating at a restaurant, you should choose items that resemble your current diet, such as
skinless chicken breast, or grilled fish (no oil), with a dry baked potato, steamed veggies or
steamed rice. Try to avoid all oil, butter and sauces, as they will usually have too much fat,
sodium and hidden sugars. When eating salads, remember to use only balsamic vinegar or
bring your own fat-free dressing, which can also be used on your meat and carb. Watch for
hidden dairy and sugar, though. Often “low-fat” means more sugar!
Try your best to estimate your portions, and don't feel as though you have to finish everything
on your plate. Usually restaurant portions are too large. If you really feel weak, simply ask
your server to wrap up half of your meal before he or she brings it out.
Estimating
Sometimes when you are eating out, or don't have the means to measure things, you can make
an educated guess. Here are a few tips to help you:
♦ An ounce of raw meat or cheese is about the size of a golf ball.

♦ A piece of raw meat about the size of a deck of cards is about 4 oz.
♦ Four ounces of raw meat is equal to three ounces cooked. You will usually lose 25% of the
total weight after cooking.
♦ A cup of most raw vegetables is about the size of a light bulb.
Fast Foods
Believe it or not, fast food restaurants, like Wendy's, McDonald's and Burger King, actually
have a few decent items on their menus. Some chain restaurants now include meals that can
give you some decent calories and nutrition. But don't go crazy and start super-sizing and
ordering soft drinks. Just stick with the basics. Here are a few recommendations:
McDonald's
Item Calories (g) Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g)
Grilled Chicken Deluxe 300 27 38 5

(no special sauce, substitute ketchup or mustard)
Grilled Chicken Salad Deluxe 120 21 7 2
FAST FOOD & EATING OUT
Burger King
BK Broiler Chicken Sandwich 370 29 45 9

(no mayo)
Broiled Chicken Salad 200 25 8 10
(w/lite Italian dressing)
Taco Bell
Grilled Chicken Burrito 310 19 47 8

(no sour cream, no cheese)
Grilled Chicken Soft Taco 180 14 21 5
Wendy's
Grilled Chicken Sandwich 310 27 35 8

(no mayo)
Grilled Chicken Salad 200 25 9 8
(lite Italian dressing)
Jack in the Box

Chicken Fajita Pita 280 24 25 9

Chicken Teriyaki Bowl 670!!! 26 128 4
(Eat only half)
Garden Chicken Salad 200 23 8 9
Subway
Six-Inch Turkey Breast Sub 289 18 46 4

(no mayo, no oil)
Boston Market
Turkey Carver Sandwich 400 4

(no mayo, no cheese)
Chicken Carver Sandwich 430 These values 5
(no mayo, no cheese) were unavailable
Turkey breast (no skin) 170 1
Chicken breast (1/4 white, no skin) 160 4
GROCERY SHOPPING
Shopping is an event all it's own, especially with all the nice packages designed
to catch your attention. They all scream "Buy me, buy me." Well, ignore all
that. Just get in there, get the stuff on your list, and that's it. Don't get
sidetracked. That's the easiest way to start buying things you don't need.
How To Read Labels

I'm going to explain to you how to do something that the majority of
Americans do incorrectly: read food labels. The first and last thing most
people look at when reading a label is how many fat grams it has. That's good.
If it's low, say 1-5 g, then people assume it's low fat. This is bad. Just because
a product has a low amount of fat listed in the total fat area it does not mean it's
low in fat. To get the true fat amount, you must take into account the serving
size. For example, a regular 8 oz. container of Kraft Original Parmesan Cheese
has 1.5 grams of fat per serving. Seems pretty low, right? Well, let's see. To
find out the true fat content, first multiply the number of fat grams (1.5) by 9,
to get the number of fat calories per serving (14 calories). Then divide that
number by the total calories per serving (20). This will give you the
percentage of fat you get for each serving of this product. After this
calculation, I learn that this cheese is approximately 68% fat. This is not a
good product for a low-fat diet!
Here's the formula again:

1. (Total grams of fat) x (9) = Total fat calories per serving
2. (Total fat calories per serv.) / (calories per serving) = Percentage of fat
calories per serving
Thanks to a new rule, by the FDA, to help stop label deception, all food labels
should have a new calculation termed "calories from fat". This is the first
calculation above. Then, to get the percentage of fat for each serving, simply
divide that number by the calories per serving (step #2 above).
Points To Remember:
♦ When buying beef, look for the most lean and the most pink. Brown
colored meat is a sign of spoilage.
♦ When buying chicken, get breast meat only (it contains more protein and
less fat than other parts). The same goes for turkey. When buying poultry,
look for a pinkish color. If it is cream or light grey in color, don’t buy it.
♦ When buying seafood, look for a bright color, and no strong fishy odor.
The flesh should not be mushy.
♦ If at all possible, buy organic products. This will lessen your exposure to
antibiotics and hormones that the government terms "harmless." Try to buy
organic eggs, milk, beef, chicken and fish if you can.
♦ Stock up on herbs, spices and hot sauces (see next page).
GROCERY SHOPPING
This page contains a list of "free" foods and condiments, which you do not need to restrict
when on my fat loss diet. Use them to help add spice and flavor to your diet.
Condiments Seasonings Sugar-free Foods

A-1 sauce or steak sauce Allspice Equal (aspartame)
Bouillon, broth, consommé Angostura bitters Gelatin dessert, sugar-free
Catsup, tomato Anise Gelatin, unflavored
Cocoa, dry unsweetened Basil Gum, sugar-free
Chili sauce Bay leaf Sprinkle Sweet (saccharin)
Club soda, carbonated Caraway Sugar Twin (saccharin)
Diet salad dressing (low fat, low sugar) Cardamom Sweet 'n Low (saccharin)
Dill pickle Celery salt or seed Sweet One (acesulfame K)
Gelatin, unflavored plain Chervil Sweet- 10 (saccharin)
Gelatin artificially sweetened Chili powder
Horseradish Chives [Note: artificial sweeteners do not
Lemon or orange rind Cinnamon create as large of an insulin
Mustard, prepared Cloves response as real sugars, but they do
Nonstick cooking spray Cumin create one, so use them only when
Onion Curry necessary]
Pickle relish Dill
Pimiento Extracts
Salsa Garlic
Sauerkraut juice Ginger root
Soy sauce (in moderation) Marjoram
Tabasco sauce Mint
Tomato paste Mustard
Tomato puree Dry Nutmeg
Vinegar Oregano
Worcestershire sauce Paprika
Yeast, brewer's Parsley
Yogurt, plain Pepper
Poppy seed
Drinks Poultry seasoning
Rosemary
Carbonated or mineral water Saffron
Cocoa powder, unsweetened Sage
Coffee Sesame seed
Club soda Tenderizers
Tea Thyme
Tonic water, sugar-free Vanilla
FOOD VALUES
The following tables contain the caloric and nutritional breakdown of many common foods.
This list is not all-inclusive, as it only includes the foods that I have used most often. If you
need a more extensive database, try one of the many nutrition books out there. One very
exceptional one is by Corinne Netzer, called The Complete Book of Food Counts. It has
everything! You can also download the Food Components Database from my downloads page
(http://www.musclegaintips.com/downloads.html) It is a program that contains about 5,000
different foods and their nutritional values.
Proteins
Food (1 oz.) Calories (g) Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g)
Chicken Breast (no skin) 35 8 0 1

Cod 30 6 0 0
Designer Protein (whey, 1 scoop) 85 28 0 1.5
1 Large Egg White 16 3 0 0
1 Large Whole Egg 75 6 1 5
Ground Beef (lean) 75 7 0 5
Halibut 40 8 0 1
Myoplex Plus 280 42 24 2
Myoplex Plus Deluxe 300 42 25 2
Myoplex Mass 500 33 75 7
Myoplex Lite 190 25 20 1.5
Precision Protein (whey, 1 scoop) 100 20 2 1
Salmon, fresh 40 6 0 2
Salmon (canned) 35 5 0 2
Swordfish 44 7 0 1
Shrimp (about 2 med. size) 30 6 0 0
Tuna, fresh 30 7 0 0
Tuna (canned, 1 oz.) 35 6 0 .5
Turkey Breast (no skin) 28 7 0 1
Vege Fuel (soy protein, 1 scoops) 60 15 0 0
Fats
Food Calories (g) Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g)
Borage Oil (1 tbsp.) 128 0 0 14
Flaxseed Oil (1 tbsp.) 132 0 0 14
Olive Oil (1 tbsp.) 119 0 0 14
Peanuts (1 oz, dry roasted) 164 7 6 14
Peanut Butter (1 tbs.) 100 5 2 8
Pistachios (1 oz.) 172 4 8 15
Safflower Oil (1 tbsp.) 120 0 0 14
Sunflower Oil (1 tbsp.) 162 0 0 14
Udo’s Choice (1 tbsp.) 132 0 0 14
FOOD VALUES
Carbohydrates
Baked potato (1 large, 8oz.) 220 5 51 0

Blackeye Peas (1 cup) 198 13 36 1
Brown Rice (1/2 cup, cooked) 109 2 23 1
Cottage cheese (1/2 cup) 80 18 3 1
Corn (1 cup, cooked) 180 5 41 2
Corn Tortilla (1, small) 67 2 13 1
Cream of Wheat (1/2 cup, cooked) 134 4 28 0
Kidney Beans (1 cup, cooked) 208 13 38 1
Lentils (1 cup, cooked) 230 18 40 1
Oatmeal (1/2 cup, cooked) 73 3 13 1
Pasta (dry, 1oz.) 105 4 20 .5
Popcorn (1 cup, plain) 31 1 6 0
Rice Cakes (1, no salt) 35 1 7 0
Ultra Fuel (16 oz., 1 serv.) 400 0 100 0
Wheat bread (1 slice) 61 2 11 0
White Rice (1/2 cup, cooked) 134 2 30 0
Yam (1, baked, 8 oz.) 220 4 53 0
Yogurt (plain, 1 cup) 160 10 14 8
Vegetables (high fiber)

Food (1 cup) Calories (g) Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g)
Asparagus 44 3 8 0
Broccoli (raw) 24 3 5 0
Brussel Sprouts (4, cooked) 32 2 7 .5
Cauliflower (raw) 24 2 5 0
Celery (1 stalk, raw) 6 0 1 0
Cucumber 14 1 3 0
Eggplant (cooked) 27 1 6 0
Frozen mixed vegetables (1/2 cup) 40 2 9
Green Cabbage (raw) 16 0 4 0
Greens (cooked) 30 1 6 0
Green Beans 44 2 10 0
Green Peas 126 8 11 0
Okra (cooked) 50 3 11 0
Onions (raw) 25 1 6 0
Spinach (raw) 12 1 5 0
Tomato (1 medium, raw) 25 1 5 0
Zucchini (cooked) 28 1 7 0
FOOD VALUES
Fruit
Green Apple (with skin) 81 0 21 0

1 Apricot 17 1 4 0
1 Banana 105 1 27 0
Berries (1 cup) 45 1 10 0
Cherry (10) 49 1 11 1
Grapefruit (1/2) 38 1 10 0
Grapes (1 cup) 58 1 16 0
Mango 70 1 17 0
Melon (1 cup) 55 1 14 0
1 Orange 62 1 15 0
Papaya (peeled, 4 oz.) 44 1 11 0
Peach 37 1 9 0
1 Pear 98 1 25 0
Pineapple (1 cup) 77 1 19 7
Plum (4 oz.) 62 1 15 7
Raisins (1 oz.) 83 1 23 0
Raisins (1 cup) 488 5 124 1
Tangerine 37 1 9 0
Miscellaneous
Betagen 10 0 2 0
Phosphagen HP 140 0 34 0
RECIPES (SAUCES)
Corn and Black Bean Salsa
Servings Preparation time Calories Protein (g) Carbohydrates (g) Fat (g)
— 5 minutes 340 16 60 4
Ingredients: 1 cup of cooked black beans

1/2 cup of cooked corn (fresh or canned)
1/4 cup of diced onions
2 small chopped jalepeño pepper (leave out if you do not like spice)
1 diced tomato
1/3 cup of fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions: Drain the beans and corn then mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Use to spice up any plain meat or seafood
dish.
Pico De Gallo
— 5 minutes 23 1 5 0
Ingredients: 1 cup of seeded and chopped tomatoes

1 white onion, chopped
3 jalepeños, minced
1/4 cup of fresh chopped cilantro
3 tbsp. of fresh lime juice
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Refrigerator for at least 30
minutes.
RECIPES (SAUCES)
Spicy Mustard Sauce
— 5 minutes 180 8 16 12
Ingredients: 1/2 cup of spicy Dijon mustard

1/2 cup of fat free mayonnaise
1 tsp. of Lea & Perrins Worchester Sauce
1/4 tsp of black pepper
1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper
Instructions: Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Use as sauce for
cooked meats.
Corn Salsa
— 25 minutes 280 6 60 2
Ingredients: 1 cup of corn, cooked

3/4 cup of Pace Thick and Chunky picante sauce
1/2 cup of water
1 onion, chopped
2 jalepeños, chopped
1 red pepper chopped
Instructions: Mix ingredients in sauce pan, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer,
covered for 20 minutes.
RECIPES (MEATS)
Mushroom Chicken (or turkey)
Nutrients per serving (1 breast)

4 20 minutes 232 35 14 4
Ingredients: 1 can of Cream of chicken, or cream of mushroom soup

Four 4oz, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup of chopped red onion
1/4 cup of non-fat milk
2 tbsp of lemon juice
2 tbsp of minced parsley
cooking spray
Instructions: 1. In a small bowl mix the soup, milk, lemon juice and parsley.
2. Spray pan with cooking spray and heat on medium. Add the chicken and
cook on each side until brown (about 5 minutes). Remove from pan then
add mushrooms and onions to pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Next stir in
soup mixture.
3. Next, add the chicken to the mixture and reduce heat. Simmer covered for
10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center.
Lemon Chicken Marinade (or turkey)

4 20 minutes 177 32 1 5
Ingredients: Four 4oz skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 tbsp of oregano
1 tbsp of parsley
Dash of garlic powder
Instructions: Mix sauce in large bowl, add chicken. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Grill
or bake chicken using marinade as a basting sauce.
RECIPES (MEATS)
Herb Crusted Chicken (turkey, fish or beef steak)

4 25 minutes 177 32 1 5
Ingredients: Four 4oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Any blend of your favorite cooking herbs and spices (use equal parts of each):
Mrs. Dash (low salt version)
Crushed Red Pepper
Garlic and Onion powder
Italian Seasonings
Olive oil
Instructions: 1. Put about 1 tsp of oil in a large bowl. Take each breast and coat it with oil.
Then add your spice mix. Make sure you heavily coat each chicken breast
with the spices.
2. Next spray a pan with cooking spray and heat on medium.
3. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and cook until brown on each side
(about 5-7 minutes each side). If chicken is burning or cooking too fast,
lower heat.
4. Remove once meat is no longer pink in center.
Beef Marinade (turkey or chicken)
Ingredients: 3 limes
1 tbsp of crushed red pepper
1 tbsp of coarse ground black pepper
1 tbsp of garlic powder
3 garlic cloves (minced)
Instructions: This makes enough marinade for about 3 lbs of meat.

Mix all ingredients in a large container. Add meat. Squeeze the lime juice
over each side of the meat and mix. Refrigerate the meat covered at least 3
hours. Once you are ready to cook, discard the excess marinade.
To lock in the flavor of this marinade, I suggest you sear your meat. Searing
involves initially browning the meat on each side very quickly in a very hot
pan. This takes about 2-4 minutes for each side. After it is browned, you will
then reduce the heat and cook it until it reaches your desired doneness.
RECIPES (VEGGIES AND OTHER CARBS)
Rice with Beans & Jalepeños
Nutrients per serving (1 cup)

6 15 minutes 188 8 48 1
Ingredients: 1.5 cups of instant white rice

1 can (16 oz) of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup of water (or 1 cup of chicken stock)
1/2 cup of picante sauce
1/2 cup of sliced green onions
3 diced jalepeño peppers
Instructions: 1. Bring to a boil the water, picante sauce and onions in a saucepan.
2. Next, stir in the rice, beans and peppers. Cover and remove from heat. Let
stand for 10 minutes.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Nutrients per serving (4 oz)

4 20 minutes 117 3 24 1
Ingredients: 4 red potatoes

3/4 cup of skim milk
2 cloves of minced garlic
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
1/4 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp of Molly McButter (or any butter flavored spray)
Instructions: 1. Cook potatoes by either boiling or microwaving on high until done. Next,
place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
RECIPES (VEGGIES AND OTHER CARBS)
Chili Rice
Nutrients per serving (1/2 cup)

4 30 minutes 140 3 33 0
Ingredients: 1 cup of rice (white or brown)

1 medium tomato, diced
4oz can of green chiles, drained
1/2 cup of green bell peppers, chopped
3/4 cup of chopped onion
3/4 cup of water
1/2 cup of chicken stock (no msg, low salt)
Instructions: 1. Sauté onions, and peppers in pot over medium heat until tender.
2. Next, add water, chicken stock, chilis, tomatoes and garlic. Bring to a boil.
3. Add rice. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 25 minutes, or until
water has been completely absorbed by rice.
Sautéed Onions with Peppers (quick side dish for any meal)
Nutrients per serving (1/2 cup)

2 30 minutes 100 3 23 1
Ingredients: 1 large onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 tsp of coarse black pepper
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 cup of water
Instructions: 1. Mix ingredients in skillet. Cover and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes.
2. After 20 minutes, remove cover, and continue cooking, stirring often, until
the peppers are tender (about 10 minutes).
DIET SUBSTITUTIONS
In section D and E you will find a preset program based on my original workout. This includes the mass and fat
loss diets that I have already created for you. I have tried to make them as simple and as easy to follow as
possible. You can either follow them directly (which I recommend), or use them as a guideline to help create your
own.
Many people have criticized me for the lack of variety in this diet. Well, I'm not a chef, and as I said earlier, and I
don't like to cook. That's one more thing that I do not need to think about. I just want a meal that I can prepare
quickly, and that will give me the correct amount nutrients. That's it
I typically don't use complicated recipes, they make things too complicated. Each meal will have a certain amount
of protein and carbs that you need to ingest, and complicated recipes will make that difficult to track – especially
on fatloss diets. To track things better, I try to keep things as simple as possible. I use sauces a lot to add variety.
I have found that using sauces can make an otherwise dull meal exciting. Just adding something like salsa to my
eggs or chicken really makes them tasty. Spices do the same thing. Adding spicy touches like jalepeños or chili
peppers really add flavor too.
Also, feel free to make any substitutions you like to personalize the diet to suit you. Remember, most foods are
interchangeable. You can easily substitute one food for another provided it is in the same food group and same
amount. For example, if you do not like brown rice (which I use a lot), you can substitute it with the same
quantity of any carbohydrate you like. When you do this, make sure you get as close to the same amount of
calories and other nutrients as you can. To do this properly, you must have the nutritional content of each serving
to correctly size the meal.
So, if I substituted 1/2 cup of brown rice with a 4oz. baked potato, the switch would have close to the same
amount of calories, carbs, protein and fat. If I used an 8 oz baked potato, then this would not be an equal
substitution. I would not know this if I did not know my food values. This is essential. Most meats are easily
interchangeable. The numbers will not be exact, but they are close enough. So you can easily substitute chicken
for fish or lean beef, and vice versa.
Now, you know that most of your meals will contain both carbs and protein, so all you have to do is determine
what carb and what protein YOU will be eating at each meal that will help you fulfill your daily nutrient/calorie
requirements. From your list of quality protein sources, and carb sources, you must decide on what YOU want to
eat at each meal
Quality Protein, Carb and Fat Sources

Protein Carbohydrates Fats
Whey protein Potatoes ( baked, hash browns) Olive oil
Eggs Sweet Potatoes, yams Sunflower oil
Egg whites Oatmeal, cream of wheat Safflower oil
Chicken breasts Beans Flaxseed oil
Turkey Breasts Any green leafy vegetable Canola oil
Lean Beef Bread Nuts
Fish (tuna, salmon) Pasta
Protein bar All cereals (hot or cold)
Other seafood All fruit
Soy protein Isolate
Tofu
.
DIET SUBSTITUTIONS
Common Substitutions
Substitute This With This
Proteins
Myoplex Any meal replacement powder you like (Met-Rx, Lean Body), or any other high
protein food like chicken, turkey, canned tuna, eggs, etc.
Precision Protein Any other whey powder you like (Designer Protein), or any high protein, low fat
food like egg whites, canned tuna, etc.
Chicken Breasts Any other lean meat: Turkey, lean beef, fish, eggs, etc.
Eggs Any lean meat, mrp or whey protein powder that you like.
Carbohydrates
Brown Rice Any other non-sugary carb that you like (white rice, potatoes, yams, rice cakes,
popcorn, beans, tortillas, etc.
Vegetables Any other non-sugary low calorie carb.
Salad Any other non-sugary low calorie carb.
Fats
Udo's Choice Oil Flaxseed oil, sunflower oil, walnuts, borage oil, safflower oi.
If you are a Vegan

I'm not going to mislead you, your diet is probably the worst for gaining muscle. It may be
possible, but it will be difficult. Vegan diets contain insufficient protein, and insufficient
dietary fat for muscle building. That is why most vegans are very thin or soft with not much
muscle tone — this type of diet is not your body's choice for building and maintaining muscle
mass.
You can get more dietary fat from nuts and flaxseed oil, but the protein is another story.
Vegetable protein simply does not increase your nitrogen retention enough to build or maintain
muscle mass. In other words, most of the vegetable protein you eat will not be used to build
muscle.
If you can't eat whey protein, then you will have to use soy protein isolate (SUPRO) as your
definite source of protein for each day. You can still eat your normal diet, but include the soy.
On the diet sheets, you would just substitute the soy protein wherever you see chicken, eggs or
whey protein. The MRP is just a combination of carbs and protein, so you can mix your own
by using the soy and any carb source you like.
All the other supplements should be vegan friendly (glutamine, Vitamin C, etc.)
C. Putting It All Together
From the Desk of A n t h o n y E l l i s Putting It All Together
MY ORIGINAL PROGRAM
How I Gained So Much Muscle
The 12 week program that enabled me to gain more than 30 lbs. of muscle was
created using the concepts explained earlier in this manual.
I worked out 3 times per week, training each body part only once every seven
days. I worked my muscles in the following groups:
Session 1: (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)

Session 2: (Back, Bicep)
Session 3: (Legs)
This Is My Workout Routine:
♦ 2 warm-up sets (light weight, 8 reps) with short rest period in-between
♦ 4 heavy sets
1) 6-8 reps
2) 4-6 reps
3) 2-4 reps
4) 1-2 reps
♦ 1 light set (6-12 reps), then superset to failure (8-12 reps)
(Please remember that a superset is done immediately after the main exercise
set. You are not allowed any rest.)
I first did two warm-up sets just to get the joints loose, then did four sets using
heavy weight, concentrating on prolonging the negative movement. For each
set, I increased the weight just enough to keep me within the specific rep range
for that set. My fourth set was the heaviest.
Since the weight got heavier each set, I was performing fewer reps each time.
After my fourth heavy set, I then reduced the weight to a much lighter
poundage and performed as many reps as I could to really exhaust the muscle
group. Immediately after that, I did a superset to failure.
Since I train alone, I do not train to failure on most exercises. Just when my
muscles begin to burn, and I feel myself becoming weaker, I stop. After I
complete my last set, I then use the superset to finally blast my muscle to
failure.
I can go to failure on supersets, because the supersets I use allow me to safely

release the weight once my muscles fail. The supersets that I suggest are done
on machines or with dumbbells, so you will not need a spotter. I use this
technique quite often, since I do not use a personal trainer, and work I out early
in the morning when the gym is quite empty.
MY ORIGINAL PROGRAM
Strength Testing
I cannot determine your starting weights, so you must do this yourself. What I
did was simply pick one day to go to the gym to practice performing each
exercise and test my strength levels.
First, I would warm up using the lightest weight I could for that particular
exercise, concentrating on using the correct form. This is very important. You
want to train your muscles to perform this exercise one way — the correct way.
Then I would choose a light to moderate weight to test my strength. I'm
basically looking for a weight that will allow me to perform 8-10 reps. This
will give me a good starting point. Now, let's say, for example, that I was
working my chest. I would warm-up with the flat bench press. I used no
weight on the bar, so I was lifting 45 lbs. for 8 reps (the bar weighs 45 lbs.).
Next, I would put a 25 lb. weight on each side, bringing the total weight up to
95 lbs. for my first heavy set. If I am only able to do seven reps, then I know
for my first workout that 95 lbs. will be my starting weight for my first heavy
set (the rep range for the first set is 6-8).
If, for example, during my strength test, my muscles failed after 4 reps, then I
know that the weight is too heavy for my first set, but it is appropriate for my
third set. I make a note of this, and set my first heavy set weight for my actual
workout at around 75 lbs. My second set would then be 85 lbs., and my third
set would be 95 lbs., etc.
From there, you should plan to increase the weight in small 5 lb. increments for
each heavy set. If you find that five pounds is too much, then increase each set
by 2.5 lbs. Though everyone is different, the goal is to find the weights that
will cause your muscles to fatigue within the desired rep range.
Remember, on the first set you should be lifting a weight that you can only lift
for 4-8 reps. If it takes you 9 reps before your muscles fatigue, then the weight
is too light for that particular set. The next time you perform this exercise,
simply add five pounds. If you can only do three reps, then the weight is too
heavy for that particular set, so you should reduce the weight slightly the next
time you perform that exercise. It may take you a few weeks to learn your
strength levels, but once you do, you will know how many reps you should do
at each weight.
You should aim to increase your load (weight) on each exercise, each week. In
theory, you should progressively get stronger each week, but it does not always
work that way. You may get stronger and stronger for 3 straight weeks, then
get stuck for 2 weeks, then surge to new levels for 2 weeks. Everyone is
different, and many factors can affect your strength (concentration, stress,
health, fatigue, etc.). So, don't get too caught up on the numbers. Just get in
there, and lift as much as you can. That's all you can do.
MY ORIGINAL PROGRAM
Changing Workout Parameters
About five weeks into my program, my size and strength gains began to slow.
Soon my body stopped gaining weight altogether. I had hit my first plateau.
To combat this "adaptation," I simply changed my workout parameters. I
needed to stimulate my muscles in a different way. Though I could have
changed it in many different ways, I decided to try a short but intense workout,
where you perform ten sets of ten reps. It is know, by some, as German
Volume Training.
I started the 10x10 training around week seven, and continued with it until
week ten (for 4 weeks). This workout helped me to shoot past my first plateau.
This is a great workout, but remember, there are many great workouts. I just
happened to choose this one because it was different. Any change of my
parameters would probably have given me the same result.
The 10x10 workout is quite painful, but very quick and intense. You will get
an incredible workout in a very short amount of time. It also requires more rest
than other workouts, because you are stimulating every muscle fiber for
maximum effort.
To Perform the 10x10 Workout You Must:

♦ Train only 3 times per week, working each body part just once per week
♦ Pick a weight with which you can normally perform 20 slow reps. This
may not seem like much, but by the 7th or 8th set, you will be wishing it was
lighter! This weight should be about 60% of your 1 rep max.
♦ Do only one exercise per body part. After the core work is completed, you
may perform a minimal amount of isolation work (using high reps and light
weight). Typically, you will perform up to three sets of 10-15 reps
♦ Your tempo should be 1/0/1.
♦ You will rest only 90 seconds between sets. There is no exception to this.
Do not increase the rest interval as you fatigue
If you do not wish to use the 10x10 workout, just use the alternate on page 240.
To help avoid plateaus, this workout changes the type of exercises and the
tempo.
12 WEEKS OVERVIEW
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
Week 1 Workout 1 Rest & Eat Workout 2 Rest & Eat Workout 3 Rest & Eat Rest & Eat
Chest, tri’s, Legs Back, bicep
(Bulk)
should.

Chest, tric., Legs Back, bicep
(Bulk) should.

(Bulk) should.

(Bulk) should.

(Bulk)
should.

(Bulk) should.

(10x10) (10x10) (10x10)
(Bulk) chest legs should., arms

(10x10) (10x10) (10x10)
(Bulk)
chest legs should., arms

(10x10) (10x10) (10x10)

(10x10) (10x10) (10x10)

Week 11 Workout 1 Cardio Workout 2 Cardio Workout 3 Cardio Rest
(fat loss)
should.

Week 12 Workout 1 Cardio Workout 2 Cardio Workout 3 Cardio Rest
(fat loss) should.
A SAMPLE DAY
To help you further understand how this program should work, I would like to
take you through a day in my mass workout schedule.
Friday (Leg Workout)

6:30am: Wake up.
7 am: Eat Meal A and take my supplement Stack A.

At the same time, I prepare supplement Stack B and put it into a
mini Tupperware container. I also grab a 16 oz. grape flavored
Ultra Fuel out of the refrigerator and put it all in my gym bag.
8 am: Gym Workout (Legs)

I start my session with a short, five minute warm-up on the
stationary bike. During this time I'm concentrating on relaxing my
muscles and trying to get psyched for my leg workout.
Squats
Once that is completed, I move over to the squat rack and do a few
light stretches for my quads and hamstrings. I also loosen up my
knees by doing some slow, deep knee bends and knee circles. Now
I am ready to begin my squat routine.
I perform 2 warm-up sets with the bar and one 45 lb. plate on each
side (135 lbs.). Each rep I perform is slow and deliberate — I try to
keep proper form when I am warming up, to help my muscles
remember the exercise mechanics. I squat all the way down on the
warm-up just to get my hips and knees loose, but I will only go to
parallel on my heavy sets.
After a short rest, I quickly add two more 45 lb. plates (225 lbs.)
and squat 8 reps. Rest for 3 minutes, then I add two more 45 lb.
plates (315 lbs.).
While my watch is beeping to tell me my 3 minute rest is up, I step

up and squat 6 reps — barely. Breathing a little heavier, and feeling
really dizzy, I put two more 45 lb. plates on the bar. Three minutes
should give me enough time to put on my weight belt and get ready
for 405 lbs. Note: I try to use my weight belt as little as possible.
Keeping it on for every exercise is unnecessary, and it prevents the
development of crucial lower back and trunk stabilizer muscles. I
only use it for really heavy weight, and then I take it off.
I only get 3 short reps out of this, but that is within my range.
A SAMPLE DAY
For my final heavy set I put on two more 45 lb. plates (495 lbs.). I
also ask a guy nearby to help spot me on this. When doing squats, I
typically know when I can't do anymore reps, so I never get stuck at
the bottom. But with such a heavy weight, I don't want to take any
chances. I am only able to do 1 full rep. Oh well. Boy, am I dizzy
and feelin' kinda' nauseated (this is normal). I get some help taking
all the plates off, except for two on each side (225 lbs.).
I then do as many reps as I can do for my burnout set. It turns out

to be almost 9. Now, here's the fun part.
After I rack the weight, I quickly move over to the leg extension
machine where I put on about 100 lbs. and start doing a superset of
as many as I can. I ended up doing 15 really painful reps, and that
concludes my squat workout.
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
After catching my breath, I perform 2 warm-ups with just the 45 lb.
bar, taking care to stretch as much as I can at the bottom of the
movement to loosen up my hamstrings.
I then put on two 45 lb. plates and perform 8 reps, concentrating on

stretching at the bottom of the movement.
The other sets are as follows:

6 reps at 185 lbs.
4 reps at 205 lbs.
1 reps at 225 lbs.
Burnout set: 13 reps at 135 lbs.
I then immediately rush over to the lying hamstring curl machine
and do 10 reps at 100 lbs.
Calve Raises
For calves, I choose to do strip sets, because I can really blast my
calves in a very short amount of time. After my warm-up, I simply
start with a light weight and do as many as I can, I then increase the
weight and, without resting, do another set of as many as I can. I
continue this pattern until the weight becomes too heavy for me to
perform any reps, then I reverse. I reduce the weight and do as
many as I can do, then, without resting, I decrease the weight again
and do another set. I continue this until I reach my starting weight.
During this session, I did 5 sets going up in weight and 5 sets going
down, raging from 45 lbs. up to 180 and back down.
A SAMPLE DAY
Reverse Crunches
I do four sets of 15 reps, focusing on contracting my abs with each
rep.
9 am: Take Stack B

After my workout, I immediately take a scoop of Phosphagen HP,
1 tablespoon of Glutamine, 1,000 mg of Vitamin C and wash it
down with a small bottle of grape Ultra Fuel.
9:45: Eat Meal B

. Once I get home, I eat a huge meal consisting of protein,
carbs and fat.
Since I have a few hours before my next meal, I decided to do some

grocery shopping. I buy enough food for the next 3 days. After
baking the chicken, I store it in Tupperware containers for use later
on in the week. I also get to boil some eggs to take with me as
emergency food. I sometimes eat these when away from home
longer than expected.
1 pm: Meal C and Stack C

4 pm: Meal D
Nap 5-7pm.
7 pm: Meal E
10 pm: Meal F and Stack D
Study my actual diet and workout sheets starting on page 125, because they
contain everything I did for the entire 12 weeks.
When you are ready, I have constructed diet and workout schedules based on
this training method. The pre-set plans are in section D. All you need to know
to get started is your current weight and when you will be working out.
Please understand that this program is best for skinny guys who have very little
body fat. It is ideal for those who want to gain as much weight as possible in a
very short amount of time.
If you are "skinny fat," (i.e. someone who is thin, but has very little muscle
tone and a lot of body fat — usually around the waist and stomach area), this
program may be too drastic for you. It could cause you to put on more body
fat than you would like.
People who are "skinny fat" should use my current training program. It starts in
section E, and is designed to minimize fat storage while gaining muscle mass.
STAYING MOTIVATED
Throughout your program, it is essential that you remain focused and
motivated. This is sometimes easier said than done. It is easy to be motivated
when everything is new and you are constantly making size and strength gains,
but when they slow or cease, motivation decreases and you lose confidence in
your system. This has happened to everyone at some point.
But don't doubt your program, whatever it may be. This is the true road to
failure. Once you decide on a plan, you must see it through. Have enough
confidence in yourself to realize that you chose the right methods.
I typically lose motivation at plateau levels (when I cease making any

significant gains), or in the winter time (when it's cold outside and there is very
limited daylight). To keep yourself on track, there are a few things I suggest
that you do:
♦ Take a before picture, and keep it where you can see it everyday. This
reminds you of what you used to look like, and what you will look like
again if you stop training!
♦ Write down your specific goal on a piece of paper (for example: I want to
gain 30 pounds of muscle and get my body fat below 6%), and either carry
it with you everywhere, or hang it somewhere you will see it everyday.
♦ Find a photo of someone who has the physique that you are trying to attain.
You must be realistic when choosing this. I happen to think that Arnold
has a physique that I would like to have, but it will never happen. I don't
have the genetics, and I do not want to spend my life in a gym. Just choose
someone who is realistically achievable. Now hang that where you will see
it everyday.
♦ Each time you look at your role model photo or read your written goal, you
should visualize what you will actually look like at that goal and how you
will feel.
♦ Take your physical measurements every two weeks. This is a gauge of

how well your program is working for you. It will show you how far you
have come. You will also see what is and what is not working for you.
♦ Give yourself a free day. Allow yourself one day out of the week to eat
anything you want – without guilt.
Don't underestimate their power of these tips. I have found that visualization
and "mental blueprinting" almost always manifests itself physically. No one
knows why this stuff works, it just does. I'm proof.

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Cutting Edge Publishing

51 MacDougal St. Suite 38

Let’s get to work,

Copyright © 1999, 2000 Cutting Edge Publishing.

WHY I DECIDED TO WRITE THIS MANUAL

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B. Dieting Strategies & Supplements That Work

C. Putting It All Together

D. Your Pre-Set Program

E. My Improved 12 Week Program

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Tape Measure: Use for measuring girth of body parts.

Blender: Use to mix your protein shakes at home.

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Rep: A rep or repetition is one complete motion of a particular exercise. For

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Compound Movements that work a number of large muscle groups simultaneously.

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WEIGHT TRAINING EXERCISES

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Start with a weighted barbell that is resting on the floor, or an elevated

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Alternative: This exercise may be performed while lying down or standing

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Variation: Seated or standing. Leg press.

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Alternative: Use cables.

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Alternative: Weighted pull-ups, assisted pull-ups.

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Variation: One-arm rows with dumbbells.

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Alternative: Close underhand grip is my favorite.

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Alternative: One arm at a time.

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Variation: Dumbbells or barbells.

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Note: This exercise is just like regular bicep curls,

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Alternatives: Seated curls, hammer curls (palms facing sideways).

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Tip: Try for high reps on this one.

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