7 Simple Steps To Beginning Bodybuilding (Part 2 of 2)

This is part 2 of the 2-part "7 Simple Steps To Beginning Bodybuilding" series.

4. You Must Track What You Eat

That's right! Needless to say... not a lot of people do this. They just bulk so they eat anything in sight. Or they want to burn fat so they just quit eating. If you don't track what you are eating, you are just guessing.

And guessing is no way to meet a goal. Once you know how much you need to eat, you can easily track that and meet your daily goals. Once you get into a routine (certain foods and portions) you'll have a very good idea of what you eating.

Tracking what you eat is a must. At this point, in only 4 steps, you've just outlined the foundation for nutrition!

5. Choosing An Exercise Routine

Here's a clue... it involves every major muscle group. A good basic workout should include:

• Legs (squats, lunges, leg extensions, leg curls, leg press) • Shoulders (military press, dumbbell raises, side laterals) • Chest (bench press, flyes, dips) • Back (pull-ups, rows, deadlifts, lat pull-downs) • Arms (ez-bar curls, barbell curls, dumbbell curls) • Abs (hanging leg raises, incline crunches) • Cardio (for the heart)

I could go on and on with this question and post 500 routines and reps and sets and you’d still be confused. So let me ease the confusion by saying this.

THERE IS NO GOLDEN ROUTINE THAT WILL WORK FOR EVERYONE!

I've tried several routines. Max-OT, Tom Venuto's supersetting, Optimum Anabolics and I'll tell you something. I've gotten gains out of all of them and they all have various philosophies. For less then $100, I have enough programs to try for a year.

Here's proof.

Do you see the same people in your gym, doing the same things, and a year later they look the same? It's really quite simple. If you keep doing what you've always done, you will keep getting what you've always gotten.

There's many variations on exercises and routines you can do. And you'll find out a ton of them while browsing around on forums and reading fitness sites. And while you might be tempted to stick with just one. Don't. Try it, evaluate it, and try another one. After about 6 months, you'll know your body very well and what it responds to. You will have tried many exercises and you'll know if you like something and if something else just doesn't work out.

6. Deciding On Supplementation

While 97% of your progress will come from nutrition and training there are still a few basics to consider. There's also a point when you might want to go beyond the basics if you want the optimal amount of gains.

But what are the basics of supplementation?

Daily multi-vitamin Omega 3 and 6 EFA complex (fish oil, flax seed) Whey protein (specifically for after workouts)

Just that small amount of supplementation is all you should need to bring your nutrition levels to 100%. Those are the basics. It's pretty simple.

As you progress down the line, you might want to consider going beyond the basics.

7. Monitoring Your Progress

I cannot tell you how many people do not follow this rule. If you don't take measurements, track your progress or inspect yourself in a mirror, it's pretty difficult to impossible to know where you've been to know where you are going.

Making small daily goes is a wonderful method of keeping the momentum moving forward and keeping yourself motivated to reach your goals. This is difficult when you don't keep track of what you just did in order to beat a personal best.

It’s also the #1 reason why people get so frustrated with nutrition and training and progress in general. They just look at themselves at that very moment and decide immediately if the last 4 months of effort was worth it. They don't take into account they did better then the last workout and they don't quite realize they lost a pant or dress size. They just make judgments on what they perceive to be reality at that moment.

Methods of tracking your progress include:

Tracking what you eat Tracking your workouts in a notebook or other method Taking periodic measurements of standard body areas using a variety of methods Taking periodic photographs

When you measure your progress on a frequent but not daily basis, you will soon see that your efforts are paying off. And if there is a course adjustment necessary you can quickly correct it before it's too late. This critical stage is often overlooked because most people barely can figure out what to eat let alone be bothered to track their progress.

You will start to notice people around you year after year complaining of the same things they complained about the year before.

Would you build a house without tracking its progress? Would you drive your car without monitoring its performance and getting regular tune-ups? For those of you with children, you look at report cards and homework quizzes as a method of tracking your child’s scholastic performance. You know where there might be a problem and can correct it before it becomes a major issue. Many of you track the performance of your portfolio holdings.

So why not track the progress of your workouts?

With just a few simple fundamental steps, you can ensure that all of your workouts and waking moments are spent on the right path to fitness. No matter what your goals may be, male or female, if you follow these steps, you will ensure your success.

Author: Marc David is giving away free memberships to his Teach Me Bodybuilding ‘private list’. To get your own subscription, visit http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com while charter subscriptions last.

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7 Simple Steps To Beginning Bodybuilding (Part 1 of 2)

When I was 16, I asked myself this very same question that I received from a frustrated 16 year old. It went something like this...

"A Little Help Please! I am 16 and I am VERY skinny! I don't have much fat on me so... you could almost see my bones if I am not wearing anything baggy. I only weight 105 lbs and I know I am tooth pick mainly because I don't eat too much." - Frustrated and Skinny

You have NO IDEA of how close that cry for help sounds like me. When I was 16, I took a picture of myself in front of the family Christmas tree. Somehow I convinced my sister to take the picture and I flexed with all my might.

For those who are curious to see what I really did look like, the picture is at:

http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com

Scroll down. You'll see it. It's 100% un-edited. I didn't even remove the glow in the dark plastic eagle necklace I found somewhere.

Anyway, your question was the same thing I wondered myself. I was 16 and tired of being skinny. I thought I did everything I could to gain weight but I was wrong. And I'm going to give you 7 simple steps you can do today to get on the right track to healthy weight gain and make that cry for help, a shout for joy!

If I could get into a time machine I would go back and hand myself a small brochure called:

7 Simple Steps To Beginning Bodybuilding

This would be written by me for me. But I'm positive the next few steps will apply to you as well and any other 16 year olds out there who are frustrated but are in a position to waste a lot of time if they start down the wrong path.

Please don't be confused... these simple steps are for anybody, no matter what age, male or female, who might be looking to start off on the right foot and not waste a lot of time.

Okay, so what can you do? Let's go step by step and figure this out.

Pre-Requisite - Body building isn't just about getting massive. It's not just for men. The word should actually be two words all the time so there's no confusion. You are building your body. That can mean anything to anybody. So the first step is...

1. Pick A Goal

No matter what, if you don't have a short term and long term goal in mind, you'll just wander around, like a zombie with your arms out, going to anything in sight. And 5 years later, you'll wonder what the heck happened!

Having a clear goal is the ONLY way to start. If you want to gain, maintain or lose, that is a goal. Know what you want before you start.

You'd be floored to find out just how many people are frustrated with their results but when asked exactly what they are trying to do, they have no idea.

2. Figure Out How Many Calories A Day You Need

In your case, you say you are skinny and tooth-pick like. But in the next sentence you state you know you don't eat.

[Snap Rubber Band On Wrist Here For Behavior Modification]

When I was 16, I didn't eat either, I skipped many meals (especially on weekends) and I tried all kinds of protein powders and supplements when I was clearly failing at nutrition.

My mom would cook big meals and I'd barely finish my plate before running off to do something. All the while wishing I was bigger and not so skinny.

There's so many simple ways to calculate your calories. That should be your very next step. Once you know what you want to do, you need to know your nutritional intakes in order to obtain that goal. It's not going to be hard at all but if you don't know, you cannot possibly get anywhere.

In other words, if you don't know how many calories a day you need for a certain goal, then don't expect anything different.

3. Figure Out How Much Protein You Need A Day

It's the building blocks of muscle and it's also the only way you are going to build more muscle or keep the muscle you already have today.

Even for burning fat, it's proven that getting enough protein will actually make you leaner.

Again, there's very simple formulas for this that do not require a degree from MIT to perform. And once you know how much protein you need every day, it's really easy in Step 4 to find out if you are getting what you need.

These steps will be continued in part 2

Author: Marc David is giving away free memberships to his Teach Me Bodybuilding ‘private list’. To get your own subscription, visit http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com while charter subscriptions last.

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Bodybuilding Diet Secret: How To Bulk & Cut At The Same Time

I don't know about you, but we've all heard that you can either bulk or cut, but you can't do both at the same time.

So we go about everyday believing that this is true, so we don't even try to understand how it's possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. That is to get ripped pretty quickly. And it's great for summer when we've got to show off our bodies.

So in this article, we're going to talk about how to do it.

We need to understand that it's going to be a combination of a good workout, with a very precise diet plan.

It takes a bit of adjustment to our diet, but when you get it, you'll find that you're able to show off your muscles, as you'll have less fat covering them all up!

But you have to do it in a specific way. Here's the scoop.

The first step is a great workout. If you're not doing this, the rest of the plan won't work.

You'd want to workout a muscle group, with good intensity every 5 to 7 days.

Some do supersets, or some list to failure over 6-15 reps, the optimal partly depends on your body type. This will stimulate your muscles to grow, yet allowing enough time for the muscle to grow between gym sessions, so you actually gain muscle bulk..

There's more that we can go on about to get bigger quicker, but we won't delve into the details here.

Now, what about the diet? Listen up as this is where you can make it or break it.

You need to have a diet that:

1. Provide enough protein to gain muscle,

2. Stimulate testosterone production,

3. Stimualtes a high metabolism, and,

4. Avoiding the wrong type of calories that cause the opposite effects to the above

But how's this done?

Here are the 5 steps in your diet to start this process today:

1. Eat lean sources of protein. Think about foods such as egg, fish, lean chicken, and whey protein. Have a good portion of this straight after your workout.

2. Thinks about the monounsaturated fats. Why? These stimulate testosterone production. They're found in avocado, and extra virgin olive oil. Don't go overboard as they contain dense calories. Just try 2 teaspoons a day of olive oil for example.

3. Straight after your workout, have a high GI carbohydrate, such foods as honey or jam. This will satisfy your sugar fix, yes. But also it will help you absorb the protein and creatine (if you're taking this).

4. Have no high GI carbs in the evenings before bed. If you're doing this, this may be the only thing you have to do to get your body going in the right direction. Your metabolism is slowing, so no high GI carbs at this time please! It's the worse time to have it, and some guys get fat just with this one action.

5. Eat 6 meals a day, as it increases your metabolism. Many Hollywood celebrities do this, as it works. But keep the meals reasonable. Eat til you're 80% full, not excessively, and you'll feel more even during the day - no hunger pangs and no binging.

Got it?

If you want to get ripped in no time, and be healthy at the same time, have a look through these rules carefully.

There are more tips available on my website to refine your diet further, for example, if you're finding that you're not gaining muscle despite a good diet, or, you're putting on fat at the same time as muscle.

So get to it, and eat and train well.

Author: Lucas Ryan helps you to gain muscle and lose fat so that you can show off your bodybuilding efforts and look ripped in no time. For more valuable tips on how to do this easily, visit: http://www.bodybuildingdiets.info/htmlsitemap.php

Bodybuilding Diet Secrets

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Six Keys to Successful Bodybuilding

To make clear the simplicity of bodybuilding I've arranged a list of six basic keys to successful weight training. They're nothing new and read like the same stuff in any motivational book on the market today. Yet they offer valuable insight and are essential to getting started with your exercise program... and sticking to it.

1. Set a realistic goal - short and long term.

2. Plan an orderly and thorough routine to train the entire body.

3. Make a commitment to stick to your routine for 4-5 weeks - - to begin to see changes and benefits, develop perseverance and create a habit.

4. Enthusiasm for training must be recognized as the main and driving force to perform successfully.

5. Ease into a training program with a wholesome, thoughtful nutritional plan - proper food, order and amount of consumption.

6. Be confident from the beginning that the application of these sound principles will produce the desired results.

GOAL SETTING

Be realistic in your goal setting. It's important from the very beginning and throughout your training to experience victory in each and every workout. Ease into your training with good energy, being careful not to overload yourself and fall victim to mental and physical burnout. Planning to look like Rambo by the end of summer will be frustrating and you may give up your training entirely.

ORDER IN TRAINING

Decide how much time you have to devote to your training - how many hours per day and how many days per week. Based on this schedule, design an orderly and efficient routine that includes only basic exercises. Working your mid-section first, followed by chest, back shoulders, biceps, triceps and legs is always a good rule of thumb. Choose two exercises per bodypart, three to four sets of 8 to 12 reps with a day's rest between muscle groups if you're just getting started.

In organizing an exercise program, keep your eyes and ears open. Scan the Web, magazines and books, visit the gyms and get input from your friends and mentors. An orderly and intelligent training routine is the major tool in achieving your bodybuilding goals.

COMMITMENT

We now come to commitment, the Big Power Switch of our mental mechanism to see if we have the juice to crank over the engine and keep it running. Commitment is your personal promise - your word of honor - to realize your challenge and is vital in aspiration. The naturally occurring ingredients of commitment are consistency, persistence and determination. These gut disciplines engaged with patience and faith set you in positive motion toward your muscular goals.

ENTHUSIASM

Each workout is a unique and separate experience unto itself. Events of the day, mood, energy levels and tensions effect every performance differently. Gather up as much enthusiasm as possible before each workout so you enter the gym with energy and a positive attitude. Your training must not become drudgery or a chore that has to be done. This is negative energy, producing negative results and must be willfully resisted.

PACE AND ATTITUDE

Keep your workouts tight and efficient, leaving no room for boredom or idle thought. You should quickly develop a mature training attitude allowing no interruptions in the flow of exercise from start to finish. This is not to suggest that you hurry in your training. A hurried attitude produces anxiety, nervousness and agitation, resulting in negative performance and loss of concentration. Quite the opposite, here I encourage a steady lean on your training - setting a vigorous pace that reflects excitement, confidence and determination.

Become totally involved with each workout, each set and each rep. Focus on the performance of the exercise, the muscles involved and the feelings that result. Look for your particular groove and sense the burn. Training form is your priority and practice makes perfect. Learn to lift weights smoothly, sacrificing the poundage used to gain quality in your performance. Don't be anxious to overload your body and struggle to lift more than you can handle. This will create poor style and result in disappointment. These register as failures and drain your resources.

These oh-so-basics points will determine the success of your new exercise program.

Author: Mr. Universe Dave Draper's free motivational email columns will educate and inspire you in your workout efforts. Success awaits you at his site, http://www.davedraper.com, where you'll also find workout routines and advice, an active discussion forum and, of course, a hefty instructional blog.

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Herbs For The Flu

For those who are concerned about avoiding or treating influenza, there may be an herbal and homeopathic alternative. Flu shot medicine or vaccine contains only three strains of dead viruses. Leaving a number of strains, including the strain referred to as the bird flu, that is currently making people very ill in parts of Asia and India.

Echinacea is one herbal and homeopathic alternative. Flu shot medicine is designed to create an immunity to specific strains of flu virus. These viruses are constantly changing, thus the reason for a different vaccine each year. Echinacea is recommended because it stimulates the entire immune system and studies have shown that it is effective in the treatment of influenza. One study in Volgograd showed that echinacea, not only contributed to quicker recovery, but also reduced the risk of post-flu complications. No studies have been done concerning echinacea as a preventative herbal and homeopathic remedy. Flu shot medicine is still considered by most doctors and the Center for Disease Control to be the most effective flu preventative.


There is no herbal and homeopathic alternative flu shot medicine, meaning there are no herbs, botanicals or other natural products that will cause the body to build up an immunity to specific strains of the flu. All herbal and homeopathic products can do is stimulate the immune system allowing the body's natural immunities to these viruses to take over. People who have strong immune systems get fewer colds and flu viruses. People with chronic illnesses and those who have weakened immune systems should not rely on an herbal and homeopathic alternative. Flu shot medicine is still the best choice for these people.

Healthy people consider products that boost the immune system as herbal and homeopathic alternative flu shot medicine. Taken regularly, particularly during cold and flu season, products containing echinacea, beta glucans and other herbal flu remedies (bilberry, green tea, ginseng, turmeric, etc) may prevent colds and flus and complications that may arise from them. Even people who take the flu shot can benefit from these herbal products. They have no side effects and scientific studies, as well as historical use as treatment for colds and other infections, have shown that they can be effective and are completely safe.

In addition to the already mentioned herbal and homeopathic alternative flu shot medicine or remedies, extra vitamin C and essential minerals such as copper, manganese, magnesium and zinc are all important to assist the body's natural immune system in fighting off viruses. Add these to proper diet, adequate rest, an immune system booster and you have a recipe for improved health, as well as a possible herbal and homeopathic alternative flu shot medicine. For more information about how to boost your immune system and protect yourself from colds and flus this year, visit www.immune-system-booster-guide.com

Author: Patsy Hamilton has more than twenty years experience as a health care professional and currently writes informational articles for the Immune System Booster Guide. Read more at http://www.immune-system-booster-guide.com.

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Diabetic Herbs

Yacon and Pata de vaca are two natural diabetes herbs from Peru. They are found in a new natural diabetes herbal supplement from Amazon Botanicals. Yacon is a unique plant in that it is sweet but is low in calories and contains oligofructose a sugar that is not absorbed into the body because the carbohydrates in Yacon are in the form of insulin not starch.

Pata de vaca, meaning literally "the cow's hoof" is a small plant that grows to a height of 5-9 meters and has leaves that are shaped like a cow's hoofs. Pata de vaca is an important medicinal herb in Brazil. The plant has been used for over sixty years as a natural diabetes herb in controlling blood sugar. Its effects are supposed to be so good that it has earned the sobriquet "vegetable insulin". In Peru and Brazil it has been clinically studied and is used extensively as a natural diabetes herb.

"Sugar Control" combines the goodness of these two natural diabetes herbs to provide you with a reliable, safe and natural treatment for diabetes. Amazon Botanicals use only organically grown or ethically harvested herbs thus assuring 100% purity without fillers. Other companies may use stale herbs bought from middlemen that buy from questionable sources with little concern for the Amazon environment.

The herbs are available from Amazon Botanicals in two forms – tincture and tea. The tincture is made by extracting Yacon and Pata de vaca in distilled water and 45% alcohol. The recommended dosage is 60 drops (2 ml) twice a day, taken under the tongue or added to water or juice.

The tea is prepared from 100% pure Yacon and Pata de vaca leaves and is available in the form of tea bags. The tea bags are to be infused in hot water for ten minutes and taken once a day.

Those under medication for diabetes should take medical advice before starting on these natural diabetes herbs, as they have an effect of lowering blood sugar levels and hence may require adjustments in the existing medication and their dosages, as well as monitoring of blood sugar levels.

Author: Patricia McDougall B.Sc. (Biology) Originally from Peru, Patricia is the Director of Research and Development for Amazon Botanicals LLC of Newark Deleware.

http://www.amazon-botanicals.com/Natural_diabetes_herbs_s/46.htm

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Insomnia Herbs - Brewing Your Way to Sleep

Worries have plagued mankind since ancient times, and the effect is nights of sleeplessness. Insomnia herbs have been used for as long as sleeplessness was around. With the advent of modern medicine came a proliferation of drugs and sleep aids to help give modern people their craved-for rest--as well as other dangerous side effects. The risks take us crawling back to the insomnia herbs of the old days, and we have thus rediscovered that natural cures are often still the healthier choice.

Caffeine is a habit-forming drug. While it keeps you invigorated on nonetheless lethargic mornings, it will likewise keep you from having some much-needed sleep at night. Because of disturbed sleep, you'll be craving sleep again the next day, not to mention jumpy and touchy and you'll stagger towards the coffeemaker the first chance you get.

It's a self-perpetuating cycle, and it must be stopped. If you cannot wean yourself off caffeine totally, at least try to lessen your intake. Doing this includes stopping drinking and eating colas, chocolate, and yes, the ubiquitous Starbucks. Have some insomnia herbs instead.

Valerian root is the best there is. It is "the safest and most effective sleep aid with no side effects," according to British scientist turned herbal guru Dr. Malcolm Stuart, who says the best time to drink it would be around 8 PM. Thirty minutes before taking to bed, use one to two teaspoons of the dried root to make a sleep-inducing tea. Unlike sleep aids, valerian causes no heavy feeling the day after. And as opposed to its counterpart synthetic cures, which may bring on an addiction, you will not develop a dependency on this herb.

Just like valerian root in terms of its sleep-inducing effects is catnip. Not only is this herb used as a answer to insomnia, but it is also thought to be a solution to nervousness, anxiety, and even migraines. The administration of catnip is again similar to valerian--one to two teaspoons of the dried herb for one cup of boiled water and set aside to infuse for around ten minutes. Do not boil the herb along with the water as this may destroy some of its active ingredients.

Chamomile is milder and is recommended for children to take, more so when they are restless. The usual dosage is two teaspoons of dried chamomile flower for a cup of tea.

Lavender also makes for a very soothing drink at night (three flower heads to one cup of boiling water, immersed like catnip), and taking a whiff of a few drops of its oil or mixing it with your bath water has the same soothing effect. It may also be rubbed onto your body during a massage and its flowers and seeds stuffed into your pillows.

In Chinese medicine, the longan fruit and sour jujube seed are also known to soothe the spirit. The former is used to help insomnia, while the latter complements stronger cures.

While the insomnia herbs mentioned above may be ingested alone, you may also mix an herbal cocktail if you prefer. Try blending valerian with chamomile, catnip, or some other mild herbs like hops and passionflower. Add a small amount of the natural sweetener stevia if you like if you find the taste slightly too strong to your taste. Don't consume too much to spare yourself from sleep-disturbing trips to the loo.

While there is nothing fundamentally bad with relying on insomnia herbs, homeopathy, and aromatherapy to go off to slumberland, it is still best to let nature take its course and let your body to drift off to sleep left alone, the way it's made for. To let your body to perform at its best, a lifestyle overhaul should be undertaken.

To prevent sleep disorders, having an exercise regimen, proper stress management, and committing to a healthy diet made up mostly of fruits and vegetables is the the healthiest way to go, aside from consuming your favorite concoction of insomnia herbs. While you're at it, why don't we have a cup of antioxidant-rich and comforting Valerian-laced grape juice? Cheers!

Author: Michael Lee. Get the amazing FREE course that reveals secret tips to cure insomnia and fall into energizing deep sleep at http://www.20daypersuasion.com/sleep-secret.htm courtesy of self-help expert, Michael Lee.

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