Cheat sheet to kick start your fitness Goal

How many times have we vowed to ourselves that we shall shed X amount kgs/lbs. Say in 3 or 4 months and failed miserably time after time. Been there done that and as someone who has been in the game for longtime I can say it’s the same mistakes that I see people make often. Before you form an opinion, this is not about this is wrong and that is right! I always believe in having an open mind and see what works and mind you what works better.



Let’s look at what makes people fail than why people fail? I would say based on my experience of training people ranging from trying to shed weight to getting ready to compete in physique contest, Number one thing they lack is motivation. Yes, you heard me right, it’s something one needs to keep burning day after day and from one work session to another. Now let’s look at other factors which will lead you astray from your goal.



1. Your training too hard Too soon.



I see people training too hard as soon as they start their fitness journey that by week two or three you see then on the sidelines. Always remember to take it slow when you begin something which takes time. Hitting weights in the morning and doing cardio in the evening is excellent if you have some training experience under your belt if not then you are going to burn yourself out and even before you realize, your fitness goal is out of the window.



2. Nutrition is not on point.



I know you aren’t Mr. Olympia or have any intension of being one but that isn’t an excuse to hog like a pig and eat whatever you want to eat, sorry it doesn’t work that way! Make sure you have a decent nutritional plan to suit your specific fitness goals.



3. Inconsistency.



This is what makes or breaks your results and your effort. I cannot stress the importance of being consistent not only to training but any other ventures you aspire to take up. BE CONSISTANT!



Always remember Rome wasn’t built in a day, so does a great physique.

What is the best time to work out to gain more muscle?

Any form of exercise is vital for a healthy body and a sound mind. I often get asked what the best time to train is. Well the answer I provide is anytime! Even though people always ask this question they aren’t ready to hear the truth. Before I get into the nitty-gritties of best time to train, I want to emphasize that training itself should be the primary goal and then once you are consistent at it then comes the question of how do I better it. First and foremost, train and train Consistent, which should be your ethos.

Weight training or any other form of rigors training affects central nervous system activity and hormonal production. Our body runs in a rhythm called as Circadian rhythm, which is a 24-hour cycle which controls our physiological process like sleep, hormones, metabolism and wake up pattern. The trick is to figure out when it’s at its peak and when it’s at the lowest, sounds simple? Well it isn’t.





Before it gets too complicated and too scientific let me tell you best time for weight training based on my 15 years of weight training experience. I have found and peaked while training between 9 am to 11.30 am in the morning and 5 pm to 8 pm in the evening. Despite these times being the best to peak and perform weight training your body can be tricked and trained to yield good results at different times as well. That’s something I will cover in my future articles on weight training. If you are novice I suggest you train at your convenience at first but be consistent and try to train in the evening as you may drain out energy if your train in the morning and then pursue the daily rigors of life.

What is better for losing weight, running or skipping?

Well Walking is awesome jogging is even better if you have great knee's. It’s a great way to build stamina, but what i want to point out here is just walking alone isn't going to help. The best way would be to do train with weight and do the cardio natural way.



If may suggest, I suggest this book in case of you are a beginner or an intermediate. there are several fitness books but most of them are not what the public needs and, they can’t train the way a bodybuilding, weightlifting trains.



Here is a book where i have outlined specifically what workouts for beginners or intermediates. whether you want to build muscle or lose fat, fitness industry is full of myths and it’s important to see and understand what works for us and what doesn't.

                                             





















  http://amzn.to/2gMOytl



Now coming to the question and looking at it in detail, weight loss and fat loss are two different things and its often misunderstood. If you just want to be fit and healthy then skipping along with jogging three a week is more than enough. It will help you not only in feeling better but also will help you be slim and fit. Progressively you can build on running more often and covering more distance and then try to beat your PR’S. but a word of caution if you run on a regularly make sure you rest well and monitor your knees for wear and tear. Good diet and well rested body is vital to recover.

What is the best workout Routine to build muscle and lose Fat ?

I often get asked as to what’s the Perfect Workout Routine? my answer is always very simple, it depends on your Goal and your training Experience as in what stage are you at? Are you beginner, intermediate or an advanced natural lifter.



There are numerous training program and every program can yield results. Now here is the catch if you are going to copy a professional’s training routine, then it isn’t going to work buddy. You make ask why? Well simply put you can’t handle the load and volume a professional handle and who can be on steroids and with ton of training experience. Another point to note is genetics, that’s the most important point of them all.



One of the best yet the simplest training routine or workout program which beginner’s and intermediate’s lifters can follow is 5 x 5 training. 5 x 5 training involves lot of compound moment and is great to build strength. It’s a classic training program designed by legendary bodybuilder Reg Park. He used it to get big during off season. It can be the hardest routine you train on if properly utilized.



 You do 5 sets of 5 reps of 3 to 4 compound exercises like bench, deadlift, Barbell rows, OHP. Choose a weight with which you will be only able to do 5 reps. Then progressively keep on adding weight to your lift preferable 2.5kgs or 5 pounds every week or once in two weeks depending on your strength levels.



So, coming to training naturally by week 2 and 3 you will already be strong and will be handling more poundage. It will make you strong and can add size.



All you got do is train consistently and with lot of intensity. Workout intensity is the key if you don’t workout hard enough to stimulate growth then will not build muscle. I have started my transformation, and I also would like to touch various topics related to natural lifters and try to destroy the myth and hype in the fitness industry.



Here are my videos on these topics and my transformation from fat to Fit.

Whether you are trying to shed fat and turn your body from fat to fit or skinny to muscular physique, I will help you. Follow my journey and subscribe and support my channel also I would love to answer all your question related to workout plan, diet and training frequency.

How To lose weight fast? Diet, Exercise and Supplements

This was a question from one of my viewer who never exercised and was significantly over weight. The problem with most people is that they never realize that they are going over board and putting on heaps of weight at later stage. I do understand and acknowledge that focusing on fitness and health takes a back seat when you are in hustle to make life better and provide for your family.



People put on weight for various reason and often ignore the fact that it’s not always about looking good and have a six-pack abs. it’s beyond that, I am not talking everyone should have a great physique but more on the lines of being healthy and active in life.



Taking care of yourself and being healthy and active and having a fit body is not limited celebrities or athletes. Everyone should take time and pride in being healthy and fit, most importantly be consistent. Well enough said about what is the problem now let’s see how we can fix it.



I can guide you to get fit and stay in shape, but you must help yourself! you need to be consistent in working out, straight on your diet and shouldn't lose focus. Now let’s say you weight 105 kgs and you’re under 6 feet in height. It is quite too much if you don't exercise and have a very sedentary life style. Another most overlooked factor is the age, as you grow old you need to keep your weight under control.

 I suggest you join a gym and start working out ASAP.



Building muscle revolves around few factors which one needs to consider and follow.

1. Weight training and right kind of exercises.
2. Nutrition depending on your goals as to build muscle or loose fat.
3. Rest and recovery depending on your training routine, that is whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced.

Initially I would say learn the correct exercises and most importantly the form. when you say weight, I assume you mean muscle, I would say train regularly and hard say 5 days a week.

Stay away from sugar, excess carbs and processed foods.

I suggest do cardio at least 3 days a week. trying doing HIT cardio.



If you follow these simple pointers you are bound to get a fit body and stay healthy.

One of the best whey protein is muscle Blaze Whey protein, I prefer to take 2 whey protein shakes a day and my training has improved since I have added Muscle Blaze to my nutritional arsenal gains have drastically improved.



Follow my YouTube channel and subscribe.

The Average Lifter Podcast

The Average Lifter Podcast is geared towards beginners and intermediate Lifters who love to train are it in bodybuilding or weightlifting. I often get asked How to build biceps fast? How to get big Arms? What is the best workout routine?  Well this podcast is for you guy the natural bodybuilders who love natural bodybuilding and love to lift weights.

The Average Lifter Podcast

Today we live in age and time which is plagued by information overload, we don’t know what is right and what’s wrong, what works and what doesn’t. As a natural bodybuilder things are different compared to someone who is on gear or performance enhancing drugs. I discuss diet, exercise and the bodybuilding lifestyle on my podcast. I talk about training techniques, diet and fitness in general across the board. Follow my podcast on anchor and ask me any questions on which you want me to answer and I shall. Here are two episodes, click and enjoy and provide a feedback and share it.

                               https://anchor.fm/theaveragelifter?at=404015

How To Cook Spicy Crab Masala

Learn How to Make Spicy Crab Masala Recipe from Prathap Umesh. Make this Authentic Indian Spicy Crab Masala Recipe at your home and share your experience with me in the comments section below.

How do I get abs without working out?

One of the most frequently asked question about 6 pack abs is How do I get abs without working out? Now the answer is very simple, one cannot simply get abs without training them. Secondly, I always recommend people to be physically active or else every couch potato would have got the 6-pack abs. when i mean workout it can mean any form of activity be it running or doing physically demanding work and stuff.

 Always remember this golden rule when it comes to abs, its 80% diet and 20% exercise. Have you heard the saying “what you eat is what you are”? it is very true when it comes to 6 pack abs.

It all depends on your body fat percentage! If you are willing to put in hard work and time, consider the following:

To have a six pack it’s important that you must have low body fat to have the six-pack visible. Building a six pack is very easy considering your body fat is already under control if not it takes time. abs are like any other muscle, matter of fact abs are smaller group of muscle which can be trained relatively easily.

Vegetables (except for potatoes) are so low calorie you can eat as much as you want and not get fat. In fact, the more vegetables you eat the fuller you'll get without having consumed many calories. I use Bodymedia fit core armband to track fitness level and build a healthier lifestyle.

Junk food, on the other hand, is hyper palatable. This means the more you eat, the more you WANT to eat. It's like eating ice cream isn't going to fill you up, it's probably going to make you want more ice cream.

I have outlined some of the abs routine, they are:

Sit-ups which targets the upper and hits secondarily lower abs.
Leg Raises: they are great exercise which for lower abs and if done correctly can give you great results.

Lying leg raises plus Crunch: this is another variation which hits both upper and the lower abs.

Knee-ins: these are another great exercise for lower abs

Reverse crunches: this is another variation which hits both upper and the lower abs.

5 Reasons why you should use Whey Protein to Build Muscle

I train and get questioned by beginners to intimidate lifters training to build muscle and gain strength all the time. What’s the question you may ask? Especially from people with the body type that of the one which has hard time putting on weight and when I say weight I mean muscle not fat!



You are doing everything necessary to build muscle, you are training hard, tracking your macros and resting well, but still you feel there is a missing element in your muscle building Plan. In this article, I am going to discuss a simple strategy to put on muscle whether you are a beginner or a beginner with an ectomorph body.



The biggest problem with beginners is that they believe if they follow a training routine of pro bodybuilder like Jay cutler or Ronnie Coleman they can become one or look like them. Well sorry to wake you up people; it isn’t going to happen because they have great genetics which only few people on earth possess. Other important thing is that you are natural so putting on so much of muscle isn’t possible.



Assuming you are getting good rest, and your training is on point and diet is ok, if you still believe there is a hole in your game then you got to revisit the nutrition plan again.

Now let’s look at what you can do to put on muscle naturally and irrespective of your genetics. You can start putting on by following certain outlined tips.



 First and foremost, you must start training with weights and get your body adjusted to the training demand. Weight training is one of the best ways to stimulate muscle growth and spike testosterone. Make sure your training routine has lot of compound moments and less of machines.





Nutritional plan



Have a good nutritional plan to build muscle and maintain it. Always remember muscles are built by what you eat and how you time your meals. Quality of food and right kind of macros at the right time is very important. Now I suggest you add whey protein to your diet, there are numerous benefits of taking whey protein to build muscle. Whey protein helps you burn fat and stay lean at the same time it’s a great stuff to build increase muscle size. It’s also said to help reduce stress and boost your immunity.



One of the best whey protein is muscle Blaze Whey protein, I prefer to take 2 whey protein shakes a day and my training has improved since I have added Muscle Blaze to my nutritional arsenal gains have drastically improved.

Here is the link to Muscle Blaze Fat Burner:

http://amzn.to/2rnd5G8

Here is the link to Muscle Blaze Whey Protein:



http://amzn.to/2syW9AJ

Lose 5 kgs|| Drinking only Water and Eating Fruits

I often get asked are there easier ways to get fit and lean without toiling away lot of time in gym or doing any other form of physical activity. Well the answer is NO! you must invest time to get good health, it doesn’t matter whether you want to get lean and sport some six pack abs or build a big business. Everything takes time and most importantly nothing comes easy in life.

Well let’s get to the topic for today, can we lose 5 kgs by drinking water and eating only fruits? Yes, one can do that but there are several factors that insists it’s not a healthy way to do it. Let me explain to burn fat one needs muscle and to build muscle you need protein. If you are going to eat just fruits where the hell are you going to get the protein from? So, going on just fruits and water is going to be a temporary fix to your long-term quest.

How long can one sustain on a water and fruit only diet? more importantly if you just lose 5 kgs it is not going to help you in achieving you goal, which is to lose fat and become lean. Often when people on these kinds of diets they end up doing more harm than good.

Simplest way to lose weight is to exercise and exercise regularly. What form of exercising to choose I would solely leave it on you. You can start by walking 2kms a day and then gradually increase the distance and intensity. You can join a gym and train with weights to slim down and tighten up. You can do cycling or if you know how to swim, then you can swim.

It’s the regularity that gets you results not what form of training. people who can shed weight and build lean muscles are on great training plan and good diet. But most importantly they have the dedication and the drive to achieve it. what i mean by it is you need not go crazy on diet or do endless amount of exercises. Take one step at a time and depends on you level of fitness and your level of weight training experience.
Now coming to your question how to lose weight quickly or the best way here is a suggestion.

First and foremost you must start training with weights and get your body adjusted to the training demand. I suggest do cardio at least 3 days a week. Trying doing HIT cardio and do weight training for 2 to 3 days.

Do lot of pushups and pull ups and chin ups if are at home and cannot access gym. You can also go for short sprints all this can be done in 30 minutes at the most daily.

Have a good nutritional plan to build muscle and maintain it.

Train on HIT principal that's what I train on and train my clients.

Properly schedule rest and recuperate well to gain muscle.
Eat at least 1700 calories of right kind of food.

Fitness trackers are they worth the Money?

Fitness tracker are the in thing in today’s world, where looking good, fit and sporting a six pack is a fashionable thing. Tracking your fitness activity may be good but it’s not the solution to getting a fitter body or health. I have certainly seen the raise of awareness in people from tracking macros to following a structured training program, which is awesome. But my big question is how beneficial or shall I say are Fitness trackers worth the money?

Well these wrist bands are no ordinary bands, they are health tracking devices. These devices help one to track heart rate, blood oxygen level and total steps taken for particular day and calories burnt. It does give you some good data which otherwise can’t be manually tracked. The information provided by these bands is quite impressive. They are flashy and in-thing in the fitness industry, they come in wide variety of designs and price ranges. Prices range from $100 to $ 250 and above depending on the brands and functionality and designs, now you can’t expect all in one in the basic model. There are lot of top brands in the market namely, Fit bit flex, Jawbone and the misfit shine, well suit yourself!

Into The shadow: Dorian Yates Movie

 

I have one word to write about this documentary and it’s just “brilliant”, I think Brain Did an excellent job making this movie with Dorian. If you found the first interview Brain did with Dorian was interesting wait till you watch ‘Into the shadow’, the kind of rapport brain shares with Dorian over the years has great impact on the movie. The opening scene of the movie is priceless and so is Dorian yates voice and knowledge, I am being a bodybuilding fanatic and part historian myself I am blown away by Dorian yates depth of knowledge and his persona outside of bodybuilding world.

The movie has everything right from talks to footage of Dorian when he was at the pinnacle of his bodybuilding career. There are scenes where he compares himself now and then, the movie is matter of fact journey of Dorian yates from a one-dimensional athlete to a great human being and you know what he is an intellectual being. I have followed Dorian yates right from his bodybuilding heydays to till date, what a great man and his thought pattern is just brilliant and that gives the movie a different outlook altogether. A must watch movie for not only DY fan but also for people across different niche’s, I wish brain all the very best and I think he should come up with a documentary on himself and his experience in wall street.

Quality of food for staying fit

We live in an age and time where most of the thing is adulterated. How can we be sure of the food we eat is of the good quality forget the best I am merely taking about being good.  Me being a fitness freak and someone who likes to stay fit, always think about what to eat to stay fit? How to get fit and healthy?

Now that’s me being me, but the issue which bugs me to the core is what does a layman do who just wants to stay healthy and have better and longer healthy life. Remember we are what we eat or put in our body. Whether its fitness food, fitness meal or food for fitness; the quality of food is far more important than the actual food itself.

We all know what the right kinds of food are, we need to eat to get fit and stay healthy. We might follow numerous fitness workouts and might focus on healthy fitness recipes while focusing on nutrition, what good does it serve us if the quality of food itself is questionable?

I run a YouTube channel and doing interviews with other fitness youtubers discussing various topics right from effects of steroids to steroid use in fitness industry. I also take about training techniques and diet and food for fitness, mind you these fitness youtubers are natural and don’t use any enhanced substance. This is a video where me and Nigel Bush discussing quality of food and how build good physique by staying natural.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel please do shoot me questions or topics you want me to write and make videos on it can be what are the best supplements to build muscle, healthy fitness meals or how to burn fat and get shredded.