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• Cheat Days – Fitness Mythbuster Revealed!

  Posted: March 9, 2011

  

  Oh no…you knew it was coming sooner or later didn’t you?!? From the first resurfacing of the newly named “Xecutioner” last Monday, it was only a matter of time before he was back to answer the question he posed long long ago on this blog about the viability of cheat days (and more importantly…their impact on your six pack success!)

  Well…as is quickly becoming customary when the Xecutioner makes an appearance, you may want to hide the women and children and strap on the bullet proof vest because I have a feeling he is going to come out firing here! Read more »

  
  

• BUILDING MUSCLE AND BURNING FAT…AT APPLEBEE’S?!?

  Posted: July 15, 2011

  

  It’s not often that I find myself in a chain restaurant…but hey, it does happen.  The best part about it is, “I Ain’t Scared!”  Seriously, all kidding aside, I am confident that I can walk into any restaurant on the planet and find SOMETHING that I can eat that will not only NOT destroy what I’ve been trying to accomplish all along with my hard effort in the gym…..and that will actually HELP me to continue the muscle building and fat burning efforts!

  I know you probably think I’m crazy.

  Lots of you out there reading this will practically have nightmares about the thought of having to eat out for a family dinner, a business meeting, or a casual get together with friends.  You’ve been working your butt off sticking to the AthLEAN-X workouts and your “diet” is locked in with the incredibly easy to follow X-Factor Meal Plans…and you just know that one trip to OUTBACK may be enough to sink the ship (or at least get it way off course!).

  And I’m saying it doesn’t have to be like that AT ALL….as long as you’ve got a plan.  A simple, fool proof step by step plan for avoiding DINING OUT DESTRUXION as I like to call it.

  I follow my own plan every time I go out to eat.  I’ll take a menu full of choices and narrow it down to the ONLY things on it that I can eat.  Well, guess how many that was at good old Applebee’s?  One?  Three?  Seven??  NO.  Try 31 meals are actually what I would call “AthLEAN Acceptable”! Bet you didn’t think it would even be close to that!  You can’t tell me that you can’t find SOMETHING out of those 31 meal choices right?!?

  So what is this plan?  Anyone who purchases the AthLEAN-X Training System right now will receive the limited time “EZ Eating Out Equation”! It’s my fool proof method that I use EVERY time I go out to eat and it helps me to always be able to eat something that not only tastes good but actually is good to my body and doesn’t get me off track on my way to ATHLEAN!

  So as you head out to eat this weekend, eat with confidence and don’t sweat it!  Leave the sweating for the gym!  Get the “EZ Eating Out Equation” with your purchase of AthLEAN-X for a limited time only! When it’s gone….it’s gone forever!

  Stay Strong,

  Jeff

  
  

• MUSCLE BUILDING MEAL PLAN – DOES FRUIT BELONG IN IT?

  Posted: October 6, 2011

  

  One 0f the most common questions I get is whether or not fruits belong in a muscle building meal plan.  The confusion lies in the usually high sugar content in fruits and the fact that most have heard that sugar is generally a bad thing when it comes to building lean muscle.  Well, let me help to clear up the issue right now with an explanation of how fruit not only fits in, but at certain times…is the BEST option for fueling new muscle growth.

  The first distinction that needs to be made is that of the chemical makeup of the sugars in fruit. Fruit is not made of pure glucose but rather a mixture of slower digesting carbs called fructose and the already stated glucose.  Pure glucose is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and can cause a quick reversal of plummeting blood sugar.  This is why, high glucose foods are often the choice of diabetics who are having a hypoglycemic attack!  Fruit juice often reverses this and makes the person feel better within minutes, but this is due to the simple glucose related sugars that are abundant in juice and not fructose.  On the other hand, fructose (because of it’s molecular shape and makeup) is broken down and absorbed almost entirely in the small intestine.  What this does is limit the effect of fructose on insulin response and therefore acts like a “non-sugar” sugar in that case.

  Now, that said…remember that fruit is NOT pure fructose! It has almost half of it’s carbohydrate content coming from good old fashioned fast acting glucose as well.  So what does that mean?  Simple.  Fruit, when used as your carbohydrate, can provide BOTH immediate blood sugar spikes and longer term sustained energy responses via it’s glucose/fructose one-two combo.  It’s very unique that way and definitely a powerful muscle recovery food that can’t be ignored when factoring in where your calories are coming from.

  Taking all of this into consideration think about when the ideal time might be for including fruit in your meal.  When would your body and muscles benefit most from the short term burst in blood sugar/insulin and also a slower, longer acting source of energy?  Exactly…right after a workout.  With your muscles natural glycogen stores most likely depleted from your high intensity workouts, you’ll want to immediately act to replenish these broken down carbs with immediate sources of glucose.  At the same time, remember, you’ll want to flush into your muscles (along with that sugar) a hefty does of recuperative protein.  The perfect solution?  A meal replacement shake (carbs + protein) with some fresh fruit used for flavoring!  Throw this all in a blender and you’ve got the perfect option to take in during the crucial 45 – 60 minute window for post workout replenishment.

  So that said, if you’re stuck on trying to figure out whether or not fruit belongs in your muscle building meal plans…don’t be.  It does.  It just needs to be timed correctly and combined with other essential nutrients in the right amounts to produce the optimal effects you’re looking for.  Throw in the antioxidant benefits and vitamin/mineral doses that fruit has been proven to deliver and you’ve got more than just a few reasons to go bananas for fruit as part of your “gain” plan!

  Stay Strong,

  Jeff

  Still not sure about the best timing for not only fruit, but specific proteins, carbohydrates and even essential fatty acids when it comes to putting together the optimal meal plan for muscle building?  Don’t be.  Let the AthLEAN-X Factor Meal Plans show you exactly how to combine your foods for fastest muscle gains.  CLICK HERE to learn more about these step by step plans.

  
  

• THE TRUTH ABOUT CARBOHYDRATES AND BUILDING MUSCLE

  Posted: July 5, 2010

  

  Enough!!  I’ve had it!!  Whoever is to blame for the “carbphobia” that permeates the minds of so many people struggling to lose weight, it’s time to track them downand hold them responsible for the biggest most ill-conceived and irresponsible marketing ploy in the last few decades.  Plain and simple…CARBS ARE NOT THE ENEMY! Whew, I feel much better now that I’ve got that off my chest.  But there’s more.  Simply saying this is not going to cut it and I know that.  You’ve had years now of hearing the exact opposite, and one article is not going to suddenly switch your entire belief system, so let me explain a bit more why they are more friend than foe…especially if you are trying to build muscle!

  First, let me start by asking you a question.  Would you try to run your car without gasoline? Why not?  Well, it’s probably pretty obvious.  Do this for a little while and you’ll get by.  Extend this risk for too long and you’ll wind up stranded on the side of the road somewhere when your car finally gives up.  Well, if you wouldn’t do this then why the heck are you trying to build muscles, burn fat and workout without carbs?  It’s the same thing.  They are the primary FUELS, the gasoline equivalent, for everything I just mentioned.  But for some reason…you’re fearing them instead of cheering them.  Let’s change that right now.

  Carbohydrates are literally the engine that makes the muscle building process run. During the workout, they supply the immediate source of fuel to get you through and allow you to work out at a high intensity.  Glycogen (carbs stored within the muscles) is easily broken down and utilized as the preferred fuel to energize muscle contraction.  Consume too few carbs (or none at all if you’re following some of the terrible fad diets out there!) and the bidy will steal protein that would othewise have been used for repairing and building muscle.   After the workout, their role gets even more important.  It’s at that time that carbs stimulate the release of insulin which pushes amino acids into muscle cells to begin this process of repair.

  So how much and what kind you’re probably wondering?  For simplicity sake you should aim to consume 2 to 2.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight each day from foods like sweet potatoes, pasta, rice, oatmeal, cous cous and whole wheat bread.  Now, of this 2 to 2.5 gram total, it’s important to know that about half of this should be in the form of fibrous carbs (like salads, veggies, beans, carrots, asparagus, etc) and the other half in the starchy carbs.  For the best metabolic effect at each meal, it’s most beneficial to combine equal parts starchy and fibrous carbohydrates (with some high quality protein as well) for a complete meal.  Do this and you’ll be well on your way to kick starting the stubborn muscle growth that had been self induced by your ill-advised carbphobia.

  So if you find that you’re total caloric intake coming from carbs is somewhere around 10-20%, realize that your tank (and your muscles) are sputtering and you’re close to running on empty.  You simply cannot fuel the “machine” by restricting it from it’s primary source of fuel. Instead, stop fearing the carbs, bump that total up to more like 50% and realize that when it comes to building muscle, not only are they not to be ignored, but they are largely responsible for how you look and the ease with which you build muscle.  Weigh the facts about carbs (the REAL facts and not what the diet industry would have you believe in order to sell an ineffective diet!) and see for yourself why these misunderstood muscle growers make a better ‘friend’ than ‘foe’ when working out is one of your passions and looking great is an even bigger one!

  Stay Strong,

  Jeff

  For more information on the specifics behind the type of carbs you should be eating, when exactly you NEED to be eating them throughout the day, and the specific type to avoid if you want muscle definition as well as size…check out the AthLEAN-X Factor Meal Plans that come in the AthLEAN-X Training System.  You can find both by CLICKING HERE.

  
  

• FAT LOSS MEAL PLANS THAT ACTUALLY WORK FOR GUYS

  Posted: June 19, 2010

  Tell any guy that in order to lose weight he has to follow a strict diet and you’re likely to be met with a look as if he just found out you’re dating his little sister.  Why is that?  Simple…because guys HATE diets!  Diets are synonymous with deprivation.  Don’t eat carbs.  Don’t eat fat.  Don’t…don’t…don’t.  Well, just as little boys hate to hear the word “don’t” , their grown up versions of themselves don’t like it either.  It’s just not programmed into our DNA.

  So how do you effectively get a guy to lose weight if he doesn’t want to follow a diet?  Easy.  Don’t make it FEEL as if he’s even on one!  Again, the key here is to avoid the feeling of deprivation.  The more we’re told we can’t have something the more we want it.  It’s the velvet rope philosophy.  Get told that you can’t go into a nightclub…even if it looks like a dive, and suddenly it becomes a MUST to gain access to.

  So to avoid causing the feeling of deprivation you’ve got to allow…well…eating!  The AthLEAN-X “X Factor” Meal Plans actually encourage more meals than what most guys are used to eating in a day.  I know that by allowing my guys to eat more often I can help them manipulate hormones that normally trigger hunger and cravings for bad foods.  Once I know I’ve got these in control, I can take off the reins and let them eat as much as they want until they’re full!

  I know, it sounds crazy…but it works.  Believe me, the last thing a guy wants to have to do is measure out his food, count the number of almonds he’s eating, weigh his chicken breast to see if he went over the recommended 6 oz by an ounce, or pour milk back in the carton because he took a drop too much!  Instead, he’d prefer to just be a guy who has many other things to concentrate on like his job, family, dating schedule, or which of his friends are having the guys over for the game on Sunday.  Period.

  So with AthLEAN-X Meal Plans, I did just that.  I not only formulated specific times for eating (so that I knew I could control the hormones encouraging overeating) but also provided them with huge amounts of food and food options from which they could pick their own favorites and customize a plan that worked for them.  90 days of meal plans were put together to make it as guess-free as possible…if that’s what is desired.  If instead, a guy wants to have the freedom to choose his own foods and what he wants to eat, that’s fine too.  He can simply pick and choose from the 90 days of options and eat however he wants to.  Believe me, with over 40 different options for snacks, breakfast, lunches and dinners….it’s not that hard to find at least 10 things that you not only like but love!

  So ask yourself.  With the first day of Summer just days away…are you as lean as you want to be?  Would you like to lose at least a couple more pounds of fat to better show off that six pack that you’ve been working hard on but can’t quite see yet?  Then start following AthLEAN-X and at least get started on the meal plans right away.  You’ll  never be happier being on a “diet”.  Suddenly burning fat will seem a whole lot easier than getting into that night club.  Who really wants to go in that Shi*#&y club anyway!

  Stay Strong,

  Jeff

  No more time to wait guys.  The official first day of Summer is upon us and it’s time to look great…not just good, when its time for the shirt to come off!  Get the jump start you need by making sure your nutrition is exactly where it needs to be.  Remember, what you eat is 70-80% more responsible for how you look as what you do in the gym!  Don’t forget that.  So if you did nothing else but find a program that allows you to eat like a regular guy…but look like anything but one…then you can start to look like you’ve already started your workouts months ago, even if you haven’t!  CLICK HERE to start ATHLEAN-X Today!

  
  

• ALCOHOL AND WORKING OUT – IS IT OR IS IT NOT OK?

  Posted: June 7, 2010

  

  When the warm weather hits it seems so too does the preprogrammed desire for males (and females for that matter) to grab some sort of alcoholic beverage to quench the thirst.   “There’s nothing like a cold beer on a warm Summer day” is what you’ll hear from most guys as they knock back another frosty.  But what is this doing to your muscle building and fat loss efforts?  Is it really preventing you from having a six pack?  Well…you know the kind I mean.  The one you can’t buy at the package store!

  I figured that I get this question so often that it was worth my honest, face the facts answer.  But before we get started, put down the bottles.  For the safety of the author here, I don’t want you to get any ideas about throwing them at me if you don’t like what you read!  Ok.  Let’s break the lid open on this hot topic of alcohol and working out and find out if they really can go together like gin and tonic…or should be viewed more like oil and water.

  I think any fair discussion of this should really start with first determining what your goals are…because really, that’s going to determine almost everything.  If you want to develop the body of a strong man competitor, night club bouncer, or person that is affectionately known as “tank” or “big man” then mixing in some daily alcohol consumption is not going to destroy the “look” you’re going for.  It can still limit the amount of muscle you can build (and I’ll explain that later) but it’s not going to really matter that you don’t have a six pack…since you’ve already identified by that body type, that you’re more in love with the aluminum version instead of the abs of steel.

  If on the other hand, like a lot of guys…you are hoping to not only put on muscle but also get ripped and look like you could be on the cover of a magazine (or at least adored by the ladies as if you WERE on the cover of a fitness magazine!), then all bets are off.  Even just those “few” beers or drinks at the weekly Summer picnic, or night out with the boys, etc will eventually add up to quickly make any progress you were making in your ab visibility disappear like a flea in a kennel! There simply isn’t much room for error when getting ripped is your goal.  Wait…let me rephrase that.  Getting ripped with regularity will definitely NOT help you to get a ripped body!  Got it now?  Good.

  But why you ask?  The answer is really based in how the alcohol does it’s thing that really makes it more than just a calorie crusher.  But lets start there.  The fact that alcohol (be it beer, wine, mixed drinks etc) are all ingestible as liquid calories make them incredibly overlooked as potential belly busters.  We mostly associate our degree of being overweight by the amount of food that we eat.  Well, your alcohol is food…just pureed if you will!  A mix of hops, malt, barley, etc all mashed up into this nice little convenient mixture that goes down oh so easy!  BUT…calories are still calories and if you have enough of them, your belly is going to show it.

  The second factor is that, lets face it….most of the time when you’re reaching for the suds you’re almost never eating healthy at the same time.  French fries, chips, dips, nuts, pizza, and burgers (to name just a few) are the likely compliment to your “meal” of beer!  These are obviously not muscle flexing friendly choices and it goes without too much more explanation that a steady habit of this one-two combo won’t be etching in your abs any time soon.

  The third factor is actually a physiological one…but THE biggest problem with alcohol when you’re trying to either get clearly defined muscle (or even build muscle at all!) and it has to do with the fact that alcohol is a dehydrator.  As a diuretic, it will actually dehydrate your muscles faster than a raisin in the Sahara Desert!  The ironic part of it all is….the more you drink, the thirstier you become so you drink more and the vicious cycle continues!  As many of you who drink far too little water (remember I always say at least half of your bodyweight in ounces a day!) could attest, a dehydrated muscle is a small muscle!  Think of that raisin.  If it only had water it’d be a grape for crying out loud.  They can fit a whole bunch of raisins in a box, but could probably only cram 2-3 grapes in the same box if lucky!

  It goes even deeper.  Besides the fact that the muscle itself is smaller when dehydrated, it’s also less active.  Just as you would feel sluggish and ready to pass out without water, so to would your muscles.  They won’t fire correctly (causing your workouts to be nonproductive) they won’t burn fat efficiently (causing you to start slowly storing more and more fat as a result) and they won’t grow in the long run (like the plant that doesn’t get the sun in the back corner of the garden).  That is one strong three pronged punch to your gut…that in the long run is going to ensure that you never get rid of yours!

  So what are your options if you decide that your goals lie somewhere in the middle of getting the perfect six pack or helping your buddies drink one?  Well, in this case I would suggest that you identify how you hold you’re liquor.  No I’m not talking about the way you put it in your hand.  I mean, what type of drinker are you?  If you have a tendency to drink lots of beer at one time, then it might be wiser to stick to a microbrew or thicker beer.  Lite beers (while having fewer calories) are often drank in much higher quantities and therefore the “lite” becomes a nonfactor after the 5th beer!  On the other hand, a thick microbrew or darker beer might be filling at 1-2 beers and therefore result in a better outcome in the long run.  Finally, if mixed drinks are your thing….just remember to switch in a diet version of your soda to save your six pack aspirations considerably!  Two rum and diets can have just slightly more calories than are in one regular beer.  So choose accordingly!

  Either way, the real truth is that you have to define what is most important to you.  If you truly want to get the six pack abs that you’ve dreamed about for a long time, then you simply have to generally refrain from certain indulgences….and alcohol is one of them.  I’m not saying that’s easy, but then again if it was, everybody would have them.  Decide what drives you and then make a plan that will help you get to that goal.  Whatever it is, when you reach it, it will be worth the work it took to get there.

  Stay Strong,

  Jeff

  Sure that you want to get six pack abs (not the other kind of six pack) but aren’t quite sure how to get there in the shortest time?  Let the ATHLEAN-X TRAINING SYSTEM show you how to get incredible abs, a chiseled chest and biceps that you’d more commonly see on a professional athlete as celebrity fitness trainer Jeff Cavaliere shows you exactly how to get there in just 90 days.  You can see more about this step by step system and meal plan by CLICKING HERE.

  
  

• MUSCLE BUILDING MEAL IN MINUTES – DINNER MADE SIMPLE!

  Posted: February 2, 2010

  OK Guys….

  Now nobody would ever confuse me with Emeril around the
  kitchen, but even I can make this super simple muscle meal
  look like a snap!

  Now can’t you do this too?

  Want to get 30+ more dinner options that are just as
  easy to prepare, can get you ripped like me and actually
  allow you to eat a lot?!? CLICK HERE and get AthLEAN today!

  
  

• MUSCLE BUILDING LUNCH OPTIONS – MAXIMIZE YOUR MUSCLE GROWTH ALL DAY LONG!

  Posted: January 22, 2010

  Back for Part II of the “What the heck do I eat series?!?”
  Up this time…LUNCH!!

  Here are some “Fast” food ideas that are quick and easy to prepare (even for us guys!)

  Want a complete meal by meal “Eat This and Not That”
  System that anyone can follow?

  CLICK HERE and grab your 90 Day X-Factor Meal Plans
  along with the best muscle building, fat shredding
  workout system available today!

  
  

• AthLEAN-X COVERS THE BREAKFAST BASICS – WHAT TO EAT TO MAXIMIZE YOUR MUSCLE!

  Posted: January 10, 2010

  Inquiring minds want to know….WHAT do I eat
  to get as lean and shredded as I am?

  I put together a video for you from my kitchen
  to show you EXACTLY what I eat.
  (stay tuned for the cameos from my two
  four footed vacuum cleaners!)

  Want your OWN 90 day Meal Plans that will blast away the fat,
  build mountains of muscle AND actually let you EAT?!?
  Click Here for Yours! and get AthLEAN Today!