1) Lifting is King
Lifting weights is King when it comes to getting in shape. If you doubt this, walk into any local gym and check what the most fit people in the gym are doing. They aren't walking on a treadmill staring at a TV, they are in the weight room lifting away. Lifting increases your heart rate. Lifting builds muscle, muscle burns fat, muscle ups your metabolism.
“But I don't want to get huge” - Relax. Every huge monster you see in the gym is on anabolic steroids with no exception. Even on steroids getting huge requires almost constant eating, lifting 6 days per week, and the desire to get huge. Don't inject, don't eat 5,000 calories a day, don't want to get huge and it won't happen. Ever.
“But I just want to ‘tone' up” - Lifting is how you tone up. Cardio, like jogging and elliptical machines, do not tone you up. They may help you lose weight but you will just be skinny-fat if you don't lift. Muscle is what gives you the “toned” look.
2) Nutrition is queen
Nutrition is almost as important as lifting. You cannot get into shape eating Twinkies, sodas, and McDonalds all day. Every fitness magazine and every bodybuilder will tell you to eat high carb, high protein, and low fat. It works for them. What they will never tell you is that they are on anabolic steroids and therefore do not need to eat any fat.
Fat is essential for building testosterone, testosterone is essential for building muscle. When a bodybuilder or athlete injects synthetic testosterone daily they have no need to build it naturally. For a natural trainee high fat, high-medium protein, and low carb is the best route.
“But eating fat makes you fat!” - No, eating fat does not make you fat unless you are eating man-made, chemically altered fats likes trans-fats and vegetable oils. Stick to real foods that contain saturated animal fat. Fatty meat, butter, eggs, fish, whole milk (raw, I can't recommend pasteurized) etc.. are excellent foods for the natural trainer.
“What about all that cholesterol?”- You have been lied to by the media and what you believe to be science. Eating cholesterol does not increase your cholesterol. Cholesterol is essential to eat.
Old Timer Eugene Sandow
Carbohydrate sources:
The best carbohydrate sources are starchy tubers like sweet potatoes, yams, and regular potatoes. White rice is an ok source. The benefits of fruits and vegetables have been greatly exaggerated. Much of modern fruit is sugar in a prettier package.
Most, if not all, the vitamins and minerals a human needs can be found in a rare steak. There is a reason your grandfather and great-grandfather had much more testosterone than today's men. They ate natural foods high in fat - beef, pork, milk, eggs. They weren't eating “health” foods like soy and wheat.
To lose weight - To lose weight you must eat less food. You will hear advice saying that you need to eat MORE to lose weight. Worse, some people actually believe this. Saying that eating 6 times per day will increase your metabolism or some other nonsense and help you lose weight. In a dream world this might work. 1 or 2 big meals per day is perfect for losing weight.
2 meals of steak and eggs will give you much steady energy and you will not have the need to snack or eat more often. 1 giant meal is harder to start doing, but the benefits are just as good. You can eat not quite perfect and still lose weight at a comfortable rate.
If you're excessively fat or obese it is because you cannot tolerate carbohydrates. You should severely limit or completely cut off carbohydrate intake. Only re-introduce them very slowly (if at all) after you have lost a good deal of weight.
To gain weight - To gain weight you must eat more food. Smaller, more frequent meals are ideal for gaining weight. Anywhere between 4-6 meals per day is perfect. It's very hard to gain weight eating fewer meals, this is the reason every bodybuilder eats 6 meals per day. You have to eat to grow. Start eating. When you feel like you can't eat anymore, eat some more.
3) Cardio is Prince
Some cardio is ok. Endless jogging or other cardio machine usage in a steady rhythm is downright counter-productive. If this sounds unbelievable, go to the gym again and watch all the people that flock to the cardio machines. 95% of them will be completely out of shape. Cardio is not the healthy route.
A much better route than traditional cardio is “conditioning”. Conditioning workouts will utilize periods of intense physical exertion with periods of rest. Things like sprints are an excellent way to get into phenomenal shape. As a general rule - to get into great shape train like an athlete would train. Don't train like the slobs on the treadmill train.
Tell me. What would a man drink with his 2-3 meals each day?
Water.
Or kefir, which is probiotics + D vitamin and extra calories in case your goal is to bulk up if you are skinny/not eating as much as you know you have to eat.
And most of kefirs have no lactose sugar in it.
Probiotics enchance your immunity, create mental stability and calmness and give you focus.
Water is good though, you have to eat first if you want to effectively consume alot of energy for bulking thorough day. When you feel urge to drink water, drink water.
If you want something with calories, drink that.
that emaciated dude on the left is no mere ‘jogger’…more like a long distance running freak. That does not look healthy or sound fun…I don’t think you need to run more than 20-25 miles a week to maintain enough cardio to participate in 10k runs if you want to. You have a better chance of getting the benefits of running without the injuries, and what I used to do was make my running tough by avoiding pavement and running in the median between the street and sidewalk where possible. More of a cross country workout in which you are engaging more muscles.
Hey victor, What should I eat as a Vegetarian and any other advice?
Be a man and eat meat.
Victor
I agree that too much jogging is not good for you. I go once a week and run 10 km (about 6 miles). I do it just to relax the mind and trim excess body fat. Is that too much in your opinion?
Imad,
Nah, that’s fine. Jogging as a one stop solution for fitness is baloney but jogging once a week is fine, and has some great mental benefits.
Victor,
Love your blog. Through some trial and error I had found these truths listed above about two years ago when I was 46 years old, pot bellied with skinny arms and legs. After two years of gym work with Squats, Dead Lifts, Bench Presses, and lots of steak and eggs I have the fit body of a man half my age (apparently I was blessed with good genetics but sadly never knew it until now). At 6’2″ I have gone from a 46″ waist to a 29″ waist. My shoulder are broad and I have the big V taper. I get stopped on the street and in stores all the time with people commenting on my physique. Funny, but most of the looks I get are from men (I assume it is envy - although I did receive a proposition…sorry dude… I don’t swing that way!). I’ve noticed that women’s eyes are always going to my chest and abs (maybe cause the six pack I’m sporting is rare these days?). I still get a kick out of catching the waitresses glancing down at them when they are taking my order (for steak and eggs, haha). My biggest regret in my life is why for the life of me did I not do this 30 years ago? For you younger guys, take the advice you read on this blog to heart and get started NOW! Life really is shorter than you think and it passes by so quickly… get going on the ass-kicking when you are young!!!
thnks for tht …..!
I used to jog on the sidewalk 5 times a week. My knees and spine would always hurt, even with “running” shoes. I gave that up, and now if I run (and I almost never do unless its softball season), its in a pair of soccer cleats (just enough traction, but not too much where you tear and ACL or MCL), on grass surface, doing windsprints. 95% of my cardio now comes from a shadow boxing and jumping jacks.
Needless to say, I’m about 200 % percent more toned, doing almost 0 running cardio.
The funny thing is, people ask me things like “how much do you jog a day?” “And how many little meals do you eat a day?”
When I tell them, I never jog, and I eat 1-2 feasts a day, consisiting of eggs and mainly red meats, I generally get, “Isn’t that unhealthy?”
My answer ‘I dunno, I look and feel pretty healthy, isnt that why you are asking me for diet advice? But by all means continue eating 6 meals a day and continue jogging, let me know where that gets you.”
Weights are far better than any form of running. Sprints are solid, jogging is for fruits.
I was just looking for some awesome routine, i found 70’s routine awesome to work ……and thnks for the post …..Keep Writing, and I’ll come into SHAPE for sure …!! I’ll tke ACTIONS ..!!
I swear I thought eating 6 small meals was way to go but I now track back and realize I actually lost more back at University when I was weight gyming and eating big meals
Hey Vic, I’ve been doing Vince girondas 8×8 style training along with following IF and a steak and eggs diet, I do HIIT on off days. Now what type of bodyweight workouts can I do everyday? Which can increase the deficit I’m already on?
Pushups, pullpups, situps and bodysquats.
So just doing 20-30 minutes of this is good enough cardio?
Yep.
Actually that would also include leg raises.
Leg raise work similar muscle to sit-ups but they have more benefits because they work more muscle and are more useful for being strong in real life.
Also look into bridges if you are interested.
Does this apply for ladies as well
#1 rule for ladies is watch what you eat. Diet. Eat less than you currently do and never return to the old eating habits.
I enjoy reading your articles with “no-nonsense” thinking. I always laugh about your true comments. Good writing.
Dear Victor.
Thanks for the very informative and useful content. Is it possible that I could email you some pics and agive a plan for me?
Best regards,
Magnus
Hey Victor,
Are there any supplements or steroid alternatives out there that your recommend that are still legal? I want to get bigger and I’m working out hard in the gym but the results aren’t coming fast enough.
thanks,
Fred
When you say ”lifting” do you mean only lifting weights or bodyweight exercises as well?
Great article by the way, concerning our grandfathers i think they were healthier and more energetic not only because of different nutrition but because the overal different kind of lifestyle. No television,no drinking colas and playing video games,no effeminate men and more physical activity.Don’t you think so?
PS: i loved the kin-queen-prince simile.
hey mate I’m from india I’m overweight I just join gym I do 20 minutes run on treadmill .then I start lifting weight .plz tell me is my routine is good to lose 30 KGS
I’m confuse every one in the gym told me lift light weight and do more cardio
plz tell me is lifting heavy weight make me overweight
I love this… I been doing the 2 meal a day thing and it’s been working wonders. My stomach is getting smaller and my personal training friend told me that I am looking more toned even though it’s only been a few weeks. Finally something easy where I don’t have to count calories anymore or do crazy amount of cardio! Thanks man
victor, they recommend for a beginner, you can not afford a gym ?, always work with body weight, pullups, squats, but I need more strength.