Download Episode 26 by updating on iTunes or directly here: TheFitCast026.mp3 (Right Click and Save-As)

SHOW NOTES WILL BE HERE SOON.

There is going to be no show for this week. I am so busy with school related stuff that it was impossible.I think that at some point a break is needed to avoid burning out, so maybe this is a good thing. We will be back strong next week. I will keep you posted on upcoming guests and other news.

Have a great weekend!

KL

 I take that back. John and I just did a super quick show. About 25 minutes jam packed with content! Look for it around midnight!

KL

Hello everyone. I just have some quick news I want to tell you about, so I will be brief.

1. John Williams will be back this week on Episode 26.

2. I have a new article up on EliteFTS called, “The Good Freshman Fifteen.”

3. The First FitCast Challenge has started on The FitCast Forum.

4. Chris Shugart is this weeks guest. You can submit questions in the comments to this post, on the thread for questions for Chris, or you can e-mail me: kevin.larrabee@gmail.com with the title “Questions for Chris” in the subject line.

That is it for now. I will have the review of Inside-Out this weekend!

Take Care,

Kevin

 By: Jonas Talkington

Week 7
Vacation.  We went to a spa called Devin, in the Rhodope mountains in southern Bulgaria.  We got there expecting to really have a fantastic week including doing spa-like things, work out, take hikes, etc. and so on and so forth.  Well, sort of.

I liked the hotel a lot, we got a suite and were happy.  The town was small, and slightly boring, but that was kind of exactly what we needed.  With very hectic lives, a period where we didn’t really have ANYTHING to do was exactly what we needed.

I thought the gym in the hotel kind of sucked, though, and didn’t really enjoy it.  As such, I only went to the gym two times during the week, one a decent workout, the other a cardio session with a small workout.  Oddly enough, I also got a great arm workout a few days, since the driving in those mountains is crazy (and I mean INSANE) and our car doesn’t have power steering, so I used them a LOT. (Funny how little things can become workouts once you notice them)

We also went one full day caving.  There were two caves that we went to that day.  Devils Throat and Yagodinska.  Devil’s Throat was a cool cave but an AWESOME workout (although I didn’t like it at the time.  It’s 14 stories from the bottom to the top, and all stairs.  Two months ago, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without taking two or three times the amount of time or having an aneurysm, whichever came first.  The next cave wasn’t arduous, but was very fun and almost a kilometer long.  We then went to a third little cave (climbing a big hill) that had remnants of people’s possessions that were 4000 years old.

Had a little bit of a downer, when, 3 days in, I stepped on the scale, the exact same model as is in the gym at home, I weighed in at 105 kilos.  I was stunned.  I had not been watching my diet as well as I should have on vacation (I had one cheat dish at dinner each night, hey, I was on vacation!) but Gal said I was doing okay with it.  She felt weird, too, though, since she came in at a couple of kilos over normal.  We decided to let it go and see what would happen when we came back.

We had all sorts of spa procedures, including massages, something called the sauna pod, special salt baths, etc and so on and so forth.  I enjoyed the massages the most, but hey, who doesn’t?  Galya and I were VERY tired the whole week, and I finally realized that we had changed altitude so much when going up in the mountains that it could have been affecting us.  I remembered that when I lived there in Peace Corps, I always had trouble with the adjustment for a few days.  I hoped that was what was wrong, anyhow.

We got back to Sofia on Friday, and I must admit, I felt much better nearly instantly.  Galya and I then, on Saturday, were Best Man and Maid of Honor at a friends wedding.  It was very fun, and we danced all night as well.  Super cardio

Didn’t work out on Sunday, was a bad boy.  We were super tired after the wedding and kind of spent the day recuperating.  Stay tuned for next weeks exciting episode of the Husband Project to see if I really lost all my progress weight wise or if the scale was just bunk.  Ciao for now!

No, just kidding.  The scale WAS off.  I went back to the gym and weighed in at 100.4.  This next week is the one where I break the 100 barrier.  I have no excuses this time.  I have everything laid out in front of me, including some time off between movies.  I am going to use this time to my advantage.  I am also going to try to begin swimming, as I hear it is one of the best things I could do cardio wise.  I am also going to continue doing the superhero workout I referenced in week 6.  It really burned me in the gym and I liked it.  It is a solid workout, and something I can stick to, so I will continue it.  My birthday is in 5 short weeks, and it was my goal to be in the best shape of my adult life.  That means below 215 and below 15% bodyfat.  Kind of sad, I know that that would be the best shape, but it is a goal I can reach.  I am just about there now, but I am going to work as hard as I can to be at the best spot I can be in.   This week is going to be big for me.  I can feel it.

Next week, you WILL get a glowing report.

So. Two months seems like a LONG time doesn’t it?  It sure does for me.  I think, that if I was a fitness professional, I would judge my progress to date as… well, not great.

Being just a regular guy, though, I can say that I feel like things are successful.

Here is a list of things that I feel that I have improved upon in my life:

1.    Eating Habits.  I have changed the way I eat.  I don’t eat a great amount of food at one sitting anymore, nor do I exceed my caloric limit intake for the day.  I have worked to educate myself on what foods I need to eat and what foods I should stay away from.  Some of them I love, some, not so much.  I wish I could have certain things, but it is something that I have learned to live with.  At times, I felt like I was in a prison of my own making, but I have passed that stage.  I eat at least 3 times a day now, and normally 5.
2.    Being Active.  I do at least something every day.  Whether it is walking, running up the stairs when I don’t have to, walking someplace instead of driving, moving things around (I like rearranging the apartment ) or anything else, I don’t avoid it now.  This has nothing to do with the fitness/training side of it, this is just every day life stuff.
3.    Goals.  I have goals set for myself training-wise now.  I want to get someplace, and I am trying to do what needs to be done to get there.
4.    Overall strength.  I have made very good gains in strength.  I feel stronger, I have more power, and I generally have more energy every day.

Here is a list of things that I think that I could STILL improve on. Some of them a LOT:

1.    Schedule.  I’ll admit it.  Time-wise, while I am not a late person, I am unorganized about the things that are down on my list to do.  I sometimes schedule myself out of workouts and the time I should spend doing them I end up doing something stupid, like sitting in traffic when I didn’t have to.
2.    Drinking Water.  I hate it.  I hands down, no lie, without a doubt despise drinking so much water.  I have let that one slide BAD and it has been holding me back progress wise.  I was not blessed with a watermelon for a bladder, and when I drink that much (a gallon and a half, I can’t do more yet) I end up having to go every half an hour ALL DAY, as well as feeling terribly bloated.  Sigh.  I know this is a very important one, but I guess I just have to try harder.
3.    Cardio.  I do cardio with increasing regularity, but I had it in my mind that the workout was by far the more important of the two, and that if I had an off day where I could sacrifice the cardio, it wasn’t a big deal.  I have since realized that that is defeatist thinking and something holding me back.  I am going to work up to cardio 6 days a week.
4.    Resolve.  I’ll admit it.  Since this is not a passion for me (yet) and it was against my paradigm to become a fitness guy, my resolve has not been what it should have been.  I wish I had the gumption to do this without complaint, but I must say that without my wife’s encouragement, I would have had an infinitely harder time.

So, four good things and four bad.  Not as well as I would have like to have done to date, but not bad either.  I feel confidant that I will get better and better as time goes on.  I am working on everything, and this week I got a very good surprise!
It was bad, since one of my friends left Bulgaria forever.  It was good because he had an elliptical trainer and a weight set at home that he just GAVE me.  Galya and I rearranged the apartment (I moved stuff back and forth all week!) and now we have a computer/weight room.  I used them for the first time yesterday, and, with a little creativity, I can get an excellent workout from what we have right here at home.  This is excellent for me and I think it will really impact the Husband Project positively, since a lot of my bad days were from no time.  Now though, I can just come right home (or wake up) and get a decent workout in.  Of course, I won’t be doing squats or deadlifts here, and some of the more specialized workouts I will go the gym, but as a buddy of mine once said, it’s bitchin’ to be self-sufficient.

All of this said, I would like to now present you with some numbers.

Original vs. Now

Neck-15.9 inches   now 15.4

Bicep- 14.9 inches  now 15.4

Hips- 47 inches   now 44.5

Pants Line-  41 inches   now  40

Belly Button- 47 inches   NOW  39!

So, some interesting results.  I lost an amazing (to me) 8 inches from around my waist.  I lost from everywhere but my biceps, which I put a half inch on.  They look bigger, though, since I also lost a lot of fat from my arms and they are more cut up.

Original weight and bodyfat percentage: 225 lbs.  18.5% bodyfat

New weight and bodyfat percentage: 220 lbs. and 15% bodyfat

Now, 15% bodyfat might seem like a lot to most of you, but to me its awesome.  I am going down every day and happy about it.

Now. Here is another goal.  I mentioned before that I wanted to be in the best shape of my adult life by the time of my birthday, which is 5 weeks away.  Well, my other goal is for Galya.  For her birthday, which is 8 weeks away, I have committed to being below 12% bodyfat.  I mean it.  I have lost 3.5% already, hey, whats another three, eh?

Thanks for reading these all, I know that they have been sporadic at times (due to work or vacations or stupidity on my part for not attaching the files when I send the email) but don’t ever think that I have given up until you read it from me.  ‘Cause I won’t.

Download Episode 25 through iTunes or directly here: TheFitCast025.mp3

Discuss this weeks show on The FitCast Forum Thread for Episode 25 

Dr. John Berardi joined me this week to talk about many different subjects including his new book, The Metabolism Advantage. Make sure to check out his websites: JohnBerardi.com, http://www.precisionnutrition.com.

• Eric Cressey’s Shoulder Seminar
• E-mail Eric for more info: ec@ericcressey.com
• The FitCast NEWS
• The New FitCast Forum!
• Episode Guide
• The Interrogation
• Article Discussion
• Contests
• Spike Giveaway
• Inside-Out Review this Wednesday
• Q&A with Dr. John Berardi.
• • Kevin: What drove you to write The Metabolism Advantage? Can you tell us a little bit about the content in the book?
  • Andrew: I followed your “Get Shredded Diet” for eight weeks and ended up getting down to 8 percent bf. After getting to this low of a number for the first in my life my next goal is to maintain a bf% of 9-10 for six months to a year. I know maintaining bf levels has a lot to do with calories, but what macronutrient split would you recommend for someone wanting to remain at this level of leanness?
  • Steve: Has he ever come up with a recipe for a super shake that was so vile that he would never ever dare print if for fear of being sued?
  • Brian: ts hard sometimes to think of new and unique snacks that are PN compliant. What kind of PN-complaint snacks does Dr. Berardi eat on a daily basis? Are there any that he eats as a change of pace?
  • Darren: Fish oil supplement dosage is always an arbitrary number and usually different every time! – what should a 92kg lifter from say…the Channel Islands, be taking daily? Does it matter if it’s in one go or spread out over the day?
  • Galya: Do you have any advice for helping clients that have a hard time losing fat because they are on anti-depressants? Those people have it hard mentally and physically so it’s a challenge to work with them.
  • I have sort of specific question about protein. I am studying to be a dietitian and as many of you know the American Dietetic Association recomends a 0.8g protein/kg bw and slightly higher for athletes. Now that is much lower than any of us take in. I was arguing about this in class and looking for research on both sides. Apparently there no research out that suports this 0.8g/kg is the right amount of protein and the only reason it is used is because thats the minimum a sedentary person needs to stave off a negative nitrogen balance. My question is this. Is there no research to support that exceeding ones protein “minimum” is dangerous. If not then how can the ADA make this recommendation and claim that high protein diets are dangerous?
  • Frank: What are your thoughts on the velocity diet?
  • When approaching nutrition what aspects require more individualization than others to make it successful

The Official Forum of The
FitCast has been launched. The listenership is growing so I
though it was time to set up a permanent home for discussion
of each episode of The FitCast, Video Episodes, Guest
Questions, NEWS, Supershake Discussion, Music, Equipment,
Listener Articles and much more!

Also I will be having some special guests
Check out the new forum here and sign up quickly so you can
get the user name that you want: http://www.thefitcast.com/forum/

I look forward to talking to you all and discussing all
things related to The FitCast.

Take Care,
KL

Dr. John Berardi will be coming on The FitCast this weekend to celebrate the 6-month anniversary of the show. Have you checked out his new Metabolism Advantage Book? Have a question about that or G-Flux, your super shake, the Get Shredded Diet? This is the time to ask it! Get your diet straightened out now before the dreaded holiday season comes.

I look forward to your questions. Have a great weekend!

KL

This is the long anticipated video with Dan John teaching how to improve your squat, how to teach a deadlift and much more.

Download the Hi-Res Version at The FitCast Insider

Make sure to check out DanJohn.org for more info on Dan John!

Download Episode 24 off iTunes or directly here: TheFitCast024.mp3

Rachel Cosgrove was this weeks guest. For more info on Rachel go to RachelCosgrove.com

• FitCast News
• Dan John Olympic Lift Video is up for Newsletter Subscribers
• Priority for Q&A
• Exclusive Downloads coming
• Lou Schuler Article: The Cheat Workout
• CB’s transformation with a FitCast T-Shirt
• The FitCast Store
• Spreading the word
• Q&A
• • Dan: I would love to know what Rachel is doing for her own training / nutrition right now and what she does to keep her husband in check!
  • Darren: Why is it so difficult to persuade women that lifting heavy won’t make them huge? Any tips for persuading them?
  • Summer: Do you think cortisol has as large of a role in weight gain for women as it does for men in light of some info floating around the internet that cortisol is what causes apple shaped bodies. And that men more than women tend to have that body type?
  • Erin: In regards to figure competitions, what has been your experiences in prepping new and experienced competitors,
  • What’s her take on judging guidelines
  • How do you judge if you’re ready for a show
  • Tracey: I am just getting started in the fitness industry and hope to be certified in the coming months. I realize this is just the beginning of my studies. Considering the amount of information that is out there, how do you distinguish between the good and the bad?
  • With my female friends, I find one of the biggest obstacles is getting them to commit to a program. I am always asked about my own training and nutrition, only to hear how they don’t want to train with heavier weights or they don’t want to give up their favorite foods. Any tips for getting them motivated to change?
  • Wayne: my wife always complains that, with two young kids, she either does not have time or no energy for workout at the end of the day. Any suggestions?
  • Galya: Do you think females pay too much attention to diet as opposed to working out hard?
  • What are five exercises that you think each female should have included in her program all year round?

Craig Ballantyne was sporting his t-shirt from The FitCast while at Ryan Lee’s Boot Camp. We took three pictures where he went through “The Transformation” that many models in the supplement ads do. Check it out.

First the pictures (all taken withing 15 minutes) from his post at TurbulenceTraining.com

Now with a FitCast T-Shirt:

Not too shabby huh? Have you bought your t-shirt yet? You can get one for $9 at http://cafepress.com/thefitcast

For the direct post from CB, go here: http://workoutmanuals.com/The-Transformation