In this post, I want to talk about the primary reason why people struggle to gain muscle.

I often talk with guys that struggle to put on muscle, who claim to eat a ton of food, they claim to hit the gym religiously, they claim to take all the ‘right’ supplements.

But when you get down to brass tax, they’re missing the most important driver of muscle growth.

What is that driver you ask? Progressive overload. Invariably, when I talk to someone that complains that they can’t gain muscle, they’re not tracking their lifts, and they’re not pushing themselves to lift heavier and heavier weights overtime!

Here’s the deal, if you want to gain muscle, you need to get strong! When you get to 100 lbs chin ups, your back will be huge! When you get your incline bench up to 225 lbs, your chest is going to be rock solid!

A Fail Proof Method To Building Muscle 

This is a fail proof method! There’s simply no way it doesn’t work. When you focus yourself on getting strong, everything else falls into place.

This is why all of my courses are crafted to focus on making as fast strength gains as possible, while providing enough volume to maximize muscle growth.

For instance, my Greek God Program is designed to add about 15 lbs to your ‘key lifts’ per month. If you’re adding 15 lbs to your weighted chin ups and incline presses each month, you’ll be adding dense muscle by the pound.

In fact, here’s one of the latest transformations that was sent to me on my instagram!

In two months Asutosh achieved the following

Bodyweight – 127 – 143 lbs (16 lbs of muscle)

Incline Press – 95 lbs to 135 lbs for 5 reps (40 lbs gained)

Weighted Chins – Bodyweight to 30 lbs for 5 reps (30 lbs gained)

Shoulder Press – 45 lbs to 80 lbs for 5 reps (35 lbs gained)

You can follow the program he was doing here. Asutosh is also heavily active in the private facebook for people following the program. So you can ask him for tips in there.

Thank You For Listening!

To get more RTR content sent directly to your device as they become available, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher and Youtube. Also, reviews on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated… 

We read each and every one of them!

The post The Truth About Why You Can’t Gain Muscle appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

The reality is… Black coffee is one of the healthiest beverages you can consume. The research is clear on this!

I actually use black coffee strategically in my Aggressive Fat Loss Program to blunt hunger and to make intermittent fasting downright effortless.

The key to doing this, of course, is to only drink coffee during the fasting window. Drinking coffee after breaking your fast will reduce sensitivity to caffeine.

I also recommend NOT drinking coffee for the first 1-2 hours of the day. That way, you’re only using coffee when you really need it to blunt appetite effectively. This tip will make intermittent fasting much easier!

What’s more, some research shows you’re better off waiting an hour or two before drinking coffee, since cortisol levels peak in the morning.

I also recommend drinking coffee slowly and limiting yourself to 1-4 cups per day. Drinking coffee slowly will allow for maximum appetite suppression than if you were to just slam it all at once.

Benefits of Coffee

This article by Kris at Authority Nutrition does a very good job at showcasing the benefits of drinking black coffee. To summarize, here are some of the key points:

• Coffee blunts appetite and has little to no calories
• Coffee is a nootropic and boosts cognitive performance and focus
• Coffee increases the metabolism
• Coffee boosts workout performance and excites the central nervous system
• Coffee drinkers outlive non drinkers and have a reduced risk of mortality
• Coffee reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, Type 2 Diabetes, Liver Disease
• Coffee is a great source of antioxidants
• Coffee boosts dopamine levels and makes you feel amazing

Thank You For Listening!

To get more RTR content sent directly to your device as they become available, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher and Youtube. Also, reviews on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated… 

We read each and every one of them!

The post The Truth About Coffee & Why It May Save Your Life appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

One of my greatest specialities is teaching people to lean down extremely quickly, while completely enjoying the process and not having any hunger issues.

Now interestingly enough, to achieve this level of “Aggressive Fat Loss”, I use absolutely no intense cardio or interval training.

Why you ask? Because there’s simply no need.

All interval training does is burn calories. Now some people like to pontificate about interval training causing a massive ‘afterburn’ effect.

But most of the research shows the afterburn effect from intense exercise is simply not what most people are led to believe.

In fact, the research is quite clear that the afterburn effect results in only about 6-15% of the calories burned from the exercise session.

The Myth Of the AfterBurn Effect

That means if you were to burn 400 calories in a 30 minute interval training workout, best case scenario, the afterburn effect would result in an additional 60 calories!

That’s like a small apple. Nothing to write home about! So really, all interval training does is burn calories! It has no direct effect on fat loss, except that it burns calories.

That said, the problem is, it’s a horrible time investment. Having to slave away and kill yourself for 30 minutes to burn some calories is massively inefficient and not exactly the most productive use of time.

What’s more, interval training may drive up your appetite and deplete your will power reserves, making dieting more difficult.

This has been the case with myself, and many other people that I’ve worked with! As well, interval training will cut into recovery for your importnat training sessions, you know, your strength training sessions!

What it Actually Takes to Build an Incredible Physique

There is absolutely no need for interval training or intense forms of cardio to build an amazing physique! All it takes to build a great physique is to lean down to a low body fat and build muscle.

This comes down to eating at a calorie deficit and consuming sufficient protein and strength training to maintain lean body mass.

The Aggressive Fat Loss Program, is the most effective strategy I know, to reach a low body fat effortlessly and consistently drop 6-10 lbs of fat per month (while maintaining muscle).

In this program, I only use brisk walking as a from of ‘fat loss’ activity to induce a greater calorie deficit without triggering hunger, reducing recovery or depleting will power reserves.

Walking 30-60 minutes per day, is the best activity you can do to promote fat loss! As well, it’s enjoyable, you can walk with a friend, enjoy your surroundings or listen to a podcast or audiobook.

Get Ripped Without Cardio

Scott Edge is one of my latest Aggressive Fat Loss Transformations! He hit a very low body fat in just 12 weeks, with absolutely no interval training. Check it out below:

Here are Scott Edge’s stats!

Weight ➡ 174 lbs to 158 lbs!
Weighted chin ups ➡ 35 lbs to 60 lbs
Barbell Curls ➡ 100 lbs to 125 lbs
Incline DB Press ➡ 65 lbs to 85 lbs
Pistol squats ➡ 0 to 5 reps

Not only did Scott drop 16+ lbs of fat, he managed to gain a ton of strength too! Here’s what he said, 

“I’m all about living life man. And as i told you I was able to enjoy my favorite foods and had ice cream and a cookie nearly every night!! One if not the coolest parts, was that I was able to meet you at the ny city meet up, and you showed me how to do the muscle up and had me on the v log. Super cool time bro. Im thinking i will switch to the greek god program now. Anyway Greg, thanks for all you do”

Here’s a pic of us hanging out in New York at the Kinobody Meet Up! I even taught him how to do his first muscle up!

If you want to maximize fat loss and get super lean, without doing interval training, then you can check out my Aggressive Fat Loss Program here.

This is the program I used to get down to 6-7% body fat with relative ease. What’s more, I’ve been able to maintain strength and muscle and I’ve experienced no drop in sex drive.

Many people have issues with a drop in testosterone and sex drive when dieting to under 10% body fat. My Aggressive Fat Loss Program, side steps this issue by optimizing macronutrients, emphasizing late night eating and performing just enough training, without overdoing it.

Here’s a pic I snapped the other day of me at 6-7% body fat:

Thank You For Listening!

To get more RTR content sent directly to your device as they become available, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher and Youtube. Also, reviews on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated… 

We read each and every one of them!

The post The Truth About HIIT for Fat Loss appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

Here’s the bottom line: to achieve a great physique, you need to be in a calorie deficit to drop fat and you need to consume sufficient protein to support muscle growth or retention.

That doesn’t mean you have to obsessively track every calorie or carb you put in your body. Not quite! When you are first starting out, it’s great to track calories.. This allows you to make sure you’re in the ball park.

As well, you’ll learn what diet approach and foods best keep you full and satisfied. That said, when you build more experience, you can eye ball your calories.

No food scales, no food apps and no stress! I actually find the ‘eye ball’ protocol to in some cases, be more effective. That’s because when you compulsively track everything you put into your mouth, you tend to burn through more will power…

As well, you focus on food more than you need to which, in some cases, invites more eating and cravings.

So the solution is simple: track calories for the first few weeks, then slowly wean yourself off.

This could mean that you only track your first meal of the day and a snack. And you simply eye ball your dinner. This is actually a very solid protocol!

My Fat Loss Strategy

I’ve actually hit my leanest state ever without tracking calories or macros. Basically, what I’ve been doing is following the Aggressive Fat Loss nutrition strategy to a ‘tee’…

Although, I just eye ball my meals for the most part! When you follow the AFL diet hacks, it’s pretty damn hard not to lean down.

Here’s a pic I took while I was in Santa Monica… Does a pretty good job at displaying my leanness haha!

I have literally hundreds of people on my AFL program that are actually extremely full and satisfied on low calories. This is the power of some of these diet hacks….

Getting to Low Levels of Body Fat

Getting to a super low body fat is more of an art than a science. It’s important to listen to your body and take your time. Some days, if you’re more hungry, it’s okay to eat more than usual (within reason)…

And if you’re appetite is low, it’s okay to go under your calories. Fall in-tune with your body, and it will be easier to get to and sustain a low body fat.

Intermittent fasting is super effective here because it breaks your psychological attachment from food! This allows you to get in touch with your true bodies needs, each and everyday.

The Importance of Mastering Your Psychology

This post wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t address the psychological component. In my Aggressive Fat Loss Program, I use two drills to support massive behavioural change:

The first drill is the presence drill, this teaches you to fully enjoy the journey, while accepting yourself now. This dissolves all the stress and burden..

Building this level of presence comes down to learning to take control of your mind and mental thoughts, while grounding yourself in the present moment.

The second drill I use is the self hypnosis drill. This helps align your identity with the person you want to become. This cuts off all the blocks that are stopping you from reaching the body of your dreams.

I was very skeptical about this drill, but I can’t even begin to tell you how effective it’s been for myself and my clients.

You Can Enjoy Life Too

A lot of people think getting down to a super low body fat is absolutely miserable. But if you follow me on instagram, you know that is simply not the case.

Just take a look at some of the meals I’ve been enjoying while following the AFL Approach.

Ribs and Fries 

Ribeye Steak

Tacos 

And Yes, Even Pizza 

The post How to Drop Fat Without Tracking Calories or Macros appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

Building a great physique comes down to two things: achieving a great level of muscle development and getting really, really lean. When you have very little fat on your body, that’s when you have insane definition.

Your face is chiseled and angular, your muscle appear hard and well-developed, you have more muscle separation because there’s no fat blurring definition (so they start to pop).

Think of hollywood actors with amazing physiques… Invariably they all have an extremely low body fat.

What it takes to achieve a low body fat

Achieving a low body fat comes down to eating at a calorie deficit. When you consume less calories than your body burns, it’s forced to tap into body fat for fuel.

As long as you consume sufficient protein and perform a few strength training sessions each week, you will maintain your hard earned muscle!

Being in a calorie deficit is the cardinal rule of fat loss. That being said, you can still eat foods you enjoy, provided that you’re in a deficit. And actually, if you’re eating a diet that isn’t rewarding, one that’s bland and boring, you’re going to make life harder.

This is because you’re going to get cravings, you’re going to drain your willpower reserves fighting those cravings – and in the end, you’re going to cheat.

…And that guilt is going to cause you to go out of control!

One of the best realizations is this – if you’re smart about your dieting, you can include your favorite foods into your diet while still being in a calorie deficit!

This is why people love my courses. They finish the day eating frozen yogurt ice cream and they wake up leaner!

Intermittent Fasting is a Key Strategy

I teach people to do intermittent fasting… We’re always told we need to eat frequently to keep our metabolism running! Interestingly enough, the research doesn’t support that in the least.

Instead, eating more frequently may increase hunger and your desire to eat. This makes it a hell of a lot harder to drop fat and maintain a low body fat.

When you learn how to do intermittent fasting (which has profound health benefits besides), getting lean is a breeze. Intermittent fasting boosts growth hormone which spares muscle protein and increases fat mobilization.

We Are Programmed to Fast During the Day

Now, think about this for a second… We still have the same genetic code as our hunter gather ancestors, who had to hunt and forage during the day, with little to no food.

Our body is designed to thrive in a fasted state:

Fasting triggers the sympathetic system, which makes you feel alert, focused and energetic.

Contrarily, when you eat a big meal, you trigger the parasympathetic system. You feel relaxed, sleepy and happy! This is why our body is hardwired to fast during the day and feast later in the day.

Furthermore, when you fast during the day, you create a huge calorie buffer so you can eat a ton of food later in the day, while still dropping fat.

This is when building an amazing physique is effortless; you don’t have to rely on a tons of cardio. All you have to do is do some intermittent fasting, eat to your hearts content and get into the gym and do some proper lifting!

Concluding Thoughts

Make sure to take the Kinobody Physique Survey, to learn the most effective course for you! As well, if you’re just looking to maximize fat loss and get to a low body fat as fast as possible, definitely go Aggressive Fat Loss.

The post How to Build a Lean Physique Effortlessly: Calorie Deficit + Intermittent Fasting appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

The reason I don’t recommend protein supplements is because they’re not necessary. Nor do they have any tangible benefit when protein is sufficient.

The benefit, as I see it, from avoiding protein supplements, is that whole food protein, or whole food in general, is far more filling than liquid calories.

So if you’re concerned with achieving and maintaining a low body fat, then you want to structure your diet in a way that makes is super easy to stay full.

What about pre and post workout shakes?

The reality is there is little to no need for pre and post workout nutrition. The consensus is that total calorie and protein intake is far more important than meal timing.

What’s more, protein takes a long time to assimilate. Meaning, if you were to eat 60g of protein, it could take upwards of 6-12 hours for the amino acids to absorb in your bloodstream.

So if you have lunch at 1pm, train at 5pm and eat dinner at 7 or 8pm…Well your muscles have everything they could possibly need to support training and recovery.

Throwing in pre and post workout shakes will just make it harder to support a lean and downright chiseled physique!

What if I have trouble eating sufficient protein?

Here’s the reality, the research shows that the maximum amount of protein required to support muscle growth is 0.82g per pound of bodyweight.

What’s more, there is no finite amount of protein that you can absorb in a single sitting. So you can eat all your protein needs in 1-3 meals if you prefer!

The myth that you can only absorb 30g of protein in a single sitting, is exactly that – a myth!

Don’t Overshoot Protein Numbers

I know a lot of people like to eat 1-1.5g of protein per pound of bodyweight. The problem with this approach is that if you go really high in protein, you have to cut back on fats and carbs.

Fats and carbs are the most important macros to support testosterone and hormonal functioning.

In fact, in my Aggressive Fat Loss Program, I keep protein at a lower, but still, sufficient level. This allows one to maintain high testosterone levels while dieting to and maintaining a low body fat.

The post Why I Don’t Take Protein Supplements appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

Unfortunately, it has become very uncommon for people to track their workouts, and I’d say approximately 90% of the people who workout don’t record what they do.

Coincidentally, these people are most likely experiencing little to no results in the gym. Throughout my 10 years of weightlifting, the periods in which I gained the most muscle and strength was when I was tracking my lifts.

Tracking your workouts is the most beneficial technique you can use to constantly progress. I want to highlight for you the three main reasons you must track your lifts to see and experience maximum gains.

Reason #1 – Discover What Works For You

The first reason you must track lifts to experience maximum gains is because recording your workouts allows you to figure out what works best for you.

Trial and error is the most powerful problem-solving method, and tracking your lifts stimulates your brain and allows you to make tweaks and modifications so that your progress never slows.

Peter Drucker once said, “What gets measured, gets managed.”  This is a very powerful quote. The simple act of paying attention to what you do will allow for you to make connections you never did before, and you will make continuous steady progress – almost without any extra effort.

Reason #2 – Push Yourself

The second reason you must track your workouts is because it will allow you to push harder in the gym.  

For example, if last week you did 6 reps on a given exercise, you will know that this week you’ll need to get 7 reps.

During your set, you may find yourself grinding hard to push out the last rep, but you won’t quit and you’ll continue to fight until it’s completed.

Why? …Because you know you’ll need to get that extra rep in order to experience the muscle and strength gains you’re striving for.

Those who don’t track lifts are usually:

• Not pushing themselves hard enough because they don’t know the amount weights, reps, or sets they need in order to progress

• Pushing themselves too hard and take themselves to an extreme where they will experience too much fatigue in the central nervous system

For optimal gains, you want to push yourself just a little bit each and every week. Over time, you will experience massive strength and muscle gains.

Reason #3 – Increased Motivation

The final reason you must begin tracking your lifts – and likely the MOST powerful – is because of how motivating it is. When you’re in the gym and you’re seeing yourself increase your reps and weight, you feel great!

Conversely, people that DON’T see progress (due to lack of tracking their workouts) typically suffer from a lack of motivation because they don’t feel like they’re getting anywhere.

The solution: track your workouts to see progress every single week – whether it’s moving up in weights or simply getting one more rep in a set.

Your fitness journey should be enjoyable and rewarding. Seeing progression will satisfy you, and that satisfaction translates into even more gains.

How To Track Your Workouts

Track your workouts is very simple. In general, there are two ways you can do it:

1. Get a notepad and begin writing down your workouts. Include your exercises, the amount of weight you used, as well as the number of sets and reps.

2. Use your smartphone and track your workouts in a tab or free note app (like Evernote). Simply copy and paste the workout and enter your stats for each workout!

Bottom Line

Tracking your workouts is one of the most important things you can do on your fitness journey. It keeps you accountable, helps push you, and rewards you – all at the same time. That’s why every program I’ve created is centered on this key concept.

If you’re currently suffering from a lack of progress, then the first step is to start tracking your workouts and see on paper how you’re doing. Only then will you know how to improve it.

The post Why You Must Track Your Workouts For Maximum Gains appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

In this post, I want to talk about the mindset required to get absolutely shredded and to build a downright incredible, lean and muscular physique! 

Achieving an amazing physique is more than just the proper workout and nutrition plan…

There’s a mentality and mindset that you need to maintain throughout your transformation.

See, those who have the goal of achieving a god-like physique with incredible muscle development and strength will too often project their happiness into the future.

They tell themselves that only when they achieve a certain standard or accomplishment such as a 315-pound bench press or growing their arms to 16 inches will they then be happy.

Unfortunately, we all do this to a certain degree. As humans, it’s natural for us to project our fulfillment into the future.

But, we need to stop ourselves from doing that. This kills the journey towards our success. By devaluing the present moment and telling ourselves we will only be happy when we achieve a certain standard, the journey becomes full of stress, urgency, and burnout.

The key to getting around this is totally accepting yourself for who you are now.

By doing this, you’ll begin to stop chasing a better you and you’ll be able to truly give everything you have in the present moment.

You Must Learn to Completely Accept Yourself NOW

“Once your mindset changes, everything on the outside will change along with it.”

― Steve Maraboli

Although it is easier said than done – we must shift our focus in order obtain real peace in our lives.

Enjoying the journey, taking the time to “smell the roses,” and accepting ourselves as who we are in the present moment will allow you to feel complete now, which is required in order to attain your goal is the most enjoyable, satisfying way.

You need to picture yourself accomplishing your goal. When you begin using your mind as a tool, and stop letting it control you, then you will able to make your dreams a reality. If your mind believes it, your body will find a way to make it happen.

The finish line doesn’t reap the rewards. All your memories will be from your journey, giving everything that you can in that present moment to push yourself beyond your limits which will translate into you becoming the strongest version of yourself, physically and mentally.

I have a very powerful drill that I do each and every morning as a ritual to allow me to truly be in the moment. It was shared to me from one of the most successful people I know, and for the past 2 years it has brought my work, dating, and fitness life to a whole new level.

If you’re interested in checking out this ritual, then head over to Kinobody.com/ritual.

Or better yet, in my Aggressive Fat Loss Program, I take things much deeper from a mindset / behavioural standpoint to truly align your subconscious and thought patterns with the person you want to become!

Either way, do you practice this? If so, how has it impacted your progress and success? Let me know :)

The post The Mindset to Getting Shredded appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

In this video, I sit down with the Testosterone man himself – Christopher Walker, author of Test Shock, to discuss how to maximize testosterone levels on a diet.

It’s no surprise that many men experience low testosterone levels when dieting to low levels of body fat! Thankfully, I’ve been able to completely side step these issues, with the nutrition and training advice I incorporate into my courses.

In this episode, we’re taking things even deeper, and exploring ten evidence based protocols, you can utilize to up-regulate testosterone functioning! If you want to learn the entire system, Christopher is offering his Test Shock Program in physical book format free (all yah gotta do is pay for shipping).

Christopher used to have freakishly low testosterone levels that sent him down a downward spiral of depression and poor physical shape. So it’s his mission to help as many men as possible, struggling with similar issues. In fact, he wants to get this advice in the hands of one million men!

As well, he wants to help men that may not have low testosterone, but who sure as hell want to experience the best of life by taking their testosterone levels to “Godlike” status naturally!

I’ve had the pleasure of reading the book and I can’t recommend it enough! Not only is it incredibly well written and truthful… The advice, if applied, is also downright effective!

You can grab the book here.

Now without further ado, read the article that Christopher Walker wrote below, or you can watch the video/listen to the podcast above… The choice is yours :)

Take it away Christopher Walker :)

Thou Shalt Not Avoid Dietary Fats

This is commandment number one because it falls under a mistake that many men make when trying to cut body fat: avoiding fat. Maybe it has something to do with ingesting “fat” while losing “fat” but you should not avoid fats in your diet.

Testosterone is a lipid-based hormone. It NEEDS fat to be produced in the first place. (1)

In this study, 30 men were asked to switch from their regular diets to a low-fat diet. The results showed a significant drop in testosterone levels when the diet changed.

There are good fats and bad fats for testosterone production– keep that in mind. Stay away from polyunsaturated fats and trans fats and move towards monounsaturated fats and saturated fats.

Good foods to eat are avocados, nuts, and fatty fish. (2) You should get about 30% of your daily calories from good fats as a part of this commandment.

Thou Shalt Not Avoid Cholesterol

Many men also believe they need to avoid foods high in cholesterol in order to lose weight.  The truth is, the Leydig cells need cholesterol to produce the testosterone you need. (3)

Interestingly enough, the final process of testosterone production is when the Leydig cells convert cholesterol into free testosterone.

There is a type of “good” cholesterol called HDL cholesterol. You can get this type of good cholesterol by eating foods like beans, shellfish, avocados, garlic, oats, and even red wine. (4)

Thou Shalt Eat Carbohydrates

Low-carb diets seem like the popular thing nowadays. Maybe that’s because these commandments hadn’t been revealed yet. While cutting carbs is a way to cutting fat, for men it seems that you need carbohydrates to maintain those testosterone levels whilst dieting.

In this study, testosterone levels were tested in 7 men in both a high-carbohydrate diet and a high-protein diet. Results showed that men on the high-carb diet actually had higher testosterone and lower cortisol than the men on the high-protein diet.

This is because GnRH, a precursor in testosterone production, is produced based on the amount of glucose in the body. A main source of glucose is carbohydrates, so less carbs means less glucose which means less testosterone production in the end. (1)

Some foods that are healthy sources of carbs are sweet potatoes, legumes, milk, fruits, plain popcorn, potations and whole grains. (5)

Thou Shalt Eat Spicy Foods

More specifically, you should eat spicy foods containing capsaicin- an alkaloid found in chili peppers. Capsaicin bonds with the pain receptors to create the burning sensation you feel when you eat it. (6)

In animal testing, capsaicin has been known to increase testosterone levels in rodents. It is also known to increase endorphins, adrenaline, and happiness in humans.

In a study published in the Journal of Physiology and Behavior, 118 men were asked to eat certain spicy foods and rate the level of spiciness of each meal. After their testosterone levels were tested, it was found that men with higher testosterone were more tolerant of the spicy meals. (6)

So if you do that Blazin’ Wing Challenge at Buffalo Wild Wings, you not only might seem manlier, you may actually become more of a man.

Thou Shalt Not Endurance Train

To create the caloric deficit you need, you may want to exercise to make the deficit more pronounced. This is a good idea…unless you are endurance training.

Endurance aerobic exercise raises cortisol, which is the arch nemesis of testosterone. If you want to maintain those testosterone levels in the gym, stay away from the treadmill.

Thou Shalt Take Part in High Intensity Interval Training

Instead of doing endurance training, try interval training. This means, for example,  going 90% of your energy for 30 seconds, then taking it down for 30 seconds, going back to 90% for 30 seconds, and so on and so forth.

HIIT is a popular way to optimize testosterone production. When you do short bursts at high intensity, your body burns sugar instead of fat because sugar is more readily accessible, then over the next 36 hours or so, your body burns fat. Testosterone levels have also been found to increase over this time period. (7)

If you are lifting weights to create the caloric deficit and maintain muscles mass, don’t work out for too long. Keep the workout short and intense with high weight and low reps.

Thou Shalt Not Overdo the Caloric Deficit

The logic here is simple. If you want to do a quick fat loss and cut your calorie count by 30-40%, your body will get hit with the full effects of a caloric deficit i.e. high cortisol, low testosterone.  (1)

If you want to protect your testosterone levels you need to stick in the slower to moderate fat loss range. Do not overdo the caloric deficit. Keep the deficit under 25% in order to protect your testosterone.

The fat loss will be slower, but you’ll maintain more muscle mass along the way.

Thou Shalt Not Eat Six Small Meals a Day

The six small meals advice, along with the low-carb diet advice, are not the best ways to keep your testosterone levels high. Every time you eat, your testosterone goes down. (1)

Composition of the meal can determine HOW MUCH testosterone levels go down, but every time you eat, testosterone levels will decrease at the time of consumption.

The more times you eat, the more times your testosterone goes down. So if you eat six times a day, you are subject to six testosterone decreases a day, regardless of the meal size and composition.

Thou Shalt Intermittent Fast

A popular solution to the problem proposed by the 8th commandment is intermittent fasting.

Essentially this means eating two larger meals a day. A situation could be skipping breakfast, eating your meals at 1pm and 7pm and then fasting until 1pm the next day and repeating the process.

This not only reduces the amount of times your testosterone decreases, but has been found to increase testosterone in men.

To read more about intermittent fasting, read here: http://www.testshock.com/intermittent-fasting-testosterone-levels-5-facts-will-blow-mind/

Thou Shalt Eat Cinnamon

Eating just a small amount of cinnamon with your food every day is a great way to keep your testosterone levels up. Plus it tastes pretty good too.

Basically what it comes down to is that cinnamaldehyde, a key component in cinnamon, increases insulin sensitivity so your body does not have to produce as much insulin. When your body is not producing as much insulin, your testosterone levels will stay high while dieting.

Sprinkle cinnamon in your morning coffee (it doesn’t have to be a lot) and you should be good to go.

If you’d like to read more on cinnamon and testosterone, read here:  http://www.testshock.com/why-testosterone-and-cinnamon-could-save-your-body/

Works Cited

1. Kuoppala, Ali. “6 Ways to Keep Testosterone Levels High When Dieting.” Anabolic Men. N.p., 28 May 2015. Web. 03 July 2015.
2. HelpGuide. “Choosing Healthy Fats.” : Good Fats, Bad Fats, and the Power of Omega-3s. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2015.
3. McKay, Brett. “Testosterone Week: How I Doubled My Testosterone Levels Naturally and You Can Too.” The Art of Manliness. N.p., 18 Jan. 2013. Web. 03 July 2015.
4. Harding, Charlotte. “Foods That Boost Your Good Cholesterol.” Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, n.d. Web. 03 July 2015.
5. FoodNetwork. “Sweet Potatoes : Food Network.” Healthy Carbs : A List of Healthy Carbs : Food Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2015.
6. Gray, Richard. “Why Liking Hot Curries Really Does Make You the Alpha Male: Men Who Enjoy Spicy Food Have Higher Testosterone Levels.” Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 15 Dec. 2014. Web. 03 July 2015.
7. TestBoostersReview. “Boost Testosterone and HGH Levels Naturally With HIIT.” Test Boosters Review.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2015.

The post Ten Ways to Naturally Increase Testosterone on a Diet appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

In this post, we’re going to talk about how to stay fit while travelling and on vacation.

Why is this important? Because understanding how to achieve a great physique while eating out daily basically guarantees your success because knowing how to handle the worst of situations will make the rest seem like a breeze.

Now, there are a few key areas I want to cover that will help you achieve your physique goals in the easiest way possible while travelling:

Focus Area #1 – Nutrition

The main problem people face while travelling is eating too many calories. The combination of eating out every meal – and those meals tending to be fatty foods and higher in calories – make it difficult for one to stay hypocaloric (eating less than maintenance).

The easiest tip I have to help you stay hypocaloric while on vacation is to utilize intermittent fasting. Ideally, you want to:

• Skip breakfast and hydrate upon waking

• Drink black coffee a few hours after waking to blunt appetite and maintain fast

• Eat fruit strategically to push back your first meal back

• Eat two big, satisfying meals a day, consisting of familiar foods that keep you full and satisfied

• Meals should consist of filling proteins, with an adequate amount of carbs and fats

Some of my favourite places to eat at while on vacation include Chipotle, Brazilian Steak House, and Blaze Pizza!

(Recently, I travelled to Santa Monica, where I was able to enjoy 2 of these bad boys as one of my meals for the day! Oh ya, I also came back home from that trip 2 pounds lighter… This stuff works.)

For more tips, I suggest you check out the Kinobody Lean Vacation Report which can be found here: www.kinobody.com/leanvacation

Focus Area #2 – Training

While travelling or vacationing, it’s okay to take a step back on your training. This will allow your body to recover from your previous intense training, and the surplus of rest and relaxation puts you in the ideal mental state for recovery.  

However, I’m not saying to cut off your training completely.

Going a week or two without training can set your progress back. Therefore, I recommend training once every 3 days – therefore, 2 workouts per week so that you can maintain your well-earned strength and muscle.

Hopefully, your hotel has a gym which you can train in. If not, go to a local gym nearby and buy a day pass. It should only cost you $10-15 at the most, and that little investment of 20-30$ per week is well worth it.

If going to a gym isn’t a viable option, do bodyweight workouts!

In terms of what the workouts should consist of, here are my recommendations:

Gym:

• Do a Workout A and a Workout B from the Greek God Program, which can be found here.

• In these two workouts, you’ll hit your entire body, and you’ll gain muscle and strength.

(This is the best option for a 2-day split, so the Greek God Program is highly recommended if you travel frequently.)

Bodyweight:

Keep it simple…

• Upper-body push exercise for 4 sets.

• Upper-body pull exercise for 4 sets.

• Lower-body exercise for 4 sets.

• Ab exercise for 4 sets.

(Another pic from my recent trip to Santa Monica, where my buddy Ryan Farber and I hit an outdoor workout at the Kinobody meetup.)

Two workouts per week will g0 a long way! These training sessions, which can be done in only 20-30 minutes each, make maintaining a great physique seem like a breeze…

Focus Area #3 – Alcohol

My key thing about alcohol consumption is drinking in moderation.

I suggest only drinking between 2-5 drinks for a night out. This is the perfect amount because it allows you to easily stay in a caloric deficit while still getting the positive effects from alcohol (relaxation, increased sociability, etc).

In terms of what drinks you should consume, stick to the lower calorie drinks. Wine is okay, but ideally I suggest going with liquor or liquor with club soda.

My personal go-to drink is Jack and club soda!

Let’s Recap!

In summary, I recommend the following in order to drop fat and build muscle while travelling:

• Skip breakfast and eat two big meals a day (lunch and dinner consisting of familiar, satisfying foods).

• Do 2 workouts a week that hit your entire body (over the course of those two workouts).

• Consume alcohol in moderation.

• Rest, relax and enjoy your time off!

The Next Step

If you want to follow the program I followed to get extremely shredded, check out Aggressive Fat Loss. It’s downright effective, and the best part is – everyday you get to enjoy one massive meal and some delicious desserts, all while dropping 1.5-2 lbs of fat per week.

If you’re looking to focus on building strength and muscle to develop the greek god physique, I recommend checking out the Greek God Program!

The post How to Drop Fat & Build Muscle While on Vacation appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

If you don’t use a crock-pot to cook your meals each week (or at least for a couple meals during the week), then you must invest in one and start using it immediately. Not only is it the bachelor cooking savior, but it’s also the easiest way to get the most bang for your buck (especially when you want to hit your macros).

Here’s the thing: with crock-pot cooking, you prep the meals in the morning – or even the night before – and pop in the crock-pot. Then, by the time you get home from work or settle down for dinner…

…BAM!

A hot, delicious, macro-friendly meal is sitting there waiting for you in a steamy sauna of flavor, all ready to go with zero work involved. And on top of that, you typically get multiple meals out of a crock-pot meal since it makes so much food.

This is why several of the recipes in my cookbook, Kino Chef, use crock-pots – they’re simple and make several servings, which is a win-win for any lifestyle.

On To The Recipe…

Emily Ness created this tasty recipe – she’s the coauthor of Kino Chef (she’s behind the Gourmet Recipes section in the cookbook) and runs CookingUpHappiness.com. She’s also probably going to be helping with the weekly recipes I’m going to start sharing on Kinobody here.

This Italian chicken bake is cheesy, satiating, and is completely packed with flavor. Oh, and it LOOKS amazing too… Definitely one of those recipes you can make when you want to impress people. It looks impressive, but is one that anyone can make.

Quick Tip: If you don’t have time for the crock-pot, you can cook the chicken on the stove or even grill it. Then, simply shred it, mix with the pasta sauce and build the casserole from there.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 jar four cheese pasta sauce (or any sauce you like)
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 8-0z. fresh mozzarella
• 1 container grape tomatoes
• oregano
• cooking spray

Directions:

1. Start by trimming the chicken. Once the chicken is all trimmed, place into the crock-pot (sprayed with cooking spray) and cover with the whole jar of pasta sauce.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.
3. When the chicken is cooked, take it out of the crock-pot and shred (it should fall apart very easily).
4. Add shredded chicken back to the crock-pot and combine with the sauce.
5. Preheat oven to 375°.
6. Spray a 13×9 pan with cooking spray, pour chicken/sauce mixture into the pan. Top evenly with panko. (You can sub panko for gluten-free breadcrumbs.)
7. Cut tomatoes and mozzarella into thin slices, then and place the tomatoes on top of the chicken in a straight line (widthwise). Do the same with the mozzarella. Repeat until you have filled the pan lengthwise.
8. Sprinkle with oregano, cover with foil and cook for 20-25 minutes.
9. Take foil off. Turn on broiler and cook for an additional 2-4 minutes depending on how crisp you want to cheese to be.
10. Once it is all done, cut into 6 equal slices and serve.

Nutritional Information:

Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1 square (1/6 of a 13×9 pan)

Calories: 275
Fat: 9 g
Carbohydrates: 12 g
Sugar: 5 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 34 g

The post Kino Meals: Italian Chicken Bake appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

In this post, I want to talk about the secret code to building muscle and staying lean. 

When you come across a guy trying to get bigger, he is most likely not at his goal physique because of a lack of strength. In fact, you will never come across someone who can bench 300 pounds that is complaining about having a small chest. It’s just not going to happen, and that’s simply because of his strength.

Muscle is a by-product of strength. If you currently only bench 155 lbs, you’ll need to focus on building up to reps with 225 lbs in order to grow your chest.

Progressive overload is the number one driver for muscle growth! Therefore, the focus shouldn’t be on getting to a goal weight; rather, it should be focused towards getting stronger on key lifts.

Building up to heavy incline bench presses, weighted chin ups, and other key lifts will pack on a ton of muscle and help you build the body you want.

The Key Rep Range to Milk Out The Most Muscle Growth

I recommend focusing on that 4 to 10 rep range. In my courses, I talk about Reverse Pyramid Training, which is definitely the most effective way to milk out the most muscle growth from your strength gains. You will begin with your heaviest weight as your first set, followed by two subsequent lighter sets (reducing the weight by 10% while increasing reps each set).

An example for Reverse Pyramid Training on Barbell Curls would look like this:

• Set 1: 155 lbs x 4-6 reps. Rest 2-3 minutes

• Set 2: 140 lbs x 6-8 reps. Rest 2-3 minutes

• Set 3: 130 lbs x 8-10 reps. Rest 2-3 minutes

The first heavy sets induces more muscle fiber recruitment on the 2 subsequent lighter sets, which translates into a ton of muscle growth.

In my Greek God Program, I utilize MEGA programming, which stands for Minimum Effort Growth Acceleration. MEGA programming applies Reverse Pyramid Training to make tremendous strength gains on your key lifts, to help build dense muscle, as well as some volume fatigue work to truly build the most muscle naturally possible!

Case Study #1 – Asu

In only 8 weeks following the MEGA training protocols on the Greek God Program, Asu gained 16 pounds of muscle! He stayed extremely lean while increasing his strength:

• Incline Presses +40 lbs

• Weighted Chin Ups +30 lbs

• Shoulder Presses +35lbs

Case Study #2 – Scott

Another interesting example is by Scott E, who dropped 16 lbs while increasing strength and muscle development in just 12 weeks (following my Aggressive Fat Loss Program)!

• Weighted Chin Ups +25 lbs

• Barbell Curls + 25 lbs

• Incline DB Press + 20 lbs (per arm)

• Pistol Squats + 5 reps

The reason guys pack on a ton of muscle while following my programs is because my programs are geared around increasing strength. They utilize Reverse Pyramid Training, and depending on the program you’re on, could have some supplemental fatigue-inducing volume work included to get in that extra 20% (or as I like to call it – the icing on the cake!).

Bottom Line

In summary, I want you to focus on getting stronger! Record your lifts and make sure you’re progressing each week – whether it is up 5 lbs on the bar or an extra rep.

The post The Secret Code to Building More Muscle appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

In this podcast, I chat with one of my followers who has undergone an amazing transformation. In only 12 weeks, Scott E. dropped 16+ lbs of fat, and went from 18% body fat down to 10% body fat – while gaining strength and size.

Here are his Before and After stats:

Weight ➡ 174 lbs to 158 lbs
Weighted chin ups ➡ 35 lbs to 60 lbs
Barbell Curls ➡ 100 lbs to 125 lbs
Incline DB Press ➡ 65 lbs to 85 lbs
Pistol squats ➡ 0 to 5 reps

Safe to say that he sliced off fat while building strength and muscle :)

Scott followed my Aggressive Fat Loss Program, which is helping men and women drop 1.5-2 lbs of fat per week with ease. It’s downright effective, and the best part is: everyday you get to enjoy one massive meal and some delicious dessert!

Throughout Scott’s transformation, he was able to enjoy ice cream or cookies nearly every night!

Here’s what Scott had to say about Kinobody and the Aggressive Fat Loss Program:

I’m all about living life man. And as i told you I was able to enjoy my favorite foods and had ice cream and a cookie nearly every night!! One if not the coolest parts, was that I was able to meet you at the ny city meet up, and you showed me how to do the muscle up and had me on the v log.

Super cool time bro. I’m thinking I will switch to the Greek God Program now. Anyway Greg, thanks for all you do.

To read Scott’s whole story, click here.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• Why Scott chose to follow the AFL Program (1:20)
• How Scott found his cut extremely easy, and was able to enjoy cookies and ice cream basically every night (2:24)
• His experiences with past diets which gave little to no results (3:31)
• Scott’s experience with Intermittent Fasting (4:58)
• How big of a deficit you should be in so you lose fat and not muscle (10:50)
• Why you MUST be satisfied on your diet if you want to lean down and maintain it (12:12)
• Taking one step back to take two steps forward (13:45)
• How to cut down excessive volume in gym and workout only 3 days per week (15:55)
• Tips for starting AFL program (18:10)
• Scott’s favorite meals (21:47)
• And a lot more!

Join Aggressive Fat Loss

If you want to join Aggressive Fat Loss, be sure to learn more here.

The post 18% to 10% Body Fat in 12 Weeks – Aggressive Fat Loss Transformation appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

In this post, I want to highlight the importance of tracking your body measurements.

When I used to do online coaching, a common issue I would run into with my clients while they were on their cut was that their weight wouldn’t change for a period of 1-3 weeks.

Now, this isn’t the end of the world.

Weight is only one piece of the puzzle, and the number on the scale does not define you!

If you’re making strength gains in the gym, increasing the size of your body parts like your chest and arms, and decreasing your waist size, then the number on the scale doesn’t even matter. You’re building muscle and losing fat – this is best case scenario!

Why You Must Track

Tracking your body measurements allows you to reflect upon previous data so that you can see yourself progressing. It is nearly impossible to notice gains overnight. In fact, we don’t strive to go from zero to hero in 1 day. That’s unrealistic.

Focus on being a little better each day, whether that’s an increase in weight or reps, and overtime you’ll be blown away by how far you’ve come. And even if you begin noticing some stall in progress, the log of all your previous measurements prepares you to make tweaks and adjustments to find what ultimately works best for you.

My Tips for Tracking Body Measurements:

Go to your local craft or dollar store and buy a cheap tape measure. Then, you will want to begin take measurements of the following body parts:

• Arm (Flexed)
• Waist (Relaxed, right around belly button)
• Chest (Mid-level)

Do this once or twice a week upon waking. After a few weeks, look back and check out the progress you’ve made.

In my Aggressive Fat Loss program, guys are dropping on average 0.5 inches off their waist each week! If you’re interested in getting the same results, I strongly suggest you check out the program here.

If your goal is to gain muscle and build godlike proportions, the program you want to delve into is my Greek God Program. As you gain a ton of strength on your weighted chin ups and incline presses, your measurements and proportions will fill out perfectly.

Bottom Line

Tracking body measurements is an outstanding tool you can use in your arsenal throughout your transformation. Being able to see progress is very motivating, and will always give you that extra kick when times are tough.

As well, it gives you the knowledge to tailor your program so that you’re always making gains.

The post Track Measurements for an Aesthetic Physique appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

In this post, we have the next installment of Kino Meals…

And this time, I’ve decided to feature one of the delicious recipes from Kino Chef: Chipotle Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Corn Polenta!

If you haven’t made this one yet, then I’d recommend stopping what you’re doing – no matter when you happen to be reading this – and make this meal immediately. Even if it’s midnight. Seriously, it’s that good.

If you want to check out the full cookbook, click here. Or, you can always start with downloading the four “starter” meals (with macros and calories included) by clicking here.

On that note, I’ll let Emily take it away to tell you more about this recipe (since she created it, for the “Gourmet” section of Kino Chef):

————————————————————-

I’m so excited to share this recipe with you! It’s a staple in our household… We make a double batch almost every week, which is enough for dinner and a couple lunches afterwards.

I was inspired to make this recipe from a dish Rusty Moore contributed to Kino Chef (it was one of the meals in the “Rusty Moore’s Stovetop Recipes” bonus PDF that’s included when you buy the cookbook). He hooked me onto polenta, which I had never cooked with until I saw how he used it in that bonus.

Now, I know what you’re thinking – that this looks complicated…

But SURPRISE! It’s actually quite easy – maybe a little more involved than just a Tuesday night meal, but overall not too difficult.

These chipotle chicken meatballs are fresh and colorful, and full of complex flavors. Top them on the sweet corn polenta and you’ll even feel pretty darn fancy (and healthy at the same time).

Let’s get to it!

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs:

• 1lb. extra lean ground chicken breast
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. macadamia nut oil (or coconut oil)
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp. light brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• salt and pepper (to taste)

For the Sauce:

• 1 jar of salsa (any kind you like)
• ½ can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
• 2 tsp. light brown sugar

For the polenta:

• 1 tube of pre-made polenta (available at most grocery stores)
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
• ½ cup canned sweet corn
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 stevia packet

Additional toppings: shredded cheese (I used shredded Mexican), fresh cilantro, light sour cream

Directions:

For the Meatballs:

1. In a large bowl combine chicken, 1 chipotle, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, 2 tsp. oil, panko, egg, 1 tsp. brown sugar, salt and pepper.
2. Using your hands, incorporate everything together until it is all combined (try not to over mix though).
3. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Take the meat and roll into meatballs (I try to shoot for golf ball-size), and place evenly spaced on the baking sheet. Once you are all done you should have about 20 meatballs. Place in the fridge overnight – or at least one hour.
4. After the meatballs have been refrigerated, heat 1 tsp. oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.
5. When the pan is hot (I usually test with a little splash of water; if it sizzles, it’s ready) use tongs to place about 4-8 meatballs in the hot skillet. Sear for about 1-2 minutes on each side (this will help lock in the moisture and prevent them from crumbling in the crock-pot).
6. When all the meatballs are seared, spray the crockpot with cooking spray, add a little sauce (see recipe below) on the bottom, add meatballs, and pour remaining sauce over the top.
7. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.

For the sauce:

1. In a large bowl pour jar of salsa, add 2 chipotles (chopped), brown sugar, and Rotel diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.

For the polenta:

1. Take the tube of polenta, cut into ½-inch rounds and place on a plate.
2. Microwave in 1-minute increments (took a total of 5 minutes for me). You want the polenta to become soft.
3. Place the polenta rounds in a bowl and mix with a hand mixer until they’re mashed-potato consistency.
4. Add melted butter, almond milk, honey and stevia and mix until all incorporated. Finally add your corn and stir in with a spoon. You can serve immediately or place in the fridge and heat up when ready to serve.

TIP #1: When ready to serve the dish, scoop out polenta onto a plate or bowl, top with meatballs and sauce, then sprinkle with Mexican cheese and fresh cilantro.

TIP #2: These meatballs are awesome reheated, and make a great lunch the next day if you want a fast leftover meal. I heat them up, cut them in quarters, sprinkle some cheese on them, then top with a mound of lettuce… It’s one of the most delicious (and super fast) taco “salads” you’ll ever have :)

The post Kino Meals: Chipotle Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Corn Polenta appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

Here’s the deal… Even though we live in a sophisticated, modern-day society, we still very much have the same genetic code as our hunter-gatherer ancestors. And interestingly enough, throughout most of our evolution as humans, we rarely – if ever – ate first thing in the morning.

In fact, the idea that breakfast is the most important meal of the day is one of the biggest nutrition myths known to man. Frankly, deciding to skip breakfast is the best decision I have ever made.

Not only are we programmed to skip breakfast, eat sparingly during the day and feast at night, but modern research is showing us that late night eating is actually good for us!

Late Night Eating is Good for You

Getting the majority of your calories in the evening will actually increase dietary adherence, improve fat loss, increase muscle retention and boost health.

At first, the idea of skipping breakfast may seem daunting, but soon it will be the most rewarding dietary practice in your life. You’ll feel incredibly focused all day long and you’ll be able to revel in incredible meals while dropping fat and building muscle.

That said, there are a few tricks you can utilize to make intermittent fasting effortless. I showcase a couple of these in my full day of eating videos, but I go much more in-depth in my Aggressive Fat Loss Program.

In fact, my Aggressive Fat Loss program uses a unique approach to intermittent fasting to strip off 8-10 lbs of fat a month, while allowing you to enjoy a ton of dietary freedom – and yes: eat delicious meals at night.

Just take a look at the insane 6-week transformation below!

Paul averaged 2+ lbs of fat loss per week, dieting down to an extremely low body fat. Losing 2 lbs per week is challenging at 15-20% body fat. Dropping 2 lbs of fat at under 10% body fat is unheard of…

But will eating late at night cause me to store fat?

This is one of the most common questions I get asked…

Here’s the fact of the matter: it doesn’t matter if you eat right before bed. Hell, it doesn’t even matter if you eat while sleeping (assuming that is possible).

If you’re in a calorie deficit you will drop fat, no question about it. I regularly enjoy a chocolate bar, cheese quesadillas or ice cream just minutes before dosing off.

And I do this while leaning down! It doesn’t interfere with fat loss because I ensure I’m in a calorie deficit.

Now make no mistake – if you’re eating breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between, late night eating will not fit the bill. But if you utilize daily fasts and eat just 2-3 meals per day, you can strategically place a big chunk of calories late into the evening.

For example, one of my most popular Instagram posts to date is a picture of me eating ice cream in bed… I think people were waiting for a fit guy to finally give them permission to enjoy carbs at night, haha!

The caption reads as follows:

Eating Ben and Jerry’s ice cream right before bed doesn’t make you fat…. Eating too many calories makes you fat ! I always like to save calories for late at night… Because I love late night eating…

Interestingly enough, we have some very well designed studies comparing eating the majority of calories at night vs in the morning.
What these studies show is improved health markers, greater fat loss and better muscle retention in the late night eating groups.

From an evolutionary standpoint, it makes sense that humans are meant to eat a lot at night and little during the day.
Also, there’s no need to worry about carbs before bed hindering growth hormone release.

GH is released in a pulse like fashion during the night. So overall GH will be unaffected even if you eat right before bed. In actuality, if eating closer to bedtime allows for improved sleep, that will only help you !!! Now the reason people say you shouldn’t eat after 8pm is because by 8pm most people are already in a calorie surplus lol.

Having more calories would tip them way over the surplus scale. But if you’re intermittent fasting and saving a bunch of calories for night, then by all means, enjoy yourself !!!!! Anyways !!! Late night eating is awesome!!!

If you’re interested in learning more and want to drop fat and get shredded while still being able to enjoy your favorite foods every day, then I highly recommend you check out the Aggressive Fat Loss Program. 

Bottom Line

Eating before bed doesn’t make you fat! As long as you’re in a caloric deficit, you can eat as much as you want before bed and you will still lose weight. 

This is why I do intermittent fasting – because it allows me to feast at night and go to bed feeling full, satisfied and happy!

As a little bonus – you guys can check out my free fasting handbook to help get you started with intermittent fasting.

And, if you’re ready to get started on your Kinobody journey and are wondering which of my programs will work best for you and your goals, then I recommend you go take the Kinobody Physique Survey here.

The post Late Night Eating to Drop More Fat & Build More Muscle appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

I want to address something important to day: Is the “Kinobody lifestyle” healthy?

Many people have seen my full day of eating videos on Youtube and they love it.

They watch me enjoy complete and absolute dietary freedom: triple meat chipotle, massive meals, lots of chocolate and pop chips and sometimes ice cream – all while supporting a great physique.

And let’s not forget my penchant for moderate alcohol consumption!

But every now and again, I’ll have someone message me and admit that my approach works very well for building a great physique and dropping fat, but can it really be healthy in the long term?

Well this is exactly what I address in this video and dammit, it’s a powerful one, so give it a watch. Since adopting the Kinobody lifestyle, I have never felt better.

Some main take aways from the video

1. Coffee is incredible healthy and reduces the risk of mortality
2. Intermittent fasting has life extension properties and reduces the risk of numerous disease
3. Stressing out about your diet and feeling miserable has a negative effect on health
4. Maintaining a low body fat and eating at a lower calorie intake has massive health benefits and slows down aging
5. Eating chocolate or dessert, within the content of a balanced nutrition plan is not unhealthy
6. Teaching people to be present and enjoy the journey and dissolve stress and anxiety is very healthy

Make not mistake, nutrition is only one piece of the pie! There are many other factors that affect your overall health. Some of these include

1. The chemicals we put on our body can be more harmful than what you put in your mouth. One thing I’m very passionate about is using all natural deodorant, shampoo, body wash, tooth paste, laundry detergent with no artificial fragrance.
2. Research shows that moderate alcohol drinkers live longer than non drinkers. That’s not to say you must drink nor should you. But enjoying an amazing lifestyle that supports your well being is extremely important to health. Not having fun is bad for your health. Happy people, typically, live longer.
3. In Practicing the Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle talks about how most humans are conditioned to suppress painful emotions. To run away from them and lodge them down. Strong emotions have a strong charge. If they are not properly dealt with, accepted and let go of, they will live inside you in the form of the pain-body. Eventually, they may manifest as some physical symptom, ailment or disease. The eastern medical industry is far more holistic and one of the general beliefs is that most illnesses and symptoms have an emotional element. I don’t disagree.

Thank You For Listening!

To get more RTR content sent directly to your device as they become available, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher and Youtube. Also, reviews on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated… 

We read each and every one of them! And make sure to take the Kinobody Physique Survey, to learn the best course of action for your physique type, and a sweet bonus :) 

The post Is Flexible Dieting & the Kinobody Lifestyle Healthy? appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

More than anything, the one muscle group of mine that really pops out the most are my shoulders.

After all, I’ve poured in a lot of effort to build shoulders that are impressive.

This is because great shoulders are the sign of a truly amazing physique that is masculine and powerful. Many guys can build a big chest, big arms or even a wide back (from lots of heavy pull ups).

But, very few natural trainees will ever achieve a set of round, capped delts. So of course, a ton of people comment and ask me how to build really impressive shoulders. This is something I am very passionate about.

Very few natural lifters have well developed, impressive shoulders.

But, those that do stand out like gods among men…

How to Build Superhero Shoulders

In this video I explain the importance of doing high volume isolation work on shoulders.

As well, I share my four favorite isolation movements for shoulders, to help you take your shoulders to superhero status. These movements and workouts in no way replace the importance of heavy shoulder pressing.

That said, when you implement this style of training, in conjunction with heavy shoulder pressing, well, your shoulders will grow beautifully!

Note – You can sub any of these exercise variations in place of traditional lateral raises for a unique and fresh workout.

Superhero Bulking

If you’re looking for an advanced lean muscle building program, to take your physique to the highest level – what I call, superhero status.

Well, then, I recommend checking out my Superhero Bulking Program. It’s great for lifters that want to push muscle growth into high gear while staying lean and maximizing overall aesthetics.

It’s not designed for sheer beginners or even intermediates. If you still have a long way to go, you’re better off honing your attention on gaining strength fast – aka the Greek God Program.

But once, you’ve build a good deal of strength and dense muscle, the next step is to milk out a ton of muscle growth with some pretty advanced protocols….

Latest Superhero Bulking Transformation

This transformation was accomplished in 5 months! 10 lbs of weight was gained, and body fat dropped by about 7-8 lbs. So this is actually about 17 lbs of muscle in 5 months while dropping fat.

Pretty damn impressive if you ask me! This was following the Superhero Bulking Program. Typically, I recommend people to follow the program when they’re more advanced, but it seems to work very well for beginners too.

The post Four Exercises to Build Big Shoulders appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

In this post, I want to flesh out a question I get asked all the time – is Bulletproof coffee the bees knees?

Now first order of business, what exactly is bulletproof coffee? At it’s core, bulletproof coffee is some glorified coffee with the addition of 2-3 tablespoons of grass fed butter and 1-2 tablespoons of high octane MCT oil.

So essentially, what you’re doing is adding 360-600 calories of pure fat to your morning coffee. The idea is to improve fat burning and mental clarity.

Fat Loss is About The Calorie Deficit

Now as we know quite well, fat loss is all about finding the most enjoyable way to eat at a calorie deficit. Stuffing 400-600 calories of pure fat in your coffee to lose MORE fat seems ass backwards to me.

A better bet would be to actually do intermittent fasting. You know, just stick to water and black coffee and create a calorie deficit.

That way, you’ll have way more room to enjoy epic meals later in the day. Because, after all, the 3-6 tablespoons of pure fat actually has calories.

Fat Blunts Growth Hormone

Another huge issue with putting fat in your coffee is that it blunts growth hormone secretion. You see, intermittent fasting has been shown to increase growth hormone by up to a staggering 2000%.

This large increase in growth hormone helps increase fat mobilization and preserve muscle protein. This is also one of the reasons that intermittent fasting is so effective.

Well, fat increases a growth hormone inhibiting hormone called Somatostatin.

People think fat mobilization is all about low insulin levels. As it turns out, low insulin isn’t enough to maximize fat mobilization. You also need elevated growth hormone.

Case in Point

I have often worked with people that couldn’t lean down on Bulletproof coffee. In many cases, they actually gained weight. This is of little to no surprise to me.

The true benefits of intermittent fasting come when you actually fast. That means zero calories! Sparkling water and black coffee are great appetite suppressants during the fast.

There’s no need to waste 60g of fat in your coffee. You should naturally be able to experience an incredible hunger blunting sensation and laser focus with real intermittent fasting.

This comes down to triggering the sympathetic nervous system, which happens naturally during intermittent fasting. When you’re operating in the sympathetic nervous system, you are alert, focused and highly energetic.

Your body isn’t allocating any energy to digestion – all your resources and energy can be honed in on exactly what you’re doing.

This is what Ori Hofmekler talks about in the Warrior Diet. And pretty much everyone I have talked to that is doing my courses has noticed the incredible state of being fasted.

An Important Point

Here’s the deal – it took me about five brutal years of struggling finally crack the code. What code is that? Being able to eat to complete and absolute fulfilment while staying near shredded.

There is no way in hell I could stay lean or even consistently drop fat if I was putting 300-500 (or more) calories of fat in my coffee. No question about it.

If you really want to get lean with ease, you’re going to need to start doing real intermittent fasting and drinking your coffee black!

This is the shape I maintained while in LA – gorging twice per day (and enjoying alcohol, of course). That’s my friend Andreea Cristina by the way. She’s a awesome girl and is mega huge on Instagram. (I’ve been helping her with her fitness game.)

Next Step

The next step to living the kinobody life is to pursue one of my courses. You can learn about the programs I offer here. Each one of my courses utilize intermittent fasting.

It is one of the most effective daily practices you can do to support a lean, muscular and chiseled physique! To be highly focused and productive and to support amazing, lasting health.

The post Bulletproof Coffee vs Black Coffee While Intermittent Fasting appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.

In this post, I explain why your best bet is to do intermittent fasting daily.

Now, there are numerous approaches to intermittent fasting. Some of the popular approaches involve doing longer 24-hour fasts, one to two times per week.

My issue with this is that fasting for a full 24 hours is not very enjoyable. You’re going to have to battle hunger and that’s no fun. What’s more, fasting 1-2x per week doesn’t teach you how to handle your nutrition on your non-fasting days.

In the past, when I did the 1-2 “longer format” fasts each week, I would end up overeating on my other days and consequently, I struggled to lean down.

Eating in the Morning Can Trigger Hunger

As well, a huge benefit of fasting daily is that for many people, eating first thing in the morning can trigger hunger. This is because cortisol levels are highest in the morning! Eating with high cortisol will cause a rapid drop in blood sugar, triggering a subsequent increase in hunger.

Intermittent fasting just makes staying lean so enjoyable!

Now, even if your goal is to build muscle, daily fasts make staying lean on a bulk super easy. This is because you’re optimizing anabolic and catabolic activity. As well, daily fats are awesome for boosting mental clarity and productivity.

Daily Fasts Are the Way to Go

If you really want to get lean with ease, you need to learn how to consistently eat at a calorie deficit with absolute ease. This means doing daily fasts.

Now there’s no need to fast 24 hours… My recommendation is to push your first meal 5-8 hours after rising. This will deliver all the benefits of intermittent fasting while giving you the flexibility to allow nutrition to fall into the background of your life.

By pushing your first meal 5-8 hours after rising, you experience great fat mobilization and you give yourself a ton of room to eat plenty of food later in the day.

Fasting Daily is Easier than Fasting a Few Times Per Week

Another reason why you should fast daily is because your hunger hormones will adapt to it. And after a few weeks, you won’t experience any hunger during the fast.

If you only fast a few times per week, you’ll never give your body a chance to fully acclimate to fasting during the day. Now, if you’re ready to experience incredible results, you need to jump on one of my programs.

I recommend taking the Kinobody Physique Survey to find the best program for you! Plus there’s an awesome gift at the end :)

A Recent Kinobody Transformation

F’ing awesome email came in today! In 12 weeks, Jeff dropped 27 lbs – while putting on serious muscle… He’s done the “bodybuilding” thing in the past and has never made such crazy results in his life.

He was skeptical eating two big meals per day, not going crazy on protein, taking zero supplements and working out just 3 days per week. But he committed to the program for 12 weeks and he’s absolutely blown away. Great work manggggg!

Here’s what he had to say:

“Greg,

I just wanted to say that I have tried everything to build a good physique, but I have always taken a bodybuilding approach. And then after trying everything I took off working out for a while feeling hopeless.

One day I came across your program and tbh I didn’t think it would work because I have always believed that you needed to take a lot of supplements, eat like 6-7 and workout 5-6 days a week.

So after telling myself I have nothing to lose, I decided to give it a try for 3 months. No program has ever worked so good for me! My before and after picture is up top and I feel that in 3 months I have never gotten such good results with any other program out there.

My pictures are posted above and they are 3 months apart, I went from 248lbs. to 221 lbs. while building muscle! And I did exactly what you said to do , I took no supplements, 2 Big meals a day and trained 3 times a week. You are awesome and your program is too.

Jeff P.“

Make sure to go over to Kinobody.com/Survey to find the best program for you! Or, if you simply want to get lean as fast as possible, check out Aggressive Fat Loss (my course specifically designed to drop fat as fast as possible).

The post How Many Days a Week Should You Do Intermittent Fasting appeared first on KINOBODY Fitness Systems.