[HR] Some approach dieting with the less is better approach so they cripple their metabolisms by eating once or twice a day. Others think that by going to the gym they can do whatever they want in terms of dieting and that is not the case at all. You’d think that with all the muscle I carry I could eat whatever I want but if I did, I would just get fat like anyone else would.
[JP] Is it possible for regular people (like me) to get a six-pack? How so?
[HR] Oh, so are you saying I am not regular? Perhaps abnormal? (lauging) Just kidding.
In answer to your question, I am as regular as you are. Back in my pre-teens I was overweight as a matter of fact. So if a former obese kid like myself can get in the sort of shape that can get you to be a top national bodybuilding competitor I would assume that so can anyone else. What enabled me to achieve my fitness goals is what I referred to earlier as the ‘Mindset of a Successful Bodybuilder’ coupled with an unwavering determination to do what needed to be done diet-wise and training-wise in order to get my abs. Abs are the sort of muscles that all of us have actually but in order for the most of us (with average genetics; and that includes me) until the diet becomes one that is practically perfect you will not be able to drop enough body fat to see them.
By a perfect diet I mean one with meals once every 2-3 hours, that have a serving of complex carbs, a serving of lean proteins and some good fats. Keep in mind that though it sounds hard to get all of these meals in, they do not necessarily need to be real meals. A diet that consists of a breakfast, a lunch and a dinner with meal replacement powders in between will do the trick. (Please see the attached sample diets below).
[JP] What are your favorite super foods?
[HR] I’m a simple kind of guy so here are my personal favorite food choices (the ones I personally eat over and over):
Complex Carbs
Starchy: Oatmeal (truly a super food as it has fiber and good fats as well), Brown or white rice, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes.
Fibrous: Green beans, lettuce
Lean Proteins
Chicken (tons of it), Egg Whites, Pro V60 (Labrada’s blend of 5 different proteins), Tilapia, Salmon (which is a great source of EFAs…I consume it twice a week), and top sirloin steak (I consume it once a week).
Fats
Fish Oils, Flaxseed Oil, Labrada’s Lean EFA Gold capsules which are super convenient and offer a nice blend of all the oils.
[JP] What are the absolute worst foods to eat?
[HR] By far pizza is the absolute worst one. I’ve seen great physiques ruined in a few days of overindulging in this food. Also, anything loaded with trans-fats so please check the label and if in the ingredients list you read something that says ‘partially hydrogenated oil’ then kindly leave the food item on the shelf. These fats cannot really be utilized properly by the body because they are man-made.
In a nutshell, a trans-fat is a fat with additional hydrogen atoms that have been added artificially in order to give the fat a higher melting temperature. It is great for preserving food longer and improving the consistency of baked goods but the problem is that the high melting temperature makes it easy for it to get stored in our arteries. Why? Because our bodies on the average run at 98.8-degrees Farenheit. These fats need over 100-degrees to melt them. It is my personal opinion that these fats have played an integral role at increasing obesity, heart disease and diabetes, amongst other health maladies.
[JP] What are simple tips to consider when dining out to eat healthy?
[HR] The rules for eating in fast food restaurants (or any other type of restaurant) are the following:
- Drink between 8-16 ounces of water before you get there and then drink an additional 8-16 ounces more while you are eating. This will prevent you from feeling hungry and falling to temptation. If temptation is strong remember three things:
• There is nothing better than being in shape.
• You control everything that goes into your mouth.
• Food does not control you.
- Always combine a serving of low fat protein (in the case of fast food restaurants, this is either skinless chicken, turkey, salmon, or top sirloin which I only advise be done once a weel) with a small serving of carbs like a plain baked potato or steamed rice. Remember that if you are eating a chicken or turkey sandwich the bread will count as the carbs.
- Salads in addition to a serving of protein and a serving of starchy carbs are always good since they provide fiber and they fill you up. However, avoid using high fat/high sugar dressings.
- Refrain from using high carbohydrate sauces or mayo.
[JP] It’s easy to get frustrated about your body when you want to change it but you see the same cycle continually repeating itself. Any words of motivation?
[HR] If you are not making progress you need to sit down and see what is it that you are doing that is preventing you from making it. Once you determine what the problem is, fix it! Don't expect changes if you keep doing the same thing.
Nine times out of ten the problem can be found in the diet. Other times, some people simply train too much. For the most part, training more than 6 days a week for 45 minutes with weights and doing more than 60 minutes of cardio a day becomes counter productive. Training more than this sends the body into a state of overtraining which causes it to lose muscle and thus cripples its metabolism.
