• Coffee is a great pick-me-up after some good sleep.
• Coffee boosts mental performance and dials you in to focus.
• Coffee may alleviate headaches.
• Coffee provides a wealth of antioxidants (and these guys help prevent damage from free-radicals).
• Coffee may ward-off the risk of cancer (by way of the antioxidants).
• Coffee could protect against cirrhosis of the liver.
• Coffee may reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Coffee could blunt gallstone formation (which leads to gallbladder infections)
• Coffee is a great preworkout performance booster.
• Coffee decreases insulin sensitivity, which may prevent type-2 diabetes.
• Coffee helps you manage jet lag.
• Coffee may decrease the possibility of developing Parkinson’s disease.
• Coffee is a great bridge for socializing!

1. Look good.
2. Lose weight.
3. Build muscle.
4. Eat more.
5. Increase muscular strength.
6. Improve flexibility.
7. Reduce bad cholesterol (LDL).
8. Increase good cholesterol (HDL).
9. Raise metabolism.
10. Relieve stress.
11. Slow down aging process.
12. Live longer.
13. Increase energy levels.
14. Improve insulin sensitivity.
15. Amplify protein synthesis.
16. Reduce chance of premature death.
17. Reduce chance of heart disease.
18. Reduce possibility and recurrence of breast cancer.
19. Prevent diabetes.
20. Offset arthritis.
21. Boost confidence.
22. Improve mood.
23. Prevent back point.
24. Promote fluid joins and bones.
25. Wipe out high blood pressure.
26. Combat diseases.
27. Think better.
28. Remember more.
29. Better balance.
30. Greater sense of well-being.
31. Increase longevity and endurance.
32. Eliminate depression and anxiety.
33. Strengthen cardiovascular system.
34. Maintain a healthy body.
35. Sleep better.
36. Supercharge sex life.
37. Avoid erectile dysfunction.
38. Increase sports performance.
39. Improve quality of life.
40. Have fun.
41. Meet new people.
42. Set goals.
43. Enhance productivity.
44. Promote wiser time management.
45. Help our country lower obesity rates.
46. Get paid more.
47. Open greater job opportunities.
48. Attract the opposite sex.
49. Prevent osteoporosis.
50. Because thousands of scientific studies and research say you should.

Summer is just around the corner and we all know what that means. Time to hit the beach! But wait, you’ve been hibernating all winter, steadily storing globs of fat in the places you least desire, haven’t you? Fear not, my friend, for I have the ultimate “fat-blasting” solution to your problematic pudge! Get ready to shred fat off at record speed!

Let me start by saying that this diet is not for the faint of heart. It will take some discipline and dedication; rest assured, the visible weekly results will be more than enough to keep you on track. For starters, you will follow a diet called the Cyclic Ketogenic Diet, or CKD. To further the rate of fat-loss and maximize this diet, we’re going to be throwing in some high-intensity, growth hormone-stimulating workout routines. Due to the absence of carbs and lower calories, you may feel a bit more drained in the gym, but with the results you’ll be getting, I’d say it’s quite a fair trade.

What’s this diet all about?

As was explained earlier, the CKD is a low carbohydrate diet. In turn, you will increase current protein and fat intake to support the lowered carbohydrate consumption. You will limit your carbs to no more than 30 grams, composed mostly of green vegetables and trace carbs from your protein and fat sources. By doing this, you will bring your body into a state of ketosis, where your body shifts into a state of constant lipolysis. Your body will undergo a metabolic shift from using carbohydrates to using fat as fuel for energy.

The Diet Phase

During the week:

1. Consume slighty more protein. Eat one more serving of protein per meal than you normally would. This will help preserve lean muscle tissue and increase thermogenesis (rate of fat loss). Ideal protein sources would include:
   • Chicken
   • Beef
   • Fish
2. Consume more fat. This may not sound right, but by eating more fat, you’ll enhance lipolysis and burn even more fat. While it’s better to get your fat from healthy sources like omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, you can have some saturated fats too. The best sources of fat are:
   • Fish Oils (liquid form is best)
   • Flax Seeds or Flax Oil
   • Olive Oil
   • Fatty fish (salmon)
3. Drop the carbs. What we want here is no more than 30 grams of carbs, but less is better. Trace carbs from green leafy vegetables are just fine and will provide fiber necessary for digestion.

During the weekend:

1. Keep protein intake the same. Continue to eat protein at every meal.
2. Reduce fat intake. Limit fat to two of your five to six meals.
3. Increase carbohydrate intake. Consume carbs at every meal. You really can have as much as you wish, but try to keep it limited to complex carbs like potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal, and the likes. It won’t hurt to have some sweets at a meal or two, just don’t get crazy.

The Exercise Phase

Monday-Wednesday-Friday:

Your routine will be of short duration at a high intensity. The high-intensity nature of the workout serves several purposes: 1) To deplete all glycogen stores within your muscles, thereby taking you deeper into lipolysis, 2) To stimulate natural growth hormone production, a potent fat-burning hormone, and 3) To retain lean muscle mass and strength levels.

Here’s the routine:

1. Overhead Squat, 1×10
2. Hang Clean, 1×10
3. Push-Ups, 1×10
4. DB Lunges, 1×10
5. DB Shoulder Press, 1×10
6. Deadlifts, 1×10
7. Pull-Ups, 1×10

The workout is performed as a circuit - meaning you will switch exercises immediately, without rest. After the last exercise, take a 90-120 second rest and then repeat the circuit once more. Weight should be heavy enough to feel fatigue throughout the last 3-4 reps of the exercise.

Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday-Sunday:

Use these days for rest. You’ll need it!

Continue the diet and the workout for about four to six weeks to achieve maximum results.

Between the two phases, you’ll be one shredded mother. Just keep sight of the goals you have and visualize how you will look when you reach the last day of the fat-blasting formula. With this diet, I’ve been able to put on lean muscle mass while at the same time shredding fat, so it is certainly possible to achieve both. Keep it up and you’ll have that beautiful six-pack on your stomach to appreciate, not that six-pack of Corona’s!

These days, it seems like folks always have an excuse as to why they can’t make it to the gym. Some of the most common excuses I hear:

• “I don’t have time with my busy schedule.”
• “I’m left drained and lethargic after work.”
• “I don’t feel like exercising five days a week.”

First off, you have to make time for exercise. It’s definitely worth the investment and provides so much more per minute than a than your customary T.V. marathon. If you are drawn to a busy schedule, use these tips to expedite your workout:

• Use dumbbells for seamless workouts.
• Spend less time socializing and more time exercising.
• Perform high-intensity interval training.
• Utilize compound movements to recruit more muscles per exercise.
• Modify your training split to accommodate your schedule. If you have two to three days available during the week, perform full body routines. If you have four to five days or more, split up muscle groups.

If you feel too tired after work to exercise:

• Workout at a different time! Exercise in the morning or during your lunch break instead.
• Make use of an energy drink or energy supplement for added boost.
• Take a power nap before your workout.
• Consume protein prior to physical activity.
• Workout anyway! Exercise and physical activity will wake you up and increase mental acuity.

As far as training frequency is concerned, you do not need to workout five or six days a week to achieve significant results. Here’s why:

• You fend off overtraining by working out three days a week.
• You can hit the muscles three times a week at less sets per muscle group per workout.
• You can employ and make full use of High-Intensity Interval Training or other circuit-centric routines.

Now you have no excuse for missing the gym. Your body will be very thankful that you are giving it some love!

It’s just another day in the gym. You just spent a good hour lifting and you are ready to go home. But wait, you forgot you still owe that treadmill or stationary bike the better half of an hour, didn’t you? What if I told you that you don’t have to do this? What if I told you there is a better way? If you are like me and you despise pacing about on a machine because you have better things to do with your time, then I’ve got something for you. I’ve got the formula for turning you into a fat-burning furnace; you’ll go from flab to fab in record time!

I know, I know. For years, we’ve been told that the best way to approach fat loss is to perform steady-state cardio for between 30 and 45 minutes. The latter is no longer true. One thing is for sure, it’s not physically taxing and it takes more time than it’s worth.

The problems with steady-state cardio:

• Time-consuming (a minimum of 30-45 minutes is needed or it’s ineffective)
• Boring, boring, boring…
• Burns fewer total calories (fat loss is as simple as calories in minus calories out)
• Makes you feel like a hamster (they have no choice but to perform cardio on a wheel, due to cage confinement!)
• Must be done more often (3-5 days a week if you want consistent fat loss)
• Possible Muscle loss (if cardio is done at too quick a pace for long durations)
• Does not contribute to strength or muscle gains
• Seems to take ages to finish

In light of scientific research, there’s a new cardio king in town. It’s called High-Intensity Interval Training. This is probably the best approach you can take if you want to maintain (or possibly gain) slight strength and lean muscle mass, all the while burning fat. In fact, it has been proven to burn fat up to 50% more

What exactly is HIIT?

High-Intensity Interval Training is exactly as it reads - high-intensity exercise performed at varying intensities. Sprints, circuits, compound full-body routines are all great examples of HIIT.

And the benefits of HIIT?

• Greater fat loss for less time spent in gym
• Performed less frequently (2-3 times a week, as opposed to 3-5 days a week)
• A phenomenon called EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption); extra calories are burned post-exercise
• An elevated metabolism for up to 24 hours post-exercise
• HIIT sessions typically do not exceed 15 minutes.
• Elevated energy for the rest of the day

So drop that “fat-burning zone” you’ve been adhering to on the treadmill or bike and take your cardio out to the track. Better yet, find a hill or some bleachers. In addition to peak cardiovascular benefit, you’ll be shredded to the bone when you follow the HIIT plan below!

The HIIT Plan (M-W-F)

This 3-day program is really simple:

1. Get some blood flow going with a steadily-paced warm-up for 5 minutes at 30 percent effort.
2. Sprint at a pace that is between 80 and 90 percent of your best effort. for a period of 45-60 seconds. (AKA all-out sprint)
3. Rest until your heart rate steadies and you catch your breath (3-5 minutes).
4. Repeat for 5 or 6 total sprints.

Let me know how the HIIT Plan works for you. Share your comments and success stories if you’d like- I love hearing about other people’s accomplished goals! Until next time…

Update: Isreal Lagares of the famous fitness blog “Fat Man Unleashed” has posted about his HIIT experience, so if you are still unconvinced, I recommend giving his article a read.

First things first, I’m Josh and I’d like to become a good friend of yours. I’m a 19 year-old university student full-time and a personal trainer when time permits. I can’t tell you how much I love to talk. Speak with me in person and you’ll see what I mean. There’s something about the sharing of knowledge that I really love. I have a true passion for writing, learning, and teaching, so I figured I’d give this blog buzz a go. I intend on throwing everything I learn and know into MuscleBits, and hopefully, I’ll be able to help you realize the goals you may have.

Here’s a brief list of what Euphorify will cover:

• General Health
• Fitness
• Routines & Plans
• Nutrition
• Mental Health
• Sports Performance
• And much more!

Just be sure to keep an eye out on new postings at a frequency of every few days. I’ve already got some ideas up my sleeves!