Master Your Core A Science-Based Guide to Achieve Peak Performance and Resilience to Injury 9791220085120

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THE

SENSIBLE

FITNESS PROGRAM A SIMPLE & SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION NO EMPTY HYPE

YOUR BEST BODY IN MINUTES A DAY WITH REAL FOOD

CLETO TIRABASSI

Copyright © 2021 by Cleto Tirabassi 1st edition, March 2021 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the express consent of the author, excepting for fair use as brief quotes in articles and/or reviews. A lot of research, time and effort went into creating this product. Please purchase only authorized editions and refrain from engaging in or encouraging piracy of copyrighted materials. For information, please write to: [email protected] ISBN: 979-12-200-8512-0 Author name: Tirabassi, Cleto | www.myfitnessroad.com Book title: The Sensible Fitness Program: A Simple and Sustainable Solution Website: www.sensiblefitnessprogram.com Editor: Nancy Haight Front cover image: Chiara Tirabassi Cover design: Salman Sarwar | www.samartstudio.com Marketing and publishing: www.thebookmarketer.pro Digital and paperback book formatting: www.bookclaw.com DISCLAIMER This publication is intended for healthy able-bodied adults (18 years of age or over). The content represents the author’s experience and opinions, and is solely for informational and educational purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice. Readers are responsible for their own safety, and for knowing their limits. All forms of exercise pose some degree of risk. Ensure that the equipment and accessories you use are always in sound condition. No individual should ever attempt to follow a fitness program, or to apply any of the methodologies, techniques, principles or the nutritional approach described in this book, without first obtaining clearance to do so from a medical practitioner. Nutritional information is presented for informational purposes only, and may not be appropriate for all individuals. You are strongly advised to consult with a medical advisor prior to adjusting your nutrition. Physical exercise can be challenging and strenuous. Never engage in any activity beyond your level of experience and personal fitness level. In the event you choose to follow any information in this book, the author and publisher decline any responsibility for your actions, or for the results thereof. NOTICE Unless specified otherwise, any express mention of particular individual/s, company, authority or organization does not constitute endorsement by the author or publisher, neither does it imply their endorsement of this book or its author. Hyperlinks and internet addresses contained in this book were accurate at the time of writing. All trademarks and registered trademarks appearing in this guide are the property of their respective owners.

DEDICATION

To Mom, for constantly reminding me about the importance of: “Everything in moderation.” And to Dad, who, whenever I struggled to find reason and meaning in my approach to life, always encouraged me with four simple words: “Remember, Cleto, be you.” Both of these teachings have become sound principles in my work and my lifestyle – and have ultimately led me to my true calling: Helping improve the lives of others.

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APPRECIATION

I would like to thank all contributors who directly and indirectly played a part in the creation of this book, particularly: • Chiara Tirabassi • Corné MacKenzie • Elnita de Lange • Flavia Tirabassi • Giulia Criscuolo • Michael Costantini • Patrick Gamboa • Terri Tirabassi I am truly grateful for their valuable insight, advice, expertise, and for their belief in me. The content in the chapters that follow, the images, and the overall message of SFP are better, thanks largely to them. I hope readers will feel the same degree of enthusiasm and passion as that which went into the book’s production. Last but not least, I’m especially thankful to my wife, Terri, and my daughters, Chiara and Flavia, for having acted, on more than a few occasions, as willing “sounding boards” for rationale and logic, and for having patiently helped with many of the photographs in this book, including its cover. Their constant support fuels my resolve and inspires me to continue trying to inspire others. In sum, this project reflects the input of so many individuals and influencers (some of whom are listed on pages 176-184). Even if not all are named specifically, I humbly thank them all.

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PREFACE The time, energy and effort that went into creating and perfecting the Sensible Fitness Program (SFP) as a lifestyle, have been rather significant. It’s become much more than I would have anticipated. I always knew I had this book in me. Little did I know just how involved it would become when I decided to put pen to paper a good few years back. Although I don’t believe I overlooked the degree of work that lay ahead, I almost certainly underestimated the validation period. One might ask: why validate? Well, I felt I needed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, that SFP is indeed sustainable. I didn’t want to put something into the world that merely represented a “perceived” wellness ideology. Instead, I wanted a tried-andtested way of life—through which I could speak to my audience from a relatable first-hand perspective. Even though one could argue that perfectionism slows momentum, I think that the additional years taken “living” the lifestyle, have served well to create a more rounded product, as well as to allow for comprehensive testing, reflecting and endorsement, not only of the Program’s sustainability, but also of its credibility. Let me also say that while SFP represents my own lifestyle, I have also included information and references to a number of excellent and highly-relevant fitness principles, based on the most current research obtained from organizations like the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA), with which I have had a long-standing professional affiliation. I am also extremely proud to have the endorsement of ISSA’s former Vice President of Education, Mr Patrick Gamboa: “The Sensible Fitness Program is the lifestyle program that has been missing all along. If you finally want to get on top of your hectic schedule and be in great shape at the same time, then this is the book.” vi

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CONTENTS Dedication Appreciation Preface Introduction

iv v vi ix

CHAPTERS 1

A Catalyst for Change

12

2

A Mindset for Success

19

3

Readiness Check

25

4

ProÞling Your Body Type and Tendencies

37

5

Program Overview

48

6

The Exercise

52

7

The Nutrition

75

8

Conclusion: The SFP Manifesto

100

Appendices:

114

• Appendix A: Your Self-Contract • Appendix B: SFP Exercise Guide • Appendix C: Program Logs Acknowledgements and Further Reading References Image Credits About the Author

115 123 168 176 186 190 191

INTRODUCTION Thank you for purchasing this book and for investing in your wellness. If you’re familiar with my work, then you’ll know that the Sensible Fitness Program (or simply “SFP”) is myfitnessroad.com’s flagship program. I’m both pleased and proud to be able to vouch for it first-hand, since it is the very lifestyle I lead. In other words, I use my own product. Through this book-version of SFP, even if not individually-coached, you still get all the basic essentials, allowing you to immediately start your journey towards becoming the best “you” today! Who is this book for? It’s for the crowd (mostly middle-agers) who really wants to be in great shape, but is “too busy,” distracted or otherwise engaged to make it happen. I refer to the typical person in this gender-neutral community as “Alex.” If you can relate to Alex (sometimes referred to as “Al”), then you’ve perhaps also tried the odd program and fallen short somehow. Or maybe you’ve never attempted one because you weren’t sure who to trust or where to begin. In the meanwhile though, precious time continues to pass as your “busy-ness” and confusion leave you indecisive, powerless, frustrated and distracted from changing anything. And because there’s a lot going on in your life, without a sustainable wellness plan in place, “hectic” is what dictates proceedings while health and fitness stay on the back burner and steadily decline.

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I know and fully understand the predicament of this crowd, because I was exactly there myself. I had sporadic success but flip-flopped for years until I was inspired to transform. I then devised a sustainable plan that fit in with the rest of my life. Like you and Alex, I always have a lot going on and never enough time. It’s why we need a simple guide that offers efficient and effective protocols. One that won’t negatively impact other areas of our lives, steal too much time, or have us pulling our hair out from planning and scheduling boring meals and complex tedious workouts. SFP goes to the heart of simplifying fitness and removes unnecessary obstacles. It is specifically intended for the “Alex” community so they may finally address their seemingly hopeless plight, and in the process get them on the road to a healthier and happier future, thanks to a smart and sustainable plan. It’s therefore the ideal companion for your journey towards becoming the best you. Objectives of this book 1. To introduce you (a hopefully willing person, but likely not in-shape) to the “sensible” mindset, and the most important principles and practices that make up SFP from a beginner through to an advanced level. 2. To show you (if you’re currently not in shape) that the only obstacle in your way, is you. If you can accept that, then you’re halfway-done, because you’re actually already “ready.” 3. To provide you with the program layout and the main tools for completing it. SFP is not only easy-to-follow, but also highly-effective. I should know, I follow its protocols every single day. 4. To save you time and money by avoiding unnecessarily complex workouts, alienating meal-preps, and of course costly equipment and supplements. x

At the end of 12 weeks (or sooner, depending on your current state), you’ll be in the best shape of your busy life, and you will be in the ideal position to keep things that way, or better—to continue progressing. Through SFP, it is my greatest wish for you to finally have that superior and sustainable way of life most people only dream of—as long as you want it badly enough. With that, I congratulate you on taking this step, and I can’t wait for you to get started with your journey to transformation!

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CHAPTER 1

A CATALYST FOR CHANGE “After all, the ordinary hero hiding in each of us is often the most powerful catalyst for change.” ~ Tate Taylor

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Most people who casually entertain thoughts of transforming physically are inclined to buy fancy shape-up books or to avail of the numerous flashy online programs. But, their purchases are based on the hope that they’ll somehow “get” motivated, and that the rest of the process will follow in some way or another. And then, little to nothing happens. Perhaps for weeks or months. Perhaps for good, if busy-ness is allowed to dominate. This usually occurs because one critical factor is missing: a catalyst. Without it, real comprehensive change remains nothing more than a wish. So, where does this required “spark,” to bring about a life-altering shift, come from? On the one hand, it appears that some people manage to capitalize on their spontaneous realizations and develop a powerful internal drive, which, when properly-harnessed, will deliver, no matter what. This mindset is catalytic by itself. You might call these people “self-starters.” Their motivation has become intrinsic. But on the other hand, those of us who merely “wish” or “hope,” are probably not fully attuned to that deep inner-dialogue. Neither are we actively harvesting our wishes to turn them into true demands for action. And so these intentions remain back-of-mind, and have no further impact on our lives. Unless, there exists some sort of catalyst. A situation where we are open or “primed” to welcoming change. With heightened awareness, we might recognize it when we stumble upon or actively seek out “opportunity,” become inspired, have a light-bulb moment, and suddenly find ourselves experiencing a mental shift. Now if we manage to tap into and augment this newfound realization, then we can ignite change through our thoughts and behaviors, thereby opening the door to real transformation. 13

The way I see it is, either you show up already catalyzed and prepared to embrace change, or you have to become inspired in some way. However, to become inspired, I believe you need to be in a receptive frame of mind when opportunity knocks. It’s why I mentioned the word “primed” on the previous page. And let me be clear about something. If you aren’t the type who takes action proactively and promptly, and instead has a casual view about change, then you might go months or years before having any inspirational moment of awakening. The question therefore becomes obvious: How long will you contend with being idle while you wait around for a catalytic event? My own story isn’t much different from what I’ve just described, which is why I want to alert you to the pitfalls of casual hope or wishful thinking. THE ORIGINS OF MY LIFE-CHANGING SHIFT My interest in fitness and the catalyst for my transformation are covered in a fair amount of detail here: www.myfitnessroad.com/my-story. But in short, through adolescence and into adulthood, I was in relatively decent condition, from a health and fitness point of view. I kind of “watched” what I ate, and I stayed active. However, I had a long-standing wish to be in much better athletic shape. So in a sense, I carried along with me an unfulfilled desire, until one day... VIENNA, 2002 More often than not, we humans will put up with the status quo unless a catalyst prompts otherwise. As touched on, maybe this switch stems from a mere thought or a fleeting reflection. Other times, it might be more deliberate or recommended, or perhaps even medically-prescribed (as discussed in the closing paragraphs of this chapter, that deals with health-warnings). 14

Either way, it’s during these times when there is a likely crossroads-meeting with an inspiring opportunity. Sometimes life-changing, as was the case for me one Saturday morning in early January 2002. Terri and I were at a Starbucks on one of Vienna’s main shopping streets. During our five years in Austria, she and I regularly spent time on weekends enjoying coffee in that typical “loungey” ambience with something to read. I was paging through a Muscle Media magazine and became absorbed by an article on fitness transformations. I had become particularly taken by the success stories and compelling “before” and “after” photos. They were believable and relatable, unlike the content in most run-of-the-mill magazines I usually bought and never acted upon. Probably because most mainstream publications simply promote anabolic supplements via hulk-like celebs aimed at the “gym-rat” market. And I don’t relate to that crowd. But the magazine in hand on that day contained legitimate stories about real average everyday men and women. It was while reading attentively how these people went about their journeys, that suddenly everything came into focus. The outstanding condition they achieved was what I had always wanted. If they could do it, then... Boom! It was at that precise moment that I was sold! This was the exact event needed at that point in my life, and something big in me moved. It was so decisive that I can recall vividly to this day how absolute that transaction was in my mind. It was a gigantic “click!” Believe it or not, for the first time, I could actually visualize exactly what I intended to achieve. I fully identified with my desired outcome and knew with certainty that I was going to get it. And I did. 15

EYES WIDE OPEN The “extent” of this kind of realization (whether spontaneous or inspired) is what I try to convey and instil in my community of followers, interested people and potential clients, not to mention other interested transformation candidates. You must understand that the degree of “want” influences your inner dialogue, and as a result, your subconscious mind becomes conditioned, as do your actions. Half-measure words like “might” and “we’ll see” need to be replaced by “can” and “will,” for change to happen. This is what I’m talking about when I say that anyone can achieve a full physical transformation if they want to “badly” enough. Your mental resolve comes from the conversations you have with yourself. Will you be doubtful and overcautious in case you fail? Will you even bother starting? Or will you be confident and tenacious in your actions, because you believe in yourself? Unless you’re already buzzing with motivation, I truly hope that this book inspires you to cultivate that “go-getting” mindset—and that SFP will function as your catalyst and mobilize you to becoming the hero of your own transformation journey. Although we’ll focus on physical transformations, the principle of working towards positive change applies to other parts of your life, too. Bottom line: regardless of whether the catalyst happens spontaneously, or if you have to create the ideal situation for it, know this: When you decide to no longer settle for mediocrity, you will Þnd the road towards excellence in any life-aspect of your choosing.

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A NOTE ON HEALTH-WARNINGS, SCARES OR MEDICAL CRISES I broadly categorize the people I address and work with into two main groups. What I’ve covered so far in this chapter concerns the group that includes those who “want” to change (either through self-realization or inspiration). The second group represents those who “have” to change, due to failing health. Maybe they’ve had a nudge from their doctor, suggesting they lose a few pounds for the sake of their poor condition. Or maybe they experience occasional pains in the chest and feel a little worried. Behaviors highlyprevalent in this group unfortunately include years of indiscriminate eating, sedentarism, excessive drinking, smoking and/or overall neglect. People belonging to this crowd may have biomarkers showing elevated cholesterol, increased blood-pressure, the early stages of diabetes, or the onset of other chronic disease/s. And now they’ve been medically advised to “do something about it.” You can well imagine the massive challenge that people in this “unwell” community face in shaping up. Since they’ve paid little regard to health and fitness over several years, they are bound to view any wellness makeover with trepidation, not to mention feel reluctant about the prospect of a lifestyle change. To this group, I say, you have a critically important bit of self-reckoning to undertake: You know what you need to do and why you need to do it. The reasons are clear and unequivocal, so embrace and internalize them wholeheartedly. And don’t go about this begrudgingly. After all, you’re doing it primarily for yourself, though your loved ones, your family and your friends will arguably also benefit from a healthier you. Decide that the time for neglect and hesitation—along with disregarding the many advantages of health and physical fitness—must end. Levels of obesity among world populations are sadly continuing to rise, causing (among other 17

painful burdens) large medical expenses. Instead of enjoying the benefits of exercising and living responsibly, we’re seemingly destined to “grapple” with a whole host of chronic conditions, possible traumas or crises due to physical inactivity and irresponsible living. As Edward Stanley so aptly put it: “Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” Don’t let it come to this. But if it regrettably has, make every effort to walk it back and turn the situation around. Dr. Debi Silber, an expert in fields that include lifestyle and personal development, wrote an article titled “When Crisis Hits: A Perfect Catalyst for Change.” In it, she states: “While these types of life-altering experiences can shake us to the core, have you ever considered the idea that they may possibly be the perfect catalyst for change, or even a gift?” Although nobody intentionally wants to wait until disaster strikes, sometimes (hopefully without tragedy or lasting ill-effects) we benefit from this kind of “jolt.” Having your world upended by a medical “wake-up call” tends to bring immediate clarity along with a potential new lease on life, or a second chance. I would add that this should be seen as a last resort. Instead of plodding along, hoping the hero in you somehow awakens so you can rescue your health, my hope is that you take responsibility, choose that role now and work to ensure it never comes to that. You actually deserve that much. And yes, your life literally depends on it. I’ll close this chapter with the simple words of Dutch philosopher Desiderius Erasmus: “Prevention is better than cure.”

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CHAPTER 2

A MINDSET FOR SUCCESS “The key to not only achieving a healthy and prosperous lifestyle, but also to maintain one, is to play the long game.” ~ Cleto Tirabassi

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This quote ties in with SFP’s embodiment of a permanent solution. But for that, your approach needs to employ behavioral aspects derived from common sense, reason and simplicity—blended with a clear desire, commitment, effort, the curiosity to learn, and the willingness to evolve. You must of course also make time for leisure, for relaxation, and for your innercircle and community. To enable a lasting situation, you need to deliberately and proactively practice balancing elements of these behaviors in your day-to-day living whenever opportune, necessary or appropriate. I’ve opted to call this approach “sensible.” Without it, you will neither fully achieve nor maintain any intended outcome, whether it’s playing the guitar, learning a new language or changing your physical condition. To familiarize you a little more with SFP’s approach to overall wellness, let’s go through some important housekeeping issues about fitness transformations, starting with that eternal question about “possibility.” Yes, anyone can shape up. The human body and physiology are an amazing combination of components and processes. One of your body’s wonders—regardless of age—is its ability to respond and adapt to nutrition and physical activity changes. In fact, you get to decide “what” and “how” you eat and move, because you're in charge. Simply put, you’re responsible for your health and physical fitness, and ultimately for your external appearance. The hands-off option is easy: simply ignore the entire issue, but of course expect no positive outcome.

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Contrary to apathy, hands-on means you’ve got to drive the process, but you can reasonably expect lots of good things. Decisiveness is crucial I sincerely hope, as you’re reading this, that you’ve already made the decision to take charge. If you choose not to, your state of health will steadily decline. You cannot sit back and wish for it to be otherwise. It’s just the simple truth, and there’s no way around it for any of us. So, you can either numb out and have it “easy,” while gradually becoming unhealthy over time, or you can invest in guaranteeing yourself a healthy future. The good news is that it is possible to fix those things that go wrong from neglected health, like a flabby waistline, sluggish metabolism, chronic illness, low energy levels, lack of physical strength, low self-esteem, and so on. The bottom line is you get to choose. Your body and physiology will always reflect your lifestyle—or deathstyle. So, you’ll be in the driver’s seat; however, I’ll be right here rooting for you and egging you on, so long as you drive. LetÕs brießy talk ÒcognitiveÓ thinking Ask yourself, “Why am I here?” You obviously want something. The question may seem superfluous or obvious to you, but humor me and spend a couple of minutes reflecting on it. Like my friend and avatar “Alex” (“Al”), you’re interested in shaping up. That much is clear. But I’d like to point out that in addition to your “what,” the real motivation behind your “why” is equally important.

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You see, the SFP philosophy stands for a sensible realistic long-term outlook. No quick fixes! The ultimate goal in a meaningful life—for anyone—should be in one’s purpose and happiness (or “contentment,” as some prefer). And there’s a whole lot of stuff you’ve got to do along the way, be it formative, social, charitable, vocational, spiritual, and/or others. And while your definition of happiness might be different to mine, one thing’s for sure: physical wellness is undeniably a large part of it. But I don’t want you to see wellness as a precursor to overall purpose and happiness, but rather as an allied component. Getting into great shape is meaningless (and will be short-lived) if you have unresolved psychological, social, emotional, or any other non-physical issues hanging around. Mindset and mental resolve make up the lion’s share of a success package! (By the way, here’s a lengthier description of Alex: www.myfitnessroad.com/ whos-al.) Yes, you wholeheartedly deserve this! Being healthy and looking good is something to be cherished and to be proud of, so long as it is not grounded in vanity. It should be seen as a natural outwardly consequence of your superior health and vitality, from the inside. After all, it’s been centuries since the assertion: “mens sana in corpore sano,” or “healthy mind in a healthy body.” Remember that the physical aspect is a rather small part of what makes a person whole and worthy. Regrettably though, we’re inclined to fixate on our external appearance and often unwittingly compare ourselves to others. Social media and glitzy fitness magazines tend to make this even more problematic by enabling the showcasing and celebration “primarily” of aesthetics (even when it’s often obviously enhanced, either surgically or digitally). It should be no wonder that body image disorders are on the rise.

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But But staying staying “grounded” “grounded” means means that that even even though though it’s it’s human human toto feel feel good good when when complimented complimented on on looks looks and and appearance appearance (evoking (evoking emotions emotions that that are are inextricably inextricably linked linkedtotoour ourself-image self-imageand andconfidence), confidence),we wecan canrealistically realisticallyonly onlywork worktotobecome become our ourindividual individualbest, best,based basedon onaasensible sensibleand andrealistic realisticapproach approach(Chapter (Chapter33goes goesinto intoaa more moredetail detailabout aboutthis). this). Think Thinktwice twicebefore beforefalling fallingfoul foultotocomparing comparingyourself yourselftotoothers. others. The Thegood goodnews newsisisthat thatit’s it’spossible possiblefor foranyone anyonetotolook looktheir theirbest bestatatany anyage. age. Returning Returningtotothe thepoint pointon onnarcissism narcissismvsvshumility: humility:as aslong longas asyou yousee seewellness wellnessas asan an essential essentialpart partofofoverall overallwell-being, well-being,then thenI Isay sayyou youcan cango goabout aboutyour yourtransformation transformation proudly. proudly. You Youdeserve deservenothing nothingless. less.(You (Youcan canread readmore moreabout aboutmy myfirst firsttransformation transformationhere: here: www.myfitnessroad.com/physical-transformation.) www.myfitnessroad.com/physical-transformation.) Offwith withthe theblinkers blinkers Off Atthis thispoint, point,you’re you’reprobably probablystill stillwondering wonderingififSFP SFPwill willdeliver, deliver,and andwhether whetheryou youcan can At accomplish it.it. Also, Also, the the fitness fitness industry industry has has rendered rendered “getting “getting into into shape” shape” so so accomplish unnecessarilycomplex, complex,costly costlyand andtime-consuming. time-consuming.InInshort, short,pretty prettymuch muchout outofofreach reach unnecessarily forso somany. many. for Solike likemost mostfolks folksI Iknow, know,you’re you’reperhaps perhapsaalittle littleskeptical skepticalofofus usfitness fitnessand andwellness wellness So gurus. gurus. Well,I’m I’mnot notaa“conventional” “conventional”player playerininthe theleast, least,but butI Iam amhere heretototell tellyou youthat thatififyou you Well, wantto, to,you youabsolutely absolutelycan canshape shapeup. up.And Andyou youcan cando doititfree freeofofthe thecomplexities complexitiesand and want unnecessarycosts, costs,without withoutsacrificing sacrificingmore moreofofyour yourprecious precioustime timethan thanneeded. needed. unnecessary So,tell tellyourself yourselfright rightnow nowthat thatyou’re you’rehere herebecause becauseyou’ve you’vechosen chosenaabetter betterlife lifeand and So, youmean meanbusiness! business! you

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But But don’t don’t just just say say itit and and forget forget itit once once those those words words leave leave your your mouth. mouth. Really Really internalize internalizethe thestatement statementof of“what” “what”you youwant wantand and“why” “why”you youwant wantit.it. And Andthen, then,go goaastep stepfurther: further:broadcast broadcastthose thoseintentions intentionsto toyour yourloved lovedones, ones,friends friends and and colleagues! colleagues! Making Making your your new new undertaking undertaking known known will will help help you you stay stay on on track. track. You’ll You’llsee seemore moreon onhow howto todo dothat thatininthe thenext nextchapter. chapter. For Fornow, now,read readon. on. You Youhold holdthe thekey key Getting Getting into into shape shape isis about about you. you. More More specifically, specifically, you you need need your your decision decision to to succeed. succeed.There Thereisn’t isn’taasubstitute substitutefor forthis, this,and andititcannot cannotbe bebought—for bought—forany anyprice. price.No No app, app,gizmo, gizmo,gadget, gadget,diet, diet,supplement supplementor orpersonal personaltrainer trainercan can“give” “give”you youthis. this. Only Onlyyou youhave havethe thepower. power. With With that, that, there’s there’s no no reason reason why why any any individual individual shouldn’t shouldn’t be be able able to to combine combine aa healthy healthyfitness fitnessprogram programwith withaabusy busylife. life. And Andthis thisisisthe thewhole wholeintention intentionbehind behindSFP. SFP. You’re You’reabout aboutto tosee seethat thatyou youpretty prettymuch muchalready alreadyhave havewhat’s what’sneeded neededto toget getstarted, started, ififyou’ll you’lljust justcommit committo toand andbelieve believeininyourself. yourself.I’m I’msimply simplygoing goingto tonudge nudgeyou yougently, gently, so soyou youcan cansee seethat thatwhat whatitittakes takesisisright rightunder underyour yournose. nose. I’ve I’veset setout outaa“Readiness “ReadinessChecklist” Checklist”ininChapter Chapter33to todemonstrate demonstratethis. this. As Asyou yougo gothrough throughthe the13 13points, points,you’ll you’llrealize realizethat thatthe theactivity activityisisaamere mereformality. formality.I I could could already already have have checked checked each each item item off off as as “a “a given” given” or or “done,” “done,” but but I I left left that that pleasure pleasurefor foryou. you. Let’s Let’sgo! go!

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CHAPTER 3

READINESS CHECK “If you wait until you are ready, it is almost certainly too late.” ~ Seth Godin

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Now, you might think that it’s banal or unnecessary to do a self-review. But I urge you not to. Most people nonchalantly gloss over these considerations, taking them for granted, and they end up losing their way later on. How so? FACT: Most formerly-enthusiastic “starters” who become disillusioned “quitters,” went with their initial enthusiasm and jumped straight into new a behavior, without first understanding and devising an approach or structure for how to cope when the novelty wore off. And believe me, it always wears off. So keep in mind that adjusting behaviors and applying the respective consistency are going to be key to your success further down the road. But we’re still in the starting blocks here. Motivation and sustainability are touched on throughout the upcoming text. For now, let’s focus on what “stuff” you need to check off in order to be SFP-ready: 1.

A decision and the willingness to commit, no matter what

No, I’m not joking. The only legitimate barriers between the “new” you and the “current” you should be unforeseen or grave life-problems. All other matters need to be prioritized in conjunction with your personal wellness activities and undertakings. Substitute “I hope to” or “I intend to,” with “I want to” and “I am going to.” Without an iron-clad pledge to yourself, there’s no point in going any further. You’re here and reading this, and that’s the best possible start. But the deliberate intent of committing is a “must.” Don’t just say it, mean it. Remember what I said in the last chapter as regards telling the people in your life about your wellness venture?

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Be ready to do that just as soon as you’ve read and signed the pact between you and yourself. It’s in Appendix A. (Although it’s preferable to do this once you’ve read through the book, feel free to take a quick look at it now if you want, and then come back and continue with point number 2 on this page.) 2.

Understanding and accepting that there’s work to be done

Nope! There are no free passes or shortcuts. Not for anyone. In life, nothing “good,” “special” or “exceptional” comes easy or free. If it did, you probably wouldn’t be reading this book. Regardless, SFP is going to give you a distinct advantage: an efficient, practical and sustainable long-term solution that becomes easier and second-nature with time. In terms of feelings of novelty, you shouldn’t “have” to enjoy exercise (I certainly don’t) to continue doing it. Do not see sense-of-enjoyment as a prerequisite for doing your workouts. If you allow the habit of a desired behavior to take hold and then maintain it, then you’ll be able to resist the effects of fading novelty and transcend temptations or rationalizations to quit. Right! The two “serious” reality-checks are out of the way. For the remaining 11, I’m convinced you have everything covered. Let’s see if I’m right. 3.

You’re too old?

Sorry, age doesn’t apply. It’s been scientifically proven beyond a reasonable doubt that older adults (above 65 years of age) who participate in sustained fitness programs can and do enjoy significant health improvements and benefits, thereby greatly increasing their quality of life. I’m currently in the best state of my busy life at 55! 27

4.

How much money do I need to invest?

To start today? Zero $. So, big savings. I do however recommend acquiring some basic and inexpensive items to enhance your training options. We’ll get to those in Chapter 6 which covers physical exercise. 5.

How much time is needed?

Almost all the people I talk to about “time” agree on one thing: there’s never enough. And that’s true. But it applies to every individual on the planet. Sadly though, time-shortage is the absolute favorite opt-out excuse. You can actually use the “lack of time” to become better at prioritizing important things in your life. In any event, SFP requires an average exercise time of only 20 minutes a day to change your life and keep it that way. Pretty decent, don't you think? 6.

Gym membership

None is expressly required for SFP, unless of course you prefer that sense of community. If you feel that you’ll be more program-compliant by joining a club or facility, then go right ahead. If not, more big savings. 7.

Special meal plans and supplements

– Anabolics (natural and steroidal) – Fat burners – Performance boosters – Pre-workout supplements – Energy bars – Recovery drinks – Protein shakes – Health formulas – Vitality tonics – Vitamins None of the above-listed items are expressly required or recommended for 28

SFP, with the exception of medical prescriptions (where intolerance and/or resistance are concerned), or in cases of pre-existing health conditions, limitations, allergies, or in the event you’re following a short-term specialized program or you’re a professional athlete. Again, more potential savings. 8.

Planning and portioning meals

SFP views these activities as ultimately becoming second-nature. An instinctive process. Newcomers will require familiarization (an initial learning curve of 1-2 months). However, after this, nutritional profiling becomes an ad-hoc simple practice where you’re able to effectively estimate portions and distinguish the 3 macronutrient ratios for purposes of deficit (to lose weight), surplus (to gain weight) or balance (to maintain weight). I usually offer several different options when working with my coached clients and for customized programs. But for the sake of this book-version of SFP, if you can work with your fist, the palm of your hand and your thumb as portion guides, then you can also check this off the list. (We go into more detail in Chapter 7, which deals with nutrition.) 9.

Calorie-counting?

This is another activity that is not required, unless we’re talking sport or specialized fitness goals (as with the coached SFP and customized programs). We will however go through some examples and calculations in Chapter 7 merely to better understand the nutritional profiles of food types. 10. Exercise equipment and accessories Only a minimal number of items is needed for functional fitness and shaping up. That means 2-3 modest pieces of equipment will be perfectly adequate, even for the more specialized goals. As mentioned, we’ll touch on those in Chapter 6.

29

In short, though, if you decide to begin SFP today, you’re already set, because the beginner movements don’t require anything more than you, the floor, gravity, a towel and some furniture. 11. Program Logs To succeed with just about any project in life, you need to keep track of planned and executed activities. Monitoring progress and taking corrective action are crucial when it comes to achieving an intended fitness outcome. Now, before you think this activity is going to be a pain, let me give you some encouragement. When you’re shaped-up and on the “other” side, enjoying your newfound vitality, physicality and prosperity, you won’t need to do this any longer. Except of course when you decide to occasionally set yourself a new fitness challenge. Bottom line: no logging is required once you’re happily maintaining. As with the eating part of the SFP lifestyle, things are intended to be instinctive. But you’ve got to put in the work at the outset to get there. (When you’re ready to use the program logs, see Appendix C. They’re also downloadable via: www.sensiblefitnessprogram.com.) 12. Your personal Þtness level Doing a pre-screening by means of an evidence-based tool is an important first step to ensure a safe and rewarding physical activity experience. It will also help identify whether you require further evaluation before becoming more physically active, or before undertaking a formal fitness assessment. I recommend the physical activity readiness questionnaire developed by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP). This is a self-screening tool called “Get Active,” which has evolved over the years and replaces the longstanding physical activity readiness questionnaire form (PAR-Q). 30

Get Active is widely considered the industry gold standard, and is typically used by fitness coaches and beginners to determine the safety or possible dangers associated with exercising for an individual based on their health history, as well as current symptoms and risk factors. It can also help in the design of a program. BENEFITS OF THE “GET ACTIVE” SELF-SCREENING ASSESSMENT The questionnaire enables individuals of all ages to make informed decisions regarding whether or not to seek further advice from health care providers or qualified exercise professionals before becoming more physically active. The tool helps you formalize your self-appraisal by means of guiding questions. By design, it serves to uncover any potential health risks associated with exercise, particularly cardiac issues in individuals with undiagnosed heart conditions. However useful the Get Active may be, some underlying conditions, especially in younger athletes, can usually only be diagnosed by more formal testing, like in the use of an electrocardiogram (ECG). Nonetheless, this simple questionnaire has its place in effectively screening most adults for obvious risks, identifying those for whom physical activity may be inappropriate, and who should consult a medical practitioner prior to commencing. Bottom line: Get Active is a practical means of helping you to make a selfevaluation as to whether or not you’re fit to partake in physical exercise. The whole “Am I good to go?” question should, however, be a constant mindset in approaching any and all physical activity, now and in the future. Always use sound logic and common sense.

31

ENSURING YOU’RE READY TO EXERCISE Take a few short minutes to ascertain that you have a clean bill of health by completing the simple Get Active questionnaire: https://store.csep.ca/pages/ getactivequestionnaire. IMPORTANT: Ensure you also complete the “Reference Document” if you answered “YES” to any of the points in the questionnaire. Go ahead and do it now. I’ll be waiting right here. Done? Great! You might be wondering who should keep the completed questionnaire. Well, it’s for your personal reference, or it could be for the information of any interested medical professional you might consult. So you now have an idea of your condition, and hopefully you’ve got a green light. Remember, any slightest doubt should be addressed with a medical professional. It’s not worthwhile to run any risks. Give yourself that peace of mind. 13. Appreciating your prospective beneÞts I am certain, irrespective of your current state, that you’re beginning to anticipate and appreciate the benefits of the results you’ll be enjoying posttransformation. And to help you really visualize these, take a couple of minutes to look at SFP’s 6 MAIN BENEFITS, so that you’re clear about what you’ll be working towards: 1. Achieve and maintain your optimal weight and physiological condition 2. Enjoy dramatically-improved energy levels and all-round wellness 3. Greatly enhance your physical appearance and self-esteem

4. Gain a host of unseen benefits towards a stronger, more illness-resistant constitution, and improved overall well-being 5. Significantly lower your health risks and future medical costs

6. Drastically reduce the money, time and complexities associated with following conventional programs

32

Want to turn these benefits into sure-fire affirmations? Start imagining yourself already standing on the other side. This is especially good for your motivation, going forward. Like when you’re deep in the trenches and you’re not seeing any tangible results at first. What we’re talking about here is simply having a vision and keeping it front and center. Why? Well, wherever you put your energy and whatever you tell yourself is where you’re going to go, and what you’re going to become. And this is true for much of what we achieve (or not) in life. The fact that fitness programs don’t deliver overnight results is one major reason why people throw in the towel. Don’t! Trust the process! If you stick to your plan and constantly practice visualizing your future self, the results will come. As decorated US Army general Creighton Abrams once posited, "When eating an elephant, take one bite at a time." Change can be daunting when you view it as a big chunk of work. Focusing on your behavioral goals, a day at a time, will enable you to achieve your outcome goals. In other words, consistency in doing the individual things ensures that you reinforce the desired behavior through habit to achieve your your desired endresult. Obsessing over your problems and “perceived” limitations means you’re more likely to resort to distractions, quick fixes or instant gratification to cope. Focusing on what you want will keep you in line with doing the work and the required individual “things” that are going to get you to where you want to be.

33

GO A STEP BEYOND VISUALIZING YOUR INTENDED OUTCOME Getting specific about your focus, consider finding an image/s (whether from a book or online) of the kind of physical condition you’re envisaging for yourself. Don’t settle for easy, though; select something challenging, but doable and realistic. Print it out or save it somewhere to regularly remind you of what you’re working towards. I did this back in 2002. You’ll recall me mentioning in Chapter, 1 that I saw a bunch of before-and-after pictures of fitness transformations while paging through a magazine just prior to beginning a program. And having genuinely believed “if they could, then I could,” I chose these pictures of Fred and Stephanie Morales to serve as my reminder. These images show the couple’s results after 12 weeks of consistent effort using the Bill Phillips “Body for Life” program. I strongly believe that keeping these photos close-at-hand, contributed a great deal towards me accomplishing my first real transformation. The pictures helped inspire me by fulfilling the role of a compass. On days when I felt wary or unsure of things, looking at those images helped me stay on track. And to illustrate how effective the practice was for me, I’ve also included the “before” and “after” pictures of my first transformation.

34

Don’t underestimate the power of visualization! To close off this chapter, allow me to pose a question: How would you answer if I asked whether you’d be “okay” with having those 6 afore-mentioned beneÞts? I thought so. Congratulations! You’ve just completed your readiness checklist review. Now, before diving into the program, there’s one last thing to deal with: understanding your body type and degree of shape-up potential. Why’s this necessary?

35

IfIfyou’re you’reininany anyway wayfamiliar familiarwith withMFR, MFR,then thenyou’ll you’llknow knowhow howimportantly importantlyI Iview viewthis this aspect. aspect. And And my my reasoning reasoning isis simple. simple. Even Even though though the the health health and and fitness fitness industries industries tend tend to to paint paintus usall allwith withthe thesame samebrush brushand andconveniently convenientlypromote promoteone-size-fits-all one-size-fits-allsolutions solutions —we —wemust mustbe bemindful mindfulthat thateach eachof ofus ushas hasuniquely uniquelydifferent differentshape-up-potential. shape-up-potential. I Ilook lookforward forwardto todiscussing discussingthis thiswith withyou youininthe thenext nextchapter! chapter!

36 36

CHAPTER 4

PROFILING YOUR BODY TYPE AND TENDENCIES “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” ~ Jimmy Dean

37

In the previous chapter, I mentioned that one of your body’s wonders is its ability to respond and adapt to changes in nutrition and external stressors. It should be noted, though, that the net effect of this adaptation will reflect differently in each of us. What we’re talking about here is the nature and extent of our individual physical transformability. You might be wondering why I’ve included such a topic in this book. Well, because it’s a crucial component in shaping up. And since conventional fitness solutions and pundits don’t address it, most people remain oblivious to its effect and influence. But if we disregarded its role, we’d be doomed before we even began the journey of shaping up. You see, most folks narrow-mindedly expect they’ll get the same results from a particular program as the next person did. And when this doesn’t happen (because it usually doesn’t), then it becomes just another convenient reason to quit. What am I talking about here? To answer, let me start with a largely unknown concept. SOMATOTYPING This is an often-overlooked but extremely important and useful concept of categorizing body types. How so? And for what purpose? Simply put: We’re all born with a unique predetermined genetic makeup that dictates our body shape and physiological tendencies. In a word, “somatotype.”

38

This plays a major role when we consider sport, fitness and health. That’s why working “with” our genetic tendencies is sensible, because only that way can we ultimately untap and realize our unique best potential, instead of simply ploughing ahead without due regard. Let’s elaborate. The 3 main somatotypes Men and women each possess physical and physiological characteristics broadly resembling one of 3 main builds, which in layman’s terms could be referred to as: “bulky,” “athletic” or “slender,” otherwise termed by sports scientists, biologists and anthropometrists as endomorphic, mesomorphic or ectomorphic. (All example images in this chapter are set out in the order: endomorphmesomorph-ectomorph from left to right.) Basically, (1) what we’re born with, (2) our chosen lifestyle (or more specifically “what” and “how” we eat), as well as (3) the extent and type of physical activities we engage in, all influence our natural inclinations and ultimately our external appearance. In that regard, the 3 somatotypes present different degrees of potential and response in terms of metabolism and the “training effect” (adaptation) to physical exercise, and accordingly, their respective areas of application and specialization in sport.  While there are fitness celebrities and actors who choose to defy or significantly enhance their genetics by resorting to drugs and/or surgery to reach a particular “condition,” one needs to ask if that’s worth it in the long-run. Besides, all the mental arithmetic involved in trying to achieve a look that naturally belongs to a different somatotype, would be to court perpetual frustration, not to mention paying out large sums of money. What’s more, once you start using unnatural or artificial means to maintain a particular “look,” there’s no turning back. And I’m not even getting into the side-effects, some of which are permanent or even life-threatening. 39

In sum, pretty much a pointless exercise. So I’m going to assume you’re okay with the common-sense approach instead. Suitability to sport types To underline why it’s best to play to your strengths, consider this: In terms of competitive sport, naturally-athletic  mesomorphs  thrive when it comes to shorter-distance disciplines due to their favorable genetic makeup for speed. But that doesn’t mean that bulky  endomorphs  or  slender ectomorphs  cannot also be successful in athletic performance and/or competition. Contrary to common opinion though, Olympic sprinters, powerlifters and marathoners don’t simply take on certain physical attributes due to the sport type they engage in. They’ve chosen a sport that is suited to their physical and biological make-up, which become further enhanced in the process.

Visualize for a minute the difficulties a basketball player and a jockey would face if they decided to reverse roles, or similarly, an artistic gymnast and a shot putter.

40

As long as the obvious athletic requirements for a specific sport are considered, then each body type has real and relevant advantages to succeed, whether power, speed or endurance is called for. Functional Þtness Leaving sportspeople and fitness enthusiasts aside, for Alex and other busy people who want an in-shape body, the best approach is  not  to chase the elusive condition or proportions of another somatotype. As already said, narrow-mindedly pursuing a physical condition for which you’re ill-suited may only lead to frustration, depression or other disordered behavior. Instead, you should acquaint yourself with your own tendencies and work with them and their respective advantages. You can realistically only become a “better” or “the best” version of yourself, no one else. Common sense In terms of transforming, it is key is to become familiar with “how” your body handles nutrition and exercise. For example, ectomorphs generally struggle to put on lean mass, but have better carb-tolerance than endomorphs do, who genetically have an easier time building strength and power. Mesomorphs have the best of both worlds as they can gain muscle and lose fat relatively efficiently. (More reference detail is available here: www.myfitnessroad.com/somatotype.) The table on page 42 and subsequent sections provide basic nutritional and training considerations for the 3 respective types, helping you distinguish their characteristics, so you can ultimately categorize yourself in the process: 41

THE MAJOR SOMATOTYPE CHARACTERISTICS

BODY TYPE

METABOLISM

BUILD-TENDENCY

CARB-TOLERANCE

Endomorph

Slower

Bulky

Lower

Mesomorph

Moderate

Muscular

Moderate

Ectomorph

Faster

Slender

Higher

Here’s looking at you Remember, your physical exterior is the product of your innate genetics (which you can’t change) and your lifestyle (which you can change). Looking at the above table, can you identify where you belong? If you’re unclear, then this next activity will hopefully enlighten you more. Assessing yourself Whether you’re completely unhealthy and untrained at the moment, or whether you follow some kind of fitness plan, strip down and take a candid look at yourself in a mirror. Even without the benefit of a predictive graph showing average “ideal” weight for your age and height, this simple visual appraisal will easily indicate whether you’re carrying too many pounds or not. Likewise your musculature, or absence thereof. Your eyes and a self-inflicted pinch at your waistline will do just fine. You are best-placed to know whether you’ve been living up to your full potential, or not, or languishing somewhere in-between.

42

Regardless, it’s highly likely you want to be happier with what you see in the mirror, or you probably wouldn’t have taken an interest in this book. But perhaps you already have an idea of how your metabolism tolerates calories, whether you’re physically active and attentive, or not. What do I mean? Well, if you find that you can usually get away with eating a little more than the next person, while managing to keep a steady weight, then you probably have a faster-than-average metabolism. If, on the other hand, you’ve gradually picked up more weight over time than comparable friends or family, then you likely have a more sluggish constitution. In direct relation to metabolism is the anatomy. As exemplified by the 6 untrained individuals in the images below and on page 44, a naturally softer and rounder figure/physique on the one end, or a leaner, linear shape on the other, correspond to having a slower or faster metabolism.

43

The naturally-gifted “athletic” and more shapely mesomorph is normally considered the average from which the other two somatotypes are compared. Although society tends to celebrate mesomorphy, it doesn’t mean you’re destined for insignificance if you weren’t born with those traits. You do have a say. After all, non-mesomorphs look way better than mesomorphs who eat irresponsibly and who don’t work out.

What you can expect if you choose Þtness Opting for fitness instead of sedentarism means you’re on your way to wellness, not frailness. In the process, you will also be unlocking your potential, regardless of your somatotype. The next 6 images are examples of trained individuals who’ve done just that. However different their physical appearances may be, they each share the same extent of demonstrating their unique “best” condition.

44

This is, without doubt, testimony to the fact that, even though you can’t have any “body” you want, you can have a damn good one.

45

I hope, with what we’ve discussed so far and the images shown, that you’re a little clearer on understanding and distinguishing the respective somatotypes, and that you are ultimately able to establish your own tendencies. Still unsure about your somatotype? Although there are cases where people share characteristics of more than one of the 3 somatotypes, there’s usually a visibly-dominant one. So when attempting to distinguish your own, choose the “one” that predominantly signifies you. For example, although I have both endomorphic and ectomorphic characteristics, it’s the ectomorphic traits that predominate, most notably in my higher carb-tolerance and in my natural inclination to show a moderately linear shape. Even if you’re still not entirely convinced, by consistently working through SFP, you will ultimately figure out whether (and if so, “how”) you need to adjust your training and/or nutrition protocols to reach your short-term and future fitness goals. In closing off this chapter, let’s review the table below. It sets out the natural traits and typical condition of untrained individuals, as well as the corresponding “usual” goal-direction of each. The intention is to offer a useful guide for the 3 body types in terms of eating approach and for exercise focus over the duration of the program. You’ll refer to this information again in Chapter 7 (nutrition). For now though, just go through it for a basic understanding.

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SOMATOTYPE TRAINING AND NUTRITION CONSIDERATIONS

BODY TYPE

MAIN PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

TYPICAL OBJECTIVES OF UNTRAINED INDIVIDUALS

SUGGESTED MACRONUTRIENT RATIOS (PROTEINCARB-FAT)*

SUGGESTED TRAINING FOCUS*

Endomorph

Softer/rounder figure/physique, slower metabolism

Weight loss

35-25-40

Cardio

Mesomorph

Naturally athletic/ muscular, moderate metabolism

Toning / maintenance

30-40-30

Cardio and strength-training

Ectomorph

Naturally lean/ linear, faster metabolism

Strength / mass gaining

25-55-20

Strength-training

*Irrespective of body type, any exercise regimen and nutrition plan should be consistently maintained for at least 3 months before shifting training focus and/or further adjusting macronutrient ratios. The reasoning is simple: so your body’s initial adaptations can be accurately and comprehensively gauged and interpreted before adjusting protocols in line with your individual somatotype.

Remember, your best course of action is to work “with” what nature gave you and to alter your lifestyle to bring out your best attributes. Next, we’re going to look at the program overview. And in the chapters that follow, I’ll go into more detail as I take you through my typical day in terms of workouts and meals. You’ll get to see that the most important exercises you’ll ever need for full functional fitness, are the simplest ones, and I will explain how you can start doing them today. You will also see that SFP’s eating plan is pretty straightforward, “normal,” and enjoyable.

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CHAPTER 5

PROGRAM OVERVIEW “Only those who have patience to do simple things perfectly ever acquire the skill to do difficult things easily.” ~ James J. Corbett

48

This quote really hits the nail on the head when it comes to approaching wellness and life in general. I would perhaps also add “discipline,” which provides you with that “resolve” needed for exercising, when you sometimes don’t feel like it. In basic terms, if you (without fail) do the basic essentials properly, you can go on to tackle bigger challenges on the way to achieving whatever you choose. But you must be resolute in staying the course and trusting the process. And to meet you halfway, thereby giving you the edge, SFP’s design is deliberately simple. Now you’ve probably visited myfitnessroad.com and have “some” idea about the program. Either way, to briefly recap, SFP provides comprehensive wellness results from targeted efforts. And in so doing, you get to enjoy a socially connected, rewarding and more rounded, prosperous lifestyle. The program’s ultimate deliverable is functional fitness + a body to be proud of, but not at the cost of the other important parts of your life. That’s why SFP’s protocols are deliberately: • Brief but effective: 6 exercise sessions, totaling less than 2 hours a week. • Enjoyable: Nutrition is based on real food. No “dieting.” No supplements. Let’s take a slightly closer look at these two components: 1. THE PHYSICAL EXERCISE PROTOCOLS SFP training employs: • Simple compound movements for strength and muscle building/toning, and

• Short but effective cardio sessions for fat burning/weight-control, cardiovascular health and overall physiological conditioning.

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Workout design As you’ll have gathered from the above bullets, SFP comprises 2 main exercise protocols: STRENGTH TRAINING 3 sessions per week using body weight and/or other resistance techniques to vary training intensity and repetition ranges. As you’ll see from the more detailed workout plan/overview on page 57, the entire body is covered via two workout types: • Workout A for the upper body (twice a week), and • Workout B for the lower/overall body (once a week). Research suggests that training muscle groups more than once per week maximizes gains. The upper/lower body split design enables this. And because of the focus on compound movements (as explained on page 54) there is also a reduction in training time. CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING 3 sessions per week by means of running, cycling, swimming, dancing, walking or any form of sustained aerobic/anaerobic activity. However, once you fulfil your transformation, your goal might be to maintain your condition. In this case, you could (like I do) opt to switch between 2-3 cardio workouts a week. The case is similar if your goal becomes mass-gain. This is particularly relevant to ectomorphs, who have it easier to keep their weight down, but more difficult to add lean body weight.

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2. THE NUTRITION PROTOCOLS The best news about SFP’s plan: • It’s based on real food with no restriction on eating style. Eating plan It is going to be connected to whatever allows you to sustain it, which is really only logical and possible if the plan is nutritious and enjoyable at the same time. As for the specifics concerning calories and portions, Chapter 7 looks at some basic tools to help you more effectively gauge your food-intake. Most folks are really out of touch when it comes to macronutrient-portioning and meal-sizing, not to mention frequency and timing, and how to bring these principles into everyday life. And unfortunately, the fitness industry tends to overcomplicate things when it comes to food, insinuating that all sorts of technical approaches and unsustainable activities be incorporated into our lives. They’re unsustainable because they’re unnatural and alienating. Before too long, these commonly-championed protocols cause a backlash among people who want to get fit and healthy, but who also want a sense of “normality.” Then there’s also always the risk to those who hold on tight and become enslaved control freaks. In sum, it’s not possible to build weird and complex nutritional behaviors into your day-to-day living and expect things to last over the long-term, at least not without adverse effects. That’s why SFP advocates sustainability, not conventional hype or obsession. In the next 2 chapters, we’re going to unpack the nuts and bolts of the program’s exercise and nutrition plans. 51

CHAPTER 6

THE EXERCISE “Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” ~ Edward Stanley

52

Phrased differently, this means, ignore physical activity at your ultimate peril. And while you might stay “reasonably healthy” and sort of “in shape” by diet alone, your eating has to be strict to pull that off. There won’t be much (if any) wiggle-room for occasional snacks or “cheat meals,” as some people call pleasure-inducing food. I don’t see much fun in that. But besides the need for a stringent eating plan if you plan to sidestep exercise—you’ll forego a good exterior and a whole lot of other health-related benefits. Looking at the physical state of society, it’s clear that most people find exercise (at least the traditional way) a “pain,” or too time-consuming. Perhaps more of us could warm to the idea of doing exercise if there was a smart, practical and time-efficient solution. The Sensible Fitness Program is designed to offer just that incentive. As mentioned in the program overview, there are 6 straightforward workouts per week comprising 3 for strength exercise, and 3 for cardio (*switching between 2-3 a week if you’re at maintenance weight, or if you want add mass). The rest of this chapter will explain SFP’s training routines, as well as its major training principles. 53

STRENGTH TRAINING A quick clarification: as far as terms go, “strength,” “resistance” and “weight” training are synonymous with one another, whereas “cardio” refers to aerobic exercise (of sustained duration) and/or anaerobic exercise (at higher-intensity levels, but of shorter duration). In terms of strength training, SFP uses compound movements. These involve multiple joints, targeting all the major muscle groups using fewer exercises, as opposed to isolation exercises. For example, the “pull-up” exercise (shown in the image below left) is far more preferable to the “dumbbell biceps-curl” (below right) since it involves the upper back, shoulders and biceps, while also engaging the core muscles.

Biceps-curls engage primarily the biceps muscle, and little else. The human body contains more than 500 muscles, which usually work in unison. Training them individually ignores this harmony and their natural functionality, and de-trains the natural instinct of the body to function as a coordinated, unified whole.   54

In more practical terms, here are four compelling advantages of compound exercises over isolation movements: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Shorter overall workout-time More effective muscle-building potential Higher calorie-expenditure during workouts Optimizes overall balance and coordination

It is important to note that “gains” in muscle mass/tone mean a faster metabolism, which results in more calories burned – even at rest.   A true win-win situation! The SFP strength-exercise movements There are endless strength-training possibilities, variations, alternatives and progressions, stuff you can be creative with or challenge yourself with, and even entertain curious onlookers in the process. And as I’ve indicated, you can train at home with simple techniques, at outdoor exercise parks, or in a gym using sophisticated machines. But let’s get down to what works best and takes minimal time to do. These 5 compound movements are SFP’s cornerstones, and the basis for all exercise types used throughout: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Upper body: push Upper body: pull Lower body: push Lower body: pull Overall body: push/pull

Muscles are highlighted to show their respective involvement in movements 1-5, with the striped parts being involved in two or more movements. (For further reference, the major muscle groups are identified on p. 124.)

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If you ever felt overwhelmed about the long lists of exercises, sets and reps that convention claims you need to do to get into great shape, that feeling was valid. This is an activity where “less” is definitely more. To maintain my condition, I perform just 1-2 exercise types per muscle group, per session, and that’s it! My training is very similar to the standard SFP workout plan, shown on the next page. (If you’re curious, my “evolved” plan is included at the end of this chapter.) THE SFP WORKOUT PLAN The table on page 57 contains the program layout and exercises in relation to the 5 movements, which are fully described and illustrated in the Exercise Guide in Appendix B. (See www.sensiblefitnessprogram.com to download or print the overview/workout plan.) Strength-exercise levels used with SFP The grey “Beginner” and orange “Intermediate” columns contain a selection of *regression exercises (for absolute beginners or folks who have little training experience), which can be used in working towards the blue “Advanced” and ultimately more specialized levels. Exercise types Although you’ll have noted alternate exercises for chest, back and legs, few can rival the effectiveness of the dip, chin-up, squat and deadlift. These exercise movements continue to stand the test of time, even if the fitness industry is saturated with gurus claiming they’ve discovered or unlocked “revolutionary” techniques and secrets, particularly when it comes to “six-pack abs” (which I’ll come back to in a minute). * A regression is an easier version of an exercise requiring a decreased physical demand to execute it. The idea is to allow for adaptation in inexperienced trainees through enhanced neuromuscular function, development of balance, coordination, mobility and skill-specific ability to – over time – ultimately perform the target version of the exercise. For example, the assisted dip (using resistance bands for support) is a regression of the more difficult standard dip (which involves total bodyweight).

56

To be clear, any coach worth their salt would not lay claim to holding secrets to weight loss and muscle-gain, or any other fitness-related aspect. That’s simply because the only person who has the key to realizing these – is you. LEVELS

Workout type

M

T

BEGINNER 12-15 reps per set

1. Bent-knee dip (using chair) or wall push-up 2. Incline pike push-up 3. Door row (using towel) or Strength assisted chin/pull-up Upper body (machine or resist. band) (push/pull) 4. Partial door row (using towel) or assisted partial chin/pull-up (machine or resistance band)

Cardio (HIIT)

INTERMEDIATE SETS

3 2

3

2

Th

1. Chair squat or partial Lower body bodyweight squat (push/pull) 2. Good morning exercise or lying leg-curl Overall 3. Straight bridge or body shoulder bridge (push/pull)

*Cardio

(LISS/MISS)

Upper body (push/pull)

Sa

Rest

Su

Cardio

(LISS/MISS)

SETS

3 2-3 2-3

1. Assisted pistol squat (using chair) or bodyweight squat 2. Assisted single-leg bent-over balance touch (using chair) or bodyweight leg-curl 3. Assisted Romanian single-leg deadlift (using sliders) 4. Neck bridge

30-40 mins

8-12 reps per set

SETS

2-3

1-2 2-3

1. Dip or decline push-up 2. Decline pike push-up 3. Chin-up or pull-up 4. Partial chin-up

1-2 1 1-2 1

1-2

17 mins

30-40 mins

Strength

F

1. Assisted dip (using machine or resist. band) or incline push-up 2. Pike push-up or shoulder press (using free weights, machine or resistance band) 3. Assisted chin-up (mach./resist. band) or Australian chin/pull-up 4. Assisted partial chin-up (machine or resistance band)

17 mins

Strength

W

10-15 reps per set

ADVANCED

17 mins

2

1-2 1-2 1-2

1. Single-leg (pistol) squat 2. Single-leg bent-over balance touch 3. Single-leg deadlift 4. Back bridge

1 1 1 1

30-40 mins

Same as for Monday

–

–

–

45 mins

45 mins

45 mins

NOTE: There are literally countless exercise type possibilities, depending on your level and whether you prefer bodyweight-training or using machines (which mimic the same movements). The advanced level lists my personal favorites. I’ve also included what I see as the most logical regressions for the beginner and intermediate levels. Again, these can be done at home or in a gym, using appropriate machinery. If you can do the more advanced moves before the recommended time, great! You shouldn’t hold back just because of the prescribed time guidelines. But even if you’re ready to leapfrog the beginner level, you should still aim to devote 12 weeks to the program, whether that’s 4 weeks per level, or 8 weeks intermediate and 4 weeks advanced. Specialized training, including variable speed methods or other isolation techniques, fall outside the scope of this book. Also, as long as you fulfil the overall plan, feel free to reorder your “free day” to another day. *Switch between 2-3 cardio sessions a week if you’re at maintenance weight, or if you want add mass.

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And this is primarily due to the fact that fitness transformations are highly personal journeys—unique to the individual. Coming back to “abs.” You’ve probably seen that there’s no direct ab-training in SFP. No crunches, no sit-ups. Nothing of that sort. And you might ask, “Why!?” Well, the program emphasizes compound movements, so your entire core (including abs) is constantly engaged and stimulated in the process. This recent photo shows my torso condition—achieved with zero direct ab-training.

CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE Quite possibly the first thought that pops into your head might be: Do I seriously need to do it? Cardio remains a controversial topic in the fitness industry, particularly when considering body transformations, recompositions and muscle-building. There are opposing opinions on whether or not it should form part of a fitness program. Do I hear you saying that you hate doing it?

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Wellness reasons aside, cardio is not always fun. I’ll give you that. Many find it straight-up boring, unpleasant and frustrating. Some people just can’t bear its repetitive nature, irrespective of the activity. In fact, this is one of the most frequently-used excuses for quitting. Then there are those who even adjust their daily calorie-intake downwards, just so they can avoid cardio. How can we combat the boredom?

Who wouldn’t eventually become uninspired doing the same activity at the same intensity and duration over and over again? Especially those who train indoors and/or often use the same gym equipment. That’s one big reason SFP employs low, medium and high-intensity cardio protocols. And although I do mostly road-running and cross-country for my cardio, it’s great to also include the occasional hike or recreational sport in my activities. 59

You can even incorporate rope-jumping, swimming, cycling (indoor and outdoor), speed-walking, hiking, dancing or any other activity into your cardio routines. The activity-type is of secondary importance. What is important though, is that you sustain an elevated heart-rate for appropriately long-enough periods. I usually also take music along with me to give me a boost, or I listen to podcasts to help pass the time. This works wonders for me. Now, besides alleviating boredom through using different intensities, the other big reason for varying cardio is to address and enhance functions like fatburning, heart-lung conditioning, adrenal production, hormone balance, removal of lactic waste/toxins and enhanced metabolic endurance. Bottom line: different cardio intensities all have their places in a good program, which is why I have them here. Still not convinced about the benefits of cardio? As said, you can achieve fantastic physical condition by lifting weights at the exclusion of cardio. But, your eating r-e-a-l-l-y has to be on-point, and you end up foregoing a lot of the health-related benefits that you’d otherwise gain from 60

cardiovascular conditioning. (We touch on this again in Chapter 7 – Nutrition.) There’s also this practical reason which gives you an advantage: You get more calories to play with “if” you include cardio in your fitness regimen, besides the several unseen benefits. It also helps expedite recovery from resistance exercise by ridding the body of metabolic and cellular waste, thereby also reducing muscle soreness. These reasons are hugely compelling and it is why I believe that for a fitness program to be complete, it has to include cardiovascular training. The SFP cardio plan It’s pretty simple, really. As you will have noted already, the training is done 3 times per week (2-3 for maintenance/mass gain) and uses 3 intensity levels to ensure the full spectrum of cardiovascular benefits: 1. Low-intensity steady state (LISS) 2. Medium-intensity steady state (MISS) 3. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) The table below shows what this looks like for me:

If you’re completely new to fitness, you might want to take a look at my resource page (www.myfitnessroad.com/target-heart-rate-thr-calculator)  to familiarize yourself with maximum heart-rate (MHR) and how to calculate your target heart-rate (THR), based on your age and resting heart-rate. 61

SFP’s low and medium-intensity steady state (LISS/MISS) routines are easy enough to understand. As in the Weekly Split on page 61, simply use low intensity (for the first 5-10 mins) and medium intensity (for the remainder) based on the indicated percentages vis-à-vis your maximum heart-rate (MHR). The high-intensity interval training (HIIT) routine is performed at variable intensities, and includes 4 peaks. The image below illustrates exactly how this ultra-short but highly-effective 17-minute workout is executed.

(NOTE: When we talk about “intensity” in terms of LISS, MISS and HIIT, we’re referring to heart-rate levels. Ratings of perceived exertion or “RPE” levels, on the other hand, relate to the overall feeling of the effort/stress, or workintensity as a measure of physiological difficulty.) Although it’s easy enough to measure/gauge THR while doing LISS and MISS cardio, HIIT makes it less feasible (since it involves sprinting). This is where using “perceived” effort-level comes in handy. We’ll cover RPE more closely on page 68, where we discuss training-intensity. For now, read on. 62

CARDIO ADAPTATION What we’re talking about here is the “training effect,” as in “how” your body reacts to the stress brought on by cardiovascular exercise. Be sure to consistently monitor and record the progression of your resting and training heart-rates during your initial months. A very simple way to check your pulse is via your wrist or neck, counting the number of beats for 15 seconds, and multiplying that figure by 4. But for those who feel they’d prefer using technology, then the simplest (and least expensive) heart-rate monitor watch will do just fine. Once transformed, you’ll train and gauge your heart-rate instinctively, like I do. Even though I like my smartwatch, I usually use it just for telling the time. (HINT: There are many beautiful timepieces on the market, catering to the demands of sport, high-fashion and technology. But beware of the novelty, confusion and possible distraction, courtesy of sophisticated fitness trackers and pedometers. If you become wowed by the number of steps you do in a day, or need reminders to “move” your body, then you’re going about fitness the wrong way and merely appeasing your conscience. If you’re buying something to help you get into shape, then all you really need is to see “time” and “heartbeat.”)

The concept of “adaptation,” in terms of physical fitness, means that you’ll gradually be able to increase your performance output as you become more conditioned—in keeping with the required effort-levels of your particular THR. This is possible because your steadily improving heart-rate and metabolic efficiency allow you to do more work during the assigned workout durations. I remember how pleasantly surprised and impressed I was years back when I progressed to running both faster and further with less effort.

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As you’ll remember from the discussion on somatotype considerations in Chapter 4, certain people need more cardio than others to reach their goal. If you’re consistent, then over time, you will understand your unique tendency, and how much “work” you’ll need to do to achieve your desired outcome. (As with strength training, record your planned/actual cardio and any other relevant information useful for gauging progress and/or making corrections using the logs in Appendix C.)

SFP TRAINING PRINCIPLES Workout duration My average resistance workouts last a mere 7-15 minutes. And while my low/ medium-intensity cardio workouts take between 30 and 45 minutes, my highintensity sessions are done in under 20 minutes! Convention might argue that these workout lengths are too short. I disagree. When executed safely and correctly, high-intensity exercise delivers effectively and in less time. Also, it’s plain to see that the average overweight gymgoers are usually the ones who ardently work the elliptical machines, treadmills and stationary bikes for hours on end and never seem to change or transform themselves. Shorter training times fit ideally with that all-too-common busy lifestyle, providing efficacy and efficiency in anyone’s keep-fit undertakings. This is “sensible” at its best. Also, keep in mind that your body has limited recovery ability. You cannot perform excessive amounts of exercise and not expect to pick up issues from overdoing things.

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While beginners and intermediates will initially train longer (more volume/lower intensity), as they progress and adapt, they will be able to shorten their training times significantly (less volume/higher intensity). Bottom line: budget an average of 20 minutes of exercise-time per workout day at the advanced level. General training guidelines In this section, we’ll consider some safety and housekeeping issues, as well as the most important training methodologies used with SFP. FLEXIBILITY Although an in-depth discussion on flexibility, warming-up and stretching methods/routines falls outside the scope of this book, we’ll cover some of the basic considerations. First off, it goes without saying that flexibility should form part of all fitness programs, as should be the case with any individual’s ongoing lifestyle. Although the effects of flexibility training are largely unseen, it affords you much-needed range-of-motion (ROM), balance and coordination. These complimentary aspects of physical fitness are invaluable to overall wellness and day-to-day functionality, particularly as you grow older. WARMING UP When doing resistance training (whether using free weights, machines or own bodyweight), always ensure you warm up adequately prior to working the respective muscle group/s. I usually spend a few minutes moving the limbs/joints of the body part/s I’m about to train, followed by one warm-up set with a light load before hitting the actual working set/s. 65

The objective of warming up is to increase heart-rate and as a result, blood flow, particularly to the joint/s, muscles and soft tissue of the area being trained, rendering them more pliable and therefore more resistant to injury. I’ve learned a few useful lessons over the years. Saving two minutes by avoiding warming up risks unnecessary pulls and strains, or worse. Don’t skimp on warm-ups! I however do not perform any warm-up or stretching activities  prior to cardio, since the workouts themselves (whether low, medium or high-intensity), begin slowly. So, by the time I begin to accelerate the pace, my body is sufficiently primed.  STRETCHING Stretching is an important part of mobility and flexibility. It helps achieve suppleness in the form of improved joint ROM for better flexion and extensibility. You’ll see that the general consensus from research findings and the fitness industry is that stretching is beneficial, though opinions vary as to “when” and “how” it should be performed. Some say it should be done before exercise. Others like me disagree for the simple reason that cold joints and muscles are tight and therefore more prone to injury. And I know of several cases where athletes have strained, or even torn muscles in the process. Besides, I feel that stretching beforehand blunts muscular performance, particularly when employing static stretching (holding). If, however, you feel inclined to stretch before exercising, then it’s advisable to go for dynamic stretching (active/controlled movements) rather than static stretching.

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Remember, muscles stretch more easily when warmed-up. Dynamic stretches can actually act as warm-ups for static stretches. In terms of not pushing the limit too far, it is highly advisable to stretch only to the point of mild tension/moderate discomfort, never to the point of pain. At the slightest hint of pain, stop immediately! Reset the position carefully, and then try again. With time and consistent practice, your flexibility and ROM will improve. My own approach is to perform static stretching movements  after  cardio.  I simply spend 3-5 minutes post-training to do a full-body stretch routine, with added focus on the back and lower body. I try to focus on the specific muscles being stretched, so as to sense their state. I occasionally find (and you might also notice) that one side of your body is tighter than the other. Consistency in stretching will help reduce mechanical tension imbalances over time. I also ensure breathing comfortably while stretching. COOLING DOWN This is particularly important after high-intensity sessions, as it helps to bring blood circulation down gradually, and reduces lactic acid levels, which otherwise cause muscle fatigue and soreness. POSTURE Finally, for good overall health and mobility, try and pay appropriate attention to your posture and form. This holds for whether you’re sitting, standing, or moving. Good form translates to optimal gait, better gains in flexibility and lessens the likelihood of premature illness, and of course unnecessary injury when stretching tight muscles. 67

TRAINING INTENSITY Okay, so you’ve seen the exact exercise plan for both strength and cardio, but let’s talk a little more about “how heavy and how hard.” It’ll take a few workouts to figure out the appropriate loads and intensity-levels to use with your resistance working sets, and with cardio, but you’ll soon get there. Repetitions (reps) should be performed using a weight and technique which— although significantly challenging—should allow full ROM in smooth controlled form, thereby avoiding the need to “cheat” while doing the relevant exercise. It’s the same for cardio, which should be performed sensibly, applying sufficient time and intensity to provide optimal stimulus and recovery between workouts. As you will have noted from SFP’s design, I alternate strength and cardio routines to allow for maximum recovery. But how do you know how to gauge the intensity? Good question. Most people who “dabble” at fitness usually fall short of their goals, since they dislike feeling uncomfortable. But the whole point of physical exercise is to stress the body and to intentionally invoke adaptation. So if exercise feels relatively “doable” or manageable, you’re doing it wrong. Although your outcome-rewards will be consistent with your efforts, it doesn't simply mean full-power all the way. There are times when it’s opportune to push and times when you need to consolidate, or back off a little. Initially, you’ll want to be prudent. But the further you progress into the program and get in tune with yourself, the more intensity-variation and challenge can come into play.

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As a beginner, common sense should be in charge. That and a very simple rating-system to help you “gauge” the level of work you’re doing, regardless of your current fitness level. We touched on this earlier in the chapter. What I’m talking about here is a simplified version of the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) to indicate intensity levels. As set out below, this is a subjective 10-point scale. It is “subjective,” in that it relies on individual feedback.

In using the RPE principle, you’ll see that as you become more resilient, you’ll manage more work at the same exertion levels, which is the whole point of a fitness transformation. You can actually never outgrow this assessment system. In fact, it’s universal, meaning it can be applied to anyone at any fitness level. I utilize these RPE levels for both cardio and resistance exercise routines. The table is useful in showing the increasing effort descriptors and their relevant numbers. In line with SFP’s workout program, for strength-training, you should complete the assigned repetitions, aiming to reach an RPE level of 9 on all working sets at the beginner/intermediate levels. (Warm-up sets should be done at level 4-5.)

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The overarching aim is that you should always be challenging yourself to progress, both for weight training and for cardio. Again, the idea is that over time you’ll be able to do more work at higher intensity levels, if you keep your efforts consistent. In terms of weight training, the load should not be so high that you struggle to maintain proper form, otherwise known as momentary muscular “failure” (RPE level 10) before the required number of reps have been done. (More about form on page 73.) However, “occasional” failure is acceptable and generally desirable (as we’ll discuss in the next section) when you reach an advanced level of training. I personally try and keep my training form strict one week, and allow for failure (level 10) on my last sets during alternate weeks, where I try and complete at least 8 reps in good form. Although you will sacrifice exercise form to a small degree with RPE level 10 training, level 9 is the highest intensity level where strict and controlled execution is possible on all repetitions of the particular set. In terms of LISS and MISS cardio, remember to keep your working heart-rate in line with the ranges shown in the table on page 61. For HIIT, work in line with the 17-minute workout table, as set out on page 62. As already indicated, if you’re completely new to fitness, you might want to take a look at myfitnessroad.com to familiarize yourself more with maximum heart-rate (MHR) and how to calculate your target heart-rate (THR) for cardiovascular (aerobic and anaerobic) exercise: (www.myfitnessroad.com/ target-heart-rate-thr-calculator). PROGRESSIVE RESISTANCE The whole idea behind training with weights is to get stronger and increase muscle size (and/or tone), thereby improving athleticism in the process. The most effective way to do this is by lifting or pushing more than your body is used to, hence the term “progressive” resistance. 70

This means you track the poundages you’re “heaving,” and steadily adjust them upwards over time. In practical terms, you improve on your previous efforts by continuously overloading the muscles and lifting more weight as your strength and recovery-ability processes become optimized. This improvement i n p h y s i o l o g i c a l p e r f o r m a n c e c a p a c i t y i s o f t e n re f e r re d t o a s “supercompensation.” (Remember, as with cardio, ensure you track your planned/actual poundages, reps and any other relevant information useful for gauging progress and/or making corrections, using the logs in Appendix C.) An important caveat: Adding more weight and/or squeezing out that additional rep, should rarely happen at the cost of smooth, controlled form and execution (see page 73), except for that occasional failure-set. In fact, if you plotted anyone’s fitness adaptation over time, it would show a rather “squiggly” trend. That’s because it’s not possible to progress in a straight line. You need to consider time for growth and time for consolidation (recovery), so improvement is more likely to show as a steady upward zig-zag. In accordance with that, SFP calls for varying volume and intensity on alternate weeks at the advanced and specialized levels. You’ll see how I do this by looking at my program version (included at the end of this chapter). Using alternating volume/intensity helps to elicit as much strength and “hypertrophy” (increase in muscle-size/tone as a result of your body’s supercompensation to the stimulus) without overtraining. What we’re talking about here is “periodization.” This is a whole different topic on its own, but in simple terms it refers to systematically cycling frequency, training load, volume and intensity to produce optimal gains while affording adequate recovery.

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You don’t want your body to hit a “plateau” after initial adaptations because of insufficient stimulus, or because of overtraining. Remember that squiggly line I talked about? Any fitness transformation aspirant would love linear progression, but reality dictates otherwise. The more sensible way to progress safely is by alternating heavy training weeks with moderate training. Varying both your strength and cardio training protocols also goes a long way to alleviate boredom and ensure a continued positive training effect in terms of stimulus and results. And occasionally, like once or twice a year, plan a deliberate full-week break to reset your anatomy and neuromuscular system’s functionality. It’ll also do your psyche good to have some mental time off. As you’ll discover with consistent training, you eventually develop a sense or intuition (based on your evolving training goals) of your body’s biorhythms and common sense, to know when to adjust your training work load and intensity. EXERCISE SELECTION In addition to periodizing my training, I also rotate exercise-types, their order and their combinations from time to time. Why? Your body is designed for survival, so it always works on operational efficiency, which means it quickly gets used to what you do. So the idea is to keep it guessing. You want to alter the way you train your muscles in terms of adjusting ranges of motion, load angles, and in the way they’re engaged or involved with other muscle groups. In this way, you maximize muscle stimulus and response, and therefore contribute to ongoing adaptation. Bear in mind though, that changing exercises around too frequently may negate adequate adaptation, especially for inexperienced or intermediate lifters. 

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Once you’ve got at least a month or two of consistent training behind you, begin to find a happy medium with occasional changes that will unlock your full genetic potential without going beyond the point of diminishing returns.  PROPER FORM Always perform strength exercises through their full range in a smooth and controlled manner. Full ROM is going from full extension to full flexion by muscular action alone—without relying on momentum or jerking to complete the movement. For example, proper execution of the chin-up means going from elbows almost locked out until fully-bent (with chin just above the bar). To aid in the execution of the work, exhale during the effort (or “concentric”) phase of the exercise using a 1-second count. Hold for a second, then return (“eccentric” phase) under control while exhaling, to where the arms are almost straight again, for a count of 2 seconds. Rest for a second, then perform the next rep. Rest no more than a minute between sets. NOTE: During concentric contraction, muscle tension increases to meet and overcome a resistance, while the muscle shortens. During  the eccentric contraction, however, the muscle lengthens as the resistance becomes greater due to the lower intended force produced by the particular muscle.

A FINAL POINT ON THE QUESTION OF: MACHINES OR FREE WEIGHTS? I could go into a long and detailed discussion, but let me just say that you can manage with very little equipment. As you’ll have figured out by now, I mostly train at home. A basic doorframe bar for pull-ups/chin-ups, a pair of parallettes (also called dip bars) for push-ups, and a larger set for dips, hip belt and a few resistance bands are the only items I use. This simple set-up has me covered for basic, advanced and specialized moves. Although beginners can use TheraBands, dumbbells, towels, furniture and/or broomsticks (for doing the regressive versions of the exercises), you could also train in a gym using cable machines and other free weights. In addition, you might prefer being able to benefit from on-duty staff for advice in operating 73

their equipment. The choice is entirely yours. You already know my reasoning for training at home. (See: www.sensiblefitnessprogram.com for my list of recommended accessories/resources.)

MY OWN PROGRAM Earlier on, I said I’d reveal my evolved SFP program. This is how I usually train: WEEK 1 (MODERATE TO HIGH EFFORT LEVEL) Monday and Friday (workout A): • Upper body pull – 1 set of chin-ups or pull-ups (8-12 reps) • Upper body push – 1 set of bodyweight dips or decline push-ups (12-15 reps)

Wednesday (workout B): • Lower body push – 1 set of single-leg squats (8-10 reps) • Lower body pull – 1 set of single-leg bent-over balance touches (8-12 reps) • Overall body push/pull – 1 set of back bridges (8-10 reps)

WEEK 2 (HIGH EFFORT LEVEL) Monday and Friday (workout A): • Upper body pull – 1-2 sets of chin-ups or pull-ups (10-15 reps) and 1 set of partial chin-ups or resistance band biceps-curls (8-12 reps) • Upper body push – 1-2 sets of bodyweight dips or push-ups (12-15 reps) and 1 set of upright dips or narrow push-ups or resistance band triceps push-downs (8-10 reps) and 1 set of resistance band shoulder raises

Wednesday (workout B): • Lower body push – 1 set of single-leg squats (8-12 reps) • Lower body pull – 1 set single-leg bent-over balance touches (12-15 reps) • Overall body push/pull – 1 set of single-leg deadlifts (8-12 reps) and 1 set of back bridges (8-12 reps)

On occasion (for added challenge/stimulus), I might include an extra set during Week 2 workouts, or dangle additional resistance from my waist using a hip belt. NOTE: After completing weeks 1 + 2, I revert back to week 1. In other words, I alternate weeks in this manner: WEEK 1, WEEK 2, WEEK 1, WEEK 2, and so on.

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CHAPTER 7

THE NUTRITION “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” ~ Virginia Woolf

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Virginia Woolf’s quote just about says it all. What point is there in following a boring and restrictive eating plan? I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t see myself sustaining anything like that. Aside from simple workout protocols, here’s the best thing about SFP: Its nutrition plan is based on real food, and there’s no implied eating style. In other words, it’s (1) neither based on any of the much-peddled (and usually expensive) “miracle” weight-loss powders, shakes, bars or pills, nor is it (2) intentionally vegan, keto, paleo, traditional, low-carb, vegetarian—or any other. The choice actually comes down to you. Though I don’t personally follow any fixed eating methodology myself, I do believe in moderation and in trying to reduce animal-derived nutrition while limiting calories from added sugars and saturated fats “most” of the time. However, even if you have dietary restrictions for medical reasons, or you’ve chosen, for example, paleo or keto (both of which pose certain limits on food options), or because of other conscientious or religious reasons, you can still devise an enjoyable plan within the boundaries of your specific diet-design. The bottom line (whether or not you have certain pre-conditions to satisfy), is that your eating plan needs to be based on whatever will allow you to sustain it, because it’s nutritious and because you enjoy it. Otherwise it’s bound to simply become another failed “diet.” How so? Because we’re human. And I believe it’s unwise to overlook the link between our ancient survival mechanisms and how we’ve evolved to seek pleasure while avoiding pain. The traditional philosophy of dieting, which usually comes with a “start” and an “end” date therefore runs counter to SFP, which promotes a flexible and realistic approach to eating for the long term. 76

The simple but fundamental principles of sustainably enjoyable nutrition Although I mean for nutrition to be flexible, there are some dues to be paid. Remember, no significant or worthy achievement in life comes easily or cheaply. And SFP is no exception. You do have to ensure an adequate intake of nutritious food (including proteins, carbs and fats), and align the amount of calories you consume with your fitness objectives, whether you’re going for weight loss, weight gain or maintenance. It’s just that simple. Besides enough fiber, you need quality macro and micronutrients to support optimal health, as well as to help you reach and maintain your intended goal/s while “enjoying” your eating plan (yes, this is where the flexibility comes in). It means that sweet stuff, desserts or heavy meals aren’t entirely off the menu, within reason, though. SFP proposes a ratio of 80-20 between higher-quality nutrient-dense food and lower-quality nutrient-sparse and/or calorie-dense food. Really!? The program includes food that is not industry-endorsed “clean”? Allow me to explain. SFP doesn’t push the conventional binary choice of either healthy food or unhealthy food. While cyborgs could theoretically get by ingesting only healthy (aka “clean”) food over the long term, I say it’s short-sighted and unrealistic to expect humans to do the same. And there’s iron-clad, compelling evidence showing our failing in this respect. Instead of “good food” versus “bad food,” SFP sees two general behavioral choices: healthy eating or unhealthy eating, where: • Healthy eating is the sensible and responsible approach through which long-term habits are grounded in consuming predominantly higher-quality food but also include pleasure foods (usually lower-quality/higher calorie) in small measure. 77

• Unhealthy eating, on the other hand, is indiscriminate behavior and may involve both high and low-quality food choices. I sometimes refer to this as “smash-and-grab” eating. Consider for a minute that you can in fact gain weight by eating only “healthy” food. And by the same token, you can actually maintain or lose weight while including lasagne, chocolate and ice-cream (or other similar/comparable foods) in your eating plan. This is what I do. But again, within reason. Even alcohol consumption: as long as it’s for pleasure, do it mindfully and in moderation. So, back to the 80-20 topic: “80” is where the more fibrous, filling, insulinstabilizing and higher-quality food resides, while “20” is home to instantgratification, short-lived satiety and rich but oh-so-tasty stuff. SIDEBAR NOTE: SATIETY AND THE RISKS OF OVER-EATING From extensive research over the years, we know that those useful feedback signals of satiety are best ensured when the transit time of ingested food is prolonged. The recommended nutrition types in promoting this physiological/metabolic situation are whole, unprocessed, lower glycemic varieties (because they’re broken down more slowly and prevent blood sugar spikes, especially when co-ingested with fats, that can act as buffers). We’re talking certain fruit and veg, pulses, oats, healthy fats and to a lesser extent, protein. In other words, sugary simple carbs, salty and rich foods tend to stimulate the appetite and encourage over-eating (which can lead to bloating, inflammation and weight-gain). So be mindful of the potential “trigger” effect brought on by eating too many simple carbs and other tasty junk food – so that you can “hit the brakes” in good time.

SFP is based on an 80-20 premise to ensure sustainability, free of the sense of deprivation that comes from traditional “dieting.” I hate that d-word! Now as I’ve already mentioned, this book will deliberately not go into fine detail on calorie-calculation and portion sizes etc., except to exemplify for clarity. While I love exploring the minutiae of energy-intake vs expenditure, that kind of complex stuff is awkward to present in written form. It’s far better suited to (and really only effective via) a course/workshop environment, consultations and customized plans, which I do 1-on-1 with clients and groups.

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Rather, I’m going to adopt a less technical approach here to show you that your eating plan can be pretty “normal,” and therefore fairly straightforward to maintain. You’ll get my meaning when you consider my average day’s nutrition. What I consume on a typical day: • Coffee with whole milk 3-4 times throughout the day • Bowl of oatmeal with whole milk and almonds* • Grilled chicken breast with cottage cheese and zucchini squash/mixed veg -or- large garden salad with zucchini, almonds, cheese, ham and olive oil dressing • Square of dark chocolate (usually Lindt 70%) • Slice of toast with peanut butter -or- fruit with yoghurt • Pasta pomodoro/bolognese -or- omelet, sweet potato and garden salad • Cup of dairy ice-cream -or- bar of chocolate (usually a 4-finger Kit-Kat) • Small bowl of cereal -or- optional protein supplement • 300-500 ml of Pepsi Max -or- Fanta Zero • Water throughout my waking hours *I rarely opt for breakfast. When I do, I proportionately reduce the portion sizes of other meals on that day. Now you might not be crazy about or in agreement with some (or even all) of the meals I’ve listed. That’s okay. There are several other comparable foods and snacks available. And in any event, I don’t eat these exact foods in this order every day. I do vary meal types and portions. For example, on occasion, I may skip evening dessert in favor of a bowl of cereal in its place. When that happens, it’s usually Rice Krispies or Coco Pops. In the next section, we’re going to look at some basic tools to help you more effectively gauge your food intake without having to count, measure and stress.

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First though, let’s check out the table below for a simple but useful overview of nutrition. It’ll hopefully clarify some possibly confusing terminology, while making the subsequent pages more meaningful. COMPONENTS OF NUTRITION AND THEIR MAIN FUNCTIONS MACRONUTRIENTS Carbohydrates Provide fuel for energy Proteins Support cell and tissue repair/maintenance; act as an additional fuel source Fats

Provide a broad range of health benefits from energy-supply to supporting organ function and acting as a buffer to diseases MICRONUTRIENTS

Vitamins

Essential organic compounds which support metabolic and other physiological functions

Minerals

Trace elements including salts and metals, some of which are essential to human health and metabolic processes DIETARY FIBER

Soluble fiber

Regulates digestion, prolongs satiety; provides various other health benefits

Insoluble fiber Acts as a bulking agent in aiding digestion and regularity WATER Performs the vital function of regulating body temperature and maintaining bodily functions. Replenishment is essential for keeping appropriate balances in fluids lost through respiration, urination and perspiration, particularly from physical exertion and exposure to higher temperatures. NOTE: Although alcohol doesn’t fall into the above macronutrient categories, it does contain calories that will add to your energy intake totals.

Now, let’s begin putting these elements together in ways that are not only sensible, but also ensure better fitness outcomes and more enjoyable eating experiences. Learning to “eyeball” meals and portions In-shape, active and experienced individuals will have already devised sustainable eating plans for themselves, based on the above nutritional 80

variables, and in line with their respective goals. They do this almost instinctively, and in simplistic stress-free fashion. And they also know exactly how to modify their calorie intake vs energy expenditure to lose, to maintain or to gain. But it’s no secret that for most folks just getting acquainted with fitness and nutrition (or struggling to find a happy medium), when it comes to figuring out how to reach their fitness objectives, things can become overwhelming. People who share this “same” predicament as Al (remember my avatar?) really agonize over portion-sizing and frequency, and how to put these into practice. I urge you to take careful note of the next section, particularly if you’re a newbie. The importance of your individual familiarity with food and exercise Remember, contrary to mainstream/conventional one-size-fits-all marketing, all fitness programs (SFP included) are going to provide “variable” results between individuals. You’ll recall that in Chapter 4, we discussed the effect of your somatotype. On top of that, there are other factors such as physical activity level, consistency and overall compliance, that each play a role in the process. With SFP, you’re working towards devising a long-term sustainable lifestylefriendly program. And if you’re kind of inexperienced, then the only effective way to construct your best plan for sustainability, is to begin with something sensible and to stick with it long enough to be able to gauge—and then to tweak as needed. For starters, it means you need to follow both the training and eating parts of your plan consistently. Otherwise, how can you know what’ll ultimately work best for you? My advice is to start with an eating plan (the coming sections will help you devise this) in combination with an exercise regimen, both of which you should do as consistently as possible, and maintain this for the duration of the program (12 weeks). I guarantee that if you do this diligently, while monitoring and recording your physical transition weekly using the logs provided in Appendix C (or similar), you 81

will be in an excellent position to know where/how to adjust or maintain your activities, vis-à-vis your goal, going forward. This process of familiarization is crucial to the SFP approach because through it you’ll be able to get a handle on your physiological tendencies, nutritional tolerance, post-exercise recovery and adaptation. The idea is to ultimately get you to a place from where you can act or react instinctively when it comes to eating and training, both for the mid-term, and for the long term. For now, keep reading. “Only” clean food, or all food? The “clean only” notion is usually the standard methodology followed by most weight-loss aspirants, albeit begrudgingly. And there’s no secret as to “why.” As covered in the opening pages of this chapter, it’s depressing. My answer to the first part of the above question, therefore, is “no.” We should literally eat all kinds of food. But common sense, logic and reason must prevail. Aside from the deliberate inclusion of “treats” or “decadent” food in the 20% part of the eating plan, why do I say all food “groups” for the 80% part of the plan? Well, the idea is that following a varied nutrient-dense (aka “healthy”) plan in recommended quantities promotes good overall health and helps protect us against chronic disease. This is grounded in research findings and endorsed by several institutes like the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP). (You can read more on that here: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/.)

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My reasoning behind eating “broadly” is that you’re maximizing your chances of ingesting as many beneficial nutrients (incl. micronutrients) as possible, proportionate to and within the suggested overall macronutrient ratios (which we’ll look at shortly). It’s much like spreading your bets to capitalize on potential winnings at roulette. At the same time, you’re proportionately reducing the risks of taking in too much or too many free radicals, high-fructose corn syrup, trans fats (hydrogenated oils), carcinogens and/or other impurities and harmful elements. Findings from continuous scientific research on the effects, benefits and/or dangers of certain foods, the under/over-consumption, and/or dietary behaviors cannot definitively pinpoint all risks. Experts almost always come back to common sense, suggesting an eating plan lower in red meat, sugar, salt and saturated fat and higher in whole, unprocessed produce, nuts, seeds and other nutritious foods. So even when “conventional” wisdom suggests that you can pig out on vegetable x because it’s “healthy,” remember this: nobody can eliminate all the risks inherent to specific foods, since the over-consumption of any food comes with risk. The only way to reduce the innate threats and dangers is to consume all types of food in moderation. SFP’s intention here is for optimal nutrition, a reduction in the chances of any ill effects or disease, environmental awareness—and to enjoy eating. To address these needs and intentions, allow me to share some practical ideas. The sensible approach to preparing a plate of food Allow me to stress that it’s preferable to go with the 80-20 approach (ratio of nutritious food to pleasure food) from the outset, as you work towards achieving and maintaining fitness and ensuring good health. Why? I think it’s naïve to expect long-term compliance when there’s little fun and enjoyment in eating, especially at the beginning. 83

Now, as we head over to the buffet counter, let’s take a look at some of the main considerations before we start dishing up. The first is calories. How many you need per day depends on a number of variables, like your: • • • • • •

Body type (somatotype) Condition Age Gender Fitness goal Current physical activity level

With all these factors in play, it’s no wonder Al and other everyday people are drowning in guesswork, making mistakes and getting nowhere fast. As I’ve mentioned, I love discussing the most intricate details around calculating calorie-expenditure, measurement and so on. And there are countless experts in the field offering several effective tables and formulas, but we’re not going on a wild goose chase here. Therefore, aiming to be straightforward, let me point you to a couple of examples as we start building a simple reference (or basis) for your approach to daily macro quantities and portion sizes, hence the term “eyeballing.” DAILY ENERGY REQUIREMENT-EXPENDITURE To become better acquainted with this important topic, let’s briefly consider two daily calorie requirement benchmarks, based on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which show that: 1. The average-height, middle-aged female, whose physical activity level is light to moderate, requires approximately 1800 calories per day to maintain her condition. 84

2. The average-height, middle-aged male, whose physical activity level is light to moderate, requires approximately 2300 calories per day to maintain his condition. Now you’re probably wondering why I included all this information, since SFP doesn’t advocate calorie-counting. Stay with me. Remember, you’re devising your sustainable future eating plan. So it’s essential for you to have an idea what these numbers and averages mean for the sections coming up, and so that you can start equating food types with calorie densities and nutritional profiles, all of which are going to become key to instinctive eating later on. (If you’re keen to know the basis of energy-expenditure calculations and related formulas, there’s more detail at: www.myfitnessroad.com/calculate-bmr-tdee.) Average industry authority recommendations for a day’s eating We’re about to see what the range of 1800 to 2300 calories looks like in terms of food. The types and quantities in the Sample Daily Eating Plan diagram on the next page, represent recommended daily averages according to several of the most active and reliable research institutes in this field like the National Institute of Health (NIH) and others, who constantly review and revise their recommendations. See the information presented as a common-sense, realistic and sustainable reference distilled from the most respected centers of excellence in the field of nutrition.* Their consensus is that the above-mentioned range should look something like this:

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NOTE: Men would of course consume towards the higher end of the suggested range (1800-2300) and women towards the lower end. Keep in mind that these are ballpark numbers. To ultimately establish “your” daily allowance accurately, you’ll need to be consistent in keeping your meals and activity levels constant for approximately 3 months on a basic eating plan while gauging your weight, body measurements, energy levels and performance and adjusting accordingly.

Although the above information is presented merely as a set of guidelines, it’s a useful place to start if you have no eating style restrictions, whether conscientious or medical. However, even though these suggested allowances and ratios worked well for me initially, I’ve gone on to optimize my own individual eating style. When you get on top of things further down the road, you can also begin adjusting things to suit your “needs” and “wants” better. (You’ll see how my plan has evolved when you see the SFP Sample Weekly Eating Plan on page 96.) But if this is new or unfamiliar stuff, and you make the effort to interpret the daily macronutrient quantities (in terms of food types), you’ll see that the conventional sample list makes for a pretty decent and flexible eating plan. Remember, be consistent and gauge your progress so you can ultimately make corrections to suit your personal needs and goals. This, together with your workouts, is how you steadily build sustainable health and fitness for life. Now that you have an idea about recommended daily nutrition, let’s look at portions. PORTIONING MEALS Using the guidelines of the sample eating plan, I’m going to share two practical ways of portioning food per mealtime. (NOTE: It’s important to keep in mind is that the daily guidelines illustrated, and the portioning tips on page 88 are based on maintenance. In other words, one would need to reduce portion components slightly and increase physical activity to promote weight loss, or vice versa for weight-gain.)

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METHOD 1: Converting the sample eating plan into a typical lunch or dinner plate. Although the USDA’s MyPlate.gov portal has a useful tool for promoting sound and interactive dietary guidance, it does omit healthy fats/oils and plate diameters for men vs women. Therefore, it would be wise to also consider the daily allowance from the sample daily plan on page 86 into account when prepping your meals. • Aim to have up to half your meal contain veggies/fruit; • A quarter of your plate should contain grains (preferably whole); • The rest of the plate should contain quality protein like lean meat, fish, legumes, eggs, low-fat varieties of cottage cheese, ricotta or other semi-soft variety like cow’s milk mozzarella (or soy, tofu versions if you’re lactose intolerant or vegan); • Use nuts, seeds, oil and medium-fat cheese (feta, parmesan, cheddar) sparingly. This also applies to dips, sauces, gravies or dressings. METHOD 2: Using your hands and fingers as guides to interpret the sample eating plan. • Fist: Average portion size for vegetables; • Palm: Average portion size for fruit, protein and carbs. For the starchy variety like pasta/rice, aim for a cup or less. If you really love your pasta like I do, then allow more carb calories for that meal by compensating elsewhere on the same day; • Thumb (from the tip to the second joint): Average portion size for fats/oils. NB: Potatoes should fit into the palm of your hand. If your aim is weight loss, and you’re eating out, opt to leave some behind. And even if research shows that moderate drinking has certain health benefits, as a drinker, aim to reduce your intake to maximum 1-2 per day if you’re going for weight loss. A beer (16 oz) equals roughly a slice of pizza while a glass of wine (5 oz) is similar in calorie-value to a slice of bread.

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Some research institutes and health services have come up with innovative techniques, which you might find better still. For example, WebMD proposes using everyday items like a computer mouse, compact disc, golf and baseballs as effective reference guides to food portions. Remember, the key is to create a reliable strategy that you find easy enough to use, adapt, and easily replicate so that it becomes your sustainable solution. Macronutrient ratios This aspect is important enough to underline again, especially since there are many ways and approaches one can adopt. As I’ve already indicated, my current ratios are different to those conventionally suggested by government departments and other food or agricultural bodies. Not to discredit the USDA or any other worthy institute in the industry (be it American or international), remember that the nutrition guidelines and recommendations given are always going to be intended for the “average” individual. There’s no universal rule on whether to adopt a high, medium, low or no-carb approach. Similarly, whether to consume high or low amounts of fat, to eliminate animal-derived protein, or not. And by the way, recent research has unequivocally shown that carbohydrates are not universally “good” and fat is not universally “bad,” hence my point earlier in the chapter about weight loss and so-called “healthy” food. It comes down to what works for your beliefs, genetics, medical limitations (if any) and ultimately what’s going facilitate your desired transformation. So, as you work towards creating your own eating plan, it’s important to have another quick glance at that table you saw back on page 47, to consider the possible influences of your somatotype on macronutrient-splits. Here it is again: 89

BODY TYPE

MAIN PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

TYPICAL OBJECTIVES OF UNTRAINED INDIVIDUALS

SUGGESTED MACRONUTRIENT RATIOS (PROTEINCARB-FAT)*

SUGGESTED TRAINING FOCUS*

Endomorph

Softer/rounder figure/physique, slower metabolism

Weight loss

35-25-40

Cardio

Mesomorph

Naturally athletic/ muscular, moderate metabolism

Toning / maintenance

30-40-30

Cardio and strength-training

Ectomorph

Naturally lean/ linear, faster metabolism

Strength / mass gaining

25-55-20

Strength-training

*Irrespective of body type, any exercise regimen and nutrition plan should be consistently maintained for at least 3 months before shifting training focus and/or further adjusting macronutrient ratios. The reasoning is simple: your body’s initial adaptations can be accurately and comprehensively gauged and interpreted before adjusting protocols in line with your individual somatotype.

Now, I don’t want to confuse anyone, but you kind of need to know that there’s: 1. Tradition 2. Conventional wisdom 3. Evidence-based research for “expert” advice to the masses, and then there’s 4. What actually works for the individual None of these 4 approaches look the same, but they all want to promote the same thing. Through the USDA’s MyPlate.gov (method 1) and others like the hand/finger gauge (method 2), you now have some reliable portioning tips and tools to start with. As I said, they were extremely helpful for me when I started out. Method 2 was what I used for my first full 3-month transformation. It worked for me. But with time, and taking my own particular metabolism, energy output, recovery ability and my wants and needs into account (including much self90

familiarization along the way) meant that I could depart from what simply works for the average individual, and better personalize things. You see, for best results, even though one is well-served to embrace research, individual variation must be factored in to apply the science of exercise, nutrition and adaptation within the context of each person’s unique situation. Considering scientific findings and recommendations means you’ll have a good idea of where to start, but you need the trial, error and adjustment to get to what’s best for you as an individual. SIDEBAR TIP ON THE BENEFITS OF COMBINING MACROS: Carb ingestion causes the fat-storing hormone “insulin” to be released, which potentially causes excess carbs to become stored as body fat. Nominal amounts of dietary fats/proteins, on the other hand, aren’t metabolized as sugar, which is why they help slow down (or “buffer”) the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. Gradual increases in blood sugar (instead of spikes) are helpful for satiety. Therefore, combining all 3 macronutrients in meals can be beneficial for appetite control, and particularly useful to the more carb-sensitive endomorph.

The table on page 90 touches on the basics for weight management, as well as the most common approaches untrained endomorphs, mesomorphs and ectomorphs should take as regards their “typical” transformations. But what about straightforward losing or gaining? Losing or gaining weight sensibly and safely Leaving maintenance aside for a moment, let’s look at some basics around employing calorie deficits and/or surpluses to lose or gain. LOSING WEIGHT Broadly speaking, to lose weight, we need to increase physical activity or reduce calories from food and beverages. A much better option, of course, is to do both.

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To acquaint yourself with the process, consider this: 1 pound of fat = approx. 3500 calories. So, if you opted to lose this 1 pound in a week, you’d need to create a deficit of around 500 calories per day. Weight loss is highly individual, but research shows that a realistic goal for healthy able-bodied adults should be between 0.5 and 2 pounds a week. More than this is unreasonable and could result in other issues, disappointment and loss of lean tissue. However, going with the “middle ground,” for a manageable weight loss of 1 to 1.5 pounds per week, your calorie intake should be reduced along with doing regular exercise to create a daily average deficit of between 500 and 750 calories. As I mentioned in the previous chapter, trying to lose weight by diet alone is a steep hill to climb. It’s wiser to shoot for about a 15-20% reduction in what you eat, and burn the rest through exercise. So in real terms, assuming a target weekly reduction of 3500 calories, you can see that it’s quite doable if you were to trim a mere 250 calories from your daily food intake while burning a modest 250 calories per day through exercise. (20-25 minutes of MISS cardio would easily enable this.) Therefore, a net deficit (through diet and exercise) of 300-600 calories a day should enable most women to lose weight fairly steadily but safely, while a daily deficit of 500-800 calories should afford effective weight loss in men. Even though it’s useful to incorporate numbers and calculations to explain energy balance, SFP is about making things relatable. I’ve already said that the intention is not to get technical. My suggestion is to try and see the recommended reductions in intake in terms of small physical adjustments in the food you consume, rather than having to weigh and measure. IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING WEIGHT LOSS PLATEAUS While most candidates successfully complete their transformations by the 3month mark, if you’re excessively overweight when you commence your 92

journey, it’s probable that you’ll require more time. And that’s totally reasonable. It would be unrealistic (and unhealthy) to go for more than 25 pounds of fat loss over the course of 3 months. Take the required time needed. It’s far better to spend 6 months to lose 30 pounds and keep it off than it is to lose the same weight in 3 months and risk your health or the possibility of relapsing. While anybody deserves admiration for staying the course and steadily dropping pounds, significant weight loss comes with the likely challenge of having to break through a plateau, where weight loss grinds to a halt. Though most heavily overweight individuals find the initial weight loss to occur fairly swiftly, a few things happen as you edge towards your “normal” weight. One, is that your total daily energy requirement will begin to decrease, since you’re carrying less body weight—simply because calories are required to burn calories. Also, when you decrease your  food intake, your body lowers its  metabolic rate  in response. It naturally tries to maintain a certain range where it’s most comfortable; this is a totally normal function of operational efficiency in ensuring your survival. “It” doesn't mind if this means a few pounds of excess flab. If you want to be a little leaner than your body’s autonomous metabolic set point/self-regulation (homeostasis), you’ve got to become tactical and adjust your game plan. In other words, besides your body’s net lower calorie requirement due to a lower body weight, if your constitution senses anything akin to “starvation” for too long, calorie-burn will begin to slow. So, if you hit a plateau before you’ve reached your goal weight, in order to continue reducing, you will need to further increase your daily energy expenditure—either through more exercise, or by lowering calorie intake. My suggestion, as you might expect, is to do both. The good news is that individuals who were previously overweight or heavily overweight and still have pounds to lose, will have become physically able to move more easily due to their physiological adaptation and a lighter biomechanical load. 93

In an ideal world, weight loss would occur in a straight line. But as I’ve already mentioned in Chapter 6 regarding muscle-gain, in reality, progress lines are more squiggly than straight. So be sure to work with your body. You already deserve credit for your weight loss up to your plateau. Be patient. Forcing your body weight to drop lower than what your constitution has grown accustomed to over the course of several years, requires additional adaptation. Two tips that are bound to help get things moving are: (1) Put additional focus on your strength-training activities, and make every effort to increase your performance levels with volume and/or intensity. I mentioned the reason in Chapter 6, but here it is again: the more muscle/tone you have, the more calories you burn, and therefore the more body fat you’ll drop, even at rest, since more muscle = a higher metabolic rate. (2) Increase your protein intake. Since this macronutrient produces the highest thermic effect of food (protein uses more calories during absorption/digestion), it can help enhance fat-burning. (Thermic effect of food  (TEF) = the amount of energy expenditure above basal metabolic rate due to the cost of processing food for use and storage.)

It is sensible and advisable to give any calorie-reduction and/or activity increase at least a month. If no progress is forthcoming, then any further action should occur only in consultation with a medical practitioner. Bottom line: persevere! Celebrate how far you’ve come, and then knuckle down and push to complete the journey. STRATEGIES FOR GAINING WEIGHT This section assumes that your body composition (ratio of fat mass vs lean mass) isn’t too far out of whack. In simple terms, you have little or no fat to lose and you’ve determined what your daily nutrition allowance should be to maintain. Or you’re familiarized and further along than the average person, and you’ve already established your metabolic “set-point.” (Many online  calculators  can help you calculate daily calorie requirements, including my own: www.myfitnessroad.com/calculate-bmrtdee.) 94

If this is you and you’re currently not carrying, at most, more than a few excess pounds, and you feel ready to ready to add muscle/tone, then you might want to opt to increase your caloric intake to support mass-gain. Now before getting ahead of yourself, know that the sensible approach will allow you to build lean mass without undue fat-gain. Going mad to “bulk up” will add fat to the mix too. Most over-enthusiastic wannabe bodybuilders err in consuming too much, and end up adding more fat than muscle. They just get: “big.” Patience rules when it comes to adding lean body weight. As with the recommended deficit target of 10-15% for weight loss, for weightgain, also begin with a modest surplus of around same amount: 10–15%. For example, an average-sized, 175-pound (79 kg) male would add approximately 250–500 daily calories, while an average-sized, 135-pound (61 kg) female would add about 200–400 calories. Again, let me emphasize that this book’s intention is not to overcomplicate the process. But if you’re interested, then the webpage mentioned on page 94 will allow you to “get technical” and see how to establish daily protein intake based on an average increase of 0.7–1 gram per pound of body weight (1.6– 2.2 grams per kg) to support muscle gain, with the remaining calorie-allowance being made up of carbs and fats. Familiarized trainees can, however, opt to go outside this range, depending on body type and goal. SFP’S WEEKLY EATING PLAN You’ll understand my concept of eating plan personalization even better when you look at SFP’s sample week (on the next page), that presumably by comparison to the norm, holds a rather unconventional approach to eating. Then again, I suppose it shouldn’t be surprising, as I never intended it to be conventional. NOTE: Nutritional profiles are shown in terms of calorie-density (low to high) and recommended portions/frequencies from “no restriction” to “very sparingly.”

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Meal frequency Moving towards the end of the chapter, let’s look at “how often” you should (or need to) eat. Yes, it’s another relevant nutritional consideration. Conventional wisdom holds that at beginner level, it’s recommendable to consume your daily calorie allowance over 4-5 meals (approximately every 3 hours). I enjoy challenging this. What if you cannot (or don’t like) eating 5 times a day? Although I stuck with 6 meals a day for a year or so when I did my first transformation, it became tedious trying to fit that plan around the other parts of my life. Through experience, I moved from conventional wisdom towards what worked much better for me over the long term. My take is this: while you can run with the industry recommendation/s for a “while,” you’ll ultimately need to customize (or personalize, if you prefer this term) your program to suit your lifestyle, needs and daily activities, and then continue fine-tuning it. Any way you look at nutrition (frequency or otherwise), it absolutely has to be optimized for “practicality” in planning/preparing and “flexibility” in terms of nourishing your physiological and psychological needs, or you can forget about sustaining it over the long-term. For example, there are many people who have achieved formidable transformations, and who continue to maintain amazing condition by incorporating “intermittent fasting” and “flexible dieting” into their nutrition strategies. Just 15 years ago, these practices would have caused seismic disruptions to the fitness industry. However, though somewhat controversial, these “styles” have gained quite a bit of interest and a sizeable following in recent years as effective protocols or “tools,” particularly where program adherence and appetite control are concerned. 97

Don’t feel that you’re limited to any “one” method. See what comes easier for you to do, and replicate it. Once more, we all have our individual differences. For starters, you could try experimenting with spreading your daily food allowance over 5 feedings during the course of a month (remember consistency, so that you can gauge!) and then adjust frequency/portions up or down as needed. I personally like to think of my ongoing lifestyle as totally instinctive when it comes to eating. And you should aim to ultimately manage your eating plan that way too. The sensible approach is not only to have flexibility in food choice, but also in the number of feedings per day. Calorie frequency Far more important than getting each individual meal “right,” is your macronutrient-ratio and calorie intake over the course of 24 hours. I actually prefer keeping myself to a weekly average, though it takes time and practice to “wing it” like that. (Of course it’s different for professional athletes who need perfectly-timed energy-supply and optimal performance, as well as bodybuilders looking to pack on mass.) Bottom line: whether you satisfy your daily macronutrient and energy output needs on a meal-to-meal basis or on a day-to-day basis, you will reach your desired goal with SFP, as long as you’re consistent, and as long as you’re doing your workouts. It’s this kind of thinking that will allow you to maintain (or go on to achieve) a desired condition while still being able to accept dinner invites, or to occasionally overeat, whether unintentionally or not. It comes down to compensating before and/or after spikes in calorie intake. 98

Remember, it’s far more realistic and manageable to keep to your intended calorie intake over the course of a day or week, than “every” mealtime. In closing As with the exercise part of SFP, your nutrition planning and intake should be recorded and monitored in the program log (Appendix C). Now, before you panic, let me point out again that this “logging” is only intended for as long as you need, to successfully complete your first full transformation. As mentioned earlier in the book, it usually takes 1-2 months of consistent nutritional and activity level to begin to get an idea, and around 3 months to become fully self-familiarized. In other words, a future position where you’re well-acquainted with your metabolism, physiological tendencies, fitness potential, recovery ability, and so on. However, I would strongly recommend logging the whole transformation, which for most people takes about 3 months. Some “may” need a little longer. But the important thing is that logging must be seen as temporary. Speaking from a transformed point of view, I personally love the sustainability part of SFP because there’s minimal think-work when it comes to maintaining my lifestyle. Once you’re shaped-up and on the other side, you too can work without a log, except for those 1-2 annual occasions where you opt to set yourself new challenges, or if you want to go after some specific fitness goal or condition. Next up is Chapter 8, “The Conclusion,” where the aim is to summarize all we’ve covered and package it into short but powerful manifesto on sustainable wellness, and how SFP offers one of the most practical means of achieving and sustaining it. 99

CHAPTER 8

CONCLUSION: THE SFP MANIFESTO “Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draws it. Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves.” ~ Gautama Buddha

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We’re almost done! This chapter aims to tie together the main aspects we’ve covered, and to leave you with a clear and powerful summary. As I’ve already said, I never intended for this book to be quite as long as it’s become. I actually wanted to do something more compact like a mini-tutorial or something. But while writing, I realized that I would’ve neglected many of the SFP essentials had I gone for fewer pages. Beginning the wrap-up: Re-emphasizing why you need to take charge Remember, SFP is based on functional fitness in its objective of delivering sustainable wellness. And to live up to the promise of offering the most realistic and practical means of achieving that outcome, the program needs to be sensible. Before proceeding, take a brief moment to re-read Gautama Buddha’s intro quotes to this chapter. I want you to really internalize the fact that your mental approach to life and all that you intend to accomplish along the way, is rooted in your mindset, the stories you tell yourself (and usually believe) and where you place your energy and attention. My suggestion isn’t that you should be stuck in your head. You should also be in touch with your body, emotions, spirit and the world around you. But be in charge. Otherwise, you become inward-looking and run the risk of turning into a powerless bystander as external factors (and your environment) dictate. The wellness industry often refers to this state as: learned helplessness. Make it your business to know where you stand. Choose wisely. Persevere and take ownership of the processes in your life. Be humble, open, caring and giving. 101

It’s human to default to labelling ourselves “victims of circumstance” when things don’t work out the way we want them to. In truth, we squander far too many opportunities. Luck aside, your own proactive approach is the biggest driver in shaping your destiny. I’d say it’s as much as 90% of the deal. Mediocrity is easy. Growth and success, on the other hand, will require you to venture out into the “unknown” and become uncomfortable. But I’d argue that the rewards are totally worth it. Next, I’d like to share what I believe are probably the most important pieces of advice you’ll hear about a sustained state of optimal wellness. Becoming autonomous: Don’t listen to too many opinions! Far too many people (qualified and unqualified) believe they have “the” answer for you. That’s because most usually try to be everything to everybody, instead of working with more specific/homogenous groups they can relate to. And this has been my intention, which is why I address the group I like to call “Alex.” You’ll recall several references throughout the book, but just to recap: SFP’s aim is to give this crowd the best possible chance of juggling the challenges and commitments of life, while being in tip-top shape. But as things stand, if you’re not (or don’t become) clued up, then the health and fitness industries will have you pulling your hair out, thanks to all their conflicting angles and promises. The resultant frustration, means that many of us have little or no progress to show, and ultimately give up entirely. You must gradually work towards owning your journey. SFP wants to be that honest mentor or guide, to give you a decent start. But based on your own progress, results and experience, you will become best102

placed to take it from there without having to resort to others’ opinions, or to depend on ongoing professional assistance. I guess you could say this resembles the hero’s journey. Consistency. Please! If you have decided to confide in SFP, I beg of you to go about it resolutely. Why resolutely? I’ve already harped on this, but let me say it again: you can really only be in a good position after 1-2 months of regular and consistent program activity to know whether it’s bringing you a workable long-term solution. Only this way can you assess, correct and continue progressing, making fine adjustments to better suit you. So please give it a proper go and avoid the all-too-common trap of becoming distracted and flip-flopping between programs, short-cuts, gimmicks or using other excuses. As I’ve said: initially, when there’s little visible progress, stay focused and trust the process! Far too many good programs in the market get a bum rap because criticizing them instead of completing them serves as a convenient cop-out. A quick reminder: if you struggle with your motivation, remember that idea in Chapter 3 of keeping an image of a transformed role model close at hand? A simple technique like this does wonders when you occasionally lose your way, or when you’re wondering: “Why the hell am I doing this?” Remember also that motivation comes from action. So don’t sit around waiting for the moment. The key to creating lasting change The more responsibility you take on, the more meaning your life has. 103

In simple terms, this means living in proactive (or creation) mode, instead of reactive (or survival) mode. If you can do this, you will find you can actually see and embrace your vision and purpose. And through that gateway, you could go on to realize infinite potential, as long as you want to. Unlike conventional programs, SFP doesn’t claim to be the change you seek. That’s all you. But it does claim to be an important catalyst in empowering, enlightening and inspiring you. The initiative, though, must be yours. To effect any type of lasting change in your life, you have to own it and drive it, specifically where health and fitness are concerned. That means becoming your own expert through observing, reading up, staying informed, trying out, monitoring progress, adjusting—and so on. So I cannot reasonably maintain that I have all the answers. No fitness program can, even though too many do. But through SFP, you’re getting the most practical way of designing your state of optimal wellness, especially if your life has anything in common with Al’s. People who’ve managed to attain lasting change did so because they took responsibility and ownership of their situations. Their successful outcomes arose, not because of favorable conditions or situations, but in spite of adversity. In fact, no course, coach or mentor can fix the problem you may have (whether career, relationship, health or otherwise) without you first taking full responsibility. And there’s unfortunately no absolution for you from driving your situation merely because you’ve bought a training resource or appointed a professional. Decide to empower yourself with being in charge, and you will succeed. 104

Doing the inner work Becoming physically shaped-up won’t mean that all your other issues or problems will automatically disappear. Your newfound vitality and physical prowess will undoubtedly give you a massive boost. The sense of confidence and self-awareness will have you standing at the portal to numerous other possibilities. You will see many things differently. Yes, physical wellness is great, but you ideally want it to exist alongside mental, emotional and spiritual well-being if you want permanent change. How so? An overwhelmingly large number of people relapse after successful transformations and/or regain the weight they lost (sometimes more). Research shows that neglected or unresolved social, relationship, emotional or environmental issues are usually to blame. Make sure you internalize the importance of this. Work to extend your health and wellness to encompass those other crucial components of holistic wellbeing. Physical wellness will go far to facilitate a sense-of-health, but it won’t automatically make everything “right.” However, if you can harness the momentum of your physical transformation, then you can go on to transform anything else in your world. Be real about depression The fitness industry likes to paint the picture of perpetual happiness, demonstrated in all forms of media by smiling, attractive, pumped and highlytoned models. You already know my point of view on this. It’s not the full story. Although society is coerced into believing that everything is perfect in the lives of coaches and shaped-up people, this is completely wrong. I can tell you with

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certainty (and from first-hand-experience) that things are not always rosy and shiny for most of us in the industry, and indeed in any other walk of life. So it’s always disturbed me that personal, social and psychological issues are paid little regard. Of course I claim that SFP is a top-quality product and a solid advocate of all-round happiness and prosperity, but life doesn’t always play fair. I believe, that to be relatable, my message needs to be positive and encouraging, but it also needs to be honest. You need to know that life can sometimes place unexpected or unexplained hurdles in your way and disrupt your program. While it may “seem” from my work and my content that I’m on top of my game, I’m also human. Do I get depressed? Yes, and sometimes for no apparent reason. The reality is that depression is quite common. As reported by the World Health Organization in 2019, more than 264 million people (globally) of all ages suffered from depression. Episodes can be triggered by a specific event or they can occur spontaneously. If you experience periodic episodes of depression, welcome to the real world! If you’re able to contend with the odd off-day, great! But as part of your “inner work,” if you find that your bouts are disruptive to the point that they impair your basic day-to-day functioning, upset the relationships with those around you and/or your health, then you need to act. Of course I can’t do proper justice to this topic in a few paragraphs. What I want to underline is that the common-sense thing to do is to recognize if and when to take appropriate action to address your condition. You’re not alone in this and there are many competent resources online and around the globe that can be contacted. 106

Paying it forward. And why? When you’re in shape, smiling and successful, help and encourage others to do the same. Before I explain further, consider the wise words of Zig Ziglar: “You can have everything in life you want, if you’ll just help enough other people get what they want.” Whether it’s the law of reciprocity or law of attraction, you get returns when work to help improve the lives of others. You create value, which is repaid indirectly to you and towards the greater good. When you change someone else’s circumstances for the better, you might even be saving their life without realizing it. Also, paying it forward inspires generosity and compassion. You furthermore practice credibility and accountability when you consider others’ needs. Returning to the point of repayment: your kind gestures carry over into everything you do. You feel better about yourself because you’re working to try and improve the lives of others, but especially your own. And here’s a real pay-out that we often squander: folks begin to trust you more readily and take you into their confidence when they see you taking time for others. You become more respected because, through your actions, you’re eliminating reasons for you to be doubted in the eyes of those you come into contact with. Paying it forward is also self-affirming and erases your sense of ego. In the process, you become a better person. The world becomes a better place, and everyone wins!

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ProÞling the ÒsuccessÓ mindset While we’re on the topic of succeeding and helping others succeed, you might remember earlier on in this chapter I touched on the fact that people who’ve managed to attain lasting change did so because they took responsibility and ownership of their situations. And that their successful outcomes arose, not because of favorable conditions or situations, but in spite of adversity. With that in mind, take a look at the diagram on the next page. It was created by MaryEllen Tribby, and in my view is most useful in the way it clearly shows how success-generating behaviors are juxtaposed by behaviors which serve neither ourselves, nor others. Looking at the yellow column, I can think of so many people I’ve known and worked with over the years who fall into this category. And I’m sure you agree that the green column contains the desirable but far more challenging behaviors. It’s a clear reminder that operating from a success-minded standpoint requires effort and courage, not to mention the willingness to step out into the big “unknown.” While taking on the “seemingly” daunting tasks is what we humans constantly avoid doing, this is in fact our intuition pointing out to us what we actually need to do. In short, embracing one’s responsibility and doing the work is the real measure of success.

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Never stop growing After completing the SFP transformation, it’s likely you will never imagine returning to your former self. What feels “normal” will be a lot more different than before. Many of your wants and interests will be reinvented, for good reason. I can still recall distinctly how powerful that shift was for me back in 2002. In fact, the very reason why I still have all my journal notes, and my before and after pics is because of how much it all meant to me. What I had earned felt like such a huge accomplishment. So precious, that I would never want to waste it. (More on this here: www.myfitnessroad.com/physical-transformation.) Achieving any intended outcome is a wonderful experience. From there, however, I see 3 main possibilities or options (depending on you). The first, as I mentioned, is the risk of relapse, which of course everyone wants to avoid. The second is to try and maintain the status quo. The third, and best option in my view, is to set your sights on the next milestone and outcome. Once I realized my first transformation, I began to take those experiences and lessons into redefining my continuing wellness journey. It doesn’t end. You’ll do well to also look at the other areas of well-being, like relationships, personal development or even your finances. Building on your new habits will solidify a behavior pattern, which will keep the door to a prosperous future wide open. In this way you can keep moving forward, continue living and enjoying your best life. Always be working to evolve! But remember: focus on progress, not perfection. The first leads to movement, the second leads to paralysis.

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Gauging your level of commitment: The Þnal word Why’s this necessary? So that you have absolutely no doubt as to why your thoughts (which are built on the language of your affirmations and manifestations) shape your outcome. It goes without saying, and I’ve hammered this point throughout the text, that you need a solid approach. But that is often dictated to by the things you tell yourself. You see, the conversation in your head is usually what you begin to believe and go on to manifest. Take a look at the continuum below and think about it for a minute.

I can’t begin to tell you just how important the degree of your intent is. You know that when someone asks a favor of you, and you say, “I’ll try,” you’re in fact already preparing them for the likelihood that you won’t oblige. But if you say, “I will,” then your conscience immediately makes a huge mental note for you to deliver, or be accountable. If you want to turn your wellness aspirations (or any other, for that matter) into reality instead of fantasy, make sure the language of your inner dialogue points more towards the right-hand side of the continuum. As Stephen King puts it, “The scariest moment is always just before you start.” And yes—everyone starts there. 111

But it’s as simple as this: how badly you want something you know is important to you, will normally impact on your level of commitment and how willing and invested you’ll be in doing whatever it takes to get there. THANK YOU! I really appreciate you sticking with me to the end. More importantly, I hope you’ve benefited from the content you worked through, and that you continue your progress beyond these pages. Remember, success at anything comes from a principled approach bolstered by intentional and consistent work. Once you’re there, keep going and keep providing the best service you possibly can, not only for your own benefit, but also for the greater good. Of course it goes without saying that you have to constantly prune away those toxic and limiting beliefs that you or other people bestow on you. Self-belief is probably the most important ingredient for success next to responsibility. Couple this with the desire to win (because you have to want it) and not giving up when things occasionally get difficult. It’s easy to resign oneself to mediocrity in the face of adversity. But this is exactly when you need to remain your most steadfast. Now go out there and do yourself a huge favor: take full responsibility for your life and choose to win. Oh and along the way, don't forget to help those around to win too! I hope you benefited from the content presented, and that you feel inspired to claim your best condition—and go on to prosper in all areas in life of your choosing.

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If so, I would be grateful if you took a moment to post a review on Amazon, Goodreads or wherever you purchased/accessed this book, to help others decide if they would like it – and to consider telling friends or family members you feel could benefit from reading it. It’s pretty easy to reach me if you have any questions, to subscribe to MFR, or if you want to leave a comment. Learning more about SFP and staying in contact • To learn more about the program and my work, drop by my website: www.myfitnessroad.com. • This book’s dedicated page and online resources can be found here: www.sensiblefitnessprogram.com. • You can also reach me by email at [email protected], Instagram at www.instagram.com/cleto.tirabassi, or on Twitter www.twitter.com/ ClayTirabassi.

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APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: Your Self-Contract APPENDIX B: The SFP Exercise Guide APPENDIX C: Program Logs

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APPENDIX A: YOUR SELF-CONTRACT SETTING GOALS AND MANAGING EXPECTATIONS When you commit in writing to what you want to accomplish, you increase the likelihood that you will act in line with your intentions, and ultimately succeed. Personal commitment is known to be one of the most important aspects of behavior change, especially when you share your self-contract with others close to you and in your social circles. When it comes to fitness and health, most of us tend to naïvely choose vague goals like: “I just want to maybe lose a couple of pounds and feel a little more energetic.” Without clear, tangible and measurable outcomes, you’re far less likely to achieve your objectives. I want to highlight 6 crucial components that are going to help make your outcome goals achievable. They should be: • • • • • •

Realistic Specific and measurable Based on a deadline Challenging, yet inspiring to you Declared in writing Rewarded upon completion

In terms of these components, let’s look at the potential dialogue you might have with yourself. For that, go through the following 6 points for innerreflection and clarity: 115

1. What’s my main outcome objective? 2. How realistic are those wishes? If it’s about weight loss, keep in mind that, although SFP is based on a 3-month transformation, it could take significantly longer (up to 2 years) for heavily overweight or obese individuals to accomplish their goals. 3. Don’t fixate on scale-weight. Remember that overall weight and lean body weight are not one and the same. Muscle is heavier than fat, so losing fatweight and toning your muscles simultaneously mean that the needle on your bathroom scale may not move. You’ll instead be wanting to see a looser clothing-fit, particularly a smaller waist/hip-size and an improved overall condition. 4. Motivation usually comes from action rather than cognition. Keep in mind that you won’t always feel motivated. I say this from years of experience. But waiting until you do, is a big mistake. 5. Even though SFP stands by its simple workouts and recognition of you occasionally attending social events and enjoying the odd “splurge,” are you prepared to do the work, particularly at the beginning? Though you will have the opportunity of shortening your training sessions and building in more “normality” into your future nutritional behaviors once you reach your desired condition, there’s a strong need for solid discipline at the outset, for the “right” habits to take hold. 6. Are you okay with writing your goal down, spreading the word and being held to account for it? THE SELF-CONTRACT What follows is a practical but concrete pledge for you to map out the things you’re going to do, and the things you’re not going to do, en route to achieving your objectives. You will need to make sure you’re on board with Parts 1 and 2. By the way, the language is deliberately phrased in such a way that there can be no doubt in your mind as to what you need to do. You can amend this template, but take care not to water it down too much. Don’t forget to print it out, sign it, and keep it close at hand. (See www.sensiblefitnessprogram.com for the downloadable form.) 116

Here goes! PART 1 – MY PLEDGE TO MYSELF For the duration of my SFP transformation: • I commit to a sensible, realistic but challenging goal in writing. • I commit to doing the prescribed exercise routine of 5-6 workouts per week (refer to page 53 again if you need to revisit the weekly workout plan). • I commit to following the SFP eating plan guidelines. • I commit to basing 80% of my nutrition intake on whole, unprocessed and unrefined food. • I commit to devoting 20% of my food intake to splurge food (or cheat meals) or whatever name is given to food I love, i.e. that evokes pleasure. • I commit to making immediate reparations or corrections in the event that I miss a workout or eat outside of my intended plan. • I commit to completing the program log daily for the duration of the transformation. (To stay consistent, it’s best to track your progress versus your goal. Although this is a simple activity, it’s also useful have something to indicate that you’re moving closer to your objectives.) • I commit to being responsible for my own decisions and behaviors. I will not talk, think or act as if my partner, spouse, friend, child, cravings or subconscious distractions forced or coerced me into doing things. If I’m doubtful about a potential behavior, I will check with myself what is most important to me at that moment and make a decision. If the consequences are negative, I will behave differently at future such occasions. • I commit to making time for family, friends, relaxation, leisure activities, self-awareness, personal-growth and self-improvement. • I commit to sharing my wellness goal with my friends and family. (On the topic of signing: if you feel that you can’t trust yourself enough, get someone else to co-sign this contract with you. They can be a friend, relative, student buddy, colleague or mentor. Ideally, the person should be someone who has vested interests in your goodwill and caring enough to be able to look out for you and kick your butt when it needs kicking.) 117

Self-contracts or pacts can often be “burdensome” to your psyche (which is the intention, though for constructive purposes), and so having interested people who believe in you and can root for you, will not only keep you on track, but will also help boost your morale. • I commit to rewarding myself upon successfully completing the program by: __________________________________________________________________ (You get to decide. Make it special!) PART 2 – CONTINGENCY PLANNING Once your goal is in writing and “out there,” knuckle down and focus on the individual things you need to do. Remember Bruce Lee’s maxim of not overthinking things. I cannot stress enough that if you fulfil the various individual behavioral goals, you will realize the outcome goals. Even though super-inspired wellness candidates may feel that their positive prospects automatically stand them in good stead to conquer any challenge, let’s be totally realistic for a moment. I’m talking about novelty here (which we touched on in Chapter 3). On that, let me ask, have you ever heard the words that a “thing” only lasts until the novelty wears off? Researchers have often held that the human brain is particularly drawn to new information, and that this is significant when it comes to learning. Of such studies, researcher Professor Emrah Düzel has stated, “When we see something new, we see it has a potential for rewarding us in some way. This potential that lies in new things motivates us to explore our environment for rewards. The brain learns that the stimulus, once familiar, has no reward associated with it and so it loses its potential. For this reason, only completely new objects activate the midbrain area and increase our levels of dopamine.” What does this have to do with fitness? Well, everything! 118

I strongly believe that this is at the heart of why people are not making it their business to be and/or stay fit, healthy and happy. Unfortunately, even though we can enthusiastically (and with the best of intentions) launch ourselves into a new journey towards lasting change, there will come a time when you may just not feel up to it anymore. Your resourcefulness and staying power might no longer be able to support you. Obstacles and competing commitments which you previously addressed effectively, might now present real threats in derailing you. Typical human nature means that we can easily deal with these when we’re still freshly motivated, but what happens a little further down the road when this socalled “novelty” has worn off? Identifying your possible shortfalls and countermeasures In this last section, I want to highlight the role of limiting factors in terms of your possible weaknesses, and their potential threat to your ambitions. WEAKNESSES Possible examples: • You experience difficulty in managing and maintaining an effective worklife balance. • You are unable to effectively prioritize your commitments. • You have low self-esteem or lack the appropriate so-called “drive.” • You are inefficient at addressing the demands of everyday life. • You are a compulsive or erratic eater (grabbing meals/snacks on-the-go). • You possess low-level knowledge/experience where health and fitness are concerned.

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If your tendency is to procrastinate and give in to demands because you’re constantly in reactive mode, or because you’re unable to adopt an effective routine to allow for the prioritization of commitments and ongoing activities, then it’s definitely going to be a struggle to find a maintainable balance. A limited awareness of the broader health and fitness topics and considerations will also be a drawback. Everybody has shortcomings. Yours might be completely different than the examples listed. What is important, is to recognize them and ensure you devise workarounds so that they don’t become barriers to your success. THREATS Whether or not you can work to minimize the effects of your possible weaknesses, there are also external factors that might affect you now or in the near future. Possible examples: • • • • • •

Unpredictable or long working hours. Extensive availability of free time (yes, it can actually be a bad thing). Frequent travel obligations. Adverse weather conditions. Children, social and/or family-related commitments. Personal issues or social problems.

As mentioned, external factors are usually mostly out of our influence or control. But again, how well you navigate these factors and issues, will affect how you minimize their impact (or potential effect) on your fitness journey. The idea here is not to try and eliminate weaknesses and threats. They will remain omnipresent in some way or another. It’s also not reliably feasible— neither always possible. 120

Instead, work to recognize them, sidestep them or work with them for the best outcome. See your typical day or week like the backdrop to your life as a stage play or show. See the impacting factors as actors among whom you need to co-star and survive. Think about the possible threats and how you’ll prepare for them. Back to you again: • To help me do this, I am going to arrange my internal (emotional) environment by: _______________________________________________________________________ • And I’ll control my physical and social environment by: _______________________________________________________________________ WHAT COMMITMENT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM ME? Even though this book-version of SFP isn’t individually-coached, you are always welcome to contact me if you’re stuck or need answers to questions. So, to pledge that I fully stand by SFP, if you commit to following the program: • I commit to explaining and describing any aspects of the program and/or nutrition protocols that you might need to clarify. • I commit that in handling queries, I will do so by being a good listener and being available to you (as I am to my existing subscribers and clients) for questions and/or emotional support.

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My final message is this: Turn any mistakes or indiscretions to your advantage through learning and growing and by NEVER giving up! Oh, and please remember to spread the word once you’ve signed. NOW IT’S YOUR TURN TO SIGN I, ______________________________________________ agree to undertake my (Name)

fitness transformation from

_______________ to _______________ by working towards a healthier lifestyle. (Date)

(Date)

In doing so, I shall comply with the terms of my self-contract and contingency planning of this contract.

Signature:

Witness (if relevant): DATE:

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APPENDIX B: THE SFP EXERCISE GUIDE Set out on pages 125-167 are the strength-training (resistance) exercises used in conjunction with the Sensible Fitness Program. In line with the SFP workout plan overview on page 57 (and repeated on page 172), the respective exercise description boxes are color-coded to coincide with the corresponding levels of: 1. Beginner (grey) 2. Intermediate (orange) 3. Advanced (blue) Unsure which level to start with? If this is you, then be wise and start conservatively. If you currently work out regularly (even if not frequently), opt for the intermediate level. However, if your gym or exercising experience comes from the distant past, then it would be recommended to start at beginner-level. As for the advanced-level, only if you’ve been working out regularly and frequently (at least 3-4 times a week) would it be reasonable to start at level “blue.” How long should your SFP transformation last? Regardless of which level you begin at, the answer is 3 months. If, for example, you start at the intermediate level, then I recommend spending 2 months there before joining level blue. And if you attempt the advanced level from the outset, then the answer is to allot 3 months to working at the advanced level. Remember, the goal with any program is to progress. Even if you start higher up the ladder, you can still work on increasing your work output and intensity at that particular level. NOTE: I’ve already mentioned this, but it bears repeating: while most successful candidates complete their transformations at the 3-month mark, if you’re excessively overweight when you commence the program, you may require more time. And that’s totally reasonable. It would be unrealistic (and unhealthy) to go for a higher body fat loss than 25 lbs over the course of 3 months. Take the time needed.

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Remember to follow the overview table (page 172) as you employ the various exercises, and log your workouts using the forms in Appendix C. Although SFP doesn’t isolate body parts in its training protocols, the simple diagrams below are intended as a reference in showing the major muscle-groups of the human body and their most commonly used names.

Trapezius. A

1. Shoulder muscles (deltoids)

Upper back/dorsal muscles. B

2. Chest (pectoralis major)

Lats (latissimus dorsi). C

3. Biceps

Triceps. D

4. Serratus (rib muscles)

Lower back (erector spinae). E

5. Obliques 6. Forearm

H

Glutes (gluteals). F Hamstring muscles. G

7. Abdominals

Calf muscles. H

8. Thigh muscles (quadriceps)

PROPER SET PERFORMANCE, TIMING AND REST: REMINDER! We covered this on page 73 but it’s important enough to flag again. FORM Always perform strength exercises through their full range in a smooth and controlled manner. Full range of motion (ROM) means going from full extension to full flexion by muscular action alone – and not relying on momentum to complete the movement. TEMPO AND REST All exercises should be performed using the same format and timing. It means that the concentric (effort) phase of a rep is done while exhaling, taking a full second to complete. This is immediately followed by a 1-second hold and then by the eccentric (return) phase of the rep while inhaling, taking 2 seconds to reach the starting point. Rest for a second, then perform the next rep. Rest no more than a minute between sets.

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1

BEGINNER-LEVEL EXERCISES Upper body • • • •

Bent-knee dip (using chair) or wall push-up Incline pike push-up Door row (using towel) or assisted chin-up/pull-up (machine or fixed bar w. resist. band) Partial door rows (using towel) or assisted partial chin-up/pull-up (machine or fixed bar)

Lower body • Chair squat or partial bodyweight squat • Good morning exercise or lying leg-curl • Straight bridge or shoulder bridge

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This regression exercise allows a convenient and safe alternative to the regular dip by keeping your knees bent and using a chair as you work towards eventually mastering the subsequent levels. Starting position: Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair (or bench) with bent knees. Grip the seat slightly wider than your hips, wrapping your fingertips over the edge. Feet should be flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Ensure feet are firmly planted and engage your core, keeping posture straight and head neutral. Push downward with your arms to lift your hips and behind (buttocks) off the seated surface and move slightly

forward – arms almost straight, but not locked. Execution: While inhaling, steadily lower yourself in front of the seat (using 2 seconds), allowing your elbows to bend until they reach approx. right angles (90 degrees). Hold this position for 1 second, then while exhaling, push off from your arms, maintaining your foot positions and raise yourself (using a count of 1 second) back to the starting position. Depending on your condition, you can assist the upward movement by pressing with your legs – although being an upper body exercise, the idea is to load the arms, shoulder and chest as much as possible.

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UPPER BODY: PUSH

BENT-KNEE DIP (using a chair)

This regression exercise follows exactly the same movement principles as the conventional push-up, but is done vertically by using a wall instead of the floor. This makes it easier to lift and lower yourself without risking injury or pain – as you work towards strengthening your arms, shoulders and chest on the way to subsequent training levels. Starting position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart – and a little further than an arm’s length from the wall, ensuring a slight forward-lean when your palms are touching. (Too

close won’t really challenge you – too far may cause you to fall or strain your back from arching it.) Hands should be positioned just wider than shoulder width – elbows almost straight. Execution: While inhaling, bend elbows to slowly lower yourself toward the wall (using 2 seconds), keeping your head neutral – stopping just short of the wall. Hold this position for 1 second, then while exhaling, push off from your hands to return yourself steadily (using 1 second) back to the starting position.

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UPPER BODY: PUSH

WALL PUSH-UP

This version is regressive to the decline and standard pike push-up since it decreases the load to the arms, shoulders and chest. Starting position: Place your hands on the edge of a chair-seat (or on a straight bench or other similar surface) in the conventional push-up position at shoulder-width – feet slightly apart. Position your feet in order to form a bend at the waist of around 90-100 degrees. Your torso/back and legs should be straight with elbows slightly bent. Ensure your grip is comfortable

but firm – head in line with your upper body. Execution: While inhaling, engage your shoulders and arms as you smoothly lower yourself (using a 2second count) until your head almost touches the chair, keeping your head directly between your upper arms. Hold this position for 1 second and then while exhaling, raise your body (focus on pushing from your shoulders) using a 1-second count until your arms are almost straight (starting position).

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UPPER BODY: PUSH

INCLINE PIKE PUSH-UP (using a chair)

Although largely unknown (and therefore mostly unused), this exercise is a perfect entry-point into strengthtraining – particularly for upper body pulls. It’s a regression exercise that lines you up to eventually succeed with the more advanced movements like the Australian chin-up/pull-up and ultimately the traditional chin-up and pull-up. Done in super-slow timing, even expert-level athletes can get a decent upper body workout from the door row. The best news is that you can do this e x e r c i s e a n y w h e r e t h e r e ’s a conventional door with solid anchorage. All you need is a towel. Starting position: Ensure a firm footing/grip by either wearing rubberized trainers if the floor surface is very smooth, or go barefoot if the surface is rougher. Avoid wearing socks. Stand facing the side of the opened door. Thread the towel around the door knob/handle on both sides of the

door. Make sure you have a firm grip on the towel. Place your feet around s h o u l d e r- w i d t h a p a r t a n d l e a n backwards at about 30 degrees. You can create more of a lean (and therefore more load) by using a longer towel and/or moving your feet further forward. If you’re concerned about your feet slipping, start by angling them outwards and wedging the door between your heels until you can gauge the traction-stability of your footing. Bend your legs a little, maintain a slight bend in the elbows – back straight, core tight and head neutral. Execution: Inhale, engaging your upper back and upper arms. Then while exhaling, focus on pulling from your elbows and allow the shoulder blades to move towards one another as you bring your chest to almost touching the door using a count of 1 second. Hold this position for 1 second , then while inhaling, counting 2 seconds, allow yourself to return steadily to the starting position.

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UPPER BODY: PULL

DOOR ROW (using a towel)

130

This regression exercise provides assistance from a suitable machine or resistance band (looped around a fixed bar). It enables beginner and intermediate-level exercisers to train with more manageable loads as they work towards increasing their overall strength. Starting position: As with the conventional chin-up, grasp the horizontal bar of a lat pull-down machine using an underhand grip (palms facing you) with hands spaced slightly narrower than shoulder-width and feet firmly planted at hip-width. Yo u r k n e e s s h o u l d b e s n u g l y positioned under the leg brace of the machine (or above, if doing the assisted machine version). NOTE: To turn this movement into a pull-up, simply switch your grip to overhand (palms facing away from you, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart). If you’re using a resistance band, position it over a fixed bar using

a cow hitch (or lark’s head knot), as shown. Put one knee through the loop of the band so that you can grab hold of the bar and suspend yourself by means of the band giving you upward force – thereby reducing your weight. Then pull the band around your other knee. Keep your core tight, a slight bend in the elbows, knees bent approx. 90 degrees and head neutral. Execution: Inhale, engaging your upper back and upper arms. Then while exhaling, focus on pulling from your elbows to bring the bar down to just below your chin (machine). If you’re using a resistance band then you’ll be raising your body until your chin moves just above the bar. Either way, the 1-second count applies. Hold this position for 1 second , then while inhaling, allow the bar to return back up until it stops, or if you’re using a fixed bar, steadily lower yourself back down, using a 2-second count as you return to the starting position.

131

UPPER BODY: PULL

ASSISTED CHIN-UP/PULL-UP (using machine or fixed bar)

132

As with other “partial” pulls, this version of the door row allows more focus on the biceps by employing a half movement instead of full rangeof-motion. Please refer to the standard door row for the overview and starting position. Execution: Inhale, engaging your upper back and upper arms. Then while exhaling, focus on pulling from your elbows and allow the shoulder

blades to move towards one another as you bring your chest to almost touching the door using a count of 1 second. Hold this position for 1 second , then while inhaling and counting 2 seconds, allow yourself to return steadily to where the elbows are roughly at right-angles (90 degrees). Complete the rest of your repetitions using this partial range.

133

UPPER BODY: PULL

PARTIAL DOOR ROW (using a towel)

This regression exercise follows exactly the same principle as the assisted chin-up/pull-up (pg. 131), except that instead of full range-ofmotion, this version uses partial range in order to focus more on activating the biceps muscles. Starting position: The same technique applies as for the full chinup or pull-up. Execution: Inhale, engaging your upper back and upper arms. Then while exhaling, focus on pulling from

your elbows to bring the bar down to just below your chin (machine). If you’re using a resistance band then you’ll be raising your body until your chin moves just above the bar. Either way, the 1-second count applies. NB: Hold this position for 1 second , then while inhaling, allow the bar to return half-way back up, or if you’re using a fixed bar, steadily lower yourself back down until your elbows form 90 degree angles. Count 2 seconds as you return to the starting position.

134

UPPER BODY: PULL

ASSISTED PARTIAL CHIN-UP/PULL-UP (using machine or fixed bar)

This regression exercise follows exactly the same movement principles as the traditional squat, except that there’s the added safety of a seat beneath you, making this a safe exercise to perform as you work to develop overall muscular strength to tackle the challenging movements of the more advanced levels. If you feel like you are losing your balance during this exercise, you can simply sit down to regain control. Doing squats with a surface underneath you minimizes risk of falling. And for seniors or as an entry-level for absolute beginners, this is an effective way to strengthen the involved muscles without the risk, particularly if you feel the need to sit momentarily before raising yourself up again. As with the assisted pistol squat, the idea here is to gradually lower the height you can manage until you have the strength and coordination to perform the unassisted full squat. NOTE: The lower the seating surface, the more challenging the exercise becomes. A conventional dining chair (on average around 20 inches above the floor) will therefore make the exercise a little easier than the typical

gym bench (an average 16 cm above ground), that is normally lower. Starting position: Stand in front of the chair, bench or box, facing away from it with your legs shoulder-width apart – feet pointed slightly outwards – arms hanging comfortably at your sides with head neutral. Execution: While inhaling, hinge from the hips to “sit” into the mid-foot and heels (ensuring they remain flat on the floor), simultaneously bending the knees (not moving them too far forward) to lower yourself (counting 2 seconds) to where your behind almost touches the seat. (While descending, engage your core, pull your shoulders backward, angle your chest slightly forward but maintain a straight upper body posture. Your arms should at the same time move up and straight ahead of you to act as counterweights for stability.) Hold the lower position for 1 second and then raise yourself steadily (over 1 second) back to the starting position, keeping your upper body posture unchanged, except for your arms, which gently return to your sides in preparation for the next rep.

135

LOWER BODY: PUSH

CHAIR SQUAT (option to use a box, stool or bench)

136

This regression exercise follows exactly the same movement principles as the traditional squat in that it is the same body movement, albeit without the full range-of-motion of a full squat. It’s a safe exercise to perform as you work to develop overall muscular strength to tackle the more challenging deeper leg pressing exercises of the intermediate and advanced levels. Starting position: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart (pointed slightly outwards), arms should hang comfortably at your sides, head neutral. Execution: While inhaling, hinge from the hips to “sit” into the mid-foot and heels (ensuring they remain flat on the floor), simultaneously bending the knees (not moving them too far forward) to lower yourself (counting 2

seconds) until your knees are almost at right angles or until you reach a point which – going any further – would make it impossible to raise yourself back up out of the squat. (While descending, engage your core, pull your shoulders backward, angle your chest slightly forward but maintain a straight upper body posture. Your arms should at the same time move up and straight ahead of you to act as counterweights for stability.) Hold the lower position for 1 second and then raise yourself steadily (using 1 second) back to the starting position, keeping your upper body posture unchanged, except for your arms, which should gently return to their hanging positions in preparation for the next repetition.

137

LOWER BODY: PUSH

BODYWEIGHT PARTIAL SQUAT

The “good morning” is an effective regression movement which will enable you to ultimately tackle the balance touch and deadlift exercises. The good morning follows the same movement principles as the single-leg bent-over balance touch, except that here you have both feet planted, thereby providing the necessary stability and balance needed at beginner-level. Starting position: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and either place your hands on your hips, at the back of your head or you can hold a weightless barbell behind the neck (resting on your trapezius muscle). Execution: While inhaling, lower yourself (counting 2 seconds) by

bending forward from your hips, keeping your core tight, back straight, head neutral and knees slightly bent until your upper body is parallel to the floor – or you feel a mild stretch in the hamstrings. NOTE: (Avoid going beyond a moderate stretch.) With time, your range-of-motion will increase with improved flexibility. Go easy at the outset. Hold this position for 1 second, then while exhaling, push off from your feet and engage the glutes/hamstrings to raise yourself (using 1 second) back to the starting position, keeping your upper body posture unchanged throughout the movements.

138

LOWER BODY: PULL

GOOD MORNING EXERCISE

This regression is a more secure option to the good morning exercise, and done by means of the appropriate gym machine, which mimics similar movement principles of the good morning and bent-over balance touches. The major difference is that the lying leg-curl immobilizes back/hip movement while isolating the hamstring muscles. Starting position: Place yourself face down on the leg-curl machine, ensuring the pad of the moving part

of the machine is just above your heels. Make sure you have a firm grip on the handles, holding your head as neutral as possible. Execution: Keep your upper body in contact with the bench, legs stretched out. Inhale. As you exhale, curl your legs up smoothly and as far as possible (counting 1 second) without lifting them off the bench. Pause for 1 second. While inhaling, return your legs back to the starting position using a count of 2 seconds.

139

LOWER BODY: PULL

LYING LEG-CURL

Bridging movements incorporate back-arching techniques by pushing (against gravity from an upward-facing position) with your limbs. These moves are essential in that they help with the alignment of your vertebrae and the strengthening of the deep muscles of the back, which afford good posture – all of which makes the “bridge” the ultimate exercise for the spinal muscles. As an integral body-movement exercise, bridging also contributes to the overall conditioning of your athletic movements. This movement, although basic level, is both safe and efficient in getting you primed to ultimately perform the “straight” and ultimately the “complete” back bridge. Starting position: Lie on your back with knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart (heels 6-8 inches from your behind), arms straight and palms on

the floor next to your hips – fingers pointing toward your feet. Execution: Breathe in. Then while exhaling, push downward though your feet drive upwards from the hips by engaging your lower back muscles and then push from the arms and legs to lift your body as high as possible off the floor. Simultaneously press your chest forward to end with your legs and torso in a straight line – but keeping your head and neck on the floor. Hold this position for 1 second, then while inhaling, steadily return yourself (using 2 seconds) back to the starting position. NOTE: Never force any range of motion. This principle holds, not only for bridging, but for all strengthtraining and stretching movements.

140

OVERALL BODY: PUSH/PULL

SHOULDER BRIDGE (HIP RAISE)

If you have any spinal concerns, then the straight bridge is an excellent move to help you progress toward the neck and full back bridge movements. There’s more shoulder and back engagement with the straight bridge than the shoulder bridge.

Execution: Breathe in. Then, while exhaling, lift your hips by contracting your hamstrings, glutes and lower back. Simultaneously let your head drop back and press your chest forward to end with your legs and torso in a straight line.

Starting position: Sit on the floor with legs straight, feet shoulder-width apart, arms straight and palms on the floor next to your hips – fingers pointing toward your feet.

Hold this position for 1 second, then while inhaling, steadily return yourself (using 2 seconds) back to the starting position.

141

OVERALL BODY: PUSH/PULL

STRAIGHT BRIDGE

2 INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL EXERCISES Upper body • Assisted dip (using machine or resistance band on bars) or incline push-up • Pike push-up or shoulder press (using free weights, machine or resistance band) • Assisted chin-up (machine or resistance band) or Australian chin-up/pull-up • Assisted partial chin-up (machine or resistance band) Lower body • Assisted pistol squat (using chair) or bodyweight squat • Assisted single-leg bent-over balance touch (using chair) or bodyweight leg-curl • Assisted Romanian single-leg deadlift (using sliders) • Neck bridge

142

This regression exercise provides assistance from a suitable machine or resistance band (looped around a set of dip bars – also referred to as “parallettes”). It enables intermediatelevel exercisers to more easily suspend themselves by deloading their body weight via upward support against the knees. If doing the assisted machine version, your knees should be snugly positioned on the leg brace of the machine. If you’re using dip bars, they should be placed slightly wider than shoulder-width. (NB: Free-standing dip bars placed too wide apart can tip outwards during the exercise and potentially cause injury.)

Starting position: Grip the bars midway along their length (if using f re e - s t a n d i n g b a r s ) w i t h w r i s t s perpendicular to the floor. Regardless of whether machine or bars, start by suspending yourself, keeping your body upright, your core tight, your elbows slightly bent and head neutral. Execution: While inhaling, engage your chest and upper arms as you smoothly lower yourself (using a 2second count) until your elbows are around 90 degree angles. Hold this position for 1 second and then while exhaling, raise your body (focus on pushing from your elbows) using a 1-second count until your arms are almost straight (starting position).

143

UPPER BODY: PUSH

ASSISTED DIP (using machine or dip bars)

Because it’s slightly more elevated than the traditional push-up, this regression version alleviates some of the load to the working muscles, rendering it easier to perform.

Execution: While inhaling, engage your chest and upper arms as you smoothly lower yourself (using a 2second count) until your chest is almost in line with your hands.

Starting position: Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width on either an exercise bench, box or chair – fingers pointing forward. Stretch your legs out behind you to suspend yourself on your hands and feet, ensuring the entire length of your body is in a straight line.

Hold this position for 1 second and then while exhaling, raise your body (focus on pushing from your elbows) using a 1-second count until your arms are almost straight (starting position).

144

UPPER BODY: PUSH

INCLINE PUSH-UP

This version is regressive to the decline pike push-up (advanced level) in that it decreases the load to the arms, shoulders and chest. Starting position: Your hands should be in the traditional push-up position (preferably using parallettes, which reduce tension on the wrists) at shoulder-width – feet slightly apart. Although your body should be bent at roughly 90-100 degrees, your back and legs should be straight, with elbows slightly bent.

floor surface. Head should be in line with your upper body. Execution: While inhaling, engage your shoulders and arms as you smoothly lower yourself (using a 2second count) until your head almost touches the floor surface, keeping it directly between your upper arms. Hold this position for 1 second and then while exhaling, raise your body (focus on pushing from your shoulders) using a 1-second count until your arms are almost straight (starting position).

Ensure your grip is comfortable but firm – with wrists perpendicular to the

145

UPPER BODY: PUSH

PIKE PUSH-UP

This exercise is also regressive to the decline pike push-up (advanced level) by decreasing the load to the arms, shoulders and chest. It can be done seated or standing. Starting position: Irrespective of version, your back should always remain straight and upright – head neutral. In the seated version, ensure your feet are planted about hip-width apart – slightly wider for the standing option.

Execution: Grasp your exercise accessory of choice fir mly but comfortably – wrists straight. With hands in line with your chin, tighten your core, engage your arms and shoulders, inhale and while exhaling, push vertically upwards, using a count of 1 second until your elbows almost lock. Hold this position for 1 second and then while inhaling, steadily return your arms to the starting position, using a count of 2 seconds.

146

UPPER BODY: PUSH

SHOULDER PRESS (using free weights, machine or resistance band)

This regression exercise provides assistance from a suitable machine or resistance band (looped around a fixed bar). It enables intermediate-level exercisers to train with more manageable loads as they work towards increasing their overall strength. Starting position: As with the conventional chin-up, grasp the horizontal bar of a lat pull-down machine using an underhand grip (palms facing you) with hands spaced slightly narrower than shoulder-width and feet firmly planted at hip-width. Your knees should be snugly positioned under the leg brace of the machine (or above, if doing the assisted machine version). NOTE: To turn this movement into a pull-up, simply switch your grip to overhand (palms facing away from you, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart). If you’re using a resistance band, position it over the fixed chin-up bar using a cow hitch (lark’s head knot), as

shown. Put one knee through the loop of the band so that you can grab hold of the bar and suspend yourself by means of the band giving you upward force – thereby reducing your weight. Then pull the band around your other knee. Keep your core tight, a slight bend in the elbows, knees bent approx. 90 degrees and head neutral. Execution: Inhale, engaging your upper back and upper arms. Then while exhaling, focus on pulling from your elbows to bring the bar down to just below your chin (machine). If you’re using a resistance band then you’ll be raising your body until your chin moves just above the fixed bar. Either way, the 1-second count applies. Hold this position for 1 second , then while inhaling, allow the bar to return back up until it stops, or if you’re using a fixed bar, steadily lower yourself back down. Use a 2-second count as you return to the starting position.

147

UPPER BODY: PULL

ASSISTED CHIN-UP/PULL-UP (using machine or fixed bar)

This regression option follows a similar movement principle to the chin-up/ pull-up, except that instead of hanging with your full bodyweight and pulling yourself vertically upwards, this exercise decreases your load by means of your feet/heels being in contact with the floor. And with your almost-horizontal positioning, you’re engaging your upper body at a different angle than with the traditional pull-up. Starting position: Hang below a parallel bar (usually found in parks), using a dip bar/parallette (ideally waist height), or by using a broomstick placed over two chairs. Grasp the bar/ stick with an under or overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width. Legs should be bent at roughly 90 degrees with feet/heels in contact with the floor surface. Your positioning should somewhat resemble an upsidedown push-up. Execution: Inhale, engaging your upper back and upper arms,

tightening your core. Then while exhaling, focus on pulling from your elbows to raise yourself until almost touching the bar/stick using a count of 1 second. Hold this position for 1 second , then while inhaling, allow yourself to steadily return to the starting position as you count off 2 seconds. NOTE: The pull-up version (palms facing away from you) disengages the biceps more, thereby rendering it more difficult to perform. Which should you do? Like with the chin-up / pull-up options, the answer is: “both.” Incorporating variations in strengthexercises over subsequent workouts with the additional stress and challenge, optimizes the training effect you gain over the course of time, which enables you to progress. To make the Australian chin/pull even more difficult, try progressing to doing it with straight legs.

148

UPPER BODY: PULL

AUSTRALIAN CHIN-UP/PULL-UP

149

This regression exercise follows exactly the same principle as the assisted chin-up/pull-up (pg. 147), except that instead of full range-ofmotion, this version uses partial range in order to focus more on activating the biceps muscles. Starting position: The same technique applies as for the full chinup/pull-up. Execution: Inhale, engaging your upper back and upper arms. Then while exhaling, focus on pulling from your elbows to bring the bar down to

just below your chin (machine). If you’re using a resistance band then you’ll be raising your body until your chin moves just above the fixed bar. Either way, the 1-second count applies. NB: Hold this position for 1 second , then while inhaling, allow the bar to return half-way back up, or if you’re using a fixed bar, steadily lower yourself back down until your elbows form 90 degree angles. Count 2 seconds as you return to the starting position.

150

UPPER BODY: PULL

ASSISTED PARTIAL CHIN-UP (using machine or fixed bar)

This regression exercise follows exactly the same principle as the standard pistol squat, except you have a chair or bench positioned behind you. The idea is that you lower yourself to the point of sitting momentarily before raising yourself up again – thereby helping you gain strength safely, as well as to progressively reduce the height you can manage until you have the strength and coordination to allow the unassisted full pistol squat version. Starting position: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, lift one leg, keeping it straight and pointed out to the front just above the floor surface while ensuring the other leg is slightly bent. Arms should hang comfortably at your sides.

Execution: While inhaling, lower yourself (counting 2 seconds until your behind reaches the chair/bench by bending the working knee and keeping the disengaged leg straight out in front of you. While descending, engage your core, pull your shoulders backward, angle your chest slightly forward but maintain a straight upper body posture – head upright. Your arms should simultaneously move up and point straight ahead for stability. They can be loose or clasped together in the same way you would hold a pistol. Once seated, exhale and then immediately push off from your planted foot to raise yourself (using 1 second) back to the starting position, keeping your upper body posture unchanged, except for your arms, which will gently return to their hanging positions in preparation for the next repetition.

151

LOWER BODY: PUSH

ASSISTED PISTOL SQUAT (using a chair or bench)

This regression exercise follows exactly the same movement principles as the traditional squat in that it is the same body movement, albeit without added load. It’s a safe exercise to perform as you work to develop overall muscular strength to tackle the more challenging movements of the advanced level. Starting position: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart (pointed slightly outwards), arms should hang comfortably at your sides, head neutral. Execution: While inhaling, hinge from the hips to “sit” into the mid-foot and heels (ensuring they remain flat on the floor), simultaneously bending the knees (not moving them too far forward) to lower yourself until your

thighs are at least parallel with the floor (slightly lower is optimal). While descending (counting 2 seconds), engage your core, pull your shoulders backward, angle your chest slightly forward but maintain a straight upper body posture. Your arms should at the same time move up and straight ahead of you to act as counterweights for stability. Hold the parallel (or lower) thigh position for 1 second. While exhaling, raise yourself steadily (using 1 second) back to the starting position, keeping your upper body posture unchanged, except for your arms, which will gently return to their hanging positions in preparation for the next repetition.

152

LOWER BODY: PUSH

BODYWEIGHT SQUAT

ASSISTED SINGLE-LEG BENT-OVER BALANCE TOUCH (using a chair)

Starting position: Stand diagonally behind a forward-pointing chair, feet shoulder-width apart with the hand closest to the chair placed on its backrest. Bend the leg closest to the chair slightly. Lift the opposite leg, keeping it straight and pointed out to the rear just above the floor surface while ensuring the other leg remains slightly bent. Your free hand should hang comfortably.

Execution: While inhaling, counting 2 seconds, lower yourself (aiming to touch your static foot with your free hand) by bending forward from your hips and stretching the disengaged leg straight out behind you. While descending, engage your core, keep your upper body straight and in line with your free leg. Maintain a comfortable grip on the chair back throughout the movement. Hold the lower (parallel) position for 1 second, then while exhaling, push off from your planted foot to raise yourself steadily (using 1 second) back to the starting position, continuing to hold onto the chair and keeping your upper body posture unchanged, except for your free arm, which will gently return to its hanging position in preparation for the next repetition.

153

LOWER BODY: PULL

This regression exercise follows exactly the same movement principles as the unassisted version, but employs the use of a chair to aid in providing you the required force and balance, as you work towards eventually mastering the advanced movement.

An excellent regression exercise as an alternate to the bent-over balance touch for those still developing the requisite and flexibility and one-leg stability. The bodyweight leg-curl can be made additionally challenging by working one leg at a time by keeping the free leg straight and off the floor. Starting position: Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, knees slightly bent, and your heels on a pair of sliders. (Alternatively you can use socks if you’re on a smooth floor

surface, or place your bare feet on a shiny book/magazine if you’re on a carpet.) Execution: Inhale, then while exhaling, engage your core, raise your hips and slide your feet along the floor toward your body while keeping a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Hold the position for 1 second and then lower yourself steadily (using 2 seconds) back to the starting position, keeping your upper body posture unchanged.

154

LOWER BODY: PULL

BODYWEIGHT LEG-CURL (using sliders)

This regression exercise is an effective precursor to the advanced-level version. It follows exactly the same movement principles as the traditional deadlift, except that you’re holding an imaginary barbell and disengaging one leg by pushing it out backwards on a slider. Not holding any weight doesn’t mean this exercise is easy. Remember, it’s single-legged and will require you to work on your balance and coordination. Starting position: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent with one foot on a slider. Arms should hang comfortably just above the knees in the same grip-position as if you’re actually holding a barbell.

Execution: While inhaling, counting 2 seconds, push your free leg out backward, sliding it over the floor surface while lowering yourself until your hands reach the level at which an imaginary barbell would touch the floor. While descending, keep your core tight, your shoulders square and upper body straight (although you will naturally lean forward slightly to maintain balance) and head neutral. Hold this position for 1 second, then while exhaling, push off from your planted foot to raise yourself steadily (using 1 second) back to the starting position, keeping your upper body posture unchanged and your free leg in contact with the floor – hands still gripping the imaginary barbell.

155

OVERALL BODY: PUSH/PULL

ASSISTED ROMANIAN SINGLE-LEG DEADLIFT (using sliders)

Although there are several back bridge regression options, the neck bridge is an excellent movement to help you progress to the full back bridge. Try mastering the straight bridge first, especially if you have any spinal concerns. Starting position: Lie on your back, with a towel under you head. Position your hands flat on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width, elbows pointing upwards toward the ceiling – fingertips pointing towards your shoulders. Bend your knees so that your heels are 6-8 inches from your behind.

Execution: Breathe in. Then, while exhaling, drive upwards from the hips by engaging your lower back muscles to lift your body as high as you can off the floor while pushing from the arms, simultaneously extending your neck backward so that you finish the movement with the top of your head resting on the floor (padded by the towel). Hold this position for 1 second, then while inhaling, steadily return yourself (using 2 seconds) back to the starting position.

156

OVERALL BODY: PUSH/PULL

NECK BRIDGE

3 ADVANCED-LEVEL EXERCISES Upper body • Dip • Decline push-up • Decline pike push-up • Chin-up or pull-up • Partial chin-up Lower body • Single-leg (pistol) squat • Single-leg bent-over balance touch • Single-leg deadlift • Back bridge

157

Starting position: Stand between parallel dip bars, also called “parallettes” (ideally slightly wider than shoulder-width) and grip them midway along their length with wrists perpendicular to the floor. (NB: Freestanding bars placed too wide apart can tip outwards during the exercise, potentially causing injury.)

your body upright, your core tight, your elbows slightly bent and head neutral.

If you’re using waist-high bars, lower yourself down and bend your knees around 90 degrees to allow for space between your feet and the floor. Suspend yourself off the floor, keeping

Hold this position for 1 second and then while exhaling, raise your body (focus on pushing from your elbows) using a 1-second count until your arms are almost straight (starting position).

Execution: While inhaling, engage your chest and upper arms as you smoothly lower yourself (using a 2second count) until your elbows are around 90 degree angles.

158

UPPER BODY: PUSH

DIP

Starting position: Your hands should be in the traditional push-up positions (preferably using parallettes, which reduce tension on the wrists) at shoulder-width – feet raised 30-50 cm and slightly apart. Keep your upper body and legs straight with elbows slightly bent and at roughly 45 degrees from your body. Ensure your grip is comfortable but firm – with wrists perpendicular to the floor surface. Head should be in line with your upper body.

Execution: While inhaling, engage your shoulders and arms as you smoothly lower yourself (using a 2second count) until your chest almost touches the floor surface, while keeping your neck straight and head neutral. Hold this position for 1 second and then while exhaling, raise your body (focus on pushing from your chest muscles) using a 1-second count until your arms are almost straight (starting position).

159

UPPER BODY: PUSH

DECLINE PUSH-UP

Starting position: Your hands should be in the same positions as with the decline push-up (again preferably using parallettes, which reduce tension on the wrists) at shoulderwidth – feet raised 30-50 cm and slightly apart. Although your body should be bent at roughly 90-100 degrees, your back and legs should be straight with elbows slightly bent and roughly 45 degrees from your body. Ensure your grip is comfortable but firm – with wrists perpendicular to the

floor surface. Head should be in line with your upper body. Execution: While inhaling, engage your shoulders and arms as you smoothly lower yourself (using a 2second count) until your head almost touches the floor surface, keeping your head directly between your upper arms. Hold this position for 1 second and then while exhaling, raise your body (focus on pushing from your shoulders) using a 1-second count until your arms are almost straight (starting position).

160

UPPER BODY: PUSH

DECLINE PIKE PUSH-UP

Both the chin-up and pull-up work the major muscle groups of the back and upper body (including arms and shoulders), although they engage your muscles differently. Whereas chin-ups hit the back in general, the pull-up targets the lats and forearms more. Since the chin-up engages the biceps more fully (due to the inverted grip), it is easier to do than the pull-up. Starting position: Whether using a park or traditional gym, or indeed a door-adapted accessory at home, grasp the horizontal bar using an underhand grip (palms facing you) with hands spaced slightly narrower than shoulder-width. While your weight is still being supported, ensure your grip is

comfortable but firm – with wrists perpendicular to the floor surface. Lift your feet off the floor so that you’re in a hanging position. (NB: Keep your core tight, a slight bend in the elbows, knees bent approx. 90 degrees and head neutral.) Execution: While exhaling, engage your upper back and upper arms (focus on pulling from your elbows) to raise your body using a 1-second count until your chin moves just above the bar. Hold this position for 1 second, then while inhaling, lower yourself steadily (using 2 seconds) back to the starting position.

161

UPPER BODY: PULL

CHIN-UP

Remember, both the chin-up and pullup work the major muscle groups of the back and upper body (including arms and shoulders), although they engage your muscles differently. Whereas chin-ups hit the back in general, the pull-up targets the lats and forearms more. Since the chin-up engages the biceps more fully (due to the inverted grip), it is easier to do than the pull-up. Starting position: Again, whether using a park or traditional gym, or a door-adapted accessory at home, grasp the horizontal bar using an overhand grip (palms facing away from you) with hands spaced slightly wider than shoulder-width.

comfortable but firm – with wrists perpendicular to the floor surface. Lift your feet off the floor so that you’re in a hanging position. (NB: Keep your core tight, a slight bend in the elbows, knees bent approx. 90 degrees and head neutral.) Execution: While exhaling, engage your upper back and upper arms (focus on pulling from your elbows) to raise your body using a 1-second count until your chin moves just above the bar. Hold this position for 1 second, then while inhaling, lower yourself steadily (using 2 seconds) back to the starting position.

While your weight is still being supported, ensure your grip is

162

UPPER BODY: PULL

PULL-UP

Starting position: Follow the same preparation used for the traditional chin-up (shown on pg. 161). Execution: While exhaling, engage your upper back and upper arms (focus on pulling from your elbows) to raise your body until your arms are approximately 90 degrees (in order to focus more on the biceps muscles).

Hold this mid-way position for 1 second, then while inhaling, lower yourself steadily (using 2 seconds) until your elbows are almost straight. Hold this position for 1 second and then perform then next repetition to bend your elbows to right-angles (90 degrees).

163

UPPER BODY: PULL

PARTIAL CHIN-UP

Starting position: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, bend one leg slightly, keeping the other leg straight and pointed out to the front just above the floor surface. Arms should hang comfortably at your sides, head neutral. Execution: While inhaling, using a 2second count, lower yourself (until your behind is roughly 6 inches from the floor) by bending the working knee and keeping the disengaged leg straight out in front of you. While descending, engage your core, pull your shoulders backward, angle your

back slightly forward but maintain a straight upper body posture. Your arms should simultaneously move up and point straight ahead. They can be loose or clasped together. Hold this position for 1 second, then while exhaling, push off from your planted foot and leg to raise yourself steadily (using 1 second) back to the starting position, keeping your upper body posture unchanged, except for your arms, which will gently return to their hanging positions in preparation for the next repetition.

164

LOWER BODY: PUSH

SINGLE-LEG (PISTOL) SQUAT

Starting position: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, bend one leg slightly, keeping the other straight and pointed out to the rear just above the floor surface. Arms should hang comfortably at your sides. Execution: While inhaling, counting 2 seconds, lower yourself by bending forward from your hips (so your hands almost touch your static foot) and stretching the disengaged leg straight out behind you. While descending, engage your core, keep your upper

body straight and in line with your free leg. Hold this lower (parallel) position for 1 second, then while exhaling, push off with your planted foot and leg to raise yourself steadily (using 1 second) back to the starting position, keeping your upper body posture unchanged, except for your arms, which should gently retur n to their hanging positions in preparation for the next repetition.

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LOWER BODY: PULL

SINGLE-LEG BENT-OVER BALANCE TOUCH

Starting position: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent with one leg positioned slightly behind the other. Arms should hang comfortably just above the knees in the same grip-position as if you’re actually holding a barbell. Execution: While inhaling, counting 2 seconds, bend your working leg, pushing your free leg out backward just above the floor surface and lower yourself until your hands reach the imaginary barbell on the floor surface. While descending, keep your core tight, your shoulders square and

upper body straight (although you will naturally lean forward slightly to maintain balance). Hold the lower position for 1 second, then while exhaling, push off from your planted foot and leg to raise yourself steadily (using 1 second) back to the starting position, keeping your upper body posture unchanged and your free leg just above the floor – hands still gripping the imaginary barbell.

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OVERALL BODY: PUSH/PULL

SINGLE-LEG DEADLIFT

Starting position: Lie on your back, positioning your hands flat on the floor slightly wider than shoulderwidth, elbows pointing upwards toward the ceiling – fingertips pointing towards your shoulders. Bend your knees so that your heels are 6-8 inches from your behind. Execution: Breathe in. Then while exhaling, drive upwards from the hips by engaging your lower back muscles

and then push from the arms and legs to lift your body as high as possible off the floor, straightening your arms and allowing your head to tilt backwards so you can see between your arms. Hold this position for 1 second, then while inhaling, steadily return yourself (using 2 seconds) back to the starting position.

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OVERALL BODY: PUSH/PULL

BACK BRIDGE

APPENDIX C: PROGRAM LOGS THE SIMPLE REASON WHY YOU SHOULD MONITOR PROGRESS Remember, at the most basic primal level, human beings are “wired” to seek pleasure and avoid pain, thereby ensuring survival through operational efficiency. Simply put, humans have a default setting: “comfortable.” In terms of speed of movement, think “cruise.” It’s not idling, but it’s not sprinting either. All of us begin a change-program with the best of intentions, because the notion of transformation excites us. And then most of us give up, because the process involves discipline and effort, and this makes us uncomfortable. A couple of weeks in, and our consistency comes under threat as our brain bombards us with thoughts like, “There’s so much other more pleasant and easier stuff to do.” The novelty of “new and inspiring” has worn off, and you reach a fork in the road where the exit is more appealing than continuing the journey. But what if you had documented evidence (like impressive progress pics and improved measurements) to show that you were actually making progress? You know, the details you would otherwise not really comprehend if you were just “winging” it. WHY SHOULD WE PLAN AND TRACK OUR PROGRAM ACTIVITIES? The main objective is to stand up to our innate human inclination to fool ourselves. And in the process, to see real, steady (and motivating) change from recorded stats. Every single little progression is a measure of success, and consistently seeing these results will help you stay in the game.

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We’ve already discussed the fact that staying on-track with a fitness program can be challenging when there’s so much else going on in life. But you’ll be stacking the deck in your favor if your self-monitor. Many research studies show that people who keep track of their exercise and eating habits when working to transform, have more success than those who don’t. It’s pretty simple, and as Tony Robbins puts it, “If you talk about it, it’s a dream; if you envision it, it’s possible; but if you schedule it, it’s real.” PRACTICAL ADVANTAGES  During a transformation, it’s really important to log those daily numbers. This helps you stay accountable and honest with yourself about whether you’re sticking to the plan or not. It also allows you to keep track of what works for you and what doesn’t. And in the process, you can devise better options. You can refine your lifestyle and make better and more productive choices. HOW DO I PLAN MY ACTIVITIES? As you know, I no longer plan or log my meals and workouts. And I’ve made it clear why: my behavior patterns are so well-engrained that it’s all become instinctive for me. But I still like to be prepared and have a life-plan at the beginning of each new week. I like doing this on Sunday afternoons. It’s the time when my family and I relax at home and do things like read, bake or play games. We also usually spend a few minutes together in the early-evening to share a high-level view of what’s going on for us during the coming week. I reflect on my specific personal and professional journeys, update my journal and set up to-do’s.

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Likewise, you should find a day that suits you once a week to look over your life-plan and SFP schedule. Record your assessments and take your photos. Also look back and see how you did. If you made progress, well done! If not, tweak your activity for the coming week so that you commit to improvement. Remember, you’re not doing this forever. But it’s an immensely valuable strategy when working on something new, as it brings awareness to your new practice, and in the process helps you forge new (and desirable) behavior patterns. THE SFP LOGS Set out from page 172 to page 175 are the following: • • • •

SFP Workout Plan Overview SFP 12-Week Schedule Overview SFP Daily Log SFP Weekly Progress Log

While you’re free to download and print these logs from: www.sensiblefitnessprogram.com, you can also view them as PDFs via one of the many apps on a smartphone or tablet. Or you can also opt for a different method. WHAT IF THE LOGS I’VE DEVISED DON’T GRAB YOU? Although I’ve provided what I see as a practical means for tracking and monitoring your progress, you’re welcome to create your own log or journal. You can use the simple blank pages of any physical notebook. Or you can use one of the many apps like OneNote, GoodNotes, or the commonly-known fitness and nutrition tracker “myfitnesspal.” It really doesn’t matter whether you choose paper or digital, as long as you do it.

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WHAT TO TRACK? The SFP logs aim to track the basics. But if you’ve had previous transformations and you want to take things up a level, then there are other metrics you can include: • • • • • • •

Mood Sleep duration Recipes Inspirational quotes Personal achievements Articles/blog posts/etc that you can reference Body measurements in addition to waist, like thighs, upper arms etc

IMPORTANT: For wellness habits to stick, make the process as simple as possible. You don’t want to be composing essays or recording long lists of details. If things become too elaborate or burdensome, you’re bound to lose interest in doing them. MAINTAINING FOCUS AND MOTIVATION One reason that you may have thrown in the towel in the past is due to not having perceived any results. It’s easy to give up when you don’t see the fruits of your labor “quickly enough.” Remember, we spoke about this in Chapter 3 with the elephant metaphor and I’ve reiterated myself abundantly throughout the book. Planning and recording your activities will help keep you focused on your goal. It helps keep you engaged and in tune with what you need to do to move forward. And once again, don’t forget those progress pics!

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LEVELS

Workout type

M

T

BEGINNER 12-15 reps per set

1. Bent-knee dip (using chair) or wall push-up 2. Incline pike push-up 3. Door row (using towel) or Strength assisted chin/pull-up Upper body (machine or resist. band) (push/pull) 4. Partial door row (using towel) or assisted partial chin/pull-up (machine or resistance band)

Cardio (HIIT)

INTERMEDIATE SETS

3 2

3

2

Th

1. Chair squat or partial Lower body bodyweight squat (push/pull) 2. Good morning exercise or lying leg-curl Overall 3. Straight bridge or body shoulder bridge (push/pull)

*Cardio

(LISS/MISS)

Upper body (push/pull)

Sa

Rest

Su

Cardio

(LISS/MISS)

SETS

3 2-3 2-3

1. Assisted pistol squat (using chair) or bodyweight squat 2. Assisted single-leg bent-over balance touch (using chair) or bodyweight leg-curl 3. Assisted Romanian single-leg deadlift (using sliders) 4. Neck bridge

30-40 mins

8-12 reps per set

SETS

2-3

1-2 2-3

1. Dip or decline push-up 2. Decline pike push-up 3. Chin-up or pull-up 4. Partial chin-up

1-2 1 1-2 1

1-2

17 mins

30-40 mins

Strength

F

1. Assisted dip (using machine or resist. band) or incline push-up 2. Pike push-up or shoulder press (using free weights, machine or resistance band) 3. Assisted chin-up (mach./resist. band) or Australian chin/pull-up 4. Assisted partial chin-up (machine or resistance band)

17 mins

Strength

W

10-15 reps per set

ADVANCED

17 mins

2

1-2 1-2 1-2

1. Single-leg (pistol) squat 2. Single-leg bent-over balance touch 3. Single-leg deadlift 4. Back bridge

1 1 1 1

30-40 mins

Same as for Monday

–

–

–

45 mins

45 mins

45 mins

NOTE: There are literally countless exercise type possibilities, depending on your level and whether you prefer bodyweight-training or using machines (which mimic the same movements). The advanced level lists my personal favorites. I’ve also included what I see as the most logical regressions for the beginner and intermediate levels. Again, these can be done at home or in a gym, using appropriate machinery. If you can do the more advanced moves before the recommended time, great! You shouldn’t hold back just because of the prescribed time guidelines. But even if you’re ready to leapfrog the beginner level, you should still aim to devote 12 weeks to the program, whether that’s 4 weeks per level, or 8 weeks intermediate and 4 weeks advanced. Specialized training, including variable speed methods or other isolation techniques, fall outside the scope of this book. Also, as long as you fulfil the overall plan, feel free to reorder your “free day” to another day. *Switch between 2-3 cardio sessions a week if you’re at maintenance weight, or if you want add mass.

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173

174

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & FURTHER READING This book wouldn’t be complete without my acknowledging some of the more important influencers in my life, in particular where health, fitness and well-being are concerned. Whether directly or indirectly, the people mentioned below have inspired, motivated and encouraged me in the pursuit of realizing my full potential as a “helper” and a contributor in improving the lives of others, whether in my capacity as a role model, or in working directly with them. I also feel that it’s responsible of me (and useful to you), to include some of the more valuable resources that offer sound, reliable and helpful information and advice, which will surely come in handy to further enrich and facilitate your fitness journey. (Products and services I use and recommend are listed and discussed at: www.sensiblefitnessprogram.com.)

INFLUENCERS IN MY LIFE Mom and Dad Even if already mentioned them in the beginning of the book, I feel that it’s opportune to elaborate on my dedication. So much of what I am and what I do today stems from the value of hours and hours of conversations we shared, the sport we watched together, the discussions about life and all the questions and curiosities they entertained. But probably most important was acknowledging, trusting and encouraging the big life decisions I took as a young adult. I am eternally grateful for what they instilled in me. Clarence Bass A  former Muscle & Fitness  magazine columnist, Bass is a retired lawyer and bodybuilding champion, and has been referred to as “the most articulate and well-

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read spokesman in America for an all-round fitness lifestyle.” He has made it his job, over several decades, to inform and educate readers with factual advice and information. I have always appreciated his candid and honest writings. His book, Ripped: The Sensible Way to Achieve Ultimate Muscularity, in my opinion, remains a must-read for any aspiring athlete. It was a huge eye-opener for me and positively influenced my approach to nutrition and physical exercise when I needed useful facts. I continue to consult it regularly. Leo. F. Buscaglia, Ph.D If anyone could wow you, make you laugh, and then bring you to tears, it was Leo Buscaglia. A wonderful, passionate and loving individual who, during his lifetime, showed the value of love, kindness, caring and living. Of those I’ve seen over the years, few have impacted me as profoundly as the recording of a talk he gave an audience of salespeople at the Ford Motor Company headquarters during the 1970s. His literary works and recorded motivational speeches will certainly endure. Jill and Josh Stanton A husband-and-wife team who coach people in turning their passions into successful online businesses via their company screwtheninetofive.com. I’ve been most fortunate in gaining enormously from working with them and their formidable team. Their expertise and encouragement have also enabled me to finally believe that I am deserving to be as successful as I choose in my own business. As a recovering perfectionist, it’s probably been their “take messy action” philosophy that has contributed largely to my progress in this regard.

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John Kehoe His works were instrumental to me at a time in my life when I was unsure about my career choice. In the 1987 bestseller book, Mind Power, John Kehoe articulated a set of life-changing principles for charting a course to success and happiness through a remarkably practical guide to harnessing the power of the subconscious, tapping into creativity, successfully using visualization techniques, and for me most importantly: developing a “prosperity consciousness.” Dr Wayne W. Dyer Among several excellent works, Your Erroneous Zones was a ground-breaking book for me in realizing how we get caught up in labeling ourselves and hurting our potential for growth and success by our own self-created limitations. As he rightly holds: “The essence of greatness is the ability to choose personal fulfillment in circumstances where others choose madness.”

Emilie Wapnick “What do you want to be when you grow up?” is a question all of us face from a young age. And for those who genuinely didn’t know then, and still struggle with, Emily Wapnick has some answers and explanations. Her excellent book How to Be Everything: A Guide for Those Who (Still) Don't Know What They Want to Be When They Grow Up explores the prospect for people who are not born to be one-dimensional specialists. She has also established Puttylike, an online space for multipotentialites—people of all ages and backgrounds, like me, who have multiple passions and don’t want to be or do “just one thing.” Mike Mentzer During my experience with weight training, I often found the aspect of “time” to be a major issue. Now for bodybuilders, much of what everyday people do, would be obliged to give way. Not just because of the strict nutrition protocols, but also for enabling elaborate workouts. Mike Mentzer’s approach was therefore pivotal to my

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evolving philosophies where volume and intensity were concerned. In his view you could either train long or train hard, but not both. However, the latter gives a distinct advantage where time is concerned. As a proponent of the principles of high-intensity weight training, Mentzer held that training should be brief, infrequent and intense in order to attain the best results in the shortest amount of time. It became logical for me therefore to employ the philosophy of high-intensity strength training techniques into my own training protocols. Since I discovered in 2003 that I was able to maintain the same physical condition through shorter workouts than my former higher-volume approach, I have not deviated from this methodology. Charles Hix I bought his book: Working Out: The Total Shape-Up Guide for Men during my final high-school year in 1984. It was a huge influence on me during my “coming of age,” and I still occasionally consult it. The Charles Hix phrase: “you can’t have any body in the world, but you can have a damn good one” has a permanent place in my fitness vocab when it comes to articulating a unique individual’s transformation-potential. Hix understood back then already, that the only way to achieve the ultimate physique, was through a carefully individualized exercise program. Regardless of the advances in the science of nutrition and working out since the 1980s, what worked then still works today. So, even though many “operators” in the multi-billion dollar health and fitness industries like to promote “secrets” and outlandish shape-up claims, the truth remains that we must embrace our unique genetic predisposition to be able to unlock and reveal our best physical selves. Another take-home message for me was Hix’s position that men can and should look terrific, by tying together the components of a good foundation (the body), attentive grooming and stylish dressing. Seth Godin An author, entrepreneur and most of all, a disrupter in the world of marketing philosophy. I always knew I was a somewhat unconventional player in health and fitness. And it at times disturbed me that I didn’t gravitate to the industry standard when it came to my particular angle and approach to marketing and coaching.

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But the one person who helped me transition to being okay with an unconventional approach, was Seth Godin. His book, Purple Cow is now a cult classic that has revolutionized marketing in that you’re either remarkable or invisible. And for me, it was this realization that opened my eyes to claiming my unique positioning through my own voice, and being comfortable with staying true to myself. Zig Ziglar A formidable  author,  salesman, and  motivational speaker. His book: Born to Win: Find Your Success intends to apply to any and all aspects of life from health to financial security, so it stands to reason that everyone will have their own definition of what constitutes success. Nonetheless, my take on Zig’s principled message is that you need to take heed of where you gravitate to, be mindful of others and then really apply yourself consistently if you want to turn your calling into a successful and prosperous livelihood. And through following Ziglar’s works, particularly How to Win, I realized all over again that I’ve chosen the best job in the world—for me. And as Zig would tell you, “You can have everything in life you want, if you’ll just help enough other people get what they want.” Nelson Mandela Widely regarded as an icon of democracy and social justice, he received more than 250 honors, including the  Nobel Peace Prize. Fondly known as “Madiba,” he is held in deep respect within South Africa, and widely described as the “Father of the Nation.” I was profoundly honored and touched to have had the opportunity of meeting him in person. For South Africans far and wide, he

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is considered the country’s greatest unifier. And as I learned on the day I met him, he above all taught the world humility and the belief in reconciliation and healing. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu I have regarded them more as celebrities than role models I wished to emulate. That aside, their professional bodybuilding exploits were inspirational to me back in the 1970s, and I have always admired and appreciated what they meant to the evolution of bodybuilding as a culture. Franco as former champion, author and renowned chiropractor, and Arnold, who needs no introduction. Few actually know about Columbu and Schwarzenegger’s decades-long friendship. In a tribute shortly after Franco’s death in 2020, Arnold said: “life was more fun, more colourful, and more complete, thanks to Franco. We pushed each other, we competed with each other, and we laughed at every moment along the way.” Notwithstanding the fact that my approach to fitness is distinctly different from that of bodybuilding, Arnold and Franco have certainly inspired and motivated me over the years through their accomplishments and successes beyond their sport itself. Mickael Louvel Mickael is a professional bodybuilder who has been competing since he was 16. At the age of 21 in 1997, a car accident tragically caused the loss of his right arm and a year-long paralysis. A man of devout principle and solid self-belief, once discharged from hostipial, Mickael began the long road to rebuilding his life. Unable to train conventionally, he set about devising techniques and methods to incorporate nylon straps and bindings. Mickael never allowed the obvious challenges, frustrations and physical limitations to stand in his way, and instead went on to reconstruct his life and an amazing physique. Although a relatively private person, he has gained enormous respect for his achievements and has a sizeable Instagram following. He holds several titles as an amputee competitor.

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Of all the people who have influenced me over the years in terms sporting accomplishments against the odds, I have to say that Mickael’s story of overcoming immense adversity is excellent example of the human spirit of survival, courage and motivation. Although from a different sport, one could probably identify a similar example in Niki Lauda’s heroic comeback to Formula 1 racing, also after a near-death event that left him with several injuries and medical complications. Dr. Joe Dispenza Joe Dispenza is an international lecturer, researcher, corporate consultant, author, and educator who has been invited to speak in more than 32 countries on five continents. As an educator and a healer, he has profoundly touched a large global following through his works which explore the conviction that each of us has the potential for greatness and unlimited abilities. Carl Rogers Rogers was an  American  psychologist  and among the founders of the humanistic and client-centered approaches in psychology, and widely considered to be one of the founding fathers of psychotherapy. Throughout my university studies, I always appreciated Rogers’ person-centered approach in understanding personality and human relationships. His works have wide application including psychotherapy and counseling, education, organizations, and other group settings. I like to think of my own approach as also being somewhat person-centered. Viktor Frankl For Frankl, “meaning” came from three possible sources:  purposeful work,  love, and  courage in the face of difficulty. His autobiographical Man's Search for Meaning is based on his harrowing experiences in various  Nazi concentration camps, and what this taught him about the primary purpose of life: the quest for meaning, which sustained those who survived.

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Frankl believed that life can have meaning even in the most miserable of circumstances and that the motivation for living comes from finding that meaning, on which he wrote: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Once can only admire the resolve in the way Viktor Frankl, notwithstanding the unspeakable cruelty he witnessed and experienced, found meaning through his suffering. In this way, he believed that when we can no longer change a situation, we are forced to change ourselves. I appreciated Frankl’s teachings during my academic studies as much as I cherish their continued immense value to humanity. Pete Adams Pete wrote a gem of book in VisualFestation, which is a simple but effective guide to manifesting the life of your dreams. Going beyond other books on the law of attraction, he has successfully used techniques and habits to manifest miracles in his own life. I was very much enlightened, as I read his stories and first-hand accounts, about a collection of practical tools and habits with which one can bring a vision of a dream life to reality. Shakti Gawain She gifted the world with an amazing resource in her book Creative Visualization, which centers on the use of mental imagery and affirmation to produce positive changes in our lives. This groundbreaking work has found enthusiastic followers all around the globe, thanks largely to Shakti’s simple and powerful techniques, which can be applied broadly to include the fields of health, education, business, sports and the creative arts. Whether for general inspiration and empowerment or to achieve specific goals, be they financial, creative, medical, career or relationship,  this book is a profoundly powerful resource from a uniquely warm and wise teacher. I have read it several times and can vouch for its principles and methodologies from first-hand experience.

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Stephen R. Covey His famous The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a highlyeffective self-help handbook that goes to the heart of solving personal and professional problems via a principle-centered approach. What I appreciate most in Covey’s book is the methodical approach for living with fairness, integrity, service and human dignity, and in so doing, capitalize on cultivating the wisdom and power to take advantage of opportunities that come from change. I continue to consult this timeless guide regularly in addressing aspects of my own personal and professional life, and how I can continue adapting and evolving.

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RECOMMENDED FITNESS RESOURCES AND FURTHER READING With every advance in exercise science, training methodologies evolve a little more. Trainers and coaches like myself are always encouraged to keep abreast of advances, whether to earn continuing education credits, to stay on the cutting edge of techniques, or as a way of engaging with science-minded clients and communities that are probably also following the latest developments. Apart from certifying bodies, it’s also wise to stay on top of novel, insightful observations and research finding achieved in exercise science. However, being publicly available, everyday people who are trying to improve their health and fitness can also take advantage of consulting these annals. Here are some of the best and most reliable resources for keeping in tune with the latest trends and developments. SPORTS MEDICINE AND EXERCISE SCIENCE MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTES • American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) | https://www.acsm.org • American Council on Exercise (ACE) | https://www.acefitness.org • Human Kinetics | https://us.humankinetics.com • International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) | https://www.issaonline.com • National Academy of Sports Medicine | https://www.nasm.org • National Library of Medicine (PubMed.gov) | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov • ScienceDaily | https://www.sciencedaily.com

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IMAGE CREDITS worldsbetweenlines | https://www.unsplash.com on page 12 Simon Migaj | https://www.unsplash.com on page 19 jruscello | https://www.unsplash.com on page 25 William Warren | https://thesketcheffect.com on page 33 Moori | https://www.dreamstime.com on page 40 Hkratky | https://www.dreamstime.com on page 40 MaxiSports | https://www.dreamstime.com on page 40 kotin | https://www.canstockphoto.com on page 43 ammentorp | https://www.canstockphoto.com on page 43 Gelpi | https://www.canstockphoto.com on page 43 Discovod | https://www.canstockphoto.com on page 44 halfpoint | https://www.canstockphoto.com on page 44 eldadcarin | https://www.canstockphoto.com on page 44 photo_bee | https://www.pond5.com on page 45 restyler | https://www.pond5.com on page 45 DenisNata | https://www.pond5.com on page 45 Ken Haak | https://queerbio.com/wiki/index.php/Ken_Haak on page 45 Eleventh Wave | https://www.unsplash.com on page 48 Hanna Eberhard | https://www.unsplash.com on page 52 skeeze | https://www.pixabay.com on page 54 edgarraw | https://www.unsplash.com on page 75 Canva media elements | https://www.canva.com in tables on pages 86 and 96 jessbaileydesigns | https://www.unsplash.com on page 100 Mary Ellen Tribby | http://maryellentribby.com on page 109 Stihii | https://www.dreamstime.com on pages 55 and 124 Clarence Bass | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ on page 177

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Cleto (“Clay”) Tirabassi, was born in Kroonstad, South Africa, in 1966. An enthusiast of health and fitness from a young age, he is a former Air Force Officer and is active in human resources management and wellness coaching, while also being a writer and an entrepreneur. South African by birth of an Italian father and a South African mother, he is a dual citizen and has also lived and worked in Austria, Germany and Italy. He is currently based in Rome. He has an extensive professional corporate track record, and aside from graduate studies in psychology and communication, he holds the highest level fitness certification from one of the most respected organizations in the fitness industry. Through his infinite resourcefulness and passion for improving the lives of others, he operates from a position of empathy, principle, perfectionism (which he’ll tell you he tries to keep in check) and perseverance. As a so-called “multipotentialite,” he has been involved in several different work settings, dedicating himself to helping people address issues and find solutions. He refers to his passage into wellness coaching as a calling he couldn’t ignore: to work in the gaps left by the giant fitness corporates, quick-fixers, and the overwhelm of conventional wisdom. He firmly believes that the many “cookie-cutter” solutions, books, applications and fitness trackers fall short in realistically considering the challenges of balancing home, work, life and fitness, especially for the long term. Notwithstanding compelling scientific research findings and all the innovative resources available, world health statistics continue to show deterioration, along with an ever elusive work-life balance. Therefore, in a world where the odds are against well-being, he aims to inspire more people through the Sensible Fitness Program to take action and successfully transcend their “gap” towards sustainable wellness. When he’s not working, Cleto loves cycling, hiking, cooking and spending time with his family and two cats while reading or watching movies.

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Could I ask you to leave a review? If you enjoyed reading The Sensible Fitness Program: A Simple and Sustainable Solution, please consider leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads or wherever you bought or obtained the book. Your feedback is important, and will also help other readers decide whether to read the book.

Getting and staying in touch To learn more about me, my work, to subscribe to MFR, or if you want to leave a comment, visit: www.myfitnessroad.com. The book’s dedicated page and online resources are here: www.sensiblefitnessprogram.com You can also reach me by email at [email protected], follow me on Instagram at www.instagram.com/cleto.tirabassi, or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ ClayTirabassi

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