getting back to training

Hi everyone I have started a new job and I have had little time for my blog, I will now be starting aq lean bulk for 14 weeks over the winter and will be uploading my new diet and workout routine.

HEALTHY RECIPES – SPICY FISH AND VEG SOUP.

HEY GUYS - THIS IS THE RECIPE I USE TO MAKE MY SPICY FISH AND VEG SOUP.

Recipe List:

2 portions of haddock fillet unsmoked

1 pack of soup veg mix

Or

3 celery, 3 leeks, low fat vegetable stock

Cayenne pepper

Garlic salt

Black pepper

Preparation:

1 – Microwave fish until defrosted and cooked – but not dry! While the fish is cooking boil the kettle pour in between 200-500 ml of water depending on how thick or watery you like your soup and add the veg stock again add to desired flavour.


2 – Chop veg into small pieces and add the fish.

3 – Once the soup starts boil turn down to a low heat, add cayenne powder to the soup.


4 -  Add the garlic salt and black pepper  leave to bubble until it becomes a thicker soup – this normally takes 20-30 mins.

This will give you 50.2 gram protein

                                 Less than 10 carbs negated by the fibre

                                 Less than 5 grams of fat

12 WEEK TRANSFORMATION PROGRESS - Week 6

HI GUYS, HERE ARE MY WEEK 6 PHOTOS:

Front:

Back:

Side:

Getting more ripped guys - I am using a similar diet to Brad Pitt inFight Club. Brad Pitt was 5 percent bodyfat and weighed around 155 lbs at 5"10 or 5"11.

TOP 6 SERIES.

TOP 6 MEAL REPLACMENTS

BY FITNESS GODFATHER.

Many people have asked “what are the best meal replacements” or meals you can have when you are in a rush, most commercial ones are too high in carbs and too low in protein. When trying to lose weight I like to have at least a 50:50 protein to carb ratio but preferably 50:30 ratio of protein to part carbs. Don't be a sucka try one of these shakes!

DON'T BE A SUCKA FOR CYTOGAINER FOOL!

AND DON'T ARGUE WITH MR.T!

Here is the list:

No. 1 – WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE AND OATS.

Simply add your oats to your protein isolate and you can choose how much carb or protein you want making it superior to pre-made mrps. Good quality protein, good quality carb, simply the best!

Godfather tip: Mix 50grams of Dymataze ISO 100 mixed berry with 50 gram of oats and 6-8 blackberries for the ultimate tasting breakfast – blend to desired consistency – try it you won’t be disappointed – to date it is my all time favourite drink EVER!        

No. 2 – PROTEIN SHAKE WITH VIRTARGO OR WAXY-MAIZE.

This is a drink again you can make which is perfect for post-workout as it will give you a quality source of protein and carbs and very little if any sugar.

Godfather tip: take 40-50 gram of whey isolate with 20-30 grams of waxy-maize post workout while gutting to lose fat and keep muscle!

No. 3 – PEANUT-BUTTER SHAKE.

Time Targeted: Breakfast.

This shake is high in good calories – good fats, protein and a small amount of carbs. Make sure you get all natural no added sugar (There really should only be one or two ingredients on the label) Mix about 20-40grams of peanut butter with Dutch chocolate natures best low carb isopure half a banana for a creamy sweet taste!

Here is the peanut butter I use:

No. 4 – COTTAGE BED TIME MEAL.

This may not sound attractive but it is surprisingly nice. Simply take a blender ass to scoop of vanilla flavoured casein or missed protein add half a small carton of cottage cheese and if you’re really adventurous some cinnamon powder. This tastes really good if your protein powder is nice. You will get plenty of slow release protein and there are very low carbohydrates in this meal which will prevent your insulin levels spiking.

No. 5 – BULK – UP SHAKE!

Some people are trying to gain muscle and so fat loss will not be their concern, however, a common mistake people make when trying to gain weight is eating lots of bad carbs and fats and ignoring protein and taking sugary “weight gainers” instead really they should be called “fat-gainers” because that’s what they do!

Here is a better alternative – get some peanut butter, oats, half a banana, whey protein powder and 1 scoop of low fat ice-cream for a treat since your still bulking, this will be far better than the simple sugars “weight –gainers” give you disguised under the name maltodextrin (really sugar) blend this up and it will taste great as well as giving you a cheap better alternative to bulk up sugar shakes!

Godfather Tip – drink this shake with a ratio of 50protein – 70 carbs 1 hour before your workout to get some good energy and strength gains in the gym. AND STAY AWAY FORM THE UTTER GARBAGE THAT IS CYTO-GAINER AND YES IVE TRIED IT SO DOE’T TELL ME ITS NOT IF YOU WANT A PRE-MADE ONE GO WITH MHP UP YOUR MASS OR OPTIMUM NUTRION PRO-COMPLEX GAINER GOOD RATIO OF QUALITY PROTEIN AND CARBS.

No. 6 – ULTRA – DIET SHAKE.

For those who are also trying to maintain muscle and lose fat the simplest meal replacement is a good quality whey isolate protein shake with 5-10 grams of glutamine and take some green tea extract with it to keep your metabolism boosted.

Godfather Tip: Take this shake any time to replace a meal – add some healthy fat to this shake if you take it at night to slow the release of the whey protein.

Get ripped Buddy!

12 WEEK TRANSFORMATION PROGRESS - Week 5

HEY GUYS HERE ARE MY WEEK 5 PHOTOS!

Front:

Back:

Getting more ripped guys - I am using a similar diet to Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Brad Pitt was 5 percent bodyfat and weighed around 155 lbs at 5"10 or 5"11.

HEALTHY RECIPES – SPICY CHICKEN AND PEPPER RICE.

HEY GUYS - THIS IS THE RECIPE I USE TO MAKE MY SPICY CHICKEN AND PEPPER RICE.

Recipe List:

200 gram of chicken.

180 gram of brown rice.

1 large sweet red pepper.

1 large normal pepper.

cayenne pepper powder.

½ chopped onion.

Small amount of olive oil.

Preparation:

1 – Boil kettle, add water to pan, once boiled add the brown rice, lower the temperature to about 2/5 to half heat on hob. Put lid over pan and leave to cook.


2 – After 10-12 minutes cut the chicken into strips and place them in frying pan or wok number 2.

3 – Once the chicken starts to brown coat in cayenne powder.


4 -  Chop the peppers and onions into thin strips, place them in the pan,                      if your pan is small use a third pan to fry them to make sure they get crispier – remember healthy oil.


5 – Add a light sweet chilli sauce to the chicken and veg mix place in wok and simmer for 30 seconds – 2 minutes.

6 – Drain the rice once cooked place on plate, add chicken and veg.

Protein: 55 gram

Carbohydrate: 50

Fat: 8 fat

Use less chicken and rice to suit your caloric needs!

TOP 6 SERIES

TOP 6 NUTRTIONAL SERIES

TOP 6 ALL TIME WORST FOODS!

BY FITNESS GODFATHER.

Here is the list:

 No.1 - POTATO CHIPS.
These are loaded with fat and processed carbs! In 11 Ruffles Sour Cream Chips you will receive a dirty 160 calories, 10 grams of bad fat and 14 grams of bad carbs – the 2 grams of protein will not make a difference – stay away!

Godfather Tip: Eat these instead – Walkers Sunbites – 120calories, 15 grams of wholegrain carbs and 5.4 grams of fat – most of which is healthy.

NO. 2 - FAST-FOOD BURGERS.
You Know already – Mc Donalds will supersize you! Stay away from Mc donAlds Burger King and all of the other fast-food places – make your own “fast-food”.
Here is how they compare:
Wendy’s Triple Baconater 1350 calories 90 g fat (40 g saturated, 3.5 g trans)2780 mg sodium over 50 carbs!
Homemade Burger: Calories: 285. Fat: 6.8, Carbohydrate 17.6, Protein 28.4.
Godfather Tip – make your own burgers: Ingredients(16oz lean Steak, 5oz Diced Onion, 2 large Egg Whites, 1 packet Instant Regular Oatmeal, 2 clove Garlic, Wholegrain / Wholewheat Bun.)

WARNING! EXCESS CALORIES!

NO. 3 - RIBS.
One of the worst offenders and greatest for one portion! These are full of fat and have a bad source of protein – not to mention they are normnally served with fries so you don;y forget to eat you bad carbs as well!


BEEF BACK RIBS, Claim Jumpers


'Nutritional' data: 4,301 calories, which includes a whopping 156g of saturated fat and  (7,623mg OF SALT!
Equivalent to eating: Nearly 8 of KFC's Double Downs

NO. 4 – CHINESE / INDIAN FOOD.
Fried Rice can be up to 1500 calories a portion in some take-aways, add that to the high sugar sauces and processed meats cooked in bad fats or even battered chicken and you have a recipe for fataster!
Orange (crispy) beef has a whopping 1,500 calories and 3,100 mg of sodium with the fried rice could be up to around 3000 calories! Never worry about a full stomach – your heart will be full with fat!

Don’t Let the Fruit Fool You!

Godfather Tip – Cook some diced chicken in a wok, add garlic salt, cayenne pepper and some chilli pepper and a tiny spoon of brown sugar for a sweet healthy alternative.

NO. 5 – SUGAR - CHOCOLATE. MILKSHAKES, ICE-CREAM.
This is pretty simple, pure sugar is the opposite of what you want. Your insulin will spike sky high and your body will store fat – not too mention the amount of calories in some of the shakes!
The Cold Stone PB & C “milkshake” contains a huge 153 grams of sugar and 2000 calories! In a drink that is ridiculous!

NO. 6 - PIZZA.

Don’t eat this ever – pizza used to be my favourite food but after realising how bad it is the only pizza I will eat is homemade, if you get a dominoes have a small pizza and get ready for a lot of cardio to burn it off! 

Here are the shocking stats for a large Dominos Pizza: MeatZZa Feast (Peperoni, ham, sausage, beef, extra cheese)
1/8 pizza 336 carbs!
192 fat!
3650 calories, without cheese crust or dps etc!

Is it really worth it?

HEALTHY RECIPES - GARLIC CHICKEN.

HEY GUYS - THIS IS THE RECIPE I USE TO MAKE MY GARLIC CHICKEN AND SWEET POTATO MASH.


Recipe List:

200 gram of chicken chicken
200 gram of sweet potato
Garlic Salt
1/4 of garlic.
Paprika powder.
Sweet Chillies. 


Preparation:


1 - Cut the chicken into tiny cubes place them in frying pan or wok.


2 - Once the chicken starts to brown add in the garlic which should be crushed and 1/2 sweet chilli. 


3 - After 5 minutes add in a shake of garlic salt and paprika powder - cook until inside of chicken is cooked.


4 - I microwave the sweet potato for 5 minutes to save time - alternatively oven bake for 15-25 minutes (depending on how you like it). 


5 - Serve chicken on plate, scoop out the sweet potato from skin and mash.

This dish is a lot better tasting than it looks in the photo!

Protein: 55 gram

Carbohydrate: 47

Fat: 6 -8 fat

Use less chicken and potato to suit your caloric needs!

More Recipes: http://fitnessgodfather.blogspot.com/p/recipe-of-week.html

12 WEEK TRANSFORMATION PROGRESS - Week 4

Hi guys here is are my photos from Week 4. This has been the first phase of my diet, tomorrow I will start the second phase by introducing cardio 3 times per week and lowering my calories by 100 each day to burn more fat. Fat burning slows down because your body becomes used to lower calories so to lose fat you have to lower calories a little.

Front:

Back:

TOP 6 NUTRTIONAL SERIES

TOP 6 SUPPLEMENTS TO GET LEAN!

BY FITNESS GODFATHER.

Before I start this list I would like to mention supplements will only help you lose weight or get in shape by adding them into a good nutritional plan along with exercise. 

Here is the list:

No. 1 – WHEY PROTEIN. 

Protein is essential for losing fat in my opinion as too much consumption of bad carbs and fats even good carbs and fats can hinder your progress. Whey protein is ideal after a workout because it digests quicker than other protein sources and can be a welcome change from eating another meal when you are in a rush. Whey isolate is the best protein in my opinion as it is higher quality and usually these products have less filler ingredients. 
Godfather tip - Take whey protein isolate with a 20-30 grams of simple carbs after lifting weights or just whey protein after cardio and try mixing one scoop of whey into oatmeal for breakfast.

No. 2 – ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS. 

Believe it or not consuming the right amount of healthy fats can aid weight loss especially if combined with a lower intake of bad fats. 
Godfather tip - have 1 omega 3-6-9 gels or tablets or liquid three times daily during meals to keep your hormones balanced.

No. 3 – GREEN TEA. 

Out of all the expensive fat burners you can buy on the market with worthless ingredients and ridiculous claims the funny fact is most of them have green tea extract as a main ingredient – such a cheap ingredient as well. The other ingredients apart from caffeine either have side-effects such as bitter-orange peel which is “Synephrine” or ehphedra or mao-haung have bad side effects. Similarly yohimbe has been linked to serious side effects such as nervous system and cardiovascular problems – stay away from all of these products or products which have these as ingredients. 
Godfather tip - keep your metabolism high whilst training by taking 1-2 green tea extract tablets 30-40 minutes before working out or with high carb meals to help burn fat.

No. 4 – CAFFEINE. 

(Warning) – this product is very powerful – so underrated in the supplement industry. Most pre-workouts contain caffeine but supplement makers claim other substances, which can give them more profit,  are more effective which is wrong. Caffeine can make you more focused – lift more intensely and give you lots of energy. 
Godfather tip - do not take too much caffeine – take 1 -2 pills before working out during they day or one pill if you train later in the day.

No. 5 – GLUTAMINE.

I do not take glutamine as it is already in my whey protein shake. Simple reason as to why it helps weight loss – it prevents your body from breaking down muscle as fast which means your body can use your body fat for an energy source. Godfather tip - take 5 grams of glutamine when you wake, before and after you exercise and last thing at night to avoid muscle catabolism when calorie deficient. 

No. 6 – PRE-WORKOUT FORMULAS.  

I recommend these only to those who are very serious about getting lean. Again consult your doctor there are definitely side effects and should not be abused or taken without permission of doctor. Good pre-workout products have caffeine and a good creatine product. I have only tried a few – I got side effects from no-xplode and super-pump 250 I liked the least.  
Godfather tip - try jack-3d before training with weights to stay focused, lift heavier, train harder and burn more calories. Stop taking the product if you notice side-effects.

In conclusion, I think all of these supplements are the best for fat loss – but if you choose a good whey protein isolate power, essential fatty acids and maybe green tea and combine these supplements with a very good nutritional plan you will see good results! Remember to consult a doctor before using them!

Chest and Shoulder Workout to get ripped!

Hey guys here is my Chest and Shoulder workout:


Chest.


Incline Dumbell Press  4 sets 8-12 reps
Machine Chest Press  4 sets of  10-12 reps


Shoulders.


Dumbell Shoulder Press  4 sets   8-10 reps
Lateral Raises                    3 sets  10-12 reps
Front Raises                       3 sets   8-10 reps


You can also train triceps with these muscles if you want


Dips                               3 sets 8-10 reps
Triceps Extension       3 sets  8-10 reps




I train chest and shoulders separately when I am trying to add muscle but when I am eating less calories I find this counter-productive. I like to start the workout with incline press because it is normally requires more work.

12 WEEK TRANSFORMATION PROGRESS - Week 3

Here are my progress photos for week 3 of my transformation it was a slow week although i have still lost close to a pound of fat - the gym was closed but next week will be a good week. These photos are bad quality compared to the last ones so look less defined than I am in person

Front:

Back:

TOP 6 SERIES.

TOP 6 FOODS TO INCINERATE FAT!

BY FITNESS GODFATHER.

NO. 1 - LEAN MEATS.

Chicken and fish are both high in protein low in fat and carbs perfect for losing fat. Venison is the best red meat to eat in my opinion and is fine when dieting, so too is very lean steak earlier in the day.

Godfather tip – season your meats with cayenne pepper and chilli powder to increase metabolism and serve with spicy peppers for extra burn.

NO. 2 - EGGS.

Eggs – simply because they are high in protein and good fats essential for a breakfast which helps burn fat.

Godfather tip – drink some green tea with your breakfast, lunch and dinner as it promotes fat loss!

NO. 3 - WHEY.

Whey protein isolate – highest solubility of protein sources I recommend zero or low carb shakes they are convenient in between meals to ensure your body gets protein every 3 hours and great at night time when carbs are your enemy and protein is your best friend for losing fat.

Godfather tip - throw some oats in your whey for a cost effective meal replacement.

NO. 4 - GRAINS.

Whole grains – despite carbs getting a negative reputation from many diet plans they are essential for energy and in my opinion losing quality weight which is fat not muscle. Whole grains are great they fill you up and give you energy for exercise. However, breads, pasta, rice which are white or made from enriched corn flour as well as simple sugars should be avoided at all costs except for 30-40 grams after your workout with a protein shake.  This will spike your insulin – good after your workout because you are going to build more muscle – bad any other time of the day because you are going to gain fat.

NO. 5 - GREENS.

Leafy green vegetables – my favourite include broccoli, brussel sprouts, leeks and celery. All of these leafy greens are thermogenic which means they will blast the fat off you when you eat them with lean proteins mentioned above. I would also include grapefruit – lowers insulin and high in fibre like green vegetables which is why I have placed this fruit in the same category.

NO. 6 - COTTAGE CHEESE.

Cottage Cheese – this dairy product is perfect before bed because it supplies your body with casein protein (slow release) which will stop your body burning muscle during the night and has the added benefit of being low in carbs and very low in fat!

Godfather tip - blend some cottage cheese with skim milk, water and vanilla or peanut butter whey for a tasty protein packed milkshake.

TOP 6 SERIES - TOP 6 WAYS TO GET A 6 PACK.

1) THE 24/7 DIET.

Having a strict diet Monday to Friday is great but the results from eating right and exercising will be sabotaged, even ruined, when you take the weekend off. You must diet consistently with an exception to 1 or 2 planned cheat meals throughout the week - but don’t use a cheat meal as an excuse to have a cheat day. Make dieting part of your lifestyle - this is challenging for everyone but by doing so you will improve your self-discipline. Another important point is that the dieting phase will not last forever, eating in this way will produce good results if followed strictly and once you have lost the desired amount fat you will only have to maintain your physique not improve it - so the better you stick to the diet phase the quicker you will be able to enjoy the maintenance phase.

2) GET YOUR PROTIEN IN

Many diet plans do not incorporate enough protein or perhaps suggest taking too much. The macro-ratio which has worked best is broken down into 40 percent protein, 40 percent carbohydrates and 20 percent fats. I think this is a good rule of thumb to follow when dieting and remember to cut back on your calorie intake. Try to consume 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and choose lean sources of protein such as fish, chicken breast, whey isolate protein powders and before bed I like to eat cottage cheese, the reason for this is because it contains casein protein which is a fancy name for slow releasing protein which means when you sleep your body will not be in a catabolic (muscle burning instead of fat burning) state. As well as eating enough protein eat most of your carbohydrates earlier in the day and after 7pm eat only fibrous carbohydrates with lean proteins.

3) SKIPPING MEALS TO SKIP CALORIES?

Meal Frequency is an important part of dieting as it keeps your metabolism high which of course burns more calories. People skip meals because they are not hungry, this is a mistake, you must calculate how many calories your need to lose weight and stick to those calories each day and eat at the same time each day, if you do not your metabolism will slow down and you can burn less fat. The most important meals in the day are breakfast, pre-workout, post-workout and before bed. Try to have at least 6 meals a day and eat every 2-3 hours. An interesting study in the University of Massachusetts showed people who skip breakfast are 4.5 times more likely to have excess body fat than those who don’t so make sure you have a good nutritious breakfast everyday and eat 4-5 other small meals spread throughout the day to keep that metabolism burning fat not muscle!

4) CHOOSE THE RIGHT EXERCISES

A lot of people focus on crunches when trying to get a 6 pack which is a huge mistake! You cannot build muscle when you are calorie deficient such as when you are dieting so your abs will not get much bigger if at all! Therefore focus on eating less calories, performing cardio and exercises that burn more fat like compound exercises, for example, SQUAT, DEADLIFT and BENCH PRESS which also strengthen your abs.

In terms of building bigger abdominal muscles lower abs are harder than upper abs so focus on exercises like hanging leg raises or captains chair or if you do not have the equipment reverse crunches. Finish off your workout with some crunches to stimulate your upper abs. But these abdominal exercises will not give the results cardio and a good diet provide.

5) CARDIO TIMING AND INTENSITY!

The key to a 6 pack is really acquiring some muscle mass through a bulking phase where we eat more calories than our bodies need followed by what is known as a “cutting” phase, most people just call this dieting, where we create a calorie deficit which will burn fat. A good calorie deficit is around 500 calories less than your body uses throughout the day or we can eat maintenance level calories and perform cardio. The best time to do cardio is in the morning as it burns more calories than night time, training intensely for 10-15 minutes is shown to be more productive than low intensity for fat loss. However, if you are already eating 500 calories less than your body needs and performing too much cardio your body will use muscle not fat as an energy source (muscle catabolism). Therefore, it is best to slowly loose “weight” (by about 1lbs to 3lbs per week) otherwise the weight you will lose will be both muscle and fat instead of exclusively loosing fat which is how to show off your abdominal muscles.

6) FLUIDS!

An often underestimated part of trying to achieve the “6 pack” is water consumption. Here are the rules I follow concerning liquids when dieting:

1) Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day (do not overdo it or you will be at the toilet constantly)

2) Only drink water or green tea – no sodas.

3) Beware of drinks which have “no added sugar” as they can contain natural sugars.

4) If you drink diet sodas or fruit juice consume before 6 pm and if you consume milk make sure it is skimmed.