Category: Well-being

It would surprise many people probably that I have struggled with my weight for most of my life, so I thought I’d share my journey (in terms of diet as I feel this is the main factor) with you on how I have managed to not only lose the weight, but be in a position where I can get into contest level condition with little fuss.   As a young fella I was always the chubby kid, however, there was a window between the ages of 12-15 where I was reasonably lean.  I attribute this to the amount of exercise I did at the time -honestly I would have exercised at least 3-4 hours every day.  However after I turned 16 the weight began to pile back on regardless of how much exercise I did.  My diet which was mainly based around bread at that stage began to take its’ toll.

When I was 17 years of age I reached my heaviest body weight of 95 kilograms even though I was still quite active lifting weights, going for runs, playing rugby and touch.  Needless to say I was uncomfortable in my own skin, unhappy and had low self- esteem.   Something had to change and fortunately enough for me I have always enjoyed reading so I utilised information from books and muscle magazines and tried to eat as closely as I could to their recommendations on the limited budget that I had.  I began to exercise even more and with a determined effort I lost around 10 kilos in the first year.

By the time I was 21 I weighed around the 80 kilogram mark but the weight loss plateaued.  I wanted to lose more weight and compete in bodybuilding so I got some advice from my Uncle Al.  Since I was on a student allowance my diet consisted of a strict regime of tuna, mixed vege’s and SHAPE 2000-(a Horleys protein supplement).  Honestly it was tough going- I can remember being in such a state, endless amounts of cardio, my legs for weeks before the show feeling like lead and I had insomnia throughout.  Although I was in a terrible state mentally and physically I managed to win my first athletic bodybuilding title at 22 at a weight of 68 kg.  I was ecstatic about the weight loss, however, after the show my weight ballooned up to 78kg within a couple of weeks.

In 2002 at the age of 25 I began getting chronic fatigue syndrome and annoyed at the medical advice and help I received I decided to go to an alternative medical provider (The RIFE clinic in Albany).  They took blood tests and determined that I was Blood type A and that all the exercise I was doing and food I was eating was actually causing me more harm than good.  I immediately read the blood type diet, followed the lifestyle, training and diet advice and my weight dropped to 70 kg within months.  Even though I was armed with this great knowledge my weight still fluctuated between 70-85 kilograms (unless I was competing) until 2007.

At the end of 2007 I came across a book called the Warrior Diet where I under ate during the day and had one large meal at night.  I also utilised the Genotype diet which was Peter D’Adamo’s extension of the Blood type diet where he considers physical characteristics alongside blood type to determine optimum foods that suit unique individual needs. I decided that I would compete in the classic bodybuilding division in 2008 using these two protocols.  I started at a bodyweight of 79 kilos in February.  By competition time in October I weighed 64.7 kg.  The great thing about this diet was I was able to maintain all my strength, have a big meal once a day and there were none of the negative symptoms from previous attempts to get lean for competition.  The other thing was my weight never ballooned up again; the diet and lifestyle concepts had given me complete control over my weight.  I then decided that I would do the same the next year and sure enough I was able to come in even leaner at a weight of 63 kilograms to win my second classic title.  In 2012 I made slight changes to my macronutrient ratios and tried some different training ideas which allowed me to present the leanest physique I have achieved to date.  In 2013 I have adjusted things where I fast until 11 am and have only 3 meals within an “8 hour eating window” which has made getting and staying lean even easier for me.

As you can see my journey to losing weight and keeping it off has been a long and bumpy ride.   If someone had let me know what I know now twenty years ago I could have saved myself a whole lot of suffering and frustration.  All I hope is that the information I share with you here helps you on your own personal journey to achieve your fitness and health goals.

I don’t know if it’s just me but I feel we are in the age of “instant gratification” where society has made it so easy to acquire anything you want at the right price.  Although that maybe fine when you want the latest computer, playstation or mobile phone I think that this paradigm permeates into other aspects of the psyche and creates a situation where we have guys today wanting to take illegal drugs like steroids to get big and strong without doing the time and the hard yards that it takes to do it naturally.  I encourage anyone who wants to gain muscle and strength to do your research about training, dieting, supplements and lifestyle choices so you can reach your goals without the use of illegal drugs –it may take you longer but I feel it is well worth the wait and effort!  If you are keen to take the natural path then try these tips below to boost your testosterone levels and potential for muscle growth and strength.

I am a huge fan of Charles Poliquin who is a top trainer of elite athletes in the states.  He has a number of dietary and lifestyle strategies you could implement immediately (that cost you near to nothing) to enhance your natural testosterone levels.

• Make sure you are getting enough Vitamin D, zinc and magnesium in your diet to optimize internal body function and hormone production.
• Maintain a consistent sleeping routine and aim for around 8 hours a night. Not enough sleep each night can drastically reduce your testosterone levels.
• Include Omega 3 fats in your diet as they are conducive for optimum testosterone output, they reduce cortisol (a catabolic hormone) and help you utilise protein after training.
• Avoid foods that digest rapidly like processed carbohydrates (junk food, sugar, bread and some cereals for example). It has been shown that eating these foods on a regular basis promotes lower testosterone levels.
• Reduce stress to keep cortisol low as cortisol can block the positive effects of testosterone.

Some of the dietary strategies mentioned above can be obtained from a balanced diet, however as mentioned in a previous article- athletes can become deficient in essential nutrients under strenuous training conditions and stressful lifestyle situations so supplementation may be necessary.  Other supplements that have shown promise during anecdotal and clinical research are:

• Calcium supplementation while performing a resistance training program has been shown to help to boost natural testosterone levels.
• Tribulus is a herb that has been used for decades by natural athletes, bodybuilders and weight lifters to boost testosterone and improve strength, gain muscle and performance.
• Fenugreek has been used as a testosterone booster /libido enhancer and has the added benefit of lowering the rate in which sugars are digested within the body.
• Cissus Quadrangularis has been shown to speed up the healing process, decrease cortisol and increase testosterone.
• In one human clinical study D-Aspartic acid was shown to raise natural testosterone levels up to 42% in 12 days.
• Rhodiola rosea is an adaptogen which can help to optimise the internal functioning of the body and because of this it can enhance testosterone levels. I have found this to be a useful supplement leading up to a competition to avoid fatigue and remain in a positive state of mind.
• Other adaptogens like ginseng, shizandra and withania may have similar effects on testosterone too.
• Epimedium extract or horny goat weed has been used for centuries as a libido enhancer and testosterone booster. It is also a useful vasodilator too.

This is by no means an extensive list and I encourage you to do some research yourself so you can make some informed choices when selecting supplements to augment your natural testosterone levels.  Most of these supplements can be purchased individually or in testosterone booster formulations.

Resistance training is an excellent way of boosting natural testosterone levels.  But what is the most effective way to train for optimum testosterone levels?  Suffice to say that this question is an article all on its own and will not be answered fully here, however, a number of research studies suggest that compound exercises like deadlifts and squats are excellent for boosting testosterone levels as long as they are done with enough intensity.  It is no coincidence that a lot of top natural bodybuilders use these exercises as the foundation of their training routines.  They also always incorporate cycles of strength training within their bodybuilding routines to elicit maximum muscle gains.

Leucine, isoleucine and valine (BCAAs) have been shown to increase testosterone levels when combined with a resistance training program.  BCAAs can be taken in supplemental form or found in foods containing protein (Meat, eggs, fish etc……).  Whey protein has a high content of BCAAs (around 25%) so it is a great nutritional strategy to boost testosterone levels and improve strength, muscle size and performance.

As you can see there are many natural ways to boost testosterone levels and your potential for muscle size and strength without resorting to illegal and “quick fix” drugs.  Although the results may not be as spectacular and it takes a bit longer you can be proud in the fact that you have built your body naturally.

Not every one wants to be a bodybuilder; however, getting lean, putting on muscle and improving health can be achieved by anyone if they follow some basic ideas.  If you are trying to lose weight, look good on the beach, or just add a little muscle to help your performance in sport these ideas can help you can get there!

Perform cardio to get metabolism going.

When somebody first gets into training I recommend some low intensity aerobic exercise (walking 20-40 minutes 3-4 times a week) to supplement their weight training workouts.  This will help to improve the efficiency of your aerobic/cardiovascular system (heart, lungs etc).  Once you begin to get fitter I advise against going any harder and longer but to ………..

…...Increase the intensity of your weight workouts.

If you have read any of my articles you will know I believe in minimal rest and methods to extend sets through a number of different techniques.  These are demanding, but short, fun and motivating.  Often people have little time left after work, family, and other responsibilities.  To give you an idea- I train 4 x every 8 days for 20-30 minutes at a time.  That equates to less than 2 hrs a week!  Increased intensity will raise your metabolism and keep it raised long after the training has finished (Just like High Intensity Interval Training will do).  Also, the extra muscle mass you will gain will mean your metabolism will be even higher.

Eating right for your body type.

 If you struggle to lose weight you will need to eat small frequent meals which will “stoke the furnace”.  Meals should involve protein, fats and carbs.  There are a lot of ideas out there on diet.  What works for one person does not necessarily work for another.  However, if you increase your protein intake through eating lean cuts of meat as well as supplementing with a high quality whey protein product you will have less hunger pangs, recover better, build more muscle and lose more body fat.  Dropping simple carbs from your diet (not fruit) like sugar will help your insulin levels remain more stable & decrease the chance of fat storage. Incorporating more vegetables provides fibre and minerals as well as filling you up with minimum calorie consumption. Essential fatty acids (Omega 3) like fish oil and flax oil are great for balancing the Omega 6 we get from other fat sources.  I believe in fish oil as an effective tool to help burn body fat.  If you are interested in learning more about individualised eating programmes that suit your body type:  The blood type and genotype diets are good reads.  (Read other ideas on diet in article; staying in shape year round”.)

Try to remain stress free

This means, getting adequate sleep (at least 7-9hrs) a night.  Also try to have breaks through the day (even for 5 minutes) to relax (take some deep breathes).  This will keep cortisol levels in check.  Excessive cortisol in the body has been linked with increased body fat around the midsection- so keep calm!

Bringing it all together!

 You could have the best training routine in the world but if the rest of your life is a shambles then you will definitely not gain the results you deserve.  High quality supplements like whey protein, glutamine, creatine, nitric oxide supplements and fish oil (to name a few) are great to accelerate progress, but they are only one part of the picture when trying to enhance your training, diet and health.  You must be committed to a healthier lifestyle on a consistent basis.  How many times have you seen people buy all the latest supplements yet they still smoke and get drunk on a regular basis?  If you are serious about trying to lose weight, add a little muscle and become healthier give these ideas a try: You will definitely be a better, leaner and healthier you this summer!