Friday QnA with Strength Coach Drew Jamieson

Question: I’m having a hard time getting to the gym these days, if I had to invest in one piece of equipment to workout with at home what would you recommend?

 
Dale Howes, Maryland

Answer: Believe it or not even without equipment you can get in an amazing full body workout. However by adding a pull-up bar there’s no part of your body you can’t hit.

That would be my “bootstrap budget” suggestion if you’re looking for an easy way to stay fit and lean in the comfort of your own home.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to build some muscle you are going to need something a little heavier than your own body. For this I’ll digress to Tim Ferriss and his experiments in his book the 4-hour body.

He found the one and only piece of equipment he needed was a kettlebell of around 40-50 pounds. By working out 3 times per week for 20-25 minutes performing the kettlebell swing for 75-150 reps total (he worked up over several weeks), he was able to get ripped and pack on muscle. It should also be noted that beside the kettlebell swing he did body weight push ups, pull ups and abdominal work.

If I was strapped for cash (which I am, being a student) and wanted a makeshift gym for my house I’d invest in 2 things: a kettlebell and pull up bar. With those 2 pieces of equipment you can train for virtually anything.

Not sold on kettlebells and pullup bars… try this body-weight program designed by my good buddies Adam Steer and Ryan Murdock.
 

Question: My girlfriend really wants me to do this 10 day cleanse with her. I read that Sean did one a few weeks back… Will I lose muscle during the process? Is there an easy cleanse or detox for beginners?

 
Mich Salesbury, Andover, MA

Answer: With so many detox options out there these days i feel your pain when trying to decide which one will serve you best.

10 days seems to be a common factor among detoxes and they can often be quite costly. It will be a strong test of willpower, as not eating for that length of time is a challenge mentally and physically.

My suggestion would be start with a 2-3 day master cleanse detox or a 2-3 day juice fast. The reason is this- I would prefer to start with an achievable goal (2-3 days) before setting the bar high at 10 days, especially if you are a beginner and have not had any experience with detoxing in the past.

Once you know what it is like to go without food for a couple of days you will have a better understanding when you shoot for the full 10.

The master cleanse is very popular in the detox world and involves 8-12 (8 ounce glasses of water) with each glass containing 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 2 tbsp of pure maple syrup and a pinch of cayenne pepper. It’s also suggested that you take a herbal laxative tea before bedtime and first thing in the morning to keep things moving with the lack of food you will be consuming.

The juice fast option is the one I prefer, ensures you still give the body a break but also provides all the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs. This protocol comes from one of my favorite strength coaches- Chad Waterbury where he says to drink the following concoction 3-4 times per day: 2 carrots, 1-2 celery stalks, 1-2 beets, 1 large cucumber. Juice those all together and throw in a pinch of salt.

Back to your original question on losing muscle over the course of 10 days…

It’s hard for me to flat out say no. The weight you lose during 10 days without eating will contain some muscle, as protein is essential and will be needed by your body at some point. However if you don’t make a habit out of detoxing all the time and continue to train with weights the effect will be negligible and your body will thank you.
 

 
Great questions, keep them coming.

Stay Strong,

Drew

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

Friday QnA with Strength Coach Drew Jamieson

Question: A buddy keeps telling me to carb cycle. Says I should only be eating carbs on days I workout to avoid getting fat and gain muscle. What is he talking about?

Jim Salter, Cleveland, Ohio

Answer: Carb cycling is a fancy term for tapering back carbs on certain days of the week and then consuming lots on other days to help maximize fat burning and muscle building.

While I agree that consuming more carbs on days you workout is a good idea this will come naturally if you follow the guidelines laid out in the 3BG System. During your pre and post workout window you are consuming carbs that you normally wouldn’t be eating on your off days because you aren’t hitting the gym.

In a way the 3BG System has some carb cycling built in, albeit a very basic and dummed down version.

Carb cycling has proven very useful for bodybuilders and figure athletes that are looking to get rid or the last 5-10 pounds. It’s a very analytic approach to getting your measurements and body fat exactly where you want them.

Having said that, for a beginner who’s looking to put on some muscle, gain strength and lose fat, tinkering with exact numbers, calories and percentages of your macro-nutrients would not be a good use of time. Carb cycling is tailored more for intermediate and advanced athletes that have been serious about working out for at least 2 years.

In summary: Eat good whole foods with a balance of carbs, fats and proteins and hit the gym hard with compound multi-joint exercises. Develop a solid consistency and show commitment to a plan that helps improve your physique. Then when you are ready to take things to the next level we can talk numbers.

Question: Rowing machine or treadmill? What’s the best for total body fat loss?

Fred Muse, Freeport, Maine

Answer: When it comes to cardio you always want to look at total body involvement when possible. Unless you need to train a specific movement that is directly related to your sport (a sprinter would have no business rowing or swimming for example when he should be running) you should look at getting the best bang for your time- this is found by incorporating your whole body and movements with full range of motion when you train cardio.

This means that although jogging is a nice challenge for your legs, it doesn’t do much to involve your upper body.

Rowing is a better hybrid of upper and lower body movements and with the right tension and intensity I would put it ahead of a slow boring jog.

However, if you really want a good cardio workout you’ll involve both upper and lower forms of exercise that are both; fast and challenging. Things like explosive push ups, jumping jacks, burpees, shadowing boxing, swimming, rowing, medicine ball slams, medicine ball throws, and mountain climbers are all great full body cardio exercises that offer an intense challenge along with a total body effect.

The reason these are better is they give you an after-burn effect which allows you to burn fat hours after you have stopped working out. Movements like these also teach you to be more athletic, not to mention are more enjoyable (mentally at least) than a boring, monotonous steady form of cardio.

 
 
Even though this workout will take you a third of the time you would normally spend running on the treadmill, you’ll burn more fat, challenge your heart and save a ton time. Sounds good to me.

The questions, as always, were great again this week. Looking forward to it next Friday.

Stay Strong,

Drew

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

Question: I started working out yesterday for the first time in awhile and today I can barely move. What’s going on and should I even think about working out again?

Rafael Eduardo, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Rafael, great question. Post workout muscle soreness is a normal and natural reaction following a workout or athletic event. It is your body’s way of saying, “Hey I need protein and carbs to repair all this micro tearing”.

Proper nutrition combined with rest allow your muscles to repair and rebuild, coming back bigger, stronger and better than before.

Every person is a little different but usually between 24 to 48 hours after exercise you begin to experience muscle soreness and discomfort known as delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS.

However, it is important to be able to distinguish pain from discomfort. DOMS is typical post workout discomfort that is OK. But if you are experiencing pinching, sharp or tingling types of pain or sensations… this is not a normal post workout reaction and should always be run by your doctor.

I strongly suggest never training the same muscle group on back to back days but even if you waited 48 hours and especially if you’re a beginner (or back in the gym after time off), it is not uncommon to experience some post workout discomfort. As long as you give it 48 hours of active rest between training muscle groups, you are likely OK to hit them up again.
 

To get over the soreness try this simple technique;

 
 
In summary: DOMS is a perfectly normal result of exercising and giving a muscle group 48+ hours of active rest is always the best idea. Make sure you are able to distinguish between pain and discomfort (this comes with time) and although very tempting… avoid laying on the couch all day following a workout (even a slow walk around the block the following day will help reduce the soreness).
 

Question: What’s the best total body exercise?

Steve, St. John’s, Newfoundland

It’s a toss up for the the best total body exercise (exercise that has multiple joint involvement) between the Olympic Clean and Jerk and the Snatch.

I’m guessing most of you are not competing in the upcoming England Summer Olympics so we might not need to take it that far. Don’t get me wrong these are 2 of the best exercises to develop total body strength, power and muscle but they come with a caveat- they are highly technical. So technical in fact that I would urge anyone who wants to incorporate these lifts into their exercise programs to find a good qualified Olympic strength coach.

Having said that I’ve found some nice alternatives that meet in the middle between technical requirements and total body benefit.

If I had to pick one exercise I would go with the One Arm Dumbbell Clean and Press. It is a very explosive movement that will hit every muscle in the body (except the Pec) and ramps up your nervous system and heart rate like no other.

As far as total body fat burning and muscle building go- it is highly effective. It is still important to note that there is proper technique and timing required to perform this movement but it is much safer and less risky than Olympic lifts. Master this movement before moving onto the Clean and Jerk or the Snatch (who named these things anyhow?).
 


Great questions. Keep em coming.

Stay Strong,

Drew

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

Question: @DavidZinczenko (Men’s Health Editor) tweeted the other day, “Abs are made in the Kitchen, not in the gym.” This true?

Henrique Adventa, Los Angeles, California

Answer: Henrique thanks for the great question. Let me start off by first saying that I also follow Zinczenko and have always appreciated the information he has provided readers, notably in the ever popular Abs Diet.

Any qualified coach you ask will not deny the fact nutrition plays a huge role in an athletes recovery, performance and yes- even their abs. Whether or not it’s 70, 80 or 90% of your results, we all agree it is high and often underestimated by people.

The right nutrients at the right time of day will tell your body to either burn fat or build muscle. Your job in the kitchen comes down to nutrient timing. More specifically, at what times of day your body needs what kinds of nutrients (fancy word for food components; ie. carbohydrates, proteins and fats).

Before you get the timing down, you need to know what the right nutrients are… and the right nutrients differ depending on your goal. Do you want to burn fat, build muscle or get stronger?

The foods you put in your body will dictate what hormones are released. Your hormones then assist in telling your body to either burn fat or store food calories in your muscle tissue (or your fat cells).

Each persons nutritional plan can be customized to the fit his or her needs based on current body fat and muscle content. Below I’ll highlight some simple techniques proven useful for people trying to lose fat or gain muscle.

For Fat Loss and Abs:

• Minimal carbohydrates during main meals; breakfast, lunch and dinner. Stick to meals composed of protein, healthy fats and vegetables which helps to minimize insulin production and prevent fat storage.
• Medium dose of carbohydrates before an after your workout. Whey protein powder and a fast acting carbs/sugars like a banana or a small handful of raisins before and after a workout.
• Total daily calorie estimate = Body-weight x 12. Example- 175 pounds x 12 = 2100 calories.

 
For Muscle Gain:

• Carbohydrates, fat and protein with each meal to maximize insulin production driving calories into your muscles.
• Pre and post workout nutrition protocol same as above.
• Total daily calorie estimate = Body-weight x 15-16.

 
I cannot stress enough the calorie totals mean nothing if you aren’t getting the quality and the source of the nutrient content right in the first place. You need to master eating whole, unprocessed, natural foods before stressing about the amounts.

And Yes (after that major side track) getting back to your first question- abs are made and/or lost in the kitchen.
 

Question: Is it dangerous for me to run and train in the cold?

Michel Baptiste, Montreal, Quebec

Answer: Growing up in the mild lower mainland of beautiful British Columbia, thankfully I never had to train in really cold temperatures. That being said I do remember (like it was yesterday) a few very damp and wet early morning Football practices where the temperature hovered around freezing. The coach made sure we went through a good warm up prior to getting into anything too strenuous and we were fine. Then again, we were young and invincible back then and cold weather didn’t really phase us.

Regardless, provided you get in a good warm up, don’t begin the run or activity with a cold body and avoid extreme cold (minus 15-20 C or lower minus -4-5 F) temperatures- you should be fine.

There are a lot of myths associated with cold air training and how it can be potentially damaging to your lungs and oxygen supply in the body. Sure it might tingle a little when cold out but your lungs certainly can’t freeze or become damaged. Unless you plan on training atop mount Everest where you’d easily develop a narrowing of the airway known as exercise-induced asthma, exercising in cold air is OK.

Instead of worrying about your interiors you should focus on your exterior limbs such as feet toes, hands, fingers and of course- the family jewels. These exterior appendages are far from the center of your body where most of your heat is kept and will be the first place to experience the cold and drop in temperature.

To stay comfortable and safe in frigid weather wear a microfiber shirt as a first layer followed by a breathable windbreaker, tuque (Canadian version of a beanie or cap), gloves or mittens. Also make sure to run with the wind at your back when possible in cold temperatures to prevent excess sweating, since sweating when its cold will only make matters worse by causing you to lose more body heat.

Great questions this week guys. Keep them coming and I’ll do my best to answer them…

Stay Strong,

Drew

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

This month’s 20 Minute Fat Blasting Circuit is called the 3BG Ladder Workout. It involves 3 total body exercises and all you need is a pull-up bar. So if you have one at home- it can be done there or get outside to your local park and use the monkey bars.

You’re going to perform the exercises one after the other in a circuit. You will start with one rep of each, then two, then three and so on until you reach 10 reps of each of the 3 exercises. You’ll go up the ladder but you won’t be coming down… not yet anyway.

Watch below as I struggle to complete this months 20 Minute Fat Blasting Circuit:
 

3BG Ladder Workout

• Drop Squat
• Push-up
• Pull-up**

 
**If you cannot perform a pull-up, do a body-weight row.

Complete all 3 exercises in circuit for 1 rep, then 2, then 3 all the up the ladder until you reach 10. Use proper form when completing each exercise and rest as needed.

In the video you’ll see me take my share of rest periods as I struggle through this months circuit. It took me 9 minutes and 53 seconds form start to finish. I did however just finish a workout of weighted dips, chin-ups and deadlifts right before, so my arms were pretty shot.

Regardless, see if you can beat my time.

Yours in health,

Sean

PS. Follow the link for more free workouts.

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

Todays questions were a perfect way to introduce our new Friday Q and A. Keep them coming and we’ll do our best to answer them.

Question: Is beer really a good post workout beverage?

Jeremy Miller, Steamboat, Colorado

Answer: Believe it or not scientists say a beer after a strenuous workout can be good for the body. Beer has been shown in studies to rehydrate better than water can. The carbonation in beer helps quench thirst while the carbohydrate content helps to replenish calories burnt while working out.

My strength and conditioning mentor used to train a guy who drank a considerable amount of beer- mostly post workout. Acknowledging that he was maybe drinking a little too much they gradually tried to ease back his beer intake and noticed that he had more and more trouble recovering from workouts. He was even experiencing delayed onset muscle soreness more often than he used to.

They eventually made the connection that a large part of his calorie and carbohydrate intake he’d been getting from beer post workout was no longer going into his muscles and was hindering his recovery. As a result he needed to re-introduce good foods to make up the missing calories and replenish his energy stores.

A cardiologist who has worked with professional basketball teams suggests that beer has the perfect post workout make up, adding that he has long recommended the use of barley drinks to professional athletes following exercise.

Another study demonstrated when 2 groups of athletes were put through the same rigorous workout and half were given water and half beer, those who drank brewskis re-hydrated better.

While some argue beer has such a powerful diuretic effect due to the alcohol drinking only one after a workout doesn’t contain enough to cause any notable water loss.

Regardless, it always comes back to moderation. Having a beer after a good hard workout is beneficial and not a problem. 3 or 4- you’d be over doing it. Just to play it safe be sure to follow up with a glass of water!
 

Question: What’s the difference between white and brown rice?

Albert Yew, Wichita, Kansas

Answer: Both brown and white rice have very similar calorie contents at 4 calories per gram. The main difference lies in the processing and nutrient content.

White rice has the husk bran and germ removed leaving nothing but the starchy center. In the refining process several vitamins and minerals are lost such as b vitamins and iron.

And losing the bran isn’t that great since it has been shown to reduce LDL or bad cholesterol in blood- improving cardiovascular health.

Sometimes these nutrients are re-added to highly processed white rice but it’s never quite as good as the real thing. A very important mineral usually not added back to refined rice is magnesium which is essential in muscle relaxation. (Quick side tip: If you ever experience muscle spams or cramps, first check that your hydration levels are up to par and secondly your magnesium intake)

It is tough to argue against white rice considering over half the world lives on it but much like any grain- the more you strip it down and refine it the less nutrition it will yield.

So, sure you can live on white rice as it provides the same amount of energy as brown rice but you certainly won’t thrive on it because you’ll be losing out on all the b-vitamins, iron, magnesium, trace fatty acids and fiber.

Go for brown if you have the option.

Albert and Jeremy, thanks for some great questions and as always keep them coming.

Stay Strong,

Drew

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

If the title from today’s post is throwing you off a little- it should. Who in their right mind would want to do exercises for their beer bellies?

To reduce confusion I should have re-worded the title “exercises to reduce your beer belly, beer gut or love handles” but contrary to popular belief, it is actually impossible to spot reduce or burn fat from a targeted area on your body, hence more confusion.

I thought I was saving you from scratching your head by calling the blog post what I did but now that I read it over, it does sound a little perplexing. In any event my aim was not to confuse you but to stir the pot and encourage you to listen to something very important I have to tell you.

This “something” will save you the hundreds of dollars spent on late night infomercials selling contraptions that promise to blast beer belly fat away and carve out mouth-dropping six-pack abs where the keg once lay.
 

Beer Belly’s cannot be Spot Reduced

 
The concept of spot reduction is a widely misunderstood field and one that deserves more focus. When you exercise, whether it is in the form of running, weight training, body weight training or high intensity interval training- you cannot target a specific area like your beer belly and expect that you are going to get 6-pack abs from them.

Unfortunately, the body does not burn fat that way. If you have fat on your beer belly you cannot hammer out 1000 crunches and hope for razor sharp abs. When you exercise, fat loss happens from all over the body. You cannot pick where you want it to come off first.

Sad right? Unless you sign up for liposuction and the Doctor sticks the blow-torchy fat melting thing directly into your “problem area” and sucks the fat out, you are stuck burning fat from your entire body one small inch at a time.
 

Beer Belly Fat Distribution is Genetically Influenced

 
To make matters worse, most of the fat burning that happens is genetically influenced. Everyone has witnessed this first hand; you workout like crazy expecting to lose weight from your gut and you end up losing weight from your back fat instead. Then you put in a few more hours in the gym and it’s your love handles that disappear. And finally you’re ready to give up because it seems impossible to shed the remaining L-B’s from the beer belly.

This process also happens in reverse. Subcutaneous fat tends to be genetically influenced in its distribution. When one doesn’t exercise and eats in excess, one’s body will pack the fat on in specific areas first.
 

Beer Belly Fat (Visceral Fat) is Hard to Lose

 
More bad news… The Anatomy of a Beer Belly taught us that our beer bellies are comprised mostly of visceral fat. Visceral fat is harder to burn than subcutaneous fat. Studies support that in can be done but the intensity needs to be there. A simple walk in the park won’t cut it. You need to hit it hard when it comes to exercising and working out. You need to earn your beer.
 

Exercises to Reduce Your Beer Belly

 
Enough sad news today, time to shift gears and figure out what exercises are best to reduce beer belly fat.

Now that the idea of spot reduction has been banished from our thoughts here are a few principles guaranteed to blowtorch body fat and thus reduce the beer gut as well.

1. Compound Movements – Are multi-joint movements that work several muscles or even several muscle groups at one time. Instead of a bicep curl, think about a push-up, an exercise that engages the back, abs, shoulders, arms and chest.

Compound movements activate large muscle groups and involve larger ranges of motion, both of which create a greater caloric demand and produce better results. Moreover, you can activate many muscle groups in one exercise instead of having to work each one individually, giving you more results in less time.

When performing exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, pull-ups, and push-presses you demand more work from your body, which in turn stimulates the production of two very important hormones for fat loss and muscle gain- testosterone and growth hormone.

2. High Intensity Interval Training – Metabolic training that Shocks and Awes your body can be achieved through all kinds of workouts. Interval workouts, also known as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), combined with intense strength- resistance training is the most effective way to shed pounds from your body and get into shape fast.

Low-intensity cardio, such as aerobics or long distance running, work your body at 50-70% of your maximum effort for long periods of time. This type of exercise trains your body to become more energy efficient, requiring less fuel (fat) to perform the same amount of work. If you are looking to get in shape, this is the opposite of what you want. Ideally you want to burn through the maximum amount of fuel (fat) during your workout.

Think of long periods of low-intensity training as turning your body into an energy efficient Toyota Prius; a car that is able to undergo lots of work with little fuel burnt. Instead, what you want is to be a Formula-1 racecar; a car that pummels through the same amount of fuel in a fraction of the time. Formula-1 racing is your HIIT.

An interval training session involves a light warm up session followed by intense shock and awe bouts of increased exertion interchanged with a recovery period. By going hard and fast for short bursts and then allowing the body brief recovery periods you’re demanding a ton of work in a short amount of time. An example is 8-15 second sprints followed by a 45-60 second rest period. The added bonus to this sort of training is that workouts fly by, as you are busy catching your breath and watching the clock.

3. Metabolic Circuits and Supersets – Another awesome tool aimed at getting more results in less time is the “super-set”. A superset refers to pairing two or more exercises back-to- back with little to no rest in between. The idea is that you work multiple muscle groups in a shorter period of time and spend less time resting between sets, increasing your efficiency.

The trick to getting even more out of your supersets and getting more done in the shortest amount of time is using non-competing muscle groups. A non-competing muscle group is a group of muscles used by the body for different movements. Meaning if you were doing a pushing movement as the first exercise in the superset, you can immediately follow that up with a pulling exercise. This allows you to push hard and tax one muscle group and still have energy to pull hard with another. This also keeps your heart rate elevated because you are moving between pushing and pulling or lower and upper body exercises, all in succession.

Tri-sets are the same concept as a superset, but with 3 exercises done in sequence instead of two. You can even take it as far as 4 or 5 exercises back to back as your fitness and stamina increase, each pushing your cardio further and shredding off more fat.
 

The Beer Belly Exercise Wrap Up

 
Now that you know spot reduction is as much of a myth as thinking 12 oz beer can curls can give you sleeve-busting biceps it is time to implement these concepts into your routine. Your beer gut and the rest of the fat on your body won’t stand a chance.

Remember, losing the gut is possible but takes a little hard work, determination and total body resistance training like the plan outlined in the 3BG Beer Belly Fat Loss System.

Yours in health,

Sean

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

Nowadays we see the infamous beer belly just about everywhere. More and more men have them and most want to get rid of them. Some pop up in just a few weeks over the holiday season and most end up hanging around for the rest of your life.

The Beer Belly is a fashion trend that everyone would love to avoid and with the ever expanding North American waistlines fewer are able to make it through their 20’s without one.

In today’s post we’re going to dissect, so to speak, what makes up a beer gut and 3 important steps you can take immediately to drastically reduce the inflatable tire around your mid-section.

To defeat the beast we must first understand it, get to know it and figure out what makes it tick. Let’s take a closer look at the anatomy of a beer belly.
 

Visceral Fat is Beer Belly Fat

 
The fat located around your internal organs and not the stuff next to your skin is responsible for your beer gut. The over accumulation of visceral fat causes weakening of the transverse abdominal muscle (TVA) and is responsible for the protruding potbelly appearance associated with a beer gut.

Normally, your organs have a thin layer of visceral fat in order to protect and insulate them. An over accumulation of visceral fat gives that firm, hardened beer belly look and can be very dangerous to your health.

Visceral fat is one of the hardest adipose tissues to get rid of but it can be done.
 

Subcutaneous Fat is Not Beer Belly Fat

 
The fat underneath your skin is subcutaneous fat and although it looks bad, flops around a bit and can increase the size of your beer gut- it is not the main cause of your beer belly.

Subcutaneous fat is deposited in various fat stores around your body. Typically men deposit fat around their midsection first (beer belly and love handles) and back, chest, thighs and ass secondly. Women deposit subcutaneous fat in their hips, thighs and butt first and beer belly second.

Your genetics play a major role in determining the distribution of subcutaneous fat. Subcutaneous fat is easier to lose than visceral fat. Typically it is used as energy storage and insulation by the body. Unfortunately in today’s day and age, due to over-consumption of refined sugars and starches there is an over accumulation of subcutaneous fat. We are storing way more energy than we are using and this is not a good thing.
 

Beer Belly Health Risks

 
Beer bellies that measure 40 inches or greater are directly related to some serious health conditions. Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, metabolic syndrome and increased risk of stroke are all more prevalent in men with beer bellies. These conditions are no laughing matter and worst-case scenario can lead to an early death.

Add 6 inches to the 40 already around your waist and your beer gut falls into the category of abdominal obesity. Yep- you’re not just the guy with the big beer gut anymore, you are clinically obese. Time to do something about it.
 

How can I tell if my beer belly is visceral fat?

 
Because visceral fat is packed deep inside and around your internal organs there is no easy way to tell how much a person might have. The most accurate way to gauge your visceral fat level is by CT scan but that isn’t always an option for everyone.

To start, a “beer gut” is a pretty good indication of visceral fat accumulation. Secondly, men tend to internalize visceral fat more easily than women do. Thirdly, Caucasians tend to have more than African Americans. And lastly the older you are- the more fat you internalize and store around your organs versus subcutaneously when you are young.

Either way- fat tissue is fat tissue and it is important to reduce the amount you have throughout your body. Here are 3 simple steps you can take to reduce your beer gut and overall body fat percentage:
 

3 Simple Steps to Lose Your Beer Belly

 
1. Stop eating anything in a bag or box.

When trying to lose your beer belly you should avoid processed and refined foods that are high in sugar, sugar derivatives and preservatives. Foods like this cause a toxic environment within your body wreak havoc on your system rob you of energy making you sluggish and tired and lead to beer belly fat gain.

Avoiding processed/refined foods and eating whole food, as close to their natural state as possible is one of the easiest ways to help lose the beer gut.

2. Incorporate a combination of high intensity interval training (HIIT) along with strength resistance training into your daily workout routine.

Hopefully you are working out in the first place, and if not, get started because that is your first problem. But if you are already working out studies support the combination of high intensity interval training and strength resistance training to be far superior to steady state cardio or weight training alone.

High intensity interval training is a form of cardio that utilizes shorts burst of intense activity followed by a quick rest period repeated for either a length of time or a number of repetitions.

The intensity of both the strength resistance training and the HIIT is very important as researchers at Duke University concluded that low to moderate activity levels were not intense enough to contribute to visceral beer belly fat loss. You have to hit it hard when you workout if you want to lose your beer gut.

3. Drink beer.

That is a statement you probably would not expect to see in an article on the anatomy of beer belly. In all honesty, beer is not the culprit when it comes to losing your beer gut. Enjoyed in moderation, beer can be considered a healthy beverage when compared to all the sugary soda pop and fruit juice most of the world consumes. People’s waistlines are expanding due to the over consumption of processed sugars and not beer.

When it comes to drinking beer in moderation, here are the rules:

• For men- 5-7 beers per week with no more than 2 or 24 oz in 24-hour period.

• For women- 5-7 beers per week with no more than 1 or 12 oz in a 24-hour period.

Unfortunately for all you weekend warriors who would prefer to pound back a case of 12 on a Saturday night, studies support the link between binge drinking and visceral beer belly fat gain.
 

Beer Belly Wrap Up

 
If someone mentions the term “beer gut”, thoughts of a Homer Simpson-Esque physique pop into my head. Don’t let me picture you.

Adopt the “earn your beer” mentality, put in a good hard workout and reward yourself with an ice-cold beer at the end of the day. It is as simple as that to lose the beer gut. No secret, magic bullet, pills or potions… just good honest hard work and you will be well on your way to losing the beer belly.

Yours in health,

Sean

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

How did I ever let myself get a beer belly? This is a question I have asked over the past few months. Before starting with the 3BG System I never made time for myself. That’s the real answer. With all the things going on in my life I never found time for me. Seems a bit crazy when I think about it now but I devoted a lot of time to my Beer Belly instead.

How much time did I need out of my day to take care of myself? Let me think… thirty minutes. Twenty-four hours in a day and all I had to do was find thirty minutes for me. You might be wondering what did these thirty minutes encompass? Well, here you go… I did fourteen, yes, only fourteen minutes of cardio. What about the other sixteen minutes? Well that was used to make sure I had food to eat throughout the day.

Yeah it’s pretty tough to stay fit these days (hopefully you got the hint of sarcasm). It’s actually not hard at all. In fact it’s easier than being lazy because now I have the energy to get things done. You might be sitting there, reading this and saying, “What a bunch of BS.” And if you have any doubt I encourage you to check out my before and after photos or my testimonial video. Those are 100% real and while we’re being honest- my cardio actually started out at only ten minutes, not fourteen. Don’t worry, if you want to see what the extra four minutes of cardio is doing for me- stay tuned. I’ll be sending BeerBellyBeGone.com a few updated photos shortly.

I like to think I’m a pretty busy guy and I know we all think the same way. I’m not going to sit here and tell you how to make time for yourself. You already know where the majority of your time is being spent and if you don’t I encourage you to think again (if you want some tips on finding time and staying active, check out Sean’s post Never Miss a Monday).
 

No More Beer Belly = More Time For Me

 
How I found time for me was quite simple. I made myself a priority instead of my beer gut. I made sure I had a pair of shorts and running shoes in my car so on the way home from work I could stop at the park or the gym and get in a quick workout. If by chance I forgot to do that, I had a skipping rope hanging on my bedroom door and dumbbells in the living room just so I wouldn’t forget about me. I didn’t sit on the couch until I had done what I needed to do.

The best part about it is, and I can say without a doubt- it gets easier as you go. After about two weeks I was hooked and actually looked forward to my workouts. Where you might lose some time is looking in the mirror each morning; well maybe not, but it sure feels good to see the progress staring back at you. An easy way to stay motivated when you start any routine is to take a few “before” pictures of yourself because for me, seeing a picture of my old friend “ the beer belly” is plenty motivation to continue living an enhanced lifestyle program like the 3BG System.
 

No more Beer Belly = Better Cook

 
That covers the working out part but how the heck did I manage to have all my meals ready in just sixteen minutes? Well you got me… It didn’t take me sixteen minutes to make all of my meals today; it took almost no time at all. I do what cooks refer to as prep or for us regular folk- I prepare my meals before hand. It’s simple. I come home with my groceries and divide up snacks into bags and containers. If I am going to cook chicken breasts I cook a few extra all at once, I cut up some vegetables and bam lunch is ready for tomorrow. Hey, it’s no slap chop; it’s just plain old planning ahead. I do however own a magic bullet that I have been known to use now and again… Soup, chili or anything else that can be divided up and frozen is a great trick too.

I spend slightly more time in the kitchen than I might spend waiting in line at a drive through but the rewards are well worth it. Don’t get sucked into commercial convenience. Create your own convenience and be way healthier because of it. This is something you will learn very quickly with the guys at 3BG. They work hard but most importantly they work SMART. Don’t let the big clowns of the world tell you what to eat. Take time for yourself whenever you have it and use it. At the very least, being smart enough to prep your meals at home will save you money in the long run, not to mention- save you from a beer belly as well.
 

No more Beer Belly = Better Beer

 
Now for the fun part… I drink a wider variety of beer than I ever have. I enjoy beer more now than ever before. The first thing to go when I wanted to “diet” was beer and I always missed it. I have learned to appreciate my favorite beverage more than ever and rather than buying the cheap stuff, I find myself searching for more unique beers with rich flavors. Whenever I am in a small town I seek out local breweries and craft beers. What does that have to do with being healthy? It’s simple- I deserve a good beer and I can afford a good beer because I’m not spending my money at the drive through. Think about it… a “cheap” meal these days costs about 10 bucks. Skip the drive through for a few days and you can enjoy a six-pack of a full-bodied beer. More beer and less beer belly is the life for me.

It’s so easy for me to say this today because I took the steps needed to get me here. I remember trying to get fit in the past and most of the time I would do something drastic like try to run up the Grouse Grind or spend an hour and a half at the gym. The next day I would try to get up and my body would be so sore it was a struggle to get the Fruit Loops out of the cupboard, say to myself, “Not doing that again.” And I wouldn’t.

The biggest thing that jumped out at me after joining Team 3BG is that moderation is the key to success. There are no quick fixes. Just consistency and having the ability to care about what you love. Most importantly, having the ability to care about you. I now know why I had a beer belly and with the knowledge I have gained with Team 3BG I can safely say good-bye beer belly, I know I won’t be seeing you again anytime soon.

In good health,

David Balback

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

When you ask people what they associate beer with you get a mixed bitter-sweet response. On one hand it reminds people of the amazing taste that water, barley, yeast and hops make when they come together and hit your lips. And on the other hand they think of the dreaded beer belly, beer gut and belly fat associated with drinking beer.

For the record- I have and always will drink beer. Regardless of the reputation floating around that beer is bad and will make you fat, I know from experience and my clients experiences that it is possible to drink beer and still lose the beer gut, beer belly and belly fat. I’ve seen countless people lose fat, get stronger and still enjoy the wonderful taste of beer.

The reason it worked for these people (and can work for you) is because they adopted an attitude we call the “Earn Your Beer” mentality. The mentality states that if you want to enjoy beer guilt free and never worry about how it might expand your waistline, you have to EARN it.

Start implementing the following steps and you’ll be on your way to Earning Your Beer and torching off the “beer” belly fat from your midsection.
 

1. Beer Intake Control- The Beauty of Moderation

 
Depending on what kind of beer you drink the calories per bottle vary. Light beers range from 65-100 calories per bottle while a standard bottle of beer has around 150 calories.

Moderation is key. If you want to enjoy beer you must consume no more than 2 in a 24 hour period and keep it to under 5-7 drinks total per week. In moderate amounts beer has even been shown to be good for your heart and reduced the risk of cardio-vascular disease.

When in doubt choose darker beers. They are often more rich, contain anti-oxidants and are more nutrient dense. This in turn will fill you up faster so you’ll avoid over drinking.

The real culprit is the food you eat while you enjoy your beer. Fried, fatty and salty foods are the worst offenders and can do much more damage than 2 beers ever could. Don’t let the enjoyment of beer turn into a days worth of calories all in one sitting.
 

2. What to eat and your new shopping list

 
Beer bellies should really be called the sugar belly or the processed carb belly. If you truly want to get rid of that beer belly you must take nutrition seriously and look at getting all the fast convenient processed foods out of your kitchen. There are so many misconceptions out there regarding which foods are good for you and which ones are bad.

Typical foods that people think are OK to eat but are low in nutrients are:

 
The easiest way to avoid pre-packaged, processed and refined foods is to shop around the outside of a supermarket and avoid going down the middle aisles. Sticking to the perimeter of the store guarantees that you will hit mostly fresh foods that come with an expiry date. The goal is to remove clutter from your shopping cart, kitchen and body.

The shopping list that follows has been stripped down to the basics. Strive to eat good quality food that is nutrient dense and works with your body rather than against it. The following foods will keep you energized, lean, strong and keep the fat off your belly effortlessly.

Items for your cupboards or pantry

 
Items for your refrigerator or freezer

3. How and when to eat carbs

 
Burning fat from your midsection depends on your body’s ability to regulate cortisol and insulin. If you have chronic high levels of both you will likely have more belly fat than you need. Cortisol is best controlled by keeping your stress levels down and getting adequate sleep.

Whenever you eat a carbohydrate- insulin is released to remove the calories from your blood stream. When this hormone is released in excess (by eating processed carbs) it will take those calories and stuff them in your fat cells. End result- a rapidly expanding waist line and beer belly.

The best time to have carbs and not worry about this boost in insulin is when you first wake up and immediately after an intense workout. Otherwise if you are going to eat carbs in a meal make sure they are eaten last. Always start with a salad and plenty of vegetables, then your protein source (eggs, meat, fish, poultry, shellfish, dairy) and follow it up with your carb. Eating vegetables and protein first will ensure your stomach is better suited to digest and break down carbohydrates (yams, sweet potato, wild rice, quinoa), as well as shunt any potential spike in blood sugar.

Do not mistake this as an open invitation to eat all the carbs you want. Much like step #1, moderation is key. If you have a sweet tooth stick to mixed berries with a piece of dark chocolate (85% or higher) for dessert.
 

4. Sleep your way to a leaner waistline

 
You’ve heard it before and no one likes being told the same thing over and over again. So I’m going to lay it out for you in a different way, one that will help you realize that if you’re falling short on sleep- you might be expanding your waistline as a result. Aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night.

Inadequate sleep has been shown to:

 
Hormones are the common theme. Without proper sleep good hormone levels drop and bad hormone levels rise. Chronic elevated levels of cortisol can lead to brain cell deterioration, decreased function and belly fat.
 

5. Exercise

 
Mention cardio and people generally think of going for a jog or sitting down on an exercise bike. Whatever the exercise you choose, it is then done at a steady pace for a set amount of time. The longer the session the more calories you burn, right?

While that isn’t necessarily a wrong statement, it’s just not the best way to burn fat. Would you rather workout for 40 minutes or 15? Studies show you can burn more fat and save more time with shorter, more intense cardio sessions.

A long jog at a slow to medium pace does not elevate your metabolism enough to generate exercise post oxygen consumption (EPOC). EPOC can keep your metabolism elevated for 15-25 hours after you stop exercising. The beautiful thing about generating EPOC is that it can be done in a high intensity interval session lasting as little as 12-20 minutes. The same can not be said for a 40 minute jog where oxygen consumption falls 30 minutes after completion.

Also of note, a large percentage of exercise options for cardio only target the lower body. Making use of your entire body when performing cardio/interval training involves more muscle mass and will burn more calories by creating a bigger oxygen deficit.

High intensity interval training (HIIT) incorporates both aerobic (oxygen dependent – walking/jogging) and anaerobic (non oxygen dependent – sprinting) training into one brief, but intense workout. This type of training will strengthen your heart more than aerobic (long slow boring cardio) training due to the strain involved with an all out effort. The increased pressure constricts your artery walls and forces your heart to work harder with each beat to maintain proper blood flow throughout the body.

Typical cardio prescription

Type: Running
Total time: 45 Minutes
Pace: 5-7 mph

The New HIIT prescription

Type: Flat sprint or uphill sprints with 4-6 push ups between each sprint
Total time: 15 minutes
Pace: top speed sprint for 8-10 seconds (uphill or flat) walk 40 seconds then drop down and complete 4-6 push-ups. Repeat process for 15 minutes.

In order to get rid of a beer belly, beer gut or belly fat you need to be determined, willing and patient. Healthy fat loss of 1-2 pounds per week can be expected. Think of it as a long term goal rather than an overnight fix and I guarantee you will get there.

Stay Strong,

Drew

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer