Coconut Caramel Cake! #Cakeaday

Alright people! This will be short and sweet........sweet just like this cake!!

This cake is just small tweak to the original Brownie cake recipe, but achieves a huge flavor and texture difference!

What you will need!

1 Tin drained chick peas (250g)
25g Vanilla whey protein
20g Coconut flour
75ml Egg whites
100ml Unsweetened coconut milk
1 Tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp Waldens caramel dip (or similar)
1/2 Tspn cinnamon & dash of Peppermint essence
Liquid stevia/sweetener to taste

MACROS - 580 Calories - 22F/45C/43P

Method.

Step 1. Drain and rinse the chick peas. Combine all ingredients and mix with a spoon, add the chickpeas and blend using a stick mixer until smooth thick batter is achieved.

Step 2. Transfer to a oiled or lined 20cm cake tin. Bake at 160 degrees for 25-30min.

Step 3. Cool on a rack and either remove and serve or enjoy straight out of the tin!

I use 100g of 5% fat cream cheese and mix it with cocoa or waldens choc and use that as a topping!

Told you it would be quick and easy! Be sure to enjoy and feel free to request a recipe through Instagram!!

Jelly Oat Cake - High Volume Oats

Alright! This shit is going to knock your socks off if you love eating large amounts of food, and not to mention for great macros and amazing taste and texture.

Here is what you'll need.

1 Large ceramic/baking dish
80g Rolled oats (Can be more if you're not on shit macros)
1 teaspoon Psyllium husk - not critical but does help with the texture
250ml almond milk/coconut milk
300ml water
60-100ml egg whites
200g Fat free Greek yogurt
1 Packet sugar free jelly - whatever flavor you want
15g Cocoa powder
Liquid stevia
Vanilla essence + flavor drops or anything you want to add to give it a kick

Let's do this!

Step 1: Add oats and psyllium husk to the dish and add the milk and water and stir well, add in the stevia and vanilla essence and give it another stir and let sit for a few minutes.

Step 2: Chuck it in the microwave for up to 10minutes on  a moderate power (if you can adjust it, then say around 70-80%, if not then just keep an eye on it) that's why the large dish is important, in a normal bowl this will boil over leaving a bloody mess.

Step 3: Take it out and give it a mix and add the egg whites and stir in thoroughly, add some more water (up to 100ml) if required and chuck back in microwave for another 10min, keeping an eye on it.

Step 4: Take out of microwave and set to the side until it has cooled down quite a bit and firmed up, once happy with that chuck in 100g of Greek yogurt and mix it all around and flatten it out again, put in fridge to totally cool.

Step 5: Mix the packet of jelly as per normal and then add the cocoa and remaining 100g of Greek yogurt, here I use a stick blender and use that to blitz the shit out of it and also to add some air to the mixture. Once happy it is all combined take oats out of fridge and pour the jelly on top and back in the fridge it goes to set completely overnight!

Step 6: Fight the urge to eat it before it sets!!!!

Step 7: Whack whatever toppings and sauces on top and enjoy. The consistency should be thick and as you can see I could even cut the bloody thing with a nice and call it a cake, since I'm all about that #Cakeaday lifestyle!!

Hope you enjoy this as much as I do guys! Once you nail it, play around with it and reduce the oats and add some tapioca pearls (sago) and create new exciting ways to make it! I have tried it that way and it adds a whole different texture and sweetness to the dish!

Macros for the whole damn tray are - 645cals 15F/73C/48P

Hearty shepherds pie!

Shepherds pie, cottage pie...whatever the hell you want to call it they taste bloody great! and with this version and macros like these why the hell not enjoy it!!

Here's what you'll need!!

2 Kangaroo patties (260g) or whatever mince or meat source you want
200g onion
200g celery
200g carrot - keep it simple and easy, if you want different stuff then go for it!
1 reducked salt stock
1 and half tablespoons gravy mix
600g pumpkin
50g cream cheese/ricotta cheese
1 table spoon wisticher sauce
mixed herbs, salt, pepper, spices....

Largeeee baking tray!!  This thing is seriously huge and filling!!

1. Firstly dice all the vegatables, I use one of them easy slap chop style things to make it quick and easy. Then place them and brown in a hot pan for 5 minutes and add a table spoon mixed herbs and wisticher sauce.

2. Start to brown the mince in another pan, add the stock to the cooking veg and bring to boil and cook for a further 5 mintues and reduce to a simmer.

3. Transfer the browned mince to the pan with veg and add the gravy powder and mix all together and let simmer for 15min, stirring occasionally.

4. Chop pumpkin into chunky cubes and boil in salted water until tender. drain in strainer and return to pot and add the 50g ricotta cheese ad pepper, seasoning. blend with masher or stick blender until smooth.

5. Transfer meat mixture to a large ceramic baking dish and flatten, add pumpkin mash on top, spread and season.

6. Put into pre heated oven at 200 degrees and finish for 15min! Serve hot and ENJOYYYY!!!

Macros 680 calories - 9F/85C/65P

Macros, flexible dieting and living life!

Hellooooooo everyone.

On a daily basis through some form of social media I am asked what are my macros, do I track, do I eat clean and how to survive on poverty macros as well as a bunch of random crap!

So I'm going to take some time to answer a bunch of these questions and give my opinion on it all and how to incorporate it into your day to day life if you feel it is necessary .

Firstly what my macros are don't mean anything, because it is a totally personal thing depending on age, weight, gender, activity level and personal goals! So with that said I am not hugely strict at the moment with tracking as I am not currently prepping for a show/comp or meet.

For those who are just learning about tracking macros and understanding it all the best way to figure it out is honestly to use an online calculator to figure it out! (IIFYM.com is great) If you are old school and want to figure it out yourself then these are the number you need to crunch.

First thing you need is to know your BMR (base metabolic rate)

The old school way of calculating it is using the Harris Benedict Equation. Looks a bit full on but if you have a calculator then you'll be right!

• BMR Calculation for Women: 655 + (4.35 × weight in pounds) + (4.7 × height in inches) – (4.7 × age in years)
• BMR Calculation for Men: 66 + (6.23 × weight in pounds) + (12.7 × height in inches) – (6.76 × age in years)

After this activity level is then incorporated into the mix and use the multiplier below to figure it out!

  

Amount of Exercise	Daily Calories Needed
Little to no exercise	BMR x 1.2
Light exercise (1 to 3 days per week)	BMR x1.375
Moderate exercise (3 to 5 days per week)	BMR x 1.55
Heavy exercise (6 to 7 days per week)	BMR x 1.725
Very heavy exercise (intense workouts twice per day)	BMR x 1.9

Now that you have figured out your BMR/Maintenance calories next is whats your goal.If your goal is weight loss a rule of thumb is 3500cal reduction per week is the equivalent to weight loss of 1 pound per week, again this will depend on the individual and I ain't going to start preaching any special method or secrets because then I will just sound like a typical Bro!

There is no magical macros to start on, you need to pick the number you believe is right for you and from there CONSISTENCY is going to give you the results, I can not use this word enough, CONSISTENCY is going to be the driving factor whether you succeed or not. Also the macro break down percentage to start on (Protein/Carbs/Fats) will be something again a good online calculator or app will breakdown for you! (Myfitnesspal is the go to app for most people)

So now comes the first day. Get up, go to the toilet and weight yourself. This is what you should be doing every morning for the first 2 weeks, again being consistent with the time of day you weight yourself will give you a consistent reading day to day. The reason to do it for 2 weeks is so your body can adjust to it and along with training you can then monitor if you have overshot or undershot your macros and if you have lost weight/gained weight or maintained weight you will then from here adjust your macros according to your goals. From personal experience as I reverse dieted and was aiming to put on lean mass I would add 20C every time I maintained weight for about 4 days straight, and then 5F after each week of maintaining weight. So as you can imagine after 4 - 6 weeks of this I was able to add an additional 500cal to my daily diet with very minimal weight gain!

That sums up finding your macros and how to monitor and adjust them once your maintenance macros are achieved.

Actually tracking them is not hard, will take a week or so getting the hang of weighing your food and inputting it on your app. Again be consistent with what you enter, don't go crazy if things are a few grams over. Just make sure when scanning stuff the same stuff on label is reflected on the app correctly. If you are a basic eater during the week like myself, then it's easy because you can fill out your diary and make your meals in bulk and then when it comes to weekend just track as you eat and get creative and enjoy yourself :)

Tracking macros is one thing, but also monitor your micro nutrients. Pretty easy really, just make sure you eat enough veg and hit a healthy range of fiber each day too, this can also be aided by using things like psyllium husk or other forms of supplementation. As great as IIFYM and flexible dieting is, it's not your ticket to being a fat slob just for the sake of it. Like most things use an 80/20 rule! 80% good wholesome nutrient dense foods, 20% YOLO enjoy yourself foods.

Lastly I'll quickly touch on poverty macros/comp prep macros! This can be killer but at certain times for shorter periods of time it may be necessary to reach goals. After dieting and maintaining under 5% body fat for about 7 months to compete in multiple physique shows, I learnt very quickly that it had fatigued me physically but also mentally and with my physiology. So now I feel very strongly if you don't need to put yourself through it for no reason other then you 'want to cut' then just don't do it. But when it comes to comp, if you are relatively lean going into prep then you should really only need around 8 -12 weeks max on a cut, other wise there is metabolic and hormonal damage as potential side effects (and I know this personally unfortunately) Some people have no trouble eating normal bro foods for prep, and if this is the case for you, then great. If your like me and love food and lots of it then learn how to make protein fluff and become friends with sugarfree jelly and things like that which will fill you up for very little calories.

Anyway, that's enough out of me. Please feel free to contact me for any further questions as I'm more then happy to help and have trained many people who have loved using flexible dieting with great results. All the best and I'll be back!! :)  justin.d.donnelly@gmail.com

Justin.

#Cake-A-Day - Recipe of dreams!

Ok, so I know some of you would have been cursing my name for taking ohhhh so long to put this recipe up. But never fear, I'm true to my word and here it is! Prepare to have your freakin mind blown by this macro witchery!

Main Ingredients:

30g self raising flour

20g coconut flour

25g vanilla protein powder

60g egg whites

75ml milk (almond,coconut,normal)

1 tin Butter beans (230g drained)

1 tspn baking powder

1/2 tspn almond essence

1/2 - 1 tspn vanilla extract

100g (roughly) blueberries/raspberries

Stevia to taste

MACROS - 16F/65C/46P    ~610 calories

Method:

Step 1: Combine all dry ingredients and mix, then add egg whites, milk, essence, extract and mix into a thick batter.

Step 2: Add in rinsed and drained butter beans and using a stick mixer combine until nice and smooth. Add stevia now to make your level of desired sweetness.

Step 3: Pour half the mixture into a cake tin/baking dish and then chuck on some berries, add remaining mixture and add more berries on top to make it look all nice and prettyyyyyyy.

Step 4: Bake at 180 degrees for 25min, remove from oven and let cool in tin for 5min before taking it out and allowing to completely cool on a wire rack.

Step5: EAT IT!!!!!

Now how easy is that? Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did, and get creative with your combos!!


Justin.

It's all bout that bake - Biscotti

Biscotti! Who doesn't like a flavorsome crunchy biscuit with their coffee....? I am munching away on one as I type this and the crunch on these is sensational!!

The italian word biscotti translated means simply 'twice cooked' and that's exactly what you do when making then delicious treats. And the recipe couldn't be easier.

For the biscotti base:
250g white flour (sifted)
250g caster sugar
1/2 tspn baking powder
2 large eggs beaten
grated zest of 1 lemon

Fillings (you can use any dried fruit and nut combination you like)
150g dried cranberries
150 chopped almonds and walnuts

Method:

Step 1. Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees (if your oven has the function not to include the fan then use it as static) and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Step 2. mix the flour, sugar and baking soda in a large bowl and slowly incorporate the beaten eggs in little by little. (I used a wooden spoon to mix, but you could you a kitchen-aid/mixer) Continue adding the egg until the dough is firm (dough should not be overly sticky at all)

Step 3. the fun part.......using your hands mix in the remaining ingredients and lemon zest and combine until it is evenly distributed throughout the whole mix.

Step 4. Once combined turn the dough onto a floured surface and give it a quick gentle knead and then split the mixture into two lots.

Step 5. Roll into long logs of about 4-5cm in diameter and put onto baking tray leaving 5+cm in between each as they will expand whilst baking. Cook in oven for 30-35min

(This is the colour and texture after the first bake)

Step 6. Remove and let cool on the tray for 10min then transfer to a chopping board and cut into diagonal lengths 2-3cm thick. Place back on baking tray  cut side up and cook for another 25min, ensuring you turn them over at the half way mark.

Step 6. Remove from oven and let them cool completely on a cooling rack. (they keep for a while in a airlock container)

ENJOY!!

The Journey so far!!

If  I had to sum up the last 2 weeks in one word........HARD!

But I'm totally OK with that :)

It's only once you get out of your comfort zone and keep pushing through that you know you are developing yourself, not only in the the physical side of things, but definitely mentally as well. With huge changes in my diet being the first major hurdle. 4 weeks out from comp my trainer sent me my diet plan and even with its 9 meals and 3 shakes a day, most days are border line on 2000 calories, and being at around 84.5kg those numbers were low to maintain the lean muscle I have. Now 2 weeks on I am sitting at 82.2kg and approx 5-6% bodyfat. And with no change in sight for my diet I just have to keep pressing on as hard as I can at the gym everyday to stay lean and keep as much mass as possible.

Next struggle was the actual training, trying to maintain certain weights on various exercises for 4 sets and varying reps is becoming more of a struggle every session, and fatigue soon sets in. This is where the strongest part of you kicks in, your mind!! It's easy to say i'm struggling I'll call it a day and leave. But to stay and push through knowing that it's the right thing to do is what will make all the difference when it comes to getting up on stage, and being able to tell yourself that no matter where you place that you gave it your best and you walk off there without a doubt in your mind you gave it your all!

The next thing that has taken a bit of a toll on me without much initial consideration is the weather, going from being conditioned to sunny, humid Townsville then arriving in Victoria where everyday is at and above 40 degrees has really made everything a lot harder to do, from training and even sleeping at night when it is still around 30 degrees and all I have is a 12" pedestal fan to attempt to cool myself.

And lastly the mental strain of being on a mentally demanding course. I have not yet found it to difficult yet mixed with the low calories and intense training, but i'm sure as the final days draw closer I will start to have trouble concentrating and hopefully won't get to far off track. But so far so good, i'm keeping it all together and the finish line is in sight and I can't wait to stuff my face once it is all done! :P

If you set yourself a goal stick to it, nothing compares to the personal reward of knowing you challenged yourself and won, to often we hear peoples stories of 'I nearly did this' and stories full of if's and but's! Don't be that person!! Do it for yourself!

Progress update pic - Rear Back shot of Back double bicep! Slowly but surely getting there :)

Time to step up!!

So this last week has been quite busy with training, meal prep, rest and getting ready to go back to work, and I head off for 2 months to commence a work related course. It's still over a week away before I go but I have found myself already starting to pack and see how I can arrange my suitcase so I can fit most of my supplements, food and gym/training related items rather then things I should be worrying about taking :)

Not to mention now I am part of Team FlexR6 and am going to be stepping on stage to compete in my first novice comp in only 5 weeks time. So there are so many added stresses right now and starting next week a huge change to my training and nutrition program once my great trainer sends me the final product on Friday!

This has been a huge ambition for me and to see it all start taking place is a huge realization that you can do anything you put your mind to, at this stage I am only going to be competing in fitness and physique categories as there is not enough time to prep for the actual body building division, and with the added pressure of me on my military psychology course it would be to much to take on all at once.

I never thought I would see the day I would be on stage wanting to show my body off. I'll take a few steps back and talk about when I was younger, all my teenage years I was a big kid, the heaviest I tipped the scales at was 120+kg, but now to be able to comfortably sit at 84kg for me was an amazing achievement.

It all comes down to you and the dedication you put in to achieve the goals you have, I couldn't be happier that I took this lifestyle on all those years ago, nothing now feels like a chore, it's all just second nature. There is nothing wrong with wanting to see yourself succeed and better yourself not only physically but mentally! There is nothing tougher then pushing through some of those unbearable gym sessions, or sprinting up hills to get that burn and feel your heart trying to burst out your chest. But every time you finish something you set out to achieve or do something you NEVER thought you could do, you leave a little it prouder and stronger and from there you can only keep going up!

I'll keep you all posted with how my comp preparation is going and chuck in some photos along the way, remember to push yourself a little further each time and never give up, because one day you may find yourself doing something you never thought you would do in a million years!!

It's all about the pump!!! :) 

HIIT it Hard!! Benefits of Interval training!

This is just to give a bit of insight into HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) regime and how it may benefit you!

HIIT is for everyone, someone doing a cutting phase for a comp, during a bulking phase to minimize gaining to much body fat and people looking to gain aerobic and anaerobic endurance.

Firstly you might what to know what HIIT actually is. HIIT is a training program in which moderate levels of intensity and alternated with high intensity intervals. It can be applied across a broad range of areas from running exercises through to weight and body weight related exercises. It is considered to be more effective then steady state cardio as the higher intensity intervals increase both the aerobic and anaerobic systems in turn burning more fat the usual!

During a structured HIIT period you will notice two thing, accelerated fat loss and increased aerobic endurance, HIIT will deliver noticeable results in a shorter period of time, hence why is has gained huge popularity in the fitness and bodybuilding community since it was introduced. Just like with any exercise and nutrition program you can't guarantee results as it comes down to the individual, but after only an 8 week HIIT cycle those around you will notice a significant change in you if you stick to your guns. And you will be performing to a higher standard to those around you.

When you do a cardio session at the same pace the whole time your body operates in what we call a steady state, all this means is your body adjusts itself to the speed or workload you are operating at and tries to conserve as much energy (calories) as possible. You avoid this by doing interval training as the body can then not adapt and conserve any energy.

This is what an effective HIIT 8-week program would consist of, and incorporates a weight training program as well. This level of intensity would decrease levels of body fat significantly which a structured nutrition plan.

General Warm-up/Flexibility Routine

• Touch Toes - 15 Reps (Touch toes quickly, come right back up and repeat)
• Lunges - 10 reps/leg
• Side Lunges - 10 reps each direction
• Butt Kicks - 25 yards
• High Knees - 25 yards
• Arm Circles - 20 reps
• Trunk Twists - 20 reps
• Side Bends - 20 reps

WEEKS 1-2

• Monday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Tuesday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Brisk Walk, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 7 More Times (8 Minutes Total)
• Wednesday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Thursday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Brisk Walk, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 7 More Times (8 Minutes Total)
• Friday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Saturday and Sunday - Rest

WEEKS 3-4

• Monday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Tuesday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Brisk Walk, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 9 More Times (10 Minutes Total)
• Wednesday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Thursday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Brisk Walk, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 9 More Times (10 Minutes Total)
• Friday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Saturday and Sunday - Rest

WEEKS 5-6

• Monday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Tuesday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Jog, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 11 More Times (12 Minutes Total)
• Wednesday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Thursday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Jog, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 11 More Times (12 Minutes Total)
• Friday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Saturday and Sunday - Rest

WEEKS 7-8

• Monday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Tuesday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Jog, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 14 More Times (15 Minutes Total)
• Wednesday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Thursday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Jog, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 14 More Times (15 Minutes Total)
• Friday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Saturday and Sunday - Rest
• Notes: Brisk walk and jog are at 65-75% of your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR)
  Sprint is at 90-95% of your MHR

Hope you take something away from this and know that cardio doesn't have to be the boring chore that a lot of people see it as, if you can think of fun ways to mix it up then you will want to keep doing it and get the results you are after!!! Enjoy!!

And remember.............It's all about the PUMP!!!

Workout by - TUnit @bodyspace

Pecs that POP!!

So tomorrow is Monday.......or as I call it 'International Chest Day' so for that exact reason, I train chest on Sundays or in fact any other day that isn't Monday!!

In doing this I get to watch a large number of people go nuts and blast chest on every piece of equipment in the gym every Monday, and I use this time to observe. There are a few common mistakes most people make, and I am in no way saying this in a way to make it sound like people don't know what they are doing, but more so to indicate some easily avoidable issues which will lead to a more productive chest workout and avoiding injury.

Firstly one that gets everyone is excessive shoulder rotation. As easy as a chest press may seem to preform if done incorrectly it will take emphasis away from putting the correct muscle under tension and stress, and end up smashing your shoulder girdle as you push up rolling your shoulders over to re-rack the weight. So when getting on the bench, bench press, incline, decline machine one of the first things you should be doing when getting into position is retracting you shoulder blades and nearly trying to pinch them together as you settle your back onto the bench, and keeping them in this position throughout the entire movement of the press.

Next, upper chest.....yes, in case you didn't know your pectorals are broken into 2 sections! And when you see someone with great overall chest development (or catch me flexing in the mirror) you can see the separation in between the 2 with a nice deep crevice dividing the muscle. So with this said do not exclude exercises such as incline bench press, incline dumbbell press and incline flyes from your workout, they all have their place.

The best upper chest in the business!

The next common problem is partial reps.....I don't know what people think when doing partial reps, you don't do the full range of motion then you are obviously not going to engage the muscle you are trying to train. So to keep it simple lower the weight to your chest then all the way up and once at lockout give you elbows a little squeeze together to really flex and pump the chest full.

Also another handy tip is to incorporate pyramid sets and drop sets during your chest workout, we are not all power lifters so there is no need to load up the bar to try and get one rep out that has the potential to crush your throat when your spotter can't even help you when the bar is loaded to the brim! So, drop the weight after your final set, and throw in a double or a triple drop set to challenge yourself, and at the end when you are struggling to lift the 10kg dumbbells above your head just remember you will be getting more blood and nutrients delivered to that muscle group then the guy rubbing his shoulder after is attempt at 'the world record' bench press! :)

Lastly I just want to reiterate the fact to not neglect a thorough warm up and stretching routine. You are only going to cheat yourself if you walk into the gym and start on the 40kg dumbbells, all you are doing is open the door wide open for a nice pec tear or shoulder injury. It will help your training, keep your muscles warm throughout and reduce the risk of injury. I could write 100 different stretches and make you waste your time reading it all but instead do a quick search on line as they all tell you the same thing and find something that works for you!

And remember, it's all about the pump!! :)

To Cheat or not to Cheat - Cheat meals!

This is always a topic of discussion amongst many in the fitness industry, everyone has their personal beliefs about the pro's and con's on having a cheat day/meal and have read all the articles out there on the internet so instantly they are pro's about the topic without understand any of the physiological responses the body goes through!

All I’m going to do is discuss some of the theoretical benefits and chuck in my 2 cents worth as well.

Increases thyroid hormone production - So when someone is calorie deficient they produce less hormones that regulate the thyroid (T3 and T4) so a strategic cheat meal or overfeed is beneficial to increase these hormones and regulate the thyroid to keep it functional and productive.

Increased energy output (24hr) - The surplus calories from a cheat causes the body to up regulate basal metabolic rate (BMR).And there are studies out there to show an increase of 9% above baseline, all in all giving you more energy the next day foe heavier lifting and giving you an upbeat mood for the day :)

Psychological benefit - This is plain and simple, You follow your diet for the week knowing that after all that hard training and clean eating you get a reward......for some people that is enough to keep them going week to week, but then it comes down to the individual to know how far to take their cheat meal/day, this is something you cant calculate and you learn from experience about your own personal limits. It's totally worth it!

So with that being said it sounds like having a cheat meal or re-feed day will work for anyone wanting to gain some lean mass and for a fat loss diet........well it's not always the case! Many trainers condone the idea of cheat meals while others support it knowing it works from personal experience. And I’m one to promote the idea from it not hampering my results over time!

But we also have to understand the human body, and I’ll break it down quickly! 

You have to remember we are talking about the human body, our bodies will adapt to anything we throw at it over time, so when you first start restricting calories and have your results you will then notice that you will hit a plateau, whether it be diet, weight training or cardio, it happens to everyone. So this for me is a good sign that we need to break the cycle and another reason why a cheat meal is beneficial :)

This being said to certain degree, a high calorie meal will help off set your metabolism but the benefit from the cheat meal comes from the higher calorie intake on that day, not the usual junk food that most people consume. Having no moderation or control on cheat days carries far more risk than benefits to your physical and mental health, it can lead to a fatal outcome from extreme acute gastric dilation after an eating binge.

A good little tip is buy enough for a couple of cheat meals and no more! If you have a 2 packs of Tim-tams in the fridge and 2L of ice cream in the freezer then we all know what is going to happen right......Epic FAIL. So keep that in mind and just get what you need for that cheat meal :)

So to sum up, YES by all means have a cheat meal.......but don't binge on unhealthy junk food, and there is no need for a whole cheat day.

First Leg Session of the New Year! :)

So today I am training legs, I spent all day yesterday (my rest day) just thinking about my routine for today! I got in my 6 meals yesterday in preparation to have the energy for what will be a brutal training session today.

I'll give a quick run down on what I will do today. I train at the Defence gym we have on base which is well equipped and not as packed as all the other gyms out there. I always start off my leg day with a lot of stretching and foam rolling before I start my squats, my first exercise is Back Squats. I will do my warm up set @ 60kg (132pounds) for about 15 reps to get the range of motion and form all sorted. My next working set is 10-12 reps @ 90kg (200pounds) 3rd set I will knock out 8 reps @ 110kg (240pounds) I will then have another stretch and give my quads and hamstrings a roll out on the foam roller. Next set is 6 reps @ 130kg (286pounds) and then I will aim for 2-3 reps @ 140kg (310pounds) From there I will drop the weight back to 100kg and do another 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps and totally exhaust my quads, as I use this as the main heavy lifting compound movement for my workout.

With that done I move on to Hamstrings, which I do dumbbell stiff leg dead lifts to target my hamstrings, there is no need to go to heavy so I will only go up to about 40kg (90pounds) for 4 sets of 10-12 reps. As I hobble away from that exercise I then will jump on the leg press machine where I will do leg press, super setted with calf raises. I focus on doing this exercise nice and slow to let it really engage all muscles in my leg, and I will also vary my foot position to pre load different heads of my quads with more stress and engage them a lot better!

Next, the Standing Leg curl targeting Hamstrings again and somewhat engaging the glutes. I incorporate many Hamstring exercises as my Hamstrings are what I would call the weak point on my physique, so I always make sure they leave the gym screaming!! I will knock out 4 sets @ 10-12 reps and do body weight sissy squats in between sets to hit the inner thigh/quad.

Next.........everyone's favourite.........Lunges.......... This is where you are already in a state of near total exhaustion from such an intense session, and this will either push you over the edge or if you approach it with a good attitude you know that you will be leaving the gym a broken man, but waking up the next day a happy man for doing it!! I will do 2 laps back and forth of a full size basketball court with a 50kg (110pound) barbell for 4 sets. This is the perfect way to end your leg session.

Once you manage to waddle back and put your weights away having  a good stretch is recommended. Saying that, once I'm done my workout today, I will be getting on the StairMaster for a 30min cardio hit, I will do this only about 3-4 times a week to keep my body fat low so I can still put some lean mass on over the next few months without gaining unwanted body fat!

With all that said, it's T-minus 30min until I hit the gym, so time to get ready and make up my pre and post workout shakes and I'm outta here!

It's all about the pump! (and the delayed muscle soreness I will get in about 2 days) :P