I. Don’t. Care.

I’ve been an advocate of eating lots of vegetables, some meat, fish, and eggs, and small amounts of fruit, nuts, and seeds and nothing else for years.  I’ve found this way of eating particularly beneficial for myself and clients when it comes to weight loss.  I’ve written a Paleo themed cookbook and have contributed several recipes to the awesome Ultimate Paleo Guide.  I’ve even written the introduction for two Paleo cookbooks (Hilah Johnson’s Cavelady Cooking and Marla Sarris’s Pigskin Paleo).  Here’s an excerpt from my introduction to Pigskin Paleo:

“I do not care if this ‘Paleo diet’ is accurate from an anthropological standpoint or not.  I only care that in over 10 years of helping people lose weight and get fit, it has been the most effective way of eating for helping my clients reach their health and fitness goals.”

Results.  That’s what I care about.  And let’s be clear that “results” includes more than just watching the number on the scale head south.  Results also include an increase of strength and endurance, an improvement in health markers such as blood pressure and hormone profiles, and being free from illness and injury.  If you are getting results, there are only two factors that I really care about when it comes to diet…

1.  Compliance.  Will you actually stick to the way of eating for the long term?  I’m talking more than just a 40 day blitz, I’m talking about a way of life.  Sure, along the way there may be adjustments made due to personal experimentation and tracking of results.  But the intent is to find a sustainable way of eating and avoid bouncing from one latest diet craze to the next.

2.  Natural food.  Ok, we could debate what qualifies as “natural” food but here are a few of my guidelines…  If it grew from the earth or formally had a heart beat, then it’s real food.  If the ingredient label lists only one ingredient (or there is no ingredient label), then it’s real food.  And if there are ingredients on the label that would make a spelling bee champ sweat, then it’s definitely not real food.

That’s it.  If you have a diet consisting of real food that you stick with that keeps you healthy and fit, I’m all for it.  I don’t care if you follow a vegetarian diet, a Paleo diet, or no “specific” diet.  I only care that you have a sustainable way of eating that yields results.

What works for me (and may or may not work for you).

So how do I eat?  When I’m on top of my nutrition (and admittedly I’ve been pretty far off of my nutrition lately), I consider Paleo my “home base”.  I typically eat two main meals per day, both consisting of lots of vegetables and some protein.  For protein, I typically eat steak or eggs but will also eat chicken, pork, lamb, or seafood.  These main meals may also have small amounts of fruit or nuts.  Or I may have a snack once or twice per day of fruit, nuts, and quite possibly dark chocolate.

Now, I only consider Paleo my base because when my body composition is what I’ve found to be optimum for me (around 10% body fat) I also eat – gasp! – carbohydrate dense foods!  I will typically have a serving of potatoes or white rice with my final meal of the day as long as I’ve done heavy resistance training or high intensity interval training that day.  I will also eat pizza and drink beer about once per week as long as everything else is “dialed in”.

So will my method of eating work for you?  I don’t know.  The only way to know is to test it yourself and track your results.  I do believe that the main parameter of “eat real food” will work for everyone.  But the finer details of exactly which foods, how much, and meal timing will vary from person to person and can only be determined through testing and tracking.

So is the Paleo diet wrong?  No, I don’t think so.  Is it accurate from an anthropological standpoint in that it precisely replicates the way that our Paleolithic ancestors ate?  Personally, I don’t give a damn.  Do you?

Stay strong,

Vic

The post Is The Paleo Diet Wrong? appeared first on Vic Magary.

As I’ve mentioned many times before, diet is the key to fat loss.  After helping people lose weight since 2001, I am convinced that nearly any exercise protocol will work as long as the diet is on point.  But sometimes getting started is the hardest part… below are 5 steps to help you jump start your weight loss diet:

Step 1: Clean Out Your Kitchen!

Let’s face it, if it is in your house you are probably going to eat it.  So get rid of all of the crap that you know you shouldn’t be eating.  Obviously you know to get rid of any junk food like cookies, crackers, candy, and soda.  But also scrutinize anything that comes in a box or wrapper.  Throw it in the trash, give it to a neighbor, donate it to a food pantry, I don’t care what you do with it but get rid of it.  And for those of you who cannot “get rid of it” because you have family members or roommates who still want to eat that stuff, then designate a specific shelf in the refrigerator and one cupboard where only your food goes.

Step 2: Plan Your Menu.

As the cliche goes… failing to plan is planning to fail.  And that is what your weekly menu is, a plan.  It is a plan of exactly how you will succeed with your weight loss diet for the week.  I encourage you to write out exactly what you will eat and when you will eat it for each day.  Also consider those times when you “must” eat out such as work lunches or family celebrations and preplan exactly what you will eat when you get to the restaurant.  Any restaurant can make grilled chicken or steak with a side of steamed broccoli or a large salad, so remember that you are the customer and tell your waitstaff exactly what you want even if it’s not on the menu.

Step 3: Get The Groceries.

Create your weekly grocery list by consulting your menu.  Write out the foods you will need for the meals on your menu and the quantity.  How many eggs?  How many grapefruits?  Will one bunch of spinach be enough or do you need two?  Make your list and then stick to your list when you get to the grocery store.  A good general guideline to follow is that you should stay to the perimeter of the grocery store when doing your shopping.  The produce section, meat counter, and the dairy section (where the eggs are usually kept) are almost always on the perimeter.

Step 4: Precook Your Meals.

I get it.  You are busy.  Too busy to cook healthy meals every day.  And that is why I recommend doing nearly all of your cooking for the week on a single day.  I used to have to do this myself.  When I was working as a lawyer during the day and running my gym and martial arts school at night, there was no way I could cook every day.  So on a day off from work (Sunday works great for many people) precook your protein sources, pre-chop your vegetables, and then prepackage everything in meal-sized containers.  Yes, this will take a few hours.  But it is time well spent if it helps you stick to your weight loss diet during the week.

Step 5: Stick To The Plan.

Sticking to your weight loss diet comes down to habit creation.  Some people can flip the switch and immediately adhere to their new nutrition plan.  But many of us need to ramp things up slowly and build momentum.  Starting at a level below your perceived level of compliance is a strategy that can work for creating dietary habits.  Do your best to think longterm and not get lost in a quick-fix desire for weight loss.

When it comes to weight loss, diet is the most important ingredient to your success.  Not jogging 5 miles per day, not the latest infomercial home workout DVD set, and not any training program that I design.  DIET!!!  And when you need to jump start your weight loss diet, clean out your kitchen, plan your menu, get your groceries, precook your meals, and stick to the plan.

The videos above are part of my “quick tip” series that I’ve been doing on YouTube.  For the past four weeks, every Monday – Friday I’ve been posting a short 1 – 3 minute video about fitness and weight loss.  If you like that format, be sure to head over to my YouTube channel and subscribe by clicking here.

Stay strong,

Vic

The post 5 Steps To Jump Start Your Weight Loss Diet appeared first on Vic Magary.

Listen and hear Ryan and I discuss:

Ryan Hurst, GoldMedalBodies.com.

• How gymnastic skills can be incorporated into a fitness program, even for beginners.
• The importance of technique and movement precision.
• Ryan’s general training schedule and diet.
• What happened when Ryan focused on only one skill (one armed handstand!) for 14 weeks.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Gold Medal Bodies

Books For Africa

Gold Medal Bodies Training Programs

Ryan’s Free Handstand Course On Udemy.com

Steve Atlas

Nate Miyaki

Ryan on Twitter

Gold Medal Bodies Facebook Page

Video:

Google Hangout video of the interview:

Ryan’s path to the one arm handstand:

Ryan nailing 10 pullups and then a strict muscle up after 14 weeks without doing any pull ups:

Many thanks for listening to this episode.  Please head over to iTunes to subscribe and/or give the show a review.  You can do so at the link below:

Get Fit With Vic Podcast on iTunes

Thanks again for listening.  Share your thoughts gymnastic skills for fitness training in the comments below.

Stay strong,

Vic

The post GFWV 015: Movement Mastery And Gymnastics Fitness With Ryan Hurst appeared first on Vic Magary.

Pork Buttoosk and Riceless Rice Recipe

This is an excerpt from Los Paleo: Mexican Paleo Recipes, a Marla Sarris creation.

Cinco de Mayo just happened, but that’s no reason to stop eating Mexican food. Let’s face it, Mexican is delicious & is one of everyone’s favorite guilty pleasures on the menu.

But you don’t have to feel guilty about eating Mexican anymore. Sure, traditional dishes have a ton of corn, beans, and sour cream, but with a bit of quick thinking you can adapt most mexican recipes to 100% paleo versions that are both delicious and healthy.

Take for example this pork buttock and rice-less rice recipe. You might be asking, “rice-less rice? Is that rice without the rice? What is this wizardry?” Well don’t worry. In order to make this dish, we employ absolutely no wizards and only a little magic . In fact, it’s quite easy to make a simple rice substitute from one our favorite vegetables – cauliflower – and if you follow the directions below, you won’t even notice that it’s not rice. Add it to this pork buttoosk and you might even surprise yourself with how good it tastes! Here’s exactly how you go about making this delicious dish happen.

Pork Buttoosk and Riceless Rice

Medium

Serves 8-10

(Notice, the lack of “rice” as an ingredient ).

Ingredients:

• 5-6 lbs pork butt
• 1 head cauliflower, riced
• 1 cup cilantro
• 1 leek, sliced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced
• sea salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (or water)
• 2 limes, juiced

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat brown the pork butt, on all sides.
2. To rice the cauliflower, use the shred attachment on a food processor. Then transfer the cauliflower rice to a large crock pot.
3. Add cilantro and leek and combine with the cauliflower in the crock pot.
4. Layer sliced jalapeno peppers on top of cauliflower.
5. Season with a layer of sea salt and black pepper.
6. Add the browned pork butt to the crock pot. (You may have to push down to make it fit but it will work.)
7. Pour in chicken stock (or water), lime juice and add one of the halved limes in as well.
8. Cook on high for 7-8 hours, or until pork easily falls apart with a fork.
9. Serve with a touch of sea salt.
10. Enjoy!

So there, you go, rice-less rice with pork buttoosk. No wizardry involved, but your friends still might call it magic. All that’s left to do is dig in and enjoy your delicious mexican dishes – guilt free!

Los Paleo, by Marla Sarris contains 42 of the most delicious paleo versions of traditional mexican dishes you’ve ever seen in your entire life. Paleo & Mexican together at last.

Joel Runyon is the creator of Impossible HQ as well as Ultimate Paleo Guide, a new paleo guidechock full of great paleo resources and paleo food lists.

The post Pork Buttoosk and Riceless Rice appeared first on Vic Magary.

In this episode I discuss:

• The real issue people have when it comes to cooking at home.
• Cheap sources of protein if beef is not in the budget.
• Whether or not you should spend the money on organic produce.
• My thoughts on including carbohydrate dense foods in the diet and how to save money if you do.

Links mentioned in this episode or related to eating healthy on a budget:

Final Five Formula

My Youtube Channel

Episode #11: How To Workout On A Budget

Easy Caveman Cookbook

Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen produce lists (scroll down the page)

Many thanks for listening to this episode on how to eat healthy on a budget.  Please head over to iTunes to subscribe and/or give the show a review.  You can do so at the link below:

Get Fit With Vic Podcast on iTunes

Thanks again for listening.  Share your thoughts and tips for saving money while eating healthy below.

Stay strong,

Vic

The post GFWV 014: How To Eat Healthy On A Budget appeared first on Vic Magary.

You know… those final 5 – 10 lbs that always seem to “hang around”?

If so, you are not alone.  Losing those final 5 – 10 lbs is THE most common frustration that people bring to my attention when I ask them about their biggest issue with fat loss.  So as I mentioned in my last post, I set out to slay the Final 5 dragon by developing a new program and testing it with 8 people.

If I were to sum up the Final Five Formula in one sentence is would be this…  You have to do something different.  And not something “radically different” mind you, just some adjustments to what you are currently doing to make things different enough to yield different results.

I’ve designed the program with three different “tiers” for each of the major components of fitness (diet, recovery, and exercise).  So in some ways the Final Five Formula is a “choose your own adventure” kind of program. Instead of a cookie-cutter static program for everyone, it takes into consideration what you are currently doing for diet, recovery, and training and recommends what to do to take things to the next level.  You can hear Alain talk about his experience in the video below:

Now, the Final Five Formula is not for everyone.  This program is NOT for you if…

• You are a “fresh off the couch” beginner to fitness.  If you only have 5 – 10 lbs to lose, I’m making the assumption that you already have some training experience.
• You are a vegetarian.  If you’ve followed my work for any amount of time, you probably know that I lean towards the Paleo diet especially for weight loss.
• You still think you need some potion, powder, or pill to help you lose that last bit of fat.  I make no supplement recommendations in the program.
• You are not willing to try some new tactics for 28 days.  Different results will only come from different actions.

That being said, the program has proven successful.  Watch the video below to hear Charlotte talk about how she and her husband had great results in just two weeks:

So how do you know if the Final Five Formula will help you lose the final 5 – 10 lbs?  You try it!  That’s really the only way to know for sure.  Like all of my programs, it comes backed with a money back guarantee so there is no risk for trying it out.   And I think people are going to be shocked at how low I’ve priced this program…

Here’s one more interview with one of the test participants.  Thanh Le lost 6.6 lbs (3 kg) and some of his workouts were only 8 minutes long:

Are you ready to lose the final 5 – 10 pounds with the Final Five Formula?  Get your copy now by clicking here.

What questions do you have about losing the final 5 – 10 lbs?  Let me know in the comments below.

Stay strong,

Vic

The post How To Get Rid Of That Last Bit Of Fat appeared first on Vic Magary.

• M1: 6.6 lbs.
• M2: 7.0 lbs.
• M3: 13.0 lbs.
• M4: 13.8 lbs.
• M5: 0.0 lbs.
• F1: 4.6 lbs.
• F2: 7.5 lbs.
• F3: 0.0 lbs.

As you can see, two people had results above and beyond my expectations by losing over 10 pounds.  Four people lost the targeted 5 – 10 pounds.  And two people did not lose any weight.  That’s right, two people did not lose any weight and I am still calling the test group a success.  As I’ve said many times before, no single method works for everyone and personal experimentation is the only way to find what works for you.  But I consider a program that worked for 75% of a test group to be a great place to start if you want to lose the final 5 – 10 pounds.

One of the people who lost more weight than expected was Frank Gebauer, with a 13 lb loss.  Frank was kind enough to talk to me about his experience with the Final Five Formula program and you can watch the interview below.  The interview is about 6 minutes long and Frank talks about what he tried previously to lose the last bit of fat and what he liked best about the Final Five Formula program.  Check it out:

The Final Five Formula is now available to the first 100 copies at a 50% discount.  Get your copy today by clicking here.

What questions do you have about the Final Five Formula?  Let me know in the comments below.

Stay strong,

Vic

The post How Frank Lost 13 Pounds In 28 Days Using The Final Five Formula appeared first on Vic Magary.

I get it.

I want to bring out some of the REAL reasons people struggle with fat loss.  You know, the stuff that everyone is thinking but no one wants to say out loud.  Join me as I go off the deep end a bit and talk about The 7 Deadly Sins Of Fat Loss…

1. Fear. Change scares people. And the fears associated with losing weight are as diverse as the people who have them… What will I do when I can’t fit into any of my clothes and I don’t have the budget for a new wardrobe? Will I lose all of my friends when I no longer want to hang out and eat a large pizza and drink a pitcher of beer? How will I deal with new-found attention from potential romantic partners when my entire life I’ve been overweight and socially awkward? These fears and others are harbored by many and can lead to the self-sabotage of your fat loss efforts before you even get started.

2. Rigidity. You know it all and you refuse to try anything different. So you pound away on the treadmill and continue to eat prepackaged frozen meals that have the words “Lean” or “Healthy” emblazoned across the box. And you stubbornly stick to your regimen, even though your weight loss has been minimal.  As I’ve said before, getting pissed that you must change your habits to lose fat is like getting pissed that the sky is blue when your favorite color is red.  Some things simply are.  And if what your are currently doing to lose weight isn’t working, then you must try something new.

3. Denial. My jeans must have shrunk in the washer and dryer. The humidity must be why I’m breathing so hard while walking up these stairs. My blood pressure was high at my check up yesterday because I was nervous about the presentation I had to give at work that afternoon. We tell ourselves all kinds of stories to duck the fact that we have allowed ourselves to get fat and out of shape. Denying our responsibility for our current poor state of health and fitness robs us of the power to make positive change.

4. Absurdity. There is no magic potion, powder, or pill that is going to help you lose weight. No infomercial contraption is going to give you six pack abs. Yet we continue to hold out for the silver bullet that will allow us to circumvent the hard work and discipline that we know is the only true path to fat loss.

5. Acceptance. Somewhere along the line – after counting calories, tallying points, slurping shakes, and enduring the latest dance craze fitness class – you give up. You take false solace in the fact that you tried. And you really did try, but your lack of corresponding results has left you frustrated and defeated. So you accept your spare tire, open another bag of potato chips, and leave the diet and exercise to those “other people”.  Effort is only part of the equation. Your efforts must be focused on actions that bring results. And sometimes it takes a while to find the path that works for you. Never give up.

6. Idleness. I’ll start my new exercise program next Monday. I’ll stop eating bread as soon as this loaf is finished. But Monday turns into Tuesday, the last loaf of bread turns into the last box of pasta, and once again you are paralyzed with inaction. There is power in taking immediate action. Do a set of squats as you read this article. Give the loaf of bread to a neighbor. Do something, nearly anything, and do it now.

7. Entitlement. Damn it, I deserve it! I deserve that chocolate cake. I deserve to sit on the couch and watch rerun sitcoms all weekend. And I also deserve to have the body of an underwear model at the same time. Sure, there are those freaks who hit the genetic lottery and can eat what they want, barely exercise, and still look amazing in a swim suit. But if you’re reading this article, I’m guessing that you’re not one of them. I’m definitely not one of them. For most of us, losing fat is only going to come from the direct result of our consistent efforts.

As I’ve said over and over again, losing fat is simple: eat real food in appropriate quantity, train outside of your comfort zone, and allow for adequate rest and recovery. That’s really all there is too it. But simple becomes complicated when you succumb to the 7 Deadly Sins Of Fat Loss.

How have you sabotaged your fat loss efforts in the past? What are you doing now to ensure success? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Stay strong,

Vic

___________________________

Struggling to lose that last bit of fat?  You know, those final 5 – 10 pounds that would help you finally show off those “abs” and take your physique to the next level.  If so, the Final Five Formula is for you.  This program is specifically designed to help you lose the final 5 – 10 pounds in 28 days or less.  For more information click here.

The post 7 Deadly Sins Of Fat Loss appeared first on Vic Magary.

I have an amazing and inspiring transformation story for you today!

In this episode, Lisa and I talk about:

• The moment where she made a firm decision to get in shape and stay in shape.
• What she did to lose 75 pounds in 9 months at the age of 49 with no prior history of exercising.
• Lisa’s tips for women over 50 who are just getting started with fitness and weight loss.
• And much more…

Links mentioned in this episode:

LivingHealthyLisa.com

Lisa on Shape.com

Lisa in Full Swing Magazine for triathletes over 50

Final Five Formula

Many thanks for listening to this episode.  Please head over to iTunes to subscribe and/or give the show a review.  You can do so at the link below:

Get Fit With Vic Podcast on iTunes

Thanks again for listening.  Share your thoughts and experiences on creating healthy habits, Olympic weightlifting, and intermittent fasting below in the comments below.

Stay strong,

Vic

The post GFWV 013: How Lisa Lost 75 Lbs And Fitness Tips For Women Over 50 appeared first on Vic Magary.

Fitness is simple!  In case you haven’t noticed, that is the tagline of this blog (go ahead, check out the upper left corner of the header).  Too often we get bogged down in set and rep schemes, macro nutrient counts, and optimal work-to-rest ratios.  Geeking out on those finer details are fine if you really want to take your fitness to an elite level of performance.  But for most people, getting lost in the variables can lead to paralysis by analysis and a whole lot of inaction.  So let’s keep things simple… below are 17 ways to simple fitness and fat loss:

1.  Cancel your gym membership.  I talked about this in my recent podcast episode.  Exercising at home eliminates the travel time to and from the gym, avoids the crowds, and you’ll never see that one old dude in the locker room who refuses to wear a towel to the shower again. Oh, and you’ll save a few dollars each month on gym membership fees.

2. Rotate a few simple meals.  I pretty much eat the same thing day after day.  Coffee for breakfast, a green smoothie for lunch, and beef and broccoli for dinner (sometimes with white rice, sometimes not).  That’s 80% of my meal plan these days.  It keeps things simple and consistent.

3. Buy precut vegetables.  As I mentioned above, I eat broccoli almost daily.  But I hate chopping up a head of broccoli.  I’ve found that the extra money spent on the precut broccoli is worth it because it greatly increases the likelihood that this lazy bachelor will actually eat the damned broccoli.

4. Stop counting calories.  Seriously, just stop.

5. Play. Release the concept of “working out” and move in a manner that is fun. Go climb a tree or something.

6. Eat less. Eating less means less food. And less food means less time shopping and prepping meals. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating starving yourself. But experimenting with intermittent fasting can not only improve fat loss, but simplify the process of eating.

7. Throw out your scale.  Especially if you have mental and/or emotional attachment to that number on the scale, stop weighing your self.  The way your clothes fit is a much better indicator of if you are on the right track.

8. Forget meal timing.  If you’re hungry, eat. If you’re not hungry, don’t eat.

9. Quit your goals. Yep, I said quit your weight loss goals. How’s that for radical? Freeing yourself from goals (like my friend Josh Millburn from The Minimalists) can keep you in the moment and help you enjoy the process. If you are eating real food and training in a manner that is continually challenging, your body will go where Mother Nature intended regardless of the number on the scale or the circumference of your waist.

10. Push, pull, legs.  I’ll let you in on a little secret… ”push, pull, legs” is the foundation of all of my training programming whether for myself or my clients. A simple resistance training program of push ups, pull ups, and body weight squats can take you far.

11. Get rid of most of your kitchen gadgets.  Toasters?  Rice cookers?  Bread makers?  Freakin’ ice cream makers?… get rid of that crap.  Most kitchen gadgets are either making foods that are not helping you lose weight or are duplicative (I use a basic sauce pot with a lid for when I make rice).

12. Consider the Paleo diet. One of the things I love most about the Paleo diet is that it is so damned simple. Eat lots of vegetables, some meat, and small amounts of fruit, nuts, and seeds. And that’s it. With such limited parameters, diet becomes very simple.

13. Quit comparing yourself to others. I get it, you want to look like Gerard Butler in 300. But unless you are Gerard Butler, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. What you can do is maximize your personal genetic expression – make the best physical version of yourself through eating real food, engaging in challenging movement, and allowing for recovery. Quit comparing yourself to glossy fitness magazine cover models and movie heroes.

14. Sprint. Does it get any simpler that sprinting? Assuming you are able from an injury standpoint, sprinting is one of the best forms of exercise you can do for fitness and fat loss. Run as fast as you can until you can’t run anymore.  Rest.  Repeat.  Simple.

15.  Just pick up the damned barbell.  Quit thinking so much about it.  Whether you do 6 reps or 8 reps or whether you do 3 sets or 5  sets is insignificant when compared to whether or not you actually grab the damned bar and pick it up.

16.  Stop reading so many fitness blogs.  That goes for magazines too.  Select one or two that resonate with you, and stop reading the rest.

17.  Smile.  Maybe it sounds cheesy, but one of the best things you can do for your health and fitness it to make the choice to be happy.  We all end up knee-deep in the crap sometimes, but we also have a plethora of things to be thankful for… where we place our attention is up to us and will have a direct reflection on our health.

So there you go!  17 ways to simple fitness and fat loss… what simple fitness and fat loss tips or tactics do you have?  Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Stay strong,

Vic

__________________________

If you liked this post, be sure to check out my 40 Days Fit program.  This is a complete step-by-step 40 day program to help you lose fat, get strong, and build muscle.  In fact it is the exact diet and training program that I personally used to lose 26 pounds in just 40 days.  And it comes with a no questions asked 60 day money back guarantee,  Check it out today by clicking here!

The post 17 Ways To Simple Fitness And Fat Loss appeared first on Vic Magary.