Beachbody's popular workouts on sale! Get them while supplies last!

                                                 
                                                              TurboFire for only $53.00

                           

         
                                                                 P90X for only $99.00

                             


                                                             Power 90 for only $44.90                                           
   
                             
               
                                                     10-Minutes trainer for only $59.90

                         

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Jack3d Micro Ingredients

So after one week of beta testing this product, the ingredients list has been released as part of the USPLabs Inner Circle which was unusual since USPLabs always wait for beta testing to end first before the IC release. Anyway personally I'm loving the product so far, the energy is smooth, the pumps are huge and the performance is amazing, something else I noticed is that it didn't affect my sleep, which is a big plus!

Also Body Beast been kicking my ass! If you are looking to build some serious muscle I suggest you give it a try! You will not be disappointed!

So here is the ingredients list of Jack3d Micro:


L-Citrulline


This particular compound is an amino acid that has been shown to potentially improve exercise performance and reduce fatigue (1,2).
In addition, it serves as a superior way to increase arginine levels in the body, thereby providing a substantial amount of substrate for NO formation through eNOS…
This increase in NO is extremely important because combined with all of the other mechanisms through which the product can increase its formation…
This is important because NO influences glucose uptake, the contractile function of skeletal muscle, blood flow to your muscle and last but certainly not least, it influences muscle repair through satellite cell activation and the release of myotrophic factors!



Agmatine Sulfate

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know Agmatine is the “hot, hot, hot” ingredient these days!
With that said, it’s VERY expensive and tough to source quality material…
You’ll see a lot of “sprinkling” of agmatine in products in the near future. That’s certainly not the case with Test Powder and it’s not the case with Jack3d Micro either…
“Micro” contains a precise amount in conjunction with the rest of the formulation for gym domination!

Arginine Nitrate

This particular compound utilizes two major pathways to generate nitric oxide (NO):
The classic arginine, which works through the classical l-arginine-NO-synthase pathway. This has shown to be a decent method to elevate NO and give you better gains in the gym and greater pumps.
This particular compound also yields the nitrate ion, which works through a recently discovered pathway, called the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway. In essence, nitrate is reduced to nitrite, which is further reduced to NO.
This second pathway is also exciting because it can generate nitric oxide via several routes that are enzymatic and non-enzymatic, making this pathway, in some respects, a more reliable and better overall way to increase NO (4-7)…
Furthermore, this pathway becomes much more important and is favored over the classical pathway in conditions where oxygen levels are much lower and to some extent acidification occurs in a given tissue (e.g., anaerobic exercise such as weight lifting, sprinting, etc., where oxygen availability is lower and lactic acid is generated), allowing for vasodilation to occur and oxygen to be transported in these conditions…
By utilizing both pathways, NO levels can remain elevated regardless of the phase of the phase of activity. This increased NO and vasodilation may at least be partially responsible for a potential improvement of exercise efficiency by reducing the amount of oxygen and energy needed in the form of ATP and phosphocreatine during exercise and muscle contraction…
In short, it may allow more resistance to fatigue and squeeze out a little more during workouts…
Though, this isn’t just hype; in fact, a recently published study found that nitrate can increase force production in fast-twitch skeletal muscle in mice used as an animal model. This is further corroborated by the fact that one study in humans found that nitrate supplementation allowed for a prolonged maintenance of force production (9,16).
It’s also worth noting that this notion of nitrate increasing vasodilation and improving exercise performance isn’t just hypothetical. Several studies have surfaced recently which have demonstrated that nitrate can and does accomplish just that (8-15).
It is also interesting to note that many scientists have begun to suspect that at least some of the positive benefits seen with vegetable consumption are due to the nitrate content (17-22).
Typically, this ingredient would be taken around 90 minutes before a workout. However, as part of the Tri-Pump System, this bad boy picks up where others leave off, so you keep crushin’…

Grape Seed Extract

It’s no secret grape seed extract is considered a potent antioxidant. However, beyond that, it’s not well known that it may help you in the gym as well…
Case in point, this extract may further increase the conversion of nitrite to NO, while also increasing eNOS expression and NO formation, thus helping both NO generating pathways (23,24).
As far as I’m concerned, that’s a nice “addition” to the already-impressive antioxidant factor!

3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid

This particular compound is an antioxidative polyphenol found in a variety of foods (coffee, citrus foods, etc) and has multiple benefits. For one, it may enhance the bioavailability of the norcoclaurine in the formula, allowing for greater efficacy (25). It does this by inhibiting catecholamine o-methyltransferase (COMT), the enzyme that degrades the catecholamines and other related compounds responsible for the stimulant effects seen with stimulant type compounds. This can translate not only to a greater stimulant effect, but a longer lasting effect as well...
Secondly, it has also been shown to increase eNOS activity while also enhancing the formation of NO from nitrite by acting as a reducing agent (26,27).
Thus, it can increase NO formation through the two main mechanisms through which NO is formed!
If this weren’t enough, it also has a CNS stimulant effect on its own (36,37). Yet, when combined with caffeine, it may actually increase the stimulant effects of caffeine as well!

Norcoclaurine

The compound is found in a variety of plants, including Nandina domestica, Aconitum carmichaeli, Asarum heterotropoides, and Nelumbo nucifera.
It’s known to be a beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist (28).
However, unlike most beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists, this compound does not cause vasoconstriction nor is it thought to increase blood pressure (38-40)…
In fact, the compound acts as a vasodilator (41), so instead of hampering your pumps, it can actually enhance them.
Essentially, you can have your cake and eat it too!
Caffeine

Beyond it’s well known energy boost, caffeine is thought to potentially increase force production by each motor unit in muscle, enhancing contractile force of muscle, while reducing perceived exertion (29,30).
Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)

Everyone knows about Vitamin C and its general role as an antioxidant, but it also has other roles as well…
Vitamin C is known to play a role in maintaining NO bioactivity/bioavailability and is the reason why it is known to improve the effects of NO, whether the NO is derived from arginine or the reduction of nitrite (31-33).
Studies suggest that vitamin C can impact both major NO-generating pathways; of particular interest is that it (as a reducing agent) can also increase the amount of NO produced from nitrite while also enhancing the level of vasodilation; yet, it also plays a role in the function of eNOS by acting to recycle tetrahydrobiopterin, a cofactor for eNOS (34,35).

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Ramadan and working out!

I got a lot of questions last year (and still continue to) from people fasting Ramadan on how to adjust their workout and nutrition during this holy Islamic month.

Unfortunately I wasn't introduced to fasted training back at the time, the good news this year is that my XFT30 protocol is baised on fasting and with some little adjustments it can be fully customized to work with Ramadan.

As I explained on my other post, fasted training has great benefits and can definitely boost your fitness goals especially if you are trying to lose weight. So if you are already doing a program like p90x, Insanity or TurboFire, I can help customize it for you to work with your Ramadan schedule, all you have do is send me an email at simo_at_coachsimo_com

Looking forward to hearing from you!

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USPLabs Test powder ingredients!

Ingredient Breakdown:

Trimethylglycine:

This particular compound has been shown in several studies to possess exercise performance-enhancing effects1-4. For example, one study utilizing 12 young male subjects found that trimethylglycine was able to increase force production and muscular endurance after 2 weeks of supplementation. In addition, area under the curve (AUC) levels for the anabolic hormones, Growth Hormone (GH) and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) were also increased from the 2 weeks of supplementation4. Furthermore, the area under the curve values for the catabolic hormone, cortisol, were decreased after supplementation with trimethylglycine in these subjects.

In short, there are data demonstrating that this compound can improve exercise performance and in at least one study, was shown to alter anabolic and catabolic hormones in a fashion that is conducive of muscle growth.

Aframomum Melegueta Extract:

This particular plant extract has been traditionally used in western portions of Africa in order to support male function, as well as an aphrodisiac. Yet, only recently has various pharmacological investigations provided scientific evidence to support such a use. The first study in 2002, found that male rats given the plant extract displayed increased sexual arousal and activity5.

More recently, in 2011, a study found that using an in vitro yeast cell-based bioassay, the extract from this plant possessed strong anti-estrogenic properties6.

Finally and most recently, in 2012, a paper was published where the extract was again administered to rats and testosterone and body weight were recorded. It was shown that the extract increased body weight gain greater than that seen in the control group, while also increasing testosterone levels in serum by more than 300% compared to the control group7.

Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Peel Extract:

This particular extract features a very difficult to isolate compound, called gamma-mangostin. This compound has been show in vitro to possess strong aromatase inhibiting effects8.

If the compound is able to do this in the body, it could decrease estrogen levels, which in turn can increase Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and testosterone production.

D-Aspartic Acid (3120 mg):

In a study consisting of 23 men being given 3.12 grams per day (20 men were given placebo) over a 12 day period, it was found that 87% of those taking the D-aspartic acid experienced an increase of LH and testosterone; the average increase in LH and testosterone was 33.3% and 42%, respectively, compared to baseline9.

Prior studies in rats have also shown that d-aspartic acid can increase LH and testosterone levels.

In addition, it has also been shown to increase GH levels in rats as well10. There is even some evidence that it may increase nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and thus increase NO production11.

Agmatine Sulfate (1000 mg):

This particular compound has been shown in animals to potentially increase LH-RH and LH which in turn, could hypothetically increase testosterone levels12. In addition, it has also shown an ability to increase NOS activity in vitro and thus again, could hypothetically result in an increase in NO production13.

Quality Agmatine Sulfate is very expensive and difficult to source...

Test Powder contains 1000 mg of Agmatine Sulfate per serving, more than any other product on the market that we are aware of.

Mucuna Pruriens Extract:

Mucuna pruriens seed powder was administered to infertile but otherwise healthy men for a period of 3 months. It was shown that compared to baseline, the men taking the mucuna pruriens experienced a statistically significant increase in serum testosterone while also experiencing a concurrent decrease in prolactin14.

L-Carnitine Tartrate:

This particular compound has been shown to increase the expression of the androgen receptor (AR) in skeletal muscle15...

The more androgen receptors you have, the more testosterone that can bind to them on your muscle cells and that could potentially result in greater androgenic effects, especially as it relates to muscle gains and strength...

What’s the point of having all that extra testosterone floating around if you don’t have the androgen receptors around for it to dock to?

Think of it is this way. The androgen receptors are like the locks to a thousand mansions filled with whatever your heart desires. But, you still need the keys (testosterone) to get in. Without the lock (AR) and the key (testosterone), you’re not getting anywhere...

Directions for use: As a dietary supplement, mix two level scoops (10 grams) with 8-10 ounces of water and drink once per day with morning meal, 6 days per week. If you forget to take it with a morning meal, you can take it with any other meal of the day as the product is CNS stimulant free. For best results, use in conjunction with proper nutrition & training program. Use for a maximum of 4 weeks followed by a 4 week break.

Sign me up as your FREE coach to be the first to know when Test powder hits the market.

Also, are you looking for a great mass building workout program? Check out Body Beast by Sagi Kalev

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Beachbody Body beast!

Hey guys!
The long awaited workout program is finaly here! So many people have asked why beachbody didn't make a workout program that's specifically designed to build muscle, well now they do, and it looks like it's going to be a massive workout. 

Body beast promises to help you gain up to 10 pounds of muscle in 90 days, Created by world-class trainer and former "Mr. Israel," Sagi Kalev, a bodybuilder since the age of 16, relied upon his years of personal trial and error, as well as his degree in physical education and nutrition to develop the Body Beast program that will help you get results beyond what you've ever imagined possible. 

This proven growth-inducing program includes 12 extreme workout DVDs, plus valuable fitness tools to help you get healthy, increase your confidence, lose fat, and give you the physique of a bodybuilding champion. 

What makes Body beast a promising mass gaining program: 

Dynamic Set Training™

Beachbody took the best of old-school bodybuilding and combined it with cutting-edge sports science to develop Dynamic Set Training™ that will fatigue your muscles more than you ever thought possible with Single Sets, Super Set, Giant Sets, Progressive Sets, Drop Sets, Tempo Sets, and more. In return, your muscles reward you by getting huge.

An Intense Training Schedule 

So that you can follow the program that fits your needs, beachbody carved out two different training schedules. If you only care about getting big, follow the Huge Beast schedule. If you have fat to lose, follow the Lean Beast schedule. This schedule incorporates more cardio workouts so you can shed the fat covering your growing muscles. Just know that both 12-week schedules are hard, so don't feel like you're taking the easy way out if you go through "Lean Beast" first.

Eating Like a Beast

If you really want to see results, you need to eat right. Within the Book of Beast, body beast walk you through a nutrition plan that combines healthy meals with key supplements so you can build big, strong muscles.

Now the equipement!

With Body Beast you will need dumbbells, an EZ Curl Bar with weight plates, a bench (or stability ball) and a Chin-up Bar (or resistance bands with door attachment).

For dumbbells I recommend bowflex either 552 or 1090, depending on your actual fitness level, I have to admit that they are pretty expensive but think of it as a one time investment that would save you a lot of money in the long term and help you get to your goals. Bowflex put them on sale occasionally for half price plus free shipping, I got mine last year for about $250, great dumbbells and great investment, otherwise if your budget doesn't allow you, you can always look on Craiglist for used ones, same thing goes for EZ curl bar and weight plates, look on craiglist and you can save a lot of money, speaking of, I just bought today 300lbs of olympic cast iron weight with an iron bar and EZ Curl bar for only $160!

As for the bench, I got mine from kmart for $49, it's a really a sturdy bench with multiple positions and a 400lbs weight capacity. More info here

Pull up bar or bands? personally I suggest the pull up bar to get maximum result, unless your doors don't allow the use of a pull up bar. You can get either one from Amazong for about $20 

The supplement and diet! Body beast comes with a complete diet guide to help you with your diet, along with that Beachbody created a line of supplement to go with the program:

Hardcore Base Shake An exclusive blend of high-quality proteins, this base shake was formulated to help maximize new muscle growth and reduce muscle breakdown—at the same time, quickly and naturally.

Beachbody Fuel Shot: Kick-start your recovery after even the most punishing workout. Fuel Shot delivers performance-enhancing nutrients into muscle fiber, so you can blow past fatigue and recover faster.

Beachbody M.A.X. Muscle Acceleration Xtreme Creatine: Get a healthy dose of power and growth with high-grade pure creatine monohydrate. No fillers, preservatives, or untested ingredients—just the boost you need to add a few extra reps, speed your recovery, and fuel muscle growth.

Super Suma: Amp up your body's own ability to produce testosterone and build muscle strength, size, and endurance. Made from Suma Root, Super Suma is the safe, natural way to help aid protein synthesis to repair spent muscles faster.* You can either get them individually by clicking on each link or combined with body beast for a discounted price.

Personally I will be doing body beast as part of a new XFT program where i will be using my own supplements and diet So if you have done my existing XFT program for cutting, or trained fasted before and loved it and want to maximize your body beast workout result, feel free to send me an email at simo_at_coachsimo_dot_com and i will email you back with more details on how to join in!

Are you ready to take the challenge and pack on some serious mass? Order your DVD package here for $89.85.

Exclusive offer: If you order through me now, you will get the bonus Lucky 7 DVD, a full-body workout to accelerate your results. A $19.95 value for FREE. 

Also make sure to make your coach so I can help you through the program or any fitness/nutrition questions you may have.

Beast up!

Coach Simo.

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USPLabs Test Powder review

                                         

Cycle:
3 weeks bulk / 1 week cut

Bulk daily calories:
About 5000

Bulk macros:
50% Carbs / 30% Protein / 20% Fat

Cut daily calories:
About 2000

Cut macros:
50% Protein / 30% Carbs / 20% Fat 

Training style:
FTP - 3 days resistance and 2 days HIIT

Training changes:
Added more weight, broke PRs and dramatically improved my power/HIIT training.

Bodyweight changes:
Gained about 4 pounds of muscle. 

Bodyfat changes:
No noticeable Fat gain.

Libido/Sexual desire:
Went crazy and keeps going crazy,

Strength:
Dramatically increased.

Focus/Euphoria:
Great focus, great well-being feeling.

Pumps:
No noticeable changes.

Size:
Definitely got bigger.

Vascularity:
No noticeable changes.

Energy:
Stacked with jack3d and OEP and trained fasted, my energy was already at the top.

Sleep Quality:
Great, I've been sleeping 9 to 10 hours.

What I can say about Test Powder?

AMAZING experience! This stuff made me the most dominant ever, in and out of the gym, my strength and endurance have increased and found my self breaking PRs day after day, this stuff will bring out the alpha male in you and you will think that the only place you belong to is the GYM, because the iron is the only thing that wont complain, I found myself being a bit too aggressive often, but I quickly learned how to deal with it, my advice is try to avoid being around sensitive people as much as possible while on this stuff!

I used Test Powder for 3 weeks while on a lean bulk and trained fasted and it was perfect, great appetite increase, the trick is not to take it as pre-workout otherwise you might get stomach issues and find yourself running often to the bathroom, instead, take your largest post-workout meal and sip on it while you enjoy the new 'alpha' you!

The last week I started my cut cycle and stacked it with OEP, I did a 2000 calories a day, and my strength kept increasing regardless, the only problem is that it was a bit too hard to control my appetite, test powder definitely made me eat like a monster! Also make sure to get a gf or whatever, because this stuff will make your libido/sex drive go through the roof unless you want to do some extra forearms workouts all alone later in the night lol

This is going to be a must in my stack for the next forever years, I encourage anyone to give it a try but you have been warned, this stuff is monstrous!

Again! Thanks USPLabs for the great opportunity!

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Test powder by USPLabs!

Hey guys I just wanted to make a quick post to let you know that I'm currentely running another product beta test for USPLabs, and it's been going GREAT, as usual we don't know what's the product yet but from the effect I've been experiencing it seems to be a test booster! feel free to follow my daily logs live at USPLabs forum

Until another update, please keep up the good work!
Also if you have any specific questions about this beta, please email me at simo at coachsimo dot com!

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Introducing XFT30!

What's XFT30?

Xtreme Fasted Training 30, is a 30 days training protocol that I have personally designed and used along with two of my close friends in the past few months and we had absolutely stunning results.

This unique protocol combines the latest leading edge, science backed, nutrition, supplementation and training standards, powered by Insanity the Asylum, one of the best sport performance high intensity interval training programs ever created, and Shakeology packing over 70 healthy ingredients to help you get the best out of your weight loss while preserving your muscle and increasing your strength.


Why fasted training?

Fasted training has been scientifically proven to burn more fat and provide better energy, numerous great athletes have adopted the principles of fasted training, even different religions have mandated fasting a few days a year due to both its physical and mental benefits.

When training fasted, your body uses its own natural process to maximize performance by utilizing stored Triglycerides as a source of energy, Glucose obtained from Carbs is simply a secondary mechanism for energy provision, which in other words means that when training fasted, you are directly making your body use the stored fat to provide energy and thus maximizing your fat loss.

On the other hand, the oxidative phosphorylation of Fatty Acids has more energy per gram than the oxidative phosphorylation of Glucose, providing higher energy, this is due to the fact that Carbohydrates have four calories per gram, while fats have NINE calories per gram.

While it sounds very simple to understand, there have been several myths circulating around discouraging fasted training, the most common myth is that fasted training puts your body into "starvation mode"! This is not true, as Martin Berkhan said; this myth is completely ridiculous and absurd that it makes you want to jump out of the window. Different studies have proved that the earliest evidence for lowered metabolic rate in response to fasting occurred only after 60 hours (-8% in resting metabolic rate). Other studies show metabolic rate is not impacted until 72-96 hours have passed, on the contrary some studies have shown an increase of 3.6% - 10% in metabolic rate after 36-48 hours.

Another popular myth is that fasting causes muscle loss, this myth is due to the fact that the body takes Amino Acids from muscle and convert them into Glucose when Amino Acids are not available from food, but again Protein Catabolism only happens in prolonged fasting, 14-16 hours of fasting will not make you lose muscle, not to consider the fact that if you are eating a rich and slow digesting Protein meal before fasting, Aminos will be still releasing for the hours of fast.

Even in one extreme Ramadan study on rugby players, where subjects trained dehydrated and without pre/post workout protein intake, and lower Protein intake overall, lean tissue was conserved while fat was lost.

Also some people believe that eating frequently boost the metabolism, while it's true that each time you eat the meatbolic rate increases for a few hours, the truth is that the thermic effect of food (TEF) is proportional to the calories consumed in each meal, and thus increasing meal frequency while decreasing calories will only have the same TEF as decreasing meal frequency while increasing calories for each meal, at the same time smaller meals will not help you control hunger, a latest research showed the opposite result, and even personally, I have always experienced better appetite control when decreasing meal frequency.

To sum it up, fasted training is more beneficial because:

1- It accelerates fat loss
2- It provides better energy
3- It promotes lean muscle gains
4- You will NOT lose muscle while training fasted
5- You will NOT put your body into starvation mode

Now let's talk a little bit about the workout program!

What's Insanity the Asylum?

The Asylum is one of the best sport performence workouts ever created, that's based on HIIT (High intensity Interval training)

The Asylum will get you stronger, faster and more agile while burning calories like crazy through it's 6 internse workouts:

Speed & Agility: Get quick on your feet—fast, with this intense cardio workout. (45 minutes)

Vertical Plyo: Jump higher than ever with this lower-body training routine. (40 minutes)

Relief: Stretch out to build long, lean muscle and increase your flexibility. (25 minutes)

Strength: Increase your strength and power by cross-training with weights and resistance. (50 minutes)

Back to Core: Build the rock-solid core, glutes, and hamstrings for the explosive power you'll need to play and dominate at an elite level. (45 minutes)

Game Day: Put your new sports skills to the test with this cross-training workout. (60 minutes)

HIIT is the best when it comes to fat loss, because your body burns more calories than traditional cardio, not only that, recent studies showed that HIIT makes you burn more calories even after you are done working out.

In Insanity the Asylum, HIIT workouts are about 45 minutes long, unlike traditional HIIT, each Asylum exercise is about one minute long including active recovery time, the difference is the intensity level. Insanity the Asylum uses your own body weight to provide the resistance for more calories burning and muscle definition.

On top of that, HIIT strengthens your heart by improving your cardiovascular system and lowering blood pressure, HIIT also works fast twitch muscles for increased speed and will save you time because like I said, you are going to be burning calories like crazy, speaking of, I usually burn 1200 calories on average while doing the Asylum, something I had never achieved with traditional Cardio before.

Also, you will get everything you need to start working out:

Agility Ladder: Build strength and agility by using this portable ladder to sharpen your focus and your form.

Speed Rope: Improve your foot speed and endurance with this ultimate training secret.

ASYLUM Workout Calendar: Check it each day to cross-train like a professional athlete.

Guide Playbook: Map out your 30-day transformation with this smart step-by-step guide.

Get Shredded Nutritional Plan: Follow meals and tips used by Shaun T and you'll be ready for game day—every day.

And also 2 FREE bonus workouts:

Sports Performance Assessment: Discover the improvements you've made in your fitness and skills with this performance measurement tool. (25 minutes)

Overtime: Add this 15-minute monster to any Asylum workout to see if you've still got game.

Do you think you get the idea? watch this video

Nutrition:

I will keep this part short because nutrition ratios really depend on each individual's goal, this program is designed for people trying to lose weight, so it technically consists of a high Protein and low Carbs/Fat ratio, and for that exact reason, I can't make one ratio work for each person therefore I will have to work with you personally to ensure you get the best out of this program, and YES it's totally free.


Supplements:

This is another important part of this program, supplements!

The thing here is, sometimes we just can't get all the nutrients from food, it's just almost impossible, and some nutrients will have you travel the world, especially when you are doing doing an extreme program such as XFT30 and that's why I have included Shakeology as part of this program.

What's Shakeology and why?

Shakeology is a is a delicious, daily nutritional shake that gently helps your body eliminate toxins while improving essential vitamin and nutrient absorption. Drinking a daily Shakeology shake has been shown to lower cholesterol, improve digestion and regularity, boost energy levels, and dramatically increase weight loss.

An independent, 90 day study was recently conducted where participants replaced one meal a day with Shakeology and began a moderate daily exercise regimen. The doctor who ran the scientific study observed the following about the participants:

Total cholesterol levels dropped by an average of 30%, while bad cholesterol
levels were lowered by 38%.
They reduced oxidative stress by 90%, a major risk factor when it comes to
degenerative diseases.
Cardiovascular risk factors were reduced by an average of 24%.

Shakeology Ingredients:

Shakeology contains a proprietary blend of digestive enzymes and prebiotics that help your body eliminate built-up toxins caused by eating today’s highly processed foods. It’s also packed with super nutritious, whole food ingredients that deliver the essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that your body needs to curb cravings, accelerating your body’s ability to shed stored fat.

If that wasn’t enough, Shakeology also includes more than 20 different antioxidants
and phytonutrients which help reduce free radical damage that leads to heart disease, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes.

Learn more about Shakeology




Another supplement I highly recommend with XFT30 is jack3d

I've been using jack3d for over a year now and I'm in love with this product, jack3d is a unique and powerful pre-workout supplement stimulant-based that will boost your energy, jack3d proprietary blend contains the following ingredients: Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate, Creatine Monohydrate, Beta Alanine (CarnoSyn®), Caffeine, 1,3-Dimethylamylamine HCL, Schisandra Chinensis (Berry) Extract (Standardized For Schizandrol A)

Lately there have been some talk about the safety of DMAA (1,3-Dimethylamylamine), USPLabs the creators of jack3d have just announced the latest clinical safety study on jack3d

Click here for more info.

You can also visit http://dmaaresearch.com for more info about DMAA and it's safety

You can get jack3d online for about $22.

If you still want to go with another product not containing DMAA i would suggest BeachBody E&E

Now I will have to go back and add that another benefit of fasted training is the efficiency of pre-workout products containing stimulants. While fasting our body responds better to stimulant, therefore you will get the best of your workout!

Another important supplement I recommend including is BCAA

BCAA are Branched Chains Amino Acids, BCAA supplements can be used either as pre or intra workout to maximize your workout performance and boost your recovery time. BCAA also prevent muscle loss, Like I have previously stated, you will not lose muscle while training fasted, but it's also good to have some BCAA to sip on and promotes anabolism and maintain performance.

I would recommend USPLabs Modern BCAA

you can get it online for about $22

Other recommended supplements:

Whey protein: XFT30 is based on a high protein diet, which mean that you will need more protein throughout the day, whey is fast absorbing and very important to add to your meals, especially shakeology!

Pink Magic (men only) natural/herbal testosterone booster and anti-catabolism that help increase strength and recovery

UPDATE:  I now recommend Test Powder instead of Pink Magic, which is also a natural testosterone booster, check out my review here.

Compound 20 (men and women) natural/herbal revolutianery leaning andd hardening cocktail, read more here

Anabolic pump (men and women - highly recommended) premium body recomposition agent aimed at steering food nutrients into muscle cells and away from fat cells. Anabolic-Pump works by increasing your insulin sensitivity, allowing your body to better utilize proteins and metabolize carbohydrates into energy as well as replenish muscle glycogen levels. In other words, Anabolic Pump shuttles nutrients away from fat cells and straight into muscle cells, promoting lean muscle growth.

Anabolic pump has also the ability to regulate one of the vanguards of oxidative and glycolytic energy consumption - AMPk. The mere presence AMPk ensures that the liberated fatty acids and triglycerides will be oxidized as it plays a primary role in not only lipolysis, but the inhibition of lipid, triglyceride, and cholesterol synthesis.

Having Anabolic Pump before your fasted training will definitely help boost your result.

An example of XFT30

Wake up after being on a 14 hours fast which includs 8 hours of sleep.

Half hour later
I take one Anabolic pump, and 2 scoops of jack3d

Half hour later (15 hours fast)

I start my Insanity the Asylum workout, sipping on 10-15 g of Modern BCAA throughout the workout

One hour later I finish working out

I take my post-workout which consists of Shakeology + half banana + 8 oz of almond milk and 25 gram of protein
2 Compound 20, 1 multi vitamin

One hour later I eat my first meal
Two pink magic, flaxseed oil, joint triple strength (Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM)

3 hours later, I eat my second meal, Anabolic pump (15 minutes prior)
then two pink magic, flaxseed oil, joint triple strength (Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM)

4 hours later I eat my last meal which is high in protein
Two pink magic, 2 compound 20, 1 flaxseed oil

5-6 hours later, I go to bed

Sleep time (8-9 hours)

How to get started:

1- Sign me up as your free beachbody coach if you haven't yet

2- Get your XFT30 challenge pack which consists of Insanity the Asylum and a 30 days supply of Shakeology for only $180! Shipping is free. You also have 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee.

3- Once done, I will contact you within 24 hours.

If you have your own workout program and still decide to follow my protocol, all you have to do is send me an email so I can start working with you, and yes it's free.

Thanks for reading and please keep up the hard work and stay healthy and fit!
Coach Simo



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Consult your physician and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program. All trademarks, products, and service names are the property of their respective owners.

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Fighting Cancer With Fitness

It is commonly accepted that regular exercise and eating healthfully is the recipe for a long and healthy life. Research has also shown that a healthy and active lifestyle can help prevent some cancers. But what if you’ve already been diagnosed with cancer? Is a focus on fitness still relevant for a person who is currently battling this disease?

New guidelines presented at the 2010 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology suggest exercise rehabilitation programs for cancer patients. The average person should aim for 150 minutes per week of aerobic exercise. A panel of 13 expert members of the American College of Sports Medicine suggests that cancer patients should strive for the same exercise goals.

Some cancer patients and survivors do have physical limitations and should talk with their doctor to determine the appropriate amount of physical activity they should engage in. Prior to beginning any exercise program they must take into account their current fitness level and any other factors concerning their illness or treatment that may be of concern. Patients with diseases of the lungs, such as Mesothelioma, may need to take special precautions before beginning any kind of physical activity.

Benefits to physical fitness include:

- Improve strength and flexibility.
- Improve mood and confidence.
- Reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Reduce risk of diabetes.
- Improve energy levels.

A cancer diagnosis can cause stress and depression. Treatments are hard on the body and cause fatigue. Cancer patients tend to stay sedentary even after their treatments are over. Getting back into shape by eating well and being active is the best way to fight fatigue. Building a healthy body will make them feel better emotionally as well as help their body continue to recover.

Most types of low impact exercise are beneficial for anyone looking to increase health and fitness. The three main types of exercise can be modified to almost anyone’s ability.

- Stretching and flexibility exercises. Stretching is beneficial even for those who are unable to participate in a more rigorous workout. It keeps the body flexible and mobile. Yoga is an excellent non-aerobic exercise that can increase strength, balance, flexibility, and posture.

- Aerobic exercises. Walking, jogging, swimming, and biking are the types of workouts that increase heart rate and burn calories.

- Strength training. Resistance exercises such as lifting weights build muscle. Cancer treatments may cause a patient to lose muscle and strength training can help build gain strength and rebuild muscle mass.

The key is to find a fitness routine that is enjoyable. When it is fun it is more likely to be sustained for the long term. Whether you have just been diagnosed, are currently undergoing treatments or in remission, fighting cancer is easier with a strong and healthy body.

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This great article was written and shared with me by David Haas who can be reached by following this link

Thanks David for making a difference in people's lives!

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My bulking journey!

It all started back in September when I was chosen by USPLabs for the compound 20 beta test, at that time I couldn't picture myself trying to bulk, which is very normal for someone who went down from 223 pounds and 24% bf to 160 pounds and 6% bf a year ago, I was afraid to gain fat if I bulk, then compound 20 came and gave me the confidence I needed.

A month later, with regular exercise, a 100% clean diet I gained 10 pounds of pure muscle and loved it, then decided to continue my bulking journey.

Today as I'm writing this, I'm 193 pounds (6'2) which means that I have gained about 35 pounds of muscle (with very little fat) since September, sadly I have to admit that I wouldn't have gained all that in such short time if I didn't take steroids ... Yeah right? Seriously that's what some people would've thought! But guess what? It was all hard work, 100% healthy diet and natural supplements!

So yeah the key was eating like a monster, because if you want to look like a 195, you really need to eat like a 195, that's rule number one.

My daily caloric intake was between 4000 and 5000 with a ratio of about 50 carbs/30 protein/20 fat, and when I say a clean diet that means I cooked and ate at home ALL the time, with the exception of maybe twice when my sister forced me to go out to eat, and I still made healthy choices, to have an idea about what I ate please visit my compound 20 beta test log

Supplements I took:

Anabolic pump: I wrote a small review about AP which you can find here
jack3d: this is by far the best pre-workout supplement.
yok3d: One cycle (great pumps that last the whole day, also helps with the recovery)
Powerfull: natural HGH booster that also works as a great pre-workout supplement for mind-to-muscle connection
Dymatize elite whey protein: One of the best isolate whey proteins, very low in cholesterol, no sucralose or other toxic sweetners and great taste, it also mixes easy, I get mine (10 pounds for $72 at allstarshealth.com) can't beat that!
Flaxseed oil: I've always been taking omega 3 which has amazing benefits that needs another post by itself
Multi-vitamins: A must! we can't get all the vitamins and minerals from food!
Joint support formula: this helps a lot especially if you are doing crazy HIIT workouts like insanity the asylum.

Workout: I started off doing a hybrid of insanity the asylum and the p90x one on one series then on October I started designing my own workout program which I completed on November and been doing since, you are probably asking why not stick to p90x and asylum? Well I simply needed new routines that fit my new goals, also it's always fun to challenge your body with new workouts to keep the progress going on

My current workout program is the following:

Monday: Chest, Biceps and Triceps / Abs
Tuesday: Full body HIIT (Combining speed, agility and power)
Tuesday: Legs and back / Abs
Wednesday: Full body HIIT (Combining speed, agility and power)
Friday: Shoulders and forearms / Abs
Saturday: pump day! just a little bit of everything to get that saturday look/feel good pump :)
Sunday: Off

New measurements

Height: 6'2
Weight: 195
Body fat: about 6%
Biceps: 15.70 inch
chest: 43.50 inch
Waist: 32 inch

Some side effects: The first side effect was my wallet! although I cooked at home my wallet suffered a little bit as I had to spend more money on food and supplements second side effect was sleep, I would sleep 4 or 5 hours every night and wake up all pumped and energized, this has to do with the high high carbs in my new diet and high calories in general.

At the end I'm very pleased with my bulking cycle, in fact I look less lean than before but at the same time I'm bigger and feel stronger than ever!

Also I did gain a tiny little bit of fat but that didnt bother me as long as Istill see my abs without flexing :) And proved everyone wrong who believes that building muscle fast requires steroids and fancy gym equipement! I did it all at home with a pair of bowflex dumbbells and pullup bar while being all natural!


And that's not it! now it's time to go on a cut, this time I will be doing a fasted
training protocol to preserve my muscle and lower my body fat!

As for the supplements I will be taking during this cycle:
Anabolic pump, Pink magic, Compound 20, yok3d, Jack3d on weight days and Oxyelite pro on HIIT days, modern BCAA as intra, whey as post, and casein protein as pre-bed, and of course multi vitamin, flaxseed oil and joint support formula

Big thanks goes to Casey and everyone else @USPLabs for the free supplements! much appreciated!


I will be posting new pics as soon as finish my cutting cycle! if you have any questions please feel free to email me!

cheers!

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Holiday tips for your diet!

Hey guys, it's been a while since I have posted on my website, I have been pretty busy lately with other personal stuff, but now I'm back!

So It's the holiday season and let's face it, it's hard to not cheat, however you can always minimize the damage by following my HSDR (holiday season damage control) steps, :) alright I just made that up but whatever you get the picture lol

1- I always say quality over quantity, but this time since quality will suck, I would reverse it and say quantity over quality, if you have to, make sure you eat small portions of whatever unhealthy food you will be eating.

2- This should always be a general rule for anyone trying to lose weight, especially during the holiday season; try to stay away from carbs at night, you will be mostly consuming simple carbs (cake, cookies, wine) which gets absorbed and stored as fat quickly if not used.

3- If you are going out to eat, stay away from fast food or anything greasy or fried, instead go for grilled lean meat (chicken, turkey, fish), and no soda of course.

4- Drink plenty of water, your body loves water, also water will keep you feeling full.

5- Alcohol, we all know that alcohol is bad, read my article about alcohol and what it does to your body here, but hey if you have to drink, do it in moderation and make good choices, for example, red wine is less damaging than hard liquors which have no nutritional benefits, while red wine has anti oxidants and some studies showed that it could be good for your heart.

6- Secret weapon: Anbolic pump! take one capsule of this 15 minutes before your cheat meal.

7- the ultimate weapon: Have one Shakeology for breakfast to help boost you energy level throughout the whole day and curve your appetite.

8- I know it will be almost impossible to work out because you are spending time with the family and you will incontestably look like a freak if you start jumping by your Christmas tree, however if you live in a warm area you can always sneak out and go for a 30 minutes run, or lock yourself in the bathroom and do xx push-ups, after all it's better than nothing!

So 2012 is almost here, if you have been committed, then you should be proud of yourself, if you haven't yet then this is a good time to make fitness and getting in good shape one of your 2012 resolutions, I did it in 2011 and it was the best decision I've made so far!

Merry Christmas and happy new year!

--
I might struggle, I might fall, but I will not surrender nor flag!
Coach Simo

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Save A Life, Recognize A Stroke: STR

This is not related to fitness but still I thought I would share it with everyone, please read and share too, you can save someone's life by doing so.

During a party, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. (they offered to call ambulance)

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00pm , Ingrid passed away.)
She had suffered a stroke at the party . Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today.

Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead. It only takes a minute to read this...

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Remember the '3' steps, STR . Read and Learn!
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster.
The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions :

S * Ask the individual to SMILE ..
T * TALK. Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (eg 'It is sunny out today').
R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS .

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call the ambulance and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

NOTE : Another 'sign' of a stroke is
1. Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue.
2. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke.

A prominent cardiologist says if everyone who gets this status shares it; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.
And it could be your own.

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USPLabs Compound 20 revealed!

YES I was right, Compound 20 is an anti-catabolic and anabolic enhancer cocktail :) how? I will just copy and paste what the creators of this AMAZING product had to say about it!

Bigger, Stronger AND Leaner? Ok, Keep Talking...

This receptor is believed to do so by activating the same signaling pathway that powerful anabolic hormones are able to activate – without the sides!

In short, it increases cAMP, which activates Akt signaling, which results in decreased muscle catabolism by decreasing expression of various muscle specific ubiquitin protein ligases (e.g., atrogin-1/MAFbx), which are thought to be responsible for muscle protein degradation...

Furthermore, by working through cAMP and non-cAMP mediated mechanisms, which ultimately results in increased activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling – it can result in new lean muscle tissue...

At least one additional potential mechanism is by modifying levels of polyamines, which are compounds thought to play a role in the muscle hypertrophy seen with androgens and Growth Hormone.

In a nutshell, it can potentially prevent muscle from breaking down, while also increasing muscle size. ..

...Do yourself a favor and re-read those last two sentences and let the awesomeness sink in...

Try Gaining Fat – I Double-Dog Dare You!

If this weren't enough, by also increasing cAMP in fat tissue, Hormone Sensitive Lipase (HSL) is activated, which stimulates lipolysis and can potentially lead to a reduction of fat mass!

Spillover – Avoid At All Costs!

You see, your body not only has Beta-2 receptors, it also has additional closely-related receptors that most compounds in this class, even Clen, have "spillover" towards – meaning they activate the Beta-2 receptor, but also activate others...

...More is better right? Not in this case...

Related receptors are located on places other than muscle & fat – so that's why some potent Beta-2 agonists (like Clen) come with nasty side effects like extreme jitters, cramping and an overall "feel like crap" day in and day out...

...It's not the Beta-2 activation that causes these issues - it's the spillover...

Additionally, due to this spillover, previous Beta-2 activators were never able to be dosed high enough to enjoy the muscle GAIN (comparable to a mild anabolic) they displayed in animal studies, literally "wasting" this awesome opportunity while getting sliced...

Super-Selective Beta-2 Activity

Of course, many have tried to perfect "super-selective" Beta-2 compounds that could yield the "pros" without the "cons"...

Leave it to Mother Nature to create compounds so selective, scientific data shows it almost exclusively activates Beta-2 in vitro...

...And, what's even more shocking is that we've all consumed these compounds hundreds, maybe thousands, of times in our lives...but never at the amount needed to illicit the desired effects...

Today, that all changes...

Compound 20: Revolutionary Leaning & Hardening Compound

...And...Once it's in your hands you'll call it "The Best Of Both Worlds".

A New Category?

Of course, as the results from our beta-testing logs poured in, everyone tried to figure out exactly what Compound 20 was...

...What "category" is it in?

Can't Put This Bad Boy In A Box

Get ready for an entire new category, one that can be used by itself or within your stack, no matter what your goal may be (unless your goal is to get fat and weak!)...Category Awesome

Compound 20 Formula Breakdown

N-Coumaroyldopamine & N-caffeoyldopamine

These particular compounds are found in the cocoa plant (yes chocolate!) and have been shown to have incredibly potent – and selective - beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist properties in vivo...

In fact, their potency in terms of increasing cAMP is greater than that of salbutamol and rivals that of the clenbuterol, often used to, "harden", the physique by increasing muscle and decreasing fat mass (1).

It is believed to do so by activating the same signaling pathway that the powerful anabolic hormones, insulin and IGF-1, are able to activate...

In short, coumaroyldopamine & caffeoyldopamine have demonstrated the ability in vivo to increase cAMP and in turn activate Akt signaling; which may ultimately result in decreased muscle catabolism by decreasing expression of various muscle specific ubiquitin protein ligases (e.g., atrogin-1/MAFbx), which are thought to be responsible for muscle protein degradation.

Furthermore, these incredible compounds may also be able to increase muscle mass by cAMP and non-cAMP mediated mechanism (also involving Akt activation) which ultimately result in increased activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling (2,3).

Yet, another mechanism is by potentially modifying polyamine levels (androgens and GH are thought to potentially increase muscle hypertrophy by doing this), it can create yet another mechanism enabling muscle growth (5).

So, the compounds are able to activate pathways involved in the inhibition of skeletal muscle atrophy, while also being able to activate pathways involved in skeletal muscle hypertrophy. In short, it can potentially prevent muscle from being broken down, while also increasing muscle size.

But wait, just like an infomercial, that's not all...

If this weren't enough, by also increasing cAMP in fat tissue, Hormone Sensitive Lipase (HSL), which stimulates lipolysis, can be activated and lead to a reduction of fat mass.

Symplocos Racemosa Extract (standardized for triterpenoids)

This very specific extract was designed to maximize the levels of compounds which can have an additive or even synergistic effect with coumaroyldopamine & caffeoyldopamine by further enhancing their cAMP-increasing effects. It does this in part by inhibiting the degradation of cAMP...

It also goes without saying that this in turn enhances the anti-catabolic/anabolic and lipolytic effects of the coumaroyldopamine & caffeoyldopamine.

In addition, extraction for specific triterpenoid compounds is also expected to further enhance the potential ability of the formulation to increase muscle mass and decrease fat mass by enhancing skeletal muscle insulin/IGF-1 signaling, as was shown with similar compounds in animal models and in vitro (4).

My Future Unborn Baby Understands How Groundbreaking Compound 20 Truly Is...

Incredible by itself, complete game changer when stacked with thermo's or anabolics...

WARNING: Don't expect to be "stimmed" from Compound 20 (we know Clen is a stimulant BECAUSE of spillover to other receptors, not Beta-2 activation.).

Also, don't be surprised if hunger increases on Compound 20; this is a sure sign of TRUE anabolic activity and should be welcomed with open arms as nutrients consumed – even carbs – can become "flagged" by your body for lean mass while stored fat is burned for energy & metabolic processes – incredible Beta-2 "Best Of Both Worlds" action at its finest.

When's The Last Time You Looked In The Mirror And Said "I'd Like To Lose My Muscle And Gain Some Fat!"

Umm, that would be never and exactly why you need to get on Compound 20 NOW with its wide variety of applications:

Lean Bulk – This is the most obvious as this user is already tailoring his diet, training & supplementation to "gain lean mass & get ripped". It goes without saying that Compound 20 is mandatory in this situation.

Cutting –Anyone who begins cutting would give just about anything to keep their muscle while shredding up. Compound-20 stacked with a thermogenic (we are biased, but OxyElite Pro and Compound 20 is simply unbeatable) can have you leaner, harder and stronger than you've ever imagined on a cut...possibly GAINING while revealing those striations. Imagine being pumped all day on a low carbohydrate diet!

Dirty Bulk – If you indulge in fast food & pizza more than you care to admit, you may want to pay attention...No one wants to gain bad weight, even on a dirty bulk. Taking Compound 20 will not only help with your bulk, but can also keep you in check so you look better during the bulk - so you won't have as far to go to be beach-ready.


P.P.S. Is Compound 20 Simple To Use? You bet, just take 2 capsules with breakfast and another 2 capsules 6-8 hours later with a meal or snack. If possible, time one dose to be with your pre-workout meal or snack within 30-60 minutes of working out. This isn't mandatory, but can maximize results.

Buy Compound 20 on sale for only $45.49

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USPLabs Anabolic pump!

After finishing my Compound 20 cycle and getting great results, I decided to go for another 30 days bulking cycle, this time with Anabolic pump, another usplabs product which seems to perfectly fit my goal.

What's Anabolic pump?

Anabolic pump is a premium body recomposition agent aimed at steering food nutrients into muscle cells and away from fat cells. Anabolic-Pump works by increasing your insulin sensitivity, allowing your body to better utilize proteins and metabolize carbohydrates into energy as well as replenish muscle glycogen levels. In other words, Anabolic Pump shuttles nutrients away from fat cells and straight into muscle cells, promoting lean muscle growth.


Each Anabolic pump capsule comes with a 750mg of Phellodendron and Crape Mertle blend, these two ingredients are classified as herbal SIMS, or Selective Insulin Muscle Sensitizers. Constituents in these herbs work to improve nutrient partitioning and increase protein synthesis in muscles by activating the protein-transporter hormone known as GLUT4. Once activated, GLUT4 signals blood glucose to be pulled into muscle cells, increasing muscle cell size and quickly replenishing muscle glycogen. Additionally, these two herbs may inhibit fat cell proliferation by blocking GLUT4 action in fat cells. This allows Anabolic-Pump to effectively shuttle nutrients into muscles and away from fat cells every meal.

Ather Anabolic-Pump Ingredients:

Gelatin, Cellulose, Magnesium Stearate.


Anabolic-Pump Directions from USPLabs:

As a dietary supplement, for the first 7 days take 1 cap twice daily, 15-20 minutes before carbohydrate containing meals. Each dose should be spaced 6-8 hours apart. After day 7, 1 capsule 3 times daily 15-20 minutes before carbohydrate containing meals, preferably with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Cost:

I got my bottle for $29 + shipping at amazon.com which's not bad for what it's supposed to do.

Effects:

I have been taking Anabolic pump for only one week now, but I can feel it's working, great food pumps and no bloating, and increased strength during my workouts.

I will write another review as soon as I'm done with this cycle, my goal this time is to add in another 15 pounds of muscle and reach 190, my diet will remain pretty much the same as when I was on Coumpound 20 (Check it out here) As for my workouts, I'm doing 4 days resistance and 2 days HIIT.

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Compound 20 final review!

Compound 20 final review:

Starting weight: 165 lbs

Final weight : 175 lbs

Cycle: 30 days

Muscle gained: 10 pounds

Fat gained: 0 oz

Workout program: 3 days resistance and 2 days HIIT

Nutrition: About 50% carbs, 30% protein and 20% fat

Cheat meals: 0

Effects: Increased strength, especially when taken with jack3d and yok3d

Feeling: Food pump/energy, no carb bloating and increased appetite

Dosing: Worked better for me when taken with breakfast (1500-2000 calories) and working out 3 hours later, I tried dosing 1-2 hours before my workout and it wasnt the same.


Other effects: Sleep was weird since ever, I would sleep 4 or 5 hours every night and wake up feeling like i have slept forever and all pumped, i would go back to sleep though and wake up super hungry and excited to eat.


Overall I think compound 20 is a great product for those trying to lean bulk up, I have added 10 pounds of pure muscle in the past 30 days without gaining an ounce of fat (and yes i do use body fat calipers), my strength has increased too and i had the best workouts ever, again thanks USPLabs for giving me this great opportunity, you guys are awesome!

Update: I came to conclusion that the sleep issue has nothing to do with compound 20, but rather with my high calories/carbs diet! Buy Compound 20 on sale for only $45.49

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Moroccan green split peas soup!

Hey friends, I have been pretty busy lately with another project I'm working on (not fitness related) so I haven't been able to make any posts, so today I came back with something yummy, healthy and easy to make! It's green split peas soup or what we call in Moroccan besara :)

This soup is a great source of fiber and protein and will keep you feeling full throughout the whole day without raising your glucose and insulin level.


The ingredients:

16 oz green split peas
1 tbsp ginger powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp black pepper powder
1 small onion chopped
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of salt
a few parsley flakes


The making:

Add all the ingredients together except for green split peas, add about 8 oz of water and stir on medium heat for about 5-8 minutes, then add your green split peas and mix well. Leave for another 5 minutes then add more water (about 24 oz), cover and leave on medium heat for like 30 minutes, keep stirring until the green splits melts, taste and add spices or water if necessary, leave for another 15 minutes or so, and serve hot :)

Nutritional facts (Approximately)

Serving size: 90g
Serving per container: 5
About 250 calories

calories from fat: about 25 (healthy fats from olive oil)
Cholesterol: 0%
Sodium: 1%
Protein: 22g
Carbohydrates: 54g (9%)
Dietary fiber: 22g (44%)
Sugar: 2g

Vitamin A 8% - Vitamin C 0% - Calcium 0% - Iron 15%

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Compound 20 (update 2) jack3d and yok3d review!

A lot of you might have already tried jack3d and yok3d, personally I have been on jack3d since march 2011 and I loved it! until recently when I was introduced to yok3d, then couple weeks later, I got picked to beta-test compound 20, today and after being for two weeks on compound 20, I decided to write a review on it and also on jack3d and yok3d for those who want to to give it a try.

What's jack3d?

jack3d (pronounced jacked) is an ultra-concentrated pre-workout supplment which proprietary blend contains the following ingredients: Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate, Creatine Monohydrate, Beta Alanine (CarnoSyn®), Caffeine, 1,3-Dimethylamylamine HCL, Schisandra Chinensis (Berry) Extract (Standardized For Schizandrol A)

Jack3d is supposed to give you the energy, stamina and strength to work out, like i said I've been taking this product since march and I think it delivers what it promises

Pros: Great energy, stamina, strength and focus.

Cons: Could be pricey if you buy it form the wrong place, for exp at GNC it cost 40 something dollars while you can get for as cheap as $23 on Amazon since this is a stimulant product, you have to cycle it off for 4 weeks every 8 weeks, and that could be a problem for some people since you get hooked to the effect, also it contains caffeine and sucralose which might piss some people off.


What's yok3d?

While I was cycling jack3d off, I decided to give yok3d (pronounced yoked) a try, yok3d is a nitric oxide enhancer which's supposed to give you pumps/vascularity and strength, its proprietary blend contains the following: Arginine Nitrate Vitis Vinifera L. (Powergrape®)Trichopus Zeylanicus (Whole Plant) Extract.

What makes yok3d unique than any other nitric oxide product is Arginine Nitrate which's made up of L-Arginine and nitrate ion. Both of these compounds can boost the production of nitric oxide, which dilates veins and pushes great amounts of nutrients into your muscles for faster recovery and peak performance.

Pros: I'm one of those people who have a huge natural vascularity, so i didnt really notice huge pumps especially the first week, but I felt a difference especially the second week, strength? hmm not so sure.

Cons: could be pricey, again stay away from GNC, unless they are willing to do an online price match, the GNC in my area did that, and I ended up paying $30 instead of $44.

Compound 20:

Now back to compound 20, unfortunately we still dont know what's compound 20 exactly, since it's still in beta, but based on what I've been seeing and feeling, it seems to be an anabolic state enforcer and anti-catabolism at the same time, which means whether you are bulking or cutting, compound 20 will help you gain/preserve muscle for a better definition.

What i have experiencing so far:

Pros: Increased appetite, I've been eating like a monster, I would eat 1500 calories at once and not feel bloated, I would also get huge food pumps, which seems like compound 20 shuttles carbs to my muscle instead of my fat cells. I've gained 3 pounds of pure muscle for the past 10 days, again I'm not quite sure if compound 20 did help with that because I do two monster HIIT workouts per week and that itself naturally increases my anabolic state, but I'm positive that compound 20 is helping there too hence the food pump and non-bloating.

Strength and pump? sure I felt a strength and pump increase which's probably due to the Carbs being well used by my muscles.

Cons? none so far.

3 products as a stack? hell yeah, these products compliment each other PERFECTLY, I've tried each product individually, two each, and the three of them all at the same time incontestably gave the best result, and I would give it 10/10 for every aspect, every time I take these 3 products I feel like flying to the point that I got really scared the first time haha, I mean I'm only 168 pounds and more of high intensity interval training guy, and I was surprised that I was able to do my entire arms workout with 45 pounds dumbbells, while they felt like 25 pounds, I experienced huge energy, strength, stamina and focus throughout my whole workout, and felt like I would workout forever without getting tired or bored.

So yeah when these are stacked all together I would give it 10/10 for energy, strength, pump, stamina and focus.

Are they worth it? sure, when combined with a good diet and workout schedule, you definitely get the result, and you will be just fine as long as you follow the dosage and cycle off.

Pricey? If you buy from GNC or vitamin shoppe yes, if you search on amazon you can cut the price by up to 50%

By the way, I'm not affiliated with USPLabs and no they did NOT pay me to review these products,(i wish haha) I just thought I would give my personal and honest opinion on products I use to help you make better choices in your future investments =)

Also those who wonder what's my bulking diet looks like, check my compound 20 log live at the USPLabs forum Here

Questions? need a free coach? a workout partner? feel free to email me simo_at_coachsimo_dot_com

Cheers.

Buy jack3d on sale for only $21.69

Buy Compound 20 on sale for only $45.49

Buy yok3d on sale for only $28.70

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Insanity the Asylum and bulking up.

Today I will be done with my 5th round of p90x/asylum hybrid, yep I've been doing this amazing hybrid for 5 months and I loved every minute of it and my results were
stunning, matter of fact I have just gained 6 pounds of muscle and 0% of fat during the last month, now the question that I've been getting a lot, how the hell could you gain 6 pounds of muscle while doing Insanity the Asylum? doesn't high intensity cardio interfere with muscle growth? well I don't know who you been listening to but it's quite the total opposite.

So let's talk about High intensity interval training (HIIT) for a minute, HIIT is a high cardiovascular workout that uses short bursts of intense activity, followed with active revovery time.

HIIT is used by athletes in different sports to boost, their speed, agility, power
and overwall sport performance.

In Insanity the Asylum, HIIT workouts are 45 minutes long, unlike traditional HIIT, each Asylum exercise is about one minute long including active recovery time, the difference is the intensity level. Insanity the Asylum uses your own body weight to provide the resistance for more calories burning and muscle definition, now how can insanity the asylum help me bulk up? the question is pretty simple, research showed that HIIT workouts boost anabolism state by adding lean muscle without excess fat when on a high calorie diet, and at the same time lowers catabolism by increasing fat loss and preserving muscle while trying to get lean, on top of that, HIIT strengthen your heart by imporving your cardiovascular system and lowering blood pressure, HIIT also works fast twitch muscles for increased speed and will save you time because you are burning calories like crazy, speaking of, I burned about 1200 calories doing speed and agility today, which's only a 45 minutes workout.

Now why insanity the asylum and p90x?

Because it's the best of both worlds, I get the best resistance workouts from uncle Tony Horton and the craziest HIIT workouts from Shaun T, end result? LEAN MUSCLE AND TOP SPORT PERFORMANCE PERIOD

Now back to my journey, like I said, I've gained a solid 6 pounds in the past month doing this amazing hybrid and I just loved it, now my goal for the next month is a 5 weeks bulk and 3 weeks cut to add another 10 pounds of muscle, i m posting my schedule for the next 5 weeks bulk, as for my calories intake, i dont really count
calories, but i will be trying to do between 3000-3500 a day


Monday:
One on One - Just Arms
One on One - killer abs

Tuesday:
Insanity the Asylum - Vertical Plyo

Wednesday
One on One - Diamond Delts
One on One - killer abs
Relief

Thursday
Insanity the Asylum - Speed & Agility

Friday
OFF/Relief

Saturday
One on One - upper Body Massacre
One on One - killer abs

Sunday
OFF/Relief

Repeat all the way through 5 weeks.

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USPlabs Compound 20 update!

Compound 20 is here! not only that, the package came with some goodies too, a small trial-size bottle of yok3d, and oxyelite pro, and a USPlabs t-shirt which's a little bit too big for me but let's hope it will fit by the time I finish my bottle haha, anyhow, what's compound 20? in short compound 20 is a revolutionary leaning and hardening hybrid, so whether you are bulking, cutting or maybe on a recomp, compound 20 will give your muscles the best definition while you are achieving your goals.

from the creators of compound 20:

‎"(Compound 20) Blows any AI out of the water... The pathway that we are manipulating is not very new but the potent way in which we stimulate this pathway is new...Very Novel. As i said, you will feel it working....mentally and visually (changes in the mirror)." - Team USPlabs

I'm starting my log today, I will be stacking this with yok3ed and jack3d for maximum performance and results, I'm at 165 pounds right now with 6% body fat (gained 5 pounds of pure muscle last month), my goal is to hit 175 before October while at least keeping the same body fat, my current workout is a hybrid of the One on One Volume 1 series and Insanity the Asylum, starting my 6th round Monday with little changes to the schedule which I will be posting later today.

Again, Thank you USPlabs for giving me the chance to be among the first to beta-test this promising product!

Also, I'm offering FREE fitness coaching for anyone who's willing to work seriously, whether you are trying to lose weight and fire up a gorgeous 6 pack, bulking up while keeping your muscle definition or maybe boosting your sport performance, I can definitely help you get that.

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Alcohol and fitness: the good and the bad!

The bad?

Alcohol prevents muscle growth:

In order to grow bigger muscle, your body needs sleep to repair itself after a workout, during sleep your body produce a precious chemical called human growth hormone or HGH, infact alcohol can decrease the production of HGH by as much as 70%, also alcohol triggers the production of a substance in your liver that's toxic by nature to testosterone which's important for the development and recovery of your muscle

Alcohol can alter you source of energy:

Once alcohol is absorbed into your cells, it can disrupt the water balance in muscle cells therefor altering their ability to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which provides the necessary fuel for your muscle to contract, resulting in a lack of energy and loss of endurance.

Alcohol dehydrates your body:

When you work out hard, your muscles need to recover, speeding the recovery of sore muscles and injuries is integral to optimal performance, alcohol is a toxin that travels through your bloodstream to every organ and tissue causing dehydration and decreasing your body's ability to recover.

Alcohol inhibits absorption of nutrients:

You probably wonder why you wake up feeling like shit the next morning after a wide night of drinking, well besides all of the above alcohol inhibits the absorption and usage of vital nutrients such as vitamin B, Vitamin B12, which helps metabolize the fat, folic acid and sinc.

Alcohol affects your memory:

Memory formation is a complex process that takes a long time, most of memory formation occurs while you sleep and alcohol directly reduce your brain's ability to retain information by altering the sequence and duration of normal sleep.


Alcohol makes you gain weight:

Alcohol calories are empty calories with no nutritional value and not a source of energy, consuming 6 or 7 alcohol drinks in one night could add up to 700 calories into your daily intake, which increase conditioning to maintain weight, alcohol is also a strong appetite simulator, which also slows down your metabolism and promotes fat storage.

The good?

Not much good things could be said about alcohol, however some studies showed that red wine could be good for your heart when consumed in moderation, which's due to Antioxidants such as flavonoids and resveratrol that may help prevent heart disease by increasing levels of "good" cholesterol and protecting against artery damage.

Alcohol can make a good cheat meal:

Let's say you are half way of your p90x journey and you hit the plateau, having 2-3 beers can help challenge your metabolism and kick it back, how? just like muscle confusion, our metabolism can adapt to a certain diet after a while, and having that cheat meal can give you a boost!

Bottom line?

Let's face it, the facts are here, and it's undeniable that alcohol brings more damage than good, but again I'm not your dad to tell you not to drink, and you are probably over 21 anyway, however my advice is to stay away from alcohol if you are serious about your health and fitness, if you still decide to drink? maybe once a month or so, but keep in mind that you are damaging yourself, and just one night of drinking can affect your brain and body activity for up to five days.

Do you have any additional questions? feel free to sign me up as your FREE Beachbody coach and I will be more than happy to help you with that!

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