Keep Fit On Vacation

Everybody Travels.

Whether it's for business, pleasure, vacation, world domination, or epic questing, at some point in our lives we all depart from the comfort of our personal "Shire" to visit another location. It might be a quick trip to the next town with some companions for a hangout session or a massive adventure halfway around the world for months at a time. No matter what kind of trip is it, one thing is certain:

Our normal fitness regime get completely thrown out the window when travelling:

• If you workout in the gym, suddenly you might not have access to any equipment.
• If you run/jog around a park, suddenly you no longer have a similar or familiar path to follow.
• If you usually prepare your own meals, suddenly you don't have a kitchen or fridge.
• If you usually stack your supplements, suddenly you don't have all your supplements with you.
• If you're used to a good night's sleep, suddenly you're sleeping at odd hours in different time zone.

If you're serious about your fitness regimen, you definitely ensure that you workout regularly ( based on your personal weekly routine no matter where you are. But let's be honest-- unless you're hoping to meet some locals, spending time at a gym when you're on a vacation can be a major drag.

My partner and I drove around Langkawi during our trip there and we couldn't find any local gym around, plus our budget was kinda tight so - hotel that provides gym facilities was not an option for us.

Of course, your top priorities when vacationing should be to relax and enjoy yourself as much as possible. But that doesn't mean you can't maintain your fitness regimen throughout your holiday. Working out briefly every day will not only help keeping you in shape, it will also aid in alleviating stress so you can have even more fun the other 23-plus hours of your vacation.

So, PLANNING and PREPARATION are the keys to ensure your fitness goals while travelling is successful. 

1. Reset Your Expectations

It's not likely that you'll able to follow up with your full workout regime while on vacation. So, don't set unrealistic expectations for yourself. Some of you might think that if you're unable to do that specifically workout routine, then you should just totally abandon your fitness activities.

This is the result of blindly focusing on the end result of your goal, but not the little fragments that build up your physique. Remember that accomplishing just 40 to 50 percent of what you normally do is better than nothing.

2. Do Your Homework

Before you even leave home for your vacation,investigate the workout facilities in and around your hotel. Some hotels offer fitness classes, gyms, even walking programs. Unfortunately for me, I booked a hotel (One Helang Hotel) without any fitness facilities due to financial constraint. So, I had to rely on my body weight, my partner's body weight ( confidential :p ), resistance band, luggage bag and all the furnitures in the hotel room.

3. Pack It Up

Your suitcase will easily allow room for a resistance band and a jump rope. Use the resistance band for upper and lower body strength training moves. The jump rope provides an intense cardiovascular workout in a short bout of time.

If you are consuming any supplements,rather than bringing all your supplements,  it's better for you to separate them into a few packets and the amount depends on your stay there. I packed around 8 packets ( 4 double scoops and 4 single scoop ) with some multi-vit and BCAAs.

4. Make Eating A Big Priority

You cannot outrun a bad diet, and you can't out-train it either.

 Do the best you can to eat as healthy as possible. Sometimes you're going to be in a town where you don't have many options. Sometimes you'll have no other choice but to eat at an unhealthy restaurant. Sometimes you'll be stuck in an airport that only serves $12 dollar salads. These things happen.

Sharon and I drove out at night just to get some groceries such milk and eggs because we knew that we will be out the whole day and it was kinda hard to get some good healthy food. We boiled the eggs using the water heater and a bag of nuts to make sure we were not starving throughout the trip.

5. Make Training Your Constant.

If you oversee the need to continue your workout routine without a gym or access to healthy calories, then your training will definitely suffered big time.

Your exercise needs to become your constant while traveling- make a commitment to yourself that you will find at least one hour every other day to exercise- NO EXCUSES. Add it to your reminder in your handphone which I would usually do, just do whatever it takes, but don't take 'NO' for an answer. You might need to wake up early one day to fit your exercise in. You might need to exercise at 12 a.m in the morning on another day.

Just effing do it.

Understand the importance of keeping up your routine even while traveling, and you 'll be able to come back to your regular daily routine without skipping a beat.

My workouts consisted of a push exercise ( variation of push ups ), a pull exercise ( variation of pull ups or chin ups), a leg exercise ( lunges or squats ),and a core exercise ( planks or variation of crunches ).

• Can't do pull ups (YET) or can't find something to hang on to? Do body weight rows using a desk or table, or pick up your suitcase and do dumbbell rows. Everything else you can do with just your body.

I did a full body workout with simple exercise listed above. Because I was working out my entire body in the same routine. It didn't matter if I had to push back my next workout by a day or two due to travel. Compare that to somebody who does separate body parts every day- one missed day can throw a whole schedule out of wack.

Squat using your partner's weight :D

Hammer curl using luggage bag

Variation of Push-up

Pull-up at the door

Shoulder Press and Dips

There's plenty of exercise that you could perform using your body weight and with items around your surrounding and I'm not listing all down in this post. So, be creative in planning your workout routine.

Bodybuilding is your life, but sometimes you have to enjoy the process of being a BEAST.

Bulking Meals: The Mad Scientist

Monster Mass: Build The Perfect Beast With This Maniacal Nutrition And Supplement Formula 


A lot of us have made mistakes in the process of gaining mass, even me, and while some of us have gotten results out of spite, not because what we did was optimal, some of us have just flat out tried everything and are still scratching our head in confusion.

I don't have a personal trainer / dietitian giving me instructions 24/7 on what or when to eat. Having a  personal trainer / dietitian definitely gives you the upper hand in achieving your goals in the shortest period ever. But take note, this is one of those journey in life that you have to embark on your own and you must learn how to make healthy choices, estimating portion size (unless you wanna bring a freaking weighing scale around) and creating that monster mass meal plan you always wanted.


The Mad Scientist 

Whether you take on these experiments piece by piece to build your personalized formula for growth or use the guidelines set out in the " Monster Mass Eight-Week Plan, " the changes will aid you in avoiding the horrors associated with working you ass off in the gym but bearing no fruits for it.

There's no 30% gym 70% diet if you truly want to step up your game. Remember this, it's always and forever 100% gym 100% diet.

Nutrition can either make or break you, and it's often the difference between living your bodybuilding dreams and watching those dreams turn to a nightmarish skin-and-bones reality. Like those monsters who lift heavy-ass weights in the gym, you, too can scare up additional muscle mass, but only if you're ready and willing to fight for it every step of the way.




Monster Mass Supplement Regimen




Growth of enormous proportions can be achieved solely with food alone, but you can make your journey easier with the help of supplements. The list below are some of my basics to help lay the foundation for extreme growth.









Protein Shakes

These provide one of the easiest ways to assist your muscle building program and undoubtedly the fundamental supplement in anyone's supplement regime. It can be challenging (and expensive) for you to get in all the protein you need from whole-food protein sources, especially you have classes and assignments that fucked up your eating schedule.

To supplement my whole-food intake, I will drink up to three protein shakes a day, pre- and postworkout and before bed are crucial times to reply on a protein-powder concoction.

Gaspari Myofusion (Chocolate)- Taste like shit !!
Dymatize Elite Whey (Chocolate)- Still manageable. Low in carbs.
BSN Syntha 6 (Vanilla Ice-cream)- Taste awesome ! But kinda high in carbs.


Dosage:
Down a protein shake 25g of whey protein before workout and then 50g of whey protein for your post-workout. Before bed ( around 30 mins to 1 hour ), use a product that has about 25g of casein protein.

Creatine Monohydrates

This supplement boasts numerous benefits for health, recovery and muscle building. When taken before workout, it helps to drive nutrients and fluids into your muscles, helping you to lift more weight or get some extra reps. Ultimately, this effect helps build more strength and muscle mass.

Note: I'm using Universal Creatine

Dosage:
Take 3-5g of creatine monohydrate before and after my workouts, for up to 10g per day. But if it's your first time taking, you should take around 15g daily for the first week and 10g for the consecutive weeks.

Glutamine

The most prevalent amino acid in the body, glutamine promotes a healthy immune system response for better recovery from training. It also enhances digestion and protects muscle mass from breaking down during intense lifting sessions, which is likely to occur when your body perceives a glutamine shortage.

Note: I'm using Universal Glutamine

Dosage:
Take 5g of glutamine first thing in the morning, before and after training, and before bed. Now, I don't usually take in the morning and before bed but Before and After training is very important, so don't forget !!

BCAA's

The branched-chain amino acids are Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine. These vital aminos not only specifically support muscle growth, but they also help maintain muscle mass during dieting phase.

Note: I'm consuming Dymatize BCAAs in capsule form. There's BCAAs in powder form but I just don't like it that way.

Dosage:
Take 3 capsules before breakfast, before and after workout, before bed. If you are taking the powder, take 5-10g of BCAAs at the period mentioned earlier.



Multivitamin/ Multimineral pack or pill

Think of these as insurance policies the demands of a bodybuilding lifestyle can cause shortage in specific vitamins or minerals. A good multi-vit will contain vitaminsC,D and E,as well as a range of vitamin Bs and other minerals

Note: I used to take GNC Mega Man in capsule form ( unavailable in Malaysia except in powder form ) during my bulking period. Currently, I'm using Vitalite Multivitamin.

Dosage:
Take a multivitamin once or twice a day with food, usually I will take it after breakfast. Look for brands that provide 100%of the daily value of C,D,E, most Bs, Zinc, Copper and Chromium.



Monster Mass Meal Plan 

Meal 1 (Breakfast):

• 1 cup of oatmeal with protein powder or 2-4 wholemeal bread with cheese
• 2 whole Omega-3 eggs with 6 white ( half /hard-boiled or scramble)
• 2-3 slices of Chicken ham

7 scramble eggs + protein oat meal

7 half-boiled eggs

7 eggs + wholemeal bread baked with cheese

Full-cream milk + baked beans with egg +wholemeal bread

Meal 2 (Snack):

• 2 ounces of nuts (your choice) 
• fresh fruits ( I usually take banana or apple, try to avoid high GI fruits ) 
• 25 g of whey protein

Meal 3 (Lunch): 

• chicken / fish / pork / beef 
• brown rice 
• vegetables ( stir-fried,salad or steamed vegetables)

2 rice with half chicken ( Nandos )

Purple cabbage + fish

Meal 4 (Preworkout):

• 25 g of whey protein
• 50g of Carbs ( approximately half Low GI and half High GI)
• Ham or any other protein sources, be creative !! (optional)

Baked sweet potato

Brocolli + Fish

Intraworkout:

• 3 spoons of manuka honey + half Lemon + Water ( drink it slowly 30 mins into your workout)

Meal 5 (Postworkout):

• 50 g of whey protein
• 50g of High GI carbs

I will eat 4 of these after my workouts :D

Meal 6 (Dinner):

• chicken / fish / pork / beef 
• brown rice 
• vegetables ( stir-fried,salad or steamed vegetables)

A lot of fish + vege

Fish + egg + minced pork + vege

Meal 7 (Supper):

• yogurt 
• 2 ounces of nuts ( it's almonds, cashew nuts for me )
• Keropok Keping ( no oil, just microwave it for 40-50 secs)- Optional 

Keropok Keping - TASTE AWESOME EVEN W/O OIL

Meal 8 (Bed): 

• 25g of casein protein shake

Mass Matters: 7 Pillars

Mass Factors: Seven Pillars Of Nutritional Wisdom To Gain                                         Mass And Strength.



We all know that to gain weight you have to eat, right ?

I have seen people trying to gain weight ( muscle ,not fluids and fats) but they are consuming calories either near to their BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) or lower than it. And I can guarantee you that they wont achieve their goals any time soon.

There's one occasion in which I ordered a burger with extra meat and fries and my friend was like " I thought that you are on a diet and couldn't eat like those oily stuff. " I didn't respond to that.

The things is I never really diet except for the few months when I first started out my journey to build a physique that girls would set their hair on fire for.

So, Never Diet, But Eat According To Your Goals.

I'm not going to look down my nose at other alternatives approaches to size building, but in searching for a mass-yielding magic bullet, many bodybuilders forget the tried-and-true strategies that packed on muscles for decades. I refer to the core foundations of mass building as "Seven Pillars Of Nutritional Wisdom."

#1 Total Calories Intake Must Exceed Need 


In order to pack on some serious muscle mass, you must take in more calories then you you need each day. For example, if the total calories for your basal metabolic rate and daily activities are 2500 kcal, you must consume at least 2900-3000 kcal daily which is a surplus of around 400-500 kcal.

To meet that goal, use protein drinks to supplement your daily meals, especially when you are rushing for classes or assignments and you don't have time to sit down and enjoy a healthy lunch or even a mid afternoon snacks.

Note: You will not build muscle, though if you just solely load up on low-calorie protein drinks but don't take in enough total solid-food calories.

#2 Carbs Are Anabolic


You can eat plenty of protein everyday and still end up wanting for substantive gains in muscularity. This is due to the fact that you needs carbs to stimulate an anabolic ( growth enhancing ) environment by elevating insulin levels in your body, as insulin promotes increase in muscle mass and prevent breakdown of muscle tissues

Don't get me wrong here, you need insulin to create that anabolic state in your body but consuming 3 bowls of white rice at once will spike your insulin level so high that it has a reverse effect towards your testosterone level.

Note: On a daily basis, take in at least 2.5 g of carbs per pound of your body weight.

#3 Eat more Carbs Than Protein


My apologies to certain diet doctors or consultants who treat carbs like the plague, but any mass-building diet should encompass more carbohydrates than protein at least 2.5g of carbs and 1-1.5g of protein per pound of body weight.

If you decide to ignore this sage advice and experiment with a meal plan that's higher in protein than carbs, then expect to stay small. This is because you are not eating towards your goal which is to gain mass and strength.

Besides that, bombarding your body with endless intake of protein will trigger the breakdown of protein at a higher rate than the usage of protein to build those rock-solid muscles. Excess protein will be broken down by the liver through a process called Deamination and since you are feeding your body with so much protein, your body will adapt to the condition of having excess protein and it will break down those protein as efficient as possible.

Note: At least 2.5 g of carbs and 1-1.5g of protein depending on your physique.




#4 Fat Is Not All That


Dietary definitely has its place in the mass-building process, but do not embrace high-fat diats based on eschewing carbs in favour of loads of fat in the pursuit of Mass Gains.

1g of Carbs = 4 kcal
1g of Protein = 4 kcal
1g of Fats= 9 kcal

Dietary fats support the production of hormones such as testosterone and, to a lesser extent, Growth Hormone. It is important to consume mono or poly-unsaturated fats and not to totally cut it down from your diet. But that note that I'm asking you to embark on a high-fat diet because you will definitely gain fat due to a surplus of calories which is unnecessary for your body.

You should derive all the fat you need as a byproduct of eating whole eggs, red meat,salmon or peanut butter. ( Refer to my post on Essential Fats to know more about alternatives sources )

#5 Don't Expect To Stay Cut While Bulking Up


Lifters who hope to stay cut and ripped as they get bigger are in for a rude awakening. These misinformed muscle seekers tend to skimp on carbs and calories in favour of more protein in their diet.

If your current fitness goal is to gain mass and strength, you must have a surplus in your total daily calories intake because you body need these extra calories to build muscles. But to stay shredded, it's a totally different case because you need to be in total calories deficit to melt away those subcutaneous fat to look ripped as hell.

Be realistic. It's OK to lose some definition while you pack on some serious mass. The cuts will come when you tear it up later , whether in preparation for a contest or for looking good on the beach.






#6 Protein-To-Carb Ratio

Fix and ensure protein intake of at least 1-1.5g per pound of body weight and bump your carbs to 3g per pound of body weight. Experiment with this ratio for two weeks; if you don't see improvement in your physique, then increase your carb intake to 3.5g per pound of body weight.

Use 1g of protein and 3g of carbs per pound of body weight as your starting guideline and slowly increase the ratio if you are not getting noticeable results in one month time.

Remember to eat five or six meals daily and by that I meant solid food meals,and not just a protein shake. Supplements are supplement for a reason, because they are there just to supplement your main solid-food meals. Personally, I hate it when people mention that the only reason I'm able to get to this point because I consume protein shakes. Supplements are nothing if you failed your solid-meal plan.



#7 Don't Fear The Scale

To gain muscles, expect to gain weight. Shoot for adding to approximately 1 pound per week while in growth mode. If you gain more than that, the weight gained is most probably fluid or fat. But if you gain less than that, tweak your carb intake as described in Pillar #6.

If the scale is moving up as what you have planned, stay the course until you have all the mass you want and need.

Then sit back, enjoy your success in gaining those good quality mass, and prepare to dial in the cuts and conditioning that will put the icing on the cake of your body of work.

Understanding The Importance And Use Of Essential Fats

Understand The Need And Use Of Essential Fats

A variety of foods can provide the essential fatty acids that our body craves and need for optimal functioning. Knowledge is power. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) serve crucial functions in growth and development. EFAs are fatty acids that human must ingest because we can only obtain them through diet as our body cannot synthesis them.

Bodybuilders often have the mistaken belief that must take their diets to extreme to take their physique to extremes. So, the belief of eating fat = gaining fat resulted in the creation of zero-fat diet and it was thought to be the ideal way to rip up. When that was found to be unsuccessful, most bodybuilders learned that this extreme diet philosophies leads to success in creating their ideal physique.

Whether you want to reduce your bodyfat or increase muscle mass, the dietary fat strategy to pursue is somewhere in the extreme of zero- fat and high-fat, which is moderate intake of dietary fat. A moderate intake of fats can aid in building muscles and in most cases, trim you down. In general, the idea ratio of fats intake from your total calories is about 20% , emphasizing the healthy sources listed below.



#1 Whole Eggs

An undeniable bodybuilding 1st staple and still one of the best sources of protein to digest and a good provider of excellent amino acids. Both yolks and egg whites provide protein, but the whites are more easily digested. The yolk contains dietary fat, which slows digestion, providing a more sustained source of protein.

 A single york contains 6g of fat ( half is saturated), so eating 6-8 yorks daily would yield too much saturated fat. The solution is to reduce, not eliminate, moderation is the key.

For every 5-6 egg whites you eat, add one york, not excedding 3 daily. 6 whites and 1 york contains 24g of protein and 6g of fat.


#2 Salmon

Salmon is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids:

•  replace the lost of glutamine , thereby supporting the immune system and indirectly, growth. 
• fight muscle inflammation and lead to enhanced glycogen storage.
• retention of muscles during dieting phase.

6 ounces of salmon provide approximately 34 g of protein and 12 g of fat. The amount of fat seems a lot, but much of it are use for beneficial purposes. If your bodyfat increase, you might wanna increase your cardio rather then reducing healthy fats. 

#3 Red Meat

In the process of reducing calories intake, by omitting too much fat might compromise your testosterone levels. In simple terms, when you cut too much dietary fats, and especially when also cutting carbs or total calories intake, your testosterone level will significantly drop. When that occurs, you can bid farewell to your muscles.

Red meat contains conjugated linoleic acid ( CLA ), a special fat that :

• support testosterone levels 
• enable usage of fat stores as energy sources
• promote protein synthesis and muscles growth. 

6 ounces of lean cut of red meat provides 32 g of protein and 9-14 g of fat. Daily consumption of 2 portions of red meat for mass seekers and even dieters are recommended provided they do not consume more calories than their daily target. 

#4 Low- Fat Cheese

Many myths seem to surround dairy products as a definitive fattening food because of the mistaken notion of eating fat = gaining fat - and they're not true. Take note that fat can only be gained during surplus of calories not by eating fat while within your calories range.

Low-fat cheese contains :

• CLA 
• Anabolism-promoting peptides
• Calciums
• Calcitriol - aid in fat burning
• Other vitamins and minerals

Other Sources Of Essential Fats

Fish Options:

Salmon

Sardines

Anchovies ( Ikan Bilis )

Mackerel

Herring

Mullet

Trout

Tuna

Cod

Vegetable & Fruit Options:

Broccoli 

Spinach 

Seaweed

Chinese Cabbage

Cauliflower

Brussels Sprouts

Oil Options:

Coconut Oil 

Oilve Oil

Flax Seed Oil

Seafood Options:

Shrimp

Molluscs

Legumes Options:

Pinto

Kidney Beans

Seed And Nuts Options:

Flaxseeds

Pumpkin Seeds

Walnuts

Hazelnuts

Almonds

Cashews

The Bottom Line

The basics for muscles growth and keeping body fat within reason are controlling calories and proper provision of nutrients- and it is not totally eliminating one macro-nutrient. This is because Moderation is the key to building the ideal physique. 

If you want want to provide your body with all it needs to stay anabolic, while keeping the bodyfat in check, you should make certain you're taking in the proper balance of all the fatty foods you need.