1. Train using the most “bang for your buck,” multi-joint lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench press, chin-ups, and Olympic lifts.
2. Avoid isolation, single-joint lifts such as bicep or leg curls unless you have unlimited training time.
3. Use very short rest periods (10 to 60 seconds) to trigger the greatest growth hormone response.
4. Vary the tempo of lifting phases and rest periods to provide new stimulus for the body to adapt. 5. To get lean fast, use a hypertrophy-type protocol (8 to 12 reps, more than 3 sets, 70 to 85 percent 1RM load).
6. Use a longer time under tension to burn more energy and increase postexercise oxygen consumption—try a 4-second eccentric and 1-second concentric phase.
7. Train to create an anabolic response. Increasing growth hormone is the priority because of its significant lipolytic (fat burning) effects.
8. Perform circuit training with little rest between sets for maximal growth hormone response.
9. For gradual fat loss over a longer period, include strength cycles that favor testosterone release with heavier loads (up to 95 percent 1RM), slightly longer rest (2 to 3 minutes), and lots of sets. 10. Work harder. If you’re not getting results, you’re not working hard enough.
11. Give priority to training the anaerobic energy system over the aerobic system when strength training and conditioning.
12. Do high-intensity sprint intervals for conditioning. Two examples are 60 cycle sprints of 8 seconds each, 12 seconds rest; or 6 all-out 30-second running sprints on a track, 4 minutes rest. 13. Be as active as possible in daily life. Move more: Take regular brisk walks during the day, always take the stairs, park far away in any parking lot, or do your own yard work.
14. Do relaxing physical activity instead of sitting in front of a screen: yoga, stretching, foam rolling, martial arts, or walking mediation.
15. Eliminate all processed foods from your diet—don’t eat them ever.
16. Eliminate all trans-fats from your diet such as margarine and shortening—they MUST be removed from the diet.
17. Don’t avoid fat. Research shows that people with diets with 30 to 50 percent coming from smart fats have higher androgens and lower body fat.
18. Eat smart fat, favoring the omega-3 fats that come from fish and wild meats.
19. Take fish oil to boost omega-3 fat intake and ensure your omega-3 to omega-6 fat intake is balanced.
20. Eat a diet with high-quality protein—organic meats will provide the largest “bang for your buck” protein.
21. Eliminate wheat and avoid grains in favor of vegetables.
22. Raise resting metabolic rate (the amount of calories the body burns at rest) by eating a higher protein diet with 15 to 25 percent of the diet coming from high-quality protein.
23. Eliminate all high-glycemic carbs and eat only low-glycemic vegetables and berries.
24. Eat an antioxidant-rich diet to prevent inflammation, which leads to fat gain. Try kale, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, berries, pomegranates, and cherries.
25. Non-green veggies that help you lose fat are colored peppers, eggplant, garlic, onions, mushrooms, hearts of palm, spaghetti squash, and water chestnuts.
26. Drink a lot of water (at LEAST 3 liters a day) to stay hydrated and help detox the body.
27. Avoid alcohol, juice, soda, and sports drinks. Stick to water, tea, and coffee.
28. For a radical approach, eliminate all alcohol. If alcohol can’t be eliminated, Sardinian and Spanish red wines are the best worst option.
29. Try acupuncture—studies have shown it can aid in treating obesity.
30. Make sure your vitamin D level is over 40 ng/ml. Take vitamin D if not.
31. Take a probiotic to improve your gut health.
32. Make sure your magnesium level is up to par. Scientists suggest 500 mg of magnesium a day. 33. Take a liquid zinc test to see if you can taste zinc. If not, you are deficient and should take zinc to speed fat loss.
34. Don’t buy cheap, poor quality supplements because they will do more harm than good if they are tainted with heavy metals or pollutants.
35. Take B vitamins, especially if you eat a high-protein diet or take BCAAs because the extra amino acids take away from the pool of available B vitamins need for detox.
36. Drink coffee or take caffeine before workouts to increase fat burning and work capacity—research shows we will self-select heavier loads if we take caffeine before training.
37. Drink organic green tea to elevate fat burning and aid in detoxifying the body.
38. Take carnitine to help the body use fat for fuel andincrease time to exhaustion when training hard.
39. Take the amino acid taurine because it lowers the stress hormone cortisol and helps the body digest fat.
40. Take R-form alpha lipoic acid because it supports detox and recovery from training.
41. Use the herb fenugreek with meals to improve insulin sensitivity and energy use.
42. Remove body piercings to lose fat fast, especially belly piercings.
43. Limit fructose in the diet because it gets in the way of losing belly fat.
44. Never eat fructose before workouts because it blunts fat burning and lowers metabolic rate. 45. Avoid milk before workouts because it is very “insulinotropic,” meaning it causes persistently high insulin levels that make you burn less energy.
46. Don’t drink caffeine after workouts because it may raise cortisol at the point where you need to clear it for the best fat-burning and recovery effect.
47. Eat high-quality protein for breakfast. Avoid cereal and all processed foods.
48. Eliminate all sugar from your diet. It’s way more trouble than it’s worth if you want to lose fat. 49. Make an effort to get enough sleep. An early-to-bed, early-to-rise sleep pattern has been shown to improve body composition.
50. Know that you have complete control over what you put in your mouth. No one ever ate anything by accident.