MAXCONDITION
The new book by Coach Jamie Hale, World Martial Arts Hall of Fame Member and friend of IronLife.


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The same thing occurs every year at about this time. People flock to my facility and my phone rings off the hook as trainees begin their quest for the Summer Body. What is the Summer Body (Summer Body- lean, symmetrical, physique that looks appropriate in swimming attire)? That does not necessarily mean you need to look like a fitness model or bodybuilder. It means you need to maximize your genetic potential in regards to summer body development. With that being said a proper nutritional regimen is a must for optimal physique development. Of course training plays a huge role as well. I assume everyone reading this article trains. If you do not train stop reading this article and go train.

When designing nutritional regimens various factors need to be considered. Factors effecting nutritional design include body type, training protocol, health conditions, past and current eating regimens. Those factors will be discussed in a later article. In this article I would like to discuss the some of the psychological barriers faced when beginning a new eating plan. “It is hard for me to eat well. I have kids and a husband who eat a bunch of junk food.” I have heard this one a million times and this is probably the most common problem people report when beginning a new eating program. This is a pathetic excuse that ensures failure. You have to realize your family is really not concerned with how you eat if it has to change the way they eat. No one can do this for you. When you were an athlete and had to get up early and go to practice was your family suppose to go with you? When you have to stay up late to study for a test should your family have to stay up as well? When you get sick should your entire family be sick also? Bottom line: do not use your family’s eating habits as an excuse to eat horrible.



Another common statement I hear daily: “My family is fat. I really do not have a choice.” If your entire family is fat that means you should be aware of your potential to also be obese, but you do not have accept it and enhance the probability be eating everything in site (note: in rare instances hormonal and physiological problems do account for obesity). When people use this excuse I laugh as I tell them to look at my family. Most of my family is obese and in awful condition. I decided I would not let this happen to me so I work hard and eat clean. It is your choice to be fat and de-conditioned.

“ I will try my best to follow the eating plan.” This statement means you have doubt and have not made up your mind to be dedicated to the program. When I design eating plans I would prefer to never hear that response from my clients. I can usually get a good idea by an individual’s personality and general work ethic whether or not they will stick to the eating plan. The statement above almost always means failure. If you are serious about that summer body you have to simply make up your mind to follow the eating plan. For beginners the 80% rule applies. In other words, following the regimen 80% of the time will result in positive benefits. Once you become lean and want to take things to another level you need to follow the plan at least 90% of the time. Believe me it is not that hard to eat clean. Making up your mind that you can do it or can’t do it is your choice.

Below I have provided readers with a list of foods that will make up their summer Nutritional Arsenal.

Nutritional Arsenal

• Meats
• Peanut butter
• Greens
• Cream Cheese
• Nuts (not honey or sugar coated)
• Cool whip
• Eggs
• Cheese
• Apples
• Sugar substitute
• Grapefruits
• Strawberries
• Sweet potatoes
• Wheat bread (low carb)
• Carb countdown milk

For sweet lovers here are a couple desert options.

• ˝ serving peanut butter
  1 serving cream cheese
  1 serving cool whip
  1 pack of sugar substitute
  Place in bowl and mix.

• 4 strawberries
  1 serving cream cheese
  1 serving coolwhip
  1 pack sugar substitute
  Place in bowl and mix.

• 1 serving carb countdown (chocolate milk)
  ˝ serving of protein powder
  1 serving cool whip
  Mix in blender. Tastes like a malt.

In summary, if you are going to get that summer body clean up your nutritional regimen and train. Lose the excuses and control your own destiny. Nobody cares as much about your physique and health as you do. What you eat is ultimately your choice not your family’s or friends.

Copyright 2004 Jamie Hale