DO WHAT THE BOX SAYS!

A while back, I went to see Bill Cosby perform live in New York City. While the first half hour was so-so, he did deliver some pearls of wisdom. One that I liked in particular was about some guy named Phil in Pennsylvania who apparently makes the best Thanksgiving stuffing on the face of the Earth. Bill finally was able to sit down with him to ask for the recipe. The conversation went something like this:

Phil: “I take Stove Top stuffing.”
Bill: “And?”
Phil: “Nothing. I do what the box says.” He continued, “People always add things to the stuffing that simply do not belong there. Just do what the box says!”

Stick to the basics. The same applies to weight training and getting shape. Do not go on any crazy diets, do not take 2-hour cardio classes, and do not use insane amounts of drugs! Do what the box says, stick to the basics, and keep it reasonable.

A few pointers:

1. Have a plan. Why do you workout? Where do you want to be in 3 months?
2. Do your compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, military presses, pull-ups, and rows. Strive to improve every week.
3. Eat your protein. 1.5 grams per lb. of body weight for men, a little less for women should do the trick (I know that the RDA by the FDA is lower but they also want you to eat starches 5x a day).
4. Get your rest. Eight hours of sleep is a minimum.
5. Cut the intake of junk foods to once a week. You are a bodybuilder, not a competitive eater.
6. BE PROUD! Bodybuilding is one of the most rewarding things you can do; do not deny yourself from the opportunity. Enjoy the journey, be helpful to others to others, and stay focused.

Forward, always forward,
Maik Wiedenbach