Progress Series: Article Listing

Phase One: Laying the Foundation

This is where most people completely blow it, thereby neutralizing their efforts.

• Overview
• Rest
• Nutrition
• Exercise

Phase Two: Building the Positives

• Overview
• Positive habits for rest, diet, exercise
• Positive mindset
• Positive foods
• Boosting performance through supplementation

Phase Three: Removing the Negatives

• Overview
• Negative habits for rest, diet, exercise
• Negative mindset
• Negative foods
• Correcting deficiencies through supplementation

Phase Four: Seeing Where You Are

• Overview
• Body fat analysis
• Strength tests
• Evaluating your fitness level
• Medical tests

Phase Five: Setting Goals

• Overview
• Benefits You Want
• What's Reasonable
• Setting 1 year, 6 month, 90-day, and weekly goals

Phase Six: Building the Plan

• Overview
• What Works
• What's Doable
• What's Sustainable

Phase Seven: Measuring Progress

• Overview
• What and How to Measure
• Interpreting Measurements

Phase Eight: Adjusting and Continuing

• Overview
• Technical Issues
• Enjoyment Factor
• Changing Goals

Rather than being listed alphabetically, the articles in this index are listed in order of progression.

If you aren't reaching your fitness goal, that's probably because you jumped ahead and are missing something at a critical step. That doesn't mean you're stupid--it just means you need to fill in that missing information.

Putting together these articles takes a great deal of time and research.

So, check back each month to see what's new. Where a concept is listed but there's no link to an article, that's because the article is in progress and not yet posted.

This information will work for people of any age. We frequently get inquiries:

• From teenage boys who want to "get big," while getting by on 70% of their sleep needs.

• From middle-aged adults who just can't lose fat, despite taking various fat pills, running a treadmill, refusing carbs (or whatever the fad of the day is), and "going to the gym."

• From senior citizens who want to get off all of their various medications and restore some of the vigor of their youth. Even after putting in long workouts at the gym every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, they still are a long way from looking athletic or having the strength and energy they have been working to obtain.

We do not provide a one-size fits all formula. Instead, we cover the concepts so you understand what you are doing and can reach your goals.

We also don't pretend to be offering advice while pushing supplements as though you can buy your way to fitness. I like the way John Scott, of JS Nitro, puts it:

"The key is the word 'supplement.' It doesn't mean 'in place of.' Once you balance the main three factors of exercise, nutrition, and rest, then supplements can help you an additional 5-10% more."

Depending on what problem you are addressing, a supplement generally will get you 5% to 10% of the way there."

You can think of supplements as being the doors and windows to a home. These are very useful and make the house more functional. But without the foundation, walls, and other critical elements in place, they don't do much good.

Most people confuse activity with work and wonder why their "workouts" don't produce any noteworthy results. We address that.

You may be surprised to know that we don't address that by recommending some magic "killer workout."

For example, boys in their late teens often ask us how they can get bigger arms. There's much more to consider than how many biceps curls you are doing. Our answer doesn't even begin with any arm exercises.

Ditto for women who ask us how to flatten their tummies after having children. The answer does not begin with talking about ab routines.

Here is one way to keep up with the new articles that will appear here:

1. Use a calendar tool, such as Outlook (or a plain paper calendar if you want).
2. Mark a day each month to visit and see the next installment.
3. Update your next appt with a note as to what you read last.

We look forward to helping you reach your fitness goals. You don't need superior genetics, special equipment, or lots of money to do that. You do need desire and discipline.

Yes, of course it helps to have some free weights and other equipment. But if Arnold was able to maintain his training for weeks at a time in the jungle (while filming Predator) with no equipment other than trees....