I typically try to follow some sort of format when I blog and write articles. This one’s going to be different. I have a lot to say on multiple different topics and I’m not to sure where to start. So I’m just going to give it to you in the raw truth, we cool?

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A lot of people have great abs, some even want to model but a select few actually act on that desire and turn their dreams in reality. I sat down with my good friend Obi Obadike, one of the top fitness models in the business, to discuss how to get photo shoot ready so that you can present the best package possible for your photographer.

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Sure, I could write this long, in-depth article about the numerous reasons why your diet may be failing you. It could be a hormonal issue or the fact that your overtraining your body (most do) or, for the most part, your just undereating. I’m going to choose the road less traveled. I’m going to present a few of the predominate issues that one faces when they are attempting to lose fat and maintain muscle mass and what the “quick” change is. Note that there is no such thing as a quick change with your diet, just a daily change.

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Eyes closed, relaxing and just about to fall asleep on the beach. The wind was blowing and the sun was out then my world got rocked (like Michael Jackson’s last single). “Eww that’s gross” was what popped my eyes open. Now this wasn’t said with any regular tone, as a matter of fact it was a screeching sound. I sat up and looked to my left , where about 5 feet away, two women in their 20’s were almost trembling in fear as this dude, early 30’s, was walking by. At first I thought they might of been stuck up then I realized what the deal was….

Dude had some gross back fat…

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A quick five minute search on any popular bodybuilding message board will find various threads and topics dedicate to bodybuilding contest diets and how to design them. After all, physique training is, by nature, an extreme sport. There is a bunch of conflicting information available and at the end of the day, the reader is left with more questions then answers.

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About once a week I get approached by someone looking for beginner muscle building information. They’ve read the magazines and watched the videos online then they get into the gym to start building muscle. The problem is, they end up doing pro bodybuilding routines and overtraining quickly. After seeing this time and time again, I’ve  decided to come up with this beginner muscle building faq.

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You know the funny thing about having a fitness and nutrition blog is that you get all types of questions about how someone can look better, lose bodyfat and just improve their overall image.  It only makes sense since everyone does want to look better since it increases how the opposite sex looks at you and how you feel about yourself. Unfortunately for a lot of people, looking better can’t happen too soon. In all honesty, you need at least 6-8 weeks to see any noticeable improvements. That doesn’t mean that you can’t start losing weight or defining your stomach today and look better next Tuesday at this time. Here’s 31 ways to look better instantly.

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Monica Starr recently scored her first magazine cover and has been making a lot of noise in the figure model industry. So I decided to sit down with her for candid one-on-one interview

1) Tell us more about yourself. Who are you? How long have you been training and what are your goals and aspirations in the fitness industry?
Who am I? I am a small town country girl from Kansas who enjoy long walks on the beach, champagne and bubble baths and shopping! Just kidding! First of all, we don’t have beaches in Kansas, Silly! I enjoy hunting, fishing, horse back riding, and anything that has to do with the great outdoors! I have been training since Jr. High. I think I was the only girl that took working out seriously, so I really enjoyed gym class because it was a chance to hit the weights! As far as goals in the fitness industry: I would love to get the cover of my all time FAVORITE magazine…PLANET MUSCLE!!!

2) How would you describe your training leading up to a photo shoot? In any type of Did you specialize in any areas?

Training leading up to a shoot involves lighter weights and lots of interval training. For example, I start my treadmill and leave it running. I walk fast at the highest incline for 3 minutes and then do two sets of weights. I repeat that for 45 minutes. My favorite day of lifting is legs! I love working legs!

3) What was your cardio like going into photo shoots? 2 hours a day or did you do some progressive cardio?
Like I mentioned, I do a lot of interval training before shoots. I usually start 30 days from a shoot on the interval training.  I also add in a 30 minute jog every day.

4) What does a typical days worth of meals look like to you?
I usually always eat clean. I like to have a cheat day once a week to save my sanity. I eat lots of chicken, eggs, and drink protein drinks. My favorite protein drink is Muscle Milk Brownie Batter flavor. I eat every 3 hours, and no carbs after 4:00pm.

5) What are some of the things that you noticed about yourself, your diet and your training as you began to lean out and get that rock hard stomach?
I noticed that the hardest thing to get in shape is my legs. The easiest thing to get in shape is my abs. And my arms are always hard and lean.

6) Where can we find more info out about you?
You can find out more about me at my website www.monicastarr.net I am also on Myspace http://www.myspace.com/monicastarr and Facebook. I love hearing from people! So I hope you all decide to write!

A while ago the idea that you shouldn’t combine carbohydrats and fat in the same meal became very popular online. After all, think of everything that’s bad for you like pizza, donuts and fries. What do they have in common? They are all carbohydrates and fat with little to zero protein. To be really honest, the theory works well from the point that most people want the simplest path to their end goal. So by following the idea that you shouldn’t eat carbs and fat in the same meal, one was giving a regminented routine. Read the full story

For years the debate has raged hardcore about the effectiveness of traditional cardio versus high intensity cardio. On one side, you have educated strength coaches and trainers as well as researchers pointing to various reason why high intensity intervals are better and on the other side you have trainers and bodybuilders advocating the advantages of traditional steady state cardio. For the most part, the steady state work has won out since the trainers and bodybuilders look the way that most people want to look.

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