RULE 1 -- Be tough. Stay away from nasty fats, excessive salt, and simple sugars. This eliminates ninety-nine percent of the fast foods, munchies, and soft drinks. Who needs them? In a few short weeks, you won't want them, will wonder why you ate them, and will feel sick if you do! I don't mean to be rude, but ... junk is for dumpsters.

RULE 2 -- Eat a basic breakfast of complex carbohydrates, protein, and fat to establish your metabolism for the day and provide fuel and muscle-sustaining ingredients. In a nutshell (and setting aside for now the hormonal and enzyme chemistry taking place at all times), protein builds muscle, while carbohydrates and fats supply fuel for energy. Breakfast can be an easy-to-prepare meal from a quality protein shake to a bowl of oatmeal, a scoop of cottage cheese, and fruit. If you don't feed yourself a wholesome meal in the morning, your body will draw on your muscle stores as a source of energy, putting you in a slump and making you muscle-deficient. As a major insurance policy, add a good vitamin and mineral formula and a gulp of flaxseed oil (an essential fatty acid) each morning to protect your system and put order and efficiency in your body chemistry.


RULE 3 -- This one can be the rascal: with whatever effort it takes, feed yourself every three to four hours throughout the day -- again, each meal consisting of protein, fat, and carbohydrate. Any combination of the following is perfect: tuna and brown rice, a hamburger patty and red potato, cottage cheese and fruit, chicken and salad, etc. You'll notice that sandwiches are not in my top-five list. Discover Tupperware and packet-size meal replacement powders.

RULE 4 -- News flash: To gain weight, eat more. Assuming you're hitting the weights, be prepared for solid bulk weight; lean muscle mass exclusively is a daydream. To lose weight, eat less, but still as often. Don't starve the muscle.

RULE 5 -- I have always instinctively leaned toward a higher protein intake over carbohydrates to build a lean body. Emphasize protein. Vegetarians, take particular care in order to get plenty of protein in your diet.

RULE 6 -- It's okay for the trainee looking to gain weight to eat between-meal snacks if the snack is truly nutritious -- no junk. Don't let snacks become a substitute for complete meals, or a weak habit. You who are seeking weight loss, consider snacking to be counter-productive. Good snacks are fruits or vegetables, jerky, protein energy bars, yogurt, cottage cheese, and light protein drinks.

RULE 7 -- Simple carbohydrates (sugar, honey, soft drinks, candy, and cakes) provide a quick pick-up but let you down just as quickly. Excessive sugar plays havoc with the insulin metabolism and leads to fatigue, poor performance, fat storage, and diabetes.

RULE 8 -- Fuel up before your workout. Eat a small, easily digested meal about an hour before you train. With protein and complex carbohydrates in your system, you'll train harder, longer, and with more enthusiasm. You won't experience low-blood-sugar jitters or dizziness; you'll get a great pump and probably hit that last rep. A big tip: whey protein drinks are great for this, and they also work well as a post-workout muscle repair food. They're convenient, inexpensive, and effective.

RULE 9 -- Similarly, you need to eat a hearty protein meal with sufficient carbs within forty-five minutes of the completion of your workout. This is necessary to provide the muscle-building materials to repair depleted tissue and support the process of building new muscle.

RULE 10 -- The most important ingredient in your body is plain water. The quality of your tissues, their performance, and their resistance to failure is absolutely dependent on the quality and quantity of the water you drink. Detoxify. Flood yourself throughout the day, especially during exercise.

RULE 11 -- Sleep, rest, and relaxation are of prime importance. It's during periods of sound sleep that the body recuperates and builds muscle tissue.

RULE 12 -- Regard these twelve rules as a regular lifelong, life-rewarding priority -- one that hones discipline and is honed by that same discipline. Remember also that laughter builds strong bodies and healthy minds, and restores the soul.