Adonis Index Systems

Today we bring you another podcast from our phi-life series. Today's topic: Supplement Packaging What do you think is the most important thing in supplement development? If your answer was  ingredients, you would be incorrect. When developing a new product, the supplement developers actually work backwards from packaging. In reality the package is what will sell the product, not the ingredient. The ingredients are pretty much the same across all the products, so that's not what sets a specific supplement apart or even what will make you choose one for purchase. One can hardly imagine how complex the process of just "creating the package" really is. It's not only the color of the supplement that matters. It's the questions of whether you put the ingredients into capsule or powder form? If so, do those contents belong in a  bottle or package? Packaging is the first impression a customer will have with a product. The next step of the process is figuring out what to say, what font to use, what colors to use, what fitness model to endorse the product with what particular claim and much more. You simply cannot sell a supplement without the right package and claim, because that's what drives sales. Everything must fit together, the claim has to fit the cover and everything has to be in-sync from a buyer's perspective. Packaging is utmost importance for a supplement company. In today's podcast you will  discover just how much it matters and what really goes into packaging   design. This is not to tell you that supplements are evil and should be avoided at all costs., Quite the opposite, certain supplements can help you with your fitness goals. However, understanding whats goes behind the scenes will help you pick the supplements you really need and avoid spending money on products that are useless to you, but may look very appealing at first. Today you have a chance to get inside the heads of previous supplement developers - John Barban and Brad Pilon. You will also learn and discover: What colors entice you to buy  The reason some supplements are on the market (not all supplement are backed by clinical studies) The exact steps that take place before the supplement is put on the shelf [For supplement developers] How to make an impression on your customers and stand out in competition How package size correlates with the magnitude of promised results How supplements can get away with outrageous claims How your thought process as a customer affects package development If it matters whether the supplement cover looks pretty or not Listen to the podcast here:

Today we bring you a podcast from our phi-life series. Today's topic: The Danger of Super Hero Marketing So can you get as big as the Hulk? Deep down we know we can't get this big, but that certainly doesn't prevent us from trying. This never ending journey of aiming to get as big as The Hulk includes steroid intake, falling for the myth of bulking and mega dosing supplements. We have been exposed to Super Heroes our entire life. From a young boy reading  comic books to a grown-up watching the latest Super Hero movie.  Then finally,  once we begin to explore the world of  fitness we are introduced to the real Super Hero - bodybuilders.  These "Super Heroes" may not be able to fly, but their physique's certainly reminds us of The Hulk. This is where things start to head down hill for the "Average Joe." When we get into the fitness and bodybuilding community we (for some bizarre reason) wanna live like bodybuilders. We want the lifestyle of Mr. Olympia, so even though we are not him and never will be, we still live to train and eat...We've all been down that road. Which is completely contrary to what we now here at Adonis Lifestyle teach - Eat and train to live. This is a dangerous path to be on, because suddenly it becomes your identity, you are the weird "fitness guy" who never goes out, doesn't know how to have fun and often times isn't even in such a great shape (shirt on big, shirt off average or fat). Well, today we will look into this mindset and determine where it all began.  We will discuss what influences cartoon Super Heroes have and how they actually shape your your fitness goals and the perception of your own body. Also in today's podcast, John talks about his experience with a salesman trying to pitch the very supplements he developed! You will also learn and discover: What type of  environment the supplements stores create which always compel you to buy more supplements The difference between "online" supplements store and supplements stores that are "brick and mortar" There are only 3-4 important supplement ingredients that are used and sold... so why are there so many "other" supplements? How people make billions by selling products that aren't effective Why people buy supplements even when there isn't any scientific evidence it actually works Whether you can actually look like guys in the fitness/bodybuilding magazines What specific documentary movie you can watch to get a clearer picture about the fitness industry Why supplements sell Why guys wanna be larger than life Why you continue to buy the  newest supplements even though the last one's didn't work What is a "Pipe  Dream" vs.  what is actually attainable &  How this makes a world of difference in terms of marketing and driving sales How supplements advertising works Listen to the podcast here:

Today we have an interview with Gavin Rennison. Gavin has been following Adonis Index for about 12 months now and today he has decided to share with us his astonishing progress. He is definitely among the more experienced and muscular guys in our community. Check out his picture: It Doesn't Have to Be Complicated Gavin got into weight lifting at the age of 25, so right after juvenile muscle growth. You would say that he could not build lots of muscle after the age of 25, but then he has pictures that show otherwise. This is a proof that you can still gain lots of muscle mass even if you are not starting with your training in your teens or early 20s. However, Gavin as most of the guys who go to the gym wasn't very consistent with his workouts, it was on and off training throughout the years. He also lacked any knowledge in how to structure his workouts, so he just did basic splits like everyone else. Since he tried increasing weights on regular basis he got some results. However, then he felt into the whole bulking, 6 meals a day approach, gained lots of weight as a result and got up to 200 pounds. After finding out about Adonis Index he was shocked at the contrast between bodybuilding diet and Anything Goes Diet we preach here at AI. The bodybuilding diet is very strict, but doesn't provide linear results compared to freewill eating with the AGD principles were the results are linear. And that's the issue with the traditional bodybuilding and fitness approach - too much hassle for little results. It doesn't have to be that way, getting in shape and achieving an ideal body shape isn't as difficult as people think. You can make it simply, and quite frankly you should, because the chances of you getting achieving your ideal body with perfect measurements are ten times higher if you keep things simple. Once you overcomplicate your approach, start to read dozens of diet books, you will second guess yourself, you will try various approaches like 6 meals a day, bulking or whatever is hot right now and for no results. Gavin decided to keep it simple and stick to his approach and he got amazing results. Here are a couple more of his pictures: More Tips from Gav: Know your boundaries Be consistent Don’t make it your lifestyle If you have some fat to lose, lose it first, because once you do you will never have to do it again, you will get lean for life and as a bonus you'll finally see how much muscle mass you have Don't try to get big at every cost Don't obsess over supplements Do a photoshoot after your transformation (you can use it as a deadline) Don't ever try the traditional bulking, it doesn't work and it's stupid Get a workout program that keeps changing, because that will keep you interested longer Bounce back when you push it too far Gav's measurements: Waist: 31" Shoulders: 48.25" AI score: 1.56 Links from the interview: Adonis Index Workouts The “Photo-Shoot Ready” Recipe - Article from Allen Elliott about preparing for a photoshoot If you want to get in touch with Gavin, talk to him about his approach and get more tips, here's his profile in our community Read Gav's experience with Adonis Index in his own words: Well, where do I start in thanking all at Adonis for what they've achieved in creating such a simplistic approach to all things diet and fitness?! The Adonis Index has been a truly and literally life changing find for me. It has...Continue Reading Here Listen to the interview here, and please “like” it when you’re done:

Here's your new interview with one of the winners from the 8th Adonis Index Transformation Contest. Today John talks to Rodrigo Caceres who placed 3rd in our last 12-Week Transformation contest. Check out his transformation pictures: Rodrigo wanted to place in the top 10 and he did, he placed third, let's look at his story and what he did that brought him this results. Until recently Rodrigo wasn't doing any sort of training. He was stuck in the rut of  gaining weight after getting married. . One day he decided to get back in shape. So he got a routine from a  personal trainer and started going to the gym. He got a bit leaner, but also got annoyed and bored with his routine, so when he stopped training he fell back into the rut of weight  gain. He once again got back on  track by attending some spinning clases  combined with a "whole foods" diet. But as he got leaner, he had no muscle mass and started to receive comments that he was "too skinny." In response to these comments he decided to join the bodybuilding community and adopted the usual approach - eat more, eat every 3 hours. The result? Fat Gain yet once again. Over the years this became a never ending cycle of weight loss and weight gain. Rodrigo truly believed that if he leaned out he would have more muscle. So in an act of desperation, he went online to find a way to lean out and that was when he stumbled upon Eat Stop Eat, which lead him to Adonis Index. At first he didn't want to accept the ideology, but listening to the podcasts and the grand opening of  a new gym near his home convinced him to get started. Before we get into his transformation, there is something you need to know about Rodrigo, let's consider his educational background. Rodrigo studied philosophy, so his perspective is a bit different than most. He was used to self-analysis and introspection and was always consciously aware of his feeling at any giving moment. Posessing this knowledge he expected to have very little  trouble with the mechanics and assumed that the mental part of the transformation would  be fairly simple. However, quite the opposite happened. Truth is that the mental part of any transformation is tough, no matter what your experience  or expertise is. Even though some people have it easier, everyone will have to overcome inner challenges that's why we call it a transformation, because at the end of it, you are a different person, both physically and mentally. Rodrigo was very motivated, but like everyone he had moments when he felt a bit depressed. He told us that this was actually one of the hardest mental challenges he'd ever went through. It all seems superficial, but it's really not and even despite the fact that the contest is only for 3 months it's still very challenging. It's just not what people expect  it will be, you have emotional ups and downs, and the process is far from straightforward. It will definitely push you out of your comfort zone and force you to break old habits. We always say that it's simple but not easy, however this doesn't mean it's not doable.  A successful transformation is indeed possible and as you can see here, lots of people have gone before you. It's important to realize that the promises you see on TV are false, it's what the marketers wants you to believe to be true.  Nothing worth  pursuing in life is ever easy. Can You Drink Alcohol and Cut? As you have read previously from the Naughty Guide post, you can have alcohol and still get ripped, the key is moderation, as with anything. Rodrigo decided that he won't give up alcohol and that's something he wants to enjoy even during the contest prep and he did. You can too if you want, it's up to you whether you want to enjoy your calories in meal or drink. What Rodrigo realized was that with drinking comes a lot of eating, so he limited himself  to only a couple of glasses and refrained from eating.

Here's your new interview with one of the winners from the 8th Adonis Index Transformation Contest. Today John talks to Justin Dyke who placed 6th in our last 12-Week Transformation contest. Check out his transformation pictures: Justin was accustomed to building  his own workout routines; he simply applied the information he read from magazines and online articles. It wasn't until he began college that the concepts of diet and exercise truly peaked his interest.  He realized there might be more to to health and fitness than just weight lifting.  Justin even considered the possible advantages of controlling his  food intake. Rather than focusing on calories, he decided to follow the "healthy eating"  approach.  However, when he began to monitor his calorie intake, he finally saw a difference in the mirror. What's interesting is that even though he got some results, he continued to  look for new ways to improve his diet.  He became more and more obsessed with diet and controlling what he consumed. His obsession reached new levels when he added the  bulking regimen in addition to his healthy diet. He ate lots of food to gain weight. He was successful in this approach; the only issue was that it was gain of fat and not muscle. Instead of  moving forward he was actually heading in the opposite direction (the worst feeling ever). He felt powerful in the gym, but still didn't have the look he wanted. Justin was neither fat nor skinny, he maintained normal weight and BF%, but this bulking method ballooned his weight up to over 200 pounds. The tide began to turn in his favor when a friend of his introduced him to the Adonis Index. Oddly enough, that was a couple years ago and Justin just didn't believe the program would work for him, so he simply put it off. It wasn't until after listening to dozens of AI interviews and podcasts  that he finally decided to give it a shot. He asked himself "What do I have to lose by trying the workouts for 3 months and entering the contest?" when he realized that he could only gain from the experience, he decided to committ to the contest. He stayed focused by keeping his goals in mind  and used the contest deadline as motivation to get the job done. How to Slowly Condition Yourself to Eat Less In a short amount of time Justin went from eating six times a day like a pro bodybuilder to eating just once a day by following Eat Stop Eat's intermittent fasting protocol. So how exactly did Justin do this? Well, he didn't do it overnight, he took the slow approach. During the first couple of weeks he transitioned from eating 6 times a day to eating just 3 times a day. After he was comfortable with this pattern, he slowly began to skip the other two meals and tried fasting for 24 hours. As soon as he realized that he is not going to die of starvation, he decided to incorporate fasting into his regular lifestyle. It's really just about mentally letting go and then physically conditioning your body to follow these new patterns. For Justin, it was a tough mental game though. At first he had to let go of the emotional attachment he had to the bodybuilding diet and then start skipping the meals. Summary of Justin's Best Tips: Keep it simple at all times Focus on workout consistency Have faith in the process and it will work out for you Ignore other outside forces - You will be tempted to change things, so don't, stick to this one thing and give it an honest try Links from the interview: Main Adonis Index Workout Specializations AKA Boosters Eat Stop Eat If you want to get in touch with Justin, talk to him about his approach and get more tips, here's his profile in our community Read Justin's experience with Adonis Index in his own words: I have been working out since high school and never really started taking it serious until my junior year of college when I started concentrating hard on the nutrition side.

Here's your new interview with one of the winners from the 8th Adonis Index Transformation Contest. Today John talks to Cristiam Reinoso who placed 9th in our last 12-Week Transformation contest. Check out his transformation pictures: Afte...

Here's your new interview with one of the winners from the 8th Adonis Index Transformation Contest. Today John talks to Richard Tesorio who placed 8th in our last 12-Week Transformation contest. Check out his transformation pictures: Here's Richard's story... Richard graduated high school at 115 pounds soaking wet.  Naturally skinny, he was constantly trying to bulk up. He always wanted that big, ripped defined body. So one day he started working out  with a friend who had him been involved in some badass tactical operations. However, as awesome as that may sound,  he couldn't even walk home after his first workout. Something needed to change... Richard decided to get a new trainer, however this guy was Somalian and just freakishly strong. Even though he got some results, there was no end goal to his training.  It was at this  time Richard hit an all-time low; he simply stopped going to the gym. Finally, with a renewed vigor  he resumed his workouts, still chasing his dreams of attaining the ever so elusive ripped physique. He knew of the Adonis Index System as early as 2008, but busy with life, he never applied himself to the workouts. Before fully committing to AI, Richard tried running, cardio and insanity workouts...he was stuck in a cycle of hopping from program to program, not getting any results. To make matters worse, although he recovered from a thyroid issue, he made no changes to his diet which ballooned his weight from 115 to 140 pounds; his weight gain finally leveled off at 159 pounds. Now burdened with the unwanted bulk from his weight gain, Richard tried a few diets, but hadn't yet learned the concept of calories in and out. He also had no understanding of body shape, he would lose weight, only to become a smaller version of himself and not the better looking version, as he hoped for. He was very unsatisfied with his physique, however, since he was still getting the Adonis Index emails and had the program, he finally decided to commit and try this Adonis thing. Patience Will Help you Win the Game...Rushing Will Only Backfire your Progress Richard's initial approach to the Adonis Index workouts was very smart. Before he started worrying about big gains he just wanted to get into the habit of going to the gym. In the evening there's simply too many people, so he figured that mornings will be less crowded and more equipment will be free for him to use. At first he was like everyone else comparing himself to other people, but you know you shouldn't do that, and like Richard said, looking back most of these people don't even know what the hell they are doing. Once he figured out that he needed to focus on himself, he started learning the moves and focusing on the lift with lighter weights. He basically gave himself a permission to lift light at first. By learning the proper techniques he progressed quickly without getting injured in the process. Richard starts his mornings with water and black coffee and performs his Adonis Index workout; he then fasts until 5:30PM. This routine is in accordance with most people's schedules so he is able to remain social at events that normally occur in the evenings. A typical diet normally involves some sort of restriction, but most people try to restrict too much, because they strive for quick results. Sadly, this is a proven method for failure. The goal should be to make that restriction feel as minimal as possible. You can have sweets and cupcakes, it doesn't matter as long as you restrict calories and have some balance in your diet. However, be prepared for some resistance. Because it looks crazy if you are eating "junk food" in public, it doesn't make any sense to them that you could be eating like this and be following a supposed fat-loss diet. In the grand scheme of things. that donut is insignificant; no one knows you fasted for 16 hours and will finish with a medium-sized dinner.

Here's your new interview with one of the winners from the 8th Adonis Index Transformation Contest. Today John talks to Tommy Lacaprucia who placed 2nd in our last 12-Week Transformation contest. Check out his transformation pictures: Tommy isn't even 17 years old yet, so he is by far our youngest contestant. For only a 12 week transformation, his progress is outstanding. Tommy admitted that growing up he was always on the chubby side and he  deeply desired to get in shape. As a result, he turned to a popular TV fitness program.  However, with this program he was constantly overtraining and under eating. His motivation was spot on, but the process he followed didn't yield the results he wanted.   After all, his goal was  to be in shape yesterday... No fault of his own, as this is what we all want. But during a transformation patience is key. Sadly, Tommy  ended up losing muscle mass, and became what we call "skinny fat".  To make matters worse, he even began to receive comments from his family concerned about his health and appearance. Before doing this crazy TV finess program he at least looked good with his shirt on, but  mentally, this program really screwed him up. Thankfully, the tide turned in Tommy's  favor in January of this year when he discovered the Adonis Index system. He agrees that this was a game changer for him. He used our regular workouts with a few booster specializations, accompanied with the Reverse Taper Diet and Pilon's Eat Stop Eat. Standing at a height of  5'10" he went from 163 pounds to 144 pounds, gained muscle and lost significant amount of fat.  His new look landed him a more aesthetic body shape with visible abs, just scroll up for pictures. Keep in mind, this is only after 12 weeks, just imagine what Tommy can look like after 12 months or 12 years. It's amazing what can happen when you find a program that works and stick to it.   Experience Cannot Be Bought Do you remember your very first workout? You probably felt endless amounts of pain the next few days after your workout. That's because your body wasn't used to the physical stress; you were probably sore for a week just from one workout. But as you probably also remember this changed pretty quickly and in no time you could handle 3 workouts like that in a single week. But there is one more thing we haven't mentioned yet. Once you get over this "muscle learning curve" you can handle as many  workouts as the older, more experienced guys. Why is that? This is partly because when you are new to weight training, you can't use the workout in it's full potential like somebody with let's say with 20 years of experience. Younger and less experienced guys just can't generate the same amount of intensity with training. Tommy's solution was to was add SEVERAL boosters to the main workout module. If you recall the interviews with Vivek and Adam, you'll recall that they both trained twice a day! Sure you might get sore, but if it's not an injury, why not suck it up, train more often and get double the gains? This is something you might wanna consider and experiment with. As long as you have the energy and time, there is no reason for you not to add more training volume and sessions to your regimen. Links from the interview: Eat Stop Eat - Diet Lifestyle protocol designed to help you to lose fat and regain freedom in your food choices Reverse Taper Diet - Diet protocol designed to prevent you from rebounding and yo-yo dieting Muscle Building Foundation - Workout plan focused on building muscle mass Booster Specializations - Bonus workouts for improving the areas of your body you are unsatisfied with Adonis Index Original Workouts 3.1 - Workouts responsible for the most amazing transformations online Read Tommy's experience with Adonis Index in his own words: I’ve been following AI since January 1, 2012 and I absolutely love everything about it!

Here's your new interview with one of the winners from the 8th Adonis Index Transformation Contest. Today John talks to Anthony Rivest who placed 5th in our last 12-Week Transformation contest. Check out his transformation pictures: Anthony was very proud of the progress he made in his 12 week transformation.  His next goal is to achieve his "ideal" AI numbers. However, it's his amazing pictures that we'd like to highlight in this blog post. The phrase, Do it yourself (DIY) refers to building, modifying, or repairing something without the aid of experts or professionals. Surprisingly enough,  Anthony didn't hire a professional photographer nor did he did do anything crazy for his photo-shoot prep. It was all homemade, just a bed sheet, mild water depletion, and a short fast. The result? No pressure, no money spent, and zero stress. Anthony even had cake and fajitas on the day before the shoot! While there are several different approaches to arriving "photo-shoot ready", most of them are essential only if you are well-developed  and taking performance enhancement drugs; otherwise not really.   Let's Uncover the Mystery Around Dieting Since Anthony is a bit taller than most people his BMR is significantly higher and so is his appetite. This means that when he eats, he eats a lot of food at one sitting. Let's break down his approach a bit and maybe you can incorporate some of his techniques into your lifestyle. For the most part it's based on the principles of Eat Stop Eat and Anything Goes Diet, it also happens to be an approach that lots of people in the Adonis community have incorporated. The thing is that apart from the many flaws that the traditional approach "eat every three hours" has is that if you eat light meals all the time you will never feel satisfied and that can lead to some serious binge eating. This is why it makes more sense to have fewer, but big meals. You will also spend less time on cooking, eating, cleaning the dishes. Not eating AKA fasting not only saves time, removes the thinking about food, but it also helps you stay more focused and productive. Anthony also told us that fasting helps him with school, he even credits getting better grades because of it. When all the students get back from launch break to class, they feel tired, but Anthony is full of energy and he is able to concentrate. And it's not just that skipping lunch helps, skipping breakfast is the same. You have to realize that as soon as you have at least a medium size meal you will feel tired and sleepy, definitely not like learning or working. Most people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, well what it seems that actually skipping the breakfast and eating food later is the best thing you can do. It's literally breaking the fast, so try to move it as far into the day as possible. ...And my guess is that you aren't even hungry when you wake up, just thirsty and need to drink some water, so maybe you are mistaking hunger for thirst. If you are not ready for a full fast yet, try to gradually move the first meal of the day further ahead. If you wake up at 6am, regularly eat at 7am and want to benefit from the intermittent fasting, try to move your first meal to 10am. Once you are comfortable with that you can move that first meal to 2pm and then try to do the full 24 fast. Just give it a few weeks until your body gets used to it. It's better to start your day with a coffee and if you are like Anthony, you would start your day not only with coffee but also with your workout. If you do your workout in the morning, you have the rest of the day to do whatever you like. However, if you planned the workout for the afternoon,  chances increase that you may skip it. This may sound non important but this is one of the reasons people don't get results - they just skip the workouts...and there is always an excuse... I'm too tired

Here's your new interview with one of the winners from the 8th Adonis Index Transformation Contest. Today John talks to Miguel Garcia who placed 10th in our last 12-Week Transformation contest. Check out his transformation pictures: Miguel never trained in his life until recently. He began his fitness journey about 4 years ago when he  joined a gym and began working with a personal trainer. He created a workout routine for Miguel that was all about endurance (why endurance?!?)...but even after 6 months of doing this intense training routine he didn't see any changes, so he dropped out of the program. After that he started researching on the Internet wanting to learn more about fitness and training. And since 99% of the websites talked about bulking and cutting philosophy it seemed like  the next logical step for him. He noticed a few changes, but it was only with his shirt on. He gained weight, but he still wasn't satisfied with the way he looked. The regiment of eating five times a day and  just wasn't sustainable for him. It felt like another job for him and truth to be told, that's really not how it's supposed to be. Miguel never wanted to be huge and live a bodybuilding lifestyle. He just wanted to be in shape with defined muscles. So he started researching again. He believed his chances of achieving  a body he would like would be near impossible. So instead he focused on being more healthy, he took on running and jumped on the famous P90X workout. He finished that program, but he told us that by the end the only thing he wanted to do was to break the DVDs, that's how difficult it was to get through the program. He gained musle, lost fat, and could run faster, but it still wasn't what he expected; let alone the enormous amount of effort it took for him get there. This just reinforced the belief that it was extremely difficult if not impossible to get in shape, at least for him. It was at this point that Miguel hit an all time low. He dropped off everything and was done with fitness, he was just so beaten up and disappointed that he didn't want to exercise anymore and he started eating a lot. He gained lots of weight, and it wasn't even the bulk look, it was just plain fat. One day he looked at himself and became concerned he was losing control and that his health was at risk. He found another workout program, finished it and saw no results and no change in his body shape yet AGAIN. And on top of that, because it was a pretty intense program it stimulated his appetite and pushed him to eat more. It was a lot of work with no pay off. He started researching again and FINALLY he found the Adonis Index. At first he thought it was some kind of scam, which doesn't come as such a surprise considering he came from hard work, no rest, bulking philosophy approach and here at Adonis Index we contradict almost everything that you hear from the conventional fitness media. But since he never got any serious results, he gave it a shot and after 12 weeks of the mid-term contest for the first time in his life he started seeing some good change, just check out the photos at the top of the page. Today he is on the path of getting the body he wants... So what about you? Where are you on the path to achieving the body YOU want? Moving on, let's hear a little more from Miguel. Tips from Miguel: Be social during the weekends and just prepare for it during the week You can go undercover with your approach, my girlfriend was the only one who knew what I was doing Progress is progress, even if it's just baby steps Seriously try something and make up your mind after you do it, not before-- give it an honest go, then you will be able to say if it worked or not Trust the program and take measurements along the way Links from the interview: Muscle Building Foundation - Do you think you are too far from even think even ideal body shape?

Here's your new interview with one of the winners from the 8th Adonis Index Transformation Contest. Today John talks to Simon Bernard who won 1st place in the 12-Week Transformation. Check out his transformation pictures: Simon has entered...

Here's your new interview with one of the winners from the 8th Adonis Index Transformation Contest. Today John talks to Lester Sing who placed 4th in the 12-Week Transformation. Check out his transformation pictures: Lester was always lean, at least till he got out of high school. That's when he started gaining weight - and it wasn't muscle. This is pretty common, most people get out of school, stop doing sports, and begin living a sedentary lifestyle. Lester gained quite a lot of weight and at his height 5'4'' he got up to 180 pounds. This is something that happens when you stop paying attention, start eating more, start attending more social eating events and stop exercising. Lester realized that he had to do something about this so he invested in a couple workout programs and tried several different approaches. He dropped to 139 pounds (achieved his goal) and decided to stay active. However, he still wasn't happy. Even though he improved his body, he wasn't comfortable taking his shirt off, yet. As he said, he didn't think he could see his abs again. ...Then he noticed an online ad for Adonis Index. He jumped on board, got the workout plan, got into the community and started training. He wanted to test out whether the program can produce any results for him. And he was very surprised when he saw his final pictures. Results Come with Patience Lester played around with fasting and Pilon's 24 hour fasting protocol called Eat Stop Eat. What worked for him the most was fasting for 15 hours and then having the first big meal of the day. It took him a lot to get from eating every 3 hours to eating just once a day. And if you are experiencing something similar, then understand that changing your eating habits may take up to two weeks. Your body needs to get used to eating less often. You will experience a hunger pang followed by a strong urge to eat. It will take some time and effort to get used to it, but after about two weeks you will be comfortable with having an empty stomach and it's at  that time when you will begin seeing the results. The first week you will think that what you are doing is wrong, it will feel uncomfortable, because it's simply something new. ...And your body subconsciously fights when you are trying new things. But after you get over this initial first bump, you will feel great, you will feel alive, more in control. It's necessary to go through this, because it's probably the best way to learn how to manage your food intake, you will just learn so much about yourself and about food and your eating habits that it's impossible to describe it (even though Pilon did a pretty good job in his latest ESE book). Tips from Lester: Dedication and consistency are necessary for you to succeed It's a slow process so how much you want it will determine the results you will get Take lots of photos and then put them side by side Fat won't come out all at once You will eventually get there it just takes time and patience You have the time to work out, and even if you miss a tv shows, so what? If you are used to eating at certain times (same goes for food choices) it will take a couple weeks for you to change it Don't eat 6 times a day, it's easier to track the calories when you have just two big meals Keep track of everything – weight log, strength log, measurements, photos Don't be afraid to be light, it's nothing to be ashamed of and quite frankly nobody gives a sh*t If the weight is messing with your head then don’t even bother, the mirror/photos is what matters Links from the interview: Main Adonis Index Workout 3.1 - The workout that's responsible for the most amazing transformations online Adonis Index Community - The friendliest and most helpful fitness community in the world Eat Stop Eat - Diet Lifestyle protocol designed to help you to lose fat and regain freedom in your food choices

Today we have an interview with Pete. Pete follows the Adonis Index workouts but has not competed in any of our contests, however his fitness lifestyle approach has rewarded him with a remarkable "contest-ready" physique. Because of his amazing results we decided to interview him to learn more about how he achieved this "elite" level of fitness. Check out his pictures: Pete's background is ex-military; where he served as a Special Forces Officer. We quickly discovered from Pete that the time, effort, and training that went into becoming a Special Forces' Officer was simply mind-blowing. However, when Pete left the army he continued his workout regimen as if he was still active duty.  His motivation to continue training was simply to be fit; not because he wanted to run marathons or go on long-distance rucksack  marches.  He continued his training because he wanted to look good  and believed this was the best way to maintain his conditioning. Pete was very fit, his endurance and strength never dwindled. But despite his level of fitness, he was carrying an undesirable amount of fat. This is a perfect example of when being fit doesn't translate into good looks. Pete was hoping that one day all the hard work of his training would show up, but sadly, that day never came. Adonis Index, Revelation or Disappointment? Then Pete discovered Adonis Index. He was fascinated by the concepts of the golden ratio, ancient Greek mythology, and loved the fact that everything was made based upon art and science. After going through the materials  he decided to drop all the other fitness products,  tuned out all the other so called fitness "experts", and gave this new program an honest try. And the result? Let's ask him: After getting out of the Army, I was still eating like I was in the military but my calorie intake did not equal my volume of training.    I slowly put on weight over a period of 5 years; the weight really increased when my son was born 3 years ago. I can safely say now that not only have I returned  back to the body I had ten years ago,  but its even BETTER LOOKING!  I am well-proportioned and not just 'functional'. Sure, these days I would find it harder to carry a heavy pack for 30km, but who cares? I don't NEED to, lol.  I mentally struggled with this concept for a long time because the army style of training was so heavily ingrained into me - I was still training for function: a function I was no longer required to perform.  I'm so pleased to have found AI and apply their training concepts. I signed up for immersion and never looked back. Pete realized that the Adonis physique is what he really wanted this whole time, he just never knew how to train for that sought after "look". Cardio was always one of Pete's greatest strengths, but he just wasn't satisfied with the way he looked. The results he longed for did not occur until he made a fundamental change in his attitude towards training. He accepted the fact that looks were important to him; there is no reason why you should hide the fact that you want to look good. Almost everyone in the gym tries to improve their max on bench press, increase their vertical jump for basketball, train for stamina and endurance and all the other sh*t while 99% of those guys really just wanna look good, that's the reason why they got into "body building" in the first place, so why hide it? If you are not willing to admit to yourself that that's the reason why you work out, you will never build a good looking body. It's similar to people who want to build wealth for themselves and their family, but they believe having lots of money is wrong. If you think focusing on training for looks and not performance is wrong, you will not be able to build a body you can be satisfied with. Think about it, if you actually want to change the shape of your body, you must change your attitude.

Today we have an interview with Johannes Platz who placed 6th in the Open Level 1 category in our latest Adonis Index Contest. Check out his pictures: Johannes is a musician which requires him to sit for long hours on end during performances and rehearsals.  He was never physically active growing up and combined with his work as a musician he began to experience  issues with back pain which prompted him to pursue more of a fitness lifestyle, specifically weight lifting. However, Johannes journey into fitness was not without some setback and disappointment. At first he went to a therapist, who got him to do some basic bodyweight exercises and later on prescribed a weight lifting program consisting of a few exercises of 3 sets with 15 reps. After six months he saw some decent results. It wasn't exactly a complex fitness program, but at least he began to exercise regularly and was able to eliminate his back pain. Be Aware of Goal Hijacking When Johannes relocated to to Switzerland; he was away from his therapist and began to seek out a new fitness routine. He jumped on a few weight lifting programs and got into a decent shape, but he fell victim to the conventional "eat bit to be big" approach. After a while he realized two things: He never wanted to be huge like bodybuilders He gained muscle, but he became "pudgy" in the process That's what we call goal hijacking - you have a goal (getting in shape in this case) and you start moving in a right direction, but you fall off track on your way there (ex.: by aiming for the bodybuilder type of look). The whole purpose of the programs Johannes tried was to get bigger by  gaining a ton of muscle - you know those claims like "gain 30 pounds of muscle over summer" programs. Even though it worked to a certain degree, he had to prepare and eat meals up to six times a day, which is pretty time consuming, considering the fact he didn't like the way he looked. It wasn't until one day when he discovered new role modes of an ideal shape from images of guys like Taylor Lautner and Ryan Gosling.  From that point, he realized that this is the body shape he wanted to achieve. Through a few referrals he found Eat Stop Eat, the Anything Goes Diet and lastly the Adonis Index. He  immediately started following the nutrition advice and doing the workouts. Eat Stop Eat helped him understand that it's okay to skip meals and he found it very freeing. Anything Goes Diet was a relief as well because somebody finally told him that he doesn't have to worry about the food he puts in his mouth, and that there is no evidence of high caloric diet supporting muscle growth. It even got him into cooking, which is something he never did before! And once he saw Andrew Peter's pictures he decided to  jump in and participate in one of the contests and take his physique to the next level. Tips from Johannes:  If you aren't exercising. start weight lifting ASAP There are a lot of fitness programs, but none of them are as flexible and simple to follow as Adonis Index (plus this one actually works) Take before and after pictures to really see what amazing progress you have done The little bit of bodyfat you drop can make a huge difference in pictures People start noticing that you are in shape roughly at AI 1.5 Don’t compare yourself to others, it’s just your progress, everyone is different from genetic potential standpoint Competitors are often times very genetically gifted and in some cases on drugs, so don't take their bodies as your ideals There is always someone who looks better than you Be consistent with your effort in the gym Stay in your calorie budget Don't be afraid of cooking the food yourself Links from the interview: Adonis Index Main Workout - Workout program that is responsible for the most amazing transformations online Muscle Building Foundation - Adonis Index workout for building muscle mass

Today we have an interview with Vivek who placed 3rd in our latest Adonis Index Transformation Contest. The topic of this interview is muscle gain and how quickly it can happen. Check out his pictures: This is the second time Vivek has pla...