Meal Prep Made Easy With Training Day Cafe

With everything, a well thought out and planned meal prep will ensure that you are successful when it comes to dieting. Today we have many options that will allow us to be successful as long as we dedicate a small amount of time towards making the right choices when it comes to the food that we eat. If you are one of the people that simply don't have time to cook and often make excuses as to why you can't eat healthy, a meal prep company could be right for you. My personal meal prep company of choice is Training Day Cafe. They are located in Surrey.BC and serve the lower mainland in BC with outlets in Maple Ridge as well as Abbotsford. With a wide range of option to choose from, Am and the staff will custom make your meals to fit your goals. Here is how the process will look.

Step 1: Log on to the Training Day Cafe website

Under the menu tab located at the top of the page you'll find the meal prep section. Once you click on that link, you'll see all the featured meals as well as options to customize each meal. Simply select the meals and the portion sizes that you'd like and write them in an email.

At this current time, you must email the team your email and they will confirm with you the price and let you know about pick up times.





Step 2: Pick up meals from one of their pickup locations 

Picking up your meals are easy and fun! Your meals will be ready for pick up on arrival and waiting in the fridge with your name on it. This is going to make it super easy for a quick in and quick out trip that will safe you time.

Step 3: Take out of the fridge and enjoy a well balanced diet

Custom meals comes in a microwavable safe container and it's as simple as taking it out of the fridge, heating it up in the microwave if you desire, and enjoying. Simply recycle the container once you are finished without having any dishes to clean.

X2X Hardcore X Skull T-shirt!

The new X2X Training Gear T-shirt is my favourite t-shirt made to date by X2X Training gear. Get muscle and look good doing it is a motto that i like to live by when training in the gym. Take a look at the entire clothing line of X2X Training Gear at the Canadian Exclusive site.

X2X Army Stringer Now In Canada

From the very moment that I seen this X2X Army Stringer I instantly wanted it! By far the best stringer tank i've seen to date and can't wait for each time it comes out of the wash to wear it again. Printed on the front and back, you'll be looking flashing from all sides as you show off your hard earned gains in the gym. Check out the X2X Canada site for more details about this awesome stringer tank.

Product Review: Inner Armour Training Peak

If you are a serious athlete you need to take the time to source out a quality multivitamin that is designed for athletes. I've has a great experience with a number of other Inner Armour products so i figured that I would give this product a try after my previous multivitamin is now discontinued. Great profile to this product with a good amount of quality ingredients.

What's inside the box:
Thousands of vitamins, minerals, co-factors, amino acids, and omegas. Overall a quality pack that has been proven to reduce soreness in athletes and aid in recovery. An added bonus is the XL tshirt that comes free inside every container.

Value:
In terms of value i'd say this is one of the best value products that you'll find in the vitamin category. Retailing in the low to mid $40's for a 30 day supply you'll be happy you picked up this product as you'll feel a difference within the 30 days.

When to use it:
They say to have it with the biggest meal of the day. In terms of what i found to be most effective is taking it with breakfast to start the day off right!

Overall:
I will definitely continue to use this product as i'm onto my second container now. Great addition to my supplement stack and i'd recommend you try it out for yourself! 8/10

ISweat The Left Coast

Having trained for over 6 year now it's taken me from a small town community gym to becoming a Pro fitness model. I've been featured in international magazines and competed in a handful of fitness model competitions. Many things have changed over the years but the one thing that's always remained consistent is my love for bodybuilding. My training has always remained the main focus as I strive to become better every single day.  What can I do with this body that i've created over the year from lifting iron and eating chicken breast?

Now it's time to find out! Over the next 6 weeks i'll be doing a video and photograph series featuring different physical activities that you can find on the West coast of Canada. The series title "#ISweat The Left Coast" will take you on an adventure into beautiful British Columbia  and all that this stunning province can offer. I'll be taking part in activities with amateurs and professionals in their given sport to see if I have what it takes stand with them in their own sport. Let the adventure begin!

Arming For Battle 'Road To The UFE Pro Show'

On Set! iSkin International iPhone 5 Campaign

It was a pleasure to once again work with the team from iSkin International on their new product launch for the iPhone 5. This will be a really cool concept for a campaign and should be launched at the same time as the iPhone 5 debut. I will certainly keep you up to date as images become available. For now about is a combination of me working on set.

Ridiculous Pumps Part 2 'Road To The UFE Pro Show'

'Ridiculous Pumps' Part 2 on The Road To The UFE Pro Show 2012

Don't Just Be Another Face In The Crowd

For some reason people in our society always strive to fit in and be part of the crowd around them. Not only is this sad but it's also a waste of a life that could be. I see it daily that people hold themselves back without letting it all out because they are afraid to standout and be different. Let me ask you a question, the last event you attended who do you remember outside of the people you went with? Most likely the answer will be "nobody" or it'll be someone that was "standing out" for being different. It could have been someone with blue hair, ripped jeans, low cut tops, or just expressive in their actions. These people are the ones that you remember and want to talk about later. That's the same reason why Michael Jackson or Lady Gaga are so big! They strived to be themselves and do what they want in their own weird way. People love it, people talk about it, and it's allowed them to rise to the top as some of the most popular entertainers of the past 2 decades.  

If you want to be a maverick and leave your own mark on the world you need to be different. You need to be yourself and standout from the rest in society. For each person that will be different and the desired outcome will be different. That's perfectly fine because it's uniquely your own journey. I can't give you any direction or tell you what to do because that would be me telling you my dreams. It's just one of those things that you need to start with the desire to do and allow your actions to guide you towards that direction. Simply start, do something and get your feet going. You can always figure things out on the fly and make changes as you go. Live with Passion and Make this the best life

12 Muscle Building Tips For Beginners

Looking back over my years of training I wish I knew these principles when I started. They aren't mind-blowing but I think they'll help you out as you begin your muscle building journey.

1. Get Strong -A stronger muscle is a bigger muscle.
2. Have More Sex -It's good for you and gives you extra motivation to make gains 
3. Deadlift -Don't neglect your back and the deadlift is the king of back exercises for adding thicken to your back.
4. Don't over work -Biceps, triceps, and deltoids are small muscles that do not need more than 10-12 sets total to stimulate growth.
5. Don't miss workouts -It's like building a castle with bricks. Each workout you put a brick or 2 on the wall, but if you miss a workout you take off a brick.
6. Eat! -If you think you are eating enough food you most likely aren't. Make the biggest meal of the day the one after your workout.
7. Eat more red meat, eggs, and drink plenty of water
8. Sleep like a baby! -Minimum 8 hours os sleep is needed to recover and build.
9. Start with beginner workouts -Don't try and do the advanced level workouts if you don't know proper form. You'll develop these skills over time.
10. Research, Research, Research -Knowledge is power, the more you know, the more you'll grow
11. Eat Fat To Stay Lean -You need healthy fats to stay lean. Avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, almonds, mixed nuts, and peanut butter are all great sources of healthy fats
12. Listen to people that have done what you want to do. -People that have lived it know what it feels like, they understand what needs to be done, so listen to these people. 

Survival Guide For A Fit Summer Cookout

In the middle of summer we always see invitations to cookouts come our way and as bodybuilders/physique models it can be a scary thing. Do we bring out own food and get laughed at from others? This happens most of the time.. but it doesn't have to be if you do what I do.

Protein: If they have grilled chicken breast you are golden! If not, it's not so bad to grab 2 beef burger patties and eat them alone or wrap them in lettuce. This will allow you to reduce the simple carbohydrates from the buns.

Carbohydrates: These are the things that you really want to stay away from because they are simple carbs from white buns or most likely potato salads that are filled with fatty dressings. The best option is to have one corn on the cob as the carb and keep it light.

Dessert: This can be the hardest table to stay away from as you'll see many incredible temptations and you'll be packing in a 1000 calories in no time. The best option is to avoid it all together, but if you do need a light something opt for fresh fruit salad. Happy Grilling!

Road To The UFE North American Championship

Quest For Perfection Through The Eyes Of A Bodybuilder

As a bodybuilder/physique athlete what are we really doing to ourselves? Think about it for a moment... We get up before the sun rises, shuttle off to a gym to run on a treadmill like hamsters, eat mass amounts of food, and push ourselves to the point of collapsing every single day. We do this over and over again day in and day out with the strangest thing being that we LOVE IT! Eating like an animal, training like beast, and sleeping like a baby are the 3 main principles to our routine. Often we miss out on occasions and events because we are focused on the quest for perfection.

Perfection is seen through our eyes and how we evaluate our current state. To most people our physiques are a living statue that can't be any better, but in our minds we think completely differently. Each day we chisel away at the living work of art that is our bodies as we strive to reach a physique that we believe will be worthy of taking the top prize. The mental state of this journey can be filled with peaks and dips in the road but it's that pursuit for capturing perfection that keeps us going.

The average individual could never understand or appreciate the level of commitment that is needed to achieve perfection. They've never dedicated so much time and effort to something to be able to understand what it really takes. This isn't a punch at society, it's just the truth as bodybuilding is a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year sport. Each meal, activity, and workout is specifically designed to build upon the last and each action is an integral part of the overall plan. I haven't been in the game as long as my peers, but I can speak from being one of the hardest working individuals in the sport since the time I began. For me this is life and it's an on going journey as I strive to achieve perfection. The truth of it all is that the only time you really achieve perfection is when you retire from the sport. Everyday until the day you stop will be a push to achieve something greater than yourself. As I pursue my destiny I always think about what that feeling will be to capture perfection.

What I Do For Fun: Life Of A Fitness Model

Straight To The Point: 5 Tips To Improve Personal Image

In a world with people that judge you off of first impressions it's important to put your best foot forward as you carry yourself throughout the day. Everyday you are "On Stage" as you interact with people around you in your day to day life. I believe these people have been placed in your life for a reason big or small but it's important to understand that you can't afford to let these interactions slip away because they could be the connection of a lifetime.

Tip #1: Dress to Impress -This goes across all aspects of your life from the walk to the end of your driveway for the daily paper, trip to the supermarket, business meetings, or even a workout in the gym. Make sure you always present yourself the way you want to be seen by others because they will judge you off your look. Sad but it's true. 

Tip #2: Eat -You might not think eating would have anything to do with improving your personal image but it really does because our mood is often changed by our satisfaction of the food you eat. Making a healthy breakfast filled with protein and complex carbohydrates will allow you to be satisfied and move confidently forward without having to worry about being hungry. Fuel from food equals energy!

Tip #3: Give a Shit! It doesn't matter if you are being introduced to your bosses kids or if it's a casting director for a major modelling gig, care about everyone you interact with and make them feel special. Emotions are what move people and starting things off with a positive first interaction will ensure you are remembered long after you walk away from that person.

Tip #4: Smile :) Everyone loves a smile and it's the universal emotion that warms the heart in all languages. This is a simple emotion that can go along way as it makes you approachable and welcoming.

Tip #5: Follow Up & Honour Commitments: Make sure if you say you'll do something that it gets done when you said it would be done. This builds a trust factor and ensures that you are reliable with your actions. Don't ever assume that people know you did something, make the effort to call, email, text, ext. letting them know that you've done what you said you'd do. 

Straight To The Point: The Perfect Underwear

Something just feels right about that perfect pair of underwear that fits and hugs you just right. I'm not talking about the 5 year old sport briefs that are barely hanging on by a couple of threads that you just can't through away, i'm talking about a quality built pair of underwear that make you feel and look good.

Most people don't think about underwear as being something that should be research and tried when looking to make a purchase, but i'll tell you most of those guys still live at home and haven't had any action in months or years. Not only does the right pair of underwear give you the confidence on the inside to explore, but it also improves your chances of getting noticed. You must be thinking that most people don't see your underwear in public, but a recent article published in Mens Health stated that 4 out of 5 women will judge you by your underwear selection before getting into bed with you.

How to pick the perfect pair? First you need to focus on fit! The right fit is key as you want it to frame your package correctly and give you a full shaped back side. The cuts and angles used by the different designers will portray your features differently, so finding what looks good on you is important. Secondly, you want to select a colour that'll allow you to be seen. Darker colours such a black and other dark shades will hide detail and make things less noticeable. For some people this might be a good thing, but for the rest of us that want to show off what we've got staying with a lighter shade is better. Not sure if you've noticed but the white briefs are back in style now! Thirdly, after you've found the the right design and colour, make sure the brand represents what you want to be seen as. The branding of that company says something about you so make sure you understand what the company is trying to do. Are you a Nasty Pig kind of guy? Or are you a Sweat kind of guy? Both companies have completely different ways of promoting and they market to different clientele.

I just have to end by saying the fun part of the night starts with your clothing off, so having the right pair of underwear will improve your chances, but in the end you need to look fit and sexy to get a second call.

Making The Most Out Of Your Photo Shoot

Congratulations! You've reached a level with your body capable of booking a photo shoot to capture all of your hard work. This is a big achievement that you surely want to take full advantage of as it'll be something you'll have forever. Of course if this is your first time you'll have many questions about who to book with and what to do, so i hope this post will help you out.

1) First you need to find a respectable photographer that will be able to capture you in the way that you want to be seen. This is so important in this day and age of the internet as GWC (Guys with Cameras) pop up all of the time claiming to be photographers when they are solely camera owners and have no idea about photography. Looking at the photographers website and social media networks is a good start to see the quality of his/her work. After you've done that make sure to ask around and talk to people that have worked with the photographer before. People in the industry are more than happy to share previous experiences with you and you can be assured you'll get the most honest opinions.

2) Once you've selected a photographer that you want to work with, it's important to get the terms and conditions of the shoot in writing. The obligations from both sides and what will be done in terms of number of photos, submissions, future work, ext. These are important things to workout prior to the shoot date so that it's an enjoyable experience without any surprises.

3) Be your best on shoot day! This is the part that's in your hands and solely rests upon you. Preparation for a shoot should start 7-10 days out as you'll need to plan out a proper plan to peak during your shoot time. It's important that you pay really close attention to how your body looks at certain times of the day leading into that final week before the shoot. Every workout, meal, and the amount of water you in take will change the look of your body. Plan ahead and be prepared!

4) What do you pack for a photo shoot? You'll need to bring everything that you want to be photographed in with you to the shoot. This means CLEAN clothing, accessories, props, weights, or whatever you need. You'll also want to bring food and water to keep you satisfied during the shoot. Most importantly bring your personality with you, the camera will see it :)

5) Day of the Shoot! Remembering this is your day to shine and all of your hard work will pay off. All of the details will have previously been worked out and you just have to focus on being you in front of the camera. Don't worry about what the make up artist is doing or the photographer, let them do their jobs and you just focus on you. This way you'll be able to control the most important part of the shoot and thats YOU!

6) Relax and enjoy the experience of being fit!

Gunning For Pro Show Success

If you've followed my journey this year you'll know that i've decided to change almost everything that I did in terms of my training to improve on my fall 2011 competitions. I had a great run up the ranks in my first season as a fitness model and captured the Fitness Canada Title and later going on to become a UFE Pro Fitness Model. I'm proud to have been able to compete with the Pro's in the UFE but i know that if I wanted to compete for the top spot that i'd need to make major changes. Placing 5th was a disappointment to me and i started back in the gym 2 days later trying to build upon what I just accomplished.

Fast forward to June 2012 with my first full off season under my belt I can say that everything i've done for the past 6 months has already shown and major changes have taken place. My chest is considerably larger, my arms are much more full and defined, and the overall "X" factor is much more prominent. They told me that I needed to put on more size to compete with the top guys and that i've done. Almost 20 pounds up from show weight and to be honest 10-12 of that weight is muscle. I slowly put on 1-2 pounds a month over the last 6 months and its showing. The place i'm at now compared to last year at this time is a positive step, so much leaner and in better overall shape. This cut leading into the pro show will be a breeze as it's something i've already done.

The next 4 weeks will be an important time for me as I strive to continue to make gains and lean out a bit before I entire full contest prep. Each day I see myself getting leaner and it inspires me to push even harder. This truly is my life and I thank you for taking an interest in it as I will certainly not disappoint you.

How To Get A Beach Body (Part 3)

If you've read the first two parts of the posting you'll know that cardiovascular activity is a must when it comes to lowering your body fat percentage to a level that will reveal your abs. It's really that simple, everybody has abs but most can't see them because they have fat covering them making it not visible to see them. What's the best form of cardio for abs? This can be a loaded question and depending on who you talk to, you might get a slightly different answer that revolves around HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). I think that sprinting in a HIIT format is the most effect form of cardio for getting 6 pack abs because every time you lift your leg you are activating your abdominal muscles in doing so.

Here's how to sprint effectively 
Warm up: 800 M Light Jog around a track of sporting field
40 Meter light sprint at 50%, 70%, 90%
(3 Total Runs)
**Run one way, walk slowly back to start**

Work Sets
In a continuous circle on the track sprint 100 meters at 100% effort, walk the corners. You'll do this for a total of 8 sprints of 100 meters. After you've completed this you'll be completely drenched and bagging for water if you pushed yourself for the entire distances.

To bring your body temperature back down, it's important to do 2 laps of 800 meters at a slow jog followed by a full body stretch.