[Craig Manoukian]

Very good thread and I commend everyone for their efforts at getting in better physical condition.

I am a certified personal trainer and have spent the last ten years passionately studying exercise, nutrigenomics and nutrition.

This whole thing is much simpler than you think. Ten years ago I weighed 182 lbs at 5' - 11" with a 37" waist and about 27% body fat. I looked in the mirror one day and said "who kidnapped you and put you in that fat suit?"

Lost 17 lbs of fat in 6 weeks, and at 165 lbs and went from a 37" waist to a 34" waist. I looked like a "Feed the Hungry Poster Child", not pretty. Since that time I have put on 25 lbs of muscle, with a 35" waist and 12% body fat.

This is how it is done:

Eat a whole foods diet, with quality protein, quality fats, and quality carbohydrates. This means no packaged or canned foods! Eliminate all High Fructose Corn Syrup, and hyrdologized/polyunsaturated oils. Limit saturated fats and the glycemic load of every meal. Protein (lean organic beef, chicken, fish (low in mercury), whole fruits, raw whole nuts, whole grains (wild rice, steel cut oats, etc.) vegatables, salads are perfect foods.

Drink water. Eliminate juices, diet drinks, and sodas. Coffee (one cup/day) is fine as is green tea. Caffeine is an important supplement for weightlifters, and you too, it's not all bad.

Use monosaturated extra virgin olive oil. Eat eggs (labled omega 3), wild caught salmon, organic grass fed/finished beef, for good omega 3 fatty acids. Avoid excessive omega 6 fatty acids from polyunsaturated oils as these are very inflammatory. Limit saturated fats.

Exercise, intense interval training on any cardio vascular machine, (elipitical, stair climber, rowing machine, treadmill, or stationary bicycle) for 20 minutes three times per week will keep you in the optimum fat burning lactic energy production zone and help you detox by heavy perspiration. Keep hydrated. Resistance train to build muscle mass, weight lifting and isometrics can be equally as effective three times per week. Core training, abs and back, can be trained daily.

Get rest. As best as you can get into a regular sleep pattern. Some people, like me do well on 5 - 6 hours of sleep, some need more. Take one day per week off from exercise.

If there are any specific questions, as I have glossed over some concepts, let me know. Eating the right foods in the right combinations at the right time will help your health span be equal to your lifespan!