Here’s the deal: I’m going to blog what I’m doing to discard my 10 in 10—but I gotta tell ya, I’m going to top that goal. Some of this is covered in the “The Challenge” link to your right, but the basic story is as follows: I’m human. Hey, how ‘bout that! I put on way too much body fat over the past year and a half for my liking. Some of this was, so I thought, out of my sphere of management (more on the reality of what you can manage and what you can’t later in the blog), but most of it was due to poor attraction statements.

I know, I’m teasing you. Hey, it’s my first blog on 10, so I have to have some fun! You guys want to know how a fitness pro can get fat, right? Well, we can. Granted, I’m not “fat” as in my former obese self, but I managed to put on an extra 25 pounds of body fat over and above what I’ve carried over the previous 5-6 years.

How? A combination of elements I covered in Chapter 5 of Fit Over 40, such as a back and knee injury (non-training related) and the loss of a close relationship….all in a matter of a few weeks. Yikes. I also have the added challenge of a condition known as viscosity-induced hypoxia…or so I’ve been told. Basically, the years of abuse of my body managed to close off some of the vital oxygen pathways to the brain so, during exercise, I began to feel lightheaded frequently. This soon changed to feeling lightheaded even during a causal stroll! How horrible for a bodybuilder who makes his living from fitness, eh?

Well, all things can have their reasons. I’m now back on the war path and using some innovative and effective means of countering the hypoxia. So far, so great…and it will just keep getting better and better. I will cover what I’m doing in future blogs.

The bottom line is that in order to see my abs (as I’m used to), I need to shed 25 pounds of unwanted body fat. There…how many times do you hear this kind of honesty from a guy who makes his living from being in top shape? Am I ‘ashamed’? Of course not. Yeah, I went through some of that mental garbage, but I grew more and more determined to find what there was to learn in this, learn how I could have avoided this negative attraction state, and then teach others (you!) how to do the same. It’s all good…and my body responds very quickly to exercise and nutrition. In fact, I fully expect to discard 20 pounds in 10 weeks.

I would advise that you not set your standards this high. Believe me, this is not meant to be insulting to your drive. Rather, this is being a good coach and supportive of what 95% of you require: a balanced, long-term, easy-to-manage fitness and nutrition lifestyle. No more yo-yo dieting, bingeing, and junk like that. This is the real deal.

In case you don’t know why 10 is so important, please read “The Epidemic” (link to the right). I’ll be posting my controversial but rather (erHUM) innovative look at body fat and its relationship to our oil needs in another blog as well. Bottom line: this is something far more than vanity or even feeling better. Those 10 (or 20, or 100) extra pounds are robbing you of your life and your children of their right to live fully.

Now, for a bit of bluntness—after all, this is a blog, my blog, so you guys (and gals…I say that as an inclusive term) had better get used to Jon’s big fingers (mouth) and opinions. It comes with all the freebies. : ) It’s all good, and I respect those with differing opinions, but please…no comments about “keeping my opinions to myself” on my blog. Deal? Good! Also, please…no comments on grammar. I just won Forbes Magazine’s Best Of The Web for my fitness blog, so hey…I can write. You try and write 1,000 words every day and see how you do, cool beans? Think “content”, not “Monday morning editor”, and we’ll get along just fine.

I’m also pretty damn funny at times…but that’s (you guessed it) another blog. Here I am already laying down the rules. You’ll love me or…like me bunches.

Now, to the matter at hand…what is this all about other than a challenge to discard 10 pound of fat in 10 weeks? Well, this is sorta like my daily diary, exposed for the world to see. I tossed the key to the book in your hands, and you may sleuth and voyeur as much as you please. I will hide little to nothing from you—you’ll be getting the juice here folks, not the pulp fiction.

I’ll be blogging my daily meals sometimes; other times my workout for the day. Sometimes just thoughts to inspire, or even my own struggles. You can feel free to comment away.

I’m starting this off with a bang since it’s the Monday after my birthday, or almost exactly 10 weeks until January 1st, 2006. Are you going to be 10 or more pounds leaner, or 3-6 pounds heavier? It’s your choice…and if you’re here, you better be ready to have fun, work hard, and get some results. The difference is that this time it’s for life.

First, I’ll show you how I eat in a typical day to lean out. You’ll see that it’s…well, a lot of food. I follow my own principle called MasterMeals™, which is covered in detail in my online audio and training package called M-Power. You’ll see how this principle works for me and why over the next 10 weeks…or longer. This blog does not end January 1st my friends…oh, no. This is a journey, and you’re expected to participate!

Here’s today’s menu, which is a meal or so shy of my goal:

Monday

MasterMeal 1

Spicy Chicken and rice (range-fed chicken breast, 6oz; 1.5 cups cooked organic brown rice; 1 cup cooked mixed veggies with 1 teaspoon coconut oil; 1/3 yam; spices to taste

MasterMeal 2

Beef and Vegetables (range-fed beef; 6 oz; 2 cups mixed veggies cooked in 1 teasp. coconut oil; spiced to taste)

MasterMeal 3

Repeat MM1

MasterMeal 4

Jon’s Tuna Concoction: one small can of tuna mixed with celery, a bit of Granny Smith Apple, some non-fat yogurt, 1 teasp. Miracle Whip Lite, and dill relish; 2 slices Ezekiel Bread toasted on high heat in a skillet with 1 tbsp coconut oil. Yum!

MasterMeal 5

Revolution Protein Bar (due to concert and impending hunger!)

When training heavy and hard (which I’m not doing yet…I’m merely walking and doing cardio work with light weights), I will consume 5-8 MasterMeals per day. A “MasterMeal” is simply the ideal macronutrient ratio for my body (determined by my LifeAssess™ Profile, again from M-Power, and myself, of course—I am the nutritionist around these parts!) and the ideal calories per meal. The trick is to consume no snacks, only MasterMeals each composed of the same number of calories. If your ideal meal (your MasterMeal) is 400 calories and 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% fat, then each meal you eat is composed of fods that make up this formula. Why? Well…I’ll tell you…IN ANOTHER BLOG…(Oh, I’m bad…)

Some days your body will be hungry every two hours. Great! Feed it!! Other days your body will require only 3-4 MasterMeals (or MMs) per day. Fine…let it be your guide. The net effect is one that tricks the metabolism into never slowing down. That means you’re burning fat day in and day out.

Frankly, most people cannot believe you can eat this much food and discard fat—well, welcome to secret number 1 of about, oh, 1,000 I’ll be sharing with you. You can, and you should. You should never, repeat never allow yourself to become really, really hungry. A bit of hunger is to be expected toward the evening, and that can aid in some fat burning, but you should never utter the words, “I’m starving!” You need to eat…you just need to eat the right foods in the right proportions and exercise.

Now, before I close this first blog, you may be asking yourself, “Hey…what’s up with that organic stuff, and why did Jon chow down a protein bar?”

Interesting story—I never bought into organic foods until recently. When I cut the majority of excitotoxins, such as MSG and other chemical additives, out of my nutrition plan, my sugar cravings literally vanished. I rarely have them these days. Even in my best shape, I had some cravings every three-four days, but now…well, I can go a week with a piece of birthday cake in the refrigerator and not give it a thought. That is the power of MasterMeals and organic foods (no MSG!)

The protein bar is a rare thing for me when I’m “dieting” (a word I rarely use, as those meals above were hardly suffering!), however I was in a pinch. I’m writing this the day after to get the blog started off on a Monday, so I’m here to report two things: one, beware of mosh pits; and two, mosh is great exercise. You want the details, right? Well, tune in tomorrow. My neck will feel better by then anyway. {10}