Food & Fitness Frequently Asked Questions

May 07, 2015 0 Comments

 

(Note: These are the most common questions we've received via e-mail & social media over the past two years. We've tried to make a comprehensive list of our frequently asked questions and will continue to add to this page over time. If you have a business question feel free to contact us at this address. We receive lots of e-mails so unfortunately if we receive one asking a food/fitness question which is answered here we may not be able to get back to you

We highly recommend leaving a question at the bottom of this page in the comments section because we frequent this page often and it has the benefit of giving the community a chance to see the answer and help out as well.)

 

FITNESS PLAN QUESTIONS

Where Can I Find Your 12 Week Plan?

Can Women Do Your 12 Week Plan?

I'm New to Working Out, is the 12 Week Plan for Me?

I've Been Working Out For A While, Should I Give Your Plan a Shot?

I Can't Afford to Purchase Home Gym Equipment. What Do I Do?

What Do I Do Once The Plan is Over? Do I start from the beginning or start from a certain phase?

I'd like to modify your 12 Week Plan due to my schedule or equipment that's available to me. Can I?

Can I perform your 12 Week Plan in the Gym?

I Don't Know How to perform some of the exercises!

How long should I rest between sets?

How come some of your exercises use the same reps per sets and others don't? Do I go up in weight on these?

I can't do Dips, Pull-Ups, Squats or some of the other exercises. What do I do?

I'm coming into this plan injured, can you recommend what I should do?

I feel unmotivated, can you help?

What does Supinate, Compound and other gym lingo mean?

 

FOOD PLAN QUESTIONS

 

Is there an included diet? What kind of eating should I do while on this 12 Week Plan?

Do I just have to eat healthy food all the time?

What are Macros?

What are Micros?

I want to try a diet with this plan. Which one is the best? IIFYM, Intermittent Fasting, Low Carb?

What does the BUFF DUDES diet look like?

I see you snack throughout the day. Is that part of 'meal timing'? Should I be having 6-8 small meals a day?

Do I need supplements to get into shape?

So if I were to take supplements, what would you recommend?

I'm still confused. Can you build me a custom eating routine?

I can't find my question in this FAQ dudes!

 

Fitness Plan F.A.Q.:

WHERE CAN I FIND YOUR 12 WEEK PLAN?

You can purchase it here: Buff Dude's 12 Week Plan

CAN WOMEN DO YOUR 12 WEEK PLAN?

Absolutely! Contrary to popular belief, women can workout on the same program and just as hard as us dudes do without the fear of getting “too bulky”. As we said in the beginning of the plan you’ll want to adjust the weights to cater to your own strength levels and judge your rest times on how you feel as you progress through the program. If you feel you’re not ready to step into one of the later phases feel free to extend your current phase beyond its 3 week period in order to gain the confidence to continue onward. Other than that, you’re good to go!

I'M NEW TO WORKING OUT, IS YOUR 12 WEEK PLAN THE PLAN FOR ME?

Yep! All Buff Dudes were once just dudes and it’s a plan like this that’ll help put that “Buff” in front of the dude. The great thing about this program is that it works in “phases” to help build your foundational strength as well as your knowledge and confidence. You can also extend the phase time if you feel you’re not quite ready for the next phase in the program. Once you feel confident feel free to move onto the next phase and keep hitting those weights hard. With that in mind, this plan can potentially last much longer than just a 12 week period, perfect for those who would like to have a solid routine for quite some time! Something good to keep in mind when beginning to work out is your only competition is yourself. Don’t get caught up in lifting heavy or progressing at the exact speed as someone else. Take your time, maintain proper form and get to know the “Golden Five” - Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, Overhead Press and Pull-Ups. These five compound exercises are definitely ones you want to have on your side. Most importantly - have fun! You’re doing this not for someone else but to better both your mind and your body.

I'VE BEEN WORKING OUT FOR A WHILE, SHOULD I GIVE YOUR 12 WEEK PLAN A SHOT?

Hell yeah! The program starts off slow to give you an active rest period and acts as a refresher on a few staple exercises as it prepares your body for the more advanced phases. If you feel you’re too advanced for the beginning phases or feel bored with the lower intensity in the beginning, feel free to jump to the higher intensity/higher volume phases of the program.

I CAN'T AFFORD TO PURCHASE GYM EQUIPMENT AT HOME, WHAT DO I DO? 

As we mentioned in the beginning of the plan, we’ve supplied DIY videos for equipment such as the Ab Roller Wheel, Paralettes and a few others. This is a cost effective way of working out from home which can save you some money and give you the pride of having built your own workout equipment. Having said that, unless you decide to complete this plan from a commercial gym you will have to spend some money in order to complete this plan from home and we highly recommend you make the investment. People often spend hundreds of dollars or more on phones, shoes and other items; many which have a short shelf life. With the gym equipment you’ll be buying or building for this plan you’re making an investment in items that will last for many years and also in bettering your physical and mental well being. The rewards for which are vast and priceless.

WHAT DO I DO ONCE THE PLAN IS OVER? DO I START FROM THE BEGINNING OR START FROM A CERTAIN PHASE?

After you complete the program you should feel proud, excited and exhausted. When the body goes through an intense workout program it will need some time to rest and recuperate. This doesn’t mean that you’ll have to take an extended amount of time off, but it does help to decrease the intensity and volume of your workouts for a “reset” phase. We would recommend to start from phase 1 to slow things down a bit before increasing the intensity and volume again. If you feel you are getting amazing results and the program ends before you’re ready, then repeat the last 2 phases. And finally, if you feel like you’ve taken this plan as far as you can, be sure and check out our original 12 Week Workout Plan Here:

I'D LIKE TO MODIFY YOUR 12 WEEK PLAN DUE TO MY SCHEDULE OR EQUIPMENT THAT'S AVAILABLE TO ME. CAN I?

Yes! You should absolutely feel free to take away or add to this program to fit your personal goals or disabilities. If a certain exercise gives you pain or you feel like you aren’t reaping the benefits - change it! If you don’t have a piece of equipment that is in this program so you can’t perform a certain exercise, then switch it out with a similar exercise that doesn’t require that piece of equipment.

If your schedule is really busy and modifying the 12 Week Plan is something which isn’t possible you can always check out our 3 Day Weekly Workout Split here: http://www.buffdudes.net/2014/04/3-day-workout-split-routine.html

CAN I PERFORM YOUR 12 WEEK PLAN IN THE GYM?

Bigtime. We built this program due to a large amount of fellow Buff Dudes and Grrrls who prefer to workout at home either due to convenience or a lack of nearby commercial gym.

Everything we’ve included in this plan can easily be replicated in a commercial gym, the only thing you’ll most likely notice is the absence of machine usage due to the fact we wanted to keep it simply and accessible for those at home as well.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PERFORM SOME OF THE EXERCISES!

We’ve created videos for each phase of both the home & gym 12 Week Workout Plan which you can find on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/buffdudesIn addition to videos for each phase of the plan we’ve also done many in-depth single tutorial videos for exercises such as Squats, Deadlifts, Kneeling Landmine Press and many more which you can find in our ‘Single Exercise Tutorial’ playlist on our YouTube channel.

HOW LONG SHOULD I REST BETWEEN SETS?

For isolation exercises our typical rest time is between 30-60 seconds. For bigger compound exercises (Squats, Deadlifts, Bench) we typically rest between 60-90 seconds.

How Come Some of Your Exercises Use The Same Reps Per Sets and Others Don’t. Do I Go Up In Weight On These?

Our exercises which use the same reps per sets are typically isolation exercises and on these we stay with the same weight each set.

For the ones which decrease in reps per set, we increase the weight with each set as we decrease the reps.

I can’t do dips, Pull-Ups, Squats or some of the other exercises, what do I do?

Feel free to substitute certain exercises in the plan if you’re unable to perform them correctly.

Common exercises you can switch out include Decline Bench Press if you can’t perform Dips, Lat Pull-Downs if you can’t perform Pull-Ups and Leg Press if you can’t perform Squats.

I’m Coming Into This Plan Injured, Can You Recommend What I Should Do?

We recommend you have a doctor consultation to examine your injury and take the required steps necessary to rehabilitate.

Self-diagnosing or seeking advice online is not something we recommend and could lead to further injury. As we say - stay safe, stay buff!

I Feel Unmotivated, Can You Help?

This can often be the biggest hurdle we ever face. The body is willing but the mind is weak. Sometimes it’s hard to get up day in and day out to bust your ass in the gym and follow an eating routine!

There’s nothing wrong with taking a step back from time to time and re-evaluating your goals. Are you working out to get bigger? Leaner? Just to stay in overall good shape? We can easily find ourselves caught in that “middle” zone (not big enough, not lean enough) which is like a stagnant pond. Write down some goals of what you want to accomplish and be honest with yourself. They don’t even have to necessarily be fitness goals. Do you wish to travel? Then maybe the solution is adding more outdoor cardio into your routine to explore new places and get a fresh perspective.

You workout not only to stay healthy but also to stay happy. Exercise can be great for your overall state of mind and you definitely don’t want to lose that spark.

Lack of motivation could also be due to a few missing links in the chain. We like to think of it this way:

The seat of consistency is held up by the four legs of fitness. Weights. Food. Cardio. Sleep. Remove one leg and it becomes wobbly, remove two and it falls over!

Take a good look at your “seat of consistency” and make sure your four legs are strong and in tact!

What does Supinate, Compound and other gym lingo mean?

Good question! We've got a whole page dealing with Gym Lingo you can check out here.

 

Food Plan F.A.Q.:

 

Is there an included diet? What kind of eating should I do while on this 12 Week Plan?

There will not be a specific plan included with this program, just the tools to educate yourself to find what works best for your individual goals. Everyone’s body is different and there is a wide range of goals and specific foods and eating habits dudes or girls have to adhere to, so we’ll be covering food and nutrition in more of a general sense. This way we can cater to a wide range of questions. Please refer to the beginning of the plan for a sample cutting, bulking and general eating plan.

Do I just have to eat healthy food all the time?

Remember this important rule: calories are more important than eating a certain type of food. If your goal is to lose weight and you’re eating healthy foods but eating too much healthy foods (aka too many calories) then you’re going to stay at the same weight and possibly gain even more. This can be both upsetting (all that hard work for nothing!) and can also drive you to think eating right and working out is doing nothing for you and cause you to sink back into bad habits.

As we said in the beginning of the plan: consume more calories, gain weight. Consume less calories, lose weight.

You don’t have to have the perfect diet but what you do need is moderation. Oftentimes trying to eat really, really clean leads to “falling off the wagon” and eating everything you’ve been depriving yourself of; in the process losing your hard-earned progress and possible depression at the fact you’ve got to start all over.

For us moderation is the key. We never try to go so hardcore with our eating or workout routines that even one missed meal or workout will send our mindstate over the edge.

What are Macros?

Macros is short for macronutrients.

Food is made up of Macros, which provide the calories our body uses for energy, growth, and other bodily functions. There are three macronutrients: protein (growth), fat (energy), and carbohydrates (fuel) and we need all three of these to survive.

While each of these macronutrients provides calories, the amount of calories that each one provides varies.

Carbohydrates provides 4 calories per gram.

Protein provides 4 calories per gram.

Fat provides 9 calories per gram.

So if you were to buy something in a store and on the nutritional label it said “contains 20 grams of protein, 0 grams fat, 0 grams carbs” it would contain 80 calories.

What are Micros?

Micros is short for micronutrients

In addition to Macros our bodies also require micros. Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals.

I want to try a diet with this plan. Which one is the best? IIFYM, Intermittent Fasting, Low Carb?

Our suggestion would be to try one out, stick with it and see how it works for you. You want something you’re going to feel comfortable with for a long period of time. Don’t torture yourself just to “look good” because chances are you’ll end up giving the diet up.

With most diets you are bound to see results simply for the fact that you are now paying much closer attention to the calories you are putting into your body and are now following a plan as opposed to not tracking what you eat.

Before starting a diet we suggest grabbing a cheap notebook and taking a log of your eating activity for one week. Write down every meal (including condiments & drinks!) and calculate your calories and macros (proteins, carbs and fats) at the end of each day for 7 days. This in itself may really surprise you and give you a great idea of the changes you need to make. Are most of your calories coming from alcohol (which contains 7 calories a gram and is not listed as a macro as they are not needed for the body to survive. This is viewed as an ‘empty’ calorie) or soft drinks? Are you consuming calories way over your recommend amount? If this sounds too hard we recommend downloading the phone app ‘MyFitnessPal’. It helps keep track of your calories in an easy, effective manor.

Something you need to keep in mind when logging your food is being honest with yourself. Just because you’re not writing down you’re having 5 soft drinks a day doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Be observant and honest with what you’re consuming and make the decision you feel is best with yourself. You don’t need to cut out all food you feel is bad, just keep moderation in mind and make a note of the changes you’d like to make to keep those calories under control.

What does the BUFF DUDES diet look like?

Very similar to our “Daily Eating” video which you can find here: http://youtu.be/ZkzQpWObTz0

As we said before, we’re believers in moderation both in working out and eating right. We love both but try not to make an obsession out of either. For us it’s about staying consistent. If we have a day we don’t eat “perfect” we don’t beat ourselves up over it but at the same time we don’t give up. Slow and steady is what getting in shape is all about. Don’t try and rush to see results and don’t believe anyone if they try to tell you the “secret” of getting in shape either. It’s going to take hard work and consistency. Period.

I see you snack throughout the day. Is that part of “meal timing”? Should I be having 6-8 small meals a day?

3 big meals a day or 8 small meals a day will get you the same results as long as the calories and macros remain the same. Smaller meals work better for us personally, but it’s just that, a personal preference. If you feel best eating a certain number of meals a day and hit your daily calorie requirements in the process then absolutely feel free to do so.

Do I need supplements to get into shape?

Don’t fall victim to the idea that you can’t get big or in shape without the assistance of expensive supplements. Have you ever looked at the ingredient list of an expensive fat-burning supplement? Chances are you’re going to find caffeine or green tea as the main ingredients with a few other ‘roots’ or ‘seed’ ingredients thrown in for good measure.

As we said above, hard work and consistency will always be the most important things.

Oftentimes you’re led to believe that there’s a “secret” to getting in shape and that “secret” is that companies make millions of dollars leading you to believe you can’t find success unless you take their new and revolutionary pill or powder.

So If I Were To Take Supplements, What Would You Recommend?

When you feel you’ve gotten the consistency of a solid workout & eating plan in order (and only when these are in order - remember, there are no shortcuts!), we recommend these few things:

• Caffeine - Our workouts are usually very early in the morning and to supplement this we wake up and grab a hot cup of coffee before our workout.
• Whey Protein - We try and consume about 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight a day and whey protein really helps. Typically we consume 50 grams of whey protein isolate immediately following our workouts. Goes great in many recipes as well. (Protein Pancakes, Protein Cookies, etc.)
• Creatine - 5 grams a day and for us usually taken in a flavored chewable form like grape or orange.
• Multi-Vitamin - Usually taken with breakfast or whenever convenient.
• BCAA - Consumed in flavored drink form during workouts. BCAA’s are Branch Chain Amino Acids and will be used in the body for protein synthesis as well as reducing muscle catabolism during workouts.

 

I’m Still Confused. Can You Build Me a Custom Eating Routine?

We’ve tried our best to line out our best practices and a few general plans in addition to our own eating routine.

Unfortunately with our large subscriber base and the fact we provide these plans free of charge we cannot build individual routines for specific people.

Our advice would be as we said above to try out one of our general eating routines and begin to slowly re-design it based upon your unique needs. Don’t feel like you’re in a rush to get your perfect physique. These things take time and the slow and steady approach is the key to victory!

I Can't Find My Question In This FAQ dudes!

Feel free and comment below with your question and we will be happy to answer it. Commenting below is the best way to ask us a question because then others can benefit as well and the F.A.Q. will continue to grow!

 

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