allalbout BY NATALIE FREEMANINTRODUCTION ALL ABOUT GROWTH ‘This guide will give you the knowledge end tools necessary to bulld substantial strength and muscle, through a successful growth phase, or “bulk.” Through personal ‘vial and error, education and scientific knowledge, | compiled essential information that | only wish 1 had known when | began my fitness journey. You will notice there are topics highlighted that | believe are paramount to your success including the scientific reasoning behind exercise techniques which 1 hope will help clarify the "why" behind them My ‘week specifically planned out to effectively build muscle and increase strength, ‘You will learn how nutrition and training go hand in hand, how to incorporate the foods you love into your daily life, that food is FUEL - itis what bullds you up through your hard work. The combination of personalized nutrition goals with a rigorous, structured ‘raining program will yield incredible results ing methods center around progressive overload, with every exercise, day and It you'e all about growth, you're taking your training, physique and strength to the next level and striving for continuous improvement. For me, pushing my strength opened up a new level of self-confidence. Acknowledging how incredible our bodies are, to have the ability to adapt, be sculpted and literally grow - this is game-changing to realizing ‘our potential. Give yourself your all, and you will grow into the most self-confident, strongest you there ever has beenPROGRAM STRUCTURE ‘The program is 12 weeks, split into 2 blocks. We are training for size AND strength, which is why programming has is designed for both, with @ mixture of rep ranges and training methods, such as days with a strength focus involving lower rep ranges. On these days, you will build most weight PR's (personal records) over time. These strength days compliment days that include moderate to high rep ranges to aid muscular hypertrophy and endurance. BLOCK 1 Block 1 focuses on fundamental movements that will be paramount for the remainder ‘of the program. There are less technical movements involved in the first block to allow ‘mote room for mastering the fundamentals. Throughout the block, training volume increases slightly to aid progressive overload, but | encourage you to strive for weight increases weekly BLOCK 2 Block 2 builds on those fundamental movements from block 1, with an increase in variation and complexity, involving more unilateral (singlesimb) movements. The volume will also continue to change over time, AT THE END OF EACH BLOCK, YOU WILL GO THROUGH A DELOAD WEEK, EXPLANATION OF DELOAD WEEKS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 9,KEY WORDS ABBREVIATIONS BB = Barbell 1B = Dumbbell KB = Kettlebell SS = Superset PR = Personal Record ‘TWA= Transverse Abdominal Muscle ‘deep core’ KEY WORDS ‘Set « A group of reps performed continuously (Le, 1 set of 10 reps) Reps = Repetitions = One complete movement of an exercise Load = Weight placed on the body / @ muscle Drop-set = Continuing an exercise at a lower weight without rest eg. “tiple drop-set at 10, reps" would mean dropping the weight twice after your frst set with no rest, Hypertrophy = Increase in muscle tissue Volume = The'‘total' amount of work. Often referred to as reps x sets x load Intensity = The effort put into the movement ie. the load in relation to the reps and sets ‘Superset = Moving straight into the next exercise without rest, Rest = The time in between sets, ‘Tempo = The speed at which a repetition is completed, the pace of the motion TEMPO KEY WORDS Eccentric: ‘Lowering’ / muscle tengthening’. Deceleration of a force. Eg: the eccentric action of a squat is on the way down, sometrie: The point in a movement where there is little to no difference in muscle length, but there is stil strain on the muscle. Eg: holding a dumbbell above your head as you walk Concentric: Acceleration of force, the muscle is shortening, Eg: the concentric action ‘of a squet is the upward movement, Werhand = Palms face away from body / down Supinated = Underhand = Palms face body / up Neutral = Palms face each otherSHIFT YOUR MINDSET YOUR COMFORT ZONE Growth requires getting uncomfortable, You may have heard it a million times, but you ‘won't believe It until you take yourself out of your comfort zone and make the magic happen. Growth requires a STIMULUS. THE PROCESS ‘Any change is a process - for our minds and our bodies, There may be times where you {eel overwhelmed or that you atent getting anywhere. TRUST the process. The Process is everything that leads up to change. For me, the moment | stopped focusing ‘on an end result was when the work really started to show, and | enjoyed every step of ‘the way as if there was no ‘end. ONE DAY ATA TIME ‘Today, right now, is all that matters. There is absolutely no point worrying about what you ate 4 days ago, or where you'l be in 7 weeks. Don't let an ‘off moment ruin your day. Some days youll FEEL motivated, some days you won't - it comes down to discipline. YOU ARE IN CONTROL. POSITIVE CONSISTENCY ‘We've all heard that “consistency is key." I's hard to believe if we only practice that ‘consistency for less than half the time. But when more of your time is consistent than not, things start changing, Subconscious positive habits start to become apparent ‘Whether that's positive thinking, speaking nicer to yourself, eating more whole foods. YOU can make anything happen. FROM THE INSIDE OUT Your body is an instrument, 1t is strong and powerful and your own. Ensure you are in Itfor the right reasons, We are not what we look like, but how we perform, how we use ‘our bodies, how we feel. When you train, train for quality, performance, feeling ~ ‘celebrate what it can do. The ability to shape our bodies ia incredible, but every day ie an opportunity for progression and seeking our potential from the inside outPROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD Progressive overload is the continuous increase of tension on your muscles over time, arguably the most crucial factor in muscle building. Progressive overload can be accomplished through changes to rep ranges, sets, tempo, rest times, and load. 1 will be adjusting all except load (weight) - that will be up to YOU. You will find that the ‘exercises easiest for increasing load are those with big, compound movements involving more muscles; these have the potential to carry more load. HOW IT WoRKS. Progressively overloading a muscle over time creates an increased demand for energy and force required to move the load efficiently. Our bodies are essentially finding a ‘way to adapt to the stress that theyire put under. This results in muscle hypertrophy, an increase in the number and size of muscle cells, and their ability to produce force, EXAMPLES OF PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD 1.Lifting more weight at the same number of sets and reps. This equals more overall volume. 2.Lifting the same amount of weight at a higher number of sets or reps. This also equals more overall volume, 3.Lifting wit better technique at a particular volume,CHOOSING A LOAD Choosing @ load can be dificult, especially when you have to build up to it, in the likes ‘of @ deadlift or squat. The best way to choose a load is based on level of exertion (ohysical or mental effort), and how close that is to failure (failure being the point at which a muscle is too fatigued to complete another rep). My recommendations are as follows: + In low rep ranges (2-6) you should come within 2-4 reps of failure + In moderate rep ranges (8-12) you should come within § rape of failure + In high rep ranges (12-30) you should be near to, or within a few reps of failure ~ youll experience a ‘muscle burn’ sensation for the last 5-10 reps. For most exercises, this means that you are NOT going to complete failure, but you have a few reps left in you. All rep ranges should feel challenging, and almost a struggle towards the last rep. For example, if the rep range asks for 8 reps, you must be able to complete 8 reps but have a few potential reps left in you. For the first week, or if you are unfamiliar with an exercise, you will likely spend a little ‘extra time playing around with choosing a weight that challenges you in the rep range, while maintaining technique. This is why I highly recommend printing your program ‘out, and logging weights as you go in the space provided. Overall volume, which includes weight, is VITAL to ensuring progressive overload ‘The program blocks are designed so that your effort is increasing each week to result in @ PR at the end of 5 weeks. However, every week you should aim to add weight Some (more isolating) exercises, such as @ bicep cur, are harder to make significant PR's in. Here, rather than weight increase, you may experience increased control and ‘confidence, REST PERIODS Rest periods also help determine if you are lifting enough weight. If you complete the reps but feel as if you could start your next after just 30 seconds rest, you are likely not ‘raining with enough effort or weight. | suggest rest times | think you should need between each set, but | advise you to take edequate rest in order to perform the nest set toa similar standardDELOADING Programming includes 2 deload weeks, week 6, and week 12. This is an Important {raining technique not to be neglected when going through a bulk phase or strength training program. Exercise volume will be dramatically reduced, and you will continue to perform ther but at 40-60% of the effort. The benefit of ths isto give your central nervous system a break and to lat your muscles repair (growl). Its important to note that this is NOT just a full week of rest. It may feel slightly weird lifting much lighter ‘weight for the week, but stay focused. MIND TO MUSCLE CONNECTION Mind to muscle connection can be something that is overlooked, since itis not dicectly Involved in determination of volume (sets x reps x load). However, It ean greatly affect time under tension (the total time a muscle is under tension for), and the ability of @ desired muscle to truly be targeted in an exercise, both of which affect hypertrophy. The idea is that as a muscle goes through its range of motion and contractions (eccentric, concentric, isometric - see Key words page) to make a conscious effort to ‘think about those movements. To begin, it may take a lot more effort to focus on a particular muscle, but over time, your ability to feel’ smaller, specific muscles will increase, much lke flexing! or posing, to show off muscles--it’s almost lke a skill that you get better at SORENESS Soreness is possibly the most overrated result of training, often defining whether or not a workout wae euecesaful. four muscles get stimulated or stretched in a new, intense way, they will be sore for 1-3 days. This Is the result of lots of muscle fiber teas. Typically, the more you master a movement and train consistently, the less sore you should get, Soreness can be reduced by drinking plenty of water, ensuring you're eating ‘enough and movements such as walking, yoga, of training another muscle group.RECOVERY TECHNIQUES Rest and recovery are VITAL to a holistic, well+ounded approach to fitness. We need rest and recovery techniques for our CNS (central nervous system) and skeletal and muscular systems to destress. It's also vital to enabling effective performance and muscle growth. Muscle growth actually happens at REST, as new fibers (myofibrils) are made as a result of protein synthesis. Yes, it happens because of what we do in ‘the gym, but we have to allow our bodies to rest for optimal growth, I would encourage you to take atleast one full rest day per week, and any others should be active rest days. An active rest day is one where you primarily let your body rest, but may do light movement such as a walk, yoga ete. STRETCHING AND MOBILITY Stretch receptors called ‘golgl tendon organe’ ate found within the collagen fibers of tendons and within joint capsules. They are stimulated when muscles are stretched, and are associated with the parasympathetic nervous system (the peaceful / rest system) and creates relaxation of the muscle when held for 30-60 seconds (hence why you shouldn't quickly go through stretches. You need to breathe, and focus on going ‘deeper into the stretch as you exhale) BELLY BREATHING If you find it hard to feel relaxed or at ease, this is likely due to the high activity of the sympathetic nervous system (associated with stress, panic, fight or flight). Stretching ‘can physically put your body in a certain position, but if your breathing and mind aren't right, the parasympathetic nervous system will not ‘switch on’ effectively. This can impact things like oxygen delivery, gym performance, sleep, focus, etc How it works: We tend to breathe in more by raising our ribs (chest breathing, short breaths) than by expanding through the stomach. This can reduce the effectiveness of the diaphragm, which is intimately connected to proper core engagement and blood £02 (when high, this creates more stress). 101.Put one hand on stomach and one on chest 2.Breathe in through your nose and out through your ‘mouth 3.Using your diaphragm, think about forcing the hhand on your stomach to rise, and as you exhale, think about exhaling from the diaphragm up, pushing as much air out as you can, 4.Complete for 10 focused breaths, and repeat as Ribs tucked, think ‘belly ‘much as necessary button towarde ribcage’, to draw low back flat to ‘ground. FOAMROLLING ‘The point of foam rolling Is to prime the muscle for stretching and lengthening through movement, and to increase blood flow in targeted muscle. I's a technique that can feel awkward at first, but one that youll get the feel of with practice Key areas to foam roll: quads, calves, hamstrings, thoracic (upper back), IT band (side (of quad), adductors (inner low quad), glutes (1 at a time), lats. Note: do not foam roll lower back! 1. Place foam roller on target muscle 2. Apply pressure by leaning into it more/less. 3. Roll / flush the muscle until you find 2 more tender spot (an area of tight muscle fibers), 44, Stay on that area and apply pressure on and off for 20-60 seconds, do not just roll back and forth. The pain should release and get better.STRETCHING Static stretches: holding a stretch for 30-60 seconds Dynamic stretches: moving your body through a range of motion “tater groin oteh ope ert 5 adductor stretch - oscillating hip flexor stretch (moving in and out ) half kneeling adductor hip hinge “lunge with thoracic rotation - oscillating lat & pec stretch (come in and out of lat & pec stretch) deep squat pulses - walking quaé stretch (pull one foot back to your butt to feel stretch in qua) wall caf stretch DYNAMIC (SOME STRETCHING DEMONSTRATION VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE EXERCISE LIBRARY ON @NAFGUIDES) HOW TO ORDER YOUR RECOVERY TECHNIQUES 1.Belly breathing 4. Static stretches 2.Foam rolling TRAINING 5. Foam rolling 3 Dynamic stretching 6.Belly breathing 12WARM UPS ‘A warm up preps your muscles and joints for @ workout, and although there are many ‘waye to get your heart rate up, come techniques are not optimal before strength ‘raining. | advise away from using cardio machine for more than 5 minutes, or any type of circuit - this will cause excessive fatigue that will likely negatively impact lifting performance ‘Warm up sets come before your working sets that are low effort, that essentially ust {90 through range of motion. Depending on the exercise, you'll want around 1-3 warm Up sets, to build up to that challenging weight. Working sets are those that are written in the program as sets WARM UP PROTOCOL FOR UPPER BODY DAYS. Lat and pee dynamic stretch Rotator cuff band complex -2 sets x 12-15 reps of each Thoracic reach and stretch 2 sets x 12reps each side WARM UP PROTOCOL FOR LOWER BODY DAYS Adductor stretch Kneeling hip flexor stretch Couch stretch Lunge with thoracie rotation -2 sets x 10 repe/side Banded floor glute bridges -2 sets x 20-30 reps WARM UP PROTOCOL FOR FULL BODY DAYS ‘Combine both lower and upper body day warm-ups (SOME WARM UP DEMONSTRATION VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE IN. ‘THE EXERCISE LIBRARY ON @NAFGUIDES) 13ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT theme paeslatirack GLUTE BANDS ‘You will find there are many types of glute bands out there, the most ‘common being the rubbery, elastic ones. While these do the job, they often ‘end up not effectively challenging the glutes as much as they are capable of. ‘even if you “eel it. You want to choose a band that get your glutes fired up from the first few reps! | recommend a thicker, more durable band like the Glute Loop’, or the ‘Slingshot Hip Circle’, They'e a litle more pricey, but they last longer, and do a better job - investing in some of these is something | highly encourage! PULL UP BANDS ‘These are long elastic bands that attach to a pull up bar for assisted pull ups. These are necessary if you are ready to move past the assisted pull up machine, and want to practice pull ups with less restriction. | recommend a set of varying resistances, as you will need different strengths as you progress. BARBELL HIP THRUST PAD ‘These are thick pads that wrap around the barbell for a barbell hip thrust. ‘You may see variations of these in your gym, but they are usually thin and not very protective. | recommend the brand ‘ron Bull Strength, which can be found on Amazon. LIFTING GRIPS ‘These are grips that attach to your wrist, and wrap around a barbell or dumbbell handle. They essentially take away the limiting factor of grip strength from your lift, so you can securely lift a lot more without It sipping out of your palms. 1 recommend the brand ‘Harbinger, and would suggest ‘watchcing a demonstration video of set up before use! 14FAQ@’S Q: I'M UNSURE ABOUT MY FORM, WHAT SHOULD | DO? “Good form™ will depend on the exercise and its context. For example, ‘compound exercises (squat, press, deadlift, hip thrust) should always be done with form and technique above all else. Smaller, more isolating ‘exercises can sometimes have an element of momentum to them, if it means tension is being kept in a muscle and you ‘eet it more. Q: WHAT IFICAN'T FIT ALL TRAINING DAYS INTO MY WEEK? ‘That's okay! However, rest days have been programmed to best accommodate training days, so | urge you to stick to the pattern as best as youcan, At the end of the day, if a 12 week program ends up taking 15, but you are getting stronger week by week, that’s a success, Q:1'M SUPPOSED TO TRAIN, BUT | AM TOO SORE AND FEEL LIKEI NEED TO REST, IS THAT OKAY? REST! Listen to your body. You will have days that make you mate sore than others, and especially at the start of new blocks. Training has been programmed to best accommodate soreness, but sometimes it lasts a little longer than expected so just feel it out, and resume where you left off after rest. Stay hydrated, fuel your body, and practice recovery techniques. Q: HOW LONG SHOULD 1 DO THE PROGRAM FOR? ‘At least one time through, but I would encourage twice through to really make some gains! When you complete for a second time, you will be more ‘confident and lifts will feel even better. After that, it can be done as many times as you like, exercise repetition and movement mastery will only do you GOOD in the long run, Q: WHERE IS THE EXERCISE LIBRARY? ‘The exercise library is on the @nafguides Instagram page. There you can save videos and organize them in muscle groups in your own ‘saved posts’ area, or, you can just refer to the page when you need to,Q: CAN SWAP AN EXERCISE FOR A SIMILAR ONE THAT! PREFER? You can, but | would advise against it, especially the primary compound movements. The smaller, accessory movements could be substituted if necessary, but stick to a variation, don't keep changing it up. However, if you choose to do the program 2, 3 + times, that's your opportunity to play with variation! Always give the exercises listed your best effort, Q: WHY ISN'T THERE MUCH VARIATION IN EACH BLOCK? PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD! If exercises changed every week, there would be little room to progress and no way your muscles could adapt effectivaly to ‘the overloading stimulus over time, We are alming for movement mastery, and overall GROWTH! That requires repetition. That being said, within each block, the volume changes, which is enough difference to affect the body, slong side weight increases. Between block 1 and 2 there are many sifferent exercises. Q: MY GYM DOESN'T HAVE A CERTAIN PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WHAT SHOULD IDO INSTEAD? Exercise substitutions will be provided for some exercises where appropriate. However, if your current gym lacks fundamental gym equipment such 2s barbells, squat racks etc, | would highly recommend seeking a better ‘equipped gym to enable you to work towards your lifting potential Q: WHAT CARDIO SHOULD 1D0? ‘You will notice there is no specific cardio in the program. Cardio training is ‘essentially training of your heart, and is of course important to overall health. However, there will be times when your strength training workouts will ACT as cardio - your heart rate should increase in many exercises. If ‘considering cardio as part of your routine, | would recommend 20-30 minutes of steady state cardio, after your strength training, or on an active rest day. | would not recommend cardio before ANY training sessions, as ‘thie wil likely be counterproductive for etrength and physique progress. Remember, your goal is to GROW. Burning additional calories through ‘cardio can sometimes bring you out of a surplus if you aren't carefullTRACKING PROGRESS PROGRESS PICTURES Progress pictures are possibly the best way to track physique progress over time. | suggest taking @ video recording (setting your phone up somewhere), and then screenshotting the front, back and side views. | would also ‘encourage you to take flexed photos to0. You can also monitor scale weight J muscle mass % / body fat %, and take circumferenece measurements. Scale weight ig NOT a good sole meacure of prograce. We ehift in weight {ally $0 easily from eating, drinking, sodium, stress, amount of sleep, water intake... 0 much. On that note, if you do choose to weigh yourself, ensure you do so in the same conditions (ie. wearing the same clothing, fasted), | ecommend taking new progress pictures once a month. If you are weighing yourself, | recommend weighing in weekly/biweekly, or taking a daily meacurement and averaging it LOAD LOG Logging your weights lifted over time is one of THE most valuable things you ‘can do for yourself. The space provided in the program under ‘weight log” is there for you to log your load/weights used. That way, you keep track of what you did previously, and at what volume, so you spend less time ‘wondering what your working weight is, and more time making real gains! | recommend printing the program and taking it with you to the gym. 7MACROS + MIGROS First off, there are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods. Food differs in micronutrient and macronutrient content. MACRONUTRIENTS MICRONUTRIENTS Essential elements required in large Essential elements required in amounts for proper bodily function smaller amounts, They contain high and growth. They provide energy and humbers of vitamins and minerals ‘calories, and include protern, fats and necessary for optimal growth and ‘carbohydrates (catbs) development, immunity, etc FOOD IS FUEL When striving to grow, we need to pay attention to foods that contain significant amounts of protein, carbs and fat. Each macronutrient is equivalent to calories which add up to our dally calorie intake, PROTEIN 1 gram (of any protein) Required for all growth in your body, from muscle fibers to your hale! The most ‘essential macro, CARBS 1 gram (of any carb) = 4 calories Required for fueling our central nervous system and muscular system. They are a huge ‘energy source and help to prevent protein being used as an energy source. Elements of carbohydrates are either used immediately, or stored in our liver and muscles ae ‘lycogen to be used inthe future, Notice how it has the same calorie value as protein, but they serve different purposes. FAT 1 gram (of any fat) = 9 calories Fat ig richest in energy out of all macros, as it ylelds 9 calories per gram. Fats help vitamins such as A, D, E and K get absorbed when paired together. 18FINDING YOUR MACROS Because macros are what contain the energy (calorie) value, they will determine whether we gain, lose, or maintain. I's all about energy balance. In its simplest form, i's energy in vs. energy out To grow muscle mass and gain serious strength, itis optimal to be eating in a surplus of calories over your ‘maintenance.’ Maintenance is the value at which growing or losing is extremely slow if anything at all, Growth can be possible when at maintenance, but it will not be as significant as if you were in a surplus. The larger the surplus, the more intense the growth. When you are in a surplus, combined with progressive weight lifting, your body will use those extra calories to build new tissue - in the form of both muscle and some fat. On the flip-side, a deficit is when your body is. ina shortage of calories below your maintenance value. ‘That being sald, this program can cater to both goal directions, whether that be growth cr loss; itis just dependent on your intake. itis vital to stay in your own lane when it ‘comes to your macros - someone else's macros will be very different to your own, The steps below are based on the Harris Benedict Equation. We must start by finding your BMR (basal metabolic rate), which is the estimated calories burned at rest (without taking activity ito account). 1.CALCULATING BMR Men (Metric) BMR = 68.5 + (13.75 « weight inkg) + (5.003 » height incm ) ~ (6.755 » age in years) (rmperial) BM Women (Metric) BMR » 655.1 + (9.563 x weight in kg ) + (1.850 » height in em) ~ (4.676 age in years ) (opera) Bo MY BMR Co 16+ (6.2 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 «height in inches ) ~ (6.76 x age in years) 55.1 + (4.35 x weight in pounds )+ (47 » height in inches )- (4.7 x age In years) 192. CALCULATE TOTAL DAILY ENERGY EXPENDITURE (TDEE) + MAINTENANCE CALORIES Your TDEE is your BMR, the exercise you endure, plus any nonexercise related activity (like going to work, making breakfast, taking @ shower, etc.). This results in an ‘estimated calorie value to what your body requires to simply ‘maintain ‘The first step to finding your maintenance calorie value is to take your BMR result and ‘multiply it by the activity level that best fits you currently. Sedentary (tle or no exercise) MR «1.2 Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) BMR «1.375 Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) = BMR x 1.55 Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a weet) BMR «1.725 \Vigorously active (very hard exercise/sports& a physical jot) = BMRx1.9 Co MY MAINTENANCE CALORIES 3. CALCULATE GOAL CALORIES ‘Move on to step 4 ifyou are using maintenance calories. Now that you have your maintenance calories, you will need to add or subtract 200-400, calories depending on your goal (subtracting will put you in a deficit, adding will put you in a surplus). We want to be in a surplus, so let's start by adding 200 calories to the maintenance value. Typically, it would be realistic to gain/lose 0.5 Ib per week My DAILY CALORIES4, DETERMINE MACROS. ‘As explained in the previous chapter, each macronutrient is equivalent to calories, which adds up to become our daily calorie intake. PROTEIN Protein intake also varies with activity level. In this case, for strength training individuals, we are using the recommended dietary allowance of 0.8g / Ibs body weight (159 /k9) Example: An individual weighs 135 lbs. Surplus intake is 2300 calories. 185 x 0.8 = 1089 of protein per day. Protein contains 4 calories per g. 'S0, 108 x 4 = 432 calories from protein, 1868 calories for carbs and fat CARBS +FAT Based on personal experience, 60% of remaining calories from carbohydrates and 40% from {at is optimal. However, feel free to play around with these percentages, at it can vary based on personal preference of food groups, to. MY DAILY PROTEIN (G) Continuing example: we found we have 1868 calories remaining for carbs and fat. 1868 x 0.60 = 1121 calories (60%) from carbs. Carbs contain 4 calories per 9. 1121 / 4 = 280g carbs per day. 1868 x 0.40 = 747 calories (40%) from fats Fat contains 9 calories per g. 747 /9 = 83g fat per day. In this exemple: 108g protein MY DAILY FAT(G)= MY DAILY CARBS (G} 2809 carbs 215. PUTTING MACROS TO USE You will need: + amacto tracking app + a food scale | recommend downloading the app’ My Macros +' to track your food. Another common app is My Fitness Pat, but | personally prefer My Macros + because it focuses more on Individual macro tracking, and less on overall calories and weightloss. You will ned to enter your dally grams of protein carbs and fat established earlier, into your daily goals. Track your food by creating foods yourself, or scanning them with the barcode scanner. You should build up a ‘custom and faves' lst as you use and add ‘more foods. | recommend using 2 food scale to weigh most foods, as it Is more accurate and less fiddly than using cups, spoons, etc. ts up to you how you divide your macros up throughout the day, but as an easy guide, you can divide your macros up into the number of meals you eat ina day. Use these ‘Same macros on training days AND rest days. If this is your first time tracking, bear with yourself! It may feel tedious and time Cconeuming to star, but be patient -it will become easier the more you practice and you will gain so much understanding of food content. If you need any help with macro calculation, reach out to me via email at natalieafit@gmail.com, Lastly, SLOW AND STEADY WINS. Nothing worthwhile is achieved rapidly, especialy when it comes to changes to our bodies. ‘There are no ‘quick’ fixes. Put in work and trust the process. If you are tracking and following macro guidelines, be CONSISTENT. Your body will adjust to consistency. IMPORTANT: IF YOU ARE CONSISTENT WITH YOUR CALORIES, YOUR BODY WiLL ADJUST TO THEM AND WILL NEED MORE CALORIES OVER TIME TO CONTINUE TO PROGRESS. THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT THIS IS TO MONITOR WEIGHT OVER 2. WEEK INTERVALS, PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO STRENGTH GAINS, AND IF YOU FEEL |AS IF YOU'VE MAINTAINED/PLATEAUED, BUMP UP THOSE CALORIES BY ANOTHER 50 100. 22PROTEIN Chicken Turkey Lean red meats (eg, 93% lean, preferably crass fed) Salmon / other fish (preferably wild) Sausages (urkey, potk, chicken) Yoout Cottage cheese Eggs + eg9 whites ‘Shrienp ‘Whey protein powder CARBS Potatoes, starchy vegetables All fruits All vegetables catmeal Rice Honey Jamyjelly Granola Cereal Bread products (bagels, english muffins ete.) Pasta Gnocchi Quinoa Beans Crackers Popcorn GROCERY LIST OPTIONS PLANT BASED PROTEIN Chickpeas: Legumes Canned beans Meat alternatives (eg, vegan ‘sausage, bean burgers) Quinoa Edamame Tofu Lentil pasta Protein powder (hemp, pea) Dr Praeger's brand Field Roast brand No Cow protein bars FATS Avocado Granola bars, Nuts Nut butters oils Mayonnaise Cheese Whole eggs (yolk contains fat) tk Butter hy "Bane i ted we os tow hat rae ou ftom rl sdlengno me nnn at a ae ‘Sonor mavowte ee 23TIPS * STRATEGIES TIPS FOR A CALORIE SURPLUS. While in a calorie surplus, there can be times when it becomes hard to fit so many ‘calories in. Here are some approaches that can help + Small,ealorie dense frequent meals can help (\.e., 5/6 400-500 calorie meals). ‘+ Smoothies. You can pack much into a drink, making it very calorie dense. For ‘example: Oats, rice milk, honey, protein powder, flaxseed, frozen berties, peanut butter (CONTAINS ALL MACROS) + Aim for 100 oz of water/éay. Increased eating calls for sufficient water intake to help digestion + Don't overcomplicate things. Sticking to basics and just pairing foods together from ‘macro groups is the quickest, simplest option. + Don't skip breakfast. Wake up just to eat if you have to! Getting calories in as soon {8 you can and getting into that habit is important. SIDE NOTE: Vegetables are generally very low calorie, s0 it's easy to avoid them because they don't “do much’, however they are micronutrients as explained earlier ~ they contain fiber, iron and other nutrients our body wants + needs. Aim to have fruits and vegetables with every meal if possible. TIPS FOR A CALORIE DEFICIT hile in a calor deficit, wige food choices are going to help you stay feeling ful. Here are some approaches that can help: + High volume/lower calorie foods are key, so that you can eat more of it to feel more full. Examples include leafy greens, veggies, rice cakes, potatoes, oatmeal + Eat more frequent, low calorie but high volume meals, to help you stay satisfied. + Fill up by drinking MORE water throughout the day and with meals. + For sweet tooth cravings, incorporate low calorie options such as jello, zero- cal electrolyte juices etc these are sweet and will fil you up. + Strategic meal planning. For example, instead of a smoothie, consume the Ingredients separately (e.g. protein shake, berries, oatmeal. This will ake longer to ‘consume and fill you up more than a single drink will. 24SUPPLEMENTS It Is important to note that supplements are NOT a necessity. By definition, supplements are something to enhance your already sufficient diet of to help with 2 particular macro/micronutrient. | would encourage you to get as many of your macro and micronutrients from food and take supplements when and where necessary SUPPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: PROTEIN Protein powder is helpful on days that our protein intake isnt as high as we'd lke it to be through food, so protein powder can fill that gap. (If taking whey, | recommend ‘whey ISOLATE, as itis purer than plain whey. If vegan/dairy free, | recommend a pea or rice protein or a pea and rice blend). My personal favorites: LivBody Vegan Lean Protein and Greens in German Chocolate flavor and Cinnamon Coffee Cake flavor (contains greens). MULTIVITAMIN ‘A dense capsule containing many vitamins and minerals that you may not be taking in through food GREENS, PROBIOTICS + DIGESTIVE ENZYMES + Probiotics help maintain the natural balance of bacteria and microflora of the gut. Gut health ie paramount to overall wellness, including mood, focus, immunity, performance, recovery + Digestive enzymes aid in the digestion of macronutrients, + Greens, such as Spirulina Cilantro, and Chlorella are three of many superfoods with Incredible properties. They are all extremely rich in micronutrients and Chlorella and Cilantro in particular are involved in binding to heavy metals consumed in foods, blocking reabsorption and aiding in excretion from the body. [gy 1! spstement ited above canbe fund from LvBody on vbody.com. Being dairy free myself, | have been through my fair share of vegan supplements, and LivBody is by far my favorite out there, Their products are all natural. | am lucky enough to work closely with the company, and if you're looking to upgrade your supplements, you can save 20% with code ‘natalie’ at checkout. 25DISCLAIMER Natalie Freeman's qualifications include NASM certified personal trainer, @ diploma from the National Personal Training Institute and a B.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences. Natalie Is not a medical doctor or a registered dietician. You should consult your Physician or other health care professional before starting any fitness guide, fitness program or consider following nutritional guidance, “Through NATALIEAFIT, Natalie Freeman offers health, fitness and nutritional guidance, and any content provided is intended for educational and supportive purposes only. You must not use the recommendations provided as a substitute for professional medical or nutritional advice. Do not disregard any advice given to you by a healthcare professional. Any recommendations in fitness programs or guides are to be used at yur own risk. You must understand that participating in any physical activity or ‘exercise program poses potential physical injury, and if you choose to engage in an ‘exercise program. you are doing so at your own risk. Information and recommendations provided must be reviewed by @ physician or other healthcare professional before proceeding. NATALIEAFIT or Natalie Freeman will not assume liability for any all direct or indirect losses or damages to the client All documents exchanged between Natalie Freeman and the client are the property of Natalie Freeman, By purchasing this training, you agree to not share it with others who have not paid for access to the material, nor re-sell ts contents, nor make copies for others Some information displayed in this book has been adapted from a variety of sources, including the 6th edition book ‘NASM essentials of personal training’ and online sources such as medium.com, GONTACT To contact me directly with questions or support needs, please emai natalieafit@gmail.com. For questions relating to nutrition, other than help with macro caloulation, | will be unable to address what is outside my scope af practice. Please contact a registered dietician or certified nutritionist in those cases. 26BEFORE YOU BEGIN... REQUEST TO FOLLOW @NAFGUIDES SO YOU H. PRIVATE EXERCISE DEMONSTRATIONS. STAY CONNECTED + Use and follow the hashtag #allaboutgrowthguide and tag me, @natalieafi, in your stories, posts, selfs - I want to see them all! A REMINDER... + Make sure you have access to all required equipment. ‘+ Make sure you are on track to fuel your body well before starting. Calorie and macro calculation instructions are found on pages 19-21 + Take your progress photos (info on page 17), + Print your guide to make use of the weight log and aid your progression. WORKOUTS: BLOCK 1 Welcome to your first block of training! During block one, there will be a gradual Increase in volume. To ensure you are progressively overloading, please record your ‘weights in the weight log space provided. Strive for weight increases every week! For ‘warm ups and recovery, head back to pages 10-13 27DAY 1: FULL BODY STRENGTH exercise [SET ners nest _weiohr Loo Bane Beck Sgust 3 38 om Sepnated Bartow 66 2m eat Romanian 346 in Waningtinge 3 —8/ty 1200 ssomitetstvp 2 12 58 s8Hotow Boy old 2 S0sec 020 DAY 2: UPPER BODY exercise ‘97s nePs nest weiaKr Loa lowe Gi Caba Row 912 min ‘ested Blewpcut 310 Im ey eC) Powe oe fercraciteteny 9 Dw eter Upton 3810 tm owing itiorece 212 mn ma res uum uscues wvouveD Luar ter ces Harting, he, ah meson Comvtndinon ah has. cr ora Maran cn nab, A “heap tare Aon cen = ores suum muscues wevouveD ‘oss Sow. Fact Lt bp Se mg tt Spe Seer Soameetaa Bem ‘reir own uP Dt we 28DAY 3: REST DAY 4: FULL BODY STRENGTH ‘Seoeom Ss same ovace om ban pew rma cote sene Semgoreomn 3 68 ann usenet mtrasngeam 2 6s 1m acer tastes com ezowpcepeut 3 68 Inn Sistas eto Begs 4 es ssemerantie 2 030 Setter mee 29DAY 5: LOWER BODY Saeep wt 3 se tn ee aegnes _—Guiesretaoe se ero ticatng 318 nn ee mom cot no hn wren Lunge) 30/12 Sorendcowetnd no ae Oy ‘oases ‘mona pwn et Sat 38g 1 reenact, cose tn Demet aap, Oe tn cre Semon Sa cana DAY 6: RESTDAY 7: FULL BODY STRENGTH Suen ocSqut 38 2am Sipmunsounettew 45 20 Wwitingtunge 38h 120 ssominetsnvp 2028 stow Boyd > s0seco20DAY 1: UPPER BODY ‘Sereat ows ‘Sega ale runes DAY 2: REST Shen Anemone Seog San pve Seino Hage ptt aceon es = Sptersatenorscn Fert too, 32DAY 3: FULL BODY STRENGTH gos orwomen 2 endeatiteh + at 2 expe capo 3 tre Sandegcatfase 3610 Inn sStimnngieyse 3 saa tpe 3 BE DAY 4: LOWER BODY Srecetie Sr 0 suneatiptonat 315 In Lyme Haneingea 380 tn eandttp aiden 3 50 nin aneuon rage 22s oe ‘ae puts Peg i an oe EFY i ts tana (ts ane 33DAY 5: REST DAY 6: FULL BODY STRENGTH UietocSqat 3s Dare Sipmasounetfen) 45 200 ening tinge 38g 1m ssominetsnvp 228 Steen Boyd > s0sec020 coryheoada yar dps Seultacont tna gets tet Soon een conc 34DAY 7: UPPER BODY Se pa Sen ae = eats te = seme aaa = So = a ass eminence 308 nn Sete 9 Reva onDAY 1: REST DAY 2: FULL BODY STRENGTH grote + anda Saiokm 3 ate 4 Sandegcatrase > sstmnnguerse > sour Tpe 3 grtrt BE gig com ty Cte 36DAY 3: LOWER BODY Sap Pw Se tm ewes} aagnes _—uies eto se n= —— =o a ——— serene Saar neh ee ——— a pe cbaagae oon one eae ea Se DAY 4: RESTDAY 5: FULL BODY STRENGTH fen tocSgat fos Dare ning tinge 36g 12m ssouminetstup 3128 DAY 6: UPPER BODY sce at = SSiaige tiene co ingtes oot cs Cad en cre amas. ata be ponents Sees seme Spc toc Sen Lor meghsot is Bea Semmcemiot eae eter ec Fr tcWEEK 3 DAY 7: RESTDAY 1: FULL BODY STRENGTH ataip at 645 280mm core tmen «68 ann indratntetm 364 2m ezowpeepout 3 68 Inn andrea mie 630 In Staniatienie > 3h 88 seomeranctie 3 O30 DAY 2: LOWER BODY Binacsisie 2 suneatiponat& Srooenbrton std anscton > and ge 2 te wt er. Sma yr Stok na Tete nay Se == te = Boraowe sn hom er fn guts Prag ts ann eon cat. ee tn at 40DAY 3: REST DAY 4: FULL BODY STRENGTH ShoettecSqat os Some Fetiowrshaae Onn am eon coyteoadyar Sipmuasounetfon! 5 200 Geena. Sot tam bees eas roan’ Sage = ning tinge 46g 12m mide tn cre ssomnetstup 31258 ena ssi Boyd 3 30.0020 ekg ome Aan igh alDAY 5: UPPER BODY upumin eee ptrrcaieneap 212 2000 eZeeptottow 3610 tne Nepengctiericy 32 tn DAY 6: REST avast 42DAY 7: FULL BODY STRENGTH & gong erw omen satan > a “ zou scepoun + gees i Sanna cat Rae « sStannngsierse 3 sso ramtpe 3 Ee ag 8 = Sete ‘Suet Seige ton ee ne PPFY i 43‘This Is the final week of block 1 before deloading. This week will be the highest in volume and most challenging, but push through and let's make some PR's! DAY 1: LOWER BODY Sateen ne to ‘cettosone, Gin heron om ene aro sacatng 88 nn Fee mom cnr nm hn ata roves Linge 6 $0) 12m Sonera Ont hn * ae ‘gwin SytSqat 36g 12 Sector ce Lipemnsen een Cotsen. On taneedcomiat 31620 1h Cnyeoeupntwar nd en ‘Soon Su nanan DAY 2: REST 44DAY 3: FULL BODY STRENGTH Seumecsqut Sos same Sipmunsounetfens 4S 208 rg 12 ssominetsnvp 30288 Bion Boyd 3 3058020 DAY 4: UPPER BODY. Socas oe a Nea Saas impr ot Catt tn cre rn Tuctp, ane ‘Std aan tn Si rote ses Lemay Heap sammie He pet aero i 45DAY 5: REST DAY 6: FULL BODY STRENGTH reef BE ‘ac ates Pog ts ann es 46DAY 7: LOWER BODY Smeeasetsie Py) oat fantdtietinat 616 hh seer Lye Hameingeat 650 nih seendtip aiden 3 58 tne ane rege 22 Ss Sacco Meera hte en om. onteceecia a7‘You have completed the fist block and it's time to delosd. Information on deloading ‘can be found on page 9. Remember to reduce the weight of ALL exercises by around 50%, this is absolutely necessary for nervous system recovery and will benefit your progress. DAY 1: REST DAY ‘ULL BODY STRENGTH Sremeectteet 2 as Sm Fostnt nw sete uc an scons eee So coyeecstnyes Bene eae * aa i fe ee ees ae ‘ow tae Bo Saees ogee fotos iingtinge 6h 1 Creat On re ssomnetsnvp 2 0288 Teen nate Ate Sst Beyols 2 5050020 Twekpa tome AK eign 48DAY 4: REST Weenie a ape Sone sen et a commen 49DEL DAY 5: FULL BODY STRENGTH Eat a eb em armen bt saertin te somite far Some fee DAY 6: LOWER BODY ew Suneetag 22 In suetrovese tinge? 50/120 s ‘igwian Set Set 28h 120 Sotto 5 en ‘Soon Sout poner’ Soto (ats tant oe. gap can say Stak com, Seg Sots tock net pe. Roasesoasgees Gusset coe mycoeup nama nt 50DELOAD DAY 7: REST WEEK 6CK 2 Wi ‘You have reached the second block of the program! Here you will find new variations of ‘exercises, and an overall increase in volume. Continue to increase weight on many ‘exercises each week to further increase muscular overload and remember to LOS ‘YOUR WEIGHTS! For warm ups and recovery, head back to pages 10-13, DAY 1: FULL BODY STRENGTH thowteetigut 33s fame Tetisiowsnaie ute un ston, —— <= Sorted yar ae =" Ss oo Lemaarah + tm oo neve gs oe Ss. ~ DAY 2: UPPER BODY Seo ee —— eater) ba ta pene lame —— Se ae Eee SS Sat a im oe ees Se ee === 52DAY 3: LOWER BODY cemwie betty 38 2am ‘une aed oming 2610 120 ipsbnon Seema 2 eZ Inn DAY 4: REST 53DAY 5: FULL BODY STRENGTH tatty et 348 2am Sendra teatro © 48 00 ate 5 ee tamm ‘sandra tain 3640 12mm DAY 6: UPPER BODY Semetomasoip 3 80 Pan Setgamaing 312/128 Spc = Segmam intent 21238 In cmesiapcut 21218 58 il tne ws nnas 9 Sack un rn Saige ret sn Sect am sa Simyorontae pe teens ag ha oncom eti en ers omy caened aus aoeneed cps 54DAY 7: LOWER BODY ference S575 ners REST. woowT 100 ‘Sher ect Se gin eS 3 55DAY 1: REST DAY 2: FULL BODY STRENGTH Seusecsqat ss same wetfovnetinge) 68 nn Wiggnewatcrpat 38 128 ange 336) 020DAY 3: UPPERBODY erence S575 ners REST. woowT 100 Srpeamoimaeet 3630 109 zou veepout 3 68 Inn Srapptamet 3s DAY 4: LOWER BODY centieBuettip 28 Same (ttt GoetNoming 3840 13 wipiesoue 3235 tn rsnon SeomtiaROL 3 HHP I seanstip medion 250 nh p08 ce Sate (hie nanan ce tn tart ts ana 87DAY 5: REST DAY 6: FULL BODY STRENGTH Fore me ak tm te inte en Fete can Gene Sin con sent neoy ng ih Ao, ont eg 58DAY 7: UPPER BODY Semmtomoig 3 80 ta Seg amnaing 312) 1am Seep a Speen 38 rn no Sesame Hoge era etyDAY 1: LOWER BODY Seeer ten —— =IEar pad rn tat 96 caren imo Sonne con stan Seer oma = = Saosin ta cee Onna = peterarenrs nome tion +08 =a om =m DAY 2: REST 60DAY 3:FULL BODY STRENGTH anette Linge 68 2 wisenasatcnplat 68 12mm sarang in 330/080 DAY 4: UPPER BODY wereopanint 4 Sepeamoumaeer 3 830 nn ezewmepout 4 68 Inn Sragtamit 38 Ecraas feos ao == a tes om WWomtetourente ta bee Soke ctr Bene Speier can Sse, aby ou 61DAY 5: LOWER BODY Ecenwieouetlip 36 Same eects £8 tn Sipesnan SeomtgAOL 3 Te I Seendiipaaduton 350 nin DAY 6: REST 62DAY 7: FULL BODY STRENGTHDAY IPPER BODY a ah fen tes ee fy te cacceemh Smet een a <6 DAY 2: LOWER BODY ‘igwianettSaut 368 Inn ning tinge 3 10h St gre 2 1mm sana Braoee 38088 Sesame Meee Cmca, Sane Semen soened cps ‘ocr ih oon nna st dri, to Worse, tap atc 64DAY 3: REST DAY 4: FULL BODY STRENGTH SueettecSqut 3S Same wsenaatanpiat ¢ 8 12mm ‘ateatng op 3 4 Sotteaiame ona —" Sree on neta 3-4ecent Wenig ge Doria aat pet Siowataeoee oneDAY 5: UPPER BODY Ss a= ee ps i= eee ais Rrra —o=15 oe DAY 6: LOWER BODY Eccowe Banepa ent onte 425 nn etenson Sng RO 10 tn seaman anaieten 330 Sn Sesondecnme Gu nants ceDAY 7: REST WEEK 10 67mw ‘his Is the final week of block 2 before deloading. This week will be the most challenging of all weeks, but make it your best yet! Push through and lets make some more PR's! DAY 1: FULL BODY STRENGTH ate 3 es tem DAY 2: UPPER BODY Sanetoewoie St ean Pemenry 31245 1am somtrems ae Sppemiat 338 in ewissiapout 31245 58 Siuarctge haat mo "won cnt Semcon Mee Cetonsrm, — Sascen 68DAY 3: LOWER BODY ‘Sone Sr Su ‘ignian ettsqut 268 Inn Sa ening tinge S01 DAY 4: REST ‘tachi aon Sania te co, OeDAY 5: FULL BODY STRENGTH fat Bk Soo snes nest woot Loo sateen 68 2m Widest crplat 68 12mm wring te 3 920 DAY 6: UPPER BODY paar Pain 20a Bee cut inne S678 ners nest wont Loo sores am muscues mvo.veD ave aie ew oan ovr ape ‘Stn en a Srosaee toc act Sea Siorttandat twa canSotrs Coonteccee. Bowe. 70DAY 7: LOWER BODY cenwieuetlip 2am ft cond Noring 480 12 wetedchte 63838 1 ipereton SomtiamO 3032 th sesed patton 330 tn 7I's time to deload again! Information on deloading can be found on page 9. Remember 10 Feduce the Weight of ALL exercises by around 50%, this 's absolutely necessary for nervous system recovery and will benefit your progress. DAY 1: REST DAY 2: FULL BODY STRENGTH aorndonOecat 2 Dae Fete se ge ack guts orang, sweennp rt 343 28m eer as0 pees rags. Sindratannirom 348 2300 Fath mat. Eonge/ Stade co aoe 2 68 tam Dek atone oe Lae Benno mre" ener mint 320 88 a oe fon ct 72DAY 3: UPPER BODY ‘cross (978 eps REST _ WEIGHT LOO erat ore SB" Pon a Seicgameairg 21mm Sogpiemis 2 98 to ciletewpeut 2218 55 DAY 4: LOWER BODY cxerase SETS eps REST _weichT L0G ‘Shee owe Ca gran tttqat 268 tm Sean ningtingn 20mg tn arse 2 2 im det Chae tno 2508 Secon enar tee mates, — Seaton comm tyson ewe 73DEL DAY 5: REST DAY 6: FULL BODY STRENGTH em —— Fase eo seaternat? 8 em Ene mam Wiggnewatcrpiat 28 12m nga moingop 250) 020 Cuchi A.DAY 7: UPPER BODY 75