Welcome to Week 1 of MenScience Boot Camp! Congratulations on taking the first step toward self-improvement. Now that you’ve decided to make some positive changes to your men’s nutrition, fitness and skincare regimen, it’s time to hit the ground running.
– Boot Camp Home Page
– Week 1: Nutrition
– Week 1: Fitness
– Week 1: Skin Care
– Skip to Week 2
Men’s Nutrition Checklist for Week 1
Here are the things you need to achieve this week. This week is focused on becoming more aware about your eating habits:
1. Determine your weight and body mass index. To figure out where you want to be in eight weeks, you have to figure out where you are. Weigh yourself first thing in the morning before breakfast to figure out your current weight. Take that number and plug it into our BMI Calculator, which will tell you if you’re overweight for your height and what you will need to lose.
2. Figure out your calorie needs. Weight loss comes down to calories in vs. calories out. Fats, protein and carbs have their proper place in nutrition (more on them in the coming weeks), but if you want to lose weight, calories are key. To get a rough estimate of your calorie needs, multiply 15 by your body weight (e.g. if you’re 160 pounds: 160 x 15=2400). That’s how many calories you need to consume to maintain your current weight. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than that. To gain muscle, you need more.
3. Read labels. This week, read every food label you come across. You’ll become more acquainted with portion sizes, ingredients and other important information that will help you maintain a healthy diet in the coming weeks. You might be surprised at just how much calories, fat and sugar some of your favorite foods are packing. With that said…
4. Keep track of what you eat. One of the biggest culprits in weight gain is mindless snacking. Free samples at the food court, taking some chocolate from the office candy bowl… all of that adds up. Keep a food journal or spreadsheet handy… whatever will help you remember what you ate throughout the day. Once you know what you’re doing – or eating — wrong, you can make the appropriate changes to fit your needs.
5. Take “before” photos. Take a close-up of your face and take a picture of your body in the mirror – you can do in just a shirt and shorts, in your undies…whatever. Just make sure you have ample lighting and take pictures from multiple angles. This will give you a better idea of what you want/need to improve.
Men’s Fitness Checklist for Week 1
Don’t expect to run a marathon the first week – it’s not going to happen. Stick to these basics to help you prepare for week 2:
1. Get off the couch. Go outside and run around the block. Go to the gym and lift weights. Do some push-ups. Just do something other than waste time in front of the computer or television. Then do it again tomorrow. And the next day. Make exercise a habit – if it isn’t already — because you’ll be doing a lot of it for the next few weeks.
2. Start small. Instead of sitting at your desk during lunch, go for a 10-minute walk. Park a little further from the office. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. In the long run, simple switches like these can help you burn calories throughout the day.
3. Start developing a workout routine that incorporates both cardio and weight-training. Cardio exercise such as running, cycling and swimming help improve your endurance and cardiovascular health. Weight-training, on the other hand, helps improve strength and build muscle. By developing a routine that uses both forms of exercise (e.g. 3 days of weights and 3 days of cardio per week), you’ll turn your body into a fat-burning furnace.
4. Start taking a thermogenic. One way to speed up fat loss is by taking a thermogenic. Caffeine is a natural thermogenic that helps kick-start your metabolism to burn more calories. You can find it in coffee and green tea as well as in men’s nutritional supplements.
5. Start a fitness journal. Each day you work out, write down what you did – sets, reps, length of time, intensity, etc. This is a simple way to keep track of what you’ve been doing and will help you track your progress in the coming weeks.
6. Stock up on men’s workout supplements. The MenScience Scientific Nutrition Program product line can help maximize your workouts for faster, better results. Make sure you have the right supplements to get the most out of each workout. Check out “MenScience Scientific Nutrition Program” to discover which men’s nutrition supplements fit your needs.
Men’s Skincare Checklist for Week 1
Since there’s so much to skin care, we’re focusing on a different topic each week. This week’s subject: men’s face care.
1. Stop using soap and water on your face. This cannot be stressed enough. Bar soap and water wipe away essential oils from your skin. The result? Dry, flaky skin. Throw out the soap and replace it with a men’s face wash, which gently cleanses skin and unclogs pores. Use it daily for the best results.
2. Follow up with a men’s face lotion. Your skin needs hydration to stay soft and supple. A men’s moisturizer provides the moisture necessary to ward off dry skin and some aging signs. Apply immediately after using a men’s face wash for better results.
3. Apply a face mask 2-3 times a week. If you have oily skin, a face mask for men can help absorb excess oil and eliminate that greasy look. A face mask can also help other skin types since it deep cleans and removes impurities from the skin that can cause acne and other skin issues.
4. Give your skin a healthy tint. Add a healthy-looking tone to your face with a men’s tinted moisturizer. If you have a pale complexion, a men’s facial tone enhancer is the best way to revitalize your complexion and even out skin tone. Even if you don’t have a pale complexion, you can still benefit from the moisturizing effects of a tinted moisturizer for men.
