This interview will benefit anyone who reads it. Please don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because you are not a martial artist that you shouldn’t read the interview. Many martial artists have low levels of body fat, extreme flexibility, and are strong both mentally and physically. Which of us wouldn’t benefit from any of that?

Joey Scarola is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Matt and Nick Serra. He is an undefeated mixed martial arts fighter and an active competitor in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and submission wrestling competitions:

BH: Hey Joe. Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to reveal some of your training secrets.

JS: No problem Billy. It’s my pleasure.

BH: Let’s get right down to business. Many of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters I have seen, including you, are in incredible shape. They look much better than, say, your average long distance runner. I have an opinion on this but was wondering if you had your own insight.

JS: When training jiu-jitsu, you use every muscle in your body in many different ways. A jiu-jitsu fighter is anaerobically fit as well as aerobically. This is why their build is much different than say just an aerobic athlete.

BH: After personal training people for over seven years, I have realized that diet is a big part of both performance and looks. Do you follow any particular "way of eating" to remain at the top of your game?

JS: Yes I do. I don’t get too scientific but I try to eat healthy. High protein, fruits, vegetables, complex carbs, supplements, and A LOT of water. I don’t believe in very low carb diets. Carbs are real important for training.

BH: Another thing I’ve noticed about you is your extreme flexibility. I am referring to both static (maintaining a slow, controlled, sustained stretch over time) and dynamic (stretching while movement or increased range of motion in the joint is involved) flexibility. What type of flexibility program do you employ in your training?

JS: I do a lot of yoga and breathing exercises.

BH: Many martial artists are known for advocating "weights only" training and they condemn body weight training. On the other side of the fence you have the opposite. These are the martial artists who only believe in body weight calisthenics and wouldn’t be caught dead lifting weights. Which side of the fence are you?

JS: I used to do just bodyweight exercises for a long time. Now I believe a combination of both is a one of the best ways to train.

BH: That's interesting. Can you briefly explain your training regimen including duration, frequency, volume, etc.?

JS: No problem. I usually train with weights about three times a week for about 45 minutes a session. I also do cardio workouts with bodyweight exercises once or twice a week for about 45 minutes also. Closer to competition, I do less weights and more cardio. I also train in jiu-jitsu for an hour or two a day.

BH: It must be difficult to compete against some of the toughest men in the world. Do you have any tips on staying focused on the task at hand?

JS: My instructor once said "The harder you train, the luckier you get". I believe this very much. If you put 100% into something, you will get 110% back. I also believe that nobody is unbeatable, and nothing is unattainable. Proper training plus good strategy is the key to victory in anything in life. Stay focused!

BH: Since my website is dedicated to fitness, we didn’t even get into your technical martial arts skills. Can you let my readers know how they can learn more about Brazilian jiu-jitsu or how they can get in touch for private lessons?

2) Upcoming Event: January 8th "6 Secrets to Getting Lean" Mini-Seminar

This mini-seminar will be a great way to kick off the New Year. You will learn how to make you resolutions stick, increase your metabolism, burn body fat, and sculpt the body of your dreams. The best part is that it comes with a “no questions asked” money back guarantee. The time for this empowering event is 11 AM at the All-Natural Gym in Lindenhurst. Call (631) 225-7831 for more details or to sign up now.

3) Sunday Cooking Frenzy

I hope by now we are all in agreement that one of the best ways to increase metabolism and burn body fat is to eat small frequent meals throughout the day. The question then becomes how to plan to squeeze all the right meals in at the right time. One thing many performance or physique athletes have in common is that they PLAN their meals.

I got the idea to include this in the newsletter shortly after talking to a student majoring in dietetics (she wants to be a dietician) from my organic chemistry class. She started to tell me how she cooks many of the week’s meals in advance on Sunday. The funny thing is I do the same thing. Following are some things you can and should do for your body.

You can mix up a few cans of tuna, add some celery, and store it in the fridge. At any time during the week, throw some on whole wheat bread and you’ve got yourself a supportive meal. Other protein sources you can cook and store in Tupperware are chicken breasts, turkey or buffalo burgers, and egg white salad.

Steam up some veggies and put them in zip locked bags. While you are at it, cook a few cups of brown rice and even some potatoes (sweet or regular). Then you will have access to good quality complex carbs. Also, when you are cooking a healthy meal such as a stew, cook extra and use it for leftovers.

I know it sounds like a lot but if you get into good habits, great results will follow. Let me know if you have any additional questions or comments.

4) Suggestions For My Website

First I’d like to thank everyone for their support in www.howtogetlean.com. It is doing really well and I couldn’t do it without readers. My goal is to add much more content. I also want to keep the site changing throughout the year.

I have been getting some great feedback from my Get Lean! newsletter, which you are reading right now. Hopefully you feel similar to Maurice:

What's up Billy? Hope all is well…

I have read numerous newsletters in my life but I find yours to be more inspiring. You seem to focus more on what is important to the everyday person rather than trying to market a supplement or routine that you don't believe in.

When I read your story about how your brother reduced his body fat just by eliminating sugar from his diet, that really inspired me to do the focus more on my intake of refined sugars as well as my overall diet. When I spoke to you recently in class I mentioned certain aspects of the fitness/nutrition areas that newsletters seem to ignore. For example what is the best MRP supplement that does not contain sucralose or hydrogenated oils? What is the safest thermogenic enhancer to reduce body fat and improve the overall health of an individual? What do you recommend for muscle endurance and the up keep of your overall joints??

For years I've taken MRP's and have tried pretty much every fat burner you can think of. My point is that I feel the majority of these companies are only in it for the money rather than the safety and benefit of the consumer. Just from knowing you through jiu-jitsu and speaking to you on occasions I can tell that you are a real genuine guy who wants to focus more on what is really important to the fitness world........That is huge in my book, everyone should dedicate their passions for what they believe in as you do.

I definitely believe that you have made an impact in your clients lives as well as your subscribers and will continue do so in years to come.

Best of luck! Sincerely,
Maurizio Nicolosi

5) Site Updates

Two great articles have been added to the site:

6) Last Chance for Gift Certificates