Who is Eugene Thong?

1) Strength trumps all.
Health and fitness holds their basis in strength. The aging grow fat and less healthy due to two primary factors: poor diet and deteriorating muscles. The latter is best addressed through progressive strength training.

2) Muscles respond best to two stimuli: tension and chemical congestion.
To create high levels of tension, you require heavy (relative to your strength levels) weight.
To create chemical congestion, you must lift that heavy weight enough times to build up by-products of metabolism (aka "the burn").

3) You must work hard.
Homeostasis is the tendency of your body to maintain its status quo. To overcome this status quo, you've got to rock the boat - in a serious way. In other words, you've got to utilize a high level of effort.

4) Recovery is where the magic happens.
Exercise is a stimulus - the intentional weakening of your body. Your body makes the desired changes (muscle rebuilding, fat burning, etc.) during the recovery period after the exercise bout. Studies show a 48-72 hour window for recovery works best, so take a break between exercise bouts and let your body do its thing.

5) Strength training should be brief for best results.
Back to that intensity (read: high effort) thing again. Short bouts of higher intensity bring about more results than longer bouts of lower intensity (just ask Dr. Izumi Tabata). Exercise bouts longer than an hour are like shooting yourself in the foot: cortisol production (which breaks down muscle tissue) outpaces testosterone and growth hormone release (which build muscle) after one hour.

6) Form follows function.
The best way to work the muscles of the body is to load them the way nature intended them to be used. Train the functions of the body and your form will improve.

7) The method matters, not the tools.
Your muscles don't have eyes, so as long as you employ sufficient resistance, effort, and consistency with a scientifically valid program, your results will be top-notch. No one will point at you and say, "Hey!!! You used machines/free weights/kettlebells/bodyweight/800 lb tires/etc."

8) Use the big exercises and work the whole body.
The "big muscle" exercises (e.g., squat, deadlift, row, etc.) not only allow you to move the heaviest weights, they also allow you to work the greatest amounts of muscle. Effective and time-efficient.

9) When in doubt, go slower, not faster.
Lifting a weight slower generates less force on your joints (safer) and creates less momentum (more work for your muscles).

10) Change creates change.
Your body is an adaptation machine - so progression is key. If your weights stay the same, so will your body. For stronger, better-looking muscles, you've got to lift heavier weights over time.

What does that leave us? A challenging but safe, time-effective, and results-producing exercise program.

1) Eat Meat, Leaves, and Berries. Nuts and seeds are okay, too.
These food categories are the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. According to folks who would know (like Dr. Loren Cordain) these foods are the ones that the human body was actually designed to eat (and did for thousands of years). Underconsumption of these foods can cause nutritional deficiencies.

2) Avoid Grains, Starches, and Sweets.
Eating these foods in excess causes dramatic increases in the hormone insulin. This stimulates weight gain, increases triglyceride levels, and sets the stage for chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. None of these foods contain any nutrients that can't be obtained from other foods.

3) Drink water. Lots.
Water is important for the optimal functioning of your body. Lack of water (dehydration) impairs performance, slows fat-burning, and causes fatigue.

4) Legumes are okay. Sort of.
Legumes (beans, peas, peanuts) are relatively high in nutrients, have mild impact on blood sugar, and are pretty darned tasty, to boot. However, they contain phytic acid, which acts as an anti-nutrient - it blocks absorption of minerals by the body's receptors. Because of these, legumes can contribute to nutritional deficiency.

5) Listen to your body.
Once your body is healthy, it will give you adequate feedback as to what is beneficial or hurtful for it. Stated differently, feed your body junk, and you'll feel like a garbage barge in New York harbor.

6) Hormonal tone is key.
The key to fat loss? Minimizing insulin levels. High levels of insulin lead to fat gain.

7) Supplements you should consider:
Fish oil - the new super supplement. Supports heart health, brain and nervous system function, and fat burning.
Protein powder - Helps build muscle and improves recovery. Studies show supplementing with whey protein assisted in fat loss.

8) Drink your post-workout cocktail.
Liquids are absorbed faster than solids, and post-workout, rushing nutrients to your hungry cells is of the essence.

The take-home message: If you do #1, 2, and 3 on this list, you're 99.71% there.