Bodybuilding as a LIFESTYLE
No Nonsense Magazine Collectors Edition 2016
By: Khoshal Azami
At a Glance: Khoshal Azami
Age: 38
Occupation: Owner, Body by Khoshal Personal Training; co-owner Lifestyle Fitness, Wilmette, IL
Family: Sophia, wife. We have a 3.5 year old daughter.
Years training (total): 16 years
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 210 (Off Season); 176 (Contest)
Favorite Bodybuilding Meal: Protein Pancakes made with sweet potato and two scoops of Muscle Provider.
Favorite Supplements: My favorite supplement is Muscle Provider Vanilla because I love the taste! I incorporated it in my morning pancakes, snacks, and shakes! I love the flexibility it has—I can mix it into anything! I also love Creatine Select. It not only gives me energy but most importantly, makes my pre-workout shakes delicious!
What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before? For somebody who has never used any Beverly supplements, I would definitely recommend Muscle Provider because it can be mixed into anything! It is honestly the best tasting protein that I have ever come across.
In your CD player: Nothing! I love my Sirius XM radio!
Most Inspiring Book: The Kite Runner
Hobby or interests outside bodybuilding: Going to the movies!
Words to live by: “All things are difficult before they are easy. It’s not about falling, it’s about getting back up. Success is not a skill, it is a persistent attitude.” - Marc
I always wanted to look “BIG” and fit. Growing up as a teenager in the 90’s, I was under the impression that lifting was all there was to “getting big”. Then, when I began training for my first competition I quickly learned that there was a lot more to it than just pumping iron. I had no idea that training went hand-in–hand with the right diet, the right supplements, and the right amount of cardio. Looking back, I did everything wrong. I dieted wrong, I trained wrong, I dehydrated trying to get the “dry look”, any mistake you could make, I made it. But, in the long run it was a valuable lesson. You progress in bodybuilding, as in life, by learning from your mistakes. After that first contest I knew I had a lot to learn and I applied myself to learning it. I continued to refine my training and cardio. And I even studied for and passed my personal training certification. Last year I also become a Certified Nutrition consultant.
The training aspect came easier for me than the nutritional one. My workouts were spot on but the results just weren’t there. I tried everything from calorie counting to intermittent fasting without any progress or results. The more I studied and the more nutritional techniques I experimented with, the more confused I became. Real results finally came when I started receiving the No Nonsense magazine! There were finally people I could relate to in this mag, not Mr Olympia or Mr Universe, but regular people who had attained the results that I was working so hard to achieve. Reading and analyzing their nutrition and supplement programs showed me how to fix my problem. I needed to speed up my metabolism. The solution was simple - eat small meals, many times throughout the day, and supplement with Lean Out and 7-Keto MuscLean. I dropped the fat that wouldn’t leave in almost no time at all! I added muscle building shakes, puddings, and brownies infused with delicious Muscle Provider at least twice each day. This made sticking to my muscle building, fat-busting nutrition plan so much easier. It didn’t feel like I was dieting at all! The Muscle Provider protein pudding and brownies killed all my cravings for sweets.
Now that I finally have a handle on all of the aspects of looking big and fit – training, cardio, nutrition, and supplements, I’d like to share it with you. I hope it will help you as earlier No Nonsense magazine articles helped me.
Training
| MONDAY: CHEST DAY | Amount |
|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 4x10, 8, 6, 4 |
| Barbell Incline Bench Press | 4x10, 8, 6, 4 |
| Dumbbell Flyes | 3x10, 8, 6 |
| Parallel Bar Dips | 3x15, 10, 8 |
| Pullovers | 3x15 |
| TUESDAY: BACK DAY | Amount |
|---|---|
| Chin-Ups | 4x10 minimum |
| Close-Grip Chins | 4x10 minimum |
| T-Bar Rows | 4x15, 12, 8, 6 |
| Bent-Over Barbell Rows | 4x8-12 |
| Deadlifts | 4x20, 15, 10, 6 |
| Lat Pulldown | 4x25, 20, 15, 10 |
| Dumbbell Pull-Overs | 4x20, 15, 10, 6 |
| WEDNESDAY: LEG & ABS DAY | Amount |
|---|---|
| Squat | 1x20 warmup, then 4x10, 8, 6, 4 |
| Front Squats | 4x10, 8, 8, 6 |
| Hack Squats | 3x10 |
| Leg Curls | 4x20, 10, 8, 6 |
| Standing Leg Curls | 4x10 |
| Straight-Leg Deadlifts | 3x10 |
| WEDNESDAY: CALVES | Amount |
|---|---|
| Donkey Calf Raises | 4x10 |
| Standing Calf Raises | 4x15, 10, 8, 8 |
| WEDNESDAY: ABDOMINALS | Amount |
|---|---|
| Crunches | 3x25 |
| Bent-Over Twists | 100 reps each side |
| Machine Crunches | 3x25 |
| Crunches | 50 reps |
| THURSDAY: SHOULDERS | Amount |
|---|---|
| Behind-Neck Barbell Press | 1x15 warmup, then 4x10, 8, 8, 6 |
| Lateral Raises | 4x8 |
| Bent-Over Dumbbell Laterals | 4x8 |
| Dumbbell Shrugs | 3x10 |
| Barbell Shrugs | 4x20 |
| Upright Row | 4x20 |
| FRIDAY: ARMS | Amount |
|---|---|
| Standing Barbell Curls | 5x15, 10, 8, 6, 4 |
| Incline Dumbbell Curls | 4x8 |
| Concentration Curls | 3x8 |
| One-Arm Triceps Extensions | 3x10 |
| EZ Bar Curls | 4x10-20 |
| FRIDAY: FOREARMS | Amount |
|---|---|
| Barbell Wrist Curls | 4x10 |
| Reverse Wrist Curls | 3x10 |
Nutrition
Preparation for a competition takes weeks, months or even years! I have to stay on a strict diet for at least 16 weeks, which used to be difficult because my mom is such an amazing cook. Coming from a large family and such a rich culture, dieting was hard in my household. Being persistent and proactive is what helped me cope and over the past couple years I have implemented my bodybuilding diet into my daily life, making it part of my lifestyle. I taught my family the importance of healthy eating. My mother even started implementing healthy substitutions into her cooking. Eating healthy, in my household, is now a part of our life. One tip I can give you is to always try to eat with someone, because eating in front of the TV or
the computer can lead to mindless over-eating.
Here's My 16-Week Pre-contest Diet Plan
Meal 1: 6oz 96% lean beef or 10 egg whites, 1 cup quinoa
Meal 2: 6oz grilled chicken, 8oz sweet potato
Meal 3: 6oz 96% lean beef, 1 cup brown rice, 6 asparagus spears, ½ cup spinach
Meal 4: 6oz white fish, 8oz sweet potato, 6 asparagus spears, 1 cup broccoli
Meal 5: 6oz white fish, 1 cup brown rice, small green salad, 6 asparagus spears
Meal 6: 6 egg whites, 4 asparagus spears (I often make a pudding or brownies with Muscle Provider chocolate and occasionally have a UMP shake in place of meal 6)
Supplement Schedule
Lean Out: (6 capsules per day) I consider Lean Out a must-have to keep my bodyfat in check.
7-Keto MuscLean: (3 capsules, twice a day) stimulates my metabolism to burn fat more quickly.
FitTabs: (2 tablets, twice daily) I can feel the difference in my energy and well-being when I take FitTabs.
Glutamine Select: (1-2 scoops before and/or after workouts) for muscle recovery.
Creatine Select: (1 scoop prior to workouts) builds size and strength.
Density: (5 tablets, twice a day) supplies the essential amino acids necessary to build muscle.
Muscle Synergy: (1 scoop in water during my workout) for pumps, strength, and muscle development.
Multiple Enzyme Complex: (1 or more tablets daily as needed) to help in digestion and assimilation of nutrients.
Cardio
My favorite type of cardio is the stair master. I usually have to be at work by 5am, so I wake up an hour early to do cardio. It’s such a great feeling and perfect for weight-loss because I do it on an empty stomach. My aim is always 45 minutes but going an extra 15 is never a problem, if I have time.
In Closing
Preparing for a competition is only a hobby but it is the #1 factor in helping me get in shape fast. Knowing a contest is approaching motivates me to become much more disciplined in my training and especially in my nutrition plan. And I love the outcome, especially if it’s a late spring or early summer show – just in time for my summer beach body. Since my first competition in 2009, I have done five more competitions. On November 22nd, 2014 I won the overall at the NPC Natural Muscle Classic in Rockford, IL. So whether you want to look “BIG” and fit like me, or just want to live a healthier lifestyle, I hope that this article inspires you the way past No Nonsense articles have motivated me.