How to Get Ripped with Confidence - DietPower Review
by Jeremy Likness

In November of 2000, I flew to Evansville, Indiana for an inaugural charity event. The concept was very original. We lifted weights, summed the amount lifted, and added it for a grand "event total." The pledges we collected were donated to charity. There were weight-lifters who flew in from all over the country, but these were not competitive bodybuilders. Most of them were ordinary people who had found something extraordinary in changing their lives through physique transformation

Superstars of Weight Lifting

It was at this event that I met two people, Scott Nelson and Harry "Hank" Johnson, Jr. who I considered to be "super stars." This is because they were former champions of a competition I was also entering. These guys were honest, giving, and down-to-earth. When I asked them how they got so lean for their photo shoots, without pause, Scott opened his lap top and showed me the "secret" - a software program:
DietPower Nutrition Software

How to Get Ripped

That was 4 years ago, and to this day, I am a faithful user of this program. There simply is no easier way for me to get ripped! Now, don't get me wrong. Leaning down to low body fat is not easy - not by any stretch of the imagination. I certainly owe a lot to my initial coach, David Greenwalt, for teaching me "the ropes" when it came to reaching ultra low body fat (and I recommend his services today to anyone who is struggling with losing those last few pounds that seem to be the most stubborn).

Using this software is certainly not the only way to accomplish a shredded physique. It works great by providing a "calorie budget" for each day, offering more flexibility to eat what you want. I am comfortable having an occasional slice of pizza or scoop of ice cream because I can track those calories and keep my program aligned with my goals. Let me explain how!

Let's Begin
When you first load DietPower, you are asked a number of questions (height, weight, pregnant, smoke, etc.) At this point, the software is no better than a set of equations or a calculator you might find online. Once you begin using it, however, the true power begins to unfold. Each day, you log all of the foods you consume.

Logging Food

(Click on any of the thumbnails to pop up the full-sized images). In the first example, I enter the information for a favorite splurge meal - soy ice cream I eat occasionally. The built-in database contains thousands of foods, so it is rare that I have to actually key in a new item. What is great, though, is how the data is stored, and any time I return to that food, it will be in the database, waiting for me.

To the Breakdown
After you enter the foods, you can see your breakdown for the day. You can monitor several nutrients. While the software comes pre-configured with recommended allowances (called Personal Daily Allowances) you can easily customize them to fit your own needs.

The Calorie Bank
In the example posted, I ate some pizza and ice cream, so the fat and sodium are through the roof. The software, however, will track how many calories I went "over" my budget, and put this in what is called a calorie bank. When the bank is negative, I know I have to eat less or exercise more (preferably a combination of the two) in order to make up for the extra food. If the calorie bank is positive, it means I still have calories that I can add to my meals.

Drinking Enough
In the example, I have not done a good job of tracking my water intake. The software allows you to set your own levels for water as well, and you can base it on the level of activity performed throughout the day. While I do enjoy tracking my water from time to time, I gauge my water intake by drinking enough to have 2 or 3 clear urinations per day. That might be too much information for you, but I wanted to share that philosophy.