If its a flatter belly, better diet and a stronger heart you’re after the recipe is simple. But if you’ve got a bigger goal in mind – like a truly shredded midsection (think Brad Pitt in Fight Club or more recently Zac Efron in Baywatch) you need a significantly stricter approach. Getting below 10% body fat sent for everyone – to means saying no to a lot of things for a long period of time. But if your desire is that strong lets get down to business.
1. Know your macros bro:
Nobody gets diced by accident. Even the most genetically gifted need to apply some sort of effort to get in that sort of nick. To do it, you’ll need to track the foods you eat closely and make sure you’re getting the right amounts of each macronutrient (proteins, carbs, and fats).
How to determine your marcos:
For example: My BRM is about 1750 cals. I burn around 650 cals a day ontop of that without working out. So I need at least 2400 a day to maintain my weight. If I workout I’ll add another 300 cals to that which brings me to 2700 cals a day. Now if I wanted to lose some fat I would reduce my caloric intake by 20% which would bring me down to 2160 cals on a workout day (less another on a 300 cals on a rest day). For the purpose of this blog I’ll create my macro plan based off this last number.
Next comes the protein: You’ll need 2.5 x your body weight (in kgs). So if your 82kg like me, start eating 205 grams of protein a day. I like to take in around 25% of my calories from fat which is 540 cals (divide that by 9 and you get your total amount of fat a day) or 60 grams of fat. The remaining calories (800) will be 200 grams of carbs. So my macros to lose body fat are: Protein 205g, Carbs, 200g, Fat 60g = 2160cals. Simple.
2. Carb Cycling:
Now things start to get a little more complicated. When you begin to see definition in your midsection but your progress slows, your metabolism needs an extra kick for continued fat loss. Here’s where carb cycling plays a role. I recommend you have higher & lower carb days. Drop those carbs down from 200g to around 50g for 2 days (increase the protein & fat to accommodate for those calories removed) then on the third day bump them up to 300g (reduce protein & fat to keep cals at around 2100-2200). This will take some planning but trust me this shit works!
3. Eat healthy shit:
Your protein should come mainly from animals & fish. Fish, chicken breast and eggs, should be your go-tos, with some occasion lean cuts of beef. If you can get ahold of some game meat, even better! Your carbs should be mostly starches, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and rice. You can also eat whole fruits, but only one to two pieces a day. Non-starchy vegetables (mainly greens) don’t need to be counted as carbs. Lastly, your fat intake will come mainly as a by-product of the protein-containing foods you eat, but if you find you still have room for more before your macros are satisfied, avocados and oils such as coconut may be consumed.
4. Live well:
Apart from having good genetics, shredded dudes are often so ripped because they build their lifestyles around training and nutrition to optimize their performance. To get below 10% body fat, you must prepare to do the same. Sleep at least seven hours a night and drink water all day long—4 liters a day should be the minimum. Drinking only about 500ml of water can increased energy expenditure by 20% during the hour afterward. Alcohol should be the furthest thing from your mind while your on this quest. The two just don’t go hand it hand. The more you drink the slower the results will be, but if you are in no rush then some flexibility is allowed once per week (max 3 beers)
Try to keep stress to a minimum by making time to relax. Meditate or practice yoga. Of course, lifting weights is absolutely essential. There are many workout splits and methods you can follow, but a push/legs/pull/legs split or four days of full-body training per week will get the job done. Focus on compound exercises that work multiple muscles at once, such as presses, squats, deadlifts, rows, and chin-ups.
5. Do Cardio for Fat Loss & For your Heart:
Unfortunately its essential. For years I believed that eating right & lifting weights would be enough, and for the most part, it is. However adding cardio took me from hovering around 12% to well below 10%. Not only did it drop my body fat well below 10% but it also lowered my blood pressure and resting heart rate which I can assure you will make you feel like a million bucks. It’s all well and good to look like a million bucks but whats the point if you feel like a bag of shit! Don’t lose focus on the most important thing, and thats your health.