Trainer Tells All: Get Ripped and Ready for Summer
Get ready to get out and enjoy the warm weather!
Are you ready for the summer pool season yet? Are you looking the way you want? Ready to get into your bikini? (guys I’m assuming you are not wearing a bikini, but who am I to judge) Well it’s never too late to get in summer shape right? So much like my past trainer tells all posts, I am going to focus on one thing today…no BS, to the point, and focused on getting you ripped and ready for summer.
- Want to lose weight? You need to eat less calories pure and simple (Duh I know right?). Calorie deficit has to happen first and foremost
- We already know eating 6x a day does NOTHING to speed up the metabolism
- Build muscle, as muscle burns fat (don’t worry about bulking up women, you won’t once you burn that fat around the muscle)
- Cardio is over-rated, don’t obsess over it
- Simple rule: Eat whole foods, they work better than any supplement out there
- Avoid sugar at all costs
- Drink lots of water
- Keep your workouts 30-45min max
- Lift weights 2-3x a week
- Keep your cardio shorter and more intense (intervals)
- Eat less calories on cardio days
- Eat enough protein on cardio days (for example: 75-100g for women, 150-200g for men)
- Eat more healthy fats on cardio days
- Eat very low carbs on cardio days (could be 30g,…40g….or whatever you are comfortable with to maintain energy and mental clarity. Carbs coming from veggies and some fruit only, no breads, pasta, etc)
- Eat majority of higher carbs (during week) in the 1 hour pwo (post workout) window on weight training workout days (not cardio)
- All meals have protein, if fats are higher…carbs are lower, and if carbs are higher…fats are lower. Never have a meal high in carbs and fat.
- Eat to keep your muscles (enough protein)
- Workout to build and keep your muscles (lift weights)
- Excess cardio or lifting will just increase cortisol and waste your muscles (keep it under 45min)
- Get your sleep (to recover and keep your muscles)
- Stop stressing out (to recover and keep your muscles)
- You don’t need fat burners
- You don’t need protein shakes
- Pre-workout amino acids may provide additional benefit for those looking to gain more muscle while leaning out
- For those more focused on weight loss can do a 1 day workout (weights)/2 day cardio (lower cal) cycle
- For those more focused on leaning out and gaining muscle can do a 1 day workout (weight)/1 day cardio cycle weekdays
- Carb ups: for example Men could add 100-150g carb pwo, Women could add 50-100g carb pwo (low fat carb sources)
- Using IF (intermittent fasting) is easy around this type of workout with most of the IF done on cardio days to get you in an oxidative mode for burning fat
- Fasted cardio workouts for more fat burning do the job
- Don’t get obsessed over it all, find an easy lifestyle that works for you
- Take a day off once in a while (not every day) to just go out and eat what your enjoy (like on a weekend). Have a social life…don’t obsess over losing weight at the cost of not having one
- Just take it one day at a time and do what it takes
- No excuses, forget yesterday, don’t worry about tommorow and just focus on what you need to do today
So there you have it, keep it simple….keep it focused and you will lean out and look good at the beach. Think you need to workout more and not focus on nutrition, then be like most people and look flabby, skinny-fat and have flat muscles……as you waste your muscle and keep extra fat around thining more is better. The people that have the worst definition on their upper bodies and the biggest legs/butts are the “chronic cardio/jogger” people. More is not better, smarter is! Do it right the first time I say and then have plenty of time left over to do anything you want in life….including heading off to the tropics!
Disclaimer: All specific nutritional recommendations above are examples for informational purposes only and not a set diet plan (I am not a nutritionist or dietician). Use anything at your own risk and with common sense.
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I see two flaws in your approach for those seeking weight loss – way too many carbs (and no need for pwo carbs) and the invitation to “cheat” is a potential disaster, especially if it puts the person down the wrong road again since in the final analysis we are seeking lifestyle changes. Props for IF and all your good work. Rich Collins
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Rich,
I think the amount of carbs is fine considering the average individual probably takes in well over that amount on a regular basis from poor sources. Lifestyle change takes time to implement especially with a client who has spent so long eating poor and not exercising, you can’t do a 180 and expect them to adapt instantly.
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Rich – The way it works is because the cardio days are lower carbs (maybe that wasn’t clear above enough, so I will make sure to revise and clarify that above) and the carbs after weight training workouts are whole foods (and replenishing muscle glycogen). Small carbs loads are only after glycogen/weight training, not after cardio. 50-150g of carbs pwo (and cycled) isn’t a bad idea especially if you are still in calorie deficit (as that is how weight loss happens) and it is timed to pwo to replenish muscle glycogen storage (and help repair/rebuild muscles). When the carbs are cycled properly while in calorie deficit and hard workouts, it does work. I don’t see potential to cheat as high by letting people to take a day off once a week….but there are many factors that also must be adhered to including not overdoing a day off calorie wise and making sure there is actual calorie deficit going on during the week.
Note these are guidelines and people are also welcome to adjust their own calorie/carb levels depending on what is getting them results and how hard they workout. They can also adjust their cycles for reloading as implied above too. Many ways…just trying to keep it simple and non-confusing. But one thing is for sure, people need muscle for lasting weight loss (as with less muscle comes less fat oxidation) and excessive cardio is not the primary focus.
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“Eat very low/no carbs on cardio days”
Not even veggies?
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That is a great list. I am not sure if I agree with the low carbs on cardio days, but I see exactly what you are saying. If you were doing a HIIT routine wouldn’t that take its toll on your glycogen? Truthfully if someone did all the other things on that list they would lose weight whether they followed that detail or not.
About the cheating thing I look at it like this. People are going to cheat for some reason. If they plan a cheat they might not cheat as bad and get right back on their diet compared to someone who just gives in to a craving and cheats really bad and then struggles getting back onto their diet because they think they blew it.
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Tony – veggies are fine (and some fruit too)…I’ll clarify above.
Greg – If you do pwo replenishment, you will have plenty of fuel for ATP/CP and Glycolitic pathway intervals, as long as they are short and to the point….not extended. That and a trick it to have some caffeine before (espresso shot), it will power you through them. 45 min of pure intervals is not the goal…..10-15min of hard intervals followed with more slower state pace for however long you enjoy will do much to get the right hormones to signal freeing the fatty acids, and provide an environment to burn them up in. Especially if you want to target stubborn body fat, sometimes you have to force it. Keep in mind this is just one way….not the only way, but it is focused on getting ripped and a cut look….not just dropping weight (but the approach can work well for anyone).
I don’t buy into the whole “cheat” meal, as that implies a “diet” which means people are going to think they are depriving themselves and then eventually stop eating that way….just eat what you like. BUT…people should learn to like whole foods for health and fitness reasons, so you’ll never use the word “cheat” again because you aren’t depriving yourself. It’s everyone’s choice to make.
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It’s mostly good advice, but the F+C being bad has been disproved. Also, I don’t see any benefit of fasted cardio, as cortisol levels are higher upon waking. Your protein recommendations can’t be a “one size fits all” approach. Just say 1.5g/lb of target BW or something to that affect. Obviously, a 160 pound man won’t have the same protein requirements of a 275 pound man.
It might also be good to mention EFA’s, which is something a lot of people tend to overlook in general.
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@Mike OD
What are your thoughts on carbs pwo for CrossFit-like workouts? Intense cardio + weights.
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Robb – I say avoid “high” F+C because of the “high” calorie intake possible….if you are still keeping in calorie deficit, then sure you can Zone all day long. The important factor first is protein, all else can be varied as long as there is still calorie deficit going on. Keeping a meal mostly fat or carb (with protein) is just an easier way to control calories. There are many variables and this was just one simple laid out plan, of course I realize this is not one size fits all but does well for most not looking to be bodybuilders. The cortisol AM thing is a natural cycle, and it’s already been proven enough that you don’t need protein 6x a day or all your muscle disappears. Most people also do not need excessively high protein intake to build or keep muscle, for most 0.6-0.8g/lb of lean mass is enough for generally active people. EFAs should be part of an everyday healthy lifestyle with either eating enough salmon/herring (or other EFA rich fish) or supplementing with some Cod Liver/Fish Oil. Omega 3s are great for additional muscle retention/insulin sensitivity/fat burning benefits especially while dieting.
Patrik – You could do pwo carbs but I wouldn’t do more than 3x a week and keep other times lower carb based (or use IF to improve glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity). I believe Robb Wolf (the Xfit nutrition expert) also preaches the pwo window for Xfit workouts that are more heavy weights and glycogen draining (you can see more on his take here: http://robbwolf.com/?p=272).
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@Mike OD
Thanks for your thoughts.
Another question for you: I seem to have hit a plateau for weightloss. I eat Paleo/low carb, but do not seem to go into ketosis. I am about 14% BF and would like to go to 10%-ish.
Regarding IF-ing — does caffeine (coffee) interfere with the fasting process?
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very good write-up and points highlighted! ! !
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Hey Mike,
1. Quite a comprehensive list. Lets hope more beginners get to read it and stop wasting their time, their willpower and their money with useless fat burners and ineffective workouts.
2. what suggestions you got for this ==> Pre-workout amino acids may provide additional benefit for those looking to gain more muscle while leaning out.
Yavor
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Mike, i think thats a great list! I am/was one of the guys buying the protein shakes and fat burners looking for an answer that wasnt there. Finally, i have started to change my life for the better, and realized (thanks to people like you) that it can be done all natural. My only problem is lack of knowledge. I hear people say, “eat fruits and veggies” so im eating apples and bananas everyday. But now i know they are high in natural sugar and good only when eaten at the right times. So, I am learning as i go, and I appreciate your insight and your website. Keep up the good work.
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Great article… but why only get ripped for summer? Year round rippedness rules! lol
The SoG
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SoG, I agree! Eating clean foods, I have no problem staying in good shape all year round. I probably carry a bit more covering of the abs in winter since I usually try to work heavily on strength, but no more than 10-11% bodyfat. And that’s without trying to maintain that or worrying about it.
Cheers
Scott
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Patrik – Try adding the carb ups and see if that helps to reset and recharge the metabolism (could be a leptin thing which gets recharged only with high carbs. Carbs aren’t evil, just stick to cavemen carbs (Paleo) and take in the most after workouts. Also make sure you are not overtraining and get plenty of sleep. 3x workouts a week is enough once you get the eating and recovery down.
Yavor – for BCAAs, I been playing around with a brand called Xtend BCAAs from SciVation (because I know someone who got them for me cheap). Pre-workout is the best time. Lots of people suggest this including the big dogs like Poliquin. I’ve found it helps to add on/retain muscle. All I can say is get a name brand BCAAs, try it out for a month, see if just that addition makes a difference.
Jmartin – remember the rule of “calorie deficit”. Make sure you are getting enough protein, and then if your fats/carbs are still low enough you will lose weight. I would suggest more vegetables as they help to fill you up and use fruits here and there. I’m sure you will start seeing those results and then never need any fat burners or protein shakes again.
SOG – so true….but it takes away from my winter article called “Get big and fat for winter”.
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Jmartin said “I hear people say, “eat fruits and veggies†so im eating apples and bananas everyday. But now i know they are high in natural sugar and good only when eaten at the right times.”
As a personal trainer, I hear my clients say this all the time, along with the whole ‘carrots are fattening’ thing. It simply is not true. Yes these foods are higher in natural sugars but they are still nutritious. People need to focus more on eliminating the actual junk they are eating and not worry about how fattening bananas and carrots may be. I have actually had someone (who was about 50 pounds overweight) argue with me about how they will never eat carrots again because they are ‘so fattening’ WHILE they were eating cheesecake!
Nobody ever got fat eating too many bananas!
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Yavor – here’s one study showing how (more) effective BCAAs are pre-workout vs post-workout.
“Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise
Kevin D. Tipton1,2, Blake B. Rasmussen1,2, Sharon L. Miller1,2, Steven E. Wolf1, Sharla K. Owens-Stovall1, Bart E. Petrini1, and Robert R. Wolfe1,2
1 Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, and 2 Metabolism Unit, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, Texas 77550
The present study was designed to determine whether consumption of an oral essential amino acid-carbohydrate supplement (EAC) before exercise results in a greater anabolic response than supplementation after resistance exercise. Six healthy human subjects participated in two trials in random order, PRE (EAC consumed immediately before exercise), and POST (EAC consumed immediately after exercise). A primed, continuous infusion of L-[ring-2H5]phenylalanine, femoral arteriovenous catheterization, and muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis were used to determine phenylalanine concentrations, enrichments, and net uptake across the leg. Blood and muscle phenylalanine concentrations were increased by ~130% after drink consumption in both trials. Amino acid delivery to the leg was increased during exercise and remained elevated for the 2 h after exercise in both trials. Delivery of amino acids (amino acid concentration times blood flow) was significantly greater in PRE than in POST during the exercise bout and in the 1st h after exercise (P < 0.05). Total net phenylalanine uptake across the leg was greater (P = 0.0002) during PRE (209 ± 42 mg) than during POST (81 ± 19). Phenylalanine disappearance rate, an indicator of muscle protein synthesis from blood amino acids, increased after EAC consumption in both trials.
These results indicate that the response of net muscle protein synthesis to consumption of an EAC solution immediately before resistance exercise is greater than that when the solution is consumed after exercise, primarily because of an increase in muscle protein synthesis as a result of increased delivery of amino acids to the leg.”
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Shauna, I agree…it’s certainly possible to get fat eating tons of fruit, but it’s unlikely. I prefer to see people more on the vegetables side than the fruits side, but I use fruits together with sweet potatoes to refuel both liver and muscle glycogen. The carrots thing is ridiculous….until someone shows me a person that got fat off carrots, I’m going to keep eating them.
Cheers
Scott
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Seeing how most people refer to “carrot cake” as a vegetable…..that is the sad world we live in.
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Great article Mike,
Thank you for the freedom from protein shakes !!!
I’m female 34y and want to lose about 8- 10 pounds of fat.My diet is vegetarian.I do intermittent fasting 3 times a week.
I wanted to clarify whether you recommend exercise 5 days a week???
Currently I do 3 days -a mix of body weight exercise ,HIIT and weight training. I have a bad knee so sprinting is something I do only once a week maybe.
Could you advise on the exercise?
Thanks
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LOL, if we can count carrot cake as a vegetable can we count cherry cheesecake and chocolate covered strawberries as a fruit!? Man would that be awesome!
I hope my clients aren’t reading what I just wrote.
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How many servings of vegetables does French fries and sugar-laden ketchup equal?
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Could you use a pure form of protein as in a rice or hemp protein pre-workout? I ask because these seem like a fantastic compromise between getting amino acids in pre-workout while still trying to workout fasted. I know calories are calories but pure hemp protein is not very processed and broken down is solely comprised of amino acids.
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You have posted an awesome blog post, Mike. I love carbs, I guess that’s the main culprit why i can’t get rid of fat fast. Will try your advice though.
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Can I add in a post work out meal here?
I don’t mean a HUGE post work out meal but maybe a glass of milk or a piece of fruit? After you’re done working out your body needs something to help it recover. I’m not talking about 600 calories of whey protein or anything,
I just know that if I don’t eat post work out 1 get 1) much more sore the next day and 2) usually feel like I’m bonking.
These two things could really turn away someone who’s never experienced this before. Plus anyone trying to build muscle ( which helps to burn fat) needs to make sure they’re getting ENOUGH calories and with in a reasonable amount of time.
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6% body fat… I didn’t get that way by eating 3 meals a day. I got that way by eating 6 PROPERLY PROPORTIONED meals a day.
It’s not just about metabolism, it’s also about constant, even sugar delivery into your blood stream through out your day. And a PROPER cardio routine when you wake up, first thing in the morning can keep your metabolism on FIRE for 4-5 hours after.
Just my 2 cents. Other than that, good article. “You don’t need fat burners”- Did you hear that people? Can’t be further from the truth
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Get big and fat for winter? Awesome… pure awesome. Why stop there? I hear flabby for fall and sloppy for spring are also going to be big this year.
The SoG
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[...] is a quick blog post by my friends over at theiflife.com about how to get and stay lean for summer. I really like this post not because it’s [...]
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Mike,
thanks for the heads up regarding the BCAA’s and the study you dug up. Study aside, do you personally feel any change when/if you add BCAA’s? Like more reps on the sets or an extra half inch on your arms…
Yavor
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Kaizen – People should be “active” every day….but the intensity may vary. Weight training should be about 3x a week, other intervals can be thrown in on other days and you just adjust to how you feel. Worst case keep your other days to fun slower paced stuff that isn’t “bonking” you….make it a “lifestyle” cardio. That and focus on nutrition and the weight will come off. Excess cardio will just put the brakes on your weight loss efforts at some point as you get leaner (and could result in a rebound later of weight gained).
Shauna – Yes your clients see everything…you are in trouble now! lol
Scott – I think the super sized fries cover 1 serving….or is it 2? Hmmmm….
ZJ – I say try it out and see how it makes a difference (if any). The key being you don’t need that much (as far as BCAAs in considered)
Rayna – Yes the whole PWO replenishment is mentioned above (higher carb/lower fat) vs the rest of the time (which is lower in carbs/higher in fats).
FJ – Yes meals 6x a day can get you lean, but it’s not the only way. We have enough blood sugar hormones to “raise” blood sugar (glucagon and GH being just 2 of them) and only 1 hormone to lower (insulin). For some 3 whole food meals a day keeps their blood sugar plenty stable. I encourage people to go any way they enjoy doing….whether 6x or 3x….as long as food choices are good, fat loss will happen.
Yavor – biggest difference I noticed was in quicker recovery, felt fine for the next workout. So if you can recover quicker, and train more (intensely)…then you can get more gains (progressive overload)….and if I ever measured my arms maybe I would know if it made a difference there….but I added 5lbs in a month by only adding BCAAs and without changing anything else up really.
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That’s excellent news regarding the quicker recovery. Thanks, Mike.
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I am healthy and petite, but lately I’ve been working hard to get to the point where I’ll be happy with the way my body looks in a bikini. I recently started riding a bike to work, a few miles five days a week. I’ve been doing an hour on the elliptical every Saturday and Sunday. I do sit ups and crunches every day, and I use 5 lb weights every other day. And I’ve been eating much less, mostly natural foods, and trying to eat more fiber.
I’ve been pretty happy with my results so far, especially my arms, waist and stomach. But I am wondering what I could be doing differently to slim down my thighs? I am a small girl and I’ve always been intimidated by the weight machines…are there one or two in particular that I should add to my gym routine?
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Caitlin- without actually seeing what you look like, it’s hard to say exactly what needs to change, however I could suggest a few things based on what you’ve said.
First off- 5 lb weights are USELESS. Seriously. You need to be lifting more than that, what kind of lifts you’re doing also make a huge difference. I would recommend lifts like squats, dead lifts and thrusters. Also- Pull ups and push ups.
The elliptical isn’t going to do much for you at all either. For cardio I’d recommend stair climbing, bike riding and running. But you really should only be doing these for cardio benefits, per recent studies, cardio actually keeps you “round”. (see cover article for Women’s health magazine).
Yyou note that you are eating “less”. Whatare you eating and how much carbs/protein/fat? If you’re looking to loose weight you need to make sure you are getting enough healthy fats and that you are not “starving” yourself. Not eating enough can mess with your thyroid and cause some really nasty side effects. Processed carbs should be your arch enemy. Eat real, natural, whole some foods. Throw the pasta and breads away if you’re still eating it. You can get all the carbs you need from fruits and veggies.
As a girl, I understand the thighs issue. I carry ALL of my body fat there. Doing squats and dead lifts really helped me there. Sure, they add muscle to your legs, but muscle looks a lot better than fat in a bathing suit. Plus, even though rumor has it you’ll get “big” if you lift heavy…. not true. Sure, you can with the help of some steroids, but that kind of a thing doesn’t sneak up on you over night.
The best thing you can do for yourself to loose weight is to gain muscle. Muscle helps you to burn fat and makes you look better. Plus it has great emotional benefits too!
So, my advice would definitely to get rid of those 5 lb weights, stay away from the elliptical machine and check out the squat rack at your gym.
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Caitlin – You can even do less intimidating “lunges” holding on to some dumbbells. You will out grow those 5lbs soon enough as most of my women clients lunge with 10-20lb dumbbells in each hand to start. Don’t worry about “bulking up”. Most women I know with large legs/glutes are usually that way because of excess cardio based activities (not strength)….aka what I call “joggers butt”.
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love your info
Never here anything about this
Is it ok to work out every 3 days on a A-B schedule. , I’m always so sore when I do m-w-f work outs
I do
A-workout
f.w. squatt
cable step lunge
dips
bench press
over head press
B-workout
dead lift
pull ups then pull downs i can only do 5 pull ups
rows
cable twist
planks do these at home also
All free weights
And I workout 110% every time and I do 5×5 -3×10 I mix it up alot, always trying to push myself
Have another question about protein drinks
I here so much bad press about them.
I have one per day with lots of berries, 1/2 of a banana ,walnuts, a little half/half and water with 1 scoop. Anything wrong with that, I love them there like desert
Thanks again mike, for your hard work
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