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.