QUESTION:
Hello,
I want to get shredded. Please advise me about which supplements, foods, and workouts I should use.
Thank you
Rich
ANSWER:
No problem buddy! Your diet will be the most important aspect of losing body fat. Also, to lose enough to get down to a healthy body weight, I feel a slightly higher amount of frequency is probably a good idea.
Now that doesn’t mean you need to get crazy with volume and frequency. It just means you may need to do a little more than you would at a much lower body fat percentage.
Also, keep in mind that too much exercise of any kind will cause your cortisol levels to rise. This will work against your fat loss and muscle gain goals.
A Great Body Part Split
I suggest beginning with a weight training plan where you train all of your muscle groups over the course of 3 non-consecutive days during the week.
Just to give you an example, you could train Back & Chest on Monday, Legs on Wednesday, then Arms and Shoulder on Friday. That would be a very reasonable split. Limit your weight training sessions to roughly 30-45 minutes in order to avoid overtraining.
You can perform cardio on opposite days from which you lift. I’d incorporate 3 cardio sessions per week lasting no less than 20-30 minutes max. I prefer to do my cardio training on non-lifting days.
Try doing HIIT style aerobic training where you alternate 1-minute high-intensity intervals (80-90% of your maximum heart-rate) with 3 minutes of lower intensity intervals (50-60% of your maximum heart rate.)
Diet Matters Most
As for diet, I suggest you try to eat 3 well-balanced meals per day with some quality protein snacks between meals. Whey protein shakes are a great way to bridge the gaps between meals.
Other convenient sources of protein would be hard boiled eggs, beef jerky, and various types of nuts (almonds are good) which will provide some essential fatty acids to your diet as well.
Diet Staples:
Protein: Whole Cage-free eggs, whey protein, beef, chicken, wild caught salmon, turkey, low-fat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and canned tuna.
Carbohydrates: Broccoli, spinach, green beans, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, tomatoes, asparagus, yams, sprouted brown rice, squash, sprouted grain bread- and green salads.
Fats: Extra virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, avocado, flax seed, chia seed, fish oil, almond butter- and almonds. Stay away from processed foods, fast food, sweets, juices made from concentrates, and alcohol.
Veggie Power
Many green vegetables contain a chemical known as Indole-3-carbinol which has been shown to positively alter estrogen metabolism in our bodies. It lessens estrogen in the body, which improves the body’s ability to burn fat for energy. Cruciferous vegetables are your source for indole-3-carbinol. People trying to lose weight should consume cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale often.
Cooking with extra virgin coconut oil is a good idea because it’s rich in medium chain triglycerides. The different shape of these medium chain fats allows them to undergo absorption in the intestines and oxidation at the liver quicker than other fats. This results in an increased rate of fat-burning and energy production. This can elevate the metabolism and contribute to your overall fat loss.
Drinking green tea boosts metabolism. Green tea contains a catechin known as epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, which increases brain and nervous system function, causing the metabolism to speed up.
Boosting Metabolism
The capsaicin in peppers is an effective metabolic booster, raising the body’s metabolism and heart rate for hours after ingesting it. Consuming peppers on a regular basis can help keep your metabolism at a higher rate. You can also sprinkle a little red pepper or cayenne pepper on food to get this benefit.
By the way, you might also want to try EFX Sport’s newest weight management formula called Lyzme 5. It’s quite an impressive product for gaining more energy and losing body fat more rapidly.
Those are just a few ideas for you to consider that I hope you’ll find helpful.
Prove ‘Em Wrong,
Chad Shaw
Have A Question For Chad?
Just click the button below.
