The 5 things you MUST do to get super shredded
Most people can lose weight, and many of them can get lean…but most people have a hard time getting really, really lean.
If you want to get really lean, I mean SUPER shredded then I have 5 tips to help you get there:*
(*As always, my recommendations are for people whom are not on steroids. If you are using, I have no clue what does and doesn’t work for you)
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1. Give yourself permission to get “light”.
This one is mostly for the guys…
NEWSFLASH! ==> If you want to lose body fat then chances are you are going to have to lose some body weight too.
Unless you are 23, or just started weight training, your days of packing on 20 pounds of muscle while losing 20 pounds of fat are long past. I’m not saying you can’t gain muscle, but more than likely you will gain 1 or 2 pounds of muscle while dropping 10-20 pounds of fat..meaning..to get leaner you are going to have to weigh less..probably less than you think is ideal.
Here’s a good rule of thumb: Take the weight you think you are going to weigh when you eventually get shredded, then look yourself in the mirror and give yourself permission to get below that number…typically you will be lean at 90-95% of what you THINK will be the weight you should hit.
If you are positive that you will be lean at 195 pounds, plan to hit at least 185.
Doing this will remove a HUGE mental block that is preventing you from getting truly shredded. After all, do you want to be shredded or do you want to weigh some predetermined number?
2. Give your diet the opportunity to do the work for you.
Let’s face it, if you are going to get super lean, it’s going to come from caloric restriction. In other words, you absolutely must take in less calories then you are burning in a day.
And, whether you are following Eat Stop Eat or some other diet program, it is very easy to let “protein guilt” or “muscle anxiety” roadblock your diet, thus hindering it’s ability to get you lean.
For instance, let’s say you feel guilty about not eating enough calories or protein after your workouts while you are dieting so you start taking in an extra nutrition shake with 50 grams of protein and 100 grams of carbs after your workout…well BAM! You have pretty much just erased the calorie deficit you spent all day creating.
To get really lean, you need to put your trust in your diet program. Do your absolute best to block out ‘protein guilt’ and ‘muscle anxiety’.
If you are weight training properly you are NOT losing muscle, not even if you are eating 1000 calories and under a 100 grams of protein. let me repeat that you are most likely NOT LOSING MUSCLE. Let your diet do what it does…help you get lean.
3. Avoid using Cardio to Compensate.
I see this way to often – people don’t want to diet TOO hard, so they only cut calories a little bit, and then try to use cardio to create the rest of their calorie deficit. This just doesn’t seem to work. Most of us VASTLY over-estimate how many calories we truly burn during a workout session. I have yet to meet someone who has gotten themselves competition shredded by only doing cardio.
Use your diet to lose fat and use your workouts to maintain your muscle mass. You can do things like intervals and circuits to help speed up the process, but the effects are small compared to diet, and without a proper diet, I think many of these techniques are useless for weight loss.
4. Don’t let the Sine Wave get you.
OH NO! Brad’s doing advanced math again!
Don’t worry, its not that complicated. If you are not familiar with a sine wave, it looks something like this:
The one of the secrets to getting shredded
So If you can imagine the dotted line is your normal activity level…If you do a hard core, intense workout, full of intervals and crazy things like that, then you have obviously increased your activity level and thus have burned some extra calories…so the top of the red line would be your activity level during your workout.
Now (this is the kicker) imagine you are so beat from your workout that you come home and crash on the couch for the evening, and ‘recover’ while watching American Idol…This is the bottom of the red line…you are actually LESS active than you would be normally. Guess what? You are now starting to eat into the effectiveness of your workout.
To make your workouts TRULY effective, you have to act like they NEVER HAPPENED and just keep on moving like you normally would. NO COMPENSATING!
5. MEASURE, Measure and measure some more.
If you want to get shredded then MEASUREMENTS are your best friend. They let you know if you are progressing. They save you from the LIES that your mirror and your scale tell you. Measure your arms, your legs, your waist, your hips, your shoulders everything and anything.
If you keep track of your measurements, then the days when you look in the mirror and think you’ve lost muscle, or the days you step on the scale and think you’ve gained weight, you can refer to your measurements.
After all, if you are losing in your waist, and keeping the areas you want to keep, does the rest of it really matter?
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There you have it, these are my top 5 tips for anyone who wants to get truly shredded.
Surprisingly, when most people decide they want to get lean they go looking for secret nutrition programs or underground training programs, but the truth is, if you follow these five tips, you will see results.
BP
PS- you ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY can get shredded following EAT STOP EAT. The exact same principles that get you from average to lean can also get you from lean to shredded. (It’ll just take a little longer)
Nice post Brad!
Not only is it great advice, it’s advice that’s VERY easy to put to use for the average person.
Not too shabby my friend!
Jeremy Reeves
http://www.HassleFreeFatLoss.com
As a professional figure coach and consultant to many pre-contest bodybuilder and figure competitors, I find that what you say is right on the money.
Many male and female trainees will not really understand the muscle vs. fat connection when losing weight and when they really do achieve a very lean state…they appear to actually be “bigger”(male audience)and shapelier(female)when weighing much less on the scale than predicted.
On stage, with the tanning products and bright lights…results are amazing. Pool side…ridiculous!
E/M2
Great Post Brad…puts your efforts into perspective. Learn to Govern your energy.
It’s great to see someone saying these things. I’ll have no problem at all sending my clients here for info.
“Don’t let the Sine Wave get you.”
You are so right! When I was coaching in the NFL I would work out in the off season with the guys and according to my Body Bug and Heart Rate Monitor I would burn over 1000 calories in the workout…..I would then be so wiped out that after sitting on my butt for the hour drive home, I would sit on my butt all afternoon in a haze. The end of the day I could see that the workout days basically eaqualed my nonworkout days in the end of the day stats.
Another great post. Keep the gems coming. Thanks.
Agree, mostly, and some good stuff there. I think on the sine wave thought line though it’s important to stress your body at times, but not to the point that you end up doing that ‘compensation’ period. Knowing your body well makes this easier. Being motivated to ‘keep doing’ something, also helps, a lot.
I’m right at 10% BF, can see my abs well, and really well when flexed, but still my stomach appears a bit uh relaxed which makes it pooch when I’m not pulling it in. That’s frustrating when I know it’s neither a weight or body fat issue
Great article Brad. I’ve been following ESE and have seen increased energy and better workouts.
Although weight loss or fat loss would be a desirable goal right now it is not in the plan. But I have lost some body fat and my strength has increased as a result of ESE. I’ll take them both.
I’m just going through your protein book and it looks like I’ll be saving even more money on my grocery bill.
The bottom line is that the reason I stand to lose bodyfat is because I eat too much. How novel.
I have a question. I have read The Warrior Diet and it says to eat only one major meal per day. I think it resembles your ESE but it’s basically fasting 23 out of 24 hours. Any opinions on that idea?
Thanks,
Guy
Great advice Brad. I particularly suffer from number 2 on the list. I recognise that now, so I can overcome it!
I’m only 10 days into the Eat Stop Eat program and only have three fasts under my belt, but I can say that I already feel better overall.
My workouts have intensified and I’ve dropped maybe three pounds. Hard to say. I’ve decided that I won’t weigh myself OFFICIALLY (on a guaranteed accurate scale) except for once every 30 days. Water weight and other issues can just fool you. If I weigh in once a month, wearing the same clothes, I’ll have an accurate picture.
As far as measurements go I’m not that concerned about that as I’m not in a competitive arena. I’d like to get back to my preferred weight of 20+ years ago and this appears to have the components necessary. Fasts make sense to me and I’ve used them before. My trouble has been inconsistent workouts and inconsistent eating.
With ESE I don’t worry about the food. I eat sensibly and that’s it. The only difference is that I’ve added a little extra protein to the diet.
I’m doing four days with resistance and jumping on a rebounder for 30 mins., five times a week. I’m having fun, and it’s working. I’m sleeping much better.
The biggest thing is that there are no gimmicks involved, and no complexity. Eat right, fast twice, work out.
Hallelujah!
You’ve just about got me now Brad. I’ve seen ESE about 5 times now. Two more and I’ll probably order Ha-ha
I think the cardio compensation is where I have failed all these years.. I’ve let myself overeat by promising that I will “work it off” with som aerobics.
Now I’ve changed my approach: I go to the gym for a MAXIMUM of three times a week. Wow – that really forces me to focus on my diet.
@Jeremy Reeves
Thanks Jeremey
B
@Emile Jarreau
I couldn’t agree more. From my experience with bodybuilders many of them actually looked bigger when they lost a lot of weight.
And, since the goal of that sport is to actually LOOK bigger, I don’t understand the crazy fascination with being heavy.
B
@Mike Cheliak
Thank Mike
B
@Matt Schoeneberger
Great to hear Mike
B
@Andy
Hi Andy,
The Sine wave was a big issue for me too. I’d really push it for an hour, then come home and collapse on the couch. This didn’t do anything good for my physique, or my couch.
B
@Nata Bristowe
Thanks Nata
B
@Allen Williams
Hi Allen,
I’m right there with you on the abs thing. It is important to remember, that every set of abs you seen in magazines are flexed, oiled and posed.
It’s very rare for someone to have a full sixpack while totally relaxed.
B
@Guy Bedard
Hi Guy,
It all depends on what you are comfortable with. I don’t like gorging, only because I don’t like heaving that crazy full feeling in my stomach…but this is just a personal preference.
The best thing to do with dieting is find the style of eating that is easiest for you.
B
@Mike Groom
Hi Mike,
It is a amazing the games your mind can play on you. 1 & 2 get me all the time. Combine that with number 4 and you’ve nailed all my weight loss demons!
B
@jerry Roberts
Hi Jerry,
Thank you for the kind words,
B
@pnw fitness
I’ll look for you after two more posts!
B
@Anne Siri
Hi Anne,
setting limits on cardio is a great way to force you to keep you diet in check…good plan.
B
@Anne Siri
Hi Anne,
setting limits on cardio is a great way to force you to keep you diet in check…good plan.
B
Oops…forgot to say great post! Looking forward to your next one.
Outstanding Article Brad!
Dead on the money!
I love the Sine wave analogy! It took me back to my college days when I took Trigonometry…LOL. I like this mindset. Simple but sadly, a lot of people don’t get it. Hopefully, these tips will stick this time.
Nice post!
Brad great post. This one particularly got my attention as it is point blank true on all accounts. I love that you don’t beat around the bush on this sort of thing like many do. #2 and #5 resonate the most for our clients, members and myself. thanks for helping us all stay energized + transformed + empowered – PM
Hi Brad,
Have a quick question for you. I’m 21 – 6ft, 170 pounds at relatively low body fat (I’m guessing somewhere in the 10-12%) range. I’ve been training for a couple of years and have seen both muscle gain and fat loss but still think I could stand to put on another 5-10 pounds.
As someone who’s been in this position (and followed the 6 meals/day mantra), what would you do if you had to go back and do it again? Essentially, what would your recommendations be for a non-OCE approach to gaining lean mass?
Thanks!
-Scott
Brad,
I love the sine wave explanation. I may have to steal it and do a post on it soon (I’ll give you credit). I have been guilty of this myself. You go home and jump on the coach after a tough workout. I’ll make sure to avoid this trap in the future.
Have you ever noticed that when you are really getting into a fat burning zone with your diet and workout routine that you need less sleep? I worked down to 5% body fat on a couple different occasions and I swear I only needed 5-6 hours a sleep per night and never felt tired. This only lasted for the time it took to drop the last 3-4 pounds.
You are spot on about people underestimating how much weight they have to lose to get ultra-lean. Brad Pitt, who is around 6 feet tall got down to 155 for Fight Club. He was so lean he looked closer to 170-175.
Great Points!
Rusty
Hi Brad,
Thanks for this. I’m just hitting a roadblock in my weight loss. Do you recommend precise calorie counting or more portion control, to really nail #2 above? I try to fast once per week, but on other days follow the warrior diet with only eating one larger meal/day. I’m only about 10 pounds from my shredded lower end goal. Shredded for a girl means just very lean right? I don’t want to be nasty bony. haha
Thanks again,
Tina
Scott,
If I could do it all again, I’d try to get as strong as possible while being much, much more aware of my recovery needs. The one thing that will stop you dead in your tracks is injury, avoid injuries while getting stronger and you will get bigger, especially at your age.
I would also ignore 99% of the nutrition BS I fell for.
B
@Rusty – Fitness Black Book
Steal away buddy!
I’m not sure about the sleep thing, but this is probably because I love my sleep, but my lil’ girl always makes sure I’m on a very tight schedual (she’s an early riser)
B
@Tina
Hi Tina,
I like portion control and ‘customs management’ (identifying nutrition customs that work for you)
B
OH yeah, and definitely NOT bony
Brad,
Thanks for the post! Quite a response you’ve garnered, which I can only assume is a testament to the truth your words contain! Your #3 comment reminds me of something you have previously said, which I’ll paraphrase as, “Eat to gain muscle and diet to lose fat.”
One method I use to somewhat reliably keep a pulse on my cutting progress is to take on a regular basis a bare chest, mirror snapshot with my cameraphone. Consistency here is important; I usually take mine after working out and before hitting the shower. Consistent lighting and distance from the mirror are also important, but pretty easy to replicate in your own bathroom. This habit (OCD?) is easy to do and hones a dieter’s ability to see where he’s making progress (or not).
Thanks to Eat Stop Eat / intermittent fasting (and heightened carb-awareness) I’ve managed to hack a lot of body fat off while putting on lean mass via kettlebell training, a three month stint with crossfit, and just general weight-lifting. Today, I am noticeably more lean than I was a year ago when I first experimented with fasting even as I only weigh about five pounds less. My weight went from about 182 to 163 and is now around 175. That’s a leaner 175 than 163!
Even so, and as I had alluded to in a prior comment, I have hit a wall on leaning out. I’ve observed firsthand how exercising more has been sine’ed away via larger meal portions, snacking (even on jerky!), cheating, or whatever. I know that with a little practice I can get everything dialed-in and finally see the coveted six-pack. It just takes a little patience. I remind myself that for most of my life (I’m 28) I’ve been soft around the edges, and it’s reasonable to assume that it may take some time and practice to whittle away the fat that’s been hanging on for the past twenty years.
Thanks again!
(I’m cross-posting this comment to my blog)
Hey Brad I never thought about the crashing after the workout eating into the effectiveness of my workout but it makes sence so I am going to focus on more activity afterwards also I agree with the measuring part the scales do not go down as fast and you sometimes think you are not really making progress the measurments do not lie inches are a lot better than what the numbers on the scales say. Since I started eat stop eat I have lost a pound a week and several inches in the last month between you and Tom the trainer I am getting fit and felling good. Thanks
Great info, Brad!
I have been following ESE for 3 weeks. My energy level is surprisingly consistant on fasting days. And I have a history of hypoglycemia. Amazing how cutting watching the carbs/sugar on eating days forces body to turn to fat and stabilizes blood sugar on fasting days
.
I am so happy to read that high protein grams are not required. I have long thought I can only tolerate 40-60 g a day. And I have good muscle, just too much covering it right now!
Looking forward to a few weeks from now to see the results!
Sincerely,
Kathy
Hi Brad,
Where I can buy your new “How much protein book”?
Number 2 is what got me for ages…seriously… I am highly active now (a boxer) and I work out intensely on average 10-15 hours per week (with the occasional rest week obviously). When I first started boxing I went from a few hours of training a week to the higher level, and I left my calorie intake the same thinking the extra hours of working out would reduce my body fat.
I NEVER lost those last pesky lbs even when I was doing this.
Then I dropped calories and BOOM, the weight fell off like nothing. Now I’m at a good maintenance weight but if I find the lbs creeping up, I simply drop calorie level or throw in a bit of extra IF and the extra weight drops immediately.
I wish someone would have told me this information 5-6 years ago when I used to do hours and hours on the treadmill and eliptical trying to burn extra calories
@Justin
Great comment Justin.
You know what really helps with these sorts of things? Time lines. And since I know that you already know all you need to know (how’s that for a sentence), I’m going to suggest the following plan.
Tell everyone on your blog that you are going to have abs for July 1st AND that you are going to post a picture.
I bet that does the trick!
B
@Dee
Great to hear Dee!
B
@Kathy Gig
Hi Kathy,
Great to hear!
B
@Lauroo
Unfortunately, 5-6 years ago I was still involved in fat loss supplements…crazy how times change.
B
@Michael
It will be up on http://EatStopEat.com very soon.
B
Great post Brad1 it really helps everyone who are in need of these suggestions and the tips to reduce the weight loss.
Hi there,
Nice blog, I just stumbled on it and I’m already a subscriber
I recently went down 30 pounds in 30 days, and I want to share my weight loss success
with as many people as possible. I wrote about my experience
on my blog, and I would love your suggestions!
If I can lose that much weight then any one can. Whatever you do, never give up and you WILL
meet all your weight loss goals!
much thanks for reading,
Joan
Most recent blog post: fat loss plans
Great tips. I find the best way to avoid “sine-waving” is simply to work out in the morning, before work. No possibility of crashing on the couch afterward. And as long as I keep the intensity high but reasonable and the workout short, I’m actually more energetic at work afterward!
Please keep up all the great REAL-SCIENCE-BASED info! There’s so much crap out there…
Hi Brad,
I’ve ordered Eat Stop Eat which so far makes perfect sense especially for a bachelor like me that is always on the go. But for someone like me who is relatively active aside from my workout days what should be my caloric intake on my non-fast days? Is there a specific diet that ideally works in tandem with ESE? Would it be wise to invest in skin fold calipers as the most accurate marker for body fat? Thanks in advance.
Patrick
@Dave in Japan
Morning workouts..great advice that will help a lot of people thanks for sharing!
B
@Patrick
Hi Patrick,
I don’t really count calories, instead I like to go with ‘amount’ of food. My advice is eat the amount that you would normally eat to stay at the weight you are at (horrible sentence!).
Then once you add in the fasts, your weight should drop.
B
Ok, I’ve re-evaluated my sub-conscious get light number. I don’t even like #s, so I’d already given myself permission to get light, but you shed some new light on getting light. Ha-ha
Hi Brad, My name is Kevin Taylor,i have been following your research for quit some time now, and am very interested.I used to weigh 190# and got down to 130#, started using Turbulence Training programs and got up to 145# mostly muscle.I am 45 years of age 5′7″ and now 140#. I am not loosing muscle but would like to build much more. My problem is that I was left with small amounts of skin in mid section. I am so close to to showing abs I can taste it What can I do about the skin problem,or is it just a matter of time. I would like to buy your books so i can further educate myself, just to broke wright now to do so, Thanks ever so much, Kevin.
Very Interesting! But I actually like Advanced Math! hehehe.
Rock on
Mike T Nelson
CSCS,PhD(c)
HI Kevin,
Most likely it is just a matter of time. Sometimes when the weight loss has been substantial, surgery may be required, but usually you just need to give it a little time to bounce back.
B
Hi Brad,
I am trying to conceive my second child now, and I’m worried to gain a ton of weight like I did with my first. I was nauseous during my 1st preg, and the only thing that helped was eating carbs throughout the day. Well, I’m aiming for a 25 pound gain for this one, and want to start changing my diet now. Anyway, i currently fast 1 time per week. I don’t think I can do this while pregnant, so what do you recommend to keep the weight gain in check? Maybe 2-3 meals a day, and watching calories. My doctor said you don’t have to add calories until the 6th month and only 250 more calories. By the 8th month, i’ll have to add another 50 to 100.
Thanks for your advice!
C
Hi Christine,
My advice is to not fast while you are pregnant. You just have to avoid the temptation to eat BECAUSE you are pregnant. Obviously this is much easier said then done, and being a man I feel a bit hypocritical even giving this advice because I simply don’t know what its like. But I would agree with your doctor – There is no need to started doubling your calorie intake because you are pregnant, but that being said, I still think you should avoid fasting until after your child’s birth.
Best of luck and enjoy your pregnancy
B
Thanks so much Brad! Do you recommend maybe following a modified version of a low-carb diet? I gain weight just by looking at carbs, so I’m thinking maybe a more liberal version of South Beach diet – aiming to get tons of vegetables and fruit in.
great stuff as always brad.