With the summer approaching, it’s time to put my money where my mouth is with all my diet talk and really show how effective a slow and controlled fat loss phase can be.
There are so many conflicting approaches out there in the fitness world, and many of the people giving advice are taking massive amounts of drugs. If you're not taking drugs, it is unlikely that you will be able to train the same way as them.
Instead, please see the value in the more moderate approach over the course of time. You have to train at your own level, and you want to keep progressing in some way each week. Pretty soon, those days and weeks turn into months and years - of more experience (and more muscle). One intense workout isn't gonna cut the mustard.
So with that diatribe out of the way, let me get into my own training programming so you can see how I am approaching this fat loss phase, and to see why it is laid out the way it is. For those who may say I'm already lean enough, that sounds like a defeatist attitude. Plus, now that I'm getting a lot better at the dieting aspect, I want to get rid of that last 3-4 lbs so I can start eating more and grow more lean dense muscle.
Muscle grows much more efficiently (with less fat gain) when starting from a leaner state. This is because nutrients are used more efficiently, meaning that extra calories consumed above a maintenance level are directed towards building muscle tissue rather than creating fat. This occurs in conjunction with progressive overload in training, and proper nutrition.
And those who say I'm not that lean, you are even more obsessive than I am - and just plain mean. But I guess when you put yourself out there, you do invite the ridicule of internet trolls.
Anywho, here's the training plan.
4 day training week
Currently, I am training on a 4 day a week plan that fits around my work schedule. Sunday workouts are my most fun day, and I take my time and rest a bit longer in between sets as chest has been a lagging body part. During the week, I will train during my lunch break, so those particular workouts have to be kept shorter because of time constraints.
The weekly workouts are more of the ole’ in/out variety.
My overall program looks something like this:
Sunday
Incline Bench Press – 3 sets of Reverse pyramid style progressions
Flat Bench Press – 3-4 sets of Reverse pyramid
Incline Dumbbell Curls – 3 sets of 8 (lighter weight)
Skull Crushers or Tricep Pushdowns – 2-3 sets x 8-10 reps
Calf Raises - 3 sets 15-20 reps
Hanging Leg Raises 2-3 sets 10-12+
Tuesday
Upright T-Bar Row – (standard pyramid) – 2 sets 5 for warmup (2 minutes rest in between)
Romanian Deadlifts (standard pyramid) – 4 sets – 3, 3, 3, 8-12reps (3 minute rests in between)
Weighted Chin Up – (Reverse pyramid) – 2-3 sets depending on time. 2-3 minute rests in between
Weighted Dips - 2-3 (reverse pyramid) sets depending on time. 2-3 minute rests in between
Thursday
Standing Military Press – Reverse pyramid. 3 sets (5, 7, 8)
Incline Barbell Press - 3 sets of 8 reps
Seated Military Press – Reverse pyramid
Seated Rear Delt Flyes – 3 sets 12-15 reps
Friday
Front Squats – 6 sets of 3 (explosive)
Leg Press – 3 sets of 5-8 reps
Incline Dumbbell Curls – 3 sets reverse pyramid
Barbell Holds – 45-60 second holds
I really would prefer to have a little more time on my weekday workouts, but if I exercised after work, I would get home way too late, and have less time to work on other stuff. If I lifted too early, it would throw off my diet routine, plus my joints and muscles don't feel lubricated enough in the early mornings to lift heavy weight.
As is the case with many busy people, I have to work within my time budgets, and a less ideal program sure is better than the alternative (which is no workout at all). More importantly than anything, I've shifted my training around to fit my personal preference.
I'd rather have a less than ideal program that I WILL be able to follow than a perfectly laid out "masterpiece" plan that is unrealistic with my lifestyle. It's still a solid program with all the main exercises I want to progress on. It's got everything I need, with very little b.s., and I've been progressing on my key lifts which is my main focus. Time is the main issue.
My purpose is to be efficient, rather than adding a bunch of nonsense exercises. I shy away from a lot of isolation movements unless I start to notice a glaring weakness. Recently, I have been working more on my grip strength to set myself to do more deadlifting after the summer.
I am also trying to lift as heavy as possible on each set, so the demands on my body are right at the tipping point. I always like to train RIGHT at that level.
I want to push myself in each workout, but I also want to make sure I come back recovered for the following workout. Sometimes when I just don't have it, I will leave room for improvement for the following week. Sometimes I notice that one particular exercise is wearing me out more than others, and causing the other lifts to suffer. If that's the case, I will do that exercise less often, or maybe just work on form so that it doesn't tax me too much. This basically is like planting a seed that I get to harvest in the future.
As a NATURAL weightlifter, you have to train smart and think long term, as being natural will not allow as quick as recovery time as being a stacked up steroid user. If I wanted to JUST get stronger, I'd eat way more - but then, I would end up gaining a bunch of fat in the process - which would take months to lose. That is just exhausting. It's much easier to stay on point all year around and eat a moderate amount, and a little more when I feel I can use a bit of extra food for my training.
Monthly goal - lose last 4-5 lbs of fat
How do I plan on doing this?
Currently my weight is around 164-165 lbs. I'm aiming to get rid of those last 4-5 pounds of fat (which is equivalent to the last inch of fat on my waist line), so this is pretty much the nitty gritty. I don't want to suffer through these as the body starts to fight back when you start getting really lean, so a slower approach will make it more enjoyable and tolerable.
I will be setting my calories to about 2200-2300 calories per day and will try my best not go over that number. The main thing not to do is stress about the number though. If I am feeling pretty beat up from my workout, sometimes I will have a bit more extra food. I'm not trying to destroy myself, and generally I like to listen to my body when it tells me it needs something. It's learning to distinguish between when hunger is valid, and when it is based on boredom or negative self-image. That's the hard part to master. Numbers are easy.
Because I am generally pretty active, and do some daily walking - this calorie range will be enough to slowly lose fat, while still fueling my workouts so I have enough energy to keep hitting personal records (PR's) each week, or at least maintain strength.
Losing fat is not an easy task for me as I am naturally a mesomorph, so I have to be more crafty - as I really hate suffering through a low calorie diet. This is why I do actually incorporate a decent amount of "cardio" in my training, though it is mostly just walking (since that affects my training and hunger levels the least).
Even if I don't hit PR's each week - if I'm able to maintain strength while dropping body fat, then I am getting stronger for my body weight (relative strength). In turn, I will have a higher lean muscle to fat ratio, which makes my body feel and look way better.
Lean muscle > body fat
Here is the current diet layout:
Calories - 2200-2300
Protein - at least 140g
Fats - at least 50g
Carbs - whatever is remaining (usually around 225-300g)
Diet Staples:
Hot Sauce! (I don't discriminate)
Oatmeal
Potatoes
Green Veggies/mushrooms
Eggs
Low fat cheese
Bananas/apples/frozen berries
Protein powder
greek yogurt
dark chocolate
Chicken/tuna/salmon - I have been trying to eat less meat, but when my body tells me I should be eating it, I will oblige.
Overall, it's a pretty basic bro-ish diet, but it really does make hitting your numbers a lot easier. I will be flexible whenever I'm craving something more adventurous, but I realllllly enjoy every morsel of food that I ingest. If I go out to eat, I'll just try to be somewhat cautious of what I order, and will typically order less saucy meals, and I usually stay away from bread, pasta and rice dishes. A side of sweet potato fries is usually in the cards though...
I don't eat breakfast, nor do I really eat a big lunch. I go for long walks during my lunch breaks at work to give myself a little more wiggle room in the diet - and help nutrition partitioning.
This also helps with overall conditioning so I have the stamina to endure my workouts.
Many people will tell you that you should be constantly adding volume to your training. This is true to a point once you get to the higher ends of intermediate and advanced levels, but it doesn't need to be taken to an extreme. Your body will tell you how much you can handle. Pushing past that just to prove a point may help your ego that day, but if your next workout suffers because of that, do you think it was worth it?
Isn't 2 weeks of continual progress better than 1 week of intensity followed by a crap workout next time. You can't make up for lost time in one workout.
You need to learn how to toe that line. Always train intensely but be smart.
I like to train in a very time efficient manner. No matter what happens, I would like to be able to keep up with my training plan throughout my entire lifetime.