Cover Model – Pham Woodbridge
Instagram - @phamflexx
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The information provided in this guide is for educational purposes only. I am not a doctor and this is not meant to be taken as medical advice. The information provided in this guide is based upon my experiences as well as my Interpretations of the current research available. The advice and tips given in this download are meant for healthy adults only. You should consult your physician to insure tips given in this course are appropriate for your individual circumstances. If you have any health issues or pre-existing conditions, please consult with your physician before implementing any of the information provided below. This product is for informational purposes only and the author does not accept any responsibilities for any liabilities.
Look in any bodybuilding/fitness related
magazine and you’ll come across outlandish diets that greatly restrict the reader. Ultimately, these diets fail because they are impractical and promote deprivation.
Just because you are trying to shed off some flab doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice everything you enjoy about food in the process. Rather than going to the extremes of eliminating certain food groups and/or macronutrients, it is better to follow a more modest approach that slightly restricts calorie intake but yet gives the dieter the freedom to work in portions of foods they
genuinely love.
12 WEEK SHRED
One of the most important things to keep in mind as you read your way through this book is that knowledge is power. The information to be presented here is meant to teach you the fundamentals of what makes the body lose fat and build muscle and how to optimize these processes with proper training and diet. It’s rather simple to lay out a program and tell people to follow it, but that’s also ineffective and doesn’t inspire readers to really think for
themselves. This book is not only a guide to an effective fat-loss program, but also an
educational tool that will propel your understanding of human physiology and nutrition.
It is imperative to grasp the reasoning for why things are a certain way, and that is exactly why this book contains a bounty of information. The more informed you (the reader) are, the more prepared you will be to succeed.
It can’t be stressed enough from the get-go that no matter how perfect a plan sounds on paper, it will fail if you do not stick to it for a significant period of time. The number one reason many people fall short of their health and fitness goals is simply because they are inconsistent and eventually quit altogether. Even if you follow a suboptimal regimen for a long period of time, you will see decent results. So which is better, a perfect plan and inconsistency or a decent plan and being consistent? The latter case prevails every single time.
Many people want instant gratification when it comes to their physique goals, but the reality is that you have to create yourself every day.
The “80/20” principle is a simple observation that many things in life don’t have even distributions. It was originally founded after examination revealed that 80% of Italy’s wealth belonged to 20% of the population. It should be noted that the 80/20 principle is simply a rough guide about typical distributions; it is not a law of nature and the numbers don’t need to add up to 100.
OVERVIEW
For example, if a business owner was reviewing their yearly sales, they might notice that 80% of their revenue comes from 20% of their
customers. This is information that the owner could then use to maximize the efficiency of his/her marketing by targeting that loyal 20% of customers more aggressively in the future.
It’s not a stretch to assume that 80% of one’s results come from 20% of the exercises in their current training routine. If you want to maximize your efficiency and time in the gym, wouldn’t it make more sense to focus on those key exercises that contribute to the majority of your results? Or would you rather continue to put a lot of time and effort into exercises that do very little for you when all is said and done? Hopefully you can see that the former option is going to make you much happier in the long run.
OVERVIEW
Before we dive into the nutrition and exercise aspects of the 12-Week Shred Program it is necessary to cover what realistic goal setting should look like. Also, it’s important to address how progress is not always visible to the human eye, and also that obstacles are inevitable on your journey.
More often than not, people tend to shoot
themselves in the foot by not having any realistic goals as they embark on their endeavor to create a better, healthier body.
If you don’t have realistic goals and a plan on how to reach them, then you’re simply preparing to fall short.
The best way to categorize goals is as either short-term or long-term. Generally, a short-term goal is something that can be accomplished in a matter of weeks, or maybe even days. Long-term goals are things that you hope to achieve in a few months or further down the road.
Furthermore, goals are meant to encourage (and push) one’s self, but they must be realistic. It’s okay to be an optimist and hope for big changes, but don’t be impractical as that will only hamper your results.
With that said, let’s take a look at what some realistic goals might look like in the short and long-term for individuals trying to get in better shape physically:
Lose 2-3lb of fat in the next two weeks Increase bench press by 5lbs in the next two
weeks
Do 30 minutes of cardio on 1-2 days this week
Track and reach your daily calorie quota each day this week
Lose 15lbs of fat in the next 3 months Increase bench press by 30lbs in the next 3
months
Reduce waist size by 3 inches in next 3 months
If you’re not progressing in some fashion on a weekly basis, then you’re simply running in place and wasting your time. Most people that start on a diet and exercise program never see it through to the end because they’re unsatisfied with their short-term progress and give in to their old habits.
For whatever reason, people often can’t see the forest for the tress when it comes to their health and physique. It’s not uncommon for people to scrutinize their body on a daily basis and worry over every minute change they see. Honestly, the best way to avoid paralysis by analysis is to give yourself time and realize that big changes don’t happen overnight.
OVERVIEW
For better or for worse, setbacks/obstacles are going to be inevitable on your journey to a better physique. The path to success is often a very bumpy one, but that’s what makes it all worth it in the end.
Don’t let things that come up throw you off your plan. It’s only natural that unexpected life events will crop up at some point and cause you to make some adjustments, and that’s perfectly ok. The worst thing you can do is let those obstacles completely ruin your plan.
Also, realize that stress is a part of living. The obstacles that lay before you are what give meaning to your journey. It will be just that much more gratifying to overcome everything that stands in your way when all is said and done. Just be resilient; don’t let a little bump in the road throw off the entire trip.
Therefore it seems wise to take a look at some common training and nutrition myths and more importantly, the reality of things.
Fear not; it’s time to put the most popular myths under the microscope and decipher the facts from fiction.
Reality: Do all the crunches and leg raises you want; if your body-fat remains too high you won’t see anything but a chubby belly peeking through your shirt. Look at a really skinny, lean person who rarely lifts weights or even trains their abs…notice how you can still see their six-pack? It’s because they have such low body-fat. If you want that abdominal wall to appear carved, you need to lose fat. Period.
12 WEEK SHRED
Reality: One of the most frequent debates that plagues the fitness industry is how frequently one should eat to lose fat. Well frankly speaking, there isn’t much to debate anymore since this theory has been contradicted in a plethora of research studies. Many fitness “gurus” and nutritionists believe that if you eat more frequently, you will naturally boost your energy (calorie) expenditure due to the thermic effect of food (TEF)
increasing. However, this is a flawed assumption. The fact of the matter is that when energy intake is kept constant, the net TEF at the end of the day is the same, independent of meal frequency. For example, if someone gives you six 4-oz pieces of chicken breast to eat throughout the day, at your discretion, you might either:
A. Eat one 4-oz breast six times per day and slightly increase your energy expenditure (due to the TEF) each time…OR
B. Eat three 4-oz breasts at two different times and experience a larger increase in energy expenditure (again, from the TEF) at those two respective feedings.
More simply, if the net TEF of eating ALL six 4-oz breasts is 240 calories, then eating 1 of the breasts at a time would yield a TEF of 40 calories per feeding, while eating three at a time would yield a TEF of 120 calories per feeding. You still reach the same net TEF at the end of the day in either scenario.
Reality: This is simply not how your body utilizes adipose and muscle tissue physiologically.
Adipose tissue is liberated and oxidized under the proper circumstances, not converted to muscle tissue. Building skeletal muscle requires many different conditions and metabolic intermediates than burning fat does. That being said, weight training is definitely the best way to stimulate your body when trying to elicit muscle growth and burn body-fat.
Reality: Carbohydrates seem to have a poor reputation because many people have a diet composed of copious amounts of simple sugars while simultaneously leading a sedentary
lifestyle.
OVERVIEW
Essentially, they’re constantly spiking blood glucose and not using the energy for anything, so it ends up being stored and eventually converted to adipose tissue. As such a habit progresses it manifests itself into type-II diabetes due to impaired insulin sensitivity.
Intuitively, people figure they will just cut back (or practically eliminate) carbs altogether and all will be fine. However, the reality is that carbs
shouldn’t be eradicated from your diet, but just controlled (like any other macronutrient). Research does indicate that overweight individuals are susceptible to impaired insulin response… so yes, overeating carbs can be an issue.
For many individuals, it just won’t remain a practical long-term lifestyle to avoid
carbohydrates, and by keeping them at a level to support energy and mood (among a host of other benefits) while maintaining a weight/fat loss regimen will only be a positive factor.
Reality: This is taking the saying, “You are what you eat,” a bit too literally. Fat may contain more calories per gram than carbohydrates and protein, but it doesn’t make you fat simply by consuming it—eating too many calories (no matter where they come from) is what makes you fat.
Moreover, fatty acids play an integral role in your health and well-being. Essential fatty acids, like omega-3 fatty acids, are necessary for proper cellular and heart functioning. It is best to try and take in a variety of unsaturated fatty acids from sources like avocados, walnuts, almonds, cashews, flax, olive oil, fish oil, etc. That being said, saturated fatty acids, like those found in butter and egg yolks, are also a vital part of your diet (albeit in lower quantities).
Reality: This is actually a rather odd supposition given that weight training helps increase muscle mass, which in turn increases metabolic rate since muscle is more metabolically demanding than fat tissue. Moreover, anaerobic training stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis and thus increases mitochondria levels within cells; mitochondria are cell organelles responsible for large productions of oxidative energy.
OVERVIEW
Reality: Contrary to popular belief, weight training (especially at high-intensity) can actually
stimulate osteogenesis and increase bone mineral density. The key to keep in mind here is that the osteogenic effects appear to be most pronounced when training intensity is at or beyond the lactate threshold. In fact, this is one of the reasons weight training is often
recommended for elderly individuals, especially those with bone health issues.
Reality: This theory is derived from the idea that weight training can damage the epiphysis, which would subsequently disrupt normal bone growth, but the reality is that weight training, if anything, could actually serve to prevent such damage. As noted above, weight training is actually beneficial for bone health/development, and this effect is conducive to the healthy maturation of
OVERVIEW
Reality: As with the “bone health” myth, weight training, especially at high-intensity, appears to actually alleviate many arthritic symptoms in comparison to no training. On the contrary, running and other forms of cardio may actually induce osteoarthritic changes. Hence the rationale for doing tons of cardio (specifically running) to “save your joints” is rather baseless.
Fat loss is largely regulated by the enzyme adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPk), a trimeric protein expressed throughout many tissues in the body.
Physiology lingo aside, AMPk is activated when the cell is in a state of energy deprivation (i.e. the ATP: ADP ratio drops). This occurs during times of nutrient (specifically glucose) deprivation,
ischemia (lack of blood supply to an organ), exercise, and/or use of certain chemicals/drugs. Conversely, things such as eating and excessive glycogen levels inhibit AMPk activity (since the ATP: ADP ratio is elevated).
12 WEEK SHRED
Well, frankly, AMPk increases lipolysis
(breakdown of fat), enhances fatty acid oxidation, improves glucose uptake into muscle tissue, and inhibits lipogenesis. In essence, it is the
“metabolic switch” for burning fat.
A protein found in almost all cells, called AMPk acts to "turn on" fat-burning mode
Controlling calorie intake and exercising are the best ways to activate AMPk and burn fat! The great news is that the nutritional advice
in this book is specifically designed to activate AMPk and propel your fat-loss efforts!
The science of fat
loss explained
PERFORMANCE
NUTRITION
For long-term adherence, it’s absolutely imperative to have a basic understanding of how basic
nutritional management works and how variables can be adjusted. Anyone can follow a cookie cutter meal plan in the short-term and see results. But what happens when you plateau or get tired of eating the same thing every day? Being equipped with the knowledge of when, why, and how to adjust your dietary menu or long-term strategy can save you a lot of time and frustration. Additionally, it will make your life a lot easier and oftentimes more balanced. The FIRST thing we need to remind ourselves of when discussing nutrition is our primary objectives. When the goal is getting shredded, those objectives are fat loss and muscle maintenance/growth. Below are the two very basic rules when it comes to energy balance and body composition:
Based on the above, you can see why bodybuilders and physique athletes often have designated periods of weight loss and weight gain. In a perfect scenario this could be termed “fat loss” and “muscle gain.” Ask any 8 year old how to lose weight and they
will tell you “Eat less and move more.”
Make no mistake, there are certainly variables we want to control, but micromanaging to the point where adherence is a daily struggle is not what we want. That being said, a purely reductionist approach won’t optimize our outcomes.
For our objective, we are going to require a caloric deficit with the finer details adjusted within our nutrition and training to accommodate for maintaining, or potentially gaining muscle (depending on training history).
Caloric management is the absolute foundation upon which all other recommendations build off. This is an EXTREMELY important concept to be aware of, as the specific foods we eat fall
secondary to overall caloric intake when it comes to weight loss.
Flexible dieting/ “If it fits your macros” also known as “IIFYM” has become a common approach to tackling the dietary aspect of reaching physique goals.
This approach means you can eat any foods you like, as long as they fit in your daily caloric budget and your daily macronutrient split (fat,
carbohydrates and protein).
PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
In this book we will teach you how to set up and track macronutrients (fat, carbs, protein), and how to adjust these variables when plateaus occur.
TEXT
Provide you with adequate nourishment Enhance your performance (in and outside the
gym)
Satisfy your food cravings
The idea behind "Flexible dieting/IIFYM" is that all you need to worry about is meeting your
macronutrient AND micronutrient quotas; whatever foods you choose to eat to satisfy that condition is simply a means to an end.
When your body ingests bacon, for example, that protein will be utilized in same fashion as protein from chicken. Carbohydrates that come from Oreo cookies will be utilized in much the same fashion as carbohydrates coming from wheat bread.
PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
It isn’t about eating pop-tarts all day.
It isn’t about avoiding whole foods or eating artificially made products whenever possible. It IS about having sauce on your meals if you want to.
It IS about having the flexibility to eat out with friends. It IS about being able to have a burger with the boys.
It IS about learning HOW to eat for your goals, learning the nutritional value of food and how to fuel your body efficiently.
It IS about sustainable living and sustainable progress.
Notice these aren't being noted as “clean” foods because that term is nonsensical; these are more properly foods termed “nutrient dense.”
But again, if someone wants to incorporate some foods that are more nutrient-devoid/empty calorie (like Oreo cookies or pastries, for example) they can do that assuming they still reach their overall needs (by hitting their macros) at the end of the day (and assuming they are balancing their macronutrient proportions at each feeding).
TEXT
By controlling our macronutrient intake, we in turn control our caloric intake. Paired with a well-managed resistance and cardiovascular training protocol, we can fairly easily control both sides of the energy balance equation.
So if caloric management is at the top of the list of priorities, how do we come up with that number based on macronutrient intake?
Fats = 9 calories/gram
Carbohydrates = 4 calories/gram Protein = 4 calories/gram
PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
50g fat x 9 cal/g=450 calories 200g carbs x 4 cal/g=800 calories 180g protein x 4 cal/g=720 calories TOTAL calories= 1,970
Let’s say this individual burns an average of 2,500 calories per day (including exercise). This macronutrient intake should lead to weight loss (1,970 calories < 2500 calories).
The discussion and recommendations below are based on research as it pertains to optimizing body composition. We are painting in broad strokes to get you the information you need to create a starting point in structuring your diet for improving your body composition.
If you are interested in optimizing your body composition then you probably know the important role protein plays in building muscle. Adequate protein intake will help retain lean body mass as we strip body fat, which is vital to attain the muscular separation we are after.
Through digestion, protein is broken down into amino acids which are then absorbed and either used to build new proteins in the body (a term called protein synthesis), or used as energy. In the fitness industry it’s not uncommon for people to have the mentality of “If a little is good, then a lot must be great.” This is especially true when it comes to protein. Fortunately, science has helped bridge the gap between “in-the-trenches experience” and what’s supported in research.
There are entire careers built around the study of protein intake and body composition, so this book will only cover the essentials.
The recommendations provided will cover our bases to ensure we have a suitable intake and distribution to support getting you shredded.
PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
Since we will require a caloric deficit to get leaner, protein intake needs to be sufficient to:
maximize muscle protein synthesis (the building of muscle protein)
minimize muscle protein breakdown (the breakdown of muscle protein for energy)
The “more is better mentality” can come into play here and research does suggest there to be a minimal protein threshold (specifically the amino acid leucine) that needs to be reached each meal to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Having too many meals a day may not allow us to achieve this threshold within each meal. There is also some evidence that muscle protein synthesis is refractory in nature, meaning it peaks before returning towards baseline despite a continued elevation of amino acid levels in the blood. This indicates that a return towards baseline is likely necessary to optimize further elevations in muscle protein synthesis as a result of a protein containing meal.
PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
It’s recommended to split protein up evenly across 3-6 meals. This will help ensure you meet the required leucine threshold per meal, while allowing enough space between meals to reap the benefits of multiple protein feedings. Just as importantly, having a more manageable amount of meals also allows one to fit meals around their schedule and not the other way around.
Chicken Breast Tuna
Lean Beef Turkey Breast Low Fat Pork Egg Whites
Cottage Cheese Low Fat or No Fat Cheese Whey Protein Soy Protein
This isn’t the 1990s anymore, more people are becoming educated on the importance of an adequate fat intake. Fat is used in the production of hormones as well as in the construction of cellular membranes. From a behavioral eating standpoint, fats can increase satiety and fullness from a meal due to their caloric density and ability to slow digestion.
Within the context of body composition the right fat intake within our diet will:
help attenuate decreases in anabolic hormones as we diet
leave enough calories for sufficient protein and dietary carbohydrate
Oils (Olive, Fish, Coconut, etc) Nuts and Seeds
Avocados
Nut butters (Peanut, Almond, etc)
Carbohydrates (specifically in their stored form as muscle glycogen) are our primary fuel source when we train.
Carbohydrates are also the source for dietary fiber and many essential micronutrients imperative for overall health. DO NOT neglect fiber and micronutrient consumption within your diet. While a multivitamin can offer a bit of a security blanket, aim for nutrient-rich whole foods to make up the majority of your diet. Carbohydrate intake is VERY individual and dependent on a number of factors including but not limited to:
Amount of lean body mass Training volume
Insulin sensitivity (ability to dispose of carbohydrates in muscle cells)
Carbs should be distributed in a manner that allow you to perform your best during training and keep you alert throughout the day without wildly variable changes in blood sugar levels.
Sweet Potatoes Brown Rice Oat Meal Oat Bran Wheat Bread Beans Pasta Fruits Vegetables
Fiber provides bulk to waste in the intestines and promotes healthy gastrointestinal functioning.
Soluble fibers mesh with water to form a gel and slow the digestive process, which as aforementioned can help attenuate blood sugar levels.
Insoluble fibers, on the other hand, travel through the GI tract without dissolving and speed the passage of waste through the gut (i.e. they have a laxative effect). Adults should aim for a diet that contains 30 g to 35 g of fiber per day.
Raspberries Pears, with skin Apples, with skin Bananas
Oranges Figs, dried Raisins
PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
Spaghetti, whole-wheat, cooked Barley, pearled, cooked
Bran flakes Oat bran muffin Brown rice, cooked Bread, rye
Bread, whole-wheat or multigrain Split peas, cooked
Lentils, cooked Black beans, cooked Lima beans, cooked
Baked beans, vegetarian, canned, cooked Sunflower seed kernels
Almonds Pistachio nuts Pecans
Artichoke, cooked Green peas, cooked Broccoli, boiled Turnip greens, boiled Brussels sprouts, cooked Sweet corn, cooked Potato, with skin, baked Carrot, raw
PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
The carb cycling diet is very simple; it works like this: Throughout the week, you rotate through 5
low-carb days and 2 high-low-carb days. All days require a high protein intake. In essence, carb cycling acts as a means of regulating your endocrine system (and thus metabolic rate). When you impose aggressive, chronic energy deprivation on yourself (such as when dieting for fat loss), your body compensates by lowering its demand for energy (i.e. metabolic rate slows).
Lowering metabolic rate is a basic survival mechanism in many organisms; it would be counterproductive for an organism to be burning through energy rapidly when nourishment is restricted. A lower metabolic rate means your metabolism is actually becoming more
efficient…yes, MORE efficient.
A good way to think of this is as your metabolism being a vehicle and food is your fuel source; you want a less efficient vehicle as it will need more gas to travel the same distance than a more efficient vehicle. So in metaphorical terms, if you want to eat more (e.g. maximize the amount of gas you need to get from A to B), you better decrease your metabolic efficiency...or start shopping for a Hummer.
The most notable endocrine adaptations associated with chronic energy deprivation are the lowering of thyroid hormones (thryonines) and the fat-secreted hormone (adipokine) leptin.
1. First, leptin’s primary role is regulating metabolic expenditure as well as caloric intake, both of which have obvious implications with regards to bodyweight.
2. Second, thyroid hormones act on nearly every cell in the body to increase metabolic rate.
Therefore, the sensible solution to avoid diet-and-exercise induced metabolic slowing is to acutely increase energy intake (especially carbohydrates) to help revive hormonal and metabolic factors.
Stimulate an insulin response that shuttle nutrients in your muscle cells, causing them to grow
Replenish glycogen stores that fuel your muscles Make you feel good and energized
Promote fat loss by tricking your body into
burning fat for fuel (instead of the sugar from the carbs it would normally get)
Keep your body more receptive to insulin,
To lose fat, you need a negative energy balance, also known as a calorie deficit, where you’re consuming fewer calories than you burn.
Protein contains 4 calories per gram
o Protein (specifically amino acids) are the building blocks of new muscle tissue. o An overall protein intake of 40% of your
overall caloric intake for Low-Carb Days and 30% for High-Carb Days is
recommended when dieting to optimize body composition.
o Split protein up evenly across 3-6 meals. Within that, allow the nature of your lifestyle to dictate meal frequency. Fat contains 9 calories per gram
o Fat is an essential macronutrient used in the production of hormones and the construction of cellular membranes (amongst many other things)
o An overall fat intake of 25% of your overall caloric intake for Low-Carb Days and 20% for High-Carb Days is recommended when dieting to optimize body composition.
Carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram o Carbohydrate (specifically stored muscle
glycogen) is the primary fuel source in resistance training
o An overall carbohydrate intake of 35% of your overall caloric intake for Low-Carb Days and 50% for High-Carb Days is recommended when dieting to optimize body composition.
PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
Fiber provides bulk to waste in the intestines and promotes healthy gastrointestinal functioning.
o Adults should aim for a diet that contains 30 g to 35 g of fiber per day.
1
nutritional
strategies
Scientifically speaking, a calorie is simply the amount of energy (heat) needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degrees Celsius.
It is likely that the definition we’ve just given you has only made the idea of a calorie even more confusing, so let’s use a real-world analogy to make it more comprehensible:
Of course, if you overload your car’s gas tank with fuel it would simply start overflowing. Unfortunately, when you overload your body with more fuel/calories than it needs, the excess is converted to triglycerides (fat molecules) and stored as fat.
If you want to take the guess work out and know exactly what you’re putting in your body, then it is best to get in the habit of counting your calorie intake, and also tracking your macronutrient intake as well.
If you want to roll the dice and play the guessing game then that’s up to you. However, bear in mind that you wouldn't expect to bake the perfect cake by guessing the required amounts of flour, sugar and butter in the recipe.
You also wouldn't expect that cake to rise appropriately if you set the temperature of the oven at random and changed it intermittently whilst cooking; nor would you expect your cakes to taste similar from one bake to the next should you repeat the steps above.
If you're constantly consuming different amounts of protein, carbs, fats and calories from day to day, the progress you make and your physique
development will be reflective of the
disastrous/inconsistent baking methods that were just mentioned.
We’ve already established that your body needs fuel to function. Every day, your body uses a
certain amount of energy – quantified in calories – to perform basic functions like breathing,
maintaining core body temperature and pumping blood through veins.
Your body will perform these vital functions even if you decide to stay in bed for the entire day.
Therefore, your body is burning fuel – aka calories – even when you’re resting. This is referred to as Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). You’ll maintain your current weight as long as you provide your body with sufficient calories through food.
When trying to lose fat, a calorie deficit is exactly the scenario we want to create as fat tissue will start to be burned as fuel—a process called fatty-acid oxidation.
You can create a calorie deficit by either eating less and/or exercising. We recommend a
combination of both for fast and lasting fat loss.
12 WEEK SHRED NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY
Let’s say your body needs 3000 calories per day to maintain its weight – you can also say that your BMR is 3000 calories. If you consume 2500 calories per day and burn 500 calories at the gym then your calorie deficit is 1000 calories per day.
BMR: 3000 calories (Amount needed to maintain weight) - Calories consumed: 2500 (Via food)
+ Calories burned: 500 (Via exercise) = Calorie deficit: 1000
If you repeated this process for the whole week, you would’ve burned of 7000 calories which is essentially 2 pounds of fat (1 pound of fat = 3500 calories).
Ideally, a sound diet and training regimen will incorporate both exercise and caloric restriction, and that is precisely what this 12-Week Shred Program employs.
TEXT
To walk you through the entire process, let’s use an example of what it would look like for our fictional character, John:
Age: 22
Height: 5’10” (178 cm) Weight: 176lbs (80kg)
Lifestyle: John hits the gym hard 5 times a week, works a desk job and doesn’t do much demanding physical activity out of the gym.
There are a variety of equations out there that are utilized to calculate one’s BMR, but we will be using the most accurate method which is the Mifflin-St. Jeor Formula.
Once again, BMR is the amount of calories your body burns at rest to maintain normal body functions such as breathing.
12 WEEK SHRED NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY
10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age + 5
That’s it! Hang onto that number as you will need it to calculate John’s daily calorie requirement (DCR).
Your DCR is an estimation that takes into account your “activity variable.” Your activity variable is simply a multiplier set by the daily lifestyle tasks that contribute to the amount of energy you burn.
1.2 = Sedentary (desk job, and little structured exercise)
1.3 = Lightly Active (light daily activity AND light exercise 1-3 days a week)
1.5 = Moderately Active (moderate daily activity AND moderate/hard exercise 4-5 days a week) 1.7 = Very Active (physically demanding lifestyle
and rigorous exercise 6-7 days a week)
1.9 = Extremely Active (Athlete in ENDURANCE training or VERY RIGOROUS physical job)
So once you’ve figured out which bracket of the activity variable you fall in, simply take that factor/multiplier and apply it to your BMR.
Let’s use an example of what it would look like for our fictional character, John:
Lifestyle: John hits the gym hard 5 times a week, works a desk job and doesn’t do much demanding physical activity out of the gym. This will put him in the activity variable “Moderately Active” and will use a multiplier of 1.5.
So there you have it; pretty simple eh? John can now move onto the next step which is determining his calorie deficit.
A pound of fat tissue contains roughly 3,500 calories. Therefore, if the goal is to lose one pound of fat per week, you need to create a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day (on average).
12 WEEK SHRED NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY
However, it is more important to determine your specific calorie deficit by simply taking a percentage of your Daily Calorie Requirement (DCR). For fat loss, it is recommended to deduct about 25% of calories from your DCR.
Daily Calorie Requirement (DCR) x 0.75
So continuing on with our previous example with John, since his DCR is 2,711 calories per day, he would aim to take in: 2,711 x 0.75 = 2,033 calories per day for fat loss.
This diet is not intended to greatly restrict any specific macronutrient; instead it favours a balanced approach. As we discussed in Chapter 4, each macronutrient plays an essential role in your health and performance. Recall that proteins and carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, while fats contain 9 calories per gram.
Low-Carb Days are important as they enhance the fat loss process by encouraging your body to burn fat for fuel. They also keep your body more receptive to insulin, improving your body’s muscle-building response.
There will be 5 low-carb days per week, and they will occur on
. .
12 WEEK SHRED NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY
To determine your macronutrient breakdown for Low-Carb Days, simply take your suggested total calorie intake for fat loss (which is your DCR x 0.75) and apply these percentages:
Protein: = 40% total calorie intake Carbohydrate: = 35% total calorie intake Fat: = 25% total calorie intake
These particular % breakdowns for Low-Carb Days will provide you with the following:
A calorie deficit that is large enough to
stimulate significant fat loss, but small enough to keep muscle intact, control appetite and maintain high energy levels.
Sufficient protein to maximize muscle recovery and lean mass retention.
Enough carbohydrates and fats to keep mood and hormone balance in check, as well as to keep training performance near its peak. So for John, since he is aiming for 2,033 calories on his Low-Carb Days, his macronutrient
breakdown will look like this:
Protein: 2,033 x 0.40 = 813/4 = 203g of protein per day
Carbohydrates: 2,033 x 0.35 = 712/4 = 178g of carbohydrate per day
Fat: 2,033 x 0.25 = 508/9 = 56g of fat per day
High-carb days are an essential component to this diet as they allow you to:
Refill glycogen stores and help keep your brain (and metabolism) happy.
Perform better in the gym after you’ve replenished yourself with a few higher-carb meals.
There will be 2 high-carb days per week, and they will occur on .
To determine your macronutrient breakdown for High-Carb Days, simply take your High-Carb Day calorie goal (which is your DCR x 0.90) and apply these percentages:
Protein: = 30% total calorie intake
Carbohydrates: = 50% total calorie intake Fat: = 20% total calorie intake
So for John, since he is aiming for 2,440 calories on his High-Carb Days, his macronutrient
breakdown will look like this:
Protein: 2,440 x 0.3 = 732/4 = 183g of protein per day
Carbohydrates: 2,440 x 0.5 = 1220/4 = 305g of carbohydrate per day
Fat: 2,440 x 0.20 = 488/9 = 54g of fat per day
12 WEEK SHRED NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY
Low-Carb Day Macros 5x/week= 56g/178g/203g or rounding to nearest five grams, 55g/180g/205g High-Carb Day Macros 2x/week= 54g/305g/183g or rounding to nearest five grams, 55g/305g/185g
While precision and consistency are optimal, being within 5g of each macro is acceptable and isn't going to derail progress. Being over or under 50-60 calories on the day is a lot different than 500-600. Context is key.
Macro Goals: 56/178/203 (Fat/Carbs/Protein)
Software/App: MyFitnessPal.com
12 WEEK SHRED NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY
Macro Goals: 54/305/183 (Fat/Carbs/Protein)
Software/App: MyFitnessPal.com
12 WEEK SHRED NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY
First, it’s good that you are aware that you have overshot your macronutrient intake. While that isn’t ideal, it certainly isn’t the end of the world.
However, if you slip up by a large amount (e.g. 15% more carbs than your goal called for), for whatever reason, the best solution is to make up the difference the next day by deducting carbs and fats from your goal intake (do not cut protein intake). See below for an example of how this would work:
Goal Macros: 56g Fat / 178g Carbs / 203g Protein Actual Macros: 66g Fat / 208g Carbs / 203g Protein
+10g fat, +30g carbs
Therefore, the following day we will deduct an equivocal proportion from carbs and fat intake Goal Macros: 46g Fat / 148g Carbs / 203g Protein
As you can see we have deducted 10g of fat and 30g of carbs.
NOTE: If you overeat protein by a large amount, deduct that many grams from your carb intake the next day. DO NOT CUT PROTEIN INTAKE!
We have good news for you. You don’t have to eat meals on any set schedule to lose weight efficiently.
You see, meal frequency has little relevance on actual results. You can eat 3 meals per day or 6 and achieve the same thing if you’re doing everything else right in terms of hitting your daily macros and following your exercise regimen.
You will probably find a smaller meal every few hours most enjoyable, but feel free to experiment.
You can also play with when you start eating for the day. If you like eating breakfast, do it. If you don’t, and would prefer to wait until lunch before you start eating, you can do that too.
Sometimes skipping that first meal helps with overall compliance as it allows you to eat larger meals and still stick to your numbers.
12 WEEK SHRED NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY
Look, we get that tracking calories will feel tedious at first. Heck, for most of us it was the most annoying thing in the world when we first started tracking
calories. However, if you’re going to track calories – and believe us it’s worth it – don’t leave things out. Even if it as little as eating a small chocolate bar or the
mayonnaise in your sandwich.
Track EVERYHING
Basically, you will have to measure your food intake and will need a food log in which you document every meal. For some folks, this is painstakingly hard work so they just don’t do it.
With today’s modern technologies, it is easier than ever to simply enter your daily food selections into
software/apps on your PC, tablet, and/or smartphone. Two great starting places include:
https://www.MyFitnessPal.com (Most popular) https://www.CalorieKing.com
MFP has the most user-friendly/intuitive interface of any food logging app on the market. Moreover, the food database seems to be the most
comprehensive and accurate. Whether you're experienced with logging food intake or a newbie, MFP is our top app recommendation.
Track your macro intake as outlined in this 12 Week Shred Program. (You will have to input your macro and calorie goals manually into MyFitnessPal)
Monitor weight-loss progress
Stay consistent with your diet
Log/track exercise (lifting or cardio) since
this will skew the goal calorie/macro intakes that you calculated in this chapter.
Log/track your daily footstep count (for same reason above). Turn off this option in settings.
Use metric cups for foods such as breakfast cereal. You can also use them as measuring scoops, especially for cooked rice, pasta and noodles.
Use metric spoons for energy-dense foods such as oil, butter, sugar and honey. And keep the measure level by flattening off the top of the spoon with a knife, so that it’s levelled and not heaped.
12 WEEK SHRED NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY
1
1
If you’re new to weighing and measuring, here are some tips to help you:
Place a plate, a bowl, or a piece of baking paper on electronic kitchen scales.
Add the food you want to weigh – it may take a couple of seconds for the scales to settle and display the final reading.
If you eat out at a restaurant you can always ask the server how big the portion sizes are and how the food is prepared. Moreover, both MyFitnessPal and
CalorieKing have huge catalogues of nutritional facts from restaurants and fast-food chains.
The general rule-of-thumb is that if something is calorie-free, then you don’t need to be so nit-picky about tracking it. Contrarily, certain condiments may be loaded with calories despite their small serving size, so be sure to read the food labels.
For example, mustard is pretty much free of calories (it mostly contains vinegar, salt and spices) so if you put a few tablespoons of mustard on your sandwich, then don’t worry about tracking it. Same goes for most any other calorie-free foods. But if you are instead going to use a bunch of bleu cheese dressing then you should absolutely be tracking that as it will impact your calorie intake.
Some people may do best out of the gate if they create a menu designed to hit their macros prior to each day. There is nothing wrong with this, so long as you become comfortable with tracking and know how to adjust your day as needed. Other people use the flexibility offered and thrive by not eating the same thing on any two days, or have any idea what their next meal will be.
There is no right or wrong way but ask yourself which way is most sustainable for YOUR lifestyle. Additionally, make sure you challenge yourself enough to be comfortable meeting macros when things don’t go to plan. If you forget your food at home and have to eat out then be equipped with the knowledge you need to succeed.
If you feel a bit overwhelmed at the idea of tracking your macros every day then you are not alone. However, like anything, it takes consistent practice. Admittedly, this is a point where many people want to throw in the towel (and do).
All jokes aside, the learning curve can suck. It can make or break you. Remind yourself why you are doing this, and power through it. It WILL become easier, and in the end the flexibility of
macronutrient management can be liberating.
Visit: http://www.eatthismuch.com
1. Simply enter your Low-Carb Day Calorie Goal and desired number of meals. Then click ‘Generate’
2. Find the ‘Current nutrition targets' section and click 'Edit Targets'
3. Set the ‘Target Macros’ to ‘A percentage of calories’ and then use the following
percentages.
Low-Carb Day: Fat 25% / Carbs 35% / Protein 40%
4. Set Fiber to 30 grams 5. Click ‘Save Changes’ 6. Then click ‘Regenerate’
7. Your new Low-Carb Day Meal Plan will be created and you may even tweak the meal plan even more with the many settings/features the website has to offer.
Visit: http://www.eatthismuch.com
1. Simply enter your High-Carb Day Calorie Goal and desired number of meals. Then click ‘Generate’
2. Find the ‘Current nutrition targets' section and click 'Edit Targets'
3. Set the ‘Target Macros’ to ‘A percentage of calories’ and then use the following
percentages.
High-Carb Day: Fat 20% / Carbs 50% / Protein 30%
4. Set Fiber to 30 grams 5. Click ‘Save Changes’ 6. Then click ‘Regenerate’
7. Your new High-Carb Day Meal Plan will be created and you may even tweak the meal plan even more with the many settings/features the website has to offer.
Create as many different meal plans as you like!
12 WEEK SHRED NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY
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. Many people see adaptation and stagnation as synonymous terms. While in a sense this can be true, realize that adaptation is exactly what we want. Every time we go to the gym to train we create a specific stress on our nervous system, and musculoskeletal system. From this stress we are seeking to obtain a downstream adaptation to allow us to be ready for future stressors. For an individual trying to build muscle, our adaptations are actually our goal outcomes (increased muscle size/hypertrophy and strength). A bigger,
stronger muscle will be better equipped to handle that training stress in the future.
Training plateaus will inevitably happen to
everyone, but how do we minimize them? Much in the same way we would increase calories during a weight-gain plateau, we would increase our magnitude of training stress to stimulate further adaptation. And much like our macronutrient intake, we should be able to quantify our workloads in a way we can easily assess and manipulate variables to accomplish our goals. While going into the gym and obliterating a muscle group can get you results, usually it’s by proxy and not by design. At times we may be doing much more than is required or optimal for long-term progress.
12 WEEK SHRED
We MUST do more work over time in a controlled, sustainable design. At the same time, we want to milk as much progress as we can out of a given amount of work before we add more volume. World-class bodybuilders and powerlifters may spend hours and hours in the gym each day across multiple sessions. In most cases this isn’t because they are trying to get rapid results, it’s because they require that workload to keep progressing. We must do more work over time.
As alluded to earlier in this chapter, progressive
overload is the most important thing to keep improving your body composition and building skeletal muscle tissue. If you are not consistently subjecting the body to a new form stress, then there is no reason for the body to adapt. You need to push yourself to a point where you haven’t gone in the past...only after that happens will your muscles be forced to grow back bigger and stronger.
It’s astounding how many trainees nonchalantly lift the same weight for months, even years, on end and (not surprisingly) they look the exact same now as they did on day one.
adding weight to the bar increasing repetitions
increasing time-under-tension
increasing number of sets per exercise increasing number of exercises
PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD
Training is a stressor; building size and strength are favorable adaptations to that stress
Training stress is primarily a product of volume and intensity
Volume is the amount of work you do (sets x reps x weight)
Intensity is the relative load on the bar in relation to your maximum strength in a given rep range
By properly managing volume and intensity we can better optimize our strategy by taking advantage of varying training intensities, and prevent many plateaus.
Propelling your physique and athleticism essentially entails improving your body composition and functional strength. Ask any individual in the gym what their goal is and it’s likely along the lines of being leaner, stronger, more explosive and more muscular (i.e.
improving their athletic or fitness performance and body composition).
The conundrum everyone faces is that improving body composition is a give-and-take process. It would be remiss not to mention that the path to a leaner body and enhanced athletic performance is an arduous one and the finish line doesn’t come overnight. But anything worth having is worth working hard for, so be prepared to give this journey to shredded everything you’ve got! This program is ultimately suitable to most any trainee, regardless of their experience level in the gym. The main to keep in mind throughout the process is that consistency and progression are keys to success and achieving your goals. This program isn’t magic; no program is. The not-so-secret to success in health/fitness is doing things that are effective to your goals, repeatedly.
12 WEEK SHRED
Triphasic Hybrid Power/Hypertrophy Training encompasses elements of both bodybuilding and powerlifting training protocols. With this routine the idea is that, instead of focusing on specific training adaptations (hypertrophy, maximal strength, power etc.) individually for weeks at a time like with linear forms of periodization, you will perform exercises in both the lower rep ranges (4-6 reps) and higher rep rages (8-15 reps) within the same given week. This is
achieved by splitting the workouts into “power” days and “hypertrophy” days which,
subsequently, means you will be training each muscle group twice a week.
It is, after all, in contrast to more traditional bodybuilding split-style programs that have become so popular within the fitness community over the years.
TRAINING GUIDE
During this program, you will progress through 3 phases/microcycles that modify your workouts by increasing the number of sets per exercise, and level of intensity:
● ● ●
As you will be performing exercises in both lower and higher rep ranges, it has been designed so that the workouts are separated into “power” days and “hypertrophy” days respectively. The rationale behind this is that you will get more ‘bang for your buck’ so to speak if you focus on lifting for either maximal strength or to induce muscular hypertrophy within a given training session.
On power days the focus will be on major “power” movements for your upper and lower body like Bent-Over Barbell Rows, Incline Dumbbell
Presses, Squats and Leg Press. The goal is to stay within 4-6 reps for all 3 sets (2 sets during Phase 1). Be sure to rest enough in-between sets to be ready for your next heavy set (it may take a good 3-4 minutes to completely recover between sets). Keep in mind, the purpose of these workouts is to move maximum weight! Your hypertrophy workouts will be quicker-paced and have shorter rest periods. On power days you need to have a STRENGTH mentality.
On your hypertrophy days you will be doing sets of higher repetitions with lighter loads. Emphasis will be placed on moving the weight through the concentric phase of the lift as quickly as
possible/explosively. Rest should be no longer than 90 seconds between each set. Make sure to stop a rep or two shy of failure on hypertrophy days or you will fatigue yourself too quickly.
This will help you maintain greater overall force production and volume during the workout and it will prevent neural fatigue and burnout.
TRAINING GUIDE
Failure is a tool and has to be used correctly and is not necessarily the goal of every set. Once you get adjusted to the volume and frequency then you can start adding in sets to failure for power movements and some of your explosive type training. Abstain from training to failure consistently for more than 6 weeks in a row without at least a brief hiatus. The reason this is recommended is because if you constantly train to failure it will impede your performance, strength, decrease the volume you are able to handle, and ultimately reduce your training capacity. There seems to be a notion out there that any set NOT taken to absolute failure is an exercise in futility, but that’s utter NONSENSE. There’s plenty of research that shows volume is the main dictator of how much muscle damage occurs.
Take note that overload is accumulated throughout your workout and adding more
volume is actually a way to induce more overload, not just by adding more weight/reps. Again, there is nothing wrong with taking some sets to failure once you are adapted to the routine, but it has to be properly periodized to avoid performance decrements and excessive central nervous system (CNS) fatigue.
Compound exercises are the bread and butter of muscle and strength building. They work multiple muscle groups and are the most challenging and rewarding lifts. They should always be performed first in your workout plan. Isolation exercises work only a single muscle group at a time. In general they utilize a lighter weight, and don't allow for as much progression as compound movements. Because isolation lifts are less taxing, they work better as finishing exercises, helping to work an already fatigued and taxed muscle. Because the focus of compound exercises is to tax several muscle groups, you should not worry as much about feeling the muscles work when using them.
Make sure to keep proper form at all times. Sloppy isolation exercises with too much weight quickly turn into mild, less-than-effective compound lifts.
TRAINING GUIDE
1. Don’t shy away from difficult, compound exercises; they are the best bang for your buck.
2. If you are unfamiliar with technical exercises like deadlifts and squats, it is imperative that you research proper form or have a
trainer/strength coach teach you.
During this program, you will progress through 3 phases/microcycles that modify your workouts by increasing the number of sets per exercise, and level of intensity:
● ● ●
The workouts are listed in on the next few pages and there is also a printable workout log included in this 12 Week Shred Transformation Pack which we highly recommended you use!
12 WEEK SHRED
Society has done a very good job of making us believe cardiovascular exercise paired with eating nothing but salad is the key to fat loss. In the context of optimizing body composition, cardio needs to be treated as a tool for fat loss more so than an
aggressive necessity.
Chapter 9 will discuss plateaus and how to break through them, but as a spoiler we usually have to decrease caloric intake and/or increase cardio expenditure.
Not only does nobody want to spend 2 hours of their day doing cardio, excessive cardio can interfere with the positive effects that come with weight/resistance training.
HIIT is a system of organizing cardiorespiratory training which calls for repeated bouts of short duration, high-intensity exercise intervals
intermingled with periods of lower-intensity intervals of active recovery.
HIIT lasts 20 minutes or less – resulting in a short workout time nearly anyone can integrate into their lifestyle.
HIIT can increase VO2 max for both high intensity and endurance athletes. VO2 max is the max amount of oxygen a person can use and transport during
exercise. You want this number to be high because it enables you to use more fat as fuel instead of glucose. Since our fat stores tend to be much higher than glycogen stores, it is preferential to be able to get the highest percentage of fuel from fat during exercise. While sprinting uses a high amount of glycogen
because it is such high intensity, the rate at which you change from fat burning to sugar burning is higher in individuals with a higher VO2 max.
HIIT increases EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) resulting in an elevated fat loss state for up to 24 hours after you finish your workout –
something you won’t get from lower intensity-exercise.
Cardio
// / /
HIIT trains the body to effectively remove metabolic waste from the muscles between intervals. By quickly removing lactate and other by-products resulting from high intensity exercise, you enable the body to be primed and ready for another bout of high-intensity exercise with less rest.
You can do these workouts using tools, such as a jump rope, or simply doing jumping jacks, or sprinting, or working on a stationary cycle. Use your imagination. Just follow the work-to-rest intervals as indicated.
20 seconds: High-intensity exercise (E.g. Sprint)
60 seconds: Rest or low-intensity exercise (E.g. Walk)
Repeat another 10 times, followed by a final 20-second high-intensity blast.
CARDIO
Low-intensity cardio doesn’t have the acute metabolic benefits of high-intensity cardio, but it’s an easy way to chip away at calories
throughout the week without adversely affecting your time lifting weights. LISS is a bit like
spending money eating out. At the time, it doesn’t seem like much but at the end of the month it’s surprising how much you have spent.
The table below lists the calories burned by doing dozens of activities for 30 minutes and the numbers are based on an individual who weighs 185 pounds.
CARDIO
Incorporating Cardio into the 12 Week
Shred Program
Phase 1: (Weeks 1-2) 1x LISS per week Phase 2: (Weeks 3-6) 2x LISS per week
Phase 3: (Weeks 7-12) 2x LISS + 1 HIIT per week
HIIT and LISS both have a place in your training plan.
Adherence, time, and recovery all need to be considered when structuring your
cardiovascular strategy.
Cardio not only has cardiovascular health benefits, but will help improve our ability to recover between sets and thus increase our work capacity.
Creating a caloric deficit is what’s most important in getting leaner. Cardio is a tool to HELP accomplish this, and not a
necessity. Having said that, inclusion of cardio is suggested for reasons mentioned in this chapter.
12 WEEK SHRED
Supplementation
Note: These supplements are all optional
Arguably the most popular sports supplement on the market, and for good reason. Whey protein presents gym-goers with a highly bioavailable, complete protein source to help meet their daily protein needs. Naturally, since lifting routinely increases protein demands, whey protein
supplements can be the perfect way to get more protein in your diet.
Whey protein, the acclaimed gold standard of supplementation, is one of the best sources of all nine essential amino acids, and more importantly of L-leucine. Much of the research thus far has uncovered that a key substrate in the activation of mTOR is the amino acid L-leucine.
Moreover, studies corroborate that the
proportion of leucine in a given protein source has direct effect on the peak muscle protein synthetic rate attained in the postprandial state. So in short, whey protein is one of the highest quality protein sources you can take in.
Promotes recovery and muscle growth Attenuates soreness/reduces fatigue Presents an easy option to hit your daily
protein requirements
Upset stomach and indigestion are the two most common issues with whey protein products. This might be alleviated by choosing a pure whey isolate product over a whey concentrate (which contains more lactose).
You may use it daily as needed to meet your protein requirements.
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Use as needed to meet your protein
requirements. However, DO NOT rely on whey protein as your sole source of protein; mix it up, use whole foods when possible.
A: No, whey protein is derived from cheese so it does contain dairy.
A: No, whey protein itself is not bad for the kidneys. This myth stems from the issue of renal impairment in individuals who have chronically superfluous amounts of protein intake in their diet. It has nothing to do with the source of the protein.
A: Yes, but this has little ramification in regards to how your body utilizes the protein since denatured protein is essentially “hydrolyzed” protein; you’re still ingesting all the amino acids that were originally there to begin with.
SUPPLEMENTATION
Before we dive into fat-burners/thermogenics, keep in mind that these supplements enhance fat-loss by increasing metabolic rate and/or adipose tissue oxidation (the use of fat as
energy). Therefore, taking these supplements will help you burn more energy and utilize substrates, specifically fat, more effectively.
As noted above fat burners/thermogenics work to increase your metabolism and enhance adipose tissue oxidation. These supplements do this by acting on specific receptors and chemicals in the body that regulate fat oxidation and increase metabolic rate. Certain ingredients, like caffeine, also provide stimulation to the central nervous system and give users a sense of greater energy throughout the day, which will help them be more active.
● Increase metabolism
● Enhance the use of fat tissue (and other substrate) as energy
● Increase energy and focus ● Lower rate of perceived exertion
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SUPPLEMENTATION
Side effects should be rather minimal if you use a safe, efficacious fat-burner/thermogenic. While it is impossible to list specific side effects without knowing the product you’re using, we can say that SimplyShredded’s VANQUISH ELITE was formulated to avoid side effects and maximize fat burning.
Most fat-burners/thermogenics are best taken before working out and possibly again at another time in the day. The best thing is to simply follow the instructions on the bottle/label.
Follow the dosing instructions on the label of the specific product you’re using.
A; No, it is important to know that no
supplements will “do the work for you” or make up for poor dietary habits and lack of exercise. A: Certainly not, but if you buy a properly-formulated product, it can certainly assist you throughout the fat-loss process.
Creatine monohydrate has stood the test of time when it comes to weight training and athletic performance. It’s one of the most efficient supplements to consider when looking at its cost-to-benefit ratio and safety/tolerability.
The energy currency of the cell is known as Adenosine Tri-Phosphate (ATP). Essentially, your muscles are constantly using up and restoring ATP levels in order to perform work (i.e. contract). One way to restore depleted ATP stores in muscle cells is through the phosphocreatine energy system.
This is achieved upon donation of a highly energetic phosphate from a phosphocreatine molecule to an ADP (adenosine di-phosphate) molecule, thus forming a new ATP molecule.
Increases intracellular water levels in muscle cells, which in turn increases protein synthesis
Bolsters ATP production, resulting in increased power/strength output
Acts as a neuroprotective agent since
brain cells rely heavily on ATP for membrane integrity
Bloating/cramping (even though
“bloating” in this sense is actually
conducive to creatine stimulating muscle growth)
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Avoid use if you have renal issues or diabetes
Preferably pre-workout but it’s not a major issue when creatine is ingested so long as it is kept consistent
Most studies have concluded that once a
saturation point is achieved creatine can be dosed between 3-5 grams/day to sustain intracellular levels.
NOTE: Creatine may be “front-loaded” at a higher dose (generally 8-10g/day, split in two doses) to achieve quicker saturation of cells, but this isn’t required.
A: I have no clue where this common claim originated from but the answer is no, just no. A: No, not unless you’re taking exceptionally high amounts (and even then it’s unlikely). Creatine may be a risk for those with pre-existing renal impairment, but there is little evidence that nominal doses cause such issues.
SUPPLEMENTATION
A: Unbeknownst to you, it’s likely due to an increase in the amount of fluids you consume, not the creatine itself.
A: Contrary to popular belief, these purported “highly absorbable” forms of creatine are actually less bio-available than the tried-and-true
monohydrate form.
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Multi-vitamins are unique in the supplement industry in that they present consumers with a fail-safe to avoid vitamin and mineral
deficiencies.
The body requires that we ingest a certain
amount of micronutrients (i.e. vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, etc.) per day to function properly. Many processes that we carry out in everyday life are thanks to micronutrients. In a nutshell, multi-vitamins work by making sure your body has an adequate intake of important micronutrients, so you can perform better and live healthier.
Prevent micronutrient deficiencies Enhances well-being and cognition Bolsters the immune system
May cause dehydration if you do not drink adequate fluid throughout the day
It is usually advised to take your multi-vitamin with the first meal of the day
SUPPLEMENTATION
Follow the label’s directions for your specific multi-vitamin; 1 serving per day is all that should be needed.
A: Frankly, yes. Multi-vitamins contain a whole spectrum of micronutrients that may be absent from your diet, even if you do eat a lot of nutrient-dense foods (like fruits and vegetables).
A: More often than not, multi-vitamins contain fat-soluble micronutrients which should be taken with food to ensure proper absorption.
