HOW TO BURN CLEAN
PROTEIN - Well, what are we made of? Our muscles, bones, hair, skin, nails, organs, connective tissue and more are all mostly protein…so, we obviously need to make that a priority. When you don’t eat enough protein you feel weak, hungry, moody and usually cold. Unlike carbs and fats we have no way to store protein other than in our bodies structure, so if we don’t eat new protein our bodies will break down and weaken our structure to find it.
FATS – We need fats to promote optimal hormonal balance and brain function. So that’s pretty important! Our brain is 60% fat and 25% of the body’s cholesterol is used by the brain…So, eating cholesterol is not a concern for us. Cholesterol is also the backbone of our testosterone and estrogen, so in order to build muscle, be lean AND have a healthy sex drive and confidence we need our steak and eggs. The other fat we’d like to make sure we get is Omega 3 fats. Eat salmon, halibut, sardines, and mackerel 2x per week or take a daily supplement of at least 1g Omega 3 (not just fish oil as that includes other types of fats).
CARBS – Do we need carbs…no we don’t. Can we eat carbs…yes we can. What do carbs do for us? Essentially they are a type of fuel we can use; they either give us energy short term or we store them for energy later (as body fat). Best use of carbs is for sports or lifting performance, and the best way to do that is to limit starchy and sugary carbs to 3-4 hours before and/or after activity.
RECAP - We need adequate protein, some fats and not many carbs. When fat loss is the goal, remember that carbs and fats are fuel sources; the more you eat, the less your body has to burn. And, if you don’t eat enough protein you’ll be starving all the time and crave carbs (a low protein high carb high fat diet is not a shredded diet). IF muscle gain and/or sports performance is your goal, surprise surprise protein is still most important! But now we can afford more fuel (carbs and fats).
The Basics – this is a good place to start for beginners who need to focus on integrating whole foods into their diet and cut back on snacking.
Eat 3-4 meals 3-4 hours apart. No snacks, if you’re hungry for a snack that means you didn’t eat enough at your previous meal so make adjustments the next day.
At each meal you’ll need a source of PROTEIN, FIBER and FAT. Each of these three things will help to keep you full and slow down digestion so you can absorb all the nutrients and go hours without food and still have good energy. Check out the Shredmode Meal Chart for optimal choices for each category.
Protein – Meat, Fish and Eggs should be the focus; use dairy or supplements as back up options.
Fiber – Colorful veggies should make up the bulk of the fiber. Some low sugar fruits can be good options as well like peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers.
Fat – Usually there will be adequate fat from the Meat, Fish or Eggs, but if more is needed or the meat is lean look to whole food plant sources like avocados, olives or nuts and seeds.
*Starch – If fat loss is the goal, there’s really no need for starch on this program. If you do have starch, the best time to eat it is either before or after your workouts. And if you do eat it, stick to mainly rice, potatoes or squash and skip the bread and pasta.
Sample meal options look something like this:
Breakfast – Veggie Omelet with Berries
Lunch – Salad with Chicken
Dinner – Roasted Veg with Steak or Fish (optional sweet potato)
Meal Alternative – Smoothie with Whey, Spinach, Berries, Almond Butter
- This is a great option if time is short or you’re on the go.
Regardless of how you choose to eat, to support a lean, healthy muscular body you need adequate protein and adequate healthy fats…there is no carb requirement. Can it be done with more carbs and low fat? Absolutely, but I find most people who live normal lives do so much better on the whole food low carb, high protein Shredmode style of eating and with very little effort towards portion control or calorie counting.
It’s as simple as that, don’t feel like you have to accomplish this flawlessly day 1, there will be ups and downs and definitely failures along the way, that is totally normal and in fact necessary for learning what works for you. Focus on changing one meal at a time rather than your entire diet all at once, give yourself 2 weeks to really solidify your options and develop the habits and then shift your focus to the next meal. Don’t feel like you have to make everything yourself, if that’s an option and you have the time go for it, if not there are plenty of good options out there if you know how to order. Buying a double meat salad at lunch can be a great way to save time and enjoy your healthy food. Eating fresh cooked food is not only better for your digestion but is also way easier to adhere to versus eating out of a Tupperware that has food in it cooked 3-4 days prior…I’ve been there, the food is unsatisfying and ultimately leaves you wanting something else and then we are really battling will power. I’d much rather eat tasty warm fresh food and be completely satisfied. It may cost a little more money to eat this way, eating extra protein, ordering salads out etc. but if you want to live in a nicer house, its going to cost more money, this is the same idea. You want a nicer body? Time to pay a higher rent. If it really is a priority to you, you’ll cut costs somewhere else to allow for better eating. The most efficient trade off is super simple, quit buying alcohol at bars or restaurants. Firstly, to really ensure you can make progress alcohol should be limited to one day a week (a stray glass of wine here or there won’t kill you). Secondly, The mark up on drinks is sky high, it’s a waste of money, that $150 you spent last weekend on drinks could buy a shitload of double meat salads and is guaranteed to be better for your health.
HOW TO BUILD STRONG
If the diet is responsible for making you leaner, the workouts are responsible for shaping what lies beneath the fat. I tell my clients that when we are in the gym we are there to build things: build strength, build muscle, build endurance, build mobility etc. We are not there to lose anything; you can’t sweat out your fat. You want to build muscle? Hit the gym. You want to lose fat? Go to the kitchen and make a pile of meat and veggies.
So, now that we know what workouts can and can’t do, let’s use them intelligently. Let’s focus on building, shaping and strengthening the body the way we want. If you want broad shoulders and a big chest as a guy, does it make sense to spend hours on the treadmill? No, it doesn’t. It makes sense to work out your chest and shoulders twice a week with at least two exercises per workout aimed at those muscles groups. I have created a template with a balanced profile, but as time goes on feel free to manipulate the template towards your specific needs and the shape you want.
Slow and steady wins the race; don’t be in a rush to pile weight onto the bar. Strength and size will come over time if you lift smart and with good form. Trying to find your limits every workout will probably lead to injury and thus prevent you from being as consistent in the long run. Some days you’ll feel great and can push it a little harder, but other days you might not have that same mojo. Don’t let your ego get you injured, drop down in weight a little and focus on form and tempo and live to lift another day.
Final Thought
With this diet and workout routine all you have to do is follow the program and be consistent. It should never feel like a slog. If it does you either aren’t eating enough or you aren’t recovering enough. Work hard, stay smart and good things will happen.