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12 WEEK SHRED

Cover Model – Pham Woodbridge

Instagram - @phamflexx

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written, dated and signed permission from the author. All copyrights are reserved.

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.

P O W E R E D B Y S I M P L Y S H R E D D E D . C O M

2

12 WEEK SHRED

P O W E R E D B Y S I M P L Y S H R E D D E D . C O M 3

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.


12 WEEK SHRED

The science of fat

loss explained

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.

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).

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!


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12 WEEK SHRED

PERFORMANCE

NUTRITION

Ask any 8 year old how to lose weight and they

will tell you “Eat less and move more.”

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.

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.

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.”


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PERFORMANCE NUTRITION

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).

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.

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).



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.

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).

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.

TEXT



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

By controlling our macronutrient intake, we in

turn control our caloric intake. Paired with a wellmanaged

resistance and cardiovascular training

protocol, we can fairly easily control both sides of

the energy balance equation.

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).

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

TEXT



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.

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)

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-thetrenches

experience” and what’s supported in

research.

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.

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.



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.

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.

Chicken Breast

Lean Beef

Low Fat Pork

Cottage Cheese

Whey Protein

Tuna

Turkey Breast

Egg Whites

Low Fat or No Fat Cheese

Soy Protein

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.

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

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

Oat Meal

Wheat Bread

Pasta

Vegetables

Brown Rice

Oat Bran

Beans

Fruits

Spaghetti, whole-wheat, cooked

Barley, pearled, cooked

Bran flakes

Oat bran muffin

Brown rice, cooked

Bread, rye

Bread, whole-wheat or multigrain

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.

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

Raspberries

Pears, with skin

Apples, with skin

Bananas

Oranges

Figs, dried

Raisins



The carb cycling diet is very simple; it works like this:

Throughout the week, you rotate through 5 lowcarb

days and 2 high-carb days.

All days require a high protein intake.

The most notable endocrine adaptations associated

with chronic energy deprivation are the lowering of

thyroid hormones (thryonines) and the fat-secreted

hormone (adipokine) leptin.

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.

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-andexercise

induced metabolic slowing is to acutely

increase energy intake (especially carbohydrates) to

help revive hormonal and metabolic factors.

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.

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,

improving your body’s muscle-building response



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 35% 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.

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.

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 40% of

your overall caloric intake for Low-Carb

Days and 50% for High-Carb Days is

recommended when dieting to optimize

body composition.


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12 WEEK SHRED

nutritional

strategies

1

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.

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:

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.

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.


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1

12 WEEK SHRED NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY

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 fattyacid

oxidation.

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.

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.



10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age + 5

To walk you through the entire process, let’s use an

example of what it would look like for our fictional

character, John:

That’s it! Hang onto that number as you will need it to

calculate John’s daily calorie requirement (DCR).

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.

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.

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.

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)

TEXT



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.

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 20% of calories

from your DCR.

Daily Calorie Requirement (DCR) x 0.8

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 0.8 = 2,169 calories per

day for fat loss.

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).

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

.

.



To determine your macronutrient breakdown for

Low-Carb Days, simply take your suggested total

calorie intake for fat loss (which is your DCR x 0.8)

and apply these percentages:

Protein: = 35% total calorie intake

Carbohydrate: = 40% 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 2,169 calories

on his Low-Carb Days, his macronutrient

breakdown will look like this:

Protein: 2,169 x 0.35 = 759/4 = 190g of protein

per day

Carbohydrates: 2,169 x 0.40 = 868/4 = 217g of

carbohydrate per day

Fat: 2,169 x 0.25 = 542/9 = 60g 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



Low-Carb Day Macros 5x/week= 60g/217g/190g or rounding to nearest five grams, 60g/215g/190g

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: 60/217/190 (Fat/Carbs/Protein)

Software/App: MyFitnessPal.com


1


Macro Goals: 54/305/183 (Fat/Carbs/Protein)

Software/App: MyFitnessPal.com



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.

We have good news for you. You don’t have to eat

meals on any set schedule to lose weight efficiently.

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: 60g Fat / 217g Carbs / 190g Protein

Actual Macros: 70g Fat / 247g Carbs / 190g Protein

+10g fat, +30g carbs

Therefore, the following day we will deduct an

equivocal proportion from carbs and fat intake

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.

Goal Macros: 50g Fat / 187g Carbs / 190g 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!



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.

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 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.

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.

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

Log/track your daily footstep count (for

same reason above). Turn off this option in

settings.



1

Use metric cups for foods such as breakfast cereal.

You can also use them as measuring scoops,

especially for cooked rice, pasta and noodles.

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.

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.

1


37


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.

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.

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.

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.

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.



Yes! We recommended Eatthismuch.com

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 50% / Protein

35%

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

TEXT

TRAINING

.

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.

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.

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.

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.

TEXT


1

PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD

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

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.


12 WEEK SHRED

Triphasic TRAINING Guide

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!

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.

This program is ultimately suitable to most any

trainee, regardless of their experience level in the

gym. The main thing 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 notso-secret

to success in health/fitness is doing

things that are effective to your goals, repeatedly.

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.


1

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.

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.

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.

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

Cardio

/

/

/

/

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.

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.

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 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 intensityexercise.


1

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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).

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.

You may use it daily as needed to meet your

protein requirements.


SUPPLEMENTATION

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

● Increase metabolism

● Enhance the use of fat tissue (and other

substrate) as energy

● Increase energy and focus

● Lower rate of perceived exertion

TEXT


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.

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.

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 properlyformulated

product, it can certainly assist you

throughout the fat-loss process.

TEXT

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)

Dehydration (if not drinking ample water)


SUPPLEMENTATION

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

A: Unbeknownst to you, it’s likely due to an

increase in the amount of fluids you consume,

not the creatine itself.

Most studies have concluded that once a

saturation point is achieved creatine can be

dosed between 3-5 grams/day to sustain

intracellular levels.

A: Contrary to popular belief, these purported

“highly absorbable” forms of creatine are actually

less bio-available than the tried-and-true

monohydrate form.

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: Yes, that’s fine (and often times favorable).

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.

TEXT


SUPPLEMENTATION

Multi-vitamins are unique in the supplement

industry in that they present consumers with a

fail-safe to avoid vitamin and mineral

deficiencies.

Follow the label’s directions for your specific

multi-vitamin; 1 serving per day is all that should

be needed.

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, multivitamins

work by making sure your body has an

adequate intake of important micronutrients, so

you can perform better and live healthier.

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 nutrientdense

foods (like fruits and vegetables).

Prevent micronutrient deficiencies

Enhances well-being and cognition

Bolsters the immune system

A: More often than not, multi-vitamins contain

fat-soluble micronutrients which should be taken

with food to ensure proper absorption.

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

TEXT


12 WEEK SHRED

Adjusting the plan

As we drop bodyweight our Daily Calorie

Requirement (DCR) decreases, and we will need

to reopen the energy deficit for fat loss to

continue.

Decreases in overall body mass lead to

lower expenditure from exercise and nonexercise

activities. The heavier we are the

more effort we have to exert to move our

body.

Decreased TEF (less food to digest)

Homeostatic hormonal mechanisms

When our stores get low our expenditure is

down regulated in an attempt to close the gap on

the energy deficit and preserve adequate levels of

body fat.

The greater the caloric restriction the more

we adapt to an intake. For this reason, we want to

start with our ceiling high for adjustments with

regards to diet and cardio. However, even with

the most well thought out strategy you will have

some metabolic adaptation and you will likely

plateau.

This boils down to individual preference and what

will allow for long-term sustainability.

The following data should ALL be considered prior

to making an adjustment to your fat-loss strategy:

This should trump ALL of the other factors

that will be listed. If you are looking leaner

in the mirror or through progress photos

then DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING.

Progress photos should be taken in similar

light in the same location if possible. This

will prevent any inconsistencies in shadows

that can mask what’s actually occurring.

It’s best to take progress photos facing a

window with the camera between you and

the window. This will allow for the most

consistent light.


ADJUSTING THE PLAN

While we are primarily concerned with fat

loss, there is obviously a correlation between

weight loss and fat loss over time. Weigh in

each day under the same conditions (upon

waking and after using restroom) and track

your weight daily (using the Weight Loss Log

Spreadsheet). A weekly drop of ~.5-1% of

bodyweight will ensure that the drops are

coming primarily from fat stores assuming

you have your bases covered with adequate

protein intake and training design/execution

(which you will). If you see positive changes in

the mirror and/or measurements but not on

the scale then DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING.

There is a lot more that goes into bodyweight

than just adipose tissue.

While the mirror and progress photos are

GREAT, they are also qualitative in nature. If

the scale isn’t moving but say your waist is

going down, then you know you are losing

body fat and SHOULD NOT CHANGE ANYTHING.

Measurements worth taking for tracking fat

loss include:

- Waist circumference at navel

- Hip circumference at widest point

When decreasing calories, typically we only

decrease from carbs and fat. The reason we do

not decrease from protein is because it is crucial

for preserving lean body mass (ie. muscle) so

therefore, you want to maintain your protein

intake at a constant level throughout your cut. The

calorie drops would be much better served

coming from carbs and fat.

This will depend what level you are at (read below

for recommendations).

For those at an overweight or obese level you

should go with a bigger drop in the 100 to 200

range.

If you’re a general dieter and dropping calories for

the first time then you should go with a range of

50 to 100 calories per day.

Increase the energy deficit by an additional 10-

15% from further dietary restriction and/or

added cardiovascular work.

Note: For those of you who have been dieting for a

while, and have reduced calories a fair amount

already on multiple occasions then you should

stick to a 25 to 50 calorie drop. Which would

result in a recommendation of lowering carbs by

5-10 grams per day and fat by 1-2 grams per day.


ADJUSTING THE PLAN

John (General Dieter) has just reached week 4 of

his 12 Week Shred and has hit a weight loss

plateau.

As a general dieter the recommendations are to

lower carbs by 10-15 grams per day and fat by 3-

6 grams per day. John wishes to deduct 15 grams

from carbs and 5 grams from fat on both his low

and high-carb days.

Our DCR (Daily Calorie Requirements) adapts

as we lose body fat to protect against

continued fat loss, therefore plateaus occur at

given calorie intakes and cardio levels.

When fat loss stalls we must reopen the

calorie deficit by decreasing macros,

increasing cardio or both.

Reduce calories in the form of carbohydrate

and fat.

Do not rely solely on the scale to determine if

you are progressing. Many relatively new

trainees can build muscle and lose fat

simultaneously, which can obviously partially

mask drops on the scale.

So there you have it! Simply make the necessary

adjustments to each day’s macros and sprinkle

some more cardio in (like an extra HIIT or LISS

session) and be patient. Progress should pick

back up.


12 WEEK SHRED

Frequently Asked questions

Many apps allow you to input calories in addition

to the macros. Food labels use rounding, and

there is also a potential for error on behalf of the

person inputting the data in to the database. If

you are hitting your macros (Fat/Carbs/Protein)

then you are hitting your calories. There is no way

around it.

If it’s less than 4% of total weight then hold off

another week or two and reassess. If it continues,

increase calories by 5-10%. If it levels off to the

appropriate rate stay put.

This may happen. Strength is not linear. Expect

some bad days and keep grinding.

Alcohol contains approximately 7 calories per

gram and most alcoholic beverages get the

majority of their calorie content from

carbohydrates. While drinking copious amounts of

alcohol is often a socially acceptable form of

entertainment, it behooves you to avoid such

events if you are serious about your physique.

This is NOT to say you can’t have any alcohol, but

just that you should restrict intake to maybe 1-2

drinks per week if you must have any.

5 to 7 days. You could just be stressed and water

retention is masking fat loss. If you strongly

believe your intake should be yielding a caloric

deficit then it probably is, and you just need to

hold out a bit longer.

Moreover, alcohol impairs cognition and can

interrupt with your ability to perform in the gym

(and elsewhere). If you want to work an occasional

beer or glass of wine into your daily calorie intake,

that is fine. Just don’t go drinking a whole six pack

and think that is considered “moderation.”


FAQ

We are in a dynamic state of losing and

replenishing water in our bodies; when the

amount of water being taken in becomes less

than the amount being lost, we become

dehydrated.

Proper hydration is crucial to maintaining cell

functions, and without enough water,

performance and overall health can be greatly

hindered. The amount of water one needs on a

daily basis varies based on their size and their

activity level (active individuals generally require

much more liquid than sedentary individuals).

While everyone has different fluid requirements

based on size, activity level, etc., 1-1.5 gallons

per day is usually sufficient.

Even acute losses of sleep have been shown to

have a host of harmful effects in humans,

including tendency to overeat the next day and

decrease insulin sensitivity, two things that spell

disaster when combined.

Sleep loss usually results in feeling stressed out

as well, which is generally not favorable for proper

appetite regulation. Aim to get at least 7-8 hours

of sleep per night.

Yes! Endless crunches will not melt away the fat

from your midsection. It just doesn't work that

way. And despite the "burn" of high rep ab

exercises, you barely burn any calories while doing

those endless crunches. Visible abs are simply a

result of low body-fat. (Approx. below 12%)

In regards to ab training, 2 exercises per week is

more than enough for vital stimulation. Another

thing to consider too is your abs get a lot of

indirect work from other exercises mainly

compound movements such as squats, deadlifts,

seated or standing presses and pulldowns, etc.

So just remember if you can't see your abs very

well, you're simply carrying too much body-fat.

The best thing you can do is get lean by hitting

your fat loss calorie/macro goals and training

properly; once that happens, you'll start to see

that six pack peek through.


FAQ

If you're allergic to a certain vittles, you should

definitely follow standard protocol and avoid

them. Allergies are a serious medical condition

and trigger an immune system response that

could be life-threatening if care is not taken;

please consult a physician if you are concerned

about a food allergy.

Determine if you would like to continue to get

leaner. If the answer is yes, then continue dieting

for fat loss using the recommendations within

this book. If you decide you would like to begin a

mass phase, then slowly add calories in the form

of carbs and fat until you are gaining .5-1 lbs. per

month.

The best thing to do if you are intolerant of

certain foods/ingredients is either sparingly

ingest those things or eliminate them from your

diet. If you absolutely cannot eliminate them, you

could try using certain digestive aids like fiber

supplements and digestive enzymes.

You will want to slowly start adding calories back

into your diet as you transition to a maintenance

phase. A maintenance phase is essentially when

your caloric expenditure and intake are in

equilibrium. To find how many calories you require

for a maintenance phase you will need to simply

calculate your DCR (Daily Calorie Requirements).

You may refer to Chapter 5 or the Macro

Calculator Excel Spreadsheet to calculate this

value.

The goal is to add calories slowly over a few weeks

so you add as little body fat as possible. You may

even get leaner during this process if you keep

training hard and control your food intake.

Sometimes fruits, vegetables, and meats do not

come with nutritional information. Using

websites/apps like CalorieKing or MyFitnessPal

you can simply search the fruit, vegetable, or

meat to obtain the same nutritional information.


FAQ

Eat your food slowly to give your brain time to

catch up with your stomach. If you eat very quickly

you may end up taking in an excessive amount of

food and not feeling satiated.

Drink plenty of water (or other low-calorie liquids)

The benefits of staying hydrated are numerous,

and keeping enough liquid in your stomach while

you eat will create a sense of fullness (not to

mention it’s great for digestive purposes).

Eat foods that provide more satiety early in your

meals:

Fibrous vegetables and fruits are

micronutrient-dense, lower-calorie options

that provide bulk to waste in the intestines and

make you feel full.

Water content foods such as soups, beans,

lean meats, poultry, fish, low-fat dairy, fruits,

veggies and certain cooked grains are generally

lower in calorie density. Essentially, you get

more for your money with these options

because the water promotes satiety and adds

volume to your food.

Refer to the printable workout logs to prepare

yourself for upcoming workouts.

Use the provided Excel spreadsheet to

calculate your fat-loss macronutrient goals.

You may also calculate them manually using

the methods provided in chapter 5.

Download a macro/calorie tracking app such

as MyFitnessPal and start logging your meals

Hit your daily macro goals (Fat/Carbs/Protein)

Weigh in each day under the same conditions

(upon waking and after using restroom) and

record your weight.

Get up off your butt and make it happen! This

program means nothing without YOUR

ACTION!

Please send it all through to

transform@simplyshredded.com

Vacate your mind from food

This sounds like common sense, but when you feel

hunger pain coming on the last thing you want to

do is be around the kitchen when grandma is

whipping up her famous chocolate chip cookies.

Try and keep yourself preoccupied with other

things and you’ll notice you stop worrying about

food so much.


KEEP THE DRIVE ALIVE

I t n e v e r g e t s e a s I e r.

you just get stronger.


12 WEEK SHRED


REFERENCES


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