The Five Keys to Effortless Fat Loss
In this post, I’m going to share with you how to achieve a lean and chiseled Summer body, well, effortlessly.
Now, not effortless in the literal sense of the word. Because, after all, commitment and diligence is involved in achieving an amazing body.
But rather, effortless in the sense that you will feel completely, and absolutely liberated.
Everyday, you will feel incredibly full and satisfied off foods you love. And you will walk through life, knowing, that nothing can stop you from getting to your goal.
Dinner dates, social outings, weekend drinks, and sheer laziness, none of this has to put your fat loss goals on halt – if you start implementing the five keys to effortless weight (fat) loss…
The Goal of Effortless Fat Loss
The goal of effortless fat loss is simply to make eating at a calorie deficit, simple, easy and enjoyable.
That is all!
Being in a calorie deficit is what creates fat loss.
Contrarily, eating at a calorie surplus, is what causes us to gain weight. Funny enough, no one argues that eating too much causes us to gain weight. Yet, some “diet gurus” will try to mislead you into believing that calories don’t matter.
That’s like saying energy doesn’t matter. It’s a completely absurd statement. When you’re eating at a calorie deficit, the body needs to meet it’s energy requirements one way or another.
So it is forced to tap into stored body fat for fuel.
The question then becomes, how do I make eating at a calorie deficit as simple, easy and enjoyable as possible? That my friend, is where the five keys come in!
Key #1 – Learn to Eat Just Two Meals Per Day
(Meal from KinoChef)
This is the holy grail of effortless fat loss. In fact, it’s why I’ve been able to lean down on every vacation I’ve ever gone on, while eating triumphant meals and drinking liberally.
The modern day push towards propagating a higher meal frequency is not only confounded on zero research, it also is what is making fat loss so damn hard!
When we feel like we need to eat 4-6 meals per day, we have no wiggle room, no freedom, no chance to be human.
When you learn to eat just two meals per day, you can enjoy life to the utmost.
You can eat big and bad ass meals and feel like a true warrior. You can enjoy all kinds of epic meals on a weekly basis, while dropping body fat, it’s kinda nuts actually.
When you can enjoy food completely and hold a low body fat, life gets kinda awesome.
How to Make Eating Two Meals Per Day Effortless
This is something I go into much greater detail in my Aggressive Fat Loss Program, which is, easily, bar none, the most effective course on getting super lean and enjoying life.
But the concept is to eat only a lunch and dinner! I recommend saying good bye to a morning breakfast for life.
It’s one of the best things you can ever do. This is something I discuss in the Kinobody Fasting Handbook.
Intermittent fasting increases fat mobilization, spares muscle protein, boosts mental alertness and even has life extension properties and numerous beneficial health effects. As well, from my experience, intermittent fasting allows you to retain more muscle on a cut.
Black Gold
Fasting until lunch is actually not that hard once you adapt to it. The key is to drink a few cups of black coffee during the fasting portion of the day. Black coffee will blunt appetite, improve mental clarity, elevate mood and increase energy levels. My favorite coffee is Fasting Fuel.
If you’re worried about drinking coffee, don’t fear, coffee is a health packed elixir and it may even save your life. If you hate coffee, you can make ice coffee and chug it down.
Now the key is to only drink coffee during the fasting portion of the day and at no other time.
We’re using coffee (Fasting Fuel) strategically to make intermittent fasting effortless.
Another cool trick is to hold off on drinking coffee for the first 1-2 hours of your day. This will help you push your first meal later into the day.
Pushing your first meal later into the day will allow you to eat like a king and lean down (since you’ll have so many calories to eat in just 2 meals, yippie).
An Apple a Day (or two)
If you get hungry before your lunch and dinner, I recommend the apple trick. This is where you simply eat an apple as a snack. A typical apple has only 80 calories, yet it does a pretty great job at staving off hunger.
In fact, my friend and fitness expert, first got me onto eating 1-2 apples per day from this post.
So your day might look like this:
- wake up – 7am
- coffee – 9am (enjoy 2-3 cups of coffee over a couple hours)
- snack (1 apple) – 12pm
- Big lunch – 1 or 2pm
- Snack (1 apple) – 6pm
- Big Dinner – 8pm
Pretty much anyone can adapt to the above strategy. You can adjust it depending on your typical wake up time. The earlier you wake up, the earlier your big meals should be.
Let’s Put this Into Perspective
With this approach, you can eat big, incredible meals. It doesn’t matter how much fat or carbs you take in, it doesn’t matter if you eat sugar or ice cream, if you’re in a calorie deficit, you will lean down.
As long as you take in sufficient protein and strength train 2-3x per week, you will maintain muscle while dropping fat. So on this protocol, you could eat chipotle for lunch (double steak, tons of cheese) and a big ass steak with french fries for dinner.
And guess what, you’d probably drop fat. To make this protocol more ‘aggressive’, I would substitute one of the meals for a lower calorie meal (400-600 calories). This will put you in a bigger deficit and allow you to eat until a state of bliss for your other meal.
This is precisely the approach that I describe in my Aggressive Fat Loss Program and the feedback and results been nothing short of astonishing.
Here’s the latest one from Cody B. after only 30 days
“What’s up Greg?
Thanks for the check-in email. So far, lots of progress has been made. I started the program at 184 pounds and weighed in today actually at 171 pounds.
I’ve been tracking roughly my lean body mass compared to my fat mass with calipers each week, and I haven’t lost a pound of muscle. So thus far 13 pounds of pure fat loss! Not bad at all.
With a lean body mass around 148ish, I’m planning to continue on the program a little while longer until I’m at a reasonable spot.
I’ll send pictures soon!
-Cody B.”
And another one from Marc Hurtubise, after 12 weeks
Key #2 – Stop Obsessing About Protein Intake & Macro Numbers
To make fat loss effortless, we need to let go of the head games. Tracking macronutrients is not as necessary as many people make it out to be. The ‘If It Fits Your Macros’ approach has gotten a little out of hand.
The idea is to make eating at a calorie deficit as enjoyable as possible (while getting adequate protein). Now sure, certain macro ratio’s and intakes can be more enjoyable.
The main idea is to avoid doing anything stupid. And by stupid, I mean going really low in fat or carbs.
The Problem with Going Low in Fats & Carbs
You see, when you go really low in fat (under 20% of total calories per day), you impair hormonal functioning, you make food taste bland and it’s really hard to stay full (since adequate fat helps promote fullness).
When you go really low in carbs (under 20-30% of total calories per day), bad things happen. Carbs help support training, testosterone, reduce stress and improve mood through release of neurotransmitters like serotonin and tryptophan that help keep you relaxed, happy and help with sleep.
So the whole concept is to consume adequate protein and enjoy a balanced intake of fats and carbs.
That can be accomplished with a range of macro intakes. So this gives you more flexibility to enjoy food without trying to fit everything into some macro number.
The Problem with Eating Tons of Protein
As for protein, I’ve been enjoying going lower in protein. About 0.7-0.8g per pound of bodyweight. This approach works really well if you are only eating two meals per day.
This is because you’ll be able to eat big servings of filling protein, while also having tons of room for delicious and satisfying fasts and carbs. As well, when you don’t have to worry about hitting a crazy amount of protein each day, your life becomes easier.
You don’t have to do as much cooking, it’s easier to eat out and you can enjoy really tasty food. If you were to eat a ton of protein, you’d have to drop your carbs and fats down a lot.
A lower protein and higher carb diet (with fat being equal), actually promotes a higher level of testosterone in men. I’ve actually noticed that I no longer have any sex drive issues when dieting to extreme levels of leanness since dropping my protein and upping my fats and carbs.
In the aforementioned study, a lower carb higher protein diet, decreased testosterone by a stiff 30%. Yikes, on a calorie deficit, testosterone will already be taking a hit.
Don’t make matters worse by eating tons of protein at the expense of your fats and carbs.
Don’t force yourself to eat more protein or macros if you’re not hungry
One question I get all the time is this – “Greg I’m already full but I still have some macros left, do I have to eat them”. My answer is no. The whole point of the nutrition strategy is to make fat loss a breeze.
If you’re already full, then stop eating. That just means you’ll be losing fat at a faster pace. Even if you haven’t finished your protein numbers for the day, that’s fine.
It’s okay to go lower in protein on some days. And if you’re getting around 0.7-0.82g per pound of bodyweight in protein, then you pretty much have got everything you could possibly need.
It’s a disservice to force yourself to eat on a cut, if you’re not hungry. Learn to listen to your body and tune into it, for effortless fat loss.
Key #3 – Consume Foods That Keep You Full & Satisfied
This brings me to the next point. The key to effortless fat loss is to really focus on eating foods that keep you full and satisfied!
While avoiding foods you seem to have no control over or leave you in a state of wanting more.
Lean meats, potatoes, veggies, beans, low fat cheese, corn tortillas, PopChips, whole eggs mixed with egg whites – are all very satiating.
I recommend basing your fat shredding diet off these foods. I also recommend using a little fat from butter and coconut oil for cooking to make food crispy and delicious.
I encourage people to avoid eating pasta, rice and cereals and foods that don’t do much to satisfy you. I also find chocolate in moderation, to do a really good job at satisfying a sweet tooth and promoting fullness.
Have a few hundred calories of chocolate and you’ll probably be satisfied. Have a cookie or two, and you’re going to want to eat the entire bag. At-least that’s my experience haha!
Low fat frozen yogurt with chocolate chips is an amazing dessert that’s satisfying and low in calories. Catching my point here?
Eat foods that you enjoy and help make eating at a calorie deficit easy.
Or, at-least focus on this 80-90% of the time.
This is partially a learning process. But once you find meals and desserts that you truly enjoy and make dieting easy, well stick to them. There’s no need for a ton of variety. Simplicity is best!
Key #4 – Be a Minimalist in the Gym
The fourth key to achieving effortless fat loss is to learn to become a minimalist in the gym.
What most people don’t understand is that a high level of exercise can drive up appetite.
This can make dieting a miserable experience. My suggestion is to limit your training down to three intense 45 minute strength training sessions per week. And to go for a 40-60 minute walk on your non lifting days.
This is the optimal amount. Adding intervals, crossfit, p90x, circuits, high volume strength training sessions, 4-6 lifts per week. All that training just makes dieting harder as it ramps up appetite, depletes will power reserves and destroys confidence when you can’t sustain it.
And for what purpose? Building a great physique is tied to hitting a calorie deficit (through proper to nutrition) to reach a low body fat, and progressing on key lifts.
Once you’re lifting intensely three days per week, eating properly and getting in some low intensity walking, you already are doing everything you could possible need to promote a lean and chiseled physique.
Why make building a great physique and achieving a low body fat harder than it needs to be?
When you hone your training down, you’ll experience accelerated results because recovery will be on your side and you’ll finally be able to pour yourself into the workout sessions.
Key #5 – Stop Giving a Fuck
One reason why I’ve had such amazing success dropping body fat on vacations, trips and travel experiences is because, well, uh, I stopped giving a fuck.
My mind wasn’t even thinking about fat loss. I was just enjoying myself and doing the best I could.
When you’re constantly thinking about fat loss and dieting, you’re essentially putting a weight on your shoulders, mental baggage if you will. This makes fat loss, 10x harder than it needs to be.
Do your best to follow your workout program and nutrition plan, then forget about it altogether and live your life. This usually, involves, accepting yourself.
Be okay with where you are right now in this moment
If you don’t accept yourself, if you don’t accept this moment and where you’re starting from at this point in time, then you will unconsciously cling onto exactly where you are right now.
You’ll never completely achieve your goals because your ego won’t allow you to. This is because your identity is now based around not being happy with how you look and your ego will do whatever it can to preserve that very identity.
So if you truly want to be happy with how you look, if you truly want to achieve your goals. You must live as if you are where you want to be right now. You must feel happy and complete with yourself now.
Accepting yourself and having gratitude does not mean that you will stop working towards your goals
On the contrary, when you’re no longer resisting what you don’t want, you will be free to move forward with ease, joy and lightness. This is because you can’t resist something, while at the same time fully apply yourself. “What you fight you strengthen. Whatever you resist, persists” Eckhart Tolle
External reality is a reflection of your internal reality. Once you change your internal reality, everything in your life will transform.
When you learn to have peace and acceptance with yourself, then you can finally enjoy the adventure to your goals without the stress, chronic thinking and mental baggage that was there before.
This is a huge component of my Aggressive Fat Loss Program 2.0. And is partly why it’s so successful!
YOUR Next Steps
1) Pick up AFL 2.0
This includes the full blown PDF, cheat sheets, recipe guide, workout program, mindset guide and more…
You can purchase it directly here – AFL 2.0
2) Take Your Pictures, Weight & Waist measurement
I want you to see concrete proof of how effective this system is. That means taking pictures, recording your weight and measuring your waist around bellybutton level.
Always take your weight and waist measurement first thing in the morning for greatest accuracy. Your waist measurement will fluctuate an inch or more, after drinking water or eating.
By having this data, you will no, objectively how much progress you’re making. Sometimes weight will stall, but your waist may go down. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket (weight or waist measurement). Look at the full picture.
3) Start Implementing the Protocol
Plan your day, know exactly what you’re going to be eating that day. Go grocery shopping if you have to. Get your coffee game on to help with fasting. Pick up some delicious apples, lean meats, coconut oil and potatoes!
There’s no need for a ton of variety. Keep it simple. You’ll be leaning down so nicely, you won’t care if you’re eating the same handful of meals every week. Especially when you’re satisfied as heck!
Cheers, to your lean and chiseled physique!
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Hi Greg, I got a question, do we have to eat to a minumum calories per day? I am a female and the recommend calories intake per day is 1000-1200, but since i started with this 2 meals plan i hardly hit 1000 calories per day.(Trying to eat clean as possible) Will there be a problem?
yes you must eat the set cals. if you’re having trouble consuming that much food. then eat a bit earlier
how often do you recommend to switch between fat loss and bulking ? I am pretty skinny now 183cm and 66kg , but still has some fat to loose.
If you have fat to lose, then you would lean down to 8% using either aggressive fat loss or Warrior shredding then lean bulk with Greek God Program. so you really cut hard once, you only cut again if you were getting ready for summer or something like that because you won’t gain fat using Greek God Program
hey greg, I am thinking about buying your program but I have a question.
You say it is efforless, but if i dont eat breakfast and only 2 meals a day, I think I will starve the first couple of hours of the day and it will cost me a lot of effort not to eat. So how will this be efforless?
use caffeine strategically. He uses black coffee. after waking drink water for an hour or two then have a cup or two of black coffee over time till afternoon. wait 1-2 more hours then have a piece of fruit to starve off hunger again for another hour or two. then have your first meal. Effortless. read some of his articles on this website or watch his youtube videos
Hey greg
I’m 18 yrs old 12-13% body fat 143 pounds,5″8,train 5 days a week,.I wanna get ripped but my trainer says that at this age I should not eat in a defecit infact he says that I don’t need to track my calories very seriously and eat till I’m full but if I do this I end up eating in a surplus so will I get ripped over time or not? I’m really confused right now so your advice would be of grt help
THANKX
that is completely false. a lot of people cut when they’re 18. it’s perfectly fine. get down to cut or shredded is all about diet.
Nice article Greg, probably your best yet IMO. That Jack Nicholson photo really sealed the deal though haha. Glad to see more people catching onto the fact that you don’t need heaps and heaps of protein, and that it’s actually a big tradeoff to sacrifice beneficial carbs and fats. Protein has big diminishing returns once you hit the minimums for anabolism (30g/meal or so).
BTW, I’ve also lost fat on pretty much every tropical vacation I’ve gone on as well!
Hey Greg,
What workout program is better while leaning down? the one in AFL or GG or does it matter? Also, can dips be swapped out for skull crushers in GG?
Thanks!
Both are effective. Dips might be a lot in one workout…. Incline presses, standing presses, then dips. I think that’s excessive.
Greg you say ”ncline presses, standing presses, then dips. I think that’s excessive.” but GGP Mega’s It contains this exercises in one workout :/ ?
Yeah for strength and density… It’s excessive. We’re trying to maximize strength gain, which requires the ability to maintain intensity. With MEGA, we’re going for more volume. Strength gains aren’t as rapid with it, typically. But the extra volume is good for muscle gain.
Hmmm I get it now =) Thank you Greg ..
Greg,
Can dips replace incline presses if I am stalled on that move?
Not really… I’d change to incline presses off the rack (90 degrees) or incline dumbbell bench press. That will carry over more than dips.
Dips can replace bench or close grip bench.
Greg, what kind of meals do you recommend on breaking the fast after eating the apple? Im kinda confused when you said do not take carbs in the first meal. What kind of meals do you have in a day then ?
I eat potato wedges or pop chips for carbs. I just don’t eat it right away. I find I’m more satisfied if I break the meal up ahha. Go with meals based around lean meats and veggies mang.
Hmm, so what meal do you eat when breaking the fast? And did you eat your potatoes throughout the day?
Usually I break fast with an apple. Then afterwards I’ll have a big serving of protein and veggies. And I’ll have potatoes a bit later. Then at night, another meal.
I understand that beach season is coming, and you’re encouraging (and promoting) fat loss and strength maintenance.
But there was a time when you encouraged strength and proportions, and low BF of course, and sold me (and others) on the Greek God 2 day split program.
Then it was Superhero physique…
Now it’s all about fat loss and 3 day splits, pushing strength gains at low to maintenance calories.
The original Greek God program got you where you are today strengthwise for sure, and it you hadn’t eaten enough calories to get up to 190lbs, you wouldn’t be this strong.
Now the GGP seems outdated
… I guess what I’m saying is that I want to trust the GGP and not feel that I should change to your latest and greatest promotion.
You sold me on standing press as “the go to ” ultimate core strength and shoulder builder, and not sit comfortably to do flared out DB press…
Now all I see is you doing flared out seated DB (high incline) presses.
Haven’t seen you promote standing presses in months…
Plus, why do you also have a Hacking Series?…causing more doubt about how to structure the workout or progress.
I guess I should keep trying your original GGP principles…
See if I benefit from them.
And stop following your newest stuff.
Follow the GGP it’s very effective…
If you have shoulder issues, standing press is much healthier on the shoulders. That said, when you get extremely strong, overhead presses become quite taxing. So I find it easier and less mentally draining to do seated db presses. That said, I do exercise rotation now. I’ll do the same exercise for a 3-6 weeks, then rotate when I stall.
Do the GGP. Hacking is to accelerate gains on one specific movement.
Rob – all programs have their place. GGP is definitely not outdated. I made some big updates a few months ago. But for someone that really wants to lean down and drop fat, the nutrition protocol in AFL makes it a breeze. The project beach ripped group is getting ripped to shreds, it’s awesome.
But there is something timeless about GGP. IT’s an amazing course and probably my best selling. I spend about 4 months of the year, following that program.
Greg,
I wasn’t sure how you’d take my rant.
Thanks for responding and not “flipping me off.”
I now see the updated Shoulder-focused 2015 routine, where you’ve updated the warm up routine, replaced SP and SS with rest-pause, etc.
I guess the 5,6,8 RPT is better than 4-6, 6-8, 8-10 for some movements.
But would you still advise the GGP Specialization and/ or MEGA training as is?
5, 6, 8 is great with the loading patterns (micro loading, or alternate set loading). 4-6, 6-8, 8-10 is good if you prefer to build up reps, then increase weight….
Yeah follow GGP. You can replace standard pyramid for rest pause on certain exercises if you want.
Greg,
How detrimental would it be to eat a couple dry eggs (no butter or cheese) in the morning? I ask because I truly enjoy eating breakfast with my wife and kids in the morning. I’d do the rest of the plan as noted. Thanks!
Dave
As long as you account for those calories then that should be fine.
Hey Greg, I need your help. I cut my weight from 193 to 183 and I ate enough protein, maintained and even improved strength on most of my lifts but the more weight I’m losing I tend to hold more water in my lower stomatch. Any tips on this, do I need to cut down carbs and sodium a bit? Thanks…
Hey… Nope… You may just have to bring your calories up and cut out cardio for 3-4 days. Any excess water retention is usually from cortisol. So up the carbs for a few days man.
Hey Greg!
I bought an adjustable hand gripper because I want to improve both my grip strength (it’s not being able to keep up with strength increases on some movments) and forearm size.
How often would you recommend using them (I’m following your Superhero program)? Can you recommend any sort of rep and set goal?
Thanks a lot!
You can do grippers quite often. The forearms recover fast and don’t cause much neural fatigue. I’d recommend to do them about 3 days per week. You can do them on your lifting days if you want. I’d aim for around 5-10 reps and 2-3 sets.
Hey Greg
Posted a really long comment on this post the other day, no idea where it disappeared to?
Anyway, I really love this approach. I’ve been fasting for 3-4 years, using coffee strategically in the mornings, and it really is an incredibly easy and effective way to create a calorie deficit without feeling like you want to chew off your own foot. Irrespective of some of the potential health benefits of fasting, the dietary compliance aspect is super powerful.
That said, I, like you have been down the paleo and low carb rabbit hole, only to emerge with binge eating behaviours, and just battling to keep the ‘clean eating’ up. As soon as I introduced a flexible approach to my dieting, things just got SO easy. Compliance was/is a breeze, consistent fat loss week on week.
It really can be the ‘holy grail’ for some people, guys in particular, who like BIG meals, can get lean, strong, and stay happy with daily fasting. I also love flying in the face of conventional wisdom too :-)
Anyway, thanks for all the content and the podcasts, I like the relaxed atmosphere a lot.
Cheers
Steve
Thanks for sharing Steve! And I’m pretty sure your other comment is published
Thanks Greg, yeah, I spotted it in the end, my bad! BTW, I only just listened to your podcast with Dan John. What a nice, and very humble guy he is, really enjoyed it.
Keep up the good work!
S
Thanks man!
Hi, i really love your mega training. Is to much to do mega training on a caloric deficit?
It’s do able.
So you have only been eating 0.7-0.8g protein per pound of bodyweight lately? That is awesome since eating tons of protein just isn’t doable for me…but I can handle getting .7-.8.
But…does that apply to both bulking and cutting? Do you recommend that same protein range for people both on the GG and AFL programs?
Yeah that applies for both mang
Yo Greg man, Joe Manganiello’s got some sick body. I’ve searched for his type of workout on other sites. But they be on that bulls*** rep range as well as the amount of sets. When your schedule is smooth, you should bang out a Kino style Joe Manganiello workout. Food for thought man, cheers.
Yeah that would be sweet!
Hey Greg
Do you use any skincare products on your face like a facial cleaner, scrub or Moisturizer?
Nope… nothing. Probably should use a moisturizer at some point though.
Hey Greg, how important exactly are macros in terms of fat loss? I have been mostly hitting my protein requirements, I’ve been on a deficit (even less in some days) but sometimes I have more fat than I’m required and I have less carbs on what I need. Does this play a big role? Thanks!
Macros don’t change much. The deficit is what creates fat loss. So being higher in fat and lower in carbs.. wont’ change much
Based on diet day schedule, when do you go to work out at the gym? What time of the day do you normally go for best result? Will it right before big lunch?
Yeah usually just before my big meal.
Thank you.
Greg,
I just started Aggressive Fat Loss today and am having just 2 main meals as advised.
Do I still eat more calories on the 3 days I work out and less calories on the days I dont go to the gym?
Thanks!
Steve M.
Massachusetts
Nope.. same calories
I am trying to understand the diet plan.
I am fine with steak for two meals a day. But potatoes? Won’t potatoes be a problem with carb/sugar?
Erik
No dude… Read the beginning of the article again man. If you’re eating less calories than you burn.. fat loss will take place.
Okay, Dude. :-)
Hey Greg!
I’m planning on starting a cutting phase soon (I’m around 15% BF, slightly visible abs) but I still don’t know whether if I’m going to take a more agressive approach (as in your AFL program) or a slower approach (like in your WSP program). Most of the latest fat loss transformations you post are done following a more agressive protocol rather than slowly losing fat.
Can you briefly explain the pros and cons of each approach?
Thanks!
That may be better set up for a full blown blog post…
But both protocols work very well. AFL is better if you enjoy fasting and can handle eating two meals per day (one huge one, one smaller one) plus a couple pieces of fruit. WSP you’re eating 3 meals per day with a fast. Two big meals and one smaller meal.
Hey greg, have you ever tried reverse intermittent fasting? i don’t know if there is such a word but let me explain what i mean.
Example: Instead of fasting from 12am in the night( you go to sleep at 12am), waking up at 8am in the morning and eating your first meal at around 2pm, you do the exact opposite.
You wake up at 8am, eat breakfast, eat again at 1 pm and 5 pm. From 5 pm to 12am you don’t eat anything and you only drink cofffe. Then you go to sleep and continue fasting till morning.
Basically its exactly the same hours of fasting. I had a friend who had a daily program like that, he skipped the dinner and ate breakfst. he achieved to stay pretty lean while putting mass.
regards,
Damian
No haha. There’s multiple reasons why I don’t like that approach. Plus there’s inherent benefits to eating more at night. But shit, who wants to go to bed starving. Not me.. Who wants to not be able to eat dinner with friends.. Not me.
Greg, I had a couple of quick questions as I’m on the fence about purchasing one of your programs.
I’m 5’10” ~180lbs… probably 20-22% bf (just basing that on pictures of others at similar bf %). I’ve dropped around 20lbs since mid-January (almost 3 months ago exactly).
I’m doing IF and eating around 1500-1700 cals a day, so a pretty aggressive deficit (but doesn’t feel like it running IF!). I don’t bother cycling carbs or any of that jazz, just try to keep my protein on the high (but not too high) side and carbs/fats in check.
I’ve been doing a variation of Stronglifts 5×5 (ICF) for the same amount of time. A lot of squats! I’d been progressing nicely up until a few weeks ago. Squats are starting to take a hit. Regardless, my focus is on losing fat first.
My main question is this: with the aggressive fat loss program (or any of them for that matter, warrior, greek god, etc)… can I do the lifts at home assuming I have a barbell/rack? I have plenty of weight for the bar given my current abilities. I also have a set of dumbbells that go up to ~50lbs (selectable). I workout super early in the morning and the ability to run the programs from home is important.
I feel like my diet is pretty well in check but I’m looking for something to switch to from ICF. I’m not interested in building strength alone at this point (and again, made some pretty nice gains in that department anyway since starting). Sorry for the long-winded PM. Thanks for any help!
Yeah you can train at home that will work well. Go with AFL – kinobodyfatloss.com
Just a further point about the “Cold coffee” tip. I recently bought the Toddy Cold brew system. I have to say the coffee is out of this world. Almost of all of the bitterness than you can get with coffee is gone, just the flavor left over. Hot coffee is easy to make just add hot water to the concentrate. I highly recommend it.
http://www.amazon.com/Toddy-Coffee-Maker-Extra-Filters/dp/B0040ZR0VS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429477029&sr=8-1&keywords=toddy
Interesting. I’ll check it out mang
Hey Greg
Nice post, shame it’s all so simple really, be much more fun if you could set yourself up as a guru with some secret sauce that only you have discovered.
I’m very much in agreement on the points you’ve raised, I was pretty damn lean last year, just over 9% BF, and it kinda all fell apart a little. I was pretty into the Lean Gains thing, but eating pretty low carb on non training days, and although I lost fat, the binging became an issue, you know about all that I think :-)
That said, fasting has been incredibly powerful for me, and I think, that for many people, men in particular, this style of eating is ideal. Our willpower is generally much higher in the a.m, I NEVER succumb to breakfast unless I really want to, which is pretty much never.
The apple or banana trick is awesome, just ate one now, it keeps me going that little bit longer, although, I’ve been IFing for so long, going all day with no food is no hardship.
Coffee is great, although, I occasionally have it with a small teaspoon of sugar or maple syrup instead of milk, it ‘may’ reduce some of the benefits of a fast, but I doubt it, the fat is still coming off easily and effectively.
I’ve been down the paleo road, the keto road, and the reality is, that the flexible dieting approach, with the emphasis on unprocessed foods for the most part, but with treats to make life enjoyable, and aid compliance is incredibly powerful, it makes calorie restriction a piece of cake.
I’m back up around 13% BF now, but am aiming for 8-8% for the summer. Not too shabby for a 46 year old guy?
My message to any other readers is similar to yours. Stop looking for the next best thing, stop giving a fuck, enjoy the journey, make your diet work for YOU, and as long as it is working, and you are eating macros at a level that supports your training goals, it’s all good.
I’ve been involved in the fitness and nutrition industry for quite a few years, but even we suffer from the same emotional eating and self-sabotaging behaviours that the rest of the population do, but with the advice you are offering, getting lean is simple. And almost EASY too :-)
Good luck to everyone.
Thanks for sharing Steve!
Hey Greg, thank you so much for having these websites and youtube videos, i learned a lot from it! I’m cutting right now, and I am currently doing your MEGA training method, do you think it is effective enough? I feel like I go in and out of the gym so quickly.
Also, keep doing your day in a life of eating videos! I really enjoy watching those, thanks!
Yeah man! That’s super effective.
Do you think I’ll be fine if on some days I still reached my deficit, but I exceed my fat macros and lack on the carbs? Does it make a great difference in losing fat?
That’s fine man.
Hi Greg!
You said to listen to my body and not force myself to eat if im already full. Does this principle also apply when lean bulking? I’m 5’5, 130lbs and 10-12% body fat. Im lean bulking to 140lbs.
thanks!
If you’re lean bulking and struggling to gain weight then, yes, you’ll have to eat
Greg,i’m on wrong way? I’m 188 and 80kg 25 yrs old,and i guess my body fat %15-17 (i’m look lil bit skinny,i have a fat on lower and lil bit back belly) im Recomping now and started GGP ? Because you say your ”Greek God Muscle Building – Interview with Greg O’Gallagher” video on Youtube ”5:20 – 5:40” if you over %14 bf,lean %8-9 in 3 months better 10 times..” so i’m wrong way? Because i think,use Recomp protocol 3-4 months (down bodyfat,gain muscle) and then follow Leanbulking .. but whats better ? Recomp + leanbulk(Greek God Program Follow) or Cut first (WSP or AFL) + leanbulk after (GGP) for in my case?
Thanks.
Hey Greg! Quick question about weighted chins (doing neutral grip in my case). Currently I can do 5 reps with about 25 lbs on me. Seeing as the weight is pretty low, am I better off doing 3×5 right now instead of RPT and then going to RPT once I plateau? Just wondering what your suggestions are in this case
Yeah that could work. Or you could do 25 lbs, 10 lbs and bw
Hey Greg,
Is it ok to have a low calorie (120ish) protein shake in the morning when I wake up? I have found that I can be a little sluggish/weak in the morning without a small meal and was wondering if I could have a shake or if it would mess up the fast.
Thanks,
Joe
Yes that would void the fast. But if you enjoy that and it makes dieting easier then go for it.
I have a hard time getting in all my calories in 2-3 meals, Any suggestions how to make the meals moore calorie dense?
Well if your goal is to get lean, then go lower in calories. You’ll lean down super fast, then your appetite will eventually adjust to only 2-3 meals. Also enjoy really tasty foods, just fit them into your cals.
I think Andreas meant the opposite Greg. He wants to know how to get more calories in 2-3 meals which is the same issue I’m having. I’m 6’2″ 195lbs at about 11% body fat and am trying to make life easier than the typical 4-6 meals bodybuilding eating plan but my calories should be between 2600 and 3000 calories depending on what my goal is but Intermittent Fasting has been more difficult for me to get the appropriate amount of calories. Any suggestions?
Eat foods you really enjoy ahah! Don’t eat 100% clean. Include junk foods in moderation lol.
Greg,i’m on wrong way? I’m 188 and 80kg 25 yrs old,and i guess my body fat %15-17 (i’m look lil bit skinny,i have a fat on lower and lil bit back belly) im Recomping now and started GGP ? Because you say in your ”Greek God Muscle Building – Interview with Greg O’Gallagher” video on youtube”5:20 – 5:40” if you over %14 bf,lean %8-9 in 3 months better 10 times..” so i’m wrong way? Because i think,use Recomp protocol 3-4 months (down bodyfat,gain muscle) and then follow Leanbulking .. but whats better ? Recomp + leanbulk or Cut + leanbulk for in my case?
Thanks.
Yeah I would first cut down to 10% body fat. Just use the rest day macros 5-6 days per week.. Then you can do a recomp or lean bulk.
Hey greg what brand and type of dip belt do you recommend? Thanks in advance.
I also hit you up with and email. Hope you enjoy it haha :)
Check amazon..The harbinger dip belt is good.
hi,
when will be your Bodyweight-Workout released?
The plan is sometime in summer
Hey Greg, am I able to sub tea for coffee or is there some other type of drink I might be able to use instead of coffee?
Yeah you can do tea, that’s fine.
(Hat tip to Malcolm – Road to ripped Podcast 107) COLD Coffee was the magic ingredient for me – it blunts appetite a lot more than hot coffee.
The way I do it: Make it up the night before (I use an aeropress for delicious coffee) stick it in the fridge overnight and then pop it into a thermos flask to keep it ice cold – sometimes I add in some ice cubes in there.
Viola; a tasty, refreshing, cost effective, appetite suppressant that you can have on hand all day long.
Best Seamus.
Interesting that you find it blunts appetite more than hott coffee. I wonder why. Perhaps because cold coffee you get a faster caffeine hit. I prefer to drink hott coffee slowly over a while. I find that has the best appetite suppression.
Damn that’s genius man. I like your set up. Might have to share that tip in the AFL program.
Argh..is my comment get lost?!
I manually approve comments mang ;)
^^^lmao!
Hey Greg,
I love this post, one of your bests for sure! My question is, the whole fasting thing would be devinitively effortless for me if I could drink two cups of coffee WITH milk ;-) during the fast. I am talking about around 100 kcals from the milk, the apple is not necessary for me. I found out that I can manage it not eat until dinner as long as I can drink milk coffee (moderate amount). Believe me I am a real coffee addict but I don’ t like to drink it black :-( milk coffee (and reading a good novel) are both a huge part of my morning ritual. I considered drinking tea but it seems not to be a good replace. Any ideas? I am used to fasting ESE-style and I like to rise around 5.30 in the morning so my first meal would be rather early.
Yeah in your case I would drink it with milk. Just limit it to about 100 calories. If that allows you to fast until dinner, effortlessly, well damn, eating at a calorie deficit will be easier than effortless.
Hey Grey, Awesome article I am doing exactly opposite of what you recommend. I have around 5-6 small meals in a day which is quite an irritating process. I go to gym in morning at 7 than I go to work. Post gym I drink 1 scope whey protein in water than I have heavy breakfast like oatmeal, milk n fruits. I am gonna try this plan from next week. Should I continue taking the whey protein after the workout? Can I replace coffee with green tea?
Yeah I could never do the 5-6 small meals. Intermittent fasting is what has allowed me to stay under 10% body fat with ease. No need for whey protein. If you’re training in the morning, train fasted with just 10g of BCAA. Then take another dose of BCAA’s about 1-2 hours after your workout and fast until your first meal (lunch).
I’d do coffee instead of green tea, it’s a better appetite suppressant. If you don’t like coffee, you can make it the night before and refrigerate it over night and drink with ice. You can chug it down if you want.
Hey Greg, these tips are fantastic. They make leaning down so much easier, number 5 is probably the most important.
When you stop thinking about it all day then you don’t even have to try!
Thanks man! Yeah number five was the most profound lesson I internalized
I wake up at 7am in the morning for school, But the only time we can eat is lunch which for me is 11:40 and thats the only time I can eat during school. And we get out of school at 4:00. How do I make fasting fit my schudelue?
There are many ways you can do it! Eat a small meal for 11:40. Have an apple around 4pm. Then a big meal around 6 or 7pm. And maybe a piece of fruit around 9pm
Hey Greg what’s the jump rope you use in the cardio abs and mobility tutorial videos?
Not really sure! Bought it at a fitness store.
Hey,
Just wondering when following this kind of nutrition protocol, what your recommendations are in terms of post workout nutrition when lifting early in the morning, when lunch will be a couple of hours away after finishing the session.
10g BCAA right before training. Then fast until your first meal. You could do a second dose of BCAA an hour or two after training, if your first meal is not until 4 hours after your workout
Great read as usual Greg! I love your minimalist approach. I’ve always had success with less! My lifestyle has recently changed making the best time to train early in the morning. I’ve actually come to really enjoy to healthy habit of waking up having a cup of coffee and hitting the gym. It does make implementing 2 meals a day kind of a a bitch though. Personally I opt for an apple and few pieces of beef jerky and move on, as buying BCAA just for the “mental” ease seems like a waste of money. What would you suggest for those who are early morning trainers?
10g of BCAA before training. And another dose to bridge the gap until your first meal. I’m starting to become more fond of BCAA’s. I’ve added them back into my arsenal
+1 to everything you’ve said here.
Don’t go nuts with protein
Don’t drive yourself insane counting carbs
Embrace mild hunger
Drink coffee and TONS of water
Lift intensely
Doing all of these things allows me to stay sane and still enjoy life with my wife and kids.
Awesome Raza! Thanks for sharing man
Awesome post Greg!!
Gonna purchase AFL 2.0 as soon as I can!
Im doing GGMB strength n density and Cardio & Abs programs.
Things are moving along but just wanted to ask if I should do leg extensions or squats instead of sumo deadlifts/hang cleans? I dont have mass or much definition on my legs. What would you recommend? Should i sub if so what rep/set scheme, or just follow through S&D n the rest of GGMB and hit the squats as I progress through the program?
Sorry for the long post. Looking forward to the cookbook as well! Thanx Coach!!!
Hey man! Stick to the program as is for now. Leg extensions are great for the VMO, but it’s more of a supplement than anything.