How I Got Into My Most Shredded Condition Ever
This Is How I Got Into My Leanest Condition Ever
I remember it quite vividly, it was the summer of 2011 and I had just watched the cult classic film, American Psycho starring Christian Bale. Suffice to say, I was blown away by Bale’s physical conditioning for his role of the serial killer and Manhattan business man known as Patrick Bateman.
His body was incredibly lean, toned and wiry; shoulders steel, pecs granite hard and stomach razor sharp. I was determined to bring my body to a similar condition and I wasn’t going to stop until my face was chiseled to the bone, abs permanently visible and muscles hard as rock.
This meant that I was going to have to drop down from 11-12% body fat to a crisp 7%. It took about 6 weeks and I was there! I didn’t even realize how lean I was until I uploaded the ‘shrink wrap video’ on youtube and comments started flying in about how I had achieved physical perfection and to stop pushing it any further.
Since I couldn’t quite find how Christian Bale got into such incredible shape, I knew I had to figure out my own approach and design an entire shredded workout program to help me achieve the same condition.
What It Took To Get So Lean
It was quite simple, I was on a very strict diet. I was eating around 1800-1900 calories per day with a high intake of protein and moderate intake of fats and carbs. Now you must know that dieting is quite simply one of the hardest tasks in the world for me. Let me explain, when I was in high school we had mandatory camping trips that we had to go on as part of our curriculum.
This might sound crazy, but I dreaded these camping trips and would have much rather been in the class room writing tests and assignments. Why? Well because the thought of going more than a couple of days with a limited food supply scared the hell out of me. I like my food, a lot! This often meant that I would sneak a bunch of protein bars on the trips to ensure I would never go hungry.
The point of this little anecdote is simply to illustrate the sheer resistance I have towards reducing my food intake. That said, I knew that if I wanted to lean down quickly, I was going to have to keep my calorie intake under 2000. This meant that hunger impulses and cravings were going to be something I would have to welcome.
How Did I Push Through This?
It’s this: one meal a day to get ripped.
I started playing around with many different approaches. Finally, what seemed to work really well, was eating just one huge meal per day. I would often fast until the afternoon with just water and black coffee, this is much easier than it sounds, you just have to give it a couple of weeks to adapt to fasting.
I would wake up around 9am, drink a few cups of black coffee, have an apple around 3pm, hit the gym and eat a huge meal at 5pm. This huge meal was what I looked forward to everyday. In fact, it was the only reason why I could stick to this low-calorie plan consistently.
Around 9 or 10pm at night I would have a big tub of 2% cottage cheese or a big omelet with some berries. Cottage cheese and eggs digest very slowly providing amino acids in the bloodstream well until the next day. This has a pretty powerful anti-catabolic effect.
In fact, cottage cheese has been shown to absorb at rates of around 2.5g per hour. A 500g serving of cottage cheese delivers a solid 60g of protein, supplying your muscles with fuel for an entire 24 hours. This strategy ensures very good muscle retention and fullness while leaning down to low levels of body fat.
If you have an egg or dairy allergy you can always have some chicken with a little fat (avocado) and veggies. The fats in the avocado and fiber from veggies will help slow down digestion for maximum fullness and to help prevent muscle catabolism.
This diet structure was the core of my shredded workout plan… without it, I knew I would have never been able to get so lean.
How To Get The “Shrink Wrapped” Effect
At the six week mark, I was super lean and chiseled and knew it was time to capture the condition I had achieved. So the night before filming my ‘shrink wrap video’ I did a big carb refeed taking in around 320g of carbs that day! The idea was to drive as many carbs into my muscles as possible, without spilling over.
After a long dieting stint, a big carb refeed can trigger what is known as the ‘woosh effect’. The high carbs boost insulin production, which helps lower cortisol levels. High cortisol levels can often times lead to lots of water retention. So by feeding on lots of carbs after a intense diet, often times you’ll look sharper. After the big carb dinner, I took a super hot Epsom salt bath to suck out any excess water under my skin that was blurring definition.
The next day I fasted until the afternoon, this maximizes growth hormone, which has a skin tightening effect, sorry Bateman, no ice pack needed. I then performed a very intense high volume get shredded workout with around six sets on my chest, shoulders and back and 3 sets on my arms. Followed by some intervals on the bike. Thanks to the carbs from the night before, my muscles responded very well to this high volume training and my muscles became full, thick and tight.
After I got home from the gym, I stepped into the web cam and I had realized that I had surpassed my goal of getting into American Psycho condition. I was slightly leaner than Bateman with a little more muscle development and considerably more abs separation. Unfortunately, I was still unable to get reservations at Dorsia.
Want The Complete Aggressive Fat Loss Protocol?
I just skimmed the surface with the aggressive fat loss protocol in this post. If you want to learn the in-depth system, well I just released a new course called the Aggressive Fat Loss Diet. This is the third program added to the kinobody line! This course focuses purely on dropping fat at a fast rate for maximum muscle tone.
This is a lot more strict and intense than my warrior shredding program so I only recommend following it for 6 weeks at a time. If you have a lot of weight to lose then you can follow it for 4 months before taking 2 weeks to eat around maintenance. This is because the more fat you have to lose, the better off your body is at handling low calories.
So if you want an AGGRESSIVE strategy for dropping body fat and want to get shredded for summer time, then check out my new program today:
==> Click here to read all about Aggressive Fat Loss.
*Your results may vary. Testimonials and examples used are exceptional results and are not intended to guarantee, promise, represent and/or assure that anyone will achieve the same or similar results.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go return some video tapes…
159 Comments
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Did you do any HIIT to get to this condition?
Hi Greg.I hope you are doing well. What diet would you recommend for me. I am 5’10” / 175lb / 25 BMI. My goal is 18 BMI. Thanks.
Aggressive fat loss program
Hey greg what program do you recommend for me? Im 16 years 5″8 143 lbs around 15% body fat. Is eating 1700 kcal daily ok?
Thanks
go with warrior shredding program
Hey Can you give me some tips on dieting to get lean. I am 15 years old I am 5’8”, weigh 180 and about 24% body fat, I am currently doing p90x.
Stop doing p90x. Start tracking your nutritional intake. Read the articles on this site
Do you have suggestions for females?
Age: 25
Height: 5’6
Weight” 124lb
Body Fat: 28.6%
Muscle: 28.7%
How many calories should I consume a day?
Probably around 1400 calories per day as a starting point. That’s assuming moderate activity level (relatively inactive with one hour of movement each day).
Hey bro I recently started my cutt im trying to lose about 4-5 lbs in a month , im 154 lbs im 5ft with 3 inch. And I am 15 years old i. Doing my cut for wrestling season . I’m eating 1866 for a 500 calorie deficit is this okay . I eat about 5 protein bars during the day which it left me with 510 cals left then I use thoes last cals to eat lean beef with potatoes is this a good cut and im drinking 1 gallon of water a day
Yeah a 500 calorie deficit is okay. I would not just eat protein bars. It’s better to eat real, whole natural food than getting most your calories from protein bars.
Hi Greg, great article…keep up the good work. I’m 5’10 35yrs. old and using the same method as stated above… I’m currently at 196lbs trying to lean down like in your video. Currently I’m consuming
At least 172g of protein
57g of fat/and 129g carbs.
Does this seem reasonable for my goal, any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again!
You’re going pretty damn low in calories mang. I would bump fat to 70g and carbs to 170. There’s no need to go that low
Hey!
I’m very interested in this diet, but i’m wondering what you ate in your big meal?
Usually I eat a big serving of lean meat and a big serving of potatoes in my big meal.
hey Greg,
I just recently did a InBody test and I am 175lb
intracellular water 69
extracellular water 40.6
drylean mass 40
body fat mass 26
skeletal muscle mass 86
bmi 23
percent boyd fat 14.8
I am 6 feet tall 31 years old im trying to get down to 8 to look lean I still have a belly I am currently on a 1500 calories a day 180-200 grams proteins 20-30 grams fat 70 to 100 grams of carbs
what you think is the best bet?
I also do 30-40 min cardio a day and most of the time fasted in the morning and I do weight lifting and also HIIT and you know these High Intensity workouts with after burn effects all free weight using body weight..
How long it will take for me to get to at least 8-10% and look lean with literally abs sticking out?
Dude you’re dieting way too hard at 15% body fat. Shit. I wouldn’t go below 1800-2000 cals. Your fat intake is way too low. Bring that up to 50 and bring carbs up to 150 mininum. Protein 160-180 is fine.
I know But i Still have a belly lol i just started eating 1600-1800 Now incresead a few more calories how long youll think for me to get to 8% -10% range so i could Start see my abs ? Any tips ?
You can expect to drop about 2% per month.
So you had an apple at 3 pm and trained in the gym till 5 pm? In the gym you just lifted weights or did you add cardio? Sorry but you didn’t mention if you did cardio to get to 7% fat!
On my non lifting days I would usually do about 45 minutes of cardio.
Hey Greg, can you elaborate on directions for the epsom salt bath?
Like how long do you need to be in the water? And how much salt?
Any other advice would be great
Thanks!
Use like 3 cups of epsom salts. And try and be in the water for 20-30 minutes.
so do you only eat 2 meals each day? one at 5pm and another at 10pm? and do you go to gym after eating an apple without eating? how can u get power for lifting etc? nice body btw dude :) , but how can i go train without eating first :( i always read people who get nice transformation that they take 6 meals a day
Yes it’s actually a myth. I have my best workouts training fasted or semi fasted. You still have a huge resource of stored muscle glycogen to pull from when training, this is actually a very efficient source of energy. Moreover, fasted training boosts adrenalin, so the energy is there!
People do six meals because there’s been a lot of misinformation floating around that you need to eat every few hours. This is false. Check out my fasting articles in the ‘start here’ tab.
hey greg, really insightful tips on youtube and the site, loving it, ive been working out for a bit over a year and a half, ive never used protein powder though, so if i start my cut using your fasting method, should i pick up some protein powder to help recovery or wait until i bulk up again?
Well I don’t use protein powder. I actually don’t recommend it.
hey greg I have purchased some of your products and Rusty Moores but am still a little confused and have a few questions. Also, Great work btw with everything. First of all, what should the ideal number of reps be if goal is maximum definition?
You can’t lift for definition. Definition comes down to body fat levels and body fat levels come down to nutrition (creating the calorie deficit). Strength training should be done in the 5-12 rep range predominately. The 5-8 rep range seems to be the sweet spot. Good strength and muscle development combined with proper nutrition to get to a low body fat, will result in exceptional muscle tone.
@Greg, I’m on this Intermittent fasting, and my big meal to break the fast is in the form of a protein shake. I saw you said that FATS (even healthy fats?) should be avoided when trying to lean down? I’m around 6’1 and 180 lbs. with about 18% body fat (maybe 20%, you can decide what I am from the picture below)
http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/permalink/progress-photo/Markymarkuss777/46764112
I break my fast at around 1PM to 3PM in the afternoon, and stop eating around 8 to 9 PM every night. But my first meal consists of this below :
1. Three to four leafs of Kale
2. Tablespoon of honey
3. Two Tablespoon of coconut oil (14 Grams of fat)
4. 50 grams of Pea Protein (240 calories)
5. 2 Tablespoon of Almond Butter (6 grams protein and 16 grams fat)
6. Eight oz. of liquid egg whites (around 26 G protein I believe)
7. Tablespoon Pink Himalayan Salt
8. Vitamin Green Powder Protein (with spirulina and Chlorella – 4 grams of protein)
9. All mixed together in 32 oz. of Coconut Milk (unsweetened 45 calories per serving / cup equals a serving / equals 4 servings / 4.5 grams of fat per serving / 18 grams of fat)
Total of around 1,200 calories and 85-90 grams of protein, but also, around 50 grams of fat.
Then I eat a burrito at night with more fat in it I’m sure. Am I consuming too much fat (even if it is healthy fat)?
Also, I work out 3 days a week with weights. I don’t do any cardio. Any suggestions?
I never said fats should be avoided when trying to lean down. That is absurd. I recommend keeping fat around 30% to best support fullness and hormonal functioning on a cut. I believe you misinterpreted me. Perhaps I said that I don’t recommend eating nuts which aren’t incredible filling. And instead to opt for more meats and using fats for cooking and carbs.
1200 calories is very low. I wouldn’t recommend less than 1800 cals for a guy your size. And 60g of fat is a good amount for you.
I’m going to try this and hopefully drop about 10 lbs. I’m 5″11 and weight 195. I do work out and try to eat as clean as I can. Only thing is how do I use an alternative to fruits and vegetables. I heavily dislike them. I for the life of me cannot stomach them. Are they a necessity or can I do without? I can see definition everywhere on my body but my abs. I have to really flex in order to see them when I want them to just be visible.
I would suggest a greens supplement.
I take 1 a day men’s multi vitamin. Is that Ok or should I use that an a green supplement combined?
Yah that’s fine. But I’m not a huge fan of multi’s. I prefer to see people see what they’re deficient in and supplement with those specific vitamins/minerals. Def take a fish oil supplement tho.
This answer created a question for me. I don’t take any sups and I am also mildly allergic to fish and fish oil. Is there some sort of substitute or do i not need to worry about this. My diet mainly consist of chicken thighs and breast, beef on occasion( more of a cost issue than anything) lots vegetables, sweet potato’s, russet and red potato’s, and 1% cottage cheese( 2% is almost impossible to find in my town) and apples. I am currently eating 1550 cals a day, current weight is 150-152. also I’m 5ft5 and 48 years old. 30-31 inch waist. I’m guessing BF to be around 10-11%. Still have love handles and extra fat in mid section.
Don’t worry about it.
Hi Greg!
Remember me from some weeks ago?
I’m big fan of all your stuff here!
I dropped a little bit of fat, but now, more than 2 weeks passed, and I bought your warrior program,
but I still have some doubts.
I’m a male, 20 years old, 6 foot tall, 173 pounds, I really don’t know my bf % by now (maybe 13% and above?)
I attached a photo :
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6951731&d=1400923106
Eating around 2000 calories everyday,
Lifting 3 times a week, heavy weights, pyramid sets.
1 day a week of “swimming sprints” (max 20 min) of HIIT style.
I actually do a very low intensity cardio after weights (30 min of walk, 3.5 mph) Is that detrimental?
I really understood the program?
I’m doing it right? I really can’t get to about 10% in 6 weeks? (I have to travel in 6 weeks)
Thank you very much Greg!
Yah you can drop about 3% body fat in 6 weeks, for sure! Track your progress and you’ll see awesome gains.
Just spotted this one Greg. You looked bloody awesome in that picture mate.
I agree with you about dieting being a pain, it is for me too, I IF in a 16:8 fashion, and had been screwing things up for a couple of months due to non compliance. I’m back on it and going well.
I went sub 10% on the body fat, a little higher than that now, but I will get to single digits again.
I agree, fasting until lunch is simple, and then going a few hours further is still no problem. I’m probably suited for the 1 big meal a day thing, I never have compliance trouble during the fasting period.
So where are you now, still at a similar BF%
Look forward to hearing if you are still on one meal aday, or back up to a couple?
Best
Steve Reed
I never did one meal per day. That’s too long without eating. Two meals per day is the minimum. The big tub of cottage cheese with an apple definitely counts as a meal. And yeah, I’m basically still doing this. I’m around 9-10% body fat, so not quite as lean but definitely more muscle.
Hey Greg,
I have a problem with my stomach area. If I breath in to my stomach like I should and let my stomach hang naturally it looks like I’m having a baby. I’m 6′ tall 185 pounds. I’m in great shape everywhere on my body, even my stomach has a 6 back, but it pops out. You have a perfectly flat stomach and i’m wondering how? What’s your secret?
My example workout day.
wake around 7am, drink at least 40 ounces of water and drink carrot/apple/celery juice.
at around 11 or 12 i’ll do my cardio which is either rollerblade or run and then straight to the gym for about an hours worth of working out. every day i’ll do abs, and then arms, chest, shoulders, rotating them through the week. and some legs here and there.
When I return from the gym i’ll eat 3 eggs fried in coconut oil, mixed with some spinach and garlic and 32 ounces of water.
Around 4pm i’ll eat chicken with an egg and some spinach and 32ounces of water.
and then around 9pm i’ll eat 3 bananas and drink 32 ounces of water.
What do you think i’m doing wrong? Do you have any suggestions? Thanks man and keep up the awesome work!
Well it’s probably that in the pictures you see of me my abs are flexed. Don’t worry about your stomach hanging out. You actually want to relax your stomach, it allows for greater breathing and a more powerful voice. Keeping your stomach pulled in all the time, cuts you off from your sexual charge. As long as you’re lean and muscular, you’re golden. You don’t want your stomach to be super flat all the day. This isn’t natural.
You can focus on strengthening your TVA with planks and abs wheel roll outs. But I really think this isn’t much of an issue.
WOW I was wondering the same thing, my abs are becoming more visible over time but i have hold my breathe/flex to be visible. Thank you for this answer , hope has been restored and i can breathe again.
Glad this helped!
Thanks for the reply man, keep up the awesome work you’re doing in the fitness world, you’re doing great.
Hi Greg,
can you recommend a good book about nutrition (one book for fat loss and another one for muscle building)
Thx in advance
PS: Not sure I asked the question before but it didn’t show up in the blog. If you don’t want to ask the question it’s okay.
I like this one for muscle building – http://www.higher-faster-sports.com/defyingthecurse.html
I’m also gonna read beyond brawn soon. Beyond Bodybuilding is pretty good as with power to the people.
I’m only 15yrs old. My bodyfat setpoint is 13-15% BF. I want to get down to 8% BF, but I’m afraid it’s not very healthy for me since I’m still growing. Do you think it will be unhealthy for me? Should I aim for 10% BF first?
Yah I wouldn’t try to get ripped right now. Cutting down on your calories is not a good idea. Get to around 10-12% body fat and focus on eating healthy and you may build muscle while leaning out to 8% body fat naturally.
Hi Greg,
can you recommend a good book about nutrition.
One book for muscle building goals and another for fat loss goals.
Thx in advance
Cheers
I would suggest flexible dieting by Lyle Mcdonald. One of my favorite books for muscle building is by Kelly Baggett – http://www.higher-faster-sports.com/defyingthecurse.html
WOW, Kelly Baggett, I haven’t heard about him in ages. He was big with training the vertical jump back in the day.
This Intermittent fasting, caloric deficit and hitting your macros really works.
Lost 13 pounds (mostly fat, I hope) in about 9 weeks, plus got stronger.
Thanks for opening my eyes…Greg O’
Greg,
I’m goanna follow this diet for fat loss. But what should my goal be when working out
Train for strength
Greg,
Thanks for the post. I’ve always loved how you actually used relatable terms most of the time for the general fitness crowd.
I am currently about 12% body fat and I am trying to get to about 8% as I am going on vacation. I have about 5-6 weeks left to diet down before my vacation.
Problem is, I think I’ve hit a plateau for about 2-3 weeks and fat loss has been stagnant. Would you recommend that I drop my calories lower? I am currently about 66kg/146lbs and my macros are as follows at maintenance 300g carbs/ 145g protein/ 60g fat.
I have been dropping carbs to about 200g everyday regardless of workout or non workout day. Do you think staying consistent like that would actually allow me to drop my body fat to about 8% in 6 weeks?
I do consider refeed days as well where I take my carbs to about 400g.
I am curious to hear what you have to say.
Cheers,
Keith
Yah I’d also drop fat down to 50g. Might want to bump protein up as well.
I’m a male, 20 years old, 6 foot tall, 180 pounds, 16.4% bf (hydrostatic measured)
On a caloric deficit of – 200/500 a day, eating lots of protein everyday, carb cycling (workout day, high carb, low fat, rest day, inverse)
Lifting 3 times a week, heavy weights, pyramid sets.
1 day a week of “swimming sprints” (max 20 min) of HIIT style.
I’m doing it right? I can hit about 10% bf by the end of june?
Thanks.
You want to drop about 12 lbs in 7 weeks. That will not happen. Especially because a 200/500 deficit is very small.
Don’t bother with carb cycling until you’re 12% body fat or less. Eat at a continual deficit with one higher calorie day per week if you want. I’d suggest about 11-12 calories per pound of bodyweight.
I’m wondering if your method worked in getting lean by the end of June (which is now). I’m also around 6’1-6’2 and 180 lbs. and 17 to 20 percent body fat. I want to get as lean as this guy by the end of September.
Thank you. One more question if you don’t mind? Would my meals look like this.. main meal at 12pm then my cottage cheese meal be around 5-6pm then that’s it? Thanks again.
Well I would try and push that later to be honest, unless you’d rather eat earlier and have a long gap to bedtime.
Greg, how would you fast if you work out first thing in the morning 7am? what would the meal times be?
thanks,
I’d probably just train and then continue to fast until lunch time. This is not detrimental. If you’re very worried, you can take one dose of BCAA (10g grams) during your workout.
Greg, I know you also measure the oil before roast your food. But how much oil evaporate
while roasting the meal?
Thx in advance
Not really worth trying to calculate that. Better to air on the lower side.
Greg!
I’m gonna try this out. I have no problem fasting as I’ve done so before and typically wake up at 9am as you did, but I work from 10am-5pm and then get in my training. I can totally stand fasting until 4-5 and eating some fruit beforehand. However, is this too long to fast? I’m a 25yr old guy, 190lbs and pretty lean already (12-15%bf). I don’t want to compromise lean muscle tissue by fasting for too long, but I’m probably just paranoid due to ‘bro science.’ What do you think?
Nope, that’s perfectly fine if you find it enjoyable.
Awesome! Just wanted some peace of mind. As of yesterday, day two, I’ve dropped three pounds. Surely it’s mostly water weight, but still a confidence booster to get things rolling.
Thanks for your help.
Awesome dude!
What was in the big meal you ate during 5 for this plan
Broccolli, Flank Steak, Russet Potatoes some oil for cooking
Hey greg,
I calculated my matinence calories but I keep on losing two pounds
a day(I would weigh myself every morning after using the bathroom). How would I know if this is matinence and how many calories would I have to eat when doing MMA.
Well I doubt you are going to lose 2 lbs per day each day. May have just been a fluctuation. Keep the calories steady fro 3-5 days to see what happens.
I stopped bulking a few weeks ago, and I’ve been eating at maintenance (2400 calories) for 2 weeks now. I just bought the Aggressive Fat Loss Program to get leaner, should I drop calories from one day to another? or should I slowly decrease them until I reach 1600-1700 calories, and then start fasting?
You can go straight to lower calories, that’s what I would do.
You seem to have a great taste of movies!
i recently watched fight club (don’t know why i haven’t watched that on before, amazing movie!!)
just curious, can you recommend the movies you think is a must see, like American Psycho, fight club or matrix (just something else, cause i’ve seen those! ;D
oh, and great physique as always man !
Seven, Rounders, American History X, Pulp Fiction, Django Unchained….
How do you get to that size (170-180 lbs.) without gaining a lot of body fat? I’m fairly lean right now, but I’m only at around 140 lbs.
It will take a long time. You need to keep building strength while eating at a slight surplus.
Just curious: once you got down to, say, 10% bf, did you use refeeds to lose the last few pounds, or did you keep low calories the whole time?
I used 1-2 refeeds per week
If you do this program and eat like a big meal around 5pm and you’ve reached the 6-7 bf and u stop the diet won’t you get so called “jojo effect” ??
No you won’t actually gain any fat unless you’re eating at a calorie surplus. So if you get to 6-7% body fat and eat maintenance calories then you should maintain your leanness.
So what did you mostly ate when it was dinner time ?
Flank steak and potato wedges was my favorite
im usually working out in the am and seldom eat before 12mp so this could work well but how do i setup the non workout days as far as the meal frequenzy ?
regards
Same deal on non workout days.
I’m so glad I gave the fasting a try.
I really like it. I already liked my coffee every morning, I just cut out the oatmeal or wheat toast. I didn’t use creamer, but I did add about a 2 tbsp. of Sugar in the Raw per 20 oz of black coffee (only 90 cals). Now I’m only adding 1 tbsp per 20 oz. i don’t think I’ll enjoy it totally black.
Either way, I still lost 8 lbs in about 3 weeks, from 185 down to 177.
I am liking the leanness. I’m probably not going to shoot for the “shredded-ness”. I never liked being too light.
I’m 5’10”, 49 yrs old, been lifting for 30 + years. I ran and cycled a lot about 10 years ago and was weighing 165, and I felt too weak.
I’ll probably try to stay between 170-175, hopefully exchanging body fat weight for muscle weight.
I’ve always like lifting heavy, and feeling strong, but my old joints are a little achy. I’m warming up well though.
I forget what article you said it in, but you stated something about not seeing the intermittent (14-16 hour) fast as discomfort, be rather the “liberation” of not having to eat as soon as you awake.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Lol, you’re one funny guy Greg. Love the American Psycho references. I’ve also been working my way towards getting that Patrick Bateman physique, but now it seems like I should be aiming to get your physique. Very inspiring
Thanks man!!
Hey Greg,
I love the GGMB program and focusing on strength gains. The thing is I also love doing workouts like p90x because I love being in overall athletic shape and mixing things up as well as looking good. I was wondering would I end up losing strength if I followed a three month p90x-like program since it focuses more on pump than strength? Or would my strength remain stable when I went back to lifting heavy? Thanks Greg!
You would lose strength
In the past you recommended ProGrade Metabolism Weight Loss Supplement. What do you think today about the supplement?
Thx
It’s pretty good but I just love black coffee way too much
Bought this program on April 4th, I’m down 5 pounds today and don’t feel hungry or sluggish at all, plus I’m back to wearing some of my 31 inch waist jeans again!
Damn Lagree, that’s fucking awesome! You’ll have to shoot met some testimonial pics when you get to your goal – gregoryogallagher@gmail.com
Hi Greg,
I reckon your website is excellent… Congratulations. Just wondering while doing the aggressive fat loss program, is the warrior program in terms of the cardio workouts and weight work outs the program to follow in the gym?
Cheers
Yes that would work very well. Alternatively month 1 of kinobody elite would also work very well. – http://kinobodyelite.com
Greg, if I work out at my lunch hour, would this schedule still work? Could I wait until 5 pm to eat that big meal?
Yes it can work. Although if going to 5pm is very challenging for you then I wouldn’t recommend it. You want it to be sustainable. You might want to have a couple pieces of fruit in the afternoon to stave off hunger till 5
I know that your programs are made for men but I would like to know if you recommend one of those for a woman.
I’d like to drop my lower belly fat, gain muscle tone and get stronger.
Looking forward for your answer
The warrior shredding program would work well for you. There are quite a few women following it with great results.
Hi Greg,
Just wondering what your weight was when you were 6-7% BF? I’m assuming you’re in the 6 foot tall range?
Cheers
Around 172 lbs and I’m 5’10
Hey Greg,
Thanks for all the info and inspiration. You look great…
lean, muscular, strong, ripped.
I really didn’t realize, though, that this look, and the Hollywood look is so based on carbing up, and pumping up, for the photo shoot or scene.
I thought they just look that way when the rise in the am, and most of the day.
Curious, how do you look in the morn, or after a 16 hour fast?
You know …natural…
And, no disrespect intended.
Thanks,
Rob
Well the carb up thing doesn’t make that much of a difference. So I probably look very close to that condition then to just look a little better I get a solid workout and refeed day.
Okie dokie.
Props to you and this awesome site!
…and of course, I HAD to watch that crazy “psycho” movie. It was wicked.
Keep it up, Bro.
Thanks man!
Greg,
Useful and informative article! The vid was you years ago right? Do you plan to drop to 7-8% any time soon? Could you maintain this condition all year round? 10/10 physique very motivational! I am doing your Greek God program At the moment though.
Yah this was about 2-3 years ago. It’s hard to maintain that level of leanness for me. I prefer the 9-10% range most of the year.
Hey Greg,
I recently healed from a groin pull. Are there any exercises that you recomend to strengthen the groin area?
Thanks
I don’t have any experience with groin pulls, so no I don’t
How do you make your casein pudding with the casein shake?
(you simply mix the shake then you put it in the freezer that’s enough???) or do you mix some other stuff in to make it more thicker. thx
Yeah I just mix it with water and put it in the freezer.
I have moved from 300 to 240 so far through fasting…but wanting to add a workout to my weight loss…I want to get under 12 percent body fat…I’m 45. Right now I’m lifting heavy and basic movements…squats…incline bench…and presses….but not sure if I should do more cardio or what…I have so much to lose…already fasting…just need to know what to do in building a foundation so when some of this fat gets off
Great site….and what product do you recommend
There’s really no need for you to do cardio – unless you enjoy it. I would encourage you to go for walks on your rest days. A 45 minute walk would be perfect. Looks like you have the right idea with your strength training. I’d recommend my aggressive fat loss program – http://lp.kinobody.com/fat-loss/
How far should I reduce the calories when I get stuck with my weight. (when I use the slow cut plan on page 41)
Should I also cut the calories by 250 as suggest on page 31?
Yes, exactly!
Hi Greg! How much of a deficit were you in when you did this extreme cut? 1800 – 1900 seems awfully low. Were you not losing a lot of muscle?
Also, what macros would you suggest? A gram of protein per pound of body weight – but what about carbs / fats? Or would you just meet your protein and calorie requirements and let the carbs and fat fall in to place?
My maintenance was probably around 2700-2900, I was pretty active then. But I was doing refeeds and yes, it was a very intense cut.
I like to go a bit higher in protein sometimes when the calories are very low. Makes it easier. I’d suggest balancing fat and carbs. Keeping them matched, percentage wise.
Greg,
I’m 5’11 -170lbs approx 13-14% body fat. I’ve been lifting mostly compound movements for some time now and I got some size. I am now following your Greek God Program but I was wondering if I should do the lean bulk or re-comp protocol???
Many thanks.
I would recomp it and get down to 10-11% body fat before lean bulking.
Hi Greg,
I read all your articles and am considering buying your aggressive fat loss program. I have been hesitant to purchase your programs as they seem to be geared toward men and I am limited to working out at my home with free weights and a pull-up bar. I do lift 3X per week and do cardio 2-3X per week. That being said, my question is, if I did purchase the aggressive fat loss program, being a female, would the program work for me?
Yes – it will definitely work for women. But intermittent fasting is a big component of the program so you have to be comfortable with fasting until lunch.
Sold!!! Thanks Greg, listening to you now!!! Can’t wait to put this in motion!!!
I put ground pepper on cottage cheese and like how that makes it taste. Great tips Greg you’re amazing!
Finally I have a sixpack. (with the help of your great program) My bodyfatlevel is around 12%.
My goal is 7% or 8% I have the tendency to be skinny fat.
You wrote to eat around 20% junk food is okay. Maybe I should reduce this to 10% or 5%
What do you recommend here? Thx
PS: I can send you before / after pictures :)
Well it comes down to hitting your macros. Having some treats in moderation is tolerable.
Hey Greg, that is an incredible physique! Quick question on lateral raises for shoulders what should the end position be should the weight be above your elbows or below?
Keep up the good work and thanks for all your help.
In line with your elbows
Hi Greg!
Could you recommend me 2-3 books that would help me be a better version of myself, help me be influential, and help me be a leader?
thanks!
Practicing the Power of Now and A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. Get the audio tapes. They are downright incredible. I’ve listened to practicing the power of now at-least 15 times.
What workout routine did you use while aggresively dieting? Great article btw!
I was following a modified version of Phase 3 of Visual Impact
Hey greg! I just purchased your aggressive fat loss program and had some questions.
I am 5’7 at 140 lbs and 30 inch waist but I still have some fat around my abs and want more definition in other parts of my body as well. I am hopping the aggressive fat loss program can tighten things up and make that six pack pop. Should my goal be to drop down to 130lbs? That would mean my calories should be at 1,430 for the day right? I have been working out 3 times a week as well as fasting already. I just need to lose this last bit of fat and make my physique really stand out. Let me know if this is a good protocol to follow or if you would recommend something else?
Yes that’s the right idea man!
Hi greg,
I know cottage cheese is great, but man it taste awfull.
Any ideas how i can make cottage cheese taste better?i’ve tried eating it but couldn’t swallow :)
It’s an inquired taste like black coffee. Try it for 3-5 days and it will start to taste really fucking good. You can also add cinnamon to it to make it taste better. Or you can have greek yogurt instead. Or you can have a couple chicken breasts cooked in some coconut oil plus an apple.
Ahh yes! A bit of stevia and cinnamon makes it taste like a dessert! Especially with a sweet and crunchy apple on the side. Great way to end the day!
Hi greg
Great site ordered the shredding and god downloads a while ago loving it and entered the competion too,
I want to do 2 weeks pump training before the end of the competition please can you advise me what exercises to do for each body part etc and how a workout would look like hiw many times a week training etc thanks greg awesome site cheers alex.
Greg,
How much would you say you weighed in the above video?
Also, I am trying to get visible cut abs in next 12 weeks for a beach vacation. Purchased your Aggressive Program. I weigh 165 with 33 waist at 5’8″. Would it be advisable to keep calories around 1500 per day to achieve this in the above time frame or is this too low?
Ed
I believe I was around 172 lbs. I wouldn’t go below 1600-1700 calories man.
Greg,
Is it ok to use some BBQ sauce to eat with my chicken breast?
Ed
Yes
Nice one Greg – Also used an IF approach myself many times with regular success.
In fact, both my photo shoots of recent times involved a similar strategy.
How good is that BIG meal! You live for it after a while :)
Greg, I workout and have my big meals in the evenigs so the best option for me was to include cottage cheese into my second meal. Is it a good way to do it if it digest so slowly? I was thinking about changing it for a tuna salad with rice/pasta or something like that. Here’s how my diet and schedule:
8 AM
wake up
coffee/tea/water (fasting)
2 PM
green smoothie (whey protein, spinach, fruit, fish oil)
5 PM
cottage cheese
almonds
apricots
8.30-9.30 PM
workout
10 PM
chicken/turkey/fish/beef
pasta/potatoes
vegetables
rice cakes/low fat potato chips/low fat ice cream
What do you think about, would you change something? Btw, do you think that having lean meats on workout days makes a difference? Thanks a lot!
It’s fine if it’s slow digesting. You don’t have to have cottage cheese, I like it because it’s highly convenient so it’s easy to stick to. If you’d rather have a good serving of chicken with some advocado or almonds then that can work too. See which strategy is most enjoyable.
Was it a Friday night when you filmed that? Dorsia is crazy on Friday nights
hahahha!
Great article!!
So Greg, if I want to get this look (7% bodyfat) can I achieve this with the warrior program and the aggresive fatloss course & after just diet with what u recommend in the warrior program correct?
Also, your abs look beyond shredded. Is it possible to achieve a look like that with the warrior course or do we need to add additional ab exercises? I ask because i see other people with low bodyfat but their abs look nowhere near that impressive even at that fat %!!! We dont have to do that epsom salt bath & carb refeed & high pump training do we?
Sorry for the long post Greg. Im just so glad that you adressed this look! Its what im going for and gets me motivated. Thanx a lot Greg!!!!
Yes you can achieve that look with the two programs. That’s exactly right. Use aggressive fat loss as a short term more intense fat burning plan then do warrior.
You could probably throw in one additional day for abs – hanging leg raises, abs wheel roll outs, side to side knee ups….
And you won’t need to do the epsom salt bath or high carb refeed and pump training unless you have a photoshoot. It helps a little but it’s not necessary.
What would be the set & rep scheme for the extra ab day?
Is it really feasable for a 32 year old guy to achieve this look? You look young in the vid.
Sorry for being such a pain. Thanx again!
Of course it is. There are guys in there 40’s and 50’s more ripped than myself. I’d suggest 3 sets for about 8-15 reps.
Hey Greg!
What are the macros of your cottage cheese? There`s no cottage cheese for sale anywhere in my country so I`d like to know the macros so I can compare it with the cheese varieties for sale here and find which cheese has the closest macronutrient profile.
Thanks!
Greek yogurt works too. It’s about 30g protein, 10g carbs and 5g fat for 250g serving. I usually do double
Great article bro! Since American psycho was mentioned… What do you recommend for acne and acne scars on arms? I seem to get it on forearms and arms and I’m not sure if theres a specific body wash or anything that would help. Thank You!
Are you taking fish oils. I find that fish oils help with skin and maintaining clear skin.