Shape Up for Summer 

by Warren Hopper from LG Sciences

As we scrape ice off of our windshields in many parts of the country, it is hard to imagine that summer is just around the corner. Soon enough however, it will be beach season, and time to be in shape!

When it comes to weight loss, too many people wait until the last minute before starting to diet. How many times have we all heard in the gym “I need to lose 20 pounds, because I am going to the beach in a month”? While it is possible with a severe diet to drop large numbers of pounds, the problem is that you will end up losing as much muscle as fat, and the end result is you don't look your best.

Slow and steady is the key to losing that fat you accumulated over the winter months. The more you restrict calories in your diet, the more your body will eat into your precious muscle. Therefore, what you want, is to have a moderate caloric reduction and a longer cutting cycle, as opposed to a short cycle with severe caloric restrictions. Typically, a 12-week cutting cycle is ideal, with the goal being a 1-2 pound weight loss per week. In the first few weeks, weight loss will be probably greater, then as you drop bodyfat, the weight loss will slow, but if you are averaging that 1-2 pounds a week, you are on the right track.

Cutting Diet

There are thousands of different diets out there, each with their own spin on things. From ketogenic diets, to high carbohydrate diets, to the latest waffles and ice cream diet on the front page of the supermarket tabloids. When it comes down to it, all of these diets work, and work well (with the exception of the waffles and ice cream diet) My personal favorite is to just keep it simple. Take your bodyweight, and multiply it by 12. That will give you total calories for the day. For example, I am 254 pounds. My caloric needs for this diet would be 254 x 12 = 3048. Now lets figure out where those calories are going to come from.

Proteins: The building blocks for muscle. You need to keep your protein high while cutting, to preserve as much muscle as possible. A minimum of 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight is ideal. For myself, that would be 254lbs x 1.5 grams = 381 grams. Since each gram of protein contains 4 calories, 381 grams x 4 calories = 1524 calories.

Carbohydrates: Your body's primary energy source. When dieting, the most important times to consume carbohydrates are pre and post workout. The worst time to consume carbohydrates is in the evening, when you are not doing much to use them for fuel. Approximately 30% of your daily caloric needs are going to come from carbohydrates on this diet, but we will use them strategically. Consume mostly complex carbohydrates throughout the day, with the exception being pre and post workout. Thirty minutes before and thirty minutes after your workout, drink a protein shake with a blend of simple and complex carbohydrates.

Fats: Thanks to ketogenic diets, fats have lost a lot of the bad reputation they had a few years ago. 20% of your daily intake should come from fats, primarily of the unsaturated variety. Oils from plants, as well as fatty fish are ideal. These products contain unsaturated fats that are high in essential fatty acids linoleic and alpha-linoleic acids, which are fatty acids our body cannot produce naturally, so we need to get them in our diet. As a male, another reason you should be concerned about keeping fats in your diet is your testosterone levels! Typically, when males cut their dietary fat levels too low, natural testosterone production plummets. Since you are trying to keep as much of your hard earned muscle as possible, keeping testosterone levels up is essential.

The Workout

There are two facts you will have to face when cutting. The first is that your body will not recover as quickly when you are limiting calories. The second is that as you drop bodyfat, your strength will decrease. The goal is to structure a workout that will take into account decreased recovery ability, and will allow you to maintain as much strength as possible.

When I am bulking, I am an advocate of heavy volume training. However, when cutting season comes around, it is time to switch gears. Short, intense workouts with limited worksets are ideal for the limited recovery, as well as limited energy you will have in the gym.

Split your workouts into upper and lower body. Pick your two favorite exercises for each bodypart that utilizes compound movements as much as possible. That means no cable crossovers, tricep kickbacks, or other so called “shaping exercises.” Now set up four different workouts, one for upper body, one for lower body. An example would be: