12 week shred

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 2
For More PDF Like This Visit www.freeonweb.online
i z ’w› e e « s i+...R e a

12 WEEK SHRED
Cover Model – Pham Woodbridge
Instagram-@phamflexx
No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, electronic, or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage or retrieval system without expressed
written, dated andsignedpermissionfromthe author. Allcopyrights arereserved.
Theinformationprovidedinthisguideisforeducationalpurposesonly.Iamnotadoctorandthisisnotmeant
tobetakenasmedicaladvice.Theinformationprovidedinthisguideisbaseduponmyexperiencesaswellas
myInterpretationsofthecurrentresearchavailable.Theadviceandtipsgiveninthisdownloadaremeantfor
healthyadultsonly.Youshouldconsultyourphysiciantoinsuretipsgiveninthiscourseareappropriatefor
yourindividualcircumstances.Ifyouhaveanyhealthissuesorpre-existingconditions,pleaseconsultwith
yourphysicianbeforeimplementinganyoftheinformationprovidedbelow.Thisproductisforinformational
purposes only and the author does not accept any responsibilities for any liabilities.

12 WEEK SHRED

12 WEEK SHRED
Overview
Look in any bodybuilding/fitness related
magazine and you’ll come across outlandish diets
that greatly restrict the reader. Ultimately, these
diets fail because they are impractical and
promote deprivation.
Justbecauseyouaretryingtoshedoffsomeflab
doesn’tmeanyouhavetosacrifice everything
youenjoyaboutfoodintheprocess.Ratherthan
goingtotheextremesofeliminatingcertainfood
groupsand/ormacronutrients,itisbetterto
followamoremodestapproachthatslightly
restrictscalorieintakebutyetgivesthedieterthe
freedom to work in portions of foods they
genuinely love.
Oneofthemostimportantthingstokeepinmind
asyoureadyourwaythroughthisbookisthat
knowledge is power. The information to be
presented here is meant to teach you the
fundamentalsofwhat makes the bodylosefat
andbuildmuscleandhowtooptimizethese
processeswithpropertraining anddiet.
It’srathersimpletolayoutaprogramandtell
peopletofollowit,butthat’salsoineffectiveand
doesn’t inspire readers to really think for
themselves.Thisbookisnotonlyaguidetoan
effective fat-loss program, but also an
educational tool that will propel your
understanding of human physiology and
nutrition.
Itisimperativetograspthereasoningforwhy
thingsareacertainway,andthatisexactlywhy
thisbookcontainsabountyofinformation.The
moreinformedyou(thereader)are,themore
prepared you will be to succeed.

OVERVIEW
Itcan’tbestressedenoughfromtheget-gothat
nomatterhowperfectaplansoundsonpaper,it
willfailifyoudonotsticktoitforasignificant
periodoftime.Thenumberonereasonmany
peoplefallshortoftheirhealthandfitnessgoals
issimplybecausetheyareinconsistentand
eventuallyquitaltogether.Evenifyoufollowa
suboptimal regimen for a long period of time, you
willseedecentresults.Sowhichisbetter,a
perfectplanandinconsistencyoradecentplan
and being consistent? The latter case prevails
every singletime.
Manypeoplewantinstantgratificationwhenit
comestotheirphysiquegoals,buttherealityis
thatyouhavetocreateyourselfeveryday.
The“80/20”principleisasimpleobservationthat
manythingsinlifedon’thaveevendistributions.
It was originally founded after examination
revealedthat80%ofItaly’swealthbelongedto
20%ofthepopulation.Itshouldbenotedthatthe
80/20principleissimplyaroughguideabout
typicaldistributions;itisnotalawofnatureand
thenumbersdon’tneedtoaddupto100.
Forexample,ifabusinessownerwasreviewing
their yearly sales, they might notice that 80% of
their revenue comes from 20% of their
customers.Thisisinformationthattheowner
couldthenusetomaximizetheefficiencyof
his/her marketing by targeting that loyal 20% of
customersmoreaggressivelyinthefuture.
It’snotastretchtoassumethat80%ofone’s
resultscomefrom20% oftheexercisesintheir
currenttrainingroutine.Ifyouwanttomaximize
yourefficiencyandtimeinthegym,wouldn’tit
makemoresensetofocusonthosekeyexercises
thatcontributetothemajorityofyourresults?Or
wouldyourathercontinuetoputalotoftimeand
effortintoexercisesthatdoverylittleforyou
whenallissaidanddone?Hopefullyyoucansee
thattheformeroptionisgoingtomakeyoumuch
happier in the long run.

OVERVIEW
Beforewediveintothenutritionandexercise
aspectsofthe12-WeekShredProgramitis
necessarytocoverwhatrealisticgoalsetting
shouldlooklike.Also,it’simportanttoaddress
howprogressisnotalwaysvisibletothehuman
eye, and also that obstacles are inevitable on your
journey.
More often than not, people tend to shoot
themselves in the foot by not having any realistic
goals as they embark on their endeavor to create
a better, healthier body.
Ifyoudon’thaverealisticgoalsandaplanonhow
toreachthem,thenyou’resimplypreparingto
fall short.
Thebestwaytocategorizegoalsisaseither
short-term or long-term. Generally, a short-term
goalissomethingthatcanbeaccomplishedina
matter of weeks, or maybe even days. Long-term
goalsarethingsthatyouhopetoachieveinafew
months or further down the road.
Furthermore, goals are meant to encourage (and
push)one’sself,buttheymustberealistic.It’s
okaytobeanoptimistandhopeforbigchanges,
butdon’tbeimpracticalasthatwillonlyhamper
your results.
With thatsaid, let’stake alook atwhatsome
realisticgoalsmightlooklikein theshortand
long-term for individuals trying to get in better
shape physically:
• Lose 2-3lb of fat in the next two weeks
• Increasebenchpressby5lbsinthenexttwo
weeks
• Do30minutesofcardioon 1-2daysthis
week
• Track and reach your daily calorie quota each
day thisweek
• Lose 15lbs of fat in the next 3 months
• Increasebenchpressby30lbsinthenext3
months
• Reducewaistsizeby3inchesinnext3
months

OVERVIEW
8P 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
Ifyou’renotprogressinginsomefashionona
weekly basis, then you’re simply running in place
andwastingyourtime.Mostpeoplethatstarton
adietandexerciseprogramneverseeitthrough
totheendbecausethey’reunsatisfiedwiththeir
short-termprogressandgiveintotheirold
habits.
Forwhateverreason,peopleoftencan’tseethe
forestforthetresswhenitcomestotheirhealth
andphysique.It’snotuncommonforpeopleto
scrutinizetheirbodyonadailybasisandworry
over every minute change they see.Honestly,the
bestwaytoavoidparalysisbyanalysisistogive
yourselftimeandrealizethatbigchangesdon’t
happen overnight.
Forbetterorforworse,setbacks/obstaclesare
going to be inevitable on your journey to a better
physique.Thepathtosuccessisoftenavery
bumpyone,butthat’swhatmakesitallworthit
in theend.
Don’tletthingsthatcomeupthrowyouoffyour
plan. It’s only natural that unexpected life events
willcropupatsomepointandcauseyoutomake
someadjustments,andthat’sperfectlyok.The
worstthingyoucandoisletthoseobstacles
completely ruin your plan.
Also,realizethatstressisapartofliving.The
obstaclesthatlaybeforeyouarewhatgive
meaningtoyourjourney.Itwillbejustthatmuch
more gratifying to overcome everything that
standsinyourwaywhenallissaidanddone.Just
beresilient;don’tletalittlebumpintheroad
throw off the entire trip.

12 WEEK SHRED
MYTH BUSTERS
Thereforeitseemswisetotakealookatsome
common training and nutrition myths and more
importantly, the reality of things.
Fearnot;it’stimetoputthemostpopularmyths
underthemicroscopeanddecipherthefacts
from fiction.
Reality:Doallthecrunches andlegraisesyou
want; if your body-fat remains too high you won’t
seeanythingbutachubbybellypeekingthrough
yourshirt.Lookatareallyskinny,leanperson
who rarely lifts weights or even trains their
abs…noticehowyoucanstillseetheirsix-pack?
It’sbecausetheyhavesuchlowbody-fat.Ifyou
wantthatabdominalwalltoappearcarved,you
need to lose fat. Period.
Reality:Oneofthemostfrequentdebatesthat
plagues the fitness industry is how frequently one
should eat to lose fat. Well frankly speaking, there
isn’tmuchtodebate anymore sincethistheory
hasbeencontradictedinaplethoraofresearch
studies.Manyfitness“gurus” andnutritionists
believethatifyoueatmorefrequently,youwill
naturally boost your energy (calorie) expenditure
due to the thermic effect of food (TEF)
increasing. However, this is a flawed assumption.
Thefactofthematteristhatwhenenergyintake
iskeptconstant,thenetTEFattheendoftheday
isthesame,independentofmealfrequency. For
example,ifsomeonegivesyousix4-ozpiecesof
chickenbreasttoeatthroughouttheday,atyour
discretion, you might either:
A. Eatone4-ozbreastsixtimesperdayand
slightly increase your energy expenditure
(due tothe TEF)each time…OR
B. Eatthree4-ozbreastsattwodifferent
times and experience a larger increase in
energy expenditure (again,from the TEF)
atthosetworespectivefeedings.

OVERVIEW
Moresimply,ifthenetTEFofeatingALLsix4-oz
breastsis240calories,theneating1ofthe
breastsatatimewouldyieldaTEFof40calories
perfeeding,whileeatingthreeatatimewould
yieldaTEFof120caloriesperfeeding.Youstill
reachthesamenetTEFattheendofthedayin
either scenario.
Reality: This is simply not how your body utilizes
adiposeandmuscletissuephysiologically.
Adipose tissue is liberated and oxidized under the
propercircumstances,notconvertedtomuscle
tissue.Buildingskeletalmusclerequiresmany
different conditions and metabolic intermediates
thanburningfatdoes.Thatbeingsaid, weight
trainingisdefinitelythebestwaytostimulate
your body when trying to elicit muscle growth and
burn body-fat.
Reality: Carbohydrates seem to have a poor
reputation because many people have a diet
composedofcopiousamountsofsimplesugars
while simultaneously leading a sedentary
lifestyle.
Essentially, they’re constantly spiking blood
glucose and not using the energy for anything, so
it ends up being stored and eventually converted
to adipose tissue. As such ahabitprogresses it
manifestsitselfintotype-IIdiabetesdueto
impaired insulin sensitivity.
Intuitively, people figure they will just cut back (or
practically eliminate) carbs altogether and all will
be fine. However, the reality is that carbs
shouldn’tbeeradicatedfromyourdiet,butjust
controlled(likeanyothermacronutrient).
Research does indicate that overweight
individuals are susceptible to impaired insulin
response… so yes, overeating carbs can be an
issue.
Formanyindividuals,itjustwon’tremaina
practical long-term lifestyle to avoid
carbohydrates,andbykeepingthematalevelto
supportenergyandmood(amongahostofother
benefits)whilemaintainingaweight/fatloss
regimen will only be a positive factor.

OVERVIEW
Reality:Thisistakingthesaying,“Youarewhat
youeat,”abittooliterally.Fatmaycontainmore
calories per gram than carbohydrates and
protein,butitdoesn’tmakeyoufatsimplyby
consumingit—eatingtoomanycalories(no
matter where they come from) is what makes you
fat.
Moreover,fattyacidsplayanintegralroleinyour
healthandwell-being.Essentialfattyacids,like
omega-3fattyacids,arenecessaryforproper
cellularandheartfunctioning.Itisbesttotryand
takeinavarietyofunsaturatedfattyacidsfrom
sources like avocados, walnuts, almonds,
cashews,flax,oliveoil,fishoil,etc. Thatbeing
said,saturatedfattyacids,likethosefoundin
butterandeggyolks,arealsoavitalpartofyour
diet (albeit in lower quantities).
Reality:Thisisactuallyaratheroddsupposition
given that weight training helps increase muscle
mass, which in turn increases metabolic rate
sincemuscleismoremetabolicallydemanding
than fat tissue. Moreover, anaerobic training
stimulatesmitochondrialbiogenesisandthus
increases mitochondria levels within cells;
mitochondria are cell organelles responsible for
large productionsofoxidative energy.
Reality: Contrary to popular belief, weight training
(especially at high-intensity) can actually
stimulate osteogenesis and increase bone
mineraldensity.Thekeytokeepinmindhereis
thattheosteogeniceffectsappeartobemost
pronounced when training intensity is at or
beyondthelactatethreshold.Infact,thisisone
of the reasons weight training is often
recommended for elderly individuals, especially
those with bone health issues.
Reality:Thistheoryisderivedfromtheideathat
weight training can damage the epiphysis, which
would subsequently disrupt normal bone growth,
buttherealityisthatweighttraining,ifanything,
couldactuallyservetopreventsuchdamage.As
noted above, weight training is actually beneficial
forbonehealth/development,andthiseffectis
conducive to the healthy maturation of
adolescents.

OVERVIEW
Reality: As with the “bone health” myth, weight
training, especially at high-intensity, appears to
actuallyalleviatemanyarthriticsymptomsin
comparisontonotraining.Onthecontrary,
runningandotherformsofcardiomayactually
induce osteoarthritic changes. Hence the
rationale for doing tonsofcardio (specifically
running) to “save your joints” is rather baseless.

The science of fat
loss explained
Fatlossislargelyregulatedby theenzyme
adenosine monophosphate-activated protein
kinase(AMPk),atrimericproteinexpressed
throughoutmanytissuesinthebody.
Physiologylingoaside,AMPkisactivatedwhen
thecellisinastateofenergydeprivation(i.e.the
ATP: ADP ratio drops). This occurs during times of
nutrient (specifically glucose) deprivation,
ischemia(lackofbloodsupplytoanorgan),
exercise, and/or use of certain chemicals/drugs.
Conversely,thingssuchaseatingandexcessive
glycogenlevelsinhibitAMPkactivity(sincethe
ATP: ADP ratio is elevated).
Well, frankly, AMPk increases lipolysis
(breakdown of fat), enhances fatty acid oxidation,
improvesglucoseuptakeintomuscletissue,and
inhibits lipogenesis. In essence, it is the
“metabolic switch” for burning fat.
• Aproteinfoundinalmostallcells,calledAMPk
acts to "turn on" fat-burning mode
• Controlling calorie intake and exercising are
thebestwaystoactivateAMPkandburnfat!
• Thegreatnewsisthatthenutritionaladvice
in this book is specifically designed to
activateAMPkandpropelyourfat-loss
efforts!
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
12 WEEKSHRED
15

12 WEEK SHRED
PERFORMANCE
NUTRITION
Askany8yearoldhowtoloseweightandthey
will tell you “Eat less and move more.”
Make no mistake, there are certainly variables we
wanttocontrol,butmicromanagingtothepoint
whereadherenceisadailystruggleisnotwhat
wewant.Thatbeingsaid,apurelyreductionist
approachwon’toptimizeouroutcomes.
Forlong-termadherence,it’sabsolutelyimperative
to have a basic understanding of how basic
nutritional management works and how variables can
beadjusted.Anyonecanfollowacookiecuttermeal
planintheshort-termandseeresults.Butwhat
happenswhenyouplateauorgettiredofeatingthe
samethingeveryday?Beingequippedwiththe
knowledgeofwhen,why,andhowtoadjustyour
dietarymenuorlong-termstrategycansaveyoualot
oftimeandfrustration.Additionally,itwillmakeyour
lifealoteasierandoftentimesmorebalanced.
The FIRST thing we need to remind ourselves of when
discussing nutrition is our primary objectives. When
thegoalisgettingshredded,thoseobjectivesarefat
loss and muscle maintenance/growth. Below are the
twoverybasicruleswhenitcomestoenergybalance
and body composition:
•
•
Basedontheabove,youcanseewhybodybuilders
and physique athletes often have designated periods
ofweightlossandweightgain.Inaperfectscenario
this could be termed“fatloss” and“muscle gain.”

PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
Forourobjective,wearegoingtorequireacaloric
deficitwith thefiner detailsadjustedwithinour
nutrition and training to accommodate for
maintaining, or potentially gaining muscle
(depending on training history).
Caloricmanagementistheabsolutefoundation
uponwhichallotherrecommendationsbuildoff.
ThisisanEXTREMELY important concepttobe
aware of, as the specific foods we eat fall
secondary to overall caloric intake when it comes
to weightloss.
Flexibledieting/“Ifitfitsyourmacros”also
knownas“IIFYM”hasbecomeacommon
approachtotacklingthedietaryaspectof
reaching physique goals.
Thisapproachmeansyoucaneatanyfoodsyou
like,aslongastheyfitinyourdailycaloricbudget
and your daily macronutrient split (fat,
carbohydrates and protein).
Inthisbookwewillteachyouhowtosetupand
track macronutrients (fat, carbs, protein), and
howtoadjustthesevariableswhenplateaus
occur.

• Provideyouwithadequatenourishment
• 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;
whateverfoodsyouchoosetoeattosatisfythat
condition is simply a means to an end.
Whenyourbodyingestsbacon,forexample,that
proteinwillbeutilizedinsamefashionasprotein
from chicken. Carbohydrates that come from Oreo
cookieswillbeutilizedinmuchthesamefashion
ascarbohydratescomingfromwheatbread.
Noticethesearen'tbeingnotedas“clean”foods
because that term is nonsensical; these are more
properlyfoodstermed“nutrientdense.”
Butagain,ifsomeonewantstoincorporatesome
foods that are more nutrient-devoid/empty calorie
(likeOreocookiesorpastries,forexample)they
candothatassumingtheystillreachtheiroverall
needs(byhitting theirmacros) attheend ofthe
day (and assuming they are balancing their
macronutrientproportionsateachfeeding).
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.
ItISaboutbeingabletohaveaburgerwiththeboys.
ItISaboutlearningHOWtoeatforyourgoals,learningthenutritionalvalueoffoodandhowtofuelyour
body efficiently.
It IS about sustainable living and sustainable progress.

•
By controlling our macronutrient intake, we in
turncontrolourcaloricintake.Pairedwithawell-
managed resistance and cardiovascular training
protocol,wecanfairlyeasilycontrolbothsidesof
the energy balance equation.
Soifcaloric managementisatthetopofthelist
ofpriorities,howdowecomeupwiththat
numberbasedonmacronutrientintake?
Fats = 9 calories/gram
Carbohydrates = 4 calories/gram
Protein= 4calories/gram
50g fat x 9 cal/g=450 calories
200gcarbsx4cal/g=800calories
180g protein x 4 cal/g=720 calories
TOTAL calories= 1,970
Let’ssaythisindividualburnsanaverageof
2,500 calories per day (including exercise). This
macronutrient intake should lead to weight loss
(1,970 calories < 2500 calories).

Thediscussionandrecommendationsbeloware
basedonresearchasitpertainstooptimizing
bodycomposition.Wearepaintinginbroad
strokestogetyou theinformation youneed to
createastartingpointinstructuringyourdietfor
improving your body composition.
Ifyouareinterestedinoptimizingyourbody
composition then you probably know the
importantroleproteinplaysinbuildingmuscle.
Adequate protein intake will help retain lean body
massaswestripbodyfat,whichisvitaltoattain
the muscular separation we are after.
Throughdigestion,proteinisbrokendowninto
amino acids which are then absorbed and either
usedtobuildnewproteinsinthebody(aterm
calledproteinsynthesis),orusedasenergy.
Inthefitnessindustryit’snotuncommonfor
peopletohavethementalityof“Ifalittleisgood,
thenalotmustbegreat.”Thisisespeciallytrue
whenitcomestoprotein.Fortunately,science
hashelpedbridgethegapbetween“in-the-
trenchesexperience”andwhat’ssupportedin
research.
Thereareentirecareersbuiltaroundthestudyof
protein intake and body composition, so this book
will only cover the essentials.
The recommendations provided will cover our
basestoensurewehaveasuitableintakeand
distribution to support getting you shredded.
Sincewewillrequireacaloricdeficittoget
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)
The“moreisbettermentality”cancomeintoplay
hereandresearchdoessuggesttheretobea
minimal protein threshold (specifically the amino
acidleucine)thatneedstobereachedeachmeal
to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Having
toomanymealsadaymaynotallowustoachieve
thisthresholdwithineachmeal.Thereisalso
someevidencethatmuscleproteinsynthesisis
refractoryinnature,meaningitpeaksbefore
returningtowardsbaselinedespiteacontinued
elevationofaminoacidlevelsintheblood. This
indicatesthatareturntowardsbaselineislikely
necessary to optimize further elevations in
muscleproteinsynthesis asaresultofaprotein
containing meal.

It’srecommendedtosplitproteinupevenly
across3-6meals.Thiswillhelpensureyoumeet
therequiredleucinethresholdpermeal,while
allowingenoughspacebetweenmealstoreap
thebenefitsofmultipleproteinfeedings.Justas
importantly, having a more manageable amount
ofmealsalsoallowsonetofitmealsaroundtheir
schedule andnottheotherwayaround.
ChickenBreast Tuna
LeanBeef Turkey Breast
LowFatPork Egg Whites
CottageCheese LowFatorNoFatCheese
WheyProtein Soy Protein
Thisisn’tthe1990sanymore,morepeopleare
becomingeducatedontheimportanceofan
adequatefatintake.Fatisusedintheproduction
ofhormonesaswellasintheconstructionof
cellularmembranes.Fromabehavioraleating
standpoint, fats can increase satiety and fullness
fromamealduetotheircaloricdensityand
ability to slow digestion.
Withinthecontextofbodycompositiontheright
fat intake within our diet will:
• help attenuate decreases in anabolic
hormones as we diet
• leave enough calories for sufficient
proteinanddietarycarbohydrate
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 wetrain.
Carbohydratesarealsothesourcefordietary
fiber and many essential micronutrients
imperativeforoverallhealth.DONOTneglect
fiber and micronutrient consumption within your
diet.Whileamultivitamincanofferabitofa
security blanket, aim for nutrient-rich whole
foodstomakeupthemajorityofyourdiet.
Carbohydrate intake is VERY individual and
dependentonanumberoffactorsincludingbut
not limitedto:
• Amount of lean body mass
• Training volume
• Insulin sensitivity (ability to dispose of
carbohydratesinmusclecells)
Carbsshouldbedistributedinamannerthat
allowyoutoperformyourbestduringtraining
and keep you alert throughout the day without
wildlyvariablechangesinbloodsugarlevels.

SweetPotatoes Brown Rice
OatMeal Oat Bran
WheatBread Beans
Pasta Fruits
Vegetables
Fiberprovidesbulktowasteintheintestinesand
promoteshealthygastrointestinalfunctioning.
• Solublefibersmeshwithwatertoforma
gelandslowthedigestiveprocess,which
asaforementionedcanhelpattenuate
blood sugar levels.
• Insoluble fibers, on the other hand, travel
throughtheGItractwithoutdissolving
andspeedthepassageofwastethrough
thegut(i.e.theyhavealaxativeeffect).
Adultsshouldaimforadietthatcontains30gto
35 g of fiber per day.
Raspberries
Pears, with skin
Apples, withskin
Bananas
Oranges
Figs, dried
Raisins
Spaghetti, whole-wheat, cooked
Barley, pearled, cooked
Bran flakes
Oat bran muffin
Brown rice, cooked
Bread, rye
Bread, whole-wheat or multigrain
Split peas, cooked
Lentils, cooked
Black beans, cooked
Lima beans,cooked
Bakedbeans,vegetarian,canned,cooked
Sunflower seed kernels
Almonds
Pistachio nuts
Pecans
Artichoke, cooked
Greenpeas,cooked
Broccoli, boiled
Turnip greens, boiled
Brussels sprouts, cooked
Sweet corn, cooked
Potato,withskin,baked
Carrot, raw

Thecarbcyclingdietisverysimple;itworkslikethis:
• Throughout the week, you rotate through 5 low-
carb days and 2 high-carb days.
• All days require a high protein intake.
In essence, carb cycling acts as a means of
regulatingyourendocrinesystem(andthus
metabolicrate).Whenyouimposeaggressive,
chronicenergydeprivationonyourself(suchas
when dieting for fat loss), your body compensates
byloweringitsdemandforenergy(i.e.metabolic
rate slows).
Lowering metabolic rate is a basic survival
mechanisminmanyorganisms;itwouldbe
counterproductive for an organism to be burning
through energy rapidly when nourishment is
restricted.Alowermetabolicratemeansyour
metabolism is actually becoming more
efficient…yes, MORE efficient.
The most notable endocrine adaptations associated
withchronicenergydeprivationaretheloweringof
thyroid hormones (thryonines) and the fat-secreted
hormone (adipokine) leptin.
1. First, leptin’s primary role is regulating metabolic
expenditureaswellascaloricintake,bothof
whichhaveobviousimplicationswithregardsto
bodyweight.
2. Second, thyroid hormones act on nearly every cell
in the body to increase metabolic rate.
Therefore,thesensiblesolutiontoavoiddiet-and-
exercise induced metabolic slowing is to acutely
increase energy intake (especially carbohydrates) to
helprevivehormonalandmetabolicfactors.
Agoodwaytothinkofthisisasyourmetabolism
beingavehicleandfoodisyourfuelsource;you
wantalessefficientvehicleasitwillneedmoregas
totravelthesamedistancethanamoreefficient
vehicle.Soinmetaphoricalterms,ifyouwanttoeat
more(e.g.maximizetheamountofgasyouneedto
get from A to B), you better decrease your metabolic
efficiency...orstartshoppingforaHummer.
• Stimulateaninsulinresponsethatshuttle
nutrientsinyourmusclecells,causingthemto
grow
• Replenishglycogenstoresthatfuelyourmuscles
• Make you feel good and energized
• Promote fat loss by tricking your body into
burningfatforfuel(insteadofthesugarfromthe
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,
alsoknown as acaloriedeficit, where you’re
consumingfewercaloriesthanyouburn.
• Protein contains 4 calories per gram
o Protein (specifically amino acids) are the
buildingblocksofnewmuscletissue.
o Anoverallproteinintakeof40%ofyour
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.
Withinthat,allowthenatureofyour
lifestyletodictatemealfrequency.
• Fat contains 9 calories per gram
o Fatisanessentialmacronutrientusedin
theproductionofhormonesandthe
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.
• Carbohydratescontain4caloriespergram
o Carbohydrate (specifically stored muscle
glycogen)is theprimaryfuelsourcein
resistance training
o An overall carbohydrate intake of 35% of
youroverallcaloricintakeforLow-Carb
Daysand50%forHigh-CarbDaysis
recommended when dieting to optimize
body composition.
• Fiberprovidesbulktowasteintheintestines
and promotes healthy gastrointestinal
functioning.
o Adults should aim for a diet that
contains30gto35goffiberperday.

nutritional
strategies
Ifyouwanttotaketheguessworkoutandknow
exactlywhatyou’reputtinginyourbody,thenitis
besttogetinthehabitofcountingyourcalorie
intake, and also tracking your macronutrient intake
as well.
Ifyouwanttorollthediceandplaytheguessing
game then that’s up to you. However, bear in mind
thatyouwouldn'texpecttobaketheperfectcake
byguessingtherequiredamountsofflour,sugar
and butter in the recipe.
You also wouldn't expect that cake to rise
appropriatelyifyousetthetemperatureofthe
ovenatrandomandchangeditintermittently
whilst cooking; nor would you expect your cakes to
tastesimilarfromonebaketothenextshouldyou
repeat the steps above.
If you're constantly consuming different amounts
ofprotein,carbs,fatsandcaloriesfromdaytoday,
the progress you make and your physique
development will be reflective of the
disastrous/inconsistent baking methods thatwere
just mentioned.
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.
Itislikelythatthedefinitionwe’vejustgivenyouhas
onlymadetheideaofacalorieevenmoreconfusing,
solet’suseareal-worldanalogytomakeitmore
comprehensible:
Ofcourse,ifyouoverloadyourcar’sgastankwithfuel
it would simply start overflowing. Unfortunately,
when you overload your body with more fuel/calories
thanitneeds,theexcessisconvertedtotriglycerides
(fat molecules) and stored as fat.
12 WEEKSHRED

12WEEKSHREDNUTRITIONALSTRATEGY
We’vealreadyestablishedthatyourbodyneeds
fueltofunction.Everyday,yourbodyusesa
certainamountofenergy–quantifiedincalories–
to perform basic functions like breathing,
maintaining core body temperature and pumping
blood through veins.
Your body will perform these vital functions even if
youdecidetostayinbedfortheentireday.
Therefore,yourbodyisburningfuel–akacalories
–evenwhenyou’reresting.Thisisreferredtoas
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). You’ll maintain your
currentweightaslongasyouprovideyourbody
with sufficient calories through food.
Whentryingtolosefat,acaloriedeficitisexactly
thescenariowewanttocreateasfattissuewill
starttobeburnedasfuel—aprocesscalledfatty-
acid oxidation.
Let’ssayyourbodyneeds3000caloriesperdayto
maintainitsweight–youcanalsosaythatyourBMRis
3000 calories. If you consume 2500 calories per day and
burn500caloriesatthegymthenyour caloriedeficitis
1000 calories per day.
BMR:3000calories(Amountneededtomaintainweight)
- Calories consumed: 2500 (Via food)
+ Calories burned: 500 (Via exercise)
= Calorie deficit: 1000
Ifyourepeatedthisprocessforthewholeweek,you
would’ve burned of 7000 calories which is essentially 2
poundsoffat(1poundoffat=3500calories).
Ideally, a sound diet and training regimen will incorporate
bothexerciseandcaloricrestriction,andthatisprecisely
whatthis 12-Week ShredProgram employs.
Youcancreateacaloriedeficitbyeithereating
less and/or exercising. We recommend a
combinationofbothforfastandlastingfatloss.

10xweight(kg)+6.25xheight(cm) -5xage+5
Towalkyouthroughtheentireprocess,let’susean
exampleofwhatitwouldlooklikeforourfictional
character, John:
Age: 22
Height: 5’10” (178 cm)
Weight: 176lbs (80kg)
Lifestyle:Johnhitsthegymhard5timesaweek,
works a desk job and doesn’t do much demanding
physical activity out of the gym.
Thereareavarietyofequationsouttherethatare
utilizedtocalculateone’sBMR,butwewillbeusing
themostaccuratemethodwhichistheMifflin-St.
Jeor Formula.
Onceagain,BMRistheamountofcaloriesyour
bodyburnsatresttomaintainnormalbody
functions such as breathing.
That’sit!Hangontothatnumberasyouwillneeditto
calculate John’s daily calorie requirement (DCR).
Your DCR is an estimation that takes into account
your“activityvariable.”Youractivityvariableis
simplyamultipliersetbythedailylifestyletasksthat
contributetotheamountofenergyyouburn.
• 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 demandinglifestyle
andrigorousexercise 6-7daysaweek)
• 1.9=ExtremelyActive(AthleteinENDURANCE
trainingorVERYRIGOROUSphysicaljob)

Soonceyou’vefiguredoutwhichbracketofthe
activityvariableyoufallin,simplytakethat
factor/multiplierandapplyittoyourBMR.
Let’suseanexampleofwhatitwouldlooklikeforour
fictional character, John:
Lifestyle:Johnhitsthegymhard5timesaweek,works
adeskjobanddoesn’tdomuchdemandingphysical
activityoutofthegym.Thiswillputhimintheactivity
variable “Moderately Active” and will use a multiplier of
1.5.
Sothereyouhaveit;prettysimpleeh?Johncannow
move onto the nextstep whichis determining his
calorie deficit.
A pound of fat tissue contains roughly 3,500 calories.
Therefore,ifthegoalistoloseonepoundoffatper
week, you need to create a calorie deficit of 500
calories per day (on average).
However,itismoreimportantto determine your
specificcaloriedeficitbysimplytakingapercentage
of your Daily Calorie Requirement (DCR). For fat loss,
itisrecommendedtodeductabout25%ofcalories
from yourDCR.
Daily Calorie Requirement (DCR) x 0.75
Socontinuingonwithourpreviousexamplewith
John,sincehisDCRis2,711caloriesperday,he
would aim to take in: 2,711 x 0.75 = 2,033 calories
per day for fat loss.
Thisdietisnotintendedtogreatlyrestrictany
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
carbohydratescontain4caloriespergram,while
fats contain 9 calories per gram.
Low-CarbDaysareimportantastheyenhancethe
fatlossprocessbyencouragingyourbodytoburn
fat for fuel. They also keep your body more receptive
toinsulin,improvingyourbody’smuscle-building
response.
Therewillbe5low-carbdaysperweek,andtheywill
occuron
.
.

To determine your macronutrient breakdown for
Low-Carb Days, simply take your suggested total
calorieintakeforfatloss(whichisyourDCRx
0.75) and apply these percentages:
• Protein: = 40% total calorie intake
• Carbohydrate: = 35% 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
stimulatesignificantfatloss,butsmallenough
tokeepmuscleintact,controlappetiteand
maintain high energy levels.
• Sufficient protein to maximize muscle recovery
and lean mass retention.
• Enough carbohydrates and fats to keep mood
andhormonebalanceincheck,aswellasto
keeptrainingperformancenearitspeak.
SoforJohn,sinceheisaimingfor2,033calories
on his Low-Carb Days, his macronutrient
breakdown will look like this:
• Protein: 2,033 x 0.40 = 813/4 = 203g of protein
per day
• Carbohydrates: 2,033 x 0.35 = 712/4 = 178g of
carbohydrate perday
• Fat:2,033x0.25=508/9=56goffatperday
•
•
•
•
High-carbdaysareanessentialcomponenttothis
diet as they allow you to:
• Refill glycogen stores and help keep your
brain(andmetabolism) happy.
• Performbetterinthegymafteryou’ve
replenished yourself with a few higher-carb
meals.
There will be 2 high-carb days per week, and they
willoccuron .
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
SoforJohn,sinceheisaimingfor2,440calories
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 perday
• Fat:2,440x0.20=488/9=54goffatperday
•
•
•
•

Low-Carb Day Macros 5x/week= 56g/178g/203g or rounding to nearest five grams, 55g/180g/205g
High-Carb Day Macros 2x/week= 54g/305g/183g or rounding to nearest five grams, 55g/305g/185g
Whileprecisionandconsistencyareoptimal,beingwithin5gofeachmacroisacceptableandisn't
goingtoderailprogress.Beingoverorunder50-60caloriesonthedayisalotdifferentthan500-600.
Context iskey.

Macro Goals: 56/178/203 (Fat/Carbs/Protein)
Software/App: MyFitnessPal.com

Macro Goals: 54/305/183 (Fat/Carbs/Protein)
Software/App:MyFitnessPal.com

First,it’sgoodthatyouareawarethatyouhave
overshot your macronutrient intake. While that isn’t
ideal, itcertainly isn’ttheendoftheworld.
However,ifyouslipupbyalargeamount(e.g.15%
morecarbsthanyourgoalcalledfor),forwhatever
reason,thebestsolutionistomakeupthedifference
thenextdaybydeductingcarbsandfatsfromyour
goalintake(donotcutproteinintake).Seebelowfor
an example of how this would work:
GoalMacros:56gFat/178gCarbs/203gProtein
ActualMacros:66gFat/208gCarbs/203gProtein
• +10g fat, +30g carbs
• Therefore,thefollowingdaywewilldeductan
equivocal proportion from carbs and fat intake
GoalMacros:46gFat/148gCarbs/203gProtein
• Asyoucanseewehavededucted10goffatand
30g ofcarbs.
NOTE:If youovereatprotein by alarge amount,deduct
thatmanygramsfromyourcarbintakethenextday.
DO NOT CUT PROTEIN INTAKE!
Wehavegoodnewsforyou.Youdon’thavetoeat
mealsonanysetscheduletoloseweightefficiently.
Yousee,mealfrequencyhaslittlerelevanceon
actualresults.Youcaneat3mealsperdayor6and
achievethesamethingifyou’redoingeverything
elserightintermsofhittingyourdailymacrosand
following your exercise regimen.
You will probably find a smaller meal every few hours
mostenjoyable,butfeelfreetoexperiment.
Youcanalsoplaywithwhenyoustarteatingforthe
day.Ifyoulikeeatingbreakfast,doit.Ifyoudon’t,
andwouldprefertowaituntillunchbeforeyoustart
eating, you can do that too.
Sometimesskippingthatfirstmealhelpswith
overallcomplianceasitallowsyoutoeatlarger
meals and still stick to your numbers.

Look,wegetthattrackingcalorieswill feeltedious at
first.Heck,formostofusitwasthemostannoying
thing in the world when we first started tracking
calories. However, if you’re going to track calories – and
believeusit’sworthit–don’tleavethingsout.Evenifit
as little as eating a small chocolate bar or the
mayonnaise in your sandwich.
Track EVERYHING
Basically, you will have to measure your food intake and
willneedafoodloginwhichyoudocumenteverymeal.
Forsomefolks,thisispainstakinglyhardworksothey
just don’t do it.
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 (Mostpopular)
• https://www.CalorieKing.com
MFP has the most user-friendly/intuitive interface
ofanyfoodloggingapponthemarket.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.
• Trackyourmacrointakeasoutlinedinthis
12WeekShredProgram.(Youwillhaveto
input your macro and calorie goals manually
into MyFitnessPal)
• Monitor weight-loss progress
• Stay consistent with your diet
• Log/trackexercise(liftingorcardio)since
this will skew the goal calorie/macro intakes
thatyoucalculated in this chapter.
• Log/track your daily footstep count (for
same reason above). Turn off this option in
settings.

Usemetriccupsforfoodssuchasbreakfastcereal.
Youcanalsousethemasmeasuringscoops,
especially for cooked rice, pasta and noodles.
If you’re new to weighing and measuring, here are
some tips to help you:
Placeaplate,abowl,orapieceofbakingpaperon
electronic kitchen scales.
Addthefoodyouwanttoweigh –itmaytakea
couple ofseconds for the scales to settle and
display the final reading.
Usemetricspoonsforenergy-densefoodssuchas
oil, butter, sugar and honey. And keep the measure
levelbyflatteningoffthetopofthespoonwitha
knife,sothatit’slevelledandnotheaped.

Ifyoueatoutatarestaurantyoucanalwaysaskthe
serverhowbigtheportionsizesareandhowthefood
is prepared. Moreover, both MyFitnessPal and
CalorieKing have huge catalogues of nutritional facts
from restaurants and fast-food chains.
Thegeneralrule-of-thumbisthatifsomethingis
calorie-free,thenyoudon’tneedtobesonit-picky
about tracking it. Contrarily, certain condiments may
beloadedwithcaloriesdespite theirsmallserving
size, so be sure to read the food labels.
Forexample,mustardisprettymuchfreeofcalories
(itmostlycontainsvinegar,saltandspices)soifyou
putafewtablespoonsofmustardonyoursandwich,
thendon’tworry abouttracking it. Same goesfor
mostanyothercalorie-freefoods.Butifyouare
insteadgoingtouseabunchofbleucheesedressing
thenyoushouldabsolutelybetrackingthatasitwill
impact your calorie intake.
Somepeoplemaydobestoutofthegateifthey
createa menudesignedto hittheir macrospriorto
eachday.Thereisnothingwrongwiththis,solongas
you become comfortable with tracking and know how
toadjustyourdayasneeded.Otherpeopleusethe
flexibilityofferedandthrivebynoteatingthesame
thingonanytwo days,orhaveanyideawhattheir
next meal will be.
Thereisnorightorwrongwaybutaskyourself
which way is most sustainable for YOUR lifestyle.
Additionally,makesureyouchallengeyourself
enough to be comfortable meeting macros when
thingsdon’tgotoplan.Ifyouforgetyourfoodat
homeandhavetoeatoutthenbeequippedwith
theknowledge youneedtosucceed.
Ifyoufeelabitoverwhelmedattheideaof
tracking your macros every day then you are not
alone. However, like anything, ittakes consistent
practice.Admittedly,thisisapointwheremany
peoplewanttothrowinthetowel(anddo).
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
macronutrientmanagementcanbeliberating.

Yes! We recommended Eatthismuch.com
Visit: http://www.eatthismuch.com
1. Simply enter your Low-Carb Day Calorie Goal
anddesirednumberofmeals.Thenclick
‘Generate’
2. Find the ‘Current nutrition targets' section and
click 'Edit Targets'
3. Setthe‘TargetMacros’to‘Apercentageof
calories’ and then use the following
percentages.
Low-Carb Day: Fat 25% / Carbs 35% / Protein
40%
4. Set Fiber to 30 grams
5. Click ‘Save Changes’
6. Then click ‘Regenerate’
7. YournewLow-CarbDayMealPlanwillbe
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. Setthe‘TargetMacros’to‘Apercentageof
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. YournewHigh-CarbDayMealPlanwillbe
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
TRAINING
.
Manypeoplesee adaptationandstagnation as
synonymousterms.Whileinasensethiscanbe
true,realizethatadaptationisexactlywhatwe
want.Everytimewegotothegymtotrainwe
create aspecificstressonournervoussystem,
and musculoskeletal system. From this stress we
areseekingtoobtainadownstreamadaptation
toallowustobereadyforfuturestressors.Foran
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.
Training plateaus will inevitably happen to
everyone, but how do we minimize them? Much in
thesamewaywewouldincreasecaloriesduringa
weight-gainplateau,wewouldincreaseour
magnitudeoftrainingstresstostimulatefurther
adaptation. And much like our macronutrient
intake, we should be able to quantify our
workloadsinawaywecaneasilyassessand
manipulatevariablestoaccomplish ourgoals.
Whilegoingintothegymandobliteratinga
musclegroupcangetyouresults,usuallyit’sby
proxyandnotbydesign.Attimeswemaybe
doingmuchmorethanisrequiredoroptimalfor
long-term progress.
We MUST do more work over time in a controlled,
sustainabledesign.Atthesametime,wewantto
milkasmuchprogressaswecanoutofagiven
amountofworkbeforeweaddmorevolume.
World-class bodybuilders and powerlifters may
spendhoursandhoursinthegymeachday
acrossmultiplesessions.Inmostcasesthisisn’t
becausetheyaretryingtogetrapidresults,it’s
becausetheyrequirethatworkloadtokeep
progressing.Wemustdomoreworkovertime.
Asalludedtoearlierinthischapter,progressive
overloadisthemostimportantthingtokeep
improvingyourbodycompositionandbuilding
skeletal muscle tissue. If you are not consistently
subjecting thebody to a newform stress,then
thereisnoreasonforthebodytoadapt.Youneed
topushyourselftoapointwhereyouhaven’t
goneinthepast...onlyafterthathappenswill
yourmusclesbeforcedtogrowbackbiggerand
stronger.

PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD
It’s astounding how many trainees nonchalantly
liftthesameweightformonths,evenyears,on
endand(notsurprisingly)theylooktheexact
same now as they did on day one.
• adding weight to the bar
• increasing repetitions
• increasingtime-under-tension
• increasingnumberofsetsperexercise
• increasing number of exercises
• Trainingisastressor;buildingsize and
strength are favorable adaptations to that
stress
• Trainingstressisprimarilyaproductof
volume and intensity
• Volumeistheamountofworkyoudo(setsx
reps xweight)
• Intensityistherelativeloadonthebarin
relation to your maximum strength in a given
rep range
• Byproperlymanagingvolumeandintensity
we can better optimize our strategy by taking
advantage of varying training intensities, and
prevent many plateaus.

12 WEEK SHRED
Triphasic TRAININGGuide
Propelling your physique and athleticism
essentially entails improving your body
compositionandfunctionalstrength.Askany
individualinthegymwhattheirgoalisandit’s
likelyalongthelinesofbeingleaner,stronger,
more explosive and more muscular (i.e.
improving their athletic or fitness performance
and body composition).
The conundrum everyone faces is that improving
bodycompositionisagive-and-takeprocess.It
wouldberemissnottomentionthatthepathtoa
leanerbodyandenhancedathleticperformance
isanarduousoneandthefinishlinedoesn’t
comeovernight.Butanythingworthhavingis
worthworkinghardfor,so be preparedto give
thisjourneytoshreddedeverythingyou’vegot!
Thisprogramisultimatelysuitable tomostany
trainee, regardless of their experience level in the
gym.Themaintokeepinmindthroughoutthe
processisthatconsistencyandprogressionare
keystosuccessandachievingyourgoals.This
programisn’tmagic;noprogramis.Thenot-so-
secrettosuccessinhealth/fitnessisdoingthings
thatareeffectivetoyourgoals,repeatedly.
Triphasic Hybrid Power/Hypertrophy Training
encompasses elements of both bodybuilding and
powerlifting training protocols. With this routine
theideaisthat,insteadoffocusingonspecific
training adaptations (hypertrophy, maximal
strength,poweretc.)individuallyforweeksata
timelikewithlinearformsofperiodization,you
willperformexercisesinboththelowerrep
ranges(4-6reps)andhigherreprages(8-15
reps) within the same given week. This is
achievedbysplittingtheworkoutsinto“power”
days and “hypertrophy” days which,
subsequently,meansyouwillbetrainingeach
muscle group twice a week.
Itis,afterall,incontrasttomoretraditional
bodybuilding split-style programs that have
become so popular within the fitness community
over theyears.

TRAINING GUIDE
During this program, you will progress through 3
phases/microcycles that modify your workouts
byincreasingthenumberofsetsperexercise,
and level of intensity:
●
●
●
As you will be performing exercises in both lower
andhigherrepranges,ithasbeendesignedso
thattheworkoutsareseparatedinto“power”
days and “hypertrophy” days respectively. The
rationalebehindthisisthatyouwillgetmore
‘bangfor your buck’ so to speak ifyoufocus on
liftingforeithermaximalstrength ortoinduce
muscularhypertrophywithinagiventraining
session.
Onpowerdaysthefocuswillbeonmajor“power”
movementsforyourupperandlowerbodylike
Bent-Over Barbell Rows, Incline Dumbbell
Presses,SquatsandLegPress.Thegoalistostay
within 4-6reps forall 3sets (2sets during Phase
1).Besuretorestenoughin-betweensetstobe
readyforyournextheavyset(itmaytakeagood
3-4minutestocompletelyrecoverbetween
sets). Keep in mind, the purpose of these
workoutsistomovemaximumweight!Your
hypertrophy workouts will be quicker-paced and
haveshorterrestperiods.Onpower daysyou
needtohave aSTRENGTH mentality.
Onyourhypertrophydaysyouwillbedoingsets
of higher repetitions with lighter loads. Emphasis
willbeplacedonmovingtheweightthroughthe
concentric phase of the lift as quickly as
possible/explosively.Restshouldbenolonger
than90secondsbetweeneachset.Makesureto
stopareportwoshyoffailureonhypertrophy
daysoryouwillfatigueyourselftooquickly.
Thiswillhelpyoumaintaingreateroverallforce
production and volume during the workout and it
willpreventneuralfatigueandburnout.

TRAINING GUIDE
Failureisatoolandhastobeusedcorrectlyand
is not necessarily the goal of every set. Once you
getadjustedtothevolumeandfrequencythen
youcanstartaddinginsetstofailureforpower
movementsandsomeofyourexplosivetype
training. Abstain from training to failure
consistentlyformorethan6weeksinarow
withoutatleastabriefhiatus.Thereasonthisis
recommended is because if you constantly train
to failure it will impede your performance,
strength,decreasethevolumeyouareableto
handle,andultimatelyreduceyourtraining
capacity.Thereseemstobeanotionoutthere
thatanysetNOTtakentoabsolutefailureisan
exerciseinfutility,butthat’sutterNONSENSE.
There’splentyofresearchthatshowsvolumeis
themaindictatorofhowmuchmuscledamage
occurs.
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
isnothingwrongwithtakingsomesetstofailure
onceyouareadaptedtotheroutine,butithasto
beproperlyperiodizedtoavoidperformance
decrements and excessive central nervous
system (CNS) fatigue.
Compoundexercisesarethebreadandbutterof
muscle and strength building. They work multiple
musclegroupsandarethemostchallengingand
rewarding lifts. They should always be performed
first in your workout plan. Isolation exercises
workonlyasinglemusclegroupatatime.In
generaltheyutilizealighterweight,anddon't
allowforasmuchprogressionascompound
movements.Becauseisolationliftsareless
taxing,theyworkbetterasfinishingexercises,
helpingtoworkanalreadyfatiguedandtaxed
muscle. Because the focus of compound
exercisesis totaxseveralmusclegroups,you
shouldnotworryasmuchaboutfeelingthe
muscles work when using them.
Makesuretokeepproperformatalltimes.
Sloppy isolation exercises with too much weight
quickly turn into mild, less-than-effective
compound lifts.

TRAINING GUIDE
1. Don’tshyawayfromdifficult,compound
exercises; they are the best bang for your
buck.
2. If you are unfamiliar with technical exercises
likedeadliftsandsquats,itisimperativethat
you research proper form or have a
trainer/strength coachteachyou.
During this program, you will progress through 3
phases/microcycles that modify your workouts
byincreasingthenumberofsetsperexercise,
and level of intensity:
●
●
●
Theworkoutsarelistedinonthenextfewpages
andthereisalsoaprintableworkoutlogincluded
in this 12 Week Shred Transformation Pack which
we highly recommendedyou use!

Week1 to 2:Phase I
intensity: 7otof Sets:
ftry2:Upper Body Power Day Movement Peps Peps ftest Time
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
Day 2:Rest
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
12-15 12-15
DoyQ:ChsstShoufdezs/TGcsps Movsmsnt Reps Reps RsstWme
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
Doy5: Back/Biceps/Abs Movsmsnt Reps Reps RsstWme
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12
12-15 12-15
12-15 12-15
Dry 6: Rest
Day 7:1ower Power Body
8-12 8-12

WRRk 3 tO 6°Phase 2
intensity: 7oto/ Sets:
Movement Reps Reps Reps Rest 7ime
8-12 8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12 8-12
Day 2: Rest
8-12 8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12 8-12
8-12 8-12 8-12
12-15 12-15 12-15
Days: Chest)ShouIdersfTriceps Movement Reps Reps Reps Rest 7ime
8 - 12 8 - 12 8 - 12
8 - 12 8 - 12 8 - 12
8 - 12 8 - 12 8 - 12
8 - 12 8 - 12 8 - 12
8 - 12 8 - 12 8 - 12
8 - 12 8 - 12 8 - 12
Doy5: Back/Biceps/Abs Movement Reps Reps Reps Rest 7ime
8 -12 8 - 12 8 - 12
8 -12 8 - 12 8 - 12
8 -12 8 - 12 8 - 12
8 -12 8 - 12 8 - 12
12 - 15 12 - 15 12 - 15
12 - 15 12 - 15 12 - 15
Dry 6: Rest
Day 7:1ower Power Body
8-12 8-12 8-12

Week 7to 12: Phase 3
Duration: 6 Weeks | intensity: ffigh | 7otof Sets:202
Notes: fi4ake sure youwarm up thoroughly{or atl exercises, stretch, and use precaution wtien usingheavy weights. OuringPhase 3 o{tAe workout
youmay go to absolute {oifure on the lost set a(each exercise and on prior sets you willstop 2-2 reps shy a{{oifure. HffTffiardio is introduced on
Ooy 2. Power sets are in red and explosive sets are in btue.
ftry2:Upper Body Power Day Movement Peps Peps Peps ftest Time
Oeadfips Power 9 - 8 9 - 8 9 - 8 8 mins
V Bar Puff down Explosive 8 - 2Z 8 - 2Z 8 -2Z 90 seconds
fIrt ftum66eII Sñest Press Power 9 - 8 9 - 8 9 - 8 8 mins
Dips Explosive 8-22 8-22 8-22 90seconds
UprightRows Explosive 8-22 8-22 8-22 90seconds
InclineDumbbellCurls Explosive 8-22 8-22 8-22 90seconds
SeotedTricepPress Explosive 8-22 8-22 8-22 90seconds
Doy2:H/TCoFdio
5 min warm up 10 intervrls
Doy3: guods/Hamstrings/Calves Movement Reps Reps Reps Rest 7ime
Front Squats Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8- 22 90 seconds
Dumbbell L.unges Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8- 22 90 seconds
Sqzzots Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8- 22 90 seconds
L.ying Hamstring Kurts Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8 - 22 90 seconds
Standing Cof{Roises Explosive 22 - 25 22 - 25 22 - 25 90 seconds
30 mins 1/55 Cardia
DoyJ:Chest)ShouIdersfTriceps Movement Reps Reps Reps Rest 7ime
Incline Dumbbell Chest Press Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8 - 22 90 seconds
Upright Rows Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8- 22 90 seconds
Straight Bar Pushdown Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8- 22 90 seconds
Dips Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8- 22 90 seconds
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8- 22 90 seconds
Tricep Rope Pushdown Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8- 22 90 seconds
Flat Dumbbell Press Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8- 22 90 seconds
Dumbbell Side Raises Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8- 22 90 seconds
Seated Tricep Press Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8- 22 90 seconds
Doy5:Back/Biceps/Abs Movement Reps Reps Reps Rest7ime
BentOverBarbellRows Explosive 8-22 8-22 8-22 90seconds
BarbellCurls Explosive 8-22 8-22 8-22 90seconds
WideGripL.atPuIIDown Explosive 8-22 8-22 8-22 90seconds
InclineDumbbellCurls Explosive 8-22 8-22 8-22 90seconds
SeotedCodfeRows Explosive 8-22 8-22 8-22 90seconds
EZBarCurls Explosive 8-22 8-22 8-22 90seconds
ffonging1egRoises Explosive 22-25 22-25 22-25 90seconds
MachineCrunches Explosive 22-25 22-25 22-25 90seconds
Doy6: Rest
Day 7:1ower Body Power Movement Steps Steps Steps ftest Time
1eg Press Power 9 - 8 9 - 8 9 - 8 8 mins
1ying hamstring hurls Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8 - 22 90 seconds
Squats
1eg Extensions Explosive 8 - 22 8 - 22 8- 22 90 seconds
Seated Tal(Raises Explosive 22 - 25 22 - 25 22 - 25 90 seconds
30 mins 1/55 Cordio

12 WEEK SHRED
Cardio
Societyhasdoneaverygoodjobofmakingus
believecardiovascularexercisepairedwitheating
nothingbutsaladisthekeytofatloss.Inthecontext
ofoptimizingbodycomposition,cardioneedstobe
treated as a tool for fat loss more so than an
aggressive necessity.
Chapter 9will discussplateausand how to
break through them, but as a spoiler we usually have
todecrease caloricintakeand/or increasecardio
expenditure.
Notonlydoesnobodywanttospend2hours
oftheirdaydoingcardio,excessivecardiocan
interfere with the positiveeffects thatcome with
weight/resistance training.
HIITisasystemoforganizingcardiorespiratory
trainingwhichcallsforrepeatedboutsofshort
duration, high-intensity exercise intervals
intermingled with periods of lower-intensity intervals
ofactive recovery.
HIITlasts20minutesorless–resultinginashort
workout time nearly anyone can integrate into their
lifestyle.
HIITcanincreaseVO2maxforbothhighintensityand
enduranceathletes.VO2maxisthemaxamountof
oxygen a person can use and transport during
exercise.Youwantthisnumbertobehighbecauseit
enablesyoutousemorefatasfuelinsteadofglucose.
Sinceourfatstorestendtobemuchhigherthan
glycogenstores,itispreferentialtobeabletogetthe
highestpercentageoffuelfromfatduringexercise.
Whilesprintingusesahighamountofglycogen
becauseitissuchhighintensity,therateatwhichyou
changefromfatburningtosugarburningishigherin
individuals with a higher VO2 max.
HIIT increases EPOC(excess post-exercise oxygen
consumption)resultinginanelevatedfatlossstatefor
up to 24 hours after you finish your workout –
something you won’t get from lower intensity-
exercise.

CARDIO
HIIT trains the body to effectively remove
metabolicwastefromthemusclesbetween
intervals. By quickly removing lactate and other
by-products resulting from high intensity
exercise,youenablethebodytobeprimedand
ready for another bout of high-intensity exercise
with lessrest.
Youcandotheseworkoutsusingtools,suchasa
jumprope,orsimplydoingjumpingjacks,or
sprinting,orworkingonastationarycycle.Use
yourimagination.Justfollowthework-to-rest
intervals as indicated.
• 20 seconds: High-intensity exercise (E.g.
Sprint)
• 60 seconds: Rest or low-intensity exercise
(E.g. Walk)
Repeatanother10times,followedbyafinal20-
second high-intensity blast.
Low-intensitycardiodoesn’thavetheacute
metabolicbenefitsofhigh-intensitycardio,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
seemlikemuchbutattheendofthemonthit’s
surprising how much you have spent.
Thetablebelowliststhecaloriesburnedbydoing
dozens of activities for 30 minutes and the
numbersarebasedonanindividualwhoweighs
185 pounds.

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.
• Cardionotonlyhascardiovascularhealth
benefits,butwillhelpimproveourabilityto
recover between sets and thus increase our
work capacity.
• Creating a caloric deficit is what’s most
importantingettingleaner.Cardioisatool
to HELP accomplish this, and not a
necessity.Havingsaidthat,inclusionof
cardioissuggestedforreasonsmentionedin
this chapter.

12 WEEK SHRED
Supplementation
Note:Thesesupplementsarealloptional
Arguably the most popular sports supplement on
themarket,andforgoodreason.Wheyprotein
presentsgym-goerswithahighlybioavailable,
completeproteinsourcetohelpmeettheirdaily
proteinneeds.Naturally,sinceliftingroutinely
increases protein demands, whey protein
supplementscanbetheperfectwaytogetmore
protein in your diet.
Whey protein,the acclaimedgold standardof
supplementation,isoneofthebestsourcesofall
nine essential amino acids, and more importantly
ofL-leucine.Muchoftheresearchthusfarhas
uncoveredthatakeysubstrateintheactivation
of mTOR is the amino acid L-leucine.
Moreover, studies corroborate that the
proportionofleucineinagivenproteinsource
hasdirecteffectonthepeakmuscleprotein
synthetic rate attained in the postprandial state.
Soinshort,wheyproteinisoneofthehighest
qualityproteinsourcesyoucantakein.
• Promotes recovery and muscle growth
• Attenuates soreness/reduces fatigue
• Presentsaneasyoptiontohityourdaily
protein requirements
Upsetstomachandindigestionarethetwomost
common issues with whey protein products. This
mightbealleviatedbychoosingapurewhey
isolateproductoverawheyconcentrate(which
contains more lactose).
Youmayuseitdailyasneededtomeetyour
protein requirements.

SUPPLEMENTATION
Use as needed to meet your protein
requirements. However, DO NOT rely on whey
proteinasyoursolesourceofprotein;mixitup,
use whole foods when possible.
A: No, whey protein is derived from cheese so it
does containdairy.
A:No,wheyproteinitselfisnotbadforthe
kidneys. This myth stems from the issue of renal
impairment in individuals who have chronically
superfluousamountsofproteinintakeintheir
diet.Ithasnothing todowith the sourceofthe
protein.
A:Yes,butthishaslittleramificationinregards
tohowyourbodyutilizestheproteinsince
denaturedproteinisessentially“hydrolyzed”
protein; you’re still ingesting all the amino acids
thatwereoriginallytheretobeginwith.
Beforewediveintofat-burners/thermogenics,
keepin mindthatthesesupplements enhance
fat-lossbyincreasingmetabolicrateand/or
adipose tissue oxidation (the use of fat as
energy).Therefore,takingthese supplements will
help you burn more energy and utilize substrates,
specifically fat, more effectively.
As noted above fat burners/thermogenics work to
increaseyourmetabolismandenhanceadipose
tissueoxidation.Thesesupplementsdothisby
actingonspecificreceptorsandchemicalsinthe
bodythatregulatefatoxidationandincrease
metabolic rate. Certain ingredients, like caffeine,
alsoprovidestimulationtothecentralnervous
systemandgiveusersasenseofgreaterenergy
throughout the day, which will help them be more
active.
● Increase metabolism
● Enhancetheuseoffattissue(andother
substrate) as energy
● Increase energy and focus
● Lower rate of perceived exertion

SUPPLEMENTATION
Sideeffectsshouldberatherminimalifyouusea
safe, efficacious fat-burner/thermogenic. While it
is impossible to list specific side effects without
knowingtheproductyou’reusing,wecansay
that SimplyShredded’s VANQUISH ELITE was
formulatedtoavoidsideeffectsandmaximizefat
burning.
Mostfat-burners/thermogenicsarebesttaken
before working out and possibly again at another
timeintheday.Thebestthingistosimplyfollow
the instructions on the bottle/label.
Followthedosinginstructionson thelabelofthe
specific product you’re using.
A; No, it is important to know that no
supplementswill“dotheworkforyou”ormake
upforpoordietaryhabitsandlackofexercise.
A:Certainlynot,butifyoubuyaproperly-
formulated product, it can certainly assist you
throughout the fat-loss process.
Creatine monohydrate has stood the test of time
whenitcomestoweighttrainingandathletic
performance. It’s one of the most efficient
supplementstoconsiderwhenlookingatits
cost-to-benefitratio and safety/tolerability.
Theenergycurrencyofthecellisknownas
Adenosine Tri-Phosphate (ATP). Essentially, your
muscles areconstantly using up andrestoring
ATP levels in order to perform work (i.e. contract).
One way to restore depleted ATP stores in muscle
cellsisthroughthephosphocreatineenergy
system.
Thisisachievedupondonationofahighly
energetic phosphate from a phosphocreatine
molecule to an ADP (adenosine di-phosphate)
molecule,thusforminganewATPmolecule.
• Increases intracellular water levels in
musclecells,whichinturnincreases
protein synthesis
• Bolsters ATP production, resulting in
increasedpower/strengthoutput
• Acts as a neuroprotective agent since
braincellsrelyheavilyonATPfor
membrane integrity
• Bloating/cramping (even though
“bloating” in this sense is actually
conducive to creatine stimulatingmuscle
growth)
• Dehydration(ifnotdrinkingamplewater)

SUPPLEMENTATION
• Avoiduseifyouhaverenalissuesordiabetes
• Preferably pre-workoutbutit’snotamajor
issuewhencreatineisingestedsolongasitis
kept consistent
• Moststudieshaveconcludedthatoncea
saturation point is achieved creatine can be
dosedbetween3-5grams/daytosustain
intracellular levels.
NOTE: Creatine may be “front-loaded” at a higher
dose(generally8-10g/day,splitintwodoses)to
achievequickersaturationofcells,butthisisn’t
required.
A:Unbeknownsttoyou,it’slikelyduetoan
increaseintheamountoffluidsyouconsume,
not the creatine itself.
A:Contrarytopopularbelief,thesepurported
“highly absorbable” forms of creatine are actually
less bio-available than the tried-and-true
monohydrate form.
A: Yes, that’s fine (and often times favorable).
A:Ihavenocluewherethiscommonclaim
originatedfrombuttheanswerisno,justno.
A: No, not unless you’re taking exceptionally high
amounts(andeventhenit’sunlikely).Creatine
may beariskforthose with pre-existingrenal
impairment,butthereislittleevidencethat
nominal doses cause such issues.

SUPPLEMENTATION
Multi-vitaminsareuniqueinthesupplement
industry in that they present consumers with a
fail-safe to avoid vitamin and mineral
deficiencies.
Followthelabel’sdirectionsforyourspecific
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.)perdaytofunctionproperly.
Manyprocessesthatwecarryoutineverydaylife
are thanks to micronutrients. In a nutshell, multi-
vitaminsworkbymakingsureyourbodyhasan
adequate intake of important micronutrients, so
youcanperformbetterandlivehealthier.
A:Frankly,yes.Multi-vitaminscontainawhole
spectrumofmicronutrients thatmaybeabsent
fromyourdiet,evenifyoudoeatalotofnutrient-
densefoods(likefruitsandvegetables).
• Preventmicronutrientdeficiencies
• Enhanceswell-beingandcognition
• Bolsters the immune system
• May cause dehydration if you do not drink
adequatefluidthroughouttheday
It is usually advised to take your multi-vitamin
with the first meal of the day
A:Moreoftenthannot,multi-vitaminscontain
fat-soluble micronutrients which should be taken
withfoodtoensure proper absorption.

12 WEEK SHRED
Adjusting the plan
As we drop bodyweight our Daily Calorie
Requirement (DCR) decreases, and we will need
toreopentheenergydeficitforfatlossto
continue.
• Decreasesinoverall bodymass lead to
lower expenditure from exercise and non-
exercise activities. The heavier we are the
moreeffortwehavetoexerttomoveour
body.
• DecreasedTEF(lessfoodtodigest)
• Homeostatichormonalmechanisms
Whenour storesgetlowour expenditure is
downregulatedinanattempttoclosethegapon
the energy deficit and preserve adequate levels of
body fat.
Thegreaterthecaloricrestrictionthemore
weadapttoanintake.Forthisreason,wewantto
startwithourceilinghighforadjustments with
regardstodietandcardio.However,evenwith
themostwellthoughtoutstrategyyouwillhave
some metabolic adaptation and you will likely
plateau.
This boils down to individual preference and what
willallow for long-termsustainability.
ThefollowingdatashouldALLbeconsideredprior
to making an adjustment to your fat-loss strategy:
• ThisshouldtrumpALLoftheotherfactors
thatwillbelisted.Ifyouarelookingleaner
inthemirrororthroughprogressphotos
thenDONOTCHANGEANYTHING.
• Progressphotosshouldbetakeninsimilar
lightin thesame locationifpossible.This
will prevent any inconsistencies in shadows
thatcan maskwhat’sactually occurring.
It’sbesttotakeprogressphotosfacinga
windowwiththecamerabetweenyouand
thewindow.Thiswillallowforthemost
consistent light.

ADJUSTINGTHEPLAN
• Whileweareprimarilyconcernedwithfat
loss,thereisobviouslyacorrelationbetween
weightloss and fatloss overtime. Weigh in
each dayunderthesame conditions(upon
wakingandafterusingrestroom)andtrack
yourweightdaily(usingtheWeightLossLog
Spreadsheet).Aweeklydropof~.5-1%of
bodyweightwillensurethatthedropsare
coming primarilyfrom fatstores assuming
youhaveyourbasescoveredwithadequate
protein intake and training design/execution
(which you will). If you see positive changes in
themirrorand/ormeasurementsbutnoton
thescalethenDONOTCHANGEANYTHING.
Thereisalotmorethatgoesintobodyweight
than just adipose tissue.
• Whilethemirrorandprogressphotosare
GREAT,theyarealsoqualitativeinnature.If
thescaleisn’tmovingbutsayyourwaistis
goingdown,thenyouknowyouarelosing
body fat and SHOULD NOT CHANGE ANYTHING.
Measurementsworthtakingfortrackingfat
loss include:
- Waist circumference atnavel
- Hip circumference at widestpoint
Increase the energy deficit by an additional 10-
15% from further dietary restriction and/or
added cardiovascular work.
When decreasing calories, typically we only
decreasefromcarbsandfat.Thereasonwedo
notdecrease from protein isbecause itis crucial
forpreservingleanbodymass(ie.muscle)so
therefore,youwanttomaintainyourprotein
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).
Forthoseatanoverweightorobeselevelyou
shouldgowithabiggerdropinthe100to200
range.
If you’re a general dieter and dropping calories for
the firsttime then you should go with arange of
50 to 100 calories per day.
Note:Forthoseofyouwhohavebeendietingfora
while,andhavereducedcaloriesafairamount
alreadyonmultipleoccasionsthen youshould
sticktoa25to50caloriedrop.Whichwould
resultinarecommendationofloweringcarbsby
5-10gramsperdayandfatby1-2gramsperday.

ADJUSTINGTHEPLAN
John (General Dieter) has just reached week 4 of
his12WeekShredandhashitaweightloss
plateau.
Asageneraldietertherecommendationsareto
lowercarbsby10-15gramsperdayandfatby3-
6gramsperday.Johnwishestodeduct15grams
from carbs and 5 grams from fat on both his low
and high-carb days.
• Our DCR adapts as we lose body fat to protect
against continued fat loss, therefore plateaus
occur at given calorie intakes and cardio levels.
• Whenfatlossstallswemustreopenthe
calorie deficit by decreasing macros,
increasing cardio or both.
• Reduce calories in the form of carbohydrate
and fat.
• Donotrelysolelyonthescaletodetermineif
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
adjustmentstoeachday’smacrosandsprinkle
somemorecardioin(likeanextraHIITorLISS
session)andbepatient.Progressshouldpick
back up.

12 WEEK SHRED
Frequently Askedquestions
Manyappsallowyoutoinputcaloriesinaddition
tothemacros.Foodlabelsuserounding,and
thereisalsoapotentialforerroronbehalfofthe
personinputtingthe dataintothedatabase.If
you are hitting your macros (Fat/Carbs/Protein)
then you are hitting your calories. There is no way
around it.
Ifit’slessthan4%oftotalweightthenholdoff
another week or two and reassess. If it continues,
increasecaloriesby5-10%.Ifitlevelsofftothe
appropriate rate stay put.
5to7days.Youcouldjustbestressedandwater
retentionismaskingfatloss.Ifyoustrongly
believeyourintakeshouldbeyieldingacaloric
deficitthenitprobablyis,andyoujustneed to
hold out a bit longer.
This may happen. Strength is not linear. Expect
some bad days and keep grinding.
Alcoholcontainsapproximately7caloriesper
gram and most alcoholic beverages get the
majority of their calorie content from
carbohydrates. While drinking copious amounts of
alcoholisoftenasociallyacceptableformof
entertainment,itbehoovesyoutoavoidsuch
eventsifyouareseriousaboutyourphysique.
ThisisNOTtosayyoucan’thaveanyalcohol,but
justthatyoushouldrestrictintaketomaybe1-2
drinks per week if you must have any.
Moreover, alcohol impairs cognition and can
interruptwithyourabilitytoperforminthegym
(and elsewhere). If you want to work an occasional
beerorglassofwineintoyourdailycalorieintake,
thatisfine.Justdon’tgodrinkingawholesixpack
andthinkthatisconsidered“moderation.”

FAQ
Weareinadynamicstateoflosingand
replenishingwaterinourbodies;whenthe
amountofwaterbeingtakeninbecomesless
thantheamountbeinglost,webecome
dehydrated.
Properhydrationiscrucial tomaintaining cell
functions, and without enough water,
performanceandoverallhealthcanbegreatly
hindered.Theamountofwateroneneedsona
dailybasisvariesbasedontheirsize andtheir
activity level (active individuals generally require
muchmoreliquidthansedentaryindividuals).
While everyone has different fluid requirements
basedonsize,activitylevel,etc.,1-1.5gallons
per day is usually sufficient.
Evenacutelossesofsleephavebeenshownto
have a host of harmful effects in humans,
includingtendencytoovereatthenextdayand
decrease insulin sensitivity, two things that spell
disaster when combined.
Sleeplossusuallyresultsinfeelingstressedout
as well, which is generally not favorable for proper
appetiteregulation.Aimtogetatleast7-8hours
of sleep per night.
Yes!Endlesscruncheswillnotmeltawaythe fat
fromyourmidsection.Itjustdoesn'tworkthat
way. And despite the "burn" of high rep ab
exercises, you barely burn any calories while doing
thoseendlesscrunches.Visibleabsaresimplya
resultoflowbody-fat.(Approx.below12%)
Inregardstoabtraining,2exercisesperweekis
morethanenoughforvitalstimulation.Another
thingtoconsidertooisyourabsgetalotof
indirect work from other exercises mainly
compound movements such as squats, deadlifts,
seatedorstandingpressesandpulldowns,etc.
Sojustrememberifyoucan'tseeyourabsvery
well, you're simply carrying too much body-fat.
Thebestthingyoucandoisgetleanbyhitting
yourfatlosscalorie/macrogoalsandtraining
properly; once that happens, you'll start to see
that six pack peek through.

FAQ
Ifyou'reallergictoacertainvittles,youshould
definitelyfollowstandardprotocolandavoid
them. Allergies are a serious medical condition
andtriggeranimmunesystemresponsethat
couldbe life-threateningifcareisnottaken;
pleaseconsultaphysicianifyouareconcerned
about a food allergy.
Thebestthingtodoifyouareintolerantof
certainfoods/ingredientsiseithersparingly
ingestthosethingsoreliminatethemfromyour
diet. If you absolutely cannot eliminate them, you
couldtryusing certaindigestive aidslike fiber
supplements and digestive enzymes.
Sometimes fruits, vegetables, and meats do not
come with nutritional information. Using
websites/apps like CalorieKing or MyFitnessPal
youcansimplysearchthefruit,vegetable,or
meat to obtain the same nutritional information.
Determineifyouwouldliketocontinuetoget
leaner. If the answer is yes, then continue dieting
forfatloss using the recommendations within
thisbook.Ifyoudecideyouwouldliketobegina
massphase,thenslowlyaddcaloriesintheform
ofcarbsandfatuntilyouaregaining.5-1lbs.per
month.
Youwillwanttoslowlystartaddingcaloriesback
intoyourdietasyoutransitiontoa maintenance
phase.Amaintenancephaseisessentiallywhen
your caloric expenditure and intake are in
equilibrium. To find how many calories you require
foramaintenance phaseyouwillneedtosimply
calculate your DCR (Daily Calorie Requirements).
You may refer to Chapter 5 or the Macro
Calculator Excel Spreadsheet to calculate this
value.
Thegoalistoaddcaloriesslowlyoverafewweeks
soyouaddaslittlebodyfataspossible.Youmay
evengetleanerduringthisprocessifyoukeep
traininghardandcontrolyourfoodintake.

FAQ
Eatyourfoodslowlytogiveyourbraintimeto
catch up with your stomach. If you eat very quickly
youmayenduptakinginanexcessiveamountof
food and not feeling satiated.
Drinkplentyofwater(orotherlow-calorieliquids)
The benefits of staying hydrated are numerous,
and keeping enough liquid in your stomach while
youeatwillcreateasenseoffullness(notto
mentionit’sgreatfordigestivepurposes).
Eat foods that provide more satiety early in your
meals:
• Fibrous vegetables and fruits are
micronutrient-dense, lower-calorie options
thatprovidebulktowasteintheintestinesand
make you feel full.
• Water content foods such as soups, beans,
leanmeats,poultry,fish,low-fatdairy,fruits,
veggies and certain cooked grains are generally
lowerincaloriedensity.Essentially,youget
more for your money with these options
becausethewaterpromotessatietyandadds
volume to your food.
Vacate your mind from food
This sounds like common sense, but when you feel
hungerpaincomingonthelastthingyouwantto
doisbearoundthekitchenwhengrandmais
whippingupherfamouschocolatechipcookies.
Tryandkeepyourselfpreoccupiedwithother
things and you’ll notice you stop worrying about
food somuch.
• Refer to the printable workout logs to prepare
yourself for upcoming workouts.
• Use the provided Excel spreadsheet to
calculate your fat-loss macronutrientgoals.
You may also calculate them manually using
themethods providedinchapter5.
• Download a macro/calorie tracking app such
asMyFitnessPalandstartloggingyourmeals
• Hityourdailymacrogoals(Fat/Carbs/Protein)
• Weigh in each day under the same conditions
(uponwakingandafterusingrestroom)and
record your weight.
• Getupoffyourbuttandmakeithappen!This
program means nothing without YOUR
ACTION!
Please send it all through to
transform@simplyshredded.com

KEEPTHEDRIVEALIVE
I t n e v e r g e t s e a s I e r.
youjustget
stronger.

KEEPTHEDRIVEALIVE

12 WEEK SHRED
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

REFERENCES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

12 week shred

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to 12 week shred

Similar to 12 week shred (20)

More from Ragner Fit

More from Ragner Fit (18)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

12 week shred