If you’ve ever looked at yourself in the mirror and realized that your body somehow got away from you, you’re not alone. Many people get caught up in their careers or with their families (or both) and slowly abandon the physical activity that kept them looking good at a younger age.
Even if you are one of those fortunate people who was always been lean because you have great genetics, years of bad eating habits and lack of activity will eventually catch up with you.
With the start of the New Year, you want to get back in shape or at least ward off the effects of aging. You have the motivation and the desire. But what do you have to do to get your body ready to look good at Devil’s Cove (or your neighborhood pool) when the weather warms up again?
Fortunately for you, I’ve been involved in fitness my entire adult life, and I’m going to tell you how to get there. Over the years, I’ve helped hundreds of clients go from not-so-good shape to the best shape of their lives.
The recipe is relatively simple, but regardless of what the infomercials tell you, it’s not easy (most people like to hear “easy 10 minutes a day, and three days a week”). You have to train hard with weights, do regular cardio and eat right. It’s not complicated, but for most people, it takes hard work, dedication and consistency, in both training and diet. The good news is that I’ve seen many “normal” people do it, and so can you!
In late 2010, I was listening to a local radio talk show on my way to work at Hyde Park Gym. The guest host was Rob Balon, an Austin food critic. He started the show by talking about how there was so much less of him than there had been at the end of 2009. He lost more than 70 pounds during 2010.
He said that after having tried every fad diet known to man, he hit on the “secret.” He found that he had to exercise intensely on a daily basis and be more disciplined when eating.
That’s pretty darn simple! Consistent hard work and responsible eating get you leaner. Don’t fall for the silly gadgets and even sillier diets out there. Getting in shape and staying in shape (especially when you’re over 30) takes a lot of hard work and dedication. But the results are well worth the effort.
To achieve that swimsuit body, you need to follow a three-pronged approach: weight training, daily cardio and a clean diet. Here’s how to get started.
Start with a full-body weight-training program three days per week. If you have ever been a competitive athlete, I know you know what it’s like to workout hard, but start slowly. Don’t kill yourself in the first few workouts. Let your body adjust to the weight training, and build the intensity with each workout.
After three weeks of full-body workouts, split your workouts into lower body/abs and an upper-body routine. Continue lifting three days per week, alternating between the two workouts.
After six to eight weeks of hard training, you many want to go to a three-day split. But if you continue to see progress with the two-day split, stay with it.
For cardiovascular exercise, I recommend 20 to 30 minutes first thing in the morning, six days per week. Exercise at 70 to 75 percent of your max heart rate (220 – your age = max HR).
One mistake I think a lot of people make is killing themselves on cardio, which interferes with their ability to recover from weight training. You don’t have to do your morning cardio at a super high intensity, but it’s important that you get up and do your cardio first thing in the morning.
Trust me, I’m not a morning person, but I’ve learned over the years that to get into top shape, there’s no substitute for getting up and getting the fat-burning process going early in the morning.
I’ve seen it over and over again with clients and friends. The early-morning cardio has an almost magical effect. If you hit a plateau in your body fat loss, add another cardio session in the evening.
In terms of diet, I’m going to give you some very general guidelines. As a starting point, divide your macronutrient intake as follows: 40 percent protein, 40 percent carbs and 20 percent fats.
To determine how many calories to start with, multiply your bodyweight by 12. For a 185-pound man, for example, that would come to 2,220 calories per day. Divide the total calories by six meals, and you get 370 calories per meal. Choose lean sources of protein such as poultry breast, lean red meat and fish.
For carbs, you want to consume low-glycemic starches, fresh fruits and vegetables. Your food sources will provide some fat, but you will want to supplement with essential fatty acids (I recommend Udo’s 3-6-9 Oil Blend – one tablespoon twice per day).
Depending on your body type, you may have to manipulate the macronutrients as you see how your body responds. You can very easily keep track of your diet and all of your nutrient levels by using the “Lose It!” app on your iPhone or iPad.
The last thing you need to do is keep weekly tabs on your skin fold measurements and your bodyweight. This is necessary to make sure you are consuming the right amount of food and doing the right amount of exercise.
I like to see clients lose one to two pounds of bodyweight per week, with two pounds being the upper limit. However, if you gain muscle at the same time, you will see less weight loss on the scale. By monitoring your skin fold measurements (subcutaneous fat), you can see whether or not you are actually losing body fat, even if your body weight is not dropping.
I’ve seen people who gained muscle and lost body fat at the same rate, so they didn’t see a loss on the scale (I’ve experienced this myself). This is the best-case scenario, and it means you’re doing everything right.
You may be wondering how to measure your skin folds. The best thing to do is ask at your gym if any trainers who have skin fold calipers would be willing to measure yours. It only takes a minute, so it should be very inexpensive, if not free.
I’ve included a full-body workout and a two-day split to get you started. Remember: hard work and discipline! Please let me know how you progress.
Full-Body Workout
- 10 minutes fast walking or on an exercise bike
- Ab crunches, four sets, max reps (as many reps as you can do each set)
- Bench press, three sets, 10-12 reps
- Seated cable row, three sets, 10-12 reps
- Overhead DB press, three sets, 10-12 reps
- Barbell curls, three sets, 10-12 reps
- Tricep pressdown, three sets, 10-12 reps
- Squats, three sets, 10-12 reps
- Leg press, three sets, 10-12 reps
- Leg curls, three sets, 10-12 reps
- Standing calf raise, three sets, 12-15 reps
Two-Day Split
Lower body/abs:
- Hanging knee raises, four sets, maximum reps
- Crunches, three sets, maximum reps
- Squats, one to two warm-up sets, three sets, eight to 12 reps
- Leg press, one warm-up set, three sets, eight to 12 reps
- Leg curls, three sets, eight to 12 reps
- Leg extensions, three sets, eight to 12 reps
- Standing calf raise, five sets, 12-15 reps
Upper body:
- Deadlifts, one to two warm-up sets, three sets, eight reps*
- Bench press, one warm-up set, three sets, eight to 12 reps
- Incline DB press, three sets, eight to 12 reps
- Seated cable row, one warm-up set, three sets, eight to 12 reps
- Lat pulldowns (to the front), three sets, eight to 12 reps
- Overhead press, three sets, eight to 12 reps
- Standing barbell curl, three sets, eight to 12 reps
- Skull crushers, three sets, eight to 12 reps
*Only do deadlifts every second upper-body workout.
Train hard, and eat clean!
Dave Goodin, M.Ed., is an IFBB pro bodybuilder, a National Physique Committee judge and contest promoter and a trainer at Shredderbuilt LLC. For more information, send an email to shredderbuilt@gmail.com.
