To reach your get-lean goal, you must also follow a get-lean diet. Why? Even if you work out hard for an hour every day, that still leaves 23 more hours for you to wreck all your hard work in the gym with just one slip-up: a measly handful of chips, a beer with the guys or a burger at lunch. Diet is a huge, so to speak, part of the fat-loss equation. It's the backbone of your entire plan, the foundation of a hard body.
Bodybuilding nutrition consultant Jim Juge says nutrition determines your success or failure, plain and simple. "The diet is 65% of what you need to get in shape,"” he says. Juge would know, as he'’s helped countless dedicated people reach their goals, from achieving their best body ever to placing first in bodybuilding competitions.
You've got 28 days to get to your goal, so we've recruited Juge to help you every step of the way. He'’s adapted a traditionalbodybuilding competitor's diet for a non-competitor (that means you!) who wants to look his best, shedding as much fat as possible in a very short time. With just under a month, there'’s no time to fool around, so commit today! Go to the grocery store and stock up tonight. Come breakfast time tomorrow, follow his plan as strictly as you can and get ready to show off those impressive muscles in a month.
Strict. Strict. Strict. This is your mantra for the next 28 days. There'’s just no way around the diet, says Juge, and eating clean is the name of this get-lean game. Juge'’s diet plan is filled with fresh, clean foods that are as unprocessed as possible. Here are his three simple principles to shed fat fast.
- Eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, daily. If your protein intake is too low on a restricted-calorie diet, you'll lose a lot of muscle in addition to any fat you'’re lucky enough to shed. A high protein intake will help you preserve lean mass during your dieting phase. Choose lean high-quality proteins like egg whites, poultry, lean red meat and protein supplements. The diet provided here contains about 220-–250 grams of protein daily, fine for a male weighing 200-250 pounds. Up your protein only if you'’re heavier than 250 pounds, or you're very hungry and need to add food during the day. Juge suggests an additional protein shake for an easy quick fix. (If you'’re under 180 pounds, cut out 3 ounces of meat or chicken per day from the diet.)
- Keep your carbohydrates low to moderate when trying to lose weight. "“On a low day you'’ll have closer to 100 grams of carbs,"” he says. "“A moderate day is about 150 grams of carbs." Juge prefers to rotate low and moderate days in order to keep energy high and provide a change of pace. Good, clean, fiber-rich carbs include oats, potatoes, rice and whole-grain bread.
- Drink at least a gallon of water per day. It'’ll keep you hydrated and healthy. Water should be your primary beverage during dieting. Though many rely on diet sodas, Crystal Light and other low-calorie sweetened drinks, plain old water is really your best bet.
DAY ONE
Meal 1
- 1/2 cup oatmeal (dry amount) made with water
- 1/2 cup strawberries
- 6 egg whites cooked with 1 yolk
Meal 2
- 1 cup green vegetables
- 8 oz. chicken breast
Meal 3
- Tuna sandwich made with 6-oz. can tuna (in spring water), 2 slices whole-wheat bread, 1 Tbsp. fat-free mayo, 2 leaves romaine lettuce
Meal 4
- Protein shake made w/ 40 g whey protein
Meal 5
- Chicken salad made with 8 oz. chicken breast, 2 Tbsp. Italian dressing, 1/2 medium tomato, 2 leaves romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup broccoli
1,817 calories, 255 g protein, 98 g carbohydrate, 37 g fat, 20 g fiber
DAY TWO
Meal 1
- 1 medium bagel with 2 tbsp. reduced-fat peanut butter
- 6 egg whites cooked with 1 yolk
Meal 2
- 1 cup brown long-grain rice (cooked amount)
- 1 cup green veggies
- 6 oz. chicken breast
Meal 3
- 1 cup green veggies
- 6 oz. lean steak
Meal 4
- Protein shake made w/ 30-–40 g whey protein
Meal 5
- 8 oz. red snapper or halibut
- 1 cup broccoli
1,959 calories, 254 g protein, 132 g carbohydrate, 39 g fat, 17 g fiber
DAY THREE
Meal 1
- 1/2 cup oatmeal made with water
- 6 egg whites cooked with 1 yolk
- 1 piece fru
- Meal 2
- 1 cup green veggies
- 8 oz. chicken breast
Meal 3
- 1 cup green veggies
- 6 oz. lean steak
- Large baked potato with skin (3-–4" in diameter)
Meal 4
- Low-carb, low-sugar protein bar
Meal 5
- Omelet made with 8 egg whites and 1 yolk, cooked with 1/2 cup broccoli, 2 mushrooms, fresh salsa
1,862 calories, 226 g protein, 149 g carbohydrate, 35 g fat, 23 g fiber
DAY FOUR
Meal 1
- 1 cup whole-grain cereal
- 1 cup 1% milk
- 1 piece fruit
- 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
Meal 2
- Large baked potato with skin (3-4" in diameter)
- 1 cup green veggies
- 6 oz. chicken breast
Meal 3
- Large baked potato with skin (3-4" in diameter)
- 1 cup green veggies
- 6 oz. lean steak
Meal 4
- Protein shake made w/ 30-40 g whey protein
Meal 5
- 16-oz. can tuna (in spring water) made with 1 Tbsp. fat-free mayo
- 6-8 stalks asparagus
1,984 calories, 226 g protein, 200 g carbohydrate, 29 g fat, 28 g fiber
DAY FIVE
Meal 1
- 1/2 cup oatmeal made with water
- 7 egg whites cooked with 1 yolk
- 1/2 cup strawberries
Meal 2
- 1 cup green veggies
- 8 oz. chicken breast
Meal 3
- Large baked potato with skin (3-4" in diameter)
- 1 cup green veggies
- 8 oz. sliced turkey
Meal 4
- Protein shake made w/ 30-40 g whey protein and 1 cup berries
Meal 5
- 7 oz. lean steak
- 6-8 stalks asparagus
1,846 calories, 258 g protein, 122 g carbohydrate, 32 g fat, 23 g fiber
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