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MINUTE WORKOUTS =a GYM-FREE MOVES Ss DAY GET-LEAN & MEALPLAN’ § Bradley Simmonds DON'T BE SHY GRAB A TUB OF OUR NEW COCONUT WHEY HEY aa WIRTERMELON AND REFRESHING COCONUT O| = S @ gz FLAVOURED WHEY PROTEIN POWDER. A mourynseenmsssmarmr | OA’ i yp ‘serving, this low-fat, gluten free protein powder is enough to " re 5 SY JB make anyone go nuts. Don't be shy, grab a tub of Whey Hey" YS Gi oe 6 x a a e BUY IT NOW EXCLUSIVELY AT Ser a Beaaa Beeaeas 7 BIO-SYNERGY.UK rt H&B) RIOSYNERGY 4#MAKEITHAPPEN rene” BIO-SYNERGY WHEY HEY’ IS A DELICIOUS, LIGE IR WATERMELON MensFitness BTW UMEM Editor Sam Rider MAGBOOK: Art itr ficharDais haahieatrarinnon —_ieedioietd Chief Subeditor Jo Williams Saree ted i Photography Danny Bird Internal Boss Develomest Dectr Expert and model Bradley Simmonds DatuPedstatingicise; ——eamlsinsnsasmateteeka ‘Additional photography peraions Drectr conan used rreyudcednlroat woul te Hanapon ett tveisng nsallentisies Ps Seng iStock, Shutterstock allysLens NewsraderectrDa caer Pa 7806502 ‘Ant Director Wi Chit Oeatig tice ates karsen Managing Editor Chris Miller Chit nani Oia SR sisters copia Bec Chie xc tier nes 2 oesig Drastandens Stee ike se. Tosubsoribe to Men's Fitness magazine, 0944844008 ubserbemeastiness.couk KNOWLEDGE The experts How it works The new rules of fat loss How muscles grow How to lift better. O 08 Allthekityouneed _30 12 Track your progress 32 14 Workout checklist 34 18 fAQ___-——CSTSB 20 Glossary 160 wi | Va = WORKOUTS WARM-UP BEPREPERED 36 EK THEFIRSTCUT a WEEK 2 TURNUP THE HEAT 70 LEAN DEFINITION THE FINAL PUSH HOLIDAY WORKOUTS TRAVELLIGHT 122 Nutrition basics Orinks & hydration Snacks Supplements WEEK1 METABOLISM BOOST Meal plan Recipes PRIME FOR MUSCLE __90 Meal plan 92 zs Recipes. 94 26 WEEK FUEL THE BURN 16 Meal plan 18 28 Recipes 120 64 CUTTING CLASS 66 Meal plan 68 Recipes. ZF) ees LU SO ae ge Shy SSL) Bao aT = coo eos Saf ad One is ae | MUU waa TT lal WE ARE SO CONFIDENT YOU WILL LOVE US, YOU GET IT FREE! Batt) Coll est tet RATED 5/5 BY OUR CUSTOMERS © zoeucious FLavours (Ea Oe ON DYNAMO™ PANU a als cra osaa CONTAINS MORE PROTEIN THAN ave Me haat 4 ANY OTHER BLEND IN THE UK Panay FROM £080 PER SERVING DYNAPRO™ MOUSSE Dy Tie raat ten Ae etsy PUSS ya tay asa TASTING PROTEIN BAR’ Pence Crass eee scr tent eee al EO eae Besser tre teeter ey SAA ae) HE EXPERT Meet the trio of fitness gurus who have pooled their extensive knowledge to create this four-week plan and help you lose fat fast x Sam Rider During his time as fitness editor on Men's Fitness, ‘Sam has worked with the world’s leading coaches and tested countless training protocols, workouts and diets to discover what works and what doesn't. He has transformed his physique more than ‘once, going from skinny to stacked and back to Tean again. Along the way he has learned how to stay in shape without making endless sacrifices, something you'll benefit from once you have finished this four-week plan, Follow him on Twitter @samridermf and the Men’s Fitness team on Instagram @mensfitnessuk. Bradley Simmonds Bradley is one of the leading personal trainers ‘on Instagram, helping thousands of people get fit and healthy. His fitness journey began at the age 0f 20 after a serious injury ended his football career bbut sparked an interest in physiotherapy and rehabilitation. He now splits his time between training Premier League footballers and inspiring his growing online following with daily workout videos using a creative approach to high intensity interval training (HIT). Download his food and exercise e-guides at bradleysimmonds.com and follow him on Instagram @bradleysimmonds. Laura-Kate Brown LauraKate studied yoga in Rishikesh, India, with some of the country’s Teading practitioners. She believes the principles ‘of yoga can benefit everyone, and when combined with weights and cardio can lead to improved flexibility and range of motion, reducing the risk of injury. She teaches all styles of yoga, including hatha, flow, vinyasa and restorative, from her studio in south London, and works with Bradley ‘Simmonds to create plans that will make you leaner and stronger without lingering aches and pains. Follow her on Instagram @lozziebrown_yoga. YOUR ULTIMATE FATLOSS 28 DAY PLAN Spring all year round... IF you are looking for a daily supplement to give you extra support from within, Jointace® has been specially formulated by Vitabiotics' experts to provide premium nutritional care. With a unique combination of nutrients, and vitamin C — \which contributes to normal collagen formation forthe normal function of bone and cartilage. eae tamin Company” O VITABIOTICS SCIENCE OF HEALTHY LIVING ——— The Workouts ——$— THE RULES Getting started Knowledge is power - the more you understand about how your body works and the best training techniques to use, the more successful your workouts will be. This section contains everything you need to know, from proven methods of stripping fat in the gym and kitchen to the supplements to support you over the next four weeks. OW IT WORK Not only will this book help to transform your body over the next four weeks, it will also teach you training and nutrition skills that will keep you in shape for life G KEEP IT SIMPLE TOAVOID EXCUSES Lack of time is the first. obstacle that gets in most people's way when trying to get in shape, closely followed by no gym to train in. This plan nullifies both issues to keep you on track, Every workout can be done in the comfort of your own home with minimal kit, and shouldn't take more than 20 minutes, G STRIP FAT WITH ‘ HIGH INTENSITY f High intensity interval training (HIT) is the ultimate weapon in fighting fat. In this plan, each week includes two HIIT workouts, one strength session and one stretching circuit to help you recover. The HITT workouts alternate short bursts of activity with short rest periods to elevate your heart rate and torch calories during and after the session. 8 BUILD MUSCLE WITH HIGH VOLUME While HITT melts away the fat, the resistance training during the strength ‘workouts will further help to define the muscles hiding underneath. These sessions use high repetition moves that will keep your muscles under tension for long enough for them to stow. And increasing strength will give you the solid foundations to support the high-intensity ‘workouts that form the backbone of this plan - plus the ability to knock out an impressive number of press-ups at will @ EAT MORE TOBURN MORE Exercise is only half the battle - your diet is equally integral to success. This book includes a meal plan for each week that you can follow to the letter or use as a guide. But fear not, instead of requiring you to cut back, these plans allow you to load up on delicious, nutritious food spread across five meals a day. @ UPGRADE YOUR MEAL PREP WITH EASE One of the keys to eating well is planning ahead, but that doesn’t mean endless reheated pots of chicken and broccoli. Our meal plans include 16 tasty recipes as well as tips on how to cut back carbs and teach your body to use fat for fuel so you crank up your calorie- burning potential over the next four weeks and. in the long term. There’s even room for the ‘occasional well-deserved cheat meal. @ WHAT TODO NEXT Read this chapter thoroughly to learn the crucial rules you'll need to follow in the gym and kitchen to shift excess fat and look your best. YOUR ULTIMATE FATLOSS 28 DAY PLAN THE WORKOUT PLAN crenose TIMERS aest ‘WSUALGUDE —_FORMGUIDE AMGaTONBAR Thenames Thenumber —‘Thetimein clear learand ‘This details which ofthe ofrepsin —secondsyou demonstration detaled written week the plan ovesyou'll eachcireuit, testafter—ofthemain descriptions of | youarein across dointhe —orthetime completing positions in how operform the 28 days. frderthey inwhichto—themove.--—‘eachexercise. each move, heed tobe performas performed, many reps as possible. a sreencriny 2 G STAY MOBILE WITH YOGA As well as HIIT sessions designed by Bradley Simmonds, each week includes a low-impact bodyweight session from yoga instructor Laura- Kate Brown, These moves will aid your recovery, keep you flexible and allow you to push yourself harder in your HINT and strength workouts. After all, who wants killer abs if you're too inflexible to whip off your T-shirt to show them in all their glory when the sun finally comes out? ATHENEWD, Treadmills, detox and stomach crunches are out. The recipe for your new lean belly: dumbbells, yoga and pancakes -no, really ‘AT LOSS C Sr MARATHON CARDIO SESSIONS ARE OVER Research has proven as incorrect the idea that steady- ~ state forms of aerobic exercise such as running, cycling and swimming - which supposedly elevate your heart rate into the “fat-burning zone” - are a {good for fat loss. If anything, too much long-distance cardio encourages your body to store fat. The high intensity circuits in this book will ramp up your body’s metabolism for optimum fat loss, so you burn more calories than you would jogging around a park. FAT LOSS 1S ABOUT INEFFICIENCY Or technically, it’s about inefficient exercise. This = MORE MUSCLE ie EQUALS LESS FAT is one of the problems with jogging. Ifyou're starting from nothing, doing a few miles will burn plenty of calories. But the more accustomed you get to it, the further or faster you'll need to go to get the same benefit. In this book, no two workout sessions are the same so you won't get too comfortable. Ifyou start finding it too easy, increase the reps or reduce the rest times to make it tougher. Contrary to popular myth, you ‘won't burn significantly more calories at rest simply by increasing your composition ‘ofmuscle. You burn five to six calories per day at rest for every 500g of muscle ‘you gain - arelatively negligible amount. But more muscle equals more strength, so you can push harder in workouts and use up more calories to synthesise muscle protein rather than store fat. EATING ISN'T CHEATING The meal plans in the book allow for “cheat meals”. There's some science to suggest these can help keep your metabolism functioning properly when your body fat is low, but their main purpose isto let you recharge, have some fun and reward ‘yourself for sticking to the plan. Here's how to use them, Your cheat Typically this willbe dinner = Where possible, Ifyou stray off the plan at any other mealrenlaces C when you're outwith plan them around point during the week, don't declare onemealoption friends, butifyoutratherhave training whenthey can therest of the day right-of Just forgive onanygivenday. ahugebreakfastonaMonday, helnwith glycogen _yourselfand go back to eating sensibly. that’s fine (see the fullEnglish replacement and breakfast on p68), Tecovery so you store less as fat. HARDER ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER Nobody can go hard all the time, whatever that guy in the office ‘who just started CrossFit says. Intense activity raises your levels of adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol, with the effect, of shutting down some of the body's major functions, including digestion. That's fine if you're running from a tiger, but less so if you're in the gym trying to lose fat. That’s why this plan includes a day for stretching and recovery, using moves from yoga to keep you in good shape so you can enjoy your newly trimmed physique to its fullest. FATLOSS YOUR SOCIAL LIFE [ees] NEED NOT SUFFER Don’t feel you need to hide your fatoss ambitions from your friends. Letting them. know you're taking on this plan will hopefully make them more understanding. when you bow out of post-work pints. They can also serve as your support team, asking you how you're finding it and keeping you honest if you let your standards slip. Here's how to keep up appearances without clocking up the calorie count. c Ifyou're eating ata Avoid going to Put your fork down Be friend's house, load up restaurants when youre © between bites - this %, 6. onvegetables and protein ravenousoryou'llbe atthe will discourage overeating & € > andleavethe potatoes and mercy ofthe bread basket. and give your body — y Tice for the others. Have ahealthy snackfirst. time to register when 4 » Heading toarestaurant? | Packabagof bltong alee You can look at the and an apple for good Menu online before you go, quality emergency snacks but ordering inmost places when you're on the go. . is easy: choose a meat or fish option, and order extra vegetables on the side. ENJOY - YOURSELF ote Most people don’t like doing things they're bad at, { { but by setting simple fitness goals and aiming to { improve in small increments, you'll soon find that you . look forward to training more than you dread it. If there's ever a day you can't face getting to grips with { the TRX trainer, just do something simple instead, such as a quick Set of press-ups, a 30-second plank, or whatever you fancy. It’s the litle fixes that will make a big difference to your overall health in the f Jong rim, and once you feel that endorphin rush y ‘you may want to continue getting a sweat on, i OW MUSCLES GRO What happens to your body during and after a workout? Here's the simple science behind the process of breaking down and rebuilding muscle fibres, and making your body bigger and stronger body responding to the stress of ‘weight training, It’s thinking, “That was hard. Id better do something so it’s not as difficult next time.” During weight training, you create microscopic tears in ‘your muscles. Your body's response to this “microtrauma” is to not just repair the damaged tissue but add more. In this way your muscles become bigger and stronger and so the risk of future damage is minimised. It’s thought M uscle growth is essentially your this damage to your muscle fibres is the reason for the soreness you feel in the days after a tough workout (known as delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS). And it’s why you should always leave at least 48 hours between sessions that target the same muscle group. If you train again before your muscles have been repaired, you won't be as strong and you run the risk of injury. Here are the key stages of the process. The warm-up ‘An increased heart rate pumps blood to your muscles, warming them and supplying oxygen. Loading the muscle ‘At the start of each rep, your muscles are under Joad and stretched. Your heart pumps more blood into the protective sheaths that surround the muscle fibres, supplying oxygen and nutrients to these fibres. Sparking your nervous system When you want to lift a weight, your nervous system relays this to the nerves in the sheaths. They tell the muscle fibres to contract and lift. you're doing the exercise correctly, your muscles will activate in a particular sequence; over time your nervous system adapts and your muscles get more efficient. Chemical reactions Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the energy source for muscle contraction. Creatine, phosphate and. glycogen reserves in the cells are also converted into ATP. Lactic acid is a by-product. Feeling the burn ‘Once glycogen stores are depleted and lactic acid has built up, the muscles can’t work efficiently. While you rest, aerobic muscle respiration converts Tactic acid back into glycogen. Success in failure ‘As you reach failure, your fast-twitch muscle fibres become fatigued. Microscopic tears occur in the myofilaments, the smallest fibre bundles. Repair and growth, ‘The first way your muscles start to grow is through post-workout repair. Your body fixes the microtears by adding the amino acids actin and myosin to the myofilaments, which also causes them to grow in size Your muscles also adapt to store more glycogen, so there’s more energy on hand for the next workout. OW TOLIFT BETTE If you're new to lifting weights - or even if you aren't - tweaking your training can make all the difference to your results. Here’s how to work out smarter and harder GW LIFTTHE RIGHT WEIGHTS Ifyou're unsure of the weight to use on a given exercise, err slightly on the low side and Concentrate on good form. As an example, assume you're aiming for eight to ten reps on the overhead press. If you hit ten reps in your first set, increase the weight by around 5% at the next session. If you can't even get eight reps in your first set, you've started too heavy. Drop the weight by 510% for your remaining sets. If you've only got one set of weights, pick a number of reps that means you're close to failure by the final move or slow the tempo. B PLAN AHEAD Part of the beauty of this plan is you don’t need a gym membership. If you already have one, however, you should find all the kit you need there. Ifit's busy or kitis being used by others, you'll need a backup option. There are alternatives for every move - use a dumbbell for : a kettlebell swing, for example, or the cable machine for the TRX biceps curl. If you'd rather train at home, all the kit you need for this plan is on p30. KEEP A TRAINING DIARY Atthe very least, record the ‘weights you're using so you can aim to better them in your next workout. If you've got time, though, record how you felt during sessions, what extra activity you did and how you slept- it all helps. 8 DON'T GET DISTRACTED Ifyou're training at home, take your phone off the hook or set your mobile to airplane mode and ring- fence the 20 minutes you need for these workouts. B PAIN OR INJURY? Pain is the burn you get in your muscles when you push Yourself to get one more rep. Bad pain - the sort that indicates injury -is the sharp, jolting sort that persists when you stop exercising, and means you should consult a doctor. This plan is likely to result in DOMS, the muscle pain that ‘occurs a day or two after your workout. DOMS is common, especialy if you're new to a certai exercise, and will reduce over time. The weekly Keep a record of the weights you manage to lift during your training session so you can aim to better them bext time recovery workouts in this plan will help loosen any tightness, and ‘you can also alleviate soreness ‘with some gentle active recovery, such as band crab walks (p150). PUSH THROUGH Everyone has bad days in the gym, but don’t get discouraged ifyou feel tired or can’t lift more weight than last time. Stick to the plan, push yourself and you'll keep making progress. UTRITION BASIC The key to fat loss isn’t eating less - it’s eating better. By cutting down on sugar and refined carbs and focusing on real food, you'll make your body into an efficient, fat-burning machine - without ever going hungry OON'T SKIP MEALS You've probably heard of “fast” diets such as the 5:2, but in this plan you'll eat three meals and two snacks - or five “feeds” - every day. This is partly to fuel your workouts, but also because it wil keep your insulin levels steady, making it less likely that you'll get hungry and make bad food decisions. It's also a big part of making the plan sustainable in the long term: by eating most of your food at the same time as everyone else, you'll find it easier to tailor your diet to your lifestyle. EAT REAL FOOD ‘The best rule of thumb is to only eat food that grows out of the ground or once had a face - do this and you'll find it difficult to go wrong. By avoiding heavily processed and pre-packaged food, you'll also miss out on unwanted chemicals and added salt or sugar. EAT PROTEIN WITH EVERYTHING This may seem counterintuitive for fat loss, but protein is filing, which means you'll get hungry less often, and it also has Xrmild thermogeniceffect Eat proveinrich EAT MORE GREENS foods such as meat, fish or eggs with every, Vegetables should be the foundation meal. You should aim for roughly 2g per ‘of your diet - try to eat green, fibrous ilo ofyour target bodyweighs er lay, veg with as many meals as possible. Apart Youshecld getenough rors your allored _fembeing packed with antioxidants and meal plan, but if you’re concerned you. essential vitamins and minerals, vegetables aren't getting enough, consider topping are fous and filing, which wil help you up with whey or casein supplements. to feel full long after you've finished eating. DON'T BE AFRAID OF FAT Fat doesn’t make you fat - as long as you're eating the right kind, Stick to meat, avocado and nuts, but avoid the hydrogenated and trans fats found in cakes, biscuits and other processed food. Good fats play a key role in everything from energy expenditure to producing testosterone, and trying to avoid them entirely will throw your training into a downward spiral EAT FREE-RANGE Because free- range animals have a better diet and less stress and illness to contend with than their cage-reared brethren, they're often so nutritionally dissimilar its like ‘eating entirely different food. Grass fed beef, for instance, has much higher levels of CLA and omega 3s. Choose free-range food where you can - you can tse the money you're saving by not drinking (see below). EAT CARBS AROUND TRAINING Carb cycling can be a complicated topic, but the basies are simple: immediately after training you're primed to replenish your glycogen stores, which will let you recover faster and push harder. ‘Aim to consume the meal with the most carbs after a workout. AVOID ALCOHOL Beer is the worst, but everything else isn't far behind. For the duration of the plan, sticking to one ‘medium-size glass of red wine a week will give you the best results. We'd suggest saving it for date night YOUR ULTIMATE FATLOSS 28 DAY PLAN RINKS & HYDRATIO What you drink can be just as important as what you eat when it comes to making the most of any fitness plan. Dehydration leads to poor focus and lack of motivation, but proper hydration also keeps all your body's key processes online. Here are the rules to follow START AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON ‘Try to drink a large glass of water ‘when you wake up - ideally before ‘you put on the kettle for your morning tea or coffee. It will help ‘you wake up and start the day feeling energised. KEEP WATER AT HAND Having a large bottle of water with ‘you at work will help you see how well you're getting on. Make sure you drink at least half a litre with every meal and you'll easly hit your daily goal MAKE IT INTERESTING Not a fan of plan water? Use the sparkling kind and add lemon or lime (or both) for a DIY soft drink that blunts fat-storing insulin spikes instead of causing them. (Wy KNOW YOUR GOALS ‘Aim to drink two to four litres of water a day. You'll need to drink more on days when you're training hard, or if you're a bigger guy oF sweat alot. THIRST VS HUNGER pao Remaeiens for hunger, ‘ ee iP > ¥ stop you making bad food. choices and derailing your progress. LIMIT CAFFEINE AFTER LUNCH Ideally, don’t drink any tea or coffee after 3pm. Excess caffeine will interfere with sleep, which can interfere with your ‘metabolism and recovery from workouts. AVOID LIQUID CALORIES It probably goes without saying that you should steer clear of soft drinks and foamy coffees for the duration of the plan, but also avoid smoothies and juices unless absolutely necessary. AS well as being a ‘common source of hidden sugar, they're easy to overindulge on and have litle effect on satiety levels, so you could bbe hungry again 30 minutes later AVOID SUGAR-FREE FIZZY DRINKS Yes, they're free of calories, Dut some research suggests the sweetness in them can stil cause fat-storing insulin spikes, while tricking your body into feeling more hungry. Itisn’t the end of the world if you need one occasionally while you kick a sugary-drink habit, but just try to make it an occasional indulgence, rather than an everyday occurrence. USE COFFEE WISELY Ifyou need a pre-workout pick-me-up, a black coffee or double espresso 15:20 minutes before you hit the gym should give you a caffeine kick just as you start to lift. Make sure you're well-hydrated during the workout itself, though. SWITCH TO GREEN TEA AND BLACK COFFEE Studies suggest the former has some fat burning properties, while the latter might have some antioxidant effects. If possible, try to stick to three or fewer caffeinated drinks a day - drink water as soon as you wake up, then have a tea or coffee at ilam. when your energy levels start to flag. El YOUR ULTIMATE FATLOSS 28 DAY PLAN What you eat between meals can make all the difference to your plan. The wrong choices can derail it completely, but these smart choices will keep you on track APPLE SLICES WITH NUT BUTTER Chop up an apple and eat it with nut butter - almond, walnut or peanut are all fine. G BILTONG ‘This South African variety of beef jerky packs in the protein - you get around 30g per 100g serving - is virtually zero-carb and you should even be able to find it at newsagents and train stations. Look for the least sugary version you can, GF CASHEWS AND BLUEBERRIES Both are readily available in most supermarkets and together they're an unbeatable combination. of protein, fat and antioxidants. Choose raw, ‘unsalted cashews and stick to a handful of each. CELERY AND NUT BUTTER Slice up short “boats” of celery and fill them with the nut butter of your choice. Go for the unprocessed, sugar-free version that's just made of nuts, if possible. @ CRUDITES AND HUMMUS Puta spoonful of hummus in a glass jar and stand yout sticks in it; thinly sliced carrots, red pepper and celery all work. 8 GREEK YOGURT It's full of potassium and has twice the protein of regular yogurt, so it helps your satiety levels. B GUACAMOLE Avoid the shop version. Instead, mash half an J avocado and add a squirt of lime, a pinch of coriander anda bit of chopped tomato if you've got time. OUR ABSOLUTE BEST-TASTING — CLEAN PROTEIN BAR EVER! Youre ana mission tobe your vay best, Whether your mission's to get fn track, score more goals, oF fo just get more done, Prot Sare rom MuscoTeo ave deignd fo Plp aut you ther wing premium nutrition with a delicious, gourmet taste. Made with high-qualty ingredients, they're big on flavour and deliver what sthietes want in a high-performance bar. We put in our best, 50 you can be your best. ‘Get our utimate in taste and performance with um==nanif — clean, premium nutrition to help you achieve life's daily missions! (a> (a> Ka D> (n De) NO) ex (0. & ay SS) a Der) Se nese esusncnay be Ba a ow recs ©2085 UPPLEMENT Used wisely, supplements can boost your training. Discover the best pills, powders and potions to aid your workout Wty ‘The daddy of all protein. Derived from milk, it provides all nine essential amino acids to build muscle. Isolate (90% protein) or fast-absorbing hydrolysates are best. The ideal post-workout dose is 20-258. oy 8 BRANCHED-CHAIN AMINO ACIDS (BCAAS) Valine, leucine and isoleucine help to fuel your muscles and stop them breaking down during exercise. Only needed when training like a demon. G FISHOML (omeca 3rarry acios) Ifthe only fish you eat is from the chippy, make sure you get your cholesterol-improving unsaturated fats from this fat fighting super-supplement that also boosts blood flow and reduces inflammation, © PROBIOTICS Recolonise your gut with live bacteria to aid digestion and extract nutrients from food. Taken in the lead-up to a tough cardio session, they can cut the risk of respiratory problems. GVITAMIND Needed for healthy bones, muscles and immunity. Sunlight is the best source, but supps help prevent deficiency, which can lead to low strength and illness. Recommended dose is 10001U a day. @ GREEN TEA EXTRACT ‘Amix of potent antioxidants and caffeine nudges up thermogenesis (calorie burning and fat oxidation) to give your fat-burning efforts a helping hand. B CASEIN Also found in milk, it has larger molecules than whey, although itcontains the same amino acids, so it’s absorbed slower. An ideal pre-bed protein hit. G BEET JUICE Forget spinach - beetroot is the king of performance veg, Nitrates widen blood vessels andaid delivery of oxygen to your muscles, (8. 2MA cnc macnesum aspanrare) Claimed to boost testosterone and energy while promoting undisturbed sleep - but you only need it if you're deficient. Nuts and seeds will keep your Mg and Zn topped up. O CREATINE If power and strength are your top trumps, sprinkling 5g monohydrate powder in your post-training shake can sustain your high-intensity efforts. 6 BETA-ALANINE Gota deadlift PB you must destroy? Boost your chances by offsetting fatigue with this amino acid, Note: can cause paraesthesia (skin tingling). B DEXTROSE/MALTODEXTRIN A carbohydrate derived from corn starch. During training, it helps prolong endurance. Post- workout, itrestores glycogen for rapid recovery. GB CAFFEINE This legal stimulant is aminor miracle worker -it boosts endorphins in your brain to reduce your perception of fatigue and pain. 8 TAURINE ‘An amino acid often found on the labels of dubious energy drinks, i's said to improve endurance but proofs limited. You can get all you need from milk, fish, meat and eggs. 8 SUPERGREENS Ifyour diet’s carnivorous, slurping concentrated fruit, vegand herbs can balance your pH levels, helping prevent ‘weight gain. But you'll miss out on the fibre of fresh greens. YOUR ULTIMATE FATLOSS 28 DAY PLAN El LL THE KIT YOU NEE Make a small investment in your training gear to reap big ‘fat-loss and muscle-building rewards for life. Here’s everything you'll need for the workouts in this book GFITMADVINYL « 0 COVERED KETTLEBELL Swinging a weight, rather than just picking it up and setting it down, builds real: world, functional muscle while obliterating calories. A 16kg bell i the best all-round option. £70 fitness-mad.com 8 JORDAN RESISTANCE BAND ack in your overnight bag for any occasion. Use for a few quick arm curls to get a pump on for the pool or to stretch out your back, chest and shoulders after an uncomfortable flight (ee p38). £9.06 wwwjordanfitness.com B ADIDAS ORIGINALS ZXFLUX TRAINERS Stable for any squat combo you could come up against, supportive for any run you take in your stride and stylish to match with any outfit - provided you let them air out after training. = £55 jdsports.co.uk YOUR ULTIMATE FATLOSS 28DAYPLAN OTRK Because it adds instability to simple moves, a TR suspension trainer will build core strength that lasts, Hook it over a door - remember to put a sign up so your housemate doesn't burst in midjump squat ~ and go to work. Its chunky carabiner has been tested for up to 590kg, sono holding back £139 wickedfitness.co CHROME DUMBBELLS « ‘They come cheaper, but this rounded set will allow you to upgrade any floor move, such as with the wide dumbbell roll-out (p133). Don't let your ego pick the weight - a 12kg pair will do the job. £97.34 for a 12kg pair worn jordanfitness.com 8 GYMSHARK FORM FITTED T-SHIRT ‘Snug, breathable and tapered to make you look the part- even if you're only ‘working out in the comfort of your bedroom. £20 gymshark.com 8 PERFORM BETTER MINIBAND = * Perfect for prehab to strengthen your glutes and protect your knees, ideal for recovery to increase circulation and versatile enough for a muscle-building workout ‘on their own (pi50). £10.80 performbetter.co.uk G LYLES SCOTT FITNESS RUNNING SHORTS These ultra-lightweight and flexible shorts double as quick-drying swimming trunks for maximum pool time. £45 Iyleandscott.com RACK YOUR PROGRES Keeping a record of your progress is important for motivation and staying on target. Here are the best ways to make sure you make the most of your training programme a) — 8 TAKE PROGRESS PHOTOS It’s one of the best way to make sure you're losing. fat, not just muscle. Try to use a large mirror with 4g00d lighting that you'll have regular access to. Aim. to take progress shots every two weeks, at roughly the same time of day - our suggestion would be first thing on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Keep ‘your pose and the surrounding lighting consistent. Ideally, take one front view and one side view photo, a similar distance from the mirror. we @ MEASURE YOUR BODY Measurements can be a better way to track progress than simply looking at your weight on the scales, depending on your goals. Ifyou’re going to measure yourself, use a tape measure and try to keep the conditions (Gime of day, etc) the same each time. The measurements we recommend are: Waist circumference Take the measurement just above your bellybutton. Bither tense or stay relaxed, ut do the same thing each time. 8 Upper arm Measure your arm around its widest point - from the peak of the biceps to the peak of the triceps - preferably when your arm is flexed. 8 Chest Measure around your chest at nipple-height. YOUR ULTIMATE FATLOSS 28 DAY PLAN @ TRACK YOUR PERSONAL BESTS For added incentive and motivation, itis worth testing yourself ‘occasionally to see how you've progressed. At the start of the plan, record how many press-ups, bodyweight squats or burpees you can do in one minute. Repeat this test halfway through the plan and again at the end for instant roof you're getting fitter. GG MONITOR YOUR BODY FAT Accurate body fat measurements are one of the best ways. to track progress, but they can be difficult to get, which is ‘why our main suggestions for tracking progress are photos and measurements. If you're interested in getting a body fat reading, though, these are your options. Skin-fold measurements This involves a professional using callipers to measure different sites on your body. It’s ‘one of the most accurate methods, but expensive SBioelectrical impedance analysis Muscle has high ‘water content and is highly conductive, while fat has ower water content and is less conductive. BIA scales use this to estimate body fat levels. On the plus side, it’s cheap B USE SCALES WITH CARE = you can get a set of scales for under £50 - but it’s not Although weight can be useful always accurate. taken in conjunction with other Hydrostatic weighing This involves being submerged ace OU HIDE Ese SOSEEnS) in water - it’s accurate, but expensive and impractical. on scale weight alone can be discouraging -for instance, ifyou DEXA Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (to give it its lose fat but add muscle, your scale _full title) is fast becoming the gold standard of body fat, weight might actually go up. Our ‘measurement because it’s based on a three-compartment. suggestion: ignore scale weight in ‘model that divides the body into total body mineral, fat favour of how you look and feel. free soft (lean) mass and fat tissue mass, estimating fat via, a full-body scan. On the downside, it’s one of the most expensive methods to use. Follow these rules to make the most of your training and use the workout table to keep track of your progress over the next 28 fat-melting days Know exactly what you need to do before you get a sweat on MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE FIX YOUR PRIORITIES ‘The best bodies are built for __This plan is challenging, but life, not just for an end-ofthe- _ it’s only four weeks long. Make plan photoshoot. This plan is a commitment to stick to it for designed to teach you a better __ that time. If you have to turn way to cook, eat and train so down aslice of birthday cake or that after just 28 days you'llbe a couple of nights at the pub, armed with the knowledge to. remember that you're doing it Keep the body you've built and for the best possible reasons. even improve on it. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY TRAIN SMART You'll have to push through ‘You'll train hard and eat some level of discomfort to get sensibly, but the plan is the most out of this plan, but if designed using the most up-to- you're injured or overtrained date training and nutritional __it’s time to ease off. Some theory to make sure you aren’t muscle soreness is fine, but working harder than youhave __ if you find yourself getting to. Youdon'tneed to spend _ ill, having difficulty sleeping six days a week in the gym or _ or completely losing your live on kale and dusttosee __appetite, ease off and come amazing progress. back stronger after a few days KEEP IT SIMPLE KEEP US POSTED Your plan is designed to fit _ At Men's Fitness we're here around your life. There’sno to help. Let us know how fasting, calorie-counting or you're progressing via using exercises that require a___ @mensfitnessmag on Twitter or space-age gym - just sensible @mensfitnessuk on Instagram. exercise choices and meals We'll do our best to answer any anyone can make. questions you have. Neal as WARM-UP HITT Lie Resistance band Bodyweight Ca STRENGTH TRX HIT2 Bodyweight RECOVERY HIIT3 Bodyweight Bodyweight: STRENGTH 2 TRX and dumbbells HIT Bodyweight RECOVERY 2 HITS Bodyweight Dumbbells STRENGTH3 TR HITE Bodyweight RECOVERY 3 HIIT7 Bodyweight Kettlebell STRENGTH 4 TRX and dumbbells HIT Dumbbells RECOVERY 4 FIVE-MINUTE FIX Bodyweight Resistance band UONG-HAUL BURN TRX YOUR ULTIMATE FATLOSS 28DAYPLAN The Workouts WARM-UP Warming up properly is an important part of your workout. It will prepare you to train, allow you to lift more weight and help to keep you injury-free EXERCISE 1 BAND PULL-APART 2 SHOULDER DISLOCATION 3 WALK-OUT INTO COBRA 4 MONSTER WALK 5 WIPER 6 SPEED SKATER “Going into a HIIT session coldis a recipe for injury. Preheat your body with a warm-up” WARM-UP ‘The Workouts Band pull-apart Hold a resistance band in both hands with your arms straight out in front of you. Keeping ‘your arms straight and shoulder blades retracted, pull the band apart to open up your chest and increase blood flow to your upper back muscles. ‘The Workouts Shoulder dislocation Gently grip either end of a resistance band in front of you with your thumbs pointing down. Slowly bring the band over your head and behind your body in a wide arc, so you feel a stretch in your chest and shoulders. Keep moving the band from front to back in a smooth motion to ‘mobilise your shoulder joints. WARM-UP ‘The Workouts Walk-out into cobra Stand with your arms in the ait Hinge at the hips and bring your hands towards your feet. Put your hands on the floor, bending your knees if necessary, and walk them forwards. When almost in the top press-up position, lower your chest towards the floor and press up, arching your back. Reverse the move to return to the start. Monster walk ‘Wrap a mini resistance band around both legs just below your knees and, with your feet wide apart, lower into a half ‘squat. Step one leg forward and to the side, working against the band to wake up your glutes. ‘Take a step forward and to the side with the other leg, so you move ina zigzag. Do five steps forward then five steps back, always pushing to the limit of the resistance. Your glutes should be on fire with each last step. Ifnot, use a stronger band or do more reps. ‘The Workouts WARM-UP ‘The Workouts Wiper Start in the top press-up position. Keeping your arms straight and shoulders strong, bring one leg under your body and out the other side as far as possible, to challenge your core and hip flexibility. Reverse the move to return to the start and alternate sides with each rep. ‘The Workouts Speed skater Run on the spot and hop sideways on to one foot then the other. Start small and build up to big, explosive jumps to activate your fast-twitch muscle fibres and ‘get your body fired up for the first move of your HIIT and strength workouts. =———— The Workouts ———$————= WEEK The first cu The first week of this plan isn’t meant to break you - in fact, no week is. Instead, it’s designed to get you active and burn fat as a happy side effect. You'll do four 20-minute workouts in seven days - two high-intensity interval training (HIT) sessions, one strength session using a TRX trainer and one yoga routine. ‘The Workouts The first cut HIT 1 Complete this four-move circuit three times in total egy 1 SQUAT 2 LUNGE 3 SQUAT THRUST 4 BURPEE STRENGTH 1 Complete this four-move circuit three times in total, resting for 60 seconds between rounds EXERCISE 1 TRX CHEST PRESS 2 TRX BICEPS CURL 3 TRX INVERTED ROW 4 TRX STANDING ROLL-OUT HIIT 2 Complete this four-move circuit three times in total aU 1 PRESS-UP- WEEK 1 ‘The Workouts The first cut 2 MOUNTAIN CLIMBER 3 PLANK PRESS-UP 4 PLANK TOE-TOUCH RECOVERY 1 Hold each pose for five to ten breaths, repeating the circuit five times in total with no rest EXERCISE 1 CHILD’S POSE 5-10 BREATHS 2 TRIANGLE 5-10 BREATHS 3 SUPINE TWIST 5-10 BREATHS 4 SEATED FORWARD BEND 5-10 BREATHS ‘The Workouts The first cut ‘| Squat: With your feet shoulder-width apart, squat until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, keeping your weight on your heels, knees wide apart and chest up. Drive back up to stand. WEEK 1 ‘The Workouts AUT 1 Vieisicu ‘2 Lunge : Take a big step forward, keeping both feet pointing forward, with your hands on your hips for balance if necessary. Keep your body upright and bend your front leg until your back knee is just off the floor, then Grive back up to stand. Alternate legs. oo 9 ‘The Workouts “tetision | HIT 1 ‘3 Squat thrust : Start in the top press-up position with your feet close together. Jump your legs into a tuck, keeping your hands on the floor, then jump them back to the start. o WEEK 1 ‘The Workouts AUT 1 Vieisiou ‘4 Burpee : From standing, drop down and place your hands on the floor outside your feet. Jump your feet back so you're in the top press-up position, then back to between your hands. Jump up and go straight into the next rep on landing. ‘The Workouts Theisiaa | STRENGTH 1 -] TRX chest press Hold the TRX handles as if you're in the top press- up position, with your body in a straight line. Lower yourself until your elbows are bent at least 90° - you should feel a stretch in your chest - then drive back up. The lower the handles, the harder the challenge. STRENGTH 1 Vieissci ‘2 TRX biceps curl : ‘Take the handles and lean backwards until your arms are extended and your body is in a straight line with your heels on the floor. Curl your arms to bring your chest to your hands, then lower » slowly until your arms are straight. ‘resin | STRENGTH 1 inverted row : Take the handles, lean backwards with ‘extended arms and walk forward three small steps. Keep your chest high and pull your body up until your chest touches the handles. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and slowly lower back to the start. WEEK 1 ‘The Workouts STRENGTH 1 J iweisicu ‘ATRX standing roll-out : Facing away from the anchor point, hold the handles with your arms straight in front of you. Keep your core strong as you raise your arms and lean forward until your body is in a straight line and you feel a slight stretch {n your abs. Reverse the move to the start. ‘The Workouts “tetision | HIT 2 ‘| Press-up - Get into position with your feet together and your hands directly below your shoulders. Keep your body straight, engaging your core and glutes to keep your hips from sagging. Bend your elbows to ower your chest towards the floor, then press back up to the start. WEEK 1 ‘The Workouts HOT 2 Viretisicu ‘2 Mountain climber - Start in the top press-up position. Keeping your shoulders locked, alternate jumping each foot forward so the knee comes towards your elbows but your hands stay on the ground. ‘The Workouts The first cut -3 Plank press-up : From the top press-up position, lower into a plank position one arm at a time, keeping your body straight, then reverse the move to the start. That's ‘one rep. Complete five reps leading with one side, then swap sides for the next five. WEEK 1 ‘The Workouts AIT 2 Firetisiou ‘4 Plank r toe-touch : From the top press-up position bring one leg forward and tap ‘your toe with the opposite hand. Maintain a strong core to prevent your hips sagging and to keep your body in a straight line. ‘The Workouts The first cut RECOVERY 1 ‘| Child’s pose : Kneel with your bottom resting on your heels and the tops of your feet on the floor. Inhale, exhale and bend forward ‘so your torso folds over your thighs to bring your forehead towards your knees, Rest your arms by your legs or stretch them out in front of you. Laura-Kate Brown says “This calms your mind, stretches your lower back and upper body, and opens up your hips” 1 WEEK 1 ‘The Workouts RECOVERY 1 [iteisiu ‘2 Triangle : ¢ stand with your feet wide apart and your right foot turned out. | Inhale and as you exhale bend your body to the right from the j hips, keeping your waist straight, bringing your let hand up while your right hand goes towards the floor. Inhale as you return to the \ start, and repeat on the other side. = a Laura-Kate Brown says “This move stretches and opens the hips, groin, hamstrings, shoulders and chest, and is a great stress and anxiety reliever” ‘The Workouts The first cut RECOVERY 1 ‘3 Supine twist: Lie on your back and lift one knee. Exhale, take the knee with your ‘opposite hand and guide it over your body. Extend your other arm 90° from your body. Exhale and bringing your knee down to the floor. Repeat on the other side. Laura-Kate Brown says “This stretches your Core and relaxes your back muscles and legs to relieve tension” WEEK 1 ‘The Workouts The first cut A Seated 9 forward bend : Zz Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. Contract your abs muscles, ‘exhale and fold forward from your hips, ‘extending your spine. With your shoulders relaxed, gently take hold of your toes or shins with your hands. With each inhalation, lift and lengthen your torso and with each exhalation release further into the stretch, bringing your head closer to your knees. Laura-Kate Brown says “This relieves tension while stretching your spine, shoulders and hamstrings” Nutrition WEEK Metabolism boos Ifyou want to shift fat, what you eat is just as important as what you do in the gym. In this first week, you'll be eating a high- protein diet with all your carbohydrates coming from green vegetables. This will kick-start your metabolism and create a drop in insulin levels, allowing your body to burn fat and build muscle. “Cutting down on carbs is your first step toa leaner body” ‘o make the most of this plan, your nutrition has to be spot-on. In the first week, you'll be eating a high- protein diet containing no carbohydrates except green vegetables. Restricting carbs will create a drop in your insulin levels, which at the most basic level allows you to burn fat efficiently rather than store it. Initially you may experience slight brain fog, sweet cravings and mild headaches as your body adjusts to a more effective state of fat burning, Stick with it- this will soon pass and it will be well worth it by the end. The amount of protein recommended is essential ifyou want to gain muscle and burn fat. It will help you recover from training and repair and grow new muscle while stabilising your blood sugar and supporting your immune system. Eat plenty of green veg too, as this will be your only real source of fibre. Be sure to include one or two handfuls with each meal ‘A common mistake on low-carb diets is not eating sufficient fats. Cooking with butter, coconut or olive oil and snacking on nuts will provide essential fatty acids to replace the calories you're missing out on due to the lack of carbs, Concentrate on drinking good-quality water and herbal teas such as liquorice, mint and green tea. Black coffee is allowed, but only in the 30 minutes before training to improve your drive during workouts. Metaboismboost SNACK LUNCH SNACK ff BREAKFAST DINNER MEAL PLAN MONDAY Three-egg omelette with spinach and Itsp butter 150g chicken breast with 50g, mixed nuts 200g chicken breast with broccoli and an olive oil and Temon dressing 150g chicken breast with 50g cashews 200g tuna steak with asparagus TUESDAY Full English, breakfast SEEREOPEONPEE 100g pistachios Seafood chowder SEEAEOPEONPES 100g walnuts 250g salmon with roasted green vegetables WEDNESDAY 250g beef steak with a handful of mixed nuts 150g cold-cut beef 200g turkey with watercress, spinach and an olive oil and. lemon dressing 150g cold-cut beef 200g lamb steak with seasonal greens THURSDAY 200g salmon with one poached egg and half an ‘avocado 150g chicken breast with 50g mixed nuts. 200g beef stir-fried with pak choi, garlic and ginger 150g chicken breast with 50g cashews Guiness steak SEEAEOPEONPES The portion sizes in this meal plan are designed for a man who is 1.8m tall and weighs 75kg. If you're significantly smaller or bigger than this, adjust the portion sizes accordingly. FRIDAY 250g beef mince with ahandful of macadamia nuts « 100g pistachios 200g chicken breast with broccoli and an olive oil and Jemon dressing 100g walnuts 200g tuna steak ~ ‘with asparagus SATURDAY Three-egg omelette with spinach and Itsp butter Coconut and coffee smoothie SEE REGIONS 250g North Atlantic prawns with green salad and a walnut oil dressing 150g cold-cut beef 250g salmon with roasted green vegetables SUNDAY 200g salmon with one poached egg and half an ‘avocado 4 150g chicken breast with 50g, mixed nuts 200g turkey with watercress, spinach and an olive oil and Jemon dressing € 150g chicken breast with 50g cashews 200g lamb steak with seasonal greens WEEK 1 KEY INGREDIENTS — & &S “Tuna: «Lemons q. ‘Nutri Metabolismboost BREAKFAST Full English breakfast: INGREDIENTS a2eges Aithsp butter or coconut oil ai tomato, halved 82 free-range turkey sausages a2 rashers of bacon sLavocado, sliced METHOD Scramble the eggs in the butter or coconut oil, stirring until there's just a litte liquid in the pan, then remove from the heat. Grill the tomatoes and sausages, and fry the bacon. Serve with the avocado. LUNCH ‘Seafood chowder: INGREDIENTS 100ml rapeseed oil into chunks at onion, diced 150g haddock, 183 garlic cloves, cut into chunks crushed 18150g raw ifennel bulb, diced tiger prawns titsp smoked paprika 950g mussels "400g can chopped —_#50g clams tomatoes 82tbsp curly parsley, 18 750ml chicken stock finely chopped 18150g pollock, alt and pepper cut into chunks to taste 18150 cod, cut METHOD Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and fennel to the pan and cook gently until the onion softens, then stir in the smoked paprika. Add the tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for ten minutes. Reduce the heat and add the fish and shellfish to the pan. Simmer for four minutes or until the clams and mussels are open and the fish is almost cooked through, then add the prawns and cook until they turn pink, Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle the parsley on top and serve. SNACK ‘Coconut and coffee smoothie : INGREDIENTS. 300ml coconut water 81 shot of espresso st banana Handful of blueberries staple METHOD Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. To save time, make twice the amount and keep halfin the fridge - it will last for up to 24 hours. WEEK 1 Nutrit Metabolismboost DINNER ‘Guinness steak : INGREDIENTS #250ml Guinness _altbsp garlic, 18100g onion, finely chopped finely chopped ‘tsp Worcestershire #100mI soy sauce sauce 20ml maple syrup # 400g boneless sprig rosemary, rib-eye steak Teaves chopped (approx 4cm thick) #lsprig thyme, Salt and pepper leaves chopped totaste METHOD Combine the beer, onion, soy sauce, maple syrup, rosemary, thyme, garlic and Worcestershire sauce in a sealable plastic bag. Add the steak, seal the bag, shake and refrigerate overnight. Remove the meat from the bag 20 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Lightly season with salt and black pepper and place under a hot grill Leave it for a minute and then turn. Carry on turning every minute until it’s the way you like it. Asa rough guide, cook for three minutes on each side then leave it to rest for ten minutes. Cook the marinade to reduce it to a glaze. Drizzle over the steak and serve. =———— The Workouts ———$————= WEEK 2 Turn up the hea After a week of regular exercise and carbohydrate-adjusted diet, your body is primed to mobilise fat stores and synthesise muscle. Now it’s time to crank up the pressure. In week two the moves are more dynamic, the timed sets longer and we've thrown in dumbbells to increase the challenge and shift your body into shape WEEK 2 ‘The Workouts Turnuptheheat HIT 3 — Complete this four-move circuit three times in total egy 1JUMP SQUAT 2 JUMP LUNGE 3 PRESS-UP BURPEE 4 PLANK SQUAT THRUST STRENGTH 2 Complete this four-move circuit three times in total, resting 6O seconds between rounds EXERCISE 1 DUMBBELL DEEP PRESS-UP 2 DUMBBELL KNEE TUCK 3 SINGLE-LEG OVERHEAD PRESS 4 DUMBBELL PIKE WEEK 2 ‘The Workouts Turuptheheat HIIT 4 — Complete this four-move circuit three times in total aU 1 NARROW-GRIP PRESS-UP 2 PRESS-UP MOUNTAIN CLIMBER 3 ARM WALK-OUT 4 DONKEY KICK RECOVERY 2 Hold each pose for five to ten breaths, repeating the circuit five times in total with no rest EXERCISE 1 PLANK POSE 5-10 BREATHS 2CAT 5-10 BREATHS 3 CAMEL 5-10 BREATHS 4 TWISTING SAGE 5-10 BREATHS ‘The Workouts iumuptetea) HIT 3 ‘| Jump squat - ‘Squat until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, then jump explosively into the air. Bend your knees to cushion your landing and 0 straight into the next rep. ‘The Workouts HUT 3 Fiunsteret -2 Jump lunge : Start in a forward lunge position with your hands in a sprinter’s stance for balance. Jump off the ground by driving off your front leg. Swap legs mid-air so you land with the other leg forward, Keep alternating legs for the required duration. ‘The Workouts iumuptetea) HUIIT 3 ‘3 Press-up burpee : From standing, squat and place your hands on the floor outside your feet. Jump your feet back, do a press-up, then jump your feet back towards your hands. Drive up powerfully to jump off the floor. ‘The Workouts HUT 3 Fiunstereat ‘4 Plank squat thrust : Get into a plank position with your weight on your feet and forearms. Squeeze your abs and core to keep your body in line. Push yourself up one hand at a time into the top press-up position, then jump your feet towards your hands, keeping yout hips low. Jump your feet back and drop into a plank. immtetai| STRENGTH 2 ‘Dumbbell deep press-up : Get into the top press-up position with your feet in the TRX handles and your hands on dumbbells. Lower your chest towards the floor, then press up. ‘The Workouts STRENGTH 2 Fisica ‘2 Dumbbell knee tuck : Get into the top press-up position with ‘your feet in the TRX handles and your , hands on dumbbells. Pull your knees + towards your chest then return under. control to the start, engaging your core to keep your back straight. tS Turnuptheheat STRENGTH 2 -3 Single-leg overhead press : Place one foot in both TRX loops so your leg is stretched behind you. Pick the dumbbells off the floor and hold them at shoulder height, then press them overhead. Change the standing leg halfway through the timed set. ‘The Workouts STRENGTH 2 [Fisnwietea ‘4 Dumbbell pike : Get into the top press-up position with your feet in the TRX handles and your hands on dumbbells. Contract your core and pull your legs forward to lift your hips. Slowly reverse to return to the start. ‘The Workouts Turnuptheheat ‘| Narrow-grip press-up: Perform a standard press-up but with your hands less than shoulder-width apart, Lower your chest until it touches your hands, then press back up until your arms are straight. This ‘ensures a full range of motion to work your pecs and triceps. ‘The Workouts AUT 4. Fismteteat -2 Press-up mountain climber : Start in the top press-up position and lower your chest until it’s close to the floor. Press back up, then alternate jumping each foot forward so the knee comes towards your elbows but your hands stay on the ground. wn Je ‘The Workouts iumupretea | FLITT 4 “3 Arm walk-out - Start in the top press-up position. Keeping your arms straight and shoulders strong, slowly “walk” your hands forward as far as you can, then back in again. Keep your core and glutes tensed to keep your hips up throughout the move. ‘The Workouts AUT 4 Finite ‘4 Donkey kick - Crouch down with your hands on the floor. Keeping your arms straight and shoulders strong, kick out powerfully to bring your legs up behind you. Land on your feet and go straight into the next rep. ‘The Workouts Tunienea | RECOVERY 2 ‘| Plank pose : Start on your hands and feet with your hips in the air, Inhale and straighten your body until it forms a diagonal line from head to feet. Engage your abdominal muscles, drawing them back towards your spine. Keep breathing evenly. Laura-Kate Brown says “This will engage your core muscles for the start ofa workout” ‘The Workouts RECOVERY 2 fimoieres ‘2 Cat: Start on all fours, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Inhale and. move your tailbone towards the ceiling, making your back concave and keeping your abdominals ‘engaged. Exhale and draw your shoulders back and down as you round your spine. a Laura-Kate Brown says “This position mobilises your spine ‘and pelvis and engages your core muscles for action” ‘The Workouts Tunienea | RECOVERY 2 ‘3 Camel - Kneel with your knees hip-width apart. Push your hips forward slightly and squeeze your glutes. Inhale and lift your chest by pressing your shoulder blades together, and slowly stretch your head back to look A at the ceiling. Drop your hanids to your feet, one at a A time if you find it difficult, and elongate the stretch. Laura-Kate Brown says “This position expands your ribs to open your Chest and also relieves back tightness” ‘4 Twisting sage - Sit on the floor with your legs straight and arms behind you for balance. Bring one leg over the other and place the sole of that foot on the floor. Press against that knee with the opposite hand to increase the stretch and turn your torso, increasing the stretch on each exhalation, ‘The Workouts RECOVERY 2 fiumoierea Laura-Kate Brown says “This mobilises the lumbar spine and stretches the glutes” Nutrition ———$—> WEEK 2 Muscle food After the no-carb shock of the first week, your body will be primed for burning fat and building muscle. Over the next seven days you'll reintroduce a small amount of carbs to help you achieve both these goals. You'll also be sticking to the key principles outlined in week one: plenty of protein and green veg with healthy fats. Bradley Simmonds says he lack of carbs in week one, combined with the intense workouts, will have kick started your metabolism and improved your body's receptiveness to insulin. Now it’s time to reintroduce a small amount of carbs to help build muscle as well as burn fat. Adding a small portion of carbs with lunch from Monday to Saturday will promote glycogen storage to help fuel the muscles for your daily workouts, while also helping to ward off any potential stress hormone issues if you have a hectic lifestyle You'll also be adding one high-carb/low-fat day at the weekend. On this day it’s important to stick to clean carb sources only, such as oats, sweet potatoes and brown or wholemeal rice. These carbs are lower on the glycaemic index, so they cause much less of an insulin spike than carbs from simple sugar sources such as white bread or pasta. Apart from the addition of one daily serving of sweet potato and the introduction of a high-carb day, the diet hasn't changed much at this stage. You should still be “Reintroducing carbs the right way lets your body use them for good” focused on regular protein-based meals with plenty of green vegetables. There is also a reduction in overall calorie intake because you won't need as many after the body composition changes you should have made in the first week, Muscle food SNACK LUNCH SNACK ff BREAKFAST DINNER MEAL PLAN MONDAY Three-egg omelette with onion, pepper and Itsp butter 40g mixed nuts 300g turkey with, 120g mixed green vegetables and one sweet potato 150g olives 150g chicken breast with mixed steamed green vegetables TUESDAY 200g beef steak with Itsp of butter anda handful of spinach 150g olives Ratatouille SEEREOIPEONP OH 150g cold-cut beef 200g garlicand. ginger-marinated tuna steak with steamed green beans WEDNESDAY 150g smoked salmon with half an avocado and one poached egg 150g cold-cut beef 300g prawns with Itbsp coconut cream wrapped in lettuce leaves with one sweet potato 40g mixed nuts 200g baked cod with smoked paprika and mixed steamed vegetables THURSDAY Three-egg. omelette with, onion, pepper and Itsp butter 40g mixed nuts, 200g chicken breast with leafy herb salad and one sweet potato 150g olives . 150g chicken breast with mixed steamed green vegetables The portion sizes in this meal plan are designed for a man who is 1.8m tall —_ and weighs 75kg. If you're significantly smaller or bigger than this, adjust Muscle food the portion sizes accordingly. FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY KEY INGREDIENTS 150g smoked 200g beef steak Cheat day . . salmon with half with itsp of butter cat pancakes Sweet potato an avocado and and a handful setecee ane ‘ ‘one poached egg of spinach 8 i . iy 150g olives 150g 200g chicken cold-cut beef breast with 250g brown rice *Chicken® OF COUSCOUS 300g turkey with 300g prawns with 200g chicken 3S Ne $ 120g mixed green Itbsp coconut breast with vegetables and cream wrapped 250g brown rice one sweet potato in lettuce leaves, or couscous with one ij aioe ‘Olives: 150g Protein porridge one avocado coer SE REDE ONS “Prawns ® Thai prawn curry 200g garlic-and- 200g cod scone ovo sginger-marinated with asparagus SEEREOPEONP95 apse with steamed green beans, BREAKFAST ‘Cheat day Oat pancakes : INGREDIENTS 13 egg whites 30g crushed 840g oats hazelnuts a¥tsp baking powder 83% banana, sliced itbsp Greek yogurts Pinch of cinnamon aitsp honey 120g dark chocolate (ideally 80% cocoa) METHOD Blend together the egg whites, oats, baking powder and caster sugar. Heat a little butter ina pan and add as much of the egg mix as you want to form a pancake, Cook until itbubbles, then flip and cook for a further three minutes. Repeat as required. Serve the pancakes with the yogurt, honey, hazelnuts, banana and a pinch of cinnamon, Melt the chocolate on top to finish, LUNCH ‘Ratatouille : INGREDIENTS 122tbsp olive oil sired pepper, diced 11 yellow pepper, diced 2 courgettes, diced aubergine, diced aired onion, diced #2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 Sprigs of thyme ‘Salt and pepper to taste METHOD Heat the oil in a pan and sauté all the vegetables with the thyme and garlic for ten minutes or until soft. Drain in a colander to remove any excess liquid. Eat with fish, grilled chicken or simply on sourdough toast as a snack. SNACK ‘Protein porridge : INGREDIENTS 850g porridge oats 100m! milk 8 Handful of almonds ‘Handful of blueberries tbsp Greek yogurt, METHOD Make the porridge according to the packet instructions. Serve sprinkled with almonds and blueberries, with the yogurt on the side, DINNER - Thai prawn curry : INGREDIENTS. tbsp olive oil #2 onions, chopped 82 carrots, chopped 182 fresh tomatoes, ‘tthsp medium curry powder esp turmeric {8 3tbsp oyster sauce chopped ‘litre vegetable garlic clove, stock crushed 100m! coconut milk lsmall piece of ginger, peeled 18 250g brown rice '¥ lemongrass stick and sliced 115 fresh prawns a¥tsp cayenne 012 medium green pepper peppers, chopped a2green 467 fresh coriander chillies, sliced leaves, chopped METHOD Heat the oil in a pan, add the onions and carrots and cook gently for five minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, pepper, chillies, curry powder, turmeric, oyster sauce, stock and coconut milk and simmer for 12: minutes. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to packet instructions. Drain, then use the water with lemongrass to blanch the prawns for three to four minutes. Add the prawns, peppers and coriander to the sauce and serve. =———— The Workouts ———$————= WEEK Lean definition With two weeks of exercise under your belt, you should be noticing your belly fat shrinking and fitness improving, which means you can lift heavier and recover quicker. So you don’t get too comfortable, this week we've added weights to one HIIT session and increased the number of sets for greater muscle-building potential. ‘The Workouts Lean definition HUT 5 — Complete this four-move circuit three times in total egy 1 DUMBBELL GOBLET SQUAT 2. DUMBBELL STAND TO SQUAT THRUST 3 DUMBBELL LUNGE 4 DUMBBELL FLOOR TO OVERHEAD PRESS STRENGTH 3 Complete this four-move circuit three times in total, resting 30 seconds between rounds EXERCISE 1 TRX BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT 2 TRX SUPERMAN 3 TRX FLOOR TOUCH TO ONE-ARM ROW 4 TRX PRESS-UP TO PIKE ‘The Workouts Lean definition HIUT6 — Complete this four-move circuit four times in total aU 1 CLAP PRESS-UP 2 SPIDER-MAN PRESS-UP 3 BURPEE TUCK JUMP 4V-SIT RECOVERY 3 Hold each pose for five to ten breaths, repeating the circuit five times in total with no rest EXERCISE 1 SIDE PLANK 5-10 BREATHS 2 SEATED HEAD-TO-KNEE 5-10 BREATHS 3 TABLE TOP 5-10 BREATHS 4 PIGEON 5-10 BREATHS ‘The Workouts ieondeiniin) LIT 5 ‘Dumbbell goblet squat : Hold a dumbbell by one end with both hands, keeping your elbows tucked in to your body. Keeping your back straight and chest up, lower into a deep squat with your knees wide apart. Drive through your heels to stand. oo ‘The Workouts HIT 5 Fieenceiion ‘2 Dumbbell stand to squat thrust - Stand, holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides. Drop into a squat and place the weights on the floor in front of you without letting them go. Jump your feet back so you're in the top press-up position, then jump forward again and stand. ‘The Workouts Lean definition HUT 5 ‘3 Dumbbell lunge - Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand. Take a big step forward and brace your core to keep your balance, then bend your front leg to lower your body until your back knee is just off the floor. Push off your front foot to return to the start position. Alternate legs. “" @ ‘4 Dumbbell floor to overhead press Stand holding the weights by your sides, then squat place them onthe flor without leting goof them, Drive through your heels to stand and bring the weights up to shoulder height, the aa them overhead. Reverse the move to return to the start. aN ‘The Workouts Lean definition STRENGTH 3 ‘| TRX Bulgarian split squat : Place one foot in both loops of the TRX so your leg is behind you. Bend your front leg to lower your back knee towards the floor, keeping your chest up. Pause, then drive through your front foot to stand. Do all the reps on one side, then switch legs. STRENGTH 3 ‘2 TRX Superman : Get into the top plank position with your feet in the TRX handles. Keeping your core engaged throughout to keep your body in a straight line, slowly push your body back with your hands, then pull your body forwards again. ‘The Workouts Lean definition STRENGTH 5 touch to one-arm row : ‘Take the handles in one hand. Lean back and twist your body to touch the floor behind you with your free hand. Twist back, curl your arm to pull your body up. Do all the reps on one side, then switch arms. ‘The Workouts STRENGTH 3 fication ‘A TRX press-up to pike - Get into the top press-up position with your feet in the TRX handles, Bend your ‘elbows to perform a press-up, and as you rise contract your core and pull your legs forward to left your hips high so your body forms an inverted V. Lower yourself into the top press-up position and continue into the next rep. ‘The Workouts Lean definition ‘1Clap press-up: Get into the top press-up position. Bend your arms to lower your chest towards the floor, then drive up explosively to bring your hands off the ground. Clap them together then put them out to and and continue straight into the next rep. If you're struggling, ‘pause briefly between each rep. ‘The Workouts HIIT 6 ficznceiiion -2 Spider-Man press-up: Start in the top press-up position. Bend your arms to lower your y chest towards the floor while ringing one knee out to the side and towards your elbow. Reverse the move as you press a back up. Alternate sides. ‘The Workouts Lean definition ‘3 Burpee tuck jump: From standing, drop and place your hands on the floor either side of your feet. Jump your feet back so you're in the top press-up position, then jump forward again, Drive up powerfully to jump off the floor and tuck your knees into your chest. Bend your legs to land softly and go into the next rep. ‘The Workouts Lean definition ‘AV-sit: Lie on your back with your arms and legs outstretched. Contract ‘your core and bring your legs and arms together, keeping them straight, then lower under control. ‘The Workouts ieendeiniion | RECOVERY 3 Laura-Kate Brown says “This strengthens your oblique muscles je and addresses any imbalances” ‘1 Side plank « From the top press-up Position, roll on to the outside edge of one foot. Exhale and bring the other leg directly ‘over that foot and your shoulder in line with your body. Draw your abs into your spine and raise your hips. Inhale, lift your top arm and leg and open your chest. Pause, return to the start and repeat on the other side. ‘The Workouts RECOVERY 3. [iczceinion ‘2 Seated 9 head-to-knee : Sit with your legs straight. Bend one leg and place the sole of that foot on the inside of the other thigh. Inhale and lit your arms, then exhale and extend forward from your hips, taking hold of your outstretched foot. Inhale, maintaining the length in your spine and keeping your shoulders relaxed. Exhale and bend to bring your torso over your leg. Return to the start and swap legs. Laura-Kate Brown says “This gently stretches and lengthens your hamstrings, inner thighs and spine” ‘The Workouts ieendeiniin | RECOVERY 3 ‘3 Table top : ‘it with legs straight. Bend your knees and place your feet fat on the floor. Put your hands behind ‘your hips, inhale and press into your hands and feet, straighten ‘your elbows and lift your hips. Exhale and lift your chest. Laura-Kate Brown says “Use this to strengthen deep core muscles” ‘The Workouts RECOVERY 3. [iczceinion ‘4 Pigeon - Start on all fours. Bring one leg ‘under and across your body so ‘your foot is behind the opposite hand. At the same time, straighten the other leg. Inhale and press your hips towards the floor Laura-Kate Brown says “This opens up tight hip flexors, stretches your outer thighs and glutes and lengthens your spine” Nutrition ———$—> WEEK J FUel the OU With your transformation well under way, it’s time to increase your carbohydrate intake again by adding a second high-carb day. These extra carbs will allow you to continue burning fat and building muscle and stop your efforts from reaching a plateau. As always, the carbs are accompanied by plenty of protein and veg. Bradley Simmonds says “Keep your hormones balanced with the right mix of low-Gl carbs” ou’ve been following a carb-restricted diet for two weeks now and your body fat levels will have dropped significantly, so in week three it’s time to take the fat-burning process to the next evel by adding a second high-carb/low-fat day at the weekend. There are many reasons for doing this, but one of the most important is to maintain your levels of the hormone leptin, which regulates appetite and is the mother of all fat burners. A failure to take this into consideration is why the vast. majority of fat loss programmes eventually plateau. All the other principles of the diet remain the same during the next seven days. Your protein intake must remain high to build new muscle and recover from training and you need to eat plenty of green vegetables to keep your fibre intake up. Keeping your carb intake low during the week will keep your insulin levels down andallow you to optimise the effects of your “refeeds” at the weekend. If you've followed the plan to the letter, you'll have earned these refeeds, so enjoy the refuelling and attack your workouts with a vengeance Fuelthe burn SNACK LUNCH SNACK ff BREAKFAST DINNER MEAL PLAN MONDAY Three-egg omelette with onion, pepper and itsp butter 150g chicken breast with 50g, mixed nuts 200g chicken breast with leafy herb salad and one sweet potato 150g chicken breast with 50g cashews sweet and sour turkey SEEREDIPEONPI2| TUESDAY 200g beef steak with Itsp butter anda handful of spinach 100g pistachios 300g turkey with 120g mixed green vegetables and one sweet potato 100g walnuts 200g garlicand. ginger-marinated tuna steak with steamed green beans WEDNESDAY 150g smoked salmon with half an avocado and one poached egg 150g cold-cut beef 300g prawns, Itbsp coconut cream in lettuce leaves with one sweet potato Scotch eggs SEE RERIEANPA 200g baked cod with smoked paprika and mixed steamed vegetables THURSDAY Scrambled eggs with ricotta SEEREGIEONPI20 150g chicken breast with 50g mixed nuts. 200g chicken breast with leafy herb salad and one sweet potato 150g chicken with 50g cashews 4 150g chicken breast with mixed steamed green vegetables The portion sizes in this meal plan are designed for a man who is 1.8m tall = and weighs 75kg. If you're significantly smaller or bigger than this, adjust Fuelthe burn the portion sizes accordingly. FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY KEY INGREDIENTS — 150g smoked 150g porridge 150g porridge . . salmon with half oats with 300mI oats with 300ml Avocado an avocado and chocolate ‘one poached egg coconut milk - ‘ 100g pistachios 200g chicken 200g chicken breast with breast with . 250g brown rice 250g brown rice «Brown rice« i: 300g prawns with Huevos. 200g chicken Itbsp coconut rancheros breast with in lettuce 19 250g brown ‘eaves with one secon cremmenne «Cashew nuts * sweet potato 100g walnuts 200g cod with, 200g cod with ~@ one sweet ‘one sweet Z potato and green potato and green - vegetables vegetables “Asparagus * 200g garlicand- 150g chicken 200g cod with ginger-marinated breast with mixed asparagus tuna steak steamed green with steamed ‘vegetables ' green beans BREAKFAST ‘Scrambled eggs with ricotta : INGREDIENTS tbsp butter 815g ricotta cheese a2eges 125g spinach aislice of rye bread METHOD Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the ricotta and the eggs. Stir with a spatula until the mixture starts to set but is still slightly runny in places. Add the spinach and take the mixture off the heat. Meanwhile, toast the rye bread. Give the eggs a final stir and serve. 120 LUNCH ‘Huevos rancheros : INGREDIENTS, 2tbsp olive oil 400g chopped onion, sliced tomatoes 81 garlic clove, sliced #2 tomatoes, sliced lred pepper, sliced 9 4 large eggs Ired chilli, sliced 50g cheddar large dried chili cheese, grated 2 fresh bay leaves 82 tortillas 840g kidney beans Salt and pepper METHOD Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onion, garlic, pepper, fresh and dried chillies, bay leaves and salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes until sof, stirring regularly. Pour in the kidney beans and canned tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and cook for five minutes, Lay the tomato slices over the top of the mixture, leaving four small gaps, and crack the eggs into the gaps. Cover with a lid or foil and let the eggs cook for four to five minutes. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top and serve with the warm tortillas. SNACK ‘Scotch eggs : INGREDIENTS 185 large eggs 10125g plain flour 275g Cumberland 9 125g dried sausagemeat wholemeal Freshly ground breadcrumbs black pepper 8 2tbsp rapeseed oil METHOD Boil four eggs in a pan of water for six minutes. Remove from the pan and place in a bow! of ice water for five minutes. Remove from the water and carefully peel them. Meanwhile, divide the sausagemeat into four balls and flatten them using the palm of your hand. Place an egg on each of the sausagemeat patties and carefully wrap it up, ensuring all of each egg is fully covered and sealed. Beat the fifth egg and season the flour with the pepper. Dip each sausagemeat-coated egg in the flour, then the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Ensure each egg is fully covered at every stage. Heat the rapeseed oil in a pan over a medium heat, then shallow- fry the scotch eggs for four minutes, turning frequently with a slotted spoon. Carefully remove the eggs from the pan and place on kitchen roll to remove any excess oi Nutri Fuelthe burn DINNER Sweet and sour turkey : INGREDIENTS 2tbsp rapeseed oil _# 225g can pineapple onion, sliced chunks in 2tbsp tomato purée natural juice e3tbsp malt vinegar #2 carrots, peeled tritbsp Muscovado and thinly sliced sugar 18160g brown rice 2tbsp dark soy sauce _ Salt and pepper 500g turkey breast, to taste cut into strips METHOD Heat half the rapeseed oil in a pan over a ‘medium heat. Add the onion and cook until browned. Add the purée, vinegar, sugar and soy sauce, and stir. Add the pineapple and juice, along with the carrots. Cook for four minutes, then set aside. Season the turkey with salt and pepper, then heat the remaining oil and fry the meat until cooked through. Return the sauce to the pan, stir thoroughly and cook for five minutes. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to packet instructions, and serve. 124 =———— The Workouts ———$————= WEEK The final ou The final seven days is when the magic happens. You've built strong foundations and kicked your body into a fat-vanishing state - now it’s time to test yourself. The moves get more technical to challenge balance and core control, while building muscle so you're functionally fit, lean and in the best shape of your life. ‘The Workouts Thefinalpush HIT 7 — Complete this four-move circuit three times in total egy 1 KETTLEBELL CLEAN AND PRESS 2. KETTLEBELL LUNGE WITH CHEST PRESS 3 KETTLEBELL SWING 4 KETTLEBELL SINGLE-HANDED SQUAT STRENGTH 4 Complete this four-move circuit four times in total, resting for 30 seconds between rounds EXERCISE 1 TRX SINGLE-LEG LUNGE TO FLOOR TOUCH, 2 TRX DEEP PRESS-UP TO PIKE 3 TRX BALANCE BICEPS CURL TO PRESS 4 WIDE DUMBBELL ROLL-OUT WEEK 4 ‘The Workouts Thefinal push HIT 8 — Complete this four-move circuit three times in total aU 1 DUMBBELL PRESS-UP RENEGADE ROW 2 DUMBBELL JUMP SQUAT 3 DUMBBELL ROLL-OUT 4 DUMBBELL RUSSIAN TWIST RECOVERY 4 Hold each pose for five to ten breaths, repeating the circuit five times in total with no rest EXERCISE 1 BOAT 5-10 BREATHS 2 TWISTING TRIANGLE 5-10 BREATHS 3 DOWNWARD DOG INTO COBRA 5-10 BREATHS 4 KNEE HUG ROTATION 5-10 BREATHS ‘The Workouts Thetnaust | ETT 7 ‘| Kettlebell clean and press : Hold the kettlebell in one hand, keeping your chest up. Drive your hips forward, pushing your arm off your body to swing the bell up to shoulder height. ‘As it passes eye level, bend your legs and “catch” the weight on the top of your forearm at shoulder height. Drive up and punch the bell overhead. After 30 seconds, swap arms and repeat. ‘2 Kettlebell lunge with chest press : Pea ened forward into a lunge and pi forward, keeping your ari parallel fo the floor. Return to the start. Alternate legs. ja ‘The Workouts Thetnaust | ETT 7 ‘3 Kettlebell swing : Hold the weight in both hands and drive your hips forward to push the kettlebell off your body and start the swing. As you lower, hinge at the hips by pushing your glutes back. When you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, drive your hips forward, allowing the kettlebell to rise to head height. HIT 7 4 Kettlebell single-arm squat : Stand with your legs apart, holding the kettlebell in ‘one hand. Keep your back straight and chest up, and squat until the bell is just above the floor. Drive back up powerfully, swapping hands as you rise and continuing straight into the next rep. WEEK 4 ‘The Workouts Thefinal push itemnanisi | STRENGTH 4 ‘1 TRX sin He leg lunge io oor fouch : Place one foot in the TRX loops at knee height so your legis behind you. With a dumbbell in each hand, bend your standing leg until you can touch the floor with the ‘weights, then drive back up. Complete all the reps on one side before switching legs. WEEK 4 ‘The Workouts STRENGTH 4 Fiteinaoas ‘2TRXdeep : press-up to pike : Get into the top press-up position with your feet in the TRX loops and your hands on dumbbells. Lower your chest until it's just off the floor, then drive back up. As you rise, pull your knees forward to lift your hips. Slowly return to the start. Th itemnanisi| STRENGTH 4 ‘3 TRX balance curl to overhead press - Put one foot in the TRX loops behind you. Keeping your elbows close to your body, cur] the dumbbells to shoul der heat, then pres hema avethead. Reverse the mov the weights. Switch legs each circuit. tM, WEEK 4 ‘The Workouts STRENGTH 4 Fiteinaoss ‘4 Wide dumbbell roll-out : Get into the top press-up position, holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip so your palms are facing. With a slight bend in your elbows, slowly roll the dumbbells out to the sides as you lower your chest towards the floor. Keep your core braced throughout. Roll as far as you can without collapsing, then roll back to the start. For an added core test, do this with your feet in the TRX loops. ‘The Workouts Thefinalpush ‘| Dumbbell press-up renegade row : Start in the top press-up position with your feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand. Doa press-up, keeping your elbows in close to your sides. Brace your core to keep your hips static and do a single-arm row, alternating sides and drawing the weight towards your armpit with each rep. » WEEK 4 iene HOT 8 Fiteinausi ‘2 Dumbbell jump squat - Keeping your back straight, squat until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, then jump up explosively. Bend your knees to cushion your landing and go straight into the next squat. ‘The Workouts Treinen | HUTT 8 ‘3 Dumbbell roll-out: Get on all fours, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your arms straight but not locked and your shoulders strong, roll the weights away from you. Squeeze your core and glutes to keep your body in a straight line and lower yourself as far as you can go without breaking form, then roll back in to the start. ‘A Dumbbell. Russian twist : Sit holding a dumbbell in both hands in front of your chest. Lift your legs off the floor, brace your core and slowly twist. ‘to one side and then the other without letting the weight or your legs drop. WEEK 4 ‘The Workouts HOT 8 fiteiainsh WEEK AP iteinaot | RECOVERY 4 ‘| Boat: 9 ‘Sit with straight legs. Bend your knees and Point your toes to touch the floor. Place your hands on the floor behind you, inhale, lean back and raise your lower legs until they're parallel to the floor. Exhale and bring your hands off the floor to hold them in front of you. Inhale and straighten your legs so your body forms a V shape. o Laura-Kate Brown says “This strengthens your deep hip ») flexors, lower back and abs” AAWEEK 4 ‘The Workouts RECOVERY 4 [[iteinainsi g ‘2 Twisting triangle - Stand straight. Separate your feet and turn your left foot out 90°. Inhale, exhale and turn your hips and torso to the side and lean a forward over your left leg. Keeping ‘your waist straight, allow your left hhand to come up in the air while .) 5 the other comes down towards your y shin, Stretch your arm towards the ceiling. With each exhalation, relax your body more. As you inhale, come up, bring your arms to your sides, and straighten your feet. Repeat on the other side. Laura-Kate Brown says “This strengthens your legs, opens your chest and relieves back pain” ‘The Workouts Tteirainst | RECOVERY 4 ‘3 Downward dog into cobra: Start on all fours with your knees beneath your hips and your hands beneath your shoulders. Exhale and lift your knees off the floor, keeping. them slightly bent. Inhale and lift your pelvis towards the ceiling and lengthen your spine and legs so you form an inverted V. Exhale and bend your arms to lower your chest towards the floor. Press up, arching your back into the cobra position, Return to the start of the downward dog and repeat. Laura-Kate Brown says “This strengthens your Spine and stretches your chest and abs” ‘4 Knee hug rotation : Lie on your back on a soft mat and contract your abs to gently press your lower back into the floor: Maintaining this pressure to keep your core engaged, bring both knees to your chest and ‘hug them close to your body with your hands. Slowly rock from one side to the other. RECOVERY 4 Laura-Kate Brown says “This massages your back muscles and releases tension in your glutes” Nutrition WEEK Cutting clas If you've followed the advice and workouts so far you should feel in the best shape of your life, inside and out. This final week of nutrition will manipulate your carb, water and sodium intake to help you look as ripped as possible. It’s not a long-term. strategy, but if you've got a holiday coming up, it’s a good way to bring out those abs. Bradley Simmonds says “Discipline in this final week will help you achieve your best ever body” he final week involves some major adjustments to your diet, which will allow you to get as lean and ripped as possible. The plan borrows techniques used by bodybuilders and physique models ahead of a competition or photoshoot and drastically limits the variety of your week’s meals. If you're not looking to get super- lean, follow a meal plan similar to week three, swapping in some of this week's recipes to cut your carbs or keep your metabolism high to drop an extra 12% body fat. If, on the other hand, you're willing to chow on plenty of chicken and broccoli this week, here’s how it works, During the first half of the week you'll be avoiding carbs completely, which when combined with the depletion workouts will drain all the glycogen from your muscle cells. This will make them sponge-like and able to absorb far more glycogen than usual when you load up on carbs. during the second half of the week, giving your muscles a much fuller appearance. The other main change is to your water intake. For the first four days, aim to drink six litres of water a day, then cut back to two litres on day five, one litre on day six and half a litre on day seven. This will manipulate antidiuretic hormones that tell the body to hold water during dehydration, allowing you to achieve a much tighter, more ripped look. A similar approach with your sodium intake will aid this process. Consume 3,000-4,000mg a day during the first four days by heavily salting your meals, then cut it out completely on the final three days. It’s extremely important to note this method shouldn’t be used regularly, as these methods are not conducive to optimal health, That said, if you want to look your absolute best at the end of this plan for a specific event or occasion, they can make a significant difference. Cuttingclass SNACK LUNCH SNACK ff BREAKFAST DINNER MEAL PLAN MONDAY 150g grilled salmon and three scrambled eggs 200g chicken breast and broccoli Grilled kippers STEREOPEONPIS 200g chicken breast with asparagus 200g cod with asparagus TUESDAY Ham Hock SEEREOPEONPIB 200g chicken breast and broccoli, 200g chicken breast and broccoli 200g chicken breast with asparagus Spicy fish stew SEERECPEON PT WEDNESDAY 150g grilled salmon and three scrambled eggs 200g chicken breast and broccoli, Grilled kippers SEEREOPEONPHS 200g chicken breast with asparagus. 200g cod with asparagus THURSDAY Ham hock SEEREOIEONPI 200g chicken breast and broccoli, 200g chicken breast and broccoli Strawberry and Chilli Smoothie SEEREOIPEONH 200g cod with asparagus The portion sizes in this meal plan are designed for a man who is 1.8m tall and weighs 75kg. If you're significantly smaller or bigger than this, adjust the portion sizes accordingly. FRIDAY 150g grilled salmon and three scrambled eggs Ss Strawberry and chilli smoothie SHEREGIPEON Pl? 200g chicken breast and broccoli 200g chicken breast with asparagus Spicy fish stew SEEREGIPEON PI SATURDAY 150g turkey breast with 200g baked sweet potato and 50g dried apricots 4 150g chicken with 200g baked sweet potato 150g chicken with 200g baked sweet potato with 50g dried apricots 150g cod with 200g baked sweet potato 150g cod with 200g baked sweet potato SUNDAY 150g turkey breast with 200g baked. y. sweet potato 150g chicken with 200g baked sweet potato 150g chicken with 200g baked sweet potato 150g cod with 200g baked sweet potato 150g cod with 200g baked sweet potato WEEK 4 ‘Nutri Cutting class KEY INGREDIENTS — *Salmon« “Turkey * “Apricots * “Broccoli: BREAKFAST ‘Ham hock omelette - INGREDIENTS adeggs aitsp butter 850g ham hock, shredded 82 handfuls of cooked spinach ¥ ball of mozzarella, torn into chunks Small handful of pumpkin seeds 8% chilli, diced METHOD Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Heat the butter in pan over a medium heat, add the spinach and sauté for two minutes. Add the remaining ingredients to the eggs and stir. Add the egg mixture to the pan and stir it in with the spinach. Reduce the temperature to a low heat for five to six minutes until the omelette is cooked through. LUNCH ‘Grilled kippers : INGREDIENTS #2 kippers 220g butter 81 lemon, halved METHOD Place the kippers on an oven tray with two large knobs of butter on top. Place in an oven preheated to 200°C/gas mark 6 for about ten minutes until piping hot throughout. Serve with half a lemon, SNACK Strawberry and chilli smoothie : INGREDIENTS 1 Handful of strawberries inch of chilli powder ‘Handful of frozen raspberries 2100m! natural yogurt 400ml cold green tea Handful of kale METHOD Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. To save time, make twice the amount and keep half in the fridge - it will last for up to 24 hours. WEEK 4 Nutri Cutting class DINNER Spicy fish stew : INGREDIENTS. tbsp olive oil 400g can 184 new potatoes, chopped tomatoes halved 1#200ml fish stock 81 red onion, {ltbsp saffron chopped Pinch of cumin ttred pepper, Pinch of paprika chopped 18100g monkfish a3 cloves of garlic, #4 scallops crushed 100g salmon 1 chill, deseeded as Handful of mussels. and diced Altsp lemon juice tbsp ginger, atsp chopped chopped coriander METHOD Heat the olive oil in a deep pan and cook the potatoes for four minutes on a medium heat. ‘Add the onion, pepper, garlic, chilli and ginger and sauté for two minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook on a low heat for five minutes. Add the fish stock and all the spices and cook for ten minutes. Add all the seafood and cook for eight minutes. Serve and garnish with the Jemon juice and coriander. 147 SS. What next? ——————— HOLIDA WORKOU avel ligh There’s no need to let your training lapse while you're on holiday. Work up a sweat with resistance bands or a TRX before you hit the beach for a lean muscle-maintaining pump that will offset those hard-earned holiday indulgences. TT Complete the circuit twice without rest 1 CRAB WALK 2 BAND PULL-APART 3 BICEPS CURL 4 LATERAL RAISE — Complete this circuit four times * atl eU NS 1JUMP SQUAT 2 INVERTED ROW 3 BICEPS CURL 4 PRESS-UP TO PIKE HOLIDAY WORKOUTS war | FIVE-MINUTE FIX ‘| Crab walk : Place a mini resistance band around both legs just beneath your knees. Stand with your feet wide apart and lower into a half squat. Leading with your knee, not your ankle, step to one side working against the resistance. Continue in that direction for five steps, then do the same in the other direction. ‘Your glutes should be on fire with each last step. Ifnot, use a stronger band or do more reps. HOLIDAY WORKOUTS FIVE-MINUTE FIX [Fasc ‘2 Band pull-apart : Hold a resistance band taut with your arms out straight in front of you. Keeping your arms straight and shoulder blades retracted, pull the band wide apart to open up your chest and increase blood flow to your upper back muscles. HOLIDAY WORKOUTS a=ee- 1 FIVE-MINUTE FIX Travellight 3 Biceps curl : Stand on the middle of the resistance band, holding the handles by your sides, making sure there’s tension in the band. Keeping your elbows close to your body, curl your hands up towards your shoulders. Look straight\ghead and raise ‘your arms outo the sides to shoulder heigh\ If you tire quickly, raise yor arms only halfway - it will sl pump up your shoulders. FIVE-MINUTE FIX HOLIDAY WORKOUTS What next? Travellight HOLIDAY WORKOUTS “way | LONG-HAUL FAT BURN | TRXju squat : Stand facing the TRX, holding the handles with a neutral grip. Keep your arms straight and sit back into a squat with your legs at least parallel to the floor. Explode upwards into a jump, using your slutes to power the move. Bend your knees to soften the landing and continue into the next rep. HOLIDAY WORKOUTS LONG-HAUL FAT BURN [tsar ‘2 TRX inverted row : Take the handles, lean backwards with extended arms and walk forward three small steps. Keep your chest high and pull your body up until your chest touches the handles. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and slowly lower back to the start. HOLIDAY WORKOUTS “3 TRX biceps curl : ‘Take the handles and lean backwards until your arms are extended and your ody isin a straight line with your heels on the floor. Cut] your arms to bring your chest to your hands, then lower slowly until your arms are straight. : HOLIDAY WORKOUTS LONG-HAUL FAT BURN [esa ‘4 TRX press-up to pike : Get into the top press up position with your feet in the TRX handles. Bend your elbows to perform a press-up, and as you rise contract your core and pull your legs forward to left your hips high so your body forms an inverted V, Lower yourself into the top press-up position and go straight into the next rep. FA YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Got a fitness question youd like answered? We've answered the most frequently-asked ones here CAN! TRAIN MORE OFTEN THAN THEPLAN SUGGESTS? Some non-exerise physical activity - such as brisk walking, gardening or a gentle park kickabout - won't hurt and ma Could even give you a helpful favoss, ee * nudge. Anything more strenuous - fl like long runs, competitive sport or extra workouts - could interfere with a your ability torecover andinerease your chances of injuries. Rather than add sessions, hit the main ones earlier tetra? WHAT SHOULD 100 IF 1 i MISS A WORKOUT? § ~~ Allis not lost. Ifyour training is mocked offtrack, try to make sure your diet doesn’t follow it off the ¥ rails. Staying on top of your diet is { crucial to losing fat, while the right exercise will enhance the benefits of eating clean. Ifyou've missed a full ‘workout, simply get back on the plan at the next available opportunity. If you can get in a few press-ups and bodyweight squats before bed, that’s a bonus. WHAT O01 D0 FI GETILL? Ifyou've got any kind of chesty infection, ' hard training is a no-no - studies suggest a moderate amount of activity might help you i i Bradley Simmonds says “Ifyou experience setbacks, recover, but anything that elevates your heart rate will use up resources your body needs for recovery. Take a couple of days off and come back stronger. GB WHATIFICAN'T DO A MOVEMENT? ‘The more beginner-friendly moves are at the start, with more technically difficult ones towards the end. If you're struggling with any moves, swap in a move you're more comfortable with but that works the same muscles, You'll still get a fat-burning benefit if your pulse is racing. (G8 WHAT DAYS SHOULD! TRAIN ON? ‘We'd suggest doing the first HIIT session on a ‘Monday, the strength session on a Tuesday, the second HIIT session on a Thursday and the recovery workout on a Friday. If you'd rather train on weekends, shift one ‘or two sessions to Saturday or Sunday. (8 WHAT WEIGHTS SHOULD | USE? Use the heaviest weight that lets you finish all the reps in your first set with good form, and aim to steadily increase the weights you use for each ‘exercise over the course of the plan. Ifyou really have no idea what starting weights to use, doa trial week in the gym before you start, finding ‘out what weights you're comfortable with. (8 WHY AM | BUILDING MUSCLE AND STRENGTH IF MY MAIN AIM IS FAT LOSS? Plenty of fat loss plans include don’t include any muscle-building or strength work, but in our ‘experience it’s not the most efficient way to train. The simple act of lifting heavy weights to build strength will aise your heart rate and put your body ina calorie-burning state. Building strength also allows you to use heavier weights for each workout, increasing the volume you can handle each time. Even if your main goal is burning fat, building muscle will help you look and feel better as you get lean. YOUR ULTIMATE FATLOSS 28DAY PLAN Confused about any of the vocabulary people use when talking about training plans? You'll {find simple explanations here 8 COMPOUND LIFT ‘Technically, this describes any exercise that involves. ‘movement in two or more joints. Good examples are the squat, deadlift and ovethead press. Because they incorporate a lot of muscles, they burn fat faster. 8 DROP SET A series of sets of the same exercise in which you start with a heavy weight, lift ‘until you reach failure, then drop the weight (usually by switching to a lighter dumbbell or moving the pin on the t stick) and go again. G FAILURE ‘Training to momentary ‘muscular failure is a strategy in which you're unable to lift the weight with correct form on the final rep of your set. This form of overload training shocks your muscles into growing bigger and stronger, but it’s vital to have a spotter on big compound lifts (ike the bench press) to minimise the risk of injury. 8 FORCED REPS Reps done past the point of failure with assistance from a partner - on the bench press or seated overhead press, for example. They're an excellent way to shock stubborn muscles into growth, but should be ‘used sparingly as they're tough to recover from. eit High intensity interval training, such as sprints, intervals or fast-paced bodyweight ‘movements - can be one of the best ways of burning fat while preserving muscle. G HYPERTROPHY ‘The Greek word for “excess nourishment”, hypertrophy is an increase in the volume of a muscle ‘owing to the enlargement of its component cells. G ISOLATION LIFT An isolation move is an exercise in which there is movement at one joint only. Examples include a biceps curl (movement at the elbow joint only) and leg extension, (movement at the knee joint only). These exercises are great for the end of your workouts when you can really work a target muscle group to fatigue. @ MUSCLEPUMP ‘This occurs when your muscles become engorged with blood after you have repeatedly shortened and lengthened a muscle. Typically this occurs during weight training but ‘can sometimes be achieved by flexing your muscles repeatedly as hard as possible. A good pump can make you look Digger for 30 minutes; after that time, the blood will leave the muscle, temporarily making them smaller than before. GQ NEGATIVES Reps that only incorporate the eccentric part of a move - for instance, jumping up to the top of a pull-up position and lowering under control. These are a great way of building YOUR ULTIMATE FATLOSS 28DAYPLAN strength and forcing growth, but can cause soreness. G8 OVERTRAINING The result of doing too much work with not enough recovery. Overtraining is not something that happens as a result of a single session - or even a week's work - but from and so on. Ifthey contain three moves it’s a triset; any more and it's a giant set. @ TEMPO ‘The speed at which you lift and lower a weight during a specific exercise. The slower the tempo, the longer your muscles are exposed to the consistently hammering your stress of managing the weight body and giving tno chance muscles to replenish their (time under tension’ - see torecover. Feeling lethargic, energy stores. Rest intervals below). Tempo is shown as a depressed or run-down can _ can be manipulated in four-digit code, such as 4010. be warning signs - address different ways to provide ‘The first number is the time in the problem with better ongoing muscular stimulus. __ seconds you take to lower the sleep, higher-quality food weight; the second is the time and toned-down workouts. Ost in seconds the move is held at A given number of reps the bottom position; the third @ RECOVERY (see above) performed the time you take to lift the When the magic happens. consecutively without rest. __weight (“X” means explosively); Whatever you may hear, your The number of sets of and the fourth is the time the muscles grow during recovery, each exercise can vary ‘weight is held at the top. not when you're training, so depending on the workout itshould be the comerstone __and its specific goals 8 TIME UNDER TENSION of every plan. At the very ‘The duration in seconds least, make sure you're taking SPLIT ROUTINE your muscles control a on board enough calories to. Any regime in which you weight through a range of fuel your efforts and getting focus on different body ‘motion. It’s dictated by the enough sleep to give your body parts during different tempo (see above) and how time to repair itself. 'you sessions, as opposed to many reps ina given set. struggle, consider recovery. _ doing a full-body routine targeted supplements @ VOLUME @ SUPERSET ‘The amount of work (e, the @ REP ‘Two or more moves done total number of reps) ina An abbreviation of repetition. _back to back with little or session. Low-volume sessions, One rep is the completion, no rest. These shock your such as those requiring just of an exercise from start to __ muscles into growing because __three sets of three reps, can finish. The number of reps of the increased workload be beneficial for building per set can vary from one andallow youto train with _ strength without needing to more than 20, depending __ more volume in a shorter too much recovery, while on your training goals period of time, improving your high-volume sets - say, ten muscles’ ability to work harder sets of ten - can be great REST INTERVAL with less rest. Supersets are for muscle growth but need Taking rest between sets often indicated by exercises __to be monitored carefully and exercises allows your named aand1b,2aand2b _to avoid overtraining, TRY 5 ISSUES FOR JUST £° Photographer: joel Anderson Be at the top of your game all year round - claim 5 issues of Men’s Fitness for £5 Visit dennismags.co.uk/mensfitness or call 0844 844 0081 For print + digital Calls wil e G2016P eee oe Pond POST-GYM-KIT a Peel )ed QL Bee) Peseta] el eB ORel1P mel ia cles Pde) de] eal 1's never too late to get in shape. All you need are four weeks and this ultimate gym-free guide to cut fat, build muscle and feel your best. Inside are 18 fast workouts created by trainer Bradley Simmonds, 16 recipes to help you shed weight and dozens of expert tips so you can stay lean for life. | Recovery moves from top yoga expert ¥

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