Intro
The sensible way to gain a slim body shape is to shift the balance between fatty body tissue and lean body tissue. This can be achieved through a balanced routine involving appropriate exercise and a healthy, sensible diet. Whilst trying to burn off more calories than you consume it is also important to try and preserve or build lean muscle tissue. The more lean body tissue you have the more efficient your metabolism is likely to be, this could result in your body being less likely to store excess levels of body fat. Forget the crash diets and start making informed choices and changes to your entire lifestyle, not just what you do or don’t put in your mouth.
Your Diet
Eating for weight loss should be a gradual and committed process consisting of a nutritionally balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Crash diets, fad diets and all other extreme forms of dieting are not sensible methods of losing weight and can often lead to other health problems as a result of their unbalanced nature.
Small and regular meals/snacks should help keep hunger at bay and provide sufficient energy to see you through your day. In order to improve your fat burning potential, a structured training routine should also be employed. Consuming the correct food before training will help you work at your optimal level during exercise and improve your overall results.
Breakfast
- 1 bowl of porridge with skimmed milk
- 1 glass of fruit juice
Mid-morning snack
- Portion of fruit
- 125g low fat yoghurt
Lunch
- 50g (uncooked weight) of whole-wheat pasta salad with chicken, tuna or ham in an oil dressing
- Portion of fruit
- 125g low fat yoghurt
Mid-afternoon snack
- A hand full of fresh or dried berries
Evening meal
- A portion of mixed vegetables or salad
- A 125g portion of lean red meat, chicken or salmon
- 50g (uncooked weight) of whole-wheat pasta or wholegrain rice
This meal plan is suggested for an average male and should be adapted to meet your individual requirements. When planning your diet you should always take into account your current state of health, activity levels and any special dietary requirements. Please ensure you consume plenty of water throughout the day. We do not advocate or promote any specific diet or nutritional plan apart from a varied and healthy diet.
Supplements
The following supplements have been recognised as being suitable to help promote gains in Power and Strength. These supplements should be taken alongside and in conjunction with the meal plan in the "Your Diet" section of Weight Control.
Breakfast
- Mega Green Tea
- Krill Oil
- Alpha Men
Mid-afternoon Snack
Pre workout
- 2-3 Thermopure capsules
- A 50g serving of Ultra Fine Oats
Post workout
- 1 serving of MP Max True Whey
Evening meal
Training
The aim of a fat loss programme is to burn off excess body fat and promote the growth or maintenance of lean body tissue. Training should combine resistance exercise and cardiovascular exercise in order to burn body fat as fuel and encourage a leaner physique. The more lean tissue your body is made up of, the more calories you will burn during exercise
This training programme is based on a frequency of 3 sessions per week. Attempt to have at least one day of rest in between each exercise session. Please seek the advice of a fitness professional regarding the correct form and technique of all the following exercises and ensure a thorough warm-up is performed before you start the programme and a thorough cool down is performed after the programme.
The intensity to which you work during this programme should be based on your current level of fitness. Resistance exercises should be moderately intense and should not elicit complete muscular fatigue upon completion of the specified sets and repetitions.
Day 1-4
Cardiovascular Exercise
Interval training is a great way to burn body fat and involves repetitive bouts of high intensity exercise for short periods of time. Using a rowing machine or a stationary bike, try sprinting for 30 seconds followed by 60 seconds of rest. Repeat this 5-6 times.
In addition to the interval training perform any cardiovascular exercise for a total of 45 minutes. Your cardiovascular exercise may be a single exercise or combination of exercises and can include running, swimming, cycling, rowing, cross-training or any other rhythmic cardiovascular exercise. Work should be performed at around 60-80% maximum heart rate.
- Resistance Exercise
- Sets
- Repetitions
- Chest Press
- 2
- 10-15
- Lat Pull-down
- 2
- 10-15
- Squats
- 2
- 10-15
- Shoulder Press
- 2
- 10-15
- Lunges
- 2
- 10-15
- Abdominal Crunches
- 2
- 10-15
We highly recommend seeking the advice of a medical expert before commencing any exercise routine. This training programme should be viewed as a guide only and should be adapted to meet your individual requirements and current level of fitness.