Geschatte leestijd: 14 minutenI can still remember the time when I thought I had become as lean as I could be. I had lost a ton of fat since my chubby childhood years, but still wasn’t under 10%. I had a two-pack, not a sixpack. Like many people who are frustrated and looking for an excuse, I thought, ‘Well, I must have fat genes.’
Ultimately, however, I realized that I wasn’t doing everything I could to achieve a single-digit body fat percentage… so I started doing those things. Or, actually, I started not doing some things, like stuffing myself with pizza every weekend, under the guise of ‘eh, you know, replenishing the glycogen in my muscles, or something like that.’
It’s strange how you can change your ‘genetic body composition’ when you drop that self-invented BS and tighten up your eating habits, isn’t it?
A LEAN BODY IN 28 DAYS
You know, it turned out that, while I had done a lot to build muscle and lose fat, there were still gaps in my training, my eating habits, and even in my way of thinking. By filling these gaps, my development really started to move forward again.
Are there currently gaps in your plan? Do you even have a plan? And, very importantly…
Are You Growing or Going Backward?
I believe we are constantly in motion. We never stand still; we are constantly changing, growing, or going backward.
I believe this is true in every aspect of our lives, from our amount of lean body weight to our level of personal development: happiness, income, social relationships, and so on. If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backward.
And the rotten thing is, when you’re not actively working on moving forward, you’re working on your decline. Self-development requires effort and purposeful plans. We don’t accidentally become leaner, more muscular, more developed, or just better.
What does ‘actively working on progress’ mean? It means doing things daily that bring you a step closer to your ultimate goals. You’re not just going through life as usual; you’re doing something, every day, consistently. You get better, little by little, according to the Japanese principle of kaizen: continuous and never-ending progress.
Are you doing this? Would you like to do this, but have no idea where to start? Then read on…
28 DAYS, 14 MISSIONS
I’m giving you 14 small missions – one thing to do every two days for the next month. Each of these actions or assignments will improve you in some way, especially if your main goal is to lose body fat.
These missions may reveal something new for the gym, or help you tighten and focus your diet. Some of these missions are psychological, designed to make you think or reconsider something. Some of these mini-missions may not apply to your situation. You may have already completed them. No problem, just move on to the next one and check out the bonus missions at the end of the article for more options.
The idea is that in about 28 days you’ll have learned something new or acquired a new skill that helps you get a step closer to your ideal body. Many of these things will stay with you forever, and they’ll help you not only find those abs but also keep them.
But to really achieve this, you need a deadline (see bonus mission number 4), a little positive pressure to keep you sharp, hence the ‘one mission every 48 hours’ plan. You have two days to complete each mission. Commit to the program and in about a month you’ll be leaner, maybe even more muscular, and mentally better able to continue your body transformation.
Ready? Let’s get started!
MISSION 1: REVIEW YOUR LAST DINNER
Let’s start with the last… um… the last meal of the day. This mission focuses on your last meal of the day. Your goal is fourfold:
- This meal should be low in calories: no more than 300 to 400 calories
- It should be low in carbohydrates: less than 15 grams of carbohydrates
- It should contain at least 40 grams of protein
- It should be eaten an hour or two before going to bed
People who do all four of these things together lose their fat quickly. That’s because fat people eat their biggest meal, with the most carbohydrates, right before bed, causing them to store it instead of burn it. If this is what fat people do, then you should do the opposite.
Overeating, especially at night, is currently seen as the main eating disorder in North America. Even though it might not be a ‘disorder’ for you, if you’re overweight, overeating at night is likely part of the problem.
Therefore, your first assignment is to experiment with smaller evening meals low in carbohydrates and high in protein, and don’t eat them too close to bedtime. Try this for the next two days.
MISSION 2: COUNT YOUR FIBER
For the next two days, eat as you normally do, but count every gram of fiber you consume.
Most Americans get less than half of the recommended amount of fiber, and they eat only about 10% of the fiber their grandparents ate. It’s recommended to eat around 25 grams of fiber per day, but in this world of processed and fast food, almost no one gets this, even people who are normally quite health-conscious. For example, those who reduce their carbohydrate intake sometimes unintentionally also reduce their fiber intake.
Most people who follow a diet forget about fiber and focus on their calorie intake and carbohydrates, but eating a sufficient amount of fiber can help with the fat loss process. In addition to the usual health benefits of fiber, it also helps you feel satisfied throughout the day.
So find out how much you’re getting over the next two days. Keep a fiber log. Read labels and look at serving sizes. If you’re not getting at least 25 grams per day, do something about it.
MISSION 3: GO FOR A WALK
Go to the gym. Step on a treadmill and set the incline high. When your treadmill goes up to 15, set it to at least 10 or 12. The speed should be that of a walk, slightly faster than your normal pace. Normal is around 5.5 kilometers per hour for most adult men. Aim for 6.5 kph and don’t hang onto the railing like a fat housewife. That reduces the effectiveness of the workout… and you look pretty silly.
Now walk for 20 minutes.
You’ve just discovered one of the most effective forms of ‘cardio’ for bodybuilders. You’re gasping for air and sweating, while at the same time working your glutes, hamstrings, and calves in a new way.
Don’t expect to lose muscle mass or see your performance decline; it’s just a short walk and it won’t negatively impact your weight training recovery, and it certainly won’t build any cardio. Doing a hill walk the day after a heavy session targeting the back of your legs may even speed up the recovery process.
MISSION 4: READ A LABEL, DUDE
Go to your fridge or pantry. Grab a packaged food item that claims to be good for your health: organic, natural, low-fat, low-carb, reduced-calorie, high-protein, ‘100 calories’, and so on.
Now read the label, including the ingredients list. Is it really healthy?
Low-fat often means high sugar content. You can find this out by checking where sugar is listed in the ingredients. If it’s near the top, there’s a fair amount. Remember, what’s listed first is the most abundant ingredient, second is the second most abundant, and so on.
And what about low-carb? Low-carb often means high in fat, which can mean it’s high in calories despite being low in carbs or sugar-free.
The word ‘organic’ or ‘natural’ on the label also doesn’t automatically mean it deserves a place in your fat loss plan. Yes, even if you get it from the health food store. Check the calories and serving size. ‘All-natural’ granola with low fat can contain more than double the calories and carbs than an equivalent amount of sugared cornflakes (but don’t eat that crap either).
And just because pomegranates are good for you doesn’t mean a drink with lots of sugar and 2% pomegranate juice is good for you.
Read. Ingredient. Lists. Dude.
MISSION 5: GO GREEN
Go to the store. Buy a bag of frozen vegetables (any kind) or a bag of spinach leaves. Eat the entire bag today, spread out over a few meals. Do the same tomorrow. Already doing that? Try two bags.
Eating vegetables, especially the green ones, fills you up with almost no calories. Satisfied people don’t overeat other things. You lose body fat. It’s magical.
MISSION 6: MOVE
Park your car far from the store or office. Take the stairs. Walk on the escalator. Carry your luggage instead of rolling it. Use regular doors instead of automatic ones. Go on top during sex, no matter how good the view is when she’s on top.
All these things increase your NEPA (Non-Exercise Physical Activity). People with a high NEPA are usually not overweight. So, for the next two days, look for ways to increase your NEPA. Look around and be aware of every opportunity to use your muscles more, to move more. Make it a habit.
MISSION 7: DRINK YOUR FOUR LITERS
While much depends on your activity level, your environment, and other factors, the most common advice you’ll hear regarding fluid intake is to drink at least four liters of water per day. And how much do you drink? Are you drinking less than four liters? More?
Today, use a two-liter container like the ones they sell milk in at the supermarket and fill it with water. Carry it with you, use it to make your shakes and other training drinks, etc. Refill the container again during the day to reach four liters. The container clearly shows you where you stand with your fluid intake.
Don’t guess, don’t measure: just take that container with you and see if you can drink four liters in a day.
Once you know where you stand, you can easily adjust it up or down according to the latest fluid intake research.
Oh, people spend a lot of money on things that help “remove toxins” from the body. Well, water is probably the best “product” on the market for that. Spending money on detox pills and drinks while not even drinking enough water is just stupid.
MISSION 8: THROW AWAY THE SCALE
The weight on the scale is not as important as your body composition, but testing your body fat percentage is difficult and inconsistent. Instead, rely on circumference measurements. For this mission, you need to use a fabric tape measure (doesn’t stretch) and measure the following areas:
- Around the thickest part of your belly and love handles
- Thigh
- Calf
- Chest (over your nipple line)
- Between your navel and nipple line (the area around your upper abs)
- Shoulders
- Upper arm
- Neck
Measure once a week when you’re focused on losing fat, and pay close attention to the area around your belly and love handles. The larger this number is, the more likely you are building a condition or physical state that will eventually kill you. Oh, it also makes you look pregnant. And girls aren’t so keen on pregnant dudes.
Stop procrastinating and take your measurements. Be accountable.
MISSION 9: EAT AND START THE CLOCK
Eating four to six smaller meals a day is better than two or three large ones. We know this, but sometimes it’s quite difficult to stop eating when you don’t feel completely stuffed after such a smaller meal. The reason? It takes 20 minutes for your body to send the hormonal ‘full signal’.
So, after eating that 300 calorie meal, let your Timex Ironman or stopwatch count down for 20 minutes. After the alarm goes off, evaluate your feeling of fullness. You’ll probably feel reasonably satisfied and full. No, you’re not stuffed to the gills, but remember, you’ll be eating again in about three hours.
What we’re doing here is practicing to outsmart our body’s slow satiety signal. This teaches us that we’re really full, even though we don’t feel that way right now.
Use the timer trick at each meal during these two days, and you’ll increase your level of ‘body awareness’, a valuable tool that can lead to lasting improvements in your appearance.
MISSION 10: SAY ‘CHEESE’
Many people aren’t motivated to lose fat until they see ‘the photo’. The photo is that picture of yourself that makes you say, ‘Holy shit! How long have I been fat and why didn’t anyone tell me?!’.
If you haven’t seen ‘the photo’ yet, take one!
Your mission is to take three pictures of yourself—one from the front, one from the side, and one from the back. And don’t suck in your belly.
There’s a good chance you’ll be shocked… and more motivated than ever to change.
MISSION 11: BROWSE THE SUPERMARKET
Go to the supermarket today, but don’t buy anything. Instead, walk through the aisles for an hour, read the labels, and look for new healthy foods. Usually, we quickly go through the store and buy out of habit. We miss the things that can help us achieve single-digit heaven.
A few suggestions:
- Go to the meat department. Hey look, ostrich. Bet you didn’t know they sold that.
- A whole grilled chicken for less than four bucks? You sometimes pay more for a cup of good coffee.
- Now check out the herbs and spices section. Spend a lot of time here. Smell things. Look for spice combinations. Eating for abs never has to be tasteless again.
- Explore the baking aisle. Really? The baking aisle? Yep. This is where they have all kinds of raw nuts and sugar substitutes like Splenda on the shelves. And what’s this? Flaxseed oil for a third of the price of the health food store? Cool.
- Now check out the different types of cooking oils. Especially look for the more expensive olive oil varieties and those convenient spray bottles with organic olive oil. Easy. And see if they might have coconut oil, the ‘good’ saturated fat.
- Now the fruits and vegetables. See if they have those new types of avocados, those big boys that are five times bigger than a regular avocado but contain fewer calories. Delicious. Also, take a look at that big purple thing and try to figure out what it is (hint: it can replace pasta in lasagna). Also, go through the organic section and compare prices. And is that a purple cauliflower?
- Then the bread. Hey, whole wheat tortillas with only 4 grams of carbohydrates and 8 grams of fiber. That should help with mission 2… and also with that other number two.
- Now the eggs. Look, eggs enriched with omega-3! Awesome.
- Also, go through the international food department. Chipotle peppers (smoked and dried jalapeño pepper) in a can? Spicy and hot, and very few calories. Imported hot mustard and hot sauces with 0 calories? This turns any dry chicken breast into a feast.
- Also check out the fish department and look for tuna, the yellowfin kind, not those cans for the cat that you’ve eaten.
You get where I’m going with this. Look for the new things. Go to the supermarket, take your time, and learn something.
MISSION 12: DRINK LESS
For this mission, you’re going to think. Specifically, you’re going to think about your alcohol consumption.
Do you have a beer weekly? A glass of wine a few times a week with dinner? It’s probably nothing to worry about, but if fat loss is your goal, you might want to avoid these drinks for now.
How often do you get drunk? Think about it. I regularly see people who eat well and go to the gym often, and then ruin everything with alcohol.
And it’s not just about the empty and unnecessary calories, it’s about disrupting your sleep pattern, the effect on your hormones, disrupting lipolysis (the breakdown of fat from your fat cells), and the negative effects of alcohol on your eating and training patterns. (Are you really eating six meals a day and training hard after a night of drinking? Uh, no).
Alcohol is poison. The feeling of being drunk is the side effect of being poisoned. Literally. If you go too far with this, your body tries to get rid of the poison (you throw up). If that doesn’t work, you can always have your stomach pumped at the hospital… to get rid of the poison so you don’t die.
Do you still think alcohol is a good, supportive factor in your week and for your physical ideals?
Just think about it. And before you say your drinking habits are all good, pull up your shirt and look at your stomach. Is it really good?
MISSION 13: LEARN THE ABS RULE
This mission contains a quick lesson in cheat meals.
Should you take that cheat day, that Chinese meal, or that cake your grandma makes for you because you’re so special? People often justify cheating like this:
- ‘I’ve been working hard all week; I deserve a cheat meal.’
- ‘Hey, I lost a pound last week. I can afford that piece of cake!’
- ‘Cheat meals… uh… restore my leptin levels or something, and get my metabolism going again… uh… right?’
Stop using those slim reasons and use ‘The Abs Rule’. Here it is:
The Abs Rule: Do you have a fully visible six-pack? If the answer is yes, then you can have a cheat meal every few weeks. If the answer is no, then no.
That’s how easy making the decision is… when you stop fooling yourself long enough to honestly think about what you’re stuffing in your face.
MISSION 14: COOK SOMETHING
Over the years, I’ve evolved from someone who only ate things from a package to someone who is proud to be a good cook. And, not coincidentally, as I learned to cook, I got leaner and found it easier to stay that way.
If you want to buy a cookbook with ‘healthy’ recipes, keep the following in mind:
- If it’s a low-fat cookbook or a ‘light’ cookbook, watch out for recipes with tons of sugar, sugary ingredients, and flour. Sugar and flour are indeed ‘fat-free’ but naturally make you fat and wreck your health.
- If it’s a low-carb cookbook, pay close attention to recipes that are high in calories: lots of butter and fats from other animal sources. Again, these recipes may be low in carbohydrates but not necessarily low in calories. Additionally, there are also books that take it too far and are also ‘vegetable-free’, which is not necessary in a low-carb plan.
However, if I had to choose, I prefer a low-carb cookbook over a low-fat cookbook. I love animal fat (the good kind) and would much rather have some good fats than a plain old sandwich.
Your ultimate goal is to make one new healthy meal per day. Start tonight.
BONUS MISSIONS!
If one or two of the missions don’t apply to you, here are a few extra missions to make sure you have enough self-improvement tasks to get you through the month:
BONUS MISSION 1: LEARN TO ‘SPEND’ CALORIES
I’ve never expressed my nutrients in percentages (40/30/30 and so on). I just don’t think in percentages. I bet most people don’t. Instead, I think about calories and nutrients in terms of money and budgeting. If you’ve always been confused by all those percentages, give my simple method a try for the next two days.
It works like this: First, decide how much ‘money’ you have. Say you’re on a heavy diet and have decided you have 1500 calories to ‘spend’ on nutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrates). You
know you definitely need 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, so spend that first (I’ll assume you weigh 90 kg):
200 grams of protein (rounded) = 800 calories (1 gram of protein = 4 calories)
Say you want to keep your carbohydrates at 100 grams per day, a common diet strategy:
100 grams of carbohydrates = 400 calories (1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories)
Then you have 300 calories left to spend on healthy animal fats: fish oil, ground flaxseed, olive oil, etc.
I find this a clearer method because it teaches you to make good nutritional choices. For example, suppose you have 50 grams of carbohydrates in your drink after your workout (your post-workout drink), then you only have 50 left.
Are you going to spend it all on a little fake health food like soy-filled cornflakes? Probably not, instead you’ll find out that you can eat a lot of green vegetables and feel very full for very little ‘money’.
This strategy is self-learning, self-correcting, and easy to understand. Give it a try.
BONUS MISSION 2: MEASURE SOMETHING ELSE FOR A CHANGE
I’m not a fan of keeping portions small. I prefer to find ways to eat a lot of food with fewer calories than to eat less of foods that make you fat. However, while a calorie isn’t always just a calorie, calories do count.
During these two days, I want you to keep a calorie log. Look at the portions and actually measure or weigh them (a kitchen scale and/or a good measuring cup really help here). Some healthy products are full of calories, others are low in calories. Okay, you don’t have to keep a food log for the rest of your life, but by doing it for a short period, you train yourself to instinctively keep an eye on calories.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised by some of your findings. For example, you can eat a mountain of steamed broccoli while still consuming only a few calories. Other food products, however, will surprise you.
For example, I love to take mixed nuts (no peanuts) with me when I travel. I’m actually a little too fond of them and easily eat a whole can of nuts on a long flight. Then one time I calculated what was in it. Turns out I ingested 1700 calories during a single three-hour flight! Oops.
Like me, you’ll probably find out which healthy food products are really ‘all you can eat’ and which ones you need to be a little more careful with.
BONUS MISSION 3: SET A DEADLINE
By a miracle of God, or maybe a tear in the time structure leading to a bizarre parallel world, I’ve dated a few Figure competitors (I know, I don’t understand it myself). And what always struck me is how they changed their behavior when they were close to a competition.
You’ve never seen such dedication to diet and training. It’s incredible how tightly they control their nutrition, their recovery, their supplement use, and their workouts. Why do they have so much discipline while the rest of the gym-goers ruin their diet and get fatter and fatter?
Simple answer: they know they’re going to stand on a stage in nothing but a glittering, way too expensive bikini.
If you knew you were going to be seen half-naked by hundreds of people on a podium on a certain date, would you ruin your diet? Half-heartedly do your cardio? Not really commit to your workout?
I don’t think so.
You don’t have to be a competition bodybuilder or Figure competitor to have this kind of discipline, but it helps to set a deadline. Maybe it’s a day at the beach. Maybe you agree on a date to do a shirtless photo shoot and want to look your best. Or maybe you put your photo in a forum and promise to post the ‘after’ photo in two months.
Knowing you have a deadline certainly gives you an extra push in the right direction.
Think about it, set a realistic goal in the short term, and set a deadline for that goal. Today.
SUMMARY
Big goals are usually achieved with small steps, but that doesn’t mean it has to take a long time to achieve those goals. The month-long program above is just an example of how 14 small steps can lead to big changes in your body.
Do you have other goals besides a washboard? Then make your own program, spend two days on each ‘mission’, and see how quickly you progress!
