Geschatte leestijd: 14 minutenI can still remember the time when I thought I had become as lean as I possibly could. I had lost a ton of fat since my chubby childhood years, but still hadn’t reached below 10% body fat. I had a two-pack, not a six-pack. Like many people frustrated and looking for excuses, I thought, ‘Well, I must have fat genes.’
However, I eventually realized that I wasn’t doing everything I could to achieve a single-digit body fat percentage… so I started doing those things. Or, rather, I started not doing some things, like stuffing myself with pizza every weekend, under the guise of ‘uh, 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-made 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 holes in my training, my eating habits, and even in my way of thinking. By filling these gaps, my progress started to really move forward again.
Are there currently holes in your plan? Do you even have a plan? And, very importantly…
Are You Growing or Are You Slipping Back?
I believe we’re constantly in motion. We never stand still; we’re constantly changing, either growing or slipping back.
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 crappy thing is, when you’re not actively moving forward, you’re actively slipping backward. Self-improvement requires effort and purposeful planning. We don’t accidentally become leaner, more muscular, more developed, or just better.
What does ‘actively moving forward’ mean? It means doing things daily that inch you closer to your ultimate goals. You’re not just going through life as usual; you’re doing something, every day, consistently. You get better, bit by bit, embracing the Japanese concept of kaizen: continuous and never-ending improvement.
Are you doing this? Would you like to 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 tasks will improve you in some way, especially if your main goal is losing body fat.
These missions might reveal something new for you in 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 might not apply to your situation. Maybe you’ve already accomplished them. No problem, just move on to the next and check out the bonus missions at the end of the article for more options.
The idea is, in about 28 days, you’ll have learned something new or gained a new skill that helps you get a step closer to your ideal body. Many of these things will stick with you forever, helping you not only find those abs but also keep them.
But to truly 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 equipped to continue your body transformation.
Ready? Let’s get started!
MISSION 1: EXAMINE YOUR LAST DINNER
Let’s start with the last… um… the final 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 contain few 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 overweight people eat their biggest meal, with the most carbohydrates, right before going to bed, causing them to store it instead of burning it. If this is what overweight people do, then you should do the opposite.
Overeating, especially in the evening, is now seen as the main eating disorder in North America. Even if it might not be a ‘disorder’ for you, when you’re overweight, overeating in the evening is likely part of the problem.
Your first assignment is, therefore, to experiment with smaller evening meals with few carbohydrates and plenty of protein, and don’t eat them too close to bedtime. Try this for the next two days.
MISSION 2: COUNT YOUR FIBER
In 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 great-grandparents consumed. It is recommended to consume around 25 grams of fiber per day, but in this world of processed and fast food, almost no one gets this amount, even those who are normally quite health-conscious. For example, those who reduce their carbohydrate intake sometimes unintentionally reduce their fiber intake as well.
Most people on a diet forget about fiber and focus on their calorie intake and carbohydrates, but consuming 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 full throughout the day.
Fiber is basically nature’s hunger stopper. Additionally, it prevents major spikes in blood sugar and insulin, which can lead to more fat, moodiness, and a strong desire to eat.
So, find out how much you’re getting in 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. Get 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. Normally, it’s around 5.5 kilometers per hour for most adult men. Aim for 6.5 kph and don’t hang on to 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’ll be gasping for air and sweating, while simultaneously targeting your glutes, hamstrings, and calves in a new way.
Don’t expect to lose muscle mass or see a decline in performance; it’s just a short walk and it won’t negatively impact the recovery of your weight training, and it certainly won’t build endurance. Doing a hill walk the day after a heavy workout for the back of your legs can even speed up the recovery process.
MISSION 4: READ A LABEL, MAN
Go to your fridge or your kitchen cupboard. Take out a packaged food item that claims to be good for your health: organic, natural, low in fat, low in carbohydrates, reduced calorie, high in protein, ‘100 calories’, and so on.
Now read the label, including the ingredient list. Is it really healthy?
Low in fat often means high in sugar. You can find out by looking for sugar in the ingredient list. If it’s listed first, second, or third, there’s a fair amount in it. Remember that what’s listed first in the ingredients list is the most important ingredient, what’s listed second is the second most common ingredient, and so on.
And what does low in carbohydrates mean? Low in carbohydrates often means high in fat, which can mean it contains a lot of calories despite being low in carbohydrates 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’ low-fat granola can contain more than double the calories and carbohydrates of the same amount of sugary cornflakes (but don’t eat that stuff either).
And just because pomegranates are good for you doesn’t mean a drink with a lot of sugar and 2% pomegranate juice is good for you.
Read. Ingredient. Lists. Man.
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, divided over a few meals. Do the same tomorrow. Already doing that? Try two bags.
Eating vegetables, especially the green kinds, fills you up with almost no calories. Satisfied people don’t eat too much of other things. You lose body fat. It’s magical.
MISSION 6: MOVE
Park your car far from the store or the 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 riding.
All of these things increase your NEPA (Non-Exercise Physical Activity). People with a large amount of NEPA are usually not overweight. That’s why for the next two days, you need to 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
Although much depends on your activity level, your environment, and other factors, the most common advice you hear regarding fluid intake is to drink at least four liters of water per day. And how much do you drink? Do you drink less than four liters? More?
Today, use a two-liter container that 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 will clearly show you how your fluid intake is going.
No guessing, no measuring: just take that container with you and see if you drink four liters in a day.
Once you know where you stand, you can easily adjust it up and down according to the latest fluid intake research.
Oh yeah, people spend a lot of money on things that help ‘detoxify’ the body. Well, water is probably the best ‘product’ on the market for that. Spending money on detox pills and drinks when you’re not even drinking enough is just dumb.
MISSION 8: THROW AWAY THE SCALE
The weight on the scale is not as important as your body composition, but your body fat percentage is difficult to test accurately and consistently. Instead, rely on circumference measurements. For this mission, you need to use a fabric measuring tape (does not stretch) and measure the following areas:
Around the thickest part of your belly and love handles
Thigh
Calf
Chest (across your nipple line)
Between your navel and your nipple line (the area around your upper abs)
Shoulders
Upper arm
Neck
Measure once a week when you’re trying to lose fat, and pay close attention to the area around your belly and love handles. The larger this number, the more likely you are to be developing a condition or physical state that will ultimately kill you. Oh yeah, it also makes you look pregnant. And girls aren’t so keen on pregnant guys.
Don’t put it off anymore and take your measurements. Be responsible.
MISSION 9: EAT AND START THE CLOCK
Eating four to six smaller meals a day is better than two or three big ones. We know this, but it’s sometimes quite hard 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 you’ve eaten that 300-calorie meal, set your Timex Ironman or stopwatch 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 up to your neck, but remember, you’ll be eating again in about three hours.
What we’re doing here is training ourselves 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 every meal for 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 photos of yourself – one from the front, one from the side, and one from the back. And don’t suck in your belly.
Chances are you’ll be shocked… and more motivated than ever to change.
MISSION 11: EXPLORE 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 out on things that could help us reach the single-digit heaven.
A few suggestions:
Head to the meat department. Hey, look, ostrich. Bet you didn’t know they sold that.
A whole grilled chicken for less than four bucks? Sometimes you 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 herb combinations. Eating for abs doesn’t have to be bland anymore.
Explore the baking aisle. Really? The baking aisle? Yep. This is where they have all sorts 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 one in the health food store? Cool.
Now go to the different types of cooking oil. Especially look at the more expensive olive oils and those handy spray cans of organic olive oil. Convenient. And see if they might have coconut oil, the ‘good’ saturated fat.
Now the fruits and vegetables. See if they have those new kinds of avocados, those big guys that are five times larger than a regular avocado but have fewer calories. Yummy. Also, check out 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 carbs 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 section. Chipotle peppers (smoked and dried Jalapeno pepper) in a can? Spicy and hot, and very few calories. Imported hot mustard and hot sauces with 0 calories? This turns every 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 with dinner a few times a week? It’s probably nothing to worry about, but when 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, then ruin it all 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, the disruption of lipolysis (breaking down fat from your fat cells), and the negative effects of alcohol on your eating and exercise patterns. (Are you really eating six meals a day and training hard after a night of binge drinking? Uh, no).
Alcohol is poison. The feeling of being drunk is the side effect of being poisoned. Literally. If you go too far, 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 that everything is fine with your drinking habits, lift your shirt and look at your belly. Is it really okay?
MISSION 13: LEARN THE ABS RULE
This mission includes 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 out hard all week; I deserve a cheat meal.’
‘Hey, I lost a pound last week. I can afford that slice of cake!’
‘Cheat meals… um… restore my leptin levels or something, and get my metabolism going again… um… right?’
Stop using those thin rationales 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.
It’s that easy to make the decision… when you stop fooling yourself long enough to honestly think about what you’re stuffing into your mouth.
MISSION 14: COOK SOMETHING
Over the years, I’ve evolved from someone who only ate things from a package to someone who takes pride in being a good cook. And, not coincidentally, as I learned to cook, I got leaner and found it easier to stay that way.
When you’re looking 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 can still make you fat and wreak havoc on 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 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 would 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 couple of extra missions to make sure you have enough self-development 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 over the next two days.
Here’s how it works: First, decide how much ‘money’ you have. Say you’re on a strict diet and have decided you have 1500 calories to ‘spend’ on nutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrates). You know you need at least 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, so spend that first (assuming 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, if 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 them 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
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 food that makes you fat. But, while a calorie is not always just a calorie, calories do count.
During these two days, I want you to keep a calorie log. Look at the portions and really measure them out or weigh them (a kitchen scale and/or a good measuring cup really help here). Some healthy products are full of calories, while 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’re training 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 only consuming 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 actually kind of go crazy for them and can easily eat a whole can of nuts on a long flight. Then one time, I calculated what was in them. Turns out I consumed 1700 calories during a single three-hour flight! Oops.
Like me, you’ll probably find out which healthy food products are really ‘eat all you can’ and which ones you need to be more careful with.
BONUS MISSION 3: SET A DEADLINE
By some miracle of God, or perhaps a tear in the fabric of time leading to a bizarre parallel world, I’ve dated a few Figure competition ladies (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, recovery, supplement use, and workouts. Why do they have so much discipline while the rest of the gym-goers ruin their diets and get fatter and fatter?
Simple answer: they know they’ll be standing on a stage in nothing but a glittering, way-too-expensive bikini.
If you knew that on a certain date you’d be seen half-naked by hundreds of people while standing in the spotlight on a stage, would you ruin your diet? Half-heartedly do your cardio? Not really commit during your workout?
I don’t think so.
You don’t have to be a competition bodybuilder or Figure lady to have this kind of discipline, but it helps to set a deadline. Maybe it’s a day at the beach. Maybe you’re scheduling a date for a shirtless photo shoot and want to look your best. Or maybe you’re posting your photo in a forum and promise that the ‘after’ photo will be posted in two months.
Knowing you have a deadline certainly gives you an extra push in the right direction.
Think about it, set a reachable goal in the near term, and set a deadline for that goal. Today.
IN SUMMARY
Big goals are usually achieved with small steps, but that doesn’t mean it has to take a long time to reach those goals. The month-long program above is just an example of how 14 small steps can lead to significant changes in your body.
Do you have other goals besides a six-pack? Then create your own program, spend two days on each ‘mission’, and see how quickly you progress!
