THE NEW RULES FOR GETTING RIPPED

THE NEW RULES FOR GETTING RIPPED

Forget inconvenient diets and three-hour gym sessions. Score the six-pack abs and body you've always wanted by following these better, smarter rules.

The models and athletes in fitness magazine are so lean and ripped, they almost make it look easy to attain a taut, muscular body. But let’s be honest: It’s hard, it takes time, and it demands an unwavering degree of discipline. To assist you in sculpting the body you’ve always wanted, follow these golden rules to getting ripped.

RULE #1 - HAVE A CARBOHYDRATE STRATEGY

You've probably heard that "carbohydrates are the enemy." Well, not really. Completely slashing your carbohydrate intake will certainly help with dropping the pounds (and fast), but you’ll also be left feeling cranky, tired, and lethargic.

Carbohydrates are essential for life, as our brain and [central nervous system] require them continuously to work properly. Restricting carbohydrates completely will allow for any muscle mass to be metabolized to provide us with energy.

Therefore, it all comes down to consuming carbohydrates correctly, not cutting them completely. To get lean, a balance of the right amount of carbohydrates first thing in the morning and after workout is ideal.

RULE #2 - EAT MORE FAT

Fat doesn’t make you fat, but too much food makes you fat! Consuming more fat in your diet will actually help curb cravings after you’ve reduced your carbohydrate intake.

Fats help curb hunger because it takes the body longer to break down, use or store. Hormones also play a role, especially when it comes to muscle-supporting testosterone. Fats are needed to create and balance out hormones in our body to function normally.

RULE #3 - SWAP FRUIT OUT FOR VEGGIES

Fruit is great—it’s full of nutrients and antioxidants to help protect the body—but the downside is that it's also full of sugars. You might want to swap in veggies (or fruits that people typically consider as vegetables) for fruit.

This strategy allows you to keep the necessary nutrients and antioxidants in your diet, but reduce your overall sugar/carbohydrate and total calorie intake. One apple has 125 calories and 25 grams of carbohydrates. One large red pepper—okay, technically a fruit, but generally prepared like a vegetable—has 40 calories and only 5 grams of carbohydrates.

RULE #4 - DITCH CARDIO FOR WEIGHTS AND CIRCUITS

Here's another fitness myth: "If you want to get lean and strong, hit the cardio machine." That's not true.

You will not make more muscle this route. When you do cardio, you're burning calories, but you're missing the muscle growth stimulation from weight training. The more muscle that you have, the more calories and fat you'll be burning even while you are resting.

It is best to hit the weight room 3-4 days per week with one of the days being a circuit style with a variety of exercises. If you need to do cardio, try one day of 20-minutes of fast-slow intervals.

RULE #5 - LAY OFF ALCOHOL

If you’re serious about losing weight and getting lean, you’d better start seriously considering the effects of alcohol on the body.

Alcohol causes fat to be stored instead of being used for energy. Essentially, your body will put a hold on the digestion of any food until the liver can excrete the alcohol. Alcohol also hurts you in two other areas: It's a diuretic, which dehydrates you and reduces energy levels. It can also decrease testosterone in your body, which is critical for creating muscle.

Next time you're planning a guy’s night, stick to one or two light beers and plenty of bottled water. A six-pack starts with your diet more than anything else.