Are you tired of going into each summer looking skinny and weak? Or maybe you’re tired of feeling pudgy? Well, it’s time to put that in the past. If you put your mind to it, there are ways to get ripped before next summer.
4 Tips for Getting Ripped and Chiseled
Melting fat, adding muscle, and toning your figure aren’t rocket science. The fitness and nutrition community knows what it takes. The only question is, will you follow the advice?
Here are several tips to help you get ripped…fast.
1. Find a Trainer
You can certainly figure some things out by watching YouTube videos and reading other online resources. Still, you’ll speed up the process significantly by working with a trainer. More specifically, find an online trainer who can develop a targeted workout plan to help you achieve your goal of becoming ripped and chiseled.
There are plenty of online personal trainers but look for one aligned with your goals. Nathan DeMetz is one of the top trainers in the strength training space, so you may want to start by checking out what he has to offer.
“As your online strength coach, I will design a resistance training program custom built to your needs and goals and help you implement the strength training program,” DeMetz explains.
If you feel you need a personal trainer who meets with you in person, you can contact your local gym and inquire about strength trainers. The point is: Do what works for you.
2. Target the Right Muscle Groups
You must maximize every workout when you only have a couple of months to get ripped. Targeting isolated muscles won’t be fast enough. You should target bigger muscle groups with workouts that allow you to strength train multiple body parts at once.
Focus on the legs, chest, back, and abdomen for the best results. Think big exercises like deadlifts, bench presses, and squats. These exercises give you the most ‘bang for your buck.’
3. Adjust Your Diet and Nutrition
You can work out all day long, have the right trainer, and perform each individual exercise with perfect form, but you won’t gain muscle/lose weight without the proper diet and nutrition.
Experts say working out is only 15 percent of the equation. Diet represents the other 85 percent. Here are several tips:
- Fiber is extremely important. Focus on consuming plenty of vegetables and berries (especially when you aren’t working out).
- While you don’t want to eat many carbs, don’t skip them altogether. Carbs provide quick energy, which makes them great for pre-workout meals.
- Focus on increasing your protein and healthy, lean fat. Lean meats, olive oil, nuts, and avocados are great foods to integrate into your diet.
- Avoid skipping meals. Try eating four to five small meals daily to keep your body balanced.
- Drink lots and lots of water. Muscles are 72 percent water. The more hydrated your muscles are, the stronger they’ll be. And the stronger your muscles are, the more weight you can lift and the faster your muscles grow.
4. Be Smart With Supplements
Everyone wants to talk about supplements. And while they certainly have their place, they’re not shortcuts. As the name suggests, they’re merely supplements. They’re supplemental to the real work you must do (exercising and eating well).
With that being said, there are some supplements worth taking, including protein, BCAAs, glutamine, and casein. It’s highly recommended that you speak with a nutritionist and/or personal trainer before starting any supplements.
Small Steps, Consistent Effort
If you have a beer belly and haven’t seen the inside of a gym in 10 years, you might look at the goal of being ripped by next summer as an impossible pipe dream. (And to most people, it is.) But it’s possible. You just have to commit.
Achieving a fitness goal isn’t as difficult as it seems. It’s about taking small steps every day and repeating them repeatedly. You’ll see results if you multiply a positive action by consistency and commit to doing it for several months. The fat will melt, the muscles will emerge, and you won’t even recognize yourself in six to nine months.
Getting ripped isn’t easy – it takes hard work and discipline. But it is simple. We’ve given you some of the steps in this article. Now it’s up to you to develop a plan and stick with it!
