How To Shred Fat (THE RIGHT WAY) | Cutting\Shredding Guide

Summary

In this fitness-focused YouTube video, Alex Finger shares his insights on effectively cutting body fat. He emphasizes the importance of a caloric deficit for weight loss, explains how to find one's maintenance calories, and discusses strategies like carb cycling and refeeds. Alex also covers the types of cardio and training styles suitable for a cut, as well as tips for managing hunger and maintaining muscle mass, including the use of supplements and a high-protein diet.

Takeaways

• 🏋️‍♂️ The importance of a caloric deficit for losing body fat is emphasized; without it, weight loss is unlikely even with a healthy diet.
• 🔢 Determining your total daily expenditure (TDE) is crucial to find your maintenance calorie level, which is the baseline for adjusting intake during a cut.
• 📉 To lose fat, aim for a calorie intake 300-500 less than your maintenance level, but avoid too large a deficit to prevent metabolic crash and muscle loss.
• 💊 Supplements like BCAAs, EAAs, and HMB can help preserve muscle mass during a caloric deficit by being anti-catabolic.
• 🚴‍♂️ Low-intensity steady-state cardio, such as fasted cardio sessions, is recommended over high-intensity interval training for its sustainability and heart rate benefits.
• 💊 Fat burners and L-carnitine are suggested for boosting metabolism and utilizing fat cells as energy during fasted cardio.
• 🏃‍♂️ Incorporating 10,000 steps a day can enhance calorie burning and complement a cutting diet.
• 💥 A training style that involves hitting each muscle group twice a week can signal the body to maintain muscle mass during a cut.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Using a pre-workout supplement can help compensate for the energy and pump deficit experienced during a caloric deficit.
• 🍞 Carb cycling and refeeds can help in getting extremely lean by manipulating carbohydrate intake strategically.
• 🍽️ Consuming whole foods and avoiding high-calorie snacks can make it easier to maintain a caloric deficit and support overall health.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the video?

The primary focus of the video is to provide guidance on how to lose fat the right way, including topics like carb cycling, refeeds, reverse dieting, and the right kind of foods and cardio exercises to incorporate during a cut.

Why is being in a caloric deficit essential for losing body fat?

Being in a caloric deficit is essential for losing body fat because it means you are consuming fewer calories than your body burns in a day, which forces the body to use stored fat for energy, thus leading to weight loss.

What is the speaker's maintenance calorie level and how does it relate to his workout routine?

The speaker's maintenance calorie level is around 2,700 calories. This means that if he consumes 2,700 calories and maintains his regular workout routines and daily activities, he would neither gain nor lose weight.

How does the speaker determine his daily caloric intake during a cut?

The speaker determines his daily caloric intake during a cut by finding his maintenance calories and then reducing them by around 300 calories to create a caloric deficit, which helps in losing fat.

What is the recommended caloric deficit range for effective fat loss without risking muscle loss?

The recommended caloric deficit range for effective fat loss without risking muscle loss is between 300 to 500 calories below the maintenance level.

Why does the speaker prefer low-intensity steady-state cardio over high-intensity interval training (HIIT)?

The speaker prefers low-intensity steady-state cardio because it is less energy-consuming, better for heart rate management, and does not interfere with his regular workout routine, unlike HIIT which can be more tiring and potentially disrupt his workouts.

What supplements does the speaker recommend to help maintain muscle mass during a cut?

The speaker recommends taking BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids), essential amino acids, and HMB (Beta-Hydroxy-beta-Methylbutyrate) as supplements to help maintain muscle mass during a cut as they are anti-catabolic and support muscle tissue preservation.

What is the significance of a refeed day in the context of the speaker's cutting strategy?

A refeed day, which is once a week, involves eating about 300 calories above the maintenance level, primarily from carbohydrates. It helps to increase leptin levels, satiate hunger, boost metabolism, and provide a mental break in the cutting process.

How does the speaker approach his training style during a cut compared to when he is bulking?

During a cut, the speaker ensures that each muscle group is trained twice a week, often using a push-pull leg split or an Arnold split variation. He also incorporates more tempo training and volume-based exercises to signal the body to maintain muscle mass.

What are some tips the speaker provides to help with satiety and managing hunger during a cut?

The speaker suggests drinking a full glass of water before every meal, trying appetite suppressants, having a bowl of low-calorie salad between meals, and chewing gum after meals to help manage hunger and increase satiety during a cut.

What dietary approach does the speaker advocate for during a cut, and why?

The speaker advocates for consuming whole foods and avoiding high-calorie snacks. He recommends staying on the perimeter of the grocery store where whole foods are typically found, and suggests snacks like skinny pop for their low calorie and high fiber content to help with satiety.