Shredding for beginners

If your are considering beginning a training journey and are looking at burning some excess fat off then there are a few things you should know before you begin. Shredding fat can be made to sound easy but if your routine is not followed correctly you can end up seeing no results at all.

When we talk about shredding we are essentially talking about the ability to burn excess fats from our body whilst keeping the large majority if not all of our muscle mass we are working hard on developing. So when it comes to your training there should be some key points to stick with when considering your own plan of action.

So what are the keys points to a shred?

Diet –

When shredding or cutting you should aim to keep your body fuelled over what will be a heavy period of training. Cutting down on carbohydrates and not fats is essential. Carbs are one of the bodies worst enemies when shredding so keeping them a minimal and focussing on intaking more complex carbs during the earlier part of the day is key. Your body will still need the essential fats in order to maintain healthy levels of vitamins, minerals, testosterone and so look for natural fats often found in sources such as nuts, whole grains and seeds.

Keeping your sugar intake level low will also obviously help your progress toward a leaner version of yourself and you should avoid all processed sugars and stick to natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables etc.

Training –

When training we need to focus on the compound moves that should make up the majority of your training schedule. Exercises like deadlifts, bench presses, tricep dips and pull ups should see your body start to really develop some serious muscle mass whilst ensuring that you are working hard enough in order to keep burning excess carbs off.

Protein protein protein –

Whilst training it is always important to keep your body fuelled by high quality proteins. Your body will be feeding off of protein as it’s main source of nutrition and therefore it is a massive part of your of regime to feed it when it needs it. Meats, fish and whole grains should provide a good starting place for your body to be able to feed correctly but you can also add supplements in order to bulk up your intake. Some supplements get a bad rep from users for adding bulk when they are trying to shred but as long as you take into consideration the nutritional value of anything you are adding into your system you should be fine. Look for a small carbohydrate level against a high protein count and also a low carbs that sugar value will see you add some serious muscle mass to your frame whilst keeping those love handles at bay.

Hydration –

As with any type of training keeping hydrated is a big key to staying in top shape and remaining on top of your game. Look to take in around 2-4 litres of water on a daily basis depending on how your body is feeling and your intensity during training.

Resting –

Whether you are splitting your workload over 3 or 4 days or feeling great despite a heavy regime it is always vital to know when you need a day off and stick to giving your body an adequate rest period. Without this you will only overload yourself and not give your body the correct time to feed and re-fuel properly for the days and weeks ahead.

So if you are thinking about carrying out a shredding phase in your training then you must consider what will work best for you in terms of your training regime and splitting the work. There are key ideas to try and stick with in terms of the overall picture but if you stick to the key principles and work hard then you should see a very successful shredding phase be completed.