That’s why you need a workout that actually works.

The Male Model Workout

These workouts are based around compound movements to work as many muscles as possible in a short amount of time. Therefore, you can easily fit them into your day to day routine.

The program consists of four different days: two upper body and two lower body. Each day focuses on a different lift so you can build strength across your entire body and, most importantly, muscle.

Day 1

• Bench Press 3×8
• Push Press 3×12
• Bent Over Row 3×8
• Lat Pulldown 3×12
• Incline Dumbbell Curls 3×12

Day 2

• Squat 3×8
• Romanian Deadlift 3×12
• Leg Extension 3×16
• Calf Raises 3×16
• Weighted Russian Twists 3×16 (rest 1 minute)

Day 3

• Military Press 3×8
• Incline Press 3×12
• Chin Up 3×8
• Seated Row 3×12
• Tricep Pushdown 3×12

Day 4

• Deadlift 3×8
• Split Squat 3×12 (each side)
• Rack Pulls 3×12
• Leg Curls 3×16
• Cable Crunches 3×16 (rest 1 minute)

Rest for 2 minutes between each set and exercise. Each time you can do two more reps than what’s prescribed, move up in weight.

You can structure this program into your week however you want, just make sure that only two of the workout days are side by side. For instance, you could do Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday or Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

Incorporate a Healthy Diet to Lose Fat

This program makes sure to hit every muscle on the body to give you a well-rounded, sculpted physique. However, in order for it to be maximally effective, you also need to couple it with a healthy diet.

If you’re looking to lose fat, then you need to be eating around 300 less calories per day. If you don’t want to track your calories, then there are some helpful tips to ensure you’re in a daily deficit. Many of my clients have made great progress from just a few small changes.

For one, increasing your intake of fibre through fruit, vegetables, and grains is a great way to keep the stomach full on lower calories. The stomach signals to the brain that it’s full based upon the amount of volume inside. Fiber takes up a lot of volume, as does water. Always make sure to choose meals with a high load of fiber in it while keeping on top of your hydration.

Simply switching higher calorie items for lower calorie items can make a massive difference. Choosing diet drinks instead of the regular items, packing an apple for lunch as opposed to a chocolate bar, switching cereal for porridge. All of these changes seem small, but over time they really add up.

Adding in extra doses of protein is a good way to keep you satiated and it helps ensure you don’t lose precious muscle. Remember, anyone can lose weight, but it takes patience and perseverance to lose fat.

You Must Add Calories to Build Muscle

If you’re looking to build muscle, then you’re going to need to be in a caloric surplus. If you want to track your calories, then an extra 300 calories should do it. If you don’t want to track your calories, then you can add an extra scoop of food to each meal to help you increase your overall intake.

For any body composition goal, monitoring your weight is key. Because your body weight can fluctuate during your week due to a variety of reasons, don’t weigh yourself every day. Weighing yourself twice a week is a perfect amount. Weigh yourself once at the start of the working week, and once at the end. If you’re looking to gain muscle, then you should be trying to add 0.5 to 1 pound each week. If you’re looking to lose fat, then you’ll want to lose about 1 pound a week.

You Have to Be Patient

At the end of the day, getting a model type body takes time. Do you really think the people on magazines or in movies just woke up one day and looked like that? Unfortunately, it takes a little more than a good night of rest. Stick with it, stay dedicated, and the results will come.

The post The Male Model Workout appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Yes, the world of nutrition does seem to be a slippery snake that’s hard to pin down; ever moving, changing, and adapting according to the latest research. However, have you noticed that almost all of them that make it to household-name status help people lose weight? Seemingly, the same amount of people manage to drop their stubborn, unwanted belly-fat by living off bacon and coconut oil as those who only stick to potatoes, fruit, and beans.

The reason for this is that different approaches work for different people. Someone may thrive on a high-fat diet while others couldn’t bear the thought of abolishing their morning porridge. The so-called ‘right’ diet is the one that works for you in terms of your goals, your lifestyle, and your preferences. Highly active people who exercise frequently and have a job that involves a lot of movement will most likely find that more carbohydrates keeps them alert and energetic. Those who are more sedentary and can only make it to the gym two or three times a week might want to limit their carbohydrates.

Your Nutrition Has to Be Highly Personalized

The only meaningful similarity to any effective diet is overall caloric intake. If you want to build muscle and gain weight, then you’ll need to eat more calories than you’re burning. If you want to shed some fat and lose weight, then you’ll need to eat less calories than you’re burning. Each new way of eating that enters the spotlight claiming to be the holy grail of diets works by controlling the amount of calories you take in.

• Atkins: High-fat, high-protein, low-carbohydrate: protein is an extremely satiating macronutrient and so by including it in abundance the individual feels less hungry and therefore, eats less.
• Paleo: Focus on natural foods: fruit and vegetables are both high in fiber, another filling and satisfying component of food which helps control hunger levels. The diet also tends to involve eating more high-protein foods than normal. The combination of these both cause the individual to eat less overall.
• Vegan: No animal products: naturally a high fiber diet and so, causes you to eat less.

• Intermittent fasting: Restricted eating window: less time to eat and so, you eat less.

And so on and so forth. Once you break down the mechanisms behind each style of eating, the answer is all the same.

What does this mean?

This means that you have a lot more freedom with your eating than you probably thought. As there’s no secret to achieving your goal, you can adapt it to exactly how you want to eat. If you want to eat more carbs, then you can. If you want to eat more fat, then you can. If you want to avoid all meat, go for it. If you want to live off only gummy bears, sure thing. OK; maybe not the last one, but the point still stands.

Photo by Bev Childress

Obviously, you also need to think about your health, which means eating foods rich in vitamins and minerals is important. Yet, your diet can be (and should be) unique to you. When you look at the details and past all of the marketing messages, everything becomes a lot clearer and you can become a lot happier, safe in the knowledge that having that brownie won’t cause you to gain 10 pounds or eating some rice won’t turn off your fat-burning capabilities.

The best diet is the one that supports your goals and works long-term, not just for summer or in the lead up to a holiday. At the end of the day, you need to do you—whatever that is.

The post Why Your Diet Should Be Unique to Just You appeared first on Breaking Muscle.