How to maintain muscle mass while losing weight and drying your body?

This 3-week fat-burning program involves low-carb, extremely intense workouts with short rest periods between sets, and 15-minute intense cardio sessions.

Brief description of the program

• The main goal is to burn fat and dry the body to get sculpted muscles
• Target muscle groups - whole body
• Difficulty: medium
• Number of workouts per week – 4
• Necessary equipment and exercise equipment – ​​barbell, crossover, dumbbells, EZ bar
• Gender focus – for men and women

Description of the body drying workout

There is nothing unique in the information below; it does not contain any super effective exercises for drying the body, which are performed only using the energy of subcutaneous fat. The article was not written with the intention of deceiving anyone into thinking that you can get a ripped body in 21 days. This drying program is called “Fast and Furious” because:

• Before dinner, you should only consume 1/3 of your daily calorie intake. For most people, this is similar to fasting.
• The workouts will be grueling and fast-paced, as they are aimed at burning calories.

The training program for cutting and pan nutrition is designed for 21 days. You can go through 1 cycle if you want to quickly lose 2-7 kg of fat, or several cycles if your goals are more ambitious.

The ultimate goal of the program

The cycle is aimed at burning fat while maintaining muscle mass, which will allow you to look sculpted.

During the first week of a low-calorie, low-carb diet, you will lose a lot of water from your body and lose weight rapidly. However, don't expect to lose pounds as quickly over the next two weeks. Typically, at the end of 3 weeks, men will lose about 3.5-5.5 kg, and women - 2-4.5 kg.

If you continue to follow the program, the rate of weight loss will decrease during the second and third cycles. You will remove remaining water, and weight loss will occur due to fat burning. During the second cycle, men can expect to lose 2-4.5 kg, and women - 1.4-2.7 kg.

This program is ideal for people who have gained excess weight over the past 6 months and now need to lose fat in order to return to a more or less normal weight. I don't recommend repeating the cycle more than twice.

So, if you're ready to work on your body so you can look great on the beach this coming summer, then let's get started!

Basic elements of the drying scheme

Here are the main elements of a 21-day cycle:

• Cutting back on your pre-workout diet . You should eat less during the day and consume most of your calories within 4 hours in the evening.
• Power training. You should train 4 times a week, minimizing rest time between sets.
• Cardio . Strength training should be followed by intense 15-minute cardio sessions. It is not necessary to do additional cardio, but such examples will be discussed below.

This program is not intended for beginners. If you do not have the slightest idea about the technique of performing the given cutting exercises, then be sure to master it before starting the program. Also note that the program has 2 meal plans: 2,100 calories per day for men and 1,500 for women.

Here is a sample training schedule. You can change the days depending on your personal schedule, as long as you have 2 rest days between lower and upper body workouts.

• Monday - Upper Body Workout "A"
• Tuesday – Lower Body Workout “A”

• Thursday – Upper Body Workout “B”
• Friday – Lower Body Workout “B”

Rest between sets should be exactly 30 seconds. Maintain the same weight throughout all sets.

Select the exact weight that will allow you to complete the prescribed number of sets and repetitions. If you can't complete all the reps in a set, lower the weight next time. On the other hand, if the weight doesn't feel heavy enough, increase it the next time you perform the exercise.

Optional Cardio

At your discretion, you can add cardio training to dry your body faster:

• In the morning
• On the weekend
• At least 4 hours before or 3 hours after strength training

These workouts don't have to be boring. Go for a walk, go mountain hiking, swim, run, etc.

Bodymaster.ru recommends Fitness Trainers:

Secondly, running for people over 30 years old and weighing more than 100 kg is generally not recommended for reasons of the safety of the knee joints and spine.

However, we must remember that during the period of fat burning and drying the body, it is necessary to perform aerobic work and cardio exercises. This is exactly the level of load that allows us to remain in the zone of sufficient oxygen consumption. It is believed that the target heart rate (heart rate) for fat burning is 60-70% of max heart rate.

You can calculate max heart rate using the formula: 220 - age (for men) = max heart rate

For example, if you are 30 years old, then: 220 - 30 = 190. Your heart rate should be: 60% -70% of 190, that is, 114-133 heart rate.

If you are suffocating, it means that oxygen starvation occurs and the oxidation process is inhibited. Burning in the muscles means that the load is too great and the energy supply comes from anaerogic glycolysis of glucose and fat is again not oxidized.

21 Day Workout Program

This cutting training program is divided into splits for the muscles of the lower and upper body.

Workout "A"

Upper body

Workout "B"

Upper body

Workout "A"

Lower body

Workout "B"

Lower body

Answers to frequently asked questions

• Should I only use dumbbells on the bench press?

No. You can use either dumbbells or a barbell when performing the bench press.

• Should I only use machines when performing a particular exercise?

No. You can do a similar exercise with free weights.

• Can I do pull-ups instead of pull-downs?

Yes.

• Can I do bent-over barbell rows instead of cable rows?

Yes.

• Can I do squats instead of leg presses?

You can, but the muscle pain will be very severe and may last for a week, which will negatively affect your progress.

• Are there too many approaches included in the program?

There are many approaches, but the program requires rest. At the same time, due to the shortened rest time, the working weight and training intensity are reduced.

Cardio training while drying

Do this cardio session after every strength training session. If you're pressed for time (or the gym is crowded), you can do the cardio later in the day or the next morning.

For cardio you will need:

• Treadmill or step platform
• Free space 3 x 3 meters

The cardio session will take you 15 minutes (perhaps a little more). Repeat the sequence of exercises below 5-6 times without resting.

Abs workout

During the period of fat burning while drying the body, this is an almost useless exercise, since local lipolysis does not exist (unlike local lipogenesis).

But if the reason is not only subcutaneous fat, but also “sagging” abdominal skin, and you want a toned stomach, know: the transverse abdominal muscle is responsible for this - the deepest of the abdominal muscles and not involved in anatomical movements. You can pump it up using the so-called vacuum (drawing in the abdomen while exhaling).

Abdominal vacuum

In addition, the abdominal muscles are a very small muscle mass and often even a 30-40 minute abdominal workout does not cause significant energy consumption, and in a trained person it does not even bring the heart rate closer to the fat burning zone. The same applies to training the biceps and other relatively small muscle groups.

Therefore, listen to the recommendations of professional bodybuilders and adhere to the following rules if you want to properly dry your muscles:

• First of all, strength training for 40–60 minutes.
• Give preference to larger muscle groups, shortening the rest between sets (no more than 1 minute) and arranging auxiliary exercises in three-, giant-, or even circuit sets. It turns out to be a kind of interval aerobics.
• For best results, you can try special sports supplements.
• To develop strength, use methods of kettlebell lifting, weightlifting and wrestling.

Example of word training.

Diet for men

This meal plan involves limiting your food intake to 5 pm. You should focus on consuming foods that are low in carbohydrates but high in fat and protein. Have dinner (this is your main meal) around 17-18 hours, and also have a snack around 20-21 hours.

Here is the cutting meal schedule for men:

• 8:00 – 3 egg omelette with 2 sticks of butter and any vegetables you prefer such as peppers, onions (diced), mushrooms, spinach, etc. This meal contains 330 calories and 20-22 grams of protein.
• 11:00 – whey protein shake, 3 fish oil capsules and 55 grams of strawberries or blueberries. This meal contains about 157 calories and 22-25 grams of protein.
• 14:00 – 2 pieces of fatty cheese and 30 grams of almonds. This meal contains about 324 calories and 22 grams of protein.
• Dinner (post-workout) – choose one of the 3 options below
• Bedtime snack – casein protein shake, 3 fish oil capsules and a medium apple. This meal contains about 213 calories and 25 grams of protein.

Dinner. Option #1

• 280 grams boneless, skinless chicken breast (312 calories and 65 grams protein)
• Dip made with 55 grams sour cream and 55 grams salsa (141 calories and 2 grams protein)
• Spinach salad. 2 cups spinach, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar (sauce), salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 onion, diced, 5 cherry tomatoes, 55 grams diced mozzarella cheese (full-fat), 30 grams olives . (631 calories and 23.2 grams protein)

Dinner. Option No. 2

• 225 grams 70% lean ground beef mixed with seasonings and 55 grams guacamole. (743 calories and 60 grams protein)
• Salad. 2 cups shredded lettuce, 1/2 cup fresh salsa, 1/2 cup sliced ​​(full-fat) cheddar cheese, 30 grams sour cream. (343 calories and 15.6 grams protein)

Dinner. Option No. 3

• 225 grams of salmon. (466 calories, 50 grams protein)
• Lemon cream sauce. 3 melted butter, juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic. (112 calories)
• Spinach salad. 2 cups spinach dressed with 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons olive oil. 30 grams of walnuts, 1 gram of dried cranberries. (518 calories and 3.6 grams protein)

What is "drying"

Drying the body is a term that comes from bodybuilding. It means the maximum reduction in the percentage of subcutaneous fat throughout the body while maintaining muscle mass. As a result, you have a detailed depiction of all muscles. Principles of the method: low-carbohydrate diet and serious and regular physical activity.

Drying is used not only by athletes, but also by people who want not just to lose weight, but to improve their body silhouette.

Important: in order to start drying, you must have sufficient muscle mass. Secondly, it is impossible to dry out certain parts of the body, the stomach or legs, for example. This method uses fat depots throughout the body.

Where does the excess fat that covers the prominent muscles come from?

It's all because of carbohydrates, or rather fast carbohydrates. These are: sugar, everything that contains it, baked goods, cookies, desserts, fast food.

According to the standards established by nutritionists, the amount of carbohydrates for women is 3 g per 1 kg of weight. Not overweight, but what you should ideally have. During drying, this rate drops to 0.5-1-2 g per kg of weight. At the same time, nutritionists mean slow carbohydrates: cereals and vegetables. When cutting, you force your body to break down fats to obtain carbohydrates from reserves. So, unless you seriously reduce your carbohydrate intake, your body will not lose the fat stored from years of overeating.

Carbohydrates are needed by the body. They are present in muscles. This is the main source of energy for training or any physical activity. Muscle tissue can contain 70 g of carbohydrates and accumulation in the liver is about 80 g. Total 150 g per day for the average girl weighing 55 kg.

Anything consumed in excess of the norm will be deposited in fat cells and will cover our beautiful muscles.

Preparing for drying

Since many are accustomed to consuming excessive amounts of simple carbohydrates, before cutting, three to four weeks before cutting, it is recommended to gradually accustom the body to cutting carbohydrates. Start by eliminating fast carbohydrates. Even from the point of view of a healthy balanced diet, all desserts, baked goods, and cookies are harmful. You don't need them either during drying or during a normal diet.

Minimize sugar, and then eliminate it altogether. Because many people are sugar addicts, your body may react moodily when you reduce the amount of sugar you consume. Not finding his daily dose of sugar in the blood, he will have to get glucose from the liver. This is a normal process, but you may feel a little strange. But don't be alarmed, this is normal.

Reduce the caloric content of food due to the amount of carbohydrates gradually from week to week by 10% -15%. Fast carbohydrates must be removed from the diet altogether. Increase your protein intake. By the beginning of the program, your diet should have the following indicators: on average, daily calorie content should be 1500-1800 kcal, of which 50% will come from proteins, 35% from slow carbohydrates and 15% from fats.

How long to dry

This depends on your body fat percentage. For visible results, 1-2 months are enough for some, and six months for others. But, according to experienced specialists in this field, the optimal drying period at home for girls is five weeks, three of which are incoming and two are weekend.

How long does the result last?

The goal of cutting is to burn calories extremely quickly and reduce the percentage of body fat. If you have gone through all the drying phases, you have seen your sculpted muscles, and what next? Now will you gain fat again and lose muscle? Of course not! Now your goal is not to accumulate fat, but to stick to the ideal shape in which you are now, otherwise all the work is in vain. After drying, you can show off your beautiful, sculpted body for about three months, naturally following a healthy diet and supplementing it with exercise.

Let’s say that your comfortable carbohydrate limit is 2 g per kg of weight. By consuming this amount of carbohydrates, you do not gain excess fat, you have enough energy. As a result, you are always in great shape.

Contraindications

Since drying involves stressful conditions for the body, you need to be sure that you are absolutely healthy. You cannot resort to it if:

• you are pregnant or breastfeeding;
• have diabetes of any type;
• you have gastrointestinal diseases;
• heart and vascular diseases have been diagnosed;
• kidney disease,
• liver and pancreas.

Even if you are healthy, during drying you may feel weak, low energy, smell of acetone on your breath, dizziness, and drowsiness.

Diet for women

This is what a nutrition schedule for women should look like:

• 8:00 – 2 large eggs omelet with 2 sticks of butter and any vegetables you prefer such as peppers, onions (diced), mushrooms, spinach, etc. This meal contains 260 calories and 14-16 grams of protein.
• 11:00 – whey protein shake, 3 fish oil capsules and 55 grams of strawberries or blueberries. This meal contains about 157 calories and 22-25 grams of protein.
• 14:00 – 1 piece of full-fat cheese and 30 grams of almonds. This meal contains about 244 calories and 16 grams of protein.
• Dinner (post-workout) - Choose one of the 3 options below.
• Snack before bed – casein protein shake, 3 capsules of fish oil. This meal contains about 143 calories and 25 grams of protein.

Dinner. Option #1

• 170 grams boneless, skinless chicken breast (187 calories and 39 grams protein)
• Dip made with 30 grams sour cream and 30 grams salsa (71 calories and 1 gram protein)
• Spinach salad. 2 cups spinach, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar (sauce), salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 onion, diced, 5 cherry tomatoes, 40 grams diced mozzarella cheese (full-fat), 30 grams olives . (432 calories and 16 grams protein)

Dinner. Option No. 2

• 170 grams 70% lean ground beef mixed with seasonings and 30 grams guacamole. (545 calories and 44 grams protein)
• Salad to dry: 1 cup shredded lettuce, 1/2 cup fresh salsa, 1/4 cup chopped (full-fat) cheddar cheese. (161 calories and 7.6 grams protein)

Dinner. Option No. 3

• 170 grams of salmon. (350 calories, 37.6 grams protein)
• Lemon cream sauce. 2 melted butter, juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic. (76 calories)
• Tossed Spinach Salad: 2 cups spinach with a dressing of 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons olive oil. 15 grams of walnuts, 15 grams of dried cranberries. (254 calories and 2.7 grams protein)