WEEK 5

STRATEGY 8: BE A CHEATER
Eating foods that are way outside of the dieting realm, or cheating, has gained a lot of attention in the fitness mainstream in recent years. One notion holds that eating whatever you want for an entire day each week keeps the metabolism humming. Sorry, folks, but it’s not that easy. Cramming down Krispy Kremes and buffalo wings all day Sunday isn’t the best way to go.

Cheating definitely has its place any time you’re trying to get lean, but the type of cheating we’re referring to won’t wreck your momentum. This week, on your first higher-carb day, have a burger, a couple of slices of pizza or a single slice of cake. In the grand scheme of things, the extra 500–700 calories won’t put a dent in your progress. By this time you’ll have already peeled away 5–9 pounds of bodyfat and your metabolism will be working at a roadrunner’s pace.

STRATEGY 9: VOLUMIZE YOUR TRAINING
Volume training, or using more sets than usual in your typical training regimen, can accelerate fat loss, especially if your body is already in a strong fat-burning mode. It does this by putting additional stress on glycogen stores, depleting muscles of this valuable asset. When glycogen temporarily runs lower — as it would during a volume-training phase — fat-burning is given a healthy boost. This week, simply add 50% more sets to your typical training plan. Doing 12 sets per bodypart? Go up to 18. You can add sets to your current exercises or tack an additional 1–2 exercises onto your plan. Keep reps higher, in the 10–15 range. But make this just a one-week fix in your leaning-out cycle. Sticking to a greater-volume mind-set could eventually erode training intensity by lowering glycogen stores.

WEEK 6

STRATEGY 10: TAKE A BREAK
Ever take a break from training for 3–4 days, only to swear you look bigger and leaner? You’re not imagining things. That’s the beauty of rest. When you push the body all the time, it gets stubborn and does the exact opposite of what you’re trying to accomplish. Take a break for three full days this week, then get right back on the plan listed above — your body will respond with even greater progress and gains. M&F

To order Chris Aceto’s training and nutrition books Championship Bodybuilding and Everything You Need to Know About Fat Loss, visit nutramedia.com

SIX-WEEK FAT-BURN PLAN

Follow these steps over the next six weeks to increase your body’s ability to burn fat

Week Strategy
1 >> Reduce carbs by half for four days
>> Eliminate carbs from your last meal of the day

2 >> Add two 30–40-minute cardio sessions per week
>> Add 50 g protein and 5–8 g leucine per day

3 >> Add a fat-burner
>> Cut carbs further on one of your low-carb days

4 >> Schedule 40 minutes of medium- to high-intensity cardio postworkout or first thing in the morning

5 >> Have a 500–700-calorie cheat meal on one of your regular-carb days
>> Add 50% more sets to your weight workouts

6 >> Take a three-day break from the entire plan, then start again if needed