Whether you want to bulk up and slap on some serious muscle mass or whether you want to shed fat and become a ‘Lean, Mean, Fat Burning Machine’ this article has some absolute knowledge bombs to help you achieve the body of your dreams…

Information Overload!

There’s so much frickin information out there on the internet and it’s bloody confusing!

One article says eat carbs, but then another one says avoid carbs at all costs! Both arguments seem valid when we read them but what the hell do we choose to believe and follow?

All of this contradictory information leaves us with a headache and still none the wiser!

In this post I want to cut through the BS (pardon the bad language!) and make it really simple for you.

There’s going to be no fancy science lingo! I’m going to try my best to articulate the information so it’s easy for you to understand, and most importantly to help you move forwards with clarity, so you can pursue your goals with confidence.

Why Should We Trust This Article?

Ok Nick, so why will this article be any different and why should we trust you?

First of all I’ve been in this industry along time (10 years). I’ve invested over £60,000 on my Fitness & Health education (read full story) and I’ve completed over 7,000 personal training sessions with LEP clients.

If this isn’t enough to persuade you then I can assure you that I’ve tried almost all diets and fitness fads: Atkins, Keto, Paleo, Low Carb, Strength training, Powerlifting, fat loss supplements, weight gainers, you name it! the list goes on…

I want to help you prevent the same mistakes I made by sharing wisdom to help you achieve results quickly, efficiently and spare you lots of unnecessary headaches scrolling the internet!

The Difference Between Bulking & Cutting…

Ok, so just very quickly the difference between bulking and cutting is really very simple…CALORIES.

It’s all about the amount of calories you consume…

In order to LOSE WEIGHT you have to create a CALORIE DEFICIT

In order to GAIN WEIGHT you have to create a CALORIE SURPLUS

There lies the difference! If you are consuming more calories than you are burning you will gain weight and vice versa!

Regardless of what training you are doing: strength training, high reps, cardio, weights, walking, cycling, and regardless of what diet you are on: Slimming World, Weight Watchers, Herbal Life, etc, etc! If you are not hitting the right caloric intake you will not achieve your goals. FACT.

Harsh Diets & Consequences…

The more calories we eat the faster we will gain weight, the less calories we eat the faster we will lose weight.

This is why you see those people on Herbal Life shakes loosing sh*t loads of weight in 4 weeks! Because the EXTREME DEFICIT created by consuming less calories allows for a more rapid weight loss.

The problem is that with extreme weight loss also comes muscle loss, water loss and a cascade of emotional and physical problems – tiredness, fatigue, hormonal  changes, lifestyle restrictions, etc.

An equally devastating consequence can be found by people wanting to gain weight too quickly. If you push calories up to high you may gain muscle but you’ll also gain a ton of body fat which will negatively impact on your bodies energy: you’ll feel sluggish, recovery will be slow, digestion poor, mood low, and your bodies ability to utilise carbohydrates will diminish.

The Correct Way To Do Things…

We all want results right? and we want them as quickly as possible. After all if we can get something in 4 weeks instead of 6 months why  wouldn’t we pick the quicker option?

The trade off with extreme Bulking and Cutting is that it’s often a short term fix and it leaves devastating consequences emotionally and physically.

Slow and steady wins the race every time. It’s much better to do things slowly and consistently and over a period of time than to rush the process. If you rush and take extreme measure you’ll end up on your arse (sorry I know my language is awful!)

All too often I see people do an extreme diet, lose a sh*t load of weight but then I see them 6 months later and they’re BIGGER than they were before the diet! What does this say…The diet wasn’t sustainable and it didn’t work long term.

If you create a small calorie deficit (100-300 calories per day) you will still lose weight, granted it will take longer but you’ll have a far less restrictive lifestyle.

The same can be said for bulking, if you increase your calories by 100-300 calories per day you will still gain weight but you’ll mitigate fat gain.

The more you alarm the body and take drastic measures the more it will come back to haunt you! Trust me Bruv (gangster!), I’ve been there done that got the t-shirt (more than once I may add!) and it sucks!

Assessing along the way…

During your endeavour assess your progress as you go along. I’d recommend using body fat callipers, recording body measurements and taking progress pictures to ensure you are staying on track with your goals.

There may be periods when you increase or reduce your calories more than others. If you are unsure of what to do and how to do it then bite the bullet and hire a personal trainer who knows what they are doing. It could be the best investment you ever make.

Good luck and if you have any questions please give me a holla!

Nick 🙂