As the summer quickly approaches we reached out to EFECTIV Nutrition sponsored athlete and PCA Physique Champion, Alexandru-Vasile Uță, to get his top 5 tips to drop body fat and lean up.

1. Fix your lifestyle

In the 24 hours we have per day, if you dedicate between 6-8 hr of sleep, you’re left with 16 hours left for what we call 'lifestyle', which consists of everything from sleep to diet and physical activity.

If the majority of your day is spent on unhealthy eating and bad sleeping habits, all the effort you put into your training session goes to waste. The best solution is to find a nutritionist who can give you dietary advice based on your goals. Diet makes up for 70% of your results, while 30% comes from rest, supplements and training. Taking care of your body with a healthy lifestyle before starting any result-oriented training is critical.

2. Time your meals

Tracking your macros - which are the calories and the amount of macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates) your body needs each day - can help you decide which foods to consume to achieve your goals.

Instead of having three main meals and mindless snacking in between, the best way to meet your macros is by dividing your calorie intake into five/six smaller meals per day at specific times. The macronutrients for each meal may differ, depending on your activity level. This is especially important when you incorporate exercise because even carbs can help shred fat if consumed at the right time.

For example, carbs consumed right after intensive training can provide the energy you need to aid recovery, while the carbs you eat in the late evening are likely to be stored as fat as you’re using less energy.

The diet is the simple yet elusive secret to capturing the beast. Uncover your dietary needs to become the legend you seek.

STEP 1: Use one of the below equations to determine your BMR

CHOICE 1 : MIFFLIN ST JEOR

MEN: 10x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5x age(y) + 5
Women : 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x heigt (cm) – 5x age(y) – 161

CHOICE 2 : KATCH MCARDLE:

Use this if you know your body fat percentage. First use your body fat percentage to find your lean body mass.

Lean Body Mass = Weight in kg x ((100- Body Fat %)/100)
BMR = 370 + (21.6 x Lean Body Mass(kg))

STEP 2: Use one of the below equations to find your current TDEE

BMR x 1.2 = Sedentary Lifestyle (no workout)
BMR x 1.4 = Workout 1-2 Times Per Week
BMR x 1.5 = Workout 2-3 Times Per Week
BMR x 1.6 = Workout 4-5 Times Per Week

STEP 3 : Create your diet: WEEKS 1 and 2:

Multiply your TDEE ( Total Daily Energy Expenditure) by 0.8 to get your Week 1 and 2 calorie intake.

Determine your Macronutrients:
Protein in grams = bodyweight x 1.2
Fats in grams = Calorie intake x 0.20 / 9
Carbs = (Caloric intake – (( protein in grams x 4) + (fats in grams x 9))/ 4

STEP 4 : WEEK 3-4

Multiply your week 1 and 2 calorie intake by 0.9

STEP 5 : weeks 5-6

Mulitply your Week 1 and 2 calorie intake by 0.9

3. Drink more water

Water is one of the best things you can give to your body if you want to shred fat. For starters, drinking water in between small meals will stop you from feeling hungry and tempted to snack.

Also, the hydration from water will give you energy during workouts, so you can train harder and burn more calories. Water is also a great alternative to soft drinks, which only adds unnecessary calories to your already restricted calorie intake.

I can say we need to drink minimum 3 L / Daily

4. Do more cardio

A calorie deficit (consuming fewer calories than your body burns) is an effective way to lose body fat, but many people follow the traditional method of low-calorie diets, which is likely to end up in a loss of muscle mass - not ideal if you want a trim and toned body.

Losing weight by cutting calories drastically may give you a lower number on the scale, but because you’re eating less than what your body needs to perform the daily tasks, you may not consume enough vitamins and minerals necessary for muscle development.

By performing intensive cardio to make up for the deficit, you’ll be able to raise your metabolic rate and burn even more calories without losing muscle.
Remember 5-6 meals a day!

5. Avoid cheat meals

When 70% of your fat loss depends on diet, it’s no surprise that you’re going to feel hungry because your eating habits becomes restricted. Being on a diet is more than just controlling what you eat - it’s a psychological challenge that will test your discipline and patience.

If you cheat on your diet, it’s not only about messing up your calories. It’s also about having to train your brain and body again to go back to the diet after mindless eating.

Don’t allow yourself to think “I’ll get back to my diet tomorrow", as it will mean repeated cheat meals.

At the end of the day, there’s a reason behind your diet, so keep that in mind at all times and stick with that goal until you achieve it.

Bonus Tips:

What is my secret to drop body fat faster?

1: I`m using EFECTIV Amino Lean 300g whilst I`m doing my fasted cardio (not running.. stair master, cross trainer or even walking (fasted).
2: Eat Less carbs but still 6 meals a day!
3: More cardio (after your workout, I always recommend the stair master)
4:Drink a lot of water
5: Patience and Discipline will get you to your goal!

Thank you for reading and please make sure to follow Discount Supplements, EFECTIV Nutrition and myself on Instagram for more tips and advice.