This is probably the most frequent question that I get "How do I lose my belly fat and get that toned waist / six pack?". I will try and answer this in a series of blogs that will highlight what to do for the period of 2 months / 8 weeks.

I will be actively taking part in this since I just completed my bulking season and I got relatively high body fat especially around my mid-section. In this blog I will outline what you need to get started and the approach to follow. More details on exercises, sets and repetition ranges will follow later.

This blog series will be beneficial to a person that want to lose fat while trying to maintain maximum muscle mass. This means we are not targeting to lose weight but get in a good shape/ low body fat percentage. One key thing to note about belly fat is you cannot fully isolate fat loss only in your mid-section. Other parts of the body will also lose fat in the process. If you want to go through this process of cutting down belly fat with me do reach out I will figure out how we can do this together. In case you missed my previous blog on weight loss, check it out here.

It's been long since I wrote here, I was super busy completing my last semester at Carnegie Mellon University. It's an awesome feeling that I graduated early this month.

Key Things to Note

To achieve this you will need to change your lifestyle especially if you haven't been working out frequently.

1. Avoid alcohol and soft drinks

2. Avoid fast foods (preferably prepare all your meals)

3. Minimize intake of insulin spiking foods (sugar, cake)

4. You need to be in a caloric deficit (Eat less than your caloric maintenance)

5. You do not need a gym to do this. All the workout can be done a home.

6. Avoid taking very large meal portions at once

Approach

We will organize this into sprints of 2 weeks. In every sprint we will increase the intensity to prevent stagnation (hitting a plateau). We will incorporate different techniques such as HIIT cardio, Intermittent fasting, Progressive overload, Drop sets, Carb cycling among others. In between the sprints I will describe my workout routine as well as my diet plan so that it's easy to follow and stay motivated.

You will need to take progress pictures at the very beginning and at the end of every sprint. This is the only way you will get to see the transformation because weight loss will be minimal. You will need commitment, discipline and consistency throughout this period and I can guarantee good results.

1. Week 1 & 2

The first week is to help get started and by the second week the body should be getting used to the routine.

You will need 25 - 35 minutes of workout four times a week with minimal rest between sets. This means the workouts need to be very intense. Focus on compound exercises such as squats, pull ups, push ups. Eat clean food (preferably home made) and reduce the quantities just a little bit.

2. Week 3 & 4

Just like in week 1 and 2, you will need 30 - 45 minutes of workout four times a week with minimal rest between sets. Reduce carbohydrate intake as you progress through the week. We will incorporate carb cycling in this sprint to ensure we still have enough energy to endure intense training.

We will include cardio in this sprint which will include rope skipping, jogging etc.

3. Week 5 & 6

By now the body is trying to prevent more fat loss and you seem to be stagnating. You will need to increase the intensity to 45 - 60 minutes of workout five times a week for week 5 with minimal rest between sets.

We will reduce carbohydrate intake and rely more on vegetables because they will make you feel fuller with less calorie intake.

In week 6, we will adopt intermittent fasting, where we will start by shortening the fasting period lets say to 12 hrs and increase fasting hours as we get comfortable with it. More tips on intermittent fasting here. We will increase the amount of proteins and fats at this period.

4. Week 7 & 8

You might want to go for a photo shoot in the last week (I will definitely do one) because you will be in an incredible shape. In week 7 we will increase water intake to the maximum amount possible. This is to prepare us to look great at the end of this milestone.

Week 8 we reduce water level and 3 days prior to the shoot we will take water only when necessary. This is to deplete the body of all the water retained to give that shredded look like bodybuilders/ actors when they prepare for a shoot.

Macronutrient Sources

1. Proteins - Egg whites, Beef, Chicken, Protein powder

2. Carbohydrates - White rice, Ugali, Sweet potatoes

3. Fats - Egg yolks, Avocado, Peanuts

4. Vegetables - Cucumber, Broccoli, Spinach, Green pepper, Kales, Carrots, Lettuce, Green Beans

You can go wild with greens and consume as much as desired

5. Fruits - Banana, Apple, Pineapple

Be careful with fresh fruit juices as they may contain more calories than food.

6. Seasoning and Condiments - Soy sauce, Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Onion, Barbecue sauce

Use these items to give your food some taste!

All the best in achieving your fat loss goals. Drop your comments & questions below!

The pain you feel today is the strength you feel tomorrow #unknown