The #1 rule for body sculpting success is to follow a structured plan, which will lead you to your desired destination. You must know exactly what you are going to do in order to bring you closer to your goal before you step foot in the gym. How many people do you see walking around the gym with a journal in their hand and recording their progress for each and every set? Not many at all. This is a huge reason why you see the same people in the gym year after year and they either look the same or worse. I had a great conversation with a young guy at the gym last week. He had only been using a journal for two weeks and he mentioned that it already had made a tremendous impact on his progress and mindset.
The same goes for nutrition. The most successful body sculptors are the ones who plan their meals in advance. They don’t have to guess what they are going to have for dinner tonight. They don’t have to guess if they are in a caloric deficit for they day. They are certain that by the end of the day they will be closer to achieving their goal.
During the first 56 days of my recent transformation I was fairly relaxed with my nutrition. My focus was on progress and building myself up to the final 28 day push. During this time I had experienced some rather nice improvements to my physique, which was great considering that I was still enjoying many treats.
Now I am following my Metabolic Masterpiece 28 Day Meal Plan, which is very structured, precise, and detailed. During the past 9 days I have seen more progress to my physique than the first 56 days of this journey. Here’s where I stand with just 19 days remaining until the photo shoot…
The Metabolic Masterpiece 28 Day Meal Plan is far from extreme. It’s simply structured. I believe that this is the key to my recent success. There is a lot to be said for structure. There’s no guess work. There’s no compromise. There’s just the plan.
The power of a structured plan was in full force this past Sunday. It was Mother’s Day and there were plenty of treats, desserts, and chocolate everywhere I turned. These were all of my favorite treats. Had I not been on a structured plan I could have easily said, “OK, I’ll have these treats today and make up for it tomorrow by significantly reducing my calories.” But I didn’t do that. I had no problem turning down the desserts. I didn’t need will power. I knew that I only had 21 days remaining before my photo shoot and the gratification that I will experience from looking my best on that day, far outweighs the temporary satisfaction that I would have experienced from the desserts.
I had a great conversation with one of your fellow Metabolic Masterpiece friends last week about my nutrition plan. It’s not rocket science and it’s not new. The general structure revolves around Calorie/Carb cycling. Ooooh shocker eh? Of course it’s not a shocker! Bodybuilders and Fitness Models have been using this strategy for decades.
But is it the carb cycling itself that helps you bun fat like crazy, or is it the structure of the plan?
My friend, role model, and mentor Tom Venuto discussed this in a recent article that I recommend you take a couple minutes to read…
Can Carb Cycling Increase Your Fat Loss?
It’s no surprise that much of my nutrition philosophies and guidelines have been influenced from Tom’s teachings in his books, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle and The Holy Grail Body Transformation Program. Tom simply tells it like it is and he backs up his teachings with loads and loads of research, which he has gone over with a fine tooth comb.
During the past 8 years carb/calorie cycling has been the greatest factor in all of my body sculpting successes. It’s a combination of both the physical and psychological impact that it has on me. I love the structure. I love knowing exactly what I’m going to eat. I love knowing that I get to increase the amount that I eat every four days. All of these things make it easier for me to stick with the plan, but remember from my recent article, Setting The Stage For Fat Loss Success, focusing on progression and continuous growth has allowed me to get to this point where a structured plan is much easier to follow.
As I wrap up today’s post I would love to know if you are following a structured plan, whether it be for your workouts or for your nutrition? Be sure to share your thoughts and feedback in the comment box below.
Sculpt a Masterpiece,
Scott Tousignant
About The Authors
Scott and Angie Tousignant have been helping men and women, just like you, sculpt their body and life for over a decade. This dynamic duo prides themselves on providing a balanced and practical approach that will motivate and inspire you to become the best YOU that you can be.
Scott and Angie have dedicated themselves to sharing their exact workouts, what they eat, and how they stay motivated to continue transforming their body’s and life.
Their line up of body sculpting programs includes, ROCK That Body, Girl Empowered, Sizzlin’ Circuits, Core Plus More, Fat Loss Quickie, and More Love Less Fat.
We’re excited to share in you successful body sculpting journey!