BUFF DUDES CUTTING BOOK.pdf

Copyright © 2017 by Brandon White and Hudson White. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Printed in the United States of America. First Printing, 2017 ISBN 978-0-692-9857 978-0-692-98572-4 2-4 B.U.F.F. Dudes, LLC P.O. Box 758 Madras, OR 97741 www.buffdudes.us

WARNING Exercise is inherently strenuous and potentially dangerous. Consult your physician before starting any exercise program. BUFF DUDES are not responsible for responsible for injuries or health problems incurred as a result of exercise or related advice. Stay safe. safe. Stay BUFF BUFF..

TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome

8

Who are the B.U.F.F. Dudes?

9

What is a Cutting Plan?

10

The Secret to Getting Lean

11

How Did The B.U.F.F. Dudes Cut?

12

Brandon’s Story

12

Hudson’s Story

15

Beginner’s Cutting Guide

18

Daily Cutting Meal Examples

26

Our Favorite Whole Foods

37

Helpful Kitchen Tools

38

8 Worst Cutting Mistakes to Avoid!

40

8 Easy Cutting Tips to Remember!

42

Food Recipes

44

Cardio

62

Mobility Routine

65

Prep Phase

68

12 Week Cutting Plan

69

Stretching Routine

83

F.A.Q. General

88

F.A.Q. Food

96

Gym Terms & Lingo

102

Personal Workout Logbook

106

Social Media

110

Special Thanks

111

7

WELCOME Welcome to the B.U.F.F. (Better Understanding of Food & Fitness) Dudes 12 Week Cutting Plan. A guide to losing fat, putting on lean mass and giving you the head’s up on nutrition, some of our favorite recipes, frequently asked questions, the do’s and dont’s of cutting and a history on how we ourselves got into the best shape of our lives. This workout program will consist of four phases, each phase lasting three weeks for a total of 12 weeks. Throughout the four phases you’ll be working on foundational building blocks, performance and the fine-tuning of your physique. This is the 5th edition of our 12 Week Plan and the first to focus directly on the process of turning yourself into a lean, mean Buff Machine! We’ve tried to top each previous edition and with this version we feel we’ve built our finest yet. If you’d like to check out previous editions you can find them on our website at http://  www.buffdudes.us. We also have a video series of us going through this plan ourselves at our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/buffdudes. Follow along as we turn ourselves (and hopefully you!) into our best versions yet. Remember, the key to get the most out of this plan and working out in general is CONSISTENCY, DEDICATION, EDUCATION and the DESIRE to get off the couch, hit the weights, eat right and get B.U.F.F.!

8

WHO

ARE THE B.U.F.F. DUDES?

We are brothers Hudson & Brandon White, two dudes who decided to start the B.U.F.F. movement after coming up with the idea to start a YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/buffdudes ) which covered food & fitness in an entertaining and informative style which was easy to understand and fun to watch.

When we first created our YouTube channel our 3 main goals were consistency, making entertaining videos which could also help others and to continue to grow and have the channel become better  with every new video. Looking back on it now, the B.U.F.F. Dudes video philosophy really is no different than our philosophy in the gym - or life - in general. Keep it simple, stay consistent and always strive to keep becoming a better version of yourself while trying to better those around you in a positive light as well. We are very honored to have your continued support and we both appreciate the positive feedback, motivational stories & pictures and just knowing there’s a whole lot of dudes and grrrls out there looking to become B.U.F.F. We salute you all!

9

WHAT

?

IS A “CUTTING PLAN”

So what exactly is a “cutting plan”? When you break it down to its core it’s basically this: eating a little less, working out a little more and staying consistent. Ok, that wraps it up. Hope you enjoyed reading the book!

Ok, ok, the book’s not over, we’re still here. Although the term ‘cutting’ means different things to different people:  Crash dieting! Hardcore calorie restrictions! Eating nothing but Chicken and Spinach while working out three hours a day! Cutting for us is as we said in the prior paragraph - staying in a slight calorie deficit while maintaining a consistent workout routine in order to get lean and feel great. Throughout the course of this book we’re going to try our best to cut out all the fat (no pun intended) and give you exactly what you need to make this goal achievable without a whole bunch of crap to either confuse or demotivate you. As someone wise once said “if you can’t explain it simply you don’t understand it well enough.” That man’s name? Albert Einstein.

10

THE SECRET TO GETTING

LEAN

Ok, the chapter everyone’s been waiting for. For years the pro’s have kept these next steps secret. Passed on throughout generations, shrouded in a veil of mystery and available to only a select few. Are you ready? Are you sure? Ok, here it goes… Hard work and consistency.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. That can’t be it, it’s too easy! Surely there must be a new crash diet or training regime from the hidden Viking tribes of Montana, right? Wrong. If you want to get the most out of this plan there’s a few steps to keep in mind: Nutrition: Begin in a slight calorie deficit and adjust accordingly. (We’ll be covering how to find out your specific calorie needs in the “Beginner’s Cutting Guide” chapter.) Working Out: Perform this plan to the best of your abilities while adhering to the rest times outlined in each phase. Rest: You don't get stronger immediately after your workout, you get stronger after the recovery. Give yourself days to rest throughout the course of this plan with at least 7-8 hours of nightly sleep. Consistency: Consistency, consistency, consistency. We can’t stress this one

enough. Oh yeah, and consistency. One more time for good measure: consistency! Moderation: Will the plan be hard? Absolutely. Will you have to restrict yourself to an insane eating or workout routine throughout the entire process to make it achievable? No. Be strict but not too strict. Be lenient but not too lenient. Work hard but don’t forget to remove your serious face and have some fun in the process. The Bottom Line: Be safe, stay healthy. If you’ve purchased this plan you no doubt want to get into better shape, and that’s awesome. But remember that anything good takes time, and you don’t want to kill yourself trying to speed up the process. In the days of social media it’s easy to open your phone, see thousands of amazing physiques, get discouraged and think to yourself “how will I ever get to that level?” It’s important to remember that each journey is different, including yours. The secret is there is no secret. Just hard work, dedication and time. We believe in you!

“Keep It Simple. When you get too complex you forget the obvious.” - Al McGuir 

11

HOW

DID THE B.U.F.F. DUDES

CUT?

So we just lined out a few of the foundational building blocks of what it takes to create the best version of yourself, and we plan on going into even more depth in the next chapters. But before we get there, how did we - the B.U.F.F. Dudes - cut? Are we immortals? Forged from Brodin’s fire and emerging from the eternal flames of fitness holding 1,000 pound dumbbells with chiseled bodies that would make most greek god’s jealous? Hardly. (Although we’d appreciate it if you repeated that story to anyone who asks). In reality it took a lot of trial-and-error, and we’d like to give you a backstory on how we became B.U.F.F. Dudes hopefully to motivate you and also to give you a few tips to use (and avoid) in your own journey.

I was a pretty small kid growing up, and I didn’t think I had much chance of getting bigger. I looked up to my dad as he was a fit dude that worked out 5 days a week. He was also a timber faller and construction worker, so in my mind I had a lot to live up to. In addition to this Hudson and I

watched tons of action movies as well so I had the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jackie Chan to look up to for their awesome physiques and total badassery. Even though my peers always told me I’d be the “little guy” I finally hit my growth spurt at around 16 or so and shot up to 6’ 2” almost overnight. Unfortunately I was now a beanpole and my dreams of living up to my dad and all my action heros were crushed. How the hell could I get my body to look like my heros? Put in some serious hours in the gym and eat a metric shit ton of food, that’s how. Well, the working out part wasn’t so bad but holy hell, the nutrition part felt like an unsolvable rubik’s cube of a puzzle. The internet was available but it wasn't quite what it is today as far as information goes. Fitness magazines seemed to confuse me even more. It was time to ask my dad for help. His answer? Calories. And lots of them. Heeding his advice I rushed to the local grocery store and

12

bought the most calorie dense food I could find: Klondike bars. Okay, in retrospect I was completely lost nutrition wise and it was really just a good excuse to eat delicious Klondike bars. After a few weeks of eating like a crazy person and basically just showing up to the gym without a clear vision or program to follow I woke up one morning, looked into the mirror and did not like what I saw. I looked like the chubby spoiled stepson of the bad guy in the action movies, definitely not the hero. What happened? I had to accept the fact I half assed it. Deep down I knew ice cream and cookies are not what Buff Dudes eat. It was time to take it seriously, do research, wake up early, prepare healthy food and workout hard with a clear goal in mind. Over the next few months I leaned back down by performing cardio every morning and restricting my calories, and (thankfully) with my high metabolism it didn’t take long to get back to a healthy weight. Now that I had leaned back down, it was time to bulk back up, and this time I would do it with a better plan in mind while keeping track of everything from the workouts, to the nutrition and the rest. Spending months on this strict routine I ended at about 230 lbs and now it was time to cut down and chisel away the fat to reveal my final form. It was time for redemption! With the help of Hudson and the magic of the internet, we proceeded to make a game plan from articles written about

cutting. Cut all carbohydrates and increase lean proteins while keeping a daily caloric base of around 2000 - 2300 calories. I decreased my carbohydrates to almost nothing and only had lean proteins - pretty much just chicken and egg whites and some “healthy” fats like peanut butter and a couple protein shakes thrown in. Okay, maybe a lot of protein shakes thrown in. I was working out 2 times a day, once in the morning and once in the evening and walking to the gym was my cardio. No alcohol. No cheat days. Not a single calorie over or under what I had scheduled for the day and perfect macros. In hindsight it wasn’t the most healthiest and wasn’t sustainable for the long run but hey, I needed to lean down to enter a bodybuilding competition and I was ready to take my body to the limit. Little did I know at the time with my terminator focus that it’s an intense mental battle with yourself everyday. My cravings were insatiable but I wouldn’t be deterred. I was all in. To my surprise, with the consistency and hard work I started

13

seeing results, big time. The fat from all the heavy lifting and mass amounts of food when I bulked up was starting to melt away and I saw what lay underneath and it was looking good. The good thing about seeing results is that once you see your hard work paying off, it’s intoxicating and drives you to push even harder. I kept cutting for a little over 3 months and by the end of it I competed in my first bodybuilding competition. I won 2nd, and honestly I was a little disappointed, but in hindsight it taught me so much and helped me achieve my goal by bringing me one step closer to the physique and image I always looked up to. I kept pushing and kept learning, I wanted to be the best - at least the best I could be and I started cycling my carbs to continue to gain a bit more lean body mass as I adjusted my calories higher, to around 2700 - 3200 (depending on the day) with a healthier macro split of around 40% protein 40% carbs and 20% fats and adjusting these accordingly based upon how much weight I was lifting that day in the gym.

14

With my new body and attitude I built from all the dedication spent in the gym and kitchen I started booking fitness magazine layouts and later commercials like the one where I got to play Kratos in Sony’s God of War franchise. It was crazy! I felt like my dreams were coming true. Now with all the years of trial and errors under my belt, I feel confident I know my body well enough to get and keep a body that I want and makes me happy, all the while taking some time to relax and knowing when I’m pushing myself too far. I’ll have a cheat day, I’ll have a few beers. And you know what? It feels good, but at the same time I never let myself completely fall off the wagon. Once a Buff Dude, always a Buff Dude. If that’s one thing that I would want to give you from this long winded story it’s that you need to first know what you want, then take the effort into learning how to get it. After that it’s putting in the countless hours and working your ass off to achieve that goal. Nothing comes easy in life. It’s up to you to go out there and make things happen, and become your own action hero!

Marsh·mal·low märSH,melō/ noun: marshmallow; a soft confection. Kid kid/ noun: kid; a young person. Marshmallow Kid. Yep, that was me. Not skinny, not fat. Some muscles, some squishiness. For many teenagers, especially males, you’ll oftentimes hear “I’m a skinny kid and I can’t gain weight. Help!” For me this was never a problem. As most stories go, I began to become more aware of who I was both physically and mentally around the teenage years and this quickly led to all the classic symptoms of growing up: insecurities, awkwardness, the sudden realization that the opposite sex not only existed but now (in my mind, anyways) had to be impressed. What was a Starcraft obsessed pimple faced 14 year old kid to do?!

emanating from the kitchen I knew this was a treacherous journey that must be taken. Weights had to be lifted, and I had to be the one lifting them. This wasn’t for health. This was for pride, dammit! Over the next six years or so I became an off and on frequenter of the gym, and in the process committed possibly every gym crime known to man: Poor form! Forgetting to put collars on while performing bench press and having the weights awkwardly slide off mid-rep! Curling in the Squat Rack! Yep, I was that kid. Thankfully my dad was there most of the time to extinguish my bad habits but with two teenage boys I guess there’s only so much one man can do. Once I turned 20 I knew it was time to get serious. I knew how to bench, I knew how to curl. Now it was time to put these two exercises together alongside a proper eating routine and get Buff. Peanut Butter sandwiches! Protein Shakes! A vegetable every week or so! The world wasn’t going to be prepared for this savagery.

 Join the gym. Caught up in the intrigue of hearing my dad returning from the gym each night and the odd aroma of protein shakes

Then it happened. 6 months had gone by. I had been kicking ass in the gym (so I thought), I had been eating good (so I thought) and I looked...worse?

15

What the hell is this!? But, but the peanut butter! That’s healthy, right? Protein shakes! Those build muscle, right? Bench and curls! Those give you every muscle you need, right?  I had even ridden my bike every couple days or so. Surely that must’ve been enough cardio! This epic stumble (ok, using the word “epic” may be going just a tad too far but hey, it’s a little embellishment for added drama) had opened my eyes to the future of my food and fitness lifestyle. I now had two choices: quit in frustration or suck it up and begin to learn just how the hell to really do this thing. Helping Brandon with his first bodybuilding competition was the first big step and seeing the amazing progress he made in a relatively short period of time was a milestone. Wait, you mean working out consistently on all muscle groups, not just eating “healthy” but tracking your calories and macros and utilizing proper form were huge keys to unlocking the doorway to a killer physique? Who knew?? The second step? Taking these steps and applying them to myself. I now knew

16

the secrets, and it was time to reap the reward. This would be easy, right? Let’s veer in another direction for a moment. You know why those outrageous new workout plans and diets pop up every couple of years promising instant results and - even as educated as most of the modern general public are in regards to fitness and eating habits - continue to sell millions upon millions? It’s because doing it the way that has been proven to work takes time and effort, and unfortunately time and effort are the two key ingredients that instantly turn a big group of people off.

Ok, enough about the general public, back to me (sounds vain but hey, this is my chapter after all). It was time to mix the ingredients - hard work and time - into the rest of the recipe, which so far consisted of focusing on all muscle groups, tracking calories and macros and

learning proper form. The Hudson Stew was about to be cooked up and it was time to take the first big bite. So now you’re thinking “well, how’d it taste?” Pretty damn good. Over the course of the next couple years I applied these steps, got to know my body’s particular needs and - this one was really important - used moderation. No crash dieting, no 7 days a week working out but at the same time always trying to stay relatively close to my necessary calories and never taking too many days off from getting some form of exercise. Have I always remained on course? Absolutely not. I’ve recently went through some giant changes in my life (marriage, first child, moving) and in the process slacked off a bit. The sad thing is

it always seems like in a blink of an eye all that work you put into this whole thing goes out the window. Suddenly you return to the gym feeling weak and thinking you look weak - I mean, just a month or two ago I looked great, what the hell happened?  But once again you just cook up a stew featuring all the prior ingredients and jump right back on the horse and back into battle. 12 weeks later and I was in the best shape I’ve ever been in my life, and now that I’m here it’s time to stay consistent and set bigger, better goals for the future. Is there any other parting advice I can give? Short and long term goals, progress pictures and go ahead and pick yourself up a slow cooker too. If you don’t already own one, trust me, it’s worth it. As a wise explorer of space once said “Never give up. Never surrender!” 

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BEGINNER’S CUTTING Ever heard the quote “abs are made in the kitchen”? Here’s a more accurate statement: “abs are made in the gym and revealed in the kitchen.” Proper nutrition and exercise habits when performed by themselves are good, but they’re amazing when paired together, and you’re going to need to perform both to get the full benefits of this plan.

 Finding Your Caloric and macronutrient Needs Working out, while fun, isn’t the only thing needed to create a Buff Dude or Grrrl physique. You can’t forget the other major component: nutrition! Before starting on this program we recommend you finding out your caloric needs using a TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calculator which you can find here: https://goo.gl/iegqoF .

We can’t stress enough how important not only nutrition is, but also getting a general idea of your daily calorie and macronutrient needs. Once you’ve found those numbers, stick to them (with slight adjustments along the way) throughout this 12 week plan. Below we’ll cover how to find those numbers and what they mean.

when exercise is taken into account. It is calculated by first figuring out your Basal Metabolic Rate (an estimate of how many calories you’d burn if you were to do nothing but rest for 24 hours), then multiplying that value by an activity multiplier. NOTE: Keep in mind that everyone is slightly different and these calculators are not perfect but they are definitely a great starting point. After some time you’ll get to know your body well enough to know exactly what works for you. After you figure out your total daily caloric needs, you’ll then want to find out your macro percentage split. What are macros? Macros is short for macronutrients. Food is made up of Macros, which provide the calories our body uses for energy, growth, and other bodily functions. There are three macronutrients: protein, fat and carbohydrates and we need all three of these to survive.

A TDEE calculator is an estimation of how many calories you burn per day

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While each of these macronutrients provides calories, the amount of calories that each one provides varies.

GUIDE Carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram. Protein provides 4 calories per gram and Fats provide 9 calories per gram. Alcohol is also a macronutrient with 1 gram containing 7 calories So if you were to buy something in a store and on the nutritional label it said “contains 20 grams of protein, 0 grams fat, 0 grams carbs” it should contain 80 calories. Personally we use a 40/40/20 macro split. That means your total daily calories (based upon your TDEE) would be split into 40% carbohydrates, 40% proteins and 20% fats. We don’t adhere to this macro split religiously and neither should you. Feel free to use this split as a starting point and adjust accordingly. Typically we’ll up our carbs on days we’ll be lifting heavy and lower them on our off-days.

goal of this plan is to lose weight we recommend subtracting 500 calories from your daily TDEE. For us we’ll typically start around our calorie maintenance in the prep phase (which is around 2,800 calories a day) and slowly reduce our calories each phase until we’re in the negative 500 range by about Phase 3. This would be 2,300 calories a day. Everyone’s calorie needs are different based on age, weight and activity levels so don’t forget to get a guesstimate of where to begin using a TDEE calculator. And remember, consistency is key. Give yourself at least a month or two in order to see results before giving up or modifying your calories and macros. As they say, it’s not a sprint it’s a marathon!

Once you find out your calorie and macro split the next thing you’ll want to do is assess your goals. As the

CALORIES

(noun) Tiny creatures that live in your closet and sew your clothes a little bit tighter every night. 19

DAILY CALORIE AND MACRONUTRIENT EXAMPLE GUIDE Name: Hudson Age: 34 Height: 6’2” Starting Weight: 222 Pounds End Weight (12 Weeks Later): 210 Pounds Daily Calories Needed To Maintain Current Weight: 2,800 Daily Calories When on Cutting Plan: 2,300 Percentage of calories coming from; Protein: 40%, Carbohydrates: 40%, Fats: 20% Daily Grams of Protein: 210g Daily Grams of Carbohydrates: Started with 315g a day and slowly worked myself down to 230g a day over the course of the first six weeks. Daily Grams of Fat: 65g NOTE: I adjusted these numbers throughout the duration of the plan. In the beginning I started with near 2,800 calories a day and half-way through the plan I had slowly dropped to 2,300 calories a day. In the prep phase I was having about 1 gram of protein per pound of body

weight, 1.5 grams of carbohydrates per pound of bodyweight and any calories I had left I would use for fats. Halfway through the plan I kept everything the same with the only difference being I lowered daily carbohydrates to about 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. A calorie and macro tracking app (like MyFitnessPal) was instrumental in helping to make this happen and the good news is that once you get a general feel for what you need you can do away with tracking calories and just get a good feel for what works for you. In addition I wasn’t a fanatic when it came to my macronutrients. Some days I had a bit more (usually on heavy lifting days), sometimes a bit less (usually on rest days). But I always tried my best to stay consistent overall and at the same time I’d remind myself to be lenient once a week, typically Saturdays. Have a couple beers, have a few slices of pizza. Remember, we’re Buff Dudes (and Grrrls) not machines. Work hard but don’t forget to have some fun!

“Everything in moderation, including moderation.”  - Oscar Wilde

What do Macronutrients do?  CARBOHYDRATES So we’ve covered a general guide to finding your calories and macronutrients and we now know that macronutrients are made up of protein, fat and carbohydrates. But what does each macro do? Let’s find out.

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Do you fear carbs? You shouldn’t. Especially as they are a large factor in helping to provide energy throughout intense workouts, which you’ll be doing plenty of!

There are 3 main groups of carbohydrates: Monosaccharides, Disaccharides and Polysaccharides. Monosaccharides contain 1 (mono) sugar molecule and would be considered “simple carbs” because of how quickly your body can digest them. In turn spiking your blood sugar levels and affecting your insulin. Monosaccharides are the simplest of sugar molecules which include: glucose, galactose and fructose. Although Fructose is considered a simple sugar which is found in fruits and vegetables, it is metabolized almost completely in the liver unlike most simple sugars which in turn will not require insulin to transport into cells via-insulin sensitive pathways. Basically: it won’t spike your insulin. Fructose can be important because it’s a primary source of energy and carbohydrate for liver glycogen replenishment. But be careful as over excess of glycogen in the body may result in a “spilling over” effect and your body will start to store the excess as fat.

molecules and would fall under the “complex carb” category. Since Polysaccharides contain many sugar molecules, the body will take longer to digest into glucose and only affects your blood sugars levels slightly. Starchy and fibrous carbs will fall under the “complex carb” category with foods like green veggies, whole grains and sweet potatoes. Fiber is also a bunch of sugar molecules bound together much like starch but the difference in fiber is it won’t affect your blood sugar levels. What sorcery is this? It’s because the enzymes in your body’s digestive system cannot break down the bonds that hold the sugars together. But wait! There are actually two types of fiber: insoluble fiber and soluble fiber. The difference between the two are insoluble fiber will not dissolve in water and it will pass right through your digestive system and increase your turd size buff dude turds! - while the soluble

Disaccharides are a combination of 2 (di) sugar molecules and will still fall under the “simple carbs” category. Combining 2 Monosaccharides together will make up a Disaccharide. For example: Glucose + Fructose = Sucrose. Glucose + Galactose = Lactose (milk sugar). These sugars will still raise you blood sugar levels and spike your insulin so be careful of how much you have on a daily basis. Polysaccharides (poly meaning many), are bound together with many sugar

21

fiber will dissolve in water and make a sort of “gel” and help slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream and help lower cholesterol. All carbohydrates are eventually broken down into glucose, which happens to be the brain’s main source of energy. Glucose is also used to construct glycogen and is stored in the liver and muscles which will be used during workouts or any strenuous activity. The body will release glycogen into the bloodstream to provide energy. The liver can store anywhere from 80-100 grams of glycogen and the muscles can hold around 300-600 grams of glycogen. It’s important to know the differences between the carbs you’re ingesting and the benefits or drawbacks they can have in affecting your body. So in conclusion try to have a small to modest amount of simple carbs - monosaccharides, disaccharides - throughout each day and focus on having the bulk of your carbs coming from complex sources polysaccharides - to help build and fuel your newfound buff body! FATS You’re FAT! The word fat is almost synonymous with insult or evil. “Fat is bad for you” is a phrase

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that was all too popular (and in some ways still is) amongst uneducated fitness enthusiasts and popular media. Demonizing something for dramatic flare and in the process creating a myth that many still believe to this day. Fat is an essential part of a healthy diet and the most energy dense macronutrient. Yes, there are some bad fats like saturated and trans-fats, but let’s talk about the good fats and why you need them. Healthy fats include omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids, both of which fall under the Polyunsaturated class. There is also the Monounsaturated class of fatty acids that include olive oil, avocado and nuts. Omega-3 fatty acids helps brain function, fights inflammation. Omega-6 fatty acids promotes growth, halts cell damage and helps cell repair. CLA protects against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, helps drop weight. Monounsaturated fatty acids reduces bad cholesterol (LDL), hunger levels and helps burn fat.

There are also fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K which are absorbed in fat globules and travel through the lymphatic system of the small intestine. They then travel into the bloodstream and are stored in the body’s tissue. So fat has that going for it, which is nice. PROTEIN Ah, the mighty macronutrient protein. Made from a combination of amino acids, proteins comprise the second largest component (water being the first) of muscle, cells and other tissues in the body. But protein alone won’t build muscle. You’ll have to put in the work at the gym and create microscopic tears in the muscle fibers first, only then when introducing protein into the body will you see the benefits. By doing this the body will send in the amino acids and start the repairing process, a process called “protein synthesis”. So basically, these little guys are the main dudes that carry out orders placed by the encoding in our genes. But don’t think of proteins as just a “muscle builder”, they’re also used to make enzymes, hormones and other chemicals that are essential for growth, repair and function.

Once you ingest protein your body immediately starts to break them down into small peptides and individual amino acids through denaturation in the stomach. Once broken down by your hydrochloric acid (gastric acid) your body will send the remaining polypeptides and single amino acids to the small intestine for further digestion, only to end up at our friend the liver which is the primary place for amino acid uptake, especially after a meal. The body can produce 12 amino acids which are called “nonessential amino acids” and your body will synthesize them without the need for dietary proteins. There are also “essential amino acids”, which can only be synthesized by ingesting protein sources from food and/ or supplements, and include 9 essential amino acids. BCAAs are also on that list as valine, leucine and isoleucine. Since the body is constantly losing these amino acids you’ll have to always strive to take in “complete proteins” which have all the essential amino acids available for your body. Just think of keeping the proper amount of amino acids in your body like trying to fill a bathtub and not being able to plug the drain.

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Daily Cutting Meal examples:

Daily Meal Plan based off of Brandon’s diet:

Food (as we’ll mention constantly throughout this guide) is a huge part of getting into the best shape of your life. And as important as food is it can also feel like a little bit of a pain in the ass having to think of what food to buy, how to prepare it and so on. With that in mind we’ve tried to make it a little easier by listing what our average day of eating looks like for the two of us, in addition to some meal plans for others. Remember, this is what works for us but be sure to modify accordingly based upon your unique calorie and macronutrient requirements.

Age: 33, 6’ 2", 220lbs BMR: 2152 (calories burnt at rest) TDEE: 3,400 (for maintenance)

NOTE: You’re going to notice quite a difference between me and Hudson’s maintenance and cutting calories. Besides a ten pound weight difference I also inputted “heavy lifting” into my TDEE physical activity while Hudson put “mostly sedentary” due to the amount of time he spends editing videos. Having said that just remember that these calculations are just a general breakdown of what your requirements might be. It’ll still take some adjusting when you make a plan for yourself. Nothing is set in stone!

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Shake  1 FROZEN BANANA 121 cal, 0.5g fat, 31g carbs, 1.5g protein 2 CUPS ALMOND MILK 120 cal, 5g fat, 1 6g carbs, 2g protein

1 SCOOP WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE 120 cal, 2g fat, 2g carbs, 24g protein 2 TBSP PEANUT BUTTER POWDER 45 cal, 1g fat, 6g carbs, 4g protein

1 TBSP COCOA POWDER 20 cal, 0.5g fat, 3g carbs, 1g protein 1 TBSP MACA POWDER 20 cal, 0g fat, 4g carbs, 0g protein ICE

TOTAL: 446 calories, 9g fat, 62g carbs, 32.5g protein

 Breakfast  2 WHOLE EGGS 143 cal, 9.5g fat, 0.7g carbs, 12.6g protein

4 SLICES TURKEY BACON 140 cal, 6g fat, 0g carbs, 24g protein

2 CUPS BRUSSELS SPROUTS 112 cal, 1.6g fat, 22.2g carbs, 8g protein

4 EGG WHITES 69 cal, 0g fat, 1g carbs, 14.4g protein

TOTAL: 464 cal, 17.1g fat, 23.9g carbs, 59g protein

Post Workout  2 CUPS FAT FREE MILK (or almond milk) 180 cal, 0g fat, 26g carbs, 16g protein

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2 SCOOPS WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE 240 cal, 4g fat, 4g carbs, 48g protein

TOTAL: 420 cal, 4g fat, 30g carbs, 54g protein

Lunch 8 OZ. POACHED SALMON 467 cal, 28g fat, 0g carbs, 50g protein

1 CUP WHITE RICE 205 cal, 0.5g fat, 44g carbs, 4g protein

10 ASPARAGUS SPEARS 33 cal, 0g fat, 6g carbs, 3.6 protein

TOTAL: 705 cal, 28.5g fat, 50g carbs, 57.6g protein

Dinner 10 OZ BAKED COD 298 cal, 2.4g fat, 0g carb, 65g protein

2 CUPS BRUSSELS SPROUTS 12 cal, 1.6g fat, 22.2g carbs, 8g protein

5 CHERRY TOMATOES 25 cal, 0g fat, 5g carbs, 0g protein 1/2 CLOVE OF GARLIC 25 cal, 0g fat, 5g carbs, 0g protein

TOTAL: 460 cal, 4g fat, 32.2g carbs, 72g protein

Snack  8 OZ FAT FREE GREEK YOGURT 134 cal, 0g fat, 9g carbs, 24g protein

1 APPLE 103 cal, 0g fat, 24.8 carbs, 0.5 protein

1 MINI DARK CHOCOLATE BAR 100 cal, 7g fat, 7g carbs, 1.5g protein

1 SCOOP CASEIN PROTEIN 110 cal, 0.5g fat, 2g carbs, 24g protein

TOTAL: 447 cal, 7.5g fat, 42.8g carbs, 50g protein

DAILY TOTAL 2,942 cal, 70.1g fat, 240.9g carbs, 325.1g protein

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Daily Meal Plan based off of hudson’s diet:

Age: 34, 6’ 2, 208lbs BMR: 2080 (calories burnt at rest) TDEE: 2,850 (for maintenance) Remember that these calculations are just a general breakdown of what your requirements might be. It’ll still take some adjusting when you make a plan for yourself.

NOTE: This is more or less a typical day of eating for me. When I started our 12 Week Plan I began with around 2,800 calories a day and about 9 weeks into it I had slowly brought that down to around 2,300 a day. As you can see below if you need to add or reduce calories you can easily just add or remove one of the items below. For reference I am 6’2” tall, in my thirties and my starting weight was about 220 pounds. By the end of the 12 Week Plan I was weighing around 210.

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 Breakfast  PROTEIN WAFFLES 225 cal, 7g fat, 4g carbohydrates, 33g protein 1 CUP OF UNSWEETENED APPLESAUCE 100 cal, 26g carbohydrates, 0g protein 1 CUP OF FROZEN BLUEBERRIES 60 cal, 18g carbohydrates, 0g protein

HANDFUL OF WALNUTS 120 cal, 2.4g carbohydrates, 3g protein COFFEE WITH A SPLASH OF UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK 20 cal, 1.5g fat, 1g carbohydrates, . .5g protein

TIP: I’ll add the frozen blueberries into my waffle batter and once it’s cooked I’ll top it with the unsweetened applesauce and a handful of walnuts. The applesauce makes an awesome low sugar substitute for syrup!

TOTAL: 525 cal, 21g fat, 51g carbohydrates, 37g protein

Snack  SWEET POTATO CHIPS & SALSA 163 cal, 0g fat, 37g carbohydrates, 5g protein

TOTAL: 163 cal, 0g fat, 37g carbohydrates, 5g protein

Lunch 8 OUNCES OF SLOW COOKER CHICKEN AND SALSA 220 cal, 6g fat, 0g carbohydrates, 42g protein

2 CUPS OF COOKED BASMATI RICE 380 cal, 0g fat, 80g carbohydrates, 11g protein

TOTAL: 717 cal, 16.5g fat, 86g carbohydrates, 54.5g protein

1/2 AVOCADO, SLICED 117 cal, 10.5g fat, 6g carbohydrates, 1.5g protein

TIP: Mash all three ingredients together for a super-tastetrifecta of Buff Dudes approved goodness.

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Post Workout  2 SCOOPS (80G) WHEY PROTEIN 300 cal, 3g fat, 16g carbohydrates, 52g protein

2 CUPS UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK 80 cal, 6g fat, 4g carbohydrates, 2g protein

TOTAL: 380 cal, 9g fat, 20g carbohydrates, 54g protein

Dinner BIG HANDFUL OF SPINACH 10 cal, 0g fat, 2.5g carbohydrates, . 5g protein 2 CUPS OF RICED BROCCOLI 70 cal, 1g fat, 12g carbohydrates, 4g protein 9 OUNCES OF COD 180 cal, 1.5g fat, 0g carbohydrates, 45g protein

2 TABLESPOONS OF LIME AND CILANTRO DRESSING 45 cal, 3.5g fat, 2g carbohydrates, 1g protein 1 CUP LOW FAT COTTAGE CHEESE 180 cal, 5g fat, 12g carbohydrates, 22g protein HANDFUL OF ALMONDS 210 cal, 16g fat, 9g carbohydrates, 9g protein

OTHER NOTE: You can’t forget water! I try my best to drink a gallon a day. What makes this task easier is grabbing a jug and just carrying it around with me. In addition I’ll also throw a few green tea packets into a gallon jug and freeze it the night prior as well for some added taste as it melts throughout the day.

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TIP: Make a bed of spinach, put your riced broccoli on next and finish with your cod. All about that food presentation! TOTAL: 695 cal, 27g fat, 37.5g carbohydrates, 81.5g protein

DAILY TOTAL 2,480 cal 73.5g fat 231.5g carbohydrates 232g protein

 Brandon’s Go-to Cheat Meals: Nothing like a good homemade pizza to pump you full of carbs, fats, protein and sodium. Chicken, cheese, BBQ sauce and hell, maybe some more cheese to give the other cheese company. And as an added bonus it makes me feel like a damn hulk the next day in the gym. Cereal is also good and I can easily eat a whole box in one sitting. Caution is advised though: make sure you only give yourself a meal (maybe two) a week, to make sure it doesn’t get you off track. The thought and feeling of a cheat meal can be alluring and delicious but the pleasure is only temporary.

 Hudson’s Go-to Cheat Meals  I’ll usually try and get a big lifting day in on Saturday and I reward myself by upping my carbohydrates by about 100150 grams or so. I try and keep proteins and fats in line with normal days but I’ll make sure and munch down on some of my high calorie favorites: Cereal, Pizza, Chips and Salsa. Oh, and a few beers. Don’t be afraid to use this day to try out some new recipes in the kitchen or on the BBQ. I’ll usually make some homemade pizza (cauliflower crust!) with plenty of spinach and chicken or sweet potato chips with homemade salsa. Don’t think of your “cheat day” as just a day to make up for lost calories. Have a few of your favorites but remember: moderation! Eating good food 80% of the time is way more important than binging on the weekend and purging for the week. You’re not going to gain 15 pounds of fat from having a couple beers and some slices of pizza once in awhile, just try and keep it at that 20% mark, and not the other way around.

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Sample Vegan Daily Meal Plan  Here’s another sample meal plan to show examples of food options and ideas catered to Vegans. Remember to adjust accordingly based upon your needs using a TDEE calculator!

 Breakfast  1 CUP OATMEAL 166 cal, 3.6g fat, 28g carbohydrates, 4g fiber, 6g protein

1 CUP UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK 30 cal, 3g fat, 1g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 1g protein

TOTAL: 490 cal, 21.6g fat, 59g carbohydrates, 17g protein

1 CUP BLUEBERRIES 84 cal, 21g carbohydrates, 3.6 fiber, 1g protein HANDFUL OF ALMONDS 210 cal, 15g fat, 9g carbohydrates, 4g fiber, 9g protein

Snack  1 LARGE APPLE 120 cal, 32g carbohydrates, 5.5g fiber, 23g sugars

2 SCOOPS (60G) BROWN RICE PROTEIN 220 cal, 1g fat, 6g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 48g protein

2 CUPS UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK 60 cal, 6g fat, 2g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 2g protein

2 TBSP PEANUT BUTTER 188 cal, 16g fat, 7g carbohydrates, 2.6g fiber, TOTAL: 588 cal, 23g fat, 47g carbohydrates, 58g protein 8g protein

Lunch VEGGIE BURGER 110 cal, 4g fat, 9g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 10g protein

1 CUP BROWN RICE 218cal, 1.5g fat, 46g carbohydrates, 3.5g fiber, 4.5g protein

1 CUP RAW BROCCOLI 30 cal, 6g carbohydrates, 2.3g fiber, 1.5g sugar, 2.5g protein

TOTAL: 358 cal, 5.5g fat, 61g carbohydrates, 17g protein

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Snack  2 CUPS UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK 60 cal, 6g fat, 2g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 2g protein

2 SCOOPS (60G) BROWN RICE PROTEIN 220 cal, 1g fat, 6g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 48g protein

TOTAL: 280 cal, 7g fat, 8g carbohydrates, 50g protein

Dinner 2 CUPS SPLIT PEA SOUP 340 cal, 1g fat, 60g carbohydrates, 26g fiber, 24g protein

SPINACH & QUINOA SALAD 250 cal, 16g fat, 20g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 7g protein

TOTAL: 590 cal, 17g fat, 80g carbohydrates, 31g protein

Snack  1 CUP UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK 30 cal, 3g fat, 1g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 1g protein

1 SCOOP (60G) BROWN RICE PROTEIN 110 cal, 1g fat, 3g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 24g protein

TOTAL: 140 cal, 4g fat, 4g carbohydrates, 25g protein

DAILY TOTAL 2,446 cal 78.1g fat 259g carbohydrates 198g protein

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Sample Daily Meal Plan  for women: A sample meal plan for women to show possible food options and ideas.

Remember to adjust accordingly based upon your own needs using a TDEE calculator. Vegan? Just use the meal plan listed above!

 Breakfast  1/2 CUP OATMEAL 83 cal, 1.8g fat, 14g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 3g protein

1/2 CUP BLUEBERRIES 42cal, 10.5g carbohydrates, 1.8g fiber, 0.5g protein

2 SLICES EXTRA LEAN TURKEY BACON 40cal, 1g fat, 6g protein 3 EGG WHITES 52 cal, 0.7g carbohydrates, 10.8g protein

TOTAL: 217 cal, 2.8g fat, 25.2g carbohydrates, 20.3g protein

Snack  1 LARGE APPLE 120 cal, 31.8g carbohydrates, 5.5g fiber, 23g sugars

1 TBSP PEANUT BUTTER 94 cal, 8g fat, 3.5g carbohydrates, 1.3g fiber, 3.9g protein

TOTAL: 214 cal, 8g fat, 35.3g carbohydrates, 3.9g protein

Lunch 4 OZ. CHICKEN BREAST 120 cal, 2.5g fat, 22g protein

1 CUP BROWN RICE 218 cal, 1.6g fat, 45.8g carbohydrates, 3.5g fiber, 4.5g protein

1 CUP RAW BROCCOLI 30 cal, 5.8g carbohydrates, 2.3g fiber, 1.5g sugar, 2.5g protein

TOTAL: 368 cal, 4.1g fat, 51.6g carbohydrates, 29g protein

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Snack  1/2 CUP LOW FAT COTTAGE CHEESE 81.5 cal, 1.2g fat, 3g carbohydrates, 14g protein

1/2 OZ. WALNUTS 92.5 cal, 9.3g fat, 2g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 2g protein

TOTAL: 174cal, 10.4g fat, 5g carbohydrates, 16g protein

Dinner 6 OZ. TILAPIA FILLETS 217 cal, 4.5g fat, 44.3g protein

2 CUPS SPINACH 14 cal, 2.2g carbohydrates, 1.7g protein

1.5 OZ. LOW FAT BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE 35 cal, 2.5g fat, 3g carbohydrates

TOTAL: 266cal, 7g fat, 5.2g carbohydrates, 46g protein

Snack (optional) 1 CUP NON FAT GREEK YOGURT 120cal, 7g carbohydrates, 22g protein

1 SCOOP PROTEIN 100 cal, 2g fat, 1g carbohydrates, 20g protein

NOTE: You can replace any of the snacks with a protein shake if needed, which will bring the carbohydrates lower and the protein higher for total intake. Also, feel free to adjust the program but try to keep it within a similar macronutrient percentage.

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TOTAL: 220cal, 2g fat, 8g carbohydrates, 42g protein

DAILY TOTAL 1,459 cal 34.3g fats 130.3g carbohydrates 177.2g proteins

OUR FAVORITE

WHOLE FOODS

What goes into a B.U.F.F. Dudes shopping list? Here’s a handy guide featuring some of our favorite grocery store food:

Meat 

Vegetables 

Oats/Rice/Grains 

• Boneless Skinless Chicken • Cod • Ground Turkey • Turkey Bacon • Tuna • Shrimp • Salmon • Eggs

• Spinach • Broccoli • Asparagus • Brussels Sprouts • Peas • Kale • Cauliflower • Sweet Potatoes

• Rice • Quinoa • Oatmeal • Sprouted Grain Bread

 Nuts  • Peanut Butter • Walnuts • Almonds • Sunflower Seeds • Almond Milk

Dairy  • Cottage Cheese • Greek Yogurt

 Fruits  • Blueberries • Blackberries • Bananas • Apples • Avocados

So now you’re thinking “I’m supposed to buy all this stuff? I’ll be broke in a week!” Fear not as thankfully you can pick and choose depending on your budget and what food on this list you enjoy or don’t enjoy. This is just a collection of some of our favorites.

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HELPFUL KITCHEN TOOLS Whether you’re a student, employee, employer or have your hands full with little B.U.F.F. dudes or grrrls of your own there’s no doubt you value the little free time you have in the day. In fact, not having enough time is a common phrase heard when discussing food prep and a reason many choose to ignore their eating habits.

You’re going to be putting in a lot of physical work during the duration of the 12 Week Plan and one big component in achieving your goals is going to be maintaining a consistent eating routine. So this is one area you’re definitely not going to want to slack on! The solution? Weekly Meal Prep! We highly suggest investing in a few useful kitchen tools to make your life much easier as well as being able to focus on the important things: lifting hard and getting BUFF!

Slow Cooker The Slow Cooker is a countertop electrical cooking appliance that is used for simmering, which requires maintaining a relatively low temperature allowing unattended cooking for many hours.

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What does that mean? Well, basically it means you plug it in, throw in some food (a bag of frozen chicken & a jar of salsa is our favorite) and about 6 hours later you return to a week’s worth of deliciousness! We use our slow cookers all the time and cannot recommend them enough. They are cheap, dependable and require very little cooking knowledge. Just plug it in and let it do its thing!

Rice Cooker The name sounds familiar, doesn’t it? The Rice Cooker, much like the Slow Cooker, is a cheap kitchen appliance for cooking rice. Just throw the rice in, add a little water and about 30 minutes later you’ve got enough rice to last the week! Easy, huh?

Reusable Containers  Ok, so you’ve got the rice and chicken salsa (or pork, or beef, or vegetables, or whatever you’ve decided to whip up in the slow cooker) all cooked up and good to go. So where do you store it all?

We recommend picking up some cheap glass or plastic reusable containers. Five is usually the number we go for as you’ll be able to separate your food into them and have one available for each weekday. Just throw them in the fridge and grab one whenever you need it!

Shaker Bottle  Found in gym bags, car trunks and cupboards around the world, a shaker bottle is a handy tool for holding water or mixing protein shakes. It’s also one of the cheapest tools around you can buy so do yourself a favor and pick one up. A word of advice though - if you plan on mixing protein shakes with it remember to clean it thoroughly as the stench of a dirty shaker bottle (especially left out in a hot vehicle) is something unlike anything you’ve ever smelled before. You’ve been warned!

and bam, an easy way to get a general estimate of what you’re consuming each day. For those of you who haven’t tried it in the past it can be a real eye-opener to see how often your calories and macros fluctuate and once you keep them in a consistent range (and begin to look and feel better) you’ll quickly realize how handy having one of these apps can be!

Calorie/Macro Tracking  App  Modern technology has paved the way for modern conveniences and if you plan to track your calories and macros (and we absolutely recommend you do!) then nothing gets more convenient than downloading a free calorie tracking app onto your phone. From there you just enter your preferred daily calorie and macros and scan the barcode of the item you plan on eating (or in the case of meats, fruits and veggies just enter the name and amount you consumed)

NOTE: Personally we use MyFitnessPal, which is free to download and use.

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8 WORST CUTTING 1

GOING INTO TOO MUCH OF A DEFICIT

How much is too much? Opinions vary but personally we try and avoid being in more than a 500 a day calorie deficit. Not only will it be harder for you to stick with a deficit beyond this number but you’ll find yourself weaker (both physically and mentally) and you’ll begin losing muscle mass as well, which for most people is definitely not the goal.

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2

CUTTING FOREVER

You want to get into killer shape and lose some unwanted body fat in the process. That’s great. But realize you can’t stay in a calorie deficit forever. Set realistic goals and adjust accordingly as you continue down the road of your ever changing fitness journey.

CRASH DIETING

“I’m going to hardcore cut then I’m going to hardcore bulk then I’m going to hardcore cut then I’m going to hardcore bulk…” Going to extremes in order to achieve a result such as weight loss or weight gain is not only unrealistic but you’ll also just keep going from one end of the calorie spectrum to another, spinning your wheels in the mud and never making any real solid progress. TIP: Once you’ve achieved a body composition that satisfies you stick with a calorie maintenance diet and add or subtract 100-200 daily calories based on your goal. You’ll still build muscles if in � surplus or get leaner if in a deficit and although it will be a slower process your health will thank you for it in the long run.

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SETTING A START AND END DATE

“I’m going to eat healthy and workout for these 12 weeks and then once I’m finished and in awesome shape I’ll return to my old habits!” This thought process mirrors mistake number 3 and should definitely be avoided. You want to get in and just as importantly stay in shape, not yo-yo between in and out of shape all year long.

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MISTAKES 5

TO AVOID!

EATING TOO HEALTHY

Sounds a little strange, doesn’t it? But hear us out. If your body needs 2,000 calories a day to maintain your current weight and you’re eating 2,400 calories a day (even if it’s made up of Chicken, Rice and Spinach) you’re going to be doing the opposite of what you hope to achieve and you’ll actually be gaining weight. This can prove to be really demotivating, especially if you don’t know why it’s happening. TIP: Track those calories!

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DON’T FORGET THE H�O!

The body is made up of around 60% water and helps your skin, digestion, the transporting of nutrients, body temperature, and more. To sum it up water will benefit every area of your life. There are many different opinions on how much water we should be drinking every day but we recommend about half a gallon, if not more! TIP: If water was considered a supplement it would be the cheapest and most important one!

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BECOMING OBSESSED

Could you eat nothing but Chicken and Spinach while staying in a slight calorie deficit to get into the best shape of your life? Absolutely. But would it be enjoyable? For most people, absolutely not. Our suggestion? Eat a healthy variety of foods with appropriate calories, macro and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, fiber, omega 3 & 6 fatty acids) and don’t being afraid of having a slice of pizza or ice cream a few times a week when it fits your goals. TIP: Create a flexible eating routine you can follow for a lifetime, not just a hardcore diet you follow for a few months before abandoning to go back to bad habits.

COMPLETELY REMOVING CARBS AND FATS FROM YOUR DIET

Although eliminating fats such as trans fat completely and greatly reducing your daily sugar consumption is highly recommended, should you eliminate all forms of carbs and fats completely? No. A balanced diet is the most optimal for your health, especially as fiber helps prevent diabetes and heart disease and healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids help to keep your heart healthy.

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8 EASY CUTTING TIPS TO REMEMBER! 1 YOU’LL NEVER GROW IF YOU DON’T KNOW! Why do most diets work? Because they force you to track and restrict your calorie intake. If you have no idea how much you’re eating, how will you ever know if you’re in a calorie deficit or surplus? You don’t need a crazy diet to lose weight, you just need to be aware of what you’re putting into your body.

Example: If you expend 3,000 calories a day, consume about 2,500. This will put you in a calorie deficit of 500 calories. How do you find your daily calorie expenditure? TDEE!

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TDEE IS FOR ME (AND YOU!) T.D.E.E. What does it mean? Total daily energy expenditure. It’s the amount of calories you burn throughout the day. Want to know your TDEE? Grab an online TDEE calculator and find out! Here’s a link to one we use: mytdee.com

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TRACK THE MAC You’ll not only want to track calories but macros as well. What are macros? They’re macronutrients. Food is made up of Macros, which provide the calories our bodies use for energy, growth, and other bodily functions. There are three macronutrients: protein (growth), fat (energy), and carbohydrates (fuel), and we need all three of these to survive. Example: We typically use a 40/40/20 macro split for our cutting routine. That means of our 2,500 daily calories, 40% comes from Protein, 40% from Carbohydrates and 20% from fat. As everyone is different, play around a bit and find out what works best for you! Tip: Want an easy way to track daily calories and macros? Use the MyFitnessPal phone app. It makes life a hell of a lot easier on your path to becoming a Buff Dude or Grrrl.

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MUSCLE MADNESS You’ve got your calories and macros in order and now it’s time for the workout plan. Could you just randomly hit the gym 3-5 times a week? Sure. But we recommend getting on a plan which slowly amps up the intensity over a set period of time. Which plan, you ask? The one you’re holding in your hands now!

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DON’T GET STUCK IN THE FORBIDDEN ZONE The forbidden zone. Sounds frightening, doesn’t it? It is! And it’s all in your mind. You begin to lose weight and you become afraid you’ll become tiny. You begin to gain weight and fear you’re becoming fat. And what ends up happening? You yo-yo diet into the forbidden zone marshmallow man. Skinny fat personified. How do you avoid it? Set a goal and stick with that goal!

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Tip: Take progress pictures! Sometimes it’s hard to remember what you looked like when you started. Taking progress pictures gives you a great timeline of your body transformation and is also really motivating to see how far you’ve come!

YO, DON’T FORGET THE CARDIO! Is cardio a requirement for losing weight? With a consistent eating and workout routine, no. But that doesn’t mean you have to leave it out in the cold! Cardio - for me - is a great way to start off the day. It gets my body and mind running and ready to go.

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Example: We typically do cardio on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. We’ll grab a cup of coffee and off we go. If using the treadmill we’ll go 4mph at 7% incline for 45 minutes. No treadmill? No problem. Take a nice walk outside for the same amount of time while power walking, which is walking just fast enough to hold a conversation without running out of breath. Not a fan of fasted cardio? No problem! Just repeat the above example immediately following your workout.

BODY IS WILLING, MIND IS WEAK It’s not setting up the eating and workout routine which is hard, it’s sticking with it. “I’ll start next Monday” is a common phrase you’ve no doubt heard (or uttered yourself). At the end of the day you can read all the motivational quotes and inspirational articles you want but the only person who is going to have to kick your ass into gear is you. Set short term goals, set long term goals and most importantly: baby steps. Nothing ever worth doing is easy and that includes getting into shape. It’s going to take time but dammit, it’s going to be worth it.

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YOU’VE GOT THE NEED. THE NEED TO SUCCEED This isn’t a blueprint but it’s here to offer motivation and hopefully a good tip or two along the way. As everyone is different your results my vary but as long as you remember to sit in the chair of BUFF you’ll be fine. It’s held up by four legs: Fitness, Food, Rest & Consistency. Remove one leg and it’ll become wobbly, remove two and it will fall over. Keep all four legs strong and you’ll be good to go!

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FOOD RECIPES Food plays a giant part in staying in shape and although a steady diet of chicken, broccoli and rice is going to get you lean it also gets a little boring. So to be able to make food fun and delicious to eat while staying healthy is very important. Having said that here are 17 of our favorite recipes of all time. We’ve categorized them by Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snacks. Each recipe also features average prep time, difficulty, and kitchen tools needed. And remember, if you need more healthy recipe ideas we update our website weekly with new ones at https://www. buffdudes.us/pages/food-recipes . We hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do and if so be sure and tag us on http://instagram.com/buffdudesfood !

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EPIC PROTEIN

WAFFLES

Difficulty: Prep Time: 20 Minutes Kitchen Tools Needed: Waffle Iron (if waffle iron isn’t available you can also make pancakes on stovetop using same ingredients and directions) INGREDIENTS • Cooking Spray (used to line Waffle Iron before inserting ingredients) • 1 Scoop Whey Protein / Approx. 35g (Flavor of your choice) • 1 Egg • 1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon • 1/4 Tablespoon Baking Powder

• 1 heaping Tablespoon of Greek Yogurt • Optional: 1/2 Cup of Frozen Blueberries • Optional: Agave or Unsweetened Apple Sauce (used for syrup once finished. Unsweetened Apple Sauce is a great low sugar option) • Optional: Walnuts to sprinkle on top

PREP DIRECTIONS Begin by plugging in your Waffle Iron so it can heat up as you mix the ingredients. We usually set some paper towels underneath just in case of overflow but it’s not a requirement. Throw all your dry ingredients in first and finish it off with the Greek Yogurt and Egg. Mix all of it up into a nice batter and once that’s finished your waffle iron should be heated up and good to go. Hit it with some cooking spray and then pour in around half of your batch into the iron. Close it up and let ‘er cook. It usually takes around 3-5 minutes until they’re nice and toasty but it varies from iron to iron so make sure and sneak a peak from time to time. Once your first batch is finished set it aside and pour in the rest; overall it should make around 2-3 waffles. When you’re all wrapped up ironing out your waffles, throw some butter n’ Agave on top and you’re ready to rock!

NUTRITION FACTS Calories: Total Fat: Total Carbohydrate: Sugars: Protein:

225 7g 4g 2g 33g

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EGG WHITE

BUFFIN BITES Difficulty: Prep Time: 20 Minutes Kitchen Tools Needed: Mini Muffin Pan, Oven INGREDIENTS • Cooking Spray (used to line Muffin Pan before inserting ingredients) • 1/2 Diced Pepper • 1/4 Diced Onion • Handful of Spinach

• 1 1/4 Cup (305 grams) Egg Whites (may vary – will be used to fill in the remainder of each Muffin Pan Hole) • Optional:Black Pepper  • Optional:1 Sliced Jalapeno • Optional: Salsa for Dip

PREP DIRECTIONS Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. As the oven heats up, spray your Muffin Pan with cooking spray. Once this is finished, take some spinach leaves and remove the stems and rip them up into bits. Lay about two shredded leaves into each of the pan’s holes (remember to leave room for the Onions, Peppers & Egg Whites) and then begin dicing up the peppers and onions. After they’ve been diced, put them into the Muffin Pan as well and then take your Egg Whites and begin pouring it into each hole and fill them to the top. If you’d like, you can add some diced Jalapenos or sprinkle a bit of black pepper on top at this stage. Having finished these steps, your oven should now be good to go. Place the Muffin Pan into the oven for about 20 minutes and then take it out. Your Egg Muffins should have just a hint of light brown and when placed over a plate, you should be able to turn the pan upside down and they’ll fall right out. Grab some Salsa for dipping and you’re good to go. NUTRITION FACTS Calories: 246 Total Fat: 2g Total Carbohydrate: 19g Sugars: 8g Protein: 41g

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OVERNIGHT OATS

Difficulty: Prep Time: 10 Time: 10 Minutes Kitchen Tools Needed: Pint Canning Jar

INGREDIENTS • 2/3 c. (160 ml) Almond Milk • 3/4 c. (68g) Old Fashioned Oats • 1/2 c. (110g) Greek Yogurt (plain) • 1 Scoop (50g) Whey Protein (choice of flavor is yours)

• Optional: Optional:Dash Dash of Cinnamon • Optional: Optional:Top Top with Blueberries, Bananas or Walnuts

PREP DIRECTIONS Put all the ingredients into an airtight container. (We used a pint canning jar. You need one that can withstand some hard shaking) Put your lid on tight and shake it up until you see all the ingredients blended together. Put your container into your refrigerator overnight. The next morning, pull it out of the fridge, give it a couple more shakes and open it up. Now it’s ready to top with some of your favorite fruits or nuts including cut up bananas, blueberries and more. Get creative, it’s up to you!

NUTRITION FACTS Serving Size: Amount Per Serving Calories: Total Fat: Total Carbs: Sugars: Protein:

1 Jar 428 8.5g 42g 12g 45g

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SPINACH

PANCAKES Difficulty: Prep Time: 20 Time: 20 Minutes Kitchen Tools Needed: Frying Pan, Stove

INGREDIENTS • One 16oz. Bag Frozen Chopped Spinach • 2 Eggs • 1 Cup Bread Crumbs.

• 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese • Dash of Chopped Onion, Garlic & Red Pepper

PREP DIRECTIONS Thaw and drain as much water out of spinach as possible. Put drained spinach in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl mix eggs, onion, seasoning and bread crumbs. Once these are mixed pour them over the spinach and mix well. Fold in cheese last. Drop heaping tablespoon onto heated pan and press down and shape. Cook approximately 4-5 minutes each side as you want your eggs to cook thoroughly. Optional: Garnish Optional:  Garnish with salsa! This recipe makes roughly 7-8 Spinach Pancakes.

NUTRITION FACTS Serving Size: 1 Spinach Pancake Amount Per Serving Calories: 83 Protein: 4.5g Carbs: 8.5g Fat: 2.5g

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CUCUMBER SUB

Difficulty: Prep Time: 5 Time: 5 Minutes Kitchen Tools Needed: Knife Needed: Knife

INGREDIENTS • 1 Large Cucumber • 1/4 Pound Lean Turkey Meat • 4 Tablespoons of Fat Free Cream Cheese

PREP DIRECTIONS Start by taking a kitchen knife and slicing just a bit off the top of the long end of the cucumber. We’re going to do this in order to stand it on one end. From there, go ahead and slice just a bit off of both sides of the cucumber. This is so when we cut it down the middle and lay them down they won’t roll around. Once finished, slice it down the middle and lay both slices of cucumber on their backs. Next, take a spoon and scoop out the cucumber body. We want to hollow it out in order to make room for the Cream Cheese and Turkey Meat but that doesn’t mean you have to throw it away. Feel free to eat it alongside your sub! Once you’ve got it hollowed out, go ahead and lay just a bit (2 tablespoon tablespoons s on each side) of cream cheese. Don’t put too much or it’ll shoot out once you take a bite. When you’re done with that, evenly distribute your Turkey Meat on both sides.

NUTRITION FACTS Serving Size: 1 Cucumber Sub Amount Per Serving Calories: 225 Protein: 34g Carbs: 8g Sugar: 6g Fat: 4g

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TUNA

BURGERS Difficulty: Prep Time: 15 Minutes Kitchen Tools Needed: Frying Pan, Stove

INGREDIENTS • 4 12oz Cans of Tuna in Water • 4 Tbsp Light Mayonnaise • 1 Cup Bread Crumbs

• 1/4 Cup Sunflower Seeds • Optional: Onions and Spice for added taste.

PREP DIRECTIONS Begin by grabbing a large bowl, this is what you’ll use to mix your ingredients in. Open your cans of tuna and put the tuna into the large bowl. Next put the mayonnaise, sunflower seeds and if you’d like onions, jalapenos, spices or garlic. Last you’ll want to put in your bread crumbs and begin mixing everything together. Make sure you scrape the bottom of your bowl as you mix. Pre-heat your stove top to medium and begin forming your mixture into tuna patties. Once they’re formed start putting them onto the frying pan and let them cook for 5 minutes before flipping them onto their other side and letting them cook for an additional 5 minutes. Cooking time may vary from stove to stove so keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Once you’re finished feel free to garnish with ketchup, lettuce, cheese or a bun! Makes 6 Medium Sized Tuna Burgers

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NUTRITION FACTS Serving Size: 1 Tuna Burger Amount Per Serving Calories: 163 Fat: 6g Carbs: 10g Protein: 16g

SLOW COOKER

CHICKEN AND SALSA Difficulty: Prep Time: 6 Hours Kitchen Tools Needed: Slow Cooker

INGREDIENTS • 2.5 lbs/ 1,134g Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenderloins • 24oz. / 680g Salsa of our choice

PREP DIRECTIONS Take your slow cooker and plug it in. Pour a third of the salsa into the bottom of the slow cooker. Put your chicken in next and then pour the rest of the salsa over the chicken. Cover and set your timer. If your chicken is frozen, cook on low up to 6-8 hours. If your chicken is thawed out, cook on low up to 4-6 hours. When the time is close to being up check the tenderness of the chicken. If it shreds easily, it’s done. If not, then continue to cook. You can eat these whole or shred it up, the choice is yours.

NUTRITION FACTS Serving Size: 1 Chicken Tenderloin Amount Per Serving Calories: 161 Fat: 2.7g Carbs: 8g Sugar: 4g Protein: 24.8g

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CAULIFLOWER

CRUST PIZZA Difficulty: Prep Time: 35 Minutes Kitchen Tools Needed: Microwave, Baking Pan, Oven

INGREDIENTS Crust • 1 medium to large head of cauliflower (minced) • 1/2c. / 50g cheese (shredded) • 2 eggs • Dash of oregano & dried parsley

Toppings (Optional) • Italian seasoned crushed tomatoes • Low fat shredded Italian blend cheese • Chicken • Spinach • Black olives

PREP DIRECTIONS Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit Place your minced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl. Cover with a paper towel or cloth. Microwave 3 minutes, stir and microwave 3 more minutes. (should be soft by now) Let cool for several minutes. When it is cool enough to handle, wrap the cauliflower in a towel and wring it out over the sink. Try to get as much of the moisture out as possible. Place the cauliflower into a mixing bowl and add the rest of your crust ingredients. Mix it up well. Drop it onto your baking sheet and form it into your round pizza shape. Bake 10 to 15 minutes (until golden color) Remove from oven and add your toppings. Bake an additional 10 minutes.

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NUTRITION FACTS Serving Size: Crust without toppings Amount Per Serving Calories: 469 Fat: 25g Carbohydrate: 32g Protein: 36g

TURKEY

BURGERS

Difficulty: Prep Time: 20 minutes Kitchen Tools Needed: Mixing bowl, frying pan or grill

INGREDIENTS • 1lb./ 454g. Ground Turkey • 1/2c. /56g. Cheese (shredded) • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning • 1/2 teaspoon dried Basil

• 1 teaspoon Garlic powder • 1T. Garlic (minced) • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes • 1/2 c./ 75g onion (minced)

PREP DIRECTIONS Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. Form into 5 patties. Make sure to wash your hands well before and after handling raw meat. Drizzle one tablespoon of oil into your pan and fry your burgers ( or on your grill!) for several minutes on each side. Makes 5 Burgers NUTRITION FACTS Serving Size: Amount Per Serving Calories: Fat: Carbs: Sugar: Protein:

1 burger 128 3,2g 3g 2g 24g

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SLOW COOKER TURKEY MEATBALLS Difficulty: Prep Time: 4 hours Kitchen Tools Needed: Slow Cooker, mixing bowl INGREDIENTS • 1.25lbs. / 565g. Ground Turkey • 1/4c. /14g. Bread crumbs • 1/4c. /56g. Parmesan cheese (shredded) • 1/4c. /5g. dried Parsley

• 1 egg • 1 Tablespoon minced Garlic • 28oz /794g. Crushed Tomatoes (italian seasoned)

PREP DIRECTIONS In a large mixing bowl place all the ingredients except the tomatoes. Mix well until everything is combined. Form the mixture into 14 meatballs. Pour the crushed tomatoes into your slow cooker. Nestle the meatballs into the sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Makes 14 Meatballs

NUTRITION FACTS Serving Size: Amount Per Serving Calories: Fat: Carbohydrate: Sugar: Protein:

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1 meatball 83 2.5g 2.7g 1,2g 11.7g

SLOW COOKER TURKEY CHILI

Difficulty: Prep Time: 4 Hours Kitchen Tools Needed: Stove, Cooking Pan, Slow Cooker

INGREDIENTS • 2lbs. /900g. Ground Turkey • 1 15oz. /425g. can Tomato sauce • 1 10oz. /283g. cans Rotel ( if you don’t have Rotel available, it’s diced tomatoes

with green chilis) • 1 packet Taco Seasoning • 2 fresh jalopenos ( diced ) • 1 large onion ( diced )

PREP DIRECTIONS On your stove in a large pan, cook your Turkey until it’s no longer pink. Mix the Taco seasoning into your meat. Drain off any fat/liquids and then place the seasoned meat into your slow cooker. Add the rest of your ingredients and mix it up well. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Makes 6 Servings

NUTRITION FACTS Amount Per Serving Calories: Fat: Carbs: Sugar: Protein:

240 2g 15g 7.5g 36g

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SWEET POTATO

CHIPS

Difficulty: Prep Time: 1 ½ Hours in Oven (or 3-5 Minutes using Microwave) Kitchen Tools Needed: Knife, Cooking Sheet, Oven, Optional: Microwave

INGREDIENTS • 2 medium sized Sweet Potatoes • Oil (we used Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

• Garlic • Seasoned salt

PREP DIRECTIONS After you’ve scrubbed the potatoes carefully slice them with your knife as thin as you can. Spray your cooking sheet very lightly and lay the chips out, overlapping them slightly as they will shrink as they bake. Spray a light mist of oil over them as this will help the seasoning to stick. You can use a basting brush and brush the oil on if you don’t have oil spray. TIP: If you end up enjoying this Next sprinkle the garlic powder and recipe and want to make more seasoned salt onto your potatoes. Now we recommend you investing in a put them into your preheated 250 degree mandolin/potato slicer. oven and bake for 1 hour. After the hour is finished pull the sheet out and flip your chips over. Return them to the oven for an TIP: Check your chips! The thinner additional 30 minutes. sliced ones will bake quicker. If they start turning brown, pull those out. Let them completely cool. Now enjoy You may need to leave the thicker these crispy Sweet Potato chips with your sliced ones in for another 15 minutes. homemade salsa! ALTERNATE VERSION: Don’t want to wait the 90 minutes? Slice your Sweet Potatoes (we definitely recommend using a mandolin slicer in this case), oil, season and put them into a microwave on high for 3-5 minutes! Makes About 80-90 Chips.

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NUTRITION FACTS Serving Size: Amount Per Serving Calories: Fat: Carbohydrate: Protein:

20 chips 25 1g 4g 1g

BUFF MOM’S LEGENDARY SALSA Difficulty: Prep Time: 10 Minutes Kitchen Tools Needed: Blender, Knife

INGREDIENTS • 2 Cans (net wt. 411g/14.5 oz) Diced Tomatoes • 3 Whole Jalapeños (we used canned ones but fresh works as well) • 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic

• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder • 1 Tablespoon Crushed Red Chili Peppers • 1/2 Cup Fresh Chopped Cilantro • 1/2 Cup Chopped Red Onion • Juice from 1 Lime.

PREP DIRECTIONS Layer ingredients into your blender starting with the onions, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, crushed peppers and chili powder. Pour the canned tomatoes on top. Cut your lime in half and squeeze the juice over the tomatoes. Put the lid on your blender and pulse approximately 8 to 10 times. You want a thick chunky consistency.

TIP: Roll the lime several times with the heal of your hand. This will loosen it up and make it easier to juice it.

NUTRITION FACTS Calories: Fat: Carbs: Sugar: Protein:

157 0g 25g 12g 6g

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ONE INGREDIENT

ICE CREAM Difficulty: Prep Time: 3 hours Kitchen Tools Needed: Blender, Freezer INGREDIENTS • 2 Bananas • Optional: 1 Scoop (30g) Protein

• Optional: 1 Tablespoon Chocolate Syrup • Optional: Scoop of Peanut Butter 

PREP DIRECTIONS Begin by taking your two Bananas and peeling them. Next, slice them to bits and lay them out onto a plate. If you can, try and set them a little bit apart from one another so that they’re easier to remove after we’re finished freezing them. Once finished, either cover or bag them with plastic and throw them in your freezer for 2-3 hours. It will depend on your freezer but you want them pretty much rock solid as this will make for much better Ice Cream. When they’ve been in the freezer for a couple hours and you feel they’re frozen enough, go ahead and remove them and begin putting them in your blender. If you feel your blender isn’t powerful enough go ahead and mash them up a bit with a spoon just so you take a lil’ workload off your blender’s back. Next, blend those suckers up for a bit until you’ve got a nice, soft-serve like consistency. If you’d like, feel free to throw in a scoop of protein or some peanut butter or chocolate syrup to vary up the flavor a bit. All finished? Ok! It’s Ice Cream time!

*(without added protein, chocolate or peanut butter)

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NUTRITION FACTS* Calories: Fat: Carbohydrate: Sugar: Protein:

250 2g 62g 34g 4g

PROTEIN YOGURT

Difficulty: Prep Time: 5 Minutes Kitchen Tools Needed: A Bowl and Spoon

INGREDIENTS • 1 scoop (30g) Vanilla Whey Protein • 2 cups (460g) Fat Free Greek Yogurt

• Optional: 1 Handful Blueberries • Optional: 1/4 cup (30g) Wheat & Barley Cereal

PREP DIRECTIONS Begin by dumping the vanilla protein scoop into a medium sized bowl. Smother the whey powder in two scoops of Greek Yogurt and begin mixing them together (slowly at first!) with a spoon. As you continue mixing the two ingredients will bind together and you’ll be able to speed up as the process goes along. Remember to scrape the spoon along the bottom of the bowl to mix the powder and yogurt together; you don’t want a mouthful of chalk when you take your first bite! Once the two are mixed sprinkle the 1/4 cup of cereal and throw a handful of blueberries on top to seal the deal.

TIP: If the calories seem too high just cut the ingredient list in half for a ‘Protein Yogurt Lite.’

There you go: it’s Protein Yogurt time!

*(without cereal and blueberries)

NUTRITION FACTS* Calories: Fat: Carbs: Sugar: Protein:

370 2g 21g 20g 66g

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PROTEIN FLUFF

Difficulty: Prep Time: 10 minutes Kitchen Tools Needed: Bowl, Electric Hand Mixer INGREDIENTS • 1 Scoop Vanilla Whey Protein • 1 Cup Frozen Berries

• 1/4 Cup Milk (Dairy or Almond)

PREP DIRECTIONS Begin by placing the ingredients in a bowl. First we use a hand mixer (a fork also works) to smash all the ingredients together. This is so when we use the electronic hand mixer the ingredients are already bound together and don’t go flying everywhere. Once you’ve manually mashed everything up a bit, begin using the electronic hand mixer to stir it up. We usually stir for close to 2 minutes in order for it to get really fluffy. The more you fluff, the better you’ll like the stuff. If you don’t have a hand mixer, throw the ingredients into a blender and blend until completely mixed. Then, put it into a bowl and mix with a spoon for a minute in order to fluff it up. Once you feel your Protein is fluffy enough, go ahead and take a bite. Delicious, right? Feel free to use many different combinations. Blueberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, etc. Just make sure they’re frozen. If you don’t have access to berries or vanilla whey, use 1 frozen peeled banana and a scoop of chocolate whey protein.

NUTRITION FACTS Serving Size: One big ol’ bowl of fluff Amount Per Serving Calories: 222 Fat: 1g Carbohydrate: 26g Sugar: 19g Protein: 27g

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CAULIFLOWER

BUFFALO WINGS Difficulty: Prep Time: 35 Minutes Kitchen Tools Needed: Baking Sheet, Oven

INGREDIENTS • 1 Large (6-7 inch Diameter) Cauliflower • 3/4c. / 240g Hot Buffalo Sauce • 1/4c. / 57g Fat Free Plain Greek Yogurt

• 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder • Salt & Pepper to taste

PREP DIRECTIONS Preheat your oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit. Wash and carefully cut your Cauliflower into bite size pieces and put them into a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, combine the rest of your ingredients until nice and smooth. Slowly pour a third over your Cauliflower. Mix it up, pour another third, mix and pour the last. You’ll want to do this because there’s lots of crevices in the Cauliflower and you want the sauce to cover and coat as much as you can. We lined our baking sheet with foil. (This is mostly for an easy clean up afterwards) Spread out the Cauliflower and try to NOT overlap the pieces. Bake for 20 minutes. Stir and turn the pieces over and bake an additional 10 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when they turn more golden and the edges look crispy.

NUTRITION FACTS Calories: Fat: Carbs: Sugar: Protein:

400 2g 27g 18g 22g

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CARDIO GUIDE Cardio for us is not only a good way to supplement a consistent workout and eating routine but also a way for us to mentally prepare ourselves for the day ahead. As we’re both big fans of cardio first thing in the morning (a preference but not a requirement) we’ll usually grab a black coffee, strap on some headphones and do about 30-45 minutes of brisk walking. Not only are we burning calories and seizing the day but we’re also going over upcoming daily goals and getting a bit of meditative alone time in the process. Win-win! Typically we stick to either steady state or H.I.I.T. cardio, both of which we’ll cover below. As far as when we perform our cardio it’s usually either fasted first thing in the morning (steady state only), immediately following workouts or on ‘off-days’ when we’re not working out. On these off-days we’ll usually perform H.I.I.T. about an hour after consuming a meal.

Steady State  Steady State is any form of cardio where you maintain a steady intensity for a set period of time. Recommended Steady State Routine: One of our favorite methods is jumping on a treadmill for 3045 minutes at a 7.5%-10% incline while walking briskly at 3.5 to 4 mph. We’ll either do this fasted first thing in the morning or immediately following our workouts 3-5 days a week. If you’d rather perform steady state outdoors then we

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recommend walking briskly for the same amount of time. A good rule of thumb is to try and walk just fast enough where you can carry on a conversation without running out of breath. Days performed a week: 3-5 (first thing in the morning or immediately following workouts). Pros of Steady State: • Great for beginners • Can be performed in a fasted state • Low impact Cons of Steady State: • It can become boring (this is where a good music playlist comes in handy!) • Not as good for those with a busy schedule

 H.I.I.T. H.I.I.T. - or High Intensity Interval Training - is any form of cardio activity that alternates periods of higher intensity with periods of lower intensity. Recommended H.I.I.T. Routine: We typically perform H.I.I.T. on an ‘off-day’ (one where we won’t be

performing a workout) and after we’ve eaten. As the name implies, H.I.I.T. is highintensity and we wouldn’t recommend performing it while fasted as it would be counter-productive. Try and find a park, a track or somewhere with plenty of space and warm-up by briskly walking for a minute or two in addition to performing some lower body mobility. Next, begin H.I.I.T. with an all out sprint for 20 seconds. Follow this up with 40 second active rest (walking at a slow pace) and you’ve just completed your first round. Repeat this process over and over again. 20 seconds sprinting all out, 40 seconds active rest. For those new to H.I.I.T. we recommend up to 10 rounds total to get a feel for it and for those who are more comfortable with the routine we recommend 15-20 rounds. Don’t have a park or open area? You can also perform it in the gym on a rowing machine or by utilizing bodyweight exercises such as mountain climbers. Days performed a week: 1-2 (typically performed on off-days from the gym) Pros of H.I.I.T. • Time efficient • Improves Cardiovascular Conditioning

Do I Have To Perform Cardio When Cutting?  If you’re not the biggest fan of cardio (or have a limited schedule) then fear not, as cardio isn’t a requirement when using our cutting routine. A consistent eating routine in a slight calorie deficit in addition to performing our workout plan will work just fine. A good rule of thumb to remember is to keep your heart right elevated while in the gym and working out. We recommend 30-60 seconds between sets while performing isolation exercises and 60-90 seconds of rest when performing compounds to maximize calorie consumption while working out in the gym.

Steady State vs. H.I.I.T., Which One Is Better?  This is a common question to which you’ll give an easy answer - whichever you prefer. For us personally we’ll stick with steady state (either fasted first thing in the morning or immediately following our workout) and throw in a H.I.I.T. here and there on our days off from the gym. Take a look at the pros and cons of each above and find out which one works better for your schedule or just do as we do, perform both!

Cons of H.I.I.T. • Not recommended for beginners • Higher risk of injuries if not performed correctly

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QUICK FULL BODY

MOBILITY ROUTINE Recommended to perform before beginning any day in our “Prep-Phase” for 5-10 minutes

FULL SQUAT FROG SCORPION DISLOCATES/PASS THROUGHS WALL SLIDE

3 SETS X 15 - 20 SECOND HOLD 3 SETS X 15 - 20 SECOND HOLD 2 SETS X 15 REPS (EACH SIDE) 2 SETS X 15 REPS 2 SETS X 15 REPS

TIP: Not sure how to perform some of these mobility exercises? Check out http://www.youtube.com/buffdudes for full tutorials!

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LOWER BODY MOBILITY ROUTINE These exercises/drills will be performed before any lower body workout. FULL SQUAT 2 SETS X 15 - 20 SECOND HOLD TIP: As you get down into the full squat position, take you arms and gently push outwards on your inner thigh. Keep your torso vertical and your heels planted firmly on the ground. LATERAL SQUATS 2 SETS X 15 REPS (EACH SIDE) TIP: Make sure your toes are pointing forward and your torso is vertical when performing each rep. FROG 2 SETS X 15 - 20 SECOND HOLD TIP: Once you get into position, you’ll want to go from hips slightly forward to sitting back in between the legs. This will ensure getting the full benefit. Hold on the position you feel the most tightest in. SCORPION 2 SETS X 15 REPS (EACH SIDE) TIP: Keep your sternum against the ground as you twist your lower trunk. Perform this movement slow and controlled. LEG SWINGS 2 SETS X 15 REPS (EACH SIDE) TIP: Swing the legs in a quick manner and make sure your toes are pointing forward on the anchored leg.

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UPPER BODY MOBILITY ROUTINE These exercises/drills will be performed before any upper body workout. DISLOCATES/PASS THROUGHS 2 SETS X 15 REPS TIP: As the motion gets easier, close in your grip to progress into a more difficult movement. WALL SLIDES 2 SETS X 15 REPS TIP: Keep your hips and back firmly placed against the wall. Make sure you do not arch your back as you bring your elbows down. BAND PULL APARTS 2 SETS X 15 REPS TIP: Hold on certain positions of the movement where you feel most restricted. CAT AND CAMEL 2 SETS X 15 REPS TIP: Get in a fluid rhythm with your breathing and the movement. LOWER TRUNK ROTATIONS 2 SETS 15 REPS (EACH SIDE) TIP: Slowly increase the range of motion in the rotation as you become more comfortable with the exercise. For a more advanced version, pick your feet off the floor.

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CUTTING PLAN

p RE P phase

NOTE: We like to include this bonus “prep” phase for anyone starting fresh, needing to get into a better schedule or interested in working on form and function in the major compound exercises. This phase will focus on the “Golden Five” (Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, Pull-Ups, Overhead Press) in a three day training split with lower reps, longer rest times and a higher set volume.

Use the “quick full body mobility routine” before each workout of the prep phase. Warming up on treadmill or bike for 10 minutes can also be introduced. Rest times: 120 seconds between each set.

DAY 1 - FULL BODY BACK SQUATS BENT OVER ROWS FLAT BARBELL PRESS PUSH PRESS CABLE ROPE TRICEPS EXTENSIONS LATERAL RAISES SEATED CALF RAISES

5 SETS X 5 REPS 5 SETS X 5 REPS 5 SETS X 5 REPS 5 SETS X 5 REPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS

DAY 2 - FULL BODY DEADLIFTS PULL-UPS (WEIGHTED IF NEEDED) INCLINE PRESS OVERHEAD PRESS BARBELL CURLS BENT OVER REVERSE FLYS STANDING CALF RAISES

5 SETS X 5 REPS 5 SETS X 5 REPS 5 SETS X 5 REPS 5 SETS X 5 REPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS

DAY 3 - FULL BODY FRONT SQUATS PENDLAY ROWS CHEST DIPS (WEIGHTED IF NEEDED) SINGLE ARM DUMBBELL SHOULDER PRESS SINGLE ARM DUMBBELL TRICEPS EXTENSIONS CABLE FRONT RAISES SEATED CALF RAISES

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5 SETS X 5 REPS 5 SETS X 5 REPS 5 SETS X 5 REPS 5 SETS X 5 REPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS

12 WEEK CUTTING PLAN You’ve read up on nutrition, sample meal plans and some of our favorite food recipes. But what about the weights, dammit? The Iron! The Sweat! The Tears! Well, throw on your finest tank top and crank the most kick-ass music playlist you can compile because we’ve finally arrived - it’s time to begin the 12 Week Cutting Plan!

phase  1 WEEKS 1 - 3

THE BEGINNING

NOTE: Here we go, the 12 week plan begins! Rest times will now be shortened to 90 seconds between each set. Not fully testing your cardiovascular strength quite yet, but still allowing you to burn a good amount of energy throughout your training sessions.

Mobility will be performed for 10 - 15 minutes pre-workout. Lower body mobility for lower body days and upper body mobility for upper body days. Warming up on treadmill or bike for 10 minutes can also be introduced. Rest times: 90 seconds between sets

DAY 1 - LEGS & CALVES BACK SQUATS ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS BARBELL HACK SQUATS SPLIT SQUATS SEATED CALF RAISES ABS: CABLE CRUNCHES

4 SETS X 8 REPS 4 SETS X 8 REPS 4 SETS X 8 REPS 4 SETS X 8 REPS (EACH SIDE) 5 SETS X 15 REPS 3 SETS X 15 REPS

DAY 2 - BACK & BICEPS 4 SETS X 8 REPS PULL-UPS 4 SETS X 8 REPS PENDLAY ROWS 4 SETS X 8 REPS (EACH SIDE) SINGLE ARM ROWS 3 SETS X 8 REPS BARBELL CURLS 3 SETS X 8 REPS ALTERNATING SUPINATING DUMBBELL CURLS 3 SETS X 15 REPS ABS: LEG RAISES

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phase  1 WEEKS 1 - 3

THE BEGINNING

DAY 3 - CHEST & TRICEPS 4 SETS X 8 REPS BARBELL FLAT BENCH PRESS 4 SETS X 8 REPS INCLINE DUMBBELL CLOSE PRESS 4 SETS X 8 REPS CHEST DIPS (BODY WEIGHT) (IF 8 REPS IS TOO EASY, FEEL FREE TO ADD WEIGHT) 3 SETS X 8 REPS SEATED DUMBBELL SINGLE ARM FRENCH PRESS 3 SETS X 8 REPS REVERSE GRIP SKULL CRUSHERS 3 SETS X 15 REPS ABS: OBLIQUE CRUNCHES

DAY 4 - SHOULDERS & TRAPEZIUS OVERHEAD PRESS SINGLE ARM ARNOLD PRESS BARBELL FACE PULLS LATERAL RAISES BARBELL SHRUGS ABS: BICYCLES

4 SETS X 8 REPS 4 SETS X 8 REPS (EACH SIDE) 4 SETS X 8 REPS 3 SETS X 8 REPS 3 SETS X 8 REPS 3 SETS X 15 REPS

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phase WEEKS 4 - 6

2

RAISING THE BAR

NOTE: Now that you’ve completed phase 1 you’re ready to bump up the intensity with higher set and rep ranges, adding the pyramiding technique (increasing the weight and decreasing the reps each set) and an extra day of training legs (YAY!). This is going to help incorporate higher amounts of energy consumption during your workouts as well as involving more muscle fibers due to the change in weight and reps in the same exercise. Rest times are slightly shorter as well which will help with conditioning and cardiovascular strength.

Mobility will be performed for 10 - 15 minutes pre-workout. Lower body mobility for lower body days and upper body mobility for upper body days. Warming up on treadmill or bike for 10 minutes can also be introduced. Rest times: 60 seconds between sets

DAY 1 - BACK & CHEST 5 SETS X 15,12,10,8,6 REPS DEADLIFTS 4 SETS X 10 REPS (WEIGHTED IF NEEDED) PULL-UPS (NEGATIVES) 4 SETS X 12,10,8,8 REPS T-BAR ROWS 4 SETS X 10 REPS STRAIGHT ARM PULLDOWNS 5 SETS X 15,12,10,8,6 REPS INCLINE BARBELL PRESS 4 SETS X 12,10,8,6 REPS TWISTING DUMBBELL FLAT PRESS CABLE CROSSOVERS 4 SETS X 10 REPS 3 SETS X 20 REPS (EACH WAY) ABS: CIRCULAR CRUNCHES

DAY 2 - LEGS & CALVES FRONT SQUATS DUMBBELL ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS WALKING LUNGES LEGS EXTENSIONS HAMSTRING CURLS SEATED CALF RAISES ABS: ACCORDION CRUNCHES

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5 SETS X 15,12,10,8,6 REPS 4 SETS X 12,10,8,6 REPS 4 SETS X 10 STEPS (EACH WAY) 3 SETS X 10 REPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS 5 SETS X 10 REPS 3 SETS X 20 REPS

phase WEEKS 4 - 6

2

RAISING THE BAR

DAY 3 - SHOULDERS & TRAPEZIUS PUSH PRESS DUMBBELL UPRIGHT ROWS CABLE FACE PULLS (ROPE) BARBELL UNDERHAND FRONT RAISES DUMBBELL SHRUGS ABS: OTIS UPS

5 SETS X 15,12,10,8,6 REPS 4 SETS X 12,10,8,6 REPS 4 SETS X 10 REPS 4 SETS X 10 REPS 5 SETS X 15,12,10,8,6 REPS 3 SETS X 20 REPS

DAY 4 - TRICEPS & BICEPS REVERSE GRIP BARBELL PRESS LYING DUMBBELL TRICEP EXTENSIONS ROPE EXTENSIONS UNDERHAND PULLDOWNS DUMBBELL BI-LATERAL HAMMER CURLS PREACHER BENCH CURLS ABS: HANGING SCISSORS KICKS

4 SETS X 15,12,10,8 REPS 4 SETS X 10 REPS 4 SETS X 10 REPS 4 SETS X 15,12,10,8 REPS 4 SETS X 10 REPS 4 SETS X 10 REPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS (EACH LEG)

DAY 5 - LEGS & CALVES LEG PRESS STEP-UPS HACK SQUATS SINGLE LEG ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS STANDING CALF RAISES ABS: CABLE OBLIQUE CRUNCHES

5 SETS X 15,12,10,8,6 REPS 4 SETS X 10 REPS (EACH LEG) 4 SETS X 12,10,8,6 REPS 4 SETS X 10 REPS (EACH SIDE) 4 SETS X 15 REPS 3 SETS X 20 REPS (EACH SIDE)

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phase 3 WEEKS 7 - 9

APEX PREDATOR

NOTE: Now that you’ve been introduced to pyramiding in the last phase, it's time to up the intensity and volume while decreasing the rest times once again. We’ll also be introducing more advanced techniques like “pre-exhausting” and “drop sets” into this phase. You’ll feel the added stress and should start seeing changes in your body - let that be your motivation to push harder and continue your journey for buffness.

Mobility will be performed for 10 - 15 minutes pre-workout. Lower body mobility for lower body days and upper body mobility for upper body days. Warming up on treadmill or bike for 10 minutes can also be introduced. Rest times: 30 - 60 seconds between sets

What is “pre-exhaust”?: Pre-exhausting is the term used when you first isolate a specific muscle group you want to focus on before moving on to a compound movement that will utilize that same muscle you isolated earlier. You’ll notice when you introduce this technique, the pre-exhausted muscle will be forced to work even harder throughout the compound movement and in turn grow stronger. What are “drop sets”?: A drop set is when you start at a heavier weight and perform the movement till failure, once failure is achieved you’ll immediately drop to a lighter weight and continue the movement. This is repeated for the allotted amount prescribed. The goal here is to force the muscle to push through fatigue and recruit extra amounts of muscle fiber.

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phase 3 WEEKS 7 - 9

APEX PREDATOR

DAY 1 - CHEST & TRICEPS BARBELL FLAT BENCH PRESS

5 SETS X 12,10,8,6,4 REPS (ON THE LAST SET, PERFORM A DROP SET*)

4 SETS X 12,10,8,6 REPS ALTERNATING INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS 4 SETS X 8 REPS KNEELING LANDMINE PRESS 4 SETS X 8 (USE WEIGHT IF NEEDED) CHEST DIPS (NEGATIVES) 4 SETS X 8 REPS EZ-BAR SKULLCRUSHERS 3 SETS X 8 REPS ROPE EXTENSIONS 3 SETS X 8 REPS (EACH SIDE) SINGLE ARM DUMBBELL FRENCH PRESS 3 SETS X 15 REPS (EACH SIDE) ABS: LOW PULLEY WOODCHOPS * As soon as you hit 4 reps with your allotted weight immediately drop down in weight to continue with repetitions until you reach close to failure, then drop the weight again and continue. Proceed until you are pressing just the bar. Make sure you have very little to no rest after each drop.

DAY 2 - LEGS GLUTE BRIDGES BACK SQUATS ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS WALKING LUNGES HAMSTRING CURLS LEG EXTENSIONS SEATED CALF RAISES ABS: ROLL OUTS

3 SETS X 8 REPS (PRE-EXHAUST) 5 SETS X 12,10,8,6,4 REPS 4 SETS X 8 REPS 4 SETS X 8 STEPS (EACH WAY) 3 SETS X 8 REPS (DROP SET)* 3 SETS X 8 REPS (DROP SET)* 5 SETS X 20,15,12,10,8 REPS 3 SETS X 15 REPS

*Perform 8 repetitions and immediately drop the weight down just enough to perform 8 more repetitions. Do this (drop) 3 times within the 3 sets.

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phase 3 WEEKS 7 - 9

APEX PREDATOR

DAY 3 - BACK & BICEPS 3 SETS X 8 REPS (PRE-EXHAUST) STRAIGHT ARM PULLDOWNS 5 SETS X 12,10,8,6,4 REPS PENDLAY ROWS 4 SETS X 8 REPS SEATED CABLE V GRIP ROWS 4 SETS X 8 REPS UNDERHAND PULLDOWNS 3 SETS X 8 REPS DRAG CURLS 3 SETS X 8 REPS (EACH SIDE) ALTERNATING DUMBBELL HAMMER CURLS PREACHER BENCH REVERSE CURLS 3 SETS X 8 REPS 3 SETS X 15 REPS ABS: WEIGHTED CRUNCHES

DAY 4 - SHOULDERS & TRAPEZIUS 3 SETS X 8 REPS (PRE-EXHAUST) LATERAL RAISES 5 SETS X 12,10,8,6,4 REPS OVERHEAD PRESS 4 SETS X 8 REPS DUMBBELL UPRIGHT ROWS 4 SETS X 8 REPS BARBELL FACE PULLS 3 SETS X 8 REPS (DROP SET)* BENT OVER DUMBBELL REVERSE FLYES OVERHAND GRIP BARBELL FRONT RAISES 3 SETS X 8 REPS 5 SETS X 15,12,10,8,6 REPS BARBELL SHRUGS 3 SETS X 15 REPS (EACH SIDE) ABS: WEIGHTED RUSSIAN TWISTS *Perform 8 repetitions and immediately drop the weight down just enough to perform 8 more repetitions. Do this (drop) 4 times within the 3 sets.

DAY 5 - LEGS & CALVES LEG PRESS 5 SETS X 12,10,8,6,4 REPS (DROP SET)* 4 SETS X 8 REPS DUMBBELL ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS 4 SETS X 8 REPS BARBELL HACK SQUATS 3 SETS X 8 REPS MANUAL HAMSTRING CURLS (HAM/GLUTE RAISES) (FOCUS ON NEGATIVE) 5 SETS X 15,12,10,8,8 REPS STANDING CALF RAISES 3 SETS X 30 - 60 SECONDS ABS: WEIGHTED PLANKS * As soon as you hit 4 reps on the last set with your allotted weight immediately drop a plate on each side and continue till failure with that weight, then drop another plate off each side, continue this until you down to just the empty sled. Make sure you have very little to no rest after each drop.

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phase 3 WEEKS 7 - 9

APEX PREDATOR

DAY 6 - CHEST & BACK RACK PULLS PULL UPS T-BAR ROWS DUMBBELL PULL OVERS FLAT DUMBBELL PRESS INCLINE BARBELL PRESS PLYO-PUSHUPS CABLE CROSSOVERS ABS: HANGING TWISTING LEG RAISES

4 SETS X 8 REPS 4 SETS X 8 REPS 4 SETS X 12,10,8,6 REPS 3 SETS X 8 REPS 4 SETS X 12,10,8,6 REPS 4 SETS X 8 REPS 4 SETS X 8 REPS 3 SETS X 8 REPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS (EACH SIDE)

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phase 4 WEEKS 10 - 12 LAND OF SUPERSETS NOTE: Here we are, we’re nearing the end of this 12 week journey. You’ve been destroying the weights and conquering each daily workout, but you still have 3 more weeks of the newly unlocked “expert mode” to get through. We’ll be focusing on keeping your heart rate high throughout each workout to maximise energy consumption and blood flow by decreasing the rest times and also introducing SUPERSETS! In these last 3 weeks you should feel and see the most changes in your body, so make sure your nutrition, sleep, hydration and of course, workouts are on point because soon you’ll be a verified BUFF dude or grrrl!

Mobility will be performed for 10 - 15 minutes pre-workout. Lower body mobility for lower body days and upper body mobility for upper body days. Warming up on treadmill or bike for 10 minutes can also be introduced. Rest times: 30 seconds between sets.

What is a “superset?”: It is performing an exercise and immediately moving onto another without rest in between. Once both exercises have been performed take your allotted rest time before beginning again.

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phase 4 WEEKS 10 - 12 LAND OF SUPERSETS DAY 1 - LEGS & CALVES SUPERSET BACK SQUATS JUMPING SPLIT SQUATS SUPERSET ROMANIAN DEAD LIFTS WEIGHTED GLUTE BRIDGES HACK SQUATS SUPERSET LEG EXTENSIONS LEG CURLS STANDING CALF RAISES ABS: REVERSE CRUNCHES

4 SETS X 10 REPS 4 SETS X 10 REPS (EACH SIDE) 4 SETS X 10 REPS 4 SETS X 10 STEPS 4 SETS X 10 REPS 5 SETS X 10 REPS (DROP SET)* 3 SETS X 20 REPS

*As soon as you burn out on the 10 repetitions, immediately perform 10 more with just bodyweight - very slow and controlled and focus on the top position in full contraction.

DAY 2 - CHEST & BACK SUPERSET STRAIGHT ARM PULL DOWNS 4 SETS X 10 REPS PULL-UPS SUPERSET FLAT BARBELL BENCH PRESS (WIDE) 4 SETS X 10 REPS FLAT DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS (CLOSE) SUPERSET INCLINE BENCH DUMBBELL ROW (BI-LATERAL) 4 SETS X 10 REPS INCLINE DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS SUPERSET DUMBBELL PULLOVERS CABLE FLYES ABS: WEIGHTED CRUNCHES

4 SETS X 10 REPS 3 SETS X 20 REPS

DAY 3 - SHOULDERS & TRAPEZIUS PUSH PRESS 4 SETS X 12,10,8,8 REPS SUPERSET REVERSE UPRIGHT ROWS 4 SETS X 10 REPS BENT OVER REVERSE DUMBBELL FLYES SUPERSET CABLE FACE PULLS (ROPE) 4 SETS X 10 REPS CABLE FRONT RAISES (ROPE) SUPERSET DUMBBELL UPRIGHT ROWS LATERAL RAISES MAN MAKERS SEATED DUMBBELL SHRUGS ABS: ROLL OUTS

4 SETS X 10 REPS 2 SETS X 8 REPS 4 SETS X 10 REPS 3 SETS X 20 REPS

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phase 4 WEEKS 10 - 12 LAND OF SUPERSETS DAY 4 - TRICEPS & BICEPS SUPERSET LYING DUMBBELL TRICEP EXTENSIONS 4 SETS X 10 REPS DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS (CLOSE) SUPERSET OVERHAND GRIP CABLE EXTENSIONS 4 SETS X 10 REPS UNDERHAND GRIP CABLE EXTENSIONS SUPERSET WIDE GRIP BARBELL CURLS 4 SETS X 10 REPS BILATERAL HAMMER CURLS SUPERSET PREACHER BENCH CURLS 4 SETS X 10 REPS REVERSE PREACHER BENCH CURLS 3 SETS X 20 REPS (EACH SIDE) ABS: OBLIQUE CRUNCHES

DAY 5 - LEGS & CALVES SUPERSET SINGLE LEG PRESS GOBLET SQUATS WALKING LUNGES SUPERSET MACHINE HAMSTRING CURLS MANUAL HAMSTRING CURLS SINGLE SEATED CALF RAISES STANDING CALF RAISES ABS: WEIGHTED PLANKS

4 SETS X 10 REPS 4 SETS X 10 STEPS (EACH WAY) 4 SETS X 10 REPS 3 SETS X 20 REPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS (EACH LEG) 3 SETS X 60 SECONDS

DAY 6 - CHEST & BACK SUPERSET BENT OVER BARBELL ROWS 4 SETS X 10 REPS FLAT BENCH BARBELL PRESS SUPERSET V-GRIP CABLE PULLDOWNS 4 SETS X 10 REPS LANDMINE PRESS SUPERSET SINGLE ARM DUMBBELL ROWS SINGLE ARM DUMBBELL PRESS 4 SETS X 10 REPS (EACH SIDE) SUPERSET BACK EXTENSIONS WITH ROWS(WEIGHTED) 4 SETS X 10 REPS UNDERHAND CABLE FLYES 3 SETS X 10 REPS COMMANDO ROWS 3 SETS X 20 REPS (EACH SIDE) ABS: LOW PULLEY WOOD CHOPS

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YOU DID IT! NOW WHAT? You’re here. Do you know what that means? It means you made it, you finished the B.U.F.F. Dudes 12 Week Cutting Plan! Give yourself a big pat on the back (or high five if you finished it with a training partner) and take a quick breather, you’ve earned it. But does this mean you’re finished? Hell no! We recommend jumping right back into PHASE 3 and running through both it and PHASE 4 again. And when you’re done with that? Well, feel free to check out all our other great plans and continue to bring the buffness to a whole new level.

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STRETCHING ROUTINE Stretching is an excellent way to help with range of motion, muscular pains or cramping, muscle elasticity and of course flexibility. We’ll be leaving the stretching for post workout.

After an intense workout you’ll be left with tight and sensitive muscles, tendons and ligaments, so giving them a light stretch will relieve some pain and tightness. It will also be a preventive measure for the DOMS (delayed onset

muscle soreness) that can occur days after your workout. You’ll notice that there is an option to hold the stretches for 10 - 20 seconds. We would recommend to hold for a longer period of time on muscle groups that need extra attention.

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LOWER BODY STRETCH ROUTINE These stretches will be performed after any lower body workout.

FLOOR REACH 2 SETS X 10 - 20 SECOND HOLDS NOTE: In a standing position with feet close together slowly bow down, focusing on the hamstrings. If you want to strictly focus on hamstrings, keep your lower back straight, but if you want to mix in a lower back stretch then round your back and bring your chest down to your legs.

GLUTE STRETCH 2 SETS X 10 - 20 SECOND HOLDS (EACH SIDE) NOTE: Focusing on the gluteus maximus and hip flexors. It might take a little time to get into the position but as your muscles start to relax you’ll feel the benefits almost immediately.

LUNGE STRETCH 2 SETS X 10 - 20 SECOND HOLDS (EACH SIDE) NOTE: Focusing on hip flexors. This stretch can also be used as a mobility drill because of the benefits of a hip opener by externally rotating the leg while in position. It can also be used as an excellent way to relieve pain in the lower back by stretching the psoas.

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GROIN STRETCH 2 SETS X 10 - 20 SECOND HOLDS NOTE: Focusing on leg adductors. Keep an upright torso and gently try to get your outer thigh to touch the floor.

LOWER BACK/ GLUTE STRETCH 2 SETS X 10 - 20 SECOND HOLDS NOTE: Focusing on the erector spinae and gluteus maximus. You can have your crossed over leg straight or bent, depending on what position you feel the tightest. Try to keep your upper back anchored to the floor as you rotate your trunk.

QUAD STRETCH 2 SETS X 10 - 20 SECOND HOLDS (EACH SIDE) NOTE: Focusing on the quadriceps. Slowly lean back and twist your hips toward your stretching leg to feel a more aggressive stretch.

CALF STRETCH 2 SETS X 10 - 20 SECOND HOLDS (EACH SIDE) NOTE: Focusing on the gastrocnemius. Keep your back leg straight and heel anchored to the floor as you lean forward.

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UPPER BODY STRETCH ROUTINE These stretches will be performed after any upper body workout.

LAT STRETCH 2 SETS X 10 - 20 SECOND HOLDS (EACH SIDE) NOTE: Focusing on the latissimus dorsi.

TRICEPS STRETCH 2 SETS X 10 - 20 SECOND HOLDS (EACH SIDE) NOTE: Focusing on the triceps brachii. If you want to target a little bit more in the lats with your triceps, gently lean away from your stretching arm.

SHOULDER STRETCH 2 SETS X 10 - 20 SECOND HOLDS (EACH SIDE) NOTE: Focusing on your posterior and lateral heads of the deltoid. Gently pull the upper arm close to your torso with your other arm to feel the maximum stretch.

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CHEST STRETCH 2 SETS X 10 - 20 SECOND HOLD NOTE: Focusing on pectoralis major. Take a deep breathe, as your chest expands tilt your torso upwards. Try rotating your thumbs up to thumbs down to feel it in slightly different areas.

TRAP/NECK STRETCH 2 SETS X 10 - 20 SECOND HOLDS (EACH SIDE) NOTE: Focusing on your levator scapula. As you have one arm behind your back and the other gently pulling on your head, make sure you keep your torso vertical. Do not lean.

BICEPS/FOREARM STRETCH 2 SETS X 10 - 20 SECOND HOLD NOTE: Focusing on biceps brachii and forearm flexors. Gently push the hips back to feel a more aggressive stretch.

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F.A.Q. Should I Cut?  This really depends on your personal goals. Do you want to be lean? Then the answer is to cut. Do you want to be bigger? Then the answer is to bulk. Many people find themselves in that middle zone: not big, not lean. We called ourselves ‘Marshmallow Kids’ when we were younger because we couldn’t decide what we wanted to do so we just looked average and doughy. Pick a goal and stick with it. For instance: get lean by going into a slight calorie deficit and once you’re happy and wish to begin adding mass slowly  bring yourself into a slight calorie surplus. It sounds simple - and it is - it just takes a little patience.

GENERAL look and feel much better. From there we’d suggest taking another look at your goals and deciding if you’d like to perform this plan once again in the maintenance zone or going into a slightly further calorie deficit.

 I’m already lean. should I perform this plan?  Yep! You'll want to make sure that you adjust your nutrition, so that you're either at a caloric maintenance or in a slight calorie surplus. Alternatively if you think you’re interested in adding some serious mass you will benefit from our bulking book available here: https://www.buffdudes.us/ 

 How long should I Cut for?  Can women do this That depends on your personal goals, program too?  your experience level, your fat percentage and how your body responds to cutting. Basically, the best answer is “when you feel comfortable”. Are the 12 weeks over and you feel like you haven’t gotten the results you wanted? Keep cutting. Has 12 weeks passed and you feel like it’s time to stop being in a calorie deficit? Stop cutting. Find out what works best for you!

 I think I’m skinnyfat. What do I do?  Ah yes, the dreaded skinnyfat. As we mentioned in our ‘Should I Cut’ question we recommend picking a goal and sticking with it. And if you’d like another recommendation then our suggestion would be to go through this plan while keeping your calories in a maintenance (or slight deficit) zone. Once you’ve finished that you’re no doubt going to

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Absolutely! Contrary to popular belief, women can workout on the same program and just as hard as us dudes do without the fear of getting “too bulky”. As we said in the beginning of the plan you’ll want to adjust the weights to cater to your own strength levels and judge your rest times on how you feel as you progress through the program. If you feel you’re not ready to step into one of the later phases feel free to extend your current phase beyond its 3 week period in order to gain the confidence to continue onward. Other than that, you’re good to go!

 I’m new to working out, is this the plan for me?  Yep! All Buff Dudes were once just dudes and it’s a plan like this that’ll help put that “Buff” in front of the dude. The great thing about this program is that it works in “phases” to help build your foundational strength as well as your knowledge and confidence. You can also extend the phase time if you feel you’re not quite ready for the next phase in the program. Once you feel confident feel free to move onto the next phase and keep hitting those weights hard. With that in mind, this plan can potentially last much longer than just a 12 week period, perfect for those who would like to have a solid routine for quite some time! Something good to keep in mind when beginning to work out is your only competition is yourself. Don’t get caught up in lifting heavy or progressing at the exact speed as someone else.

Take your time, maintain proper form and get to know the “Golden Five” - Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, Overhead Press and Pull-Ups. These five compound exercises are definitely ones you want to have on your side. Most importantly - have fun! You’re doing this not for someone else but to better both your mind and your body.

 I’ve been working out for  a while, should I give this  a shot?  Hell yeah! The program starts off slow to give you an active rest period and acts as a refresher on a few staple exercises as it prepares your body for the more advanced phases. If you feel you’re too advanced for the beginning phases or feel bored with the lower intensity in the beginning, feel free to jump to the higher intensity/higher volume phases of the program.

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What do I do once the plan is over? Do I start from the beginning or start  from a certain phase?  After you complete the program you should feel proud, excited and exhausted. When the body goes through an intense workout program it will need some time to rest and recuperate. This doesn’t mean that you’ll have to take an extended amount of time off, but it does help to decrease the intensity and volume of your workouts for a “reset” phase. We would recommend to start from phase 1 to slow things down a bit before increasing the intensity and volume again. If you feel you are getting amazing results and the program ends before you’re ready, then repeat the last 2 phases.

 I’m seeing good results but  I’ve been on this plan for a while. should I switch it up?  As they say: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If you’re still seeing results then why switch it up? If you find yourself getting sick of doing the same routine day in and day out you can always try using alternate exercises. For instance, Kneeling Landmine Press as opposed to Incline Bench Press or trying a different variation of Deadlift as opposed to the standard one.

 I’d like to modify this plan due to either my schedule or the equipment that’s  available to me. Can I?  Yes! You should absolutely feel free to take away or add to this program to fit

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your personal goals or disabilities. If a certain exercise gives you pain or you feel like you aren’t reaping the benefits - change it! If you don’t have a piece of equipment that is in this program so you can’t perform a certain exercise, then switch it out with a similar exercise that doesn’t require that piece of equipment. If your schedule is really busy and modifying the 12 Week Plan is something which isn’t possible you can always stick to the 3 Day Split which makes up the beginning prep phase.

Can I workout everyday?  The short answer: We wouldn’t recommend it. The longer answer: You don’t get stronger after the workout, you get stronger after the recovery. In the beginner phase and phase 1 plan on working out for one day and then take the following day off. For phase 2 you can either train straight through all four days and then take rest

days or train two days, take one day off and then repeat. For the final phases we recommend training straight through all five to six days and then take the next one or two days off.

 I Don’t Know How to Perform Some of These Exercises!  We’ve created videos for each week of the 12 Week Workout Plan which you can find on our YouTube channel at http://  www.youtube.com/buffdudes. In addition to videos for each week of the plan we’ve also done many in-depth single tutorial videos for exercises such as Squats, Deadlifts, Kneeling Landmine Press and many more which you can find in our ‘Single Exercise Tutorial’ playlist on our YouTube channel.

 How Long Should I Rest in  Between Sets?  For isolation exercises our typical rest time is between 30-60 seconds. For bigger compound exercises (Squats, Deadlifts, Bench) we typically rest between 60-90 seconds.

 How Come Some of Your Exercises Use The Same Reps Per Sets and Others Don’t. Do I Go Up In Weight On These?  Our exercises which use the same reps per sets are typically isolation exercises and on these we stay with the same weight each set. For the ones which decrease in reps per set, we increase the weight with each set as we decrease the reps.

 How Long Should Each Workout Last?  Our workouts typically last about 60-75 minutes which includes rest times. Keep in mind the amount of extras you include in your workout is really going to stretch the time you spend in the gym. Mobility warm-up, stretching & post-workout cardio will add up to 60 minutes more if you decide to tackle each of those every time you workout. Also, waiting for equipment during rushhour (typically 5-8pm) is going to

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extend your gym time as well compared to someone who works out either at home or during slow periods at the gym. This is a big reason why we typically workout very early in the morning if going to a commercial gym.

is it takes one month to feel like you’ve established a good routine in the gym, two months to see a physical change and three months to feel like a well-oiled machine running on high octane biceps and buffness.

 I can’t do dips, Pull-Ups,  I worked out and now I’m Squats or some of the other sore. How long will it exercises, what do I do?  last?  Feel free to substitute certain exercises in the plan if you’re unable to perform them correctly. Common exercises you can switch out include; Decline Bench Press if you can’t perform Dips. Lat Pull-Downs if you can’t perform Pull-Ups. Leg Press if you can’t perform Squats.

 I need a more detailed  breakdown of how to perform these exercises  You can find single video tutorials of all the exercises featured in this plan on our “Single Exercise Tutorials” playlist here: http://www.youtube.com/  buffdudesworkouts

When will I begin to see results?  When getting into working out and eating right for the first time (or having come back into it after years away) you begin paying much closer attention to your body than you normally do and sometimes it begins to feel like making progress is taking forever - even if it’s only been a few weeks! Our typical rule of thumb

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It will vary from person to person but on average most people will experience soreness for one to three days after a workout.

What do I do on rest days?  Feel free to work on mobility, stretching or throw in some cardio if that fits with your specific goals. For us we usually scale our calories back a bit as well as we’re not using as much fuel on non-training days.

 How do I do cardio with this routine?  If you plan on doing cardio we recommend performing it on your off days during prep phase and phase 1. For phases 2 through 4 you can perform cardio every other day, both on training days and days off for a total of three to four times a week.

Do I have to perform cardio on this plan?  As we mentioned earlier in this book, no. Although cardio can be a great supplement to your eating and workout routine as long as you’re in a calorie deficit throughout the 12 week plan you will still lose weight successfully.

 I’m Coming Into This Plan  Injured, Can You Recommend What I Should Do?  We recommend you have a doctor consultation to examine your injury and take the required steps necessary to rehabilitate. Self-diagnosing or seeking advice online is not something we recommend and could lead to further injury. As we say stay safe, stay buff!

 I fnished the 12 week plan

 and don’t look as good as  I wanted to! What’d I do wrong?  In the age of social media (and the thousands and thousands of “before and after” transformations you’ll no doubt stumble upon) it’s easy to imagine you’ll start off looking like a marshmallow kid and three months later you’ll look like Mr. or Ms. Olympia. When beginning any goal one thing to keep in mind is setting realistic expectations. Take a guitar player or someone learning a new language. In three months will the guitar player know the basic chords and the person learning a language know simple phrases? Chances are yes. Will they be able to rip insane solos or be completely fluent in a language? Unless they’re a freak prodigy then chances are absolutely not. Once you’re finished take a look at what you thought went right and what you thought went wrong. Did you put your 100% into your gym training? Were you being honest about your daily calories and macros? If you answered yes to

both those questions it could simply be a case of you needing more time. The road is long and winding so don’t become frustrated and quit once you’ve hit your first speed bump. Set short term goals, long terms goals and keep going strong!

One side of me is bigger than the other. I think I  have muscle imbalance. What do I do?  You’re not alone. It’s easy to become slightly out of proportion as we tend to do things with the more dominate side of our body. You will notice certain exercises throughout this plan are ‘unilateral’ which means you are working one side of your body at a time. Unilateral exercises are great for restoring proportion and typically what we do is add a few more unilateral reps to close out the set using the weaker side of our body.

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 I’m a Teenager. Will working out stunt my growth? 

 I Feel Unmotivated, Can You Help? 

No. Working out safely while maintaining a proper eating routine will not stunt your growth. In fact, weight lifting has many benefits for teens including increased strength for sports and higher selfesteem.

 I’m Afraid to go to the gym!  Thankfully most people in the gym are much more focused on themselves (the place isn’t covered in mirrors for nothing) and their own workout than they are on you. Just remember to display proper gym etiquette (no curling in the squat rack, don’t stand directly in front of a mirror if someone’s using it, don’t grab someone’s weight as they’re resting in between sets, re-rack your weights) and you will be good to go. Still find the gym too intimidating? Do what we do, workout from home!

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This can often be the biggest hurdle we ever face. The body is willing but the mind is weak. Sometimes it’s hard to get up day in and day out to bust your ass in the gym and follow an eating routine! There’s nothing wrong with taking a step back from time to time and re-evaluating your goals. Are you working out to get bigger? Leaner? Just to stay in overall good shape? We can easily find ourselves caught in that “middle” zone (not big enough, not lean enough) which is like a stagnant pond. Write down some goals of what you want to accomplish and be honest with yourself. They don’t even have to necessarily be fitness goals. Do you wish to travel? Then maybe the solution is adding more outdoor cardio into your routine to explore new places and get a fresh perspective. You workout not only to stay healthy but also to stay happy. Exercise can be great

for your overall state of mind and you definitely don’t want to lose that spark. Building positive habits and a strong mental foundation are just as important as physical training. By getting yourself into a good routine that fits into your lifestyle, you will find it much easier to hold yourself accountable and to live up to your own expectations. Once you get yourself into good habits you might even find yourself missing the gym on your rest day(s).

Lack of motivation could also be due to a few missing links in the chain. We like to think of it this way: The seat of consistency is held up by four legs of fitness: Working Out. Food. Rest. Consistency. Remove one leg and it becomes wobbly, remove two and it falls over! Take a good look at your “seat of consistency” and make sure your four legs are strong and in tact!

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F.A.Q.  Is there an included diet? What kind of eating should I do while cutting?  There will not be a specific plan included with this program, just the tools to educate yourself to find what works best for your individual goals. Everyone’s body is different and there is a wide range of goals and specific foods and eating habits dudes or girls have to adhere to, so we’ll be covering food and nutrition in more of a general sense. This way we can cater to a wide range of questions. Please refer to the beginning of the plan for multiple sample eating plans.

 How many daily calories should I have in order to lose fat?  This depends on how much you want to lose and how quickly. If you’d like to lose weight at a slow pace we’d recommend 2-300 calories below your TDEE a day. If you’d like to lose at a faster pace having around 500 calories in a deficit daily will yield you about a pound a week. Be cautious though as the more in a deficit you are a day the more likely the weight you’re losing will be comprised of muscle in addition to fat.

What’s calorie defcit?

Calorie surplus? Calorie maintenance?  When you consume and then burn the same number of calories in a day you are at a calorie maintenance level. For example: if you burn 2,000 calories a day from exercise, daily activities (walking to school, making food,

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FOOD PLAN brushing your teeth) and bodily functions (breathing, digesting food, etc.) and then you consumed 2,000 calories worth of food that very same day your weight would remain roughly the same as all the calories you consumed were used by your body. If you went into a calorie deficit you would be consuming less than what your body needs for exercise, daily activities and bodily functions and stored calories will be burned as well. This is required for fat loss. On the other end of the spectrum of you went into a calorie surplus you would be consuming more than what your body needs and the extra calories would be stored. This is required for gaining muscle.

do I just have to eat  healthy food all the time?  Remember this important rule: calories are more important than eating a certain type of food. If your goal is to lose weight and you’re eating healthy foods but eating too much healthy foods (aka too many calories) then you’re going to stay at the same

weight and possibly gain even more. This can be both upsetting (all that hard work for nothing!) and can also drive you to think eating right and working out is doing nothing for you and cause you to sink back into bad habits. As we said in the beginning of the plan: consume more calories, gain weight. Consume less calories, lose weight. You don’t have to have the perfect diet but what you do need is moderation. Oftentimes trying to eat really, really clean leads to “falling off the wagon” and eating everything you’ve been depriving yourself of; in the process losing your hard-earned progress and possible depression at the fact you’ve got to start all over.

My Diet Sucks But I Workout Really Hard.  Is that ok?  No. Have you ever looked at the calorie contents of your average hamburger? Chances are it’s 500-800 calories. And that’s just one hamburger. The average person is lucky to burn that amount of calories while exercising over the period of an hour. Start adding french fries on top of that hamburger, empty calories from beer, ice cream...you get the point. You’re going to tip the scale in the sucky diet direction real fast. This doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself to something good once in awhile, it just means you can’t use your body as a garbage disposal unit - or else you’ll begin to look like one.

For us moderation is the key. We never try to go so hardcore with our eating or workout routines that even one missed meal or workout will send our mindstate over the edge.

What Should  I Eat  After My Workout?  Protein is essential to help repair and grow muscles, so look to consume a fast acting, lean protein source. Some examples include Whey Protein Isolate, Chicken, Eggs or a plant based protein. Dudes will usually be in the 40 gram range. Women around 15-25.

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What are Macros? 

What are Micros? 

Macros is short for macronutrients. Food is made up of Macros, which provide the calories our body uses for energy, growth, and other bodily functions. There are three macronutrients: protein (growth), fat (energy), and carbohydrates (fuel) and we need all three of these to survive.

Micros is short for micronutrients. In addition to Macros our bodies also require micros. Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals.

While each of these macronutrients provides calories, the amount of calories that each one provides varies. Carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram. Protein provides 4 calories per gram. Fats provide 9 calories per gram. So if you were to buy something in a store and on the nutritional label it said “contains 20 grams of protein, 0 grams fat, 0 grams carbs” it would contain 80 calories.

 I want to try a diet with this plan. Which one is the  best? IIFYM, Intermittent  Fasting, Low Carb?  Our suggestion would be to try one out, stick with it and see how it works for you. You want something you’re going to feel comfortable with for a long period of time. Don’t torture yourself just to “look good” because chances are you’ll end up giving the diet up. With most diets you are bound to see results simply for the fact that you are now paying much closer attention to the calories you are putting into your body and are now following a plan as opposed to not tracking what you eat. Before starting a diet, we suggest grabbing a cheap notebook and making a log of your eating activity for one week. Write down every meal (including condiments & drinks!) and calculate your calories and macros (proteins, carbs and fats) at the end of each day for 7 days. This in itself may really surprise you and give you a great idea of the changes you need to make. Are most of your calories coming from alcohol (which contains 7 calories a gram and is not listed as a macro as they are not needed for the body to survive. This is viewed as an ‘empty’ calorie) or soft

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drinks? Are you consuming calories way over your recommended amount? If this sounds too hard we recommend downloading a calorie tracking app on your phone. Something you need to keep in mind when logging your food is being honest with yourself. Just because you’re not writing down you’re having 5 soft drinks a day doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Be observant and honest with what you’re consuming and make the decision you feel is best with yourself. You don’t need to cut out all food you feel is bad, just keep moderation in mind and make a note of the changes you’d like to make to keep those calories under control.

Do I need to always track my calories and macros?  Although we highly recommend finding your suggested daily calories and macros using a TDEE calculator - and tracking them closely in the first couple of months using a calorie tracking app - we also suggest taking those “training wheels” off as you continue your personal food and fitness journey. As time goes on you’ll begin to make adjustments based upon what works best for you and you’ll also find you’ve developed an internal app of your own in which you more or less know what you need to be consuming every day to stay on track. That’s not to say you have to abandon them completely however! We find ourselves tracking a day or two every couple months just to get a good refresher of our daily numbers.

 How many grams of protein should I be having for every pound of bodyweight?  For convenience sake we’ll typically have about 1 gram for every pound of bodyweight. Should you follow this guideline as well? There's research to suggest there is normally no advantage to consuming more than 0.82g/lb (1.8g/ kg) of protein per day to preserve or build muscle but for us it’s an easy rule of thumb to make sure we’re getting enough protein. A closer approximation would be to consume 1 gram of protein for every pound of lean body mass.

 I’m using a calorie tracking app but I’m not losing weight. Why?  Although very convenient, remember that tracking apps such as MyFitnessPal aren’t a perfect representation of how many calories/macros you’re consuming every day. For instance: are you tracking condiments such as ketchup as well? How about correct amounts? Maybe that handful of walnuts was actually twice the grams you thought it was! You may not even know it but these little oversights could be costing you hundreds of additional calories a day and then guess what?

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Unbeknownst to you you’re actually in a calorie surplus! Our recommendation would be to use a tracking app as a useful tool but not as a crutch. If you feel you’re not losing weight try lowering your daily calories by an extra hundred or so and tracking very strictly for a week or so. As time goes on you’ll become more confident with what works and doesn’t work for you and your tracking app will become more of a part-time assistant as opposed to a full time coach.

Can I get Buff if I’m a Vegan/Vegetarian?  Yes. In addition to nuts, beans, lentils etc. Soy, rice, pea and hemp protein supplements are good options. Egg or whey protein are other great options if allowed. Please refer to our “Sample Daily Vegan Eating Routine” earlier in the book if you’d like some ideas on how to create your custom meal plan.

 If I'm overweight can I continue to be on cutting plan for an extended period of time?  If you haven’t hit your goal weight within the 12 week period of our plan you shouldn't be hard on yourself as we’re all different weights and sizes. We’d recommend taking a look at your current weight, adjusting your calories accordingly (remember, if you’ve lost some weight then your body will no longer need as many calories as it did in the beginning of our plan) and re-starting our plan at phase 2 and once again taking it to completion.

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 If I'm obese and have lots of weight to lose, should  I remain in a daily 500 calorie defcit or push it

 further?  Don’t become frustrated and try to think going into a deeper calorie deficit will make the results come faster. Slow and steady wins the race in this one. Our suggestion would be to find your daily calorie maintenance level at the weight you’re at now and begin eating at a daily 500 calorie deficit. As time goes on - and you continue to lose weight - you’ll then begin to adjust your calories accordingly based upon

your updated weight so your loss doesn’t stagnate. Continue this process as the months go on until you’re at a healthy weight you’re comfortable with.

 I see you snack throughout the day. Is that part of “meal timing”? Should I  be having 6-8 small meals  a day?  3 big meals a day or 8 small meals a day will get you the same results as long as the calories and macros remain the same. Smaller meals work better for us personally, but it’s just that, a personal preference. If you feel best eating a certain number of meals a day and hit your daily calorie requirements in the process then absolutely feel free to do so.

 If I Were To Take Supplements, What Would You Recommend?  When you feel you’ve gotten the consistency of a solid workout & eating plan in order (and only when these are in order - remember, there are no shortcuts!), we recommend these few things: • Caffeine: Our workouts are usually very early in the morning and to supplement this we wake up and grab a hot cup of coffee before our workout. • Whey Protein: We try and consume about 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight a day and whey protein really helps. Typically we consume 50 grams of whey protein isolate immediately following our workouts. It goes great in many recipes as well. (Protein Pancakes, Protein Cookies, etc.)

• Creatine: 5 grams a day and for us usually taken in a flavored chewable form like grape or orange. • Multi-Vitamin: Usually taken with breakfast or whenever convenient with food. There are water soluble and fat soluble vitamins so the body better absorbs them if ingested with food and water. • BCAA: Consumed in flavored drink form during workouts. BCAA’s are Branch Chain Amino Acids and will be used in the body for protein synthesis as well as reducing muscle catabolism during workouts.

 I’m Still Confused. Can You  Build Me a Custom Eating Routine?  We've tried our best to line out positive practices and a few general plans in addition to our own eating routine. Unfortunately with our large subscriber base we cannot build individual routines for specific people. Our advice would be as we said above to try out one of our general eating routines and begin to slowly re-design it based upon your unique needs. Don’t feel like you’re in a rush to get your perfect physique. These things take time and the slow and steady approach is the key to victory!

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GYM LINGO REP: One complete repetition of the exercise you are performing SET: A collection of reps performed in a row COMPOUND EXERCISE: More than one joint being involved in a movement. ISOLATION EXERCISE: Only one joint being involved in a movement. PYRAMID SETS: Pyramiding is when you start with a lighter weight and after each set you’ll gradually move up in weight while decreasing the repetitions. Example: Barbell press set 1, 12 reps: 135 lbs. Set 2, 10 rep: 155 lbs. Set 3, 8 reps: 175 lbs. Set 4, 6 reps: 195 lbs. This is a technique used to constantly push for progression, by changing the weight and reps it will help recruit more muscle fibers for better hypertrophy. DROP SETS: A drop set is when you start at a heavier weight and perform the movement until failure and once failure is achieved you’ll immediately drop to a lighter weight and continue the movement. This is repeated for the allotted amount prescribed. The goal here is to force the muscle to push through fatigue and recruit extra amounts of muscle fiber. PRE-EXHAUST: Pre-exhausting is the term used when you first isolate a specific muscle group you want to focus on before moving on to a compound movement that will utilize that same muscle you isolated earlier. You’ll notice when you introduce this technique, the pre-exhausted muscle will be forced to work even harder throughout the compound movement and in turn grow stronger. SUPINATE: Rotation of the arm where the palm is facing up. In the case of the feet it is where the foot leans outward. PRONATE: The opposite of Supinate. The rotation of the arm where the palm faces down. In the case of the feet it is where the foot leans inward. SUPINE: Lying on your back facing up. PRONE: Lying on your stomach facing down. UNILATERAL: Utilizing one side during an exercise. BILATERAL: Utilizing both sides during an exercise.

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CONCENTRIC: A contraction where the muscle shortens ECCENTRIC: A contraction where the muscle lengthens ISOMETRIC: A contraction where the muscle neither shortens or lengthens. ALTERNATING: Performing the full range of motion of an exercise on one side and immediately performing the same movement on the next side - alternating back and forth between the two. SUPERSETS: Performing an exercise and immediately followed by another without rest in between. WORKOUT SPLIT: Splitting the body groups into different days in the week. SPOTTER: Someone to assist you when performing a difficult exercise. FORCED REPS: Completing a repetition with assistance (normally from a spotter) when you normally could not complete it on your own. UNTIL FAILURE: Performing an exercise until the muscle reaches complete fatigue and “fails” at performing any more repetitions. CUTTING: When cutting or going on a cut the goal is to reduce your caloric intake (or go into a calorie deficit) in order to lose fat while retaining the optimal amount of muscle mass possible. BULKING: A term for when you want to gain muscle mass and are going into a calorie surplus. HYPERTROPHY: The enlargement of tissue (muscle) size. Often achieved through weight training and proper eating.

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ATG: Ass-to-Grasss - Typically heard when performing Squats “when doing your next ATG: Ass-to-Gras set make sure you go ATG!” ATP: Adenosine Triphosphate ATP: Adenosine Triphosphate  - ATP is required for the biochemical reactions involved in any muscle contraction. As the muscles work harder, more and more ATP gets consumed and must be replaced in order for the muscle to keep moving. Taking rests between sets helps restore ATP levels. BMR: Basil Metabolic Rate BMR: Basil Rate - The lowest rate of body metabolism (rate of energy use) that can sustain life. Think of it as the amount of calories your body would burn if you just laid in bed all day doing absolutely nothing. BPM: Beats Per Minute. Minute. A resting heart rate BPM lowers as one becomes more fit. BUFF: Better Understanding of Food & Fitness Fitness  - We couldn’t forget to include this one! DIY: Do It Yourse Yourself lf - You may sometimes find yourself in situations where weights or a gym isn’t readily available. This is when you DIY. Use water jugs and a belt to create dumbbells, a camping cooler to create a bench. Thankfully you don’t need a gym to get BUFF - just creativity and desire! DOMS: Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness - This happens when you’ve been through an intense workout or have put an increased amount of stress on the muscles. It’s a sign that the muscles are damaged and in the process of repairing themselves. HIIT: High intensity interval training - Short duration of high intensity bursts followed HIIT: High by an active rest. An example would be an all out sprint for 20 seconds followed by 40 seconds of brisk walking and repeated 15-20 times in a row. OTS: Overtraining Syndrome Syndrome - When the body has been working overtime without adequate days of rest, it will show symptoms of OTS which include: • Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy • Sudden drop in performance • Insomnia • Headaches • Decreased immunity • Decrease in training capacity / intensity • Moodiness and irritabil irritability ity • Lack of motivation

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RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation Elevation - A remedy used when dealing with muscle injury. ROM: Range of Motion - Is the amount of distance your joint is able to go through when ROM: Range performing an exercise. TDEE: Total Daily Energy Expenditure TDEE: Total Expenditure  - A measure of how many calories per day your body burns. It is calculated by first figuring out your Basal Metabolic Rate, then multiplying that value by an activity multiplier. (Sedentary office job, active construction job, student, etc.) TUT: Time Under Tension TUT: Time Tension - The total amount of time a muscle is placed under stress during the length of a set.

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SPECIAL THANKS TO THESE B.U.F.F. DUDES N’ GRRRLS! João Victor G. Costa • Pixel Artwork & Action Figure Poster Dario Di Donato • “Time for the Cut” Comic Gian Galang • Front and Back Cover Artwork Timmy De Jong • Book Design and Layout Agnieszka White • Art Design, Proofreading Diane White • Proofreading, Recipes and Recipe Pictures. Duke White • Proofreading Ariel Zuckerbrull • Buff Dudes Advertisement Artwork