Vince-Delmonte-Bodybuilding-Guide fat cutting

Vince DelMonte’s

NO-NONSENSE

FAT CUTTING Hello and Welcome! Thank you for trusting me and purchasing my e-book NoNonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets to Insane Muscle Gain. I debated until the wee hours of the morning (right now it’s 2:30 a.m. and if you know me then this won’t surprise you - I get my best

A Complete Guide To Getting Shredded!

No Nonsense Fat Cutting

Introduction Preface

IMPORTANT This is a step-by-step program that involves gradual but consistent progression to the point of lifting very heavy weights. Proper warm-up is mandatory before every workout to ensure that you protect your tendons, ligaments and joints from injury. Although exercise is beneficial, and this program has been created to progress beginners to advanced and elite training levels, there is still the risk of injury. Vince DelMonte Fitness and its owners, agents, affiliates and employees will not be held responsible or liable for any injury sustained while lifting or moving weights at your home, gym or elsewhere. Always consult with your physician before beginning any weight-training program or other exercise plan, even if it is progressive in nature. If you experience any strain or pain while training, stop and immediately consult your family doctor.

© Vince Delmonte www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com 2007. All rights reserved.

Page 2 of 67 www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com


Introduction

INTRODUCTION Hello and Welcome! This special fat loss report will unlock all the secrets you need for maximum fat loss, which in turn will lead you to a lean and shredded physique: 5-6% body fat for

males and 10-12% body fat for females!

By the time you read this report, you should have packed on some serious muscle size and strength and look big and powerful. Now it’s time to enter the “cutting” phase and burn off the excess fat to show off a really ripped, sculpted and shredded physique! In this exclusive fat loss report, I’ll reveal an extremely powerful fat burning system that will allow you to maximize your fat burning potential, despite your genetics, while maintaining your lean muscle gains. After all, what good is a bulked up physique without the proper cuts, lines and definition? Instead of confusing you by focusing on what’s the new, latest, and most cutting edge, this system will simplify fat loss right down to the lowest common denominator. Instead of complicating fat loss, so that you need to be a Ph.D. research scientist to understand it, this system will reveal real world, practical information that I have used in every fitness model show I have competed in personally and those that my clients have competed in as well.

Compiled in this manual is a simple yet detailed road map with regards to working with your body type, adjusting your mindset, dieting, training and supplementation. You could say that this book is based on the quote of Albert Einstein: “Make everything as simple as possible, but not any simpler.” The entire concept of this system will be based on the principles of losing fat by gaining and keeping muscle. The first guideline is to burn the fat, don’t starve the fat. The most popular approach to losing fat is to go on a diet. On a side note, what are the first three letters of the word diet? D – I – E ! Coincidence? I’ll let you decide in a moment. Let’s consider what happens when you go on a diet: The typical diet consists of about 1200 calories (even for some men) which is a far cry




Introduction

from the energy requirements of most females and all males. I refer to any low calorie diet as starvation. Not to mention that the majority of diets include zero exercise! So what happens when you drastically reduce your calories with zero exercise? Your body needs to get energy from somewhere and unfortunately, since you’re in survival mode, your body holds onto your fat stores for dear life and strips off the muscle instead. There has been plenty of research to show that low calories and no exercise leads to muscle loss. Some research has shown that you will lose one pound of muscle for every three pounds of fat. In my opinion, that research sounds very conservative. I wouldn’t be surprised if dieters are losing as much as half fat and half muscle!

Dieting without exercise is a lethal double-edged sword. Not only do you experience a drop in your metabolism because of the lower calories, but you also experience a drop in your metabolism because of the lost muscle. So now you have a double decrease in metabolism, inevitably resulting in a smaller and flabbier version of your self! The second guideline is to burn the fat, don’t lose the weight. I am amazed by how many people are still fixated on losing weight rather than fat. Unfortunately, most “transformation stories” are perfect examples of weight loss and not fat loss. These individuals only lose a lot of water weight, accompanied by muscle. A very small percentage of their weight loss is actual fat. It will be no surprise when they put the weight back on within the next year because they never fixed the root problem! So the key is to adjust your mindset and realize that weight is not fat! Dramatic weight loss does not necessarily mean losing fat. It can also include losing water weight and dry muscle tissue. So don’t get overly excited when you lose 20 pounds of weight in the first month. The question is: “20 pounds of what?” This entire fat loss program is based on losing fat without losing muscle. So let’s get started!

BURN

-Vince-



No Nonsense Muscle Fat Cutting Building

Table Introduction OfChapter Contents 1

No Nonsense Fat Cutting: A 4-Month Guide to Getting Shredded By Vince DelMonte

TaBLE oF ContEntS Chapter 1 Genetic Factors and Fat Loss

Page 6

Chapter 2 The Fat Cutting Mind Set

Page 18

Chapter 3 The Fat Cutting Diet

Page 25

Chapter 4 The Fat Cutting Training Program

Page 44

Chapter 5 The Fat Cutting Supplementation Plan

Page 64

Closing Comments Page 66




Introduction Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

GENETIC FACTORS AND FAT LOSS

Will You Let Genetic Limitations Affect Your Ability To Get Shredded? If you have completed my No Nonsense Muscle Building program, then you know that it is possible to defeat muscle unfriendly genes because you are wearing a new body! You have stayed committed to your goals and are now living proof that you can transform if you take the right steps. The same principles are going to apply to those getting prepared to defeat fat unfriendly genes. You have heard the saying: “Choose your parents wisely!” But if your parents are overweight or obese, this does not condemn you to a life of being overweight or stuck with a stubborn pot belly. Just like many of you skinny guys thought you were condemned to a life of skinniness, you know that this is no reason to throw in the towel. In this first section of the special fat loss report, it is critical to understand the role of genetics. I don’t know about you, but the term genetics used to scare me. I was always reminded of geeky (but still intimidating) high school teachers, images of funky DNA structures, and my worst high school subject -- biology.

But within these doors lies the answer to unlocking the fat-loss confusion. Have you ever wondered why some people can start a bulking program, gain massive amounts of muscle and keep their entire six-pack in check while others start to bulk up and lose sight of their abdominals in just a few days? Some people will attempt a cutting program after they bulk up and will appear extremely muscular because they don’t lose an ounce of muscle in the dieting process. Others try to cut the fat after a bulking program and seem to go soft and lose all the muscle they gained.

GENETICS

In this section, I will teach you why you should not be fearful or intimated by your genetics. And in later chapters of this book, I will teach you how to manipulate certain training and nutrition variables based on your body type. The key to success is to be fully educated, believe in yourself, have a good support team and follow the right plan. The reality is that if both parents are overweight, their children will have an 80% chance of being overweight. And if both parents are skinny, their children will





have an 80% chance of being skinny. This does not mean that you are sentenced to a life of being overweight or skinny, but knowing the facts will help you try harder in certain areas of your diet and training. In fact, you will have to train smarter compared to those with more genetically friendly genes. The History of Body Types Physiologists often refer to body types to describe a person’s build. Body types (also known as somatotypes) are a highly significant genetic determinant in the quest for fat loss. To give credit where it is due, it was in the 1940’s that Dr. William H. Sheldon introduced the theory of somatotypes. His theory described three basic human body types: the endomorph, characterized by a preponderance of body fat; the mesomorph, marked by a well-developed musculature; and the ectomorph, distinguished by a lack of either much fat or muscle tissue. He also stated that most people were a mixture of these types.

These body types can be early indicators of whether you will have a hard time cutting fat or easy time cutting fat and what kind of physique you will have in the future.

(see table on following page)





Sheldon’s description of three body types has become an integral part of most literature on weight loss, fitness and bodybuilding. The three body types are further described below, after thousands of physical traits were evaluated by physicians and exercise physiologists over the years:

ECTOMORPH

MESOMORPH

ENDOMORPH

fragile

athletic

soft body

thin

hard, muscular body

flabby

flat chest

overly mature appearance

underdeveloped muscles

rectangular shaped (hourglass shaped for women)

round shaped

thick skin

trouble losing weight

delicate build young appearance tall lightly muscled stoop-shouldered large brain trouble gaining weight muscle growth takes longer

upright posture gains or loses weight easily

over-developed digestive system generally gains muscle easily

grows muscle quickly





What is Your Body Type? Since we all come in different shapes and sizes, knowing our “Body Type” (genetics) is essential.

Discovering your body type will help indicate the kind of fat loss strategy you must take in optimizing your goal, cleaning up your diet and choosing the right style of training. As mentioned previously, there are three distinct body types. While everybody is a mix of the three, one particular type is always predominant. Your “main” type will obviously be the one you can associate most closely with! Later on in this program, we will discuss specific ways to train and eat based on your body types. 1) My bone structure is:

Very large

3 points

Large to medium

2 points

Small to frail

1 point

2) My body tends towards:

Carrying too much fat

3 points

Being lean and muscular

2 points

Being too skinny

1 point





3) My body looks: Men answer here:

Round and soft

3 points

Square and rugged

2 points

Long and tenuous

1 point

Pear-shaped

3 points

Hourglass-shaped

2 points

Mostly straight up and down

1 point

Chubby

3 points

Normal

2 points

Too thin

1 point

Women answer here:

4) As a child I was:





5) My activity level is:

Sedentary

3 points

Fairly Active

2 points

Over active, can’t sit still

1 point

6) My approach to life is:

Laid back

3 points

Dynamic

2 points

Worrisome

1 point

Slow

3 points

Just right

2 points

Too fast

1 point

7) My metabolism is:





8) People tell me:

I should lose some weight

3 points

Stay the same, that I look fine

2 points

I should gain some weight

1 point

9) If you encircle your wrist with your other hand’s middle finger and thumb:

Middle finger and thumb do not touch

3 points

Middle finger and thumb just touch

2 points

Middle finger and thumb overlap

1 point

10) Concerning my weight, I:

Gain weight easily, but find it hard to lose

3 points

Gain or lose weight fairly easily. 2 points Usually stay about the same

Have trouble gaining weight


1 point




11) I am hungry:

Almost all the time

3 points

Just at meal times

2 points

Rarely

1 point

12) People would describe me as an:

Emotional person

3 points

Physical person

2 points

Intellectual person

1 point

3227221712-

37 31 26 21 16

Points Points Points Points Points

= = = = =

Pure Endomorph Combination of Endomorph and Mesomorph Pure Mesomorph Combination of Ectomorph and Mesomorph Pure Ectomorph





Endomorph: This particular body type is generally predisposed to higher body fat % accumulation and will need to follow this fat loss program the strictest. Known to have a “soft look”, it is harder for them to trim and tone through exercise and diet. The good news is that endomorph bone structure is wide and strong which makes muscle gains easier to build and maintain. This can be a bonus during your muscle building and bulking phases.

Be aware that your genetics control a slower metabolism, but that simply means you will only gain fat if you give your body too much reason to gain fat. Endomorphs are typically found amongst huge football players and wrestlers. Famous endomorphs would be known as John Goodman, Rosanne and Jack Black.





Mesomorph: Called the “gifted” ones, this type is genetically predisposed to great musculature gains and could get shredded by applying just a few of the tips in this fat loss program. Usually very athletic looking, they have a good posture and are symmetric. For a bodybuilder or fitness enthusiast, this is good news! Mesomorphs are said to build muscle mass faster than most people can and to be able to lose fat rapidly when on the right diet! Your genetics are basically in your favor whether you want to build muscle or cut fat. Any training system will work because you were awarded the “lucky” genes. Famous mesomorph body types would be Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and all the Mr. Olympia winners.





Ectomorph: Also known as hard gainers, ectomorphs are known for their long limb length, low body fat % and small muscles. While some women would kill to have this body type, men will probably see it in a different way! Ectomorphs have trouble gaining weight and muscle growth takes much longer to achieve and maintain. Ectomorphs, however, can still gain fat and must be cautioned not to overdo the fat loss program because they have the greatest chance of losing muscle while cutting. These individuals tend to be endurance athletes, such as long distance runners, NBA basketball players and super-models. Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Kate Moss would be considered your famous ectomorphs. Did I also mention that legendary bodybuilders, Flex Wheeler and Frank Zane (two of my favorite bodies of all time), happen to be ectomorphs? Both had rapid metabolisms and physical make-ups of ectomorphs when they were young adolescents.





Frank Zane was an Ectomorph

Flex Wheeler was an Ectomorph





Chapter 2: THE MIND AND FAT LOSS You Get What You Focus On So how did guys like Frank Zane and Flex Wheeler, classified as ectomorphs, defeat their skinny genetics to become legendary bodybuilders who inspire thousands and thousands of trainees? How did Markus Ruhl, classified as an endomorph, defeat his “fat” genetics to become a world famous bodybuilder? (Sure, drugs had a role for Markus and Flex, but obviously drugs alone would not have been enough).

I assume they mastered the Law of Attraction. Whether or not they were familiar with the formal description of this philosophy does not matter. I am confident that they executed the belief structure of this concept every day.





Note: I do not sell or make any money promoting The Secret. It is extremely powerful and literally life-changing and probably the best personal development tool I can recommend to you from a secular perspective. Check it out for yourself. For now, I will do my own interpretation of The Secret from a muscle building and fat loss standpoint. The Law of Attraction simply states that “likes attract likes.” This means that you are getting whatever your subconscious mind is focusing on. Your subconscious is the little subtext of thoughts running through your head each day. It might sound like this: • “I have an endomorph body type so I will never really lose fat even though I am trying my best...” • “I will always have this little pot belly...” • “No matter how much I eat clean and train consistent, I will never get a six-pack…”

SUBCONSCIOUS • “I could start doing more cardio to lose this fat but most likely it won’t do much...” • “Nobody else in my family or none of my friends are ripped and muscular so it’s really not a big deal for me...” • “Genetics makes up 40% of how you look so what’s the point...” • “I might as well be happy with my muscle gains and not worry about this pot belly because I will probably just lose muscle when I start dieting...”





Can you see the problem with these thoughts?

Apart from being completely negative, they are all based on a fatalistic mentality. The individual is focusing on trying his best and doing his best. • The individual is focusing on what he does NOT want (pot belly), instead of focusing on what he DOES want. • The individual sees his goals (a six-pack) as impossible, so he will never make a true effort to find a solution. • The individual has never succeeded in the past, so he is having trouble looking towards the future and then rewriting the future. • The individual does not believe he deserves the body of his dreams. He is allowing his surroundings to influence his decisions. • The individual who buys into academic stats will only put in a 60% effort because he has chosen to believe that he has zero control of the other 40%.

Re-Adjust Your Belief System

Everything you do is a result of your thought process and beliefs. If you believe it will take 30 days to change a habit, then most likely it will take 30 days. If you believe it will take one year to lose all the fat, then you will choose the path and make the decisions that lead to a one-year plan. If you believe that you are destined to be moderately fit looking, then you will put in a moderately average effort in the gym and your training. If you believe only the genetically gifted deserve to be ripped, then you will not take missed workouts, fast food binges and poor lifestyle habits seriously. However, if you believe that you are a nutrition authority in your family, you will not be ordering in fast food on the weekends. If you believe that you are a fitness role model to your friends, you will be suggesting physical activities on the weekends. If you see yourself with a fitness model’s body, you will not have a hard time waking up at 6 AM for cardio. If you view yourself as a tough bad ass, you will not wimp out on those last few reps. If you believe that you are the strongest guy in the gym, you will start assessing your lifting progress more diligently. If you see yourself as a healthy human being, you won’t throw chips and cookies into your grocery cart! Do you see the difference? Can you see how your subconscious thoughts are a direct product of what you are getting in life? The battle truly begins in the mind. Here are five action steps to take today:





1. Repetition. Repetition. Repetition.

Take one day at a time. Just because you put the Law of Attraction in place and start having new thoughts and beliefs, does not magically mean that you will become thin and ripped. There is still the action and effort of doing. You still need to do the work yourself. In the end, your goals will really come down to JUST DOING IT one day at a time. Each day you have to keep verbally telling yourself who you are. Write down your goals and read them on your way to work or before you get out of bed in the morning. Record your thoughts and beliefs and listen to your own voice each day. Each day you will have to fight against the lies that you are lazy, not motivated, not genetically gifted, food is making you fat, etc. etc. Don’t deceive yourself or trick yourself into accepting these false truths about yourself. Don’t give these lies power by enforcing negative self thoughts. Each day you will have to make new choices based on the new person you are becoming.

2. Surround Yourself With “Emotional” Reasons To Succeed.

• Perhaps you should enter a 12-week transformation competition to add a competitive and urgent component to your goals. • Buy your own gym and set it up in your home, so that you see it every day. • Replace your screen saver with super fit bodies and replace the magazine on your coffee table with fitness magazines. • Ask the biggest guy in your gym if you could work out with him or her for a few weeks. Or hire a personal trainer who has a body that resembles the body you want. • Find out when the next big fitness competition or fitness expo is in your area and attend. • Make new friends with people who live and breathe fitness. Perhaps you could pursue a friendship with some of the personal trainers or gym owners in your area.

Bottom line, you need to start living and breathing the lifestyle that will take you to your goals.





3. Surround Yourself With Pictures That Create Emotion.

• Cut out the exact picture of the image that represents your dream physique best. To make it emotionally appealing, cut out your own face and paste it over top. It is very important to sense what it would feel like to have your new body. • Watch a movie or sports show that reveals your dream physique being admired and in the public eye. Maybe you want to have the physique of an Ultimate Fighter. Watch Ultimate Fighter regularly on TV so the feelings are etched into your subconscious. Hang out with guys or girls better looking than you and go out with them in public. Imagine how good it will feel when you can fit right in.

• Post these pictures on your fridge, bathroom window, beside your bed, in your car and at your work space. Find that one picture that represents to YOU the glorious crowning moment when you feel great, look great, and are proud of your victory. Put that picture where you can see it and remember it. Make sure there are strong emotions attached to it so it becomes branded inside your subconscious.

4. Get Emotional Support.

Whether it’s a social support group, a personal trainer, a close friend, an Internet community or a coaching program on the phone, surround yourself with people who are working towards the same goal. If you can’t find a group, then create a group yourself. Take positive action towards your goals. This is the best way to defeat a negative environment. The emotional support you receive weekly, or however often you meet, will help carry you throughout the week. I can’t stress how important it is to get yourself A LOT of support. These people will also represent “pictures” of what you want and keep you committed to your goals





5. Don’t Focus on “Trying” or “Wanting”.

Until you truly believe that you have the power to change, you will not be in control of your fate. Doubt can do many things. I had doubt that I could defeat my skinny genetics. I had doubt when I developed an unexpected pot belly one year. I told myself I wanted to become lean and muscular. But “wanting” was not powerful enough. I didn’t think I should be lean and muscular; I just wanted to be lean and muscular. But I was only hoping and wanting –- a huge part of my subconscious did not think it was truly possible. This creates a negative feedback loop. When you only want or try to succeed, then subtle decisions affect the outcome. For example, if you are out at a social setting with lots of finger food and fried food, and the temptation is so bad to eat just one, what are you going to do? If you are only trying and wanting to succeed, then you are going to cave in to the temptation and justify it by saying: “It was only one sampling and it won’t really hurt my progress, right?” Another example, if you are training in the gym and getting ready to push out one last rep in your workout, after your muscles are screaming at you to stop, what are you going to do? If you are only trying and wanting to succeed, then you are going to decide the pain is not worth it. Instead of pushing for that one last rep, you are going to end the set and rack the weights and justify it by saying: “It’s okay, it was just one rep, and it would have been too hard anyways, right?” As you can see, I have a huge issue with “wanting” and “trying”. In fact, it drives me crazy! For certain decisions in your life, it’s not enough to want or try them. You must make them happen. You must DECIDE that you will DO IT. It’s like locking yourself in a room with no way out -- and then throwing away the key to prove your commitment to finding a way out! Once you decide that you will obtain your peak physique, there will be no more uncertainty or hoping.





When you make the decision to stop wanting and start creating, then you will cross yet another barrier. When you are in another social setting with “pot-belly” food or in the gym underneath that same set of weights, you’ll realize that eating just one or racking before you’re done is not an option. Why? Because you have decided to earn your peak physique, regardless of pain and temptation! IT IS WORTH IT, because by making hard food decisions and by pushing 110% each and every time, you will reach your goal. The Day You Defeat Your Genetics... In the last chapter we discussed the three main body types, so that you know whom you are doing battle with. Just like in a war, you have little chance of being victorious unless you know what you’re up against. I have provided the information on body types only to reveal your enemy’s battle plan, not to reinforce the final outcome. You must decide for yourself what the final outcome will be by using the mental strategies outlined in this chapter. When you begin to sharpen your perspective and to focus on changing your inner dialogue, you begin to experience success in gaining control over your genes. You will not train because you are supposed to; you will train because you know the effort will pay off. You will not eat healthy because you should; you will eat healthy because you are seeing improvements in your recovery. You will not hope you are building your peak physique; you will be creating your peak physique. You will not look into the mirror and think about what you could become; you will think about what you are becoming and what you have created. You will look at your body and visualize what you are about to create, not what you wish you had.

It is that very thin line between “deciding” and “trying” which will make the difference between achieving a four-pack and achieving a six-pack –- between 12% fat and 6% fat! You will have to avoid negative talk like “I can’t” because you can. You must choose to think positive. Remember that these new dialogues in your head will have no meaning if they are not backed up with action. It is time to start discussing how to back up your new belief system with the right “action”.

TAKE ACTION © Vince Delmonte www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com 2007. All rights reserved.




Chapter 3: THE FAT CUTTING DIET The Calories: Calories are the most important factor in fat loss and the first factor you should sort out. And if you plan on getting shredded, you are going to have to cut your calories and you are going to have to cut them hard. Determining your calories before fancy ratio calculating is more important for a number of reasons: • No ratio has any “magical” fat burning ability. • No ratio will override the law of calorie balance. • No nutrient ratio will prevent you from going into starvation mode if your calories are too low. • No nutrient ratio will prevent you from gaining fat if your calories are too high. • No nutrient ratio will help you gain muscle if your calories are too low. • No single nutrient ratio is “perfect” for everyone because we all have

CUTTING different goals, body types and insulin sensitivities.

Before You Start This Diet...

I cannot stress this point enough. This diet is not for everyone. The diet strategy I am about to share is not easy and only for those who are in one of three categories:

1. You have successfully overshot your goal ripped look by at least 20 pounds. You are satisfied with your bulking process and ready to blow torch the fat. 2. You are currently over 20% body fat (or any unsatisfactory body fat level for yourself) and want to cut fat before you start gaining muscle mass again. 3. It may be only a few months away from summer time and you may have personal motivation to be ripped in the next few months.





I really want to reinforce the first point: If you have not overshot your goal ripped look, then most likely you have not gained a significant amount of muscle to reveal a lean and muscular body. What’s the point of dieting for 3 or 4 months only to have an extra 5 pounds of muscle on your body? If you truly want to look impressive, like someone who is strong and powerful, then you will need to dedicate at least 6-12 months to gaining mass and overshooting your goal ripped look by at least 20 pounds.

Review the Nutrition chapter in No Nonsense Muscle Building:

If you have not mastered the fundamentals shared in the nutrition chapter of my No Nonsense Muscle Building book, then you must go back to the basics and hold off on this get shredded diet. I would suggest following one of my nutrition plans for at least four weeks to move your body into hormonal balance. You might even lose some body fat and gain some muscle mass in the process by simply eating balanced. You should understand that if you have a shaky foundation, then nothing else you do will matter –- your castle will crumble. As Emerson wrote in his essays, “The height of the pinnacle is determined by the breadth of the base.” I know that the fundamentals are boring and not based on any super cool cutting formula like the one I am about to share, but fundamentals are responsible for 80% of your results! It doesn’t make sense to focus on principles that only affect 20% of the final outcome until you have mastered what affects the first 80%.

NUTRITION REVIEW © Vince Delmonte www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com 2007. All rights reserved.




How To Adjust Your Ratios Based On Body Type: Mesomorph You have probably heard that a mesomorph could probably follow any nutrient ratio and still look super shredded and muscular. These are the same guys on the 50-50 diet; 50% McDonald’s and 50% Boston Pizza. They are probably not even reading this book right now because they are gifted enough for almost any approach to work. However, if a gifted mesomorph went with a more balanced approach like 45% carbohydrates, 35% protein and 20% fat (my meal plan ratios), he would get even better results.

Ectomorph The majority of ectomorphs usually are not concerned with body fat, but you might be a rare case that has earned the “Skinny Fat Syndrome”, which is an unwanted pot belly from poor nutritional choices over a consistent period of time. Even during a fat burning phase, ectomorphs should not cut their carbohydrates drastically, if they want to prevent muscle loss and maintain hardness and strength. A diet composed of 45% carbohydrates, 35% protein and 20% fat should be maintained.

Endomorph It’s the endomorph that needs to pay the closest attention to nutrient ratios. Endomorphs are typically insulin resistant and carbohydrate sensitive, so the maintenance of carbohydrate is usually out of the question. A better starting point for the endomorph is to begin their carbohydrates around 45% and gradually decrease them to 10-20% until they reach their target body fat percentage. Trusting Your Instincts… Some people are not going to like this section because they simply want to be told exactly what to do. They want to be told to eat 34.88% protein 12 minutes before they work out, etc. I am not writing this section as a cop-out, but to engage you in the learning process. In the end, I believe that each person already holds the

answers to his or her own questions. You learn the answers by paying close attention to your results and listening to your body.

The idea of adjusting your nutrition plan intuitively will frustrate some left-brained academics, but with few exceptions, academics are usually not the ones with the best bodies! The people who have the best bodies are those living in the real world.





They train hard, eat properly, pay close attention to their results and listen to what their bodies are telling them, despite what the latest textbook says. Don’t be an individual who wants to get spoon fed the answers, without thinking or being involved in the training process. If there were a “perfect” nutrient ratio or “perfect” formula, then you would have probably found it by now. Although I consider my system to be quite effective, it’s not “perfect” and will require you to have the courage to make some unique decisions based on your intuitions. There is no program or ratio combination that you should follow by law. Don’t be afraid to determine what works best for you. Have the confidence to do some “tweaking”. Allow yourself some flexibility in both directions. For example, if you are an ectomorph maintaining 45% carbohydrates and feel that you are “not getting enough”, then increase your carbs and drop your proteins and fats a bit –- and MONITOR the results. If you feel that your carbs are too high at 45% and making you fat, then drop them lower and lower and don’t forget to MONITOR the results. In the

end, the ratios aren’t the “secret” to fat loss –- calories are.

How to Figure Out Calories for Fat Loss…

Bodyweight x 10 = day one, day two, day three calories Bodyweight x 12 = day four calories. Repeat. Cycling your calories (primarily your carbohydrates) is probably the most powerful fat burning strategy on the planet. It claims first place by a mile. The second place system does not even come close. It is the ONLY way to outsmart the body’s star-

vation response when calories and carbs are restricted. Not only do you avoid the negative responses of consistent caloric restriction, but you also gain a series of positive responses.

Cycling your calories has earned various names over the years and is considered the bodybuilder’s and fitness model’s best kept secret. You might hear this system promoted as “carbohydrate cycling”, “zigzag dieting”, “hi-low dieting”, “carbing-up” or “re-feeding”. It is excellent for anyone who has trouble with fat loss or crashing through a plateau.

The best benefit is that it allows you to maximize fat loss without the expense of muscle loss.





This is mainly because your body’s metabolism does not get turned off by going into starvation mode; it is cranked up again right before it figures out it was even going there! This has been the bodybuilder’s and fitness model’s best kept secret for decades and now you know it! Why cycling calories is better than a constant low carb diet… The longer you stay on a low carb diet, the less effective your diet and training becomes on your fat loss goals. Basically, after three or so days of low carbs, your body’s glycogen levels will be almost depleted and you will notice that your training intensity and workout quality will start to suffer and take a beating. You will have very little energy, lose your strength and start noticing that your muscles will “flatten out” and look softer. Your body is smarter than you think and will interpret the low carbohydrates as a threat for survival, so your metabolic rate will slow down and your thyroid gland will slow down and decrease output of thyroid hormone. This is why you need to “mix things up” and keep your body on full alert with a high carb day every 4th day. The only way to lose fat and build muscle at the same time... This question will continue with the ages. Some will scream that building muscle and losing fat is impossible. You can only chase one goal at a time. I agree that choosing one goal is a more effective approach, but let’s consider what happens when alternating high and low carb days. Every fourth day, during the “high carb” day, your energy levels go up, your muscles fill out and become harder, and your metabolic rate catches a spark of lighter fluid to start the fire up again. Mentally, you get a break from all the discipline and staleness of eating low carbs, which can cause some people to break and give up. Unless you have really, really dieted before, you will not understand what I am talking about! The “high carb” day is literally a high day because you can reward yourself for another three-day victory, side step the side effects and have something to look forward to for your discipline. The best part is that you will notice your body getting noticeably leaner with every four-day cycle as your body keeps digging out the fat stores and using the carbohydrates to make you look more ripped. Your metabolic rate will never stop working for you. Most importantly, the high carb day will prevent muscle loss and it may even help you increase small amounts of muscle mass in the process. That is why you have heard of clients losing 15-30 pounds of fat in only three or four months, but also gaining 3 or 4 pounds of muscle. Most likely, whether intentional or not, they were using some form of carbohydrate cycling.





A little tip to emphasize weak body parts during carbohydrate cycling: I always had my high carbohydrate days on Wednesday and Saturday. This does not work perfectly to a 3:1 rotation, but I adapted the principles of cycling to my training program. My two weakest body parts were shoulders and biceps. Shoulders got trained on Wednesday and biceps got trained on Saturday. I made sure that I had my high carbohydrate day on the same days I trained my weakest body parts, so that if any muscle were to make gains during my get shredded diet, it would be my two weakest muscle groups. Adaptation of 3:1 cycling based on body type… Ectomorph: Ultra skinny guys have the greatest chance of losing muscle while cutting, so 3:1 might actually backfire on you. Instead, one high carb day might need to be substituted with 2 or 3 high carb days and then repeat. This will really ensure that no muscle is lost and that you might even make better muscle gains on your high days.

CARB CYCLING Mesomorphs: Naturally muscular guys should suit the 3:1 model perfectly, although the only way to be sure is to test it out and assess the results. An extra day can be added to make the rotation 4:1 or even 5:1. Some mesomorphs, who have a harder time losing fat, could also benefit from a 7:1 rotation. Again, if the high days need to be adjusted, 2 days should do the trick.

Endomorphs: Naturally chubby guys, who have the hardest time losing fat, will benefit the most from stretching out the rotation to a longer cycle such as 7:1 to a maximum of 14:1. If you have a large percentage of fat to lose in a short period of time, then you will have to push your body to its limits to maximize the fat loss. 3:1 will be just too damn slow, so start with a more stretched-out rotation. How Do I Know How to Adjust The Days? Simple. Make sure you are dropping around 1.5 to 3 pounds of

body fat per week. Anything more is not very wise and will result in loss of lean body mass. It will take 3 or 4 weeks to figure out what is working.

Use the mirror and stay in tune with the visual changes of your body. If you are leaning out and looking more muscular, then everything is working perfectly and on track. If you are losing body fat but looking softer, then you need an extra re-feed day or more frequent re-feed days because you might be losing muscle. If you are getting bigger and not losing fat where you need to, then your calories are still too high or you need to lengthen out the break between high and low days.





You Become What You Eat You have probably heard that when you increase your fats for a long enough time, your body begins to depend on fat as a source of energy and learns how to use fat more efficiently. You might hear someone explain that they are on a low carb diet so they can go into “fat burning mode”. You have probably heard the opposite as well. When you eat carbohydrates all day, you go into “sugar burning mode”. This might be true, but there is also a huge negative to staying on a low carb diet for too long.

If you stay on low carbs for too long, then your body forgets what to do when you start eating carbs again. Because you have been in primarily fat burning mode for so long, your body has become lazy and inefficient at burning up carbs for energy. Guess what happens when you start eating them again? You blow up and gain a ton of weight in a short period of time –- sometimes overnight. That is why bodybuilders and fitness models look completely different the day of their show and a week after their show.

How to Calculate Protein Intake Protein will make up at least 30-35% of your caloric intake and 90% of it should come from whole food sources. This is for three main reasons: • Whole food provides more vitamins and minerals and, since your body will be deprived of lots of essential vitamins and minerals with the low calorie diet, you do not want to make the situation worse by using low micronutrient proteins during this hypo-caloric diet. • Whole foods provide more fiber, more substance and therefore more satiety versus supplemental liquid sources. And trust me, you are going to be hungry, so will want to relieve your hunger every chance you get. • Whole food sources have a much higher thermic effect versus most supplemental proteins. Since you will want to maximize your metabolic rate, you cannot afford to base less than 90% of your meals on real food. So What About My Protein Supplements? First, let’s get one thing straight: the supplement industry is a big business. You have been brain washed with fancy terms like cross flow micro-filtration, ion exchange, whey isolates, oligopeptides and tons of other scientific terms that make you think you are missing out on something “magical”. The truth is that if you eat a sufficient amount of whole food in regular eating intervals, it’s not necessary to take in protein supplements to get extraordinary results. © Vince Delmonte www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com 2007. All rights reserved.




The reason you are, and should be, using protein powder is convenience. Protein supplements are simply an easy way to hit your daily protein mark each day, especially if you have trouble getting your protein intake from primarily whole food during bulking phases. During your get shredded diet, you will be taking in fewer calories, so there is no excuse for the convenience factor –- unless you are truly not committed to doing this! Your body’s digestive system was not designed to process liquids all day; it was designed to digest food, making protein supplements an inferior form of protein compared to whole food. How Much Protein to Take The foundation of the get shredded diet is determining your protein intake before anything else. For bodybuilders, one gram per pound of body weight has been the rule of thumb for years –- and it’s very close to the 0.8 grams per pound of body weight recommended in the majority of research. However, this method has a few drawbacks: Does this mean a 250-lb woman with 35% body fat needs to eat 250 grams of protein a day? Of course not. This method would overestimate her protein needs. She should be concerned with fueling her lean body mass, NOT her fat mass as well. A better guideline would be for her to consume 1 gram of protein per pound of LEAN BODY MASS –- not complete body weight. Therefore, 163 grams (250 lbs x 35% body fat = 87.5 fat mass and 250 lbs – 87.5 fat mass = 163.5 lean body mass) would be more appropriate.

The best way to determine protein intake is based on a percentage of total calories. Remember that your caloric intake is your body weight multiplied by 10 for days 1, 2 and 3. And your re-feed day is your body weight multiplied by 12. Once you have determined your number of calories, multiply this number by 35%. This will tell you how many of your daily total calories come from protein. The next step is to divide protein calories by four (there are four calories per gram of protein) and this will leave you with the amount of protein, in grams, which you must eat each day.





Example 1:

You are 200 lbs with 15 % fat Your optimal caloric intake for cutting is 2000 calories (200 lbs x multiple of 10)

2000 calories per day x 35 % = 700 calories a day from protein

700 calories a day / 4 calories / 1 gram = 175 grams of protein per day

You will notice that 175 grams of protein is about the same as if you had calculated your protein intake by simply multiplying your lean body mass of 170 lbs (if you are 200 lbs and 15% fat) by the standard recommendation of 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass. Choosing the Best Fat Burning Proteins

Here is a short primer on choosing the best proteins for fat burning: • Any sort of chicken or turkey should be roasted, grilled or broiled -- not fried. Make sure you remove the skin to avoid the fat and calories. Don’t confuse sliced lunchmeat that is pre-packaged or found in the deli as quality protein. Lunch meats are processed and will not help you get lean and shredded because they are filled with sodium, preservatives, binders, fillers and other unidentified chemicals. If you are Italian like me, having a nice Prosciutto or Mortadella sandwich is inevitable. Just don’t make deli meats a staple in your fat loss diet! • Since the name of the game is to eat the leanest protein possible, you will have to cut back on your egg yolks. This makes egg whites one of the most powerful proteins right after chicken. I recommend one egg yolk for every six egg whites. Whether you use pre-packaged egg whites, or simply break the egg and separate the yolk, is up to you. Personally, I stopped using the pre-packaged egg whites as I got closer to contest time to eliminate the extra sodium. • Do not limit your fish intake to simply tuna. Not only is it potentially unhealthy (because of the mercury), but it also does not allow you to digest any good fats that come from salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring and trout. Make sure you include a variety of fish, since they are very high in protein and provide a nice diversion from eggs and chicken! Avoid fish that is high in calorie-drenched sauces and butter and stick to fish that is broiled, grilled and baked.





• Not all meat is created equal. A lot of red meat has got a bad rap because it’s high in fat, but choosing the leanest cut of red meat can provide high amounts of protein, B-12, iron and creatine. Always trim the fat unless you are on your anniversary date at your favorite restaurant! • What about dairy products you are asking? Personally, I cut my dairy for 12 weeks in preparation for my first show and that is when I came in the most ripped. I found that dairy slowed my progress because of the lactose (sugar) and caused my lower abs to hold water. If you are going to use dairy, limit it to “fat free”, “skim” or 1% low fat. Anything else is out of the question. I consider dairy a “combination” food because it has proteins and carbs in it. I always count it as a carb, and then simply consider the protein an “extra bonus”.

Here is the list: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Chicken Egg whites Fish Lean red meat Cottage cheese How Many Carbohydrates to Take

Equally important as protein intake is carbohydrate intake. This can become a very complicated and confusing topic because each person responds to carbohydrates differently. Let’s begin with a baseline and progress to individualization:

My personal rule of thumb for getting shredded is to initially keep your carbohydrate intake equal to your protein intake –- 35% or 1 gram of carbohydrate per gram of lean body mass. As you noticed in the protein example, these recommendations work out to be about equal. So a 200 lb man with 15% body fat will begin with a carbohydrate intake of 175 grams of carbohydrate per day and decrease them in a linear fashion every 1-3 weeks. So far we have used a 1:1 ratio of protein to carbohydrates. Decreasing your carbs will be discussed shortly.





Carbohydrate Timing There are two methods for timing your carbohydrates: 1. Spreading out your carbs equally between each meal. This is considered very straight forward and will yield average to slightly above average results, since your body will be in hormonal balance. 2. Timing your carbohydrates for when your body deserves them. This will require a little more planning, but the results will be the most powerful for revealing your most ripped and muscular physique, because you will be manipulating your body’s fat loss and muscle building hormones accordingly. Another argument for building muscle and losing fat at the same time: I have found the second method, from personal experience, to be the most effective way to maximize muscle gains while losing fat at the same time. And if you do not notice an actual increase in muscle mass, you will surely not lose any muscle you already have by using this method. Consider carbohydrates as your primary source of gasoline. However, for this particular car, you only require gas in the tank when you are going for a drive or need to refuel (aka during a workout or during recovery). Nothing more and nothing less. At all other times of the day, you want the tank empty, so that you are burning fat.

This method teaches you to eat carbs at a few critical times in the day where they will be most required for energy and muscle building. Only when you deserve them! At all other times of the day, they are off limits. It’s very cut and dried. So what are these windows when I can eat carbs? • Breakfast –- 25 % carbohydrates • Within 1 to 1.5 hours before your workout –- 25% carbohydrates • Within 1 to 1.5 hours after your workout –- 25 % carbohydrates • The remaining 3-4 meals in your day will split the remaining 25% evenly. All other times of the day are off limits. Notice that these three times are when your body will be either depleted of energy or will be ready for energy (and a slight combination of both situations).





Nutrient timing works extremely effectively for pure ectomorphs and mesomorphs because your body will perform better with energy and will ensure you protect and enhance your well-earned muscle mass. For endomorphs, this situation could be customized by maintaining a more balanced carb intake during the majority of the day, as they might not need to rely on nutrient timing as much. Since the majority of endomorphs have the hardest time digging into their fat stores, they do not want the insulin spikes caused by nutrient timing –-particularly because this is time taken away from fat burning. How to Decrease Carbs Ideally, if you can lose a consistent 1-2 lbs of fat per week without having to drop your carbs, then you are golden! This means you have hit the jackpot and can enjoy the constant progress to the finish line. However, for most, this will be the exception and not the rule. If you are not dropping body fat at the rate you wish (don’t aim to lose more then 1% of your fat per week), here is your game plan:

Decrease your carbohydrates 25 grams every 1-3 weeks. For the majority of people, it will take anywhere from 4-16 weeks to bring you down to zero carbohydrate intake. However, I never want you to take in less than 50 grams of carbohydrates a day. This is the lowest you should ever go. Here is an example:

Weeks Weeks Weeks Weeks Weeks

1-3: 175 grams 4-6: 150 grams 7-9: 125 grams 10-12: 100 grams 13-15: 75 grams

It should not be necessary to go below 75 or 50 grams of carbohydrates a day. Although some fitness models and bodybuilders do this, in my opinion it’s because of poor planning and being uneducated. If you need to drop your carbs below these marks, then you are not maximizing the intensity in your weight training and cardio workouts. Even if you are a pure endomorph, and the body fat is moving slowly, do not cut your carbohydrates below 50 total grams a day (particularly to avoid ketosis). I simply do not think it is necessary or healthy to eliminate your carbs completely. Zero is never a good place to be.





Choosing the Best Fat Burning Carbohydrates Here are the criteria that I use to classify a carbohydrate as optimal for fat burning: • Low glycemic foods, which means they leak a steady stream of energy slowly into your muscles, avoiding insulin spikes that can cause fat storage. • Abundant in fiber, that will help suppress the appetite by making you feel fuller longer. High fiber foods slow the absorption of sugar that will help depress insulin levels and have a powerful impact on lowering cholesterol levels. • Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals and the antioxidant power to combat oxidative stress and free radical damage. They are also loaded with fiber and water which will make you feel fuller, and most importantly, contain all the vitamins and minerals essential for the cellular processes that lead to fat being burnt off your darn pot belly!

Here is the list: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Oatmeal Brown Rice Yams Vegetables Whole-Wheat Pasta Mixed Beans Fruits

What about Liquid Carbohydrates before and after My Workout? The better question to ask is this: Will eating high glycemic carbs, such as dextrose or some sport drink (Gatorade or Powerade), get you closer to your goals of getting ripped or farther away?

I assume that you understand that sugary carbs cause an insulin spike that leads to fat storage. Knowing this fact should motivate you to avoid any wasted minute in the day where you are not in fat burning mode. The only problem with the liquid carb drink before and after your workout is that you will no longer be in fat burning mode. If you magnify this situation by 4-5 x a week (every time you train with weights), on top of twelve to sixteen weeks of dieting, that is a lot of time that could have been used to melt fat and get you to your goals sooner.





So for your fat burning phase, eliminate all of your high glycemic carbs and substitute your post workout protein shake with some cooked oatmeal. It’s not the best tasting but at least you can get a quick source of carbs that will not mess with your insulin levels and will keep your body in fat burning mode. This is the same strategy that all my fitness model competitors and I use during our cutting phase and it has worked time and time again. Use Common Sense It’s amazing how many people make fat loss more complicated than it really is. Asking questions, reading more and more, and consulting every expert in the area is NOT going to get you closer to your goals. It won’t get you ripped. What will get you ripped is taking the information you already know and implementing it in your daily 24-hour schedule! Here is another example where the 80/20 rule applies. 80% of your results will come from 20% of your knowledge. Test this principle out in action and you will be blown away! It’s unbelievable how many emails I get each day from individuals who are simply afraid to make their own decision. In my opinion, you already know the answer to your question, but don’t have the confidence to make a decision and then take responsibility for that decision. It is rarely a lack of knowledge that

prevents people from sticking to their diet, but a lack of commitment, discipline and planning. One of the most common questions I get is: “Well, what about this food...?” My reply is usually: “Use common sense. Will this item get you closer to your goals or farther from your goals? Don’t use foods that got you fat in the first place and if you are unsure, simply avoid it. It’s that simple.” Now here is my famous list of foods that you should avoid at all cost: • Anything packaged in a box • Chips • Cookies • Ice cream and milk shakes • Processed meat (i.e. sausage) • Packaged deli meat • Breads and bagels • Donuts and pastries • Sodas • Juices • Chocolate and candy • Coffee with cream and sugar © Vince Delmonte www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com 2007. All rights reserved.




• Sauces • Weight gain shakes • Condiments like ketchup, mayo, relish etc • Meal replacement bars • Anything deep fried • Anything fast food • Alcohol How to Determine Your Fat Intake It is easy to determine your fat intake based on the process of elimination. Carbohydrates have accounted for 35% of your intake and proteins have accounted for 35% of your intake. That leaves us with a remainder of 30% for healthy fat intake. Let’s consider our 200 lbs male at 15% fat again. 200 lbs x 0.30 fat mass = 600 calories then 600 calories / 9 calories per gram = 67 grams of fat per day or 11 grams of fat per meal (based on six meals a day) Unless you are still living in the 80’s with the anti-fat campaign, you will be fully aware that some fats protect against heart disease, inflammation within the body, free radical damage, and can even increase the metabolic rate. On top of all that, a healthy dose of good fat can increase muscle mass by increasing the production of the king of all hormones –- testosterone!

How to Choose Your Fat Intake 1/3 of your meals = Saturated fat 1/3 of your meals = Polyunsaturated fat (balanced between omega 3’s and omega 6’s) 1/3 of your meals = Monounsaturated fat Here is a practical application of the above recommendations: Meals 1 and 4 --> Coconut oil, beef or dairy (large percentage of saturated fat) Meals 2 and 5 --> Mixed nuts, natural peanut butter or olive oil (large percent age of monounsaturated fat) Meals 3 and 6 --> Fish oil or flax seed oil (large percentage of polyunsaturated fats)





Additional Tricks and Tips to Maximize Your Get Shredded Diet: 1. As an ectomorph, I found it beneficial to increase my fats and proteins while decreasing my carbohydrates. Personally, I did not feel strong or healthy when I was eating less then 2000 calories per day. So, instead of letting my overall calories sink and sink (because of the carb depletion), I increased my fats and protein to make up for the decrease. If you begin at 35% carb intake and start to drop it to 30%, 25% and 20% etc, I would suggest increasing your protein and/or your fats at the same time, in order to maintain 100% intake. So if your carb intake is down to 20%, your fat intake should be 40% and your protein intake should be 40%. This will ensure you still have the same amount of energy coming into your body. It will also allow your body to use fat as the primary source of fuel for almost everything you do because it will become your more dominant fuel source. The extra fats will also provide you energy, so you can function normally and not feel like a zombie! 2. Slowly eliminate all sugars. This strategy should only be done for a short-term situation, like preparing for a photo shoot or bodybuilding competition. Whenever I compete for a fitness show, I have gotten my best results when I have eliminated my dairy and fruits completely, since they are sugars. Yes, I know, this is not extremely healthy, but consider that I am only doing this for about the last 4-6 weeks, which is a small sacrifice to finally reveal everything hidden under that body fat! If you can get your body fat down to 6% without cutting your sugars completely, then by all means go for it. More power to you. However, if you have never seen what your stomach looks like shredded, then this strategy might be necessary. If someone says: “you’re crazy” or “that’s stupid”, simply remind them “it’s only 4 weeks of my life!” It’s actually not that bad if you are supplementing properly, which will be discussed shortly. 3. Veggies are considered a free food. That means you can literally eat as much as you want. I have never met somebody who has gotten fat on too many vegetables. Vegetables will control your appetite, provide a lot of fiber, control your insulin levels and provide vitamins and minerals critical for the fat burning process. Therefore, when you are dropping your carbohydrates, keep veggies out of the equation. You should aim for at least 1-3 cups of cooked veggies each meal, which works out to about 5-15 grams of carbs. Since most veggies are almost calorie-less (one big red pepper has only 25 calories in it), have no fear of veggies ruining your chance of a six-pack! 4. Maintain a very high water intake. It is extremely critical that you super hydrate your body. If you are drinking anything less then 4 liters of water a day, you will make your fat loss quest like moving icebergs! Here is what I do: © Vince Delmonte www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com 2007. All rights reserved.




Set out a 4-liter jug of water each day and pour all your fluids from it. Your goal is to have the jug empty by the end of the day. It will become a powerful visual tool to reveal how much water you are actually drinking. If it’s not done before you go to bed, drink up, and as your punishment for not drinking evenly throughout the day, you get a long night running to the bathroom! 5. Eat the same foods over and over. I know this does not sound exciting, but it works. Do not use gourmet recipes or have aspirations of becoming a master chef to motivate you during this strict dieting period. Simply create your plan, follow it and you will get results. That will be enough to motivate you through the tough days. The biggest advantage about eating the same foods is that it involves little food preparation. Because you can cook in bulk, it is easy to monitor food intake and calories. I guarantee you that the majority of people who are ripped and shredded eat the same foods over and over! 6. Avoid diet pitfalls and “break-downs”. If you have never dieted before with a carbohydrate-restricted plan, it’s quite an experience. I don’t know anybody who claims it to be “easy”. In fact, it might be the most difficult task you set out to do in your entire life. No matter what, there will be times (more than once!) that you will be at the end of your rope and ready to give in to the next donut you see! There will be times when a salty bag of chips will look like winning the lottery! There will be times when you drive past a pizza parlor and will be willing to trade in your first born for just one slice! There will be times when a plate of nachos, wings and beer will be worth taking a 50% pay cut next year!

The only way you will make it out of these situations alive is if you plan ahead. Plan ahead that YOU WILL NOT CHEAT! It really comes down to being truly committed to your goals and making the right decision before you’re in the bad situation. It will also take a few victories to boost your confidence. This will create a strong momentum that you will strive to maintain -- especially as you start seeing your discipline and willpower paying off in the shape of a beach-worthy body! 7. Create your own meal plan. What?! You’re not going to tell me exactly what to eat? Not exactly. Below you will find a sample meal plan. I have never had success simply copying someone else’s meal plan. Instead, I have provided a template to work from. After you have calculated how many calories, proteins, carbs and fats you require,





you will need to determine which foods equal those amounts. For example, if you need 25 grams of protein for each meal, your job is to figure out how many eggs, how many chicken breasts, etc you need for 25 grams. You will have to do this for all of your carbs and fats as well. The good news is that you only need to do this once because you will be eating a lot of the same foods over and over. Since dieting is such an individualized and challenging process, it is very important that you choose foods that suit your preferences. And as you need to cut your calories, it will be easy to increase or decrease everything incrementally, in small units.





The Sample Meal Plan MEAL 1: Pre-Cardio Supplements:

-Weight Training Workout-

1 scoop protein powder, BCAA, Glutamine, Creatine

MEAL 5: Post Workout Shake

-Cardio WorkoutMEAL 2: Oatmeal Pancake, Veggies 1 egg yolk and 6 egg whites 1 cup of oatmeal 1 scoop of natural peanut butter 1 cup of veggies on the side + Post-Cardio Supplements: BCAA, Glutamine, Creatine + Multi-Vitamin, Greens Optional: Extra Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin B, Digestive Enzymes, Fish Oils MEAL 3: Cottage Cheese and Nuts 1 cup of cottage cheese 1 handful of mixed nuts MEAL 4: Chicken, Brown Rice, Veggies 2 chicken breasts 1 cup of brown rice 1 teaspoon of olive oil 2 cups of veggies

2 scoops of protein powder 1 cup of cooked oatmeal + Post-Weight Training Supplements: BCAA, Glutamine, Creatine MEAL 6: Fish & Veggies 2 salmon steaks 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 cups of veggies + Multi-Vitamin, Greens Optional: Extra Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin B, Digestive Enzymes, Fish Oils MEAL 7: Egg Omelet 1 egg and 6 egg whites 2 cups of veggies 1 teaspoon of olive oil Optional: ZMA, Digestive Enzymes, Fish Oils

+ Multi-Vitamin, Greens Optional: Extra Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin B, Digestive Enzymes, Fish Oils





Chapter 4: THE FAT CUTTING TRAINING PROGRAM

You asked for it and now you’ve got it. Over the next few pages, I am about to reveal the exact training system I used to lose over 25 lbs of fat when I got ready for my first fitness model show. Some of you know that even though my website is geared towards skinny guys and my major obstacle in life was gaining weight, I will embarrassingly admit that I slacked off a few years ago and earned Skinny Fat Guy Syndrome. I didn’t think it was possible, but after a summer of too much pizza, wings, nachos and beer I looked like this. Not a pretty sight...

It was that winter when I decided to shed all the unwanted fat and see what it was like to go from muscle building mode to fat burning mode. I wanted to add to my resume that I was qualified to help chubby guys lose fat as well. I can’t stand fitness experts who talk about fat loss but are fat themselves. I can’t stand listening to a muscle-building expert who does not look the part. That is why I decided to enter a fitness competition that judged me primarily on my physique. For those of you who don’t know, fitness modeling is very similar to bodybuilding, but you do not need to be as massive or muscular. You also don’t need to wear those tiny





Speedos! The judges are looking more for those bodies that make the cover of Men’s Health. They are looking for leaner and more muscular physiques that would be more appealing and attainable to the general public. The physiques that the ladies go crazy for and the physiques that the guys get jealous over! To make a long story short, I started out at a chubby and soft 195 lbs with a body fat percentage of about 18%. Over the course of 5 months, I leaned down to 171 lbs and a body fat percentage of 6% on the day of the show.





A few of my friends thought I looked a little on the ??? side and there are a few things I would change when I compete again. However, the point is that I did lose 25 pounds of body fat and added 1 pound of muscle.

This proves that even ectomorphs can diet down without losing any muscle. Here are some of the pictures with my girlfriend at the time and some friends.









The Theory behind the Program The secret to looking more muscular is to develop the muscles that give the illusion of power and size. Let’s consider movie stars who have to prepare for a super hero movie. Brad Pitt in Troy is an excellent example. Despite being only 155 lbs in the movie, his extreme muscle definition made him look much more impressive. Another example is Ryan Reynolds in Blade III. He said he put on 20-22 pounds in two months for that role, but what most people noticed was how ripped he appeared.

I adapt a very unique approach to training while cutting. It’s based on the concept that your body has a limited capacity to adapt to stress because of the low calorie intake. So in the short run, focusing on certain muscle groups will allow you to gain more size on those muscles than if you were to train all the body equally. So which muscles create the illusion of power and size? If you ever watch an action movie like Batman, Spiderman or Gladiator, you will notice that the most dominant muscles that stand out on these “super heroes” are broad shoulders and back, thick traps and then a full chest. So we could say the most important area is the scapular belt, specifically the shoulders, upper chest and traps. Arms would come in a close second, while upper back would be third in importance. That being said, I have divided your cutting program into a sixteen-week block that





allows you to specialize on certain muscles every four weeks.

Weeks Weeks Weeks Weeks

1-4: Lateral head of the Shoulders and Traps 4-8: Arms 8-12: Chest/Back 12-16: Shoulders

Of course, you will be training all of your muscles each week and have one day in each week specifically dedicated to legs to provide optimal hormonal advantage (but at a lowered work volume compared to the muscles of focus). You will also be training your abdominals two times a week. I am assuming that you have been gaining muscle for the past 6-12 months using Undulating Periodization, Giant Sets and Crash Sets. You have successfully overshot your goal ripped look by 20-30 pounds. Just to remind you, if your goal is to become a ripped 175 lbs at 6% body fat, then you will need to bulk up to at least 200 lbs before you start this cutting program. And if your goal is to be a ripped 200 lbs, then you will need to bulk up to at least 225-230 lbs before you start this cutting program. Some of you might have ordered this program because you are currently overweight and unsatisfied with your body fat percentage. No problem. Simply follow the same program below before you start adding muscle mass.





Without further ado, here is the 16-week Fat Cutting Program! Week #

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

1-4 Weight Training

A Shoulders/ Traps

B Legs/ Arms

C Traps/ Shoulders

1-4 Cardio Training

30-40 Minutes Low-Med



20-30 H.I.I.T


Week #

Monday

Tuesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

4-8 Weight Training

A Biceps/ Triceps

B Chest/ Back

4-8 Cardio Training



Week #

Monday

Tuesday

8-12 Weight Training

A Chest/ Back

B Legs/ Shoulders

8-12 Cardio Training



Week #

Monday

Tuesday


A Shoulders/ Traps

B Legs/ Arms




Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

D Chest/ back

Sunday

C Triceps/ Biceps

D Legs/ Shoulders

20-30 Minutes H.I.I.T




Wednesday

Thursday

Saturday

Sunday

Friday

C Chest/ Back

D Biceps/ Triceps





Wednesday

Thursday

Saturday

Sunday

20-30 H.I.I.T


Friday

C Traps/ Shoulders

D Chest/ back



20-30 H.I.I.T




***Special Tips • The bottom line is RESULTS! I can’t stress this enough. If you can drop 1-2 lbs of fat each week with only 4 days of cardio, then do it! If you are not dropping, you will have to add more cardio as shown. If you feel you get better results with interval cardio versus low-medium intensity cardio, then do it! The above program is a solid template to work from, but don’t be afraid to make your own adaptations based on your own knowledge and experiences with your self. • I would recommend having your high carb days on the specialization days. For example, during the shoulder/trap specialization phase, plan your re-feed day on the Monday and Thursday. I know this is not 3 days exactly, but the main principle is cycling in some sort of fashion. • Cardio increases in duration by 5-10 minutes every 4 weeks. This ensures that if you plateau, you still have somewhere to go and you don’t get stuck. And you will notice the workout frequency for cardio uses a linear progression increasing from 4 days a week to six days a week. You will also notice that the H.I.I.T. is scheduled on days separate from your weight training. These workouts are the most intense and glutes deserve their own day. • Your goal is to lose 1 % of fat per week. So a 300 lb man will aim to lose 3 lbs per week; a 200 lb man will aim to lose 2 lbs a week etc. For most, this means losing on average 1-2 lbs of fat each week. Step on the scale each week to ensure you are dropping. If you are dropping perfectly, then simply keep doing what you did the previous week as far as cardio workouts. • Low intensity cardio is designed to burn fat. These workouts are not designed to improve your conditioning (although they may for some) but simply to increase energy expenditure. Your best source of cardio is walking on an incline or doing the stair climber. Some sort of activity that targets your gluts and thighs that will maximize the most calories being burnt. • Continue to train heavy during your weight training sessions. Do not mentally “relax” during your workouts just because you are cutting. Still train with the same intensity as your bulking phase. • Separate your cardio workouts as far away as possible from your weight training workouts. For example, do your weight training workouts in the middle of the day and do your cardio workouts early in the morning or late in the evening. If this is not possible, have your workout shake after your weights and then perform your cardio immediately after your weights. • High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T.) can be done with sprinting, cycling, © Vince Delmonte www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com 2007. All rights reserved.




swimming, rowing or skipping. I recommend a workout based on 5-10 minutes of warming up and cooling down and then 5-10 x 60 second intervals at 90% effort with a 60 sec rest. Or 10-20 x 30 sec intervals at 90% effort with 30 sec rest. The focus on these workouts is SPEED and INTENSITY. Only increase the reps if your speed can increase accordingly. • Use Crash Sets and Giant Set as the rep and set protocol for muscle groups trained in during the Specialization phases. If this is the formula you used to gain muscle, it will be the same formula you use to keep muscle. • Use the 5 x 5 rep and set protocol and a mini Giant Set (super set) for the muscles that are being “maintained” during each phase. This combination will maintain strength and size by stimulating the fast and slow twitch muscle fibers.





Week #

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

1-4 Weight Training

A Shoulders/ Traps

B Legs/ Arms

C Traps/ Shoulders

1-4 Cardio Training




Friday

Saturday

Sunday

D Chest/ back 20-30 H.I.I.T


Workout A (Monday) Shoulder/Traps Order A B1 B2 B3 C D1 D2 D3

Exercise DB Shoulder Press Upright Rows Incline Lateral Raises Standing Lateral Raises Military Press

Sets 1

Reps Crash Set

Tempo 211

3 3

7-10 7-10

211 211

Rest 2-3 minutes -

3

7-10

211

60

1

Crash Set

211

Barbell Shrugs Wide Grip Barbell Shrugs Behind Back Barbell Shrugs Close Grip

3

7-10

211

2-3 minutes -

3

7-10

211

-

3

7-10

211

60





Workout B (Tuesday) Legs/Arms Order A

Exercise Back Squats

Sets 5

Reps 5

Tempo 211

B1 B2 C

Lying Leg Curl Lunges Barbell Curls

2 2 5

7-10 7-10 5

211 211 211

C1 C2

Incline Curls Preacher Curls Decline Close Grip Press Decline Skull Crushers

2 2

7-10 7-10

211 211

5

5

211

2

7-10

211

2-3 minutes -

Rope Pressdowns

2

7-10

200

60

D D1

D2

Rest 2-3 minutes 60 2-3 minutes 60

Workout C (Thursday) Shoulder/Traps Order A

Exercise Barbell Shrugs

Sets 1

Reps Crash Set

Tempo 211

B1

Barbell Shrugs Wide Grip Barbell Shrugs Behind Back

3

7-10

211

Rest 2-3 minutes -

3

7-10

211

-

Barbell ShrugsClose Grip Standing Military Press Bent Over Lateral Raises Seated Lateral Raises Seated Front Raises

3

7-10

211

60

1

Crash Set

211

3

7-10

211

2-3 minutes -

3

7-10

211

-

3

7-10

211

60

B2

B3

C D1 D2 D3





Workout D (Saturday) Chest/Back Order A B1 B2 C D1 D2

Exercise Incline Bench Press Incline DB Chest Press Cable Flys

Sets 5

Reps 5

Tempo 211

2

7-10

211

Rest 2-3 minutes -

2

7-10

211

60

Bent Over Rows Chin Ups Close Grip Seated Rows

5

5

211

2 2

7-10 7-10

211 211

2-3 minutes 60





Week #

Monday

Tuesday

4-8 Weight Training

A Biceps/ Triceps

B Chest/ Back

4-8 Cardio Training



Wednesday

Thursday


Friday

Saturday

Sunday

C Triceps/ Biceps

D Legs/ Shoulders




Workout A (Monday) Biceps/Triceps Order A

Exercise Barbell Curls

Sets 1

Reps Crash Set

Tempo 211

Rest 60

B1 B2

Incline Curls Hammer Curls

3 3

7-10 7-10

211 211

-

B3

Preacher Curls Close Grips Presses Dips Decline Skull Crushers Rope Pressdowns

3

7-10

211

60

1

Crash Set

211

3 3

7-10 7-10

211 211

2-3 minutes -

3

7-10

211

60

C D1 D2 D3

Workout B (Tuesday) Chest/Back Order A B1 B2 C C1 C2


Sets 5

Reps 5

Tempo 211

2

7-10

211

Rest 2-3 minutes -

2

7-10

211

60


5

5

211

2 2

7-10 7-10

211 211

2-3 minutes 60





Workout C (Thursday) Biceps/Triceps Order A B1 B2 B3 C D1 D2 D3

Exercise Close Grips Presses Dips

Sets 1

Reps Crash Set

Tempo 211

3

7-10

211

Rest 2-3 minutes -

Decline Skull Crushers Rope Pressdowns Barbell Curls Incline Curls Hammer Curls Preacher Curls

3

7-10

211

-

3

7-10

211

60

1 3 3 3

Crash Set 7-10 7-10 7-10

211 211 211 211

60 60

Rest 2-3 minutes 60

Workout D (Saturday) Shoulders/Legs Order A B1 B2 C D1 D2

Exercise DB Shoulder Press Upright Rows Incline Lateral Raises Back Squats

Sets 5

Reps 5

Tempo 211

2 2

7-10 7-10

211 211

5

5

211

Lying Leg Curls Lunges

2

7-10

211

2-3 minutes -

2

7-10

211

60





Week #

Monday

Tuesday


A Chest/ Back

B Legs/ Shoulders




Wednesday

Thursday


Friday

Saturday

C Chest/ Back

D Biceps/ Triceps



Sunday


Workout A (Monday) Chest/Back Order A

Exercise Bench Press

Sets 1

Reps Crash Set

Tempo 211

B1

DB Chest Press Cable Flys

3

7-10

211

Rest 2-3 minutes -

3

7-10

211

-

Decline Bench Press Bent Over Rows Close Grip Chin Ups Reverse DB Flys Seated Row

3

7-10

211

60

1

Crash Set

211

3

7-10

211

2-3 minutes -

3

7-10

211

-

3

7-10

211

60

B2 B3 C D1 D2 D3





Workout B (Tuesday) Legs/Shoulders Order A


Sets 5

Reps 5

Tempo 211

B1

Lying Leg Curls Lunges DB Shoulder Press Upright Rows Incline Lateral Raises

2

7-10

211

2 5

7-10 5

211 211

2 2

7-10 7-10

211 211

B2 C D1 D2


Workout C (Thursday) Back/Chest Order A B1 B2 B3 C D1 D2 D3

Exercise Bent Over Rows Close Grip Chin Ups Reverse DB Flys Seated Row Bench Press

Sets 1

Reps Crash Set

Tempo 211

3

7-10

211

Rest 2-3 minutes -

3

7-10

211

-

3 1

7-10 Crash Set

211 211

DB Chest Press Cable Flys

3

7-10

211

60 2-3 minutes -

3

7-10

211

-

Decline Bench Press

3

7-10

211

60





Workout D (Saturday) Biceps/Triceps Order A

Exercise Barbell Curls

Sets 5

Reps 5

Tempo 211

B1 B2

Incline Curls Preacher Curls

2 2

7-10 7-10

211 211

C

Decline Close Grip Press Decline Skull Crushers Rope Pressdowns

5

5

211

2

7-10

211

2-3 minutes -

2

7-10

211

60

D1 D2


Rest 2-3 minutes 60




Week #

Monday

Tuesday


A Shoulders/ Traps

B Legs/ Arms




Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

C Traps/ Shoulders

D Chest/ back



20-30 H.I.I.T

Sunday

20-30 H.I.I.T

Workout A (Monday) Shoulder/Traps Order A B1 B2 B3 C D1 D2 D3

Exercise DB Shoulder Press Upright Rows Incline Lateral Raises Standing Lateral Raises Military Press

Sets 1

Reps Crash Set

Tempo 211

3 3

7-10 7-10

211 211

Rest 2-3 minutes -

3

7-10

211

60

1

Crash Set

211

Barbell Shrugs Wide Grip Barbell Shrugs Behind Back Barbell Shrugs Close Grip

3

7-10

211

2-3 minutes -

3

7-10

211

-

3

7-10

211

60





Workout B (Tuesday) Legs/Arms Order A


Sets 5

Reps 5

Tempo 211

B1 B2 C

Lying Leg Curl Lunges Barbell Curls

2 2 5

7-10 7-10 5

211 211 211

C1 C2

Incline Curls Preacher Curls Decline Close Grip Press Decline Skull Crushers

2 2

7-10 7-10

211 211

5

5

211

2

7-10

211

2-3 minutes -

Rope Pressdowns

2

7-10

200

60

D D1

D2


Workout C (Thursday) Shoulder/Traps Order A

Exercise Barbell Shrugs

Sets 1

Reps Crash Set

Tempo 211

B1

Barbell Shrugs Wide Grip Barbell Shrugs Behind Back

3

7-10

211

Rest 2-3 minutes -

3

7-10

211

-

Barbell ShrugsClose Grip Standing Military Press Bent Over Lateral Raises Seated Lateral Raises Seated Front Raises

3

7-10

211

60

1

Crash Set

211

3

7-10

211

2-3 minutes -

3

7-10

211

-

3

7-10

211

60

B2

B3

C D1 D2 D3





Workout D (Saturday) Chest/Back Order A B1 B2 C D1 D2


Sets 5

Reps 5

Tempo 211

2

7-10

211

Rest 2-3 minutes -

2

7-10

211

60


5

5

211

2 2

7-10 7-10

211 211

2-3 minutes 60





Chapter 5: THE FAT CUTTING SUPPLEMENTATION PLAN The primary reason for supplementation during a cutting phase is to fill in the nutritional gaps from a lower intake of nutrients and calories. This will prevent brain fog and you will keep your muscle mass intact. This supplementation strategy or protocol has been backed up by my own personal experience when competing and has been used by dozens of athletes and fellow competitors. Although I cannot guarantee these supplements will prevent even an ounce of muscle loss and a degree of strength, I can promise that they will help give you the best experience and help minimize the strength and muscle losses that could potentially occur.

So here are the supplements I recommend during your cutting phase: The Muscle Mass Saviors: BCAA, Glutamine, Creatine All three of these supplements will help you maintain your strength and muscle fullness. They will also help maintain your aerobic and anaerobic energy systems, so that you don’t feel like a walking zombie throughout the day and in the gym. I personally found that my muscles felt flatter whenever I dieted without these supplements. You will notice my recommended dosages appear to be slightly higher than most recommendations, but these were the numbers that appeared to work best. If you weigh less than 200 lbs: Take 5 grams of BCAA, 5 grams of glutamine and 2.5 grams of creatine 4 times per day. Take one serving of each before your workout and one serving after your workout. You will take the other two servings between meals at any other time in the day. If you are training 2 times per day, plan to take your supplements before and after your cardio workout and then before and after your weight-training workout.

SUPPLEMENTS If you weigh more than 200 lbs:

Take 10 grams of BCAA, 10 grams of glutamine and 5 grams of creatine 4 times per day. Apply the same timing principles as above.





As far as brands, refer to my Recommend Supplements link in the Customer Home page. I like Ultimate Nutrition’s BCAA product and Creapure product. As long as your creatine is powdered and certified by Creapure, you’re good to go.

The Nutrient Providers Greens product Considering you are taking low calories and low nutrients to begin with, it is very important that you counteract the loss of vital nutrients from your calorie-restricted diet with a balanced Greens product. Because of the mineral content in commercial farmlands, and the effects of food preparation and cooking, you are left with about 50% nutritional value in your food. If there is any time to supplement with a balanced Greens product, it is now. This is a vital addition to your cutting regimen, to ensure that your body can burn fat from the inside out. Multi Vitamin By now, you must know that you should be taking a high quality multivitamin and mineral supplement for the rest of your life. I don’t need to remind you that it is very hard to get all your recommended vitamins and minerals when you’re not in an energy restricted state, so this is just more reason to put your multi on high priority. I would even suggest that you increase your dosage to three times per day. Just like you eat in frequency, you should take your vitamins and minerals in frequency, because these nutrients are eliminated from your body every 3-4 hours. Even though the dietary plan you will be following has an assortment of vitamins and minerals, I would like to see you to take an additional Vitamin E, Vitamin C, B-Complex and ZMA supplement. These will ensure that you avoid any potential dietary deficiencies. I know that some of you are saying: “well, I’ll just eat more vegetables because I don’t want to take all of those extras”. No problem. Just realize that the supplements will put your body in the most optimal fat burning state possible. You will not know if you are missing any gaps because of nutrient deficiencies in your food without these supplements. Another benefit is that your sleep quality will improve dramatically, setting up hormonal advantages for fat loss.





CLOSING COMMENTS

You are now one step closer to reaching your world-class fitness body! I applaud you for reading this far because a large percentage of the population invest in fitness information products and never even read them. I am pleased that you are not one of these people. However, the journey is only beginning. A map to a treasure chest is worth nothing if you don’t set sail! The same with this program. The power of this knowledge is not the knowledge itself, but what happens when you apply this knowledge and take action! I urge you to become a new person by action and habit. And I urge you to start TODAY! Not tomorrow, not next week or next year. Start TODAY! I want you to start writing out your meal plan. I want you to go shopping for food today. I want you to print off the training program. I want you get your butt to the gym today! I want you to order your supplements today. I want you to take an intentional step in the next direction. JUST START MOVING! I did not write this information because I was bored one day or to impress you with my knowledge. My goal is to see you develop the body you have always wanted and to prove to yourself that any transformation is possible if you are truly committed and prepared to take action! You now have all the tools and information you need to achieve a leaner, healthier, more muscular and attractive body. So don’t wait! Although competing at six percent body fat was one of the most exciting and rewarding days of my life, it was not the best part. Yes, being there with all the other competitors and walking on stage and knowing that I belonged was a huge satisfaction and high, but it did not beat the actual journey of getting there! So enjoy the journey. Your commitment will be tested daily. Your beliefs will be hammered by temptations. Your body will be beaten by the constant workouts. Your mind will tell you to stop. Your friends will think you’re crazy. But remember, EVERY DAY IS WORTH IT! I made this manual like a road map. I was not interested in writing another fat loss manual with pages upon pages of academic research and the physiological reasoning behind everything. I had no interest in paralyzing you with so much information that you get overwhelmed. I wanted to provide you with real world practical information. Have confidence in this program. Trust this program. Trust me and trust yourself. Do not look for short cuts. Do not try a different program three weeks from now. Do not second-guess yourself because of something else you heard. Follow the program and you will start seeing results which will accelerate your motivation to continue staying focused one day at a time! © Vince Delmonte www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com 2007. All rights reserved.




Be patient and do it the way I have shown you. Your hard work WILL pay off! The best news is that you do not have to attack this battle on your own. I will stay in contact with you with my newsletters and broadcast emails. You can always get in touch with me by emailing me at: [email protected]. Make sure you save my email to your Safe List so I don’t get put in your junk folder! And please do me a favor by staying in touch with me. I would love to hear from you every few months. Make a note to yourself that you are going to send me your transformation pictures and testimonial in two months, six months or whatever. My favorite emails are Success Stories that you send me about how much you have changed, because I can put them up on my website to inspire others! Again, I applaud you for taking action and look forward to hearing about your best body ever. To a long-lasting friendship! Your friend and coach, Vince DelMonte



Vince-Delmonte-Bodybuilding-Guide fat cutting

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