CU T TING
BOOK
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 978-0-692-98572-4
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 injuries
or health problems incurred as a result of
exercise or related advice.
Stay safe. Stay BUFF.
!
G
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome8
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.!
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8
WHO B.U.F.F. DUDES?
ARE THE
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!
HUDSON
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.
?
T
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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.
BRANDON s way
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!
Y
A
W
S
N
O
S
D
HU
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,
the secrets, and it was time to reap the
right? I had even ridden my bike every
reward. This would be easy, right?
couple days or so. Surely that must’ve
been enough cardio!
Let’s veer in another direction for
This epic stumble (ok, using the word “epic” a moment. You know why those
may be going just a tad too far but hey, it’s a outrageous new workout plans and
little embellishment for added drama) had
diets pop up every couple of years
opened my eyes to the future of my food
promising instant results and - even
and fitness lifestyle. I now had two choices: as educated as most of the modern
quit in frustration or suck it up and begin to general public are in regards to fitness
learn just how the hell to really do this thing. and eating habits - continue to sell
millions upon millions? It’s because
Helping Brandon with his first bodybuilding doing it the way that has been proven
competition was the first big step and
to work takes time and effort, and
seeing the amazing progress he made
unfortunately time and effort are the
in a relatively short period of time was a
two key ingredients that instantly turn a
milestone. Wait, you mean working out
big group of people off.
consistently on all muscle groups, not just
eating “healthy” but tracking your calories
Ok, enough about the general public,
and macros and utilizing proper form were back to me (sounds vain but hey, this is
huge keys to unlocking the doorway to a
my chapter after all). It was time to mix
killer physique? Who knew??
the ingredients - hard work and time
- into the rest of the recipe, which so
The second step? Taking these steps
far consisted of focusing on all muscle
and applying them to myself. I now knew
groups, tracking calories and macros and
16
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!”
17
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
18
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
BEGINNER’S CUTTING
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?
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.
20
CARBOHYDRATES
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!
GUIDE
There are 3 main groups of carbohydrates: molecules and would fall under
the “complex carb” category. Since
Monosaccharides, Disaccharides and
Polysaccharides contain many sugar
Polysaccharides.
molecules, the body will take longer to
digest into glucose and only affects your
Monosaccharides contain 1 (mono)
sugar molecule and would be considered blood sugars levels slightly. Starchy and
fibrous carbs will fall under the “complex
“simple carbs” because of how quickly
your body can digest them. In turn spiking carb” category with foods like green
your blood sugar levels and affecting your veggies, whole grains and sweet potatoes.
insulin. Monosaccharides are the simplest Fiber is also a bunch of sugar molecules
bound together much like starch but the
of sugar molecules which include:
glucose, galactose and fructose. Although difference in fiber is it won’t affect your
blood sugar levels. What sorcery is this?
Fructose is considered a simple sugar
It’s because the enzymes in your body’s
which is found in fruits and vegetables,
digestive system cannot break down the
it is metabolized almost completely
bonds that hold the sugars together. But
in the liver unlike most simple sugars
wait! There are actually two types of
which in turn will not require insulin to
fiber: insoluble fiber and soluble fiber. The
transport into cells via-insulin sensitive
difference between the two are insoluble
pathways. Basically: it won’t spike your
fiber will not dissolve in water and it will
insulin. Fructose can be important
pass right through your digestive system
because it’s a primary source of energy
and increase your turd size and carbohydrate for liver glycogen
buff dude turds! - while the
replenishment. But be careful as over
excess of glycogen in the body may result soluble
in a “spilling over” effect and your body
will start to store the excess as fat.
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
BEGINNER’S CUTTING
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
22
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.
GUIDE
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.
23
Daily Cutting Meal
examples:
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.
Daily Meal Plan based off
of Brandon’s diet:
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!
25
BEGINNER’S CUTTING
Pre
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
Shake
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
Meal 1
Breakfast
2 CUPS BRUSSELS
SPROUTS
112 cal,
1.6g fat,
22.2g carbs,
8g protein
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
4 EGG WHITES
69 cal,
0g fat,
1g carbs,
14.4g protein
TOTAL: 464 cal, 17.1g fat, 23.9g carbs, 59g protein
Meal 2
2 CUPS FAT FREE MILK
(or almond milk)
180 cal,
0g fat,
26g carbs,
16g protein
26
Post Workout
2 SCOOPS WHEY PROTEIN
ISOLATE
240 cal,
4g fat,
4g carbs,
48g protein
TOTAL: 420 cal, 4g fat, 30g
carbs, 54g protein
GUIDE
Meal 3
8 OZ. POACHED SALMON
467 cal,
28g fat,
0g carbs,
50g protein
Lunch
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
Meal 4
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
TOTAL: 460 cal, 4g fat,
32.2g carbs, 72g protein
Dinner
5 CHERRY TOMATOES
25 cal,
0g fat,
5g carbs,
0g protein
1/2 CLOVE OF GARLIC
25 cal,
0g fat,
5g carbs,
0g protein
Meal 5
Snack
1 MINI DARK CHOCOLATE
BAR
100 cal,
7g fat,
7g carbs,
1.5g protein
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 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
27
BEGINNER’S CUTTING
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.
28
GUIDE
ME AL 1
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
Breakfast
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
TOTAL: 525 cal, 21g fat, 51g carbohydrates, 37g protein
Meal 2
SWEET POTATO CHIPS
& SALSA
163 cal,
0g fat,
37g carbohydrates,
5g protein
Snack
TOTAL: 163 cal, 0g fat, 37g carbohydrates, 5g protein
Meal 3
8 OUNCES OF SLOW
COOKER CHICKEN AND
SALSA
220 cal,
6g fat,
0g carbohydrates,
42g 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!
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
Lunch
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.
29
BEGINNER’S CUTTING
Meal 4
2 SCOOPS (80G) WHEY
PROTEIN
300 cal,
3g fat,
16g carbohydrates,
52g protein
Post Workout
2 CUPS UNSWEETENED
ALMOND MILK
80 cal,
6g fat,
4g carbohydrates,
2g protein
TOTAL: 380 cal, 9g fat, 20g carbohydrates, 54g protein
Meal 5
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
Dinner
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.
30
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
GUIDE
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.
31
BEGINNER’S CUTTING
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!
GUIDE
ME AL 1
1 CUP OATMEAL
166 cal,
3.6g fat,
28g carbohydrates,
4g fiber,
6g protein
Breakfast
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
Meal 2
1 LARGE APPLE
120 cal,
32g carbohydrates,
5.5g fiber,
23g sugars
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
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
Meal 3
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
Lunch
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
33
BEGINNER’S CUTTING
Meal 4
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
Meal 5
2 CUPS SPLIT PEA SOUP
340 cal,
1g fat,
60g carbohydrates,
26g fiber,
24g protein
TOTAL: 280 cal, 7g fat,
8g carbohydrates,
50g protein
Dinner
SPINACH & QUINOA
SALAD
250 cal,
16g fat,
20g carbohydrates,
3g fiber,
7g protein
Meal 6
1 CUP UNSWEETENED
ALMOND MILK
30 cal,
3g fat,
1g carbohydrates,
1g fiber,
1g protein
Snack
TOTAL: 590 cal, 17g fat,
80g carbohydrates,
31g protein
Snack
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
34
BEGINNER’S CUTTING
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!
ME AL 1
1/2 CUP OATMEAL
83 cal,
1.8g fat,
14g carbohydrates,
2g fiber,
3g protein
Breakfast
1/2 CUP BLUEBERRIES
42cal,
10.5g carbohydrates,
1.8g fiber,
0.5g protein
3 EGG WHITES
52 cal,
0.7g carbohydrates,
10.8g protein
TOTAL: 217 cal, 2.8g fat,
25.2g carbohydrates,
20.3g protein
Meal 2
1 LARGE APPLE
120 cal,
31.8g carbohydrates,
5.5g fiber,
23g sugars
Snack
1 TBSP PEANUT BUTTER
94 cal,
8g fat,
3.5g carbohydrates,
1.3g fiber,
3.9g protein
Meal 3
4 OZ. CHICKEN BREAST
120 cal,
2.5g fat,
22g protein
2 SLICES EXTRA LEAN
TURKEY BACON
40cal,
1g fat,
6g protein
1 CUP BROWN RICE
218 cal,
1.6g fat,
45.8g carbohydrates,
3.5g fiber,
4.5g protein
TOTAL: 214 cal, 8g fat,
35.3g carbohydrates,
3.9g protein
Lunch
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
35
Meal 4
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
Meal 5
6 OZ. TILAPIA FILLETS
217 cal,
4.5g fat,
44.3g protein
Snack
TOTAL: 174cal, 10.4g fat,
5g carbohydrates,
16g protein
Dinner
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
Meal 6
1 CUP NON FAT GREEK
YOGURT
120cal,
7g carbohydrates,
22g protein
Snack (optional)
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.
36
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
• Boneless Skinless Chicken
• Cod
• Ground Turkey
• Turkey Bacon
• Tuna
• Shrimp
• Salmon
• Eggs
Nuts
• Peanut Butter
• Walnuts
• Almonds
• Sunflower Seeds
• Almond Milk
Vegetables
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Brussels Sprouts
• Peas
• Kale
• Cauliflower
• Sweet Potatoes
Oats/Rice/Grains
• Rice
• Quinoa
• Oatmeal
• Sprouted Grain Bread
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.
37
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.
38
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.
39
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.
3
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 a 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.
4
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.
40
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!
7
DON’T FORGET THE H2O!
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!
8
6
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.
41
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!
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
2
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.
3
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.
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!
4
42
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!
5
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.
6
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.
7
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!
8
43
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!
44
Breakfast Recipes
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
•C
ooking 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
45
EGG WHITE
BUFFIN BITES
Difficulty:
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Kitchen Tools Needed:
Mini Muffin Pan, Oven
INGREDIENTS
•C
ooking Spray (used to line Muffin Pan
before inserting ingredients)
•1
/2 Diced Pepper
•1
/4 Diced Onion
•H
andful 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
46
OVERNIGHT
OATS
Difficulty:
Prep 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:Dash of Cinnamon
• Optional: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
47
SPINACH
PANCAKES
Difficulty:
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Kitchen Tools Needed:
Frying Pan, Stove
INGREDIENTS
•O
ne 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 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
48
Lunch Recipes
CUCUMBER
SUB
Difficulty:
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Kitchen Tools 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 tablespoons 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
49
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
50
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
•2
4oz. / 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
51
dinner Recipes
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
•D
ash 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.
52
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
•1
lb./ 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
53
SLOW COOKER
TURKEY
MEATBALLS
Difficulty:
Prep Time: 4 hours
Kitchen Tools Needed:
Slow Cooker, mixing bowl
INGREDIENTS
• 1 egg
•1
.25lbs. / 565g. Ground Turkey
• 1 Tablespoon minced Garlic
•1
/4c. /14g. Bread crumbs
•1
/4c. /56g. Parmesan cheese (shredded) • 28oz /794g. Crushed Tomatoes (italian
seasoned)
•1
/4c. /5g. dried Parsley
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: 1 meatball
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 83
Fat: 2.5g
Carbohydrate: 2.7g
Sugar:1,2g
Protein: 11.7g
54
SLOW COOKER
TURKEY CHILI
Difficulty:
Prep Time: 4 Hours
Kitchen Tools Needed:
Stove, Cooking Pan, Slow Cooker
INGREDIENTS
•2
lbs. /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
55
snack Recipes
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.
56
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
57
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)
58
NUTRITION FACTS*
Calories: 250
Fat: 2g
Carbohydrate: 62g
Sugar:34g
Protein: 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
59
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
62
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.
•N
ot recommended for beginners
•H
igher risk of injuries if not performed
correctly
63
Time for
The Pump
64
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!
65
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.
67
CUTTING PLAN
pREP
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 68
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!
WEEKS 1 - 3 phase 1
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
PULL-UPS 4 SETS X 8 REPS
PENDLAY ROWS 4 SETS X 8 REPS
SINGLE ARM ROWS 4 SETS X 8 REPS (EACH SIDE)
BARBELL CURLS 3 SETS X 8 REPS
ALTERNATING SUPINATING DUMBBELL CURLS 3 SETS X 8 REPS
ABS: LEG RAISES 3 SETS X 15 REPS
70
WEEKS 1 - 3 phase 1
THE BEGINNING
DAY 3 - CHEST & TRICEPS
BARBELL FLAT BENCH PRESS 4 SETS X 8 REPS
INCLINE DUMBBELL CLOSE PRESS 4 SETS X 8 REPS
CHEST DIPS (BODY WEIGHT) 4 SETS X 8 REPS
(IF 8 REPS IS TOO EASY, FEEL FREE TO ADD WEIGHT)
SEATED DUMBBELL SINGLE ARM FRENCH PRESS 3 SETS X 8 REPS
REVERSE GRIP SKULL CRUSHERS 3 SETS X 8 REPS
ABS: OBLIQUE CRUNCHES 3 SETS X 15 REPS
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
71
WEEKS 4 - 6 phase 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
DEADLIFTS 5 SETS X 15,12,10,8,6 REPS
PULL-UPS (NEGATIVES) 4 SETS X 10 REPS (WEIGHTED IF NEEDED)
T-BAR ROWS 4 SETS X 12,10,8,8 REPS
STRAIGHT ARM PULLDOWNS 4 SETS X 10 REPS
INCLINE BARBELL PRESS 5 SETS X 15,12,10,8,6 REPS
TWISTING DUMBBELL FLAT PRESS 4 SETS X 12,10,8,6 REPS
CABLE CROSSOVERS 4 SETS X 10 REPS
ABS: CIRCULAR CRUNCHES 3 SETS X 20 REPS (EACH WAY)
DAY 2 - LEGS & CALVES
FRONT SQUATS DUMBBELL ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS WALKING LUNGES LEGS EXTENSIONS HAMSTRING CURLS SEATED CALF RAISES ABS: ACCORDION CRUNCHES 72
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
WEEKS 4 - 6 phase 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)
73
WEEKS 7 - 9 phase 3
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.
74
WEEKS 7 - 9 phase 3
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*)
ALTERNATING INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS 4 SETS X 12,10,8,6 REPS
KNEELING LANDMINE PRESS 4 SETS X 8 REPS
CHEST DIPS (NEGATIVES) 4 SETS X 8 (USE WEIGHT IF NEEDED)
EZ-BAR SKULLCRUSHERS 4 SETS X 8 REPS
ROPE EXTENSIONS 3 SETS X 8 REPS
SINGLE ARM DUMBBELL FRENCH PRESS 3 SETS X 8 REPS (EACH SIDE)
ABS: LOW PULLEY WOODCHOPS 3 SETS X 15 REPS (EACH SIDE)
*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.
75
WEEKS 7 - 9 phase 3
APEX PREDATOR
DAY 3 - BACK & BICEPS
STRAIGHT ARM PULLDOWNS 3 SETS X 8 REPS (PRE-EXHAUST)
PENDLAY ROWS 5 SETS X 12,10,8,6,4 REPS
SEATED CABLE V GRIP ROWS 4 SETS X 8 REPS
UNDERHAND PULLDOWNS 4 SETS X 8 REPS
DRAG CURLS 3 SETS X 8 REPS
ALTERNATING DUMBBELL HAMMER CURLS 3 SETS X 8 REPS (EACH SIDE)
PREACHER BENCH REVERSE CURLS 3 SETS X 8 REPS
ABS: WEIGHTED CRUNCHES 3 SETS X 15 REPS
DAY 4 - SHOULDERS & TRAPEZIUS
LATERAL RAISES 3 SETS X 8 REPS (PRE-EXHAUST)
OVERHEAD PRESS 5 SETS X 12,10,8,6,4 REPS
DUMBBELL UPRIGHT ROWS 4 SETS X 8 REPS
BARBELL FACE PULLS 4 SETS X 8 REPS
BENT OVER DUMBBELL REVERSE FLYES 3 SETS X 8 REPS (DROP SET)*
OVERHAND GRIP BARBELL FRONT RAISES 3 SETS X 8 REPS
BARBELL SHRUGS 5 SETS X 15,12,10,8,6 REPS
ABS: WEIGHTED RUSSIAN TWISTS 3 SETS X 15 REPS (EACH SIDE)
*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)*
DUMBBELL ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS 4 SETS X 8 REPS
BARBELL HACK SQUATS 4 SETS X 8 REPS
MANUAL HAMSTRING CURLS (HAM/GLUTE RAISES) 3 SETS X 8 REPS
(FOCUS ON NEGATIVE)
STANDING CALF RAISES 5 SETS X 15,12,10,8,8 REPS
ABS: WEIGHTED PLANKS 3 SETS X 30 - 60 SECONDS
*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.
76
WEEKS 7 - 9 phase 3
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)
77
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.
78
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
PULL-UPS 4 SETS X 10 REPS
SUPERSET FLAT BARBELL BENCH PRESS (WIDE)
FLAT DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS (CLOSE) 4 SETS X 10 REPS
SUPERSET INCLINE BENCH DUMBBELL ROW (BI-LATERAL)
INCLINE DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS 4 SETS X 10 REPS
SUPERSET DUMBBELL PULLOVERS
CABLE FLYES 4 SETS X 10 REPS
ABS: WEIGHTED CRUNCHES 3 SETS X 20 REPS
DAY 3 - SHOULDERS & TRAPEZIUS
PUSH PRESS 4 SETS X 12,10,8,8 REPS
SUPERSET REVERSE UPRIGHT ROWS
BENT OVER REVERSE DUMBBELL FLYES 4 SETS X 10 REPS
SUPERSET CABLE FACE PULLS (ROPE)
CABLE FRONT RAISES (ROPE) 4 SETS X 10 REPS
SUPERSET DUMBBELL UPRIGHT ROWS
LATERAL RAISES 4 SETS X 10 REPS
MAN MAKERS 2 SETS X 8 REPS
SEATED DUMBBELL SHRUGS 4 SETS X 10 REPS
ABS: ROLL OUTS 3 SETS X 20 REPS
79
phase 4
WEEKS 10 - 12 LAND OF SUPERSETS
DAY 4 - TRICEPS & BICEPS
SUPERSET LYING DUMBBELL TRICEP EXTENSIONS
DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS (CLOSE) 4 SETS X 10 REPS
SUPERSET OVERHAND GRIP CABLE EXTENSIONS
UNDERHAND GRIP CABLE EXTENSIONS 4 SETS X 10 REPS
SUPERSET WIDE GRIP BARBELL CURLS
BILATERAL HAMMER CURLS 4 SETS X 10 REPS
SUPERSET PREACHER BENCH CURLS
REVERSE PREACHER BENCH CURLS 4 SETS X 10 REPS
ABS: OBLIQUE CRUNCHES 3 SETS X 20 REPS (EACH SIDE)
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
FLAT BENCH BARBELL PRESS 4 SETS X 10 REPS
SUPERSET V-GRIP CABLE PULLDOWNS
LANDMINE PRESS 4 SETS X 10 REPS
SUPERSET SINGLE ARM DUMBBELL ROWS
SINGLE ARM DUMBBELL PRESS 4 SETS X 10 REPS (EACH SIDE)
SUPERSET BACK EXTENSIONS WITH ROWS(WEIGHTED)
UNDERHAND CABLE FLYES 4 SETS X 10 REPS
COMMANDO ROWS 3 SETS X 10 REPS
ABS: LOW PULLEY WOOD CHOPS 3 SETS X 20 REPS (EACH SIDE)
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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.
Victory
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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!
F.A.Q.
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.
GENERAL
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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F.A.Q.
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
90
GENERAL
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
F.A.Q.
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.
GENERAL
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
91
F.A.Q.
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.
GENERAL
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.
F.A.Q.
GENERAL
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 finished 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.
93
F.A.Q.
I’m a Teenager. Will
working out stunt my
growth?
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.
GENERAL
I Feel Unmotivated, Can
You Help?
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
I’m Afraid to go to the gym! your goals. Are you working out to get
bigger? Leaner? Just to stay in overall
Thankfully most people in the gym are
good shape? We can easily find ourselves
much more focused on themselves
caught in that “middle” zone (not big
(the place isn’t covered in mirrors for
nothing) and their own workout than they enough, not lean enough) which is like a
stagnant pond. Write down some goals
are on you.
of what you want to accomplish and be
honest with yourself. They don’t even have
Just remember to display proper gym
to necessarily be fitness goals. Do you
etiquette (no curling in the squat rack,
wish to travel? Then maybe the solution
don’t stand directly in front of a mirror if
someone’s using it, don’t grab someone’s is adding more outdoor cardio into your
routine to explore new places and get a
weight as they’re resting in between
fresh perspective.
sets, re-rack your weights) and you will
be good to go. Still find the gym too
You workout not only to stay healthy but
intimidating? Do what we do, workout
also to stay happy. Exercise can be great
from home!
94
F.A.Q.
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).
GENERAL
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!
95
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 deficit?
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
F.A.Q.
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.
FOOD PLAN
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
As we said in the beginning of the plan:
person is lucky to burn that amount of
consume more calories, gain weight.
calories while exercising over the period of
an hour. Start adding french fries on top of
Consume less calories, lose weight.
that hamburger, empty calories from beer,
ice cream...you get the point. You’re going
You don’t have to have the perfect diet
to tip the scale in the sucky diet direction
but what you do need is moderation.
Oftentimes trying to eat really, really clean real fast. This doesn’t mean you can’t treat
leads to “falling off the wagon” and eating yourself to something good once in awhile,
everything you’ve been depriving yourself it just means you can’t use your body as a
of; in the process losing your hard-earned garbage disposal unit - or else you’ll begin
to look like
progress and possible depression at the
one.
fact you’ve got to start all over.
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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F.A.Q.
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 (growth), fat
(energy), and carbohydrates (fuel) and we
need all three of these to survive.
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.
FOOD PLAN
What are Micros?
Micros is short for micronutrients.
In addition to Macros our bodies also
require micros. Micronutrients include
vitamins and minerals.
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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F.A.Q.
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?
FOOD PLAN
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
Although we highly
how many calories/macros you’re
recommend finding your
consuming every day. For instance: are
suggested daily calories
you tracking condiments
and macros using a TDEE
such as ketchup as well?
calculator - and tracking
them closely in the first couple of months How about correct
amounts? Maybe that
using a calorie tracking app - we also
handful of walnuts
suggest taking those “training wheels”
was actually twice
off as you continue your personal food
and fitness journey. As time goes on you’ll the grams you
thought it was!
begin to make adjustments based upon
You may not
what works best for you and you’ll also
even know it
find you’ve developed an internal app of
your own in which you more or less know but these little
what you need to be consuming every day oversights
to stay on track. That’s not to say you have could be costing
you hundreds of
to abandon them completely however!
additional calories
We find ourselves tracking a day or two
a day and then
every couple months just to get a good
guess what?
refresher of our daily numbers.
99
F.A.Q.
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.
100
FOOD PLAN
If I'm obese and have lots
of weight to lose, should
I remain in a daily 500
calorie deficit 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
F.A.Q.
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.)
FOOD PLAN
• 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!
101
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.
102
GYM LINGO
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.
103
GYM LINGO
ATG: Ass-to-Grass - Typically heard when performing Squats “when doing your next
set make sure you go ATG!”
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 - 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. A resting heart rate BPM lowers as one becomes more fit.
BUFF: Better Understanding of Food & Fitness - We couldn’t forget to include this one!
DIY: Do It Yourself - 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
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 - 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 irritability
• Lack of motivation
104
GYM LINGO
RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, 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
performing an exercise.
TDEE: Total Daily Energy 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 - The total amount of time a muscle is placed under stress
during the length of a set.
105
NOTES
106
NOTES
107
NOTES
108
NOTES
109
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110
Thank
you
SPECIAL THANKS TO THESE
B.U.F.F. DUDES N’ GRRRLS!
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