Foods to avoid if you are trying to get ripped

Summer is just around the corner, and we are all trying to achieve the perfect beach body. Looking ripped never gets out of style, as it is a statement of hard work and dedication. Not to mention it looks good and feels even better. So, how do you achieve a ripped look?

It is important to note that nutrition has more to do with looking ripped than working out does, as you aim to lose the last couple of figures of body fat. To look ripped, men should aim for 7-9% of body fat, and women for 15-18% of body fat. Of course, keep in mind these are body fat percentages for looking ripped. Fit body fat percentage is 14-17% for men, and  21-24% for women. We’d suggest that you learn how to measure your body fat to track your progress. To achieve the key body fat percentage for getting ripped, you need to be in a caloric deficit. Meaning, you need to burn more calories than you eat. However, you mustn’t burn too many calories, otherwise you may start losing muscles.

Sound confusing? It’s actually quite simple once you get the hang of it! To learn about it in depth, the Ultimate Six Pack Guide is a great start to help you achieve a beastly ripped body. Inside the guide, you can find detailed nutritional guidelines, important food facts, and tips for getting the ripped body of your dreams. As for the blog, here is the list of foods you should avoid at all costs if you are trying to get ripped!

Fast food

Fast food contains more calories than homemade food. Infoplease has created a comparison between fast food meal and a homemade meal that illustrates how, when eating fast food, you can consume almost triple the calories than when eating home-made meals. When trying to get ripped, every calorie counts, so avoid fast food unless you have no other option.

That said, you can still afford yourself an occasional burger and still look ripped. In fact, we went into detail to explain just how you can balance enjoying life the way you want to, and committing to a fit lifestyle to achieve your body goals. So yes, you can still eat burgers and look ripped, just remember that this should be an occasional treat, and by no means a lifestyle.

Sugary drinks

It is no secret that sugary drinks, such as soda, are incredibly unhealthy. Not only that, but by drinking them you are consuming empty calories, meaning you will not receive any nutrients from such foods.

In addition, research shows your body doesn’t register sugary drinks as solid food. Therefore, calories consumed in the form of sugary drinks will not make you feel full, and the consummation of such beverages will only lead to increased calorie intake. Stay away from sugary drinks in general, and especially if you are trying to get ripped.

Processed foods, especially snacks and sweets

Just like fast food, processed food can be an occasional treat in your diet (hello cheat day!). However, daily consumption will only give you increased calorie intake, without the intake of necessary nutrients. What you will be putting in your body instead, is a lot of sugar and unhealthy fats.

Besides that, the amount of food consumed will not be the same, as Honey describes in detail. Half of the daily caloric intake in chocolate will most certainly not keep you full for half of the day. In fact, The Nude Nutritionist Lyndi Cohen says:

"If you're eating 1000 calories of junk or processed food, your body won’t actually process the energy the same as if you were eating 1000 calories of whole foods," 

This means that not all calories are absorbed the same way, so even if you are consuming an equal 200 calories of cake vs 200 calories of nuts, your body won’t be processing them the same. Processed foods are easier for the body to digest, and will cause the body to store energy (which is not what we want in this case). On the other hand, a well-balanced lunch will get you through the bigger portion of the day and provide you with essential nutrients for keeping your muscle mass. Eating whole foods and less processed foods ensures your body has to work harder to process them, therefore increasing the energy used by the body and reducing your calorie intake.

Breakfast cereals and granolas

Although store bought cereals and granolas are often advertised as healthy, Healthline states they are typically highly processed and contain high levels of sugar and refined carbs. Starting your day with a bowl of breakfast cereal or granola could spike blood sugar and insulin levels. A few hours later once your blood sugar has crashed, you’ll be craving another high carb meal and be one step closer to overeating. Cereals and granola are one of the foods that are the most often mistakenly thought of as healthy foods, while most often they actually are not.

That said, if you are craving for granola, there are better ways to consume it that will give you the nutritional benefits and satisfaction you’re looking for. You can find healthy recipes for Madbarz granola using whole grains and portion control in Madbarz Nutrition guide, along with 65+ other healthy recipes. The Nutrition guide is available in Madbarz Premium version of the app, along with tons of effective workout plans to accent your healthy eating.

Alcohol

Scientific evidence suggests that heavy alcohol intake directly contributes to weight gain and obesity, no matter what type of alcohol you are consuming. Now, if you are trying to get ripped, we can assume that you are not overweight or obese (as you first need to be fit to be ripped). But, that doesn’t mean that you can pound beers without seeing any effects on your overall fitness, especially if you are trying to lose that last bit of extra fat. 

Although it has widely become culturally accepted to drink often, there are many other reasons why alcohol is not a good idea when trying to lose those last few pounds. 

1. Alcohol contains empty calories, and if you are drinking it in cocktails or mixing it with juices, you are adding more empty calories in your diet. Remember those sugary drinks we warned about earlier? You’re more likely to drink them in mixed drinks or cocktails. 

2. Alcohol interferes with your metabolism burning fat. Acetate, a by-product of alcohol being metabolized, is a toxin, and the body wants to get rid of it as soon as possible; meaning your body will stop burning fat until it burns all the acetate. This is effectively stopping the fat burning system.

3. Alcohol can lower testosterone levels in the body, an important hormone for losing weight and gaining muscle. 

4. Alcohol will increase your appetite but lower inhibitions, making that burger and fries look more appealing than usual.

TAKEAWAY

Getting ripped is not an easy job, and these are just general guidelines on eating when getting ripped. The complete nutrition on how to get ripped is more complex than this. Luckily, you don’t need to google hundreds of articles to find all the information you need - just get the Ultimate Six Pack Guide PDF. It comes with detailed nutritional guidelines for getting ripped, as well as sample workout plans and workouts that will help you maintain muscle mass while losing fat.

Although nutrition is an essential part of getting ripped, you should also keep working out in mind. Without doing the right kind of workout, you can end up losing both fat and muscle. If you already are the nutrition master when it comes to getting ripped, you can find suitable workout plans in Madbarz Premium version of the app. Otherwise, be sure to check out these 2 Madbarz routines that will get you a ripped body.