There will be times in your life where you will want to get in shape fast. Nothing wrong with that and under the correct circumstances it can be a valuable tool. That said, I am going to come straight out and be brutally honest – getting in shape fast is (almost) never a good idea.
The goal should not be to lose weight as fast as possible. I’d rather you focus on transforming your body by building muscle, getting stronger, and shedding fat. For pure lifestyle transformations, the slower the progress the more enjoyable and sustainable it will be in the long run.
However, I know a time will come for an event such as a wedding, vacation, birthday, or family reunion. It’s normal to want to look your best.
Whatever the case may be, it is important to keep in mind that it’s the long game that matters even when you have a short term goal in mind.
With a proper plan in place, you can get in shape in the short term, while also building yourself up for a successful long term transformation.
In this article, I am going to show you how to shed body fat, get more toned, stronger, and more confident than you ever have before and while being able to keep the results.
To Get In Shape Fast The Amount of Time You Have Matters
Getting in shape fast for an event depends on how much time you have to get ready. The shorter amount of time you have, the more strict you need to be. Keep in mind, you can’t expect to lose 100 pounds in 6 months. That is not healthy and not realistic.
On the other hand, the more time you have the better off you are going to be. Having more time is going to allow you to build good habits and create sustainable results.
If you gain all the weight back afterwards, I encourage you to ask yourself, “will it be worth it”? The progress you make does not matter as much as the progress you can maintain.
Benefits of Getting In Shape Fast
That said, there is a benefit of having an event to work towards. It is one of the best motivators for getting in shape fast. This could be just what you need to kickstart your long term lifestyle and body transformation.
Studies show that faster weight loss at the beginning of a plan lead to more sustained results as long as you continue to build healthy habits and go to a more moderate approach over time. So, getting in shape fast for an event could possibly help you out in the long run as well.
The Downside of Getting In Shape Fast
The drawback is once the event is over. This is typically when you will revert back to old habits and lose all your progress because you did not create a system to change your habits for a permanent transformation.
Instead, you relied off of motivation and will power which is always a temporary solution. You were too strict for too long. My goal is to hopefully help you prevent that.
With all of that said, I am going to give you a blueprint on getting in shape fast for whatever event you have coming up in your life. All you have to do is follow it step by step and be consistent.
How to Measure Your Progress:
Do not let the number on the on the scale to determine your progress. Although the scale is great for weight loss, it kind of sucks for measuring fat loss. Weight is not the only indicator of good results.
The Issue With Weight Loss
Your weight includes your body fat, the amount of muscle your body has, and water. This is an important distinction because your weight fluctuates day to day and week to week even if you are building muscle and losing fat which can be discouraging.
On the bright side, this is mostly due to your body holding onto water and releasing it.
A Better Approach To Measuring Fat Loss
Fat loss is the goal as the only focus is on the amount of fat you have lost. If you are strength training with progressive overload, then you are going to get stronger which means you are putting on some muscle. As a result, your muscles will show and tone out your body.
Building muscle effects affects your weight too. In this case, your weight can stay the same but you are still losing inches. Hence, gaining muscle and burning fat.
So, make sure to use waist measurements every 2 weeks, take progress photos every month, and pay attention to how your clothes fit. It is also important for you to keep track your strength gains in the gym through increased weight and reps. This shows you that you are getting stronger and building muscle which are imperative to getting in shape fast.
To that end, this guide will start with a goal of 6 months and go down from there. If you have less than six months you will start on the month of the timeline that you have. So, if you only have 4 months, you would skip the first and second month and start on the third and so on.
Getting in Shape Fast Month 1: Just Get Started
The first thing you need to do is start. Nothing crazy. Just start because this is the hardest part.
To start, you are going to clean up your diet because that is where most of your fat loss will come from. You need to be in a calorie deficit to lose fat. In other words, you need to eat less than your body is using for energy.
If your body uses 2,000 calories each day, you would need to eat less than 2,000 calories to lose weight. More on this later.
You will create your own perfect diet through trial and error based on the main principles: high protein, fruits and veggies, water, treats in moderation (if you can control yourself and fit them into your calories).
No matter what you decide to do, the number one thing I you need to be is consistent. I am not asking you to be perfect nor do I want you to. I’m asking to be at least 90% consistent.
Here’s an example of what 90% consistency looks like:
- If there are 30 days in a month, that looks like hitting your calorie goals 27/30 days. So you have 3 days to go over. That doesn’t give you permission to binge out. It is to show you that you have some wiggle room to be flexible.
Nutrition
Start by adding in healthy whole foods rather than taking out sugary and processed foods. Keep track of them through an app or journal. You may be surprised by just how much you are eating, snacking, etc.
You can start in a larger deficit (Goal bodyweight x 10) if you want to see higher initial weight loss. Keep in mind, if you decide to do this, you need to go back up to a more moderate deficit after 2-4 weeks in order to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way. Otherwise, you will burn out quickly.
Include foods like:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Meats, Fish, Eggs
- Potatoes, Rice, Oats
- Legumes
- Greek Yogurt
- Nuts (Be careful these are very easy to overeat)
- Whole Grains
Try your best to start off by aiming for 1-2 servings of fruits and vegetables per day and protein at every meal.
Training
If getting in shape fast is your goal, you need to prioritize strength training. This will help you build muscle, tone your body, and ramp up your metabolism so your body can burn more calories, eat more, all while keeping the fat off.
Exercise and training is not for burning calories and creating that calorie deficit we talked about. That is created through the nutrition side of things and the added muscle you build on your body. Exercise is to increase your performance and tone out your body.
Start by going to the gym or strength training at home 2-3 days a week. Like I said, just start and take action. This will boost your confidence and motivation. It will also begin to improve your mindset for what is to come. All you need is your body weight, resistance bands, and a pair of dumbbells for an effective workout. Download my free 30 workouts from anywhere if you need a kick start.
Keep your training simple and focus on the main moves:
Squat: (Bodyweight squat/Front Loaded Squat/Goblet Squat/Back Squat/Bulgarian Split Squat)
Hinge: (Learn how to hip hinge, Romanian Deadlifts, Trap Bar Deadlifts, Sumo Deadlifts, Conventional Deadlifts)
Press: (Elevated Push Ups/ Seated Overhead Presses/ Bench Press/ Standing Shoulder Press)
Rows: (Seated Cable Row/Chest Supported Row/ Single Arm Row/ Bent Over Row)
Pulls: (Inverted Rows/Lat pulldowns/ negative chin ups/ Assisted chin ups/ Chin ups)
If you need help with instructions on how to do these movements, look them up on YouTube.
The exercises are in order from easiest to hardest, so pick a variation that you can do right now with good form. There’s nothing wrong at all with having to start with an easy version for each movement. Do not compare your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 10. Everyone was a beginner at some point and you’ll work your way up.
The way to get results is from progressing through the same program. So, stick to the same one for at least 4 weeks. You don’t get results from program hopping.
The important thing is to progressive overload. You can do this by focusing on increasing your weight 5-10 pounds each week. Those last few reps should be challenging. Lifting weights is not supposed to feel good. It’s freaking hard. If you can’t increase the weight, then try to push out one more rep with the same weight the next week. Above all else, make sure to go slow with good form.
Getting in Shape Fast Month 2: Maintenance Calories & Protein
The main goal of this month is to maintain your weight. Maintenance calories are how much you need to eat to neither gain or lose weight. Your weight will fluctuate between a few pounds a week but your average weight should stay about the same.
This is so that you can build a solid foundation of muscle to boost your metabolism, lose fat easier, be able to eat more while staying lean, and it will make the transition afterwards that much easier.
Tracking Calories and Protein
You are going to focus on tracking your calories and protein. Calories are energy for your body from the food you eat. Protein is important for keeping the muscle you have on your body and also building more muscle. As a bonus, it also keeps you pretty damn full when you are eating less.
In terms of carbs and fats, they don’t matter as much when you are trying to lean out. So, pick and choose as you wish.
Quick note: You still need to eat fat because your body needs it to survive. As for carbs, they taste amazing and can give you energy and amazing workouts.
All I am saying is to not stress about how much you are eating of each. Focus on your calorie and protein goals, and let the carbs and fats fill the rest.
With all of this in mind, the best way to calculate your maintenance calories is by multiplying your body weight by 15. As for protein, multiply your bodyweight by 0.8-1.0 grams per pound of bodyweight. Your average weekly weight should fluctuate between 1-2 pounds.
Reminder: You should still be training 3-4 days a week.
Getting in Shape Fast Month 3: Sleep is NOT for the Weak
Sleep is equally important as nutrition and exercise.
In addition to strength training and tracking your food, this month I want you to focus on improving your sleep.
A lack of sleep could be what is holding you back.
You’ve probably heard that “sleep is for the weak” and “you can sleep when you’re dead.” Well, a lack of sleep may cause those things. Man, is that some terrible advice. Of course work your ass off, but please get some sleep too.
Getting enough sleep will improve your quality of life dramatically. The standard rule is to get around 7-9 hours of sleep per night. You may or may not need more than that. It all depends on your lifestyle and genetics.
Not getting enough can be detrimental to your health and fitness goals. The more quality sleep you get, the less stress you may have, and the more energy and motivation you’ll have.
Here is why sleep is important:
- Sleep helps your body repair and recover.
- Lack of sleep has shown to decrease fat loss because it increases your fullness hormone leptin and increases your hunger hormone ghrelin.
- The less sleep you get, the important hormones that help with muscle building and fat loss are lowered like testosterone and human growth hormone.
- Decreased energy and performance.
- Can cause more stress and anxiety which will affect your everyday life.
- Your body may burn less calories the less sleep you get.
It’s also important to note that it’s not how much sleep you get. What’s important is how much quality deep sleep you get. That means not tossing and turning and waking up every 30 minutes.
Here are a few things that can harm your sleep and how to you can prevent them from happening:
- Blue light from your phones, TVs, tablets, etc can make falling asleep hard.
- Stay off electronics at least 2 hours before bed or wear blue blocker glasses if you can’t.
- Sounds and loud noises can disrupt sleep.
- Play relaxing sounds and music if you need to or wear ear plugs.
- Being too warm.
- Cool down your room to a comfortable temperature (68 degrees fahrenheit).
- Alcohol can make falling asleep easier but again staying asleep may be hard.
- Caffeine is a big one, especially for me and my coffee addiction.
- If you’re a caffeine junkie like me, falling asleep may not be hard but getting quality sleep can be. If you aren’t big on caffeine, expect to stay up all night. Don’t drink caffeine at least 6 hours before bed.
These are all things that you can change.
Some other helpful tips may be to set up a nightly routine and take a supplement like melatonin as a last resort.
Keep lifting heavy weights. Keep hitting your calorie and protein goal. And keep being awesome. Nothing else is really changing here.
Getting in Shape Fast Month 4: It Is Time For a Calorie Deficit
You have 3 months left to get in shape fast. So, it’s time to buckle up, get more strict, and let all of the previous 3 months’ hard work get put to good use.
Calorie Deficit
It is now time to lower your calories for the first time to put you into a calorie deficit so you can start shedding the fat off your body.
A calorie deficit is when you eat less food than your body burns. It is the only way to lose weight and fat.
You can calculate your calorie deficit by multiplying your goal body weight by 12. Keep in mind this is only an estimation. Stick with it for a few weeks, but you should notice that your weight goes down on average .5-2 pounds per week.
Don’t forget about measurements and progress pictures too! Sometimes your weight will stay the same, but you’ll still notice improvements in these areas.
Get those steps in!
Furthermore, I want you to focus on setting a step goal for yourself each day. Aim for 8,000-10,000 steps a day. Walking has so many health benefits and is a very easy way to burn more calories throughout the day in a way that is not taxing on your body.
Some simple ways to get in more steps are:
- Go for a 10-20 minute walk after every meal.
- Take your dog for a walk or go with a family member.
- Park far away from the stores.
- Take the stairs.
- Stand and walk while working and talking on the phone.
- Take a walk on your break.
Workouts
Your workouts will also change this month. You’ll still lift heavy on your main compound lifts.
As for the isolation exercises that follow, you are going to increase your rep range to 12-20 and super set them to improve your endurance and burn more calories. This means doing 2 exercises back to back without rest. For example, if you are doing a chest press with a dumbbell row, you would do those back to back and rest after rather than in between.
The same principles of progressive overload apply here. Good form, go slow, increase the weight/reps each week.
For more information on this, look over my muscle building guide.
Getting in Shape Fast Month 5: Eating A Little Less and Moving a Little More
Ok, only 2 more months to go. You have 8 weeks out from the big event.
You are going to decrease your calories to goal bodyweight in pounds x 11.
These next 8 weeks are important for getting in shape fast so 95-100% consistency is a must here. This is not the time to be flexible if you want to achieve the results that you are looking for.
You are going to add in cardio 3 times per week in addition to the workouts you are already completing. Start off with 10 minutes on the bike, elliptical, incline treadmill, rower, or whatever type of cardio you enjoy and increase your time by 5-10 minutes each week.
Don’t forget about that step goal! Cardio will help with this.
Getting in Shape Fast Month 6: One Month To Go! Give It All You Got.
This is your last month. It is time to go hard. You have been working your ass off for 5 straight months and your event is only 4 weeks away. There is no looking back now.
I’ll be honest. This last month is going to be hard. But, think back to the reason why you put in all the hard work these past 5 months.
Decrease your calories to goal body weight x 10. Workout up to 4 days a week in the gym and increase your cardio 4-5 days a week. Start with 20 minutes each cardio session and increase it by 5-10 minutes everyday per week.
You need to be 100% on point this month. You have built great habits that you can fall back on afterwards. Now is the time to go balls to the wall to get the results you want.
Aftermath:
Look at you! You did it. Congratulations for all your hard work and dedication for the past few months.
I know it was not easy but you deserve a huge pat on the back. Now it’s time to enjoy your event, take a few days to enjoy yourself, and get right back on track afterwards.
Come up with a plan post event and be ok with gaining some of the weight back.
It is time to go to a more moderate approach so you can continue to make progress in a sustainable way.
I would suggest reverse dieting your way back up to maintenance calories. You can either go straight to maintenance (Bwx15) or slowly work your way back up to it each week (BWx10,BWx11,Bwx12, and so on).
As a result, you will gain some weight once your event is over and done with. This is normal, so do not let this bring you down. Your body is now holding onto more water, your muscles are filled with glycogen, and you are eating more food.
In any case, hopefully you found a simplified routine that you can now stick to since you are done with your event to stay in shape.
You have built great habits to set you up for long term success over the last 6 months with a solid foundation of muscle. You do not know how far this is going to take you. The hardest part is over. Now it’s all about consistency and enjoying life.
Final Thoughts
I hope you found this article helpful. If you have any questions or are curious in my one on one online fat loss coaching, email me.
Thanks so much for reading. It means the world to me.
-Bob
Ps. If you are interested in online coaching, I am currently taking applications to see if you are a good fit.
Pps. In the meantime, feel free to download my free 30 Workouts You Can Do From Anywhere.