Key Takeaways
- 21 days is far too short for anyone above 6% body fat to get shredded.
- The amount of weight you need to lose will dictate how long it will take to get ripped.
- You can lose some weight in 21 days, but you can’t get shredded in that time.
So, you have about three weeks before the big day … and you wanna get shredded? Ain’t gonna happen, sorry to say.
While you can lose weight in 21 days, it’s almost impossible for most people to actually get shredded in 21 days.
But to make the most of your time, let me show you why (and how).
Shredded – What’s That?
Shredded. Peeled. Yoked. Ripped. What’s next, skin and bones?!
Well, while these names certainly sound quite odd, they all mean something. You might also be interested to learn that they all mean something else!
Yoked or thick simply means someone is quite large, and they’re typically a strength athlete.
Ripped or peeled means someone has a decent amount of muscle mass with very low body fat levels.
Shredded would mean someone is really, really low on body fat. Like, below 6% for men and below 12% for women.
If that sounds extreme, it’s because it is. Having that low of a body fat level is quite unhealthy, especially for women. Not only can it do harm physically and mentally, but it takes a massive amount of effort.
One thing people often forget is that you still need muscle, and you still need a decent amount of muscle to be classified as shredded. Abs aren’t really that impressive on a 125-lb guy. Yet, the abs on a 250-lb guy are really impressive.
Because you still need that muscle when your body fat is so low, it complicates things. You’ll soon come to learn that dieting and losing fat while retaining muscle is incredibly difficult to do.
It’s not impossible, however. See, you simply need to do the right things at the right time. This obviously means getting up every 45 minutes in the night to chow on protein dunked in a protein smoothie.
OK, let me tell you what it would really take.
Do the Most That You Can With Those 21 Days
So, you’re dead set on coming in as lean as you can within 3 weeks. Please note that this is a very limited time, and you won’t be able to look like Superman in a matter of a few weeks if your starting point is really far from it.
Typically, for sustainable fat loss, you should aim for 0.5 – 1.0% of total body weight loss per week.
That said, we can push past that if the goal is to lose as much weight as possible in 21 days. I want you to understand that there are still limitations, though.
You can mess with water, sodium, and carbs as much as you want, but you will not lose 30 pounds in 21 days – it isn’t possible.
So, before we continue, make sure you are 100% capable of doing this. Ensure you don’t have any symptoms of eating disorders or any health issues and that you’re ready to, for lack of a better term, “have a sh*t next three weeks.”
Good? Good.
Diet Like You’ve Never Dieted Before
Have you ever seen a bodybuilder’s diet when they’re 21 days from a competition? It’s awful. Truly awful. It’s filled with bland unflavoured food. It’s the same food day in and day out. And it’s terrible on your wallet – who knew chicken and rice were so expensive?!
… did I say rice? My bad, you probably aren’t getting any rice.
Before we get into this, this plan is specifically designed for someone who isn’t already in shape. This is 100% a crash diet, but hopefully, one that you won’t rebound from too much.
Alright, Time for the Basics
- Get into a calorie deficit … a big one. First, you need to calculate your maintenance calories (which you can do here). From there, you need to subtract 500 calories or 20% of the total calories, whichever comes first. All of these calories should come from carbs or fats, none from protein.
- Drop calories even more! After the first week, remove another 200 calories. And then again after week two (Note: never drop calories lower than 1900 for a male and 1700 for a female.)
- Make sure your macros are correct. Macros are, of course, the different “main types” of energy we get – protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Studies show that protein is very hard to turn into fat, so pack it in! At least 1.5 grams per pound of body weight.
- Remove any and all condiments. Since condiments can contain a massive amount of fat and/or sugar, you should probably avoid them at all costs. This includes adding milk to tea or coffee as well.
- If you’re not hungry, you’re doing it wrong. Remember, you’re trying to do the most in these 21 days as possible. That means you’ll be quite hungry, so if you aren’t, something is very wrong.
Normal vs. “Diet Food”
While these are the basic “rules” of doing a severe cut, we also need to look at food choices.
Yes, your food choices will have to change drastically in the following three weeks.
| Normal Food | Diet Food |
| Beef | Preferably chicken breast filet; however, 90/10 lean ground beef is okay |
| Salmon | Whitefish because it has far less fat |
| Whole eggs | Egg whites because the fat of the egg is located only in the yolk |
| Most Carbohydrates | You’d want to switch to green leafy veggies; however, some carbs are still okay. |
| Any cheat meals | Don’t even try – you only have 21 days |
As you can see, it’s gonna be pretty bland. For instance, your breakfast might be an egg white omelet with spinach – and that’s it.
How To Make This Diet Suck Less (+ a Sample Day of Eating)
Obviously, this might be the hardest diet you’re ever going to have to do. So here are some tips to not hate every moment:
- Contrary to popular belief, drinks sweetened with sweeteners like aspartame do not increase insulin and will not make you gain weight.
- While not completely calorie-free, veggies like spinach and broccoli are almost calorie-free.
- Doing cardio right before your next meal might “extend” your hunger a bit further since it can be quite hard to feel hungry when doing cardio.
- Many believe that 5 or 6 smaller meals “accelerates fat loss,” but no studies prove this at all.
- Learn some protein-based recipes, like protein ice cream, a protein with fat-free cottage cheese, or a protein and egg white microwave “cake.”
If it’s beginning to sound like it’s just a big ‘ol protein mess… that’s because it is a big ‘ol protein mess. I’ve done diets like these in the past because I’ve competed in bodybuilding.
So here’s an example of a day’s worth of food:
- Meal 1: 10 egg whites with one cup of raw spinach (salt and pepper)
- Meal 2: 150g of tuna, 200g of lettuce, and 200g of spinach (salt and pepper)
- Pre-Workout Meal: 1 serving of whey protein, 50g of cooked white rice, and one egg
- Post-Workout Meal: 1 serving of whey protein, 50g of cooked white rice, and one egg
- Meal 3: 200g of fat-free cottage cheese, 1 serving of whey protein, and 5g of sugar-free peanut butter
- Meal 4: 10 egg whites with one cup of raw spinach (salt and pepper)
That would amount to around 50 grams of total carbohydrates for the day but a staggering 300 grams of protein (almost). Again, studies by Dr. Jose Antonio have shown that higher protein intake is not linked to fat gain. Protein is just really, really hard for the body to turn into fat.
Carb Cycling – Should You Try It?
Yes, you might also want to consider carb cycling. This isn’t something that accelerates fat loss. However, some people have claimed it helps with energy on heavier days, and it also helps with hunger.
For instance, if your calories are 2,500 and your carbs are 200g, you might split it like this:
- Higher days would have 250 grams of carbs.
- Medium days would have 200 grams.
- Lower days would have 150 grams.
This means you could combine these in a manner that’ll allow you to have a net calorie deficit over the week that would cause fat loss. But it’ll still give you more energy on heavier training days.
More on this later, which leads me to the last point: Training.
Training 101: It’s Gonna Be Hard
As you might expect, training for as much fat loss as you possibly can in 21 days be pretty intense. Nothing much you can do about it – them’s the facts. That means we’ll be doing weights and/or cardio nearly every single day of the week.
Sometimes, twice per day…
Week 1
Week one is about jumping in head first. Let’s not be humble about it – you wanna lose as much weight as you possibly can.
For carb cycling, remove some carbs on “Low” days, and pop those over into the “High” days. Your deficit will remain the same for the week.
| Day of the Week | Session 1 (AM) | Session 2 (PM) | Carb Cycling Day |
| Monday | Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS) Cardio | Full Body 1 | Medium |
| Tuesday | LISS Cardio | Off | Low |
| Wednesday | LISS Cardio | Full Body 2 | Medium |
| Thursday | LISS Cardio | Off | Low |
| Friday | LISS Cardio | Upper 1 | High |
| Saturday | High Intensity (HIIT) Cardio | Lower 1 | High |
| Sunday | Off | Off | Low |
Week 2
Getting tired yet? GOOD! Keep going, and just know you’re almost at the end. Make each workout count, and ensure you always give it your all.
| Day of the Week | Session 1 (AM) | Session 2 (PM) | Carb Cycling Day |
| Monday | LISS Cardio | Upper 1 | Medium |
| Tuesday | LISS Cardio | Lower 1 | High |
| Wednesday | HIIT Cardio | LISS Cardio | Low |
| Thursday | LISS Cardio | Upper 2 | Low |
| Friday | LISS Cardio | Lower 2 | Medium |
| Saturday | HIIT Cardio | Full Body 1 | High |
| Sunday | LISS Cardio | Off | Low |
Week 3
The last week! Damn, you’ve been doing great so far! Don’t mess up now. You’re almost at the finish line.
This week is going to be incredibly draining, so make sure you sleep as much as you possibly can.
| Day of the Week | Session 1 (AM) | Session 2 (PM) | Carb Cycling Day |
| Monday | LISS Cardio | Full Body 1 | Medium |
| Tuesday | LISS Cardio | LISS Cardio | Low |
| Wednesday | LISS Cardio | Full Body 2 | High |
| Thursday | LISS Cardio | Upper 1 | Low |
| Friday | LISS Cardio | Off | Low |
| Saturday | LISS Cardio | Full Body 1 | Low |
| Sunday | Off | Off | Low |
And now, to give you the actual workouts and cardio routines:
Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS) Cardio
Don’t be too fancy about it. This can be something like incline walking, the elliptical, or even cycling. Beware of too much cycling, though, as it can make your legs hurt – a lot.
Aim to keep your heart rate between 120 and 140. Week 1 should be 30 minutes per session, week 2 should be 45 minutes, and week 3 should be 60 minutes.
High Intensity (HIIT) Cardio
Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t magically burn more fat. In fact, it should be used sparingly because it can tank recovery.
Here are two ideas you can try:
- Get on a bike, and start pedaling at 50% for 2 minutes. Then, pedal as hard as you can for 30 seconds, and then 30 seconds at 50%. That’s one round of one minute. Complete 15 – 20 rounds.
- If you prefer running outside, grab your trainers, and let’s go! Find a street with light poles, and start running at 50%. Alternate between sprinting and jogging between adjacent poles for 15 – 20 minutes. Warning: this is a killer!
Any other HIIT cardio would work as long as your heart rate is well above 150.
Full Body 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Barbell Clean to Press | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 10 – 12 15+ |
| Dumbbell Lunges | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 10 – 12 15+ |
| Barbell Overhead Press | Set 1 Set 2 | 5 – 10 12 – 15 |
| Chin Ups | Set 1 Set 2 | As many reps as possible (AMRAP) AMRAP |
| Burpees | Set 1 Set 2 | 60 seconds 60 seconds |
Take all the rest you need between sets. The goal is not to build fitness but rather to give each set as much respect and attention as it needs.
Full Body 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Barbell Deadlift | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 10 – 12 12 – 15 |
| Pull-ups | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | AMRAP AMRAP AMRAP |
| Dumbbell Chest Press | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 10 12 – 15 12 – 15 |
| Seated Hamstring Curl | Set 1 Set 2 | 5 – 10 12 – 15 |
| Burpees | Set 1 Set 2 | 60 seconds 60 seconds |
Another killer workout for you to go all out on. Please make sure to warm up properly for deadlifts.
Upper 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Decline Bench Press | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 10 – 12 12 – 15 |
| Single Arm Pulldown | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 10 10 – 12 10 – 12 |
| Chest Supported Upper Back Row | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 10 – 12 12 – 15 |
| Hammer Curls | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 10 12 – 15 12 – 15 |
| Rope Tricep Extensions | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 10 12 – 15 12 – 15 |
Upper 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Weighted Dips | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | AMRAP AMRAP AMRAP |
| Barbell Rows | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 10 10 – 12 10 – 12 |
| Chest Supported Upper Back Row | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 10 – 12 12 – 15 |
| Incline Curls | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 10 12 – 15 12 – 14 |
| JM Press | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 10 12 – 15 12 – 14 |
Lower 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Squats | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 7 8 – 10 10 – 12 |
| Leg Extensions | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 10 10 – 12 10 – 12 |
| Adductors | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 10 – 12 12 – 15 |
| Seated Hamstring Curl | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 10 12 – 15 12 – 14 |
| Lying Hamstring Curl | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 10 12 – 15 12 – 14 |
Lower 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Romanian Deadlift | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 7 8 – 10 10 – 12 |
| Walking Lunges | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | AMRAP AMRAP AMRAP |
| Adductors | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 10 – 12 12 – 15 |
| Seated Hamstring Curl | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 10 12 – 15 12 – 14 |
| Lying Hamstring Curl | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 10 12 – 15 12 – 14 |
And there you have it.
Keep in mind these workouts are going to suck because your diet and cardio routines are horrible – but I’m just giving you what you want.
One more tip… If you feel yourself being quite low on energy during your workouts, you can partition some carbs to the pre and post-workout window. This will give you slightly more energy during the heavier lifts.
Ensure the carbs are easy to digest, however. High-fiber foods aren’t really the best thing before a workout… along with high-fat foods.
Do I Actually Believe You SHOULD Do This?
Actually, HELL NO! This plan is downright stupid, and trying to get shredded in 21 days is a silly idea!
This is about as unsustainable as it can be, and I certainly wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. That said, if you really must lose a bunch of weight in 21 days, this is the way to do it.
Is it healthy? No. Will you like it? Of course not.
I cannot state this enough: this is a crash diet, but it’s one that might work. You’re much better off doubling your timeline to six weeks, if not several months, which would make the getting shredded process a lot healthier for you and more sustainable.
If you suffer from eating disorders or body dysmorphia, do not follow this plan!
Can You Get Shredded in 21 Days?
Ain’t a chance, bub. If you’ve spent the last couple of months getting fat and growing a big ‘ol belly, you simply won’t get shredded abs in three weeks. The way the fitness system works is you get out what you put in.
This plan isn’t really one I would want to follow personally. It’s intense and unsustainable, and I much prefer a program that’s been designed for 0.5 – 1.0% of total body weight loss per week. That way, I also have a much greater chance of actually retaining muscle mass.
That said, if you ensure you sleep enough, drink enough water, lower your stress as much as you possibly can, and grit your teeth for the next three weeks, this might work.
But it’s going to suck.
After this period is done, we need to make sure you don’t rebound. What you have to do is slowly reduce cardio by around 20% per week and also increase calories slowly.
Some folks have different ways of doing this, but I believe a simple method would be best. Simply add in half the calories between where you are now and your normal maintenance.
Yes, you will gain weight. And yes, mentally, it’ll be hard, but you have to do it.
Once you’ve eaten the new amount for 2 weeks, increase calories halfway again. Then, bump it back to maintenance, and go about your life as you were.
You know the plan is severe when the rebound is longer than the actual plan…
