Key Takeaways
- How long it takes you to get ripped depends on how much body fat you currently have
- Aim to lose about 0.5 – 1.0% of total body weight per week
- Dieting too fast or too harsh will lead to muscle loss and even a rebound fat gain phase
So, you wanna get ripped? You wanna post selfies on IG and have the boys and girls swoon over your pictures? Well, depending on where your start point is, getting ripped might take 6 weeks, or it might take 18 weeks.
That’s a rather big difference, so allow me to explain what I’m on about.
Here’s What We Mean When We Say “Ripped”
Here, we aren’t talking about some metaphysical or emotional mumbo-jumbo. We mean it literally.
What makes someone ripped? Why not lean? Why not muscular? Why not thick?!
Simply put, these are words the fitness community made up to describe different people in different stages of their journey (all words are made up, btw):
- Being thick means the person is either bulking or perhaps they’re a strength athlete, as these folk usually get up, come on, get down with the thickness.
- Being muscular means exactly that – the person is simply more muscular than the next person.
- Being lean is the preliminary stage to being ripped, the Charmeleon to the Charizard if you will.
- Being ripped is the full monty! This person carries almost zero fat on their body (<8% for men and <13% for women) while having a decent amount of muscle mass as well.
As you can see, there are various different types of people in the fitness community, and if you care about aesthetics, you probably wanna be ripped. So let me show you how.
First, Be Honest With Yourself!
How much fat do you actually have to lose? It’s okay. Take your time, but be honest.
Is it more than you might hope it to be? Or are you still fitting in all your clothes? Hopefully, the winter bulk didn’t do you too much harm.
However, we need to address something.
The more body fat you currently have, the longer it’ll take you to get ripped. The less muscle you have, the longer it’ll take, too. The more stress you have … the older you are …
You get the idea.
Generally, it’ll take about 3 to 5 months to get ripped. But that really depends on your gender and your starting point…
- If you have more than 20% body fat as a male, it’ll probably take 15 – 20 weeks.
- If you have more than 28% body fat as a female, it’ll be closer to 15 – 20 weeks.
- If you have 13 – 20% body fat as a male, it’ll likely take 12 – 16 weeks.
- If you have 18 – 25% body fat as a female, it’s about 12 – 16 weeks.
Anything lower than this might only take around 10 weeks – or a little over two months to get ripped.
Next, Revamp Your Diet
Hopefully, by now, you know that your diet will – by and large – determine how your body will react. Fuel it with McD’s, and you might not perform so great…
The most important factors you need to focus on as you diet for fat loss are:
- You need to remain in a calorie deficit in order to create a reason for the body to use fat as fuel. Simply take your maintenance calories (which you can calculate here) and subtract 200 calories or 10% from that (whichever comes first).
- When weight loss stops (you should lose 0.5 – 1.0% per week), simply reduce your calories again by 200 or 10% from that (again, whichever comes first). This alone is why a goal of getting shredded in one week is absolutely absurd.
- Your macro split is as follows: At least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, and the rest of your calories can be split as you, please.
- Yes, you may do cardio. I prefer my clients to do some cardio because it’s great for their health. Cardio could also help you create a calorie deficit.
And that’s it! Quite simple, right?
Well, the next question you might have is, “what am I supposed to eat?”
Have a look at this table. These are some of the foods that are usually in a weight loss diet, but keep in mind you aren’t limited to these:
| Protein | Carbs | Fats |
| Lean Meats (Chicken, Turkey, Lean Cuts of Beef) | Whole Grains | Olive Oil |
| Low Fat or Fat-Free Dairy | Rice (All Kinds) | Nuts and Nut Butter |
| Protein Powders | Pasta (All Linds) | Oily Fish (like Salmon) |
| Eggs and Egg Whites | Fruits and Veggies | Whole Eggs |
| Tofu and Seitan | Legumes | Whole Grains |
| Fish (Tuna, Salmon, Cod, etc.) | Healthy Cereals | Meat |
| Whole Grains | Healthy Bread | Dairy |
These are just some of the basics that you’ll find in a good diet. Learn to combine different foods with one another (and spices) to make healthy meals like:
- Whole-grain pasta with chicken breasts and low-calorie pasta sauce
- Baked potatoes, baked salmon, and steamed asparagus
- Overnight oats
- Egg white omelet with low-fat cheese on whole-grain toast
Play around a bit. Try different cooking methods, spices, food combinations, and even temperatures. Last hint: learn how to make protein “ice cream” – you can thank me later.
Then, Master the Training
So, now you’re fuelled up and ready to go! Well, let me introduce you to the single most effective workout plan in the world!
Just kidding. It has helped many of my clients, but it’s far from perfect:
| Day of the Week | Workout |
| Monday | Lower 1 |
| Tuesday | Upper 1 |
| Wednesday | Light Cardio |
| Thursday | Lower 2 |
| Friday | Upper 2 |
| Saturday | HIIT Cardio |
| Sunday | Off |
Lower 1: Hamstrings, Glutes, Quads, and Adductors
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Seated Hamstring Curl | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 6 – 8 10 – 12 20+ |
| Romanian Deadlift | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 8 – 10 10 – 12 |
| Leg Press | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 8 – 10 10 – 12 |
| Adductor Machine | Set 1 Set 2 (Drop set) | 10 – 15 10 – 15 & 20+ |
Upper 1: Chest, Delts, Triceps, Lats, and Biceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Dumbbell Chest Press | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 8 – 10 10 – 12 |
| Cable Lateral Raises | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 6 – 8 10 – 12 20+ |
| JM Press | Set 1 Set 2 | 5 – 8 8 – 12 |
| Single Arm Pulldown | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 8 – 10 10 – 12 |
| Preacher Dumbbell Curls | Set 1 Set 2 | 8 – 10 8 – 12 |
Light Cardio
20 minutes of incline walking. Your heart rate should be 110 – 125 beats per minute.
Lower 2: Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, and Adductors
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Split Squats | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 6 – 8 10 – 12 12 – 15 |
| Lying Hamstring Curl | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 (Drop set) | 5 – 8 8 – 10 10 – 12 & 15+ |
| Barbell Glute Raise | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 8 – 10 10 – 12 |
| Adductor Machine | Set 1 Set 2 | 10 – 15 10 – 15 |
Upper 2: Upper Back, Lats, Delts, Chest, Biceps, and Triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Chest-Supported Upper Back Row | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 8 – 10 10 – 12 |
| Barbells Rows | Set 1 Set 2 | 6 – 8 10 – 12 |
| Overhead Dumbbell Press | Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 | 5 – 8 8 – 10 10 – 12 |
| Cable Chest Flyes | Set 1 Set 2 | 5 – 8 8 – 12 |
| Barbell Curls | Set 1 Set 2 | 8 – 10 8 – 12 |
| Single Arm Rope Tricep Extensions | Set 1 Set 2 | 8 – 10 8 – 12 |
HIIT Cardio
30 seconds of hard rowing (80% ) followed by 30 seconds of chilled rowing (45%) and repeat for a total of 20 rounds (20 minutes).
One Thing to Remember…
A general rule of thumb is to always try and get stronger in the gym. This means adding load progressively as time goes on. In week one, you might do 100 x 12 reps, and in week 12, you might be able to do 150 x 12.
This added strength will reflect in added muscle mass, granted you eat enough protein and sleep enough.
So, Can You Get Ripped in 6 Weeks?
Well, sorry to say, but you can’t just “get” ripped in 6 weeks. If you’ve spent the last couple of years or months eating junk and gaining (a lot) of weight, it might take a bit longer.
Sure, in the old days, it was fine and even normal to measure fat loss by how long it took.
However, today, we know that aiming for the amount of fat lost per week is a better option. Not only is it way more sustainable, but you can also calculate and predict how long it’ll take.
Aim for 0.5 – 1.0% of total body weight loss per week, ensure you eat plenty of protein, and try to get stronger in the gym, and you’re halfway there. Add a lot of sleep and stress management into the equation, and you might get ripped in 6 weeks.
If you’re starting point is already lean, that is….
