Sacrifices for a Ripped Physique
Getting shredded isn’t easy. It takes months of consistent hard work to drop down your body fat percentage to reveal your muscle conditioning. Getting lean requires commitment and it depends on you if you’re willing to make the tradeoffs.
Achieving a chiseled physique demands sacrifices and isn’t for the faint-hearted. The hardest part of making these sacrifices is that they aren’t a one-time thing. You could have to face them daily.
No Random Eating
If you’re working for a ripped physique, you should have a strict diet plan that prohibits you from feasting on random food. You probably will be counting your calories and sticking to your macros by prepping your meals in advance.
No more going out for dinner and eating whatever you feel like. Obtaining a shredded physique almost turns into a full-time job and you’ll have to work on it even if you don’t like it.
A Strict Bedtime
It’s important for an athlete to stick to their recovery program. On a shredding cycle, your bedtime could be stricter than that of a 10-year old. So, no more late night movies or binge-watching your favorite shows.
To make matters worse, one of the most common side effects of dieting is – bad sleep. Many scientific studies show a lack of sleep can make you eat more which can turn into a vicious cycle and throw you off your plan if you’re not mentally tough.
Prepare for DOMS
DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) is the sore feeling in your muscles on the next day after you train a muscle group. The levels of soreness are higher and it lasts longer when you’re trying to bring down your body fat percentage to extreme levels.
The DOMS extend because the nutrients required to repair your muscles are lacking in your body while you’re shredding. You don’t have enough calories and macronutrients to get the work done.
Good-Bye Sex Drive
If your goal of getting ripped is to spark up your bedroom life and look good naked, you should reconsider. Dieting down to ultra-low levels of body fat can cause you to lose all interest in your sex life.
It’s a well-documented fact that the pro bodybuilders nearing the competition day often lose their sex drive due to lower testosterone levels. Not only will your desire for sex diminish but it will also negatively affect your performance in the bed.
Out of Energy
One of the biggest drawbacks of shredding is you will always feel tired and exhausted. Your body stores energy in the form of glucose and fat. Getting rid of the excess carbs and fats in your body will drain your body of its energy reserves.
Don’t expect to engage in heavy physical activity while you’re shredding. Extreme low levels of body fat aren’t healthy and shouldn’t be maintained all year around. Keep an energy bar at hand which meets your calorie intake allowance in case of dire situations.
Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
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