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Conrad is a hardworking, hands-on dad. 

And thanks to his busy life, he was tired and not eating well. He didn’t notice the weight creeping on, until one day in his mid-thirties he decided to take control.

This is Conrad’s story — one of our favorite V Shred reviews.

Enjoy some of our favorite V Shred reviews and transformations.

The wake up call a dad couldn’t ignore

Conrad saw a photo of himself and was shocked.  Something had to change, for his health and for his family.

As he nervously edged on to the scale, he was ready to face the truth.

At his highest weight, Conrad weighed in at 460 pounds. He needed to make a leap of faith. To focus on his well-being.

“I decided I wanted to do something for myself…and for my boys. I knew I needed to set a good example for them…”

Conrad knew he needed to show a positive example and the significance of a healthy lifestyle. Newly motivated, he started a restrictive diet and lost 20 pounds in the first two months.

But although it was an initial success, the diet became unsustainable, and he put the weight back on easily.

Feeling frustrated after his setback, Conrad needed a solution that would work long-term.

A “lightbulb moment” for weight loss

That’s when Conrad stumbled upon an ad for V Shred weight loss on Facebook.

The ad caught his eye. It explained how men in their 30s and 40s can get in shape without having to spend hours at the gym or cut out their favorite foods.

But despite having tried other programs before, something about V Shred kept Conrad intrigued.

“I saw it, and it was a light bulb moment that said, this is it. This was going to be a lifestyle change. [They] give you the tools that I needed to succeed, and I was fully on board.”

Having struggled with his fitness all his life. Something told Conrad this could be just the thing he needed. And when he dug deeper, he saw it as more than just an opportunity to lose weight, but key to a genuine change in his lifestyle.

The tools V Shred offered were exactly what he needed. Without waiting, he was fully on board.

Jumping straight in

Conrad decided to give the V Shred program a shot to shed the extra pounds. And after following the workouts and meal guides, the weight started to melt away.

Conrad joined the V Shred program, starting with ‘fat loss extreme’ 

Before long his pant sizes kept dropping, and that was just the beginning.

Conrad started with Fat Loss Extreme, then moving onto ‘big arms’ and eventually completing and repeating ‘ripped in 90″.

When asked what his favorite part of V Shred’s weight loss programs were, Conrad answers:

“The videos, the guidance, to be able to follow along…you gave me options on certain exercises…I hadn’t been able to do push-ups since elementary school and it was ok to start on your knees…and now I can do full blown push-ups.”

The motivational videos also gave encouragement on the days when it was hard to get going.

The secrets to V Shred weight loss nutrition 

After joining the V Shred program, coach Adam got in touch with Conrad within 24 hours to deliver a customized meal plan. In his V Shred review, Conrad shares that Adam took his likes and dislikes into account and designed a plan that gave him the fuel he needed for maximum results.

“Since then I’ve never quit a meal plan, actually, I just bought the meal plan for my parents.”

But it wasn’t only the food that helped Conrad get in shape.

The supplements gave him what he needed to not only get through the program but to get the best results.

Conrad shares that his new favorite thing is when his supplements arrive in the mail.

The key to faster results with V Shred

When Conrad discovered that V Shred offered personal training, he knew this was the key to achieve his goals even faster. Knowing he had a lot of weight to lose, he wanted to give himself every chance of success.

“I wanted to make sure I was doing the exercises right.”

That’s when he decided to work with a V Shred weight loss Certified Coach. By following their recommendations to the letter and committing to the workouts and meal plan, Conrad started to see results.

Shrinking as confidence grows

As Conrad stuck with his coach’s plan, the pounds kept dropping off. His pant sizes were getting smaller and smaller. And while it was gradual weight loss, it was consistent. 

Along with this weight loss came a surge in confidence. He looked like a completely new person and he certainly felt like one.

Friends and family noticed his transformation. But what could Conrad never have predicted?

He reconnected with someone special. 

The love of his life

“I met Angela 8 years ago at a Baseball field. We went on a first date and we had a great time… but we never went past that first date and 8 years later, I couldn’t get her out of my mind… I sent her a Facebook message and a couple of hours later Angela responded.”

Conrad and Angela met for their second, first date a few days later. 

What did they do? 

They worked out!

And the rest is history. 

Staying the course

Like all new habits, Conrad faced challenging days and moments when the scale wouldn’t budge. But losing over 200 pounds doesn’t happen in the blink of an eye.

Conrad leaned on his Coach, Adam, for support.

And over the course of two years, he lost the weight. 

Over 200 pounds later, there’s no looking back.

In celebration of his achievement, V Shred invited Conrad to visit the V Shred Gym where he could finally meet his Coach, Adam, in person. Conrad also got the chance to work out alongside Vince Sant, co-founder of V Shred, in Las Vegas.

Fitness from the comfort of home

“When you’re overweight, you already feel that everyone’s looking at you. But the program gave me the tools I needed to do my workouts in the comfort of my own home, without the added feelings of being in public.”

With the experience Conrad gained, his son recently asked for workout advice, something he found so humbling when a year ago he could hardly get up off the floor after his workout.

“That was a very heart warming and very cool dad moment.”

210 Pounds later

“My jeans were a 56/58 inch waist, I’m proud to say it’s now a 36, from a 6XL I can say that I’m now in a large.”

Conrad’s body has gone from over 34% body fat to 16%. 

And not only that, in just over a year,  Conrad gained 4 years back from his metabolic age, which he admits gives him goosebumps just thinking about!

Conrad’s perseverance over the years led to a 200-pound weight loss with V Shred…

Conrad’s trust in the V Shred program means the weight loss remains. As does the positive impact on Conrad’s mental well-being, relationships, and overall happiness.

“If you’re mentally ready to go on a journey and do extraordinary things for yourself and set goals and achieve them, this is it.”

Check out more V Shred reviews and success stories here.

The post He Bought the V Shred Program: Here’s His Honest Review 2024 appeared first on V Shred.

You’ve probably heard it before, but crushing your workouts will only get you so far. It’s your eating habits that will help get you the long-term results you’re after.

Unfortunately, nutrition is also the most difficult part of fitness for most people to understand and put into action! That’s why we created the V Shred Custom Coaching program: to help eliminate the guess work and have the experts do the heavy lifting of figuring out what and how much to eat — so you don’t have to!

If you’ve received your a V Shred Custom Diet Plan or are just considering buying one, here’s what to expect — and a step-by-step guide of how to turn that plan into actual meals!

What to Expect When You Get Your Plan

When you open up your meal plan, the first thing you will see is your meals for the entire week.

Most days will look like this:

• Breakfast
• Snack
• Lunch
• Snack
• Dinner

There might be another snack before bed, depending your goals. In addition to everything you need to eat at each meal, you will find the calorie/macro breakdown for each meal and your total daily calories/macros for the entire day at the bottom of the page.

Before we dig deep into the plan, let’s address the one question we almost always get right out of the gate. Why is my plan just one week? 

Here’s why: Unless you see something that you don’t like, or we determine the plan isn’t working for you and your goals, our plans are written to repeat the same meals for several weeks, — normally, right about a month.

That may sound weird, but there is a reason. You get better at your diet the same way you do with your workouts — by repeating them more than once. Sticking to the same meals for a few weeks helps you learn crucial meal preparation and portion control skills!

Once you are confident and seeing results, we’ll start mixing things up. But if you need more variety, reach out to Be it day one or day 90; your coach is always happy to make adjustments!

Now let’s dig into how to put your plan into action, in 5 steps.

Step 1: Look Over All Seven Days Of Your Plan 

Start with page one and go through each meal. Don’t just skim! Do a deep dive. Look for anything you may see as a problem; a food you hate, something you are allergic to, or a meal that just doesn’t feel right.

If something looks off, speak up! Let your coach know, and they will keep changing it until you are happy! Your plan is never set in stone.

That’s a big difference between our meal plans and ones from other online services. Our plans are meant to be truly customized. We keep making adjustments until you’re confident you can follow it without feeling overly restricted or overwhelmed.

Step 2: Make a Shopping List & Head to the Grocery Store 

After the meal schedule, you will find recipes and instructions. Skip past this section for now and go to the back of the meal plan and look at the shopping list! It is about three pages long and includes everything you need to follow our recipe suggestions and make your meals.

Because your meals come from recipes, this section may look a little weird. Like, who buys .38 cups of salsa, right? Or just one tablespoon of peanut butter?

But remember, you will be repeating this meal plan for four weeks, so you will be buying almost everything you need for an entire month of meals.

That’s another perk of meal planning: It is very budget-friendly! It may seem expensive during that first shopping trip, but once you get good at shopping, you can easily save enough money each month to pay for your meal plan.

We suggest printing this section and taking it to the store with you so you can buy everything you need to set yourself up for most of the month in a single trip. In some cases, you’ll only have to buy some of these things once every few months.

You will also see specific brand names called out on these shopping lists. You don’t need to buy the exact brands listed. Buy the brand you want or that you can afford.

Step 3: Practice Measuring Your Food

Our meal plans contain a range of pretty normal food: measurements: tablespoons, ounces, cups, etc. If you go to the last page of the meal plan, there’s a simple portion guide that helps you put those into some terms. For example, a cup of salad greens is about the size of a baseball.

However, we recommend investing in a food scale and tools like measuring cups and spoons for optimal accuracy. You can pick one up at most department/grocery chains or find them really cheap online. 

That may seem like overkill, but here’s why it’s so important. Compare these two servings of nuts. They’re both a size that would be easy to scoop out of a bag with your hand, but one contains an extra 235 calories.

That number of extra calories one time won’t make or break your results. But repeated on a regular basis for weeks or months, the calories will definitely add up!

The moral of the story: It’s hard to “eyeball” portions, especially when you’re not used to it. Use a food scale as often as you can, at least for a couple of months. Over time you can get pretty good at eyeballing, but it takes plenty of practice.

Step 4: Learn Your Swaps

Our V Shred coaches share a short guide with every meal plan that lists easy protein, carb, fat, and vegetable substitutions. These are interchangeable foods based on your wants, needs, and cravings, and will help keep you from getting bored with your plan.

For example, let’s say you see chicken on your plan a few times. If you already know that you are going to get sick of chicken after a couple of days, when you are out grocery shopping, pick up some items on the substitute list! You could have an equal portion of lean turkey, white fish, 3/4 of a cup of cottage cheese, or plenty of other options.

If you aren’t sure if you are substituting with the right foods or don’t see any substitutions you like, you can always reach out to your coach to ask. Our Facebook Group for Women or Facebook Group for Men are also packed with thousands of people who have had success in custom coaching, and they have tons of great ideas to keep you satisfied.

Step 5: Pick Your Meals

Now that you’ve looked at your plan and understand the shopping and substitutes list, it’s time to make your shopping list, and start prepping a few meals! If you need some ideas on making meal-prepping easier, Vince filmed a great video on meal-prep tips that can help you get started.

Hopefully you are feeling confident and ready to start eating and feeling better!

But if you are still confused after looking everything over, it’s normal. Please don’t hesitate to talk to your coach! You are never bothering them, and there is no such thing as a “dumb” question.

Each week, look for a “check-in” emails from your V Shred coach. If you have any questions or feel like you’re struggling, this is the best way to get help from experts who know how to give it.

Now, time to go start taking control of your nutrition. We know you can do it!

The post Getting Started With Your V Shred Custom Meal Plan appeared first on V Shred.

Changing any habit is hard. But eating habits are especially tough.

But the good news is that many people have been where you are before, and emerged on the other side leaner, healthier, and feeling amazing. Just take a look at some of our V Shred customer transformations for proof!

Here’s how to navigate the initial learning curve of nutrition and start eating better today!

Draw a line around your house.

You can’t keep the world from being full of junk food, but you can choose to not bring it into your house.

Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “If you hang around the barbershop long enough, eventually you’re going to get a haircut.” Well, this applies to cravings, too. If you let your weakness into your home, it’s got a much better chance of finding you.

“But I can just have a little bit…” Or can you? Maybe, but maybe not… yet.

When you’re just starting out, we suggest not buying any high-calorie “trigger” foods, and getting rid of the ones that are in your house. Keep them out until you have some time behind you and are certain you can trust yourself to resist or can enjoy one serving (accounted for if you are tracking macros) and move on. For some people, this could be months down the road. or years.

In the mean time, stock up on veggies to snack on and even some Sculpt Nation Protein. You can shake it up with just water, add some fruit for a delicious smoothie, or create protein-filled treats like protein pancakes!

If you have a sweet tooth, many of our clients say they curb those cravings with our Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies. You can have up to three 20-calorie servings a day, and they taste like candy! Plus, they can help give you quick “pick-me-up energy” and provide digestion and metabolism support.

Drink Up

It’s really common to think you’re hungry, when you’re actually just thirsty or even a little dehydrated.

If you’re feeling desperately hungry, have a glass of water or another no-calorie beverage like some Sculpt Nation BCAAs, wait 20 minutes, and see how you feel.

If you need some other suggestions of beverages you can enjoy while dieting, check out the article What Should I Drink Beside Water?

And if you are wondering if it’s okay to drink things like coffee or alcohol, we’ve got you covered there too! You can read our tips for consuming these beverages and staying on track in the article Can I Drink Alcohol or Coffee?

Do some targeted meal prep

Meal prep is a popular way to try to gain control over nutrition, but not all of us are ready to prep every meal, every day — and that’s just fine!  Especially if you’re just starting out, consider just prepping the meal you struggle with the most.

You can start with breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks — whichever one is your “problem meal” and tends to cause you to over-indulge or end up in the drive-thru. Then, once you feel confident preparing that meal, take that momentum and apply it to another meal.

You might be surprised how big of an effect simply fixing one calorie-bomb per day can have!

If you need some tips on meal prepping, check out the popular meal prep guide Vince Sant posted on our V Shred’s YouTube Channel.

Have A Strong Support System

Getting started can feel infinitely harder if your friends, family, and co-workers aren’t joining you and adopting a healthy lifestyle of their own. Even if you feel like you’re the only one in your circle making positive changes, it’s still important that you vocalize your goals and let them know you would welcome their support.

But it’s equally important to have like-minded people in your circle cheering you on. This is exactly why we created our private Facebook Groups for Men and Women.

It’s free to join, and there are hundreds of thousands of other clients and even our V Shred trainers and nutritionists in these groups that are happy to offer tips that will help you navigate your exercise program and diet and offer the support you need to stay on track!

Still Stuck? We’ve Got Your Back! 

Don’t be afraid to ask for help! You may not be an expert yet, but we have some team members who definitely hare.

The Custom Coaching team at V Shred have created over 1 million personalized meal plans for people from all backgrounds, and can do the same for you. No matter your situation, they’ve seen it before.

Our most dramatic transformations almost always involve custom coaching. So if you’re really confused or ready to make a serious change, you can get your custom diet plan here or learn more by emailing coaching@vshred.com.

The post I’m Totally Lost And Struggling With Nutrition. What Do I Do? appeared first on V Shred.

A few years ago, you’d find people online debating whether creatine “worked.”

There’s no real doubt about that anymore.

Creatine has been shown in study after study to improve strength, power, speed, recovery— pretty much everything that makes a workout better, especially if you are doing one of our programs like Clean Bulk, Ripped In 90 Days, or Toned In 90 Days. 

These days, instead of asking “does it work,” the question has shifted to “Is there a best time and way to take creatine?” It’s a topic that is almost as heavily debated as “Are BCAAs a waste of money” — which you can read more about HERE.

For this article, we are going to clear up any confusion you have about creatine.

Creatine: Before or After a Workout? 

The funny thing about creatine is that there really isn’t a “best” time to take it in regard to your workout. As long as you take between 2-5 grams daily, even on non-training days, when you consume it isn’t as important.

That is because its effects are systemic, meaning that you need to have it build up in your system to work, over a period of days or weeks.

This sounds great, but the only problem with taking a supplement daily is that it can be easy to forget, especially on rest days.

That’s why we recommend taking creatine post-workout on training days: it’s easier to remember. And it’s why we put a precise amount of three different types of creatine in our Sculptnation Post-Workout. There is no guesswork! You get both a clinically studied dose of creatine AND other nutrients your body needs to properly recover after crushing a tough workout all in one scoop.

But if you’re in the “I’ll drink it whenever” camp or would rather slam a protein shake after your workout, we’ve got you covered there, too.

Sculpt Nation Creatine is designed to be a single-dose of the most research-backed form of creatine, which is creatine monohydrate. Each scoop has 5g, which is all anyone needs.

Should I load with creatine?

Some people recommend starting off by taking creatine with what is known as a “creatine loading protocol,” which is typically 4-5 doses a day for five days.

Is it effective? Sure, but unless you’re desperately seeking muscle size, most people should skip it.

Here’s why: Some people experience temporary side effects from creatine loading, like bloating or an upset stomach — and these pretty much always happen during loading protocols.

The answer: Keep it simple!! Just take 3-5 g every single day, and you’ll load your muscles just as well without any of the side effects some experience with “creatine loading.”

Not to mention, supplements only play a small part in reaching your muscle-building goals. You should first and foremost make sure your nutrition is on point. You can find out how much and what you need to eat to reach your goals in the V Shred App for IOS or Android. Make sure you get that squared away before you consider supplementing.

If Creatine Is Necessary For Your Goals? 

If you are looking at all this advice and just saying, “just tell me what to do, please,” that’s why we have the V Shred personal trainer and nutritionist team. 

Maybe you are a female mainly looking to lose body fat and not sure if creatine is needed? Or are an Ectomorph body type and unsure if you need more creatine to help reach your muscle-building goals?

Not only does our expert team make personalized diet and workout plans for thousands of people every day, but they can also help you pick the best supplements for your body type and goals.

You can get your personalized meal plan here or email coaching@vshred.com to learn more. 

The post When Should I Take Creatine? appeared first on V Shred.

Right off the bat, let’s be clear that fat burners are not magic. You can’t simply pop a pill and watch excess fat magically melt away.

If losing weight was as easy as taking a pill or powder, one in three Americans wouldn’t be obese, and the obesity rate wouldn’t be continuing to rise as it currently is steadily.

To lose weight and keep it off, you need to start by integrating activity and exercise in your life. A  weight-loss targeted programs like Fat Loss Extreme Men or Women can get you there. 

Step two is to gear your nutrition toward your goal. You can do all of that by calculating your personalized macro/calorie needs within the V Shred App for IOS or Android. Or if that feels beyond your ability  — which is understandable — one of our on-staff nutritionists can help you do it.

But once you have those two factors in place, a quality fat-burner can help provide that little extra “something” that can help you get where you want to go a little faster, and feeling a little less depleted along the way.

How To Make Your Fat Burner Work Better

Like most supplements, there is an OK, better, and best time to take a fat-burner. Here are the biggest priorities to keep in mind:

Consistency: A lot of people buy a fat burner and then just take it every once in a while or when they remember. That’s not how fat burners (or most supplements) work. You’ve got to take them regularly and strategically to see the benefits.

Time Of Day: A tried-and-true approach, backed by V Shred co-founder Vince Sant, is to take it as soon as you wake up each morning — about 30-40 minutes before eating breakfast.

Here’s why: Your metabolic rate is slowest in the morning, and the active ingredients can help kick it back into gear and manage your appetite throughout the day.

Now, some people find that taking it on an empty stomach doesn’t sit quite right. If this sounds like you, wait and have it with your first meal of the day instead.

You can also take a fat-burner like Burn Evolved 30 minutes before your workout to give yourself a little extra push. It’s just got 100 mg of caffeine, which is less than most pre-workout supplements.

The only recommendation: don’t take it too close to bedtime, or the caffeine could interfere with your sleep. That’s why we created BURN PM, a nighttime thermogenic that is free of stimulants and can actually help you sleep better. The two work well enough together that we offer both  (plus Turmeric Black) in our Fat Loss Stack.

Ease Your Way In: No matter when you take BURN EVOLVED, if you’re just starting out, ease your way into the full two-pill dose. Maybe start with half and see how you feel until your body adapts to the caffeine and other ingredients. Or you can take one pill in the morning, and another with lunch.

Need Help Dialing In Your Diet, Exercise, and Supplement Regime? 

Don’t forget: Even the best a fat burner works way better when it’s part of a well-designed fat-loss nutrition plan.

If you need some expert help, we have a team of qualified nutrition experts who create custom meal plans for thousands of people every day.

Our most dramatic transformations almost always come from these plans. So if you’re curious, you can get your personalized weight-loss diet plan here or by emailing us at coaching@vshred.com.

The post When Should I Take A Fat Burner? appeared first on V Shred.

Not that long ago, bros in the gym talked about what they called the “anabolic window.” It was a magical-sounding 45-60 minute space where you had to have a protein shake, or else you’d risk your muscles wasting away.

We know better now. Most research has shown that your muscles aren’t in significant danger if you don’t have a shake right away, even if you are doing a tough program like V Shred’s Clean Bulk to pack on muscle mass.

But no, that doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea to have protein powder post-workout. Here’s your best post-workout protein strategy, no matter if your goal is weight loss or pure muscle gains!

Should I Have A Protein Shake, A Meal, Or Both?

The science is clear that if you’re lifting weights regularly, a higher protein diet can help you achieve more fat loss, more muscle gain, and just better results in general. It’s also clear that your body is more sensitive to protein in the hours following a workout— somewhere around 2-3 hours, for most people.

Both of those sound like good arguments for consuming protein pretty soon after a workout.

But does it have to be a protein shake? What about chicken, fish, eggs?

They’re all great sources of protein. The real advantages to having a shake post-workout are more functional:

• Protein is more convenient than packing a meal around
• It’s also light enough in the stomach that you can eat soon afterward

One other benefit: your body uses it more quickly, since whey protein like Sculptnation Protein digests much more quickly than meat.

Our suggestion: keep some protein powder in your gym bag and go ahead and slam it on your way home from the gym. Then have your planned post-workout meal an hour or two later.

Need Some Additional Help Determining Your Protein Needs? 

If you’re not sure how much protein to eat, the macronutrient calculator in the V Shred App for IOS or Android can help you set a daily target to aim for. Getting systematic about this one macronutrient can be a game-changer!

And if this is all just confusing to you, or you are unsure if you need to have both a shake and a meal post-lift, you’re not alone! Our expert team of certified personal trainers and nutritionists at V Shred can create a custom meal and supplement plan that lays out everything you need to reach your goals faster and easier!

You can get your personalized meal plan here, or email coaching@vshred.com.

The post Should I Have A Protein Shake After Working Out? appeared first on V Shred.

What Are Amino Acids And BCAAs?

Amino acids are components of proteins in the human body — and in the protein that we eat. There are 20 different amino acids, and 9 are considered “essential,” — which just means your body can’t make them, so they must be obtained through your diet and/or supplements.

Of those nine, three are branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs); leucine, isoleucine, and valine. “Branched” just refers to their chemical structure.

Don’t worry; you don’t need to memorize any of this. The big takeaway that these three essential BCAAs have been shown to turn on a process called “muscle protein synthesis” — which is how your body repairs and builds muscle tissue. For this reason, they’re popular among athletes — and pretty much everyone else looking to get leaner, more muscular, and recover from tough workouts.

When To Take BCAAs

Because BCAAs are  very low-calorie–like almost zero–and don’t contain any stimulants, there’s really no wrong way to take them. However, if you are just a little strategic, they can be one more valuable tool to help you feel just a little better, especially when calories are low.

When Cutting Calories Or Fasting: If your calories are low, incorporate any type of fasting, or just enjoy doing your cardio on an empty stomach, drinking some before and/or during your workouts is a great way to keep your muscles fueled and lower the risk of your body using its own muscle tissue as fuel.

Take them alone, mix them with a pre-workout, or if you’re working out at night, you could even take them instead of a pre-workout.

Before a workout to combat muscle soreness: If you’re sitting around sore from yesterday’s workout, BCAAs probably aren’t going to do much. It’s important to take them before your workout for this benefit. But research has shown that taking a dose prior to lifting can decrease what is known as “delayed onset muscle soreness,” or that aching muscle pain that sometimes lingers for a day or two after lifting.

Between Meals: Taking BCAAs in between meals, or when you have to skip a meal, can  act as a “bridge” between your higher-protein meals, keeping that muscle protein synthesis going even when you haven’t eaten in a few hours.

When Plain Water Isn’t Cutting It: If you find it difficult to hit your daily water intake goal, adding some BCAAs to your water jug is a great way to encourage you to drink up!

If You Have A Sweet Tooth: Because our BCAAS are so delicious, they are a great way to curb your occasional sweet tooth! And if BCAAS aren’t cutting it, you could try having some of our Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies! They taste like candy and can also help control occasional hunger cravings, give you quick “pick-me-up energy,” and provide digestion and metabolism support.

Need Additional Supplement, Diet, or Exercise Support? 

If you are struggling to engineer your nutrition around your goals, that’s where our team of coaches and nutritionists from V Shred Custom Coaching can help.

Our coaches have made over 1 million meal plans so far, and help thousands of people every day to get fitter than ever and feel great doing it. You can get your custom meal plan here or email coaching@vshred.com, and we’ll set you up with the perfect coach for you.

The post When Should I Take BCAAs? appeared first on V Shred.

How to prepare protein is a question we hear all the time. In terms of nutrition questions, it’s right up there with “What should  I order when eating at a restaurant” and “Should I have a protein shake post-workout.”

And just like those questions the answer depends on your goals.Here’s how to cook your proteins in a way that will keep you from getting bored and help you reach your goals!

Best Ways To Prepare Meat For Weight Loss

If you’re using one of our programs like Fat Loss Extreme for Men or Women or Move, it’s likely that you’re looking to lose or control your weight. If that’ the case, then battering or deep-frying your meat on a daily basis probably won’t help you much!

When weight-loss is the goal, stick with low-calorie ways of cooking your meat such as:

• Baking
• Grilling
• Boiling
• Pan-frying
• Air frying

All of these methods are great for cooking enough meat for a single meal, or even better, for “meal prepping” multiple meals– which we highly recommend. 

One other thing to watch out for if you are trying to lose weight is cooking oils. They can add a lot of calories from fats, and it doesn’t take very much for them to add up quickly, especially if you are cooking with them for several meals each day.

Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t use them. It just means you should use oils in moderation and, more importantly, track them if you are measuring your food and tracking calories/macros — which you can easily calculate in our V Shred App for IOS or Android.

Here are a few other cooking options besides frying, battering, and smothering with oils.

Cooking Sprays: Most cooking methods mentioned above don’t require additional oil. But if needed and you’re looking for places to cut calories, consider switching to a few spritzes of cooking spray.

Herbs & Spices: These will be your best friend if you want to flavor your meat without any additional calories! Change them around, and you’ll find you can prepare chicken or other meats multiple ways, all without adding any calories.

Rotate A Variety Of Lean Meats: Don’t feel like you need to limit your protein choices to fish and chicken! Lean ground beef, lean ground turkey, lean ground bison, and even pork tenderloin are delicious low-fat protein sources.

They are also  super easy to prep without additional oils. Just toss them in some spices, cook using one of the suggested methods above, and then serve them up alongside some vegetables and a healthy carb — and dinner is done.

If you get bored with meat, you can also use Sculpt Nation PROTEIN to make a delicious smoothie, or even something fun like protein pancakes! 

Best Ways To Cook Meat For Bulking/Weight Gain

If you are in a caloric surplus or looking for ways to add more calories to your meals without feeling overly stuffed (which is a common issue that we talk about in the article Should I Keep Eating if I’m Full?  — cooking oils and higher fat meats are a great way to sneak in calories.

That doesn’t necessarily mean “all butter, all the time,” though! After all, a bulking program like CLEAN BULK should be just that… clean!

And if it’s not clear where that line is, we can help you find it! That’s why we have a team of nutritionists at V Shred who make custom goal-oriented meal plans for people worldwide every day.

You can get your customized meal plan here or email coaching@vshred.com, and we’ll create a plan that you can stick with that includes the best ways to prepare your meals!

If you aren’t already, you should also get active in our Facebook Groups for Men or Women. Thousands of people — even our on-staff trainers and nutrition experts — are there every day offering cooking tips, recipes, and more!

The post What Are The Best Ways To Cook Meat? appeared first on V Shred.

Giving your body the right amount of calories to match your goals and stay nourished is important no matter what workout program and meal plan you are following.

Many people don’t know this, but eating too little, even if your goal is weight loss, can potentially hinder your results. Your workouts suffer, your motivation goes downhill, and you end up burning out before you can make real progress!

But we get it. Whether you are following a Clean Bulk program and eating a lot to put on muscle, or following a program like Fat Loss Extreme for Men or Women and are in a caloric deficit to lose body fat, there might be times when you just don’t feel like eating.

We’ve all been there. Here’s what you should do the next time you don’t feel like eating all that you’re supposed to!

Is it OK to eat less than my meal plan says? 

If you are following a meal plan and it says to eat three meals and two snacks in a day, but you get two meals and one snack in, and you’re pretty sure that there’s no way you’re going to be able to choke down another bite without feeling miserable, it’s perfectly OK to stop eating!!

We never want you to eat to the point of being uncomfortable. This can really mess with your natural hunger cues and can also wreak havoc on your digestive system.

Now, we already know what you are thinking … “But what about hitting my calories or my macros?”

Here’s the thing: Neither macros nor calories are 100 percent accurate, no matter how good your diet plan is and how good you are at weighing your food.

Plus, do you know what’s even more important than macros? Following a diet that you can actually stick with. Stuffing yourself when you don’t want to… isn’t really sustainable.

The Big Exception: Eating for Muscle Growth

Now, of course, there are some exceptions.

Suppose you’re a skinny guy with an ectomorph body type who is desperately trying to pack on muscle. In that case, you’re going to have to get some calories in your body, probably even when you don’t really feel like it.

But you can be strategic in how you do it so that you’re not miserable! Try eating calorie-dense foods such as….

• Nut butters
• Nuts
• A double scoop of protein powder in a protein shake
• Oils like olive oil and coconut oil
• Occasional “treat foods,” extra condiments, and sauces

These types of foods and condiments can help add extra calories to your meals without filling you up.

Now, we aren’t saying you should eat a candy bar and piece of cake every day. But if you have the extra calories to use and are full, they can be used in moderation.

Still Struggling? Your Meal Plan May Need Expert Eyes!

If you’re having a hard time eating what the calculator in our V Shred App for IOS or Android says you should be eating for your goals, it could also be a sign that your meal plan needs to be looked over by someone else.

That’s why we have a huge team of V Shred trainers and nutritionists who create custom diet plans and workout plans for thousands of people every day.

If you’re interested, get your customized meal plan here or email coaching@vshred.com, and we can help make a plate you’ll look forward to finishing.

The post Should I Keep Eating If I’m Full? appeared first on V Shred.