Making the Cut
Authors: Jillian Michaels
Contents
Rule 1: Stick to Your Magic Number
Rule 2: Eat for Your Metabolic Type
Rule 3: Eat Every Four Hours, and No Skipping Meals!
Rule 4: No Processed or Junk Foods—Period!
Rule 5: Beat the Bloat—Sodium and Water Consumption
Rule 1: Intensity, Intensity, Intensity
Twice a Day: Maximizing the Afterburn Effect
TO THE INNER BADASS LIVING INSIDE US ALL
And to my mom and my best friend, Vanessa:
you are the two strongest, smartest women I know.
You inspire me to reach for the stars,
which is exactly what this book is all about.
Here’s to you!
Acknowledgments
Thanks to my rock star team: Andy Barzvi, Jason Pinyan, Michael Kagan, Marty Tudor, Scott Zolke, Steve Blatt, Tammy Munroe, and Waterfront Media—without you guys I am nothing. Thanks to Claudia Herr, a writer who breathes new life into my words—without you this book wouldn’t exist. And thanks to my brilliant editor, sparring partner, and workout buddy, Heather Jackson, and all the geniuses at Crown
—thank you
!
Introduction
Drop the Final Few and Get Ripped!
H
ow do you know if this book is for you? Easy. Are you struggling with those last stubborn pounds that won’t come off no matter what? Are you gearing up for an event—wedding, school reunion, beach vacation—where you need to knock ’em dead? Are you looking to unleash the badass you know lies dormant within and just
get ripped
?
If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions, then
hell yes baby,
this book’s for you. All you need to begin is:
a moderate to decent level of fitness
a strong, go-all-the-way commitment to your goals
20 or fewer pounds to shed
If you’re bringing all of the above to the table, then here’s what you’ll get from this book:
the best body you’ve ever had
in your life
Making the Cut
is an intense, one-of-a-kind, 30-day program designed to maximize your potential so that you get dramatic results at an accelerated pace. What makes my program so uniquely effective is my triple-threat approach, which trains you simultaneously in the following three ways:
1. Mentally:
I will help you to focus your thoughts, sharpen your mind, heighten your self-awareness, and boldly enhance your self-confidence so that you realize that anything is possible and nothing can hold you back.
2. Nutritionally:
I will expand your knowledge of nutrition and healthy eating, providing a customized diet plan for your unique body type and metabolic makeup. You will get the best dietary support possible as you work toward your goals.
3. Physically:
I will help you develop your strength, flexibility, coordination, and endurance to levels you never dreamed possible.
At the end of the day, fitness is a science, and my 30-day program is a scientifically constructed step-by-step instruction manual for getting superlean and toned—I’m talking about feeling comfortable
running in a bikini
toned! Diet and exercise have too long been clouded in the white noise of conflicting speculations. Atkins or South Beach? Low carbs or no carbs? High protein or low fat? Do not despair. You don’t need to hire an expensive nutritionist or celebrity trainer to give you what you want—you’re holding the keys to a hot bod in your hands right now.
Wait a Minute!
This book is not for the faint of heart. Over the next 30 days you are mine, and this is your bible. If you want to get real results from my program, and I mean
incredible
results, skipping any part of this book is
not an option.
Making the Cut
is not some namby-pamby “lifestyle” book that’s going to waffle on about moderation for “better health” and leave you with the warm-fuzzies. It’s about seeing how far you can go, getting a little crazy, and maybe along the way making that ex of yours want you back. You will feel strong. You will
be
strong.
Making the Cut
is about to make it happen. The bottom line? It’s about getting in
the best shape of your life—
so channel that inner badass, and let’s get ripped!
1 STARTING
A
s with any fitness regimen, before you even begin this one you must visit your doctor or health care professional to make sure you’re in fighting shape to start
Making the Cut.
Once you get the all-clear, the first step toward success is setting goals—you can’t get anywhere if you don’t know where you’re going and what you want. But it’s no good setting goals if you’re not straight with yourself about where you’re starting from, which is why
Making the Cut
begins with a thorough assessment of your current situation. Identify in cold hard terms where you are right now, and you’ll have a crystal-clear idea of where you want to be. And once you get there, you’ll never want to go back! Having a record of where you started is also a critical and often-overlooked source of motivation. Sure, you may know that when you complete my program you will lose inches from all over your body and get stronger. But if the going gets tough and you need an inspirational boost to keep going, you won’t believe how motivating it is to take a step back and be able to chart the progress you’ve already made.
Last but hardly least, it is important to make sure you are mentally prepared for the hard work and the changes that lie ahead. Most fitness books deal only with the diet and exercise parts of losing weight and getting fit. In my experience, mental readiness is just as key to your lasting success.
The following chapters walk you through all of the important first steps, so that we’re sure you’re starting with your best foot forward.
GOODBYE PHOTOS
Where would any kick-ass makeover be without “before” and “after” pictures? Well, that’s where we’re going to start, except this is more than a before picture; this is a
goodbye
picture. Say goodbye to the old you, and get ready to embark upon a fitness journey that will change you
for life.
Take several photos from different angles, one from the front, one from the side, and one from the rear. And wear as little as possible—the more you show, the more you’ll know.
BODY FAT ANALYSIS
Let’s be clear:
Making the Cut
isn’t about losing 100 pounds;
*1
it’s about tightening up, getting strong, and changing your body composition. You’ll be shedding fat and building lean, strong muscle in its place. You’ll be developing a drop-dead, smokin’-hot body. So while you’ll see the difference in the mirror and feel it in the way your clothes fit, you may not see a huge drop on the scale.
If you know your body fat percentage going in, you’ll have an accurate way of measuring your success as you work the program. Below are some guidelines so you know where you are in comparison with the general population. Personally, I like to see my guys ripped at 8 to 10 percent and my girls ripped at 15 to 18 percent, but it’s your body. I am here to empower you with the tools and knowledge so that
you
take the reins.
BODY FAT RECOMMENDATIONS
FIT | ATHLETE | ELITE ATHLETE | |
Men | 14–17% | 10–13% | 4–9% |
Women | 21–24% | 16–20% | 12–15% |
There are several different ways of measuring your body fat, but at the end of the day the only thing that really matters is that you are consistent in your methods from one measurement to another. The most accurate, but also the most expensive, is to ask your health care provider to run a DEXA scan on you. The next most accurate is hydrostatic weighing, which is offered at most university health care facilities, but it involves being dunked under water (so it’s not the most convenient).
The easiest and least invasive methods of measuring body fat percentage are (1) have an expert measure you with calipers (which you can have done at most health care facilities or gyms at little or no cost) and (2) use a BIA scale (which uses bioelectrical impedance analysis, or BIA, to measure how much of your body is made up of water and roughly how much is fat). When using the calipers method, make sure you get the same professional to measure you each time; and when using a BIA scale, make sure that every time you test you do so at the same time of day, preferably first thing in the morning before breakfast, but after a glass of water, since your body needs enough fluid in it for a measurement of bioelectrical impedance to be meaningful.
MEASUREMENTS
This is one of my favorite ways of tracking progress because it’s a motivational tool that doesn’t require any fancy equipment—it’s just you and a tape measure, baby!
Here’s what to do:
Start by getting naked! If you measure while dressed, wear thin clothes and make a note of what you’re wearing so you know to wear the same clothes the next time you measure.
Pull the tape snug but not too tight. It should never squeeze your body.
Measurements taken around the hips, thighs, and upper arms should be taken around the largest circumference, while the waist measurement should be taken around the smallest circumference. Stand with your feet together when taking hip and thigh measurements.
Never flex or tense your body while you’re taking measurements. Don’t suck in your stomach to take waist measurements. Relax, let it all hang loose, and enjoy knowing that very soon you’ll be able to see your progress both on paper and on your body.
The specifics:
Bust:
Measure around the chest right at the nipple line, but again, don’t pull the tape too tight.
Chest:
Measure just under your bust.
Waist:
Measure a half-inch above your belly button or at the smallest part of your waist.
Hips:
Stand with feet together and place the tape measure around the biggest part of your hips.