The Unstoppable Formula for Staying Shredded All Year Round

My Top Secrets To Staying Shredded

Staying shredded year-round takes more discipline than you can imagine, as well as a proven strategy.

It’s not easy, but it’s simple.

If you’re ready to stop making excuses and start getting results, I’m about to break down exactly how I do it, and how you can too.

These are all my secrets to staying shredded…calorie tracking, workouts, supplements, and more.

First Off, Staying Lean Requires Discipline

People love to throw around excuses:

• "I’m too busy to track."

• "I don’t want to look weird in a restaurant."

• "It’s too hard to be accurate."

I’ve heard it all.

But here’s the deal: If you’re serious about staying lean, you’ve got to stop caring what others think.

I bring my food scale everywhere.

It’s in my bag when I’m at restaurants. I’m weighing every bite of food, whether it’s a steak at a fancy spot or takeout from a food truck.

People might stare, but guess what? They don’t pay my bills.

When I was a fitness model for brands like Nike and Adidas, they’d call me with a gig a week out.

I didn’t have the luxury to slack off. I developed a system to get photoshoot-ready in just a few days.

Discipline separates those who dream of results from those who achieve them. It’s not about motivation, it’s about consistent, calculated effort.

The Science Behind Tracking Calories

Tracking isn’t just about writing numbers down. It’s about precision. And precision separates the shredded from everyone else.

When you track, you’re taking control of the fundamental equation of fat loss: calories in vs. calories out.

Here’s why it works:

Your body burns calories 24/7 just to keep you alive.

Breathing, digesting, even sleeping, your metabolism never stops.

That’s called your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). 

Add your activity level, workouts, walking, even fidgeting, and you get your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).

If you eat fewer calories than you burn, your body starts tapping into fat stores for energy. That’s how you get lean.

Sounds simple, right?

But here’s the problem: Most people are terrible at estimating.

Studies show people underestimate how much they eat by up to 50% and overestimate how many calories they burn by just as much.

That’s why tracking is essential. It eliminates the guesswork.

How to Track Like a Pro

1. Get a Food Scale This isn’t optional. A digital food scale ensures you know exactly how much you’re eating. Eyeballing portions? That’s for amateurs.
   

2. Use a Tracking App
   Apps like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer make it easy to log everything. Scan barcodes, input measurements, and let the app do the math.
   

3. Log Everything You Eat
   Snacks, drinks, sauces, don’t skip a single thing. The little things add up faster than you think.
   

4. Be Consistent
   Tracking works because it creates awareness. When you know how much you’re eating, you make better choices.

When you track, you create a feedback loop.

You see what you’re eating, how it aligns with your goals, and what needs to change.

It’s like having a GPS for your fitness journey. If you’re not heading toward your goal, you adjust the route.

The science backs it up. Multiple studies have shown that people who track their food consistently lose significantly more weight than those who don’t.

Tracking doesn’t just help you lose fat. It helps you maintain it.

Once you hit your goal, you’ll know exactly how much you need to eat to stay lean.

Cardio Hacks for Maximum Fat Burn

Lifting weights builds muscle, but cardio? That’s your fat-burning weapon.

Here’s my go-to method: Low-intensity steady-state (LISS) cardio.

• Why LISS? It burns calories without taxing your muscles. Unlike high-intensity workouts, it doesn’t interfere with recovery or risk muscle loss.
  

• How much? I aim for 40,000 steps a day when I’m cutting hard. Yes, 40,000.

Walking might sound too easy, but that’s the point. It’s sustainable.

You’re not gasping for air or risking overtraining. Instead, you’re consistently burning calories throughout the day.

Pro tip: Invest in a treadmill desk. I knock out thousands of steps while answering emails or brainstorming content.

If that’s not an option, get outside. Walk while listening to podcasts or making calls. Every step counts.

Rather than trying to squeeze your cardio in after work, do it during the 8 hours you’re usually sitting.

For those who struggle to fit cardio into their routine, remember this: it’s not about perfection. If you can’t hit 40,000 steps, aim for 20,000. The key is consistency.

Cold Exposure To Burn Fat Without Moving

Here’s something most people overlook: cold exposure.

Your body burns calories to stay warm.

When exposed to cold, it has to work overtime to maintain a core temperature of 98 degrees. That’s energy expenditure, aka fat-burning.

• Ice Baths: Submerge yourself twice a day in freezing water. It’s uncomfortable, but it forces your body to burn calories while boosting your recovery.
  

• Cryotherapy: If you’ve got the budget, this is a faster, less painful option. In just a few minutes, you can achieve similar benefits.

Not only does cold exposure torch calories, but it also comes with side benefits:

• Improved mood

• Better sleep quality

• Strengthened immune system

I’ll be honest, this isn’t for everyone. Sitting in ice-cold water isn’t fun. But if you’re serious about getting shredded, it’s a tool worth adding to your arsenal.

Supplements To Maximize Results

When you’re cutting calories and pushing your body to the limit, supplements aren’t optional, they’re essential.

They bridge the gap between what your diet provides and what your body needs to function optimally.

Here’s what I recommend:

1. Electrolytes
   Cutting carbs and doing intense cardio flushes water and electrolytes out of your system. Without them, you’ll feel fatigued and risk cramping.

   • Sodium: 5,000–7,000 mg daily

   • Potassium: 2,500–3,500 mg daily

   • Magnesium: 300–500 mg daily

   You can get these through supplements, electrolyte powders, or even adding salt to your water. Just don’t skip this step, it’s critical.
   

2. Caffeine
   Your secret weapon for energy, focus, and appetite suppression. Take 200 mg with your meals up to three times a day. Not only will it keep you alert, but studies show caffeine can enhance fat oxidation.
   

3. BHB (Exogenous Ketones)
   These supplements mimic the effects of being in ketosis, providing energy and reducing hunger. Take 1,200 mg three times a day to stay sharp and fuel your cardio sessions.
   

4. Fish Oil
   Omega-3s support joint health, reduce inflammation, and improve recovery. Take 1–2 grams daily.
   

5. Multivitamin
   Even with unlimited veggies, you might miss key micronutrients. A high-quality multivitamin ensures your body has everything it needs to function optimally.

Optional but effective: add green tea extract or L-carnitine for an extra fat-burning boost. Supplements won’t do the work for you, but they’ll make the grind more manageable.

Strategic Workouts for Muscle Retention

Cutting calories puts your muscle mass at risk. To stay shredded and strong, your workout routine needs to adjust to support fat loss without sacrificing muscle.

1. Full-Body Workouts
   Forget your standard split. During a hard cut, full-body workouts twice a week are ideal. Focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. These exercises hit multiple muscle groups, giving you the most bang for your buck.
   

2. Avoid Failure
   This isn’t the time to push your limits in the gym. Keep the intensity moderate, about 70–80% of your max effort. The goal is to stimulate your muscles, not exhaust them.
   

3. Prioritize Recovery
   Recovery isn’t optional, it’s essential. If your body can’t recover, you’ll lose strength and feel like garbage. Get at least 7–8 hours of quality sleep per night, and don’t skip rest days.

The Power of Water Weight Manipulation

Here’s a pro move most people miss: manipulating water weight to look leaner.

When you cut carbs, your body stores less glycogen, which means you hold less water. Pair that with high water intake, and you’ll flush out even more water weight. This creates a tighter, more defined look.

• Drink 2 gallons of water daily. This tells your body it doesn’t need to hold onto water, prompting it to flush out excess.
  

• Cut water intake 24 hours before an event. This makes your muscles pop.
  

• Carb up 12–24 hours before. Carbs draw water into your muscles, giving you a fuller, more muscular appearance. Just keep your water intake low during this period to avoid bloating.

This technique works wonders for photoshoots, competitions, or any event where you need to look your best.

The BMM Takeaway

Staying shredded isn’t about hacks or shortcuts.

It’s about relentless commitment to the basics: tracking your calories, training smart, and staying disciplined when others won’t.

• Track every bite you eat.

• Prioritize protein and keep your macros tight.

• Use cardio, supplements, and recovery to support your grind.

• Stop caring about what others think, your goals matter more.

If you want to stay lean year-round, there’s no substitute for putting in the work.

Follow this plan, and you’ll achieve a physique most people can only dream of.