Getting In Shape: Intermediate Fitness Plan

Remember, it is about progress not perfection, so it is time to step it up. If you have a solid foundation of basic exercises and nutrition then this plan is perfect for you. If you are still new check out the Beginner’s Guide, or maybe you find this too easy, check out the more Advanced Plan. By now going to the gym should be a habit, and you are more conscious of what you are eating. Ready?

At this stage the only supplements you should consider getting are multivitamins, fish oils (omega 3 6 9), and whey protein. However you should supplement the whey to meet your protein target for the day. Do not replace whole foods, I personally feel much fuller after eating a chicken breast or a can of tuna than drinking a shake. This makes it much easier to avoid foods you shouldn’t be eating (i.e. junk food & simple carbs). If you were considering a pre-workout, you are better off opting out and just grabbing a cup of coffee for the days you need that push.

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You should now have a good foundation of the nutrition values in the foods you consume most often. If you are looking to build muscle, pay much closer attention to your protein intake, aiming to get roughly .7-.8 g/lb. So if you weight 160 lbs aim for 112-128g of protein a day. Continue to read nutrition labels, and pay closer attention to the carbs, fat & protein, along with lowering your intake of junk food and simple carbs. Don’t forget your water, you should be drinking roughly 2L a day. Consider getting a 2L jug and making sure it is complete by the end of each day, it is much easier than trying to remember how many bottles or cups you have drank.

This will be a PHUL (Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower) work out, which requires 4 workouts per week, and hits each muscle twice a week. However, if you are looking to drop some extra weight, adding a fifth (or sixth… or seventh) cardio day wouldn’t be a bad idea. Warm up sets are not included, so be sure to add extra sets where needed. When switching to a new workout program take the first one or two workouts to adjust to how much you can lift for each exercise. From there, increase the weight when you reach your target reps for all working sets. If your target is 3 sets of 8 reps, it would look something like this:

45lb/8 reps, 45lb/8 reps, 45lb/8 reps
50lb/8 reps, 45lb/8 reps, 45lb/8 reps
50lb/8 reps, 50lb/7 reps, 45lb/8 reps
and so on….

Finally, don’t forget to leave your ego at the door before entering the gym, lift weights heavy enough to give you that burn but light enough for you to control.

Reminder: Tomorrow is not the perfect day to start. This weekend is not the perfect time to start. Monday won’t be the perfect day either. The only perfect day is TODAY.