How to succeed in drying?

Do you want to lose fat without losing the hard-earned muscle mass from your previous workouts, but you don't know where to start? Discover our tips to help you achieve your physical goals without losing the progress you have already made.

Contents :

1. Follow a suitable eating plan
2. Follow a suitable sports program
3. Don't neglect your sleep
4. Frequently asked questions about drying

Follow a suitable eating plan

The first essential point for starting a weight loss program: follow a balanced diet and reduce your caloric intake. This last point is indeed not negligible in the realization of your dryness 🔒 , it is however advisable not to underfeed yourself all at once. All your nutrient intakes must be modified and calculated according to certain basic characteristics (weight, height, sports habits, etc.). To help you get your bearings, here are the commonly accepted nutritional references for successful cutting.

Increase your protein intake

Intake : 1.8g per kg of body weight

During a dry period, protein intake is very important. And this for good reason: proteins participate in muscle construction and development. In the specific case of being lean, increasing your protein intake allows you to burn calories more easily, and on the other hand to give you an effect of satiety in order to avoid excesses or "cracking".

To successfully achieve the protein level recommended above, do not hesitate to vary the different types of intake with plant proteins: starchy foods, cereals, soya, etc.; animal proteins: meat, milk, egg. Protein powders can help you meet your protein intake more easily.

Reduce carbs but don't deprive yourself of them

Intake : 2.5 to 3g per kg of body weight

When cutting, it is recommended to reduce your carbohydrate intake. However, don't ignore these nutrients. Indeed, carbohydrates are essential: they provide the energy necessary during your workouts. And to obtain lean muscle, intense workouts are required. Carbohydrate intake allows on the one hand to avoid deficiencies which destroy muscle, and on the other hand to avoid the loss of energy following the drop in caloric intake.

To do this, choose foods with a low glycemic index and rich in fiber such as rice, cereals (oatmeal, buckwheat, barley), sweet potatoes, etc.

Limit your lipid intake

Intake : 1g per kg of body weight

Regarding lipid intake, this must be limited to 1g per kg of body weight. It is also advisable to favor an intake of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids which help to reduce cholesterol levels. These fats can be mobilized to provide you with energy.

Olive oil, almond butter and peanut oil are among the monounsaturated fatty acids. Omega-3 supplementation is also effective in case of a low-calorie diet: they optimize fat burning, help reduce appetite and inhibit adipose growth.

Split your meals

When you reduce your calorie intake and your carbohydrate stores become depleted, the body begins a metabolic pathway called gluconeogenesis. The latter allows the synthesis of glucose from other compounds in the body. It is therefore advisable to divide your meals into 4.5 to 6 daily portions, in order to regularly renew your carbohydrate level without ever storing any 🔒 .

It's always good to remember: breakfast is the first and most important meal of the day. It represents between 25 to 30% of daily caloric intake. This meal must provide you with a high level of carbohydrates, essential to follow your training day and not synthesize glucose.

Follow a suitable sports program

Losing fat while maintaining muscle mass is not always easy. Finding the right balance is therefore essential in order to achieve optimal drying. The cardio/weight training duo (40% cardio and 60% weight training) is generally effective since it will allow you to burn your excess fat while limiting muscle loss by making you work on your strength.

To develop your program, for example, you can devote 2 days of the week to cardio and 3 to strength training, while alternating day of cardio/day of strength training in a session of approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. You can also start a workout with 30 minutes of cardio and end with 1 hour of weight training targeted on one or two areas (abs/thighs for example).

For cardio, you benefit from a wide choice depending on your interests: running, cycling, jumping rope... For bodybuilding, the important thing is to vary your exercises and increase the repetitions. For example, a training day can be structured around exercises such as bench press, squat, deadlift or pull-ups for 2 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions.

Don't neglect your sleep

Finally, to succeed in your dry workout, you must ensure that you optimize your recovery. It is during sleep that your body and your nervous system regenerate, which is why sleeping well is essential for physical progress.

Good sleep also allows your body to avoid catabolism (loss of muscles) which will penalize you in achieving effective cutting. This will also allow you, on the one hand, to be effective in future training and, on the other hand, to avoid the risk of injury or overtraining.

To find out more about drying, we recommend that you read our article Mistakes not to make while drying.

Frequently asked questions about drying

What type of training should I do?

The cardio/weight training duo (40% cardio and 60% weight training) is generally effective since it will allow you to burn your excess fat while limiting muscle loss by making you work on your strength. Vary the strength training exercises and increase the number of repetitions.

Which nutritional program should I choose?

Increase protein, decrease carbohydrates and limit fat. Divide your meals into 4 to 6 daily portions. We recommend that you calculate your macronutrients to establish a diet program adapted to dryness.

What supplement should I add to my food program?

Thermogenic or lipotropic supplements accelerate fat loss. Green tea, guarana, caffeine and even carnitine are good allies for dryness.

How long does drying last?

The drying time depends on your sports practice, your goals and your body fat. Generally speaking, the drying period should not exceed 8 weeks. Bodybuilding practitioners generally begin a dry period in April and end in June.