How I’m Losing Fat and Getting Ripped While Eating 3000+ Calories Daily
The secret lies in G-flux
Be it intricate roadmaps of bulging veins or muscle fibers rippling underneath a T-shirt, you feel like a demi-god when you’re ripped.
The best and most mind-boggling part is how I’m NOT:
- On any sort of diet
- Tracking my calories
- Limiting my food choices
Even with the most conservative estimate, my daily calorie intake would be over 3000 — over double the number most trying to lose fat consume.
This fitness utopia is no accident — the secret lies in an arcane fitness concept most don’t know of.
Say Hi To G-Flux
Precision Nutrition defines G-Flux as — “the complex and interdependent relationship between the energy that flows into and out of a physiological system.”
Simply put, it is Calories In vs Calories Out (CICO) — but with a huge caveat.
CICO preaches that only the calorie difference matters, but G-Flux disagrees.
The more calories you consume and the more you spend, the better your body composition will be.
Take eating 2500 calories and burning 2000 vs. consuming 3500 and burning 3000 — the latter would yield a leaner and more muscular physique.
How I’ve Ramped up My G-Flux
While I’ve been lifting weights for over 5 years now, my physical activity apart from it has been abysmal.
But of late, that’s gone for a massive re-haul. Here’s what my current physical activity looks like:
- 3 days of Muay Thai boxing. Thanks to my obsession with this beautiful martial art, the sheer exhaustion goes unnoticed — it burns 800+ calories in an hour.
- Half-insane shadow boxing and kicking my younger brother throughout the day. Not recommended — his defending elbow left a deep gash on the lip and a shoulder bruise today.
- 4 days of lifting weights. Upper-Lower training with high intensity, moderate volume, and a ton of compound movements.
- Stretching — dynamic before every workout and static after. Not only crucial for Muay Thai flexibility but also to stay functionally fit and prevent tight muscles.
- 4 to 6 hours of indoor rock climbing once every 2 weeks. This is the exercise version of puzzles. The hours and 500 to 900 calories per hour roll by.
My demanding exercise routine burns over 1000 to 1500 calories every single day — no wonder I’m losing fat.
The last time I had inadvertently kicked in G-Flux was in college — thanks to walking and biking around the lush 500+ acres of my campus.
5 Effective Strategies to Help You Spike Your G-Flux
Mindlessly doubling your gym hours to improve your G-Flux won’t be sustainable or beneficial. Here are 3 holistic strategies:
- Have one hard non-negotiable daily physical activity. This used to be lifting weights, now it’s Muay Thai. This should be a top excuse-proof priority — soccer, powerlifting, kickboxing, CrossFit, sprinting, swimming, and basketball are good options.
- Have a slightly negotiable but equally taxing second activity. The mix of lifting weights + calisthenics fit this bill for me. If something crucial comes up, you “can” skip this.
- Ramp up your Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT). Your daily physical activity apart from exercise can account for up to 50% of your TDEE! Here are 35 ideas to boost it.
- Have a high but slow-burn occasional activity. Indoor rock climbing is my go-to. Hiking, marathoning, long-distance biking, rucking, etc. are all pleasant options.
- Change your self-image. Ditch the “couch potato” image. See yourself as a fitness enthusiast. As an athlete. Shadow kicking, imaginary dunking, swinging your arms like a baseball hit — your resting physical activity itself will go up.
2 Crucial Things to Keep in Mind
G-flux isn’t an excuse to stuff yourself with processed crap and sugary oil-laden junk.
Think of your body as a car engine — the higher the quality of the fuel you inject it with, the smoother it will run.
Eat your Doritos and cheerios. But don’t ignore your broccoli and Greek yogurt.
Food is fuel first and enjoyment next.
Another thing, don’t torture yourself with physical activity — a G-Flux lifestyle will be sustainable only if you enjoy it.
Start with one physical activity and gradually stack up more — while increasing your (quality) food intake.
Eat more. Enjoy more. Exercise more.
Look and feel amazing.
