Getting Ripped Without Cardio

"This is Article from muscleandstrength.com written by Russell Branjord"


Get shredded the easy way! Russell Branjord shows you how to rely on nightly carb feedings to lose fat and get that six pack.

Getting ripped without cardio is a great title for my article because that was my goal this summer. Actually it was more than just a goal, it was also my challenge. I am the Spike Diet guy. I have lost over 100lbs with a combination of low calorie days and one amazing “spike day” a week to indulge with a surplus of calories to spike metabolism. The Spike Diet is my dream lifestyle, one where I can have fun and eat the way I want, and still be in great shape.

This summer, I decided I wasn’t satisfied with my physique and I wanted to have a single digit body fat percentage and a real six-pack. So the first thing I did was talk to my bodybuilding friends. Since I wanted to look like a bodybuilder, I thought they would be the ones to talk to.


I was given the same answer by all of them, do lots and lots of cardio! This was just not an acceptable answer for me. I hate cardio...no, I loathe doing cardio. I also knew that if I had to do cardio to get my six-pack, I wouldn’t maintain it, and as soon as I quit doing cardio, I’d lose it. This summer I had a theory of how I could increase fat burning without adding cardio or starving myself.


I feel like metabolism is the key to fat burning. The Spike Diet keeps my metabolism strong while I am losing weight. Another important factor for fat burning is carbohydrates. I love carbs but I also hate them, because while they are beneficial for muscle building, they are also a hindrance for fat burning.

During times when we are not active our body burns both carbohydrates and body fat for basic energy needs. When we exercise our body mainly burns carbohydrates and glycogen for energy. So my idea was if I limited my carbohydrates during the daytime hours, my body would be forced to burn more body fat for energy while my metabolism was at its peak, kind of like doing cardio in the morning on an empty stomach. Then with extra carbohydrates at night I would be able to re-store my glycogen for my exercise the following day, and provide my body with glucose while I fasted for several hours sleeping.

I have been known to go against “mainstream thinking”, but then again the mainstream is nearly 70% overweight in America, so maybe it’s a good thing to try something different. Instead of stopping my carbohydrate consumption at night I did the opposite and had 90% of my daily carbs after 5pm.
During the day hours, which I called my “Fat Burning Window” I snacked on protein snacks like; beef jerky, string cheese, low-carb shakes, and chicken. Then at night I had the majority of my calories and carbohydrates for dinner and a late night snack. I loved it! I was able to enjoy a “normal” dinner with my family while dieting, and it was fantastic.

The results were even better, when I combined this diet plan with my “Failure and Burn” workouts I lost 20lbs over 12 weeks. I hit my goal when I got down to 201lbs and my body fat was down to 9%. I maintained my strength, because my glycogen provided great energy for my workouts and I ate plenty of protein to stay anabolic and promote recovery.
This plan works, I know it’s not the only plan that works but this is a great option for both men and women that don’t want to spend hours a day doing intense cardio DVD’s and for those that love to eat.