Congratulations on completing your third week of Operation Aesthetic—that’s a big deal. Now you know what it feels like to work out when you’re a bit depleted. You should really be noticing results at this point.
While this is a full rest day, don’t forget all things on your to-do list. Here are my recommendations for today:
DAY 21 TO-DO LIST:
Each full rest day—the 7th of each week—comes with bullet points you need to complete. So think of that as your workout or discipline on Operation Aesthetic for these days.
Weigh yourself upon rising. You likely have dropped some weight, but keep in mind that your goal is to lose body fat while maintaining muscle or adding it. It’s possible that you’ve gained weight and lost body fat, so you need to compare your current weight with your appearance in the mirror. Make adjustments based on your weight and appearance—that gets more important as you get deeper into a program such as Operation Aesthetic. Here are some suggestions:
*I have added weight, and I don’t look leaner—This shouldn’t be happening at this point if you’re following all my recommendations. Check your journal and ask yourself if you’re truly following my diet recommendations.
*I have not lost weight—If you like the way your body is shifting, then make no changes to my recommendations. If you don’t like the way your body appears after 21 days, then drop your calories to 13 for every pound of bodyweight, and bump up your cardio to 35 minutes for every session. Also review your journal and ask yourself if you’re truly following all aspects of my diet.
*I have lost weight—If you like the way your body looks, then make no adjustments. If you feel as though you’re losing muscle mass, then add 1 calorie of protein per pound of bodyweight each day. That means a 200-pounder should add 200 calories of protein, or another 50 grams. You can get this in before bedtime or with one of your whole-food meals. Adding protein from whole food or a shake is fine.
Make these shifts at the start of Day 22, after today’s cheat meal.
Take photos of yourself. Put on the same clothes you used for your beginning photos and at the end of the first week on Days 7 and 14. Take photos in the same setup at the same time of day as you did for your “before” photos. Take shots from the same angles and with the same lighting as you did during your “before” shots. You want to remove all the variables other than your progress from these weekly photos.
Read through your journal and make sure it’s up-to-date. Record all of the foods for every meal, all of the sets and reps for every exercise, and all of the supplements you take at each time of day. Also record all of your thoughts about what’s working best for you, and what isn’t. That will be tremendously helpful when you follow your next fat-loss program.
Get in your cheat meal at the end of the day. Remember, you’ll consume a meal that’s equivalent in calories to about 4 for each pound of bodyweight. So, if you weigh 200 pounds, your cheat meal should be about 800 calories. This will refuel you for the upcoming week, and we have legs up tomorrow. Don’t treat this as a free-for-all where you eat everything you want. Pick your cheat foods and stick to the calories I recommend. If you’re losing more weight than you want, you can add just a bit more (100-200 calories).
ESSENTIAL SUPPS: PRE-KAGED®
This pre-workout helps prime me before workouts when I’m cutting calories on programs like Operation Aesthetic. PRE-KAGED® features ingredients that include CarnoSyn® beta-alanine, BetaPowerÒ betaine, fermented amino acids such as BCAAs and pure L-Citrulline, patented Creatine HCl, PurCaf® Organic Caffeine, SPECTRA antioxidant blend, coconut water powder, and more. I like to get in this pre-workout product about 30 minutes before each weight-training session. PRE-KAGED supports heightened mental focus, better performance, and, most importantly, energy to blast through tough workouts.
FOR BEST RESULTS: Get in a serving about 30–45 minutes before every weight-training workout.
