Written by Team Juggernaut
By Nate Winkler
Juggernaut selected 20 beta testers for our 40 Hour Fat Loss program that begins this week. Participants across America and Europe are taking part in the program we’ve developed over the past year to help working people achieve the body they’ve always wanted. As always, there were a number of questions that began to come in over the weekend and we wanted everyone to see these nutritional/training questions so you can improve your progress as well. The questions are below, as well as a brief program introduction video that shows some of the exercises/circuits the beta testers will be doing. You can incorporate these exercises and answers into your routine as well and see results. October 12 is the last day to apply and start your program, if you are interested in 40 Hour Fat Loss and want to apply, CLICK HERE (program is 9 weeks and costs $100 for nutritional/training programming). The fat loss nutrition and training Q&A is below, questions are in bold.
Nutrition:
I will be training mid-day, around 12:30-2pm. What plan do you suggest I use, and how can I alter the meal timing?
— RESPONSE–
Morning training meal plan, and make sure that you are not eating within 90 minutes of training. So if you are training at 12:30, eat lunch at 11:00 and get your morning meals in as prescribed.
Should I invest in coconut oil as one of my fats?
— RESPONSE–
Coconut oil is a great fat source, if you would like to use it, no problem.
Can I drink Diet soda on this plan?
— RESPONSE–
There is no such thing as ‘diet’ soda in the way you are thinking about it. Companies have found ways to get around sugar, calories, and fat, but the body’s response to diet sodas is not fat loss or better health. The chemicals, syrups, and carbonation used to make diet sodas do not produce good results. Therefore, I don’t recommend their consumption, ever.
With that being said, I understand that 100% nutritional adherence is not going to happen. You have been given the tool to get you to your goals, now you are responsible for getting there. 1 ‘Diet’ Coke a week is not going to kill you, 1 beer won’t either, but inconsistency and lack of commitment will.
Can I have a little half and half with my coffee?
— RESPONSE–
Yes, please don’t turn yourself into a robot with this program. Enjoy the process and your meals, add spices, salt, pepper, stevia, and creamer where you see the need.
Concerning coffee, try to wean yourself off of coffee as you move through this program. Again, 1 coffee every few days/week is not going to kill you, but the adverse effect caffeine has on the adrenal glands–> thyroid–> metabolism–> fat loss–> overall health is substantial and should not be taken lightly. Get in bed at night and sleep 6 1/2 to 7 hours and you won’t be so reliant on caffeine to make your body function.
Should I invest in Alpha Lipoic acid?
— RESPONSE–
I suggested the supplements that I feel are most effective for fat loss, health, and your budget. ALA is a fine supplement, but there are a 1,000 fine supplements out there and 10,000 people telling you to spend money on their product. Get most of your nutrients from whole food sources and use the supplements that are prescribed in the meal plan.
May I use flax oil as opposed to seeds?
— RESPONSE–
Absolutely.
Do you recommend a multi-v?
— RESPONSE–
No, veggies and fruits will give you what you need on this plan. Check your urine when taking multi-vitamins, it’s bright yellow for a reason— your body isn’t absorbing the pills you spent money on.
Are beans the only option for carbs on meal 3? Can I have brown rice or sweet potatoes?
— RESPONSE–
Great question, brown rice and sweet potatoes are much more complex carbs than beans, so please understand that. However, I have had a number of clients say that beans just give them too much gas on a day to day basis. Brown rice is a great tonic for the body and sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins, each will work as a substitute for beans.
For the large salads, what kind of dressing kind I use? I normally use a Olive Oil and Vinegar (1tbsp each)?
— RESPONSE–
Olive Oil/Vinegar are the most healthy options, ranch/mayo based dressings should be the last. Choose a dressing that is going to allow you to enjoy your meal.
For the blended shake am I supposed to use water and grape juice? Grape Juice and oats sounds like an interesting combination. What flavor powder do you use for that?
— RESPONSE–
Yes, combine the grape juice and water together along with the other shake items. I have used chocolate and vanilla protein with this shake and they both taste great, vanilla being the best.
For the Med Intensity day, I am supposed to eat an entire pound of ground beef plus an egg and 1/2 avocado? What ratio for the meat – 92/8?
— RESPONSE–
Yes, men are. If you get full, just stop eating, I don’t want you gorging yourself. The meals on the plan are all supposed to leave you comfortably ‘full’, if you need to add more/subtract serving sizes, do it.
What ever ratio you want to use for the ground beef is fine, I use 85/15 so my burgers stay together. Animal fats are great for your endocrine system and skin, so don’t worry about eating ‘higher fat ratio’ meats.
Is any alcohol allowed? Even on the Open Dinner?
— RESPONSE–
The Open Dinner is just as it sounds, OPEN. Everyone needs a break from the week and such a structured program. Alcohol completely shuts off fat loss and dehydrates the muscles, so don’t think that I support it. But, losing fat is 20% body and 80% mind, if you ‘need’ a drink in order to keep you committed to 40 Hour Fat Loss longterm— cheers.
Is dairy off limits (Chobani 2% yogurts)? This seems counterintuitive particularly for a woman or could that be meal 4 (later in the day so that insulin doesn’t crush the positive hormonal balance in the AM and the sugar from the yogurt avoids that natural circadian 3-3:30 crash).
— RESPONSE–
First of all, that was fancy! Dairy is not off limits by any means. I usually avoid prescribing dairy simply because of all the inflammation/increased body congestion that it causes and the pasteurization process removes most of the positive components (proteins/digestive enzymes/good bacteria). Yogurt is a good substitute for fruit and other carb based menu items.
Meal 2 says one scoop of Whey. How many gram of Protein should we target in that scoop because as you know not all whey is created equal. Muscle milk has 16g and some fats, EAS is 20g no fat, hydrobuilder is 30g no fat, etc.?
— RESPONSE–
20-30g of protein per scoop is fine. You’re correct, not all protein is created equal and this must be addressed. When it comes to whey protein supplements, the quality of what you are consuming is much more important than the quantity. Muscle Milk is complete poison and must be avoided at all costs. Make sure you are researching the source of your protein and not just the price.
Is it safe to assume that the items listed as carbohydrates in the Everyman Series you sent could be exchanged for the 1 or 1/2 cup legumes?
— RESPONSE–
Beans are selected because their high amount of fiber helps improve digestion and lower the net carbs introduced into the body. This is a fat loss program, therefore, insulin must be avoided as much as possible. In a question above I addressed the positives of brown rice and sweet potatoes, but you can also check out the Everyman Series for other carb choices.
I was wondering if water was our only option for drinks? Also I am in the process of writing my thesis and I do my best work at Starbucks. Is it acceptable to have a small black coffee when I write, or should I just start buying water?
— RESPONSE–
Water is the best beverage option, green tea, or other natural beverages are fine as well. Because protein consumption is so high on this diet, I want to make sure that your liver/kidneys/muscle cells are continually being cleansed by water. Make sure that you take into account the amount of carbs/sugars in the beverage you are consuming.
For the digestive enzymes would Metamucil suffice? Also what flavor whey isolate would you suggest getting for the grape juice shakes?
— RESPONSE–
Metamucil is better than nothing, but digestive enzymes are prescribed to help you absorb the nutrients you consume where Metamucil helps keep you ‘regular’. Not being constipated is a very good thing, but absorbing the nutrients from your food is better. The amount of veggies in 40 Hour Fat Loss will also help keep you ‘regular’.
Is it going to be eggs every morning during 9 weeks? Looks I’m going to hate them one day. Is any substitute possible? I’m fine with eggs but a little bit worry about 9 weeks.
— RESPONSE–
Eggs are like khaki pants, anything goes with them. You can add any spice, animal meat, sauce, or vegetable you want to your morning eggs (other than carbs). Please send me your recipes/meal pics of how you create new ways to enjoy eggs. They should never get old.
Digestive enzymes – I was looking for them but did not find them yet. I have Twinlab mega bromeline caps 300mg. Is it possible to substitute?
— RESPONSE–
This product from Twinlab only has proteolytic enzymes, meaning it only helps with digestion of proteins. The ‘Wholezyme’ product from Whole Foods has a mixture of digestive enzymes that will break down all macronutrient types. If you can’t find this exact product near you, find one like it if possible. If you can’t afford this supplement, no problem, it’s called a ‘supplement’ for a reason and is not required for fat loss/improved health to occur.
Garlic – 1000 mg? Is this a kind of supplement or just take bulb, peel it and eat?
— RESPONSE–
This is a supplement and should come in pill form. Cutting up actual garlic bulbs and eating them in your meals would be even better because there has been no processing/capsule applied.
UDO’s cold fatty acid. Can not find them here is it the same as UDO’s 3-6-9 oil blend? I’m asking this question because it is not so easy to find some supplements in Russia which is very easy to get in US/Europe.
— RESPONSE–
Yes, this is very similar and made by the same group. If you can not find this exact product, simply find a high quality alternative, if you can not afford this, try to increase your consumption of nuts and fish throughout the week. UDO’s is the best, but is not the only source of quality fatty acids.
Training:
Quick question, what do you mean by select the plan that fits where I am today? I thought we just picked level I, II, or III depending on how much fat we wanted to lose. For example, I was going to choose the Level 1 program since I want to keep my main lifts progressing while I lose fat even though its a slower fat loss progression.
— RESPONSE–
Level I= 0-10 lbs fat loss, Level II= 11-24 lbs Fat loss, Level III=25lbs of fat loss. The response the beta tester had to this question is correct, you select your plan based on your goals and where you are right now. If you have level III goals, do not embark on Level I training. Make sure your training program level matches your fat loss goals. Each training level takes into consideration the implied preexisting level of GPP that currently exists. Meaning, I don’t have you doing things that you aren’t ready to do. If you have been lifting and want to continue progressing your strength while placing more emphasis on fat loss, select Level I.
Regarding Day 2 Circuit Work Men / Women under type I Week 1 & 2- Could we use Kettlebells instead of medicine balls for the chop circuit? Based on our current level I am not sure medicine balls alone would challenge us. Additionally for the daily warmup could we do 100 double arm kettle bell swings? We can do the chop circuits with med balls in weeks 3-9 and follow the prescribed kettle bell sessions / body weight sessions as prescribed.
— RESPONSE–
Using kettle bells instead of med balls for the circuits is fine, in fact ANY external resistance (med ball/kettle bell, 10-45 lb. plate/cinder block/brick/coin jar/etc) is fine to ‘plug’ into the workout and use. The main point is to use the weight that will impose the proper amount of resistance to make you stronger, but also allow you to execute the movements with proper form and avoid injury. If you don’t feel ‘challenged’ by the workout, simply add weight, the reps and exercises are given for a reason and backed by experience and research. The weeks are designed to progressively increase intensity, demand, speed, and therefore fat loss in the most efficient manner. There can only be one mechanic under the hood, don’t try to incorporate your own set/rep scheme into the program, just increase the weight/speed that you are doing the movement with.
One thing I am confused by is the intro email had indicated Type I would have 5 workout days with 2 days cardio. This implies that 3 days are strength training and 2 days cardio, however it appears to be the exact opposite for the 1st few weeks. For an optional day can I use the body building template and follow a juggernaut style lift session with emphasis on 3A shoulders and 3B deadlifts as the “main” lifts (super set), then do 4a Pull-ups, 4B triangle push ups or dips (super set), 5A Front squats 5B Superman, 6 Ab work.
— RESPONSE–
AGAIN—there can only be one mechanic under the hood. Please understand that this is a FAT LOSS program, increasing maximal strength while losing fat and improving your aerobic capacity will be very difficult. Trust in the program and the fact that Juggernaut has worked with 100’s of clients from NFL athletes to the morbidly obese and produced great results with all of them.
Could we do any prowler cardio work instead of cardio work and what might that look like for Nancy and I training together at the same time on a single Prowler?
— RESPONSE–
For those of you who don’t know, the Prowler is a great conditioning tool created by EliteFTS.com. Using the prowler on your shorter cardio days is a fantastic option. Simply push the prowler anywhere from 25-45 yards in a 1:3 work to rest ratio for the prescribed workout duration, meaning if you push the prowler for 15 seconds, rest for 45 seconds. In any cardio/aerobic session, if you ever find that you are ‘going lactic’ (meaning that your muscles are burning and and you can’t recover in the rest that is allotted) just increase your rest intervals.
Cardio days are meant to be a recovery day that also causes the blood to move quickly through your body. When this increased blood flow and lower work intensity (50-70% speed/effort) is combined with the nutritional status (low insulin) you will be in during your cardio/aerobic sessions, fat loss will occur.
Candidly, my wife is strong and she enjoys lifting. According to the plan she wont touch iron for 3 weeks. If you tell us to follow the instructions for her she will do so but can she follow the guys body building instead of metabolic boost days for women or is that just too much for her body with this program?
— RESPONSE–
Women have lower testosterone rates and respond differently to lifting weights/reps than men do. Higher weights/reps cause men’s muscles to grow, however women’s muscles become more dense and compact (‘toned‘ some people call it) when exposed to higher reps. Men also release a higher rate of myostatin in response to weight training/high reps, which causes their muscles to grow and get larger. Therefore, women can use what ever weight is appropriate (heavy but allows for proper execution of the movement) for that given movement. For women, ‘bulking up‘ comes from nutritional choices more than weight training. Again, follow the movements given for the program and add weight only where/when applicable.
I train at home and only have the following equipment:
1. Power Rack w/ dip and chin attachments
2. Barbells – Trap Bar; Olympic Bar; T-Grip Barbell
3. Adjustable bench
4. Dumbbells (Powerblocks) to 85lbs
5. Box squat box
6. Rogue Dog Sled
7. 12lb Med Ball
8. 50 ghetto sandbag
9. Neck Harness
10. Light and Med Bands
12. Bosu Ball
13. Treadmill
What I don’t have:
Kettlebells
Med Ball other than the 12lb one
1. What will I need to change considering the above?
2. It will be tough to superset squats and bench press. I use the power rack for both and they need different weights and heights. I could use the T-grip bar to bench and then squat on the outside. Any other recommendations?
— RESPONSE–
You can use any means of external resistance to execute the movements, a dumbbell, weight plate, kettle bell, or brick are all the same to your body. If you have to train from home or can’t afford one of the items in the program, just find a way to make it work. Get a duffle bag from your closet and put rocks in it and use that for a med ball, anything will work. The Russians simply took cannon balls and welded handles to them after the war, now you have kettle bells that cost $100 each. Find a way, not an excuse. If you only have one rack to work from, you will need to work more in between sets to make the circuit work correctly.
I want to see your pictures and videos of how you find a way to make this program work for you. Remember, this is the beta testing phase, so I want your input, questions, and innovations as well. What I don’t want is you changing the set/rep scheme, not because I’m an ego maniac, but because I need to determine what works best and if everyone is adding/subtracting from the program— I won’t know what’s most effective means.
