T4.0 Faq
T4.0 Faq
0 BuiltLean
Transformation
FAQ
Generated by the Knowledge Base to PDF App
Index
BuiltLean Transformation 4
Questions Before You Start 4
Is the package all digital, or is some posted as a physical product? 4
How long do I get access to the transformation program? Do I get access forever? 4
What equipment do I need for the Program? 5
Is the BuiltLean Transformation program really what it seems? 5
What happens after I order? 7
What is an online portal or digital product? 7
How is the Builtlean Transformation different from P90x? 8
Am I too old for the Builtlean Program? 9
I’m really out of shape. Can the program work for me? 9
I have medical issues (diabetes and a recent heart attack) – will the builtlean program work for me? 10
I experience low back pain and old injuries affect me. Can I still use BuiltLean? 10
I don’t want to get bulky. Will this program work for me? 11
If I'm lactose or gluten (wheat) intolerant, can I still follow this program? 11
Is this program suitable for vegetarians? 12
Will I be able to follow this program with foods available in my country? 12
Will I lose my stubborn belly fat (or thigh fat, or arm fat etc.) if I follow this program? 13
How quickly can I expect to lose weight with your program? 13
Does BuiltLean Transformation work for women too? Why aren't there more testimonials? 14
Can I order from my country and is the price in U.S funds? 14
Is it safe to order online with a credit card? 15
Can I use this program if I want to gain muscle? 15
Why, after all the testimonials, in small print, does it say 'results are not typical'? 15
General 16
How to add BuiltLean app icon to Android 16
How to add BuiltLean app icon to iPhone 19
How do I change my password? 21
How do I get in contact with Marc Perry directly? 22
I can’t change my password, and it’s not allowing me to login. What’s wrong? 23
I tried logging in and got locked out of my account! What happened? 23
I've hit a weight loss plateau and stopped losing weight. Any ideas on what I should do? 24
I never got the email to access the program? 25
Workout Plan 25
Do you have an app to track Transformation workouts? 26
Can I do the BuiltLean workout three days in a row followed by a day of rest then three days of cardio/yoga? 26
During the four "off/rest" days, can I do cardio-type exercises such as burpees / box jumps / rowing etc? 27
How do I make the workouts harder and more challenging? 27
What does “each side” next to each exercise mean? 28
How Many Reps Am I Supposed To Do? 29
What is the workout schedule / days I'm supposed to workout? 30
Is it alright to try and fit extra workouts in between workout days, or should I mainly to try to rest in between? 30
Should I try to spread the three workout per week out as much as possible (i.e Monday, Wednesday, Friday)? 31
What do I do after the program? 32
What if I play sports during the week, does it affect the program? 33
Can I substitute my own exercises in the program? 33
What happens if I want to workout every day. What should I do? 34
How do I know when to increase the weight I use? 34
How much weight should I use? 35
What does a "Circuit" mean? 36
Nutrition Plan 36
I have a question about drinks, for example a glass of orange juice for breakfast, or a cup of coffee, etc. what kind of
beverages may I drink except of water and tea? 37
Can I drink alcohol on BuiltLean Transformation? 37
Do you only have one snack each day or two and when, between meals? 38
Regarding the meal plan, it says to choose three of each meal. Do you stick to only those three from each group for the 12
weeks? 38
Does the nutrition plan talk about timings for eating carbs and starches, and when is best to eat them? 39
I don’t see any macros (protein / carbs / fat) for any of the meals. Why not? 39
I don't eat pita or any kind of bread (as well as being vegetarian). What are some replacements for bread, etc? 40
How many grams of protein should I eat each day? 40
Can you have any cheat days with your diet, like on Sunday's allow yourself dessert, etc? Or do I try to eat the same 24/7?
Is there a best time of day to workout (i.e. before breakfast)? 4141
I’m having trouble controlling my calories and eating the right foods. Any extra tips? 42
How did you arrive at calorie levels for the nutrition plan? 42
I’m a vegetarian. Any extra tips to help me get enough protein and lose fat? 43
Lifestyle Plan 43
How much sleep do you recommend while doing the program? 44
BuiltLean Transformation
Questions Before You Start
BuiltLean Transformation is a body transformation program, accessible through BuiltLean’s online portal.
We designed the program so you have immediate access and can get started as soon as you sign up.
Within the online portal, you’ll be able to access the components you need.
Yes, there is no expiration date on your access to the program. When you sign up for BuiltLean
Transformation, you can access the online portal from wherever, whenever, as long as you have wifi
access.
It is recommended that you join a gym, but it is NOT required. The only required equipment is a set of
dumbbells and a pull-up bar. A basic exercise mat and a bench is recommended, but not required.
You will be walked through every exercise in the program and be given alternatives based on the
equipment you have access to, so the BuiltLean Exercise Plan gives you flexibility based on accessible
equipment.
We also recommend a simple body fat caliper for measuring body fat along with a scale to weigh yourself.
I am very interested in this program but am not to sure about it as there is a lot of programs out there that
are shams. With only working out for 3 days for 45 mins and getting results is hard to believe since I lifted
weights and took more time to get results. I am in the military so the work out times are great for my
schedule. I'm just not a 100% sure about going through with it or not.
------------------
Submitted from: http://www.builtlean.com/contact/
Hi Edward,
I completely understand your concern about the program. I can assure you, however, that the before/after
photos on our sales page are 100% real and not scripted. There are many, many more success stories
which I have not included.
For more in depth reviews from a number of people who successfully completed the program, check out
the links below:
An important part of successful body transformation is getting the nutrition right. In fact, you could probably
get excellent results only working out 2x per week for 30 minutes if you eat well. In addition, the intensity
of exercise is a very important factor. There is research that has come out showing exercisers getting
results in as little as 2-3 minutes of exercise a few times per week (interval training research -
http://jp.physoc.org/content/575/3/901.abstract).
With all that said, results do vary based on a number of factors including how well people followed the
program to genetics, so please keep this in mind .
I hope this makes you feel a bit more comfortable. Either way, I wish you the best of luck and thank you
for your service!
Best,
Marc
----------------------------------
Marc Perry
BuiltLean Support
Disclaimer: This message is in no way intended as medical counseling or medical advice. Please consult
your doctor before starting any new exercise, or nutrition program.
Right after you click the “Add to Cart” button, you will be directed to a secure order form where you will
make payment via credit card. After payment, you will receive email confirmation within minutes of your
order.
A follow up email will be sent to you giving you INSTANT access to the BuiltLean Transformation Program
through an online portal that's accessible on your Mac or PC, smart phone, iPad or tablet. Within this
online portal that you'll find your exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle programs, as well as downloadable PDFs.
If you experience any difficulty, you can contact our customer support staff who are ready to assist you.
We typically respond to your inquiry in less than 24 hours, many times within only a few hours.
The BuiltLean Program is a coaching program that includes access to an online portal. The BuiltLean
Program is only available on this website, and is not available for purchase at any bookstores.
There are several benefits to you, the customer in purchasing a digital vs. a physical product:
The P90x workouts are based on DVD videos that you watch at home on your TV and workout along with.
If you want to workout in front of your TV 6-7 days per week for 60 to 90 minutes per day, P90x can be a
good option for you. But the nutrition plan is pretty tough to follow as the macronutrient ratios change each
month. Even a bodybuilder who's used to weighing food would have trouble following it!
Efficient strength training workouts that use compound movements are the foundation of BuiltLean. The
program utilizes strength circuits that focus on the largest muscle groups in the body, so you experience
the greatest fat burning and muscle building effects. It is arguable, but the BuiltLean workouts are
designed to be more efficient than P90x, while still yielding comparable results with much less time
investment (3x per week, 30-45 minutes). This BuiltLean workout structure and program has been tested
hundreds of times and has been proven to work very well. With BuiltLean, there are no follow-along
workout videos. Instead, you have access to exercise demonstration videos in the online portal and
printable training sheets that you can take with you anywhere.
If you are already in great shape with a low body-fat percentage and want to work out in front of a TV,
P90x could be a great option for you. If you want to get lean and strong and are looking for something
that's more sustainable, BuiltLean Transformation is a GREAT program.
There are no specific age limits that apply to the use of the BuiltLean Program. With that said, you should
always check with your physician before starting an exercise, and/or nutrition program, especially if you
have any special clinical, or medical considerations.
The workouts in the program are designed to become more challenging over the course of 12-weeks.
Each phase includes more difficult and intense exercises. While the workouts can be modified to make
them less intense, and the pace of progression can be varied, BuiltLean is designed for healthy adults
with normal health and mobility.
The original inspiration for the BuiltLean Program was to help people who had fallen out of shape and
wanted to feel like an athlete again. The goal of this 12-week program is to help you accomplish that while
building a stronger, leaner body.
The BuiltLean Program is comprised of three phases. The first phase focuses on building strength and
stability. The second combines strength and intensity. And the third phase pushes your metabolic threshold
for maximal fat burning.
The workouts within each phase are designed to progress in difficulty over time, so your body has time to
adjust to the intensity and improve safely. Additionally, you can adapt the workouts to meet your level of
fitness by: (1) adjusting your rest time, (2) modifying the exercise, and (3) adjusting your weights.
So yes, the BuiltLean Program is a safe and effective program if you have not exercised in a while.
It’s great that you want to make a positive change in your life! The BuiltLean program, however, may not
be appropriate for everyone. If you are experiencing any chronic pain or illness, the program may not be
for you and you should consult with your doctor. You should always check with your physician before
starting an exercise and or nutrition program, but especially when you have special clinical or medical
considerations.
The authors of the program Marc Perry, CSCS, ACE-CPT and Kristin Rooke, CPT, HHC are not medical
professionals, or registered dieticians. They are health, fitness, and personal coaches. They are not
qualified to give medical or clinical advice.
If you have suffered from any minor injuries, the BuiltLean program is “injury friendly” and “low back
friendly. If you experience chronic pain related to an injury, the BuiltLean Program may not be for you. You
should always check with your physician before starting an exercise and or nutrition program, but
especially when you have special clinical or medical considerations, or feel chronic pain.
If you strip your body of body fat while retaining your lean muscle mass, it’s extremely unlikely that you will
appear “bulky”. The BuiltLean Program is designed to help you achieve your natural potential, the best
body for you. BuiltLean Transformation is not a muscle gaining program and will not make you look like a
Bodybuilder, but instead help you develop a lean, toned physique.
If you are lactose intolerant, you are not alone. The incidence of lactose intolerance is as high as 80% in
Asian and African Americans, and 50% in Hispanics. In addition, wheat (and gluten) intolerance, or allergy
is also very common.
If you have any of these issues, you can still follow the BuiltLean Program. In the BuiltLean nutrition
guide, you'll find different meal and snack options that are appropriate for gluten-free, dairy-free,
vegetarian, and paleo diets.
With that said, you should always check with your physician before starting an exercise, and/or nutrition
program, especially if you have any special clinical, or medical considerations.
Yes, the BuiltLean Nutrition Program includes recipes that are appropriate for vegetarians (eat dairy
and/or eggs, but avoid meat and fish), and can be adjusted for vegans (no meat, fish, dairy, or eggs).
The BuiltLean Program recommends including complete proteins at each meal, regardless of your dietary
preferences. Some excellent plant-based sources of complete protein include quinoa, hemp seeds, chia
seeds, tofu, and tempeh. Of course, you can combine two complementary incomplete vegetable protein
sources (rice and beans for example) to create a complete protein as well, but the BuiltLean Program
does not go into detail about the different types of complementary proteins you can combine.
If you are familiar with complementary proteins and the types of vegetables that have more protein, you
should not experience any difficult following the nutrition guidelines in the BuiltLean Program.
Yes, you can follow the BuiltLean program using foods available in your country. The BuiltLean nutrition
program is comprised of recipes that utilize natural food ingredients, like vegetables, lean meats and fish,
whole grains, dairy, fruit, and healthy oils. These are ingredients you can find all over the world. If a
specific ingredient is not available in your country, the program offers alternatives that you can use
instead.
There is no such thing as “spot reduction” unfortunately. In other words, no workout program, or diet can
be specifically designed to shed fat off of any particular part of your body. In fact, where you lose fat is
genetically predetermined (you can thank your parents for that!).
The good news is that you can lose fat from your problem areas simply by focusing on losing fat without
losing muscle. Eventually, you will lose fat off your problem areas, which are oftentimes the last place the
fat comes off. The BuiltLean Program is designed to help you lose fat without losing any muscle safely
and efficiently, and many people who complete the program lose fat off their most stubborn areas by the
end of the program.
For starters, the BuiltLean Transformation program is not about losing “weight”! BuiltLean can help you
lose fat, while retaining muscle mass. It’s easy to lose 10lbs in one day by losing water weight and some
muscle, but losing ONLY fat is more challenging.
From our experience and countless research studies, a healthy pace of fat loss is roughly 0.5% to 1.0% of
your total body weight. If you lose much more than that, it’s most likely water, or muscle loss. So if you are
a 200-pound man, you can expect to lose a solid 1-2 pounds of pure fat each week. Some people may
experience more fat loss, or less fat loss, depending on genetic factors and the amount of effort put into
the program.
It is also possible to add lean muscle while losing fat on the BuiltLean program, especially if you have not
lifted weights in a while. In this scenario, you will improve your body composition without affecting your
body weight as much.
BuiltLean Transformation does work for women! In fact, the program has helped women around the world
get a slimmer and more toned body by losing fat without losing muscle. We do not have many
testimonials from women at this time because few women have wanted to share their “before” photos on
our website. If you send us your success story with before/after photos, we’ll send you a free t-shirt!
Strength training exercises are the foundation of the BuiltLean workout program, so it's important that
you're comfortable with strength training exercises. Psychologically, many women fear that they'll get
“bulky” by lifting weights, but the exact opposite happens - they get a slim, toned, sexy body! If you want
to lose fat without losing muscle quickly and safely, the BuiltLean Program will not disappoint.
Yes. The owner of BuiltLean LLC is based in the United States (New York City), and all prices are in U.S.
funds. Our secure payment processor accepts orders from almost anywhere in the world and automatically
makes the currency conversion for you, so you don’t have to do anything special for international orders.
When you order the BuiltLean Program online, the purchase is completed through a secure web page
using secure socket layers (SSL). Your credit card details are encrypted and kept private so that no 3rd
party can ever see them. Your info is not stored on the Internet either, it’s a one-time transaction. We use
Authorize.net as a payment processor, which is very secure. BuiltLean.com is accredited by the Better
Business Bureau and is Verisign Trusted as a secure and malware-free website.
If you eat more calories that you burn, or you are new to strength training, it is possible to gain muscle on
the BuiltLean Transformation Program, but the program is not designed as a muscle gaining program. If
you are considering adding muscle, we highly recommend getting lean first, then adding bulk. Not one top
fitness model attempts to lose fat and build muscle at the same time. Instead, they go on cutting phases
where they focus on losing fat without losing muscle, then go on bulking phases where they focus on
building muscle. For more information, see this article “Can I lose fat and build muscle at the same time?”
If you follow the program exactly as designed, would you not get the same results? Or have the people in
the testimonials worked out more or eaten less? What would be the variables?
------------------
There are a number of factors that will impact the results you get. They include, but are not limited to:
1) Keeping your calories at, or lower than the target calories suggested in the program.
2) The intensity of your training and how well you perform the exercises.
3) Your genetics - some people can simply lose more fat, or can build more muscle than others due to
genetic predisposition.
4) Your training status - i.e. beginners may experience more dramatic gains in strength etc.
5) Your body fat status - those with more body fat may lose more fat as a percentage of their total body
weight.
If you really nail #1 and #2, most men should be able to lose 1-2lb of fat per week (with some who lose
slightly more, or less) and women usually lose a bit less at around 0.5lb to 1.5lb. An even better way to
think about it is in terms of percentage of body weight, so 0.5% to 1.0% of fat loss as a percentage of
body weight is a reasonable pace. So whether you are on the high end, or low end of these estimations is
based on the aforementioned factors.
Finally, regarding the "results may vary" and "results not typical' language,
1) We've been advised by legal council and even Google reps that we should include this wording.
2) Some people may buy the program and only follow some parts of it, not the whole thing. As I've seen
through feedback, the vast majority of people who follow the program closely are happy with the results
they get.
Best,
Marc
----------------------------------
Marc Perry
BuiltLean Support
Disclaimer: This message is in no way intended as medical counseling or medical advice. Please consult
your doctor before starting any new exercise, or nutrition program.
General
Step 5 - Once done, tap on theEllipsis (3 small dots) button > Add to Home Screen:
Step 6 - Choose a name for the home screen icon & click “add” That's it!
How to add BuiltLean app icon to iPhone
Last updated: 2019-02-08T01:17:52.000Z | Online Version
Please see below for instructions about how to set up an app icon on your iPhone so you can quickly and
easily access your BuiltLean program:
Step 5 - At the bottom of the screen, you'll see a share icon that depicts an arrow coming out of a square.
Tap this button.
Step 6 - Then click the "Add to Home Screen" icon. You may need to scroll right to see it.
Step 7 - Choose a name for the home screen icon. That's it!
2. Complete the "Change Password" section with the current and new passwords, and hit the
"Update" button:
How do I get in contact with Marc Perry directly?
Last updated: 2016-02-24T17:04:20.000Z | Online Version
Any questions you have regarding Marc’s programs and training services (fitness assessment) can be
submitted to our Support Team.
Submit your question via our contact form. We will get back to you in 1-3 business days. If possible, we
will forward your message to Marc.
Please open up a new browser window in incognito, or private browsing mode. Login with your original
username and password. Try changing your password again. This should work. If this does not work,
please contact us.
After 3 failed login attempts, our login page automatically prevents any more additional attempts. It’s
possible you copied your username / password incorrectly (for example, copying an extra space after your
password will not work). Another issue is your browser cookies may have caused a conflict.
After 30-minutes, you will be able to login again. This time, we recommend you open up a new window in
incognito or private browsing mode, which prevents your browser cookies from causing issues with you
logging in. We implemented this security feature to combat SPAM and bots. We apologize for the
inconvenience.
Losing body fat (not just weight), takes time and patience. There are a few primary reasons why you may
not being losing weight:
1) You are retaining water despite losing fat - If you are not drinking enough water consistently (80
ounces+ of water per day), then your body may be retaining water. This can also happen if you eat
relatively more carbohydrates.
2) Calorie Creep - The most common reason I've encountered for some clients plateauing in their weight
loss is they eat more calories than they think they are eating. I'm assuming you are filling up mostly on
lean proteins and veggies, a little bit of fruit, a little bit of starchy carbs, and a little bit of healthy fat. If you
are eating just a few too many calories, this will make it very difficult to lose weight/fat.
3) Not Enough Rest - Doing too much exercise can be counterproductive. I recommend following the
exercise part of the program exactly as I lay out. If you add anything, just add light cardio workouts, or
some interval training on separate days, but be careful that you are getting enough sleep. Sleep helps
improve your hormonal balance.
Remember, it's all about losing fat without losing muscle. That's the goal.
Stay strong and keep up the good work! My clients who had the best transformations were the one's who
were the most persistent.
First, don’t worry! If you successfully purchased the program, you can be sure you will get a copy of the
program.
There are usually three reasons why a download email is not sent:
(1) you inputted your email incorrectly when your ordered, this is the most common reason
(2) Your email address, or server is not accepting emails from “[email protected]”, so the email
bounced.
(3) Your order never went through if you didn't receive either the log-in email, or a receipt of your
purchase.
In any event, please use our contact form and let us know your issue. We will let you know (1) if your
purchase did, or did not go through and (2) if it did go through, we will send you via email either a new link
to download the program, or the program as an attachment. We try our best to respond as fast as
possible (less than 24 hours, oftentimes within a few hours if during normal U.S. business hours - Eastern
Standard Time) depending on our email volume and the time of day.
Workout Plan
We do not currently have an app to track your progress as you go through the Transformation program,
although this is something we are looking into developing eventually.
At the moment, you can use the printable workout PDFs to record your weights, reps, and stats as you
complete BuiltLean Transform.
I think that is possible, but I think alternating is definitely ideal and I would strongly recommend you go in
that direction. I'm a huge fan of yoga, so happy to see you are doing that!
I think cardio is ok, but in Phase 2 and Phase 3, I would take it easy with the high impact cardio on other
days because the BuiltLean workouts get more intense.
But rowing, jogging, hiking, walking, swimming etc. can definitely be a great idea. You could also consider
adding a yoga or flexibility workout to your routine.
1. Choose heavier weights. If the workouts feel too easy, then challenge yourself by lifting heavier.
2. Wear a weighted vest, especially during bodyweight exercises. If bodyweight push-ups are easy for
you, then add resistance by wearing a 10-50lb weighted vest. This will definitely increase the
intensity of your workout!
3. Decrease your rest time between full circuits to 30 seconds.
All of the single arm and single leg exercises say "each side" because you're supposed to perform the
exercise on both the right and left sides individually.
For example, for the single arm row - perform rows with your right arm for the first 15 seconds, and then
do rows on your left side for the last 15 seconds.
Question:
I've read in some of your articles that you need to use higher weight and fewer reps to maintain or even
increase strength during the fat loss program. However, I notice in the BuiltLean Transformation workouts
that all of the exercises are timed. How do I know if I'm doing enough reps?
Answer:
As long as you're pushing yourself, you don't need to think about how many reps you're getting per
exercise in the BuiltLean Transformation workouts. Your workout intensity is the most important factor
here.
The focus of the BuiltLean Transformation Program is to help you lose weight while maintaining lean
muscle. This goal is accomplished through strength circuits that utilize full-body strength and plyometric
exercises.
Each workout is designed to maximize your calorie burn and induce the afterburn effect where you're
burning more calories all day long. Additionally, each phase of the program becomes progressively more
challenging so you don't plateau.
To ensure that you're being challenged enough, you should choose a weight that you can complete for 10
reps. If you reach a point of muscular fatigue in the middle of your exercise interval, rest for a few seconds
so that you can do each rep with perfect form & technique.
Good luck!
Alternatively, you could do Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, or another split that is ideal for you.
On non-workout days, feel free to perform stretching, foam rolling, or other non-lifting activities like walking,
jogging, yoga or interval cardio training.
I strongly recommend that you not add any more lifting to the program. If you want, you can perform
"active rest" on your non-strength days by doing some swimming, bike riding, going for a light jog,
stretching, or doing some yoga. If you're more advanced, you could also consider performing interval
training on days between your strength circuits.
Ideally, yes. It's best to perform your workouts on non-consecutive days so your body has enough time to
recover between workouts.
If that's not possible for you due to your schedule, you could do two workouts in a row with one or two
days of rest before your third workout, but this is not ideal.
The goal of BuiltLean Transformation is to provide you an easy to use and effective plan and also educate
you to follow a healthy lifestyle that helps you lose fat and stay lean.
1) Continue to weigh yourself once per week – Create an acceptable weight range. If you ever exceed
this range, the alarms go off and you make working out/eating a priority.
2) Recycle the BuiltLean workouts you like – You can make them harder by adding more sets, using
more weights, mixing and matching them. You can also substitute various exercises within each workout,
just use the basic templates. Some customers even complete the program a second time but increase the
intensity of the workouts and the weights lifted.
3) Find activities you enjoy – Try exercise classes at your gym, joining a soccer league, or other
activities. I do suggest at least 1 strength training workout per week to maintain results, preferably two. I
personally lift 3x per week. At the end of the day, if you don’t enjoy the activity even a little, it will be very
hard to sustain it.
5) Join BuiltLean VIP – We have additional workouts for you to complete, an awesome community for
you to join, and a trainer on-demand service to help you with your workouts and anything you need help
with. You can sign up right here (enter promo code "expertsupport" for 50% off:
=> https://www.builtlean.com/lp/vip-sales-page.php
Playing sports as you complete the program is absolutely ok. Ideally, you'll do your strength training
workouts on different days than you play sports. Also, make sure you are getting plenty of sleep, drinking
plenty of water, doing a lot of foam rolling, and if possible, getting massages. Be sure to listen to your
body, and get enough rest.
You absolutely can, but be sure the exercise mimics the movement pattern of the exercise that you want
to replace. For example, if the exercise is Flat DB Bench Press, you would need to find an exercise that is
a horizontal pushing motion, like a weighted push up, bench press, or seated chest press. Depending on
your available equipment, you may have to choose different exercises as substitutes for those outlined in
the program.
It is not recommended that you add additional strength training workouts to the BuiltLean Transformation
Program. The workouts are specifically designed in a way that creates maximum muscle stimulation in a
very short period of time. Any more lifting could actually hurt your results.
If you want to add more activity to your weeks, you can do more cardio, or perform active rest on the days
that you are not lifting.
On non-strength circuit days, consider doing a walking, jogging, swimming, or rowing for 30-45 minutes.
Other forms of activity like sports, yoga, or foam rolling is great as well.
The most important thing is to follow the BuiltLean workout program, and anything extra you do on your
own should be focused on helping your muscles recover.
If the target reps are 15 reps for a given exercise and you easily complete all 15 reps on all 3 sets, you
should increase the weight by 5-10lb. The goal is to try to increase the weight and make the exercises
more difficult over time.
The short answer is that you need to try different weights in order to figure it out. Even if you were to work
with a personal trainer, the same process would be required. There is no perfect system for figuring out
the amount of weight for a given exercise that you’ve never done before.
If the target reps are 15 reps for a given exercise, then your first set you get to 15 reps. You could only do
max 1, or 2 more reps (16, or 17) if you kept on going. This is called training to failure. On your second
set, you may only get 13 reps, and the last set you may only get 11 reps. If you get 15 reps on all sets,
you should increase the weight. The goal is to try to increase the weight and make the exercises more
difficult over time.
Full Body A
1A) Squats with exercise ball = No weight on first set. If too easy, then go to 10lb dumbbells. If too easy
then go up 5lb increments each set.
1B) Forward Lunge – No weight, if too easy, then go to 10lb dumbbells, go up 5lb increments on
subsequent sets if still too easy.
3A) Seated DB Shoulder Press – start out at 15lb, then go up from there
3B) Knee Crunches – No weight with this one
Here’s an example:
1A) Squats
1B) Lunges
2A) DB Bench Press
2B) Lat Pulldown
In this case, you would superset Squat and Lunges by completing one after the other with as little rest as
possible (under 30 seconds), then resting for 30-45 seconds after completing both exercises, then
repeating again for the targeted number of sets.
Then you move on to the next superset of DB Bench Press and Lat Pulldown and repeat, and so on. You
can try wearing a heart rate monitor and keep your heart rate high, which can help motivate you to just
push through a tough workout in a safe way. I think you should wait until you catch your breath, but not
very long! The concept is incomplete rest. If you really can’t breathe well, then you won’t be able to
complete any reps, so listen to your body and keep up the pace. It’s the difference between a good
workout, and a great workout.
Nutrition Plan
I would recommend not drinking any other beverages aside from water, tea, kombucha, or coffee (ideally
with few calories added). Coffee is cool, just be mindful of adding sugar / heavy cream. Calories in drinks
like orange juice - which is typically a huge amount of sugar - can creep up and derail the nutrition plan.
We try to promote drinking water for hydration as nature intended. But if there are other drinks you want
that are zero or very low calories (20 calories or less), you can certainly consider them. Also, you can
consider skipping the mid-afternoon snack if you want to add 100-200 calories of cream / milk to your
morning coffee. Any calories that are extra to what we already outlined are above what we recommend.
While you're going through the BuiltLean Transformation Program, we highly recommend that you
eliminate (or significantly decrease) alcohol consumption.
Alcohol provides empty calories and can interfere with your body's ability to burn fat. And if you usually
drink more than 1-2 drinks, alcohol can negatively impact your hormone levels, disrupt your sleep, derail
your energy levels, and cause dehydration.
If you choose to drink, we recommend limiting yourself to 1-2 drinks per week at most.
If you're interested, you can learn more about how alcohol affects fat loss.
Only 1 snack, either mid-afternoon, or mid-morning, your choice. If you are under 125 pounds (or go
below it), you may consider having tea, or kombucha as your snack, which means 1200 total calories per
day intake.
We recommend choosing 3 breakfast, lunch, and dinner options because limiting meal variety is a proven
method to help you lose weight. This is because you don’t have to think too hard about what you’re going
to eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You also know what and how much you’re eating. However, feel free
to eat any of the recommended meals. They are all structured to meet your caloric- and nutrient-needs,
ensuring you maintain lean muscle while losing body fat.
You can also modify the existing meals, or create your own, by substituting equivalent amounts of different
proteins, vegetables, carbohydrates, fruits, fats, etc.
In the BuiltLean Transformation nutrition program, you’re provided breakfast, lunch & dinner recipes as
well as snack ideas, so you don’t have to think about what to eat and when. These recipes are specifically
designed to meet your calorie, protein, carb, and fat requirements, so you preserve lean muscle mass and
keep your energy high while losing body fat. As long as you’re following the plan, you don’t need to think
about carbohydrate timing.
This program focuses on creating a caloric deficit. Carbohydrate timing is an advanced nutrition technique
that could be used by individuals who are already lean, and are trying to achieve a greater level of
definition (<10% body fat for men, <20% body fat for women). But this technique is not discussed in the
Transformation Program.
While we have this information internally, we decided not to include the macros in the program because
devising a nutrition plan solely around macros is flawed -- it doesn’t consider nutrient quality / density. All
the meals and snacks we’ve chosen are relatively high in protein, nutrient dense, and within specific
calorie levels. The key determinants of fat loss are calorie level and controlling hunger with nutrient dense
foods. We did all the hard work creating the recipes so you don’t have to worry about the minutiae like
macro breakdown of specific meals and days.
If you avoid bread, wraps, english muffins, etc. there are definitely things you can substitute. One wrap, 2
slices of bread, and 1 english muffin can be exchanged for 1 medium sweet potato, 3/4 c cooked brown
rice, 3/4 c cooked quinoa, 1/2 c oatmeal, 2 corn tortillas, or 3/4 c cooked black beans.
The BuiltLean nutrition program has been designed to meet your caloric and protein needs while helping
you lose fat and preserve lean muscle. As long as you're following the nutrition plan, you don't need to be
concerned about how much protein you're eating per day.
Otherwise, if you're focused on losing body fat without losing muscle, you should eat roughly 1 gram of
protein per pound of lean body mass. If your goal is to build muscle, you should eat roughly 1 gram per
pound of body weight.
Can you have any cheat days with your diet, like
Can you have any cheat days with your diet, like
on Sunday's allow yourself dessert, etc? Or do I
try to eat the same 24/7?
Last updated: 2016-02-24T03:11:35.000Z | Online Version
Sure. Having a cheat meal once per week is fine if that's what helps you get through the program.
BuiltLean recommends sticking to one cheat meal instead of having a full cheat day to ensure that you still
see your desired results. Just remember your Monday morning weigh-in.
The best time to workout is when you have the most energy, or the most time. It's that simple. Also
consider what works best with your schedule. If you are not going to be able to make your workouts in the
evening, then do them first thing in the morning.
Besides the guidelines outlined in the nutrition section of the program, which include eating whole, natural,
unprocessed foods, along with the section on how to control cravings, you should consider keeping a food
journal as an objective record of your food intake. Becoming conscious of your eating habits by keeping a
food journal can make it much easier for you to control your calories. Additionally, jot down the situations
when you overeat. What are you feeling? Where are you? What happened? Associating negative images
and thoughts with unhealthy foods can help you to avoid them. For more information, check out this post:
How to Keep A Food Journal.
Remember that "out of sight is out of mind". If you put a plate of fresh pasta with mozzarella cheese right
in front of the most disciplined eater, he or she will eat it. Your health and well-being are at stake here.
Associate the empty calories and carbs (pasta, white bread etc.) with pain, and discomfort. Unprocessed,
nutrient dense foods that nature intended us to eat will help you reveal your true potential. Nothing worth
having in life is easy, so just keep putting forth the effort!
The calorie levels and recipes recommended for men and women in the BuiltLean nutrition program were
determined in collaboration with a registered dietician to ensure that your caloric and macronutrient needs
are met.
The BuiltLean nutrition program includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options for vegetarians (who
eat eggs and/or dairy). The challenge with a vegetarian diet is getting enough protein to help repair your
muscle tissue after a tough workout. If you are not able to eat Whey Protein powder/shakes, we
recommend finding a plant-based supplement such as Sun Warrior protein, Vega Sport Performance
protein, or PlantFusion. Otherwise, be sure to include a variety of complete plant-based proteins in your
diet, such as quinoa, tofu, tempeh, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and rice & beans.
1) Try to keep grains to 25% or less of total calories of each meal, unless after a workout
2) Legumes like tofu, edamame, lentils etc. have higher protein content
3) Drink water and if you want green tea. Opt out of drinking fruit juices and soda.
Vegetarians are often deficient in the following vitamins, so you should consider supplementation:
Vitamin B-12
Calcium
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Vitamin D
Lifestyle Plan
The optimal amount of sleep you need varies from person to person. We recommend getting a minimum
of 7 hours (but ideally between 7-9 hours) of quality sleep per night. That means not much tossing and
turning, so you should feel refreshed when you wake up.
Within the BuiltLean Lifestyle plan, we also recommend taking some steps to help you improve the quality
of your sleep, such as going to bed earlier before 12am, sleeping in a pitch black room, and turning off
your tech at least an hour before bedtime.
The more well-rested you feel, the harder you can workout and the faster you can recover from the
workouts, which translates into better results.