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Lean Vs Shredded: The Cold Hard Truth https://t-nation.com/t/lean-vs-shredded-the-cold-hard-truth/283897

Back in 2017, I wrote an article four weeks out from a bodybuilding show for T-Nation called "Lean Vs Shredded: The Cold Hard Truth" and it went a little viral, maybe because, for the first time, there was a clearly written piece on what it actually takes to go from great beach-lean condition to absolutely shredded, and the real cost behind that.

In this episode, I dive into the eight differences between being lean and being shredded: what defines each, and how you transition out the right way so you can avoid many of the mistakes I've made in the past.

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Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

1:00 Competition Winner Announcement

1:53 Can Everyone Get Shredded?

2:36 Defining Lean vs Shredded: Body Fat Percentages

4:47 What Shredded Actually Looks Like

5:43 Do You Ever Need to Be Shredded?

7:06 The 8 Differences Between Lean and Shredded

18:53 Altered Perception of Reality

20:04 How to Transition Back from Shredde

22:27 The Binge Restrict Cycle: My 2014 Story

26:09 How to Break the Cycle

28:38 Outro

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Twice-weekly emails for high performers who want to look good, feel great and perform at their best

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Ailie moved to the UK from New Zealand in early 2024. Burnt out, stagnated, and carrying more weight than she'd let herself acknowledge. It took a series of photos at an event to make it undeniable. Six months later, she was 15kg down and standing in front of a camera at her photoshoot checkpoint.

What made this story stand out: Ailie was already losing weight on her own when she joined. She didn't think she needed much help. This conversation gets into why perimenopause made strength training non-negotiable, how she stayed on track through 4 weeks in Australia, what the final grind actually felt like, and why a shopping trip in Australia became one of the biggest wins of the whole journey.

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Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

5:45 The Photo That Started Everything

7:45 From Zookeeper to Desk Job

10:53 Sailing Past Every Plateau

13:12 Perimenopause and the Case for Strength

15:30 Her Real Why

17:25 Early Struggles With Nutrition

21:21 Why Protein Was Always Missing

22:04 Meal Prep in 15 Minutes

25:43 4 Weeks in Australia

28:48 Why She Booked a Photoshoot

30:30 The Grind 32:08 How the Physical Became the Vehicle

37:28 What Almost Stopped Her Joining

38:22 What She'd Say to Other Women

45:11 Final Words

Follow us:

Website - https://www.rntfitness.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rnt_fitness

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/akashvaghela

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@akash_vaghela

Built for Life Newsletter: https://builtforlife.io

Twice-weekly emails for high performers who want to look good, feel great and perform at their best

Book a 1-1 strategy session: https://www.rntfitness.co.uk/ytapplynow

–

On this episode of RNT Fitness Radio, I'm joined by Smitha, an RNTer who recently completed a photoshoot just 14 months after giving birth to her daughter. Smitha's journey is an interesting one. She joined us prior to becoming pregnant, went on pause six months into her pregnancy, and rejoined nine months postpartum to get into the best shape of her life. All her life, she'd wanted to transform what she describes as a skinny-fat frame into a toned, strong-looking physique. And it wasn't until her transformation with us at RNT that she finally made it happen. Smitha is in her early 40s, a GP, entrepreneur and new mother - making this a great example of what can be done when you're ready to make serious changes in your life.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

1:49 Smitha's Starting Point

3:21 Why Go All In (Not Just "Walk More")

5:40 Fitness History & The Skinny Fat Trap

7:36 Nutrition Aha Moments

9:48 Stress Eating & Breaking Old Associations

11:12 How She Broke the Habits

13:22 Navigating Social Situations

15:48 Continuing Through Pregnancy

17:56 Postpartum: The First 6 Months

20:07 Why She Came Back

21:24 Rejoining on Maternity Leave

23:49 Working Out Around a Baby

27:12 The Photoshoot

29:13 From Novice to Lifting 20kg Dumbbells

33:22 How the Physical Became the Vehicle

35:34 What Almost Stopped Her

36:58 Advice for New Mums & Women Over 40

39:19 What's Next

40:31 Final Words

Follow us:

Website - https://www.rntfitness.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rnt_fitness

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/akashvaghela

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@akash_vaghela