Welcome to 1-3-1 Fridays, my weekly newsletter where I reveal evidence-based strategies to get lean, strong, and create optimal health.

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What's in store for today:

• The right timing for knowing WHEN to cut body fat or build muscle without costing yourself months of frustration or effort
• How to design a fat-loss or muscle-building phase using a tactical step-by-step guide
• The science of body recomposition plus a free sample yearly plan 

Made it to Greenville.

I was skeptical arriving.

Leaving the mountains wasn't my idea of fun.

But over the past 18 months, I've realized the importance of having a life vision.

My wife and I have been working hard on ours.

Part of it includes me being present with my family while our son is young (and as he gets older).

It also includes me living in my best health while having a positive impact on our clients and community.

Moving to Greenville ticked off several of those boxes for us.

Last week I spoke about how transitions suck yet change is great.

This has proved to be very true with our move.

So adding to this lesson from last week, I'll add the importance of having the right foundation and timing (which is part of today's letter).

Without the right foundation, it doesn't matter how hard you work (in life or fitness).

Reflecting on your life priorities can be more valuable than working longer or harder.

I've fallen into the second camp often.

It's cost me things I've never get back again like my time and energy.

For me, fitness is a force multiplier.

Health is a force multiplier.

The more energy and strength I have?

The faster (less time) and more effective (less energy), I become.

In our culture, it's ingrained to work more and harder.

But what's the cost of this?

Often, it's the exact thing we're working so hard for (family, health, energy, relationships).

It's a catch 22.

'I'm working hard to take care of my family but I never see my kids or wife/husband.'

Health is a force multiplier.

Climb the right walls in life and have the right foundation in place.

Greenville is the start of a new chapter for the Zhanay family.

What's your next chapter?

Lesson: Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

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Here's Your 1-3-1 Friday:

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If you want to reach your fitness goals, timing is important.

Knowing when to pull the trigger to cut body fat or build muscle are two challenges I hear about every year.

I've learned plenty over the past 15 years lifting weights, competing as a men's physique athlete at 4% body fat, and helping 400+ high performers drop fat and build muscle over the past 8 years.

Timing is even more important when you're busy.

So let's talk about how to make the right fitness decision at the right time.

#1 Why Timing Your Goals Matters

Shedding body fat and gaining muscle at the same time is the ultimate goal.

However body recomposition doesn't happen forever...

(I'll talk about this in a couple minutes below).

Often working towards BOTH of these goals at the same time can make it hard to see faster progress.

And as humans motivation is an important factor for us to stick to our behaviors.

(whether we admit this to ourselves or not).

A caloric deficit (needed for fat loss) limits energy available for muscle growth, while a surplus (needed for muscle growth) comes with some fat gain.

While body recomposition (cutting fat and gaining muscle at the same time) is possible for beginners, those with more training experience will usually see better results by periodizing their goals.

So let's look at when to prioritize each goal and how to make sure your strategy aligns with your fitness targets.

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#2 When to Focus on Fat Loss

The best time to cut body fat is after you've built a base of muscle mass or if you’re starting at a higher body fat percentage.

Here’s a quick breakdown to see if it’s the right time to cut:

1. Your Current Body Fat Percentage: Higher body fat (20-25% for men, 30-35% for women) makes fat loss a priority since excess body fat can slow down athletic performance and energy levels (Trexler et al., 2018).
2. Your Metabolism: Cutting calories lowers metabolic rate over time—a process known as metabolic adaptation. If you’re always in a caloric deficit, you may find it harder to build muscle later, making repeated bulking phases helpful for a healthier metabolism (Helms et al., 2014).
3. Physical and Mental Burnout: Cutting requires consistency with diet and workouts. If you’re in a period where high-stress levels or fatigue are affecting your ability to stick to a regimen, it may make sense to focus on muscle-building instead.
4. Your Ultimate Body Composition Goals: If your goal is to get lean and stay lean, it’s often easier to achieve and maintain that look once you’ve built a solid foundation of muscle first. Muscle tissue is metabolically active, so having more muscle mass can actually make future fat loss easier by increasing your resting metabolic rate (RMR).

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Fat Loss Action Plan

When you’re ready to cut, follow these key strategies:

• Caloric Deficit: Start with a 15-20% reduction from your maintenance calories. For vegans, aim to keep protein intake high, around 1.2-1.5g/lb of body weight, to maintain muscle mass during the cut (Morton et al., 2018).
• Resistance Training: Continue to lift weights with the same intensity to signal your body to retain muscle.
• Consistency in Macros: Focus on a higher protein intake, moderate carbs, and lower fats. Protein-rich plant foods (like seitan, tofu, and tempeh) support muscle retention and satiety.
• Track Progress: Assess weekly measurements and adjust caloric intake if weight loss plateaus for more than two weeks. Use our 1-1-1 weekly standard of weekly photos, weekly bodyweight, and weekly body measurements.

Realistic rates of fat loss per week

Progress % Body Weight Men Women

Extreme 1-1.5% body weight ~2-3 lb ~1.65-2.5 lb

Reasonable 0.5-1% body weight ~1-2 lb ~0.8-1.65 lb

Comfortable <0.5% body weight ~<1 lb ~<0.8 lb

(courtesy of Precision Nutrition)

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#3 When to Prioritize Muscle Building

If you’re leaner or haven’t built a lot of muscle, this is the perfect time for muscle gains.

Here’s when to make muscle-building your main goal:

1. Low to Moderate Body Fat: If your body fat percentage is around 10-15% for men or 20-25% for women, you’re lean enough to enter a muscle-building phase without gaining too much body fat (Morgan & Helms, 2020).
2. Lack of Muscle Definition: If you’ve been cutting but notice a lack of visible muscle, you'll benefit more from building up your muscle mass before going back to a deficit.
3. Energy Availability: Building muscle requires energy, meaning you’ll need to be in a caloric surplus (which means eating more food). If you have a high-stress job or lifestyle, focusing on building muscle could be smarter than cutting food and eating less.
4. Training Experience: For intermediate to advanced trainees, muscle growth becomes harder to achieve without eating more for longer periods of time. Studies show that building muscle is easier when combined with eating slightly more, typically around 250-500 calories above maintenance (Trexler et al., 2018).
5. Long-Term Metabolic Health: Increasing muscle mass can improve insulin sensitivity and increase your metabolic rate, making future fat-loss phases easier and more effective (Helms et al., 2014).

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Muscle Building Action Plan

When it’s time to bulk up, here’s how to do it smart:

• Caloric Surplus: Start with a small surplus of 250-500 calories. Monitor body weight, aiming for 1-2 pounds gained per month. This helps you avoid extra fat gain while helping muscle growth.
• High Protein: Vegans should aim for 0.8-1.2g/lb body weight. Focus on complete protein sources or combine foods to achieve all essential amino acids. (slightly less protein is okay since you're not dropping body fat).
• Progressive Overload: Consistently add weight or reps to your exercises, signaling the body to build new muscle. Remember, you NEED a reason to build muscle and heavy weights while overloading your body gives it that REASON.
• Track Changes: Record your strength and measurements to ensure progress without excessive fat gain. Use the VFR 1-1-1 tracking standard mentioned above.

Realistic rates of muscle gain per month

Fitness level Men Women

Beginner: 1-1.5% body weight ~1.5-2.5 lb / 0.5-0.75% body weight~0.65-1 lb

Intermediate: 0.5-0.75% body weight~0.75-1.25 lb / 0.25-0.375% body weight~0.325-0.5 lb

Advanced: 0.25-0.375% body weight ~0.375-0.625 lb / 0.125-0.1875%
body weight~0.1625-0.25 lb

(courtesy of Precision Nutrition)

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Switching Between Fat Loss and Muscle Gain

So how do you switch between cutting and bulking?

Is there a benefit?

Moving between cutting and bulking phases, especially if you’re looking to reach a specific physique goal, can lead to great results.

However, most people mess this up.

Use the 4:1 ratio.

4 - aim for 4 months (or so) of cutting body fat or building muscle.

1 - aim for 1 month (or so) of coming back to mainteance calories to reset metabolism (for cutting) and minimizing fat gain (for bulking).

For some clients, we've been able to stretch the 4:1 ratio to 8-9 months of cutting.

For others less.

However, the longer you cut or bulk, the higher chance you'll have of facing metabolic fatigue (cutting) or gaining too much extra body fat (bulking).

It really comes down to the individual and their focus.

(which is why having a specialized approach works best).

When I dropped down to 4-5% body fat for my first men's physique competition, Dr Haun (coach) and I worked on our end goal timeline first.

Starting in April 2020, we set the goal for being stage ready by early next summer (2021).

That's a 14 month timeline.

It worked well.

It also allowed me to enjoy my 2020 holidays, 2021 New Year's, while having plenty of time to still drop 35+ pounds over the year.

Sustainable results > short-term results.

With that said, here’s a simple strategy for each phase:

1. Cutting Phase
   • Duration: Typically 12-16 weeks, depending on your starting point and goals (in my case my longest cut stretch went 7 months but I was pushing hard).
   • Focus: Aim for sustainable fat loss of 1-2 pounds per week (1 pound or so is the gold standard).
   • Check-in: Every week using 1-1-1 standard, assess progress, and adjust if necessary (don't adjust anything for first 2-3 weeks since your initial data will be off due to new changes in nutrition and workouts).
2. Bulking Phase
   • Duration: Aim for a muscle-building phase of 4-6 months, while using 4:1 ratio method.
   • Focus: Prioritize strength gains, aiming for gradual weight increases, while challenging yourself each workout.
   • Check-in: Monthly assessments to ensure you’re on track and not gaining excess fat (you can be more relaxed with 1-1-1 standard is building muscle is MUCH slower than dropping fat).

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#4 The Science of Body Recomposition

Can you cut fat and build muscle at the same time?

It's possible but body recomposition means being precise and patient.

While more common with beginners or those returning to training, body recomposition can work if you:

• Eat at Maintenance: Instead of a surplus or deficit, maintain your calorie intake to support both goals.
• Emphasize Protein: High protein intake is crucial to support muscle growth, even without a calorie surplus.
• Train Hard: Resistance training while lifting heavier over time is the vegan bread and butter to tell your body it needs to build or keep muscle.

So can you build muscle and drop fat at the same time?

Absolutely.

However, current studies show that body recomposition is easier for people with higher body fat or those who are newbies to resistance training (Longland et al., 2016).

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Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Want to see faster results?

Then watch out for these common mistakes:

1. Cutting Too Quickly: A fast cut can cause muscle loss, especially if protein intake is low or training volume is inconsistent.
2. Bulking Too Aggressively: Excessive calories can lead to unnecessary fat gain, prolonging the cutting phase later on.
3. Skipping Maintenance Phases: Periodic maintenance phases can help reset your metabolism and give your body a break, making future cuts or bulks more effective. Metabolic fatigue (tiring out your metabolism) is a real thing.
4. Ignoring Recovery: Growth happens during rest, not during workouts. Adequate sleep, hydration, and recovery time are non-negotiables

(I've noticed that nearly overachiever tends to sacrifice sleep and relaxation for more work - doesn't work out well for fitness or health goals).

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Putting It All Together: A Sample Yearly Plan

For sustainable gains and an improved physique over time, you could periodize your year like this:

• Winter (Bulking): Focus on a muscle-building phase with a 250-500 calorie surplus. Aim for gradual weight increases and prioritize strength gains.
• Spring (Cutting): Transition to a cutting phase, reducing calories by 15-20%. Focus on keeping as much muscle as possible while aiming for steady, sustainable fat loss.
• Summer (Maintenance): Use this phase to stabilize your weight and give your body a break from the rigors of dieting.
• Fall (Goal Review): Assess progress and adjust based on your goals—if you’re looking for more muscle, consider another bulking phase; if you want to lean out, resume cutting.

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Takeaways for Smart, Effective Training

• Stay Patient: Muscle growth and fat loss are processes that require consistency over time. Set realistic goals and aim for gradual changes.
• Periodize Your Training: Use cycles of cutting, bulking, and maintenance to optimize results and avoid burnout.
• Measure Progress Accurately: Weekly weigh-ins, progress photos, body measurements, and strength benchmarks are better indicators of progress than the scale alone.

Timing is everything.

With this guide, you'll make faster progress than 95% of people who workout and diet.

Plus, you'll fuel this with your plant-based gains.

If you haven't set your 2025 goals yet, what are you waiting for?

2025 is your year.

Let me know how your fitness planning goes.

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1 Action Step

Decide what your next fitness goal is. Create a yearly plan. Breakdown into quarterly aims. Write 2025 on top of it. Then go take action.

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One Quote To Finish Your Week Strong

Just found a gym 2 minutes away from us.

2 + 2 =4 minutes traveltime.

I'm in fitness heaven.

- Gabriel

References

• Helms, E. R., et al. (2014). Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 11(1), 20.
• Longland, T. M., et al. (2016). Higher compared with lower dietary protein during an energy deficit combined with intense exercise promotes greater lean mass gain and fat mass loss: a randomized trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 103(3), 738-746.
• Morton, R. W., et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(6), 376-384.
• Trexler, E. T., et al. (2018). Nutritional strategies to maximize muscle hypertrophy in resistance-trained athletes: review and practical applications. Frontiers in Nutrition, 5, 17.