By Peter Minkoff

Having a shredded body is a process that takes time. You cannot achieve this look overnight, but if you’re diligent and hard-working enough, you might be able to do that in the shortest time possible. However, there are certain things that you need to have in mind, so we came up with a list of five most important tips and tricks that you should follow if you want those muscles to look sexy. So, what can you do?

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Mind the calories

Of course, the first step is to pay attention to calorie intake. There is a specific amount of calories that you are supposed to eat and drink during the day, so make sure not to go over it – the key is to consume fewer calories than your body burns. Paying attention to what you eat is the key here – make sure to eat low-calorie food and avoid drinking any beverages that are rich in calories, such as milkshakes and similar drinks. Since it’s also important to eat regularly during the day (take a look at the second tip), you really need to choose food that’s good for you, such as plenty of vegetables, healthy fats (found in fish, for example) and fruit.

Eat regularly

You might think that it’s only a regular fitness routine that matters, but this is where you’re wrong. It’s also very important to increase the frequency of your meals. This will definitely help you shred your body, even though it might not seem so. Make sure to space evenly throughout the day your intake of lean proteins, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates (also known as fats) – this will boost your metabolism and shred your muscles. This works in a very simple way – in order to digest food, our body burns fat. This means that if we eat three times a day, our body will spend calories while digesting those three meals. If we, however, eat six meals a day, it means that we will burn more calories.

Use supplements

Another way in which you can help your body produce those amazing muscles that you want is to use supplements before or after each workout. There are different types of supplements on the market, so it’s good to know which pre or post workout supplements you want and need. Whey protein will, for example, help you rebuild your muscle and also increase the protein intake which is always good, BCAA contains three important amino acids that will speed up your recovery and enhance your performance, while CLA will reduce your body fat and help you convert food into energy. If you're not sure what to choose, it's a good idea to compare whey protein vs. isolate and choose the one best suited to your body type and lifestyle. Pay attention to your diet, though, as supplements will not do their magic unless you eat the things you are supposed to eat.

Drink water

You’re probably heard this more than once, but drinking the sufficient amount of water per day is equally important. Once our body gets dehydrated, we will mistake thirst for hunger, so we are more prone to eating unnecessary meals. What you can do once you feel hungry is drink a glass of water and wait 15 minutes to see if you’re actually hungry or you had only been thirsty. You can also opt for black coffee or green tea as they will boost your metabolism, but that doesn’t mean you should cut down on water.

Lift heavy weights

Contrary to popular belief, lifting lighter weights and doing more reps will not shred your muscles properly. The heavier the weights are, the more energy you will need, so you will burn more calories which is essential for muscle shredding. However, you need to pay attention to lifting them in the right way, as you can get easily injured, which is something you want to avoid.

As you can see, it’s not only going to the gym and exercising that’s important for shredding muscles. You need to pay attention to what you eat, use the proper supplements, and keep track of your calories. Follow these steps and you will definitely have the Instagram body that you’ve always wanted!