Stacking For Cuts

What supplementation you need to combine to maximize your fat-busting potential

The New Year is a time many bodybuilders, fitness, and bikini competitors begin to start their pre-contest regimens in preparation for the spring competition season. That being said, throughout this article, I’m going to detail my personal recommendations on stacking for cuts! I’m going to break things down into the A-, B-, and C-lists. The A-list includes supplements that are essential for cutting and should be the foundation of your plan. The B-list supplements are what I consider to be the most effective fat burners, and these should be added to your stack after you have your A-list essentials covered. Finally, the C-list supplements are those that I consider to be effective but would only use them in specific scenarios and after you’ve covered your A- and B-list supplements.

A-LIST CUTTING STACK
ESSENTIAL SUPPLEMENTS

As I explained in the “Stacking for Mass” article , the essential supplements are those that should make up the foundation of your supplement plan. As you’ll notice, almost all of the A-list supplements that I recommend for cutting are the same as what I recommend for mass. These are foundation supplements, so they can be used to support just about any goal. My A-list essentials for cutting include a multivitamin/mineral, greens powder, fish oil, and a fiber supplement. Although whey protein powder can be effectively used in a cutting program, I left it off the A-list because I don’t think it’s an essential supplement to get ripped. In fact, many bodybuilders cut down on protein shakes or cut them out completely and replace them with lean, whole-food protein sources in their diets as they get closer to competition day.

1. Multivitamin/Mineral

If you’re training hard to get ripped, chances are you have greater micronutrient requirements than the average person. On top of that, if you’re following a diet that’s designed to put your body into a caloric deficit and shed fat, you’ll undoubtedly be taking in lower amounts of vitamins and minerals from your diet. That’s why supplementing with a good multivitamin/mineral is even more important when trying to get cut!

2. Fish Oil/Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

EFAs are important for optimal health, and they’re also very important when it comes to fat loss! Several research studies conducted on fish oil (which is a superior source of omega-3 fatty acids) have shown very positive results with regard to its ability to enhance fat loss. Several clinical studies show that supplementing with 3 to 9 grams of fish oil daily can significantly increase fat oxidation during exercise and at rest. This means that by simply supplementing with fish oil on a daily basis, you can burn off more fat during your workouts and when you’re at rest.

3. Greens Products

Greens supplements supply the body with healthy antioxidants and also help maintain acid-base balance in the body, the latter of which is essential for fat loss. If you don’t maintain acid-base balance and your body is constantly in an acidic state, your metabolic rate can become depressed over time. Clearly this isn’t a good scenario, which is why I always recommend using a good greens supplement on a regular basis.
EFAs are important for optimal health, and they’re also very important when it comes to fat loss! Several research studies conducted on fish oil (which is a superior source of omega-3 fatty acids) have shown very positive results with regard to its ability to enhance fat loss. Several clinical studies show that supplementing with 3 to 9 grams of fish oil daily can significantly increase fat oxidation during exercise and at rest. This means that by simply supplementing with fish oil on a daily basis, you can burn off more fat during your workouts and when you’re at rest.

4. Fibre Supplements

Fibre is beneficial when trying to shed fat because it slows the digestion of carbohydrates and prevents spikes in insulin, which can act as a fat-storing hormone. Soluble fiber can bind with dietary fats and prevent some of those calories from being absorbed. But, don’t forget about insoluble fibre because it’s essential for the health of the intestines. Make sure you include a balance of both types of fibre in your plan!

B-LIST CUTTING STACK
THE POWERHOUSE FAT-BURNERS

The B-list supplements are what I consider to be the most effective fat-loss supplements available right now. I’ve ranked my top seven fat-burning ingredients below based on the body of available research and all the anecdotal evidence I’ve collected from athletes, bodybuilders, and researchers over the past decade. I’m not suggesting that you have to stack all these supplements to get good results. But this is the list of supplements I’d choose from to make up the core of your fat-burning stack—again, only after you have your A-list essentials covered!

1. Green Coffee Bean Extract

Green coffee bean (GCB) has been getting a ton of good press lately, mainly because TV personality Dr. Oz has been talking about it on his show on a regular basis. This ingredient has some very solid scientific evidence behind it, including multiple double-blind, placebo-controlled human studies. In the most recently published study, subjects using 350 milligrams of GCB (standardized to 45.9 percent chlorogenic acids) 3 times daily lost an incredible 17.7 pounds in just 12 weeks!
The average weight loss in studies that used forms of GCB with lower levels of chlorogenic acid was only 5.5 pounds in 12 weeks. This is a very effective ingredient, as long as it contains the effective dosage of chlorogenic acid!

2. Green Tea Extract

Green tea extract is one of the most popular fat-loss ingredients because of the mountains of scientific evidence that have proven its effectiveness. Several clinical studies show that green tea extract standardized for epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has a significant effect on increasing thermogenesis and fat oxidation. So, make sure the green tea you use is standardized for EGCG. On its own, green tea is a solid fat burner, but when used in conjunction with other fat burning compounds, its effectiveness can be enhanced even further.

3. CH-19 Sweet Red
Pepper Extract

CH-19 Sweet is a non-pungent cultivar of red pepper and offers a major advantage over regular red hot pepper extracts. Non-pungent means that it doesn’t have a harsh burning smell or taste like regular hot peppers. This means you can supplement with a higher dose and not experience any negative gastrointestinal side effects. CH-19 Sweet contains three known capsaicinoid-like substances that can affect fat loss: capsiate, dihydrocapsiate, and nordihydrocapsiate. CH-19 Sweet has been studied in humans and proven to increase core body temperature by stimulating the vanilloid receptors, inducing heat loss and heat production, and dissipating food as energy. In addition, CH-19 Sweet has also been shown to increase oxygen consumption, uncoupling proteins 1 and 2 (UCP1 and UCP2) and gene transcription of UCP2 mRNA in fat tissue. I refer to this ingredient as the secret weapon in my RIPPED FREAK® fat burner formula; it’s the only CH-19 Sweet on the market that provides all three fat-burning capsaicinoid-like substances.

4. Caffeine

Caffeine is available in natural and synthetic forms. Research shows that supplementing with caffeine causes various physiological effects that result in the mobilization and oxidation of fat. Studies show that when combined with green tea, caffeine’s thermogenic properties are even greater! Caffeine also gives a great energy kick and will increase mental alertness, cognition, and overall physical performance. It’s always a good idea to cycle caffeine and caffeinated fat burners.

5. L-Carnitine

L-carnitine is a very popular supplement and can be used to deliver a wide variety of benefits. With respect to fat loss, carnitine acts as a fat transporter. More specifically, it acts as a shuttle bus and transports fatty acids from the cytosol of fat cells to the mitochondria, which is the energy powerhouse of all cells. In the mitochondria, fat is burned off as fuel. The only downside to carnitine is that it has somewhat poor bioavailability. The latest research suggests that l-carnitine l-tartrate is most effectively absorbed and can deliver the greatest benefits.

6. Raspberry Ketone

I’ve been a big fan of raspberry ketone for quite some time, and long before Dr. Oz ever started talking about it on his TV show. Why? Well, raspberry ketone is the only compound available that can effectively upregulate the activity of the powerful fat-burning enzyme hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). HSL is the body’s most powerful fat-burning enzyme and must be activated in order for fat breakdown to occur.

C-LIST CUTTING STACK
ADD-ON FAT-LOSS SUPPLEMENTS

After you have your A-list and B-list supplements covered, then you can explore the options available on the C-list. The supplements on this list can be very useful and effective for some people, but not quite as “essential” for others. These supplements are best used as add-ons to your stack depending on your specific circumstances and needs. For example, if you have a hard time sleeping when you diet down to get cut, you might want to consider including a sleep-aid supplement in your stack. Or, if you want to cycle in another ingredient that attacks fat loss from a completely different angle, then the beta-3 antagonist synephrine might be something you want to consider. Finally, those of you that love your fat-burning stimulants above and beyond caffeine might want to consider stacking or cycling some of the other stims described below, depending on if they’re legally available in the country that you live in.

1. Synephrine

Synephrine works a little bit differently than most other fat-burning agents. It mainly stimulates the beta-3 adrenergic receptors and has very little affect on the beta-1 and 2 receptors. This is why synephrine has the ability to stimulate fat loss without significantly increasing blood pressure and heart rate. The selected action of the beta-3 receptors is lipolysis (aka fat burning), whereas the selected action of the beta-1 and beta-2 receptors is primarily cardiac muscle contraction and smooth muscle relaxation, respectively. Because synephrine doesn’t overstimulate the heart, it makes for a great ingredient to stack with other fat burner supplements.

2. GH Boosters/Sleep Aids

GH boosters and sleep aids were also included in my “Stacking for Mass” article, and they can provide fat-loss benefits as well, especially for those who have a hard time getting good quality sleep each night. Optimal GH levels and proper sleep can have a significant effect on ensuring your fat-burning metabolism is functioning at full capacity. GABA and melatonin are effective natural GH releasers, and they can also be used to improve sleep. Other effective sleep aids include lemon balm, valerian root, 5-HTP, and l-theanine.

3. Additional Fat-Burning Stimulants

Some athletes and competitors like to add other stimulants to their fat-burning stacks, but be careful when using these compounds as they can be quite powerful and aren’t recommended for those who are sensitive to stimulants or have any health issues. Compounds such as ephedrine, 1-3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA), and dendrobium can increase levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine, two powerful fat-burning hormones. If you do choose to use additional stimulants, then make sure you cycle them on and off to prevent adrenal fatigue and so your body doesn’t build up a tolerance to them.

It’s Time to Get Cut!

There’s no doubt getting ripped can take a lot of hard work and discipline. Just remember to stay consistent with all aspects of your program, including diet, training, and supplementation. Now, use the information in this article and go create your own fat-burning supplement stack to get cut!

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