Dry training: 17 simple tips in a handy overview!

1. Do you train like crazy, but your muscles just aren't getting more visible? Are you strong, but your body is not yet as tight as you would like? Then you have a problem that many people run into: the layer of fat that is still over your muscles. Often some of that will remain when your muscles grow.

2. Do you train like crazy, but your muscles are not getting more visible? Are you strong, but your body is not yet as tight as you would like? Then you have a problem that many people run into: the layer of fat that is still covering your muscles. Often, some of that remains when your muscles grow.

1. After all, you cannot convert fat tissue directly into muscle tissue! But how do you ensure that that fat disappears? In short: eat less than you consume, in a way that preserves your muscles! This is also called dry training. In this blog 17 useful tips!

What is dry training?

1. Dry training means that you lose fat, with the result that your muscles come out better and look bigger. You do this by eating just below your calorie requirement. The process is also called cutting, and is the opposite of bulking. When bulking you eat just above your needs, in order to provide your body with nutrients for new muscle tissue.

1. The disadvantage of bulking is that it often also produces some fat. On the other hand, the disadvantage of dry training is that you lose a little muscle tissue. Getting really muscular without fat often means that you have to alternate between periods of bulking and dry training!

1. Tip: Would you like to train dry, but have no idea where to start? Then the Dry Training Protocol program might be something for you!

1. Dry Exercise Protocol for Women

1. Dry Training Protocol for Men

Dry training tips

1. Your goal in dry training is in short: lose weight, but with minimization of the loss in muscle tissue. But how do you do that as simply as possible? Below we give you 17 practical tips, ten for your diet and seven for your sports routine!

Dry training nutrition

1. The most important thing is of course: make sure you eat fewer calories than you consume in a day. This sounds obvious and we often insist on it. But this is ultimately the only (!) Way to train dry. A calorie deficit of about 10-20% below your energy requirement is a good guideline for minimizing muscle breakdown.

1. Good, so we want to maintain muscle mass as much as possible during weight loss. You realize this by having a small calorie deficit, but also by eating enough protein. During a period of fat loss, the need for proteins is even higher than normal. As a strength athlete, maintain about 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

1. So we have to eat less than we consume and eat enough protein. Are we there then? Unfortunately not! Eat foods that are high in fiber. Fiber is essential for weight loss because it makes you feel full. That way you don't walk around hungry all the time, and you don't eat more calories than you need. Think of plenty of vegetables, fruit and whole grain products.

2. So we have to eat less than we consume and eat enough protein. Are we there then? Unfortunately not! Eat foods that are high in fiber. Fiber is essential for weight loss because it makes you feel full. This way you don't walk around hungry all the time, so you don't eat more calories than you need. Think of plenty of vegetables, fruit and whole grain products.

1. It is absolutely not necessary to drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake during dry training. Carbohydrates are the most important energy supplier for your body. Fanatic athletes certainly need enough of it. However, go for slow carbohydrates in whole grains, legumes and vegetables, not fast sugars.

2. It is absolutely not necessary to drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake during dry training. Carbohydrates are the main energy supplier for your body. Fanatic athletes certainly need enough of it. However, go for slow carbohydrates in whole grains, legumes and vegetables, not fast sugars.

1. Fats are also essential, partly because they help you absorb important nutrients. Make sure you don't eat too much of this: with 9 calories per gram, they quickly put you above your calorie requirement. About 1 gram of fat per kilogram of body weight is a good guideline. You get these from nuts, avocado, fatty fish, olive oil, dark chocolate and linseed.

2. After all, fats are also essential, partly because they help you absorb important nutrients. Make sure you don't eat too much of this: with 9 calories per gram, they quickly put you above your calorie requirement. About 1 gram of fat per kilogram of body weight is a good guideline. You get these from nuts, avocado, fatty fish, olive oil, dark chocolate and linseed.

1. We now know that your total energy intake is ultimately decisive. So even if you eat healthy, it is important to keep an eye on the calories. Eating healthy does not necessarily mean that you will lose weight. Products such as dried fruit, nuts, fatty fish and other super healthy products are quite energy-rich. In moderation!

1. Without sufficient moisture your body cannot perform optimally. This not only means that you train less well, it also means that you feel worse in general. Two liters of water per day is an average recommended amount. Do you exercise a lot? Then you need even more. After all, the moisture you lost during training must be replenished!

2. Without sufficient moisture your body cannot perform optimally. That not only means that you train less well, it also means that you feel worse in general. Two liters of water per day is an average recommended amount. Do you exercise a lot? Then you need even more. After all, the moisture you lost during training must be replenished!

1. It is advisable to drink mainly water, tea and coffee. Drinking calories is unwise if you want to lose fat: because moisture does not fill up, you quickly get a lot of energy with it. You simply make the creation of a calorie deficit for yourself a lot more pleasant to leave fruit juices, soft drinks and certainly (excessive) alcohol.

1. Do you love food and have trouble creating a calorie deficit? Do not start the day with a hearty breakfast of 800 kcal! Give Intermittent Fasting a try. Postponing breakfast creates a calorie buffer for later in the day. It may not work well for everyone, but it is definitely worth a try!

1. When you are too hard on yourself you simply will not keep it up. Reward yourself with a cheat day or cheat meal every now and then. As long as you are still eating below your energy requirement at the end of the week, nothing will happen.

1. Example: 6 days a week you eat 500 calories below your requirement. This equates to a calorie deficit of 6 x 500 = 3,000. You eat 1,000 calories above your needs on Saturday. This means that at the end of the week you are still in a 2,000 calorie deficit. Congratulations, you have lost weight and you also have your favorite pizza. Win win!

Dry training sports

1. Besides nutrition, it is important to pay attention to your training routine. Again, your goal should be to maintain your muscles as much as possible.

1. In general, you have built up your muscle mass by exercising hard. You often see that during dry training people suddenly start training lighter with more repetitions. This is not necessary! By continuing to train as hard as possible during a period of fat loss (with good technique of course), your body receives the signal that you really still need that muscle tissue.

1. Cardio is healthy, there is no discussion about that. It is important to remember that it is not the cardio itself that causes fat loss, but the calorie deficit that you create through the extra cardio. Cardio is therefore purely optional for dry training. Do you want more space to eat? Then cardio is a good option.

1. Have no trouble creating a calorie deficit? Then cardio is not necessary. In addition, make sure that your calorie deficit does not become too great when you do cardio. So adjust this to your diet!

1. Not in the mood for long cardio sessions? A good way to burn a relatively large amount of calories in a short time is with High Intensity Interval Training. You then alternate short, intensive efforts with periods of rest. An interval training of about 15-20 minutes is sufficient, especially if you pull out all the stops in this time frame.

1. Focus on what is your priority. Ideally, you plan strength training and cardio on different days. This way you can use all your available energy to get the most out of both training forms. If that doesn't work, start with the most important part. For most people, this will be strength training (unless you are training for a marathon or similar).

1. The more muscles you engage in one movement, the greater the training stimulus. Compound exercises such as the bench press, deadlift and squat are the basis of your training schedule and should not be missed. When your focus is on these exercises, you already train a very large part of your body. Moreover, these are also exercises with which you use relatively the most energy.

1. More training is not always better! It is important to realize that after each workout, your muscles need around 48-72 hours to recover and recharge before the next workout. This does not necessarily mean that you cannot train regularly, but it is important that you take this into account in your workout routine.

1. Wanting to go too fast is a common mistake when people start training dry. The fat that has accumulated over all these years simply does not disappear in a week. Set a long-term goal for yourself and work towards it step by step. Keeping track of your results is also rewarding and motivating to see how you are progressing!