It doesn’t matter how much you can bench or how many pull-ups you can pump out — a poor diet will ruin your gains every single time. The problem is that many diets taste terrible, are too expensive, or take forever to make meals.
The Athlean X meal plan might just be what you’re looking for.
Time to build a ripped, athletic body in 90 days.ATHLEAN-X Training System is a complete 90 day, work. Unpaid review of AX-1 program from athleanx.com.
Table of Contents
- 3 Benefits of the Athlean X Meal Plan
- 2 Negatives of the Athlean X Meal Plan
About the Creator – Jeff Cavaliere
Anybody can create a diet and post it on the internet for all to see. But Jeff Cavaliere, creator of Athlean X, is no random internet user.
Here’s why the Athlean X meal plan might just be legit.
Jeff Cavaliere has two college degrees: A Bachelor’s Degree in Physioneurobiology & Premedicine and a Masters Degree in Physical Therapy. So right off the bat, he has more qualifications than most who claim to be fitness or nutrition experts.
Yet, Cavaliere did much more than sit through 6+ years of school and walk across a stage.
He also has a strength and conditioning certification through the NSCA. To top it all off, Cavaliere spent time with the Mets back in their glory days in the early 2000s in the role of trainer and physical therapist.
His goal as a trainer? To take a scientific approach to exercise to prevent injury and maximize gains across the board.
And he’s jacked.
What is the Athlean X Meal Plan?
The Athlean X meal plan we’ll be talking about is one that Jeff Cavaliere personally uses. It’s based around the same goals that Athlean X improves strength, power, speed, and overall fitness (muscle & cardio).
So this meal plan goes a bit further than just cutting down on your body fat and bumping up your gains. It’s about improving your fitness and encouraging a transformation into an athlete.
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Athlean X Meal Plan Details
Before we get started, it’s important to go over a few things that Cavalier clarifies at the beginning of his video.
Athlean X Training System
- This meal plan is only meant to serve as a guideline, so this isn’t one of those diets where you’ll eat the same thing every single day.
- There are carbs and fats in this diet (scary, but you’ll survive).
- Adjustments should be made to this plan if it doesn’t fit your needs.
- You’ll be eating animal proteins and possibly sugar substitutes.
Let’s start off with breakfast.
This meal plan will get you started toward your calorie goal and load you up with protein, carbs, and fat before you even leave the house.
This is exactly what breakfast looks like.
- Pumpkin walnut oatmeal: Start off with 1 cup of oatmeal, a little Ceylon cinnamon, some pumpkin pie spice, a drizzle of maple syrup, and 4 ounces of skim milk. After taking it out of the microwave for 3 minutes, add some pumpkin (not pie mix), Splenda brown sugar, walnuts, dried oats, and whipped cream (you’ll see more of this later).
- Egg whites: Take the equivalent of 7 to 10 egg whites (from a container) and pop it into the microwave for a little over 2 minutes. Add some pickled ginger and then salsa to the egg whites.
- Skim milk (to drink)
This should bring you to about 850 calories right off the bat.
Next, you have a very easy to make lunch consisting of a grilled chicken wrap, grilled vegetables, and Greek yogurt.
This is what your protein-stocked lunch will look like.
- Grilled chicken wrap: You’ll need to take a good amount of grilled chicken (seriously, a lot), grilled vegetables like eggplant and zucchini, and some olive oil. Add some hot sauce and pesto for some additional flavoring.
- Full-fat Greek yogurt with whipped cream
Lunch on its own will tack on an extra 755 calories to the day.
When nighttime rolls around, you have to be prepared for a massive dinner. We’re talking about piling up an entire plate with grilled chicken and starchy carbs.
This is what dinner is going to look like for you.
- Tomato Orzo Soup with crushed crackers (or stew instead)
- Grilled chicken: This is going to be a lot of grilled chicken, once again. Feel free to add something for better flavoring, like mango ginger salsa.
- Starchy carbs: A good amount of your plate is going to be carbs. That can be anything, like pasta or mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon or butter.
- Fiber: Don’t forget to add some vegetables onto your plate to finish off the meal. Corn, Brussel sprouts, and broccoli are great choices.
- Seltzer water: This is a great way to keep up with your water intake if you find the taste and consistency of water to be bland.
That’s going to add on 1,000 or so calories.
Finally, dessert.
Yes, you heard that right. Jeff Cavaliere, the creator of the Athlean X trainer, suggests eating dessert every night.
Here’s what dessert might look like.
- Fat-free ice cream or frozen yogurt
- Whipped cream (that’s the third time for the day!)
This is an extra 280 calories.
Then, you also have the supplements that Cavaliere takes. That includes a protein shake (X-LR8) with skim milk every day and Reconstruction for muscle recovery for an extra 300+ calories to finish off the day.
The day will end with around 3,000 calories.
3 Benefits of the Athlean X Meal Plan
Gives Some Freedom
The best part about this program is that Cavaliere emphasizes the concept of variety. While you should be focusing on getting enough of the macronutrients and calories, you don’t want to eat the same thing every single day.
The more variety, the more likely you are to stick to your diet. And the goal is long-term maintenance for nutrition.
Doesn’t Cut Out Fats or Carbs
A lot of diets are a little insane. Not only is it unsafe to cut out carbs or fats to a certain extent, but it also leaves you with basically nothing to eat.
This diet includes every nutrient, even fat!
You probably could tell by the fact that Cavaliere added whipped cream to just about every meal. Just keep in mind that the fat and carbs need to be within moderation, so keep a close eye on your eating habits during the day.
Relatively Calorie-Dense
You know you need to eat a ton of food to put on mass, but it’s sometimes hard to find your appetite to make that possible.
That’s not much of a problem with this diet, though.
A lot of the food is calorie-dense and is only spread among 3 meals. That means you won’t have to be scarfing a meal down every hour of the day and you’ll actually have time to do other important things (like go to work or school).
2 Negatives of the Athlean X Meal Plan
Sacrifice Good, Fast, or Cheap
Even Jeff Cavaliere knows that dieting is hard. That’s because you usually have to give up one of these three: Good, fast, and cheap.
That’s no different with this diet.
Skipping out on good food means you’ll be able to make your meals faster and spend less money at the grocery store. It also means your gains might slow down.
So, you need to figure out which one you’re willing to give up if you want to stick to a diet.
Can Be Triggering
It’s awesome that you can eat carbs and fat with this diet and that you’re not constantly tracking your caloric intake.
But this diet might not be for you if you lack self-control.
Here’s why.
Look at how often whipped cream is used and take a look at the concept of eating frozen yogurt or fat-free ice cream every night. Unless you’re able to use the recommended serving sizes and eat nothing more, then you might struggle with this diet.
Athlean X Meal Plan Final Recommendation
The Athlean X meal plan is a solid option if you have experience in the gym or not.
First of all, it’s nothing like most other diets out there. You don’t have to completely revamp your diet and you’re not stuck eating what tastes like cardboard in order to get the body you want.
This food might taste pretty good and it gets you the macros you need to get fit and your ideal physique. Just be aware that this diet might be a little expensive, time-consuming to make, and even a little triggering if you struggle with self-control.
But even if you get your diet dialed in, you still need a workout program to make gains!
Check out this Athlean-X beginner program to get started!
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Ab training programs are notoriously disappointing. Many claim to “hold the key” to washboard abs, yet are merely a jumble of the basic core exercises: Planks, crunches, and leg raises.
We all have our own vision for the “perfect” core program.
A mass-building machine.
Fat-shredding tactics to uncover that “mystery” six-pack.
Even slightly better posture, if there’s any left to spare!
In the world of ab-sculpting programs, the bar is absurdly low. But what about the (practically) brand new Athlean-X Core4 Ab Training System created by none other than Jeff Cavaliere?
Before you bite the bullet on yet another ab program, let’s find out if it’s worth it!
Table of Contents
- Athlean-X Core4 Details & Features
About the Creator – Athlean-X & Jeff Cavaliere
Athlean-X is to 2020 what Shaun T’s Insanity was to 2010. This now-mainstream fitness cohort launched in 2006 after Jeff Cavaliere left his post as a trainer with the New York Mets.
Cavaliere’s venture into the fitness community is hardly surprising, as he:
- Acted as strength coach and physical therapist for the New York Mets
- Personally coached MLB stars like Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran
- Earned his CSCS with the NSCA (for anyone keeping track, this is no easy feat)
- Received both his Bachelor’s & Master’s in health-related fields
Jeff Cavaliere’s fitness career took several avenues that still thrive today, including an educational YouTube channel boasting over 11 million subscribers and the now-hit Athlean-X.
Athlean-X certainly deserves credit for its dozens of workout regimens tackling nearly any physique goal — from mass building and fat loss to athleticism and core strength.
Yet, Cavaliere’s now fighting to save his public reputation after internet sleuths discovered he might just be using fake weights in his video collections. The motive is unclear.
What is Athlean-X Core4?
Rest assured, Athlean-X Core4 isn’t your average core program.
Core4 infuses the anatomical and physiological approaches that Jeff Cavaliere is famous for (Translation: This program targets all four “zones” in the abs in the way they grow best).
This unprecedented Core4 program goes a step beyond Athlean-X’s oh-so-popular Six-Pack Shuffle and touts four ability levels to meet those of all strength levels where they are.
Over this 12-week, 3-phase ab-training program, you’ll:
- Work toward “shredded” status in all four zones (lower, upper/mid, obliques, and lumbar)
- Claw your way out of an ab plateau or famously stalled gains
- Improve your posture (feel and look confident!)
- Convert a stereotypically weak core into an area you’re proud to show off
This latest Athlean-X pet project works in one of two ways: Combined with another Athlean-X program (like Monster Maker or AX1 here) or completely standalone for finishing touches.
Athlean-X Core4 Details & Features
P90x Workout
There’s a lot to unpack with the Athlean-X Core4 program, and in the name of integrity, Jeff Cavaliere shields months two and three from prying eyes who have yet to finish month one.
As we work through the details, most will focus on phase one (weeks 1-4).
Here’s as in-depth an overview as you’ll get:
The Basics
For starters, this Athlean-X program only touches on the core muscles and four “zones.” To guarantee you have the time and equipment for this program, here’s a glimpse from afar:
- 4-6 ab workouts per week (slowly ease your way into the program)
- 6-15 minutes per workout (rest between sets is practically non-existent)
- 4 difficulty levels (starts kicking in around week three)
- Circuits, reps, and for time exercises (it varies between workout types and phases)
- Dumbbells, resistance bands, ab wheels, cable machines (you name it, Core4 has it)
In the perfect world, you’d have a home gym stocked full with one of everything. But a legitimate gym membership and non-peak attendance certainly ease some of the woes of Core4.
The Phases
Like nearly every other Athlean-X routine, you won’t jump into Core4 feet-first. This program has three unique 4-week phases that gradually increase in intensity and training styles, like:
- Phase 1 (Classic Core): Centering your core training around old school ab tactics.
- Phase 2 (Combat Core): Shifting toward building explosive power in the core.
- Phase 3 (Championship Core): Completing the finishing touches on your six-pack.
One thing you won’t have to worry about with Core4 (and other Athlean-X programs) is boredom. Each workout is almost 100% unique to keep your core muscles guessing.
The Meal Plan
Athlean-X tends to be hit or miss on the meal plan front, and by that, we mean many programs don’t have an eating plan at all. You’re in luck here — Core4 has the classic Athlean-X diet.
Now, the Core4 program is almost a mirror image of other Athlean-X programs. That means three square meals a day, three daily snacks, and the option for “shred” or “size” swaps.
Looking to gain lean mass? Select the “size swap” option, and you’ll notice that your breakfast now includes protein powder, whole milk (instead of 2%), and almonds — for example.
Want a more shredded physique? Choose “shred swap” to turn your regular scrambled eggs (with whole eggs) into egg white scrambled eggs — for example.
A few other things you’ll notice:
- The meal plans change from day-to-day, so you never have to worry about eating the same three meals every day.
- There’s no emphasis on calories at all — eat until you’re full!
- At the bottom of the meal plan, you’ll find a legend that color-codes each ingredient (i.e., You’ll know you’re eating pickles for fibrous carbs or pumpkin seeds for healthy fats).
- Almost every plan recommends you take an Athlean-X supplement.
- The meal plan does consist of foods and ingredients that aren’t standard in pantries or refrigerators, so a trip to the grocery store is on the horizon.
What About the Workouts?
Without getting into too much detail, let’s do a quick dive into what a Core4 workout looks like and the types of exercises you’ll be doing.
(Remember: These are about phase 1.)
Your average Core4 workout can take a handful of forms, but most workouts seem to prioritize circuit training for more efficient ab work.
Week By Week
Week 1 is a simple program introduction with 54 reps per workout (3 exercises, 3×6 each). Each workout revolves around one area of the core (i.e., Glutes, adductors, folding rib cage).
By week 2, you’re ready to hop into the circuit training world with two rounds per workout. Over 60 seconds (or a predetermined number of reps), you’ll hit each zone with one exercise each.
It’s also the first time you’ll target different goals: Power, strength, and stability.
Weeks 3 and 4 take on the classic core training style you’ve tinkered with in the past. If you were wondering where those four ability levels begin to kick in … this is it!
These late-beginner workouts will lead you through all types of training styles — 1×8, 3-4 circuits (60 seconds per exercise), you name it.
Most workouts have “transitional rest periods.” In other words, make sure you have all equipment on-hand and ready to go, as the time to prepare is tight.
Types of Exercises
We have to admit: Core4 is lightyears beyond your average ab-sculpting program in terms of exercises. Rather than ample plank, leg raises, and crunch variation, Core4 has:
- Swan lifts
- Bird dogs
- Heels to the heavens
- Captain’s chair leg raises
- Tuck planks
- Core death march
- Recliner elbow-to-knee touch
- Ab wheel rollouts
Don’t let the names fool you on this one. Many of them are your standard core exercises (like V-ups or Supermans) made to sound more interesting with creative names.
4 Incredible Benefits of Core4
- An In-Module Timer: There’s no need to open up Google Timer or fiddle with your phone during a fast-paced workout. Just start the in-module timer (pre-set for each exercise), get ready during the five-second countdown, and get to work!
- Use With Other Programs: Being a specialization program, Core4 makes a fantastic partner to any other Athlean-X (or other) hypertrophy routine. If your core is lagging and you’re in a relentless game of “catch-up,” Core4 will fill in the gaps easily.
- Target All Areas: Jeff Cavaliere’s reputation might be on the decline, but the man certainly understands the biomechanics of exercise. Targeting all four “zones” of the abs will nurture all-around growth with a core you’re proud to show off again.
- For Everyone: Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or former athlete, Core4’s four-level system makes this an ab program for you. Ramp up the intensity once the gains kick in, or take it easy if you’re still recovering from your last workout.
3 Negatives of Core4
- Equipment Needs: Most gyms will have the equipment for all Core4 workouts, though many could be new to you. However, the “transitional rest periods” mean jumping from one piece of equipment to another at a rapid-fire pace, which is hard to do in a crowd.
- No “Instruxions”: Don’t know what you got ‘till it’s gone. Nearly every Athlean-X program has “instruxions” that walk you through each workout and explain the purpose of each — It’s no deal-breaker, but Core4’s lack of directions can come off as confusing.
- Little Rest: The lack of legitimate rest periods between workouts can turn a 6-minute ab workout into an energy-draining monster. Muscular fatigue between exercises can possibly be a roadblock in terms of gains, reps, and strength.
Wrapping Up This Athlean-X Core4 Ab Training System Review
Athlean-X’s Core4 training program is the ab program you didn’t know you needed.
Let’s get one thing straight: If you’re trapped in a plateau or have finishing touches to sculpt, Core4 could be your right-hand man.
Core4 is versatile, an option regardless of your training experience, convenient, and targets the training principles that many programs staunchly overlook.
However, Core4 can pose problems, most notably equipment access, difficulty understanding the workouts, and a lack of rest between sets.
Overall, you can’t go wrong with Core4, though you may want to add your own twist to the workouts to help it fit your needs best.
Rating: 8.4 out of 10