Fast & Furious: 21 Day Shredding Workout Cycle And Diet

Ian Coleman
Written By: Ian Coleman
May 27th, 2020
Updated: March 24th, 2021
Categories: Workouts Fat Loss
3M Reads
Fast & Furious: 21 Day Shredding Workout Cycle And Diet
This 3 week fat burning cycle focuses on low-carb food choices and hardcore workouts that restrict rest between sets, finishing with intense 15 minute cardio sessions.
Workout Summary

Workout Description

No, this article isn't a gimmick. It wasn't written to fool people into thinking they can get shredded in only 21 days. I call this program "fast and furious" because:

Fast - You are eating only 1/3rd of your daily calories before dinner. This will feel like fasting for most of you, and is only one step away from intermittent fasting.

Furious - Workouts are fast-paced, exhausting, exhilerating and calorie-burning.

This workout and eating plan is a fat loss cycle based around a 21 day schedule. It can be run once if you only need to knock off a quick 5-15 pounds, or multiple times if you have more weight to lose.

Recommended: Need help losing fat? Take our Free Fat Loss Course

21 Day Cycle Expectations

This cycle is designed to strip away fat while maintaining muscle tissue. It can help you achieve that ripped or toned look you are after.

During the first week of a reduced calorie and carbohydrate diet, you will flush a lot of excess water and lose weight rapidly. This is neither unhealthy, nor an indication of what your rate of weight loss will be like during weeks 2 and 3. With that said, men should expect to see an 8 to 12 pound loss during these 3 weeks, and women will likely lose 5 to 10 pounds. 

If you continue to run this program, your rate of overall weight loss will slow during the second and third cycles. You have already flushed out quite a bit of excess water weight, so from this point forward the majority of your weight loss will be fat loss. Men should lose about 5 to 10 pounds during the second cycle, and women 3 to 6 pounds.

These 21 day cycles are perfect for individuals who gained extra weight during the past 6 months, and need to drop just a little fat to get back to a more normal weight. I don't recommend running these cycles more than twice, maybe three times max.

So, if you're ready to look better at the beach, let's get moving.

shredded man doing chest press

Learning the Basics

Here are the basics of each 21 day cycle:

  • Limited Pre-Workout Meals - You will be eating lighter during the day, and consuming the bulk of your calories during a 4 hour window each night.
  • Resistance Training - There will be 4 gym workouts per week, focusing on limited rest between sets.
  • Cardio - Intense 15 minute cardio sessions will follow each resistance training workout. Additional cardio is optional, but examples are provided below.

This is not a beginner workout. If you do not have an understanding of the exercises used in this program, please take some time to learn them before attempting this plan. Also note that 2 eating plans are provided: a 2,100 calorie per day plan for men, and a 1,500 calorie per day plan for women.

Here is a sample workout schedule. You can play with the days anyway you want, as long as there are 2 days of rest in between upper body workouts, or 2 days of rest between lower body workouts.

  • Monday - Upper Body Workout A
  • Tuesday - Lower Body Workout A
  • Thursday - Upper Body Workout B
  • Friday - Lower Body Workout B

Rest between each set is exactly 30 seconds. Keep the same weight for each set of a given exercise. For example, when performing the dumbbell bench press, if you are using 50 pound dumbbells, use the same weight for each set.

Make sure to pick a starting weight that allows you to perform the stated sets and reps. If you are unable to perform all the reps for each listed set, lighten the weight load the next time you perform this exercise. On the other hand, if a weight doesn't feel challenging enough, add weight the next time you perform this exercise.

Optional Cardio

You can add in an optional cardio workouts:

  • First thing in the morning.
  • On off days.
  • At least 4 hours before a resistance training workout, or at least 3 hours after resistance training.

These optional workouts don't have to be boring. You can go for a walk, go hiking, swimming, running, do hill sprints, etc.

Fit female

21 Day Shredding Workout

Workout A - Upper Body

Exercise Sets Reps
Dumbbell Bench Press 8 8
Seated Cable Row 8 8
Machine Overhead Press 8 8
Cable Curl 6 8
Skullcrushers 6 8

Workout B - Upper Body

Exercise Sets Reps
Machine Chest Press 8 8
Lat Pull Down 8 8
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press 8 8
EZ Bar Curl 6 8
Cable Tricep Extensions 6 8

Workout A - Lower Body

Reps

Exercise Sets Reps
Leg Press 8 8
Leg Curl 8 8
Leg Extension 6 8
Seated Calf Raise 8 8
Planks 6 30 sec

Workout B - Lower Body

Exercise Sets Reps
Hack Squat 8 8
Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift 8 8
Goblet Squat 6 8
Leg Press Calf Press 8 8
Hanging Knee Raise 6 15

Shredding Workout FAQ

Do I have to use the dumbbell bench press?

No. You can use any dumbbell or barbell bench press variation.

Do I have to use machine exercises?

No. You can use any suitable dumbbell or barbell exercise replacement.

Can I use pull ups instead of lat pull downs?

Yes.

Can I use barbell rows instead of seated cable rows?

Yes.

Can I use squats instead of leg press?

You could, but the muscle soreness will be unbearable. This is a rest-pause workout. Squats might leave you in pain for a week to come.

Isn't this a lot of sets?

Yes, but it's a rest-pause workout. Because you are restricting rest in between sets, the amount of weight you will be using for each exercise will drop slightly. So while the volume is increasing, the intensity is decreasing.

Mountain climbers outside

21 Day Cycle Cardio Workout

Perform the following cardio workout after each resistance training session. If you are pressed for time (or the gym is packed), you can also perform this session later in the day or first thing in the morning on your training days.

For this cardio workout you will need:

This cardio session should take you around 15 minutes, or maybe longer. Perform the following sequence 5 to 6 times through using no rest between exercises and treadmill work. 

Cardio Workout 

Exercise Reps
Push Ups 10
Jumping Jacks 20
Burpees 10
Treadmill walking - slow & steady pace 30 seconds
Lying Floor Knee Raise 20
Jump Squats 10
Mountain Climbers 20 each leg
Treadmill walking - slow & steady pace 30 seconds

Diet Plan For Men

This eating plan restricts food consumption prior to 5 pm. You will focus on low carb, high fat, high protein eating. Dinner (your main meal) should be eaten around 5-6 pm, and your pre-bed snack around 8-9 pm.

Here is the meal plan schedule for men:

  • 8 am - 3 scrambled eggs (large) cooked in 2 pats of butter, with any veggies you prefer such as peppers, diced onion, mushrooms, spinach, etc. This meal contains about 330 calories and 20-22 grams of protein.
  • 11 am - Whey protein shake, 3 fish oil softgels and 3 ounces of strawberries or blueberries. This meal contains about 157 calories and 22-25 grams of protein.
  • 2 pm - 2 pieces of regular fat string cheese and one ounce of almonds. This meal contains about 324 calories and 22 grams of protein.
  • Dinner (post-workout) - Pick from one of the 3 dinner choices below.
  • Pre-bed Snack - Casein protein shake, 3 fish oil softgels and a medium apple. This meal contains about 213 calories and 25 grams of protein.

Dinner - Meal 1

  • 10 ounces of baked, boneless and skinless chicken breast. (312 calories and 65 grams of protein)
  • Sour cream and salsa topping for chicken breast. Combine 2 ounces of full-fat, natural sour cream with 2 ounces of salsa. (141 calories and 2 grams of protein)
  • Spinach salad. 2 cups of spinach, 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with 4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar (dressing), salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 diced onion, 10 halved cherry tomatoes, 3 ounces of diced mozzarella (full-fat) cheese, one ounce of diced black olives. (631 calories and 23.2 grams of protein)

Dinner - Meal 2

  • 8 ounces of 70% lean ground beef mixed with 1/2 packet of taco seasoning mix, and topped with 2 ounces of guacamole. (743 calories and 60 grams of protein)
  • Place the beef over a bed of: 2 cups of shredded lettuce, 1/2 cup fresh salsa, 1/2 cup shredded (full-fat) cheddar cheese, and one ounce of sour cream. (343 calories and 15.6 grams of protein)

Dinner - Meal 3

  • 8 ounces of salmon. (466 calories, 50 grams of protein)
  • Lemon butter sauce for salmon: 3 melted pats of butter combined with the juice of one lemon and 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic. (112 calories)
  • Spinach salad. 2 cups of spinach tossed with a dressing of 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 ounce of walnuts, and 1 ounce of dried cranberries. (518 calories and 3.6 grams of protein)

Lat pull downs

Diet Plan For Women

Here is the meal plan schedule for women:

  • 8 am - 2 scrambled eggs (large) cooked in 2 pats of butter, with any veggies you prefer such as peppers, diced onion, mushrooms, spinach, etc. This meal contains about 260 calories and 14-16 grams of protein.
  • 11 am - Whey protein shake, 3 fish oil softgels and 3 ounces of strawberries or blueberries. This meal contains about 157 calories and 22-25 grams of protein.
  • 2 pm - 1 piece of regular fat string cheese and one ounce of almonds. This meal contains about 244 calories and 16 grams of protein.
  • Dinner (post-workout) - Pick from one of the 3 dinner choices below.
  • Pre-bed Snack - Casein protein shake and 3 fish oil softgels. This meal contains about 143 calories and 25 grams of protein.

Dinner - Meal 1

  • 6 ounces of baked, boneless and skinless chicken breast. (187 calories and 39 grams of protein)
  • Sour cream and salsa topping for chicken breast. Combine 1 ounce of full-fat, natural sour cream with 1 ounce of salsa. (71 calories and 1 gram of protein)
  • Spinach salad. 2 cups of spinach, 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with 4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar (dressing), salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 diced onion, 5 halved cherry tomatoes, 1.5 ounces of diced mozzarella (full-fat) cheese. (432 calories and 16 grams of protein)

Dinner - Meal 2

  • 6 ounces of 70% lean ground beef mixed with 1/2 packet of taco seasoning mix, and topped with 1 ounce of guacamole. (545 calories and 44 grams of protein)
  • Place the beef over a bed of: 1 cup of shredded lettuce, 1/2 cup fresh salsa, and 1/4 cup shredded (full-fat) cheddar cheese. (161 calories and 7.6 grams of protein)

Dinner - Meal 3

  • 6 ounces of salmon. (350 calories, 37.6 grams of protein)
  • Lemon butter sauce for salmon: 2 melted pats of butter combined with the juice of one lemon and 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic. (76 calories)
  • Spinach salad. 2 cups of spinach tossed with a dressing of 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 ounce of walnuts and 1/2 ounce of dried cranberries. (254 calories and 2.7 grams of protein)

Diet Plan FAQ

What if I don't like the meal choices?

These meal choices are merely examples. You can swap in any protein source, fats and veggies. Just make sure you are not eating rice, potatoes, oatmeal or any other non-fruit or veggie carbs.

For men, dinner calories should equal around 1,076. For women, calories should come to around 690.

Do I need to use casein and whey protein?

No. You can swap in any protein foods as long as the calories come to about 120.

Post your post-workout swolfies in M&S gear on IG and tag @muscleandstrength, #muscleandstrength, or DM them to us to get a shoutout on Muscle & Strength stories!

916 Comments
Anthony zangs
Posted on: Mon, 09/25/2023 - 09:53

Is it normal to gain 3 lbs the first week you do this?
I have followed everything exactly and have gained 3 lbs.

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Roger
Posted on: Thu, 09/28/2023 - 14:47

Hi, Anthony. I don't think that is common, but it doesn't surprise me if you are new to training. You may have shocked the body to start building muscle. How experienced are you with fitness? Also, have you done body composition or a caliper body fat test?

Anthony James
Posted on: Mon, 09/11/2023 - 19:48

I pretty much start my work day after waking up and typically get done around 4:30-5pm. With the diet plan would working out as soon as I’m done with my work day be best

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Roger
Posted on: Sun, 09/24/2023 - 19:41

I think it would be, Anthony. You have the calories in you so the energy should be high enough that you can train.

AnnMarie Rowe
Posted on: Fri, 09/08/2023 - 12:25

Thanks for your laid out plan and the simplicity of it. I am looking to lean out these last 3 weeks before a vacation. I have been in a calorie deficit focused on a high protein low fat diet. I have lost about 7 pounds over the last 3 months. (5'3 F Now 112 lbs) I am slightly concerned about going from about 35g Fat to 75-85g Fat per day not causing a gain or very least slowing my fat loss. Have you found a low carb diet is superior for fat loss to a low carb diet? Or is it the calorie deficit that is more important with high protein levels? I am going to eat this diet regardless along with the fitness plan (what I can fit into the hour I have each day). Thanks again. I was thinking of switching out tuna with the cheese in the meal plan just to save about 8 extra grams of fat haha

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Roger
Posted on: Sun, 09/24/2023 - 19:40

Hi AnnMarie, in your case, since you're that close, I would stick with the 35 grams and make that switch to tuna. Just be careful about the mercury in the tuna. Switching to cheese every few days may actually help with that. Hope this helps and enjoy your vacation!

Adeel Dilbar
Posted on: Sat, 07/29/2023 - 06:35

May i use any other supplement to help to reduce fat ?

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Roger
Posted on: Tue, 08/15/2023 - 09:42

I think Carnitine would be a good choice to add on top of those already recommended, Adeel.

Khaled Youssef
Posted on: Wed, 07/19/2023 - 02:59

Hi, I have been bulking for the last 3 months and I gained a good quality mass with little to moderate body fat, which I like to reduce a bit. How this programme would benefit me as I want to loose 2-4 kg of body fat and water? not more than that. Shall I adjust the number of sets or reduce the cuurcuit number? Please advise, Thanks in advance

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Roger
Posted on: Fri, 07/21/2023 - 20:34

Hi, Khaled. I would advise you to run it as is until either Day 21 or you reach the goal. Once the goal is reached, pivot to a new plan. Thanks for reading M&S!

Remah
Posted on: Wed, 07/12/2023 - 02:49

Iam not too fat my weight is around 65kg and my height 163cm but i have some fat in the midsection, i want to lose fat and build muscle same time , do you think i should follow this program or another program for muscle building only will be more beneficial?
Thanks a lot.

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Roger
Posted on: Fri, 07/21/2023 - 20:33

Hi, Remah. I would suggest for the 21 days focus solely on the fat loss. Once Day 22 comes, switch the focus to muscle building, and you will see even better results because your body will be ready to grow. Hope this helps!

Remah
Posted on: Sat, 07/22/2023 - 02:35

Thank you for your reply.

Hassen
Posted on: Tue, 07/11/2023 - 16:40

Bonsoir pour les jours off on garde le même régime alimentaire ou on peut essayé un cheat meal
Merci

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Roger
Posted on: Fri, 07/21/2023 - 20:32

Restez avec le régime tel quel. Gardez le repas de triche pour le jour 22. Bonne chance et faites-nous savoir comment ça se passe.

Hassen asked: Good evening for the days off we keep the same diet or we can try a cheat meal
THANKS

My answer: Stick with the diet as is. Save the cheat meal for Day 22. Good luck, and please let us know how it goes.

Wes
Posted on: Sun, 07/09/2023 - 23:49

Is this a good routine overall to lose some weight but still keep the muscle you have developed?

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Roger
Posted on: Fri, 07/21/2023 - 20:29

It is, Wes. If you run it, let us know how it goes.

Jay
Posted on: Sun, 07/09/2023 - 16:08

Heya, I'm just starting this program for the first time and I'm wondering could you advise what my eating schedule would look like.. I currently wake for 5am and have a pre-workout before gym 5:45am-7:15am followed by protein shake, I have to train morning due to work. any advise would be appreciated.

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Roger
Posted on: Fri, 07/21/2023 - 20:30

Hey Jay, I would suggest eating as soon as you wake up and sip on the preworkout on the way to the gym. Beyond that, fit the meals in whenever you can. As long as you eat the right foods, you should still see results.

David Ross Merritt
Posted on: Sun, 07/02/2023 - 17:10

At one point, this article says to keep the same weight for all 8 sets of an exercise. Later, the article says to decrease the weight slightly for each set. "Isn't this a lot of sets?
Yes, but it's a rest-pause workout. Because you are restricting rest in between sets, the amount of weight you will be using for each exercise will drop slightly. So while the volume is increasing, the intensity is decreasing."

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Roger
Posted on: Fri, 07/07/2023 - 06:37

Leaving this one here for the author to chime in if he likes, David. I don't have an answer as to why that is written the way it is. I would simply say go with how you're feeling that day. If you can do the same weight, go for it. If not, scale it back.

Jerry
Posted on: Sun, 07/02/2023 - 14:56

Can the 15 minute cardio be heavy bag punching of 5-3 minute rounds?

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Roger
Posted on: Fri, 07/07/2023 - 06:35

It can, Jerry. I like hitting the heavy bag myself.

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Roger
Posted on: Fri, 07/21/2023 - 20:29

I feel you on that. Go for it!

Abhi
Posted on: Fri, 07/07/2023 - 07:30

How about 15-20 mins of stair master as an alternative? Getting bored of doing the same cardio circuit.

Abhi
Posted on: Thu, 06/29/2023 - 17:25

Roger, here are my results. Let me know if I should adjust anything. I have been doing cardio after workout or during rest days. And running this for another 3-week cycle.

Week 1 Results:
199.6 > 192.6. Exercise compliance: 100%; diet compliance. 90%.

Week 2
192.6 > 195.4. Exercise compliance 100%. Diet compliance 70%.

Week 3
195.4 > 192.2. Exercise compliance 100%. Diet compliance 80%.

Week 4
192.2 > 192.4. Exercise compliance 100%. Diet compliance 80%.

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Roger
Posted on: Wed, 07/05/2023 - 08:04

7 pounds overall in three weeks, solid job! Give yourself a couple of days to enjoy some food, then you can run this one more time. Make the goal to have at least 90% compliance on all three weeks, and try to make the cardio a little more intense (don't try to completely exhaust yourself, though). I believe you can do even better the second time around. Good luck, and thanks again for sharing your results!

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Roger
Posted on: Tue, 07/18/2023 - 08:00

Check this out to find your next program. Congrats on the progress and thanks for reading M&S.

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-choose-your-next-train...

Abhi
Posted on: Thu, 07/13/2023 - 18:08

Week 1 Results:
199.6 > 192.6. Exercise compliance: 100%; diet compliance. 90%.

Week 2
192.6 > 195.4. Exercise compliance 100%. Diet compliance 70%.

Week 3
195.4 > 192.2. Exercise compliance 100%. Diet compliance 80%.

Week 4
192.2 > 192.4. Exercise compliance 100%. Diet compliance 80%.

Week 5
192.2 > 194.8 Exercise compliance 100%. Diet compliance 70%

Week 6
194.8 > 193.2 Exercise compliance 100%. Diet compliance 70%

Do you know what I can switch to next in terms of workout schedule?

Theresa
Posted on: Sun, 06/18/2023 - 09:06

Are all sets of chest to be done before moving onto next exercise? Or do you do 1 set of each exercise then repeat 8 times?

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Roger
Posted on: Mon, 06/19/2023 - 06:38

Finish all sets of one exercise before moving on to the next. Hope this helps.

carla
Posted on: Wed, 06/14/2023 - 11:45

hi, im 58.5kg and 5ft1 i've been trying to loose weight (and keep it off) since i had my 3rd child. i used to be lean and strong, now i just feel fat and have no discipline with my eating habits. i still work out 5-6 times a week, but the scale is not moving. i feel stronger and i have developed more endurance but my fat isn't shifting. i'm hoping this shread will help me get back on track and stay motivated.

do you have any advice on mindset/discipline when it comes to a plan like this? i'd love to shed the weight by augusy si the muscle i've developed can finally be seen

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Roger
Posted on: Thu, 06/15/2023 - 06:39

Mindset - believe in the plan and give it all you got. You got to be obsessed with this goal when it comes to eating, training, and even recovery.

Discipline - take it one day and one meal at a time. Don't look too far ahead, but make sure that next thing on the plan gets done as best as you can. Also, avoid the scale besides checking it once a WEEK. Checking it daily and not seeing the number you want can be frustrating and de-motivating. Set yourself up for success and not failure. Also, feel free to come on back if you got questions along the way. Thanks for reading M&S, and best of luck!

Carla
Posted on: Wed, 06/14/2023 - 11:28

Hi, I'm want to loose 6kg. I'm 5ft 1 58.5kg. After 3 babies

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Roger
Posted on: Thu, 06/15/2023 - 06:37

This could help you get there, Carla.

ANTONIA Elizabe...
Posted on: Mon, 06/12/2023 - 06:58

Hi,
I can only do my workout in the morning. How would i change the meal plan to adapt?
Thanks

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Roger
Posted on: Mon, 06/12/2023 - 07:03

Have the first meal prior to training, and simply plug the others in as close to the times as possible. As long as they are the same time apart, you should be fine.

Derek
Posted on: Wed, 06/07/2023 - 00:14

Is there no ab workout as part of this program?

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Roger
Posted on: Thu, 06/08/2023 - 09:07

There are ab exercises mixed into the cardio workout such as the lying raises and mountain climbers. If you need an extra ab workout, you can find one here.

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/abs

Abhi
Posted on: Wed, 05/31/2023 - 07:45

200 lbs. 6ft. Been training for over two years consistently 4-5 days. Want to try this for next three weeks. Based on 2100 calorie diet, this is what I was aiming for 100g Carb (20%); 195g Protein(37%); 100g Fat (43%). Is that correct or drop the carbs further?

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Roger
Posted on: Wed, 05/31/2023 - 08:53

I think you're right on the money, Abhi. Give it all you got and keep us posted on how you do.

Abhi
Posted on: Wed, 06/07/2023 - 07:48

Week 1 Results: 199.6 > 192.6. Less 7 lbs. diet compliance. 90%.

Abhi
Posted on: Wed, 05/31/2023 - 08:56

Great - I have been consistently training in the 20% 5-8 rep and rest 10-12 reps for a long time. so this training schedule would be interesting because volume here is coming from number of sets as opposed to higher rep ranges 15-20 within sets. My max dumbell press is 95 lbs at 5 rep so I should target 50 lbs for this routine?

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Roger
Posted on: Wed, 05/31/2023 - 08:59

That is a solid weight to go with for now. Shoot for a goal of reaching 60 pounds within a month so you keep pushing yourself to get stronger.

Abhi
Posted on: Wed, 05/31/2023 - 09:36

Excellent - looking forward to it. Can I switch the cardio on a fasted stomach in the morning? so essentially 100 mins of cardio to supplement the strength training each week or should I increase it?

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Roger
Posted on: Thu, 06/08/2023 - 09:08

That is incredible! Congrats on the progress and thanks for sharing. Keep going!

Abhi
Posted on: Wed, 05/31/2023 - 21:04

Can we do cardio on an empty stomach in the morning with lifting in the evening? Also, how many calories you are expecting to be burnt off during the lifting versus cardio session individually?

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Roger
Posted on: Thu, 06/01/2023 - 08:38

You can do fasted cardio if you like.

There is no real way to predict calories burned because factors such as activity, effort, experience, age, bodyweight, and metabolism all factor in how many calories you burn. The closest way you can figure this out for yourself is to wear a tracker. Even the cardio machines that have trackers on them may not be the most accurate.

Abhi
Posted on: Thu, 06/01/2023 - 09:17

Agreed, not asking about mechanics but I wanted to know for a 2100 calorie diet in this particular program what would be effective to burn on and off training days, active calories. I wanted to see if I should add another set of exercise or just stick to the one in the plan. For example, my regular training plan my lifting sessions burn about 650-800 calories with seven exercises (2-3 prep sets + 2-3 real sets). When I did the leg workout yesterday, I burned about only 500 calories. Which is where my question came in from.

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Roger
Posted on: Sat, 06/03/2023 - 15:30

You can try it for yourself and see how you feel. I definitely don't feel the increase is needed.