Once you added and sculpted lean mass, you'll want to show it off to its best effect. Follow my complete leaning-out program. Dangerous curves ahead!
Cutting Regimen
Nutrition
Egg Whites
(plus 1 yolk)
Oatmeal
Banana
Protein Powder
(hydrolyzed whey)
Peanut Butter
Chicken
(or turkey or white fish)
Sweet Potato
Asparagus
Protein Powder
(whey)
Peanut Butter
Chicken
(or turkey, or white fish, red meat or salmon the night before first leg day each week)
Green Salad
(with light dressing)
Egg Whites
Weekly Tips
- Water: 1 gallon daily. Cut water slowly over 3 day period if preparing for a photo shoot or competition.
- Cheats: None
Training
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
Day 6: Cardio or Active Rest
Day 7: Rest
Supplementation
What I use:
- ON Platinum HydroWhey: post-workout
- 100% Gold Standard Whey: snack
- ON AmiN.O. Energy: pre-workout
- CGT-10: 2 tsp before and after workouts to aid in strength, building muscle mass and supporting recovery
- Opti-Women: use between meals
- BCAA Caps: use between meals
- Glutamine: use pre- and post-workout for recovery
- Glucosamine+CSA
- CLA: 2 with meals for fat loss support
- Fish Oil: with meals 2x2 a day for essential fats
- ZMA: use at bedtime—supports muscle growth, strength, and athletic performance
Jen Rankin's Personal Philosophy
Nutrition
Nutrition plays such an important role in overall health and wellness, and an even bigger role when it comes to preparing for a competition, event or photo shoot.
I try to keep my body fat in check all year by eating a clean and balanced diet that includes lean meats, slow digesting carbohydrates, fresh fruits, veggies, and healthy fat sources.
My goal is to stay within 7 lbs of my contest weight so that I don't have to do any drastic dieting or cardio for hours on end. If I am in offseason or muscle building phase, I will increase starchy carbs and good fats to fuel muscle growth.
I believe the most important factor in keeping my nutrition in check (in any season) is planning and preparation. This must take priority. "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."
After I go grocery shopping, I cook as many meals for the week as I can (usually on Sunday) and store them in Tupperware in my fridge.
This makes all of the difference in my diet because I can grab my meals for the day and take them with me to work in a cooler so that way I am not left without healthy food to eat or having to cook every meal 5-times-a-day—which would be exhausting...and messy!
One more plus is that I am never without food, having to rely on fast food or other convenience foods to get me through the day.
This is pretty tough to master, but because it is worth it, I always remind myself that, "If it was easy—everyone would be doing it!"
Training
I have always been an athlete and love lifting weights, so when it comes to training, I just really enjoy it and I love working hard and seeing results.
Since I am a bikini competitor, my main focus in training is on shaping my body to meet the femininity requirements for the sport—round glutes and balance throughout the body.
Most of the year my training is dedicated to circuit training so that I keep my heart rate up and maximize the time I spend in the gym. I split my routines into upper body twice per week, lower body twice per week and plyometrics once per week.
If muscle building is the goal in my off-season, then I prefer to use a split dedicated to one or two body parts per day with at least two days of rest over a seven day period.
Weak body parts are prioritized at the beginning of the week. For cardio, I dedicate at least two days a week to spin class, one day for sprints, and the rest of my cardio is steady state (30-60 minutes) on an Arc Trainer or inclined Treadmill.
Weight training and cardiovascular training are not only important when it comes to leaning out, but also very important for overall health and well being. There are a million ways to get your training in, so find something that you enjoy doing so that it can become a part of your lifestyle.
Also, remember that it takes time to sculpt the body you are picturing in your mind. It IS possible, but it WILL take discipline, dedication, determination, and maybe a little sacrifice here and there.
Supplementation
Supplements play a huge role in helping me reach my overall goals. I'll admit, they can be confusing at times...wondering what is best, what actually works, how much you actually need, etc.
However, I have learned that supplements make it much easier to get the necessary nutrients, essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants into my body that I may not get through my diet. I try and focus on supplements that are naturally occurring in some form or another.
Supplements can also help build muscle and even enhance training when used properly and when coupled with a good diet and solid training routine. Taking vitamins and supplements are also a great way to learn new habits. I started with taking a multivitamin every morning.
Once I mastered that, I started using protein after my workouts and now have figured out my own personal supplement regimen that offers me significant health benefits and is the final key that balances out my healthy lifestyle.