Want to get ripped? If you are starting out on this journey, it is normal for you to wonder how long it will take for you to get shredded.After all, you’re probably in the gym in pursuit of bulging muscles and a perfectly sculpted body. Unfortunately, getting ripped requires a lot of time working out and a lot of dedication. This is the only way you are guaranteed to achieve and maintain your new look.

How Long Does It Take to Get Ripped?

There is no definite answer to this question. The time it will take for you to get ripped is dependent on various factors, with your starting point being the most obvious. If you are in reasonably good shape, you will only need to make a few changes and commit to a workout routine to achieve your goal. If you are completely out of shape, you will be required to make major lifestyle changes and also find a workout regimen that works for you. Generally, people in relatively good shape when starting out are likely to get ripped faster than those who are completely out of shape.

When it comes to getting ripped, there are two factors at play – reducing body fat and building muscle. The average body fat for men is between 18 – 24%, and for women it’s between 25 – 31%. For you to get ripped, you are required to have less than 13% if you are a man, and less than 20% if you are female. The lesser your body fat percentage, the more ripped you become. These percentages should be your guiding points as you start out.

The Fastest Way to Get Ripped

To reduce your body fat, you need to do cardio exercises and watch your diet. Below are some tips on how to go about it.

1. Adjust Your Diet

How long does it take to get ripped? It depends on what you eat.  If you want to get ripped quickly, you need to focus on your diet. Even if you used the most effective exercise routine, it would prove to be futile if it is backed up by a poor diet. You need a diet that is rich in lean protein, a lot of vegetables, fruits and healthy fats.

You are advised to eat a light snack before your exercise and just after you’re done. A snack that is a rich source of lean protein is a good idea. This is because lean protein helps in post-workout recovery. Ensure you follow a strict healthy diet regimen over a long period of time.

Another important aspect of your diet is how many calories you take in each day. Since you are looking to lose weight and get ripped, you should reduce your calories intake to not more than 1700 calories per day. 

There are many online resources that can help you in calculating your current body fat percentage. This will be a perfect place to start since you know what your goal is and how much you need to lose.

2. Do Cardio Exercises

You can reduce body fat by taking up any kind of exercise. However, since your aim is to get a ripped physique, cardio exercises are the best for burning fat. You can incorporate low-intensity cardio moves and use them over a prolonged period.

Exercise bikes, row machines and treadmills are your best shot. Aim to spend at least half an hour each day on low-intensity cardio exercising. With time, you can go ahead and mix things up a bit with HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). For this routine, you can alternate between intense short burst exercises followed with longer stints of low-intensity training. Repeat this mix for as long as you can, ideally no less than 5 times.

3. Keep Resistance Training to Build Muscle 

How long does it take to get ripped? It might vary depending on how you balance fat loss and muscle gain. You need to know that as you work to reduce body fat, you also lose muscle mass in the process. Since your goal is to get ripped, losing muscle mass is a disadvantage. For this reason, you are advised to build your muscles too as you lose body fat. Otherwise, you'll end up looking like a marathon athlete.

• Lifting

As you do cardio and follow a strict diet plan, you also need to create time for strength training. Ideally, you should do this at least thrice each week. Your strength training should target your arms, back, abs, chest, shoulders and legs as these are your major muscles. It is advisable that you focus on two muscle groups per training. You can schedule different days to strengthen different muscles.

• Heavy Lifting for Quick Growth of Muscles

Since you're trying to build muscle as you lose some when losing fat, lifting heavy weights can go a long way to counter the effects of the lost muscle mass. You can aim to do at least 10 reps of heavy weight lifting each set. If you find that you can manage more than 10 reps, you should consider increasing the weights. Ensure you change the routines as often as possible. This keeps your body engaged and you avoid hitting a plateau.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to get ripped. To get the best result, it's best to follow professional advice from an instructor.  Below are a few diet tips and workout examples:

4. Special Training for Your Abs

How long does it take to get ripped? Most people who ask this question are interested in getting a ripped six-pack. To get ripped abs, you need to perform exercises that specifically target your abs. While it is not possible to reduce fat in just one area, it is possible to focus on one spot to increase muscle density and also size. This makes them more pronounced.

There are numerous exercises you can do that target the abs area. Sit-ups and crunches are ideal to start with. Even so, try and get as many variants as you can.

5. Get Enough Sleep and Stress Less

Sleep is an external factor that has a great effect on how fast you get ripped. When you're stressed, your fat loss is slowed down and your sleep disrupted. Consequently, this lessens the impact of your workouts. Getting enough sleep is important because most of your muscles are built when you're resting. You should at least enjoy 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day.