Here’s How Joe Warner Got His 6-Pack in Just 12 Weeks!

Onetime skinny-but-fat Joe Warner exchanged his aerobic routine for some anaerobic intensity and completely transformed his body, losing 17.5 pounds of jiggly and adding 22 pounds of brawn.  Here’s how he did it…

PAY ENOUGH attention to matters of health and you’ll soon be dazed and confused.  That’s because few things in the health world seem to hold steady.

Once upon a time coffee was bad for you, and now many health gurus extol its virtues (as this debate will show).

Once upon a time saturated fat created the dreaded arterial plaque leading to heart disease, now some with flashy credentials say it just ain’t so.

Once upon a time the way to lose fat was, naturally, on a low-fat diet, but not – au contraire – it’s the carbs that make you fat, not the fat.

And now, at least for Joe Warner as depicted in his new book, 12 Week Body Plan you can build muscle and lose fat fast by working out less, along with that aforementioned low carb diet.

This story caught my attention because recently another debate has been strolling around the Interwebs.

For a long time it was conventional wisdom that aerobic exercise was the best way to lose body fat.

Then it became fashionable among those who pay attention to these things that really the best way to lose body fat is with a combination of resistance training to build muscle and high intensity interval training (“HIIT”), which boosts your body’s production of human growth hormone, a metabolic driver for weight loss, among other things.

And then, just over the last month or so, I started seeing various articles scattered about that cited studies showing that aerobics — once again — is better than resistance training et al for reducing fat, such as this one on The Huffington Post.

Confused yet?

Well, I’m not, cause I have this thing called “experience”, and what I know from that are three things:

  1. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for everybody, though there are some that fit most, and
  2. A fitness routine that’s centered on resistance training plus HIIT, and feathers in some aerobics, will maximize fat loss, but
  3. Diet/nutrition is the most important single input into a fat loss regime.

From what I’ve read about Joe Warner’s experience getting those abs to pop after 12 weeks of exercise and diet is that his experience mirrors mine. (Ahem, minus the six-pack.)

Which is to say, resistance training + HITT + some aerobics served on a bed of high protein/low carb food = muscle – fat.

 

How Did Joe Warner Get Six-Pack Abs in 12 Weeks?

 

He did it by gaining 22 pounds of muscle, and shedding 17.5 pounds of fat. And he did that by exercising and dieting smarter; meaning, exercising and dieting in a way that works to dump fat and pump up muscle.

The smarter exercising meant largely substituting his 4.5 hours of mostly cardio (aerobic) exercises each week for 4 hours of resistance training (weight lifting) and HIIT.

Joe Warner’s old fitness regimen of 4.5 hours:
  • Monday and Thursday: 60-minute run
  • Tuesday and Saturday: 45-minute run
  • Wednesday: 60-minute gym workout
  • Friday and Sunday: Rest
Joe Warner’s new fitness routine of 4 hours:
  • Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 60-minute gym workout at lunchtime
  • Saturday morning: 60-minute gym workout
  • Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday: Rest

The smarter diet meant tossing out the high glycemic load carbs and processed food in favor of healthy fats, low glycemic load carbs and healthy fat.

Importantly, in order to slab on a 22 pound slab of muscle in only 12 weeks, Joe Warner also ate a lot of lean protein.  I haven’t read how much protein, but would guess that it was within 85% in grams of his total body weight in pounds.

I don’t know what Joe Warner weighs, and this 85% metric is simply one espoused by a number of weight lifting coaches in order to maximize the growth of lean body mass (muscle).

An example: If you weigh 200 pounds, your daily protein intake objective would be 170 grams (0.85 x 200).

That’s a lot of protein, even for a 200-pounder!  And there’s considerable debate about just how much protein consumption is ideal, and how it should be measured. Some, for instance, say that the grams of protein per body weight should be some percent of lean body mass (your no body fat weight), not actual weight.

I’ve never consumed that much protein, and wouldn’t even know how to do so, given that I’m not much of a meat eater and am disinclined to eat protein powder all day.  I’m not advocating you pound down 170 grams either.  What I do suggest is that you experiment.

Add protein to your diet in its various forms (lean meat, legumes, fish, high quality powders), preferably some at each meal and even with snacks. Get a sense for how much you’re consuming.  See if about 50% of total body weight (a much easier number to know) is sufficient to feed your muscles, allowing them to recover from exercise and grow in size and strength.  If not, try increasing the amount of protein consumed.

For more about Joe Warner and his plan, read this Yahoo Health article, or get his book.

Good luck, and over and out.

 

P.S. Although protein is important, it will not help you overcome inadequate testosterone production. Testosterone start’s declining in their thrities. Those who want to maintain the lean muscle mass and vigor of their youth either get bioidentical testosterone treatments prescribed by their doctor, or use supplements. I fall into the supplement catagory, and highly recommend Mike Mahler’s Aggressive Strength Testosterone Booster (aff link).  You’ll be impressed by how well it works, as noted by the many, many testimonials at Mike’s site.

Mike Mahler's Aggressive Strength formula

Click this link for more information

 

Click the image to learn more about, or to buy, Joe Warner’s book:

Joe Warner gets ripped

May you use Joe Warner’s example and the resources mentioned to build the body you want!

Last Updated on September 29, 2022 by Joe Garma

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Joe Garma
 

I help people live with more vitality and strength. I'm a big believer in sustainability, and am a bit nutty about optimizing my diet, supplements, hormones and exercise. To get exclusive Updates, tips and be on your way to a stronger, more youthful body, join my weekly Newsletter. You can also find me on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 6 comments
Ahmedraza - June 11, 2015

Im like six pack

Reply
Gohit - December 31, 2015

I’ve doubt regarding this one workout has to be done in one day or 3 work outs in one day??

Reply
    Joe Garma - December 31, 2015

    That’s not what was presented, Gohit. Joe Warner worked out for an hour four times a week. Suggest you re-read the blog post.

    Reply
Kevin - April 11, 2016

Hi Joe
I have a question. What food is best to lose weight?
My weight is 66.6 kg (143.8 pond). Can you give me some tips?

Sincerly,

Kevin

Reply
    Joe Garma - April 11, 2016

    Kevin, w/o knowing your height and frame your weight (144 lbs) is pretty much meaningless. But you obviously think you need to lose weight, so I suggest you take a look at some articles I’ve written on diet and exercise, such as these: https://garmaonhealth.com/category/diet-nutrition/ and https://garmaonhealth.com/?s=exercise. Some common points include: Under eat two days/wk; overeat one day/wk; eat as many colorful veggies as possible; drink eight ounces of water 8 x a day; eat protein w/ every meal; eat omega 3 fats; snack on almonds, but not more than 20 at a time; do resistance training to build muscle (weights or bodyweight); do high intensity interval training once or twice per week; do some cardio twice a week; get 7 to 9 hours of restful sleep per night; make sure your testosterone is in the recommended range for your age; do a detox cleanse thrice a year.

    Start with one of those suggestions and once it becomes a habit, add another. Good luck!

    Reply
Jeffrey - November 20, 2016

Bullshit this bull shit if you are natty you cannot gain that much muscle in like 12 weeks. Rich piana a known steroid user put on 48 pound of muscle in a year. He even has a video on it. He said all he did was take loads of steroids worked out and slept nothing else. That is only 12 pounds muscle in three months.This guy apparently gained 22 pounds in 12 weeks. Also look how he actually shaved at end photo got a different haircut just to look good also there is lighting he has tan.

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