How To Get Cut like Zyzz: The Full Workout Plan and Diet

There’s no doubt Zyzz was self-aware of his “bro” egotist image, but to him it was all a part of “the show”.

I love playing up my perceived stereotype, and at the end of the day, never take myself seriously, which is one of the reasons I have accrued the fan base that I have.  -Zyzz (Simplyshredded)

Then in 2011, Zyzz died suddenly of a heart attack in a sauna in Thailand.

It took the bodybuilding world by storm, and a bunch of online communities even started to wonder if it was some kind of internet joke or CIA-style conspiracy theory.

We think that given his love of partying, drugs, and steroids, it’s probably not a conspiracy.

Then again who knows, maybe he’s getting his pump on at a private beach somewhere with Elvis and Heath Ledger. We won’t rain on anyones parade.

Even though Zyzz was on the record as juicing, and told Tim Sharky he was on ‘everything’ shortly before he died, it doesn’t change the fact that Shavershian’s body was built on more than just drugs.

You can’t get a body like that from a needle. It takes dedication, diet, and training to unlock Zyzz-level aesthetics. And that’s what this article is about.

Gear is only a small part of the equation. The mentality, exercises and whole foods diet of a bodybuilder are even more important and those are the areas we wish to explore the most.

We’re going to give you the most comprehensive training and diet plan to get a Zyzz body and honor Shavershian’s legacy in 2017.

We built this complete workout guide using info from real interviews with Zyzz online, his contributions to online bodybuilding forums, and his general philosophy to life, eating, and training.

If you are looking to channel the Zyzz mentality, whether to go crush it at the gym or on the dance floor, this is the place to start.  Let us begin by talking about nutrition.

Get Shredded like Zyzz Part 1: The Fat-Shredding Diet

The three commandments of the Zyzz diet (you should be doing this already bro)

1. Ditch the soft drinks. Only water and green tea.
2. No sugar and s***t. Get rid of the candy.
3. Obviously, stay away from McDonalds and similar. Fast food won’t get you shredded.

Eat Big, Eat Clean, Eat Often

Zyzz wasn’t into cardio, and preferred to keep his ripped physique in check through diet alone. That’s great news for some of you guys; if you hate running, cycling, or in anything that doesn’t involve sitting on your ass, you’ll be pleased to know you don’t have to run 10 miles a day to get the Zyzz body.

But just for the record, do some cardio for your own heart health. It’s not that hard.

Zyzz wasn’t that big on cardio because he was a natural ectomorph and was probably burning calories like mad, and to him cardio was just a waste of burnt calories.

For a sample diet plan, this is one Zyzz himself posted online. First take a read, then we’ll look at analysis below.

Meal

1. 6 whole boiled eggs, protein shake, 2 cups oatmeal
2. Boiled chicken breast (300g), brown rice and broccoli
3. Tuna in water (200g) spinach leaves, pasta (wholemeal)
4. PWO (Post workout) shake, supplements as necessary (e.g. multivitamin)
5. Stir-fry with either kangaroo or beef (lean protein) and vegetables
6. Lean protein (kangaroo or steak) and vegetables
7. 4 eggs, scrambled, with salmon
8. No-fat cottage cheese before bed

Calorie estimate: 3800
Protein estimate: 400g

Diet Analysis

You can see from the sample meal plan that lean gains don’t mean small meals and feeling hungry all the time.

Sure, some of it depends on your metabolism and body type, but the bottom line is that to get lean muscle, you’ve got to eat clean, and eat big, especially if you’re a tall ectomorph like Zyzz was.

We’re looking at approximately 8 meals including post-workout nutrition, a hell of a lot of lean protein, and a decent serving of green stuff.

Whole-grains like brown rice and pasta provide the carbohydrate, and big servings of lean meat like beef steak or kangaroo pack in most of the protein.

Timing of meals never seemed to be a huge priority to Zyzz, and he subscribed to a philosophy that let it slip on occasion – not a cheat day, but going to festivals meant no time to eat six whole eggs.

But this is a 95/5 diet. That means follow it 95% of the time and only a 5% slip. If you don’t follow that rule of thumb, you won’t get the Zyzz-tier aesthetics.

Most diets fail because they’re too extreme. They’re 100/0, as in, dieters take on too much and eventually snap because everyone needs to give themselves a little wiggle room for the occasional non-eggwhite based food.

A healthy mind and positive disposition are just as important as a balanced diet.

For your balanced diet, try to aim for a decent serving of protein from a range of protein sources – primarily eggs and meat. No junk. No sugar. Keep it clean.

To summarize in one sentence: Eat lean at a calorie surplus, and go minimum 1.5g protein per pound of bodyweight. Follow the three aesthetics commandments above.

What Supplements (besides gear) did Zyzz take?

Zyzz was open about using less than legal gear to help build and maintain his physique, but he also used plenty over-the-counter supplements to help maintain his health and growth. (Source: Simply Shredded interview with Zyzz) These included:

• A standard hydrolyzed whey protein
• High potency fish oil capsules (look for high DHA content)
• Animal pack multivitamin (another alternative is O.N’s Opti-men)
• Xtend for BCAA’s (BCAA’s are a must for the long workouts he’d do. We recommend O.N’s Amino Energy as it’s tested and doesn’t contain creatine if you’re already supping that.)
• ZMA (to promote solid sleep and recovery)
• Vitamin C (keep immune system strong. Getting sick means lost gym time!)
• Green Tea (antioxidants and metabolism booster)
• A over-the-counter pre-workout like Mesomorph or Jack3d. (Unfortunately neither are available via big name shops like Amazon anymore, however SY highly recommends B-Nox by Betancourt for serious lasting energy and a dope ingredient profile.)

Here is a summary of some of the supplements that are LEGAL that can help you stay anabolic and build lean mass over-time in combination with a workout plan.

*Note, to achieve Zyzz-like shredded however you’ll probably  need to invest in something a “little stronger” in the long run.. but first get your essentials covered.

“Get shredded like Zyzz” Part 2: Training