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Obi, how do you stay ripped all year round? Is it genetics or do you really train hard and eat healthy all the time?

Genetics always plays into the development of anyone’s physique and they dictate the type of muscle growth that training will bring. If I sat at home and ate junk food all day long without working out, I would not be ripped at all. I do have good genetics, but I still must train very hard and eat healthy to stay ripped all year round. I follow the formula of training four days a week and eating good five days a week. I save my cheat meals for the weekends, within moderation of course. Cheat meals are my reward for eating healthy throughout the week. Training consists of super-setting all of my weight exercises and I do cardio three days a week. I train two body parts per day when weight training and my cardio consists of running three miles a day at an eight-minute mile pace.

I run sprints once a week too, which is great for abs and legs. I know my body really well, so eating and training like this allows me to stay at four percent body-fat year round. When preparing for a photo shoot, I cut my carbs completely at five days out and reduce my calorie intake to help me get down to two-percent body fat. The main thing is to find a diet and training plan that works well for your body type and metabolism. What works for me might not help you get ripped. If you can understand your body and what works for you, then you are a step ahead of your fitness goals.

Obi, how important are carbs in attaining your fitness goal of getting lean?

Carb consumption is very important. For some reason, people are afraid of consuming carbs. It’s as if they will gain an enormous amount of weight. Without carbs in your system providing energy, you are like a walking zombie. Imagine a car without gasoline, this is what not having carbs in your system is like. Carbs help you function, both during the day and at the gym. The main thing about carb consumption is making sure you consume them between the morning and afternoon time.

I wouldn’t advise consuming carbs late at night, as they will typically store in your body as fat. If you are eating five small meals a day, I would advise most of my clients to consume their carbs from Meal 1 to Meal 3. The main thing is to consume a balanced, healthy diet with sufficient carbs, fats and proteins. You should never zero out your carbs as that will counteract your fitness goals and slow your metabolism to a stop.