Andrea Simulus Reveals “Best Program for a Lean and Sculpted Body”

Are you looking to lean out and sculpt your body for summer? You might be doing it all wrong. Andrea Simulus, a 42-year-old Body Composition Coach and social media influencer who is “building” her “goal body” with low-impact strength, is getting real about what it takes to get in shape. In a new Instagram post, she discusses the “best workout program for a lean & sculpted body” – and what she says might surprise you.

4 Things That Make a Program Effective

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According to Andrea, the best program for a lean and sculpted body has to meet four criteria.

🩷One that you ENJOY.

❤️One you will actually consistently DO.

🧡One that makes you FEEL amazing.

💛One that gives you RESULTS so you stay motivated.

She Is Doing 4 Strength Training Blocks Weekly

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“I LOVE both cardio + resistance training!!!” she writes. However, she notes that she also knows that “random workouts = random results.” Since she is trying to increase her muscle size, she added “4 strictly strength training blocks every week,” she continued. “Everything else is a sweet endurance and movement bonus for heart health and to stay lean.”

RELATED: 7 Surprising Causes of Overnight Weight Gain

Here Is Her Plan

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“Here’s how I planned this week,” she continued, sharing her weekly workout schedule.

𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘

• 15 min Cycle
• 💪🏼 75 min Leg Strength

𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘

• 🏃‍♀️4 mile Trail Walk

𝐓𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘

• 30 min TRX Dance
• 10 min Six Pack Workout
• 💪🏼 1 hr Arm Strength

𝐖𝐄𝐃𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘

• 😴 Rest Day

𝐓𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘 - Today!!

• 💪🏼1 hr Leg Strength
• 🏊🏼‍♀️ 30 min Swimming

𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘

• 40 min TRX Sweat
• 10 min Six Pack Workout
• 💪🏼30 min Push Pull Strength

𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐘

• 😴 Rest Day

She Also Consumes 2,200 to 2,600 Calories

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“To GROW I’m currently eating 2,200-2,600 calories with this training load. I am not afraid of the scale and use it to track my muscle to body fat ratios to ensure I’m not eating too little for results,” she continued.

She Says She Needs a Calorie Surplus for Strengthening and Regrowth

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“My single priority is to regrow and strengthen my injured leg and I can’t do that in a calorie deficit. I’ve actually been out of a calorie cut phase for over a year now,” she added.

You Should Plan Out Your Week

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Andrea recommends planning in some capacity. “If you aren’t following a strict program, at least plan out your week so you’re seeing results + eventually reach your goal‼️” she says.

Hitting Goal Marker Is Motivating

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“Fitness is a lifetime journey, but hitting goal markers is what keeps me pushing this hard and loving the process,” she continued.

RELATED: I Lost 30 Pounds With This Simple Change

Also, Avoid Processed Food

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In another post, she explains why ditching processed food is key to building muscle. “Burning fat is essentially eating less calories than you burn. However, if you start skipping meals, start eating processed carbohydrates that spike your blood sugar, what's going to happen is you're going to get those intense cravings, you're going to have dips in your energy levels,” she says. “It'll be much harder to reach your goals. So instead, you need to eat more frequent meals and skip the white rice, processed breads, processed products, and add more high fiber nutrient dense foods to your diet.”

💪🔥Body Booster: If you have been struggling with your diet or exercise routine, try sitting down and planning your week ahead of time.

Have you been doing a lot of ab work and still don’t have a coveted 6-pack? If the answer is yes, there are a handful of explanations as to why you aren’t achieving a chiseled midsection. Andrea Simulus is a 42-year-old Body Composition Coach and social media influencer who is “building” her “goal body” with low-impact strength. In a recent Instagram post, she revealed five mistakes you might be making that are getting in the way of your goals.

You Aren’t Adding Angles or Weights

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Reason number one: “You aren’t adding angles or weights to build more size,” says Simulus. “Abs grow like any other muscle.”

Your Loose Skin Discourages You From Doing Ab Work

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The second reason is that “you’re discouraged by loose skin after babies and don’t work abs,” she maintains. “Any amount of strength will make your stomach look better regardless. I’ve had 4 babies.. I have stretchy skin and it’s ok!”

RELATED: 7 Cardio Workouts That Burn Fat Faster Than Running

You Are Waiting to Lose More Baby Fat

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Number three is, “You keep waiting to lose more body fat,” she says. “It takes time to grow abs - do them now.”

You Aren’t Doing the Right Ab Work

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You might be doing the wrong exercises, according to Andrea. “You think static planks and core stability moves build a six pack. Motions that draw your lower abs to your chest or your upper abs to your knees in a folding motion builds abs - look for those motions,” she says.

You Aren’t Consistent

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The final reason? “You don’t stay consistent,” she maintains. “For most of you it takes much longer than 7 weeks… It took me 2 years to build a six pack large enough to see without calorie restriction. 2 YEARS of 3-4x per week working abs.I wanted them and I hung in there till I got them.”

Try Using a Bosu Ball

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In another post, she recommends using a Bosu ball when doing ab work. “Bosu not only makes them spine friendly, but perfect for building strength and improving core stability,” she writes. “Notice how my hips are angled inward and my core ‘tucked’ or held tight. This is the key to more strength because you are keeping your core under constant tension the entire rep range!”

RELATED: 7 Quick Tips for Burning Fat Faster and More Efficiently

And, Ditch Processed Foods

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In another video, she explains that ditching processed food is also key to building lean muscle, like abs. “Burning fat is essentially eating fewer calories than you burn. However, if you start skipping meals, start eating processed carbohydrates that spike your blood sugar, what's going to happen is you're going to get those intense cravings, you're going to have dips in your energy levels,” she says. “It'll be much harder to reach your weight goals. So instead, you need to eat more frequent meals, skip the white rice, processed bread, processed products, and add more high fiber nutrients.”

💪🔥Body Booster: If you want a six-pack, you need to do more ab work than just crunches and planks. Try exercises that also work your obliques and lower abs.