Jeff Seid Workout and Diet
Bodybuilder
Born: 1967
Jeff Seid grew up in Washington state. Always active, he started lifting weights at age 11, and played football, wrestled and ran track in high school. Seid expected a sports scholarship to pay for college, but a career-ending injury forced him to rethink his plans. After stumbling across a bodybuilding competition online, he entered and won just a month after learning about it. A year later, Seid won in the Nationals and became the youngest IFBB Professional to date. After going pro, he entered the Mr. Olympia competition and his career took off. Seid has since stepped back from competing and switched to devoting more time to personal training. Seid is a certified online personal trainer and offers tutorials on YouTube. He has a line of apparel called SeidWear and wrote a book on bodybuilding called Guide to Aesthetics. Seid has millions of followers on social media. He is 6 feet tall and weighs about 210 lbs.
Known For:
Jeff Seid’s Diet
Summary
Like any serious bodybuilder, Seid does not fool around with his diet. Everything he takes in is intended to build and maintain his physique. He eats every few hours, about 6 meals per day and each one has a specific purpose. His diet is high in protein in all forms: egg whites, chicken breast, steak, fish and whey protein. Carbs are complex and include things like oatmeal and brown rice. Natural fats such as from avocados are also a regular feature of his diet. He has a lot of advice for those looking to get a body like his and his cutting plan is very detailed. Carb cycling is at the core of his message. He tracks every bite he eats and recommends using a program like MyFitnessPal to keep tabs on your macros. While clean eating is essential, some cheats are allowed during carb refueling cycles.
Estimated Macros
- Low-Medium Fat 25%
- Variable Carb 50%
- Medium-High Protein 70%
Diet Details
Protein Power
Seid recommends eating 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. For a 200 lb. person, that means 300 g of protein per day.
Timing Matters
Seid eats a sizable meal upon rising at 6 am including egg whites, whole eggs, oatmeal and blueberries. Then he’ll have chicken breast and brown rice at 9 am, 2 hours before hitting the gym. An hour before bed, he will have more egg whites or fish to help him sleep better and build muscle while catching those all-important zzzs.
Carb Cycling
Seid says carb cycling is the best way to cut fat and get ripped for a competition or photoshoot. Usually, he recommends a 4/1 carb cycle, meaning he eats 200 g, 150 g, 100 g, 75 g and then 1 day at 350 g.
Macro Tracking
Seid recommends keeping carbs above 75 g per day, and fats around 60 g. But all of these numbers get adjusted based on genetics and the other things you are eating that day. On low carb days, he recommends raising fats to 85 g, whereas on high carb days, he’ll drop fats to 35 g.
Don’t Delay
To get cut, Seid recommends starting carb cycling 8-16 weeks pre-competition so you have plenty of time to achieve the results without having to resort to drastic measures that will negatively impact your look and potentially your health as well.
Experimentation
Seid’s cutting plan does not include a lot of vegetables. He recommends avocados and sweet potatoes, but they’re optional.
Not Big on Greens
bout every 10 days, Seid recommends recharging with a lot of carbs, perhaps as much as 450 g. Some of them can be the fun kind, too, like pizza, ice cream, and french fries.
What to Eat
Egg Whites
Whole Eggs
Oatmeal
Blueberries
Chicken Breast
Brown Rice
Steak
Avocados
White Fish
Bananas
Sweet Potatoes
Whey Protein
Water
What to Avoid
Fast Food
Junk Food
Fried Food
Added Sugar
Processed Foods
Chemicals
Artificial Additives
Hydrogenated Oils
Seid on Getting Camera-Ready
‘For most, carb-cycling is the best way to get ready for a contest or photoshoot.’
Seid on Planning Ahead
‘It is also important to start the diet early so you are not rushed and then need to be too aggressive in the last few weeks and then lose size and/or look too flat.’
Seid on Carbs
‘People have different carb sensitivities, so one has to learn how their body responds to deleting and adding back carbs, and also the timing of when carbs are added back on how long it takes for their body to be at their best.’
Jeff Seid’s Workout Routine
Weekly Routine
Early On the Scene
Seid started lifting weights when he was just 11. By age 17, he was an old pro and won his first bodybuilding competition after only 1 month of goal-specific training.
Classic Routine
Seid follows the typical bodybuilding strategy of working one area of the body each day.
Serious Trainer
Despite his youth, Seid has already trained over 1000 clients online.
Daily Dose
Seid recommends a 5-day workout schedule with 2 potential rest days. He sometimes uses one of the rest days to work on particular muscle groups he wants to target.
Don’t Overdo It
Seid says a beginner mistake is to overtrain the arms, leading to minimal growth. Recovery time is essential, and he says to not work the arms more than 1-2 times a week.
Minimize Rest to Maximize Gains
If you really want to get ripped, Seid recommends taking no longer than 45 seconds between exercises.
Control the Variables
Seid says to look at rep tempo, range of motion, drop sets and supersets to generate more blood flow and grow muscle.
Exercise Style
A Jeff Seid Workout
Chest & Calves
Barbell Incline bench press: 6-10 reps x 4 sets
Dumbbell bench press: 6-10 reps x 4 sets
Dumbbell flyes: 8-10 reps x 4 sets
Incline dumbbell flyes: 8-10 reps x 4 sets
Dips: 3 sets to failure
Cable flyes: 8-12 reps x 3 sets
Standing calf raises: 8-20 reps x 5 sets
Seated calf raises: 10-25 reps x 5 sets
Back
Deadlift: 6-10 reps x 3 sets
Bent-over barbell row: 8-12 reps x 4 sets
Wide grip chin up: 10 reps x 4 sets
Seated cable rows: 8-12 reps x 4 sets
Legs
Barbell squat: 8-15 reps x 4 sets
Front barbell squat: 6-10 reps x 4 sets
Leg press: 8-10 reps x 4 sets
Quad extensions: 8-12 reps x 4 sets
Lying leg curls: 8-12 reps x 4 sets
Arms & Calves
Barbell curls: 6-12 reps x 4 sets
Alternating Dumbbell curl: 8-10 reps x 3 sets
Preacher curls: 15 reps x 3 sets
Dumbbell 1-arm triceps extension: 15 reps x 4 sets
Skullcrushers: 10-12 reps x 4 sets
Standing calf raises: 8-20 reps x 5 sets
Seated calf raises: 10-25 reps x 5 sets
Shoulders
Shoulder press: 6-10 reps x 4 sets
Side lateral raises: 10 reps x 4 sets
Bent over rear delt raise: 10 reps x 4 sets
Rear delt pec flyes: 12-15 reps x 4 sets
Barbell shrug: 10-20 reps x 4 sets
Dumbbell shrug: 8-12 reps x 3 sets
Seid on his First Bodybuilding Competition
‘I had been training consistently for 6 years at the time, so I wanted to use what I had devoted my life to building and see if I could make a career out of what I loved.’
Seid on Arms
‘Most people overtrain arms.’
Seid’s Tips on Not Overtraining Your Guns
‘Remember, your arms are actually getting hit far more often…as they come into play when you’re performing chest and back movements.’
Seid on Training
‘Training intensity is key to building up any lacking body part.’
Seid on Brief Rests Periods During Training
‘Yes, it will burn.’
Jeff Seid’s Supplements
Multivitamin
Seid eats a somewhat limited diet, and so he takes a multivitamin pack every morning with his breakfast to fill in any essential nutrients he might be missing.
Omega 3s
Seid also takes omega-3s with his AM oatmeal. Omega-3s reduce inflammation and contribute to brain and heart health.
Pre Workout
Seid takes a pre workout to boost energy, focus, endurance and power.
BCAAs
Seid also takes branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in a ratio of 2:1:1. BCAAs support muscle growth and speed recovery.
Casein
Seid takes in a lot of protein, including casein. Casein is a slow-digesting protein that supports the recovery process and reduces muscle wasting overnight.
Jeff Seid’s Lifestyle
Early Bird
Seid is an early to bed, early to rise type of guy. He goes to bed at 9 and is up at 6 every day because adequate rest is essential for muscle growth.
Fate Intervenes
Seid was all set to get scooped up by a college with a full football scholarship when he tore his ACL in the very first game of his senior year of high school. Then he tore it again a couple of months later. Just before his first surgery, he ran across the ad for the bodybuilding competition.
Know Why You’re Doing This
Seid says without a specific goal, you probably won’t get far. But if you have a clear goal, it’s much easier to work toward achieving it.
Manage Your Stress
Seid advises everyone to take a look at your stress level. High stress can eat up muscle and make you fat.
Make Good Choices
Seid says if you’re serious about getting in shape, you have to be selective about your fun and to party responsibly. Excessive alcohol consumption decreases protein synthesis.
Seid on Goals
‘Think about what you’re trying to accomplish.’
Seid on Winning
‘What I’ve learned from my journey is that strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strength.’
Seid on Motivation
‘I see my new life as a way to motivate others to never forget about their dreams and always stay hungry for more.’
Seid on Partying
‘I’m not saying you can’t have fun but have fun in moderation.’
Seid on Plans
‘Everything is going to plan, but my hunger for more thrives. I’m just getting started.’
Recommended Products
Gatorade
References
https://jeffseid.com/about/
https://jeffseid.com/cutting-diet-plan/
https://liftvault.com/programs/bodybuilding/jeff-seid-workout/#Day_1_Chest_Calves_Workout
https://weighteasyloss.com/jeff-seids-workout-routine-diet-part1/
https://www.finalstrength.com/influencers/jeff-seid/
https://jeffseid.com/arms-secrets-one-inch-30-days/
https://jeffseid.com/my-workout-routine/
