Bodybuilder Evan Centopani Reveals Secrets to Building Muscle & Shedding Fat

“Strength is important because when you begin the dieting process – in order to hang on to muscle you need to train hard,” Centopani explained.

Written by Belinda Evans

Evan Centopani (Photo Credit: Instagram @evancentopani YouTube: IFBB AMA)

IFBB Pro bodybuilder Evan Centopani has taken on the role of a nutritionist as of late, sharing his tips and tricks for staying in shape. Recently on YouTube, Centopani gave his best methods for shedding fat and building muscle.

Evan Centopani competed in the 2010s and while he didn’t earn the title of Mr. Olympia or become an Arnold Classic champion, he was held in high regard for his formidable physique and huge biceps. Having held his own on stage against Kai Greene and the late Cedric McMillan, Evan Centopani was accustomed to testing himself at the highest level.

Centopani consistently placed high in his competitions and won the 2009 New York Pro which was his first professional show. Over the span of sixteen years, Centopani has dominated the stage earning several wins including one of his most notable at the 2013 Tampa Pro — this put him on the Mr. Olympia stage where he took 13th place. The following year he jumped up the ranks with a fifth-place finish at the 2014 Arnold Classic.

Evan Centopani Gives His Tips For Eliminating Excess Body Fat While Increasing Muscle

Evan Centopani is using his knowledge of bodybuilding to help others achieve their physique goals. Centopani recently shared his strategy for losing weight and gaining muscle in a YouTube Q&A.

“I don’t have a problem with gluten. I can eat a bagel. I can eat bread, no issues. If I was consuming wheat or wheat-based product as my primary source of carbohydrates and I was doing it multiple meals throughout the day I wouldn’t feel great. I’ve noticed that. When I said I’m gonna make pasta my primary carbohydrate source or I didn’t prep rice I didn’t prep potatoes and here’s some bread it’s easily available I’m gonna choose that as my carb source and I do it multiple times throughout the day. My appetite starts to diminish I start to feel a little bit bloated I don’t feel quite as good. So for that reason, I won’t not consume wheat or gluten-containing products but I just limit it because I just feel that my digestion is just more efficient without it” Evan Centopani states.

With digestion a primary concern, Centopani shares what carbohydrates and proteins he prefers for staying in optimal shape.

“I generally opt for rice, potatoes, I don’t eat a lot of oats, although oats are fine. Rice and potatoes, I find foods that digest efficiently for me are the foods I like to gravitate towards.

When it comes to proteins chicken is monotonous, it’s not knocking my socks off but it’s utilitarian it gets the job done and I can eat it multiple times a day without any digestive discomfort and without really hating. I don’t love it but I also don’t hate it. So I find chicken and fish and eggs to be my most utilized sources of protein because they digest easily.”

Evan Centopani said it’s easier to “peel off body fat” by starting a diet at the end of a bulking period. He also emphasized the importance of strength while dieting because it enables someone to train heavy and burn more calories as a result.

“I will say the best way to start a cut, the goal is to peel off body fat. The ideal place to start that is to be at the end of a bulk that’s good. At the end of a bulk, chances are you’ve been eating a lot. Calories are high, hopefully not the cleanest diet. What I mean by that is if a person goes through an off season they are ready to start getting into shape and they look at their diet and they’re like ‘Well my diet is perfectly clean’ it’s almost like a pre-contest diet it becomes a little more difficult to get that person in shape because where do you go from there.

I have found personally not only with myself but with the people I work with the best way to go into a cut is big, big meaning carrying a lot of muscle even if you are carrying some fat, not a problem. Strong, why is strength important? Strength is important because when you begin the dieting process in order to hang on to muscle you need to train hard and you need to train heavy. Starting off strong puts you in a more favorable position to accomplish that. So big, strong, and not too fat.”

Fellow bodybuilder and nutrition coach Stan Efferding recently shared his recommendation for weight loss and he agreed that successful diets are often customized to each individual. When results are stubborn, Stan Efferding advises that “the best diet is the one you’ll follow.”

It seems the general consensus is that finding the best diet comes down to listening to the body and doing what works best for the individual’s needs. Losing weight and gaining muscle isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. With the guidance of Evan Centopani and other nutrition coaches, achieving a healthier lifestyle has become easier and more accessible than ever before.

Check out Evan Centopani’s full video here: