Celebrity coach and author Thomas DeLauer once weighed an unhealthy 300 pounds—a clear disparity from his current-day shredded physique. In late February 2025, DeLauer shared his top muscle-building and fat-loss habits and key principles that transformed his body and mind:
11 Habits for a Ripped Physique
- Prioritize Protein
- High-Volume Training
- Walk for Metabolic Health
- Fat Adaptation for Metabolic Flexibility
- Creatine for Recovery and Performance
- Avoid Alcohol
- The 80/20 Rule for Sustainability
- Eat Eggs
- Find the Minimum Effective Dose
- Strategic Use of Caffeine
- Prioritizing Sleep Consistency
1. Prioritize Protein
Food science may be complex, but eating shouldn’t be. Protein, vegetables, and healthy fats are 90% of your nutrition needs. DeLauer focuses on quality protein loaded with beneficial raw materials for the muscles and body.
Prioritize protein to 50% of your calories; so much can come naturally.
—Thomas DeLauer
Protein is generally satiating, which could help with weight loss. DeLauer doesn’t obsess over tracking calories by maintaining eating habits.
2. Lots of Volume
“The bulk of my physique was built by high-volume training,” DeLauer said.
In other words, lots of reps. While he’s scaled back with age to optimize recovery, DeLauer firmly believes “volume is how you build muscle.” Intensity and other factors are important, but DeLauer defined volume as transactional.
“The more sets and reps, the more opportunities you have,” he said.
Research consistently shows that muscle growth scales with volume. How much depends on an individual’s recoverability.
One study found muscle hypertrophy continues even beyond 40 weekly sets per muscle at a slower rate. Five to 10 sets per muscle group per week seems to be the sweet spot. (1)
3. Walking for Health & Fat Loss
Walking is the foundation of fitness; it is the minimum we should do to stay fit and healthy. “Walking is what shaped our mitochondria…it makes you better at burning fat,” DeLauer explains, in addition to enhancing insulin sensitivity. (2)(3)
The minimum recommendation is 150 minutes of weekly activity and 30 minutes of brisk walking daily; the more, the better.
[Related: Develop These 5 Habits for a Leaner Physique]
4. Fat Adaptation for Metabolic Flexibility
DeLauer believes years of carb cycling—rotating higher and lower carb days—have allowed him to burn more fat and keep it off.
“Fat-adaptation period is about 90 days—if you can commit, you might maintain metabolic flexibility,” he suggested.
[Related: Don’t Forget The 12 Most Valuable Fat Loss & Muscle-Building Tips]
5. Take Creatine
Few supplements have the proven track record of creatine’s effectiveness in building muscle and boosting performance. Its benefits even extend to brain health and performance. DeLauer takes between three and five grams daily, mainly for recovery.
6. Avoid Alcohol
As with many things, moderation is important. Alcohol consumption is something to be mindful of for health. For DeLauer, abstaining entirely was beneficial. “When I don’t drink, I’m in bed at 9 p.m. and have good sleep patterns.”
Alcohol might also impair muscle protein synthesis and increase belly fat, which could make staying fit more challenging. (4)(5)
7. The 80/20 Rule for Sustainability
DeLauer follows an 80/20 rule to prevent burnout: focus 80% on goals and allow 20% flexibility. Prioritizing protein helps him form a caloric base without overthinking. He also squeezes more food per meal for efficiency.
8. Always Eat Eggs
Eggs are a simple yet highly nutritious food. “They have everything needed for muscle growth,” says DeLauer, like protein and follistatin, which blocks myostatin, a protein that restricts muscle growth.
While there are conflicting data on consumption and health risks, the concerns seem more valid for those with health issues. One egg daily is the generally recommended limit by most dietary authorities. However, many people eat more with no issues.
9. Finding the Minimum Effective Dose
More volume builds muscle, but less maintains it. DeLauer seeks to balance progression and optimizing energy allocation to other areas of his life.
10. Strategic Caffeine Usage
DeLauer leverages caffeine’s potential fat-mobilizing (releasing fats) and fat-burning properties. He stated, “Caffeine helps override genetic factors that affect motivation to train.” People with certain CYP1A2 genotypes may see better performance benefits from caffeine. (6)
11. Regular Sleep Schedule
“For decades, I’ve gone to bed at the same time. Consistent sleep is critical,” DeLauer says. Sleep ties everything together, and our health and aesthetics depend on it. Optimal sleep duration varies, but seven to nine hours seems ideal. (7)
References
- Hume DJ, Yokum S, Stice E. Low energy intake plus low energy expenditure (low energy flux), not energy surfeit, predicts future body fat gain. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016 Jun;103(6):1389-96. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.115.127753. Epub 2016 May 11. PMID: 27169833; PMCID: PMC4880998.
- Moghetti P, Bacchi E, Brangani C, Donà S, Negri C. Metabolic Effects of Exercise. Front Horm Res. 2016;47:44-57. doi: 10.1159/000445156. Epub 2016 Jun 27. PMID: 27348753.
- Moriles KE, Zubair M, Azer SA. Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) Test. 2024 Feb 27. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. PMID: 32644704.
- Lv XT, Wang RH, Liu XT, Ye YJ, Liu XY, Qiao JD, Wang GE. Theacrine ameliorates experimental liver fibrosis in rats by lowering cholesterol storage via activation of the Sirtuin 3-farnesoid X receptor signaling pathway. Chem Biol Interact. 2022 Sep 1;364:110051. doi: 10.1016/j.cbi.2022.110051. Epub 2022 Jul 21. PMID: 35872049.
- Guest N, Corey P, Vescovi J, El-Sohemy A. Caffeine, CYP1A2 Genotype, and Endurance Performance in Athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2018 Aug;50(8):1570-1578. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001596. PMID: 29509641.
- Baranwal N, Yu PK, Siegel NS. Sleep physiology, pathophysiology, and sleep hygiene. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2023 Mar-Apr;77:59-69. doi: 10.1016/j.pcad.2023.02.005. Epub 2023 Feb 24. PMID: 36841492.
Featured image: @thomasdelauer on Instagram
