Local hunk’s tips for eating healthy and working out
Armand Aucamp needs no introduction as one of South Africa’s hottest hunks in the television and film industry. Annette de Wet asked the 29-year-old to share his favourite workouts and the secret to maintaining that six-pack
How many times do you work out per week?
I try to do about three sessions of HIIT-workouts (high intensity interval training) or power lifting per week.
I find this routine to be fulfilling, but if I feel super energised, which is more often than not, I will do about 20 minutes of interval sprints.
What is your favourite workout at the moment?
I am currently doing a programme called “5x5”. It basically consists of doing three exercises (a combination of squats, dead lifts, over-head presses, bench presses or rows) for five sets of five reps.
Each session you add about 2.5kg to the weights and work your way up from there.
It might sound impossible, but you quickly gain the strength to start lifting very heavy weights and push yourself to new level.
The sessions are never longer than 30-45 minutes, which is great because I hate spending hours and hours in the gym.
By the looks of things, it sounds like you follow a very strict diet…
Yes, I am an avid follower of a ketogenic diet. In essence it is low-carb, high-fat (LCHF/Banting) and I have been doing it for over a year now.
One has to restrict carbohydrate intake to about 20g/day. It switches your body from being a “sugar-burner” to a “fat-burner”. Energy levels shoot through the roof and moods stabilise like never before.
I don’t really ever cheat because I believe in the lifestyle and do not view it as a “diet”. If I do feel like a treat, I will have some 90% Lindt chocolate.
What is your secret to having body confidence?
This ketogenic diet for sure. Even if I do not work out, it is so easy to maintain a lean physique. I am currently trying to bulk up slightly for a new role, hence the workouts, so as a maintenance diet it is also incredible. Are you good in the kitchen? I like to bake something sweet every now and again using alternative ingredients, such as almond flour, erythritol (sweetener) and coconut products, which are all grain/wheat/carbohydrate and sugar-free.
What is the craziest fitness or diet trend you have ever tried?
I tried going vegetarian for a couple of weeks… never again!
What would be your biggest fitness inspiration tip to our readers?
Understand why you want to improve your lifestyle. Just following a diet or something blindly will almost always end up in failure.
If you understand the fitness and health aspects and implications of something, it is so much more sustainable. And the ability to succeed will also boost your morale and confidence.
On a final note, what are you going to be snacking on this summer?
I love sparkling water with fruit or iced coffee with almond milk, ice and espresso. It is also hard to say no to a good braai consisting of lamb chops, ribs and rib-eye steaks.