How I lost 46 Pounds of Fat and 13 Inches Off My Waist in 12 Weeks

[tommyd323]

What are u on brah?

[mchalela]

Could you please share to me wich exercises you made for abs?? Also i would like to know if you did the cardio as 25 minutes pre workout and 25 post workout... I would appreciate if you could help me with that... your abs schedule and how you did the cardio.... Thanks

[Austinbruso94]

Congrats on winning the challenge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You earned it.

[Mudkip]

He left out the part where he ran Tren / Clen lol

[anthonyaires]

I can't tell you how much I appreciate you sharing this and winning this...I too competed but just couldn't cut the fat as much as you and I kept on track pretty good...my macro's were different though...I think my fat was too high and carbs to low. I discovered I'm an endomorph and have to be very conscious of calories and fat...so to make a long story short I'm entering the summer challenge for 6 weeks I'm 40 and am going to follow your setup ... never thought of the intermittent fasting strategy ... so that's brilliant, and the cardio I did so much too but I now know I wasn't doing it effectively. I am so grateful for people like you ... you've given me a clear path to follow and surge to kick ass on the next transformation. Really grateful for you keep on rocking that new body man you deserve it #ROCKSTAR

[Sarumyan]

He left out the part where he ran Tren / Clen lol

Very likely... at 45 and in 3 months such transformation is very unnatural. TRT pills would the optimal choice, easy to get and no harm to others. You obv. wouldn't cream your kids in test. ).

I kind of hope it was a miracle though.

[anthonyaires]

It's obvious you're a champion.

Your patience is Paramount.

I've read this whole thread and you've answered the same questions more than once when you don't even have to.

You're here sharing with us caring, and helping us get to where you are, yet there's disbelief it's truly sad.

Years ago I did a transformation in 1997 and also got ripped like you and everyone thought I was on something, YES I was on dedication and eating right with the proper mindset and supplements it happened, there was no steriods, GH, or any crap like that.

I still get **** about it bc I have huge arms and I'm an endomorph and with the proper supplementation I easily put on muscle but just can't torch the fat as fast, so to this day people are like man what are you on...my answer always is F'n DEDICATION.

So know I believe you, and others do tooo... and I know what you've done is completely possible and being a 40 year old myself I'm grateful for your level of dedication to inspire us to get results like yours.

You ROCK BROHAM

Anthony Aires

P.S. You had mentioned you did heavy weights till failure ... how many sets did you do...was it one set heavy till failure or a warm up set with light weights then the heavy set till failure? If you could provide details would help me out bc I'm getting ready for the summer transformation challenge and going to make my plan based on what you did...

P.P.S. Know you you're not going unheard you're message is sinking in and going to propel me and other like minded folks to kick ass in the upcoming summer shred transformation.

[GettingfitAgain]

46 lbs is possible in 3 months. He lifted off and on for 28 years so had a solid base. He also probably bloated in the before pics and added a good 10lbs.

Month 1 - 20 lbs (most water lost here)
Month 2 - 15 lbs
Month 3 - 10 lbs

He was also running a 2000 cal a day deficit.

Another runner up lost 100 lbs in 3 months. That I have no idea how he did it.

[DrMatt40]

My name is Matt, and I recently completed the 2014 BodyBuilding.com $100,000 Dymatize Transformation Challenge. The question of how I achieved my results comes up frequently, so I’m summarizing what I learned in the hopes that others may benefit from my experience.

But first, my results. My main goal was to get healthy for my wife and kids. Here’s a summary of what I accomplished in 12 weeks:

- Reduced Cholesterol from 208 to 136

- Reduced Blood Pressure from 136/90 to 103/73

- Reduced Resting Heart Rate from 80 bpm to 62 bpm

- Reduced Weight from 213 lbs to 173 lbs

- Reduced Body Fat Percentage from 26% to 5%

- Reduced Body Fat from 55 lbs to 9 lbs

- Increased Lean Body Mass from 158 lbs to 164 lbs

- Reduced Waist from 43 inches to 30 inches


I am no expert. The information below is what worked for me and I hope it may work for you, or at least point you in the right direction. Everything I did during the Challenge is detailed in my BodyBlog and on my Nutrition Philosophy page, but for those in a hurry, I will summarize what I learned in 10 simple principles. Keep in mind, these are principles for transforming from an over-fat condition to a lean and fit condition. They are not for everyone.


nobody4242’s 10 Transformation Principles:


1. What you put in your mouth trumps what you do in the gym:

It is a mistake to think you can work yourself, through cardio and lifting, into a lean condition. The single most important skill to develop is the ability to be hungry and not-eat. Learn ways to fight the hunger. Drinking water, black coffee, or tea are good ways to suppress hunger. The caffeine can also help jump start the fat burning process. Exercise and getting to sleep early are other good ways to mitigate hunger pangs. I did cardio in the late afternoon and then again in the evening to help me through. You have to live with a caloric deficit in order to lose fat, so you need to learn how to be hungry and not-eat.


2. Do not go long-term no-carbs:

You can lose fat going no-carbs, but I don’t recommend it for developing an overall healthy, muscular, lean physique. It is OK to do no-carb days sometimes for a day or two, but do not go long-term no-carb. You will rob yourself of potential, or existing, lean mass. Watching overall caloric intake is more important than trying to avoid carbs.


3. Intermittent Fasting works:

Learn about Intermittent Fasting. Read up on it, it is worth your time. I learned about it from a website called leangains. The basic idea is that all your calories for the day are consumed during an 8 hour period, and the other 16 hours are spent fasting. It doesn’t matter what 8 hour period you choose. I ate from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. I chose those times for two main reasons. I like to have a few meals in me when I lift weights, which I do at lunchtime. And the 12-16 hour phase of the fast is an optimal fat-burning period in which to do fasted low intensity cardio, so having my last meal at 4:00 PM allowed me to get in a productive cardio session in the morning before work.


4. If possible, consume carbs and protein before and during weightlifting:

I went down the no-carb / low-carb road for a few weeks during the Challenge and it cost me strength and lean mass. I had never taken carbs and protein before and during weightlifting. Once I tried it, it was like a revelation. My strength and endurance started coming back immediately. I can’t imagine lifting without my workout shake ever again.


5. If possible, eat your daily carbs during the first half of your day:

While I don’t recommend going no-carb, I do suggest eating all your carbs during the first half of your day and going no-carb in the afternoon and evening. However, this depends on when you do your weightlifting workout. I lift at lunchtime, so it was easy for me to avoid carbs later in the day. If you work out in the afternoon or evening, I would still suggest consuming carbs before and during weightlifting.


6. When you lift weights, go heavy and go to failure:

If you are cutting back on calories, your muscles will be competing with the rest of your body for resources. You have to create a great demand for repair in your muscles in order for them to grow when your caloric intake is reduced. You have to really hit your muscles hard to create this demand. You do this by going heavy and going to failure. I wrote an article about different ways to go to failure without a spotter. You can find it on my profile page under my forum posts. It is just a quick primer for beginners. Additionally, there is no shortage of great information on BodyBuilding.com to help you get the most out of your workouts.


7. Mix up your cardio between HIIT and LISS:

If you are following the Intermittent Fasting protocol and you do cardio in the 12-16 hour phase of the daily fast, it should be LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) cardio. If you do cardio in the early part of the fast or during your eating phase, it can be HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) cardio or LISS cardio. I recommend HIIT during these times, but it is OK to mix it up.


8. High quality supplements and foods are critical when reducing calories:

Good supplements can always help optimize gains, but they become even more important when calories are reduced. This goes for food as well. If you have a limited caloric intake, you need to make those calories count. You will find my Supplement and Nutrition Schedules below.


9. Establish accountability and find motivation:

I found BodySpace incredibly helpful during my transformation journey, especially early on. I became addicted to tracking workouts, and there were quite a few times where I wanted to skip a cardio session but didn’t just so I could track it. Your BodySpace friends are a great source of motivation and accountability. Take advantage of it. Choose a goal and let people know what it is. These things help keep us accountable and provide motivation.


10. Don’t stop learning:

I researched various topics (fat loss, muscle gain, workout routines, etc…) almost daily. With all the great sources of information these days, like BodyBuilding.com, there is no excuse not to find what you need to know in order to transform yourself. Part of the hard work of transforming is doing all the research required to learn how. So dig in, search for things, and read up on stuff.


These are the main principles that guided me through the Challenge. I wish I had known them all in the beginning. I could have avoided quite a few dead-ends where I had to change course on the fly. I hope this helps you in some way. Thank you for taking the time to read this. God bless, and may you achieve your goals.



Below are my Supplement, Nutrition, and Workout Schedules for reference:


SUPPLEMENT SCHEDULE:

Upon Waking:

Caffeine


With Meal 1:

Dymatize Elite 100% Whey Protein
Dymatize Super Amino 6000
Dymatize Creatine
USPlabs Prime
Multi Vitamin
Fish Oil
Flax Oil
B-Complex Vitamin
DHEA
Saw Palmetto


With Meal 2:

Dymatize All Natural Elite Whey Protein Isolate


Workout Shake:

NOW Unflavored Whey Protein Isolate
BSN NO-Xplode
SciVation Xtend
Dextrose
Maltodextrin


Post-Workout:

NOW Unflavored Whey Protein Isolate
SciVation Xtend
Dymatize Creatine
Optimum Nutrition HMB
Vitamin C
Chromium Picolinate
Alpha Lipoic Acid


With Last Meal:

Dymatize Super Amino 6000
Optimum Nutrition HMB
Fish Oil
Flax Oil
L-Lysine
Folic Acid
Selenium
Saw Palmetto
CoQ10


Bedtime:

Dymatize GABA
Isatori ISA Test



NUTRITION SCHEDULE:

8:00 AM: Meal 1

1 Scoop Dymatize Elite 100% Whey Protein
1/2 Cup Oatmeal (whole Oats)


10:00 AM: Meal 2

1 Scoop Dymatize All Natural Elite Whey Protein Isolate
1/2 Cup Oatmeal (Whole Oats)


11:30 AM: Workout Shake (Sipped before and during workout):

1 Scoop NOW Unflavored Whey Protein Isolate
1 Scoop SciVation XTend
1 Scoop BSN NO-Xplode
12.5g Dextrose
12.5g Maltodextrin


12:30 PM: Post Workout Shake (Sipped over ~90 minute period):

1 Scoop NOW Unflavored Whey Protein Isolate
1 Scoop SciVation XTend


3:45 PM: Last Meal (Large Salad):

2 Cups Spinach
2 Cups Lettuce
1/4 Cup Red Onions
1/4 Cup Green Peppers
1/2 Cup Tomatoes
~38g Meat (Fish, Chicken, or Beef)


Totals: ~1350 Calories (190g Protein / 110g Carbs / 13g Fat)



CARDIO SCHEDULE:

Every Day:

2 or 3 cardio sessions (varied between HIIT and LISS)



WEIGHTLIFTING SCHEDULE:

Monday:

Heavy Shoulders / Light Chest / Triceps / Abs / Calves


Tuesday:

Heavy Back / Rear Deltoids / Biceps


Wednesday:

Heavy Legs / Abs / Calves


Thursday:

Heavy Chest / Light Shoulders / Triceps


Friday:

Heavy Back / Rear Deltoids / Biceps


Saturday:

Light Legs / Abs / Calves


Sunday:

Rest Day

Awesome job Matt. Could you detail your weight lifting a little more (reps for heavy, light, etc)? Number of Sets, number and type of different exercises for each body part? I'd really appreciate it. your transformation is a huge inspiration. Congrats on the win!

[Fuggin]

Edit: ^^^ dude beat me to it. :P

This is incredible.

Matt...I was in your exact same shoes last year and decided to lose 50lbs, which I did in about 6 months. I am down to 180lbs...running 10ks, cycling up to 100 miles a week, so I am pleased with all that. But I have nowhere the muscle mass you have.

Would you be able to break down your reps/sets for your daily exercises so I can have a base to work from? You gave plenty of info on the diet/supplements, so I will use that.

Awesome job at improving your life and congrats on the contest.

[OregonLife]

GJDM. Mirin the transformation and bag o cash! Proof that us old farts can still make it happen.

[AndyThompson]

This is ****ing awesome. People put way too many limitations on what they think they're capable of and end up not even trying. You obviously didn't do that. If you want something bad enough you'll go get it. It's too bad more people don't that type of mentality. Either way you've got my respect. Awesome job.

[DirtyTrickster]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/oddnews/...200645629.html



GJDM

[inceptive]

You took a crazy aggressive approach. And you know what? It worked. Great job man. Most people say the hardest part is to get down to your ideal weight. Maintaining that weight is easier (not to suggest it's easy - but easier than losing all that weight). Sometimes you need to be aggressive to get down to your ideal weight. That is what I'm doing right now - trying to be aggressive, but smart, to lose about 20 more pounds. Thanks for the information . . . and inspiration.

[Cheetah440]

Nice work, very inspirational. It's helpful to see people make these changes to keep you going. You are dead on right about learning how to be hungry and not eat. Hunger is progress, hunger means you are burning fat and accomplishing your goal. Hunger is the goal to a point. It's always funny how you see all these weight loss programs that tell you "you won't be hungry....". There's really no escaping it. Deal with it, embrace it.

[omens]

Congrats. Found this after spotting OP in the news and looking him up. Mega impressed. Did you ever get skin sag following weight loss?

[bknox]

8:00 AM: Meal 1

1 Scoop Dymatize Elite 100% Whey Protein
1/2 Cup Oatmeal (whole Oats)


10:00 AM: Meal 2

1 Scoop Dymatize All Natural Elite Whey Protein Isolate
1/2 Cup Oatmeal (Whole Oats)


You use to different protein powders? Also do you just add a scoop to the shake and drink it or do you make the Oatmeal and eat it normal?

[AloFlito]

Awesome job Matt. Could you detail your weight lifting a little more (reps for heavy, light, etc)? Number of Sets, number and type of different exercises for each body part? I'd really appreciate it. your transformation is a huge inspiration. Congrats on the win!

Hi Matt could you please elaborate on this?

[gmthesarge]

Hey, Matt. Like you, I'm an engineer and 20 years of sitting behind a computer has been hard on me. I was always athletic, a Marine, cyclist, lifter, then a fall from a bridge hampered my working out when I had to have a torn labrum repaired. I'm starting a workout based on yours with supplements and diet. I'm not pressed for time so I'm going to have a little higher caloric intake than you. You are proof that guys our age can still do it. Thanks for the inspiration and God Bless.

[DaleDugas]

Excellent to hear from everyone who has contributed.

Good luck with all the goals set!

[DavySarnecki]

Congrats on the win Matt! Super inspiring stuff. I love looking at your workout templates here, I was wondering if you had the rest available?

[AloFlito]

Matt is missing in action.. Can you elaborate more on your workout routine please?

[DavySarnecki]

I don't think he's missing in action so much as totally overwhelmed by the attention, lol.

[picklefish]

Is it possible to get the same results without supplementation or is that just a speed up the process thing?

[capn95765]

Congrats, you're an inspiration for us 40-somethings. I recently dropped 25 lbs, going from 210 to 185. Looking to take the next step to lean out following your lead. Nice work.

[ThunderBee]

Anytime someone makes a post about Intermittent Fasting on the Nutrition Forum everyone bashes them saying it does not do anything extra for fat loss. They say only a caloric deficit does that, and IF is only for helping with not overeating/ convenience. Any thoughts on that?

[vadimmmo]

In.

[DavySarnecki]

Anytime someone makes a post about Intermittent Fasting on the Nutrition Forum everyone bashes them saying it does not do anything extra for fat loss. They say only a caloric deficit does that, and IF is only for helping with not overeating/ convenience. Any thoughts on that?

This poor guy has said A MILLION times he's not an expert and he was just trying a lot of this stuff and working it out in the moment.

[UberPooch]

Hey Matt, could you provide more details on your lifting program, i.e. what did your set/rep scheme look like?

Congrats on your results, damned impressive.

Thanks.

[kjl24]

Yahoo put up an article on this after I read this thread... The people responding were just killing him. How the whole thing seemed like setup and there was no way he did it all naturally and probably took sterioids and all of that crap. It doesn't look real... but reading what he has posted I totally believe everything he did and how it worked for him. An amazing transformation. People don't believe it because they don't have the drive to get there themselves so that must mean it's "impossible". Killer job man... fkn stellar.