15 Month Transformation - How did YOU do it?!

[neverbeenalone]

January 25, 2016 (Start of body recomposition):
Height: 5'8"
Waistline/midsection: 39 inches
Weight: 172 lbs
BF% range estimate: 28%

August 1, 2016 (End recomp and begin cutting phase @ -500 kcal/day):
Height: 5'8"
Waistline/midsection: 36.75 inches
Weight: 174 lbs
BF% range estimate: 24%

April 10, 2017 (End cutting phase and begin slow bulking phase @ +200 kcal/day):
Waistline/midsection: 30.5 inches
Weight: 144.4 lbs
BF% range estimate: 12%

[CommitmentRulz]

January 25, 2016 (Start of body recomposition):
Height: 5'8"
Waistline/midsection: 39 inches
Weight: 172 lbs
BF% range estimate: 28%

August 1, 2016 (End recomp and begin cutting phase @ -500 kcal/day):
Height: 5'8"
Waistline/midsection: 36.75 inches
Weight: 174 lbs
BF% range estimate: 24%

April 10, 2017 (End cutting phase and begin slow bulking phase @ +200 kcal/day):
Waistline/midsection: 30.5 inches
Weight: 144.4 lbs
BF% range estimate: 12%

Man! What a transformation. Very nice job! Did you lift weights the entire time?

[neverbeenalone]

Man! What a transformation. Very nice job! Did you lift weights the entire time?

I did! For the first 5 months I basically did a full body split once a week, split over 4 days. At month 6, I doubled my volume and switched to full body split over 2 days, then repeat for twice a week. I've done very little to switch up my routine since I started.

[PeteJonesHTX]

Nice work bro, how does it feel?

[neverbeenalone]

Nice work bro, how does it feel?

Honestly it feels rather freeing. It's one of those "If I'd only known then what I know now" kind of things.

I have a ways to go with muscle gain. But like I said, now knowing what I know, I would not have changed a thing with regard to cutting the fat FIRST. I did it the other way around and sorely regretted it.

[Jtbny]

Great job OP!

[grubman]

Nice job OP.

What's the next goal and plan?

[dazlittle]

Nice job, well done.

[Firminator4]

Great job - keep it going.

Firm

[russellmcg]

Awesome work man!!

[MRHELLO]

Yup - that's a great job!

[drkelly74]

That is an awesome transformation! Dad bod to fighter look!

[BillPhoto]

great effort - my goal is to get close to that by November this year

[induced_drag]

Nice work man. Did not really know if wanted others transformations and experiences. There are a good few on here.

I have read some of your posts and you have it figured out. (awesome to see as so many on here complain they cant make progress.) The reason most people fail, is they dont put the effort in. You obviously have. The working out is the EASY part. You figured out how to eat for your goals and it shows. Really great man. Cant say how great it is to see a post like this! Stick around!!! Maybe it will rub off on some....but I wont hold my breath

[neverbeenalone]

Nice work man. Did not really know if wanted others transformations and experiences. There are a good few on here.

I have read some of your posts and you have it figured out. (awesome to see as so many on here complain they cant make progress.) The reason most people fail, is they dont put the effort in. You obviously have. The working out is the EASY part. You figured out how to eat for your goals and it shows. Really great man. Cant say how great it is to see a post like this! Stick around!!! Maybe it will rub off on some....but I wont hold my breath

Thanks so much for the affirmation and encouragement! I'm not gonna lie, I probably ate more crap while I was cutting than I would normally at maintenance or in a surplus. But again, the key is BALANCE, both in terms of overall moderation as well as energy/calories. It really is that simple.

[Mertcann85]

Great progress!

Congrats!

[ilgallo]

awesome job! for me, back a cpl years ago i got bit by the gym rat bug again. lifted heavy in my 30's, then life got in the way. got rid of the nagging ass ball n chain and still ignored my health. a visit to parents woke me up when mom said: Billy, looks like you gained some weight! So, joined Gold's and began my transformation. dropped my weight down over the first year, to the tune of 4lbs/month. that didn't happen efficiently until i also adjusted what i was putting into my body. my diet now is pretty strict, no crap(aside from occasional mental health cheats) and that was key. once i got the ball rolling, there was no stopping. down from a BAD 217-ish and guessing 30% BF to my current 166 and ~13%. Jim Stoppani's Shortcut to Shred kicked my butt in a good way, was a good shake up to break plateau/same-same. just turned 58 cpl weeks ago and am in the best shape of my life since high school. gonna give that Stoppani work out another round...

[BMX10]

Very solid effort and extremely difficult to do in 15 months. Congrats and keep it rolling!

[Tinkerr]

Nice job. That just shows where consistency can get you. I'm about 12 months behind you but I'm already noticing changes. Thanks for sharing.

[neverbeenalone]

Nice job OP.

What's the next goal and plan?

Basically now in a clean bulk caloric surplus of approx. +200 to +250 kcal/day. I'm also putting a bit more focus on form, and primarily training for strength gain. The muscle size will come over time :-D

[deadliftbrah19]

Great transformation! Repped!

[neverbeenalone]

Great transformation! Repped!

Thanks! It's a pretty enjoyable journey actually. I think for me the passion has become great because I finally realized how much I (along with so many others) complicated it for so long. Patience, commitment, discipline, balance and enjoyment have become the staple now.

[neverbeenalone]

Nice job. That just shows where consistency can get you. I'm about 12 months behind you but I'm already noticing changes. Thanks for sharing.

That's the best part about the consistency - seeing continual changes for the better. Results are key, and as much as motivation and inspiration are helpful, just remember that they in and of themselves don't equal results. DISCIPLINE is what gets the job done whether we feel like it or not.

[Watsonm5]

That's amazing results! Good for you. How long was it before your abs started showing? 160? or less? Guess I have a long way to go...

[neverbeenalone]

That's amazing results! Good for you. How long was it before your abs started showing? 160? or less? Guess I have a long way to go...

I would probably say low 150s and below. I think it was around there that I hit somewhere around 15% or so, and they have become more visible (obviously) as I got further down into the mid/sub-mid 140s...

[Stevebaby]

outstanding. props to you

[tzukowski]

I would probably say low 150s and below. I think it was around there that I hit somewhere around 15% or so, and they have become more visible (obviously) as I got further down into the mid/sub-mid 140s...

Congrats! I agree 100% on the consistency and dedication being the biggest part of seeing noticeable results...
I am turning 52 and I am in far better shape than I have ever been. A year ago, I was pushing almost 202 lbs. with a 36" waist and estimated BF of almost 30%. All the right conditions met for an early death!

A 3 day (M-W-F) split of full-body weight training, including free weights and machines was followed by 30 minutes interval training on the treadmill. Four "off" days (T-Th-Sat-Sun) included a 3 mile power walk.

I since increased cardio to one hour of intervals on the tread and that has really begun to shed the fat fast! I do .5 mile interval at 4.3 mph followed by .2 miles at 7.5 mph for approximately 5 miles total.

Total calorie intake was set to a slight deficit, with the exercise offsetting additional calories. Weight began shedding steadily at about 1 to 1.5 lbs/week.

One year later... The gut pretty much gone. No more dad bod! I am down to 160 lbs (+/- 2 lbs depending on the day and meals). My waist is at 31" and abs are beginning to peak out. That is just the motivation I needed!!!

So, at this point I expect to reach my goal of being lean this summer and will begin lean bulking in the fall.

You did a great job! My results look like they are heading in the same direction and I am really noticing the difference in how I feel about myself.

For everyone else out there... If it can be done over 50, it certainly CAN be done for the over 35 crowd!
Hang in there. STICK WITH IT!!! You will see results.

[neverbeenalone]

Congrats! I agree 100% on the consistency and dedication being the biggest part of seeing noticeable results...
I am turning 52 and I am in far better shape than I have ever been. A year ago, I was pushing almost 202 lbs. with a 36" waist and estimated BF of almost 30%. All the right conditions met for an early death!

A 3 day (M-W-F) split of full-body weight training, including free weights and machines was followed by 30 minutes interval training on the treadmill. Four "off" days (T-Th-Sat-Sun) included a 3 mile power walk.

I since increased cardio to one hour of intervals on the tread and that has really begun to shed the fat fast! I do .5 mile interval at 4.3 mph followed by .2 miles at 7.5 mph for approximately 5 miles total.

Total calorie intake was set to a slight deficit, with the exercise offsetting additional calories. Weight began shedding steadily at about 1 to 1.5 lbs/week.

One year later... The gut pretty much gone. No more dad bod! I am down to 160 lbs (+/- 2 lbs depending on the day and meals). My waist is at 31" and abs are beginning to peak out. That is just the motivation I needed!!!

So, at this point I expect to reach my goal of being lean this summer and will begin lean bulking in the fall.

You did a great job! My results look like they are heading in the same direction and I am really noticing the difference in how I feel about myself.

For everyone else out there... If it can be done over 50, it certainly CAN be done for the over 35 crowd!
Hang in there. STICK WITH IT!!! You will see results.

So sorry for my delay in responding! CONGRATULATIONS!! That's fantastic, and one of the greatest parts about the fitness journey isn't always what it does to benefit you as an individual (although that DOES have its perks!), but what you can do to inspire someone else to be their best!

Rock on!!!

[bodyquest2017]

Amazing transformation man. Just started in mid-march this year myself and hoping to get somewhere near what you are at by December this year. We'll see.

[achillesbruh]

awesome transformation OP, now the ABSOLUTELY MAIN THING to concentrate on now is to adjust calories so you almost dont even see the scale go up and all lol as long as your lifts are improving your eating enough, as soon as they stall for 2 weeks up the cals by a very small amount. now that youve experience the grueling process of cutting down weight lets try and keep the fat off as much as possible so you never have to experience something like that again lol