Body transformations are our favourite thing here at DMARGE. There’s simply nothing better than seeing dudes who’ve been struggling with their weight and, often, their mental health find their route to turning it all around. In an effort to spread their fitness success, we share some of those incredible stories here.
The thirty-year-old Redditor — who goes by the username u/pain474 — posted progress pictures to the site’s dedicated subreddit, revealing a total body composition that he achieved over the course of two dedicated years and, somewhat miraculously, did so without ever picking up weights.
WATCH: David Goggins’ “Nickels & Dimes” Calisthenic Workout
Cut, Cut, Cut
When it comes to shedding those pounds, nailing your nutritional game is always the most important and usually most punishing step. You need to partake in a ‘cut’ by maintaining a strict calorie deficit over an extended period of time, just like Zac Efron did before filming Baywatch. Here are some general nutritional guidelines to follow, but bear in mind that nutrition varies from person to person:
- Calculate your calories: To lose body fat, you must create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than your body burns. Calculate your daily calorie needs and subtract 250-500 calories per day to create a gradual calorie deficit.
- Consume enough protein: Protein is essential for preserving muscle mass during a cut. Aim for 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day.
- Limit carbohydrate and fat intake: To create a calorie deficit, you will likely need to reduce your carbohydrate and fat intake. However, it’s important not to eliminate these macronutrients entirely, as they are still essential for optimal health and energy levels.
- Eat plenty of fibre: Fibre-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help keep you feeling full and satisfied during a cut.
- Stay hydrated: Adequate hydration is essential for optimal health and can also help curb hunger and cravings.
It’s important to note that a successful cut requires patience and consistency. It’s not advisable to try to lose too much body fat too quickly, as this can lead to muscle loss and other health problems. Aim for a gradual, sustainable rate of fat loss, and be sure to listen to your body and adjust your nutrition plan as needed.
This Reddit poster took this brief very seriously and adopted one of our favourite approaches to dieting: protein and calorie macro tracking. Rather than tracking every single nutritional macro, he just tracked the calories he consumed and made sure he hit his protein goal. The rest is free and easy:
“1900 kcal a day ([but] more on the weekends due to social activities), 150g protein, [and the] rest is filled up with whatever I want… mostly carbs.”
u/pain474
No Weights? No Problem
You might be surprised to hear that this Redditor managed to completely change the muscle/fat ratios in his body without any orthodox weightlifting. In fact, there’s no proof he even set foot inside a gym. How did he do it, then? With the magic of muscle-building callisthenics. For anyone wondering how that process panned out, here’s his top-levle summary:
“I started from absolute 0 — no knowledge of nutrition, workouts… [I’d] never worked out in my whole life — so the first 2 years were trial and error… Nowadays I do advanced skill and strength training… I pretty much wasted [the prior] 2 years being inconsistent and/or injured, so the biggest progress was within the last 2 years.”
u/pain474
M/32/5’7″ [136 lbs > 136 lbs] same weight 5 years later, calisthenics only
byu/pain474 inprogresspics
Another point to highlight, given how most men revere the idea of having a perfect six-pack, is just how good callisthenics are for your core; no burpees or sit-ups required:
“Core strength comes naturally doing calisthenics. I haven’t done core specific exercises in years lol”
u/pain474
So there you have it folks, if weightlifting simply isn’t your jam or a gym isn’t easily accessible, it’s time to bust out the callisthenics.