We absolutely body transformations 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-seven-year-old Redditor — who goes by the username u/StandardDefiance — posted progress pictures to the site’s dedicated subreddit, revealing an incredible shred that he achieved in a mere 36 months and, in a startling display of generosity, shared the secret sauce for how he got there.
WATCH: Crazy Ab Workout To Get You Shredded
Step 1: Cut, Cut, Cut
The poster’s first step is a simple but fundamental one: “Counting calories”.
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.
Step 2: Throw Some Weight Around
You won’t be surprised to hear that getting in the gym comprised the second crucial step in this Redditor’s regimen:
“Resistance training 5x a week”
u/StandardDefiance
However, we’d advise that you certainly don’t need to be hitting 5 days a week to see progress, especially if you’re just starting out. For absolute beginners, 2 sessions a week is plenty and for people with some experience, 3-4 will do the job. If you do want to push those numbers up to 5 or 6 sessions, make sure you’re prioritizing rest and recovery in between.
Importantly, if you’re new to the gym, get a trainer or take an experienced lifting buddy with you; you’ll struggle to see progress if you spend six weeks in the hospital…
M/37/6’2” [240lbs > 190lbs = 50lbs] (36 months) still a work in progress
byu/StandardDefiance inprogresspics
Step 3: Get A Hobby
Even more important than resistance training is your baseline amount of movement and even more important than that is keeping your mental health in check. The easiest and surest way to do that is to find a hobby that gets you in a room with likeminded people and gets you moving.
This Redditor, like a lot of blokes out there, found that fighting was his favourite route to being fighting-fit…
“… and martial arts 3x a week.”
u/StandardDefiance
As with the weightlifting, you don’t need to hit three sessions if you don’t want to. In fact, you don’t even need to take up a new sport — walking would be enough, aiming for 10,000 steps a day if you can — but the beauty of having a hobby like martial arts is that you get to develop a skill, see measurable progress, and make some friends as you go.
So there you have it, that’s the secret formula. Now, you’ve just got to get after it. A word to the wise though: you needn’t do all of this at once. Work through the steps in order and only move on to the next once you’ve got a handle on the first. Don’t overwhelm yourself.
If you take it slow but steady, you’ll be amazed at what can happen. As the psoter himself says: “It took a while but not as long as I anticipated.”