Newsletter #4 – My Transformation: Fat-ass to 6-Pack
How I transformed my body in less than 12 months
Quote #4
“Six-pack Abs are built in the kitchen, not in the gym.” -Dr. John Berardi
Quick Tip / Spotlight
Short on time? Use frozen, microwaveable meals to get the nutrition you need in the time you have and the taste you want. Two great recommendations:
- 1. South Beach Frozen Meals (almost all major grocery stores, except Whole Foods) – Choose meals from phases I & II, stay away from phase III, unless it will be your post-workout meal.
- 2. Tandoor Chef (Whole Foods) – try the “Tandoor Chicken with Spinach.” Great taste, high protein, high fiber, no starch – perfect for any time of day. /ol>
Recipe #4: 6-pack Beef Stew
A low starch, high fiber, moderate fat, high protein, very easy to make dish that will feed you for days.
Click here for the recipe
What A Difference A Year Makes
How I Transformed My Body In Less Than 12 Months
By Josef Brandenburg
The Transformation
 |
 |
| Before: | After: |
|---|---|
| 236 lbs | 195 lbs |
| 25% body-fat | 7.5% body-fat |
| 40.25” waist (over 40” for a man, and 35” for a woman is a “heart attack” belly) | 31.5” waist |
| Worst part: being too embarrassed to even take off my shirt | Time: 10 months (much spent in trial and error) |
| Best part: I still eat pizza and ice cream, and only exercise 3-4hrs/week |
Here’s What I learned from my Journey
Do not let the simplicity of these lessons distract you from their effectiveness. Simple ≠ easy.
1. Set an Actual Goal on Actual Paper
You cannot accomplish a goal that you do not have. Most people have lofty, specific goals like, “to not get any fatter,” “lose some weight,” and my personal favorite “I don’t know.” Yet they wonder why they aren’t getting anywhere.
On paper, write down A) what you want – specifically, this means numbers! B) When you want to achieve it. A goal without a deadline is just a dream.
2. Measure Yourself EVERY Week
This is what I call “painful magic.” You will have no idea if what you are doing is “working” unless you actually measure. Many people shy away from this because they fear that they will not like the results of the tape measure and scale, becoming a “failure” in their own mind.
The results that you get from that tape measure and scale will be “feedback.” Feedback is the breakfast of champions – people who accomplish their goals. You must know, objectively, how you are doing, so that you can adjust your approach, so that you can actually arrive at your desired goal. Instead of kidding yourself and hiding from the truth, measure. The truth may hurt your ego in the short run, but it will set you free of your fat pants in the long run.
3. Aerobics Really are for Fat People
In the before photo I was doing aerobics twice a day, for approximately 100min. per day! I got lean without doing one solitary second of aerobic training. The only thing aerobics are good for is wasting time. Want more? Click here to read my “Aerobics Sucks” article, it also includes specific recommendations for what to do instead.
