"I now find that I have way more energy than I had ever had."
Dan's Progress
Before
After
How many months’ progress do your pictures represent? What were your stats for each picture?
The pictures represent around 15 months of progress. I started at 225 pounds, at approximately 25 to 30 percent body fat (I didn’t measure initially). My ending picture is 170 pounds at about 10 percent body fat.
What has happened so far on the program?
I cut for 15 months using the 5-day split. I started each training session with lifting and then continued to cardio at the end. I did HIIT cardio 4 to 5 days a week for about 25 minutes each, utilizing the recumbent bike. I was able to lose weight at a rate of about a pound a week until about month 10 when my weight loss stalled.
I reversed dieted for a few weeks at this point. I attributed this to a metabolism problem at the time but quickly found out it was a diet issue. After adjusting my diet I was back on track losing weight without issue. I had never lifted weights prior to the program so it was quite the learning experience for me.
I spent many hours working and studying lifting form. My bench went from one-rep max of 103 pounds to 202 pounds. Deadlift one-rep max 147 pounds to 245 pounds. Squat one-rep max 95 pounds to 200 pounds.
What workout split from the book did you use?
I started with the 5-day split for about the first year and then switched to the 4-day split due to a new job. Both splits worked well and I didn’t notice much of a difference between the two.
What, if anything, almost kept you from buying the book or starting the program?
I think I was hesitant to purchase Bigger Leaner Stronger due to the fact that there are so many workout books available online. It sounded too good to be true, what would make this book any difference than the others?
I also thought I would never be that guy who’s in great shape with muscle. I figured it was genetics, so why waste my money on a book that won’t work and as you can see that is far from the truth.
What do you like most about the program?
There is one thing that sets this program apart from all the others, and that is science. This book is based and written on science. It includes many studies that back up all of Mike’s research. I personally want to know why things work the way they do before I try something new.
How does this program compare with others you’ve tried?
I had never done any type of program prior to Bigger Leaner Stronger. I would just go into the gym and mess around for a while, always wanting to leave early. I had only done some circuit training and lots of cardio prior to Bigger Leaner Stronger.
Now I go into the gym with a plan every time and am doing less cardio than before. I also had never followed a meal plan prior to Bigger Leaner Stronger.
How has what you’ve achieved with your body changed other areas of your life?
I now find that I have way more energy than I had ever had. In the past, I was always tired throughout the day but not anymore. I have much more confidence now since losing weight. I always have people telling me now how good I luck and what my secret is.
Who would you recommend this program to and why?
I would recommend this program to anyone. I don’t see any reason why age would be a factor in this program. I recommend it to all my friends and family who ask what my secret is.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I would say study your form and how to do the exercises before you start the program. Make sure your doing the exercise right and don’t worry about the weight. Don’t worry about how much the person next to you at the gym is lifting.
Sure it was a little hard to watch a bunch of teenagers out lift me when I started, but if you stick with the program, you will be that person that others in the gym are watching and asking for tips.
Did you use any Legion supplements?
I very much enjoy Legion supplements. After getting tired of drinking protein shakes that were clumpy and chalky tasting, I switched to Legion’s Whey+. I don’t experience any of these problems now, what a difference. I also use Pulse, Phoenix, and Forge. I’ll never use another supplement company again.
Want to become a success story too? Here's how he did it
The program that made this transformation possible:
Mike Matthews is the founder of Legion as well as the author of several award-winning fitness books, including Bigger Leaner Stronger, Muscle for Life, and The Shredded Chef.
His simple and science-based approach to building muscle, losing fat, and getting healthy has sold over a million books and helped thousands of people build their best bodies ever, and his work has been featured in many popular outlets including Esquire, Men’s Health, Elle, Women’s Health, Muscle & Strength, and more, as well as on FOX and ABC.
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Free Worldwide Shipping & Returns
Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you live in the UK or Canada, your order ships free when it’s over $99.
Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money. But! We're also hustling to improve our international logistics and will be passing our savings along to our international customers.
Also, if you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon.
We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. No returns. No forms. No nonsense. Holy moo cows.
That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
Free Worldwide Shipping & Returns
Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you’re outside the USA, your order ships free when it’s over $199.
Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money. But! We're also hustling to improve our international logistics and will be passing our savings along to our international customers.
Also, if you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon.
We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. No returns. No forms. No nonsense. Holy moo cows.
That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
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In consideration of the services and/or products offered by Legion Athletics, Inc. (“Legion”) including, but not limited to, nutrition plans, exercise routines and coaching, and in addition to the payment of any fee or charge:
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Some popular pre-workouts are all-natural. Some contain the right mix of high-quality ingredients. Some provide clinically effective doses. But only Pulse checks each of these boxes.
Pulse doesn’t just “contain natural ingredients''—every ingredient is naturally sourced from plants and animals. Pulse contains no artificial or synthetic substances of any kind.
Every serving of Pulse contains 15.1 grams of active ingredients that have been shown to be safe and effective in peer-reviewed scientific research.
Every active ingredient in Pulse is backed by published scientific studies that show benefits in healthy humans.
Pulse contains no harsh stimulants that wind you up and burn you out. Instead, it contains a 1:1 ratio of caffeine and L-theanine, which produces a smooth energy rush and comfortable comedown.
We carefully examined 508 pages of scientific research to find out exactly what should and shouldn’t be in a pre-workout supplement.
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While these types of chemicals may not be as dangerous as some people claim, studies suggest that regular consumption of them may indeed be harmful to our health. And that’s why we don’t put any of them into our products.
Before you buy a sports supplement, you should know that it's clean, safe, and transparent. And that's exactly what Labdoor's third-party testing and certification means.
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Analyzed for purity and potency in a state-of-the-art ISO 17025 accredited lab by Labdoor™, the gold standard of third-party lab testing.
Analyzed for purity and potency in a state-of-the-art ISO 17025 accredited lab, the gold standard of third-party lab testing.
This product doesn’t just “contain natural ingredients”—every ingredient is naturally sourced from plants and animals. This product contains no artificial or synthetic sweeteners or flavors of any kind.
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