"I have never had this much confidence. I look for a reason to take my shirt off now hahaha."
Robert's Progress
Before
Before
12 Months
12 Months
After
How many months’ progress do your pictures represent? What were your stats for each picture?
Weight was 245 to 185 lbs, approx 11% body fat.
What has happened so far on the program?
I didn’t really keep track of the time for my cutting and bulking cycles in the beginning, or my measurements, and as of recently I haven’t been able to bulk because of the pandemic and the inconsistencies in being able to go to the gym, so I either cut or maintain for the most part. Even when I was bulking I wasn’t making significant gains. This year 2021 I made the most significant gains though when I started on the carnivore diet.
Deadlift went from 300 lbs to 350 lbs ( conventional ) and trap bar was 380 lbs. Bench press is not my strong suit, for whatever reason my shoulders hurt as soon as I pick up 200 lbs. But I did start doing them more often to see if that pain would improve and it did! I managed to reach 260 lbs for 6reps so I can confidently say my PR is probably in the realm of 280 lbs.
Military press, 180 lbs PR, and squat, well my knee is a bit fucked up these days, almost for a year to the day. But I tapped out at 250 lbs, that’s ass to grass squatting. In total, my weight loss was 66 lbs, from 245 to 179 lbs. But I found myself a little week at 179 lbs, so I bulked to keep myself at 185 lbs-190 lbs. I lost all that weight from 2018-2019.
Ever since I have just been sculpting my body to what it is today. I may not follow the cycling recommended in the books I have read by Mike but beyond that, I have followed his instruction to the letter.
What workout split from the book did you use?
I started on the 5day split from Bigger Leaner Stronger. I have recently switched to the 4-day split, and just combined the accessory day into the 4 days I am working out. I found that 3 days rest allowed me to feel not to the rundown, especially when I am on the road working.
What, if anything, almost kept you from buying the book or starting the program?
To be honest I don’t have any real answer for this. I had tons of questions and googling always came up with inconsistent answers. I stumbled across Mike’s podcast once on a Greyhound bus from Whistler BC to Vancouver Airport on my return home to Newfoundland from work. Every topic of his podcast was the topic of questions I had. I bet on the 2-hour ride I downloaded 20 podcasts, started listening and taking notes.
Mike would always promote the book so I bought it that day as well. I didn’t get through all the podcasts but the book had every answer I needed and I carried that book with me everywhere I went across Canada in case I needed a reference. I of course read it front to back and it revolutionized how I worked out. For me there was no doubt about the book once I listened to one podcast, I was sold immediately and for good reason, and one reason only… have you looked at Mike? Haha
What do you like most about the program?
The results were immediately noticeable. Prior to buying the book, I was like every other meathead in the gym. Overtraining and spending 2.5hr, 6 days a week in the gym and getting nowhere. So following the program that allowed me to spend only 1hr in the gym and make the gains that I have was easy!
How does this program compare with others you’ve tried?
Well considering I was only ever on my own program for exercise, I’d say there is no comparison. As for dieting I had already had a good grasp on that. I did read a book on counting macros, I forget the name of it but I tossed the book, it pretty much just taught me if I wanted to be shredded I had to start in counting macros and slowly ween myself off carbs ’til I was pretty much in ketosis, which is bullshit.
I even wrote the author an email telling him how underwhelmed I was with his literature and that he was wrong. Mike’s book really just validated what I had already learned about dieting, and also taught me how to set my daily caloric goals for the day more accurately. The book I guess offered a small course correction in this regard.
How has what you’ve achieved with your body changed other areas of your life?
ALL OF THE ABOVE! I have never had this much confidence. I look for a reason to take my shirt off now hahaha.
Who would you recommend this program to and why?
I recommend it to anyone who will listen to me. It’s like my Bible and I am the preacher, spreading the good word of Mike Mathews haha.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
All I can say is weight loss takes time and discipline. Stick with it, hold yourself accountable, and don’t get discouraged because you have been working at it for a month and see little progress. You didn’t become overweight overnight and you won’t get lean overnight either. It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle and you need to accept that. Stick with, count your macros, eat only healthy food, and once your insulin resistance comes down then you will start making good progress.
Don’t do it for anyone else but yourself. And if you are someone who was like me who found happiness in eating bad food, find another happy zone. Lock your inner fat kid in a cage and don’t let him out and if you do decide to let him/her out for a day to cheat make sure you lock it in again. Keep that fucker on a leash. If I can do it, anyone can do it.
Did you use any Legion supplements?
I have never bought supplements from Legion. I use only 3 and I am will begin to source only one from Legion since I read Beyond Bigger Leaner Stronger. That is collagen and maybe the omega 3 supplement. Besides collagen, I use vitamin D and a desiccated beef organ supplement. I find it a much better multivitamin that is far more bioavailable and it also coincides with my carnivore diet as well.
