Haven’t done client updates in a while, so here goes. See all client updates and testimonials on this site by clicking here and here.
John
John lost significant amounts of body fat and gained strength in 12 weeks.
Its wierd, it almost looks like I have gotten bigger since doing this diet with you. Also, in the last few weeks, my arms and shoulders are veinier. I started the diet at 202 and I was benching 225 for sets of 6. At 182, I am doing 245 for sets of 5.
John
Mary
Mary is a work in progress, as I’m prepping her for a competition in April. Here’s a few teaser pics.
Mary’s doing a back specialization program, to better balance out her upper body with her lower body. She reports noticeable lat growth, which is awesome considering she’s also lost fat.
Robert
Robert is another work in progress. So far, he’s been doing great, showing rapid fat loss of 36 lbs in 10 week, while simultaneously gaining strength (no newbie gains).
Brad
56-year old Brad Reid, world record holder in the strict curl (242 lb class, 55-59) and the son of strongman legend Jack Reid, is a fan of Leangains and has been using my approach with great success. Brad is, without a doubt, my strongest client ever. He’s currently training for a one arm chin.
Brad, about his father.
I worked with Brad a while ago and recently touched base with him to hear how he’s been doing since then.
Well, I had become an avid reader of your blog and consulted with you for the “particulars” of a diet regimen to help me along. To me, this was money well-spent.
What I have found is that after coming a bit back off my low bodyweight mark and settling in at around mid 230s, that I was able to drop to 228 to 229 lbs. using the IF techniques you recommended over a matter of a few months. The secret for me to dieting is finding a routine where I eliminate the condition of getting “hungry” or famished between meals, and enter a sort of state of being where I just become “empty.” Your IF regimen fits this criterion perfectly. Too, it meets the body’s apparent requirement to go from states of being fully sated to slightly and temporarily deprived, but managing it in a manner where full satisfaction can be achieved in the eating window.
I enjoy your IF routine and more important, I can live with it permanently. Of what possible value can any strict diet discipline be to anyone if it can’t be maintained, or if its side-effect is a feeling of starvation? These sorts of diets lead to failure and I don’t want to waste my time on diet or training ideas I can’t sustain.
Brad
Heidi
Heidi made very good progress in just 4 weeks – check out the radical improvements in the lower back/glute area. Heidi also increased her strength slightly.
I think the waist and backside is remarkable better. I like! I think the diet is great. I’m loosing fat almost without being any hungry, and I’ve got time to do other things then preparing five meals each day. In the beginning I thought it was a bit much food in each meal, but now it’s fine! And I’m always looking forward to the dinner on training days. Mm, potatoes….. 🙂 I have also learned to use vegetables as an own carb-source, according to pasta or rice that I always used before. This is something I will keep on doing, also when I’m done dieting. So that’s a new and good experience for me! The training is also fine. I like that it’s fairly quick training sessions, according to the West-side template I used before which took much more time. I think your services are good. You are giving good and quick feedbacks! 🙂
Heidi
Randy
50-year old Randy came to me with Chrons disease, which warranted a special diet setup with a minimum of starchy carb and a low carb intake in general. I put him on a high-fat diet, which turned out to work great, despite glycogen taxing Muay Thai sessions, and strength training on top of that. After 8 weeks with me, he was leaner, stronger and looked a helluva lot younger to boot.
I touched base with Randy to hear how he’s been doing since (we worked together back in October-December).
As far as diet, I am continuing the Leangains approach. This is actually very simple for me – I almost never have any cravings for food in the morning and I feel much better sleeping on an empty stomach than eating beforehand. I continue to work out hard with both strength training and muay thai and have lots of energy and feel strong.
Randy
Chris
Got word from one of my old clients about his progress recently.
The last pics I sent you were taken May 10th of last year. In those pics my waistline circumference measured 32 1/2″” (I think Chris was about 176-177 lbs in the above pic).
In these new pics my waistline circumference is 32″ even at a bodyweight of 178 lbs.
So he reduced his waist size while gaining weight, which indicates lean mass gains and fat loss. I was pleased to hear it. I should note Chris goals are more conditioning related, and not muscle gain per se.
I began the IF “fat loss” protocol on January 1st, following a great deal of holiday gluttony… my waistline on the morning of that day was 33 1/4″ (bodyweight 184 lbs). So I lost 6 pounds, an inch and 1/4 off my waistline in 30 days, and significant bodyfat in just 30 days. My LBM was monitored as per constant progression in my training (consistent strength gains in several lifts), training total body 3 days per week. Two of those sessions would be followed up with about 10 minutes of interval training (i.e., jump rope, sprints, etc.)
I’m very happy with the results. I’m taking a bit of a break from diet (as little as possible) since I will be traveling for a couple of days. But I plan to get back at it and continue another 4 week jaunt, hoping for another significant drop in bodyfat and increased conditioning before my 40th birthday hits this spring.
Chris
Tom
While most people want to lose fat primarily, Tom came to me wanting to put on quality muscle, first and foremost. That turned out to be a great plan, and he actually lost body fat in the process.
While his body weight remained unchanged at 148 lbs, he made the following strength gains in only 4 weeks (no newbie gains).
- Deadlift: 3 x 245 3 x 260
- Incline Bench: 5 x 120 5 x 145
- Chin-Ups: 12 x BW + 25 lbs. 8 x BW + 50 lbs.
- Squats: 5 x 165 5 x 210
- Dips: 12 x BW + 45 lbs. 10 x BW + 55 lbs.
- Pendlay Row: 5 x 95 5 x 135
- Incline Press: 5 x 80 5 x 105
The first thing that I noticed about LeanGains was a dramatic increase in strength. I am not a huge guy and I am not necessarily really strong, but after starting the program, adding weight to the bar seemed a lot easier. My strength took off after about a week, and as long as I stayed on the program, I continued. For example, in 4 weeks, I doubled the weight that I was hanging around my waist for chin-ups and pull-ups, and my arms and lats started to grow as a result. I began to notice that my stamina improved, my muscles grew, and my body began leaning out very noticeably. I loved going from a 6 meal a day program to just 3 meals. I thought I would be starving because I ate 6 meals a day for years, but I felt satiated after meals. Meal preparation was simple and I actually enjoyed what I was eating, especially after workouts. During the fasting period, my mind was more focused and I couldn’t wait to get into the gym, which kicked my motivation into overdrive. After just 4 weeks of LeanGains, I had someone comment on my physique and said I looked bigger and more ripped. I tried every program under the sun, and never heard that from anyone. I struggled in the gym for the past few years to get into shape and be healthy. After 4 weeks, Martin taught me more about how to feed my body and lift, than all the reading and researching I have done in the past few years. If you are hesitant to try using a nutritionist or another “bodybuilding program”, I can assure you that LeanGains is anything but a risk or another “program”. Martin has a wealth of knowledge and the program is tailored to each individual, unlike many other programs I tried. No matter what your goals are, LeanGains will get you there. I can not see ever using any other system again. I would recommend LeanGains to anyone who is ready to see results. After 4 weeks, I am sold for life. Thanks Martin!
Tom
(no pics available for the following)
Suleiman
Hi Martin, I just wanted to give you an update, I am not one for poses but here are some raw numbers. Following your diet plan I was able to enter a competition at 166lb and deadlift 418 (2.5xbw). I have lifted more in the distant past but not at that weight.
I also came first equal in my category.
http://tacticalstrengthchallenge.com/results/20080913_International.html
scroll down to Men’s Elite. I followed your diet to the letter but tweaked the training for the event.
Thanks again for your help.
Suleiman
Jeff
I’ve always been active and played a lot of sports, but family, work and a love for food caused me to gain 80 lbs over a four year time span. Been trying different diets throughout the years, but could never maintain them in the long run. With Martin’s help I finally have some hope, having dropped 35 lbs in 8 weeks. I sleep better, look better, aint hungry and have plenty of energy. Just a better person overall, plain and simple
Jeff (285 to 250 lbs in 8 weeks)
Tanya
Martin taught me that carbs aren’t evil and that less sometimes can be more. I can feel my clothes getting looser and I’m improving my performance on the benchmark sessions – while training less than I ever recall doing! I love the Leangains diet, and I love not having to force myself to the gym five times a week anymore. Thanks for straightening me out, and showing me a sane way to train and eat, Martin
Tanya, devoted CrossFitter.
