We’ve covered a lot of weight loss journeys here at DMARGE — from Daniel Radcliffe getting ripped to the ‘World’s Fattest Man’ turning everything around, we’ve reported on them all. None of these body transformations, however, have so profoundly shown the impact of this one very underrated gym hack…
The forty-two-year-old Redditor — who goes by the username u/stee1e — posted progress pictures to the site’s dedicated subreddit, revealing a massive 23kg weight loss achieved, quite incredibly, in only a single year. But how exactly did he get here and what can we learn from his journey?
WATCH: Post Malone Tells Joe Rogan “Coke” Is The Secret Behind His 30kg Body Transformation.
Cut, Cut, Cut
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.
This Reddit poster took this brief very seriously, deciding to totally quite sweet treats for the year and hopefully, for the following four…
“1 year. Zero alcohol, chocolate, soda, biscuits, cake, crisps, etc. I was very strict on this, as a life long binge eater just saying no to everything all the time really helped. Having no treats at all made life simpler. I am going to keep my diet like this. I had 42 years of excessive chocolate etc. I can go without it all for 5 years (that’s the plan).”
u/stee1e
But nutrition alone does not make a Greek-God physique. The workout regime is pretty important too…
The Workout Hack
And this is where this poster really proves his worth, identifying and sticking to a hugely underrated workout hack that has led to him having one of the best six-packs we’ve ever seen on a man in his forties.
In recent years, abdominal training has got something of a bad rep in the bodybuilding community, with lifters championing the power of big compound lifts like squats, bench presses, and the like providing enough secondary work on the abdominals to negate the need to train them in isolation.
M/42/176CM[100-77KG] 1 YEAR WEIGHT LOSS
byu/stee1e inprogresspics
While there’s a great deal of truth in this and, should you be strapped for time, I’d always recommend focusing on compounds rather than ab work, this poster showcases a different perspective. When asked whether he trains core, the poster had this to say…
“Every other day I do the following after a push or pull routine: ab wheel 3×1, plank 3x1min, lying leg raise 3×15, Superman 3×5, side plank 6x1min, weighted Russian twist 3×26, leg raise with hold and twist 3×10… it’s brutal but I have started to enjoy it now that I can see the results.”
u/stee1e
So, if you’re looking to get your shred on in 2024 (I know I am…) then don’t sleep on the ab work. It may get a bad rep from some, but for this middle-aged Welshman it’s made a world of difference, and we couldn’t be happier for him.