If you entered the article in order to find an inspirational story for your next change, you are definitely in the right place. You are welcome to read about the story of the British Mark Watson, who underwent a change that can be defined as crazy at the very least.
Watson has always been experienced with strength training, but every time he tried to undergo some kind of physical transformation, it amounted to a four-month trial at most, after which he was back to square one fairly quickly.
When he reached his peak weight, which at the time was 89 kg, he already felt slow, heavy and insecure. He realized that to achieve real change he had to seek help, and he found himself signed up to a London gym chain that provides customized personal trainers.
It won’t work without proper nutrition
His next step was to improve his diet, as he would usually skip breakfast (and often lunch as well), then return home starving, down a couple of beers, and order some fast food delivery for himself.
From that point in his life, he stopped skipping meals, made sure to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner and also added a protein snack or protein shake to his daily menu after his workout. Because he made sure to eat every four hours, he rarely felt hungry.
In this regard, Watson testifies to himself that he has always known how he should eat correctly to reach his goal, but for some reason, he never implemented it. According to him, what helped him the most was to prepare all the meals in advance and then freeze them, so that he had no reason to skip meals or order food from outside.
“I really enjoyed the food I prepared for myself,” said Watson, “I chose good sources of protein and fat, such as fish, ground beef, guacamole and eggs. At the same time, I completely gave up drinking alcohol.”
The new training routine
Watson trained four times a week for the first three months, and has since increased the frequency to five times a week. He repeats again and again the importance of the professional guidance of a close coach, and adds that there are small changes that only coaches can notice (and they are of enormous importance). In addition, he says that his coach helped him change his entire thinking, and brought him to the right place for success.
If at this point you think that a significant part of Watson’s training included aerobics, the real answer is that they were hardly present in his training routine. According to him, he did not need them at all due to his rapid progress.
The big secret: walking every day
Watson testifies to his big secret to success: “I have to say that the biggest change in my lifestyle, and the one that provided the most tangible results, was adding walks to my daily routine.
“In the beginning I aimed for 12,000 to 15,000 steps a day and this required the purchase of quite a bit of winter clothing and equipment due to the weather in the mornings and evenings in England. I would get off the subway a few stops before the station I was supposed to get off at, and walking became part of the routine. Towards the end of the process I went through, I was already close to 20,000 steps a day.”
The latter added: “Walking burns calories, but going out into nature every day, especially first thing in the morning, was the biggest positive change for my psyche (Watson suffers from bipolar disorder S.L.). I really recommend it.”
Results gentlemen, results…
The process took a total of 23 weeks, with a five-week “vacation” in the middle where Watson didn’t follow his diet, “I think it helped me mentally to stay with the process.”
He lost a total of 24 kilograms, but notice the following crazy figure: from 34.8 percent body fat he dropped to only 7.1 percent body fat. To maintain this result (as much as possible) he consulted a professional coach who guided him on how to drive in the future.
“I came out of it with much more confidence, more energy and improved concentration. My mental health has improved a lot, which is extremely important given my mental state,” Watson said. “Almost everyone was shocked and very flattered. I went from a state of obesity and an unhealthy state of health to the state I am in now.”
And there are also a few words to end: “To all those who are trying to get in shape, I say: get help. You don’t have to do it alone, and you can learn a lot accompanied by a skilled professional.”
pay attention – Everything mentioned in this article is for enrichment only. Before you choose a training program or a diet of one kind or another, you must consult with a qualified person who will adapt your training to your current state of health and fitness.
The writer Shi Lev edits the health and fitness section on the ONE website since it was launched in 2013. Basketball coach by training, gym instructor and certified TRX trainer.
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Originally published on Men’sHealth