Could the average joe pull this off in 8 weeks?

dave_in_ni
dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
edited November 26 in Health and Weight Loss
So I came across this article today. https://www.menshealth.com.au/james-stewart-home-and-away-weight-loss-transformation This is James Stewart an Australian soap star.

I have the same sort of build as this guy a "dad bod" I am lighter at 78kg but higher BF at 18% and also younger at 37. I have just started cutting again this week after maintaining my weight for the past 2 years and this article has inspired me. I workout 5 days per week lifting weights on PPL routine. I have been lifting weights for a few years but because of the body fat %, you don't really notice it, a bit like this guy in his before picture.

Could the average Joe pull it off? Obviously, I am already weighing and tracking everything on here, doing all the usual stuff, in a 25% deficit, 0.8/1gram protein etc. I plan on including a couple of HIIT static bike routines, I already get 30 mins per day cardio from walking.

Replies

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited May 2018
    i'm gonna be upfront... i didn't read your whole post i just looked at the guys photos on the article and am responding to your topic question.

    yes. This is not an impressive transformation, especially given his "before" physique. Assuming you have as much muscle mass as him and only need to shed body fat i don't see why this would be that difficult.

  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    If you can afford to take 8 weeks off, Stack test, work out like you're getting paid to, and meal prep like your life depends on it, maybe.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    If you can afford to take 8 weeks off, Stack test, work out like you're getting paid to, and meal prep like your life depends on it, maybe.

    tbh though i would expect him to look more impressive if he went on a full stack. his after physique looks identical to about 15 average joes in my local gym. =/
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    i'm gonna be upfront... i didn't read your whole post i just looked at the guys photos on the article and am responding to your topic question.

    yes. This is not an impressive transformation, especially given his "before" physique. Assuming you have as much muscle mass as him and only need to shed body fat i don't see why this would be that difficult.

    Also, make sure that your before picture you slump your shoulders down and forward and push your belly out while relaxing your abs.

    and also have higher exposure so that you have less definition. :D
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    If you can afford to take 8 weeks off, Stack test, work out like you're getting paid to, and meal prep like your life depends on it, maybe.

    tbh though i would expect him to look more impressive if he went on a full stack. his after physique looks identical to about 15 average joes in my local gym. =/

    Yeah, I went and looked at the article after. No need for test. Probably don't need 8 weeks.
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    Can I ask what "Stack" is?
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    i'm gonna be upfront... i didn't read your whole post i just looked at the guys photos on the article and am responding to your topic question.

    yes. This is not an impressive transformation, especially given his "before" physique. Assuming you have as much muscle mass as him and only need to shed body fat i don't see why this would be that difficult.

    Also, make sure that your before picture you slump your shoulders down and forward and push your belly out while relaxing your abs.

    and also have higher exposure so that you have less definition. :D

    There's a reddit or a thread here on MFP of folks doing 5 minute transformations with similar physiques. I did a quick search and couldn't find it.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    Y'all apparently don't know the same average Joes that I do. :) Really sticking to a program for 8 weeks is something most people will fail at completing or won't put enough effort into it to get results.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited May 2018
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    i'm gonna be upfront... i didn't read your whole post i just looked at the guys photos on the article and am responding to your topic question.

    yes. This is not an impressive transformation, especially given his "before" physique. Assuming you have as much muscle mass as him and only need to shed body fat i don't see why this would be that difficult.

    Also, make sure that your before picture you slump your shoulders down and forward and push your belly out while relaxing your abs.

    and also have higher exposure so that you have less definition. :D

    There's a reddit or a thread here on MFP of folks doing 5 minute transformations with similar physiques. I did a quick search and couldn't find it.

    good to know we were on the same page, i was already looking for one of those photos. XD
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    Can I ask what "Stack" is?

    Steroids.
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I'm sorry if it seems like we're *kitten* on the article you posted OP, i just want to mention that his "transformation" seems to be more about lighting, posture, water manipulation, and moderate fat loss than anything else.

    Here's a 10 second transformation to highlight what i'm talking about and why his before/after aren't impressive.
    cd329cf43b92c4bde5f1437041b97cd7.jpg

    Now if you posted a photo of yourself and set realistic body fat reduction goals based on your own physique it'd be easier to tell you what is/is not reasonable.

    Ah yes OK
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    OP why are you on a 25% deficit?

    You don't have the weight to lose for that steep a deficit?
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited May 2018
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    This is the best before and after explanation ever.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M957dACQyfU

    This is priceless!!!! :smiley:

    eta: he could have gone the baby oil route rather than the PAM spray.
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    OP why are you on a 25% deficit?

    You don't have the weight to lose for that steep a deficit?

    Read about it in an article by Mike Matthews
    https://www.muscleforlife.com/rapid-weight-loss/
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    OP why are you on a 25% deficit?

    You don't have the weight to lose for that steep a deficit?

    Read about it in an article by Mike Matthews
    https://www.muscleforlife.com/rapid-weight-loss/

    I stopped reading when the study used professional athletes...
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    OP why are you on a 25% deficit?

    You don't have the weight to lose for that steep a deficit?

    Read about it in an article by Mike Matthews
    https://www.muscleforlife.com/rapid-weight-loss/

    I stopped reading when the study used professional athletes...

    Mikes one of the few guys I trust in health and fitness.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    OP why are you on a 25% deficit?

    You don't have the weight to lose for that steep a deficit?

    Read about it in an article by Mike Matthews
    https://www.muscleforlife.com/rapid-weight-loss/

    I stopped reading when the study used professional athletes...

    Mikes one of the few guys I trust in health and fitness.

    That's fair enough. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

    You're only at 25% deficit for 4 weeks then?
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    OP why are you on a 25% deficit?

    You don't have the weight to lose for that steep a deficit?

    Read about it in an article by Mike Matthews
    https://www.muscleforlife.com/rapid-weight-loss/

    I stopped reading when the study used professional athletes...

    Mikes one of the few guys I trust in health and fitness.

    That's fair enough. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

    You're only at 25% deficit for 4 weeks then?

    My plan was start of aggressive to get the ball rolling then gradually increase.
  • pinggolfer96
    pinggolfer96 Posts: 2,248 Member
    This transformation isn’t even that impressive. It’s a simple 2 month cut
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    OP why are you on a 25% deficit?

    You don't have the weight to lose for that steep a deficit?

    Read about it in an article by Mike Matthews
    https://www.muscleforlife.com/rapid-weight-loss/

    So IIRC, you lost most of your weight previously via a very large caloric deficit, despite many people here repeatedly recommending against such a steep deficit and explaining that it could result in the loss of a lot of lean body mass/muscle.

    Then recently, you posted that you weren't happy with your body composition results after losing all that weight, because you lost a bunch of muscle in the process.

    So now you're going to fix it by <drum roll> losing weight via a very large caloric deficit.

    Seems legit.

    is it time for the flogging a dead horse gif!? :huh:
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