I’M NOT A total stranger to fitness. I used to run and mountain bike for fun, but I was always exhausted after long sessions.
Exhaustion was a theme for me: I was always tired, mentally and physically, especially after work and into the evenings. Weekends were the same; I felt like I ran out of steam, and I’d end up plopped on the sofa for the evening. Mentally I just wasn’t as sharp as I should have been, and wasn’t on top of things.
I’d tried for years to get fit, but I was always too lethargic to do it properly. I saw some transformations that really inspired me to do it right, though. I knew that if I wanted to have what those people had, I needed help. That’s why I joined Ultimate Performance London St Paul’s.
How I Transformed My Diet
Being from a Mediterranean background, my diet wasn’t terrible, but I consumed too much sugar and wheat and bread. I wasn’t eating the right amount of “good fats,’’ for example, and regularly ate too much.
So my day might start with cereal for breakfast. Then a sandwich for lunch and some fruit along the way. I’d eat chips and cookies throughout the day, and I was always picking at some sort of snack while sitting in my office. Dinner wasn’t necessarily unhealthy, but I’d often stuff myself, and then continue to snack afterward with a dessert or cheese.
Having a plan helped me structure my diet and balance carbs, fats, protein, and so on. Like a lot of people, I had some misconceptions about healthy eating—things like “low carbs means instant weight loss,” when, actually, you need carbs for energy.
Now I can have a mid-morning snack of yogurt with some protein and blueberries, and it is so much more fulfilling.
How I Transformed My Fitness
My gym training was fundamental resistance training using free weights and normal gym equipment, twice a week with my trainer. I’d train on my own once a week, too.
I had used weights before, but not regularly, and I quickly realized how much I had to learn about form and focus. There’s no hidden secret other than putting in the work, but my trainer would always remind me “one at a time,” if I started struggling with a rep. I learned to take my time and get more out of each rep, instead of trying to throw the weights around the gym.
My trainer’s attention to detail kept me from getting injured while maximizing the benefit I got from each exercise. He was an incredible motivator, coach, and mentor, as well as a friend (even when I messaged him late at night). He reminded me to sleep well and take care of myself. I had a three-hour round-trip commute each time I went to the gym, and I’d spend that reflecting on my training and what I’d learned.
The Benefits
In 16 weeks I cut my body fat percentage in half, from 20 percent down to around 10 percent. I’d started at 152 pounds and dropped to 127 pounds. You can really see the difference in the before-and-after photos—people were stunned when I showed them.
I’m fitter, stronger, and faster than ever before. I wasn’t this fit 30 years ago; I feel like I’m in my prime now.
The construction industry is a high-pressure environment with long hours. It can really consume your life and sap your energy. After my transformation, I feel like a human dynamo; I’m not tired like I used to be, and I feel sharp and ready to deal with the everyday pressures of work.
It took a lot of teamwork to get me this far, with my trainer keeping me on the path with training and meal planning, drinking plenty of water, and getting in my steps. I couldn’t have done this without help.
Jesse Hicks is a Detroit-based writer and former features editor at The Verge who specializes in longform stories about science, health, and technology. He has written for Men’s Health, VICE, Harper’s, and many other publications.
