Weight Loss: Abs Diet Contest Winner at Menshealth.com

Name: Blake Williams

Home: Elk Grove Village, IL

Age: 35

Height: 6'0"

Job: Military defense contractor

Weight before: 197 lb

Weight after: 181 lb

THE GAIN
While his wife was pregnant, Williams gained sympathy weight. "She was eating for two, so I felt it was only fair that I did, too," he says. But he kept chowing even after the baby came: pizza, grilled cheese, ice cream. For lunch at work, he opted for the hot entree with mashed potatoes and gravy, pie for dessert. A back injury limited his weight training, and his treadmill broke. "I was self-conscious about the gut I now had," he says.

THE CHANGE
Williams saw the Abs Diet Contest on MensHealth.com. "I thought, Yeah, right! Only models have abs like that," he says. "But I do love a challenge." So he bought the Abs Diet book and subscribed to the diet online . "It's like having a trainer, because it tells you every meal, every snack, every workout," he says. Williams did cardio workouts for about 40 minutes every other day and circuit training 3 days a week. He swapped Snickers bars and sweet rolls for Abs Diet powerfoods. Today, with 7 percent body fat, he's leaner than he was in college.

THE LIFESTYLE
Williams packs a lunch for work, usually a turkey wrap or a chicken breast with brown rice. Dinner is grilled fish and vegetables. Instead of dessert, he drinks a protein shake to curb his appetite and satisfy his sugar craving. The six meals he eats every day keep his metabolism burning and quash junk-food urges.

THE REWARD
A six-pack--and a new ride to show it off in. Williams won the 2005 Ford Mustang shown above after being voted a semifinalist by Men's Health readers and selected by our editors. "Years ago, I tried Hydroxycut and creatine," he says. "But I never experienced fat loss and muscle gain like this--the natural way."

 

BLAKE'S TIPS

Take pictures. "I needed a goal in sight. The idea of taking before-and-after photos gave me a reason to improve."

Set an example. "My 6-year-old son watches me, and he wants to be like me. I had to go out and buy him 3-pound dumbbells, because he wants to work out with me."

Go to the Web. "All I had to do was follow the Abs Diet Online Trainer ; it's like an instruction manual. I didn't even have to think--I just printed out workouts and shopping lists."

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