TNT Diet: Weight Loss Plan Results  

SHAPE UP BY SUMMERWe're looking for five guys willing to dedicate 5 weeks to building a better body. We'll supply the trainer; you supply the sweat!  Enter here...

 

On January 8th, we started featuring five Men's Health readers as they strived to transform their bodies in just a few weeks. Under the guidance of Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S. and author of Turbulence Training, our Fit Five were given specialized plans for building muscle and achieving their goals in 2007. They've been blogging every step of the way and now -- five weeks in -- it's time to check our progress.

 

So how have we done? We've lost some pounds, facial hair, time off of our 10K, and some love handles. We've also almost lost our lunch over some V-8. Heady losses, indeed. But maybe it's best to judge what we've gained so far: energy, muscle, stamina, confidence. Even better, there's now a living, breathing online community rallying each other to make this the year they get in shape. You can join, too. It's not too late: Follow the workout plans, the advice of Craig Ballantyne, and the Transformation nutritional guidelines. We've laid it all out for you… even the motivation. You just need to take the plunge.

 

JEFF JANOVETZ

Been tethered to a desk job for far too long? Jeff, all 6'3" and 315 pounds of him, has been working as a web developer for the last 10 years. Follow Jeff's story as he sheds fat, chisels muscle, and rebuilds his body.

Read Jeff's blog here...

Jeff's Transformation Training Plan...

 

 

Week 3 Update:

"I'm on fire today. I'm feeling stronger, somehow. When I walk, I can feel my calves ... like I know they're there. That probably doesn't make any sense. The way I see it, I've come through the first  "doubt-storm".  I now know that it was inevitable ... and I'm sure there will be more. It's like quitting smoking: There will be relapses, just don't let them turn into reruns. The fact that I went weeks -- all hardcore -- without tripping my own self up is pretty okay in my book. Today, I am tempered steel. I'm down 5 lbs. but with me that's just a drop in a bucket.  The pictures don't look all that different -- though personally, I can tell that construction has started on some new gun-emplacements on my upper arms. Heh."

 

Week 5 Update:

"A lot has changed in the last five weeks - I've lost 15 pounds.  When I look at myself in the mirror, I'm starting to like what I see. I don't know how well that's coming through on the pictures but the difference it quite evident for me.  Now I'm in the habit of working out - I've even gotten really good about getting my workouts in no matter what ... usually."

 

The Trainer's Take:

"You have to hand it to Jeff, a single father in charge of meals for not only himself, but his kids. How does a guy eat healthy without his kids turning on him for making them eat healthy meals too? Well, somehow Jeff did it (which shouldn't surprise us, if you've read any of his blog posts Jeff sounds like one of those cool, laid-back guys that you could always count on -- so I'm sure he explained the situation to his kids and had them "buy in" to the program). And Jeff showed big-time dedication. Who do you know who goes back to the gym later at night after trying earlier in the day and finding it was too busy? No one! But Jeff that is! It's no surprise that he lost as much fat as he did...nothing was going to stand in his way."

 

CHUCK SCHNEIDER

Have you had an extra forty pounds creep up on you? A year and a half ago, Chuck moved from St. Louis to Texas and immediately ballooned. This is his attempt to get back to a beach-ready body.

Read Chuck's blog here...

Chuck's Transformation Training Plan...

 

 

Week 3 Update:

"Everything is going so well, I almost forgot I was doing this thing. It has become second nature. Everything has become a habit; going to the gym, eating nutritious food, eating 5-6 times a day, everything. I am loving this. I have lost 10 pounds, and have seen a significant difference in the way my clothes fit. My chest is more defined, my stomach is smaller. If you look hard, you can start to see some stomach muscles poking through. I am on such a high right now, you cannot believe it. Talk about motivation. If you are following these blogs, but have not yet started your transformation…start. In just two weeks, you will be on cloud nine just like I am right now. I still have three weeks and I can see significant progress already…imagine in three weeks." 

 

Week 5 Update:

I've lost 15 pounds, but the dramatic thing has been an increase in muscle mass. My calves have defined muscle, I've lost the man boobs, and my arms are bigger -- but not flabby. You can even see my stomach muscles. How did someone like me, with a lust for McDonald's cheeseburgers, do it? A lot had to do with a change in mindset. You all really encouraged me and -- trust me -- that's big, because I don't have the greatest will power. My mouth is watering now just thinking of a cheeseburger. What am I going to do, moving forward? Good question. I am keeping to the routine -- my goal is still to get to 200 lbs.  I'm going to hit that weight."

 

The Trainer's Take:

"Chuck's our party boy, and if you have temptations in your life, Chuck should be your role model. Only 30 years old with a beautiful wife and crazy social life, Chuck managed to resist the temptation of cheeseburgers, booze,  and travel meals to lose almost 15 pounds in only 5 weeks. If you need inspiration on how to eat right on the road or when your weakness is cheeseburgers, re-read Chuck's blog and see how the man-with-the-plan pulled off this incredible transformation. Happy Birthday, Chuck!"

 

JOHN NIX

How do you usher in your 40's? For John, age 42, the goal was to stay fit and run a 10K in under 60-minutes. Here's his plan for sculpting muscle, speeding up, and making this his healthiest year ever.

Read John's blog here...

John's Transformation Training Plan...

 

 

Week 3 Update:

"You've caught me smack in the middle of a transition to a new company and the stress level has been pushed up a notch.  Nevertheless, logged in 5 days at the gym this week with some excellent results-producing workouts.  I've made it down to 185.4 lbs now [from 191lbs]. I've been increasing my water intake probably 200%. There's been a complete replacement of my coffee intake with green tea. These have been some pretty big shifts in my daily routine and are becoming natural habits. Closing in on that 60m mark!"

 

Week 5 Update:

"I cut down around 10-12 pounds in the five weeks of the program while adding some lean muscle as well.  The nutritional guidelines and exercise strategies offered by Craig have been outstanding. I even got within 10min of my 60min goal, so the tight calf didn't hold me back to bad! The lifestyle teachings of the program have been enduring and life-changing!"

 

Blood Numbers:                                                                                         

               Before                  After 

Cholesterol

140

107

Triglycerides

58

14

HDL

45

37

LDL

83

67

Chol/HDL ratio

3.11

2.89

 

The Trainer's Take:

"John was our slow-and-steady, quiet but successful Transformation guy. When he wasn't showing us some damn good-looking dinners that he had prepared, or training to bring his 10k down, John was also dealing with a stressful job change...and yet he still managed to change his lifestyle and shed 10 pounds of fat. Plus, his dad is on a healthier lifestyle as well. Keep up the great work, John!"

 

KYE RICHTER

As a police officer who's one of the skinniest cops on a force of 121 officers, Kye works 16-plus hours a day, 6 days a week, and has no energy while on duty. His goal? Simple: Go from scrawny (6' 2", 165 lbs) to brawny. 

Read Kye's blog here...

Kye's Transformation Training Plan...

 

 

Week 3 Update:

"This was a definitely a set back...but I plan to get back on track. I had been eating quite a bit, but the last two days have been off days -- especially when I was sick. I couldn't hold anything down, not even water. I'm feeling better now and can't wait to get back at it. I'm slightly worried that this set back will affect my progress. I found out I burn 3999 calories a day (on workout days)...no wonder it is so hard to gain weight/mass. I truly do need to eat 5000 calories a day! This definitely motivates me to eat more -- now! Time to eat."

 

Week 5 Update:

"This program has allowed me to time-manage my life. I have realized that work is not number two any more -- my health is. To be able to succeed, you have to be able to stay motivated and maintain a high level of self-confidence. Over the past 5 weeks, I have experienced highs and lows. I discovered when I have high self-confidence, nothing but the sky was the limits. My weight has gone from 160lbs to 168lbs. Pullups have risen to 20 from 10. 1-2 meals a day has been replaced by 5-6 meals a day with over 4500 calories a day. This is the end of the MH Transformation program, but it’s only the beginning of a NEW Kye."

Blood Numbers:                                                                                         

               Before                  After 

Cholesterol

192

190

Triglycerides

191

n/a

HDL

49

52

LDL

117

115

Chol/HDL ratio

4.57

3.65

The Trainer’s Take:

"Considering everything that Kye went through (from a near death experience with a food allergy to sickness that kept him from eating to a job that often requires him to work 16-hour days protecting us from the bad guys!), Kye did an amazing job at gaining muscle without fat over the course of the 5 weeks. The secret to his success? His discipline in the eating department. Most of us don't realize how hard it is for some guys to gain weight. In  fact, sometimes the eating component of weight gain is harder than the training component! No matter what your goal, fat loss or muscle gain, if you have to get it right in the kitchen and in your training. Kye showed every "hardgainer" out there that if he can do it, they can do it."

 

CHRIS LONG

If squeezing in enough time to work out is your problem, Chris Long can relate. He's a 34-year-old attorney living in Manhattan, working 11 hours a day, and commuting each way. He came to us looking for maximum muscle in minimum time.

Read Chris's blog here...

Chris's Transformation Training Plan...

 

 

Week 3 Update:

"Soccer today, and I played the whole game. I definitely got winded, but I felt good playing.  A couple of the young guys were pretty gassed by the end of the game, and one guy -- twelve years younger than I am -- told me that I'm in way better shape than he is. Breakfast today? Five strips of turkey bacon, and a bowl of bulgur wheat smothered in red beans (leftovers from my red beans and rice recipe this past week). Time for green tea, fish oil, and lots of water. All the soreness that was racking my body for the first week and half is gone. I feel fresh…coursing with energy."

 

Week 5 Update:

"I weighed  in at 180 lbs -- that's 6 pounds lighter than I was. I've made definite gains in strength; I think I look thicker, too. When I started this program I was giddy for massive gains in size. Who was I kidding? People don't magically grow muscles in five weeks no matter how much working out they do. But...there are noticeable, measurable differences that I notice today compared to the beginning. I have more energy. I feel better. My belt goes one hole tighter now. My wife says the little-wee-bittie spare tire that I had begun to develop and nourish is gone, and my friends say I look thinner in my face.  I'm a lot stronger than I was five weeks ago."

 

Blood Numbers:                                                                                         

               Before                  After 

Cholesterol

160

147

Triglycerides

n/a

80

HDL

27

40

LDL

97

91

Chol/HDL ratio

5.92

3.68

The Trainer's Take:
"Our big-city lawyer that hated Saturday afternoon exercise is now a convert to training with fun, unconventional workouts that get more results in less time. Chris was another one of our guys that showed an extraordinary level of commitment...resisting football snacks while watching his Colts go-all-the-way, playing soccer in the freezing cold, and getting up at 6am to finish his workouts. So no matter how hard of a time his friends gave him for doing this, Chris was a big-time success in our book - and in terms of health too...Chris increased his HDL (good cholesterol) and decreased his bad cholesterol (LDL)."

 

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