01 / His starting point
Breaking the cycle of short-lived attempts.
Approaching 40, Marc had watched his weight increase after college as a desk job reduced his daily activity. Running, paleo eating and CrossFit had each become short-lived attempts that did not give him the progress he wanted.
He wanted to feel better about his appearance and physical capabilities, but also needed an approach that survived real life. A two-week honeymoon in Morocco and Portugal and monthly work trips were important obstacles to plan for from the beginning.
02 / Training & travel
Progress the training. Plan for the trips.
The first phase used three progressive full-body sessions weekly for about a month and a half. The next two and a half months moved to a four-day upper/lower split, guided by his training response and the amount of work he could recover from.
Travel was part of the plan. Fifteen-minute hotel workouts helped maintain a routine away from home. Marc later described regular sessions of less than 30 minutes, three to four times a week, alongside a varied diet.
Phase 1 · Full-body training| Exercise | Recorded strength change |
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| Split squat | +114% |
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| Bench press | +238% |
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| Staggered B-stance deadlift | +23% |
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| Overhead pulldown | +30% |
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Phase 2 · Upper/lower split| Exercise | Recorded strength change |
|---|
| Reverse lunge | +56% |
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| B-stance deadlift | +21% |
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| Incline press | +38% |
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| Kneeling mid row | +90% |
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| Seated shoulder press | +47% |
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These percentage changes were recorded on Marc’s Tonal machine and reflect that device’s measurements.
03 / Nutrition & tracking
Simple portions. Useful feedback.
Photo food journaling and hand-measured portions provided an initial nutrition audit. On some days without strength training, rucking supplemented his daily steps.
- Training records and photo food journal
- Daily weight and average steps
- Average nightly sleep
- Weekly alcohol consumption
- Monthly circumference measurements and progress photos
04 / The wider result
A smaller waist. More energy for everyday life.
Marc reported losing 25 pounds and six inches from his abdomen, then continuing to make progress after coaching. He noticed more energy and less effort getting himself into activities, from hikes to ordinary chores.
The mindset work also mattered. Connecting his goals to the life he wanted in five, ten and thirty years gave him a reason to keep going. He was surprised to see progress without feeling constantly exhausted, sore or restricted. Fitness became a way to support the lifestyle he wanted.
