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Written by Michael Matthews
“I can now wear what I want and never have a doubt in my mind about looking good!”
How many months’ progress do your pictures represent? What were your stats for each picture?
I started The Year One Challenge For Men on March 23, 2016. The “before” pictures were taken the day of. The after pictures were taken today October 25th, 2017, so they are 19 months apart.
My starting weight was between 115 and 120 pounds and my body fat percentage was approx 7%. I was skin and bones! Today I’m currently at 157 pounds with a body fat percentage of 9%. This is currently where I like to keep my maintenance level.
What has happened so far on the program?
I bulked for the first 4 months of starting because I absolutely needed to add some meat to my bones. I ended up gaining almost 40 lbs in that timeframe, 4 months in and my life had already changed! My strength has literally doubled on the big 4 compound lifts and then some!
What workout split from the book did you use?
I started with the 5-day split hard and steady for the first 3 months, as I got stronger and my lifts skyrocketed I backed it off to the 3-day split to maximize my recovery and I have an optional 4th day on the weekend to hit my “lagging” muscles.
What, if anything, almost kept you from buying the book or starting the program?
I tried some “hard gainer” routines from random Joe Blow websites before I found Bigger Leaner Stronger. The day I found Bigger Leaner Stronger I was all in. Mike’s methods really are the top dog for anyone.
What do you like most about the program?
Other than the fact that I feel so knowledgeable in fitness now thanks to Mike, I absolutely love The Year One Challenge For Men book because it allows you to literally track all of your progress and as the days and weeks and months go by, you can flip back and check out how far you come.
It makes it fun and allows you to really set goals and aim to destroy those goals. The results come so fast that I was so pissed that I hadn’t found his book sooner, my strength gains in the first few weeks blew my mind!
How does this program compare with others you’ve tried?
I don’t think it’s fair to compare Mikes’s program to the other Joe Blow programs I tried first. Bigger Leaner Stronger literally sets you up with all of the knowledge you need in every single aspect of what your goals are.
None of the other programs offered that, it was all just cookie-cutter routines that didn’t work for me. Bigger Leaner Stronger made me feel like an expert before I even started the program, I was fired up and ready to go!
How has what you’ve achieved with your body changed other areas of your life?
It feels SO GOOD to finally fit into clothes and not have to wear baggy sweaters everywhere to hide my toothpick arms and ribs poking out. I can now wear what I want and never have a doubt in my mind about looking good, no more feeling self-conscious everywhere I go!
Who would you recommend this program to and why?
Everybody. If you want to lose weight, gain weight, tone up, maintain, whatever your needs Mike has you covered! If you read BLS I promise you will feel like an expert and full of confidence before even ever hitting a gym! The knowledge was key to starting out!
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
This program really is a NO B.S. program, I looked like skeleton my whole life and “tried” everything… The problem was, I had NO CLUE what I was actually doing. When I found Bigger Leaner Stronger I was instantly blown away at how little I really knew and then realized why I never had results before.
After reading it, my fitness journey, and all the goals I kept hitting over and over became second nature. Now it’s easy, as long as you have the drive to work hard.
Did you use any Legion supplements?
No. Unfortunately living in Canada is not the easiest option for me right now. I trust all the good things I see and read about them though and once they hit shelves here I absolutely will be buying them regularly.
Want to become a success story too? Here’s how he did it
The program that made this transformation possible:
The meal plan that makes building muscle and losing fat easy and enjoyable:
Legion Featured Author
Mike Matthews
Mike Matthews is the founder and CEO of Legion as well as the author of several award-winning fitness books, including Bigger Leaner Stronger, Muscle for Life, and The Shredded Chef.
His simple and science-based approach to building muscle, losing fat, and getting healthy has sold over a million books and helped thousands of people build their best bodies ever, and his work has been featured in many popular outlets including Esquire, Men’s Health, Elle, Women’s Health, Muscle & Strength, and more, as well as on FOX and ABC.
You can find Mike on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
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