Body transformation (12 weeks) anyone done one?
Discussion
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LimaDelta said:
tinytim123 said:
If anyone has other suggestions of what I could do then I'd love to hear.
For the poster asking the cost, it's £1.2k for 12 weeks. Not cheap!
Jeez.For the poster asking the cost, it's £1.2k for 12 weeks. Not cheap!
Free 5x5
Work out how many days he can train and pick one of the loads that are out there. There's an app called bootcamp that will recommend some based on your goals and experience etc. I hate using the app itself without paying for features so put a program on a spreadsheet on my phone.
Likely the PT will put them on a food tracking app and get them to eat at or below their maintenance calories to lose timber. Given it's 12 weeks I imagine it would be 500 cal a day below. This would include 2g per kg of LEAN bodyfat and any mixture of fat and carbs depending on what they subscribe to.
tinytim123 said:
Just wondered if anyone has done a body transformation before & if there are any tips you have?
Bit of background: a series of injuries has left me doing little to no exercise for ages. I recently joined a gym & got a PT. Mentioned during one of the initial sessions that I may be interested in a body transformation & the PT keeps mentioning it. They seem REALLY keen for me to do it.
Presumably its a marketing thing for them or perhaps they need the money. But it is a big commitment too so be good to hear from others as obviously looking this stuff up online is just yielding pictures or whatever
I'm hesitant to share my opinion as the fitness world is filled with people giving their opinion as "fact" or re-inventing the wheel to gain engagement or profit from their own plan and it can all get a bit confusing. I can share what's worked for me and how I'd approach this scenario based on my previous experience. Bit of background: a series of injuries has left me doing little to no exercise for ages. I recently joined a gym & got a PT. Mentioned during one of the initial sessions that I may be interested in a body transformation & the PT keeps mentioning it. They seem REALLY keen for me to do it.
Presumably its a marketing thing for them or perhaps they need the money. But it is a big commitment too so be good to hear from others as obviously looking this stuff up online is just yielding pictures or whatever
On the PT side of things, it's important to remember (as it seems you realise already) that they're your best mate whilst they're asking you to part with money. Now, all PTs aren't the same of course and it would be unfair to say they're all useless and just after your hard-earned. If I were looking for a PT, I'd spend some time having a look at their socials, see what client progress they achieve over this period. What type of training to the specialise in. Any competent PT should have pages of before and afters as well as progress. Look for people who resemble yourself to get an idea of what's possible, but be cautious of anything that looks too good to be true. What you want to see is a wide variety as a good PT should be working towards their client's goals, not just getting someone to cut for a competition (depending on what they specialise in of course).
Given what you've described as your current fitness state, you are a prime candidate for them because more than likely you'll see some really good "beginner" gains and improvements. Not a bad thing, but just make sure you're getting what you want out of the 12 weeks. Not just them flogging you on an unsustainable course for the 12 weeks only for you to fall off the wagon once it's over.
If it were me, I'd be looking to come out of the 12 weeks with (apart from obviously dropping some fat and gaining some strength:
- A very detailed meal plan which included macros and calories along with some coaching on how this actually works so you can continue it afterwards
- A few different workout plans (depending on how you split your training)
- Be able to safely and correctly carry out the basic lifts that you may want to do (deadlift/squat/bench/snatc etc etc).
As long as you've improved your own knowledge and have seen some improvements then you should be able to maintain your fitness journey without the PT. You might still want a few sessions here and there where you hit a plateau of you've been a bit lazy etc but as long as you get something out of the 12 weeks you can carry forward then it's money well spent.
I have not done a 12 week body transformation.
My proposal is not radical, but I'll give you advice for free:
Eat three meals a day:
Go easy on the potatoes, bread and pasta.
Eat meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, vegetables and some fruit. Drink plenty of water and tea.
Do not drink sugared/sweetened drinks.
Do not snack (or eat a few nuts if you must).
Go easy on the booze.
Don't eat too much.
There is no need for any strict, weird, diet.
Be generally active. Do a variety of moderate exercise many times a week:
Walk, ride a bike, swim, run slowly (if conditioned and with good form). Incorporate movement into your daily life as much as you can. It does not all need to be "training" or involve special clothing or shoes.
Do some more intense exercise and some strength exercise -bodyweight exercise circuits (with some shuttle runs or static bike sprints) will do, and can be made increasingly difficult as you improve. If you have a slope or a hill nearby, even better.
(Circuit training at the local leisure centre or boxing club would be ideal)
Try to do a wide range of different activities in your free time.
Keep doing the above long after 12 weeks have elapsed.
Ps. Really do not snack.
My proposal is not radical, but I'll give you advice for free:
Eat three meals a day:
Go easy on the potatoes, bread and pasta.
Eat meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, vegetables and some fruit. Drink plenty of water and tea.
Do not drink sugared/sweetened drinks.
Do not snack (or eat a few nuts if you must).
Go easy on the booze.
Don't eat too much.
There is no need for any strict, weird, diet.
Be generally active. Do a variety of moderate exercise many times a week:
Walk, ride a bike, swim, run slowly (if conditioned and with good form). Incorporate movement into your daily life as much as you can. It does not all need to be "training" or involve special clothing or shoes.
Do some more intense exercise and some strength exercise -bodyweight exercise circuits (with some shuttle runs or static bike sprints) will do, and can be made increasingly difficult as you improve. If you have a slope or a hill nearby, even better.
(Circuit training at the local leisure centre or boxing club would be ideal)
Try to do a wide range of different activities in your free time.
Keep doing the above long after 12 weeks have elapsed.
Ps. Really do not snack.
MC Bodge said:
I have not done a 12 week body transformation.
My proposal is not radical, but I'll give you advice for free:
Eat three meals a day:
Go easy on the potatoes, bread and pasta.
Eat meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, vegetables and some fruit. Drink plenty of water and tea.
Do not drink sugared/sweetened drinks.
Do not snack (or eat a few nuts if you must).
Go easy on the booze.
Don't eat too much.
There is no need for any strict, weird, diet.
Be generally active. Do a variety of moderate exercise many times a week:
Walk, ride a bike, swim, run slowly (if conditioned and with good form). Incorporate movement into your daily life as much as you can. It does not all need to be "training" or involve special clothing or shoes.
Do some more intense exercise and some strength exercise -bodyweight exercise circuits (with some shuttle runs or static bike sprints) will do, and can be made increasingly difficult as you improve. If you have a slope or a hill nearby, even better.
(Circuit training at the local leisure centre or boxing club would be ideal)
Try to do a wide range of different activities in your free time.
Keep doing the above long after 12 weeks have elapsed.
Ps. Really do not snack.
^^^ All good stuff. My proposal is not radical, but I'll give you advice for free:
Eat three meals a day:
Go easy on the potatoes, bread and pasta.
Eat meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, vegetables and some fruit. Drink plenty of water and tea.
Do not drink sugared/sweetened drinks.
Do not snack (or eat a few nuts if you must).
Go easy on the booze.
Don't eat too much.
There is no need for any strict, weird, diet.
Be generally active. Do a variety of moderate exercise many times a week:
Walk, ride a bike, swim, run slowly (if conditioned and with good form). Incorporate movement into your daily life as much as you can. It does not all need to be "training" or involve special clothing or shoes.
Do some more intense exercise and some strength exercise -bodyweight exercise circuits (with some shuttle runs or static bike sprints) will do, and can be made increasingly difficult as you improve. If you have a slope or a hill nearby, even better.
(Circuit training at the local leisure centre or boxing club would be ideal)
Try to do a wide range of different activities in your free time.
Keep doing the above long after 12 weeks have elapsed.
Ps. Really do not snack.
There is no magic here, and you don't need to pay for what is already well know and well established.
The one advantage of a trainer is the accountability. If you are the sort of person who struggles to push themselves, stay motivated, or are likely to quit if something is hard, then having someone watching over your shoulder will help.
tinytim123 said:
Thanks for this and everyone else for the responses. My motivation is that I am reasonably skinny but have a bit of a belly now & also since covid when I stopped working out my upper body strength has evaporated.
I am basically at this stage as economically, it seems it might be better for me to do the regular PT, with the programme etc, gym access rather than not have the programme & just do a normal PT with membership. Obviously they have priced it so economically it makes sense. I'll have a bit more of a think about it, the exercise plan I can get behind but the nutrition and the fact I know some weeks I might be travelling with work do put me off somewhat.
If anyone has other suggestions of what I could do then I'd love to hear.
For the poster asking the cost, it's £1.2k for 12 weeks. Not cheap!
I'd echo the others suggesting focusing on the long term.I am basically at this stage as economically, it seems it might be better for me to do the regular PT, with the programme etc, gym access rather than not have the programme & just do a normal PT with membership. Obviously they have priced it so economically it makes sense. I'll have a bit more of a think about it, the exercise plan I can get behind but the nutrition and the fact I know some weeks I might be travelling with work do put me off somewhat.
If anyone has other suggestions of what I could do then I'd love to hear.
For the poster asking the cost, it's £1.2k for 12 weeks. Not cheap!
Introduce lifestyle changes - diet and exercise that you can maintain consistently.
Excessively restrictive dietary changes or excessively intense exercise regimens that you can't maintain in the long term aren't especially helpful IMO.
g3org3y said:
I'd echo the others suggesting focusing on the long term.
Introduce lifestyle changes - diet and exercise that you can maintain consistently.
Excessively restrictive dietary changes or excessively intense exercise regimens that you can't maintain in the long term aren't especially helpful IMO.
Yes. It's not a 12 week body transformation that is needed.Introduce lifestyle changes - diet and exercise that you can maintain consistently.
Excessively restrictive dietary changes or excessively intense exercise regimens that you can't maintain in the long term aren't especially helpful IMO.
It is making positive changes for life.
Once somebody gets over the initial discomfort and begins to notice improvement in health, capability and general well-being, it can become something that they want to maintain and not a chore.
Feeling healthy, lean and capable is a great feeling and, if you are 40+ (35+?), will put you in a very small minority.
I find it rather strange those who are aghast at the cost. A PT costs anything from £30 cash to many multiples thereof per hour, and if you are the type who won't do something without incentivising it, a hundred quid a week is likely what many spend on booze, drugs or bad diet, so go for it. It's an investment in your future. That said, I'd be paying weekly and retaining the option to check out any time I wanted without actually leaving the idea...lots do this, invest in a programme, a diet then find they have the confidence and the incentive to go it alone. If you can afford it and you want to do it, it's your money and there are many worse options for the loot....
Stands by, ducks, gets ready to run....
Stands by, ducks, gets ready to run....
C5_Steve said:
tinytim123 said:
Just wondered if anyone has done a body transformation before & if there are any tips you have?
Bit of background: a series of injuries has left me doing little to no exercise for ages. I recently joined a gym & got a PT. Mentioned during one of the initial sessions that I may be interested in a body transformation & the PT keeps mentioning it. They seem REALLY keen for me to do it.
Presumably its a marketing thing for them or perhaps they need the money. But it is a big commitment too so be good to hear from others as obviously looking this stuff up online is just yielding pictures or whatever
On the PT side of things, it's important to remember (as it seems you realise already) that they're your best mate whilst they're asking you to part with money. Now, all PTs aren't the same of course and it would be unfair to say they're all useless and just after your hard-earned. If I were looking for a PT, I'd spend some time having a look at their socials, see what client progress they achieve over this period. What type of training to the specialise in. Any competent PT should have pages of before and afters as well as progress. Look for people who resemble yourself to get an idea of what's possible, but be cautious of anything that looks too good to be true. What you want to see is a wide variety as a good PT should be working towards their client's goals, not just getting someone to cut for a competition (depending on what they specialise in of course).Bit of background: a series of injuries has left me doing little to no exercise for ages. I recently joined a gym & got a PT. Mentioned during one of the initial sessions that I may be interested in a body transformation & the PT keeps mentioning it. They seem REALLY keen for me to do it.
Presumably its a marketing thing for them or perhaps they need the money. But it is a big commitment too so be good to hear from others as obviously looking this stuff up online is just yielding pictures or whatever
The gym itself has very good reviews & it was those that made me want to join them in the first place.
The transformation info however is a bit more lacking, and has what is required, but only 5 or 6 before/after pics with no customer testimonials.
tinytim123 said:
Thanks Steve for the detailed info - want to focus on this bit, are there any websites or places you recommend getting this info?
The gym itself has very good reviews & it was those that made me want to join them in the first place.
The transformation info however is a bit more lacking, and has what is required, but only 5 or 6 before/after pics with no customer testimonials.
You want to try and find the PTs own social media page basically. Obviously they'll be curating what they put on there but that alone should tell you a lot. The gym itself has very good reviews & it was those that made me want to join them in the first place.
The transformation info however is a bit more lacking, and has what is required, but only 5 or 6 before/after pics with no customer testimonials.
PTs are usually basically self employed, kind of like a stripper (this may be a terrible analogy I apologise
). So they'll pay the gym they work at a set fee every month to be there. In some places where the gym itself offers free sessions with PTs, they may have to do those sessions for the gym but basically what they do outside of those is what they earn, minus the fee they pay the gym. So, you want to try and find the PTs actual social media pages where they advertise their work. It'll be instagram/tiktok/Facebook etc. Check out the gyms socials pages, they may cross post their PTs stuff to promote them. The gym I use, the PTs are all on a little board with a bit about themselves, their qualifications and what they focus on. If there's nothing like that in your gym, try just paying attention to the PTs when their working with clients. Are they actually paying attention to the client or are they spending most of their time watching themselves in the mirror, or talking to everyone else around them. Are they pushing their client, encouraging them or are they just counting to ten whilst on their phone. What sort of people to they work with? Is it all "beginners" for example or are they working with people who kind of look like they know what they're doing, in which case they're can probably retain clients well.
Best advice I can give, treat it like buying a car. Make sure you kick the tyres before dropping the cash. Have a chat with them, and tell them what you want out of the 12 weeks. Ask what their plan will roughly look like and what results you can expect. They should be TAILORING the plan to you, your lifestyle, previous experience etc etc. Ask them about the types of people they work with, ask for their socials etc. Walk away if it doesn't feel right, it's a business transaction at the end of the day.
MC Bodge said:
simon_harris said:
slimming world and the like exist
I thought that they continued to exist because they never actually made anybody lose weight and keep it off?I really can't see this being sustainable, keeping the weight off.
Then you'll do another plan to maintain, and it'll rebound again. And it continues....
Low carb diet, only way to successfully lose weight for me.
I also found the weight loss increased significantly when i took
some form of exercise. I walked 2-3 miles 3 times a week and
played golf at least once often twice. (of course 3 visits to a gym will also suffice!)
Some downsides to a low carb diet for me, alcohol affected the process
somehow and i only had one drink on a Saturday night.
To read about the science behind it and the best low carb recipes
i got the the following book.
https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/professor-tim-noak...
I also found the weight loss increased significantly when i took
some form of exercise. I walked 2-3 miles 3 times a week and
played golf at least once often twice. (of course 3 visits to a gym will also suffice!)
Some downsides to a low carb diet for me, alcohol affected the process
somehow and i only had one drink on a Saturday night.
To read about the science behind it and the best low carb recipes
i got the the following book.
https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/professor-tim-noak...
RC1807 said:
MC Bodge said:
simon_harris said:
slimming world and the like exist
I thought that they continued to exist because they never actually made anybody lose weight and keep it off?I really can't see this being sustainable, keeping the weight off.
Then you'll do another plan to maintain, and it'll rebound again. And it continues....
As for low carb, it's just a calorie deficit. The only way to lose weight is to be in a deficit. You can absolutely do this through low carb, but you don't have to. That's why it's so important, as part of any programme, for you to learn about nutrition and how to set up your meal plans. Most of the weight you lose is through nutrition NOT exercising. The exercise is a bonus.
The OP is already skinny and has said he won't stick to the eating plan after the 12 weeks.
He'd be better off having a handful of PT sessions to sort out a routine and his lifting form and just cutting the crap out of his diet.
If he's really interested he'll get all the information he needs from Google
He'd be better off having a handful of PT sessions to sort out a routine and his lifting form and just cutting the crap out of his diet.
If he's really interested he'll get all the information he needs from Google
12 week transformations are a good kick start..... but bear in mind they are newbie gains.
quite a lot of popular ones available online.
Kris gethin is notorious for them. he used to do them for free online. think his legacy one is now about £100 or so.
but its brilliant. follow the video series for 12 weeks.
https://www.krisgethinlegacy.com/
quite a lot of popular ones available online.
Kris gethin is notorious for them. he used to do them for free online. think his legacy one is now about £100 or so.
but its brilliant. follow the video series for 12 weeks.
https://www.krisgethinlegacy.com/
sunnyb13 said:
12 week transformations are a good kick start..... but bear in mind they are newbie gains.
quite a lot of popular ones available online.
Kris gethin is notorious for them. he used to do them for free online. think his legacy one is now about £100 or so.
but its brilliant. follow the video series for 12 weeks.
https://www.krisgethinlegacy.com/
Does anybody actually closely follow an intense program for a whole 12 weeks?quite a lot of popular ones available online.
Kris gethin is notorious for them. he used to do them for free online. think his legacy one is now about £100 or so.
but its brilliant. follow the video series for 12 weeks.
https://www.krisgethinlegacy.com/
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