Uncomfortable truth: Most men who go to the gym are in terrible shape.
I don’t say this to judge. Hell, I was one of those guys who trained religiously but looked like a sack of mouldy potatoes.
So what changed?
Well, one morning I was getting dressed when my wife looked me square in the face and said, “Phil, you’re fat and you smell”.
Truly, I am blessed to have such an honest woman in my life.
She was spot on in her assessment. I was fat and I did smell.
I knew it, too.
Truth is, I hated what I saw in the mirror. In fact, I was so embarrassed I refused point blank to go swimming with my little family. I sat in the cafe instead and watched on like a loser.
For shame.
So, I resolved to sort it out once and for all.
And sort it out I did because, in just six months, I lost over a stone and four inches on my waist.
Clothes I couldn’t get on just months prior were practically falling off of me. I even managed to slip into the tailored suit I wore for my wedding five years ago without any trouble whatsoever.
Anyway, today, I’m going to share with you the exact three steps I followed to achieve these results. No fluff, no BS, just facts.
Let us begin:
Step One
Walk every day without fail for at least 45 minutes.
I’ve long advocated for walking. However, I’d hitherto not followed my own advice.
This had to change.
So, the very first thing I did was start walking every single day for at least 45 minutes.
Sometimes I walked in the morning, sometimes at lunchtime, and sometimes in the evening. I just got out and did it whenever I could fit it in because the exact timing isn’t important. What matters is actually doing it every damn day.
These walks ought to be done at a “moderate” pace. I.e. not so fast you get all sweaty and need a change of clothes, but not so slow you’d be outpaced by a slug.
Now, you might say you don’t have time for a daily walk.
If so, you are wrong.
Everyone has 45 minutes spare. It might mean sacrificing time you’d otherwise spend vegetating scrolling through social media or watching television, but if you’re not prepared to do that then please don’t pretend you’re remotely serious about getting into shape.
Go for a walk. Start, right now, today. Then do it again tomorrow. And the next day. And the next day.
I kid you not, this one simple change will have more impact on your ability to lose weight and keep it off than anything you do in the gym or kitchen. Yes. I just said it’s more important than your diet. Heresy, I know, but cool your jets. I have my reasons but, alas, they’re beyond the scope of this article although I’ll happily explain them to you if you want. (Just email me).
OK. That’s it for step one. Next…
Step Two
Lift weights TWO days per week
That’s right. TWO days per week.
Why so little lifting?
Simple. If you’re fat then you don’t need more muscle or more strength. You need to lose weight.
Ergo, this should be your sole focus and lifting two days per week is optimal for this goal.
Think about it: You’re out of shape – likely because you eat poorly and do little or no cardio. Rectifying this will place new and unfamiliar demands on your body. Hence, trying to follow a demanding lifting programme under these conditions is a recipe for complete and utter disaster.
My approach to lifting on this two day per week schedule is as follows:
Week A
A1: Squat, 50-100 reps of pulling, barbell complex, 25-50 reps of abs
A2: Press, 50-100 reps of pulling, barbell complex, 25-50 reps of abs
Week B
B1: Deadlift, 50-100 reps of pulling, barbell complex, 25-50 reps of abs
B2: Bench Press, 50-100 reps of pulling, barbell complex, 25-50 reps of abs
(I also perform a short warm up before each session consisting of a walk, stretches, and a series of basic barbell exercises done with the empty bar or a broomstick).
Sets and reps for the main lift (squat, bench, deadlift, or press) are kept low and the weight kept light enough to ensure the bar moves quickly at all times.
With the pulls, I do whatever exercises I fancy on the day. Sometimes, I might do some pull-ups and curls, other times I’ll do machine rows and face pulls, and rarely, I’ll go off-piste and just do a load of shrugs or whatever. I use light weights for high reps and focus on really squeezing the muscles I’m trying to work.
Barbell complexes are a series of exercises done as one set without putting the bar down. For example, a typical complex I use is: Good mornings, press, row, stiff leg deadlift. You do the same number of reps for each exercise. I prefer 8 reps, ‘cuz it forces me to keep the weight light (can you see a pattern forming?).
Finally, abs. The approach I take here is the same as with the pulls. Whatever exercises I fancy done for high rep sets until I hit a total rep count I’m happy with.
That’s the gym work. More than enough to maintain whatever muscle you have and ensure you reap the bountiful health benefits of resistance training – stronger bones, lower risk of injury from all activity, improved management of blood sugar, greater mobility and flexibility, etc. etc – without burning out.
Even better: Lifting weights only two days per week frees up a tremendous amount of time you can now invest in your family… your hobbies… work… whatever you like. Seriously, the amount of stuff I’ve managed to get done since I switched to this approach is insane. Actually, you probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Truly, you have to experience it for yourself. So… try it.
Lastly, we have…
Step Three
Run three times per week
Ah, running.
Listen, I have a confession: I’m a lazy so and so… and… I bore very easily.
It’s for these reasons I avoided running like the plague for many years. Consequently, while I could lose fat easily enough, I could never keep it off.
Running solves this problem handily.
Pay attention to this next part because it’s very important: Under no circumstances are you to “jog”. You are to run. To be clear, this has nothing whatsoever to do with the speed at which you move. It is possible to run at a pace that’s only a smidgen faster than a walk.
To me, whether you’re running or not is a question of disposition rather than speed. I define running as moving with dignity. Head up, back straight, shoulders level. By contrast, jogging is slobbing along with a face like a slapped arse.
What I’m saying is, how fast you go isn’t important. It’s how you move that matters.
Getting started couldn’t be easier. Just pick a distance you’re comfortable with and run. This might be a quarter mile, it might be a mile, it might be five miles. Just be sure to pick something you know you can manage without stopping… and… can complete without lapsing into an ugly “jog” as described above.
And, of course, be sure to warm up and cool down before and after. A walk and stretching fit the bill for me.
I started with a mile three days per week. These days, I’m doing a 5 miler, a 2 miler, and a 3.5 miler for my three runs. Hardly stellar distances and I don’t run fast at all. Yet, I have defined abs, my blood pressure has lowered from the higher end of the healthy range to smack bang in the middle, and my resting heart rate sits at around 65.
Not bad for a bit of running on fewer than half the days of the week, is it?
One last thing: You still have to do your walks on the days you run. This does mean you’ll be doing around an hour and a half to two hours of exercise on these days. If that’s a problem for you, get over it. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but sugarcoating does you no favours.
Losing fat and keeping it off takes a lot of work. The good news is, most of that work isn’t particularly difficult, and will oftentimes leave you feeling better afterwards but there are no shortcuts.
That, my friend, is the simple three step system I used to get into the best shape of my life in just 6 months.
Remember: I am not special. I am a Real Person who lives in the Real World. I have a wife, two toddlers, a demanding job, hobbies, interests, and so on.
I am not one of those mouth-breathing fitness influencer types whose entire life revolves around training.
Actually, I don’t particularly like training. It’s something I do because it’s the only way for me to be the strong, lean, and healthy role model my wife and kids deserve.
I’m also not particularly keen on dropping dead from a heart attack or losing a limb from diabetes, either.
Bottom line: If I can do it, you can do it – if you’re prepared to put in the work.
If that’s you, click the link below to learn more about The Phil Tyreman Letter:
www.philtyreman.co.uk/information
Thank you,
Phil Tyreman