As we prepare to kick off our next Burn the Fat Body Transformation Challenge, we hope to inspire you and motivate you to enter by introducing you to last year’s male champion. Read on and discover what it takes to win a before and after transformation contest…
I’m Joshua Fourdyce (Dyce5296 on the Burn the Fat Inner Circle forums), and I completed the Burn the Fat Summer Challenge.
On May 19th, 2017 when I started this journey, I was close to the worst shape of my life. 98 days (14 weeks) later, at the end of the Burn the Fat Challenge, shortly before turning 40 years old, I am in the best shape of my life.
I began a 6 month long professional certification course for work in September 2016, which did not allow me the time to devote to the gym. Additionally, we ate out every day.
Though I went into the course with the intent to continue my gym routine, it didn’t happen as evidenced by my before photos. I finished the course in February with a litany of bad habits established. The Burn the Fat Summer Challenge could not have come at a better time.
The five elements (of Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle) were critical to my Summer Challenge success. Resistance and cardio training have typically been easy for me. My biggest challenge is with nutrition and mental training (setting and adhering to goals).
The support system offered by the Summer Challenge at Burn the Fat Inner Circle is what really makes the five elements “click.” More specifically, the urgency and accountability offered by the challenge are a necessity for me to be successful.
I need a tangible goal to hold me accountable. The potential to win a trip to Jamaica by doing something I needed to do anyway (transform my body) supplied all the extrinsic motivation and accountability I needed.
With 14 weeks to accomplish that goal, I also had all the urgency I needed. I was in such terrible physical shape, cheat days on my diet were not a possibility if I wanted to win. I also knew that days off from the gym needed to be limited and had to include some type of physical activity; a day spent lounging could not happen.
I was in the gym 5-7 days a week. My gym time was divided between traditional bodybuilding and CrossFit workouts. I was new to CrossFit when the summer challenge began, but I am glad the challenge motivated me to find it. I love the challenge of the CrossFit workouts and the camaraderie with those enduring the workouts along with me.
I divided bodybuilding workouts into push/pull splits with 3-4 exercises per body part in 4-5 sets of varying reps. I incorporated supersets, dropsets and bands in order to really push my muscles to respond.
The urgency of the 14 weeks also inspired me to set extremely aggressive goals. I started the Burn the Fat challenge with a goal of losing three pounds of bodyfat per week (a total of 42 pounds of fat), while adding one pound of muscle per week (a total of 14 pounds of muscle). My bodyfat goal was to achieve 8%. I am happy to report that I crushed those goals.
I ended up burning off 56 pounds of fat (4 pounds of fat loss per week), while adding 15 pounds of muscle. I also managed to get down to 7% bodyfat. I think my pictures represent those numbers. I am also excited to share that I had a goal that I did not list in my opening journal of achieving 10 full, wide-grip pullups. I accomplished that goal this morning prior to taking my ending photos.
Critical to my success was the accountability the challenge provided to get my nutrition in order. In the two summer challenges I have completed (my last one was in 2014), I have learned that tracking and meal planning are absolutely critical for me. I use the MyfitnessPal app to track every morsel of food and ounce of liquid that I consume. I also meal plan to the best of my ability, but also keep plenty of healthy snacks and shakes available for the inevitable urgent call while I am at work.
I followed a 50% protein / 25% carbs / 25% fat macro split. This broke down into 300 grams of protein, 150 grams of carbs and 67 grams of fat for a total of 2400 calories per day, which was approximately a 30% calorie deficit for me. Before week 10 of the SC, I dropped my calories down to 2200 per day due to my drop in bodyweight. During week 14, I followed a “peak week” protocol which altered my macros and brought my calories down to 2100 per day. Again, tracking the numbers was critical to my success.
My journey was not without adversity. I am the Detective Sergeant for our police department and I am also assigned to our County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team. It was quite possibly the busiest summer of crime ever experienced in the town I work of 25,000 people and I was the lead investigator in these incidents. We had a homicide, two shootings, 3 armed robberies, multiple sex assaults and much more. During the initial week investigating the homicide, I worked 90 hours; sleep was at a premium. Despite that, I still managed my diet, stayed within my calorie goals and got to the gym.
I also managed to work through a pulled right groin, right calf, right quad and a badly pulled left hamstring. I believe I also suffer from a torn left labrum in my left hip. Needless to say, my legs are not as sharp or as muscular as I would like them to be, though I worked them to the best of my ability around the injuries.
Finally, I would not have achieved the success I did without the support system of the Burn the Fat Inner Circle. I reconnected with old friends and made new friends who all pushed me to work hard towards my goals, whether some of them were aware of it or not. The embarrassment I would have felt if I did not have a successful week prevented me from ever taking it easy.
The team I joined was also helpful in pushing me through tough days. Though not all of them had the perseverance to complete the challenge, two of them made it through. (Thanks Joe and Bill!) I only hope that I was able to help inspire the many competitor’s journals I visited as much as they all inspired me. I look forward to sharing our continued journeys post-summer challenge.
~Josh
You Could Be The Next Success Story!
There’s nothing like a big goal and a big challenge for ramping up your motivation (the chance to win great prizes doesn’t hurt either). And, when it’s done inside an online community like our Burn The Fat Inner Circle, the camaraderie and support skyrockets your chances of success compared to trying to do it alone.
Join us for the next challenge and join us in the Burn The Fat Inner Circle members area to stay motivated and connected to positive people all year round. Click Here To Learn More About The Inner Circle.
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