Let’s talk about the real reason your body hasn’t changed—despite all the hard work you’re putting in at the gym.
Now I know you’ve probably heard this before, but it bears repeating: you must prioritise your nutrition.
For years, I trained at the same gym and saw the same people grinding day in, day out. Some of them even had personal trainers. But their bodies? Still the same. I used to think, “Aren’t your gains made in the gym?”
It wasn’t until I experienced it myself that the truth hit home.
After 12 months of consistent training — lifting weights, smashing cardio, showing up no matter what — I still looked soft and weak. I was frustrated. Confused. I was putting in the work, so why didn’t I have the results?
My Turning Point
In my 20s, I looked like this…
The truth? I neglected my nutrition.
Like so many others, I thought “eating clean” was enough. It wasn’t. I wasn’t tracking anything. No idea how many calories I was eating. No clue how much protein I was getting.
Once I corrected that — dropping my intake to around 2,000 calories a day and increasing protein to roughly 180 grams — my entire body changed. Same gym. Same training. But now, I was fuelling my body properly.
Fast forward to 39 years old — I stepped on the start line of my first HYROX competition (March 2025) in the best shape of my life.
What I’m about to share with you is simple, backed by science, and hands down the most important thing you’ll ever learn if your goal is to burn fat and build muscle.
What Actually Matters for Fat Loss and Muscle Gain
Ignore the fads. Forget the myths. When it comes to transforming your body, two things truly matter:
✅ Your calorie intake
✅ Your protein intake
Everything else — meal timing, food choices, supplements — plays a much smaller role.
You can follow any diet you like — paleo, keto, intermittent fasting, vegan… doesn’t matter. If your calories and protein aren’t dialled in, you won’t get lean or build muscle. Period.
Calories: The King of Fat Loss
Here’s what most people still don’t get:
If you want to lose fat, you must be in a calorie deficit. That means consuming fewer calories than your body burns. This isn’t a trend. It’s not a theory. It’s a biological law.
You could eat the “cleanest” foods imaginable — chicken breast, broccoli, brown rice — but if you’re still eating too many calories, you’ll gain weight.
On the flip side, you could eat junk food — and if you’re in a deficit, you’ll lose fat.
📚 Remember the “Twinkie Diet” professor, Mark Haub? He ate Twinkies, Oreos, and protein shakes for 60 days. Stuck to 1,800 calories a day. He lost 27 pounds and dropped his body fat by 8%.
Bottom line: calories in versus calories out is what drives fat loss. Food quality matters for health, but it’s calorie quantity that matters most for fat loss.
Related: Still stuck in the skinny-fat trap? You train hard, eat “healthy,” but still look soft instead of strong—sound familiar? Stop spinning your wheels. I’ll show you exactly how to build muscle, drop fat, and finally get the lean, athletic physique you’ve been chasing 👉 Click here to apply for online coaching today!
Protein: The Key to Muscle
This is where most people go wrong. They chase weight loss — but weight includes fat and muscle.
If you don’t eat enough protein during a fat loss phase, you’ll lose muscle too — and that’s how you end up looking “skinny fat.”
Protein changes everything.
It’s essential for:
- Preserving muscle while cutting
- Building new muscle during a surplus
- Keeping you full so you don’t overeat
- Boosting your metabolism (muscle burns more calories at rest)
📖 Research consistently shows that those who eat a high-protein diet while in a deficit lose more fat and retain more muscle than those who don’t — even with the same calories.
Back in 2014, I was only eating around 70g of protein a day — far below what I needed. I looked soft, despite training hard. When I bumped it up to 180g? That’s when the muscle definition and strength started to show.
Even if you don’t change anything else, simply increasing your protein can lead to better results.
Let’s Be Honest — This Is Where Most People Fail
I’ve coached hundreds of clients, and in 9 out of 10 cases, the problem isn’t the training. It’s that they:
❌ Underestimate how many calories they’re eating
❌ Don’t eat enough protein
If you’re not actively tracking these, it’s almost guaranteed you’re getting it wrong.
Your Action Plan
The goal moving forward is simple:
- Eat fewer calories than you burn
- Get enough protein to preserve/build muscle
Nail those two consistently, and your body will change. It’s not a maybe — it’s a guarantee.
Not sure where to start? Use my free macronutrient calculator to get your personalised calorie and macronutrient targets: 👉 Click here to calculate your targets.
Your Next Step
Yes — this means tracking your food. At least for a little while.
It might feel tedious at first, but within a week or two, it’ll take you less than 5 minutes a day. And it’ll give you full control over your progress.
If you’re tired of training hard with nothing to show for it, don’t keep guessing. Take the next step:
🎯 Click here to apply for online fitness coaching.
Let’s get this right—together.
No spam, junk, or useless email filler.
