Good to Great: Ben’s Real-World 8-Week Progress
My client Ben is the man.
He’s got a stressful finance job, a young kid, and more responsibilities than hours in the day. He’s not “built different.” He’s busy, tired, and normal—just like the rest of us.
But in the last 8 weeks?
He dropped 10 pounds, hit lifetime strength PRs, and improved his bloodwork so dramatically his doctor asked what changed.
Here’s exactly what he did—and how he did it.
10 Pounds Down (Without Losing Muscle)
Ben lost 10 pounds over 8 weeks. That’s about 1.25 pounds per week—a pace that’s easy to overlook but ideal for preserving muscle while dropping fat.
He wasn’t crash dieting or starving himself. He ate between 2100–2300 calories per day, kept protein high (over 1 gram per pound of bodyweight), hit 7–8k steps daily, and trained hard 5x/week.
The result? Noticeable fat loss without the usual strength dip or burnout.
When you're juggling work, family, and real life, losing 3–5 pounds per week while maintaining muscle just isn’t realistic. Ben didn’t chase extremes—he executed consistently.
And that’s exactly why it worked! Not only that, he gained a ton of strength too.
385x7 Deadlifts. 335x7 Squats. 225x5 Bench.
Ben came in strong—but he didn’t coast. He built on it!
Over the past 2 months, he’s hit 385x7 on deadlifts, squatted 335x7, and benched 225x5. Those numbers speak for themselves—but what doesn’t show up in the PRs is the unbelievable consistency behind them.
Five strength sessions a week. Zero skipped steps. No excuses—even on long, stressful workdays.
We didn’t reinvent the wheel. We used smart progression, gradually increased load, adjusted volume to match recovery, and refined his form. He showed up and executed—over and over.
That kind of effort is rare. But when you pair it with an evidence-based strength training program, the results speak for themselves!
Cholesterol Down 75 Points (LDL Down 50+)
Ben’s progress didn’t stop at the scale or the gym.
His most recent bloodwork showed a 75-point drop in total cholesterol—and over 50 points down in LDL (“bad” cholesterol). A clear, measurable shift in his long-term health trajectory.
How’d he get there?
He lost body fat.
He added more fiber.
He stuck with regular cardio.
He did it all consistently, without extremes.
These numbers matter!
They reduce his future risk for heart disease, improve energy and recovery, and add real years—and quality—to his life.
If You’re Trying To Take It To The Next Level
Ben is one of the most consistent clients I’ve ever worked with. He earned every bit of this progress—and he’s just getting started 🤯
A lot of what I write is aimed at beginners, because a lot of people want help when they’re just starting out. But about a third of my clients? It’s guys like Ben.
People who are already doing pretty well—and want to go even further. Leaner. Stronger. Healthier. Without wasting time, guessing on programs, or burning out. If you’re already training but want to dial it in and see what’s really possible, I help people do exactly that.
A wise man named Socrates once said, “It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.”
📍If that hits a nerve, I’d love to help. Apply for coaching and let’s talk!
Best,
John
P.S. We stacking wins all over the place here! Ben’s crushing it, and another one of my clients - a busy mom in her 40s - off to a VERY strong start with her fat loss phase. Down 10 pounds in under a month. Let’s go!
3 Steps You Can Take
Apply for coaching - If you’re ready to start, you can fill out a coaching appication here (it takes 90 seconds or less). Best case, you change your life. Worst case, I’ll help you draw up a road map to get closer to your goals.
Sign up for my newsletter - If you’d like to hear more, sign up for my mailing list here.
Keep learning - You can check out my other articles here. Nobody asked me to, but I’ve spent a ton of time researching everything from artificial sweeteners to saturated fat to testosterone and more, so you don’t have to.
