We live for body transformations here at DMARGE. There’s nothing better than seeing blokes who’ve been struggling with their weight and, often, their mental health along with it, find a way to turn it all around. In an effort to share the secrets behind their fitness success so that others can kickstart their own journeys, we share some of our favourite stories.

This forty-two-year-old Redditor — who posted progress pictures to the site’s dedicated subreddit under the username Herr-Schrute — revealed an incredible transformation that he achieved, almost miraculously, in six short, sharp, undoubtedly dedicated months. Shedding 27 lbs but, more importantly, getting absolutely shredded and reclaiming his fitness at a crucial juncture in any man’s life, he kindly shared the blueprint he followed to get his six-pack popping…

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Cut, Cut, Cut

Before we get into his secret strategy, we wanted to preface it by giving our top-level top-tips on how to lose weight, whether you follow this guy’s approach or not. What follows are the broad strokes of weight loss — they’ll need to be tailored to your specific goals — but these are the basics you have to lock in.

When it comes to shedding those pounds, nailing your nutritional game is always the most important and usually most punishing step. You need to partake in a ‘cut’ by maintaining a strict calorie deficit over an extended period of time, just like Zac Efron did before filming Baywatch. Here are some general nutritional guidelines to follow, but bear in mind that nutrition varies from person to person:

1. Calculate your calories: To lose body fat, you must create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than your body burns. Calculate your daily calorie needs and subtract 250-500 calories per day to create a gradual calorie deficit.
2. Eat plenty of fibre: Fibre-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help keep you feeling full and satisfied during a cut.
3. Stay hydrated: Adequate hydration is essential for optimal health and can also help curb hunger and cravings.

While this Redditor clearly went hard and fast, it’s important to note that a successful cut requires patience and consistency. It’s not advisable to try to lose too much body fat too quickly, as this can lead to muscle loss and other health problems. Aim for a gradual, sustainable rate of fat loss, and be sure to listen to your body and adjust your nutrition plan as needed.

The Blueprint

Since we’re on the topic, we’ll start with what this guy ate before moving on to his workout regimen. You won’t be surprised to hear the two concepts that he mentions first and presumably the first things to really move the dial:

“I started counting calories… I’ve also skipped breakfast the past 6 months – basically intermittent fasting)… that made a huge difference.”

After cutting breakfast — he admits he was blind to the number of calories in his choice meal of “porridge, banana, peanut butter and milk” — he then took the bold but challenging step of totally cutting out snacks. It’s a leap, but with those two steps alone he was “all of a sudden in a calorie deficit” He describes how his appetite quickly changed:

“It was far easier than I ever imagined tbh. I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything… Cutting calories has changed my eating habits and taste buds. Crisps were my achillies heal and I haven’t touched one since February. [Now] I crave random things like tomatoes and carrots… it’s weird.”

As someone who has lost a good amount of weight themself, I can say hand on heart that getting his nutrition dialled in so quickly and so determinedly will not have been easy, but will absolutely have been the single biggest factor in his getting shredded. Exercise plays a part too, of course, and this is his approach:

“I started off with walking more — building up from 8,000 steps a day to around 20,000… I [also] try and do a full-body workout every other day.”

Just like his approach to his good, this man’s approach to exercise isn’t easy but it is simple. It proves that the fundamentals of losing weight aren’t complicated and are pretty accessible to all… the necessary willpower, however, often proves far more elusive.