Ever wonder what happens between those weight loss before and after photos you see on Instagram? You’re about to learn the exact strategy our online nutrition coaching clients use to create real, sustainable weight loss.
In this article I wanted to give you a look behind the scenes, so you get a good understanding of the process, and the lessons and challenges you can expect along the way.
These are 5 real case studies, of real people who overcame real roadblocks and struggles, and who achieved real results that go beyond just a lower number on the scale.
People often join us because they want to lose weight, get more out of their workouts, and improve their health. But the mindset shifts, behavioral changes, and how it all impacts their life as a whole.. That’s the stuff that really matters.
I hope that you’ll use the following client success stories as fuel for your journey. Because once you see what they achieved and overcame, you’ll KNOW that you can most definitely reach your goals.
Repeatable 3-Phase Strategy: Accelerate, Transform, and Solidify
Before we get into our client case studies, it’s important that you have a basic understanding of our proven 3-phase strategy: Accelerate – Transform – Solidify.
It’s the actual backbone of our coaching approach, and it continues to change lives on a monthly basis. Which is why I want you to know about this, because I KNOW this will get you in a better spot.
You see how transforming your body is not an X-week event, but more of an ongoing process? There’s a ‘diet before the diet’, and a ‘diet after the diet’.
Without the diet before the diet, your results will suck.
And without the diet after the diet, your results won’t last.
Phase 1: Accelerate – Building momentum and laying the foundation
You wouldn’t leave for your vacation without your passport, a plane ticket, a plan, or a packed suitcase. Right?
However, that is what usually happens when someone wants to lose weight. Jumping from one restrictive diet to the next, they spend very little time nourishing the body, and more often than not they are not in a place where they can stick to healthy eating.
So we need to fix that.
During the Accelerate phase we build healthy habits first. We get the client consistent, lay the groundwork, and make sure that they are actually ready for the road ahead. We create their roadmap together, teach them how to eat healthy while keeping things sustainable and flexible, and build momentum before anything else.
Doing this sets them up for lasting success.
Phase 2: Transform – Getting lean without hating life
Then once you’re actually ready and consistent, we have a plan in place, and you can show me that you’re able to hit your daily action-based goals.. it’s time to transform.
Assuming you’ve done the pre-work, you should have no issues going through your weight loss phase. Because where other approaches just slash your calories ultra low from day one, we actually try to get away with as many calories as possible for as long as possible.
By focusing on basics like minimally processed (filling) foods, steps, and protein, we mitigate hunger, and make sure you don’t hate life throughout this whole process. Because even though some hunger is to be expected during a weight loss phase, it shouldn’t feel like complete punishment.
As much as we go in with a ‘get shit done’ mindset, we do need to accommodate for special occasions every now and then. Depending on the scenario and person, we may plan for diet breaks and refeed days.
That way they get to be flexible when they need to, but remain successful and weight loss is a case of ‘when’ instead of ‘if’. We plan, execute, and get them to where they need to be.
Phase 3: Solidify – The keeping-it-off part where most people fail
It’s common for people to think “I lost the weight, I’m done! Back to normal”..
And unfortunately, it’s equally common for people to regain all the weight they lost.
After the transformation phase, you’re not done yet. This is the moment where you’ll make or break your results. But don’t worry, as long as you stay on point during this third phase, you get to MAKE it.
You now transition back to ‘eating enough’ for your needs, goals and body composition, while maintaining your progress. This is where you get to feel good, get great workouts in, step away from tracking, and benefit from the habits you’ve been building throughout the whole process.
In reality, this is where most time should be spent.
Overcoming all-or-nothing thinking
Had an amazing conversation with L. about her transformation and personal growth on our podcast. I’ll link it below for you.
Before we started working together, she had tried a bunch of different diets, usually combined with tons of cardio, and lost weight by following a strict meal plan.
But because she didn’t get to address her struggles or work on her habits she regained the weight and had to start all over again.
She’d restrict during the week, but couldn’t stand the cravings anymore by the end of the week. Friday turned into a binge, followed by Saturday and Sunday because it was already ‘too late’.
Here’s what we did to help her overcome all of that, and then some…
BEFORE jumping into another weight loss phase we had to work through a couple of things.
She went from all/nothing to flexible dieting. This taught her how to have a cinnamon roll here and there throughout the week. And even more important, she’s now able to include the (sometimes more flexible) weekends AND vacations without losing any progress.
Sleep was a big one for her. In the past, she struggled with insomnia. Energy was low and she felt extra hungry, which impacted her life altogether. However by focusing on some really basic habits and by holding her accountable, she now gets the rest she needs.
Her improved sleep and nutrition also allowed us to crank up her daily movement. While in the past she had low energy, which meant a low step count, she now hits 10k a day with ease and feels more ‘alive’ (her words).
She’s less stressed, sleeps better, is more active, and lost body fat in a much more sustainable way.
We worked through the important stuff first (something that took time by the way!), built momentum, then transformed her body (and mind), and sustained the progress.
Her transformation did take a lot of hard work, but she did it!
If you haven’t yet, make sure to listen to the podcast episode with her on Spotify, Apple, or wherever else you listen to your podcasts 
After listening to this episode, there will be no more doubt in reaching your goals whatsoever. You’ll KNOW that everything’s possible.
Can you lose 10-20 kg+ and how do you keep it off?
Let’s talk about how C. lost over 24kg (50lbs), and has been able to keep it off for almost a full year!
Before coaching, he wanted to lose weight and get healthier.
He had low energy and would eat either too little or too much, and sometimes felt like quitting this whole fitness thing altogether.
But by walking him through our 3-phase strategy, we got him to where he wanted to be. It did take quite a bit of work though.
Transformations like these are very possible, but also require next-level effort and commitment to the protocol, which I feel like needs to be mentioned.
PHASE 1: Accelerate
Although our priority was to get him to lose weight right away, we also had to work on getting consistent first. He began to track his food, drink more water, we doubled his protein intake, and we brought his calories UP to a more moderate calorie deficit compared to what showed in his food diary.
His weight started to drop instantly, though it wasn’t until we were a few weeks in that we both felt ready to go into a dedicated fat loss phase.
PHASE 2: Transform
The next 16 weeks were long but effective. Because we did the pre-work he was able to stick to his macros and we didn’t lower his calories until 14 weeks later. While there are many other factors than just his food intake, this was quite incredible to see.
Usually people get rushed and slash their calories more and more.. We did it twice over the course of 4 months, and at the end of his cut, he had lost about 20kg.
PHASE 3: Solidify
C. stayed consistent and was fully dedicated to the process. So decided to go with a slow reverse diet.
This had three reasons:
A) he wanted to lose more weight
B) he was still able to stick to his targets
C) he had to get used to the idea of eating more again. At the end of his reverse diet, C. had lost a total of 24.3kg.
He reached his goal of being lighter and healthier, with more energy for his workouts, and he finally relearned how to control his food intake through tracking. He then moved away from tracking macros once his weight stabilized.
And the best part?
It’s been 11 months since we coached together, and C.’s still maintaining his results. That’s the ultimate goal: being able to do this on your own.
Now, this whole process took time. And by no means was it all smooth sailing. No one’s transformation happens without the inevitable ups and downs.
But he kept showing up, he took action, and didn’t give up.
Why am I not losing weight?
This transformation is really cool because it comes with a SUPER important lesson about progress, and why you shouldn’t just focus on the scale.
Keep reading, and watch her go from feeling like all of her hard work was for nothing, to being incredibly excited once she realized how much progress she had REALLY made..
When we connected, B. wanted to lose body fat and build muscle, and create a more balanced lifestyle where it’s possible to eat out, drink some alcohol and enjoy social settings.
She had tried a meal plan in the past, but couldn’t sustain it. She eventually went back to old habits, and didn’t have someone to hold her accountable or really share her roadblocks with. So we got to work..
For the first couple of months (yes, months):
We brought her to maintenance where we she focused on getting enough quality foods in, and increased her protein intake. This was our first step because she needed to work through a few struggles, mostly being her schedule and a little sweet tooth.
Because work was busy AF. She began to plan more to create more structure, just to make sure that her busy-ness wouldn’t get in the way of her fat loss goals.
She worked on building new habits, and created consistency with her nutrition. Most importantly, we took the time to work on her weekends and allowing for flexibility without overdoing it.
But then… during a check-in after a rough week, she mentioned “It feels like all my hard work is for nothing”. She had actually been killing it, but was going through a bit of a stressful time.
Up until that moment, we had just kept her at maintenance. So her weight was pretty much the same as when we started, which is to be expected at maintenance.
So we took an objective look at how things were going. We checked her sheets, and quickly pointed out that she had already lost 4cm around her waistline. I also suggested taking some new progress photos, since we only had her initial ones at that moment.
Now, guess what her next check-in was like?
The complete opposite!
She felt so happy that she took the photos. Because now she could see how much progress she had REALLY made.
She had lost body fat and built muscle, but just didn’t notice it because:
1. She only paid attention to that number on the scale.
2. When you look in the mirror on a daily basis, you don’t notice the tiny changes.
This is why we measure and take progress photos. And for her, it was just the motivation boost she needed to keep going.
She then lost more during a short 6-week fat loss phase where she lost 5kg. We then took a break at maintenance before doing her second cut where she lost another 2kg+.
It’s not been easy though, with a busy schedule and a loooot of things to juggle (work, exams, moving..)
But even though she has so much to do, she kept showing up because she knows that when you take care of your body… it translates into everything else in life.
Think about that for a sec.
Do YOU allow circumstances like a busy schedule to get in the way?
(Not judging, just a slightly confronting question to ask yourself 
)
He was stuck for what felt like forever
Ever felt like you do all of the right things, but you don’t see your hard work pay off?
Here’s how P. lost 13.5kg (29lbs) in 5 months after feeling stuck and not knowing how to progress..
We met at one of my seminars, where he asked me a few higher-level questions. So we knew this wasn’t a knowledge issue.
His goals were similar to what most of our clients initially come to us for: lose body fat, build muscle, and get stronger. However, he had been stuck lifting the same weights and looking the same for what felt like years.
He wanted to know what on earth people at the gym do and eat to get so buff and lean, and tried to figure it out on his own. But the stuff he read just made nutrition feel even more difficult to understand. So we got to work, one step at a time.
Our initial preparation phase always looks different from person to person. In his case, we were already good to go in only 2 weeks.
Why?
1. His habits were already in a good place and his ACTUAL maintenance calories ended up being higher than the calculations. After only a few small changes, his weight began to drop.
2. It was only about a month and a half until Xmas. So we decided to cut for about 8 weeks, then take a break, and then readdress to make a plan for 2023.
8 weeks later, he had lost 5 kilos and was ready for a diet break.
Because he went to visit his family and his whole routine was different during the holidays, we came up with a more basic plan to follow. He planned ahead, went in with the right expectations, and got clear on his goals and priorities for this period.
Holidays aren’t for dieting, you don’t need to be so strict with your nutrition and training. And as long as you have a plan going in, then you can enjoy yourself without stress around food.
After a nice break and important learning experience (I mean.. it’s Xmas every year) he got the last bit of his fat loss work done.
After a 10-week cut followed by a 3-week reverse diet, he took another break during Easter and has been maintaining his results ever since.
He lost a total of 13.5kg lighter after being stuck for years, stayed SUPER consistent, and learned how to include things like birthdays, holidays, and evenings out.
P. is a great example of someone who didn’t wait until after Xmas, but instead took action for his goals.
Smallest t-shirt in 15 years
Ever bought baggier clothes because you didn’t feel confident in your own skin?
I know I have… That’s exactly what I did back in 2012.
That being said, I could very much relate to the following text I got from my friend and client B.:
“I think it’s the first time since 15 years I wear a shirt in XL! Unbelievable!”
Especially since he used to be an XXXL before we got started.
His transformation has been one of the coolest to experience. Not just because of the physical changes, but because of everything that came with it.
Over the past 12 months he:
– Lost almost 27kg (60lbs) and built muscle
– Quit smoking (in the middle of a cut)
– Improved his fitness, both strength and cardio wise
– Has made plenty of time to recharge with his family
– Applied for, and got a new job (I felt confident enough to take that big step)
– Quit drinking alcohol
– Visited a ton of shows and festivals, and even went moshing with his son (who now also says ‘no’ to alcohol)
– Managed to climb out of a low mental place
Isn’t that cool?
Sure there’s the weight loss, muscle gain, etc.. that’s part of what we do. It’s what most people initially come to us for.
But then to see people like B. literally change their whole way of doing, their life… for the better?
THAT, is the coolest thing ever.
