When I made the decision to embark on this recent 84 day body transformation of mine, I knew that if I was going to be successful, I would have to put my “all or nothing” mindset at bay for a little while and ease my way into it. I’m talking mainly about my nutrition. My workouts have been absolutely killer for a while now, but if I wanted to get ripped I would have to really buckle down on my eating habits.
“Continuous Growth” has been a motto of mine during this transformation with the focus on constant progression. The decision to start off slow and build my way up has been one of the smartest choices that I’ve ever made. As I look at my daily pictures throughout this transformation there are times when I wonder if I would have achieved much faster results if I started out strong. The answer is a definite yes! Of course I would have experienced faster results… but, would I have made it this far? I may have been able to keep it up for a little while, but my chances of “falling off the wagon” would have increased tremendously.
I now find myself in the position, just 24 days away from my photo shoot, where I have taken my nutrition to the next level with great detail and precision. The last 28 days of this body sculpting journey are dedicated to complete and natural foods. I am allowing no junk food at all. My carb intake is very low for 3 days at a time where I am consuming protein, veggies, and healthy fats. I don’t have any starchy carbs until the 4th day.
Now that may sound drastic to some people… and if I had taken this approach right out of the gates it would have felt drastic and extreme. But because I took a progressive approach, where I was very relaxed with the foods that I ate and focusing solely on a caloric deficit for the first 28 days, progressing during the next 28 days where I cut back a bit on the treats and began to do a little carb cycling, and now have progressed to a more precise plan of action, I do not find it difficult at all to stick to it.
By focusing on progress and continuous growth I was continually building momentum in my favor. I had something to celebrate each and every day. Not only was my body beginning to change, but my mind was as well. I kept thinking to myself, “I know that I can push just a little bit harder.” …and I would. Then I would repeat that to myself nearly every day. I became more and more fascinated with my body and how I could continue to challenge it. I was feeling strong and confident.
I am now at a point where I am dreaming of and putting a plan in place to take my body even further… to a place that I never really thought of until just recently. It’s this new fascination, increased passion, and burning desire that has me feeling like I can move mountains.
I see body sculpting as an art form and I plan on taking this work of art to its fullest potential. Just now I realize that I’ve been settling for mediocrity. I deserve better. I WANT better. I MUST become better.
It has been the joy of the journey, which has brought me to this point. It’s been my ability to be present in the moment while I am focused on a killer workout, that has ignited my passion for sculpting my body and taking it to the next level. Although training is incredibly hard work, I find great pleasure in pushing myself to my limits in a safe and controlled manner.
I know that there are a lot of people who “knock” calorie counting, but I’ve got to tell you… since I have stepped up my game during the past 5 days and became much more detailed and precise with what I eat, my results have multiplied significantly.
Calorie counting isn’t something that you have to do all the time, but when you have a photo shoot or event that you want to look your absolute best, it’s the surefire way to great results.
Here is a photo of me on Day 56 of my transformation with 28 days to go before the photo shoot. I can’t wait to show you the difference in what this past week has done to my physique.
Here’s a shot of my back. I’m in a bit of a cramped position because there’s not much room here…
Now if you haven’t been following me from the beginning, here is a progressive look from day 1 to day 28…
…Those results are pretty impressive considering what I ate during that time. I maintained a caloric deficit, but there as a lot of junk being consumed during that time.
Taking daily pictures has been one of the greatest things that I’ve ever done to keep my motivation high and to monitor my progress. As I mentioned, I’m fascinated with my body. It’s not easy to see daily progress in the pictures, and there are even some weeks where if you were to only look at my lower belly, you wouldn’t notice much of a difference. At those moments I bet some people would have given up. But I was paying close attention to my physique. I could tell that although the fat wasn’t melting off my belly and love handles very quickly, I was releasing fat from other areas. I could tell that I was becoming more vascular. I could see more definition in my shoulders. I could tell that my lower belly and love handles were shrinking even if it was just a tiny bit.
We all want the fat to leave our problem areas first, but what we have to realize is that fat will release from everywhere, fairly uniformly across your body. Become observant. Notice the little changes. Acknowledge the fat that’s being burned throughout other areas of your body. Be as persistent as you can be.
So in closing, my words of advice for anyone who desires to take their physique to the next level is to focus on progression and hold off on the “all or none” approach… at least for a little while. Focus on momentum and keep it in your favor. Become fascinated with your body and sculpt it to the best of your abilities.
If you have any thoughts, opinions, feedback or experiences from today’s article, please feel free to share them in the comment box below.
Sculpt a Masterpiece,
Scott Tousignant
About The Authors
Scott and Angie Tousignant have been helping men and women, just like you, sculpt their body and life for over a decade. This dynamic duo prides themselves on providing a balanced and practical approach that will motivate and inspire you to become the best YOU that you can be.
Scott and Angie have dedicated themselves to sharing their exact workouts, what they eat, and how they stay motivated to continue transforming their body’s and life.
Their line up of body sculpting programs includes, ROCK That Body, Girl Empowered, Sizzlin’ Circuits, Core Plus More, Fat Loss Quickie, and More Love Less Fat.
We’re excited to share in you successful body sculpting journey!