Good shape, but stuck
William, founder of an education business and father of four, had spent years jumping between different training programmes, mostly following advice from social media influencers. He wanted to look like Chris Hemsworth in Thor. At 77.6kg and 18% body fat he was already in what most people would call good shape, but he was dissatisfied with his results and confused by the amount of contradictory information online.
Fitness is one of the biggest investments you can make for your life.William
Fixing the fundamentals
His coach identified four habits holding him back: chasing how an exercise felt rather than getting stronger in it, changing his workouts every week based on whatever he had seen online, and following advanced dieting techniques such as carb loading and intermittent fasting that were not right for him yet. The first job was reducing his body fat below 12% before any serious muscle building could show.
Three phases, one year
The plan then unfolded over roughly a year in three phases. First, higher training volume, more protein and a calorie deficit brought him to 10% body fat at 77kg by the end of January 2023. Next came almost a year focused on building muscle: a 300-calorie daily surplus, slightly less protein and more carbs took him up to 86kg at 15% body fat. Finally, a 12-week diet phase raised his protein to 2 grams per kg and cut calories by 25% a day, bringing him down to 8% body fat at 78kg in time for a photoshoot.
I see this journey as not just about myself, it’s for my kids as well.William
A recomposition, not just a diet
Across the full year, William gained 6.1kg of lean mass while losing 7.1kg of fat mass, adding real muscle at the same time as getting leaner rather than simply shrinking. The first 12 weeks alone had already left him leaner and stronger than before, but that was only where the real work began.
I hope to inspire them as a role model to see the value of hard work and dedication.William
More than a physique
For William, the bigger shift was how completely fitness and nutrition became part of daily life rather than a short programme he was working through. He points to consistency and trust in the process, and says the discipline it built matters to him as much for his family as for how he looks.
If you want to change something do it now and you’ll be happy you started.William
Coached at ATP Personal Training Singapore
