Part one: starting after back surgery
Jay started in May 2021 at 101.2kg.
A couple of years ago, I had back surgery. That had a huge impact on my health.Jay Jenkins
Because of his back, his coach did not start him on heavy barbell work. He could not do a chin-up. He squatted to a box. The first weeks were spent on how he moved, and the weights went up after that.
Due to my back injury, I couldn’t do a lot of exercise. I really needed somebody who really thought about this as a co-creation of my health. My coach has been taking amazing care of me, very conscious of my previous injury, very conscious of sort of where I was coming from and what I wanted to accomplish.Jay Jenkins
The first seven months
From 10 May to early December 2021, with 208 weigh-ins logged:
- Weight: 101.2kg to 82.5kg, down 18.7kg
- Waist: 104cm in June to 86cm in December, down 18cm
- Body fat: 29% in June, measured with skinfold calipers, down to around 17 to 19% by year end
He got stronger at the same time. He could not do a chin-up in May and could do three by December. His push-ups went from sets of ten on an incline to 25 from the floor.
His goal when he started was 90kg. He finished the year 7.5kg under it.
He found the sessions hard, but always within what he could do.
I honestly thought that my coach was going light on me. I won’t say it wasn’t challenging. It absolutely was. But it was well within my capabilities.Jay Jenkins
Part two: the year after
Many people who lose a lot of weight put some of it back on in the following year. Jay’s second year was planned to stop that happening.
In January 2022 he weighed 81.8kg at 16% body fat. In December 2022 his body fat was 16.3%, and his weight had stayed around 82kg all year.
His targets for the second year were strength targets: chin-ups, squats and visible abs. By December his chin-ups had gone from three to seven and his push-ups from 25 to 29. His squat went from a 50kg box squat to a 60kg barbell back squat for sets of five.
His December 2021 and December 2022 photos look much the same, because his weight and body fat held. In that year he got stronger on every lift his coach tracked.
My experience with ATP has been fantastic. The focus on exercise along with nutrition was exactly what I needed.Jay Jenkins
So I would recommend you find a great coach who will actually co-create that journey with you. Get started.Jay Jenkins
If you have lost weight before and put it back on, ask any coach you speak to what the plan is for the year after you reach your goal.
Coached at ATP Personal Training Singapore
