Joe’s Lean and Ripped Transformation
Above is a photo of Joe before (230lbs, 20%+ Bodyfat in 2007) and after (170lbs, 7% Bodyfat in 2008). That’s about 35lbs of bodyfat lost! Note that this is not saying he got all those great results in losing weight and muscle definition on just IF, nor was it an overnight and quick success. Joe put in steady hard work and effort into his workouts, adopted healthy lifestyle habits and now enjoys more success/freeedom/results in finding how IF can work for him! Joe’s story in his own words are below:
As long as I can remember, fitness and nutrition have been a part of my life. I think back when I used to look through all my Dad and uncle’s bodybuilding magazines and pick out the pictures of what I wanted to look like. I used to jog with my dad and he taught me how to train with weights and also how to eat. Back then carbs were king and every weight lifter that knew what he was doing was pounding back bowls of pasta, rice and baked potatoes. I used to take Joe Weider protein shakes to school as my lunch when I was in grade school. Needless to say I was a “chubby” kid. I actually still have an affinity for the old school chalky tasting protein powders; none of that new gourmet flavored stuff for me.
Years went by and weight training and nutrition took a back seat to beer and girls and this chubby kid developed a nice “skinny fat” physique equipped with love handles and pipe cleaner arms. Somewhere around twelve years ago I decided to change and dove head first into fitness and nutrition once again. This time I was determined to get in great shape and did everything I could possibly do, just in the wrong ways. I listened to all the supplement companies and fell into the dietary and training traps of magazines and gym “gurus”. I tried and tried for years , but could never get into the shape I wanted. I felt horrible all the time. I was constantly getting sick and antibiotics were as much of a part of my diet as my daily multi-vitamin. I lived this way for a long time and eventually I discovered The Zone Diet.
Once I implemented the Zone I instantly started seeing results. I then began to cut out dairy and grains, all of my allergy problems went away and my monthly sinus infections never returned. I also changed my training style completely from typical bodybuilding style training to a more high intensity functional style which I discovered through Gym Jones and Crossfit. I was feeling great and looking great and my workouts were going great, but I was getting tired of being a slave to food. Six meals a day, freaking out if I went over that magical three hour mark without food. Worried that my muscle tissue would waste away and my metabolism would come to a screeching halt. I knew I wanted to change my eating habits , but I was scared because things were going so good. Why fix something that isn’t broken, right?
I then learned about Intermittent Fasting from Mark Twight while attending a seminar at Gym Jones. It sounded just crazy enough for me to try. Being someone that likes to experiment and see what changes come about, I jumped into IF full force. I started with a daily fast of nineteen hours and a five hour feeding window, I would train fasted every day and I didn’t cheat at all on the weekends. I kept my foods to Paleo choices with carbs coming only from fruits and vegetables, still weighed and measured to Zone ratios. Yeah, I really freed myself from food, huh? With my work schedule and activity level, this was a bad choice. I used this form of IF for a month and completely destroyed myself. I was unable to focus my intensity on my workouts and my recovery was non-existent. I wasn’t eating enough calories and I was trying to stay to low carb all the time. I began asking questions on the Performance Menu forum and thankfully discovered Mike’s blog and had many of my questions answered by Mike on the forums and through e-mails.
I actually gave up on IF for a few days and went back to the Zone and instantly knew I couldn’t go back to the six meals a day lifestyle. I had finally broken free from Tupperware containers, I couldn’t go back! I read Mike’s blog daily; looking back through old posts I discovered Leangains. This seemed to make more sense to me, eating pre-workout and including more carbs on heavy days. I decided to give this approach a try and after two weeks I can say I have found what works for me. My IF schedule looks something like this:
- I will fast during the week from 16-19 hours, yes I make it actually intermittent.
- On heavy training days I will break my fast with a meal of Oatmeal, blueberries, egg whites and walnuts about two hours before I train. After my workout I will have my largest meal of protein, usually a baked potato and a little olive oil on the potato. I will then have another meal of a protein source with sweet potato and walnuts, my last meal will consist of a protein source and usually fruit and vegetables and more healthy fats. I try and have some quick absorbing carbs immediately post workout and then taper down throughout my next meals.
- On my more metabolic conditioning/Cardio days I will try and train fasted and then have four meals consisting of protein, carbs from fruit and veggies only and plenty of healthy fats .Then usually on saturdays I will do a longer 20+ hour fast and break that with WHATEVER I WANT! That is my day for Barbeque ribs and ice cream, at least that has been the trend the past two weeks. Sundays I get back on track , but still am a little loose with my food choices.
I have been seeing great results with this approach, I am continuing to lean out and also am seeing a gain in muscle mass. My workouts have been great and I feel great again as well. The freedom that IF has given me is wonderful and I couldn’t imagine ever going back to having to eat all day long. One thing about IF is that it is not a “one size fits all” approach to eating. Everyone is different and will need to experiment with different fast/feed/train periods. For example I found that I work well with slightly higher carbs in my diet and can still lose bodyfat and feel good. If at first it doesn’t seem like it is all it’s cracked up to be, tweak a few things . Once the right mix is found there is nothing like it. My wife has also started IF and loves it as well. It is freedom from food , while still being able to enjoy eating.
Joe Waguespack
Thanks for that great story Joe! Amazing and great details about what did and did NOT work for you. IF is definitely a process that needs tweaking per person and activity level, but once you find what does work….the freedom from “tupperware” is a life that full of great possibilities! Sometimes we need to find several ways that do NOT work before we find the perfect plan for us.
If anyone else has their own great success story you want to share with others on losing weight, winning the mental battles, finding freedom and happiness…whatever it may be (and doesn’t even have to be about IF), feel free to email it to me at mike@theiflife.com. Great job Joe and keep up the inspiring work down there in Louisiana! (If anyone is down there be sure to stop by for a killer workout at Joe’s place!!)
26 Reader Comments
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Joe – you look fantastic, but more importantly, you set a great example for those who continue to “black box” their diets. It can be frustrating to go through so much trial and error, but you’re right – you have to be patient and just keep tweaking. Once you find the right mix, everything DOES just seem to click.
Mike, thanks for sharing Joe’s story.
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Hey Joe,
Thanks for sharing your story. I followed your original thread on the Pmenu forum and appreciate your insights.
I was wondering if you would share with me the structure of your training week. For example how many heavy lifting days and how many met com days. Also, do you feel that your program would help with mass building. I am quite lean right now and trying to gain some functional mass. Your program is obviously very effective with maintaining and building muscle while leaning. Would you tweak your training or your eating in any way if you were simply trying to gain some muscular weight?
You look great and the results are very impressive. Your insights and experiences are most appreciated.
Thanks
Mike
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Mike,
Thanks for providing Joe’s story.
Joe, you’re an inspiration. Keep up the great work.
Scott
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Thanks Melissa and Mike for the compliments.
Mike, lately I have been following a plan to gain some mass ,doing three days a week (Mon. Wed. Fri.) of heavy work . Mainly Squats (back, front , overhead) , deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, cleans, snatches……and so on all big lifts for 3-5 sets of 5 reps. Kind of a hybrid Starting Strength. On Tuesdays, thursdays, and saturdays I do more circuit/interval style metcon workouts with high rep kettlebell work, box jumps, rowing…that type of stuff. You can look on my web site and see the types of training that we do. I am doing a lot of training and still adding size and a little weight as well, while still staying lean and even leaning out more it would appear. I usually do all the workouts that are on my page, however lately I have been subbing the above routine as a short mass gain experiment. I only plan on following this for a few more weeks and then I will go back to the usual training structure that I program at my gym.
Also, you have to remember that nutrition is going to play the biggest part in gaining mass. If you are not eating enough quality foods and getting enough calories to support the repair and rebuilding of muscle tissue than no routine or training plan in the world will put on muscular weight. You have to find that balance of calories in/out and training volume and type that supports your system and goals.
To tell you the truth I have no idea how many calories I am taking in each day, I have just been feeling it out and I guess out of habit am still somewhat sticking with Zone ratios, just not as OCD like as before. I still weigh and measure occasionally and sometimes I just pile it on the plate.
If their is one thing that IF has taught me is how to listen to my body when it tells me it needs more or less food. On days that I lift heavy I eat pretty heavy, on lighter days I eat lighter. THis has been working great for me but may not work for you. It’s all about experimenting and figuring out what “feels” right and gets your body responding. But to simplify it as much as possible, to get big you have to lift big and eat big. But with IF you can utilize the nutrients much better and may not need to eat as BIG.
Good luck, hope that helps
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Thanks Scott
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Joe
I am so excited to have found this blog page!!
I have been IFing for about 6 wks and found that I was losing strength in the gym and was so frustrated by it!
I loved the freedom from food and ‘tupperware’ that IF gave but I do not like losing strength in the gym!
I was about to give up as I couldn’t find any other lifters using IF the way I was (daily, as it appears you do as well!).
My question to you: what is your eating window on your heavy days?
Now, to sit back and start following some of the links you’ve shared and learn more about how other lifter utilitze IF!!!
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Hey Karen,
Glad you found the info useful. I will usually break my fast around 11:00am or 12:00pm and eat my first meal, I then train usually around 1:30 or 2:00, depending on clients and my schedule. Some days things get hectic but I simply adjust my feeding/training window around clients. I will wait about 30 minutes after training and have my largest meal of the day and then just eat two more meals as I can. Usually I stop between 5 and 7. So on training days my window is about 5-7 hours long , depending on how I feel. 7 hours is the longest I open that window up for most of the time and that is rare.
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Karen – What is your lifting schedule? As there are different pathways for strength and other glycolitic lifts. If you are losing strength, then don’t go into a gym fasted. Eat some fruit and small protein before hand. You need to give your muscles fuel to burn as the purpose of lifting weights is to increase the volume/stress on a muscle progressively and break it down so it can grow back stronger for next time. Good rule of thumb is that for cardio/metcon/fat burning workouts….do them fasted in the AM….and for strength/muscle building workouts those are most likely done better with some food in you or in the PM (so you can still IF earlier if you want). Play with the food timing and intake and you will eventually find success like Joe did. Worst thing you can do is stick with something if it’s not working…and there are always tons of ways to modify IF around your workouts and results desired.
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Thanks Joe & Mike.
Mike, I lift @ 6am.
I was fasting from 830pm till 330pm, so I was lifting fasted.
About the 3rd week of lifting that way and simply dragging afterwards, I decided I had to open my eating window earlier, but I still lifted fasted.
Now, I am simply NOT fasting on my max effort lifting days (Tuesday and Thursday). I have my pre-WO meal and then just listen to my body the rest of day, closing the eating window at 830pm.
Do you suggest I break my fast earlier?
If I were to open my eating window at 5am and leave it open for 7 hrs on max effort days, that would close the window at 1pm.
the next day would be either a speed-lifting day or a cardio day, which i would want to go in to fasted, if I’m reading this correctly. To leave the eating window closed for 19 hrs would mean breaking that fast at 8am and closing it at one again.
Do I have my numbers right? Zoiks. That just seems a big chunk of ‘awake’ time to be fasting. 9 awake fasted hrs during the day.
Also, I’m trying to determine if it’s more important to have the fuel in me BEFORE I lift (eating the night before) or AFTER.
I’m all ears! Thanks, guys!
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- More important to have fuel in your muscles…as you can lift fasted if you glycogen is full. Ideally on cardio days to get the most bang for your buck on fat loss you want it fasted in the AM or at least 3-4 hours after your last meal if it’s later in the day. The real key is playing with it….as there is no one way. Just like Joe….he tried it a few different ways and finally got it fine tuned. So if you are bonking or feeling weak…time to rethink the plan and go again. You don’t have to fast daily either…and wouldn’t recommend it until you can get a routine down of 2-3 days of IF that do work…then you can add in other IF days to see what happens. Too much all at once will lead to definite burnout.
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OK!
Yes, my cardio and lifting are both in the morning @ 6am (cardio on non-lifting days).
so i’m off to the drawing board!
My eats were totally off yesterday and i just kept grabbing this veggie or that fruit so i was really carbed up when I lifted this morning; felt great! not drug out or anything! Lifts were good!
so i think i’m going to continue w/my eats in the evening as opposed to early in the day, post lifting.
thanks!
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I am a member of Joe’s Strength Liberation Academy, and just wanted to thank him for the training, motivation, and effort he provides me with. I lost 15 pounds before my last MMA fight with the help and guidance from Joe. I will be in even better shape for my next fight because I have more time to train with Joe. Joe is a great teacher/motivator and leads by example.
Thanks
Joe
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Ricky,
Thanks for the kind words, brother. It’s a pleasure working with such a motivated athlete with an inspiring work ethic such as yours.
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I have been IF’ing pretty solid for the past month. I have been practicing the Fast-5 5-10pm fast method. This was recommended to me by Logan Hood at Epoch. I really am suited to this kind of setup. Just don’t eat all day, then feast at night. I feast only on paleo foods. In fact I don’t even feel like eating crap now. I find it is easier to just not eat during the day. I do my gym jones workout between 6 and 7am, drink my black coffee at 7.30am and drink water all day. I never feel hungry and actually feel buzzed all day. When I was doing the 6 meal a day thing at zone rations, I found all I was doing all day was thinking about food.It was doing my head in! Not know. I have leaned up a lot, and my strength has improved greatly. I wish I had discovered this years ago. Well done Joe, I truly understand the journey you have been on.
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Ok, a little confused. IF for 16 -19 hours but a pre workout meal and post workout meal and 2 other meals and same sort of thing without the pre workout for cardio days followed by 4 meals. When does the fasting come in? Are the 4 meals within the eating window? What if you worked out in the morning. Would the IF not work because you need a postworkout meal? What if you trained for 30 min to and hour 5-6 times a week would you only fast on the 1-2 off days?
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Greg – All the meals would be in the fasting window. I only eat 3 meals on workout days…and sometimes 2 on non workout days. So some people may eat more than others or just have smaller portions more often, although my meals are pretty big. Depending on your workout, you could IF non-weight training days (with cardio activity only) and do not IF on weight training days if you workout is in the AM. It doesn’t have to be everyday remember.
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Hey Greg,
The way I do it is , I fast everyday. I break my fast around 11am, I train around 1-1:30pm. I then eat my other 2-3 meals before 4- 5 pm. That way I pretty much fast 18-19 hours everyday. On non lifting days I still eat in the same window I may just do some sort of metabolic workout before I begin eating. On the weekends I will fast longer sometimes or shorter sometimes. Hope that helps straighten things out.
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Awesome. As far as how much you eat. I have to be very careful. I grew up on healthy foods with the ability to extinguish mass quantities of fuel. I amaze people. Is this my goal of the window to consume as many calories as possible (natural food I’m not talking junk) for example, I broke my fast yesterday with a chicken, a pound of frozen vegetables, and a bag of salad, or do you go for some protein, salad, and a little vegetables throughout the window limiting calories. One last question. Throughout the day I drink water and eat bananas to replace my dextrose and electrolytes lost through sweating. Does this contradict the IF? Should I try for just water.
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Greg,
I would say that a lot depends on your goals. First of all, wether you are looking to lose BF or gain mass you definitely want to include some healthy fats in your meals ( nuts, seeds, olive oil, flax, fish oils, avocado……). I would save the bananas for strictly post workout if you must have them. As far as quantity of food, that will be an individual thing, some can eat a ton and not put on BF, others can’t. If you are eating throughout the day then that is not IF, you should decide the length of your fasts and feeding windows and only eat during that window. Water is your best bet , and black coffee or unsweetened tea is all you should consume during your fast. First find what fast/feed parameters work with your goals and lifestyle and then experiment with your food amounts/types to dial in what works for you.
Good Luck
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Is there a time period you don’t want to eat before you go to sleep, for example if you sleep at 10pm not to eat after 6. Also, as far as the length of the fast, is the goal to get to 18 hours for it to be truly IF. This is my issue. I am 6’4″ 240 not trying to lose weight. I work out at 430 in the am. because of work and family. I do something everyday. I like a piece of toast and honey before intense workout. I eat 2c. whole milk, turkey sammich w/tomato & lettuce, 2 eggs in butter, and maybe juice within 2 hours after only intense workouts. After that I am good. Interval or cardio workouts I didn’t have a problem fasting on. I get to the point of hungry around 2pm and window until 6. I’ll usually total about a lb. of meat, a bag of vegetables I saute in a little butter, bag of salad with nuts, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Does this look like the right direction? What is the pros and cons of eat nothing even when you train until your window, or the alternative eat pre and post, strict on off days.
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That’s a different guy in the “after” picture. You can clearly see that there’s another tattoo across his chest.
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Anon – Read the first line of the post “Above is a photo of Joe before (230lbs, 20%+ Bodyfat in 2007) and after (170lbs, 7% Bodyfat in 2008).” The pics were taken a year apart…so he couldn’t get more tatoos? Come on, are you really just trying to debunk the story? It’s him.
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Yes, I added a chest piece, a back piece , and a sleeve and a half in a little over a year. If there were less tattoos , then there could be a big question. LOL. Remember , just like bodyfat; tattoos are easy to put on but hard to take off.
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First of all, Joe, congratulations on the loss of body fat and improvement in tone and strength?
I was curious to see that your weight fell by 60lb’s, but that only (I should be so lucky) 36lbs of that loss was fat.
I have calculated your fat free was 184lbs prior to the weight loss, and 158lbs post weight loss: whereas I would have expected a gain in fat free mass. My understanding was that, generally, the objective was to lose fat and gain lean muscle, so if anything you would expect the loss in fat to exceed the loss in total weight – not the other way around.
Of course you could have had a significantly higher loss of fat, ie been well above 20% body fat to begin with. But, given that muscle is heavier than fat, at first glance the figures are surprising.
Great blog, by the way, Mike. Very interesting. At first the approach seems counter intuitive but given how the whole low fat high carb approach seems to be a complete disaster (it ws for me)and eating higher fat has definitely led to a weight loss for me, I am open to new suggestions. Having cut back on cardio this week, I found myself running faster and further today than I can remember in years. I definitely felt fresher. Looking forward to trying to get some quality sleeping time under my belt.
Personally I have decided to worry less about my total weight and instead to focus on improving strength, flexibilty, speed and stamina and waist size. Its my observation that waist measurement and how clothes fit is a pretty good proxy measurement for body fat.
Paul.
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It says 20% + bodyfat plus. I would put his bodyfat at least in the high 20′s if not low 30′s. So I bet he didnt lose as nearly as much muscle as you think he did.
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Thanks for posting this! What an amazing story of transformation and an inspiring role model to have. Cheers for the tips as well, it will definitely help a lot of people, including myself!
- Craig
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