Dan unlocks the ‘secret’ to abs at 40 with weight training for just 3 hours a week

40-year-old Dan had fallen so far out of shape he couldn’t bear to look at himself in the mirror.  

A combination of stress, recurring injuries and lockdown restrictions meant he lost control of his health, ultimately affecting his happiness and productivity.   

It dawned on Dan how bad things had got when 40-inch trousers wouldn’t fit him in a suit shop – 3 sizes bigger than he was before lockdown. 

Dan teamed up with Ultimate Performance in need of an overhaul. After just 18 weeks, his expertly crafted U.P. plan helped him lose 18kg and reduce his blood pressure.   

Now lean, confident and once again able to feel sharp in a suit, he is managing his diet and injuries in a way he didn’t think possible.   

“I’d gained a little bit of weight and had a few injuries, which resulted in me not being able to look at myself in the mirror.

“U.P. have been great. I think for the first time since I was in my twenties, I’ve gone 20 weeks without a single injury or niggle.

“I’ve really got a much better understanding of what my training means to me and how to do it properly.”

Here, Dan talks about his transformation has benefited his everyday routine, ranging from his sleep to his diet, and also discusses how effective his trainer was at reversing his bad habits.

What was your motivation to join U.P.?

I had done a little bit of training in the past, but over the years things had started to get away from me. I’d gained a little bit of weight and had a few injuries, which resulted in me not being able to look at myself in the mirror. Putting a suit on made me realise that things were tight when they had never been before, and I wanted to tackle it before I turned 40.

Until that point, you tell yourself you’re in decent shape and this is just a point in time. It’s easy to say you’re a little bit out of shape for the time being, but this is not really how you look and you’ll sort it out. Over the years I just let that drift and didn’t really tackle it. It shocked me how much weight I’d put on over the years.

What part of your training program did you enjoy the most?

I think the ongoing progress photos and the regular check-ins kept me motivated. Through U.P. I started to really enjoy my training again. My trainer knew exactly what I was looking for and it’s definitely an investment in yourself, you don’t want to miss any sessions. It is designed so you want to see your program through and get the result at the end of it after you’ve made that investment.

The impact U.P. has had on my confidence has also really struck me. The extent to which being careful with my nutrition and exercise impacted my mental health was incredible. The way I tackle my problems is much different if I’ve got a good workout in and made good decisions with my food.

What were your activity levels like before your U.P. transformation?

I had a little bit of knowledge and I thought I knew how to train, but through U.P. I have realised there are a huge amount of exercises that I’ve been doing wrong for years. I’ve never really tracked my nutrition consistently, so I think the training has been a real eye-opener about what it takes to get in shape. I’ve developed a strong understanding of how important it is to get good nutrition and sleep, and not do two or three poor sessions a week and expect good results.

How did you cope with being out of the gym and feeling out of shape over lockdown?

As lockdown came to an end and we went back to ‘normal’ life, I had to put a suit on for the first time in six months. It was pretty clear that what used to fit me, wouldn’t fit me anymore. So, I went into a shop thinking I’ll buy one suit, it’ll see me through until I lose weight. It was shocking just how much weight I’d put on. I previously wore a 34-inch waist and then found myself having to breathe in to get into a 40-inch waist. It was a real moment of self-reflection about some of the choices I’d made.

Have you found your transformation has given you more control in various other areas of your life?

I realised that when I’m training, eating and sleeping properly a lot of other things in my life aren’t that big a deal. Whereas when I started my day with a poor decision like having an unhealthy meal or missing training, everything else that day wouldn’t stay on track. I now find that if I wake up and I do something disciplined, then the rest of my day flows that way as well. I get something from it.

Were U.P. able to work around your injuries which were holding you back from training?

I’ve previously torn my labrum and detached my bicep on one side, and had major surgery on my other shoulder. From years of rugby, poor form and doing too much chest and bicep training I’ve suffered a lot of injuries and not built enough stability.

U.P. have been great. I think for the first time since I was in my twenties, I’ve gone 20 weeks without a single injury or niggle. I think when me and my trainer have come across something that’s started to pull a little bit, he helped me train around it. That’s been a big help for me. I’ve trained consistently now for 20 weeks without going home, feeling beaten up or waking up the next day and not wanting to train because I’ve overdone it. I think we’ve found that point that’s sustainable which has made a big difference.

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