Jordan loses 26kg by swapping cardio for weights

Jordan’s transformation began not in the gym – but with a quiet frustration that cardio alone wasn’t getting him anywhere. Despite playing squash, football, and running regularly, the 36-year-old graphic designer couldn’t shift the weight or feel good in his own skin.

A self-confessed sceptic of weight training, Jordan joined U.P. and unlocked a level of transformation he didn’t think was possible. In just 32 weeks, he dropped 31.5cm from his waistline and lowered his blood pressure from a dangerously high 145/99 mmHg to an optimal 112/75 mmHg.

Now, friends barely recognise him. His mindset has completely changed. And for the first time, Jordan enjoys what he sees in the mirror.

Here’s how he did it with expert coaching and a structured plan…

What was your diet and lifestyle like before starting with U.P.?

"I thought my diet was good before joining U.P. Good enough to kind of see me right in terms of health and fitness. But then at this side of the journey, I definitely know that it hasn't been good. Now I feel tons better on this diet, and I got a better understanding of what that looks like."

How did your previous lifestyle affect your well-being?

"Physically, I thought I was still running, playing squash, playing football, so I didn't really feel any kind of physical drawbacks with it. But yeah, in terms of mental well-being, I guess I probably was down about how I looked.”

What changes did you start to notice, and how did it feel when people reacted to your transformation?

"It’s when people don't recognise you or bring to your attention that you look different. Because obviously the people that you exist with every day don't see the differences in how you look, but then you don't see somebody for three months, and they're like, ‘Oh my God!’ you look completely different!”

What was the reaction from friends, family, and colleagues?

"People who I’ve not seen for a while when I've picked my child up from school have gone, ‘Oh my God! How much weight have you lost? Because it's a massive number. It's 4 stone in 4 month. It’s humongous, really. It does drastically change how you look. Looking at pictures from before in terms of like how full my face was – I've just completely changed."

What’s been the biggest change, physically and mentally?

"How I view myself – when I look in the mirror and I see what I'm wearing, I enjoy what I see now. My physical ability has changed, and my endurance and just being able to kind of go out and run more often and enjoy it. And they've been the most significant changes."

How did your old training compare to your U.P. experience?

"My training (before) consisted of cardio, and the main reason for joining U.P. was to kind of unlock that weight lifting element of it. For me, that’s changed everything. It unlocked a total whole level of weight loss that I just couldn't achieve on my own because I didn't have the knowledge and I didn't have the ability."

What impact has weight training had on your body and mindset?

"It’s like night and day. I look so much better. I enjoy looking at my arms and my shoulders, and I've never had that before. I’ve still a little way to go, but I feel like I'm definitely on the other side of it."

Did you achieve what you initially set out to, and have your goals changed since?

"I think from our initial conversation, I didn't know what I needed to achieve, but I feel like I have surpassed what I expected to achieve initially. So I didn't believe it could happen. But it has happened, and I'm delighted."

What would you say to someone in the position you were in before starting?

"Most of the people that I speak to say that speak around cost and things like that. But if you want a good quality, nurturing environment where you're going to be encouraged to do your best and perform at your best, it's not wasted money. And it's definitely worth."