A businessman who felt ‘lost’ as he approached 40, struggling with low energy and confidence, has revealed how he turned his life around and lost 10kg in the process.
Stephen Mix was drinking almost every night, had Deliveroo on speed dial and ate cheese-based pasta dishes most days – sometimes twice a day.
But as he approached his milestone birthday, the entrepreneur grew conscious he needed to turn things around.
Stephen, who said he ‘had a dad bod without even having children’, decided to sign up for an intensive 12-week training programme at Roar Fitness in London.
Eating a high protein diet and lifting heavy weights, he quickly noticed the change and has now maintained his lithe physique, entering his 40s with a new joie de vivre.
Before and after: Stephen Mix decided he was going to undergo a drastic transformation when he hit 40
Stephen shows off the results of his hard work with Roar experts James Castle Mason, left, and Jack Pressling, right
Stephen signed up for the transformation at Roar in June, 2022.
In just three months, 5ft11in Stephen went from nearly 80.8kg to a lithe 70kg.
He told MailOnline: ‘I had reached a point where I’d been inactive for some time. I’d sold my business, been travelling, enjoying myself, not doing enough exercise, eating too much.
‘As I approached 40 I started to get conscious I was putting on a lot of weight, my lifestyle wasn’t very healthy and I needed a change.
‘I decided an intensive training programme would be right for me. The guys at Roar were super supportive and I was really up for it.
‘The timing was right – I was ready to commit and fortunate that I was in the right place. Plus my partner was doing a similar programme so we worked together.
‘It was a bit of a shock to the system – my whole lifestyle changed as I had to prep three meals a day while planning my week – but I really benefitted from that structure.
‘Other parts of my life had to be structured as well, I arranged everything around training and cooking for myself.’
Stephen trained three times a week at Roar’s gym in Kensington with personal trainer Jack Pressling, as well as hitting a minimum of 10,000 steps a day.
He did the programme for 12 weeks, starting the day before his 40th birthday.
But to get the results he wanted, he had to give up alcohol, takeaways and cheesy pasta meals.
Stephen added: ‘I knocked drinking on the head almost entirely – I used to drink beer or wine four or five nights a week so that had a massive impact on my weight.
‘My social life was affected by the plan, but for the right reasons. I noticed quickly an improvement in my wellbeing, sleep, concentration, positivity and energy – I just felt good about life.’
In just three months, 5ft11in Stephen went from nearly 80.8kg to a lithe 70kg
The businessman had been enjoying travelling and eating what he wanted before deciding to turn it all around
Now Stephen, who runs a financial charity, maintains his new slimline physique by working out three times a week and trying to continue hitting 10,000 steps a day.
He added: ‘Now I’m maintaining my weight I eat about 2,500 calories a day, but I’ve kept it high in protein, which fills me up and feels like a really sustainable way of eating.
‘I keep an eye on my diet and I’m now much more conscious of my calorific intake, of having proteins and vegetables, and the quantity of food I’m eating.
‘Before, I used to cook myself half a bag of pasta for one meal. But now I’ve learned what a portion is.
‘While the programme was intensive, you get the helpful tools you need to take on and adjust to fit your lifestyle and make it work long term.’
Before starting the Roar plan, Stephen would skip breakfast and eat heavy pasta-based dishes up to twice a day.
On the programme, he would eat an omelette for breakfast or steak and eggs on training days followed by chicken, salmon or white fish with plenty of salad and vegetables and brown rice for lunch and dinner, or a stir fry.
He added: ‘The biggest change was in my gut. Suddenly I could fit into my trousers. But on top of that my skin improved, especially the dark circles round my eyes – a combination of the nutrients from the food, and better sleep.
‘I lost weight, I was broader and wider on my shoulders and chest but slimmer in the waist – I had more of a v-shape. My also posture changed and I was slimmer in the face.’
Stephen and Jack worked big muscle groups – back, chest and legs – by doing exercises like deadlifts and chest presses before focusing on specific exercises to drop fat from his whole body.
The 40-year-old completely changed his physique – and found his mood and energy improved as a result
‘We did a lot of supersets which were more aerobic and really gets your heartrate going. It was very strenuous – my heart would be pounding and Jack would also maintain the workouts,’ Stephen added.
‘There were a lot of deadlifts and on legs and shoulders he would kill me. I hardly did any abs at all.
‘Then all of a sudden after eight or nine weeks, a six pack appeared.’
Stephen added: ‘It was life changing. I had done a lot of soul searching and personal development work.
‘But this really helped me unlock another level. My mental wellbeing, energy and focus was so much better.
‘Even how I’d engage with people – I’d have more concentration and engagement when talking to someone.
‘But ultimately I do think it was very much teamwork – I couldn’t have done it without Jack and the team.’
Roar Fitness has gyms in London and Dubai and classes in Kensington and online.
Roar Fitness is owned by ex-Olympian and PT to the stars, Sarah Lindsay – who is regularly seen in the gym putting the likes of Pixie Lott, Vogue Williams and Graham Norton through their paces
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