Commitment Equals Results, So Are You Committed Enough?

Today’s interview is with Andrew Peters, who won the sixth Adonis Index Transformation Contest.

Check out his pictures:

Adonis Index - Andrew front picture

Andrew is still getting over the fact that this is how he looks now. No kidding, when you undergo such an amazing transformation, it might take some time until you get used to that new look.

Adonis Index - Andrew back picture

Andrew has a great muscle definition.

Adonis Index Andrew front picture

Want to win the next contest? This is how you take the photos.

Andrew is 24 and has spent the past few years playing rugby and lifting weights, however his training lacked structure, a goal, and a serious commitment. As a result he didn’t have the body he wanted.

He realized that in order to succeed he had to changes his approach. He wanted to get in shape, but didn’t wanted to look like some huge bodybuilder.

He was after more of a model body shape and it was also obvious that something had to change in his life.

He searched for a workout program that would meet this requirements and that search lead him to the Adonis Index. What might surprise you is that he wasn’t a believer at the beginning and it took him almost two years until he decided to try the contest and the workout…and in as little as three months he completely transformed his body. The only things he regrets is not trying this approach sooner and wasting two years of his life doing other workouts.

Before training with the Adonis Index he was trying to change, but his effort was misplaced.

This is probably the most common issue with muscle building. Guys don’t understand that it’s crucial to have a well-designed workout program, not the newest or the most expensive supplement. While certain supplements like Creatine might help, if you don’t have a good workout plan then nothing else really matters. But since supplements are easier to sell and people seem to want magic pills most of the marketing is focused on selling them…this leads to a belief that supplements are the building blocks of muscles.

Well, they’re not.

You should make it a priority to get a workout that:

  1. Has purpose behind the training and targets some specific goal you want (ex.: building a V-shape dominant body with the perfect AI)
  2. Is designed by someone who looks the way you want to look (assuming it’s not a performance based workout)
  3. Focus on certain muscle groups more than others to build an overall shape and look
  4. Have variety of exercises, reps and sets (if you’re doing the same thing week after week, you will get bored and won’t stick to it for very long, plus variety can help you hit the muscle from different angles)
  5. Difficulty gradually advances (aka Progressive resistance)
  6. Doesn’t requires you to buy expensive supplements or follow some insane high protein diets

The thing that won’t hurt you either is having a deadline. For Andrew there just wasn’t enough urgency, but when he decided to participate in the Adonis Index Contest, the training suddenly had a deadline and things got serious. Plus he was putting his money on the line now since he booked a session with a photographer three weeks in advance.

What Andrew Had to Change in His Lifestyle

You might guess that winning a fitness competition and transforming your body would require some supper-strict lifestyle without any social interactions and you would have to be focused on the diet and training only.

While it obviously requires more effort and focus to get in shape than to maintain your look, it’s still about finding a balance with your social life.

The only things that Andrew did was walking every day, cutting a few calories and training on the Adonis Index system a few times per week. He was already hanging out in the gym, so this wasn’t such a stretch.

Getting in shape is not that time dependent.

Cutting calories doesn’t require any extra time, quite the opposite, because it can free you from constantly preparing food, eating and washing the dishes. Just think for a while how much time you spend doing those things every day.

What about the workouts?

Well, even if the workout session took you 90 minutes and you trained let’s say 5 times a week then it would still only be an 8 hours commitment per WEEK.

A week has 168 hours, so 8 hours of focused training dedicated to improving your body and possibly your social life doesn’t sound that much, does it?

Most people spend at three times that many hours in front of a TV or playing video games, so if you are one of them you only need to cut out 1/3rd of that and you suddenly have the time needed to work out.

Just be honest with yourself.

Some people get up at 5 am just to squeeze in the workout session before their work.

Find that time, it’s worth the effort.

It Was Mostly a Mental Game

While any change requires physical effort, usually the hardest part is mental.

You might guess that somebody who is in shape is motivated 24/7, however like Andrew discovered, it couldn’t be further from the truth. There will be days when you will wake up in 6 AM feeling like crap, annoyed by the rain and cold and definitely not feeling like working out or doing something worthwhile.

This is something that you have to expect to happen and find a way to punch through it.

Sometimes you will look at yourself and won’t see any results. You will trick yourself into thinking that it’s pointless to continue dieting, because in your mind it’ll seem like nothing is improving in the mirror or because the scale is still the same. You will find a reason to quit. It’s those who stay on track and push through these moments that succeed.

Andrew had the same problem, he wanted to quit the diet, but he decided to adjust the amount of calories he ate everyday and kept on going. He knew this would work and that it was just a matter of time and consistency.

The result?

After 12 weeks he got ripped.

Take home message from Andrew:
  • You don’t just wake up totally motivated every single day, there are tough times too, but you’ll get there
  • If you’re having a hard time with really low calories , you may consider eating more closer to your BMR more often
  • It’s best to focus your workouts on building muscle and let your diet take care of fat loss
  • If you want to create an even bigger deficit then try some low intensity walking for few hours per week
  • Listen to podcasts to keep motivated during the contest
  • Don’t stress yourself about progress, it takes time. Just keep going and compare results after weeks or months of consistent work
  • You won’t get ripped after just one workout, remember it’s just one of the next eighty days so you need to keep going to see significant results
  • Three months are nothing compared to the years you were out of shape
  • Diet and workouts are not effortless, but the real challenge is the psychological side of the transformation
  • You have to build certain habits to reach your desired shape (ex: waking up at 5am and going to the gym first thing in the morning)
  • Limit you alcohol and fast food intake
  • Realize why you eat, usually it’s not because you are hungry
  • Get in shape first, because once you see what you are capable of in the mirror, it’s easier to improve other areas of your life
  • Find out your core reason behind your workout and diet, why do you want to get in shape? (ex: happiness, being confident and calm with yourself in social interactions etc.)
  • Write down your goals, you will make it more real when you physically write them down on a paper
  • Some people will not like you improving yourself, the problem is in them not in you. They are just rationalizing why they are not in shape and you are
  • There is no secret to getting in shape, just eat less and work out properly, if you keep doing that for few months, you will see amazing results
  • Book a session with a photographer or a friend who will volunteer to take your pictures in advanced to have a deadline
  • Make a commitment that you will do whatever it takes to achieve your goals
  • There is never going be the perfect time to get in shape so START NOW!
  • Participate in a fitness contest and challenge yourself
Words & phases mentioned in the podcast:
Listen to the interview here:
About Allen Elliott

Allen is the Editor-In Chief of the Adonis Index Blog, bringing you weekly articles on contest prep, transformation testimonials' and much more!

Additionally he is a published Fitness Personality, Certified Personal Trainer, and National Competitor in the NPC Men's Physique Division.

Last but not least, as an Adonis/Venus Index Transformation Coach, he works to provide guided solutions for people who sincerely strive to meet their fitness goals.

Being a fitness model and competitor gives him a lot of valuable insights that nobody else talks about. Among other things, he will teach you how to prepare for a live show or a fitness photoshoot yourself.

Click here to get more from him.

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