Sherif Abbas, is a 41-year-old cosmetic dentist in central London. Hearing about a patient’s transformation set him on a course that changed his body and mind. Here’s what happened, in his own words:
I was always aware of my appearance–my chin, my round face. I never thought of myself as massively overweight. I knew I carried a bit but thought it was reasonable. I’m a cosmetic dentist and was inspired by one of my patients who had carried out a transformation himself. I saw his confidence, how good he looked, how his face had changed, how his expressions have changed, and how his physical and mental well-being looked different.
I was also at an all-time low in my personal life where I felt that I lost the will to live. Before I started training in December 2022, I had suffered a major setback and was almost in tears every night. I didn’t feel like eating. I didn’t feel like socializing. I didn’t feel like I belonged. Everything shattered and collapsed. It led me to a dark place.
During my darkest hour, I considered ending the whole thing. I managed to snap out of it. I decided to pick myself up again slowly. Then I found out about Ultimate Performance (UP) Mayfair from one of my patients. I saw how this person transformed himself, I saw the spark of life in his eyes, I saw his confidence, I felt his energy and positive vibes. It made me realize that I can change or do something to help my mental state. I felt I owed myself an opportunity to redeem myself and regain my confidence, which was at an all-time low. I went home and looked at the UP website and the rest is history.
I now realize that I could overcome being negative or in a low mood by doing something about it. All I needed was a goal and a purpose. I am a totally different character and person now. I regained my confidence. I regained my trust in people.I feel great internally and externally.
My transformation took approximately 22 weeks. I never believed that I could get a 6-pack in that short space of time.I had been training on and off for many years before my transformation. Looking back, I can see I had no goals or targets. I was just following certain exercises that I knew, copying other people but never really progressing.
Scheduling was key
For my transformation, I had to organize the time to train around working in multiple clinics around London and in Manchester. I trained in the evenings at UP Mayfair. During the day, I would make sure that I was eating the right number of macros before training and drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated. I would finish work, head straight to the gym for the evening workout. I would then have a protein shake, a dinner rich in protein and a moderate amount of carbohydrates to help fuel the muscle then head to bed.
During the latter parts of the program and during Ramadan, I discovered that training first thing in the morning worked best for me. I get up at 5:15 am and get ready for training, either with my trainer or solo at my local gym. I finish exercising, shower, get ready for work, and have breakfast and a shake. Lunch is a protein-based meal with some carbs and 2 pieces of fresh fruit as a snack. I found that this way, I have more time in the evening to do the things I enjoy, whether it is catching up with admin work, going for walks around central London to get my steps in, or just catching up with friends.
I saw my trainer two to three times per week. We spent good quality sessions working on compound lifts. The rest of the time, I would go to my local gym, and I work on isolation lifts and carry out my cardio on the treadmill or the bike.
Towards the end, I started working out twice daily 5 days a week, where I would be in the gym by 6am. I do cardio in the morning or at lunch time. This was followed by the trainer session in the evening. It was a great way to get my day going, get the steps in and keep me on the move always. I found my alertness levels have increased and my body feels full of energy, and this increased my focus at work and my motivation towards achieving my goals.
I also adjusted my diet to emphasize protein and take carbs to 50g of per day. A typical day would be two boiled eggs for breakfast with a black Americano coffee. I would eat a can of tuna with a small salad for lunch, and dinner would be a steak or chicken breast with either broccoli or spinach. I would finish with a protein shake.
After a few weeks of training, I discovered The Good Prep, which provides prepared meals. They had slim, maintenance and bulk meals. I chose the slim meals which were all under 500 calories. They were wholesome and delicious. It was a more accurate way of tracking my macros and getting the right amount of nutrients in. My snacks would be a small handful of raw almonds or a Greek yogurt (0 percent fat).
Overall, I lost a little more than 35 pounds. I started off at 211 pounds and had a body fat percentage of 25 percent. I finished the program at 176 pounds, and with a body fat percentage of 9 percent. It was an incredible transformation, I couldn’t believe it. I can now deadlift 220 pounds, and my leg muscles are starting to gain their former strength after many years of inactivity.
Everyone looks at my photos and thinks I photoshopped them. Some people who haven’t seen me for a while are like, “Is that really you?” Moreover, I have inspired a couple of my friends to take exercise more seriously. They can see the physical changes to my body, how clothes fit me better, how my posture has improved. Even my limping walk from an old disc injury is slowly going away due to the increased strength in the muscles.
This experience has been a godsend. I do not know what would have happened to me if I didn’t discover the gym and training. At first, it was just a distraction from my life’s stress and a way to cope with the personal issues I suffered last year. The more I trained and noticed the quick physical changes, the more my confidence increased. I started receiving compliments from strangers, which is something I have never received before. I feel confident. I feel so energetic all the time. I feel I am prolonging my life. Exercise has become a way of life for me now, and I very much look forward to doing it because it has made me a better person.
Emily Shiffer is a freelance health and wellness writer living in Pennsylvania.
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