“The coaching relationship really builds the confidence for a person to take the skills and progress that they have experienced and to continue it in the future independently, or to reapply those skills again at another time in their life. I think that our coaching relationship was very productive.“

Matt Falcon, training and nutrition client

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I’d like to introduce you to Matt.

Matt is a former client of mine who went through one hell of a transformation, thanks to a high level of dedication and effort. The result was him being in the best shape of his life for the biggest day of his life — his wedding.

Matt came to me last year looking for some guidance with his fitness and nutrition. Before working together, Matt had spent time searching for programs online and giving them a try. None really got him the results he was looking for.

He needed something personalized to his goals and his lifestyle, which had recently taken a dramatic change.

Matt’s work-life balance was challenged greatly by working 10 p.m. – 7 a.m. as a crisis counselor. His sleep was erratic and his training and nutrition were a struggle as well.

It was time to make a change, so Matt and I went to work on putting together an action plan. We figured out what days Matt would get in the gym. We figured out how to best meal plan around his work schedule. We set weight-loss goals and planned regular weigh-ins to monitor progress, and we got on the phone once a week to evaluate the previous week while preparing for the next one.

The results were fantastic.

“The thing about Chris’s program was that it was so highly structured,” Matt said. “I think for myself at least, the details of a workout and diet plan are the parts where I had always struggled. But having Chris facilitate that part to maximize my potential was great.”

Matt and I worked together for nearly a full year. In that time, he dropped his weight from 182.5 pounds all the way down to 159 pounds. I originally had him focus specifically on weight loss, with workouts focused on higher intensity and overall volume. We slowly dropped his calories down over time while aiming to keep protein high throughout the program.

“The careful tracking of the macros and feedback on diet was a key part for me and seeing how that impacted my weight as I followed along with the program,” Matt said. “I think the overall positivity and education Chris provides is key.”

After losing 20 pounds in his fat-loss phase, we transitioned to a lean bulking phase where building strength and lean muscle was the focus. We worked on larger compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and bench press. Matt improved his strength considerably in this time frame and built some muscle as well.

“I think that a lot of our best conversations took place when we got to review some film of me doing the exercises and receiving feedback,” Matt said. “My deadlift and my squat (especially my squat) really improved as a result. Those are two exercises that are going to be important for me in basically any sort of work out program that I do moving forward.”

Once Matt got engaged and set a date for his wedding, we transitioned for one final fat loss phase to get him in the best shape of his life for his wedding.

On a personal note, I have to say as a coach this was one of the coolest things I could have ever imagined when starting this business — to be part of someone’s prep for their wedding day! I felt honored to coach Matt to the finish line.

His dedication and work ethic made coaching him a blast. It was so much fun to check in each week and hear about the latest progress and milestones he achieved.

Progress isn’t linear, of course, and Matt had his share of ups and downs. I can remember one specific weight plateau that lasted longer than we both wanted, but Matt stuck to the plan and kept working.

In the end, he blasted through that plateau and achieved his goals, looking amazing on his wedding day. And to top that off, Matt now has a wealth of knowledge to move forward and manage his own fitness and nutrition.

He can continue living a healthy lifestyle and have a road map on how to react and adjust when life throws him a curveball or two.

“Another major strength that I think Chris has is reiterating to the client that he is teaching habits and approaches that are going to benefit them when the coaching sessions are no longer occurring,” Matt said. “Chris is giving people the tools to continue to live well and pursue their goals by providing them with the knowledge and guidance necessary to do so. The coaching relationship really builds the confidence for a person to take the skills and progress that they have experienced and to continue it in the future independently, or to reapply those skills again at another time in their life.

“So I think that our coaching relationship was very productive. I think that was because our communication of goals was steady and in sync. When my goals changed I was able to communicate that and Chris was able to adapt. He was also adept at being able to recognize when the program needed tweaking, and when a goal needed to change.”

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If Matt’s story makes you interested in getting a coach, contact me and let’s talk about your goals and interests. I’d love to have a conversation with you to see if coaching would be a good fit!

CGF