Today I am proud to announce the one year birthday of Skinny-Fat Transformation!
In this year I have published 40 articles and a free 35-page eBook for all you readers.
For you it takes 5-10 minutes to read each article, but for me, there are several days (or weeks) of hard work behind each article.
I spend an entire day on writing an article, then I spend several days rewriting it and editing. Most of my articles have 30-80 edits.
In December and January I had just 1 day off which was Christmas.
Despite that, I see anonymous retards on forums such as 4chan and reddit who accuse me of lying to sell my (FREE) eBook:
I don’t have anything against making money online, but that was not the motivation behind starting this site.
I started this site because I saw a lot of misguided skinny-fat guys on the bodybuilding forums I browsed.
Here’s an example of a skinny-fat guy who was advised to bulk, with the only reasoning that if he cuts he will look like a skeleton:
This is some of the worst advice you can give to a skinny-fat guy. The guy in the topic already had man boobs, a hanging gut and love handles.
Yet, he was advised to gain even more weight!
What do you think happens when he bulks?
He get’s even more fat!
Fortunately, as the year has progressed, more and more skinny-fat guys have found this site, and realised that bulking might not be such a good idea when you’re at 20-25% body-fat.
2,000 Visitors a Day
In the first year, the site has achieved the following numbers:
- 350,444 page views
- 166,214 visits
Today, the site is getting over 2,000 visits a day and I had to upgrade hosting to keep up with the growth.
But it wasn’t always like that. Take a look at the first 6 months:
In the first 6 months, the site was barely getting 100 visitors a day, and I was getting a small amount of comments.
However, from my experience with training, I knew that as long as I stay consistent and do my best, good things will come – and, they did!
Today, the site has over 500 reader comments, and I have received hundreds of personal messages from skinny-fat guys who got inspired to transform their physique after reading my articles.
It was all a slow and steady growth, but it was all worth it, because people are getting inspired to take charge of their lives by transforming their bodies into something they can be proud of!
But most importantly: People are finally getting results.
5 Success Stories
By inspiring people, I get pumped up to train hard and write more articles, but the most important thing to me is that people get results.
When the site was new I wasn’t getting any success stories, since it takes time to see changes in your physique.
However, today the success stories are flooding in.
At the end of 2013 I received 3 skinny-fat transformations in my email inbox:
Jeremy went from 0 to 15 chin-ups in 4 months while staying at pretty much the same bodyweight. Prior to finding this site, he had tried the whole “lift heavy and bulk up” approach and got fat without any significant strength gains.
Joshua went from 26% bodyfat to 14.5% in 3 months while adding 39 reps to his push up max:
Rody went from looking like a regular guy to beach-ready in 3 months while staying at the same bodyweight:
Shortly after that, I received an email by a reader who described his 7 week progress.
Prior to finding Skinny-Fat Transformation, he had been training for years without results and still couldn’t do a single chin up. Fortunately, that changed in just 7 weeks!
His 7-week progress is summed up below:
- 20-25% bodyfat to 12-15% bodyfat (estimates)
- 0 chin ups to 8 chin ups
- 5 regular push ups to 9 diamond push ups
- Chest and shoulder circumference decreased with just a quarter inch, while waist and hips decreased by several inches
(Unfortunately he didn’t take any before pictures, but he looked like a classical skinny-fat guy with 20-25% body-fat).
And recently (March 2014) I received this email from a reader called David who read my eBook How to Create the Illusion of Wide Shoulders:
Hello Greetings from Southern California My name is David. I have been following your book “How to Create the Ilusion of Wide Shoulders” and i have improved my chin ups and deadlift. The beginning of January 2014 i was only about to do 4 chin ups in a row and only deadlift 135lbs. Now i can deadlift 335lbs and i am now on good sets able to do 8 to 10 chin ups. Really happy i found your website on “Bold and Determined” by Victor Pride. Keep up the great work.
David
David followed the advice in the eBook and as a result he added 200 lbs to his deadlift and doubled his chin-up max in just a few months.
What do the success stories above have in common?
5 people made HUGE changes in their physiques and fitness level in just a few months.
I used to believe that getting rid of the skinny-fat look takes years, because it did for me, but it seems like I was wrong.
As long as you avoid making the same mistakes I did, you can get rid of the skinny-fat look in a matter of months!
Keeping It Simple and Talking About Stuff I Have Done
Just like with training, I grew my website by keeping it simple.
I only write about stuff that I have done, and I provide progress pictures to show my experience with different approaches.
I don’t have any training or nutrition related degree or certificate, therefore my articles are based on practical experience and not what I have read in a book.
Reading about nutrition and training confused me more than it helped! Instead, listening to my body, eating when I’m hungry and training hard as often as possible has produced much better results for me than any advice in a book.
A lot of skinny-fat guys spend more time reading about the perfect protein intake and meal timing than actually training. I believe that has to change.
The guys I know with the best physiques, aren’t the ones with the best formal education, but the ones who I always see training hard at the gym and in the park on the bars.
The goal of this website has been to simplify everything as much as possible, rather than adding to the confusion.
It seems to work.
Email of the Year
The first thing I do when I wake up is check my email inbox. A few months ago, I received an email from a former skinny-fat guy called John.
He has been training for about 20 years and managed to build a very impressive physique (currently he’s lean at 210 lbs).
John has tried every single method out there and failed for years, but just like me, he came to the conclusion that training often and doing a lot of reps on the basic bodyweight exercises is the way to go.
Read through his email and you may learn a thing or two:
Hi. Just read a load of the articles on your site and have to say that I think you have it absolutely right for that type of body structure and also what a pleasure it is read someone writing it so clearly.
I’m 6″5 and before I trained was over 100kg with no visible muscle. That was 25 years ago before I started training, since then I spent about 20 years trying every programme and diet out there with varying degrees of success. About 3 or 4 years back by trail and error I worked out that doing between 100 and 300 chin-ups and dips 3 times a week combined with 3 short 20 rep progress squat/Heavy Deadlift/Row/Press/Bench and 2 or 3 tabata conditioning sessions is by far the best way for me to progress. I have to say what a delight it was to read your article on overtraining.
There are loads of articles out there on the dangers of overtraining for ecto/hardgainers which give bad advice to most people in this category. I think that many SF/ecto/hardgainers genetically have a high capacity to tolerate and recover from high rep bodyweight training (chins, dips push-ups), which they should use to their advantage to stay lean and build muscle. And as you point out numbers are king, they tell that you you’re progressing and let you know when it’s time to back off.
Absolutely no need to reply, I have never before written a comment to an article etc ( and I’ve probably read most books and articles) but because training is my passion in life and I get annoyed by all the bad advice out there I felt compelled to say keep up the good work. Everyone’s different but if all SF people take your advice most will get their best results. I wish these articles were around 20 years back.
All the best John
Now get out there and build your body,
Oskar
The Biggest Fat Loss Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Hey Oskar, I am new here but am happy that you’re helping sf ppl like me. One doubt, for the last three months I’ve been doing bw training, increased my weight by 10 kilos, including an inch and a half on my arm and 2 inches on my chest. But my waist has also gained some fat….how do I make that go away while also adding more muscle/weight?
Don’t try to add muscle and lose fat at the same time. Focus on one at a time. If you try doing both, you will go around in circles getting nowhere.
Hey Oskar , thanks for replying my previous query.
But first I am gonna say that I am doing body weight exercises with little cardio and i am seeing difference in two weeks itself; got 1 inch off my belly with proper diet. And overall fat reduction ( a little).And my strength is increasing too. I puked on my first day :D…
Second, being a skinny fat you have a fat pad on your pubic region , i searched a lot on different website saying that it is the last place to go.
Have you notice that about your body what are your experience on it.
You’re welcome,
I’m glad to hear you’re getting results!
I honestly never thought too much about that, but now that you say it, I can see what you mean. I have a small fat pad there, even at 10-12% bodyfat, but it doesn’t bother me at all.
Hey Oskar I have been training hard for a while and this are my results:
20/5/2014
Chin ups: 8-6-4-4-4
Diamond push ups: 12-10-10-10-10
Leg raises: 20-20
Triceps dips: 15-13-13-10
21/5/2014
Chin ups: 8-7-5-5-5
Diamond push ups: 12-10-10-10-10
Triceps dips: 15-15-14-13
*superset chin ups with push ups
22/5/2014
Chin ups: 8-6-6-5
Diamond push ups: 12-10-10-10
*superset chin ups with push
23/5/2014
Chin ups: 9-7-6-6-6
Diamond push ups: 13-12-11-10-10
Leg raises: 20-20-20
Slow bench dips: 12-12-12-10-10
*superset chin ups with push ups and leg raises with dips
24/5/2014
12:00
Chin ups: 10-7
Diamond push ups: 14-10
12:42
Chin ups: 8
Diamond push ups: 12
13:25
Chin ups: 8
Diamond push ups: 12
14:10
Chin ups: 8
Diamond puhs ups: 10
17:00
Chin ups: 8-7
Diamond push ups: 12-10
25/5/2014
13:16
Chin ups: 10-8
Diamond push ups: 13-13
13:56
Chin ups: 8
Diamond push ups: 13
19:25
Chin ups: 9
Diamond push ups: 12
26/5/2014
Chin ups: 10-8-6-6
Diamond push-ups: 14-13-10-10
29/5/2014
Chin ups: 11-7-6-6 (30 reps)
Diamond push ups: 16-13-12-10 (51 reps)
2/6/2014
Chin ups: 11-9-9-7-7 (43 reps)
Diamond push ups: 16-14-13-12-12 (67 reps)
Superset chin ups with push ups 3 min rest between supersets
Triceps dips 17-16-15-14 (62 reps)
Leg lifts 20-20-20-20 (40 reps)
Superset Dips and leg raises 45 sec rest between supersets
3/6/2014
*Chin ups 10-10-8-7-6-4 (45 reps)
Diamond push ups 17-16-14-13-12 (72 reps)
* last set of chin ups—> pull ups
Superset chin ups with push ups 3 min rest between supersets
4/6/2014
11:47
Chin ups 11
Diamond push ups 19-18-
Pull up ladder: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1
Pull ups: 7-6-6-6-6 (31 reps)
Diamond push ups: 13-14-11-10
Leglift: 21-21-21-21
Chin up ladder: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1
Diamond push up ladder: 3-4-5-6-7-6-5-4-3
5/6/2014
Pull ups: 8-7-7-7-6 (35 reps)
Diamond push up: 20-17-14-14-12 (77 reps)
6/6/2014
Chin ups: 12-8-8-8 ( 36 reps)
Diamond push ups: 20-17-14-13 (64 reps)
8/6/2014
Chin ups: 11-9-8-8-7 (43 reps)
Diamond push ups 20-17-16-15-12 (80 reps)
10/6/2014
Chin ups: 12-9-8-9-7 (45 reps)
Diamond push ups 20-18-17-17-14 (86 reps)
Leg lift : 22-22-22-22
11/6/2014
Chin ups: 5×5 first set with 6 kg other sets with 4 kg (2 min rest between sets)
Diamond push ups: 4×12 slow tempo (45 sec rest)
One arm Biceps dumbbell curls 6kg 4×12 each arm
Triceps pushdown dropset: 3 dropsets
10reps x 14,7 kg
10reps x 12,5 kg
10reps x 10,2 kg
Lateral raises 3x10reps 4kg
Frontal raises 3×10 reps 4kg
12/6/2014
Chin ups: 11-10-9-7-8-5 (50 reps)
Diamond push ups: 15-13-13-13-12 (66 reps)
13/6/2014
Chin ups: 10-9-6-5
Diamond push ups: 17-13-13-10
Like you can see all was going perfect until today. My reps have decreased a lot and I don’t know why. Do you think that when this happends I have to let my body rest some days and then start hard again? Thanks
You’re doing very well, don’t think too much about it – it’s just one day. If you feel you need a rest, take it.
The best fitness website on the internet ,
God bless you mate why dont you,come to Jordan so we can do push ups in petra haha ,,,,,keep up the good work !
Wow thanks for the compliment! Jordan sounds like a hot place for a pale guy like me
Hi Oscar!
Great site, I’ve dug through the articles in a single afternoon after I’ve found it :) I’ve only been training for a month now, and contradicting information everywhere can be really confusing. It’s good to read something that is clear and based on personal experience.
I have one question though. You mention somewhere that you can train every day and even work the same body part on consecutive days. Now, does this apply to a beginner too?
Thanks!
Chris
As a beginner I would train 4 times a week and not worry too much about what bodypart each movement trains. Just get your numbers up on the basic bodyweight exercises and lose the fat, then you can start worrying about that kind of stuff.
Great work Oskar!
If you were just in it for the money you wouldn’t have made it to the 1 year mark – most of the bloggers (especially fitness) that are simply in it for the money give up after a few months due to a lack of traffic, these things take time as you know.
Keep up the high quality articles.
SJ
Thanks for the compliments SJ, I’ll definitely keep it up!
Hey Oskar,
This is a great site and i am learning a lot though I am new here. I did weight lifting a lot on/off since 5 years but slight gains only in chest and quads. Now i am gonna do body weight training and lose fat and i laid out my nutrition plans too. But one thing i trying to find is that ;do i have to leave gym and do body weight training exclusively or incorporate both. I look exactly like you ,when you were skinny fat but i have very thin arms(forearms). I tried to search your site but i guess i missed something. Other members can reply too. Any thoughts appreciated.
Thanks man! I go to the gym during winter, and train outside during spring/summer. In your case, I would do whatever is most convenient for you. However, I would focus on bodyweight training only in the beginning. Keep it simple, and get your reps up on the basic bodyweight exercises. That is more than enough to progress if you’re new to BW training. After you get your reps up, you can combine BW training with weights.
I am still in my first year of training and have been using bodyweight exercises exclusively and believe it or not there is plenty of room to progress indefinitely even with bodyweight training, just continue to challenge yourself and you will see progress even without going to a gym. I have seen great progress with far loss and over the last few months with muscle gains, all from chin-ups, diamond pushups, squats, and leg lifts.
Congrats on the one year mark! I am very grateful for all of the help you have given to me. It is funny seeing my after picture in this article because it would now be considered a before picture because I have made an even more significant transformation since then. Still a work in progress but always moving forward. Keep doing what you’re doing.
Thanks Joshua, it’s incredible how fast your physique is transforming. You’ve been at it for less than a year, and you already look like a new person. Send me progress pics whenever you feel like it. I’m curious to see how you progressed.
Hi Oskar
Congratulations on your successful year of progress.
You can find comfort knowing that you’re motivated by good intentions and actually helping people. Neither is true for your critics.
Seems life if full or bitter, negative people, or people with endless excuses. Never mind. They are the ones failing and unhappy.
Thank you Richard!
Oskar, way to go buddy!
This is very impressive.
You are one of the few REAL people out there in the blog world. Someone who walks the talks, wants the best for his readers, and actually cares. And it shows, that’s why your site is getting popular.
Keep at it.
Wow, thanks for the compliments Ludvig. I’ll definitely keep at it.
Hey Oskar,
I am really happy for you! You have helped a lot of people with this site and I sure am one of them. I have made more progress in the last few months than in my 20 plus years of training before I found this site. Thanks to your excellent advice, as your website has grown my waist size has shrunk. I really appreciate all your hard work.
All the best!
Wow I’m glad to hear that you made more progress in the past few months than in the 20 years prior to that! This shows just how much bad advice there is out there.
Congratulations Oskar!!
Keep up the great work!
I really appreciate your hard work!!
Thank you Ron! I should have mentioned you as a success story as well since your results show that age is not an excuse, but I chose not to since you were already in a great shape prior to finding the site.
For anyone interested, go into archives and read my interview with Ron.
Thanks Oskar! I’m learning a lot reading your articles.
Congratulations Oskar. Your web is fantastic. I think that I have found a good routine for me and I will stick to it as much as I can. Keep working hard! I’m sure your work is helping A LOT of people, including me, and I couldn’t be more grateful!
Thank you Joan, let me know how it works out for you.
Hey Oskar,
Congratulations on the big milestone mate!!! I’m really happy for you mate.
And I’m sure that with time, your website will become even more awesome!!!
Cheers bro!
Dejan
Thanks Dejan, always looking forward to your insights. Your blog is getting better everytime I check it.
Hi Oskar,
congrats and I know you will look better everthy passing year since you are in the right path of success.
Progress is slow now, but it all adds up in the end. Thanks for leaving a comment!
I wish you success Oskar.( I also wish I had found your website earlier, 2 years ago when I was starting out. )
It’s never too late, I looked like crap in the first 2 years of my training. As long as you stay injury free, you have your whole life to train hard.
Keep up the good work, Oskar. I know it takes you a great deal of time producing these articles, but let me tell you, I am so excited when there is a new article. So believe me, your hard work is greatly appreciated by many of us, even if we don’t tell you that enough!! Please keep ’em coming!!
Joel
I’ll definitely keep it up and I’m glad to hear you’re excited for new content. Got ideas for so many articles.
Happy birthday Oskar and Skinnyfattransformation.com! :)
Thank you Joseph, you’re also on the right path to success. If you keep it up, you will be another success story!
Can’t believe that you have created this in just a year. Every post seems so well researched and loaded with personal experience.
Great work and great blog man, will be following your progress in the next year of Skinny-fat transformation.
Thanks Matthew, I’m glad to hear you like the articles!