Marcin had one rule: work hard, play hard. Disgusted with himself, Marcin knew it was time for a change. He decided to compete & went from chunky to cut in 4 months.
Were there any diet/nutrition mistakes you made that you learned from?
Lifestyle Prior To Change
What was your lifestyle like prior to your transformation?
I was very focused on my career but I loved to party. I used to go out every single weekend and drink a extensive amount of alcohol. I liked to go by the quote.“ Work hard, play hard.”
Partying and drinking lots of alcohol lead to eating burritos at 5 am and sleeping in the next day skipping 2-3 meals by the time I wake up. My nutrition was absolutely awful and I had no idea how bad I was eating.
What was your low point or turning point?
I was extremely disgusted looking at myself in the mirror every single day. I would make excuses not to go to the beach/water park with friends/family because I didn’t feel comfortable in my own skin. Having friends who were skinny didn’t help either. I knew I needed to make a drastic change and knew I needed to start yesterday.
Were there any unique challenges or circumstances that made your transformation particularly difficult?
Starting my diet was extremely difficult. I would forget to cook/prep food which would lead to me eating junk food. It was very frustrating eating every 3 hours and was tough with my work schedule.
After a few weeks seeing results, it gave me more motivation and drive which I made it into a daily task and set alarm timers to make sure I don’t skip meals. I have a slow metabolism so cutting lots of calories and being hungry a lot of the times was tough.
Please provide a timeline including when you started the transformation, and include major milestones along the way:
Transformation Start: January 1,2013 was the start of my transformation. I was at the worst shape of my entire life and was well over 20% bf. I never cooked food and I ate Chipotle, McDonalds, Taco Bell and all other junk foods every day. I really hated my body and lost a lot of confidence and knew I needed to make a huge lifestyle change. I have always been a competitive person and very goal oriented so I knew if I put my mind to it, I can achieve anything. I decided to compete in the NPC ILLINOIS STATE 2013 in May of 2013 to help me stay more motivated in the process. I was fortunate enough to have a great friend Andrew Krawczyk who is a bodybuilder take me under his wing and help me with my new diet, nutrition and workout habits.
- Milestone: February 2013 – I adapted to eating clean foods and went from 2-3 meals daily to 8 meals a day. I was able to adjust my life to this new style and seen results after just a month.
- Milestone: March 2013 - The game changed completely. My calories dropped super significantly and I was eating a lot less carbs and little fat. I was still able to have a cheat meal once a week but seen that I had lost 10lbs in that short time, I was ecstatic!
- Milestone: April 2013 – My diet and nutrition was flawless. There was no more cheat meals which was the most difficult part for me and I had to eliminate alcohol completely. I was down another 15 lbs. I couldn’t believe how much nutrition had a impact on your body.
- Milestone: May 2013 – I was doing cardio 2x daily, haven’t had a cheat meal since 8 weeks. The day of my show on May 11, 2013 I couldn’t believe the day I woke up dialed in at 188lb. I was speechless.
- Transformation End: May 11, 2013 at day of my show NPC ILLINOIS STATE I was in the best shape in my entire life. I was so proud of all my accomplishments and had no words on how great it felt being up on that stage. Right after my show I set a new goal for myself to change my physique and make it even better then what it has became.
Marcin's Training Approach
What was your weight training approach and split during your transformation?
I would do a single body part a day. I would take 1 days off to rest and recover.
- Monday - Chest
- Tuesday - Shoulders and Traps
- Wednesday - Quads
- Thursday - Off
- Friday - Back
- Saturday - Arms
- Sunday - Hamstrings and Quads
| Monday - Chest | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 10, 8, 6 |
| Incline Bench Press | 3 | 10, 8, 6 |
| Incline Dumbbell Flye | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Bench Press | 3 | 20, 15, 10 |
| Dumbbell Flye | 3 | 12, 8, 6 |
| Tuesday - Shoulders & Traps | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Front Lateral Raise | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Side Lateral Raise | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Seated Dumbbell Press | 3 | 20, 15, 10 |
| Dumbbell Shrug | 3 | 15, 10, 8 |
| Barbell Shrug | 4 | 30, 20, 10, 8 |
| Wednesday - Quads | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Squats | 3 | 10, 8, 6 |
| Front Squats | 3 | 10, 8, 6 |
| Leg Press | 3 | 30, 20, 10 |
| Leg Extension | 3 | 30, 30, 20 |
| Friday - Back | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Wide Grip Pull Down | 3 | 15, 12, 8 |
| Close Grip Pull Down | 3 | 12, 8, 6 |
| Deadlift | 4 | 15, 12, 10, 8 |
| Dumbbell Pullover | 3 | 10, 8, 5 |
| Saturday - Arms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 15, 12, 8 |
| Seated Dumbbell Curl | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Concentration Curl | 3 | 10, 8, 6 |
| Rope Tricep Extension | 3 | 20, 15, 10 |
| Skullcrushers | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Dumbbell Kickbacks | 4 | 10, 10, 10, 8 |
| Sunday - Hamstrings & Calves | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Stiff Leg Deadlift | 3 | 10, 8, 6 |
| Seated Calf Raise | 3 | 20, 20, 10 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 50, 30, 20 |
Please detail your cardio approach during your transformation?
I would do cardio 2x daily 45 min in the am and 45 after workout in the pm. I would do incline 10.00 @ 4.0 speed.
Please list 3 things you learned about exercise, weight training and/or cardio during your transformation that helped you succeed:
- Understanding the importance of pre and post workout nutrition.
- Realized that one program doesn’t fit everyone. Everyone’s body is different the way it process foods and way the body reacts. Without trial and error you will never be able to understand your body.
- Form is crucial. It doesn’t matter how much weight you’re lifting if you’re doing it incorrectly. Stop trying to impress the ladies in the gym and focus on the importance of form.
- Nutrition is 90% of the success you will achieve in transforming your body. You can go to the gym everyday 5 hours a day with 2 hours cardio and if you eat junk food you will see very minimal progress. Abs and physiques are made in the kitchen. It was very hard for me to understand this concept but it is 100% true.
Marcin's Diet And Supplement Plan
What was your diet/nutrition approach during your transformation?
I made my diet very simple and easy to follow. I would prepare all my food on a Sunday and have it ready and prepped Mon-Fri. This would allow me not to skip any of my meals and have no excuses.
Can you give an example of what your daily meal plan looks like?
I would cycle my carbs based on how full or tight I look that day. Here was a sample diet;
- 7:00 am – 1 cup of egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal w/ peanut butter and banana, black coffee with stevia.
- 11:00 am – 2 scoops of protein with 1 tablespoon peanut butter and a banana with cup of almond milk.
- 2:00 pm – 7 oz of chicken, tilapia, or lean ground beef w/ 1 cup of cooked rice.
- 4:00 pm – 7 oz of tilapia with broccoli.
- 5:30 pm (PRE WORKOUT) - 1 apple with pre-workout drink.
- 7:00 pm (POST WORKOUT) – 2 scoops of protein, half cup of oatmeal and banana.
- 10:00 pm - 1 cup of egg whites with mushroom and pepper.
Were there any diet/nutrition mistakes you made that you learned from?- Write down your plan and review it every single night to make sure you have all your food prepared.
- Drinking at least 1 gallon plus of water a day. At first it's very hard to get used to it, but you need to make this a daily habit.
- There is no perfect diet to get shredded. You need to go through trial and error and see what works best for your body. One key does fit in every door.
Please list 3 things you learned about diet & nutrition during your transformation that helped you succeed:
- Be careful when you cut your carbs in the “cutting phase”, start with a lot of carbs and cut them with moderation. If you cut to much, too soon, you will comprise in the fat loss.
- Drink a lot of water. 70% of your muscle mass is water, plus it will help curb your appetite. When I drink more water, I can see and feel my muscles more.
- Eat carbohydrates with low glycemic index. This helps keeps your blood sugar stable. When the blood sugar is high, a lot of glucose goes to the muscle to be transform as glycogen. The problem with that is an excess of glucose will be stored as fat by the liver, which you want to avoid. While I am cutting I also limit my intake of lactose and fructose. Fructose because its usually turns into fat, and lactose because it’s a simple sugar like fructose. Simple sugar can effect your shredding.
Did you allow yourself cheat meals?
In the beginning of my transformation I was allowed one cheat meal per week. Getting closer to my show I had to eliminate all cheat meals and stay consistent with my diet. It was extremely hard but definitely well worth it in the end.
What supplements did you use during your transformation?
- Whey Protein Powder
- BCAAs
- Glutamine
- Fish Oils
- Multi Vitamin
- Creatine
- Pre-workout
Advice For Others
What are your best 3 tips for someone looking to make their own transformation?
- You need a lot of patience. It takes a lot of consistent hard work and dedication to transform your body/life. Rome was not built in a day.
- Stick to your diet plan and don’t let anything interfere. Allow yourself cheat meals and don’t force yourself not to eat it. You need to enjoy life and make this an exciting adventure.
- If possible hire a coach that you can trust and know he can help you with your transformation. Knowledge is power. Without my coach I don’t think I would be able to do such a crazy transformation in such a short period of time.
How do you stay motivated? What advice would you give to someone who’s having trouble staying on track?
I have very high goals that I set in life. I really want to get my pro card in Men's Physique and I know its going to take a lot of consistent hard work but I'm up for the challenge. Set small goals and reward yourself when you achieve it. Even if it’s a 1lb you lost, that is still one step closer to your goal.
Another thing I tell myself every time I'm close to making a bad decision in nutrition or that last rep is thinking of all the people that would love to see me fail and then push HARDER!
Your Life Now
What is your life like now that you’ve made a transformation?
My life is amazing and I am so blessed to still have my coach by my side to help me reach my next goal. He has helped me in 1000 ways and I can’t thank him enough. I was also very fortunate enough to get sponsored by NVIE Nutrition. With the amazing products that they carry its only helping me get one step closer to my new goals!
What motivates you currently to keep improving yourself?
Ever since my transformation, I had come across so many opportunities. So many doors had opened up that I had no idea could have ever existed. All the wonderful people I had met in the fitness industry helped me stay motivated after hearing their stories. I always tell myself that I have to stay motivated and inspire my friends, family and fans.
How can people contact you?
Take the initial step and setup a plan for yourself and start your transformation. Never be scared to ask for help , everyone was once in your shoes and you would be surprised how many people are willing to help.
I would love to help in anyway and will list a few ways of contacting me. Please don’t be afraid to. I would like to give a huge thanks to Andrew Krawczyk who has helped me from the beginning to the end and my wonderful sponsor NVIE Nutrition.
How can people contact you?
- Email: nviemarcin@gmail.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/fitmarcin
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/fitmarcin#
Source: muscleandstrength.com
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