How My Client Isac Lost 40 Pounds by Fixing His Gut (Full Testimonial Breakdown)

Watch the full video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYg8rRgx8yE

Recently I sat down with Isac for the first time in a long while. When we started working together he weighed 98 kilograms. Today he is around 80. That is roughly 40 pounds gone. But when we talked, the weight was almost the smallest part of the story. His gut, his food, his training, his friends, his family and even his career changed with it.

This article is the written version of that conversation. I want to walk you through what we did, what Isac says mattered most, and the lessons you can take for your own life, especially if you are a busy man who feels stuck. I have kept it honest. Isac is not a model and he is not a robot. He is a normal guy who got tired of the way things were and decided to build a system.

Start here: the short version

If you only have two minutes, here is what changed for Isac.

He started at 98 kilograms and dropped to 80. We fixed his gut and stomach using a process of elimination, so we could find the foods that gave him the best energy in return. He moved to a simple, high protein way of eating, with plenty of water and carbs, and stopped guessing. He stopped drinking alcohol, which gave him his weekends back. He trained consistently, and today he lifts three to four times a week on top of running and playing paddle. He learned to read his body, so a number on the scale no longer makes him panic. And the confidence he built spread into his work, his relationships and his family.

The full conversation is on YouTube. If you prefer reading, keep going.

Where Isac started

When Isac and I started, he was at 98, almost 99 kilograms. He was struggling with his stomach and his digestion, and he did not feel good in his own skin. He has since told me that part of why he came to me was because he felt depressed and did not like himself. On the outside his life looked fun. On the inside he was ignoring what was happening to him through alcohol, partying and looking for approval.

I want to be careful here, because that is his story to tell, and he chose to say it out loud. I am sharing it because it matters. A lot of men come to a coach saying they want to lose weight, but the real reason is deeper. They want a sense of purpose, structure and self respect. Isac said it himself in the conversation: the gym gave him purpose and it gave him structure.

Fixing the gut came first

In the beginning Isac was struggling with his stomach. This is where I always start with a client, because if your gut is not working for you, it is very hard to train well, sleep well or feel energised. We did not do anything fancy. We used a simple process of elimination.

That means we looked at what he was eating and slowly worked out which foods agreed with him and which did not. Over time we figured out exactly which foods were best for him, meaning the ones that gave him the most energy in return. It is not about a magic list that works for everybody. It is about paying attention to how you feel after you eat, and being patient enough to test, adjust and test again.

Once his stomach calmed down, a lot of things got easier. He had more energy to train. He stopped fighting his own body every day. This is why I tell people that fixing the inside comes before fixing the outside.

The simple eating plan

When Isac moved to Argentina he told me he was a little up and a little down at first. Then he stopped playing around. He hired a meal service to prepare his meals. The meals were mostly high in protein, with water and carbs, and he built his day around them.

I like this approach for busy people for one reason: it removes decisions. When your food is planned, you do not have to think about what to eat at 3pm when you are tired and hungry. You just eat the meal. He made one important lifestyle shift after another, rather than trying to change everything in a single week.

He also drinks mate, which is a zero calorie drink and a good source of caffeine. I pointed out that his whole lifestyle changed, not only the plate. That is the part people miss. Food matters, but food is one piece of a bigger system.

He stopped drinking, and got his weekends back

When I asked Isac what he is most proud of, the first thing he said was his lifestyle. He stopped drinking. Not because he had a big problem, but because every time he drank it pulled him down a hole. He would meet someone, a small cycle would start that lasted a couple of months, and it became a distraction and a weight on his shoulders.

Eliminating drinking and partying gave him his weekends back. He still hangs out with friends and he still goes out. He just does it without alcohol, and he says it feels good to say "I don't drink" and mean it.

You can eat clean all week and then drown it on Saturday night. You are contradicting everything you did in the previous days. Isac understood that. If you are serious about changing your body, look at what you do with your weekends.

Micro decisions and learning to read your body

Another thing Isac is proud of is that he got to a place where he is comfortable with how he looks and how he lives. He was very strict for his first six months. Today, on the weekends he is more relaxed. He eats good food, especially when he goes out with his girlfriend. What changed is that he makes micro decisions based on what is best for him.

Here is the example he gave. If he has a burger today, he knows he will be around two kilograms heavier tomorrow because of water retention and sodium. So he does not freak out when he steps on the scale. He weighs himself every day, but only to keep a log. He learned to understand what the number means.

That is one of the most important skills in fat loss. A jump on the scale is often water, not fat. When you know that, you stay calm and keep going. Isac said he learned that from me, but he is the one who applied it. And I always say: the relationship you have with your body is the most important part. Know when it is time to perform and when it is time to take a step back. Working hard is great, and everybody can do it. Working smart is completely different.

Training: how he stays active

Isac lifts three to four times a week. On top of that he is very active. He plays paddle four times a week, usually a ninety minute session that is quite intense. He runs twice a week. Add it up and that is already about six workouts. He also eats a lot of protein, because if he is sick for a week or skips lifting for a week, he can feel his muscles getting smaller.

My answer to that is simple. A week off does not erase your progress. Muscle does shrink a bit when you stop, but as long as you keep your momentum and come back to it, you are fine. The goal is to sustain it in the long run, not to be perfect.

He also told me about his running. Between ten and twenty kilometres he can hold a pace of around five to five thirty per kilometre. Over twenty kilometres he slows down, because his Achilles starts to hurt on longer distances. His five kilometre time is under 25 minutes. And now he is looking at training for a half Ironman next year, which means running and cycling for now, and swimming later. He told me swimming is the hardest part.

One thing I need to say here, because I said it to him: the one thing I do not approve of is that he took six ibuprofen during his marathon in Budapest. I know he was in pain, but that is hard on your body, and it can affect your liver and your heart. If you are in pain during a race, listen to your body and talk to a doctor. Do not push through with painkillers. He told me he did not know the risk.

One percent better every day

A big part of our conversation was about consistency, and I want to add a warning to it. Being consistent is great. But if you are consistent for a thousand hours on the wrong path, you are still on the wrong path. That is why you need critical thinking. Ask yourself every day: how do I get one percent better than yesterday?

If you do that, mathematically it is hard not to succeed. One percent on your exercise. One percent on your food. One percent on your sleep, your focus and your time management. It also means thinking about tomorrow today. For example, "I am not drinking tonight, because Monday has to be locked in."

This matters even more now that Isac runs his own business. He has to find clients, do the work, handle sales, handle accounting, and be good at all of it. The gym taught him the structure for that. If you want to reach a goal, physical, financial or spiritual, you need a plan and a system. This is my first step. This is my second step. This is my third step. And then you focus a little more on the journey than on the destination.

The gym saved my life

This part of the conversation touched me the most. Isac told me that the gym saved his life, because it gave him purpose and it gave him structure. It taught him that to see results in anything you need a process. He cannot expect his business to succeed from one day to the next. He has to show up and keep trying, exactly like in fitness.

I added that many people forget something when they start a transformation. They need to say goodbye to their old self. You need to bury that old guy. If you are opening a new chapter, you cannot carry the old habits into it.

When you start taking care of yourself, your environment changes. You start seeing who loves you and who really wants you to succeed. Some people feel threatened when they see somebody take control of his life. They think, "He is getting better, I feel threatened," and they stop hanging out with him. Isac said it clearly: some people might leave, but they were not meant to stay. A lot of people left and the true ones stayed.

His family followed him

One of the best parts of this conversation was hearing about Isac's family. His mom started working out, and she lost around 40 kilograms. That is roughly 80 pounds. His dad followed as well. Isac told me that he kind of brainwashed them. He said, "Mom, I want you to be a good grandmother to my kids. I want you to be healthy."

I think that is the best example of what I always tell people. Our parents come from a different generation. They believe something when they see it. So the best thing you can do is show the example yourself. If you take care of yourself, you have a positive impact on every person around you. The more you take care of yourself, the more you can take care of the people you love. Your girlfriend gets the best version of you. Your family gets the best version of you.

Jealousy into inspiration

We also talked about something that is not often discussed in fitness: jealousy. Everybody has it. Isac said that in his old life he wanted to be the only one succeeding. Today he wants his family and his friends to do well, because when everyone is on the same boat, life is a better ride for everyone and there is less drama.

I told him what impressed me is that he was able to turn jealousy into inspiration. Ego is a bad enemy, but it can also be a great friend. Sometimes the ego feels good when others are beneath us. But it can also feel good when other people do better than us, because that pushes us to improve. That is the type of man who goes far.

Leaving the job and building a business

Isac also shared the business side. For five years he worked for someone else with no room for growth. It was the same thing every day, and he was okay with being comfortable. Then he got fired from his job on purpose. He did not want to work there anymore and he was not happy. He told me it was the best decision to happen to him this year.

Taking that comfort away gave him hunger and purpose. He put all of his energy into his own business. Within a month he doubled his salary. He now builds websites for companies, including some big ones in the American food industry, and he says he sees his work in big grocery stores. He is also giving work to his friends who want to become designers and work in marketing, because it was too much for him to do alone. I pointed out that he is now putting food on other people's tables.

I asked him what the old Isaac would say if we added him to this call. He said, "If I told Isaac last year that you would weigh 80 kilos and be making this much money, I would say you're lying." And it has not even been a year.

How Isac found me

Isac is also the reason another one of my clients, Osaki, found me. Osaki and Isac met at a gym and exchanged Instagrams. Osaki saw Isac's transformation, and when he asked who his trainer was, Isac told him to follow me. When Osaki later came to the gym in Budapest looking for a trainer, he walked up to me and asked if I was one. Isac's results opened that door. It is a good reminder that when you show your results, you inspire people you may never even meet.

What you can take from Isac's story

First, fix your gut and your food before you chase a new workout. Find what agrees with you, using a patient process of elimination. Second, make it easy. A planned meal beats a hundred good intentions. Third, look at your weekends. If a habit keeps pulling you down, you may need to cut it out. Fourth, learn to read your body. Do not panic when the scale jumps after a burger. Fifth, be consistent, but also get one percent better every day, so you are not consistent on the wrong path. Sixth, say goodbye to your old self. Seventh, show the example. The people who matter will follow.

Final thoughts

I am proud of Isac. I am not only proud of the 40 pounds, I am proud of the whole person: the confidence, the business, the relationships, and the way his family followed him. As a coach, this is the best gift I could get. It is to see a person who was struggling keep showing up, stop playing the victim, and become the best version of himself.

If you want help with your own version of this story, start with the free 30-day recomp plan below. If you would rather talk to me directly, book a free 30-minute call and we will look at your situation together.

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Watch the full video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYg8rRgx8yE

Disclaimer

This article is for general information and education only. It is not medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified doctor or other licensed healthcare professional. I am sharing my own experience and what I have seen with my coaching clients. Reading this article does not create a doctor-patient or coach-client relationship.

Digestive issues, low energy, low mood, and unexplained weight changes can have many causes, including medical conditions. If you have any health condition, are pregnant, take medication, or have symptoms that are severe or do not go away, speak to your doctor before you change your training, nutrition, supplements, fasting, or alcohol intake. Never ignore or delay professional medical advice because of something you read here. If you feel depressed or think you may be in crisis, please contact a qualified professional or your local emergency services right away. If you think you have a medical emergency, contact your local emergency services right away.

The client stories and results mentioned here are real examples, but they are not guarantees. Results vary from person to person and depend on many factors, including your health, effort, consistency, and circumstances. Medications, painkillers, and training programmes are mentioned only to describe what happened and what I have seen, and they are not a recommendation for you personally.

You are fully responsible for your own health decisions and for how you use this information. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Azer Mahdi disclaims liability for any loss, injury, or damage resulting from the use of, or reliance on, this article.