After easy access to calorie-dense convenience and fast foods over the holidays led to excess weight gain, Christopher Julyan turned to NPL to rev his body back into condition.

Despite years of dedicated clean eating and consistent training, the harsh truth that confronted Christopher was that just a few weeks of unchecked eating led to weight gain and unwanted changes to his physique after the December holidays.

Stats:

  • Age: 27
  • Lives: Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape
  • Career: Wind Turbine Technician
  • IG: @christopherjulyan
  • Facebook: Christopher Julyan

Fast food trap

“Despite my passion for health and exercise and my dedication to a fitness-focused lifestyle, the convenience of junk food got the better of me during the holiday,” explains Christopher.

The resultant changes to his body composition were undeniable and an unpleasant sight for Christopher.

“I took a long, hard look at myself and my habits and had to decide if this is how I wanted to live my life. The answer was a resounding ‘no’,” recalls Christopher.

He knew he needed to make changes to improve his appearance and his overall well-being and was motivated to turn things around quickly.

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Personal growth factor

Beyond his profound passion for health and fitness and a desire to better himself and his quality of life, personal growth was another factor driving Christopher as he wanted to make his passion his career.

“I planned to start studying towards a relevant health and fitness industry qualification, which motivated me to prove to myself what I can achieve. I also saw the competition as an opportunity to use my potential share of the R200,000 in prize money on offer to fund my studies in fitness and nutrition.”

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A different approach

Despite his previous experience and knowledge about healthful eating and effective exercise, Christopher knew he needed something extra to give him a push in the right direction.

“I saw the 12-week NPL Body Revolution Challenge on Instagram and knew that it was the perfect approach to give me the necessary push in the right direction. I quickly realised that motivation only lasts for about two weeks and that reaching your goals is all about discipline. Entering the challenge meant I had the correct mindset to succeed.”

While maintaining discipline and self-control proved the most challenging part of the transformation process, especially sticking to his diet at social events, the more Christopher proved to himself what he is capable of, the more he wanted to achieve.

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Pushing the limits

As he continued to make progress, Christopher used the NPL Body Rev Challenge as the perfect opportunity to push himself to his limits. His NPL Body Rev Transformation plan required both training and diet adjustments.

“I adopted a training routine that consisted of an hour and a half of weight training followed by 30 minutes of cardio. I also added a 15-minute abdominal session every other day.”

Christopher’s workout split

  • Monday: Legs
  • Tuesday: Chest and triceps
  • Wednesday: Back and biceps
  • Thursday: Shoulders and two chest exercises
  • Friday: Legs
  • Saturday: Biceps and triceps
  • Sunday: Rest

The food foundation

Meeting the physical demands of his high volume and intense training regimen required lots of energy, but Christopher initially underestimated his calorie demands.

“I made the mistake of not eating enough food to sustain my workouts and day-to-day life. I also realised that I did not incorporate enough protein in my diet.”

To get his eating on point and guide his diet, Christopher enlisted expert help from nutrition coach Ryno van Heerden.

Christopher also used various NPL products to supplement his new diet, which he believes played a pivotal role in his eventual success.

Christopher chose the NPL Vegan stack, which included:

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Career transformation loading…

Based on his astonishing transformation, Christopher won the Men’s NPL Body Revolution title and his share of the prize money, which has used to enrol in the Trifocus Fitness Academy Platinum Package.

He says the biggest lesson that the NPL Body Rev Challenge taught him is that your diet is the foundation of every fitness journey.

“My perspective on food has changed now that I have seen how important this aspect is to your overall outcome. It is 100% true when people say that success is 70% diet and 30% exercise.”

In addition to practical lessons, Christopher has taken numerous life lessons from his experience.

“Perhaps most importantly, proving to yourself that you can achieve something you thought you couldn’t makes you wonder what else you can achieve, which is all the motivation you need to chase the nest challenge.”

Reflecting on his journey, Christopher adds that those looking for a similar transformation should not ignore the significance of proper pre- and post-workout meals.

“Another crucial elements is surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals who share the same aspirations and ambitions for added support.”

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Maintain those gains

Since winning the competition, Christopher has remained consistent with his training. He also increased his calories to a maintenance level to maintain the goal weight he achieved. He continues to use NPL supplements in his approach. His new stack includes:

Quick facts:

  • Favourite healthy dish: Steak and sweet potato
  • Favourite workout: Shoulders and upper chest
  • Favourite exercises: Incline dumbbell presses and weighted Superman dips.
  • Must-use supplements: Whey protein, a pre-workout and creatine monohydrate
  • Top diet tip: Add a protein source to every meal and stay hydrated.