Week 13 has been a reflective and challenging phase in my transformation journey. Despite a stubborn plateau where the scale and other measurements have been stable, I’m celebrating an important milestone: 90 days of consistent effort. Notably, my waist measurement has finally dropped by 1 cm—from 103 cm (40.55 in) to 102 cm (40.16 in)—even though it took 20 days to achieve that reduction.
Week 13 tested my patience, but the 1 cm drop in my waist and the celebration of 90 days are strong reminders that I’m on the right track. I’m motivated to keep adjusting my approach, break through this plateau, and continue my journey toward a healthier, stronger me.
The day began with a meal replacement followed by my strength training session. I managed to improve my push-ups and pull-ups, which felt great. However, my weight seems to be cemented in place. For about a month now, my weight has only been fluctuating slightly up and down. I believe I have confirmation that plateaus are a normal part of the process—lasting anywhere from 2–3 weeks up to 2 months. The good news is that I’ve already made it through one month, and I’m willing to invest all of April in working through this damn plateau. Fuck it, I’ll just keep going as before.
Workout /Cardio
Push-Ups: 15,15,14
Pull-Ups w. 🟪 Band/Knee: 7, 7, 7
Bicep Curls w. KB : 22,23,24
Band Overhead Press: 3×11
Plank: 60 70 60 sec
Knee Raise: 3×11
Bike:
Hike: 0
Walk: yes
Measurements
Weight: 89,7 kg / 197,80 lbs
Belly Ø: 103 cm / 40.55 inch
Steps: 15.330
Kcal Deficit: – 1200 kcal
Today was a day full of challenges on several fronts: two deadlines at work, a dedicated cardio session, AND an evening party. The day started very early at the office, where I managed to focus and power through a mountain of work. By around 11:00 AM, I hopped on my gravel bike and rode 55 km (34.2 mi) in cool, windy weather. Amazingly, the headwind on the return trip affected me less than last time—perhaps a first sign of a training effect setting in.
For nourishment until the evening, I stuck exclusively to meal replacements, protein shakes, and bars—knowing that the final challenge awaited. Later, at a good friend’s housewarming party (after his successful renovation), I knew there would be a wide array of foods and drinks. So, I set an impressive calorie deficit of 2,600 kcal on my tracker (in addition to my usual 750 kcal/day) and allowed myself to indulge completely—and indulge I did. Precise calorie tracking wasn’t possible at the party; I could only log the alcoholic beverages while estimating everything else.
Workout /Cardio
Push-Ups:
Pull-Ups w. 🟪 Band/Knee:
Bicep Curls w. KB :
Band Overhead Press:
Plank:
Knee Raise:
Bike:
Hike: 0
Walk: yes
Measurements
Weight: 89,7 kg / 197,80 lbs
Belly Ø: 103 cm / 40.55 inch
Steps: 13,834
Kcal Deficit: – 750 kcal
What a frustrating day! Yesterday, I pedaled my ass off on the bike and subsisted on nothing but powders all day so that I could treat myself later at a housewarming party. And now, this morning, the scale showed 700 grams more than yesterday! Yes, I know—it’s water retention, full glycogen stores, all that stuff… Still, the frustration is real, especially when I weigh more today than I did 36 days ago.
Despite that, I stepped off the scale, took my daily progress photos with a furious red face, and immediately completed my strength training session before a long, grueling day at the office took over. I’m sticking with it, no matter what—even if this plateau holds for another three months. It can only get better!
Workout /Cardio
Push-Ups: 15, 15, 16
Pull-Ups w. 🟪 Band/Knee: 7, 7, 6
Bicep Curls w. KB : 23, 24, 25
Band Overhead Press: 11, 12, 12
Plank: 60, 60, 70
Knee Raise: 12, 12, 12
Bike:
Hike: 0
Walk: yes
Measurements
Weight: 90,4,7 kg / 199,30 lbs
Belly Ø: 103 cm / 40.55 inch
Steps: 13.997
Kcal Deficit: – 1000 kcal
Early this morning, the scale finally dropped a little—thank God! I’m especially happy that my waist measurement is now at 102 cm. For 20 days, it had stubbornly remained at 103 cm, with typical 1 cm changes taking about 12 days.
After a very stressful day at work, I hopped on my bike at 4:30 PM for my Thursday cardio session. However, the ride didn’t go as planned: halfway through, I ran into my old friend Mirjam on the bike path and ended up chatting for a while, so I had to turn around quickly to attend family obligations by 6:30 PM. In a way, though, I was almost glad because I had pedaled with very tired legs today.
Workout /Cardio
Push-Ups:
Pull-Ups w. 🟪 Band/Knee:
Bicep Curls w. KB:
Band Overhead Press:
Plank:
Knee Raise:
Bike:
Hike: 0
Walk: yes
Measurements
Weight: 89,8 kg / 199,30 lbs
Belly Ø: 102 cm / 40.16 inch
Steps: 14.126
Kcal Deficit: – 1080 kcal
Today’s result on the scale was fantastic—89.2 kg! Could the plateau be finally ending? This news motivated a new peak in my strength training during lunch: I managed one more push-up than before, and my pull-ups skyrocketed. Three months ago, I barely managed 2 pull-ups; today, I performed 6 clean chin-ups! I’m over the moon, especially since I expected only 4.
Meals
Breakfast: Meal Replacement
Lunch: Pasta Veggie Carbonbara with mixed salad
Dinner: Baguette with ham and cheese, 2 beers (330 ml each), 1 Prosecco
Snacks: Skyr
After Workout: Protein Shake
Workout /Cardio
Push-Ups: 15, 15, 16
Pull-Ups w. 🟪 Band/Knee: 7, 7 ,8
Bicep Curls w. KB: 23, 24, 25
Band Overhead Press: 12, 14, 14
Plank: 60, 65, 80
Knee Raise: 13, 14, 15
Bike:
Hike: 0
Walk: yes
Measurements
Weight: 89,2 kg / 196,65 lbs
Belly Ø: 102 cm / 40.16 inch
Steps:
Kcal Deficit: – kcal
My Saturday began early as I was picked up to go skiing on the glacier with the guys—the probably last ski day on this hill for the season. We tackled rock-hard slopes at 3000 m (9,843 ft) above sea level and enjoyed carving turns, punctuated by a refreshing Aperol-Veneziano break until about 2 PM. Then we headed to a mountain hut for lunch. After one final run on the very soft slopes, we descended. With both joy and a tinge of sadness (as I look forward to warmer weather while mourning the end of a 4-month ski season), I headed home.
At home, I stepped out of the car in full ski gear at around 25°C (77°F)—to the amusement of passersby—and quickly changed into shorts and Birkenstocks for some gardening. Later, I indulged in a laid-back “dress attack” on the couch.
Meals
Breakfast: Protein Shake and a Carnival donut
Lunch: Spicy spaghetti with Pomodoro, zucchini, and capers, accompanied by 1 Aperol Spritz and 2 beers (500 ml each)
Dinner: Döner kebab with Coke Zero
Snacks: Bread with butter and Nutella, 2× Skyr, 2× Yogurt
Workout /Cardio
Push-Ups:
Pull-Ups w. 🟪 Band/Knee:
Bicep Curls w. KB:
Band Overhead Press:
Plank:
Knee Raise:
Bike:
Hike: 0
Walk: yes
Measurements
Weight: 89,5 kg / 197,31 lbs
Belly Ø: 102 cm / 40.16 inch
Steps: 14624
Kcal Deficit: – 650 kcal
Today, I celebrated the theoretical halfway point of my body transformation at home—where strong winds keep me indoors and away from outdoor sports. I spent the day switching my wardrobe from winter to summer and tackling plenty of housework. Looking back over the past 90 days, I’ve worked harder than ever—achieving a nearly 95,000 kcal deficit, losing weight and inches around my waist, and building muscle through countless hours in front of my computer and camera, meticulously documenting every detail.
Yet, should I celebrate? Considering my total weight loss is only about 8.3 kg, I expected more. More is on the horizon, though—tomorrow brings a new phase.
Meals
Breakfast: Meal Replacement
Lunch: Döner kebab with Coke Zero
Dinner: 3 ham & cheese toasts with mixed salad, 1 beer (330 ml)
Snacks: Yogurt
Workout /Cardio
Push-Ups:
Pull-Ups w. 🟪 Band/Knee:
Bicep Curls w. KB:
Band Overhead Press:
Plank:
Knee Raise:
Bike:
Hike: 0
Walk: yes
Measurements
Weight: 89,3 kg / 196,87 lbs
Belly Ø: 102 cm / 40.16 inch
Steps: 21822
Kcal Deficit: – 700 kcal
