PerformWell Podcast

234kg to 97kg: He Lost 21 Stone Without a Single Weight-Loss Jab

A doctor told Mark he'd be in his coffin by 40. Two years later, he's 137kg lighter — and he never touched a weight-loss jab. No Ozempic. No surgery. Just the most honest transformation we've ever filmed. Mark went from 234kg (34 stone) to 97kg in two years — the natural way. He sits down with Nick, Grant and Gemma to talk about the GP appointment that scared him straight, what he was really eating at his heaviest, the sepsis scare that nearly ended it all, and the day he deadlifted the exact weight he'd lost. We go deep on the stuff nobody talks about honestly: the weight-loss jab debate (when they help and when they don't), emotional eating, loose skin, body dysmorphia, why the scales lie, and the mindset that got him through the bad days. Built. Challenged. Real. 👉 Interested in the coaching programme Mark followed? Reach out via the links below. — FOLLOW MARK — Instagram: @https://www.instagram.com/windsorpolo25/ 🎙️ Hosted by Nick, Grant & Gemma. Nick: https://www.instagram.com/getfitbynick [https://www.instagram.com/getfitbynick] Grant: https://www.instagram.com/coach_grantmcdonald/ [https://www.instagram.com/coach_grantmcdonald/] Gemma: https://www.instagram.com/gemmapaddy82/ [https://www.instagram.com/gemmapaddy82/] 📲 Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performwellpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/performwellpodcast/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@performwellpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@performwellpodcast] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getfitbynick [https://www.youtube.com/@getfitbynick] — CHAPTERS — 00:00 Intro 00:45 Welcome & meet Mark 01:41 "I'd be dead by 40" — the doctor's prognosis 03:05 Caring for mum & the moment he decided to act 04:37 Being judged & made to feel invisible 06:39 What he was really eating (10–15lb of sweets a day) 09:05 234kg: the daily reality at his heaviest 09:59 The sepsis scare that nearly ended it 11:40 The numbers: 234kg → 97kg 12:07 Deadlifting the 120kg he lost 14:21 Fibre, fullness & gut health 15:05 Before vs now: the food breakdown 17:39 Self-loathing & "I don't deserve to look after myself" 19:01 Relapses & why a gain isn't failure 21:55 Why he refused the weight-loss jabs 22:42 The big Ozempic debate 24:30 Emotional eating 27:54 "Start where you are" — advice for big beginners 30:20 The carb myth 34:24 Good foods vs bad foods 34:59 Walking: the #1 thing that actually worked 36:37 The 3 levels of transformation 38:00 Loose skin & "I'd rather live" 38:40 Body dysmorphia & the comfort blanket 39:26 The best reaction from a stranger 40:30 The loose-skin surgery injustice 42:15 Why he said no to a gastric bypass 43:25 Mental resilience: "the power is within" 45:14 Why the scales lie 46:15 How often you should actually weigh yourself 50:24 His message to anyone starting today 51:20 What "performing well" really means 52:03 Wrap & where to follow Mark   #WeightLossTransformation #WeightLossJourney #NoOzempic #PerformWell #FatLoss

Science-Based Lifting Is Lying To You (15 Years of Coaching Says So)

Is "science-based lifting" actually making you better - or just making you train like a robot with a foam roller through your arm? In Episode 146, Nick and Grant break down where evidence-based training earns its place and where the internet took it way too far. Bluetooth handles, lengthened partials, 3 reps-in-reserve, mouth guards mid-set - we get into all of it. Two coaches, 15 years each, 30,000+ hours on the gym floor, calling it straight. We cover why Jeff Nippard's own lengthened-partials research landed back at "just do the full rep," why the bench press got unfairly cancelled, why mechanical tension and hard effort beat perfect form on a spreadsheet, and the simple form → time-under-tension → weight framework we use with every client. Science is a tool, not a religion. It's a way - not the only way. ────────────────────────────────── 🎙️ Hosted by Nick & Grant. Nick: https://www.instagram.com/getfitbynick [https://www.instagram.com/getfitbynick] Grant: https://www.instagram.com/coach_grantmcdonald/ [https://www.instagram.com/coach_grantmcdonald/] 📲 Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performwellpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/performwellpodcast/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@performwellpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@performwellpodcast] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getfitbynick [https://www.youtube.com/@getfitbynick] ────────────────────────────────── Chapters: 00:00 Is science-based lifting worth it? 01:30 What science-based training really means 03:00 Full range vs partial reps 04:00 Why old-school bodybuilders still got huge 05:20 When data ruins training 06:00 Knees-over-toes & flawed science 08:00 Jeff Nippard, Israetel & online lifting culture 08:30 Lengthened partials vs full reps 11:00 Coaching experience vs studies 12:00 Reverse-banded hack squats 14:35 Bench press vs dumbbell press 16:30 Mechanical tension & chest growth 18:10 Which is safer? 20:30 Final verdict on science-based lifting 22:10 The movement patterns that matter 22:50 Why training hard still wins 23:30 Form, tension & progressive overload 24:35 Drop sets and plateau breakers 25:30 It’s a way, not the only way   #sciencebasedlifting #hypertrophytraining #buildmuscle #strengthtraining #performwellpodcast Credits: Music: Infinite by Soundridemusic Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZwcnKbRBpo&list=PLyuakwzSUr6DM1YqTg65HiWG0UrmxdOFk

Pole Fitness Fixed My Body Dysmorphia | Beccie Dunn

Most people think pole fitness is a party trick. Beccie Dunn thought it looked cool in a photo and couldn't even walk into a class alone. Then it fixed her. Beccie spent years trapped in body dysmorphia — eating 900 calories a day, training like a bodybuilder, desperate to be as small as possible. Pole fitness broke that cycle. When she saw how much strength, muscle and proper nutrition it actually took to get good, everything changed. Now she runs Dynamic Aerial Academy in Southampton and has built one of the most empowering fitness communities in the UK. In this episode we tried pole for the first time (and got absolutely humbled), then sat down to talk about everything the fitness industry doesn't say loudly enough. We cover: How pole fitness rewired Beccie's relationship with food, her body and strength Why she was eating 900 calories while training a full-body skill sport The eating disorder, the body dysmorphia, and the exact moment the switch flipped Breaking her foot mid-session — and teaching the rest of the class on it Training kettlebells on the day she went into labour (waters broke that night) Why pole is one of the hardest skill sports you can do — and why that's the point Sleep, REM cycles and what's actually killing your recovery Raising strong kids in a world obsessed with junk food Building community, handling online hate, and staying in your lane This one's for anyone who's ever punished their body trying to look a certain way — and needed someone to show them a better reason to train. 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes weekly 📍 Dynamic Aerial Academy, Southampton 📸 Follow Beccie:  @becciedunnfitness  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCGEtJfg7ppmjU1eVM48gWrA] https://www.instagram.com/becciedunn/ [https://www.instagram.com/becciedunn/] 📌 Chapters 00:00 - Intro & Welcome to Dynamic Aerial 00:17 - What Pole Fitness Actually Is 01:43 - How Beccie Got Into Pole & Built Her Academy 02:13 - Bodybuilder Training vs Performance Training 03:31 - Eating 900 Calories While Training Pole 05:14 - The Turning Point: Strong & Sexy Is Born 07:00 - Why Pole Is Closer to Gymnastics Than the Gym 08:47 - She Broke Her Foot and Still Taught That Night 10:00 - Managing Tendonitis & Injuries in Pole 11:04 - Kettlebells: The Most Transferable Tool to Pole 13:00 - How Long Does It Take to Get Good at Pole? 14:00 - Building Community From Day One 19:00 - Social Media, Followers & Mental Health 21:57 - How to Handle Online Hate 26:20 - Who Is Pole Fitness For? (Everyone) 31:00 - Competition vs Social Media in the Pole World 33:00 - What to Expect in Your First Pole Class 35:39 - Why Sleep Is Your #1 Performance Tool 37:00 - Deep REM, Sleep Data & Evening Routines 40:00 - Perimenopause, HRT & Sleep 40:38 - Training Through Pregnancy Up to Labour 44:22 - Raising Kids on Real Food 51:44 - What Does It Mean to Perform Well? 53:42 - Find Beccie & Dynamic Aerial Academy ────────────────────────────────── 🎙️ Hosted by Nick, Grant & Gemma. Nick: https://www.instagram.com/getfitbynick [https://www.instagram.com/getfitbynick] Grant: https://www.instagram.com/coach_grantmcdonald/ [https://www.instagram.com/coach_grantmcdonald/] Gemma: https://www.instagram.com/gemmapaddy82/ [https://www.instagram.com/gemmapaddy82/] 📲 Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performwellpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/performwellpodcast/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@performwellpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@performwellpodcast] YouTube:  @getfitbynick  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCWHKVp5zMBm0tiA9h0eTbWQ]   #PoleFitness #BodyDysmorphia #EatingDisorderRecovery #StrengthTraining #PerformWellPodcast #FitnessWomen #StrongAndSexy #PodcastFitness #WomensHealth #FitnessMotivation

Don't Start Your Summer Diet Until You've Watched This

Everyone's telling you to start your summer diet. We're telling you to stop. Nick, Grant & Gemma have a combined 40+ years of PT experience — and their biggest lesson isn't about what to eat or how much cardio to do. It's this: the body you're chasing for summer probably isn't worth the cost of getting it. In this episode of The Performwell Podcast, Gemma opens up about the psychological fallout of getting shredded, Nick breaks down why chasing a physique goal is like thinking school is your whole life, and Grant shares the clients who got the body — and still weren't happy. From crash diet culture and body dysmorphia, to steroids hiding in plain sight on Instagram, to how Gemma's testosterone and HRT journey became the most sustainable thing she's ever done — this is the conversation you need before you start cutting for summer. If you've ever crash dieted before a holiday, compared yourself to someone online, or wondered why getting lean still didn't feel like enough — watch this first. WHAT WE COVER: → Why 6–8 week summer transformations usually backfire → The psychological damage of extreme dieting and photo shoot prep → Body dysmorphia — and why even the fittest people aren't immune → What actually is a healthy body fat % for men and women → The steroid problem hiding in plain sight on your Instagram feed → Why the body you can't sustain isn't worth chasing → Gemma's HRT and testosterone journey — and how it changed everything → How to shift your mindset from "summer body" to something that actually lasts ────────────────────────────────── 🎙️ Hosted by Nick & Grant, with special guest Gemma. Nick: https://www.instagram.com/getfitbynick [https://www.instagram.com/getfitbynick] Grant: https://www.instagram.com/coach_grantmcdonald/ [https://www.instagram.com/coach_grantmcdonald/] Gemma: https://www.instagram.com/gemmapaddy82 [https://www.instagram.com/gemmapaddy82] 📲 Follow us: nstagram: https://www.instagram.com/performwellpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/performwellpodcast/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@performwellpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@performwellpodcast] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getfitbynick [https://www.youtube.com/@getfitbynick] ────────────────────────────────── 0:00 – Intro: The Problem With Summer Diets 0:53 – Why 6–8 Week Transformations Are a Mistake 3:29 – The Psychological Fallout of Getting Shredded 4:02 – Body Dysmorphia — Does Anyone Actually Escape It? 7:03 – Photo Shoots, Bodybuilding & Knowing Your Limits 12:10 – What's Actually a Healthy Body Fat % for Men & Women? 19:20 – The Steroid Problem Nobody's Talking About 21:40 – Gemma's HRT & Testosterone Journey — And How It Changed Her Life   #SummerDiet #HolidayPrep #FitnessPodcast #SummerBody #BodyDysmorphia #DontStartYourDiet #PerformwellPodcast #FitnessTruth #SustainableFitness #GymCultureUK #HRTWomen #TestosteroneWomen #GetLeanForSummer #CrashDiet #MentalHealthFitness

Why You Need A Fitness Goal That Scares You

Most people are waiting to feel ready before they commit to a goal. The problem? That moment never comes. In this episode, we sit down with Grant to talk about why having a concrete event — whether it's a photo shoot, marathon, Ironman, or white-collar boxing match — is one of the most powerful tools for transforming your fitness AND your mindset. Nick shares how he went from his lowest point post-COVID to stepping into a boxing ring in front of 1,000 people, and we break down why purpose is the antidote to depression, why your first event just needs to be DONE (not perfect), and the framework that helps you find the REAL reason you want to change. If you've ever said "I'll start when I'm ready" — this conversation is for you. WHAT WE COVER: → Why challenges give you purpose (and why purpose fights depression) → The personal challenge framework — marathons, photo shoots & comps → How Grant went from his lowest point post-COVID to boxing in front of 1,000 people → Why your first event just needs to be DONE — not perfect → The fear of failure that stops people committing (and how to flip it) → The 5 Whys — finding the REAL reason you want to change → Why we're doing Ironman Leeds on August 16th   🔗 Sponsor our Ironman for CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably): https://www.justgiving.com/page/stron... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbW1EYUZzTTIyR1ZEcW53c0poQ3hRdmVzUFZjUXxBQ3Jtc0traHQ0czJVU3FSN21sR0tIc1N2LV9pN29YXzFPbWFEX285akkwaFdEcHVJQzBLMFBCV1haYmw5Skx3d2RtNlJCUjF0ZVpnbUczcEFaajlBMmV4eUptYjhPaFNiYlRVSURvZFVCLUZDa1d5N2tVUEFSMA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.justgiving.com%2Fpage%2Fstronger-than-the-silence&v=BWluEesMO7Q] CALM supports men under 50 — the biggest demographic affected by suicide worldwide. Please donate if you can. ────────────────────────────────── 🎙️ Hosted by Nick & Grant. Nick:   / getfitbynick   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbDY0ekwyZDlpaGFSZXZqMGc1VEZKaW9nalpKQXxBQ3Jtc0tsaHRZUUFaNHlwcWJkZHJpWXljTVVCZFI0VE9fdEcyM2UyeGYxb0JKSEJfRk5UQzN4aXBhWEpfMzY0WXFkRENPX3ZEYmRFMm9HTElEazI1SEpwRnE4NXNBc1YzejNyTDM1Zk9LbG1jUU80dzlsOEhhMA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fgetfitbynick&v=BWluEesMO7Q] Grant:   / coach_grantmcdonald   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVo1a2x6QjZ0U1BjalgwdzRRM3BoZ2h6cHZiQXxBQ3Jtc0ttWm11WElPempJSDBfaWMzdmlPeU1BUTRKd0ZTcnpLeXkyLW5ycGhHOUdYMkNpSmdwWUpWRXhxbkpPNmJEVkJNUmctbF9Mc1pXN3V4MjlBVzlJRmQyaWVLNks0Z3QwUU51azlZeFdnNThDTXlUTlM5UQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fcoach_grantmcdonald%2F&v=BWluEesMO7Q] 📲 Follow us: Instagram:   / performwellpodcast   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjVHN0QyWloxTU1RTU9KdEw2d2JUQlhkUlZYQXxBQ3Jtc0tseUg3cHo4SHMyRks5UF9FcXk1azY1aGRJQW50U3dmU1laREk0clVpT1dUajltNjg0SXZkQ3EzMHRjNTBETGxkTThEbi1TdUNmN2dTa0pNS2JVaTk2ejBQQlJrSVNwNUxDVDA2ell0TDRKaGlPVnJ6SQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fperformwellpodcast%2F&v=BWluEesMO7Q] TikTok:   / performwellpodcast   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbHFvR3BZM2xsbV9jZzI2M2RZT24yVlJKNnd3d3xBQ3Jtc0tsZEpuZ0Z0Q09hM0cycU1PcDM4b281bFFSbWtpN244SUIySzBjc0t3LUVpeXFUNzROemoyeVdRbW5oa0RqSUFYZlg5ZzhiSnFMQTdybWN5SGYydndqbUI0bkJwQmRuUG96ektFd1RtNVFkN3hoN0NJMA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40performwellpodcast&v=BWluEesMO7Q] YouTube:    / @getfitbynick   [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWHKVp5zMBm0tiA9h0eTbWQ] ────────────────────────────────── 0:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWluEesMO7Q] – Intro 1:22 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWluEesMO7Q&t=82s] – Why do events at all? 7:48 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWluEesMO7Q&t=468s] – Purpose is the antidote to depression 13:44 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWluEesMO7Q&t=824s] – Fear of failure & why we train to failure 18:40 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWluEesMO7Q&t=1120s] – The 5 Whys framework live demo 22:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWluEesMO7Q&t=1320s] – Outro & Ironman charity link #PerformWellPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/performwellpodcast] #GoalThatScaresYou [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/goalthatscaresyou] #FitnessMotivation [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/fitnessmotivation] #Ironman [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/ironman] #PhotoShootPrep [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/photoshootprep] #FearOfFailure [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/fearoffailure] #PurposeOverDepression [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/purposeoverdepression] #MensMentalHealth [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/mensmentalhealth] #CALM [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/calm] #FitnessMindset [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/fitnessmindset]