Congrats to Donovan Stevahn on his fitness transformation

Starting Point: 183 lbs. 21.2% body fat: 39 lbs. fat, 144 lbs. lean mass.

Fittest Point thus far: 173 lbs. 14% body fat: 24 lbs. fat, 149 lbs. lean mass.

Donovan Stevahn, starting at the age of 28 (height 6'1") added 5 lbs. of lean mass while losing 15 lbs. of fat.
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​How long had you been inactive prior to us starting to work together in June of 2013?
Prior to the start of my training, I never truly sought out personal physical improvement, which continued to cause my self-confidence to gradually decrease the older I became.

​As most people know, I’m very direct. How did it feel when I labeled you a “skinny fat” guy at the onset of working together?
I think I originally laughed at you as you just kept a straight face. I then frantically look around for some poor soul & realized that you directed that towards me. I didn’t know what to think really. I’ve never had a trainer in my life and to be that direct was something I wasn’t used to. My metabolism was always high since I was a child and my famous go-to quote was “I can eat whatever I want and nothing will happen,” has ​ultimately begun to backfire.
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​People think about losing weight & building muscle every single day but thinking about it gets you nowhere.  What was it that caused you to stop thinking about it & actually do it?
I kept looking back to my girlfriend at that time, Anna Farrell (success story from 2013) who lost about 10 lbs at that time in just a few months. This motivated me to really put forth some effort to ultimately catch up to her because I could see the changes that she was going through and the dedication that she put forth every day. This opened my eyes to see someone else change and improve in such a short time. I learned to really put my trust into something I was not familiar with and to keep an open mind to a new world I was about to experience.

As mentioned above, you’ve been consistently hitting the gym a minimum of three times per week for one complete year.  Is this something that you could see yourself doing for the rest of your life?
At the beginning, I didn’t know how I could motivate myself to get to the gym that often, it seemed so far out of reach. I needed someone to change my mind set because what I was comfortable with, wasn’t making me happy. Of course it was a major struggle at the beginning, but when I started to see real improvements, I knew that what we were doing was a good thing. Why would I quit something if it is getting me results? That’s when I realized that repetition was everything and that I couldn’t stop, taking a chance to going back to being unhappy.

A lot of people would like to look like a million bucks but aren’t willing to put in the work to do so.  What has been the biggest obstacle to getting into the best shape of your life and how have you been able to overcome it?
My biggest obstacle was myself. This is probably the most cliché of answers, but I honestly mean it. The days when I thought that one more day of a missed workout or one more day of cheating on my diet wouldn’t affect me, I knew I was in the wrong. This is when I would trick my mind into thinking that that one missed day could slide me back to my comfort zone where I was unhappy in which drove me to pushing myself a little harder each day.

Most people do not enjoy working out on their own.nTalk about some of the things you liked/disliked about the small group outdoor workouts and tandem workouts…
During the outdoor/tandem workouts, I found that everyone was at their own level and were there to show off what they can do. I used these constant examples that surrounded me to motivate and drive my own personal limits. This, on the other hand, has also lead to my own demise because there were those who are stronger and those who are faster than me. This is where I prepared myself mentally for that because everyone is at their own level and as long as I was staying focused, driven and that I pushed myself throughout the entire workout, I will have improved.

What was your favorite healthy meal combination that you would turn to when an In-n-Out cheeseburger and fries was out of the question?
½ cup of Rice, 6 oz. chicken breast, 1/2 cup of beans and the other was one boiled egg w/a protein shake.

Your success story is going to inspire a ton of people to get off the couch. What last pieces of advice would you have for the readers out there to ensure they have long-term success?

Throw your couch away. No, but really, you are your toughest critic and your only motivator. Mind sets must be altered and changed and if you are not happy with your current state, then get up and try something new - you might even surprise yourself. I found that working with a true professional can really help you get pushed into the right direction. Keith has shown me that as long as you are able to dedicate your time and efforts to change, he will guide you to reach your new personal goals.

I cannot thank Keith enough for all the new life experiences that I have been introduced to. I have seen myself struggle, give up and even throw in the towel; Keith has never given up on me. So do the same, never give up. Your rock can be overturned and a new side revealed.