Zack Louchem

Client Spotlight: Steph

Steph and I started working together in 2018.

When we first met, she had a history of injuries, including a lumbar herniated disc, a bulging neck disc, and knee replacement surgery.

From 2018 until March 2020 (pre-Covid), Steph concentrated on strengthening her body. She learned to:

✅ Perform exercises for every major muscle group

✅ Meal prep and track her food

✅ Prepare high-protein vegan meals

Her passion for fitness blossomed during this period, and she soon began to exercise on her own.

When gyms reopened in 2021-22, Steph embarked on an 18-month bulking cycle. She wanted to be in a calorie surplus to maximize muscle growth.

Long-term bulking cycles may sound unappealing because you’re required to stay at a higher body fat level for an extended period of time. When executed correctly, however, a prolonged bulking cycle can result in a significant amount of lean body tissue accrual. This is because training in a calorie surplus places your body in more anabolic state, thereby enhancing muscle growth.

Side note: It’s important to find the right balance of calories when bulking. Too much of a calorie surplus may lead to excessive fat gain, while too little may limit muscle growth. This is why tracking your calories is so important.

After 18 months of bulking, Steph finally began her weight-cutting phase. She entered an intensive 8-week calorie deficit. In this brief period, she shed nearly 20 pounds of fat while preserving nearly all her hard-earned muscle.

The ease with which she was able to lose body fat stemmed from the fact that she only changed one variable in her daily routine: her calories. Everything else — from her training intensity to her lifestyle habits — remained largely unchanged.

Steph’s results stem from patience, steadfast dedication, and a long-term vision of herself that was more important than immediate gratification.

Great job, Steph!

Recently, my girlfriend and I travelled to Southern France.

Her family in Nice greeted me with remarkable warmth, and I was truly thankful to them for making my time in France an incredible and unforgettable experience.

Among other activities, we attended a week-long wedding, which caused us to move between Nice, Tourves, and Marseille.

We also travelled to Alassio. This small town — one of hundreds along the Italian Riviera — offered fresh pasta and mozzarella, a restaurant on a mountaintop overlooking the Mediterranean, and churches that had been magnificently preserved for over 500 years.

Speaking of churches, I was also able to catch up on books about God during our trip.

While reading, it became clearer than ever that our connection to a higher power is an essential part of the human experience.

Throughout history, humanity has always venerated various deities, from Quetzalcoatl of the Aztecs to Zeus/Jupiter of the ancient Greeks & Romans.

In our modern era, secularism seems to overshadow our spiritual instincts, steering us away from exploring the metaphysical questions that have always intrigued us: who are we, and what created us?

Shifting my focus away from worldly things and onto Christ has brought me a renewed sense of peace and purpose. While there are still moments of anxiety, I find more and more solace in prayer and reading scripture.

I am far from perfect. I've made countless mistakes. But, my goal is clearer now: it is to seek repentance and live a life aligned with the teachings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Diving into the stories of God, the history of the Israelites, and the life of Jesus has been one of the most transformative choices I've ever made.

How’s that for a twist?

I bet you didn’t expect things to escalate this quickly when you started reading!

But if you’re still here, then the following message is for you:

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”