From fat to mean! One year's progress

A few months back I introduced you to my good friend, tech guru, and fitness website designer Jason Lengstorf.

Jason's been busy completing websites for fitness heavy-hitters Lou Schuler, Mike Robertson, and Craig Weller, but has somehow found the time to transform his body.

Check out what he had to say.


You're a web geek and all-around egghead. Why the hell are you working out? I thought only jocks did that.

I started working out because my friends (you and Kyle) harassed me so much about it. It didn't really seem important to me, however, until I saw pictures of myself from the back and realized I had elbow rolls. I mean, how gross is that?

After the initial adjustment period of constantly wanting to die, I've settled in and I really enjoy lifting now. My numbers are starting to become respectable, and I'm learning that I have control over my body, which I never really thought was possible before.

However, the main reason I work out is that I've already got the brains, so why not throw the body on there and become the perfect man, right? Ha!

Give me the stats. These two photos were taken one year apart. How much did you weigh then and how much do you weigh now?

I didn't actually weigh myself until about three months after that first picture, but I'm guessing I was somewhere between 245 and 255. Right now I'm weighing in at about 220.

That's interesting. You didn't lose a ton of "weight", but you did lose a very substantial amount of "fat". It's amazing how many people don't know the difference. What about your body or mindset stands out the most?

In my body, I've noticed that my clothes all fit strangely now. My shoulders broadened out, so everything I try on feels like it drapes outward. And with my chest starting to develop, it's been mesmerizing to watch my man-boobs slowly change. Is that weird?

My mindset has made huge changes for the better. Most of my clients are fitness professionals, so I'm sure it was an automatic strike against me when I waddled into meetings. I've got a hunch that by knowing what a deadlift is, I'm gaining brownie points with potential clients.

What did your workouts look like to get you here?

I started out on the Built For Show program. However, I guess I'm illiterate, because I shortened each phase of the program somehow and ended up only doing about four months before I'd done all the workouts. After that I did some freestyle programming and my progress kind of plateaued. I saw some of my best weight loss and size gains using Dos Remedios's Power Training program. Currently, I'm working with Mike Scialabba, a friend of mine that runs a personal training business in Missoula, MT.

What about nutrition?

My nutrition has always been a stumbling block for me. I'm a sucker for bread, and that's always haunted me, as I've been told that the way my body carries weight is a sign that bread really doesn't process in my body; it just stores up and gives me a sweet muffin-top.

It was a struggle for me to get on a plan where I was eating often enough and avoiding some of the things that were ruining my chances at being healthy. It took me the better part of a year to really develop habits that made it easy to put together smart meals.

What was the worst part of the whole ordeal?

Leg matrices!

Honestly, there was no part that was actually bad. It was all a question of motivation: how important is it to me to get to the gym? I had to get that priority straight, and now I really enjoy the whole process.

And the best?


It's been amazing to watch my body change. My strength increases have probably been the most rewarding overall. The feeling I had when I pulled 405lbs on deadlifts the first time, or when I finally put up 225lbs on bench for reps . . . in a certain sense, that made all the sacrifice worth it. And wanting to beat those numbers is more than enough reason for me to want to go back three or four times a week.

What do you want to accomplish with your body next? Any specific stats or measurements you're shooting for?

I don't have any specifics. I'm currently training with a bunch of guys that are way stronger than I am, and they push me every session to get better. And these guys are all smart about it, so I'm getting good advice to fix my form, correct imbalances in my build, and just generally get quicker results than I would if I were in by myself.

I think that as long as I'm seeing improvements in my lifts, positive changes in my physique, and a general increase in how healthy I feel, I'm going to be happy.

Posted Dec 23, 2008 by Nate Green.
This entry is filed under interview and fitness.