Before n’ Afters

Client progression and testimonials

First, my clients are awesome human beings.

That’s what matters.

But, they have also said some really nice things about me AND made incredible physical & mental transformations.

Check them out:

Mike – just wanted to thank you for your guidance, advice, and inspiration to be healthy

Left Photo  – 213 lbs

Right Photo  – 190 lbs

I have made amazing gains over the last 7 months. Physically but even more mentally, Mike. Your drive inspired me and made me ask myself why can’t I be that fit? I had no logical answer to the question, so I had to do it. You are helping so many people, and that is awesome. Thanks again for everything.

-Danny, 28

Before  – 165 lbs

After  – 144 lbs

And I want to fall over and die right now because I will miss you and the program so much.  You seriously changed my life and I am so grateful. I swear to you if I wasn’t broke as f*ck I’d make you my personal coach for life.

-Tina, 34

Thanks for everything, Mike!

Before  – 185 lbs

After  – 170 lbs

This is the best shape I’ve been in my whole life. And I was surprised at how fast some of the results came. Now, everyone I know comments on how great I look.

-Jon, 34

I feel greaaat!

[MIKE: Yurany is down 8 pounds in 8 weeks and still going strong]

 Left Photo  – 126 lbs

Right Photo  – 118 lbs

Still not quite where I want to be, but I’m happy with my progress. I’m so good at counting macros and reading labels now that I surprise myself ha! Thanks sooo much, Mike. I’ve learned so much from you and I think you’re an awesome coach. Thank you for everything!

-Yurany, 29

This program has been amazing and changed my life

 Before  – 165 lbs

After  – 147 lbs

-Adam, 29

Hey Mike,

.

Thought you should know, 34 total pounds down, now, my DL is 285, my squat is 255 (I backed off a bit on both to incorporate knee braces, I was getting inflammation over my medial meniscus and it was making me nervous).

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Those pants I bought, the 38 inch ones (down from the 44 inch ones) now slide on and off without unbuttoning and I actually need a smaller pair.  I’m wearing some 36 inch waist jean shorts I found at the back of my closet right now, they’re a tad tight, but they fit.

.. 

My belt, which I’ve had for something like 10 years (because I’m very much not fashionable) is so ridiculously long now I’m thinking about buying a new one.

.

And finally, I get pretty frequent comments from people, “Man, you look smaller every time I see you.”  Women, call me “honey” now, for no reason I can tell.  One gal just put her hand on my shoulder and went “Holy shit!”  It’s hard not to feel just damned great about everything when you have that much positive reinforcement coming in all the time 🙂

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I’m still on my way, of course, I just kind of thought you’d enjoy hearing what a difference you made in my life (I know I like that in my job, I think everyone does).

.

-oglifter

When I started with Mike I was 200 pounds and weak.

 Left Photo  – 200 pounds

Right Photo  – 175 pounds

Now, I’m 175 pounds, I finally have a six-pack, my chest, arms and shoulders are much bigger.

I used to bench 40 pound dumbbells, now I use 90 pound dumbbells. I could only do 3 pull ups, now I can do 21. Mike taught me how to squat and deadlift with proper form – which, combined with diet, has increased my testosterone levels. I now have the confidence to be the person I want to be.

[MIKE: which appears to include shirtless costume parties making those ladies a bit giggly].

Also, the diet truly fit my lifestyle. I was allowed to out to bars and clubs on the weekends while still dropping bodyfat and increasing strength. I knew that I needed a balanced program like this, and it worked. Training with Mike is the only program that has EVER helped me build real muscle.

-Dean, 27

Mike’s nutrition knowledge helps fuel my workouts, enhance recovery and allow me to add size to my frame every off-season.

-Sean Dolan, 26, Carolina Hurricanes

Mike Vacanti is one of the most empathetic, mindful and caring coaches I know. When spots open for his coaching, I recommend him to anyone who wants to lose fat, from complete beginner to advanced trainee.

–Richard Talens, Fitocracy.com Co-Founder

So, I met this guy Mike

when I signed up for an online group coaching program. I didn’t realize at the time that he would pretty much change my life, and that I’d be writing a testimonial about myself. Which to me is crazy, but let’s back up a bit.

There was a point in my life where I weighed close to 300 pounds. This was back around the turn of the millennium.  Once I realized that the world was not going to end (and I flat-out refused to buy size 44 pants), I decided to lose weight. I ran. A lot. I starved myself. I lost over 100 pounds. But I wasn’t healthy. Since then, my weight has constantly bounced back and forth (insert stereotypical dieting yo-yo analogy here). Then, three years ago I decided to join a gym. I learned that I could substitute the word ‘yo-yo’ with the words ‘cutting’ and ‘bulking’. But I wasn’t doing it right. As soon as I would lose some weight, I’d be afraid of losing the gainzzzz. As soon as would gain some muscle, I’d see that fat coming back on with it.  I’d then panic, and switch gears.  I was stuck in a cycle of my own creation.

So, now we’re all caught up, and back to this guy Mike. After the group coaching ended, I asked Mike if he’d consider signing me on as a one-on-one client. He  accepted. My weight had crept back up to almost 230 pounds at that point, so Mike and I both agreed that fat loss was the priority, but to do so in a way that preserves as much of the muscle as we could.  So, at the end of December 2013, we were off and running. Frequent check-ins (sometimes daily), monthly program modifications based on progress, and all of the encouragement and insight I could need, whenever I needed it.

Over the months, Mike has done much more than simply teach me what to eat and what to lift.  He’s changed the way I think. About dieting. About working out. About myself. I know Mike insists on putting all of the credit on the client, but if it wasn’t for him steering the ship, I’d still be flip-flopping back and forth between bulking and cutting, and going absolutely nowhere. He’s put up with my panic attacks, he’s guided me through my bouts of self doubt, he’s told me to shut the fuck up at exactly the times I needed someone to do so. He’s saved me from myself. I’m wrapping up my lengthy cut in a few weeks, having lost over 30 pounds and almost 8 inches off my belly. Oh, and the body fat? Down 14%. It’s time to switch gears for awhile, and it’s great knowing that Mike will continue to be there to keep me going in the right direction.

 -Tom, 40

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When my professional football career ended, I weighed 302 pounds.

I needed lose fat, mostly for my long term health. But, I didn’t want to give up all of the strength and muscle I built over the course of my career. I jumped on Mike’s training and nutrition program and lost 50 pounds, taking me from 302 to 252 in 6 months while maintaining nearly all of my strength.

I cannot recommend Mike Vacanti’s coaching strongly enough.

-Barre, 26

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 Before Photo  – 302 lbs

After Photo  – 252 lbs

Dear Prospective Client of Mike Vacanti,

 

I am more than likely like you. I love life, particularly my own, and I do my best to make

it better. I am focused on fitness as the most efficient means of doing so, and I count on

those that have accomplished their goals before me to make my journey smarter, safer, and

functional. I have a strong will, and a forgiving nature, both earned and nurtured by my

perseverance and belief in the “long term”, I know that I will reach my goals, it’s a matter of

who will be there to celebrate with me when I reach them and set new ones.

 

Mike Vacanti will be there for the following reasons:

 

1. He’s brilliant.

 

2. He’s very supportive, teaches cognitive flexibility and encourages forgiveness of the

self, or put another way, encourages the growth of a lasting and meaningful (but not

arrogant) self-love.

 

3. He’s chill and hilarious.

 

4. He’s hungry, and in order to be satiated and fulfilled, he has to move you closer to the

best version of yourself. Do Teh Mathz

 

5. He can do all this via social media and email.

 

My before and after photos are in the works, but so far, the hard numbers are: January 16

2014, weight = 220lbs, March 24 2014 (today), 204lbs.

 

You’re oh so beautiful, and you can do this better than you ever imagined.

 

-@whiskybanjo

 Choosing to work with Mike Vacanti is the best choice I have ever made…

for meeting my health and fitness goals. And I’ve tried everything – I’ve run countless miles, I’ve done CrossFit and P90X, I’ve followed New Rules of Lifting for Women and Stronglifts and Starting Strength, I’ve Zumba’d, and kickboxed, and logged a zillion hours in the cardio room at my gym.  None of that even came CLOSE to giving me the results I’ve seen while working with Mike.

It’s not because he knows how to put together a great workout program – though he certainly does.  My workouts are challenging and also achievable, and he makes sure that they change and evolve as I do.  It’s resulted in fat loss coupled with muscle gain that I wouldn’t have thought possible.

And it’s not because he understands nutrition – though he really knows his stuff in this area, too. Training and non-training day macros enable an eating style that compliments the workout plan, with ways to make yummy things (like ice cream) fit within those macros. Plus, he provides guidelines for how and when to really treat yourself – because Mike gets that we live in a world with various temptations and social events. He teaches that those things don’t have to derail you – in fact, they can be a manageable part of a healthy lifestyle.

And it’s not because he’s making such a name for himself within the fitness community – though he deserves every bit of that recognition. There are plenty of well-known trainers and coaches out there, some of them great, and some of them not-so-great. And while it’s certainly fun to read an article about how awesome Mike is, and get to say to my friends, “That’s MY trainer!”, we all know that high visibility doesn’t necessarily mean high-quality.

The real reason why Mike is the best – and I mean THE BEST – is because he’s more than a trainer or a coach, he’s a true partner in physical and emotional health. He listens, and I mean really listens. He’s incredibly thoughtful with regard to his clients – my specific goals, my preferences, my history, my hang-ups – he considers all of these, and creates and tweaks a program that is best for ME, in each phase of my progress. And because of this, I trust him completely. That’s invaluable.

Great trainer, great motivator, great listener, great human. Like I said, THE BEST.

Before Photo  – 203 lbs

After Photo  – 168 lbs

-Amy, 42

Want to learn more about Online Coaching?

Of course you do 😉

This is where I am supposed to “pitch” you to OMGZZ, like, JOIN MY PROGRAM!!!!

The truth is, online coaching is my full time job and I absolutely love it. I pride myself on changing the lives of every man and woman I coach. The program might make sense for you, and it might not make sense for you.

If you think we might work well together, fill out an application.

I’ll send you more info, and from there we can decide if all the factors match up with your goals and lifestyle.

You can apply here: Online Coaching Page