Less eating and more weight lifting – how I got beach ready in 50 days

Telegraph

12-04-2025

The days are longer, and men across the nation are scurrying for the shadows. Summer is around the corner, which means shorts and T-shirt weather – and all of the the anxiety it brings.
While we welcome the warmth, it is a double-edged sword for every middle-aged man with a dad bod, who now faces exposing to the world the pudgy evidence of a winter spent gorging on stodge and beer, growing corpulent under the cover of corduroy and chunky knits.
Like a Tim Burton fever-dream, it won't be long before the beaches are full of strange creatures scuttling across the sand, spindly arms and legs attached to pot-bellies.
Brothers, I feel your pain. I'm a gym fan. I go every day. Several times a week I pound through a 45-minute high intensity interval training (HIIT) class. But no matter how much I do, my stubborn love handles and chunky midriff never gets any smaller. My legs are thin. Before every holiday the fear descends. I'm not swimwear ready.
I vividly remember being at a beach club in Croatia a few years ago next to an Italian gent. He must have been in his mid-50s. His balding grey hair was cropped down in a crew cut. He was as lean and muscled as any of the men half his age. That's a proper beach body, I thought. I want to look like that.
Which is why I turned to one of the world's most experienced personal trainers for help.
David Kingsbury has worked with movie studios to turn Hollywood actors into superheroes. He has trained over 50 lead actors for various roles, in films such as Wolverine, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Assassins Creed and Spiderman.
And now he's set his sights on getting The Telegraph's readers board short ready. He has devised a fitness and diet programme based on two well-tested and simple fundamentals. One is that weight loss depends on calorie deficit. The second is that resistance training – simply lifting weights – builds muscle.
'You can lose weight without exercise, but you can't develop muscle without exercise, so you have to do both,' says Kingsbury. 'It's 50/50. Diet is important for fat loss. You can't just train and expect to lose weight. It doesn't work like that.'
Kingsbury's plan took a shift of mindset. Whereas previously my fitness routine centred around cardio and high intensity exercise, I stripped that back and focussed primarily on lifting weights and diet. I ate slightly less, followed a healthy balanced meal plan and cut out snacks.
Thanks to Kingsbury's plan, in just a few weeks I saw results, losing 5lb and building muscle. Importantly, the fitness plan was easy to follow, and the diet plan gave plenty of scope to eat satisfying meals. I even enjoyed the occasional beer.
It didn't turn me into Superman, but I did morph into not-so-fat-man.
The beach body diet plan
Losing body fat relies on achieving a consistent caloric deficit, which means you consume fewer calories than your body burns.
Determining how many calories you need, therefore how many you need to eat to lose fat, depends on the individual. Larger bodies burn more calories at rest, for example. And some people are more active than others.
Metabolic rates can also differ between genders and ages. If you really want to lose a lot of weight quickly (ie two stone in three months) you'll need to cut 1,000 calories a day from your diet. Kingsbury's preference is to keep activity levels high, which allows you to consume more food while still losing weight.
How many calories should I eat?
Select a starting point and adapt based on progress. As you get lighter you will need to reduce calories to match the changes.
A 68kg sedentary man will need eat around 1,800 calories a day, 2,200 if moderately active (exercising two to four times a week but with a largely sedentary job) or 2,500 calories if he exercises frequently and has a physically demanding job. Using the same parameters
An 82kg man will need to eat 2,100, 2,500 or 2,800 calories respectively depending on lifestyle.
And a man weighing 109 kg will need 2,500, 3,000 or 3,300 calories depending on activity level.
In line with common recommendations for safe weight loss you should work out how many calories you need from the guidelines above (your maintenance level) and then aim to reduce your daily caloric requirement by no more than 500 to 1,000 calories.
If you can keep your calories closer to maintenance level, it will support better energy, mood, performance and muscle maintenance but slower fat loss. At a 500-1000 calorie deficit, weight loss will be approximately 0.5kg to 1kg per week.
What is a balanced meal plan?
Always plan your meals with an even balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats. You should get around 40 per cent of your calories from protein, 35 per cent calories from carbohydrates and 25 per cent calories from fats.
Protein supports fat loss with good levels of satiety. It facilitates muscle gain and helps with muscle maintenance. Aim eat around 1.8-2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight a day.
For an 80kg man that equates to around 140g to 180g. There is around 30g of protein in a chicken breast. To boost protein intake without going over your calorie target Kingsbury recommends whey protein powder, which he also adds collagen powder to.
Some diets will advise lowering carbohydrates, but this nutrient is useful for enhancing performance, improving recovery, and managing cortisol levels.
Kingsbury advises:
Eating carbohydrates like rice, potatoes, fruits, and even honey can help fuel workouts.
Eating healthy fats to help hormone function. Incorporate sources like coconut oil, butter, and eggs and meat.
Balancing these macronutrients within your daily caloric intake to help contribute to effective weight management.
Try to increase your activity as this allows you to increase food intake while still losing weight.
Adjust your calorie intake based on your progress; if you are losing weight too quickly, consider increasing calories, and vice versa.
10 easy prep recipes to help shrink your belly
Each meal has around 400 to 500 calories so you can eat three meals a day and still have room for snacks.
Breakfast recipes
Ingredients
3 egg yolks
1 scoop whey protein powder (approximately 25g protein)
10g collagen powder
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp honey
1 medium banana
1 cup milk
Ice cubes (optional)
Ingredients
1 ½ cups non-fat Greek yogurt (about 360g)
1 medium banana (approximately 100g)
½ cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen, such as blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries)
1 tbsp honey
1-2 tbsp chia seeds
Ingredients
2 medium potatoes
8 large eggs
100g smoked salmon
¼ cup milk
¼ cup red onion, finely diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh dill or chives, chopped
Method
Boil or steam the potatoes. Dice.
Add together with the rest of ingredients and divide between silicon muffin cups.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. They are done when a toothpick comes out clean.
Ingredients
4 large eggs
1 cup fresh spinach (cooked)
1 medium potato (about 5 oz or 150g)
1 oz (28g) feta cheese (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional herbs such as basil or parsley
Method
Dice potatoes and fry lightly in an oven proof pan using the oil.
Add the spinach. Season.
Beat eggs in a bowl. Pour over potatoes and spinach.
Crumble feta on top as required.
Transfer to preheated 180 degrees. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges are turning golden brown. Garnish.
Healthy lunch or dinner recipes
Ingredients
150g lean beef mince
60g white rice
100g courgette
1 tsp olive oil (for cooking)
Salt, pepper, and herbs (optional)
Method
Brown the beef in a pan. Drain off any fat.
Add the courgette. Cook for five minutes until soft. Add cooked white rice.
Heat through, season and serve.
Ingredients
150g chicken breast (boneless, skinless)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
½ cup white rice
100g bell peppers
1 tsp olive oil (for cooking)
Salt and pepper
Garlic or ginger (optional)
Method
Dice the chicken.
Mix together honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and marinade the chicken in the mixture.
Soften the sliced peppers in a pan in the hot oil.
Add the chicken and marinade. Cook in the pan for 10-15 mins.
Serve with cooked rice.
Ingredients
150g chicken breast
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp taco seasoning
¼ cup white rice
1 tsp cayenne pepper
100g grated carrot
Method
Dice chicken breast.
Cover in seasoning and fry in oil for around 12 minutes.
Grate carrot and mix with cayenne pepper.
Serve the chicken and carrot with cooked white rice.
Ingredients
200g sirloin steak (lean, trimmed)
150g potatoes
100g asparagus
1 tsp olive oil (for cooking)
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder or fresh garlic (optional for seasoning)
Method
Dice potato, spray lightly with oil and garlic powder and air fry or bake until golden.
Serve with grilled steak and steamed asparagus.
Ingredients
250g salmon fillet
1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
⅓ cup white rice
100g grated carrot
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Optional garnish: sesame seeds or chopped green onions
Method
Cover salmon in the sauce and bake in a dish for around 15 minutes.
Serve with cooked rice, grated carrot and garnish.
Snacks
Good snack options include whey protein shakes, boiled eggs, beef jerky, high protein yogurt, rice cakes, cottage cheese, fruit.
Foods to avoid
Avoid too much ultra-processed food, it won't aid progression, but equally it won't destroy it. An occasional ready meal or cake is not the end of the world.
Can I have a beer?
The good news is that you don't have to go teetotal. While Kingsbury doesn't recommend alcohol, the diet works as long as you drink moderately and include alcohol in your daily calories and are mindful that alcohol increases the tendency to overeat, so try to avoid that kebab on the way home, or a fry up the next morning.
Supplements
If you are eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables and good quality meat and diary you should be getting good levels of vitamins. However, for most people vitamin D and K2 supplements are useful, as are creatine and magnesium. Make sure you are getting good levels of zinc (red meat, oysters and shellfish, nuts and seeds), selenium (seafood, eggs, poultry, grains) and calcium (from your food.
Recommended foods
Wholegrain rice: Easily digestible, versatile carbohydrate providing sustained energy.
Potatoes: Rich in potassium, vitamin C, and dietary fibre. They can help you feel fuller for longer.
Fruit (general): Packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre and antioxidants that protect against various diseases.
Milk: Rich in calcium, protein, and vitamin D. Also a good source of fat, carbohydrates, and essential nutrients.
Beef (lean mince or steak): A source of high-quality protein, iron, and B vitamins. Supports muscle growth, energy production, and overall health.
Chicken Thighs: Juicy and flavourful, chicken thighs provide protein, B vitamins, and selenium.
Eggs: Rich in protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. They are particularly high in choline, which is vital for brain health.
Fish: A source of high-quality protein and healthy fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids.
Liver: Rich in vitamin A, iron, B vitamins.
Coconut oil: Contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which can provide quick energy and support metabolic health.
Carrots: Carrots are high in soluble fibre, which can help with digestion.
Cucumbers: Hydrating and easy to digest.
Asparagus: Supports gut health and digestion.
Beach body exercise programme
Kingsbury has designed a programme that can be done at home where all you need is a selection of weights and a bench. Though if you have access to a gym you can use gym machines instead, which offer more stability.
'I've kept the programme relatively simple,' explains Kingsbury. 'It's a general all-over body workout.'
The whole workout should take 45 minutes with a warm-up.
Ideally the programme should be carried out in the gym on machines, which offer more stability, but the
How to do the workout
The key is to select weights heavy enough to challenge you and that will allow you to lift to failure within 8-10 reps. The idea is to get to the point where you feel you could only complete one to two more reps, or no reps at all if you are on your last set..
Start each workout with two warm up sets of each exercise using lighter weights and completing between eight reps of each exercise.
Then start your 'working' sets, using challenging weights and aiming for 8-10 reps of each exercise.
In these two working sets aim to achieve muscle fatigue.
'In the first set you should aim to get to the point where you could only lift one or two more reps and in the last set you should get to the point where you can't lift another rep without reaching failure. This is more important than how many reps you complete. So it's okay if you only get six or seven reps for example,' says Kingsbury.
Rest periods should be two minutes between working sets, or 60 to 90 seconds in the warm-up. Roll through alternate workouts on a one-day-on-one-day-off rota, or three times a week.
How do I progress?
The aim is to then either increase the reps or the weight as often as possible. If you can lift for more than ten reps at any point, increase the weight on that exercise to challenge you back into the six to ten rep range.
Exercise programmes
Do two sets of 8 reps at a light warm-up weight.
Then two sets of 8-10 reps at a heavier working weight
Home workout with dumbbells 1
Start seated with dumbbells on thighs, lean back and flip the weights up into the starting position. Raise them fully without raising your shoulders as you press, as this will help isolate the chest muscles.
Stand bent at the waist with a flat back and feet just wider than hip width apart. Raise the dumbbell to your ribs and lower in a controlled movement. Once you've completed one set on one arm, repeat with the other arm.
Place your front foot slightly in front of your hips. As you bend that leg and lower into the movement, try to imagine your back knee tracing an arc downwards and back. Repeat on the other leg.
Start by lying on your back with your knees bent to 110 degrees. Keep one heel on the floor and raise the other leg. Keep your core braced and lift your pelvis off the ground. Repeat on the other leg.
Start with the weights at shoulder height and your shoulders slightly back. Raise your arms straight up, then lower in a controlled movement.
Hold the dumbbells with palms facing forward and raise alternate arms, while keeping your body straight and your core engaged.
Hold the weights in a hammer grip (as if you were holding a hammer). Start with the weights lifted on straight arms, shoulder width apart and slightly angled back so they are in line with your head. Bend your elbows to lower the weights until they are level with your ears.
Home workout with dumbbells 2
Do two sets of 8 reps at a light warm up weight
Then two sets of 8-10 reps at a heavier working weight
The same as a bench chest press but with the backrest of the bench raised, to work the top of the chest.
Start high up the bench, with your chin just above the top of the backrest. Straighten your legs for stability. Pull the weights up in a rowing motion until they are in line with your chest.
You can start this exercise without weights. Start with the middle of your back on the bench, walk your legs out and raise your body so your back and stomach are flat, with glutes squeezed and stomach tight. If you are using a weight, hold it flat on your pelvis. Lift one leg out straight and lower yourself as far as you can, keeping your hips level, then push back up, keeping the leg raised throughout the set. Repeat on the other leg.
Use weight plates as a step to rest your heels on. Raising the heel helps focus more on the quads and also helps with ankle mobility. If it's too easy, remove the plates. With a single dumbbell in a goblet hold at chest height, keep your back straight and core engaged as you lower into the squat and then push up to standing.
Start with arms down, shoulders back, a slight bend in the elbows and hands a tiny bit in front. Raise both arms so your hands are shoulder height and lower in a smooth movement.
Start with the dumbbell raised slightly off the bench so there is tension in your bicep at the bottom of the movement. Then curl your arm towards your shoulder and lower in a controlled movement. Repeat on the other arm.
Start with straight arms, and hands in line with your upper chest, slightly narrower than shoulder width apart. Keep you back straight and your core engaged. Bend your elbows and lower your body until your hands are under the chest. If this is easy, get rid of the bench and do the exercise on the floor.
What about abs exercises for a six-pack?
Kingsbury advises: 'You don't need to work on your abs much unless your goal is to get larger ab muscles. Most people over-emphasise ab training and under-emphasise proper training and nutrition. If someone is desperate to do ab training then I recommend two sets of 8-10 reps of cable crunches in the gym a couple of times a week, or weighted sit-ups at home.'
Do I need to do cardio?
Kingsbury advises: 'If you enjoy cardio, it's a good thing to include. However, you can achieve fat loss results from lower intensity cardio (like brisk walk or gentle cycle) and weight training alone. In fact, you may get more benefit from that combination than you will from super hard cardio which can add stress on your body and can elevate cortisol if done in excess. I'm not against running but if you don't love it, you don't have to do it. The last time I went for a jog was 2007.'