Michael Chamberlain, a corporate restructuring specialist in Leeds, had some experience climbing mountains. But descending Mont Blanc in 2023 pointed out that he wasn’t as strong as he’d like to be. When he set the goal of reaching Everest base camp the year he turned 60, he reached out to a trainer who helped him build the right kind of muscle for the task. And he ended up “photo-shoot ready,” too. Here’s how it happened, in his own words:
IN THE PAST, while I trained quite a bit and had been quite fit, I was conscious the different training and eating regimes didn’t really attack my visceral fat (belly fat), and that was something I knew needed to be done for health reasons. Despite being reasonably fit for my age with a positive mental attitude, the excess fat that I carried around my belly meant that I was overweight.
I decided to sign up with Ultimate Performance to achieve certain goals. I was turning 60 in March 2024, and I wanted to get my body into photo shoot condition. I also wanted to be in shape for high altitude climbing. I had a new goal to climb to Mount Everest base camp at about that time.
In the summer of 2023, I’d climbed and descended Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps, in two days. However, I was not quite fast enough to descend with optimum safety—the ice was starting to melt in the early afternoon, releasing large boulders down the mountainside, turning some sections into a game of Russian roulette. I decided that I couldn’t let that happen to me on Everest and I resolved to get leaner and fitter for that challenge. I was confident that I would get to Everest base camp, but was not sure how easily (or safely) I could do it. I needed to sharpen up my physique to be better conditioned to do that.
I set a 6-month goal with my trainer, Aadil, at Ultimate Performance Leeds. The goal was to build muscle strength and reduce body fat, not simply to lose weight. I was training an average of three times per week, doing full-body workouts. We had a full-body A and B workout session, which we alternated.
Ultimate Performance
Ultimate Performance
Every four to six weeks, we progressed the technicality of some of the lifts to make things more challenging. The core of the workout was very simple. We alternated lower body with upper body movements in a superset fashion. For example, lower body pushing movements (split squats/pendulum squats) with upper body pulling movements (lat pulldowns/rows), and lower body pulling movements (incline hip extensions/leg curls) with upper body pushing movements (machine and dumbbell press variations). A total workout would usually consist of six exercises (3 paired movements) and have a metcon-style finisher for a few rounds such as prowlers and assault bike sprints.
U.P.’s nutrition program provided precise calorie targets divided between macronutrients (proteins, fats and carbohydrates). It was monitored by my trainer, and was coupled with weighings and caliper fat mass measurements every other week, which provided accountability.
The calorie and macronutrients were precise, but how they were achieved was not prescriptive–so I could still have my preferred mix of foods, provided that I hit the overall targets.
I would typically have a coffee and a protein shake before going to the gym. After the gym or on non-gym days, I would probably have two scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and some asparagus spears for breakfast. For lunch I would have steak and broccoli or a chicken salad with a plain Greek yogurt for dessert.
Ultimate Performance
Ultimate Performance
I went from 184.3 pounds and 18.8 percent body fat down to 172.4 pounds and 10.25 percent body fat. I found the development of my muscles in my legs helped support my joints when I was climbing up to Everest base camp, and in particular when I was descending (since it puts a lot of strain on the legs.) I was more confident coming down, and I think that was partly because I had extra muscle supporting my joints on the descent.
This journey has proved to me that I can improve my weight control and maintain it long term at lower levels. Next year, I plan to go back to Everest and climb the nearby Island Peak, which is over 6,000 meters.
As with anything, start now, get better later. Make exercise and training a habit. Set yourself goals to train towards and break them down into realistically achievable steps. Having a personal trainer provides accountability, guidance, encouragement and makes it more of a non-negotiable commitment.
The most important advice is consistency over perfection! If you’re training consistently and eating within a calorie deficit, regardless of the type of setup you have, you will achieve your goals! Intermittent fasting, paleo, mixed diet planning all work; it’s about what you know you can stick to and as long as you’re achieving your protein and weekly calorie goals, you’re all good!
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