Background
My name is Philipp and I created Leanrr with my partner Patricia. Like most people we've experienced significant weight gain at various points in our lives such as when starting college, getting our first jobs, and being overwhelmed with responsibility at various points in our careers.
At the time of writing this guide in September '23 I'm at 12% body fat and my partner Patricia is at 18%. Here are pictures of us on vacation in Athens, Greece and Ibiza, Spain last month in August '23:
Here's Patricia and I in Costa Rica December '22 for New Year's. As you can see chronic stress got the best of me in '22 due to a new role at work. In January '23 I fixed my mental health and used Leanrr to lose 40 lbs to reduce my body fat percentage from 26% to 12% by the end of May '23.
Helping people achieve their dream physique is a shared passion and something that brought Patty and I together when we first met. Patricia got certified for fun as a personal trainer in 2014 and has helped over 50 people. I've personally had success coaching about 40 people who have either been friends, family, or Leanrr users.
Now let's talk about goals.
What is lean & healthy?
To maximize jubilant life, meaning the years of life you can actually enjoy, and minimize the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and premature death, research shows there are upper and lower bounds of body fat percentages for men and women.
For men the range is 8% to 24%. For women the range is 15% to 30%.
Estimate Your Body Fat Percentage Visually
Women
Men
If you're outside this range it's imperative you get inside it for no other reason than your health. It could potentially tack on years to your life and increase the quality of life you experience.
What is a dream physique?
Once you're inside the lean & healthy range your dream physique is whatever makes you happy! Patricia likes being between 15% to 18%. Personally I like how I look between 8% to 12% body fat.
Beyond how I look I get a sense of personal fulfillment from the work I put in to achieve my dream physique. When I wake up I like seeing someone dedicated in the mirror. It makes me feel a high level of self control. It also makes me feel excellence mentally which I feel flows into my body and everything I do. It's one of my constant sources of confidence.
Externally I've found it easier to interact socially and professionally due to what's called the Halo effect. It's a psychological effect where people take your appearance and cross attribute it to your work ethic and personality in a positive light. Of course that only lasts if you truly do have the positive characteristics to back it up. But it's nice to always start off with a positive impression.
Okay, let's get started!
This guide is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before a big change to how you eat or train, especially if you have a health condition. Tell me what’s wrong or missing.