Louise Ivan / Musclemaxxing with Lou← Home

LOUISE IVAN / MUSCLEMAXXING EDITION

Musclemaxxing with Lou

I was lifting, doing CrossFit and trying calisthenics, but I had no plan tying it together. By July 2025, I weighed 63.9 kg, my heaviest recorded weight, and I wasn’t happy with how I looked.

In March 2026, I decided to invest in myself, find a coach and become a gigachad. This is where I’m documenting it.

Full-on training since March 2026Chapter 001 / In progress
Compare body regions
01 / EARLIER CHECKPOINT6 JUL 2025
BODY / STUDIO
Loading model…ILLUSTRATIVE MODEL＋

LOUISE IVAN

THEN

INBODY 570 / MEASURED STATS

02 / LATEST CHECKPOINT23 SEP 2026
BODY / STUDIO
Loading model…ILLUSTRATIVE MODEL＋

LOUISE IVAN

NOW

INBODY 570 / MEASURED STATS

The studio models are generic illustrations, not scans or reconstructions of Louise. Both use the same model; the recorded measurements show the actual differences. Radar labels show kilograms, using a shared scale for each body region across checkpoints. These are display scales, not InBody reference percentages or health ratings. The earliest training-period scan available is June 11.

01 / MARCH–JUNE 2026 · FINDING STRUCTURE

Finding the right coach for this side quest

I found Chris on Instagram and asked him to transform me. We had our first call on 26 March 2026, and I joined his Everfit program on 5 April.

Instagram exchange with Chris on 26 March 2026: Louise asks to be transformed
26 MAR 2026It started with a message: “Maaaaan transform me”.
Chris and Louise on a coaching video call
APRIL 2026Our check-ins gave me someone to talk through the plan with.
Chris, Louise and the group on their June coaching call
2 JUN 2026Chris talked us through focusing on the daily actions we could control.

26 May: Losing weight, but still hungry

I was down about 2 kg at 57.8 kg, but eating twice a day left me hungry. Chris and I worked on structuring my meals around protein, carbs, vegetables and fruit.

3 June: We agreed to start a lean bulk

The original goal was to lose about 5 kg and reach around 56 kg. At this check-in, we agreed to start a lean bulk the following week.

8 July: The check-ins were helping

At 58.1 kg, I felt the leanest I’d been in a while. Regular check-ins kept me accountable, and I was learning how macro- and micronutrients fit into my training.

September 2026: After five months, I could see the change

Seeing the change made me want to keep training.

From my coaching notes. Check-in weights are separate from my InBody scans.

02 / THE ROUTINE AND THE PROGRESS

Having a plan and a coach kept me focused and accountable.

Chris gave me a program combining weightlifting, running, core work and conditioning. Having that structure helped me stay focused, while tracking my weight and macros gave us something to work from.

THE FOOD THAT FITTED INTO MY ROUTINE

The meals I kept coming back to

I kept coming back to these meals because they fitted into my routine.

MY REGULAR BREAKFAST

Quark, granola, berries & whey

150 g low-fat quark, ¾ cup protein granola and 30 g blueberries, plus at least two scoops of grass-fed whey protein.

608 kcal · 73 g protein Displayed breakfast total

A FISH LUNCH

Mackerel, rice & eggs

280 g mackerel, 200 g rice and two eggs.

768 kcal · 58 g protein 10 September · lunch

A BEEF DINNER

Beef, beans & vegetables

150 g ground beef, tomatoes, 150 g peppers, kidney beans, black beans, corn and two eggs.

660 kcal · 44 g protein 7 September · dinner

ANOTHER DINNER

Steak, sweet potato & three boiled eggs

210 g flat iron steak, 200 g baked sweet potato and three boiled eggs.

674 kcal · 68 g protein 26 August · dinner including three eggs

01 / INITIAL PHASE

Starting with weight loss

1,800kcal per day

My first goal was to lose about 5 kg before moving into a lean bulk.

02 / LEAN BULK

Eating to build more muscle

I raised my food target to build muscle and gradually gain weight, with different targets for training and rest days.

MYFITNESSPAL / SELECTED WEEK · 22–28 JUN 2026

A week from my food diary

Daily logged averages · compared with training-day targets

Calories
1,798 kcalTarget: 2,275 kcal
Protein
143.8 gTarget: 170 g
Carbs
142.2 gTarget: 230 g
Fat
76.6 gTarget: 75 g

I didn’t log every meal, so these averages only show what I recorded. This week came closest to my training-day targets; it doesn’t represent my overall intake.

THE RECORDS BEHIND THE ROUTINE

My training in numbers

06 APR — 23 SEP 2026

MY WEEKLY WEIGHT / EVERFIT

April to September

Weekly readings, starting with my first tracked week.

Days with workout records ALL THREE APPS

Each date counts once across WHOOP, Everfit and MyFitnessPal.

Nutrition logged MFP
163 / 171 days

95% of days have meal entries

A logged day may still be incomplete.

THE PROGRAM BEHIND MY TRAINING / EVERFIT

How much of the program I completed

I’d put my consistency at about 80%, including the days I swap lifting for HIIT or HYROX. Everfit counts the assignments I marked complete, so its percentage measures something different.

Explore my assigned workouts and exercises

These are exercise prescriptions. A completed workout status applies to the assignment as a whole; it does not confirm every prescribed set. Actual weights and reps performed per set are not available in this export.

THE TRAINING BEHIND MY SEPTEMBER CHECKPOINT

My best recorded lifts

My best recorded sets from the training notes in my vault. Each card shows the exercise, weight, reps and date.

AI-generated exercise illustrations, not photos of my workouts.

These are dated sets I recorded, not tested one-rep maxes. Loads are only comparable on the same equipment and setup.

How consistently I followed the program each month

Assignments marked complete, divided by assignments dated through 23 September 2026. September is a partial month.

WHOOP / EVERFIT / MYFITNESSPAL

My movement across all three apps

Workouts and steps from my three apps, brought into one calendar. Hover over a day to see what I recorded.

No record Steps only Workout recorded

6 April–23 September 2026. Each date counts once. An empty cell means no record; it may still have been an active day.

FOLLOWING MY WHOOP AGE ALONGSIDE THE BODY CHANGES

Tracking my WHOOP Age

WHOOP puts me 4.3 years below my chronological age for 20–26 September. I’m tracking this alongside my sleep, recovery and training.

WHOOP AGE27.94.3 years younger

20–26 September 2026

Pace of Aging−0.3×

25 MAR–20 SEP 2026

How my WHOOP Age moved over six months

29.8six-month average
WHOOP Age · approximate trendChronological age

Approximate trend reconstructed from my WHOOP screenshot. The 27.9 endpoint and 29.8 average are app-reported figures.

Back-to-back travel was catching up with me

I remember changing time zones constantly and watching my WHOOP Age shoot up. It felt like all that travel was ageing me fast. That’s my takeaway from that stretch; the graph alone can’t tell me how much came from travel, sleep or everything else going on.

05 / WHEN I COULD FINALLY SEE IT

What keeps me going

Having a coach, a training plan and more structure around food helped me stick with this longer than doing a little bit of everything on my own.

I want to keep building muscle and documenting what changes from here.

06 / FOUR-WEEK TRAINING PLAN

Training with ChatGPT Astra

PLANNED TRAINING · FOUR WEEKS

I’m using this five-day plan to focus on chest, shoulders, back and arms while keeping one leg day. Each session is about 105 minutes: 7 minutes warming up, 45 minutes lifting, 8 minutes of abs and 45 minutes of cardio. The sets below are working sets; warm-up sets are extra.

4 weeksBuild a repeatable baseline
5 daysPush, pull and legs
105 min60 min training + 45 min cardio
01 / THE WEEK

Five sessions, two rest days

Schedule at a glance

  1. MonPush A
  2. TuePull A
  3. WedLegs
  4. ThuRest
  5. FriPush B
  6. SatPull B
  7. SunRest

Open a workout

Move sessions to other days as needed while preserving the push–pull–legs–push–pull order. Open a day for its working sets and two-round abs circuit. “Each” means each side.

Monday · Push A
Tuesday · Pull A
Wednesday · Legs
Friday · Push B
Saturday · Pull B
02 / MY STARTING POINT

What I’m tracking

My measurements · 28 September 2026 · cm

Chest
88
Right biceps
32.5
Left biceps
30.5
Waist
75
Hips
91.5
Legs
53

After four weeks

I’ll compare my measurements, technique and reps at similar weights.

Next chest measurementNot measured yet
How I’ll measure

I’ll use the same tape position, time of day and relaxed or flexed state, without a workout pump, and record each leg separately.

These starting measurements are self-reported. The leg side, tape position and arm state weren’t recorded. My 59.4 kg InBody reading is from 23 September.

There’s no reliable four-week size forecast. Circumference also changes with body fat, posture and measurement method, and early changes can include temporary swelling. Research reference ↗

Earlier lifts · September 2026

Load references from before this plan, separate from its completed sessions.

DateExerciseRecorded workContext
26 SepUnilateral chest press20 / 25 / 30 kg × 10 eachSame exercise; per-side work
26 SepSide-lying raise4 / 6 / 6 kg × 10 eachPer side
28 Sep45° incline press50 kg × 13; 60 kg × 6; 60 kg × 650 kg is a trial starting load
28 Sep70° press50 kg × 10; 60 kg × 6; 60 kg × 6History only; not in this plan
28 Sep90° press50 kg × 8; 50 kg × 10Third set unconfirmed
28 SepAlternating curl16 kg · 3 setsReps and per-hand convention unknown
28 SepUnilateral chest press25 kg · 3 sets eachReps missing
28 SepRope pushdown17.5 / 20 / 22.5 kg × 10Three recorded loads
28 SepOverhead rope extension17.5 kg × 10 × 3Three sets
28 SepPull-ups10 / 10 / 5 repsAssistance unspecified

Use the 50 kg 45° incline press only if current reps and technique support it. Establish a fresh load for unfamiliar exercises or unclear past setups.

Further reading: ACSM resistance training guidance ↗ · Concurrent cardio and strength review ↗. These are general references, not validation of this personalised plan or the pictured technique.