QA: Jan Kleinhans loses 85kg!

Name: Jan Kleinhans
Age: 30
Location: East London

What do you do?
Consulting Electrical & Mechanical Engineer.

What else do you do? 
I play indoor cricket. I gym and enjoy hiking.

YOU AND SLEEKGEEK

How long have you been a member of Sleekgeek? 
I am not too sure. I have been a member for many years.

How did you find Sleekgeek? 
Via social media and a friend.

What is your favourite part of the Sleekgeek Community? 
That most people are amazing and supportive and just help each other grow.

YOUR TRANSFORMATION 

Describe the “old you” before you made your transformation. How did you get there and what were you like?
Mmm, quite a tricky one.

Firstly, I had Cushing Syndrome as a child which made me pick up 100 odd Kg (in Std. 5) so I was an obese child. I was always the shy guy and very afraid of my own shadow. I only got my second operation in my third year of varsity so for my entire childhood I was a big boy.

In varsity, I partied hard and ate what I wanted to (because I was fat anyway). Nothing I did changed it, not even starvation (I tried that as well). I was always everybody’s friend and “die soul van die span”.

What ignited your initial motivation to change?
After I got the second operation, where they removed the growth from my Pituitary Gland, my weight started coming down. So I decided it is now time to make a change in my life and become the best version of me I possibly can.

What are some of the things that the new you do differently now?
I watch what I eat and I am always on some sort of meal plan. I gym at least 6 days a week. I do not party every second day like I used too and watch and limit myself with going to bed late (try to get at least 5 hours of sleep every night).

What are some of the things that the new you still struggles with?
The sleeping part gets me down and I struggle to rest for my muscles to recover. I think I might be addicted and cannot stay away from the gym and if I don’t gym I don’t want to eat because I “didn’t earn it”.

If you could give yourself 1 piece of advice to help with that struggle, what would it be? 
Rest rest rest and “live” a little more.

Did you plateau, get stuck, or get disillusioned, or even slide backwards a bit on your journey?
Yes, plenty of times I got “stuck” and I fell down the stairs badly.

What is better since you got healthy?
I have plenty of energy (also thanks to peanut butter) and I have a hell of a lot more confidence in myself and my way of thinking.

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TRAINING 

What’s your favourite form of exercise?
Weights.

How long have you been training and how did you get started?
I have been gyming for about 6 years.

What does your typical workout look like?
Depending on the week, it can be heavy lifting with no breaks, get in and get s…t done, then about 15min bodybuilding posing and stretching.

Favorite exercise? [Distance / pose / movement / etc]
Legs and chest

Least favorite exercise? [Distance / pose / movement / etc]
Cardio (I hate cardio).

How does exercise make you feel?
Happy, excited, motivated.

Do you prefer to train alone or with others? Why?
Alone, I feel you can chat and rest too much between sets with a partner.

Most embarrassing training moment?
I tore my pants a few times in front of girls, eish…

Top 3 things you must have at the gym or in your gym bag?
Straps, post-workout and gym selfie.

Your next training goal?
I need to start cutting more and dialling into a routine as I want to enter a bodybuilding/fitness competition.

Top 5 songs on your training playlist?
I don’t really have a top 5, but they are Afrikaans songs for sure.

How has exercise/training/Sport Changed your life? [Made it better, etc – please be specific]
There are no words to describe how it has changed me as a person. It changed everything: from the way I carry myself to the way I am with people and what I will do in public. I can actually talk to anybody now, giving lifting and eating advise. The list just does not end. 

NUTRITION

What’s your favourite meal?
Spare ribs and pasta.

OK, now what’s your favourite healthy meal?
Steak and sweet potato.

Favourite protein?
Steak

Favourite fat?
Peanut butter

Favourite carbohydrate?
Sweet potato

What’s your nutrition philosophy/approach? [If you have one]
Goal dependant, but always have a meal plan that you follow and keep it 80% clean and 20% dirty.

How many meals a day do you eat?
9

Do you have a cheat meal / treat strategy?
Yes, once a week as a post-workout after either training back or legs.

MINDSET

Most memorable personal best achievement to date. Something you maybe never imagined you could do?
Competing at SA Strong Man 2016, 2017 and 2018 and being chosen to represent SA at the World’s Strongest Man.

Favorite quote?
“You reap what you sow.”

Favourite book? 
Don’t have one, as I do not have much spare time to read.

What inspires and motivates you?
I inspire myself and motivate myself by thinking about what I can become and what I can achieve if I give it my everything every single day of my life.

For what are you most grateful? 
I am grateful for being able to live a normal healthy life and being able to exercise daily and having food to put in my mouth. Its the simple things in life that we should be grateful for as many many people do not even have that.

What do you want to say to other community members who might be nervous or hesitant to make a start?
Never doubt in yourself and make the start straight away or else you will never do anything to change your life.

Be confident in yourself and never ever give up, no matter how hard the road might be or how long it takes you.

Anything and everything is possible if you truly want it.

What are your top 5 tips for anyone starting on a healthy journey?

• Set small goals
• Eat simple wholesome foods
• Get some sort of exercise in daily
• Stay busy
• Never EVER give up