Benoit Tabacchi

This JYM Army member has been able to gain size and strength all while shedding considerable body fat. Here's how he did it.

Written By Jim Stoppani, PhD

Updated September 28, 2023

Written by Benoit Tabacchi

I always carried some extra pounds, but when I was playing football I started working out at the gym. Back then, I wasn’t very dedicated, but with the football I managed to stay in decent shape. When I moved to Canada in 2008, I stopped playing ball and going to the gym and was mostly eating fast food and partying. After a year of living like this, I weighed 285 pounds.

I did several of Jim’s programs before I began my transformation, so I started at 265 pounds. In the first six weeks, I was able to get down to 256 pounds, then I dropped another 16 pounds in eight weeks to get to 240 pounds. I was amazed with the results. I not only lost 25 pounds in 14 weeks, but I gained strength in all the major lifts. I also noticed that my waist size was decreasing while other measurements stayed the same or slightly increased. To achieve all this, I used Shortcut To Shred followed by Super Shredded 8. I also used the complete JYM Supplement Science line, plus Vitamin D3 and CLA.

In combination with those programs, I followed the nutrition plan in Shortcut to Shred. It’s now my year-round eating plan. The 1-2-3 Lean Food Alternatives is a great tool, too. I also have a BIG cheat meal each week – I need it so I can stay on track the rest of the week.

What sparked this journey was my visit to the Arnold Classic in 2014. When I saw that Jim would be there, I decided to go. I drove 14 hours in a snowstorm to get there. It was an amazing weekend. I saw pro bodybuilders, met Ronnie Coleman and saw Arnold himself. I also met Jim, and while we didn’t have the chance to talk much, I could see what a good person he is. And seeing all those athletes made me want to become one, too.

One thing that keeps me motivated is that my friends are involved in sports as either former football players like me, trainers or simply sports enthusiasts. We push each other to perform better. The JYM ARMY is also a big source of motivation.

The biggest change I made in my lifestyle was how I ate. In my family, we LOVE to eat. So I bought a kitchen scale, a 6-Pack Fitness bag and starting to prep my meals. My weakness is food. Staying with my meal plan is a struggle, which is why I need my cheat meal.

I think that the key to succeed on a journey like this is to keep a certain level of balance. You have to train hard and eat clean, but you should also enjoy yourself, go out with friends, enjoy a drink and do nothing at all for a day.

So far, I’ve received nothing but compliments and encouragement, and people at the gym ask me how I did it. I’m more than happy to refer them to jimstoppani.com. Getting positive feedback keeps me motivated, and I aim to get even better results with the help of Jim’s knowledge.

To anyone who is about to start a similar journey, my advice is to not get discouraged at the beginning. It will take several weeks before you see results. It’s the most difficult part, but once you get through it, you’ll never stop. If I did it, anyone can!

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