Lift Free And Diet Hard with Andrew Coates #449 Gareth Sapstead - How To Transform Your Physique and Your Life
Mar 5, 2026
Gareth Sapstead, owner of EPT Lab and experienced strength coach with a master’s degree and books, shares practical guidance on transforming body and life. He covers where to start, assessments, realistic training structure, sensible calorie deficits, protecting strength during fat loss, the role of NEAT and environment, flexible dieting, meal prep hacks, and how to use a curated workout library.
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Begin Transformations With A Deep Assessment
- Start every transformation with a detailed assessment including movement, why the client wants change, and objective measures like body composition or videos.
- Gareth Sapstead uses digital movement videos, in-body scans when available, and deep 'why' questioning to build buy-in and a tailored 12–24 week blueprint.
Raise Output Before Cutting Calories
- Find the client's realistic training days and increase output before slashing calories; start small and build consistency.
- For many clients Gareth starts by raising steps and adding small conditioning between strength sets rather than immediate large calorie cuts.
Use Two Weeks Of Tracking To Find Maintenance
- Find maintenance by tracking two weeks and then apply a small deficit around 10% for sustainable fat loss.
- Gareth recommends two weeks of tracking to find true maintenance and then modest calorie reductions to avoid unsustainable lows.
