Cohnan the Barbarian

It's 2026, and right now a lot of people are locking into another New Year’s diet.

Lose 10 lbs.
Lose 20 lbs.
Lose 50 lbs.

And here’s the hard truth most people don’t want to hear:

**You were never meant to diet forever.**

If dieting actually worked long-term, you wouldn’t keep losing the same 20–30 lbs every single year… only to gain it all back again.

That’s why in my latest video, I break down:

* Why dieting itself is the scam (not calories)
* Why losing weight is easy but keeping it off is the real skill
* Why most people fail *after* the diet ends
* And the exact maintenance-first framework I use with my clients to stay lean year-round without spiraling when life gets stressful

Fitness isn’t a 12-week challenge.
It’s an infinite game.

If you’re tired of starting over every January and want results that actually stick, you need to see this.

Talk soon,
Cohnan

17 hours ago | [YT] | 1

Cohnan the Barbarian

If your goal is to lose body fat in 2026, I’m about to say something that might trigger you ...

Running could be the reason you’re STILL FAT!

Now before you get angry ... I love running.

I’m built for it.

My parents are endurance athletes.

I’ve personally run multiple marathons and I’m about to run another one.

So this isn’t coming from a guy who “hates cardio.”

It’s coming from a coach who’s watched 100's of busy men do the exact same thing:

They run.
They suffer.
They stay hungry.
They get injured.
And they don’t lose the fat.

Here’s why running backfires for fat loss for most people.

Running puts your body into what I call “sport mode.”

Heart rate spikes.
Breathing goes crazy.
You burn through glycogen fast.


Sounds productive ... until the aftermath hits.

When glycogen drops, hunger skyrockets.

Cravings kick in.

And suddenly you’re not craving chicken and veggies ... you’re craving salty, fatty, ultra-processed junk.

That’s not willpower failing.
That’s physiology.

And here’s the brutal math most people never think about:

It takes ~50 minutes of running to burn 500 calories
It takes ~5 minutes to eat 500 calories

You cannot outrun hunger.
You cannot outrun physiology.
And you definitely can’t outrun a bad diet.

This is why so many people say: “I run all the time, but I’m not losing weight.”

Now here’s the shift that actually works.

Instead of sport mode ... you want eco mode.

Low-intensity cardio keeps your heart rate lower, doesn’t drain glycogen, and doesn’t blow up your appetite.

Walking.
Incline treadmill.
Elliptical.
Steps.

You burn calories without triggering hunger and cravings.

And no, the calorie difference doesn’t matter like you think it does.

The extra 100 calories you burn running vs walking is literally a spoon of peanut butter.

Not worth wrecking your appetite over.

That’s exactly why when I’m focused on fat loss, even when prepping for bodybuilding shows ...

I don’t run.


I walk.
I increase steps.
I protect my workouts.
I protect recovery.

Because your weight training matters more than your cardio.

Lose fat while keeping muscle.

Not “lose weight” and end up skinny fat.

Every client of mine who’s lost 30–50 lbs follows the same rule:
- No running
- Daily step targets
- Structured nutrition
- Consistent training
- Accountability

Simple. Sustainable. Repeatable.

So no, running isn’t evil.

But if you’re:

- Always hungry
- Stuck at the same weight
- Injured or under-recovered
- Frustrated with “doing everything right”

Running might be the thing holding you back.

I break all of this down in detail in this video below.

1 day ago | [YT] | 2

Cohnan the Barbarian

You didn’t gain weight overnight.
Stop expecting it to leave overnight.

2 days ago | [YT] | 1

Cohnan the Barbarian

The guy who goes to the gym 3 times a week for 5 years will always beat the guy who goes 7 times a week for 3 months.

3 days ago | [YT] | 2

Cohnan the Barbarian

Most people don't need a better workout plan.

They need a better reason to show up.

4 days ago | [YT] | 2

Cohnan the Barbarian

Nothing will improve your quality of life more than getting your body in shape.

Status elevates.
Self esteem improves.
Your brain works better.

It's the first step to self mastery.

4 days ago | [YT] | 2

Cohnan the Barbarian

Here’s something interesting ...

When Charles first came to me, he didn’t think he was struggling at all.

He was eating “healthy.”
He was training.
And his goal was actually to get bigger.

But once we looked at the data and photos together, the truth was obvious.

He had gotten bigger ... just in the wrong way.

Charles works long hours as a primary care practitioner.

Busy schedule.
High stress.
Limited time.

At his heaviest, he hit 190 lbs.
When he started with me, he was 180 lbs.
Today, he hovers around 150 lbs.

That’s a 40-lb transformation without sacrificing foods he enjoys or living in the gym.

What changed?

Not motivation.
Not willpower.
Not some extreme diet.

2 things flipped the switch for him:

1. Tracking instead of guessing.
Charles always ate “healthy,” but quantity was the issue.
Once he understood calories in vs calories out and how much his body actually needed, everything clicked.

2. Cardio that fit his life.
Not hours of punishment.
Just structured, intentional movement that complemented his training and schedule.

The result wasn’t just fat loss.

His confidence went up
His energy improved
He dropped multiple clothing sizes
He reduced his medication for chronic gastritis
And his patients started trusting him more because he practiced what he preached

That last part matters.

He didn’t just look better.
He showed up differently.

And here’s the key takeaway:

Charles didn’t need more effort.

He needed the right structure and accountability for a busy life.

If you’re a busy guy who wants to lose 30+ lbs without giving up your favorite foods or spending hours in the gym, this is exactly what I help men do.

👉 Book a free fitness consultation here: calendly.com/cohnankotarski/fitnessconsultation

We’ll look at your schedule, your habits, and your goals, and build something you can actually stick to long-term.

Talk soon,
Cohnan

4 days ago | [YT] | 2

Cohnan the Barbarian

Charles started this journey at 180 lbs.

Today, he’s 148 lbs.

That’s 32 pounds gone while working long, busy hours and night shifts in the healthcare field.

No perfect schedule.
No “ideal” sleep.
No hours in the gym.

Just consistency, structure, and a system that works around real life.

Here’s the truth most people avoid:

Whether you choose to stay overweight or get in shape, both are hard.

So you might as well choose the one that leads to the life you actually want.

Charles could’ve kept choosing the “easy hard”:
❌ Feeling drained after shifts
❌ Low energy on days off
❌ Watching the scale creep up year after year

Instead, he chose the hard that builds confidence:
✅ Eating with intention even on night shifts
✅ Training efficiently when time was tight
✅ Showing up even when motivation was low

And now?

He’s lighter.
Leaner.
More confident.
And in control again.

If you’re a busy professional working odd hours and telling yourself “my schedule makes it impossible”…

Charles is proof it’s not your schedule.

It’s your system.

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6 days ago | [YT] | 8

Cohnan the Barbarian

Good morning to everyone who woke up without a hangover.

1 week ago | [YT] | 4

Cohnan the Barbarian

Don’t tell people your 2026 goals.

Show them.

1 week ago | [YT] | 3