Don’t trust everything you read. Except Here. Trust It All.
Welcome to my Blog. Here you can learn everything you want to know about getting stronger, losing weight and managing your diet, in an empathetic and scientific way.
Why You Don’t Have To Earn Your Calories In The Gym…
I chose this photo for this blog post for many reasons. Number one its what the world is doing…or at least its what the world wants you to do. Run away from the food you have eaten..or more…try and banish the food you have eaten from your body. Secondly, she has a smile on her face. This smile could mean two things:
She has realised that she doesn’t need to run anymore from the cake and ice cream, and banishing the calories you have eaten through exercise is a daft thing to suggest.
She is just enjoying movement because the movement is there to make us happy.
I fear I am being overly optimistic about the photo. I think the photo in truth was designed to promote the banishing of calories from your body.
This article arose from a TV Programme that was aired here in the UK. It was called Horizon. The tag line for this show is the following:
“Horizon tells amazing science stories, unravels mysteries and reveals worlds you’ve never seen before”
This particular episode was focussing on “The Restaurant that Burns Off Calories”. All you need to know at this point is that a Doctor and a Restuarant Owner teamed up and built a restaurant full of the UK’s “favourite dishes” and built a gym behind the restaurant where there were about 40 Gym Bunnies all ready on Cardio Machines to burn off all the calories that were consumed in one service in the restaurant. The whole menu had been calorie counted, and then the figures were totalled up, and those on Rowing Machines, Treadmills and Exercise Bikes saw this figure ever-increasing and had to keep working towards the final of total of, 45,687 calories.
The show came into much criticism on Social Media as it is promoting the idea that you “have to earn your food in the gym”. Which you simply do not. And anything that promotes this notion is going to be criticised for helping push people towards very real and dangerous eating disorders.
In this article, my aim is to move your mind away from the very worrying and potentially damaging thought that you have to “earn your food”. I would also like to say right from the start, I have never had an eating disorder, and I am also not an eating disorder professional. Throughout the article, I have cited where I have got my information from, and the sources that I believe to be very credible.
My sole purpose in this article is to try and show you how all food including, cakes, donuts, crisps, alcohol, sweets and ice cream as well as exercise and training play two very important roles in maintaining both your physical and mental health. And above all…why you do not have to earn your calories.
If you have found this article, and are suffering from an eating disorder please stop reading, and seek professional and medical advice right here: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/support-services
We will go through the following:
The Dangers of “earing your calories”.
The Dangers of overtraining.
Why did the BBC Produce this TV Show? and the problems within it.
The best foot forward…
THE DANGERS OF “EARNING YOUR CALORIES IN THE GYM”
This article arose from a TV Programme that was aired here in the UK. It was called Horizon. The tag line for this show is the following:
“Horizon tells amazing science stories, unravels mysteries and reveals worlds you’ve never seen before”
This particular episode was focussing on “The Restaurant that Burns Off Calories”. All you need to know at this point is that a Doctor and a Restuarant Owner teamed up and built a restaurant full of the UK's “favourite dishes” and built a gym behind the restaurant where there were about 40 Gym Bunnies all ready on Cardio Machines to burn off all the calories that were consumed in one service in the restaurant. The whole menu had been calorie counted, and then the figures were totalled up, and those on Rowing Machines, Treadmills and Exercise Bikes saw this figure ever-increasing and had to keep working towards the final of total of, 45,687 calories.
The show came into much criticism on Social Media as it is promoting the idea that you “have to earn your food in the gym”. Which you simply do not. And anything that promotes this notion is going to be criticised for helping push people towards very real and dangerous eating disorders.
When we equate the food we eat in a direct correlation to the amount of exercise we have to do to burn it off…it is a battle we will always lose, because you cannot exercise that much. Or if you do…it will likely lead you towards very excessive behaviour patterns and destroy your relationship with what exercise is, and what your food is.
When you adopt purging behaviours (verb. to physically remove or expel (something) completely) you are treading a very very dangerous line between both your mental health and your physical health.
Here some infographics I once made:
From @thegymstarter on Instagram
As you can see from the infographics…it is merely impossible to:
Do 239 minutes of running at 6mph every time you have a Pizza.
Do 526 minutes of walking, just because you ate Christmas Dinner.
Do 24 minutes of walking every time you consume a Glass of Red Wine.
The sheer thought that you might think, when you sit down on December 25th to enjoy your Christmas Dinner that you will then be faced with nearly 4 hours of walking (depending on your weight) will suck out all enjoyment of that dinner and the true meaning of Christmas. Despite the fact, I don’t know many people that will willingly engage in that much time on a Treadmill (I ran a half marathon on a treadmill once…I do not recommend it).
So what is the other option…you purge the food away.
Every time you do this you are setting up a neurological behaviour that equates food with pain. We all need to eat food. We all need calories to survive. Without them, we will die. This is a fact of life.
And when you become overwhelmed with the idea of how much exercise you will have to do in order to banish the food from your body you will look for the shortcut…which will then lead you into directions such as:
Avoiding social situations.
Living with a feeling of shame.
Relating food enjoyment to painful behaviours.
Changing your brains chemistry to a reward system for these behaviours (1).
Engaging in compensatory behaviours can become addictive. Self-induced vomiting can actually change an individual’s brain chemistry, affecting serotonin levels and releasing endorphins.
This can result in a high that those with purging disorder might strive to recreate following a meal. Similarly, it can be difficult to cease laxative use if an individual’s body has become reliant on them to produce bowel movements (1)
Studies have shown that living on a Very Low-Calorie Diet typically less than 800kcal a day, but can be as little as 1000kcal a day it can have the same physiologically as total starvation (2).
CAN THAT MUCH EXERCISE BE DANGEROUS AS WELL?
Overtraining is a serious subject as well…and if you start walking down the path of “earning your calories” you will have to engage in copious amounts of exercise to compensate.
As I mentioned above, I once ran a Half Marathon on a Treadmill, and it was not a good decision. It took me 2 hours. And yeah…it left its mark. So much so I wasn’t able to train for 4–5 days. But that was a one off stupid incident during marathon training from someone who was very well versed in the ability to run. If I did that day in and day out over a long period of time other issues will begin to arise such as:
Increase in weight
Heavy mood swings
Constant muscle aches (different to DOMS)
Overstressing of muscles leading to frequent injuries
Fatigue and exhaustion
Sleep quality has decreased
In order to actually create a change in the body through training, it must be backed up with a very disciplined regime of sleep and nutrition. Without these two things, you will not build that body you want, and therefore you will always be chasing your tail. If you are considering your food as something you have to burn off, and you educate yourself on the calories contained in foods, then you will be moving towards poorer nutritional choices (ie too few calories), combined with a tendency to overtraining.
According to a study in May 2002, approximately 80 percent of patients with anorexia nervosa and 55 percent of patients with bulimia nervosa compulsively exercise. Female eating disorder patients who exercise report higher levels of psychological distress and psychopathological traits than non-exercisers (3).
Therefore you can see how it will begin to affect both mental and physical health.
WHY DID THE BBC PRODUCE THIS SHOW AND THE PROBLEMS WITHIN IT
A piece of research came out in 2019 from Loughborough University that stated when people know how much exercise they will have to do to burn off their food, as displayed on a food label (knowns as PACE labelling) they are likely to reduce their caloric intake by 103kcals a day (4)
An NHS Blog post (5) states this as the conclusion:
Researchers found:
1. people were less likely to buy a sugary soft drink if it was labelled with PACE information, compared to no label.
2. people selected on average 64.9 fewer calories if food or drink was PACE labelled, compared to no label or other labelling (95% confidence interval (CI) -103.2 to -26.6)
3. people ate on average 80.4 fewer calories if food or drink was PACE labelled, compared to no label or other labelling (95% CI -136.7 to -24.2)
I remember when this story broke as I was invited to talk about it on BBC Radio 5 Live. I was merely approaching it from the relationship of PACE labelling and weight loss. I didn’t really see the relationship this would then have with eating disorders until I looked into it more.
The premise is a fair one. Let's get that out the way right now. The idea that anything that reduces our caloric intake could be a win-win is always going to be a “good idea” especially when we are facing huge increases in obesity globally. But I would like to think that the first half of this article has made you realise the very serious consequences labelling food like this can have.
The show itself was very lukewarm on two fronts. One, its dietary information and the message it tried to get across, and two its understanding of the role exercise plays in our metabolism.
I could pull the show apart, trust me, I made enough notes on how sensationalist it was at times throughout the programme. But also just how sensationalist the whole premise was. Having 40 or so people, all who were not a cross-section of society in terms of their exercise habits, their age and weight working out on Cardio Machines to burn off food others had eaten is simply sensationalism. And the fitness industry has dabbled in sensationalism far too much. This is one reason why eating disorders are on the rise (6) because of Diet Culture and unrealistic expectations of what is achievable being spouted left right and centre to everyone.
Other issues I noticed with the show was that there was no given metric as to how they were monitoring how much exercise the subjects had to do. They didn’t look to me like they were wearing heart rate monitors or were going through a VO2 Max Test as they were doing it to determine truly how many calories they were actually burning.
The lack of information about how the exercise subjects output was being monitored might lead some people to jump on a treadmill and take the numbers that the machine gives you as fact. The numbers of calories burned on a Treadmill, Exercise Bike or Rowing Machine are to be disregarded at all times. They are wildly inaccurate and will nearly always give a higher reading close to 15–20% than what you actually did.
This is important to know because you will be giving it your all on a Cardio Machine, tracking that number…not seeing results that you think you deserve and then you will want to give up again.
I also felt that nearly every shot of the exercise subjects you saw, they looked downtrodden, deflated and absolutely exhausted. I mean…who wouldn't be? Having to do that much exercise.
The meals that the restaurant were serving might have been “typical” to the UK, but they are only typical to the UK when we are eating out. Something that we do not do all day every day. So to directly correlate the very stark image of that many people, looking that hot and sweaty, because of food that someone has eaten, is falsifying the truth. Home Cooked Food vs Restaurant Cooked Food is always going to have big variances in the Caloric value due to things like Oil, Salt and other flavourings that are used in the food.
One of the hosts gave a very simplified version of how your Metabolism worked, and she followed this statement up with “you can’t do much to influence your BMR”, again, which is not giving you the full truth. Which is what makes this programme so very wrong indeed. The sheer fact that the programme is telling you only what you can and cannot do in one exercise session to burn away your calories is very misguided.
The show took in no regard for what happens over long periods of time when you add muscle to your body, and how that helps you maintain your weight. The show gave reference to the fact that Muscle requires more calories to maintain than body fat…but it didn’t look into that any further — which again is giving a very imbalanced view.
It also didn’t mention EPOC (Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). EPOC is responsible for the continuation of burning calories post-exercise. It occurs both in Cardio work and Resistance Training. However, it occurs to a greater degree in resistance training (7), although the studies I could find do say it is a small difference, and it is an incremental difference over long periods of time.
One last point on the show which I think sums the whole thing up. There was a moment when Angela a middle-aged woman who was enjoying a meal ordered a dessert. The waiter then showed her the PACE labelling for the item she ordered. Angela changed her mind to a different less calorific dessert. However the look on her face would have suggested that she was neither happy about choosing ice cream, and she seemed even less impressed that she felt guilt-tripped into having it.
She also says as her husband is eating the Cheesecake “I have pudding envy. I really wanted the cheesecake”. She was out having a nice meal and has now had her dinner somewhat spoiled by the fact that she now knows she saved 335kcals on her meal.
They went on to ask her about this and she said that she has a goal in mind to fit into a dress for a wedding…and this choice will get her one day closer to getting into that dress.
Which is a nice thought? But it won't help her. It won’t help her because she is encouraging herself to move away from the enjoyment of her food and into a place where she is having to avoid things she enjoys, simply because she is viewing her food as like for like exchange for calories, and weight. She also states later in the programme that “she isn't careful about the food she eats”.
Which brings me to my last point in this section. You can’t build good habits with food if you are building it on a foundation of sand. Shocking people into better choices will not work, because an awful lot more goes into why people chose the foods they eat each day. It's down to their emotional behaviours, their environmental factors and their relationship with themselves.
Not their relationship with their food labels.
THE BEST FOOT FORWARD AND CONCLUSION
So what should we do? If PACE labelling isn’t the answer what should we do instead?
Like with most things two words spring to mind.
Education and Balance.
The education required would be to acknowledge that Exercise is responsible for just 5% of your Daily Metabolic burn.
Read that again.
Exercise is responsible for just 5% of your Daily Metabolic burn.
Above is your Metabolism each day set out as percentages. And you can see Exercise Activity is responsible for just 5% of that.
So I ask the question…why was the show expecting people to burn off 100% of their meals?
Energy In vs Energy Out is what it is important here. And that bar in my infographic is 100% of your energy out. Therefore a keener focus on the big sections of the bar would be useful.
You can improve your BMR by lifting weights, maintaining muscle mass, sleeping better, eating more protein and enjoying the compound effect of these lifestyle changes over a long period of time will help improve your metabolism.
Increase your NEAT. This is your Daily Movement. Fidgeting, Standing, Climbing Stairs, Walking, Gardening, Dancing and everything in between.
We can even increase our Thermic Effect of Food due to making sure the food we eat has a higher Protein focus.
Add all that up and you are increasing 95% of your Metabolism. Yes, it will take time but this isn’t nor should it ever be a like for like situation. Your metabolism is a lot more complex than Exercise = Calories, and the sooner we can understand that the sooner you will start protecting your future self from increased weight gain.
If you want to lose weight and don’t want to spend all day on the treadmill just because you ate a burger …then you can need to do the above.
I would also suggest that you get yourself Calorie Educated. Spend time learning what calories are in your food, and learning how that can work into your numbers for each day. I repeat:
You do not have to earn your calories eaten in the gym.
I have a system called the Five Awesome Rules For Fat Loss Life which I outline in this video which will be a great place to start your understanding of how this all weaves together and why not equating calories eaten to time spent on a Rowing Machine is a good idea.
Did you find this useful?
You can Join The Fitness Collective which is my Membership Group. In there I give Monthly Updates, Live Q and A’s, I provide you with new workouts each and every month, and write guidance on your fitness journey. To find out more about The Fitness Collective you can click here: The Fitness Collective
Please share this with your friends and anyone else you may know who is worried about training in a gym, and feel free to follow me using the links below… And if you want to get updates on when I publish new articles, publish new podcasts or anything else then please remember to sign up below.
And above all remember this…for as long as you are trying your best no one can ask for more from you.
Coach Adam
References:
1.Ekern, B., 2020. Purging Disorder: Signs, Symptoms — You Need To Be Aware Of This. [online] Eating Disorder Hope. Available at: <https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/blog/purging-disorder-signs-and-symptoms> [Accessed 23 April 2020].
2. Uclahealth.org. 2020. Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) Plan : RFO Weight Loss Program | UCLA Center For Human Nutrition. [online] Available at: <https://www.uclahealth.org/clinicalnutrition/vlcd> [Accessed 23 April 2020].
3. Eating Disorder Hope. 2020. Exercising And Eating: What Are The Risks And Effects Of Over-Exercising. [online] Available at: <https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/orthorexia-excessive-exercise/risks-over-exercising> [Accessed 23 April 2020].
4. Davis, N., 2020. Exercise Advice On Food Labels Could Help To Tackle The Obesity Crisis. [online] the Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/10/exercise-advice-on-food-labels-could-help-to-tackle-the-obesity-crisis> [Accessed 23 April 2020].
5. nhs.uk. 2020. Exercise Advice On Food Labels Could ‘Change Eating Habits’. [online] Available at: <https://www.nhs.uk/news/food-and-diet/exercise-advice-food-labels-could-change-eating-habits/> [Accessed 23 April 2020].
6. Marsh, S., 2020. Hospital Admissions For Eating Disorders Surge To Highest In Eight Years. [online] the Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/feb/15/hospital-admissions-for-eating-disorders-surge-to-highest-in-eight-years> [Accessed 23 April 2020].
7. Unm.edu. 2020. Resistance Training And EPOC. [online] Available at: <https://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/epoc.html> [Accessed 23 April 2020].
How Does Your Menstrual Cycle Affect Your Fitness And Weight Loss?
Over the years, I have worked day in and day out with women in terms of helping them lose weight. Many, many of these clients whether it be online or in-person, have stuck with me for a long time and when you develop relationships like that we got to know each other.
This gave me plenty of data and analysis, combined with just being in rhythm with these clients to go away and study how the Menstrual Cycle will affect your ability to lift weights, lose weight and do all things fitness.
It was a topic I was really passionate about developing my knowledge on and learning more about, so I could coach my clients through it that little bit better. However, there was a problem.
Upon researching it some more, it felt like the information out there still didn’t break it down quite well enough. It would talk about how “Exercise can help beat fatigue and improve mood.” which is nothing we didn’t already know, but when it came to distinctly draw the parallels between your Hormonal Changes over a standard 28 Day Cycle and how that will directly affect how you are responding and able to manage this alongside your goal to lose weight…the internet started to fail.
So here it is.
This one-stop-shop article is designed to help you understand how your Menstrual Cycle really can work for you, and against you when it comes to losing weight, how you can manage that to keep adherent to your goals, and the science that dictates the management for you.
What a gift.
Please Note: I am not a Doctor. I am not a Medical Professional. I am just a Personal Trainer who wants to help you, and these are my findings. At all times I would fully recommend seeking Medical Advice if you have any major concerns about your Cycle.
As I am being so very generous at this time, it would be awesome if you could say thank you. byway of becoming my friend.
As your friend, not only will you get the opportunity to ask me anything in the world, but I promise to keep showering you with gifts to help you with your fitness.
Some of them will be very helpful, some of them will be very funny and some of them may be inappropriate - but that's what friendship is all about - isn’t it?
If you want to become friends then please just send me a friend request by filling out the form below.
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR “How Does your Menstrual Cycle affect your fitness and weight loss?”
Why Have I written this article for you?
For me, it all started with a client and a Podcast. Like a lot of what I do. One of my clients was infuriated at me for not recognizing that she definitely does require more calories on and in the lead up to her Menstruation, compared to the rest of the month.
A feeling I am sure you can relate to.
And although I was wholly understanding of her desires, I didn’t fully understand how much it correlated until I listened to the James Smith Podcast on Female Physiology and how it affects Fat Loss in Female Clients. James, it would appear, had much the same experience as me, and he was generous enough to put his research out there, for us all to learn from.
So what I am about to tell you, is inspired by him, interpreted by me, and backed up by science and the work I have done with female clients for 5 years.
Women are not weaker versions of men.
As a woman, you have an incredibly intricate Hormonal Profile that acutely impacts what you can and cannot do both in terms of lifting weights, and of course, how to adhere to a diet. You have 4 different profiles every 28-day cycle.
The only way you will be successful and sustainable in fitness is if you enjoy what you are doing, and ladies, that means working with your body rather than against it.
Get To Know Your Menstrual Cycle
So let’s learn to work with your system.
Oh and this is an article relating to the way in which your cycle quote “should” unquote be working. I am fully appreciative of different conditions that affect the cycle; PCOS to name one, Menopause as another, or external factors affecting your cycle like the Contraceptive Pill.
These all would require a different article…which I will write…so what I would ask is the following: try to adapt this information to your own circumstances, and if you have any further questions then email me on adam@thegymstarter.com.
Don’t Forget To Follow Me On Instagram:
This is Your Cycle:
Let's start with an Info-graphic so you can refer back to this at any time.
The Different Phases And Their Effect On Your Fitness and Weight Loss.
The Follicular Phase: Week 1: Day 1 to Day 7: Part 1 of The Follicular Phase
This part of your cycle has a secondary phase inside of it as well which is Menstruation which occurs typically at Day 1 to Day 5 of your cycle.
During this part of your cycle, you may experience cramping and may feel quite uncomfortable, despite the fact you may be wearing pads and/or other sanitary items to help with the bleeding.
During Week 1 your dominant Hormone is Oestrogen, which is a hormone that your body uses for Bone Strength, Regulating your Menstrual Cycle, Pregnancy, and maintaining Cholesterol Levels. In a nutshell, it’s useful and is a good thing to be aware of.
How is Fitness and Weight Loss Affected Day 1 — Day 5?
Many of my friends who I work with by coaching them online have reported different experiences during this phase and it is totally personal.
But my best advice for this period (no pun intended) is the following:
Work on strong and steady Resistance Training
Avoid activities like HIIT and Jumping movements if they cause you discomfort
Get plenty of sleep as your body is working hard
In terms of Calories, you might be a little more hungry, and a calorie deficit could be hard, so just use trial and error to see how you react
Week 2: Day 6 to Day 14: Part 2 of The Follicular Phase
This is the best time of the 28 days to maximize your results. Both in terms of Calories and your Strength.
Leading into Day 14 your Testosterone Levels will be increasing which combined with LH (Luteinizing Hormone) and the peak in LH especially is what causes Ovulation on Day 14.
If you are going to be adherent to a Calorie Deficit now is the time. Your energy will be at its highest, your strength at its strongest, and your ability to stick to it all should be at its greatest.
How is Fitness and Weight Loss Affected from Day 6 — Day 14?
But my best advice for this part of your Cycle is:
Keep working on your Resistance Training — you should be able to target your heaviest lifts in this part of your cycle.
In terms of Calories maximize your caloric deficit if you are trying to lose weight as you will have the most amount of energy to adhere to this.
And Cardio…? Well during this time you will feel rather horny due to the increase in Testosterone and LH. Your body will be signaling to you to get pregnant which makes perfect sense, as your eggs are releasing. So if you want to do Cardio…grab your fella and have a week of fun…just remember to be safe…
Ovulation happens on Day 14.
And things well…things take a slight turn for the worse in terms of your physiology.
The Different Phases And Their Effect On Your Fitness and Weight Loss:
The Luteal Phase: Week 3: Day 15 to Day 21: Part 1 of The Luteal Phase
Say hello to Progesterone. The dominant hormone of the next two weeks.
So whether you are pregnant or not, your body doesn’t wait to confirm this, before it starts preparing you for the growth of a tiny human. Progesterone is responsible for maintaining pregnancy which is why it is such a key player in this phase of your cycle.
Progesterone is responsible for building your uterine wall, and making sure your uterus is ready to receive a fertilized egg.
How is Fitness and Weight Loss Effected Day 15 — Day 21?
Your body will require an extra 100-300kcal a day — so moving to a Maintenance or Momentum (thanks to Jordan Syatt) Calories each day might be a good idea. I understand that in order to lose weight a Calorie Deficit is needed, but in this phase, understanding your need for more calories and fueling your body as it is working harder will help you manage your hunger and avoid cravings that may lead to overeating if you are trying to restrict too much.
Some women report headaches during this phase, and to combat that I would suggest some light Aerobic Exercise like Running or Rowing. Even regular outdoor walks would be good for you in nature — may I recommend a 10min Guided Walking Meditation…can be found on my Youtube Channel
You can continue to Strength Train as well, just be realistic that you might not be able to perform like you did last week
Week 4: Day 22 to Day 28: Part 2 of The Luteal Phase
This is the part of your cycle where PMS may start to creep in. You may feel a lot more fatigued, and your mood and energy levels may well vary from day-to-day. Your body is literally preparing itself to keep a fertilized egg in the uterus and to allow you to child bear. This takes its toll. As far as your body is aware you are now about to be pregnant. It doesn’t know that you won’t be, and so it takes the necessary steps to make sure that you have the most successful pregnancy possible. This is going to require energy, a redirection of your resources, and is going to have an effect on your performance. Progesterone is still dominant, and it is putting the finishing touches on your uterine wall for the egg.
During this phase, I regularly have clients tell me that they just are too tired, have too much fatigue, and feel a lot weaker in this phase of their cycle. It’s cool. At this point, I explain to them whats going on, why they feel that way, and make sure I lower their expectations of what to expect in terms of their output, and this way they don’t come away from the Gym feeling more exhausted, deflated and overwhelmed.
How is Fitness and Weight Loss Effected Day 22 — Day 28?
Stick at Maintenance or Momentum Calories for this final week, in order to keep your energy higher and to allow you to not have the extra stress of trying to stay in a Calorie Deficit.
As PMS kicks in, this can come with a multitude of different side effects: Depression, Anxiety, Physical Pain. Studies have shown that PMS can cause Dysphoric Disorder and its very important that you look after yourself if you experience this. Ways of managing this would be to increase calories to maintenance, to exercise in a way that brings you enjoyment, and not displeasure, and to talk to your trainer, or others about how you are feeling. Honesty is always the best policy.
You can continue to Strength Train…but lower your expectations, especially as you move further into this stage, as it will get harder, and you may feel weaker. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking this phase as a time to iron out your technique with lighter loads or to take a De-Load Week altogether.
Let’s Conclude
If you have read this diligently, I am basically splitting your Nutrition and your Training up into two very deliberate phases:
PHASE 1 — Day 1 to Day 14
Calorie Deficit, Solid Strength Training with a build into Day 14 for your strongest moments and highest energy in the Gym.
PHASE 2— Day 15 to Day 28
Maintenance/Momentum Calories, and move toward more quality movement, rather than quantity of load or Reps. Expect to feel more tired, so adjust your expectations to meet that.
Now I’m sure you’re thinking…
“Am I reading this correctly? I only have to be in a Calorie Deficit for two weeks…is that enough will I lose enough weight?”
I want to be talking to a person who is in this for the long run…if you want to lose 2 stone in 6 weeks, this plan is not going to work for you. But if you want to learn how to make Fat Loss, Calorie Adherence and Fitness sustainable and achievable then yes.
Yes I am saying you need to Calorie Deficit for two weeks. Maintain for two weeks.
I would much prefer you find adherence for four weeks, over the course of your cycle in this manner, rather than two weeks of a Calorie Deficit, and two weeks of going full-on “Shit Head”(thanks Mike Vacanti). By this, I mean eating way more than you Maintenance Calories and undoing two great weeks of your Calorie Deficit.
The choice is yours:
4 Weeks of Total Adherence?
or
4 Weeks of Yoyo-ing over and over again, and never making progress?
There will be aspects of this article that don’t apply to you right now…but may in the future. There may be parts of this article that mean nothing to you, but they might a friend. There is no one case that is the same. But its here, as a gift from me to you, to help you understand why and what is going on when things sometimes just feel impossible.
If you have any questions…please put them below or reach out to me by becoming my friend.
Did you find this useful?
I have plenty more articles about weight loss for females throughout this website.
Here is a selection I think would make great further reading for you:
Thank you for being here - and if you want to become my friend now you have finished the article - my offer still stands….
References:
Aaptiv. (2020). Here’s How Your Period May Affect Your Workouts — Aaptiv. [online] Available at: https://aaptiv.com/magazine/exercise-affects-periods [Accessed 1 Mar. 2020].
Smith, J. (2020). #6 Fat Loss For Females. [podcast] The James Smith Podcast. Available at: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/6-fat-loss-for-females/id1444720680?i=1000428908837 [Accessed 1 Mar. 2020].
Healthdirect.gov.au. 2020. Oestrogen. [online] Available at: <https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/oestrogen> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
HealthyWomen. 2020. Progesterone | Healthywomen. [online] Available at: <https://www.healthywomen.org/condition/progesterone> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
Indusekhar R, e., 2020. Psychological Aspects Of Premenstrual Syndrome. — Pubmed — NCBI. [online] Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17175199> [Accessed 14 March 2020].
What is Binge Eating Disorder?
What is Binge Eating Disorder?
Last night I had a wonderful chat with a client about Binge Eating.
And it got me thinking about how do we define what a Binge truly is?
Part of me wants to say that “Binge-Eating” is one of those terms we throw around these days as its becoming a little more of the zeitgeist.
And don’t get me wrong awareness of this is very very important and I would never undermine anyone bringing awareness to it, for others and themselves.
But how do we define it?
Standard rules say this: “The consumption of large quantities of food in a short period of time, typically as part of an eating disorder”
Which doesn’t really help us.
“Large Quantities of food”
Is this any food? Can you binge on Broccoli? Is large quantities relating to the calorie content only, or the grams of food you have eaten?
“Short Period of Time”
What is a short period of time? 1 hour? 1 Evening? One journey? One Month?
and then the part of it “typically being part of an eating disorder” doesn’t help either. As it opens up the fact if you don’t have an eating disorder you are too a Binge Eater.
Well, that’s no help…so what do you do now?
I try to avoid my clients from using the term “binge” due to it allowing them to sink into a world of negative self-talk.
Which is to be avoided at all times.
I would always prefer a client to refer to their food more objectively than subjectively. Calories are calories are calories.
Therefore in terms of a binge…maybe we could define it as eating 70% of their daily calories in a short period of time
Therefore if someone is eating 2000 calories a day.
In a matter of hours or an evening they will have needed to consume 70% of that.
1400 calories.
But this comes with problems in that 1400 calories is the same as just:
Two McDonalds Iced Vanilla Frappe
Two McDonalds Double Quarter Pounders with Cheese
A Big Mac Meal with a Hot Apple Pie
Now if you ate any of that at lunch time….I don’t think you would sit there and class what you just had as a Binge.
It seems almost too reasonable.
Which brings me to my next point.
Is it defined by emotion?
Ah-ha.
Does Binge Eating come down to whether or not you feel guilty about what you just ate?
And if it does….then we can’t define it in any way shape or form because we are all so bloody different in the way we feel about these things.
Sure, in the past I have eaten lots of food….probably beyond 70% of my daily calorie intake.
But I personally have never felt guilty about it.
I’ve never felt the need to purge it from my body in the form of exercise or excessive dieting.
Or worse: facing down the toilet.
I have only once ever felt like this, and that was after trying a cigarette for the first time when I was about 17. (sorry mum!)
It was menthol, and it was wonderful
I had two drags.
But the next day I woke up and knew I had to get rid of the craving that was building up inside me. So I went running and got rid of that craving.
Now, this was easy for me to do…because I don’t NEED cigarettes to live. In fact quite the opposite.
But with food, as it is our source of survival, I would not suggest purging the food from your body in any way shape or form because you are feeling guilty about what you did.
I think its best you just step away from what you have experienced.
Draw a line under it.
Get to bed
Say Fuck IT
And reset again tomorrow.
Again….
A lot easier said than done.
Conclusion….?
I have no idea. I’m, really not overly sure what constitutes a binge.
I think it must come down to “a feeling you have about yourself when you consume something to excess that you feel like you probably shouldn’t have in a shorter period of time than you feel is adequate”
But I really don’t know.
Maybe defining it isn’t something we need to worry about…
As a coach, I just need to listen to you when you say you did, respect your opinion of yourself and try to help you move away from those feelings about yourself, and help you reflect on why it occurred, and how we can manage it for next time.
Which is basically my philosophy to life.
Draw A Line Under It
Say Fuck It
Get to Bed
Start again tomorrow.
What are your thoughts? I would love to hear from you.
I'm Scared Of Going To The Gym For The First Time...
Are you a beginner that is scared of going to the gym?
Then you are now in the right place.
Hi, I’m Adam Berry known as The Gym Starter, and I want to help address these issues for you. I want to outline strategies and actionable plans you can put in place to actually get yourself to put that first foot in the door because once you are there…hopefully over time the benefits you will gain from being in that place will become so addictive you will wonder why you ever worried about the experience in the first place.
THE GYM…That place, over there. You know of it…you are aware of the benefits of it, and really and truly you know that you should go there. But that doesn’t help you get over the anxiety, worry, and fear about what the experience will be like when you actually arrive.
The judgment. The looks. Not wanting to hurt yourself. Are all totally understandable and reasonable concerns for you to have when it comes to going to the gym. But this article is here to help you to stop being scared of the fortress of grunting men.
Firstly, I want to say it is totally normal to be scared of going to the gym.
There are lots of terms that relate to this topic:
Gym Anxiety
Fear of the Gym
Phobia of Working Out
Embarrassed to go to the Gym
Scared of exercise
Scared of the gym
If you relate to any of these feelings then this article is perfect for you.
Before we get into it, here is a little story about myself.
This was me in 2009. A very skinny, very wild-eyed early 20-something.
Fresh out of Drama School and just trying to live the actor’s life. Personally, I really hate this photo of myself. That T-Shirt I am wearing is a size S from Topman. I am 6ft 4. Every time I wore it I had to keep pulling it down or wear my jeans like Simon Cowell.
I had a wardrobe of t-shirts like this, all because I needed them to fit tight, to try and make me look a little bit more muscly.
I wasn’t exactly a Gym goer. I used to try. Then I would fail miserably. Simply because I was so much smaller, and lifting weights that were so light compared to everyone else in the Gym…I really didn’t feel comfortable.
And now I’m a Personal Trainer. And within that space, I have been petrified of the gym.
One very memorable example was for about 6 months of my career I had no idea how to get a client to lift a barbell. I was personally too scared to get a client to use a Barbell.
Every single one of my friends who have worked with me has been very scared of being in the Gym. They work with me because:
“You’re the guy that won’t judge me”
Now you know some more about me, I would love it if we became friends. As part of our friendship, I’ll email you things. Sometimes they will be educational, sometimes they will be inappropriate, and sometimes I might just want to know how you are; either way…it will be pretty awesome.
So just fill in the form below and send me a friend request…
Oh, and I will also send you some free fitness goodies to help start our new friendship off on the best foot possible.
Now we are friends… Let’s continue the article…
In fact, take my friend Natalie who worked with me one on one, and is now a part of my Online Coaching Program. To say I am proud of her is an understatement. Natalie has Cerebal Palsy which affects her lower limbs. As you can imagine she has been worried about how she would be able to interact with a Gym environment herself, let alone what others might think of her.
But since she started working with me, she is in the gym three times a week and has had the most incredible transformation, not only in her physical body but her mental strength and inner confidence have jumped leaps and bounds.
Every single day, Natalie makes me prouder and prouder and it is my honour to be able to call such a great friend.
Or there is my other friend Nicola.
Nicola was shaking when she first stepped foot in the Gym with me. Shaking to the bone. I couldn’t get her to focus on anything…and we had such a great time! She was shaking through fear, but neither of us could stop laughing and enjoying ourselves.
Nicola no longer works with me, but she is an incredible friend still. We worked together for 18 months and to be able to take her from how petrified she was initially to where she finished up was amazing.
I think we have time for my favourite story about Nicola. She was doing Step-Ups onto a medium-sized height stool and I can’t remember exactly what happened. She was probably chatting away to me, or she just forgot to get enough of her foot on the stool, and she fell off it.
Bang.
Just hit the floor. It surprised us both. She looked at me in shock.
And I love it when my friends fall over in the gym. Not because I am a sadist but because of the opportunity if gives me to teach my friends about the word FEAR.
All fear is, is the following:
“False Expectation Appearing Real”
Now, of course, Nicola had a fear of falling over, as we all do. But the second she hit the floor, I checked she was ok and then asked her the following question.
“Look at what has happened. Look around and tell me what you see….?”
Her reply was:
“Nothing. I see nothing. I just see everyone else working out and carrying on”
“Exactly” I smiled.
“One of your biggest fears about the gym has just happened…and that fear was a false expectation which you thought would become real. But it didn’t. The difference between the story in your head, and the way the world actually works is very different”
But see for yourself how scared of the Gym Nicola was. Watch her video here:
I have only been dealing with people who are scared to go to the gym my entire adult life. First, it was me, then it was a fair majority of my friends who I have worked with over the years.
The only reason I have been able to be The Gym Starter is that I understood their troubles. I went through it too and I knew how I could help them overcome their anxiety and fear as well.
So whether or not you are too scared to go to the gym because:
It will be your first time
You are scared of being judged
You think you are too fat and don’t belong
You have a fear of working out
Then you have found the right person, and the right article to inspire you to get up and head to the Gym.
Because deep down, we all belong there.
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR “I'm Scared Of Going To The Gym For The First Time...”
WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO FOR THIS ARTICLE RIGHT HERE:
Before we get started, I just want to make it clear that I am not here writing about how to get over social anxiety, the anxiety of places filled with people or any other condition that really and truly seeing a therapist would be the best course of action. My advice is literally about getting the foot in the door of the gym and is here to help alleviate some worries you may have about the process of being in, going to and experiencing a gym.
In truth, we are all beginners
I remember quite succinctly a time when I was being paid by clients to put together workouts for them, and I was scared of using a barbell.
For two reasons this occurred:
I was worried I wouldn’t be able to lift the weight I needed for a client and therefore I would get found out as a fraud in my field and a new career.
I had no idea how, why, or what they were used for. I knew how to do a Bench Press…but I didn’t really know the art behind it and how to utilize it for prime movement.
Why am I telling you this? Well…for point number one basically one of your best weapons in the gym would be to realize we pretty much all make it up. We all explore. Whenever a new friend joins my Online Coaching Program and there is a moment where they need feedback on how to do an exercise. It will take them ages to post the video. They can send it to me via email, but I would prefer it goes into our Members Only Facebook Group because that way everyone can learn from it.
It takes them ages. I will always get a DM saying that they were just too scared to post it because in their mind two things are happening.
Firstly, they think: “Oh my God! I’m doing it wrong!”.
Secondly, they think that everyone in the Group will laugh at what they are doing.
What they forget is that everyone in the group has been a beginner. They aren’t sitting there judging every single video of everyone else, and everyone else isn’t sitting there judging their videos.
Everyone is just pleased to see someone else is making progress.
And this isn’t because its on the internet. This happens in Gyms as well. I have spent many many many many hours in the Gym and not once have I seen someone else judge somebody in a very negative way based on what they are doing in the Gym.
The gym is the epitome of:
Back to: “Oh my God! I’m doing it wrong!”
You aren’t. You can’t. There is one thing that the gym is there for…and that is the exploration of your body. It’s not there for right or wrong… it’s simply there for exploration.
The very first thing I tell my clients is this:
“There is no right or wrong just exploration”
And I cannot emphasize that point enough.
Of course, there is optimal form, and sub-optimal form, but you will move towards optimal form as you learn about yourself, as you watch others, and as you feel your body move in this prescribed setting.
And point number two is a little reminder of imposter syndrome. Whenever anyone (and I mean anyone) tries something new, they feel fraudulent. They feel like they have no idea what they are doing and will totally get found out very soon.
Well just remember, there I was taking money off of clients and at times I had to make it up as I went along. A gym is a place of perpetual development, education and understanding. If you take that attitude into your new regime, then you will undoubtedly not worry about what is “right” or “wrong”. What will happen is that you will embrace the process and the exploration of what you are trying to achieve.
Follow Me On Instagram:
Your Fear of Injury
I’m not going to lie. Yes of course there is a risk of physical injury when you explore something physical. But what I would say to you is this.
The percentage rates of someone injuring themselves in the gym are far less than taking up a new sport like Running, Football, or even non-contact sports like Netball. I have been on many football pitches in the UK as a Semi-Professional Referee and the Injury rate was far higher than anything I have seen or experienced in the gym.
Find out the stats about injuries in the Gym by reading my article right here:
I also remember one client of mine had to take a few weeks out for a sprained ankle when she returned to playing Netball…as opposed to anything we did on the Gym Floor. There are many benefits to playing a social sport, and I would wholly encourage that in anyone, but if you want to explore those sports then please remember a gym is a place that protects you from Injury.
Not puts you at risk of it.
My Mum is a prime example of this. She is 62 years young as I write this and about 3 years ago she was diagnosed with osteoporosis (a condition that is a degenerative skeletal disease that can only be managed, not cured), simply put her joints and bones were aching and rattling.
Her wrists were particularly bad. She used to comment often on her aches and pains, and how this diagnosis was a hindrance to her life….and it got to a point where I had to tell her that strength training was the best foot forward against this diagnosis.
I recorded a very simple yet effective Kettlebell Workout for her to perform at home, to begin with, and within weeks she reported back to me a feeling of strength and far fewer aches. I now see her in the gym once a week, put her through her paces, and I’ve never heard her mutter the word osteoporosis.
Now the Gym hasn’t cured her, but it has created bone density and helped manage her condition within her.
On top of that, she now does my 15 Minute Home Workout Routine for the Over 60s at least three times a week, and I can’t remember the last time she mentioned her condition.
Worrying About Judgement From Others
The Big Muscly Men
This is probably the single biggest hindrance to people from feeling comfortable in the Gym. The big muscles and flexing biceps of the men who have been lifting since they first Arnie in 1979. And they are loud. Really loud. And intimidating. And they just generally scare the proverbial out of you every time you consider going near a dumbbell in that part of the gym.
This is a reality that we all face. I promise. But this is your best weapon against said men, so listen up…
“No one in the gym is judging you more than you are judging yourself.”
If someone looks like they have enough muscles to lift a small building, and they grunt and groan as they do that…they have no idea you even exist.
Firstly…lifting weights like that takes an extreme amount of effort and self-focus, and it shows that this person is extremely disciplined in their training. They aren’t going to be distracted by you walking up to a weight and trying to figure out what to do with it.
Moreover, the Gym is a place that teaches humility. When you pick up a very very heavy weight and fail to lift it, it reminds you very sharply of your humanity, and therefore the people who grunt the loudest, probably smile the most and are just hoping that you enjoy yourself in the gym more than anything else.
Yes. There are some idiots about the place and that can’t be avoided as much in the gym as it can at work. But I promise you, no one in that building; over there is judging you more than you are judging yourself. Remember that.
The Active Wear Gang
And the skinny women strutting around in their Gym Shark sports bras and high-waisted leggings…well as I am not one of them I can’t really comment on what they are thinking. But what I would suggest is this; you don’t know their story as much as they don’t know yours.
If you think that wannabe Instagram Model has everything in her life sorted because of how she looks then it’s surprising how quickly you have become one of your own biggest issues: someone who is judging others.
You more than likely have more in common with that person than you ever thought possible.
Often when I catch myself looking at someone in the gym, its never thought about what that person is doing, the way they look, or who they think they are…often it is about whether that has had a nice day…or whether we may become friends, or how I wish I could smile in the way that they do.
It has zero to do with their appearance or what they are doing.
Walking a day in someone else’s shoes is very tiring, and recently I have had lots of judgement levelled at me on Instagram. It’s not very nice to receive of course.
Just remember this: if you don’t want to be judged, then don’t judge others.
And the more out of practice you get with judging others, the less judged you will feel.
Being Afraid To Go To The Gym Because You Are Fat
It breaks my heart that I have to write this section. But upon researching this article there was a search term that showed up:
The Gym can be an “uncomfortable” environment if you don’t make it work for you. For example, I am 6ft 4in tall, and that means that an awful lot of the machines that are in the gym are too small for me. I feel squished and very uncomfortable when I am using them.
So I simply do not use them. I use free weights instead.
There is no rule that states “you must use machines”. In the same way there is no rule that states you must use equipment that makes you physically uncomfortable when you are in the gym.
I get it. The seats on these machines can be small, even I find them uncomfortable sometimes so I can empathise.
That is the smaller side of this.
The other part of this, is how you feel just being in the Gym.
I have had a number of people who have worked with me and they simply couldn’t look at themselves in the mirror when working out. They hated what they saw so much that whenever there was an exercise that might mean they were in front of a mirror I had to stand between them and it just to make sure that they felt comfortable enough.
One friend that I worked with for over 2 years, we did every single workout in a part of the Gym where there were no mirrors.
This meant that in an environment where she should feel comfortable and be able to work on her confidence, she could. It worked really well, she had fun, and above all…she found a level of comfort in the Gym.
Which is all anyone wants.
There can be a lot of mirrors in the Gym, and it can feel like you are constantly on show to yourself.
But there is no rule that says you must workout in front of a mirror.
If you want, grab some weights and train where there is no mirror. Train where you feel comfortable, train in a place that makes you happy.
At the end of the day, the Gym is an open space for everyone to explore movement in the way in which they chose too.
If being too fat for the Gym is a huge driving force behind your anxiety about going, then please remember that just being there, just being able to put your foot through the door is the biggest win there is. - and that should be celebrated as much as possible.
As King Lear said:
“Nothing can come of nothing. If you invest in nothing you get nothing in return”
And showing up, and being there is getting the party started. You can hold your head full of pride a
Anything on top of that just makes the party raise the roof even more!
Just showing up is the battle you need to conquer.
If that means turning up and doing 2 minutes. Turning up is the most important aspect of what you achieved.
Turning up is always the most important aspect of what you will achieve.
That is the majority of the work.
If you can do that, great things will happen for you.
If the Gym just isn’t something you can face right now, then you can just work out at home.
The issue many people find here is being able to create the right energy for working out in their home space.
So here is my best trick for that:
Step 1: Lay out everything you need to workout
Step 2: Put some workout music on
Step 3: Leave the house and go for a 2-3miute walk
Step 4: Come back with the complete intention of only working out
Basically all you need to do is replicate the Gym environment as best you can, then you will be far more likely to actually workout.
As for what workouts to do at Home head here.
What To Do When You Actually Get To The Gym
What to do is the most important and underutilised aspect of training.
Chances are if you have just signed up for a new gym, you will be entitled to an Induction at the gym. This is a moment for the gym to tick off some insurance necessity, and to try and confuse and scare you into either: never using the gym again (they make a lot of money off people never showing up) or to make you buy a block of PT sessions.
I would encourage you to do the induction, so you can get your bearings, and just find out a little about the Gym Floor, but make it very clear from the offset that you have a plan and that you want to follow that, to begin with. My reasons for this are the following:
The plans that you will get at an induction are very often pre-written, pre-judged and take into account none of your preferences; the main one being enjoyment.
If you get a stick-on plan from a human that you have only met because they are taking your money and whom you have no rapport then you aren’t going to get a plan that you enjoy.
And the most important thing about your time spent in the gym is enjoyment.
“Enjoyment leads to adherence, adherence leads to action, action leads to results, results lead to motivation”
So take the “Free” Induction. Discover how uninterested the PT is, and he is just hoping you will sign up for his free session before paying £900 for a block of ten sessions.
Use this induction to be able to tick off a number of things you don’t enjoy. Through that process of elimination, you can start to discover what you really enjoy out of the gym. Once you start discovering what you enjoy and what you don’t you will go more often and that will lead to the results you want.
The actual what of your time in the gym will be best-spent weight training. But only if you enjoy it. If you enjoy Cardio…do that…just understand it will breed less efficient results as you will adapt quickly to it, and then the mode of exercise will need to be made longer. With resistance training, you just slap a new plate on the bar and away you go.
You need a plan of action. A programme. One that will test you.
The Gym is as much a numbers game as it is an emotional one. And you need to learn to fall in love you with your numbers. There are thousands of workout apps out there.
There are thousands of Personal Trainers who will accept you into their Tribe and give you plans galore to follow. Just pick one route, of resistance training, give it your all for a good four to six months and enjoy the benefits that being patient and consistent bring.
You can, of course, get a number of things from me:
But I’m not here to sell to you. I’m here to help you.
Let’s Conclude
The sheer fact you are reading this and want to get into the gym is the biggest win you can have. The rest is easy once you have decided upon that. But here it is in a summary:
Everyone makes it up as they go along through exploration…not some secret knowledge that you will not be able to ever learn
Everyone feels like a fraud from time to time. Exposure to the stimulus helps us overcome that through experience
No one in the gym is judging you more than you are judging yourself. The amount of focus you put upon yourself in the gym environment is exactly what everyone else is doing. You are not that important to these people. Phew!
Your “What To Do In The Gym” is more important than your “Why am I in the Gym” and it’s important you go to the gym doing stuff you enjoy. Enjoyment will lead to sustainability. Sustainability leads to results.
Get a training plan. Stick with it for at least four to six months and understand we are learning, adapting, and still discovering what we enjoy about the work we are doing. It takes time. Give yourself that freedom, rather than the pressure of a short term goal and a quick fix hope.
I really really hope this article has helped you and alleviated some of the pressure you were feeling from your anxiety about going to the Gym.
Did you find this useful?
I have plenty more articles about the Gym and how to overcome your struggles in there:
Here is a selection I think would make great further reading for you:
Added to that it would be AMAZING if you joined my free Facebook Group.
It is called Straightforward Fat Loss.
I do one Live Training a week in there based on topics which are designed to make your Fat Loss Journey as straightforward as possible.
It would be so wonderful to see you in there…to jpin just click on the button below and you will by transported at the speed of light to a grateful and welcoming bunch of people who really do just want to help everyone as much as they can.
Or you can send me that friend request we spoke about earlier…
I hope you found this article useful and that my tips help you want to go to the gym to get stronger and more confident.
I cannot wait to see you again soon…
Coach Adam
The Story Inside Your Head...
I don't do much bro science bruv
Coz..well just look at me.
If you are unsure about what Bro Science is...its stuff like this:
"The best activities for your health are pumping and humping"
"Ask not what your country can do for you...ask does your country even lift?"
"If the door says push...pull it. Its not a direction its a challenge"
"Flexibility...you mean the ability to flex"
"In between sets....its not a rest for me...its a rest for the weights"
"I don't have weekdays on my calender...only strong days"
Broscience is basically men being men about stuff. Like stupidly egotistically men about stuff.
Like so egotistical...its amazing they are able to walk through doors.
I don't do much bro science bruv
Coz..well just look at me.
If you are unsure about what Bro Science is...its stuff like this:
"The best activities for your health are pumping and humping"
"Ask not what your country can do for you...ask does your country even lift?"
"If the door says push...pull it. Its not a direction its a challenge"
"Flexibility...you mean the ability to flex"
"In between sets....its not a rest for me...its a rest for the weights"
"I don't have weekdays on my calender...only strong days"
Broscience is basically men being men about stuff. Like stupidly egotistically men about stuff.
Like so egotistical...its amazing they are able to walk through doors.
And as one of my friends said to me the other day...
"Adam...you aren't a mans man"
To which I replied:
"Oh no you didn't"....And wiggled off....
So last night I was working with my client Nicola (the one that is now famous due to her #buildyoursassy! video)
And we saw a guy in the Gym being BRO.
Said BRO was trying to lift a 30kg Dumbbell as he did a One Arm Dumbbell Row.
To say his form was off...is an understatement.
Even Nicola...who god bless her is lovely...but does not know lots about lifting was wincing at the sight of this BRO's spine twisting as he shoulder shrugged a dumbbell in the row position.
Am I ratting this dude out? Of course not.
I actually went up to him and said...in my most mans man voice
"eh hem...BRO....drop the ego...lose 10kgs and lift properly - your spine is taking a hammering"
I feel like I spoke on his level.
BRO laughed at me...as if I didn't really know what I was talking about...and finished his set off...
Then walked up to the Dumbbell Rack...and picked up a 25kg and a 22.5kg.
He then put the 25kg down...and carried on lifting with the 22.5kg.
I was very proud.
So lets look at the mindset of BRO.
1. He thinks that the number on the Dumbbell is where others are going to judge him from
2. He doesn't care about the complexities of actual lifting...he is focussed on the result
3. What he thinks matters really doesn't...and what does matter he thinks does not.
Poor Bro.
Firstly...we all get things wrong in the gym <<<< there is nothing wrong with that.
But my point is this:
The story of what you tell yourself is always 1000 times worse than the truth of experiencing it.
Especially if you are the kind of person who struggles with self-esteem.
My mother always taught me a lovely lesson when I was a child.
When I believed I was ill...or really REALLY didn't want to go to school...because of:
Bullies
Headaches
Stomach Aches
Elbow Aches
Aches I don't even know what they are called...but the existed I promise
She would always tell me...
"It will be fine once you are there" and dammit....it always was.
What you think about yourself is nearly always the worse version of the story.
The best way to counter this is to expose yourself to that fear time and time again until you realise that it is not as bad as you thought.
Your Post Baby Belly
As a Personal Trainer who deals with women, a fair amount.
Pretty much totally exclusively actually.
I hear this phrase A LOT:
Me: "Whats your goal?"
Client/Prospect: "I want to get my Pre Baby Body back"
I used to think...GREAT...
I used to lick my lips and go...sweet another client who I can help, we can work on Fat Loss and I can make them feel great again.
I used to think a lot of things.
But...because I am a man of flexibility and openness...my response to this question from this day forth is going to change.
And I hope for the better.
YUP. I'M A MAN TALKING ABOUT PREGNANCY
As a Personal Trainer who deals with women, a fair amount.
Pretty much totally exclusively actually.
I hear this phrase A LOT:
Me: "Whats your goal?"
Client/Prospect: "I want to get my Pre Baby Body back"
I used to think...GREAT...
I used to lick my lips and go...sweet another client who I can help, we can work on Fat Loss and I can make them feel great again.
I used to think a lot of things.
But...because I am a man of flexibility and openness...my response to this question from this day forth is going to change.
And I hope for the better.
YUP. I'M A MAN TALKING ABOUT PREGNANCY
A woman who feels this way...is perfectly entitled to. Anyone is entitled to feel the way they feel I would never argue that.
But I would ask anyone who is becoming obsessed with a Pre-baby Body to really examine the reasons why.
Women's physique has been one of the biggest Marketing Campaigns since billboards were invented...whether it was the Wonderbra Ads or Levi Jeans...
Women must look a certain way.
And if they don't conform..they aren't "beautiful"
Which we all know is a cold hearted, piece of bullshit.
My Mother is one of the most beautiful women on this planet.
My girlfriend (who is not a mother) is also in the same basket.
When my girlfriend becomes a mother...she too will be incredibly beautiful.
But she will be different.
She will have put her body through something that a man in a marketing suit can't ever comprehend. She will have pro-created and re-invented herself to a point that I, as a man could never do.
This is incredible. And this is to be celebrated.
Her body will have gone through so many changes, physical and emotional that to put yourself under immense pressure to get your belly flat again or lose all the "baby weight" is a pressure that is probably existing externally. Not internally.
I would like women to consider this:
Why don't you rediscover your fitness, your health and your wellbeing under the context of being someone who has had a baby.
As oppose to expecting your body to not tell one of the greatest stories on earth.
YOUR BODY IS THE BLUEPRINT OF YOUR LIFE
Your body reveals everything about you. When I was training as an actor, we studied the way the body can reveal the history of an individual. It tells the story.
The whole story.
I have scars all over my body...which tell the story of my Heart Condition.
My cousin has scars on his body which tell the story of his survival.
A Mother's body tells the story of their children and a beautiful time period in their life.
Let's not adopt an attitude of covering that over. Of trying to hide it.
Let's look at the journey anew, fresh and to be relived.
If that journey ends up taking shape and you being similar to how you were before you were pregnant then great - there is nothing wrong with that.
But I would always encourage anyone to reinvent themselves for the future - not from the History books.
Its more exciting looking forward....than it is to look backwards.
----------------------------
I got this inspiration for this post from Instagram. The source is below.
Follow Achieve Fitness Boston.
They are awesome