The Strength Guild

⬇️ Remember where you started! ⬇️

I was having a chat with a client the other day about how to stay motivated during fat loss, particularly if it's taking a while and you still don't like how you look, and it got me thinking 🤔

Even having been into fitness for 12 ish years, and in the industry for around 8, I still get it all the time. You look at yourself and you're dissatisfied. My arms are too small, I'm not lean enough: Thing is, we're constantly bombarded with unrealistic body standards for 99% of the population.

Think about it, the only reason the algorithm favours these super fit, super lean, super jacked people, is BECAUSE they look nuts, and so it perpetuates the insidious idea that this is what you'll look like. Sadly that's a little wrong.

I hate to break it to you, but most of these folks are on the sauce, or have the 5% top tier genetics, and only upload their best images, not the ones in the evening when they're bloated and chubbo 🫠 I'll use myself as an example: I have frankly, w**k genetics - wide hips and narrow clavicles, also I put on blubber faster than a blue whale calf: BUT do I look and feel healthier and more confident than my 18 yr old self? Mmmmf*CK yeh?! 💪

So keep some images of where you started around, on your phone or PC, look at them when you're feeling low, and remember how well you've done! ✌️👌💪 and remember most of all, you can still look without selling your soul to the needle demon

Most people won't know your story, your trials and tribulations, but you know, and that's all that matters! Are you looking and feeling better than you did when you couldn't climb the stairs without getting tired? Yes? Then f*** it, you're doing great! 👍👍👍
Peace ✌️

DM me above for Personal Training ⬆️⬆️⬆️

Eating healthy can be really tough if you're neurodivergent 🫠🤔 Food is often a nice stimulus boost when you're bored and irritable, and hyper fixations on one type of food for weeks at a time can prove somewhat, well, counter productive 👍

A few things that have really helped me in my fat loss phase recently are:

Be smart about your current food fixation. So for myself it's been Hummus and Pitta, every day, for 3 weeks now... 👌 The way I work around this has been to eat that for whatever meal, with an accompanying fresh veg salad and protein source. So in this case raw carrot, cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes - things with body and texture and a high satiety rating, so that A: there's variety of flavour and interest on your plate, B: you don't over consume the calories dense hummus and pitta, and C: it's easy to under consume veg when you've got poo-brain 🙃
.
Having relatively low cost fresh food also solves a second problem for the ADHD folk: making dinner from scratch is often tough, so it's good to have something you can assemble on a plate that's quick, but isn't hyper palatable and ultra processed. 🥗

Precook a big pack of chicken, whack it in the fridge (5 spice is chickens best friend) and the next time you forget to eat until it's 9pm because you've been smashing Helldivers with the crew 🎮 you've got something relatively quick, healthy and most importantly: has hummus involved.

Last tip is use the recent fitness food boom: I serially spam lighter than light mayo, and low sugar sauces. Having exceptionally boring meals may work for some, but having ADHD makes everything 10x mooore boring, so spice up your seasoning and sauces. Just keep in mind however reduced they are, they will still contain calories and add to your daily amount. ✌️

Follow for more tips and tricks, if you're interested in 1:1 PT with me drop me a message ⬆️⬆️⬆️ 💪💪💪

Struggle with motivation when trying to lose weight? 🤔🫠

Here's some tips to consider during your fat loss phase:

1: The first half is always the hardest. You don't see much immediate progress, you just look smaller and you're hungry. Just. Stick. With it. It's usually around halfway through a planned fat loss phase (around 12-14 weeks) where you actually start to see noticeable change in the form of definition and dropping sizes.

2: For those who lift weights: you'll notice your muscles look smaller. Don't worry! This is just glycogen levels dropping due to the lack of carbs. Again stick with it: once you start to see more definition you'll go from feeling smaller than ever, to the best you've ever looked.

3: Stop thinking about when the diet ends! Instead pretend if you will, that this was your life from now on. Plan concessions, figure out how to still eat fun food, socialise with friends and live your normal life as if you were to do this forever. Sounds weird right? But the more you become impatient with the lack of progress, constantly, watching the calendar, the more likely you are to give up. We want your fat loss to feel as easy as humanly possible.

4: Make baby steps towards changing your lifestyle. One thing that's helped me recently is stocking my fridge with fresh veg. Sounds obvious, but for those of us with ADHD or binge eating disorder, having low calorie dense foods in the house instead of traditional snacks is a damn effective way of mitigating overeating, even when you have a moment of weakness. Start with something simple, like buying more fresh veg, less easily accessible food in the house etc etc.

5: Keep a photo of where you started! I realise the irony here as I was looking for a progress photo for the one above, but I didn't take any. Regardless this is a great tool to refer back to when you're feeling crap.

• BMI is bu****it •

Had an interesting chat with my mate during a workout today. He recently went to the doctor about something that's been troubling him for years. They weighed him and came to the conclusion that because his BMI said he was 'obese' it was DEFINITELY that....

He's a powerlifter and amateur strongman, and is the polar opposite of obesity. The guy is a unit 💪 He said he essentially argued this with her, indicating he can do spin classes and running with ease, working out almost daily, eating healthily, and she just wouldn't budge 🤬

Got me thinking, so I calculated mine and apparently I'm heavily overweight bordering on obesity...

Yeh, alright mate 👍

Having been actually obese before it's frankly offensive, and the fact the GP wouldn't budge, is testament to how little about that area of human physiology she knew. I understand they have limited training within this field, but come on mate 😂 if he looks like a rugby player, put two and two together.

BMI takes bu**er all into account, namely: weight, height, age and ethnicity... Not muscle mass, body fat, bone density, current hydration etc. etc.

Aye It's harder to get an 'accurate' reading of your current health true, but that doesn't mean you should settle for outdated nonsense. If you work out your BMI will almost definitely say you're unhealthy ✌️ to say nothing of the myriad of studies indicating holding more muscle mass improves health markers.

Anyway rant over, it's all bu****it, eat better, work out more, peace ✌️

• Ups and downs 📉 •

I'm currently in a fat loss phase and have been for around 4 months, and despite yoyo-ing up and down I'd consider it successful! 🤙

Why? Well losing bodyfat is rarely linear. Unless you're singularly driven and willing to sacrifice a huge amount, you'll likely see your bodyfat and weight go up and down, and that's perfectly normal. The ticket is ensuring it's consistent over time. 🔽🔼⏬

I've taken my sweet time in trying to trim down this time, and it's been easier than ever - Energy levels haven't dipped and performance in the gym is exactly the same.
Slow and Steady > Crash Dieting✌️

Currently 204lb down to 194lb, but... as you can see: the flu and self pity pizza, whilst starting my 6th playthrough of Witcher 3 took its toll. 😂 but hey this is to be expected!

If you're looking to lose a significant amount of weight (I'd say > 10lb or 5kg) it really is best to take the slow and steady approach. You want to preserve as much performance in the gym as possible, whilst feeling like you're not even really on a 'diet'. 💪 Albeit this is easier for me to say as I've a LOT of experience with dieting.

Now, this is hard as hell to do. When you feel s**t about how you look, you want that feeling to be gone as quick as possible ⛔ So what I'd actually advise is this:

Start with a more aggressive weight loss for a few weeks ⏬ use that initial motivation to get a lot done and see the first crucial changes in the mirror. Then, I'd actually slow down a little and lean into the diet 🔽 Not only will this preserve tissue, but also your sanity. Set a rough goal of a couple kilogrammes, then re-assess once you actually reach that goal!

Now, it's unlikely to be smooth dailing. The key is NOT to freak out if you cheat a bit 😰 just jump back on the wagon the next day 😎 for example I went back up to 198 whilst sick, then in two days down to 196 again.... Not only does your body weight fluctuate every day anyway, that weight is mostly water and glycogen, and you'll be back to normal in a handful of days ✌️👌💪

• Progress is rarely linear •

Your fitness pursuit, whatever form it may take, will almost never have uninterrupted linear progress.

Take weight loss for example. The premise is simple: your body is a biological system that obeys thermodynamics - energy in, energy out. Eat less - get smaller. Eat more - get bigger. What muddies the waters is human psychology 🧠

To get to a certain weight takes time, if that has been your whole life, you will have a lifetime of habits to break. You will need to overhaul your relationship with food, learn to become comfortable with using and moving your body, and completely redefine your self narrative.

That takes a long, long time to master, so cut yourself some slack! My own body 'transformation' was hampered by mental health and the situations and environment I found myself in. These are not to be discredited, environmental factors are instrumental in your perception of yourself, as is your current mental state.

You live entirely within a bubble of self narrative - I am the fat / skinny one, I am the weak / lazy one. Breaking that is exceptionally hard. You initially have to live what feels like a lie, deceiving your current self into believing you are irrevocably changed; that you are a new person, and not what you yourself, family and peers have led you to believe up until now.

I still struggle with this. I have to tell myself I'm not the fat kid anymore, I'm a personal trainer, I am strong and fit. My body is able to do awesome things that 95% of the planet can't do. Again, depending on the severity of your past, that can take a long time to sink in, and that it's impossible not fall off the wagon once in a while. Everyone responds to stress differently, you're Human.

The only 'right' answer to sustainable change, is to just get back up, dust yourself off, and carry on.
You'll be immeasurably stronger for it. 💪

* DISCLAIMER * - These are replica toys used in a sport called Airsoft (think paintball but more cosplay and less lame 😉)*

🎉 • Find Your Fun! • 🎉

I had an interesting chat the other day with someone regarding how to stay motivated regarding fitness, whilst struggling with the downfalls of ADHD. 🤯

It's a really good point, ADHD can mean sticking to a routine, especially cardiovascular exercise can be exceptionally tough. Often the ADHD brain simply doesn't get enough dopamine and serotonin out of something, so it will deem that a big NOPE and avoid it like the plague. ⛔

One piece of advice for fellow 'Poo-Brainers', or anyone really, is when it comes to improving your fitness, you HAVE to find an activity you love! This can be anything from hiking, to kayaking, to dancing, anything that gets you moving and burning calories whilst you're having: FUN 🔥 If you hate doing something you will never look forward to it, and consistency is key 🔑

For me, this is Airsoft! It's basically paintball (But not crap lol) You dress up in silly soldier costumes with realistic BB toys (Can't say the G word on social media) and run around the woods playing CoD in real life. 🤣

Do I endorse the Military Industrial Complex? No. Is it ridiculous? Yes. Do I look like a certified Jeb end in my boony and moustache? F*+k Yeh!!! And I love every 👏 damn 👏 moment.

I avoid conventional cardio like Amazon avoids taxes: But dressing up in low-grade cosplay with a load of nerds and going to the woods to sprint around intermittently for 5 hours... Srap me in and count the hours till Sunday hits! 😅 To top it off, I'm NEVER bored, it always stays exciting and fresh and it never occurs to me that it's hands down: phenomenal cardio 💪

So if you're struggling to include CV into your routine, just try out different things that just get you MOVING! It doesn't matter what it is! Jump on the spot for 20 minutes if it really stims your beans 🫘

IT JUST HAS TO BE FUN 🎉
Peace ✌️

Fat Distribution? 🤔

Fat distribution is exactly what it sounds like: where you store most of your adipose tissue, largely governed by your genetics. 🔬

It's typically broken down in Android and Gynoid distribution, the former being associated with biological males, the latter biological females. Android distribution tends to be around the stomach, shoulders and back (upper body) whereas Gynoid tends to be around the legs, hips and breast area (lower body)

You may find however, that you tend to gain /hold adipose tissue in areas that typically don't align with these categories 🤔

For myself, I don't hold as much fat on my back: I'm around 18-20% (??) body-fat here for reference. I do however hold it on my stomach and chest (lame) but also a lot on my hips (love handles) and legs, hence why I'm not showing my front lol. This means that I can drop below the 12% area and still struggle to see definition on my torso and legs 🤔 (just dO MOre SquAts bRo!!!)

This can skew your opinion of how much body-fat you actually have, as some of you may find certain areas are very hard to see as much definition. Keep in mind areas like your hips and lower back are ALWAYS the hardest place to trim up: It's our bodies last ditch reserves of fat.

Sadly you can't 'Spot Lose' fat on certain areas, only gradually over your entire body. Which can seem demoralising when you don't initially see much progress: but stick to it, it does take a while.

This brings me to another point - you will see more 'tone' the more muscle mass you have. PLUS the more lean mass you have the smaller your current percentage of fat will look on a larger frame. So get lifting! 💪🤙

Lastly, It's very hard to stop comparing yourself to others without your own frame of reference, so try to keep a few photos around of where you started from, and look at them from time to time when you feel like you haven't made any progress! 📸 You might surprise yourself 😁
Also yes I'm doing gym selfies now - algorithm baby, algorithm...
Peace ✌️

🎉 💥 Client Spotlight! 💥🎉

Rory has f***ing smashed it in the last couple of years. He's completely changed his silhouette and stacked on a frankly, heretical amount of muscle mass 👌🤙💯

He's been remote training with me for 20+ months now. The first image is 3-4 months in, and the second is a few days ago! 😬

Always dedicated, always ready to hit the next phase of programming! It's a pleasure working with you lad! You're turning into a bit of a yucky hunk! 💪💪💪