ProjectU

Wee update since it’s been a while…

Training’s been pretty simple lately.

4 full body sessions.

1 run a week, depending on recovery.

Grappling every other week when I can & also depending on recovery.

This weekend I’m doing The Gauntlet in Aberdeen with a few clients.

And I’ve done precisely f**k all specific prep for it…

Not because prep doesn’t matter.

It does.

If you’ve got a big event, a competitive sport, something technical or something where being prepared lowers your injury risk, then aye, prepare properly!

But this?

For me? It’s a bit of fun.

It requires no fancy skill.

Just turn up, get stuck in and embrace the suck for a while.

And I think that’s something we’ve lost a bit these days.

Everything has to be super serious now.

Doing a 10k?

Need the perfect shoes & to run at every opportunity.

Want to lose some fat?

Need to treat it like your prepping for a bodybuilding show & be “locked in”

Feeling tired?

Need the perfect supplement or shiny object to fix it.

Meanwhile you’ve slept 5 hours, barely moved all day and haven’t been outside since Tuesday.

Sometimes I think people are trying to optimise the icing before they’ve baked the f**king cake.

Build the basics first.

Train regularly.

Get strong.

Keep some fitness.

Sleep properly.

Eat reasonably well.

Go for a walk.

Build those basics into habits you don’t bin the second life gets inconvenient…

Then you can use that fitness to actually live a better quality life.

Not everything needs a 12 week prep block.

Sometimes you can just do something because it looks fun.

(Provided you have a strong foundation)

That’s the point I think more people miss, build a foundation & have f**king fun!!

**t

Someone on our 21 Day Accelerator was asked what win they were most proud of so far.

Their answer?

“My family can now speak to me without getting their head bitten off”

Not a weight loss number.

Not a PB.

Not a before & after photo.

Just someone who was running on empty, stressed, going through the motions with no real structure or enjoyment in their day.

3 weeks of showing up, moving their body, having a laugh & having something that’s theirs.

And the people closest to them noticed before they did.

That’s the power of what exercise & community can do.

Yeah the physical stuff matters.

But this is the bit that matters more.

If you’ve been thinking about trying the 21 Day Accelerator, this is your sign…

DM us the word START and we’ll send you the details👊🏻

The scales only tell you one thing, your weight

They don't tell you anything else

Two people can weigh exactly the same and look completely different, depending on things like muscle, body fat, even how much water they're holding that day

So if you've got a bad relationship with the scales or they're the only way you're tracking progress, here's a few more measurements worth taking

Circumference measurements
Your waist, arm, thigh. These can shift even when the scales don't move especially if you're building muscle while losing fat. One of the most underused ways to actually see what's changing

Progress photos
These highlight changes that don't always show up as a number. Two people who weigh 70kg can look completely different depending on training, muscle and lifestyle

Clothing
The work trousers you wear every day. That dress that felt a bit tight last month. If your clothes start to feel looser progress is happening, whether the scales agree or not

Strength progress
Shifting the focus from how you look to what you can actually do is a nice change of pace for a lot of people. Watching your lifts go up shows you what your body's capable of not just what it weighs.

If the scales are the only thing you're using to track progress save this post and start using some of these instead😊

Getting older is inevitable as much as some of you f**kers try to avoid it..

But falling apart as you age doesn't have to be.

3 things that make more of a meaningful difference as you age, note none of them involve freezing your face

1. Eat enough protein.

Your body becomes less efficient at holding onto muscle the older you get. Protein is the main thing that slows that down & most people aren't eating nearly enough of it.

2. Lift something heavy.

Not just for people who want to look a certain way.

Strength training keeps you stronger, more balanced & more independent for longer.

The alternative is slowly becoming someone who needs help getting off the sofa.

3. Eat like you give a s**t about yourself.

Plenty of variety, plenty of colour, food that actually does something for you rather than just filling a gap.

Don’t make it complicated & be consistent.

I’m feeling generous so here’s a bonus one for you…

4. Manage your stress.

Chronic stress ages you & kills you faster than almost anything. Walk, get outside, do something you actually enjoy, have fun & talk to someone if you need to.

You might be thinking well none of this is groundbreaking…

And I would agree but most people find out they’re not doing these & they should've started sooner!

Don't be most people.
Don’t be a bitch.

Look after yourself👊🏼

**t

You know one of the sneakiest things that can stop you from losing weight is…

Stress

It’s often overlooked

Or if you’re like some of my clients you maybe brush it off as nothing

But it has a funny way of creeping in to pretty much everything without even realising

It can impact your nutrition. Your food choices, how often you eat, how your body reacts to what you eat

It can impact your training. Your focus in sessions, how heavy things feel, your ability to push harder, your recovery

It can impact your sleep. Stopping you from falling asleep, waking you up in the middle of the night, feeling shattered in the mornings

This is why we check in with each of our clients regularly to see how they’re doing & to see where stress is at

Because training, nutrition, recovery & sleep all have a big impact on their progress and stress has a big impact on all those things

If you feel like your weight loss has stopped, check in with yourself and assess whether stress might be having an impact

And give this post a save so you can go back to it

A few more I could have used but didn't want you scrolling for days😂

Any I missed?

**t