Falafels and facts...
One evening last week I was starving when leaving the gym so decided to go for a Falafel. The 10 minute walk there consisted of me thinking about how nice it was going to be to bite into the first one. I could totally taste the crisp outer shell followed by the mushy inside in my head.
When I arrived the place wasn’t too busy, but I was getting to the stage of being emotional with hunger by the time my order was taken. While sitting wondering if I was going to die two girls got their orders beside me. At first I was envious, then as the smell of the food wafted my direction, they took out their phones and proceeded to record a video (with slow painstaking precision) of every piece of food that was on their table, before starting to eat. I don’t think they will ever know how close they were to me demonstrating the Joker’s disappearing pencil trick on them..
This incident reminded me of a joke amongst some trainers at the Body Development Mentorship, where they say a workout isn’t really effective “unless you post it on Instagram.”
Kind of a sign of how the fitness industry is moving along with the times we live in and obviously not a fact. However there are things said at times within the fitness industry that can look like facts but aren’t really. Like:
1. WORKOUT PROGRAMS FOR BEST RESULTS SHOULD BE COMPLICATED: Definitely not the case. The most effective program for you is one that you will do consistently, is aimed at helping you achieve your fitness goals and which pushes you out of your comfort zone enough to make sure that you get the desired result. Overly stressing about the perfect rep ranges etc can often cause perfectionism-procrastination (heard that term in the gym today!). Either way you need to find a method of working out that you enjoy in a place that you enjoy doing it and get going asap.
2. "PAIN IS WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY": Some people would have you think that getting into shape has to be an excruciating experience and if you aren’t hurting you don’t want it bad enough.
Now I enjoy some good DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) and you do have to push past your comfort zone for best results but thinking that you have to constantly be in pain is wrong. As is feeling that getting into shape is a slog that has to be endured, instead of enjoyed. Be consistent with your workouts. Consistently improve certain parameters of your workouts such as weight lifted, reps, sets, rest periods and you’ll not be able to help but see improvements over time.
3.YOUR NUTRITIION HAS TO BE COMPLICATED AND GOOD MOST OF THE TIME: Again it’s all about being consistent here. Base the majority of your diet around Veg, Fruits, Lean Proteins and good Hydration. Give yourself some slack to enjoy life and don’t let something like a Saturday night binge turn into an horrendous few days eating. If you’re miles away from this, build one or two habits at a time and progress from there.
4. THE BEST TRAINERS/TRAINING PARTNERS ARE THOSE WHO HAVE THE BEST EDUCATION/INSTA PROFILE/BODY ETC. The best trainer/training partner for you is someone who you can relate to, who will motivate, inspire and educate you towards the improvements that you want to make. They could be anyone from a training partner to a Personal Trainer to your child that you take for a walk every day.
They are definitely not someone who says s**t like “Pain is weakness leaving the body.”
5. FITNESS IS ONE COMPARTMENT OF YOUR LIFE TO BE BOXED OFF FROM THE OTHERS: I’m probably slightly biased but I really believe that being fit and healthy positively bleeds into every aspect of our lives and is the biggest gift we can give ourselves and those around us and it definitely isn’t just about weighing less on the scales or looking good for a holiday.
For example how much more effective would you be at work if your energy was increased by 15%? Would you be a better parent/aunt or uncle to the kids in your family? If you’re more confident in yourself and your appearance would you be a better partner, or would you be more assured in yourself if you’re looking for a partner?!
I could go on and on with this point but ultimately if you want to give yourself a better chance of living a longer, more productive, probably happier life make sure you prioritise looking after the one thing you will have with you for every second of it.
Your body..