***Warning, contains truth***

If you dislike an objective view of things then you best stop reading.

You won’t be judged, shamed or have your profile smeared.

Yet if you are someone interested in hearing a few bitter pills to swallow then please continue on.

I’ve heard many a conversation in many a gym over the years.

In the last decade though there has been an underlying tone in a lot of them; life, the world or however you describe it seems to owe ‘them’ (the collective them, as in everyone) something.

The world, people, what/whoever doesn’t own you jack shit.

Honestly.

In this life while there are those born with a silver spoon in far better stead than others and are presented all the opportunities, that doesn’t mean that just because you haven’t had this that you’re owed something.

People have become very weak-minded these days.

Take the example above, I’m sure you know someone who has it all.

They never asked for it all, they just happened to be one of those few who happened to get it due to the hard work and sacrifice of someone in their daily at some point.

Same will be true for your progeny.

Whatever you achieve and the foundations you lay will be used but hem to get a better foothold in life.

The people of the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s all did this for their young.

Then there was a time of bountiful harvests, follow day people gaining the attitude of being entitled and this is where things started to go wrong.

Sadly we are entitled to nothing in this life.

To be alive and have things as good as we have them is already a gift.

Don’t believe me?

If you’re reading this then I’d say you’ve already got it better than some who either will never have the chance to use modern technologies or others who have had their basic humans rights stripped away, not naming any northern countries or anything.

This is why I love fitness.

It keeps you humble because you don’t get results without effort, sacrifice and time given to the iron gods.

True enough some people have better genetics.

If you feel yours are lacking and that you should have better ones then I truly hope that txt time you choose to be born of better parents.

Think back to school, you had all the gifted kids and most of them now will be nothing more than a memory because they wasted the 3 space head start they had and rested on their laurels.

Anyone who gets a head start in life while lucky isn’t guaranteed success because the world doesn’t owe it to them, remember that.

So my dear friends, have you ever felt that you deserve more than you have?

That you’re owed something for nothing because reasons.

Sorry buttercup, you ain’t.

Neither am I.

We may not ever get what we feel we deserve, yet is what we feel we deserve actually what we are due? – Now there is a good thought.

Do what you can without the thought of reward just because you can.

In the end if you’ve given whatever you see as a priority everything you have to give you’ll probably be satisfied with what you have in the end.

Don’t except the world to cater to you for nothing.

Life doesn’t work that way for most of us.

Also if you’ve been one of the few to start severals steps ahead of the rest I am happy for you, truly. Now use that opportunity to do great things and don’t fuck it up.

To everyone else I will say one last thing….

There’s always a bigger fish.

Enjoy,
Ross

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Are you making sense or just making noise?

People are fascinating, especially the ones who say one thing and act in an entirely different way.

 

Fitness is rife with hypocrisy.

 

Body positive champions who wouldn’t dare post an unfiltered photo.

 

Warriors for the good of our planet that drive 2.5 litre engine cars and live a life with a carbon footprint that bog foot would be proud of.

 

These things are truly interesting to observe.

 

It truly is the tome of “Do as I say not as I do.”.

 

Plenty of bosses and very few leaders.

 

The attention of the masses is something most fit-pro’s are vying for.

 

Sad part is that they’re doing it in the same way a child would, by making noise and trying to shout the loudest.

 

Many would rather be noticed for what they do, as opposed to what they can do for you.

 

Shame really.

 

I know plenty who know their stuff, yet struggle to succeed.

 

When you look at the people who’ve risen to the top there is one thing they all have in common.

 

Do you know what it is?

 

None of what they do is about themselves, it’s about everyone else, it’s about you, essentially.

 

They share any & everything that may help someone.

 

Not for recognition though, just because it’s the right thing to do.

 

Before everyone was given the opportunity to gain their 15min of fame via the modern internet we know, people would share information, content, experience and anything of use of blogs, forums and some rather old things that predate the internet called books.

 

It’s those people that are now respected names.

 

Well, respected by the people who can see the difference between wise words and waffle.

 

Just because someone has the best looking videos, the flashiest graphics and endless selfies, it doesn’t mean they care about you or helping, despite what they may claim.

 

Inspiration or desperation.

 

How can you tell them apart?

 

It’s the eyes.

 

Learn to look behind them, to peer in to someones soul, as it were.

 

What resides there?

 

You’ll know the difference between the two when you see it, however once you do you can’t take it back and your view of things will be changed.

 

Damn…

 

That got deep.

 

Anyway, just a heads up for people looking to make a name for themselves, that’s the wrong path to go down.

 

Perhaps not financially, just mentally.

 

Give it some thought.

 

Enjoy,

Ross

Chances are it’s not your genetics

Do you find it easy to blame your genetics for any problem that arises?

 

Many do, trying to refute such a claim is not easy.

 

That said, it seems the world and it’s dog all have terrible genetics from what our ever connected state of affairs tells us.

 

I’m willing to call bullshit on it.

 

Take this classic:

 

“I have a thyroid condition.”

 

^^ Often self diagnosed and if it is legitimate then you will do well to look at their lifestyle habits.

 

While having a bum thyroid or similar issue does make something like fat loss harder, it’s not something that means you can’t make progress, you just need to be more diligent.

 

Would you like to know a secret?

 

I persoanlly have an under-active thyroid myself.

 

Yep, a legitimate one as well, the funny part, apparently I’ve had it for years and the Dr’s just didn’t see the need to inform me because my weight/BMI etc was always in the normal ranges.

 

Obviously anyone else with the same condition who is overweigh clearly has it worse than me….

 

It’s in no way the fact our lifestyles, activity levels, eating habits and general thought processes are different.

 

Nope, they’ve just got it worse and that is why they’re overweight.

 

🤔

 

Before you get offended, look, I get it, life can be hard.

 

We comfort eat, make poor choices and a whole host of other mistakes along the way.

 

In the end though most of our issues can be dealt with if we decide to make the necessary lifestyle changes.

 

This isn’t easy, it’s just a choice you make.

 

People talk about genetics and how they’ve made them a certain way and while they may indeed play a part, most of how you are comes down to your choices and lifestyle.

 

That’s just how it works.

 

If we take weight as an example, because everyone has a weight issue these days.

 

You don’t see any obese starving people, even if their genetics predispose them to being 400lbs, if they are starting and don’t have access to the calories needed they won’t ever be 400lbs, regardless if they have the genetic potential to be.

 

^^ Read that again and think about all the times you blame genetics, then look your lifestyle choices and take the time to have some honest reflection.

 

Now there will be some instances you have no control over, that’s just an unfortunate part of life, however for the most part it’s all in your hands.

 

While it is easy to blame say genetics, other people and the general state of the world, that doesn’t make it the best thing to do.

 

You’ve done it too often, I’ve done it too often, most people will continue to do it too often.

 

Time to take a step back, see the big picture and take charge.

 

Enjoy,

Ross

7 Calorie Sources of a Nefarious Nature.

Does this sounds familiar to you?

– You watch what you eat.

 

– Each day you’re diligent and control your cravings.

 

– This have been the way for months now, feeling proud you should.

 

However….

 

Things have plateaued, or worse, a few lbs have crept back on.

 

While there are various potential reasons for this (movement efficiency, lower TDEE, GAS, etc), one of the most common is sneaky calories.

 

It is all too easy to over eat.

 

You can blame genetics, environment and even god because god wants you to stay on the lager side of life as all people of that ilk are jolly, apparently.

 

While potentially true, the probability is low.

 

As a species we are wired to seek out things that make us happy, that comfort us, the give us a ‘fix’ if we feel something is missing.

 

Oh yes, food is a powerful tool indeed.

 

“Let food be thy medicine” and all that.

 

It is alarmingly obvious how much it affects your health, or lack there of, its the one thing most people have in common and the majority have control over (less for dire and unfortunate circumstances).

 

As such here are 7 common food items that pack a rather hefty caloric punch.

 

Because yes, calories do matter.

 

1 – Peanut Butter

 

It’s so tasty, so moorish, so destructive to your goals if you eat an entire tub in one sitting (which is easily done)

 

2 – Fancy Coffees

 

Personally I quite like a coffee, black of course.

 

I often venture in to various establishments and take a look over the menu acting as if I’m going to have something different, when everyone knows I’m going for a black coffee because of habit.

 

Did you know a flavoured latte can be at the lowest end 250 calories in one go?

 

It’s not hard to have 2-3 of those a day, for some in one sitting, just let that sink in.

 

3 – Protein/Snack Bars

 

May convenience reign supreme. It will keep our bellies full, our wallets empty and our waistlines ever expanding.

 

Often 100-300 calories per bar, I know people like you who demolish 5+ a day with ease because they’re made to be ever so delicious.

 

By all means enjoy them, just don’t fall to gluttony.

 

4 – Smoothies

 

Literally the devil in blended form.

 

While the proposed health benefits of your Whole Foods Smoothie are enticing you may also find that a single one of these can tip the sales at around 350-500calories commonly (based on store bought ones).

 

Obviously enjoyable, just be mindful.

 

5 – That 1 Alcoholic Drink a Night

 

Now one drink a day may not kill you, however if you find yourself having it before 10am you might need to see someone.

 

The issue in this comes from the size of glass people use, and some fall in to the trap of opting for say a low-calorie Gin, 90cals per hit, as such they have 11.

 

Okay, maybe not 11, however at least 2-3, the can happen several days a week and maybe double on the weekend.

 

While this may be your way of ‘relaxing after a long day at work’ it’s not the most optimal.

 

6 – Office Treats (various)

 

Cakes, biscuits, candy canes, anything you just pick at, they can all have you racking up callers without your knowledge.

 

Before you say or think it, no, you don’t deserve a treat.

 

You give dogs treats, last time I checked you’re not a dog.

 

*If you are a dog and you’re reading this with 100% comprehension, please know I’m impressed.

 

7 – Low Calorie Foods (any)

 

Yea, I can’t believe I wrote that either.

 

This falls in the same realm as the low calorie gin mother dearest has after dealing with her darling children all day.

 

Typically because something is low calorie people don’t feel guilty about having it, which is great before the mob decides to set up a lynch party.

 

Due to not feeling guilty of their ‘less than 100 calorie snack’ people will eat serval of them, across the span of a day you can consume 3,4,5 or more of these ‘low calorie snacks’ on top of your average meals.

 

Worst part is people won’t track them as they don’t see them as ‘real food’

 

All of this leads to an excess of energy and a potential calorie surplus, and that my friends leads to weight gain.

 

The gain coulee be LBM or fat Mass, that will come down to things such as training, hormones, etc.

 

(Most end up with fat mass gain, unfortunately)

 

There you have it, the seven sins you didn’t know about.

 

I rsememrb the days where the only ones you have to worry about were Lust, Envy, Greed, Wrath, Pride, Gluttony & Sloth.

 

Alas, this is our modern world.

 

Give the above some thought and just be mindful.

 

If you want to have a food you enjoy then please fill your boots, if the feeling the food yields you is something you need and can’t live without then so be it, however it the long term results have lead you to a dark place mentally then you may need to consider sacrificing that which you enjoy.

 

Not what people want to hear I know, however it’s often what they need to hear.

 

You’ve got all the control, use it well 🤗

 

Enjoy,

Ross

How many calories in a cinnamon latte?

Is tracking calories worth it?

 

A question many ask.

 

To be fair it’s such a minefield it is easily understandable why people suck at it.

 

From years in the trenches I can tell you that knowing all your numbers does have a place, however it’s not the be all end all, not really.

 

Keeping diaries is something I’m a fan of.

 

Not specifically for getting every calorie by the number, in fact it’s more for having people try to be more accountable.

 

It also allows me as a coach to see what is written down and then look at the person to see if things marry up.

 

If they don’t then we can sit down and have a chat about all the possibilities.

 

Long story short it is often that they are missing things out or just lying because they want to look like they’re being good and not let me down by admitting they are struggling or snacking.

 

Once we break this mental barrier they have real progress can be made.

 

You’d be surprised how many people are scared of letting others down, as such they will lie about who is really going on or ghost.

 

Some will say that they struggle with fitness and making change because they feel as if everyone is judging them, shaming them etc.

 

I have a notion for you to consider on this.

 

No one can make you feel ashamed of anything unless you yourself know what you’re doing is shameful.

 

That’s just how it works.

 

Take not shifting excess fat for example.

 

The common reason; the person is in a positive energy balance (or maintenance), fact.

 

Putting all the other reasons to one side, this is the crux of it all, once people admit this to themselves real progress can be made as to why this is the case.

 

Just because it’s the reason things are not moving that doesn’t mean it’s the why behind it all.

 

The why could be emotional, habitual or a whole host of other reasons, and once all the bullshit is stripped away we can start finding out and really making progress.

 

Opening up for many is hard though.

 

No one wants to feel vulnerable.

 

We need to address this before we can really move forwards, you owe it to yourself to be happy, really, you do.

 

As a coach I desire the best for people.

 

The problem is that people are idiots who get in their own way all the god damn time.

 

Ugh…..

 

You can have all that you seek if you will get over your issues and just accept shit happens and we can’t dwell on it, not if we sant to make any meaningful growth in life.

 

So, is tracking calories worth it?

 

Yes and no, what is really worth your time and attention is achieving a state of self love, self appreciation and self acceptance, because once you’ve cracked those you’ll no longer have the same fears and be less apprehensive about being honest with people and more importantly yourself.

 

If you still currently lie to yourself about what you eat, do in training or general life then you’ve got more pressing matters than how many calories are in that cinnamon latte.

 

(It’s around 130, just incase you wanted to know.)

 

Enjoy,

Ross

1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2,1

Had this little gem fly in to my head on a whim, thought you might enjoy it.

 

Load up 80% for whatever lift you desire.

 

Preform 1 rep, rest 30 seconds.

Preform 2 reps, rest 60 seconds.

Preform 3 reps, rest 90 seconds.

Preform 4 reps, rest 120 seconds.

Preform 5 reps, rest 90 seconds.

Preform 4 reps, rest 60 seconds.

Preform 2 reps, rest 30 seconds.

Perform 1 rep, move on to something else.

 

Keeping the load static in the ascending 5 is a good idea, when you start coming back down towards 1 rep again you can choose to lighten the load or keep it static.

 

This is only 25 reps, however it would be 25 good reps.

 

Once you’ve done this you can do one or two additional movements, I’d set it up like this:

 

Main lift – as above

Secondary lift – 3-6×6-8 – 60 sec rest between sets

Accessory lift – 2-3xfail – 30-60 sec rest between sets

^^ You can of course tweak these for varied goals such as fat loss for example.

 

The secondary lift an antagonist to the first for balance or an agonist to the first for strength, the accessory lift can be a weak point focus and hammered for pump.

 

Nice and simple.

 

Enjoy,

Ross

Not my eyes, R2, help me!

From a  business perspective I can understand why trainers/coaches share videos of their clients training.

What continues to baffle me is the utter dog shit form though.

It’s quite worrying in all fairness because if the trainer/coaches feels terrible form is video and sharing worthy then it doesn’t hold much hope for what they consider a result.

Now this might just be my cripplingly high standards, or because I’m just mean.

Potentially a combination of both.

Yet it still worries me what passes for ‘quality’ these days because being someone who has always been a stickler for form anything less than ‘solid’ isn’t really something to be bragging about.

Doing so dos two things:

1 – It makes the coach/trainer look terrible

2 – It makes the client look terrible

Is it just me who thinks those two points should be avoided like those people handing out leaflets in the street?

I can’t be the only one, can I?

Now before all the hypersensitive snowflakes jump up an down claiming that ‘everyone is built differently and what is good of roan won;t be good for another.” or some such similar thing to justify shit form, stop, just stop and engage the grey matter between your ears for a spell.

Please, just humour me.

Good form looks good, regardless of an individuals proportions/build, it will look like good form.

This is why you find commonalities in movement patterns and believe it or not it isn’t uncommon for more than one person to have a remarkably similar build to the point that they could be the same person, as much as many would like to deny this.

It is true that based on a persons leverages they will excel of falter at specific lifts/movements, sadly that is the nature of the beast, however this isn’t something people should use as an excuse or justification, which they do because they’re the human equivalent of a wet blanket.

You may be asking yourself why this is my attitude, it’d be a good question.

It’s because I don’t see the point in all the bullshit anymore.

Oh once upon a time I almost became that PT, it was so tempting to tell people wha they wanted to hear all to get easy business and expose people for the mugs they were, however I couldn’t bring myself to do it because they deserve better than that.

They deserve to know how things work and exactly what it takes to get results.

Funnily enough I was in the gym today and a lady was on a chest press and using the foot weight releasing mechanism to ‘train her legs for something different.’ – her exact words.

I told her that wasn’t how it worked and she’d get no results form that.

Mean, oh yes, however she made it clear she only wants to go to the gym to dick around and say she’s been, I know this because her physique has gotten worse in the 6months she’s been going, how sad is that.

We get in our own way all too often.

I understand it though, most just want somewhere to go, a place to kill time and perhaps a community in which to belong and that’s cool, I guess we can’t all want to change.

Saddest past is it’s people like this who will be taken advantage of by trainers/coaches who are will to say what they want to hear simply to take their money, which is fair enough really because everyones to to eat at the end of the day.

If you’re a coach/trainer then give some thought to the content you share.

Look at it through the eyes of another person and ask yourself this; would you hire you based on that video/post etc.

Enjoy,
Ross

A little lesson in effort.

Morning All,

 

When was the last time you really put any effort in to something?

 

I’m not talking about ‘kinda effort’.

 

The on being referred to is that which makes you so uncomfortable you don’t even want to start it because you know it’s going to be a struggle each and every time.

 

This is the kid of effort that changes you fundamentally as a person when you come out the other end.

 

A level of effort that make soy want to quit daily.

 

That is what I mean.

 

If you can’t think of the last time you experienced something like this then perhaps you’re coasting.

 

There can’t be peaks without valleys.

 

If you never have that gut wrenching dread of something you need to be doing then the chances are you’re not truly challenging yourself.

 

Of course this is not to say you won’t have those ‘good times’, you know the ones, where everything falls in to place and it’s all to easy.

 

That my friends is a peak.

 

You’re reaping the rewards from he fruit of your labour and because of the effort you put in, each bite of success tastes all the sweeter for it.

 

That is what we strive.

 

Many had a taste of that in it’s lowest form when they started going to the gym, lsat some weight, got hot and finally overcame a fear.

 

After this though people take their foot off the gas because they’re now happy, content, a cog in the machine of mediocrity, as it were.

 

You can spot someone of this ilk because they will get very offended by reading something like this and say arbitrary things such as:

 

“If you’re happy that’s what matters.”

 

“You shouldn’t care what anybody else thinks.”

 

Blah blah blah.

 

Mediocrity, that is what that is, big firmly in the comfort zone that sucks everyone in and won’t let them leave because if someone was to break out and start to better themselves and achieve more they’d make everyone else feel bad, and we can’t have that in our sensitive modern world.

 

Life is struggle.

 

Life is suffering.

 

Life is meant to be tough so that when the times are good you appreciate them so much more and become truly thankful for that which the mediocre take for granted.

 

No one owes you a damn thing, remember that.

 

So my good people who read these little rants, when was the last time you put in a real effort in to something?

 

The kind of effort that changed you at your core.

 

The kind that made you a better human.

 

The kind that makes life so much sweeter in the end.

 

I humbly ask you to leave a comment below, an honest comment, not one that you think sounds like what you should say, a comment that is what you want to say no matter how un-PC it sounds.

 

I look forward to reading them.

 

Enjoy,

Ross

3 Reasons you need to ask for help this New Year .

As silly as it seems, a lot of people won’t ask and for stupid reasons as well.

 

It is important to seek out others to support you.

 

Of course there are more than 3 reasons, however these are the most relevant.

 

1 – You can’t do it alone

 

Might seem obvious, yet so many will try and be a one-man band and tackle it all, then they wonder why everything is on mediocre at best.

 

The whole idea of you being a combination of the 5 people closest to you, its kinda like really true.

 

Give it some thought.

 

2 – Skill Gaps

 

As people we want to think we have all the skills we need, and this is sadly not the case for the majority of us, we need people we respect and trust at our side to fill in our gaps.

 

Take the PT business for example.

 

New people to the fray just about know how to train people, just about. In regards to business most have no clue on the following – Marketing, Taxes, Business Planning/Budget Management, the list can do on.

 

Yet even potentially knowing this they won’t seek out some guidance, often using money as the excuse, yes excuse because that is what you have business loans for to help you get your business up and running by hiring the people you NEED to help you succeed.

 

Many won’t, how do I know this?

 

I know more people who failed to stay in the business than actually stayed, and I see more people dropping out every day.

 

Ask for help, it will be worth it.

 

If your skill gaps are in say the knowledge of fat loss and that is your goal, then please hire one of the aforementioned PT’s.

 

3 – Being too scared to ask

 

This one is the easiest to understand.

 

People don’t want to seem weak, or like they can’t do something, I get it, it’s painful to admit you can’t do something and it makes you feel bad about yourself, however that is a mindset you’ve learned, you weren’t born with it.

 

Do you think a child feels bad when it’s learning to walk and keeps falling over?

 

No, it just keep doing what it needs to, and when it can’t do it alone it gets helps, either form a parent or something close enough to grab on to.

 

We are taught that asking for help is a bad thing from our earliest days in school.

 

Think about it, teachers would not give you the answer, they’d want to you find it for yourself, and while this is an incredibly useful skill it planted a seed that this is how we should do everything, and that is just not true.

 

In the working world if you don’t know something you must ask for help, less you completely balls up a project that could not only cost the company millions, it may also cost you your job.

 

Yet in knowing this we still fear asking for help.

 

To some the feel as if asking will put them below other people, they’d be someone to pity, subject to their benefactors benevolence, and whatever else you want to say.

 

This might be true, however once you’ve gotten the knowledge, or the skills and you know how to move forwards you many not need that specific person every again, however you do need what they know.

 

They weren’t wrong when they said that knowledge is power, because it is.

 

Better to ask a question and be thought a fool for a mere moment than stay silent and be branded foolish for life.

 

Give the above some thought and share your personal reasons below as to why you don’t, won’t ask of help.

 

Enjoy,

Ross

Do this to achieve your NYR

I have the secret to achieving that new years resolution that thus far has cleverly alluded you.

 

This information is truly world breaking.

 

The Hulk would be impressed with the strength of the information I’m about to give you.

 

Anyway, without further ado, here it is.

 

To achieve the necessary change you desire the one thing you require to change is your behaviour.

 

Yep, it’s that simple.

 

Instead of writing a list of ‘things’ to do, take the time and write out a list of behaviours.

 

Let us say that this year is the year you’re going to get beach ready, despite your precious decades track record, this time it will be different.

 

You don’t need to even begin to work about sets, reps, load or exercise, oh no, first you need to look at one crucial behaviour that will help you tremendously in achieving this goal.

 

Actually going to the gym (or training) 2-3 times per week.

 

That is the first behaviour you need to adopt because without it your chances of success diminish greatly.

 

The ability to change is routed in our ability to change our behaviours.

 

You’ll often find people who are not married to theirs are those who are able to achieve the most in regards to progress and change, to others these people seem as mythical as unicorns, when in reality they’re just better at behaviour regulation/modification.

 

I have a task for you, write down your current behaviours, or you might know them as habits (same difference).

 

Then write down your new years resolution followed by the behaviours you believe (or know to be true) that someone who has already achieved said goal would have.

 

Compare their behaviours to yours.

 

See what needs to change and make a choice.

 

Change or change not, it’s up to you, ah the joys of being an adult.

 

Tomorrow I’m going to touch on another element that affects the above, Will Power.

 

Until then, please do as I’ve requested above and share them in the comments section below.

 

Have fun with that.

Ross