Strength training isn’t only about building a sexy, fit physique. It's about building a strong character. It’s about feeling strong and capable to the point that you become what you look, and you operate from a strong emotional place. It’s about carrying yourself with confidence; and focusing on growth, and improvement over time. It's truly a self-discovery journey. Throughout my years of training , I’ve had my fair share of close ones telling me I’ve gained ‘ too much mu

Just a friendly reminder- You won't find happiness, once you're lean. Your life won't be any more meaningful , once you're lean. Your friends and family won't love you any more, once you're lean. You won't get wiser, once you're lean. You won't become a better person , once you're lean. All your troubles and hardships won't disappear, once you're lean. Over the years, I've witnessed so many people (mainly women) attaching their self worth to the number on the scale or the siz

Social media, specifically Instagram, is full of before and after pics. You see these insane transformations of women/men who went from ‘not fit’ to ‘toned, lean and buff looking’. You’re thinking to yourself: ‘this kind of transformation probably takes around 3-6 months’. Unfortunately, when your wishful body doesn’t show up ‘on time’, you get discouraged, and you want to give up. The reality is that we’re talking about *years of consistent work* to reach that kind of tran

1. Be process oriented, not event oriented. Celebrate every habit/ behavior you take upon yourself to become better. If you started eating protein in every meal, that’s huge. If you’ve been strength training 3 times a week for the past 2 months- that’s success. Again, focus on what is in your control, and what you can keep doing to reach your goals. 2. Find your why. Ask yourself 3-5 times WHY. Why do you want to start eating healthier? Why do you want to strength train? Find

Let me preface this by saying that holiday meals aren't going to make or break your fat loss goals. It's what you do consistently, on a regular basis, that determines your success. Now, there are several approaches you can choose around holiday times: 1. If you don't have a deadline for your fat loss goals ( a wedding, vacation, and so on), you can use the holiday meal as a 'free meal'. That is, eat whatever you want, enjoy spending time with your loved ones, and hop on t

Evidence-based doesn't mean following every study's results blindly. Evidence-based doesn't mean not taking empirical data into consideration. Evidence-based means understanding the limitations each study has. Evidence-based means understanding n=1 doesn't apply to everyone. Evidence-based means being open-minded and willing to change your stance based on the strength of the studies, that were replicated. Evidence- based means not 'marry' any position on health and nutr

Ask yourself these questions , and be honest: How long did it take you to gain this extra weight? Did you ever lose weight after eating salad and chicken? Did you ever gain weight after eating 2-3 cookies? After a week of weight training , do you look significantly different ? How about a month or two-are you exactly were you want to be? Anything you do, whether it has positive or negative effects, must be done consistently, and for a long duration to have major, noticeable o

The older I get, the more I realize that for most people to be healthy and functional, they need to do two things, consistently: 1. Walk 2. Train for hypertrophy =building muscle mass The first one comes easily, as walking doesn’t require special instructions, and can be performed anywhere. The second one requires professional guidance in order reap the full benefits of strength training and staying injury free. Remember, we all lose muscle mass as we age. Having muscle mas

I know I've posted about this a million times before, but I really want you to internalize this: Gaining muscle is a painfully slow process. However, it teaches you patience It teaches you dedication It teaches you work ethic It teaches you commitment. All of these qualities are paramount to be successful in anything else you choose to do. This is why strength training goes way beyond aesthetics and appearance, it forces you to dig deep down inside, and find that strength t