I notice the looks, you know. That quick glance at my midsection when I'm explaining how to deadlift properly. The slight hesitation when they realize their "fitness expert" has a bit of a belly. As I stand here, probably drinking my third coffee of the day and looking forward to my post-training veggie and cheese omelette, I have to chuckle. People are so magnificently blinded by social media.
Here's the thing - I'm not a fitness model rubbing myself down in oil and depriving myself for 4 weeks in all areas of my life to earn a wage in a photoshoot. I'm not trying to be one either. I'm a strength coach who's been under the bar for eight solid years. That's eight years of learning what actually works, eight years of watching fitness fads come and go, and eight years of helping people get genuinely strong while everyone else chases their tail trying to get shredded.
I've Been There - The "Shredded but Miserable" Phase
Let me tell you a story about abs. I used to have them. Visible, shredded, Instagram-worthy abs. You know what else I had? Zero energy, constant hunger, forgoing social occasions. I was that guy obsessing over every morsel of food, planning my life around meals, and weighing out apples. Yeah, an apple. That's how deep in it was.
Being "aesthetic" meant being weak, tired, and antisocial. My workouts left me drained instead of energized. My body looked "fit" but couldn't do anything useful. I thought I was healthy because I looked like those fitness models on social media. I couldn't have been more wrong. Can I get shredded again and "look good" with my top off? Yes but I'd also look like a plonker walking around Sainsburys.
The Dark Side of Constant Dieting
Here's what they don't tell you about staying shredded year-round: your body fights back. Hard. When you're constantly restricting calories, your metabolism adapts. Each diet gets harder. Each recovery takes longer. Your hormones start playing games you don't want to win.
Long-term restriction wreaks havoc on your endocrine system. Testosterone plummets. Thyroid function gets sluggish. Cortisol skyrockets. You end up tired, wired, and unable to sleep - but hey, at least you've got abs, right?
The worst part? Each time you crash diet, your body gets better at storing fat and worse at building muscle. It's like training your body to work against you. I've seen people trapped in this cycle for years, getting worse results from harder diets while their metabolism crawls to a halt.
The Reality of Body Fat
Let's get real about body fat percentages, because the numbers Instagram throws around are nonsense. For men, essential fat is 3-5%. Think about that. Competitive bodybuilders hit this for about 24 hours before they rebound - just long enough to take those sponsored supplement photos - and their hormones basically shut down in the process.
The athletic range of 6-13% sounds great until you try living there. Sure, you'll have abs, but you'll also have zero energy and a personality that makes a wet blanket look exciting. Most elite athletes actually perform best at 14-20% body fat. That's where strength thrives, hormones function, and you can actually have a life outside the gym.
Women need even more essential fat - 10-13% minimum. Below that, hormonal health takes a nosedive. The sweet spot for female athletes typically lands between 21-30%. That's where strength builds, performance peaks, and bodies function as they should.
Being Strong Beats Having Abs
When people start Being Strong rather than worriying about having Abs, everything changes. No more measuring every gram of food like you're running a laboratory instead of living a life. Movement quality improves naturally through proper training. Mobility increases not from endless stretching, but from actually moving weights through full ranges of motion. Bodies change shape through muscle development rather than just getting smaller.
The real magic happens when people start eating to fuel performance rather than just trying to shrink themselves. High protein intake supports strength development. Food becomes fuel rather than the enemy. Energy levels stabilize because you're actually feeding your body what it needs to perform.
The Training Reality
Here's what actually works in the real world:
Three times a week, focus on fundamental movements. Squats build your entire lower body while teaching proper movement patterns. Presses develop upper body strength and shoulder stability. Deadlifts tie everything together while building a bulletproof back.
Start light, perfect your form, and progress slowly. This isn't about ego - it's about building real, lasting strength. Rest properly between sets. Focus on quality movement over everything else.
Beyond the Physical
The mental shift might be the most important change. When you train for strength, your focus shifts from what your body looks like to what it can do. Confidence comes from capability, not just appearance. You stop obsessing about every calorie and start thinking about how to fuel your performance.
Starting Your Strength Journey
If you're ready to make the switch from aesthetic obsession to real strength, start with form. Learn the movements properly under qualified guidance. Focus on progressive loading - add weight slowly and systematically. Eat to support your training with high protein and adequate calories. Get enough sleep because recovery matters. Be patient because real strength builds over time, not overnight.
The Bottom Line
Your body doesn't care about your Instagram likes or how good you look flexing in perfect lighting after a three-day dehydration protocol. It cares about whether you can handle what life throws at you - literally and figuratively. Want to be healthy, capable, and actually fit? Focus on getting strong. The rest is just decoration.
Remember: strength is forever, abs are temporary. You can lose your six-pack in a weekend of good living, but you can't lose your Strength unless you stop training altogether.
Ready for Real Change?
Let's have an honest conversation about your strength journey. No quick fixes, no miracle promises - just real training for real results.
Comments