Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Fitness should no longer be a reason to feel bad.
That’s why I’d like to take some of your worries away today.
Consider this permission to stop thinking about things that aren’t nearly as important as you’ve been told.
No more worrying about missing a week of training.
Even if you miss a week of training several times a year, it will have no noticeable impact on your overall progress.
You may feel less “full” or “pumped” at the moment, but nothing structurally changes. And even if you take a break for more than a week, you can rebuild lost strength or muscle relatively quickly.
Bottom line: If you miss a week because of a vacation or because you’re caring for a sick child, don’t worry. And if you need help getting into the right rhythm, We have you.
Stop worrying about eating that piece of cake.
There are no “bad” foods.
And it’s not just cake that gets a bad rap.
Unfortunately, fear mongering around the topic of food is currently at an all-time high.
Just this week I saw someone say not to eat too much spinach or the iron will bleed out of your body. 🤦♂️
Not only are these messages wildly inaccurate and unhelpful – they are You I feel like you did something wrong.
Nothing could be further from the truth!
Conclusion: You are not “bad” if you choose to eat a food. And if you’re confused by all the nutrition noise out there, check out ours Healthy Eating Guide.
Stop worrying about hitting the perfect set and rep range.
You can make amazing progress with both high volume (up to 20+ sets per muscle) and low volume (just 3-4 sets per muscle).
Heck, even one set per week done to failure has resulted in strength improvements.
The same goes for repetitions.
You can build muscle with 5 to 30 reps, as long as they’re challenging!
Bottom line: If you don’t do weight training, a few challenging sets per week (at least 5 reps per set, close to failure) are all you’ll ever need. For most people I would stay in the 6 to 15 rep range. Not because it’s a magic number, but because it tends to be the easiest to implement!
Stop worrying about rest periods.
I LOVE that this was a question I received from a reader because it shows that they too are thinking about recovery.
There is so much conflicting information that we should rest 2-3 minutes between sets to build muscle. But with supersets we do exactly the opposite. Thoughts?
The thing is: they both actually work.
A June 2024 study comparing supersets to traditional straight sets found similar amounts of muscle growth – but found that supersets increase perceived exertion (i.e. it feels harder, probably because you’re more out of breath with less rest and the muscles feel more tired!)
Conclusion: Do what suits your schedule and your enjoyment of exercise. Supersets save time and provide a cardio challenge. Longer breaks leave you feeling fresher for the next set – which has a positive effect on strength. And both build muscle quite well.
Stop worrying about whether you have the right exercise equipment.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you should use a machine instead of a dumbbell, a barbell instead of a kettlebell, or just your own body weight, let me reassure you.
They are all great.
You can use any of these to get great results.
Conclusion: The best tool is the one that you have access to, that you are comfortable with, and that you enjoy using. We can figure out the rest from there.
Stop worrying about “optimizing” your protein intake.
Protein is important.
But when you’re on the go 0.7-0.8 g/pound body weight, You’ve already eaten enough to support strength, muscle, recovery and satiety.
Heck, I have clients who see huge improvements with even lower protein intake (between…). 0.4-0.6 g/pound body weight).
What does this look like in the real world?
For most people, it’s about 1-2 palm-sized servings of protein with each meal.
That’s it.
And of course, in some individual cases, advancement to higher levels may have additional benefits. However, these are minor, marginal optimizations and not the majority of the impact.
Bottom line: 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight is an easy number to remember, but it doesn’t apply universally to all people. Do your best to get a solid source of protein with every meal and you’ll be on the right track! 🙌
Stop worrying about the “perfect” exercise technique.
The truth is that there is a greater variety of safe and effective exercise techniques than most would have you believe. We all have slightly different bodies and anthropometrics (arm length ratios, torso, leg ratios, etc.). A person may feel more comfortable squatting with their toes straight and a narrow stance. Another with toes slightly turned out and a wider stance, etc.
None of this is wrong.
We get into trouble when we try to force people with different bodies to all move in exactly the same way. That’s not how it works.
The “best” technique is the one that suits the individual, feels good and allows them to do their best in the target areas.
Conclusion: The technology doesn’t have to be perfect – it has to be safe, repeatable and effective. Everything that comes with it is great!
So what is important?
This is the part that gets lost in the noise.
What moves the needle? the most is incredibly boring and incredibly consistent:
- Getting enough sleep (7-9 hours for most people)
- Eat mostly balanced meals (with foods you enjoy)
- Move your body frequently (some at low intensity, some at higher intensity)
- Do strength training a few times a week (on the verge of failure)
- Stay connected to people you care about
- Having a strategy when life gets chaotic
The difficult thing is not learning “properly”.
This blocks out all the noise so you can focus on the things that actually work.
I hope that here you can at least breathe a little and go,
“Oh…thank God. I can stop worrying about it.”
If you need help making all of this feel doable in a busy life, just click reply. I’m always happy to help.
-Frosted