17/04/2021
Hi.
My name is Darren.
This is me today on the left, Saturday April 17.
I am a fitness professional.
I am your Personal Trainer, and I am a certified nutritionist.
I have trained TWICE in 2021, before today, and both of those were 30-minute half-assed sessions.
I didn’t handle Lockdown 3.0 like some of those fit-pros out there.
I smashed nothing (other than alcohol).
I “owned” zero days.
In fact, making it out of bed and as far the sofa was a positive on some of those days.
My nutrition was atrocious.
I went from someone who walked 15,000+ steps daily to someone who didn’t leave the apartment for 3 weeks, other than going to the shop (mostly for wine, crisps and chocolate).
I dropped from 80kg down to 75kg inside 4 weeks (currently back up to 78.2kg), but everything I lost was muscle, so it was definitely not a win!
I had planned to do a “getting back into shape” series from the photo on the right, in November, when I weighed 78.3kg.
Then, more interruptions.
I weigh the same in both photos.
But I do not look the same.
It’s been a s**t show.
That said, whilst I’ve lost a considerable amount of lean muscle, and gained a few pounds of bodyfat, the scales aren’t too bad and the photos don’t look half as bad as my bathroom mirror.
Now it’s time to take inspiration from my clients.
First week back training again, and they’ve all helped me feel as though we’ve never been away from the studio.
No moaning, no complaining - they’ve simply grabbed the bull by the horns and are straight back into the thick of it.
Before I had shoulder surgery in October of 2019 I had been smashing out 5-6 workouts per week for the previous 5 years.
Photoshoots and physique competitions meant my nutrition was on-point year-round (Xmas aside) and MyFitnessPal was adhered to, almost to the gram, for pretty much all of those 5 years.
I was a machine.
So, 5-6 workouts per week, meticulous measuring of food, calories and macros.
That should be where I jump right back in, right?
Setting myself up for failure, before I’ve even started…?
My aim right now is to try for 3 workouts per week.
If I get 4 in, brilliant.
But my aim is 3.
As for the food, I’ve set myself a target of trying to hit maintenance calories at least 4 days per week, and not to eat like an as***le on the other days.
I know I won’t go from eating how I have been, to eating like a physique competitor.
So I’m being kind to myself, and setting myself realistic goals.
If I do better, great.
Bully for me.
But for now, it’s trying to ease myself back into the saddle.
Get good at the basics.
Then get better.
I’ve had a glass of wine tonight, followed by a beer and, as I write this post, I’ve got a JD & Coke by the keyboard (Cheers, G!).
I’ve found out during the past year that it’s ok to have a few drinks during the week, and that there’s no point trying to live like a stage competitor if you’re not going to step on stage again (although I did take the p**s this last lockdown, on the alcohol front, I admit).
So, if you’re just starting to try to get back into good habits again (or even if this is your first rodeo), be kind to yourself if you don’t hit 100% of your targets 100% of the time.
Last time I looked, there was nobody handing out medals at the gym door because you hit “Beast Mode” today.
Progress is better than perfect for most of the population.
Try progressing.
And if you mess up on your diet plan, or you can’t make a gym session you had planned, simply put it down to life getting in the way, and try again tomorrow.
Wherever you are on your fitness journey, good luck.
I congratulate you for getting back at it, and I salute you if you’re just starting out.
I’ll try and keep you posted as to how I’m getting on…
