By Janine Viner · 5 min read
I'm going to say something that might sound odd coming from someone who runs a gym. There is only so much a personal trainer can do for you.
Our team can coach your technique, build a program around your knees and push you on the days you'd rather not be pushed. But we see you for two or three hours a week. There are 168 hours in a week. What happens in the other 165 matters, and much of it happens in your kitchen.
The maths doesn't work
A solid strength session might use around 250 to 350 calories, depending on the person. A large muffin and a flat white can undo that before you've left the car park. Add a couple of glasses of wine in the evening and the session has been cancelled out twice over.
That isn't a reason not to train. It's a reason to stop expecting the training to do a job it was never designed for.
"Exercise builds the body. Food decides what it's built from."
What training does brilliantly
Please don't read this as "exercise doesn't matter". It matters enormously. Strength training builds and keeps muscle, protects your bones, steadies your balance, improves how your body handles blood sugar, and lifts your mood in a way very little else does.
What it doesn't do well, on its own, is shift body fat. That part is mostly decided by what you eat.
Where food makes the difference
Protein to build with. Your muscles can only respond to training if they have the raw material. Aim for a good serve at every meal, not just dinner.
Mostly real food. Vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, legumes, eggs, fish, lean meat. The less a food has been processed, the easier it is to eat the right amount of it.
Honesty about the extras. The biscuits with morning tea, the second glass, the "I trained today, I've earned it" treat. None of these is a crime, but they add up faster than any session can burn them off.
Consistency over perfection. You don't need a strict plan. You need a normal week that's mostly good, so the occasional indulgence doesn't matter.
The two work together
The clients who see the biggest changes at Aspire aren't the ones who train the hardest. They're the ones who train consistently and treat what's on their plate as part of the program. When both are working, the results come quicker and they last.
If you've been training hard and wondering why the scales haven't moved, come and have a chat with us. We'll look at the whole picture, not just the hours you spend on our floor.