Yesterday morning I had three messages before 9am.
All versions of the same thing.
“Scales are up.”
“Feel crap.”
“I’ve messed it up.”
January energy.
Every year.
Same panic.
Different name at the top of the message.
Then I did the exact thing I tell people not to obsess over.
I stepped on the scales.
Up 1kg.
No drama.
But I felt it.
Heavy legs.
Puffy face.
Bit flat in the gym warm up.
Like my body was carrying a rucksack it did not ask for.
15 years ago I would have reacted badly.
I would have eaten less that day.
Added extra cardio.
Tried to sweat it out like a mug.
That reaction feels disciplined.
It is not.
It is just panic dressed up as effort.
Because I know exactly why that kilo was there.
Last few days were not perfect.
More food. More salt. Fewer usual meals.
Couple of later nights. Less water.
That does not magically turn into body fat overnight.
Here is a number people need to hear more often.
To gain 1kg (2.2lbs) of body fat you need roughly 7,700 calories ABOVE what your body needs.
Read that again.
That is not one meal out.
That is not a weekend.
That is not a few rogue days.
What the scale is showing most of the time is this.
More fuel in the muscles.
Fuel holds water.
Salt holds water.
Food still sitting in your gut.
That is it.
The scale measures weight.
Not fat.
Not progress.
Not effort.
And this is where people shoot themselves in the foot.
They see a spike.
They assume it is fat.
They go into fix mode.
Skip breakfast.
Train harder.
Go for a long run when they never normally do.
Tell themselves they will be good today.
That behaviour causes more fat gain long term than the overeating ever did.
Because now you are hungrier.
More tired.
Less patient.
By Wednesday you are knackered.
By Friday you are face first in the biscuit tin thinking you have no willpower.
It is not willpower.
It is overreaction.
So here is exactly what I did instead.
No panicking.
No mindset waffle.
I trained as planned.
Same session.
Same weights.
I ate my normal meals.
Protein. Veg. Carbs.
I drank water instead of trying to live on coffee.
I went to bed at a normal time.
No reset day.
No punishment cardio.
No pretending Monday is a new version of me.
And this is the bit most people do not like hearing.
Consistency matters more than correction.
Correction feels busy.
Consistency feels boring.
But boring works.
One normal day after overeating fixes more than any dramatic plan ever will.
Most people do not fail because they overeat.
They fail because they panic after.
They turn a small wobble into a full derailment.
Food is not a moral test.
Eating more is not weakness.
Feeling sluggish after a few heavy days is normal.
If you are up a kilo like me right now, do this.
Train your next session.
Even if you feel flat.
Eat your usual meals.
Do not skip 2 or even 3 meals to save calories.
Keep 3 high protein and veg, lower carb meals instead.
Drink two to three litres of water today.
Get an early night.
That is it.
Do not add extras.
Do not try to earn food.
Do not chase the scale.
If you weigh daily, expect noise.
If you cannot handle noise, weigh weekly and use an average.
The goal is not perfection.
It is control.
Control of your reactions.
Control of your habits.
That kilo will drift off quietly once you stop poking it.
Always does.
If this sounds blunt, good.
Stop making small things big.
Stop trying to fix what is not broken.
Do the basics.
Then do them again tomorrow.
Back to work.
-Ryan
P.S
If this hit home, it’s probably because you know you need structure right now.
Our next 6 Week Meltdown starts January 5th, and a few spots are left at some locations.
No panic.
No overthinking.
Just a plan and someone keeping you on track.