Over the years, I’ve had the same conversations on repeat.
Someone finds out I run a personal training company.
Or they know someone who trained with us.
Or a member messages me online.
Or bumps into me in town.
And it always starts the same way.
“What do you think about Himalayan salt?”
“Is buckwheat better than oats?”
“Thoughts on intermittent fasting?”
“Have you looked into peptides?”
“What about cold plunges?”
That’s the full question.
No context.
No background.
Just “thoughts?”
So I always reply the same way.
“It depends.”
And before they can roll their eyes, I ask the only question that actually matters.
What are you trying to do?
And nine times out of ten, the answer is boring.
But honest.
“I just want more energy.”
“I want to lose a bit of fat.”
“I want to feel fitter.”
“I want to feel stronger.”
Fair enough.
Normal goals.
Here’s the problem.
None of those things are solved by the stuff they’re asking about.
If you’re sleeping five hours a night, no salt on earth is fixing your energy.
If you train once every couple of weeks, buckwheat isn’t making you fitter.
If you sit on your arse all day, fasting won’t magically burn fat.
If you never train hard enough to get out of breath or sore, supplements are a waste of money.
People are zooming in on tiny details while ignoring the obvious stuff staring them in the face.
And I get why.
The basics are dull.
They don’t feel clever.
There’s no buzz to saying “I went to bed at half ten”.
You can’t post about “ate chicken and veg again” and feel special.
So instead, people chase things that sound advanced.
Things that feel like shortcuts.
Things that let them believe the answer is just out of reach.
Meanwhile, they’re still knackered.
Still frustrated.
Still stuck.
But we can do something that does work!
No drama.
No hype.
Just reality.
Eat 3 proper meals a day.
Not snacks.
Meals.
Each meal has a solid protein source.
Chicken, eggs, mince, fish, yoghurt.
Fill half the plate with veg most of the time.
Fruit as a sweet treat after if you crave that.
Have carbs.
Rice, potatoes, oats.
Especially if you train.
Drink water through the day.
Not just coffee and Diet Coke.
Go to bed before 11pm.
Most nights.
Not “when I can”.
Train 3 times a week.
Weights.
Full body.
Push yourself a bit.
Walk every day.
Aim for 8,000 to 10,000 steps.
No excuses.
That’s it.
Not sexy.
Not exciting.
But it works if you actually do it.
Do that consistently and a few things happen pretty quickly.
You wake up with more energy.
You stop craving rubbish all afternoon.
You feel stronger in the gym.
Your waist starts tightening up.
Your mood improves.
You stop feeling like everything is a battle.
And here’s where people usually get defensive.
They’ll say, “I’ve tried all that.”
No, you haven’t.
Not properly.
What most people mean is they did it for a few days.
Or one good week.
Or they were “good” until Friday night.
Or they trained hard for a bit, then life got busy.
That’s not trying.
That’s dipping your toe in.
Then when nothing sticks, they blame genetics.
Age.
Hormones.
Stress.
Being busy.
Those things exist.
I’m not denying that.
But most people never find out what their body can actually do because they never give it a fair run.
So instead of arguing about salt, here’s the test I give people.
Four weeks.
Not perfect.
Just honest.
For the next 28-30 days:
Eat three meals a day. Protein every time.
Walk at least eight thousand steps daily.
Train weights three times a week.
Go to bed before eleven at least five nights a week.
Drink water like an adult.
No detoxes.
No fasting windows.
No supplements apart from maybe protein powder if it helps.
No restarting on Monday.
Do that and one of two things will happen.
You’ll feel better, look tighter, and realise things aren’t as broken as you thought.
Or you’ll finally admit you’ve never actually done the basics long enough to work.
Either way, the excuses stop.
Here’s the bit people don’t like saying out loud.
They’re fed up of being tired.
They hate photos.
They avoid mirrors.
They buy looser clothes and pretend they don’t care.
They keep telling themselves “this is just me now”.
And every time they chase another hack, they stay exactly where they are.
Not because they’re lazy.
Because they’re distracted.
If you’re frustrated, stop asking about the 1% stuff.
Fix the 99% first.
Do the boring things.
Do them properly.
Do them for four weeks.
Then, and only then, worry about the rest.
-Ryan