I was listening to a UK podcast the other day.
Big name host.
Big name fitness coach on the other side of the mic.
At one point the host just says, straight up,
“Go on then… how do I look like you?”
That was it.
No build up.
No hiding it.
Just, tell me the trick.
And I thought, there it is.
That’s how most people see this stuff.
Like there’s a sentence missing.
A shortcut no one’s told them.
A switch you flick and your body changes.
I hear the same thing in a different form every week.
New member sits down.
Keen.
Wants to tone up, lose a bit of fat.
Then comes the line:
“I just don’t want to get too big.”
Too big.
As if you’re one dumbbell session away from waking up looking like a bodybuilder.
Trust me.
It does not work like that.
I’ve got trainers and members who have trained hard for ten years trying to get bigger (I include myself in this but longer than 10 years).
Eating more than they want to.
Pushing weight up.
Sleeping well.
Tracking protein.
And even then it’s slow.
Muscle does not appear by accident.
That’s like saying, “I’m learning to drive but I don’t want to end up as good as an F1 driver.”
You won’t.
Your body fights growth.
It likes staying the same.
Gaining muscle is hard work done consistently for years.
Fat loss though.
Different story.
Not easy.
Don’t twist it.
But it is simple.
Most people aren’t confused.
They’re just inconsistent.
This is what actually works.
Eat enough protein.
Not “a bit more”.
As a rough guide, aim for around 1 gram per pound of bodyweight.
If you’re 13 stone, that’s roughly 180 grams a day.
What does that look like in real life?
– 3 eggs and Greek yoghurt at breakfast
– Chicken or beef at lunch, not a sad sandwich
– Proper portion of meat or fish at dinner
– A whey shake if you’re short
Protein keeps you full and stops you losing muscle while you’re in a deficit.
If you’re constantly starving by 3pm, you’re probably low on it.
Be in a calorie deficit.
This is where most people kid themselves.
You can eat “clean” and still be overeating.
Track for two weeks.
Properly.
Weigh things.
Don’t guess.
You’ll either confirm you’re in a deficit… or you’ll see where it’s going wrong.
For most people it’s not Monday to Thursday.
It’s Friday night and “it doesn’t count”.
Lift three times a week.
Not five.
Not six.
Three good sessions.
Full body.
Big movements.
Squat pattern.
Hinge pattern.
Push.
Pull.
Add a bit of weight over time.
Try to beat last week by a rep or two.
That’s enough.
You don’t need fancy gym training splits.
You need effort and progression.
Walk more.
Eight to ten thousand steps a day.
That’s an extra 20 minute walk before work and another after dinner.
No drama.
No sweat puddles.
Just movement.
It keeps your calorie burn up without smashing your recovery.
Sleep properly.
Go to bed at a similar time.
Stop scrolling in bed like a zombie.
When you’re tired, you eat more and move less.
It’s that simple.
This isn’t about motivation.
It’s about standards.
Anyone can be strict for 10 days.
Very few people can stick to protein, steps, three lifts a week, and sensible weekends for 6 months.
That’s why they don’t change.
It’s not because they don’t know what to do.
It’s because they keep looking for something better than boring.
So if you’re waiting for the trick, here it is.
Protein at every meal.
Track for a couple of weeks.
Three hard sessions a week.
Daily steps.
Early nights.
Do that for the next 7 days without being clever.
No cutting carbs to zero.
No doubling your cardio because you overate.
No “start again Monday”.
Just repeatable habits.
That’s how you get leaner.
Not by flicking a switch.
By stopping the search for one.
-Ryan
P.S
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