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"Any body dysmorphia issues?"
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I have a group chat with Adam Martin and Tom Ierardo, two good friends and fellow fit pros from Australia. Our conversations are all over the place, and a few weeks ago, the topic was body image. It started when Tom asked me this: He's talking about the physique show I did in 2024, where I got leaner than I'd ever been: In the weeks after the show, I gained over 15 pounds, and to answer Tom's question: yes, I struggled with losing this look. Sometimes a lot.But here's what else I told them: What was required to stay this lean, or even close to it, was NOT worth it:
So sure, I'd like to be leaner at times. But any time I'm romanticizing a leaner version of myself, I also reflect on what I'd have to give up to get there. Not enough people do this.You may not think this applies to you if you're not trying to get crazy lean. But as you'll hear Danni Bosworth and I talk about on this week's podcast episode, this is something we ALL need to give thought to. Especially when looking back at old photos or weigh-ins, and again: romanticizing them. If this resonates: Danni makes another great point later in the episode: Half the time, it's not even the extra leanness that makes you feel better. It's how a fat loss goal encourages you to eat more nutrient-dense foods, walk more, drink less, go to bed earlier, etc. All of which you can do without dieting more. Just something to think about. Sam P.S. If you're not quite sure how much sacrifice is worth it... experiment! You could fully commit to getting leaner for even 4-6 weeks, like this client did—at which point she realized that the additional sacrifices weren't worth it: Now she doesn't have to wonder or agonize over it. She's found her sweet spot, like I eventually did after my show. |
Sam Forget
I send powerful lessons, stories, and no-BS transformation tips to my private email list 1-2 times per week. Subscribe here to begin your OWN transformation:
I spent this past weekend in Puerto Madryn, a coastal city in Patagonia known for its marine life. It's very normal to see penguins, sea lions, elephant seals, and even whales right off the coast. As an animal lover, you can imagine how much I enjoyed this. I walked this pier in the mornings and evenings... and routinely saw penguins and sea lions swimming around I also enjoyed an enormous amount of food. Buenos Aires, despite being right on the water, isn't exactly known for its seafood. For...
"1,200 calories is for a toddler!" This is what I would've told you at 17 years old, as a brand new trainer. Partially because I believed it was true—partially because I saw other trainers getting crucified for telling their clients to eat 1,200 calories. So for a long time, I had 1,400 as an arbitrary floor that I wouldn't drop clients under. But here's the problem with this: Many people—especially women—maintain on 1,600-1,800 calories per day. So to lose weight at a reasonable, motivating...
On Tuesday, I dropped a podcast on how to look better—not just weigh less. Most people want to look better, obviously, but approach dieting as if their only goal IS weighing less. There are important differences between these pursuits, as my client Sarah knows. That's why she ditched her scale focus for a body composition focus, and lost almost 20 pounds of pure body fat using a specific four-step process. I broke down all four steps here: Spotify Apple Any other platform But I wish I...