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The gains monster is an attention-seeking child

The gains monster is everywhere, just waiting for you to slip-up. Make a mistake. Leave yourself vulnerable. And then, without warning, it’ll suck you dry of everything you’ve worked for.

Yesterday was absolutely manic from start to end.

Up at the crack of dawn, fighting with traffic to get to a four-hour training course. Dashing out ten minutes before the end to get a jump on traffic to race back home in time for another two hours of conference calls.

Breakfast was so-so, and only moderately nutritious.

Lunch was skipped in exchange for making it to my next meeting.

I walked in the door at 2:01pm, dropped my bags, grabbed my computer and joined the call. My bladder would have to hold the four cups of coffee for another sixty minutes.

Calls complete, I did manage to snaffle a banana before my workout, and that was about it.

My protein intake was through the floor, energy levels low. 

But did I panic about losing all my gains?

Did I feel like the gainz monster had shoved a straw up my ass and sucked out at least ten pounds of hard-earned?

HELL YES I DID!

… just quietly, to myself. Once.

Then the voice of reason and experience kicked-in.

  • Having eaten plenty of food the preceding day, including plenty of carbs in the evening, energy levels would be just fine in the gym.
  • Protein needs are dramatically overstated and a few hours without an influx of essential amino acids is not going to unravel a year of hard work.
  • Homeostasis is on my side, down-regulating my body’s energy needs in response to the lower intake.

The marketeers (racketeers?) in this industry have done such a good job of plying us with misinformation, that even the best of us get suckered. Even if just briefly. It’s so easy to let the negative thoughts spread rabid like wildfire.

But your voice of reason is there, if you’ll only hear it.

Deep down, you know these thoughts are just your anxieties surfacing. Making themselves heard. Vying for your attention.

So acknowledge them.

Yes, I desperately want to look jacked and ripped.

Yes, I am fearful of losing my hard-earned gains during this cut.

… and then park them.

Like an attention-seeking child, acknowledging them calms them. Sincere and focused attention that quiets the voices. Gives you space to think. To reason. To find balance.

Your gains will be just fine. Your workout great. 

If you just let it.

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