Help! I don’t want to look bulky!

Today’s post comes from our guest blogger, Eli Morin. As a personal trainer at Iron Keel Strength, Eli specializes in Run Mechanics, Speed & Agility, Race Training, and Sports Performance.

“But I don’t want to look bulky!”

What Up Readers, Eli Morin Here! Certified Personal Trainer, Athlete, Photographer, Rapper, THE LIST GOES ON!

I want to speak today about something I hear a lot from my female clients when meeting for our first consultation, “But I don’t want to look too bulky!” My usual response is, “Ok.  Well, what is your definition of “bulky?” And I’ve noticed a variety of answers. Here are a few:

I don’t want big, blocky shoulders.

I don’t want to lose my boobs.

I don’t want my abs to show.

These are all respectable answers, but all answers focus on a certain portion of the body. So, does that mean you should neglect certain muscle groups to avoid a certain look? Do you find yourself avoiding free weights and staying on the treadmill? Do you only use the leg machines on strength day? Is everyday leg day and leg day only? If you answered yes to any of these then I might be talking to you!

A strong population of my clientele ranging from 26-40 have one of the same requests: To look good NAKED! I call it the “The Look Good, Feel Great attitude!”

And I don’t think that’s superficial or fake. I mean, who doesn’t want that for themselves, right?! So, my job is to NOT neglect certain muscle groups or certain exercises because of a client’s fear about how their body may change. My job is to build a program that is best for YOU! As I said, a lot of us share similar goals and want the same thing, but at the same time, the steps you need to take to reach that goal may be completely different from the person next to you.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize what may work for your friend Lindsay may not work for you, and that’s to be expected! When a prospective client tells me, they want to look good naked or they don’t want to look “too bulky,” it simply tells me they don’t care so much about a number as they do about how they feel in their clothes, around others, or their partner. It means CONFIDENCE! What they are asking is to feel confident in their body!

The confidence a guy feels when he fills out a t-shirt, I’m sure is the same way a woman feels in a nice pair of jeans! But what that means more than a piece of clothing or lack thereof is what that person gains in longevity and quality of LIFE!

So here are my 3 Tips to a Confident Looking You!

1. Get OUTSIDE Your Comfort Zone!
   Greatness never came to those on Main Street. If you want to look different then you must train differently. Your mile time may never get faster if you always run five miles a day at the same pace. Add some intervals, incorporate sprint work, focus more on fast twitch muscle fibers instead of those slow ones! Just try something new.
2. Enjoy Cooking, Love Eating! Chicken, rice, and broccoli – yes, this may hit your macros for a week or two, but when the cravings for wine and Italian food hit, I doubt you will have a meal prep container of carbs, protein, and fat sitting in your fridge. Try out some recipes and get adventurous! Spaghetti squash is a great alternative for all you noodle lovers out there plus it’s fun to cook! Make more than just macros in the microwave, make dinner.
3. Accountability! For some people this is HUGE. If accountability isn’t important then would have probably stopped reading by now. I personally THRIVE off of accountability. I know, for me personally, if I buy something then I’ll eat it. So, I try at all costs to never shop alone and to avoid getting those HEB Barbecue Chips or that 6-Pack of beers (I always swear I’ll only have one a week!). Make shopping a team sport and go with someone who knows your goals. Just like a good gym partner, a good shopping partner won’t test or tempt you but will help you reach your goals. Hell, have ‘em join you!

So, look, ladies or gentlemen. The goal should NOT be to worry about looking too this or too that but to be a better a version of you, naked or clothed. Get DEXA scanned, have the science, and don’t train blindly. Then, if you need more help, find a professional trainer like me to help you get to where you want to be. Remember, it’s easy to write down a list of goals you want to accomplish, but it’s even easier to make excuses for why you didn’t accomplish them. Build a support team, attack the challenges head on, have fun, and MAKE IT HAPPEN!

-Eli Morin Certified Personal trainer and all those other things listed at the top!