ARTICLES

Articles

The teams current thoughts on all things physique development. There are so many conflicting issues in the industry today but the team put across their thoughts in laymans terms for you to understand.


Mindset/Psychology Vaughan Wilson Mindset/Psychology Vaughan Wilson

The mindset of transitioning into a gaining phase

It is not a secret that in order to build muscle, you will need to push your calories up to a surplus, and with that – as well as gaining quality tissue through training and recovery – will also come some body fat gain. Of course, this is completely normal and in fact, quite healthy and necessary too, as staying lean year-round is unsustainable at best, and exhausting and damaging at worst.

Read More
Mindset/Psychology Vaughan Wilson Mindset/Psychology Vaughan Wilson

How ready are you to change?

Fear is something I see constantly in the fitness and bodybuilding world: a fear of not being ready in time for a show or shoot, a fear of other people’s opinions, the fear of making a mistake, and/or the fear of still being the person that you want to change by embarking on a transformation journey.

Read More
Mindset/Psychology, Competing Vaughan Wilson Mindset/Psychology, Competing Vaughan Wilson

Managing hunger when dieting

So, you’ve started a dieting-phase, and all is going well. Feeling a bit leaner, dropping weight on the scale, not struggling at all… till it hits you. The HUNGER is suddenly real, and you can feel yourself drooling over high calorie foods that you’d love to eat, but you know won’t help you achieve your goals.

Read More
Mindset/Psychology, Competing Vaughan Wilson Mindset/Psychology, Competing Vaughan Wilson

Overcoming self-doubt

Have you ever experienced self-doubt when it comes to your ability to achieve a goal? Yes, me too. In fact, we all have. As a competitor (beginner or experienced!) and/or as someone who is currently transforming and elevating their physique, you WILL question yourself and your ability to accomplish whatever you set out to do

Read More
Mindset/Psychology Vaughan Wilson Mindset/Psychology Vaughan Wilson

Top tips for getting out of a motivation slump

As both a physique coach and exercise psychologist, one of the questions I get asked most frequently is “How do I get myself out of this motivation slump?” It’s no secret that we all struggle or have struggled at some point with motivation to exercise and/or to nourish ourselves in a way that’s contingent with our goals. That’s because motivation isn’t something you either have or you don’t – it’s a lot more nuanced than that.

Read More
Mindset/Psychology Vaughan Wilson Mindset/Psychology Vaughan Wilson

Black and white thinking

Have you heard of this expression? Do you ever feel like this is you? “All or nothing” or black and white thinking styles are incredibly common, especially when it comes to the fitness world. With this thinking, you’re either “making progress or you’re not”, “ticking the boxes or not”, “eating 100% clean or ordering a takeaway”, “smashing the gym 6x a week or not going at all”. Do you see where I’m going with this?

Read More
Mindset/Psychology, Competing Vaughan Wilson Mindset/Psychology, Competing Vaughan Wilson

How to manage prep brain

If you have competed before, or have gotten extremely lean, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about when I refer to “prep brain”. If you haven’t been there before but are currently dieting for the first time, you will no doubt find out about prep brain soon enough. It’s not actually something you really need to worry about – it’s more just about knowing that the leaner you get and the closer it gets to your show/shoot, the very logical part of your brain may simply not be as rational as it normally is.

Read More
Mindset/Psychology Vaughan Wilson Mindset/Psychology Vaughan Wilson

Self care 101: How do you take care of yourself?

Self-care is a term that has become increasingly popular in the fitness community, and you’ll hear everyone throwing it around or showing the world their self-care routines. This isn’t a bad thing at all: whether we’re in an offseason or on prep, we all know for ourselves that self-care is relevant, but that doesn’t always lead us to practicing it deliberately.

Read More
Mindset/Psychology Vaughan Wilson Mindset/Psychology Vaughan Wilson

Fear of gaining weight

Do you ever scroll through Instagram and wonder how on earth competitors cope with weight gain post-show? Do you sit there unable to relate to women embracing curvier bodies, whether it be after spending 20-24 weeks dieting for a show, or just as part of the “building” process?

Read More