2020 taught us many things. Not least of which is that two things can be true at the same time. The world rarely operates in black and white. Situations are rarely binary. There is significantly more gray area than one concrete solution. As a trainer, it's my responsibility to keep my clients accountable to their own goals. I want them to come into the gym and work hard as often as they can, whether it's with me or on their own. Watching fitness transition from a hobby to a lifestyle is truly one of the most rewarding parts of this job.
That being said, my fiancee and I went on vacation this weekend. The first true vacation I've had since before the pandemic. We laid by the pool. We enjoyed numerous cocktails next to said pool. We ate curly fries and churro ice cream sandwiches and more sushi than usual. I went from prepping every meal to eating out exclusively. I didn't log any food. Not a single calorie. I didn't exercise. The hotel didn't have a gym. And it was EXCELLENT.
As we approach summer, inevitably as trainers we're going to see a mass exodus of clients to vacations like these. Our clients are going to try and justify the food and exercise decisions they're poised to make to us in our last session before they leave.
"I'm gonna try and get a workout in before breakfast."
"I'll do my best to log all my food."
My response has evolved over the years. Nowadays I practically beg them to relax a little bit and enjoy their vacation. Don't lose any sleep over the desserts. Eat the food. Stay at the pool a little too long. Have a second margarita.
The gym will be here when you get back.
It takes longer to lose muscle than it does to gain it. Your progress won't leave you because you take a long weekend. They can work hard when they get back. Muscle is built during rest so, in fact, it's probably benefitting you in the long run.
I logged breakfast this morning for the first time since June 4th. I'm going to pull off the ground this afternoon. We just pick right back up where we left off. It's that simple. 200lbs. is still 200lbs. We still log our food, we still sleep. Sometimes a reset and a recharge are necessary. As long as apathy doesn't set in, we're good. Don't sweat it.
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