Muscle Building Challenge: & Transformation Truths
You have to remember something: Everybody pities the weak; Jealousy you have to earn.” ― Arnold Schwarzenegger
Below - It's moi Anton Hedges - Online Health & Longevity Expert - Just completed my Christmas Challenge for 2021
The main emphasis of the wake up warrior system is HEALTH & LONGEVITY and my clarity and reasons for my ongoing exercise, and balanced yet enjoyable consumption, is for my OVERALL wellbeing - NOT just the physical!
However, alongside this every year I usually set myself a little challenge. Well, actually it's usually twice per year, one leading up to my birthday, as I like to see what the body is capable of and how it compares to previous years, what with being another year older as yet another year passes..
The other challenge usually leads up to the festive season and also the fact that I would have a beach holiday in January
Even though these challenges are more body shaping based they just help mix up, monitor progress, and keep interest!
Other challenges maybe a push or pull up and squat challenges for instance, if you can do one more push up then you have progressed and increased your upper body strength etc and as we know the human brain is happiest when making progress...
Anyhow, this Xmas challenge, that runs alongside my ongoing business, relationship, fun, life goals. In my ongoing health/longevity and healthy balanced enjoyable eating which is literally the balanced - wake up warrior 5-pillar system (my personal blueprint for health, fitness, longevity) The very system that allows me to stay in shape physically and mentally EVERY day
365 days of the year
NOT just for a short term transformation, event. show, or photoshoot (where as soon as you stop you return to where you were)
*Learn more about transformation truth secrets here:
See, we are built to move EVERYDAY and.... Health and fitness, you know taking responsibility for our OVERALL wellbeing, is an ongoing work and a work that is never done but it's so worth it... It's a lifestyle, and having realistic clear goals in something you really want will help with that sense of purpose and incorporating the 'habit' of regular exercise/movement alongside conscious eating/drinking, taking that responsibility for what we consume.
This is achieved through building a better relationship with regular exercise and healthy balanced mindful eating/drinking.
Then we can have some fun with these extra challenges to help keep it interesting as well as to see what can be achieved (see above)
I'm not necessarily talking about 'ruining' yourself in beast mode (whatever that is) only speeding up the aging process You may just want to feel a bit better or perhaps you have a goal to hit a 'healthy' for yourself and your family (leverage) then once you've hit your overall natural healthy body-weight maintaining it is so much easier if you have embraced that lifestyle and those habits (5-pillar balance) Having some realistic and specific goals, monitoring and then acknowledging your progress before setting the next (human brain happiest when making progress) WILL help keep you on track and these goals and the level of intensity may vary and will be specific to you as well as realistic to where you are at right now and where you want to be - Clarity
Clarity of what you want and why (leverage) will also help with that sense of purpose as even if you are just looking at general health/fitness? You DON'T lose motivation, you just get distracted by other things.. Anyhow, following my birthday challenge from earlier in the summer, where the goal was to drop body fat to around 6/7% for a leaner athletic 'ripped' look which of course is a LOT more restrictive hence why it is a 'challenge result' around the ongoing..
And for this years Christmas challenge I decided to do a bit of a strength/size challenge. Different goals require different approaches but through using the 5-pillar system the 'specific goal' was to add around 1-2kg of muscle (strength) WITHOUT adding body fat and within 5-weeks
Yeah I didn't give myself much time as decided quite late what with my busy business/client commitments
Above - Added 3 kg of muscle - Both pics I am the same 'fat %' which means the 'weight' increase is muscle.
Also, with this challenge I wanted to demonstrate that through using my 5-pillar balance you don't have to necessarily 'bulk' up for months getting fatter before then having to do strip downs similar to bodybuilders, as that isn't about health or longevity, which is my leverage similar to all the online wake up warriors who mostly just want to...
Look, move, and feel great without hours of gyms and boring diets so they can actually live their lives
Back to this Xmas challenge, this year I actually did a macro experiment, macro-nutrients are your protein, carbs, fats etc
Something I rarely do, similar to counting calories as it isn't a sustainable long term LIFESTYLE
Below - Summer fat (6.5%) loss challenge - EVERYDAY (9.5%) 5-pillar system shape - Xmas challenge 3Ib on (9.5%)
The 6.5% is UNSUSTAINABLE as I also didn't drink water for 10 hours before the 'picture' yep what they don't tell ya!
Above - NO filters but you can clearly see how I can maintain good shape (through health) all year round with some occasional challenges to keep it interesting and test out what one is capable of as we continue to age.
Also, through using this system I don't usually have to track anything EVEN whilst doing any of these challenge
However, IF you have a lot of timber to shift you WILL need to produce an energy deficit (consume less than you burn) Until you have achieved the desired weight/goal (regardless of what the gurus tell ya) Then to sustain, well if you have understood (possibly enjoyed) the process/ balance alongside the empowerment of how you now look, move, and feel... You will be more likely to take responsibility for your OVERALL wellbeing
**As always most won't UNTIL THE PAIN OF CHANGE OUTWEIGHS THE PAIN OF STAY THE SAME**
Everything is about being aware of an doing the correct exercise and consuming the correct foods at the correct times whilst staying mindful of (and occasional indulgence of) junk/processed and sugary foods...
(the stuff that bloats and causes inflammation and hormones issues- big deal for weight loss and health issues)
Through having a better physical, emotional, mental relationship with your wellbeing
(remember it's ALL connected)
Personally for me, this is what's wrong with the 'health/fitness' industry with these perceived images of perfect bodies, and these unsustainable 'transformations' where you see a of manipulated before and after pics that DON'T give the full story including the smoke, mirrors, lighting, workout pic pump, dehydration, etc etc
All for their photoshoot/show, NEVER forget these guys are not walking around like that everyday
Also the before pictures are usually when the subject was at their worst/biggest, possibly years before, not when the challenge or 'transformation' actually began. People then aspire without realising the work and manipulation involved! Oh and then what about all that perceived BS we see, and compare ourselves too, all over social media with all those unrealistic body images and lifestyles.
Social media to be expected really, even though its WRONG, but the HEALTH industry?
This can then lead to all kinds of self worth and mental health issues, all things I have experienced myself and WHY this very system came to be, and why I never filter anything let alone a picture and will give FULL transparency!
So, the macro experiment has been helpful in giving me even more insight to the exact nutrients my body requires for optimum wellbeing, it has also allowed me to achieve my challenge goal fast.. And without the bulk/strip yo-yo cycle whilst still being able to indulge and enjoy Beers, chocky, crisps, pizza, burgers etc within the macro balance and even though I enjoy these occasionally - little of what you fancy is good for you - I still moderate as my leverage is how I feel and if you eat shite you will feel like shite
(Put good stuff in get good stuff out)
Not everybody needs to track their macronutrient intake but all my daily weight loss wellness warriors will be educated on their macronutrient needs even if it's just a temporary experiment..
See, I think everybody would benefit from tracking macros at least during one period of their life you just learn so much about making food choices, about overeating, undereating, and hunger.
Someone might not change their behaviour, that comes back to clarity/leverage, but they'll know, 'Oh, that doughnut is a lot different than that chicken sandwich.' Even though the calories may be the same.
Also, as humans we are creatures of habit so if you start tweaking your consumption to suit your needs, and you are aware of it, and you look, move, an FEEL great?
Then it's going to be easy to continue for a more sustainable lifestyle through staying mindful and responsible for YOUR choices. Even when there are stressful situations and that emotional vs physical hunger (5-pillar warrior wellness system covers all all of that too)
Therefore, in closing I will just make my 'regular' exercise (wellness) a little more progressive or intense dependent on the challenge as well staying EVEN more MINDFUL of what I consume, due to that leverage and my overall leverage (as discussed previously) is how I feel and this system, though not perfect makes me FEEL... Empowered and strong both physically and mentally to take on all of life's daily challenges
Anton 'challenged' Hedges
PS - If you'd like to learn more grab my free no strings warrior wellness training guide (my personal blueprint) that includes meal plan examples and new detailed weight/fat loss control pdf here: https://anybodyspt.lpages.co/wake-up-warrior-free-guide/
