Fitness Q&A
Hey
So I recently posted a photo on my Instagram asking if you wanted me to do a Q&A style fitness post, and here it is! Like I said in the photo caption, I am not a professional. Any answers given are purely anecdotal. If you have any genuine health concerns please seek out professional advice. (Just making sure I'm covered and nobody can sue me). Here are the most common questions I got.
How often do you train?
On my current plan I train 4 days a week. Previously I'd train 5-6 days a week depending on how I was feeling and my work schedule. I like training so it's not a chore for me to go, if anything it's a good way for me to de-stress as I often feel a bit anxious and on edge if I have to take a day away from training.
How did you get into the gym?
The door. Ha!
No but really, I wanted to try it so my Dad got me a gym membership in Goldstone in Waterford for my 20th birthday and that was it. I was very inconsistent at first because I didn't know what I was doing or what I'd enjoy. Flash forward a few years and I had a little bit more of an idea what I was doing in the weights room of my fancy university gym and I joined the powerlifting team. This is when I properly fell in love with training. I had a plan, some structure, a great group of people to train with every day but I was also seeing results! I was getting stronger and my body was changing in all the right ways. Beginner gains were good to me! I competed at an international level with my powerlifting team but haven't competed since 2015. I still weight train, but now it's more of a bodybuilding style. Bodybuilding doesn't necessarily mean I want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, more along the lines of Ashley Kaltwasser or Phoebe Hagan.
Is it not intimidating in the weights area?
Maybe at first but I soon got over it. When you get in there you might feel like people are looking at you but I can tell you from experience, they're not. Nobody is looking at you (unless you've got your bum/boobs out and are clearly wanting to be stared at). A lot of people in the gym are far too concerned about themselves to be looking at someone else so please don't let the fear of people looking at you, stop you from going to the weights area.
Do I have to take a pre workout?
No. You don't have to take any kind of supplement. They are just that...a supplement, meaning it's an addition to enhance whatever is already there. Using pre workout as an example, if you feel like you need an extra boost of energy then a pre workout will probably help, it won't make the session necessarily easier but if you have that little boost, it might not feel as taxing. If you do take a pre workout, don't jump in the deep end with complicated formulas, stick with basic caffeine based ones first and see what your tolerance is like. The first time I tired a pre workout with Beta Alanine, my skin got very tingly and so itchy I thought I was going to rip the skin off my neck, so be aware of the dosage you take. Like with all things, everything in moderation is fine, I don't see the need in using pre workout every session but I don't think there's anything wrong with taking it as long as you know what you're putting into your system. If I'm training after work, I use a pretty strong stimulant based pre workout from Strom Spots Nutrition because I'm usually very tired after a shift and need that extra boost. Obviously it's better to get your energy from your food, but I know that's not always possible when shift patterns aren't consistent.
Where do you get your leggings?
I, like 90% of other girls in my gym, get a lot of my leggings from Gymshark. They're flattering, good quality and reasonably priced. My favourite leggings are the Alphalete Revival leggings though, they're so comfortable and flattering. They have an EU distribution centre now so they don't take a million years to get delivered anymore. Fabletics is good if you like colourful and practical workout gear that'll work for a spin class or a yoga class, there's something for everyone. I also really like the Buff Bunny ones but they are on the more expensive side of things. My only frustration about all these brands is that they're all online only so when I was first ordering from them I wasn't sure about sizing or what the material was like, although now I'm pretty confident with ordering from them.
Of course there's so many other things I could talk about when it comes to fitness and general wellbeing (again just from my own experiences) but this is just some of what I was asked about. If you liked this and want me to do more fitness related posts let me know in the comments or message me on Instagram with what you'd like to see.
So I recently posted a photo on my Instagram asking if you wanted me to do a Q&A style fitness post, and here it is! Like I said in the photo caption, I am not a professional. Any answers given are purely anecdotal. If you have any genuine health concerns please seek out professional advice. (Just making sure I'm covered and nobody can sue me). Here are the most common questions I got.
 |
| From my Instagram. Wearing BuffBunny Luna leggings |
How often do you train?
On my current plan I train 4 days a week. Previously I'd train 5-6 days a week depending on how I was feeling and my work schedule. I like training so it's not a chore for me to go, if anything it's a good way for me to de-stress as I often feel a bit anxious and on edge if I have to take a day away from training.
How did you get into the gym?
The door. Ha!
No but really, I wanted to try it so my Dad got me a gym membership in Goldstone in Waterford for my 20th birthday and that was it. I was very inconsistent at first because I didn't know what I was doing or what I'd enjoy. Flash forward a few years and I had a little bit more of an idea what I was doing in the weights room of my fancy university gym and I joined the powerlifting team. This is when I properly fell in love with training. I had a plan, some structure, a great group of people to train with every day but I was also seeing results! I was getting stronger and my body was changing in all the right ways. Beginner gains were good to me! I competed at an international level with my powerlifting team but haven't competed since 2015. I still weight train, but now it's more of a bodybuilding style. Bodybuilding doesn't necessarily mean I want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, more along the lines of Ashley Kaltwasser or Phoebe Hagan.
 |
| Ashley Kaltwasser at the 2018 Olympia |
Is it not intimidating in the weights area?
Maybe at first but I soon got over it. When you get in there you might feel like people are looking at you but I can tell you from experience, they're not. Nobody is looking at you (unless you've got your bum/boobs out and are clearly wanting to be stared at). A lot of people in the gym are far too concerned about themselves to be looking at someone else so please don't let the fear of people looking at you, stop you from going to the weights area.
 |
| From my Instagram. Wearing Alphalete Revival Leggings in Mauve. |
Do I have to take a pre workout?
No. You don't have to take any kind of supplement. They are just that...a supplement, meaning it's an addition to enhance whatever is already there. Using pre workout as an example, if you feel like you need an extra boost of energy then a pre workout will probably help, it won't make the session necessarily easier but if you have that little boost, it might not feel as taxing. If you do take a pre workout, don't jump in the deep end with complicated formulas, stick with basic caffeine based ones first and see what your tolerance is like. The first time I tired a pre workout with Beta Alanine, my skin got very tingly and so itchy I thought I was going to rip the skin off my neck, so be aware of the dosage you take. Like with all things, everything in moderation is fine, I don't see the need in using pre workout every session but I don't think there's anything wrong with taking it as long as you know what you're putting into your system. If I'm training after work, I use a pretty strong stimulant based pre workout from Strom Spots Nutrition because I'm usually very tired after a shift and need that extra boost. Obviously it's better to get your energy from your food, but I know that's not always possible when shift patterns aren't consistent.
Where do you get your leggings?
I, like 90% of other girls in my gym, get a lot of my leggings from Gymshark. They're flattering, good quality and reasonably priced. My favourite leggings are the Alphalete Revival leggings though, they're so comfortable and flattering. They have an EU distribution centre now so they don't take a million years to get delivered anymore. Fabletics is good if you like colourful and practical workout gear that'll work for a spin class or a yoga class, there's something for everyone. I also really like the Buff Bunny ones but they are on the more expensive side of things. My only frustration about all these brands is that they're all online only so when I was first ordering from them I wasn't sure about sizing or what the material was like, although now I'm pretty confident with ordering from them.
 |
| From my Instagram. Wearing Alphalete Revival Leggings in Jade. |
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