The Project: Kuwait

Mahdi and Meg Discuss: What to Expect When Starting a New Workout Routine or Getting Back to the Gym, Listener Q&A, Reviews, Common Misconceptions About Gym life

April 07, 2019 Mahdi Aloun, Meg Guthmiller Season 1 Episode 39
The Project: Kuwait
Mahdi and Meg Discuss: What to Expect When Starting a New Workout Routine or Getting Back to the Gym, Listener Q&A, Reviews, Common Misconceptions About Gym life
Show Notes


6:25 – The most crucial aspect of starting a gym routine is an honest assessment of where you currently are and where you want to be as a result of working out. Don’t focus on what a 20-year-old you could do, but take a step back and evaluate what is feasible for you and then set off to reach your goals.

10:15 – Mahdi talks about the importance of having a gym buddy to make it easier to just get to the gym. Once you are there, it is easy to get to work.

12:14 – The location of your gym could be a big factor for you. If driving across town is a deterrent for you, try to find a gym closer to your house or work that will make it more convenient to go.

15:01 – Many people, especially in Kuwait, say that they don’t have time to go to the gym because their “free time” is for dewaniya. Mahdi and Meg want to encourage listeners to think about creating a diwaniya atmosphere at the gym instead of while playing video games or watching football. 

20:12 – If it is intimidating to go to a new gym, find ways to build your confidence, such as taking group classes or hiring a personal trainer for a while. If you want to make sure you understand how certain machines work or what certain workouts involve, check out some YouTube videos ahead of time. 

23:16 – Beginning a healthy lifestyle does not have to be drastic. Focus on your sleep, staying hydrated, taking opportunities to walk, do some bodyweight training, and look into cross-training activities like biking or swimming.

29:00 – Mahdi and Meg weigh in on a listener question: Is it possible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time? They say that is definitely is, and the key is to do strength training and HIIT types of cardio. These will give you lean muscle mass and aid in fat burning.

34:09 – Focusing on your abs is different than focusing on your core, and one is the key to total body stability. The core contains the spine, obliques, abs, and breathing muscles, and when this cylinder is strong, you open up so much power and strength.

38:32 – Meg talks about some of her keys to total body wellness and fitness: resistance training and good nutrition, starting with real foods and good fats. Mahdi says that creatine works well with his body to aid in burning fat, but beyond that, he doesn’t recommend any kind of “fat burning” pills or supplements.

42:26 – Some spices or foods that you can easily integrate into your daily diet and are known for being naturally fat burning are: cinnamon, ginger, cumin, coriander, raspberries, high protein items like eggs for breakfast, overnight oats, and fiber.

49:05 – The first misconception that Mahdi and Meg address in this episode is: “lifting weights makes women bulky.” In fact, women do not have enough testosterone to truly “bulk up” without significant supplemental or dietary changes to that end. Weight lifting really just changes the shape of the body, and Mahdi adds that lifting dramatically increases your confidence level in the gym. It is important to realize that you might gain some weight as you build muscle in this way, but there are much better measurements to gauge your progress.

55:22 – The next misconception is: “Results are fast.” It is helpful to know when going into a new workout routine that results could take several months or even a year, but with consistency and effort, you can achieve the results you want. Meg adds that many&

Links: 

ATHLEAN-X: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe0TLA0EsQbE-MjuHXevj2A

Meg’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guthmillermeg/
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