Progress Over Perfection: 3 Fitness Lessons for Gay Men Who Want Results
Introduction
For those who do not know me, I am James
I am married to a beautiful man.
I gained more than 40 pounds of muscle over the past 2 years while staying lean.
I have trained over 500 gay men to help them build bodies they are proud of.
My mission with T2T Fitness is to help gay men feel more fun, sexy, confident, and connected.
I make educational content on how to change your body from the perspective of a gay men, so men in the community get to their goal faster while avoiding plateaus
And in this post, I'm sharing my 3 tips for beginners to find success faster.
Tip 1 - You Don't Need To Know Everything
I found most gay men beginning a fitness journey fall into two camps:
Those who don't start due to lack of knowledge. They genuinely don't know where to start or what to do. This makes them feel overwhelmed and leads to them taking no action. To fix this I have hours of reels on instagram and a ton of free information and workout plans on my site.
Those who have mental blocks that keeps them stuck. They don't want to look stupid in the gym. They don't want to be the next person in someones reel. They are intimidated by the men in the gym. These are all examples of mental hang-ups that stop them from going.
In todays world, where information is abundant, I have found that the second camp is by far larger. Here's the key to breaking free and beginning to build the body of your dreams:
Just start.
The path to becoming a fitness influencer, an advanced lifter, someone who is about to compete to become a IFBB Pro next year, and most importantly, someone who loves the body they get to live in looked far different than you would think. I got started with friends multiple times, but they quit within a few weeks. I decided to do it on my own. I did things "wrong" but with weights I knew I could handle. I learned along the way. I didn't quit. After staying consistent a few years and overcoming myself and life challenges, I looked up one day and had a body I loved and that other people wanted. I then began sharing with them what I did.
Whether you want to be a fitness influencer or coach isn't the point. The point is that by starting, learning as you go, being willing to be okay with not knowing everything, and staying consistent, you can and will build a body that makes you proud.
Tip 2 - Expect It To Be Challenging & Worth It
Most want admit it, but when they set out to achieve a goal they are expecting for it to be easy and a straight shot with no setbacks. However, I want you to think of it this way:
How many other goals that were truly worth it happened that way?
Did any of them go off without a hitch? No matter how much you prepared and how many YouTube videos you watched ahead of time, was it ever directly from point A to B with little to no resistance?
Not likely.
Expect building your body to be just like that. A challenge, but a challenge worth undertaking. The reason most people with admirable physiques radiate confidence is not the body itself. It's what they have proven to themselves along the way:
They showed up on days they didn't want to go.
They prioritized fitness when life got busy.
They held their new standards through social commitments.
They proved they can be consistent.
Few people realize confidence has less to do with the bod and more with who they have proven themselves to be. That inner pride shows up in social settings. If you can learn to "beat you", the world is yours.
Expect this to be challenging, but worth it.
Tip 3 - Know When To Check For Results
Knowing when to check for results is vital. If you check too soon, you can get discouraged. If you wait too long, you could waste time. This is why I created The Rule of 50:
The goal is to get 50 workouts in each quarter at a minimum.
If you check before 50 workouts, you may feel disappointed, especially if your goal is to build muscle
If you check later than 50 workouts, you risk spinning your wheels without adjustments you could have done to advance faster.
Commit to giving it at least a quarter before evaluating. If you train 6 days a week, you can check results in about 2.5 months. If you train less, it will take longer. That’s perfectly fine.
Remember, nobody has ever stopped me before hooking up to ask how long it took me to build my body. Take the pressure off.
Evaluating every 50 workouts will keep you grounded in the activities that create success instead of obsessing over results.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, building a body you’re proud of isn’t about having the perfect plan, taking the easy route, or obsessing over results every time you look in the mirror. It’s about:
Starting, even if you don't know it all
Expecting and embracing challenges as they come
Measuring progress at the right times
If you commit to these three principles, you’ll be well on your way to building a body you’re proud of.
My mission with T2T Fitness is to make that path less confusing, less lonely, and way more fun for gay men who want to feel confident in their bodies. If you’re ready to take the first step, remember: "progress over perfection". The results will follow.
Want To Learn More?
If you would like to learn more about this for free I made the 90 Day Built Body Blueprint and a free training video to assist you: https://b.link/progresstraining
Built For You
If you would like a more specific plan built to account for you, your life, your obstacles, and your goal, buy a training program. On your onboarding call, we will see you came from this post and take you down a different process to build something specific to you.
To get a program click here: https://b.link/progress
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