The Male Stylist

My Fitness Journey – Part 1: Decisions & Mentality

Fitness Part 1

In June last year I was becoming a bit deflated with my gym routine. I felt like I needed a new structure and approach to my workouts and my results had stagnated in recent months. I spent the next few days reaching out across Twitter, trying to get advice and recommendations on personal trainers/workout plans to start incorporating into my weekly routine. One of the most interesting and constructive responses came from a man called Chris (@LiftingToLive) on Twitter, who asked me a great deal of questions about what I was doing, what I really wanted out of this and what my diet looked like on a weekly basis.

He asked me to be as honest as I could be, both with myself and with him, as the only way for him to get an idea of where I was struggling was to talk about what I was having issues with and where I felt I was lacking. Within a week, he had delivered a full workout plan, alongside a basic diet spec and some key elements to focus on. He even came down to London for a workout session to give me some tips on technique and advice on what I should be focusing on with each workout. However, the main thing he told me to do was to start getting my mind in the right place for this new structure and it’s only now that I look back, I can see what he was talking about. Today, I wanted to share with you my tips on what I did to adjust to my new lifestyle and how I changed my mindset to more positively focus on my fitness goals. View Post

How Do You Feel About Your Own Body Image?

Body Image - How Do You Feel

It’s been a while since I’ve posted about body image and, during that time, the conversation has only grown in mainstream media and blogging. The movement has helped many friends of mine come to grips with their own insecurities and perceptions of the way they look as well as helped educate people on where to go and who to talk to if you are struggling. However, much of this information relies on the idea that you are aware of your own body image issues and then want to address them.

So, what about those people who are struggling with the way they look but don’t recognise this behaviour as irregular? What if you’re subconsciously putting yourself down without understanding that that is what you’re doing? What if you’ve been living like this for you’re whole life and without ever being aware that you might be hurting your own confidence? Today, I wanted to talk through some common behaviours I’ve seen/heard about when discussing negative body image to help you identify the actions that lead to low body confidence. View Post

5 Things To Remember on #WorldMentalHealthDay

#WorldMentalHealthDay

World Mental Health Day is a chance for everyone to foster a conversation that promotes positive change, in both attitudes and support, for those who suffer from mental health issues as well as bring the issue to the forefront of society’s mind. Everyone has been or will be affected by mental health issues in some way during their life. Whether it affects a friend or family member, is an emotionally turbulent period or a chronic issue that has become a permanent part of your everyday life, mental health is a universal part of society. However, the dialogue around mental health is rarely commonplace and is often ushered, given little spotlight or kept to the more niche areas of the internet. Today, I want to talk about some pieces of advice that have helped me through difficult times when it has come to my own mental health and that of the people I love. You are not alone in this fight and everyone needs to get involved in the discussion. View Post

5 Ways To Prevent Negative Body Image Thinking

Negative Body Image 1

We are our harshest critics, especially when left alone with our own thoughts…

There are those moments when you first stand in front of a mirror and immediately cast a cynical eye over your body. Your mind races to areas you feel insecure about and your negative internal monologue kicks off.

“This doesn’t look toned enough.”

“I wish there were fewer blemishes here.”

“I hate the way that looks.”

It’s incredibly easy to find yourself in a shame spiral, sinking into your own self-doubt and fear, which ultimately leads to you developing an inaccurate perspective about the way you look. Everyone goes through this, for some it’s a daily struggle and for others it’s a less regular occurrence. Either way it has a massive impact on your confidence and how you hold yourself. Today, I want to talk about 5 methods to help stop these thoughts in their tracks and prevent a negative body-image mentality from taking hold of you. View Post

Body Image: The Struggle Of The Beardless Man

Beardless Man - 1As anyone who has read my blog or follows me on social media has seen, I am always sporting a clean-shaven look. Now, it’s important to note that this is not strictly through choice, but also because I simply am unable to grow any reasonable amount of facial hair. For some context, I’m 27, I eat a healthy diet, maintain a regular exercise routine and sleep as well as keeping a keeping my skin clear and moisturised. Despite this, however, I can’t seem to grow any more than a little peach fuzz around my chin and upper lip. So what’s it like being in a society where beards are widely seen as a sign of style, strength and masculinity, yet you’re incapable of growing one. View Post