​Ever since the day I moved to Madrid, my cousin Stacey and I have always trained together. One day, Stacey approached me asking if I fancied getting into quite possibly the best shape of my life, I thought why not? He gave me an outline of what we would be doing, which was turning someone mildly overweight, and a bit podgy around the mid-section; into someone with about 7% body fat. Before starting the program we had the slight problem being that I wasn’t fat. So, Stacey encouraged me to eat whatever I wanted for three months prior to starting the plan in February. This, combined with not really going to the gym, was what I found difficult although the constant binging was highly enjoyable.
I had guessed that the plan would be very restrictive in regards to anything and everything. And when I say anything and everything I mean eating out, snacking, and drinking. I mentally prepared to replace my usual social habits with training religiously six days a week (he wanted seven sessions a week to which I politely declined).
We started the first week of February...

 
​Key word: Fat, exercise, empowerment, health. 
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Body Positivity is a new buzz word, and one that has a very gendered tint. It’s an important new concept that is being thrown around in the mass media, mixing into the statements that we’re already being told - your body matters to society. Fat is a complex idea for women to deal with, bombarded with contradicting statements from the media coming at all sides. Plus size models, fat-loss television shows, and the persistence of Lena Durham to get her belly out on 'Girls' are giving us truly mixed messages. What are we supposed to be celebrating? Thinness, thickness, curves or muscles? I don’t even know anymore!

- Stacey Quick

CALORIE! C-A-L-O-R-I-E! 

It's not that scary of a word. Yet, within the fitness realm, every time I mention this secretive little noun to a client or friend, I witness a reaction similar to this:

But calories really aren't that big of a deal. In fact, they're easy to describe, easy to find, easy to count and thus, easy to manage.