Blunt. Forthright. Matter-of-fact. These aren’t words you’d usually associate with the nation’s favourite PE teacher, Joe Wicks. Nevertheless, in his latest Instagram post, the Body Coach shares a brutally honest message on how hard work and consistency is the only way to achieve your goals. Frankly, it’s what we needed to hear.
In the video, Wicks reflects on the type of lifestyle and mentality it takes to maintain a strong and healthy body, and how shortcuts are never the answer to achieving and maintaining your dream physique.
‘I’ve just come out of the gym [after] a savage lower-body workout and it got me thinking,’ he said to his followers. ‘As I looked around at all the people training and how hard everyone was working, staying fit, building muscle and getting lean, losing weight – it’s never been easy and it never, ever will be.
‘I look around and see people struggling, they’re in discomfort, they’re pushing hard, and they’ve got incredible bodies and physiques to show for it.
According to Wicks, having a positive attitude towards work is the key. ‘[If] you just want to plod along through life, not really pushing yourself, not really training, not really being consistent to anything, you’re never ever gonna achieve what you want. You’re never going to get the body you want. You’re never going to live a healthy, happy life.’
He adds that while shortcuts may deliver short-term gains – such as ‘low-calorie diets, shakes, surgery and tablets’ – they’re not the answer in the long term. ‘The saddest thing for me and what I’ve seen over the years is people that just spend their whole life unhappy in their skin, unhappy in their body, not mentally happy in themselves, and just chasing something that they’re never going to achieve because they’re not willing to put the work in.’
Some might feel his words are a little harsh, but Wicks was quick to clarify that his message was constructive. ‘I’m saying this from love,’ he said. ‘I’m not trying to make you feel shit or feel low. I want you to feel motivated [and] inspired because you can achieve the body you want and be in a positive mental space if you’re willing to put the work in.’
His advice? Approach exercise as something you do to better yourself. ‘When you think about exercise, don’t think about it as this thing where it’s all about punishment and losing weight. It’s actually about strengthening yourself, strengthening your mind and body to be resilient, to be persevering and to be consistent.
‘It doesn’t have to be going into a gym and pulling heavy weight and smashing dumbbells around, but it has to be something that’s going to physically challenge your body, challenge your muscles and make you get results.’
