Over the last few months I’ve come to a semi-unfortunate realization.
Getting into incredible shape really is much easier if you’ve got a lot of money to throw at the cause.
But, before all of our non-millionaire Joes and Janes throw in their physique towels due to their “average” bank accounts, I want to be clear that you can, of course, get into phenomenal shape at pretty much any level of socioeconomic status - it just might take more planning, strategy, and effort if your finances are tight at the moment.
Why though?
Why is it easier to get lean if you’re rich and willing to spend your money on your goal?
I’m glad you asked.
Reason 1: You can buy the most convenient, high-quality, and macronutrient appropriate foods available without stress.
As someone who specializes in fat loss, believe me when I tell you that your overall caloric intake is the number one thing you should be prioritizing when it comes to losing body fat.
It’s the biggest thing people fail to understand when it comes to a successful body recomposition effort.
Because of that, one huge obstacle for a lot people is simply being able to purchase, prepare, and consume nutrient-dense, high-protein meals multiple times per day that fit into their prescribed caloric targets on a sustainable basis.
And, guess what?
I totally get it. It can be a bit of a chore to execute a grocery haul each Sunday with enough foresight to ensure you’re going to be able to hit your protein and caloric targets everyday for the coming week.
On top of that, it’s no secret that eating higher-quality, healthier foods can be more expensive than eating their ultra-processed or fast food equivalents, which creates a troublesome combination of inconvenience and financial stress.
Well, “being rich” eliminates the inconvenience and stress of eating the right foods for three reasons:
You either have more money in the food budget in the month to buy and prepare high-quality foods yourself (if you’re a good cook and enjoy making your own food), or…
You use a high-quality, physique friendly meal delivery service like Trifecta, or…
You hire your own personal chef that prepares meals tailored specifically to your goals and you never have to think about it.
So, if you’re wondering how I personally would do the food portion of my physique pursuits if I had a money tree in my backyard, this is exactly what it would look like:
I would have a plant-based meal service on speed dial.
Seriously, if I were rich, I’d be eating a minimum of 21 pre-packaged meals per week centered around lean proteins, nutrient-dense carbohydrates, healthy fats, and plenty of well-seasoned vegetables.
If you’re serious about your body recomposition goals and you have the money in the bank to support it, using a macro-friendly meal delivery service is an absolute no-brainer in my opinion.
My quick note to rich folks who are unhappy in their own skin?
Open up your refrigerator, throw out the junk foods, and restock it with your first round of delivered meals to kickstart the fat loss process.
Reason 2: You could literally hire your own highly-personalized physique coach to be your best friend 24/7.
If you’re rolling in the dough, it’s no problem at all if you have no idea where to start when it comes to getting jacked and lean because you can pay for someone to show you the way.
But, if you’re not able to afford a coach, you’re left to figure it out for yourself, Sherlock.
I say this because one of the reasons I personally spun my wheels for years when it came to my physique was due to the fact that I just couldn’t afford to put any money toward a coach.
As a result, I was left to the internet - a place mostly known for its fitness mythology and hyper-scammy marketing deception - and the tabloid-esque claims got the best of me for the majority of my twenties.
You don’t have to be that person when you’re loaded.
As I like to say, the ambiguity of exactly what you should be doing is offloaded completely when you have a personal coach.
And, you have the freedom to execute your diet and training plan without thought-fatigue, which is monumentally important when it comes to long-term adherence.
The reality is that we all only have so much energy to give, which means the task of researching how to create an intelligent diet and training program, then actually creating an evidence-based diet and training program, and then executing that diet and training program sustainably while making the appropriate adjustments along the way due to your body’s response can become overwhelming in approximately five nanoseconds.
With a coach, you just do what you’re told and learn along the way.
Could it be any easier?
If that sounds appealing, apply for coaching with us.
Reason 3: You can afford the best gyms (and maybe even your own home gym).
For some people, the cost of membership to a well-equipped gym can be a financial obstacle (or even out of the question completely).
Fortunately, you can still get a great workout at-home even if you’re limited to your own bodyweight and a few creative objects around the house, so there’s no real excuse per se.
But, having access to the best gym in town does give you the ability to overload your muscles through all planes of motion via traditional and newer-age machine movements.
There’s no question about that.
And, since quality training is the catalyst for muscle growth, that makes having access to great equipment a pretty big deal when it comes to pursuing a goal of getting leaner and more muscular.
Some people might even be able to afford their own home gym set-up, which adds another level of convenience to the mix.
When you think about it, going to the gym presents its own unique set of friction points that could potentially pose as a detriment to your physique goal.
The Downsides of Not Having Your Own Home Gym
Firstly, you have to drive to the gym.
Obviously, that’s not a huge deal, but it does take time, effort, and planning that could be spent in other valuable ways if you’re a driven and successful person.
You have to share the equipment with other gym goers.
If you’re forced to go to the gym at peak hours, this really can be a detriment to your workout both physically and mentally.
If you’ve been progressing week to week on the hack squat, but you walk in and see two or three people waiting to use the hack squat machine, that’s a problem. If you really care about overload, you’d be best to wait for the machine, but what if you only have 45 minutes to workout? In this case, you’d be better to substitute another exercise for the sake of maximizing your work output. In other words, it just wouldn’t make sense to waste 20 precious minutes of your time slot being legalistic about your workout. But, it’s still a bummer and certainly not ideal.
And, what about the mental aspect? Fighting for equipment is stressful and discouraging, which can absolutely ruin the vibe of a workout you were looking forward to all day.
As you can imagine, having a home gym eliminates all of these issues because your equipment is onsite and exclusive to your private use and pace.
As a bonus, you can even customize the littler things like which genre of music is playing in the background and the temperature in your lifting space.
All in all, having plenty of money in the bank allows you to optimize your exercise experience in ways other people can’t enjoy.
Reason 4: You can afford regular physical luxuries like deep tissue massage therapy.
I know for a fact that if I had the money, I would probably get 2-4 deep tissue massages per month.
The fact of the matter is this…
When you’re training toward a body recomposition goal, you’re going to develop some muscle tightness, aches, and pains along the way if you’re training as intensely as you should be.
And, if you can afford to have someone release the tension a few times a month (maybe even in the luxury of your own home), you’re going to have a slight edge over any regular Joe that has to “play through the pain” and be a bit more disciplined with his own stretching and foam rolling routine.
“Healing up” through massage from time to time is probably going to keep your body performing at its best while preventing acute and chronic injury - another luxury not everyone is blessed enough to enjoy.
As a side note, if you live in Columbia, Missouri and are looking for a top notch deep tissue massage experience, I highly recommend visiting Liz at Iron Muscle Massage. The woman has hands of fire and brimstone and I promise you will not be disappointed.
And, no, she is not paying us to say that, she is just that good.
A Quick Recap
Being wealthy allows you to buy the foods you need to support your goal without inconvenience or unnecessary stress.
Being wealthy allows you to hire your own fitness and physique coach.
Being wealthy allows you to workout in the best gyms with the best equipment - some of which may even be a part of your private at-home gym set-up.
Being wealthy allows you to take care of your body long-term through massage and other therapeutic services.
How Exactly I Would Do Fitness If I Were Wealthy
Nothing would make me happier than for someone to read this final piece of the blog and awkwardly whisper to themselves, “I could actually do exactly what he’s saying. What have I been waiting for? I literally have no excuse.”
And, that’s kind of the point I’m trying to make here.
The more disposable income you have, the fewer excuses you have when it comes to your body recomposition goals - it’s just that simple.
But anyway, this is how I would do it personally:
I’d hop on a plant-based meal delivery service and buy my first week of meals and make it a regular habit.
I wouldn’t hire a coach right now because I’m really enjoying the experimental freedom I have with both my nutrition and my training, but at some point I would hire someone just to learn from their years of experience and success.
But, if I were loaded and needed quick help getting lean and jacked, I’d hire a full-time trainer to support me in my goals 24/7. This could be anywhere from $200-1,000 per month or more depending on your needs and preference of online versus in-person.
I’d make sure I have access to my favorite gym in town.
I’d buy a few sweet pieces of equipment for my home set-up immediately: a treadmill, leg press, hack squat, Pit Shark, machine bench press, assisted pull-up machine, and a rack of dumbbells up to 100 just to start. Don’t get me wrong though, that would be a pretty penny.
I’d get a 90-minute deep tissue massage once a week from Liz.
Thanks for reading, everyone! I sincerely hope you enjoyed the content and learned something.
If you feel like this blog brought you any value at all, consider sending it to a friend or family member!
And, if you're interested in working with me one-on-one, visit The Vegan Gym and apply for coaching. I’ve had nothing but success in guiding people toward their fat loss goals.
Cheers, everyone!
-Andrew
