Dean McMenamin Fitness

Dean McMenamin Fitness Former Army Trainer. Men's coach. Join the FREE Dad Bod Debrief and build the 2.0 version of yourself here: https://deanmcmenamin.co.uk/dad-bod-debrief-v2/

27/05/2026

One of the biggest disservices you can do yourself whilst on a fitness journey is over consuming fitness information.

Too much noise = scattered brain.

More focus in the modern day is about proactively blocking out information and savage level of action on a few key things.

Your ceiling Vs your floor Was out a lovely wee 8k trail run with my mate on Saturday morning. He was one of my first PT...
26/05/2026

Your ceiling Vs your floor

Was out a lovely wee 8k trail run with my mate on Saturday morning.



He was one of my first PT clients way back when I left the Army.



We got to talking about all sorts.



As you do when you're running or hiking with the guys.



One topic that always comes up with him is how he wants to start progressing with a fitness goal again.



Since the topic at hand was running, he told me:



"I want to start upping my distances every week. Like 10k, 11k, 12k, and see how far I can build it up"



After a decade now, I know him inside out.



So I told him, that's not gonna work for you.



The biggest thing that will create a transformation for you with any fitness goal, be it running, putting some muscle on or getting stronger, is identifying your floor, and being completely willing to stick to that during your worst ever weeks.



See ...



He just described was his ceiling.



The best possible weeks.



But like most guys, he wasn't thinking of his worst possible weeks.



His first few months with me he did incredible at packing on muscle, gaining over a stone and filling his sleeves that used to flap in the wind (we were in our mid 20s then, and gains were all that mattered).



But then his business got stressful and he dropped the ball.



And lost all his progress.



I've seen him repeat the same patterns since then.



As his family and business has grown things haven't gotten easier for him, they've gotten more complicated.



And hey, he's done great financially.



But this one area of his life he's always struggled with.



And he agreed with what I said.



So when I asked him to think about is absolute worst weeks, and tell me what he's confident he could stick to, and actually do it, he told me:



Two 40 minute strength workouts and a 10k run.



LOL.



I pushed back again -



You're stilling doing it, I told him.



At the moment your floor has always been ZERO.



You're shooting to high.



How about just 1 lift?



Or a 5k run?



Picture a week where you do 4-5 sessions of just one lift or 5k run per day.



Vs doing nothing?



Suddenly, what you think not worth doing becomes A LOT.



And, you keep a phycological 'foot on the battlefield'.



Whereas, when you hit the 'off switch', that rolls into months of doing f**k all until you feel motivated again.



So actually,



It's not the 'perfect' weeks that make your transformation.



It's the 'dialled down' ones.



Because those are the ones most guys don't have the discipline to practice.



Hope that helps.



Dean

PS - Want more content like this, helping the over 35 guy get lean, fit, and strong, sent directly to your inbox for free?

Join the free daily debrief at the link in my bio.

Ever notice how some people will take the p**s and make fun of others who try to get in shape? That's how far our societ...
26/05/2026

Ever notice how some people will take the p**s and make fun of others who try to get in shape?

That's how far our society has fallen into the comfort crisis.

Listen, I'm not one for begrudging down time or just switching off to enjoy life a bit more at times.

But just like a dog that's become overly domesticated, spoiled, and taken the odd walk doesn't get the true fulfilment of the hard physical (and mental) work and a purpose that, it's genes still expect it to do...

It becomes problematic.

It acts out.

It's not a happy dog.

Your human body evolved to do both physical and mental work.

When you don't feed it what it needs, problems happen.

Energy, mood, physical ability and self confidence all decline.

We don't need to succumb to the societal beliefs that 'it's all downhill after 40'.

You can set your own standards.

Ben had to step on the scales for the 'green light' to get on the fastest zip line in the world, down in Snowdonia. Sinc...
25/05/2026

Ben had to step on the scales for the 'green light' to get on the fastest zip line in the world, down in Snowdonia.

Since he wasn't the type to overly worry about his weight, this was when he first realised he was over 90kg's, a number that took him by surprise.

He was actually sitting at 95kg.

Not great for a guy in his 40s who loves being on foot in the mountains and still playing rugby whenever he gets the chance!

That lead him to starting my Rebirth program, then continuing on in the inner circle.

A year later he's now sitting at 86.2kg.

Stronger than he's felt in years.

And he's found ways improve mobility and strength in a reoccurring shoulder injury from rugby that had previously kept setting him back.

Cracking effort Ben - being lean, healthy, fit and strong in your 40s and beyond is the biggest flex a guy can have.

Want to learn how I help busy guys over 35 take control of their physical health and get in shape?

Join the FREE daily debrief at the link in my bio.

25/05/2026

How to exercise a walking vet bill - against the current treadmill method 😆

Hazel is our bulldog who was born with hip dysplasia.

She'll be 8 this year.

Up until a couple of years ago she could still play and walk for an hour or two. But she's since had 2 knee surgeries, the hips are getting worse, and both elbows are shot to bits now too.

We push her about in a stroller now as she can no longer walk 5 mins to the park. Tug and swimming are her two physical outlets now.

Time is precious now, but despite all this she's had a good life and well taken care of.

24/05/2026

What can you do today, to move the needle next week with your health, fitness and physique goal?

It's easy to drift through every week when you don't have a plan of intent. A simple plan, a little prep, and using your calendar to schedule is the effort that makes progress possible.

Being organised Vs unorganised is the difference between drifting and heading in a certain direction.

Before Sunday is over, can you make that plan for the week ahead?

Are you losing the morning? If your morning's are a bit of a struggle, unorganised, or you wish you had more time to get...
22/05/2026

Are you losing the morning?

If your morning's are a bit of a struggle, unorganised, or you wish you had more time to get stuff done and achieve your goals?

This will be mega helpful.

Why would you want to win the morning?

Here's a few reasons:

>> Win the Morning to Win the Day: How you start the morning dictates your focus, energy, and productivity for the day.

>> Start from 0 or -3: Lot's of guys don't realise they start their day 3-0 down by hitting snooze or immediately scrolling through social media, which leads to a reactive, emotional state rather than starting with intent.

>> Reducing Daily Anxiety and Stress: No morning intention can make the day feel a bit unorganised, so once the kids are all sorted you're rushing about and just trying to 'get through' the day, rather than dominating it.

>> Setting the Standard: A routine is a psychological confidence booster that sets a high standard for the day; even if the rest of the day becomes difficult, you can fall back on the fact that you smashed the morning.

>> Model Discipline for the Family: Structure and purpose sets an incredible example for your family. They see if dad is organised and in control, or always reacting to life.

A solid morning routine gives you the best fighting chance.

Don't worry, this isn't one of those 'influencer' morning routines.

You know those ones you see on social media?

A guy with a batman suit body who has no kids.

The perfect sleep.

And no stress.

Get's up at 04:00, dips his face ice water with lemon, smashes the perfect workout for 1.5hrs, meditates for 20 minutes, journals, cooks the perfect breakfast with some home brewed coffee from his professional coffee machine...

With no wife or wee ones interrupting the scene.

LOL.

You need something quick and effective that works in for normal guys in real life.

So here's a short list of steps you can swipe where you see fit:

(Use what's relevant, ignore what isn't)

>> The "5-4-3-2-1" Rule: When the alarm goes off, count down from five and put your feet on the ground immediately to stop the habit of snoozing and "chasing your tail" all day.

>> Delay Caffeine: Hold off on coffee for the first 60 minutes of the day to avoid mid-afternoon energy crashes - this allows your brain to wake up naturally rather than spike adrenaline and cortisol too early.

>> Prioritize Hydration: Start with a full glass of water before reaching for coffee to properly hydrate the body after sleep.

>> Simple Journaling: Instead of a complex system, try writing down just the three main targets or aims you need to hit that day, to give you a simple focus and lower "brain overload".

>> Movement: This is either when you hit your full workout for the day before the family rise, or even just get 5–10 minutes of mobility, a short walk, or simple reps like push-ups to energize the body with blood flow.

>> Daylight: The sooner you get daylight in your eyes the better - this helps your natural cortisol levels rise and keeps your circadian rhythm right, helping you sleep better later on.

>> Phone Boundaries: Never start your day with bad news, other peoples business, or the fake BS on social media. It's junk food for the mind. Get yourself right then your family, then allow some mindless scrolling later if you really want. You'll feel far more more focused for it.

Right man, that's all she wrote for today.

Gonna use any of these?

Hit reply let me know what you found helpful.

Dean

PS - Want content like this for guys over 35 who want to level up their health, fitness, physique and way of life? Join the FREE daily debrief at the link on my bio.

PPS - I have a full hour training on this (video and audio) delivered by myself and another Army veteran and men's coach, Dave Watson.

It's a bonus training included for anyone who signs up for the Rebirth program or my Inner Circle.

If you ever join us on any of those, it awaits for you inside.

21/05/2026

What kind of boxer exits the ring because he takes some punches?

In a way, this is what you do every time set a goal to get in shape then sack it off when life gets a bit hard.

Are you expecting it to be easy?

Expect everything to go smoothly with nothing getting in your way?

Won't commit unless life allows you to be 100% in?

Then you're being that boxer who walks out the ring (or the one who never gets in it)

Getting in shape is a messy old journey full of big highs and lows.

You need to take it all on the chin.

19/05/2026

Started the new Dutton Ranch series on Prime with Leanne on Sunday.

It's the latest Yellow Stone spin off.

My fav character is Rip.

He's got a serious Jack Reacher like aura about him.

When he walks in a room, everyone goes quiet, waiting for something to be said.

A proper hard bastard.

But a loyal servant to the guy who raised him, John Dutton, and his family’s ranch.

And a strong leader for his tribe of cowboys.

He’s also a fountain of stoic wisdom.

Yet one person's presence can change his energy from serious cowboy, to having puppy dog tame.

John's daughter, Beth Dutton.

Beth says something about chasing a peaceful life.

And Rip tells her -

"Honey, you can't chase peace. You gotta live it".

He's bang on.

And the same goes if you want to look and feel your best on your summer holiday.

Or even just confidently go a jog in a vest or look great in a t-shirt in summer.

The guys who never have that tend to chase it.

But only when they feel the pressure of that summer holiday they booked, just 4- 6 weeks around the corner.

Or when a rare period of ‘calm life’ shows up, they go all in (until life gets in the way again).

Those guys never get there.

Because having those results are just a by-product of living the lifestyle.

Results come after living the way.

Not chasing something with sporadic intensity.

All the guys I know who:

Look great in a t-shirt every week of the year.
Go runs in a vest or their summer garden work shirtless, with confidence.
Can say yes to life - a day on the mountains with the guys, running around all day with the kids, a group run or day on the bikes, without gassing out…

They're in that position because they LIVE IT.

Every week, they think ahead about making time for training.

It’s never “if I find time”

They fill their kitchen up with healthy foods.

When they eat out or travel for work, they make the best choices available.

If they have a pizza night with the kids, or beers with the lads, they don't quit or 'start again Monday'...
.. They’re straight back to it.

If they don't have an hour to train, they'll train for 20 minutes instead.

They don’t wait till life feels easier.

Life is easier because of their way of life.

Every guy on a mission needs a code to live by.

When you live by a certain code, you’re less likely to be swayed off the path.

You become someone with traits that other guys admire, and want to see in themselves.

Just like Rip.

Although, Rip can do with losing a few kg's for his own good.

(Not that I'd say that to his face, mind you).

But Rip’s a man of certain principles around loyalty, service to the Ranch, looking after his tribe, and he lives by them to the T.

In a society where it's normal (and expected of you) to be soft, weak, fragile, under muscled and have a wee belly...

You need to live by some strong principles around food, training, and setting an example.

Complete ownership.

Otherwise, you succumb to the same standard as everyone else.

So to that end...

I ask you, do you have a code?

Are you living by principles?

If not, now's as good a time as any to start writing one down.

Dean.

19/05/2026

I read recently about astronauts needing to be supported by wheel chairs for a while after coming back to earth from long tours.

Why?

Floating around in zero gravity, takes loads off the bones... they lose approximately 1-2% bone density a month. A temporary state of osteoporosis.

Then there's the muscle mass loss also.

Falls happen easily after this.

And so do bone breaks.

Your body needs stress and challenges to be strong and resistant to injury.

When you load your legs with lots of physical activity.

You get stronger, more resilient legs that can do cool s**t.

If you want to live a long and physically capable life?

Walk more.

Lift weights.

Run more.

Hike more.

You get the idea 🤟

👏 A double shout out to two lads I've coached for a while, and had the pleasure of joining in a trail race event at the ...
18/05/2026

👏 A double shout out to two lads I've coached for a while, and had the pleasure of joining in a trail race event at the weekend...

💥 James Blackshaw (left)

One my inner circle OG's. Met James in 2018 when he was overweight, struggling with chronic tiredness and no longer recognising the guy looking back in the mirror.

In his first year he made an incredible physical transformation, losing all the excess fat, getting strong AF, and was the 'poster boy' for my coaching services for quite some time as one of my first online clients.

Since then, I've watched him take up Munro bagging (Scottish mountain summits over 3000ft), summit both Mt Kilimanjaro (roof of Africa) and My Toubkal (highest peak in Atlas mountains), then recently started experimenting with running in his mid 40s.

On Saturday he banged out 30 kilometres (5 x 4 mile loops) of the Witch Wood Trail Race event - what a f**king effort big man 🫡

💥 Gordy (right)

Gordy has always been fit and somewhat of a water sport athlete when younger, as well as into both bodybuilding style training and CrossFit in the past.

He's also a keen entrepreneur who runs multiple businesses and with that, overtime, can bring a habit of overworking and finding less and less time for yourself.

That lead to a similar story as so many guys in their 40s, where the guy in the mirror no longer matches the guy you see in your head.

Gordy and I trained at CrossFit together years ago, so he was aware of my work and reached out to see if we could get him back to feeling, looking, and operation at his best.

And we did.

Gordy went through the Rebirth program then worked with me 1-1 for over a year. Got really lean, stronger, and dialled in the routines, habits and mindset to sustain this whilst running multiple businesses.

For a while he's been rehabbing a bad foot injury, and only just got back into using the leg more and starting to run again - he just knocked out close to 18k/3 laps of the trail race on Saturday.

An incredible journey for you Gordy 🫡

Mega proud of you both 👊

Dean

PS - if you want to know how I help guys over 35 get in shape and live a physically capable life, you can join the free daily debrief at the link in my bio, or shoot me a message on here for a chat to see if I can help 🤝

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