How Costa da Caparica Inspired My Strength Journey
From hiding in a t-shirt at the beach to finding confidence through strength training—this is how I finally became comfortable in my own skin.
Growing up, I spent my childhood and early teenage years dividing my time between London and Portugal. Every summer, we’d head to Costa da Caparica—a beautiful beach town close to Lisbon. As someone with Portuguese heritage, I found this to be like a second home, thanks to the countless family members who lived in or near the area. Those summers were full of adventure and joy.
I have vivid memories of my time at Costa da Caparica: playing with neighbourhood kids, battling it out on Gameboys—like Pokémon Silver and Gold, where I remember being the only one in my group with level 100 Pokémon—or spending hours managing soccer teams online with my cousin Ruben, beside his dog (pictured). I even remember when I went to my first Champions League qualification game—travelling from the beach house to Estádio da Luz with my cousin and his friends. Watching Benfica win 3-1 against FC Twente that day was something I’ll never forget. Summers there were always about creating memories.
But not all the memories were easy.
Being a chubby kid meant that I often felt self-conscious—and spending summers at a beach house only amplified that. The beach was a mere 20-minute walk away, and we went often. Truth be told, I found it a bit repetitive, and I’d rather mix up my days with different activities. The lack of confidence to take my shirt off was also something I'd end up feeling whenever I was there.
I vividly remember one particular summer day, probably around 2008 or 2009. It was blazing hot, and I was playing on the sand with my sister and some friends. We were all running around, laughing, having a great time. After a while, I was drenched in sweat and realised I was the only one in our group still wearing a t-shirt. I thought, “Maybe I’ll take it off too, cool myself down.” So, I did.
What happened next stuck with me for years.
One of the girls in our group looked at me—her eyes widened, her mouth slightly opened—like she hadn’t realised just how chubby I was. In that moment, my confidence took a huge hit. I still remember that feeling so clearly. It wasn’t her fault—we were just kids, and kids don’t think about these things deeply. I still see her around every once in a while, and there’s no resentment. But the embarrassment I felt that day stayed with me for a long time.
Maybe you've had moments like that—where something small sticks with you for years.
It wasn’t until I started strength training that things began to change. Little by little, my body dysmorphia started to fade. It took years—even when I was in good shape, I hesitated to remove my shirt. That’s when I realised that body dysmorphia wasn’t really about how I looked; it was about how I felt about myself.
But eventually, I got there. And it felt liberating—like I’d finally shrugged off a heavy mental anchor. Strength training gave me more than just muscles; it gave me the confidence to feel comfortable in my skin.
Maybe you're in the same place I once was—feeling stuck in your own head, self-conscious, unsure if you’ll ever feel comfortable in your skin.
Here’s what I realised through the process:
It’s not about looking perfect. It’s about feeling strong. The more I focused on what my body could do, the less I worried about how it looked.
Don’t let one moment define you. That look on the beach stuck with me for years, but I learned that it didn’t have to hold power over me. You can rewrite those moments by building yourself up, one step at a time.
Strength is about more than muscles. It’s about resilience, showing up for yourself, and pushing through. And over time, that mental toughness starts to build alongside the physical.
With all that said, I want to help you feel that kind of freedom, too.
So, I’ve recorded a video on the concept of progressive overload, a critical factor in making real progress with strength training. I had no clue about it during my first few years in the gym, which is why I struggled so much.
In this video, I share:
Complementary Tips: How progressive overload works hand-in-hand with long-term workout progression.
Progressive Strategies: How to continuously make gains without hitting frustrating plateaus.
Actionable Suggestions: Practical steps you can start using in your workouts today.
Real Demonstrations: Visual examples to ensure you’re on the right track.
You can click here or the thumbnail below to watch it.
I hope it helps you avoid some of the struggles I went through—so you can start building strength and confidence without all the guesswork.
Speak soon,
Leo
P.S. The pictures below are my sister and I, my cousin's dog, Dixie, and another shot of my sister I took on Carcavelos Beach on my camera.
