Four years ago I had a realisation. I was 22 years old, fat, unhealthy, anxious. I was walking around with nothing to be excited about. I decided to chance.

How weightlifting changed my life, mindset and attitude

It's no secret that weightlifting is one of the best ways to get healthier and
stronger. Girls, get that "I will look bulky"-thinking out of your head. Lifting
isn't just for boys.



Four years ago I had this realisation. I was 22 years young, fat, unhealthy,
anxious and unhappy [/the-beginning/]. I was walking around with nothing to be
excited about. Then I decided to make a change. Now, I've been lifting weights,
seriously and consistently, for three years. Three years of heavy squatting,
deadlifting, bench pressing und rowing. And it has been an incredible
experience.

Don't get me wrong, cardio also has it's place in a well-balanced lifestyle -
especially if your goal is to do endurance training. However, when I'm doing
cardio, I don't feel as tough, strong and in control of my body, compared to
when I'm lifting.

The first time I walked into the gym, I wondered how these weights will sculpt
my body. Soon I realised that the free-weights area isn't just a place to build
muscle mass and to tone up, it is also a place to develop your own personality,
to strengthen your mind.

The harder and smarter you work in the gym [/full-body-workout/], the more
results you'll begin to see in the mirror, and the better you'll feel about
yourself [/guide-to-a-healthier-body-image/]. Knowing that you only look like
this because of your hard work will make your confidence begin to skyrocket.
This will help you to become better, bigger, stronger and much more confident
every single day.



If you are scared, that's ok. Every time when I start to squat 80 kg (166 lbs) 
I’m scared as hell. You can't develop courage unless you do something that
scares you. If you are afraid of failure, you will never succeed. Hence, you
have to have the courage to do whatever you are afraid of.

Everyone has to go through some stages of failure in order to succeed, so start
cherish the experience and learn from it. You just have to leave your damn
comfort zone! Weightlifting will not only help you look better, it also helps
you challenge yourself and improve your mind's ability to focus. You need to
concentrate on yourself to get the muscle-mind connection and perform the
exercises with a proper form.

What I love the most is the discipline you'll learn throughout your journey
[/the-best-13-habits-and-tricks-of-fit-people/]. All your potential strength and
hard work won't pay off if you aren't willing to work your ass of. Discipline is
the key to obtain mental toughness, physical improvement, as well as emotional
wellbeing. Conquer your weaker self with every set you're doing and the feeling
of accomplishment afterwards is overwhelming.

As the months ticked by, I started noticing another important thing: how to make
the right sacrifices to reach your goals. Before you start with your workout,
there are always more desirable things to do. You'd rather lay on the couch and
watch TV, or stay in bed the whole morning. It's in our nature to avoid doing
what we believe we aren't good at. But I dare you to do exactly that. Do the
things you think you can't do! When I go to the gym I try to challenge myself
every time. I force myself to work on my weaknesses and put on more weights or
do the exercise I hate the most. If it doesn't suck, I don't do it.

When you take a closer look at the picture down below, you will not only see
that my appearance changed, but also the look in my eyes. I look much happier
and appear more confident in the right picture.



Exercising regularly increased my energy and bettered my sleeping patterns. Poor
sleep lead to a release of stress hormones, which is a common symptom of
depression. Regular heavy weight workouts not only helped me to handle stressful
situations much better, but also to face my challenges with more confidence.

All you have to do, is to believe in yourself and start. The first step is
always the hardest. Your mind is the key. We all look for more self-esteem and
this is one easy and healthy way to achieve it! It will change the way you feel
about what you are capable of.

Now you're looking good, feeling good and improved your overall health and
wellness. There's more. At some point it's not only about muscle growth, an inch
less on the waistline, or more weights on the bar. Longevity is the key. 
However, you're not just making progress with your physical health. You become
much more confident in your relationships, career and with your self-image.
Pretty awesome, right?

Become your own inspiration. Face your challenges and grow beyond your limits.
If I can change, so can you!

Follow me on my journey to my first bodybuilding competition! 
Last week I hit a plateau and I was starving. I could eat literally all day. It was terrible.

Competition journal 13 weeks out - valuable things I learned

Hey peeps,

as you may know by now, I'm preparing for my first bodybuilding contest in April
as a bikini athlete.

This is my third entry, make sure to read the first
[/competition-journal-17-weeks-out/] and second
[/competition-prep-journal-15-weeks-out/] as well.

Last week I hit a plateau and I was starving. I was hungry literally all day. It
was terrible. I felt totally weak and tired the whole day. Every second of the
day I was waiting for my next meal to come, just to be hungry again right after
I ate it. To be honest, I thought about quitting. Not just once, but nearly
every hour. I asked myself "why am I doing this" and if it makes sense when I
have to feel like sh** all the time. You get the idea: There were more 'downs'
than 'ups' last week.

If I can tell you one thing I've learned so far: Never ever give up! Change
always comes with struggles. You can not develop strength without resistance,
without a challenge. Courage, strength and compassion are made from your pain,
will and hustle. Handle it!

Learn to embrace the change. Learn to change your perspective.

We have a choice in how we view things.

We slightly changed my competition diet this week. Plus, I increased my calories
and protein intake a bit.

So far, this weeks is amazing. I hit the gym and get my workouts done with a
good feeling. I'm focused enough to get a lot of work done.

This is the best I have felt in days.

Diet consists of
 * 180g protein
 * 150g carbs
 * 37g fat

As I said I had to increase my calories to 1800. My diet is pretty much a
classic "oldschool bodybuilding diet" now. You guys know I'm a vegetarian,
therefore no chicken for me. But I'm rocking egg whites, cottage cheese, basmati
rice, oats, whey, lots of greens, sweet potatoes, broccoli and tuna. Basically,
I have become a Pescatarian and I love it. I function better on this assortment
of protein sources and it makes my digestion going well and efficient.

My diet is 6 meals per day á 300 cals per meal (Pre-workout, post-workout, 12pm,
3pm, 6pm and 9pm).

I also will have a weekly "cheat meal". This is crucial as it kick starts my
metabolism. I have one meal on Thursday as my fifth meal of the day, consisting
of whatever I want (in the range of 800 extra calories and not too much fat).

Let's see how it works!

Training split
Training split remains the same, but I added 3 cardio sessions per week.
Depending on how the weightlifting went that day, I'm doing steady state or
HIIT.

 * Monday: Active recovery/cardio
 * Tuesday: Back (high volume) + 30min cardio
 * Wednesday: Legs (high volume)
 * Thursday: Arms/Shoulders (high volume) + 30min cardio
 * Friday: Back (high weight)
 * Saturday: Legs (high weight) + 30min cardio
 * Sunday: Arms/Chest (high weight)




Supplementation
Yes, we also changed some things in my supplementation. So here is the new
summary:

 * Vitamin C (twice a day)
 * Vitamin D3 (5000 IUs per day)
 * Creatine
 * Whey protein powder
 * Magnesium (1g per day)
 * Fish oil

Support me by using the Hashtag #SupportSarah2017 on Instagram and Twitter.
Thanks!

See you next time.

Until then, train hard and eat right!

Cheers, Sarah

I know, the protein shake routine can get old quite fast. Don't fear any longer, super tasty protein powder recipes are here!

8 simple and delicious protein powder recipes you need to try now

Getting an adequate amount of protein in your diet is essential for supporting
metabolism and muscle recovery.

Plus, the body’s structural components, such as skin, muscles, bones and organs
are made up mostly by protein. Many hormones and enzymes, which regulate body
processes and chemical reactions are related to protein. Since we need protein
to make antibodies to fight diseases, an adequate intake in your diet is
important.

You see, protein is essential for an overall good health.

The problem is that most people can't get their required 1.8g protein per kg
bodyweight in (or 1.2g per lbs). That's when protein powders come into play.

No, they aren't just for bodybuilders or fitness freaks, but also for the
'average person'. Actually, it's the cheapest, high quality protein source out
there and easier to consume than meat or legumes, if you struggle to eat that
much. Although whole foods are certainly preferred of course.

I know, the protein shake routine can get old quite fast. Don't fear any longer,
super tasty protein powder recipes are here! Plus, you can make some of your
favourite chocolate desserts healthier by using, for example, chocolate protein
powder instead of flour and refined sugar.

1. Protein Pancakes

Your day has to be awesome when your morning begins with pancakes, right?

For the basic pancake you just need:

 * ~32g of your favourite protein powder (vanilla or chocolate is awesome!)
 * 1 whole egg
 * 2 egg whites

Yep, that's all.

You can upgrade the pancake batter with 6g of raw cacao, 100g of low fat greek
yogurt or blueberries.

If you need a topping add a little bit of honey instead of syrup.

2. Protein Brownies

Mmmhhhh, brownies. Who doesn't love a big batch of pure deliciousness?

There is no way to make them healthier and suitable for your diet? Wrong! Of
course, you can make a healthier version of your beloved brownies and make
chocolate dreams come true.

These healthy 3 ingredient flourless brownies contain no butter, grains, oil or
sugar. They’re just made out of easy, everyday ingredients. Rich, dark and super
fudgy.

All you need is:

 * 300g unsweetened apple sauce
 * 70g almond butter or peanut butter
 * 40g chocolate protein powder

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius/390 fahrenheit. Coat a small loaf pan
with baking paper. Add the apple sauce and nut butter in a large mixing bowl and
mix well. Now add the cocoa powder and mix again until it’s all nice and silky.

Transfer the brownie batter to the loaf pan and bake for 35–40 minutes. Let the
brownies cool down completely and refrigerate for several hours (best would be
overnight).

3. Protein Balls

This is the perfect snack for every one who is on-the-go.
Best thing about them: They just take about 10 minutes to prepare, they're grain
free, dairy-free and vegan.

You need for approximately 18 balls:

 * 25g vanilla protein powder (or another flavour you like)
 * 60g oats
 * 50g nut butter (peanut butter is SO good)
 * 10g honey
 * 20g chopped nuts

Place protein powder and oats in a bowl and mix together. Add the nut butter and
the honey and mix again. The batter should be like cookie dough. If not, play
with the ingredients.

Last but not least, add the chopped nuts and mix one last time. Scoop out the
batter into your palm and roll into balls. Refrigerate them for an hour and
enjoy!

4. Protein Overnight Oats

The good ol' oat meal. Nothing beats a warm bowl of oat meal if you ask me. I've
got a recipe that kicks up the protein and the flavour on your breakfast
favourite. You will most likely already have all ingredients you need at home.

 * 50g oats
 * 32g of your favourite protein powder (mine is vanilla)
 * 100g low fat greek yogurt

Boil some water. Mix oats and protein powder in a bowl together. Toss the hot
water over the mixture and stir, stir, stir until everything is smooth. Add the
greek yogurt and stir again. So fast and delicious, yum! Add fruits on top as
needed.

5. Protein Cookies

This is one of my favourite recipes lately! Healthy cookies don't get any easier
than this. In my opinion the simplest things in life are the best. And in this
case the most satisfying.

Try them and they will be one of your favourite guilt-free snacks.

For 6 cookies you need:

 * 2 medium ripe bananas
 * 100g of oats
 * 25g protein powder

Start by mashing your bananas with a fork in a bowl. Add in the protein powder
and keep mixing. Lastly, mix in the oats.

Use a spoon to drop the dough on a baking sheet. Bake at 180 degrees C (350° F)
for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy them warm or directly from the fridge.

6. Protein Coffee

Without coffee, without me! But if you're craving something sweeter or with more
taste, you need more than plain black coffee, right? We've got you covered! All
you need is:

 * 25g protein powder of choice
 * 1 cup of black coffee
 * optional: splash of soy milk or almond milk

Add protein powder to a cup of steaming coffee. Stir and add soy milk or almond
milk. Better and cheaper than any Starbucks coffee!

7. Protein Pudding

Got late afternoon cravings? Fighting against the idea of a super sweet
chocolate pudding? What if I tell you, you don't have to?

Here's the healthier version of a chocolate pudding.

You'll need:

 * 25g of vanilla or chocolate protein powder
 * 50g of plain greek yogurt
 * if needed to thin out mixture: 1 or 2 tsp water

It's really stupid-simple to make: Mix the protein powder and greek yogurt. If
you need it, add some water. That's all! Refrigerate for an hour and enjoy!

8. Protein Ice Cream

Everybody loves ice cream! Me, too. What if I tell you, you can make your own
ice cream?

Here's the recipe! You need:

 * 350g silken tofu
 * 250g frozen fruits you like (berries are so delicious, but also mango is
   pretty awesome)
 * 25g protein powder (vanilla tastes awesome and gives your ice cream some nice
   sweetness)

Simply put everything together in a blender and blend until smooth! Enjoy this
heavenly self made ice cream.

We hope you enjoyed our awesome and simple protein powder recipes. Let us know
which one is your favourite down in the comments.