You will fail more often than win. Accept that. Dare to fail. When I look back at any tough times I've had, I see that's where I've learned the most. 

Why you should never give up - 1 Minute Motivation

> “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” –Friedrich Nietzsche


Everybody wants to live the perfect life. Everybody wants to always be 100%
happy, have a great job or successful business. Everybody wants to be able to
have all the material things life has to offer and that our problems just
disappear.

That's not gonna happen. Sometimes life sucks. And here's the thing: The times
that suck the most, help you to grow the most. Remember this, success has been
and continues to be defined as getting up one more time, then you've been
knocked down. So if something knocks you down, get the fuck up! Again and again.

If experience has taught me anything, it's that nothing is free, and life ain't
easy. But it's fun and if you do it right, you can grow beyond your limits.

You will fail more often than you win. Accept that. Dare to fail. Aim to fail. I
can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.

Sometimes it had to get bad to make me uncomfortable enough to want the change I
needed. Times of great difficulty are times of great opportunity. These times
may not seem ideal at first, but they usually provide keen insight into the idea
of great value. When times are good and comfortable, it's easy to become
complacent and forget how skillful and resourceful you are capable of being.
When I look back at any tough times I've had, I see that's where I've learned
the most. That's where I proved how strong I really am.

All things happen for a reason. We have to go through the challenges to gain
wisdom, confidence and experience. So, never be afraid to hit the bottom. There
is nowhere else to go but up.

Life is about change. You and I are changing every minute of the day. Fashioned
by every experience and every exchange we have with others. Embrace that.

If life has treated you like trash and you still make an effort to be a good
person, I appreciate you. Cheers to everyone who's unhappy with a part of their
life and is actually making an effort to change it. This is huge and underrated
and so important.

Keep going because no one sees progress in a day or even a week, and quite
honestly, sometimes it takes years. Just remember that wanting to change is the
first and most important step and you're already there.

One last advice: No matter the situation, never let your emotions overpower your
intelligence.

Never give up because beautiful things can be born from misery!

You can stay on track and lose body fat around the week, but destroy all your hard work by Monday morning. 
Don't want this to happen anymore? Then read on.

5 Tips on how to stay on track with your diet on the Weekends

It's the weekend! Time to go out and have some fun with your friends, right?

Weekends are one of the main reasons that can sabotage our diets. You can go all
week meal prepping [/meal-planning-101/], working out, saying no to office cakes
and yes to snacking on veggies, but when the weekend is right around the corner
it's harder to stay strong.

See, you can stay on track and lose body fat during the week, but destroy all
your hard work by Monday morning.

Don't want this to happen anymore? Here's how you can stay on track on the
weekend, while still enjoying it.

1. Eat like it's a weekday


It's very easy to slip into the state of mind that allows you to overindulge on
the weekends. Stay safe by committing to eat the same healthy foods and portion
sizes as you did during the week.

Think about it. It doesn't really make much sense to eat differently on the
weekend, especially if your food choices during the week kept you fueled and
energised!

Stick to the 80/20 rule
Your diet shouldn't be too restrictive because restriction most often leads to
binge eating [/overcome-urge-to-binge/] as soon as Friday night hits.

Be realistic. It's the weekend. You're allowed to enjoy yourself. Have a glass
of wine and a meal out with friends. Enjoy what you're craving, but do it smart
[/healthier-baking-options/]. Watch your portions and make sure to get enough
protein in [/cheapest-protein-sources/].

It's so important to remember that no hyped food trend should eliminate certain
food groups from your diet [/truth-about-extreme-dieting/]. Nothing ever is
black and white. If you love it, build it into your diet. After all, no single
food can be seen as "clean" or "unclean", "healthy" or "unhealthy" (except for
trans-fats and alcohol). Too much of anything is unhealthy for you! Heck, you
can die from overconsumption of water!

Rule of thumb: Always go fresh, best is to use whole foods and make a delicious
dish out of them. Keep it simple! Get 80% from unprocessed, nutrient-dense
foods, and 20% from whatever the hell you like to eat (I love to fit in a
Snickers bar or some ice cream in every now and then).

2. Be smart about the booze


Drinking regularly with your mates on the weekends? No, it's not a bad thing.
However, mind that alcohol might sabotage your fat loss efforts
[/correlation-between-alcohol-and-fat-loss/].

Alcoholic drinks provide no nutritional value, just empty calories - and often
times a lot of them. And let's be honest, it's not just that 'one drink', is it?

Another problem is, that alcohol loosens inhibitions. Hence, you're more likely
to overeat on food and snacks.

Furthermore, alcohol also suppresses fat burning. Consumed with a high-caloric
meal, your body will burn the 'poison' first, which contributes to more body fat
storage. Alcohol decreases fat oxidation for up to 3 days after a good drinking
session. Yes, 72 hours! If you drink every day, you're setting yourself up for
fat gain, bad nutrient absorption and alcohol-related deceases.

What's best to order?
 * Don't drink too much, because every pint counts
 * Focus on low-carb alcohol, such as spirits like vodka, gin, rum or tequila.
   The worst choices would be cream based drinks. Dry white wines are also great
 * If you want to drink a beer, try the low-calorie alternative. Also, try diet
   sodas with spirits
 * Don't order another drink until your current one is empty, and always order a
   large glass of water together with your drink. Enjoy your drink and make it
   last about an hour
 * Focus on a healthy meal or small protein-packed snacks, with a lot of fibre
   and good fats before you're consuming alcohol. This will slightly minimise
   the damage of drinking too much
 * Keep your goals and health in mind

Moderate consumption of alcohol can improve insulin sensitivity and glycemic
control, even when you suffer from type 2 diabetes. Moderate is the operative
word here!

If you're a non-drinker, just keep it that way. It's just not worth starting,
especially if health and fitness are amongst your goals.

3. Don't skip your workouts


It's the weekend, so you usually have plenty of time to squeeze in a workout,
even if it's a quick one.

Skip the long cardio sessions. Doing hours of cardio will put too much stress on
your body. Being under stress leads to an excess release of cortisol. Instead,
lift heavy weights! [/cardio-vs-weight-training/]

Don't go crazy on the treadmill. Rather add a couple of extra sets to your
weightlifting routine and hit a few personal records.

Think about HIIT
If you still have some gas left in the tank, think about HIIT. HIIT, or
high-intensity interval training, is a training technique where quick, intense
bursts of exercise are followed by recovery periods (e.g. 45 sec high intensity
followed by 60 sec low intensity).

This type of training gets your heart rate up and burns more fat in less time.
20-30 minutes tops!

4. Keep up the mental game
They're everywhere: those "all or nothing" approaches to achieving a healthy
lifestyle.

You can have some unhealthy snacks at a party and - believe me - your diet isn't
ruined! We're all humans, we're not perfect. Of course, you can have a
cheeseburger too every once in a while (moderation and balance is the key).

Don't even think about following a fad diet [/give-up-on-fads/]. Generally
speaking, every diet program that promises a weight loss of 5 lbs (2 kg) per
week on a constant basis is utter nonsense! Why? It's almost impossible - unless
you weight A LOT - to lose so much fat every week. Nor is it healthy
[/weirdest-fads/].

You already know what works for you. Believe in yourself.

5. Keep calm, you can't gain too much weight from one weekend off


Instead of thinking of the day as ruined when consuming "forbidden food", try to
put the past behind you and keep going. Get your head back in the game. Learn
for the next time or learn to enjoy your treats mindfully. That's much better
than knocking yourself down and start binging, because of your frustration.

A few off-plan treats really don't make the difference in the long run, as long
as you know how to balance them right.

Relax, one cheat day won't make a major difference on the scale. You can't gain
that much fat in one day. Especially if you consume most of your calories from
carbohydrates.

After a good feast, you will weigh more. But if it's not fat, what is it then,
you may ask [/weight-loss-vs-fat-loss/]? It's mostly water weight!

Ever heard of glycogen? It's an energy source that is derived primarily from
carbs (and in small amounts from protein), that has an interesting
characteristic: it bonds really well with water. For every gram of carbohydrate,
you'll store about 3 to 4 grams of water.

So, for example, if you consumed 300g of carbs on your cheat day and your
glycogen stores were almost empty (as it's often times the case on a diet),
you're now holding up to approximately 2.2 lbs/1 kg more water. This, in fact,
is what causes the large increase in weight after your cheat day.

However, glycogen is not the only substance which can cause water retention.
Excess sodium (eating too much salt), which is present in processed food, can
also contribute to water retention.

Do yourself a favour and don't step on the scale the next day! Some of the
weight gain will be fat, but only a very small portion. Most people need 2-3
days to be back within the same "water range" as they were pre-cheat.

Bottom line
Nobody's perfect [/dare-to-fail/]. A cheat every once in a while will definitely
not destroy all your hard work. Being lean isn't about being 100% perfect all
the time. It's okay to give yourself a break.

However, if your cheat day becomes a cheat weekend or even a whole week, you
have to reconsider your diet.

Use the aforementioned tips and stay strong even on the weekends. By the time
Monday morning comes around, you'll thank yourself for it!

5 Tips on how to stay on track with your diet on the weekends - Don't let the weekend become your weak end

There are so many people out there, that will tell you what you should be doing, instead of encouraging you to make your dreams come true. 


The Importance of Failure - 1 Minute Motivation

There are so many people out there, that will tell you what you should be doing,
instead of encouraging you to make your dreams come true.

The thing is, only you know what your goals and your personal objectives are.
You know what you've planned for tomorrow and the opportunities you have at
hand.

Always be confident in your dreams because if you don't, it's so much easier to
let these comments and opinions drain you. Remember, that the only person who
needs to believe in your dreams and visions is you. People will never fully
understand it because it's not their dream.

Let them think what they want, while you work on what you want. They are the
last thing you need to worry about. People tell me all the time that I work way
too much and that I should take a break. But at the same time, they ask me how I
stay so motivated, driven and focused.

Passion. If you love what you do, it's always easy to work for it. Discipline
isn't easy when you're not motivated or driven. Always envision your dream and
work towards it. Even if you fail. Because 95% of what you gonna do will be a
failure. But you do it for that 5% of winning.

Failure and mistakes are so important and nobody gets it. Everybody only focuses
on success, but you have to fail in order to win. Everybody wants to win, but
nobody dares to fail. I aim to fail, so I know how to do it better the next
time, and I know what works and what doesn't. Dare to suck at something and then
do it better. It's that easy. Stop letting mistakes define you. Mistakes are the
most important part of the game.

In today's world, it's so much easier to talk about success rather than
struggles. The truth is, I struggle every day. Whether it be with my company,
with my nutrition or with my workout. But I don't let it hold me down. I fuel my
actions with my struggle. Anyone can preach about success. It's so easy. But
isn't it more satisfying to talk about all the obstacles you have to overcome
and might be an example to someone else?

Keep making mistakes. Keep learning. You can't be perfect right away. I know
it's not easy. Working on yourself isn't fancy. But you aren't born to live an
easy life. Live a life full of challenges and failure. In the end, the most
important thing is that you've tried.

I’m smart because I make mistakes. A lot. Every day. You rarely learn anything
from successes or the good things in life. It’s struggle and falling on our
knees that makes us better.

Failing is better than never trying.

I'm sitting here and I'm sick and tired of excuses. I'm sitting here wondering and asking myself the same question over and over again: "why"? 

Let go of "I can't" and go after your dreams!

Wake the fuck up! I'm sitting here writing this article and I'm sick and tired
of excuses. I'm sitting here wondering and asking myself the same question over
and over again: "why"?

Why? Why? why? Why shouldn't you do what you really believe in? Why shouldn't
you do something you can't stop thinking about? Why should you let such a chance
go? Why shouldn't you do everything possible to achieve what you're imagining
for yourself? Why shouldn't you ask her/him out? It just doesn't make sense.

Imagine yourself at age 80. You're old and immobile, reminiscing at the things
you did and didn't do. What will you regret the most?

Let me answer this question for you because I want to make this very clear: The
pain of not taking action is worse than taking action and fail. You will regret
all the things you haven't done in life.

Life's too short for "What-if"'s. Stop living your life as if you're not going
to die. Because you will, you're not immortal. Stop living like there is no
fundamental urgency and stop taking everything for granted.

Be aware of your own death and let it motivate you to do all the extraordinary
things you have in mind! Don't accept it in a negative way, let it empower you.
Use it to fire your ambitions, motivation and actions. Use it to push yourself
out of your comfort zone. You are in full control of your life and destiny.

Damn it, you're alive and a human being. Stop complaining about your
circumstances and how things should be. Making something out of your situation
instead. Stop wondering "what if" and do it! Nobody is going to do anything for
you. Nobody cares about your "what if". Be grateful for what you have and stop
complaining. It bores everybody else, does you no good, and doesn't solve any
problems. Life changes so quickly.

Use what you have, to get where you want to be. You get to define your own
reality. Work for it. Hustle for it. If you want to achieve something big, you
have to work for it. There is no such thing as luck. You have to put in the
work.

Being successful requires work and sacrifice. See, while you're partying, I'm
grinding. While you're watching "Doctor Who" I'm hustling. While you're
shopping, I'm working my ass off. Work on something 24/7/365 that doesn't feel
like work to you.

Be patient. Be in it for the long run. Test, try, knock down walls, be crazy,
react and fail. Break the pattern. Do something different. Change. Every damn
day.

Striving constantly for perfection is ruining our lives! To be imperfect is the most natural thing to be. We all are imperfect and we always will be.

Nobody is flawless. And that's ok - The Ultimate Guide to Imperfection

Each and everyone of us struggles with something. We see our physical
imperfections every time we take a look in the mirror. When we fail, we reflect
on our imperfections instead of focusing on what we could have learned.

We see it as imperfection, because we constantly try to be perfect.

Aiming for perfection is like going toe-to-toe in a bare-knuckle fight with a
much more experienced opponent. It will leave you beaten up, bruised and
unmotivated.

Screw perfection! Striving constantly for perfection is ruining our lives! To be
imperfect is the most natural thing to be, because we all are imperfect and we
always will be.

Flaws make the person interesting


> The word "imperfect" actually spells "I'm perfect". Everyone is perfect in their
own imperfect ways. (Anonym)


Flaws are what makes a character realistic, interesting and attractive. Knowing
people's faults leads to emotional responses in form of sympathy.
That's why we love superheros with flaws. Their flaws make them relatable,
vulnerable and real.

Never ever be ashamed of your flaws. When we binge eat or drink too much
alcohol, it's often because we're ashamed or don't know how to deal with our
insecurities. Take ownership of it. We're all just human, you won't be judged.

Whatever happened in the past, don't let it hold you down! You have the
capability to decide who you want to be in the next 5 minutes. When things get
hard. When you want to quit. Those are the moments you need to fight through. I
don't fucking care how many times you messed up. Skipped a workout. Binged on
food. Own your flaws and don't be ashamed of them. Learn to love and accept
them. Become your own biggest fan.

Stop being outraged and ask yourself, what you can do, to solve the problem.

We're all the same
We all carry our baggage. Some bigger ones than others, but at the end of the
day, we all have to deal with something. We all felt broken once. We all were
ashamed and felt guilty.

These situations taught us things that we wouldn't have learned without them.
They make us unique. Always work through your shit and learn.

Your insecurities don't define you. Your actions and vibe do. Please, never get
lost in feeling like a victim! You are the only one who puts yourself in that
position. Even if it might not be your fault where your are right now. It's your
responsibility to deal with it.

When flaws aren't really flaws


Never ever try to lose weight to meet society's impossible standard of beauty. 
You already are beautiful! Do it for a healthier lifestyle, do it for a better
quality of life, do it to reach your full potential. Especially when it comes to
physical appearance, your flaws might not actually be flaws.

Perfection is a myth. It doesn't exist in the real world and it certainly
doesn't exist in human appearance. If you ask me, imperfections are much more
attractive.

Magazine editors know, to make a sale, they only have to play with our doubts or
create new ones, making us think we have "problems" that don't really exist.
Every part of the body is picked apart and scrutinised, with most articles
telling us outright which products we should buy to fix – or at least camouflage
– our numerous "flaws".

In other words, you are not a failure for not having a thigh gap or a bigger
biceps. We all struggle and suffer from self-doubt from time to time, but you
should never let something as little as a "flaw" be the reason not to: smile,
wear your favourite clothes or enjoy the day.

Stop letting the mirror, magazines or other peoples dumb comments dictate how
you perceive yourself.

Why you should embrace your flaws
It lightens up your mood


Once you stop chasing an impossible beauty ideal, you can be truly and
authentically yourself. You have more room to follow your purpose, without
creating obstacles by yourself. You don't have to be "perfect", to be the best
version of yourself.

Accepting who you are is liberating. Try it!

You start focusing on who you really are and not who you think you are not
One of the most important things I've learned when I let go of chasing
perfection and unreachable beauty standards! Letting go of the idea of
perfection, makes you discover who you really are.

Plus, when those inner battles finally stop, your self-image will be much more
positive, which will also affect your overall health.

You'll open up to the imperfections of others


When you truly understand that imperfections and flaws are only human, you start
to empathise with other's imperfections. You'll be much less inconvenient by the
things others do and much less judgmental, because you can be true to yourself.
It allows you to measure things with the right perspective.

Screw perfection!
Yes, I'm probably mildly chaotic, over-thinking, clumsy and very bad at jokes.
But those are a few of the things, that make me lovely.

When you find yourself discouraged, because some things don't work out as
planned, move on. After all, imperfect actions will always be better than no
action at all.

Nobody is flawless. And that's ok - The Ultimate Guide to Imperfection & Weakness

After 20 weeks of strict diet, I know that sticking to a diet plan can wear on your nerves. But I also learned how to keep myself consistent and motivated.

11 secrets to stay motivated with YOUR weight loss

You start out on fire. You're motivated beyond limits, you don't even crave junk
food and you exercise like a beast. But then you suddenly hit a rough patch and
you can't stop thinking about that chocolate cake until you finally give in.

Sadly, most of the people who try to lose weight do not succeed. In fact, some
of them gain weight after a failed diet out of frustration.

After 20 weeks of strict diet
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/bikini-competition-journal-1-day-out/], I know that
sticking to a diet plan can wear on your nerves and your determination. I know
it's not always easy or a walk in the park. But I also learned how to keep
myself consistent and motivated throughout my journey.

Let me share with you what I've learned to stay on track and let me help you
smash your weight loss goals.

It's not a sprint, it's a marathon

Tell yourself that every day. Trying to sprint through a marathon will set you
up for failure and it's not healthy at all. You need to get into the right
mindset to maintain healthy weight loss. Slow and steady.

You can't lose something in a few weeks, that took you years to put on. Give
your body and your mind the time they need to adapt to the new habits. Aim to
lose around 0.5 kg/ 1.1 lbs per week. Don't know how many calories you need to
eat to lose weight healthy? We made an calorie calculator for you!
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/how-many-calories-do-you-really-have-to-eat-free-calculator/]

It takes us about 66 days on average to make a new behaviour a habit. Keep going
and don't be discouraged when things don't change over night.

Track your weight loss, but not daily


Weigh yourself regularly to measure your success, but once a week is totally
fine. By that you're not derailed by daily fluctuations.

Plus, follow some general rules: Weight yourself at the same time of the day -
preferably right after you wake up and you went to the toilet, on an empty
stomach, just in your undies. Write down your weight somewhere. In that way, you
can see how much progress you've made, or if you need to change things a little
bit in order to keep losing body fat.

If you don't want to rely on the number on the scale, start taking your 
measurements. It's a lot more accurate and you will visually see where you lost
the most of your body fat. Don't rely on body fat measurements from scales, 
they
are proven to be unreliable and error prone
[/how-to-determine-your-body-fat-percentage/]!

Plan your meals

One of the most important things! Plan your meals at least a day ahead in order
to stay on track when you get hungry. A lot of people have good intentions when
it comes to cooking or buying groceries, but when the hunger strikes they're not
prepared and it's a lot easier to grab some fast food. Planning when, how much
and what to eat [https://blog.slickcoach.com/how-to-track-your-food/] will keep
you on track with your diet plan.

Additionally, keep freshly cut fruits or veggies in your fridge or with you,
along with some delicious nut butter (but keep in mind, that nut butters have a
lot of calories, don't use too much).

Get support

I honesty never thought I'd say that, but support is so important. There will be
days when you just want to quit. And that's when you need people who believe in
you and who push you through those downs. You can't always do everything by
yourself.

Plus, if you surround yourself with like-minded people, which are on the same
journey as you are, you are less likely to make poor eating choices or even
think about quitting. It doesn't have to be a support group. A friend, family or
people from your gym is all that it takes. Or just the public! Post your plans
on Instagram, Youtube or Facebook and keep those people in mind, when you need
somebody to hold you accountable.

Believe me, it's really encouraging to know that there are people who want see
you succeed!

Know yourself

You know yourself the best. If you know you can't resist that chocolate bar, 
work it into your meal plan. It's much better than restricting yourself, losing
control and start binge eating.

If you know you could have what you're craving for, you will more likely stay on
track.

Furthermore, classifying certain foods as "off limits" won't help anyone. 
Forbidden food is only more attractive to you. As history shows ;)

Don't buy "problem foods"

If you have constant cravings for sweets
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/the-reasons-you-may-be-craving-sugar/], fried or
processed food and find yourself saying, "I'll just have one little bite from
time to time", but always eating the whole damn thing, stop buying it! It's that
simple.

You're creating a comfort zone for your self sabotage. Just stop, okay. You will
feel much better, not having this stuff in your home. If it's in the cupboard,
it will be eaten.

"X" off the days

This is one personal tip that helped me and our clients a lot. Visually seeing
the days you stayed strong. Doing this feeds the part of the brain that wants to
accomplish things, which will keep your motivation high and reminds you day
after day of the lifestyle you want to live.

Search online for a free annual calendar or simply take the one above, print it,
pin it on your fridge and 'x' off each day you sticked to your diet.

Stop that "black & white" thinking

Nowadays you read it nearly everywhere: those "all or nothing" approaches to
achieve a healthy lifestyle.

You can have some unhealthy snacks at a party and - believe me - your diet isn't
ruined! We're all humans, we're not perfect. Of course, you can have a
cheeseburger too every once in a while (moderation and balance is the key!).

Instead of thinking of the day as ruined when consuming "forbidden food", try to
put the past behind you and keep going. Get your head back in the game. Learn
for the next time or learn to enjoy your treats mindfully. That's much better
than knocking yourself down and start binging, because of your frustration.

A few off-plan treats really make the difference in the long run, as long as you
know how to balance them right.

What works best for you

This is something very close to my heart: Everybody is different!

The meal plan I created for myself doesn't work for you, and the same goes for
my workout routine. You need your own individual meal plan
[https://www.slickcoach.com/].

There is no perfect way of dieting that works for everyone! That's why it's so
bad if coaches and nutritionists suggest the same diet to all their clients.
Nature doesn't work like that.

You have to find a way of eating and exercising that you'll enjoy, find
sustainable and can stick to. Otherwise it won't work.

The best diet
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/what-is-the-best-diet-in-the-world-to-lose-weight/] 
shouldn't be a diet, it should be a better lifestyle with healthier habits which
you can adopt step by step.

Celebrate success

But not with food!

Reached your weight loss or exercise goal for this month? Then it's time to
celebrate!

Rewarding yourself for your achievement can encourage you to more success. Buy
yourself the new album of your favourite band, go to the cinema for a movie, buy
that lovely dress you wanted for a while now.

Just don't reward yourself with a deep dish pizza und ice cream. It defeats the
purpose.

Get moving

Getting some fresh air will not only boost your mood, but will also distract you
from eating. Sometimes the only thing you can think about is when you can
finally eat your next meal. Trust me, I know.

Physical activity is the solution
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/full-body-workout/]. While weightlifting is the
best solution for a strong, healthy and lean body, adding more simple, low
impact activity like walking throughout the day will increase energy expenditure
as well. Without putting stress on your central nervous system like running
would.

Always keep the ending in mind. What do I mean by "ending"? See, that's the
point. There is no ending. Weight loss is not about losing your excess body fat
and than go back to your old behaviour. It's primarily about changing your
lifestyle to become healthier and then lose weight.

Most people can't keep their weight off after they fought so hard to lose it,
because they embarked into a highly restrictive diet plan just to reach that
goal weight, and then stop when they reached it. Those diets are not sustainable
and often times not healthy.

But remember, only 10% of your weight loss journey comes from activity. The rest
is the right nutrition!

The biggest challenge in staying consistent is that life happens. There can
always happen something that will distract you from working out or eating
healthy. For that reason, it's so important to focus on forming new healthier
habits instead of quick fixes and unrealistic diets.

Consistency makes all the difference between results and regret.

What motivates you to stick to your diet? Let me know in the comment section
below.

11 secrets to stay motivated with your weight loss

Everybody seem to hit a wall every now and then. Self-doubt, lack of confidence or missing motivation is something that most of us known too well.

Stop being your own worst enemy - Don't hold yourself back

> “Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded
thoughts.” — Buddha


Everybody seems to hit a wall every now and then. Self-doubt, lack of confidence
or missing motivation is something that most of us know too well.

We have to learn, that it’s not about who we are that holds us back, but who we
think we are not. Our biggest enemy is living inside of us.

You suffer from your own disbeliefs! Having no hope inside of you doesn’t mean
that there is no hope. It's crucial to believe in yourself. The mind drives the
body. How you’re thinking makes the dream you're dreaming possible or
impossible.

You have to master yourself first, afterwards you can master everything. All it
takes is just changing your thoughts and actions.

Nobody else can do it for you, you have to understand that it's ok to not be
perfect. Nobody is. It’s ok to be vulnerable. Just be yourself, that's totally
enough. Stop being your own worst critic and start enjoying who you are.

How should you do that? The key is to focus on the good. Learn to appreciate
every moment, because it could always be worse. Enjoy life for what it really
is. With all it’s ups and downs. Learn that life happens for us, not to us.

We all fail at some point, but it’s what we learn from that and how we react to
that, that changes us. Sometimes you have to force yourself to fail. To be
completely honest with yourself. That failure is one of the best things that can
actually happen to you. Failures shouldn’t drag you down. They should empower
you. Don’t expect impossible perfection right away and allow yourself to fail.

Start to appreciate every little thing that happens directly in front of you.
Stop worrying about the big 'if'. If you get that new job. If the person from
the bar will call you back. If you will reach your weight loss goal in time. If
you're going to live in the same boring town years from now.

It’s all about your perspective. Of course, it’s easy to see the negative side
first. But "easy" is not what we're aiming for.

Do what is right, not what is easy. You’ll learn a lot more about yourself, when
you ignore the lazy voice in your head and take the hard way instead.

Living is about learning, growing and discomfort. Be grateful and make something
out of what is given to you.

You are the only person who can hold you down or push you through over your
limits. It's your decision.

Progress is impossible without change.

Stop being your own worst enemy

If there's one thing I'm totally sure about it's this: almost every woman or man I met, struggles with her/his body image. 

No bulls&#! guide to a healthier body image - Love yourself first

If there's one thing I'm totally sure about it's this: almost every woman or man
I met, struggles with her/his body image. That doesn't mean we all have eating
disorders. It just means that there is one part of her or his body, with which
she/he has issues with.

A big part of a healthy lifestyle is not only taking care of your physical body,
but also of your mental and emotional wellbeing.

I totally understand you, because I had the same issues. How can I feel good
about myself, when every lifestyle magazine, health and wellness website, or
local gym is shouting about the perfect bikini shape. We are so tired of "bikini
diets" and "10 day beach body cleanse" nonsense.

Sadly, we live in a society where we are constantly confronted with unrealistic
images.

Let me tell you this: Everyone's body shape is different.

I can weight exactly the same as you, but with a completely different body
shape.

Our genes determine our bodies. Our height, muscle and fat distribution as well
as bone structure.

Besides that, your body image may not be a reflection of what you actually look
like! That's why a healthy body image is necessary. It can affect your
self-esteem, self acceptance and your attitude towards food and exercise.

Struggling with your body image isn't uncommon. Let me help you with these 6
ways to slowly love yourself more and more.

Calm down
Keep stressing about all the things you don't like about your body wont help
you. Relax and calm down. You have to learn to get your head and thoughts right.
Stop constantly judging yourself.

Find out why you think what you think about yourself. Understand yourself and
change your perspective. Judging yourself means you remain stuck and closed.
Start being kind to yourself and appreciate your body.

You are more than a size
It's everywhere: Size 0. Society tells us that in order to be 'sexy', you have
to be as small as possible. That's just not true.

Start questioning everything. Why can't you be curvy AND sexy? Who is telling
you that you have to be thin to be beautiful? Why do you have to be a certain
size? Choose your size to be comfortable with and love yourself.

Sometimes people and advertisement are wrong. Plus, think about it. Do men love
skinny model types or curvy women like Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez. Same with
women. The Rock, Hugh Jackman or Chris Hemsworth anyone?

Stop avoiding your body
Face your body and get to know it. Including lumps and bumps.

If you usually avoid mirrors, start approaching them. Look at yourself from
every angle. Don't just focus on the bits you don't like.

Try to spend more time naked. Start loving yourself and focus on the things you
like about yourself.

Stop comparing yourself to others
It's such a habit and happens hundreds of times a day, even if we don't intend
to do it.

Try to take notice when you compare yourself to others and what you say to
yourself when it happens. Are you fair with yourself? Are you realistic? How do
you feel about yourself?

Set realistic goals
If you want to lose fat to be healthier, that's totally doable. Make some
exercise and set nutrition goals for yourself.

However, if you don't like your height, that's another story. Accept what you
can control and what you can't.

Also don't assume you can lose huge amounts of fat in 2 weeks time. You probably
gained the weight in a matter of months or even years. It's faster to lose it
but not that fast. One pound per week is enough and healthy.

Surround yourself with the right people
There is nothing worse than being out with a girlfriend who is constantly
complaining about her body.

What you need is to hang out with friends who embrace themselves and their
bodies. That's the only way you can embrace yours, too. Body confidence is a
daily practice for everyone of us.

Talk to your friends and maybe you'll find that they are struggling with their
body image as well. Talk it through!

Be healthy, not skinny.

No bulls&#! guide to a healthier body image

Imagine if you would get what you want, every time. There would be no struggle. No hard work. No challenges. 
Maybe you think: “That would be great”.

1 minute motivation - Your greatest obstacle is your greatest strength

Imagine if you would get what you want, every time. There would be no struggle.
No hard work. No challenges.

Maybe you think: “That would be great”. But I say: “No, you would be weak!”

You can not grow without hustle and struggle. You can not develop strength
without resistance, without a challenge. Courage, strength and compassion are
made from your pain, will and hustle. Handle it!

You are so much stronger than you think! Stop making excuses. Every set back,
every failure has formed part of your story. Have the courage to live the life
you want to live, regardless of what everyone else thinks.

The person that is hungrier, is the one who gets there first. Hard work always
pays off. In the end, the one who is more dedicated to reach the top will win.

Your greatest obstacle is your greatest strength.

Keep going and keep growing!

1 Minute motivation #4

If you aren’t happy, you have to change something! If you’re not willing to change it, stop complaining.

1 Minute Motivation #3

I get so frustrated with people who complain all the time, but keep their same
routines and lifestyles. If you aren’t happy, you have to change something! If
you’re not willing to change it, stop complaining.

You want to become fitter? Work out more often! You want to become leaner? Eat
the right food and cut out unhealthy processed junk food. Yes, it is as easy as
that! Change in order to reach your goals isn’t rocket science.

What we put into our bodies we get out. Eat like crap, feel like crap. If you’re
dissatisfied with something in your life, stop and change. Now! Not tomorrow.
Not next week. And especially not with the beginning of the new year. Now is the
time.

Start to take care of your body. Your body is one of the few things you can’t
just buy a new one of.

Learn to embrace the change. Learn to change your perspective.
We have a choice in how we view things.

Use it.

Everything is possible. You can do anything you want as long as you have the passion, the drive, the focus and the support.

1 minute motivation #2

Anything is possible.

I dream big dreams. The kind of dreams that some people said would not be
possible. That some people smile about or laugh at.

Everything is possible. You can do anything you want as long as you have the
passion, the drive, the focus and the support. Don’t allow anyone — friends,
family, teachers, doesn’t matter who it is — to tell you what you are imagining
for yourself is not possible. It is.

Please don’t become one of those people, which are going to walk around with a
job you hate, angry at the whole universe and bitter, because you let your
dreams drift away from you. Because you did not believe strongly enough in
yourself and what you can achieve. Things are possible and dreams can come true.

Be passionate. Be crazy. Knock down walls. Climb mountains. Fail. Learn from it.
Try again. Create. Do all the things that are going to put yourself in a
position where you have to come out of your damn comfort zone.

If they’re telling you that you can’t, work twice as hard and proof them wrong.
Take your mind off the problems for a moment and focus on the positive
possibilities.

In order to be successful your focus has to be so intense people think you’re
crazy. Your mind is the only limit.

Anything is possible.

There are so many people out there who will tell you that you can’t. What you’ve
got to do is to turn around and say — watch me.
If I’d given up every time things got hard, I would not be the person I am
today. We all struggle. We all fail from time to time. We all have moments of
self doubt.

I hated the way I looked. I felt like a complete failure. I doubted if I even
wanted to do “fitness” anymore. But what kind of role model rebounds? The real
kind! The human kind. The kind that can admit they fucked up. The kind that
turns around & comes back stronger.

I committed to being better. Doing better. Changing my life. I fought everyday
to become the best version of me. It wasn’t overnight. But no matter how slow
you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch.

You have the capability to decide who you want to be in the next 5 minutes. When
things get hard. When you want to quit. Those are the moments you need to fight
through.

It will not be easy. You will struggle at times. But quitting? That’s not an
option. How do you keep going? How do you not just sit down and give up?
Sometimes it’s easy. Sometimes it’s not. Just keep going. It takes courage to
become who you really are!

I don’t care how many times you messed up. Skipped a workout. Binged on food.
You still have the option to turn it all around. To strive to be your best. To
push yourself past your limits. To make the right choices. To start your journey
today.

Today is your day.