Self-improvement addiction: Why you have been struggling in making progress

Anyone who’s embraced the self-improvement lifestyle knows what I’m talking about. It makes you feel in control of your life. It can even make you feel ‘better’ than other people – like you’re doing ‘more’ than everyone else is


Yet often it fails to sustain you. It often leaves you feeling like you’re not enough as you currently are. Like you need to hit that next milestone in order to truly be ‘successful’.

This is the phenomenon I want to explore in this article: why does self-improvement often feel like you’re taking 3 steps backwards for every 1 step forward? How can something so positive make you feel so damn frustrated?

Reason #1: You’ve Become Addicted to Growth

You know you’re addicted to self-improvement when anything but rapid progress seems like stagnation.

The fact of the matter is that we are all motivated – at least to some degree – by our inherent egotistical nature. And self-improvement feeds that natural inclination
 oftentimes in massive increments.

For example, take an overweight guy with low self-esteem who commits himself to taking control of his diet and exercise routine. After a few months he’s shed 20-30 pounds, and he’s starting to see himself as somebody different. No longer is he a worthless piece of shit (not that he ever was, but let’s assume that he used to beat himself up a lot about his physical appearance). Next he starts redefining his fashion and clearing out his wardrobe full of gamer hoodies and baggy jeans.

Before you know it, this guy or girl is getting eyed-down by women or men everywhere he goes. He still hasn’t grown into his full potential, but he feels like he’s on top of the world.

Okay, that’s an extreme example, but you get the point: self-improvement can be a powerful drug. And like any drug – or anything else in life – there are diminishing marginal returns. This means that you make the biggest strides of progress at the beginning of your journey
 assuming you have the discipline to do the work and take the right steps.

The point is that after you experience this initial ‘high’, you want to keep it going. And this is a good thing because it tends to motivate you to put in more and more work and grow further and further. It’s a double edged sword, however, so when you begin to face the inevitable diminishing returns, it’s easy to feel like you’re stagnating


You’re no longer building noticeable muscle mass every month. You’re no longer learning a ‘groundbreaking’ hack or habit each and every day. You no longer see a crystal clear next step to take in your journey
 and this can be very frustrating.

Reason #2: Inflated Standards & Expectations

As you grow and improve, you naturally will compare yourself to better and better people.

When you get started trying to improve any given area of your life, you’re likely to compare yourself to your friends, coworkers, and family members. And honestly, most people are average in most areas of their lives (hence the meaning of the word average).

As you begin to outgrow these people, you start to compare yourself to the next tier of people. No longer are you the most jacked bro among your circle of friends, but now you’re only the 10th ‘biggest’ guy at your gym. No longer are you the smooth casanova compared to all your friends, but now you’re meeting guys who seem to be far more successful with women than you previously could have even imagined. No longer are you a successful entrepreneur who managed to quit his 9-5 job, but now you’re just another ‘solopreneur’ struggling to take your business to the next level and make the ‘big bucks’.

On one hand this is very motivating: the hunger to compete with the next tier of competition provides the pressure you need to put in the extra work and push your body, your business, and your skills to the next level. But it can also be quite depressing and make you feel like shit about yourself. You’re no longer the big fish in a little pond, now you’re just another little fish in the big sea.

This is another natural phenomenon. Our inherent egotistical nature will continue to drive us to compare ourselves to other people. And that’s ok. It’s just important to remind yourself that you don’t need to ‘beat’ anyone in order to be happy. There will always be more people to ‘beat’ after this round of competitors. This is not to say you should relinquish your competitive spirit altogether – it’s still a positive thing that has the potential to drive you forward.

Reason #3: You Never Give Your Inner-Warrior Permission to Chill Out

We naturally go through cycles of growth and rest, and resisting the down cycles will only cause pain and frustration.

The same way the seasons change, the stock markets boom and bust, and we need to sleep every night – we also need to give ourselves the chance to take a break from pushing ourselves every so often.

This inner-warrior that drives us forward is an amazing gift. Hell, many people don’t ever even get in touch with their own inner-warrior. So you should embrace it with all your heart – it will lead you to more and more growth and success


But do NOT over-identify with it.

We all need to rest and chill out from time to time. So, if you’ve had a solid run of productive months where you made great progress, but now you feel like every little task is a burden or a chore – realize that it might be time to take a week off. Maybe not completely off, but at least a week to focus on the basics: eat well, sleep a lot, exercise, get the little items off of your plate, etc.

These time periods are crucial. They allow you to fill your tank back up, and get back that beastly sense of motivation and determination that got you here in the first place.

And that’s been one of my biggest realizations over the past few years. Being gentle with yourself at times can make all tge difference. It allows you to sidestep a lot of pain and frustration. And it ensures that your long term progress never dies down, even if you have to let up for a little in the short term.

5 ways to deal with anxiety and negative self talk.

Anxiety and negative self-talk are two things that all of us experience.

There is no way to avoid them. They are simply part of being human.

However, it’s extremely important to manage how you deal with these things on a daily basis. Otherwise, they’ll cripple your self-confidence and destroy your ability to stay focused.

In this article, you’ll learn 5 simple strategies to overcome anxiety and negative self-talk. These are tools that are actually meant to be used. Try each of them out.

#1: Shock Your System

A little bit of stress can quickly spiral out of control and turn into crippling negative self-talk.

When this happens, it’s normal to feel completely paralyzed. It can seem like there’s nothing you can do to “get out of your head”. Your thoughts just keep getting more and more depressing.

Consider this: there’s no way to “think” yourself out of these bad mindsets. In fact, thinking will only feed the anxiety and make you feel worse.

Instead you have to find a way to stop thinking. You have to find a way to FORCE yourself out of the bad mindset. An effective way to accomplish this is to “shock your system” by hopping into a cold shower for 1-2 minutes.

When you step into a cold shower, your survival instincts take over and you’re forced to drop all the BS that’s going through your head.Your body is overcome with sensation, you start breathing deeply, and you immediately feel rejuvenated.

In fact, Studies prove that cold showers are an effective treatment for depression. You see, exposure to cold activates your sympathetic nervous system, releases key neurotransmitters, and sends an overwhelming amount of “shockwaves” through the cold receptors of your nerve endings. In other words, it sends a jolt of energy through your body and immediately changes how you’re feeling.

#2: Audit Your Anxiety

Fact: All of your anxiety is caused by SOMETHING.

If you take a minute to reflect, it’s not hard to determine the source of your negative thoughts. To help you complete this task, I have two questions for you


#1: Are there any specific habits you indulge primarily when you’re anxious?

For example, I pick my fingers or mindlessly scroll through Facebook . Maybe you bite your nails or maybe you do something else.

Take a minute and think about it now.

Realize that these are simple coping mechanisms that feed your anxiety and make it worse. When you indulge in any of these habits, you prevent yourself from facing the anxiety head-on and letting it go.

Next time you catch yourself doing one of your anxious habits, realize that you’re doing it, and then stop.Instead, try one of the other strategies listed on this page.

#2: Are there specific substances you normally consume before becoming anxious?

For example, some people get paranoid after they smoke weed. For me, sometimes my mind starts to race after I have caffeine. Also, I know people who start to get very negative and depressed when they drink alcohol.

All of these substances are drugs. They change how you feel. If one of these substances is making you feel bad, then you need to be honest with yourself and stop consuming it.

#3: Catch and Release

You have thousands – if not millions – of thoughts going through your head every single day. Most of these are simple passing observations and reflections. They come and go


But sometimes you get “stuck” on something – a little thought enters your head and, before you know it, you’re knee-deep in negative self-talk. Maybe you see something that reminds you of your ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend . Before you know it, you’re lying on the floor in self-pity, wishing you could have her back.

Or maybe you’re self-conscious about your height and you walk by a tall, good-looking guy. Now, all of a sudden, you can’t stop imagining how much “better” life would be if you were just 2 inches taller.

The unfortunate truth is that it’s impossible to avoid negative thoughts like these. The good news is that you can train yourself to let go of them when they arise.

It’s a simple process really:

  • Catch yourself engaging in negative self-talk
  • Acknowledge that you’re doing it
  • Don’t beat yourself up, just tell yourself: “These thoughts are not productive”
  • Now, shift your focus to something else (your breath, your footsteps, the wind on your face, the project you’re working on, etc)

I’ll be honest: this is a lot easier said than done. But, if you continue to “watch” your thoughts, and let them go when they get negative or self-destructive, it will eventually become an automatic process.

#4: Move Your Body

When you get anxious, what symptoms do you normally experience?

If you’re like most people, your chest gets tight and you start to breathe very quickly. Also, you start having obsessive thoughts. Maybe your mind is racing, or maybe you’re focused on a particular bad situation in your life.

If you continue to focus on these thoughts, the anxiety will only get worse.

Instead, you must “get into” your body. Why? Because it’s the only way to “get out” of your head. You will never be able to “think” yourself out of a bad mood. It simply doesn’t work.

But, if you start to focus on how your body feels, you will naturally let go of the negative thoughts. And you will immediately feel 100X better.

The easiest way to do this is to exercise. Go lift some weights . Feel your muscles contracting. Or go for a run or bike ride. Feel your lungs filling with air. And, if you can’t bring yourself to exercise, at least go for a quick walk around the block. Feel your feet hitting the ground, one step at a time. And feel the fresh air on your face.

Before you know it, your negative thoughts will be gone and you’ll be in a calm, meditative state of mind.

#5: Meditate Every Morning

The final strategy I want to offer you is daily meditation.

Yes, I’m sure you’ve already been told to meditate at least 1000 times. But let’s talk about why it will help you overcome anxiety and negative self-talk.

You see, when you meditate, you generally focus on your breathing. You focus on the sensations of inhalation and exhalation. And, whenever you catch your mind wandering or thinking about something else, you simply return your focus to your breathing.

Essentially, what you’re doing here is TRAINING your mind to let go of unproductive thoughts during the rest of your day!

After several months of meditation, it will become quite easy to let go of negative self-talk whenever it comes up
 Because you have been PRACTICING to do this every time you meditate.

Stop thinking of meditation as a magic pill and start thinking of it as PRACTICE for letting go of anxious mindsets and negative self-talk. This is the true value of meditation – and its usefulness cannot be ignored.

If you’re looking for an easy way to start meditating, I recommend downloading the Headspace app on your smartphone. It offers simple, guided meditations you can listen to every morning.

How to stop beating yourself up and keep moving forward?

You know that feeling.

You just fucked up. Your stomach drops. You curse yourself. Life sucks.

Maybe you made an impulsive investment decision that lost you a bunch of money. Maybe you sent a retarded text message to that girl/boy you’re trying to meet up with and she/he stopped responding. Maybe you slipped up on your diet and feel like a fatass.

Either way it sucks. It seems like your whole world is about to end. You understand it would be best to simply learn from the mistake and move on, but you can’t actually bring yourself to do it.

Instead you beat yourself up and start to identify with the mistake. You start to look at yourself as a worthless failure who doesn’t deserve to be happy. Your world can quickly begin to crumble if you’re not careful.

This is why you should always remind yourself that you’re a ‘work in progress’ during these tough times. Why? Allow me to explain


Don’t Be Perfect, Be a ‘Work in Progress’

We tend to take ourselves way too seriously. We act as if the fate of the world depends on how successful we are in our life. We’re scared to death of failure and rejection.

When you buy into this common mindset, you set yourself up for a shitty life. This is because when you inevitably screw up, rather than learning from the mistake, you dwell on it and allow it to consume you.

Yeah, maybe you just blew your chances with that girl you really like. Yeah, maybe you just blew a few thousand Ruppees that you’ll never see again. Yeah, maybe you just over-ate for the fourth time this week and yet again delayed your weight loss goals. These things suck. Of course. But they can’t be avoided. So you should adapt your mindset to be able to cope with them when they do happen.

An easy way to do this is to remind yourself that you’re just a ‘work in progress’. You’re still learning and improving your skills and your life. You’re not perfect and you never will be. So lighten up, stop taking yourself so seriously, and get back to the grind.

When you do this, not only are you able to move past the mistake a whole lot quicker, but you’re also far more likely to learn from it and correct your behavior the next time you’re in a similar situation. That’s what being a ‘work in progress’ means after. You’re always iterating to the next best version of yourself.

Sometimes you’ll fail. Sometimes you’ll succeed. But you’ll keep on going and improving either way.

Making Mistakes = Making Progress

progress

Let’s get analytical for a second.

Nothing in life happens in a straight upward projection. The stock market has been steadily rising for the past century, but it still suffers dips and crashes. However it always recovers and continues the upward trend.

The same goes for you. If you start to train martial arts, you’re going to suffer some setbacks and injuries that make you feel like you’re actually getting worse. And you might be
 temporarily. But if you keep training, you’ll eventually make progress and get better. The sames goes for learning a new language. Some days you’re going to feel like you can’t speak a word or connect 2 sentences when you felt nearly fluent yesterday. But again: if you stick with it you WILL get better.

Even when it comes to fitness and weightlifting, the same rule applies. Somedays you won’t be able to squat as much as you did last week. Somedays the warm-up set feels heavy. Other days you come in and feel like a beast, and set new PRs left and right. But again: if you stick with it you will always see progress in the long term.

My point is that mistakes – and backwards progress even – are all part of the process of getting better. When you’re a ‘work in progress’ you will inevitably suffer some setbacks and some shitty days, but your ability to keep going despite these mistakes is what will dictate your long term success and happiness.

“Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish”

Steve Jobs famously said “Stay hungry, stay foolish”. And I think this quote really embodies the idea of the ‘work in progress’ mindset.

On one hand, you should stay hungry. You should push for more and more in all areas of your life. You should challenge yourself, chase your passion, and be hungry for growth and success.

On the other hand, you must embrace your foolishness. You must accept that you’re going to do some foolish things. And you should realize that these are an important part of the process. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Enjoy the foolish times as much as everything else.

Steve Jobs is widely considered one of the most successful innovators of all time, and he did a bunch of foolish things. He dumped all of his Apple stock when he was initially booted from the company, and he neglected his daughter for years to name a couple. But he brushed off his mistakes, learned from them, and marched on.

So when you screw up and do something stupid, just remind yourself, “I’m a work-in-progress.” And then have a laugh about the stupid thing you just did. Be happy and stay focused, regardless of how much of a step backwards it seems like you just took.

Your ability to do this will determine how happy – and how successful – you’ll be.

How to be more confident?

Confidence is everything


If you are confident, then you believe in yourself. You believe in your ability to take action and accomplish your goals.

But without confidence? You’ll struggle to get what you want in your career and relationships.

In this article I will show you how to be more confident in yourself by giving you 9 actionable tips you can use today.

1. Set small goals :

If you want to be more confident in yourself, then you need to build trust in your ability to get shit done.

You need to prove to yourself that you can take action and accomplish your goals. And the best way to do this is to set small “bite-size” goals that you can accomplish in just a few weeks.

For example, rather than setting the large goal of “getting a new job”, set a smaller goal to “update your resume” or “apply to five different companies”. This way, you can quickly accomplish your goals, build trust in yourself, and create massive momentum in your life.

Right now, think of your #1 goal. How can you make this smaller? What is a realistic goal for the next week or 2?

2. Identify Your Insecurities:

Setting goals is crucial, but defining your fears and insecurities is even more important.

Right now, ask yourself: “What am I embarrassed about or ashamed of? What am I afraid that other people might discover about me?”

Then make a list.

This is a list of your top insecurities. We all have them, so don’t be embarrassed.

However, just making this list will not cause them to magically disappear. But it will help you acknowledge them and accept their reality. If you want to get over them, then I suggest you pick one and share it with a close friend or family member. This will not be easy, but it will help you remove the shame associated with it.

3. Practice facing rejections:

After surveying thousands of men, it’s clear that our #1 fear is failure and rejection.

We are afraid that we are going to fail to live up to the expectations of other people
 and our own expectations
 and it scares the crap out of us. This is normal, but if you let this fear stop you from going after what you want, then you will never reach your goals.

Instead, you must force yourself to face this fear on a daily basis. This is the only way to overcome it. For example, approaching one girl every single day and giving her a compliment or asking her out.

These “comfort zone challenges” will desensitize you to your fears and help you stop giving a fuck what other people think.

4. Practice desicion making:

If you want to reach true self-confidence, then you must be able to make fast decisions.

Most of us make the mistake of over-thinking and over-analyzing every little choice. This will cause you to lose confidence in yourself, because you’re essentially training yourself to doubt your gut instinct.

Instead, you must build your “decision-making” muscle. You must practice making decisions on a daily basis. Here are a few simple ways you can get started:

  • When you eat out, select your meal off the menu in 30 seconds or less
  • When you are getting dressed, select your outfit in 1 minute or less
  • When you make plans with a friend, always be the one who makes a suggestion of what you should do

These steps will program your mind to make faster choices when you’re facing more significant decisions.

5. Try new hobbies:

If you want to be more confident, you need to try new things.

You can’t spend all of your time inside your comfort zone and expect things to change.

One of the best ways to “switch things up” and expand your comfort zone is to experiment with new hobbies. You never know, you might find a hidden passion you never knew existed. Or you may even meet a new best-friend
 or girlfriend or boyfriend.

6. Spend time with people you admire:

“You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.”

This famous quote is shockingly true. Other people’s personality traits tend to “rub off” on you.

If you spend most of your time with lazy people who just want to get drunk and hang out, you will become equally mediocre. But if you spend time with motivated people who push you to get better, you will quickly gain momentum in your life.

If you want to build muscle and get fit, then hit the gym with your buddy who is jacked.

I’m not saying to destroy your old relationships, just to spend less time with people who hold you back.

7. Avoid the voice inside your head:

When you’re feeling a lack confidence, it usually starts with “the voice inside your head”. You know, the little voice that says you’re going to fail
 that says you’re too ugly
 that says other people are trying to hurt you.

The truth is that 99% of the time this voice is wrong! But it caused you to get stuck inside your head and start feeling awkward and nervous.

This is why you need “tools” to help you silence this voice and stay out of your head.

Here is one quick trick you can use right now: whenever you start to hear “the voice” getting started, stop and focus on the sensations in the bottom of your feet. This forces you to stay “out of your head” and keeps you feeling calm and confident.

8. The “I love myself” affirmation:

The final “hack” is a simple affirmation.

Affirmations are short statements that you repeat to yourself in order to boost your mood (and “hypnotize” yourself into actually believing it). The most effective affirmation I’ve ever tried is the “I love myself” affirmation


Here’s how it works: stare at yourself in a mirror and say “I love myself” 5-10 times.

This sounds very basic, and maybe a little weird, but trust me it works. At first it may make you uncomfortable, but if you do it every day for a few weeks in a row, you will quickly start to feel true love for yourself as you repeat these words.

Full disclosure: I stole this from Kamal Ravikant’s book Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It. It’s a quick read that I highly recommend.

9. Lift Weight:

Lifting weights is quite possibly the easiest way to build self-confidence.

It will help you build muscle and burn fat. And this will make you look better. And looking better will make you feel better about yourself.

Plus, like it or not, people subconsciously perceive muscular men as more confident and authoritative. This means other people will treat you better as well. On top of this, it will give you a whole lot of anti-aging benefits like increased bone density and stronger posture.

Conclusion:

Above you will find 9 simple “hacks” you can use to be more confident in yourself.

I recommend that you pick 2-3 and give them a try over the next week. You will find that some of these work better for you than others. Keep the ones that you like and discard the ones you don’t.

Quickest ways to get 6 pack abs

Whether you’re aiming to achieve your fitness goals or simply want to look good in a swimsuit, acquiring a sculpted set of six-pack abs or a sexy flat belly is a goal shared by many.

Getting a six-pack and flat belly requires dedication and hard work, but you don’t have to hit the gym seven days a week or become a professional bodybuilder to do so.

Instead, a few modifications to your diet and lifestyle can be enough to produce serious, long-lasting results.

Here are 8 simple ways to achieve six-pack abs quickly and safely.

1. Do more cardio:

Cardio, also called aerobic exercise, is any form of exercise that increases your heart rate.

Regularly incorporating cardio into your routine can help you burn extra fat and speed your way to a set of six-pack abs.

Studies show that cardio is especially effective when it comes to reducing belly fat, which can help make your abdominal muscles more visible.

One small study showed that doing cardio exercise three to four times per week significantly decreased belly fat in 17 men.

Another review of 16 studies found that the more cardio exercise people did, the greater amount of belly fat they lost .

Try to get in at least 20–40 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day, or between 150–300 minutes per week.

Activities like running, walking, biking, swimming or engaging in your favorite sports are just a few easy ways to fit cardio into your day.

2. Excersice your abdominal muscles:

The rectus abdominis is the long muscle that extends vertically along the length of your abdomen.

Although most well-known as the muscle that creates the appearance of the six-pack, it’s also necessary for breathing, coughing and bowel movements.

Other abdominal muscles include the internal and external obliques and the transverse abdominis.

Exercising these muscles is key to increasing muscle mass and achieving six-pack abs.

However, keep in mind that abdominal exercises alone are unlikely to decrease belly fat.

For example, one study found that doing abdominal exercises five days per week for six weeks had no effect on belly fat in 24 women .

Instead, be sure to pair your abdominal exercises with a healthy diet and regular cardio to boost fat burning and maximize results.

Abdominal crunches, bridges and planks are a few of the most popular exercises that can help strengthen your abdominal muscles and create the appearance of six-pack abs.

3. Increase your protein intake:

Upping your intake of high protein foods can help promote weight loss, fight belly fat and support muscle growth on your road to six-pack abs.

According to one study, consuming high-protein meals helped increase feelings of fullness and promote appetite control in 27 overweight and obese men.

Another study showed that people who increased protein intake by just 15% decreased their calorie intake and saw significant decreases in body weight and body fat.

Consuming protein after working out can also help repair and rebuild muscle tissues as well as aid in muscle recovery.

Plus, one study even found that a high protein diet helped preserve both metabolism and muscle mass during weight loss.

Meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, dairy products, legumes, nuts and seeds are just a few examples of healthy, high-protein foods that you can add to your diet.

4. High intensity interval training:

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is a form of exercise that involves alternating between intense bursts of activity and short recovery periods. HIIT keeps your heart rate up and increases fat burning.

Adding HIIT into your routine can boost weight loss and make it even easier to get six-pack abs.

One study showed that young men who performed HIIT training for 20 minutes three times per week lost an average of 4.4 pounds (2 kg) and saw a 17% decrease in belly fat over a 12-week period.

Similarly, another study found that 17 women who did HIIT twice per week for 16 weeks had an 8% decrease in total belly fat.

One of the simplest ways to try HIIT at home is to switch between walking and sprinting for 20–30 seconds at a time.

You can also try alternating between high-intensity exercises like jumping jacks, mountain climbers and burpees with a short break in between.

5. Stay Hydrated:

Water is absolutely crucial to just about every aspect of health. It plays a role in everything from waste removal to temperature regulation.

Staying well-hydrated may also help bump up your metabolism, burn extra belly fat and make it easier to get a set of six-pack abs.

In fact, one study found that drinking 500 milliliters of water temporarily increased energy expenditure by 24% for up to 60 minutes after eating .

Other research shows that drinking water may also reduce your appetite and increase weight loss.

One study with 48 middle-aged and older adults found that people who drank water before each meal lost 44% more weight over a 12-week period than those who didn’t.

Water requirements can vary based on a variety of factors, including age, body weight and activity level.

However, most research recommends drinking around 1–2 liters (34–68 ounces) of water per day to stay well-hydrated.

6. Stop eating processed food:

Heavily processed foods like chips, cookies, crackers and convenience foods are typically high in calories, carbs, fat and sodium.

Not only that, these foods are typically low in key nutrients such as fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.

Avoiding these unhealthy junk foods from your diet and swapping them for whole foods can increase weight loss, reduce belly fat and help you achieve a set of six-pack abs.

This is because it takes more energy to digest whole foods rich in protein and fiber, which can burn more calories and keep your metabolism up.

The nutrients in whole foods, like protein and fiber, also keep you feeling fuller to curb cravings and aid in weight loss .

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes are all nutritious alternatives to prepackaged convenience items like frozen meals, baked goods and salty snacks.

7. Cut back on refined carbs:

Cutting back on your consumption of refined carbohydrates can help you lose extra fat and gain six-pack abs.

Refined carbs lose most of their vitamins, minerals and fiber during processing, resulting in a final product that is low in nutritional value.

Eating lots of refined carbs can cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels, which can lead to increased hunger and food intake.

Eating plenty of whole grains, on the other hand, has been linked to a reduced waist circumference and lower body weight.

In fact, one study found that people who ate a high amount of refined grains tended to have a higher amount of belly fat compared to those who ate more whole grains.

Swap out refined carbs from foods like pastries, pastas and processed foods and instead enjoy whole grains such as brown rice, barley, bulgur and couscous to help support satiety and burn belly fat.

8. Fill up On fibres:

Adding more high fibre food into your diet is one of the simplest methods for increasing weight loss and achieving six-pack abs.

Soluble fiber moves through the gastrointestinal tract undigested and can help slow the emptying of the stomach to make you feel fuller for longer.

In fact, one review found that increasing fiber intake by 14 grams per day was linked to a 10% decrease in calorie intake and 4.2 pounds (1.9 kg) of weight loss.

Research shows that getting enough fiber in your diet may also prevent weight gain and fat accumulation.

One study showed that for each 10-gram increase of soluble fiber taken daily, participants lost 3.7% of belly fat over five years without making any other modifications in terms of diet or exercise.

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds are just a few healthy, high-fiber foods that you can add to your diet to help burn belly fat.

Bottom line:

There’s much more to getting six-pack abs than simply doing a few crunches or planks each day.

Instead, it requires following a healthy diet and maintaining an active lifestyle to help achieve your goals.

Making a few simple switches in your daily routine can get you a set of six-pack abs and improve your health at the same time.

How to gain muscle mass quickly?

Bulking up and gaining muscle can be very challenging.

It takes the right combination of diet and training to see fast results.

Unfortunately, most guys never do it right. And as a result, most guys fail to see significant progress. They usually stay scrawny or skinny-fat forever.

In this article, I will give you 8 effective diet and workout tips for how to bulk up fast.

1. Keep it old-school:

Recently, “crossfit” style training has become very popular. For example, performing circuits or supersets where you rest very little in between sets.These workouts are great for general health purposes and losing weight, but if you want to bulk up, then you need a different approach.

Instead, you should do old-school workouts where you perform every set of a single exercise before advancing to the next exercise. You should also rest 1-3 minutes in between sets so that you’re body is fully recovered before you go again.

2. Carb up:

Most guys think they need to focus on eating protein if they want to bulk up fast. And yes, protein is important, but carbs are even more important.

When you consume a lot of carbs, you increase the amount of “glycogen” in your muscle cells. And this will give you more energy in the gym. In other words, you will be able to lift more weight for more reps. And remember, getting stronger is the #1 way to force muscle growth.

What carbs should you eat?

Here are my top 5 carb sources for bulking up: potatoes, rice, oats, bread, and pasta. Incorporate large portions of these into all of your meals and you will grow faster than ever.

3. Use slow negatives:

The way you perform each rep is also very important.

If you just haphazardly sling the weights around the gym, you won’t see any results (but you might injure yourself).

Instead, you should lower the weights in a slow and controlled fashion. On one hand, this will force you to check your ego and use a weight that’s not too heavy. On the other hand, studies have shown that the eccentric (or negative) part of the rep plays a large role in muscle growth.

In general, I recommend a 2/0/1 tempo (lower the weights for 2 seconds, don’t pause at the bottom, then explode back up in 1 second). This will make sure your form is on point and also help you pack on muscle as fast as possible.

4. Try this Gainer shake:

However, if you have a busy schedule, it can be challenging to sit down and eat 3 full meals per day
 That’s where my gainer shake comes in. I make this for lunch every single day to make sure I get enough calories, carbs, and protein to grow.

Here are the ingredients:

  • Milk (2 cups)
  • Oats (3/4 cup)
  • Peanut butter (3 tbsp)
  • Protein powder (1 scoop)

Put all of these into a blender (add ice if you want) and BOOM! Lunch is served.

5. Cut the cardio:

As I said in #4 above, you need to eat enough calories to gain weight if you want to bulk up
 so if you’re burning calories like a mad man doing cardio 2-3x per week, then it’s going to be very hard to make gains.

That’s why I recommend only one day of cardio per week while bulking. Any more than this and you will be working directly against your goals. However, it’s still important to do a little cardio (1x per week) in order to maintain heart health.

In terms of what type of cardio is best for gaining mass, I recommend low intensity cardio (like running or biking) for about 30 min – 1 hr.

6. Make eating your job:

If you want to know how to bulk up fast, there’s one simple answer: you need to lift and eat
 consistently.

You cannot skip meals and rely on small snacks if you’re serious about gaining mass. You need to treat eating like it’s your job. Every morning, you need to consider your schedule for the day and plan time to fit in 3 big meals. This will help prevent situations where you get too busy and “forget” to eat.

No more excuses, man. One big meal per day is not going to cut it. Man up and start eating big
 every single day.

7. Follow the 2x per week rule:

You might be wondering: what is the best workout routine for bulking up fast?

The most important factor is that you work each muscle group at least 2x per week. Any less frequently than this and you’re sacrificing precious gains. The reason for this is that your muscle only grow when you work them out (makes sense, right).

8. Track your Calories:

At the end of the day, the only way to be 100% sure that you’re gaining weight is to track your calories.Otherwise, you’re just guessing.

Use myfitnesspal app to determine exactly how many calories you personally need to gain half a pound per week (any more than this and you will gain fat), and then download a calorie counter like MyFitnessPal to track what you eat every single day.

Most of us eat similar foods each week, so you only need to do this for about 1-2 months before you know what you’re doing (and then you can stop tracking).

Above you have my 8 best tips for supercharging your muscle growth.

Go through the list, determine 1-2 areas where you are slacking the most, and then get to work. Remember, this is not rocket science. If you consistently lift weights, get stronger, and eat enough food, then you will successfully bulk up and pack on muscle.

How to be more masculine?

Lots of men in 21st century society are questioning their masculinity


They believe that they are weaker and less confident than more “manly” men.

If you feel this way, there’s no shame in it. There’s a large difference between being male and being a man. A male is something you are by birth. A man is something you have to become.

The good news is that there are several “masculine triggers” that, if done on a daily basis, will make you feel more masculine and confident, no matter who you are, what you look like, or where you’re from.

1. Challenge Yourself: Challenge is the whetstone that sharpens the blade of the masculine edge.

In fact, challenge is the driving force behind the success of the human race. From building massive skyscrapers and creating enormous tech companies to starting wars in an attempt to conquer other nations, challenge continually pushes us forward.

Also here’s another fact that’s not very well known: most of our ancestors are women. That means most of the men who lived in history didn’t get to procreate (arguably the #1 biological goal of your life).

Men back then instinctively knew this, so what did they do? They improved themselves, so they would have a better chance to pass on their genes.

They became tougher. Rougher. More mentally sharp. They were the ones who stepped up to the challenge of life and developed a strong internal locus of control. As a result, those were the ones who got laid and had children.

If every man who ever lived reproduced, over-population would have extinguished the human race long ago. Luckily, nature has a built in safeguard for this — “survival of the fittest”. Species that do not grow and adapt are eliminated.

Implementation Guidelines: Take the time to step outside of your comfort zone every day. You’ll surprise yourself with how fast you grow when you begin challenging yourself.

Here’s some things you can do:

  • Try a new physical activity (weights, martial arts, rock climbing, etc)
  • Begin meditating for 10-20 mins.
  • Get up earlier in the morning
  • Learn a new, mentally demanding skill that you have absolutely zero background in.
  • Approach a girl and ask her out.

Anything that will smack you out of that default autopilot mode (that you’ve been stuck in for God knows how long) is good.

2. Become self reliant :

In traditional societies, men were the primary breadwinners of the home. It was rare to use too much outside assistance to help provide for the family. This obviously isn’t the case anymore, but self-reliance is still a heavy part of the male psyche.

Modern society teaches us to be reliant on outside stimulation to feel good about ourselves. For example, we often rely on getting likes on social media for validation.

If you want to be masculine, you need to learn how to get approval and validation from within. Use outside help, for sure, but don’t expect it to save you.

Implementation Guidelines: Being self-reliant is not the same as being self-sufficient. No man is an island. You aren’t truly self-sufficient unless you go “off the grid” completely.

Self-reliance only means that you rely primarily on yourself to deliver an end-result (even though you may get a friendly “push” along the way).

Here’s how you can achieve this:

  • Accept advice and criticism from others but do your own thinking on all occasions.
  • Become knowledgeable and skilled in an area that can provide value to others
  • Build up an emergency fund or start your own side gig/business
  • Learn how to generate positive emotions from within, rather than rely on external stimulus.

3. Complete a “Rite of Passage” :

In many cultures, there is a distinct transition from boyhood to manhood. It is symbolized by a test or physical initiation.

For example, in ancient Sparta, young boys would be released into the wild to fend for themselves. If they returned, they were then christened as men.

In mainstream Western society we have no equivalent test. As you can imagine, this creates tremendous social problems. Lots of guys today are stuck in a state of “suspended adolescence” and don’t know how to progress to manhood.

Implementation Guidelines: You might be thinking: “Well, I’m well past the age of being a teenager. I guess it’s too late?” Not really.

A rite of passage can happen at any time. It’s never too late to become “a man”.

Rites of passage typically need a clear demarcation point saying “Before, I was a boy. Now I am a man.” For example


  • Taking a solo trip across the world into unfamiliar cultures
  • Moving to a place very different from where you grew up
  • Completing a series of challenges for X number of consecutive days.
  • Being able to perform a hard-to-master skill that takes time and dedication to achieve

The tougher and more mentally challenging, the better.

4.”Bump up” against the masculine:

All men have high levels of a particular hormone called testosterone. Because of this, we have a tendency to chase two things: fighting and fucking.

Unfortunately, the former is seen as entirely bad, and the latter’s purpose has been warped in society today. Neither of these are inherently bad. It all depends on the context.

In this case, fighting isn’t “wrong”. It’s how men keep each other sharp. Keep in mind that fighting is also mental (psychological warfare, anyone?).

Boys in the schoolyard fight and scrap with each other ruthlessly because they feel this natural urge to fight in order to resolve conflicts. Male rams, bears, and other animals also often fight each other in the wild when competing for mates or resolving conflicts.

Ever seen the movie Fight Club? It is a distillation of this same male tendency for confrontation.

Implementation Guidelines: Am I encouraging you to be an asshole and try to fight random dudes at the bar? No. Fighting just to fight is absolutely uncalled for. Too many men unfortunately lack the emotional and social intelligence to realize that fighting should be done only as a last resort


But you should still develop your natural desire for fierce competition. Here are some examples:

  • Hang around men that will challenge you mentally
  • Pactice a martial art that allows you to spar.
  • Learn how to debate your point of view effectively

5. Create something of your own:

Many of the greatest discoveries have come from the masculine mind. Conquerors, adventurers, scientists, philosophers, inventors
they all had a deep desire to “push the envelope” and create new things that make the world a better place.

Unfortunately, we live in a society today that encourages consumingmore than creating, and this is a big reason so many men feel “emasculated” today.

Implementation Guidelines: Giving your gift to the world will help you develop a large sense of pride and accomplishment. There’s no better feeling than doing good, honest, work and getting rewarded for it.

Here are some ways you can do that:

  • Create a side project just for kicks
  • Do something you have a passion for and give your whole heart to it
  • Persist even in the face of antagonism from others

How much diet is important for Muscle Building and Fat Loss for beginner?

In today’s world we all want a healthy lifestyle,great physique and good personality and for that we spend a lot on workout gears,gym, yoga classes etc. But we use to forget the most important thing which is diet.

So here we will be discussing about the impostance of diet for both muscle building and fat loss.

As discussed earlier people focus much on their training rather than focussing on their diet. It is said that diet plays 80% role and training plays just 20% role for any of the aesthetic goals but it depends upon whether individual is beginner or advanced.

We will be discussing about beginner’s only and will talk about advanced in the next blog.

So if you’re a beginner and you don’t posses nutritional knowledge, then mastering nutrition is far more important than training and should become your number one priority. I say this because improving a poor diet can create rapid, quantum leaps in fat loss and muscle building progress.

For example, if you’ve been skipping meals and only eating 2 times per day, jumping your meal frequency up to 5 or 6 smaller meals a day will transform your physique very rapidly.

If you’re still eating lots of processed fats and refined sugars, cutting them out and replacing them with good fats like omega threes found in fish and unrefined foods like Fruits,vegetables and whole grains will make an enormous and noticeable difference in your physique very quickly.

If your diet is low in protein, simply adding a complete protein food like chicken breast, fish or egg whites at each meal will muscle you up fast.

No matter how hard you train or what type of training routine you’re on, it’s all in vain if you don’t provide yourself with the right nutritional support.

In beginners (or in advanced trainees who are still eating poorly), these changes in diet are more likely to result in great improvements than a change in training.

The muscular and nervous systems of a beginner are unaccustomed to exercise. Therefore, just about any training program can cause muscle growth and strength development to occur because it’s all a “shock” to the untrained body.

You can almost always find ways to tweak your nutrition to higher and higher levels, but once you’ve mastered all the nutritional basics, then further improvements in your diet don’t have as great of an impact as those initial important changes…

Eating more than six meals will have minimal effect. Eating more protein ad infinitum won’t help. Once you’re eating low fat, going to zero fat won’t help more – it will probably hurt. If you’re eating a wide variety of foods and taking a good multi vitamin/mineral, then more supplements probably won’t help much either. If you’re already eating natural complex carbs and lean proteins every three hours, there’s not too much more you can do other than continue to be consistent day after day.

Pros and Cons of Cold Shower.

The Pros of Taking Cold Showers

Believe it or not, cold showers do have a lot of surprising benefits. From fictional super spies to avid fitness enthusiasts, the cold shower has gained a lot of popularity thanks to its benefits. Let’s learn more about them below.

1. Cold showers help bolster alertness in the morning.
Cold morning @showers might sound like a nightmare, but they’re actually a dream for people who value alertness in the morning. Cold morning showers are said to help bolster energy in the morning. The cold shock that many of us feel when bathing in cold water helps increase our oxygen intake, heart rate and gives the body a rush of energy much needed for morning hours.

2. Cold water showers help refine skin and hair.
Cold water is less tough on skin and hair, which helps people better maintain their natural appearance. Hot water is said to dry out skin and hair, while also stripping the skin and hair of its natural oils. Cold water helps tighten the body’s cuticles and pores, mainly through temporarily constricting blood flow as the body reacts to the temperature change.

This prevents dirt and other harmful elements from clogging the pores of the skin and scalp. The temporary shrinkage is also said to help hair look stronger and healthier, since it helps the hair follicles better grip the scalp.

3. Cold water helps improve immunity and blood circulation.
The shock from cold water does a lot to get the body going. Once the water hits the body, it invokes a reaction within the body that makes the heart start pumping blood throughout the body. This action causes blood to freely circulate in all parts of the body, including around the organs, promoting better health. This particular effect is said to help clear clogged arteries over time, potentially lower blood pressure and promote overall better immune health.

4. Cold water showers help bolster weight loss.
Yes, cold water showers help promote weight loss. This mainly works by exposing the body to cold water, which activates the warming properties of the body’s brown fat. Brown fat is considered the ‘good fat’ of the body, apart from white fat, which is what accumulates on the body after consuming too many calories.

Brown fat activates when the body is exposed to very cold conditions, triggering its body warming properties. This effect may contribute to fat burning after taking the cold shower. According to a study, it is found that cold temperature exposure did activate brown fat in many of the study’s participants, indicating that this could lead to sustained weight loss over the course of a year.

5. Cold water showers help speed up muscle soreness recovery.
Some athletes swear by ice baths or cold water showers. It’s because cold water have regenerative properties that help soothe muscle soreness after a grueling workout.

The Cons of Taking Cold Showers

While cold showers have plenty of benefits, they’re not for everyone. Let’s learn why this type of shower might not be to some people’s preference.

1. Cold water showers aren’t entirely ideal for people with illnesses.
While the shock from cold water does do a lot to promote health in the body, the chill might cause the opposite effect in people who are sick. People who are sick with minor or very moderate illnesses should instead opt for a hot shower or bath, as the warmth provides rejuvenation properties that help the body recover from illness.

2. Cold water showers may not have a long term effect on weight loss.
The fat burning benefits of cold water showers may work well on a short term basis, but there isn’t much supporting its long term effects. While this fat burning practice may facilitate weight loss in some people, it doesn’t exactly do the same for others. Keep that in mind when it comes to any fat burning regime.

3. Some people may find a ‘cold-hot’ recovery regime to be more effective.
Cold water baths don’t work for everyone. While some people swear by the soothing properties of cold water baths, others prefer applying warmth to their muscle pain, such as a hot water bottle or a heating blanket.

Cold showers may do wonders to help literally cool a person down, but they’ve also got plenty of health benefits. They’re not for everyone, but they’re perfectly serviceable in various situations.

Loose lower belly fat


One of the biggest questions I get is “how do I lose my belly fat? I’ve tried several things but nothing worked”. When I ask what you tried I hear 100 daily sit-ups, cutting calories drastically, excess cardio, fat burners, etc.

If you can’t lose your belly fat, you’re using the wrong approach. You don’t need endless sit-ups, supplements, starving yourself or worse surgery. Here are the 6 best ways to lose your belly fat – quickly and naturally.

1. Stop Doing Crunches: Crunches will strengthen your stomach muscles, but won’t burn the belly fat that covers your abs. Spot reduction is a myth. You’re wasting time & effort doing 200 daily crunches.

Crunches can also cause lower back pain, slouching shoulders & forward head posture. The Reverse

Crunches doesn’t cause these problems, but again: spot reduction is a myth. To lose your belly fat, you need more.

2. Get Stronger: Strength training buils muscle mass, prevents muscle loss and helps fat loss. The Squat & Deadlift work best to build strength.

  • Your lower back keeps you upright from the back. Your abs from the front. Both muscles will work hard during heavy Squats & Deadlifts at keeping you from collapsing under the weight.
  • Squats & Deadlifts allow you to stress your body with heavy weights, working all your muscles from head to toe. This helps getting stronger quickly and building muscle fast, including ab muscles.

3. Eat Less Carbs: You need carbs for energy. Problem is that most people eat way more carbs than they need. Your body will stock the carbs it doesn’t need as fat. And this is often how you get belly fat.

Unless you’re a skinny guy who needs to gain weight, lower your carb intake. Keep eating fruits & veggies with each meal. But cut back on potatoes, pasta, rice, breads, 
 Eat these post workout only.

4. Eat More Protein: Protein has a higher thermic effect than other foods: your body burns more energy processing proteins than it does processing carbs and fat. That’s why high protein diets work great at burning your belly fat.

5. Eat More Fat: Fat doesn’t make you fat. Bad nutrition and lack of exercise do. Eating fat actually helps fat loss. Your body won’t stock fat as easily if your give it a constant intake of healthy fats.

Fish oil is the best source of fat to lose your belly fat. Fish oil naturally increases testosterone levels and increases fat loss. 6g omega-3 per day is a good start.

Stay away from trans-fatty fats present in products like margarine. Trans-fatty fats are bad for your health.

6. Add Cardio: 15mins post workout, build up to 3x45mins/week. If you have less than 15% body fat, just get stronger and eat healthier. That will lower your body fat and make you lose your belly fat.
Don’t just read this post and go back to what you were doing. Take action. Lose your belly fat.

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