Good Smoothie / Shake Recipes

Peanut Butter Chocolate smoothie
1/2 cup of cottage cheese
4-6 oz of water or milk
1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter
1 banana
1 scoop of chocolate whey protein

Real good taste and texture.




Frozen Berry Smoothie
1/2 cup of cottage cheese
1/2 cup of frozen berries
4-6 oz of water or milk
1 scoop of vanilla whey protein

Temperature of this one is really cold. Great as a dessert.




Berardi Turtle Supershake
1/2 cup water
2 scoops chocolate flavored metabolic Drive (whey protein from t-nation)
1 oz pecan halves, chopped
2 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 serving Greens+
1 cup egg whites
1/2 cup ice cubes

Broccoli Berry Smoothie

1/2 Cup frozen broccoli
1/2 Cup Frozen Mixed Berries
1 Scoops Vanilla Whey Protein
1 Fiber One Vanilla Yogurt
2 Cup Water

Don't worry about how the Broccoli taste in this smoothie because you don't even taste it. And it even good at breakfast. Great way to get some veggies and fiber in your diet. The berries take over the flavor, so you can even use chocolate whey, and you won't really taste it.



Low-Fat Fruit Smoothie from T-Nation
2 Scoops Metabolic Drive – strawberry, orange cream or banana cream flavor
1 big banana
1 packet of instant, non-flavored oatmeal or Weight Control oatmeal
8 ounces of light yogurt
2 cups of skim milk




Power Shakes from Mike Mahler's
Blueberry Vanilla Pumpkin Pie
1 scoop of vanilla pea protein isolate (Pure Advantage brand)
1 scoop of Sun Warrior vanilla rice protein powder
1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon of Udo’s choice oil
8oz of low sugar almond milk
8oz of ginger tea
2 cups of blueberries
1 scoop of Foundation Formula vitamin/mineral powder

Place in a blender and blend for 30 seconds. Great shake to have for breakfast or an hour after hard workouts.




Coconut Power Shake
2 scoops of Sun Warrior vanilla rice protein powder
1 can of reduced calorie coconut milk (get at Trader Joes)
2 cups of frozen mangoes
10 ounces of water

Blend for thirty seconds and you are ready to go. This is a great shake for anyone that wants to gain weight. It can also be used for serious fuel two hours before a tough workout.

Nutrition Breakdown:
     30 grams of protein
     42 grams of carbohydrates
     27 grams of fat
     570 calories



Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Shake
2 scoops of Sun Warrior chocolate rice protein powder
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
8oz of vanilla or chocolate Almond Breeze almond milk (reduced calorie)
1 cup of ice

Blend for thirty seconds and you are ready to go. This is a great treat for anyone on a reduced carbohydrate diet or for a healthy dessert alternative. I often have this after dinner for dessert.

Nutrition Breakdown:
     40 grams of protein
     19 grams of carbohydrates
     20 grams of fat
     416 calories




Vanilla Berry Blast Recovery Shake
2 scoops of Sun Warrior vanilla rice protein powder
2 cups of frozen blueberries
10 ounces of water

This is a great shake to have after a tough workout.

Nutrition Breakdown:
     30 grams of protein
     46 grams of carbohydrates
     2 grams of fat
     322 calories




Great Workout Insurance Shake
2 scoops of Sun Warrior vanilla rice protein powder
2 cups of frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon of Udo’s Choice Oil with DHA
10 ounces of water
This is great pre-workout shake to ensure that you have adequate fuel to power through a tough workout.

Nutrition Breakdown:
     30 grams of protein
     34 grams of carbohydrates
     15 grams of fat
     391 calories



Super Protein Shake
2 scoops of vanilla Sun Warrior rice protein
8oz of tea (green, black, and ginger)
8oz of low carb almond milk
1 cup of frozen fruit (blueberries, strawberries, mangoes)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon of Udo’s Choice

This is a great balance of fat, protein, carbs as well as spices and plant sterols. Sip it slowly over the course of the early afternoon and take your time for better digestion and utilization rather than down it fast which far too many people make the mistake of doing with protein shakes.

High Fiber Fruity Smoothie

1/2 pint whole milk
30gs strawberry whey protien (myprotein)
1 banana
1 handfull of sunflower seeds
1 giant tablespoon peanut butter
a couple of capfulls of olive oil
a handful of fine oats
1 giant tablespoon of honey

Tastes lovely even on breakfast

Mango & Very Berrie Smoothie

1 cup mangoes
1/2 cup raspberries
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup hemp hearts
No flavor protein powder
Water or milk

This tastes AWESOME. The raspberries really do a good job of covering up any nasty oat/protein flavour.




Better Than Ice Cream


8oz 2% milk
2 Tbsp natural peanut butter
1/4 cup plain low fat yogurt
3/4 cup frozen berries
1 scoop protein powder(vanilla)

If you are craving for some ice cream, threw this together instead. It was like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in shake form.




Hovering Calories
300ml full fat milk
250g natural yogurt
5ml flax seed oil
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 banana
1 (large) tbsp peanut butter

Instructions:
+ Put in blender.
+ Turn blender on.
+ Blend.
+ Turn blender off.
+ Drink.

Top 3 Breakfast Recipes for Fat Loss

Breakfast recipes for fat loss. Image credit: nathanborror

A healthy breakfast is key to fat loss. By eating a healthy breakfast, you’re less likely to eat something unhealthy the rest of the day. Eating breakfast will also make you less hungry which prevents cravings.

But what should you eat for breakfast? The most common fat loss mistake is to start your day with starchy carbs like cereals or muesli or oats. While you need carbs for energy, it’s easy to overdo them and get fat.

That’s why the 8 nutrition rules advise to avoid starchy carbs at breakfast. What should you eat then? Here are the 3 simplest & quickest breakfast recipes that don’t contain starchy carbs and that will help you lose fat.

1. Omelets. High in protein, low in carbs, high in veggies. You can remove the yolk if you don’t believe dietary cholesterol doesn’t influence blood cholesterol. But realize you’re throwing away all the vitamins and half the protein.

Avoid boredom by rotating the veggies. For even more variety, add meats or cheese and learn to use spices. Here are some ideas:

• Veggies. Baby spinach, mixed peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, …
• Meats. Ground round, minced beef, chicken ground/slices, tuna, bacon, …
• Cheese. Feta cheese, grated cheese like Pecorino or Parmesan, …
• Spices. Cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper, sea salt, …

2. Cottage Cheese. High in protein, no carbs, zero preparation time. You might need time to get used to its taste. Quark cheese works too if you can find it. So does plain fat free yogurt although it’s lower in protein.

Avoid boredom by switching the fruits and/or nuts. And try cottage cheese with tuna so you can also add veggies like cucumber. Ideas:

• Nuts. Almonds, walnuts, cashew, peanut butter, …
• Fruit. Chopped banana, pineapple, apples, pears or berries.
• Tuna. Sounds gross, but tastes good: try tuna with cottage cheese.

3. Smoothies. Take zero time to prepare. Get a strong blender. Throw (frozen) veggies, fruits & whey in there. Mix it. Done. Some tips:

• Get cheap whey with little carbs like ON whey.
• Vary your fruits and veggies to avoid boredom.
• Check the smoothie/shake recipe thread in the forum.

What about portion size and calories? If you stick to the 8 nutrition rules for fat loss, you can eat your stomach full without ever having to worry about this and while losing fat. Check them out.

Content credit: www.stronglift.com

20 Super Foods You Need to Build Muscle & Lose Fat

Image credit: Oceano Mare

 

To build muscle & lose fat, you need a variety of proteins, veggies, fruits, carbs, and healthy fats. Eating protein helps building & maintaining muscle. But it also helps fat loss: protein has a higher thermic effect than carbs/fats.

Eating fats also helps fat loss: your body holds fat if you don’t eat fats. Fruits & veggies contain vitamins & minerals, necessary for recovery from your workouts. And carbs fuel your muscles so you feel full of energy at the gym.

Lots of you struggle to get these foods. Sometimes because you’re too busy or sometimes because you just lack information. This list will help you — 20 super foods you need to build muscle & lose fat.

1. Whole Eggs. Cheap & rich source of protein: 7g/egg. The yolk contains most nutrients: half the protein, vitamins A/D/E and cholesterol to naturally increase your testosterone levels.

Don’t worry about cholesterol in eggs. Dietary cholesterol isn’t bound to blood cholesterol. Read this, this, this & this. If you have bad cholesterol, lower your body fat rather than throwing the yolk away.

2. Fish Oil. Reduces inflammation (joints/skin), lowers body fat and increases testosterone levels. You need 9000mg EPA/DHA per day. Since you’ll probably struggle to get that from eating fatty fish, consider a fish oil supplement.

3. Wild Salmon. One of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids that also gets you 20g protein per 100g serving. Farm raised salmon is, however, omega-3 deficient: it’s corn/grain fed. Go with wild salmon.

4. Berries. Strong antioxidants that prevent cancer, heart & eye diseases. Any kind works: cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc. Buy fresh or frozen berries and mix with oatmeal.

5. Yogurt. Contain bacteria that improve your gastrointestinal health. Don’t buy frozen yogurt or yogurt with added sugar and fruits at the bottom. Get plain low fat yogurt. Eat it with berries & flax seeds.

6. Flax Seeds. Source of fiber, protein & omega-3. Grind the flax seeds to get the most out of them. Take 1 tbsp with yogurt & berries before going to bed. Stay away from flax oil: it’s unstable and contains no fiber.

7. Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 70% monounsaturated fats that protect against heart diseases and cancer. Add 1-2 tbsp olive oil to your salads. Buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil: it contains more polyphenols and tastes better.

8. Mixed Nuts. Contain mono- & polyunsaturated fats, proteins, fiber, vitamin E, zinc, potassium, magnesium, etc. Mixed nuts are caloric dense, great if you’re a skinny guy who wants to gain weight.

Anything works: almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, … Peanut butter also works as long as you buy natural peanut butter without added salts/sugars.

Image credit: Inside_man

9. Red Meat. Protein, vitamin B12, heme iron, zinc, creatine, carnosine and even omega-3 if you eat grass-fed beef. Eat steaks & hamburgers from top round or sirloin. Read Dr. Lonnie Lowery’s article on Meat.

10. Broccoli. High in cancer-fighting phytochemicals and anti-estrogenic indoles. Broccoli is also high in soluble fiber and low calorie, helping fat loss. Eat other cruciferous vegetables for a change: cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower, kale, …

11. Spinach. One of the most alkaline foods. Spinach prevents muscle & bone loss, but also cancer and heart diseases because of its high nutrient profile. Try one of the spinach recipes I shared a while back.

12. Turkey. If you don’t believe saturated fat is good for you, try white turkey. The leanest beef has about 4.5g saturated fat/100g, while white turkey has close to 0g (that why it’s so dry). Eat turkey with spinach & quinoa.

13. Quinoa. South American “king of grains”. Quinoa is higher in fiber & protein than rice or oats, tastes a lot better and is gluten free. Buy the whiter grain, it’s better quality. Eat it post workout with meat & spinach.

14. Oats. Reduce cholesterol, provide you with low-gi carbs for energy, and high in soluble fiber. Try this post workout shake of whey & oats.

15. Tomatoes. High in lycopene, which prevents cancer. The lycopene in tomato paste is 4 times more bioavailable than in fresh tomatoes. Have pizza or pasta with tomato sauce & olive oil post strength training.

16. Oranges. Vitamin C to fight diseases, magnesium to lower blood pressure, anti-oxidant beta-carotenes, etc. Quit drinking processed orange juice which often has added sugars. Eat oranges or make your own orange juice.

17. Apples. Pectin in apples helps weight loss by increasing satiety. Apples are also the strongest antioxidiantmost pesticide-contaminated fruits. Go organic. after cranberries (eat the peels). Unfortunately apples are one of the

18. Carrots. Their huge vitamin A content improves eye-health, especially night vision. Carrots are also rich in fiber, low calorie and taste good, even raw.

19. Water. Your body holds water if you don’t drink enough. Drinking prevents water retention, helps muscle recovery and prevents dehydration from strength training. Get a brita filter and drink 2 cups of water with each meal.

20. Green Tea. Strong antioxidant and natural diuretic. Green tea also speeds up fat loss, prevents cancer and improves blood sugar & circulation. Drink green tea in the morning instead of coffee. Real green tea, not the teabags.

Putting it All Together. Eat proteins, veggies, fruits & fats every 3 hours. 2 cups water with each meal. Carbs post workout only. Junk food 10% of the time. Get stronger in the meanwhile and you’ll build muscle & lose fat.

content credit: www.stronglifts.com

10 Foods You Probably Think Are Healthy, But Aren’t

To build muscle & lose fat, 90% of your diet must consist of whole unprocessed foods. That’s anything that doesn’t come out of a box like meats, veggies, eggs, fruits, etc. Eating 6 meals/day leaves room for 4 junk meals per week.

You’re already doing that but not getting results? Maybe you’re not eating that healthy. Here are 10 foods you might think are healthy because they’re labeled as such, but which in reality are anything but healthy.

1. Breakfast Cereals. Cereals are labeled healthy & nutritive and recommended for weight loss. Read the labels: cereals are often high in sugar & salt and their vitamin/mineral content is chemical based.

Healthy alternative: one of these breakfast recipes.

2. Granola Bars. Granola bars consist of healthy oats & nuts. But they’re glued together with blood sugar raising ingredients like corn syrup. Some bars even contain chocolate chips, making them as bad as candy bars.

Healthy alternative: homemade protein bars.

3. Yogurt with Fruit at The Bottom. Fat free doesn’t mean healthy. Labels tell you they contain added sugars, corn syrup or artificial sweeteners. Same with fat free frozen yogurts which can contain 20g sugars per 1/2 cup.

Healthy alternative: plain unflavored yogurt mixed with fruit cut into pieces.

4. Bread. Convenient and tastes good, but not as healthy as you think. Whole grain or whole wheat means nothing. Dark bread can still contain corn syrup & trans-fats and eating too much bread will make you fat.

Healthy alternative: Ezekiel Bread, but lower your bread intake.

Bread is also not as healthy as you think. Image credit: Harald Schmid

5. Sandwiches. Often labelled “fitness” or “light”, but containing sugar-laden salad dressings, little veggies & proteins and too much white bread. Freshness is questionable and you need the foot-long to fill your stomach.

Healthy alternative: make your own sandwiches.

6. Fruit Juice. Even 100% fruit juice has added sugars, usually fructose. Cans of fruit juice contain up to 38g sugar per 8oz. Excess fructose causes obesity, bad cholesterol, poor appetite control, etc.

Healthy alternative: home-made fruit juice or eat fruit.

7. Sport Drinks. Supposed to help you replenish electrolytes, carbs, etc. But it’s actually sugar water, with up to 30g sugar/serving. If you eat healthy and don’t drink 2 gallons water in 1 setting, you don’t risk water intoxication.

Healthy alternative: water during workout, protein + carbs post workout.

8. Fast Food Salads. Contain sugar-laden salad dressings, croutons made from refined white flour or white floor pasta. In many cases you’re better off ordering a double cheeseburger than a chicken salad.

Healthy alternative: make your own salads.

9. Frozen Meals. Nothing is wrong with frozen veggies/fruits. But a lot is wrong with frozen meals often labeled “light” or “healthy”. They’re processed, high in sugar, and come with sauces & sodium. Avoid.

Healthy alternative: cook all your meals for the day in the morning or evening.

10. Diet Soda. Contain artificial sweeteners like the controversed aspartame. Do your research and decide if you want to take the risk. Start with this & thisStrongLifts.com Forum. thread on diet soda in

Healthy alternative: water, water with squeezed lemon, green tea.

content credit : www.stronglifts.com

Build Muscle on a Budget: The 10 Cheapest Sources of Protein

You need at least 1g protein per pound of body-weight per day to maintain and build muscle. If you weigh 70kg/155lbs, that’s 155g protein per day. The easiest way to get this amount is to eat whole protein with each meal.
Some of you are on a tight budget, still student, living in expensive cities or just frugal. These can make it hard to get the protein you need to build muscle. This post will help you — the 10 cheapest sources of protein to build muscle.

1. Canned Tuna. 40g protein/can. Buy tuna in spring water or brine. Don’t worry about the mercury: 1 can chunk light tuna per day is safe, read this.

2. Whole Eggs. 7g protein/egg. Lower your body fat rather than throwing the yolk away if you have bad cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol isn’t bound to blood cholesterol, and the yolk contains half the protein and vitamins A/D/E.

3. Whey. 1 scoop ON whey is 24g protein/30g serving. At 2 scoops/day, a 10lbs bag will last 10 weeks for 84,99$. You don’t get cheaper than this. But don’t rely on whey only because it’s cheaper. Vary your protein intake.

4. Ground Beef. 25g protein/100g. Buy 80% ground beef and rinse the fat if lean beef is too expensive. You can reduce the fat content by as much as 50%. Read this free pdf on how to rinse ground beef.

5. Milk. 30g protein/liter milk. If you’re a skinny guy, want to gain weight fast and don’t bother gaining some fat, drink 1 gallon raw milk per day. Don’t worry about the saturated fat. Stay away from milk if you want to lose fat.

6. Frozen Chicken Breast. 25g protein/100g. Cook the frozen chicken breast using a George Foreman Grill. Consume the chicken breast within 2 months of freezing for optimal tenderness & taste.

7. Cottage Cheese. 12g protein/100g. Cottage cheese is more expensive in Europe than in the US. We buy Quark cheese: 10g protein per 100g, cheaper than cottage cheese and a better taste.

8. Ground Turkey. 25g protein/100g. Expensive cuts are made from turkey breast. Cheaper cuts can contain skin, which increases the fat content. Rinse the fat like for ground beef using this method.

9. Canned Mackerel. 23g protein/100g. Canned mackerel is high in omega-3, contains less mercury than canned tuna, and tastes a lot better too.

10. Calves Liver. 20g protein/100g. Low fat and nutrient dense. Contrary to what you might believe, liver is safe. Try one of these recipes.

Bonus Tips. Buy generic food. Buy in bulk to get discounts. Freeze everything. Get a job if you don’t have one. Increase your income if you do. Cut expenses. The following meal plan gets you +200g protein per day.

• Breakfast: 3 whole eggs with spinach
• Snack: 200g cottage cheese with apple
• Lunch: 1 can of tuna with bok choy
• Snack: 500ml raw milk and banana
• Post workout: 1 scoop whey with oats & 500ml milk
• Dinner: 150g chicken breast with pasta & broccoli
• Pre bed: 200g cottage cheese with berries & flax seeds

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR THOSE OVER FIFTY YEARS OLD

1. Focus on enjoying people, not on indulging in or accumulating material things.
   
2. Plan to spend whatever you have saved. You deserve to enjoy it and the few healthy years you have left. Travel if you can afford it.
   
3. Don’t leave anything for your children or loved ones to quarrel about. By leaving anything, you may even cause more trouble when you are gone.
   
4. Live in the here and now, not in the yesterdays and tomorrows. It is only today that you can handle. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may not even happen.
   
5. Enjoy your grandchildren (if you are blessed with any) but don’t be their full-time baby sitter. You have no moral obligation to take care of them. Don’t have any guilt about refusing to baby sit anyone’s kids, including your own grandkids. Your parental obligation is to raise your children. After you have raised them into responsible children, your duties of child-rearing and babysitting
   are finished. Let your children raise their own offspring.
   
6. Accept physical weakness, sickness and other physical pains. It is a part of the aging process. Enjoy whatever your health can allow. Enjoy what you are and what you have right now. Stop working hard for what you do not have. If you do not have them, it’s probably late.
   
7. Just enjoy your life with your spouse, children, grandchildren and friends. People, who truly love you, love you for yourself, not for what you have. Anyone who loves you for what you have will just give you misery.
   
8. Forgive and accept forgiveness. Forgive yourself and others. Enjoy peace of mind and peace of soul.
   
9. Befriend death. It’s a natural part of the life cycle. Don’t be afraid of it. Death is the beginning of a new and better life. So, prepare yourself not for death but for a new life.
   
10. Be at peace with Our Lord God. For. . . He is all you have after you leave this life.

Improving One's Self

How to Wake Up Early: The Definitive Guide

 

Most successful people are early risers. Think of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Edison. One reason why waking up early is correlated with success is that you get more work done in the morning. That’s one benefit of waking up early.
But how do you build the habit of waking up early without feeling like a mess in the morning? Especially if you’re a night owl? This post will give you 12 simple tips. Here’s How to Wake Up Early: The Definitive Guide.

1. Wake Up At The Same Time Daily. You’ll become an early riser by waking up at the exact same time for 30 days on. You’ll be less likely to sleep in and might even wake up right before your alarm goes off. Here’s how to get started:

• Wake Up At The Same Time. If you have problems catching sleep, lying awake at night while feeling tired, start by waking up at the same time daily. Even if it’s late. This will stabilize your circadian rhythm.
• Wake Up Earlier. I recommend at least 2 hours before leaving for work. I wake up at 6am to start working at 8am. Many early risers wake up at 5am or even 4am. Nap for 30mins around noon if you’re tired.
• Don’t Gradually Wake Up Earlier. You’re body gets used to waking up early fast. Don’t wake up 15mins earlier every couple of days until you wake up when you want to. Go directly for your goal wake up time.

2. Set Your Alarm. Use something loud, but not annoying. I use the alarm on my cellular phone (off at night) because I don’t like music, a radio or a buzzer. Use whatever works for you.
Put your alarm out of arm reach so you can’t hit the snooze to sleep in. You must have to get out of bed to stop your alarm.

3. Jump Out of Bed When Your Alarm Goes Off. The longer it takes you to get up, the more likely you’ll try to sleep in. And hitting the snooze to lay in your bed longer only makes it harder. Get up the first time your alarm goes off.

• Stop Rationalizing. Don’t lay in bed thinking of reasons to sleep longer. Get out of bed even if you feel tired. You need consistency to build the habit of waking up early. Don’t make exceptions.
• Stop Snoozing. Sleeping in for 10mins leads to another 10mins. Before you know it you’ve slept 2h more. And because you broke your sleep any extras are low quality and can make you even more tired.
• Leave The Room. Have a warm sweater or a bathrobe ready if it’s cold season. Then leave the room and don’t come back. Ignore the voice in your head that tells you to go back to sleep in.

4. Get Light Exposure. Light stimulates dopamine production which increases energy, motivation & productivity. Lack of light causes winter blues & tiredness. Unfortunately home/office lights aren’t bright enough. You need sunlight.

• Open Window Blinds. This gets you sunlight exposure when you wake up and during the day. If you work in an office: open the window blinds and place your desk so your eyes get sunlight exposure.
• Walk Outside. A 30 min walk in the morning sunlight will stimulate the production of dopamine. Do not wear sunglasses: UV is low at sunset. Your eyes will be safe unless you look directly into the sun.
• Use a Sun Box. If your place doesn’t have big windows to let sunlight in or if it’s winter/cloudy or if you can’t get outside in the morning, then use a light box like this one for 30mins after you wake up.

5. Have a Reason To Wake Up Early. Use your extra time in the morning to do things that matter. Not for surfing the Internet or doing other tasks that won’t make a difference in the long-term. Here’s what I recommend:

• Eat Breakfast. Key to building healthy eating habits: you’ll be less likely to eat junk food the rest of the day if you eat a healthy breakfast. Read the benefits of breakfast and build the habit of eating on waking up.
• Cook Food. Preparing your own meals gives you total control over their ingredients and thus over your results. Prepare breakfast and your food for the day on waking up. This takes about 1 hour.
• Exercise. You won’t miss workouts if you train in the morning: whatever comes up, you’ve already trained. Wait 1hour before lifting weights. This gives your spine time to dehydrate and lowers risks of lower back injury.

6. Write Your Goals Daily. Most people don’t have goals. And those who set some forget about them within weeks. By writing down your goals daily, you’ll never forget them and they’ll be your reason for waking up early.

• Set Goals. If you don’t know what you want: start with what you don’t want. Your goal is the opposite. Aim high, choose 1 goal and be specific. Example: “I don’t want to be fat” “I choose to have 10% body fat”.
• Know Why You Want It. Avoiding pain/frustration is the best motivator. Compare the pain of waking up early to staying fat/skinny, experiencing humiliation as a result and dying young because of your unhealthy diet.
• Write Your Goals 2x/Day. On waking up and before going to bed. Use them as affirmations (read Beyond Positive Thinking): “I choose to easily wake up at 6am”, “I choose to eat breakfast and exercise each morning”.

7. Build a Morning Ritual. This daily routine will get you strong for your day by setting the right context (read Power of Full Engagement) and is your reason to wake up early. Mix tips 1 to 6 and do them daily in the same order. Example:

• Wake up at 6am. Drink water. Open window blinds & windows.
• Eat breakfast and cook your food for day.
• Review your goals and write them down.
• Go the gym, come back, eat, shower, get ready for work.

8. Commit For 30 Days. It takes about 30 days to build a new habit. Commit yourself to wake up at the exact same time for at least 30 days — weekends included. Consistency is the only way to build a habit.

• Use Willpower. You’ll meet lots of internal resistance during the first 10 days. Use willpower to get through these. It gets easier once you begin experiencing the benefits, which is after about 20 days.
• Focus on 1 Habit. Changing many things at once usually leads nowhere. Start with waking up early, eating breakfast and exercising. Once you do this consistently for +30 days, you can build another habit.
• Be Consistent. Self-discipline isn’t something you’re born with. You build it. Waking up early will build self-discipline which you’ll be able to use to build other habits. It starts here. Don’t skip a day. No matter what.

9. Go To Bed When You’re Sleepy. How much sleep you need depends on your activity levels, sleep quality, diet, … But you’ll most likely need 8h sleep/night on average. Which means some days 6h, some days 9h.
That’s why going to bed at the same time each day won’t work. Focus on wake up time, not bedtime. Listen to your body and go to bed when you feel sleepy. Avoid anything that prevents you to feel tiredness. Tips:

• Get Downtime Pre-bed. Stop working, internet surfing & watching TV 1h before you go to bed. Read a book and go to sleep when you can’t read without losing concentration. Or do meditations and breathing exercises. If you think a lot in bed: write it all down so it gets out of your head.
• Set Bedtime Deadline. Staying up late makes it hard to wake up early. You’ll usually end up sleeping in and quit. Set a bedtime deadline and go to bed at that time even if you’re not tired yet. No matter what.
• Stop Trying to Sleep If You Can’t. If it takes you longer than 10mins to fall asleep, you’re not tired enough. Stop trying and keep yourself busy. Read a book or do some meditations. Don’t stress about it.

10. Get Quality Sleep. Deep sleep & REM are quality sleep. You’ll wake up more easily, need less sleep and have more energy if you have uninterrupted, quality sleep. Tips to improve your sleep quality:

• Stop Stimulants. Coffee, alcohol & nicotine mess with your sleep. Drink green tea instead of coffee, water instead of alcohol. Stop smoking.
• Avoid Big Meals Pre-bed. They’ll stress your digestive system and lower your sleep quality. Have a small pre-bed snack. Don’t wake up at night to eat: you won’t lose muscle, starvation mode is a myth.
• Avoid Drinking Pre-bed. Waking up to go to the toilet interrupts your sleep and lowers its quality. Stop drinking water 2h prior bedtime.
• Avoid Exercise Pre-bed. Exercising less than 3 hours prior bedtime can keep you awake. Schedule your workout earlier.
• Set Right Conditions. Good mattrass & pillow. Cool, dark & silent room (wear ear plugs & a sleeping mask if you have to). No electronics.

Check the Power Sleep Program for a definitive guide on how to improve your sleep quality so you feel more energized & productive while sleeping less.

11. Make Yourself Accountable. “If people commit orally or in writing, they’ll be more likely to honor that commitment. Even if motivation is removed after they’ve agreed, they’ll continue to honor the agreement.” – Robert Cialdini, Influence.
This is because you tend to care about other people’s opinion and don’t want to be embarassed for failing. Although I advise to stop caring about what people think, here’s where it can be useful.

• Tell family or close friends you’re going to wake up early for 30 days.
• Make a deal that if you don’t wake up early each day for 30 days you’ll do something you don’t want to do (like writing them a 1000$ check).
• Report to them daily for 30 days: call, text or email them. And if you skip once, stick to the deal you’ve agreed on.

If you’re thinking: “I’d never do that”, that’s because you know that making this kind of commitment will force you to follow through. Proof this works.

12. Stop Believing The Myths. I always thought I was an evening person. As a student I woke up past noon unless it was school. Then I started to wake up earlier to go the gym, but anything before 8AM was still killing me.
About a year ago I built the habit of waking up at 6AM because I realized that you get more done if you wake up early. I’ve been waking up consistently at 6AM since. And now I see that the whole “morning person” thing is a myth.
There’s nothing like a “morning” or “night person”. Human bodies can adapt to anything. You just have to be consistent to get used to waking up early.
Start tomorrow. Don’t deviate. You’ll become an early riser within 30 days.