Most people think motivation is about willpower or discipline, but the real driver of long-term fitness success is intrinsic motivation. In this article, I break down the science behind autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and show how these three psychological needs can help you stay consistent with nutrition and training. Plus, you’ll learn eight practical ways to build motivation that actually lasts.
Struggling with food cravings? Learn 12 smart, science-backed strategies to take back control, without extreme restriction or guilt. From managing triggers and stress to using smarter swaps, these practical tips make cravings easier to handle and keep you on track with your goals.
Elite athletes have used visualization for decades, but many fitness enthusiasts remain skeptical. Revolutionary brain imaging research now reveals exactly what happens in your brain during effective visualization, and why it produces real, measurable strength gains. Discover how this mental technique creates the same neural patterns as physical training, and learn five evidence-based strategies to incorporate it into your workouts for immediate results.
Research shows 94% of us experience regular food cravings—not because we lack willpower, but due to complex biological and psychological triggers. Discover why the most commonly craved foods are twice as calorie-dense as our regular diet, higher in sugar, higher in fat, and lower in protein. Learn 5 science-backed strategies to control cravings without feeling deprived, including one surprising 10-minute technique proven to eliminate even the strongest chocolate cravings.
Are you trapped in a cycle of self-doubt that's sabotaging your fitness goals? Discover 8 proven strategies to break free from overthinking and finally take action. Learn how to silence the mental saboteur holding you back, build confidence through small wins, and create systems that make success inevitable. This no-BS guide cuts through the mental noise and gives you practical tools to transform your mindset first and then your body
The difference between success and failure isn't whether you get off track, it's whether you get back on track, and most important of all is how quickly you do it. I recently hiked the 2200-mile Appalachian trail (AT) from my home state of New Jersey to the Southern terminus in Georgia.
Instead of making New Year predictions for trends in the whole diet and fitness industry, what if I could take out my crystal ball and predict with perfect precision exactly what kind of health and fitness results you will achieve by the end of the coming year? I can do that. In fact, I already did. Click here to see the prediction list in today's blog post
I recently read a book about mindfulness and being "present." The premise was that by learning to love the process, you'll avoid self-judgement, eliminate impatience, end boredom, reduce stress, feel calmer, experience self-discovery, enjoy the journey and be happy. Achieving your goal will simply be a natural by-product. Sounds pretty good! But is being process-oriented really better than being goal-oriented? Why are some self-help gurus today telling us to "forget about goals?"
The word visualization sometimes conjures up images of new age gurus teaching esoteric techniques for personal enlightenment and "attracting" what you want into your life. This causes many evidence-based types to scoff. However, piles of research has shown that mental imagery (aka "visualization") can improve performance. One study suggests that a specific type of mental imagery that you do in the gym can also increase your strength...
I started lifting in the early 1980's and right from day one, I was engrossed with the bodybuilding style of training and eating. I think it's always valuable to take time for reflection, and realizing this year that I had accumulated 30 years of training experience (including 28 competitions as a natural bodybuilder), I thought you would enjoy a post on my “lessons learned” that might help you in your own fitness endeavors, and hopefully help you shave a few years off your learning curve.
