My concrete tips!
Set realistic goals and expectations for yourself!
Have you read the page about not lying to yourself? The same goes for setting goals.
Don't set any unrealistic dream goals now, but set realistic goals that you can achieve and do not expect it to go quickly and easily. Because it simply does not.
What do you really want to look like? So far, you yourself have chosen to look exactly as you do today. (Physically as a waist measurement, etc.) Many say things like "I want to look like Alexander Skarsgård (or the equivalent female star)". You may have also said or thought so. But almost no one who says such things wants to look like that, because they do not want to do the job required. You do not want to eat 100% healthy food at the same time as you manage your training optimally (and take PED)? What most people think is that they wish they could look like a movie star without having to sacrifice anything at all.
Every time you have chosen to eat sweets instead of taking a walk, you have chosen to add a little around the waist or at least not reduce it. You know that and you know that it is necessary to eat much healthier to get the body you want.
Here you see pictures that exemplify what body fat can look like.
Now think about it, what is realistic that I can do that I would be happy with at the same time?
If you have about 35% as a guy, it is probably not very realistic to start investing in looking like the guy with 10%. Instead, aim to look like the guy with 25%.
You will have a much greater chance of success if you set realistic goals.
Once you have achieved the goal, you can think twice. Am I happy or should I go down more?
If you are happy, it is very important to start planning for how you will maintain your weight, but I will return to that on another page.
But the abs then? The movie star body!?
I say that at once, the movie star body is not for real! It's on film!
It is also not healthy at all. Look at the guy in the picture next door who has 3-4% body fat. Do you think that body feels good? Do you think he always looks like that?
Both movie stars and bodybuilders do their utmost to look extremely shredded for a short period of time. When Alexander Skarsgård trained for 9 months before the filming of Tarzan, he dedicated his whole life to it.
He was extremely well trained from the beginning, but it still took 9 months of intensive training full time to get the ultimate Hollywood body (and probably help from some PEDs).
He had a personal chef who cooked for him 6 times a day.
He had a personal trainer who set up his training session to look very fit just when the scenes where he was going to show off his body were to be recorded.
He was constantly hungry for 9 months!
Does it feel like a sustainable way to live and exercise? In the same way, it is to compare oneself with sports stars or bodybuilders who spend all their energy in life on being fit.
Instead, set realistic goals that you can achieve and still be happy with yourself. Understand how nice it would be to go to H&M and try on garments that actually fit you well. Or to go to the bathhouse with the children without having to worry about the stomach sticking out a little too much.
Exercise to make you feel good and comfortable with yourself. Not because the media claims that you should look special! You are the one who will do all the work and all the sacrifices. So set goals that you feel you can accomplish without sacrificing too much. Then you have a much greater chance of success and feeling satisfied with the work you have done!