Nate Lifts Life

A recipe for success ..

Swapping!

For example, swapping fast food for home-cooked meals is a real recipe for success if you struggle with nutrition 💪

I always stress the importance of developing healthy habits through small changes.

Small changes in your daily routine can make a big difference when it comes to achieving your fitness goals, regardless of what those goals are.

For example, some simple changes like swapping out processed foods for whole foods, or swapping out sedentary activities like watching TV for a yoga class or meditation might be the step you need to take first.

Things as simple as incorporating daily habits such as drinking water, eating mindfully, and getting enough sleep can help to improve your overall health and help with your weight management.

Additionally, incorporating daily habits such as journaling and connecting with nature can help to improve both mental and emotional health 🤯

Improving your mental health and emotional health is not often discussed in relationship with fitness goals but they are closely related.

When you feel good, you will want to look good and do good.

Remember, it's not about perfection but about making small changes that will become lifelong habits.

Building healthy habits is key to achieving holistic health and achieving your fitness goals.

Find this helpful? Follow for more tips 😁

It takes a moment to set a goal

And it will require many many more moments of action before that goal is achieved.

It's easy to get lost in the goal and discouraged because of how much time and work is needed.

Remember why you started and be in it for yourself, the growth you will experience, the lessons you'll learn and finally the satisfaction of achieving the goal.

You got this 💪🏾

Progress not perfection⁣⁣
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As a fitness coach & bodybuilder I often deal with the pressures of looking a certain way and only posting certain types of pictures on social media that would gain engagement.⁣⁣
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These two photos were taken seconds apart under the same lighting and conditions.⁣⁣
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The picture on the left is one of me relaxed and unposed while the picture of the right is me with a flex and posed.⁣⁣
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𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝟿𝟿% 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘥𝘰 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮.⁣⁣
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We (and the A.I. /:social media algorithm) tend to praise, promote and worship the photos that resemble the photo on the right more than we appreciate the photo on the left.⁣⁣
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I am happy and healthy in both photos but the photo on the right will always out perform the photo on the left so you are more likely to see photos like the one on the right on online platforms because I am able to work the algorithm to my advantage.⁣⁣
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𝘐'𝘮 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵.⁣⁣
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I figured I would do a transparent post to shed some light on my own personal struggle with social media and to be honest.⁣⁣
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𝐓𝐋𝐃𝐑: Don't always buy into everything you see online, or at least don't compare YOUR "work-in-progress" body to someone else's "work-in-progress" body.⁣⁣
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- coach Nate

Happy Monday!

I'm happy to be back after taking some time off to heal my body and nurse an injury.

Looking forward to creating more content, plus helping and inspiring you towards your health + fitness goals.

Mind Body Relationship⁣
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There is a mind-body relationship happening as we interact with our physical environment.⁣
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𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝟹𝘔 𝘪𝘯 𝟹𝘔𝘗𝘖𝘞𝘌𝘙𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘵, 𝘔𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 (𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵) 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 (𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯) 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 (𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦).⁣
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It usually begins with the mind and whatever thoughts you (the mind) have affect how you (the body) interacts with the physical environment.⁣
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Here are some examples, using some fitness examples:⁣
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If you (the mind) thinks that exercises needs to be challenging and you (the body) must be sore/hurting, over time, with enough challenging workouts, you become someone who only likes/does tough workouts and has a hard time enjoying exercise if there's no soreness/hurting⁣
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Or, if you (the mind) think that carbohydrates need to be eliminated in order for you (the body) to lose fat, you will interact differently with food and become someone who is scared of carbs and struggles with carbs.⁣
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Your mind is a powerful tool and 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝, which is unfortunate because the mind leads the body.⁣
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Once you are able to train and master your mind, your body will become a vehicle and agent of the change you wish.⁣
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The mind-body should not be separated because they are connected and dependent on each other.⁣
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Challenge is mother of strength

The journey of overcoming something is the mother and story of your strength.

So to avoid challenges in life is to deprive yourself of your own inner strength.

This is why I like training and specifically strength training.

During the challenge and the struggle, all you feel is the load of the weights, the discomfort in your muscles and the many reasons why you should just stop and quit.

It is only after pushing through the those reps and those sets and those training sessions that you realize your own true strength.

The effort you are cultivating in the gym is the strength you will feel in your near future.

Imposter Syndrome ⁣
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I have struggled with imposter syndrome a lot and sometimes I still struggle with it.⁣
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Growing up, I always felt like I had a ton of potential (still do) but I struggled to turn my potential to reality.⁣
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I didn't feel like I was good enough or worthy of success.⁣
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I didn't feel good enough or smart enough in university because I knew a lot of smart people.⁣
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I didn't feel like I was a good enough athlete because I knew other athletes who were sponsored, were on the varsity team and were recognized for their accomplishments.⁣
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I didn't feel good enough to be deserving of a beautiful relationship because I had so much baggage and issues I had to work on.⁣
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Imposter syndrome prevented me from tapping into my true power.⁣
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I was more concerned with what people would think and was certain I would be judged.⁣
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I felt like people who say "who does he think he is"? ⁣
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That thought paralyzed me from taking action.⁣
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How I broke out of the cycle of doubting myself, playing small and selling myself short was to know in my heart that 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭. ⁣
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✔I just needed to be comfortable that I was a good student and I was doing my best.⁣
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭.⁣
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✔I had to be confident in myself and know that despite not being on the varsity team, I am still a great athlete. ⁣
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨.⁣
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✔I had to believe I was worthy of a beautiful relationship because I am beautiful human that had a lot to offer and be consistent with working on my personal growth and development.⁣
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺.⁣
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If you struggle with Imposter syndrome, I get it because I have been there.⁣
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Greatness is within you so don't lower your expectations or settle for less.⁣
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We all seek growth

The same way a tree grows, we seek growth.

I believe that each and everyone one of you/us wants to be better. We want more.

You want to improve your current situation.
✔You want a long-lasting + loving relationship, a reliable and trusting circle of friends, freedom from depression or maybe just a chance to start over again.

You want to give your body an upgrade. 
✔You want to look good, have some visible abs, be more confident and feel good about yourself.

You dream of a better life.
✔You want your dream job or maybe you want to be the boss, you want a successful business, a happy family and freedom to travel.

Those are all signs of seeking growth and every living thing seeks to grow.

It may take a few years for a tree to reach its desired size, but the tree doesn't rush the process or focus on anything else other than its growth.

It just needs some time.

Just like the tree, you can be all you can be and will be all you can be if you just focus on your growth.

I've been there before ..⁣
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I know you want to transform your life and live on your terms.⁣
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You have what it takes and it's all you think about on a regular basis. There is something inside of you that wants it bad and is committed to the process.⁣
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The feeling when you pour so much time, energy + emotion into changing your body only to be discouraged because you don't see any results can be crushing to your confidence and make you doubt your ability to transform.⁣
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You feel like throwing the towel and just settling.⁣
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The reason you want to quit is because ⁣
➖️ you are focusing on changing your external environment before changing your internal environment⁣
➖️ you are giving all your energy to hiding from your problems + insecurities instead of admitting you have those insecurities and tackling them first⁣
➖️ you think the right exercise program + nutrition program will transform you but you haven't addressed your negative relationships with diet and exercise⁣
➖️ you're allowing your mood and emotions to control your actions⁣
➖️ you feel stuck and don't know what to do but won't admit it and ask for help⁣
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Are you ready to receive help and get out of the prison or negative cycle you're in?⁣
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On Monday February 28th, I will be beginning a 5 day masterclass.⁣
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In the masterclass we will be going over some strategies to help you level up and regain control of your life.⁣
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This masterclass is open to 10 people who are serious about change. ⁣
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The only prerequisites are that you show up willing to learn, have a positive attitude, set goals + crush them and be committed to your success.⁣
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If you want to register, all you have to do is click the link in the bio and register for the masterclass or comment "Boss" and I'll add you personally.⁣
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I'm not going to lie,

In a world where we see perfect images of everything and everyone, I sometimes find myself second guessing things many times over.

I used to struggle with self confidence with deep rooted insecurities that was tied to seeking acceptance and validation from others.

I often felt like I didn't belong or fit in for a long time. I wasn't not tall enough, big enough, cool enough, black/Nigerian enough, not qualified or smart enough. The list was endless.

I was just not enough.

I was stuck in a cycle of chasing validation and seeking acceptance because I was comparing myself to other people. I was chasing their success, gifts and talents instead of working on developing mine.

If you find yourself comparing yourself with others, you may keep on feeling disappointed with yourself and the more disappointed with yourself you become, the more you resent yourself.
➖️ you take your unique personality for granted
➖️ you trade your authenticity for validation
➖️ you lose your sense of self and creativity
➖️ you grow distant from your purpose and feel more depressed

So how do you break the vicious cycle?
✔ learn to love + celebrate yourself instead of comparing yourself to others
✔ begin to express your creativity and unique personality boldly
✔ set apart some time to learn about yourself + connect with other people who are doing the same

You will only realize how special you are once begin to appreciate yourself, look inward to stop focusing on other people's success and watching them live their lives.

Start working on developing your gifts, learning new skills and gaining confidence in who you are today!

Happy Family Day

My family is one of the reasons I have invested so much into myself.

I choose to love myself and take care of my health + wellness because husbands should "love their wives as their own bodies" and "he who loves his wife loves himself".

I choose to get up early in the morning to do my morning routine, educate myself through reading + mentorship, and have a good spiritual relationship with my heavenly Father because I have been blessed with a wonderful family.

A lot of what I do is for family.

I do not take my family for granted and will continue to do my best to take care of the people God has given because I have been blessed by them and blessed to have them.

You don't have to be married or have children for you to prioritize yourself (personal growth, health, fitness, emotional maturity and spiritual growth) but if you have a wife and children, you will be a better husband and father if you prioritize yourself and the things that matter.

Peeling off the layers⁣
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When I have consultations with guys about their health + fitness goals, one common thing that is being sought is confidence.⁣
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As someone who used to struggle with confidence, I understand how painful it feels to not live life how you want to.⁣
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I know what it's like to feel like you can't get your dream girl. I know what it's like to struggle to make eye contact and stand tall. I know what it's like to live life feeling like you're a spectator rather than a participant.⁣
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It is easy to look at me and think my confidence comes from my physique or my success but that is far from it.⁣
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I know guys with nice and big muscles but are also plagued with insecurities. ⁣
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Confidence comes from peeling back some layers of yourself. The layers that you are scared to expose or address. The layers of resistance.⁣
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The act of peeling back a layer of resistance with intent and consistently doing so on a regular basis is what gives birth to confidence.⁣
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The more often you practice habits that peel off a layer of resistance, the better you get at it.⁣
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➖️ when you start investing in your dreams, taking action and betting on yourself instead of waiting for others to help/start, that is a layer being peeled. ⁣
➖️ when you commit to living your life authentically and unapologetically, that is a layer being peeled back.⁣
➖️ when you decide you will exercise because you want to love your body and not because you're embarrassed by it, that is you peeling back a layer.⁣
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You decide which layers you need or want to peel but stop waiting.⁣
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There is no secret to building confidence. If this is something you struggle with, I have been there before so I get it.⁣
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Just start peeling.⁣
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