Mindset

Don’t be an idiot.

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Does this sound familiar to you?

You’re unhappy where you are and decide to make a big change. So you make a list of everything you have to do the next day in order to have a ‘perfect’ day. But then, when that next day comes…

You don’t do any of it.

Or worse,

You actually DO what you planned to do, and you’re very proud of yourself. You even stay consistent for a few days, life is great. Until you have a random bad day.

Then the self sabotage starts.

You think to yourself:

“Oh, I f*cked up my streak anyway, might as well f*ck it up even more. There’s no point doing this anyway. Why do I even make my own life so hard?”

I used to be like this too.

But honestly, it’s just stupid.

I mean, you wouldn’t tell a fat guy who’s trying to lose weight: “Hey man, make sure to stick to your diet every day, if you skip one day you’ll be fat again!” Even though he already lost 5 kgs’s in 4 weeks. You’d be a real asshole if you said that, right?

It doesn’t make any sense.

So, here’s what you do instead:

When you f*ck up (as is very likely to happen anyway-so it will serve you better to just expect to f*ck up at some point, so you’re not surprised when it happens.) Just say to yourself: “Oh, it’s fine, one bad day won’t kill me, let’s just keep going tomorrow. And then proceed to have the perfect day the next day.

Wouldn’t that be a way smarter approach?

Try that next time you f*ck things up.

Instead of being a moron and ruining all your progress because of one bad day. Or worse, quitting all together. You’ll never achieve anything with that mindset.

Don’t be an idiot.

Victor Vandermoere

How I got rid of self-doubt and overthinking.

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I used to be very insecure about how skinny I was.

So I started lifting weights, going to the gym religiously and eating everything I could find (‘it’s bulking season’ I kept repeating) just to try and put on some size.

I’ve made plenty of mistakes -still do.

But through trial and error, and some consistency, I got there. In about 2 and a half years I put on more than 10 kg’s, mostly lean muscle mass. I look better than I ever was before, and I’m more confident than ever.

I’ve achieved a level of fitness I never dreamt possible.

But I’ve had my fair share of doubts and fears along the way, of course.

Everybody does.

I thought big, sexy muscles were a thing for pro athletes, bodybuilders, models, lucky guys with great genetics. Not for ‘normal dudes’ like me.

Maybe you think the same thing. Maybe you don’t.

Either way, here’s how I personally beat those fears and anxieties, got rid of my self-doubts, stopped overthinking and achieved my goals in just a few years:

Focusing on the work NOT the outcome/result.

Eat right, sleep right, go gym, drink enough water, take creatine, drink protein shake – the things you have complete control over instead of the things you cannot change like what you see in the mirror or what your scale says.

Focus on the things you can control and STOP worrying about the things you can’t.

And then? Patience.

Focus on the work and the results will come in time.

Suddenly you’ll wake up one day, look in the mirror, and realize you’ve got that sixpack you always dreamt off.

That day is coming, if you’re willing to wait and do the work.

So that’s it. That’s the only cure to overthinking and self doubt I have ever been able to find. I know it’s nothing special, I know it’s boring and slow. But so is it in life.

Slow and boring gets results.

I don’t know who needed to hear this, but I hope it helped.

Victor Vandermoere

My biggest regret about my fitness journey.

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I started lifting when I was 19.

It took me just 3 months before I could see progress in the mirror. 3 months longer before other people started to notice. 1 year before I became ‘the jacked guy’.

And now? 2 years later?

People come to me for advice.

That’s all it took. Just 2 short years. If I had know that in the beginning, my god I would’ve started sooner.

Honestly. That’s my only regret.

Not starting sooner.

Because if I look back at my life before I was jacked. And when I look at my life right now. I would pick my current life every damn time.

Despite all the sacrifices I had to make along the way, and still am making today…

It was (and is) worth it.

I’m happy I started as early as I did. When I was still young, when I still had a lot of time because I didn’t have a job or any responsibilities.

For a year straight, fitness was my only priority.

Looking back I realize how much of a luxury it was having that much time. And I know for a fact I wouldn’t have made as much progress, as fast as I did, if not for the time I had to spend learning, training, reading, living and breathing fitness.

I also know, when I look back on this day in 2 years time, when I’m gonna have even more responsibilities, I’m gonna think the same thing.

I’m gonna think:

“wow, I can’t believe I had so much time back then, I wish I had so much time today.”

Because here’s the thing.

We always think today is not the right time. We always think in the future we’ll have more time to do X,Y, or Z.

But that’s a lie.

You’ll never have as much time as you have today, and there will never be a better time to start than today.

So, start.

Stop procrastinating.

And put yourself on the waitlist for my coaching program that’s opening on the 1st of February.

Because the earlier you start, the earlier you’ll see results.

First come, first serve.

Send me a reply if you want on.

Victor Vandermoere

No Pain, No Gain.

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This phrase is painted on the wall of my gym. (Super original, I know.)

Whenever I feel a bit demotivated I just start staring at it like a psychopath while thinking unpleasant thoughts about people I don’t like. Get’s me ‘in the mood’.

What? Stop looking at me like that! I know you do it too.

Here’s the thing…

I always thought this saying meant, you need to lift heavy until it hurts in order to make gains. But the more I learn about weightlifting and fitness, the more I realize that’s not always necessary.

Sure,

Lifting weights is always going to hurt a little bit. If it doesn’t burn at least a little bit you’re probably not lifting heavy enough.

But I think the most important ‘pain’ here is not the pain of lifting itself.

It’s the pain that comes before the lifting. The pain that makes you decide to start lifting. The pain that drives you to make a change in your life and sign up for a gym membership.

You know what pain I’m talking about?

For me, it was the pain of being single. The pain of looking in the mirror and thinking: ‘damn, I’m skinny, non wonder girls don’t want me.’

Until one day I finally snapped.

I signed up to a gym and started going religiously 3 times a week. This was a massive change for me at the time. I never committed to anything that hard in my life before. (Except videogames.)

And now 2 years later I have the body I could only dream of back then. And the confidence to speak to girls. And they finally start showing some signs of attraction too.

Still single though, so don’t think having muscles immediately will help you find a girlfriend.

I warned you.

Gotta go to work now, so I’ll end it here.

But let me end this email with a question for you.

What pain caused you
to start lifting weights?

Send me a reply. I’d be very interested in hearing from you.

Victor Vandermoere

Stop Hoping for a Completion of Anything in Life.

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Chapter 1 of The Way Of The Superior Man by David Deida reads:

 —

“Stop Hoping for a Completion of Anything in Life.

Most men make the error of thinking that one day it will be done. They think, “If I can work enough, then one day I could rest.” Or, “One day my woman will understand something and then she will stop complaining.” Or, “I’m only doing this now so that one day I can do what I really want with my life.” The masculine error is to think that eventually things will be different in some fundamental way. They won’t. It never ends. As long as life continues, the creative challenge is to tussle, play, and make love with the present moment  while giving your unique gift.”

—

I apply that same mindset to my fitness journey.

See, when I started my ‘Gym Arc’ 2 years ago, I didn’t have any grand expectations. There was no “I want to gain 10 kg’s in the next 6 months!” kinda stuff going on. No, from the start, I made the decision that if I was going to do this properly, I was going to do it for the rest of my life. 

And that’s still the mindset. 

I frankly cannot imagine a future where I won’t be going to the gym somewhat consistently. (At least 3 days a week) And I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon. 

More, 

My opinion is that, if you’re not planning on doing this ‘fitness thing’ for the rest of your life… you shouldn’t even bother starting. 

That’s right.

And here’s why: 

Let’s say you decide to finally do something about those skinny arms of yours, or your belly, or whatever it is… so you do what everybody does, you start going to the gym, you start eating properly, counting calories, protein, supplements… all the good stuff. And after a few months you start seeing some fantastic results. Awesome, life is good. 

Now what?

Are you just gonna quit because you achieved your goal? 

Hell no! 

You keep going. Because once you get there, the goal shifts from ‘getting in shape’ to ‘staying in shape’. And that’s something you’re gonna have to do for the rest of your life. You don’t have a choice. 

After all, who cares if you got in shape for a few months out of your 60-70+ year life? This is a lifelong journey, whether you like it or not. 

Like I said. You don’t have a choice.

And if you want to start your ‘lifelong journey’ the right way, it’s important to get the foundations right. 

And I can help you with that. 

Send me a reply to get the details.

Victor Vandermoere

Fat runs in the family.

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The other day I was talking to a friend of mine. 

She was having ‘difficulties’ with her weight, and felt demotivated to do something about it. Here’s what she said to me (Paraphrased, it’s been a while): 

“Victor, I don’t know what I can do. I eat healthy, I exercise, I take care of myself… but still, when I look at the scale it just keeps going up. It’s just genetics. Fat runs in the family. I’m always going to be this way.” 

I sympathize with her. 

Because she is right. She does take care of herself. Or at least, that’s what it seems like to me. I don’t know what she’s doing ‘behind the scenes’. That’s only for her to know. But that said, I trust her honesty. 

So what is it then? What’s causing her to still -despite all the effort she puts in- to still not see results? 

Honestly. I don’t know. 

But I do know this: 

Blaming it on her ‘’genetics’ is for sure not going to help her. In fact, it’s only going to make it worse. Because by doing that, she’s putting it out of her own control. And that’s the worst thing you could ever do if you want to achieve your body goals. 

Why?

Because if it’s not in your hands, what’s the point? Why go to the gym? Why go on a walk? Why eat healthy? It’s not gonna work, because it’s out of your own hands, right? You can do nothing about it, right?

Wrong.

You absolutely can do something about it. For some people it just takes more time, and more work. Sure, genetics make a difference. But it is possible. For everyone. Of that I am very, very certain. 

And if you’re ready to make a change yourself, book a consultation call with me. 

Send me a reply and I’ll send you the details.

Victor Vandermoere