It’s time to quit the extreme yo-yo dieting. The reason for this is simple: it doesn’t work. 26-year-old Stefan Wolf from Bremen, Germany battled with his weight for years. Always going from one diet to the next, he fell victim to yo-yo‘ing and struggled to achieve sustainable results. That is, until he came across Freeletics, and discovered how rewarding it could be to not take shortcuts. This is his story.
For many years I battled with my weight. Sometimes, I would be super motivated – I would go all out, dedicate myself entirely to my fitness for a few months at a time, train intensely 5-6 days per week and limit my calorie intake. Sounds effective but it was too extreme. I saw results but it wasn’t sustainable. It didn’t take long before I lost interest and of course, put all that weight right back on. But that wasn‘t my only problem – my body responded to this harsh treatment with a number of diseases, and two herniated discs. I was almost at my breaking point. This yo-yo dieting became an eternal vicious cycle I couldn‘t end.
In January 2013, I finally decided I had to find a sustainable, healthy way of life I actually enjoyed. I began looking for inspiration on YouTube, and came across Levent’s transformation It was refreshing to see a regular guy like me accomplish such an impressive transformation through everyday changes to his health and fitness routine. I thought, ‘if he can do it, so can I’. I found the Facebook group for Freeletics Bremen, and posted that I would like to join them for a trial session. I immediately got invited to join them, and the next day I had accomplished my first Freeletics workout, “Venus”. At the time, I couldn‘t even begin to imagine how much Freeletics would change my life. I had the biggest muscle ache afterwards, but it felt really good to know that I had pushed myself and made it through. I wanted more of it.
In the beginning, I felt really out of shape and conscious of my weight, so I preferred to start training on my own at home. I quickly realized, however, that it was more fun to train outdoors with the Bremen group. I missed the rush of energy and motivation that came from training alongside other Free Athletes. I now know that it doesn‘t matter what kind of shape you‘re in – everyone is focused on supporting each other. So, after 4 weeks of training alone, I rejoined the group.
After just 2 months, I had already lost body fat and I could see results. But it was different to the yo-yo dieting I had done before. I felt stronger – mentally and physically. I enjoyed what I was doing and I had a group behind me who motivated and pushed me to keep going and giving it my all. They were truly there with me every step of the way, and many of them have turned into lifelong friends.
After the first 15 weeks with Freeletics I was finally comfortable in my body, and I knew this time, my results would last. I had a newfound sense of confidence and accomplishment knowing I had stuck with it. Training is now an integral part of my daily life. I don‘t ask myself, “Do I have to train today?” but rather “which workout is waiting for me?
Don‘t think about how long it’s gonna take. Time will pass regardless. The only thing that matters is whether you can look back on your results with a sense of pride, knowing you didn‘t just accomplish your goals, you crushed them. When it comes to your health and fitness, there are no shortcuts. Do it right. Do it now.
