Why Boundaries Matter for Losing Weight
Why Being Polite Won’t Fix Your Fitness
I booked a surprise trip to Morocco for my wife.
Flights from Lisbon were dirt cheap, and we went during Ramadan, which made the experience even more memorable.
We stayed in a beautiful Riad called Riad Jamaique, wandered through the Medina, got lost in the maze-like backroads, ate far too many Moroccan pancakes stuffed with banana and Nutella, and picked up two marble chess sets (even though I already had one at home… and no one to play with).
But the biggest lesson I walked away with wasn’t about chess or tagine. It was about boundaries.
Let me explain.
On our first full day, we dove headfirst into the chaos of the Medina—vendors shouting, scooters weaving through crowds, the lovely smell of spices, cute stray cats everywhere, handmade everything as far as the eye could see. Marrakech is beautiful, but it’s intense. You’ve got to stay sharp.
And one thing I realised quickly? If you’re too polite, you’ll get eaten alive.
Some vendors use every trick in the book—inviting you into their stall like a friend, then blocking the exit if you try to leave. They’ll lay on the charm, then switch to guilt, pressure, and even insults. I got called a coward because I didn’t want to buy a bootleg football shirt. That wasn’t the only insult either.
And here’s the thing: I was still respectful. Always. I’m a guest in someone else’s country. But I had to learn to be firm. Clear. Unapologetic. Otherwise, I would end up with enough fake football shirts for a five-a-side team, three carpets, fifteen bottles of argon oil, a massive lamp, and a huge dent in my bank account.
It hit me later that night: This is exactly what happens in fitness, too. People struggle not because they’re lazy… but because they’re too damn polite.
They don’t want to be inconvenient.
They don’t want to say no to a friend offering them cake (again).
They don’t want to be “that person” who brings their own meal or leaves a party early to get some sleep.
They don’t want to tell their family, “Actually, I am serious about getting healthier now.”
They don’t want to ask for help, admit they’ve lost momentum, or commit to something that puts them first for once.
So they go along with what everyone else is doing.
Even when it hurts them.
Even when they hate how they feel in their own body.
Even when they’re screaming inside for a change.
And let’s be real: that polite, go-with-the-flow version of you is probably why…
You walk past a mirror or shop window and deliberately avoid looking—because you know you won’t like what you see.
You secretly hope for bad weather just so you don’t have to wear anything revealing.
You feel a wave of dread when a friend suggests a beach day or pool hangout.
You constantly say, “I’ll start Monday,” but every Monday feels harder than the last.
You scroll past transformation posts thinking, “Good for them… but that could never be me.”
And the hard truth is… Nothing changes if nothing changes. Just like I had to stop letting pushy vendors run the show, you’ve got to stop letting everything and everyone else dictate your health.
It doesn’t mean being rude. It means setting boundaries. It means showing up for yourself.
Because no one’s going to do it for you.
And if you’ve already had a moment recently where you slipped up—missed a workout, gave in to something you didn’t really want, or let your progress slide because it felt easier to go with the flow... You’re not alone. But you can bounce back.
I made a YouTube video that walks you through exactly how to do that:
“Messed Up Your Diet? Do THIS to Bounce Back”
👉 Click here to watch it now
Because sometimes reclaiming control starts with one decision—one boundary—and the belief that you can come back stronger.
Speak soon,
Leo
