Coming July 2026

The Lonely Middle

The brutal phase between deciding to change and actually becoming someone new. This is the map no one gave you.

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Lonely Middle: The In-Between by Nate Wade

What Is The Lonely Middle?

It's the phase after the honeymoon ends but before the new identity solidifies. It's when progress becomes invisible, doubt becomes deafening, and the old you starts whispering: "Just go back. It was easier before."

This is the book I wish I'd had at Month 16—when I was doing everything "right" but nothing felt like it was working. Not another motivational speech. A map. A guide to the territory between "I've decided to change" and "I've actually changed."

Why transformation fails at predictable rates—and what to do about it
The science of the nadir: what's actually happening in your brain
How to survive the fog, regression, and extinction bursts
Real stories from physical transformation, sobriety, and entrepreneurship

The Phases No One Talks About

Phase 1

The Honeymoon

Progress is fast. Wins are visible. Everyone cheers you on. You feel like a genius for starting this.

Phase 2

The Descent

Progress slows. Doubt creeps in. The routine that felt exciting now feels like work. You start questioning.

Phase 3

The Nadir

Progress disappears completely. Doubt screams. The old you calls. This is where 60-80% of people quit.

About the Author

I'm not writing this from the "other side." I'm writing this from the middle—still navigating the change, still battling regression, still questioning if I've actually "become" yet.

Over the past two years, I've lost 40 pounds, built a profitable franchise business with my wife, and completely reshaped my relationship with alcohol. Not because I'm stronger than anyone else. Because I finally understood what was happening.

This book is the map I wish I'd had. The one that explains why Month 16 felt harder than Month 1. The one that would have told me: You're not failing. You're in the nadir. Keep going.

40+

Pounds Lost

Years Transforming

Business Built

From the Book

"Month 16, I felt more lost than I did at Month 1. The scale hadn't moved in 8 weeks. The runs that used to give me clarity now felt like punishment. I was doing everything 'right.' But nothing felt like it was working. And the worst part? I had no idea if this was normal. Or if I was failing."

— Chapter 1: Introduction