"With everything happening today, you don't know whether you're coming or going, but you think that you're on your way. Life lined up on the mirror don't blow it."
-Lil Wayne, "Mirror"
What a great warmup song. So, Jennifer, the results fairy did come last night, and she stole my delts... Let me know if you find them. Lol
It's ok... I'm gonna keep going with this cut for now and reassess when I'm a little leaner. These things have a way of evening out and I'm pretty sure I've got enough time to do a little refining if I need to. In fact, once my legs come down a little I might find I have more symmetry without any more upper body mass.
Lol...the obsessing! Thank God I have my trainer to make these calls for me. I was actually talking to an old client (I used to train full time but do other stuff now) last night who was saying that even though he has competed as a bodybuilder it helps him to have me still do his nutrition. It's a little silly because the guy has plenty of knowledge and expertise and there is no magic. I don't have some weird formula or special diet, it's just that turning the control of these decisions over is really important for some people.
I obsess. About my body. About food. About exercise. Someone needs to steer the friggin' ship or I'm all over the place. Do I cry a silent tear every month when Paypal bills me for my trainer's services? Sure. But I save what I spend in stupid endeavors not undertaken.
Me: "I'm losing my delts."
Him: "Shut up and keep doing your plan."
M: "My delts are back!"
Him: "Shocking." (heavy on sarcasm)
We tend to not only obsess but we panic when we "find something". Whether it's a trainer, a training partner, or a good friend with a good eye and no emotional investment, this neutral second opinion is priceless. It's also important because it keeps us from being self-absorbed feedback gluttons IRL. Maybe gramma doesn't wanna feel your bis again today. Maybe your colleagues just want you to do your day job. Maybe the other people waiting in the bathroom line at Starbucks don't want to squeeze their knees together while you take more mirror time.
Mirror time. The mirror can be an important tool, but a very biased one. So you don't have a training partner? (By the way, b.s. if you're posting regularly on this forum and still think that) Can't afford a trainer? Can't afford your own wireless internet (sorry neighbors)? Take pics every 2 weeks and keep them. Compare them and your progression. It's not perfect, but it's a lot easier. If you need a second opinion I'm happy to look (but ladies PLEASE exercise good judgement about sending pics to anyone online).
Why try to cut back on your obsessing?
- mirror time at the gym is time lost not doing WORK.
- mirror time when you're with others is unattractive, sure, but it also means you're missing out on OTHER people, and they can be pretty cool too. Don't rob yourself of a real life. You can have both.
- time spent obsessing about your nutrition (deciding what to have, not eating clean in actuality) pisses your waiter and your loved ones off... Oh, and it doesn't help you meet your goals. A stressed dieter is a fat dieter.
I'm sure you can all think of other reasons (all none to one of you that have read to this point -- lol!), but these are just a few in my limited personal experience with watching myself and others.
Having a trainer or advisor (e.g. someone like Radar) means humbling yourself. It means adopting the "Beginner's Mind" no matter where we are. And then adopting it again when we get too big for our shirtsleeves.
I played sports in school, and I was ok, but I was a little what they call "uncoachable". I always thought I knew better. Too smart for my own good? Too smart for results. I finally learned that listening to OTHER people is helpful (sometimes). Choose your advisors carefully and wisely. Get a second opinion if necessary (any advice worth taking can tolerate a second opinion). Then stop wasting time looking at it and dive in.
xo, C
PS I'm getting friggin thumb-thritis from my touch screen!
"With everything happening today, you don't know whether you're coming or going, but you think that you're on your way. Life lined up on the mirror don't blow it."
-Lil Wayne, "Mirror"
What a great warmup song. So, Jennifer, the results fairy did come last night, and she stole my delts... Let me know if you find them. Lol
It's ok... I'm gonna keep going with this cut for now and reassess when I'm a little leaner. These things have a way of evening out and I'm pretty sure I've got enough time to do a little refining if I need to. In fact, once my legs come down a little I might find I have more symmetry without any more upper body mass.
Lol...the obsessing! Thank God I have my trainer to make these calls for me. I was actually talking to an old client (I used to train full time but do other stuff now) last night who was saying that even though he has competed as a bodybuilder it helps him to have me still do his nutrition. It's a little silly because the guy has plenty of knowledge and expertise and there is no magic. I don't have some weird formula or special diet, it's just that turning the control of these decisions over is really important for some people.
I obsess. About my body. About food. About exercise. Someone needs to steer the friggin' ship or I'm all over the place. Do I cry a silent tear every month when Paypal bills me for my trainer's services? Sure. But I save what I spend in stupid endeavors not undertaken.
Me: "I'm losing my delts."
Him: "Shut up and keep doing your plan."
M: "My delts are back!"
Him: "Shocking." (heavy on sarcasm)
We tend to not only obsess but we panic when we "find something". Whether it's a trainer, a training partner, or a good friend with a good eye and no emotional investment, this neutral second opinion is priceless. It's also important because it keeps us from being self-absorbed feedback gluttons IRL. Maybe gramma doesn't wanna feel your bis again today. Maybe your colleagues just want you to do your day job. Maybe the other people waiting in the bathroom line at Starbucks don't want to squeeze their knees together while you take more mirror time.
Mirror time. The mirror can be an important tool, but a very biased one. So you don't have a training partner? (By the way, b.s. if you're posting regularly on this forum and still think that) Can't afford a trainer? Can't afford your own wireless internet (sorry neighbors)? Take pics every 2 weeks and keep them. Compare them and your progression. It's not perfect, but it's a lot easier. If you need a second opinion I'm happy to look (but ladies PLEASE exercise good judgement about sending pics to anyone online).
Why try to cut back on your obsessing?
- mirror time at the gym is time lost not doing WORK.
- mirror time when you're with others is unattractive, sure, but it also means you're missing out on OTHER people, and they can be pretty cool too. Don't rob yourself of a real life. You can have both.
- time spent obsessing about your nutrition (deciding what to have, not eating clean in actuality) pisses your waiter and your loved ones off... Oh, and it doesn't help you meet your goals. A stressed dieter is a fat dieter.
I'm sure you can all think of other reasons (all none to one of you that have read to this point -- lol!), but these are just a few in my limited personal experience with watching myself and others.
Having a trainer or advisor (e.g. someone like Radar) means humbling yourself. It means adopting the "Beginner's Mind" no matter where we are. And then adopting it again when we get too big for our shirtsleeves.
I played sports in school, and I was ok, but I was a little what they call "uncoachable". I always thought I knew better. Too smart for my own good? Too smart for results. I finally learned that listening to OTHER people is helpful (sometimes). Choose your advisors carefully and wisely. Get a second opinion if necessary (any advice worth taking can tolerate a second opinion). Then stop wasting time looking at it and dive in.
xo, C
PS I'm getting friggin thumb-thritis from my touch screen!
not so much with the mirror-- I still don't admire myself enough to be constantly looking in the mirror, but the diet? Good god I worry about that every second!!! Is this right?? Is this enough? Should I cut this and add that? It is mind numbing!!!! And maybe why I can't get rid of this headache either. Hmmm. But I'll take what you said about the stressed dieter being a fat dieter to heart. Just worrying so much is just gonna raise my cortisol level and keep me fat. I need to relax and just trust the process.
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