Sigh. Ever feel like it's just ... kinda hard living like this? (beware, whining thr

[SteelWeaver]

Is it just me, or does anyone out there sometimes feel like this whole lifestyle is just ... really hard? Most of the time I'm OK, and it's just my life, and my choice, and it's beautiful, and I wake up feeling thrilled every day, but the last couple of days have just felt ... I dunno ... hard.

It feels like, instead of getting easier and easier, it's getting harder and harder. (I guess this is where I find out I'm not made completely of steel). Training is great - I love training - even pre-comp training, grueling as it is, is a joy.

It's the frigging diet. My holy grail and my nemesis. Ever since January, when I started my first ever competition diet, I've also had nasty cravings, which WILL NOT GO AWAY. Even when I went on a mass plan post-comp, I was still craving sweet stuff. Now I'm back on diet, and they're worse than ever. Most of the time I just ignore it, but slip-ups happen, small, but calories are calories, and sugar is sugar. I'm shooting myself in the foot, and it seems harder to focus.

Is it normal to go through life fighting cravings 24/7? I never had this problem before - didn't even like sweet stuff and basically never ate it, now I feel like a junky - worse - giving up drugs/nicotine was never this hard.

I'm tired. Some days I just want to go out to a restaurant with my buddies and eat whatever looks good on the menu and have a glass of wine and chat.

None of this changes my resolve to be the best bodybuilder I possibly can be, and I know this is probably a phase, but I'd be interested to know how others cope (assuming I'm not the only soft-arse here, lol).

Pardon the whining ... nobody around me has the faintest clue about this stuff.

 

[fitbitch]

I feel your pain sista I think as you mature in this the whole dieting thing gets easier as you go..I rarely ever crave junk while dieting..last year I was a tad bit more bitchy and cravings were more intense..this year i really havent had any....I constantly remind myself what I am doing and what my goals are. When I see fitness shows and girls in shape it motivates me to keep with my diet and training...When I see 90% of America overweight and killing themselves with all the shit they eat...it kind of puts me in this direction anyways. After my last show I went out to dinner and had a little pasta and red wine etc..but did not go crazy like I did last year....I think in time your desire for sugar etc decreases...at least mine has..Its all mental...mind over matter...You have to have confidence in yourself and what you are capable of...be realistic with yourself and your goals..and take it one day at a time...Find things that motivate you and keep that desire strong....Take breaks once in a while after competing and treat yourself...take breaks away from the gym as well...You are human...you will have good days and bad days...it comes with dieting Stay focused!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NorwayFitness]

I've had a few days like that now too...I'm hungry all the time, but not for sweets or salty things, just carbs like bread. Yum...

I'm not on a diet for competition or anything, I just want to look relly good for myself ( and others to see and be jealous about... )

But these last few days have been really hard and I cheatd with steak and sauce today...

But I will continue to fight so someday I will be where I want to..

Just keep on doing the diet !
You will look and feel so much better in a few days, I'm sure !

NF

 

[princess]

rather than torturing yourself...why not give yourself a cheat meal (or day) once a week? it really helps to keep you sane and gives you something to look forward to!

 

[evilqueen]

If dieting is hard for ME, who's not a competitor and never will be, I can only imagine what it must be like for you.

I relate to what fitbitch said about looking at what the typical obese American eats. Perhaps you can cultivate a sense of smugness about your way of eating versus the rest of America's that will keep you on the wagon out of guilt.

They have a saying in AA: Progress not perfection. Maybe if you focus on your progress, and not so much on your slipups and/or feelings of "weakness," you won't experience such intense pressure, and you will find dieting "easier" because it's something you CHOOSE to do, not something you MUST do.

Just a thought.

 

[smoknjilly]

oh I hear ya....going to the supermarket is like damn near torture!

 

[we5happy]

I hear ya loud and clear...

Those trips to the grocery store nearly kill me every time....

I am not in competition nor will I ever be either, but the temptation kills me...

...and then the guilt...

We

 

[nikkita]

you're not alone. Dieting and attaining the goals you want is rewarding but always some sort of craving happens to me. Before I dedicated myself completely to bodybuilding I used to eat everything but as soon as I started redirecting my goals many... many things had to be deleted from my diet. I still find it hard sometimes for carb or sweet craving. Recently I added peanut butter to my diet and it helped me a lot with those cravings. However most of the time is like fitbitch said... "its all mental"

 

[Gladiola]

Oh man, can I relate on the 'sugar as drug' issue!!!!

If you're interested, PM me & I'll send you an invite for the sugar detox yahoo group I started with VeggieLifterChick. There is not a lot of discussion anymore, but at the time the support was great & there are plenty of good coping-mechanism ideas & other info posted.

I have accepted that sugar is like a drug to me & I can't have JUST ONE COOKIE - it totally F*s up my system. As much as I hoped that a total detox would "fix it" & allow me to indulge sometimes like a normal person, I have accepted that I will always have this issue with sugar.

 

[MS]

No matter what the low carb converts may tell you, the plain and undeniable truth is that we are designed to seek out sweet foods, especially when calories are restricted. You can bet your bottom dollar that our ancestors would have ravenously devoured any kind of sweet ripe fruit or stash of honey they could get their hands on with unashamed gusto after a long winter eating nothing but meat and nuts. There is some genetic variations in humans that dictate how strongly we are attracted to the taste of sweets but otherwise it pretty much hardwired. So rule number one is DON'T feel guilty. Guilt accomplishes nothing constructive and it doesn't make the cravings go away.

I may be the exception to the rule, but I find each round of competition dieting gets harder, not easier, and it's a very harsh and lonely lifestyle you've chosen. This is something you either have to accept, or ditch the lifestyle. I have participated in a lot of 'extreme' sports in my youth, but IMHO competition level bodybuilding is the most extreme sport there is. You have to be mentally very tough with a strong resolve. Also remember that those sweet cheats (when properly timed) are your friends, not your enemies.