Nice pressing mate
2 Likes
Random morning musing:
This starts with a story about my dear wife, who I love deeply and whilst this story sounds like I’m digging at her, it’s not, it’s something all of us are guilty of in one way or another, but this story is what started off my musing.
As anyone who’s been in my journal for a while knows, we look after babies, who’ve been removed from their parents because they aren’t safe, right now we’re caring for 2 babies. During the usual morning routine of milk, nappy changes, getting them dressed, she managed to somehow drop 3 different things down the back of the changing station. She then proceeded to consider why, and the first thing that came out of her mouth was “motor neurone disease”.
This both amused me and opened the door to an insight, which I shared with her (this will sound harsh, but it wasn’t said in a harsh way nor taken negatively - we know eachother well enough and understand each other): you have a terrible diet, you don’t exercise and you are constantly sleep deprived, that’s significantly more likely to be the cause of a little bit of clumsiness than MND, but you probably jumped to MND, rather than the other more obvious causes because then it’s outside of your control and doesn’t require any action from you.
Which got me to thinking about things more broadly, I spent some time yesterday doing what I normally avoid, reading the politics thread here, and I thought to myself why are people so invested into arguing with people they have no chance of changing, about subjects they have no control over? Well it’s because it allows them to feel like they’ve had meaningful action on the worlds problems, apart from like my wife’s “MND” it changes nothing and actually stops you thinking about and making meaningful changes. Like you really deeply care about a certain political issue? Great stop talking about it online and volunteer for an organisation that tackles that issue.
Whilst thinking that through I realised that I was doing the exact same thing as the people arguing politics - looking for things that are outside of my control to concern myself with so I don’t have to concern myself with my own issues.
Where am I falling short of my own standards, where am I settling for less than I can achieve, what meaningful actions can I take? What am I ignoring by looking at things beyond my control?
Not seeking to answer those with specifics in this post and generally I’m working on lots, achieving lots and moving in the right direction in lots of different areas of my life, I’m broadly satisfied with my trajectory, but there’s always room for improvement!
To summarise: literally, mind your own business.
11 Likes
I read this first line and it struck me as funny, and in the one second of time I had before moving on to the next sentence in the paragraph thought “what a funny way of putting it, as if these aren’t your children but rather children you just sort of…looking after.” Like they’re little strangers dropped into your home. And I thought “another funny difference between men and women.” Then I read on and understood that they are little strangers dropped into your home, haha. I didn’t realize - I haven’t been following you for very long - not sure when I came in, but your log has become one of my favorites due to the combination of reflection, humor, and hard work, despite ambivalence and motivation that waxes and wanes. All of the logs I follow with enthusiasm have in common that they’re insight-driven, which helps me gain insight and improves my own motivation and adherence to program/diet.
So thank you for another great post!
7 Likes
I remember when I was about 28 and got my thyroid labs checked. I was thoroughly disappointed because it was normal. Turns out my obesity was because of my poor diet and complete lack of exercise. Who would have thought. I absolutely didn’t want it to be something that I had to do something to fix. If I remember correctly, I think I even told the doctor that. 
I actually just muted multiple threads so that I won’t have the urge to get into them. I was wasting far too much of my time getting irritated with the comments in them. Then it occurred to me that the people commenting in them have exactly zero effect on my life and yet here I was getting actually angry about what they were saying. Such a complete and utter waste of time that should be spent with my family or at least being constructive in some way.
I do this too. I think sometimes you just need an intermission from your own shit. Then it’s time to dive back in and get your own shit straightened out. I hope you get yours taken care of. I will certainly be working on mine. Yours was a wonderful post. The timing was spot on for me as I am currently having a similar experience. I enjoyed that your brain helped my brain straighten a few things out. Thanks for sharing.
2 Likes
I just remembered a quote I saved days or weeks ago that I wanted to post, maybe strike a conversation about. I’m not sure in what context he meant it, but it seems apropos to your line of thought. (Is the photo of Vadim? No one knows.)
3 Likes
rather than the other more obvious causes because then it’s outside of your control and doesn’t require any action from you.
This is such a wonderful observation. We see it here on the microlevel, with dudes that want to bring up genetics and clavicle length, and then on the macro level you mentioned on how this approach is so pervasive in all things we do. And we saw stoicism as a means to combat this, focusing on what we can control in world we have no control in. My “chaos is the plan” mentality works in a similar manner: I choose the chaos that I am forced to live in.
But I also like winding it back again because irrespective of the initial misstep (clumsiness, not losing the weight we want to lose, brain fog, etc), so many of the “little things” you brought up have such wide and exponential impacts. If we just dialed in our diets, fixed our sleep, and got some regular activity, we’d be better at everything ELSE we’re doing.
4 Likes
My wife is similar. She gets migraines and will look for any medicinal cure, diagnoses, etc. and I just suggest eating healthier, hydrating and exercising. I’m not saying something external isn’t causing it, but let’s knock out the low hanging fruit for a few months and see what happens…
On that note, my wife looks great. But she does not exercise or eat the healthiest. Even though I love her and how she looks, it still drives me up a wall in terms of general health and longevity. Have you found a way to bring these changes up and be received well? I struggle with this and have not been successful, I think it comes across as me taking out my own insecurities on her. Curious what you and other guys on here think. Sorry if it’s not the point of your post but found this part interesting!
2 Likes
Yup, little strangers when they first come in, family by the time they leave!
Thank you, and I mainly think I’m rambling, so nice that my ramblings have some insight in them!
Haha, we see the same thing regularly on the pharma forum, where guys with good T levels are wanting to start TRT. They feel lousy, but want the quick fix not the hard work, feeling good actually takes effort in modern society.
Solid idea, I actually blocked the news websites on my phone, stopped me wasting far too much time on things that either have zero impact on my life, or if they do, are largely beyond my control. The key is like you say using that time in a more beneficial way, whatever that looks like.
Haha always, but I suppose it’s just being mindful of what that intermission is and whether it’s actually an intermission or an addition (like getting worked up over stuff on social media).
Absolutely - links with @T3hPwnisher latest blog post as well.
My head is struggling to make sense of that, it’s like some sort of straddling of Calvinism and Arminianism - I love it!
And this is where I land, I’m not doing these things right, so why worry about the million other things that I can’t control, start here and work outwards (but like Dan John and his clearing out of your car instructions).
No. Unfortunately I’ve not found a suitable way to broach it, I try and model behaviour and let it catch (which occasionally it does - my wife wore the CGM because I was and I’d ordered 2, but she did nothing with the results). Eating I tend to shop and cook, but my wife does supplemental shopping whereby she buys all the junk that I don’t.
There’s hope though - we were both big drinkers and I quit, about 5 years later she did, I’m confident it wouldn’t have happened without me having done it first.
My wife isn’t massively overweight but isn’t happy with her body (she was tiny when we met, medically underweight) but that’s because she was miserable, now she’s happy and so I don’t take it as too much of a negative - like you health is more of a concern than aesthetics.
She’s mentioned the jabs, if she wants to pursue that I’ll support her, my concern is she’ll not necessarily change habits and outlook on food once ceasing.
But I see no point forcing people - a man convinced against his will is still of the same opinion. So I support positive steps and model wherever I can.
Other than that I’ve got nothing!
5 Likes
Sounds like my wife and I, but in reverse.
2 Likes
15/12/25 - didn’t weight
Deads:
100kg x 5
120, 140kg x 3
160, 180kg X 1
190kg x 2
180kg (yes that’s Taylor Swift):
190kg:
Seated OHP:
60kg x 5
70kg x 3
80kg x 1
90kg x 2
95kg x F
60kg x 19 (annoying, wanted 20!)
90kg:
60kg:
Didn’t really feel like it today, bad night sleep and spent the morning being assessed on blue light driving, which is mentally quite draining.
Still came in and got it done, was going to TBDL, but the garage was a bit of a state and my barbell was already set up with 100kg loaded, so that’s where I started, wasn’t sure how it would go, but hit a PR, never pulled 190kg conventional for a single, but it was pretty easy, so…
Pleased to finally see the deadlift move upwards. No back off sets, the second rep on 190kg was slightly out of position and didn’t feel the need to destroy myself, will probably go back to building reps at 160-180kg range again now.
Exactly the same for the seated OHP, don’t think I’ve hit 90kg before, the first rep got out in front slightly but had it, and hit a second. I’d guess the 95kg would be there if I was fresh. 60kg was good, would have liked 20 no complaints though, hitting multiple PRs when not fresh, it’s a good day.
Contemplated some volume/accessory work, but didn’t really want to, got a breathing apparatus course tomorrow (running round shipping containers that are on fire - bad timing with back to back courses, but stuff needed to happen), so I’d normally claim it as an excuse, but I didn’t do any more because I didn’t want to, simple as that.
15 Likes
It ruins the game if you give it away before I get to guess.
A very good day indeed! Strong work.
1 Like
Well dang. My narrow lead is narrower.
2 Likes
Nice lifting lately!
It looks like your deadlift is just starting to get going.
1 Like
Didn’t have these two terms on my T-nation bingo card for today lol
3 Likes
I left you two to guess still!
Haha yup still chasing you, but those were seated, I’m still 30kg off you standing and whilst I’m gaining weight and getting closer, 30kg on the OHP is a big task!
Still nice to see I’m in striking distance of 2 plates (still hoping for 2/3/4/5 plates before 40, hit the 3 plates already, the squat is there to be had and I’ll count the seated OHP when I get it).
Thanks, it’s been a long while since it has moved, but I think taking time to get the form improved has helped here, appreciate your assistance there! (And the rest of the contributions - this site is fantastic as always!).
Haha, yea not the normal meat head nomenclature, but this is a high brow journal 
1 Like
I’m now slightly tempted to completely derail this log to discuss these topics hahaha
1 Like
This journal is less of a train on a rail, more of a riverboat (there’s some general semblance of direction, but a lot of leisurely meandering around topics) - so dive right in!
If context is needed - I’m a Christian, I’d say that theology wise, Calvinism holds a slightly more persuasive coherence, I’d have previously been more convinced of it than I am currently, but having read (most) of prevenient grace - I see there’s less of a distance between the two views than my previous understanding. Also I’d count it is peripheral to my faith - I’m a Christian, not a Calvinist, I’d just lean slightly more reformed!
Also I’m up for wider discussions than that and not particularly easy to offend.
Long way of saying go for it!
5 Likes
And this is why your log is so much fun. I like your openness to discussion and your meandering thoughts. More often than not, they mirror my own.
3 Likes
Eh, nah, it’s an illusion. You are much closer.
1 Like
Oh im interested in this.
Ive grown up in a pretty niche Christian sect/cult (depending on who you ask haha) and whilst this is never discussed, there are very strong Calvinist influences from the founder.
These days the teaching on what the group believes is a bit all over the place so in asking quesions about the group and whether we want to stay I am also asking questions about this sort of stuff.
Id say i land in your camp, Christian foremost with a leaning towards reformed.
That said it looks like my reading list just got longer.
2 Likes