Ok Guys, this has probably been posted before but how do you all deal with the non-fitness minded people in your life? None of my friends, co-workers or family members even work out regularly, to say nothing of trying to eat right. Here I am, regularly going to the gym, doing the most extreme diet imaginable-- the Fat Fast— and I have to deal with these people on a daily basis. “How can you drink that crap?” “Why dont you just eat normal?” “That shit is going to kill you…” “Why dont you just work out like everyone else?” Yadda Yadda yadda. I am sick of having to listen to this crap from people who eat like pigs all the time. Then of course there is this guy I work with, who is as big as I am, (not lean, but not “fat”) who eats pasta and salad and virtually NO protein, takes no supplements, parties till he’s hammered every weekend… I mean I look at him and think “why the hell am i doing all this, when he looks as good as me?”… Now some of you might say “well the results are worth it” but unfortunately even with all my discipline, I’m not “big” and I can’t see my abs yet… so I can’t look in the mirror and say “F’ em” because I look great. I find myself forced to forge on even though results are slow. Damn if it doesn’t make it a bitch!
Ok, I needed to vent to people who might understand my frustration!
Remember this: only one person in the world can produce a good body for you and only one person can mess it up. Those do nothing, negative people only have the power to derail you if you let them. Don’t give in and don’t work to get your body in shape for anybody but yourself. Once you accept that, then others have no power over you and you will make the greatest progress of your life!
dude, you have it tough. but i have it tougher. im 16. so at least you are in charge of your life!
you got balls. it takes balls it train. period. it takes even bigger caljones to do the fat fast. use those caljones to tell the people that you enjoy seeing the fruits of your labor. work your ass off.
good luck
maybe try different more lax approaches as an experiment (for a few months). No noticeable change? ok relax your lifestyle. If it is impacting gains and messing up goals, terminate the experiment and go back to what you are doing now. Realize that some people are spoiled idiots and theres only so much you can do about it.
“Remember this: only one person in the world can produce a good body for you and only one person can mess it up” I have never heard it put like that but that is so true and I think that will really help me every time I start to question my lifestyle thanks a lot.
=w=
Getting ripped is a total bitch if you are a big eater, which about 99.9% of weight lifters/football players are. But you don’t need to do all of this shit to get big muscles. Just lift real hard, eat enough (not so much though) and sleep. Do that for like 8 weeks and then diet for 2 or 4, trust me it is easier that way.
WHY? because when it is all over with…it is WORTH every look…double take…and smile you get on the beach, at the pool, or just wearing your tank top. It takes lots of time…years in fact…but when you get there you will enjoy the fruits of your labor. Remember…except for those genetic scumbuckets…you got to work for it…if you could look like a muscle man in a year…there would be a lot more buff bods out there. It takes years…and lots of baby steps…remember…age and excess will catch up to your coworker…and he will look like shit…when your just getting into your prime. Look around…there are lots of pretty buff 20 year olds…fewer 25 year olds…even less 30 year olds…and the 35 year olds…well…few and far between. So just keep rollin…the gap widens between you and mere mortals each and every year!!
Doug - there was an article a while back called something like ‘Merry Christmas Bob’. Do a search for it, print it out and give a copy to all the people that give you shit. And by the way, I know exactly what you’re going through!
Doug, that is one candid post. I’ve trained longer than I’m going to admit here, and I don’t have one single close friend who is fitness minded. They’re all artists and/or family types. You should hear the teasing I get about protein powders, or my diet log. Well, obviously, you DO hear it…
Anyway, only in the last year or so have I managed above average size with below average BF, with a waist/shoulder differential that even the dullest observer can’t miss. All those years of training – those fricking, endless, often ill-informed years of looking so “common” – have finally yielded a physique that is above average. (I’m six one, 190, at 6% BF… with miles to go before I sleep.)
In the mean time, I’m watching my friends age in front of my eyes. The men are getting “man breasts.” The women are plumping their way into a bell-shaped middle age. These are great, God-given friends – their appearance in no way affects my love for them. BUT, they are also walking reminders that my training is not futile. And neither is yours, Doug. To work so hard, to see only marginal progress, and yet to continue working toward a valid goal – this is rare. I respect you for pushing ahead. Keep learning.
Know exactly what you are saying Doug.Don’t get discouraged by other people.Understand that their stupid remarks stem from insecurity and jealousy.Many people feel threatened by those who show a bit of initiative and do their own thing,and your ability and willingness to train consistently and eat right often provides a stark reminder to these folks about their inability to do get off their sad asses and do the same.People can react in two ways-they can use you as inspiration to make a positive change, or they can try and cut you down to try and make themselves feel better about their own pathetic situation.Unfortunately many people will choose the latter.When people start up with this kind of crap I make it clear that this is my thing and it is non-negotiable.I just blow them off by acting quite indifferent.However there have been a couple of occasions when people have been particularly callous-I simply pulled up my shirt ,flashed my six-pack and saidI eat the way I do,consequently I look the way I do.'Then I'll point at their sad excuse for a body and sayyou eat the way you do and consequently you look the way you do…by the way let’s see YOUR abs!!‘The argument usually ends about there.
As for those folks who may be well developed physically without having to put in the effort you do,remember you can not do anything about genetics,that is the luck of the draw.But by engaging in a quest to improve what you have got you are showing character.The discipline,determination and attention to detail required to improve your body are VIRTUES and set you apart from the rest of the lazy weak-willed population.Also who do you think has the odds stacked in his favour for a long healthy life,you or your crap-eating counterpart?It takes a lot more than big biceps to achieve health and longevity.
Doug if you haven’t already,I would strongly recommend you read `Atlas Shrugged’ and The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand,both books feature heroes who singlemindedly forged ahead no matter how much crap was thrown at them,and with Rand’s powerful writing style you can help being inspired.The inspiration I recieved from identifying with such characters has helped me get my head down and ass up and barge on through some testing times in my life.
Keep on keepin’ on Doug!
This might sound trite, but since it is YOUR body and YOUR goal to fix it, you should tell all the negative people to suck your dick. Who gives a fuck what they think? 1 or 2 years down the line, they’ll beg you for your advice and help.
Doug: I’ll try not to get TOO phylisophical. But you know that feeling you have when you don’t work out for a while, maybe eat like crap, and the weight starts creeping back on? I think that we often see OURSELVES in the non-fitness minded (or at least what is within us to become) and that’s makes us angry. Now…that being said, I totally agree that it really gets my blood boiling when someone talks about how “unhealthy” “too much” protein is as they eat a margerine dripping,creme cheese lathered SAUSAGE and EGG bagel washed down with a regular Coke! As Nate and Timbo would say…DAY’UM!!!
It’s a common thing for people to tear down others who are different. The simple fact of living differently from your family & friends calls into question their lifestyle in their own minds. People don’t like this & will take it out on you. Conclusion: you’re probably doing more right & making more progress than you give yourself credit for. If they saw nothing different in you, they’d leave you alone. Take all the negative crap & burn it as fuel for your workouts & your dieting discipline.
A modest suggestion: don't fish for compliments from these people. Just be faithful to what you're doing. The day one of them comes up to you & out of the blue says something positive about how you look... For myself, I'm still waiting for that one -- from my wife, no less -- but it'll be sweet when it arrives.
A few months ago I was drinking my mid-morning shake and The Office Peckerhead walked by and said “What’s that?” I said “Protein shake,” doing my best to ignore him. He responded “Looks like crap.” I said “No, if you want to see crap, take off your shirt.” The office ladies just giggled. I’m probably going straight to hell for that one. Seriously, though, few understand what we’re doing and what it takes to get there. Most are jealous of our discipline and drive. I stopped trying to justify my lifestyle to people long ago, and I’m much happier for it.
Whopper! Bro, what’s up? Long time no see! How are you and Germaine doing? I hope all is well. We have not heard from you in a long time. I’ll drop you an email soon to see what’s up!
Mufasa, my main man! What’s going on bro. Well, I must give you props for quoting Timbo and I. Like you said, DAYUM! What can you do?
Hey, my friends give me more shit about my lifestyle than anyone else I have ever met or known. Most people who ask me about my protein shakes or what I am eating and why, usually just say, "okay." But my friends are always giving me hell. They make fun of me all the time. I'll be out at a club or something and say that I'm hungry, and every time one of them will say (In a sarcastic tone), "Are you going to have a protein shake?" It happens all the damn time. And I say, "Yes, I think I will."
It's my lifestyle. And that's why I look better than my friends. Many of them have beer bellies and don't work out at all. Some of them work out, but they don't look it because they only focus on beach muscles or they think that being skinny looks good. Hey, a nice set of chest and abs look great, but not if you're walking on toothpicks and have no back!
I don't have good genetics. I work hard for every bit of muscle I have. I'll never be big, I'll never be super strong. But I'll always look better than most other people, and I'll be happy with myself when I look in the mirror. The crazy thing is that I'm beginning to get better as I age. I'm getting strong and better defined now than I've ever been. So I'm looking forward to my late 20's, early 30's (I'm 26 now) when I'm looking better than just about everyone else my age. Then the hotties will take notice, and I'll be quite proud of what I've accomplished.
Doug, develop the “Mastermind Principal” Napolian Hill talks about this in a cassette series I bought…look at all the successful people in the world…they developed a close group of individuals who have similar goals and are focused on it.
Many of my friends are not really into it either, but that does not stop me. It is about me and what “I” want in this regard. None of my family is into it either…which explains all the ills, and less that optimal fitness levels in my family. I can’t change them, I can only improve myself and then hopefully be an inspiration to them if they ask for my help. I pretty much read, read, and read, not just about lifting, but other stuff for the mind. I don’t talk to many other people about my fitness goals, unless I can see that they have similar intentions for themselves. But when those who don’t, ask me why I look so good at 45 years young, or when they see me eating healthy, I unleash on them. I also assembled my own binders of info from this site and others to refer to.
As for your buddy...well his day is comming...all that pasta and partying will catch up to him and you will be lean and fit, so don't give it a second thought...don't belittle yourself to measure up to someone else. Yeah, it's tough...but you are a T Man right????