Dealing with non-fitness minded people

Thanks for all the input guys… you all rock! Its great to hear from others who think like I do. You know, sometimes its like I have this magic marker, and I KNOW its “red”, but everyone around me says its “green”… eventually, with all these people saying the same thing… you start to think “shit, maybe it is green.” ok, not the best analogy but thats how it feels sometimes with respect to being disciplined with dieting and supplements.
I really start to doubt what I am doing is sane. But you guys are keeping me on track!

Stick to your guns and be proud. some people that can be critical of me just don’t have the guts to improve theirselves. Stick to your guns. Some of these people will be asking you for advice before long.

Man, this is a great thread! For the first time since I’ve been reading this forum, I’m gonna print a thread out in its entirety and keep it handy to show people. Okay, my responses: First, I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but for once I agree wholeheartedly with one of Mike the Lib’s extremist blurbs. My only modification to what he said would be to substitute “uber-swine” for “pig” - that way you make them feel intellectually inferior as well. Whopper - what you said, man. Nice to have you back around these parts… Next, I’ll add my voice to those older guys who are looking better than everyone else around them (at last!). As most of you probably know, I live in Asia, and most Asians look younger than their Western counterparts. So over here I’m only “average” as far as looks-versus-age goes. And frankly, that’s a bit hard on the ol’ ego. But when I run into someone from the States or Europe, boy, you should see their eyes pop when I tell them that I’m going to be 40 next spring. And that feels sooooo guuuuud! Finally, everyone has said everything else that I could possibly think of, and in most cases said it better than I could. My only contribution would be to remember that, although there are a lot of bottom-feeders out there who’ll try and drag you down into the subterranean murk of their own dingy and half-alive lifestyles, there are also those few who are genuinely interested in what you’re doing - and might even want to get into the lifestyle themselves. So even though it’s tempting to dis everyone who questions what you’re about, remember to be on the lookout for those who will become the T-men and -women of tomorrow. Yes, only you have the power to sabotage yourself…but you also have the power to help others (those who want to be helped), and that’s the real mission here, as I see it. Spread the word, brethren!

Nate D hit it right on the head about the ageing thing. Look around you at the people in their later years and the ones who look the best are the former athletes who still take care of themselves. Those natural metabolisms tend to fade away later on in life and even if those people stay thin, they usually have that fat-thinness that looks skinny innice fitting clothes, but just nasty otherwise. I’m only 27, but I’ve built everything into a good solid routine that works for me with some minor changes every month or so when I learn something new. My friends don’t bother me about it anymore because I simply don’t answer them with anything other than the “food is just fuel” answer. I’m simply a lifestyle masochist and I love it… I like to say that the reason I lift weights is because of the power-feeling I get from defying mother nature and the laws of gravity. The entire planet earth says the weight comes down, but I say the weight goes up and then comes down when I’m ready… at my speed. This usually leaves them a bit confused and bored, but I usually walk away with a hard-on and a bit shaky for my next protein fix. Another thing I like to say is that I’m a reverse-anorexic and my doctor says I’m very sick in the head and I can snap at any time and WHERE’S MY PROTEIN???

Doug, I get the same crap from friends, but in my opinion they are completely jealous - it makes me laugh. The honestly get pissed at me when we go out to eat and they have their pasta and fried foods, and I’m eating grilled chicken/fish with steamed veggies, and the gym - forget it, they can not understand why I get up at 5:00am just to work out - they’re all like “how big do you want to be” - If I started listening to them, aside from not looking the way I do, it’s the mental issue - to me it’s a great stress release, and a discipline I really enjoy - the bottom line is I’m bigger and more ripped then they’ll ever be. Alright I’m babbling, and starting to get pissed : ) Bottom line is, if you enjoy what your doing don’t listen to them, and before you know it, they’ll be asking you for advise.
Spike

you’re trying too hard to stay thin and grow muscle at the same time. if you’re still young and your metabolism is pretty high, eat whatever you can and lift your heart out. You’ll get a lot stronger, and a lot buffer. Don’t worry if your gut hangs out for a few weeks. When you’ve gained a good 20 pounds, just cut back on food a little bit and your metabolism will be a lot faster because of increased muscle

I empathize, bro. Since I feel as if I’m being verbally assaulted when confronted with such a dillema, I just go for the “choke-out”, “Yeah, well that’s why I look like this and you look like that.” Simple, precise, the scalpal of retorts. lata.

“MB Eric: Nice and mean, since 1988.”

-Eric

Doug, Don’t be such a bitch. Shit, are you comming at us looking for sympathy…huh fuck that. You know why you do this shit, better than any one of us can tell you. You know how you feel when you quit Fat Fast will fuck your brain/emotions up so keep that in mind when you get pissy like a woman. Your post sounds damn whiny if you really feel that way and you really need peoples validation that much then Go off the workout and diet for a bit say one week eat, drink do whatever the fuck you want. On week will not kill you and it may even revive your furvor for the fitness thing but don’t expect people to care what you fucking do. They are more concerned about what you think of them. So quit whining, do what you want people who really care about you will not care what you do with your own shit.

I think Knuckledragger is hopped up on Tribex. :slight_smile:

Just challenge your friends to a race, football game, to hit a baseball further then you, to jump higher… These are things you will most likely get better at as you lift, regardless of any progress you may see in your body.

Oh wait, those are my motivations, to be stronger, faster, quicker and in many ways smarter then the average man.

Can’t wait to get this age advantage working for me with the weightlifting. I’m only 21, and since there are tons of 21 year olds with pretty good bodies, I look slightly better then average.

I live with 2 vegiterian roomates who see me reading Tesosterone magazine and laugh. They eat grilled cheese for dinner and tell me my cholestrol is probably to high from eating red meat 2-3X a week. But yet they ask me for weightloss advice SO GO FIGURE. I’ll never be the biggest guy in the gym and hell i dont want to be. I just want to be better than average and when i look around at my friends who drink everynight and have beerbellies, i know i am. Dont listen to your co-workers listen to your heart. LIFT, LEARN AND LIVE

I’m glad this thread has been so popular… knuckledragger, uh, thanks for the advice, I think. You have a unique view of things. But I am not seeking sympathy… just other people’s viewpoints. Maybe you have “iron buddies” at the gym or wherever… I don’t. I go to the gym to workout, not chit-chat. So, a forum like this is the only place for me to really interact with like-minded people. PEACE.

y’know, over the years that i’ve been doing this whole lifting bizzo, i’ve been dumped on by broad sections of the community, from health shop attendants who get bitchy when i ask for a bodybuilding supplement, to the gym staff who try to harass you for doing deadlifts in their spanky, yuppie fern- bar gyms, to the host of people who have lectured me about the ‘evils’ of high- protein diets, vitamin pills and weightlifting in general (“it causes heart attacks”). then the general population treats you like a freak for it, and is busy banning every damn drug and nutrient under the sun - in effect stamping out my chosen lifestyle. And don’t even let me start on the “steroids are bad…m’kay” lectures i’ve had from people who couldn’t even name ONE of them, but are still prepared to treat you two notches below a child molester. but you know what, when i arrived at the train station last week, and some skinhead was threatening to belt the hell out his girlfriend, and any of the old pensioners sitting nearby, who did everyone look to? yeah, thats right, the steroid freak guy. I didn’t even have to say anything and the skinny shit ran for it. hell, i’m no fighter, but the guy was down 40kgs of muscle, and wasn’t feeling so tough as a result. And before you know it, all the sycophants were all “oh, i’m so glad you turned up when you did…” and all this shit. Sure, i did the right thing, and sure i’d do it again. But there is a part of me that felt like telling them to go rot.