Because the absence of it is known as anarchy, and that means the members can make/enforce the rules. When you say “But I am the founder” they can respond that it doesn’t matter. With an actual Constitution in place, your authority is real and legitimate, rather than inferred.
I have seen too many clubs ruined by their own members and their ideas of how it should be run.
You’re right. I’ll have to draft up a constitution.
Alright. A lot of victories today. I ate like a normal human being today for the first time in forever, and have not experienced stomach troubles (I know if I’ve eaten something aggravating within an hour). I ate grilled chicken, French fries, and drank black coffee for the first time in a year. It was great.
I also set a giant Floor Press PR and Chin-up PR. Going to see a movie with my friend late tonight and I won’t be back till 2 AM, so I’m currently chilling with another mug of coffee.
Floor Press
45 x 2 x 5
95, 125, 140 x 5
160 x 15 — huge PR
185 x 1 (Jesus Christ I was gassed)
140, 125 x 5
Chin-ups — 50 total, 1 x 20 (PR)
Band FP — 4 x 25
Band Tri. Ext — 4 x 25
Band PA — 4 x 25
I guess what I’m doing is working. Cool.
What the hell man…
I set the PR hanging off a 2 x 4, which tells me more would have been there if I was using a regular bar. Yesterday was a backyard workout. A good test of grip strength.
Hey man. I don’t think you’ll like what I’ll have to say, but here goes.
Refer back to post 80, the one made by physiolojik. Dagil also mentioned it a few posts afterwards, as well as flappinit I think.
Anyway, I was thinking the same thing as physiolojik. Cut out all fruits, vegetables, and nuts (and all variations) in your diet for the time being. Stick to simple carbs and whatever meat that doesn’t make your stomach grumpy - either beef or chicken, nothing fancy. Think vertical diet of Stan Efferding, minus all the vegetables for now. I’d also stop all supplements, whatever it may be, even your pre/probiotics. Just cut them all out for now. If you’d want to take some, just go with what Physiolojik said. Just those two.
Cut out vegetables and fruits - because you’ll need good bacteria in your gut to help digest whatever you can from them, which you don’t really have right now anyway. Having loose stools all the time won’t help your gut recover the imbalanced micriobiome of your gut.
Cut out pre/probiotics - latest evidence is kinda mixed if I remember right. No clear proof that they work. What are you taking btw? If it’s anything other than yogurt, yeah, I’d rather you not touch them for now.
I’m sure there’s a good chance some will disagree with the second part - stop training for a while. Two weeks to a month. If you really have to, just go for a light jog every now and then. See how you feel by then. Check out the symptoms of overtraining. Surprised?
Don’t worry about hitting calories for the day. What’s the use of hitting all those calories when you can’t properly digest it anyway? All those loose stools with just leave you dehydrated. I know it sounds like setting you back, but think of how much you can move forward once your gut gets fixed.
Now, it’s no guarantee that it will get fixed. Who knows, maybe your biopsy will show something. But I think it’s worth a shot.
@whang okay. So, I forgot to update my log — biopsy results came back normal, as expected; and I couldn’t be happier. As for your suggestions; I’ve already cut out all nuts from my diet and I feel so much more improved than I did before. No more sand in my stool, fewer urinary problems, and no more feeling like I always have to take a dump when I bear down. My body seems to be healing just fine. I’ve been avoiding processed foods, no junk food; and no overeating. Compared to even two weeks ago, I’m legitimately so much physically better than I was. Of course, stress levels have stayed around the same and I’m pursuing professional mental help.
My problem with what you’re saying lies in the fact that you want me to eliminate vegetables and probiotics from my diet. I don’t see how or why that would be a good idea. My vegetable intake generally determines how constipated I am. If I don’t eat my vegetables, my stomach stays messed up. I take probiotics in a pill form, and while I realize that not a lot of scientific studies exist regarding their efficacy; I find that they help me when taken regularly in large doses. I could honestly care less about eating fruit; but vegetables are a non-negotiable. I need to eat them in order to feel even slightly okay. My stools have been looking more and more normal (less liquid matter/mush, more sausage shaped pieces) and have been feeling more complete as well.
My other problem with what you’re saying lies in the fact that you think I should stop training for a while. As it is, I only squeeze in a session or two a week; and I’m hitting PRs while feeling more normal overall. I don’t understand why I shouldn’t work with what my body allows me to do while I’m able to do so.
I don’t believe I’m overtrained either, because I generally know when I’m overtrained. I was overtrained last cycle; and 345 was a grinder deadlift single. Fast forward a week — took a deload, did nothing besides resting and focusing on my health/eating habits — and I hit a huge Deadlift PR on a particularly bad day (by the time I’d gotten to lifting, I’d painfully used the bathroom 6 times).
I’m also not worrying about hitting calories - if I’m not digesting them, what’s the point? You’re right. But I’d rather work with what I’m able to do right now than just sit back and wait for things to improve. I don’t overeat and I don’t eat shit in an attempt to cram calories. I used to eat one or two small meals in a day and then just go to bed early because I felt like garbage. But, that isn’t me now. I feel hungry, and I’m not walking around like a nauseous, diarrhea-laden wreck; so I find it logical for me to take advantage of that.
I’m just curious as to why I should look to pull back on the reigns when I’m finally able to go just a little bit faster. I’m not attacking you and I appreciate your concern; I’m just not understanding your reasoning. I’m eating a diet rich in whole foods, including lean meats and veggies; and I’m finally on the road to feeling better. Why should I change something that appears to be working?
Also, I’m REALLY considering being an idiot and moving onto conjugate programming. @FlatsFarmer thoughts?
https://www.elitefts.com/education/off-season-conjugate-for-intermediate-strongmen/
This just looks so damned appealing.
I’ve been really interested in Matt Wenning’s approach to conjugate
Warm-Up: 4 x 25 for three movements, each addressing a weak point, in circuit fashion
Max-Effort: Predominantly 3’s to 5’s, often with slow tempos
DE: “Standard” westside-style waves
Supplemental: As far as I can tell, none
Assistance: 3-5 sets of 2-3 most effective exercises for addressing weak points. Circuit fashion if fat loss/conditioning is the focus, otherwise “normal” sets for a strength/Hypertrophy focus
If it gets you hype, give it a try. Dude’s template looks pretty straightforward and easy to follow.
You gotta not be dumb if you’re gonna mess with it tho. Don’t start fooling around and adding a bunch of extra stuff.
Also, do think about what doc whang said regarding avoiding the weights for a couple weeks. It’s hard to relax when you’re pusing in all directions at once.
I’d like to try it. I may give it a shot after another cycle or two.
And I don’t want to avoid the weights while I’m physically well enough to lift them; because for all I know in 2 weeks I could be flaring up again.
Seems like I’m already relatively late lol. My reply was more appropriate at the worst of your disease or at the height of your symptoms. The thought process is to eliminate every possible reason for your stomach to get upset and reintroduce things slowly one by one to see which are fine with your stomach. Same with vegetables - eliminate all and introduce them back slowly one by one to see which are ok. It wasn’t meant to be permanent. But now that you’re feeling much better, carry on. Anyway, do your stools float? The solid ones I mean. Do they float or sink?
And I’m glad your seeking professional mental help. It’s also good that you have an outlet here to dump your thoughts in the forums, granted we’re just a bunch of random internet dudes. I’m sure some are actual professionals though, so you’re lucky. What I found helpful before personally was having people to talk to – i didnt necssarily needed for them to give specific helpful advice or offer a fix, but it immensely helps that you don’t bottle up whatever negative thoughts or feelings you have and just have someone that’s listening. Last thing you want to do is go through it by yourself. That just makes it harder.
O[quote=“whang, post:468, topic:252177”]
Seems like I’m already relatively late lol. My reply was more appropriate at the worst of your disease or at the height of your symptoms. The thought process is to eliminate every possible reason for your stomach to get upset and reintroduce things slowly one by one to see which are fine with your stomach. Same with vegetables - eliminate all and introduce them back slowly one by one to see which are ok. It wasn’t meant to be permanent. But now that you’re feeling much better, carry on. Anyway, do your stools float? The solid ones I mean. Do they float or sink?
[/quote]
Yeah, when my symptoms are at their peak I don’t even train. It’s not worth it to do so because I cannot string together an effective training session more often than not if I happen to be sick on a particular day. I just eat basic, minimal foods and that seems to help. An empty bowel is a happy bowel. I’ve found, through my own experimentation, that I can’t digest raw vegetables unless I blend them into juices (I drink two of them a day, and I swear they help my digestion). I eat steamed veggies. I don’t eat anything fried/processed in any way. My diet is simple carbs, easily digestible fats, and lean meats along with generous servings of vegetables; and that seems to serve me well. I’ve also found that black coffee in moderation helps my digestion, which is good because it’s like my crack. My solid stools generally sink. When I feel like shit, they generally float. Not sure what the link is there, but I see it on occasion.
Yeah, I know. I mean, I’m not okay mentally more often than I am, to the point where it’s negatively affecting my relationship with my girlfriend; my friendships, and my personal relationship with my parents (which are more often than not nonexistent or negative anyway). I just don’t see a point to living a lot of the time; even though I know I should be thankful for a lot of things that I worked hard to achieve (grades, relationship survival in spite of literally all odds, the reemergence of my health, my physical strength); but the truth is more often than not I just lack the ability to enjoy them. I lack the ability to enjoy the things that I used to love. Being out with friends (which rarely happens anyway because I don’t have many and the ones I do have love to flake on me all the time), being with my girlfriend, weightlifting, learning new stuff that I take an interest in, reading, writing, etc…it’s all such a chore. I can’t concentrate in school, I can’t concentrate on homework, and I can’t even sleep at night without waking up a bunch of times.
@EmilyQ sorry I keep asking for your help, but therapists still haven’t called me back. Could you please give me your thoughts on this situation? I find it very fucking weird that my girlfriend has explicitly mentioned to me that she wants marriage and kids with me after a few months of dating. This has sparked an uncomfortable conversation (always centering on me being too scared to ever get married or have children) many, many times. She’s considering breaking up with me over that; and honestly I don’t care much about that anymore. She’s breached my trust and told her mom that I was suicidal as well. I feel as though she’s a liability to me, and I don’t know how to tell her that. She’s also mentioned her ex more times than I can count (the most insulting mention consisted of her telling me how her ex, who lives in Hungary; woke up at 4:30 every morning to help her go to sleep — you know, because different time zones) and told me she loved me the third day after she met me (I didn’t say it back at that time, but I found that more than a little off-putting. I’ve let her know this as well, and she feigned emotional hurt). I also had to talk her into unfollowing her ex on Instagram (three times) after she complained to me that he was stalking her friends. I’m starting to think she’s weird and that there’s something off about her, but I can’t put my finger on what it is. She likes me TOO much, and I’m kind of scared. But, at the same time, I don’t feel like I’m even worth the love and affection she has to offer me; so I’m just going with it while I can have it.
A clinger… escape while you can
Have you made an appointment with your PCP yet? Start there and tell them about the trouble getting a call back.
I haven’t thought to do so. I will do that. But what do you think about the nuances of my relationship? I really don’t know what to think, and it isn’t often that I can’t read people.
I’d rather have someone who cares over someone who doesn’t.
I think the idea is that you’ve been living in an extended “Flare Up” and what you feel is “physically well” is actually just “moderately flared up.” And that’s why you’re having all these issues.
If you can chill out for a minute you may actually be able to get back to “regular.”
I really can’t say, but I would move slowly in any direction right now, since your moods are so uneven. Why make decisions when you’re not in a clear place?
Yeah, I’ve been thinking this too. I can’t trust my head.
@FlatsFarmer I agree. The question is can my ego handle not training for two weeks while I know I have the ability to set PRs.