Love this. Really, everything in that post. We all get pretty hard on ourselves in this forum. Thinking we should be doing more, chasing perfection. Sometimes, “good enough” is where peace is found. However, that’s why we are all in WAY better shape than the average person.
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I’m running with the theory of “good enough for who it’s for”. Lol. I’m way stronger and way healthier that almost anyone I know. Probably not stronger than most men I know, but definitely still healthier. I plan to stay that way, but I need a different obsession. It’s got to be healthier to be obsessed with getting my steps in rather than micromanaging my food right?
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It got you this far! Thats pretty good! 
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Been there and done that. I dropped the food apps and stopped obsession several years ago (probably about the time I left the forum, too). I didn’t too much time thinking about food and comparing myself to others. I did pretty good for awhile but let myself slip last year.
I tell myself my window is 225-235 lbs but I stayed at 235 most of the time and then drifted up to 245. I’m using the Challenge to right the ship but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t struggling. I’ve been 231-234 for two weeks now and just can’t suck it up. I try and then fall apart in the evening because I’m being too restrictive during the day.
Case and point: had a decent day and then my wife made pizza for dinner. I ate 5/8 of one by the end of the night. They were like medium sized if you look at chains, and had thin crust. But I still consider that a failure.
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Currently the only thing I measure is protein, and only to make sure I get enough. Oh - I also keep a half-cup measuring cup with my steamed rice, so I do one scoop for lunches, two for dinners. Unless the rice is freshly cooked, in which case I just eyeball it. I don’t want this to be the focus of my life.
Be careful - you need salt, and without the highly processed foods, you may not be getting enough. I would base your salt decisions on something like blood pressure, not taste.
I stopped tracking these as well last year, because total rest days became “I suck” days, and I didn’t like illness fucking with my numbers. I lightly track annual steps, which leaves room, and I like to check steps on a 10K+ day, because it’s happy-making. I don’t consent any longer to the unhappy-making bad step count.
I know I’ve posted somewhere that after reading that “if you don’t have a digital scare that measures in grams, you might as well not be measuring,” so I bought one. It got here and I turned it on and suddenly was like “wtf am I doing?” I’m not a competitive bodybuilder or trying to make a weight class of any sort. My janky ass plastic scale is FINE for checking that I’ve got 6-ish ounces of grilled chicken in my tupperware or to identify what a 2 oz serving of smoked salmon looks like.
Be careful that others’ reports of what amounts to compulsive behavior doesn’t trigger you into accidentally adopting the behavior; that’s a real danger on these boards. Success leaves clues, yes, but we are not, most of us, looking for success at a competitive level, and to try to achieve competition-level protocols leaves us diminishing success in the actual overarching goal - which is a strong healthy body that feels good, looks good to our partners, and makes our children proud.
I don’t consent to feel like a failure when I get up early to work out, spend my weekends outside in the bitter cold exercising myself and my dog, and schedule in meal prep time so my lunches and dinners are never unhealthy due to lack of planning. If I’m going to eat an unhealthy dinner it will be due to a prioritization of either social time or my husband’s wants. So for example, last night we made pizza and the night before was spaghetti and meatballs/sausage. I did my best to manage my macros, but it is what it is. It can’t all be about my rigid adherence to optimal diet.
I rarely encounter someone my age who is in as good shape as I am. Isn’t that enough?
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Yes, but I’m in a temporary state of no for myself. I just want to check myself before it gets harder via age or my weight. I did a pretty good job of being a normal human and enjoying food without gaining weight. I let it slowly creep up on me and I’d just like to reset myself for a strong start to my 40s (I’m 41). It’s also part of my long-term plan to live longer. Will need to trim down as the decades go by. You don’t see many 240+ lb 80 or 90 year olds whether it’s muscle or fat.
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I was really responding in general to something specific and personal you posted. It was a miscommunication on my part. Too, I’ve just finished (or maybe not finished, we’ll see) a cut, so I don’t mean never. Just…so many of us feel like a failure ALL THE TIME because of the pressure we put on ourselves to perform at 100% every day and in every aspect.
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And that partly applies to me. I’ve done that. But I’ve also given myself some grace, but it’s happened day after day, or two out of three days, so I’m currently in need of some tough love on myself. But I also wanted to agree with you in a general sense.
I want anyone who reads this to know that we shouldn’t beat ourselves up or feel shame for giving in from time to time. But I’m also not doing that for myself at the moment, so you know, do as I say and all that.
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First and most important, Happy cake day @Frank_C
This is where I keep finding myself. Then I try something new and fall flat on my face. I’m kind of tired of failing. Part of my problem is that I’ve been really really really overweight before and I don’t want to get back there. It’s not a good look. Lol. I’m just trying to find the middle ground between giving zero fucks and giving too many. I’m up to 148 now. 158 isn’t that far away, but I’m also kinda tired of being so hard on myself. I apparently suck at living my life in cycles. Lol.
I get plenty. I’m just talking about the seasoning packets that I’ve been using for my food prep. Those are SUPER high in sodium.
This is what I’m trying to avoid.
Very true. But I tend to be hard on myself because of how easily a slip up turns into a habit for me. But I’m trying not to be hard on myself. I’m trying to just be a normal person who eats food and doesn’t have to feel badly about it. Sigh. Stupid food.
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2/28/26
5/3/1 The Triumvirate Cycle 5 Week 2
Training max 160 lb.
Ball throws 20
Squat
Warm up sets
Working sets
112 lb. 70% x 3
128 lb. 80% x 3
144 lb. 90% x 4
Step ups
15 lb. 4 x 15
20 lb. 1 x 15
Leg curls
40 lb. 4 x 10
45 lb. 1 x 10
Side bends
25 lb. 4 x 10
30 lb. 1 x 10
Squats are hard.
One more week of 5/3/1. I’m gonna finish strong. Everything but the squats will be the most weight I’ve ever moved in these particular lifts. The squats will be the most weight I’ve moved with proper depth. I’m looking forward to the victory as well as the change of pace.
On an unrelated note, our daffodils are already popping up. This is not great news. I’m a bit afraid that they are gonna get killed by the cold since winter isn’t over yet.
Highly productive day today.
Today was a good day.
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My ash trees in the backyard are starting to leaf out. They are going to get “bit” sure as shit. It’s been in the 80s here. I doubt winter is over but, who knows.
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3/1/26
5/3/1 The Triumvirate Cycle 5 Week 3
Training max 70 lb.
Ball throws 20
Overhead press
Warm up sets
Working sets
52.5 lb. 75% x 5
59.5 lb. 85% x 3
66.5 lb. 95% x 4 (PR)
Seated Overhead DB Press
15 lb. 4 x 15
20 lb. 1 x 15
Inverted Rows
3 x 10
Pull-up 1
Chin-up 2
Russian twist
10 lb. 5 x 15
I know I’m making progress, but it doesn’t feel that way. I am suffering from a bit of “who am I kidding with this lifting shit?” I’m pretty sure I’m just a bit burnt out and am looking forward to the break next week.
Today will be a good day.
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Making no progress on one day is putting progress in the bank for later. No training day is wasted.
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That’s quite the run for a program in my book. I’ve never stuck with a single program that long (maybe this year is the year!), so I can understand the burnout. Don’t beat yourself up about it.
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I did my workout yesterday and thought to myself that I should have ended it at the last cycle. The good thing about this cycle is that some of the lifts are super heavy (for me) so I have a feeling of accomplishment. I only have 3 workouts left on this and then a week off then on to the kettlebell challenge. I think that should be a really good reset.
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And you just hit a PR on press!
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Tomorrow I’m supposed to deadlift 195. I think I’ve done that weight before but it was years ago and I’m not sure how many I would have done. There is this tiny voice in my head saying " just make it 200". I know I’ve never lifted 200 before and I want to know if I can…
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Easy walk.
When I woke up this morning I literally had to log roll out of bed. My lower back hurt so bad I could barely walk. I sneezed and felt like I got hit in the back with a bat. I shuffled my ass out to the living room, laid down on the floor, pulled my knees up to my chest and gingerly rocked back and forth on my spine. When I lowered my legs back down I heard and felt a horrible grinding in my lower back and hips. When I stood back up the pain was gone. Not sure what the hell was out of place but it was horrible. I’m back in working order.
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Thank goodness! That sounded terrible.
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You just described how my back has been feeling lately.
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