I’ve changed since I started reading/posting on this site a few years ago. But the biggest change has been since last June; after graduation. And I’m just starting to notice it now.
Here is what I have noticed:
1.) I see food as protein, carb, fat, other
2.) My money is either for food or other things (aka bills, girlfriend)
3.) I have lost all desire to drink (sans the occasional glass of wine; red.)
4.) If I stay out past 10pm, I worry about not getting enough rest, and not being able to eat my first meal at the right time; throwing my whole next day off.
5.) My days aren’t in the typical monday, tuesday, wednesday fashion; I only see them at ‘training’ or ‘non-training’ days
6.) My ‘free time’ at home is spent with a foam roller, tennis balls, or a personal massager; and i’m NOT complaining
7.) I am never without food readily available (coolers rock!)
Now, these are some new things I’ve notice and some of these have been part of my life for year; it just all hit me last night.
Last night was my girlfriends birthday and we went out to a bar and a strip club (both my girl’s idea). While we were out I only drank water and found myself (at the strip club) thinking; I’m going to need to leave to get food.
I just need some T-Nation reassurance that “it’s ok” to be like this at 24 years old. I feel very good about myself and my training; but the social aspects are kind of different to how the last 5 years of my life at college were.
I’ve come full circle in the past 2 years myself dude. It naturally happens when you become “obsessed with the quest”. You’re probably alot happier now too, aren’t you? I know I am since I stopped binge drinking, eating shit fried food and REALLY started training hard. Good for you man, keep it up.
THIS is the optimal lifestyle, and the bulging waistlines, lack of energy and host of health problems plaguing your friends in 15 years will be completely foreign to you if you keep it up.
You now have a purpose in life, other than to just getting up and simply existing as so many others do. You are following your vision of life, not the visions of the masses. So enjoy YOUR LIFE! as you see it unfolding in front of you. It is much better to be a wolf than a sheep.
I’ve constantly got a gallon of water attached to my hand and occasionally I’ll get an odd look and it hits me that people find it odd to see that. It’s been an extension of my arm for years.
I pack a protein bar when I go to see a movie.
Food and supplements take priority over new shoes or clothes. I’m rocking ancient sneakers and I don’t give a fuck.
[quote]"I know it’s hard for you to understand Luigi, but the people like me practice denial to the point of sometimes being almost monastic. We often avoid people, social events, and rich food, all in the single-minded pursuit of a kind of perfection.
"Yeah, it’s sometimes painful, but that’s how we achieve heroic status. The more challenging the situation we overcome, the greater our stature. The demon you swallow gives you its power.[/quote]
“That’s T-Nation’s job, to help people like us find their Ariadne thread, to help guide them through this journey we’ve all chosen. Oh yeah, it’s also T-Nation’s job to help you defeat that dragon, or Minotaur, as the case may be.”
I found that on the “Vision Quest” article
I guess I found it.
Now off to cook an ungodly amount of chicken for the week.
Wow. I guess I’m just a contrarian. The only time I get a full 8+ hours of sleep is Saturday nights. I also quit caring about eating so clean and counting calories and grams. And I still get wasted when I want. I also don’t follow any kind of regimented training program. I’m now bigger and stronger than I’ve ever been.
I remember for the 2002 winter olympics there was some Anti-Drug ad where a pro-Snowboarder was doing a voice-over to some footage of him riding. He said something to the effect of “Drugs? I haven’t had a candy bar in 6 years. Why would I take drugs?”
I’ve also heard that Mariusz Pudzianowski’s breakfast includes fistfuls of Candy and 2lbs of Bacon. He’s staying pretty lean.
Last summer I tried drinking a ton of water every day. I got tired of getting up to pee 40 times a day.
While I totally support people’s personal decisions to eat clean and not drink year round, it seems to me that having the perfect diet is only practical when you need to have super-lean body composition.
3 examples that support this:
Powerlifters. Not Much Concern with eating Clean. They’re still strong.
Bodybuilders. Strong in the off season when they eat whatever they want. They use their diet to change their bodyfat% to super-low, not to make amazing muscle size gains.
Lance Armstrong. Weighted everything he ate when he was a competitive cyclist. He didn’t want to carry even an extra ounce that would weigh him down on his races. Now he says he can finally start drinking wine again.
My point is, if you get your base in, you’ll make progress. If you get enough protein, fats, carbs, and eat frequently you’ll be fine. Get your base needs in first then if you’ve got enough room for Cake and Ice Cream, have at it. If you want sub 6% bodyfat, you’ll need a strict diet.
[quote]malonetd wrote:
Wow. I guess I’m just a contrarian. The only time I get a full 8+ hours of sleep is Saturday nights. I also quit caring about eating so clean and counting calories and grams. And I still get wasted when I want. I also don’t follow any kind of regimented training program. I’m now bigger and stronger than I’ve ever been.[/quote]
Yea, this thread is ridiculous.
There’s no reason to deprive yourself of stuff you enjoy to live the life of a monk.
I’m not saying it wouldn’t be good for your physique, but 20 - 30 years down the line, do you want to think, “wow, i stayed in to get my chicken and broccoli at 11:39 pm.”?
I’ve just started lifting again (1 month), but I drink whenever, eat pretty freely (not mcdonalds or anything as it makes me sick to begin with) and I’m almost as strong as I was two years back at my peak strength.
In terms of sleep, most nights end at 1 - 2 and days start at about 7 or 7:30.
I dont think anyone here is complaining…I even specifcally said I wasn’t
If you knew the way and used to live and how I live now…I’m much happier…I don’t think everyone should live the way I live though…Malon said he gets results doing what he does and thats fine with me…I’m not someone who says stop eating this or that or stop drinking blah blah blah…I do what I want to do to get the results I want…and who are you to tell me thats depriving myslef and call me a monk…
why don’t you stop worrying about other people, we are doing what makes us happy and the whole point of this thread is how people can change once they’ve found something they love and set some goals.
I can truly say I enjoy my life…much better than I used too…don’t assume people who live like I said I did or the OP aren’t happy…its just a different way of doing things.
By all means if you can drink and eat whatever you want and still get the results you want…have at it!
I can’t do those things and get the results I want…but the pursuit of my goals allows me to have more fun that Mcnuggets and a bottle of Jack…but thats just me.
How I treat my body today will determine how it will respond, twenty years from now. Everyone has the freedom of choice then it comes to their own body and how they treat it. Unfortunately they also have the freedom to wine and snivel when their body no longer does what they wish it would. It’s your house do with it as you wish, just remember it is where you will live out your life.
[quote]streamline wrote:
How I treat my body today will determine how it will respond, twenty years from now. Everyone has the freedom of choice then it comes to their own body and how they treat it. Unfortunately they also have the freedom to wine and snivel when their body no longer does what they wish it would. It’s your house do with it as you wish, just remember it is where you will live out your life.[/quote]
Given the topic title and photoshop job, I thought this was going to be a topic about how you took some creatine, went to bed, and accidentally woke up “too big”.
Anyway, unless you actually look like a professional bodybuilder, you’re probably overanalyzing your diet.
I’m a bit like that, but not to a great extent.
I’ll go out and party, and deny all the drinks I’m offered. I’ll drink a casein shake before I go and pack a protein bar if I go somewhere that I think I may not be able to get food.
My friends will go out to McDicks, I’ll watch and salvate at the prospect of eating it. But stick to my one rule. I can have ONE fry, and that’s it.
My food, isn’t great. I love pizza (I make my own though, with whole wheat dough and low fat cheese, and it still tastes great), I consume sushi pretty much every week, and I’m obessed with cheese.
But dangit, I’m way off from any sort of competition, so to hell with it!
[quote]itsthetimman wrote:
Yea, this thread is ridiculous.
[/quote]
Then don’t read or respond to it
i don’t deprive myself of anything, i love getting a ton of sleep, i still go out (as you will have read i spent last night staring at strippers…), and train every other day; oh and i have a ton of sex.
i doubt you will find too many people to agree with those items as depravation.
[quote]streamline wrote:
How I treat my body today will determine how it will respond, twenty years from now. … It’s your house do with it as you wish, just remember it is where you will live out your life.[/quote]
That’s exactly my thinking…
About 3 years ago I met a natural body builder at the gym and he had me guess his age; I thought 26…he was 39; but he looked like he was well preserved; and he says its because of the way he has lived his life.
[quote]The New Guy wrote:
Given the topic title and photoshop job, I thought this was going to be a topic about how you took some creatine, went to bed, and accidentally woke up “too big”.
Anyway, unless you actually look like a professional bodybuilder, you’re probably overanalyzing your diet.[/quote]
haha, nah…i doubt i’ll ever see myself as ‘too big’ and i’m not even close to that…yet.
but the fact that i do analyze my diet isn’t such a bad thing; many people on here do that…and have great results to prove it works.
