Journey, Not A Destination

[cym]

They give up as soon as the weight doesn't come off. They get in this state of utter-distress at the first failed attempt.
.

There is this universal mindset that kicks in at the beginning of a weight loss attempt....I've not only seen it in myself, but in everyone I've ever known to go "on a diet", and on this and pretty much every other weight loss forum. It's like you can spend years, a lifetime even, slowly but surely gaining weight, but once you make up your mind to lose weight there is this sudden, unrealistic but prevelent sense of "urgency"...you want and expect to see "results" (as measured by scale weight only) now, now, now - and lack of immediate results feels like failure....that can and does change (hopefully) along the way as education provides a reality check....but, for whatever reason, it just seems to be a common thought process....especially if this is the first go round.

eta: Steve, I guess your cosmic role in the universe is to provide that "reality check" LOL

 

[Steve]

But you have to admit, you are an unusual 25 year old. Most people your age simply don't have the life experience to understand that their current problems are not permanent and not the end of the world.

I see a lot fewer older people in a panic, but it could just be the laid back crowd I hang out with.

Don't get me wrong, life experience certainly plays a role in how you handle yourself during "down" times.

And chances are, the older you are, the more life experience you have. But age is certainly one of many factors. And an indirect factor at that.

On the routine, my original plan was to take tomorrow off, and then start the 3rd 18 day cycle. After that, I was going to take a week off.

So are you suggesting that the last week of this 3rd cycle should be a "deloading" week? What does that mean exactly? Dropping weight by 25%, or something else?

Okay, that's right. You are going to do it for 3 cycles. And that is fine. Then we will take a week off. If you were only doing it for two, we would deload, which is simply a reduction in volume, intensity, or a combination of the both.

During that week off, it might not be a bad idea to bump cals up close to maintenance too. We will cross that bridge when we get to it though, see what the scales are doing at that point in time.

 

[Steve]

There is this universal mindset that kicks in at the beginning of a weight loss attempt....I've not only seen it in myself, but in everyone I've ever known to go "on a diet", and on this and pretty much every other weight loss forum. It's like you can spend years, a lifetime even, slowly but surely gaining weight, but once you make up your mind to lose weight there is this sudden, unrealistic but prevelent sense of "urgency"...you want and expect to see "results" (as measured by scale weight only) now, now, now - and lack of immediate results feels like failure....that can and does change (hopefully) along the way as education provides a reality check....but, for whatever reason, it just seems to be a common thought process....especially if this is the first go round.

eta: Steve, I guess your cosmic role in the universe is to provide that "reality check" LOL

That makes some sense.

Living in a society of instant gratification doesn't help either. We are conditioned to get the things that we want right now.

I guess I can't blame people for getting frustrated. I would be ticked off though if even after you are "educated" and you figure out that this whole thing is a complicated process that is mapped out as you go.... and you still throw your hands up in frustration and give up at the first signs of "bumpiness."

 

[RhoRho]

It also doesn't help when there appear to be quick fixes to everything: "get instant abs now! with a money back guarantee!", "Diet to the celebrities - get lean in one week!", etc

It must be frustrating for those who know what a truly healthy lifestyle entails; I do, however, think that the 'uneducated' require a little bit of patience. These 'uneducated' like me, who are serious about their goal will take the time to learn exactly what is required, warts and all. Those of us who decide to stick with it over months, years will then slowly come to the same level of understanding as the health gurus out there. Some of us only want to learn, and it's that much harder to ask for help and information if the perception exists that you're being looked down upon for not knowing as much as the 'experts'. (comments not specific to anyone...just saying )

PS: Thanks for your help with the cardio thread Steve.

 

[Steve]

It also doesn't help when there appear to be quick fixes to everything: "get instant abs now! with a money back guarantee!", "Diet to the celebrities - get lean in one week!", etc

It must be frustrating for those who know what a truly healthy lifestyle entails; I do, however, think that the 'uneducated' require a little bit of patience. These 'uneducated' like me, who are serious about their goal will take the time to learn exactly what is required, warts and all. Those of us who decide to stick with it over months, years will then slowly come to the same level of understanding as the health gurus out there. Some of us only want to learn, and it's that much harder to ask for help and information if the perception exists that you're being looked down upon for not knowing as much as the 'experts'. (comments not specific to anyone...just saying )

PS: Thanks for your help with the cardio thread Steve.

Interesting.

First let me say that I totally respect anyone who is willing to learn anything. Truth be told, I come across very few people who care enough to actually learn. Sure, they will learn when it comes to their jobs because they have to if they want more money. But that is the extent of it.

Very few people go beyond that. I do know, however, that there are a few people that want to understand and learn, speaking of general health and weight loss now. There are people here who have taken advantage of my knowledge in the field and I respect that. These people usually hear from me the most b/c I am drawn to that.

I used to train online, and b/c it was strictly out of passion and I wasn't really in it for the money.... if an individual wasn't compatible with me, they usually got the boot in a professional manner.

And the only way incompatibility would settle in was when someone wouldn't listen and learn. There are only so many hours in a day and I want to help people who care enough too help themselves.

Second, what is the reason for fear. The fear that you speak of with regards to being looked down on from the "educated" ones. I don't really get that. I hope I don't create that "image" here, where you better come to me with knowledge.

I would rather have someone come to me who knows nothing and is willing to learn the right way, than someone who knows a lot and isn't willing to listen to anything.

 

[bethann1156]

Good morning, Steve! Hope you are having a great day! It's a May-gray morning here in SD. I'm hoping that the sun will show her face downtown today.

 

[Britta Bear]

Morning Sunshine

It's me who owes you an email now My mom is finally here, so I am a little busy at the moment. Hope you are doing fantastic!

 

[Curvie Girlie]

Very few people go beyond that. I do know, however, that there are a few people that want to understand and learn, speaking of general health and weight loss now. There are people here who have taken advantage of my knowledge in the field and I respect that. These people usually hear from me the most b/c I am drawn to that.

Second, what is the reason for fear. The fear that you speak of with regards to being looked down on from the "educated" ones. I don't really get that. I hope I don't create that "image" here, where you better come to me with knowledge.

I would rather have someone come to me who knows nothing and is willing to learn the right way, than someone who knows a lot and isn't willing to listen to anything.

Ah, Steve, I missed you--and all my other pals here!

 

[Steve]

Good morning, Steve! Hope you are having a great day! It's a May-gray morning here in SD. I'm hoping that the sun will show her face downtown today.

Afternoon Beth.

It started out hot and sunny here. But it is now cloudy and we are supposed to get some nasty thunderstorms later.

I hope we do, love thunderstorms.

 

[Steve]

Morning Sunshine

It's me who owes you an email now My mom is finally here, so I am a little busy at the moment. Hope you are doing fantastic!

Morning/afternoon Brit!

No sweat, I took a while to get back to you. That darn thing call life gets in the way every now and again.

I am really good thanks. I hope the same for you.

 

[Steve]

Here's an old pic for ya. I was roughly 178 lbs in this pic. I look terrible, but I was grouchy and just walked in from a run.

 

[Steve]

Here's another with a funny story.

This is a pic of me taken from my wonderful friend Gordy. It was around 6 in the morning. He went out to Columbus, OH with me for the Arnold Classic. I met a good amount of people from the web out there and of course we went out and had an excellent time.

However, Gordy and I ended the night at our hotel bar. Let me tell you how much of a dive this hotel was. I don't even know where to begin. The carpets were wet. The sheet were nasty. The cable didn't work. The internet didn't work. It smelled. The list goes on.

That is what I get for letting Gordy (primate equivalent) book the hotel.

Anyhow, we end up at this bar in our hotel. It is pretty crowded with people. At least I think that is what those upright mammals were. They were playing some hardcore gangsta rap and nobody was dancing.

So, Gordy and I being the outgoing drunks we are, decided to have a dance contest. It was a close battle, but he won when he broke out the worm across this nasty, dirty floor.

(Note: I recently regained that title.)

After the dancing, which everyone watched, a girl kept hitting on us. She was more drunk than us. I didn't know that was possible while still maintaining a functioning brain and active heart. She kept touching me and I stopped paying attention to her.

Eventually, Gordy grabbed my hand and started drawing on it with a marker. I let him go, paying no attention. Wouldn't you know, he wrote my phone number on it. For this girl to see!!

Hence, you have the "whited-out" hand.

Wish I had a better pic of the trip. Like a dancing pic, but I don't. This was taken by Gord very early when he got up to pee. I think I had gotten about 2 hours of sleep at this point. He turned the light on right in my face and snapped this shot.

Jerk.

ETA: As you can tell, I don't care much about how I look, LOL. In this one you are catching me without my make-up and all.

 

[reach4Astar]

Here's an old pic for ya. I was roughly 178 lbs in this pic. I look terrible, but I was grouchy and just walked in from a run.

whoa..........dang SteveO........yer hot!!!!!

hope your day is going good...........I am doing fan freakin tastic.......I love the Body for Life deal and i cant wait to weigh on Friday........I took some before pics but i ain't postin thoes anywhere!!!! EVER!!! Just reference for me!!! maybe I will after like my 3rd challange!!! Ha ha i liked the drunk daceoff story too!!!! have a good one bro!!!
STAR

 

[Juliette1]

Oh honey, you look EXTREMELY adorable in that pic! Somewhat puppylike..
Julie

 

[Steve]

Ah, Steve, I missed you--and all my other pals here!

Howdy stranger.

 

[Steve]

whoa..........dang SteveO........yer hot!!!!!

hope your day is going good...........I am doing fan freakin tastic.......I love the Body for Life deal and i cant wait to weigh on Friday........I took some before pics but i ain't postin thoes anywhere!!!! EVER!!! Just reference for me!!! maybe I will after like my 3rd challange!!! Ha ha i liked the drunk daceoff story too!!!! have a good one bro!!!
STAR

Thanks Star!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And glad to hear you are still liking the BFL.

 

[Steve]

Oh honey, you look EXTREMELY adorable in that pic! Somewhat puppylike..
Julie

Thanks Juliette

 

[Curvie Girlie]

Here's an old pic for ya. I was roughly 178 lbs in this pic. I look terrible, but I was grouchy and just walked in from a run.

WOW talk about the "V"!!

And the early morning pic looks really, really cute--Star was right, puppy-ish. Actually, you look really good when you smile. I can't recall any other smiley pictures.

 

[RhoRho]

Interesting.

Second, what is the reason for fear. The fear that you speak of with regards to being looked down on from the "educated" ones. I don't really get that. I hope I don't create that "image" here, where you better come to me with knowledge.

Thanks Steve,

No - you don't give that impression, but there's a fair few here that do.. It's nice to be given assurances of help, that's all

 

[Steve]

WOW talk about the "V"!!

And the early morning pic looks really, really cute--Star was right, puppy-ish. Actually, you look really good when you smile. I can't recall any other smiley pictures.

Thanks Val!

That V is still there but certainly not as defined. Give me a few weeks though!!