Disconnect b/w Stated Goals and Commitment to Them.

[Erik]

How is it that people expect the results that come with high levels of commitment to achieving a goal ... without the high levels of commitment?

:scratch:

I see so many lofty goals set and the stated grand importance of achieving them, and then read about alcohol, cheats, deviations, it's hard, I'm really social, but, but, but ...

And then I'm reminded of how important it is that one gets in shape by [insert date here].

Acceptance. If you choose the path, you need to accept what is involved to stay on it. If you have to 'find motivation" to stick to the process within your goal, you're probably already on the wrong track.

Choose the behaviour, choose the consequences.

Any thoughts on this?

IS the goal really THAT important? (eating disorders not included)

[toese]

Maybe you are right and their goal isn't all that important because if it were they would be committed. I may be one of those people right now. I was serious about my goals last year and I was committed. This year I do have a goal but it's not as important to me than my goals from last year were.

This is why I try not to whine and cry about why I'm not at all close to my goals right now. I already know why I'm not close so I shouldn't have to complain about it. I'm just more disappointed and angry with myself about my lack of commitment.

[Blondell]

I've been guilty of this many times. At this point, I'm accepting that what I want, I am not willing to push for at this moment. I'm ok with that. :lol:

[Erik]

Maybe you are right and their goal isn't all that important because if it were they would be committed. I may be one of those people right now. I was serious about my goals last year and I was committed. This year I do have a goal but it's not as important to me than my goals from last year were.

This is why I try not to whine and cry about why I'm not at all close to my goals right now. I already know why I'm not close so I shouldn't have to complain about it. I'm just more disappointed and angry with myself about my lack of commitment.

Exactly. I can apply the same to myself as well. For pretty much the last year, ever since my dad went into the hospital and subsequently passed away, I haven't really 'had it' so to speak. My training has been sporadic, my diet even worse ... with glimmers of hope in both. :lol:

So I'd get frustrated with a lack of progress or become dissatisfied with my physique, but upon honest reflection would conclude that obviously I'm not THAT disappointed with it, or obviously I don't want to make the big improvements THAT much ... RIGHT NOW. Because if I did, I'd be doing something about it.

If it was THAT important to me at the time, I'd be doing something to change it and my behaviour and choices would reflect that mindset/thought process.

But it wasn't. And I accepted that. I chose the behaviour and I accepted the results of that behaviour. A good realization for me since it erased frustration.

Now however? It's finally important to me again and my training/diet reflects that.

[Erik]

I've been guilty of this many times. At this point, I'm accepting that what I want, I am not willing to push for at this moment. I'm ok with that. :lol:

Exactly. "Choose the behaviour, choose (or accept) the consequences" simply worded differently. :thumb:

[char-dawg]

Everybody wants to go to heaven; no one wants to die.

[Erik]

Everybody wants to go to heaven; no one wants to die.

I will definitely have to incorporate this. Nice.

[Amy]

You and I have discussed this before, and I say this all the time to people that complain about not being where they want to be physique wise.

'You must not want it bad enough' They usually look at me like :blink: :angry: But then once I give them a few examples, they can see that I am probably right.

I can personally relate to this as well. I have taken lots of mini vacations and haven't been 100% on my diet. When I find myself complaining about my jeans being tight, I reminded myself that as much as I say it bothers me, it must not bother me enough...otherwise, I'd be doing something about it. :lol:

Ask yourself 'At what cost am I willing to achieve this goal?' If you are not willing to log your food, or give up then maybe you adaily cheats, then you are probably not going to reach those goals. (All depends on the specific goal you have)

Get in the right frame of mind and accept the costs before committing to the goal IMO.

[Inatic]

ya gotta wanna
:D

I think sometimes people dont REALLY undestand the commitment.. hense the excuses

[LoveToWorkout]

Everybody wants to go to heaven; no one wants to die.

Love this and this thread... So true.

[Original Kloe®]

K, here's my thoughts...that I've had for eons....

I'll start with this: Smoking...everyone knows it's nasty and unhealthy and you shouldn't do it. But how many times do you hear a smoker say "I'm trying to quit."...I'd say a good 90%. How many times do you hear a smoker say "I smoke, I'm cool with it, I'm going to keep doing it even though I know it's bad for me." I would say it's "social unacceptable" to be a smoker and to NOT be trying to quit. Soooo... I feel like a lot of smokers, even though they do NOT want to quit, feel like they should have to, or say they are trying to quit.

Now use this same thing with unfit/overweight people. If we're not in the best shape we could be in, we feel like it's socially unacceptable to NOT be on a "diet". Cause everyone knows if you're obese or unfit you should be exercising and eating right. But the truth is, lots of people just do not want to do it... they don't want to give up junk and exercise, but feel like they HAVE to say they're "trying to lose weight"....even though that's totally not where their mind is at.

But speaking from experience, when I was humongous and didn't want to lose weight, I would get grilled when I would say "NO, I'm NOT on a diet, and no I do not go to the gym. I'm fine with the way I am!" You wouldn't believe the comments I would get. (Ie: "well you SHOULD be on a diet... you SHOULD want to lose weight...you're unhealthy, blah blah woof woof...")

So anyway, long story short, I think people feel like they HAVE to be on a diet and exercising even if they don't want to, so they just say they are in hopes of you leaving them alone.

[sandi]

People want the easy way out.

They want the 'goals', but they don't want to put in the work.

That's why all these fad diets and crazy 'exercise' contraptions and most of the crap they sell on QVC are such moneymakers.

It's the american way: people are fundamentally lazy and they want what they want when they want it.

[Erik]

So anyway, long story short, I think people feel like they HAVE to be on a diet and exercising even if they don't want to, so they just say they are in hopes of you leaving them alone.

While I can see this in some cases, I don't think this is really applicable to this example.

People voluntarily saying they want to achieve a certain physique goal, but unwilling to do what it takes to achieve it. The conclusion then is - do you really want to achieve that physique goal? It doesn't really sound like it.

It's more like an "it'd be nice if I could achieve this, but not if I have to give up this, and this, and this. I don't want it THAT bad." :lol:

[Blondell]

I don't want it THAT bad." :lol:
This is me. Do I want it? Yes. Do I want it bad enough to eat from a structured meal plan day in and day out...nope. :lol3:

[Erik]

People want the easy way out.

They want the 'goals', but they don't want to put in the work.

That's why all these fad diets and crazy 'exercise' contraptions and most of the crap they sell on QVC are such moneymakers.

It's the american way: people are fundamentally lazy and they want what they want when they want it.

I think this sums it up pretty much perfectly.

[sandi]

Hey.....it's not THEIR fault.

It's 'Esther's'. Heehee. Just ask Wanda:whistling:

(starts at 3:15 mark. And sorry about the profanity. If anyone's offended by 4 letter words, probably best not to watch this one)

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=4fhxfTtpM9g

[Patricia]

I don't think a lot of people realize the true work it takes (and the dedication to scrutinizing everything that goes into their mouths) to get 'abs' or 'ripped' or whatever they say their goals are.

I think if you put it into simple "You must/must not ______ to reach your goals" then they'd have a clue. Of course, that would be a PITA. :lol:

[missmarce]

For those that you are speaking of, no, I don't think the goal is as important as they are making it out to be. That is not to say that they do not want to achieve it, but its not so much of a priority that they are willing to do whatever it takes to do so.

Ive run into this issue with every client Ive ever trained. They all want the results, but either their job, family, time, social life is MORE important. They dont want to give up their wine, pack their meals or workout on their own because doing so requires change. And change is hard and uncomfortable for most people.

Achieving a goal requires hard work, dedication and getting out of one's comfort zone. I think this is especially true of physique transformation. Sometimes it sucks to be the only sober person in the group, pass on the piece of birthday cake, order the chicken salad with no dressing, train when you just dont have the time or energy, etc. Ive been the social outcast and fielded the questions of "Ew, what are you eating" or "Why arent you eating" more times than I care to remember. But for me, transforming my physique is my priority right now, so Im willing to do whatever it takes, regardless of how uncomfortable or hard it may be. For those who have hired you, or any coach for that matter, yet make the excuses, its obvious that a part of them wants to change, but a larger part of them isnt willing to make the necessary sacrifices.

If I may use myself as an example....When I first graduated college, I wanted to find a job in sales so that I could make tons of money. So, I BS'd my way through interviews and landed a job as an outside sales rep. While the potential to make a good living was there, doing what was required to make that kind of money made me physically ill. I loathed cold calling and just could not bring myself to be pushy and relentless in order to close a deal. At the end of the day, the money just wasnt worth forcing myself to be someone I wasnt, so I quit.

I think the same is true for the clients who dont stick to the plan. Some part of the process is too uncomfortable or inconvenient, and changing what has been their sense of normalcy for so long isnt worth it. If the end result was really as important as they are saying it is, then the cheats, deviations and excuses wouldnt be happening.

[Amy]

For those that you are speaking of, no, I don't think the goal is as important as they are making it out to be. That is not to say that they do not want to achieve it, but its not so much of a priority that they are willing to do whatever it takes to do so.

Ive run into this issue with every client Ive ever trained. They all want the results, but either their job, family, time, social life is MORE important. They dont want to give up their wine, pack their meals or workout on their own because doing so requires change. And change is hard and uncomfortable for most people.

Achieving a goal requires hard work, dedication and getting out of one's comfort zone. I think this is especially true of physique transformation. Sometimes it sucks to be the only sober person in the group, pass on the piece of birthday cake, order the chicken salad with no dressing, train when you just dont have the time or energy, etc. Ive been the social outcast and fielded the questions of "Ew, what are you eating" or "Why arent you eating" more times than I care to remember. But for me, transforming my physique is my priority right now, so Im willing to do whatever it takes, regardless of how uncomfortable or hard it may be. For those who have hired you, or any coach for that matter, yet make the excuses, its obvious that a part of them wants to change, but a larger part of them isnt willing to make the necessary sacrifices.

If I may use myself as an example....When I first graduated college, I wanted to find a job in sales so that I could make tons of money. So, I BS'd my way through interviews and landed a job as an outside sales rep. While the potential to make a good living was there, doing what was required to make that kind of money made me physically ill. I loathed cold calling and just could not bring myself to be pushy and relentless in order to close a deal. At the end of the day, the money just wasnt worth forcing myself to be someone I wasnt, so I quit.

I think the same is true for the clients who dont stick to the plan. Some part of the process is too uncomfortable or inconvenient, and changing what has been their sense of normalcy for so long isnt worth it. If the end result was really as important as they are saying it is, then the cheats, deviations and excuses wouldnt be happening.

I think its good to ask potential clients (or yourself) What are you willing to sacrifice to get there? Willing to skip out on party food? Willing to spend extra time prepping food? Etc. Etc.

[Scarl3tbutt3rfly]

This is an interesting topic. I always find it interesting when people have trouble sticking to prep so much. It seems that if you have a plan and have a goal that it wouldn't be so hard to stick to what is required to acheive that goal. I don't have this problem, so I guess I have a hard time understanding. I never cheat on my diet, and look forward to the reward of eating what I want when I am done (it actually keeps me so focused on not cheating, and works for me). I was given a cheat meal this past Friday, and I had a hard time even taking it, I did it though in the hopes it would jump start my metabolism a bit, as I hadn't had a cheat at all for 6 weeks..but even so I made it pretty clean(or more refeed oriented). I was not at all willing to sabatoge all the hard work I've put in the past 6 weeks.

[Anca]

I'm running into this kind of people too... they know I'm a PT and see that I'm in shape and make healthy food choices so they start spouting off how they need to start exercising and eating healthier; they eat the healthy food when they're around me (or if they do eat the bad food, they go "I never do this!!"); some of those who say "Ok I reaaaally need you to help me lose weight" fall off the face of the earth once they receive my 7-page questionnaire and realize that hmm... this is gonna take some actual work. :rolleyes:

[Kristina]

For me over the years I could always justify things in my head! My goals I wasn't "really" committed to! The words that changed how I look at my goals..forever
"Are you willing to accept the consequences" Erik Ledin

For me it's really that simple..I go to cheat..I hear those words..Do I want the goals or do I want the trail mix! No I'm not perfect and sometimes I want the trail mix..BUT I won't die if I don't have it and I know that my personal fitness goals take the number one position. Yeah it's hard, Yeah I get pissed, frustrated, hungry, grumpy and sometimes I cheat BUT I keep in mind the journey...It's so awesome that I look and feel great now but when I'm 80 and my body is healthy and I can take care of myself into my 90's or 100's that is better then any trail mix I have ever had!!!!!!!!! LOL

[pinkeraserwm]

For me it's not that the goal is initially unimportant it's more that on occassions I lose sight of it or at least forget why it's so important. I start to get hung up on secondary things that are goal related but not important, then I get bogged down and forget what I was trying to accomplish in the 1st place. Classic example, getting hung up on the scale, measurements, etc. Obviously those are good ways to track your progress but when it becomes obsessive so that all you think about is getting on the scale again to see if you've lost weight then you're likely to forget totally that your original goal was to get leaner, healthier, compete etc. None of those goals require a specific number on the scale. By the time you've completely lost your mind over then number, likely gotten frustrated, quit, cheated, etc you realize that that's not where you were headed initially and hopefully get reset.

Personally, my other issue is one of body recognition. I get comfortable seeing myself a certain way and when that changes it totally messes with my mind. I don't feel like myself, I feel a disconnect b/w what the mirror shows and what I think I look like. It's extremely disconcerting and can seriously throw me off my game and make me reconsider my goals all together. Of course, if I stay the course, I get used to the changes. During the time of disconnect tho, the urge to self-sabotage is strong w/ my mind saying "wait a minute, I really don't like this, maybe this goal is not for me".

That was a long post and I don't know if it will make sense to anyone but this is at least what happens in my little world.

[sarahlou]

There isn't a simple answer no matter what you think. Everyday I welcome students who say they want to get a Ph.D. and I think it's an apt analogy. There are a number of issues.
First and foremost, most really don't have a realistic understanding of what they are really working for beyond a piece of paper. The PhD really just says you have a working knowledge of the research process. If you want to become an expert, Ah! that's following the path of doing a postdoc and then becoming the artisan=faculty member and working for tenure and promotion (analogy: competing and working your way up the ranks). Neither do I believe do most clients (I include myself in this category). Most think that they will train and "win" No one ever expects that they won't place. No one views their effort as teaching them how to eat properly, how to train, grow muscle, etc.
Second, most really do not have any inkling of what the process really entails. Students start out taking coursework. They serve as teaching assistants. They write and defend an original research proposal. They apprentice with a faculty member working on a series of projects. They present and defend their work in a written thesis and oral defense (analogous to the competition). Most competitors really don't understand that they have to follow the diet, do the workouts, practice posing - they think it's a hobby (and unfortunately so do many grad students).
Third, because they don't understand what they are really getting and don't know what the process really entails, they don't/can't count the cost. They don't realize that the research has to come first -that they have to work eighty hours a week. They don't understand the "experiment" has to come first. They don't understand the process will take five or six years at a minimum. They don't understand why they have to TA, write a proposal, etc.
Everyone always thinks they know everything! LOL! It's tough but as a mentor you just have to remember that your charges are really children. You try to train them and hope that they open themselves to the process, learn, and mature. Not everyone is successful and sad as it is I think that's OK because not everyone is meant to be a PhD anymore than everyone is meant to be a figure pro. I think if in the end an unsuccessful charge recognizes that he/she really doesn't want the degree, isn't willing to submit to the process, and can't accept the cost then you have done your job.

[Erik]

Classic example, getting hung up on the scale, measurements, etc. Obviously those are good ways to track your progress

No actually they're not, and that's an often made point. The scale is NOT a good way to track your progress. Never has been and never will.

Measurements can start off being useful but they become less and less useful the leaner and leaner you get. You can't quantify everything. How do you quantify by measurement an increase in vascularity? Does the lack of quantifiable evidence deny the qualitative progress observed?

You can't measure everything. The leaner one gets the more qualitative and the less quantitative progress becomes.



but when it becomes obsessive so that all you think about is getting on the scale again to see if you've lost weight

THIS is part of the problem actually. The overreliance on scale weight as an indicator of fat loss progress, or lack thereof.

[Firm Hottie]

How is it that people expect the results that come with high levels of commitment to achieving a goal ... without the high levels of commitment?

:scratch:

I think the crux of the problem is that people want instant results, and expect them, even though that's very unrealistic. How often do we see commercials for these "Lose-all-your weight-in five-minutes" programs, touting 3-5 lbs of weight loss a week? Or see ads saying "Lose up to 30 lbs in a month"? And don't even get me started on shows like the "Biggest Loser". :dry:

People see the before and after pictures, but never think about the time in between the taking of those photos, so they often don't have a realistic expectation of how long it takes to get from before to after. So, when they start a plan and don't see pretty much immediate results, they get discouraged, and either stop dead in their tracks, or start making lots of allowances because, hey, the program really wasn't working anyway. :rolleyes:

[char-dawg]

For those of you who get requests for diet advice from random people (coming up to you in the gym, etc.), ones who you KNOW are never going to really put forth the effort to stick to it, here is Dr. Char's patented Way of Dealing With Them:

"Sure, I'll be happy to help you out. All you need to do is get yourself one of those calorie counter books and keep track of everything you eat for the next ten days. Don't eat anything special, just keep a pencil and paper with you and log in everything that you put in your mouth. Then at the end of the ten days you figure up your average calories-per-day, and let me know that number. Then I'll be happy to give you a plan."

In more than 30 years of being in the gym, only three people have ever actually gotten back to me. :lol: And those three stuck with it.

For all the rest, this makes the whole process clear in a way that isn't insulting. Because it's pretty obvious that if you don't have the discipline to carry a pencil and paper around for ten days, you're never going to be able to handle a diet.

And for you, it eliminates all the wasted time that you would otherwise give to someone who's going to completely ignore your advice. Win-win all the way around.

[RpH]

For those of you who get requests for diet advice from random people (coming up to you in the gym, etc.), ones who you KNOW are never going to really put forth the effort to stick to it, here is Dr. Char's patented Way of Dealing With Them:

"Sure, I'll be happy to help you out. All you need to do is get yourself one of those calorie counter books and keep track of everything you eat for the next ten days. Don't eat anything special, just keep a pencil and paper with you and log in everything that you put in your mouth. Then at the end of the ten days you figure up your average calories-per-day, and let me know that number. Then I'll be happy to give you a plan."

In more than 30 years of being in the gym, only three people have ever actually gotten back to me. :lol: And those three stuck with it.

For all the rest, this makes the whole process clear in a way that isn't insulting. Because it's pretty obvious that if you don't have the discipline to carry a pencil and paper around for ten days, you're never going to be able to handle a diet.

And for you, it eliminates all the wasted time that you would otherwise give to someone who's going to completely ignore your advice. Win-win all the way around.

I do this in the pharmacy all the time. No one has ever come back with a total.

[char-dawg]

Give it another few years, young Jedi. Eventually, your True Disciple will come.

[carla]

I don't think a lot of people realize the true work it takes (and the dedication to scrutinizing everything that goes into their mouths) to get 'abs' or 'ripped' or whatever they say their goals are.

I think if you put it into simple "You must/must not ______ to reach your goals" then they'd have a clue. Of course, that would be a PITA. :lol:

This is a great thread..especially for me who has this issue at this time. I think b/c I do know how much time, sacrifice, etc it takes to be good at this sport, I am struggling now. I know how hard it was to get that "shredded" look and how much time away from family and just sacrifice it took to be in that kind of shape. So when i think about doing it again, I just wonder if I could do that again. I was talking to Lisa (lovetoworkout) about what I used to do to get ready for shows and I can't imagine doing that all over again. I seem to have issues believing that I could get to that level of conditioning again without doing all that sacrifice again..like 1.5 hours of cardio, 1200 cals per day, water depletion. My issue is purely a "get over what was done in the past" issue. My last comp was back when fitness girls all looked like little bodybuilders and you had to be shredded to the bone to step on stage. I loved being on stage but I can remember felling so bad on the way to get there. That still sits with me when I think of contest prep. Not quite the same anymore. It's funny....how many people have to tell me that is does not have to be that way for me to believe it? It's almost like a disorder.

[Inatic]

This is a great thread..especially for me who has this issue at this time. I think b/c I do know how much time, sacrifice, etc it takes to be good at this sport, I am struggling now. I know how hard it was to get that "shredded" look and how much time away from family and just sacrifice it took to be in that kind of shape. So when i think about doing it again, I just wonder if I could do that again. I was talking to Lisa (lovetoworkout) about what I used to do to get ready for shows and I can't imagine doing that all over again. I seem to have issues believing that I could get to that level of conditioning again without doing all that sacrifice again..like 1.5 hours of cardio, 1200 cals per day, water depletion. My issue is purely a "get over what was done in the past" issue. My last comp was back when fitness girls all looked like little bodybuilders and you had to be shredded to the bone to step on stage. I loved being on stage but I can remember felling so bad on the way to get there. That still sits with me when I think of contest prep. Not quite the same anymore. It's funny....how many people have to tell me that is does not have to be that way for me to believe it? It's almost like a disorder.

your sacrifices wouldnt be anything like you've experienced before to that degree., working with erik.. . Take it from lisa doing it another way..

[carla]

your sacrifices wouldnt be anything like you've experienced before to that degree., working with erik.. . Take it from lisa doing it another way..

I have plans from Erik..and they are not bad at all...I keep thinking..It's got to get worse..it has to..the diet will get harder and more training required.

It just has to..right?? That is what is in my mind...not saying it is true but this is purely my mental issue with not getting myself in the game. All my responsibility. I go from "having it " to "not having it" within a few months. I would like to find a way to "have it" all the time. Purely my inability to take control of the situation and what needs to be done and be willing to try "not" doing everything that I did in the past. It's just pitiful really.....it's all an issue of mind over matter for me really.

[Inatic]

maybe if you ask/chat with erik what 'life down the road a wee bit might look like', you might be quite surprised. that might help end some of the speculations you have. :)

[Erik]

This is a great thread..especially for me who has this issue at this time. I think b/c I do know how much time, sacrifice, etc it takes to be good at this sport, I am struggling now. I know how hard it was to get that "shredded" look and how much time away from family and just sacrifice it took to be in that kind of shape. So when i think about doing it again, I just wonder if I could do that again. I was talking to Lisa (lovetoworkout) about what I used to do to get ready for shows and I can't imagine doing that all over again. I seem to have issues believing that I could get to that level of conditioning again without doing all that sacrifice again..like 1.5 hours of cardio, 1200 cals per day, water depletion. My issue is purely a "get over what was done in the past" issue.

Deep down (not even deep down actually) this represents a lack of trust in your coach's abilities.

[char-dawg]

It's like you're the new boyfriend after the old boyfriend.

[Visionquester]

Well life is not static.. it is ever changing and with that comes priorities that change. So for me any time I have claimed to want something with a burning passion but yet have not followed through with my actions simple meant that I wished I wanted it.... oh maybe because people around me have that expectation... or I have that expectation for myself... but in reality something else is more important at this point in my life. Basically... it's a matter of clinging to what once was rather than what is.

So for me.... it is a matter of not being conscious or fully aware of what it is exactly that prevents me from fully committing.

Does this make any kind of sense? It's basically outgrowing something but not wanting to part ways..

~C.

[Patricia]

Well life is not static.. it is ever changing and with that comes priorities that change. So for me any time I have claimed to want something with a burning passion but yet have not followed through with my actions simple meant that I wished I wanted it.... oh maybe because people around me have that expectation... or I have that expectation for myself... but in reality something else is more important at this point in my life. Basically... it's a matter of clinging to what once was rather than what is.

So for me.... it is a matter of not being conscious or fully aware of what it is exactly that prevents me from fully committing.

Does this make any kind of sense? It's basically outgrowing something but not wanting to part ways..

~C.

Yes! Makes perfect sense.

[BigDog]

Well life is not static.. it is ever changing and with that comes priorities that change. So for me any time I have claimed to want something with a burning passion but yet have not followed through with my actions simple meant that I wished I wanted it.... oh maybe because people around me have that expectation... or I have that expectation for myself... but in reality something else is more important at this point in my life. Basically... it's a matter of clinging to what once was rather than what is.

So for me.... it is a matter of not being conscious or fully aware of what it is exactly that prevents me from fully committing.

Does this make any kind of sense? It's basically outgrowing something but not wanting to part ways..

~C.

:goodpost:

[Erik]

:bump:

[KKKRRR]

My experience with this topic:

Began "prepping" for a figure competition at 16 weeks out last January. I had this belief in my mind that since I was "prepping" the fat would fall off. I had the "plans" from my coach.. turns out I actually had to FOLLOW the plans to see results-- saying I was "prepping" was not enough:laugh::piggie:

It turns out that my BIGGEST problem was my undiscovered gluten intolerance (extreme fatigue, constant hunger, nausea, insane water retention-- YUCK!) and once this was finally diagnosed, and I was actually able to FOLLOW a damn plan and felt healthy and energetic, the fat began to fly. Too bad I didn't figure this out until AFTER that competition date. BUT a couple months later, I made it to the stage :D


So heres two pics : the first one was when I was "prepping" and letting the gluten intolerance take over my life while still believing I was going to magically get lean. The second one is 2 months after going gluten free!

[KKKRRR]

OMG that first picture scares me!!!

[Erik]

My experience with this topic:

Began "prepping" for a figure competition at 16 weeks out last January. I had this belief in my mind that since I was "prepping" the fat would fall off. I had the "plans" from my coach.. turns out I actually had to FOLLOW the plans to see results-- saying I was "prepping" was not enough:laugh::piggie:

There's real wisdom in here. :lol:

What good is a plan if you don't follow it right?

[carla]

Well life is not static.. it is ever changing and with that comes priorities that change. So for me any time I have claimed to want something with a burning passion but yet have not followed through with my actions simple meant that I wished I wanted it.... oh maybe because people around me have that expectation... or I have that expectation for myself... but in reality something else is more important at this point in my life. Basically... it's a matter of clinging to what once was rather than what is.

So for me.... it is a matter of not being conscious or fully aware of what it is exactly that prevents me from fully committing.

Does this make any kind of sense? It's basically outgrowing something but not wanting to part ways..

~C.

Great post...I have the same thought. For me, it has nothing to do with the coach, following the plan, etc. It is a matter of clinging to what was rather than what is. I will always love to train and I love Erk's training, but the "was" of getting on stage, I just think I was clinging to something that is no more a part of me. It was such fun before..but life is not static and it has changed. Maybe I was not wanting to part ways with it as well.. Great thread :)

[4EverFit]

Exactly. I can apply the same to myself as well. For pretty much the last year, ever since my dad went into the hospital and subsequently passed away, I haven't really 'had it' so to speak. My training has been sporadic, my diet even worse ... with glimmers of hope in both. :lol:

So I'd get frustrated with a lack of progress or become dissatisfied with my physique, but upon honest reflection would conclude that obviously I'm not THAT disappointed with it, or obviously I don't want to make the big improvements THAT much ... RIGHT NOW. Because if I did, I'd be doing something about it.

If it was THAT important to me at the time, I'd be doing something to change it and my behaviour and choices would reflect that mindset/thought process.

But it wasn't. And I accepted that. I chose the behaviour and I accepted the results of that behaviour. A good realization for me since it erased frustration.

Now however? It's finally important to me again and my training/diet reflects that.


I completely relate to where you're coming from. I am finally getting my Mojo back after losing my dad and dealing with a host of health issues! Energy is coming back from optimizing my thyroid levels and dealing with the gluten intolerance along with the adrenal fatigue! My will to work harder, train harder, and get better has improved greatly! It's great to have the drive, the will, the strength, and the determination back!

Thanks to you Erik for being so understanding when you knew why I didn't have it in me and why I lacked compliance and dedication. You are an amazing trainer and have definitely been a God send to me!

I am looking forward to the making more progress over the next couple of months and am excited to see what the new year has in store.

[pixie]

There isn't a simple answer no matter what you think. Everyday I welcome students who say they want to get a Ph.D. and I think it's an apt analogy.etc.


This is a spectacular analogy.

[Jobine]

What an enlightening thread!

[Marathon Girl]

I too can relate to this thread. It is not easy to be 100%. You almost have to have tunnel vision at first, only looking ahead to your goals and how you will achieve them. I used to put this much energy into marathons. Now with a recovering torn tendon in my foot I am turning to Erik. I finally feel ready to apply the focus that I used to have when all I would chant to myself was Boston, Boston. Learning that there is a better way to get lean is exciting and motivating. I am sure that this new found focus wont last forever and my motivation and determination will have to come from the knowledge I gain here and with Erik. You all are so inspiring that it does help a recovering cardio junkie see the light. :)

[Inatic]

Welcome marathon girl! Speedy recovery to that tendon.

[Inatic]

:bump: