Seeing What Sticks

I received a message from a friend the other day suggesting that perhaps I should write a new blog.  It has been a long time since I've actually sat down and tried to write something like this - that's not to say that I haven't tried.  There have been many times that I sat down and banged out a few paragraphs that were utter crap, and I just sat staring at the blinking cursor for minutes, hours...

Initially when I started writing these, I thought that it might be a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly installment of me being an obese guy becoming a bodybuilder.  It is most certainly a great story - on paper (or the internet).  But as I've walked this path for what is pushing five years now, I have to say that perhaps this story isn't going to have the ending that I wanted.

Making this weekly or bi-weekly is impossible for me.  I don't have the time, the energy or the ideas to make this worth while.  I know that none of you want to read what I eat every day, how I train every day, or what my weigh-in was.  Because no matter how hard I try, I cannot make those things fascinating or funny all the time.  It just can't happen.

I was obese.  That is something that has been written about and documented with photography, though most of those photos no longer exist.  Originally when I began writing these, I thought that my heaviest weight had been 397 pounds.  But the more I think about it, I actually think I remember seeing 407 on the scale.  I really cannot back that up, but perhaps a call to my doctor could make this fact instead of fiction.  I'm way off topic here.

In being as heavy as I was, it left me with a lot, I meal A LOT of excess skin.  Does that sound gross?  Whatever, you don't have to deal with it.  But the fact of the matter is that if I want to compete in and do well in bodybuilding, I would have to have some sort of skin removal surgery.  And the bottom line is I don't want to do that.  I can't afford it, I don't have time for the recovery, and I don't want to deal with that kind of pain.

You may have noticed that I said compete in and do well in bodybuilding.  I say that because if you don't want to be the best in what you're doing, why are you doing it at all?  If something is worth doing, do it right.

So before I move on, I'm going to write something that I've only told a handful of people.  Not like it's going to make press or anything, but I don't think that bodybuilding is for me.

I have nothing but respect and admiration for my friends who have or are going to compete in some form of bodybuilding event.  Maybe in another life, if I get a do-over, I can tell the younger me not to be such a man-bear-pig and take it easy on the Wendy's and do some more cardio.  But for now, I want to program my nutrition for a victory for me.  I want to train the way I want to train and have fun in the gym again.  I'm still going to set goals.  I'm still going to work, and work hard for them.  But the stage is a goal that I am not going to chase any longer.  At least not for a long time.

Jim Wendler posted something on his blog a while ago where he wrote a letter to his younger self.  I thought that was an awesome idea, so I'm kind of stealing it.  But, if I were to write a letter to my younger self using the same time frame Jim did, I would be 12.  Twelve year old me would have zero fascination to what I would tell him, nor would he read the letter.  He would tell Mom and Dad he did read it and try to fake it when he was quizzed on it.

The idea is still good, so maybe what I should do is just submit a bunch of things for a younger Kyle to read through.  It's not in letter format so what I'm doing is throwing a bunch of crap at the wall, and really hoping some of it will stick.

A younger Kyle, with no crap stuck to his wall.

TRAINING

-It's fantastic that you're into weightlifting.  But you're not going to be Ronnie Coleman, Kai Greene, Lou Ferrigno or Arnold.  Just because you train for a month, 6 months, a year, you're not any of these guys.  Don't act like you are.

-You WANT to be strong but you NEED be smart.  Read, research and find a program that will work for you.  Once you're on it, stick with it for AT LEAST 6 weeks.  If you don't see some results, start from square one.  Read, research and start again.

-Dave Tate, Jim Wendler, John Meadows, Joe DeFranco, Jim Smith.  Look them up, read their work.  You'll probably be impressed.

-Don't.  Skip.  Cardio.

-Don't.  Skip.  Cardio.

-Don't.  Skip.  Cardio.  See where I'm going with this?  But, under any circumstances do not rely on cardio for "weight" loss.  Use it as a tool for fat loss.

-Train hard.  Train smart.  These are not mutually exclusive ideas.

NUTRITION
-Stop justifying the food that you eat.  You're not training the right way to eat the amount of calories you're taking in.  Just because it has a lot of protein doesn't mean that its the right thing for you to eat.  Half a jar of peanut butter is not a snack.  Sun Chips are not a "healthy carb source".  A triple from Wendy's has 70 grams of protein.  It also has 72 grams of fat and 36 grams of carbs.  And you're eating two of them.  Bro.  Srs?

- Two liters of water isn't enough.  You're not going to get the rest of your water from energy drinks.  Yeah they taste good, but they have 70 grams of sugar.  Cut back on the E.D. and up your water intake.

-Eat before you workout.  Eat after you workout.  This is not negotiable.

-You can eat shit food sometimes.  SOMETIMES.  Counting macros works.  This is science.  Find out what your macros are and understand them.

-If you want to be less fat, you need to focus on your nutrition.

-Eat for your success.  Don't diet.

LIFE
-Stop watching so damn much TV.  98% of what you watch is absolute crap.  Of whats left 1% is nothing but lies, and the other 1% is reasonable to watch.  Please keep in mind that there is a 1% margin or error.

-Life is hard.  It's always going to be hard.  Focus on the good things.  It's the good things that keep you going.  It's the good things that make life worth living.

-Read.  Find a book you like and plow through it.  Then find another one.  And another.  It will make your mind smarter.  Remember what we said about training hard and smart.  Make that thing between your head strong as your body.

-You are going to struggle with your weight all your life.  You're going to feel good about yourself, and you're most certainly going to feel bad about yourself.  Stop having pity parties.  Fight through it.

-Acquaintances come and go.  Let them.  Friends are forever.  Sounds like something seventh grade girls would say to each other, but it's true.  You will know who your friends are.

-Taking care of yourself isn't selfish.  Taking care of your family and friends isn't selfish.  Do whats right for you and yours.  Period.

-Stay away from drama and people who feed off of it.  You will get sucked into that vortex and getting out is pretty damn tough.

-Some things are going to suck.  Some things are going to really suck.  Some things are going to really suck A LOT.  But, at the end of the day, you've been fed, you've got a home, and you have a wife that loves you.  Those three things can make the worst day the best day.

-You don't look good in hats.

An older Kyle, will all this crap stuck to his wall.

I think that's enough for now.  If you managed to suffer through this to get to the end, I most certainly appreciate it.  Perhaps it's not my best work, but then again maybe it is.  I don't know.  I'm a horrible critic of my own stuff. 

Until next time, stay strong.
~Brann