I'm A Fraud.....

[O_RYAN_007]

i don't think you need supplements at this point, just a good diet.

good food will make you feel great, supplements are for when you're plateaued IMO, and you certainly aren't.

i find that psychedelic experiences often give me a new lease on life (new perspective, new motivation, better understanding of why i am where i am), though many here may disagree (i notice a lot of BBing people are very anti-drug)

I seriously couldn't agree with you anymore! I'm not talking about abuse, I'm talking about getting deep into the subconscious mind. I dropped some acid and took shrooms a couple times after my brother passed. I got a lot more spiritual.

[weekend]

^ yes.

[WesleyInman]

(i notice a lot of BBing people are very anti-drug)

Funny because not to argue with you because I like and respect you but I see it through my eyes the opposite way.

My second full time job after graduating college was working at a major gym. We had "parties" after work and all the true NPC/IFBB guys and others got together and did rec stuff.. This was the first time in my life I had tried them. We did this weekly, went to strip clubs, brought girls back, etc..etc..it became habitual for all of us. In fact after shows, etc..we'd go out by the dozens and this was regular behavior for the majority of the guys. I found that most BBers in general had "addictive" personalities.

I was competing at the time and it took a huge toll on me personally and at contest time. All of my friends in the industry were into rec. stuff as well as AAS. It took about a year, thousands and thousands of dollars down the drain, a relationship loss and a number of other negatives in my life before I finally got to the point where I actually wanted to stop. Before that I wanted to continue even during all the negatives. You cannot help someone through addiction until they are ready to change for a fact.

Sounds like you are there. I wish you the best. Talking about it and finding healthy habits certainly can make it a bit easier to handle. It is easy to fall back on when times are hard or stress comes into your life. Its like dieting or pre-contest before a show. It takes an amazing amount of will-power and even then is easy to fall off track. I hope you can stick through it and get back to where you would like and need to be

[Sperwer]

2 points:

1. A fraud doesn't own his shit the way you have; only men do that.

2. You can beat your demons, provided you remember they will always still be there.. When I came back from VN after three "tours" - well, more like 2 3/4 when i was shot and invalided out - a lot of guys were hooked on heroin. I was an adrenaline junkie, so I got involved with coke, long before it got fashionable; we even figured out how to smoke it "crack" style. That was 40 years ago, but every once and awhile today I get these really, really powerful experiences in which I can smell, taste and hear the stuff and everything else that went along with it (girls). Sometimes, these episodes of "euphoric recall" last upwards of a week and, if I don't do anything to distract myself, that's all I'll think about. Work and exercise - for the past several years, lifting -- have been my solutions. And it starts with just showing up at the office/gym. You're back on the path.. Keep showing up.

[BoneDaddy]

Funny because not to argue with you because I like and respect you but I see it through my eyes the opposite way.

My second full time job after graduating college was working at a major gym. We had "parties" after work and all the true NPC/IFBB guys and others got together and did rec stuff.. This was the first time in my life I had tried them. We did this weekly, went to strip clubs, brought girls back, etc..etc..it became habitual for all of us. In fact after shows, etc..we'd go out by the dozens and this was regular behavior for the majority of the guys. I found that most BBers in general had "addictive" personalities.

I was competing at the time and it took a huge toll on me personally and at contest time. All of my friends in the industry were into rec. stuff as well as AAS. It took about a year, thousands and thousands of dollars down the drain, a relationship loss and a number of other negatives in my life before I finally got to the point where I actually wanted to stop. Before that I wanted to continue even during all the negatives. You cannot help someone through addiction until they are ready to change for a fact.

Sounds like you are there. I wish you the best. Talking about it and finding healthy habits certainly can make it a bit easier to handle. It is easy to fall back on when times are hard or stress comes into your life. Its like dieting or pre-contest before a show. It takes an amazing amount of will-power and even then is easy to fall off track. I hope you can stick through it and get back to where you would like and need to be

It's done in my mind. I feel like I reached a point of being sick and tired of being sick and tired. Now I just want to replace 1 habit (drinking/poor lifestyle choices) with another habit (BB/Fitness). I even sat down and wrote out a workout plan/regiment to ease myself back in. I forgot to post pics last night because I was working on that. I'll post it later for everyone's critique. I'm definitely seeking help on the nutrition aspect though.

2 points:

1. A fraud doesn't own his shit the way you have; only men do that.

2. You can beat your demons, provided you remember they will always still be there.. When I came back from VN after three "tours" - well, more like 2 3/4 when i was shot and invalided out - a lot of guys were hooked on heroin. I was an adrenaline junkie, so I got involved with coke, long before it got fashionable; we even figured out how to smoke it "crack" style. That was 40 years ago, but every once and awhile today I get these really, really powerful experiences in which I can smell, taste and hear the stuff and everything else that went along with it (girls). Sometimes, these episodes of "euphoric recall" last upwards of a week and, if I don't do anything to distract myself, that's all I'll think about. Work and exercise - for the past several years, lifting -- have been my solutions. And it starts with just showing up at the office/gym. You're back on the path.. Keep showing up.

Thanks brother, I appreciate that.... and from 1 vet to another, thank you for that, too. I'm certain you saw far more shit than I did though. I'm glad to see you overcame, it serves as inspiration!! I know exactly what you mean about the cravings.....I've had a few surgeries where morphine was used and I get cravings for it at times......like now, just talking about it! lol So I get that it's going to be an ongoing battle. I'm a musician, and I read an article a bit back about how artists have addictive personalities in general.....it was a very interesting read. Tonight is band practice where my usual routine has been to take a growler and finish it by the end of band practice. A growler. A half gallon of fucking beer!! Anyone else as shocked as I am? lol My goal tonight; To take no beer and to not drink anything. Sounds reasonable to me.

[burlyman30]

You're going to get thirsty at band practice most likely, so bring water or Gatorade or something else you'd enjoy sipping on. The hardest thing about addictions is being able to simply stop behavior. Your body gets thirsty. Body signals brain. You grab beer. That is a hard signal to ignore, because it's a physical compulsion. So it's important to find "replacements" for our vices. Gatorade to replace beer, gym time to replace idle time or couch time, etc. The urges will come, no doubt, so if you have something you can do about it (replacement activity) you are in a far more powerful position than just trying to ignore those signals.

[BoneDaddy]

You're going to get thirsty at band practice most likely, so bring water or Gatorade or something else you'd enjoy sipping on. The hardest thing about addictions is being able to simply stop behavior. Your body gets thirsty. Body signals brain. You grab beer. That is a hard signal to ignore, because it's a physical compulsion. So it's important to find "replacements" for our vices. Gatorade to replace beer, gym time to replace idle time or couch time, etc. The urges will come, no doubt, so if you have something you can do about it (replacement activity) you are in a far more powerful position than just trying to ignore those signals.

Agreed, and solid advice. I'm taking a cooler full of Perrier flavored water. Something to have in my hand, to drink, and it has bubbles. lol

[Jelisej]

I think you are all on a wrong track- his problems most likely comes from "mental side" and that is where he needs to concetrate most, solving underlying issues and root of the problem, ignoring problem and concentrating on gym will make it easier but eventually he'll be in same situation again.
Plus, his CNS is taking battering right now, heavy exercise will tax it even more and deplete his body of much needed chemicals (hormones etc...)
He need to start slowly and make 5 year plan, "progressive loading" is the word.

[burlyman30]

I think you are all on a wrong track- his problems most likely comes from "mental side" and that is where he needs to concetrate most, solving underlying issues and root of the problem, ignoring problem and concentrating on gym will make it easier but eventually he'll be in same situation again.
Plus, his CNS is taking battering right now, heavy exercise will tax it even more and deplete his body of much needed chemicals (hormones etc...)
He need to start slowly and make 5 year plan, "progressive loading" is the word.

I don't think anyone is saying to ignore the mental side of things, but just that taking a step forward in the right direction was a must. Since I have a degree in behavioral psychology, I'd put forth the idea that the mind affects the behavioral side and the behaviors affect the mental side. There is significant crossover between the two and both should be addressed in the appropriate fashion.

As far as how fast to come back, I'd have to say it's highly individualistic, based on age, genetics, and length of time away from the gym. It takes me a month to get back in the groove, and 2 months to get "back to normal". Others may take 2 weeks or 3 months to have the body in a routine depending on multiple factors.

[Jelisej]

I dont have any degree in anything , basically I'm an "alchemist", tough I have my own base of knowledge and experience- and in private life I always say: "person can only be fat in his head", what I mean is if person change his own self-image it will affect his outward appearance, this is obviously slow process but it lasts- on other hand if that person concetrate only on physical aspect- even if he loses weight- sooner or later it will come back, maybe after one maybe after five years, but it will come back...

Other thing is, his central nervous system is on low point, his hormones are on lower end as well- putting strain in that situation is not good idea, he needs very slowly to work his way up, and also it would be advisable to to some health check-up
As for "mental side"- he has been here before, and if he dose not clear his mind he'll be there again- so he needs to work on himself with emphasis on "mental".