Staying Motivated....

[Deleted member 33117]

I see these posts all the time, and often say to myself "Wow, I'm glad I've never had that problem...", but now, for the first time since I've picked up a dumbell, I'm asking myself "Is this really worth it?". I'm dealing with alot of problems in my personal life, family, love life, etc. At the same time, I've been dieting extremely strickly (even during my clean bulk a few months back), for probably 9 months, and pushing myself as hard as possible during my workouts, and I'm just starting to feel burned out. I took an extra day off from training today (two days in a row), to see if that helps. God I want a pizza so bad. I haven't had a slice of pizza in 3 months, even during my refeeds, but I still think I look alot softer than I should with what my bodyfat has been calipering at. I've suspected it was water weight, so I starting using letrozol (since I am on 100 mg of prop ed), at 1.25 mg ed, and cut my sodium back, but I'm still a bit frustrated with how I look.

How many of you guys and gals go through this after several years, and how to you go about dealing with it? I'm less than a month away from my 4th year of training, and this is a first for me.

 

[B0ARDIN087]

i think u need to take a few more days off and eat normal during those days......... i know u were doing ur keto bulking and maybe a normal bulk where u dont need to be as discaplined would be better???? are u competing or doing this for fun?

 

[MattRecc]

i know what you mean dude, and ive only been on my ckd diet for a week. All the food i enjoyed like peanut butter, a slice of pizza, going out to eat and ordering a cheeseburger, i miss it already. Not to mention it took me 5 fucking days to get into ketosis, combined with school, my job, lifting has definitely been hard this week. Basically what i do when i lose motivation is i take a look around me...do i want to look like everyone else? Do i want to look normal? The obvious answers to me are no. I want people to know that i train and eat right, and that its paying off. I don't want to be one of those guys who doesn't get the maximum results. I say take a few days off, gather up some energy, and rip shit apart at the gym. The payoff is soooo worth it. Good Luck bro.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Boardin, yeah I was doing a keto bulk. I gained 31 ibs, then have been dieting down on a strict ckd for 8 weeks. I'm down to 215 from 231, and calipering between 8 and 9%. I do this to compete. I don't plan on doing another show for a couple of years, while I focus on school though, however I really want to try to stay lean year round, and have a nice physique. You may be right about the food. I'm seriously thinking of chowing down on some pizza and burgers. I've been training each body part 3 times a week, with low volume and very high intensity. I do alot of heavy rest-pause training, stripping sets, super-sets and giant sets, but rarely do more than 3 or 4 sets per bodypart. I put on a lot of size doing this on my bulk, and it seems to be working for maintaining my size while cutting, but I'm begining to feel a little burned out. I took a week off from training about 2 months ago, and perhaps I need a little bit of a break.

 

[Lord_Suston]

you hit highs and lows but realizing it and training with it and adapting will provide greatresult than just training through it

 

[JJFigure]

I think one day at the mall would cure you - better yet, checking out the peeps in the foodcourt at the mall will have you running for the gym.

Seriously, sounds like you're overtrained and over-dieted. A week off from the gym and off the diet would probably do you a world of good. You don't have to eat everything in sight, but I will occasionally just take a week off from eating "my food" every 2-3 hours. I'll eat when I feel like eating and won't worry about getting protein in every meal.

Christmas is a great time for me to do this, since I head to my parents' house for 1-2 weeks every year. Rather than insult Mom by ignoring her food and putting together her own, I eat her food and on her schedule instead of my own. I never even end up gaining weight, because I tend to eat less often when I'm not watching the clock. It's a great mental break, and I'm always ready to go back to "my way of life" after a week.

 

[b fold the truth]

I've been down a little bit lately. I've had a few people tell me that I don't deserve to be a pro, didn't earn it, haven't earned the right to keep my card, etc...

Yeah...I'm pretty fired up for Boston now.

B True

 

[Warpath]

I use negative motivation. For example, I will go to a bar and watch the fat fucks with their asses dripping over the sides of the bar stools and their guts slopping over their belts. Then I tell myself "thats what you'll look like if you dont get your ass into the gym today". And remember, god makes a kitten die a horribly painful death for every slice of pizza you eat or workout you miss.

 

[Tweakle]

fuck em B, keep your head up and channel that negativity into your workouts. I hate people who feel they have to cut other people down unfortunately the internet's full of them.

bbf dunno if you're on a cycle now (or if that means you can't take a week off) but it sounds like a little downtime might be a good idea.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Tweakle, I'm on 100 mg prop ed, 30 mg tren ed, and 200 mg ed once a week. Even if I take some down time, that juice isn't a problem. It should help with my gains and recovery while on my down time. I might not take a week off, but I may cut back and do one set per body part during my workouts, with no supersets or drop sets for a week to see if that helps.

 

[Smurfy]

Take a rest. YOu are definitely deserving of it at this point. Then come back full force!!

 

[EngiCream]

well, this doesn't help your main problem.....but have you tried some potassium to help rid yourself of the water?

 

[tiger88]

before my injury this fall, i dieted so hard and trained my ass off, didnt touch booze and rarely went out.....got injuired and then i was i am gonna ate what i wanted and well or course i couldnt lift but i feel so rested now and ready to go..... but ya i have been like you before.....happens to us all

 

[Deleted member 33117]

well, this doesn't help your main problem.....but have you tried some potassium to help rid yourself of the water?

My diet is very high in potassium, because I eat alot of meat and a ibs of romaine lettace very day. I season my food with potassium based salt (potassium chloride) in order to get additional potassium. I've only been on the letrozol since Saturday, so perhaps it will take a bit more time.

 

[strangebrew]

I've been down a little bit lately. I've had a few people tell me that I don't deserve to be a pro, didn't earn it, haven't earned the right to keep my card, etc...

Yeah...I'm pretty fired up for Boston now.

B True

cant wait to see you prove them wrong

 

[Endo MD]

Hey guys, I know the burned out feeling but I truly believe it has something to do with the time of year. I've been lifting pretty consistently for about 5 years now. Every single year I take off more days than not between Thanksgiving and Xmas. Something about the season, the cooler weather, all the accessable food, and the general feeling of wanting to curl up at home.

To be honest I have no good advice on how to get over it during this time of year. In the past I've tried taking a complete week off of dieting and training, i've tried going to Weight Watchers meetings... yes, WW meetings just to see the fat people. None of it seems to get me motivated until January. But I can tell you what does work once the new year comes. I get in the gym in early Jan and the place is full, all those new years resolution people. For some reason that motivates me. I know these peopel will start dropping off in the coming weeks and that I'll still be here. So I have to keep coming to see the demise of patrons and see who I can outlast.

Dont know if this helps or anything but gives a general idea of how I look at training during this time of year.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

BodyByFinaplix
You are where most guys would kill to be. Just take a look around you classes and see what kind of shape the other guys are in it should make you feel much better. I also think you should take a week off. See how your body feels when you are not training. By the end of the week you will be dying to get back into it.

 

[bigstve12]

i always get like this around this time of year also...finals, family, traveling, shit food, it all adds up. But i always come back strong after jan 1...ive been training for about 7 years so i have learned to accept this.

Another thought, your not competing anytime soon...so f@$# it, eat your ass off man!!

 

[Deleted member 33117]

bigstve, add in girl problems (btw I got dumped today, and she did it via yahoo messenger, she won't talk to me to my face, that sucks), plus I always get depressed on my birthday (in 10 days). Actually I broke up with my ex-gf (actually my first gf) a week before my birthday last year because she told me she had a fantasy about killing me in my sleep. Oh, I'm also prepairing to testify in court against my uncle and aunt for molesting me as a child (I've very serious), and the therapy to prepair me is getting a bit rough.

Throw in finals, family gatherings, etc and its like all I have to fall back on to blow of some stress is working out. Actually, I hit it twice yesterday, and again today after getting dumped. I had to go in and do a few heavy sets because I felt like I was going to explode, so I hit calves, chest, delts and tri's.

 

[The_Eviscerator]

I think the attention to detail can get to you after a while. That is when you have to step back and just say fuck it. I diet strictly for 6 days a week... One day I eat pizza, burgers... whatever. I know it is only temporary water bloat, so don't worry about it. Drink distilled water the next day if it concerns you. As for the women problems... fuck em. In a month she will be a distant memory.

Maybe you should take a week off and be "normal"...whatever the fuck that is. I am taking next week off from training and I can't wait. My body is begging for a break and I need to listen. Otherwise I will just spiral into bad habits and lackluster work-outs.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Well, as a result of my being dumped by a girl I really cared about, I went to Houston for the weekend, and got totally trashed in a club with my sister and best friend (both live there), pigged out on pizza, and haven't trained since friday. I started my diet again yesterday (was very bloated from the sodium), and screwed a friend of mine's brains out all night long last night (I am on 100 mg of prop a day), until about 5:00 am. This afternoon I look harder and more vascular (I guess I did sweat alot last night), am back on my diet, and feel like hitting the iron again. I won't train today, becasue I have a test later tonight, and have plans later tonight, but tomarrow I think I'll do a heavy thigh and back workout.

 

[Griz1]

BFL,

Well hey! At least you got fucked last night, despite some pretty heavy stuff going on in your life that IS something.

Good luck with all that shit! And if you fall off the wagon for a while, who fucking cares? A guy like you will just "get back on the wagon" after a while anyway. You KNOW you can't stay away from it for too long. But if you treat your workouts like a relationship - everybody needs a little time away from each other once and a while.

 

[Lord_Suston]

Warpath-very sick but effective

ANger is a great tool to use, just let go and go ape shit in the gym

 

[Largepaws]

Bro I am totally in the same situation your in. Im 5 weeks in on a 17 week long cycle and Im begining to think I should have taken some time off just to chill, party, relax for a while. My motivation is starting to lack. I mean I look good but im taking time away from a lot of other enjoyable times that I must give up due to my training. I mean, I do this because I enjoy it, not in it for money or competitons ect. But sometimes it becomes such a way of life, it almost takes over your life and you really need to stop and reflect, decide if it is all really worth it. Im sure it is, I just think we all need to take some time away now and then. I just wish I did not begin this 17week cycle so early. Im 5 weeks in and already begining to feel burnt out.