14 weeks out... Rome Wasn't Built in One Day
FOLLOW - UP
To follow up on my previous post.... guess what, judgement day wasn't too bad. The feedback from the coach was better than what I expected.
Looking back, I think I was dealing with big demons from the past in my head, as in the past I have had a history of going overboard with slacking and food during off-season. As I look back on my 2 weeks away, visiting family and friends in Mexico and Costa Rica, I realize that I did not go overboard. Something has finally changed in me...
When I started working as a trainer and studied the psychology of habit change in people, I remember looking with disbelief at the statement: It takes around 2 years for someone to change a habit. I am not shaking my head anymore.
I am nearing my 2 year mark of changing my lifestyle in order to compete in natural bodybuilding, it shouldn't surprise me the fact that even though I was scooped out of my routine while traveling, my habits are finally reaching a point in my subconscious mind where I am able to make better choices as I eat and also the need/want to exercise consistently.
ROME WASN'T BUILT IN ONE DAY.
THE SCARY REQUEST
I should add that I did came back a little bit behind schedule and was requested by my coach to skip my allowed cheats. NO CHEATS FOR ALEX FOR 4 WEEKS. I had a second of anxiety as I saw this line in his email, but proceeded to put it off my mind quickly.
I am half way through and I am extremely surprised at myself because I am not experimenting cravings, anxiety, anger, nothing.... this is another thing I have noticed has changed about myself in the past months. There is no link whatsoever between food and emotions. It feels weird, very, very weird.
I loooooveeee food and I really enjoy the act of eating different flavours. Unless you are one of those weirdos that does not enjoy eating that much (I have guy-friends, who typically struggle to add muscle as it is the case they just don't like food enough to eat enough of it to grow the muscle) I think for me most part it is a reality of our society to link food to pleasure, celebration, reward, depression and emotional responses in general.
So trust me when I say it feels weird to not feel anything when I think of food. I am extremely thankful for this new development as it is certainly making my preparation for Nationals a lot easier :), and no, it wasn't always so, and it might revert in the future (nothing is forever).
REALITY HAS STARTED TO SINK IN
2 weeks ago as I returned bloated and I could not fit in my jeans, Nationals seemed like a thing of 2014. After 2 weeks of 100% sticking to my nutrition and workout plan and being able to comfortable fit into my jeans as of yesterday, looking in the mirror and starting to see my turtle shell, has made Nationals a very real thing for me today. I am very excited :).....
IMPORTANT DATA!... my scale weight hasn't changed for 2 weeks and yet I fit into my pants and am able to see my muscles as described above. And why is it important that I tell you this?, because I am always concerned that people are so desperate for a quick fix that they are jumping on stupid cookie cutter diets, where they lose a ton of pounds in one week at the risk of damaging their metabolism.
Don't mean to insult anyone but I am tired of sugar coating things. One of my goals for this year is to be more honest with people as I continue to grow in the fitness industry. I might piss off some, but I might save some others.... and yes.... at the risk ( and personal pain) of looking like a bitch.
ANOTHER PERSONAL GOAL
Last year I took a lot into my plate. I am not really a good fit into normal society but no one will ever be able to perceive to what extent this is real as I am a CHAMELEON, meaning that no mater in what environment you put me in: corporate, social, team, loner, artist, trainer , Mexico, Canada, Spain, USA, etc you get the idea.... I have mastered the art of fitting in.
The problem is that because I am so good as looking as part of the landscape and fitting in, I also cheat myself into thinking that I like it a lot and that I want to interact more with that landscape and its creatures... so I tend to take on many many tasks from different environments up to the point that I burn myself with so much work. I was very close to exploding last year.
This year I am committed to simplify my life. The worst enemy of this is myself and I have had to quiet down my brain constantly to focus on the task at hand. Again, just some personal demons I am dealing with.
Something that is helping me with the anxiety of having to do stuff VS how much stuff I got done is to sit down on Sunday evenings and with big black and pink marker, write down on my agenda, across the whole past week what things I am proud of and thank myself for having achieved that particular week.
Again I also keep telling myself that just like the physique that I have and I am really enjoying that took 2 years to achieve, it is ok for some other of my personal goals to take a little longer than a week or a month to reach, again...
ROME WASN'T BUILT IN ONE DAY
To follow up on my previous post.... guess what, judgement day wasn't too bad. The feedback from the coach was better than what I expected.
Looking back, I think I was dealing with big demons from the past in my head, as in the past I have had a history of going overboard with slacking and food during off-season. As I look back on my 2 weeks away, visiting family and friends in Mexico and Costa Rica, I realize that I did not go overboard. Something has finally changed in me...
When I started working as a trainer and studied the psychology of habit change in people, I remember looking with disbelief at the statement: It takes around 2 years for someone to change a habit. I am not shaking my head anymore.
I am nearing my 2 year mark of changing my lifestyle in order to compete in natural bodybuilding, it shouldn't surprise me the fact that even though I was scooped out of my routine while traveling, my habits are finally reaching a point in my subconscious mind where I am able to make better choices as I eat and also the need/want to exercise consistently.
ROME WASN'T BUILT IN ONE DAY.
THE SCARY REQUEST
I should add that I did came back a little bit behind schedule and was requested by my coach to skip my allowed cheats. NO CHEATS FOR ALEX FOR 4 WEEKS. I had a second of anxiety as I saw this line in his email, but proceeded to put it off my mind quickly.
I am half way through and I am extremely surprised at myself because I am not experimenting cravings, anxiety, anger, nothing.... this is another thing I have noticed has changed about myself in the past months. There is no link whatsoever between food and emotions. It feels weird, very, very weird.
I loooooveeee food and I really enjoy the act of eating different flavours. Unless you are one of those weirdos that does not enjoy eating that much (I have guy-friends, who typically struggle to add muscle as it is the case they just don't like food enough to eat enough of it to grow the muscle) I think for me most part it is a reality of our society to link food to pleasure, celebration, reward, depression and emotional responses in general.
So trust me when I say it feels weird to not feel anything when I think of food. I am extremely thankful for this new development as it is certainly making my preparation for Nationals a lot easier :), and no, it wasn't always so, and it might revert in the future (nothing is forever).
REALITY HAS STARTED TO SINK IN
2 weeks ago as I returned bloated and I could not fit in my jeans, Nationals seemed like a thing of 2014. After 2 weeks of 100% sticking to my nutrition and workout plan and being able to comfortable fit into my jeans as of yesterday, looking in the mirror and starting to see my turtle shell, has made Nationals a very real thing for me today. I am very excited :).....
IMPORTANT DATA!... my scale weight hasn't changed for 2 weeks and yet I fit into my pants and am able to see my muscles as described above. And why is it important that I tell you this?, because I am always concerned that people are so desperate for a quick fix that they are jumping on stupid cookie cutter diets, where they lose a ton of pounds in one week at the risk of damaging their metabolism.
Don't mean to insult anyone but I am tired of sugar coating things. One of my goals for this year is to be more honest with people as I continue to grow in the fitness industry. I might piss off some, but I might save some others.... and yes.... at the risk ( and personal pain) of looking like a bitch.
ANOTHER PERSONAL GOAL
Last year I took a lot into my plate. I am not really a good fit into normal society but no one will ever be able to perceive to what extent this is real as I am a CHAMELEON, meaning that no mater in what environment you put me in: corporate, social, team, loner, artist, trainer , Mexico, Canada, Spain, USA, etc you get the idea.... I have mastered the art of fitting in.
The problem is that because I am so good as looking as part of the landscape and fitting in, I also cheat myself into thinking that I like it a lot and that I want to interact more with that landscape and its creatures... so I tend to take on many many tasks from different environments up to the point that I burn myself with so much work. I was very close to exploding last year.
This year I am committed to simplify my life. The worst enemy of this is myself and I have had to quiet down my brain constantly to focus on the task at hand. Again, just some personal demons I am dealing with.
Something that is helping me with the anxiety of having to do stuff VS how much stuff I got done is to sit down on Sunday evenings and with big black and pink marker, write down on my agenda, across the whole past week what things I am proud of and thank myself for having achieved that particular week.
Again I also keep telling myself that just like the physique that I have and I am really enjoying that took 2 years to achieve, it is ok for some other of my personal goals to take a little longer than a week or a month to reach, again...
ROME WASN'T BUILT IN ONE DAY
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