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Hi all :) bit of an essay, sorry 'bout that :)

Old 12-14-2010, 06:56 PM
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Default Hi all :) bit of an essay, sorry 'bout that :)

G'day folks I signed up here a while back and have been using the tools on the site ever since. I have also been greatly inspired by some of the forum stories/posts, so I thought it might be a good idea if I say hello and introduce myself.

I'm a 38 year old, 200cm(6'6"), 136kg (301 lb) Aussie.
Although I still have a long way to go, over the past six months or so I have dropped from 160kg plus (scales wouldn't register any higher).
I cleaned up my diet (dropped all refined sugar, most breads, all fast food etc) and started llifting weights 3x a week and a half hour cardio( I know, slack, need more) most days.
When I started this, it was pretty much accidental.....I started working out to get my mind focussed on something other than a woman, who broke my heart and ,at the time, occupied my thoughts 100% of my waking time. I wasn't good enough for her, I knew it, she knew it and realizing that that was due to me being a slacker all my life and letting myself get into such abysmal shape, and that had I not done that, I would most probably still be with the girl of my dreams, very nearly shattered me beyond repair.
It drove me up the wall! It also drove me to push out that extra rep, or add that extra few pound to my normal lift and go the extra mile on my stationary bike. Basically, I would work out till exhaustion.....it was that or lay awake all night staring at the ceiling berating myself.

Thankfully (sadly??) I can now actually go a few hours at a time without thinking about her and that concerns me a bit. I have used the hurt and anger she aroused in me as fuel and motivation up to now, and I don't want to slack off after coming so far....if I can repeat over the next six months what I have done in the last six, I will be one lean, mean, human machine and in better shape than I have EVER been.
What do you folks use to STAY motivated long term? I jumped head first into this for all the wrong reasons, but having witnessed and benefited from the results of mindless, aggression/tension release working out, I now want to structure my whole workout and diet, and continue to lose fat and add lean muscle to my frame.

Apparently I 'carry my weight well', or that's what folks tell me anyway. Pretty much any time someone comments on how much weight I have lost and I tell them how much more I intend to lose, they are shocked and tell me there is no way I need to lose another 20+ kg. I just answer that with 'yeah, but you haven't seen me with my shirt off, I have.'
Women step inside my 'personal space' all the time now(they used to avoid that like the plague), and a great many of them like to touch, feel, squeeze, pat or just flat out POKE. Particularly chest, shoulders and biceps.
Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not complaining, I'm just concerned that I'll get to a 'hell, why bother aiming for more, what I have now seems to be working pretty well' type attitude. What keeps you guys going?

Anyway I better wind this up before I write a book on my whole life story
To those of you who have posted success stories and pictures of your journey, THANKYOU!! (especially Mike the mustang driving moderator dude....your posts/pics have been the motivation for quite a few workouts recently)

I'll be around for a while, and I intend to make better use of the food tracker thingy on the site, so will probably drop by daily at the very least.
Looking forward to the day I have the balls to post my own before and after shots.

BD
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Old 12-15-2010, 08:04 AM
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Thanks for sharing your story. Congratulations on your success. I'm sure many of us start out for similar reasons. The important thing is to look at how far you've come! I would recommend setting some goals for yourself, or trying some new sport/activity which will be a challenge for you. It can be a running goal if you've never been a runner, or try karate or something totally different from what you've been doing, but which you enjoy. You'll be working different muscles, and giving all those women even more reasons to want to get into your space.
And by the way, I think it's important that you post pictures here!
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Old 12-15-2010, 04:35 PM
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Thanks for the welcome and suggestions nottango

Working on the photos.
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Old 12-15-2010, 10:01 PM
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Everyone probably has different things motivating them on some levels and the same on others (to get in shape.) One of my motivations is my kid. I want to be a good role model. Plus I want to be around.

But also for myself. I've always felt better lighter and more fit. Plus after losing 10lbs, my blood pressure went down about 20 points. I would love to get off the bp meds I'm on. With a family history of diabetes, heart attacks and stroke, this is no joke. Plus when I'm thinner, I am, to quote a long ago friend, also from Australia, cuter than a bug's ear. OK that is a joke.

But I think using others' success (and the moderator Mike is an excellent one) is great. You've come so far, BD, don't quit now. You started out doing it on some levels for the girl you lost. Maybe now you can do it for the better one you'll find. (maybe one of the bicep squeezers... maybe not.)

Last edited by canary52; 12-15-2010 at 10:07 PM.
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Old 12-16-2010, 02:49 AM
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Welcome and congratulations on your success so far. Excellent advise above. Do it for yourself. Our egos and self esteem often get beat down due to our physical attributes. We look in the mirror or step on the scale and feel like a loser. We know we have failed to treat ourselves the way we deserve. Some give into the inner voices and create excuses why they can't change. Others determine that they are in control of their bodies and their lives. They set goals and their success helps to rebuild their ego and fuel their self esteem. Besides being willing to undertake activities that they wouldn't have considered when they were heavier, many people also find that they are more outspoken and outgoing when their physical image of themselves improves.

I have experienced the loss of motivation myself. After losing 45 pounds from my heaviest I was feeling good about my looks (although I still had much to improve). I plateaued for several months but I have recently focused on new reasons and motivation to continue. (I have a elk hunt scheduled with my sons next fall, I need to be lighter and in better aerobic shape to take on rugged terrain at elevations above 9,000 feet.)

Some times you can create your own motivation. Set a goal to run an upcoming 5k race or determine to enter a bodybuilding or power lifting competition, like nottango alluded to. Finding a good workout partner who will push you will also make it easier.
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Old 12-16-2010, 03:29 AM
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Thank you for the encouragement canary52, and I'm sure you are every bit as cute as a bug's ear no matter how fit you happen to be . If there is one thing you can be sure of, it is that us Aussies have a curious way of wording things

Rpmcduff, thanks for the advice. I am over doing this for anyone else, it is all about and for me now. I am lucky enough to already have a training partner and the competition, the respect he shows for what I have already achieved and the simple desire to not let my mates down or let them see me fail is indeed a great source of motivation. The fact he is 40 kilo lighter, a foot shorter and a few years older than me makes the fact he can out lift me a tad on the embarrassing side, but I am determined that will change before too long.

Thanks for the welcome and encouragement folks, this is a great site and community and I find that just knowing there are other people out there who are going through the same sort of thing I am, or who have done it before and know what it takes and how it feels is fairly encouraging and motivating in itself.

BD
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Old 12-16-2010, 05:54 AM
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Hi BD and welcome! I know its hard to keep motivated, all of us have those struggles now and then but its due time to make this about you and not about the girl that broke your heart. As much as that can be great motivation continuously playing it over and over in your head could also be bad for you. Like Canary said, think about the girl you want to meet! It sounds like your getting yourself into a much healthier frame of mind. And enjoy the attention, you deserve it for all the hard work you are doing! Take it from a woman, living well is the best revenge. And don`t be hard on yourself for your past relationship mistakes, dwelling on them will only make you miss out on a great woman who is out there waiting for you. You realized that you need to change and if the breaking apart of the relationship is whats going to change your life for the better, then i say, eventually maybe you can look at it as a stepping stone to the best you you can be. We all need help staying motivated, this group is amazing for that. Make small goals for yourself and having a partner is also a great way to be accountable. Sounds like your doing a great job already! I tell you what, you post your pics along the way, and I just might post mine too! lol
Good Luck!
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Old 12-16-2010, 06:08 AM
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Hello BD,

My story is almost parallel to yours. I started on this weight loss journey because of a man. We met online and when I finally met him face-to-face in October, it was a disaster. Even though I had lost a bunch of weight by the time we met (25 lbs, I think), it was still not enough. He completely rejected me and it was the most humiliating experience of my life. Like you mentioned, I know that if I had kept myself in better shape I would be with the man of my dreams right now.

But, I've managed to continue on with my weight loss efforts. I'm down by 35 lbs. now. I'm beginning to discover some interesting things about the whole scenario now that I couldn't see at the time:

1. That guy who I loved isn't physically perfect either, yet I saw beyond his flaws and loved him in spite of them. I honestly didn't see his physical flaws until recently. It's true that love is blind.

2. I'm not the ugly troll that he made me feel like I was. When I see myself now, I actually think I'm kinda hot.

3. I can NEVER let another person define who I am ever again. I let him influence me too much about how I felt about myself.

4. He has a lot of problems I didn't see at the time. He has since passed up on a couple of very beautiful women because of their physical flaws. I see a pattern in HIM that has nothing to do with me. I think he's not ready for a relationship, so he finds reasons to push people away (reasons which are their fault, of course).

I still love him, but I have a much better perspective on what REALLY happened now than I did at the time. I used to think that I wasn't good enough for him - exactly like you mentioned above. Now, I'm not sure he's a good person for me. I don't say that in an angry, vengeful sort of way. It's just that time has given me a different perspective on things and I really want to be with someone who has more realistic expectations about their partner, who will love me while I'm in a state of process (not only when I'm at my best), and someone who wants to share the journey getting there with me.

Tavisha
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Old 12-16-2010, 07:09 AM
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Tavisha, I was with a guy who felt I was not good enough for him when I was 20 and weighed 120 lbs. I'm 5'5" but he wanted some strokebook ideal.

You know what? With the last guy who picked apart my flaws (I seemed to attract the type when I was young) I looked at him and gave him an honest assessment of his attributes. Who was he to tell me I was too this or that? Bottom line, you don't need to be with someone who is so deeply shallow.

I found a guy who loves and accepts me for me and we've been married 28 years through thick and thin. Everyone deserves to be loved for who they are and not what they look like.

That being said, yes, BD, I am cute as a bug's ear! Not young not perfect but still goin' strong at 50!!!

Last edited by canary52; 12-16-2010 at 07:11 AM.
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Old 12-16-2010, 09:37 AM
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Bluedog,

You have no idea how much it means to mean to be mentioned in your post. I'm so glad that I could help inspire/ motivate you!

If you feel the need to slack, just know that one day you two will cross paths again. Wouldn't it be great that when you do, you will be in the best shape of your life?? Then you can look at her and you will both know what she's missing out on!!!!

Seriously keep pushing man! Soon enough you'll have your pictures up and someone will be posting about how much you inspried them... and that alone makes it worth it.

Keep up the great work! we are all here for you. If you ever need motivation, just think of seeing her in 6 months. I also get a lot of motivation from others, I love watching videos of people successes! This isn't one of my videos but IMO this video will motivate anyone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SbXgQqbOoU

Last edited by 01gt4.6; 12-16-2010 at 09:52 AM.
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