Quantifying Sabotage, and Assigning Blame

MinimalistShoeAddict
MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
I am as tired of my diet/fitness being sabotaged as much as the next person. That being said I am having a hard time accurately quantifying its impact on my results.

Does anyone else keep two diet/fitness logs? One being your actual log, and the other being what you would have eaten and how you would have exercised if your were not sabotaged? I would like to extrapolate what my results would have been if not derailed by friends, family and the food industry!

For those of you that track the impact of sabotage from multiple parties how do your assign the blame? Do you blame all sabotaging parties equally, blame based on the proportion of fault, or do you like to blame one party for everything?

I know how I am doing right now. I just want to know how I would be doing if I was not being sabotaged and blame someone else for the difference!

Replies

  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    I do it mentally... like tonight is my dad's birthday... I'm going to roll hard on the salad bar. I COULD guestimate macros, but I'm going to assume I'm going to be low on protein, higher in fat and probably lower in carbs and still maybe net more than my daily allowance... with that said.. the quality of life is more important than quantity of life.

    100 years of misery is not worth living... I look FORWARD to cutting because I looked like **** last time I was 160 lbs. It took me a long time to mentally break just eating myself to smithereens this summer. There is a probably possibility function in excel you may find interesting. I can help you write some excel sheets if you want and we can chart out some possible probability curves etc.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    honestly, for me it's just easier to go to the absolute root of the problem: the sabotaging party's existence.

    many times the blame will go to more than one sabotaging party.

    let me offer an example...

    i go to work, and my buddy comes in from down the hall and says "dude! the executive meeting is over and they put the leftover donuts in the kitchen!"

    right off the bat i've got 3 obvious sabotaging parties that all deserve equal blame.

    1. the existence of my "buddy"...if he werent around, this wouldnt be happening.
    2. the existence of the supplier of breakfast for the executive committee; in this case dunkin donuts...if they werent around to supply this gross breakfast to the exec comm, i wouldnt be tempted.
    3. the existence of the company i work for...if i were home, by myself, i would never be put in a position where i have to make a tough choice like getting up to get donuts vs. staying put and resisting.

    i have found that rather than log each scenario of sabotage and drive myself batty, i just keep to myself. i have quit my job, left my family, allowed the bank to take my home.
    but i will tell you what...when i'm in my tent, in the woods, by myself, with nothing to eat, and no sabotage...i know i have succeeded. and NOTHING tastes sweeter than that.
  • jennyrebekka
    jennyrebekka Posts: 626 Member
    honestly, for me it's just easier to go to the absolute root of the problem: the sabotaging party's existence.

    many times the blame will go to more than one sabotaging party.

    let me offer an example...

    i go to work, and my buddy comes in from down the hall and says "dude! the executive meeting is over and they put the leftover donuts in the kitchen!"

    right off the bat i've got 3 obvious sabotaging parties that all deserve equal blame.

    1. the existence of my "buddy"...if he werent around, this wouldnt be happening.
    2. the existence of the supplier of breakfast for the executive committee; in this case dunkin donuts...if they werent around to supply this gross breakfast to the exec comm, i wouldnt be tempted.
    3. the existence of the company i work for...if i were home, by myself, i would never be put in a position where i have to make a tough choice like getting up to get donuts vs. staying put and resisting.

    i have found that rather than log each scenario of sabotage and drive myself batty, i just keep to myself. i have quit my job, left my family, allowed the bank to take my home.
    but i will tell you what...when i'm in my tent, in the woods, by myself, with nothing to eat, and no sabotage...i know i have succeeded. and NOTHING tastes sweeter than that.

    you forgot:
    4. the existence of your parents - for without them you would be going through NONE of this b.s.!
  • VeganAmandaJ
    VeganAmandaJ Posts: 234 Member
    *GRINNING* I really can't add anything to that, how's the wifi from your tent? ;)

    Honestly, instead of play the blame game, I take responsibility and learn from any efforts or circumstances that sabotage me, I've never tried to quantify or extrapolate in such detail, though I find it interesting, I think it a waste of time as the real problem is me and not having self control, discipline, determination, dedication, and will power. I figure these challenges make me stronger. Yes, i wish the world was healthier, but, alas, it is not and we must learn to conquer it. =)
  • jenjencin78
    jenjencin78 Posts: 4,415 Member
    Where does personal responsibility come into play here?
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    Where does personal responsibility come into play here?

    Personal responsibility has no place in dieting success. :huh:
  • Beastette
    Beastette Posts: 1,497 Member
    Where does personal responsibility come into play here?

    Whatsonal responsiwhoity?
  • markpmc
    markpmc Posts: 240 Member
    I don't worry about unsupportive people. I take responsibility for what I choose to eat. It's my goal. It's my decision to cave or to stay strong.
  • runs4zen
    runs4zen Posts: 769 Member
    honestly, for me it's just easier to go to the absolute root of the problem: the sabotaging party's existence.

    many times the blame will go to more than one sabotaging party.

    let me offer an example...

    i go to work, and my buddy comes in from down the hall and says "dude! the executive meeting is over and they put the leftover donuts in the kitchen!"

    right off the bat i've got 3 obvious sabotaging parties that all deserve equal blame.

    1. the existence of my "buddy"...if he werent around, this wouldnt be happening.
    2. the existence of the supplier of breakfast for the executive committee; in this case dunkin donuts...if they werent around to supply this gross breakfast to the exec comm, i wouldnt be tempted.
    3. the existence of the company i work for...if i were home, by myself, i would never be put in a position where i have to make a tough choice like getting up to get donuts vs. staying put and resisting.

    i have found that rather than log each scenario of sabotage and drive myself batty, i just keep to myself. i have quit my job, left my family, allowed the bank to take my home.
    but i will tell you what...when i'm in my tent, in the woods, by myself, with nothing to eat, and no sabotage...i know i have succeeded. and NOTHING tastes sweeter than that.

    you forgot:
    4. the existence of your parents - for without them you would be going through NONE of this b.s.!

    I love you both.

    And...my answer to the OP is....seriously, I get a HUGE amount of satisfaction talking incessantly about running, strength training, shopping...thereby sabotaging the saboteurs! Thus, they avoid me as if I am plague-ridden. Easier than reading more into someone's actual intent when they offer me a brownie and I say "no thanks".
  • runs4zen
    runs4zen Posts: 769 Member
    Where does personal responsibility come into play here?

    Personal responsibility has no place in dieting success. :huh:

    That is church. Personal responsibility is a fallacy. No one is responsible for anything. Ever. Hence the true meaning of "*kitten* happens".
  • ArizonaSquid
    ArizonaSquid Posts: 9 Member
    There's only one person to blame for what goes in your mouth.
  • gigglybeth
    gigglybeth Posts: 365 Member
    There's only one person to blame for what goes in your mouth.

    Is it the Burger King? I bet it's the Burger King.
  • Beastette
    Beastette Posts: 1,497 Member
    There's only one person to blame for what goes in your mouth.

    Is it you? YOU DID THIS.
  • debbash68
    debbash68 Posts: 981 Member
    There's only one person to blame for what goes in your mouth.
    Depends on the situation....
  • Stump_Likker
    Stump_Likker Posts: 2,059 Member
    There's only one person to blame for what goes in your mouth.
    Depends on the situation....

    LOl
  • Hexahedra
    Hexahedra Posts: 894 Member
    Not that hard for me if I want to. My progress had been steady for a while, so when I took a break to spend time with family and relax, I just need to calculate my theoretical progress and subtract the actual one.

    But, I'm not doing that. I'm losing weight and getting fit because I want to spend higher quality of life with my family for more years. Getting fit and ripped is meaningless if I don't get to enjoy it with anyone.

    The better calculation would be how much worse I would get if I didn't start this effort. I got blood test results for the past several years, according to my calculation I reversed at least 6 years worth of deteriorating health. I know approximately the years I moved up a pants size; I'm 9 years slimmer. Based on old pictures I look better than I was 12 years ago.