Bi-Polar when it comes to GOALS?

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  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
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    I'm with you. I am a total cardio junkie. I love my cardio and probably do more than I should. I know I should start lifting, but I just don't want to give up the cardio I enjoy.

    I also know I need to eat more calories, but I still obsess over that low number. Many days my net will be under my BMR, which I know in my head is not helping, but I still fear over eating.

    I think it comes from years and years of being programmed with the wrong information. Old habits die hard.
  • ErB56
    ErB56 Posts: 71 Member
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    I swing back and forth between focusing on cardio or weights. Maybe we need to invent the bi-"Polar" HRM, for those who cannot make up their minds . . . .
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    You aren't the only one. As secure as I am with my goal, the route to get there has changed a few times. I am rock bottom of normal BMI, and want to gain weight, but only want to gain muscle which I know is quite difficult.

    Then I come up with all sorts of questions like:

    ~Should I bulk then cut? I don't really want to do that because I have a tendency of losing too much weight, and most of it ends up being muscle.

    ~Should I do -10% on non lifting days and +20% on lifting days? Then I realize that some days I end up at 2,500 at maintenance. There's no way I could eat 3,000 and it not be pure junk just to hit that number.

    ~Do I just eat 200-250 over maintenance per day? This is where I am at right now. Not sure if its appropriate or not.

    200-250 over maintenance is a pretty good route. I'd say a simple 10% above maintenance (i.e. 250 extra calories per day) will give you the most "bang for your buck" to reach your goal.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    I know how you feel. And thats why you need long term and short term goals, and you have to look at the big picture.

    everyone wants to be big, strong, and still be ripped.

    they all take time.

    Soo true.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    I think that scales should be removed from these equations. "Losing weight" is such a poor gauge of success in so many cases, especially for attractive females and strong males.

    If you're a strong male, keep working to get stronger and manipulate diet to decrease body fat.

    If you're an attractive female, lift heavy and throw away your scale.

    Lift to look good, not to weigh X lbs.

    well said sir!
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,006 Member
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    I too constantly go back and forth i was doing fine while i was focused on loosing 100 lbs when i reached that goal since then i go back and forth with losing more, how much, if I need to work more and building muscle etc.......
  • spinedocmfp
    spinedocmfp Posts: 109 Member
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    I had flipped back and forth on doing a bulk till January. I took forever to get lean, and was worried about putting on fat again, but I was also feeling I had lost too much size. I would bulk for a week, then chicken out. I finally committed in late september. I put on 6 lb super fast, but stuck with it. I have increased 400 or more calories per day, I am heavier, but my waist is maintaining :happy: As I put inches back on my muscles, I feel better and I am glad I stuck with it.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    I have the exact same issues. My goals change. I want to build muscle, I want to bike fast, I want to run fast, I want a six pack, etc.
  • doobabe
    doobabe Posts: 436 Member
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    Definately. Im at the point where, I dont have a lot to lose and I want to build more muscle..... then my friend says she just got into a size 0...... So I think its maybe a good idea to lose a couple more pounds, but am I losing muscle too? Wait.... No I dont want to lose any weight because I want to build muscle............... But You HAVE to lose the weight in ORDER to build muscle.......... Ok so am I eating more or less??? Screw it............ I dont look THAT bad?? :drinker:
  • katamus
    katamus Posts: 2,363 Member
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    I feel like this thread spurred from a conversation I literally just had.

    At least I know I'm not the only one.
  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member
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    It sounds like you have attained a goal and are unsure what to put your focus into next. All that trained energy, and no where to direct it. I look forward to that problem. My suggestion would be to pick one goal and stick to it for a month and see what results come from it. When you come across another goal that interests you then write it down and save it for another month.

    Now, as for the comments I have been reading, why do people diss cardio. Isn't it an important part of the whole picture? Explain why it is less important than diet, and muscle building and nutrition........

    Why does it have to be all or nothing. Black or White. I am confused as to the passion people have for their program. People are starting at different stages, and have different needs. Or am I wrong about this?
  • BigMech
    BigMech Posts: 420 Member
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    This is the exact issue I have now. After losing all my extra weight, I want to concentrate on putting on some more muscle mass, but seeing the number of the scale up is still very hard for me. I am currently up 10lbs from my lowest weight, and my lifts are climbing like mad, but it is still very hard.
  • BetterCrazyThanLazy
    BetterCrazyThanLazy Posts: 336
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    I am for sure. For example. I keep jogging and it is tearing my knee up. I was told to stop for two weeks and let it heal but I keep jogging. I will stop for a few days and just when it starts feeling better, I jog again.

    VICIOUS CYCLE.

    Same here! People are subborn and confused creatures!
  • jenluvsushi
    jenluvsushi Posts: 933 Member
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    I know I certainly have issues with this. I know I look better, my clothes are getting baggier and people have been noticing my weight loss more and more but sometimes I question what I'm doing. I still have a good 40 pounds to goal, which is the high end of normal for my height. Since I started lifting really heavy, my loss has totally stalled. I know I am eating in a deficit but the scale is just not budging. I know that weightlifting has this effect and body fat is all that really matters.....but it still plays with my head. I feel ya girl!
  • fitblondebaker22
    fitblondebaker22 Posts: 84
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    YES! I am definitely a cardio junkie as well because I absolutely love to run. But I have been singing the same ol' tune for months. I wanted to build muscle and stop focusing on my weight and eat at maintenance or above. But every time I would get on the scale and the number went up I had a total mental block and just couldn't fathom eating more to gain muscle because of the increasing number on the scale. I finally ditched the scale (thanks to the OP) and have been listening to my body to reach my goals. I've been lifting more, doing more resistance and strength training, and relying on the mirror to track my progress. So far, so good!
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    I just want to be a badass, and it totally takes all my free time. That's all I know about this topic.
  • sandylion
    sandylion Posts: 451 Member
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    I am for sure. For example. I keep jogging and it is tearing my knee up. I was told to stop for two weeks and let it heal but I keep jogging. I will stop for a few days and just when it starts feeling better, I jog again.

    VICIOUS CYCLE.

    This!! I want to jog so bad, but I have been told so many times not to because I have horrible feet ankles and knees. I decided to do it anyway, and now I hurt so much!! But I'm thinking they don't hurt so bad today, maybe I could go jogging again....
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    I'm certainly guilty. I'm the type that would rather squat until I literally rip my oblique off of my rib cage (it's fun, trust me I would know \sarcasm) or run until my ankles swell up to about the size of my head (ok this one is an exaggeration but they got JACKED up) than follow a moderate progression plan for a couple years that has me in and out of the gym in 45 minutes a day or running/jogging at moderate intensity consistently. I'd rather go on a hard core diet than eat moderately and consistently. I can cut 30+ pounds in a month without breaking a sweat, as long as I know that after that month I can pig out (and gain it all back and then some)

    I'm a person of extremes.

    Thing is, I find much more success (and happiness) when I force myself to stfu and do things in moderation. My best strength gains, longest sustained weight loss, and greatest endurance increases all came about during those periods when I wasn't going animal at my training.

    I want to lose weight, get stronger, and increase my gas tank. Rather than what I've been doing I need to eat at a moderate deficit with adequate macros. I need to lift heavy but give myself adequate time for recovery and program intelligently, and I need to do cardio consistently.

    While you do have to pick one thing at a time, particularly when it comes to bulking and increasing strength vs leaning out, I think taking a step back and sacrificing some speed for the sake of moderation is a good thing. You don't need to hit all your ultimate goals at once. It can, and should, take time. Also between eating right, lifting, and cardio, you should basically always be doing these three things (just depending on your goals you have a higher focus on one than the other two).

    (Side note: you probably already know all this and I'm not trying to imply anything about your training habits or discipline, I'm saying this more for myself than anything else)
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    YES! I am definitely a cardio junkie as well because I absolutely love to run. But I have been singing the same ol' tune for months. I wanted to build muscle and stop focusing on my weight and eat at maintenance or above. But every time I would get on the scale and the number went up I had a total mental block and just couldn't fathom eating more to gain muscle because of the increasing number on the scale. I finally ditched the scale (thanks to the OP) and have been listening to my body to reach my goals. I've been lifting more, doing more resistance and strength training, and relying on the mirror to track my progress. So far, so good!

    <3
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    Now, as for the comments I have been reading, why do people diss cardio. Isn't it an important part of the whole picture? Explain why it is less important than diet, and muscle building and nutrition........

    I think it really comes down to different definitions of cardio. I personally do cardio after lifting. 10-30 minutes of intense cardio. I do it for heart and lung conditioning. I have noticed this has actually helped with lifting weights as I am much less winded and recover faster between sets of heavy lifting. Who wants to look big and strong and then get their butt kick by a couple flights of stairs. Not me. : )

    Then there is "cardio" that is long sessions of low to medium intensity exercise. This can have the opposite desired effect on someone wanting to build muscle. A different hormone response is what I think I remember hearing. Where the body think excess muscle consumes to much of the needed energy and oxygen for long endurance session so stops or consumes muscle to adapt. I only have vague understanding of this and might be completely wrong. Still learning this stuff.
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