Goals and achieving....

[skully]

I've been doing some reading here and some thinking on goals, achieving your goals, failures, cravings....and all that sort of stuff.

I am truly am not sure what goals are right now. Yes, I said I want to build muscle, but why? Why do I want to get bigger? I don't know.

I know eating habits are not the best, but comparison to the way they were 5 months ago, they're a whole LOT better.

Yes, goal when I came back was to simply GET OUT of bed, and get moving. Get exercising like before. I am doing that.

Now what?

I know I fail a lot (ONLY in the food dept.) I wouldn't miss a workout or feel like I don't want to workout. I feel good going to the gym and pushing myself, but I never push myself so hard to the point I have no energy for a whole week.

I have this "why bother..." thoughts. Not just in health and exercise, but in life. Since it's known im very pessimistic and probably still in a mild depressed state...I think of it things as "vanishing" and just going to be "gone.." one day. And yes, all humanity will cease to exist at one point (im thinking THAT far ahead.)

I probably don't watch food as much or in the best way and "sometimes", not always or often succumb to eating unhealthy food or no-use calories.

I wonder...what do I really want?

I honestly have no idea whatsoever about what I really want to achieve.

Oh...being a Libra.

[Boss Man]

Short-term does as you intended, build up and then maintain, so in the long-term, you'll be strong and healthy enough when you're over 70, because unlike those who lift 5lbs 20 times, you won't end up when you're over 50, losing 1cm of added muscle before you're 51st birthday and end up pretty much like most non-exercising people 20 years later, you'll have some quality build that won't go too easily, when you're still training hard enough to keep it and then slow down the rate of atophy over the years.

This provides two goals. The short-term, (build and maintain), then the long-term, training for senior health.

Keeps things simple.

[cassiegose]

I've been doing some reading here and some thinking on goals, achieving your goals, failures, cravings....and all that sort of stuff.

I am truly am not sure what goals are right now. Yes, I said I want to build muscle, but why? Why do I want to get bigger? I don't know.

I know eating habits are not the best, but comparison to the way they were 5 months ago, they're a whole LOT better.

Yes, goal when I came back was to simply GET OUT of bed, and get moving. Get exercising like before. I am doing that.

Now what?

I know I fail a lot (ONLY in the food dept.) I wouldn't miss a workout or feel like I don't want to workout. I feel good going to the gym and pushing myself, but I never push myself so hard to the point I have no energy for a whole week.

I have this "why bother..." thoughts. Not just in health and exercise, but in life. Since it's known im very pessimistic and probably still in a mild depressed state...I think of it things as "vanishing" and just going to be "gone.." one day. And yes, all humanity will cease to exist at one point (im thinking THAT far ahead.)

I probably don't watch food as much or in the best way and "sometimes", not always or often succumb to eating unhealthy food or no-use calories.

I wonder...what do I really want?

I honestly have no idea whatsoever about what I really want to achieve.

Oh...being a Libra.

A couple of things here...

First with your food.... I don't necessarily think that you "fail alot". I think youre doing a damn good job of keeping your diet on track and I think you understand your body and yourself well enough to know that you can get buy with eating well most of the time and still make progress. Also, this eating and exercise thing has been a lifestyle change for you, hopefully it is a permanent thing and not just a temporary phase. In order to stick with the clean diet for an extended amount of time you really need to allow yourself treats every now and then to stay on track. Plus, you only live once. Unless you have major goals for competing or being a certain weight by a certain time there is honestly no reason to deprive yourself of all the foods that you enjoy. I think you're doing awesome with the food thing and I don't think you ever really "fail". Yes, some days are better than others but thats life. We all do that. Seems to me like you've really found your stride with the diet thing as you're making great progress... so whatever youre doing must be working.

As for goals... I am such a goal oriented person that I *have* to always be striving for something or else I find myself wondering around aimlessly without a purpose. This is why I got into the bodybuilding competitions... I needed something to work towards and this gives me something to focus on and work towards every day.

As for goals in life... You know when I was younger I spent a lot of time pondering about purpose here and wondering what the hell the point was. We're born, we live, and we die. Whats the point? Honestly Amna I still have no idea why we are put here or what we're supposed to be doing while here. I've kind of come to accept that as one of those things that I will probably never understand. It is what it is. One thing I have come to realize though, while I don't necessarily understand why I'm (or anybody else for that matter) is here that doesn't necessarily mean that I should just go through life with a "why even bother because we're all just going to die anyways" kind of attitude. We're all here and some are going to be here for quite a long time. We might as well make the most of this life we've been given. I do believe that there will come a time when the world will stop turning and all life will come to an end. However, I don't know if that is going to be in lifetime or in great, great, great grandchildren's lifetimes. I figure if I'm going to be here I might as well enjoy myself and do best to make a difference in the world and in the lives of others so that they can also enjoy their time spent here. A few years ago I decided that goal in life is to leave this place better than it was before I came along. Granted, i'm only one very small person however I've learned over the years that one person can do a whole lot in improving the lives of others. Sooo thats goal for life. I don't know if this helps you at all but is sure helps me to feel like I have a sense of purpose in life.

[Fygle]

I think our porpose is simply to survive and pass on our genes, and what you do with the blanks in between is up to you. Live, love. Don't overthink it, just enjoy.

[skully]

Ah Cassie, thank you so much for your input. I really appreciate it.

Fro the food, you're right. I have the type of body that I know can get away with just a little (if you realllllly look at it) and its not as big as I think it is. I do want to eat healthier, true, but as you can see I don't deprive myself much. When I started I was very much into it, which is normal, but I realize that if I was so into it I won't continue it and make it a lifetime change. So If its gonna take me 2 years to say no to soda...then so be it. as long as i don't drink 10 cans a week either -which i dont!-

but yeah im sort of like that...If I dont have anything to achieve I just feel "pointless'

I'm a workaholic. For the past two years I held jobs while studying (which is NOT the norm here as much as it is in US)...and I burnt myself working, but I felt I did something with time....but this semester, I took off working for me and to focus on "body goals".

Have I reached a certain goal yet? Not exactly, but I'm working to toward "just building more muscle, and losing fat in the process" I mean I would love to be more than what I am in regards to body and shape, but I am not sure if I have the will in me to go there and have a flat "in" type of stomach. If I stand straight, stomach look almost flat but popped out. Hello junk food, sweats, and soda, right?

I could keep on blabbing but I know one thing only...I am DEFINITELY not the same AMNA 5 months ago. Body, mind, and soul. Well, I still have the same soul

[cassiegose]

Ah Cassie, thank you so much for your input. I really appreciate it.

Fro the food, you're right. I have the type of body that I know can get away with just a little (if you realllllly look at it) and its not as big as I think it is. I do want to eat healthier, true, but as you can see I don't deprive myself much. When I started I was very much into it, which is normal, but I realize that if I was so into it I won't continue it and make it a lifetime change. So If its gonna take me 2 years to say no to soda...then so be it. as long as i don't drink 10 cans a week either -which i dont!-

but yeah im sort of like that...If I dont have anything to achieve I just feel "pointless'

I'm a workaholic. For the past two years I held jobs while studying (which is NOT the norm here as much as it is in US)...and I burnt myself working, but I felt I did something with time....but this semester, I took off working for me and to focus on "body goals".

Have I reached a certain goal yet? Not exactly, but I'm working to toward "just building more muscle, and losing fat in the process" I mean I would love to be more than what I am in regards to body and shape, but I am not sure if I have the will in me to go there and have a flat "in" type of stomach. If I stand straight, stomach look almost flat but popped out. Hello junk food, sweats, and soda, right?

I could keep on blabbing but I know one thing only...I am DEFINITELY not the same AMNA 5 months ago. Body, mind, and soul. Well, I still have the same soul

Youre very welcome Amna. Its always a pleasure helping you.

Hmmm... maybe you could set some specific goals for yourself to work towards... if you think that will help you to focus your ambitions towards a specific goal? Just a thought.

You have changed soooo much in the months that I've come to know. You're more positive, more active, healthier... your self esteem has improved and while you do still have the same soul it sure seems like its alot happier these days. Youre doing truly wonderful dear and I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am of how far you've come.

[skully]

Aw thanks Cassie, a lot of it to do with interacting with you guys here!!!

Thing is with specific goals but are supposed to be for a lifetime, makes it hard me to commit. example only!! Lets say I want to lost 10% of in the next 6 months...and I do, and it's great...but then all the sudden I'm back in uni, eating somewhat healthy (the way I am now), and gain 2-3% back....I will demotivated that I worked so hard to lose it and then 6 months later I gain a few back you know? that's why for fat loss/ muscle gain goals are just not going to work for me, because I know myself.

I know for one thing, i'll be working toward muscle gain in the next upcoming months, and have a decent amount of muscle without giving myself a number, because I cannot control how much muscle weight I can gain in 4 months, u know. After that I'll stress on cardio more.

I know one month (AUG) will come..and will probably ruin diet/exercise...etc. Which is Ramadan, where we basically fast from 4-5 a.m. until 5-6 p.m. everyday...no food, no water...and of course, we have about 6-7 waking hours to eat, where people tend to eat a lot more than the usual...and stuff, and dont exercise because of physical tiredness...so I don't want to have so many high hopes or anything for now, but just keep on doing what I'm doing because, surprisingly it's working okay for me.