31 years old, 5'7 and 144lbs - been lifting since 18.

[username23]

To start off, I'm a 5'7 Chinese man. I'm naturally small frame, if I didn't lift at all, I'd weight about 120. But Yes that's right, I been lifting consistently for 13 years and only weigh 145lbs at 5'7. My pic is below, this obviously is a pic of me flexing. Without a pump and not flexing, I pretty much look like an average Joe. People are incredibly suprised when they see me at the gym though because of my pump, they tell me they had no idea how buff I was, but I know it's just because I have my pump going. Anyhow, I know the reasons why I don't weigh more or look bigger, it's simply because as a 31 year old working a full time job, I cannot find the motivation to stay with a 6 meal a day plan, workout intensely every work out, and keep track of carbs, fat, protein every single day. This post is to just to discuss my situation because I do think it's different than most. Most people either have the motivation or genetics to be incredibly built or they dont get anywhere near the nutrition and fail at getting any results. I"m someone that can get out of the gym and as long as you see me for the first hour, I look like someone that goes to the gym regularly, after an hour though, I look small and scrawny.

THis is what happens through out the course of a year for me.

maybe twice a year, I get super motivated and for 1 month, I do it all right. 6 meals per day, low fat, high protein, intense workouts, and I do see results.

The rest of the year, I still work out consistently, but instead of 6 meals, I eat 4 to 5, I cheat more often, and instead of eating strict, I'll have say a Breaded CHicken sandwich instead of grilled. So although it's not like eating 2 tacos and fries, I'm still getting more fat and calories because it's a breaded chicken but that tastes so much better than a grilled chicken.

So I know what I'm doing wrong and why I haven't gotten any bigger since high school when I pretty much plateued.
My real question is how do people here stay motivated. As you can tell from the pic, I'm not some average Joe that walks into the gym once per month and eats whatever I want. Although relatively small compared to a bodybuilding buff, the size I do have is a result of 13 years of consistent working out, but I can be much bigger if I stayed at it. How do people stay motivated to do this the rest of their lives? I'm motivated enough to some what keep the life style (at least 4 meals, still eat chicken but maybe a friend chicken breast, or add cheese to the sandwich) and I know this is what's keeping me from the ideal size and weight of say, 155 - 160 for being 5'7. Now I don't care what people say, when your only 5'7, that is a good weight. Mark Whalberg as buff as he is doesn't weight no 210 or anything like that. UFC fight light weight, as cutt and built as they may look are in the 145 - 155lb range. I'd ideally like to cut some fat and gain an extra 10lbs of muscle but I haven't been able to stay motivated past maybe 1 month. My full time job has nothing to do with bodybuilding, I work around engineers all day who have no interest in bodybuilding. Does anyone have any tips or things they do to stay motivated?


2011-08-20_09-57-41_44.jpg

[AMERICAN_BEAST]

you see results

To start off, I'm a 5'7 Chinese man. I'm naturally small frame, if I didn't lift at all, I'd weight about 120. But Yes that's right, I been lifting consistently for 13 years and only weigh 145lbs at 5'7. My pic is below, this obviously is a pic of me flexing. Without a pump and not flexing, I pretty much look like an average Joe. People are incredibly suprised when they see me at the gym though because of my pump, they tell me they had no idea how buff I was, but I know it's just because I have my pump going. Anyhow, I know the reasons why I don't weigh more or look bigger, it's simply because as a 31 year old working a full time job, I cannot find the motivation to stay with a 6 meal a day plan, workout intensely every work out, and keep track of carbs, fat, protein every single day. This post is to just to discuss my situation because I do think it's different than most. Most people either have the motivation or genetics to be incredibly built or they dont get anywhere near the nutrition and fail at getting any results. I"m someone that can get out of the gym and as long as you see me for the first hour, I look like someone that goes to the gym regularly, after an hour though, I look small and scrawny.

THis is what happens through out the course of a year for me.

maybe twice a year, I get super motivated and for 1 month, I do it all right. 6 meals per day, low fat, high protein, intense workouts, and I do see results.

The rest of the year, I still work out consistently, but instead of 6 meals, I eat 4 to 5, I cheat more often, and instead of eating strict, I'll have say a Breaded CHicken sandwich instead of grilled. So although it's not like eating 2 tacos and fries, I'm still getting more fat and calories because it's a breaded chicken but that tastes so much better than a grilled chicken.

So I know what I'm doing wrong and why I haven't gotten any bigger since high school when I pretty much plateued.
My real question is how do people here stay motivated. As you can tell from the pic, I'm not some average Joe that walks into the gym once per month and eats whatever I want. Although relatively small compared to a bodybuilding buff, the size I do have is a result of 13 years of consistent working out, but I can be much bigger if I stayed at it. How do people stay motivated to do this the rest of their lives? I'm motivated enough to some what keep the life style (at least 4 meals, still eat chicken but maybe a friend chicken breast, or add cheese to the sandwich) and I know this is what's keeping me from the ideal size and weight of say, 155 - 160 for being 5'7. Now I don't care what people say, when your only 5'7, that is a good weight. Mark Whalberg as buff as he is doesn't weight no 210 or anything like that. UFC fight light weight, as cutt and built as they may look are in the 145 - 155lb range. I'd ideally like to cut some fat and gain an extra 10lbs of muscle but I haven't been able to stay motivated past maybe 1 month. My full time job has nothing to do with bodybuilding, I work around engineers all day who have no interest in bodybuilding. Does anyone have any tips or things they do to stay motivated?


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[Cbuzz00]

I don't EVER need motivation to get to the gym, because I'm FKING EXCITED AS HELL to get there & start trashing my muscles. I think about it all day at work, I fall asleep thinking about it. Doms excite me, eating excites me, everything about bodybuilding excites me.

If it doesn't excite you, then carry on with what your doing getting below average results.

[IronMan2010]

I dont mean to sound disrespectful at all bro

But...for 13 years of lifting thats very bad man. Sort your diet + training out to maximize results. Have you ever thought about working with a Trainer?

[SayMilesAway]

I don't EVER need motivation to get to the gym, because I'm FKING EXCITED AS HELL to get there & start trashing my muscles. I think about it all day at work, I fall asleep thinking about it. Doms excite me, eating excites me, everything about bodybuilding excites me.

If it doesn't excite you, then carry on with what your doing getting below average results.

word

[doinmiabs]

I'm NEVER disrespectful on this forum ... but ... "blah blah blah..."

I'll just quote the Gaspari ad: You can have excuses or you can have results. You can't have both.

[leviterande]

I don't EVER need motivation to get to the gym, because I'm FKING EXCITED AS HELL to get there & start trashing my muscles. I think about it all day at work, I fall asleep thinking about it. Doms excite me, eating excites me, everything about bodybuilding excites me.

If it doesn't excite you, then carry on with what your doing getting below average results.

Heheh this, nowdays I hardly can sleep becuz I am constantly thinking about it maybe OP can borrow me some anti motivation or somethin..

[username23]

I dont mean to sound disrespectful at all bro

But...for 13 years of lifting thats very bad man. Sort your diet + training out to maximize results. Have you ever thought about working with a Trainer?

Well 144lb is not my total progress in 13 years, I've gone through my up and downs. Here is what I looked at around 24 years old after college. I was probably in the 152-155 range on this picture.



Today I look like this.



I been doing this long enough to know what it takes, and I can get back to that in a matter of months, but I guess everyone here is right, I just need to find some way some how to get motivated past the daily routine that I'm currently in. What I really wanted to know is if anyone had issues with being motivated due to hectic work schedule, family, etc. I notice many here are very young, I had no problem staying motivated in college since I had no stress, worked part time, and had nothing else on my mind but to workout to impress the ladies. Times for me are different now.

[Adonisbrah]

how much can you lift?

[username23]

how much can you lift?

Currently

Bench = 200lb x 4/5 reps
curl = 90lb x 4/5 reps
Squats = maybe 150 lb x 10 reps, I know I'm not much of a lifter when it comes to legs though I know I need to be.

[doinmiabs]

What I really wanted to know is if anyone had issues with being motivated due to hectic work schedule, family, etc. I notice many here are very young, I had no problem staying motivated in college since I had no stress, worked part time, and had nothing else on my mind but to workout to impress the ladies. Times for me are different now.

Brother: Me...old...house...wife...full time job...blah blah blah. If you want this, you make this a priority in your life. You drag your @ss to the gym in the AM before your life starts ... or you get there at 8:00 PM when things begin to quiet down. If you need motivation you can easily find it on this site. Excuses are over. Motivation should be the easy part and hauling heavy @ss weights should be the hard part (which should also be the part you just can't get enough of)!

[Tom156]

I think a lot of smaller guys fail to realise that they can't progress as slowly as everyone else. Their bodytype won't allow them to. If they decide to progress slowly, it'll be REALLY slowly, as you've found out. You have to do extreme 10-12 week phase periods. Overload on calories and protein during that time as it's a bulking period. After that, cut down the fat for 5 weeks (cutting period). Then rest for a month or so, do relatively what you like and then come back and push your boundaries again. This way, you always have a reason to keep coming back and pushing because I guarentee that after 4 weeks rest you'll be desperate to get back in the gym and get your body back on track. You shouldn't have to try and "fit" it into your life, your wellbeing should be on your priority list.

[username23]

Brother: Me...old...house...wife...full time job...blah blah blah. If you want this, you make this a priority in your life. You drag your @ss to the gym in the AM before your life starts ... or you get there at 8:00 PM when things begin to quiet down. If you need motivation you can easily find it on this site. Excuses are over. Motivation should be the easy part and hauling heavy @ss weights should be the hard part (which should also be the part you just can't get enough of)!

Getting to the gym is not a problem, I have a gym at my job and go during lunch. I have nothing better to do anyways. My motivation issue has more to do with consistently maintaining the meals and calories required to continue growing. Like I said, I've done it in spurts, 2 months of perfect diet, minimal cheat meals, etc but eating clean and often enough over the long haul is tough for me. If you noticed I'm not a newbie at this site, I registered back in 2004, just haven't come back often. As I finally visit this site again, hell yeah I"m motivated now, but to continue past a few months is the test.

[doinmiabs]

Getting to the gym is not a problem, I have a gym at my job and go during lunch. I have nothing better to do anyways. My motivation issue has more to do with consistently maintaining the meals and calories required to continue growing. Like I said, I've done it in spurts, 2 months of perfect diet, minimal cheat meals, etc but eating clean and often enough over the long haul is tough for me. If you noticed I'm not a newbie at this site, I registered back in 2004, just haven't come back often. As I finally visit this site again, hell yeah I"m motivated now, but to continue past a few months is the test.

So...u don't love this. After 13 years u would know if u live and breathe this lifestyle or if it's just a chore. It sounds to me like u need a different sport to get into. Maybe something more casual that fits into ur lifestyle better. This isn't for everyone. As a matter of fact, it's for very few. Why dont u just consider yourself a casual lifter and find something else that u really like. You might be trying to do something that just doesn't fit with who u r ....

[username23]

So...u don't love this. After 13 years u would know if u live and breathe this lifestyle or if it's just a chore. It sounds to me like u need a different sport to get into. Maybe something more casual that fits into ur lifestyle better. This isn't for everyone. As a matter of fact, it's for very few. Why dont u just consider yourself a casual lifter and find something else that u really like. You might be trying to do something that just doesn't fit with who u r ....

Thanks, I actually already consider myself a casual lifter, by no means do i want to be a competition bodybuilder, but even as a casual lifter, and look like say, a Matthew mcconaughey as opposed to Dwayne Johnson, this requires more than what I've been putting in diet wise, so I'll keep trying.

[oaw01]

hmmm.. I'm 40. Fulltime job and family. I don't understand your problem. At 31 you should have plenty in the reserve for your workouts. You need to find a new workout routine.

[CPADude]

Question is, How bad do you want it? I'm 5'6, 146lb. I was 116lb about 8 months ago.

[jimmyb6281]

If you look like that after 13 years you just want it bad enough.....that or you dont know what a diet is and what working out is.

[KennyKenassi]

Whatever you are doing, it isn't working very effectively. Change it up with something new with more dedication and see how it goes...I'm sure you'll like the results.

You may not be there yet, but if you keep going you'll be closer than where you were yesterday. Boom!

[RadinRana1234]

Bro, just set a goal for yourself. Have something that you can put in the work for to feasibly achieve. Pick a physique that you want to look like and work every day in an attempt to achieve that. Try setting short term goals along the way like "gain 1 lb this week", "add 25lbs to my deadlift".

[ironcide]

Dude you don't look bad at all, def solid, like you said you have a small frame. Your eating habits sound very common, I often get fewer meals in and eat not quite as clean in the offseason, you just can't eat 6-7 super clean meals year round and stay sane (I can't). I'd be better if you could string together a couple months of eating clean to get ripped up once per year. I find that helps progress a lot, also lets you know where you're at.

If you're losing motivation, take a week off, or take a deload week. Then find a new program, with set goals, and stick to it. You stick to a program, you get results, and results are awesome for motivation.

I'm 29, been lifting for 15 years...would be 180-185 without the gym prolly (my dad size at my age), I'm 210-215...a 30 lb gain, 2 lbs a year. Pretty sure you're winning on a percentage basis.

[StressMonkey]

My full time job has nothing to do with bodybuilding, I work around engineers all day who have no interest in bodybuilding. Does anyone have any tips or things they do to stay motivated?

That should be a source of motivation right there. I work in a building where the overwhelming majority of people are really overweight/out of shape (they act like it too). No way that's going to be me.