Overthinking training and diet...

[IronCharles]

Is it possible to put too much effort into micromanaging how we eat and how we work out? Are we stifling our growth by falling into the trap of "paralysis by analysis?"


In the years I've been a member of this site, I have seen a wide variety of training and diet strategies. Some people like to count every calorie, time every meal, record and analyze every rep, set, and pound of iron moved. They have to train in certain clothes, at a certain temperature, do each body part on a predetermined day of the week, drink an exact amount of fluids, take a particular pre- or post-workout supplement. Other people simply eat a lot of meat, take a good multi, and lift heavy.

Now, the funny thing about it is, there are drastically different results manifested from BOTH camps. There are folks who love to micromanage everything to the nth detail, who are huge and ripped. Yet, there are those who put just as much effort into it, and years later, they look almost exactly the same. And the same applies to the "casual" lifters. Some look like they haven't trained a day, after many years in the gym, while others have made mind-boggling progress.



So, my questions to you are:

1) Do you get better results by putting more thought into every detail?

2) If not, then why not? Is this yet another case of "genetics trump everything"?

3) Or is it possible that "mind over matter" (I believe I will get big and lean, and the body follows the mind) is at work here?



Related questions:

1) Is micromanaging a result of OCD thinking (meaning, are the same folks who need to control every detail of training and diet the same folks who are arranging bottles by size on the bathroom counter, don't let their foods touch on the plate, etc)?

2) And are the "eat big, sleep big, lift big and forget about it" group that simplistic in the rest of their lives? Do they toss their shoes in a pile, don't care which side the toilet paper rolls off, and so forth?

3) Is it possible that wanting to control every detail about our fitness is guilt related? If we do everything perfectly, then it's not our fault if we don't progress. I mean, what more could I do? I ate right, lifted right, got optimal sleep, etc. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. And conversely, if we are more casual and basic about our training, but don't succeed, then we can always blame it on not having the time to bother with all the little details, or not having the right genetics, etc.

What I'm getting at here is, is the way we approach our training directly related to our life outlook and habits in general? And does it really matter either way? Or is it just those with good genes (or strong minds) who get big and ripped, regardless of methods?





Thoughts?

[acrawlingchaos]

I am a 3rd shift desk jockey with a lot of empty time and little to do. Being a pedantic bookworm, this leaves me with enough time to indulge my interests.

I am fascinated with the science. I am fascinated in theory, testing things out. I tend to be a numbers guy, I like to dissect things, pull things apart, analyze, and over analyze.



As for how I personally train? I track my training and diet.... sometimes. I find that I pull things together with better record keeping. However, I don't feel the need to "live" in this manner. The record keeping is when I want to make concentrated efforts. When I hit cruise control and maintain, I don't bother so much.

[x-trainer ben]

On phone now but this topic has epic potential with each camp touting the benefits of each method.

Will give a detailed answer later

[EB68]

I am sure it is different for each individual. For me I am a little OCD affected, and have in the last several months been tracking everything, food, reps, sets, weight etc. and have seen alot better results now than the previous year. I tend to be that way with everything I do though, The way I see it is if you are going to do it, then learn all you can about it and do the best job of it possible. I do have friends who eat crap, lift when they feel like it and have made some decent gains. I hope the next year will bring even better results than the past several months have, at least I am becoming more aware of how my body works and what type of foods it runs best on.

[acrawlingchaos]

Methods preached in many "camps" are effective. I believe you can excel with nearly any of these methods (though I have my own philosophy).



The ones that actually succeed.... consistent and patient.

[-=FLEX=-]

Other people simply eat a lot of meat, take a good multi, and lift heavy.

^^^ 80% of my bodybuilding strategy right there.

But then again; most people on this site think I am a fat piece of ****. So there ya go.

[ljimd]

1) Do you get better results by putting more thought into every detail?

Over the years, I've done it both ways.I haven't noticed a huge difference
in either method even though it feels as if the detail method renders better results. Then again, that just may be the result of closer observation by default.

2) If not, then why not? Is this yet another case of "genetics trump everything"?

Genetics as far as I'm concerned are huge and difficult to trump. Given there is a difference in opinion among us, this is mine.

3) Or is it possible that "mind over matter" (I believe I will get big and lean, and the body follows the mind)is at work here?

For me mind over matter is what I call discipline and tenacity. If I control as much as I can and get results - then for me that is "mind over matter".



Related questions:

1) Is micromanaging a result of OCD thinking (meaning, are the same folks who need to control every detail of training and diet the same folks who are arranging bottles by size on the bathroom counter, don't let their foods touch on the plate, etc)?

I think there is a little of that going on especially with those that feel driven by
their goals, and in and of itself; not such a bad thing. Arranging bottles by size?
That answer is probably above my pay grade.

2) And are the "eat big, sleep big, lift big and forget about it" group that simplistic in the rest of their lives? Do they toss their shoes in a pile, don't care which side the toilet paper rolls off, and so forth?

I wouldn't call that "simplistic" - just a different approach.


3) Is it possible that wanting to control every detail about our fitness is guilt related? If we do everything perfectly, then it's not our fault if we don't progress. I mean, what more could I do? I ate right, lifted right, got optimal sleep, etc. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. And conversely, if we are more casual and basic about our training, but don't succeed, then we can always blame it on not having the time to bother with all the little details, or not having the right genetics, etc.

If you consider your training efforts anything other than a true love for the training itself I can see that happening.


Phew Charles - that's way more thinking than I wanted to do this evening.

[ironwill2008]

1) Do you get better results by putting more thought into every detail?

I have come to find that the more I learn about training/nutrition/supplementation, the simpler everything has become for me in regards to putting it all into practice.

2) If not, then why not? Is this yet another case of "genetics trump everything"?

It's a matter of taking the time to learn about and experiment with different protocols. Knowing what doesn't work, and what isn't necessary, is every bit as valuable as knowing what does work and what is necessary.

3) Or is it possible that "mind over matter" (I believe I will get big and lean, and the body follows the mind) is at work here?

I don't think so; basic requirements on all three fronts of training, recovery, and nutrition must still be consistently met in order to make progress. Of course it's always a good thing to have a positive attitude, and it's much easier to have that outlook if you've done some homework and are reasonably certain you're doing what you need to be doing.

Or is it just those with good genes (or strong minds) who get big and ripped, regardless of methods?

Sure, genetics plays into it. But again, no matter who we're talking about, the basic requirements for triggering and sustaining growth must still be met.

[Bando]

Is it possible to put too much effort into micromanaging how we eat and how we work out? Are we stifling our growth by falling into the trap of "paralysis by analysis?"

my questions to you are:

1) Do you get better results by putting more thought into every detail?

2) If not, then why not? Is this yet another case of "genetics trump everything"?

3) Or is it possible that "mind over matter" (I believe I will get big and lean, and the body follows the mind) is at work here?



Related questions:

1) Is micromanaging a result of OCD thinking (meaning, are the same folks who need to control every detail of training and diet the same folks who are arranging bottles by size on the bathroom counter, don't let their foods touch on the plate, etc)?

2) And are the "eat big, sleep big, lift big and forget about it" group that simplistic in the rest of their lives? Do they toss their shoes in a pile, don't care which side the toilet paper rolls off, and so forth?

3) Is it possible that wanting to control every detail about our fitness is guilt related? If we do everything perfectly, then it's not our fault if we don't progress. I mean, what more could I do? I ate right, lifted right, got optimal sleep, etc. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. And conversely, if we are more casual and basic about our training, but don't succeed, then we can always blame it on not having the time to bother with all the little details, or not having the right genetics, etc.

What I'm getting at here is, is the way we approach our training directly related to our life outlook and habits in general? And does it really matter either way? Or is it just those with good genes (or strong minds) who get big and ripped, regardless of methods?

Thoughts?

Is this a test? Can I have the answer key?

[IronCharles]

Is this a test? Can I have the answer key?

I don't have the answers. Or else every sentence in my OP would end with a period, rather than some with a question mark!



Personally, I have had best results with a "keep it simple" policy. But, what works for me, isn't always best for everyone. Like Bill says, it's best to find out what does and doesn't work for us each individually, and then be consistent in our methods.

The purpose of the thread is to provoke thought, debate, and reasoning as to why one's strategy works.

[Korr]

Other people simply eat a lot of meat, take a good multi, and lift heavy.

This is what I do. It works and there is "currently" no reason to change it, but I modified it with carb timing.

Diet wise I have measured and tracked everything in the past, but then stopped since I can guesstimate everything in my head now. I can gain weight or lose weight very easily now depending upon my current goals. Best thing I have done in the past year is simply timing when I eat or don't eat carbs. When it stops working, I'll have to re-evaluate everything and probably have to go back to counting calories again to once again dial in something that works for me.

2) And are the "eat big, sleep big, lift big and forget about it" group that simplistic in the rest of their lives? Do they toss their shoes in a pile, don't care which side the toilet paper rolls off, and so forth?

Not really. It's simply the old saying "Why fix something if it isn't broke?" If it breaks then change things.

[w8killer]

1) Do you get better results by putting more thought into every detail?

No, it drives me nuts.

2) If not, then why not? Is this yet another case of "genetics trump everything"?

Genetics is a HUGE factor in muscle gain hands down. You obviously need to give your body the food it needs to build up but really, come on people, like I keep saying this isn't rocket science. Consistent workload increase from week to week, enough food, and rest are all that is needed.

3) Or is it possible that "mind over matter" (I believe I will get big and lean, and the body follows the mind)is at work here?

I don't think alot of people have good mind over matter skills in general. My mind over matter is getting myself into my garage every week day in and day out to get the sessions done that are required for me to build the best me I can. But no, I don't generally believe you can just "will" yourself to be big. Just have a positive attitude and do the job required. Also, have FUN doing it!



Related questions:

1) Is micromanaging a result of OCD thinking (meaning, are the same folks who need to control every detail of training and diet the same folks who are arranging bottles by size on the bathroom counter, don't let their foods touch on the plate, etc)?

Depends on your personality type I would say. I used to be like that with tracking food, but not much now. Like Korr, I know what works for me these days and I'm good with that.

2) And are the "eat big, sleep big, lift big and forget about it" group that simplistic in the rest of their lives? Do they toss their shoes in a pile, don't care which side the toilet paper rolls off, and so forth?

They probably have much less stress in their lives IMO. But hey, if it works, it works.


3) Is it possible that wanting to control every detail about our fitness is guilt related? If we do everything perfectly, then it's not our fault if we don't progress. I mean, what more could I do? I ate right, lifted right, got optimal sleep, etc. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. And conversely, if we are more casual and basic about our training, but don't succeed, then we can always blame it on not having the time to bother with all the little details, or not having the right genetics, etc.

Again just genetics, plain and simple. Just look at all the different people out there. It just makes sense. But, unfortunately it is too simple and some people can't live with that, so they try to find a more complex way to make it right for them.

[Karl_Hungus]

^^^ 80% of my bodybuilding strategy right there.

Same here. If I were competing, I might be more OCD about things, but my goals are pretty simple. Add muscle and get stronger, and keeping it simple works for achieving those goals.

[Miranda]

1) Do you get better results by putting more thought into every detail?

2) If not, then why not? Is this yet another case of "genetics trump everything"?

3) Or is it possible that "mind over matter" (I believe I will get big and lean, and the body follows the mind) is at work here?

1. no and yes. i'm aware that the details exist and do play a minor role. details may make the cut between 'sufficient' and 'optimal' results. in many cases, however, the difference between sufficient and optimal isn't big enough to worry about.

2. it's not purely either/or. there are several variables at play.

3. mind over matter in that you have to be committed enough to train and diet consistently over years, which will yield 'better' results across the board than following a two-week crash diet, losing the fat and then falling back into previous habits, for example.

1) Is micromanaging a result of OCD thinking (meaning, are the same folks who need to control every detail of training and diet the same folks who are arranging bottles by size on the bathroom counter, don't let their foods touch on the plate, etc)?

i see it as a project, much like any other project. if you want to go from A to B, you define where you want to go, plan a timely and realistic plan on how to get there. then you execute that plan.

'OCD' is used as a blanket term for pretty much everything these days, but OCD is not a positive trait. it causes anxiety and deducts from the afflicted's quality of life. one's behaviour isn't the determinant of whether it's 'healthy' or not, it's the drive behind it.

2) And are the "eat big, sleep big, lift big and forget about it" group that simplistic in the rest of their lives? Do they toss their shoes in a pile, don't care which side the toilet paper rolls off, and so forth?

one thing that i've learned from long-term commitment is perspective. you need *time* to understand that the longer you're at it, the less relevant small slips are in the grand scheme of things. but you have to train long enough to see the big picture. not sure if that answers your question, though.

3) Is it possible that wanting to control every detail about our fitness is guilt related? If we do everything perfectly, then it's not our fault if we don't progress.

guilt is borne out of a sense that you have failed to meet an arbitrary standard set by yourself. 'results' depend in large part on factors beyond your control - genetics being one of them. so in that sense feeling 'guilty' is a waste of time, as is wanting to be 'perfect'.

[Guinea-pig]

Same here. If I were competing, I might be more OCD about things, but my goals are pretty simple. Add muscle and get stronger, and keeping it simple works for achieving those goals.

Me too, don't like to tinker to much with my training or diet.

[Bando]

The purpose of the thread is to provoke thought, debate, and reasoning as to why one's strategy works for them.

Added a bit there..

But honestly, if the most die hard member of the "Eat Big, Lift Big, Get Big" club had Layne Norton personally track their macros and prepare all their food for them, they would look better right? It really comes down to choice and lifestyle IMO. I've never micro managed my nutrient intake/timing, but I'm sure if I did I would look better. Seems like a lot of work to impress other men on the internet with your shirtless pics.

Not taking sides, 90% of the guys that "overthink" diet look great honestly, props to them.

Over thinking training is another matter, just get in the gym and consistently lift heavier and heavier weight, with heavy compounds is my philosophy. Sometimes it amazes me the amount people talk about lifting, and a quick visit to their journal tells me more effort needs to be used lifting, and less on talking about it.

[induced_drag]

1) Do you get better results by putting more thought into every detail?

Diet 100% yes. Training I am not quite as regimented, but I track closely to understand when it is becoming less effective.

With regard to nutrtion, having done it both ways, I can say that I have NEVER experienced the results like I got when I finally started getting adequate nutrition. Mainly hitting good protein levels and total calories. I had no idea just how poorly I was eating, until I took the time to actually track a full week. I was one of those "I eat a good diet and drink a few protein shakes" guys. When I tracked I realized on average, I was about 100g a day low on protein and my cals were up and down every day...

Now there may be some that by their nature eat properly already. But, the majority of people who start tracking, almost all say the same thing. They did not know how all over the place they were. And most all of the people that stick with it, report they experience GREAT results over time planning nutrition. SmellyBull is another recent example of a very experienced guy who has started paying more attention to nutrition and is reporting gains like never before.

Now on the point of total cals..... Here is my theory. If you are trying to gain muscle with minimal fat gain, there is no better way to do it then a planned surplus of moderate cals (200 range) EVERY DAY. This, in my experience is MUCH more effective then just eating big...where some days your cals are probably 500-600 over and some day are probably under and some might be 1000 over. Over time both will gain weight, but the random diet will be more bodyfat and less muscle. Giving your body the fuel it needs EVERY DAY is the key. Just simply averaging out to the same surplus in a haphazard manner is NOT the same. The days you ate a surplus of 1000, much of that went to fat. The days you ate under, your body did not have the fuel to build muscle that day, and it is possible the stimulus you provided with a good workout, were wasted on a day when you did not have the fuel to recover.

Anyway....that is my theory....and my experience. I have never heard from someone who has taken the time to plan and track nutrition for any length of time that has said it was not effective. Now I have heard PLENTY of guys who have never done it, that contend it is not needed. Draw your own conclusions from that...


2) If not, then why not? Is this yet another case of "genetics trump everything"?

Genes are very important, but I believe both poor and good genes benefit from proper nutrition and quality training.


3) Or is it possible that "mind over matter" (I believe I will get big and lean, and the body follows the mind) is at work here?

I think the mind can exert some things,....but I dont believe it will overcome poor eating or training.





Related questions:

1) Is micromanaging a result of OCD thinking (meaning, are the same folks who need to control every detail of training and diet the same folks who are arranging bottles by size on the bathroom counter, don't let their foods touch on the plate, etc)?

No..Most would call me OCD with my training, but I am terribly organized with other things. I drive my wife nuts in this regard,

2) And are the "eat big, sleep big, lift big and forget about it" group that simplistic in the rest of their lives? Do they toss their shoes in a pile, don't care which side the toilet paper rolls off, and so forth?

Nope...that more describes my personality....laid back...etc. But I have seen how much better my training can be, and I want the gains that come along with it.

3) Is it possible that wanting to control every detail about our fitness is guilt related? If we do everything perfectly, then it's not our fault if we don't progress. I mean, what more could I do? I ate right, lifted right, got optimal sleep, etc. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. And conversely, if we are more casual and basic about our training, but don't succeed, then we can always blame it on not having the time to bother with all the little details, or not having the right genetics, etc.

No guilt here




Interesting topic. You probably already knew my thoughts.

I'll repeat something I wrote above:

I have never heard from someone who has taken the time to plan and track nutrition for any length of time that has said it was not effective. Now I have heard PLENTY of guys who have never done it, that contend it is not needed. Draw your own conclusions from that...

[-=FLEX=-]

Interesting topic. You probably already knew my thoughts.

I think we all did.

[induced_drag]

I think we all did.

Yea.....I thought I would shock everyone with my response.

[soonerman4life]

Wow, good questions to ponder. In regard to training we all respond somewhat differently to different stimuli. So the guy that has a planned workout and counts and tracks every rep and set, may not make any better gains than the guy that shoots from the hip every training session.

As for nutrition, I personally believe that everyone will see better results regardless of goal if they absolutely know how much of what they're putting in to their body. A person may do well by guessing, but I believe they'd do better by knowing.

Genetics: It's real and we all have a threshold of potential.

As for me, the only way I know is all or nothing so I choose to plan, track, analyze and probably over analyze but that's part of the fun for me. Nothing exceeds like excess.

[stephanielynn76]

1) Do you get better results by putting more thought into every detail?

For me it depends on my goals at the time. I am an all-or-nothing kind of personality. I tend to pay a lot more attention to detail when cutting, particularly for contest prep. I track every calorie and I get very OCD about it. It's the only way to ensure I'll reach the goal. That's when I'm in "all" mode. On the other hand, when that period ends and the goal is reached I tend to go into "nothing" mode. I don't track, I loosen up the diet, and I just live and lift. The track-every-calorie lifestyle is too much for me to consistently do year round. It would drive me crazy to do that.

2) If not, then why not? Is this yet another case of "genetics trump everything"?

I do think genetics play a huge role in this lifestyle. I think it's less about having the perfect body type and more about knowing YOUR OWN body and how it responds to training/diet. For instance, I am not carb sensitive. I keep my carbs fairly high even when cutting and have been very successful with that. I've tried low carb and it made me feel/look like crap. Experimentation and trial-and-error is often needed to figure out what works for each individual.

3) Or is it possible that "mind over matter" (I believe I will get big and lean, and the body follows the mind) is at work here?

That's an interesting idea. I don't know. I just know that when I am determined to do something... I make it happen. It does, most certainly, require persistence and dedication.

1) Is micromanaging a result of OCD thinking (meaning, are the same folks who need to control every detail of training and diet the same folks who are arranging bottles by size on the bathroom counter, don't let their foods touch on the plate, etc)?

I am very OCD about some things (my creative work... photography and design) and totally easy going about others. I have a messy desk and I'm a procrastinator. When I go into cutting mode... the OCD comes out.

2) And are the "eat big, sleep big, lift big and forget about it" group that simplistic in the rest of their lives? Do they toss their shoes in a pile, don't care which side the toilet paper rolls off, and so forth?

^^This is me during the off season... eat, sleep, lift. As long as I'm getting enough protein and I know I'm eating a surplus, I don't sweat the diet. I couldn't care less which side the toilet paper rolls off. Hell I'm just glad that there IS toilet paper. I hate having to drip dry.

3) Is it possible that wanting to control every detail about our fitness is guilt related? If we do everything perfectly, then it's not our fault if we don't progress. I mean, what more could I do? I ate right, lifted right, got optimal sleep, etc. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. And conversely, if we are more casual and basic about our training, but don't succeed, then we can always blame it on not having the time to bother with all the little details, or not having the right genetics, etc.

It hasn't been guilt-related for me. I have, thus far, been satisfied with the progress I've made whether I'm micro managing or not. For me, it just ain't that complicated. Lift+surplus= gains. Lift+deficit= loss. The equation has always worked for me. I truly believe I push myself as much as I can with every workout (as evidenced by the CNS recovery issues I've struggled with... but that's another topic). Whether my goal is to gain or lose, as long as the scale is moving in the intended direction I figure I'm doing all I can do. I don't stress about whether or not my progress would have been different/better had I changed any one detail along the way.

[Big_Sky_Guy]

I do not have the personality to track things to the nth degree or even perfectly follow programming as that is my base personality across the board. It would not make sense that lifting and nutrition would be handled differently.

At the same time, it is an 80/20 proposition. I am not willing to put in 80% more work for only 20% more effectiveness. Gaining only a few more percent on lifts or a couple extra pounds over the next 5 years is not worth the incredibly tedious and significant effort of tracking calories and following programs perfectly.

I applaud those who can and do find it worthwhile. I am just not one of them.

[jayluk4600]

Great topic ! I have been from day one a lift big, eat big kinda guy. I rarely used supplements until the last few years and I just got to the gym when I could only to make sure everything got trained once a week.

These days I do count calories, protein intake and take a multi but besides that my training is still very on the fly but I still train 5 days a week somehow someway having 3 kids and a wife and a business.

[Smelly bull]

Training wise, I strongly believe in keeping it simple and lifting big. I do track my progression every workout.

Nutrition, I have spent the last five weeks monitoring everything that goes in, making a few tweaks here and there (mostly my ratios) and this will continue to happen over the next months. I am not an obsessive person ( i think) but I know to get to my goal weight I need to focus on this aspect more.

As to toilet paper, I am happy when some is within reach....

[BalhamBeast]

I don't count calories or macros. Having suffered from disordered eating in my youth, micromanaging my food wouldn't be a smart move, mentally speaking. If I want to lose weight I cut carbs and eat closer to Paleo. End of.

[SleeperService]

If I want to get bigger I eat more, if I want to lose weight I eat less. I lift three times a week in the 70-80% 1RM range.

Anything more complex than that gives me a headache.

[JOHN GARGANI]

Charles: an excellent topic!

when I was LEARNING nutrition, and more important, nutritional values, I originally broke everything I ever ate in writing, but as with all things, once you learn it, you can then keep track in your head, and so, I relinquished the writing everything down thing with eating.

similarly with training: originally, I would always keep a workout log....these days, I have become a totally instinctual trainer.

however, on a similarly related topic, and something I am very anal about is neatness: my workout room is impeccably neat, before and after....I look at it, as a sort of Feng Shui kind of thingy, I guess....

mens sana en mens corpora, sort of thing....

[drudixon]

Cerebral thread Charles! I'm bleeding out of my eyeballs now.... Thanks!

For me, I'm most meticulous about details when something changes. When I go from cut to bulk or vis a vis, I track macros, portions, cals, sodium, vitamins, etc. I establish a 2 week baseline, then I take 2-3 weeks off of tracking because my diet has so little variety (yes, I'm dull like that), that I can go without the extra effort for 2-3 weeks, then I rinse and repeat. For me, my best progress has been on regimented exercise programs. Roll your owns just don't work for me. Sure, I tweak things here or there to account for my own needs (thinking bum shoulder here), but by and large I use what smarter people have created for me.

The past year has had some nice gains for me. I attribute that to better diet, better rest, and following regimented programs more consistently. For me, it's the trends over time. My body doesn't know the difference between +/- 20 grams of protein from one day to the next, but if I'm short on protein for an extended duration it does. My main job is to ensure that deficiencies don't compound over time and limit potential.

[smblkolds]

I do my workout, then get on with my life.

[Tyrbolift]

I am OCD if time allows. When I get to plan for a task at hand, I like to set everything up so that once I begin, I can just bam-bam-bam without interruption in a short period of time. Kinda like setting up dominoes to fall.

Still track workouts down to the sets-reps-time-volume, etc on a small spiral kept handy in the door pocket of my truck, for example. I wear certain clothes, use a certain cup and take my premade iced tea in with me, have a clean towel, have to go at certain times when the gym is slow.

Just running in the gym whenever unprepared...well, that's when things go wrong and accidents happen for me. Next thing you know I lock my keys in the truck and lose 2 hours getting help, or slip and break my ankle from not paying attention to where I'm going.

The downside to my approach is that I can be hurried and rushed because I spent too much time "preparing" which eats in to my time "doing." But it still beats the alternative...making a fatal mistake, or at least one that hinders my progress in all my other life activities.