10 Bodybuilding Rules to Live By

Dosquito · 12-15-2005, 05:05 PM

1) Cut for the right reasons.
I think pu12en12g said it best, when he was explaining that one of his biggest regrets was his cutting phase:

Quote:

I hit 225lb @ age 26, and then I made one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made.. I decided to do a "cutting phase" because my girlfriend from San Diego was coming to visit... I lost 20 lbs.. WAYY too fast. My strength went to hell too.. obviously my priorities were ****ed.

2) Don't be so anal about your diet.

Chances are, the more you care about how many calories ketchup has, the less time you're going to stick to your diet. You're probably setting yourself up for an eating disorder/body dismorphic disease. Whether cutting, or bulking, anorexia nervosa, or reverse annorexia nervosa, you are setting yourself up for a serious problem. I can think of TWO good reasons why a person would be so cruel to themselves:
Cutting below 10% bodyfat
Professional bodybuilder

3) Learn the place of supplements.

Beyond a certain point (your whey needs, BCAA for luxury, gear, X-factor, fish oil, multivitamins, creatine), spending a significantly higher percentage of money (75 dollars a month versus 400 dollars a month--yes, I've seen people spend 400 dollars a month, that's FIVE TIMES MORE) is only going to get you marginally better gains (1-5%). I'd venture to say that past the basics (whey , creatine, fish oil, E/C, multivtamin), I would not recommend buying a supplement unless you can actually feel or see it working (BCAA, citrulline malate, preworkout stimulants/energizers, joint supplements, gear, X-factor).

4) 20 pound gains at the same BF% is not "20 pounds of muscle":

Quote:

Originally Posted by me

So every month you gain 4 pounds, starting at 150 pounds and 10% bodyfat (15 pounds of fat)

Month 1: 154 (16 pounds of fat)
Month 2: 158 (17 pounds of fat)
Month 3: 162 (18 pounds of fat)
Month 4: 166 (19 pounds of fat)
Month 5: 170 (20 pounds of fat)
Month 6: 174 (21 pounds of fat) and 12% body fat.
7 178 (22 pounds)
8 182 (23)
9 186 (24)
10 190 (25)
11 194 (26)
12 198 (27)
13 202 (28) final BF%= 13.8

5) Make your diet enjoyable:
Crostinis can be found at Trader Joes. They are basically olive oil and whole grain, and they're some of the best-tasting things I've ever had. They make my diet incredibly enjoyable.
***E Greek Yogurt can also be foun dat Trader Joes. It is absolutely delicious, and a pleasure to eat.
REAL honey offers several healthy benefits, and is delicious
Whole Foods has a peanut butter machine that makes peanut butter for you at the press of a button. It's infinitely more delicious than normal peanut butter.
I happen to love eggs.
Trader Joes makes a semi-healthy personally pizza, that I happen to enjoy, and allow in my diet because I'm bulking.
Find things that are healthy that you love to eat.
6) Oats
7) Milk, if you can tolerate it.
8) Make bodybuilding a habit/lifestyle, not an obsession/disorder. It may be hard to find a balance for you. I started off and for a month or two 100% of my calories were clean. It SUCKED. I was so fed up that I basically ate like a pig for a month. That sucked just as much. Now, about 75% of my calories are clean, I eat lunch at school, and sometimes I go out with my dad/friends and eat with them.
9) Live in the future, AND the present. But remember the past.
Every day I see some guy on this forum explaining to us how dedicated he is to bodybuilding:
"I never miss a meal!"
"It took me three years of healthy eating to get this 18 inch arms!"
Okay, so you're living in the future. But what are you going to tell your grandchildren? Are you going to look back, and not regret at all that you never had any fun? Because that's not going to work for you, either. No matter how hard you try, when you are eighty years old, you are not going to be able to keep the gains you had from "three years of healthy eating", and you will have wasted years of your life for an ideal body that you won't even be able to keep.
10) Balance bodybuilding with your lifestyles and sports:
A tennis player/bodybuilder should probably train more towards strength and endurance, and hypertrophy should be more of a side-effect.
If you like rock-climbing, big muscles may get in your way.
etc.
11): You should be control of your bodybuilding lifestyle. You should not be your newfound lifestyle's bitch. Don't make life miserable for yourself, because I'm sure you once, and still can, enjoy(ed) bodybuilding.

vegHead · 12-15-2005, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dosquito

5) Make your diet enjoyable:
Crostinis can be found at Trader Joes. They are basically olive oil and whole grain, and they're some of the best-tasting things I've ever had. They make my diet incredibly enjoyable.
***E Greek Yogurt can also be foun dat Trader Joes. It is absolutely delicious, and a pleasure to eat.
REAL honey offers several healthy benefits, and is delicious
Whole Foods has a peanut butter machine that makes peanut butter for you at the press of a button. It's infinitely more delicious than normal peanut butter.
I happen to love eggs.
Trader Joes makes a semi-healthy personally pizza, that I happen to enjoy, and allow in my diet because I'm bulking.
Find things that are healthy that you love to eat.

Oh man those trader Joes pizzas are so good whole foods makes a delicious one too. I liked the whole post but just wanted to back that up also the peanut butter from the machines is so amazing especially when its still warm.

jdiritto · 12-15-2005, 05:19 PM

very interesting post!

beast69 · 12-15-2005, 05:24 PM

Great post dosquito! I especially agree with numbers 4, 7, and 11, even though there were only supposed to be 10 YOU LYING SON-OF-A....**ahem*.....I agree wholeheartedly with your post

Dosquito · 12-15-2005, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beast69

Great post dosquito! I especially agree with numbers 4, 7, and 11, even though there were only supposed to be 10 YOU LYING SON-OF-A....**ahem*.....I agree wholeheartedly with your post

Milk is great. It took me a few months to ward off my lactose intolerance, but now I can digest milk properly, and it was well worth the wait.

jdiritto · 12-15-2005, 05:36 PM

my roommate and I average 4/5galloons each a week normally. fat free of course... our fridge gets out of hand sometimes

<3

Dosquito · 12-15-2005, 05:39 PM

The farmer's market near my house sells a gallon of farm-fresh, organic milk (ff, 1%, 2%, whole) for 5.50. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Blap Blaow · 12-15-2005, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dosquito

I would not recommend buying a supplement unless you can actually feel or see it working

Great post, but I don't get what this point is about.

Dosquito · 12-15-2005, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blap Blaow

Great post, but I don't get what this point is about.

Past the basics. That quote was out of context....

Quote:

(past the basics) I would not recommend buying a supplement unless you can see or feel it working

Blap Blaow · 12-15-2005, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dosquito

Past the basics. That quote was out of context....

no no- I was taking it in context (sorry, I should have put up the whole line in my quote)

But I see where you're coming from in terms of mid-long term. It's just that you have to buy to find out if it works for you in the first place!!

Dosquito · 12-15-2005, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blap Blaow

no no- I was taking it in context (sorry, I should have put up the whole line in my quote)

But I see where you're coming from in terms of mid-long term. It's just that you have to buy to find out if it works for you in the first place!!

Good point--one I overlooked.

Togoro · 12-15-2005, 05:51 PM

You obviously only created this thread because you're trying to get more rep points!!!

Seriously though, awesome thread Dos. I agree with it 100%. I've been in this situation more than once. Especially during High School wrestling. Eating so unhealthy for so long, then when the season dies down, you stuff your face and become a fat ass cuz you're metabolism is so f**ked.

Unless you ARE trying to get below 10% bf, or this is how you make your living, take it easy and enjoy your life a little. You'll appreciate your new body alot more this way, I promise.

DOWN · 12-15-2005, 06:24 PM

Whats up with all the X-Factor pimping? I see you listed the basics as Whey, Multi, Creatine, e/c. I can buy those, but throwing X-factor in there too?

Dosquito · 12-15-2005, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DOWN

Whats up with all the X-Factor pimping? I see you listed the basics as Whey, Multi, Creatine, e/c. I can buy those, but throwing X-factor in there too?

X-factor? no no no, not a basic at all. I do recommend it to noobs who are set on using steroids though, as an alternative.

massive_soviet · 12-15-2005, 06:30 PM

Quote:

9) Live in the future, AND the present. But remember the past.
Every day I see some guy on this forum explaining to us how dedicated he is to bodybuilding:
"I never miss a meal!"
"It took me three years of healthy eating to get this 18 inch arms!"
Okay, so you're living in the future. But what are you going to tell your grandchildren? Are you going to look back, and not regret at all that you never had any fun? Because that's not going to work for you, either. No matter how hard you try, when you are eighty years old, you are not going to be able to keep the gains you had from "three years of healthy eating", and you will have wasted years of your life for an ideal body that you won't even be able to keep.

This is damn right...

BiggJohn · 12-15-2005, 06:35 PM

On point #1. If you know what you are doing, there is no reason why you need to lose a bunch of strength while cutting. While I've been guilty of it before, I later learned how to eat sufficient carbs while cutting and retain strength.

DejaBlue55 · 12-15-2005, 07:20 PM

Good thread big D.

Dosquito · 12-15-2005, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplant

Oh man those trader Joes pizzas are so good whole foods makes a delicious one too. I liked the whole post but just wanted to back that up also the peanut butter from the machines is so amazing especially when its still warm.

also coconut oil is great if you're bulking. I have about 2 TBSP a day, and I find it gives me lots of energy, just like a complex carb

vegHead · 12-15-2005, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dosquito

also coconut oil is great if you're bulking. I have about 2 TBSP a day, and I find it gives me lots of energy, just like a complex carb

Yep cocunut oil has become a pretty popular thing now for weight loss the fat is mct's correct or something? That real popular book "cures they dont want you to know about" really hypes up cocunut oil and lots of older people ive talked to are taking it and actually seeing good results. I love health food stores, I work in one during the school year and ill probably work in another one during my break

Dosquito · 12-15-2005, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplant

Yep cocunut oil has become a pretty popular thing now for weight loss the fat is mct's correct or something? That real popular book "cures they dont want you to know about" really hypes up cocunut oil and lots of older people ive talked to are taking it and actually seeing good results. I love health food stores, I work in one during the school year and ill probably work in another one during my break

It's also a pretty good source of saturated fats since most of them are MCT, I get most of my saturated fats from 1-2% milk and coconut oil.

vegHead · 12-15-2005, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dosquito

It's also a pretty good source of saturated fats since most of them are MCT, I get most of my saturated fats from 1-2% milk and coconut oil.

do you add it in to your foods or just take it straight? just curious might try it sometime

nni · 12-15-2005, 08:24 PM

good thread, but everytime i see your name i want some doritos. please stop posting.

j/k

Dosquito · 12-15-2005, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplant

do you add it in to your foods or just take it straight? just curious might try it sometime

I don't really mind the taste at all, sometimes it's nice in a chocolate with with milk sort of shake (by the way, it's pretty cheap at Whole Foods), which is
265 (2.5 cups of 1%)+100 (scoop of whey) + 120 extremely easy calories. Add in some oats, and you're a winner. I also like how it's completely neutral in regards to the whole omega 6 omega 3 debate.

turbos10 · 12-15-2005, 08:26 PM

Great post. I am glad to see I am not the only one who realizes that bb is no good if it makes life no fun. I mean I want a great body just like the next guy, but it is not worth giving up all the other good things life has to give. I think many people miss this point and they become a bitch to the lifestyle as you put it. The thing I love the most is with diet stuff. So many guys truely believe they can not loose weight if they have weekly cheats or a few of them or that you can't eat protein bars and get good results. Since I dont have the time to grow and process all my own food, I have to get the on the go stuff sometimes and have made good progess.

Anyhow.....I am rambling....again, good post

Dosquito · 12-15-2005, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nni

good thread, but everytime i see your name i want some doritos. please stop posting.

j/k

, what about jdiritto???

vegHead · 12-15-2005, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dosquito

I don't really mind the taste at all, sometimes it's nice in a chocolate with with milk sort of shake (by the way, it's pretty cheap at Whole Foods), which is
265 (2.5 cups of 1%)+100 (scoop of whey) + 120 extremely easy calories. Add in some oats, and you're a winner. I also like how it's completely neutral in regards to the whole omega 6 omega 3 debate.

I love whole foods so much I dont know why I just like the store. Ill probably try it on the next bulk and see how it goes. Yeah like I said ive actually heard really good feedback about it from some pretty inactive middle aged and older people so it must be doing something. Plus that books write up on it was interesting

Dosquito · 12-15-2005, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turbos10

Great post. I am glad to see I am not the only one who realizes that bb is no good if it makes life no fun. I mean I want a great body just like the next guy, but it is not worth giving up all the other good things life has to give. I think many people miss this point and they become a bitch to the lifestyle as you put it. The thing I love the most is with diet stuff. So many guys truely believe they can not loose weight if they have weekly cheats or a few of them or that you can't eat protein bars and get good results. Since I dont have the time to grow and process all my own food, I have to get the on the go stuff sometimes and have made good progess.

Anyhow.....I am rambling....again, good post

Yep, I agree. I am so sick of these "weekly cheats". That is not a cheat. It is a binge-eating. Binge-eating is a horrible thing to do.
A snickers bar has 300 calories, have one once a day. Fit it in to your calorie totals.
A cheeseburger at Burger King has 350 calories.

Grow up.

nni · 12-15-2005, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dosquito

, what about jdiritto???

for some reason he makes me think of j-rod and dito.

391rippy · 12-15-2005, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dosquito

11): You should be control of your bodybuilding lifestyle. You should not be your newfound lifestyle's bitch. Don't make life miserable for yourself, because I'm sure you once, and still can, enjoy(ed) bodybuilding.

this is the most important one. you should make bodybuilding fir into your lifestyle, not make your lifestyle fit into bodybuilding. you only live once, and the goal of life is to be happy (and for the religious people it is also to get into heaven, etc.), so if bodybuilding doesn't make you happy, it's not for you.

great post!

Dosquito · 12-16-2005, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 391rippy

this is the most important one. you should make bodybuilding fir into your lifestyle, not make your lifestyle fit into bodybuilding. you only live once, and the goal of life is to be happy (and for the religious people it is also to get into heaven, etc.), so if bodybuilding doesn't make you happy, it's not for you.

great post!

Yep, the less you enjoy (your diet specifically I think is the hardest for most people) it, chances are the less time you'll stick to it