The ChillOut Log

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Hey Chillen,

Nice stuff in the log today. I actually got inspired to start making a change. I figured I would share it with you. I know it's been a while since I've posted in your log, or in my log for that matter. I figured I'd post to let you know that I'm still here. Stuff has been busy lately. My boyfriend is visiting, which is nice. And last week was my spring break. I've had time to spend with him and with old friends from high school.

The problem with vacations is this: I don't have the structure of everyday life. I depend on my daily schedule to tell me when and how much to eat. But when I'm on break, enjoying spending time with the people I love, it's like I completely forget to eat. It's not good I know. I got on the scale this afternoon, and it read 114.8 lbs. Sometimes it's just so hard to find a balance.

So, here's my plan. I'm done with this semester in 8 weeks, and I'd like to gain about 8 lbs. I think that's realistic. A pound a week.

Now, I've got a few issues, and I was wondering if you could help me out a little. You're pretty experienced.

Counting calories didn't work for me. It felt like I was obsessing, and I didn't like it. Do you have an alternative that won't drive me crazy or lead me off track too easily?

I somehow get stuck around 117 or 118. It's like my body doesn't want to go above it. How do you deal with "plateaus" like this?

Finally, I want to figure out how to fit this weight gain plan into my lifestyle in a healthy way. I don't want it to feel like I'm forcing anything, or doing anything unnatural or bad to my body. There were times in the past, where I would eat so much, I felt really bad. I want to do this in a physically, mentally and emotionally healthy way.

Thanks so much for keeping this log. I'm looking forward to your advice.
 
March 26th, 2008: Thoughts for the Day (2)

Let's continue: Mastering Yourself


No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

(Eleanor Roosevelt)

Quality in. Crap out. Master what you allow in your soul and what you do not.

(Chillen)

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Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being.

(Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe)
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Every thought you have makes up some segment of the world you see. It is with your thoughts then, that we must work, if your perception of the world is to be changed.

(A course in miracles)

The problem here is how do you work with your thoughts??? Well, do you really know?

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There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man. The true nobility lies in being superior to your previous self.

(Hindu Proverb)

Master your skeletons in the closet, people.

(Chillen)

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Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

(Confucius)

Become the master of your failures. They are the root of your success.

(Chillen)
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The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

(Alan Kay)

Is it your mind that guides you? Is it your heart that guides you? Or is it your heart and mind that guides you? Can you master one, the other, or both?

(Chillen)

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The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.

(Anonymous)

Master your temptations.

(Chillen)

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It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.

(Unknown)

You master your inner voice, there is no stopping you.

(Chillen)

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Listen up my friends: Within diet and fitness we can become under pressure when we try and perform to a standard which is more than we think we can achieve - not more than we can actually achieve. Rather than try harder, change your opinion and your behavior will follow.

Be come a master of self, and stand and deliver to yourself.




Best wishes to all of you


Chillen
 
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March 26th, 2008: Thoughts for the day (3)

Post 3: Closing thoughts on Mastering yourself:

Any conflict, whether it takes place within the body and mind or outside of you, is always a battle against the self.

You must be aware at every moment. From getting up in the morning, working, eating and going to bed. This is the place of mastering the self.

You must not show weak-points (to a degree) in everyday life, life is a fight! You must remain concentrated and not reveal your defects (to a degree); through continuous training in self control, gradually you will discard them.


A modified Godfather Quote, by Chillen:

Know yourself, but know the enemies of the self better and keep them close.

You have to know your enemy well in order to beat it.

Know your enemy and know yourself, you will have hundred battles to fight (figuretively speaking) and you would emerge a hundred times victorius.


This is to you, brotha and sista's:

YOU ARE THE MASTERS




Chillen
 
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Counting calories didn't work for me. It felt like I was obsessing, and I didn't like it.

How long did you count calories ? And, toward what end ...i.e what was your goal ?

What do you mean by " obsessing " exactly ?



Do you have an alternative that won't drive me crazy or lead me off track too easily?

I somehow get stuck around 117 or 118. It's like my body doesn't want to go above it. How do you deal with "plateaus" like this?

Finally, I want to figure out how to fit this weight gain plan into my lifestyle in a healthy way. I don't want it to feel like I'm forcing anything, or doing anything unnatural or bad to my body. There were times in the past, where I would eat so much, I felt really bad. I want to do this in a physically, mentally and emotionally healthy way.

How often ? How much more ?

And why would you feel " bad " ?
 
Everday I wish you the very best. I wish you much happiness, peace, joy, and personal prosperity.

Being Master of Yourself

"No man is free who is not master of himself." -- Epicetus.

What does it mean to be the master of yourself? Certainly, each one of us has demands that pull him or her one way or the other, until it seems that we are stretched in all directions. Does being the master of oneself mean that we ignore those demands? Does being master of yourself mean that you never listen to your spouse, your family, or your mother-in-law?

Nope. Being master of yourself goes deeper than that. It all has its root in attitude.

Being the master of yourself goes deeper than getting up when the alarm goes off, although that's an important first step. It means more than controlling your spending or eating habits, although that too is essential. It means more than exercising, even when you don't feel like it, or mowing the lawn when you would prefer to sit in front of the TV and eat cheese puffs.

THIS IS YOU!



Chillen

Thanks for posting this. Wasn't going to do my run until i read that.
 
How long did you count calories ? And, toward what end ...i.e what was your goal ?

What do you mean by " obsessing " exactly ?





How often ? How much more ?

And why would you feel " bad " ?

By obsessing, I mean, meticulously logging and counting everything I ate. It wasn't healthy.


And by bad, I mean feeling as though I was going to be ill.


I counted calories for a few weeks, and I didn't achieve my goal of getting to 125 lbs.
 
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Thanks for posting this. Wasn't going to do my run until i read that.

Your self mastery is always is in the growing season. You just have to give it a reason to be in season.

Let it flow baby!

You, youngman, just exercised mastering yourself.

Glad to help you, young man! :) :) :)


Chillen
 
March 27th, 2008: Thoughts for the day (1)

“A man who is master of himself can end a sorrow as easily as he can invent a pleasure. I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.”

(Oscar Wilde)


Mastery. We have reached mastery when we neither mistake nor hesitate in the achievement.

Mastering Yourself (Continued-1)​

The ability to control and discipline ones self is vital and will give you the Self Mastery title.

(Chillen)

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Willpower is the key to success. Successful people strive no matter what they feel by applying their will to overcome apathy, doubt or fear.

(Dan Millman)

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Reshape yourself through the power of your will...


Those who have conquered themselves...live in peace, alike in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, praise and blame...To such people a clod of dirt, a stone, and gold are the same...Because they are impartial, they rise to great heights.

(Krishna)

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A consciousness of wrongdoing is the first step to salvation…you have to catch yourself doing it before you can correct it.

(Seneca)

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Suppose you were to come upon someone in the woods working feverishly to saw down a tree.

“What are you doing?” you ask.

“Can’t you see?” comes the impatient reply. “I’m sawing down this tree.”

“You look exhausted!” you exclaim. “How long have you been at it?”

“Over five hours,” he returns, “and I’m beat! This is hard work.”

‘Well, why don’t you take a break for a few minutes and sharpen that saw?” you inquire. “I’m sure it would go a lot faster.”

“I don’t have time to sharpen the saw,” the man says emphatically. “I’m too busy sawing!”


(Stephen R. Covey)

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Twelve Psychological Barriers To Self-Mastery and Personal Success


Self-Mastery Barrier 1: Ignorance

Self-mastery is essentially impossible if one is not willing to devote time to understanding the nature of the mind. For example, if you are in the habit of spending 30 minutes a day reading how the mind works, this supports self-mastery and personal success. If you have never read books on psychology or the philosophy of the mind, your ignorance acts as an immovable barrier impossible to overcome.


Self-Mastery Barrier 2: Habituation and Habit Formation

Habituated thinking patterns develop like certain streets in Boston. In the older parts of the city, the streets follow the paths used by long dead cows to get between barn and pasture. The issue here that we tend to get "stuck" in a set behaviors and patterns of thought that do not support our pursuit of worldly success or self-mastery. For example, you still see adults throwing temper tantrums like they did when they were four years old.

Self-Mastery Barrier 3: Destructive Personality Traits



Personality traits are fixed at a young age. Since most organizational leaders aren't on a rigorous program of self-mastery, they exhibit these same traits throughout their life. If one is strong on self-esteem and self-improvement, these traits would support the drive toward self-mastery. But other traits such as self-destruction, self-indulgence and self-pity would have the opposite effect.

The Fourth Self-Mastery Barrier: The Ego Defense Mechanisms

The Ego is subject to a number of self-deceptions preventing self-mastery. Sigmund Freud many years ago observed that the Ego is a fragile entity requiring protection from anxiety.Typically it manifests as some type of stressful emotional state such as fear, guilt, embarrassment, anger, frustration, etc. Anxiety prevention takes many forms.

Even the little things in life can activate an Ego defense mechanism. A frown from a superior, criticism from the spouse, getting angry at the person who bumped into you are a few examples. Sadly, once these mechanisms are engaged, the mind does not properly process the information it receives.

For example, the defensive mechanism of repression can keep cigarette smokers from thinking about heart disease and lung cancer. Denial keeps the executives from working a problem affecting the entire organization. Rationalization makes our frailties acceptable. In all, there are over 20 of these mechanisms, most of them operating beyond conscious self-awareness.

Self-Mastery Barrier Five: Negative Self-Talk

Thoughts have a great impact on the emotions, feelings or states of mind that is operate at any given moment of time. For example, the person who thinks, "I'm not happy," typically feels that way.

For example, in the morning, do you think about the upcoming day in positive or negative terms? Do you have negative thoughts such as "I know I'm going to have a bad day; I'm sure I'm going to screw something up; I know I'm going to get yelled at?" Or do you tend to think about the positive?

For some reason, few people admit that they talk to themselves or understand the critical nature of this internal dialogue.

Self-Mastery Barrier Six: Homeostasis

It's hard to build new mental or behavioral habits--and extremely difficult to stop an old habit and substitute a new one. This means that one-time bursts of motivation tend to produce little lasting effect. It's safe to assume that new changes will be resisted by the motivational forces supporting the status quo (homeostasis).

Self-Mastery Barrier Seven: Arrested Development

While this observation will generate controversy, many powerful leaders have immature Egos. Arrested development essentially means that Ego growth has stopped prematurely. There are many symptoms one can experience.

One symptom of this immaturity is the leader who cannot control their emotions. Another is a boss who blames others while failing to look at their own personal contribution to the problem. A third symptom is someone with high IQ but low emotional intelligence, etc., etc., etc.

Self-Mastery Barrier Eight: Cognitive Dissonance



Cognitive dissonance commonly operates as an unconscious mechanism and so is difficult to detect. It is associated with buyers remorse and purchasers regret when it comes to making important purchases. More importantly, it provides insight into why we take pride in our stupid decisions.

Self-Mastery Barrier Nine: Failure to Understand the Language of the Unconscious

The Ego sits in an isolation bubble of its own creation. It acts like a king or queen in a throne room, blissfully unaware to what's happening outside the castle.

The reason the ruler has no new clothes, is it never learned the symbolic, metaphoric language of the unconscious and how to access unconscious insights and resources.

Self-Mastery Barrier Ten: Failure to Master Negative Emotions and States of Mind

It’s amazing so many individuals give others the ability to control their emotions. How many times have your heard someone say, "You made me angry!"

Of course, it’s normally not another person’s fault that we lack emotional control. I remember a friend saying once, "I'm in perfect control of my emotions. If I get angry, I only stay angry for three days."

Self-Mastery Barrier Eleven: Poor Attention Management and Self-Awareness

One must properly focus attention to process any type of information. It is a common complaint among the managed that their manager, "Doesn't listen to me." In some respects, listening is a terribly difficult thing to do since it requires a great deal of mental energy. Plus, attention is in sort supply so we often miss key facts, concepts and principles.

Self-Mastery Barrier Twelve: Not Understanding Dreams and Myths


While there are a few neurophysiologists who believe that dreams are the result of random neuronal firings, the mainstream psychologists believe that dreams have important messages—hidden meaning the Ego typically ignores.

Similarly, one should understand that myths and fairy tales also contain hidden meanings—meanings helpful in understanding the true nature of a nation's culture.

(By Murray Johannsen)

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The self-explorer, whether he wants to or not, becomes the explorer of everything else. He learns to see himself, but suddenly, provided he was honest, all the rest appears, and it is as rich as he was, and, as a final crowning, richer.


(Elias Canetti)




Learn to Master yourself and acquire true wisdom within Diet and Fitness, and obtain success.



From my heart to all of yours,


Chillen
 
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March 28th, 2008: Thoughts for the day (2)

Mastering Yourself (Continued-2)


Self-mastery creates a great feeling of accomplishment.


SELF-MASTERY … The Most Important Thing You’ll Ever Do for Yourself

Translation: Self-mastery means having total control over your own self



If you HAVE SELF-MASTERY, it means that:

When you feel negative emotions like jealousy, you take the time to deal with those feelings before you say or do something you will regret

If you make a plan, you can be trusted to follow through on it until it is complete

when you set a goal for yourself, you will keep trying until that goal is reached

if you make a promise, you can keep it

if someone offers drugs, you have the strength to say “not for me, I’m good”

if you get depressed, you have a plan in place to help yourself get back on track

if you see someone being dissed or bullied, you have the courage to speak up

if you see someone being hurt, you have the compassion to get help

if someone needs your help for a good cause, you lend a hand even if there’s nothing in it for you

if someone breaks your heart, you can take the time to give yourself TLC and recover slowly (without doing something stupid while you are hurting)

when things keep going wrong in your relationships, you take the time to analyze yourself for possible improvements instead of blaming others

if someone comes to you with rumors, you wait for the facts before forming an opinion

if someone tells you mean things about another person, you have the strength to hold your tongue and not join in with the dissing - instead you just offer support to your friend by saying "I can see how that made you mad"

when your life seems boring, you don’t complain or do anything crazy just to “shake things up” – instead, you take action to create positive changes

if you make a plan to have a max of 2 drinks when you go out, you stick to it

you know your body and your moods well enough to notice when you’re feeling rundown – instead of taking it out on others, you know that it’s time to give yourself some privacy and a spa night

when you have a bad day, you have the strength to remind yourself it is just “one day” and does not mean that you have a crappy life

when someone treats you with disrespect, you distance yourself or correct it by speaking up and telling them how you feel - that you won’t tolerate that behavior anymore if they want to be in your life

if you feel loopy or cranky, then you take the time to find out why – what’s bothering me? – is it PMS? – is it a full moon? – do I need more sleep?...

you force yourself to get homework and chores done before “play”

when you can’t change your circumstances, you change your attitude

you know that being happy is more important than being right

when life gives you lemons, you log on to the net and find a good recipe for lemonade! :) :)

(R. Bolen)
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Mastering yourself FLAT ROCKS!


Chillen
 
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March 27th, 3008: Thoughts for the Day (3)

Mastering Yourself (Continued-3)


If you always do what you’ve always done you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

(Unknown)

If you look at your life and things are still the same as they’ve always been despite your efforts to change, there is a good reason. You are most likely trying to change the effect without changing the cause.

It’s like treating a cold with the typical over-the-counter cold medicine. It may relieve the symptoms for a while but the cold is still there. To make lasting changes in your life you must work on the root causes.

Henry David Thoreau, 19th century naturalist, wrote these words:

“There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.”

Looking for love in all the wrong places

Have you ever noticed that some people seem to be miserable and unhappy no matter what? I know a woman who has been divorced several times. She goes from one relationship to another and always ends up getting hurt. The guy always turns out to be a dreadful twit.

I know a man who has had so many jobs I can’t even count them. He goes from one job to another and is never happy with where he is currently working. The standard reason he always gives for leaving his last job is because the boss was a big jerk.

There are other people who are never happy with where they are living. They are constantly on the move, looking for happiness and success in the next town.

The problem with these people is they are trying to solve their problems by changing the symptoms and not striking at the root of their problems.

Your mind creates the world you live in

So what is the root of their problems? In each case the roots are different but they all reside within the mind of the individual. The mind must change first. If your mind stays the same it will continue to produce the same results that you have always got. You can change your environment, your spouse, your job or your home but if your mind remains the same you will create the same problems over and over again.

Change your thoughts, change your world

So what can you do? You don’t want to go through life never being able to change yourself or your circumstances. The answer lies in you becoming aware of your thoughts. The creative force of your mind brought about the world you live in. You are responsible for your life through the thoughts that you entertain on a daily basis. You are the one placing limitations on yourself that are holding you back.

If you have the power to create a miserable world then it stands to reason that you have the power to create a happy world.

“Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bear bad fruits and man is his own gardener.”

(James Allen)

As ye sow, so shall ye reap

You are the master gardener of your thoughts. The fruit it produces is the life you live every day. You must guard every thought that enters your mind and determine if it should be there. You need to constantly entertain thoughts that invite positive and good into your life. You must be aware of all the negative influences that enter your life, be it the media, friends, music, or the internet and only allow those in that you invite.

You are the sower of the seeds your life. What are you sowing?

Thank you.

Master Yourself, Master Your Life


(by Garold N. Larson)

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Master your personal garden, baby! :)



From my heart to yours,


Chillen
 
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O Master of Chillness--

Thanks for writing these words--I really needed to hear them today.

What exactly is the Ego and its role in our psychology? I think I need to personally explore those Ego defense mechanisms you referred to, but don't really understand the ego. Can you help??

Thanks again!
 
O Master of Chillness--

Thanks for writing these words--I really needed to hear them today.

What exactly is the Ego and its role in our psychology? I think I need to personally explore those Ego defense mechanisms you referred to, but don't really understand the ego. Can you help??

Thanks again!

I will post something directly related to that.

How are you? How is your goal quest coming along, young lady?

I have been focusing on posts related in Mastering the Self, because it really boils down to being able to master yourself within the environment your in (within life) and dealing with the circumference of diet and fitness. In addition, I focused on it because I had seen some members having some difficulties.

Best regards,


Chillen
 
I really like the last couple of posts here. Very good stuff for me to be reading as I am in this career transition stuff.

Hey Bike Sim Laugh-- this place is for you brother.
 
Heya Chillen, hows it going, thanks for all the help, i never calculated how many calories burned in a 24 hour period before, i just use to calculate the calories eaten(to be eaten).

I had a great day today, how was yours??

Jackie xxx
 
Things are going pretty well for me, I think. I am an accountant and am working a million hours right now for tax season. I have stayed pretty well on track with what I want to accomplish as far as weight loss. It is never fast enough for me, and has been a lesson in patience. Though in other years I felt that tax time would be the WORST time to take on the weight loss journey, I think it has actually turned out to be the best time to do it. I am too busy to think much about it, and am just DOing it!

It is interesting to me that finally confronting my weight issues has opened a sort of Pandora's box for me personally. It is as though over the years in accumulating extra weight, I have stifled many difficult issues, and stopped them from working their way through my life by hiding in my very big body--stuffing them into me, so to speak. As I shed the pounds, these issues are "set free" and able to process their way through my life the way they should have all along. While this is a very wonderful thing to happen, in the grand scheme of things, the day to day is torture. My marriage is undergoing some difficult trials, my business partner and I are on the verge of a major (bad) "transition", things are difficult financially as a result of the business partner issues, and overall there is just a whole lot of sh!t going on! I know and trust that the world is unfolding as it should, but still find myself fighting it. The fight keeps the struggle in full focus, when I know that if I just could choose to pass through it, for better or worse, I could at least be on the other side of it, and be able to move on. For some reason I can't seem to get myself STRONG enough to initiate the "battle", and it's only a phone call away.

So I beat myself up for being a puss, read some really interesting stuff about self-mastery, beat myself up for being a puss some more, and am intrigued by the whole ego thing. I resonate entirely with the idea of trying to shelter myself from the anxiety by just NOT going through it, and feel that that one single trait is causing me a great deal of misery.

So as I burn through layer by layer of fat, I go through layer by layer of my life--fixing some stuff and wrecking some stuff. All necessary movement, I guess in the grand scheme of things. I must master self-mastery so I can embrace the ME I am to become!!

I have lost over 40 lbs, and don't really have any clear idea of how far I have yet to go. It has been such a dang long time since I've been anywhere near a normal weight that I don't know how I'll feel when I get there. I have a feeling that the guidance will come when it is ready. At 228 lbs, I have plenty of time to decide.:rolleyes:
 
Hey chillen, just thought I'd let you know that I had a gym session today where I kind of felt like you. For some reason when I was in the gym, I thought of all those crazy posts about motivation and stuff you put up all the time. The reason being: I showed up at the gym very tired. I chewed a piece of caffeine gum (1 piece= 1/2 a cup of coffee) like 15 minutes before lifted, but that didn't do anything. I am doing Fat Loss 2 of NROL, and this specific workout was 6 lifts of 3 supersets, with only 30 seconds in between each lift. About 1/3 through my routine I just got this fire inside that just pushed me through the whole workout.

But since there is such short rest time the workout was a little less than a half an hour. So I headed over to the elliptical. With my energy still pumping, I didn't want to quit, so for the first time ever I did a HIIT session after lifting. Wasn't sure how it would work out, but I ended up running for about 20 minutes, with 15 of that being solid HIIT. I am so tired, but feel so good. I would have put this in my journal but I kind of abandoned it so I decided to come here.

Have a good day!
 
I figured I'd bump this up. I'm not sure if you saw it yesterday:

Hey Chillen,

Nice stuff in the log today. I actually got inspired to start making a change. I figured I would share it with you. I know it's been a while since I've posted in your log, or in my log for that matter. I figured I'd post to let you know that I'm still here. Stuff has been busy lately. My boyfriend is visiting, which is nice. And last week was my spring break. I've had time to spend with him and with old friends from high school.

The problem with vacations is this: I don't have the structure of everyday life. I depend on my daily schedule to tell me when and how much to eat. But when I'm on break, enjoying spending time with the people I love, it's like I completely forget to eat. It's not good I know. I got on the scale this afternoon, and it read 114.8 lbs. Sometimes it's just so hard to find a balance.

So, here's my plan. I'm done with this semester in 8 weeks, and I'd like to gain about 8 lbs. I think that's realistic. A pound a week.

Now, I've got a few issues, and I was wondering if you could help me out a little. You're pretty experienced.

Counting calories didn't work for me. It felt like I was obsessing, and I didn't like it. Do you have an alternative that won't drive me crazy or lead me off track too easily?

I somehow get stuck around 117 or 118. It's like my body doesn't want to go above it. How do you deal with "plateaus" like this?

Finally, I want to figure out how to fit this weight gain plan into my lifestyle in a healthy way. I don't want it to feel like I'm forcing anything, or doing anything unnatural or bad to my body. There were times in the past, where I would eat so much, I felt really bad. I want to do this in a physically, mentally and emotionally healthy way.

Thanks so much for keeping this log. I'm looking forward to your advice.
 
Can I offer some advice Spicy?

I am wondering if you care what your 8 pounds are made up of (fat/muscle)?

Either way I have some advice that may help ya.

I enjoy the taste of food, and eating is enjoyable to me, so it's great to be a bodybuilder and get to eat all the time!

Anyway, bodybuilders eat by the clock, whether they are hungry or not. It never feels like I am forcing myself to eat, I never do that, but I always eat a meal every 1.5-3 hours all day long (usually every 2 hours) and I look forward to eating those meals. I eat first thing in the morning and I eat right before bed too. If you don't already do this, it might help ya.

Good luck :)
 
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March 27th, 2008: Thoughts for the Day(4)

The brotha and sista's are: Mastering the Self

Wake up the HEAD and our muscles will SPREAD and your motivation will never be DEAD. YES!

You can do ANTHING YOU SET YOUR YOUNG MIND TO.......and then some more!

It begins with feeding with the brain: (Feeding the brain is better than Natural Peanut Butter--Well....thats taking it just a tad too far, now)

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Source:
Let the essence of the desert uncover essence of you.

An element of Self-Mastery: SELF-CONTROL

Self-control is vital to living a life that brings contentment. It can make all the difference between satisfaction and regret. It can help us overcome obstacles, use discretion with our desires, and stay focused rather than be distracted by excitement or the many things that clamor for our attention.

When we are out of control, we feel that we are not capable and it undermines our sense of accomplishment or achievement. We may feel ineffectual at work or in our relationships. When we lack self-control we may find that our physical body suffers and health problems arise. We may feel morally insufficient, inferior, and judge or sabotage ourselves if we lack inner discipline.

Self-control is the faculty of conscious and deliberate action. It is the power we have to choose our own actions. It is vital to our ability to take a desire or a wish and make it active or manifest. We consciously use our personal power when we have self-control. Others can't take it away from us and the only way it doesn't function is if we don't use it.

Learning & Mastering Self-control

"This formula helps us activate our inner archetypal warrior and access courage, resolve and focused masculine energy to conquer our inner enemies and overcome obstacles, difficulties and shortcomings, so that we can be all that we can be.

"The greatest battles in life are not the ones that are fought on the battlefield of a war but in facing the daily events of our lives. The demands of our daily life require as much discipline, dedication and courage as is required of soldiers in the battlefield. When we do not recognize the courage and strength we have as we handle common life situations, we do not honor the warrior within us."

Activating & Honoring the Warrior Formula helps us establish and appreciate self-discipline. This is the essence to create the foundation to build up self-discipline, no matter where you lack it. The formula can help us recognize that the strength we need already exists within us. If we start by "just doing it", we find that consistent focus and dedication to even the smallest effort enhances our power.

"When we activate and honor our inner warrior we learn to access courage in every situation; we respect the discipline we need to conquer our inner enemies of fear, doubt, overindulgence, and negativity."

"You know when your inner warrior has been activated when you find yourself standing up for what you know is right, despite the pressures and demands of others. When you take a stand for what is correct for yourself, you don't need to rely on others to defend you. You become your own champion. When we make a commitment to honor ourselves and then stick to it, we experience the inner warrior."

Mastery Over the Five Senses

Our five senses, tasting, seeing, touching, hearing and smelling, draw us into engagement with the world. Our five senses give us information, evoke desires and entice us to do things, some of which are beneficial and some of which are not.

As children, we learn that the senses have a great power over us because they create desire. We see a chocolate bar and the desire to eat it arises. Mommy soothes your brother with a caring stroke and you want her touch as well. As we grow, we hopefully learn that desire is not always intelligent. Even though we know how wonderful a second chocolate bar could taste, it is our mind that has learned that it might not be the best for our health.

Cardinal Flower is the essence to use when a lack of self-control originates with one or more of the five senses. When the senses withdraw from the objects of desire, the mind is released from the power of the senses. Then the mind can turn within and assess in an unbiased way what is in our best interest. Self-control assumes that we are capable of refraining from acting on a desire if our mind's assessment is that it is in our best interest. This is the essence that can help us invite our mind's wisdom to interact with the desires that arise from our five senses so that we can make choices that are in alignment with our highest good.

This flower essence is excellent for teens or those of any age who want to learn appropriate control over sexual desires. It can help us learn to transform the energy of the desire into another form of manifestation. The energy created by sexual arousal can be expressed in the execution of artwork or channeled into sports, for instance, by conscious choice.

Cardinal Flower can be used any time you catch yourself allowing one or more of your five senses and the desires they evoke to indiscriminately control your actions.

Overindulgence and Self-neglect

There is a delicate balance between being overindulgent and neglecting the needs of your body. It requires self-control to regulate the middle ground. Hedgehog Cactus is the flower essence we use for all issues that relate to self-control and the physical body. Whether it involves eating properly, sleeping enough, getting enough exercise, this flower essence can help us take the action we know we need in these areas.

Quite often when Hedgehog Cactus is indicated, we already know what it is that we need to do to support our physical body. We may know exactly what our body needs for food or exercise, for example, but we somehow just can't seem to put it into practice. This flower essence kick-starts the self-discipline needed to get going and make it happen.

Distracted from What is Most Important

It takes good self-control to stay on task and not be distracted by things around us. Modern life is filled with so many influences that can grab our attention. Hoptree can help us establish excellent self-control when faced with distractions.

"If we are distracting ourselves by things that are not appropriate for us to be involved with, it helps us let them go so we can keep our focus where it is best utilized.

"This essence is excellent for helping us stay in alignment with our purpose. Once we define our purpose, it is sometimes a challenge to stay with it. When working on projects, Hoptree can help us sort out where our focus is best applied. It helps us feel firmly guided and directed according to our purpose."

We often need to focus on other people and their needs. However, we can become so used to automatically dropping our own focus to take care of others that we may forget that sometimes it is more beneficial to refrain from doing so.

Hoptree can help us stay focused on what is most beneficial for our highest good, which sometimes means letting others fend for themselves. It is often amazing to learn that when you manage to stay focused on what is most beneficial in the present moment, others are taken care of without you.

Caught Up in Excitement

Excitement is often what fuels inspiration and is the impetus for starting a project. It can also be, however, a block to actually making something actually manifest into reality. When we are caught up in the excitement of an idea or a creative impulse, excitement can show us the magnitude of the idea's potential. Sometimes seeing how big and magnificent something can become is actually what stops us in our tracks when it comes to making it manifest. Excitement can make something so grand that we lose the ability to see the small steps it takes to begin.

Scarlet Morning Glory helps us focus on each small step that it takes to bring something into manifestation. It supports us in having the self-control to give our full attention on the small, step by step process that is required to slowly bring an idea or creative impulse into manifestation.

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Read this and learn:

You can learn leadership skills from anyone!

As part of my six year stay in the military, I encountered one leader who I would characterize as inexperienced rather than incompetent. This leader achieved the rank of E-8 ( for those not versed in enlisted rank structure, it is one rank from the top of the enlisted side) but had never gained much experience in leading others. During his tenure in the military he had taken on roles such as aides to seniors and technical positions, but his leadership skills had not been sharpened. Needless to say, the people who were overseen by this "leader" were the lab rats for his own personal and professional development. While we can say "he was a real nice guy" and "he meant well"; he dropped the ball and fell short in meeting the expectations of others.

What was the lesson I learned ?

WHILE IN THE PURSUIT OF A LEADERSHIP ROLE, SEEK KNOWLEDGE.

This may come from:

First hand experience

Reading about other leaders

Researching the skills and techniques needed and then implementing them yourself

Mentoring with an accomplished leader.

I also realized you can learn from the actions of a poor leader. The failures of a poor leader serve as the foundation for successes of a strong leader. Once I made that determination, I was no longer disappointed by the ineffective actions of any one in a leadership role. I book-marked the experience in my "knowledge bank" and explored the right path for myself. The key is the maturity to recognize the difference and the willingness to accept new challenges within yourself.

(B. Anthony)

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There is perhaps no psychological skill more fundamental than resisting impulse. It is the root of all emotional self-control, since all emotions, by their very nature, lead to one or another impulse to act. The root meaning of the word emotion, remember, is "to move."

(Daniel Goleman)

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For want of self-restraint many men are engaged all their lives in fighting with difficulties of their own making, and rendering success impossible by their own cross-grained ungentleness; whilst others, it may be much less gifted, make their way and achieve success by simple patience, equanimity, and self-control

(Samuel Smiles -1812 - 1904)

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Prudent, cautious self-control, is wisdom's root.

(Robert Burns)

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"Success Is Gauged By Self-Mastery" I should like to say a few words about self-discipline, self-control, or self-mastery which is so important to all of us if we are to accomplish what we set out to do and enjoy the blessings which we desire so much. First, I should like to quote some of the philosophers. Plato said: "The first and best victory is to conquer self; to be conquered by self is, of all things, the most shameful and vile." And da Vinci once said: "You will never have a greater or lesser dominion than that over yourself." Then he goes on to say that "the height of a man's success is gauged by his self-mastery; the depth of his failure by his self-abandonment. . . . And this law is the expression of eternal justice. He who cannot establish dominion over himself will have no dominion over others." In other words,he cannot be a worthy father or leader. Solomon in all his wisdom made this meaningful statement: "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." (Proverbs 16:32) There are two important elements in self-mastery. The first is to determine your course or set the sails, so to speak, of moral standards; the other is the willpower, or the wind in the sails carrying one forward. As I said before, character is determined by the extent to which we can master ourselves toward good ends. It is difficult to say just what builds good character, but we know it when we see it. It always commands our admiration, and the absence of it our pity. But it is largely a matter of willpower.

(Elden Tanner)


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And, we continue the all important posts on Mastering yourself!

THIS ROCKS!

Have a very happy day all!


Chillen
 
Last edited:
March 27th, 2008: Thoughts for the day (5)

As long as I have you by my side, I will use you: Self-Control.

(Chillen)

Come on! Brotha and sista's gather yourselves together!

Roll with SELF-CONTROL pull this into your SOUL and make your GOAL WHOLE!

Stay on PATROL with your SELF-CONTROL!

YES! Its within you ALL THE TIME to keep you PRIME

It can get rid of the GRIME that commits your self CRIME

Therefore CLIMB! Get rid of the SUBLIME and make self-control your PRIME!

YES! You all have it......you all ROCK.......YOU ARE GREAT! :)

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We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with an impure mind
And trouble will forllow you
As the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart.

We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with a pure mind
And happiness will follow you
As your shadow, unbreakable.

How can a troubled mind
Understand the way?

Your worst enemy cannot harm you
As much as your own thoughts, unguarded.

But once mastered,
No one can help you as much,
Not even your father or your mother.


(Dhammapada The Buddha)

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Burn this into your heart, my friends:

As you move through your life, don’t wish that all of your troubles be taken away, but rather give yourself the strength to burn them in the fire of your spirit, so that they may give you the strength of experience and ultimately, wisdom.

A mere piece of coal under great pressure eventually becomes a diamond. Keep making yourself bright and strong and the darkness of your troubles will slowly disappear.


ROCK ON!

Fire it up..........!!!!!!!!!!!



Best wishes to all!


Chillen
 
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