Decisions

Decisions, decisions, we must face them everyday. Some are easier than others, like "the red shirt or the yellow shirt", or perhaps "toast or muffin"? Then there are the tough ones, the ones that cause internal stress.


Like "I want to be lean and ripped  or I want to drink wine and eat lasagna every night". These thoughts actually do run through my head, quite a bit. 


Now I am exaggerating (I tend to do that quite a bit), I really have no desire to drink wine every night as it interferes with my sleep and I just cannot attack the weights at 5:00 am if I do. And although I do enjoy lasagna quite a bit, every night is just too much, but I think you get my point.


My  body here is fairly closed to being "ripped", super low bodyfat, vascular, and all muscles, just the way I love it. But it isn't easy getting here, nor is it particularly "fun" and lord knows STAYING here is very difficult.


I made a decision to eat the correct foods, at the right time, and lifted the weights it required and put in the cardio time to burn extra calories. It took a lot of work. What I miss mostly is the wonderful food. 


Once my competition is over (in 16 days as I write this on Friday night), I am faced with another decision. Do I keep doing this, do I completely revert to sloth like eating habits (not that I ever had those), or do I enjoy a little and still strive for a fit body?


The choice is really easy for me actually, I am more interested in health than anything so I tend to eat very well; healthy choices are the norm, and I don't drink much because I love weight training more. But I will enjoy life and the fantastic foods that I have missed, and I will not look like this a few weeks later, simple as that. Don't get me wrong, I will still look great- but not "ripped".


I know that I cannot have both so I make the decision that will make me and my family happiest in the long run.


I talk with a lot of people who want to know how to achieve the "ripped" look, how to lower bodyfat, how to look amazing. And they want to drink and eat everything as usual too.


The answer is simple, but you alone need to make the decision. You cannot have both. Period. Ripped: You must eat properly and it needs to be consistant. Not Ripped: eat whatever you like with that beer.


I actually talk with people at parties or social gatherings and they are holding a cocktail in one hand, chips in the other and they tell me how healthy they eat, they don't understand why they cannot drop those last 10 pounds. And me, being the outspoken individual I am, point to their drink and food and tell them "that is why you canot lose the weight". Typically they say this is not "normal", this is a "special occasion" or "I had a super stressful day". 


We go back and forth about it, they typically offer more excuses, I sip on the liter bottle of water I brought with me. 


I am not being holier-than thou, and I do have wine on occasion, but I am trying to make a  point. Look at your typical weekend, what aren your typical meals?  Do you snack? Do you exercise regularly? Are you consistant?


I like the 90% rule. If you can choose to live "clean" 90% of the time, and that means proper food, no alcohol and regular, strenuous exercise), that leaves 10% to enjoy life's indulgences, and you can still look pretty darn good.


Ultimately, it's your decision though.