How have you improved yourself this week/month/year? Lifting isn't life, a well-balanced human being is productive, has hobbies, pushes him/herself to succeed, is charismatic, and strives to live the best life they can. Share your successes, failures, methods, and everything in between.
Basic Recommendations: >Have a productivity Framework that is flexible. A mindset that gets you going. >Use a calendar, like google calendar. Hours and shit for things YOU WILL DO. >Learn to focus. >Meditate. >Do routines for things you should do periodically/daily, this should cover daily things or weekly chores such as laundry, cleaning, shopping. >Identify and Eliminate conflicts within yourself. >Focus on identifying the time wasters in your life and eliminate them. >Focus on the essentials. If you try to do everything at once you’ll burnout. Little by little.
Resources: >web.archive.org/web/20161029073323/http://www.arcitea.com:80/ - Good all around for self development (Original site died) >www.bakadesuyo.com/blog/ - Good blog for self development >www.habitrpg.com - Great tool for self development, see the chapter on it
got back into lifting with a 5 day PPLRPPR routine studying ahead for classes got me less worried and stressed about finishing my degree haven't felt the need to masturbate and waste my testosterone because i've been grinding actual important shit been applying to more jobs for the summer so i don't become a NEET asked a girl out and she said yes
You're on good track. Don't lose your drive and keep going!
Gavin Morgan
Cleaned the flat, met a friend, went to the gym. A good day so far.
Nathan Russell
>Be me 24 >Moved to my own last summer >Started lifting sept >Improved relations with colleagues >Aced exams Yesterday in a gym I benched 75kg for the first time. Today I'm on NoFap for 29 days, on noporn since october. Started seriously learning VBA coding in my free time. I've never felt so alive and so powerfull.
Parker Wright
If I went on a bulk, got strong as fuck but didn’t really gain much muscle with all the fat, would it be acceptable to cut super hard and faster than 2lbs a week until I’m lean enough to start a slow bulk aimed at hypertrophy?
Nathaniel Ortiz
sticked to a short daily stretching routine for a few months now. also added in daily meditation afterwards for 5-15min depending usually 10min.
it is really remarkable how much better my posture has gotten just from doing a few basic stretches on a daily basis. also I had really tight traps and upper back often and that is all but gone nowadays, it used to be so bad at times that I got a headache from it now I dont have it anymore.
I made a mistake today. I've went 20g overboard on my carbo quota. I'm still in my caloric boundary and i'm still in my sugar/fat boundary. But I'm trying to gain weight so does that even matter? On a lighter note i hit new records on my BP,quat,DL, and OHP finally [spoiler]But I lost my job and I ate an entire 550g of PB over four days because of it[/spoiler]
Ryder Carter
>learned to have a non ejaculatory orgasm so i dont spill my seed >reading a book a week >trying to meditate at least 5 minutes a day >praying more and getting closer to jesus >doing a lot better in school >me and my girlfriend are commincating better SI is a chain reaction, improve one aspect of your life and you cant help yourself but to improve the rest of it
Sure, my main problem with my posture was forward head posture alongside anterior pelvic tilt. Also I had rather bad squat mobility which I wanted to fix, I knew I read that short daily stretching is better than long sessions just once or twice a week so I decided to do a short daily stretch while watching netflix or youtube before bed so I went for a few basic stretches that I found helped me with my issues.
>hip flexor stretch (get on one knee and have the other leg at a 90° angle to the floor then push your hips forward and hold) >quad stretch (usually lying down but can be done standing) >squat stretch (get into a deep squat position and push your knees out) >lower back stretch (like pic related, can also be done standing by puttung your hands on your lower back and leaning back) >roll your entire spine up as far as you can starting by tucking your neck then bending your upper back and so on, as far down as you can go until you feel tension then stay in that position or move and up and down slowly before you reverse the motion. slight bend in your knees.
every stretch for 2 rounds and holding for around 20 seconds. sometimes I also throw in some shoulder mobility stuff or foam rolling. and I started doing neck exercises twice a week at home, just simple neck extensions and neck curls. maybe that helped as well with my posture...
Can someone rate my diet? 1700 calories, about 600 deficit >breakfast 4 large eggs, 1 banana >Mid morning snack Banana >lunch Half cup white rice, 6 oz ground turkey, cup mixed veggies >dinner Half cup white rice, 1lb chicken, cup mixed veggies
I may eat some of the chicken separately with my mid morning banana just because an entire lb of chicken in one meal may be too filling desu
Charles Davis
Newb quick answer question:
How do I safely and properly enter a 72 hour fast and how should I break it?
Got drunk for the first time in three years, I still can't wrap my head around the idea there are people who go like this every week
Alexander King
I'm on day 2 of getting up at 6am to workout. I'm usually a night owl so this is a big shift for me.
Carter Thompson
>enter stop eating >break it eat 72 hours is nothing to write home about. you don't need to worry about anything. put a pinch of salt in water you drink, like a small pinch in every glass, and you'll be right as rain. eat what you want when you start eating again, but you should be eating healthy anyway and not gorging on pizza etc.
Levi Russell
>every week I do it every day, it's the only way to fall asleep.
Evan Mitchell
Is taking horny goat weed a bad idea? My libido is a little low unless I take it
Thomas Thomas
What about the more extensive ones? 7 days or longer? Is there any precautions one should follow coming out of say 10 day fast?
not bad make sure to get dark leafy greens - spinach and healthy fats - avocado
Juan Lewis
I think I need to pay the dentist a visit but I'm afraid of doing that given my oral hygiene probably isn't the best. How do I overcome my fear? I know they've probably seen worse teeth but still.
Oliver Baker
Not the same user. It's very real and it works. >Mantak Chia - The Multi Orgasmic Man
Jonathan Brown
if you read the /fast/ general thread the consensus is that re-feed issues only become a thing after 14 days, and then you need to break in the digestive system with light food like a broth or a bowl of (puree) soup and some veggies like cucumber, then start eating properly again. that's just good practice though for all longer fasts in general. if you ask in the general, someone would provide the sources.
Ethan Cook
What a dumbass you are
Hunter Cruz
So is this how I should be eating? I was having trouble these past couple months but I think this is something I can actually follow and feel full with
Oliver James
>realise my parents taught me nothing >have to learn everything myself, from how to actually do laundry and maintain clothing to finance Currently soaking all my shirts (2 loads--whites versus colors) in white vinegar and cold water to hopefully get the pit stains out. All this time I've been walking around in stained clothes thinking it was normal. Going to start trying to improve my eyesight, I'll try going for long walks without my glasses and distance-increasing for reading without them. Not sure if it will work but a few anons said they saw improvement. Currently -9... If I don't change it I'll walk around with 3 inches of glass on my face. Hopefully I can cross a street without getting hit by a car. Why did our parents not set us up for success? Just found out bad vision is caused by lack of outdoors time as a child. I wish I could shoot my parents in the head, why have a kid if you don't want to properly raise it? Fuckstains.
Jonathan Murphy
How does that stretch lower back? It is the opposite of a stretch. Gives me a cramp.
Cooper Gutierrez
I used to have really luscious thick hair with a healthy hairline but now it's receding and I probably have 5-10 years before I go full bald. Right now I have a head full of hair and the receding hairline isn't showing at all because of the thickness but I'm tired of the dread and taking care of it. Should I just get a buzzcut and adopt the bald life? I can still get a decent amount of hair (probably between Norwood I to II) and in the past when I used to have a buzzcut I got compliments of looking masculine.
What facial characteristic are required to rock a bald head properly? long face, high cheekbones etc?
Angel White
I'm generally very lazy when it comes to household activities I always postpone pretty basic tasks but today I cleaned my fridge inside and out threw out all old stuff, made that nigga sparkle
Nathaniel Foster
Should I do a Marie Kondo inspired purge of my belongings?
Oliver Campbell
>I've went 20g overboard on my carbo quota. Nice knowing ya. May as well give up now.
Camden Morris
>Just keep going user! is just a bad phase, everything is gonna be allright!
Fuckin when anons? it seems like my life is stuck into bad or worse. I can't even imagine myself willing to live another day. I'm not even pushing anymore, is just inertia.
shred a piece of paper into strips write things you like doing on them choose some at random and notice which make you feel better break those activities out as needed >t. lifting is one of mine
Blake Phillips
Spent around 6 hours cleaning my home, including oven, bath tub and fridge. Dusting, wiping, vacuuming. The fucking toilet. Now I can feel like I can invite a girl over to my place.
Had leg day today. Decreased around 10kg to focus on my form... still spent around 2.5hrs in the gym.
Already a month into NoFap fad, nothing special about it but also don't wanna watch porn anymore. Have to rely on imagination. Maybe this will help with dick health, idk.
Adrian Mitchell
My ex came home from a trip with an STD and a new boyfriend last thursday. She wasnt my ex last wednesday.
Ive been there before so ive had my guard up throughout the year we spent together, also her breath and tits was terrible.
Lucas Murphy
>2.5hrs in the gym Jesus don't you think that's bit much? Are you waiting like 10 mins inbetween sets or something?
Christopher Sanders
Well, I also remember when my gf let me. that thing hardened me as nothing could. but the ugly part of this is the feeling that things don't get better. you just keep waiting the next punch. I used to read, play guitar, train... I don't feel like doing anything anymore, I'm tired. the kind of tired you don't fix sleeping. I'm disgusted.
Thomas Bailey
Cardio + legs + abs + stretching.
Gavin Ortiz
Accept that life is suffering and you only ever get what you worked for. You might now look at your peers and think that isnt true since they had it easy compared to you and you might very well be right. The thing is however you have to realize there are so many people who had it far worse and yet havent given up.
For me the "cure" to this defeatist mindset was improving myself alongside accepting myself and my flaws. I know why I am a bit fucked up in the head and I made peace with it. The tools I used for this were working out which taught me discipline and showed me I can be much more. What also helped was having something to work for in an intellectual way and the better I did at university and later in my job the more my confidence grew. Yet I still wasnt happy it just felt like the next challenge comes right after the last was overcome... So I started meditation and soon realized most of my problems that still seemingly remained were just in my head. Self sabotage, self hate, lingering depression and feeling sorry for myself. I am now in the process of letting go of these flaws and meditation helps a great deal. I still have the occasional bad day but I now know it is just my mind messing with me and my old self clinging to the last straw to pull me back down. Godspeed user, I hope you make it...
Josiah Cook
I've almost made it, maybe another 6 months and I'll have a brad pitt body, and in another year the body I really want. Thanks /SIG/ here and on Jow Forums
You can get more volume for sure with PPL, but how does it compare to the 5x5s e.g. Reg Park, SS? Is making the switch worth it?
Leo White
Those are my results doing ONLY PPL. I've been lifting 2 months dog. I've never done a 5x5 3 day routine. I'm researching what to switch to after newbie gains are used up and it's looking like the 4 day PHUL routine has great success as well as the texas lifts method. I'm probably going to try PHUL. I'm also considering staying with a more advanced PPL because I really like a 6 day program. I love lifting.
Owen James
My sleep schedule is fucked. I sleep at 5 am and wake up at 2 pm because i have fuck all to do. I ship out to boot camp on the 26 so i have no job and i've just been working out for it. how do i fix my sleep times?
Either stay up for 24 hours and then sleep at the right time, or gradually move your sleep time back by 30 min over the course of 2 weeks or so. It's going to suck, but if you have a reason to do it then you will.
Gabriel Fisher
It's literally just about mentality user. I haven't had sex in years and I don't miss it because I choose to delude myself into thinking it's immoral. You can do the same thing with everything.
Aaron Bell
this >Either stay up for 24 hours and then sleep at the right time Force yourself to be awake, then hit the bed and force yourself to wake up at a certain hour. Your week will suck, guaranteed, but this will fix the problem. I can't. People tell me this and I believe it works for certain people, it just don't work for me. I can't believe something if I know I'm fooling myself.
Isaiah Ramirez
buzzcut and cope with the bald life like I did nothing more annoying than baldlets that don't trim their hair, but a bald guy with decent body and shaved/buzzcut hair is alright
Colton Lewis
> I can't believe something if I know I'm fooling myself. I guess that's the thing. You gotta believe your delusion. Like I do.
Julian Green
Turn off all lights, computer, phone and go to bed by 10pm, read a book and stare at the ceiling until you're sleepy, even if takes hours. This isn't just self-discipline stuff: lights, blue lights in general, literally stop your body from producing melatonin, the sleep hormone.
What you eat can also either help or ruin your sleep. Avoid fats and protein before bed and eat foods that contain tryptophan. There are some teas that can make you sleepy as well and help you adjust your biological clock, but I don't know the names.
When I was first meditating I'd always fall sleep in the middle of it, so if you lay down and can't sleep, try doing that. Just close your eyes and try to avoid having any thoughts.
Alexander Sullivan
Abs are finally coming through. I'm making it, Jow Forums! When does my gf arrive?
Luis Adams
If you're trying to improve your life, then keeping the right mindset is very important. There have been many studies on the power of positive attitude and self-suggestion and it works. But remember, you're not telling any of that to your "rational" side, but to your subconscious, that may be what is dragging you down. There are some words or phrases that really do sink into the depths of your mind with enough reaffirmation and repetition, and become part of you. Good AND bad words/phrases btw, which is why when people say something shitty to you you should try to avoid thinking about that and reliving that moment.
But that's if you're trying to improve your life. If you've given up than fuck that, swallow the blackpill and just sink in bitterness like everyone else.
Chase Hughes
I'm a terrible reader. Probably related to internet addiction but even tho I'm better I can't pick up a book. It's kind of important since I want to become a writer because I like it and I'm good with making stories and words in general but I just can't seem to ever be in the mood of reading something, even short stories like Poe's for example... Wat do?
you could use cold turkey and just set a timer to stop you from using the internet. Or just go somewhere with limited access o the internet and read a book there like in a park without your phone. Finally just swear to read at least one chapter a day and read it in the span of 24 hours.
David Parker
I'm already taking 400mg of magnesium, 30g of zinc and 6000 IU of vitamin D3. What's some supplements that noticeably worked for you ?
Habit and repetition bro. Get a kindle, find a comfortable spot, read like 10 pages every day, increase the number when it becomes natural. Your focus will improve with time.
Aaron Wilson
It's retarded as fuck to take those supps together. They interfere with absorption of each other.
Adam Robinson
Has anyone here honestly known anyone who was a loser for most of their lives, like through their 20s, and somehow managed to overcome it and become normal? Like the typical "forever alone" type, or your typical Jow Forums type loser?
I only ask because that's basically me at 27 years old and I'm so depressed miserable and hopeless that I honestly can't even see a way I become even semi-normal, and getting motivation when everything in my life is horrible is very difficult.
Wyatt Young
Feeling pretty good right now guys.
Was depressed suicidal etc. for years but now at 19 (20 in a few months) I feel like I've finally been getting my life on track.
I feel like I've almost conquered all of the demons that led me to that place.
In hindsight, I don't really believe my depression was my fault. I was genuinely just incredibly unlucky.
1) Incredibly toxic parents 2) Incredibly toxic siblings 3) basically no 'real' friends at school - the only 'friends' I had were crab box mentality guys who'd often ignore me or take credit for my ideas/jokes, or flat out put me down and bully me about them. 4) Toxic teachers who basically participated in the bullying/jeering at me/'lets all pick on user because he doesn't know how to stand up for himself and it makes me feel better' 5) Incredibly toxic 'internet' friends, that only happened to be my 'internet' friends because we'd started playing vidya together to escape reality 6) Got to University, met more incredibly toxic people
Been snaked countless times by people who said they were my 'friends'.
Sigh.
HOWEVER anons my luck appears to be turning around! I've met a really cool new group of people who are as into talking about Philosophy/Politics/Literature etc. as I am, and are happy for me to be myself and think my hobbies are cool. I've also found talking to girls easier and easier, and regularly find girls wanting to get with me in clubs/in real life. I've been going to the gym for nearly 4 months and can FINALLY take (incredibly misleading) gym selfies that look incredible to normies. I'm comfortable in my interests, excited to improve my life.
(1)
Matthew Stewart
if everyone you have ever met in your entire life including your entire family are "toxic" maybe there's another answer. stop blaming everyone else
Adrian James
She doesn't, you need to get her
Dominic Richardson
It's also been interesting noticing that, as I've been improving my life, maybe all but two or three people (actual friends) feel like they're frozen in time, stuck in place, still bitching about the same things that happened years ago, having the same negative conversations that they had years ago, and look at me with disgust (as they probably always did behind my back).
I finally set my PC up again (haven't had it on for about a year and a half) and it's strange coming back into my 'world' that was here, it's like nothing's changed and it was exactly how I left it.
My internet friends however are still having the same arguments, making the same jokes, the same crab box mentality as they did in 2013/14/15 etc.
I'm looking forward to using my PC to improve my life however.
Vidya is a fantastic way of dealing with some of the stresses in life (all of which, in due time, I will confront), and also I'm really looking forward to learning a new role in League of Legends!
Looking forward to my 20s boys!
(2)
Christian Richardson
Yeah mate I thought it was me the whole time but it genuinely isn't.
Virtually everyone I knew back home including my family would try to put me down, rubbish my achievements, laugh at me.
Now that I'm not a doormat for them to express their insecurities anymore most of them don't want anything to do with me.
I'm not exaggerating here. My sheer presence of being happy, motivated for the future and kind to everyone gets rubbished by virtually everyone I knew.
There was very much an attitude of 'well at least I'm not user'. Now that I'm starting to not be a loser anymore, most people don't want to talk to me as I don't justify their insecurities anymore.
Dominic Perez
Go volunteer at a charity shop. They'll be happy to have you, and the interaction will do you good. This reads like incel related satire. What so everyone around you is an asshole? Protip, that means that it's YOU being the asshole.
Jaxon Fisher
Yeah, my sister's boyfriend.
Dude was weirdest motherfucker when I met him for the first time. Just couldn't hold a conversation and seemed not to know about anything, like he was living in his own world all the time. Didn't know what was going on in politics, sports, movie, culture in general. He wanted to be a hip-hop producer and had never had a real job, I think he was 28 or something. The only thing I could really talk to him about was his dumb music, and he then acted like I was being intrusive.
They've been together for three years and I don't really see them a lot, but every time we meet he seems a lot better. Got a job and went back to college, he looks healthier, talking to him is not like pulling teeth anymore, etc. And my sister doesn't complain all the time about him not being able to do anything a grown up should anymore.
Jeremiah Clark
>Boo hoo everyone around me is a toxic asshole Has it not occurred to you yet?
Jacob Collins
Weak bait
Thomas Rivera
Yeah I suppose you guys are right. Not much I can do about my flatmates at University being horrible and my family being horrible though.
I should've tried to make more of an effort with people at my sixth form I suppose, most of them were alright, I was just too wrapped up in my head about thinking everyone hated me to try I suppose.
Oh well, the importance is going forward I suppose.
