What's in your arsenal?

[James Newman]

James Allen penned the following line in his work, As a Man Thinketh:

Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armory of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself; he also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace.

My questions for this thread is this:

• What is in your mental arsenal? What kinds of thoughts or questions do you ask yourself that has helped you to succeed in your quest toward health and wellness?
• What/Who is your secret weapon in this battle? Yeah, I know it won't be a secret then...but go ahead and tell us anyway. Maybe it is a coach, a friend, a relative, significant other. How about a training program, a collection of training programs, or just the matter of sticking with any program...
• What/who is your nemesis, your arch-enemy? We all have our enemies be it thoughts of inferiority (ourselves), inability to perform this or that exercise (our circumstances), or it could be something as simple as not knowing how to perform an exercise (our knowledge) because you think you might look like an idiot. Note: The guy curling in the squat rack is not as knowledgeable as he looks. Let us know what you're up against. My hallucination is that we all fight many of the same battles...

I know that there is a beautiful thing called a search feature on JPF that were I dedicated enough, I could read 6 months of posts or more on a similar subject. I'd rather collect information here. Who knows maybe some things have changed.

To all the lurkers: As my Coach, Coach Staley would say...Don't make me come over there! Why don't you participate in this one as well. I promise, we don't bite but if someone starts looking a little menacing, my buddy Mahler will lay the smack down!

Newman

[Phaedrus49er]

1. What is in your mental arsenal?

"Before" pictures and the remote yet real possibility of having to perform physical under pressure (run toward or from a situation, be able to move a person/body/other heavy object, self-defense, etc).

2. What/Who is your secret weapon in this battle?

See #1.

3. What/Who is your nemesis, your arch-enemy?

My love of good food combined with living in the South. BBQ, hush puppies, casseroles, pies, mac-n-cheese, fried chicken, sweet tea, banana pudding..............

It's pretty simple for me

[Lost Dog]

1. My little mantra is a quote from Captain Dale Dye, USMC. "Food is fuel. Continue the march."

There's a time and a place to revel in and enjoy food for food and fun's sake. Marching to The Battle of The Bulge wasn't that time, nor is sitting in your car, in between appointments. Food is fuel.

2. Who is my secret weapon? That girl, right there. Over there, at that table. She's having a soy latte (no one's perfect). She's happy and fit and obviously cares about her own fitness. I'm guessing she's looking for someone happy and fit, too.

3. My nemesis? I am. Not in the split personality way, either.

I'm an emotional eater. I get down, lonely, sick, angry, etc. and I get "hungry." Unfortunately, as many of us know, this is a vicous circle. Nothing like a binge to make you feel even worse about yourself, right?

[Chris-STL]

1. What is in your mental arsenal?

Something I learned sorta from JB's PN. The worse I eat (read more carbs/sugar) the more I have to workout. So if I have a bad eating day at work, my whole night is spent working out. Add in the fact that because I ate like crap, I feel like crap, its really something I try to avoid.

2. What/Who is your secret weapon in this battle?

My wife and I do this together. It is much harder for me when we are apart. When we are together, it is rare that we are both weak at the same time. I couldn't do this alone. I have a great deal of respect for you guys that do.

3. What/Who is your nemesis, your arch-enemy?

Sweets. I have a monster sugar problem. In high school I can remember working out and wrestling like a fiend and wondering why I was never really getting any better. My daily diet would consist of lucky charms for breakfast, reeses pb cups for lunch, and usually no supper.

[rgv]

1. What is in your mental arsenal?
- The solid understanding that all that matters is what I want to do and the resoluteness to follow through in doing it (this applies to more than just fitness though).

2. What/Who is your secret weapon in this battle?
- Myself. I've never been one to accept compromising myself or my views for anyone or anything and I'm often overly preoccupied with my own self. Left me very depressed/crazy during the teen years because I was evaluating myself based on other people's measurements. When it gets applied to fitness I simply refuse to compromise my diet/plan for anything (#3 is a footnote here though).

3. What/Who is your nemesis, your arch-enemy?
- I will probably be alone on this one, but definitely my parents/being "home" (home in the real sense is my apartment). Everytime I am "home" I have such a sense of overbearing pressure to be X or Y and lack of solitude that I lose all sanity and start to slip (opposite of #2) if I am "home" for more then two weeks. Soon as I get back to my place though all is well and I can rededicate to myself.

[Q.]

Originally Posted by James Newman

• What is in your mental arsenal? What kinds of thoughts or questions do you ask yourself that has helped you to succeed in your quest toward health and wellness?

Gawd, I hate that I'm going to paraphrase OPRAH but no food tastes as good as being thin (-er and healthier) feels!

Also, in terms of general health, I've been unhealthy and it was a wake up call. You can get by with pretending that you can continue doing what you want and eating what you want for only so long... and then you wake up and find that it's already caught up with you.

Originally Posted by James Newman

• What/Who is your secret weapon in this battle? Yeah, I know it won't be a secret then...but go ahead and tell us anyway. Maybe it is a coach, a friend, a relative, significant other. How about a training program, a collection of training programs, or just the matter of sticking with any program...

Just changing habits. I'm often NOT this way but, when I decided to do something, I can be very focused. When I quit smoking, I just quit and never looked back (after 10 years of pack a day). When I lost weight, I lost 40 lbs in two mos. When I decided to finally give up basketball to preserve joints, I looked for an engaging alternative and found weight training. Now I'm transitioning to more swimming and less weight training. That's not exactly comparable to the other two but I didn't just stop being active, I actively looked for something to take its place.

One of the biggest secret weapons for me is actually my strong desire to NOT age any faster than necessary... not vanity but more the desire to avoid all the things that typically go along with aging. My wife and I both are Rx med free and medical people seemed shocked when we tell them we aren't taking anything regularly.

Originally Posted by James Newman

• What/who is your nemesis, your arch-enemy? We all have our enemies be it thoughts of inferiority (ourselves), inability to perform this or that exercise (our circumstances), or it could be something as simple as not knowing how to perform an exercise (our knowledge) because you think you might look like an idiot. Note: The guy curling in the squat rack is not as knowledgeable as he looks. Let us know what you're up against. My hallucination is that we all fight many of the same battles...

COOKIES!!! I don't have enough self-control when it comes to some sweets so I try to stay away from them. Just hard this time of year!

[Aoife]

"What is in your mental arsenal? "

Liking being not fat anymore and hot. My clothes. Man it's a bummer when your jeans are too tight and you can't blame it on the dryer...

"What/Who is your secret weapon in this battle? "

initially an immense will. I just did it, because I wanted it badly enough to forgo anything that would sidetrack me. And a hubby who was doing it with me. no temptation around anyway.
Now, prolly still the hubby, although we're both more lax than we used to be. And a need to not buy new (bigger) clothes. Clothes shopping is only fun when the clothes are little.

"What/who is your nemesis, your arch-enemy? "

those damn dirty keebler elves. they're frikkin evil. them and all their damned cousins.
I really like cookies.
and cake.
and chocolate.
I can forgo most things without a thought, but if I see a damned snickerdoodle, it's like a frikkin torpedo.
at least I don't like twinkies.

I also have issues with being better than other people. I don't like to be. I mean, I do, but then I feel all bad about it and crap. It's this weird little thing in my head... so if most people around me are beer-drinking slackers, I'm more apt to be a cookie monster. I feel weird showing people up, even though I have every right to be proud of my accomplishments and successes, somehow it seems wrong to be. I'm working on that though, because it's a pile of bs and I refuse to let crap like that defeat me.

My yoga instructor had this quote on her website one month... I love it. now, it's also something I'd list as in my arsenal.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
-Marianne Williamson

[RockChuck]

1. What is in your mental arsenal?

The determination to make the changes that I made to get where I am now. A new appreciation for being able to do the things I've always wanted to do, but wasn't in good enough shape to do them when I was bigger. Also knowing how close I was to some serious health issues.

2. What/Who is your secret weapon in this battle?

1. My wife. 2. Online forums like this one. I've beening hanging around JPFitness and the Men's Health forums for a couple of years now. The 52 day challenges on MH have really helped, and the knowledge and support of others are priceless.

3. What/who is your nemesis, your arch-enemy?

Beer. The beer itself is bad enough, but it's also easy to let my guard down when I've had a few and eat something crappy that I normally wouldn't. I generally do a good job of watching myself though, even on cheat nights.

[RacerBill]

Fascinating thread. Great idea, Newman.

1) What is in your mental arsenal.

For me, it was the day-by-day approach. Once I started, I wanted to see how long I could keep "the streak" going. That mindset helped keep me from caving in when it got more difficult.

2) Secret weapon

I had to think about this for a while, and had a bit of an epiphany when I talked to a friend who expected instant results from a couple weeks of exercise. I developed a sense of persistence and patience from being a musician. No one, not even a child prodigy, picks up an instrument and plays like a pro. It's a skill that is developed over the long term, with daily practice and persistent effort, and even the most talented need to continue to hone their skills. I transferred that understanding to training and diet and it allowed me to understand the big-picture concept even after enduring a lousy workout or a dietary indulgence.

I still am a big proponent of music in our schools because I think that consistent discipline is of enormous benefit to kids.

3) Nemesis

I love food. I'm a huge fan of Food Network and PBS cooking shows and I'm an avid amateur chef with a well-equipped kitchen. I have a passion for learning new techniques and trying new recipes and types of food. If I can channel that energy into "clean" cuisine, great. But that doesn't always happen. I still love cookies, cake, pasta, bread, etc. and it's hard to stay away.

[James Newman]

2) Secret weapon

I had to think about this for a while, and had a bit of an epiphany when I talked to a friend who expected instant results from a couple weeks of exercise. I developed a sense of persistence and patience from being a musician. No one, not even a child prodigy, picks up an instrument and plays like a pro. It's a skill that is developed over the long term, with daily practice and persistent effort, and even the most talented need to continue to hone their skills. I transferred that understanding to training and diet and it allowed me to understand the big-picture concept even after enduring a lousy workout or a dietary indulgence.

I still am a big proponent of music in our schools because I think that consistent discipline is of enormous benefit to kids.

WOW! I am completely blown away and agree 100% with this analogy. It clearly expresses my sentiment that I am just a host here and will also be on this quest for the rest of my life. No matter where on the continuum I may be, I have made that sort of commitment.

Thank you for posting this...

Newman

[Cynic]

1. Two parts:

1. I used to think all the strain of getting in and out of a car, the aches and pains were a part of getting up there in age. Then I met Mahler and other 40-50 somethings who were living good solid healthy lives and told myself it doesn't have to be that way. It doesn't. Getting older doesn't mean getting feeble.
2. I'm not going to lie, I'm also doing this to look more attractive to women.

2. The DB2 admin on the sixth floor, the russian UNIX admin in the other building, the swanky lady I see at Bally's on the weekends, etc.

3. Bulgarian split squats, though I'm working harder on these to improve them, anything chocolate, DOMS (I'm a wuss when it comes to working through this) and measuring portions. I'm terrible about measuring portions for calorie control. Also, the weekends. I tend to not eat on the weekends.

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by Q.

COOKIES!!! I don't have enough self-control when it comes to some sweets so I try to stay away from them. Just hard this time of year!

Oh, hell yeah! I found some reasonably not so unhealthy cookies from a local bakery that produces healthy breads (Natural Oven Bakery) and they make a Chocolate Chip-Raspberry cookie that is awesome!

http://www.naturalovens.com/Shop/Bak...y_Cookies.html

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by Cynic

Oh, hell yeah! I found some reasonably not so unhealthy cookies from a local bakery that produces healthy breads (Natural Oven Bakery) and they make a Chocolate Chip-Raspberry cookie that is awesome!

http://www.naturalovens.com/Shop/Bak...y_Cookies.html

I wish I had the willpower to eat healthy cookies and stop. I have to exactly zero cookies.

[Sign]

• What is in your mental arsenal? What kinds of thoughts or questions do you ask yourself that has helped you to succeed in your quest toward health and wellness?

I ask myself constantly if I am happy looking like I do, and then asking myself why I continue down this path of self-distruction if I don't enjoy looking like this.

• What/Who is your secret weapon in this battle? Yeah, I know it won't be a secret then...but go ahead and tell us anyway. Maybe it is a coach, a friend, a relative, significant other. How about a training program, a collection of training programs, or just the matter of sticking with any program...

My secret weapons in this battle are the NROL, my blog, and a picture that my girlfriend put on the fridge of us and our friends in Mexico. She put it up just because, but everytime I see it it is a reminder of how bad I have gotten and keeps me focused.

• What/who is your nemesis, your arch-enemy? We all have our enemies be it thoughts of inferiority (ourselves), inability to perform this or that exercise (our circumstances), or it could be something as simple as not knowing how to perform an exercise (our knowledge) because you think you might look like an idiot. Note: The guy curling in the squat rack is not as knowledgeable as he looks. Let us know what you're up against. My hallucination is that we all fight many of the same battles...

Well, everything you mentioned there is a nemesis of mine. I have major self-confidence issues and I am always second guessing myself. I avoid doing many activities and going out with friends. I am always worried that I am not performing exercises properly and that I am going to injure myself. My biggest nemesis is my self-conciousness. There have been so many times when I have simply bailed on my workout before getting through the doors because I see a lot of people at the weights and I am too embarrased/nervous to workout with my lighter weights or poor form. I am always afraid people are judging me and even though I shouldn't care, often times it is enough to make me skip my workout for the day.

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

I wish I had the willpower to eat healthy cookies and stop. I have to exactly zero cookies.

That company makes all kinds of good stuff. They have a granola I used to add to oatmeal to thicken it.

They also make kick ass bagels: brainy, wheat, raspberry, blueberry, yumm.

All their stuff has to be frozen until ready to use because it has no preservatives.

[Cynic]