So What's Holding You Back?

[CJ]

I thought it would be good to start a thread where we could share our biggest mistakes made in our fitness journeys. Mistakes that if we could go back in time, and had the experiences we have now, we would definitely change.

And for the specimens who've made good decisions or had a good coach/mentor from the beginning, what are the things that you believe helped you the most?

I think it'd be cool for some of the newer lifters and younger members to see what we've done, and learn from our mistakes and successes. They can be training, nutrition, and/or drug related.

For me, it's constantly switching up what I'm doing, aka Program Hopping. Never giving myself time to progress and build upon what I'm doing. The never ending quest to find the perfect program, the perfect exercises in the perfect order. Always looking for perfection and not being happy with good enough. Still doing it to this day.

What are yours?

 

[The Tater]

Mine is definitely lack of dedication to a good diet. If you are as dedicated to diet as you are to training and recovery/rest, you will be in a great spot. You have to hit all 3 for maximum benefit.

 

[Naktakala]

Mine is not raising calories after I dieted for fear of gaining weight. You end up with an adapted metabolism, no energy and no progress in the gym.

 

[Watson0220]

Good thread. Mine is a combination of overthinking and not being consistent with diet. Hoping to find a good coach to help keep me accountable and steer me in the right direction though

 

[Gadawg]

I dont cycle so I dont have much drug knowledge but for training purposes, I wish I would have learned about Dorian Yates style HIT training back in high school

 

[BrotherIron]

My mind. I tend to let it **** me when it should sharpen my focus.

I'm also not selfish enough to see my current potential. I can't put myself first before everyone and everything... not anymore.

 

[CohibaRobusto]

My biggest mistake was not eating enough early on and not doing enough research to know that I had to eat more. I put my faith in a trainer who signed off on me doing a "lean bulk," which was stupid for someone in my condition.

I was 6'1" 175 lbs and focused on losing a tiny bit of bodyfat while getting bigger. So basically my first year was just a recomp. Not a total waste, but i would have progressed a lot more if I hadn't been obsessed on staying sub 15% bodyfat.

I've been progressing really good the last year, so not sure what is holding me back now, but if anything does in the future I can imagine it will be hitting a wall with food intake.

 

[Sicwun88]

Not taking my diet seriously! Too much partying instead of staying focused!

 

[Jin]

Mentally weak, shit genetics, stress through the roof because of my unpaid job as a moderator, pretty sure I have Epstein Barr, clubfoot, ugly, poor attitude, all fruit loops diet.

Stopped lifting years ago.

 

[Solomc]

Not hiring a nutritionist sooner.

 

[Jabber01]

Being consistent with nutrition and training over long periods.

 

[ComeBacKid85]

Thanks for this thread CJ. Nothing is holding me back! I must eat better! I must train harder!! I mustn’t make excuses!!! Life is hard, but I want to be harder:32 (9):

 

[snake]

They say you learn from your mistakes and that they make you better. If that's the case, I wish I had made more mistakes. All honestly, I wouldn't change a damn thing.

 

[Kellkell26]

I wish I wasn't so scared of the scale last year and tracked my protein intake more and ate more in general as well. I wish I didn't skip the gym or cut my workouts short for my ex. Wish I put my health first. Cant change the past but I've learned valuable lessons and still have SO much to learn.

 

[creekrat]

Taking someone’s advice, even very knowledgeable on that specific subject, without trying to understand why their point was what it was. Trust but verify with everything. The better you understand the why the easier the execution becomes

 

[HydroEJP88]

My biggest anchor is my massive abundance of mental health issues

 

[Straight30weight]

My mind. Cant ever keep the diet in check, some of that is financial, costs a lot to eat a lot. I'm incredibly limited in the foods I eat. My mind won't shut off to sleep.

The training is always on point. The issues are all upstairs.

 

[tinymk]

Nutrition aspect of eating to get big. I wasted a lot of time in this area

 

[BigSwolePump]

Diet for sure. I always ate big but I didn't understand the macros aspect like getting enough protein and eating less fat.

I ate big macs like the Hamburgerlar early on because I thought that a calorie was a calorie.

Looking back, I should have been eating more protein, less fat and whole lot more good carbs.


Being almost 300lbs and lifting more than everyone else in the gym was cool but doing it at 30% bodyfat was stupid. I looked like a fat baffoon.


After I changed my diet and dropped 15-20% bodyfat, I was lifting more and I could walk to bathroom without sweating and panting like I just got ass raped by a gorilla.

From there I got the fever and bodybuilding became my passion even though I still repped out what a lot of the powerlifters were RMing lol.

My point being, you don't have to be fat to look big and move big weight.


IMO, diet is everything.

 

[ATLRigger]

What BigSwolePump said: too much fat in the diet with a lack of good carbs.
Only past few months have I started to eat a more traditional bodybuilder’s diet.
I’ve been on gear for 8 months and I got out my winter plaid shirts a few days ago. They were way too small.

Oh yea, and the other big mistake I made for most of my workout in high school and college (1990s and 2000s) was not training legs or deadlifting.

This is your core and you will be a weak man or woman if you neglect your legs and lower back.