Health Freak...

[Mini]

Truth..

And the worst combination of them all is going to a bar/pub/restaurant/nightclub without drinking, for whatever personal reason be it economic/practicality/conviction/health. I like to think I'm a social and fun guy even without 10 beers in my gut, but I've had friends basically say I've ruined their evening because they won't drink if I don't.

I've since addressed the issue by telling my close friends to get used to it because I'm not going to change my ways because of their insecurities and they are slowly coming around to the idea. I'm going to try an experiment next time I go out; buy ONE beer the whole night. Just carry it around and use it for toasts etc to make other people (strangers) comfortable. I can see myself leaving a full bottle of beer on the bar just before leaving.

I should note that I'm not opposed to drinking in any way, it's just that I want to do it on my own terms and not because someone else doesn't feel comfortable drinking without everyone else doing it.

[7611masari]

actually, there's a really easy trick around that. Tell the bartender in advance that you want water with an olive when you ask for a martini. Nobody ever asks if you do that, they just assume it's gin.

[wrenchhands]

Let's see

Used to smoke pot. A bunch. Don't do that anymore.

Used to do a variety of drugs. I regret doing them, but don't anymore.

Used to drink. Not everyday, but when I did, I drank to get drunk. And I did. Now I'm a teetotaler. (No drink in 3 months!) I can even spell teetotaler right.

Don't smoke cigs. Used to. No mas.

Used to drink coffee and soda. 2 or 3 big cups in the morning, and then maybe a soda if I was tired before work. Now, no coffee or soda.

Don't eat fast food anymore, though I wasn't a huge fast foodie to begin with. (Note: I don't consider Subway fastfood. They give ya about a cm thick of meat and tons of veggies. Compare that to a greasy burger or something, I feel it's healthier.)

Meat.... ok, I still eat meat. I'm trying to go vegetarian (I see no problem with dairy or eggs), but not yet.

I've pretty much channeled my ocd/habitual behavior from all that into working out. You can't take the addictive personality out of me, but I can put it into being healthier.

But

I still enjoy a candy bar after work on a friday, a soda if I'm out eating pizza, or a big ole bucket of greasy popcorn and the movies. I don't care if it's unhealthy. To paraphrase Bill Hicks "Health food eaters die.... everyday". And hey, it's been than 2 40 ouncers of malt liquor and a pack of cigs, like my nights used to be.

[wrenchhands]

Oh yeah, as for not drinking, I tell people "I don't drink anymore."

I had to quit drinking cause I fell a good 25 feet off a ledge whilst intoxicated. Telling them that, and pointing out my slightly broke nose usually gets the point across drinkings no good for me.

[jak3dude]

I'm just considered the health expert by family and friends, even though I don't know much about it...

All the guys at school are like "You're so big" "Dude check him out, he's ripped" "What do you do to get big like that?" Well compared to them (mostly skinny or out of shape) I guess I might be, but I'm by no means big or ripped...

I guess I'm leaner than most naturally, but that's about it, so it showcases what muscles I have much more than it would someone else.

[dare]

Reading through this thread actually makes me feel pretty fortunate.

I work in a graduate student office with some pretty serious athletes (mostly endurance - long distance cyclist, triathlete, long distance runner) and quite a few recreational athletes. Our office "closet" (where we all have a cabinet for storage) is pretty much filled with various workout equipment - badminton and squash racquets, hockey sticks, wall climbing stuff, shorts/t-shirts/etc.). No one bats an eye at pretty much anything.

When we go out, food choices run the gamut from burgers to salad and drinks from hard liquor to beer to soda to water. Whatever you choose, everyone's fine with it.

Yeah, this thread makes me feel quite lucky. Thanks.

[eLvarouza]

Oh yeah, as for not drinking, I tell people "I don't drink anymore."

I had to quit drinking cause I fell a good 25 feet off a ledge whilst intoxicated. Telling them that, and pointing out my slightly broke nose usually gets the point across drinkings no good for me.

Dang wrenchhands sounds like you've had a helluva time =/. It's awesome that you quit all that stuff though. Great going!

[darcnite201]

I'm an unquestionable, proud, and completely unwavering health freak.

I'll toast with water at a wedding. I'll pack a cooler full of acceptable food on road trips. I haven't eaten anything that anyone would ever call a dessert in over a year. I won't eat cake on my birthday, even if someone buys me one. Above all, I live on a college campus. Refer back to sentence two. I never drink, without exception.

The amount of shit I get for my lifestyle is laughable. People like those who post on this website will look like they're 60 at age 80. Years and years from now, we'll watch our friends and family members acquire walkers and canes. We put in our time at the gym and get repaid with years of good life. We're societies greatest investors. We invest in ourselves.

The best is when someone says "just eat it. It won't kill you." Is that really you're standard? What'll kill you? I set my sights a bit higher than what'll kill me. I look for what will make me stronger.

[eLvarouza]

The best is when someone says "just eat it. It won't kill you." Is that really you're standard? What'll kill you? I set my sights a bit higher than what'll kill me. I look for what will make me stronger.

I hate when people are so ignorant/arrogant as to say things like that. It's as if they have no respect for the decisions other people make. I occasionally get tempted to have cheat meals, and it's so much easier to not do so when there aren't people saying "oh just have one!" or whatever. Thankfully, I've been good at now allowing them to influence me

[Mini]

I'm an unquestionable, proud, and completely unwavering health freak.

I'll toast with water at a wedding. I'll pack a cooler full of acceptable food on road trips. I haven't eaten anything that anyone would ever call a dessert in over a year. I won't eat cake on my birthday, even if someone buys me one. Above all, I live on a college campus. Refer back to sentence two. I never drink, without exception.

I've been this disciplined on occasion and looking back on those I can remember me feeling good both physically and mentally. Sure I took a lot of shit from people around me but it was so worth it.

The amount of shit I get for my lifestyle is laughable. People like those who post on this website will look like they're 60 at age 80. Years and years from now, we'll watch our friends and family members acquire walkers and canes. We put in our time at the gym and get repaid with years of good life. We're societies greatest investors. We invest in ourselves.

The best is when someone says "just eat it. It won't kill you." Is that really you're standard? What'll kill you? I set my sights a bit higher than what'll kill me. I look for what will make me stronger.

I love this mindset. It will fuel me when I attempt the straight and narrow this time around. Awesome!

[hazmat]

I'm an unquestionable, proud, and completely unwavering health freak.

I'll toast with water at a wedding. I'll pack a cooler full of acceptable food on road trips. I haven't eaten anything that anyone would ever call a dessert in over a year. I won't eat cake on my birthday, even if someone buys me one. Above all, I live on a college campus. Refer back to sentence two. I never drink, without exception.

The amount of shit I get for my lifestyle is laughable. People like those who post on this website will look like they're 60 at age 80. Years and years from now, we'll watch our friends and family members acquire walkers and canes. We put in our time at the gym and get repaid with years of good life. We're societies greatest investors. We invest in ourselves.

The best is when someone says "just eat it. It won't kill you." Is that really you're standard? What'll kill you? I set my sights a bit higher than what'll kill me. I look for what will make me stronger.

While I don't necessarily disagree with anything you've said here, there is something to be said about living a little. If you're only living the "straight and narrow" as a means to make yourself feel more lordly than the plebs who don't, than you're doing it for all the wrong reasons. Looking down your nose at people who don't understand why you live your life the way you do is no different than those same people giving you shit for your life decisions. I'm not accusing anyone of this, just putting it out there as something to be avoided. We're all guilty of it at one time or another.

[mjh]

The other thing that happens is that people can't wait to bust you breaking your "rules". Eat a slice of pizza and all of a sudden it's "off the diet, are you?" Forget about trying to explain the concept of a cheat meal, it will just sound like justifying weakness to them. They view any relaxation of whatever rules they think you're following as hypocrisy or weakness.

Just yesterday I walked into the staff room with an ice cream, and the smug look on one co-worker's face made me want to ram the stick into their eye.

Another workmate, who's much bigger than I but is letting himself go, got snarky when he saw me drinking my pre-workout shake. "That shit isn't going to turn you into Arnold, you know." I asked him what he thought was in the shake. "Whey, isn't it? That's chemicals man, you need to eat real food." Aside from the chemicals thing, my shake was whey, milk, oats, flax seeds, yoghurt, banana and green tea. I told him not to criticise my methods until he knows what they are.

[hazmat]

The other thing that happens is that people can't wait to bust you breaking your "rules". Eat a slice of pizza and all of a sudden it's "off the diet, are you?" Forget about trying to explain the concept of a cheat meal, it will just sound like justifying weakness to them. They view any relaxation of whatever rules they think you're following as hypocrisy or weakness.

Just yesterday I walked into the staff room with an ice cream, and the smug look on one co-worker's face made me want to ram the stick into their eye.

Another workmate, who's much bigger than I but is letting himself go, got snarky when he saw me drinking my pre-workout shake. "That shit isn't going to turn you into Arnold, you know." I asked him what he thought was in the shake. "Whey, isn't it? That's chemicals man, you need to eat real food." Aside from the chemicals thing, my shake was whey, milk, oats, flax seeds, yoghurt, banana and green tea. I told him not to criticise my methods until he knows what they are.

I get this once in a while. It can be irritating because of the smugness of the person making the accusation. Last I checked, there's no rule to weight lifting or being healthy that says you have to eat one way all the time. If you don't allow yourself a cheat meal once in a while, IMHO, you'll go nuts.

[eLvarouza]

The other thing that happens is that people can't wait to bust you breaking your "rules". Eat a slice of pizza and all of a sudden it's "off the diet, are you?" Forget about trying to explain the concept of a cheat meal, it will just sound like justifying weakness to them. They view any relaxation of whatever rules they think you're following as hypocrisy or weakness.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[Buffalo150]

...perfect is the enemy of good.

100% compliance...sets a standard for failure at some point, for self-recrimination and flagellation.

We're human, falable and thus not perfect. I'm not advocating setting low standards, just realistic ones that adapt over time.

...a beer or a slice isn't gonna kill ya...and planning for that "fall from grace" allows you to remain positive if and when one does "stray" from the straight and narrow.

/that is all

-Bflo