Toughest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

[JimJames]

I was just thinking what the toughest part of bbing was for me. I have to say that the time I put into meal planning is more than I put into throwing the weights around.
Nutrition is key, knowing what to eat and when, but putting it all together... man that has taken me a lot of time.

 

[Iron Warrior]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

For me its meal planning/nutrition because it also requires math

 

[Rocky82]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

Diet, for sure...that's why regardless of how crowded your gym is, you dont see too many head-turning physiques. Eating big and training big with AAS will get you huge, and your genetics will determine how lean you stay (providing you eat lots of cals and junkfood with no cardio). But when you are dialed in, eating 6-9 meals a day and doing some cardio you'll be sure to look better than you ever have before.

 

[Beowulf]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

BBing definitely adds a huge element of structure that does not always flow with day to day living. Events come up all the time, and I either have to bring a bunch of food with me, or mess up my diet.

 

[rysigpi]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

definately diet. I am in contest prep mode now....lets just say my social life has been better than its current state....:blink:

 

[flytrapcan]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

OOps just reminded me to eat my lovely turkey in tupperware!

Yeah it's the food for sure. I've become consumed with getting the protein I need. 2g/Lbs !!! I'm lucky to get close to 1g/Lb.

Not to say it's all diet, if you can't train like a bodybuilder it's pretty hard to look like one. I've done high weight low rep workouts for 2 yeasrs now, great for adding Lbs, but I don't have the polish I want. So it's back to higher reps for me.

 

[Rage (SoCal)]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

For me and many others the number one thing is:


GENETICS

Being an Endomorph SUUUUCKS!

 

[CDB]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

I agree, it's the nutrition/meal planning aspect. The nutrition not so much. Once you've got aim at what food is good and what isn't, it ain't so hard. But the meal planning can so easily go out of whack with a night out here or there, depending on what you've eaten and what's available to eat where you're going, if you can take something with you, if you have something to take with you, etc. Trying to meal plan a healthy diet of 5+ meals a day into a typical business day can be difficult, especially for people with unpredictable days. For me it ain't so bad, I just keep a ton of canned chicken, tuna and salmon in my desk drawer.

Quality carbs are hard to find sometimes too, I think that's a big factor in meal planning that makes a lot of people stray. With the popularity of low to zero carb diets, finding quality protein with low or good fat isn't that hard. Finding a decent carb source isn't that easy unless you've brought oatmeal and a boatload of fruits and veggies with you. Everything out there seems to be either zero or low carb, or loaded with sugar.

 

[sweet-physique]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

Diet and meal planning. Takes real thought, planning. Diet was much much easier when I was single and without children since I only shopped for myself and cooked for myself.

 

[Beowulf]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

I agree, it's the nutrition/meal planning aspect. The nutrition not so much. Once you've got aim at what food is good and what isn't, it ain't so hard. But the meal planning can so easily go out of whack with a night out here or there, depending on what you've eaten and what's available to eat where you're going, if you can take something with you, if you have something to take with you, etc. Trying to meal plan a healthy diet of 5+ meals a day into a typical business day can be difficult, especially for people with unpredictable days. For me it ain't so bad, I just keep a ton of canned chicken, tuna and salmon in my desk drawer.

Quality carbs are hard to find sometimes too, I think that's a big factor in meal planning that makes a lot of people stray. With the popularity of low to zero carb diets, finding quality protein with low or good fat isn't that hard. Finding a decent carb source isn't that easy unless you've brought oatmeal and a boatload of fruits and veggies with you. Everything out there seems to be either zero or low carb, or loaded with sugar.

Whole wheat bagels are good, and easy to transport. I've also been eating Kashi TLC bars lately. They are whole grain bars in Peanut Butter, Honey Almond and Trail Mix.
They breakdown like this:
140 Cals
5g Fat: .5g sat
21g Carbs: 4g Fiber, 6g sugar
5g Protein

I usually eat two of them. They taste good and are definitely high quality.

Hope that helps with the carb source.

 

[glenihan]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

spelling TOUGHEST is the hardest aspect hahah

 

[JonesersRX7]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

Diet and meal planning. Takes real thought, planning. Diet was much much easier when I was single and without children since I only shopped for myself and cooked for myself.

Damn.... aint that the truth!

 

[idunk42]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

BBing definitely adds a huge element of structure that does not always flow with day to day living. Events come up all the time, and I either have to bring a bunch of food with me, or mess up my diet.

Agreed 100%. Definitely presents the biggest problem for me.

 

[CDB]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

Whole wheat bagels are good, and easy to transport. I've also been eating Kashi TLC bars lately. They are whole grain bars in Peanut Butter, Honey Almond and Trail Mix.
They breakdown like this:
140 Cals
5g Fat: .5g sat
21g Carbs: 4g Fiber, 6g sugar
5g Protein

I usually eat two of them. They taste good and are definitely high quality.

Hope that helps with the carb source.

I got a place nearby that has whole wheat bagels, that was definitely a help. Gets monotonous though. I'll have to check out the trail mixes and bars available next time I go shopping. That's not a bad idea. I was basically sticking with oatmeal, oranges and apples and the bagels.

 

[Beowulf]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

I got a place nearby that has whole wheat bagels, that was definitely a help. Gets monotonous though. I'll have to check out the trail mixes and bars available next time I go shopping. That's not a bad idea. I was basically sticking with oatmeal, oranges and apples and the bagels.

Do you have a toaster at work? If so, toast the ww bagel, spray some fake butter stuff on it, and top with cinnamon and splenda. Voila! Bodybuilder's Fried Dough! I've been eating these every day for over a year, and I still like them.

Smuckers makes sugar free chocolate and caramel sauces. It has glycerol and a bit of malto, so this may not be ideal for dieting. If cals aren't super strict, spread some of these sauces on a toasted bagel and it kicks ass.

 

[Beelzebub]

nutrition, hands down. you can get a lot further with a great diet and ****ty training, than vice versa. JMO.

 

[NiteHawk]

The toughest for me is the contest prepping. Its not easy counting calories, carbs,protein, and fats down to the very grams. Its also a big mental game when I see my weight going down and my clothes getting bigger. I know it needs to be done but its still hard to fathom, especially since I love the weight going up when Im bulking.

 

[CROWLER]

Well it wasn't on the list but I would say either shaving or beating the women away. bwahaha j/k

BTW what is the difference between nutrition and meal planning?


CROWLER

 

[Apowerz6]

Big Crowler, my definition of nutrition is finding out what and why you need to eat, to accomplish goals.
Meal Planning is prep, and getting them together to eat, Meal planning is a pain as I say Life Happens, and sometimes, you cannot eat what you planned...

 

[BUCKNUTS]

Re: Toghest Aspect of Bodybuilding?

Diet and meal planning. Takes real thought, planning. Diet was much much easier when I was single and without children since I only shopped for myself and cooked for myself.

yeah that would be easier because my wife is a sabateour when I'm trying to cut she cooks all my favorite things I should never eat....mmm german chocolate cake....

 

[CROWLER]

Big Crowler, my definition of nutrition is finding out what and why you need to eat, to accomplish goals.
Meal Planning is prep, and getting them together to eat, Meal planning is a pain as I say Life Happens, and sometimes, you cannot eat what you planned...

Ok by that definition I find nutrition is easy and so is meal planning. What I find is actually eating what I am suppose to.


CROWLER

 

[Beowulf]

Ok by that definition I find nutrition is easy and so is meal planning. What I find is actually eating what I am suppose to.


CROWLER

I have no problem eating exactly what I'm supposed to, as long as my diet and training are like clockwork. If I go for more than 3.5 hours without eating, it is less appealing. If I don't lift for two or more days it is damn near impossible to eat right. No layoffs for me. Layoff=Fattywulf

 

[JimJames]

Apowerz6 thanks for the comments on the nutrition and meal planning. That is how I view it.

Someone else hit my situation on the head... when I start to eat clean, my wife and the women at work all start baking... makes it very tough.

I find it easy to know what i need to eat, but a total pain to measure it out week to week and if you add variety to it, screw it. I basically eat the same thing day after day in order to keep a 40/40/20 ratio. Sitting down and reading all the labels then crunching all through the numbers is a lot of work.

 

[200wannabe]

Meal planning definatley! (there is no canned chicken in the Uk!)

Having enough good food prepared to eat well all the time.

And trying to tell the missus that the delicious meal she just lovingly prepared for you doesnt fit in with your diet without offending her!

 

[anabolicrhino]

Diet is part of the discipline needed to suceed in anything. I need more discipline to ignore or at least properly manage all the attention that walking around in a hyper-body can bring from the oppesite sex. Although, technically I am not sure that this is a problem, but for me it is the toughest aspect.

 

[Sooty]

in my opinion the hardest part about bodybulding is not being retarded and taking m1t like all the kids at my school...

the other hard part is making me arms GROW. GRR

 

[biker340]

Sorry, don't mean to derail this thread but..

What order would you put them in as far as importance???

My quess would be,,
#1 nutrition
#2 supplementation
#3 training/ recovery
#4 sleep

 

[Apowerz6]

Sorry, don't mean to derail this thread but..

What order would you put them in as far as importance???

My quess would be,,
#1 nutrition
#2 supplementation
#3 training/ recovery
#4 sleep

I would rate em'

1 nutrition
2. training/recovery
3.supplementation
4. sleep

Glad to see more Illinois people on here !!!

 

[Beowulf]

I'd put sleep ahead of supplementation...unless you are using the term supplementation very loosely

 

[JimJames]

I agree, supplementation should be last. Even the best performance enhancing sup will not make up for deficiencies in the other three areas.

 

[Sooty]

id have to say.. genetics ! the hardest thing to work around

JK ...

diet.. i cannot control myself and what i eat.. its impossible

 

[spatch]

The diet, especally when cutting

I would wake up at 3AM and do cardio for hours if it meant I didnt have to follow a strict cutting diet

 

[Beowulf]

Another tough part is dealing with all of the idiotic criticism from friends, co-workers, and family. I don't jump down their throats when I see them drinking coke, or eating fried cheese sticks. Why do they care what I am eating?

I'm a master of making all criticizers look like idiots when they make comments. The only one that is tough to defend against is the chest shaving

 

[Sooty]

haha i'm 17, i dont need to shave my chest!!!

but still.. i have no motivation, someone motivate me!

 

[spatch]

I'm a master of making all criticizers look like idiots when they make comments. The only one that is tough to defend against is the chest shaving

Tell them if they had a chest, they could shave it too :rofl:

 

[spatch]

in my opinion the hardest part about bodybulding is not being retarded and taking m1t like all the kids at my school...

I know I'm not suppsed to talk about this stuff seing as im 17 also, but EWW! M1T!? Why? Its just as illegal as "real" roids (although M1T really is a real steroid, not a PH), so why not get Test or something.

Someone on these boards said it I dont remember who but M1T is a "poison with a side effect of building muscle"

 

[Beowulf]

Tell them if they had a chest, they could shave it too :rofl:

:toofunny:

Too bad then I'd come off as a conceited prick

 

[Tighe]

I agree about the friends and family comment, it amazes me how someone it crappy shape can have to nerve to ***** at you about how you eat. Meal planning and packing food around can be a pain in the ass too; I work 2 jobs and I'm a full time student so I'm gone from 7am to 9pm. I slacked off earlier this year, blaming it on being so busy, but I knew deep down that I was just making excuses for my laziness. I'm back on track now.

 

[Pfunk47]

People will always hate on the healthy as that's their way of making themselves feel better. I used to be nice when the fatties/non health conscious would ask "why do you eat that way" - thinking maybe education would enlighten them, wrong!!!! Now I just give them "the same reason you smoke cigs, I love it and am addicted to it yet it's promotes my health instead of killing me" - that shuts them up real quick.

Diet is the hardest part for me, easy to do - hard not to over indulge when cheat time comes as well as when not dieting. Once you commit to your goals though everything is easy .

 

[Tighe]

Good call man, you see so many people unhappy with themselves, and you notice they are just spinning their wheels by taking some no name diet pills or busting their ass at the gym or doing cardio while eating junk, yet they won't listen and take advice even though they aren't making any progress. My mom has every diet pill known to man at her house, and cupcakes and candy everywhere. And still she won't listen to me when I try to help.

 

[The Experiment]

You eat all your meals. They're clean and counted down to the littlest calorie. You make sure you have the right macronutrients.

You get 10 hours of sleep on a good night, 8 on a bad night.

You mentally prepare for the lifts. The squat bar/deadlift platform/bench press/whatever the main lift of the day is awaits.

You do well on your sets and you're ready for the last one. Ready to break that max.

With a zen like calm of aggression but dedication, you prepare to break a new max.

Instead, you fall one or two reps short of breaking your max.

F*cking hell.

 

[Markio]

I'd like to add a selection for "patientce". The time it takes to see results really makes you mentaly tough in an obscure way

 

[Pfunk47]

Great thought!! - I think patience is tremendously underrated - but a supplement companies dream - no patience looking for that pill that speeds it all up =$$$$

 

[Markio]

Great thought!! - I think patience is tremendously underrated - but a supplement companies dream - no patience looking for that pill that speeds it all up =$$$$

haha don't I know it! I have spent tousands looking for short cuts - ironically I believe now that cold water is the thing that speeds up fat loss the most (and diet/cardio a given obviously).