Patience

I think you are advocating one extreme and this meticulous measuring is the other extreme. Weighing yourself daily and taking a weekly average, or just picking one day each week (say Monday) to weigh yourself at the same time, in order to see your average growth... well, that's a more middle path and sensible approach.
Maybe ignoring the scale works for some of you, but for people like me, putting on weight is a struggle. If I don't use the scale, I won't know if I am putting on weight, and if I don't know, then I won't know whether I need to eat more in order to gain weight. So for me, it is necessary to use the scale and it is necessary to count calories or I end up spinning my wheels.

If just using the mirror works for you, then great. Do that. If you need to use the scale, then fine. If you are one of those people who has to measure everything to track every bit of progress, then go ahead. Whatever works for you. Who cares. I think you all are getting far away from the original point of this thread, which was to have patience. This is a long term investment. Go ahead and do whatever you do to track your progress, just realize that it will take more than just one cycle to turn you into arnold.
 
<div>
(Totentanz @ Aug. 20 2007,10:41)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I think you are advocating one extreme and this meticulous measuring is the other extreme.  Weighing yourself daily and taking a weekly average, or just picking one day each week (say Monday) to weigh yourself at the same time, in order to see your average growth... well, that's a more middle path and sensible approach.
Maybe ignoring the scale works for some of you, but for people like me, putting on weight is a struggle.  If I don't use the scale, I won't know if I am putting on weight, and if I don't know, then I won't know whether I need to eat more in order to gain weight.  So for me, it is necessary to use the scale and it is necessary to count calories or I end up spinning my wheels.

If just using the mirror works for you, then great.  Do that.  If you need to use the scale, then fine.  If you are one of those people who has to measure everything to track every bit of progress, then go ahead.  Whatever works for you.  Who cares.  I think you all are getting far away from the original point of this thread, which was to have patience.  This is a long term investment.  Go ahead and do whatever you do to track your progress, just realize that it will take more than just one cycle to turn you into arnold.</div>
What Tot said. ^^^^^^^
 
I do take measurements each week and step on the scale, but I don't freak out if there are no changes. However, if there are no changes for a longer period, than change my workout - which is one reason I came to the HST program. During my first three weeks I have made more progress than in the 6 months before that. I think it's important to track what you're doing, otherwise you'll never know that you are improving. And if you cannot actually see your progress, why lift weights at all? That's how most people would think.
 
<div>
(XFatMan @ Sep. 19 2007,07:52)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I do take measurements each week and step on the scale, but I don't freak out if there are no changes. However, if there are no changes for a longer period, than change my workout...</div>
If you dont see weight scale changes for a long period than you need to change your diet not your workout... unless of course you are dialing your workout back to retain unnecessarily burned calories if you are bulking.
 
<div>
(bgates1654 @ Sep. 19 2007,12:30)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(XFatMan @ Sep. 19 2007,07:52)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I do take measurements each week and step on the scale, but I don't freak out if there are no changes. However, if there are no changes for a longer period, than change my workout...</div>
If you dont see weight scale changes for a long period than you need to change your diet not your workout... unless of course you are dialing your workout back to retain unnecessarily burned calories if you are bulking.</div>
Exactly. Your workout has nothing to do with whether or not you are gaining weight. What your workout controls is what kind of weight you are gaining i.e. muscle vs fat.
 
I think a lot of it depends on age and developement.. I'm 45 years old and realize Personally, I'm probably not going to see a huge difference by simply doing an 8 week training cycle.. Sure I may gain a few pounds if my diet is in check but nothing mindblowing.... but nevertheless, I do expect to see some results.. however small they may be..  

Now this can be a different story if the trainee has only been training for a short period of time..  So I can certainly see how someone just starting out could actually see changes on a monthly, even weekly basis.. so IMO.. there's absolutely nothing wrong with being excited and keeping up with your progress..  

IMO, these boards are incredible.. they allow young people the opportunity to ask questions, and learn.. something that wasn't available when I started lifting.. Any of you guys here my age can certainly relate... The first weight set I owned was purchased at K-mark.. one of those 110lbs sets.. the kind with concrete filled plastic weights..
biggrin.gif
 The set included an exercise manual and that was it... That's basically all I had to teach me how to lift.. No internet.. with video demonstrations.. or tons of health sites instructing you on diet.. just a piece of paper with cartoon drawings showing how to bench, OH press, curl etc.. pretty sad..

The reality of this is.... there are 15 year old kids who have more knowledge of weight training and diet thanks to the internet.. than I had when I was in my 20's...

sorry for slipping off topic.. but like I said.. IMO.. I personally don't see anything wrong with anyone keeping up with progress, daily, weekly or monthly.. If anything at all.. it all the better helps you learn and understand your body...The one thing the internet hasn't figured out how to do.........YET
biggrin.gif
 
<div>
(smoundzou @ Sep. 20 2007,06:38)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">The first weight set I owned was purchased at K-mark.. one of those 110lbs sets.. the kind with concrete filled plastic weights..
biggrin.gif
The set included an exercise manual and that was it...</div>
I think I may still have some of those concrete and plastic weights lying about somewhere...
blush.gif
 
orbitron was the brand of conc/plastic wgts we had. came with a short metal straight bar (actually not too bad) with a crappy aluminum sleeve and metal screw collars.

compared to the equip and knowledge avail now we started with next to nothing............but we still kept at it for some reason. of course 30yrs from now folks may look back on todays equip. and so called &quot;knowledge&quot; and wonder how the hell we made any progress.

about the whole patience thing. imo, take the time to try some programs, w/os, and diets to see what you respond best too. have the patience to see them thru so you can get actual results (or lack thereof) to make decisions on. some form of note taking, tracking will help this process (and is necc. to some degree) but how involved and detailed it is personal pref. OCDers will want to track everything while others find that aspect mind numbing. do what you want to/like to do.........its only going effect you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top