logical fallacy and a little frustration-venting
Probably 80-90% of the men who go to the gym I go to can be categorized in one of two groups: those who are in very much out of shape, usually quite obese with man-boobs and flabs all around and those whose bodies look like it was sculpted by a modern-day Michaelangelo -- I'm talking about chiseled chests, muscled back and legs and a six-pack for abs. There are more of the latter, by the way.
When I first noticed this, oh, about 6 years ago, I thought to myself -- "oh goodie! If I work hard and do all my exercises my body can go from looking like it is now to something that looks more like these guys, and it shouldn't take very long too, because if it had there would be more 'in-between' people around". Back then I didn't stay in the gym for very long, but in the short time I was there, I thought I could see a little bit of progress, especially in the biceps, but maybe that was only my imagination.
Since then, on several occasion I have signed up for the gym again (mainly because it gave me something to do with my days when I'm not working), and each time, as I saw the same figures before me, I came to that same conclusion. Each of these times, I have spent more effort and more time on my exercises, but my body stayed more or less the same. Maybe a little less flab and a little more firm, but no chiseled chest and certainly no six pack. I lost weight, that's true, but I tend to attribute it to the fact I wasn't eating at the time, and even that didn't really help -- I was skinny, but my stomach was still quite visible (and not in a good way). This became an issue again since I signed up for the gym again about 6 weeks ago and since I go there about 5 times a week.
So I started thinking about this again, and came up with a second explanation. All those "in-between"s don't last very long. If after 3-6 months of workout you can't see the results - what's the point of continuing? So they drop out, leaving those who just started or those who are already there just for maintenance. And this sucks, and can really take out the wind from your sails.
Yes, I had a hard work-out today, and it doesn't seem to go anywhere...
Oh - and I saw "V for Vendetta" again today. I liked it the first time, and liked it again this round. Excellent movie.
When I first noticed this, oh, about 6 years ago, I thought to myself -- "oh goodie! If I work hard and do all my exercises my body can go from looking like it is now to something that looks more like these guys, and it shouldn't take very long too, because if it had there would be more 'in-between' people around". Back then I didn't stay in the gym for very long, but in the short time I was there, I thought I could see a little bit of progress, especially in the biceps, but maybe that was only my imagination.
Since then, on several occasion I have signed up for the gym again (mainly because it gave me something to do with my days when I'm not working), and each time, as I saw the same figures before me, I came to that same conclusion. Each of these times, I have spent more effort and more time on my exercises, but my body stayed more or less the same. Maybe a little less flab and a little more firm, but no chiseled chest and certainly no six pack. I lost weight, that's true, but I tend to attribute it to the fact I wasn't eating at the time, and even that didn't really help -- I was skinny, but my stomach was still quite visible (and not in a good way). This became an issue again since I signed up for the gym again about 6 weeks ago and since I go there about 5 times a week.
So I started thinking about this again, and came up with a second explanation. All those "in-between"s don't last very long. If after 3-6 months of workout you can't see the results - what's the point of continuing? So they drop out, leaving those who just started or those who are already there just for maintenance. And this sucks, and can really take out the wind from your sails.
Yes, I had a hard work-out today, and it doesn't seem to go anywhere...
Oh - and I saw "V for Vendetta" again today. I liked it the first time, and liked it again this round. Excellent movie.