Two nice compliments...and unsolicited 'advice'

[BopGun]

I mentioned this in chat and should have mentioned it here already, but I didn't, so here we go.

 

Last Thursday, while I was out on a news story, a reporter from a rival TV station that I run into every so often said to me "hey, Mike, you look good. Have you lost weight? You look like you're slimming down." I hadn't seen him in about six weeks.

 

Last night, I ran into a friend that I used to work with who knows that I've started lifting and (though I still have work to do) have improved my diet. He told me he'd seen me when I recently anchored a newscast for the first time in a while and he asked "is it just me or are your shoulders a little bit wider than the last time I saw you?". Considering how puny my delts are, this was a BIG surprise.

 

This is the first time in my 35 years that I've ever done anything active because I've chosen to as opposed to having my hand forced by someone or something else. It's been difficult. In the last four months, I've gone to bed quite a few nights disappointed and discouraged, wondering if I should quit grinding through tough reps, gritting my teeth through the pain of PVC rollin' and gasping from exhaustion after pushing minimal weight. (And make no mistake; my work weights are MINIMAL. Some of you could probably pinky-curl what I bench.) Things like this sustain me, and eventually I hope to have the knowledge and experience to give back to people here on NF in proportion to what you have given to me.

 

I also had my first encounter last night with unwanted training 'advice', from, of all people, my mother. Someone who does not get any exercise, eats a shit diet, complains constantly about how fat she is and has complimented what I'm doing somehow feels qualified to offer me 'advice'?

 

Yeah, I'll listen. Suuuuuuuuuuure I will.

 

Couldn't bring myself to tell her that she didn't have the slightest Goddamned clue what she was talking about. It's been an interesting last few days.

[I-Jo]

people who don't work out- or eat correctly- rarely sit around with each other and discuss workouts- or healthy food changes- but suddently you start doing something and you get results- and then everyone's a fucking expert. 

it's hysterical.  get used to it. LOL it'll continue to happen.

 

Good job on the "bigger" of your shoulders and loosing weight compliments- it's ALWAYS nice to hear people notice your hard work is paying off- keep grinding through it buddy- the difference between success and failure are those people who keep pushing even if they feel like quitting.  so you got this.  keep on keeping on!!!

[scubasteve85]

I received "advice" from my mother recently as well.

There was some cereal commercial that said something along the lines of "Steve wants to start his day right so he eats {insert crappy cereal name here}."

Mom: "Is that true, Steve?"

Me: "Yeah, except I've had an egg and sausage this week."

Mom: "That's not healthy."

Me: "Oh, really?"

Mom: "Yeah, all that fat in sausage isn't good."

Me: (Not wanting to get in a long debate again) "Well, the 15 lbs I've lost over the last 2 months disagrees."

[Gilfren]

Compliments are such a big fuel to the fire. I have the same reaction as you do, "Oh, Really? You see change?"

 

Keep with it. Sounds like you're cruising down the right track!

[GetOffaMyRunway]

Nothing like someone not seeing you for a few weeks to make you notice a difference. It's a lot harder to see change from day to day, which can get discouraging.

 

Keep at it, it sounds like you're doing great! And good on you for keeping to yourself with your mom...just smile and nod and ignore the 'advice'.