It didn’t take long for me to hit that inevitable part of an aggressive bulk. You know what I’m talking about: it’s when you start to feel like a bloated, sluggish mess and can’t even stomach the idea of another huge meal. This is when most people — myself included — quit.
If you take a step back, though, it’s easy to realize that bulking is not really unlike any other goal that takes a long time to accomplish. When you’re working hard, you’re going to go through periods where you’re at the top of your game and motivated to the max. You’re also going to go through times when you’re feeling so drained you want to give up. If you want to succeed at anything, you need to learn to deal with the tough times.
The secret: when you’re dragging, for whatever reason, lighten the fuck up. Give yourself the room to be a fucking person, not an Instagram meme.
Trust me, even the pros who go on and on about willpower and discipline aren’t perfect. They go through the same things you do and they might not handle them any better than you do. The difference is that a pro might fall off for a day or two, whereas most people quit when times get tough. A day or two is nothing, but quitting is forever.
So, when I started dragging on the diet, I just took a couple days off of it. I did whatever I wanted in the gym, ate only as much as I wanted, and didn’t feel a damned bit guilty about it.
And guess what? I came back even bigger and better.
So next time you’re dragging, think about why that might be, and think about how you can give yourself the break you need without derailing your progress. It might be to take a day or two off. It might be to spend some more time on your recovery, like taking a day off work or even just taking an evening to practice some meditation. It might be to change things up — slightly. Sometimes, the answer might even be to dig deep and push harder.
But the answer is never giving up. Think Strong, Train Hard, and you’ll be okay, I promise.