[John M Berardi]

In response to all the forum discussion, PMs, and emails about PN Challenge-related picture taking I thought I'd let Chris Shugart do the honors with this article he wrote a while back....

A Horrible Thing You Have to Do!
by Chris Shugart

Most of the time it happens by accident. A camera comes out at a party or family event and starts snapping away. Later, you see the photos and wonder who that fat guy is in the tight shirt who thinks he's "all that." About .08 seconds later you realize that guy is you.

The human mind has a large capacity for self-deception and ego-protection. Cameras don't. And while you often hear "the mirror is the best evaluation tool," the camera is even better. . . and more unforgiving.

If you're serious about this physique augmentation thing, you're going to have to do the dirty deed: get a camera, don't flex or pose, and take a few pics from the front, side and back, maybe a few while training. This could very well be a painful experience, which is exactly why you need to do it. Nothing gets you back on task like the unsuspecting uppercut of reality.

I remember several years ago when I decided to scratch the steroid itch and go on a short, mild cycle of juice. Not wanting to "waste" the drugs by not eating enough, I ate everything I could reach, pausing just long enough to breathe and train.

The cycle was so tiny and short it really wasn't even worth doing, but I needed to see what all the fuss was about. I ate and trained like I was on a two-gram-per-week mega cycle. I got bigger all right. And I clearly remember looking in the mirror and thinking, "You're hyooge!" Then I took photos on the last day of the cycle.

Five minutes after having them developed, they were in the trash in hundreds of tiny pieces. What the fuck had I been thinking! I'd become a puffy, shapeless mass, not a muscle in sight! Those weren't pecs, they were boobs! And my arms weren't muscular, they were just fat pieces of ham!

Why hadn't I seen that in the mirror? Well, lots of reasons. But mostly I was seeing what I wanted to see in the mirror, not what was really there. Most weight trainers do this, whether they're aware of it or not. Beware the mirror of the mind.

I learned a lot from the little experiment. I could probably take what I learned and do a really effective steroid cycle today. But that thirst has been slaked. The craving was satiated with a taste; no need to hog out on the anabolic buffet the rest of my life. I have no desire to use steroids again.

Using smarter training and eating strategies, plus a few legal supplements, I've made better progress recently than when I was on the baby cycle of 'roids anyway. Maybe I'll get legal T-replacement therapy when I hit my 40's if needed, but I'm done with the illegal stuff.

I think the most important thing I learned was to take the psychological blinders off and really evaluate myself, both physically and mentally. Photos accomplish both tasks nicely.

So ask yourself, "Am I just dicking around with my goal of having a muscular, hard body or am I serious?" If you're serious, you'll get out the digital cameral, web cam, or 35mm and start taking pics. You'll do it shamelessly and you won't try to manipulate the lighting or posing to comfort your poor wittle ego.

Don't wait unit your cousin shows you the pics he took at Christmas, the ones that make you wonder who that fat (or puny or skinny-fat or whatever) guy or gal is. Conduct your own reality check. You may be a "before" even if your mind tells you you're an "after."

Don't sweat it too much though. This photo record may be initially painful but it can also be hugely rewarding. Since we look at ourselves daily in the mirror, it's often tough to note slow and steady progress, especially for experienced lifters who are long over their rapid "newbie gains." The photos will light your way, and you'll likely be very pleased when you look back at last year's pics.

The camera -- cruel, horrible, relentless bastard that it is -- will set things straight. Do it.

PS: Quick, let's practice a little healthy introspection. Did you read that last line and immediately start coming up with excuses or reasons to procrastinate ("I don't have a good camera." "I'll do it after the holidays." etc.)?

Think about it. Take the blinders off and move forward.

[John M Berardi]

My advice...during the course of the PN Challenge, continue to repeat your body measures.

Measure your girths, measure your body weight, measure your skinfolds and definately take progress photos.

Based on these measures you can tweak your program to ensure continual progress.

[Josh Denny]

The camera is truly a cruel SOB. When your wife tells you to look up at the camera so you have a chin, it's time to back away from the junk food, LOL. The sad part is when you see those pictures and resign yourself to fathood. I was almost there, having "tried" to get going on the right path many times in the past few years. Of course, since I was challenged to change I am doing it. Today is the first day.

Talk about lying to yourself, I used to be fairly muscular (let's say 7 years back was my peak), well maybe not by muscular people's standards and of course not to myself, but to the average untrained American I got compliments and looks. So of course as life got busy and everything took a back seat to work I got a little softer and the muscle faded a bit as time progressed and workouts became sporadic.

Or course I kept telling myself that at least I had "shapely fat" from the muscle underneath. Instances like when I was showing a co-worker some pressing exercises he said, "Man, you still have some muscle," and hit my chest. My fat, puffy ego receiving a boost. "Man, I still got it," I thought to myself as I drank some more of my bourbon and coke. But you know what, I took my before photos and I am FAT. Not just fat, not fat with a muscle base that holds my fat high as I liked to fool myself, but sloppy fat. My big-ass belly pushes the elastic on my underwear over and pins it there. Ladies and gentleman, that's fat. Actually that's gross fat.

Being a photographer, my wife photo documented my skinfold measuring and picture taking. She has a nack for taking my picture and somehow making me look less disgusting than I am so I was looking at one she took where I am shirtless and reading over the skinfold measurement directions and commented to her that, "I look pretty good in that one. I even look a little muscular." Her grounding reply was, "No. It looks like you have boobs. You're fat." Did I mention that she doesn't sugar coat things?

She is super supportive though. She knows when I am trying to fool myself, which when you see the picture it is clear that I am trying to fool myself, LOL. My wife is doing the challenge with me, in so far as she wants to eat well with me along the PN way and she wants to exercise but she is not interested in actually entering the contest.

So, not to clog up the thread with my verbosity, but do it. Take photos. Even if you are not entering this or any other contest. Do it as a reality check. Do it as a way of preserving history, even if it is unpleasant history. Besides, even if you hate the way they look you will have a record of how far you have come. And I for one find it motivating to see someone who goes from 80 pounds overfat to having a six pack.

[gingerbread1]

I agree with taking photos. It's evil, but so much better. I don't even use a full length mirror anymore. Even when I go out for the night I take pictures. Some people think it's egotistical, but I know that it's the only way to truly see what you look like and I'm not trying to look like a fool. Even though it's painfully true, I love the camera.

[Quailjulia]

I am so much more motivated now that I have had to take those photos for the contest -- otherwise I would have never done it! Those pictures have a lot more to say than the scale or the slow upward creeping clothes sizes. More importantly, I now understand why I don't feel as physically strong or fit because I am lugging much more weight around -- probably the size of two watermelons!

Reality really is harsh sometimes! The most shocking thing for me is how slowly it creeps up on you. Now I think I have stopped the destruction!

Thanks John!

[IrishTrish]

I agree - it was harsh, but necessary and freeing in a way. I'm glad I did it and now have a good baseline to work from.

And damn - those after pics will be smokin' hot!!! LOL!

[sambuccac]

I don't know....I had a totally different reaction when I looked at my photos...

I mean, yeah, they were truely awful and disgusting but somehow, i could almost see the me I can be underneath all that fat.

I found them eye opening. Especially the side views...I never get to see me from the side. When I look down at my huge stomach, it's part of me....but from the side I could almost think..yeah, that doesn't belong starting right about there.

Maybe I'm in denial?

[clhagan]

From the opposite angle: I did a fitness challenge from March to May (Body for Life, specifically) and took photos as part of the requirements. At the end of the challenge I was somewhat disappointed in my measly 5 pound scale loss, and by what seemed to be mediocre results with the tape measure.

My husband took my After shots and once I downloaded them from the camera and looked at them, I thought, "Holy crap! THAT'S ME???!" I could physically see the changes, especially in my shoulders, abs, and thighs.

Hopefully THAT is the response everyone doing the PN challenge will have in November!

[aluschka]

Chris nailed it

Before I took my photos I knew I was not in the greatest shape(for me that is),but I still though I looked ok. The moment I saw the pics...well I knew it was time to get my butt back into gear and tighten up my eating LOL!!

Ciao

[John M Berardi]

Originally Posted by clhagan

From the opposite angle: I did a fitness challenge from March to May (Body for Life, specifically) and took photos as part of the requirements. At the end of the challenge I was somewhat disappointed in my measly 5 pound scale loss, and by what seemed to be mediocre results with the tape measure.

My husband took my After shots and once I downloaded them from the camera and looked at them, I thought, "Holy crap! THAT'S ME???!" I could physically see the changes, especially in my shoulders, abs, and thighs.

Hopefully THAT is the response everyone doing the PN challenge will have in November!

Exact same thing happened recently with 2 clients. We took measurements 2 months into their tenure with us. Both women actually cried because they didn't think they were making any progress. One was ready to give up, throw in the towel, and go to DQ....

Then I showed them their before pics compared with their 2 month pics. At that point, both were floored. The both made HUGE, VISIBLE changes.

In fact, in one comparision, it looked like I photoshopped 15% off of her body at the 2 month point. The volume of space she took up was literally 15% less. Yet 20 minutes prior she was balling her eyes out because she "failed."

So, yes, pics can be a huge help.