Hungry
I started my diet Wednesday, and I am hungry.
My body is very efficient. When food leaves my body, it alerts me very quickly. I don’t diet down often. This will be my 3rd time doing it on any strict sense, but this is also the most I have ever had to lose. I am curious how things will be this time around. I can say the first couple of days have been less than desirable.
Insomnia and hunger pangs are usually pretty quick to get going, as well as the interesting dreams. Luckily the dragging and apathy leaves after a couple of days and hits every few days after.
Sprint or Pace?
The first week of a plan I do things kind of different, and I do this with clients that are more understanding of how fat loss works. Those that don’t need to see massive scale drops instantly.
The first week is the adjustment week. If I go too hard at first I seem to feel worse in the beginning and makes the adjustment a little too tough. These first two weeks I am going to be hitting at roughly a 30-35% deficit for daily activity. This will range from roughly 1300-1700 calories depending right now as I am back home for a bit. Macros are going to be pretty evenly split right now, training is going to stay the same.
After this I am going to dive into a more aggressive plan, perhaps just a short term 4 week crash. When it starts to get more in depth, so will the coverage. For right now it is just “eating a little less.”
Talent
I have been thinking a lot about talent and what it means during the past week. I have always surrounded myself with people of high talent. Musicians, actors, painters, photographers, writers, dancers, jewelery makers, singers, etc. Not only do the people in my life possess talent, they express that talent with little fear of judgment. It is much like living your life in the School of the Arts.
What strikes me as a problem is not so much that other people don’t have talent, because everyone has a talent, but that people stifle the expression of their talent. They don’t see it for the specialness it is. It begs the question, “What defines talent?”
The best definition I found of talented is “a person who possesses unusual innate ability in some field or activity.” That covers a lot of ground. For example, my client I just finished training has the ability to persuade squirrels to grab food out of her hand. Normal park squirrels. That is a talent if I ever saw one.
One of my best friends has managed to raise a daughter not only beautiful, but polite, strong, and smart. That is a talent.
My friend/former client Jon just called me and told me that today he hit 435 on his Bench Press. For a guy of 5’10 and 170, that is massively impressive.
I urge everyone to not only explore the talents they hold, but celebrate them at every turn. Starting with this blog. Please share with me some of your talents no matter how much before you put them in a category of weird ordinary. I assure you what is not ordinary is not being a afraid of being judge for what you put out there. Don’t let me be the only one, I want to see what you got.
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Song of the Post:
Whenever I think of the discussion of talent the first thing that pops into my head is the scene in “A Bronx Tale” where De Niro tells his son that “the saddest thing in this life is wasted talent.” It is such a simple, but good piece of dialogue.
That movie also holds one of the great love songs of all time, a song that has significant importance to me, “Nights in White Satin” by The Moody Blues. Not often do you get to hear the full version off of “Days of Futures Passed,” so I wanted to feature it too.
Nights in White Satin – The Moody Blues
That is a beautiful song. Love the horn sections. I’ve never seen A Bronx Tale; will have to rent it one of these days.
Regarding talent, I would say I have a talent for writing, particularly dialogue. However, I’ve been feeling blocked for around seven months now. I know very well the best (maybe only) way to get through a block is to write through it, but somehow I always wind up convincing myself that I don’t have time for it. Which of course is a cop out, because you make time and sacrifices for the things you love.
And I can bake. Not the best of talents while in a deficit, but still. I am semi-famed among my coworkers.
Then there are the talents I wish I had–I wish I were muscially inclined. I wish I had better physical rhythm. I might also say I wish I could spin a plate on my nose, but I think the novelty would wear off.
I like the idea of living amidst a School of the Arts–sounds pretty cool. It always makes me happy when I see people sharing their talents with the world. What a sad place if you feel that you have to keep those things bottled up and inside you.
my talents? hmmm…some would say that I have some musical talent (though not my two oldest kids, apparently).
I think, though, that my biggest talent lies in finding the positive and in keeping that in focus despite whatever else is going on. I’m pretty good at that. 
cool blog post, Leigh.
Happy 4th! I hope you got to see some fireworks!
People usually think I’m full of shit when I talk about my talents/hobbies because there’s so damn many of them (they all tend to intermingle somewhere along the way) but here goes – categorized.
SICK cardio endurance and wicked recovery ability – takes a licking and keeps on ticking – spent two hours on skates today with an average heart rate at 165bpm and feel no tightness, soreness nor tiredness because of it.
Visual Arts: Illustration, graphic design, technical drawing, photography, sculpture (clay, plastic, metal, foam…duct tape.. anything else that can be transformed into something else and even some things that can’t.), traditional painting, airbrush and automotive paint.
Engineering/Technical/Craftsman: ties into some of the visual arts stuff – Model/Moldmaking (think boats, car bodies, carbon fiber bicycle frames, plastics casting, concrete casting), metal fabrication, electronic circuits and circuit board making, furniture making, structural design/development for various projects latest of which are my own electric car and electric motorcycle.
Music: vocals, guitar, piano, violin – honestly it’s been 15 years since doing much with performing any kind of music so I’m pretty rusty, if not astoundingly horrid especially if I try to sing, LOL. A few years ago I did build a neat carbon fiber-bodied electric mandolin.
Food: reluctant to call myself a chef but I’m a damn good cook and baker, wicked chocolatier and confectioner, not to mention food stylist and photographer.
Physical: inline skating – speed/endurance and freestyle. standing calf raises with 570lbs on the barbell but that’s more of a genetic gift than a talent
My biggest talent is an inquisitive nature along with the ability to learn, obsess over, and excel, at just about anything that crosses my fancy. I always love a good challenge. You can drop me into any situation and I’ll adapt in a heartbeat.
Too much fun stuff out there to learn!
I am really good a memorizing poems. I always used to do it when I was younger, still do it some now.
Great post Leigh! Happy 4th!
I am really good at making people feel like they matter…I make it a point to really listen to what people are saying. Everyone has their opinion, and it does matter!
I am the only guy in the world that my girlfriend loves. That is talent!
My talent is a bit unusual in that I can relate to the most intolerable 5th grade students…….lol
What I mean by that is every year the principal says, “Stephanie, you are getting the difficult ones again.” And, every year I worry about it. Yet, every year at the end of the year, they leave me respectable young adults and I don’t want them to go. It’s pretty cool that I can influence these kids that fear they have nothing or no one to rely on, to realize that if they just open themselves up a bit they can rely on themselves.
I am really good at finding the silver lining on something I think but still being realistic.
I can also balance a spoon on my nose
I used to have the talent of having fun with almost anything I did. That left when I broke up with my boyfriend and put on 80 pounds.
I want that old me back. That is why I am here.
Thanks for the blog and glad to find your information Leigh.
i have the strange gift of finding things. anything missing, i’ll usually find it. now if only i could figure out how to make an interesting living outta that…
as always, thank you leigh.
I am creative. For the past few years I have been expressing it through photography. But occasionally I express it through other art/craft forms: ie, mosaics, tie dying. I am also a healer – animals. I practice traditional veterinary medicine, but I am trying to develop my skills in alternative therapies – acupuncture, herbs. Have a long way to go there, but I am taking the plunge and opening a house call practice where I will be forced to use and expand what I know on a daily basis. I am a little scared, but better to fail than not try at all.
I love hearing about all of this talent!
Amanda, I think that spinning a plate on your nose would have limited uses, but I can see the novelty!
Mike, that’s an awesome list!
Amber, that’s a cool talent, too!
Connie, what a wonderful talent! You might be the one person who makes a huge difference in someone’s life–pretty cool!
Stepanie, awesome! As a former teacher myself–and someone who got the same kind of students, though high school age–I’ve felt the same thing. Pretty amazing!
Eliana, pretty cool on both accounts!
Sarah, that fun girl is still there, and you don’t have to wait to lose the weight for her to come out again, Give yourself permission to find the joy wherever you are and you’ll make the losing process go more smoothly. And phooey on your ex.
Laura, that sounds pretty cool too!
Stephanie, as a former art teacher, my greatest respect and thanks to you. I know what you’re up against and appreciate your talent for it!
Sinead, you don’t give yourself credit for the talent you have of making people feel seen and appreciated with your so generous compassion and acknowledgement!
Leigh, I just love this post! The creative way you take an issue and turn it into a thought-provoking and positive topic for your audience.
Leigh wrote, “I urge everyone to not only explore the talents they hold, but celebrate them at every turn.”
I celebrate my talent for being frank and honest and looking under the surface of a conversation to foster personal growth.
I celebrate my talent for persevering and persevering in the face of obstacles, and though I can whine/complain, I do have an optimistic outlook. I get up EVERY time I fall.
I celebrate my creativity, be it the crafts I did in past years: quilting, beading, sewing, knitting, cabinet-making, silkscreen, and wonderful watercolors, to the computer information graphics I do now for my wonderful job.
I celebrate my talent for learning something new without feeling embarrassed at what a beginner I am, and having that stop me.
I celebrate my zestful energetic lover of life nature.
It is interesting that it is difficult to see my talents; I imagine my family and friends see more of my talents than I have expressed.
great post.. Leigh
- Etana
Jeff, that’s a pretty good talent, too!
Anna, I’ll bet it’s handy to have you around!
I’ll bet that means you’re really good at paying attention to details!
Etana, awww, thanks!
I love your responses and all the celebrations! What a great list!
and now I use my talent for typing one-handed while holding a baby. excuse any typos.
What a great post Leigh,
Up until recently i’ve had a talent for procrastination, but I’ve fixed that now
I have a talent with horses. I can calm the frazzled nerves of most horses and can connect on a deep level. Sadly I’m not around them much at the moment, but I revel in the interaction at every chance I get.
I’m also gifted with empathy, which helps with the horses… but it helps me to look at others problems and help them find solutions that work… doesn’t always seem to work for myself though! lol
absolutely sinead
… which is why i think leigh’s approach appeals to me.
lemme know if u loose anything;)
and your skill is immeasurable. that of the multi-tasking mom
@Stephanie… I often get the same students. I will get handed a supposedly intolerable and unmanageable class of the most horrible students, and make good of them. I get mad that other people label them this way…
As for talents. I had to think hard on this one. I’ve never considered myself a talented person. I have moderate abilities in lots of areas, but no remarkable abilities in any one area.
I guess one thing that sets me apart from many others however (as Leigh pointed out, talent can be defined very broadly!) is my single-minded tenacity. Give me a wall to push through, and I’ll charge through it. Give me a mountain to climb, and I’ll climb it. Tell me something can’t be done, and I’ll make darn sure it gets done.
Hey speaking of talent. I’m reading a great book right now called “The Talent Code” by Daniel Coyle. In this book he explores the conditions in which talent thrives and demistifies the given that talent is only in a few special people.
It’s a great read. Here’s the amazon link http://www.amazon.com/Talent-Code-Greatness-Born-Grown/dp/055380684X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246874840&sr=8-1
Moxie GIrl, that’s an awesome talent. I used to ride horses long along in my forgotten youth, and I’d like to think I had that talent, too.
There’s something amazing about being on horseback and flying through a field running and jumping.
Thanks, Anna!
Kimberley, that’s a great talent! Tenacity is hard to come by (or so it seems) these days, so what you have is gold!
Ketan, that sounds interesting. I’ll have to look into it.
Ooo this is fun wow it is so cool to see everyones talents. I am a really good whistler.
Hmm… hidden talents….
I can kind of play the piano and sing.
I have a gift for getting really weird txt spam on my phone and really weird prank phone messages.
Sinead- You are the best, I love your talent
I am REALLY, REALLY good at sending weird txt spam and leaving really weird prank phone messages…
Katie, I’m thinking that you have more talents than that! Getting those weird messages must be a talent, though.
lol Jim!
I know what horses are thinking and can make even the most frightened horse feel calm and confident. …and wow, Moxie Girl, I read yours after I had written mine, lucky for the horses that there are more than one of us around!!
Leigh-your posts on talent and consistency have blown me away. No wonder you surround yourself with talent, water rises to meet it’s own level. My new passion for fitness will hopefully start paying off by hanging around websites like this-you’re really helping me focus and stop making excuses for the lack of results (by making me realize I have to work harder and count calories better-no cheating!), and that takes talent!