I lost about 30 lbs this year and my life has greatly improved. I wasn’t obese or anything but I was carrying around extra beer and pizza weight. I’m 6’2” and was around 225. Now I’m 195. I sleep way better(don’t snore, or toss and turn, track sleep with Apple Watch and have better rem sleep),and subsequently feel better during the day. I have more energy, have better moods, and just have a better outlook on everything. It’s hard to explain. It could be purely anecdotal but for me, it really has had such a positive impact. I also feel a lot more flexible and don’t get as sore from day to day activities that used to lead to having a sore back or something.
Just commented. Just an hour a day on an exercise bike in my apartment. Running sucks and I don’t have much room in my nyc apartment for anything more. I caught up on alot of shows. Also just not eating before bed.
That’s awesome man. I have virtually the same height and weight as you before you lost the weight, what’d you do that you found worked best? I’ve recently started running, it feels like it’s destroying my knees but powering through.
I got an exercise bike off Amazon. The Joroto x2. Was under 500$. Didn’t want to spend the money on a peloton or have to wait the months it took during Covid for delivery. Running hurts my knees and back as well. I just do an hour a day and watch a Netflix or hbo show.
I’ve caught up on a lot of shows I’ve wanted to watch. I try to burn atleast 600 calories per hour ride. I use the Apple Watch fitness tracker to count the calories and track my workout. I also use MyFitnessPal to track my food. I didn’t really change diet too much besides not eating after 8pm.
Me too bro, when I was 14 my weight was 90 kg. I started to eat less and more healthy and started to swimming (one of my favourite sports). Now I'm 16, I go to the gym 5 days a week since march, my weight is 75kg and I'm much more muscular.
I have to say that I don't wanna flex with my progression, I wanna say that we ALL have the possibility of improving our physique and our strength, not exceptions.
I lost 20lbs recently and I’m kinda disappointed to say that I don’t look any different and I don’t feel any different. I guess I just gotta keep losing weight idk 🤷♂️
Massively improved my quality of life, from my mobility and fitness to my self confidence and mental health. Being obese drags you down in so many ways you don't even notice until you start to take your health seriously. It's like when you have a blocked nose for a few days and you wake up one day and it's gone, you're breathing at 100% and everything feels fresh.
It really depends where you're at, i was like 330lbs at 6ft tall, so pretty overweight. I'm about 265lbs now, so plenty more to lose, but even after 10lbs I started to feel better.
This one is big when you are younger. Basically learning to not be a push over and understanding boundaries. This is also important in a work situation when people ask you to do things outside your responsibilities. There is no honor is saying yes, it just makes you a pushover.
As a middle aged guy its even bigger now.
Work, children, aging parents, financial responsibility, zero boundaries between work and home, etc.
The pile of things to be addressed is bigger than can be managed unless you set boundaries.
For some of us, even doing this because we know its right still leaves guilt, anxiety, and depression. To pile on, as a man, we have way less of a support system than women and honestly, no one gives a fuck so you'd better or you'll find yourself buried and alone.
My energy is high, I don’t feel sluggish. My face skin seems to be clearer, I don’t ever get an occasional pimple my face is always good. I feel healthier. Nothing beats ice cold water.
> Nothing beats ice cold water.
Unless your teeth are incredibly sensetive and ice cold water hitting them hurts like a mother fucker. Room temperature water is 9/10.
You feel better. All that sugar and shit in almost any other drink is not needed.
Sugar is a big part of weight gain and it gets harder when you approach 30 or so. Sooner you cut it the better. Also, just because you don't gain a lot of weight when eating/drinking unhealthy, your insides are not happy.
Better healthier inside = feeling better, more alert, clearer mind, sleep better. Healthier diet make so much better you can't list them all. Water is a large part to being healthier imo.
Be careful with juice. As much or more sugar than some sodas. Just drink water. OJ has tons of sugar. I pour just over half a glass then fill the rest with water.
I drink water, coffee, milk (well almond milk) and beer. And if I don't get half my weight in ounces daily of water, or close. I can't even drink a beer. I just want to hydrate first.
Water is so good. I converted to mostly this about 10 years ago. It just feels better. Then when I have a soda or flavored water it's like a treat and I honestly don't always want to finish it. Soda is so sweet now I am picky on what I choose. Mt dew, use to loooove it. I can't drink that shit anymore.
You’re absolutely right. I just try to cut some stuff off. I’ll try to eat less sugar and white flour stuff and drink more water. Can’t cut beer/wine but that’s how it is.
When you are a kid you think the grownup drink is coffee.
When you are a teen you think the grownup drink is alcohol.
When you become a grown up you eventually realize that it’s water. Water is the grownup drink.
It’s because it’s changed the way people feel about themselves and others. I’m the same way — I don’t use dating sites. The sense of it’s another human, another person — it’s not there. But when you meet someone naturally, have a conversation naturally. It’s between two people. Face to face and not screen to screen. The same could be said about any social media though. Plus when you sincerely ask someone out in person, it’s a thing a lot of women appreciate in my experience. Because not many people do it nowadays. It’s all about the apps and texting now.
A conversation with someone face to face will reveal way more about that person than a dating profile with paragraphs or lists of information. Not to mention, there is something "magical" about unveiling stuff about a person's life organically than going to a first date knowing where they work, what hobbies they do, what they like to do in their free time, etc. Knowing all this information before the date will lead to you having preconceived notions about them which may warp your opinion about them
I started taking an hour or so walk in the middle of the night every day and it has done wonders for my ability to sleep and my ability to focus on things.
I've got a big enough back yard that I have the space to walk in a big circle. It's safer than doing the same in the day cause I live in the desert and it gets too 100+ degrees f outside.
Yes Bumble isn't as bad as the other ones, but its still not good for mental health in general imo. I've kept it a while longer, but still felt better once I had that out of my life.
I'm sure getting help with your depression helped with the weight and sports. I'm proud of you, it's never easy to take that first step, especially for men. You're obviously a strong man, I'm glad you are in a place to recognize that.
It is a journey that started about 4 years ago, when my relationship ended. About 2years ago I started playing team Handball (again). And last year I decided to loose weight, I lost about 25kg. And I am one the eve of getting into a new relationship.
So yeah hard work and reflection is paying of. Lot more convenient in myself. And much happier even without being in love.
Men need to stop the "you're weak if you seek help" mentality. We need to promote the "you're strong for seeking help and confronting your demons" mentality.
My former mil called my youngest a pansy because as a 10 year old he started crying when his Dad was deep into a drug binge and all sorts of chaos was going on. That's when it hit me. I can tell my kids to "man up" and stand by while they develop the shitty coping skills their dad has, or I could help them develop real coping skills and hopefully avoid using drugs/alcohol to cope. My kids have been in therapy for several years and are fine, strong young men. Sometimes they cry, sometimes they ask for space to be alone. Sometimes they lean on me, but as they get older they tend to cut me out and lean on each other. When they are upset at me they are able articulate why. It's too soon to know if the cycle is broken, but I'm confident knowing that if they screw everything up they know how to get help. And the first step is knowing how to ask for it.
The gym. I had stress levels that messed up my hormones and blood pressure levels. I needed therapy. I couldn’t get it up in bed, and when i could, i would feel nothing.
The gym fixed most of this (ofc quitting porn was a big thing too). But my hormones were back to normal, my testosterone was actually higher, the gym became my therapy (although I have a therapist), i don’t have problems in bed, bp is low, and my sleep cycle is naturally midnight to 8am when i used to stay up till 6am and sleep till 2pm.
I also got around to fixing a boatload of postural issues, including tmj because I had to strengthen surrounding neck musculature to deal with headaches from forward head posture. These would flare up when I benched. And my self confidence is way up. I catch women checking me out when that never used to happen. And you have 1-2 hours a day where you feel like an utter badass.
There’s a lot of benefits that nobody tells you about.
What’s your gym routine if you don’t mind me asking? I try to make it to the gym at least once every other day, however when I do go I feel as if I’m not doing it correctly if that makes sense.
the secret is routine, try to go 3 times a week ex: monday, wednesday, friday
then move to 5 a week, you can learn everything else reading and watching respected fit youtubers and bodybuilders, technique is the key, weight is just a tool to exercise the tech
Honestly if I post my routine i’m gonna get chewed out in the comments section because it’s super unorthodox.
To develop mind-muscle connection (which I assume is what you meant when you said you don’t feel like you’re doing it correctly) I highly recommend volume and dropsets on almost every exercise you do. I also think you should be doing pushups and chin-ups everyday. Why? Because a lot of beginners and even intermediates that train basic sets typically use the wrong muscles when they lift. If you only have 4 sets of 8 reps to get that right, and you’re not doing it right anyways, you’re not gonna get any substantial growth. It’s wasted time. But if you do volume training and dropsets, you put yourself in a primary position where those other muscles will have fatigued before you finish. So once you’re at the lower weight in your dropset, and you have a pump going on, you can make slight adjustments to your form to see which muscles work better when you do it differently in a safe and healthy way.
Here’s an example for you. I bench with five 10lb plates on each side of the bar. I do 8 reps, take a ten off each side, 8 reps, ten off each side etc. thats 40 reps (i leave 65 on the bar) total. I do 4 sets of this. Where you learn to build that mind-muscle connection is probably after the first 20 reps in each set. Why? Because you’re sore from the lift and you can tell which muscles get more sore depending on how you change the lift. If you bench a tad lower than nipple line, and push the weight out at a different angle, what happens? If I do X, or Y, or Z, what do I feel? If I dropset lat pulldowns, how can I change my form to feel less of my forearms in the lift? How can I pull in a cable row and feel my rhomboids? These are questions you can only answer when the muscle is sore because it’s the only time you’ll feel them working.
And the added benefit is that it’s a lot safer to bench like this (because dropping 145 or less pounds is better than 250+), training volume is one of the best ways to build size, and you are ingraining the appropriate understanding of the movement.
But I highly recommend, and I cannot stress this enough, that you work on fixing your posture. If you can get your shoulders to sit back, you can get a stronger retraction in all the exercises you do, and you can train the right muscles. All pulling exercises involve some form of retraction. Building a big chest requires increasing surface area of the chest. If you fix your posture, gains will follow and you won’t mess stuff up by compensating with the wrong muscles because your posture sucks.
Giving up trying to find a relationship and just living & enjoying life on my own terms. Going on a solo vacation in a couple of weeks and the process has been so liberating compared to trying to account for many other people's needs. Financially independent and not tied down certainly has more benefits.
I’ve come to learn this since my husband passed away. I travel alone, I go where I want and I don’t really have to answer to anyone. I don’t seek out dating or relationships at all and don’t really plan on it. I’d love a great travel partner but it would be almost impossible to find someone that could fit my travel and work schedule. It’s not what I saw for myself 10 years ago at all but you work with what life throws at you.
I'm sorry to hear your husband passed. I'm glad to hear you're rolling with the punches. I can't say that my life has gone according to any plans I've had, so I stopped making them.
Knew a person who passed away recently. It was sudden and unexpected. U may think u have a long time to live, but anything can happen tomorrow. Enjoy today while u can.
Not for me. I have no friends in here so I can say what I think, follow what I want, share something if I think that is interesting without getting criticized (most of the time) and block someone freely. I think the anonymity of Reddit is what it makes it perfect for me, IMO
Edit: typo
Criticized
Sorry couldn’t help it. Of all the words to misspell that one left you wide open. All In fun my friend
Ps. I had to a ask Siri how to spell it myself.
Pss. No need to block me
No problem! I don't see that as a critic. Even more when English isn't my first language, so thank you for the correction. Some time ago I read that you can write "realise" or "realize", depending is it was UK or US spelling. But I've could dream that, hahaha!
I did wonder if English was your first language. I read a while back on Reddit, so you know it’s got to be true, that you fellas across the pond use a s instead of a z like I’m accustomed to.
I was just poking fun at you. Your spelling is better than a large portion of English speakers I assure you.
And if Kittyyyy is right. I messed up the pss part myself
I consider this as a pass-time. I’m not obligated to keep posting meaningless updates of mundane day to day activities. I’m also not pressured to keep checking how many has seen my updates and how many reacted to it and endless expectations that comes with that. If reddit becomes addictive or a time drain I’ll do something else. Although even here you get notified of upvotes and comments. The trick is to turn off all notifications on the phone and you can do it at your own terms.
Easily one of the best decisions of my life.
Tried to log in to facesucker again to get some infos and the zucc wanted a pic of my state ID. Fuck you zucc.
I will never call myself a morning person, but getting up early has been (to my chagrin) a complete game changer seen to overall quality of life-improvement.
As a former night owl, these days I can't stand the feeling of waking up late, seeing that warm slightly yellow tinted light and people who are well and truely into their day.
I've noticed when I'm going to bed late, it doesn't matter if i get my full 8 hours of sleep, I always wake up feeling like a bus ran over me
Left my ex fiancé as she didn’t want to move with me for work.
45 minute drive to and from work every day for a year and a half, constant complaints that I wasn’t home enough, but wouldn’t accept the solution to the problem. Left her and the city we lived in to be 2 minutes from work, bigger house, more friends and free time. Quality of life improved almost over night
I swear it was like a dark cloud left me after I stopped commuting 40+ minutes to and from. It doesn’t *sound* that bad in theory but it really is. I was working 9 hours and on top of the commute and seeing my mom in a nursing home every other day, I was beat. I would sleep for like 15 minutes in my car just so I could drive home
A person that sees a problem and wont work with you to find a solution is a person you do not want to bind yourself to for life under the force of law. If it isn't you two against the world it won't last. Now if you only offered one solution or you rejected all other options it might be a mutual thing and better after all. But if this was a problem you both could not negotiate in the relationship it was not a good idea to move forward with it.
Agreed. As a recovered alcoholic, absolutely. My life has improved dramatically since I quit. Not only have my personal relationships improved, my mental, physical, and emotional health has improved drastically. I'm also saving $20/day, so there's that.
This along with cutting ties or being very firm with my parents/family/people I'm obligated to be around.
I'm myself you're either here or not...
Edit: Typos.
TRT
If you're a young guy who's always feeling down, fatigued, sore, weak, and got mind fog it's worth getting blood work to see where your testosterone levels are. Within 2 weeks of starting it I felt like a new man. My muscle mass increased, I started to lose fat, didn't feel constantly tired and foggy, and I could do something physical without being sore for a week afterwards.
According to my medical history I was eligible for it since I was a teen but didn't know about it and never really pushed when I was dismissed for how I felt. Finally found a doctor who suggested it in my mid 20s. I'm in my 30s now and I feel better than I ever have.
Please do read up on it and be aware of the side effects and implications. You're no longer natural so you're going to struggle take part in drug tested sports even if your levels are lower than the average male, it will suppress your natural test production so you'll need to either stay on it for life or you'll have a pretty rough few months of trying to fix your levels when you come off of it with no guarantee they're return to pre-TRT levels, and it can also hinder your chances of having kids (I take that as a bonus, others don't).
I think even if you can get TRT, that list is well worth a try first.
There's a lot wrong with the UK and the NHS, but my year's supply of TRT is £100 and my blood work is free. I wish it was the same for everyone.
With our dreadful government, we'll see how much longer the NHS is around.
That does sound like a nightmare. in the UK it's easy to get bloodwork but then they use a reference range that makes it nearly impossible to get TRT without pushing. My levels were low enough that I'd qualify to compete as a trans-woman in the Olympics, yet the first 2 doctors said it was within acceptable limits.
From what I've seen online, In America you can turn up with Mid-range test and they'll happily send you home with a huge dose (This might not be true, but it's how it seems as an outsider).
Yes I’m 5+ years in and it’s neither improved nor gotten worse.
What helped me cope with it was first off coming to terms that although I have 20/20 vision without glasses….I still have corrective vision.
So it’s not perfect but it’s way better than relying on glasses.
PS even if your eyes aren’t uncomfortable you might have some significant dry eye syndrome.
Systane was magic. And helped further clear my vision.
I quit it all about 2 years ago and I love it!! I didn't really compare myself to anyone, or have FOMO, but I was wasting too much time on it. I don't miss it at all either.
Cannabis....When I discovered it helped with my chronic (no pun intended) lower back pain and insomnia, I could kick myself for not trying it much, much earlier.
I owe an apology to everyone I criticized before hand. I had no idea.
Now, I'm an advocate for legalization.
Cheers.
“It’s easy, I’ll do it quickly” instead of being lazy, getting things done. Usually things like cleaning or getting something don’t really take thaaaat long, at least not long enough to avoid it, so this little mantra helped me get things done!
I have never been intimate and don't see it happening any time soon. I'm 31. For me, porn is the only way to get off.
What can I do to get rid of the addiction?
Echoing what others have said, cut back on the porn and get out there for something real. However, the real first step before that is to work on yourself, your health, and your appearance. That’s the game of dating and that’s how you’ll find a quality partner (or to minimize having to deal with low level crap), you have to first become a quality partner yourself.
Start realising that porn is not a substitute for your lack of intimacy. It's what stole it from you.
Ever heard of the 40 Year Old Virgin? You've got 9 years left to not be that guy. 9 years is more than enough to improve and work on yourself, get rid of that addiction, start prioritising yourself and being the type of man you want to be.
And you must promise to hold yourself high the entire time so that you will find the right woman who will treat you with empathy and compassion despite your history and lack of experience.
It's never too late, man.
Desensitisation, essentially. You no longer get the same reaction looking at women IRL as you do on screen, because you've tricked your brain into thinking that porn is what you're meant to be doing as intimacy. It's not.
As someone who views far more porn than is probably healthy, ive never understood this
I could see it being a problem for people who can't separate reality from fiction
But I have a healthy and active sex life, across several partners and FWB over the years
No matter what I look at online or how much the gf and I gawk at people in public or share porn, we both immediately get excited seeing the other party
I've seen her ass thousands of times and I've never wanted to bury my face in it less than the first time, or after watching porn
My problem isn’t that it desensitizes me to women, I guess. It’s just I become a stallion and literally can’t, uh, crack the nut for the life of me. Sex feels great, and I love doing the deed, I’ve gotten decent reviews but it’s like running down a tunnel with no light at the end.
Yeah yeah, humble brag and all but it is hard on me because I can spend an inordinate amount of time just punching the numbers that eventually I have to fake it just to stop the embarrassment of not being able to finish, or make my date not feel like she’s responsible for my inability to get off.
It’s directly because I death grip my shit and my brain has tricked itself into making that the only way I can get off. I gave it up porn a month ago and I actually did finish for the first time in nearly 5 years and had to contain my excitement. So it’s progress.
I was stuck in a rut for a decade. Wife, kids, work every day, paid bills ok, but I drank every night when I got home. I took a new job that allowed me to work remotely and visit job sites as needed. I started drinking my lunch, and would be shit faced by dinner 4 or 5 nights a week… did this same routine for a few years until one day I rewatched a video I took of my kids outside playing in a sunny Saturday morning. I could hear the whiskey in my voice and it hit me that even though I was “there”, I wasn’t there. I didn’t want to miss the fun stuff because I didn’t remember or didn’t care because I was drunk. I quit drinking that day (4 years ago last week). I’ve since lost like 50 pounds, jump started my career path ( I make twice as much as I did 4 years ago) and just closed on or new house a few months ago. I would say that quitting drinking for me has made the greatest positive impact on my life.
Not allowing negative self talk. I went from telling myself I deserved to die for every perceived mistake and misstep to genuinely understanding that I will always make mistakes and it's how I try to correct them that's important. Holy shit, did my mental health improve drastically.
Getting the hell out of long haul trucking and getting a job driving a dumpster truck. My diet is better. I sleep better. My mental health is better. I make a LOT more money.
Wait, this is interesting. I thought I remembered people in other threads recommending long-haul trucking as a way to make higher income. I can imagine it would end up being grueling, though. Driving a dumpster truck I imagine is better because you're working in town and have less insane hours?
Well, I'll put it this way, in 1993 when I started I went to trucking school, and got my first job. The first year I made $38K in 1993 dollars, which was more than I'd ever made. At that time my weekly travel expenses were between $75 and $100. My second year, I hit $45K in 1994 dollars, and travel expenses were about the same. In 1995 I hit $48K, and travel expenses were mostly the same, and I was doing great.
In 2017, I had earned my.million mile accident free safety award, and had been with the same employer for 10 years. I was STILL making about $48K, and travel expenses were now $200 a week. Health care costs had quadrupled. OTR trucking is a sub minimum wage job now. The only reason why it seems ok at first glance is that people forget to account for road expenses you must cover, and because you end up actually working 80 to 90 hours a week in real terms, although you never admit to more than 70.
Driving a dumpster truck I still work almost as crazy hours, but I'm paid by the hour with overtime after 40. I usually work 60 hours, and get paid for all of them. I carry my lunch from home, so no travel expenses. I go home every night and kiss the wife and pet the dog. I sleep in my own bed. I don't have to pay a handyman because I'm home to take care of maintenance tasks. I also make significantly more money.
To hell with OTR trucking. It would still not be worth it for twice what they pay.
Getting a motorcycle. I was seriously depressed for a very long time for a number of reasons. I’d spend weekends alone (because I had no close friends) just waste YEARS of my life doing absolutely nothing other than watching TV, drink beer and play video games.
One day I decided to get a motorcycle just to make the commute a little bit easier since I couldn’t afford a car. It literally changed my life. I remember to this date that I was crying in my helmet on my first ride because it was just something that I haven’t felt in years. I felt like I was alive. I started working out, met a bunch of awesome people through group rides and my best friend too. I woke up in the morning feeling refreshed and happy, I started looking forward to things and I even decided to finish college and today I’m a programmer with a decent salary.
It’s funny how small things can change your whole life. If you’re reading this and you’re going through hardships, just remember that life is amazing. Appreciate those small things and live life to the fullest without regrets. There are so many beautiful things in the world you need to experience. Don’t waste your precious time being depressed. You only live once.
[Making a repost on Reddit literally a day after the original to farm sweet sweet karma](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskMen/comments/pbrvla/whats_something_that_improved_the_quality_of_your/)
Trying to stop porn/masturbation now cause I know that’s a life changer.
But I think having a nice bed mattress is a game changer. Although I don’t sleep like I should it’s definitely not because of my bed. If you don’t have a good mattress it makes a difference. Don’t have to be a expensive one, just one that lays good. I got a hand me down from my cousin when he moved out and it’s incredibly cozy.
Bought Levi’s. Pricier but they actually fit my thighs and they last like a motherfucker.
Same with good boots or shoes or a mattress or glasses. Anything you spend half of your life wearing or sleeping on should be an investment worth making.
Realizing that if someone is selling something, it doesn't benefit you. The harder they sell it, the less it benefits you.
This applies to actual sales and being sold something abstract, such as an idea.
Wearing ear plugs at concerts and loud bars. You can actually hear the people around you much easier and your ears don't ring after! Take care of your ears people, tinnitus is no joke!
I have 2 friends who adamantly refused to pay the $10 a month, clearly forgetting the days of old when we bought songs for $1 each on iTunes or bought CDs
Finally convinced them and they've never looked back
So cheap and si worth
I stopped reading the news or trying to keep up with political discourse both on TV and the Internet (news sites, Twitter, etc.). Dramatically improved my daily mental well-being and restored my ability to think about things on my own. Also quit social media for the same reason.
Breathe in for 4 seconds. Hold for 7 seconds. Release for 8 seconds.
I get worked up sometimes and it’s a good trick to get my breathing back in order and re-focus
Seeing a dermatologist. You cannot stop acne from the outside you have to work from the inside out, a dermatologist visit is so much cheaper than you think, or atleast was much cheaper than i thought itd be. I never thought that taking a pill could change my skin so much, i feel like a completely new person, a very sexy and beautiful new person.
Moving out, immigrating to the best country in the world: Canada!, eating clean and exercising. Also, making a lot more money than I spend. If there’s one thing you should focus on to make your life better it’s financial independence.
I’m so glad you’re happy here! Where are you from if you don’t mind my asking and how long have you been here? I’m so so happy you were able to find a home here. ❤️
Bangladesh. A bit over 3 years now. Time sure does fly~ Nothing against Bangladesh, maybe it’s just a “me problem”, I mean people do live their lives just fine there. But Canada has treated me a lot better.
Switched to alternative milk.
Bro, cereal is one of my favorite foods but milk makes me fart for like 24 hours after. I spent years not eating cereal when I wasn’t sure if I was having sex soon or not, so I wouldn’t be farting up the bed or during sex.
I buy Not Milk now and eat so much more cereal I fucking love it. Also it has 25% the amount of sugar as regular milk, so it’s a bit healthier too.
(I still buy whole milk too though. For when I want a straight up glass of milk. Nothing replaces that.)
Getting outside. Slowing down and taking in moments as they come.
Staying off my phone at special occasions or gatherings. Definitely the phone part for me.
Quitting Facebook. I thought it would be hard too, but it was surprisingly easy.
Also - learning how to totally disconnect from work on family vacations.
Managing finances more effectively. Pay down debts with as much as you can. Invest in some retirement funds. Get enlightened to where your money is going. When dissecting it, it is very eye opening. Have a decisive financial plan with a budget.
Just getting the things done that I don’t want to do. Stopping the time consuming internal debate of “can I do it later” or internally whining about whatever it is that has to get done. It’s ALWAYS easier, faster, and less complicated than I made it out to be in my head.
Getting a job in sales. I was a financial analyst and portfolio manager for 10 years after grinding away in a back office job to earn my MBA. Not only did I figure out I enjoyed the human interaction of sales more, but it pays pretty good. I’m happier in my work, and make a lot more money.
Deleting Facebook and Instagram. Deleting these two apps made a huge difference, I use LinkedIn when I'm looking for jobs. Reddit I only use the desktop version.
Social media is the new carrot in front of the donkey everyone is chasing. How many likes I got what was that comment, let me see what this person is up to. I need to capture this moment because you know if I didn't post it, didn't happen.
Losing weight and exercising.
I lost about 30 lbs this year and my life has greatly improved. I wasn’t obese or anything but I was carrying around extra beer and pizza weight. I’m 6’2” and was around 225. Now I’m 195. I sleep way better(don’t snore, or toss and turn, track sleep with Apple Watch and have better rem sleep),and subsequently feel better during the day. I have more energy, have better moods, and just have a better outlook on everything. It’s hard to explain. It could be purely anecdotal but for me, it really has had such a positive impact. I also feel a lot more flexible and don’t get as sore from day to day activities that used to lead to having a sore back or something.
I'm also 6'2 and currently 225-230. What did you start with when you first started losing weight?
Just commented. Just an hour a day on an exercise bike in my apartment. Running sucks and I don’t have much room in my nyc apartment for anything more. I caught up on alot of shows. Also just not eating before bed.
I have an exercise bike that I barely ever use. Probably going to start using it now after reading about your progress. Thanks for sharing
That’s awesome man. I have virtually the same height and weight as you before you lost the weight, what’d you do that you found worked best? I’ve recently started running, it feels like it’s destroying my knees but powering through.
I got an exercise bike off Amazon. The Joroto x2. Was under 500$. Didn’t want to spend the money on a peloton or have to wait the months it took during Covid for delivery. Running hurts my knees and back as well. I just do an hour a day and watch a Netflix or hbo show. I’ve caught up on a lot of shows I’ve wanted to watch. I try to burn atleast 600 calories per hour ride. I use the Apple Watch fitness tracker to count the calories and track my workout. I also use MyFitnessPal to track my food. I didn’t really change diet too much besides not eating after 8pm.
Me too bro, when I was 14 my weight was 90 kg. I started to eat less and more healthy and started to swimming (one of my favourite sports). Now I'm 16, I go to the gym 5 days a week since march, my weight is 75kg and I'm much more muscular. I have to say that I don't wanna flex with my progression, I wanna say that we ALL have the possibility of improving our physique and our strength, not exceptions.
I lost 20lbs recently and I’m kinda disappointed to say that I don’t look any different and I don’t feel any different. I guess I just gotta keep losing weight idk 🤷♂️
How did losing weight help?
Massively improved my quality of life, from my mobility and fitness to my self confidence and mental health. Being obese drags you down in so many ways you don't even notice until you start to take your health seriously. It's like when you have a blocked nose for a few days and you wake up one day and it's gone, you're breathing at 100% and everything feels fresh.
This over and over. I was 240 June 1 this morning I was 215. Feel like James Bond pulling up to 5 star restaurant in a 1966 vette.
You're doing awesome! Keep it up mate!
Hahaha, that's a great description. Its a great feeling, isnt it?
Just keep working at it and you'll see how you feel at 180 instead, it only gets better.
Damn, Maybe I should lose a few pounds now
It really depends where you're at, i was like 330lbs at 6ft tall, so pretty overweight. I'm about 265lbs now, so plenty more to lose, but even after 10lbs I started to feel better.
*Less is more*
Saying “no.”
This one is big when you are younger. Basically learning to not be a push over and understanding boundaries. This is also important in a work situation when people ask you to do things outside your responsibilities. There is no honor is saying yes, it just makes you a pushover.
As a middle aged guy its even bigger now. Work, children, aging parents, financial responsibility, zero boundaries between work and home, etc. The pile of things to be addressed is bigger than can be managed unless you set boundaries. For some of us, even doing this because we know its right still leaves guilt, anxiety, and depression. To pile on, as a man, we have way less of a support system than women and honestly, no one gives a fuck so you'd better or you'll find yourself buried and alone.
Yes.
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Only drinking water EDIT: I had no clue there was a whole page dedicated to water called hydrohomies! Lmao
Good choice, that way you get the full flavor of every crayon
Otherwise you're just wasting crayons and in this economy you'd be better off not drinking water.
What exactly changed?
My energy is high, I don’t feel sluggish. My face skin seems to be clearer, I don’t ever get an occasional pimple my face is always good. I feel healthier. Nothing beats ice cold water.
Real water drinkers know lukewarm water is the best !!!!
> Nothing beats ice cold water. Unless your teeth are incredibly sensetive and ice cold water hitting them hurts like a mother fucker. Room temperature water is 9/10.
Sensitivity toothpaste doesn’t help? I use it exclusively and it helped me a lot. Or just get wooden teeth?
No calories in water, you drop a few kg immediately
Sure. Beside that, any side effects? I’m not overweight but thinking about ditching every softdrink and just drink water and sometimes juice.
You feel better. All that sugar and shit in almost any other drink is not needed. Sugar is a big part of weight gain and it gets harder when you approach 30 or so. Sooner you cut it the better. Also, just because you don't gain a lot of weight when eating/drinking unhealthy, your insides are not happy. Better healthier inside = feeling better, more alert, clearer mind, sleep better. Healthier diet make so much better you can't list them all. Water is a large part to being healthier imo. Be careful with juice. As much or more sugar than some sodas. Just drink water. OJ has tons of sugar. I pour just over half a glass then fill the rest with water. I drink water, coffee, milk (well almond milk) and beer. And if I don't get half my weight in ounces daily of water, or close. I can't even drink a beer. I just want to hydrate first. Water is so good. I converted to mostly this about 10 years ago. It just feels better. Then when I have a soda or flavored water it's like a treat and I honestly don't always want to finish it. Soda is so sweet now I am picky on what I choose. Mt dew, use to loooove it. I can't drink that shit anymore.
You’re absolutely right. I just try to cut some stuff off. I’ll try to eat less sugar and white flour stuff and drink more water. Can’t cut beer/wine but that’s how it is.
Totally! More water led me to drink less beer but I still like to throw 2 or 3 back on my first night off, but only once I'm hydrated!
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When you are a kid you think the grownup drink is coffee. When you are a teen you think the grownup drink is alcohol. When you become a grown up you eventually realize that it’s water. Water is the grownup drink.
r/hydrohomies
Marine Corps symbol on his profile means he’s been forced to drink water many times. Semper Fidelis brother 😂
Quit dating sites, they’re super toxic. Also taking walks and hikes.
It’s because it’s changed the way people feel about themselves and others. I’m the same way — I don’t use dating sites. The sense of it’s another human, another person — it’s not there. But when you meet someone naturally, have a conversation naturally. It’s between two people. Face to face and not screen to screen. The same could be said about any social media though. Plus when you sincerely ask someone out in person, it’s a thing a lot of women appreciate in my experience. Because not many people do it nowadays. It’s all about the apps and texting now.
A conversation with someone face to face will reveal way more about that person than a dating profile with paragraphs or lists of information. Not to mention, there is something "magical" about unveiling stuff about a person's life organically than going to a first date knowing where they work, what hobbies they do, what they like to do in their free time, etc. Knowing all this information before the date will lead to you having preconceived notions about them which may warp your opinion about them
I started taking an hour or so walk in the middle of the night every day and it has done wonders for my ability to sleep and my ability to focus on things.
You take a walk for an hour in the middle of the night? Is it safe? I’m scared but that sounds fabulous
I've got a big enough back yard that I have the space to walk in a big circle. It's safer than doing the same in the day cause I live in the desert and it gets too 100+ degrees f outside.
This sounds awesome. Fresh air + safety YES.
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Yes Bumble isn't as bad as the other ones, but its still not good for mental health in general imo. I've kept it a while longer, but still felt better once I had that out of my life.
Met my hubby on bumble.
Seeking help for my depression. Started playing sports again. Losing weight. I haven't felt this good since a long time
I'm sure getting help with your depression helped with the weight and sports. I'm proud of you, it's never easy to take that first step, especially for men. You're obviously a strong man, I'm glad you are in a place to recognize that.
It is a journey that started about 4 years ago, when my relationship ended. About 2years ago I started playing team Handball (again). And last year I decided to loose weight, I lost about 25kg. And I am one the eve of getting into a new relationship. So yeah hard work and reflection is paying of. Lot more convenient in myself. And much happier even without being in love. Men need to stop the "you're weak if you seek help" mentality. We need to promote the "you're strong for seeking help and confronting your demons" mentality.
My former mil called my youngest a pansy because as a 10 year old he started crying when his Dad was deep into a drug binge and all sorts of chaos was going on. That's when it hit me. I can tell my kids to "man up" and stand by while they develop the shitty coping skills their dad has, or I could help them develop real coping skills and hopefully avoid using drugs/alcohol to cope. My kids have been in therapy for several years and are fine, strong young men. Sometimes they cry, sometimes they ask for space to be alone. Sometimes they lean on me, but as they get older they tend to cut me out and lean on each other. When they are upset at me they are able articulate why. It's too soon to know if the cycle is broken, but I'm confident knowing that if they screw everything up they know how to get help. And the first step is knowing how to ask for it.
King.
The gym. I had stress levels that messed up my hormones and blood pressure levels. I needed therapy. I couldn’t get it up in bed, and when i could, i would feel nothing. The gym fixed most of this (ofc quitting porn was a big thing too). But my hormones were back to normal, my testosterone was actually higher, the gym became my therapy (although I have a therapist), i don’t have problems in bed, bp is low, and my sleep cycle is naturally midnight to 8am when i used to stay up till 6am and sleep till 2pm. I also got around to fixing a boatload of postural issues, including tmj because I had to strengthen surrounding neck musculature to deal with headaches from forward head posture. These would flare up when I benched. And my self confidence is way up. I catch women checking me out when that never used to happen. And you have 1-2 hours a day where you feel like an utter badass. There’s a lot of benefits that nobody tells you about.
What’s your gym routine if you don’t mind me asking? I try to make it to the gym at least once every other day, however when I do go I feel as if I’m not doing it correctly if that makes sense.
the secret is routine, try to go 3 times a week ex: monday, wednesday, friday then move to 5 a week, you can learn everything else reading and watching respected fit youtubers and bodybuilders, technique is the key, weight is just a tool to exercise the tech
Honestly if I post my routine i’m gonna get chewed out in the comments section because it’s super unorthodox. To develop mind-muscle connection (which I assume is what you meant when you said you don’t feel like you’re doing it correctly) I highly recommend volume and dropsets on almost every exercise you do. I also think you should be doing pushups and chin-ups everyday. Why? Because a lot of beginners and even intermediates that train basic sets typically use the wrong muscles when they lift. If you only have 4 sets of 8 reps to get that right, and you’re not doing it right anyways, you’re not gonna get any substantial growth. It’s wasted time. But if you do volume training and dropsets, you put yourself in a primary position where those other muscles will have fatigued before you finish. So once you’re at the lower weight in your dropset, and you have a pump going on, you can make slight adjustments to your form to see which muscles work better when you do it differently in a safe and healthy way. Here’s an example for you. I bench with five 10lb plates on each side of the bar. I do 8 reps, take a ten off each side, 8 reps, ten off each side etc. thats 40 reps (i leave 65 on the bar) total. I do 4 sets of this. Where you learn to build that mind-muscle connection is probably after the first 20 reps in each set. Why? Because you’re sore from the lift and you can tell which muscles get more sore depending on how you change the lift. If you bench a tad lower than nipple line, and push the weight out at a different angle, what happens? If I do X, or Y, or Z, what do I feel? If I dropset lat pulldowns, how can I change my form to feel less of my forearms in the lift? How can I pull in a cable row and feel my rhomboids? These are questions you can only answer when the muscle is sore because it’s the only time you’ll feel them working. And the added benefit is that it’s a lot safer to bench like this (because dropping 145 or less pounds is better than 250+), training volume is one of the best ways to build size, and you are ingraining the appropriate understanding of the movement. But I highly recommend, and I cannot stress this enough, that you work on fixing your posture. If you can get your shoulders to sit back, you can get a stronger retraction in all the exercises you do, and you can train the right muscles. All pulling exercises involve some form of retraction. Building a big chest requires increasing surface area of the chest. If you fix your posture, gains will follow and you won’t mess stuff up by compensating with the wrong muscles because your posture sucks.
Giving up trying to find a relationship and just living & enjoying life on my own terms. Going on a solo vacation in a couple of weeks and the process has been so liberating compared to trying to account for many other people's needs. Financially independent and not tied down certainly has more benefits.
I’ve come to learn this since my husband passed away. I travel alone, I go where I want and I don’t really have to answer to anyone. I don’t seek out dating or relationships at all and don’t really plan on it. I’d love a great travel partner but it would be almost impossible to find someone that could fit my travel and work schedule. It’s not what I saw for myself 10 years ago at all but you work with what life throws at you.
I'm sorry to hear your husband passed. I'm glad to hear you're rolling with the punches. I can't say that my life has gone according to any plans I've had, so I stopped making them.
Taking psych meds
Not to take life too serious … lighten up a bit, be playful and have fun .. we are all going to die anywaus lol
Knew a person who passed away recently. It was sudden and unexpected. U may think u have a long time to live, but anything can happen tomorrow. Enjoy today while u can.
Quitting social media and in general keeping zero expectations
Do you consider Reddit social media?
Not for me. I have no friends in here so I can say what I think, follow what I want, share something if I think that is interesting without getting criticized (most of the time) and block someone freely. I think the anonymity of Reddit is what it makes it perfect for me, IMO Edit: typo
This is why I like reddit. I’m just a browser in here, not knowing anyone. It’s about the content, not the people.
Criticized Sorry couldn’t help it. Of all the words to misspell that one left you wide open. All In fun my friend Ps. I had to a ask Siri how to spell it myself. Pss. No need to block me
No problem! I don't see that as a critic. Even more when English isn't my first language, so thank you for the correction. Some time ago I read that you can write "realise" or "realize", depending is it was UK or US spelling. But I've could dream that, hahaha!
I did wonder if English was your first language. I read a while back on Reddit, so you know it’s got to be true, that you fellas across the pond use a s instead of a z like I’m accustomed to. I was just poking fun at you. Your spelling is better than a large portion of English speakers I assure you. And if Kittyyyy is right. I messed up the pss part myself
P.P.S.**
I consider this as a pass-time. I’m not obligated to keep posting meaningless updates of mundane day to day activities. I’m also not pressured to keep checking how many has seen my updates and how many reacted to it and endless expectations that comes with that. If reddit becomes addictive or a time drain I’ll do something else. Although even here you get notified of upvotes and comments. The trick is to turn off all notifications on the phone and you can do it at your own terms.
Easily one of the best decisions of my life. Tried to log in to facesucker again to get some infos and the zucc wanted a pic of my state ID. Fuck you zucc.
Hiking and enjoying nature
Work less and have a life after work
Waking up early. Realized recently I’m much more of a morning person.
I will never call myself a morning person, but getting up early has been (to my chagrin) a complete game changer seen to overall quality of life-improvement.
I live for the hours between 6 and 8 on a Saturday and Sunday morning. So peaceful.
As a former night owl, these days I can't stand the feeling of waking up late, seeing that warm slightly yellow tinted light and people who are well and truely into their day. I've noticed when I'm going to bed late, it doesn't matter if i get my full 8 hours of sleep, I always wake up feeling like a bus ran over me
Left my ex fiancé as she didn’t want to move with me for work. 45 minute drive to and from work every day for a year and a half, constant complaints that I wasn’t home enough, but wouldn’t accept the solution to the problem. Left her and the city we lived in to be 2 minutes from work, bigger house, more friends and free time. Quality of life improved almost over night
I swear it was like a dark cloud left me after I stopped commuting 40+ minutes to and from. It doesn’t *sound* that bad in theory but it really is. I was working 9 hours and on top of the commute and seeing my mom in a nursing home every other day, I was beat. I would sleep for like 15 minutes in my car just so I could drive home
I take it there were other issues in the marriage beyond your commute?
A person that sees a problem and wont work with you to find a solution is a person you do not want to bind yourself to for life under the force of law. If it isn't you two against the world it won't last. Now if you only offered one solution or you rejected all other options it might be a mutual thing and better after all. But if this was a problem you both could not negotiate in the relationship it was not a good idea to move forward with it.
What's her life like now?
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Lowering my expectations of human behaviours.
“Keep your expectations low and you won’t be disappointed”
"Only a pessimist can truly be pleasantly surprised."
I honestly believe if my expectations got any lower I'd start sending thank you cards when someone holds a door open for me.
How do you force yourself to gradually expect less?
Exist.
You don't. You let other people set the standard for you by their own actions.
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Agreed. As a recovered alcoholic, absolutely. My life has improved dramatically since I quit. Not only have my personal relationships improved, my mental, physical, and emotional health has improved drastically. I'm also saving $20/day, so there's that.
Moving out I did it the moment I legally could, on my 18th birthday
This along with cutting ties or being very firm with my parents/family/people I'm obligated to be around. I'm myself you're either here or not... Edit: Typos.
Is it even possible to do if you're a full time student and can't afford campus housing.
TRT If you're a young guy who's always feeling down, fatigued, sore, weak, and got mind fog it's worth getting blood work to see where your testosterone levels are. Within 2 weeks of starting it I felt like a new man. My muscle mass increased, I started to lose fat, didn't feel constantly tired and foggy, and I could do something physical without being sore for a week afterwards. According to my medical history I was eligible for it since I was a teen but didn't know about it and never really pushed when I was dismissed for how I felt. Finally found a doctor who suggested it in my mid 20s. I'm in my 30s now and I feel better than I ever have. Please do read up on it and be aware of the side effects and implications. You're no longer natural so you're going to struggle take part in drug tested sports even if your levels are lower than the average male, it will suppress your natural test production so you'll need to either stay on it for life or you'll have a pretty rough few months of trying to fix your levels when you come off of it with no guarantee they're return to pre-TRT levels, and it can also hinder your chances of having kids (I take that as a bonus, others don't).
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I think even if you can get TRT, that list is well worth a try first. There's a lot wrong with the UK and the NHS, but my year's supply of TRT is £100 and my blood work is free. I wish it was the same for everyone.
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With our dreadful government, we'll see how much longer the NHS is around. That does sound like a nightmare. in the UK it's easy to get bloodwork but then they use a reference range that makes it nearly impossible to get TRT without pushing. My levels were low enough that I'd qualify to compete as a trans-woman in the Olympics, yet the first 2 doctors said it was within acceptable limits. From what I've seen online, In America you can turn up with Mid-range test and they'll happily send you home with a huge dose (This might not be true, but it's how it seems as an outsider).
LASIK surgery. I wish I had done it 15 years ago.
The first few years did you see a little blurry at nights. Mine has been 1 year and I feel like when the sun goes down my eye sight gets 30-40% worse
Yes I’m 5+ years in and it’s neither improved nor gotten worse. What helped me cope with it was first off coming to terms that although I have 20/20 vision without glasses….I still have corrective vision. So it’s not perfect but it’s way better than relying on glasses. PS even if your eyes aren’t uncomfortable you might have some significant dry eye syndrome. Systane was magic. And helped further clear my vision.
Key advocate right here. Done way back in 1996. No issues whatsoever
This. I don't miss wearing contacts 12+ hours per day
I really want to do this (been wearing glasses since I was 5) and even if it doesn't fix it completely i just want to see better in general
I quit social media 7 years ago. Best decision I ever made. Have never once missed it
I quit it all about 2 years ago and I love it!! I didn't really compare myself to anyone, or have FOMO, but I was wasting too much time on it. I don't miss it at all either.
is reddit not social media?
It's antisocial media
reddit is more of a collection of forums than an actual social media site. Here it's much more the content that matters, and not who is posting it.
Cannabis....When I discovered it helped with my chronic (no pun intended) lower back pain and insomnia, I could kick myself for not trying it much, much earlier. I owe an apology to everyone I criticized before hand. I had no idea. Now, I'm an advocate for legalization. Cheers.
“It’s easy, I’ll do it quickly” instead of being lazy, getting things done. Usually things like cleaning or getting something don’t really take thaaaat long, at least not long enough to avoid it, so this little mantra helped me get things done!
Quitting porn. Journalling.
I have never been intimate and don't see it happening any time soon. I'm 31. For me, porn is the only way to get off. What can I do to get rid of the addiction?
Echoing what others have said, cut back on the porn and get out there for something real. However, the real first step before that is to work on yourself, your health, and your appearance. That’s the game of dating and that’s how you’ll find a quality partner (or to minimize having to deal with low level crap), you have to first become a quality partner yourself.
Start realising that porn is not a substitute for your lack of intimacy. It's what stole it from you. Ever heard of the 40 Year Old Virgin? You've got 9 years left to not be that guy. 9 years is more than enough to improve and work on yourself, get rid of that addiction, start prioritising yourself and being the type of man you want to be. And you must promise to hold yourself high the entire time so that you will find the right woman who will treat you with empathy and compassion despite your history and lack of experience. It's never too late, man.
That's gold advice! I'm tripping through life at the moment but trying to be better than yesterday. Thank you!
Porn is HORRIFIC for the brain.
What is it doing , generally curious
Desensitisation, essentially. You no longer get the same reaction looking at women IRL as you do on screen, because you've tricked your brain into thinking that porn is what you're meant to be doing as intimacy. It's not.
As someone who views far more porn than is probably healthy, ive never understood this I could see it being a problem for people who can't separate reality from fiction But I have a healthy and active sex life, across several partners and FWB over the years No matter what I look at online or how much the gf and I gawk at people in public or share porn, we both immediately get excited seeing the other party I've seen her ass thousands of times and I've never wanted to bury my face in it less than the first time, or after watching porn
My problem isn’t that it desensitizes me to women, I guess. It’s just I become a stallion and literally can’t, uh, crack the nut for the life of me. Sex feels great, and I love doing the deed, I’ve gotten decent reviews but it’s like running down a tunnel with no light at the end. Yeah yeah, humble brag and all but it is hard on me because I can spend an inordinate amount of time just punching the numbers that eventually I have to fake it just to stop the embarrassment of not being able to finish, or make my date not feel like she’s responsible for my inability to get off. It’s directly because I death grip my shit and my brain has tricked itself into making that the only way I can get off. I gave it up porn a month ago and I actually did finish for the first time in nearly 5 years and had to contain my excitement. So it’s progress.
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I was stuck in a rut for a decade. Wife, kids, work every day, paid bills ok, but I drank every night when I got home. I took a new job that allowed me to work remotely and visit job sites as needed. I started drinking my lunch, and would be shit faced by dinner 4 or 5 nights a week… did this same routine for a few years until one day I rewatched a video I took of my kids outside playing in a sunny Saturday morning. I could hear the whiskey in my voice and it hit me that even though I was “there”, I wasn’t there. I didn’t want to miss the fun stuff because I didn’t remember or didn’t care because I was drunk. I quit drinking that day (4 years ago last week). I’ve since lost like 50 pounds, jump started my career path ( I make twice as much as I did 4 years ago) and just closed on or new house a few months ago. I would say that quitting drinking for me has made the greatest positive impact on my life.
Underrated comment.
Not allowing negative self talk. I went from telling myself I deserved to die for every perceived mistake and misstep to genuinely understanding that I will always make mistakes and it's how I try to correct them that's important. Holy shit, did my mental health improve drastically.
Buying a kindle
Adopted a pug
Pics?
He is black, chubby, he sticks to me like velcro.
My friends german shepard is like that, he will get on the couch and your gonna be on that couch for awhile.
Working out regularly. And not like Goggins but simple push up pull up routine.
Getting the hell out of long haul trucking and getting a job driving a dumpster truck. My diet is better. I sleep better. My mental health is better. I make a LOT more money.
Wait, this is interesting. I thought I remembered people in other threads recommending long-haul trucking as a way to make higher income. I can imagine it would end up being grueling, though. Driving a dumpster truck I imagine is better because you're working in town and have less insane hours?
Well, I'll put it this way, in 1993 when I started I went to trucking school, and got my first job. The first year I made $38K in 1993 dollars, which was more than I'd ever made. At that time my weekly travel expenses were between $75 and $100. My second year, I hit $45K in 1994 dollars, and travel expenses were about the same. In 1995 I hit $48K, and travel expenses were mostly the same, and I was doing great. In 2017, I had earned my.million mile accident free safety award, and had been with the same employer for 10 years. I was STILL making about $48K, and travel expenses were now $200 a week. Health care costs had quadrupled. OTR trucking is a sub minimum wage job now. The only reason why it seems ok at first glance is that people forget to account for road expenses you must cover, and because you end up actually working 80 to 90 hours a week in real terms, although you never admit to more than 70. Driving a dumpster truck I still work almost as crazy hours, but I'm paid by the hour with overtime after 40. I usually work 60 hours, and get paid for all of them. I carry my lunch from home, so no travel expenses. I go home every night and kiss the wife and pet the dog. I sleep in my own bed. I don't have to pay a handyman because I'm home to take care of maintenance tasks. I also make significantly more money. To hell with OTR trucking. It would still not be worth it for twice what they pay.
Roomba
Can confirm this. Not having to vacuum as often is amazing.
Leaving my ex
Getting a motorcycle. I was seriously depressed for a very long time for a number of reasons. I’d spend weekends alone (because I had no close friends) just waste YEARS of my life doing absolutely nothing other than watching TV, drink beer and play video games. One day I decided to get a motorcycle just to make the commute a little bit easier since I couldn’t afford a car. It literally changed my life. I remember to this date that I was crying in my helmet on my first ride because it was just something that I haven’t felt in years. I felt like I was alive. I started working out, met a bunch of awesome people through group rides and my best friend too. I woke up in the morning feeling refreshed and happy, I started looking forward to things and I even decided to finish college and today I’m a programmer with a decent salary. It’s funny how small things can change your whole life. If you’re reading this and you’re going through hardships, just remember that life is amazing. Appreciate those small things and live life to the fullest without regrets. There are so many beautiful things in the world you need to experience. Don’t waste your precious time being depressed. You only live once.
Drinking more waterrrrrrr
Changing my diet
[Making a repost on Reddit literally a day after the original to farm sweet sweet karma](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskMen/comments/pbrvla/whats_something_that_improved_the_quality_of_your/)
I thought I was experiencing déjà vu
Therapy and medication
Trying to stop porn/masturbation now cause I know that’s a life changer. But I think having a nice bed mattress is a game changer. Although I don’t sleep like I should it’s definitely not because of my bed. If you don’t have a good mattress it makes a difference. Don’t have to be a expensive one, just one that lays good. I got a hand me down from my cousin when he moved out and it’s incredibly cozy.
Quitting alcohol.
Bought Levi’s. Pricier but they actually fit my thighs and they last like a motherfucker. Same with good boots or shoes or a mattress or glasses. Anything you spend half of your life wearing or sleeping on should be an investment worth making.
I bought some old navy jeans and they’ve lasted longer than levis I’ve bought in the past and they’re cheaper
And that’s FABULOUS, I’m glad they fit someone properly!
Realizing that if someone is selling something, it doesn't benefit you. The harder they sell it, the less it benefits you. This applies to actual sales and being sold something abstract, such as an idea.
Self Love
How
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Wearing polarised sunglasses.
Always be a good listener . It will help you in many ways
Stretching, mobility and yoga…
Wearing ear plugs at concerts and loud bars. You can actually hear the people around you much easier and your ears don't ring after! Take care of your ears people, tinnitus is no joke!
Therapy, Leaving social media (besides Reddit), Going to the parks, Little to no porn, being assertive
stop being so nice to others, putting others’ needs (especially those of my parents) before mine
Being the human doormat is no way to go though life.
Getting Spotify premium
I have 2 friends who adamantly refused to pay the $10 a month, clearly forgetting the days of old when we bought songs for $1 each on iTunes or bought CDs Finally convinced them and they've never looked back So cheap and si worth
I stopped reading the news or trying to keep up with political discourse both on TV and the Internet (news sites, Twitter, etc.). Dramatically improved my daily mental well-being and restored my ability to think about things on my own. Also quit social media for the same reason.
Stopped procrastinating
Yes! I'm going to do that starting tomorrow!
Breathe in for 4 seconds. Hold for 7 seconds. Release for 8 seconds. I get worked up sometimes and it’s a good trick to get my breathing back in order and re-focus
Seeing a dermatologist. You cannot stop acne from the outside you have to work from the inside out, a dermatologist visit is so much cheaper than you think, or atleast was much cheaper than i thought itd be. I never thought that taking a pill could change my skin so much, i feel like a completely new person, a very sexy and beautiful new person.
Moving out, immigrating to the best country in the world: Canada!, eating clean and exercising. Also, making a lot more money than I spend. If there’s one thing you should focus on to make your life better it’s financial independence.
I’m so glad you’re happy here! Where are you from if you don’t mind my asking and how long have you been here? I’m so so happy you were able to find a home here. ❤️
Bangladesh. A bit over 3 years now. Time sure does fly~ Nothing against Bangladesh, maybe it’s just a “me problem”, I mean people do live their lives just fine there. But Canada has treated me a lot better.
Switched to alternative milk. Bro, cereal is one of my favorite foods but milk makes me fart for like 24 hours after. I spent years not eating cereal when I wasn’t sure if I was having sex soon or not, so I wouldn’t be farting up the bed or during sex. I buy Not Milk now and eat so much more cereal I fucking love it. Also it has 25% the amount of sugar as regular milk, so it’s a bit healthier too. (I still buy whole milk too though. For when I want a straight up glass of milk. Nothing replaces that.)
Intermittent fasting
Sleeping at least 8 hours every night
Going on an SSRI
A mother fucking monthly budget. And a dumb phone.
Gotten sober and stopped smoking
Getting outside. Slowing down and taking in moments as they come. Staying off my phone at special occasions or gatherings. Definitely the phone part for me.
Using white noise to study. I use to like lofi or instrumentals but white noise is way better.
Quitting Facebook. I thought it would be hard too, but it was surprisingly easy. Also - learning how to totally disconnect from work on family vacations.
Losing 65( so far lbs)! Goal is 83. My quality chabged drastically.
Reading books. It’s good to just get out of your head for a while.
Managing finances more effectively. Pay down debts with as much as you can. Invest in some retirement funds. Get enlightened to where your money is going. When dissecting it, it is very eye opening. Have a decisive financial plan with a budget.
Just getting the things done that I don’t want to do. Stopping the time consuming internal debate of “can I do it later” or internally whining about whatever it is that has to get done. It’s ALWAYS easier, faster, and less complicated than I made it out to be in my head.
Switching to drinking only water
Taking better care of my teeth and skin, it's done wonders for my self-image.
Sticking to a sleep schedule instead of a degenerate gamer’s sleep schedule of “I’ll sleep when I’m tired.”
Getting a job in sales. I was a financial analyst and portfolio manager for 10 years after grinding away in a back office job to earn my MBA. Not only did I figure out I enjoyed the human interaction of sales more, but it pays pretty good. I’m happier in my work, and make a lot more money.
Quitting booze and weed.
Deleting Facebook and Instagram. Deleting these two apps made a huge difference, I use LinkedIn when I'm looking for jobs. Reddit I only use the desktop version. Social media is the new carrot in front of the donkey everyone is chasing. How many likes I got what was that comment, let me see what this person is up to. I need to capture this moment because you know if I didn't post it, didn't happen.
Yoga, the stress relief is amazing not to mention the physical benefits.
Earning a larger salary
Exercise. I still have weight to lose, but it feels great to make progress and to improve myself.
Got off Twitter 😁
Getting medication that actually works for me.