This is in regard to John's March 6-7 updates.

I am wondering about those individuals who have overcome drug abuse and addictions, and their current lifestyle fitness habits.

I was also a heavy drug user for many years, but no longer participate in those activities. I have been working out and living a healthy lifestyle for a close to five years as well.

It seems that many people who suffered from addiction and become fit tend to do it to the extreme. Most of my old buddies, some of whom still take drugs, look at my eating habits and workout schedule and think that I am addicted to being healthy (...which I likely am).

There are a few examples on this board, and I hope these indivuals don't mind being pointed out, but both John and Mastover have made it public knowledge that they suffered from substance abuse in the past. They are also two individuals who probably take their fitness goals way beyond the normal (and possibly even the normal "fit") person.

While I don't think this a problem, and I tend to do be similar in my goals etc..., does anytone think people with addictive personalities are swapping one habit for another? As stated, I don't necessarily think it is bad to be addicted to a healthy lifestyle, but I think those with past substance addictions are often the ones who make the most noticeable transformations and extreme lifestyle changes. Maybe it is an inherant personality type...maybe not. Just wondering about people's thoughts.

While I don't think this a problem, and I tend to do be similar in my goals etc..., does anytone think people with addictive personalities are swapping one habit for another?

One habit though, is self-destructive and harmful -- The other is positive and healthy. I don't know if they are re-channeling their addictive tendencies, but if they are, what better way to do it than to focus on something that will improve life rather than destroy it?

It could also be that the change just seems more extreme when compared to the change of one who was not addicted.

I will agree, addictive tendencies can potentially be positives, when applied to healthy goals.

One habit though, is self-destructive and harmful -- The other is positive and healthy. I don't know if they are re-channeling their addictive tendencies, but if they are, what better way to do it than to focus on something that will improve life rather than destroy it?
Well put.

I lead a very balanced life. My fitness endeavors don't take up much time--less than a hour per day. Eating right is a good habit I've formed over the years, and a clean diet makes me feel great.

Putting aside the obvious differences between a very destructive activity and a positive one, I don't see how the two are comparable in terms of time spent on each. I mean, I used to spend all day stoned doing pretty much nothing.

That's the cool thing about working out and eating right: you don't have to put all that much time into those things to get a whole lot back. Most of the time when someone pejoratively whips out the "Oh, he's addicted to exercise" card, he or she is couch potato with a horrible diet. Those people seem to share this misconception that being healthy takes a lot of time. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Even if it took more time the comparison would be invalid, IMHO. Spending a lot of time on something life/health affirming is called commitment. I don't see how one can validly compare this to addiction.

Well put.

I lead a very balanced life. My fitness endeavors don't take up much time--less than a hour per day. Eating right is a good habit I've formed over the years, and a clean diet makes me feel great.

Putting aside the obvious differences between a very destructive activity and a positive one, I don't see how the two are comparable in terms of time spent on each. I mean, I used to spend all day stoned doing pretty much nothing.

That's the cool thing about working out and eating right: you don't have to put all that much time into those things to get a whole lot back. Most of the time when someone pejoratively whips out the "Oh, he's addicted to exercise" card, he or she is couch potato with a horrible diet. Those people seem to share this misconception that being healthy takes a lot of time. Nothing could be further from the truth.


I agree with the above posted statements, however, I also feel that many of of the admirable transformations have required substantial committment, and usually more than a simple hour a day. For those who have ever gone through cutting/bulking cycles, and have planned meals for days and weeks in advance, and have spent hours, days, and weeks learning, chatting, and researching fitness forums and websites...
these habits are usually very time consuming, especially in the eyes of others. The entire fact that people including myself, have taken fitness to these levels, is indicative of possibly a more motivated and driven personality type (rather than someone who is content with simply a healthy lifestyle).

I am not arguing that fitness isn't the perfect place to focus your efforts, but I do feel that it is possible that certain individuals, particularly those with previous addictions, can be "addicted" to health and pursue it with greater drive than most.

Not to muddy the waters, or instigate another off-topic discussion, but I have heard that the premise behind Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is to centralize discussions around a higher-being. In essence, this removes addiction by causing a reliance on something else. I'm not up-to-date on my AA facts or sure if this is true though.

With fitness however, I agree that there is no better place to focus your efforts.

Dr. William Glasser wrote a book, a number of years ago, where he suggested that a negative addiction like drugs be replaced by a Positive Addiction. It can be stamp collecting, But I would hope most would seek a healthy Positive Addiction like exercise. The book's title is Positive Addiction (http://www.amazon.com/Positive-Addiction-Harper-Colophon-Books/dp/0060912499/ref=pd_bbs_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204930111&sr=8-10).

It seems that many people who suffered from addiction and become fit tend to do it to the extreme. Most of my old buddies, some of whom still take drugs, look at my eating habits and workout schedule and think that I am addicted to being healthy (...which I likely am).

I do not see dramatic transformations for prior drug users as a change of addictions but rather the sudden realization of great value in life. As John spoke about in today's update, narrow perspectives are what is to blame for missing life's value. Drug use alters perspectives and brings about shortsightedness. The easiest way to shake oneself from despondence is to forget and it is that desire to forget that makes it mentally possible to stay drugged as much as possible. Someone who pursues health has recognized the value in being present and alert, not afraid. Good health is pursued with such vigor (pun intended) because it truly enables us to see our life's ultimate limiting factor: will. We can go where we want from there, conquering the body is one option and has been selected by yourself and the people mentioned as well as others. Fitness has gotten me "addicted" to my every goal and whim.

The entire fact that people including myself, have taken fitness to these levels, is indicative of possibly a more motivated and driven personality type (rather than someone who is content with simply a healthy lifestyle).




I don't think I would agree with that for the most part. I think showing an interest in the area of fitness and looking good merely indicates that one has an interest in that area, I don't think you can say there is any greater significance than that really and I don't think you can say it's necessarily indicative of some great drive or success in other areas of life - there are people who have no interest in fitness/aesthetic training who have great success in other areas of life and there are people who have great interest and success in the area of fitness and aesthetic training who don't have too much success in other areas of life. You might have a great interest and be successful in stamp collecting for instance but that doesn't mean you're gonnae be a stellar success in all areas.


And there are of course downsides to the whole aesthetic training, principally the commercial aspect of it where the supplement companies etc. photograph a fitness model holding their product or their crappy absatron machine or whatever with the not so subtle implication that buy this and you'll look like this guy here >>. It's basically cynically playing off people's feelings of inadequacy and indeed fuelling their feelings of inadequacy. That's the great thing about a place like this, it gives Joe Average who wants to get in shape user friendly information free of charge, and not trying to sell people crap that will more likely hinder than help their getting in shape goals.

And John made a good point that folk can achieve their shaping up goals with just a few hours of correct exercise per week, it doesn't have to dominate your life or intrude into other areas of life - again that's the great thing about this place - Joe Average gets info on how to get in shape in a few hours a week without having to live in the gym and become weirdly obsessive about it.

I am wondering about those individuals who have overcome drug abuse and addictions, and their current lifestyle fitness habits.


I have an addictive personality, and there's no question I was addicted to fitness during my original JSF cut. I even admitted as much in my journal: http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showpost.php?p=292222&postcount=16

Since that time I've taken a less obsessive approach to fitness, but unfortunately this has resulted in me losing a lot of what I had.

I seem to have two modes:
1) all out: no cheats, make every workout, read the forums during downtime, take weekly pictures and make ridiculous charts and projections based on measurements
2) completely half-assed: avoid complete junk but eat way too many calories and huge meals. zero cardio. ~2 twenty minute workouts a week with bench / pull-ups / rows / squats and that's it.

I wish I could have the <= 1 hour a day with great results middle ground that John and others have found.

I think what can make an addiction to fitness unhealthy is when you start sacrificing other things in your life for fitness. There was a period in my life where I pretty much gave up my social life due to fitness. I didn't want to go out and drink because I thought it was too many extra calories. Actually, I'm still sort of that way. I feel like I don't have much of a social life anymore.

I sometimes feel like my need to be in good shape is some sort of deep psychological problem. I mean, I knew some guys in college who were chubby and out of shape but had no confidence problems whatsoever and could pick up a girl at the bar any day of the week. But, for some reason I feel like I need to workout. I wish I could just feel confidence without dieting, but I can't.