xveganjoshx

Thank you all for your kind words, comments, and thoughts! And yes, Flanders, that picture did make me smile!

Hey all you VV and VBB friends, There have been some changes in my life post-VV that I wanted to share with you all. Some of you already know but I figured I would throw a thread up here anyway. Firstly, I broke up with my gf . This was my first serious relationship. She was the first person that loved me for who I was- not just my good sides but my faults, and didn't love me in spite of my faults, but because of them (and my good aspects of course!). I was very depressed afterward, and was finding it difficult to eat and train properly. I lost 5 pounds in a week . Luckily Zack came over my house for a few days and helped me to get my mind off of the situation at least temporarily. Though I may have seemed happy or content while Zack was there, I was hurting badly. But having a good friend by your side always makes things somewhat better. As for me and her, we are on decent terms right now and are talking. I still love her and she still loves me. I care deeply about her, and who knows what the future may have in store for us as friends or as more. I quit my job after VV. Granted I was scheduled to leave 10 days later anyway, but I just couldn't stand serving carcasses to people in exchange for capital. Also I had just broke up with my gf so I wasn't in the right state of mind to put on a fake smile for people while serving them dead animals. I drove across country from Fayetteville GA to Tucson AZ. The drive was horrible. Normally it takes 23 hours, but it took us over 30, because my car is messed up and was constantly at risk of overheating. Something is wrong with the engine since I have no power and couldn't drive faster than 55 mph in zones of up to 75 mph. I have to take it into the shop and am already looking forward to being screwed over bigtime by some mechanic. All in all though I made it to AZ. I have a new studio apartment here in Tucson. It is nice and kind of pricey, in the Historic Sam Hughes District. It is basically a yuppie district just a mile away from campus at the UofA. I can bike to campus which will save me $$$ on gas and parking, and it is close to the gym . I start my junior year tomorrow. I'm studying physics and it's okay but not too great. I was thinking of changing my major awhile ago but I'm going to stick with it. I think I may just get my Bachelors Degree for now. One of the plans I'm toying with is moving to Portland after college and teaching high school/college physics/math. I would also like to run an after school program for "at risk" kids, basically weight training and sports after school. Really every kid is at risk for engaging in destructive activities like drug use and criminal activities, and I had alot of problems with drugs and the law as a kid, so I'd like to help kids embrace a constructive, healthy activity instead. But for now I'm just going to concentrate on finishing this degree here in Tucson and weaseling my way into Portland under the guise of a legitimate job/ lifestyle. That's about it for the moment. I'll be sure to post some pics of my studio and some cool places around Tucson (like the co-op and the nonprofit bike store that uses recycled bike parts) when I get a chance. Take care everyone. P.S. I don't have internet right now so I won't be online too much, but I hope to get that sorted out in the next week or so. Cheers, Josh

Good to see you had a safe trip back! I think both of us were driving cross country at the same time. You went West to East through Northern USA, and I drove East to West through the Deep South. Glad to hear you made it alright. Thanks for the two mugs Potter! Unfortunately, one broke during transit . I packaged it very well so I was sad. Luckily I got two and the other one is fine . It's in my new studio now.

Wow! Good luck with that. Be sure to keep us updated!

Thanks Jessi and DV for posting this! It all tasted amazing!

This thread is amazing! I LOLed so hard!

Nice pics! That tree looks majestic. Sand in your camera, lol.

Nice at the 3x5! Be sure to log how that goes. I think 5x5 is a really interesting program, and though I haven't tried it on myself, I'm curious to know how it works for others! Be careful with the no warmup sets thing . I personally find warmups to be invaluable, but if not doing them works for you it's all good.

This is not really true. Sure, you won't wake up and notice 2 inches off of your biceps, but when you are sleeping you are fasting for up to half a day in your case. So it's a good idea to get nutrients before you sleep to make this as harmless as possible. High protein, moderate fat, low carb things seem to work the best for me before bed.

Nice to have you back! I'm really excited about the return of a couple of big strong vegan guys, including yourself!

What he said..... inquiring minds want to know!

I was just going to post a topic about this! Nice! I may go to the Mr.O if I can find people to go with. Anyone interested?

I wonder if we all went raw? http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=17854938

Being vegan or not is not a personal choice. It is not personal because it affects others. Not being vegan directly causes animal suffering and the destruction of the environment. Religion however is a personal choice. It doesn't matter whether one believes in God or not, it only affects the person at hand (at least on an individual level, ignoring religious wars etc). It makes no sense to call veganism a personal choice or to even relate veganism to religion.

I am really curious, what is the actual food behind this program!? I wish you luck with your vegan bodybuilding on a budget!

This is gorgeous!

These are some great lifts bro! I'm really liking the DB power cleans and snatches, really impressive!

Welcome to the forums! There are alot of resources here for you to check out, to help you go vegan! Nice!

There is definately truth to this. Sleeping is the longest period of time a bodybuilder will be without a supply of nutrients. You are basically fasting for 8+ hours. So I drink a shake right before bed. Here's a shake idea: 700 ml soymilk 1 banana Flax oil Chocolate Vega, hemp protein, pea protein, etc (NOT soy) 1-2 handfuls of oats Any kind of vegan sweetener to taste. Sometimes I add chocolate soy ice cream, vanilla extract, whatever. This has enough protein, carbos, fat, and calories to prevent me from wasting away during the night hours, and keeps me satisfied until breakfast.

I've always been fascinated by carnivorous (or omnivorous) plants, especially as a vegan. I feel that to some extent their very existence challenges our beliefs about plants and our relationships to them. They seem to straddle that very fine line between animal and plant. They are really interesting to me!

Hehe that's what I was thinking

I am making a silly face in the photo.... ! Zack, your abs look ripped and you have some great symmetry!

Happy to have you back! You were the reason I went vegan! When I found this site I was a 115 lb vegetarian who ate too much dairy and junk and by seeing big strong guys like you and Rob I was inspired to become vegan and start bodybuilding. So it is great to have you back on the forum!

Hey all. This episode of the Fit Show features the Texas Tornado as he takes you through some hints and tips about developing a posing routine. It is a must watch for anyone who is planning on stepping on a stage. There are even some little tips for those of you that have already competed. Check it out. http://webcast.bodybuilding.com/fitshow/fitshow/fitshow.php?episode=43

Welcome to the boards! It's so great to hear about your work helping animals!