So many gym bloggers...

I've noticed quite a few bloggers making tons of posts on the subject of working out, supplements, gym-going experiences and exercise in general.  On the whole, these people seem to be fairly new to scene, so I'd like to share what I consider to be the most important aspect of my gym career.

More important than any particular exercise you do, any supplements you may take or any meal you eat is patience.  Without patience, you'll eventually end up back at home on the couch.  Through the few years I've been lifting, this fact has remained true since the beginning.

A total body transformation doesn't happen all at once—these things take time.  Until you realize this and come to accept it, it's going to be twice as hard to look in the mirror each morning, twice as hard to stay motivated and twice as hard to get back to the gym for another workout.

Stop worrying about which exercise is best, what supplement will benefit you the most or how many calories are in your next meal.  If you make a habit of going to gym and doing proper lifts and cardio, you'll see results.  That's a fact; they may not be immediate, but they will come.

Personally, I didn't see any profound changes until my eighteen month mark and those changes were increased nearly one-thousand-fold come my two-year anniversary.  I know how disheartening it can be to see little to no improvement after three, six and even twelve months of work, but if you stick with it, things will come together in the end.

That being said, don't overlook proper form, proper diet, supplements or any other aspect of your routine.  While patience is key, you shouldn't overlook the aforementioned's capability to get you where you want to go faster.  Switch it up—keep your muscles guessing, keep drinking your protein shakes, and continue reading those internet articles for knowledge is paramount in your success.  However, remain steadfast and don't grow impatient—changes will eventually occur, making all of your effort worth while.

Robert Jordan & The Wheel of Time

First post, here we go:

For as long as I can remember, I've been an avid reader.  Whether it be thrillers, philosophy or autobiographies, I've always read whatever I can get my hands on.  More than any other genre, however, I've always been taken with high fantasy novels—epics, sword-and-sorcery or anything of the like.  Nevertheless, with the end of school and the beginning of truly joining the workforce, I've lost touch with my literary side.  There just aren't enough hours in the day for me to accomplish everything that needs to be done.

Around six months ago, I started a new job and much to my dismay, the employer doesn't mind half of the workplace walking around with headphones in their ears throughout the day.  I instantly knew this was my chance to regain what I had lost.  After my first day of work I went straight home and began researching which audiobook I would begin listening to first.  After much deliberation, one series clearly outshone all of the others:  The Wheel of Time.

I had always been turned off to this series due to its sheer size—nothing makes reading a novel more laborious than trudging through page after page, or for this series, book after book of fillers.  Nothing irks me more than little to no plot advancement after having read 500+ pages.

Needless to say, the first three books were absolutely amazing!  Between the Aes-Sedai and their warders, Mat and his dagger, Perrin and his wolves and of course, Rand being the Dragon Reborn, I was instantly thrown into an exciting and fascinating world full of surpries, twists and turns.  However, as all good things come to an end, books four and five began the slow crawl toward book ten, which was by far my least favorite.  While still in evidence, the action seen throughout the initial books was soon replaced with political intrigue and the coming to power of the main character and his friends.

That being the case, there were several brief respites throughout the series—need I say Dumai's fucking Wells?  And these were the moments that I continued reading the series for, the moments where Jordan would assault my arms with goosebumps and send chills down my spine.  When the series is epic, it is purely that:  the epitome of epic.  However, it was actually making it to those rare moments that was the hard part.

I've just started book thirteen, and I must say, the opening with Loial hit me as hard as, if not harder than the events of Dumai's Wells.  I'm hoping the rest of the book holds true to the first few pages.  This excites me, but also saddens me at the same time.  As much as I look forward to finishing the series, I always hate coming to the end of such a journey.  While I always get the sense of closure that I desire, I'm also met with a sense loss and longing for more, where often times, there is none.  All of you readers out there know the feeling I'm referring to.

Nonetheless, I have about a week's time left with the series and I intend to enjoy it in the utmost.

Any other fans care to share their thoughts on the series?