Why are we so small and fat?

[h2s]

Figure the title would get your attention. I am going to be running around alot today, but I came up with a pretty thought provoking question, and I am curious how some of you respond.

Why are we so fat and why are we so small?
Now obviously, I don't meant this literally, I assume most of us here are fairly big, and fairly lean. I am not huge by any means, but my size is quite apparent to most. I also can see my abs, although I wouldn't call them "cut."

My real question of course is this: What is it about this sport that leaves us constantly unsatisfied? For every year I have been apart of the "game," I could always go back 1 year, ask my prior self what my final goals were, where is the point where I would be satisfied?, and I can almost assure you they are generally in line with the progress I have made. However ask my current self that, it is some variant of bigger/leaner than I am now. Always pushing forward. I am not saying this is a bad thing, but I know I cant be the only one who is constantly thinking "damn, I am looking small today" (when you know it is not the case) or "Shit, I am bloating up and gaining way too much fat" (when it certainly is not the case either.) There is just something about this sport that makes me (and I assume others), just constantly judge oneself critically in terms of progress.

So how do you feel about this position. Do you feel it works to your advantage or disadvantage?


I will quickly answer: Advantage. Although my girlfriend calls me crazy when I notice "fat" she claims isnt there, or "I need to up cals, im losing muscle", I do think my lack of satisfaction keeps pushing me to better and better. I have joked with a friend before, who was talking about how much I eat. I said "Have you ever met a woman who was super skinny, but afraid to eat anything but a salad because she thought she was fat? Yeah, its kinda like that, except the opposite," lol.


Might be an odd question to some, but I think it is a good question for discussion, and better than politics, anyway, lol.

[DJM]

lack of satisfaction keeps pushing me to better and better

^^^my answer, and generally what separates people in all walks of life, drive to have more or better one's situation, be it physical, monetary, spiritual, ect......and the others who are complacent and content

[Scope75]

^^^my answer, and generally what separates people in all walks of life, drive to have more or better one's situation, be it physical, monetary, spiritual, ect......and the others who are complacent and content

Excatly why I do it too.
No matter how in shape and conditioned you are you can always better yourself in someway.

[burlyman30]

Body dysmorphia is very common in bbing. And we can get immediate feedback from scales and mirrors. This feeds right into the obsessive behavior. Obviously there are degrees of this dysfunction, and the mildest form is considered nothing more than being self absorbed and a little obsessed with one's training and nutrition.

Certainly, a drive for self improvement is a factor. And sometimes, if the goals are radical enough, it necessitates the full on obsession in order to reach said goals. But the desire to reach continued improvement is not bad, in and of itself. In fact, in fulfills something in us that is common among the human race. We all crave a sense of purpose. Some will strive to heal the sick, some will set goals on Wall Street, and then some... want a little more size on the left tricep. Lol.

[Sorrow]

I think you're in for some good replies.
Looking back I didn't get the bug till I started getting some help from a bodybuilder friend of mine way back in the day. I was mostly going to the gym just to add some "size" while I trained for my military pt tests. And of course I grew up with Arnold, the rockies, Rambo's and every other larger then life actor coupled with my dad and me watching pro wrestling growing up. To me those guys were the definition. Larger then life and strong as hell! Of course the more time I spent around bodybuilders the more I started to understand HOW people got to be larger then life. Kind of my own "bigger, faster, stronger" moment. Realistically what kept me from going full on competitive bodybuilder was that I don't like that judges can arbitrarily decide who has the best physic, there has always been this notion in my head that they don't really quantify with any kind of actually measurements or anything. Mind you I do have respect for judging as thats hard to really pick one person over another in that situation, but still was never something I liked.

Of course after years of following basic body building routines I eventually stumbled into powerlifting. While I would say that sometime judging on squats can be less strict then I like for the most part its who moves the most weight, in a certain class, that wins. And I like that. Also I was starting to loose some focus in the gym, but being able to focus on improving my lifts, and refine my technique keeps me focused.

Even so I still find myself eyeing the next weight class up, or looking in the mirror thinking which muscles may be lagging, or just flat out wishing I was stronger. I say that fixation is a good thing though. That drive and passion pushes us to try and be more then what we were. Be it those 10lbs on a max attempt, or 10lbs of lean mass your working to build, then reveal to the world.. the passion makes us better.

[Rulk]

We are approval junkies.

[Cobalt]

Body dysmorphia

For me, this hits the nail on the head. I look at photos that people have taken of me and I think, "Damn I have a big back." Yet, when I look in the mirror, it isn't there. Lats don't exist, traps are flat, deltoids are gone.
Then, in the miracle that I do happen to realize that I do have some muscle, as soon as I see one person at the gym that might be as big as me/bigger than I am, I feel like a twig again.

It's good and bad. Good, because it pushes me harder to gain for mass - which I want. Bad, because I'm afraid I may not know when it becomes too much.

I keep going because I was the fat, unattractive kid in my younger years. I have a photo my myself standing next to my final project one year in college. All I can remember is how huge my waist line was. I also have a photo of myself and the wife at the beach. That was the killer - when your gut starts to go over your pants, its too far.

[xxiv]

Body dysmorphia

x2.

dysmorphia, reverse anorexia, social approval, an inferiority complex. That's why I lift.

That and I need to protect my family from starvation, who is going to open the pickle jars if I don't have a 6 pack?

[h2s]

Excellent replies so far. I should have added to my reasoning that I am also a bit crazy into always trying to look good. Always want to wear the nice clothes, look well groomed, etc...the bodybuilding just fell right in place with that. Our appearance is like 90% of our impressions.

[burlyman30]

Excellent replies so far. I should have added to my reasoning that I am also a bit crazy into always trying to look good. Always want to wear the nice clothes, look well groomed, etc...the bodybuilding just fell right in place with that. Our appearance is like 90% of our impressions.

Interesting... I'm probably in the minority in the precious little I care about what people think of me. I shave ... sometimes. I wear ratty clothes. I don't pay attention to styles. But get me in front of a mirror and the perfectionist and artistic side comes out. I care what I think and strive to please that part of me.