There is a common thread in many male transformation stories. A guy starts off overweight – he eats poorly and is sedentary. Then he discovers how to eat right, how to lift weights, and before you know it – new words like cardio, metabolism, and HIIT become part of the standard vernacular.
At some point along the journey – fat loss turned into bodybuilding. Is this the answer for every man?
Is every issue the same?
People who undergo a physical transformation using diet and exercise are amazing. It takes courage, dedication, consistency, and plain hard work. It’s impressive and worthy of respect. But what makes a man? A ripped physique? Great guns and a shredded six pack?
I would argue that few men would deny wanting a muscular physique. It’s not just women that have body image issues. The sculpted models in magazines like Men’s Health or Men’s Fitness shout out from the magazine racks. They catch your eye and play on your mind.
The basic principles for muscle building include:
- Eating 5-6 meals per day
- More protein (pref. eaten at every meal)
- Intense weight training workouts
- Plenty of sleep.
The supplement industry would love it if you spent hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on shakes, Meal Replacement Powders, whey protein, creatine, glutamine, and anything else you can think of. There is no denying that many of these supplements are effective – but where does it end? When do you stop? Is it sustainable to live like this? Does every man have to be heavily-muscled – or lean and ripped?
I posed some of these questions to author and entrepreneur Jeremy Likness. Jeremy went from fat to fit and then began the routine of ‘bulking’ and ‘cutting’ – but nowadays he practices yoga, some running, and biking with his daughter.
“Why the Change?”
Jeremy with muscles (2001)
“The bodybuilder trend is popular and marketable. Everyone wants abs and muscles and to turn heads. I realized on this journey that my true journey wasn’t about impressing people but learning to love myself. It reached a point with bodybuilding that my son was afraid to ask me to play basketball with him because I needed to rest for my muscles to grow.”
“But Don’t Muscles and Abs Mean Good Health?”
“Because many of us have a shallow level we sometimes get attached to, it’s easy to try and fool ourselves into believing the muscles and abs mean good health, but the reality is there are plenty of unhealthy people with big muscles lumbering around.”
“So What Have You Learned?”
- Muscles don’t matter. They look good, but what I want is strength for a good quality of life (i.e. I want the biceps that are strong to break the shock of an unexpected fall).
- Flexibility is important – you just can’t convince me there isn’t a benefit from having a large range of motion as opposed to a tight/stiff/limited range of motion.
- Health is important. If I am eating healthy, exercising, focusing not just on cardio but also strength and flexibility, I am in the zone. I don’t need to have a ripped six pack to be healthy, and I don’t need huge muscles to be strong and flexible.
“Was it What You Really Wanted?”
“I must admit it was a huge battle for me because my ego wanted me to be the ripped, huge person, and the “fans” also wanted this and got really annoyed when I started softening up a bit. However, I realized that phase was also important because if I let myself turn into it just for the attention/ego aspect, it would be no different than any of the other addictions I battled in life, and this time I wanted to be on top and in control, so I fought through the ego to get a balance.”
We must aim to look after our bodies, but the prevailing cult of physical perfection can distract us from simply enjoying life, recreation, and good health.
i think its so stupid, why the anti bodybuilders guys or girls always this kind of argument ” that women dont like muscle “, HELL WE TRAIN NOT FOR WOMEN, FOR OURSELF, some guy want to have big muscle because they like it, some guy want to be strong, some guy want strength training so it can benefit for sport like football………and yes, we know women not looking for physical appearance in men, so why bother? we know that although we are muscular, they would be a woman that love us for our personality, so we dont care if majority of girls out there dont like muscular guys, DEAL WITH IT
^^This^^ here is the best comment I’ve read on the whole of the internet. I have big muscles and do it for MYSELF, my sport and no one else. Another added advantage: The women who always say they don’t want big muscles are the same ones who drool over vids of muscley guys. I know personally I get more women now than when I was a skinny dude.
i think it looks so stupid to have big muscles they look so dam gross,i rather be lean,and toned then be a big steroid juicer with veins popping out.iam into surfing,and longboarding,and basejumping so u need to be lean to do it.and i’m not the kind of women who like the big meat head dorks,i call them gym rats,they grunt and grone as they lift,sound lke theyre taking a shit in there shorts.
Hello everyone
Your article is impressive and touches on key points surrounding body image in todays society. Ive just started working out again and was wondering which direction i should go in. So my question to all of you is what do you think a healthy, attractive body should look like? Big and muscular, or toned and fit?
Thanks for your feedback!
Doug
I love my protein but I love big muscular women more. The biceps are my favorite muscles but the deltoids really makes my glutes hard.
I pity the fool!
good article
but i have to dissagree with you, i love being huge. throw health out of the window
Why would ppl feel the need to pass off bodybuilding as a waste of time? There’s nothing wrong with wanting to pack on sum muscle to feel better and more confident about yourself. Everyone who commented except barry is a f×××ing moron. Annd my ex is fat.
Indeed, i really happy to read this such Idia about the Fitness. infact i got a lot of Idia now what i want to do in my personality. Exercising is not only for loss your wieght but its became smarter. i hope i can read more and more………..
alix
Another thing missed in all of this is that some people actually LIKE lifting weights and eating lots of food.
Also, many people aren’t paralized by a fear of death that seems to pervade the minds of those obsessed with what’s considered healthy by this decade’s experts.
This sort of stuff is so silly. Are you really worried that you might wind up big and huge and find yourself unhappy with your results? Please. The people who are truly massive have spent years up on years slaving a way, eating massive, etc. They know what they want. They aren’t going to read an article like this and go “Gosh, he’s right. I’m going to go veg. and start doing yoga.”
If you are seriously wondering if you want to be huge, well let me help you out. Stop wondering. You won’t get huge. The very fact that you’re not sure tells me that you don’t have the drive to get yourself to the truly huge stage.
Nobody accidentally gets big and ripped. People tend to get what they want.
I hope I don’t sound ‘preachy’ because I am speaking from experience – but it is just as important to sort out what goes on in your head, as it is to do your hours at the gym…
It’s very different for each of us, but finding a place where you just appreciate who you are is the best thing ever.
Why is it so much easier to find someone outside of us to like the body we have, than it is to find it in ourselves to love our own body?
SPC ARNG, I obviously don’t know you or your full circumstances, but wanted to know if you’ve tried HIIT and if you have the appropriate diet. It just sounds like you’re doing an awful lot more than you should be to be able to see abs muscle definition. So it must be quite frustrating…
Great article
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I personally don’t like muscle-bound bodies – male or female – but it is a personal preference. If people decide to go into bodybuilding it is entirely their prerogative.
It is interesting, that everyone who undertakes a weight loss journey and sticks with it for over 2 years, eventually will let things balance out to a level that still requires effort to maintain, but is not in the extremes.
If you see pics on sites like Body for Life, you’ll notice a distinct pattern. They show three pics – one before they started losing weight, the next one at their peak, and one of them in the present day…
The bottom line is – we want to feel healthy to be free to live our lives. Living our lives comfortably though, is not conducive to the strict regimes one needs to maintain to achieve and keep a hugely muscular body with a low percentage body fat.
So almost always, after we satisfy the ‘curiosity’ that naturally arises after starting to see the transformation in our bodies when we lose weight, we find a happy medium…
Well said. Not all men need to have a six pack to be in good health.
My style of training evolved over the years from weight loss to bodybuilding & now what I consider the best type of training which is more of a cross training approach. I feel strong, look strong, feel good, eat clean, and challenge myself with every workout. Best thing is I am not eating 2.5lbs of lean protein every day so I save a ton on my food.
Bottom line is bodybuilding is a sport & not for mainstream, I also believe that mainstream media is perfect for hocking supplements & therapy. The kids see something that has taken people years to achieve & they want the quick fix, may try not so smart methods to get there. Coaches in school don’t generally help matters (not all the time, there are plenty of great coaches out there!) when they tell kids they are too small & need to put on size versus just letting the kid grow & do whats best for him & not the school or coach.
Eat healthy, Train intense, Live long, & Be Happy.
Just a note that women can get caught up in the “ripped” race as well. I too have lost a lot of weight and kind of got caught up in lifting heavy weights and looking at my muscle defnition. It’s easy to do, espeically when you have the addicitive tendancies.
I work hard to keep the focus on health, flexibility and that ability to stop a fall, or catch myself, etc. My main focus is moderate cardio for health, keeping an active lifestle and eating properly.
Truthfully, I look just fine in street clothes. I *wish* I felt better about what is underneath (which really isn’t bad, and is actually better than many women my age).
Guess we all have our struggles and the trick is to try our best not to trade one un-healthy addiction for another.
Fitness Has Nothing To Do With Looking Good!
John, what would you say are some of the risks associated with the bodybuilding lifestyle?
As a Personal Trainer, I’ve had the luxury of working with men and women of all ages and abilities.
What’s important to remember is that “good health” means different things to each person.
I lost a lot of weight. I am a 5′ 11” male that at one point tipped the scales at 340 pounds. I finished a 2 year degree, and decided that I needed to get in shape not only for myself, but for enlistment with the ANG. It took a year, and I shipped to basic at a weight of 184. I currently log 35 to 40 miles a week of running, and do weights 3 to 4 times a week. I currently weigh 195, with a bmi around 14.5 % I realize, though, I have head issues becasue I have this morbide fear of obeasity, no matter how much how far I run, how long I hit the weights, how many situp I do it is never good enough. I can get no definition in my stomach (think deflated ballon), although I average 200-500 situps when I hit the gym in conjuntion with flutter kicks, ect. I have the ANG to pay for school, but in all honestly this is not something that I can talk about with anyone in my Unit. Really do not want to be found out as “that guy”. A little ashamed, a little emabarassed, I just take my head trips one day at a time and hope to God I do not get laid up with an overuse injury. (which has happened many times with running, in which case I go crazy when i cannot run, running keeps me fit and allows me to eat)There was no secret to how I lost the weight, it was plain and simple caloric reduction with an increase in activity. I look great in street clothes, it is what lies underneath that keeps me punishing myself to the extreme day to day.
I’m glad that we’re seeing more of a trend towards health-first fitness. Many top coaches are looking to movement-based training instead of muscle-based training.
Neither approach is wrong, and to each his own – I’m not going to judge anyone’s decision. But personally, I can’t take someone seriously if they don’t see the health risks associated with the bodybuilding lifestyle – and it’s a bad place to be when a professional recommends bodybuilding-style training programs and nutritional strategies for people who just want to look and feel better, and healthier.
There are much safer and healthier options that will deliver the desired results in strength and health, and even for physique goals.
To your health and success,
John Sifferman NSCA-CPT
Fitness Professional and Wellness Warrior
I am a 47 year old female who has maintained a 75 lb. weight loss for 20 years through weight training. I am not obsessed…I am disciplined. Articles like this just reinforce the “might as well sit in front of the tube and stuff my face” mindset.
While I will agree that looking like the models featured in M&F takes a lot of hard work, I believe that some of the ideas presented here are a bit out of proportion. Take for instance, the implication that being muscled equates to inflexibility. “Flexibility is important – you just can’t convince me there isn’t a benefit from having a large range of motion as opposed to a tight/stiff/limited range of motion.” There are plenty of people who are much stiffer than their heavily muscled counterparts (Melvin Anthony, anyone?) due to lack of activity.
Yes, building muscles takes some planning and rest, but the amount of rest implied in the quote “It reached a point with bodybuilding that my son was afraid to ask me to play basketball with him because I needed to rest for my muscles to grow.” is due more to Jeremy’s obssession at that point rather than an actual “need” to avoid playing basketball in order to let muscles grow. You can become fairly muscled and lean (<10% bodyfat) without making it an obsession and dropping everything else in your life.
Face it, most people are into their looks. Being “thin” is just as shallow as wanting a six-pack. You don’t want to be shallow? Make being physically capable to handle almost anything life throws at you your goal, or perhaps lowering your blood pressure or cholesterol. Just because your ideal body is different than the bodies presented in magazines does not make your ideal any less shallow.
Let’s not villify bodybuilding just because it doesn’t mesh with our conceptions on how to live life.
“Everyone wants abs and muscles and to turn heads.”
No. I am certainly not the only person who finds theses muscle packs simply disgusting.
Sure, I do turn my head when I see such a muscle pack: I shake my head or turn it away.
Even the old Greeks had a proverb: Nothing too much. This body cult simply is too much.
I sympathize with men because with magazines like Men’s Health and QC emphasis on the male body has changed enormously – average is not longer ‘in’. In the past male role models used to be people like Clint Eastwood, now the male ideal is bigger and, more muscular. But funnily enough all the research shows that men think women want more muscular bodies than they actually do. And we’re starting to see important changes to young boys and their body image too. Look at children’s toys – GI Joe is only achievable with hours in the gym and steroids. Of all the quizzes on my site, my bigorexia (http://www.ditch-diets-live-light.com/bigorexia-quizz.html) is by far the most used and without fail the one that I see the highest number of ‘yes’ answers too.
And as Jeremy points out – it really is difficult as men age and possibly can’t keep up the same routine and their muscle starts getting softer.
Kwindo has a good point. The reason bodybuilding principles work so well for me is that the discipline required keeps me in line. I plan my weekly meals out, cook them all at once, i know what i’m going to do at the gym or at home for my training way in advance – all of this makes it much easier for me to stay fit and not stray.
but then again I won’t mind looking like a ‘meathead’ with a little muscle instead of a tall lanky guy.
Staying fit for the activities I like to do has always been my goal. Being involved in the martial arts seems to work to keep me athletic and toned.
I never wanted to look like a meathead… I just want a Brad Pitt-like physique.
This is an epiphany I also went through, first for bodybuilding, then for running. It’s the “where is this going?” question that appears once you start to plateau after early initial gains and enthusiasm. Ever increasing demands on time and effort to make marginal improvements start to take over your life. The smart ones re-evaluate and get out. I think a lot of people who now focus on bodyweight exercises, interval fitness and nutritional quality have past lives as bodybuilders or strength-obsessed powerlifters.
Good article. The thing is about bodybuilding, you have to plan your hole day/week ahead. It’s very time consuming. Yet for some people it’s the red wire that runs through their life. It’s a way of life, like workaholics. It can be healthy or just the opposite
^ Yeah, that’s what I thought too.
That males start wanting “big muscles” from their teen years, the passion gets reignited through mid-life crises…but really, you don’t hear senior citizens talking about biceps.
I for example am in weight loss not for muscles, but for health only.
Of course, it’s nice to lose fat and have muscles showing underneath your skin, but I would never want to grow huge like some guys at mygym . I don’t think I will ever be drinking liquid protein shakes straight after workout in the cloak room to boost the muscle growth.
My goal is to get thin and stay thin. I want to still be fairly fit when I’m 50 or 60:
– be fit enough to play football with my grand kids and dance till dawn at my children’s weddings.
– be fit to be able to enjoy snowboarding and my other passions
– be thin enough, so that my better half would never think that perhaps I’m not attractive to her anymore
– Stay in shape to enjoy my life and not let obesity get in the way of my happiness
It is true though that muscles appeal to men and to many women and if you build your body in a balanced sustainable manner, it might be healthy so I would not say body building is a wrong path. It may be the right path for some..