Do You Work Out For Yourself Or For Them?

[iris219]

Personally, I prefer skinny guys.

 

I wouldn't have the motivation to work out for others. I work out for me.

 

When I was single, I worked out a lot and was very toned but quite skinny. I've gained about 10 pounds since starting a relationship a year ago and everyone tells me I look much better. I don't agree and intend to lose those extra pounds soon. I want to look how I feel most comfortable, not how others prefer me.

[MrCastle]

Personally, I prefer skinny guys.

 

I wouldn't have the motivation to work out for others. I work out for me.

 

When I was single, I worked out a lot and was very toned but quite skinny. I've gained about 10 pounds since starting a relationship a year ago and everyone tells me I look much better. I don't agree and intend to lose those extra pounds soon. I want to look how I feel most comfortable, not how others prefer me.

 

Well that's something you don't hear every day

[JDPT]

The LA fitness I go to is filled with body builders. Seriously, these guys could probably compete. I prefer and that's for ME of course, the swimmer's type of body, lean and cut.

[MrCastle]

The LA fitness I go to is filled with body builders. Seriously, these guys could probably compete. I prefer and that's for ME of course, the swimmer's type of body, lean and cut.

 

That's what I want. The runner/swimmer/soccer player body.

 

I'm assuming you need a lot of cardio for that but I don't know. I do a healthy amount of walking/running and barely see any results. Not sure what I need to do.

[ctxinfl]

That's what I want. The runner/swimmer/soccer player body.

 

I'm assuming you need a lot of cardio for that but I don't know. I do a healthy amount of walking/running and barely see any results. Not sure what I need to do.

 

I did nine months of P90x and that's exactly the kind of body I have now. Lean with very good muscle definition along with increased flexibility, stamina, and strength.

[JDPT]

That's what I want. The runner/swimmer/soccer player body.

 

I'm assuming you need a lot of cardio for that but I don't know. I do a healthy amount of walking/running and barely see any results. Not sure what I need to do.

 

 

 

Right- you need a substantial amount of cardio up your protein intake and minimize carbs. I used to be an avid runner a few years ago and my entire body was pretty cut just by running. I was never really into weight lifting. I enjoy reaching runner's high, you feel as if you want to keep running and never stop. I'm dealing with two fractured tibias so running or doing anything strenuous is out of the question for me.

[MrCastle]

I did nine months of P90x and that's exactly the kind of body I have now. Lean with very good muscle definition along with increased flexibility, stamina, and strength.

 

I'm gonna have to look into that. I have that pull up bar that you hang on the door that works different upper body muscles, so I do that, push ups, and dumbbell lifts. Pretty simple stuff. But effective. I used to do about 100 crunches a day but saw ZERO results. Or, certainly not what I expected from doing 100 crunches a day for about a month, so I ditched that. I have a flat stomach with zero definition and I guess that's alright for now. I do a lot of walking and my legs are just naturally muscular it seems. They look like I've been working on them for years but truth be told I just work the upper body.

[Robert Z]

That's what I want. The runner/swimmer/soccer player body.

 

I'm assuming you need a lot of cardio for that but I don't know. I do a healthy amount of walking/running and barely see any results. Not sure what I need to do.

 

 

 

I would imagine that all athletes lift weights. I know swimmers do. This isn't an either-or proposition.

 

 

You have to lift if you want to add significant muscle mass.

[ctxinfl]

I'm gonna have to look into that. I have that pull up bar that you hang on the door that works different upper body muscles, so I do that, push ups, and dumbbell lifts. Pretty simple stuff. But effective. I used to do about 100 crunches a day but saw ZERO results. Or, certainly not what I expected from doing 100 crunches a day for about a month, so I ditched that. I have a flat stomach with zero definition and I guess that's alright for now. I do a lot of walking and my legs are just naturally muscular it seems. They look like I've been working on them for years but truth be told I just work the upper body.

 

Pull ups are great and P90x includes lots of 'em. The saying is that abs are made in the kitchen and most guys won't see abdominal muscles until you get near the 10% body fat mark. For what it is worth, with P90x you work abdominal muscles three days per week with over 900 total movements per week. It took me a while before I saw results. My belly fat had to come of first.

[MrCastle]

I would imagine that all athletes lift weights. I know swimmers do. This isn't an either-or proposition.

 

 

You have to lift if you want to add significant muscle mass.

 

Well I don't want mass. I mean, somewhat, but not a lot. I think being cut and slim is a happy medium. I'll still have to work out to maintain it, which as I mentioned before, can be inconvenient at times, but I'll still be able to be somewhat skinny. Just with definition.

 

Anything I can do to slim my face while not sacrificing the gains I've made to my body. If I can get that sharp chin and sunken cheeks again somehow with the body I have, I'll be very content.

[Robert Z]

Lifting a book will always get you a better class of woman than lifting lumps of metal. By all means, exercise to stay fit, but your body shape won't change that much, unless you become obsessed with it.

 

 

That is completely false. You don't have to be obsessed in order to get a good build. One body builder site that I was following said that if you can't do it in 45 minutes a day, you are doing something wrong.

 

 

Most serious lifters have the personality of a stamp. Don't lower yourself to try compete with them.

 

 

This is just plain silly. Lifting weights doesn't make you stupid! LOL!!!

[carhill]

Do You Work Out For Yourself Or For Them?

 

Water under the bridge, for myself.

 

And is it necessarily bad if you work out for them?

 

Bad? Not IMO. Depends on the person. I learned at a young age that my appearance had no real impact on social popularity so discounted such motivations as healthy. A person whose appearance did impact their social popularity would necessarily have a different, perhaps not polar, but different perspective.

 

People like what they like. I got to the point in my late 20's where I just liked me and didn't care about what others liked anymore, so I trained for me. That's how it's been since, whenever the mood strikes.

[Robert Z]

Well I don't want mass. I mean, somewhat, but not a lot. I think being cut and slim is a happy medium. I'll still have to work out to maintain it, which as I mentioned before, can be inconvenient at times, but I'll still be able to be somewhat skinny. Just with definition.

 

Anything I can do to slim my face while not sacrificing the gains I've made to my body. If I can get that sharp chin and sunken cheeks again somehow with the body I have, I'll be very content.

 

 

Strictly speaking, body fat is more a function of diet than exercise. What is your diet like?

[MrCastle]

Strictly speaking, body fat is more a function of diet than exercise. What is your diet like?

 

Ehh, can be better. A lot of chicken, I love all kinds of chicken dishes. A lot of pasta and sandwhiches so I'd say carbs are a big part of my diet. I try to limit my red meat intake to a few times a month. I have a cheat day, especially after a beast workout where I'll happily eat junk food guilt free.

[ctxinfl]

Ehh, can be better. A lot of chicken, I love all kinds of chicken dishes. A lot of pasta and sandwhiches so I'd say carbs are a big part of my diet. I try to limit my red meat intake to a few times a month. I have a cheat day, especially after a beast workout where I'll happily eat junk food guilt free.

 

Check out michi's ladder. http://www.teambeachbody.com/home/-/dl_get_file/6b84321d-5bdf-4f48-8962-cfd0c9bf50f3.

 

It's a tiered system of foods. The higher you go on the ladder the better the food quality is. Generally you want to stay in tiers 1 or 2 with occasional forays in to tier 3.

[thefooloftheyear]

I do it because I like kicking sand in skinny guys faces at the beach...

 

Nah...

 

I like being strong and the training I like to do, just makes you inherently big if you have the genetics and eat right....Being short(5'6"-210..approx 13% BF), I gain muscle and get big fairly easily, I know my type of build isnt for everyone, but I really dont care...I am very flexible and light on my feet at this size, Id probably not want to be more than 220-225 though...I do comprehensive cardiac testing yearly and everything checks out, but I worry sometimes that its a lot on the heart..

 

I think I look pretty good, especially considering I am in my late 40's, but truthfully being strong is more important to me than how I look..I am always covered up, rarely wear anything form-fitting or short sleeved unless its really hot out, so honestly if I was trying to impress anyone, I am doing a lousy job at it...

 

Just like a lot of other things in life....doing things to impress anyone else rarely gives a person true satisfaction..

 

 

Just do whatever makes YOU happy..

 

TFY

[Priv]

Started lifting seriously 4 years ago or so at the start of a very heavy clinical depression. Having studied psychology I knew it would make me for normal for an hour or 2.

 

My ex!, my mum, and pretty much whole the family says I am getting too big.

 

S***w them. The pursuit of strenght (not muscle in my opinion, though I certainly respect those who take it seriously) is a worthy call that I think a lot of men could benefit from. Makes you connect to your inner caveman for lack of a better word. It is only since the industrial time that strenght is becoming more and more irrelevant.

 

Definitely training for myself.

[Grumpybutfun]

I enjoy the hell out of it for me. My wife likes the results. Win win. As long as you are working out, it doesn't really matter the motivation.

G

[FitChick]

I work out for myself and men.

[InnocentMan]

That is completely false. You don't have to be obsessed in order to get a good build. One body builder site that I was following said that if you can't do it in 45 minutes a day, you are doing something wrong.

 

 

 

 

 

This is just plain silly. Lifting weights doesn't make you stupid! LOL!!!

 

Did you quote the wrong post? I said to massively change your body shape, you had to have an obsession with it. You can't change your bone structure, and overall body shape very much. Skinny ass dudes don't become like Arnie with a 45 minute a day session.

 

I never said they were stupid, I said they had the personality of a stamp. I'm speaking from my limited interactions with serious lifters.

 

I'm sure you won't argue that an educated/cultured man will get more quality women, than some over-roided meathead. You say it's possible with just 45 minutes a day, but they probably mean 45 mins of lifting action. It's doesn't account for travel, showers, sitting with fellow lifters chewing the fat for an hour, about how heavy a piece of metal they can lift.

 

Keeping fit is supposed to be enjoyable. That's why we invented sports. You can't replace the adrenaline rush from scoring a goal/touchdown, with looking in the mirror, flexing your biceps. I worry about the psyche of people who do this religiously.

 

Kinda went off on a tangent, but I think it's relevant to the OP. Becoming awesome at a sport, will give you a much greater choice of women, than the visual effect of only working out. I may be slightly biased, considering I've always been decent at most sports. Maybe lifters are just frustrated sportsmen deep down.

[No Limit]

I work out for myself.

 

After escaping 2 years of bullying and finally getting my mind pieces back in place I've had the horrible realization that my body was dying around me. I've always been thin, but the bullying made me loose so much my cheekbones were clearly visible, my hair fell out, I slept a lot because I couldn't keep myself awake if I didn't.

I went for home exercises which worked well. Only a few months in my new class and I was back in full health, or so I thought. The bullying was over for almost a full year when the scars inside showed once more, ending up with me having my appendix removed by laparoscopy and chaining me to the bed for a full week and keeping me weaker than I'd ever been before for nearly 3 weeks.

 

I started swimming, every day for at least 3 hours, and by now I've added jogging, some yoga exercises and home exercises to it. I want to be fit and active, and I can feel the difference. That's all that matters to me.

[thefooloftheyear]

Did you quote the wrong post? I said to massively change your body shape, you had to have an obsession with it. You can't change your bone structure, and overall body shape very much. Skinny ass dudes don't become like Arnie with a 45 minute a day session.

 

I never said they were stupid, I said they had the personality of a stamp. I'm speaking from my limited interactions with serious lifters.

 

I'm sure you won't argue that an educated/cultured man will get more quality women, than some over-roided meathead. You say it's possible with just 45 minutes a day, but they probably mean 45 mins of lifting action. It's doesn't account for travel, showers, sitting with fellow lifters chewing the fat for an hour, about how heavy a piece of metal they can lift.

 

Keeping fit is supposed to be enjoyable. That's why we invented sports. You can't replace the adrenaline rush from scoring a goal/touchdown, with looking in the mirror, flexing your biceps. I worry about the psyche of people who do this religiously.

 

Kinda went off on a tangent, but I think it's relevant to the OP. Becoming awesome at a sport, will give you a much greater choice of women, than the visual effect of only working out. I may be slightly biased, considering I've always been decent at most sports. Maybe lifters are just frustrated sportsmen deep down.

 

A lot wrong here......

 

Weight lifting/bodybuilding is a sport...Just because Im not an Olympic Powerlifter or have an IFBB Pro card doesnt mean I am not "competitive" .To use this analogy, .I highly doubt LeBron James is a member here, so the guy that plays pick up games with buddies is no different than the guy on the street that trains with weights or powerlifts. Its just ignorant to think otherwise...Its a different take on the same thing...exercise/fitness..Whatever turns you on...

 

Sure, there are moronic, "pick things up and put them down" types, but, IMO, most of the serious gym people(men and women) are just like anyone else.. There are idiots and intelligent, well adjusted folks that lead normal lives, are married, kids...etc..

 

And while its not something I am in it for, you would be amazed at how dumb a guy that a very successful, good looking and intelligent woman will go nuts for if he's well built...Seen it a million times...

 

TFY

Edited January 31, 2014 by thefooloftheyear

[InnocentMan]

A lot wrong here......

 

Weight lifting/bodybuilding is a sport...Just because Im not an Olympic Powerlifter or have an IFBB Pro card doesnt mean I am not "competitive" .To use this analogy, .I highly doubt LeBron James is a member here, so the guy that plays pick up games with buddies is no different than the guy on the street that trains with weights or powerlifts. Its just ignorant to think otherwise...Its a different take on the same thing...exercise/fitness..Whatever turns you on...

 

Sure, there are moronic, "pick things up and put them down" types, but, IMO, most of the serious gym people(men and women) are just like anyone else.. There are idiots and intelligent, well adjusted folks that lead normal lives, are married, kids...etc..

 

And while its not something I am in it for, you would be amazed at how dumb a guy that a very successful, good looking and intelligent woman will go nuts for if he's well built...Seen it a million times...

 

TFY

 

Some fair enough points there, but I just think a lot of young fella's are seeing it as a fix all for their problems. It's like, oh I got dumped, I'll beast weights for a few years so it never happens again. Or, I can't get the chicks I want, let's see if lifting will solve it. For an activity that promotes a healthy lifestyle, I don't think it's always healthy for people emotionally.

 

I know nowadays that people see physical perfection as the ultimate goal, but the price to pay is often a lack of personal growth. Some of these guys in their 40's and 50's, are still jumping about as if they're back in their early twenties, with the same mentality.

 

If you like doing weights, at a moderate level, then fair enough. The trouble is, it becomes almost a lifetime addiction for many, just to keep the same body that they worked so hard to achieve. Life is just too short, in my opinion, to waste hour after hour of it in some sweaty gym. Basically achieving nothing but your new found status quo.

 

I tried once in my early 20s, and lasted about 5 sessions before I asked myself wtf I was doing. There's way too many more interesting things to be doing with your time. Your point about seeing some lifters getting the hot chick, is moot. There's just as many non-lifting dudes getting the hot chick, who have the added bonus of being much more rounded individuals.

[Mr Scorpio]

I used to do about 100 crunches a day but saw ZERO results. Or, certainly not what I expected from doing 100 crunches a day for about a month, so I ditched that.

 

 

 

Planks. Ab-roller. Roman chair. Hanging leg raises. Squats. Repeat.

[pink_sugar]

I'm actually not that into ripped men. My husband is a slim 145 or so pounds at 5'10". I wouldn't think it would look good on him if he suddenly got buff. I think it varies from person to person.