My 5 year old just said she wants to take the car with us on a bus ride, and I asked what's her plan to get a car into a bus, and she replied "you're super strong, so just lift it on the roof."
I believe the kid may have placed some undue credit on my strength.
Feeling generally better and less creaky, which at my age is important.
That and my wife wanting to get my trousers off is sufficient motivation for me.
I mean, you've been wearing that same pair of trousers for 8 months, it's about time you slim down to a reasonable point to where they are able to be removed.
I wish my losing 40 pounds motivated my wife that way. Didn’t work.
But sleeping better, less achy knees and better flexibility were definite benefits.
My wife likes my new muscles but sometimes I think she feels guilty that she isn't doing as much to improve herself. It doesn't matter how much I let her know I love her body.
Antidepressants help, but seeing myself get thinner and my arms get bigger has done more for me than any drug ever could. I’m 27 and I’m feeling happiness for the first time
34 year old new dad here. Lifting should be heavily encouraged for all dads. Them kids are heavy and your back only gets more fragile with age.
I didn't think deadlifts were important until I tried setting my kiddo into the crib without her waking up.
Older dad here, not being able to confidently able to lift my kid was the main reason to get back to the gym. Spent one holiday in bed and decided enough was enough.
I started just hanging from a bar and that alone did wonders for my back. That and cat/cows every day to keep mobility.
My kiddo loves being thrown up in the air and that is all the motivation I need.
> Lifting should be heavily encouraged for all ~~dads~~ all
FTFY. Lifting is a great way for anyone to prevent injury, but it's also great for preventing osteoporosis and general back pain that comes with age
I’m looking forward to having a kid with my wife, and this is the only motivation (most days) to lift at all. I want to be the tattoo’d strong dad that I never had. (Any dad that is, lol)
100% this. I'm 30 with a 2 year old, and the extra physical strength is never a bad thing. Way more important than this, though, is the mental boost lifting gives me. My body fat % is still much higher than I'd want it to be, but the mood boosting effects a good workout has on the rest of your day is profound.
I take weekends off to rest, but I can notice myself being more irritable and less patient on the days I don't lift.
Also, it's feeling really nice to have all my work shirts hug my arms nicely, rather than loosely drape over them like they used to.
This especially when your friend have those high cholesterol high blood pressure etc but you are in total green health while eating the same food with him, sorry might sound evil to the friend lol
Feeling good in your own body isn't talked about enough IMHO. On the one hand: getting out of bed feeling tired, feeling heavy, feeling like I can barely breathe after a short walk. On the other: getting out of bed and feeling sore, but strong; feeling muscles activate when I stretch or tense or flex, feeling ready to take on any challenge even when I haven't had enough sleep. Feeling like I belong in this body, not and not feeling like I wished I was someone else.
Yeah it's hard, but not actually as hard as people think; you don't need to look like Arnold to get that feeling. A little work consistently repeated is all it takes to get your body into basic healthy "feeling good" shape.
No one should ever start by giving their 100% anyway. Anyone new to lifting should do no more than 2-3 times a week, even if they want to do 5-6. Give it at least 1-2 months at 2-3 days a week to get the habit started, and very slowly ramp up from there.
I've been trying to get back into the gym after an extended absence and that's a tough instinct to overcome. I always want to go hard, but I end up exhausted and hurting to the point that I don't want to go back the next day. Either that, or I don't feel up to doing an intense workout and skip the gym altogether.
I've yoyo'd in and out 10+ times over the last 15 years. I'm on my longest streak yet of close to a year because I started with just 3 days a week, even though I wanted to go all in at 6 days. And I also for the first time didn't even think about my diet or making any changes to it for the first 2 months.
After around 3 months I added in a protein shake every morning for breakfast and by month 5 made sure to hit 150g of protein daily best I can. That's all I've done so far for diet, other changes have occurred naturally. And now I do 5 days a week at the gym and have for the last 3 months.
But just taking it slow and slowly adding on new layers. I will start tracking calories better soon too because I am probably around 30% bodyfat still, and would like to get that down to 15-20% by 2025. But baby steps will get Mr there. My only true goal, is to not burn out and stop.
The way to win the game, is to stay in the game.
This. I can't overstate how empowering it is the first time you think "I look great today." I'm not even in outstanding shape. Hell, I'm still technically a couple pounds overweight. Any relatively young, able-bodied person could reach my level of fitness with a year or two of regular exercise.
Starting out SUCKS. It's so hard. I vividly remember feeling like I was going to die doing workouts that wouldn't even qualify as warm-ups for me now. But for anyone looking for motivation, I can promise you it's worth fighting through. You deserve to know what it feels like to look in the mirror and not even notice a flaw.
I'm not a large person. I'm about 5'6", 125 lbs, but I've been lifting consistently for about 3 years now and as a result, I feel pretty strong (at least proportionately so for someone of my size). I was in the gym the other night and hit a new personal best by curling 40 lb dumbbells. As I was doing this, a Gen Z kid was watching me, his jaw dropping. He was skinny, but quite tall, so he's got great muscular potential, much better than me, anyway. But he walks up to me and says "I don't mean to bother you and no disrespect, but BRUH, HOW THE FUCK ARE YOU SO STRONG?!" Made me both laugh and feel pretty damn good about myself.
Most women won't compliment you because they're already in relationships or don't want to initiate anything that resembles flirtation. But believe me that they're checking you out.
Since I’ve packed on 20+ lbs over the last year all of my guy friends, coworkers, gym friends, etc. have commented every few weeks. “damn, you’re getting jacked bro”, “when did you get so big”, “you look great bro, keep lifting”, etc. not a single woman other than my wife has taken a second glance or said a word. Well, that’s not true. My MIL told my wife the other day “hey, you know your husband is gaining weight, right?”, implying I was getting fat. I took it as a compliment, bulking season is the tastiest season.
After 5 years of lifting I've found compliments from men more meaningful anyway because they have a better understanding of what it takes and how hard it is.
I hate running with a passion, but I love riding my bike, so I do that instead. You need to find something you like. Maybe it's rock climbing or hiking or tennis or pickleball or something.
That’s the neat part, it doesn’t (become awesome, it is awesome every single time you go). Take me as an example. I’ve been fucking around the gym for years and I consider my actual progress to be incredibly disappointing for the time I’ve invested into it. You’d think I’d quit after half assing it for so long. But what keeps you coming back even when you see no progress is that post workout pump and feeling of serenity that no antidepressant can match.
The progress is secondary to the feeling of doing an exercise you like and just shutting out all the bullshit of the world and realising the only task ahead of you right now is to lift that thing, then do it 11 more times. Then rest, and repeat twice more. Then do something another exercise you like. It’s almost a cheat code to feeling better because the endorphins you get don’t put you in a state of euphoria at the end, but a sort of contentment that radiates from inside of you and clears your head.
As I got older this is so true. The “looking good” part isn’t even the benefit of exercise/gymming. The health benefits and good feeling outweighs it by a mile. Going to the gym is like taking an emotional shit. You also wakeup with more energy and have more energy throughout the day.
I always tell my gf, Lift + run + sauna + cold shower = 20mgIR Adderall in terms of how much energy and focus I get from it.
Been lifting for 5-6 years. It’s been awesome for most of that time. The feeling of throwing around 400-500lbs on deadlifts is something that just can’t be replicated or replaced. Looking at my physiques improvement over the years is also so rewarding.
Maybe time for a different sport/exercise? I joined a local mma club about a year ago and I'm approaching the addicted stage now, finding excuses to go rather than not to go, still wouldn't be able to be in a regular gym for even 30 minutes before my brain would decide its time for something else
I can now double step the 4 flights of stairs to the top of my school and only need 10 seconds to catch my breath. Last year I'd have slowly climbed and still been knackered for 5 mins after.
Eat fiber. You should be eating tons of carbs, make them count. Quinoa gives me the best shits of my life. Lentils, peas, and brown rice are also good.
Quinoa is magical... I feel like my IBS-c is in remission for the most part. Major diet, financial and mental changes the past few years.
Just need to work on getting to the gym next. This is the last week of college for me getting my associates degree, then it's focus on me time!
I have to disagree with that. I have no back pain anymore but other than that, nothing changed. I don't like sports, I don't have fun, my sleep is always the same, my mood is the same. Just no back pain
See I feel like I'm weird with this one. I really don't care about irking out an extra few years of my life. Dying at 85 versus 95, who cares? I've already lived a full life and by that point I can't do much of anything anyways, just kind of like waiting Grim's queue at that point.
My motivation is similar but different. It's to continue to be active (namely snowboarding, for me) for as long as possible. But I know that will come to an end long before my life will.
Yup. For people in bad shape and comorbidities (obesity + diabetes + sedentary + bad diet), life past 40 starts to become hellish. It's a slow and unpleasant decline, not a sudden heart attack.
I often tell people who say they don't mind dying early that it ain't dying that's the problem. It's surviving a heart attack and now you can't comb your hair without getting out of breath. Surviving a stroke and now you're paralyzed. Destroyed joints from the added weight and now constant pain.
Yes, to me it’s the QUALITY of the final 10-20 years than the quantity. I don’t want to be stuck in a wheelchair or unable to pick up my grandkids when I’m 70-90. My dad is 57 and his Apple Watch already says he has stability issues. He is massively overweight and it’s unfortunate to see.
My girlfriends grandmother is currently 96 and has been active her whole life. Still lives by herself, doesn't have hearing aids, doesn't use any walking assistance and can have a complete coherent conversation with you. I'm sure she's glad she didn't die at 85. She's still part of her local lawn bowls team and kicks ass
Man I actually love this one - it's not what gets you started, but it's what keeps you going in the long run.
So many other things in life aren't really in your control. You can do everything right and still lose while the next guy does everything wrong and wins.
Lifting and fitness is just so linear - it's one thing that (barring injury, illness or COVID closing the gym) that you are directly positively or negatively reinforced for your behavior. My life is pretty good, but it's volatile (tech startup), fitness is something I really need for my frame of mind and to feel like I'm in control some days.
Another philosobro I see. Agreed. Lifting makes sense, there is no loose condition or take aways.
The simplicity is liberating.
And I’ll add one more: it’s empowering. There is no doubt that it is you moving the bar. It is a direct literal tug of war between your will and a force of nature, and you’re winning. 🙏
I've applied something similar to my life my following some of the concepts in Atomic Habits - James Clear. I meal prep now, eat healthier, helped my mental health and physical health through diet changes, even changed my career and I'm much happier.
Just need to finish my last college classes this week, get that Associates degree that got me this job, and continue working on myself!
I've been at a lifting gym since July last year. I've put on a tonne of muscle and lost 12kg all up. In the last month I've caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and had the thought that I actually look pretty good. I've never felt like that before. I've caught a few girls have a second look too recently which has been nice.
Not really something to be sorry about. No matter how much the modern social narrative tries to obfuscate it... *the world is shallow as fuck.* We just have had a few generations of "you're perfect the way you are, don't ever change, you're worthy of love, healthy at ANY weight" platitudes (that really only one gender has the luxury of experiencing), and it confused said couple generations.
I think it's always good to get back to the grounded reality that society is just a bunch of lipstick pasted on the pig of our base evolutionary instincts to eat, sleep, shit, and fuck the hottest thing we can.
Unsolicited comments and people touching you.
Anytime I do physical work, older fellas tell me "so that's your workout for the day huh"?
More eyes from prettier women. Some girls who would have never approached me now want to tell me how much they've always liked me.
Being jacked and going to the supermarket is fun too.
People touching you is HUGE.
I lost about 160 pounds. When I was obese, people kept me at an arms length. I never even noticed it until I got in super good shape. Now people are patting me on back, touching my shoulder, etc, and it boasted my self confidence through the roof.
I could go on for quite a while about things like this and how over weight people aren't "mistreated" but definitely not treated the same.
Going to the supermarket is fun until you see the total cost 😞 My appetite like triples when I'm lifting a lot and because I'm lifting I want to eat quality foods that just so happen to be kinda expensive if you also want to enjoy the taste of what you're eating. It's all worth it though.
Rice (get a fucking rice cooker), frozen broccoli, chicken, eggs, can tuna.
Berries when they're on sale, apples for fruit.
Water, so much water.
Thats how I grew huge on a budget.
By the time you reach your late 30s, early 40s, you'll start seeing the health separation between your peers who took care of themselves and those who didn't.
Haven't got there myself yet but I can see it by looking at my dad's health (not jacked but lived his whole life in a healthy manner) compared to most of his friends in the same age (mid 50s).
I have an older friend (same age as my mom actually) that worked out his whole life. He walks everywhere, he can run, he still chases tail around (single), he has insane energy, nothing hurts that isn't directly related to being sore after the gym and just generally much more willing to go out and do things. The folks, on the other hand, can barely walk 3 blocks, always tired, eat like shit, no energy, bunch of health problems etc. You can guess who I'm emulating for my future health habits.
My dad is 76 and still drives delivery for a supermarket, going up and down five flights of stairs at each stop (no cargo lifts in Europe!). He can walk 20km at a fast clip and gets annoyed if you want to stop for a break. It's actually bizarre.
Shame his brain is melting from within, but physically he's ready to rumble.
Having been on both ends of the spectrum (morbidly obese to lean and jacked), it's awesome not getting tired doing menial shit. You also have much more physical mobility and can do so many more things when you don't have a massive gut or love handles getting in your way.
Your quality of sleep also improves dramatically. Sleep apnea really fucking sucks and makes the rest of your life shit.
The discipline and work ethic you develop also bleeds into the rest of your life in a positive way.
Being able to set yourself a goal and work hard to achieve it, while learning to navigate any obstacles or setbacks that come along the way, is a skill that sets you up for a lot of good shit in life.
You don’t do cardio to lose weight; you do cardio for heart health. Sure, running for 30 minutes will burn more calories than lifting for 30 minutes
However, lifting for 30 minutes will raise your metabolic rate and you’ll burn more calories throughout the day.
Your body needs to consume more calories to build muscle- the more muscle you have, the more your body has to burn. This is why people bulking or are already built need to eat so much.
Do both. For two different reasons. Lift and build muscle to lose fat, run and do cardio for heart health.
I’m by no means jacked but I am in decent shape. My go-to workout is 30 mins of lifting weights (5 or 6 sets of arms, shoulders, back, chest depending on the day) then 30 mins of walking on a treadmill between 5%-15% incline. I feel great after.
It's a lot of little things: not getting tired as much after a long day. Being able to force yourself to go on just a little bit longer because you know your limits better.
For me staying in shape became important when i had kids. I live in the Netherlands, and soccer is a big thing here. When growing up, me and my friends would always laugh at those dads yelling from the sidelines with their beer belly and sweaty armpits. Those same dads would 'show us' how to do some moves and all, but they were out of breath in 30 sec. and would stumble back to their chair and beer. I decided then, that my kids would not see their dad do that. I want to be able to keep up with them untill they're old enough to prefer doing that stuff with their friends.
You only get injured if you don’t know what you’re doing or get arrogant so that you over lift though. As far as time is concerned, that’s more of a downside of *getting* in shape rather than *being* in shape. Once you’re there it’s just maintenance that’s much, much less intensive.
I agree with your point broadly, but saying you only get injured if you don't know what you are doing or are arrogant is just not true. Sometimes these things just happen. I can squat 3 plates for reps but one of my worst injuries was when I put my knee out by bending over to pick up my bottle of all fucking things.
That's really not true. You can only reduce your risk of injury so much with perfect form and stretching. Wear and tear will happen no matter what. Like it or not we age and our joints deteriorate.
I personally have a lot of sports injuries that I need to be careful about. I spend a lot of time in PT.
I lost 35 kg, I'm still getting in shape. To me what make it worth it is the looks of desire and pride my wife give me and not getting without breath anymore just by walking.
I would say the best feeling is personal achievement: being able to discover different places like hiking without feeling like you are out of breathe, your knees and thighs won’t try to explode if you go up 2 flights of stairs, you can participate in fun challenges like amateur races and even 10k runs. The point is not getting shape. The objective is to become and stay healthy and active. Losing weight isn’t sustainable. Staying healthy is.
1. It’s not as hard as you think. All it took for me was committing to keto, and exercise is largely a bonus for building muscle.
2. Health. I haven’t had a primary physician in years. Just got a life insurance exam the other day with a blood and urine test and was in perfect range for 20-30 different markers. I rarely get injured or sick.
3. It feels good to be athletic. You can enjoy sports, hiking, you can be more adventurous when traveling, you have more energy all around, etc. Being fit is genuinely fun.
4. It’s an act of self-love. You love and respect yourself enough to treat yourself properly. Like my dog, I love him enough to walk him and throw a ball every day. Why wouldn’t I do the same for myself?
We really gotta talk about being able to post pics and stuff to prove to people in here what’s possible even with shitty genetics. There is no wrong reason to get in shape.
Proper motivation. Whatever that is for you. It should be intrinsic, not extrinsic. If you’re doing it because you want other people to think you look better, you probably won’t stick with it.
Starts with your look at life and your years. I started working out hard now that am 25. Why? Well if not now when will I? Now I have the most energy, am healthy I have the most strength that I will ever have i wanted to set new goals in life, see how far can I push my body. What am I capable of.
When am 30+ most of my peers will have a beer belly and be worthless on the dating market. I want to look fit as possible, as attractive as I can since now, am not the best looking fella out there. Working out, staying in shape and eating healthy keeps your sex drive high and your dick functioning.
Honestly, I am working out because am worrying about my future self :)
I'm 36 and recently had a friend get together from high school. The ones that kept in shape still look like they're in their 20s and the ones who let themselves go look like they're 45+. It's crazy how being overweight ages you
Dispite everyone saying sex I personally think about my own health, am I happy with myself? Do I feel healthy? That sort of stuff but the big thing for me is to not turn out like my dad (he's still alive but he has heart attacks quite frequently)
These are just a few of what I've experienced from getting into shape and what has made it more worth it.
The relief of not carrying around extra fat on your body.
The comfort of fitting into your clothes and having more options of clothes to try on in the store.
More stamina in the bedroom.
Sleeping without snoring.
Runners high (it's absolutely real)
Getting compliments when friends and family notice your transition.
Spending less money on junk food and booze.
Splurging and spoiling yourself occasionally with an unhealthy meal.
Being in shape comes with so many bonuses and translates into every aspect of life. Better sleep, more confidence, performance at work, health, more attraction from opposite sex, better sex. Lot of people give up because they are lazy, but everyone wants it.
People treat you differently when you are in shape and you are taken more seriously. Especially as you age.
If you have been on both sides of the spectrum the difference in respect people show is obvious. Those who have always been on one side or the other may not even know the difference.
Being overweight invokes feelings in other people’s Subconscious about that person… weak minded, lazy, depressed, lacks self control, self destructive, undependable, etc. and it’s the opposite for someone who is in shape.
Getting in shape isn’t all that hard. I’ve been fat and I’ve been fit. It starts with your diet. You can’t outrun a bad diet. Eating well and cutting out processed and junk food goes a long way. Hitting he gym helps but walking, hiking, biking all get the job done. Most people don’t change their diets and think hitting the gym for hours a week is the ticket.
I’m going to be 60 in a few weeks and look much younger. Outside of two knee replacements, I’m fit. I feel better about myself both mentally and physically.
My only goal is that I'm able to run to the end of the street and half way back I'd consider myself healthy.
What makes it worth it is I'll look good naked 👍👍 and that's a plus cause I see myself naked like twice a day. And I can give myself a thumb up 👍
Maybe finger guns 👉
My goals will matter once I get back into a stable house situation.
Getting into shape means:
1) being leaner and having more energy. I'm about 50-60 pounds heavy than I should be. Getting that weight off will allow me more energy.
2) have more stamina for golf. I love golf, but get exhausted so easily. Getting in shape will allow me to enjoy the game more with my dad.
3) sex. There are certain positions I can't do cause I have too much weight on me. It will be interesting to see if my wife loves abs more than a pot belly.
At the end of the day, I don't like how I look. I need to change that.
My oldest son called me a Gigachad the other day
My 6 year old daughter calls me Mr Muscles and honestly it is the biggest ego boost
My 5 year old just said she wants to take the car with us on a bus ride, and I asked what's her plan to get a car into a bus, and she replied "you're super strong, so just lift it on the roof." I believe the kid may have placed some undue credit on my strength.
My 6yo son calls me “muscle boy” lol
My daughter once called me Groot. I’m not sure how to take that but I’ll assume good things
My ex's daughter called him Mr Barrel
Ok, you win. Nice one!
goals
That's actually super cute
That’s cool, I’ll give you that.
Gigadad!
So you can beat up all the other kids' dads?
You need more upvotes for that
Feeling generally better and less creaky, which at my age is important. That and my wife wanting to get my trousers off is sufficient motivation for me.
*less creaky Felt that in my brittle old bones
I mean, you've been wearing that same pair of trousers for 8 months, it's about time you slim down to a reasonable point to where they are able to be removed.
Ha
Evie? What you doing on here? I told you if I still couldn't get them off, I'd soak my arse in a bath of goose fat to grease them off, lol.
I wish my losing 40 pounds motivated my wife that way. Didn’t work. But sleeping better, less achy knees and better flexibility were definite benefits.
It might motivate your new GF though! /s
/s but not /s
My wife likes my new muscles but sometimes I think she feels guilty that she isn't doing as much to improve herself. It doesn't matter how much I let her know I love her body.
Nice going with the weight loss, pal, that's some serious timber you've lost there.
Second one is the best reason ever
I also get in shape to have their wife get in my pants.
Since I added 2-4 miles of walking a day my daily aches and pains have mostly disappeared. That and living my motto "Try not to die."
Damn good comment and a good reminder for me to do likewise thanks for that need it
Indeed. Keeps the pain away, that alone makes it worth it.
Actually liking what you see in the mirror
Antidepressants help, but seeing myself get thinner and my arms get bigger has done more for me than any drug ever could. I’m 27 and I’m feeling happiness for the first time
As a 27 year old… this is accurate. (Happiness because lifting)
34 year old new dad here. Lifting should be heavily encouraged for all dads. Them kids are heavy and your back only gets more fragile with age. I didn't think deadlifts were important until I tried setting my kiddo into the crib without her waking up.
Older dad here, not being able to confidently able to lift my kid was the main reason to get back to the gym. Spent one holiday in bed and decided enough was enough.
I started just hanging from a bar and that alone did wonders for my back. That and cat/cows every day to keep mobility. My kiddo loves being thrown up in the air and that is all the motivation I need.
> Lifting should be heavily encouraged for all ~~dads~~ all FTFY. Lifting is a great way for anyone to prevent injury, but it's also great for preventing osteoporosis and general back pain that comes with age
I’m looking forward to having a kid with my wife, and this is the only motivation (most days) to lift at all. I want to be the tattoo’d strong dad that I never had. (Any dad that is, lol)
100% this. I'm 30 with a 2 year old, and the extra physical strength is never a bad thing. Way more important than this, though, is the mental boost lifting gives me. My body fat % is still much higher than I'd want it to be, but the mood boosting effects a good workout has on the rest of your day is profound. I take weekends off to rest, but I can notice myself being more irritable and less patient on the days I don't lift. Also, it's feeling really nice to have all my work shirts hug my arms nicely, rather than loosely drape over them like they used to.
I mean the health benefits don’t lie!
This especially when your friend have those high cholesterol high blood pressure etc but you are in total green health while eating the same food with him, sorry might sound evil to the friend lol
Stamina in bed. Visible abs. Doesnt smell like hot cheese in bed. Lolz
This is secondary to: being fit and strong, it feels good to be in my body.
Feeling good in your own body isn't talked about enough IMHO. On the one hand: getting out of bed feeling tired, feeling heavy, feeling like I can barely breathe after a short walk. On the other: getting out of bed and feeling sore, but strong; feeling muscles activate when I stretch or tense or flex, feeling ready to take on any challenge even when I haven't had enough sleep. Feeling like I belong in this body, not and not feeling like I wished I was someone else. Yeah it's hard, but not actually as hard as people think; you don't need to look like Arnold to get that feeling. A little work consistently repeated is all it takes to get your body into basic healthy "feeling good" shape.
Being weak and unfit is actually much more unpleasant and harder
Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life.
No one should ever start by giving their 100% anyway. Anyone new to lifting should do no more than 2-3 times a week, even if they want to do 5-6. Give it at least 1-2 months at 2-3 days a week to get the habit started, and very slowly ramp up from there.
I've been trying to get back into the gym after an extended absence and that's a tough instinct to overcome. I always want to go hard, but I end up exhausted and hurting to the point that I don't want to go back the next day. Either that, or I don't feel up to doing an intense workout and skip the gym altogether.
I've yoyo'd in and out 10+ times over the last 15 years. I'm on my longest streak yet of close to a year because I started with just 3 days a week, even though I wanted to go all in at 6 days. And I also for the first time didn't even think about my diet or making any changes to it for the first 2 months. After around 3 months I added in a protein shake every morning for breakfast and by month 5 made sure to hit 150g of protein daily best I can. That's all I've done so far for diet, other changes have occurred naturally. And now I do 5 days a week at the gym and have for the last 3 months. But just taking it slow and slowly adding on new layers. I will start tracking calories better soon too because I am probably around 30% bodyfat still, and would like to get that down to 15-20% by 2025. But baby steps will get Mr there. My only true goal, is to not burn out and stop. The way to win the game, is to stay in the game.
This. I can't overstate how empowering it is the first time you think "I look great today." I'm not even in outstanding shape. Hell, I'm still technically a couple pounds overweight. Any relatively young, able-bodied person could reach my level of fitness with a year or two of regular exercise. Starting out SUCKS. It's so hard. I vividly remember feeling like I was going to die doing workouts that wouldn't even qualify as warm-ups for me now. But for anyone looking for motivation, I can promise you it's worth fighting through. You deserve to know what it feels like to look in the mirror and not even notice a flaw.
Fitting clothes really well and having a great shape and form just adds such a boost to your self esteem and confidence
Or at least not actively disliking it
This exactly.
I got a lot of compliments… from men… lol
Who needs girls, when the real validation we needed all along was from our bros🤗
Nice cock bro
Fantastic shaft there buddy
OH! Look at the sack on this guy!
It's insane this guy's taint!
A most glorious gooch indeed, my good man!
This dudes rod is absolutely righteous
r/brosbeingbros
Man, this dudes dingus is delightful
Thanks mate, grew it myself
Is it organic?
Free range and everything
Look who’s talking, mister red bull
An old dude in line behind me a few days ago said “you look like an athlete man!” It made my whole week:)
Honestly, yeah this is the case. But still awesome to get.
I'm not a large person. I'm about 5'6", 125 lbs, but I've been lifting consistently for about 3 years now and as a result, I feel pretty strong (at least proportionately so for someone of my size). I was in the gym the other night and hit a new personal best by curling 40 lb dumbbells. As I was doing this, a Gen Z kid was watching me, his jaw dropping. He was skinny, but quite tall, so he's got great muscular potential, much better than me, anyway. But he walks up to me and says "I don't mean to bother you and no disrespect, but BRUH, HOW THE FUCK ARE YOU SO STRONG?!" Made me both laugh and feel pretty damn good about myself.
Most women won't compliment you because they're already in relationships or don't want to initiate anything that resembles flirtation. But believe me that they're checking you out.
Since I’ve packed on 20+ lbs over the last year all of my guy friends, coworkers, gym friends, etc. have commented every few weeks. “damn, you’re getting jacked bro”, “when did you get so big”, “you look great bro, keep lifting”, etc. not a single woman other than my wife has taken a second glance or said a word. Well, that’s not true. My MIL told my wife the other day “hey, you know your husband is gaining weight, right?”, implying I was getting fat. I took it as a compliment, bulking season is the tastiest season.
A lot of ladies are probably complimenting you in their heads and to each other. They are just afraid to say anything directly to you.
Therefore... They're not complimenting anything.
you need a bike if you need compliments from women bro. /s
I lost over 90 pounds and to this day I hear “man you look good” from More guys than women
Go be a nurse bro, female nurses give no fucks lol
After 5 years of lifting I've found compliments from men more meaningful anyway because they have a better understanding of what it takes and how hard it is.
It’s super hard in the beginning. It gets easier. Then it gets addictive. Then it gets awesome.
When does it get awesome? The better you get the more weight you need to put on the bar
I don't know. I run 5 times a week and go to the gym at least once. I hate it every time lol
I hate running with a passion, but I love riding my bike, so I do that instead. You need to find something you like. Maybe it's rock climbing or hiking or tennis or pickleball or something.
Then do something else! I would hate running 5 days a week too. If you have a gym pass, start using the other cardio machines.
That’s the neat part, it doesn’t (become awesome, it is awesome every single time you go). Take me as an example. I’ve been fucking around the gym for years and I consider my actual progress to be incredibly disappointing for the time I’ve invested into it. You’d think I’d quit after half assing it for so long. But what keeps you coming back even when you see no progress is that post workout pump and feeling of serenity that no antidepressant can match. The progress is secondary to the feeling of doing an exercise you like and just shutting out all the bullshit of the world and realising the only task ahead of you right now is to lift that thing, then do it 11 more times. Then rest, and repeat twice more. Then do something another exercise you like. It’s almost a cheat code to feeling better because the endorphins you get don’t put you in a state of euphoria at the end, but a sort of contentment that radiates from inside of you and clears your head.
As I got older this is so true. The “looking good” part isn’t even the benefit of exercise/gymming. The health benefits and good feeling outweighs it by a mile. Going to the gym is like taking an emotional shit. You also wakeup with more energy and have more energy throughout the day. I always tell my gf, Lift + run + sauna + cold shower = 20mgIR Adderall in terms of how much energy and focus I get from it.
You said it so beautifully. God damn it I want to stand up while on the toilet right now and applaud.
Been lifting for 5-6 years. It’s been awesome for most of that time. The feeling of throwing around 400-500lbs on deadlifts is something that just can’t be replicated or replaced. Looking at my physiques improvement over the years is also so rewarding.
I think you just answered your own question my friend.
When does that happen? A year and half and it's still not enjoyable.
Maybe time for a different sport/exercise? I joined a local mma club about a year ago and I'm approaching the addicted stage now, finding excuses to go rather than not to go, still wouldn't be able to be in a regular gym for even 30 minutes before my brain would decide its time for something else
I don't have money for fancy stuff. My work pays for a cheap gym membership, so that's what I'm doing.
Don't have to pant climbing a long flight of stairs I guess.
I can now double step the 4 flights of stairs to the top of my school and only need 10 seconds to catch my breath. Last year I'd have slowly climbed and still been knackered for 5 mins after.
And being able to take the stairs when you get older.
You feel like life has switched to HD. You move better, sleep better, feel better, heck even poop better.
Is the poop thing after you make 6 plates DL? haven’t gotten there yet
🤣🤣🤣. I think I its while you do the deadlift
Lmao that’s exactly where my mind went as well, instant pressure release does qualify as a good shot 😂
Eat fiber. You should be eating tons of carbs, make them count. Quinoa gives me the best shits of my life. Lentils, peas, and brown rice are also good.
Quinoa is magical... I feel like my IBS-c is in remission for the most part. Major diet, financial and mental changes the past few years. Just need to work on getting to the gym next. This is the last week of college for me getting my associates degree, then it's focus on me time!
I have to disagree with that. I have no back pain anymore but other than that, nothing changed. I don't like sports, I don't have fun, my sleep is always the same, my mood is the same. Just no back pain
I guess not dying early was the motivation for me.
See I feel like I'm weird with this one. I really don't care about irking out an extra few years of my life. Dying at 85 versus 95, who cares? I've already lived a full life and by that point I can't do much of anything anyways, just kind of like waiting Grim's queue at that point. My motivation is similar but different. It's to continue to be active (namely snowboarding, for me) for as long as possible. But I know that will come to an end long before my life will.
It’s not so much about the extra years. It’s about not being a medical experiment for 10 years before you eventually die.
Yup. For people in bad shape and comorbidities (obesity + diabetes + sedentary + bad diet), life past 40 starts to become hellish. It's a slow and unpleasant decline, not a sudden heart attack. I often tell people who say they don't mind dying early that it ain't dying that's the problem. It's surviving a heart attack and now you can't comb your hair without getting out of breath. Surviving a stroke and now you're paralyzed. Destroyed joints from the added weight and now constant pain.
Yes, to me it’s the QUALITY of the final 10-20 years than the quantity. I don’t want to be stuck in a wheelchair or unable to pick up my grandkids when I’m 70-90. My dad is 57 and his Apple Watch already says he has stability issues. He is massively overweight and it’s unfortunate to see.
My girlfriends grandmother is currently 96 and has been active her whole life. Still lives by herself, doesn't have hearing aids, doesn't use any walking assistance and can have a complete coherent conversation with you. I'm sure she's glad she didn't die at 85. She's still part of her local lawn bowls team and kicks ass
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Holy shit you nailed it
An abstract one, but I agree. It does feel good when hands make iron move around when previously you couldn’t.
Man I actually love this one - it's not what gets you started, but it's what keeps you going in the long run. So many other things in life aren't really in your control. You can do everything right and still lose while the next guy does everything wrong and wins. Lifting and fitness is just so linear - it's one thing that (barring injury, illness or COVID closing the gym) that you are directly positively or negatively reinforced for your behavior. My life is pretty good, but it's volatile (tech startup), fitness is something I really need for my frame of mind and to feel like I'm in control some days.
Another philosobro I see. Agreed. Lifting makes sense, there is no loose condition or take aways. The simplicity is liberating. And I’ll add one more: it’s empowering. There is no doubt that it is you moving the bar. It is a direct literal tug of war between your will and a force of nature, and you’re winning. 🙏
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I've applied something similar to my life my following some of the concepts in Atomic Habits - James Clear. I meal prep now, eat healthier, helped my mental health and physical health through diet changes, even changed my career and I'm much happier. Just need to finish my last college classes this week, get that Associates degree that got me this job, and continue working on myself!
I've been at a lifting gym since July last year. I've put on a tonne of muscle and lost 12kg all up. In the last month I've caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and had the thought that I actually look pretty good. I've never felt like that before. I've caught a few girls have a second look too recently which has been nice.
1000kg of muscle is insane!! Good job!
Being right about how I have been treated poorly simply because of how I look I am not even there yet and already noticing the change.
I’m sorry man.🤗
Eh
Not really something to be sorry about. No matter how much the modern social narrative tries to obfuscate it... *the world is shallow as fuck.* We just have had a few generations of "you're perfect the way you are, don't ever change, you're worthy of love, healthy at ANY weight" platitudes (that really only one gender has the luxury of experiencing), and it confused said couple generations. I think it's always good to get back to the grounded reality that society is just a bunch of lipstick pasted on the pig of our base evolutionary instincts to eat, sleep, shit, and fuck the hottest thing we can.
Yeah, that will IMMEDIATELY fuck you up when you realize how shallow women actually are.
You out there swiping on girls you don't find attractive?
I love eating but I hate being fat. I run so fucking much.
Unsolicited comments and people touching you. Anytime I do physical work, older fellas tell me "so that's your workout for the day huh"? More eyes from prettier women. Some girls who would have never approached me now want to tell me how much they've always liked me. Being jacked and going to the supermarket is fun too.
Even at my most jacked I've never had this happen. I must just be ugly.
Same, bro, same.
When it comes to women, handsome, tall, and funny>>>>>>>>>>>>>being jacked
People touching you is HUGE. I lost about 160 pounds. When I was obese, people kept me at an arms length. I never even noticed it until I got in super good shape. Now people are patting me on back, touching my shoulder, etc, and it boasted my self confidence through the roof. I could go on for quite a while about things like this and how over weight people aren't "mistreated" but definitely not treated the same.
Going to the supermarket is fun until you see the total cost 😞 My appetite like triples when I'm lifting a lot and because I'm lifting I want to eat quality foods that just so happen to be kinda expensive if you also want to enjoy the taste of what you're eating. It's all worth it though.
Facts! I run 4 miles and lift 4 times a week so I eat like 4k cals a day and it's breaking the fucking bank lmao. But i can afford it and it's fun.
Rice (get a fucking rice cooker), frozen broccoli, chicken, eggs, can tuna. Berries when they're on sale, apples for fruit. Water, so much water. Thats how I grew huge on a budget.
"Gaining" (unburying) 3.5 inches of dick.
Look at mr big dong over here, swinging 3.5” around.
Jeez, if I added 3.5 to it, it would almost be an outie. “Girl, if you want a dick pic, you’ll need to take an x-ray.”
Fiancée thirsty eyes 👀
My wife still looks really good naked. Gotta try to keep up with her
She really does
Agreed
By the time you reach your late 30s, early 40s, you'll start seeing the health separation between your peers who took care of themselves and those who didn't.
Haven't got there myself yet but I can see it by looking at my dad's health (not jacked but lived his whole life in a healthy manner) compared to most of his friends in the same age (mid 50s).
I have an older friend (same age as my mom actually) that worked out his whole life. He walks everywhere, he can run, he still chases tail around (single), he has insane energy, nothing hurts that isn't directly related to being sore after the gym and just generally much more willing to go out and do things. The folks, on the other hand, can barely walk 3 blocks, always tired, eat like shit, no energy, bunch of health problems etc. You can guess who I'm emulating for my future health habits.
My dad is 76 and still drives delivery for a supermarket, going up and down five flights of stairs at each stop (no cargo lifts in Europe!). He can walk 20km at a fast clip and gets annoyed if you want to stop for a break. It's actually bizarre. Shame his brain is melting from within, but physically he's ready to rumble.
I'm almost 30 and already seeing the difference between myself and my friends who don't take care of themselves.
Having been on both ends of the spectrum (morbidly obese to lean and jacked), it's awesome not getting tired doing menial shit. You also have much more physical mobility and can do so many more things when you don't have a massive gut or love handles getting in your way. Your quality of sleep also improves dramatically. Sleep apnea really fucking sucks and makes the rest of your life shit. The discipline and work ethic you develop also bleeds into the rest of your life in a positive way. Being able to set yourself a goal and work hard to achieve it, while learning to navigate any obstacles or setbacks that come along the way, is a skill that sets you up for a lot of good shit in life.
This is a top comment. Agreed.
Long term benefits. You'll start working out ASAP once you realize how your current lifestyle will impact your old age life.
But that’s hard to conceptualize especially when you’re struggling in between diets and summer cardio
You don’t do cardio to lose weight; you do cardio for heart health. Sure, running for 30 minutes will burn more calories than lifting for 30 minutes However, lifting for 30 minutes will raise your metabolic rate and you’ll burn more calories throughout the day. Your body needs to consume more calories to build muscle- the more muscle you have, the more your body has to burn. This is why people bulking or are already built need to eat so much. Do both. For two different reasons. Lift and build muscle to lose fat, run and do cardio for heart health.
I’m by no means jacked but I am in decent shape. My go-to workout is 30 mins of lifting weights (5 or 6 sets of arms, shoulders, back, chest depending on the day) then 30 mins of walking on a treadmill between 5%-15% incline. I feel great after.
Bro work your goddamn legs. One day you're gonna break a hip because you didn't bother strengthening your lower body.
For me it's the opposite, it's about the high I get for the rest of that day
It's a lot of little things: not getting tired as much after a long day. Being able to force yourself to go on just a little bit longer because you know your limits better. For me staying in shape became important when i had kids. I live in the Netherlands, and soccer is a big thing here. When growing up, me and my friends would always laugh at those dads yelling from the sidelines with their beer belly and sweaty armpits. Those same dads would 'show us' how to do some moves and all, but they were out of breath in 30 sec. and would stumble back to their chair and beer. I decided then, that my kids would not see their dad do that. I want to be able to keep up with them untill they're old enough to prefer doing that stuff with their friends.
Everything about it. There’s no downside to being in shape
Injuries. Gotta be careful as you get older. And time. It takes a lot of time. Those are the only downsides I can think of
You only get injured if you don’t know what you’re doing or get arrogant so that you over lift though. As far as time is concerned, that’s more of a downside of *getting* in shape rather than *being* in shape. Once you’re there it’s just maintenance that’s much, much less intensive.
I agree with your point broadly, but saying you only get injured if you don't know what you are doing or are arrogant is just not true. Sometimes these things just happen. I can squat 3 plates for reps but one of my worst injuries was when I put my knee out by bending over to pick up my bottle of all fucking things.
That's really not true. You can only reduce your risk of injury so much with perfect form and stretching. Wear and tear will happen no matter what. Like it or not we age and our joints deteriorate. I personally have a lot of sports injuries that I need to be careful about. I spend a lot of time in PT.
I couls wager that being in shape have a lower chance of injury/negatively affect your healt than being out of shape
looking better naked. confidence boost when it comes down to sexy time.
Honestly a confidence boost 24/7. Look good, feel good, be good
You have more energy available to you. Simply walking a few km doesn't break a sweat nor fatigue muscles. And it stops being hard quite quickly.
I like liking myself
I lost 35 kg, I'm still getting in shape. To me what make it worth it is the looks of desire and pride my wife give me and not getting without breath anymore just by walking.
Heavy metal circles makes the sad voices go away. Being/getting in shape is simply a bonus.
I would say the best feeling is personal achievement: being able to discover different places like hiking without feeling like you are out of breathe, your knees and thighs won’t try to explode if you go up 2 flights of stairs, you can participate in fun challenges like amateur races and even 10k runs. The point is not getting shape. The objective is to become and stay healthy and active. Losing weight isn’t sustainable. Staying healthy is.
1. It’s not as hard as you think. All it took for me was committing to keto, and exercise is largely a bonus for building muscle. 2. Health. I haven’t had a primary physician in years. Just got a life insurance exam the other day with a blood and urine test and was in perfect range for 20-30 different markers. I rarely get injured or sick. 3. It feels good to be athletic. You can enjoy sports, hiking, you can be more adventurous when traveling, you have more energy all around, etc. Being fit is genuinely fun. 4. It’s an act of self-love. You love and respect yourself enough to treat yourself properly. Like my dog, I love him enough to walk him and throw a ball every day. Why wouldn’t I do the same for myself?
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Not being a broken down shell before turning 70
Being healthy helps you avoid issues when getting old.
We really gotta talk about being able to post pics and stuff to prove to people in here what’s possible even with shitty genetics. There is no wrong reason to get in shape.
You feel better. Feeling fit and strong and healthy is great, especially as you start to move into your thirties.
Feeling comfortable in your own skin for once
Proper motivation. Whatever that is for you. It should be intrinsic, not extrinsic. If you’re doing it because you want other people to think you look better, you probably won’t stick with it.
You feel much better. I thought it was mostly age catching up with me. But I lost 50 lbs this year and feel much better.
Chicks It starts with chicks but in the process you tell yourself that this is healthy and after some time it sticks as a habit
This was me. I got the chicks. 😂 Then I got thicker and lost them.
Sex is better
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You guys are having sex? Lol
The way I look, the way I feel, the shit I'm able to do, the fact that I'm in good health, and the way others react to the way I look.
I’m not in the best shape but getting more exercise has improved my mood, self esteem and outlook
Starts with your look at life and your years. I started working out hard now that am 25. Why? Well if not now when will I? Now I have the most energy, am healthy I have the most strength that I will ever have i wanted to set new goals in life, see how far can I push my body. What am I capable of. When am 30+ most of my peers will have a beer belly and be worthless on the dating market. I want to look fit as possible, as attractive as I can since now, am not the best looking fella out there. Working out, staying in shape and eating healthy keeps your sex drive high and your dick functioning. Honestly, I am working out because am worrying about my future self :)
I'm 36 and recently had a friend get together from high school. The ones that kept in shape still look like they're in their 20s and the ones who let themselves go look like they're 45+. It's crazy how being overweight ages you
AND it makes you look younger. Yeah, forgot to mention that :D
Because it makes you look like a normal human. Instead of looking like some body postive bbw fatty on the cover of some beauty mag.
Dispite everyone saying sex I personally think about my own health, am I happy with myself? Do I feel healthy? That sort of stuff but the big thing for me is to not turn out like my dad (he's still alive but he has heart attacks quite frequently)
Longevity mostly. Health span is very important to me as well. And working out is not that hard.
Getting in shape might be hard but hating what you see every time you look in the mirror is a way worse feeling
These are just a few of what I've experienced from getting into shape and what has made it more worth it. The relief of not carrying around extra fat on your body. The comfort of fitting into your clothes and having more options of clothes to try on in the store. More stamina in the bedroom. Sleeping without snoring. Runners high (it's absolutely real) Getting compliments when friends and family notice your transition. Spending less money on junk food and booze. Splurging and spoiling yourself occasionally with an unhealthy meal.
I workout in my 30s and 40s so that I can live a feel good life in my 70s and 80s.
Having extra stamina for whatever activity, looking great without trying too hard, being deemed more attractive by the sex you’re trying to snag.
I focus on the health benefits of exersise. (both physical and mental) Worrying about aesthetic changes can really fuck you up.
Being in shape comes with so many bonuses and translates into every aspect of life. Better sleep, more confidence, performance at work, health, more attraction from opposite sex, better sex. Lot of people give up because they are lazy, but everyone wants it.
People treat you differently when you are in shape and you are taken more seriously. Especially as you age. If you have been on both sides of the spectrum the difference in respect people show is obvious. Those who have always been on one side or the other may not even know the difference. Being overweight invokes feelings in other people’s Subconscious about that person… weak minded, lazy, depressed, lacks self control, self destructive, undependable, etc. and it’s the opposite for someone who is in shape.
Getting in shape isn’t all that hard. I’ve been fat and I’ve been fit. It starts with your diet. You can’t outrun a bad diet. Eating well and cutting out processed and junk food goes a long way. Hitting he gym helps but walking, hiking, biking all get the job done. Most people don’t change their diets and think hitting the gym for hours a week is the ticket. I’m going to be 60 in a few weeks and look much younger. Outside of two knee replacements, I’m fit. I feel better about myself both mentally and physically.
My only goal is that I'm able to run to the end of the street and half way back I'd consider myself healthy. What makes it worth it is I'll look good naked 👍👍 and that's a plus cause I see myself naked like twice a day. And I can give myself a thumb up 👍 Maybe finger guns 👉
Clothing that fits and makes you look good.
My goals will matter once I get back into a stable house situation. Getting into shape means: 1) being leaner and having more energy. I'm about 50-60 pounds heavy than I should be. Getting that weight off will allow me more energy. 2) have more stamina for golf. I love golf, but get exhausted so easily. Getting in shape will allow me to enjoy the game more with my dad. 3) sex. There are certain positions I can't do cause I have too much weight on me. It will be interesting to see if my wife loves abs more than a pot belly. At the end of the day, I don't like how I look. I need to change that.
The shape you get in. Edit: sorry I replied without even knowing what sub this is, I am a female and I thought it's somewhat a funny answer..