can everyone get the body they want?

annae

Just curious to know what people think about this. Can everyone, if they exercise and eat properly, get the body they desire? Or do you think that some people are just unable to lose weight/will always be a little bit chubby or whatever?

hardtrainer

Sadly no. Most people have very unrealistic expectations about the kind of physique they can attain. The industry, which includes dieting, weight watchers, personal training etc, all feed into the idea that you can achieve the body you desire if you work hard and eat well. This is only true is you have realistic expectations about the physique that your genetics support.

jt_dublin

I agree with some of what Hardtrainer said but I dont agree that all of the fitness industry feed into it. Maybe most but not all. Just to tell you of my experience. I started to use a personal trainer to show me the correct technique for weightlifting. The first thing that he asked me was what my goals were. When I told him what I wanted, he pointed out to me that genetics and other factors play a big role, that we do not always get the body that we want and that for some people it is genuinely impossible. He was being honest and realistic.

But today I'm really happy with what I've achieved and it spurs me on to work even harder. I'm 39 years old, am probably in the best shape of my life and those around have noticed it. I just want to be the best that I can be, not what someone else can be. That should be good enough for anyone.

JT.

Hanley

Depending on what your "ideal" body is, you might not achieve it. For example guys with large bones and broad shoulders aren't gonna look like David Beckam...

But your genetics will absolutely NOT limit you when it comes to losing weight or firming up.

estebancambias

I think its very easy to be pessemistic. Of course, not everyone can get the body THEY WANT(see the Shia LeBoeuf thread) as his particular physique is shaped in that way. As Hanley said someone with big bones can't look like David Beckham, but this does not mean they can't lose weight etc.

I probably am wrong, but I thin sometimes if your just training for yourself, just set your goals and go for them, I think if you dwell on your DNA makeup you could get down.

ali.c

annae wrote: »

Just curious to know what people think about this. Can everyone, if they exercise and eat properly, get the body they desire? Or do you think that some people are just unable to lose weight/will always be a little bit chubby or whatever?

IMHO its easy to blame genetics for lack of success (or prehaps lack of effort) mind you at the same time your goals have to be realastic.

For example if you are tall with broad hips and shoulders there is not much point in aiming for emanicated body shape of say Mischa Barton.
So by all means as esteban says set your goals and go for them but at the same time it is important that they are realaistic for your body shape!!

cowzerp

No-Genetics play a major role in your shape-all you can do is try and make the most of what you've got!!

Roper

Can everyone get the body they want?

Well....

Maybe if you buy me dinner first...

HardyEustace

well it's a bit like a clydesdale(horses in the busweiser ad) wanting to be a racehorse. It's just never going to happen. However the clydesdale can aim to be the fittest and most gorgeous clydesdale in the world by identifying his/her strong points and weak points and emphasising the former and reducing the latter.

g'em

@ Roper, I hate to admit it, but I lol'd

WHIP IT!

g'em wrote: »

@ Roper, I hate to admit it, but I lol'd

Me too - can't believe I didn't think of it myself in fact!

Roper, are you by any chance the fat kid with the glasses from that Fat Boy Slim album sleeve?? The dude with the "I'm #1 So Why Try Harder" tshirt??

Transform

99% of people will never reach their genetic potential so i do not think genetics are really a problem.

Those that are in great shape do all the things that those who are out of shape won't.

amazingemmet

Everyone can lose fat and gain muscle some more so then others but everyone can aim to make the body they have the best they can and thats what people should aim for imo

rubadub

Most replies here are referring to physique, i.e. muscle mass. I am not sure the OP meant that at all. They did just mention chubby (usually in this forum it would refer to muscle though).

If the OP meant are some people unable to lose weight then I would certainly say no. Some will moan about a slow metabolism, big bones etc, but the simple fact is if you eat more calories than you expend you will put on fat, and vice versa. If you eat the oft quoted amount of 2500kcal for a man and put on fat, then that figure is wrong for you, simple as that, eat less until you find your intake which does not lead to fat gain.

There was a thread in after hours where people said they got overweight due to medication. But they were eating the same amounts they always did. If you are on medication, or have a disease where your metabolism slows, then you must adjust your calorie intake accordingly. It is simple maths, some people thing their bodys defy the laws of thermodynamics with the crap they spout.

People have no problem calculating how much fuel their car uses, and if they get a new car they know they might have to put more/less petrol in per day. Same with your body, if it changes somehow you might have to change your own fuel intake.

Jimmy Bottlehead

In fairness, if you do at least a reasonable amount of work sculpting your body, you should be happy with it, genetics or not. Most people who are unhappy with their bodies haven't actually worked hard on them.

Boru.

Before the corruption of bodybuilding the original goal was to develop a physique that inspired and captured grace, beauty and balance. Eugene Sandow the father of modern bodybuilding choose to develop his physique to the proportions of a Greek statue - at the time the epitome of aesthetic beauty and functional perfection.

Based on these VERY attainable measurements he and others devised a system of proportion based upon wrist circumference that would define an attainable physique. This is called the Grecian Ideal and has been discussed here before, with Hanley I believe coming very close to it. You can find out your own here -

http://www.sandowmuseum.com/ideal.html

This is the basis for my own physical aspirations and I'm only about half an inch out on the wasit and about 2 inches over on my legs. Funnily enough, most bodybuilders call me skinny and most non fitness enthusiasts say I'm too large. :rolleyes: Most however seem to find my physique quite pleasing to the eye while not having the threatening aspect of a conventional modern "bodybuilder".

Everybody can have a beautiful scuplted proportionate physique, that has low bodyfat and a high muscle ratio. I find that genetic potential often exceeds good judegment and aesthetics, and that with healthy diet and training a balanced beautiful physique is quite easily attainable.

Dragan

Boru,

the Grecian Ideal is also the basis for the Weider System.

The importance is in the interpretation i feel. As i stand right now i believe my measurements are spot on the to the "Grecian Ideal" but i don't look that much like a Greek Statue.

In fact, sometimes i question how much the ancient Greeks actually looked like a Greek Statue.

But that is largely beside the point.

Personally i refuse to base my own goals and efforts and dreams on anyone elses ideals except my own. I find there is no harder task master than myself sometimes.

Degsy

In my fevered mind women should look feminine and men should look masculine,even that can be hard to accomplish!

g'em

I got the body I thought I wanted and it last for 5 days. Then after realising it meant not being able to eat properly, not drinking, nopt socialising, eating, sleeping and dreaming about dieting, being moody, not sleeping and having no periods (great in theory, scary in reality) I readjusted what I thought my 'ideal' was. I'm not far off it right now and I'm having infinitely more fun achieving it.

Scottty2Hottty

The joy is in the journey not the destination. It's not necessarily the perfect Body Shape that will make people happier but the changes they make in their lives to help them achieve it. By that I mean exercising more, eating well and working towards a goal will be the most satisfying part of chasing your 'ideal'' Body shape..

Roper

The Grecian ideal is 6 foot tall, just FYI.

The trouble with going for a look is that you're a slave to your body in so many ways, it's moods, turns, injuries, strengths, weaknesses and so on. There's simply no way of knowing how you will look at the end of X or Y programme. So why bother with a "look"?

I blame society, always pushing a skinnier girl or a more muscly man on people.

No, actually, I blame the parents, for feeding us food instead of protein shakes. And what about all the ice cream? Didn't they know that wasn't a treat!

But seriously, I blame people. Always looking to some icon for how they look instead of investing time in themselves as they are now. Always looking for a shortcut (lipotrim, thighmaster etc.). Always buying the magazines, watching the I'm a Celebrity, and looking at some idiot and saying "I want to look like him/her!".

Ultimately, the goal of exercise should be health, and the side benefit will be that you will look better. If you go chasing some aesthetic ideal, and then you acheive it, what then? Where does that get you? Will you be happy then? I doubt it, and the pathway is littered with dissappointment at best and eating disorders at worst.

As an aside, a week ago I was watching some TV show called How Long Will You Live, and on it there was an extremely obese taxi driver. I think he was about 30 stone or so. He couldn't iron his clothes he was that unfit, no joke. Anyway, he set about changing his life around, small changes to his diet etc. and made progress. I was in a petrol station the other night and there was a guy at the pump near me who looked vaguely familiar. When he left, it struck me that it was THAT guy from the TV show. He looked like a different bloke. Now he looked big, don't get me wrong. But the transformation was unbelievable!

My point is that this guy had far from the ideal physique now, but clearly his physical health and judging by the programme, his mental health, had improved immensely. I doubt he did this because he saw a picture of a guy in Men's Health and strived for that.

flaka

annae wrote: »

Can everyone, if they exercise and eat properly, get the body they desire? Or do you think that some people are just unable to lose weight/will always be a little bit chubby or whatever?

For a start the question is full of generalisations and vagueness.
Yes - everyone alive can have the body they desire if the do the things that will yield that body.

I don't know how helpful the question is to anyone alive that is not prepared to do the things to get that body.

A person living in developed country surrounded by fast foot and comfy seats is gonna have a different challenge to get to desired body than starvin marvin in faminland - who prob has more important things to worry about than bulking up.


Secondly the question omits the role of the person asking it.
Is there a body you desire?

flaka

Roper wrote: »

Ultimately, the goal of exercise should be health, and the side benefit will be that you will look better.

If you're healthy (could be viewed as a need) then looking better is next on the list (could be viewed as a want).

For me I'll take both thanks! Exercising is enjoyable I'm getting healithier and looking better naked.

Roper wrote: »

If you go chasing some aesthetic ideal, and then you acheive it, what then? Where does that get you? Will you be happy then?

I'm already happy - people who tie happiness to how they look have shot themselves in the foot.

I'm chasing some aesthic ideal - check out Chris Comfort from Ford Models. Dude is ripped. He's also totaly different body shape to me - but thats not going to discourage me from improving what I've got to be what I want. When I get there - Keep it up - its fun to get there and its fun to have my current body - and it will be fun when I have what I want from my body. Exactly the same as you were saying:

- Nothing changes -

If you start out miserable you'll end up miserable.
Start out happy.

Roper wrote: »

I doubt it, and the pathway is littered with dissappointment at best and eating disorders at worst.

Again I agree if this is how someone is coming at this as a way to solve their other life problems. Yes there are plenty of snake oil sellers and magic pill peddlers. Its the same with car ads, mobile phones, iPods, even Dublin post codes.

Getting healthy and active isn't going to mean you will speak fluent French or pass the bar exam - Just like its not going to magic away the rest of life's challenges.

Scottty2Hottty

Roper wrote: »

But seriously, I blame people. Always looking to some icon for how they look instead of investing time in themselves as they are now. Always looking for a shortcut (lipotrim, thighmaster etc.). Always buying the magazines, watching the I'm a Celebrity, and looking at some idiot and saying "I want to look like him/her!".

My point is that this guy had far from the ideal physique now, but clearly his physical health and judging by the programme, his mental health, had improved immensely. I doubt he did this because he saw a picture of a guy in Men's Health and strived for that.

I'm not disagreeing with you but I think when most people describe a look or a physique that they aspire to, they are talking about a picture in their head of how they would look if they were fitter and healthier. I don't think it is necessarily wrong to have a visual goal to aspire to. I bet you that Taxi driver you talked about had a picture in his head of a slimmer heathier him ironing his clothes, filling his car with petrol while he was making those small changes to improve his health and life. There are many ways to arrive at the one destination i.e. better health!

Khannie

g'em wrote: »

@ Roper, I hate to admit it, but I lol'd

+1

Roper

Hey flaka I'm delighted that you are both happy and striving towards what some model looks like, that's smashing, really. However you'll forgive me if I don't eh, "check out" Chris Comfort and see how "ripped" he is.

You've actually just proved my point, the excesses to which models have to put themselves to look the way they do are well documented and unhealthy. Whoever this guy is, I doubt he's "ripped" 365 days a year and if he is, he's doing himself damage. To aspire to that would take, as G'em has already stated, an unhealthy diet followed by unhealthiness in an unhealthy manner. You might have the good sense to understand that, but how many people who obsess over celebrity physiques do?

Scotty2Hotty wrote:

I don't think it is necessarily wrong to have a visual goal to aspire to.

True, but I doubt that this

I think when most people describe a look or a physique that they aspire to, they are talking about a picture in their head of how they would look if they were fitter and healthier

is the case in many cases.

a picture in his head of a slimmer heathier him ironing his clothes, filling his car with petrol while he was making those small changes to improve his health and life.

I laughed at the thought of a man visualising himself filling his car with petrol though! But I take your point. In truth though, that is NOT what we're talking about here.

Dragan

Okay, i made the mistake of checking out Chris.

Lean? Yes.

Ripped? Not in my opinion!

And herein lies the beauty. Different people have different levels. I have been walking down the street with friends and one of them has said "WoW, that guy is HUGE" and i look over and see a slightly bigger than normal looking person. I don't find them big, well, because i'm pretty big i guess?

Everything we see depends on where we are looking at if from.

Degsy

I remember the BIGGEST dude i ever saw was waliknig up grafton st a few years ago,he wasnt far off seven feet tall and must've been 330 lbs or so without an ounce of visible fat.His arms were the width of most people's legs and he had the entire street staring at him.My ex's opinion?
"He's ****ing grotesque!"
Horses for courses.

Dragan

In other news Chris Comfort is freaking hilarious!!

Oh i'm now entertained for hours except....i'm actually going to go training!

Roper

Dragan, you made me go look him up you ass! He is a bit funny alright, a bit of a sap and I'm pretty sure he says "variationability" in one of the youtube vids he has.

Musashi

The Missus and I were in an airport in Prague waiting to fly home when she spotted the biggest fecker evar! After chatting him up she got pics and came back to me (cheers luv).

Turns out he was Mr. Egypt that year and was in Prague to train for world domination!

Some ladies, and my wifely unit, like bigger guys. Herself loves George St. Pierre and Matt Hughes, so I've not got much to match up to

I'll find out where the pics have gone and post them here.

Lockstep

I have long term goals, short term plans.

Saw a guy in the gym the other day, had a very similar physique to me but was slightly more sinewy.

Looking like that wouldn't be too hard for me,I'm just amazed the progress I've made so far.

Walked past a mirror wearing a tank top today and suddenly realized my arms had grown.

JayRoc

My ideal physique is completely unattainable for me, but that's grand.
Nothing wrong with setting your sights a little high, sure, even if you don't make it (and really, who is ever totally satisfied with how they look all the time?) you'll still have gotten further than most.

Dragan

JayRoc wrote: »

My ideal physique is completely unattainable for me, but that's grand.
Nothing wrong with setting your sights a little high, sure, even if you don't make it (and really, who is ever totally satisfied with how they look all the time?) you'll still have gotten further than most.

This is because you are weak.

And have the calves of a girl.

Ha ha ha. In all seriousness JayRoc is so full of **** it's not even funny.....his physique is my ideal physique, no doubt.

There you go dude, the biggest compliment i will ever pay you and i even did it in public.

Roper

JayRoc wrote: »

My ideal physique is completely unattainable for me, but that's grand.

Okay, but if it's so "grand" stop looking at me enviously. It's getting a little weird and frankly, people are noticing...

Dragan

Roper wrote: »

Okay, but if it's so "grand" stop looking at me enviously. It's getting a little weird and frankly, people are noticing...

Thats not envy, thats raw lust mate!

Roper

I am a dish.

Jimmy Bottlehead

And I am the spoon with which to eat said dish.

Uhh ohh!

Roper

It was creepy enough and then I focussed on the word "spoon".

Hanley

Roper wrote: »

It was creepy enough and then I focussed on the word "spoon".

I'd be more worried about him trying to "eat" you...