Gym Culture, Bodybuilding and Eating Disorders

Christy92

The whole fitness culture has been growing in the last few years in Ireland thanks to the internet, and it's by no means a bad thing, to an extent...

The whole bodybuilding culture has also gotten massive but I really believe it's not for everyone considering that more often younger people who are more susceptible to what others think are developing extremely unhealthy habits. I've friends who won't eat at certain places if the menu doesn't specify calorie amounts, won't drink on a night out in fear of 'putting on fat' and losing their physiques and just generally fixating on their appearance by instagramming bodyshots after workouts and putting quotes about dedication and other crap up on facebook.

I fell victim to this and became obsessed with being 'ripped' that if my bodyfat went over a certain percentage I'd crash diet, this got to the point that I was constantly moody, missed out on a lot of good nights and put my body under such strain I was advised to stop excercising temporarily under doctor's orders! This was very hush-hush and behind closed doors and it's been coming to light more that I'm not the only one who went through this. 20 years ago younger people didn't have the insecurities they have today and the false perception of 'ripped' pictures, fitness ads and before/after shots on the internet has a huge part to play on this.

I still go to the gym but only to keep fit. I can honestly say I'm a lot happier this way, I've hardly gotten fat as was perviously my biggest fear but counting calories and restricting certain foods is no way to live your life for the sake of looking good if you're not a professional athlete. When I see younger lads pushing themselves to the point of near-exhaustion in the gym I can't help but feel sorry for them. Fitness is something to be enjoyed and not take over someones life but the body is only a minor part of it and IMO if your doing it for looks your setting yourself up for a lot of misery.

Everything in moderation as they say! What are people's opinions?

TL;DR Do you think that the growth of the gym and fitness culture in Ireland is contributing to a rise in eating disorders?

Holsten

Anything that curbs the overweight epidemic in this country is a good thing in my view.

2 out of 3 adults in this country are fatties.

I admire people who put that much dedication into their bodies and the gym, it's certainly not easy.

martyoo

Do you think that the growth of the gym and fitness culture in Ireland is contributing to a rise in eating disorders?

Possibly but I would be much more concerned about our growing obesity problem.

Links234

Everything in moderation

PizzamanIRL

People pushing themselves to the limit in the gym could be the equivalent to working hard at a project for your job or whatever.

They could have goals they want to reach, strength wise. I don't see it as a bad thing. It's their choice and it's a good road to go down as it can lead to a better overall lifestyle.

The One Doctor

I'm over weight, I don't care and neither does anyone else. Except the magical self-typing keyboards connected to the internet.

Any obsession can be destructive
getting fit is good and not drinking so much isn't that bad. Taking it to extremes can still be ok if they're happy

Christy92

No doubt we have a problem with obesity, and like I said the growing interest in fitness is definitely not a bad thing!
I think the issue is not so much working out, but rather the standards set by the fitness industry that distorts what people perceive as fit and healthy!
From personal experience I think that the way it's sold to people is focused too much on having an unsustainable bodyfat, particularly below 8% which is what a bodybuilder would be when perparing for a show. A lot of people think this is meant to be a standard which can trigger this obsessive behaviour but in reality anything below 21% is considered healthy. Even the professionals aren't that lean all the time!

Zamboni

The gym is the new temple in a post theistic-world.
Where one can get away from the stresses of everyday life.
Enjoy the positive mental health benefits brought about by self imposed discipline.
Enjoy the satisfaction of achievement regularly on PRs.
Have true personal responsibility.
Embracing failure, accepting limitation and then progressively, slowly, defeating those limitations and gaining ground in a constant battle between you iron and gravity.
Understanding patience.
Finding comradery from fellow lifters.
But really...you don't even lift.

Stavros Murphy

There's a lad at work who is a bodybuilder and spends ages in the Gym. I mention as often as subtly possible that he's looking a little fat lately. Drives him up the wall. One day he will snap and pull off my arm and beat me with it..but i get a lul out of it.

Spunge

bluewolf wrote: »

Any obsession can be destructive
getting fit is good and not drinking so much isn't that bad. Taking it to extremes can still be ok if they're happy

A lot of it is based on insecurity though. And it doesnt really solve the problem.

Fudge You

Holsten wrote: »

2 out of 3 adults in this country are fatties.
.

Where did you come up with this???

Stained Class

Christy92 wrote: »

The whole fitness culture has been growing in the last few years in Ireland thanks to the internet, and it's by no means a bad thing, to an extent...

The whole bodybuilding culture has also gotten massive but I really believe it's not for everyone considering that more often younger people who are more susceptible to what others think are developing extremely unhealthy habits. I've friends who won't eat at certain places if the menu doesn't specify calorie amounts, won't drink on a night out in fear of 'putting on fat' and losing their physiques and just generally fixating on their appearance by instagramming bodyshots after workouts and putting quotes about dedication and other crap up on facebook.

I fell victim to this and became obsessed with being 'ripped' that if my bodyfat went over a certain percentage I'd crash diet, this got to the point that I was constantly moody, missed out on a lot of good nights and put my body under such strain I was advised to stop excercising temporarily under doctor's orders! This was very hush-hush and behind closed doors and it's been coming to light more that I'm not the only one who went through this. 20 years ago younger people didn't have the insecurities they have today and the false perception of 'ripped' pictures, fitness ads and before/after shots on the internet has a huge part to play on this.



I still go to the gym but only to keep fit. I can honestly say I'm a lot happier this way, I've hardly gotten fat as was perviously my biggest fear but counting calories and restricting certain foods is no way to live your life for the sake of looking good if you're not a professional athlete. When I see younger lads pushing themselves to the point of near-exhaustion in the gym I can't help but feel sorry for them. Fitness is something to be enjoyed and not take over someones life but the body is only a minor part of it and IMO if your doing it for looks your setting yourself up for a lot of misery.

Everything in moderation as they say! What are people's opinions?

TL;DR Do you think that the growth of the gym and fitness culture in Ireland is contributing to a rise in eating disorders?

That line caught my eye.:D

Over 20 years ago I bought a Bullworker. Remember them?

For 20 minutes a day you could have a really good muscular body & all that...

Well, the schedule started out at 20 minutes alright, but as the weeks & months wore on it took up the whole evening.

I stuck to it religiously for a year or so. Result?

Well I started out as a skinny bastid & by the end I was a really strong skinny bastid!

Guess you cant fatten a Thoroughbred!:D:D

On topic though, people have long had insecurities about themselves. The difference I find between now & the '80s is that there is a polarisation in peoples attitudes to weight diet & fitness.

Back then there were nowhere near the amount of obese people around the place & conversely, the gym was somewhere you went to do Boxing.

Zamboni

Fudge You wrote: »

Where did you come up with this???

http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/243304/Ireland-WHO-Country-Profile.pdf

Mully_2011

I'm into bodybuilding and most of it comes down to common sense. Balanced diet and leave your ego at the front door shouldn't have any problems.

I think part of the problem is people aren't willing to go off and do a bit of research or they expect to much from there supplements.I eat 3-4 balanced meals a day and I only supplement in creatine pre workout,whey protein post workout you dont really need anything after that.

Stained Class

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

There's a lad at work who is a bodybuilder and spends ages in the Gym. I mention as often as subtly possible that he's looking a little fat lately. Drives him up the wall. One day he will snap and pull off my arm and beat me with it..but i get a lul out of it.

I work with a fair few Eastern-Europeans & some of them are into bodybuilding.

Whenever they stop from injury or whatever reason, the weight piles on.

I sometimes wonder if bodybuilders are trapped in some sort of cycle. Once they start into it, they have to keep going or else it's Fatsville.

Stavros Murphy

Stained Class wrote: »

I work with a fair few Eastern-Europeans & some of them are into bodybuilding.

Whenever they stop from injury or whatever reason, the weight piles on.

I sometimes wonder if bodybuilders are trapped in some sort of cycle. Once they start into it, they have to keep going or else it's Fatsville.

The lad I wind up is Lithuanian, and possibly the hardest fcuker ever to walk the earth, almost literally. He's so used to people being terrified of him that when I go "jasus, you're after really gaining a bit of a belly there this weekend" he is so used to people fawning that it is a total mind-fcuk and he heads off to the weighing scales. Getting beyond the hard-as-nails outer though, he's actually sound as a pound. Ish. With me. I do lul though. Little fat fcuker.

Sound of Silence

Stained Class wrote: »

I work with a fair few Eastern-Europeans & some of them are into bodybuilding.

Whenever they stop from injury or whatever reason, the weight piles on.

I sometimes wonder if bodybuilders are trapped in some sort of cycle. Once they start into it, they have to keep going or else it's Fatsville.

Everybody's body reacts differently.

I imagine the weight piles on because they haven't altered their diet to suit their level of activity, choosing instead to continue eating high calories in the hope that they can maintain muscle mass and fight off atrophy.

Naos

What height and weight were you when you were ripped Christy? (Just curious)

I suppose it's a 'better extreme' than being an alcoholic.

longhalloween

Stained Class wrote: »

Whenever they stop from injury or whatever reason, the weight piles on.

Probably because they're eating habits don't change.

When you're working out and eating/burning 3000 calories a day everything is fine.

When you stop working out the weight inevitably increases.

I found the same when I was exercising, where I'd eat everything in sight thinking "sure, ill work it off later". When I stopped exercising, I gained a few stone just because my diet was the same.

Now, I don't even bother with supplements, just eat healthily. My view now is that I don't care about muscle. Just feeling healthy is good enough for me.

Stained Class

Sound of Silence wrote: »

Everybody's body reacts differently.

I imagine the weight piles on because they haven't altered their diet to suit their level of activity, choosing instead to continue eating high calories in the hope that they can maintain muscle mass and fight off atrophy.

Or is it the case that the weight they've gained thru bodybuilding, has just gone south?

I dunno. Just asking questions.

I outlined my own ameteurish effort at it many years ago. I just could not bulk up enough to make it noticable.

Mind you, I must have been the strongest skinny bloke in Europe!

Christy92

Naos wrote: »

What height and weight were you when you were ripped Christy? (Just curious)

I suppose it's a 'better extreme' than being an alcoholic.

Was 160, 5'10. Not the bulkiest I know Which was kind of my point, there was such an emphasis on being lean and ripped amongst the lads I trained with, the people I talked to that I was so afraid of being less lean I actually dropped another stone or so. Stupid I know! I still train but just focus on strength progression, any image goals are very low priority for me now.

Matt_Trakker

gym culture=dopes who watch geordie/jersey shore

Stavros Murphy

Matt_Trakker wrote: »

gym culture=dopes who watch geordie/jersey shore

Naah, going to the gym when you're young and strong is just sharpening the saw. I'm still trading off all the lodgements I made in the bank of gym. Don't regret even one rep.

SEPT 23 1989

No benches, No wenches

Sound of Silence

Stained Class wrote: »

Or is it the case that the weight they've gained thru bodybuilding, has just gone south?

I dunno. Just asking questions.

I outlined my own ameteurish effort at it many years ago. I just could not bulk up enough to make it noticable.

Mind you, I must have been the strongest skinny bloke in Europe!

I'm not sure what you mean when you say "gone south", but generally atrophy would imply that the body has begun to break down the muscle.

When someone fails to exercise for a long period time they tend to experience muscle loss, as the body begins to pretty much ditch what it considers to be an unnecessary drain of energy - unutilised muscle mass.

This can, however, be slowed down a bit when you continue to eat a high calorie and high protein diet. But, as you would expect when an inactive person consumes a high calorie diet, they are pretty much guaranteed to put on some fat. So in that sense, yeah, the progress they've made has "gone south" in some respects. But it's not lost!

Also, you say you couldn't bulk up significantly when you went to the gym? Do you think you were eating enough at the time to allow for muscle growth?

Voodoomelon

To be honest, a lot of the calorie and point counting is done by those trying to loose weight in an endless cycle of one diet after another, with failure after failure. Instead of making a conscious decision to change their lifestyles permanently.

As mentioned above, being fit or into bodybuilding doesn't mean ruining your social life or nitpicking at menus. Its about consistency and persistence at training, and some basic will power and common sense when it comes to nutrition.

If you trained or weight lifted consistently for just 45 minutes 4 times a week with even just 4 balanced healthy meals on those days and relatively healthy the others, you'd be in fantastic shape in a very short time, with little to no interference or sacrifice to your social life.

Stained Class

Matt_Trakker wrote: »

gym culture=dopes who watch geordie/jersey shore

Easy generalisation.

I'm 45 & have a 32" waist. That's not a real boast BTW.

I'm uneducated & as a result have always been in jobs that have involved manual work of some description. Also,I love walking & encourage this with my kids too. It's good for you & it's free!

I look at telly sometimes & see strapping young lads working in call-centres & offices & the like.

50 years ago these lads would have been footing turf, or mining coal with a pick or driving an AEC lorry with no heating & Armstrong steering.:D

I can see the need for Gyms for these lads cos they're not getting the exercise that they might have had if they were doing the 'real man jobs' of yore.

longhalloween

Voodoomelon wrote: »

If you trained or weight lifted consistently for just 45 minutes 4 times a week with even just 4 balanced healthy meals on those days and relatively healthy the others, you'd be in fantastic shape in a very short time, with little to no interference or sacrifice to your social life.

And it's a shame that people choose dangerous diets and spending huge amounts of money over this simple piece of advice.

Flippyfloppy

Stained Class wrote: »

I look at telly sometimes & see strapping young lads working in call-centres & offices & the like.


.

Aren't they just actors on tv?

orangesoda

i think it caused by severe addiction to orange soda

Stained Class

Sound of Silence wrote: »

I'm not sure what you mean when you say "gone south", but generally atrophy would imply that the body has begun to break down the muscle.

When someone fails to exercise for a long period time they tend to experience muscle loss, as the body begins to pretty much ditch what it considers to be an unnecessary drain of energy - unutilised muscle mass.

This can, however, be slowed down a bit when you continue to eat a high calorie and high protein diet. But, as you would expect when an inactive person consumes a high calorie diet, they are pretty much guaranteed to put on some fat. So in that sense, yeah, the progress they've made has "gone south" in some respects. But it's not lost!

Also, you say you couldn't bulk up significantly when you went to the gym? Do you think you were eating enough at the time to allow for muscle growth?

I was just out of my teens at the time!

I would have eaten the side-wall of a house at any given time of any given day.

Stained Class

Flippyfloppy wrote: »

Aren't they just actors on tv?

I tend to watch News & documentry programmes.

Christy92

Voodoomelon wrote: »

To be honest, a lot of the calorie and point counting is done by those trying to loose weight in an endless cycle of one diet after another, with failure after failure. Instead of making a conscious decision to change their lifestyles permanently.

As mentioned above, being fit or into bodybuilding doesn't mean ruining your social life or nitpicking at menus. Its about consistency and persistence at training, and some basic will power and common sense when it comes to nutrition.

If you trained or weight lifted consistently for just 45 minutes 4 times a week with even just 4 balanced healthy meals on those days and relatively healthy the others, you'd be in fantastic shape in a very short time, with little to no interference or sacrifice to your social life.

I learned that the hard way, but couldn't have put it any better!

Stavros Murphy

Stained Class wrote: »

I tend to watch News & documentry programmes.

Sharon Ni Bheolain has a wicked set of pecs.

Stained Class

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

Sharon Ni Bheolain has a wicked set of pecs.

..and a nice face too.:):

Stavros Murphy

Stained Class wrote: »

..and a nice face too.:):

I've never noticed.

shopaholic01

Stained Class wrote: »

..and a nice face too.:):

Her hair grows at an alarming rate too. Cut into a bob one week, down to her, eh pecs, the next.

Stained Class

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

I've never noticed.

Ah shure, youre the type that doesn't look at the mantlepiece when you're poking the fire.:D

All hole is a Goal & all that....

Stavros Murphy

Stained Class wrote: »

Ah shure, youre the type that doesn't look at the mantlepiece when you're poking the fire.:D

All hole is a Goal & all that....

That's very sexist. I for one, am drunk.

KissMeArse

Don't think it's a bad thing that more and more people are into fitness/healthy eating.
I myself have got into weights the last year and really tidied up my diet to the point that I'm in the best shape I've ever been.

The problem in this country is that the majority of people are just clueless when it comes to nutrition. Great advice over on the Nutrition & Diet/Health & Fitness forums on this site and the one thing everyone will say there is that no matter what you're trying to do with your body (lose weight, gain weight etc), it all comes down to what you put past your lips.
Too many people fixated on gym/exercise but then having sh!t diets.
Nearly every school student can be seen guzzling down rolls, chocolate, crisps and coke at lunch time every day and these habits stay with them into adulthood.

Sitting at lunch table yesterday a fella beside me was wolfing down a KFC (for I'd say the third time this week), saying "gonna do upper body in the gym tonight". No, he's not on a bulk.
Another time a friend looking for some lunch asked me "hmm what would be healthier McDonald's or KFC? Think subway is the healthiest"

It just feeds into this perception that people just have no idea when it comes to healthy eating IMO.

Stavros Murphy

KissMeArse wrote: »

Don't think it's a bad thing that more and more people are into fitness/healthy eating.
I myself have got into weights the last year and really tidied up my diet to the point that I'm in the best shape I've ever been.

The problem in this country is that the majority of people are just clueless when it comes to nutrition. Great advice over on the Nutrition & Diet/Health & Fitness forums on this site and the one thing everyone will say there is that no matter what you're trying to do with your body (lose weight, gain weight etc), it all comes down to what you put past your lips.
Too many people fixated on gym/exercise but then having sh!t diets.
Nearly every school student can be seen guzzling down rolls, chocolate, crisps and coke at lunch time every day and these habits stay with them into adulthood.

Sitting at lunch table yesterday a fella beside me was wolfing down a KFC (for I'd say the third time this week), saying "gonna do upper body in the gym tonight". No, he's not on a bulk.
Another time a friend looking for some lunch asked me "hmm what would be healthier McDonald's or KFC? Think subway is the healthiest"

It just feeds into this perception that people just have no idea when it comes to healthy eating IMO.

Sadly, you could be hit by a bus tomorrow, and several fat people will look down on your fit, dead ass. I kinda decided to go with the flow these days.

tomwaterford

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

Sadly, you could be hit by a bus tomorrow, and several fat people will look down on your fit, dead ass. I kinda decided to go with the flow these days.

it'll be a lovely corpse though:D

beano345

Was never into lifting weights for vanity reasons,at my best I was fairly ripped,two years in Canada on the noodle diet and not so much as
Looking at a weight I came back built like a chipstick,only recently started back and the feel good factor from it is amazing.

Stavros Murphy

beano345 wrote: »

Was never into lifting weights for vanity reasons,at my best I was fairly ripped,two years in Canada on the noodle diet and not so much as
Looking at a weight I came back built like a chipstick,only recently started back and the feel good factor from it is amazing.

Have you tried coffee? Same buzz, waay less effort. And it keeps you skinny.

Stained Class

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

That's very sexist. I for one, am drunk.

Me too. Into the second bottle already.

Maybe we should be a superhero duo. The Ageing A-Team?

Or Bad Cop, Worse Cop, a la Tango & Cash. The best movie ever made!:D

Spunge

KissMeArse wrote: »

Don't think it's a bad thing that more and more people are into fitness/healthy eating.
I myself have got into weights the last year and really tidied up my diet to the point that I'm in the best shape I've ever been.

The problem in this country is that the majority of people are just clueless when it comes to nutrition. Great advice over on the Nutrition & Diet/Health & Fitness forums on this site and the one thing everyone will say there is that no matter what you're trying to do with your body (lose weight, gain weight etc), it all comes down to what you put past your lips.
Too many people fixated on gym/exercise but then having sh!t diets.
Nearly every school student can be seen guzzling down rolls, chocolate, crisps and coke at lunch time every day and these habits stay with them into adulthood.

Sitting at lunch table yesterday a fella beside me was wolfing down a KFC (for I'd say the third time this week), saying "gonna do upper body in the gym tonight". No, he's not on a bulk.
Another time a friend looking for some lunch asked me "hmm what would be healthier McDonald's or KFC? Think subway is the healthiest"

It just feeds into this perception that people just have no idea when it comes to healthy eating IMO.

I lifted for 3 years.
year 1, nutritional nazi sugar is bad, fast food is bad, white bread is bad,
year 2, realise a lot of the info i got about nutrition was overstated or wrong and from poor sources
year 3, realise its not that important just aim for a certain macronutrient ration and calories, try and dont go crazy on the sugar.

you can eat fast food and be healthy, and you can cut eating KFC. KFC has pretty good protein to calorie ratio if youre talking about the chicken, even mcdonalds chicken nuggets.

Lou.m

I dance , run and go to the gym.

Years ago in dance eating disorders were huge. A couple of generations down the line we are seeing what they do to the body long term. And the mind. In most ballet classes they have a protocol now for dealing with this issue.

I know a couple of girls who suffered long term. I still keep in touch a little. Even after recovery their bodies are crumbling now. Nice girls vulnerable though. Very mentally anguished. One girl's bones did not develop properly because her problem started during her teens and now parts of her skeleton are not normal. Many of these people will never have children. It affects the male hormone system too.

I think the dance world has copped on recently and is trying to change it's culture to FIT.

Humans are not cattle.


I am naturally small /slim/skinny whatever you want to call it. Other women are constantly asking 'what do you do?' I used to answer a little bit of this a little of that now I just say ' I think it's because I pray'.

Some people really hate themselves. It is wrong to take advantage of that. Don't feed it. It is a shame that men are starting to feel pressure now.

Do something everyday anything you like don't eat junk and eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full.

Of course I eat a ton of baaaaad carbs.....I don't eat meat.

It is sad that some people feel they are unlovable unless they look a certain way. The world needs more hugs!

I think a lot of fitness people like the discipline of simply doing it. That's fine.


I find it odd the whole diet war thing. It is so obviously fueled by people who want to sell you stuff.


As for people taking stuff... an older male friend of mine who has been bodybuilding for 18 yrs and looks amazing said it best 'I have always relied on my own testosterone'.

Everyone is beautiful and you can see personality on the surface.

Fitness is for health and FUN!

KissMeArse

Spunge wrote: »

I lifted for 3 years.
year 1, nutritional nazi sugar is bad, fast food is bad, white bread is bad,
year 2, realise a lot of the info i got about nutrition was overstated or wrong and from poor sources
year 3, realise its not that important just aim for a certain macronutrient ration and calories, try and dont go crazy on the sugar.

you can eat fast food and be healthy, and you can cut eating KFC. KFC has pretty good protein to calorie ratio if youre talking about the chicken, even mcdonalds chicken nuggets.

Oh definitely, I make sure to have some junk food every week and if I had it my way I'd inhale chocolate morning noon and night! But as previous posters pointed out, everything in moderation.

What also doesn't help these days is stupid men's magazines with this "get ripped in 6 weeks" sh!te and "take these pills/supplements to lose 10kg in two weeks", I don't know whether to laugh or cry when I see them.

Spunge

KissMeArse wrote: »

Oh definitely, I make sure to have some junk food every week and if I had it my way I'd inhale chocolate morning noon and night! But as previous posters pointed out, everything in moderation.

What also doesn't help these days is stupid men's magazines with this "get ripped in 6 weeks" sh!te and "take these pills/supplements to lose 10kg in two weeks", I don't know whether to laugh or cry when I see them.

first i read them, then i cried, now i laugh.

Galwayguy35

I lift weights about 3 times a week, used to take mass gainer and casein protein shakes but found they gave me a sick stomach so gave them up.

I'm not tall so bulking up wouldn't be a good look for me, just lift to stay in reasonable shape and stop the arm and chest muscles getting flabby.