Self Image

[deegee]

I was reading Jonos journal and he mentioned shrinking, which reminded me of a discussion I had with a mate a short while ago.

I regulary pose in the mirror at home, yes I know... however often and by this I mean frequently over the period of days it will appear I am shrinking or really piling on fat in the mid section. I am not imaginnig this I am sure. I can go from 1 day to thinking hey I am really starting to put on some good muscle to thinking I have just been wasting my time going to the gym.

It is only really if I am at work changing and I see other guys who have done no training at all that I realise I am not really all that small.

I know in some extreme cases people have body dismorphia or some such thing I dont believe I have. But how many other people get that "hey I'm shrinking" thought from time to time is it common?

[Pseudonym]

I'm constantly fluctuating between feeling too small, just right, and (although this is pretty rare ) too big.

It all depends on who I'm standing beside. :grin:

[Ash]

Muscular Dysmorphia or "bigorexia" is a very real phenomenon and I think a lot of bodybuilders have it to some degree.

Very few of us are ever happy with our physique, after all who do you know who just "trains to maintain"? It's almost always about being bigger, leaner or stronger - usually all three but fortunately not too many of us are affected to the extent mentioned in this link:

http://www.driesen.com/muscle_dysmorphia.htm

I suppose that those who are most affected are the ones who are willing to seriously abuse their bodies with massive doses of steroids and other substances even though they will never compete at an elite level.

I get "shrinking syndrome" sometimes, although I often think it's caused by bad mirrors - maybe the damn mirror isn't optically correct or something :grin:

[Growth]

I find it depends entirely on my mindset, if i feel like im gaining in the gym, and i feel like im getting bigger then ill look big in the mirror.

If i think my training isnt up to par, or my strength is down then i look small in the mirror, weird huh.

[Boney]

Yeah you might be on to some thing with the mirrors mate .

I think they might bend them out a bit to give the illusion of being to fat or a "Big Boy" :grin:

[spartacus]

I'm constantly fluctuating between feeling too small, just right, and (although this is pretty rare ) too big.

It all depends on who I'm standing beside. :grin:

:grin: lol

i agree...and i'm happy i'll never stand beside u,big boy! :pfft:

[ExpensiveUrine]

Bloating; water retention?

If it helps, flex in front of the mirror/whatever you do once per week/2 weeks;

[jono]

yep some days im like i look good, sometimes im like damn i look like crap. i think its all mental, and also you know if you work say chest, it looks swolen and bigger for a few days etc.

[bleat]

^^ Agree.

How I feel about how I look on a givin day is dependent on heaps of things. If I'm having a generally crappy day it's quite likely I think I look crap.

OT- I've noticed in myself since I've started gaining that I don't see my own gains as much as I see other people being smaller than I remember them being.

Saw a friend the other day whom I haven't seen for a while and remember him being really buff, now not so much- it's interesting how your perspective develops over a reasonably short period of time.

[deegee]

"OT- I've noticed in myself since I've started gaining that I don't see my own gains as much as I see other people being smaller than I remember them being. "

Yeah this is the reality check for me, also looking over old photos I realise how much I have gained it is a good indicator. Its hard week by week to see your own physical progress