Are you Addicted to Bodybuilding?

[Bazza]

I know it may sound ludicrous but I wonder how many of us out there are, for the want of a better description, "Iron Addicts' I was having a think about it after reading some of the threads and was thinking how 'normal' people would or do view the bodybuilding/powerlifting fraternity in that vein. If you look at all of the symptoms, how many people would change their lifestyle to make sure their calorie intake and protein split is correct down to the last milligram? Do you get shitty if for some reason or other you can't get a session in at the gym...do the withdrawal symptoms dissapate after you have been able to throw some iron around. I found this whilt I was thinking about it.

beware of these symptoms

One of the biggest problems that exercise addiction can lead to is an unbalanced lifestyle. For instance, the individual might start putting his workouts ahead of work, family, friends, and other obligations. Only after his workout has been completed can he relax and enjoy time with others. In extreme cases of exercise addiction, he may even become so wrapped up in it that he is unable to function optimally in other aspects of his life.

Some further warning signs include:

* Turning down dates in order to work out

* Avoiding social situations for fear of eating foods that may interfere with training progress

* Social isolation

* A feeling of general worthlessness if you have not completed your workout for the day

* Only allowing yourself to eat after you have exercised

* Feelings of depression

* Reduced drive to engage in activities formerly enjoyed

* Exercising for extended periods on a daily basis or several times a day

* Feeling anxious if a workout is missed

* Scheduling your day’s events around your workout session

* A fear of becoming injured and having to miss a workout

If you begin to notice one or more of these symptoms, you should take a good look at your training habits and evaluate whether a problem may be developing.

Heres the URL http://au.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_150/162_fitness_tip.html. Just wondered if others felt the same way...I'll admit its an addiction, so guilty as charged

[Lazarus]

The more I see my body changing the more addictive it is becoming!

[goinhard]

Can tick off half those things.

Exercising for extended periods on a daily basis or several times a day

* Feeling anxious if a workout is missed

* Scheduling your day’s events around your workout session

* A fear of becoming injured and having to miss a workout

But then being a student I get upto screw all else mon-fri.

[pop-eye]

i have been in the body building game for 9 weeks now, only starting to see a change in my body now thou there is still much more to go.

1st thing i did was give up the smoking so from one packet per day down to nothing at all now. am feeling much better for it too.

2nd thing i did was get all the advice a beginner can get and read it 3 times over.

3rd figured out a work out plan and diet and TRY HARD to stick to it!!!

4th set some goals and dont look back.

so yeah the morale of the story is im getting pretty addicted to the gym its kinda like church haha get a little taste and want more, (not that i go to church or anything)

[1day]

man that was like sum1 had followed me round for a wk and new everything about me :doh: :pfft:

[Chillicat]

Definitely get annoyed if I can't go to the gym. And I do arrange my day around gym visits - I put all the times I need to eat into my Outlook so that I get a reminder (as I'm generally not actually hungry at feed times, but need to eat then to make sure I have the right amount of energy for the gym).

Turning down dates in order to work out: kind of - I prefer lunchtime workouts, as it breaks up the day nicely and endorpinates (I think that's a TM!) me for the afternoon. So I prefer not to meet friends for lunch for that reason. Otherwise it means I'll have to go after work, which means I won't get home til late and it'll bugger up my eating. So if I'm going to use my lunchtime for something other than gym, I need more than just notice that day so that I can reorganise my gymming to fit in with it.

I'll also try to avoid any work trips unless they are absolutely necessary, as generally when you're away there's no opportunity to take a lunch break and go to the gym, eating gets completely mucked up, and hotels have completely crap gym facilities even if there is time to use them.

I wouldn't say addicted though, as I don't tick all the boxes. Just committed.

[Bazza]

I think most of us are...its just that when you see all the boxes that are ticked we just accept it and say what the hell!

[trainharder]

hmmmm going away on holidays i need to make sure theres a gym close by or planning to stay at places that wont interfere with training.

having food prepared for travelling and car for trips as well.

getting annoyed when work interferes with my workouts.

enjoying the feeling for a few days afterwards of a bodypart pushed to the limit.

being annoyed with myself if i have a crappy workout and not focused.

looking at peoples physiques when you meet them to see if they work out as well.

wanting and hoping to wake up in the morning looking like mr olympia.

arent these all signs of a healthy rational lifestyle??????

[Specter]

I have spent 8 years of my life travelling the world with 5 of those years living in the UK...yes Im addicted to weight training/bodybuilding and I rarely make time for my own friends or go out now...and yes I get annoyed if something gets in the way of my training or if I miss a training session...but honestly..I dont miss the drinking or socialising...I did enough of that to last me 10 lifetimes when I was in the UK...plus going out here in Wellington and seeing people who think the nightlife is the bomb in Wellington...I shake my head and laugh....my hobbies are the gym and surfing...and it suits me that way just fine.

[Bazza]

Well said Trainharder! I think you qualify on all counts...indeed ..you have the sickness. I wonder if we could make a swine flu variant...like if you get to close to someone with our particular illness, they may catch it. Hell what what that do for the Annual health budget

[steak]

Guilty your honour

[recent addict]

uhhh does my username give my answer to this away?

I've always had a tendency to become obsessive/addicted to various things though, growing up it's been anything from a video game to booze. Health and fitness is a fairly constructive obsession.

Addiction is framed negatively above as prioritising one activity to the detriment of others. But is is also possible to describe the same behaviour as being passionate and dedicated to your goals and being willing to make sacrifices in the process.

Olympic athletes must be addicted to train the way they do, academics must be addicted to their research subject, artists to their craft. In my opinion, greatness in anything requires an "addiction" of some sort. A totally even balance of priorities just leaves you mediocre at everything.

[Chillicat]

I have spent 8 years of my life travelling the world with 5 of those years living in the UK...yes Im addicted to weight training/bodybuilding and I rarely make time for my own friends or go out now...and yes I get annoyed if something gets in the way of my training or if I miss a training session...but honestly..I dont miss the drinking or socialising...I did enough of that to last me 10 lifetimes when I was in the UK...plus going out here in Wellington and seeing people who think the nightlife is the bomb in Wellington...I shake my head and laugh....my hobbies are the gym and surfing...and it suits me that way just fine.

I read that and thought I was reading something I'd written for a minute (but only 4 years in the UK for me!). I'm the same in terms of having a hell of a time partying in years gone by, especially when travelling, and to be honest I'm pretty much over it now. You can only go out and get trashed and spend the next day feeling like crap for so long before it all becomes a bit tired. Have to move on and try new things, which is what I'm doing now. Otherwise it's just like Groundhog Day.

[rose]

If you begin to notice one or more of these symptoms, you should take a good look at your training habits and evaluate whether a problem may be developing.

f*ck I know which problem I'd rather have! Way to go media. What a crock of shit. Honestly. It doesn't take into account training for specific goals and only serves to reinforce negative stereotypes towards those who are required to train fucken hard for competition or whatever.

While I fully accept there are people out there that have whack training (no clue what they're doing syndrome etc), or train for the wrong reasons or whatever, it's crap articles like this that prompt people to say Dumb Shit like 'you're overtraining' etc.

Ignorance is contagious.

[harviecb]

I have trained for years but now are being more serious and I am going to do a B/B competition. Not only have I been told that I am addicted to B/B I am also going through a mid like crissis by my partner.

O well there are plenty of fish in the sea.

[rose]

I have trained for years but now are being more serious and I am going to do a B/B competition. Not only have I been told that I am addicted to B/B I am also going through a mid like crissis by my partner.

O well there are plenty of fish in the sea.

See what I mean?

[runveerun]

* Turning down dates in order to work out

* Avoiding social situations for fear of eating foods that may interfere with training progress

* Social isolation

* Reduced drive to engage in activities formerly enjoyed

* Exercising for extended periods on a daily basis or several times a day

* Feeling anxious if a workout is missed

* Scheduling your day’s events around your workout session

* A fear of becoming injured and having to miss a workout

Yes to all these! :grin: Surely it's not a bad thing?

[Chillicat]

* Turning down dates in order to work out

* Avoiding social situations for fear of eating foods that may interfere with training progress

I've meeting with a woman today who has been trying to set up a meeting with me all week. It's semi work-related, but not really work - she's someone who wants to give a presentation to our staff, but as it's not work related and is of a social nature I'm organising it through social club. So she wants to catch up to discuss logistics.

If it was an actual work meeting, I'd accept any meeting time, even if it was lunchtime - because work is work, and I can always have my workout in the morning or evening instead. But since it's only a social club thing, I refused her lunchtime meeting suggestion and explained that my lunchtimes are dedicated to going to the gym.

She also suggested meeting for a coffee, so I said that would be cool. So she then came back and asked if we can meet today at 11am, and she'd buy me lunch! I'd already told her that I can't do lunchtime meetings due to going to the gym, so I don't know why on earth someone would want to feed you right before a workout :roll: She clearly has no idea! So I said yes to the time, but not to worry about the lunch as I'm on a strict training diet and need to go to the gym right afterwards, but that I wouldn't say no to a diet coke. All that effort, just to avoid eating crap and buggering up my training.

I'm all for treat meals here and there, but I'm all about choosing those treats wisely - and some half assed semi work-related thing is not good enough to bugger things up for!

[Steve Urban]

Personally I believe I am addicted haha.

My motto has always been "weights before dates".

Even after one day off the gym im dying to get back in there.

[trainharder]

* Turning down dates in order to work out

* Avoiding social situations for fear of eating foods that may interfere with training progress

I've meeting with a woman today who has been trying to set up a meeting with me all week. It's semi work-related, but not really work - she's someone who wants to give a presentation to our staff, but as it's not work related and is of a social nature I'm organising it through social club. So she wants to catch up to discuss logistics.

If it was an actual work meeting, I'd accept any meeting time, even if it was lunchtime - because work is work, and I can always have my workout in the morning or evening instead. But since it's only a social club thing, I refused her lunchtime meeting suggestion and explained that my lunchtimes are dedicated to going to the gym.

She also suggested meeting for a coffee, so I said that would be cool. So she then came back and asked if we can meet today at 11am, and she'd buy me lunch! I'd already told her that I can't do lunchtime meetings due to going to the gym, so I don't know why on earth someone would want to feed you right before a workout :roll: She clearly has no idea! So I said yes to the time, but not to worry about the lunch as I'm on a strict training diet and need to go to the gym right afterwards, but that I wouldn't say no to a diet coke. All that effort, just to avoid eating crap and buggering up my training.

I'm all for treat meals here and there, but I'm all about choosing those treats wisely - and some half assed semi work-related thing is not good enough to bugger things up for!

i understand you exactly

ive been asked out a few times that ive avoided when its for lunch or dinners.

coffee dates i dont mind but when its to sit in a restaurant on a low carb day having to choose from food im not interested in eating and will regret i give it a miss.

if its because im addicted to wanting to achieve a certain look then im guilty.

those same people who say others are addicted probably look in the mirror and wish they had a little will power to shed a little weight or look better.

[Specter]

* Turning down dates in order to work out

* Avoiding social situations for fear of eating foods that may interfere with training progress

I've meeting with a woman today who has been trying to set up a meeting with me all week. It's semi work-related, but not really work - she's someone who wants to give a presentation to our staff, but as it's not work related and is of a social nature I'm organising it through social club. So she wants to catch up to discuss logistics.

If it was an actual work meeting, I'd accept any meeting time, even if it was lunchtime - because work is work, and I can always have my workout in the morning or evening instead. But since it's only a social club thing, I refused her lunchtime meeting suggestion and explained that my lunchtimes are dedicated to going to the gym.

She also suggested meeting for a coffee, so I said that would be cool. So she then came back and asked if we can meet today at 11am, and she'd buy me lunch! I'd already told her that I can't do lunchtime meetings due to going to the gym, so I don't know why on earth someone would want to feed you right before a workout :roll: She clearly has no idea! So I said yes to the time, but not to worry about the lunch as I'm on a strict training diet and need to go to the gym right afterwards, but that I wouldn't say no to a diet coke. All that effort, just to avoid eating crap and buggering up my training.

I'm all for treat meals here and there, but I'm all about choosing those treats wisely - and some half assed semi work-related thing is not good enough to bugger things up for!

This women you are supopose to meet for lunch meeting etc...She hot? No shortage of volunteers here to take ur place :pfft:

[samoan_muscle]

How does someone go about becoming re-addicted to "bodybuilding"....so to speak?

[Hone]

I don't think I am addicted bodybuilding, but I have a feeling my girlfriend would disagree.

Left my job and took a drop of 5,000 pounds per year to give me more time to train.

There's several bags of protein powder on her kitchen table

She won't come shopping with me any more as she use to get embarrassed when we reached the checkout counter and I started to put 30 odd tins of tuna and 50 chicken breasts on to the counter.

Every time she wants to get something out of the fridge she has to move vials containing bacteriostatic water, EO dilutant, HCG etc etc.

Her wardrobe is also home to quite a few needles and syringes and various anabolic substances.

Apart from that I think life is pretty normal.

[Specter]

How does someone go about becoming re-addicted to "bodybuilding"....so to speak?

Thats a bloody good question???

[Lazarus]

How does someone go about becoming re-addicted to "bodybuilding"....so to speak?

Thats a bloody good question???

Have a really good think about what it was that had you addicted in the first place and go from there!