FORUMS > General Fitness Discussion Forum Rules

As a personal trainer I am given various reasons why my clients seek out my services. I thought it would be interesting to learn why those on this sight work out. And to make things more interesting, lets leave out the usual "I want big muscles because that's hot."

Getting fat woke up all sorts of underlying body image issues, and after dieting the fat off, it was no longer enough to just be skinny. I wanted to be sexy, although at this point, the only one I'm doing it for is myself.

Same here Paradox. I lost a lot of weight and was very happy, but still wasnt satisfied. So now I am toning up.

For me. :-)

But if others happen to like it, then that's cool too ;-)

I initially starting exercising in August,2006,for a job application in the local police force.They quite stringent standards of aerobic and strengh fitness I needed to pass.Even if I was successful,there would be further training and testing in the police.As I was far from at their standard,I set to running,and also weight training.I quickly made progess,but in doing the exercise,I found myself enjoying it so much I decided to carry on whatever happened.I particularly appreciated the mood lift/stabilization running gave me.Anyway,the job never came,but I`ve carried on with the exercise,especially the running.It`s kept me sane and healthy all this time.Another benefit that became evident fairly soon was weight loss(I`ve lost a stone,and dropped from a thirty eight inch waist to a thirty four),although I always ate plenty but healthy.I`m now at my near ideal weight of about thirteen stone and a half.Now I run/weight train because I enjoy the experience so much,it makes me feel better(far superior to alcohol/drugs),my body`s somuch stronger/fitter/toned,and I`ve discovered a talent I didn`t know I had.According to other guys,I`m a pretty good runner for my age(I`m fourty seven)!I only wish I`d started years ago!

I used to work out for pure vanity. Then health complication made it a necessity. The vanity is still there, of course, but it's not the main reason anymore.

I do it mainly for health reasons- it treats my depression, which I don't get anymore, and it helps get rid of chronic headaches that I have...

It also makes me feel better about myself...I feel better about myself when I work hard...

Plus it's nice to look like you take care of yourself ;)

I started working out a few summers ago because I wanted better posture. I figured that standing or sitting improperly at the moment isn't too bad, but might lead to semi-crippling myself when I'm older if I didn't correct it now, and therefore a stronger back and core would be helpful. While I was there, I decided I might as well use the weights to fight Skinny White Boy Syndrome.

These days, it's a combination. I sleep better when I have some degree of physical exhaustion, rather than just being mentally tired. There have been functional gains, both in sports I play and in my ability to do things like move my furniture. The cardio I do means that under daily life while I might get tired, I virtually never get winded. I feel more confident now that individual ribs can't be picked out from several feet away. It's a lot easier to find clothes that fit now that I'm closer to the normal range of weight for my height. And, yes, I fully admit that there's vanity in there too. Looks will never be my strong suit, and I'm OK with that, but that doesn't mean I don't want to look good enough to hold a guy's attention for long enough for my personality to have a chance.

I was first a competive distance runner. I trained as a runner, rigorously, with speed workouts, diet all interchanged.

I did that for the joy of running (when things are going well, you feel like you can run forever...you feel like there is a symphony playing as you run). I also ran to stay fit, to beat the guys that used to kick sand in my face when I was in elementary school and high school, and for the joy of doing something well.

But, then I realized I was just a skinny geeky runner...a look not much "desired" by other gay men. So though I still run lots, I through in strength/weight training in 2000, and knocked down the running a bit. (So this is in the area of vanity, I guess.)

But something happened along the way. I've actually combined purposes and issues. Clearly, I am vain and want to stave off the effects of aging to a great extent. I don't want to be that overweight "troll" ogling guys who are fit and expecting some return interest. I want return interest, because I am also fit.

But I also feel better, more balanced, sleep better because of the combination of running and weight training.

It's all good.

Well, to attracted guys , of course.....just being honest..

I've always carried a little extra weight; at least, ever since I spent a few months with my obese relatives when I was 4 and they fed me way too much. But at least in middle and high school I had soccer and tennis to keep me moderately fit. I still carried weight, but I was in decent shape.

Then came college, and the freshman 15 hit me like a ton of bricks. At my worst it ended up being more like the freshman 45. I started looking at pictures one day and was just disgusted. That was 2 years ago.

Since then I started working out again and trying to eat better. While I'm not back to my high school fitness level, I did manage to lose about 20 pounds of fat. I still carry weight, but now I'm trying to lose that too. My goal is to become fit for life. I don't ever want my weight or my fitness to hold me back from doing something that I want to do.

My freshman year of college I went hiking in the roughest wilderness in the state (which is saying something) for 8 days in the dead of winter. I could do it, because I was still moderately fit. I want to be able to do that again whenever I want in my life, as well as anything else that might come along. I want to be able to hike all the time, join a soccer league, run a marathon at some point, snowboard for days on end, and any other manner of physical activity that I enjoy.

I'm also entering the Peace Corps in May and I don't want anything to hold me back from that. I want to be good and fit so that there's not even the most remote chance that my fitness level will have an effect on my entrance and my service.

I work out because I feel so much better when I do!!!!!!!

other than the obvious... it relieves a lot of stress and keeps me sane.

This was the week that started me up again . . .

At age 30, after working round the clock for over 3 years, I saw a picture of myself in a bathing suit. I could not believe that was me. I noticed that my 34 inch jeans were getting snug. And . . . I ripped the seat of an old suit that was too small for me. I had to wear my jacket in the office all day and on the train home.

It was a trifecta of humiliation. I started running again that day and have been active ever sinse.

It was great to reawaken the active part of me, and I guess I'm lucky because I know that if work gets to be too much and I have to slack off a bit, I can do so, but for no more than a month. I feel better, look better, and am a nicer guy when I'm active.

This is a great topic and the responses have been so much more refreshing than when I am a body buidling website. LOL
I started because I always felt out of shape and fat when I growing up. And I always felt like my ass was like a girls ass (which at the time I didn't realize was a bubble butt that guys would kill for).
I wanted to be able to wear a hot pair of jeans. Later in life I wanted to look good in a tight T-shirt and I didn't care what size my butt was.
but, my real inspiration came in my early 20's from watching Marky Mark...he is still hot!!
I bought his workout video...and I didn't give a shit about his fly girls...I just wanted to see him and look like him!!
I finally started hitting the gym hard, eventually started taking group ex classes, and then became and instructor, personal trainer and spent more time at the gym. These days I am still focused, and still teach!!!

I work out partly for the social aspect of seeing friends at the gym. And since shoulder pads went out with the 80s, I need to actually earn them.

My main reason is health. I was 27 and I was around 240lbs. I come from family where all are big so I figured I was normal. Then I had my cholesterol checked. I scared the shit out of the nurse. I had a cholesterol count of 380. She siad I should be dead. So I started to work out and realized I was not normal. Its been almost 3 years now and I can not see myself the way I was 3 years ago. Plus I know that all members of my family, the males, have died around the age of 50/55. Nobody has made it to their 60's. I remember seeing my grandfather in the hospital after his 3rd heart attack, with so many tubes coming in and out of his body. I also remember the doctors bringing him back from two flat lines and asking us if he flat lined again if we wanted them to bring him back. I do not want to be in that position, granted there is so much I can do, we dont know how we would go, but hell if there is anything I can do to stop that, I am doing it.

To remain free of discomfort. I don't look good in an IV.

Working out makes me a more effective neurotic.

I'm with Obscene...
It's a relatively healthy outlet for my OCD
...did I lock that door?

Let's see. I was a an overweight child. After an illness when I was 6 my mom overcompensated in trying to get me "healthy" again but I was not able to be active (doctor's orders) and the combo of Mommy's love and inactivity lead to chubby me. Since then I have always seemed to carry an extra ten to twenty pounds.

I've started working out - and quit more times than I can count. Once I discovered I was HIV+ I realized that I need to shape up in many ways including physically.

Now I am training for a marathon, doing mostly upper body weight training, light yoga, and meditation (which to me is part of my physical and mental health program).

I am also HIV treatment naive and want to get in shape before a drug might start changing my fat distribution.

I feel better now, on the edge of 40 and with a nasty virus doing it's best to destroy my immune system.

Go figure!

I workout to get hot guys, of course! No, kidding.

I was fat for the better part of my life. In high school, I discovered this Eric Neis fitness tape (from MTV's The Grind) and did a little bit here and there. In high school I started lifting weights but nothing that serious. Afterwards, I got hitched and completely blew up, which funnily enough, seemed not to matter in the least bit to my thin bf (that's love!). Took a trip to NYC in 2001 and was like, "Wow, all this walking is killing me...I won't ever come back to this city like this"; eversince, I've been dedicated to getting my body together.

I workout now to feel and look better; it relieves stress and is a healthy outlet for my mascochism; and because it keeps me balanced.

I found that by working out it has helped me tremendously in the other activities I love so much. I surf a lot throughout the year even when the waves are 15-20 feet. The ocean has a lot of power and can crush you easily. If you're not in shape, you can drown in those conditions.

When I started surfing, I couldn't last long as my arms and entire body said "okay time to shut down!". I've found that by working out and training hard, I am now able to not only withstand the fierce pounding of the ocean but able to enjoy myself and not get worn out like I used to. I also can be competitive so I love the fact that I can keep up & even exceed the 18 year olds that seem to have endless supply of energy!

Because at 80 yrs of age.. I want to be jogging the beach; not sitting in a wheelchair drooling and eating green jello.

-Den

Great response, Den. I've noticed with clients that those who are younger are obsessed with physical appearance whereas those in the older age bracket want to maintain function and quality of life. In my opinion, the latter offers the greatest rewards.
For me, my journey into fitness began at the opposite end of the spectrum from many of the responses here. I was always super thin and developed body image issues as a result. I went to the gym on a regular basis to gain muscle (and subconsciously, respect). I thought that's what would make me happy. I would weigh myself constantly and if I hadn't gained weight, my self esteem hit the floor and my workouts suffered. Working out was a love-hate thing. Then, many years later, I decided to stop weighing myself. I tried to focus on the challenge aspect of fitness and everything changed. My strength, endurance and functional capacity sky rocketed. I felt better and that translated into improved confidence. I now love to work out and don't base my self esteem on how well I fill out a t-shirt or what the scale tells me. I also know that I have a better chance of living a full life until the time comes when I move on to wherever it is I'm going to go. Just like the poem says, "Don't go softly into that dark night."

Stress management

Health would be the primary reason. My family has cases of diabetes on both sides, so I'm a very good candidate to develop diabetes. So far, so good, knock on wood, I don't have it, but there is always a possibility. That's what keeps me focused.

Secondary reason, and I'll be bluntly honest, I want to look good naked. Some may see this as a superficial thing, but it's just something that I want to have. Nothing wrong with looking good.

Tertiary reason, I want to look good for others. This stems from a personal philosophy of mine regarding sex. Sex is not all about one person, it's about both people (or more, if that's what you're into). In order for it to be the most enjoyable, both people have to be pleased and entertained, and a part of that is a physical attraction.

At 44, I was in Cardiac Intensive Care... I remember lying on the table and the doctor saying "there's one more drug we can try...if that doesn't work, we're going to have to stop your heart and try to start it again".

Not my idea of a good time.

I was fat. No muscle. No energy.

When I got out of the hospital (after another trip a few days later) I was determined to lose fat and live. For 2 years I did all the wrong things: yo-yo dieting, insufficient exercise - I starved myself from about 238 to 173, then ballooned back up again.

When I realized what I'd done, I was afraid of going back to the hospital, and perhaps not making it out again. I looked for help online, and a guy started tutoring me long distance on weight training and nutrition.

After a year of this tutoring, he invited me to come to DC from SF to train with him for a weekend. I flew out, we met, we fell in love that day, and 9 months later he moved in with me, and we became the 85th domestic partnerhip in California. That was 7 1/2 years ago.

I work out to live, and, now that I'm a trainer, to help others live. I work out to share the joy of a healthy body with my partner. I work out for my own satisfaction. I work out to get laid. I work out to delay the effects of aging. I work out because if I don't, I miss it.

Joey

the one and only reason i workout is so i can feel better about the way i look. but im not all too sure how much im gonna have to do till im happy, i guess ill just keep going till i like me lol

Av8tor... a very honest post. But I wonder, is a nice body going to make you like you? How do you see yourself when you are happy with yourself? Why not start liking yourself for who you are now? A hot body isn't going to get you there. You have much more to offer than a six pack and a bubble butt. When you like yourself, that's when others start to take notice.

To SD Trainer, not related to your response to Av8tor,

How come I like myself when all I see in the mirror is a fat, old , out of shape person. When I was "very big" last year I have such a low self esteem/confident, I dont bother with the way I look, I dont like clothing, no guy looking at me (except for some chubb chaser). I cannot even see my own feet when I look at the floor. I was the biggest person in my department . I feel embarassed to go to swim , and I have to wear XXXL size clothing. I cannot even find my own size at normal store.

Though I havent reach my ideal weight yet, being thinner have boast my self worth tremendously. You would not caught me dead , wearing baggy pant, old cloth anymore. Is seem to be getting better and better the thinner I got. Now I can be selective who I want to date or go to bed with. Those chubb chaser can, go fuck themself.

I also work out because I like to see other people suffer and going to the gym satisfies that in me.

I did my undergrad in Physical & Health Education(the days before it was called Kinesiology)-that came about because I loved sport.I enjoy the comraderie of sport too. Today, I still enjoy training. I attempt to take on new athletic endeavors-mountain climbing to speedskating.
I also believe in the value of yoga and meditation.
Thats why I work out.

Because I can. Sound contrite? Maybe. But waking up in the the morning, confident that we have the physical capacity and ability to perform whatever's on the day's agenda is something that no one should take for granted. Period. Need proof? Take a walk down just about any hallway in any hopsital...

The rest is just vanity - and yup, I'm guilty there, too.

Very good answer, Slider. I'm hoping to stay out of a hospital for a very long time.

I gained some weight in college, and hypothyroidism exacerbated that until I was diagnosed (gaining 20 pounds for no discernable reason is pretty scary!). I wasn't happy with myself, despite always leading a relatively active lifestyle. A swollen disc in my lower back put me over the edge. Therapy for that included lots of core work. Then when I found out Gay Games VI was in Sydney I got back into swimming after an 18 year break, and remembered why I loved it so much. Everything else I do now is crosstraining for that, and it's paid off. My health and self confidence have improved immensely over the past 6 years - I almost never took my shirt off in public before. I've set challenging swimming goals for myself and have met almost all of them.

Looking good is a bonus!

i started working out because it helped with my asthma and my depression (which i believe was worsened by taking drugs in my teen years). in the first 4 years of working out regularly, if i went 3 days in a row without working out i got quite depressed, my pre-exercise state, so it helped maintain my mental health.
now i don't have to workout so strictly and i get depressive episodes probably once/twice a year and my asthma only flares up when it's really cold at night.

PRETTY MUCH KEEPS ME OUT OF TROUBLE.

I work out for lots of reasons. For one, I want to have energy and be healthy for as long as possible. It sucks to go up a flight of stairs and lose your breath. Many harmful illnesses run in my family as well such as chronic depression, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and I want to fight back against those genetic odds. On top of the health reasons, I want to look great and feel even better. As sad as it may be, the world, especially the gay community, base a person's character and worth on his or her's physical appeal. Luckily for me, I know better than that but most people don't. I still get called fat and am totally ignored for a skinnier person up until this very day. Growing up as a slightly obese kid, I've alway hated my self image. Working out gives me a reason to feel better about myself because it changes my body and releases those very nice endorphins! No one wants to be fat. Fat is correlated with disfigurement, laziness, and rebellion against social norms. I'd rather spend more time at the gym than have years taken off of my lifespan.

Well, I realize that I can't get by on just skills or brains forever. Sooner or later some fresher younger smarter thing is gonna displace me. Then I'm gonna have to make a living by selling my body.

To be honest, i workout cuz i love to eat!! eat is one of my biggest pleasures! candys, pizza, ice cream, fast food..... and i know, more food =intense workout. Ans is hard for me gain weight, so i need to eat 5 times at day, i can rip my abs in 10 days (and i never do cardio), but takes me so long gain some pounds.Im 5'9 28w and just 172#. And of course, it gives you a better body, but vanity dont rulez my life, i prefer my own pleasure, i workout for me, i dont care if people think im hot lol.

Feels good. Focuses my day. Helps me relax. Keeps my spirits up. Gives me motivation to do other things. Plus, I look fit and feel fit.

I work out because, well i have to.
I first became active as a fat kid. I started dancing and lost weight, gained muscle, strength, flexibility, and posture and liked what was happening... i dislocated my knee and there went that part of my life.

I noticed that, because i wasnt able to work out or dance, my body began to hurt.

I hit the gym, started to swim, do yoga, pilates, and martial arts, and that ache went away.

I am now dancing again and studying as well as teaching and as i get older, i know that working out aides me in limiting soreness, it keeps me energized and my body functioning properly.

The looking decent part helps too :)

For me all my life I've always been the small one...i'm nineteen but people still think I'm going on sixteen. I've hovered around 120 lbs for the last couple of years. I was tired of people always telling me I was anorexic. You reach that point in your life where you're realizing that people's comments about you aren't changing so maybe you need to change. I just finished my first year of college and college is all about finding yourself so I went and found myself into a gym. My gains are subtle but that doesn't discourage me. When I leave the gym I feel elated and only one other activity makes me feel that way and that's music. So why not do it?

To keep fit
To keep sane
To improve my mental agility
To improve my physical flexiblity
To improve my endurance levels
To increase my strength
To increase my pain threshold
To improve my sexual performace
To look better
To keep a hard bocy all over
To pick up other hot toned strong guys
To have more confidance in everything that I do.

I first started working out to give myself more of a life and not be home right after work either watching tv or just doing nothing. It has made me healthier and more confident. Now I kind of cant stop. I have a fear of weight gain....(to a certain extent).

improve my legs and butt

So I can start stripping again. Lol I couldn't help it.

Really it was my passport picture that made me do it. I was in a relationship and I got too comfortable which made me too fat.

well .. i'v always was a skinny kid , i didn't like my body and now after the workout i feel more comfortable with myself and with a partner ( when i get one :s).. it also makes shopping really fun !

aestheticaly to build or retain muscle

mentally : my brain switches off as I go into neanderthal mode and it de-stresses me

multi-factorial

Vanity... hey, I'm gay - alright?
to stay healthy...we're all getting older
gotta fight that clock
competition...if they can do it so can I
it feels good...I like feeling healthy and being
able to do anything physical I want to

As a smaller guy growing up, I never had alot of confidence. Well I joined the Army and they trained me up right, still pretty small. I thought, if I can get through training I can do anything and applied it to the weight room. Still, I was pretty small. My parents 3 years a part died of a heart attack and breast cancer. In their early 50's. Wake up call! I pushed myself harder, but mainly ate better and I've stayed away from the harmful vices there are out there. OH and I'm looking better everyday...but mainly cuz I have alot of life yet to live. One more thing, I don't like sitting infront of a TV, gives me something to do.

I do it because I'm not too keen on wearing a body bag any time soon. I'm 45 and I had a mini-stroke (TIA) two weeks before my 45th birthday this past June. I can honestly say that I don't want that experience again... nor do I want to experience something even worse than that.

I stopped working out after my lover died because I basically didn't care any more... at least, not until I looked in the mirror one day and really paid attention to what I saw. Amazing how quickly the human body can balloon from a 29 waist to a 40... now its time to reverse that...

Well...I want big muscles because it's hot, at the primal level.

In addition to that, after 32 years of lifting there's any number of reasons for doing it.

I like my numbers:
PSA: 0.09
Cholesterol: 135
BP: 132/78

and so on.

In a sentence: because it feels good.

In complete honesty, I seriously devoted myself to working out when I started dating someone that had an incredible body. I was just kinda average physically. My highly competitive nature got the best of me, and I was determined not to be the "less attractive" one...lol. It was all the kick in the ass I needed. Once I started seeing great results, I realized it was a great way to challenge myself as well as a good way to relief stress.

Umm...getting a lot more attention has been a tiny incentive too, I guess

Two reasons:

1. Health
2. Slow metabolism = I get fat if I stop working out, unless I starve myself, which I don't like doing. Yay!

my dad had quadrupal bypass surgery when he was 44, my grandpa had it when he was 55. Means, of course, I would be due by 33, right? I had an uncle with a heart attack, 3 of my great uncles died from heart attacks. It's pretty insane. My dad was pretty fit. He wasn't overweight, but he worked at a steel mill and that kept him going all the time.

Working out improves your cholesterol and coupling that with eating right (which is something my dad DID NOT do) I hope to never have to go under the knife.

I workout for a number of reasons. First of all I like to workout because it is good and healthy for me. Secondly, I love to eat food, all kinds of food; therefore, I have to workout to rid my body of all of those extra calories which can lead to extra weight if I am not careful. Thirdly, I really enjoy working out because it help me to focus and relieves a lot of stress. The additional benefits of working out for me is just the icing on the cake.

Health, self image, confidence, vanity of course. And I want to be an inspiration to anyone gay or straight that no matter what your age is you can always look better. I'm never afraid to take off my shirt anymore or wear my speedo. I don't even care if it's in front of Jerry Falwell's bible study group.
Not to mention you owe it to all your gay brothers out there to look as good as you possibly can at all times.
Great workouts always
Joe

I started working out to get in shape, just stay healthy, eventually found it to be a geat stress reliever. Also i LOOOOVE food so working out allows me to enjoy eating (yes..i'm willing to put in an extra hour at the gym for a brownie..but it better be a DAMN good brownie)

I want to be stronger and healthier.

As far as looks? I'd settle for normal.

are u kidding me?? a building full of rooms with mirrors on all the walls?? i am SOOOOO there dude!!!

After I retired I put on too much weight -- hated the saggy arms and 36 " waist. Cut back on food, especially the bad stuff and started working out. Now I can look in the mirror and see at least a few bodyparts that aren't wrinkled and saggy -- And I can wear mediums and 32" jeans again! Mostly vanity, (even we gay geezers are vain!), but also lowered my cholesterol a lot and no longer get acid reflux. Rowing against the tide of age is the best exercise.

SDtrainer saidAv8tor... a very honest post. But I wonder, is a nice body going to make you like you? How do you see yourself when you are happy with yourself? Why not start liking yourself for who you are now? A hot body isn't going to get you there. You have much more to offer than a six pack and a bubble butt. When you like yourself, that's when others start to take notice.

yes i will be so much happier once people start to notice me cuz of my body and i actually have someone im intersted in be interested in me

I'm anti-theist and working out has become my religion

I work out because it keeps me sane in the winters, they're super long and dark here, and I like seeing the hot guys at the gym, plus I love to eat.

xKorix said... plus I love to eat.

If I hadn't started working out I'd be on my way to fulfilling the prophecy that a classmate from my graduating year had scribbled in my high school yearbook: "Most likely to become a 400-pound food critic". Well, that mustn't happen. Ever.

When my current gym membership expires in March, I'm signing up at the biggest gym in the province, where – as it happens – most of the professional bodybuilders, strippers and bikers work out – along with many gay boys, too. A gym that actually has some hot guys as members (other than me ) is something I miss and it's become a top priority – for the motivation, of course.

Working out is my "me" time. It is when i clear my mind of all thoughts (work and other personal issues/concerns). It's my way of meditation. So is the same when i go out to jog/run.

Well, I originally started working out because I was a weak skinny kid and I wanted muscle so that I could beat up anyone. I also wanted to attract girls., but the muscles just complicated things. They didn't make me feel so tough. Sure, I was big on the outside, but still the same old weakling inside. And, the little interest I had in girls quickly faded when I noticed what sorta people are athletic. Oh, created problems. Instead of turning me into this bad ass stud meister, I was still too meek to throw a punch and spent the majority of my time pining away over men!! Today, i'm a little more realistic. Ofcourse, I have come to terms with my sexuality, but I still hold on to the flawed belief that working out can turn me into some indomitable monster. I wanna be stronger than anybody. It may be flawed, but it is what drives me. I do enjoy being sensitive like i've always been. Still, I strive to be that monster. Hope I don't miss the old me when I get there.

1 simple reason- I have to. If I don't work out I can't really calm down. I'm on so many meds that i shouldn't be able to move but I can't stop moving. I have to exercise to the point of exhaustion because it seem like my own mood regulating endorphins are innaccessible any other way (but there is always self mutilation and heroin). I figure I might as well work out, not let my self physically succumb to the same atrophy that withered my mind. Plus my medicare also pays my gym dues.

I sure as shit don't go to meet guys, I NEVER speak to anyone there. I say hello to the receptionist as I pass, but that is it. I invariably run into other fags I know from the community but again- no social interaction. It doesn't really matter what I look like, I don't have any potential boyfriends that I want to impress and no amount of beauty can trump my eccentricites and lack of social skill, so it's not for vanity. Although I take great pride in knowing that I am am stronger and faster now- I have more stamina and greater strength to run down and defeat my enemies.

Lovesick,
You know what they say, sometimes even the paranoid really do have enemies.

Nice chin scruff, btw...looks good on you.

Idle hands are the devil's playground.

If you get the results you want, it builds self-esteem and self-confidance.

.

SDtrainer said[...] lets leave out the usual "I want big muscles because that's hot."

But... but what if that is your reason? hehe. I mean it's not my only reason.. When I started out at the gym back in March it was because one day I thought "aw hell, no-- I don't want to take my shirt off on cam or at the bar or on the beach anymore." So it definitely started out as half vanity, wanting to look like all the jock type guys that I'd collected tens of thousands of pictures of off the 'net, and half the pure, pragmatic understanding that "beautiful people" are treated better in society. It's crass and it's unfair and all that, but it's also true. People who better fit the popular cultural convention of what's attractive get more positive attention, are thought of more favourably, can generally hook up more easily with the kind of guys I find hot (which is of value to me when/if I ever end up single again), and they have more opportunities. So I figured I might as well try to milk that.

Once I got started, though, and started feeling better then I kept doing it got the health benefits too. And then over the summer as I started shaping up a bit and was thinking about what I wanted to do with my life, I thought "I wonder if I'm fit enough now that I could actually make it in the RCMP," since previously I'd been interested but figured I'd never meet the fitness requirements.

So now I do it for the vanity, for the health, and because it's conducive to my desire to become a cop.

Growing up in Texas I had a choice of sports between football and track and field. There was a Universal stack in the football field house and I was the only kid in school who could lift the whole stack on the leg press.

I realized I couldn't be really good at football (other than serving as a type of wall because of a big size and small stature) but I could achieve something with the weights.

After that I have found that it is something that calms me down.

The dream of my youth was to be some super stud (like many of you are). I just wasn't ever able to do that. I would get close and then fail to close the deal.

Now at 43 my interest is health. My aesthetic interest is still there but it translates to wearing the clothes I want (living in Europe where everyone is nano sized - yikes did I say that - at least in Italy).

Cheers
Terry

I am starting on the road to fitness cuz I am unhappy with how I look/feel. I also come from a family that has a high bloodpressure history and if I DONT get my fat ass down, it will surly lead to diabetes and possibly heartattcks/stroke. Also buying clothes for anything over a 38" waist is a BITCH...and nothing looks good when it DOES fit. (dont even wanna TALK about the Orange shirt I wore close to halloween...IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN CHARLIE BROWN)

I enjoy working out because I simply enjoy it. LOL. I didn't use to before because when I first started out I found it to be like a chore but now that I've continued I find it fun and relaxing. Feels good working out either by myself or with others as a group plus the benefits that come along with it (both physically, mentally, and spiritually) can't be beat.

Yes, that includes having muscles because they really are hot. LOL. Sorry SDtrainer, but you'll have to deal with that answer since it's probably the main reason why most workout on the site regardless of age.

I broke the chain, sue me

I work out because I want to be super hot for pride in Miami this year... once I go to that, I'll probably be back on my "go to the gym four days a month" workout plan. I guess if I gained weight I would actually be motivated to go year-round and work out hard, but since I could eat 3 tubs of lard and probably not gain a pound, it's not too motivational for me to get off my skinny ass and get to the gym. The eye candy there is motivational though...

Blackjock, looks like you are well on your way to the superhot bod for Miami. May I just request that when you are in Miami, dont get hyperexcited and perform any of those antics that get televised and embarrass the gay community. But, of course, you are encouraged to strut and flex all you want. But, equally of course, they probably wont show that on TV to the nation.

I workout to regain strength and to look good. Ok, I really workout to look good and if any strength comes along with it, so much the better. Vanity, Vanity, thy name is Caslon!

i workout because i'm gay and that's what i'm supposed to do, right?

i don't want huge muscles, i don't find that attractive. i do want firm well defined muscles from top to bottom including my heart. three reasons really. 1) as my trainer says, "look good naked!" 2) it's "more better" good for your health. 3) muscles come in handy for a lot of things i do which require strength and stamina.

That's the best damn answer so far, FFB, and pretty much on point.

Sure it's nice to have a body that looks good but if you can't put it to good use then why bother having it.

So my co-workers can live another day!!!!!

Seriously, as a kid I was jus skin and bones except for my rear and I was nicked named "Duck" you know after "Donald Duck".

In my youth I ran track,played paddle tennis, took a lot of dance classes and I like how I feel and look.

Also most of my cousins are over weight now mean they look like barrels from all of the beers...and high fat.

I do neither I do not drink beer mainly because of the taste what sadist created that!

thanks rok and ducky, when i'm an active FF, that particular statement isn't just a catchy phrase ;-) it's rather literal.

additionally, many years ago i was a tiny weight guy that could barely haul my own hose and the airpack nearly weighed more than i did. i had to learn leverage, control, and timing to handle a 2½ hose on my own. and stamina? *ahem*

You talking dangerous, FFB. I think every man on here can agree with me when I say it's hot to know that a Fireman knows how to handle a hose and even hotter to know that he can successfully put out a fire.

Your public appreciates it

heehee, i like it too. gets a bit warm in the middle of it if i can't ;-)

thank you

Hahahha.

As Marilyn Monroe would say "Some like it hot."

I point out "body parts" on guys at the gym to my personal trainer to illustrate to him what I want....like, "I want pecs like those...and calves like those," etc. ...

oh, he meant "firefighter." ...

I have various reasons to have started working out:

- It's a good way to relax afer a stressfull day at university.
- It physically tires me, thus makes it easyer to sleep at night.
- I'm soon, finally going to be able to find clothes that fit! It's very frustrating to find smalls that still are way to big for you and make you look ridiculous.
- When I lost my parents it seemed like a good time to have a good look at my life and change some bad habbits into good ones.
- It gives me a great feeling to be working out, especially when it's over I feel on top of the world!
- It gives a better definition to my body and mentally strengthens me by growing more self-confident.
- I'm not working out to grow huge or buffed, neither to get a lot bigger, just get some shape and definition. Being able to eat whatever I want and not gain weight was going to keep me skinny forever, that had to change.
- I always had strenght, just no shape.
- Cardio is very good as well for general health and as an opera singer, you can never have enough air in your lungs.

And last but not least: It's just so fun to do!

Caslon, you are freaking awesome too. I'm loving that cowboy hat by the way and sorta wish I was a horse right now. LOL.

Caslon saidI point out "body parts" on guys at the gym to my personal trainer to illustrate to him what I want....like, "I want pecs like those...and calves like those," etc. ...

oh, he meant "firefighter." ...

hahahahah

i have a hard time looking at guys other than my trainer at the gym. he's jaw dropping hot, happy, and friendly. it's sometimes an exercise itself just trying to focus on his instructions.

Sounds like you're having a mental exercise. LOL.

myspace.com/z87

tell me you wouldn't be caught catching a sideways glance

FF- Huh? Which statement are you talking about and if anyone can't see the humor in what I'm saying or writing...then I'm at a loss.

I was a joke! Secondly I was a skinny kid and I often joke about it but I'm not skinny now.

I'm sorto of missing your point in how what I was saying could be preceived as being neg.:

perhaps I should have used a smiley face..opps! I did not.

Humor in what I was saying was quite literal.

Considering some of the often vile and down right crude manderings that I have read on this site what I scribed was really quite tame.

I became interested in working out because I don't want to weigh 120 lbs the rest of my life. I'm already a fluke in a family of overweight, unhealthy individuals, not that I don't mind being lean, and flexible. Bulging muscles aren't for me but some mass would be great.

Ducky44 saidFF- Huh? Which statement are you talking about

Ducky44 said...so my coworkers can live another day

that one

FF- Like I said before it was a joke. I hope that clears things up for you. I do not know how much clearer I can be. I appreciate your candor sir.

FFB...I'm surprised you could concentrate at all with that trainer...he's a very hot guy..wow...

I really started because I looked in the mirror at the weight I had gained and knowing I came from a family of overweight relatives decided...no frick'n way! Found I really enjoy the sweat, the work, the scenery and the gratification of seeing it come off... I'm 1 pound from my goal of 20...doesn't sound like a lot but I am psyched. That tire is almost FLAT... by summer I'll be wearing some very tight shirts!!

heheh, it wasn't unclear in the first place ;) i got your intended humor. i used the phrase for a different meaning

FF- Cool Beans! I glad this was not going to turn into a war of words. I find it very distastful when that happens of this site.

When a well meaning a humor intended response turns into a full frontal combat of words.

Thanks for seeing the humor in what I was writing...and if you really knew me you would that I am a totally non-violent person.

SDtrainer saidAv8tor... a very honest post. But I wonder, is a nice body going to make you like you? How do you see yourself when you are happy with yourself? Why not start liking yourself for who you are now? A hot body isn't going to get you there. You have much more to offer than a six pack and a bubble butt. When you like yourself, that's when others start to take notice.

Said the trainer with the ideal body.

ChasersprizeSaid the trainer with the ideal body.

Define the 'ideal body'?

wellbig said[quote][cite]Chasersprize[/cite]Said the trainer with the ideal body.

Define the 'ideal body'?[/quote]

A body that others strive for.

your nick is chasers prize, no?

granted, most guys like adonis, but some guys like skinny, some thick. it's one thing to strive towards a lean mean fighting machine, it's another to hate yourself

some of my best friends are far from lean and fit.

maxx10 saidHealth, self image, confidence, vanity of course.

That's pretty much my reasoning. The primary reason is health, though. Since I'm HIV+ I have to increase muscle mass and eat better. Over the 3 years of having it, I think I got the eating part down; I went from 130 - 155 in the first 2 years. It's time to make the eating, working out, etc. all work together.

My vanity has started to benefit from the working out. I'm not stretching out my shirts like I was and my pants and belts aren't cutting off circulation.

P.S. Chasersprize, SDTrainer has an earlier post on this thread that deals with his body image issues and what he's done to overcome them. It's a good read and might help you understand where he's coming from.

Why do I work out?

Well, growing up, I was basically considered unathletic by my peers and the coaches, so I never worked out as a kid and teen.

In college, things changed and I fell in love w/ working out and seeing my body completely change.

I find it fun and I LOVE challenging myself and seeing the results.

I love getting bigger and leaner. It's what I want and no one else.

And I like how good I look naked.

I work out for lots of reasons...

physical health ~
1. cholesterol problems run in my family
2. i'm a cancer survivor...and i don't want to go through THAT again
3. i used to be 70 lbs heavier, and i don't want to go through THAT again either
4. overall physical well being

mental health ~
1. improve self esteem
2. counter depression

I also do my best to eat healthy for all the above reasons as well.

Chasersprize said[quote][cite]SDtrainer said[/cite]

Said the trainer with the ideal body.

Ideal body! Ha! This is exactly my point for this thread. We base quite a bit of our fitness desires on someone else's body. They have a whole other set of genetics making it impossible to achieve what they have. I'll probably never have a 6-pack and I'm cool with that. People might say "but he's a trainer. Shouldn't he be required to be big and bulky and have muscles coming out his ears?" No, because my definition of fitness has little to do with physical appearance. That's just a by product of living a healthy lifestyle.
I'll get off my soapbox now.

1, OCD
2, want to "fit" into clothes
3, family has a history of heart diseases and diabetes
4, relieve stress
5, was underweight all my life.

did i mention OCD?

it was first to get an edge at rowing cuz i was one of the smallest guys on my team.

i started rowing cuz i was a fat kid all through 8th grade to 10th grade and it sucked.

surprisingly, as soon as i lost the weight, i ended up taking the prom queen to my senior prom. asked out by half the cheerleading team and i kind of did a "what the hell was i doing with my life?"

so i figured that in order to maintain a level of happiness, i should continue to workout, and i have. still going for 225 though so i can start a modeling career in fitness magazines. and its nice not having sleep apnea