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i suddenly notice- well, not so suddenly... perhaps within this last 6 months- that my body isn't responding to exercise like it used to. i'm 21- isn't this the age the body's metabolism starts slowing? or is that late twenties? i've been told that ppl's bad diets catch up with them suddenly around graduation time. i work out and work out- and where i used to be able to regain definition lost to complacency with a week or two of hard work... well, its just not working out like that this time. have i plateaued? it seems to be all i can do to hold on to my current level of fitness. should i cut out my nightly glass of red wine? should i look into various supplements or something?

Relax, your body is just in a plateau most likely, you dont age that fast. slow down abit. you will be ok

Shake up your exercise routine a bit. Do something different for a few weeks. Maybe exercises from different angles or in other combinations.

And you won't have to worry about your metabolism slowing down for another 20 years!

Eat more doughnuts.

czarodziej saidi suddenly notice- well, not so suddenly... perhaps within this last 6 months- that my body isn't responding to exercise like it used to. i'm 21.5- isn't this the age the body's metabolism starts slowing? or is that late twenties? i work out and work out- and where i used to be able to regain definition lost to complacency over a week or two of hard work... well, its just not working out like that this time. have i plateaued? it seems to be all i can do to hold on to my current level of fitness. should i cut out my nightly glass of red wine? should i look into various supplements or something? this whole getting older thing is kinda freaking me out, if that's indeed what's happening here.

RELAX!! GEEZ! You need to completely rethink this phobia about getting older.....cause not only is it guarenteed to happen, but if you continue to fear it, you will nopt enjoy it.....and I know you don't believe it now, but growing up is the best thing that can happen...lot's of experience, security, attention and fun happens later in life and you still can have a very sexy body.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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YEAH, that's it....you're old! ....dont even bother going to the gym ....

You think it's bad now...wait til you hit 21.75 ..pfffft!

czarodziej saidi suddenly notice- well, not so suddenly... perhaps within this last 6 months- that my body isn't responding to exercise like it used to. i'm 21.5- isn't this the age the body's metabolism starts slowing? or is that late twenties? i work out and work out- and where i used to be able to regain definition lost to complacency over a week or two of hard work... well, its just not working out like that this time. have i plateaued? it seems to be all i can do to hold on to my current level of fitness. should i cut out my nightly glass of red wine? should i look into various supplements or something? this whole getting older thing is kinda freaking me out, if that's indeed what's happening here.

From your post in your other thread, I think it is loneliness and depression that is the problem. And that can affect your body in all kinds of strange ways.

Can I ask, do you eat all kinds of shitty food when you're feeling down?

I know I do, and then I notice my tummy growing.

You are only 21, I think it is the stuff you talk about in your other thread that is the problem.

Relax and stop worrying, you'll be fine.

MikePhil saidFrom your post in your other thread, I think it is loneliness and depression that is the problem. And that can affect your body in all kinds of strange ways.

Can I ask, do you eat all kinds of shitty food when you're feeling down?

I know I do, and then I notice my tummy growing.

You are only 21, I think it is the stuff you talk about in your other thread that is the problem.

Relax and stop worrying, you'll be fine.

Oh horsefeathers! ....He's got AGE! ...Prolly caught it from hanging around some 22 year-old at the gym! ...It's those damn old people spreading it around. ...

.... oh, I crack me up!

Poor czarodziej, some guys give you a hard time. I've seen people pick on you before. Maybe what you're experiencing is a hormonal imbalance that's not related to your age but perhaps to something else going on.
See your doctor. Maybe hormonally you might be off in some way.

muchmorethanmuscle saidPoor czarodziej, some guys give you a hard time. I've seen people pick on you before. Maybe what you're experiencing is a hormonal imbalance that's not related to your age but perhaps to something else going on.
See your doctor. Maybe hormonally you might be off in some way.

Maybe it is just that time of the month

Quick, before it's too late...

I was wondering if perhaps there are any thyroid issues or anything else that may be related to metabolism. The hypothalamus that controls all hormones can sometimes be affected by imbalances and who knows.

Hopefully it's not a sign of anything serious. Assuming you're eating well and your diet hasn't changed much, make sure your habits haven't changed.

You are one of the best looking guys I see on RJ, and you have a set of abs most of us can only wish for. You want to stay that way, and you will, for many more years. See a doctor for a checkup, just to be sure you don't have some infection or whatever. Otherwise change your workout routine and cardio just to give your muscles some new challenges.

You don't have to worry about aging or slowing metabolism until past 40. Your body is still growing until 25.

Best wishes

yeah, that may be it- the hormonal thing. not necessarily hormones, specifically, but something along those lines- my body reacts very physiologically to mental stress of any kind, and changes in routine or location take some acclimating... maybe its simply my body's response to leaving school in cincinnati and returning home for the summer?

no, i don't eat more crap when i'm depressed- but i do eat more. i don't really have a problem with the quality of food i eat- but i have always been one to clean the plate, even if i'm already full lol. maybe that's it, in tandem with the physiological manifestation of my emotional stresses lately. i still wonder if i should cut the nightly wine out though... i know alcohol is a major inhibitor of good, lean health. the other thing that occurred to me is that rather than walking all over campus and going to the rec center every day- i'm sitting at a desk in an office all day and spending my weekends reading or catching up on sleep. that kinda has me down too.

just took this- this is why im worrying- i've obviously slipped a bit from where i was in the spring. you would never know i worked out every day of the spring and have been running 4.5 miles a couple of times a week so far this summer. is this much atrophy normal in just a month?

czarodziej said
just took this- this is why im worrying- i've obviously slipped a bit from where i was in the spring.

Czardas, sweetie, you have to stop obsessing.

You're going to develop OCD, if you haven't already.
Take a deep breath.

I would offer that you should feel free to overeat for awhile. Do it up on all the stuff that others try hard to avoid. Back off on your cardio. If you're purging, stop.

One piece of advice I can offer to the youngins - moisturize, preferably something witn and spf15 at least.

Also, you can never have enough hats, gloves and shoes.

czarodziej said


just took this- this is why im worrying- i've obviously slipped a bit from where i was in the spring. you would never know i worked out every day of the spring and have been running 4.5 miles a couple of times a week so far this summer. is this much atrophy normal in just a month?

I'm gonna slap you in a minute... lol

My heart, my heart is breaking.

Timberoo saidOne piece of advice I can offer to the youngins - moisturize, preferably something witn and spf15 at least.

Also, you can never have enough hats, gloves and shoes.

Timberoo, I don't guess you read Jprichva's post did you? (hint OCD)

Please listen to Jprich and all the others here. You really are worrying over nothing. In fact I want to smack you for thinking this way You look like an adorable barely legal young man. Far from aging. The single biggest pain in the ass about being gay is this whole aging issue. It's such fucking bullshit.

I'm going to edit my comments and just say ... You look damn good and extend an e-hug to you because I think you are seeing things and feeling things that aren't there. Adjust your diet and pay close attention to your cardio and challenge your muscles with variations of one week light one week heavy and so on. Aging hasn't taken a hold of you at all.

czarodziej said


just took this- this is why im worrying- i've obviously slipped a bit from where i was in the spring.

If that's you slipping just a bit then I've slipped a mile. I've never looked that good on my best day any time in my life. Honestly, you have nothing to worry about. And your metabolism doesn't start working against you until you're at least into your 30s, not your early 20s.

Has anyone ever told you that you might have Body Dysmorphic Disorder?

Global_Citizen said[quote][cite]czarodziej said[/cite]


just took this- this is why im worrying- i've obviously slipped a bit from where i was in the spring.

If that's you slipping just a bit then I've slipped a mile. I've never looked that good on my best day any time in my life. Honestly, you have nothing to worry about. And your metabolism doesn't start working against you until you're at least into your 30s, not your early 20s.

Has anyone ever told you that you might have Body Dysmorphic Disorder?

Such a disorder is possible, but comparing his previous torso pic and this current pic, there's definitely a difference...unless it is an illusion created by lighting.

i would just call it day, you're obviously over the hill.

czarodziej saidshould i cut out my nightly glass of red wine?

Oh, and dont give up that glass of red wine. It contains resveratrol which turns on sirtuin production. Sirtuin is a protein that binds the histones that encase the cellular DNA. This slows down the transcription of DNA and helps prevents errors during transcription. This benefit can also be obtained from quercetin in apples and onions, and.....wait for it....exercise!

To add a little seriousness to this and seeing what you posted in here about depression, I will tell you this. When I was in my 20's I went through a depression (on and off for 8 years until I "saw the light"). At one point I weighed as little as 117 lbs at 5'11". The happier I would get, the better I would eat.

Address your depression, and eat more and workout (weight-wise) more. BTW, Working out regularly has been shown to be beneficial to depression.

I have to agree with ActiveAndFit...in regards to more weight exercise. 4.5 miles a couple times a week at your HWP is too much cardio, unless you eat like a horse. The difference in your past pics and today's is a loss in muscle mass. You're not getting older, you just need to refocus some of your routine. Our bodies are constantly active and can change at an instant depending on how we treat it and how it reacts to even positive changes we make. For instance, I've lost 120lbs over the last [almost] two years including ups and downs and changes in my personality. The first 40 took about 4 months, the next 60 took about 12 months, the following 20 took the last 5 weeks. Our bodies are sensitive to our moods and I know mine had an affect on the rate of loss. Just refocus and stay positive and you'll get back there.

Frankly, you may not look like you'd like too (acceptable as we all have goals), but you look just fine to the rest of us.

looknrnd said... I've lost 120lbs over the last [almost] two years ...

OMG! ....How can you people lose so much weight??? ...That is so awesome!!!! ...I am dying trying to lose 15 lbs.

thanx all- yeah im just disappointed in my loss of mass and definition. everyone's always complimenting me on my abs and there's a lot of pressure to maintain them. i donno how everything disappeared so fast after i came home for the summer and didn't have a gym to workout at any more. i don't have any way to lift while im home- can't afford a gym. i guess i have to wait it out and work my ass off in the fall (or rather, back on lol). i just feel really scrawny right now and its damaging my moral- cause what exercise i AM getting doesn't seem to be making much difference.

nothing to worry about until your 40. So funny i got my abs back by following you advice to me

If you're going to have to wait, make sure you have lots of fruits and veggies as well as other forms of good fiber. Also, if you have access to a pool, you can do lightly effective resistance exercises to at least maintain.

Comparing your profile pics with the latest, it seems to me that you do NOT need to stop eating, but the opposite, as long as it's good healthy protein and such. You probably know more about eating right than I do. Keep up that single glass of red wine at night; it is good for you and the caloric value is insignificant.

Wish we could all give you a group hug; we feel bad that you feel bad.

After reading your comments Czarodziej, I have a sneaky feeling you have a touch of perfectionist/Type A personality in your nature. Nothing wrong with that (I am used to it, my brother and my best friend are Type A+), but it can be hard on you!

Most people's metabolisms start slowing in their early 30's. There are exceptions of course, my brother's started slowing in his mid-40's. Mine actually sped up at 34 when I became HIV+.

So you have a long way to go before you have to start worrying about that. But a change in your lifestyle and workout routine will start impacting very quickly. I find if I stop working out for even a few days I notice a difference.

I don't think having a glass of wine in the evening or at night will have much impact, if anything it is good for you. My partner and I usually have one each night, and except for the extra calories I don't think it has any impact. Working behind a desk all day is probably the biggest impact. You are simply more sedentary. That is a common problem in our society, people simply do not move enough!

As for your mood, depression can make you less self-disciplined and goal orientated. I personally eat less when I am depressed, but I find that sticking to a healthy routine becomes a burden. I want to sleep, watch TV, read, anything but doing what I know I need to do to keep fit.

Lastly you may want to work on how you view your body. You seem to be very hard on yourself and if you feel you are not measuring up to what you want to look like, you get down and start fretting. That is hard on you, and if you are dating someone that could start affecting your relationship.

I'm 22.75! Gawd I'm at my andropause!

Sedative saidI'm 22.75! Gawd I'm at my andropause!

I don't think there is a word to describe my stage of life. I am pretty sure I have gone through male menopause, so what is next? You don't have to answer that one Sedative, I am just musing out loud!

If you've done everything right, your next trick will be to rise from the dead.

I am not going to diagnose you based on your post;

you are young. things change. You are an ectomorph ( see wikipedia). Your weight will fluctuate. It happens
If you want to gain weight, message me. I might be able to help, maybe not.