There’s a whole thread over in GAL asking people to express the reasons they hate bodybuilding, complete with an in depth discussion about what a “bodybuilder” is.
^^^^^
Horseshit.
I don’t compete, and don’t plan to soon, if ever, because I compete with myself every time I go in the gym, and that’s enough for me.
But for shit’s sake, I’ll say that I lean more toward “powerlifter” than “bodybuilder” or even “figure athlete” because I don’t monitor/tailor what I eat the way the latter two do.
SO.
I like what I do because I love to eat, and I’m hungry all the time. I make better food choices than most, but I still allow myself junk food from time to time.
I like looking down when I walk and watching my quad split flex as I do so. (havent run into anything yet, but i probably will at some point)
I like the rush I get while I’m lifting.
I like looking at the loaded bar I’m about to lift and thinking, “Fuck you, bastard. I’m picking you up.”
^^^
I like laughing at it after I set it down.
I love to eat. OH DO I EVER. And I love feeling strong. I love having triceps and quads. I love the feeling of the firmness of legs.
Being strong is pretty awesome. At the moment that’s at the top of my list today. I just came back from long strenuous backpacking trip and my god the stuff I did with such ease that would have killed me before. I climbed a fricken tree with 40 lbs of food to hang a bear cache. (Yeah!!)
I’m not in a position to compete now, but I’d like to try my hand at powerlifting eventually, when my numbers are better.
I like food too much to restrict like a figure athlete or bodybuilder, though I do aim to make good choices for the most part; I also like being strong too much to trade strength for shrinkage.
I like the feeling when the bar I couldn’t lift last week finally budges off the ground. I like the strain and the struggle, and when it’s all over I like noticing that a little huddle of people has stopped what they’re doing to look.
I like having muscles in my back and legs. I like knowing that my body is the way it is because of the work I do. If hard work gave you green scales, I think I’d like green scales. But quads and glutes are prettier.
Of course I compete and that feeds an addiction I have for competition.
However, for me it starts with the obsessive desire for self-punishment and to see just how much I can make myself endure and how hard I can push. It doesn’t always turn out well but Lucy’s phrase about feeding the wolf inside describes it perfectly for me.
[quote]AlisaV wrote:
I like knowing that my body is the way it is because of the work I do. If hard work gave you green scales, I think I’d like green scales. But quads and glutes are prettier.
[/quote]
waaaiiiiit… so you’re saying im NOT supposed tohave these green scales. interesting.
EDIT: “cougar” and “MILF” are still better than “DUFF”.
[quote]CBear84 wrote:
AlisaV wrote:
I like knowing that my body is the way it is because of the work I do. If hard work gave you green scales, I think I’d like green scales. But quads and glutes are prettier.
waaaiiiiit… so you’re saying im NOT supposed tohave these green scales. interesting.
EDIT: “cougar” and “MILF” are still better than “DUFF”. [/quote]
The Designated Ugly Fat Friend you bring with you… anywhere, usually to a bar, to make yourself look better. Not always a wing(wo)man, the duff’s purpose is only to BE around, making the immediate area (you) seem brighter.
When u find a duff and a wingman in the same person its a beautiful thing.
[quote]CBear84 wrote:
OctoberGirl wrote:
what is a DUFF?
The Designated Ugly Fat Friend you bring with you… anywhere, usually to a bar, to make yourself look better. Not always a wing(wo)man, the duff’s purpose is only to BE around, making the immediate area (you) seem brighter.
When u find a duff and a wingman in the same person its a beautiful thing. [/quote]
aaah being a DUFF is a bad thing! and I don’t think I would like someone who strategically had a DUFF
I like the sense of accomplishment I get…
I appreciate the confidence lifting gives me. It’s also helped me learn to set goals in AND out of the gym…
And I think it’s important, especially for women, to feel like they can be strong on the inside and out…we don’t have to be the submissive little girls wishing we could have the confidence to go lift heavy weight…WE ARE the girls that have the confidence to lift heavy!!
Feeling like a bad-ass doesn’t hurt either
When I was growing up, there wasn’t a lot of things I was good at, and I didn’t feel like I belonged with one particular group, I just sort of blended in…or tried to hide, haha…I feel like I BELONG in the gym, and I set myself a part from the rest…And I now I DO stand out! But not for what I look like, but for what I DO
At this point in my life, I don’t give a damn what my body looks like. I just want it to work and be strong. Also, lifting is the only thing I do that’s entirely for myself, and it quiets my demons, who are constantly telling me to do bad things.
[quote]Yo Momma wrote:
At this point in my life, I don’t give a damn what my body looks like. I just want it to work and be strong. Also, lifting is the only thing I do that’s entirely for myself, and it quiets my demons, who are constantly telling me to do bad things.
Well…maybe I give a little damn about my looks.[/quote]
HA! So I guess those demons that are telling me to do bad things NEVER go away?!?! Snap.