Why do people bother "working out"?

Jez said:
Now, i am not talking about people who need to lose weight due to health issues, and proper issues such as this.

I am talking about people who actually go to the gym to "tone up" and "body build", before going they were normal people, perfectly healthy (to an extent which meant that they were able to live their life without hindrance etc).

I don't get it. I have a beer belly, and am now on the higher end of BMI "normal/healthy" range, and i don't care one little bit. Neither do my friends, neither do women, so who actually does? I eat whatever i want when i want, i don't bother with the gym (almost see it as working without pay tbh), i don't bother exercising beyond a normal "active" lifestyle and although not toned i am a normal regular looking "bloke".

I see so many people obsessed with the gym and stuff

:/
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Sport? Competitions? Overall health? Longer life? To be able to wear decent clothes and look good? You cannot tell me you don't care about appearance when you bought your S Class because of it's AMG alloys, 4 exhausts, facelift lights etc..
 
I enjoy working out because I feel healthy. It's probably fair to say it also makes me feel more attractive, which subsequently makes me feel good.

I find healthy women, or at least those who enjoy sport, attractive. I expect the same response from the opposite sex.
 
Increased self confidence/esteem/sex appeal - girls complimenting your body or changes in your body feels good. Regardless of what you say, nearly all girls I know like men with some muscle definition. I'm not talking huge but slightly muscly, and little fat so you can see the muscles.
To give an example I've been at the gym a year and have put on a stone with little if any fat and I get told quite a lot by girls that they love my body. I'm not "hench" or huge by a long stretch, and I don't plan to be. I definitely did not get this before I went to the gym!

It's also fun, stress relieving, satisfying as you it is something where you really can cause visible improvements in your body and it helps your health since it generally involves a lifestyle change; so a better diet and general fitness.

I have also just felt generally better after doing more activity and in particular the gym. Nothing beats the ache in your muscles after a heavy workout. Painful, but so good!

I see bodybuilding as a bit OTT, although I can see the appeal but these are people doing it because they enjoy it. I wouldn't enjoy it so I don't. Just because I go to the gym doesn't mean I want to get massive.
 
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Nice ninja edit ;)
Just read the OP and he mentioned both toning up and bodybuilding... but either way.. I cant see how he finds it difficult to understand why people do it, 3 hours extra a week doing something verses 3 hours a week extra tv time...

Maybe he is in denial over his beer gut! lol!
 
^TANK^ said:
Where the hell is Morba??? We need more input from the iron munchers lol.
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You rang!

Tbh, i got as far as your post fella and have given up reading. It is a troll thread, it also shouldn't be in GD imo. If it was in SA it would have been ignored and left to drop to the 2nd page :p

I don't understand why people do a lot of things, however, i am open minded enough to not really give a damn. if someone gets some enjoyment from a legal activity then let them have their fun.

I am very impressed by the end product of many hobbies, one of which is photography. a quick look in the forum here on ocuk and you will see some amazing photos, however, be damned if i would go through the amount of time and self learning it would take to be able to take such photos, then process them to their benefit.
 
Makunouchi said:
Such a troll thread, you know exactly why people do it, and if you're trying to tell us when you look in the mirror and see you 'beer belly' you're happy with it, I'm calling you a liar.
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He's said it in a provocative way but I agree with his underlying point. It's quite obvious why people do it. It's done for variety of numerous reasons, most of which cuminate in feeling better about yourself.



I personally do it for a number of reasons. I started because I had just split up with my ex and had a lot of free time and low self esteem.

I wanted to feel better about myself, use up my free time, and partake in a form of discipline.

I started about 4 years ago and was 11 stone. I went up to 17 stone with a fairly high body fat %, now i've cut back to 16 stone.

I feel better about myself, more confident, I feel safer going out, and its nice being able to lift stuff in day to day life that another person would struggle with.

Jez said:
So you dont enjoy it? Does that not make you incredibly vein to do something that you dont enjoy purely to improve your body which probably doesnt need improving?

If people enjoy it cool, thats the same as anything. But your scenario makes me chuckle.
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It's not comfortable actually working out but afterwards it feels good. You can understand weight loss for its health and aesthetical benefits. This is just a step further.

I do however think that some guys take it too far. But even then I can appreciate why they do it. I personally don't want to get "huge", have perfect symmetry or have 5% bodyfat. But if they want to then good for them.
 
JBuk said:
Most guys? are you sure? I only know one person who got a bit full of themselves, most people I know who like to workout are pretty down to earth and do it primarily for their own benefit, looking good for the ladies is an added bonus
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Probably from first hand experience then. The majority of the guys I know around here (at university) are so full of themselves it's unreal. To top that off, some chaps who were pretty sound to start with turn out to be complete idiots after spending so much time in the gym :(
 
int said:
Probably from first hand experience then. The majority of the guys I know around here (at university) are so full of themselves it's unreal. To top that off, some chaps who were pretty sound to start with turn out to be complete idiots after spending so much time in the gym :(
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That's one of the most annoying things about it - you do notice some people change for the worse when they start building up some muscle/lean toning. I can understand it feels good to look good but some really become irritatingly full of themselves.

When your mate turns up and says "Welcome to the gun show!", it's all downhill from there.
 
Unfortunately it does attract some mugs. But then again so does most hobbies.

When 90% of someones facebook pics involves them tensing some sort of muscle (*Snigger*), and they refer to themself as "the Mayor of massive town", you know you've lost them for good :p
 
Kreeeee said:
You obviously fail as a man if you don't get the normal "buzz" from working out.
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That would be entirely dependant on if you body reacts the same way to it as everyone else. As you know, all of us are different.

It might have something to do with how small a penis you have as well. :p
 
i work out because i like to stay healthy, but i actually enjoy exercising. I enjoy just getting in the pool and swimming for an hour and not thinking about anything. Same with getting on the running machine with some music.

I also find it really good for switching off after work, often if i've worked a long day (6-9) then I struggle to get to sleep at night as my head is buzzing, but if i've hit the gym after work i sleep a lot better.

I don't really do it to 'look good' but being slightly vain i do think i look better having shed a few pounds over the last few months.
 
Swimming is great if you have a 24-hour gym near you. Arriving at 3 in the morning with nobody else about, having the whole pool to yourself is amazing.

It's one of the things that really makes me wish I was loaded and lived in Florida or somewhere - my own backyard pool. I'd never be out of it.
 
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