I am constantly being told that my dedication is an obsession from friends and family when it comes to my bodybuilding lifestyle I lead. It seems that my fiance is the only one who understands and thats b/c shes a national level competitor.

I will admit I cant miss my training routines without becoming an asshole and dont let me miss meals or have to eat something other than what I have written out or I'll bite your head off. I wouldnt say I'm obsessed with lifting b/c I realize there are many other things that are more important in my life like my family and of course my wife to be.

I personally think an obsession is a self destructive behavior that consumes and overwhelms you in time causing you to tumble into a downward spiral. Instead, I would say I'm deeply passionate about this lifestyle just like other people canbe passionate about other things?

I think that most people who dont understand this lifestyle view us as obsessed. What does everyone think? And do you have people who are in your lives who tell you that you spend too much time at the gym, care too much about eating only certain foods, and think its odd that you dont go out drinking every weekend.

I stick to intense and shorter workouts, so I don't take much crap about working out too much. My family used to give me hell because I was always so strict to my diet, but then I put my parents on a very specific diet and a 15 minute exercise program every morning, and they both lost 20-30 pounds each over the course of 4 months. So now they understand why I skip the cherry pie now. My friends are always telling me that I am missing out because I don't get drunk every weekend. I just tell them that all they're really doing is paying a crap load of money to just get shnockered and sit in a chair all night. They're not actually doing anything special or productive.

Dr. Steroids wrote:I am constantly being told that my dedication is an obsession from friends and family when it comes to my bodybuilding lifestyle I lead. It seems that my fiance is the only one who understands and thats b/c shes a national level competitor.

I will admit I cant miss my training routines without becoming an asshole and dont let me miss meals or have to eat something other than what I have written out or I'll bite your head off. I wouldnt say I'm obsessed with lifting b/c I realize there are many other things that are more important in my life like my family and of course my wife to be.

I personally think an obsession is a self destructive behavior that consumes and overwhelms you in time causing you to tumble into a downward spiral.  Instead, I would say I'm deeply passionate about this lifestyle just like other people canbe passionate about other things?

I think that most people who dont understand this lifestyle view us as obsessed. What does everyone think?  And do you have people who are in your lives who tell you that you spend too much time at the gym, care too much about eating only certain foods, and think its odd that you dont go out drinking every weekend.            

I truely beleive it is a life style. I myself envy people like your self who can commit to such a life style. I have several friends who diet and train and rest to almost perfection. This is the life they choose. Im a novice at this and dont really seeing it go any farther than that. I try to stay in shape and healthy. I love motor cycles. Some would say I am obsesed. I would say it is a life style. It is the way I choose to live which makes it my life style. Even if it is an obbsesion, if we are not hurting anybody who cares. It belongs to us.

Dr. Steroids...it can be a fine line between dedication and obsession...but not all obsessions are negative either...you may follow Pamela Anderson's lovelife and career obsessively, but it doesn't make you a bad person...LOL

If your behaviour becomes an excuse for bad behaviour then you might want to give it a closer look...cause if that were to be the case, then you are just using your way of life as an excuse to voice your anger.

Also if your obsessiveness keeps you from enjoying the rest of your life then it is over the top...but like you said you have many other interests.

We life in a very self indulgent society.  Not many appreciate dedication and discipline, any more.  Frankly, that's their problem...don't let them  make it your problem.

Nitrateman

I think it depends soley on the person who is living the lifestyle---if you let it be an obsession then you are not in control of it---I go the extra mile to do things with freinds and family and make sure they know that my priorities are set with reality ---I love working out and BB but there has to be a line drawn somewhere---some guys just are retarted about the sport and say and do stupid things that make us normal gym poeple get stereotyped---If anything BB has brought more pro's to the table then con's---I am a creature of habit and BB has served it well in that respect---MY family loves what I do and my friends do also---But you will still have haters out there that want to talk shit because you can see there lazyness on there bodies hanging off them and they see poeple in shape and get totally jealous---Its all about hard work and dedication and thats what BB has given me --its a sense of confidence not cockyness--and to be humble and proud at the same time

If its hurting yourself or others..its not good. i figure i could sit on my ass and watch tv for 1 hour or workout..I get shit for what I eat, but it dosent hurt anyone...I put my family first..then what i do for my hobby is mine..its the usual jealoust stuff..when i look bad no one cares what i do..look nice and get some peole that rag on wasting time at the gym..wtf...your lucky u have support in ur home.

are you guys nuts? i would give up my wife before i would give up working out. hell the world is full of women, and if you look half way good there's lots of em that are lonely!

The way I figure it is,no matter what you do and how you live your life,somebody somewhere is always gonna have an issue or problem with it.I personally try to somewhat balance life,and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't....So be it. People are usually looking for a reason to complain about something,and quite frankly I'm no bodybuilder,but when it's all said and done,I'd rather look good than not look good.If I catch grief for it than thats fine too.

Obsession is a repetitive, destructive behavior that, quite frankly, almost always ends very badly. Indeed, as Nitrateman said, there is a very fine line between dedication and obsession. Once you have crossed that line, you find yourself in a state of total chaos. Your life literally ceases to exist and the enjoyment that had initially morphed you into the "dedicated" individual you THOUGHT you were,
is now replaced by an overwhelming feeling of obligation and duty rather than enjoyment that it had instilled in you to begin with.

*Now you skip out on family gatherings more often.
*You don't pick up your kids from school on time because you were not done with a workout.
*You keep hammering at your body when it is screaming STOP.
*Your feet are bleeding, so you slap a bandaid on them and keep at that treadmill.
*You feel guilty when life forces you to skip a workout.
*You are agitated and moody and terrible company if you skip a meal or had too much or too little of something.
*You are running a fever...and are still squatting.
*You are pregnant and won't stop the gear.
*You want to get pregnant and CAN'T stay off the gear.

The list goes on and on. Alot of us have experienced one or more of these symptoms at some point. It is how you proceed about this obssessive behavior that will either make you or break you. Alot of Bodybuilders have very addictive personalities, so once you start, you cannot stop. Obssessing over ANYTHING will probably be rewarding in the long run if it doesnt kill you first, as most obsessive individuals tend to excel at the object of their obssessions.

Some of us use the sport as a form of relief, as a means of expression, as a statment, as a compensation for something else we may lack that we make up for by improving our self image. Some of us use the sport as an anti-drug to stay on the wagon of sobritey when in reality they are substituting one drug for another. A vicous circle that is hard to break.

We are all addicted to the endorphine and adrenaline rush that we get from BB, there is much deeper reasoning to the thought process of a bodybuilder.
We all must find that balance that will enable us to lead happier and more fullfilling lives while doing the things we enjoy because we WANT to and not because we HAVE to..

nvs

obsession is the lazy mans word for dedication.

nothing more to say