Can we all agree it’s hard not to notice the recent transition from selfies and OOTD instagram posts to muscle gain and meal-prep posts? Now, we all know guys have been worrying about their six-packs for ages, but when did it become popular for girls to do it too? When did duck-face pics get replaced with “back lat spread” pics?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for health and fitness, but I find myself wondering how starving yourself for weeks before a fitness show is any different than just plain old starving yourself? I’m not going to lie; it’s hard for me to wrap my head around the rapid body and weight fluctuations. Also, can we just point out how outrageous the notion of spray tanning your body dark orange is?
Ok, my rant is over. The fact of the matter is whether we love it or hate it, the bodybuilding trend is here to stay. I suppose the question we now must ask ourselves is whether people are doing this for the right reasons?.It is apparent that my bodybuilding opinions were pretty dead-set in stone, so I decided to pick the brains of my friends – the cutest bodybuilding couple ever, Jordan and Danielle, to find out the real motivation behind #fitspo.
What made you start bodybuilding?J: “I started because I already weight trained frequently and was making decent progress, as it continued I wanted to progress further . . . I wanted the challenge.”
D: “Personally, I had been weight training and exercising for a few years with minimal changes to my body. Once I got help with changing up my routine and figuring out the nutrition side of things, my results increased and became more noticeable . . . I thought this was a good opportunity to challenge myself.”
How has bodybuilding changed your life?
J: “I think the whole lifestyle has made me more goal oriented and just more organized and efficient with school, work and other aspects of life. Bodybuilding is a big commitment to dedicate that much work to something and it really translates into the rest of your life.”
D: “I agree with Jordan that the bodybuilding culture has definitely made me more goal-oriented. I no longer train aimlessly without purpose . . . It has increased my confidence 100%.”
What would you say to someone who had his or her reservations about the rapid weight fluctuations and intense body scrutiny?
J: “Bodybuilding gives you something to strive for, it teaches you accountability, goal setting, and the importance of consistency . . . Bodybuilding changes your lifestyle for sure and for a lot of people it’s definitely for the better, partying, drugs, drinking and other behaviors of the sort are almost non-existent. Healthy eating, workouts and rest become more important. It can be humbling to some and for others a big confidence booster.”
D: “I think the important thing is giving yourself enough time to prep so that you can take things slow. This will also help to avoid that rapid weight fluctuation you were talking about . . . It’s definitely not for people with thin skin, or with people that have existing body image/eating disorders. . So – why on earth would someone want to do this right?! Well, it kind of goes back to what I mentioned I have gained from bodybuilding- a good sense of self-confidence.”
There we have it ladies and gents! After speaking with Jordan and Danielle, I may still be hesitant but I truly do believe that bodybuilding is pretty rad as long as it is done for personal health and confidence gains rather than insta-likes. I have to admit, I’m still completely and utterly mind-boggled by the orange skin; seriously though, how long do you stay an Oompa-Loompa for?!
Lesson to all: do it for yourself, not for others and you’re on your way to a happy, healthy and confident new you! Happy lifting #fitfam!