Why You're Still Fat

One of the absolute killers of motivation is self-acceptance.

It's unfortunately one of our cultures pervading trends--"Fat Acceptance", and the like, where people look at the themselves, and say that they'll never improve, because really, they don't want to improve. They are dead convinced that there is something okay about putting their health on the line just for the sake of satisfying their fragile ego--of course, naturally, they're right. Bodybuilders do the same.

Let's look at bodybuilding--not bodybuilding, the general lifestyle, but bodybuilding, the competitive sport. How, pray tell, are you to tell a normal person that this is a healthy lifestyle? People at the top levels of untested--and, perhaps, even tested--shows running boatloads of steroids, and whole cocktails of diuretics--it's never a surprise when I hear of a competitor cramping up and in some rare cases, going to the hospital. Plus, even when drugs are not involved, being that lean, in the 4 or 5% bodyfat range, is not healthy in the long term--there's a reason most people stay at least 8 to 10%.

However, there is another thing to consider--bodybuilders are taking these risks, because to not do so, would relegate them to neutrality. Nothing. Zero. Not terribly fat, not terribly lean, not terribly muscular. Just, normal.

Just normal is the worst.

That is what bodybuilding is about.

An overweight or obese person who accepts themselves as fat, or a skinny person accepting themselves as skinny, is doing exactly that--they are who they are, and there's nothing wrong with that, if the person is truly happy that way. However, they have to be willing to accept that there are advantages and disadvantages to both. Someone who's muscular, but with a fair amount of fat, is naturally going to be stronger than someone who is much leaner, because of leverages. If they're too lean, they're not going to feel very good, and at that point there can be certain types of hormonal imbalances. 

A bodybuilder says, "what is it that I want to achieve? Then I will get there, regardless of how I do so--I wasn't made to look a certain way, I will make myself look a certain way!" Granted, this isn't entirely accurate--genetics still count when it comes to building muscle. However, the will has to be there.

Be the person you truly want to be, not the person you are.