Note that I’m definitely not using the term “gym rat” in terms of having any kind of great physique, because that’s certainly not the case - rather in terms of someone who goes to the gym every day.
I know I’m not going to get any better looking or healthier at this point - that’s been the case for quite a few years now - but holding onto what I’ve got has become what drives me to the gym. That and being able to hit my golf ball farther than my similarly-aged golf buddies and being able to walk the course while they’ve all long since switched to riding golf carts.
I never gave up. I’ve adjusted my goals to what is possible. Giving up I’d weigh 600 pounds and show off my gut that the shirt doesn’t cover and ass folds that don’t fit in shorts that look like a thong by comparison.
I’m 42. A year and a half ago I made the long-overdue effort to lose 20 pounds. It wasn’t too hard, and it’s staying off so far with not much effort, but my face got thinner and saggier, and I lost at least a cup size, so I have mixed feelings. I guess I’m at an age where doing what is healthiest isn’t going to necessarily be attractive. I can console myself with the hope that if I ever plump up again I’ll probably look younger and more boobiferous. Although I guess the fat could just go to my thighs and sit there smirking at me.
I’m 57, and I’m not about to give up. Being parent of an almost 4 year old does make finding exercise time a challenge, though; I’m looking forward to when he gets a couple years older and we can do more active stuff together.
In my 20s I could give up. I had a fast metabolism, no kids, got “enough” exercise.
When you get into middle age, as you’ve discovered, you have to fight it. You have to accept things like a sagging. My breasts will never - at least not without surgery - appear where they used to. The stretch marks from pregnancy are permanent (again, surgery might HELP, not solve). You need to accept that even with work you might be a little less flexible, or get tired more easily, or be more prone to injury. But you don’t need to accept five pounds a year as the inevitable result of middle age. And not working at it isn’t going to do anything but make you EVEN less flexible and more tired, and probably more susceptible to injury.
I haven’t given up on my physique, but I started being more interested in my own health instead of my looks around age 32. My turning point was gaining a ton of weight after having my son, then finding out that my cholesterol levels were dangerously high and I was pre-diabetic. That’s a pretty big kick in the pants.
So I lost 25 pounds, lowered my cholesterol 70 points and got my blood sugar back to normal. I was still a little overweight and unfortunately rested on my laurels a little too long, though I never gained back the 25 pounds.
Now at 35, I feel like crap when I eat poorly and get stiff more easily if I don’t work out every single day. The stiffness has really been highlighted by badly spraining my ankle last month. If I don’t do something active every single day, when I get out of bed I hobble around a bit until my ankle is warmed up.
This is fairly recent, but it’s gotten me moving more and, as a result, I’m slowly losing more weight.
I’m more invested in my health and fitness now than at any point since my early 30’s, I’m 48 now. I lost 50-60 lbs in the past few years, took up running, ran a marathon and am training for another, and have modified my life to make sure exercise and diet are front and center.
I’m 32 and don’t plan to give up. I am probably overly obsessed with looks, but that’s partly because I’ve always felt that my face is unattractive, so I’ve tried to make up for it by concentrating on the rest of my body: working out, dressing in flattering clothes, styling my hair, and doing what I can with makeup.
Actually when I was younger I had given up. I was unpopular in high school, and called “ugly” on more than one occasion, so I felt “what’s the point?” I dressed like a slob and ate whatever I wanted. I wasn’t “fat” but was chunkier than I wanted to be.
After graduating from college, I decided that I was unhappy with my body and started (healthfully) dieting and exercising. I ended up losing almost 20 pounds and liked the results so much that I decided “I’m never going back.” And 10 years later, I haven’t. I don’t intend to ever “give up,” and I plan to keep my same figure in the long-term, barring some kind of medical/hormonal condition.
A few years ago I started weight training in the gym at work. Within a year I was getting compliments from other gym-goers on the muscle tone in my arms. I found that I liked feeling stronger and looking toned, and have kept that up. Although if I ever change jobs (without easy access to a gym) I may not be able to do as much weight training as I want, but I will still try to keep fit in whatever way possible.
I know that one’s self-esteem shouldn’t be wrapped up in how they look, but after feeling ugly for so many years, it’s nice to be able to feel somewhat attractive as an adult. Five years ago, I went to my 10-year high school reunion (with my husband). I ran into an old crush, and we struck up a conversation, and at one point he told me I looked “fantastic.” It was so nice to hear, especially because as a gawky 13-year old, I’d never have believed he would say that to me.
I am 35 and never really stopped caring, although for a while I stopped trying. I am back to working hard to be fit, but it’s less about looks and more about being healthy, feeling good and accomplishing some goals.
I like being active and feeling good, have no interest in stopping.
I’m a dude, age 46. Haven’t given up yet. I weigh myself right out of the shower on Monday and Thursday mornings; if I’ve put on weight since my last weigh-in, I eat less and exercise more until next time. If my weight is where it ought to be (I’m 6’ 2" and my natural-equilibrium weight seems to be 190) then I just keep doing what I’m doing. I try to eat no more than one dessert or sweet a day. I’m no gym rat but neither do I want to blimp out.
Interesting. In case it wasn’t clear in my op I’m not talking about giving up being fit and exercising I’m more specifically talking about things like doing specific exercises to make muscles pop like 10 different bicep exercises to really blow up. You can still exercise and be fit without focusing on the appearance of your triceps etc… That’s what I’m starting to give up on.
I probably stopped worrying about things like that while training for a marathon in 2003 (I was 27). At the time, in addition to marathon training, I spent time lifting and spot-training, trying to get a girl-six pack. But after a while, I was spending so much time working out that I was just…bored. And it really took away from the time I spent with my then-fiance (now husband). So I trained through the marathon, ran it, then started just running for fitness.
I liked weight-training and marathon training, but both were so freaking time consuming. And the health benefits I got were doable with less effort. I was really doing it for the cool factor and for looks.
I think most people never take it that far in the first place, Cubsfan. Based on the people I know (mostly overfat, inactive, unhealthy habits, and with no desire to change) I put a lot of time and effort into how I look. But while I am invested in my health, fitness and looks and can’t imagine ever ceasing to have standards for myself and how I live, at the same time beyond trying to eat well, exercising (mostly doing things that involve my whole body), shower/wash my hair on a regular basis, and shave off my body hair semi-regularly, I kind of don’t give a shit. I don’t wear makeup, dress up very often, or do exercises that isolate muscle groups. I’m glad I look better than I did a couple years ago due to good habits, but I don’t need to think about it much or show it off.
My boyfriend’s much the same. At 42 he’s still in good shape and determined to never get fat, but he’s never ‘worked out’ a day in his life. He barely looks in the mirror. He just lives an active life and doesn’t eat too much. He’s always been like that.
I don’t plan on ever not exercising or just deciding to eat badly. Why would I? Who wants to be out of shape and in bad health, no matter how old you are?
I was the opposite, I didn’t give two shits until about age 17. Well, more accurately, living with my parents and their lifestyle meant that it was hard to make healthier choices.
I halfway started around age 45. Which was not too long after I’d broken up with the love of my life. I actually kept working out and hiking and stuff for a few more years. When I had my gall bladder out in 2008 I started really suffering from myofascitis, and that pretty much put the final kibbitz on both my energy and motivation. So, I guess my really TRULY “gave up” moment was mid-2009.
Never really planned on dating again after losing Luke, so my thought process is kind of “why bother”?
I agree. I think your latest post clarifying what you meant puts the whole thread in a different light. I don’t know many people who ever were into that, so they can’t really give it up. Honestly, very few people have ever cared if their triceps popped.
