Are body builders just really vain people?

[Anonymous]

To me, there is the person that goes to the gym to get fit, and then there is the body builder, male or female. I feel like the ones I know are just really really vain. They are obsessed with obtaining the "perfect" this muscle and the "perfect" body type. It's literally 24 hours a day with them from when they wake up popping supplements, and this or that shake and these vitamins and whatever, then its lugging the jugs of water, and meal prepping, and that's just outside the gym which if of course, way intense. The ones I know are constantly trying to check themselves out in mirrors and making comments about I need to do this or that for their body. I mean how is it any different then some girl or guy who is always taking selfies and checking themselves out or wanting to share how great they look to everyone this hour?

[kaylaS91]

I think body building is very different from people who always take selfies or check themselves out.

Body building is no easy feat. It's not something you'll be able to successfully do by going to the gym and occupying machines purely to have somewhere to sit and text. If a body builder takes things seriously, it's a lifestyle. A whole kind of attitude where they set goals for themselves of being able to dead-lift/squat a certain weight for a specific set of reps. It's being able to set challenges for themselves and achieve them, something they can do only through a ton of hard work, hours and hours of working up to it, etc..

I think them doing it for attention is a side-note. From what I've heard from people who are legit bodybuilders or participate in a fitness competitions, which is also a very exhausting sort of thing to even try to place in, it's much more of a head-game than matter of vanity.

[AdamThomas]

I don't have a problem with people who want to eat healthy and I don't understand the criticism they seem to get recently for doing so. It's important to me with the poor quality of food these days.

But I do think bodybuilders are vain. I like the fact that I look better when I train, but I don't train purely for looks. When I was boxing I trained for performance, now I no longer fight anymore I still train purely for strength and fitness, a better looking body is a bonus.

[WeaponZero]

Bodybuilding by its very nature means taking it to a level where the functional benefits are no longer a consideration and merely an afterthought. By its very nature, yes, it is vain. Otherwise they would be following more well rounded athletic training regimens, or sport specific ones. And most would happily admit it.

[oldanddecrepid]

Nope some just like to take care of their body while they are here on earth. If that is all they are about then obviously they need to bring it down a notch. There is nothing wrong with keeping you body in good shape though!

[Bandit74]

Im just waiting to see what consultant has to say to you :p

[thewanderingme]

yep.

[Beckygirl]

In some ways yes, but in other ways no.

[RandomPerson1324]

Yea it's stupid...