Why do I literally never feel like going to the gym or working out if its so common for people to do my age? Are my testosterone levels f*cked up?

Question

The simple fact is that I just don’t give a shit about working out anymore.

And I haven’t cared about it or thought about doing it again for the past two years straight.

I had a solid routine, but then covid shut the gyms down in March 2020. The gyms opened back up around July with masks and shit but by that point I was already like “ah f*ck it”.

And so the fact remains, I haven’t set foot in a gym ever since.

Things are now maskless in the gyms but I still don’t care.

I suspect my anxiety medication must’ve permanently fcked up my testosterone levels which is why I have such low energy compared to other boys my age.

A few months into covid I developed these terrible levels of anxiety, and so a medication became necessary.

I was told the medication was harmless and wouldn’t affect me negatively in any way. But what a lie that was.

I didn’t realize it at the time but it made me feel tired and unmotivated all the time. But I continued taking it all throughout college. Until the end of the semester where I decided to just give it up and see how things went.

For two weeks straight it was absolute hell with headaches.

But for a few weeks after I felt relieved and more energetic.

I was more conversational with my family and everything.

But then of course after a month or two that ceased to be the case.

I wasn’t anywhere near as bad as before, but I was still back to being my old self. Just spending hours a day lounging around in my room and not even bothering to go out and do anything.

How it can it be that I’m just so comfortable lounging around on my phone if I’m suppossed to be going out and doing things at my age?

I act more like a 70 year old man than a 20 year old kid.

But I also worry that perhaps I’ve been exposed to a ton of estrogen shit as well

I’ve heard that estrogen is literally everywhere. Contaminated in drinking water, in food products, in medications.

Either way, I’m just not really being a “masculine man” at this point.

Seinna · Accepted Answer

The antidepressants definitely messed you up so I'd stay away from them in the future unless you literary feel like your life is in danger. It's actually not needed... I understand anxiety. But think about the anxiety you experience living in the US is nothing compared to what people have in poor or dangerous countries that are not so medicated. The prevalence of medication in US is one of your biggest problems I believe and antidepressants are the worst of them. No matter what you're going through, unless you're literary a danger to yourself, you're better off managing it by yourself. I've suffered depression too and so did my friend... she got antidepressants and therapy while I didn't. Granted it took me longer to deal with it but since then I know I can manage it myself whenever it returs while she became completely dependent on them. Anytime things don't go well for her she panics and wants a therapy and medication because she doesn't believe she can do it by herself becasue she never did. She even doesn't believe I had depression becuase I didn't "need" antidepressants. The easy way out isn't always the best and you CAN do it by yourself.

As for the gym itself - it's mostly problematic because you used to like it and now you don't. But you don't need to go to gym, even doing some light running a few days a week would work at the start or a swimming pool. It's always hard to motivate yourself before you get into the routine. Your testosterone is likely low and it's not entirely your fault... but working out and cold showers is what can help, physical activity increases testosterone. It's also good for managing anxiety and depression. So hopefully that will be a motivation for you. You need to suck it up and do it, that's what men do.

SecretsofKB · Accepted Answer

So I'm a woman. We have higher estrogen levels then men. I still go to the gym and work out. So let's not blame this on estrogen or testosterone.

Working out sucks. I'll be the first to say it. It sucks and it isn't always fun. Don't blame it on hormones.

dynamicyandere · Accepted Answer

You’re operating from your feelings. You just said that you never FEEL like going to the gym. I went the gym consistently 5x a week over the last 9 months. There were many times that I woke up at 5 AM and didn’t feel like going to the gym. But, I knew that when I didn’t feel like going, it was even more important to go. Because if I didn’t, I would be training my brain to quit when things get hard. You need to train your brain to do what you’ve committed to doing, especially when you don’t feel like it. This builds discipline. If you do the opposite, it will cause your discipline to atrophy like an unused muscle.

You should spend some time to figure out what you really want in life, and make those things crystal clear. Get your priorities straightened out. Get your values straightened out. Then, whenever you make decisions, base them on what your values and priorities are, NOT what you’re feeling in the moment. Your future self will thank you for it.

love_conquers_lust · Accepted Answer

Unless you have a permanent ailment, afraid I’m going to tell you to suck it up and go do something, pussy. Who the fuck cares if there is estrogen everywhere. I find it’s men who sit on their ass too much who have estrogen issues.

Seriously, I would kill to be able to weight train again without triggering a mother fucking inflammation cycle. Empower yourself to acquire power. Get your head on straight and just do it.

Women are given shit about how they can just control their weight by not eating. Likewise, you should be able to get of your ass.

You made the right call dropping the antidepressants. That was a ballsy move. Stick to it and let your body readjust.

ShadezMcgee · Answer

Antidepressants and SSRIs have a track record of causing potential problems with hormonal imbalance and possible erections, so that is a plausible thing.

But you aren't doing yourself any favors by sitting and not being active either. Your body needs to move and exercising creates endorphins to allow one to feel better to go with a sense of accomplishment. I remember when COVID closed everything down and restricted my workouts bad because they gym at my apartment complex isn't great, but it was better than nothing until my main one opened up.

When you grow accustomed to lazing about and doing nothing, you only want to do that. It can be a bitch to break free from it, but you have to. Your testosterone is probably fine, it is lack of ambition and drive to do something that is keeping you down right now.

Find something to focus your energy, drink water, eat well, exercise and be productive.

Dropping the antidepressants was probably for the best, but I hope that was a slow ween off an not cold turkey quit. Cold turkey quit is what I did when I took those during high school and man, the emotional high and low and hit you hard and mess with you. Bottom line, you need motivation for something in life and give you a reason to get out of your funk.

Start eating right, get back into exercising a couple of times a week like once or twice, drink water, avoid alcohol, you will feel better.

Babygirl_S · Answer

Exercise gives you endorphins that can make you happy if you're feeling depressed. Just drink some coffee and do whatever exercise you like. It will feel hard in the beginning but after about 10 minutes you will feel good. You won't regret it.

Anonymous · Answer

Maybe you're just not as vain as most people. I've never been a gym rat either. Some people just are more self conscious about what everyone thinks about them. My attitude has always been take me as I am or not at all.

Fuentes · Answer

Their is a word for this bro and the Dr can't help you it's something rare that some men suffer with &, it's called "Bitch Assness" so force yourself up and do whatever work out you need to be a better you.

Literalbillionaire17 · Answer

No. Sometimes you just don’t have the motivation. I go through the same thing.

Anonymous · Answer

Wtf is anxiety lol. I thought you weren't a liberal.

EaterPeter · Answer

Body at rest want to stay at rest. Get up lazy a** 🙂 and go to gym. Just do it.

Guy13 · Answer

You are lazy-end of story !!

Why do I literally never feel like going to the gym or working out if its so common for people to do my age? Are my testosterone levels f*cked up?

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