+ 7 Feeling Small, You may have MUSCLE DYSMORPHIA
mus·cle dys·mor·phi·a
noun
noun: muscle dysmorphia; plural noun: muscle dysmorphias
a psychological disorder marked by a negative body image and an obsessive desire to
have a muscular physique.
Above is the dictionary definition of muscle dysmorphia.
Feel small? Scale says 230 lbs but you still feel small? Welcome to muscle dysmorphia. This is a common but serious problem plaguing many bodybuilders. I ought to know I had a bad case of it for years, and have known many others through the years.
I always felt small, no matter what I weighed. When I looked in the mirror I saw a small guy. People would tell me I was huge, but it had no effect; I simply didn't believe them. This disorder is the polar opposite of anorexia. I call it “Megarexia”.
On Sunday nights I used to workout in a hardcore gym with six other guys. I was 225 lbs and the smallest. One Sunday night Anthony walked in. He was part of our crew. I asked him how he was doing and he said “NotGood'.
I asked what the problem was? He replied “I feel small”. After my jaw dropped I said but you're 320 lbs. He replied, “Yeah but big Larry is 355 and so huge! It was at this moment that I realized I had a serious problem. By the way “Big Larry” was a scary looking monster for sure!
Knowing I had the problem didn't fix it however, I just always saw a small guy in the mirror. It's crazy, but it's real! Very real!
I weighed 260 lbs and went into the gym to do my workout. Planning a bulk cycle of Test and Dbol I wanted to hit 280 or more. So, I get ready to workout. I look at my arms, chest, shoulders, traps etc. Then suddenly I looked at my stomach. YIKES!!!!! I looked nine months pregnant!
This was the night that resolved the issue for me. Realizing that 24” arms lose their aesthetic effect with a 42” waist; I began a diet that took a year of intense cardio and low carbs. I took pictures of me at the beginning and all the way down to 208 lbs.
At about 230 lbs my abs started to show and the camera didn't lie. I looked better!!!!
So, here's my recommendation to all of those reading this who suffer from this horrible disorder! Look at your stomach, not your muscles! Then take pictures as you go on a diet. If you use AAS pick out a good cut cycle and try to spare a much muscle as possible.
The pictures don't lie! You will see that you look better without the gut, and leaner harder muscles with abs and veins!
This is a very difficult battle because it is a mental issue and emotional problem. I'm not trying to minimize it, just to try to help those who suffer from it. It's more common than one would think as we as bodybuilders want to be big and strong, but we also want to look good!
Hopefully this simple method will help those of you who have this issue.
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This is a very real thing and I have it as well. I’ll look in a mirror and don’t think I look big at all and then someone will post a picture and all of a sudden I look big it’s a wired phenomenon
It is for sure, and very real!
Wow!!! Thank you so much. I just realized I GOT IT. This will definitely help me.
It's more common than you think; so hopefully you'll overcome it!
It’s funny the grass is always greener.
Whenever I bulk I want my cut look back, whenever I cut I wanna bulk back up.
A sickness for sure.
Think I’m about ready to find a happy medium and just maintain
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As long as you bulk within reason it's all good. When its gets out of hand; well you know!
Great post man. I felt this way for many years and your right the stomach waist area is a big role in how this affect us. My waist lovehandles stick out so im constantly working on widening my shoulders instead of hitting the real issue. Thank you brotha +1
++ Thank you for posting this and sharing your story. It’s definitely a real thing, 100%. Sports psychology has always fascinated me. It did take me a long time to accept that if I want to be healthy, I can’t walk around at 225 lbs with my 5’11” ish frame. It’s just too much size. Yes, too much size! It was taking its strain on my body and I was carrying a little more fat than I liked. When I finally got under 200 lbs, it was difficult to come to terms with at first. But I reconciled with it. It’s just a number on the scale. Who cares if others want to mock me for being under 200 lbs? Robert Frank? Whatever. Even Mark Rippetoe would have a laugh at my expense. So damn what?! My blood work looks great, I feel better, I look better, and I’m comfortable in my skin being under 200 lbs. It took a lot of self control to stop eating so much, but it’s a lifestyle change I don’t regret.
Now, on the other hand, there’s also such a thing as strength dysmorphia, where even guys and gals who are legitimately strong and athletic by all but the most fervent standards feel weak just because the guy can’t clean and jerk what Clarence Kennedy can, or the girl can’t bench press what Jennifer Thompson does. Strength athletes or people passionate about performance in general tend to place immense burdens on themselves by looking up to the best of the best who are genetic outliers. Sometimes we demand a little too much of ourselves, which can be a blessing in some ways but also a detriment. Especially in the self esteem department.
Yes, this can be tough battle because it is emotional. I'm glad you battled it and won. Better to look good and feel good!
+1 man great post
Support you on this one, that’s why I like doing cardio all year around to control this a bit. Getting some size on in the off season while being in calorie surplus is is great but always make sure the abs are visible, at least the outskirts. As soon as abs start disappearing, I’m start getting worried and would look in to my calories
Yes, always look to the abs! This prevents a lot of problems later. I finally learned it.
Been there myself where you walk around fat thinking you’re the biggest guy in the gym. But when it’s time to take a top of while on the beach, you don’t feel comfortable. I look at my pictures back in the days and laugh, like how the hell could I think I looked good.
Think lack of knowledge and all the media had an effect on me where eating every 2 hrs was a must to be big without realising that turning myself in to a fat obese person
Thanks for the good read man.
Good read
ty
You've been putting up some good shit
Personally, I prefer to have a more defined aspect, where you can see the details. If you have good genetics, with a few cycles and protein food, you can get great results.
Damn mirror lol
We all suffer this like a bunch of teenage girls with eating disorders.
That's why I call it "Megarexia"; the opposite of Anorexia!