# Do fitness pictures actually motivate you?



## lisbeth (May 18, 2012)

Online and so on. How do they make you feel? Do you think "great, this could be my body too if I work hard enough" or do they just depress you?


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## Shameful (Sep 5, 2014)

I've never been motivated by a fitness picture. Not even for a few seconds, I've just never looked at someone else's body and thought "I could look like that." I only feel upset by them, my thought is more along the lines of 'this is what I'm supposed to look like but I never will.'

My motivation to exercise or eat better is always based on looking at myself and hating what I look like. But that never lasts long enough.


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## 58318 (Jul 15, 2011)

I just feel bad for the people that think the bodies are attainable, and not the result of trenbolone.


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## Cerberus (Feb 13, 2005)

I'm motivated more by before and after pictures posted by regular people. It's their dedication to a healthy lifestyle that motivates me more than their particular body type. We have to work with what we got


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## lisbeth (May 18, 2012)

Cerberus said:


> I'm motivated more by before and after pictures posted by regular people. It's their dedication to a healthy lifestyle that motivates me more than their particular body type. We have to work with what we got


B&A pictures posted by regular people are much better, yeah - the dedication is inspiring.


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## mjkittredge (Sep 8, 2012)

To a degree they do. But I try to be realistic - they are paying for expensive personal trainers and supplements that I can't afford, and probably juicing. It's taking me longer to get the body I want but I'm working on it. Just wish I had more energy


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## WillYouStopDave (Jul 14, 2013)

I guess it depends on what you mean by "motivate"


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## TheHaxanCloak (Jul 26, 2014)

Majority of male fitness models are taking steroids.
Just like the majority of the "Regulars" in any given gym are taking steroids.
Lots of men have no idea what a realistic physique to aim for looks like, because their local gym is so full of people on the juice.

So no, those pictures do not motivate me.

What motivates me is having friends to compete against and work out with. We push ourselves to achieve as much as we can, and a realistic body.
I can't speak for fitness pictures of women, but a male fitness model body is not an ideal thing to aim for, and the body fat is pretty low and realistically not achievable by anyone that enjoys normal things, such as the occasional drink or pizza. And of course, those that don't enjoy paying $500 for a cycle of juice =)

I'd rather have an athletic type body. There's a huge difference between people that compete in sports/fighting/etc, than to those that model for magazines. Being incredibly cut/lean is just to realistic for most people, even men that go to the gym daily and work hard.


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## xukwn (Oct 30, 2014)

they just make me feel sad and depressed and a failure because my body is nowhere like that


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## slyfox (Nov 18, 2007)

A lot more motivating looking at pictures of what I look like now


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## My Mom Is a Zombie (Nov 8, 2014)

Looking at motivational photos for me just infused me with hate for my body. I used the hate to push myself.

After I achieved the size "00" the hate was still there. 

Lose the weight but keep the hate? Didn't go so well for me. 

I had to learn how to care about myself enough to eat truly nurturing food and engage healthful exercise. 

So yeah, having a photo or two for reasonable goal setting might be a good idea for some people but pouring over volumes of photos of people and comparing oneself is unhealthy. IMHO.


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## AussiePea (Mar 27, 2007)

No, my laziness knows no bounds.


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## SplendidBob (May 28, 2014)

lisbeth said:


> Online and so on. How do they make you feel? Do you think "great, this could be my body too if I work hard enough" or do they just depress you?
> 
> For me, it's the former at first and then before long it turns into the latter. I don't have the same underlying body type as these women, so no matter what I do, I'm never going to look like that. So it's like "well, ****, I was looking at this to feel encouraged, and now I just feel worse about myself". It just drives it in further that there's nothing I can do to look anything like that.
> 
> Of course you ought to exercise to improve your health and not your appearance, but c'mon, let's be real.


They aren't really intended to motivate you, they are supposed to make you want to buy fitness products / supplements 

They are actually selling the idea that everyone should aspire to having a perfect physique. Once you have everyone on board with that, selling them supplements / equipment etc is cake.


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## mezzoforte (May 16, 2010)

lisbeth said:


> I don't have the same underlying body type as these women, so no matter what I do, I'm never going to look like that. So it's like "well, ****, I was looking at this to feel encouraged, and now I just feel worse about myself".


FEELS. So many feels. I want a big butt, but oh well. D:


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## Mr Bacon (Mar 10, 2012)

mjkittredge said:


> To a degree they do. But I try to be realistic - they are paying for expensive personal trainers and supplements that I can't afford, and probably juicing. It's taking me longer to get the body I want but I'm working on it. Just wish I had more energy


Man, *it's insane how many folks are on the juice.* When I first started working out years ago, I used to think the only guys sticking syringes up their a** were the pro bodybuilders who look all huge & disgusting. But then you realize it's very widespread. Tons of fitness models are on juice. Mainstream action movie actors are on juice. 30% of the guys in your local gym are juicing... it's all about selling the dream.

I used to think any guy could get the following physique naturally, but I was naive:










*Eat clen, tren hard.*


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## tbyrfan (Feb 24, 2011)

Mr Bacon said:


> I used to think any guy could get the following physique naturally, but I was naive:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


WTF...strong no. Just no.


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## lisbeth (May 18, 2012)

Mr Bacon said:


>


:no


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## farfegnugen (Aug 16, 2010)

Not at all. At the gym, sometimes I feel like I should be the best conditioned one there and if someone appears to be in better shape than I am, then it will motivate me to push myself further.


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## Mr Bacon (Mar 10, 2012)

tbyrfan said:


> WTF...strong no. Just no.





lisbeth said:


> :no


I'm not saying this is my dream physique, I'm stating that it isn't achievable naturally. Yet in these fitness mags and supplement ads you've got guys just as ripped selling you the idea that anybody can look like this by drinking protein shakes. Obviously BS.

I think this looks good, and is more realistically achievable:










or this










The guys are pretty manly and you can tell they workout, but don't look like freaks of nature.


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## mjkittredge (Sep 8, 2012)

That first picture you posted looked like the guy was half body builder half anorexic, kind of freakish. I hear after they bulk up they they go on crash diets of just protein shakes and little to no calories or fat or sugar or carbs, get the skin stretched super tight, all dehydrated.

The next bunch seem a lot more healthy and realistic. I would agree with you that they are achievable through normal means.

Off to do legs tonight.


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## herk (Dec 10, 2012)

nah not really, the only thing that motivates me to work out is this


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## twitchy666 (Apr 21, 2013)

I use the articles, pics & diagrams for instructions

My motivation comes along when I'm angry about something (rare)
lack of response to job applications when I expect phone calls which don't happen.

Today out in the cold playing with traffic on my bike. Bus splashes all over my exposed limbs. I love it. When the gym is empty at 7am. When I have nothing planned, I use my time to vent my frustration. No food in the fridge. Caused some neck pain pushing myself too hard.

Got home with more powders for recovery. Muscles but me in dream mode in bed for hours in afternoon. Perfect day


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## Dre12 (Jul 25, 2014)

I have to say that nothing motivates me to box as much as watching boxing, reading about boxing or seeing pictures of boxing. A part of that is the body too along with the sport.

@Mr Bacon

The only big difference between the first and second picture that you posted is that the first guy has extremely low body fat so he looks ultra cut and especially thin around the waist. The second guy has a rugby players physique but could cut down to the first guys level in a few weeks IMO.


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## Mr Bacon (Mar 10, 2012)

Dre12 said:


> The only big difference between the first and second picture that you posted is that the first guy has extremely low body fat so he looks ultra cut and especially thin around the waist. The second guy has a rugby players physique but could cut down to the first guys level in a few weeks IMO.


Nah I don't think so. The first guy, Jeff Seid, just became an IFBB pro last year. If the rugby guy were to obtain the first guy's bodyfat % naturally, he'd lose a lot of volume in the process, and wouldn't look near as fit as the first one.

Hell, the first one's already bigger than the rugby guy to begin with, he completely demolishes him. Here's another pic of him from a different angle:










He reeks of steroids.


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## Dre12 (Jul 25, 2014)

@ Mr Bacon

I tend to agree with you. I just Googled Mr Seid and he doesn't even look human in a lot of pictures!


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## Potato Girl (Jul 22, 2013)

before and after pictures motivate me tbh. not so much as I want to look like them but if they can do it I can too y'know?


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## believe hope faith (Nov 16, 2014)

lisbeth said:


> I feel that a lot. I have no tits and no hips so I'm convinced that exercise would make me look less feminine rather than more. It's really depressing when the things you wish you could improve about yourself are the ones that are completely genetically dependent and you have no power to change.
> 
> I mean, you can work on the muscles around your butt and make it higher and whatever, but you can't make it bigger. You can't change where your body distributes fat. It's really sad.


You can get a bigger butt if you work for it, SQUAT ON! plus its the best way for fat loss. beats cardio anyday.


















I find looking at before/after pictures keep me motivated too and it shows that anything if achievable but it takes dedication and a lifestyle change.


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## MCHB (Jan 1, 2013)

Outdoor pictures motivate me to get out and do things. I don't get anything out of fitness pictures!


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## goku23 (Nov 22, 2014)

lisbeth said:


> Online and so on. How do they make you feel? Do you think "great, this could be my body too if I work hard enough" or do they just depress you?
> 
> For me, it's the former at first and then before long it turns into the latter. I don't have the same underlying body type as these women, so no matter what I do, I'm never going to look like that. So it's like "well, ****, I was looking at this to feel encouraged, and now I just feel worse about myself". It just drives it in further that there's nothing I can do to look anything like that.
> 
> Of course you ought to exercise to improve your health and not your appearance, but c'mon, let's be real.


you can 100% look like that!
genetics determine how quick and easy it is for you to get there and muscle insertions/structure are determined by genetics,
but developing a lean, muscular and aesthetic physique can be achieved by ANYONE! with smart dieting and training.

Trust me on this!

it may take some longer than others, but definitely can be done be everyone.
i've seen pretty miraculous changes in people, takes dedication though.
but thats the least we can do if we truly want something.
problem imo is that people think they want something really bad, truth is they dont.


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## Hikikomori2014 (Sep 8, 2014)

My thirst is strong for fitness chicks. Does that count?


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## scooby (Jun 24, 2009)

Pictures usually don't, no. Videos of people working out, lifting heavy weights and just beastmoding do. Realistically I know I won't look like them, but seeing them put in so much effort and dedication, breaking through the struggles and seeing how strong they are just make me want to try get stronger and improve myself in a similar way. I haven't really got a straight forward target, I just want to have a good body, and probably one of the biggest reasons was that exercise can really help with depression.


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## goku23 (Nov 22, 2014)

scooby said:


> Pictures usually don't, no. Videos of people working out, lifting heavy weights and just beastmoding do. Realistically I know I won't look like them, but seeing them put in so much effort and dedication, breaking through the struggles and seeing how strong they are just make me want to try get stronger and improve myself in a similar way. I haven't really got a straight forward target, I just want to have a good body, and probably one of the biggest reasons was that exercise can really help with depression.


completely agree!


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## lisbeth (May 18, 2012)

goku23 said:


> you can 100% look like that!
> genetics determine how quick and easy it is for you to get there and muscle insertions/structure are determined by genetics,
> but developing a lean, muscular and aesthetic physique can be achieved by ANYONE! with smart dieting and training.
> 
> ...


No, I really can't look like that. I could get more athletic, I could get more muscular, but there is no exercise in the world which is going to change bone structure or add fat where it doesn't naturally distribute itself.










I could get a toned stomach like that, but nothing in this world is going to give me that hourglass because that is not my bodytype.

Women's fitness pictures generally are sexualised and focusing on the waist-to-hip ratio, T&A, etc. The point of the low bodyfat and muscle gain etc is basically to exaggerate those features. There is nothing (except cosmetic surgery) which can create curves.


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## Dre12 (Jul 25, 2014)

A lot of female fitness models have fake breasts. I assume because they work what they have off, otherwise they just really want exaggerated cartoon like figures. Either way, there is nothing worse than fake breasts IMO.


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## goku23 (Nov 22, 2014)

lisbeth said:


> No, I really can't look like that. I could get more athletic, I could get more muscular, but there is no exercise in the world which is going to change bone structure or add fat where it doesn't naturally distribute itself.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


i did say that structure and insertions are determined by genetics though lol
but in terms of reducing bodyfat to those levels and adding lean mass to the right areas then yea you definitely can and would still build an aesthetically pleasing physique tbh

fat distribution is genetic you're right but adding lean mass isn't, some have more muscle cells in certain areas than others so have more capacity to fill that area but hyperplasia can still be achieved the longer you train that group so creating more mass over time is highly possible.

theres nothing we can do about our genetic makeup unfortunately but surely that shouldn't stop you from achieving those levels of leanness and muscle?
adding mass to your quad sweep, glutes and lats would still help you build that illusion.
agree it won't be as aesthetically pleasing as the pro fitness models but still be impressive nonetheless.

regardless what anyone says, a lean muscular (in context to your goal) physique is always impressive and for me at least is an indicator of a person's mindset. 
body is a picture of the mind imo (sounds cheesy i know!)

for me, its more impressive to see a person who is genetically limited structurally still work to build an impressive physique, because it shows will and they've likely had to work harder for it than someone who's been lucky in the genetic lottery!


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## TicklemeRingo (Jan 11, 2013)

I feel like regularly looking at things like this will just leave people feeling bad about themselves, and prevent them from valuing the uniqueness of their bodies 

It wouldn't surprise me to learn that the occurrence of eating disorders has increased sharply since the advent of things like tumblr, for example.


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## goku23 (Nov 22, 2014)

TicklemeRingo said:


> I feel like regularly looking at things like this will just leave people feeling bad about themselves, and prevent them from valuing the uniqueness of their bodies
> 
> It wouldn't surprise me to learn that the occurrence of eating disorders has increased sharply since the advent of things like tumblr, for example.


works both ways though, can help inspire people to improve themselves too.
like most things, theres positives and negatives to it. guess its up to us whether we make it into something positive or negative.

i know if i never saw Bruce Lee, i would never have gotten into physique building.
while it made me feel worse about myself initially, it also inspired me to look like that.
fact is he looked the way he did because he worked his *** off!
if i feel bad about that, then thats me being lazy. if i worked as hard as him and still didn't get close then I had the right to feel bad!

i do feel for people with eating disorders, i can understand their need to fill a void, something that might have been created by constantly looking at people who look better than them (in their eyes) but they have to put the work in to reach that goal, willing for something isn't enough.
with dedication and consistency people can surprise themselves with what they are actually capable of.


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## Jago24 (Oct 4, 2014)

They do, but just temporarily. I will look at a photo and tell myself I am going to try and achieve that.
I then get my gym bag and get ready to head out the door but just before I leave a terrifying fear overcomes me and I break down and I end up going back up to bed and making myself even more depressed thinking about what a failure I am.
I have a gym membership that I pay $60 a month for and I've had it for about 6 months and I've went twice and I didn't do what I wanted to do, I just did some treadmill exercise as I was to afraid to lift weights out of being judged.
I wish I had a gym buddy, it would make things so much easier I think. I wouldn't feel the need to give up so easily because I would have someone to motivate me and I would of course return the favour and motivate them. 
Oh, the joys of social anxiety.


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## goku23 (Nov 22, 2014)

Jago24 said:


> They do, but just temporarily. I will look at a photo and tell myself I am going to try and achieve that.
> I then get my gym bag and get ready to head out the door but just before I leave a terrifying fear overcomes me and I break down and I end up going back up to bed and making myself even more depressed thinking about what a failure I am.
> I have a gym membership that I pay $60 a month for and I've had it for about 6 months and I've went twice and I didn't do what I wanted to do, I just did some treadmill exercise as I was to afraid to lift weights out of being judged.
> I wish I had a gym buddy, it would make things so much easier I think. I wouldn't feel the need to give up so easily because I would have someone to motivate me and I would of course return the favour and motivate them.
> Oh, the joys of social anxiety.


have you tried training at home bud?
this is how i started.
had some old rusted weights (100kg) and a beat up bench from my uncle and started off doing basic compound movements at home - bench, shoulder press, rows, curls etc

after you build a foundation you'll gain more confidence and will look forward to going gym because you'll need more of a challenge - more weight, different movements etc.

even if you dont have weights at home, you can do an awesome circuit of bodyweight movements akin to Bruce Lee - 
close grip press ups to failure supersetted with dips to failure,
elevated press ups, shoulder press with your back upside against the wall (not easy this one!) slow negatives, lots of ways to stimulate the muscles.
with a good diet this is a great way of leaning out too as rest periods between sets is limited (for higher intensity).

as long as you're training the muscles to failure and offering a new stimulus you'll get results. after a while though you'll need more to challenge your muscles because they'll adapt.

give it a try bud, when you start seeing improvements in yourself you'll definitely gain the confidence to go gym. i know it can be daunting to go when you're relatively inexperienced and not happy with the way you look but i hope you get results with this or something like it and gain confidence.


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## Jago24 (Oct 4, 2014)

goku23 said:


> have you tried training at home bud?
> this is how i started.
> had some old rusted weights (100kg) and a beat up bench from my uncle and started off doing basic compound movements at home - bench, shoulder press, rows, curls etc
> 
> ...


Thank you for the advice. Unfortunately I do not own any weights as I live in a 1 bedroom apartment and don't have room for them. I will certainly look into those other exercises though. Definitely sounds like a game plan. Any advice on dieting? From what I've heard that's the problem people struggle with most. I don't eat too terribly but like a lot of people I can over eat when I'm down and feeling the blues. Not to mention I'm a single father and affording top of the line healthy foods is a little expensive, is it not?

Ps
If that's your picture (which I'm assuming it is) Great work, definitely an inspiration.


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## goku23 (Nov 22, 2014)

Jago24 said:


> Thank you for the advice. Unfortunately I do not own any weights as I live in a 1 bedroom apartment and don't have room for them. I will certainly look into those other exercises though. Definitely sounds like a game plan. Any advice on dieting? From what I've heard that's the problem people struggle with most. I don't eat too terribly but like a lot of people I can over eat when I'm down and feeling the blues. Not to mention I'm a single father and affording top of the line healthy foods is a little expensive, is it not?
> 
> Ps
> If that's your picture (which I'm assuming it is) Great work, definitely an inspiration.


yea diet is where a lot of people can become unstuck but its fairly straight forward and there a few little tricks to help with cravings!

in the position youre in you can simultaneously lose fat and gain muscle because this is a new stimulus to your body and it will be forced to compensate by growing muscle providing protein is high enough (even in a calorie deficit) and the following metabolic increase will see fat loss also.

depends on your goals of course but for the above you want to ideally keep your calories around maintenance or even just below (15kcal per lb of bodyweight for someone who trains with moderate intensity at least 3 times a week)
but tbh im not a believer in counting calories because everyday is different and everybody is too.

just try and make sure that 50-60% of your food intake is from protein - lean meats, fish, egg whites etc
30% from quality carbs - oats, rice etc
and the rest from healthy fats - eggs, fat from fish, nuts

again its hard to say because i dont know your weight or stats, but for instance if you weight 200lbs this is can be used as an example:

meal 1 - 80g oats (or 6 tablespoons) with skimmed milk, tablespoon peanut butter and 6 egg whites
(can add things like cinnamon, splenda/stevia and raw cocoa powder for taste, turns out pretty awesome!)

meal 2 - 1 tin of tuna with 1 medium sweet potato and vegetables (can add light mayo, seasoning etc for taste)

meal 3 (post workout meal) - 200g chicken breast with 100g rice, or in a sandwich with wholemeal bread

meal 4 - 200g cottage cheese or whey/casein protein drink with peanut butter

thats just a very rough example buddy, but the basic guidelines can hopefully be of help.
tins of tuna aren't expensive and a really easy/effective way to get protein in.

a trick to help with sweet cravings, i get a a good tasting protein powder (you'd be surprised how good some taste! lol)
and i mix it with greek yogurt into a thick paste with cinnamon and crushed peanuts, stick it in the freezer for 30-45 mins and its a protein ice cream!


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## goku23 (Nov 22, 2014)

Jago24 said:


> Thank you for the advice. Unfortunately I do not own any weights as I live in a 1 bedroom apartment and don't have room for them. I will certainly look into those other exercises though. Definitely sounds like a game plan. Any advice on dieting? From what I've heard that's the problem people struggle with most. I don't eat too terribly but like a lot of people I can over eat when I'm down and feeling the blues. Not to mention I'm a single father and affording top of the line healthy foods is a little expensive, is it not?
> 
> Ps
> If that's your picture (which I'm assuming it is) Great work, definitely an inspiration.


also thanks for the compliment, I really appreciate it.


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## Jago24 (Oct 4, 2014)

A lot of knowledge to take in haha, but this has been extremely helpful. I will be sure to take your advice.I have already looked into the exercises you mentioned earlier and they're definitely doable. I now have my stepping stone and now it's up to me to push myself just a little to stay on the right track. I'll be sure to hit you up if I have any other questions.Thanks man.


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## goku23 (Nov 22, 2014)

no worries bro, just remember to train until complete muscular failure and keep increasing intensity/volume regularly to keep muscles from stagnating.
lots you can do at home, look up some vids online for street workouts etc
elevated press ups supersetted with chair dips is an awesome start, with a circuit for abs of leg raises supeprsetted with crunches.

after a while you'll get stronger and can do variations of dips with legs off the ground and start doing shoulder presses with back against the wall, hanging leg raises and higher elevation for press ups.
for abs volume is the key though!
the more time under tension your muscles are under, the more damage they'll have to repair and the more they'll compensate by growing! (with protein and aminos abundant of course!)

best of luck.


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## Kevin001 (Jan 2, 2015)

Yes they definitely motivate me. Shows me if I put in the work I can also make changes.


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## ScorchedEarth (Jul 12, 2014)

No. In general, putting the end result in front of me is a demotivator. It's like a spoiler. It's better to watch it progress and not focus so much on the goal.

Since I'm here, I might as well ask: What injuries should I watch out for? I absolutely cannot afford an injury right now. Do these normally heal over time or require an expert?


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## Bubblemonkey (Feb 11, 2016)

Eh, I prefer pictures of real people, with all their glorious flaws (flaws are how I tell people apart - I love them!) ^_^

I don't understand the desire for everyone to look the same. It's never going to happen, so why beat yourself up about it? (yes yes, I know, social stigma/social norms/not attractive to opposite sex; I get that, I just don't... 'get' that..)

This isn't to say I don't think people should try to be healthy, but you can be overweight/built not to the social "ideal", and still be healthy - the two are not mutually exclusive.

Having a good diet of mostly plant matter and regular activity, even if it's just going up and down your stairs more often than you need to, means you can be healthy, even if you never can loose the weight. (which is the case for many people, since your -mother's- diet while she was pregnant influences how your body retains fat as much as, if not more than, your own. citation - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/jphysiol.2008.153817/full )

Healthy is sooo much more attractive than "fit", IMHO. Real people are beautiful.


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## KILOBRAVO (Sep 17, 2011)

generally I don't look.... because I'll then start comparing my legs to his.... or the width of his abs.... blah blah

are my legs the same width? hmm.. I don't know. I BET mine are thinner than his... #%#%&

hmm.. is my abdomen as wide as his?... hmm... not sure... I BET mines is thinner.. %#%&#%

hmm maybe I am the same as him.. his legs etc look SIMILAR to mine. his ankles can't b any bigger surely...?... after all... he's suppose to be ideal. 

hmm now I'm.confused. . if only he was here for me to.ask him .. then I could compare.. f I measure up to him... then that's what I MUST look.like to other people if that's what h looks like.to me.... but I can't.. %%£@%#%

so no... 

I have the idea in my head. take tons of photo f pics... then go. hmm.... actually I look bigger in the pics than I look in the mirror.. 

hmm... why does the mirror lie to me? . oh. maybe the photos lie? 

hmm now I'm confused £%%&#&

no no... the don't motivate me... they don't depress me... they... confuse me


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## firestar (Jun 27, 2009)

I prefer my own before pictures for motivation because, yeah, I'm not going to look like a model either. If I wanted to look like some fitness goddess than I'd have to put a lot of effort into strictly dieting, hitting the gym for hours every day, etc. 

Not being overweight again, on the other hand, just means keeping one eye on the scale and the other on my fork. A lot less difficult.


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## Maverick34 (Feb 18, 2013)

I use to look at FLEX & other bodybuilding magazines to form in my mind the proportions I wished to attain... some call it the 3rd eye or visualization. It helped


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

nope


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## Pernny (Nov 17, 2015)

Yes, because the best bodies are visible proof of dedication and hard work. It's motivating. I think of how fitness models and athletes gave up their favorite fattening foods to get shredded. I think of the hours they spend in the gym, trying to improve each time. 

When you think of how far ahead some people are in fitness, the pics can be depressing. However, when you change your mentality they are also proof of what can be done. And no, not every well-sculpted fitness guru is on steroids.


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## thinkstoomuch101 (Jun 7, 2012)

i'm inspired by 

Hugh Jackman

Tom Cruise

Vin Diesel

Chris Hemsworth

All of the Hemsworth Brothers

Robert Downey Jr. etc.

Pretty much anyone that at anytime you can turn on the T.V., and there they are. I get a few seconds of watching them - and off i go to the gym if it's in the daytime. And my night training ..

All a person has to do is hit the remote? And all of the inspiration one will ever need is right there. Right there at your fingertips.


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## andretti (Jan 2, 2016)

nah . pictures of how fat i used to be are my main source of motivation.


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## catcharay (Sep 15, 2011)

Personally it doesn't inspire me too much but my sister thrives on it - after a 10km run she'll just peruse instagram fitspo pics for a good amount of time after her workout.


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## Kovu (Jun 18, 2013)

Yes.


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## DerrickOdea (Aug 17, 2015)

Yes, sometimes.


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## Omgblood (Jun 30, 2010)

No because they're either on gear, been photoshopped or they cut for the photoshoot and and only look like that for a couple weeks of the year


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## monotonous (Feb 1, 2013)

when i was young yes, chicks my age want genetic hot, rich and status, i have none so idc


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## shygymlover (Apr 22, 2015)

they can be very misleading to people that dont understand about gym life they think you in that shape all the time but in fact it impossible to do.i do have huge respect for them doe takes alot of hard work to get to the shape they in


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## gisellemarx (Feb 1, 2010)

I think it's motivating for people who already work out and eat healthy regularly. Like, they see a picture and think, wow, I just need to put a _little bit_ more effort in and I can look like that. They usually have a genetic predisposition to look like that anyway.

I've always just gotten jealous and annoyed, as somebody who occasionally goes to the gym and doesn't do the "clean eating" thing very much. They're essentially just bragging about their bodies and the fact that they have the resources to work out and eat healthy (it's expensive). They also seem to have this arrogant attitude toward other average or overweight people, like they're not good enough or lazy or something. I actually worked with a nutritionist/personal trainer for this past year, and his hatred for fat people is _astounding_, as well as people who suffer from anxiety, depression, addiction, you name it.

Oh, yeah, and he has literally no problem with men who lift and brag about it, but women who lift? He'll tear them down in an instant for looking too "manly" or being proud of themselves in any way.

I just wanna be left alone, eat some damn pizza or a burrito when I feel like it, do my 15 mins of cardio a few times a week and maybe do some ab workouts if I'm feeling it, ok?


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## indielife (Jun 17, 2015)

The body transformations of regular people motivates me a lot more than seeing someone heavily photoshopped in perfect lightning on a magazine cover. 

However, when I was 15-17 years old and worked out a lot at the gym, bodybuilders like Kevin Levrone used to be my motivation. I knew they were juiced up and there was no way that I was ever going to get that big, but it was still motivational to see how far some people could push their physique.


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