Body image dysmorphia

[Bmwgirl11]

So I was told I have body image dysmorphia. I have a tendency to honest to god see myself a lot different than I guess what I'm told is "reality". I guess what actual pushed me to finally say, " well maybe I do" is being corrected quite a few times in the last couple of days about my bf%. No I'm not scared of being seen or anything that dramatic, but it does make me push myself too hard to where it becomes questionable. Ie, fasting cardio, diet, and working out. Any one else ver been through this? Can't say I can help seeing myself bigger than what I really am. I'm still a chunky monkey in my eyes sometimes

[GirlyGymRat]

So I was told I have body image dysmorphia. I have a tendency to honest to god see myself a lot different than I guess what I'm told is "reality". I guess what actual pushed me to finally say, " well maybe I do" is being corrected quite a few times in the last couple of days about my bf%. No I'm not scared of being seen or anything that dramatic, but it does make me push myself too hard to where it becomes questionable. Ie, fasting cardio, diet, and working out. Any one else ver been through this? Can't say I can help seeing myself bigger than what I really am. I'm still a chunky monkey in my eyes sometimes

Happened to me. Took me awhile to see myself differently and took someone else to help me to see the new me. I think it is common after you have gone thru a transformation. You will adjust over time. No worries...

[DOSA]

i struggle with this daily. i always think im small, tiny yet im 250 lbs..
no matter what, i never like the way i look.

i have never adjusted....

[Lunk1]

It changes for me from one day to the next! I can look in the mirror and be impressed with my work and the following day hate myself for this flaw or that! I think it comes down to how we are feeling about ourselves at that particular moment!

[twitz]

I 100% have it. Depending on my training/dieting etc... if I mess up for a few days it gets worse. Always striving for a new goal, and never feeling satisfied with where I'm at.

I also find the more I do, the harder I train etc. the more I focus on things/ bodyparts I don't like.

I think a lot of people have it in the fitness world. Maybe not everyone feels 'chunky monkey', but they have days they feel skinny, flat, bloated etc..

You are FAR FAR from a Chunky Monkey. Look at the people around you, everyday people, you are far above and beyond!

[S&S_ShovelHead]

I think the majority of the poeple here deal with it on some level.

[Bmwgirl11]

Yep, all of the above sounds about right. One day i feel great cause I fit in old clothes or I see my definition progressing, then I look and still think I'm 30% bf lol. Well thanks guys and lovely GGR. Do feel a better about it.

[Bmwgirl11]

Twitz and s&s thank you. I feel better knowing I'm not losing my mind (any more than I have). Lol glad I asked. Kinda good knowing most of us here go trough this
THANKS EVERYONE

[austinite]

I think everyone on this forum has that

Except me. I'm perfect.

[Bmwgirl11]

I think everyone on this forum has that

Except me. I'm perfect.

Lol a perfectly good smartass lol. Good in my book

[twitz]

Twitz and s&s thank you. I feel better knowing I'm not losing my mind (any more than I have). Lol glad I asked. Kinda good knowing most of us here go trough this
THANKS EVERYONE

I also think certain things trigger it.... like you schedule your day a certain way, am cardio, eat this, train now, eat that etc... when we mess up and miss a workout, cheat on our diet etc. it sets something off that makes you feel like you're not doing things right... then you start (at least for me) picking out the things that you aren't happy with (extra BF, lagging body part, too small, etc)

One thing to think about too - most of the pictures you see of fitness models or whoever you admire have trained heavy for a long time, and spent months dieting down to look the way they do in that comp or photo shoot. I'm sure they even have their off days

[Capebuffalo]

Honestly we wouldn't do what we do if we did not all have it. I don't think I will ever get to where I want to be. But damn what would I do if I did?

[austinite]

Lol a perfectly good smartass lol. Good in my book

busted!

[Bmwgirl11]

I also think certain things trigger it.... like you schedule your day a certain way, am cardio, eat this, train now, eat that etc... when we mess up and miss a workout, cheat on our diet etc. it sets something off that makes you feel like you're not doing things right... then you start (at least for me) picking out the things that you aren't happy with (extra BF, lagging body part, too small, etc)

One thing to think about too - most of the pictures you see of fitness models or whoever you admire have trained heavy for a long time, and spent months dieting down to look the way they do in that comp or photo shoot. I'm sure they even have their off days

This is true. Much worse when I miss a meal or my training gets interrupted

[Bmwgirl11]

Honestly we wouldn't do what we do if we did not all have it. I don't think I will ever get to where I want to be. But damn what would I do if I did?

Cape, now that you mention it... Lmao what the hell would we do? Hahah we'd have so much more time and money in our hands.... Might end up just dying of boredom

[Bmwgirl11]

busted!

????

[Bmwgirl11]

????

That was supposed to be an emoticon damnit. Messed all my damn winking and smiling up

[austinite]

????

Im a perfectly good smart ass, you busted me

[bikeral]

We are all thinking at a level that the average person does not. For males here 17-18% BF is really FAT. For the average person that is pretty dam good shape. I find myself saying I am fat to people in public and they look at me like I am out of my mind.

I'm sure the same goes for women.

[Rwy]

The crazy part about this for me is the better shape I get the more I look at myself in the mirror where as if I am totally out of shape I am not concerned

[jasc]

Body dismorphia? nah.. mirrors just have a long memory.

I'm up almost 30lbs from where I was 2 years ago and much stronger yet I still see the same skinny guy in the mirror. People who haven't seen me in some time always make comments about my size, but I can't see it.

The strange part is, I see some guys at the gym and think damn, that guy's built. Then when I'm beside them I'm bigger and often lift more, yet I still see the small guy in the mirror.

[Perseverance1]

My friend recently sent me this link that talks about this common condition bodybuilders suffer from.

http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/derek43.htm


It should help to shed some light on the subject.

[Capebuffalo]

Body dismorphia? nah.. mirrors just have a long memory.

I'm up almost 30lbs from where I was 2 years ago and much stronger yet I still see the same skinny guy in the mirror. People who haven't seen me in some time always make comments about my size, but I can't see it.

The strange part is, I see some guys at the gym and think damn, that guy's built. Then when I'm beside them I'm bigger and often lift more, yet I still see the small guy in the mirror.

Bingo all ways smaller in the mirror.

[Perseverance1]

Bingo all ways smaller in the mirror.

Man y'all just need bigger egos! I can be both fat and scrawny and look in the mirror to see the 2005 Ronnie Coleman staring back at me hahaha.

A gross exaggeration obviously but there is still a little truth to it.

[milky01623]

I look in the mirror close my eyes open them and i still see this

Attachment 135648

But I constantly remind myself I don't look like that anymore hahaha

[Sgt. Hartman]

Yea I'd say the majority of people here have it to some extent myself included. Well except austinite, for him it's not dysmorphia it's reality.

I don't think it's necessarily a terrible problem though unless you become overwhelmed by it and really lose sight of reality. I know for me that's at least part of where my ambition and drive for improving my body come from.

[AZGOLDSMEMBER86]

Ya i always think im fat when im really not , also not as big as i think too .
Sometimes i refuse to listen when people or friends are like there"damm your arms are huge or your lats are like wings lol"

[austinite]

Yea I'd say the majority of people here have it to some extent myself included. Well except austinite, for him it's not dysmorphia it's reality.

I don't think it's necessarily a terrible problem though unless you become overwhelmed by it and really lose sight of reality. I know for me that's at least part of where my ambition and drive for improving my body come from.

[diesel101]

It changes for me from one day to the next! I can look in the mirror and be impressed with my work and the following day hate myself for this flaw or that! I think it comes down to how we are feeling about ourselves at that particular moment!

I'm exactly the same way,it can change from morning to noon some days!

[evander87]

I'm happy with my body but not satisfied. There is always going to be something I can improve but I'm super happy with what I've done so far.

[RipOwens]

It changes for me from one day to the next! I can look in the mirror and be impressed with my work and the following day hate myself for this flaw or that! I think it comes down to how we are feeling about ourselves at that particular moment!

Oh yeah I got the same thing, and spot on with Lunk here.....^^^

[Knockout_Power]

Most important thing to understand is that it applies to almost everyone. What needs to be accepted is that sometimes things CANT be exactly what you want as you are given certain genetics and cant fight that (height, bone structure etc.)

Those who take it too far need help like any other addiction, but for the most part, I think it actually helps us stay a bit healthier... except in my case where I think its acceptable to binge for 30 days just to see how it can mess me up before picture time =)

[Bmwgirl11]

I'm happy with my body but not satisfied. There is always going to be something I can improve but I'm super happy with what I've done so far.

See this is me. I know I've made progress. I know my body looks way better than it did last August. But then I see fat and I'm like ugh!!! Fatty McLumpkin. But fortunately it doesn't make me hide or get depressed. It makes me get my as up and do two sessions of cardio daily and tweek my diet and exercise. I swear I love you guys (and of course gals). I feel I'm in a world I out own

[Flagg]

It's always catch 22.

If I start wanting to put on mass, I think I start to get pudgy, and if I cut up, I then think im losing size.

[Knockout_Power]

It's always catch 22.

If I start wanting to put on mass, I think I start to get pudgy, and if I cut up, I then think im losing size.

oh shit, this was me 3 years ago... 4 weeks into either program and I stopped cause the results made me question if I was going in the right direction

[--->>405<<---]

i get that too. good days and bad days. i remember when i just started out my buddy BIB telling me he still had fat days and i can honestly say at 9%bf i still have fat days! LOL who woulda thought!

[DNoMac]

First, I'd like to acknowledge that Sgt. Hartman's avatar is fvcking ridiculous. Now, back to the topic. An interesting thing I have observed over the years is not so much body dysmorphia, but a changing perception of what is "big." I remember when I first saw American History X, I thought Edward Norton was massive (mind you I was in middle school). I remember seeing it again years later, and I almost laughed at how small he appeared under this "new" perspective. I think it is a slowly evolving perception that changes as your body slowly changes. Sometimes I wish I could see myself through the eyes of others, or maybe through the eyes of myself when I was in middle school. Then maybe I would finally be satisfied!

[Times Roman]

I think we all are a little critical of our appearance. I still see problem areas that really aren't there, or minimally so now. I usually compare myself to the biggest guy in the gym, and that's probably not right either.

but i'm getting better.

the good news is it helps keep me motivated!

[--->>405<<---]

First, I'd like to acknowledge that Sgt. Hartman's avatar is fvcking ridiculous. Now, back to the topic. An interesting thing I have observed over the years is not so much body dysmorphia, but a changing perception of what is "big." I remember when I first saw American History X, I thought Edward Norton was massive (mind you I was in middle school). I remember seeing it again years later, and I almost laughed at how small he appeared under this "new" perspective. I think it is a slowly evolving perception that changes as your body slowly changes. Sometimes I wish I could see myself through the eyes of others, or maybe through the eyes of myself when I was in middle school. Then maybe I would finally be satisfied!

funny u mention this about ed norton amer his x as i remember thinking he was big when i watched the movie for the first time, and then watched it this year and remember thinking: " i thought he was big what happened?? hes not that big.."

its the same thing when looking at different "fitness models" pics like on the box of my pull up bar i bought for the house.. i look better than this guy! LOL.. never would have thought id be able to say that.

[Bmwgirl11]

Lol I remember looking at the Vicky secret models like man, I want a body like that. Now I tell myself that I love the fact I have curves and thank God I'm not that skinny and I have some muscle lol