If comparison is the thief of joy, then what hope do competitive bodybuilders have for happiness? In a sport where you stand before a panel of strangers who numerically rate your nearly nude body in comparison to others, you’d think it’d be impossible. But is it? What happens to bodybuilders’ body image over time? Is it true that whether they place 3rd at the all-valley “championships” or 1st at worlds, they still feel small? If it’s not true, why not, to what degree, and in what circumstances? In this episode, we explore whether or not it’s true that the day you start lifting is the day you become forever small, and how this mindset can manifest, change, and differ between groups and individuals.

00:00 An update on the Iron Culture documentary and the frequency of episodes

04:50 Self-perception in the social media fitness space

Omar’s YouTube video will be linked here when it is published!

11:00 Mental and physiological distress in physique athletes

Helms 2019 Towards a Sustainable Nutrition Paradigm in Physique Sport: A Narrative Review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31315180/

19:29 The marketing of bodybuilders and the “desirable” physique

37:21 The motivation to become a bodybuilder and physique (dis)satisfaction 

Jankauskiene 2007 Muscle size satisfaction and predisposition for a health harmful practice in bodybuilders and recreational gymnasium users https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17485962/

1:00:55 The stressors and influence of the fitness industrial complex 

Iron Culture Ep. 28- The Problem With The Fitness Industry (with Chip Conrad) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2rtKZ3AnXM

1:17:25 Tethering your expectations to people who can provide you with constructive criticism

1:26:23 Closing out: the internet is terrible but listen to our podcast (on the internet)