I’m curious to hear how you guys handle body dysmorphia. Back in my 20s, it hit me pretty hard when I was sitting at 275 lbs and 10% body fat. Now, decades later, I’m in the best shape I’ve been in for as long as I can remember. I’m in the low 240s and pretty lean - not shredded yet, but that’s the plan for the next 6-9 months. I’m getting compliments from everyone lately, whether it’s friends or trainers at the gym, and I’m definitely not feeling depressed or anything like that.
The problem is that over the last few days, I’ve been looking in the mirror and getting hyper-focused on everything I haven't done yet. I’m just obsessing over all the improvements I still need to make and totally ignoring the progress I’ve already achieved. Honestly, I thought I’d grown out of this by now, but apparently not.
I’m not planning on doing anything reckless like doubling my gear or crashing my calories, but I’d love to know how those of you who’ve been in the game for a long time deal with this kind of mind game. How do you keep yourself grounded?
honestly man i feel this so much. you can have everyone in the gym telling you that you look like a beast but the second you get home and look in that bathroom mirror it’s like your brain flips a switch. i usually have to look at photos from a year ago just to remind myself where i actually started.
dude 240 and lean is a massive frame lol. you’re probably looking better than 99% of the planet but i get the obsession. i try to focus on performance goals when the aesthetics start messing with my head. if my lifts are going up i try to tell myself the body is following suit.
the mind games never really stop do they? even after decades in the game. i found that taking a "selfie break" for a week helps. like literally stop looking in the mirror for anything other than brushing your teeth. helps reset the brain a bit.
man i relate to "thought id grown out of this" - it’s frustrating when it creeps back up. just remember that the "perfect" version in your head is a moving target. once you hit your goal in 9 months you’ll probably find something else to fix. try to enjoy the 240 version of you for a minute!
sounds like you're just a victim of your own high standards. maybe try looking at yourself from a distance? i notice i only get hyper-focused when i'm standing 2 inches from the glass looking at skin texture or tiny details no one else sees.
huge stats btw... 275 at 10% is wild. honestly man just trust the process you've already laid out. you said you have a 6-9 month plan so just stick to the data. the mirror is a feeling, the logbook is a fact.
i think it happens to the best of us when we get close to a goal. you're starting to see the finish line so you're getting impatient. just keep grinding and don't let the "gym brain" win today man. you got this.
