Talking about men’s health
PRESSURES pertaining to body image have long been an issue for women but men are now feeling the same weight to look good. However, it is coming at a cost to their health and wellbeing, with problems such as steroid abuse and eating disorders among the unfortunate outcomes.
Local gym manager Sam Wilson believes the issue has been coming to the fore in the past decade.
“I think a lot has changed in the past five to 10 years,” he said. “There’s been a shift. Societal pressure has long been a problem for women. But it’s become more and more apparent with men as well.”
“There’s been an increase in the last decade in men feeling they need to look a certain way.”
The brutal truth of the matter is that some men will do anything to achieve the body they want.
“It’s become a real issue,” Sam said.
“There’s a high rise in male eating disorders where guys are eating too much to try and bulk up or not eating enough to get shredded.
“Young guys are getting on steroids and the pressure is there from a really early age.”
Sam explained that there are different connotations for men than women in terms of appearance. “There’s an ingrained idea about how a female should look and that’s starting to emerge for men too.”
One of the age-old dilemmas is that people want to change their body image overnight. Instead, Sam said that it takes some time. In some cases, changing appearance in a dramatic fashion is just not possible because of genetic make-up.
“It’s just important to set expectations for people. One of the biggest problems with social media is that young people are expecting to materialise into something else, young guys especially are expecting to emerge with rippling muscles.
“A lot of people get disheartened when they can’t achieve that, so it’s really important to have that chat when they start their fitness journey about what they are looking to achieve – and to let them know that it’s going to take a long time and not everyone can look that way - from a genetic and structural perspective.”
Sam pointed out that lifestyle changes are not just a quick fix.
“You need to remind them that they are on a journey for the best body, mind and wellbeing for you.”
Whether it’s for appearance, fitness or health, Sam says that everyone has a reason to work out.
“No-one exercises just for the sake of exercising. So it’s really important to keep in mind and remember why they are doing it. For everyone training, there’s a lot more going than in just a physical sense. There’s an emotional mindset that people take into training as well. Maximising your potential in a physical sense makes you feel good emotionally too because the body and mind are aligned.” When asked what advice he would offer, Sam said it was all about getting into the swing of working out regularly.
“Remember that the first month is the hardest and forming a habit is difficult. It takes 23 days of repetition to actually build the habit. If you can get through the first month consistently and make it a habit, it will be much better.”
If you or someone you know has an eating disorder or body image problem, contact the National Eating Disorders Collaboration on 1800 33 4673 or visit nedc.com.au