STEROIDS
“Consume media, music, images purposefully-do it all with intention”
Open any social media app and you’ll be bombarded with images of people in peak physical fitness. Shredded abs, huge biceps, traps that start at the ears, engulf the neck, and extend all the way down to their bulbous deltoids. “If only I had the discipline and genetics to look that way. If only I could look like Chris Hemsworth in the movie ‘Thor.’ If only I could diet and train like they do.” These are some thoughts that have entered my mind and I’m sure I’m not alone here.
The many images of the male physique you see now are not just a consequence of strict dieting and exercise, they are a product of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). These images of the unattainable “swole,” but lean, male physique made popular by famous actors in Hollywood is indeed becoming more attainable by regular people. Unfortunately, this desired physique is becoming more attainable in the same way - by using PEDs. The intention behind this blog post is to give you the tools to identify some tell-tale signs of someone using PEDs and the consequences of PEDs. With this information, I hope you gain a more critical eye on the media you see and a less critical eye on yourself.
ARE THEY ON ‘ROIDS?!
You walk into your gym. You are happy, excited and motivated to crush this workout. You are going to get swole, you are going to lift so heavy your muscles will be bursting! You look around and see the same regulars you’ve grown accustom to seeing at your gym. Then BAM. One of the regulars is suddenly YOKED. You hadn’t seen them in maybe a week? How did this happen? You start thinking - “what is wrong with my body that my traps can’t get that big? What am I doing wrong?” You are now doubting your routine, your body, the progress you’ve made so far. You feel discouraged. You sit on the workout bench a little less happy than when you walked in, nevertheless, you persist with your workout. You open Instagram and BAM, you see an ad for form fitting workout shorts that a shirtless, ripped model is wearing. You need those shorts, you need their workout routine, you need that body.
Before you start doubting YOURSELF, I implore you to start doubting the images you’re seeing. A few tell-tale signs that someone is using PEDs such as human growth hormone (HGH) or anabolic steroids are as follows:
rapid muscle gain
A healthy amount of muscle gain for new lifters is 2-4 pounds per month and 1-2 pounds per month for those that have been lifting for a while. That is not a lot. Keep these numbers in mind when an actor or stranger on the internet claims expansive muscle gains in a short period of time.
bulbous upper body Vs. underdeveloped lower body
When you see someone with a very developed upper body, in general, and underdeveloped lower body, it may go beyond “skipping leg day.” Upper body muscles such as trapezius and deltoids have more androgen receptors than the lower body. Steroids bind to these receptors which illicit a response from these muscles to get larger. Hence, unnaturally large trap and shoulders and small legs.
acne
When taking steroids there is a “stimulation of sebaceous glands to produce more oil. The most common sites of acne development are on the face and back.” Obviously, not everyone with back and face acne is on PEDs but if there are other signs along with acne, it’s possible PEDs are the culprit.
breast tissue in men
Have you ever seen a very jacked man with pecs so large they could almost be female breasts? Well, when men take anabolic steroids they can develop gynecomastia which is a “a benign enlargement of the male breast resulting from an altered estrogen-androgen balance.”
SIDE EFFECTS
A list: elevated blood pressure, low sperm count, decreased heart function, mania, aggression, mood swings, depression, testicular atrophy, impotence, menstrual irregularities, masculinization (in females), male pattern baldness, increased risk of tendon tears, decreased testicular size, stroke, liver cancer, prostate cancer, and many more!
LIES
People lie - especially if fame, fortune, and Instagram follows are at stake. Unfortunately, the fact that many stars and athletes lie about their PED use makes the general public falsely believe that the body type they see on screen is attainable through diet and exercise. When diet and exercise doesn’t get them the unnaturally large traps and biceps they see in a Marvel movie, many will look for other solutions such as PEDs. Additionally, seeing a regular person at the gym who shows signs of PED use, only reinforces the idea that PEDs are common and a potential solution to obtain one’s ideal body.
If you are using PEDs, that is your choice but please do not perpetuate the idea that you obtained your body naturally with diet and exercise. This only sets unrealistic standards for those who want to obtain the same body type without the help of PEDs. If your blood can’t come out clean, your words can; come clean.
GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK
There is so much out there that is INTENDED to make you feel bad about yourself just so you can buy their crappy product. Give yourself a break from all that. Give yourself a break from consuming so much damaging media. Instead, focus on yourself, on your life, and on what you want to change.
If you are just beginning a workout regimen, good for you! Celebrate that. Starting something new took courage and follow through. You are on your way to improving your health and your life. Just remember, the intention. If the intention is purely cosmetic then you are in for a lot of let downs and negative feelings. If the intention is both cosmetic and to improve your overall health, then you are more likely to be find some joy in your workouts. So give yourself a break from the noise, and remember to consume media, music, images purposefully.
