You are here: ninemsn > Ralph > fitness and health
FITNESS and HEALTH
More about fitness: Topics: fitnessHealthGym goersTrainers

Gymorexia affecting more men

Monday, January 10, 2011
There has been an increase in men affected by gymorexia, according to a report by NBC News.

Gymorexia is a relatively new disorder that sees gymgoers pushing their work-out to the extreme. They sometimes train seven days a week, twice a day and don't take adequate rest periods.

Exercise dependency is brought on by the spread of the fitness culture and the increase on young blokes to be lean and muscular.

"I think I'm addicted, as I'm a slave to the scale," one diehard trainer told NBC News. "Every day I don't get to the gym I'm thinking of myself and the calories I haven't burned and therefore the calories I can't eat."

Sports psychologist Dr Joel Fish told NBC News, "When you work out, you produce endorphins and if your body is used to producing endorphins day after day and you miss a day, your body feels hungry and is missing something."

Dr Fish said if your time in the gym is affecting someone's work and personal relationships, it's a key signal the gymgoer has gone too far.

Steve Marinakis from Spartan Training Systems told RALPH overtraining prevents the body's ability to recover. Without adequate rest and recovery, training regimens can backfire and actually decrease performance.

"If you miss a day or two, it's not the end of the world," the strength and conditioning coach lifting coach said.
Saxon Cheng

Your say: Have you or someone you know ever been affected by gymorexia?

For further information, contact Steve Marinakis from Spartan Training Systems on 1300 044 799 or steve@spartantraining.com.au

Slideshows
Australia's hottest office babe winner
How to get over your ex

For local and world health news, go to

User comments
It's so true, I'm 21 and there's definitely a pressure in today's culture to be gym fit. We used to ask people "Do you go to the gym?", nowadays it's just "What gym do you go to?".
Sad isn it. Ralph Magzine also helped to create the false body image - the man boob image , The adonis complex. The inplant industry and others like Trainers Gyms nutrition supplements and the rest make money from those who suffer form vain fickle afflictions.
my husband spends 3hours in the gym everyday..hes lost abut 20 kilos in a matter of months..hes pushing himself too hard..but he cant see it and just keeps going..hes in denial ..he weighs 80 kgs now and looks amazing..but i cant get him to stop or cut back to 1 hour a day !!!
Ohhhhh poor babies!! suck up it women have dealt with these body issues for years!!! Oh & FYI these are the men we love!! bring on the muscles!!! No one wants a Fat man!! sorry... yes we can be as shallow as you welcome to 2011!!!
Been there, survived that....just! I became suicidal when forced to quit. I did a serious injury to my shoulder when I was 24 and spent two months just training legs. I was an addict, there is no other term for it. Minimum two hour training sessions, two per day, seven days a week. Going home and skippingrope for 45mins straight at lunch time. Shakes, sweats and irritability if I missed a session or cut one short. Taking a swing at some guy with an olympic bar 'cause he kept trying to talk to me while I was bench pressing. 7.30 AM Christmas morning, Aerobics class at a gym in Tamworth, I was there, with about 12 others. Even today, and I've been "clean" for 10 yrs, I start to shake going past a gym! And I never did "juice", but the thrill of the lift still has it's allure!
As has been mentioned the body needs time to recover or you can risk over-training which can hamper ones progress. When training with weights one day per week on each body part (ie. chest, back, legs etc) is more than enough.
This is ridiculous
I have been a regular 5-6 days a week gym goer for about 8 years. About 12 months ago, i stepped back to 3 days a week weights then the light cardio on the off days. Best thing i have ever done. i am fitter stronger and healthier then i have ever been, and my diet is probably worse then ever. Cant wait to see what i can do once i correct the diet.
Thats right its called WAN*ER SYNDROME. Otherwise know as being self centred, obnoxious, Wannabee, or my favourite *** Desease. These are the same people who critise fat people for lack of control or smokers for no will power. Hate to tell you this but you are no different to anybody else in society... Only difference is the gym is your vice. HAHAHAHA
Yep, unfortunately the harder you train, the harder it becomes to keep at that level.

advertisement



Also on Ninemsn
BITE MECook like a pro with RALPH's recipe of the week:
American style BBQ ribs

MORE RECIPES

Vote
Who's hotter, Jennifer Hawkins or Miranda Kerr?
Search
Search
NewsletterSign-up to the Ralph newsletter to get the latest Babe news