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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think muscle building is a narcissistic waste of time...

25 replies

Jingleboom · 02/07/2017 21:10

... when they could be helping out at home / growing veg / volunteering etc

It gets my goat that they are so smug about going to the gym.. it's a waste of time! Get outdoors and make yourself useful!

OP posts:

RaspberryBeretHoopla · 02/07/2017 21:11

Surely it's not morally any better or worse than any other sport?

RaspberryBeretHoopla · 02/07/2017 21:12

Aren't you wasting your time on MN when you could be volunteering?

LondonBees · 02/07/2017 21:14

Yeah you get arseholes building muscle to look good for the ladies not to actually get stronger. Shallow bastards

PurpleDaisies · 02/07/2017 21:16

Who is "they"?

Keeping fit means you're less likely to cost the NHS money in the future

Vanillaisboring666 · 02/07/2017 21:16

Kinda know what u mean. My best mates dh is a bodybuilder and spends 6 hrs a day in gym . He never lifts a finger at home and she cooks him 6 protein meals per day. He does competitions but doesn't make much money and certainly not enough to look after a family with. She works ft and does house and kids all whilst he works out and eats chicken spinach and eggs all day. He stinks an all . Anyways it doesn't affect me and she seems happy so guess it's no one's business but theres .

allthecheese · 02/07/2017 21:17

YAB ridiculously U. Keeping healthy and building muscle is far far better than those who just sit around watching TV.

In fact my view is far more people should do it. From the age of 30 our muscle starts to deteriorate, to the point that when people get to 80, if they haven't actively done anything about it, this lack of muscle causes problems with the absolute basics - getting up out of chairs, getting off the toilet. Meaning those people will need more support. Adding additional pressure onto public funding, especially with our aging population.

Original poster

Jingleboom · 02/07/2017 21:18

Yup.. am wasting time too!

I volunteer on summer saturdays, but am prone to sofa-ing on a sunday eve

I guess I'm just fed up of them assuming moral high ground and using the word 'protein' at every possible opportunity

OP posts:

StupidSlimyGit · 02/07/2017 21:18

They could also be drinking or committing crime, if they aren't harming anyone or causing trouble I can't bring myself to get upset about it. Besides many people turn to body building as a way to learn how to love themselves/be healthy when they have been through eating disorders or struggles with their weights. I'd much rather see a healthy active body builder smugly showing our youth what society says they should look like than a stick thin model or someone of my size (I'm working on it).
YABU, live and let live, they aren't hurting you (or anyone else) by trying to better themselves in that way.

BitchQueen90 · 02/07/2017 21:19

I'm female and I do weight training/muscle building at the gym. How is it a waste of time? Unless you're there for hours every day and neglecting your home life what's the issue?

It keeps me fit and healthy, makes me feel good and strong.

And I do volunteer work as well. Plus everything else at home cos I'm a single parent.

BaDumShh · 02/07/2017 21:20

God, people love to whinge about the most pathetic things don't they? I love lifting weights, it's the only form of exercise I enjoy and I'm fitter and healthier now than I have ever been in my life. Soz if that offends you

And I work full time, study part time and manage to do my share of the housework.

May I suggest a session at the gym to work off your anger issues...?

BitchQueen90 · 02/07/2017 21:21

Although, people posting constant "gym selfies" online... Now that does bug me.

Bubblesagain · 02/07/2017 21:24

Not a waste of time if they enjoy doing it though, it's not my cup of tea as I'm far too lazy! But don't have an issue with people who do it.

RJnomore1 · 02/07/2017 21:25

I volunteer a lot of my time and still manage to do bodybuilding. It's reducing my risk of osteoporosis when I'm older too so no I don't regard it as a waste of my time at all in fact I reckon you should all get down the gym and shift some weights.

RunRabbitRunRabbit · 02/07/2017 21:27

This thread is obviously about a specific person who has pissed you off. Who is it?

Jellybean85 · 02/07/2017 21:28

I like to work out at the gym and build muscle and strength. I would never randomly start mentioning protein to someone and I also volunteer and work full time and do a lot at home.

So why is someone keeping fit and healthy worse than you lounging on the sofa??

I'd argue sofa loungers are far worse, sedentary lifestyles are very harmful

OhOurBilly · 02/07/2017 21:35

Dh is a body builder. The gym is his downtime mumsnet is mine he works two jobs and looks after me after and ds. He also does the hoovering.

And I think he looks hot with the muscles. So in that basis YABU.

I would rather he grew muscle than veg.

EarlessToothlessVagabond · 02/07/2017 21:42

Who are you actually talking about OP? It would be better to be specific rather than making sweeping statements about a huge group of people.

brexitstolemyfuture · 02/07/2017 21:43

6 hours a day in a gym everyday working out is a lie. Your friend should look into that...

bbpp · 02/07/2017 21:46

Having a good amount of muscle is incredibly healthy and associated with a longer life span, less falls, stronger bones etc. Not when you're extremely heavy as that has it own strains, but people looking to be healthy should be keeping up a decent amount of muscle.

TheFifthKey · 02/07/2017 21:48

I'm not convinced about the "could be doing good instead" line of argument, but there is undoubtedly a subset of men who use exercise as a way of getting out of family life while feeling like its uncriticisable because it's virtuous.

BitchQueen90 · 02/07/2017 21:51

You can actually build a decent amount of muscle training 4/5 days a week between 1-2 hours. So unless you're a serious competitor then you don't really have to spend an unreasonable amount of time on it.

ghostyslovesheets · 02/07/2017 22:05

I am female - I am doing good buy exercising (not just weights but running and cardio) - I'll save the NHS a shed load of money given my family history of heart disease and high cholesterol - it kills us - it will kill me - but not early like my relatives and I am not yet on statins like other family members.

so meh

I do good in my job and I work hard to bring about equality and fairness in my spare time by campaigning locally for the Labour Party

so yabu

FreyaJade · 02/07/2017 22:16

I go to the gym & enjoy lifting weights as well as using the rower. My knees & back have really benefitted as they could be really painful before I started regular workouts. More muscle is useful in my job (I'm a health care assistant & it's hard physically). Also weight training burns calories for at least 12 hours after the gym - plus if you're losing weight like me it's important to tone up your body too.

SwissChristmasMuseum · 02/07/2017 22:22

Yes indeedy! Surely your muscles should correspond to what you need them for in your daily life - all this business must become a vicious circle. You can't stop because they'll break down but you can only keep them up artificially. Being more active on a day to day basis, doing worthwhile things, is probably better - carrying your shopping bags, etc. Your bod is meant to be useful!

SwissChristmasMuseum · 02/07/2017 22:23

Rather than virtuous, is it not self-indulgent?

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