Hello, steem fan,
Ever since I could remember, I always wanted to grow up and become a bodybuilder. I grew up relatively overweight but always active. I began my fitness regimen in high school, but it was sporadic. I never really got into the fitness world until 2013? It all came naturally to me - a clean diet coupled with great genetics. I did it for health at first, but it becomes an obsessive addiction that feeds your ego after a while. All I ever cared about was lifting.
During my lifting days:
It lead to modeling opportunities and the women swooned, but it became overwhelming after a while. I never enjoyed food, was always at the gym, always chasing women and it hit me one morning...it wasn't making me happy. If anything, it was just a mere coping mechanism for my insecurities and made my life more lonely as time flew. The modeling wasn't fun either. You were merely a piece of meat that was told how to live your life.
Now:
I woke up and gave it up, cold turkey. My stress from all the demands to stay in shape evaporated overnight. Live your life for yourself and rid yourself of an altruistic mindset - once you becomes secure with who you are and how you look, only then, will you begin to enjoy the fruits life has to offer. We get too busy trying to impress those around us, waste years, and realize we never did what benefited our lives. I've lost much muscle mass now, but I've gained perspective and most importantly, I feel happy and secure.