The reasons why I start:
Like everyone else I think you have to have some vanity for wanting to do this. But beyond vanity was FEAR because I finally realiazed that my career was going to lead me into a desk job for 8 plus hours a day for the rest of my life. That means over 2000 hours sitting down at work. NO movement no anything. I realized that I couldn’t have that. Even though I was underweight it was still no life and that it would sooner or later catch up to me. I found that getting shape would prevent many of those things you hear on the news. I don’t want to be a diabetic. I don’t want to slow and over weight. I don’t want to loose my breath just walking up a flight of stairs. I don’t want to watch sports on TV and not be able to participate and perform to my fullest ability. FEAR of being weak. Fear that the best part of my life has past me and it was just memories recounted among friends. I don’t want to me like many old people who are forced into retirement homes. I saw my neighbor (my god father, who I loved deeply) forced to go to a retirement home. I visited him but it was hard. The minute I stepped into that building you could feel death in the air. Just then I realized that I would never want to be in that situation. I would rather accept death by my own hand before ever come to a place like that. I think deep down its FEAR that drives me most and of course Vanity.
Really good question. For me I think the reason I started and the reason I continue are not the same thing. I started because well I was slightly encouraged and then also I noticed at the beginning of the college, the first time I wasn’t on a team, my back was starting to bother me. So I started hitting the weights and it became much better. Then I was embarassed on the bench by my friend’s cocky older brother. I was determined to become stronger than him. Then a funny thing happened, I LOVED the feeling afterwards. I noticed all these amazing benefits from lifting. It was like I felt like a million bucks every day I lifted and then even on days off. I was hooked.
Now… undoubtedly being in class or walking down the street or talking to anyone I like having what people consider the ‘hottest body.’ I love being in that position of power and dominance and the incredible energy that I have that goes along with it. I loved that Atomic Dog a couple of months ago on audacity. I think that captures a lot of it.
If you don’t have your health you don’t have anything. I commited myself to physical fitness when no prescription med or Doc could help me relieve my depression. My depression stems from my deep inner anger. So when all else failed I had a moment of clarity. I remembered when I was a kid not being so angry all the time and most of those memories were associated with athletic events. Now I let my anger go through movement. When I pump iron or haul ass sprinting I’m free… and so it just makes sense. Some people find the commitment hard and stressful… I find it easy and relaxing. Movement, is bliss.
I can do it alone. I’m not much of a team sports kind of guy, but I love being in shape and strong enough to throw a lot of people out the window.
I used to be 5’2 and 220 with at least 60% bodyfat. I was sick and unhealthy all the time.
For me it was in high school. Like most of us I started lifting to get better for football, but it became more than that. I was a very poor underprivileged and unhappy kid. Lifting gave me an escape. It gave me the chance to blow off some steam. I eventually got hooked in high school. Now, I don’t necessarily lift for health reasons, although it’s a big benefit, I more lift for the challenge and the sense of accomplishment that goes along with it. Since I don’t compete in sports anymore lifting gives me a chance to have that competitive fire still.
My dad passed away last year at the age of 60. He died for a variety of reasons, but the main reason was that he was out of shape and ate like crap. On my drive up to clean out his apartment, I vowed to myself that I would never get in that bad of shape and leave my daughter without a dad.
For me it wasn’t one single event that motivated me to start weight training, it was a combination of a few things. First would be, the fact that I was always a chubby kid growing up. I was very active, athletic and naturally strong, but fat. Weight lifting came naturally as a teenager as I was just good at it. But in my late teens I got sick of being a fat kid. In addition to this, I did’nt want to end up like my father. He had been a great athlete, choosing professional football over pro hockey as a young man. However, injuries in combination with an unhealthy lifestyle made him pretty inactive by the time I was about 12. If and when I have kids, I want to be able to play street hockey, sand lot football, and go to the gym with them. At 35 yrs. of age, going to the gym is just a part of life for me. It has become habitual. I don’t think I could stop if I wanted to. I honestly believe that every significant accomplishment in my life is linked to my original decision to start working out and live a fit life. It’s the best thing I have ever done for myself and I will never quit. It’s just to big a part of my identity.
Because one day I decided Ageing and Death realy fucking piss me off
I mainly started because I was trying to clean up my life. I was real bad into drugs and stuff. I also wanted to look and feel better. To top it all of, I was a skinny bastard do to my drug usage and poor eating, and people always thought it was funny to mess with me, not that I was a push-over or a pussy, but because I was little and talked a big game. Now I am 30 pounds heavier and a lot stronger. I just want to improve myself and others and crush anyone that messes with me. And I want to win hardbody contests instead of these chumps!
Bad back, big butt and slowly creeping roll of fat around my midsection at 26 years of age, and inherited high blood pressure problems. I finally got bored of being slightly fat and having difficulties finding jeans that fit nicely. Dropped 30 pounds fat over 9 months, even got some pounds muscle, now trying to eat healthily and get rid of those last pounds to reveal my meltdown-built abs. Almost normalized my BP, mostly got rid of back pains.
Yeah, my father also passed off at age 61 due to sudden heart attack and eating crap for most of his life. Kinda gives you some encouragement to stay away from fat-laden shit most prepared meals are. I decided not to go that way if I can help it. And yes, not being forced to buy those overlarge t-shirts is a nice bonus. It gives a kick to see other guys my age slowly get that beer belly, while I am dropping fat 
I’ve been lifting very consistently since I was 15. In the beginning I think it was that I wanted to be a comic book hero (or at least look like one). I saw a picture of Arnold one day and that was it - I suddenly realized that it was possible.
Now, of course, I realize that my genetics aren’t going to let me be a Mr. O, but I still like being healthier, fitter and better looking than average. And let me tell you, the gap between those who take care of themselves and those who don’t only gets wider with age.
Like some others who have posted above, BB has been part of my life for so long now that I literally can’t imagine not working out. Job decisions have been made on the basis of gym schedules; girlfriends have been dumped because they tried to pry me away from the lifestyle. Let’s face it: once you get a taste of being a Porsche it’s hard to go back to being a Volkswagon.
I was the fat kid, reject, and social pariah in junior high and most of hhigh school. Towards the end of my high school career I dropped about 40+ lbs. and began to weight train a little. I began to feel good about myself and the people who once treated me disgustingly began to change their minds. SO I told them all to go to hell and as such I was thought of as a bitter and resentful person. Hey, anyone of the T-family think me bitter and/or resentful? Hehe. So I just kept pushing myself, learning and working hard throughout college, somehow aquiring the name “Protein Shake” among my friends. I was fortunate in that I found T-mag early in my training career and did not have to endure years upon years of BFL and HST as others have. The whole monkey transmogrification, well, that story could take hours…
“MBE: Ever think that he may run out of years to put in the ‘since …’ portion? Since always. JADABB founder, 2002.”
-Eric
For me it was a pathway to break into gay porn. I haven’t hit the milestone of actually getting a leading role yet and maybe catching a bunch of semen in the face, this is mostly due to my huge saggy (remaining) tits, excess skin folds, and the fact that Im still horribly out of shape following that damn subway diet. But trust me I’m working on becoming a gay porn t-man and will achieve my dream.
I think I started just out of vanity, I was getting a little(lot) soft. Coke and Hostess donuts aren’t breakfast food( I don’t think they’re even food.) Now its also about taking care of myself. I see myself at 33 now and feel that I’m in better shape than most teenagers. I don’t want to be a wreck when I’m 50. Oh yeah, vanity’s still pretty important.
It took a little while but finally I got disgusted at looking at my fat ass in the mirror. When your single, 330 pounds, and depressed something has got to give!