Heres the deal, I can go to the gym 5 days a week. I will lose tons of belly fat, kiss any flabby manboob byebye, get to the point I can see the veins in my biceps as I am doing curls, etc.



BUT, I never get "ripped", I never start looking like a 'broly type dude. And I have always been perfectly fine with that.



Why am I ok with busting my ass and not getting ripped? Because I am not getting fat. As long as I am working out, I am not gaining weight, or fat I should say.



As soon as I stop going to the gym, I immediately start gaining weight. Immediately go flabby.



Am I the only one who works out not to get ripped, but just to not get fat?

 

I try to exercise to maintain a healthy body, rather than shooting for gains or a particular body look. The offshoot is that I look better than sitting at home on my ass, but on the whole I'm not bothered.





Depends on why you start working out to begin with.

 

My guess is that it has 95% to do with proper nutrition. You shouldn't be gaining belly fat as soon as you stop going to the gym.



The body builders I know who are "ripped" stay on strict diets throughout the year, even when they aren't doing competitions. My definition of strict probably differs from theirs. They'll eat whatever they want, but they don't want fat. I won't see them eating a fried chicken sandwich or a double whopper. They fill up on carbs and stay away from fat... like less than 5-10g per day.



There are many many approaches to diet and nutrition, but that's much more important in the body sculpting area than how much weight you can lift.



In fitness or body building competition "season", they go on strict diets that balances their carb intake and focuses on shredding.

 

I go to the gym to help prevent getting more fat. I like to eat so going to the gym lets me do this and not look like a roly-poly won ton. But lately I feel like my eyeballs are getting more excercise than my body...