Chris Trottier on Nostr: After a year and a half of working out six days a week, and lifting heavy weights, do ...

After a year and a half of working out six days a week, and lifting heavy weights, do I look like a Marvel superhero?

Not at all.

The net effect is that I look **normal**.

As in, I look like a regular guy with a bit of a stomach.

On this fitness journey, one of my key learnings is that there's a drastic difference between *looking* strong and *being* strong.

I know guys with shredded physiques and they can't lift what I lift because their goal is aesthetics, not strength.

quoting note13pz…yfyt

A year and a half ago, I started going to the gym. Prior to that, I was suffering from obesity, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea.

Here’s the effect the gym has had on me:

1. When I walk, my heart rate is below 100 BPM
2. With strenuous activity It takes longer for my heart rate to increase to 124 BPM
3. My appetite has drastically increased but I haven’t lost weight
4. My legs, arms, and chest have all expanded
5. I now prefer wearing tank tops because my arms feel uncomfortable with sleeves
6. While I still have belly fat, it’s drastically lessened
7. I’m no longer tired at night
8. I can no longer sit still for long periods of time, and constantly feel the urge to take walks
9. Kneeling down or squatting used to hurt my knees but this has gone away
10. Back pain has gone away

Then there are the social effects. People now strike up conversations with me unprompted. I am treated with more respect. Women seem more comfortable around me.

By no means is this easy. Physical fitness demands maintaining good habits and discipline. In many ways, this has become my life.

When I started, I got discouraged because I didn’t *see* immediate results. However , I couldn’t deny that I felt better. And slowly, over time, my body has transformed itself.

If you’re wondering if a lifestyle change is worth it, it totally is.