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johnnyt3000
Guest
Is it sinful to want to workout to get bigger/muscular? I would not “show off” to anybody, at most I would just check my progress by looking at myself in the mirror.
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4love2God
Guest
johnnyt3000 asks : "Is it sinful to want to workout to get bigger/muscular? I would not “show off” to anybody, at most I would just check my progress by looking at myself in the mirror."
Whether or NOT you show off your newly acquired Muscle Tone to others … what aspect of increasing the size of your Muscles (do you think) could be construed as Vanity?
I just don’t see where you are going with this** :**
Are you asking if it is Vanity to TRY to increase your Muscle Tone?
Or, that actually increasing your Muscle Tone is Vanity?
Or, that looking into the Mirror to see your Muscle Tone is Vanity?
Well, actually, no matter which one you mean, VANITY is NOT something that you DO.
Vanity is a special way for you to FEEL inside of yourself, about something you have done (or, plan to do).
So, look within your Heart.
If you are FEELING Vain, then that is Vanity.
If you are NOT Feeling Vain, then it is NOT Vanity.
Whether or NOT you show off your newly acquired Muscle Tone to others … what aspect of increasing the size of your Muscles (do you think) could be construed as Vanity?
I just don’t see where you are going with this** :**
Are you asking if it is Vanity to TRY to increase your Muscle Tone?
Or, that actually increasing your Muscle Tone is Vanity?
Or, that looking into the Mirror to see your Muscle Tone is Vanity?
Well, actually, no matter which one you mean, VANITY is NOT something that you DO.
Vanity is a special way for you to FEEL inside of yourself, about something you have done (or, plan to do).
So, look within your Heart.
If you are FEELING Vain, then that is Vanity.
If you are NOT Feeling Vain, then it is NOT Vanity.
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johnnyt3000
Guest
I thought vanity had to do with being too worried about how you look?
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johnnyt3000
Guest
I’m confused on what you mean by “feeling” vanity, how do I know if what I “feel” is vanity?
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LittleRose
Guest
This.
Also, don’t put your appearance above your health. Exercise can be damaging if you don’t do it intelligently. Get (name removed by moderator)ut from a doctor and/or a qualified trainer and learn how to prevent injury.
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LittleRose
Guest
Are you preoccupied with your image/appearance, or do you simply want to take care of yourself, be satisfied that you present a respectable image of yourself, and then move on with life? The first is vanity. The other is not.
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4love2God
Guest
johnnyt3000 said : "I’m confused on what you mean by “feeling” vanity, how do I know if what I “feel” is vanity?"
Vanity is an Emotion.
Vanity is not something that you have done.
Vanity CAN be an Emotion about something you have done.
Vanity is NOT just a vague Concept … it is a way of Feeling about things.
So, if I look into the Mirror and say : "Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall, who is the Fairest one of ALL?" … this might be showing my feelings of Vanity.
While I don’t have a PERFECT definition of Vanity (and I don’t really want to have one), I think that Vanity (in usual conversation) is Obsessing about how you look, and seeing how you look as some kind of Contest with others.
Vanity is an Emotion.
Vanity is not something that you have done.
Vanity CAN be an Emotion about something you have done.
Vanity is NOT just a vague Concept … it is a way of Feeling about things.
So, if I look into the Mirror and say : "Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall, who is the Fairest one of ALL?" … this might be showing my feelings of Vanity.
While I don’t have a PERFECT definition of Vanity (and I don’t really want to have one), I think that Vanity (in usual conversation) is Obsessing about how you look, and seeing how you look as some kind of Contest with others.
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johnnyt3000
Guest
One way I see it is this, God gave us one body, I want to see how big I can get (naturally ofcourse), I want to see how strong I can get. I don’t want to waste what God gave me in a way, maybe not even focus too much on the muscle size/tone, but more on my strength, but at the same time, I know I’ll probably be concerned with how my muscles look.
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4love2God
Guest
The OP further explains things** : "One way I see it is this,
Are you trying to make your body BIG because you want to look better than other people?
If not, then what is the Reason you want to make your body BIGGER?
And, about increasing your Strength, what’s that all about?
If it’s about Feeling Stronger than others, that is different than wanting to do a personal thing so that you can Feel that you are increasing your Strength to better yourself before God.
HEY, if you weighed 350 Pounds, and you decided to lose some weight, this might be VANITY, or it might be wanting to improve yourself, as the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
There can ALWAYS be a Wrong Reason to do a certain thing.
If you have some Spirituality, then it is up to you to decide if the Reason you perform tasks is for a Good Reason … or, for a “Bad” Reason.
- God gave us one body,
- I want to see how big I can get [my body] (naturally, of course),
- I want to see how strong I can [my body to] get.
- I don’t want to waste what God gave me in a way, maybe not even focus too much on the muscle size/tone, but more on my strength,
- but at the same time, I know I’ll probably be concerned with how my muscles look."**
Are you trying to make your body BIG because you want to look better than other people?
If not, then what is the Reason you want to make your body BIGGER?
And, about increasing your Strength, what’s that all about?
If it’s about Feeling Stronger than others, that is different than wanting to do a personal thing so that you can Feel that you are increasing your Strength to better yourself before God.
HEY, if you weighed 350 Pounds, and you decided to lose some weight, this might be VANITY, or it might be wanting to improve yourself, as the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
There can ALWAYS be a Wrong Reason to do a certain thing.
If you have some Spirituality, then it is up to you to decide if the Reason you perform tasks is for a Good Reason … or, for a “Bad” Reason.
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Petaro
Guest
I see nothing wrong with trying naturally improve your physical form. I personally think that those over emphasized muscular apes wandering around the gyms in weight belts grunting over every lift to get the attention of the emotionally challenged women on the next treadmill deserve each other.
However there is nothing wrong with wanting to get stronger and more reasonably muscular. I was just such an example of the bronzed Anzac, but I found the wife expected me to take more garbage out; mow the lawn; build a whole fence! The list went on.
That was when I had that unfortunate accident the doctors have never been able to quite come to grips with. Could still golf; get out on the boat for fishing, but I was exhausted after even a tiny pull on those mower starting ropes. They have made them much harder over the years. And bending down to pull weeds sent me into a spasm for a week.
I have lost a lot of muscle tone, but find alcohol eases the pain substantially, and my depression is quite often lifted by a game of snooker with the mates.
Do build the muscles but beware the hidden traps to your overall happiness.
However there is nothing wrong with wanting to get stronger and more reasonably muscular. I was just such an example of the bronzed Anzac, but I found the wife expected me to take more garbage out; mow the lawn; build a whole fence! The list went on.
That was when I had that unfortunate accident the doctors have never been able to quite come to grips with. Could still golf; get out on the boat for fishing, but I was exhausted after even a tiny pull on those mower starting ropes. They have made them much harder over the years. And bending down to pull weeds sent me into a spasm for a week.
I have lost a lot of muscle tone, but find alcohol eases the pain substantially, and my depression is quite often lifted by a game of snooker with the mates.
Do build the muscles but beware the hidden traps to your overall happiness.
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Falco
Guest
Once you have built up your muscles, what are you going to do with them? If you are just going to admire them and do gym work to keep in trim, I would say that was vanity. If you are going to use this new improved body to achieve something in your life, such as taking on a job that needs that strength, or a sport that needs your new muscles, then it would not be vanity, it would be the means to an end.
I’d class building muscles just for the sake of body building to be in the same class as growing the longest, silkiest hair, or growing the longest fingernails. Why would you want to do it? But to build up your strength to take on a challenge in life that needs that strength, and that you could not do without it - more power to you.
I’d class building muscles just for the sake of body building to be in the same class as growing the longest, silkiest hair, or growing the longest fingernails. Why would you want to do it? But to build up your strength to take on a challenge in life that needs that strength, and that you could not do without it - more power to you.
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TK421
Guest
I started lifting weights this past year to get a strong physique.
I really didn’t think the strength aspect would be that useful, but surprisingly, it really is kind of nice having that enhanced strength for everyday tasks. I don’t work in manual labor or anything either.
Aside from that, everybody that knows anything about fitness knows that perhaps the biggest benefit is therapeutic and mental, not physical. Intense, semi-regular exercise cultivates discipline, routine, stress relief, and clarity. An office clerk that never pushes something heavier than a pen still experiences positive benefits from exercise. It’s a good habit to take up.
Like anything else, it can potentially be warped towards sinful ends, such as becoming airheaded or narcissistic, but not even prayer is an activity which is immune to being used in a sinful way.
Being pleased by results is not vanity. It would be objectively disordered for a person to work at something and not find satisfaction in achieving results. That is how life - and eternity - are meant to be experienced.
I really didn’t think the strength aspect would be that useful, but surprisingly, it really is kind of nice having that enhanced strength for everyday tasks. I don’t work in manual labor or anything either.
Aside from that, everybody that knows anything about fitness knows that perhaps the biggest benefit is therapeutic and mental, not physical. Intense, semi-regular exercise cultivates discipline, routine, stress relief, and clarity. An office clerk that never pushes something heavier than a pen still experiences positive benefits from exercise. It’s a good habit to take up.
Like anything else, it can potentially be warped towards sinful ends, such as becoming airheaded or narcissistic, but not even prayer is an activity which is immune to being used in a sinful way.
Being pleased by results is not vanity. It would be objectively disordered for a person to work at something and not find satisfaction in achieving results. That is how life - and eternity - are meant to be experienced.
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johnnyt3000
Guest
I plan on joining the military, maybe a career in law enforcement after that, I’m not that tall, but I’d rather be short and stocky rather than short and skinny, I don’t want to be at a disadvantage if I’m ever in a dangerous situation. I do like your question though. I guess you can say I feel more secure with some more muscle/strength, so I could defend myself or other people.
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Loving_disciple
Guest
It is vainity but no the way you are using the word. It is close to be sinful if you do not thank God for the body and if you show it off for your own self fulfillment. However wanting a healthy body and wanting to look good are not sinful as long as you don’t become overly prideful
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Havard
Guest
Just don’t wear tank tops or those tight muscle shirts. They violate the sin of bad taste. 
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Kathrin
Guest
in any case don’t use steroids, that damages your health 
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