Most depressing fitness article

I stumbled upon this article "The Secret Benefit of Being Lean" by Martin Berkhan, some of you probably know him from leangains.com and his articles on Intermittent Fasting. It's a really good blog for every bodybuilding nutrition related. However, this article is a little different and you wouldn't expect it from reading the title. But in it, he discusses how he felt when he finally achieved his ultimate fitness goals and was pretty much at his all-time "peak condition" .. Here's a few quotes:

"But the experience was disappointing in many ways. Is this it? It left me with a sense of a void inside myself. After all, I had invested a fair amount of energy in this over the years. Mental energy first and foremost. Having had to master thoughts of doubt. Spending time thinking about how to tackle social events without affecting progress negatively. At times having to exert restraint when cravings came."

"But that void needs to be filled with something. You will suddenly rediscover new interests and hobbies - I did. Don't fill the void with more training*. Fill it with reading, family, friends or whatever you like."

Now how depressing is this? I honestly don't feel like going to the gym after reading his article. Here's a person who's been through the entire journey of natural bodybuilding and at the end finds it simply lacking. The whole journey leads no where. You follow your desires with dedication, commitment and passion but in the end nothing is ever achieved.

It seems like a promise that never delivers.. Really Martin Berkhan, read a book and spend time with family? That's your answer???

What's YOUR answer?

I believe what he's trying to say is that you have to work from the outside in. I experienced something very similar. I had reached my goal weight and was elated for about a month. And then it was kind of like "now what"? I had worked so hard to get to that "number" that once I got there, there was no where else to go. I had nothing else to work toward. There is absolutely nothing motivational about working out to maintain. At least it didn't compare to the exhilaration of seeing those numbers on the scale shrink every single week.

I maintained my goal weight for several years and then just recently put some weight back on. This time around I'm working on loving myself so that I'm not defined by a number. I'm working out to feel better and for better health, not to see a number on a scale. Reaching weight goals or looking a certain way ends up just being a side effect of loving myself.

Maybe I read it wrong, but I related what he said to the way that some fitness junkies get so absorbed in diets, exercise, and the like that they forget to spend energy in things that aren't fitness-related. I hear about people ignoring their friends, families, and dropping hobbies when they obsess over this stuff. A common, and seemingly innocent example: I can't go out and eat with my friends because it'll ruin my diet! !!!!

I think it's completely understandable to stand back after accomplishing so much in personal fitness, only to realize with great sadness that you've sacrificed other important aspects of your life to get there.

There's more to life than working out.

Wow - the quote about not going out with friends to stay on plan hit home!! I am at my goal weight and am still afraid to go out and have one glass of wine and a salad!!! My eyes have been opened to realizing what I have been doing. I am going to try to go out, not over do, no binge when I get home or be depressed because everyone else is pigging out. I have a bunch of beautiful new clothes in closet that I don't use because we don't go out because of ME!!!

WOW - thanks.