Talking to the Boy in the Mirror In the pursuit for the perfect body, where do the young men of Mumbai stand?

Talking to the Boy in the Mirror

In the pursuit for the perfect body, where do the young men of Mumbai stand?

Picture Matthew McConaughey, Liam Hemsworth, Hrithik Roshan. What instantaneously comes to your mind? Washboard abs, broad shoulders, deep, impeccable pools of light-colour eyes. Media portrays the ‘perfect 10’ of both sexes, yet the world today seems to be obsessed with critiquing teenage girls’ impressionability. But what about the boys? After Hrs puts a pin on the passé question of size zeroes and tube tops, and understands the adolescent male psyche instead. A 1997 survey reported that 41 per cent of men aged 13-39 are by and large dissatisfied with their bodies. Sixteen-year-old Mihir Lamba does not beg to differ, and goes to the gym three times a week. “I get most of my exercise from playing football, but when I go to the gym, I spend most of my time weight-training,” he says. While it boosts self-esteem, ‘bulking up’ also attracts the opposite sex. “Most girls like to date the hotter, more toned guys who play sport and more physically active.” Psychiatrist Hemant Mittal believes Bollywood serves as an important denominator for fashion and appearance across all age-groups. “Boys either want to be Salman Khan beefy or Shah Rukh Khan lean.When asked about whether they suffer eating disorders, he says, “more than the commonly known and easily detectable ones a majority of teenage boys suffer from a certain kind of obsession on what they think is good for them. For instance, whey protein supplements and eggs are consumed in obsessive amounts, just because their gym trainers or friends told them it’s good for gaining muscle mass.” He also adds, “For parents to truly help their sons, they should be informed about the possible problems they could be facing. They should recognise that he has a mind of his own, and should be understanding towards any sort of generation gap that may have occurred.” Bollywood bomb John Abraham feels strongly about young boys hitting the gym to get the six-pack. “Often, they tend to focus only on one or two body parts, while ignoring the rest in their hurry to get into shape.” “They should actually be aiming for overall fitness. And instead of mindlessly aping actors on screen, they should find workouts that suit their body types. It’s good to exercise daily, but do it right and don’t make it a craze,” he advises.