Unrealistic expectations have proven to be a major obstacle for many who pursue muscle building or fat loss, as bodybuilding far too often becomes a pursuit of becoming someone else, as opposed to working towards the genetic potential that each of us has been born with. We may frequently see individuals on TV, in magazines, or on the Internet who have the bodybuilding physique we aspire towards, so we somehow feel that by weight lifting and dieting a certain way, we can develop an identical body, when in fact our physical makeup is specific to each of us, meaning that results others can produce do not in any way dictate that we are capable of the same, or conversely, we may even be able to exceed the bodybuilding results of those we admire. Yet, there is no way of knowing our personal potential without embracing an effective diet and weight lifting workout routine to determine how our muscles respond.

The major downside of basing our own muscle building satisfaction upon achieving the body of another is that, although we may produce muscle building or fat loss progress that impress nearly everybody that we meet, in our own mind, we sustain a sense of inferiority, since our own personal standard is not based upon how much we've achieved, but rather whether we're moving closer to the person we choose to emulate, and therefore, regardless of how impressive our progress appears to others, we continually seek for the unrealistic dream, and eventually either abandon bodybuilding altogether, or decide to experiment with dangerous drugs or weight training supplements instead of modifying our expectations to match our own individual potential.

Genetics offer us a barrier which we all must obey, no different from one who wishes to become a basketball player but lacks sufficient height. Yet, in bodybuilding, very few achieve their individual genetic potential not necessarily due to insufficient effort, but rather as a result of eating and weight lifting errors which plague muscle building or fat reduction efforts. Certainly, when weight training and eating perfectly, genetics will then eventually limit future gains, and will also impact the overall speed of results, but most who feel genetics are interfering with any positive change actually are dieting and weight lifting without any sense of direction, which is the true culprit behind disappointing progress.

Unfortunately, far too many bodybuilders continue to follow poorly written diet and weight lifting routines, and find themselves frustrated due to a long term plateau despite disciplined effort. Making matters worse are the unrealistic desires created by the media, as seeing men and women on the front cover of popular physical fitness magazines tend to make even the most successful natural physical fitness enthusiast overflow with envy, but what is not revealed in the pictures that so many desire to emulate is that the vast majority of those who are featured in such publications are using drugs such as growth hormone or steroids, which are extremely dangerous, offering health risks such as heart failure, cancer, and internal organ enlargement, therefore are clearly not a legitimate option for those who have their priorities in order and wish to preserve health and well being far beyond any temporary muscle gain or fat loss goal. It's unfortunate that many young men and women are being encouraged by many pictures that are promoted as the definition of a desirable and healthy appearance, when in fact the techniques used to obtain such a temporary level of fat loss or muscle gain pose serious health risks to those involved, and regardless of these realities, become a very powerful temptation for those who try to emulate the individuals they deem to be accepted and admired by society.

Muscle gain or weight loss results are as unique as our finger prints, and we should never try to emulate another in our pursuit of any muscle building or fat loss goal, rather forging our own individual road by maximizing the individual muscle gain or fat loss potential each of us has, and doing so through an effective weight training plan and bodybuilding diet. When we begin to view bodybuilding as an experiment in individual achievement, we then begin to finally relish in the improvements we make, as opposed to feeling unfulfilled due to focusing on the achievements of another. Without the chance of experiencing satisfaction with our own transformation, bodybuilding becomes a never ending pursuit of the unattainable, and can morph from an entertaining pursuit into a stressful, redundant hobby.