Nisha Pandey

Sylvester Stallone Opens Up About Bulimia Struggles & Steroid Use During ‘Rocky’: Why Is Extremely Low Body Fat Risky

Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone recently revealed that building the body to play Rocky Balboa in his Oscar-winning film Rocky came at a health cost.

The 80-year-old actor has revealed that his obsession with achieving an extremely lean, muscular physique while making the Rocky films became so intense that he developed <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/bulimia">bulimia</a> and used anabolic steroids. Speaking to The New York Times, Stallone said he reached 2.6% body fat while filming Rocky III and described his relationship with his body at the time as an “obsession.”

He also said he used steroids in cycles of roughly six weeks on and six weeks off, while revealing that the approach eventually took a “terrible toll” on his body. 

Stallone's admission admission offers a glimpse into the health risks that can come with the obsession of chasing an extremely muscular physique with very low body fat.

Stallone said, “It was my armor. I looked at Rocky: very smooth, very normal-looking guy. And then I said, I think the character would start to become a bit more vain. And then in ‘Rambo,’ you’re playing a warrior, so you’d be a little bit more animalistic. You wouldn’t be so smooth,” he said. “So I started to think: Design your body like a jaguar, a cat. Not big like Arnold, but more feral and aggressive and very limber and athletic.”

He added, “It got to the point where I became bulimic,” he said. “I got down to <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/fitness/six-warning-signs-your-gym-routine-is-doing-more-harm-than-good-article-156223002" data-type="tilCustomLink">2.6 percent body fat</a> when I was doing ‘Rocky III,’ and I couldn’t hold anything down. Or I didn’t want to keep it down because I became so obsessed with staying at that point of fitness, literally an obsessive body-worship kind of thing.”

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/parenting/after-lindsay-clancy-trial-massachusetts-pushes-stronger-postpartum-mental-health-screening-article-156165684" data-type="tilCustomLink">After Lindsay Clancy Trial, Massachusetts Pushes Stronger Postpartum Mental Health Screening</a>

<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/fitness/obesity-should-not-be-defined-solely-by-bmi-aiims-director-explains-fat-distribution-metabolic-health-article-156096383" data-type="tilCustomLink">Bulimia nervosa</a> is an eating disorder involving recurrent episodes of binge eating is followed by erratic actions intended to compensate for the food consumed. For example, after binge-eating, one may purge, meaning self-induced vomiting, fasting, excessive exercise or misuse of laxatives. The goal is not simply wanting to lose weight.

Repeated purging can lead to dehydration and dangerous imbalance of essential electrolytes, particularly involving potassium. These changes can interfere with the heart's electrical activity and, in severe cases, lead to life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms. 

Bulimia can also lead to acid reflux, gastrointestinal problems, chronic throat irritation, swollen salivary glands and erosion of tooth enamel.

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/british-nigerian-influencer-dies-after-penis-enlargement-procedure-in-thailand-what-are-the-risks-article-156097192" data-type="tilCustomLink">British-Nigerian Influencer Dies After Penis Enlargement Procedure In Thailand: What Are The Risks?</a>

<h2>Extremely Low Body Fat Is Risky </h2>

Stallone's said that he had reached a body-fat level of 2.6% which is an extraordinarily low number. However, a body-fat percentage alone cannot diagnose an eating disorder. It is ascertained by how someone got to that number and what happens to the body in the process. 

Severe restriction on eating habits and excessive exercise can leave the body deprived of adequate energy, electrolytes, and nutrients. 

Eating disorders can affect the heart, bones, muscles, reproductive system and other organs, and they can occur in people belonging to different weight groups. 

In Stallone's case, he said he was unable or unwilling to keep food down while remaining intensely focused on maintaining his physique.

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<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/web-stories/the-dangers-of-diet-culture-10-things-that-highlight-how-toxic-it-is/photostory/151036760.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Anabolic-androgenic steroids</a> are synthetic substances related to testosterone. They can increase muscle mass and strength, but using them without medical supervision can have adverse effects on different organs.

Misuse of these steroids can lead to high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, heart problems, liver disease and kidney damage. It can also affect fertility and reproductive hormones. Changes in mood, irritability and aggressive behaviour have also been seen. 

The cardiovascular effects are particularly alarming as long-term anabolic steroid misuse can lead to to changes in heart structure and function as well as increased cardiovascular risk. 

Stallone has previously spoken about the physical consequences of his decades-long approach to fitness, saying he has undergone nine back operations, two shoulder operations and three neck fusions. 

He has also said that playing a heavier, physically less imposing character in Cop Land helped him feel liberated from the pressure to maintain his action-star physique.

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Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone recently revealed that building the body to play Rocky Balboa in his Oscar-winning film Rocky came at a health cost. The 80-year-old actor has revealed that his obsession with achieving an extremely lean, muscular physique while making the Rocky films became so intense that he developed bulimia and used anabolic steroids. Speaking to The New York Times, Stallone said he reached 2.6% body fat while filming Rocky III and described his relationship with his body at the time as an “obsession.” He also said he used steroids in cycles of roughly six weeks on and six weeks off, while revealing that the approach eventually took a “terrible toll” on his body. Stallone's admission admission offers a glimpse into the health risks that can come with the obsession of chasing an extremely muscular physique with very low body fat.Stallone said, “It was my armor. I looked at Rocky: very smooth, very normal-looking guy. And then I said, I think the character would start to become a bit more vain. And then in ‘Rambo,’ you’re playing a warrior, so you’d be a little bit more animalistic. You wouldn’t be so smooth,” he said. “So I started to think: Design your body like a jaguar, a cat. Not big like Arnold, but more feral and aggressive and very limber and athletic.”He added, “It got to the point where I became bulimic,” he said. “I got down to 2.6 percent body fat when I was doing ‘Rocky III,’ and I couldn’t hold anything down. Or I didn’t want to keep it down because I became so obsessed with staying at that point of fitness, literally an obsessive body-worship kind of thing.”Also read: After Lindsay Clancy Trial, Massachusetts Pushes Stronger Postpartum Mental Health ScreeningWhat Is Bulimia?Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder involving recurrent episodes of binge eating is followed by erratic actions intended to compensate for the food consumed. For example, after binge-eating, one may purge, meaning self-induced vomiting, fasting, excessive exercise or misuse of laxatives. The goal is not simply wanting to lose weight. Repeated purging can lead to dehydration and dangerous imbalance of essential electrolytes, particularly involving potassium. These changes can interfere with the heart's electrical activity and, in severe cases, lead to life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms. Bulimia can also lead to acid reflux, gastrointestinal problems, chronic throat irritation, swollen salivary glands and erosion of tooth enamel.Also read: British-Nigerian Influencer Dies After Penis Enlargement Procedure In Thailand: What Are The Risks?Extremely Low Body Fat Is Risky Stallone's said that he had reached a body-fat level of 2.6% which is an extraordinarily low number. However, a body-fat percentage alone cannot diagnose an eating disorder. It is ascertained by how someone got to that number and what happens to the body in the process. Severe restriction on eating habits and excessive exercise can leave the body deprived of adequate energy, electrolytes, and nutrients. Eating disorders can affect the heart, bones, muscles, reproductive system and other organs, and they can occur in people belonging to different weight groups. In Stallone's case, he said he was unable or unwilling to keep food down while remaining intensely focused on maintaining his physique.               Risks Of Anabolic SteroidsAnabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic substances related to testosterone. They can increase muscle mass and strength, but using them without medical supervision can have adverse effects on different organs.Misuse of these steroids can lead to high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, heart problems, liver disease and kidney damage. It can also affect fertility and reproductive hormones. Changes in mood, irritability and aggressive behaviour have also been seen. The cardiovascular effects are particularly alarming as long-term anabolic steroid misuse can lead to to changes in heart structure and function as well as increased cardiovascular risk. Stallone has previously spoken about the physical consequences of his decades-long approach to fitness, saying he has undergone nine back operations, two shoulder operations and three neck fusions. He has also said that playing a heavier, physically less imposing character in Cop Land helped him feel liberated from the pressure to maintain his action-star physique.

sylvester stallone opens up about bulimia struggles & steroid use during ‘rocky’: why is extremely low body fat risky

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Sylvester Stallone Opens Up About Bulimia Struggles & Steroid Use During ‘Rocky’: Why Is Extremely Low Body Fat Risky

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Sylvester Stallone Opens Up About Bulimia Struggles & Steroid Use During ‘Rocky’: Why Is Extremely Low Body Fat Risky

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