I recently joined a 24-Hour Fitness gym. Not because I suddenly developed a passion for barbells or because I wake up thinking, “You know what would make today special? Fluorescent lighting and metal machines.”

 

No, my goal is far more modest: To look a little better when I catch that early-morning, stark-naked, side-view in the bathroom mirror.

That view has never been my friend.

Meanwhile, At the Gym…

So there I was, doing my best imitation of a gym-goer — adjusting machines, pretending to know which handle goes where — when I looked around at the other men working out.

These were not normal bodies.

These were… architectural structures. Arms shaped like geography. Shoulders carved like monuments. Mid-sections you could use as a cutting board.

I do not know how these men get their shirts on or off. I suspect hydraulic assistance.

And here’s me, lifting what I lift, looking like a perfectly ordinary 81-year-old who still plays pickleball and golf.

The Trainer Tells Me the Secret

Eventually, curiosity got the better of me. I asked my personal trainer how these men develop bodies like that. Without blinking she said:

“Steroids.”

It had honestly never crossed my mind.

She went on to explain something fascinating: You can often tell because guys with enormous bodies are sometimes lifting surprisingly light weights. The chemistry is doing the heavy lifting.

Then I asked the obvious follow-up: “Any side effects?”

She gave me that *how much time do you have?* look.

Aggression. Irritability. Hormone disruption. Liver damage. Heart issues. And of course, the famous “’roid rage,” which sounds like the last thing the planet needs right now.

 

Suddenly my own soft, imperfect body didn’t look quite so bad.

Steroid Use in America: A Quiet, Complicated Phenomenon

Her comment sent me down a small rabbit hole of research. I wanted to understand what was going on. And I discovered something surprising:

Steroid use in America is far more common than I ever imagined — not in professional sports, but in everyday life.

Researchers estimate that 1–3 million Americans have used anabolic steroids. And here’s what truly stunned me:

• Over 80% of steroid users are not athletes. They’re regular gym-goers — men who want a certain “look.”
• The average first-time user is around 27 years old. Not teenagers. Not Olympians. Just ordinary adults feeling pressure to look bigger and sharper.
• Social media has changed the game. Bodies that used to exist only in bodybuilding magazines now fill Instagram and TikTok.
• Steroids can become addictive — not chemically like opioids, but psychologically. The mirror keeps whispering: “More.”
• Side effects are not theoretical — heart problems, liver damage, infertility, hormone crashes, and major mood swings.

This isn’t a niche corner of the fitness world. It’s a cultural phenomenon happening quietly inside gyms just like mine.

Now Let Me Tell You Why I’m REALLY in the Gym

Here’s the truth — and this is the part that matters.

I’ve hated gyms my entire life.

I am an outdoor, competitive, movement-loving person. Pickleball, tennis, cycling, golf, hiking, kayaking, dancing — that’s me.

Growing up I played hockey, skied, snowboarded, and played soccer. The gym was never my natural habitat.

But here I am, four visits in, trying to get myself into a twice-a-week routine. Why?

Because life has shifted a little. And so have I.

Reason #1: Love

I am in a new relationship — a wonderful one — and she has (kindly, gently) pointed out a small bulge around my midsection. She was right. I noticed it too.

Reason #2: Wegovy

I’m on Wegovy. It’s working. The pounds are coming off. But it comes with a warning: you can lose muscle mass. So now I’m trying to protect what I have — not much, but mine.

Reason #3: My Lower Back

Every now and then, my lower back whispers, “You’re not 42 anymore.” Even though I insist otherwise.

Reason #4: The Mirror — But Not Just the Mirror

Yes, I want that side-view to look better. But the truth is deeper: I want to keep living in a body that lets me enjoy life — fully, actively, joyfully.

And So… No Steroids For Me

Let the big guys have their chemistry. Let them have the bulging arms and the aggressive side effects and the impossible-to-remove T-shirts.

I’ll take my own body — aging, imperfect, still eager to move — and do what I can, slowly, naturally, honestly.

Twice a week at the gym, if I can stick to it. Pickleball and golf and hiking in between. Healthy food, Wegovy, and a little discipline around the edges.

Steroids? Not interested. This body and I have been through a lot together. We’re going to finish this race the natural way.

And if I can look just a little better in that morning mirror? I’ll consider it a victory.