I was sitting on my couch one sunny day in the middle of the summer, with a bag of potato chips, channel surfing. There was nothing on TV, except those annoying infomercials, selling exercise equipment, and the World's Strongest Man Competition.

Drawing by Kenneth Lee

In an almost mad panic, I threw the bag of potato chips halfway across the room, put on sweats, and started doing exercises, while humming the theme song to Rocky.

On a Quest

This story may sound funny, but the truth is, more and more teen guys are becoming concerned with body image.

Sure, lots of guys want to lose a few pounds to make the wrestling or basketball teams or to be more attractive to their partners. Many have looked in the mirror, wishing they had the six-pack stomach or bulging biceps. And some take  steps to look better.

"Even though I haven't achieved what I believe is the perfect body, I do a lot of exercises, and I try to eat fruits and vegetables and stay away from fatty fast food," says Tyrone, 19, of Newark, NJ. "This is the total opposite of what I used to do."

That's healthy. But when guys get obsessed with cutting the perfect body, they sometimes do unhealthy things—starving themselves, exercising obsessively, or taking steroids. More guys seem to be going to these extremes.

"Within my practice, I have seen a significant increase in the number of boys and young men with eating disorders, often quite severe," says Dr. Doug Bunnell, president of the Seattle-based National Eating Disorders Association's Board of Trustees.

Seeing Critically

The media are part of the problem. "It is very clear that the media have focused their attention on men," Dr. Bunnell explains. "The number of male health magazines with perfectly-buffed men on the covers has increased."

Casey, 15, of Davis, CA, agrees.  "Media are a big one," he says. "People with bodies like Paul Walker, Travis Fimmel, and Brad Pitt only make [the average guy] look worse."

Though the media are partly to blame for guys going to the extreme, there's another major factor, teen guys say.

"Girls," says Tom, 17, of Boulder, CO. "I feel like girls are more into a guy who has a nice-looking body, instead of a slob."

Serious Risks

This desire to look like stars—or attract partners—drives some guys to develop eating disorders. Just like some girls, they starve themselves, exercise excessively, vomit, and use laxatives and diuretics, which cause the body to expel excessive water weight, according to Dr. Bunnell. All this can lead to serious health problems.

"Boys clearly can and do develop anorexia nervosa, with the full set of symptoms, including a morbid fear of being overweight," Dr. Bunnell explains. "They see themselves as fat when, objectively, they are seriously emaciated. I think the predominant concern is to be lean, hard, and muscular."

Unlike girls, guys are more likely to take steroids and growth hormones that bulk up muscles, Dr. Bunnell adds. These drugs can cause serious health problems, including liver cancer, severe acne, and high blood pressure, to name a few.

And here's the really bad news. Teen guys who take steroids can actually end up shorter than they would have been if they hadn't taken the drugs. While steroids pump you up on the outside, they actually slow your growth on the inside, according to research by the National Institutes on Drug Abuse.

Taking Steps

So, how do you know if you're just getting in shape or if you really have a problem? If you're taking drugs to look good, that's a real problem. Another red flag is feeling like a loser because you don't look like a bodybuilder.

"If concerns about your body image are affecting your mood or what you do with food, then you need help," Dr. Bunnell advises. "Body image concerns usually reflect concerns about self-worth, and it's important to tackle the essential problem."

The trick, says Dr. Brunnell, is balance. It's OK to want to look good, but it's dangerous to push yourself to unhealthy extremes. It's also important to be comfortable with your body and lose the idea that there is a "perfect body." People come in different shapes and sizes and, for some, bulging biceps and a six-pack stomach just aren't possible.

Focus on the great parts of your body, try to improve the weak areas, and then accept the fact that none of us is perfect.

Editors' Note: If you think you or someone you know may have an eating disorder, go to the National Eating Disorders Association Web site or call their helpline at 1-800-931-2237.

Another good source of info is Making Weight: Healing Men's Conflicts with Food, Weight, and Shape, by Arnold Andersen, Leigh Cohn, Tom Holbrook (Gurze Books, 2000).

Guys aren't the only ones obsessed with having a buff bod.  Check out what girls have to say about body image.