Today’s post is a little different and the idea for it came as I was brainstorming topics the other night. I always enjoy when fitness writers make lists of any kind, so I hope you can appreciate this one. What started out as a simple “25 signs” list quickly morphed into a much more interesting “50 signs” list complete with animated gifs, given that they’re all the rage nowadays.

Just about all of these gifs are from whatshouldwecallme (I’m not nearly creative enough – or skilled enough – to create these on my own), and the reality TV show gifs are from here.

If you can identify with the sentiments in each of these points, then you can be fairly certain that you’re a certified fitness buff. If not, well… you’ve got some work to do. I’d also like to note that a sense of humor is absolutely required (otherwise pls go).

Enjoy!

When you’re at work, thinking about your upcoming lift:

but then you realize you left your training shoes at home: When it’s not time to eat yet:

but when you’re chowing down on your food:

When your coworkers complain about the smell of your broccoli:

When you’re massaging your own sore pecs in public:

When you get a whiff of a protein fart:

but then when you realize it was you:

When a chick says she heard that lifting will make her bulky:

When someone talks about P90X:

When someone says they just want to get toned:

When you meet someone who loves lifting just as much as you do:

When someone tries to tell you that nuts are a great source of protein:

When someone asks you why you love red meat: When someone flirts with you: but when you learn that they don’t even lift: When you’re getting ready for your training session: When your gym buddy doesn’t feel like going to the gym tonight: When you’re about to go to the gym and you check out your workout outfit: When you find out the gym is closing earlier than usual: and when you get there and find out it’s already closed: When you’ve been waiting for 20 minutes and a squat rack finally opens up: When you’re waiting to use the squat rack: but when you’re on it and someone says you’re taking too long: When you see someone squatting with good form: but when you see someone quarter-squatting: When you’re watching someone else lift really heavy: but when someone tells you that you’re really strong: When everyone in the gym is gawking at that chick wearing next to nothing and doing bent-over triceps kickbacks: When someone tries to talk to you in the middle of a set: When the guy before you doesn’t re-rack the weights: When you successfully pull that lift while everyone’s watching: When you see someone benching with their legs up in the air: When you’re trying to impress your crush at the gym: but when you’re caught staring: When you see that same guy with the headphones doing the crazy dance in the mirror like: you’re just like: When the dumbbells don’t go heavy enough: When you walk by those gym jerks who always give you looks: When you see someone who’s very well-developed, you want to ask them: When someone tries to take your bench with your stuff still on it:

When you get a PR: and when your friend gets a PR: When you realize you’re the strongest guy/girl in your gym: When you come back from the gym: but after an hour at the mall: When you’re trying to decide what you want to eat after training: When you log your workout on Fitocracy and you level up: and then when you constantly refresh the page to see if anyone’s propped you yet: When your bodybuilding.com supplement shipment arrives: When your friends come to you for fitness advice: but when your friends try to give you advice: When someone disagrees with you on the Internet: and when you turn out to be right: but when you turn out to be wrong: When you’re stalking your fitness idols: When your roommate asks for a scoop of your protein powder: When you get trolled by Matt Perryman: but others react like:

When you fill up on salad before you go out to dinner: but when you get to the restaurant you’re still like: When your friends order a meal with no protein in it: When it’s been way too long since you’ve eaten junk food: but after a cheat day: When someone tries to touch your food: When it’s the end of the day and you have more food left to eat than you thought: When you meet your macros for the day: When you remember everything you ate last night: When you’re trying to walk after leg day: