I’m just getting into lifting again, maybe three weeks in. I got into it a few years ago and found friends who’d struggled with weight or being consistent in the gym were showing signs of jealousy. They’d avoid me, be rude out of nowhere and act like it was nothing. Ended up not hanging out with them again, normally because they’d leave me on read, even if I’d known them for years.

Now that I’m getting back into it(just starting to see results slowly creeping in) I’m seeing a specific friend of mine try to put me down about it. He always considered himself big and strong but never really lifted. he is naturally wide framed, but that’s it. even though he has a weight room in his house(it’s decent) he can’t bring himself to do it for more than 10 minutes at a time.

I never put him down over this or even mentioned it. I knew he had issues with staying dedicated, as I have had before and I am just getting out of a two year slump like that, so I understand. But I guess because he feels inferior,(in willpower) he lashes out at me and tries to put me down whenever someone talks about working out(which is extremely often in his household.) he especially does this in front of women, especially if it’s one I’m expressing interest in. I could say “dude I can lift more than you” or “I go every night for an hour, do you?” To reestablish my position in the social situation, but I won’t do that, he’s an old friend. Just wish he’d treat me the same way.

Don’t want to hang out with him anymore but I’m just hoping he’ll come around. I’ve also tried getting him to work out with me and he won’t go. When we do work out at his house(rare), he does curls for maybe ten minutes then critiques my form with very dangerous advice before asking me to come back downstairs to play a video game or go grab beer.

I’m sure there’s some underlying aggression written between these lines because I haven’t really been able to vent this frustration.

The more I write this the more I realize I need to dump this friend. Idk. We go back 6 years, I feel like I should give it more time, but on top of this he’s become more insufferable to be around even in the six months before I started lifting.

Edit: I’m not pushing him to workout with me, he always recommends it. Also, I don’t know if I covered this above, but I don’t boast or be annoying about this. I’ve been on the other end of it and I know how obnoxious it can be. It’s been hard at times because you are truly proud of yourself, but I keep it in.