For decades, Sylvester Stallone’s physique has been almost as recognisable as his iconic characters Rocky Balboa and John Rambo. But the actor has now revealed just how far he pushed his body to achieve those iconic looks.
Speaking about his transformation for “Rocky” and “Rambo”, Stallone admitted that his approach to his body eventually became an obsession. “It became very intimate, you might say. It was my armor,” the actor opened up during his recent interview with The New York Times when asked how his relationship with his body changed over the years, especially given the fact that he wasn’t so muscular before these roles.
“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. Then it became an obsession. Really bad. It got to the point where I became bulimic,” he admitted boldly.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
Bulimia is a disorder in which a person binges on a large amounts of food and then rids the body of that food before it can be absorbed — described as “purging”. Stallone’s bulimic obsession grew exponentially to a worrisome point very soon. “I got down to 2.6 per cent body fat when I was doing ‘Rocky III,’ and I couldn’t hold anything down. 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.”
The scary numbers did not slow him down; in fact, he pushed harder than ever to ensure that it stays that way.
Why doctors are describing it as a “medical emergency”
Dr Manjusha Agarwal, Senior Consultant Internal Medicine, Gleneagles Hospital Parel Mumbai, calls Stallone’s body fat, “Extremely dangerous, and not sustainable for the body,”
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“2.6% body fat itself is not a fitness goal – it is a medical emergency range. When paired with bulimia, it can be life-threatening and needs immediate medical attention,” she tells indianexpress.com.
When you combine that low fat level with bulimia, like in Stallone’s case, the risks multiply exponentially. Dr Agarwal lists a few below:
1. Heart risk: Both very low body fat and repeated purging cause electrolyte imbalance [low potassium, sodium]. This can cause dangerous irregular heartbeats, cardiac arrest and sudden death.
2. Organ failure: The body starts breaking down muscle, including heart muscle, for energy. Kidneys and liver get severely stressed.
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3. Hormonal and immunity collapse: Hormones crash, bones become weak, immunity drops, and the body loses its ability to regulate temperature.
4. Gut and metabolism damage: Chronic vomiting damages the food pipe, stomach lining and teeth permanently. Metabolism becomes severely disturbed.
How Stallone took to ‘drugs” for this because ‘nobody does it without…’
During the interview, Stallone also openly acknowledged using steroids during this period.
“And nobody does it without additives and drugs, period. I don’t care what they say. It isn’t as though you’re a junkie, but if you’re going to work out and try to stay in shape for six months straight, and you’re eating yogurt and pudding, it’s not happening.”
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Looking back, he says that the pursuit “took a terrible toll” and that he can “make a castle out of regrets”.
“Finally I broke the cycle, but it got me,” the actor admitted while revealing further that he underwent nine back operations, two shoulder operations and three neck fusions. This isn’t a complete shocker, given the kind of lifestyle Stallone was leading at that time.
Dr. (Col) Vijay Dutta, Director, Internal Medicine & Respiratory Services, ISIC Multispeciality Hospital, explains that following the kind of lifestyle Stallone had, long term can lead to “chronic stress on the joints, tendons and spine, leading to persistent pain and degenerative changes.”
2.6% body fat is a medical emergency range and can be life-threatening (Image: Pexels)
While Stallone specifically referred to “additives and drugs” and later confirmed steroid use, Dr Dutta noted that people pursuing extreme muscularity or very low body fat may also use substances such as “growth hormone, testosterone-enhancing substances, stimulant-based fat burners and diuretics” to reduce water weight.
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“While these may produce rapid physical changes, they can carry significant health risks, especially when used without medical supervision,” he notes.
If anabolic steroids are used, Dr Dutta points out, the risks increase substantially and may include high blood pressure, heart disease, liver damage, hormonal disturbances, infertility and mood disorders. “Over time, these effects can impact both physical health and overall quality of life.”
Dr Manjusha further lists down some of the ‘worst’ and ‘extreme’ symptoms below:
Physical signs when it becomes severe:
– Frequent sore throat, damaged teeth and swollen cheeks – due to repeated vomiting from stomach acid
– Constant stomach pain, acidity, constipation, and digestive issues
– Dehydration, dizziness, and extreme fatigue
– Irregular heartbeat or heart palpitations
– Fainting spells, muscle cramps and weakness
– In women, irregular or missed periods
– Calluses or scars on knuckles from self-induced vomiting
Emotional / behavioural signs:
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– Obsessive focus on weight, body shape, calories and workouts
– Eating in secret and disappearing to the bathroom immediately after meals
– Extreme mood swings, anxiety and guilt around food
– Social withdrawal
Stallone may have been chasing the perfect physique for the screen, but his own account shows how quickly that pursuit can turn unhealthy. At 2.6% body fat and with bulimia in the picture, the body was being pushed far beyond what it could safely sustain.
“Sustainable fitness is best achieved through balanced nutrition, appropriate training and adequate recovery rather than relying on performance-enhancing substances,” Dr Dutta concludes.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
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