Think Only Women Have Body Image Issues? Wrong …

Meet Tim Kirkpatrick. He’s 67 years old, and he’s got a really ugly bicep. Those are his words, not ours. “I popped it a few years ago,” he explains. “It just hangs there and makes a funny shape when I try to muscle up. But I don’t care. I love it.”

Tim is one of 11 guys, ranging in age from 34 to 72, we challenged to pose shirtless for a series of candid portraits. We asked them to open up about their bodies, aging, their insecurities and the things they normally don’t say out loud that they love — and hate — about themselves.

Think that only women have body self-esteem issues? These guys would like a word with you.

Steve Stancato, Age: 38

I love my legs. They always look good to me. But nobody really notices them. 

I always wanted to have a six-pack and know what that’s like, but it never happened for me. I got liposuction years ago because diet and exercise wouldn’t get rid of that stubborn belly fat. But I’m still gaining weight as I get older. It never ends.

I look back on pictures of when I was younger, and I remember thinking I wasn’t good looking enough or muscular enough or whatever. I wish I looked like that now. 

Arnie Gonzalez, Age: 50

I was Mr. America in 1994. But over the last three years, I let myself go. My metabolism has slowed down. Instead of a six-pack, I have maybe a three-and-a-half-pack. 

I’m proud that my face doesn’t look haggard or old. The gray hairs are starting to show, but I’m just happy that I have hair. I’m not crazy about my gut. My wife loves it, so that’s something. It’s her comfy pillow. Either that or she’s making me feel good. But as an ex-bodybuilder, I kind of don’t like the fact that I have a big belly.

Frantzy Orisma, Age: 39

I don’t know if I feel any different body-wise from when I was 30. I just feel like … I eat more. [Laughs] And I worry about it sometimes. I’ve always had this crazy metabolism, so it’s never been a problem. And I’ve been working out since I was 17. But you never know. The biggest fear for me is developing a belly. That’s the part that ages you. When I was younger and skinnier, I didn’t look as good. When I look at pictures of myself in the past and pictures of now, I prefer now.

Charles Rauscher, Age: 71

“At this point, I’m probably most proud of my face, OK? I’m a little chunky. I’ve got bad knees. I have what’s called bingo wings under my arm, which is flabby skin. But my face hasn’t changed. Everything else hurts, aches or has a little extra padding. Also, I like my knees. You want to see something nice? I’ll show you my knees. I wear socks so you don’t see my varicosities.”

Josh Kagan, Age: 53

I’m a little heavier than I thought I would be at this age. I come from a really skinny family. My dad still looks great at 82 years old. He weighs 165 pounds and has never really varied from that. I’m not fat, but I’m definitely a little overweight. I never had problems fitting into any clothes, and then all of a sudden, I have clothes in my closet that I can’t fit into and I don’t want to throw out. I keep thinking that one of these days I’ll get back to 165.

Richard Bird, Age: 45

I’m proud of my shape. I’ve always been a slim guy. I have a high metabolism, so it’s hard for me to gain weight.  Obviously, I would love to be a more muscular guy. Doing this photo shoot, it was a challenge. Does anybody want to see me without a shirt?

I was definitely insecure about my body as a kid. I used to get a lot of flak from friends for being skinny. It got to me for a while. But as you get older, you learn to work with what you have. 

Tim Kirkpatrick, Age: 67

I feel pretty good, but I’ve got a bum ankle. It hurts a lot. I’ve been to specialists. It’s so arthritic that they can’t do anything. They basically told me, “Sorry, the joint is too far gone.” I almost cried in the doctor’s office when I got the news. I detest my ankle so much. It makes me self-conscious. I basically hobble around on this thing.

My favorite part of my body is probably my legs. Yeah, they’re pretty good. My wife likes my thighs. [Laughs] Hey, I’ll take it. 

Josh Hyman, Age: 41

I haven’t gone to the gym in five years. I went through this “I don’t give a f--k” period when I reached my late 30s. I’m tired of trying to become something I’m never going to be. I’m as heavy as I’ve ever been, which worries me sometimes. I think about diabetes and heart disease. But I don’t care about how I look. I don’t want to fight it anymore.

Other people seem to have an issue with my back hair. I personally don’t care. If they don’t like it, they can come over and shave me.

Gildo Spado, Age: 63

My upper body is good. I’m relatively handsome, or so I’ve been told. I think younger people probably look at me and say, “That looks like a cool grandpa. I would hang with that grandpa.” It’s just the arthritis in my knees that make me feel old. 

Getting old ain’t for wimps. If you want to get to be 63, then you’ve got to buck up and be prepared. You can’t let yourself rust. The aging process is not going in reverse. It’s full-tilt boogie, baby.

Ethan Feldman, Age: 34

I started growing hair up on my shoulders. I knew it was going to happen. My dad is a very hairy gentleman. Very hairy. So I knew it was in the cards for me. But now it’s like a jungle on my shoulders.

I have nice calves, I guess. I could tell you more about what I don’t like. My hairline is receding, but now I’ve got hair growing up from my butt. It’s the worst. 

I would like to have abs at one point in my life. It’s there. It’s just under all the layers of fat. 

Henry Williams, Age: 72

Something that used to bother me about my body, as a child, was my large forehead. I thought it made me unattractive. But as I’d gotten older, I would say “Look at me! Look at what I have!” [Laughs] The negative became a positive. I was a shy kid. I’d hide and stuff. But at 70, I don’t want to hide. I love my body. Even my big forehead. 

Here’s what I’ve learned: You’ve got to be careful with that body. It’s got to last you longer than cars do. Somewhere from 50 to 100 years. Take good care of it, son.

Eric Spitznagel has written for Playboy, Vanity Fair and the New York Times Magazine, among other publications.

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