As a seven-time champion in the renowned Mr. Olympia competition, then a frequently shirtless, oiled-up star of action movies, Arnold Schwarzenegger built his career and reputation on his famous physique. Now in his mid-70s, he has had to come to terms with the fact that his body is no longer that of a professional bodybuilder, and that his belly—or as he puts it, his "boodle"—is more prominent these days.

In a recent conversation with Howard Stern and Robin Quivers, Schwarzenegger opened up about his journey with body image.

"I kind of smile, because every day I do look in a mirror and I say yeah, you suck," he joked. "Look at this body. Look at those pectoral muscles that used to be firm and perky and kind of like really powerful with a striation in there, now they're just hanging there. I mean, what the hell is going on here?"

While this is a relatable problem for most people, Schwarzenegger added that his experience is complicated by the fact that he was so well-known for his physical prowess and performance.

"It's sad, also, because as I say to people, it's one thing to see yourself get older and more and more out of shape, but most of the people have never been in shape," he said. "So what does it mean, getting out of shape? They've always looked at the shitty body. So therefore it gets shittier as time goes on. It's just when you've been hailed for years as the supreme body, and you have the definition, and you see the veins coming down your abs, and you see veins on top of your chest... Cut, and you roll the clock forward 50 years, and now you're standing there and you don't see that any more... I never, ever thought about that when I was 30 years old or 40 years old, that this is going to happen."

"It still looks better than the majority of bodies," he added, "but I mean, it just sucks."

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In addition to aesthetic changes, Schwarzenegger has also grappled with what it means to get older in terms of his health. He reflected on going through his first heart surgery before the age of 50—he has since had a heart valve replacement operation at 74—and how he came to see himself as "damaged goods" afterwards. This, he told Stern, was the first time he felt truly vulnerable, and was having limits placed on him physically.

"Now all of a sudden you have to think about these things, to warm up for this, warm up for that," he said. "But am I upset about it? No. Because there's nothing that I can do about it. I just feel like as those challenges come my way, I take them on. It's the only choice we have."

The conversation ended with Schwarzenegger outlining the proactive, positive mindset he has cultivated to help him overcome any challenge.

"The bottom line is, I'm 76 years old, I'm full of energy, I'm full of enthusiasm; I'm as enthusiastic and excited as I was when I was 30 years old," he concluded. "I just see mountains in front of me to be climbed. And as long as I see those mountains, I keep my enthusiasm, and I keep my excitement, and that fire in my belly to keep climbing and climbing and climbing."