The Glory Days Effect is when you are remembering someone's physical appearance from the past, as being WAY more impressive than it ACTUALLY was, and your memory plays tricks on you.
E.g. You remember the person as being super
jacked,
fit, shredded, etc. But when you go
back and look at old pictures/watch the old movies, they don't look NEARLY as impressive as they did in your memory.
"Damn Bro, remember how shredded Brad Pitt was in Fight Club?" (Then you look and realize he was dope fiend lean, and about 150 lbs).
"
DAMN, my mind's playing tricks on me, that's gotta be The Glory Days Effect".
"I went to
HS with this
guy who
never took steroids, was 7% Bodyfat, and benching 405 lbs" (Then you go back and see a training video, and realize he was doing half reps with 3 spotters).
"Naw Bro, he couldn't even do that with 3 plates by himself, you got
hit by The Glory Days Effect".
"Omg Ryan Reynolds in Blade: Trinity was jacked
AF!" (You look in the mirror and realize you are now WAY bigger, and leaner than he was back then).
"That's so
crazy, I actually look better than this now... Definitely The Glory Days Effect, in full force".
