In a recent illuminating interview with The New York Times, Stallone delved into his deeply personal relationship with his body, describing it as his 'armor' during the formative years of his career. He explained how the evolution of characters like Rocky Balboa and John Rambo drove an almost architectural approach to his physique.

"I looked at Rocky: very smooth, very normal-looking guy," Stallone reflected on the initial vision for the boxer. "And then I said, I think the character would start to become a bit more vain." This progression continued with Rambo, where the goal was a more primal, animalistic form. "Design your body like a jaguar, a cat. Not big like Arnold, but more feral and aggressive and very limber and athletic," he described his ambition.

However, this pursuit of the perfect on-screen body quickly escalated into a dangerous obsession. Stallone admitted that this focus led him to become bulimic, particularly during the grueling preparation for Rocky III. He pushed his body to extreme limits, achieving a perilous 2.6 percent body fat, a state he found incredibly difficult to maintain. "It got to the point where I became bulimic," he confessed, adding that it became "an obsessive body-worship kind of thing."

The conversation also touched upon the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Stallone acknowledged that achieving and maintaining such extreme physiques in Hollywood often involves 'additives and drugs,' despite what some might claim. He detailed his own cautious approach, using them "in a sensitive way — six weeks on, six weeks off." Yet, even with this careful method, he recognized the profound cost: "that also took a terrible toll."

A turning point for Stallone came with his role in the 1997 film Cop Land, where he portrayed an overweight, partially deaf sheriff. This departure from his action hero persona offered a sense of liberation. "It wasn’t until I did ‘Cop Land,’ when I had to play the weakest guy in the room... that I felt somewhat liberated," he shared. Looking back, Stallone expresses regret over the extreme lengths he went to, admitting, "I’ve abused my body." He now wishes he had allowed stunt performers to carry more of the physical burden.

Fans eager for more insights into the legendary actor's life can look forward to his forthcoming memoir, The Steps, set to be released on September 29.