skinny fat?

[CallingAllAngels]

In late 2011, I lost about 35 lbs (I also lost the same 35 lbs in 2004 and gained it back).  I am mostly happy with my size right now.  I'm about at the mid-point for healthy BMI for my height.  I don't bust my ass to eat perfectly, but I try to make good choices.  I probably could lose another 15 lbs and still be healthy, but I am not motivated.  I run between 15-25 miles per week.  I am starting swimming again after taking the winter off.  I don't swim a lot - about an hour a week. 

My issue is that I feel like I'm still pretty flabby.  When I run on the treadmill in front of a mirror, my thighs jiggle a lot.  I don't have big arms, but they just seem soft and flabby.  I just mentioned in another thread that I stopped running in tanks because my arms looked so jiggly in race photos. 

So, how do I fix this?  Diet?  Strength training?  Keep on keeping on and hope it either gets better with what I am currently doing?

[andrealynn]

Strength training is what will firm up your body. I would get your body composition measured so you can see where you are in terms of percentages.

[runaways]

To really make changes, I think your best bet is to fix your diet and add regular strength training. There may be other opinions though.

[Deleted]

I'm in a similar boat. I think it's just genetics/body type, though. 

When I lift up my arms and shake them, there's definite wobbling. However, I can see when flexing, that I have lots of muscle in my arms. The tricep itself kind of wobbles when my arms are loose.

If you do have some excess fat, more strength training is just going to increase the muscle under the fat, so I suppose diet would be the only way. To repeat, though, you may be at a perfectly healthy weight. Nothing is wrong with a little softness.

[CallingAllAngels]

Feb 21, 2014 10:56:24 GMT -5 @canadiandrone said:

I'm in a similar boat. I think it's just genetics/body type, though.

I wonder how much is genetics.  I look a lot like my grandmother did, and she was thin and active.  Maybe that's one reason it bothers me - because I associate it with an old lady's body. 

I keep saying I am going to add in strength training.  I know it would help my running.  I would like to find something I can do at home without many props.  That may be too much to ask.

[andrealynn]

You can get a hella good body weight strength training workout with no props required.

[emilyinchile]

Feb 21, 2014 10:56:24 GMT -5 @canadiandrone said:

I'm in a similar boat. I think it's just genetics/body type, though. 

When I lift up my arms and shake them, there's definite wobbling. However, I can see when flexing, that I have lots of muscle in my arms. The tricep itself kind of wobbles when my arms are loose.

If you do have some excess fat, more strength training is just going to increase the muscle under the fat, so I suppose diet would be the only way. To repeat, though, you may be at a perfectly healthy weight. Nothing is wrong with a little softness.

But you also burn calories while doing the strength training, and having more muscle means you burn more just resting (right?).

Anyway, I'd incorporate strength training. For me, my sugar consumption makes a difference in belly fat but not anywhere else that I've noticed.

[minion]

Strength Training. I'm built really small and default to cardio but I noticed a lot of results with tone and muscle definition within a couple weeks of adding strength training into my workout.

[Deleted]

Feb 21, 2014 11:02:46 GMT -5 CallingAllAngels said:

Feb 21, 2014 10:56:24 GMT -5 @canadiandrone said:

I'm in a similar boat. I think it's just genetics/body type, though.

I wonder how much is genetics.  I look a lot like my grandmother did, and she was thin and active.  Maybe that's one reason it bothers me - because I associate it with an old lady's body. 

I keep saying I am going to add in strength training.  I know it would help my running.  I would like to find something I can do at home without many props.  That may be too much to ask.

If you were to attend a gathering of all my family members, you would see a room full of people all 5'4" and under with strong, muscular frames. I hover around a size 8 and I don't think all the dieting in the world could get me down to a lean 2. 

Strength training is absolutely a good thing to do. For women especially, strengthening the muscles that support the knees helps to prevent injuries. I read once that if you are only going to do one exercise, make it squats. I generally do squats and lunges. 

[kams]

I'm a little soft. I'm strong, I'm fit, I eat well, but I just will never look long & lean.

When I reeeeally cut carbs, I thin out better, but then my workouts suffer. So, it's a little give & take for me.

IDK, I don't mean to be defeating and say that you might be like me and never look quite like you think you should look (because based on my workouts I and diet I feel like I should look super thin), but I'm telling you this more to say that I understand, and that you are perfect just how you are. I hope I am sounding understanding and not hopeless.

[labbie]

I work out at home, and am also trying to build up my running base. Right now I run about 15-20 miles/week.

Since November I've been doing 3 days a week of bodyweight training with You are Your Own Gym. I have the DVDs but there is an app and a book out there. I have noticed a huge difference in my upper arms and my core (I see hints of some ab muscles!). 

I also mix in Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30, and some random kettlebell workouts.

My approach isn't as hard core as using heavy weights,etc. but I really enjoy the workouts and am seeing results, so it works for me.

I also really like fitnessblender.com workouts (and they're free!)

[Deleted]

Feb 21, 2014 11:04:02 GMT -5 emilyinchile said:

Feb 21, 2014 10:56:24 GMT -5 @canadiandrone said:

I'm in a similar boat. I think it's just genetics/body type, though. 

When I lift up my arms and shake them, there's definite wobbling. However, I can see when flexing, that I have lots of muscle in my arms. The tricep itself kind of wobbles when my arms are loose.

If you do have some excess fat, more strength training is just going to increase the muscle under the fat, so I suppose diet would be the only way. To repeat, though, you may be at a perfectly healthy weight. Nothing is wrong with a little softness.

But you also burn calories while doing the strength training, and having more muscle means you burn more just resting (right?).

Anyway, I'd incorporate strength training. For me, my sugar consumption makes a difference in belly fat but not anywhere else that I've noticed.

Oh yes, that's absolutely true. In general, though, to lose flabbiness you need to make changes to diet. It's like that adage "Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym"

[CallingAllAngels]

Feb 21, 2014 11:06:30 GMT -5 kams said:

IDK, I don't mean to be defeating and say that you might be like me and never look quite like you think you should look (because based on my workouts I and diet I feel like I should look super thin), but I'm telling you this more to say that I understand, and that you are perfect just how you are. I hope I am sounding understanding and not hopeless.

Ha, this isn't defeating!  I was kind of hoping to hear this.  I don't really want to work out more* or be crazy about what I eat (especially while training for a big race).   If there's nothing I can really do about it, I'll just keep on, keeping on.

*Though I do admit strength training is a good idea for more reasons than just vanity. 

[Susie]

Feb 21, 2014 10:52:01 GMT -5 CallingAllAngels said:

Keep on keeping on and hope it either gets better with what I am currently doing?

Alas, that one probably won't work.

Diet + strength training should help.  So does focusing on appreciating what your body can DO rather than how it looks doing it.  I mean, there can only be one kams with the beautiful race pics  I kid.  But seriously, I have felt a lot of the same things about my body over the years, and the self-consciousness about how I look racing and just in general.  Doing something "big," which for me was my first 70.3 last year, really helped me get over a lot of it, to an extent that has been surprising to me.  It gave me something that I was so proud of being ABLE to do that I've started feeling kind of like, "so what about how I look?  My body did THAT."  It was pretty freeing.

[mainewifey]

Feb 21, 2014 11:08:49 GMT -5 @canadiandrone said:

Feb 21, 2014 11:04:02 GMT -5 emilyinchile said:

But you also burn calories while doing the strength training, and having more muscle means you burn more just resting (right?).

Anyway, I'd incorporate strength training. For me, my sugar consumption makes a difference in belly fat but not anywhere else that I've noticed.

Oh yes, that's absolutely true. In general, though, to lose flabbiness you need to make changes to diet. It's like that adage "Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym"

I wear a HRM when I work out and on days where I do an hour of strength training I usually burn at least an extra 200+- calories than when I'm doing HIIT or cardio like spinning for the same amount of time.

I totally agree with the diet thing too. However, I have the underarm jiggle and no matter what I do, it never really seems to get much smaller. It's just there keeping my triceps warm I guess.

[Deleted]

I adore strength training and the effect it has had on my body. I have soft and jiggly bits, sure, but they're lesser than they were when I did no strength.

[Deleted]

Look into Bikini Body Mommy workout on Facebook, 90 day strength plus cardio (so you can keep up with running), using just bodyweight (planks, squats, pushups, etc)

[kams]

Feb 21, 2014 11:15:22 GMT -5 Susie said:

 I mean, there can only be one kams with the beautiful race pics   

A. Far from the truth
B. Of course I only post the ones I like!

i completely agree with you, that at some point, you have to look at all that you accomplish and become more accepting of your body because it does amazing things. That shift has happened for me in the last year, also.

[wambam]

Lift heavy things!

[atlas]

I'm kinda in this boat. I've been picking up more yoga for toning and have noticed a difference.

[valetgirl]

Feb 21, 2014 11:04:00 GMT -5 andrealynn said:

You can get a hella good body weight strength training workout with no props required.

Absolutely! Something like pilates or barre where you strengthen and tone using your own body weight would be perfect. If done vigorously enough, it can also provide cardio benefit too, which can help with weight loss.

[skwcm80]

Feb 21, 2014 10:55:36 GMT -5 runaways said:

To really make changes, I think your best bet is to fix your diet and add regular strength training. There may be other opinions though.

^^^
i saw the best results when I started watching my diet in addition to strength training.