Skinny but Fat and Angry about it!!!!!

Avatar for cinderella_40
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-29-2003
Skinny but Fat and Angry about it!!!!!
10
Fri, 08-29-2003 - 8:22am
Hi. I am new to this particular board. Yesterday, my husband and I finally made it into the gym for the first time to get a fitness analysis and start working out on the machines. We have been dancing jazz and ballroom 2 times a week and that's about it for exercise. Our jobs are sedentary. I'm 42 and DH is 49. I was SHOCKED when the fitness trainer measured my body fat with the calipers!!!! I am in TERRIBLE shape! 33% BODY FAT!!!!! The thing that really depresses me is, I'm skinny-looking. I am 5'3" and weigh 111 lbs. and most people say I don't look fat!!!! My husband however weighed in at 212 and he is only 5'71/2" with a fat belly and he looks fat too. HIS body fat measurement was 27%!!!!! He is like me and does no other exercise and has been eating bad too. As a result, they gave ME the diet (which my doctor wants me on anyway to lower my cholesterol of 205)and told me I need to burn fat and will lose 3 to 5 lbs as a goal in the next 6 weeks!!!! My target heart rate test was good though...took me 5 min to reach 140 which the trainer said was excellent. I realize I am flabby and need to tone up but I had NO IDEA I was this fat! Of course I am going to follow a low fat diet and I did my exercises this morning and will keep up, but I AM DEPRESSED about this! I feel old and run down and in terrible shape. I can't believe I let myself get this unhealthy. I'm angry....grrrrrrrrr
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 08-29-2003 - 8:27am
Welcome to the board! It isn't fair, is it, the way men and women measure up? Be glad you have so few lbs. to lose. If you get on a healthy eating plan and add a bit more of a workout, you should reach your goal in no time. You're joining the board at the perfect time, since we're starting a new fitness challenge Monday.

Rhonda

       ~~Rhonda~~


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Avatar for cinderella_40
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-29-2003
Fri, 08-29-2003 - 8:31am
Thanks Rhonda!! The depressing part is that the trainer told me that 33% fat carries the same risks as a moderately obese woman. In other words, I'm a size 18 in a size five body. This sucks. I am ready for Monday though. What IS the fitness challenge?

Gina
Avatar for bootywhompus
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 08-29-2003 - 8:34am
Welcome cinderella! Men have the advantage when it comes to body fat. Your husband sounds like mine. When he gains weight, it's all in front of him and he has no problem getting rid of it either. It sounds to me like you have it figured out pretty well. This is a great time to get in gear and join us. Our challenge starts monday!

Lori

Lori

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-21-2003
Fri, 08-29-2003 - 8:34am
Oh dear - I know how you feel. I spent years being skinny and flabby. It's not *age*, per se, it's simply lack of exercise. Your twice weekly dancing helps, I'm sure. However, it's not enough to actually keep you *lean* (vs just skinny). Lean involves *muscle*. You need to focus less, imho, on aerobics and more on building muscle. You still need the cardio, but you particularly need strength training. That'll do a great job of helping to build up your lean muscle and change your body fat percentage. Be sure with your new diet that you get enough protein to build muscle. You will also need good fats in your diet. I doubt you need to simply lose pounds - you need to *add* muscle.

Your DH otoh, probably needs to do more aerobics than you (27% bodyfat in a male is far worse than 33% bodyfat in a female) and lose pounds. That diet you got will be great for both of you. I'm betting they gave it to you assuming you're the cook in the family. So cook good healthy foods for you both, provide good healthy snacks too, and work on getting regular cardio and weight training for you both.

FWIW - please don't go by the scale. Go by how you're feeling, how your clothes fit, and in about a month or 6 weeks, get another bodyfat measurement. That's much more valuable than anything the scale can measure - as you now realize I'm sure.

Stick around and keep posting and reading. This is a great place to get support, ideas, virtual hugs... Welcome and congratulations on taking steps to be healthy!

Anna

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 08-29-2003 - 8:46am
Yes, I saw on several websites that a healthy body fat level for women our age is about 20-25%. Some sources, such as the National Institutes of Health, give a range as wide as 21% to 35%. If you're very athletic or younger, the percentage is lower.

Phyllis, our fearless leader, is working on the details of the challenge. We'll keep track of our time exercising, goals, and things like that.

Rhonda

       ~~Rhonda~~


<

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2000
Fri, 08-29-2003 - 9:24am
Welcome! Okay, have a seat and I'll stick my neck out and say a few things. First, you're not fat - not at 5'3" and 111. Yes, you are carrying body fat, but all of us carry body fat. I think two answers to you already summed it up best about what our range is, and when you're a person of smaller stature, a few extra pounds makes a *much* bigger difference. I just ran your numbers on some of the health calculators here at iVillage http://www.ivillage.com/diet/tools/healthcalc/, and assuming you have a small build, both your Body Mass Index and Weight are in range and healthy. In fact, 111 is the lower end of your healthy weight. I'll go against what they said at the gym and say you don't need to lose weight, but rather tone up and build muscle, and I daresay you don't need a strict diet, but just find ways to burn extra calories. What you probably have are like what I have when I'm out of shape - bulges that can be easily measured with calipers! If your gym didn't do a Body Mass Index, they're not giving you the whole picture.

I'd be bothered if I'd been told what you'd been told, too. I'm 5'4" and my goal is to be around 120. I was 126 when I started exercising (still well in range for my weight and BMI) and had way too many bulges that I wanted to get rid of. I just cut out snacking and empty calories, boosted my exercise to use more calories and toned up with weight bearing exercise. I succeeded, lost 5 pounds in two months, and continued to tone. The good thing about the "terrible shape" you're in is that you don't have far to go at all, and you'll see results quickly. Don't let the trainer turkeys get you down.

Do stick with us - I think you'll find this board very motivational and supportive!

Cussette

C

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-01-2003
Fri, 08-29-2003 - 9:34am
Give yourself a break. You are doing something about it and that is great. I am feeling blobby myself (see my message) I know after a week or two, if I stick with my plan I will be feeling much better and so will you. GOOD LUCK!!
Avatar for dmm11730
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-06-2003
Fri, 08-29-2003 - 9:54am
I agree with the other ladies when they say you are not fat. So please do not be angry. Toning is what sounds important for you and I think you are on your way. Congrats on getting your hubby to join with you, I wish mine would do something with me. Makes it a little better and easier.

About your size, I wish I were that. I am only 4' 11" and currently about 140 pounds, how did this happen. I try and lose and then I am back up agian. Stick with it, and I am sure your Body Fat % will drop quickly.

Welcome again,

Deb

Debbie

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-27-2001
Fri, 08-29-2003 - 8:51pm
Do not let that trainer get you down. I agree with the other gals on this one. You are not fat!! No way, no how! I, too, think you just need to lift some weights and build more muscle. And weight lifting really goes a long way towards changing the shape of your body.

I am 5'0" and I weigh 110. And that is the goal that I am trying to stay at. I lost 15 pounds this last year and feel so good about that. My body has also changed a lot from lifting weights. I also do lots of squats and that really has helped my legs firm up. I still have a long way to go to be shaped and as firm as I'd like but I think I'm on my way. There is no way at 5'3" and 111 pounds that you can be 'fat'.

Take the information from the diet...(I really do hate that word diet) and use it to build a healthy food plan for yourself and your dh. That way you can incorporate lots of fruits, vegetables and good protein and fat into your dietary intake. And continue to exercise and start to lift weights. You will be surprised that in no time at all, you'll be feeling much better about yourself.

Welcome to the board. This is a great, supportive place and I think you'll like it.

Nancy

Nancy

"Make Choices that bring you joy"  cl-Patty


 


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 08-30-2003 - 8:32am
Hey Cinderella-

The first thing that came to my mind when I read your post is weight training. If you weight 111 at 5'3", your lean body mass is probably pretty low. Are you adding weight training? I'm not sure about losing weight. I do however think that changing the composition of your body is a great idea.

Anyway...here's to your success!

Phyllis

Live With Passion!

Phyllis