Healthy weight but not healthy body...

Avatar for chicle
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2003
Healthy weight but not healthy body...
2
Sun, 11-20-2005 - 3:03pm

I have been exercising for more than 5 yrs. Of course the way I have been exercising has not been constant. I have never been a member of any gym because I cant afford a gym membership. I have been working out on my own since more than 5 yrs old. I have been working out at home with TV shows, aerobics programs, and tapes I have at home. I have dumbells at my house. The first years I work out from Monday to Friday, but the years passed and I decrease the constancy of my workouts, due to work so when I work I only work out Saturdays for 1 hour.
Then for the past 1 year I work out as well on Sundays for 1 hour at a parking lot near my house (just walking distance) some people give free aerobics classes each Sunday so I have been attending those classes too.

From time to time I accompany an acquaintance to the gym she goes to and we do either aerobics or tae bo for 1 hour. But I go only as a guest not as a member. But the times i go to this gym is not regular either, I just go when this acquaintance can go, because she is the one who picks me up at the house, because I dont have a car.

I might had lost weight in these years of course, but no so many, that I know and I could have a healthy weight but... here comes the problem, my body physically is not the healthiest. I still have a flabby, jiggle belly, love handles. My waist is flabby. Physically and looking at the mirror my body is not healthiest. I dont dare to wear small shirts that goes above my belly button because I have a belly hanging. I don’t know if it fat what is hanging or is it skin.

Why I haven’t been able to achieve at least a physically good body if I work out? I mean Im not asking for a perfect, fitness body but at least a tone, firm one with no belly hanging. Could this be inherited, could be genetics or could it be my bone structure, that is not a small one? I try to eat healthy, I mean some nutritionist says you dont have to starve or not eat anything at all to maintain a healthy eating, you can eat anything you want, just taking care of fats, grease, carbs, etc and not to eat much of them, you can eat anything is small quantities too, that is what I do. I mean there are women with great bodies, I mean fitness instructors, models, celebrities or ordinary women with great bodies who I do bet they eat hamburgers, goodies, fast food once in a while, and they maintain a good shape. I hardly eat fast food.

Im 34 yrs old, my height is 5,6 (not very tall) and I currently weight 120pds. Someone told me that weight is a healthy weight.

I have seen women with more weight than I do, but they look better than me. How come I cannot accomplish that in the past 5 yrs? What am I doing wrong?

Is there a way I can improve this?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Sun, 11-20-2005 - 9:45pm

Hi, and welcome to the 30's board!


It does sound like you are at a healthy weight...and of course in our 30's things are not as naturally toned as they used to be ;-)


Personally for me what has worked is a balance of cardio and resistant/weight work. That's not to say I'm perfect (or happy with everything).....yet!!!


From your post I think the problem is lack of consistency...working out for an hour on Saturday, and then adding another on Sunday is great, but I think working out (even if for only 30mins) 3-4 times a week would be more beneficial.


You don't actually say what exercise you do; aerobic, weights, etc...?


If it's building muscle you need to do try some resistant work; there are some great resistance bands available now- with video's to use too, or weight work. Remember weight training exercises are about twice as effective as aerobic exercises for building muscle!


Here are some links with 'toning' exercise ideas:


prevention.com- http://www.prevention.com/category/0,5775,s1-2-87-0-0-0,00.html


soyouwanna.com- http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/abs/abs4.html


Once again, welcome, and good luck...


~IslandGirl


=GOBBLE-GOBBLE=



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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-04-2003
Tue, 11-22-2005 - 5:21pm

Hi Chicle and welcome to the board!!


You are definitely not alone in getting frustrated with your efforts, many of us feel like we have been working out forever and are just not seeing results!


Your height and weight seem to be in good proportion - 120 pounds is possibly even a little underweight for someone who is 5' 6" - so I think you are probably more concerned with building some muscle mass and toning what you already have.


Pilates, weight training, yoga are all good methods to tone and strengthen your body!