What's it like to have your body?

I'm 5'7", 142- hopefully less when I do my weekly weigh in shortly! Accuracy is questionable, but last week I used someone's body fat scale which put me at 24% body fat. I'd like to get down to 20% and see how I look and feel before determining an ultimate goal.

I am a classic pear shape, which is a blessing and a curse. The curse: I thin out so quickly on top that boobs are the first thing to go. Right now I have a tiny upper body with all my rib cage and bones showing, but still have some thickness in my thighs. My thighs drive me nuts! Also, I feel like large chested women get a pass on having as low of a body weight or BMI because big boobs are "genetic", a "female body trait", and "not the same kind of unhealthy fat as stomach fat." All true, but us pear shapes don't get this same pass even though all the same is true for carrying curves in the lower body. For example, a trainer told me that I should get to 20% body fat but my large chested friend that she should get to 23%, because of her boobs. But at 24% I already wear an XXS in shirts (and I'm not at all small boned) and a 6 at the absolute largest in pants. Usually smaller. Trying to get down further is fighting against my genetics just as much as the other way around. I'll keep trying though!

It's not all bad being a pear. Many studies say that this is the healthiest body type. I don't carry weight in areas that are detrimental to my health. I have a thin face, tiny waist, and ideal waist-to-hip ratio. Despite my small chest, many men seem to be really attracted to my body type. So despite the bad parts, I try to be grateful for the good aspects.

Fitness wise, I'm still a beginner. Working on C25K and starting out on the weight machines. I'm looking forward to the day when I can say I'm truly fit!

5'0, 210lbs, 38 years old, round and unselfconscious.

Currently paying more attention to my body due to being off warranty. My knees are unhappy with my weight, with one going on strike occasionally and refusing to do ANYTHING. I've increased the exercise, and for the first time ever, find that while I don't enjoy the exercise any more than I ever did, I enjoy the effects and that's providing enough impetus to continue.

Capacity is growing. When I started, I had a sedentary job, hobbies, and inclinations. 2.5mph on the treadmill for 20 minutes did very rude things to my heartrate. Now, it's 3.2mph (I blame short legs I apparently top out at 3.5 without having to jog) for 40 at 10% incline and a reasonable heartrate throughout.

Goals: 1% weight loss per week or so. Get my cholesterol low enough the Dr stops yelling at me. Skin the cat on the pull up bar. (Earlier goal: do a pull up). Turn the eating and exercise into routine, not 'special'

Some days I'm Rocky, others I'm Sid the Sloth. I'm a little more Sid, today.

I'm 5'2" and over the last ten years my weight has fluctuated betweent 133 - 147lbs. Currently about 140lbs. I'm short, but I don't mind. It weirds me out when I am actually taller than someone lol. I'm pear shaped, which for the most part I'm okay with (now).

I have pretty good balance, I did horseback riding for years and was pretty good at it. Whether the good balance came from this, or is just part of me I'm not sure. I suck at long distance running, but I think it's more mental because my endurance in other activities is pretty good. The first year I started mountain biking I completed the almost 100km mountain bike tour I signed up for, when some of the more hardcore, biking-for-years guys couldn't finish.

I never considered myself athletic growing up. Now that I'm older I realize that I was just trying the wrong things. I still hate team sports, but love more "individual" activities, like hiking, biking, 5-10K fun runs and working out.

I used to hate my big legs but now that I've biked long distances, I can sprint fast(ish) and I can squat heavy (for me) I have a much higher appreciation of what my body can do

I'm 5'10" and weigh 195ish right now. I would classify my body type as curvy. I have a defined waist and hips and a rather large bust. Although I'm still considered overweight, my weight is distributed evenly, so I don't appear as fat as I really am. Even when I was 20lbs heavier, I felt healthy. I just didn't feel good about the way my clothes fit.

I can walk for miles and miles without getting winded or tired. I can run jog 5.5MPH for 30-40 minutes on the treadmill without taking a break. I count that as a win in my book. It's not pretty when I jog, but by golly I can do it. I'm athletic, love playing softball, but I run like I'm dragging a boat anchor. I have to hit a double to make it to first base without getting thrown out. I'd like to start playing volleyball agian, but I know I can't jump and spike the ball like I used to. I don't even know if I could do an overhand serve and make it go over the net...

My ultimate goal is to get back down to the size I was when I got married (god I looked good). I don't remember what I weighed, but I'm guessing somewhere between 170-175. I'm putting that dress back on and wearing it all day once I can fit into it! I will be posting before and after pictures sometime in July/August to show my 50 pound weight loss. Put that on your calendar, okay?

LeanButNotMean44 wrote: »

4leighbee wrote: »

lbetancourt wrote: »

basics:
- i'm 5'5, and too tall standing next to my bf in my heels. but, i like my height. I like my shoulders & working on them a lot lately to get ready for tank season. the rest of me is where i have issues, sadly. but, i am working on that both physically & mentally.

capacity:
- i consider myself a runner. i can run for miles & miles. i have yet to run an ultra. but, it's on my bucket list.
- i am not very flexible. one year i was really into yoga, that helped but i can't seem find time for it anymore.
- i dance well only when i am drinking. OR, at least i think i do. I am terrible at every sport & i am ok with that.

goals:
- working on getting rid of 15 lbs but most importantly improve my strength. i can now do 15 pushups on my toes! I am so proud of that!

At 44, it's time for me to stop bashing myself as to why I don't have this ideal body that i think i should have. I am too old for that crap.

You are not terrible at every sport, because you are brilliant at the most awesome sport: long distance running! Sounds like we have some things in common. My husband says I dance like the girl in the Peanuts Christmas special - arms up waving enthusiastically back and forth. He is wrong. I am awesome (when I'm drinking ... at least I think so)! Friend me?

I dance like Elaine on "Seinfeld", but not on purpose.

I don't know why i don't consider running a sport?? in my mind I relate sports as an activity that includes a ball. smh.

my spirited dance always looks something like this..

dougpconnell219 wrote: »

Need a teammate for the 2017 Canadian death race? I'm in if so! I think we should have team MFP, have done sweet unis made. This place needs merch btw. I would totally rock an mfp racing Jersey.

You are on, buddy! You better check what you are signing up for. The five legs vary from 19KM to 38KM, and a good part of it is vertical. Hazards include mud holes and black bears. I was hoping to be the "slow kid" entry but if you join we might have to fight over the easiest leg. It's not called the death race for nothing. I suggest also that you volunteer with me in 2016 (August). Volunteers automatically get a spot for the following year's race.

http://www.canadiandeathrace.com/

Basics: 5'6, 117lb 33 year old female around 17% bf. My weight is pretty evenly distributed, I'm not really sure what shape I would be considered....hourglass? I'm happy with my shape.

Capacity: NOT a runner. At all. I hate running. I'm a pretty good vollyeball player and play on teams all year round. Lifting weights is really the only exercise I do. My heavy is probably pretty light to most, currently 100lbs on squats, 155lbs deadlift, 80lbs bench. Gonna work on that, see blow.

Goals: Increase weight on my lifts, and I'd like more visible muscle. I've come to the conclusion that I really need to bulk. I'm terrified of it, but I'm working on getting my mind in the right place so I can start!

Beginning this journey for good, so it would be interesting to come back once I am further down the road to see what it was like.
This body feels older than it should most days. Aching, stiff joints in the morning and lots of pops and crackles. Having to get myself down on the floor takes a lot of effort and I really try to avoid it since I think I might not make it back up! It does feel better once I get moving in the morning and not quite as old as when I get up or sit in one place for a long time. I try to get up and walk a bit at work, since I have a small office and it keeps me feeling confined a bit. I can still walk fairly far and at a good pace, but it needs to be done more often. I like lifting weights and plan to incorporate that as well. Chasing a 4 year old around requires more energy than I have some days and I really would love to be able to keep up with her.
Many times, I do not feel as large as my clothes tell me I am. It surprises me sometimes to pick something out only to have to get a larger size. Not for long. I am 5'4" and 214lbs at this point and do not want to return to this again. My "highest weight ever" seems to keep creeping up and it is time to put a stop to it and put it in reverse to get to my lightest weight ever.

Cool thread idea. I'm okay with my body, even generally like it, because it's me, while seeing aspects I'd like to improve or wish I hadn't done to myself (loose skin).

I'm 5'3, 125, like my height (except in crowds), like wearing heels but am usually too comfort-oriented to do it. Traditionally have narrower shoulders but they seem to be getting broader (probably my imagination, but it's a longer term goal). Also have narrow wrists, long narrow fingers and toes, and very narrow hips, but am a 36 C. As a result I tend to hold fat right above my waist making me an apple and meaning that when I'm overweight at all I tend to a rectangular shape rather than an hourglass, sigh, that's something I actually used to mind far more than I do now. I have muscular, reasonably shapely legs, and would like more muscle on my arms (although I'm starting to see it).

My natural sports seem to be endurance. I love the long slow stuff--jumped right to Olympic tris rather than sprint back in the day because I figured I'd be better at it and am now training for a half ironman (although I'm going to do the two shorter distances too). My favorite run length is a half marathon, though, since I didn't love the one marathon I've done (my own fault for undertraining and I imagine I'll do another some day). Also love long bike rides and bike trips.

I'm starting to enjoy intense exercise more and am really getting into weights also, although I'm constantly impatient with myself for not being stronger.

Terrible at sports that require lots of coordination (or dancing) and always hated team sports because I get obsessed with how I'm letting others down and perform worse than I otherwise would. However, I also always assumed I was inflexible and when my PT (when I was rehabbing my knee) said it was the opposite, I got interested in working on that and am currently pushing myself and somewhat proud of my flexibility.

Other than the training goals mentioned above, I'd like to lose 5-10 more lbs, depending on how I look, but at this point I'm kind of okay with eating near maintenance, continuing with the work outs and weight training and seeing how things progress. I might get more into doing more of a deficit after a short break, however.

For me one of the benefits of gaining and then losing lots of weight (this is really from the first time, when I went from 180-120) is that I learned to focus more on what my body could do and was so happy at each lower weight that it erased my weirdness from a younger age where I thought I was fat at 130 or so. I tend to feel okay about my body (without being in denial about what could be improved, again) so long as I'm reasonably fit and exercising a lot--it's amazing what a difference that makes. Oddly, enough, this makes me more likely to get in amazing shape eventually than when I felt fat at 125-30 but was less active--then I thought of my body as what had been bequeathed to me and just was, whereas now it's about what it can do, but I also know I have a lot of control over certain things about it (and am more accepting of those I do not). Probably this is just age, too. ;-)

Basics
I'm 5'4". I've always been a pear and have weighed as high as 178. Even when I started MFP in June at 163, I had a 29 inch waist and 44 inch hips. I'm currently at 136 pounds. I've lifted all through my deficit so I'm happy with how I look. But I just can't stop losing from my upper body. My bra band is down to 30 inches, waist 27, and hips 39. Losing a bit of my pearness.

Capacity
I'm strongish, or like to feel strong. I like power lifting/strength and do body building assistance work but don't love that as much. I hate cardio. My cardiovascular endurance is not great, yet I have zero cardio goals beyond getting some in for health and to help me eat more.

Goals
I will not go lower than 130 pounds. At the moment, I'm in a deficit again, after telling myself I would really try a recomp. I gave it a week in maintenance before I freaked out. So it's back to losing fat the old fashioned way, in a deficit. Eventually I'd like to have my body fat % low enough to be able to bulk and gain muscle. I'd also like to compete in power lifting.

I hate my body. No matter the weight, it's not attractive (to men) My skin is not clear and not smooth, and there is nothing I can do about it, so I cannot show my arms, back, and legs (above the knees).

No "bikini body" for me.

However, after some weight fluctuation (I let myself go... Now close to 130 pounds for 5'4) I realized that I feel much better when I am thin, because I am not embarrassed when people look at me, I look somehow more feminine with a petite frame, and I am physically more comfortable - light and flexible.

Also, it is easier to find clothes that fit. It's something !

Isabelle_1929 wrote: »

I hate my body. No matter the weight, it's not attractive (to men) My skin is not clear and not smooth, and there is nothing I can do about it, so I cannot show my arms, back, and legs (above the knees).

No "bikini body" for me.

How can you hate your body? It's where you live!
I'm not trying to belittle your feelings or anything, it's just I'm genuinely shocked that people can hate their bodies.
I have a friend who hates the way she looks and how 'gross' her body is. I'm just like, dude you have children, your body literally made those bodies, that's not gross. You quite literally grew two new people exclusively using nutrition from yourself, that's beautiful.

rabbitjb wrote: »

EvgeniZyntx wrote: »

Is this the alien body snatcher thread? Can we do trades?

Be careful what you wish for

I just want to sell off what I've got sitting in the basement...

Isabelle_1929 wrote: »

I hate my body. No matter the weight, it's not attractive (to men) My skin is not clear and not smooth, and there is nothing I can do about it, so I cannot show my arms, back, and legs (above the knees).

No "bikini body" for me.

However, after some weight fluctuation (I let myself go... Now close to 130 pounds for 5'4) I realized that I feel much better when I am thin, because I am not embarrassed when people look at me, I look somehow more feminine with a petite frame, and I am physically more comfortable - light and flexible.

Also, it is easier to find clothes that fit. It's something !

My skin isn't smooth or clear either ("worst case of KP I've ever seen" - my derm). I'm sorry you feel this way about yourself. I hope one day you can see that you're so much more than just skin. xo