Hi everyone! I'm fighting the "skinny fat syndrome"!!!

Lesley2007
Lesley2007 Posts: 9
edited September 29 in Introduce Yourself
Hi everyone! My name is Lesley and I'm 34 years old with one handsome 9 year old little boy. I was always the skinny girl in school who could eat whatever I wanted and never gain an ounce. Oh how time and age changes things. I'm 5' 2" and weigh 114lbs. Now that may sound pretty normal but, you see.....I have what some people call "skinny fat". Google it and you'll see what I mean. I may appear to be in decent shape with clothes on but underneath is a different story. I have ZERO muscle tone and have been consumed by FLAB. I seriously need to change my eating and exercising habits and this is day one! Wish me luck and best of luck to everyone out there! Any advice would be greatly apprecited :)

Thanks!

Lesley

Replies

  • cardbucfan
    cardbucfan Posts: 10,571 Member
    Good luck! It sounds like you know what you need to do-eat healthy foods and hit the weights. You are blessed, enjoy your good fortune! Oh, and welcome to MFP!
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
    Too much cardio with no lifting has led me to "skinny fat" ville. I am now weight training along with eating better in the attempt to gain back the muscle I've lost.
  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
    Once I reached my goal weight, I realized I was skinny fat. Thin with clothes on but underneath, flab-city. Now I am exercising and am starting to really see a difference. Good luck hun!
  • janet_pratt
    janet_pratt Posts: 747 Member
    The importance of weight training cannot be overstated. Some women fear developing "man muscles". It won't happen. The more muscle you have, the more efficiently your body burns fat.
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    Lift heavy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • laurabell63
    laurabell63 Posts: 6
    I am in the same boat........good luck!
  • Lesley2007
    Lesley2007 Posts: 9
    Yes! Having baked salmon for supper and just did kickboxing! Thanks for the encouragement! :)
  • natersmama
    natersmama Posts: 157
    welcome!! i'm 5'2" and WISHED i weighed 114. but i dont. lol. i'm getting there. hitting the weights will tone you up pretty quick if you are consistent. if you cant go to a gym there are LOTS of home dvd options. i LOVE jillian michaels 30 day shred. its great for toning. good luck!!
  • kathleennf
    kathleennf Posts: 606 Member
    You and me both!! I am working on the same thing- eat more protein, and do some kind of strength training. It's a slow process but I am making progress and you will too. MFP is good for this because you can track your protein intake at the same time.
  • Lesley2007
    Lesley2007 Posts: 9
    I work at a healthcare company that has a gym so I'm going to start hitting the weights. I actually enjoy doing weights more than cardio anyway. I've heard belly fat is the hardest to get rid of but it MUST come off!
  • Luthorcrow
    Luthorcrow Posts: 193
    As others have posted, you need to strength train. I know our culture has programmed women to think that strength training is only for guys and that if you touch a barbell you will end up looking like the She-Hulk, but trust me it is not true. All of the big stars on T.V. and movies do it. You will not hulk out, in most the cases you will put on an extra 10 pounds of muscle, look and feel better.

    I would strongly suggest you pick up a book called "The New Rules of Strength Training for Women". There is also a really long support thread for readers of the book in these forums.

    Weights are not just for guys. Lift heavy, live strong.
  • ohskinnyme
    ohskinnyme Posts: 24
    I was just thinking that I definitely suffer with this (though I'm not 'skinny fat' just 'average (UK size 10) and flabby'.) I really need to start exercising more regularly and with more vigour.
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