Limitations on waist

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SModa61
SModa61 Posts: 2,855 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all! I am wondering if anyone has insights into any obsticals that I can circumnavigate.

For background, I am almost 60 and have lost 30ish pounds, from september 2020 to february 2021. This morning's weight was 122.6 and my all time high in 2001 was 168.8. I have been establishing daily exercise that is mostly walking or running, max 7 miles, min 3 miles and indoor biking or spinning as a replacement. I am thrilled to be forming a habit or expectation of exercise and tweak my exercise choices from that baseline.

As for my waist, I know when I was young and at a comparable weight, my waist was 26". Currently it is 28" and briefly 2 months ago I saw 27". Now, if I do a stomach vacuum and measure, I can see that 27" number. What do you think my realistic expectations should be and what is it physically that holds me back from being able to pull in to that old 26" number? Does this imply that I have visceral fat? I feel that the vacuum must represent the current limitation of my muscles and the best number I should hope for is that 27" and only if I get back to including regular core strengthening exercises.

Any thoughts?
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Replies

  • SModa61
    SModa61 Posts: 2,855 Member
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    Hey @speakeasy76 Thank you for your reply and thanks for making me think further.

    First, I don't think I have to have my old size waist. I think I am just trying to understand what choices I have and if I even have a choice. And yes, I am talking in my 20's. I am not sure that I have any documented measurements for myself between then and now.

    Why do I care about my waist? Yes, I am about 10 years post menopausal and my bust has shrunk, and my hips are not huge ATM. I am becoming slightly more rectangular, which is not my first choice. As for sizing, most clothing expects that slightly smaller waist to hip ratio. So while I am not looking for a smaller size, I would just like my hips and waist to fit the same size. Additionally, yes I fear the Meno-pot thickening in the middle. I feel like that shouts my age even more than my COVID gray hair I have embraced.

    I also have had two kids, 1 c-section, 2 other abdominal surgeries, and elephant skin from the pregnancies. You want a vision? Picture that doing a stomach vacuum. It's nothing I would ever do in public.

    I think I was expecting a response with something like "with menopause you will be holding onto additional visceral fat which limits how far one's muscles can retract" (note that I have no idea if that is true. that is just an example) or some other statement that might offer insights.

    Thanks again for your reply. I agree that I need to add back in my pre-pandemic, but erratic strength training.
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
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    I'm seeing similar tendency, my stomach sticking out like it never did when i was young. I'm 49, two kids. I'm physically fit, athletic built, low body fat, but my gut is more prominent than i would like it to be. Go figure... I don't do any specific stomach exercises, like crunches. I used to in my young years, so probably muscles in that area are lacking and that's the reason for it. I don't have any extra skin there, just it's not flat anymore...
  • SModa61
    SModa61 Posts: 2,855 Member
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    icemom011 wrote: »
    I'm seeing similar tendency, my stomach sticking out like it never did when i was young. I'm 49, two kids. I'm physically fit, athletic built, low body fat, but my gut is more prominent than i would like it to be. Go figure... I don't do any specific stomach exercises, like crunches. I used to in my young years, so probably muscles in that area are lacking and that's the reason for it. I don't have any extra skin there, just it's not flat anymore...

    Interesting. I will say there are different stomach shapes. I recall when young, my 115 lb 5'6" sister had 3" smaller waist yet a small pooch, while I was shorter, heavier but flatter. I may have been flat from the side, but from head on, the difference in waist circumference was obvious.

    On another note that may help you. Once I lost the weight this year, my waist was frustratingly hovering at 30" which was not that different from when I weighed 30 lbs more. The planks I was doing did not tighten it further. Then in January, I did start some situps and the like, which might have made a differnce, but my recollection was that I was not seeingn anything. Then I heard about the stomach vacuums. Within days, my waist dropped 2". Not sure which contributed, but it was literally inches in days. At one point, I did get to 27". Right now, none of that is really in my life (yes, shame on me) and I am back to 28". My point is that you might see changes with just a little ab focused work. I recall hearing years ago that abs can be highly responsive. Probably because they can also get so slack that tightening can make a quick difference.
  • MaltedTea
    MaltedTea Posts: 6,286 Member
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    Hi UAC Twin 😉 In addition to the insights above, I'd remind you of the potential hormonal impacts of menopause on the body. This can't be gauged here so a clinical convo with a gyno, endocrinologist or nutritionist who is able to get blood work done could be interesting.

    But perhaps less cardio and more strength training (with a focus on core work and mobility) could be equally as interesting.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    The more you work a muscle the bigger it gets. I would stay away from ab work and focus on everything else.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,055 Member
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    L1zardQueen wrote: »
    The more you work a muscle the bigger it gets. I would stay away from ab work and focus on everything else.

    Too simple a conceptual model, I think. Body parts can get more compact with muscle work, or bigger, with different strategies, or at different stages of physical development.

    So, *which* ab work matters, I think.

    I suspect weighted side bends may make my waist measurement bigger. Don't care, doin' 'em anyway. 🤣

  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    edited May 2021
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    I know when I tend to concentrate only on cardio (though I do mostly the rowing machine which has some elements of strength to it), my stomach gets larger. Only when I really start hitting heavier weights does my stomach shrink enough to make me happy, relative to the rest of my body.

    Weight goes to my stomach first and then my face. I lose it in that same reverse order but it takes a lot of watching everything I eat and lifting to make it happen.

    There is a point where working abs a lot can build them. I'm 196 and 5 foot 10 and can flex and see a six pack, but yet I have a 35 inch waist. I'm roughly 22% or so BF right now. In order to have a 32 inch waist, I really need to lean out to around 15% BF.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Most people don't seem to do ab work with low reps high weight in order to get a muscle belly.
    Besides for most genetics the ab muscles don't respond that way to workouts - though one could attempt to do that I'm sure.
  • raetzpl
    raetzpl Posts: 9 Member
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    I've been enjoying adding the Power Abs for Moms program into my fitness routine to help target the mom tummy that I have lingering, maybe something like that would be fun for you to try? https://powerabs.shop/collections/featured-programs/products/powerabs-for-moms

    The reality is our bodies change shapes over the years and especially after having kids. Not true for everyone, but definitely true for most.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,389 Member
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    I have two really old pairs of trousers that I really loved in the past. Then gained weight. When I'd lost it, and was lighter than when I bought them they didn't fit. Fat and muscle distribution probably played a role, but also my pelvis bone didn't fit anymore. And I never had kids.
  • SModa61
    SModa61 Posts: 2,855 Member
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    i owe you all an apology for my silence. I did read all your posts and I appreciate the thoughtful responses. Not sure how this thread got away from me.

    @yirara interesting observations about your own body changes

    @OnceAndFutureAthlete Indeed I am the same height I was before, and if you bagged my head, my overall shape would not give away my age. I definitely know the thickening you are talking about and that is likely some of what I fear for the future.

    @raetzpl Thanks for the link. I will be checking it out

    @Maltedtea @L1zardQueen @AnnPT77 @mikepfirrman @heybales Thanks for sharing your observations and advice. You have all given me things to think about.

    Now to figure things out! :)
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
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    Aging is a thing...and the body of a woman changes over time. Exercise can do a lot to moderate it, but there's really only so much one can do in the face of time marching on.

    I don't mean give up. But expecting your body to react the way today that it did at 23 is a fool's errand.

    There's a reason a mature woman needs clothing that shapes and compliment.
  • SModa61
    SModa61 Posts: 2,855 Member
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    So jumping back to my original post for just a moment. We are all in 100% agreement that age is a factor in body shape. I know my height and related aspects are not an issue......yet.

    So within that scenario of age, is it likely muscular change contributing or could it be visceral fat that due to its volume then limits muscular response? Those are the two premises that I am playing with.

    Am I upset about my waist? Nope. Never thought I would see my current weight or measurements again. So I guess I am being greedy and/or curious about my limitations. If it is a visceral fat thing, then maybe I will try and learn more on that subject. If it is a muscle thing, you all have given me lots of pointers above.

    Some day I would love to do a body composition scan, again mostly out of curiousity.

    Lastly, someone recently posted a link to this: https://www.weareageist.com/profile/joan-macdonald-74-journey-to-strength-and-fitness/

    Front page is so inspiring. Need to find more down time to really give it all a read. I want to "grow up" to be her. (I'm approaching 60 now).

  • MaltedTea
    MaltedTea Posts: 6,286 Member
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    ^^ so I'm glad you mentioned the body composition scan. Because comparing two, within a given space of time, would be the only way to gauge differences in body fat, muscle, etc.

    Even then you'd have to make sure you're using the same method each time. And even then it would have to be the same machine and EVEN THEN there are ranges of accuracy...even a Dexa isn't a perfect measurement tool, for example.

    And even then 😂 because you're so physically active @SModa61, there's an interplay between the two.
  • SModa61
    SModa61 Posts: 2,855 Member
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    ^^ @MaltedTea I love you calling me physically active. Since arriving up north again, life has bumped my physical activity. Hope to be remedying that soon before too much damage is done. I did notie that my VO2 max has dropped in these few weeks.

    Also, added note, three days ago I woke up to a uniquely low weight. I decided to take my waist measurement for giggles. Was 26.75. Just now, 28. Mixed emotions on the weight. I don't want to become a scarecrow and that is where exercise with weight training needs to come into play.

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