Question About Genetics

lorajc

Cathlete
Hi Cathe,
I'm newer to your workouts (February) and I've been reading the Ask Cathe pages religiously (trying to absorb as much of your knowledge as possible). I notice you mention a lot about what a big factor genetics plays in your weightloss goals, muscle definition, etc. I also read where you said how many calories you know you can eat without gaining and I'm amazed at how "in tune" you are to your body. I've hit a bit of a weight loss plateau and this got me thinking. Most of my family is on the thinner side with a few exceptions. I was a very chubby baby and chubby as a child. I only lost my "baby fat" when I was a teenager and stayed slender throughout my 20's. In my 30's, I gained some weight and it's harder and harder to keep it off. My question is this....because you are chubby as a child, does that necessarily mean that you're genetically chubby....or is the term "baby fat" referred to because it's just that? I hope this makes sense. I'm just trying to deteremine how much harder I need to work at my goals and if they're, indeed, attainable. I don't carry much weight in my upper body and I don't build muscle there easily either. My lower body is not extremely overweight, but I've always had a rounded rearend and carried a bit more fat on my hips and legs. (sorry so long) Thanks for being the special person you are and hopefully helping me solve the fitness/nutrition puzzle! I'm a bit confused on what method will work best for me right now. (I have just about everything you've done on DVD already from Pure Strength to present - so please feel free to give me rotation advice if you have time).

ETA: Also, I consulted with the dietician I happen to work with and she told me how many calories I need to maintain my weight and lose weight by calculating my weight and calories needed per pound.:D
 
You know it ssounds to me like you need t otraain the two halves of your body differently, and that doing so would help you achieve better balance between your top and bottom halves.

I am like you, I have difficulty building muscle on my top half, and only heavy weights and slow reps can do it. I use the S&H series and it produces great results in just three weeks. It's so worth it. And of course, you can use it for longer by alternating between S&H and another series: one week one, the next week the other, etc.

And then consider training your lower body, where you are curvier, for endurance, with high reps and lower weights. Ideal workouts for this are: Leaner legs and the new GS legs.

I don't think you are condemned to be chubby for the rest of your life. What you say about slimming down in your twenties is very telling. As you know, our metabolism slows as we age partly because we start to lose muscle mass, and as you also know, each pound of muscle tisue burns significantly more calories than a pound of fatty tissue. It sounds like this started to happen to you in your thirties. Maybe you also experienced other life and lifestyle changes around this time that have also contributed to a sloweing metabolism and a gradual weight gain: for example, marriage, cooking meals for others and putting their needs before your own, pregnancies and children, a sedentary job. All these will pile on the pounds on many women's hips and thighs.

As far as your cardio is concerned, make it work for you. Consider doing intervals one a week (any of the Imaxes) and keeping a variety of cardio styles so that you keep using the muscles in different ways. maybe a kickbox workout once a week, one steady state cardio like Powermax or Step Blast or Rhythmic Step. And maybe a circuit style also such as Circuit max, Bootcamp, HSC.

Keep active no matter what. Any walks you can incorporate during the day will all help, vigorous bouts of house cleaning, walking dogs, always take the stairs, haul your own shpping bags, etc.

Hope this helps and remember you are not condemned to be chubby for always.

Clare
 
Thanks for all of the great advice. I do follow most of these LifeStyle changes as far as being active...eating properly, etc. I also already vary my cardio types. The one thing I'm just beginning to do is the chnage the cardio amounts weekly, i.e., only do 30 minutes of super high intensity on 1 day per week and 45 min on one day and 2 interval workouts per week. I am most puzzled about training (weight training & how heavy to go on my legs).

thanks so much, Lora
 
I too feel your pain on this subject. I'm 5'2", 116 lb., 46 years old and have very short legs. Look like stumps from the hip to the knees. Don't think I will EVER be willowy or slender looking in this area, BUT it's finally firming up. I've been bicycling steady for the last 5 years but was not able to firm up these legs like I wanted. How can a person do century rides and still have fat thighs?

I think the step work has helped but the barbell squats, lunges, leg presses etc. in Leaner Legs, L&G, and ME and MM are really working well for me. I've lost 1/2" in the thigh area and 1/2" in the hip. My husband gave me a very nice compliment last night, said that inner thigh flab was much less and that I was getting very firm. I can finally feel muscle! 6 months ago, he told me (nicely) that he thought it was just genetic for me to hold onto the flab in that area and that it may never leave. I've been doing Cathe workouts now for almost 3 months.

I've carried my weight in this area all my life. Don't even remember having thin legs in grade school. Must be the short, squatty Portuguese heritage!

He says that I should be good and strong by woodcutting season . :eek:

Jeanette
 

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top