For those of you who don't yet look buff...

Hi Lainie and everyone,

Lainie, you definitely DO look fitter and more toned in the second picture, so be proud of your hard work!

It's funny that this topic came up because over the summer I was working out 6 days a week (I teach and have summers off, so I had a lot of extra time), and I felt like I was getting more toned. About a month ago, though, my husband said to me, "You know, for all the working out you do, you sure don't look like you work out that much." I was totally crushed and deflated by his comment -- and still am! We talked afterwards, and he said that he didn't realize that it's so hard for me to build muscle. Lucky him -- he hasn't worked out regularly for about two months because of an injury, and yet he still has definition.

I guess the upside of it is that it motivated me to start a serious Cathe rotation with weights, and I'm also eating a lot better, especially after reading on the forums that diet accounts for about 80% of how you look.

It's so nice to hear that others are feeling this same way! I know I'm making progress and toning up, but the results are sure taking awhile!

LeanneM
 
I definitely feel that way, too! When I first started working out with Cathe I was at my goal weight. Over the years from the stresses at work and home, I've slowly gained 20 pounds. It goes to show you that what you eat is more important than how hard you workout.:-( I keep trying to overcome my eating issues but it's hard. Once I do finally lose the weight again, I'll be back to looking relatively "buff". . . I hope.;-)

Want to hear something funny? I just started taking Tae Kwan Do lessons and I can tell by the instructors reactions that they are shocked and impressed that I can do things like push-ups on my toes, squat thrusts, climbers, spiders and also by how flexible I am. Apparently, they don't see that from a lot of 40-something women.:) So even though I don't "look" like I workout to Cathe, at least I can be strong, athletic and healthy for now.:)

Sue
 
I can lift heavy, have good flexibility, and can walk a 4.5-mile-an-hour over a 5-mile distance, but I definitely feel like my body doesn't show what I can do: I've never really looked as strong as I am (except, perhaps, right after doing a P90X rotation), and tend to carry more fat than I'd like (and have always had some kind of belly pooch, from about 12 years of age).

It's okay most of the time, because I do look in better shape than the majority of women my age (and younger) that I meet, but I do sometimes feel like I should get better results, especially compared to other Catheites who are buff as can be.
 
>Leanne - If my DH said that to me, I'd probably hurl my
>stability ball at his head! }(

Hi Liann,

I probably should have!! Of course, I think he meant it in a nice way -- nice for a man, I suppose!
Leanne}(
 
Ha...Leanne, that sounds word for word from the mouth of my father to me.

I like to think of myself as Ninja strong...cleverly concealed..:)

Edited for wrong smiley
 
>Leanne - If my DH said that to me, I'd probably hurl my
>stability ball at his head! }(


I think I would've hurled something heavier and harder! Like an 8lb medicine ball! What a horrible comment! x( Men can be so insensitive sometimes.
 
Hmmm . . . I like the idea of the 8-lb. dumbbell -- and of being Ninja strong! Maybe I should Ninja chop my DH!!;-)

Leanne
 
Leanne - Definitely do that and then ask him "does it "feel" like I work out all time"? Offer to hit him harder so he can fully appreciate your "hard work".
 
Lainie,

I was just telling my DH the other day that I wish people would ask if I workout instead of having to tell them. Maybe one day but for now I am satisfied to know I could at least defend myself if I needed to:D

Nicole

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.
 
Good for you, Sue! That functional strength/fitness is so important, and it's nice to show people that women can be strong and lean, even when we might have a few pounds to lose!

Leanne
 
I hear ya, Lainie. I've been working out hard with weights for 30 years, am a part-time group fitness and Yoga instructor, have been doing Spinning for the past 10 years (and all the other cardio crazes of the 80s and 90s before that). I added Cathe to my mix 6 years ago. But I look fat all the same (I have 30 extra lb which I have been trying to lose with limited success). My doctor even suggested to me that I start working out! Now that stung.

I think I actually look the same as any other 46-year-old who doesn't work out.

But I feel very strong, and I don't have any of the "aches and pains" that my same-age unfit colleagues complain about. I also don't have any of their health problems (diabetes, high blood pressure). I know that these are huge benefits -- but oh, it would be nice to look the part. I don't really talk about my workouts to people I don't know because I'm sure they would think I was lying.

By the way I think you look great.

Stebby
 
Lainie,

First, I wanted to say I do see a difference in your pics, so WTG on the great job you've been doing!

Secondly, I can completely relate to this. I still have some fat I'd like to shed and it's been going slowly. (Probably b/c my diet is not as strict as it could be, but that's how I've chosen to approach it so far.) Anyhow, I have gotten comments like, "Oh, you run?" or "Do you think you're fit?" and I just try not to read into it. I mean, the person very well might have been making ordinary conversation, not trying to suggest that I don't look the part. I think the key is really us not reading into it. Admittedly, sometimes I'm successful in not letting a comment shake my confidence; sometimes I'm not.

Even though I'm not as buff as I want to be yet, I know I'm strong and fit and do not consider myself a beginner exerciser anymore. I think if one can lift weights that match Cathe's (or come close) and can do all or even most of her workouts, s/he should probably be considered intermediate-advanced or advanced. I know there are plenty of people smaller or who weigh less than me who would not be able to hang in one of her workouts or out on a run or do as many pushups, etc., so I think fitness level should not necessarily be associated with outside appearance.

I also think you're right not to belittle yourself with a comment such as "I know I don't look it, but I do work out." I am going to be more conscious from now on to make sure I don't make jokes like that at my own expense anymore. We don't owe anyone an explanation. They can think what they want to think. We are on our way to our goals and making good progress, and that's all that matters!

Thanks for bringing up this issue & continued success to you!

*Edited to fix a typo*

[font face="heather" font color=brick red size=+2]~Cathy [/font face] http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif
"Out on the roads there is fitness and self-discovery and the persons we were destined to be." -George Sheehan
 
Hi Lainie,
I know exactly what you mean--and I will now refrain from making those "I know I don't look like I work out, but I do" comments! Thanks for bringing this up.

I constantly get those "dimples" on my t-shirts from pulling down my bra (right between my boobs) when it starts to ride up :) Sometimes the dimples smooth out by themselves, or sometimes a quick swipe of my hand over the dimple will make it disappear :)

You look great. Keep up the hard work!

Wendy
 
I hear ya! I know I will never look like I have defined muscles, because I tend to carry weight in my upper body and most people with muscles showing have a very low bf percentage.

However, I wish people would believe I am strong/fit! A couple of years ago, my mom moved here. I was really lifting heavy (for me, anyway) and really was getting strong. My son and I went to see her and she had this long heavy table that the movers just dumped in the living room and she needed it moved to another location. She asked me to bring my dh and ds over to move it. I told her I felt sure ds and I could move it. I picked it up and it was heavy, but I knew we could do it. She wouldn't let me! Told me there was no way I could lift that. I needed to bring dh over and SHE would help dh and ds. I was SO mad. My mom has NO strength and she thought she could lift it better than me? UGH. I was mad for months after that.

Another "make me p.o'd" incident....Last month my mom bought a new push mower and the guy put it in her trunk. She called and wanted dh or ds to come over and get it out for her. Well, dh was mowing and ds just got home from work and I knew he needed a nap (mom lives about 30 min away - ds goes to work at 530). I told her I would come over, no one else is available. She said there was no way I could lift that out of the trunk. I needed to bring "a man". I said Whatever, I'll be there in 30 min.

Dh came in and asked where I was going. He says "That's really heavy. Are you sure you can lift it". So that got me to thinking...I went in ds's room told him what was going on and he says "You can get that out no problem - easy".

I get to mom's and start to get it out of the trunk. She runs out yelling "what are you doing, where's dh? Wait let me get my shoes on and help you. Don't you try to get that out yourself" While she was doing that I pulled it out, no problem. Ds was right. Really disappointed me. I expect it from mom, but I thought dh would have thought I was strong enough.

My mil is going through something similar - only because of her age (81). She is VERY active and does a ton of yard work. She recently had a pacemaker placed in and the doc told her after 6 weeks she could go back to doing everything she had done before. She read the little booklet they gave her and told me there was a bunch of stuff in there that she was not suppose to do and that her doc must be thinking she's an old lady sitting in front of the tube all day :p She said she was going to write down all she does and take it to him at her next visit.

On another note, a couple of weeks ago my ds and I were watching some show with the iron man on it. It was so inspiring. They had little interviews with the athletes and then showing some of the competition. Some were in their 70's. But if you saw any of them walking down the street, you would never guess they were capable of such a feat. Marnie :)
 
I am now technically in a healthy weight range, but just barely. Also, I have tried to figure out my body type--probably an endomorph since I struggle with my weight and I've always been curvy, though I've read that endomorphs are often pear-shaped, which I'm not. You can tell in the pics that I'm more of an apple, though at my best I'm very much an hourglass. I haven't lost that much weight between these two pics, but I did lose an inch and a half in my upper arm, lost an inch or so in the upper thigh, and a half inch in the waist (so wish that were a bigger loss). My hips and chest are the same size.

Anyway, I thank everyone again who says they notice the difference; like I said, there was indeed a little loss in that upper arm size.


[font face="palatino linotype" font color=purple font size=+1]***Lainie***

http://web.mac.com/lainiefig/iWeb/Site/Exercise/Exercise.html

"The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself." -- Mark Twain[/font]
 
>About a month ago, though, my husband said to me,
>"You know, for all the working out you do, you sure don't look
>like you work out that much."

Sadly, this sounds like the kind of thing my husband might say, though luckily he hasn't lately. He has noticed my weight loss (recently lost 25 lbs) and I can tell he is already pleased about the changes. However, he is one of those with the irrational fear that I might get too strong and bulky--doesn't want to get me a barbell for that reason! I told him I'm going to lift heavy with his old barbell anyway, so he might as well get me a new one (I'll eventually go out and get it myself probably, but I usually like him to agree before I bring home something that takes up space in our little house).

And of course he's like your husband, Leanne, in that he is toned even when not working out. I'll flex a bicep for him (which is not much to look at but you can definitely feel it) and he'll start flexing his, even though he hardly ever lifts a weight. It's so annoying how big and bulging his bicep is with so little effort. He says it's from carrying his heavy briefcase. I would do an eye-rolling smiley here if I knew how. I guess it's just his testosterone or something.

[font face="palatino linotype" font color=purple font size=+1]***Lainie***

http://web.mac.com/lainiefig/iWeb/Site/Exercise/Exercise.html

"The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself." -- Mark Twain[/font]
 
Wow, Kathryn, thanks for that awesome article. I read it and it was so great that I saved it to my bookmarks folder to read again and again. The link (within the article) to a picture of Lynne Cox, didn't work, so I did a google search, and sure enough, you would never look at her and guess that she is such an awesome athlete.

That being said, I'm wearing a really cute outfit today so I might get my husband to take a photo later and see if I can show my latest changes.

[font face="palatino linotype" font color=purple font size=+1]***Lainie***

http://web.mac.com/lainiefig/iWeb/Site/Exercise/Exercise.html

"The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself." -- Mark Twain[/font]
 
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