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A Skinny Fat Girl's Journal

Old 08-21-2012, 05:25 PM
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Default A Skinny Fat Girl's Journal

Hi, I'm starting this thread to keep track of my year-long goal. My login is twentythirteen because this is going to be a very long process: I won't be "finished" until 2013!

I'm 45, healthy weight, healthy lifestyle. I eat fairly well most of the time (lots of vegetables, few processed foods). I quit smoking a moth ago and it's going great because I have some meds to help—Wellbutrin.

So why am I doing this? Why would a healthy person of normal weight choose to begin a year-long program? Well, skinny people can be fat too. I'm five feet tall and 115 pounds but I. Am. Made. Out. Of. Marshmallows. I'm flabby, jiggly, and lumpy. I have an "apple" shape with a big potbelly. I'm also tired a lot, and frequently depressed.

I know that past routines haven't worked—I set outrageous goals and don't live up to them, feel bad about myself, and quit. I do juice fasts and cleanses—which are great but they're unsustainable and they don't change underlying behavior. I get discouraged.

But I know it can be different.

So I'm setting myself this goal to work slowly and patiently for a year. Not to give up because I know I won't see immediate results, it's going to take time.

My goals are simple: eat regular, healthy, low-fat meals each day, and keep track of them by posting. I know that I will eff it up sometimes,but I just need to forgive myself and go right back to my healthy routine. Oh yeah, vitamins and water too.

And exercise. The important part. The hard part. The part I never succeed at. To begin, I'll never go more than one day without a workout of some kind, any kind. I'll have to start small with a routine I can stick to.

The hardest part, I think, will be patience and fortitude. I'll have to stop looking for results—because I know I won't see any for a long time. I'll have to stop looking at myself in a mirror and feeling disgusted. I'll have to keep telling myself—this is going to take year.

Wish me luck.
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Old 08-21-2012, 07:23 PM
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Good luck with your goals! If you keep working at it slowly, you will get there in time. Plus, remember not to judge it on the mirror, judge your success on how much better you feel, because that will probably come a lot before visible results. With the exercise, the easiest way I've found to stick with it it to find something that's enjoyable for you and keep it that way. If you hate running, don't run, swim or cycle - there's so much you can do. If you find yourself not liking it and finding sticking with the routine hard, switch to something else to find the fun factor again.

You can do it! Plus the forums here will be supporting you all the way.
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Old 08-22-2012, 04:45 AM
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2013, Your post sounds like where I was ten months ago, except I had 15-20 more lbs that I wanted to lose. And I'm a bit older. I didn't see any real change for months when I started. Now I feel great, lost the weight, and several inches from my waist. I wasn't so happy at first, but once the endorphins regularly started kicking in, I was much happier.

On the days I'd overeat, I'd just consider that part of my 'interval training' diet. I work out ~ 5 times a week doing Pilates (at home), also TRX and dumbbells. I focus on my core, and triceps. As a result, my 'old' pants no longer fit, my overall disposition has greatly improved, and I've been getting a ton of compliments. I hope to turn this into a lifelong habit.

P.S. Don't think of exercise as a "Routine." Mix it up. Start with what you can do and work up to the harder stuff. Keep it interesting, and at some point you'll feel deprived if you don't get a chance to exercise.

Last edited by dmartz; 08-22-2012 at 05:01 AM.
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Old 08-22-2012, 06:25 AM
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Yay! Good on you! Thanks so much for the excellent advice : )
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Old 08-22-2012, 06:27 AM
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So great to have support. Thank you.
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Old 08-22-2012, 08:56 AM
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I know, I'm a guy lurking in the womens section. But welcome!! I have a few suggestions that the older members have all probably heard before.

1) Make sure you are getting enough protein. .5 to 1.0 grams per pound of lean body weight toward the higher side if you are working out. (If you are 115# with 30% body fat you are looking at 40 to 80 grams of protein daily.)

2) Do strength/weight/resistance training. You need to build lean muscle mass. (This is the furnace of your metabolism.) The more muscle you have the more calories you burn even at rest. Check out the 'Womens Transformation' articles on Bodybuilding.com to see women that struggled with being skinny fat until they discovered how they could change their bodies with weight/strength training.

Good luck on your journey!!
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Old 08-22-2012, 11:34 AM
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Thanks Ron! I did squats yesterday for like the first time in years. I'm starting really light so I don't get discouraged. I know you're supposed to feel the burn and work to like 90% effort each set, but I'll have to work up to that. Good luck to you!
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Old 08-22-2012, 11:49 AM
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Default Stupid question

Friends, a question about using this forum: do I use "reply" to add new posts within this thread? Because I haven't seen a "new post" icon. Are further posts really just replies to my own, first thread?

Thanks!
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Old 08-23-2012, 12:02 AM
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Originally Posted by twentythirteen
Friends, a question about using this forum: do I use "reply" to add new posts within this thread? Because I haven't seen a "new post" icon. Are further posts really just replies to my own, first thread?

Thanks!
2013, I've always been a bit confused about the posting sequence myself. I think you can also use the QR (Quick Reply) button under an entry to add to that thread, but I sometimes lose posts doing that, so it's not my preferred method of posting.
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Old 08-23-2012, 12:21 AM
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Ron, welcome to the women section! I also took a look at the women's section of bodybuilding.com, but it seemed to have too much of an emphasis on supplements for my tastes. Then I tend more toward being a homebody than a gym rat. From my point of view a good place to start, for someone who hasn't done Pilates before, is the Pilates section of about.com: Pilates Exercises for Beginners
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