How to become fitter without losing weight...

[Nikki Sahagin]

Hi all!

 

I have just joined a gym. I don't want to lose weight as I am 5'4/5'5 and only weight between 7 and 8 stone (I constantly go between the two). As such I DESPERATELY do not want to lose weight. I am naturally quite dainty and have a small bone structure. But I do want to become fitter and tone up. How is this acheivable without losing weight in the process?

 

Thanks!

[Geishawhelk]

The way you're going, you're likely to put weight on.

but it will be muscle, not fat.

you'll build your frame up.

 

A good form of all-round exercise is swimming.

[Nikki Sahagin]

The way you're going, you're likely to put weight on.

but it will be muscle, not fat.

you'll build your frame up.

 

A good form of all-round exercise is swimming.

 

Hey Geisha! I have to say, you always seem to respond to my threads, and I always appreciate it! How do you mean the way I am going - as in joining the gym is a positive step towards achieving what I want? At the gym i've been using the treadmill, bikes, weights etc. I was advised to go once or twice a week for no more than an hour. And yes i'm considering swimming. I used to be a strong swimmer but have since lost it...so i'm a bit reluctant about going back to it!

[electric_sheep]

Exercising is going to affect your metabolism. So long as you eat more to compensate for this you shouldn't loose weight. As mentioned, you should probably gain a little weight in fact, in the form of muscles. Presumably your appetite should naturally increase, causing you to eat more. Your muscular strength and endurance will increase. Cardiovascular fitness will follow as well, though it has little outward signs.

 

Our cultures obsession with ultra skinny causes many women to use "fitness" as a thinly veiled attempt to try and achieve extreme and unhealthy thinness, however. I see many of these girls at the gym all the time. In it's extreme version, it amounts to body dysmorphic disorder. On the flip side, many of the guys pumping iron suffer from the same thing, but their goal is the Calvin Klein underwear model... ripped, 6-pack.

 

My guess is a fairly large proportion of gym goers couldn't care less about health at all.

[Nikki Sahagin]

Well as I said i'm very skinny so I don't really want to lose any weight. I quite enjoy the buzz you get from exercise and though i'm tiny, i'm not very fit. I don't really want people to see me and think i'm obsessed with my image because i'm skinny and exercising - but I guess i'll just have to take that on the chin!

[Geishawhelk]

I've dropped six pounds just walking to and from work this week due to loads of snow and bad weather! I got myself a pace-counter and am eating better too, because my partner's been diagnosed as a type II diabetic - so we have to be a bit more judicious about food!

 

I looove swimming Nikki - literally - go back and jump right in to it!

 

it's great!!

[GoneButNotForgotten]

Also make sure you add some extra protein to your diet. It really helps with the building up of muscle. Don't go overboard too fast though. Exercise actually tears the muscles a tiny bit, and when they repair themselves they become stronger. If you go too much and don't give yourself enough time to recover it can do more damage than good.

[johan]

If you're already pretty lean, then what weight do you think you're going to lose? Women generally carry around a bit more fat naturally, particularly between their ears, and it's doubtful you're going to work out so much that you lose that. Chances are you'll gain muscle. As long as you eat right, I wouldn't recommend you worry about it too much. If health is your top priority, then you can only be enhancing your appearance.

[Geishawhelk]

Spoken like the true man - who carries his brains in his pants.

[wuggle]

As a general guide lets assume 'Fitter' means mostly cardiovascular fitness. This is general accomplished by running, bike work, rowing etc. If you do lots of this and dont want to loose weight, I would advise eating carbs such as pasta after working out. When you do a lot of cardio you burn a lot of fuel and pasta is excellent at replenshing this. We usually find a natural craving for pasta (e.g spaghetti bolognese) after a big cardio workout.

 

Generally if you are doing reasonable amounts of cardio in your workout routine you are unlikely to put on lots of weight, this usually happens when you do weights with heavy weights and do less reps.

 

So if you are doing lots of cardio to get fit IMO you should try spaghetti bolognese (lots of carbs in the pasta but good protien in lean mince meat) or my personal favourite Pasta with Pesto and chicken.

 

You'll find your natural balance easily enough. Dont worry about putting too much muscle mass on , womens bodies are different in that area anyway and you would have to do a LOT of heavy weights before you start bulking up .

 

last piece of advice, dont get too hung up on your weight. Dont weigh yourself everyday and get panicky when you drop 2 or gain 2 pounds. You weight will fluctuate each day naturally. Stick to weighing yourself once a week only.

[lino]

doing high intensity cardio often will make you much fitter. Eating a lot and lifting some weights will ensure that you don't lose any weight

 

I don't really want people to see me and think i'm obsessed with my image because i'm skinny and exercising - but I guess i'll just have to take that on the chin!

 

 

Anyone who thinks that is either fat and lazy or just a wanker... probably even both

[Lizzie60]

My advice.. hire a trainer for a few sessions.. he will get you going..

[electric_sheep]

I don't really want people to see me and think i'm obsessed with my image because i'm skinny and exercising - but I guess i'll just have to take that on the chin!

 

Ehh, just ignore me.

 

I'm convinced my sister suffers from what they call "exercise bulemia", so it shades my opinion. She's actually passed out before.

 

I've always been skinny myself, so I certainly don't want to be the "skinny police". Yet the sad truth is our cultural obsessions have caused a lot of heart ache for many people.

 

Sounds like you just have a legitimate desire to be healthier and more fit, which is commendable. I started running when I was 20 and have been running ever since.

 

The weight thing will take care of itself. Do what you like to do, live and eat healthy, and your body will take care of the rest.