Skinny fat - any suggestions?

elsien

I've always been small and thin, never needed to watch my weight or what I ate and have never been over keen on exercise.

Another birthday has been and gone (late forties), my trousers are getting very snug around the waist and although I don't think I'm getting much heavier (7 1/2 stone ish) I'm definitely getting an apple shaped pot belly. Which is very disconcerting as food and weight have never been something I give any thought to.

On the exercise front, I used to be fit (ish) from walking but now my dog can't walk that's tailed off. I manage the very occasional swim and the thought of attending a gym brings me out in a cold sweat - tried it, hated it, not planning on trying again. Plus I work long irregular shifts and often finish later than I should which means my eating is all over the place and I can't commit to any regular classes. Although I'm single I also have family commitments to fit round work and I'm skint and don't want to pay for anything exercise like.

So there's my long list of excuses, and hand on heart I don't have any motivation for major changes, just a vague feeling that I really should do something both before it gets worse and with my long term health in mind.

My brother has started a low carb diet that is working for him and I was wondering if (in a modified format, I don't want a radical cutting out of everything) that might help, and if anyone has any other helpful suggestions and a kick up the backside for me.

Gloomendoom

Have a look at the low carb thread on here. Unfortunately, it is rather "all or nothing" though.

elsien

I saw that and I think I'd need more motivation than I've got at the moment, to be honest.
I'm happy to look at other ideas, it's just that bro seems to have lost a lot off his belly, so that's why it was the first thing that came to mind. That and a magic wand obviously.

claire16c

Youd be a good size for running and its free? Could start with jogging? Maybe with a friend?

Or stuff at home to fit around your work like dance on the Wii? Yoga dvds stuff like that?

daska

There are lots of ways to cut down the carbs without adjusting your diet radically.

Some quick suggestions: If you drink squash or fruit juice give it up and drink water instead. Eat berries rather than bananas and grapes. Drink plenty between meals rather than with them. Replace potatoes and carrots with cauliflower, swede or celeriac (cauliflower makes good sub for mash and rice). If you're out drink spirits or wine rather than beer. Cut out biscuits, cake etc except for special occasions. Have a piece of cheese rather than a slice of toast, nuts instead of biscuits. Use a small plate, eat slowly, don't go back for seconds, and don't have pudding.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Might be worth having a quick checkup at the doctors to cross off anything else that could be causing the tummy - fibroids, that kind of thing - before you blame the snatched meals at the end of a long shift that you've always done.


Once you've done that, perhaps something small at first, such as trying to go swimming slightly more regularly? Think of it as an extended bath, if you like that idea more than thinking of it as exercise.

No point hurling yourself into a massive fitness and dieting kick, as you'll only hurt yourself, scare the horses and probably retreat into a safe corner for the next five years.

Is there any way you could reduce calories painlessly? For example, rather than having roast potatoes or roasted root veg, could you have boiled/steamed/bung bag in the microwave and switch on ones instead? If you eat sliced white bread, could you swap to the smaller loaves instead of the fullsized slices?


If you're tiny, there can't have been much of an increase in energy taken in compared to energy expended. So it's not an absolutely mammoth task, it's just small adjustments.

Gloomendoom

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

If you're tiny, there can't have been much of an increase in energy taken in compared to energy expended. So it's not an absolutely mammoth task, it's just small adjustments.

Also, I read somewhere that, generally, you need 100 calories less per day for every decade past the age of 30. Without adjusting your lifestyle to suit, you can't just carry on eating as you did when you were younger.

It certainly seems to be true in my case.

elsien

Thanks all - I do think small changes is the way to go. Starting with knocking the 10pm crumpets on the head.:(

Any ideas for breakfast? - at the moment it's toast, weetabix or if I have time, porridge. Has to be quick to do though, as if I'm at work at 7.30am I roll out of bed as late as possible. Or have breakfast there which again is likely to be a snatched mouthful of toast or cereal.

elsien

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

No point hurling yourself into a massive fitness and dieting kick, as you'll only hurt yourself, scare the horses and probably retreat into a safe corner for the next five years.

That pretty much sums it up for me. I've had an invite to the GP for a check up which I've been putting off (working on the "if I look healthy I must be fine" theory) so I might trundle along for that as well. Can't hurt I suppose, although I do feel as if I'm wasting their time. Then again if they're getting paid and I'm helping them reach their targets.......

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

The quick way to do porridge is to measure it out with the liquid the night before - when you heat it up afterwards, all you are doing is making it hot instead of having to get the flakes to absorb the water/milk. Give it a quick whack around with a wooden spoon as you serve it and that releases the creamy stuff.

Reduces it down from a ten minute job to about two and a half.


Your breakfast choices sound OK, in any case. Is it possible you could bung a banana or some such thing in your bag, just in case you tend to put tons of butter and jam on your toast normally? Or would you consider squishing banana onto toast?

belfastgirl23

Well you've done well to spot this before it gets out of hand and to take action before it becomes a big job

Assuming everything else looks ok healthwise though, it's a common enough thing. Now at the age of 40ish I'm definitely putting on weight above the waistline much more than I ever did before, though I've always been overweight. And it's going on in a much more apple-y way.

The bad news is that this is more likely to be visceral fat which health-wise is not a good thing. From what I've read, the main way to tackle it is to try to get some exercise. It doesn't have to be gym going, even making sure you do a little bit of walking every day is important.

You could try getting a pedometer. Another great gadget is a Fitbit, it's a pedometer and also has features for measuring your food etc. Just cos the dog doesn't need to walk doesn't mean you don't need to!

If you need motivation look around. I keep seeing women not that much older than me who look kinda pregnant. I am determined not to be one of them!!