Body Type

cara1965 · 08-22-2008, 02:30 PM

I've been walking 3 miles for 2 1/2 years, running the stairs for 1 1/2 years, and began 3 weeks ago lifting weights at the gym but I'm not getting the results I'd hoped for. I go to the gym 3-4 times per week and workout 1-1 1/2 hours. I'm not sore the next day but do feel like I've done all I can when at the gym. My son who's 20 says I'm in shape but that I'm not going to get the results I'm expecting because of my body type. I'm 5', medium build, average upper body, more than average butt, not fat but not thin, with a small waist. Except, I had a c-section with my second child and the lower abdominal muscles haven't toned up and there's just too much there!

IS it POSSIBLE to tone this area after a c-section? Also, is my son right about my body type and that I can't have the same results as some of these women that I've seen their before and after pics? I've noticed a significant difference in their hips/legs.

Lckymii · 08-22-2008, 03:09 PM

I don't know much about the c-section question.. but if you have thicker hips and legs that they will be the last to go and they will hang on for dear life.

From experience mine will only budge with a lot of cardio and very hard dieting, of which I don't have time for and am not willing to do at this point. So, it is possible to change the lower half, but are you willing to work really hard for it?

kimlin85 · 08-22-2008, 03:59 PM

how can you expect results in 3 weeks? it takes a time and consistency. your build has NOTHING to do with it, i'm also 5 feet tall medium build. dont lose hope, you need to work hard to become the best you can physically be, c-section or not. try not to worry about comparing body types.

gecko... · 08-22-2008, 05:42 PM

You didnt mention your eating plan. . . ?

There was a lady at my old gym, lets just say she had an extreme pear shape - her bum and thighs were dramatically out of proportion with her top half. After almost a year I came to know her as the amazing shrinking woman. . . she just kept getting trimmer and trimmer but her bum and thighs were only having small changes. Then all of a sudden they just started shrinking! When I left that gym she was completely in proportion and totally toned and gorgeous

As for the c-sec, you have to wait until your muscles heal back together (how long since you gave birth) and the c-sec 'apron' is hard to get rid of so I hear, but possible - its just fat and eventually fat can be burnt off.

Good luck and give yourself time - you will be suprised

pirouette · 08-23-2008, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spark84

You didnt mention your eating plan. . . ?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is very important. I've always heard and repeated "abs are made at the dinner table".
We are also a slave to our genetics to a point. Do the best with the body type you've been given. I would love to be one of those long, lean and thin types.............but no matter how hard I've worked it's never happened. And, at my thinnest, I don't look good. Flat butt and just plain weird looking...because I'm not meant to look that way. I've always been strong and I look better when I'm a little bit thicker.

You also may be over-training.

cara1965 · 08-23-2008, 11:27 AM

I know that I don't eat healthy but thought that with all the workouts I could eat what I wanted. I'm addicted to my carbs/sugars. I don't want a bodybuilder look with all the muscles but a fit and toned look and rid myself of the dimples. I'm not interested in competing at this point. I thought that walking 3 miles 5 days a week and running up the stadium stairs at the track 30 times 3 days a week would be enough but it's not. My son says the only way to drop the 10 lbs and rid myself of the abs is to run. I've tried running but my knees hurt like hell when I do. I still go to the track some now that I'm going to the gym and I try to at least get 1-2 miles in on the treadmill with walking/running (a little bit) before I leave. My c-section was 16 years ago but the "apron" look has never completely gone away. I pretty much have an hourglass figure because my breasts are in proportion with my hips/butt. I'm 140 lbs and when I was 95 lbs before my kids I had no butt/breasts but large hips with a flat butt like you mentioned. So I look more feminine, and just better and more in proportion with a little weight on me.

This is my workout although I don't know the different names of the machines:
I do 5 reps of 10 on each machine with weights ranging from 30-60 lbs working my biceps/triceps/legs/abs. I also work my abs/back with a machine using 60 lb weights doing 100 exercises. I alternate, one day the lower half, the next day the upper half. I ALWAYS do something for my abs each day. I also do a few floor exercises for my abs. I just don't think that I'm OVER training. Maybe the foods that I eat could be the problem and as you said...I haven't given it enough time.

I really don't know anything about the gym and this is the first for me in a gym in my entire lifetime. I did do aerobics before the kids and after giving birth but got off track for 15 years. (embarrassed to say!) lol

pirouette · 08-23-2008, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cara1965

I know that I don't eat healthy but thought that with all the workouts I could eat what I wanted. I'm addicted to my carbs/sugars. I don't want a bodybuilder look with all the muscles but a fit and toned look and rid myself of the dimples.

Bingo! I it's a struggle for me too when it comes to food but I've trained myself to like other things and slowly weaned myself off the really bad stuff. It all comes down to how bad you actually want it. If the food is more important, it will show on your body no matter how much cardio you do.

also, you shouldn't train abs every day. you wouldn't train arms every day would you? just train them like another body part.

aseaborn · 08-23-2008, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pirouette

Bingo! I it's a struggle for me too when it comes to food but I've trained myself to like other things and slowly weaned myself off the really bad stuff. It all comes down to how bad you actually want it. If the food is more important, it will show on your body no matter how much cardio you do.

also, you shouldn't train abs every day. you wouldn't train arms every day would you? just train them like another body part.

I completely agree! You will see great results with diet changes alone and after you add in the cardio and lifting it just begins to take off from there. Either you live to eat or you eat to live, its near impossible to have both. Just be honest with yourself and what you really want and it will happen.

cara1965 · 08-25-2008, 08:07 AM

Is walking considered enough cardio or do I need to run or bike ride?

cindys76 · 08-25-2008, 10:22 AM

It depends on your fitness level. If you were completely sedentary before, then yes walking should be enough cardio - for now. Eventually you will either want or need to increase the intensity and change to biking, running or what ever you enjoy. BTW, when I initially started exercising after an extremely long time away, I lost about 10-15 pounds from walking alone. I hadn't changed my diet or added in weight training at that point, that came a few months later.