In the False Start thread we got off on a tangent about fat and thin swimmers. I'd like to start a thread about this topic.
Since having my three children (2000, 2002, 2004) I have struggled with losing that belly. My husband, Mr. Exercise Physiologist, guesses I have about 15 pounds in my stomach. The rest of me is back in shape, the extra weight is just in my tummy. And boy do I feel it in the water. I equate it to carrying a 15 pound weight. That's a lot to swim with!
That being said, I get a physical every year (cancer runs in my family, I found out a few years ago). My NP said that my BP (104/62) and HR (56 resting) were good. And to my surprise both my HDL and LDL were really good (I don't remember the numbers). My blood cell counts were good, yaddy, yaddy, yaddy.
My point is that even though I'm 15-20 pounds overweight I'm REALLY healthy. She's never suggested that I need to lose weight. However, as a swimmer, the benefits of losing it are obvious. I'd swim faster.
The fastest FEMALE Master's swimmers I've seen are super thin, but not anorexic (sp?). Laura Val, Alison Zamanian, Laureen Welting, Beth McGee, Karlyn Pipes-Neilson, etc. are all really trim and super fast. Now, I'm not saying that if you're skinny, you're automatically fast... I've just noticed that thin, talented swimmers seem to swim the fastest. I don't consider myself in either category, so these are just my observations.
HOWEVER, I think genetics comes into play a LOT here. I don't know what her parents look like but I think genetics are a big part of how you look. You can alter that slightly with diet & exercise OR alter it to an extreme with extreme measures ....
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Agreed, I am very much a smaller version of my Mom and always have been. In fact, once when I was young, I was rummaging through boxes in my Grandmother's attic and found a picture of my Mom when she was the same age, and good heavens, it was me!
HOWEVER, I think genetics comes into play a LOT here. I don't know what her parents look like but I think genetics are a big part of how you look. You can alter that slightly with diet & exercise OR alter it to an extreme with extreme measures ....
..
Agreed, I am very much a smaller version of my Mom and always have been. In fact, once when I was young, I was rummaging through boxes in my Grandmother's attic and found a picture of my Mom when she was the same age, and good heavens, it was me!
