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.
I am currently childless (and very thankful for that right now) but there is a VERY fast swimmer in Illinois that is in that 40-44 age group that went a 51 100 free. She is super skinny & obviously very fit and has 4 kids. I know she trains hard. 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 ....
Ask me how I feel about this again after a few kids ...
There are plenty of really fast & very thin swimmers, but there are also several that are fast and not skinny, right?
As a coach once told my team, well, fat floats ...
I've noticed that most swimmers, male and female, are in pretty decent shape below the waist-line. If you swim even 3x a week, how can your legs not be in shape with all of those pushes off the wall?
I think of thunder thighs as muscular thighs. I think another forumite commented somewhere that excessive kicking could cause thunder thighs. My 1994 daughter says that a lot of USS swimmers have "thunder thighs." They don't look overweight at all, just strong.
In my experience or voyeurism, it appears to me that men have more stomach issues and women have the "pear" issues. Just generalizing, of course, many exceptions. We all know of course that Muppet has the 8 pack abs. It's so hard to keep up with him ...
I think genetics is a big issue too.
Can't wait to see FlyQueen in her prom dress. Jules and I purchased the same suit recently and we will have to do a twinsy photo.
I have to agree with the guys here, looks can be deceiving. My aunt is rail thin (actually very gross thin - I'd guess less than 100lbs and 5'4") she smokes, she eats terribly, too ... my other aunt is the biggest of the 3 girls and workouts out all the time, eats VERY healthy, doesn't smoke or anything ... she is the biggest at about 5'5" and 120 lbs. She is a 2/4 ...
Also, my legs have thinned since I started swimming, they were definitely bigger when I ran ...
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'd say the same goes for the fastest male masters swimmers. Can anyone think of any super fast men who are substantially overweight? I can't.
I have to agree with the guys here, looks can be deceiving. My aunt is rail thin (actually very gross thin - I'd guess less than 100lbs and 5'4") she smokes, she eats terribly, too ... my other aunt is the biggest of the 3 girls and workouts out all the time, eats VERY healthy, doesn't smoke or anything ... she is the biggest at about 5'5" and 120 lbs. She is a 2/4 ...
Also, my legs have thinned since I started swimming, they were definitely bigger when I ran ...
No kidding. My sister is 5'5" and a size 0/2. She exercises, but smokes like a fiend. Blech.
My legs were thinner running, FlyQueen. You must have some mutant gene. Swimming only burns enough calories for me if I do major engine burning. Then I'm all happy, but the shoulder isn't. So I'm still running (except not before zones).
And what about general metabolic slowdowns as you age? Those suckers happen once in awhile.
I just read the issue of Swimmers Ear, from my LMSC Potomac Valley, available on the PV website. Lots of photos. I can't say that many of the swimmers, some very very fast, were super ripped. Except for Jeff Roddin who, as we know, has 0% body fat.
and a female sex-symbol like Marilyn Monroe is huge...
No way. Look at the pictures of her from the first issue of Playboy. She was in no way huge. Yeah, she put on a little weight the final years of her life, but she definitely was never huge.
As an aside (sorry for the brief hijack)....back in Marilyn's day the average model or celebratie (sp) was 8% thinner than the average woman...today the average is 25% thinner.
Are we talking about a percentage of weight? Sounds like a rather dubious statistic. Assuming it's true, I'd think it shows more about the prevalence of obesity today rather than models and actresses being excessively thin.
OK, I guess I could ask here...about 8 years ago I was 138 lb...then it was 150 lb, then 172 and now, oh my, 194 lb!!!! My hight is 5'11 and the thing is, my pants that I got 2 years ago (just about time I started really getting into swimming) still fit fine, the shirts are a bit tight in the shoulder area....now, how the heck did I end up with 194 lb??? Doc said my weight should be between 168 and 178 lb, but the only place I see that I could shape up a little is my tummy (have not had kids yet)... Am I huge with some secret fat area or is that muscle weight?
OK, I guess I could ask here...about 8 years ago I was 138 lb...then it was 150 lb, then 172 and now, oh my, 194 lb!!!! My hight is 5'11 and the thing is, my pants that I got 2 years ago (just about time I started really getting into swimming) still fit fine, the shirts are a bit tight in the shoulder area....now, how the heck did I end up with 194 lb??? Doc said my weight should be between 168 and 178 lb, but the only place I see that I could shape up a little is my tummy (have not had kids yet)... Am I huge with some secret fat area or is that muscle weight?
Throw out the scale! Seriously, the only true way to know is to get tested to see what percentage your body fat is. There is a way to measure your neck compared to your waist (I think) and this is supposed to be fairly accurate without the expense of water submersion. If I can find the link to the article I read, I will post it.
I think the best thing to do is to go by how you feel and what size clothes you wear - can you "pinch an inch"? What about "jiggly parts"? Blood pressure low? Cholesteral level low? Other blood counts normal? IMHO this is what really matters, not the number on the scale.
Everything in moderation (except swimming of course!). Exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, watch your calories, and live life to the fullest you can!
