What does fit look like?

[kacie tri-ing]

So I was reading the following link on Runner's World:
http://rwdaily.runnersworld.com/2010...look-like.html

Some of the comments are interesting.

So what do you ladies think? What does fit look like?

[Juliegoddess]

What a great question! As a bigger lady (I'm about 5'10" and 210 pounds), I don't have to tell you how cruel people are to anyone with a little fat on their bones (and this is a HUGE part of the population....sheesh). But I can tell you for CERTAIN that a couple of those people, although they were thin were NOT fit. Like, not at ALL. But of course, thin doesn't mean fit. I am just talking about their uppity-ness, looking down their noses at me because I was bigger and the unspoken taunts of "wouldn't you LOVE to look like me" sort of thing.

I feel fit. I feel GREAT. I am not thin, never, ever will be, and don't ever want to be. So the average person is never going to look at me and say WOW, she's FIT!! But my boyfriend knows for certain that I AM (hehe, yeah, he knows!) and I know I am.

Being "fit" is a personal thing, I think. It's how you feel...it's what you can do on the bike, running, whatever it is you do.

[limewave]

The Fit Look:

It's the steel glint in someone's eye's when they set out to accomplish an athletic endeavor.

It's haggard after a grueling workout when you're "not feeling like it" but go for it anyways.

It's a bad farmer's tan.

It's bruised and battered and beaten down.

To be built back up into a leaner, stronger body.

The "fit look" is the smile someone is wearing at the culmination of reaching their goals after months of discipline and training.

It's confidence.

[Pedal Wench]

I don't have what I would call an athletic body, but the other day, after a long ride, I was getting my mail and a woman, a stranger, was walking by. She said that I must be a runner. I asked why - did I look that sweaty? She said that my calves could only belong to someone who worked out.

Made my day!

[Veronica]

My naturally super thin friend, who's also blond, blue eyed and tall..I should really hate her! has started telling me I look like stick. Sturdy log maybe... stick?!?

She also tells her seven year old that I am the strongest person she knows.

Veronica

[uforgot]

I just had a checkup. My doctor said "You exercise, don't you?" I replied "All the time". (Dance teacher, cyclist, never sit down teacher!) She said she could tell and that she was not going to give me the standard "you need to lose weight" lecture. She says I'm fit because my blood pressure, flexibility and cholesterol tell her so. She said to just keep doing what I'm doing. For my entire life, the focus has always been on losing 25 lbs, nothing else. The focus came from my parents, health care providers, boyfriends, ex-husband, society and myself. I walked out of there feeling better about myself than I ever have before! Finally!

[shootingstar]

I'm probably one of these folks: how-does-she-stay-slim-it-must-be-genes. No, I don't have problems buying pants due to developed thighs, etc. Pant fit problems is more due to problems in vanity sizing, poor cut, etc.


But I have to say....and it can get tiring to say this to various people:

I have to remind people that the reason why I look similar in weight compared to 25 years ago, when I was not cycling at that time in life, is:

Now I have to
a) expend nearly 1 hr. (or more) of vigorous exercise nearly daily
b) I cut my white carb consumption by 20% (among other things)
and the list of more minutaie can grow here. It doesn't get easier when natural metabolism slows down due to aging.

ALWAYS remember those who look fit and seem to look "fit", means conscious/mindful daily habits of exercise, reasonably healthy eating, etc. It requires effort and thankfully, happy effort due to cycling.

Am I in great shape? Probably not bad, but not fantastic either. Do I want to spend more time, money to get better? Well, maybe just a few minutes one day on strengthening. I mean I just did a 2 hr. bike ride today (42 kms.) with a few hills...a typical ride that I did nearly daily last spring and summer during the weekdays. How much more should I be devoting to "fitness"? I guess do intervals, etc. But somehow I'm not motivated to take this extra step of training unless one wanted to cycle across Canada. That has not been part of my cycling dreams. Not sure if it will ever be.

That's all. I will never be the fantastic senior/elder who is randonneuring, marathoning, triathaloning, snowboarding .... Simply because there are some other areas of non-cycling interest /natural strengths/skills that I'm underutilizing/not developing more (and I feel guilty about the latter. )

[snowroo]

LOL my trainer did the same double take at the gym. She used her machine and figured it must be wrong, I couldn't be that low body fat. Then her calipers pretty much said the same thing.

I guess sometimes it's about proportion. I don't look like an athlete. My heart rate is normally 80 (non-exercising) but now it's about 51. I know I'm relatively fit. But I certainly don't fit the "stereotype" of what an athletic body looks like. I don't look overweight, I just have hips!

[zoom-zoom]

My BMI is 25.3...so I am technically overweight. But I also have cholesterol and triglyceride #s that make my PCP do a double-take (he said I have the best #s of anyone in his practice) and my BP is typically 100/60. So my yearning to drop 20#s is more out of wanting to look more fit and be faster on the run and on the bike. Health-wise I don't actually NEED to lose anything.

[kacie tri-ing]

I knew you ladies would have some amazing insight. This is certainly an issue that I think about/struggle with. I love the tan lines one...that is great! I also love the knowing what fit feels like!!!