How much exercise do you do and do you look fit?

[Anothernumber99]

I know several people who do lots of exercise (triathlons, marathons etc) but don't look especially fit. And by fit I don't mean skinny. One lady I know exercises almost every day and is still a bit overweight but also does not look toned and has a flabby stomach. Sorry if that sounds unkind, but it's just an observation.

I'm starting to exercise again myself and want to look super fit. My bum in particular needs work as it's pretty wobbly. What's the best way to achieve this and make sure I'm not slogging away in the gym for nothing?

Also do you think your figure has more to do with genetics than anything else? A friend of mine does loads of running and looks amazing but I saw photos of her before she discovered running and ate junk food every day and she looked just as amazing back then too so I'm thinking maybe it's genetics rather than the running.

Oh and I do realise there are other benefits of exercise (psychological, health) as well as looking good

I work out four times weekly at my gym. I do 40 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of strength training. I have lost weight and toned up. My stomach is a work in progress, I am still unhappy with the little apron left over from bearing 3 children. I feel fit and healthy. It gives me pleasure to know my body is strong.

'I really admire people who are bad at stuff and still do it enjoy it'
Eddie 'the eagle' Edwards, he was the shit wasn't he

I used to believe that running was bad for you but I recently read that humans are actually mechanically and physiologically very well adapted for long distance running.

I cycle (long resistance at weekends, commute 2 days a week atm), parkrun on a Saturday plus Pilates once a week. I am slightly overweight atm but have times toned arms, calf muscles and a firm bum

I don't know that I look fit, but I don't look unfit, in that although I could drop a bit of weight I'm not flabby.

Some of it is definitely genetics though - I build muscle easily, but am ones of those who continue with cardio despite being a dreadful runner!

Body fat does make a huge difference.

This picture is fairly accurate I think; I was 15% when last checked a few months ago and that's about what I look like.

I commute by bike when I can (not very often at the moment because of pressure of work) and do exercise DVDs every weekday morning before work. I'm pretty fit but don't look it, which I think is basically genetic - I'm short with wide hip bones and rib cage, and short-waisted and short-legged even for my height, so I look dumpy unless I dress very carefully. I look OK naked though, and given that I'm in my forties with a child and a sedentary job I think that's pretty good going.

i do 30ds several times a week, and have lost weight and become stronger but i dont look fit.

Ive had 3 children and my weight has fluctuated so much over the years i doubt ill look as fit and toned as a young spritely woman but that doesnt make it pointless or even close

I lost 6kg a couple of years ago and looked skinny, body fat around 23%, but not toned. I've been running seriously now for 18 months, race regularly and run around 60kms a week, and my body fat is now down to 15% even though I'm a little heavier. I'm definitely more toned now as a result of all the exercise. But I still have to watch what I eat. I did a marathon on Sunday and was surprised to see a few female runners who were quite porky running well. They must be fit but didn't look it!

I look a lot fitter than I actually am. I am muscular and lean but I think it's genetic as my dad is too.

I do do quite a lot of exercise - run most days and cycle at the weekends, but nothing very intense. I think it's luck on my part.

I don't do much exercise, I only walk about 30 mins a day including getting to work etc but I do 5-10 mins of ab work a night. My belly looks just a little toned but occasionally people comment on it as it is visible through tight tshirts. However the rest of my body is very untoned (flabby arms and bum) so obviously if you put the effort in to certain parts it shows...

I've recently lost 2kg of lean mass and gained 6kg of fat and dramatically reduced amount of activity (yay overactive thyroid and its treatment) my fitness has taken a massive hit but body fat percentage is still low enough for abs, for example, to be clearly visible (just three vertical lines no six pack) and other muscles. I think this makes me look a lot fitter than I am! My flexed biceps look amazing but they are squishy where they used to be firm anyway I think it's body fat under about 17% that gives an illusion of fitness if you have the sort of frame (I have short boxy limbs) that makes muscles look big?

Used to run, I dunno, anything from 20-35 miles a week and ride my horses, bit of cycling, a lot of yoga. Currently run probably 10 miles or even fewer a week and mostly just try to do as much walking as possible (average has crept up from 12 to 16k steps a day since April) and next week am starting with a new PT to do some careful lifting and hopefully regrow or at least preserve my precious muscles

I forgot in my joy of chatting about My Self that my point was that lowering body fat is probably more dietary than anything.

I run more than 35 miles a week and I don't look especially 'fit'. I have strong solid legs but a flabby tummy and a abdo surgery pouch that will never be fixed.

I'm also not especially lean but my body is strong. My genes are crap, I've always been wobbly, never naturally toned, much like my mum.

I run for health, enjoyment and mental wellbeing though, not to improve my physical appearance.

I come from good, solid, farming stock. So though I'm tall and long legged I always look strong and solid, like my muscles come from lifting bales of hay and traipsing after sheep - rather than the impractical skinny of the fitness model. I do have great legs and bum, and a shapely arm (I have very limited use of the other)

I run/cycle/swim 6 days a week (some days I do more than one discipline a day), totting up 6km in the pool, 40km running, and 100km cycling a week.

As CMOTDibbler - I am naturally quite muscular - broad, strong shoulders. my legs are generally quite st rong too.

I usually try to run 4 or 5 miles at least 3 times per week. The other days i will do a Shred or similar.

However have been having a bit of a break the past few weeks, due to holidays and illness so it's all gonea bit to pot.

If I ate less I think I would look quite fit and toned. However I like food and booze too much. I can out eat any run.

Grumpy I think when people say 'weights', they mean any strength/resistance training and that includes yoga (because you are using your own body weight) which is presumably why you have a toned physique.

I think the pics linked to above are pretty good- I am about 30% body fat and look about like that one- I don't have her waist but look muscular and chunky. Would look good if I ate less!