Do some people never look fit?

[OutLikeLight]

I run 4 times a week and weight train 3 times a week. I also do some yoga and strength exercises, and make sure I get at least 10k steps in every day.

I can run a half marathon fairly easily and I'd say I'm strong for my size!

But I look fat. I'm 118lbs and 5'2, I really don't want to lose more weight (I did lose 6 stone years and years ago.)

I worked SO hard to change my lifestyle and I love exercise, and I know it's so vain but I'm gutted I look so unfit, totally 'soft' looking with no visible tone or strength. In a t shirt and shorts I just look pudgy and unfit!!

Is there anything I can do? Or is it luck of the DNA draw? My DH does no exercise but looks a million miles better....

What is your diet like? Can you give a typical day's menu?

What's the intensity of your exercise like? To say you run 4x a week and strength train 3x, which would sound a lot to most people. But if all those runs are steady 5ks and the weight training is 20 mins of light weights, then that's not actually that much IYSWIM. It wouldn't be enough to keep me from looking chubby, anyway - my shape means I have to work harder than that to stay the size I am.

You also say you can run a half marathon fairly easily; but how often do you do that, and at what sort of pace? Because, again, there's a world of difference between doing that distance weekly at 7 or 8 min mile pace, and occasionally doing a half marathon race in 2:30 or something?

@FortunesFave

What is your diet like? Can you give a typical day's menu?

Eggs or porridge (with almond milk) for breakfast, tuna or ham salad lunch (apple cider vinegar dressing) and homemade dinners with lots of veg. (Curry, stew, salmon & roasted veg etc).

If I snack I'll have 100grams of yoghurt and handful of blueberries.

I don't eat takeaways or anything with processed sugar really, I stick to wholefoods (rarely eat bread...)

But I do have 2 or 3 gins most Fridays and a small bar of 85% dark choc a few times a week

If you lost 6 stone a while ago, could it be loose skin?

At 118 lb you’re definitely not fat and you sound very fit.

It's the not being tall that doesn't help. I trained for ages, will always look big as I don't want the tradeoffs I'd need to do to be really lean. I'm a true endomorph. DH was thin, a wee it of training & is now lean & vascular...

@fellrunner85

What's the intensity of your exercise like? To say you run 4x a week and strength train 3x, which would sound a lot to most people. But if all those runs are steady 5ks and the weight training is 20 mins of light weights, then that's not actually that much IYSWIM. It wouldn't be enough to keep me from looking chubby, anyway - my shape means I have to work harder than that to stay the size I am.

You also say you can run a half marathon fairly easily; but how often do you do that, and at what sort of pace? Because, again, there's a world of difference between doing that distance weekly at 7 or 8 min mile pace, and occasionally doing a half marathon race in 2:30 or something?

Maybe that's it!

My runs are all very steady, I've got so used to plodding along. Half marathon I do slowly in 2hrs 20 ish, 2 or 3 times a month. The rest of my runs are only a little faster, I've found my comfy pace...plodding...

My weights aren't light as I built up but I haven't increased weight for ages now I think of it. My 40 min workouts are all easily manageable, prob not working muscles to exhaustion.

So maybe that's it? I need to get out my comfort zone, up the intensity and that should result in visible results?

You're just over 8 stone and think you look fat?

How heavy are your weights out of interest?

@minipie

If you lost 6 stone a while ago, could it be loose skin?

At 118 lb you’re definitely not fat and you sound very fit.

There's def a lot of loose skin on my stomach and only surgery will help that, but had hoped my hard work would be at least a bit noticable elsewhere! I just generally look...soft, and unfit! :(

My runs are all very steady, I've got so used to plodding along. Half marathon I do slowly in 2hrs 20 ish, 2 or 3 times a month. The rest of my runs are only a little faster, I've found my comfy pace...plodding

Yes, I think that's your answer. But happily, it's easily fixed. In your shoes I'd keep your long run as it is, and then the other three could perhaps be one tempo session, one hills or speed session and one easy pace steady run. That way, you're making those runs "count" and will become fitter and stronger, which you won't if you're just plodding in your comfort zone. Though undoubtedly comfort-zone plods are often more fun!

You're under 8.5 stones. And you think you're big? That's ridiculous

Fit is not a look. You cant tell by looking at someone how fit and healthy they are.

Thanks so much @fellrunner85 I'll try doing that.

I really miss Parkrun, that used to be my weekly 5k where I'd go all-out speed wise and I haven't even tried to beat a PB since it closed! I need to make the effort to find some hills...

I'll enter into some 10k races too, that might help my motivation to push myself. Appreciate all the replies thank you!

I think if you want to look 'fit', you basically have to drop your % body fat, which is a lot of hard work and not necessarily all that healthy... that's my excuse anyway

Mine comes out as 22% on the machine at the gym and I probably do look like the appropriate pic here (...ok maybe the 24%!) but my body certainly doesnt scream 'athlete'
And I'm technically below the recommended percentage for my age

TheHeathen I agree. I think that it's especially hard when you're short as any slight bit of extra body fat makes a bigger difference.
OP Are you sure you're not being too hard on yourself? I bet you look slim and pretty toned to others. Tbh, I'm 5'3 and could have written your post, but when I went back to my bootcamp class last week, several people said how fit they thought I was looking. Which isn't meant as a brag, but just to illustrate that our perception of ourselves can be totally out of whack with how others see us.

Is posture affecting how you look? People look taller when they stand straighter. There are exercises on youtube.

I'm sure you look great OP but I agree with you that lots of people will never look "fit" even if they are. I do crossfit and some of the women in the class come 6x a week, lift massive weights despite being slim, and are incredibly fit, but you wouldn't know it looking at them. Meanwhile I know others who are much less athletic or barely exercise, who look like fitness models.

Oh well, we can't all look like that. The main thing is you are healthy, fit and slim, and I'm sure you look fantastic.

I feel you ... found my stomach didn't look toned until I had lost enough weight to have a BMI of 19 which is very much on the low side!
There's different types of fitness, sounds like you are cardiovascular fit, and very much so if you are casually able to complete a half marathon! But building strength is also very important.
I think visually (apart from the stomach) building muscle would help.
Other posters have suggested building up the intensity of your exercises, there's other things that affect how much muscle we can build. Hormones for example, which is why women find it harder to build muscle compared to men. Also age, and diet.
Alcohol isnt going to help at all but we all know that 🙈
Do you have enough protein? Maybe that's what's preventing it from happening.

OP have you ever watched superleague netball? Random example but those women are all superfit and lift quite big weights because they need to not be barged off the ball. And yet there is literally every body type going in most teams. Some of that will be their diet but a lot of it is their natural shape. Your diet and exercise regime sounds very disciplined - well done, and give yourself a break.

I am like this too!
Run all the time, and keep fit. Never look toned or athletic!! Always look like it's my first race as a beginner when the reality is it's been years!!

I think a lot of it is down to genetics. DH puts on muscle easily and looks ripped at a higher body fat percentage than average, I’m the opposite. I have EDS and it’s common to look quite soft even at a low bf percentage.

Gosh, shocked at the amount of exercise you do and the suggestion that you need to do it faster. I can barely run for the bus, eat a LOT of crap and drink a bit too much wine yet look very fit. I think your right it's down to genetics and also a bit to do with height.

If you've not got a very big muscle mass in relation to you frame size you will look less toned even if your fat percentage is fairly low. Like the expression 'all skin and bone'. If your frame is small you can carry less weight, that is be a the low end of a healthy BMI (lowest BMI that is considered healthy is 18.5).

I have a similar predicament. Although my legs and arms do look toned my stomach has less definition than I would like. I can see side abs but I have a small pooch/overhang. Like you I slow run (10k every day) and walk (5k every day) and do resistance exercises. My BMI is 18.5 so I have to build muscle now if I want to lose any more fat. So I am maintaining my weight. I keep up the running because I think it is really good for circulatory health, stress busting and bone health. However I have built some weight work and work with a power ball into my conditioning sessions.

Overall I am pleased though, I lost 4 stone over the last few years and I think I look ok, much better than before and I certainly feel much better. You should congratulate yourself for your progress but I think everyone recognises there will be always some work to do.

Oh and regarding pushing yourself running I just won't do it. I find it totally demotivating because it is not why I run. I have improved as I've continued but always run at a comfortable level. If you look up MAF running you can see how that works.

But people are right sprinters build bigger bulkier muscles (fast twitch muscles), slower long distance the slow twitch muscles. You can see the difference in athletic physiques here:

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/howard-schatz-photos-women-professional-athletesnn_4297902?ri18n=true

I find it all quite interesting.

I'm the same grasstreeleaf - run between 5 and 20km 4ish times a week, but do it at a steady pace and have no real intention of pushing myself to be faster. I know I could, but I run because I enjoy being in the fresh air, to keep reasonably fit, for the mental health benefits and to keep my weight in check. If I push myself too much, feelings of inadequacy start creeping in and I don't enjoy it as much.

I'm 4'11 and weigh 100lbs (bmi about 20). I do both cardio and strength training and have developed some decent muscle tone over the past year. I have rock hard abs under the very stubborn layer of fat on my belly. I know if I could just lose a few lbs I would have visible abs but I find it difficult to maintain this weight never mind go below it. I entered my measurements into an online calculator and apparently my body fat is at about 25%.

As PPs have said every tiny bit of weight gain really shows when you are short unfortunately. My husband is tall and and lean and has a six pack and he works his abs a lot less than I work mine. I think I will only look properly toned if I get my bmi down to about 19 which is difficult and not necessarily healthy.

Damn short genes,