After years of being immersed in the fitness and nutrition world, after years of battling body image and eating disorders, after years of fighting an OCD mentality, and after a few years of relatively normal behavior, I found out something really cool this morning.
I am a mesomorph. A body type to be envied.
I never knew that. I had heard of the three body types: ectomorph, the thin, tall person who never seems to gain weight; the endomorph, the person who gains muscle quite easily and is big-boned but also gains fat by looking at food; and then there's me, the mesomorph, who has an athletic build, easily gains muscle and just as easily loses excess fat. Every article I read proclaimed the greatness of the mesomorph.
I had never done much research into this subject, apparently. Or I classified myself as an endomorph, thinking that mesomorphic awesomeness was too good for me (hey, eating disorders can do that to one's psyche). It's just really cool to hear I actually have something that other people wish they had, after years of being bombarded with the ectomorphic body image parade that goes on with our starlets and models.
Of course, if you are an ectomorph or endomorph you can also look awesome. You just require a different approach. Here and here are two random sites that I looked at and found informative and interesting.
While I'm on the subject of fitness, go check out this site. Spark it up! It's actually a neat site, and once Damm and I get our phones of awesomeness next semester (some type of Droid, probably) it'll be even cooler since I'll be able to update from my phone. You can choose how involved you want to be; I get on in the mornings and read articles and spin the wheel for extra spark points. My mom found the site. Figures she'd find facebook completely boring and go searching for something else:)
I'll update you on my fitness regime as well, although I'm not sure anyone but me finds it interesting:) Spinning has been going well-I love my instructor and actually look forward to class. I've been going twice a week. I have one long run per week; so far it's 4 miles. One day I do an active recovery day, and the other two I usually run and do some strength training. And on the seventh day I rest. No clue what my weight is or measurements are; the next time I do a weigh-in I'll post 'em here.
And I am now typing this with one hand because Miniorc needed my other one. Adios.
Comments
I began walking, a lot. At work I'd take off for 20 minutes or so and at my walking pace of 4.5mph that made for a 1.5 mile walk. The first few pounds fell away then I seemed to plateau around 190 so I jumped on the Wii Fit and started cranking out 2-3 sets of the Wii Fit Boxing, on Expert. That's another good 30 minutes of cardio. That was in addition to my walking.
This morning I was 179.2 with 20% Body Fat (it uses electronic bio-impedance) and I'm looking good for a 41-year old guy. I'm actually at my High School weight but my body fat % is still too high, for my liking. I want to get it down to around 14-15% if I can.
What I don't like about the Wii Fit is it uses the BMI to determine how "fat" I am, and when I take my Body Test it says I'm overweight. I'm 41-years old, 5'11" & 180lbs with 20% Body Fat; I am definitely not "overweight". Yes, I am still carrying around a few too many pounds (at least for my liking) but I am not overweight.
The only reason I even do the Wii Fit's Body Test is to keep track of my weight loss, because seeing the positive results of your efforts charted on a graph makes it easier to keep working out.
I'm in the same boat-I'm 5'1 3/4", 130 pounds. According to most of the charts I'm overweight, or at the high end of my weight category. But I am a size 6 or 8 and have more musculature than most females I know, so I decided a long time ago to not even worry about those charts:)