# Skinny but flabby



## kingrollo (3 Jul 2018)

I am 5ft 8 and approx 74kg - I haven't lost much weight this year - but made good progress on shifting the belly - but as a thin boned geezer - i still look a bit flabby -at 55 can anything be done re this. I cycle 100 miles per week approx - gym (weights) 3 times per week ...

I want to look like one of those blokes from love island.


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## screenman (3 Jul 2018)

Swim, it has changed my shape.


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## kingrollo (3 Jul 2018)

screenman said:


> Swim, it has changed my shape.



Swimming bores the hell out of me - which is a shame because its probably the one sport I am quite good at...


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## Slick (3 Jul 2018)

A time machine.


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## raleighnut (3 Jul 2018)

Corset.


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## Sharky (3 Jul 2018)

Got the perfect route for you:-
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.3...4!1sQOjw_mhrL9bGWuBN31KVXw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656


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## Crackle (3 Jul 2018)

Yeah, let us know if you find out how.......


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## vickster (3 Jul 2018)

kingrollo said:


> Swimming bores the hell out of me - which is a shame because its probably the one sport I am quite good at...


Just go swim hard for 30/45 minutes before the boredom sets in?


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## MichaelW2 (3 Jul 2018)

planks
pressups
situps.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (3 Jul 2018)

MichaelW2 said:


> planks
> pressups
> situps.


To achieve what?


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (3 Jul 2018)

kingrollo said:


> I am 5ft 8 and approx 74kg - I haven't lost much weight this year - but made good progress on shifting the belly - but as a thin boned geezer - i still look a bit flabby -at 55 can anything be done re this. I cycle 100 miles per week approx - gym (weights) 3 times per week ...
> 
> I want to look like one of those blokes from love island.


Thats called skinny fat. The cure is put on some lean muscle mass, therefore gym must take preference over cardio.


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## vickster (3 Jul 2018)

kingrollo said:


> I want to look like one of those blokes from love island.



Time machine to lose 30 years, get a load of tatts and a spray tan. Job done


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## MichaelW2 (3 Jul 2018)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> To achieve what?


Become slighly more toned and less flabbly as a thin person. They will also strengthen back muscles, reducing chances of back injury.

Flex and stretch exercises are other exercises that are complementary to cycling.


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## Dayvo (3 Jul 2018)

Skipping - hard core, not kiddie skipping.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (3 Jul 2018)

MichaelW2 said:


> Become slighly more toned and less flabbly as a thin person. They will also strengthen back muscles, reducing chances of back injury.
> 
> Flex and stretch exercises are other exercises that are complementary to cycling.


None of that on it's own is a fix (feel free to ask me how I know that) and is almost an attempt at targetting fat loss which physiologically cannot work. Big compound lifts like the main 5 - Squat - Bench - OHP - Barbell row - Deadlift and calorie intake on point are key. 



Dayvo said:


> Skipping - hard core, not kiddie skipping.


Unfortunately not.


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## Dayvo (3 Jul 2018)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Unfortunately not.



Really!?

Worked for me, although I wasn't skinny. 

I went from 112 kg to 87 in 7 months:healthy diet and a LOT of skipping.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (3 Jul 2018)

Dayvo said:


> Really!?
> 
> Worked for me, although I wasn't skinny.
> 
> I went from 112 kg to 87 in 7 months:healthy diet and a LOT of skipping.


OP has already lost weight (inc lean muscle) so adding skipping (cardio) isn't productive to putting on lean muscle mass (resistance training)


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## Pat "5mph" (3 Jul 2018)

Dayvo said:


> I went from 112 kg to 87 in 7 months:healthy diet and a LOT of skipping.


You're supposed to say "cycling"


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## Rock bus (4 Jul 2018)

I can relate 100%to this. I’m at stage where I actually need to stop losing weight anywhere apart from my stomach. Skinny but with a bit of fat around middle which I can’t seem to shift.
Planning on joining gym and seeing if weights can help. Appreciate any advice on which exercises and how I know if need to actually eat more to build muscle. Also is twice a week enough and how Long until should see some improvement.

Ps sorry, not trying to hijack thread but hoping answers to those Qs may help you as well!


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## ColinJ (4 Jul 2018)

Rock bus said:


> I’m at stage where I actually need to stop losing weight anywhere apart from my stomach. Skinny but with a bit of fat around middle which I can’t seem to shift.


I have the same problem - my face starts to look gaunt before the roll of fat round my waist completely goes. I can't see an answer to that - be slim, but look ill OR look healthy but have a slightly flabby waist ...


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## PaulSB (5 Jul 2018)

ColinJ said:


> I have the same problem - my face starts to look gaunt before the roll of fat round my waist completely goes. I can't see an answer to that - be slim, but look ill OR look healthy but have a slightly flabby waist ...



I know this problem and at 64 it seems to worsen with age. I’ve dropped from 188 lbs two years ago to 162. I still have a bit of flab around my waist, though I can get in to 31/32” waist trousers.

If I go below 162/163, which frankly is VERY tough, I get what I call “old man skin.” Skin starts to hang and wrinkle on my upper arms and lower neck. I think it’s very unsightly. For me weight loss is both a health and vanity issue and I’ve reached the conclusion it’s a compromise. Excess weight on the waist is, I understand, the worst but I’d suggest in middle age, which 60+ is, a small amount of waist flab is inevitable unless one has a naturally very skinny build.

Last weekend a stranger at a party asked how old I was. When I replied 64 his response was “you look fantastic” which I have to confess delighted me.

Most women of a similar age will tell you they accept a certain amount of weight gain as inevitable if they want to look good and avoid slack skin in the face, neck and upper arm.

If one is fit and healthy it’s best to accept the days of washboard stomachs are gone for most of us.


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## jongooligan (5 Jul 2018)

Similar story to @PaulSB. Aged 60, lost 40lbs recently and I look great dressed but like I need ironing when undressed. Not sure there's anything you can do to get that elasticity back into your skin.


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## Tin Pot (5 Jul 2018)

kingrollo said:


> I am 5ft 8 and approx 74kg - I haven't lost much weight this year - but made good progress on shifting the belly - but as a thin boned geezer - i still look a bit flabby -at 55 can anything be done re this. I cycle 100 miles per week approx - gym (weights) 3 times per week ...
> 
> I want to look like one of those blokes from love island.





I’m 5’8” around 82kg, doctor reckons people our height should be 63kg...I was 73kg briefly when I was on Atkins diet and thought I looked like a child...big head, no body. Now I’ve found some salvation in disregarding weight in favour of body fat percentage. I’m around 20% and 42.

At 55 an athletic build I would look for upto 17% body fat:
http://www.triathlete.com/2014/12/nutrition/the-dos-and-donts-of-getting-leaner_81493

This guy is quite respected in the training community:
https://www.amazon.com/Fast-After-50-Race-Strong/product-reviews/1937715264

Ultimately for the “Senior” Love Island look I wouldn’t do it but testosterone supplements are going to be on that “journey”.


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## Tin Pot (5 Jul 2018)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Thats called skinny fat. The cure is put on some lean muscle mass, therefore gym must take preference over cardio.



The problem being that gaining lean muscle mass is very hard, even more so when your testosterone levels are falling.

https://www.enduranceplanet.com/spo...adaptations-plus-how-to-add-lean-muscle-mass/


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## ColinJ (5 Jul 2018)

I can definitely take up the slack skin on my arms and chest by building up the muscles there, but my face, neck and waist are lost causes without the cosmetic surgery that I am NOT going to have!


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## migrantwing (5 Jul 2018)

Boxing training...or the cheap option: get a cheap punch bag from eBay/Amazon etc and hook it up in the spare room/garage/outside. Watch some basic boxing training videos on Youtube and then start off with one round = 3 minutes. Move up to 2 rounds = 6 mins etc. If you can get to 21-30 minutes and then start to get tired, you're doing good. 

You will lose a little weight but tone up significantly. As has been mentioned, skipping is also good. Swimming, too. Along with cycling and boxing training, you should tone up quite significantly. Also eat lots of pulses, rice, beans, vegetable etc. Chicken, or better still turkey, for your protein hit.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (5 Jul 2018)

Tin Pot said:


> The problem being that gaining lean muscle mass is very hard, even more so when your testosterone levels are falling.
> 
> https://www.enduranceplanet.com/spo...adaptations-plus-how-to-add-lean-muscle-mass/


Oh?


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## jongooligan (5 Jul 2018)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Oh?



Very impressive but how do you know that they're not chemically enhanced?


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (5 Jul 2018)

jongooligan said:


> Very impressive but how do you know that they're not chemically enhanced?


Do you know different?


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## jongooligan (5 Jul 2018)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Do you know different?



Doesn't matter whether I know different. You haven't answered the question.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (5 Jul 2018)

jongooligan said:


> Doesn't matter whether I know different. You haven't answered the question.


And I'm not going to.


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## Tin Pot (5 Jul 2018)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Oh?
> 
> View attachment 417774
> 
> ...



Nothing you’ve posted countered my post - was it meant to?

To be clear, I’m encouraging not discouraging weight training.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (5 Jul 2018)

Tin Pot said:


> Nothing you’ve posted countered my post - was it meant to?
> 
> To be clear, I’m encouraging not discouraging weight training.


Wasn't meant to. It may be hard, but it's not impossible..


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## Tin Pot (5 Jul 2018)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Wasn't meant to. It may be hard, but it's not impossible..



Indeed - and it’s positively encouraged by GPs which is good to see.

Good health and well-being as we age is the thing to focus on.


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## vickster (5 Jul 2018)

Tin Pot said:


> Indeed - and it’s positively encouraged by GPs which is good to see.
> 
> Good health and well-being as we age is the thing to focus on.


Indeed strength also needed in addition to CV fitness for bone health

Give your bones a workout, public told http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-44696423


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (5 Jul 2018)

vickster said:


> Indeed strength also needed in addition to CV fitness for bone health
> 
> Give your bones a workout, public told http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-44696423


Yup!


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## Lonestar (12 Jul 2018)

[QUOTE 5301945, member: 9609"]this is very much where I am. Once all the fat is gone people ask if I'm ill 
not that I'm particularly bothered by that, but that is what happens, its not a good look. I have always been around the 14 stone mark and have always come over to others as quite a big strong bloke - now with all my cycling and landscape gardening I am just under 12 stone, have never been as fit and as strong in my entire life and yet I doubt I have ever looked as puny. (the 14 stone me wouldn't have stood a chance a against the 12 stone me)[/QUOTE]

Yeah I get that a lot...people asking me if I am ill as I've lost over two stone (and look leaner) with my continuing turbo trainer routine....I bought the trubo trainer over a year ago and reckon I've done the equivalent of 6000 miles on it.Not only that but a change of diet also.


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## midliferider (29 Jul 2018)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> None of that on it's own is a fix (*feel free to ask me how I know that*) and is almost an attempt at targetting fat loss which physiologically cannot work. Big compound lifts like the main 5 - Squat - Bench - OHP - Barbell row - Deadlift and calorie intake on point are key.
> Unfortunately not.



Please tell us. I am genuinely interested.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (29 Jul 2018)

midliferider said:


> Please tell us. I am genuinely interested.


Rapid weight loss of 8st - lost a lot of muscle also. After years of fighting to be something I am not (a lean cyclist) I've quit cycling in order to concentrate on re-building the lean muscle lost by visiting a gymnasium and lifting heavy things then putting them down.

I look better in the mirror(and feel better) now at 16st and 6-8months post quitting cycling than I ever did at 13.5st at my leanest. Obviously by lifting and eating more over time weight will increase, but that's a necessity to gain muscle, fat can be lost later on down the line while maintaining gym gains.


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## midliferider (29 Jul 2018)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Rapid weight loss of 8st - lost a lot of muscle also. After years of fighting to be something I am not (a lean cyclist) I've quit cycling in order to concentrate on re-building the lean muscle lost by visiting a gymnasium and lifting heavy things then putting them down.
> 
> I look better in the mirror(and feel better) now at 16st and 6-8months post quitting cycling than I ever did at 13.5st at my leanest. Obviously by lifting and eating more over time weight will increase, but that's a necessity to gain muscle, fat can be lost later on down the line while maintaining gym gains.



Thanks for sharing it.
Do you still cycle?


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (29 Jul 2018)

midliferider said:


> Thanks for sharing it.
> Do you still cycle?


I use the bike on turbo trainer for 2 HIIT sessions a week currently. Haven't ridden outside in months


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## confusedcyclist (3 Aug 2018)

Anyone looking for a good resistance training regime for newbies, this has really helped me:
https://stronglifts.com/5x5/

Only downside is it requires a gym with a power rack. I've been doing it with nothing but free weight barbell and bench for 3 months. Now I'm squatting with 70kg barbell, I'm having trouble cleaning the weight and thus progressing with the squat exercises. The power rack lets you continue to load the weights without you having to lift them to the starting position for the squat so you progress quicker. I'm now in the process of re-evaluating my regime as going to a better equipped gym will be a proper PITA. On the plus side, my arms and chest are no longer spindly, and my clothes are getting tighter for all the right reasons (not around the gut ).

The principle of the regime is 3 compound exercises mean your work out is faster than working each muscle in isolation using machines in the gym.

I may just switch to body weight exercises for simplicity's sake.


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## Freelanderuk (3 Aug 2018)

With loosing 8 stone since October I had lost a lot of muscle also, I made sure I was eating plenty of protein and I also use ON protein whey, I bought a load of weights and 2 bars and dumbells that I have in the front room ( much to the displeasure of the other half) 
I am deadlifting 100kg this week which I increase by 2kg each week ,I barbel row 55kg at the moment with a 2kg increase each week dumbell overhead press 15kg this has been static for a few weeks and a barbell curl with 38kg of weight on the bar 
On the dead lift I do just 8 reps all the others are 5 sets of 5reps I try and do this 3 times a week in between my rides 

It's starting to pay of as I have more muscle definition and the shirts are a little tighter ,but I still have about 5kg to my target weight and a fair bit of loose skin around my midsection, my weight is not dropping as fast but I am looking leaner and more toned which is a plus


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (3 Aug 2018)

Freelanderuk said:


> With loosing 8 stone since October I had lost a lot of muscle also, I made sure I was eating plenty of protein and I also use ON protein whey, I bought a load of weights and 2 bars and dumbells that I have in the front room ( much to the displeasure of the other half)
> I am deadlifting 100kg this week which I increase by 2kg each week ,I barbel row 55kg at the moment with a 2kg increase each week dumbell overhead press 15kg this has been static for a few weeks and a barbell curl with 38kg of weight on the bar
> On the dead lift I do just 8 reps all the others are 5 sets of 5reps I try and do this 3 times a week in between my rides
> 
> It's starting to pay of as I have more muscle definition and the shirts are a little tighter ,but I still have about 5kg to my target weight and a fair bit of loose skin around my midsection, my weight is not dropping as fast but I am looking leaner and more toned which is a plus





confusedcyclist said:


> Anyone looking for a good resistance training regime for newbies, this has really helped me:
> https://stronglifts.com/5x5/
> 
> Only downside is it requires a gym with a power rack. I've been doing it with nothing but free weight barbell and bench for 3 months. Now I'm squatting with 70kg barbell, I'm having trouble cleaning the weight and thus progressing with the squat exercises. The power rack lets you continue to load the weights without you having to lift them to the starting position for the squat so you progress quicker. I'm now in the process of re-evaluating my regime as going to a better equipped gym will be a proper PITA. On the plus side, my arms and chest are no longer spindly, and my clothes are getting tighter for all the right reasons (not around the gut ).
> ...


Stronglifts 5x5 is exactly what I'm at  and I genuinely love it. I can pull better than I push so barbell row is far better than bench press or overhead press. I did though as recommended buy my own smaller plates so I could microload instead of using the gyms smallest 1.25plates x2, I use 0.75 x2 where necessary


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## BikeCurious (23 Aug 2018)

confusedcyclist said:


> Anyone looking for a good resistance training regime for newbies, this has really helped me:
> https://stronglifts.com/5x5/





T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Stronglifts 5x5 is exactly what I'm at  and I genuinely love it



I was wondering about the Stronglifts program, how does it affect your cycling? I can't imagine getting on the bike the day after heavy squatting. The program has you squatting 3 times a week, do your legs hurt all the time as a result?


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## confusedcyclist (23 Aug 2018)

BikeCurious said:


> I was wondering about the Stronglifts program, how does it affect your cycling? I can't imagine getting on the bike the day after heavy squatting. The program has you squatting 3 times a week, do your legs hurt all the time as a result?



I was doing my sessions Mon/Wed/Fri at lunch time, cycle commuting 20 miles a day, 5 days. Well, I've put stronglifts on hold after 3 months, not because of cycling, I have an unrelated should/neck injury that flared up which needs physio, but to answer your question...

Hurt, no. Definitely feeling fatigued in the quads to start with, then it becomes more bearable as you progress and your legs start to feel normal again as you get accustomed to it. I could often 'feel' I had a work out on the cycle home, sometimes into work the next morning was a little lethargic, nothing too bad though. It just means taking it a bit easier on the bike between sessions, the rest days are important. I wouldn't combine stronglifts with efforts to beat your personal bests cycling, as your going to hinder your cycling performance, not to mention the muscle weight gains. But its great for improving general fitness if road racing isn't your bag. I couldn't care less about my FTP to weight ratios. On the flip side, stronger legs, core and back means better endurance in the saddle.


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## T4tomo (23 Aug 2018)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Rapid weight loss of 8st - lost a lot of muscle also. After years of fighting to be something I am not (a lean cyclist) I've quit cycling in order to concentrate on re-building the lean muscle lost by visiting a gymnasium and lifting heavy things then putting them down.
> 
> I look better in the mirror(and feel better) now at 16st and 6-8months post quitting cycling than I ever did at 13.5st at my leanest. Obviously by lifting and eating more over time weight will increase, but that's a necessity to gain muscle, fat can be lost later on down the line while maintaining gym gains.


So not really got much to add to a cycling forum any longer . Advice on how to bulk upto 16st is no good to us lean chaps who like riding up hills. 

is there a quitcyclingnowobsessivelypumpingironchat.net. You could join.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (23 Aug 2018)

BikeCurious said:


> I was wondering about the Stronglifts program, how does it affect your cycling? I can't imagine getting on the bike the day after heavy squatting. The program has you squatting 3 times a week, do your legs hurt all the time as a result?


They're tender! Can minimise that by limiting riding to the first and last stronglifts days. 

Ultimately to get anywhere you have to prioritise the activity.


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## Drago (23 Aug 2018)

Us strong types power up hills instead of merely riding up them. Compared to leg pressing 260kg a steep hill is quite restful.

And when we get to the pub at the top of the hill we look manly and pumped, not scrawny like undeveloped teenagers.


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## ColinJ (23 Aug 2018)

Drago said:


> ... when we get to the pub at the top of the hill we look manly and pumped, not scrawny like undeveloped teenagers.


I aspire to looking (moderately) scrawny!


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