# Starting to look scrawny



## Basil.B (11 Aug 2011)

Been cycling for about a year now, but getting worried that I'm losing too much weight. I used to be 34" waist, now I'm wearing 32" wait trousers and they are getting too loose.
I eat well, but I'm getting concerned about starting to look like a whippet.
On the plus side, I feel more healthy!


----------



## vickster (11 Aug 2011)

Lucky you! 

Do you do anything other than cycle, like some gym work to bulk up?


----------



## lulubel (11 Aug 2011)

If you feel like you're getting too thin, there's an easy solution .....

Eat more


----------



## gb155 (11 Aug 2011)

lulubel said:


> If you feel like you're getting too thin, there's an easy solution .....
> 
> Eat more



+1


----------



## BrumJim (11 Aug 2011)

32" waist? Probably getting back to the right size. Most men seem to believe that a larger size than required is a healthier shape.


----------



## monnet (12 Aug 2011)

It's a difficult one to judge on without seeing you but if you're eating healthily and exercising you're probably ok. If you're really not sure, see a doctor. Different people have different natural builds and after losing some weight, you might just be finding your natural build is 'scrawny'! Someone pointed out on here once that perception has a lot to do with it - these days we're so used to seeing people who are overweight that when we see someone who is actually the correct weight we think they are unhealthily thin. 

Of course that's an interesting evolutionary point but perhaps for another topic.


----------



## Orange (12 Aug 2011)

BrumJim said:


> 32" waist? Probably getting back to the right size. Most men seem to believe that a larger size than required is a healthier shape.


Many shops and even online retailers have 32" as their minimum sizing - which I suppose goes some way to reflect the general size of the populace.

Very annoying still, when you are a loose fit 28".


----------



## endoman (12 Aug 2011)

I aim to get thin enough so I can buy something in Hollister or Abercrombie and Fitch without reaching for the ladders of shame! 32 is middle of the range in there.


----------



## Angelfishsolo (12 Aug 2011)

Basil.B said:


> Been cycling for about a year now, but getting worried that I'm losing too much weight. I used to be 34" waist, now I'm wearing 32" wait trousers and they are getting too loose.
> I eat well, but I'm getting concerned about starting to look like a whippet.
> On the plus side, I feel more healthy!



What is your height and weight?


----------



## American Cyclist (12 Aug 2011)

Start doing some strength and core workouts to build a bit of muscle and definition and you will get rid of your scrawny look. I am 5"7 148 lbs with a 28-29" waist and I don't look the least bit scrawny because I get my fair share of strength and core workouts every week.


----------



## HLaB (12 Aug 2011)

lulubel said:


> If you feel like you're getting too thin, there's an easy solution .....
> 
> Eat more



Or buy a good belt


----------



## Glover Fan (12 Aug 2011)

For the first time in my life I can almost pull off skinny jeans. 30" waist here.

It was much easier when I was a 38" waist, more clothes on the shelves!


----------



## Ellis456 (13 Aug 2011)

You need to increase your calorie intake, your body's burning more then what's coming in. Eat more, not crap good food.


----------



## benborp (13 Aug 2011)

monnet said:


> Someone pointed out on here once that perception has a lot to do with it - these days we're so used to seeing people who are overweight that when we see someone who is actually the correct weight we think they are unhealthily thin.




A wardrobe mistress once told me that she loved cutting period costumes for me as I was the only person that didn't need to have the original patterns adapted - I have a 'standard, athletic' body shape for up until 30 years ago. Yet it is almost impossible to find anything off the rail that is anywhere near cut to fit me and there is a general perception that I'm unusually thin. I'm frequently told that I need to put on weight by those around me and I'm frequently described as skinny- yet medically my weight has always been good for my height and on those occasions when people have seen me unclothed they're generally surprised at how muscular I am. 

Don't worry about losing bulk around your waist, it's generally a good place to lose fat from and muscle there isn't going to replace its bulk. The point at which you'll start depleting general body fat beyond what is healthy usually takes a large amount of work and/or a fairly extreme diet. Enjoy the feeling of not lugging around the extra baggage, if you feel well, stay healthy and don't struggle with fatigue there is little to worry about other than having to put another hole in your belt.


----------



## Basil.B (13 Aug 2011)

I'm 5' 8', used to weigh around 11 stone, nearer 10 now.
I eat healthy, don't drink alcohol, used to be a heavy drinker. Had to give that up, Doctors orders - sob!
Never did any exercise at all, apart from swimming which lasted 6 months, 15 years ago.


----------



## Rob3rt (13 Aug 2011)

Orange said:


> Many shops and even online retailers have 32" as their minimum sizing - which I suppose goes some way to reflect the general size of the populace.
> 
> Very annoying still, when you are a loose fit 28".



I dont know where you shop, but where I shop, this experience is not reflected.


----------



## youngoldbloke (15 Aug 2011)

Stores keep very limited numbers of 30" waist trousers. On one occasion I searched M&S in Brighton and found only one pair in a 30" waist, an experience repeated to some extent in Bath and Leeds. I was told by the assistant that I could order for collection in store - not much help if you are visiting for the day. Being of 'limited stature' makes it even worse, with very few 29" leg stocked either. I am told by my wife that the small sizes are also getting larger anyway, to accomodate the general increase in size.


----------



## fimm (15 Aug 2011)

Yeah, my b/f has the double "problem" of being both short (with short legs) and slim. He rates Top Shop for clothes - they do trousers in a shorter leg (though when we were last there we spend ages hunting through the jeans and found about 1 pair to fit him...


----------



## Camgreen (15 Aug 2011)

youngoldbloke said:


> Stores keep very limited numbers of 30" waist trousers. On one occasion I searched M&S in Brighton and found only one pair in a 30" waist, an experience repeated to some extent in Bath and Leeds. I was told by the assistant that I could order for collection in store - not much help if you are visiting for the day. Being of 'limited stature' makes it even worse, with very few 29" leg stocked either. I am told by my wife that the small sizes are also getting larger anyway, to accomodate the general increase in size.




Try finding 28" waist!!


----------



## Arsen Gere (16 Aug 2011)

If it was a gradual weight loss, nothing to worry about. If it was rapid I'd see a doctor.

Drink slows down your metabolic rate and reduces the effects of growth hormones so if your body had adapted to the alcohol in your system this may be a temporary reaction. I'm no doctor though.

If you're happy being thin leave it like that. Most people would love to be in your situation.

I'm on about 4000 kCal a day to keep my weight stable so you may need to eat more, start with a food diary. I go for more meals rather than bigger ones - if you want to bulk up a bit. Everyone has a critical mass for maximum power output but its a very indvidual thing and hard to specify.

You should be a good climber though!


----------



## Basil.B (16 Aug 2011)

I eat well, so must be puny! 
What are the best foods to eat?


----------



## 7Teen (22 Aug 2011)

you think buying clothes with a 30" waist is difficult!! I'm 6 foot 4" tall and have a 28" waist - practically impossible to buy clothes xD As for scrawniness, i used to be conscious of it but its just my natural build (i eat ALOT) so i had to accept it


----------



## cyco2 (24 Aug 2011)

Basil.B said:


> I eat well, so must be puny!
> What are the best foods to eat?



You're having a laugh!


----------



## ColinJ (24 Aug 2011)

lulubel said:


> If you feel like you're getting too thin, there's an easy solution .....
> 
> Eat more





gb155 said:


> +1


_*Cough* ... _


----------



## Banjo (24 Aug 2011)

Basil.B said:


> I eat well, so must be puny!
> What are the best foods to eat?



I think your weight and waist meausurement are right in the healthy range so wouldnt worry especially as you say your feeling good.

With the majority of British adults either overweight or obese being a healthy weight makes you abnormal.


----------



## youngoldbloke (24 Aug 2011)

Banjo said:


> I think your weight and waist meausurement are right in the healthy range so wouldnt worry especially as you say your feeling good.
> 
> With the majority of British adults either overweight or obese being a healthy weight makes you abnormal.



+1


----------



## ColinJ (24 Aug 2011)

User said:


> Basil b... i hate to say this BUT you are under weight, you really need to reacess your diet, i'm 5' 7" and my ideal weight is anywhere from 11-7 to 12 st....


It varies from person to person with individual build. I'm a medium build, 6' 1" and my ideal weight is probably about 12 stone. (The last time I was 12 st 7 lbs, I still had a significant roll of fat round my waist.)


----------



## amaferanga (25 Aug 2011)

User said:


> I agree and i do forget that i'm quite muscular (years of doing different sports) but for someone of my height and above to be 10 st (140 lbs, 63kg) thats light. .....




Not necessarily underweight though. As Banjo says we're so used to seeing fatties all the time in this country now that anyone who is lean is instantly accused of being underweight. For most people at around 5'7" I reckon 10 stone is a healthier weight than 12 stone.


----------



## eyko (25 Aug 2011)

User said:


> I agree and i do forget that i'm quite muscular (years of doing different sports) but for someone of my height and above to be 10 st (140 lbs, 63kg) thats light. .....



I'm 5'7" and roughly 10 stone (I say roughly because I haven't weighed myself in a while) and it suits me fine. I'm not very muscular but have good CV fitness, and you wouldn't say I'm underweight, just slim.


----------



## henshaw11 (25 Aug 2011)

I doubt that 'nearer 10st' is underweight at 5'8

I'm 5' 10" (might be little less nowadays) - when I was doing more running/cycling/core work in my 20s (I'm now 48) I was about 10st 10lbs, for the last 10-15 yrs I've been a fairly steady 75 kg (11st 11lb), with varying amounts of exercise doing the muscle/bodyfat tradeoff. Currently 32-33" waist (probably 31 if I paid more attention to lovehandles/diet), 39" chest and although I've lost some muscle mass in the last few years from not doing much weights work, you wouldn't call me scrawny.

If you feel you're looking scrawny, mebbe do some weights work to add a little (more useful) bulk, tho' you'll need to eat a bit too..


----------



## johnnyh (25 Aug 2011)

5'8" and 10 stone 1-3 lbs (dependant on time of day




)

If you want more weight it is simple... eat lots and drink plenty of beer!


----------



## dubhghall (25 Aug 2011)

User said:


> Basil b... i hate to say this BUT you are under weight, you really need to reacess your diet, i'm 5' 7" and my ideal weight is anywhere from 11-7 to 12 st....
> 
> You should be looking at a 40-40-20 split thats 40% carbs 40% protein 20% fats (fats are as important as the other two) ....
> The exact numbers (calories etc) is something only you can workout. ..(level of excertion etc)




Depends on the person! 

I'm 5'7" pretty fit and weigh 60kg (133lbs) - light you may think. But at my work medical I came in at 13% body fat and the doctor said I was a healthy weight -I certainly have plenty of fat round my middle and if you think a pro cyclist is around 5% body fat that would make me about 55kg!


----------



## stephec (25 Aug 2011)

fimm said:


> Yeah, my b/f has the double "problem" of being both short (with short legs) and slim. _*He rates Top Shop for clothes*_ - they do trousers in a shorter leg (though when we were last there we spend ages hunting through the jeans and found about 1 pair to fit him...



Is your boyfriend a transvestite?


----------



## ttcycle (25 Aug 2011)

stephec said:


> Is your boyfriend a transvestite?



Have you never seen the mens section?
Dearie me

Back on topic though - everyone is different, if you're concerned that you're looking too thin then try eating a little more but staying on a healthy diet -maybe with a bit more protein as well as some concentration on toning and high reps of lighter weights.

If you feel fine though and eat well and if you've been given a clean bill of health by the GP then just enjoy it!


----------



## youngoldbloke (25 Aug 2011)

10 stone, 5' 7" = BMI 21.6 - right in the middle of the healthy range. (18.5 - 24.9)


----------



## ttcycle (25 Aug 2011)

but the whole point of this is that you can't compare yourself with another random stranger on a forum.

You may be of a different build, different muscle composition, different metabolism...this all affects what a healthy weight is - 10st may mean you're unhealthy but it may not be the case for another person. No one is saying you're unfit or less fit at your weight which is a good range for you.

These BMI things are highly inaccurate -if the OP is concerned he's losing too much weight then he needs to see his GP to check and also needs to take into account his physicality and how he feels in himself. If he gets a clean bill of health and is eating well and not over exercising then hey presto..he's ok


----------



## stephec (26 Aug 2011)

ttcycle said:


> Have you never seen the mens section?
> Dearie me
> 
> Back on topic though - everyone is different, if you're concerned that you're looking too thin then try eating a little more but staying on a healthy diet -maybe with a bit more protein as well as some concentration on toning and high reps of lighter weights.
> ...



Top Shop sell mens clothes?  

In my day it was Top Shop for girls, and Top Man for boys.

Back on topic though, before I started cycling again after a few years off I was up to 82kg and I'm 5'9".

I was starting to get a bit of a spare tyre, but within nine months of riding again I'd gone down to 73kg without any concious effort to diet.

People who I hadn't seen for a while were telling me how much thinner I looked, and I needed a lot of new smaller clothes for my upper body.

If you can find clothes that are cut for a tailored fit then you won't look skinny. As has been said already though, most clothes are made for the average shaped person.


----------



## Globalti (26 Aug 2011)

A bit of a thread hijack but I got a horrible shock once after a Polaris mountain marathon; the event centre was in some kind of old manky red brick building with nasty cold white-tiled showers. As I passed the showers I glanced in and saw a line of naked cyclists, skinny and white with 48 hours of beard and muscly legs, covered in mud, queueing for the shower, shivering and covering their privates with their hands. For one awful second I really thought I'd been transported to the gas chambers at Auschwitz.


----------



## spacecat (26 Aug 2011)

I've always been the same weight as when I was in my teens, 67 kg and 5'10" tall, am now 43. I have always been concious of how skinny I looked, and people have always told me so. 

I went to the docs recently for one of those well man checks, given my advancing years! Everything was okay, no problems whatsoever.

I am now starting to accept, age helps, that I really am okay. A couple of things recently really brought this home to me. A friend who I work with went for one of those checks, he is the same age as me and does call me skinny. He is what today would be described as 'normal'. However they found high BP and diabetes, and he is the one calling me skinny!!! WTF.

Also in April I tore a muscle in my back in a horrendous injury, I was on my back for two weeks and am still struggling with sciatica now. Long before I got back on the bike I was going out walking to try to get movement back and build some strength. I remember going into work one day and someone asked how I was. I said I was okay and managed a three mile walk at the weekend. She looked at me with suprise and said "well you must be okay now, as I can't walk three miles and there's nothing wrong with me". Again WTF!

I think the thing is that if we have no medical problems associated with weight, and can ride and enjoy our bikes (remember a lot of people can't) then **** what anyone else thinks. 

I really do feel so thankful that I am now able to enjoy my bikes again.


----------



## Glover Fan (26 Aug 2011)

I'm 5'10 and 10 stone bang on. According to the BMI index am not underweight. I have little muscle, but I don't need it, only muscles that count for me are on my legs and they are doing nicely.

When I was a 38" waist buying clothes was easy, now I'm a 30" waist it gets increasingly difficult and I have found I can't go to cheap clothes shops because they don't do good fitting or correctly sized clothes.

What I don't understand is why people who are skinny get so much concern from outsiders yet we see on a daily basis massively overweight people on this forum and it is just accepted as a norm.

I'm healthy, I haven't been Ill for years, only had one cold last winter. So there is obviously nothing wrong with being 10st.


----------



## spacecat (26 Aug 2011)

Different to what's accepted as normal these days?

My boss blames my Roadie for my back injury. Although the Physio said it had nothing to do with it. Same thing really. He blames the bike cos he can't ride one. So he's comfortable with being 'normally' large and convinced bikes wreck backs.

Denial, the most predictable of all human responses (points for who gets the film that's from)


----------



## Scilly Suffolk (28 Aug 2011)

Without a proper assessment from a medical professional, it's impossible to say if you are unhealthily underweight: any measure such as BMI is a necessarily broad scale. If you are in any way concerned, go see your Doctor.

If you do want to "bulk-up" usefully, the following should be remembered: exercise - nutrition - rest. Exercise provides the stimulus your body needs to change; nutrition fuels the change and rest provides the opportunity for that change to happen.

Compound, weight-bearing exercises focusing on the big muscle groups will produce hormones that will stimulate the whole body to grow, not just the targeted muscles. Deadlifts, squats and the chest press are good examples. Additionally, weight-bearing exercise addresses the decline in bone density (which accelerates past forty years old) which cycling doesn't.

Eat more, smaller meals rather than fewer, bigger ones, about five or six times a day. Three hours after a meal have a snack, two and a half hours after a snack have a meal; this will keep your metabolism fired-up, rather than peaking and slumping as with the traditional "three square meals a day". Breakfast should be larger than Lunch which should be larger than Dinner.

Getting sufficient rest means sleeping enough and not over-training. Eight hours sleep is a good starting point: if you need an alarm clock to wake-up, you're not getting enough. Allow at least a day and preferably two between gym sessions: once or twice a week is plenty to get good results. Gym-fascists who do whole-body workouts five times a week are idiots; "no pain, no gain": b*llsh*t.

But before you do anything else, get professional advice: until you know where you're at, you can't decide where to go!


----------



## MoG (28 Aug 2011)

Jimmy The Whiskers said:


> Without a proper assessment from a medical professional, it's impossible to say if you are unhealthily underweight: any measure such as BMI is a necessarily broad scale. If you are in any way concerned, go see your Doctor.
> 
> If you do want to "bulk-up" usefully, the following should be remembered: exercise - nutrition - rest. Exercise provides the stimulus your body needs to change; nutrition fuels the change and rest provides the opportunity for that change to happen.
> 
> ...



Although its only 1045, my money is on this being the best post of the day!


----------



## jimmys (30 Aug 2011)

User said:


> I agree with most of what Jimmy wrote, except on the 6 meals + snacks..
> I don't think it matters how many meals, as long as you get your daily macros, in the form of carbs, protein and fats. ..
> 
> Eg.....if you need 3000 cal's a day, it doesn't matter if its 6 x 500 or 3 x 1000 or even 1 x 3000, we're too different for one diet fits all.
> ...




Hard to see how you keep your energy levels up with only 3 meals a day.

I have 5, all fairly small portions, and it keeps me going all day - guess is depends on what job you do.


----------



## tsddave (30 Aug 2011)

Add 3 days a week of weight training.Start off working the whole body then after 3 months split each workout into seperate bodyparts.
Only do core exercises like Bench press for chest and bent over rows for back.
Aim to lift more each workout but do not sacrifice proper form of each movement.
Add more protein to your diet.

Do this for some months and you will bulk up and feel not only fit and healthy but strong also


----------



## amaferanga (30 Aug 2011)

tsddave said:


> Add 3 days a week of weight training.Start off working the whole body then after 3 months split each workout into seperate bodyparts.
> Only do core exercises like Bench press for chest and bent over rows for back.
> Aim to lift more each workout but do not sacrifice proper form of each movement.
> Add more protein to your diet.
> ...




Not at all what you want if your main sport is cycling though. Fine if you're just vain and want to look like a conventional Mens Health kinda guy....


----------



## al78 (31 Aug 2011)

User said:


> Basil b... i hate to say this BUT you are under weight, you really need to reacess your diet, i'm 5' 7" and my ideal weight is anywhere from 11-7 to 12 st....



I'm 6' 0" and a little under 10 stone, where does that put me? 

I find putting weight on a struggle. The heaviest I ever got was 12 stone and that was doing heavy weight training 3x per week for around three years, a 4000+cal diet and minimal cardio. I physically couldn't eat any more food to get heavier than that.

Looking back, it is amusing what people used to say:

"You'll fill out in your teens."
"You'll fill out in your 20's."
"You'll fill out in your 30's."
Now in my 30's, it's "You'll fill out in middle age"

Probably about as true as the "you'll grow out of hayfever" claim.


----------



## Basil.B (1 Sep 2011)

I'm 48, can't be arsed to do weight training!
I will see what I'm like in a month or two, might go to The Doctor's then.
Getting faster on my bike, I shoot up the hills! So not too worried.


----------



## Garz (1 Sep 2011)

Angelfishsolo said:


> What is your height and weight?



This and BMI are not great indicators of how healthy a person is, there are a breed of people who are squat with big bone density like myself that always push the category to overweight when referred to using the BMI scale.

Even when I was lean last year my wife commented on how skinny I looked, very lean and fit into a 32 waist no problem. But being 165lbs and 5'6" the index again comes out 'overweight'.


----------



## Angelfishsolo (2 Sep 2011)

Garz said:


> This and BMI are not great indicators of how healthy a person is, there are a breed of people who are squat with big bone density like myself that always push the category to overweight when referred to using the BMI scale.
> 
> Even when I was lean last year my wife commented on how skinny I looked, very lean and fit into a 32 waist no problem. But being 165lbs and 5'6" the index again comes out 'overweight'.



Way to go second guessing me! By the way I used to be 11 stone with a 30 " waist at 6'. I was going to say the OP it probably fine.


----------



## david k (27 Sep 2011)

al78 said:


> I'm 6' 0" and a little under 10 stone, where does that put me?
> 
> I find putting weight on a struggle. The heaviest I ever got was 12 stone and that was doing heavy weight training 3x per week for around three years, a 4000+cal diet and minimal cardio. I physically couldn't eat any more food to get heavier than that.
> 
> ...



i used to be like that, i had an overactive thyroid!


----------

