I'm already top heavy, I have large boned shoulders but when I was younger and much thinner I looked porportioned, now I look like a football player at 5'9 and 178 lbs (I messed up and gained 25 lb or so in the past year). I gain weight in my back, stomach, upper arms and bust - and my legs are long and thin, too thin actually.

So the book about training for shape said I should avoid upper arm exercises is that true? I just started the program from the book Body Sculpting Bible. I've trained before so even in a few weeks I've gained muscle and have toned up some although I'm not seeing the scale really go down.

Just wondering if I should do less weights on the upper arms and more reps. I'm up to 12 lb dumbells and 12-15 on my leg exercises already. But last night I only did 8 lbs on my upper body and more reps (endurance) and then more on the lower with less reps. Is that right? Also I'm thinking about ordering his second book or another weight training book that focuses more on the legs with more exercises, then when I do a 20-30 min weight training routine I could add maybe 10 min more of leg exercises.

I love weight training but I'm also trying to do 20-30 min of cardio 5-6 times a week and 45 min on weekends to slim down. But I really want to tone up too. Two years ago after having a little boy I lost weight and did a lot of cardio - but I didn't really tone up, I was a smaller version of me and at 39 it's not the same me that was in bikinis in college in California. My porportions aren't the same. Don't know if I gained bone in my shoulders or what but even thin they are too large (although do weight trainers want large shoulders? I see them in the Oxygen and other training magazines).

My goal is to first get in shape 3-4 months with weights and exercise then I'm considering getting really serious about weight lifting. The women in magazines inspire me, many are in their late 30s or early 40s. I used to be a top athlete, actually my entire family - three brothers and I were the best in the state growing up in high school. My brothers are all still in shape and I'm pathetic. I think I have good genetics, once I get in shape my metabolism will really rev up again and just getting rid of this fat will help out. I'm a bit obsessed with being perfect I suppose - just walking at the mall over the weekend made me realize how so - looking at other women - so I can't stand my shoulder's but basically I like my figure slimmed down.

Just rambling. Does anyone have ideas on this type of body shape?

Keep lifting- wide shoulders make your waist look smaller

Think ...um...what's her name...the beach volley ball player...just a minute....Gabriella Reece! She has wonderfully wide shoulders and is tall. I'd go ahead a lift heavy.

Mel

Oh my! I just googled her. If I lift heavy could I look like that? Of course she's nearly a whole foot taller than me......

And horsey, you want to have a strong upper body, esp as you get older.

Yes my shoulders are as wide as her's... in an article I read she says she's a little insecure about clothes as she's a "big girl" with strange porportions, but I think she's gorgeous. Others with wide shoulders according to articles I read about my "type" are Madonna, Angelina Jolie, the blonde from Sex in the City (Kim Catreel?), Demi Moore... If it's true then big shoulders aren't that bad are they?

There's tips on how to dress with wide shoulders - dark on top, light on bottom, halter tops (once in shape), off the shoulder fashion, inset sleeves, raglan sleeves, etc. But likely my problem isn't my shoulders when I"m at a skinny weight - it's that I'm overweight right now and not toned up. I remember being in high school and college with very toned arms from sports and dumbells, I liked my upper body, showed it off all the time, and I wasn't uncomfortable about my arms at all - of course I was 125-130 lbs back then vs. the 178 today. When I was down to about 155 a year ago I felt better but maybe this time I'll go for 145 or less and really tone up.

Actually I'm having this mini dream lately of really working out like crazy, I'm counting every calorie, bought more weight training books, am eating better - I think if I could rev up my metabolism again by working out like crazy the pounds will melt off like they did a few years ago. How many people are real athletes through their 40s? I'd like to be one of them, I'm 9 months away from 40 and don't feel like it other then the blob around my stomach. I'd like to be an athlete again and weights has always been my thing in the past. At least dumbells. Today I bought more dumbells too, and a stand. Yeah...

Oh my I just googled Gab. as well, she'll be my ultimate role model... I actually have the same coloring as her, wear the same colors of clothes. You are right, her shoulders look nice with her slim abs. I suppose she doesn't wear dainty clothes, flowers or anything silly. I sort of miss those days, but slimmed down and buffed up is a very good idea! Big shoulders and all.

Hey horsey- I feel like a real athlete and I'm 52. At 45 I was a blobby, middle-aged suburban mom who thought she was destined to be fat forever. Now I can see my abs, do 53 real pushups before I break my nose, and real pullups. Don't sell yourself short. Transformations take time, but it's worth the work. It sounds like you have a great framework to start with!

I think you are cutting your calories too low for starters- try aiming for more like 1400 spread into 5 meals through the day. I answered you "late night munchie" question on the support forum. One of those meals should be after you do your workout at night. If you are working that hard, forget about what you've heard about not eating anything after 8 pm or some other arbitrary time. If you want muscles instead of fat or "skinny fat", you need to feed those muscles after you work them. That's how they grow. You'll look far better and smaller at a well muscled 150 pounds than 150 pounds of jiggly skin and some fat.

If you have the body structure of Gabriella Reese, go for it! Make that height and those whoulders work for you

Mel

Today I did do 1400 cal. and I feel better tonight, yesterday was so low that I snacked late at night so you are likely right. Today was my cardio/abs day so I did an hour of cardio and I'll do 10 min of abs later tonight.

I thought more about it, and although I don't really like my big shoulders if I wear the right clothes I'm ok, sometimes even at my weight I get compliments when I'm covering my tummy just right and wearing a slimming top - and I'm overweight. I just can't wear speg. straps or any frilly tops, everything has to be plain colors with straight lines basically. I bet Gabrielle does the same with her clothes - I think when she was saying in a recent article she felt insecure sometimes she meant her strong shoulders, etc and she said it's hard to find clothes - basically the model clothes don't work I'm sure. Bet she looks good in jeans and blazers like me. Perhaps clogs even like I wear. Well we all can't be model thin, I am glad someone like her is in so many magazines these days, and others too that aren't the typical thin, thin. I used to be thin, thin but it was what you call skinny fat and it wasn't real. I wasn't really athletic through my 20s although I looked like I was in shape I suppose. Now I'm having to work at this, it'll be worse after 40 I'm sure. Muscles are key to not looking like the blobby middle aged housewife, I refuse to do "that" and this year I back tracked "that" direction. Scary.

Hi horsey ...

I am one with really wide shoulders too and I really play on them I wear sleeveless tops all the time

I'm also in better shape now at 50 than I was at 40, I run, bike, swim and my favourite is weight training which I've been doing for over 20 years now and like Mel and Meg I lift heavy.

As you lose fat on top of your muscles you're going to look really at your height... Good luck and keep us posted on your progress...

Thanks Ilene, I used to show off my shoulders and arms, I do remember THAT. So maybe it is a matter of working off the fat on top of what muscle is there... read today that musles have memory if you've worked out before in your life. So the good news is I skipped the beginner phase of the weight training book and I'm already up to 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps with 8-12 lb weights and I'm not sore yet. So yesterday I bought some 15 lb dumbells and I am going to do what people are saying, lift heavy. Maybe a little lighter in the arms and super heavy in the leg exercises. And lots of cardio to reduce fat and get that blob off my stomach and back.

By the way is "hot" really possible for "normal" people, non celebrities at this age? I used to be somewhat hot, just don't know how hot I can get again, either way I'm enjoying the rush from exercising and am feeling better - I hit a sort of depression this winter, ate, gained weight, I don't know what the deal was. Exercise is the best for the blues.

Hot is very possible But you have to be willing to work for it. Food, cardio and weights!

One of my best cyber-friends is a 45 year old figure competitor and she's SMOKIN! My former boss is 59 (OK, he's a guy) and is absolutely shredded and competes (and wins) nationally as a light middle-weight bodybuilder.

Mel

My 65 year old BIL competes on a senior level - only drawback is that his face and balding head don't match his very ripped body!

Yep, there is that!
The real answer here is you are as HAWT as you feel. If you feel good about yourself no matter what your weight, you can be confident and project STEAM. If you feel bad about yourself and feel that you are dumpy, pudgy and over-the-hill (or about to be), that's the image you'll project.

I feel good, I like the way I look (tho I could use a few less wrinkles!) and I dress a lot better than when I was 65 pounds heavier and seven years younger. Do I look like I'm 23? NO. But I'm leaner, stronger, have flatter abs and a whole lot less muffin top hanging over my jeans than a lot of 23 year olds!

Get healthy and feel good- I think HOT will follow

I was feeling bad about myself and was slumping, not caring about my dress, etc. the past year - but lately with exercise I've been walking tall again, feeling good. Two years ago I knocked a lot of weight after a baby so I know I can lose the 25-20 pounds that I packed on sitting around eating. Today I biked an hour and then did some weights. One weight training book I skimmed today said to visualize - I used to be a top athlete, a volleyball player and I remember my coach preaching that - I think coaches still do - visualize winning, being in shape, toned muscles. Amazingly on the tv while I biked at the club tonight was the E channel's two hour long show about the best bikini moment's in history - there were some role models too - Demi Moore - in her 40s who's top heavy like me with broad shoulders, she was amazing in Charlie's Angels. I came home and watched my new Jari Love DVD Get Ripped and was inspired, I've never been into wimpy dvd's and I didn't know about her. This one's for me I can already tell. Bigger weights rather then the silly 5 lbs I see on other dvd's. I've been counting every calorie - today I was a little under 1100 cal. and burnt almost 400 exercising. I went to the health store, bought protein shakes and other supplements, and another store for a few more workout clothes.

You know what, it's true about the 20 somethings, they don't look like we did back then, even teenagers have these muffin bellys, kids are fatter these days. I dont' remember many heavy kids in high school especially back in the mid 80s, now they are everywhere. Certainly you are right, I can get in better shape then a lot of these youngsters! I go to the ymca and there's bunches of them around - actually makes me feel better to watch them huff and puff on the treadmills. What I can't figure is why they wear tight clothes and low rise jeans... at least higher waisted jeans are coming back, even 20 somethings don't look good with muffin tops. Hope I can get rid of mine, at 23 I was wearing size 5-7 and was so skinny.

I agree with you horsey - if you are chunky, you have no business wearing spaghetti strap tops and low jeans that don't even meet across your middle. I mean, it's almost an exercise in how to make your body look the worst it can. I guess it's better than the super-oversized drag the ground grunge look of the 90's but not by much. And yes, in the 70's/80's, there was maybe 1 or 2 kids in the school who were obese, and usually they truly were the legit endocrine challenged kids. But we also did not have video games or computers to play on then, our only vice was tv.