UKC

I always looked at my Dad and thought, "I'll never sport a belly like that"

"When I hit the tubby age, I'll do hundreds of crunches and stay in great shape till I'm old." I said

I've always been skinny so it's been easy to say.

Now I've hit the age of 20 I'm having a few realisations:

My desire to run all the time is decreasing
My ability to put on fat is increasing
My appetite is as big as it ever was

I feel this is a turning point in my life where I have to weigh up my priorities

Those of you with a belly, what age did you let it go?
Or when did you put the extra effort in to sustain your fitness/weight?

In reply to Daniel Heath:

34 when I got married I'm now a fat sofa husband

In reply to Daniel Heath:

I've had to work harder at it since I turned 28 (29 very soon). No belly. Probably best shape ever (ran my treadmill 10k PB only yesterday). You shouldn't have to worry at 20!

In reply to Daniel Heath:

The mid-30's of doom.

In reply to Axel Smeets:

I Agree, 20 is way too young mine appeared last year (32) after a forced lay off of all activity and it is already going (but slower than It used to)

In reply to balmybaldwin:

I sympathise. I'd definitely get one if I had an extensive lay-off. I'd also go nuts!

In reply to Daniel Heath:

34.

Don't do it!

In reply to Daniel Heath:

Mine started to go recently when I broke my arm and wasn't allowed to climb, run. cycle it was driving me crazy. But since it has healed my fitness has started to come back, will be much better when my dissertation is done too, I can get out properly!

In reply to Daniel Heath:

30, after 5 years of happy marriage. Im just embarking on a regime to get me into shape for a forthcoming holiday.

Its much harder to work off than put on so be careful.

In reply to Daniel Heath: Im 41 and have just about given up trying to work it of. Ive been trying for a good few years; and I dont drink, eat cakes or sweets or any other junk food

In reply to Daniel Heath:

You are still a skinny youth Dan so stop fretting.

For me mid 20's then early 30's were both milestones.

I bust my cruciate in my mid 20's and went from 10 1/2 stone to 12 1/2 as i was running up to 50 miles a week at that point. A wonderful Summer of no work, crutches, football world cup - the one where the pubs had special dispensation to open at 7.30am - olympics and Wimbledon.

Took me a while to lose it again. Now it's harder but if i'm honest it's more lifestyle that gets you rather than the clock ticking. You become more sedentary as you are tired from work/running round after the kids etc. or your priorities change.

Mid 30's were a shock when i bought some fat reading scales and they said 25%. Owch ! What a wake up call that was. I go between 12 and 13% now without much effort. My natural state is to be chubby though so i'm not one of those people who can eat as much as they like.What i have found is that it's mainly due to calories in/calories out. I can still have chocolate and beer as long as i realise i may have to have less potatoes with my tea.

It's reckoned to be the 1 kilo that a lot of people can put on over the festive period that does the damage. Not really noticeable but then if you don't lose it and keep doing it every year, even if you eat well the other 350 odd days of the year, after a decade - well you do the maths.

I now use running as a means to an end - if i get fat i start running and it goes again quickly.

In reply to Daniel Heath: I'm 40 and still got a six pack. I've got a wee tip to help. Every time you have a bath do leg raises. The water will aid. But most importantly at the end of the bath pull the plug to let the water out, this will make the leg raises harder in a smooth and gradual process. By doing it in the bath you combine an easy exercise will a regular domestic action. This exercise will only "do" part of your abs. More tips to follow.

In reply to Daniel Heath:

48 years old, still have no belly and have clearly defined stomach muscles. My fitness has always been important to me but it takes discipline.

I run a sub 50 min 10k race every year, I climb up to 5.11, I ski, kayak, snow shoe and cycle.

The idea of "letting it go" has never entered my head. It shouldn't be entering yours.

In reply to Daniel Heath: you will regret it. Look after your body.

In reply to Daniel Heath:

22 mate.

But I am working on it!
Going from over active student (climb 3x a week, football 2x a week + gym)and eating / drinking whatever the hell I liked to spending my time almost exclusively sitting at a desk and driving a car - whilst making the mistake of continuing to eat / whatever the hell I like whenever I like. (quick tip, get a stand up job!)

However, now started running again and have a much reduced calorie intake.
Determined to get back in shape. Played 90 mins of football on Saturday for the first time in ages - I still can't walk properly!

In reply to Daniel Heath: I'm 56 and about 1 stone heavier than when I was at my fittest and half a stone over a sensible weight. The biggest problem is injuries preventing training. Little things can make a difference though - I gave up sugar in my tea in my 20s - that helped. Too much booze is also a problem - make yourself earn your beer with exercise before hand (and then it tastes better).

In reply to Daniel Heath: starting to get a little chubby, this uni life style has not been good for me but me and a flat mate are cycling to hungary in the summer so it'll probably be gone by the end of that. Even if I wasn't cycling all that way I think I could shift it all pretty easily.

In reply to Daniel Heath: 64 now but still with a 32" waist, but I wish I had the flexibility of youth!

In reply to Daniel Heath:

20? You're clearly past it - I wouldn't bother if I were you.

In reply to Bulls Crack:

40 and still in good shape. Have to work at it obviously but still eat whatever I want

No plans to give up just yet

In reply to Mark Kemball:
Same here 53 and 10 stone this morning. I would say that this has only come on in the past 8 years though. My weight for most of my adult life was 9 stone. Since I have moved work I now cycle for 40 mins a day which helps. Keep active. The longer you can do that the better you will be generally. Injuries are a pain (sic)and take longer to go away. Also stamina is starting to be affected so I get knackered quicker than I used to.

In reply to Daniel Heath:
Giving up at 20? Bloody hell. Im in way better shape at 28 than I was at 20 and I know people who are in better shape at 38 than at 20.
Your metabolism is at its peak right now, not that it really decreases much with age something dispite what people say. The figure is around 2% decrease per decade. Its the 1lb of xmas and the decrease in activity that get people. No1 priority is basically count what you eat and dont eat more than you burn off.
Basically if you cant be bothered and you want to eat crap and be lazy its your life but you will regret it and youll have nothing to blame but your self.

In reply to Daniel Heath: When my lad was born 10 years ago at 35 I had a 6 pack bit of fluctuation and 4 years in France with not a lot of extra fiz had me on the chunky side. Been back home for 2 years and hitting the hills and climbing in catch up mode and in the best shape I've been in for years doin satmap 10 peaks challenge in July and confident I'll complete, at 20 I didn't care or need to about gaining weight, if you are genuinely worried don't ever get to like junk food and booze

In reply to Daniel Heath:
Quaffing Whitbread pale ale and smoking his dad's pipe set the rot in with Num Num whan he was eight years old. In those days, his only exercise was regular sex and a frame or two of snooker down at the YMCA.

In reply to Removed User:

I'm also 48 and probably as ripped as I've ever been.
He's only 20! He's doomed!

In reply to Daniel Heath:

I've yet to let it go - still 30" waist (29" in some trousers) - and I'm nearly twice your age

I've possibly done a lot less exercise since meeting steady girlfriend than I ever did when I was single (less running, swimming, biking - more quiet evenings in and shopping, sort of thing), but I've still managed to get some races and training in. Helps that she's quite sporty too and we do sometimes go running and biking or to the sports centre together, even if she does the gym and I swim (never been much of a weights man).

Equally, I now eat more healthily - not that I didn't before, but even more so now. Can't remember the last time I had a kebab and haven't missed it.

I think as long as you have a goal and therefore the motivation to get out and exercise, you'll be fine.

Saw an old friend yesterday and was amazed how much weight he's put on since I last saw him - in his case, I think it's mostly too much beer and not enough exercise since he stopped smoking. He's almost exactly 6 months younger than me, but looks 10 years older!

In reply to Daniel Heath:

I put on a couple of inches for the first time in my life at around 30, which I didn't much like, so I started exercising more, eating better, and cutting out the booze (and other substances). At 33 I trained for a half ironman and was down to 58kg by race day, from about 68kg before I started. This was a little too low for my liking, and I've put on a bit more muscle now from the climbing, but stable at around 62kg and I have the same 28" waist I had when I was 16.

Don't let it go... it's much harder to get it back if you change your mind later than it is to keep it off.

In reply to Daniel Heath:

Do it because you want to and enjoy being fit, not because you don't want to look how you consider to be in bad shape. This way it isn't a chore. I'm 44, last night I ran 10km, tonight I did 328 press ups, tomorrow a shorter run and core session. I partied hard in my 30's and lost it a bit around the core and it felt very odd to be that way. I guess if you enjoy exercise you'll be ok. I have a big appetite also, but don't eat much crap.
PS. crunches wont help as all this will do is firm your abs under the flab. Look at core exercises that will get your heart rate in the 60-80% of your maximum heart rate. This will take between 50 and 85% of your energy from your fat stores.

In reply to birdie num num:
>In those days, his only exercise was regular sex and a frame or two of snooker down at the YMCA.

If you wanted sex, err why not go to the YWCA?

In reply to Daniel Heath: if you think your letting it go at 20 you have a problem Houston..maybe this climbing lark aint for you...

In reply to Daniel Heath:

Just turned 47 and no thoughts if letting it go and I wouldn't say I am that naturally skinny ie. I can put fat on quite easily if I try! Still in pretty good shape, gym, wall, climb etc. I see plenty of 'young' people in their 20's and 30's who need to get off their arses and shift some fat.

In reply to Daniel Heath: 44 still no belly, I drink beer eat cake and surf hard, climb, bike , ski etc etc

In reply to Daniel Heath:

I found that my clothes started to shrink around the waist when I hit 40. My weight, which had been a steady 10 stone, crept up to 12 stone, and now nearly another 30 years on it's hovering around 12 stone 6lbs. It's all happened around the waist.

I take lots of exercise but unfortunately my appetite negates the effect.

In reply to Daniel Heath: About 24, when I quit smoking. It really cocked up my metabolism.

The small amount of fat I have now is all down to too much ale, too many pies and not enough time in the gym. I've got a holiday coming up though, it’s got to go!

In reply to Daniel Heath: I've not really let it go, but I found I put on a lot of muscle at around 18-20, and then met my missus, put on some more round the belly and have found it hard to shift. I've never been a runner, but have cycled quite a bit and at times been very very active in the mountains. It also got even more noticable at 30, and I now do make a effort to keep atleast to the same weight, in not lose some.

In reply to Daniel Heath:

So to summarise the results so far:

Don't get a girlfriend/wife
Don't have kids
Don't drink beer
Don't eat rubbish food
Keep climbing.

Sound good?

In reply to Morgan Woods:

No snooker table?

In reply to The Big Man:

I've got one of those baths where the plug is in the middle; will this still work?

In reply to Eagle River: So thats:

No sex (but no nagging)
Not having a screaming blob of flesh running around all the time (but also not experiencing the alleged joy that comes with it)
No fun (there is no good side to not drinking beer)
No food that tastes nice, I can hack not eating fast food, but NICE food is often fatty.

There are 3 bad points to 1 good one. So no. It doesn't sound good.

In reply to mike kann:

There are obviously alternatives, I have a wife but maintain my scrawny build by climbing lots, eating nice food (but not crap), not drinking lots of beer and being genetically pre-disposed to not being able to put on weight easily.

I think the last element is probably the main thing keeping me slim. I'll hit 30 this year and so far the metabloism shows no sign of slowing, and I eat LOTS of food.

In reply to Daniel Heath:

HA! worrying at 20? I don't know you but I'm guessing you've gone from the days where anytime not in school was spent playing football or whatever, and you can now drink without having to worry about whether you can legally buy it etc. Basically you've become an adult, though a young and new one.
When I was in my early 20s I put on a small beer belly and my fitness was no where near what it should have been though I was otherwise still slim so didn't realise it. I then started looking at what I ate - not overkill, just a bit more balanced, and I lost it again. Now I exercise a lot and am way fitter than I've ever been (29 now) but certainly haven't hit that point where it gets hard.

At 20 you've not hit that point, you just need to look at your life and realise you're not a kid anymore.

Working (particularly if you're in an office) takes it's toll on your fitness compared to school too as you're sat around a lot.

Oh and if you're at uni it's probably booze and kebabs.

In reply to Daniel Heath: 20!? 20?! I was such a late developer I hadn't grown pubic hair yet when I was 20! And why should getting older give you a belly? It's sitting on your arse and not cranking hard that does that. Mind you, I can't drink 8 pints and drive home like I used to...

In reply to Daniel Heath: waistline intersected age at about 32 and outpaced it until 36. From then on I've got older quicker than I've gotten fatter.

In reply to Duncan Bourne:

Fatty

In reply to Daniel Heath:

Didn't bother with regular exercise until I hit my 40s as I'd always equated the need for exercise with putting on weight. So as I was naturally slim, I didn't see the need to bother.

Now 49 I'm loving all the running and climbing and yoga I do and wonder what I could have achieved if I'd bothered earlier in life.

In reply to Daniel Heath:

You failed @ 20

kill yourself now.

No, really. There is no doubt that it does get harder if you lapse, staying focused can be quite trying in this modern day, so many distractions.
Stay positive, stay active. You don't have to kill yourself every time you go for a run, climb etc.
Look upon this period as a maintenance programe, your mojo will return soon enough.

Good luck

James

In reply to Daniel Heath: letting go at twenty is a bit young,

In reply to Daniel Heath:

I have been dealt a pretty good hand, genetically speaking, supplemented with a very meagre amount of exercise has kept me at the same size for the last 26 years - e.g. I still own a suit bought when I was 21, and it still fits, so there's no need to think you'll get to 30 the size of a barrage balloon.

HTH

In reply to 999thAndy:

And I seem to have stayed pretty much consistent in being "a bit podgy" pretty much for my entire life.

So if you eat reasonably and do at least some exercise you won't necessarily have an issue.

Neil

In reply to Daniel Heath:

It became more difficult at 45, but still have a 32 inch waist. Maybe 33. I'll settle for 32.5

I was described as looking like a skinned rabbit when I was in my early twenties.

Cycling and compression-ish sports shorts/leggings are not forgiving and I now take a large in those, for the first time ever. I do still have stomach muscles, but it is debatable whether the lower one is really a muscle or a store of spare energy

In reply to Daniel Heath:
as you say - 'LET it go' - well don't! It is your choice. At 62 my weight & waistline is the same as at 22, but then I exercise 5 times a week, always have. It's up to you - lots of amusing jokes etc to be read & made, but as in so much of life, you will find a dozen reasons for not doing anything, but only one reason for doing it. So get off your arse!!

In reply to Daniel Heath:

Like you i was really skinny all through my childhood and teen I started to fill out when i was in my early 20s. I got kind of chubby but not fat. I then got really into climbing and cycling in my late 20s and slimed down. I got married and had 3 kids over the last few years (mid 30s) and that took it's toll on my weight but over the last year or so i've got into cycling again and have slimmed down I'm now the same wieght as i was when i was 23 and i'm 37. So it's up and down with me. i don't think i will ever just let myself go and get really out of shape. Don't want to end up like my dad who has been pot bellied since his 30s.

In reply to Daniel Heath: I'm 30 and built more twiglet like than I've ever been in my life. At 20 I was skinny but lazy and sedentary.

In my late 20s I found cycling and running and now struggle to consume enough food to support my activity level. Finding another half who runs and cycles also helped as both a social activity together and an appreciation of probably at least 10hrs training each week.

In reply to Daniel Heath: it really miffs me with subjects like this. your 20 and when your Dad was that age, dietary and excercise info was not available like it is nowadays.
You only get a belly if you eat more than you use. the body needs about 1500- 2000 calories to maintain life so if you eat 3000 you will have to excercise to use up 1000-1500. if you don't then you get fat, simples.

P.S. I'm 55 and weight 12 stone, I have excercised all my life, albeit not to the same level as i was when 20-35.

In reply to Daniel Heath:


I don't understand the question

In reply to shark:

He means: "At what age did you become a fat bastard?"

In reply to shark:

nice

In reply to Daniel Heath:

20???????????????

The fittest I have ever been in my life was when I was about 33. 8% body fat (caliper, not those bl**dy scales), climbing evey day of the week, etc, etc.

Do bear in mind though that the existence or otherwise of a six-pack is not relevant to your ability to climb hard. I climb harder now (three stone heavier) than I did then.

As to what age I let it go, I will admit to concerning myself more about what I can get up than the shape I am in

In reply to John_Hat:

Yes, but that's another ageing problem entirely

In reply to Daniel Heath:

I am 44, have always worked out hard and also played hard......it gets tougher every year but I am still just about getting away with it. Two days of exercise and living like a monk for every one day of binge drinking seems to be the formula.

In reply to Daniel Heath: I said the same thing at that age......then let it go for a while....and then got myself in check!!

Fast forward to now...i'm 46, bigger by nearly two stone than i was in my 20's...but with 10% body fat (measured by DEXA no less...). Gym 3 times a week and obviously a couple of climbing sessions a week...its tough to keep it going sometimes - but worth it

In reply to Daniel Heath: Mine started around mid 30's when i quit smoking but icreased my running, cut down on the cr*p food and all good. Now at 48 i have to watch the beer and food volume really closely. It's hard work at times but worth it.

In reply to Daniel Heath:

Don't let it go, Man - exercise is cool. Looking good is everything. Do stuff you want to do - you don't just have to run. Eat the right things and less. Constantly set achievable targets. Staying fit will impact on your work too and you will be more successful. Cross training will improve your climbing. If you start by making the necessary changes now it will set you up for life. Good luck !

I'm fortunate that I have never had a weight problem. I'm 57 this year and I have the same outlook as I did at 20. I'm also much stronger, faster etc....and in 10 years time I will be in even better shape.

In reply to Daniel Heath: Dont let it slip mate, I was a fat kid, turned into a fat 27 year old before I started attacking it. Was 20-odd stone and now 5 years on hovering around 12-13ish. Not saying you'll ever get anything like that but dont let it start to slide. Its hard work and then some more hard work to lose weight and maintain a decent level of fitness in my experience.....

Keep challenging your PBs be they in climbing, running, cycling, swimming, whatever and keep realistic achievable goals!

In reply to Daniel Heath:

You're 20? You're metabolism should still be superfast and you should be charging around like a duracell bunny.

I'll be 32 this month - I've not 'let it go' yet and still have a 30" waist. I feel like the peak of my fitness was in my early to mid twenties but that's probably becasue I got a serious job in my mid twenties and stopped cycling all day.

There may be a genetic factor in whether people put on weight or not. If you're Dad's got a belly, maybe you'll have to work hard to keep yours at bay. Are you bothered enough?

In reply to Daniel Heath:

It's pretty simple mate.

You've been out of school a few years; so no enforced exercise.
You've been driving a few years; so have lost all the exercise from walking about.
You've been on the piss a few years; all those pints and kebabs are adding up.
I'm guessing you're either working or in a more time consuming form of education, so less time to be out and about playing sport etc.

All this will have a huge impact. It probably seems like not much has changed since you were 16, but it really has.

I'm 23 and found myself feeling the same as you a few years ago, all it took was a little focus and determination to get my diet in order and make time to be active. I'm in good shape now and love exercise. Friends of mine didn't recognise how much their lifestyle had changed since school, and now look like 40 year old truckers.

Just don't get complacent and it's easy to stay in shape, not to mention being good fun. Surrounding yourself with people of a similar mind-set is very helpful.

Don't despair, keep your chins up!

In reply to alan ashmore:

But you do have the metabolism of a shrew on speed!

In reply to Dave 88:

All those are fair assumptions, but the college I went to was pretty much full time phys, and I still do fitness associated with the military, so no real risk of slipping. I don't have a car.

I guess my huge appetite is worrying and I know it will start to have an effect at some point if I continue the same habits.

Anyway this thread is great for motivation. I'm also amazed by the good shape climbers seem to stay in. Looking at waist sizes and weights listed above, they are certainly well below average.

In reply to Daniel Heath:

Mid 50's

In reply to Scarab9:

Good advise. Looking back I guess it's in the last year that I've had the freedom to make some flapjacks and eat all of them, or finish an ice cream tub or a ginger cake. Not sustainable

In reply to Daniel Heath:

I haven't still going strong in my 50's.

In reply to Daniel Heath:


It's a bit self selecting. No racing snake's who's let themselves go is going to own up in public to being a chubber now, are they?

George

(32" waist at 18, 32" waist at 44. Though there's been a bit of fluctuation inbetween)

In reply to George Ormerod:

Anyone who admits to being a bit of a fatty will get pounced on and savaged by the baying mob.

I'm not fat, I'm festively plump <pats gut affectionately>

In reply to Daniel Heath:

I find to maintain a level of fitness a key shift from popular mentality works wonders:

Exercise isn't for burning off food you've eaten - eating is for putting the calories back in you've just exercised off!

In reply to Thoms6974: Nail banged right on the head.

In reply to Tall Clare:
You're not having any morning sickness, are you?

In reply to Daniel Heath: Every morning I wake up and the first (well, almost the first) thing I do is think about when I'm going to take exercise that day, and then I normally spend the rest of the day looking forward to it. I do the same for each week. I try to do something every day, but I prefer to do lots of different things, running, roading, mtbing, climbing, skiing etc. I have competitions to look forward to, and some short term and long term goals. Every year something new appears to aim at. Last year I did a couple of long mountain rounds, the Kielder 100 bike race, and I got my rock climbing back up to speed. This year? Not telling yet, but I'm very excited by the prospect.

I find that despite my best efforts to organise it,work tends to interfere with my lifestyle.