Weight and Fitness

[dancerjodi]

The last couple of weeks have been pretty bad eating-wise. I'm still in my normal weight range (per BMI) but I'm the heaviest I've been since losing to the lowest level on WW. I totally knew that this was what the scale would show this week, given the crap I've been eating. This is why I continue to weight myself each week, because its so easy to lose track of oneself.

The warmer weather is making me want to be more active, which is a good thing.

Related to fitness I've been thinking of my lack of upper body strength. I hadn't thought of it before, but I've always been really weak (compared to normal) on my upper body. When I was a kid and they'd make you climb those ropes hanging from the ceiling in gym class I could never, ever do it. I'd try and try, but couldn't hoist myself up there. I felt like such a loser, being the only kid that couldn't (at least that's how I remember it - perhaps there were others that couldn't either). My hands burned trying to grip the ropes too. I'm wondering, why didn't they give us gloves? This was Wellesley after all, and its not like they couldn't afford them. But I digress.

I wonder, is there a genetic link to how strong someone is naturally? There's got to be. I just never really thought of it that way before. Its not a case of blaming genetics, as much as some people have a natural boost or do better at strength training while others need to work harder. Kind of just like weight loss . . .

Comments

[christmasjedi.livejournal.com]

I don't have any upper body strength either. Never have. I have surprisingly strong legs instead. I think it may just be the way I'm built. The upper portion of my body is out of proportion to the rest of my body - it's really tiny. That, and I've never bothered to try strength training my arms or chest. I never could climb ropes or poles, though we didn't have rope climbing in gym.

I'm sure if you put your mind to it, you can do anything, but everyone is built differently, so yeah, some things will always be easier for others.

[tk7602.livejournal.com]

i was up one from last week too. we've been bad with groceries, which leads to eating.

i want to go get food tonight. like, at a grocery store.

[dawntreader]

i had to quit weighing myself once a week. i started weighing myself once a month instead. i was going batty over every pound up and down. :P

i figure a month is still time to notice a trend in one direction or the other without stressing over what might be no more than water weight or heavier gym clothes.

as for upper body strength, i have NO idea what is genetic and what isn't. i know i've always been TERRIBLE at upper body strength, but that could also be because i hate working on it. i've been doing a weight class because i don't have the willpower to do weights on my own. it's helped some in how much i can lift and for how long, but i can't tell a scrap of difference in what it looks like.

i heard that the tried and true method to really building up strength is pushups. (or yoga poses like planks and things.) i can DO those now. considering i couldn't at all when i started, i would say i've improved. hehe.