I want to point out that I stole the title of this post from a very cool running buddy named Karen. She dropped this phrase during a run, and I think it’s classic.
Since I started running, I’ve almost completely stopped going to the gym. By the time I get home from work, go run and come home, I’m ready to eat a pound of pasta not lift weights.
Although I burn a lot of calories running, I’m not really building any muscle doing long, slow miles.
I have skeleton arms and my is derriere rapidly disappearing.
I’m what Karen would call “skinny fat.”
Now I don’t need to be a brick house, but I can’t go on like this. With no muscle and no tan, I’m in no shape to sport a swim suit this summer (which will come early for me with this Southern weather).
I’m making a pact with all of my readers to hit the gym. I’m going to have a bicep again if it means strapping dumbells to my arms all day.
Cotton T Runners 
Well today’s you’re lucky day then!! No running group means you can come to the gym with me and get your swoll on!!!
I used to be skinny fat too… Try pushups in the office and call it good. I’m happiest at about 150-200 a day. Ride a bike for the butt.
Good luck with the gym – I hate the gym.
Great advice! I’ve thought about investing in a bike since the weather seems to suite that hobby well. I’m not going to lie, push ups scare me. I’ll give it a try, though. Thanks!
My pleasure. With the push ups, start slow – three sets of ten or fifteen and work up from there. That’s how I started last winter and before I knew it I was up to four or five sets of 40.
Bikes are AWESOME!
I almost forgot, you’re right on about the running buddies. I belong to a rather large running club myself and I don’t know what I’d do without them.
It’s crazy how motivated I can get to run but when it comes to the cross training, I struggle so much. I’m going to work on the push ups. Don’t be surprised if you find a post complaining about how sore I am.
This is the first time I’ve ran with a group outside college, and I LOVE IT!
I learned the term “skinny fat” from my Oxygen magazine. I was great at cross-training until I started my business as a dog runner. At first it was a lack of energy as I adjusted to the increase in mileage each week. Now, it’s a combination of time and lack of motivation as my business continues to grow. I too, am becoming skinny fat 😦 My weights are “weighting” for me in the garage… perhaps when I am over this cold we will become reunited.
Yeah skip the gym and hit the floor for some bodyweight training 🙂 Pushups, Pullups, Planks and Squats are all you really need. Loving the blog btw!
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I used to lift a couple of days a week but stopped when I started running (and I run exclusively outside, which was rare for our winters). I haven’t been noticing certain body changes, but I did notice a weight “plateau” cleared for me when I started regularly running. Tracking what I eat on Livestrong helps; thanks for inspiring me to start hitting the gym/weights once a week:)
I think I’m what you would call “skinny fat.” I run all the time and everyone I know, including my mother, makes fun of my lack of butt. I’ve started doing lunges and push ups after runs though… here’s hoping it works?
For a butt you can bounce quarters off of, ride a mountian bike or a road bike – mountain bike being the best – just make sure you get fitted (very important).
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