belly fat, unattractive body physique

I'm a young man, 25 years of age, with very skinny and weak arms. I'm
also 6 foot tall, 155-160 lbs. Most my aunts/uncles think I have
an ideal situation being tall and everything, and would laugh if I said
my body type wasn't good.

As a skinny person, sometimes I'm encouraged to eat more, but I'm
discouraged everytime I come out of the shower and see fat around my
belly. Skinny arms, not as bad legs but still on the thin side, but
now a protruding belly. OK, to be honest, when I have my shirt
on, nobody can see a belly. But when I take it off, like when I'm
coming out of the shower, and exhale it's definitely there. I've
always been skinny and on the tall side, detected w/ slight scoliosis
during puberty. My stomach wasn't big when I was young. But, I
remember in middle/high school being very weak and unable to do what
lot of my peers were able to do. I am also not flexible.
Unfortunately as a kid, I kept my problems to myself and fitness issues
weren't as much as a concern overall. It was ingrained that if I
could be good in math, that's all that would be what was important.

Since I was 23, I have been going to the gym regularly about 2-3 times
a week for a long period (2 years), and but not a whole lot
improvement, except for some stamina gain. Even though not much
improvement has shown, I generally continue going to the gym because I
like the feeling after a workout, and I know I don't want to get worse.


I do cardio, work my torso and abs with some exercises and do weight
training, all following an instructor's workout plan. However, I
still have very weak arms and am not really fit. One thing I can't
afford to do is be at the gym everyday for 2 hours either.

I drink those protein drinks after my workouts and tend to take more
protein supplements now. I think maybe if I had a lot more protein
during my earlier years, my body would be different. I eat healthy
- vegatables, whole grains, lots of water and little fast foood, and
even more conscious over the last 2 years of avoiding things like
french fries.

Anyways, is there likely a lack of testosterone that's possible w/me ?

I was detected with hypertension as well, and it's treated with
medication. I read somewhere that belly fat is the worse fat and
causes lot of problems. Although I haven't had a doctor examine my
belly recently - I wonder if the belly fat is keeping my blood pressure
high. As I read up on partial abdominoplasty, I wonder if it might
do me some help, not with the arms but atleast with protecting myself
from diabetes - as diabetes is often linked with belly fat. Anyone
know somebody with my body physique or situation? What's the best way
to get a more ideal body type if possible?

Hi,

Well, left unchecked, that belly of yours is going to continue to grow
until you look like me. At least, that was my experience. At your age,
your metabolism starts to slow. Year by year, the weight keeps comin'.

You didn't talk about your weight lifting routine. I'm not sure this is
the right place to do it. There are some weightlifting usenet groups
like rec.weightlifting, alt.weightlifting, or something like that. I
suggest you hit those groups with your questions.

And otherwise, hang in there! I grew almost two inches at age 24 & then
started to fill out. It ain't over till its over.

Mike