But, what if I don't want to lift?

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AmberStarr_87
AmberStarr_87 Posts: 1,291 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I do the 30 day shred 5 times a week & I do yoga 5 days a week (this isn't new, I've been doing it for years) & I walk/jog 1-2 miles pretty much everyday. Now, I have 4 kids so finding the time to workout in a gym lifting or doing crossfit or any other type of similar program is pretty close to impossible. Is there not a way to get a toned body after I loose all this fat without lifting? Reading post after post of advice, it seems like that's the only answer.
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Replies

  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
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    You have to use the muscles a bit beyond their capacity in your training in order to "tone" (and by "tone" I mean increase strength and have musculature visible as the fat goes). Maybe what you are doing will work for you. Time will tell.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    I lift nothing heavier than a beer glass... And occasionally my bike when I need to put it on my car's bike rack...

    There is no requirement to do strength training, especially depending on your goals.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    You don't have to at all

    If you want to find something to do at home like that you could easily do bodyweight exercises nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    If you don't, don't
  • AmberStarr_87
    AmberStarr_87 Posts: 1,291 Member
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    glevinso wrote: »
    I lift nothing heavier than a beer glass... And occasionally my bike when I need to put it on my car's bike rack...

    There is no requirement to do strength training, especially depending on your goals.

    That's the best thing I've heard all day- cheers!
  • silentKayak
    silentKayak Posts: 658 Member
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    It really depends on your goals. I'd say you're unlikely to be happy with your body if you only diet and don't exercise, but yoga, bodyweight exercises, and cardio are great for strength and muscle tone.
  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
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    You could incorporate body weight excerises like someone else said.

    Planks, squats, lunges..ect.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    You could cut out a couple days of your cardio and replace that time slot with A strength training routine.
    You could also get set up to do this at home so you wouldn't have to go to the gym if you don't want. You could get some dumb bells or kettlebells and do it at home. You don't have to lift super heavy if you don't want to. There's plenty of people that do it at home.
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
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    You don't HAVE to lift... but if you want overall fitness, it would be foolish not to do so. (Bodyweight exercises are great, and I use them abundantly, but they're no substitute.)
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,287 Member
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    If you don't want to, or can't - then don't. If you're getting good results you're happy with then don't worry about it..... oh 4 kids here too - 12, 9, 17 months, 7 months old.
  • AmberStarr_87
    AmberStarr_87 Posts: 1,291 Member
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    Jennloella wrote: »
    If you don't want to, or can't - then don't. If you're getting good results you're happy with then don't worry about it..... oh 4 kids here too - 12, 9, 17 months, 7 months old.

    9, 7, 3, & 13 months. 3 boys- youngest is a girl. She KILLED my body- boys were a cake walk, literally!
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
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    You could always re evaluate after you get to your goal weight - if you're happy, then continue as you are. If not, you could look into some of the strength training suggestions above, like using your own bodyweight.
  • Burt_Huttz
    Burt_Huttz Posts: 1,612 Member
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    Lifting has great physical benefits. You are not required to lift, unless you want the physical aesthetic of a weight lifter. In general resistance training (versus cardio) is great for your body. However, from the sounds of your routine, you should be most proud of yourself already. Lots of things do lots of things. Poledancing is apparently great. Parkour looks a hoot. Don't feel bad about not doing ALL TEH THINGS!!1
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,287 Member
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    amberstarrcogle wrote: »
    Jennloella wrote: »
    If you don't want to, or can't - then don't. If you're getting good results you're happy with then don't worry about it..... oh 4 kids here too - 12, 9, 17 months, 7 months old.

    9, 7, 3, & 13 months. 3 boys- youngest is a girl. She KILLED my body- boys were a cake walk, literally!

    my last two are girls, 10.5 months apart. My body was DONE. Just about back though.
  • AmberStarr_87
    AmberStarr_87 Posts: 1,291 Member
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    spartan_d wrote: »
    You don't HAVE to lift... but if you want overall fitness, it would be foolish not to do so. (Bodyweight exercises are great, and I use them abundantly, but they're no substitute.)

    Yoga & the shred video I do commonly repeat planks, lunges & squats. I assumed they werent enough. The yoga especially, because my body is accustomed to it. Is adding weights (no more than 10lbs) a better strategy?
  • acorsaut89
    acorsaut89 Posts: 1,147 Member
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    maxit wrote: »
    You have to use the muscles a bit beyond their capacity in your training in order to "tone" (and by "tone" I mean increase strength and have musculature visible as the fat goes). Maybe what you are doing will work for you. Time will tell.

    This . . . also, you really don't "tone" your muscles, most of them are naturally that shape. You're just using them beyond regular capacity which increases the size of them. That combined with lowering your body fat overall gives you a "toned" look.

    Body weight exercises maybe . . . or just keep doing what you're doing . . . do you really, absolutely need/want the "toned" look? If so, you may need to find the time to lift and increase the size of your muscles.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,287 Member
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    One of the first pieces of equipment I bought was bowflex adjustable weights, money well spent, take up little room and you can do a lot with them since they adjust - heavy squats, lighter for presses, etc. I've got about a full gym at home now, but my dumb bells still sit at the end of the kitchen and I do sets while dinner is cooking if I had a time crunch day.
  • joneallen
    joneallen Posts: 217 Member
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    If you want to look gross like me, lift weights. :p
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    If you don't want to, then don't. But you may change your mind once you reach "goal weight" if you find that you're still not happy with results.

    And as others have said, you don't have to lift heavy or do crossfit, but some form of resistance training along with the cardio (or in place of some of it) can make a big difference. There are lots of body weight things you can do without ever touching the weights.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
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    I'd personally rather die than do only cardio, but lifting isn't a requirement. If you don't want to do it, don't.

    You could also do body weight "strength" training. (Excuse the quotes, but I have a hard time calling body weight squats anything but cardio, but some people are into it.) This would at least engage your muscles more than usual. The worst that will happen due to lack of strength training is that you'll lose muscle you already have as you lose the fat. And you'll be weak. If you're cool with that, skip strength training.

    Four kids at 27? Dang, you've been busy.
  • AmberStarr_87
    AmberStarr_87 Posts: 1,291 Member
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    Burt_Huttz wrote: »
    You are not required to lift, unless you want the physical aesthetic of a weight lifter.1

    This! I don't! I don't even need a 6-pack (unless it's of blue moon).. Also, thank you! It's a lot of work, but I'm trying!

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