Where to start

clarklessk8

Hey I'm Sara. I'm 4'11 and I currently weigh around 116 lbs. I am a competitive ice skater and I'm on a team where I would probably benefit from losing some weight so that I could look more uniform next to the other girls. I guess I'm curvy, but I know I'm not fat or real skinny either. Right now, I'm just not sure where to get started because there are parts of my body (like my rib cage) where bones are already showing, there are parts of my body that are big bulky muscle, and there are parts that are just fat. I want to know if there is a way to look skinnier and feel lighter without losing muscle that I've worked years to get. Suggestions?

WendyLaubach

Wow, you look great. You know, you're mostly talking to a bunch of amateurs here, but you're asking a graduate-level question. You're young, highly athletic, and quite trim by any but the most exacting professional standards. It seems to me you need the advice of a professional trainer. I will say that everyone here (and everyone I've read elsewhere) consistently reports that weight comes off in the order and in the places that your genetics have pre-determined. So if your ribcage is already slender but you've still got an extra ounce or two on your butt, your butt may just be the last place on your body to lose. Your ribcage won't necessarily get much skinnier if you lose the last little bit off your butt.

As for how to lose fat while retaining the muscle you need, people say that's a question of continuing to do hard workouts and make sure you're taking in plenty of lean protein. But bear in mind that everyone's body type is different, yours is fabulous, and you may not necessarily ever be able to match your teammates in precise shape any more than your face will look exactly like theirs.