No real evidence of tone change

jerb00

I have been doing strong curves for 11 weeks. I know it isn't a long time in the scheme of things but I have a questions. My arms are much more defined and I have what would would look like the first signs of cleavage on my Small frame. My abs have never been a problem and they are pretty much the same tiny bit more toned. But my thighs are not more defined. I have gone from doing yoga and Pilates to hip thrusting 75lbs sumo squatting with 35 lbs and deadlifting. I do carry all my weight in my thighs and I know you can't spot reduce as I have read a million times but I see changes is other parts of my body. I have set mfp for 1380 after calculations maintenance cals (range of 1300- 1500) and I am pretty consistently in the 1500 range. But I have maintained 94ish lbs for the last 10 weeks so I feel like 1500 cals is right for what i am doing. Less cals and I really am starving. I have an active job and active home life. Do I just continue the program patiently waiting or after three months should I attempt to really tighten up on calories? Or a different suggestion would also be appreciated.

jemhh

How tall are you?

jerb00

4'10

jerb00

38 yrs if it makes a difference.

jemhh

Looking at this chart, you're already at the low end of the normal range for your height. Your BMI is also 19. I'd suggest eating more. Being "toned" is a mix of having muscle mass and having body fat that is low enough to look lean but high enough not to look ripped/shredded/whateveryouwanttocallit. You'd be better served by eating more and building muscle rather than eating in a deficit.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Yeah, you might need to actively work on growing muscles (then lose a little fat) before you'll be able to feel or see them in your thighs (I also carry my fat in my thighs and real definition has never happened). You'll need to eat MORE than maintenance and gain weight (which will be a mix of fat and muscle), then at some point you can cut fat again.

JustMissTracy

You're only 94 lbs? I think you may be flirting with under weight range, regardless if you're short! As Busy says above, you probably do need to eat more, gain a bit of weight, and work from there with the lifting if you want to make the thighs appear less "fatty".

canadianlbs

i started lifting while i was trying to get rid of that final 5 pounds. i got rid of 10 because i was so dedicated to the whole deficit thing, so i weighed in the low 120's at 5'3" for a while. i was doing stronglifts 5x5 at the time, and 'go back to weighing what i weighed in college and this time appreciate it' had been my whole goal.

so i met the goal, but when i got there i didn't like it at all. sure, i was toting less fat than i probably have since i was 20. and more muscle than back then as well. but it didn't look anything like what i'd been thinking it would. there was muscle, but it honestly felt to me like i just looked kind of stringy and scraggy, with residual blobs of fat still scattered around here and there. granted, i was 49 that summer . . . but still.

i went back to eating and i kept lifting as well. i'm 135 on a 'light' day right now, and yeah - still feel like i'm about 5 pounds 'overweight' and i'd like to see how i look with those five pounds gone. so i'm still kind of transitional in terms of what i'd vaguely like to get to some day.

but even so, i really don't think i'd trade this look for the "mission-accomplished" one from two years ago.

jerb00

So I totally don't want to look shredded or cut or anything like that. I think I have realistic expectations...well maybe. I mean I don't need to look like Jillian Michaels or anything, just not to jiggly. A little firmer. If you looked at me you wouldn't think I was on the low end of my weight range either. Just petite but I am def curvy.

In April I was the highest I have ever been at 104 (except during pregnancies) and so I wanted to get back to around 98 which is my usual. I hopped on mfp and it gave me the 1200 cals. So I stuck with it through June and hated every minute of it. I def lost the lbs but felt like crap and was moody. So that's when I asked for suggestions for lifting.

I'll be honest, I don't love the idea of gaining to then try to lose again. Which is why I wanted to maintain. I am fine with eating more and trying to gain muscle but I look heavier with extra weight crammed into my short frame. But i get it, maybe there really isn't anything else to do. Keeping the status quo might not get me where I want to be if I am not fueling my body enough- is that what you are saying? But if I do then gaining fat also comes with that territory. Hmmm...

jemhh

Normally I'd say eat at maintenance and recomp but I am guessing you don't have enough fat to do that. Post a picture, though. You might get more advice.

jerb00

That's kinda what I thought I was doing- recomping. I am sure I have enough fat for it. I really do need to post a pic cuz I don't think I am explaining it correctly. Never done it though...not super comfy about it...