Weight and shape change after holiday

comptonelizabeth

I'm 5'3, female, aged 62. Originally I came here to gain weight and muscle, and slowly managed to gain 10 kgs which took me to around 128 lbs. I made very slow progress with lifting as I have a couple of chronic health issues.
So, in June we went to Southern Spain for 4 weeks. I decided to take a break from logging and lifting and left my fitbit at home. The area where we stayed was very hilly and we did a lot of walking, climbing and swimming. I came back expecting to have lost a lot of weight (I have ibd and had to be really careful about what I ate) but have actually only lost a couple of pounds. But, my shape has changed! Legs and butt much more defined but thinner and upper body has lost definition. I know I need to get back to lifting but I'm also enjoying the feeling of fitness that I got from walking. I guess what I'm asking is, is it possible for me to carry on with something like hill walking and still maintain at least? I found gaining hard because of my restricted diet and low appetite. Thanks!

robertw486

Finding that balance is tough, but also keep in mind that lifting doesn't really burn a lot of calories. You could probably continue the cardio to a lesser extent and keep the lower body look you prefer, and just mix the days with upper body stuff. Since swimming helps with upper body as well as lower, you might want to mix more of that with less hiking and walking.

As for eating enough, consider yourself lucky. Most have the opposite problem. But if you can just find some calorie dense things you like, eating enough to support both the lifting and walking/hiking/cardio shouldn't be all that tough.

mrslynda

Hi, how was your appetite on your trip? I find not so much cardio, but the fresh air makes me hungry. The same way kids always eat more after playing at the park. I think if you have time and have a better idea of how much and what you can eat with you digestive issues to take in enough calories, go for it. In my ideal life, I would get three full body workouts in and drag my kids out on a bush walk every weekend.

I would keep doing weights, as bone density and muscle mass is so important as we get older. I know having an active lifestyle is why my dad is still alive, so while we can't prevent every medical condition, we can cope better. But walking is awesome. So definitely try to fit it in, especially as you loved your trip. So yeah try and balance both.

comptonelizabeth

Thanks, both. My appetite wasn't great as it was so hot but I tried to make sure I ate anyway.
I think I'll definitely aim for more cardio - I've been kind of avoiding it as I didn't want to lose weight but I'm enjoying the feeling of being more fit. Thanks for the advice and encouragement!