At goal weight...now what? with Pics.

rgoodearl

Congrats, you look great !!!!

I've acheived my goal weight in March and have set new goals for toning and trying for the 6 pack !

rgoodearl

Congrats, you look great !!!!

I've acheived my goal weight in March and have set new goals for toning and trying for the 6 pack !

Too funny...I just noticed that this is my second post...I guess you made an impression on me !!! lol

silvafan

I've seen people get amazing results from Jillian Michaels 30 day shred. Maybe you should try that. There have been some great before & after pics on here. I 've seen people get nice & toned & have great definition. You may have to do it twice but I think it would work for you.

But you do look amazing! Congratulations on getting to your goal weight!

chasekilgannon

I highly suggest reading one of the member's blogs, www.gettingfitaftertwins.com

I still have a lot of weight to lose, but she's an inspiration. There are other ladies who put emphasis on weight lifting, friend them too.

Congrats on the weight loss!

hilsidney

If it's available where you are, I have been doing Pilates reformer 2x per week along with my 5x a week cardio. With the pilates I noticed that my back, sides and arms started to be more toned after only 5 sessions! As I go on, my weight loss has been super slow but with the pilates my stomach is getting more fit, and I am wearing smaller sizes. Oh, and my legs look so much leaner and strong. One of the things that I like about Pilates is you get toned, but not muscular. Long and lean muscle like dancers. I think Yoga has similar results too.

Anyway, you look amazing. We are our own worst critics. You should be proud of how far you've come. We all know that this fitness journey is tough, so that you've reached your goal is nothing short of amazing!! You are an inspiration to me for sure. Good job.

doughnutwretch

This is common. Now it's just a matter of maintaining your weight and toning those muscles! This is much easier to do than lose weight, so the biggest battle is over. You'll notice changes quickly if you continue doing cardio 3 times a week and throw in strength trianing circuits at least three times a week. Make sure to vary the muscles you work so you are seeing benefits everywhere.

jllipson

You look great - congratulations!

As far as the machines - I haven't been to the gym in 3 + years, but when we did go I had a trainer who showed us proper use of the weight equipment. I actually preferred the weight equipment over the treadmill, bike, and elliptical. Try them out (with the help of a trainer or someone who knows how to use them properly), you might find that you like them better too!

Good luck on the rest of your journey!

bizco

Congratulations on reaching your goal weight, that's awesome! Now your focus needs to shift away from the number on the scale and focus on body compostion (body fat%). Do strength training 2-3 times per week. This is how you truly transform the way your body looks.

A couple of great books to check out are "Body For Life" by Bill Phillips and "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" by Lou Schuler. Also, here's a great blog from another MFP member:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/stroutman81/view/resistance-training-foundation-19725

Good luck!

JMCade

Congrats! I'm in the same boat. I gained 50 lbs. with my first child who is now 9, and 25 with my second who is now 4. I've lost the weight I wanted to, but I still need toning up. I'm at 125 now, but I want to get muscle and get rid of the poochy belly!

sophjakesmom

I do a sort of boot camp once a week and run on the treadmill, so yes now I think it is time to do some strength training. All those machines just look a bit daunting!

As a reward for reaching your goal, have you considered a few sessions with a personal trainer? I started this time 4 months ago and signed up for 12 sessions. My trainer helped my with my goals and worked with me on all the machines and, most importantly, help design a program for me. The machines look intimidating, but they can be really fun, once you know how to use them.

The other option woudl be something like a BodyPump class, if your gym offers them. It is a total body strength workout with a barbell and weights to music. the hour flies by really fast and you can start with the weight you feel comfortable with and build up. Even at 198lbs, I am starting to see my tricep and hamstring muscles! and that is just incentive to keep going. I bet at your weight, you will see definition alot quicker! Good luck to you and don't forget to enjoy your success so far!! You have worked really hard for it!:flowerforyou:

marji4x

You look great! I definitely look at you and think "I wanna look like that"

You gotta love yourself no matter where on the journey you are, though. That's not something anyone can teach usually. It can be a daily effort of pushing down the negative thoughts and just enjoying being you!

I wish you all the luck and congratulations on all the weight loss! Thanks for posting, I get really inspired when I see results like yours

LorinaLynn

I think you look fantastic, personally.

But don't get too intimidated by weights or machines. My main strength training is from the EA Sports Active 2 game, using just 5# weights, four times a week, and I'm seeing muscle definition where I had none. It doesn't take all that much to get results, and you will get them.

AmyKessler

I felt the same way about the machines. I still do. I take a weights class (like Body Pump) 2x per week at the gym and have seen amazing results. You can also try doing some squats, lunges, push-up type exercises at home until you feel comfortable trying something out at the gym.

chile_chicken

Thank you everyone for your kind comments. I feel like I have been in a rut with watching what I eat and doing cardio, and yes it has worked wonderfully in dropping the weight but I am ready for that next step. I will definetely look into some of your suggestions about Yoga, and my husband bought me the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred this morning (he is so supportive!) so I am keen to give that a go too.

I never thought I would be like this after having two major hip surgeries at such an early age (11 and 13) and being told I could never walk, run, have babies etc. I love to prove people wrong and so I will continue on my journey and get toned up! MFP is such an amazing support and you are all wonderful.