toning up question

aisha786

I've been using my elliptical machine, which I love. Once I wished someone would come and just carve the fat off of me, and I realized that's what my machine is, my personal fat carver. Ok gross joke.

Anyway, I have exactly 3 weeks until I go on vacation out of the country. Back in 2007, I got new clothes, tailored just for me but the problem is I got pregnant just after I got them!! So I've not even used half of them once. I still can't get into them. I like about 5-7 pounds still probably getting back to the size I was when I had them made. That is 5-7 OR a lotttt of toning lol. I don't want to be a big blob of shakin' jelly. This isn't my ultimate goal but I don't have really anything to wear at this point. I'm kinda in trouble here so it's a must.

So, 3 weeks, 5-7 pounds and/or great toning. Since I'm trying for 2 pounds a week, my goal isn't unrealistic or a crash diet.

I'd love to lose 8 pounds plus toning and great fat loss honestly. So I have been burning 800-1000 cals a day for the past few days to freak my body out as I have plateaued for quite a while. I cut out unnecessary foods like aspartame, extra coffee (weaned down to 1 to 1.5 cups a day unsweetened), I'm burning 800-1000 per day.

So what do you think I can do here? Do you think I'll make it? What would you change of my routine? I don't have access to gym/strength training. I have two kids under 3 at home so going to a gym isn't an option plus no transportation for that either. I have my body, my walls, my floor, and my fat carver.

aisha786

I've been using my elliptical machine, which I love. Once I wished someone would come and just carve the fat off of me, and I realized that's what my machine is, my personal fat carver. Ok gross joke.

Anyway, I have exactly 3 weeks until I go on vacation out of the country. Back in 2007, I got new clothes, tailored just for me but the problem is I got pregnant just after I got them!! So I've not even used half of them once. I still can't get into them. I like about 5-7 pounds still probably getting back to the size I was when I had them made. That is 5-7 OR a lotttt of toning lol. I don't want to be a big blob of shakin' jelly. This isn't my ultimate goal but I don't have really anything to wear at this point. I'm kinda in trouble here so it's a must.

So, 3 weeks, 5-7 pounds and/or great toning. Since I'm trying for 2 pounds a week, my goal isn't unrealistic or a crash diet.

I'd love to lose 8 pounds plus toning and great fat loss honestly. So I have been burning 800-1000 cals a day for the past few days to freak my body out as I have plateaued for quite a while. I cut out unnecessary foods like aspartame, extra coffee (weaned down to 1 to 1.5 cups a day unsweetened), I'm burning 800-1000 per day.

So what do you think I can do here? Do you think I'll make it? What would you change of my routine? I don't have access to gym/strength training. I have two kids under 3 at home so going to a gym isn't an option plus no transportation for that either. I have my body, my walls, my floor, and my fat carver.

Anna_Banana

First of all, since you have only 12 pounds to lose. 2 pounds a week is a unrealistic goal. I would guess that when you set your goal for that it actually changes it to something like 1 1/2 pounds a week when you submit it. You could probably lose 5 pounds in 3 weeks, but you need to make sure you are eating all of your calories because when you exercise that much your body needs fuel to burn. My suggestion to you would be to do some weight training everyother day till you go on vacation or at least get a really good toning video to do.

Good luck, and have a great time on the vacation.

renae77

Do you have any kind of hand weights? You could use bottles of water or cans as hand weights if you don't. Do push ups and crunches and things like that. Look online for any kind of strength training help that may not require weights. Keep up the good work and don't give up!

Anna_Banana

Squats, lunges, push ups and dips are great toning/no weights required exercises.

aisha786

Thanks for your help.

I must have confused you. I've lost 12 pounds and have LOTS more to go. I am 176 and actually need to be under 145 as 145 is the very top of what would be normal weight. Ideally, and that should be toned, not just all fat and all. I don't really know what the weight should be but I'm shooting for a bmi of around 23 ultimately. So I've got like a minimum of 31 pounds to go to just not be overweight.

I just think 2 pounds a week is still achievable if I bump up my strength training somehow. I'll look for my detergent bottle. I am also going to check out YouTube for some toning videos. There's bound to be some on there. Thanks again.

If anyone has any other tips, send them my way! The more the merrier.

Anna_Banana

My bad I read your ticker backwards. Still 2 pounds a week is pretty hard unless your are just getting started. One thing you can do is cut back carbs for a week before you go and drink tons of water. I'm sure I'm going to explain this wrong, but I believe that carbs will hold water in your system. And that body builders will cut out carbs right before a competition to help get rid of extra water and make their muscles look more defined.

Nonibug

Just wanted to jump in here and say I like your new profile pic Anna...your looking great g/f!:flowerforyou: :drinker:

~Roni

songbyrdsweet

My bad I read your ticker backwards. Still 2 pounds a week is pretty hard unless your are just getting started. One thing you can do is cut back carbs for a week before you go and drink tons of water. I'm sure I'm going to explain this wrong, but I believe that carbs will hold water in your system. And that body builders will cut out carbs right before a competition to help get rid of extra water and make their muscles look more defined.

Actually, the carb cutting makes them look less defined. Just before the show, they carbup. Then they just cut back on water a bit for a couple days before the show. The first cut dehydrates them, then the carbup fills out their muscles with glycogen, and then the water cut dehydrates them again. So just cutting carbs will leave you looking really soft, and it won't be a true loss.

But I agree that 2 lbs/week is very difficult, especially once you've reached a plateau.
I'd recommend getting in some circuit training even if you can only use bodyweight. Pushups, bench dips, curls with milk jugs, walking lunges, and jump squats are all things you can do in the home. I'm not sure exactly what you mean by 'toning', but most people mean and increase in muscle definition, which is caused by two things-- fat loss and an increase in muscle size. So you'll really have to work hard and feel the burn. Also, if you want to keep more of your muscle mass, you can cut back on your cardio. Chronic aerobic work releases a hormone that breaks down everything--fat, muscle, and your immune system. Only do as much as you need to. I have seen the biggest losses doing very little steady-state cardio. I switched up to intense circuit training and dropped down to 130 from 132 in a week, and that's the lightest I've been since high school