Booty and hips- weight loss then strength train?

Mama_Lyn

Ok, so this is going to sound downright hilarious, but I've been a sufferer of the pancake booty and narrow hip combo for my whole life, and since I'm getting my body in shape finally, I'd like to mold it into what I want it to be. That said, I want a nice, plump round butt and curvy hips. So yep, although I'm looking to lose a good amount, I'm also conscious of how my fat is leaving so that I'll have enough for my woman curves, lol.

I've been following a few vloggers and fitness gurus who suggest that I can essentially spot-train my hips and glutes to grow larger muscles in those areas, essentially creating the curve I'm looking for (like: http://youtu.be/3gVWVAhCzKI ). My question is, should I be working on overall loss first and then sculpting, or should I incorporate targeted exercises into my regimen? So far I've been heavily focusing on toning and strength training these areas, but I don't want to do the wrong thing and get discouraged when I don't see results. If anyone has the same goals, I'd love to link up with you! I can't be the only one who wants the fabled hourglass with a little Kim K. from behind. :P

Mama_Lyn

Anyone? :P

htimpaired

Actually doing the strength training now will help with weight loss. No need to wait to lift until after you've lost weight.

Just make sure that you continue to eat at a deficit and get some cardio in. You can strengthen and tone the muscles, but you'll never know it if you have a layer of fat covering it up.

alpine1994

I would be very shocked if someone could go from pancake butt to Kim K. butt. Your body shape doesn't really change. You can lose fat and become toned, but I don't think you could create a big butt from endless squats and lunges if it's just not how your body is shaped. I have huge, muscular thighs and as much as I would love to have long, skinny legs it's just never going to happen. Embrace your body for what it is!

pixelberry

I would be very shocked if someone could go from pancake butt to Kim K. butt. Your body shape doesn't really change. You can lose fat and become toned, but I don't think you could create a big butt from endless squats and lunges if it's just not how your body is shaped. I have huge, muscular thighs and as much as I would love to have long, skinny legs it's just never going to happen. Embrace your body for what it is!

^^^This. I will never have stick figure legs, I have a lot of muscle mass on my thighs and calves, so it's just not going to happen. The best thing you can do is slim down, get the muscle definition where you can, and love your body because you're in the best shape you can be in!

ArroganceInStep

Focusing on your diet exclusively without regard for exercise but with the intention of starting a workout program once you've lost enough weight is like saving up to buy a stock car to race but not learning to drive until after you've paid for the car.

Do both at once.

mdb543

Brazil Butt Lift is all I can say. I just messaged you. I'm on round 2 and I had that "saggy grandma butt" with noooo muscle in it. Now, I am can pass Leandros "pencil test" haha. If anyone wants to chat about it, message me!! This workout cracks me up, It's full of dancing and lots of squats and lunges. Surprisingly even though it's for your butt, there is a lot of sculpting the upper body as well. I came from doing P90X and insanity to this (which I thought would be easy in comparison) but it's definitely a butt kicker literally.

LorinaLynn

Focusing on your diet exclusively without regard for exercise but with the intention of starting a workout program once you've lost enough weight is like saving up to buy a stock car to race but not learning to drive until after you've paid for the car.

Do both at once.

This.

Plus, you're not going to put on muscle while losing weight. But the more muscle you KEEP while losing, the better off you'll be later.

jacksonpt

Focusing on your diet exclusively without regard for exercise but with the intention of starting a workout program once you've lost enough weight is like saving up to buy a stock car to race but not learning to drive until after you've paid for the car.

Do both at once.

Yep. No reason to wait.

Mama_Lyn

Focusing on your diet exclusively without regard for exercise but with the intention of starting a workout program once you've lost enough weight is like saving up to buy a stock car to race but not learning to drive until after you've paid for the car.

Do both at once.

Thanks, but as my post stated, I've been doing strength/resistance training with cardio- check my logs. I know to do both, my question was if I should work on building muscles in certain areas (spot-training) while also losing weight, or just do overall strength training to all major muscle groups, and then work on target training when I'm at my goal weight.

I know, I always lean towards making a sarcastic remark without fully reading the question, too. Force of habit.

ArroganceInStep

Thanks, but as my post stated, I've been doing strength/resistance training with cardio- check my logs. I know to do both, my question was if I should work on building muscles in certain areas (spot-training) while also losing weight, or just do overall strength training to all major muscle groups, and then work on target training when I'm at my goal weight.

I know, I always lean towards making a sarcastic remark without fully reading the question, too. Force of habit.

I honestly wasn't trying to be sarcastic, I actually quite like that analogy and use it on myself when I'm assessing my own progress.

Regardless of your final goals, unless you can't physically do the exercise safely yet for whatever reason, waiting until later isn't a good thing. For the sake of argument, lets say you plan to do weighted squats to improve your physique. There is NO reason to wait until you're X weight or Y BF% to start squatting, do it now. Concern about not seeing results right away is valid, but you're DEFINITELY not going to see those results if you don't do the exercises at all.

To be slightly more specific as well, target training is fine, as long as it doesn't negatively impact your overall training as well. So if what you're doing is working for weight loss and such (which it seems to be), adding in target exercises is fine so long as it's in addition to your baseline workload of stuff that works already. That fact doesn't change once you hit your desired weight or whatever either.

Mama_Lyn

Ah, thanks for clarifying, and thanks to others for their comments as well. I was worried that I'd put on too much muscle while simultaneously losing weight, discouraging myself because of the stagnant scale. Good to know I will maintain muscle but not put it on while losing, and that I can do the targeted exercises while still focusing on overall loss. You guys rock!