Near Goal Weight but Not Near Goal Body

Resa52

So, the last time I was at my goal weight, i was a skinny little stick with a flat stomach and in size 5 pants. 15 years and a baby since then, I'm within 3 pounds of that same weight, but my body is nowhere near that same size.

I seem to wear most of my weight in my butt and thighs, making it so my waist could fit in a size 6 or size 8 pants, but my thighs feel a lot better in a size 10. In the 13 pounds I've lost, the inches seem to have come off my waist and chest.

I'm currently doing C25k and rollerblading for cardio and plan to start 30DS again, but after doing 22 days of that last round, I saw the big loss to my waist and chest and zero difference in my mammoth legs.

Soooooo, being that I don't have any desire to weigh 115 pounds, how on earth do I get my body where I want it without losing an unhealthy amount of weight? I know I will get a hundred responses saying "Lift heavy" but I can't afford a gym membership and I have no room in my house (nor money to purchase) a huge weight set.

Help!

Mock_Turtle

99% of people are going to say lift weights.

The reason is simple - while your bodyweight is the same, it appears as though your lean body mass is lower now than it was before.

Ergo, you have 2 solutions:

1. lose more weight

2. do a body recomposition by lifting weights and adding more lean body mass

JackieMac979

I know I will get a hundred responses saying "Lift heavy" but I can't afford a gym membership and I have no room in my house (nor money to purchase) a huge weight set.

Hi! Since I agree that the consensus will be to weight train, I wanted to suggest things hat wouldn't take up as much space. Maybe body weight exercises, or a "body bar" (thin weighted stick which takes up virtually no space at all) would help?

monizjm

Started at 230 back on March 20. As of today April 28, I'm stuck at 216. I am just DYING to break the barrier and reach 200 pounds. It's frustrating, mostly because I'm impatient. Hoping I'll be in the 100's by the time August 27th comes (my bday). Crossing fingers.

vodkoffee

Look into body weight training, and pick up some resistance bands. You don't need a full weight set to do a lot. The You Are Your Own Gym programs will probably be very helpful for you.

MrGonzo05

This is the foretold message telling you to lift weights. LOL

shirleygirl910

I went from 314 to 185 in about a year. I lost quickly, but it mostly diet. I went up to 215, and have now come back down to 199. This time I am using weights. At 199 I can wear the clothes I was wearing at 185, but looser. My success.....muscle.

As I lost weight I lost it from head to toe. My thighs are the last to go, but spinning classes are doing it for me now. You don't have to go to a gym. There are lots of websites and utube videos that show home work outs using household items for weights. There are also exercises using your own body weight too.

sarah44254

my go-to for awesome bodyweight training used to be bodyrock.tv BUT since ownership went from partner to one person, it has taken a turn to a different kind of exercising.

The gal who used to star on bodyrock is Zuzana Light. You can look for her on facebook or look around the internet for her 'warriorz' exercises. Sometimes she will use equipment, but there are tons of moves that you can do for free in small areas (made for people with low funding and just an apartment to work out in!)

but also you can google prison workouts (also created for small spaces, no equipment) and just push yourself to improve on speed and endurance as you proceed.

and if you want you can save up funds to get some weights at home or a fitness membership to lift heavier!

lithezebra

You don't need weights for strength training. Body weight exercises won't cut it for a body builder, but they're great for increasing your functional strength and adding muscle mass, without spending much money at all. Feel free to send me a message if you want to talk about resources for exercises and programs.

P.S. Congratulations on reaching your goal weight! That's a great accomplishment.

movu101779

You could do a google search and see what kind of weight free things you could do that only use your body weight to strength your arms, core, legs & thighs. They are out there believe me. I can't afford a gym membership and being a single mom I don't have time to go to a gym. Also, to get my arms toned I use a (and I kid you not) one gallon milk carton.

summery79

I lost off of my waist first, then my legs. I jumped from sz 8 to sz 4 very quickly because of that. My stomach was definitely ready for a smaller size before the legs. You could always try losing a little more and see if it comes off the legs. If not, I don't think it would be unpleasant to gain the weight back My baby is almost 10 (eek!), so I hear ya that things don't quite go back to the way they were. lol

PrettyPearl88

So, the last time I was at my goal weight, i was a skinny little stick with a flat stomach and in size 5 pants. 15 years and a baby since then, I'm within 3 pounds of that same weight, but my body is nowhere near that same size.

I seem to wear most of my weight in my butt and thighs, making it so my waist could fit in a size 6 or size 8 pants, but my thighs feel a lot better in a size 10. In the 13 pounds I've lost, the inches seem to have come off my waist and chest.

I'm currently doing C25k and rollerblading for cardio and plan to start 30DS again, but after doing 22 days of that last round, I saw the big loss to my waist and chest and zero difference in my mammoth legs.

Soooooo, being that I don't have any desire to weigh 115 pounds, how on earth do I get my body where I want it without losing an unhealthy amount of weight? I know I will get a hundred responses saying "Lift heavy" but I can't afford a gym membership and I have no room in my house (nor money to purchase) a huge weight set.

Help!

I feel that same way that you do. Right now I'm less than 10 lbs from my goal weight, but...I guess I imagined myself looking more hot at this point. Like you, I'm pear-shaped. Most of my weight has come off from my chest and waist. (My boobs have completely shrunk now too.) But my butt and thighs are still big. I'm still not completely satisfied and I worry that I may not be when I reach my goal weight.

I did two things about it though: I started strength training and I also made sure to take regular measurements of my body (including especially my hips, butt, and thighs). I've only been weight training for about a month now, but I'm confident that that will greatly improve how my body looks. And as for the measurements, I often "feel" like I haven't lost much in my thighs and butt, but when I look at those numbers...it's proof that I definitely have. Sometimes our eyes deceive us with these things.

I'd suggest you do both of those things too. As far as the money, my gym's most basic membership plan is only $10/month. Is there a way you could squeeze a price like that in? Also, there are gyms that have "bring a friend for free" benefits for their members. (My gym does, for instance. I can bring a friend every single day with me for free to the gym, classes, etc. It can even be the same friend every day lol!) Ask your friends to see if any of them have a membership with that benefit and if so, ask if they'd be willing to let you tag along with them a couple times a week!

Good luck!

Cassea7

I bought my 40lb set second hand and it comes in a small case with weights and bars it was $15..The weights are what is changing my shape to be the best its been and i am only squatting 20 lbs ( due to previous shoulder injury)

I hope you can get some but if not try calesthenics..check youtube for proper form ..pushup , jumping jacks , planks and squatts will change your shape..yoga and pilates

You can fill some jars with water or sand and make your own weights..just a few suggestions :flowerforyou:

holothuroidea

You are back at the same weight, but you are not back at the same body fat %. You need to get that body fat percentage down if you want to get back to where you were. If you don't want to loose more weight, you're going to need to increase your muscle mass to make up for the difference. And yes, the best way to do that is to lift heavy things.

"Lift heavy" doesn't mean you need an olympic set (which is neither very expensive or space consuming, but that's besides the point). There are plenty of heavy things you can lift, including just your own body.

Lifting heavy means doing resistance movements that are so heavy you couldn't do more than 10 reps. Depending on your level of fitness, this might mean simple push ups and bodyweight squats. Maybe you need to advance to things like handstands and pistol squats if you're already super strong.

I maxed out my strict press at 50lbs today. For me, that's lifting heavy. If I could do a hand stand push-up, I'd work the same muscles but with 120lbs of weight. Obviously, I can't do that yet, but the moral of the story is that lifting heavy doesn't need to be done with weights in a gym. Look into bodyweight exercises or gymnastics. They'll need no equipment and if done right will be effective enough for you to increase your muscle mass and decrease your BF%.

AZKristi

Try some of the fitness DVDs people talk about - Jillian Michaels, P90X, etc. There are lots of videos online and you can get DVDs from your library.

fiberartist219

Building muscle is a great way to tighten up, but keep in mind that if the last time you were a size 5, you were a teenager, I don't think it's realistic to expect to look like that again. Even if you get back down to that size and really work at building muscle and reducing fat, you will still have gravity working against you.

I say learn to love your body as it is now. You can continue to workout and try to really get into shape, but don't expect the clock to turn back.

If you are short on funds and space, resistance bands are great.

jzammetti

99% of people are going to say lift weights.

The reason is simple - while your bodyweight is the same, it appears as though your lean body mass is lower now than it was before.

Ergo, you have 2 solutions:

1. lose more weight

2. do a body recomposition by lifting weights and adding more lean body mass

Yup!

I had the same issue - goal weight but definitely not goal body. I started lifting in February and I am getting closer and closer by the minute! Try New Rules of Lifting for Women - it is awesome.

EricMurano

For women that are thinking of lifting weights and worry that they will get 'bulky': http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/workout-routines-for-women/

glassxxballerina

Amazon has a super deal on a 55lb barbell set - only $40! And I'd recommend Women's Health Big Book of Exercises - shows lots of different exercises you can do with weights.

If that's too expensive, I'd recommend Pilates - blogilates.com has a ton of youtube videos that will have your muscles burning in no time!

BinaryPulsar

You could do a good body weight strength training routine 3-4 times a week. Such as: You Are Your Own Gym. You can get a lot out of that, if you are new to strength training. Yoga or Pilates.

You could do a one time purchase of some adjustable dumbbells or some other type of equipment that would be helpful to you.

Did you check out all of your options for going to a weight room? Did you check the cost of all the gyms in your area that are near you, or your work (maybe even gyms you don't know about because they are tucked away on a side street). Or the YMCA. Or a Community Center? If you say to them, "No, I can't afford it", they sometimes start to make a deal with you (they are like car salesmen).

Do you have any outdoor, circuit training, exercise parks. They have all different types of equipment and bars that enable you to do and try all different options of strength training with your own body weight, using bars.

I'm sure there are lots of strength training options, if you explore all the options and find what works for you. It will involve exploring, researching, and trying some new things.

It's worth it!

I'm into this: http://bretcontreras.com/

skinnytayy

Look into convict conditioning and/or bodyweight exercises. Things like floor sprints, low plank obliques, power jacks, in & out abs, ski abs, v pushups, squats, lunges, push ups, etc. are highly effective and require nothing more then your body. Some of those are Insanity moves that I happen to find incredible. You can google each one & find videos on youtube for instructions.

No gym membership or equipment required. Just you.

Crankstr

SMASHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! you will not be sorry!

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength_Novice/Beginner_Programs

http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

SJackson50

You mentioned that you did 30DS, move up to Ripped in 30 or start the Body Revolution...you don't need a gym or big space!
I've done nothing but JM videos and I am 20 pounds heavier than my lightest weight, and wear a size smaller.
Good luck!

csheltra26

Body weight exercises work - push ups (on toes), lunges and squats could do a lot for you. Also, resistance bands are very inexpensive. Also, for lower body plyometrics work great - jumping lunges, squat jumps, etc.

We also have a Planet Fitness in town that is $9.99 a month. Haven't been there but that is not a bad price.

Good luck!!

Resa52

Thanks for all the tips guys!!

Just to clarify, I live in a very rural area. I can drive 15 minutes and have the choice of two gyms, one of which is $40/month and the other is about $35/month with very work-unfriendly hours. Neither fit in my budget. If I had one of those $10/month chain gyms around here, I'd be all over it!!

Off to check out the links and books everyone recommended. THANK YOU!!

luckydays27

try resistance band training. You can get a set of bands from Target for $10. They are the elastic scarf looking things but they work as good as the ones with the handles. Plus the handle or over the door mount cant come back and hit you in the top of your head and give you a sever cut (it happened to me thought I was going to pass out after seeing all that blood).

There are tons of websites that can give you workouts to do using the bands and body weight exercises.

I love resistance band training to tone up what I have on the days I don't go see my personal trainer.

RoadsterGirlie

I'm going to also jump on the LIFT HEAVY WEIGHTS bandwagon. Heck, even if you don't belong to a gym or have access to a good weight set, you can still do very effective body weight calisthenics just using your own body. Push ups are great, so are lunges.

If you are interested in investing in a set of weights, I have been able to transform my body from a jiggly mess to 16% body fat using 3lb, 5lb, 8lb and 12 lb weights, depending on the move.

Of course, diet helped a lot too, but the exercise helped me get to goal without making me feel like I had to go further.

shadowkat57

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

Here you go! No gear required, just your body