Tips to tone up

Brennahbaby
Brennahbaby Posts: 4
in Fitness and Exercise
I am about 117 lbs and I'm 5'4'' and I want to tone up my body. I've been going to the gym almost everyday. I usually go 3o minutes on the elliptical and 30 minutes on the recumbant bike. I go pretty vigorously and when I'm done with those I get a mat and do different ab exercies for about 15-30 minutes. These includes: Planks for at least a minute or two at a time, 30 push throughs, 30 ankle touches for my obliques, that 30 bicycle crunch move. And I try to do a few reps of those. Then I usually go and do some weight machines, hip abductor machines and the assisted pullup, tricep push down machine thing, I am eating healthy and enter my food into the app LoseIt, I am always under my calorie limit by 2 or 3 hundred and I really just need some tips on losing the little fat on my abs and inner thighs and sides. Any ideas would be great !

Replies

  • delaney056
    delaney056 Posts: 475
    Add some more things to your workout routine. Squats and lunges are great for your thighs and butt. Give yourself some rest days (there is no need to lift every day) and make sure you're eating plenty of protein. Give yourself some time and be patient :)
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    You are already within healthy weight range for your height and even on the low end of that scale.

    Doing more cardio and eating less than your daily calories will help you lose weight, but if you really want to 'tone', i.e. have some definition you need to lift heavy weights and not waste your time with a bunch of reps and light stuff.

    Take it from me, I have reshaped my body through weight training, I was not happy when I was 100 pounds, I'm happier now at 110 pounds and more muscle, I look better and my clothes fit great.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Ew- stop doing some much cardio and stop doing all that ab work.

    Incorporate some weight training- or intense body weight exercises (push ups squats burpees- walking lunges super man lifts)

    all that ab work isn't good for you- esp if you don't do lower back.

    toning is kind of a myth- but if you want to change your appearance- eat clean- and start doing some HIIT and weight training.

    weights- yay weights.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    Stop trying to lose weight and start working on body composition. This means eat more, switch to maintenance calories and eat a lot of protein. Ditch the long cardio sessions and replace with shorter sessions..HIITS are best (high intensity interval training). Ditch the 'mat exercises' and replace with a real strength training program (new rules of lifting for women or 5x5 for example). Lift weights that challenge you. If you can do more than 12 reps it's too light. Do compound moves - squats, lunges, pushups, pullups, planks, deadlits, bench press. Less time on the ellipticals ad more time in the weight room!
  • Brennahbaby
    Brennahbaby Posts: 4
    I'm not trying to lose weight. I'm trying to lose fat. I do push ups too. I usually do squats at home, I don't like people starring at me doing squats. I want to lift weights but I'm not really sure what I should be doing. There are so many men over in that area and I never see women over there, I feel weird going to that area. Any tips on what weight exercises to do?
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I'm not trying to lose weight. I'm trying to lose fat. I do push ups too. I usually do squats at home, I don't like people starring at me doing squats. I want to lift weights but I'm not really sure what I should be doing. There are so many men over in that area and I never see women over there, I feel weird going to that area. Any tips on what weight exercises to do?


    Try NROLFW, 5x5, Starting Strength, etc.


    Somethign that focuses on compound movements such as deadlifts, squats, lunges, bench press, rows, etc.

    Make you you are consuming adequate protein and then lifting heavy. You'll notice a change in your body in no time!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I'm not trying to lose weight. I'm trying to lose fat. I do push ups too. I usually do squats at home, I don't like people starring at me doing squats. I want to lift weights but I'm not really sure what I should be doing. There are so many men over in that area and I never see women over there, I feel weird going to that area. Any tips on what weight exercises to do?


    Try NROLFW, 5x5, Starting Strength, etc.


    Somethign that focuses on compound movements such as deadlifts, squats, lunges, bench press, rows, etc.

    Make you you are consuming adequate protein and then lifting heavy. You'll notice a change in your body in no time!

    This, plus you only need a small deficit if you are after at loss, TDEE -10%
  • Brennahbaby
    Brennahbaby Posts: 4
    I'm not trying to lose weight. I'm trying to lose fat. I do push ups too. I usually do squats at home, I don't like people starring at me doing squats. I want to lift weights but I'm not really sure what I should be doing. There are so many men over in that area and I never see women over there, I feel weird going to that area. Any tips on what weight exercises to do?


    Try NROLFW, 5x5, Starting Strength, etc.


    Somethign that focuses on compound movements such as deadlifts, squats, lunges, bench press, rows, etc.

    Make you you are consuming adequate protein and then lifting heavy. You'll notice a change in your body in no time!

    This, plus you only need a small deficit if you are after at loss, TDEE -10%

    I'm pretty new to all this so I'm not really sure what any of that means.."Try NROLFW, 5x5, Starting Strength, etc" and "TDEE -10%
    "
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    New Rules of Lifting for Women - a wonderful book that will teach you the basics of weight lifting.

    You will lose fat through diet (like the OP said - small deficit like 10%) and weight training. I lost 2-3% body fat by eating at maintenance (1900 calories) and lifting heavy. All while not changing the number on the scale at all. It works.
  • Brennahbaby
    Brennahbaby Posts: 4
    Great! I will try and find that book at my library. I am excited to get a little muscle. I wish I wasn't at work right now so I could go get that book and get to the gym!! Have any of you tried insanity or P90x, I have both, but they are super hard to do.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    If you work hard enough... guess what- you won't notice anyone looking at you.

    I do some of the most ridiculous things in the world at the gym- squats- crazy tuck jumps- turn over push up roll combo jump things- guess what- too busy noticing what people are doing around me...

    and after a while- i got people asking me for tips- and I got people walking up to me and tell me- damn girl- you're killing it.

    So squat it out- find a little corner with your butt to the wall and squat away. Squats a great whole body exercise- and make sure you do some research on proper form- practice at home (video yourself if you must) and get deep- don't be afraid to really get that butt back and down (you *can* - meaning it's possible with proper form to- safely make flat back butt to heels in depth with out injuring yourself)

    seriously- don't worry about it- and there are totally women who go over there- don't sweat it- just go early in the morning- or late at night. The gym's quiet crowded around 4-7/8 but 8 and on it's usually serious people training and they have better things to do than bother you. They are training.

    So don't sweat it- just do it!! :)

    check out thedailyhiit.com great tips on workouts and combos and FORM FORM FORM!!!
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    Stronglifts 5x5 is much simpler than New Rules (not saying better, just simpler). There are a couple ladies in my gym that go to the weights including me. Not scary once you are used to it. Also there is a great group of ladies here on MFP that do SL that are incredibly supportive and have all been where you are at one point or another:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

    The weights WILL make you look the way you want to. Get off the elliptical!
  • sjam720
    sjam720 Posts: 6 Member
    Just speaking from recent experience... I only started to tone up when i lift heavy weights and eat slightly less than maintenance. Before that I was skinny fat...
  • gemk
    gemk Posts: 22 Member
    Jillian michaels "no more trouble zones" is excellent for toning, DVD to be done at home, she is all about fat burning and not spot reduction
  • TiffCK
    TiffCK Posts: 37
    When I was 104lbs at 5'2" I still had thick love handles, and a little roll when I sat down, though my stomach was perfectly flat standing. Perhaps it is just how your body is made? Unless you want an 8 pack or something, and working out is what you live for, maybe you should accept that little bit of cushion. (I'm not saying stick bad, chuck good, just maybe your being a bit too critical. It sounds like your very slim already.) Btw, I saw a post below and I am on only day 3 of Insanity. I bought it for myself after I hit the "no longer overweight" marker. It is very tough. Yesterday and today I was so sore I wasn't sure I could do the exercises. But I did them anyway. I didn't know that your muscles warm up or something when you work out like that, making it so the soreness is barely noticable during the exercises. 15-30 mins later though, they are back with a vengance. My bf keeps telling me I'm overdoing it, but I don't start things unless I intend to finish them.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member


    I'm pretty new to all this so I'm not really sure what any of that means.."Try NROLFW, 5x5, Starting Strength, etc" and "TDEE -10%
    "
    TDEE means Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It's the total number of calories you burn in a day through exercise, as well as just through normal living. What people are suggesting is that you only eat a tiny amount below that number as it is more effective now that you are quite a low weight for your height. You will not be able to let go of fat at a faster rate (like 2 lbs a week) without risking losing too much muscle as well. If you lose muscle, you will look even less "toned" than you do now. To keep that muscle, it's important to only have a small calorie deficit.

    What some people do is use online calculators to find out their TDEE ( there are lots, you can google) - this gives you the number of calories you burn in a day. You could then take maybe 10% off that number and make that your calorie goal. You can customise your MFP goal by going to "My home" > "Goals" > "Change goals" > "Custom".

    Or, to keep it simple, you can set MFP to lose 0.5 lbs a week and make sure you eat back your exercise calories.

    Or, you could even eat your goal to your TDEE number (or set MFP to "maintain") and you should still find that you can change your shape and look more "toned" with lifting, without actually losing any more weight. If you decide you want to gain more musscle mass, you'll have to eat more than that.

    I'd also recommend Stronglifts 5x5 - it's quite simple. You really need free weights for it though, so if you don't have any (and I mean ones that increase in weight, not just a set of light ones) then you'll need to pluck up the courage to go to that part of the gym. Is there a trainer or someone there that you can ask to introduce you to that area, and show you how to do some of the basic lifts? When you're trying to get your form right (which is important) you can get a lot of good info by googling the different lifts and watching videos of people doing them.

    If weights are really going to be out of the question, you can actually make a lot of progress with body weight exercises. Push-ups are great for example, and you can alter how you do them so that you can keep progressing. Again, google will help you out: "body weight exercises", and Nerdfitness is a great resource for that kind of thing.

    Have a browse through these groups too:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/788-women-strength-training
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4618-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress-

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