I want to maintain this year weight, but change my body

amiramakh
amiramakh Posts: 25
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Ah, so 2014 finally started!!
Im totally commited and motivated to making this year the best that it can be, and one of my primary goals to to be healthy.

I weigh 109-110lbs (from what the scale said this morning)
5ft 3


Im not bothered with the number on the scale, I'm happy that im at a healthy weight even if its the low end of healthy.
I do however, have a sort of pooch around my stomach. I wanna tone it up, and build muscle in my thighs and quads and having a bit firmer of a butt would be bad either ;)

I just found out that I will soon be starting an internship part time at my dream company! Although im totally exirted for the opportunity, the days I work will be long and unfortunately it will be a lot of desk work so I want to establish a sort of rountine for me that ensures that I will be able to workout on the days I dont intern and that I will get to see the results that I need and enjoy doing it! (I used to be a running junkie, but unfortunately my move to africa has actually limited the places I can run, so i need to discover a new love)


I just wanted to know what all you MFPers are planning to do to maintain and tone up this year!

Im going to continue yoga 5 days a week and I also plan on starting kickboxing or the thirty day shred but i would love some new ideas!

Any tips about food, exercise or just hearing what you guys are going to do would be great!

Replies

  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,153 Member
    Sounds like you'd be happy starting strength training. If there are no gyms with a good weight room, perhaps you can get some weights and workout at home? Lots of people here on this site can help with starting out strength training. I'd check the Fitness and Exercise part of the forum as well as here for more help.
  • amiramakh
    amiramakh Posts: 25
    oh thanks!
    Yeah, i think that strength training would work for me, but the gym situation is a bust unfortunately, ill see what I can find on the fitness and excersie forum :)
  • TheHorribleBlob
    TheHorribleBlob Posts: 84 Member
    I'm 5'3" and hovering around 100 lb, but I have almost no muscle tone! So I'm looking to maintain and get some muscle. I'm cool with gaining 5 or 10 lbs as long as it's muscle weight, lol. I'm going to start doing yoga and some ballet exercises at home. I have to WORK MY WAY UP to a beginning ballet class because last time I tried to take one, it kicked my *kitten*! I also wanna start running more. :)

    What's your dream company?
  • sunflowerhippi
    sunflowerhippi Posts: 1,099 Member
    Nerd Fitness. :) Has a few body weight excercise programs that might be worth looking into.
  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
    Same here. I'm currently around 108lbs but am happy to see the scale go up as long as it's muscle. I also have a belly pouch and would love to tone my thighs. I think strength training is for me too. I've got kettlebells just haven't really tried them yet lol.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    In for the advice. I'm 5'1 or 2", and want to get stronger in 2014.
  • shortdub
    shortdub Posts: 10 Member
    i am 4'11 1/2 and i weight about 116 lbs. i have a mommy tummy, i have been working on it. i have diastasis recti /hernia. so there is only so much i can do. i am starting to get really small. i can fit some girls size 14-16 now and i could fit some of my son's shirts. his is a little boy and wears 8-10! i will be 36 years old this year, i don't want to get too small. i am looking into weight training to get a more defined look. i really don't want to gain anything, but more lean out. i will just try to eat 5-6 meals a day and up my protein.
  • vjohn04
    vjohn04 Posts: 2,276 Member
    Eat at a maintenance level, and work a progressive lifting program, check out NROLFW or one of the other programs mentioned often here (All Pro, Starting Strength, or Stronglifts).

    It's a slower process, but you'll do what's called a recomp.

    I went from a size 10 to a 6 by doing this over the last 12 months.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    If you want to substantially change your body composition and re-comp then you really ned to get into resistance training of some kind...whether that's at a gym or using your body weight. If all you have available is your body weight then I would suggest, "You are Your Own Gym" or "Convict Conditioning."

    Cardio doesn't do a whole lot for your body composition...cardio is just weight lifting for your heart. If you really want to tighten everything up and re-comp you need to do resistance work.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    I have to WORK MY WAY UP to a beginning ballet class because last time I tried to take one, it kicked my *kitten*!

    Do what you gotta do. No shame in starting slowly. Last year, I had to start with water exercise back in January to get back into exercising safely without injury. Last Friday, I deadlifted 220 pounds. It doesn't matter where you start, just get started! :happy:
  • balancedbrunette
    balancedbrunette Posts: 530 Member
    You're in quite a similar position to me, got down to my desired weight and am working on body recomp, as everyone else has suggested strength training will really benefit you, when I was loosing the weight I did the shred too (still do sometimes) but actually engaging in strength training as helped me so much. In saying that i'm still learning and being in my final year of college it is hard to find the time to research as much as I want to it so that is why I went to strength classes for women in my local area, these really helped me as the trainer thought us proper technique such as form and how to perform the major compound exercises correctly.

    That being said if classes/gym is not an option for you at the moment there is so much info from books and on here that can help you...books like starting strenght, new rules of lifting and thinner leaner stronger are names I have come across here often. As well as that I recommend the group Eat, Train, Progress - brilliant information on there!

    Sounds like you are on the right track with the kickboxing I do that as well and it works in nicely as a form of cardio along with strength, if you're interested in the 30 day shred I recommend ToneItUp - you might have heard of them, I don't follow their plan accordingly but I do like some of the full body workouts they post up (printable workouts) which include bodyweight exercises - I find these handy if i'm going through one of those hectic weeks where I miss out on my kickboxing session for some reasonn or something like that, these are good if you just want to get a short workout in the day.
    Example of full body routine: https://s3.amazonaws.com/ToneItUpDownloadDocuments/Workout+Printables/FriskyFallPrintable.pdf

    Best of luck with your goals! :)
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    I started strength training in July. 2 days a week, I started pretty slowly using machines, dumb bells, fairly light weights just to learn how to use the machines and form. My husband showed me how to use the machines and gave me a basic lifting plan. He had already had a personal trainer and been lifting for about a year.

    My weight has remained constant, but I am smaller. I am at least a full size smaller now than when I started in July. I'm waaaaay stronger than when I started too.

    I also read the New Rules book, it's a good starting point to get ideas. IMO, it was a little bit of an overwhelming plan for a beginner. But you can use it to get some ideas of exercises to do.

    Cardio won't do much to change your body; that I have learned firsthand. Strength training has done more for me in a few months than years of running on the treadmill. My plan this year is to switch from 3 days of cardio/2 days of strength training to 2 days of cardio/3 days of strength training...and adding more compound exercises.
  • pteryndactyl
    pteryndactyl Posts: 303 Member
    I'm in a similar position - I'm OK with my weight, so now I'm going to try to do a body re-comp. I started NROLFW today; it seems like a good program and I've seen some people have amazing results from it.

    I don't think you need a gym to do strength training, although it'd be more difficult to follow a program like NROLFW or SS without access to a gym. If you have some extra money, you could buy some weights off Craigslist and try to start strength training at home. That's what I'm doing. Alternatively, look up body weight exercises. I've seen some great results from that as well.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    I started with the idea of losing weight. I have actually gained 7 lbs and lost body fat since I joined, just because I picked up kettlebells and starting doing pushups along with running. I lifted heavy in my 30's, so I think that helped me put the muscle back on fairly easily (muscle memory). And I must have been eating in a surplus even though I thought I was maintaining. Just goes to show you what a good food scale will do for you. LOL I have been leaning out ever since I started weighing my food, but haven't lost any scale weight yet.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    i would recommend picking up a copy of starting strength and new rules of lifting for woman..

    If you want to get some definition and tighten up then yoga and kickboxing is not going to do it..IMO..

    I would go with a program of compound lifts where you lift heavy and keep increasing the weights. compounds = deadliest, barbell squat, rows, overhead press, pull up/chin ups, bench press….once you have these moves down incorporate them into a three day a week workout and you can also incorporate the yoga and kickboxing on off days…
  • michable
    michable Posts: 312 Member
    Hi, if you can't get to the gym, don't have any weights at home, and want to do some beginning strength training, you could try bodyweight training. I have just read "Body by You" by Mark Lauren. He also wrote "You are your own gym", which a previous poster already mentioned, but "Body by You" is more specifically for women. I have just started the program, and it seems very well laid out. It has an initial evaluation so you know which exercises to start with, a very gradual progression of exercises in 5 different movement categories (pulling, squatting, in-line pushing, perpendicular pushing and bending), and 3 program cycles. The workouts are short (less than 30 mins), and he recommends doing the program 3 times a week. I'm in a similar position to you, with not having any more weight to lose, but looking to lose a bit more body fat.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    i am 4'11 1/2 and i weight about 116 lbs. i have a mommy tummy, i have been working on it. i have diastasis recti /hernia. so there is only so much i can do. i am starting to get really small. i can fit some girls size 14-16 now and i could fit some of my son's shirts. his is a little boy and wears 8-10! i will be 36 years old this year, i don't want to get too small. i am looking into weight training to get a more defined look. i really don't want to gain anything, but more lean out. i will just try to eat 5-6 meals a day and up my protein.

    Getting more defined is just a matter of losing fat to show the muscle underneath :) growing muscle is good though, and resistance training is a fantastic way to completely change your physique.

    Eating protein will help with recovery and growth, but you don't need to eat 5-6 times a day if you don't want to. Eat when you like!
  • Cheeky_and_Geeky
    Cheeky_and_Geeky Posts: 984 Member
    I do workouts from www.fitnessblender.com
    They got bodyweight workouts, pilates, low impact cardio, kickboxing, yoga, HIIT Cardio, tabata routines. It's got everything & it's free. Routines are anywhere from 5min-60+ minutes. I can find a whatever routine I want for any time frame! It's great!
  • amiramakh
    amiramakh Posts: 25
    Yup I hear youu. I'm thinking maybe some intense yoga. When I started in December I didn't log it because I thought that it would be silly to since I didn't consider it to be too hard, but sinc then my arms are deffinitely staring to tone up.

    Ballet in a class or ballet videos? If there are videos I would totally give it a try
  • amiramakh
    amiramakh Posts: 25
    I'm 5'3" and hovering around 100 lb, but I have almost no muscle tone! So I'm looking to maintain and get some muscle. I'm cool with gaining 5 or 10 lbs as long as it's muscle weight, lol. I'm going to start doing yoga and some ballet exercises at home. I have to WORK MY WAY UP to a beginning ballet class because last time I tried to take one, it kicked my *kitten*! I also wanna start running more. :)

    What's your dream company?


    It's a pharmaceutical company, I've always wanted to get to work with them in eir drug safety department, and I finally got the chance :)
  • amiramakh
    amiramakh Posts: 25
    I'm 5'3" and hovering around 100 lb, but I have almost no muscle tone! So I'm looking to maintain and get some muscle. I'm cool with gaining 5 or 10 lbs as long as it's muscle weight, lol. I'm going to start doing yoga and some ballet exercises at home. I have to WORK MY WAY UP to a beginning ballet class because last time I tried to take one, it kicked my *kitten*! I also wanna start running more. :)

    What's your dream company?


    It's a pharmaceutical company, I've always wanted to get to work with them in eir drug safety department, and I finally got the chance :)

    And I'm thinking if you eat a bit over your limit you will see weight gain as long as you work out along side ( eat back exercise calroies) it might not be 100% muscle but there will deffinitely muscle gain. I was 100lbs about 5 months ago and I was a twig! I really didn't like the lack of muscle, and not to mention I had no boobs. Hovering around 110 is a lot better looking on me :)
  • misschoppo
    misschoppo Posts: 463 Member
    Hi, if you can't get to the gym, don't have any weights at home, and want to do some beginning strength training, you could try bodyweight training. I have just read "Body by You" by Mark Lauren. He also wrote "You are your own gym", which a previous poster already mentioned, but "Body by You" is more specifically for women. I have just started the program, and it seems very well laid out. It has an initial evaluation so you know which exercises to start with, a very gradual progression of exercises in 5 different movement categories (pulling, squatting, in-line pushing, perpendicular pushing and bending), and 3 program cycles. The workouts are short (less than 30 mins), and he recommends doing the program 3 times a week. I'm in a similar position to you, with not having any more weight to lose, but looking to lose a bit more body fat.

    this sounds interesting :smile:
  • amiramakh
    amiramakh Posts: 25
    Eat at a maintenance level, and work a progressive lifting program, check out NROLFW or one of the other programs mentioned often here (All Pro, Starting Strength, or Stronglifts).

    It's a slower process, but you'll do what's called a recomp.

    I went from a size 10 to a 6 by doing this over the last 12 months.

    I'm looking it up right now, and congratulations, you look really great in your photo!
  • jasonpclement
    jasonpclement Posts: 146 Member
    strength training is def the way to go. If you can't find equipment, you will still be able to make drastic changes with bodyweight alone. Lots of bodyweight squats, lunges, walking lunges, reverse lunges, pushups etc..

    I know you said your focusing on your stomach area, but just hit everything equally (with perhaps a slight emphasis on legs) and everything will fall into place. Best of luck.
  • shortdub
    shortdub Posts: 10 Member
    thank you! i was reading Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, and the author really made a big deal about eating 5-6 times a day. i have read conflicting articles stating that it doesn't matter how often you eat, just that you get your amounted calories in for the day. thanks for the advice and the encouragement! i hope to start seeing some good results by next month!
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    If you want to substantially change your body composition and re-comp then you really ned to get into resistance training of some kind...whether that's at a gym or using your body weight. If all you have available is your body weight then I would suggest, "You are Your Own Gym" or "Convict Conditioning."

    Cardio doesn't do a whole lot for your body composition...cardio is just weight lifting for your heart. If you really want to tighten everything up and re-comp you need to do resistance work.
    ^This is what I was going to say exactly.
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    I'd suggest checking out these 100 different body weight workout routines: http://neilarey.com/workouts.html
    They will have you getting toned up in no time.
    Or maybe try her 90 Days of Action program.

    Currently trying to get my way through Gladiator for 3 sets... and that is just the beginner level. But my endurance is going up, and my body is tightening up.
  • TXEXrunner
    TXEXrunner Posts: 178 Member
    Congrats on the new job. Been where you are and the big thing for me was getting into the routine right from the start. Make the time for exercise/ strength training - whatever you want to do. It gets very hard incorporating this if you wait until after you establish your work routine. Keep fitness a priority (like it sounds you have). Happy New Year and good luck!

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