Am I doing this right?!

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3peas
3peas Posts: 4
in Fitness and Exercise
Anyone know whether I'm on the right track...? I want to lose some weight, though not very much - about five to seven pounds. I am most definitely a "pear shape" and would like to tone up my lower half. I want to do it all in a relatively short time with maximum results (since I have three children under five and not much time devoted to working out). However, I'm afraid if I commit to too much cardio, I will lose weight and look stickly as opposed to cute and curvy...and I will lose all my breast fat...which there isn't much to begin with. I want to look fit, sexy, and strong...not too thin and boyish...so I'm doing circuit training. Is that the best route, you think?!

Thanks, 3peas

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  • BeautyAndStrength50
    BeautyAndStrength50 Posts: 273 Member
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    I can give you some advise on what I did and still doing.. I started using a Protein Shake in the morning mixed with water 8-10 ozs. and its working for me on the losing weight and gaining muscle part. I also eat 7 times aday which helps keep your metabolism raising all day which burns fat.. Ive been on here for 3 weeks and lost 4 pounds my goal is 1 pound a week. My scale hasnt moved in almost a year and when I started counting my calories on here and adding a few things to my day it started moving again. I also workout to Jullian Michaels 30 day Shred and other dvd's of hers. She has transformed my body and shaped me and started toning me up.. So now Im working on losing 6 more pounds to meet my goal and ALOT more toning with Jullian. All her dvd's are 9 dollars at Walmart and 20 min for some and 45 min for two others. You will not be disappointed. If you like you can see my pics of before and after pics. Just change your routine up dont do the samething everyday unless you are starting a program like Jullian's 30 day Shred then go by what she says.. Hope this helps you out.. Sorry didnt mean to write a book. lol. :)
  • rayne937
    rayne937 Posts: 16
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    I believe circuit training will provide an overall body workout. If you want to tone your lower body, I would definitely do lower body exercises (equipment or squats, lunges, etc. with just your own body weight, or dumb bells). If you are doing cardio 2-3x a week, that should help you maintain your weight, and not necessarily lose.
    I'm no expert, but hope that helps!
  • kadye
    kadye Posts: 136 Member
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    Building up arms and shoulders with weights really helps balance out the body and makes the pear shape no so "pearish". It is REALLY hard to lose a pear shape if that's what you've got. Believe me, I've been trying for years. When I do cardio to lose I have no breasts and my collar bones stick out like crazy and my hips go down about .5 inches. Lifting weights has really helped me. Good luck.
  • 3peas
    3peas Posts: 4
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    Kadye, that's what I'm concerned about. For the most part, I'm fine with being a pear shape but I like the look of a strong, athletic woman, not a bony, flat-chested nymph, which unfortunately can and has happened to me before. So, I will try to focus my efforts on sculpting muscle as opposed to cardio. I would, however, like to train for a half-marathon in the fall and I'm hoping all that running (which I used to LOVE to do) will not make me too small...guess I'll have to eat a lot while training.

    SusieQ, thanks for the advice. I'm currently doing Jillian's 20 minute 30-day-shred program and I do like it thus far. Have you found that it adds nice sculpting though? Again, I don't want to look frail and bony, etc. You look great, by the way, so maybe that's my answer! :)

    Thanks again, everyone for your suggestions!

    P.S. The protein shake thing sounds promising too!
  • Cudders
    Cudders Posts: 28
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    Unfortunately I agree with Kadye. If you are a pear shape, it's unlikely that you'll fundamentally change that shape no matter what diet. The weight is likely to leave you very last off your bum and thighs. BUT you can do a lot of things to look shapely and toned, rather than a little frail spindly thing on the upper body. Quite a few runners don't train their upper body enough and then end up with really toned looking lower bodies from the running but little on the upper body. So the point is to try to balance your lower body out by building a bit of muscle in the shoulders and upper body elsewhere. You'll build the most muscle mass by sticking to the traditional 8-12 reps range, three sets. Stuff like lateral raises. I think those are on the 30 day shred DVD, but not sure.

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