I want to tone up without bulking up with muscle. Help?

sarahrnugget
sarahrnugget Posts: 1 Member
edited November 16 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm 98 lbs currently at 5'1, and everyone tells me I'm skinny fat. Laying down, I absolutely hate how my hip/butt/thigh area looks (pear shape) and I'm tired of it.

I already cut calories and make sure I don't gain, but I'm ready to really tone up. But I don't want to get muscular. What are the best exercises and ways to do this?

Replies

  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    Continue eating at a deficit and use a progressive lifting program to improve body composition.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    If you aren't eating in a surplus, you are very unlikely to 'bulk up'.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    People don't get big muscles by accident. For most men and women it takes a concerted effort over a long period of time to pack on an appreciable amount of muscle.

    What you may find is that as you get stronger and your % of body fat goes down a bit you have more noticeable definition.

    Check out the New Rules of Lifting for Women or a progressive strength program like Stronglifts 5 x 5.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Don't eat at a surplus or take steroids. It is VERY hard to gain muscle at a calorie deficit. You'll be fine.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    edited March 2017
    At your height and weight you are at the very low end of your BMI and really shouldn't lose any more weight. (I am the same height and maintain between 100-105).
    Eat at maintenance and eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories, if not all.

    Read through this thread.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    Choose a routine to follow from this thread. You will not get bulky.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Cheers, h.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    Go to PE class. That's all.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • GrammyHeather
    GrammyHeather Posts: 1 Member
    SonyaCele wrote: »
    i don't think i'd ever suggest to a woman that is 5'1 and 98 pounds eat at a deficit. Get on a full body program, and eat a healthy diet of at least maintenance. You will not accidentally get muscular. And a little bodyfat will help with less definition so you wont see muscle definition. I have no idea what skinny fat can mean when you are 98 lbs except dont listen to your friends. Do what makes you feel good and eat healthy and dont under eat.

    Yes! Thank you!
  • kellyshell215
    kellyshell215 Posts: 98 Member
    If you want to tone by this losing fat, I think its good you are in a defict, but you need to do cardio (any of your choice) and lift weights/strength training for better results or you can simply do strength training. The only way to get too muscular is by decreasing too too much you body fat or by simply eating too much (in a surplus).

    Instead of focusing too much on lower body exercises, focus on whole body to shed the fat.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    edited March 2017
    kellyshell215 wrote: »
    If you want to tone by this losing fat, I think its good you are in a defict, but you need to do cardio (any of your choice) and lift weights/strength training for better results or you can simply do strength training. The only way to get too muscular is by decreasing too too much you body fat or by simply eating too much (in a surplus).

    Instead of focusing too much on lower body exercises, focus on whole body to shed the fat.

    No need to do cardio (apart from for cardiovascular health, it's not going to "tone"), shouldn't be eating at a deficit, already a low weight. This isn't good advice.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    SonyaCele wrote: »
    i don't think i'd ever suggest to a woman that is 5'1 and 98 pounds eat at a deficit. Get on a full body program, and eat a healthy diet of at least maintenance. You will not accidentally get muscular. And a little bodyfat will help with less definition so you wont see muscle definition. I have no idea what skinny fat can mean when you are 98 lbs except dont listen to your friends. Do what makes you feel good and eat healthy and dont under eat.

    Thank you.

    I really wonder about this place sometimes.
  • kellyshell215
    kellyshell215 Posts: 98 Member
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    kellyshell215 wrote: »
    If you want to tone by this losing fat, I think its good you are in a defict, but you need to do cardio (any of your choice) and lift weights/strength training for better results or you can simply do strength training. The only way to get too muscular is by decreasing too too much you body fat or by simply eating too much (in a surplus).

    Instead of focusing too much on lower body exercises, focus on whole body to shed the fat.

    No need to do cardio (apart from for cardiovascular health, it's not going to "tone"), shouldn't be eating at a deficit, already a low weight. This isn't good advice.

    True, I forgot about that, should be eating in mantaince . But since she doesn't want to gain too muscle and eating in surplus and lifting can leed into a gain :neutral:
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    kellyshell215 wrote: »
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    kellyshell215 wrote: »
    If you want to tone by this losing fat, I think its good you are in a defict, but you need to do cardio (any of your choice) and lift weights/strength training for better results or you can simply do strength training. The only way to get too muscular is by decreasing too too much you body fat or by simply eating too much (in a surplus).

    Instead of focusing too much on lower body exercises, focus on whole body to shed the fat.

    No need to do cardio (apart from for cardiovascular health, it's not going to "tone"), shouldn't be eating at a deficit, already a low weight. This isn't good advice.

    True, I forgot about that, should be eating in mantaince . But since she doesn't want to gain too muscle and eating in surplus and lifting can leed into a gain :neutral:

    She doesn't need to eat in a surplus and no-one suggested that. Women don't accidentally get bulky. It takes perfect training, great genetics and an attention to macros to gain at most 0.5-1lbs of lean muscle per month and that's in a surplus. The concerns here are really unfounded.
  • lbaxandall
    lbaxandall Posts: 62 Member
    Tell me if you get bulky. I've been working out and training for 4 years and have yet to "bulk". I'm 100% confident you won't. Eat well, nourish your body, get enough sleep and water and resistance train.
  • shadus
    shadus Posts: 424 Member
    For some reason a lot of people think you're going to accidentally get 'bulky'... no, just no. That is a process that requires significant time and dedication in both gaining muscle mass and decreasing body fat percentage. Even eating at a surplus and gaining muscle isn't going to make this gal bulky unless she did it for ages. She can safely do any lifting program at this point and will see good results in body shape from them by filling out the muscle that sits under the fat layer in her body.
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