DONE losing weight. Now it's MAINTAINING & TONING.

EthanJeremiahsMama
EthanJeremiahsMama Posts: 534 Member
edited October 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I am DONE losing weight. I reached my goal weight, may not be too happy with my lower body section (stomach, THIGHS.. legs).
However, I am so proud of myself for being able to drop the weight and maintain a healthier lifestyle. I am continuing to eat healthy, upped my calories to 1,300 instead of 1,200.. and going to maintain and tone.,

I know you cannot spot reduce.. but at this point I really need to maintain my weight & tone up as in have that nice lean muscle tone look (NOT BULK lol) but the nice definition to leaner, thinner legs and a flatter stomach..

What do you recommend as far as tips in the gym? I only lift 5-10 pound weights.. I try to do 15 pound kettlebell workouts and do some leg presses as well. Should I still include CARDIO in my workouts just not as much?? My main focus this whole time was cardio.. treadmill and elliptical. I really need some tips on getting a flatter stomach and more toned, slimmer thighs.. again, I know I cannot spot reduce but WHAT excercises has helped you all?

Thanks so much to everyone on MFP who does read my posts and helps with tips.. I really appreciate you all!! <3

Replies

  • barbiex3
    barbiex3 Posts: 1,036 Member
    For me I think cardio and weights together help with toning. =] !
  • mags2504
    mags2504 Posts: 275
    Well done on getting to goal. Can't wait to get there. I would still carry on with cardio for the fitness factor.
  • shelbygeorge29
    shelbygeorge29 Posts: 263 Member
    Lifitng heavy weight will NOT bulk you up, they will help lean you out. Pick up some heavier weights girl!!!

    Squats, deadlifts, lunges; those big compound movements will help to scuplt your physique. If you could find a good trainer (that's a big *if*) I'd recommend a couple sessions to have them show you around. I also recommend the forums at t-mag.com (T-Vixens) and the women at bodybuilding.com, buffmother.com also has some great information. Look at the physiques of the women there, they will have lots of great advice on how to fine-tune your look. You'll be hard pressed to find any women with the huge, hulking physique you're trying to avoid.

    Congrats on the successful weight loss!!!
  • I am a total gym rat. For the past 2 years, I have been great at cardio and weight training. However, all the time I spent at the gym my body slowly got used to. Once I saw results, they would vanish again because I was not changing up my routine enough. The best advice I have for fast toning, especially for butt, thighs, hips, stomach areas is yoga.

    I know most people think yoga is not actually working out, but it is. I sweat and burn more calories doing yoga and have a lot more fun doing it than basic weight training. Don't get me wrong - I still do weights twice a week. But yoga has really helped me see results I had not yet seen before.

    I do Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown DVD about once a week (can find on amazon/walmart.com for cheap). There are also a lot of websites with free yoga workouts. Your gym probably offers some yoga classes, but unless they are called power yoga or yoga flow, they will probably not burn that many calories. But, even if you only did one yoga class a week, studies show that doing an hour to two of "stretching" type activity like yoga can help you tone twice as fast as those who did not stretch or do yoga. So, think about giving it a try.
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
    I agree with cardio and starting off with light weights. I don't know about kettle bells. I would research why certain athletes use them and others use dumb bells and make your own decision. From what I understand, the Europeans used kettle bells because it was cheaper in price but those in the states argued it wasn't as efficient. Not trying to start something, you should decide but I found that regular dumb bells are cheaper depending on the manufacturer. Good luck!
  • EthanJeremiahsMama
    EthanJeremiahsMama Posts: 534 Member
    I am a total gym rat. For the past 2 years, I have been great at cardio and weight training. However, all the time I spent at the gym my body slowly got used to. Once I saw results, they would vanish again because I was not changing up my routine enough. The best advice I have for fast toning, especially for butt, thighs, hips, stomach areas is yoga.

    I know most people think yoga is not actually working out, but it is. I sweat and burn more calories doing yoga and have a lot more fun doing it than basic weight training. Don't get me wrong - I still do weights twice a week. But yoga has really helped me see results I had not yet seen before.

    I do Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown DVD about once a week (can find on amazon/walmart.com for cheap). There are also a lot of websites with free yoga workouts. Your gym probably offers some yoga classes, but unless they are called power yoga or yoga flow, they will probably not burn that many calories. But, even if you only did one yoga class a week, studies show that doing an hour to two of "stretching" type activity like yoga can help you tone twice as fast as those who did not stretch or do yoga. So, think about giving it a try.

    Really?! Yes my gym has yoga classes that I should definitely try! I honestly have never tried yoga.. so i'm a bit nervous. LOL. but I will definitely look into that. Do you mainly do yoga classes or the Jillian Michaels dvd??

    And should I decrease my cardio? I usually do cardio 3 x a week for an hour.. mainly treadmill or elliptical
  • EthanJeremiahsMama
    EthanJeremiahsMama Posts: 534 Member
    For me I think cardio and weights together help with toning. =] !


    Thanks for the response, you look GREAT girl!! :) I was wondering what are your typical workouts.. as far as cardio & weights? Should I lift heavier..? and decrease cardio?

  • Really?! Yes my gym has yoga classes that I should definitely try! I honestly have never tried yoga.. so i'm a bit nervous. LOL. but I will definitely look into that. Do you mainly do yoga classes or the Jillian Michaels dvd??

    And should I decrease my cardio? I usually do cardio 3 x a week for an hour.. mainly treadmill or elliptical

    Yes, really! I would definitely recommend a yoga class in a gym first, just to get the feel for if you're doing it right. You can see others doing it along with the instructor.

    I usually do the Jillian Michaels DVD as well as Denise Austin. I LOVE Denise. She is a little perky though, so it's kind of like watching a chip monk do yoga. lol.

    I would say don't decrease your cardio. Cardio is what keeps your metabolism going (as well as weight training). Cardio is good for your heart, lungs, etc. so there's no harm doing it in my book.

    Anyway, give yoga a try. At first you may not like it. I fell in love with it right away, though. It's fun, and after a really good Jillian DVD day, I am SORE the next day. It works muscles in ways that other exercises don't. Also, by trying exercise your body has never done before increases the chance of change. If you do the same thing 24/7 you don't see much change after time. But if you throw some yoga or pilates or running into the mix, your body should start to respond.
  • JeannieFo
    JeannieFo Posts: 35 Member
    Congrats on getting to goal!

    I would also suggest Pilates for toning up more.
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