What's the most effective exercise programme for a slim and lightly muscled physique?

[TheSnickeringFox]

AKA an awesome healthy looking bikini body?

[swanker]

hmm... can you get me one too when someone tells you the answer?

[foreverondiet]

why not shred for exercise?

i just bought lean and clean diet book and he claims you'll get healthy looking slim lightly toned body if you follow his diet plan.

[cremeeggsbenedict]

You probably need a programme of resistance work and cardio to get slim and lghtly muscled. Cardio will burn calories so help with the slim, weights will work on getting you toned/lightly muscled and also burns a few calories thus aiding the slim part. Another benefit of doing resistance work is that having larger muscles increases your BMR and thus you burn more calories doing nothing!

The mistake many ladies make when doing resistance work is choosing weights that are too light as they don't want to bulk up. It's very hard to do this as a woman due to our lower testosterone levels so lifting some heavier weights won't make you bulky - they'll make you toned. Ideally the weights used in your resistance work should be a struggle to lift on your last few reps.

[ohmyfucksy]

Depends how fat you are in the first place. If you have extra chub you are going to have to burn it off with cardio. If you are slim but a bit wobbly, pilates and/or weights should do it.

[foreverondiet]

I am getting there with the slim and lightly muscled look. I think the answer is it takes a lot of time (esp if overweight to start with) and there are many different ways to get there.

When I started the priority was to loose the excess weight and get fit. I therefore focussed on cardio (triathlon training) and dieting through weight loss - including cutting out all processed foods and refined carbs, with only small portions of healthy carbs.

Having got close to my desired weight next step is to work on toning - through 30 day shred, exercises like press-ups when I get the chance and also weights in gym (am not scared to lift heavy ones) whilst continuing to stay fit (ie still doing cardio to retain fitness levels).

I will say though that my thighs are probably slightly bigger than I would like but its muscle not fat - due to all the cardio running / spin etc.

[TheSnickeringFox]

I am a slightly chubby (optimistic "slightly") 5'7" and 11st post baby. Size 14.


My plan is to go low carb and to combine pilates, resistance training and cardio. I have the Women's Bodysculpting Bible and the shred DVD.

Just got to psyche myself up!

[foreverondiet]

Fox I was a very chubby size 16 (12 stone 5 at 5 foot 4) in post baby in October. Now I am gym fit and have my bikini body! Start with focusing on cardio and diet to get fit and loose the extra weight and then go for the toning!

[TheSnickeringFox]

Hmm, so what you're saying is that I have one month to get a bikini body?!

ds was born in November...

You are very inspiring! Did you have a bikini baby pre-pregnancy?

[foreverondiet]

fox no DS2 was born in April 2010. I just didn't start the diet until October 2010 as I was breastfeeding until then and don't like dieting when BFing. I put on an extra stone whilst BFing due to very large consumption of ice creams on special offer in tesco, particularly magnums - so that I weighed the same when he was 6 months old as just before he was born.

I am now a stone lighter than my pre DC weight and half a stone lighter than what I weighed when I got married in 1997. I have been a gym goer since 1998. So no, have never been this light, well not since I was 15 and I suspect I was shorter then!

In terms of the bikini body, well I have one (the bikini body) but don't actually own a bikini!!!!! Measurements are now in inches narrowest waist 27, widest hips 34, under bust 30, widest part of thighs 20.

[TheSnickeringFox]

Phew!

I'm still breast-feeding as my ds won't let me stop, but I've decided enough is enough! I want to feel good about myself again.

You've done amazingly well

[foreverondiet]

No deadline! I think it takes around 6 months if you are "slightly chubby"....