How long does it really take?

It took me about a year of sensible eating, no boozing and regular HIIT classes to shift 3 stone. I did also hugely reduce my sugar and refined carbs intake (I still eat wholegrain carbs).

Bodypump changed my body shape.

Running and a good diet with plenty of protein seems to keep the weight off and bodypump gives the definition.

Oh yeah, I love Body Pump - I do at least 1 class a week, and my gym's main Pump instructor is fantastic - gets us singing along to the music, and wen you're in the last 8 of god knows how many lunge pulses, it really helps when she gets us shouting out the numbers on a count down.

And I don't really do any specific bicep/tricep training with my trainer - she focuses on pulldowns for lat strength as I really really want to get an unassisted pull up (it's a faint dream, but I persist) so really overloading myself in Pump in the bicep & tricep exercises is great. I have guns!

Well, we can't turn the clock back - I'm early 60s but can out-move my female undergrads at a third of my age, and as women age, we need to do serious weight bearing stuff. And it sure beats running (although I do go out for a 35 minute 5k a few times a week).

Agree @YogaFaker I started my weight lifting journey doing body pump and looking back (whilst not knocking it it’s great group exercise IMO) it’s not really ‘doing weights’ as it’s just not heavy enough to achieve strength or muscle growth.

I was almost 2 stone lighter and much ‘smaller’ overall then than I am now, but I am definitely stronger, have more muscle definition and am fitter and healthier these days. If I was going for an aesthetic though, I’d go back to body pump (and turn the clock back 10 years!).

Also, just what weights OP? Before I took up proper weight lifting (with a PT, for learning techniques safely) I did Pump classes, with a max of 10 kg on the bar.

As my trainer says, she has earrings heavier than that.

I now squat almost my body weight, 85kg deadlight, and can pull (in a prowler sled combo) over 300kg. That's after 2 years' training, but I'm probably double your age.

I also do yoga or Pilates, and ballet, and a couple of Pump classes a week (well, none of this at the moment ...) I don't really have to do separate core work because weightlifting really trains your core.

I agree with the PP who says if you're training for an aesthetic 'look' it's not as effective as just wanting to be fit and strong.

I just love being strong AF. I can lift my suitcase up onto the luggage rack, I can carry furniture - I can do so much more.

That's an interesting article. This bit in particular...

"Bodybuilders only look like that for competition. And achieving that look comes at a high cost; one most people aren’t willing to pay."

I was being encouraged at my gym to enter competitions. One of the other ladies does them. I was initially tempted until I found out exactly what I would need to do and the sacrifices I would need to make to get myself anywhere close to the lowest level of fitness competition standards.

I'll focus on dropping half a stone while I continue, hopefully in another 9-10 months I'll see some strength

I'd be really wary of dropping weight & thinking you'll build strength. You can't really do both - if you want serious strength from heavy weights.

And being strong is fantastic. I'm less bother about my weight because at 61, I have something of a 6-pack, and lift, pull, and squat seriously heavy shit.

I find this article and infographic really helpful in understanding the topic of what getting lean (or toned) means and how it can be achieved

www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean

I am in no way criticising you, but our body shape is mostly determined by our genes and for most people, aiming to try and have a body like yours is unrealistic.

This thread isn't about most people. Most people have no interest in getting ‘toned’. The OP does, so she is not most people. She may also be genetically disposed to a toned physique and just needs to remove the padding to let it show through... I have shrunk from a size 12 since leaving university. As for doing an amount of exercise that is far above what most people are ever going to do, my exercise routine is similar to the OP’s. I do pay attention to my diet in as much as most of what I eat is prepared from scratch and I keep an eye on portion size. Living rurally, take-away food is not a temptation.

Thanks for the compliment BTW.

@PhoneLock you look fab in both of those pictures and I do not doubt that you have looked that way for 6 years, but you are one of 3 things:

1. Genetically very lucky
2. Doing an amount of exercise that is far above what most people are ever going to do, and/or incredibly disciplined about diet
3. A mixture of the above

I am in no way criticising you, but our body shape is mostly determined by our genes and for most people, aiming to try and have a body like yours is unrealistic.

Thank you I will check it out.

@TiredMaofTwo It’s called Mamma Method; it’s specifically designed for post natal and they do daily livestream classes plus some free instagram classes too.

Please can you tell me @mynameiscalypso what is the name of the online Pilates you are doing. I have a terrible c- section overhang and would like to try and improve it.

It sounds like you are doing a lot already, are you sure there are no changes. Sorry not meaning to sound patronising but we look at ourselves every day its hard to see gradual changes. Have you taken before pictures to compare?

It may be that you’re doing the wrong exercise for your shape

I have tried everything

I find the one thing that transforms my lower body shape is walking on an incline

It’s reduced me legs and bum by inches within weeks - it’s quite dramatic. Nothing else comes close

@Phonelock you look absolutely fantastic.

@ImPeckish I have been working out several times a week since January, a mix of HITT, Cardio and Bootcamp. I can certainly start to see a difference but as said above I need to drop a lot more weight to see much definition and I am already under 9 stone.

Even if you get to your desired goal, you will almost certainly never be able to sustain it.

I have a confession to make. The picture above was taken Christmas 2014

This picture was taken Christmas 2019.

Phonelock dont worry you didnt dishearten me! I obviously would like to look better but I am doing weights more for health benefits. Having seen my grandparents decline and lose strength so quickly I am starting early with the hope that I will keep some strength as long as possible. Although I can't see muscle definition I can feel I am much stronger and feel better for doing this exercise. You look fab by the way! I would love to be 8st 7 but for me that would be unrealistic to maintain and I am just not prepared to sacrifice chocolate to get there! 😂

People who train or exercise for aesthetic reasons are almost never satisfied.

I agree. Although I must add that I don't train and exercise purely for aesthetic reasons. Improved fitness and mental health are also strong drivers.

There's also the social side too.

To be perfectly blunt you are most likely aiming for an unrealistic goal.

People who train or exercise for aesthetic reasons are almost never satisfied. Even if you get to your desired goal, you will almost certainly never be able to sustain it.

‘Tone’ (or muscle definition) can only really be achieved by being a certain body fat percentage or lower. The sacrifice it takes to get there is hardly ever worth it and usually makes you the opposite of healthy.

You look amazing @PhoneLock! I'm a tiny bit taller and a couple of pounds heavier and I don't look anywhere near as good. I think I need to add some HIIT back into my regime!

Oh dear well I won't be seeing any muscle definition then!!

Sorry! I didn't mean to dishearten you. It depends on your build, so you might not need to go as low as me. I have quite a small frame so a stone of fat pads me out quite a lot. For reference, the pic shows me at about 8st 7.

Very interesting thread. I was running a similar amount plus daily yoga and weights a couple of times a week pre-pregnancy. I didn't really notice any changes in terms of how my body looked/muscle etc although I was definitely more flexible and fitter. Post-pregnancy, I was swimming (before lockdown) a couple of times of week and have really got into post-natal Pilates and I think the latter has had the biggest impact by far. Since we went on lockdown, I've probably done it 5 days a week via online classes and I can really tell a difference particularly in my legs and arms. There's less focus on core so unlikely to have a 6 pack anytime soon but it's definitely helped get rid of my c section overhang. I've been pleasantly surprised at the impact it's had.