Three weeks to get some shape?

Try Jillian Michaels 30 day shred. I think she has a super hard core one too where you do it twice a day for 30 days.

@GoGoSuperBug how are you getting on? Have you been away already?
i have a holiday planned end of april and i am wondering what would bethe best to tone up: caroline girvan (and if so which program) or the shred? Unless there is another way? Any advice will be gratefully received! I can only exercise 4 times a week max. One of these sessions will be yoga.

Hmmm, that's interesting @GoGoSuperBug I have occasionally said to my PT - I wish I could just drop 10 kilos (it's all I need to do, but it won't budge without me being miserably hungry & food-obsessed) and if I could get Ozempic legally, I'd do it.

His response was emphatic - you'll lose so much muscle, you'll lose really hard won gains. It took me 6 years of heavy lifting to get to a 100 kilo deadlift and a 70 kg (bodyweight equivalent) squat. I'd lose that and at my age it would be hard to get up there again - especially as I'm on my way to 110 kilo deadlifts.

Your experience suggests he's absolutely right. I'm trying to make peace with my middle-aged looking body (I'm 67). Not be "young skinny" which is the lure of Ozempic/Mounjaro etc.

Ok this has made me feel better ! I’m 5ft 1in and currently 8st 10lb. I am trying to lose weight and want to get to 8st as that’s where I think I look best - but you’re reminding me I won’t look like I used to at that size as I’m now in my mid forties and maybe I look fine as I am (just with a bit more muscle!)

Just to echo what others have said, I was in a similar position to you, I’m the same height and was 7 stone 10 but seeing the same in the mirror. I’m now 8 stone 4 and have been running 3 times a week and doing a small amount of regular core exercises and some kettlebells. I’ve lost an inch from my waist since starting despite being 8 pounds heavier and the weight has filled out my boobs again. My arse is still MIA but I look a lot better for the exercise and eating more. For info the weight gain was prior to the exercise, not caused by it.

I was doing CPR on a patient the other day and realised Id lost all my muscle strength post diet. I had to hand over to someone else. Back to the gym for me too 😘

And your bmi is now 19 and you’re bordering on underweight?

Op, you weren’t eligible for the drugs if you have only lost 2 and a half stone and now are 7 and a half with a height of 5ft 2, you had a bmi of 25 when you started,

did you lie to get them and then take it too far? You can get them with that bmi now from a couple of suppliers, but you couldn’t until recently.

30 day shred by Jillian Michaels. I think she has another one which is short term but you work out twice a day, I can't remember what that one's called.

You’ve lost a third of what you currently weigh. I’d say that sounds like a lot!

Few people are happy if they lose muscle and visibly so. If your lifts have halved you’ve lost a lot, so do focus on bone health as well,

it really is something everyone needs to focus on. Because if you don’t like what you see when you hit goal then the number on the scale is irrelevant. And often people only focus on it when they realise they need to appear in swimwear or someone will see them naked, in clothes it can be hidden. And usually swimwear is in harsh daylight where there is no hiding it.

it’s a difficult thing to get your head round, accepting that you won’t look good just because the number on the scale is at a certain goal. Looking like you’ve lost weight, looking thin, that shrunken empty look is not what anyone wants.

dveryone should make a point of actually looking at themselves naked in a mirror in harsh lighting, as they lose weight, because it’s the only thing thay will make us stop and think.

i had similar as said, but some lose or crepy skin, and I thought god I can’t wear a bikini, everyone will look at me and think that woman has lost a lot of weight. But I spotted it about 5 months before I went away which gave me time to fix it, but I still had a twinge of it about me. Now it’s fine. But it has taken work.

dven though I’m the same weight as a year ago, I just don’t have thay thin look anymore, and now everything looks fuller due to muscle.

its the hard work part of this.

Honestly only you will care what you look like on the beach and that is entirely something you can tell yourself not to care about! Buy some fab swimwear (that is one piece!) add your new hat and strut like you own the whole god damn beach.

All of my lifts have halved, I feel so weak and it takes all of the fun out of the gym.

Oh nooo! Do get back on the strength gains train. As you say, it is sooo much fun!

firstly I bet you look so much better than you think.

Boden swimwear. Get a tankini or one piece. Focus on muscle building for next summer.

buy yourself a fabulous sun hat to go with your new swimwear. Remember the only person judging you on the beach is yourself.

Yes look at it you’ve now moved into phase 2, body recomp, if you focus on this and do it right, this time next year your body will be unrecognisable, strong and toned, enjoy your vacation, wear swimwear thay flatters, and disguises fhe worst of it,

you’re not alone in doing this, I see numerous posts from people who focus on the number on the scale then dislike their bodies when they get there, protecting muscle is a key and critical part of the Journey. We all lose muscle, but it’s so important go lose as little as possible.

building it back up takes longer, than protecting it in the first place, obviously, because you’ve then got a lower start point, but focusing on hydration, protein and strength work will see visible results and health benefits.

id also strongly advice you to consider your calcium intake, as you may be developing osteoporosis, strength work also strengthens our bones.

muscle and bone is so important, I’d now switch focus to this.

This would signifiy you’ve lost a lot of muscle instead of fat and I’m afraid that will take quite some time to rebuild.

when I hit goal I went straight into body recomp, although I’d eaten my protein throughout snd did my workouts religiously, i had some loose skin under my backside, some crepyness on my arms and tummy if I twisted, depending on posture my backside could look flat.

id say I saw the difference in about six months, I dropped two more points in body fat but upped my muscle mass as I maintained my weight. Now I’m toned throughout and I’m a year into maintenance

for me, it was 1.5 g of protein per kg of body weight and working out six days a week.

I don’t think you will do anything in 3 weeks, but muscle mass is critical so I’d really would start now to build back up. On holiday wear swimsuits rather than a bikini.

Honestly, I think you'll be happier f you stop worrying about how you look. Those who love you don't care, and everyone else's opinions are completely irrelevant.

Exercise & work out because it makes you FEEL good. Getting strong is amazing. Being able to run up a flight of stairs or walk all day adds to your joy in life.

And anyone judging your body can fuck off.

You sound like you need a lovely relaxing holiday. Have it in your body, not some idea of a "perfect" or "beach body." Have a great time