How can I slim down and tone up in as short time as possible?? Please help

[Needmakeover]

I have a significant event coming up in 3 weeks, I am going to sleep with someone I've been dating for the first time (divorced following a really abusive marriage, this is the first person since exH). I really want to lose weight for it and tone up. What is the best way to go about doing this? I don't want to be healthy, 1lb a week, steady weight-loss. I just want to give myself a kick-start, if that makes sense, so I feel a bit more confident in front of the new bloke. We could wait longer but honestly I don't want to. I am really lactose intolerant so avoid anything with dairy anyway. I think bread etc makes me bloated (to the extent I have been asked if I am preggo) so thinking could go GF as well...? Are there any exercises that would make a rapid impact in a short period of time? Please no "love your body" responses; I want to change it as am overweight and not at all toned. I am especially self-conscious about my belly, which is like an apron and my bum which is kind of flat but also covered in cellulite. I have asked my friends but they are all happily married which nice DHs so I don't think they get the significance of being naked in front of a new person in your early 40s. Thank you for reading 🙂

This is so true. You won't regret it. I started resistance weight training with a PT 18 months ago at the age of 51. Never going to win any comps but the difference is huge - in terms of strength and how I feel.

Extremely low carb, weight training / body pump / hot vinyasa yoga and some heavy duty shape wear!

However, I also agree with those saying do you really need to do this? Is it going to make a material difference to how you look and feel?

My sister does mad diets like this and I'll never forget the time she did the maple syrup diet for ages then went on holiday, ate one normal meal and looked about 7mo pregnant! It usually isn't worth it (for me). However if it is worth it for you then what I suggested above will probably do it.

You need to hit the gym & do HIIT.
Weights. Heavy weights, interspersed with cardio.
I would get a personal trainer tbh.
Go for it!

The maple syrup diet! Sounds horrific and probably dangerous!

Realistically, then (not judging) if you starved your self for 3 weeks and lost a stone, would you all of a sudden feel super confident?

A miserable awful 3 weeks, that could leave you feeling crap and not enjoying the evening to lose a stone (approx). Would that really make all the difference?

Or would it be better to look after yourself, have a tan and start making healthy changes?

Totally agree!

Sorry but the planking thing is rubbish, it’ll strengthen your core, nothing can ‘tone’ your muscles. Toning muscle isn’t a thing.

you can lose fat so that your muscles look more prominent and you can build your abdominal muscles so that when you look the fat they are most noticeable but we’re talking months if not years to do that.

bottom line is OP - you can lose a decent amount of water weight (temporary obviously until you replenish your sources) and maybe a couple of 1lb of body fat in 3 weeks but you certainly won’t see your body transform and look much different in that time. It’s just not physically possible.

This X a million. Good posture makes you look slimmer.

Having a fanny like a steel trap also gets you a second date if he’s good enough for you.

I know 😩

She worries me a lot

Also, don’t get so angst-ridden and focused on your insecurities that you 1. Forget to enjoy it and 2. Forget to take stock of whether he’s actually any good/attentive to your needs.

You shouldn’t be sat around desperately waiting to be chosen and considered worthy, don’t be grateful. Do. Not. Be. Grateful. You’re an adult woman with her own unique wants and needs, and you’re trying him out to see if he’s a good match, just as much as he’s testing you.

100% - and the OP is clearly only interested in this advice as well which is disappointing. Treat your body with disrespect and it will respond in kind.

I'd do Pilates, walking/power walking and low calorie diet. I wouldn't go into cardio etc., as it would be too much for me with such strict dieting.

The low body fat percentage needed to have visible abs for a woman is so low that it’s pretty much unachievable for the average woman with a varied and busy life, and a healthy intuitive approach to eating. So low that it can interrupt the menstrual cycle, cause hair loss, etc.

Those women who have dream fitness model bodies, doing bikini competitions, etc are prepping for that shit like it’s a full time job. The nutrition, the gym time, etc.

Of course, there will be a few naturally very slim women, who don’t have much abdominal fat, who would argue that they have abs and don’t do anything for them, good for them. But it isn’t the experience of the vast, vast majority of women.

Building core strength (without hoping to get visible abs out of it) however, is an amazing goal and I’ve found yoga really good for that!

Track your calories using an app eg My Fitness Pal.
Only eat below 1200 calories a day.
Exercise every day.

don’t bother with fad diets etc. losing weight = calorie deficit.

What is your qualification to be able to set a limit of 1200 kcals, whilst exercising every day?

OP hasn’t told us her height or weight, nor the intensity at which she’d be exercising?

Agree some of the advice here is bonkers. I've just done the maths on losing a stone in 3 weeks.

1 pound in weight = 3,500 calories.
1 stone in weight = 14 pounds or 49,000 calories

49,000 calories over 3 weeks = 2,333 calories per day less than the OP's Total Daily energy expenditure (TDEE).

So say TDEE = 1800 calories

To lose a stone in 3 weeks OP would need to eat nothing at all and burn 500 calories through exercise.

You have to admire the optimism of posters saying that's possible.

Or she could improve her posture, get her hair done, wear an outfit that gives her confidence and have a fabulous time.

Fast 800/Intermittent fasting really helped me lose quickly when I gained due to medication.

Lots of water and low carbs if you can but honestly you can't change your body that way in 3 weeks (and neither should you - Spanx etc won't have catfished him that much).

Your time is better spent on some of the other things that have been suggested:

• buying great underwear
• body scrub
• wax
• fake tan
• mani / pedi

And some Dutch courage before doing the deed.. just not too much 😂

Good luck!

👏👏👏

honestly MNHQ need to clamp down on these kinds of threads cos they’re dangerous and just spread misinformation which could seriously harm people if they adhered to it.

100% - genetics are the biggest player when it comes to abs! No amount of planking is going to get you a 6-pack if you’ve a) not got the genetics for it or b) have an average amount of body fat

If you go too hard, you're going to end up looking miserable, unwell and gassy!

Honestly, eat and exercise sensibly for the next couple of weeks, and keep that going for yourself. He will fancy you without your clothes on. I remember seeing something once about guys been asked what makes the best boobs, and they replied ones they can see and touch. Have fun!

I am wanting to do the same. I think the “Posh” diet of fish and steamed vegetables is how I am going to do it. Along with lots of exercisr

Not recommending fad diets is good advice however the 1200 calories is bad advice. We don't know the OP's weight/height etc so 1200 is just plucked out of the air. It really isn't that simple

1.Go on myfitnesspal app to log calories and in put your ideal weight
2.HIIT training to boost your metabolism so you burn fat even on rest days
3.Reduce carbs and eat more protein so you feel full for longer and eat less

This is more of a lifestyle change but it’s the only way I know of getting results quickly and it does take some hard work and determination.

Unfortunately there are no “ quick fixes” to losing weight and keeping it off unless it’s a lifestyle change.

I'm currently doing the Huel challenge to shift post pregnancy weight.
Only have shakes, but should hit 2000cals a day. Can't say I've always done 2000, I'm usually fine on 3 shakes which is 1200 and have had the odd banana.

Lost 11lbs in 10days so far. Not sustainable but nutritionally complete so I don't feel awful, or hungry to be honest! Often remind myself to have the shake!

I'm almost 11 weeks post partum, so it's likely not pregnancy related loss at this point.