If you've got a toned, fit body, be real with me!

[TruffleMonkey]

Is it a massive commitment?

I'm a healthy BMI but near the top, I'd love to have a firmer, less wobbly body but I never seem to get there. I do 2 x body pump classes and 1 x spinning class a week, as well as walking for at least an hour with my dogs.

My diet I'd say is good, don't really do much takeaway or junk food but we eat 'normally things like homemade curries, casseroles, pasta dishes that kind of thing. Plenty of fruit and veg. All good... I thought...

I've not got the time or energy for any more exercise as I work full time and have a toddler. I like food so I don't want to just exist off chicken and greens like I see on Instagram.

Is it possible to have a body like this and just live a normal life, or does it need a 'step up' in terms of lifestyle?

Running and Reformer Pilates will change your life, especially the latter.

You would need to track the elements - calories, protein, steps, water. Make sure you’re working intensely in your training sessions and lift heavy (body pump not ideal for this because in my experience it can be fast paced). You also need to be very consistent with it all.

I think it depends on shape & some people build muscle much easier. I used to do my classes with a friend & I had a more toned bun & thighs then her but she had much bigger arm muscles. I don't really build muscle.

i used to do a lot of dancing as a dc & some girls had very developed calf muscles, mine were tiny.

That’s three cardio classes and no weights? Drop at least two of the cardio and go into the gym and lift weights - if you’re body pump form is good it’ll transfer to the gym.

Ideally you’d drop all three cardio and just concentrate on weights, but I can’t practice that, I love a bit of cardio.

How long have you been doing your spin classes etc? It's completely do-able but it takes time. It wasn't until I was late 30s that I actually committed to a PT once a week and one other class, and got a dog (so walk every day). It's 4 years on and I can tell you I am fit and toned without worrying too much about diet (some bad weeks some good weeks) but i probably wouldn't have said the same 2 years ago.

This is from being off and on throughout my 20s and 30s. I've learnt that it's the week in, week out thing that's made the most difference.

I think it just comes easier to some people. They are lucky genetically that their body burns fat and builds muscles really easily. If you're not like that you can't compare because they are probably doing it with less effort.

And as @Newyeargymwanker says drop a cardio class or two and do some weights - that will help.

Well I don't consider it a "massive commitment" because I love my exercise and it's only 40 mins or so. But I weight train 3-4 times a week, run/HIIT 1-2 times a week, plus try to wedge in a yoga for flexibility. I also work FT, raise DC, have a social life and until recently was studying.

Weight training was the game changer.

This. Reformer Pilates is amazing. Not cheap, but really worth the investment.

I eat junk food and alot of snacks but have a very toned torso/legs/bum. You should swap your cardio for weights and resistance bands at home, do planks/donkey kicks/lunges/mountain climbers/side steps and butterfly kicks with bands, hip thrusts crunches and squats with an adjustable kettlebell 3-4-5 times a week depending on your schedule and you will see progress. I have horrible posture but this is enough for me to have sharp obliques and lumps of muscle visible on my thighs after a year or two. I do intermittent fasting sometimes but most of the time forget, and I'm 56-60kg at 5'9 to give you some reference of the type of weight you need to be to show muscle through body fat.

Diet is a really healthy spinach/berry/seed smoothie once a day then I eat whatever else I want in like a 6h window so alot of butter/fried stuff aslong as I get the smoothie in.

OP yes it is a commitment.

I am less toned than I would like but a strong, curvy shape and my physio commented recently that I am leaner than most she sees with clothes off.

I do:
Mon weights, proper ones like deadlifts, squats etc
Tues/ Thurs strength and conditioning with proper press ups, full planks, and repeated sets of box jumps.
Fri - run outdoors
Sat - bike and more core

I do not track calories, proteins etc in any way - it's boring. But I eat as close to zero UPFs as possible, as many plants esp nuts and veg at every meal, and have bigger breakfast/ lunch but light supper.

Well I don't consider it a "massive commitment" because I love my exercise and it's only 40 mins or so. But I weight train 3-4 times a week, run/HIIT 1-2 times a week, plus try to wedge in a yoga for flexibility. I also work FT, raise DC, have a social life and until recently was studying.

Have you cloned yourself?

So - just based on my personal experience - it is possible but you have to actually get there first, and I often think that people tend to go one of two ways - too extreme or too cautious, and both of these are how you give up. I live a 'normal' life now, but you have to really challenge and accept that your original starting point of 'normal' is probably just too much food and too many treats, and that can be really hard to swallow. People will say 'how can you eat [burger] and stay slim' but they are only seeing me on that one meal - they aren't seeing all the other meals where I've prioritised veg, protein, scaled back on carbs, turned down a biscuit or a piece of cake.
I think the 'getting there' is the bit that's hardest - when I'm actually losing weight and building muscle, I eat differently to how I do now to maintain - and the 'getting there' takes a long, long time of being consistent.

Getting a "ripped" look is achievable through having the right genetics, extreme clean eating, supplements, targeted weight lifting, steroids, flattering lighting and knowing how to pose for photographs. Most recently it's also been helped by misusing weight loss injections.

It's purely a vanity not related to being fit, healthy and happy.

It's exciting news if I have! Wanna hang out and lift together? I'll spot you.

Weight training for me, not a quick fix by any means , but I'm toned with shape and say it's the best I've ever looked. Used to do spin but no longer need to, with weight training the longer you do it the easier it becomes and the results are amazing.

You need Caroline Girvan in your life. Home work puts save time.

cardio is important for heart health but less useful for weight loss as we age.

Thanks for the comments! Interesting about the reformer pilates, I've heard great things but unfortunately there is nowhere close to me that does it and it's very expensive! So that's that out sadly.

Body pump and spin I started doing years ago but stopped when I had DD 3 years ago and I've waxed and waned with both since. I've been pretty consistent since last summer but definitely not year in year out consistency. Is body pump considered cardio? I'd rather drop that if it is because I absolutely love spinning, I find it so energising!

I've lifted weights in the gym before and to be honest I don't enjoy it at all. Which usually equates to me not sticking to it!

I’d get a personal trainer for a few sessions on weight training. Body pump is cardio with light weights so I’d drop that and starting getting busy with compound moves such as deadlifts - those need good technique to avoid injury hence my suggestion of a trainer.

Forgot to add, you don’t need to do reformer Pilates, mat based Pilates with a good instructor - small class so they can see and adjust your position will be as effective. Brilliant for your core and posture.

Yes, I agree with this, it’s a very individual thing. I’m slightly bigger than I was in my teens and 20s but I’ve never gone above a size 10. Now I’m mid 30s and I go to the gym less than once a month. I have a healthy diet, I’m vegetarian, and I walk everywhere (or walk to the bus or train station) as I don’t drive. I don’t really give much thought to diet, have never tracked calories or anything, I just don’t snack much or have a big appetite for chocolate/cake/crisps etc. I never have junk food or alcohol in the house and I drink less than once a week. This just comes naturally to me tbh as I don’t have cravings for treats or booze. That said, I don’t deny myself if I do fancy a slice of cake or a takeaway. It’s just not a daily occurrence.

It's a function of genetics, diet and how hard you train. The less favourable your genetics are the cleaner your diet and better your training needs to be.

One more voice for Pilates or barre-inspired exercises, small weights, lots of reps

Totally changed my body shape doing 4-5 CrossFit classes a week. 6 pack at 35 after two babies