Skinny fat - Jillian Michaels or Running?

[WileyRoadRunner]

Right I am a 5'2" very pear shaped. Weigh about 8.5 stone so don't really want to lose weight but need to tone up hips,thighs, bottom.

I do 60 minutes or fast walking at least 5/6 times per week walking the dog and have been doing various JM DVDs. Eat very healthily now.

If I stick with this will I ever see a difference? Or do I need to run? Don't really want to as very hard on my knees.

I know people talk about lifting weights but I have no money to fund for gym etc and time is just as tight (I would have to travel 30 minutes to closest gym).

Any tips?

If you are skinny fat you need to do strength training, not cardio.

You don't need equipment for this. I swear by "You are Your Own Gym". Book and app. Bodyweight exercises.

Squats and dips are what you need. Google the 30 squat challenge

I am a petite pear. I have toned up through these;
running
cycling and spin classes
body combat class
body pump

I think toning is the way forward but you should balance it with some cardio, this WILL burn fat. You need to be raising your heart rate and be out of breath/sweating for a minimum of 20 mins

Also may want to look into interval training (HIT High Intensity Training) which is supposed to be effective.

Thanks I think I will try and do a mixture of Shred/Pilates/killer buns and thighs DVD immediately after dog walking and also attempt the 30 day squat challenge.

The problem is - there's no such thing as toning. You can make muscles bigger and stronger (not MASSIVE - you would need a very specialist diet with supplements to build significant muscle as a woman), and, crucially, you can remove/thin out the layer of fat covering your muscles.

You could have muscles like Arnie, but covered with fat you would still be un-toned.

It's not possible to lose fat from a specific body area. All you can do is lose fat all over (an area where fat is thickest loses more, obvs, but proportionately it will be the same as other areas e.g. Hands, face, lower legs).

To reduce size of bum and hips and build lean muscle tissue, do fat-burning intervals and bodyweight resistance exercises.