Best way to lose inches?

[Wenchelda]

Hi... I'm tentatively de-lurking in the hope that someone can help. I'm 5ft 2 and around 10 stone, so not hugely overweight but I have big thighs/bum and a tummy that, on certain days, looks like I'm still pregnant (my children are 3 and 1) I want to tone up all over but mainly lose some inches from my bum/tum/thighs. Oh, and upper arms.

I did the 30 day shred before Xmas - well, 20 days of it and saw absolutely no difference whatsoever (weight wise or inch loss) so lost heart. I hate dieting - I always just end up starving and miserable.

Also - and this will sound like excuses, but its not (well not totally!) - but with 2 toddlers and a husband who works shifts, it really is quite hard for me to find time to exercise. Pretty much the only time I have to myself is after 9pm, and by then I'm too exhausted to do anything. (This was the time of day I was doing the shred DVD).

So what's the best exercise to target the areas I want? Thanks

I was going to suggest the Shred. I'm surprised you didn't notice any inch loss afterwards - were you compensating by eating extra?

I've found the best time to exercise is first thing in the morning, even if it means getting up earlier than usual.

I'm currently doing the 6 week 6 pack. Or you could try the Shred again, combined with My Fitness Pal, and if you aren't seeing results after a week use heavier weights.

I wasn't eating more when I did the shred, but equally wasn't eating less either.

I know I need to cut down on snacky sweet things .... I have a sweet tooth and have no will power when it comes to chocolate / cakes / all the yummy stuff. Other than that, I think what I eat is ok. Not super healthy but not full of junk food either.

Both my children still wake most nights (often more than once) so my sleep is constantly disturbed, and then one or both generally gets up around 6-630, so the thought of getting up even earlier to exercise before they wake is not good. Though it would be nice to have it out of the way first thing and then not have to spend the day thinking about having to do it at 9pm when I'm shattered.

My Fitness Pal can help with the eating. When you realise how many much heavy duty exercise you need to do to burn of a couple of hundred calories (less than a cake) it puts every cream bun into perspective.

Have you had a look at "princessing" (terrible name!). One of the rules is no chocolate/crisps/alcohol on a weekeday.

Jillian Michaels also has a DVD called "No more trouble zones", which specifically targets the bum, thighs and upper arms.

I'm 5'1 and was nearly 10st... I'm on day 21 of the Shred and also doing 5:2 and I seem to be losing some weight and also definitely toning up and stronger. I didn't measure myself beforehand, but I had to try a wetsuit on over a swimsuit today and I'm sure I'm looking better (DH seems to think so too).

I'm doing the shred early in the morning, before breakfast - this may be difficult with toddlers but esp in this weather its probably better to do any exercise early rather than late.

The 5:2 may sound tough but I'm finding it easier than 'dieting' because most of the time you are eating normally, and I've found since I started that I'm not wanting so much carb. Normal dieting is a real PITA if you're small because you have to eat pathetically little all the time, don't you?

Hope you find something that suits you.

I'm just lurking because I'm in a similar situation to OP with all my weight lurking on my bum/hips/ thighs.

I would suggest adding some weights to your routine to help with losing fat.

You can get some quite cheap weights from Argos for £18 that have different weights up to 7.5kg:-

www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3028285.htm

Don't be worried that weights will make you bigger. Here are a couple of articles, one from the Daily Mail and one from the Guardian with real life before and after photos:-

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2273364/Pump-iron-drop-dress-size-Weightlifting-key-slimmer-figure-say-fitness-experts.html

www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/13/weightlifting-could-change-your-life

Here is a good website, written by a woman, to have a read of with some suggested routines:-

www.stumptuous.com/workout-6

Some exercises you may want to do are squats:-

www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/GluteusMaximus/DBFrontSquat.html

lunges:-

www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/DBLunge.html

dips:-

www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Triceps/WtBenchDip.html

rows:-

www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/BackGeneral/BWSupineRow.html

I dropped from a 14 to a 12 before I'd even finished C25k. I also struggle to find the time to exercise, I just started getting up a bit earlier and going out for a run for 30 mins three or four times a week. It's nice to get out in the fresh air and away from the constant mummymummymummy that you get with two small children around.

Thanks for all those links nicky, I've been meaning to start doing some weights for ages.

Kettlercise! Toned up everything! Am hooked!

I did think of starting the couch to 5k a while ago - for some reason I like the idea of running ... Though goodness knows why , I've never ran in my life before and my knees can be a bit dodgy.

I think I'm just using the "i have 2 toddlers and my husband works shifts" thing as a bit of an excuse .... Yes, it will be really awkward to fit exercise in (some days he leaves before 5am, others he's not home until 10:30pm depending on his shift that day) but I guess I'd find time if I really wanted to. I'm definitely lacking motivation and I'm constantly exhausted BUT I was clothes shopping today and nothing fitted right and I was pretty horrified by what I saw in the mirror, so I need to kick myself Into action.

I need to kick myself Into action.
ok, start with some butt kicks then

Probably best to start doing something while you're feeling like this rather than spending too long finding the 'perfect' routine. If you choose one of the things like C25k or shred where there's MN threads, you might find that helps keep you doing it regularly (which is the main thing) - I find it does.