Right weight but very flabby and untoned

[HeyGirlHeyBoy]

I'd love some advice here. I've lost over a stone in the last year and am now almost at 'dream weight'. However despite size being good for me, my arse and thighs are still quite flabby.. I'm a pear shape so this has always been my area. I walk and run and thought would give some tone.

I'm no expert but I'd say you need to introduce some light weight training. Davina McCall does some good work out videos so maybe have a look at those.

Pilates and barre are fab for toning

If you’re pear shaped there will always be some fat in your lower body even if you go in at the low end of a normal BMI. But I think it’s possible you might have lost weight too fast - lifting weights and doing more whole body resistance training will help. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated or expensive. Even Walking up hill really fast (ideally with a backpack as heavy as you can comfortably carry) can help really tone thighs and bum.

Yes I do a lot of walking up hill and walk very briskly. I lost a stone in 3 months.. Not too quick I'd say and current weight my natural size iykwim. I don't know why but I don't like the idea of weights, too much hard work maybe! I did plates and yoga in the past so will look into that and barre. Always had a good bum but now it's quite flat

Weight training is the only way you'll build muscle, if that's what you're trying to do. It's no harder than any other type of exercise.

Yoga is absolutely brilliant for toning. I have wanted to lose quite a few pounds since the first lockdown... daily yoga for an hour (online, free stuff on YouTube) has knocked them off as well as really trimming my middle are (creeping middle aged spread...). Can't recommend highly enough.

Area, not are 🙄

Joe wicks - his free stuff on you tube. Combo the cardio with an abs session. They are quick HIIT. The squats etc have made a massive difference to my sizeable arse.

@LaVitaPuoEsserePiuBella

Yoga is absolutely brilliant for toning. I have wanted to lose quite a few pounds since the first lockdown... daily yoga for an hour (online, free stuff on YouTube) has knocked them off as well as really trimming my middle are (creeping middle aged spread...). Can't recommend highly enough.

Can you recommend a YouTube channel to follow?

Which is better for this, yoga or Pilates? I really need to do something following a big weight loss this year but also can’t quite bring myself to do weights!

OK I will get on Adriene so and purchase a yoga mat. I had am amazing class but not happening at mo. Hiit and weights don't appeal as yet tho maybe I need to give them a go..

You can't turn fat into muscle, you need to grow your muscles which you can do pretty effectively in 3 sessions a week. Lift the heaviest weights you can manage. I do 4x 8-15 reps of
Squats
Shoulder press
Bicep curls
Chest fly
Seated row
Glute raises

I could also add lunges and press ups.
It has really worked for me and only takes half an hour.

Squats and lunges

See katienana that sounds impressive but complicated to the uninitiated! I'm looking at a glutes workout here with Heather Robertson, it's hiit but only 15 mins so a palatable start. Does anyone think it's that I need to loose more weight maybe?

I would't rule weights out. There are many different types so to say you won't consider it is ruling lots out. I am thinking body pump, kettlebells, bodyweight training and then all the gym based options. Core training and Barre too are great.

I have always been fit and do lots of cardio. But i look my best when i do a mixture of activities. Much more sculpted and toned.

Maybe get a trainer. You need to lift heavy weight to see any real change

I discovered a YouTube barre channel called "Coach Kel" over the first lockdown and have been doing one or two of her videos a week - they are all low impact, no jumping, little or no equipment besides a mat and the back of a chair to hold onto but I have seen some excellent toning results! Can highly recommend.

You need weights. It's not complicated and there are plenty of tutorials available. That's what non-flabby people have, muscles. Walking won't give you what you want.

I've done the glutes hiit there now, heart racing and quite dizzy, lots of lunging and squats and leg lifts.. Maybe I will do that for a month and see re weights. Tbvh it seems like too hard work but maybe I can ease myself in. Thanks for the tips and the barre workout recommendation.

I did this one yesterday and I am still sore:

Most of the videos need a mat, a chair or a kitchen counter to hold onto as a "barre", and some you can use light hand weights or tins of beans - it doesn't seem like much but then you repeat an easy movement a lot and you wake up the next morning feeling it!!

Tbf I've always been fairly muscly and toned, former hockey player and ballet dancer, so I don't have a huge mountain to climb hopefully but it is a shame after working hard to lose the extra.

OK great xiaoxiong, thank you. Keeping it simple important to me for now. A year ago wasn't getting even a weekly walk in so I've definitely upped my game.

Cardio won’t help you to ‘tone’, you’ll need to do some type of strength training/weight training.

This website I find useful for suggestions of different strength training exercise depending on which part of the body you’re targeting - www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/

OK so I suppose it's just getting older that's made my usually naturally fairly toned body just drop.. I will look at that, thank you.

I mean weights are hard, yes, anything that is going to significantly change your body will be hard. If the exercise is easy then it probably isn't going to change anything much.
There is no easy route to a fit, toned body.