50+ weight loss and muscle building - help!

[MrsRabbits]

Apologies if this is the wrong board, didn’t seem to fit any of the specific weight loss chat boards. I’m early 50s, hate how I look because I have so little muscle tone and an awful lot of cellulite on my thighs, bottom and stomach. I have loose rolls of flab on my stomach which I’ve never had which I’m presuming is a combo of lockdown lard and menopause related lay down of fat in different places.

I really really want to do something about this but I want to make a difference quickly if that’s possible due to a uk holiday with a large group of families at end of July.

Looking for ideas and guidance of how others have achieved noticeable improvements in 4-6 weeks in a way that is then sustainable. Appreciate I’m not going to be end result ready in that time frame but I’d love to have made a difference by then.

Exercise needs to be at home really and I don’t have loads of time but will prioritise this!

Thanks for any top tips

I should have said, I’m 5 foot 6 and weigh just over 12 stone. Wear size 14/16 mostly 16. If I lost a stone I’d be happy but building muscle and improving look of loose fat and cellulite are the main things I’d like to tackle

I do yoga 4 times a week. Have just started Buti yoga which is more cardio and burns a lot more calories. I also do kettlebell exercises. Jo Wicks has some good You Tube videos and do 10 minutes of Cross Fit Power Abs 5 times a week. I've just turned 50 and need to exercise a lot more and eat less to maintain my weight.

Can you throw money at the problem? If so, I'd see a PT who can work with you to achieve your goals, and let you know what is and isn't realistic - it will require a combination of nutrition and exercise (probably weights).

If less money, you could sign up to the Body Coach 90 day plan - you should have seen a difference at each 30 day stage, and it should give you tools to make it sustainable (again, there will be a lot of weights, and I would be wary of starting out if you're unfamiliar with correct form - otherwise you're at risk of just injuring yourself).

Completely free, take a look at Fitness Blender, but again, you'll need to have some awareness of form, and how hard you'll need to work to get results (exclusively use levels 4 & 5 on difficulty rating).

And in terms of just cosmetic, drink loads of water, eat tonnes of fruit and veg, use fake tan. You can try body brushing too.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_weights_room

It is unlikely that you will be able to build significant amounts of weight at home unless you have a full home gym - not many of us have a full set of weights, that's why we go to the gym.

Agree that a PT is the best way, but failing that try New Rules of Lifting for Life.

Remember, you will always have cellulite, and you are unlikely to ever have a washboard stomach. Don't set unattainable goals...

The most important thing is to do exercise you enjoy. I've been doing yoga for 10 years and my body is toned with muscle definition. I don't enjoy weights at the gym so gave it up.

For muscle tone you need to eat plenty of protein and lift heavy weights. I've had success with the sweat app at home with dumbbells / kettlebells but it takes longer than 4-6 weeks to see results.

Thank you everyone. Lots to consider and research thank you. I’ve had a PT in the past, maybe 2-3 years ago now but it didnt work brilliantly for me probably because I wasn’t committed enough if I’m honest. But if I need to start doing weights then I will need to be shown how to do that properly so I would consider that again and improve my attitude!

I know I’ll never have a washboard stomach or get rid of the cellulite but I would definitely like to improve those areas.

I agree with the advice to hire a PT if you possibly can.

Bottom line is you need heavy weights (and appropriate nutrition) to get fast results. And even "fast" results aren't all that fast. You could get some noticeable results in 4-6 weeks but in all honesty only if you had done a fair bit of training beforehand to get you to the stage where you had the ability to go hard enough.

I subscribe to a YouTube channel called 'Nourish, Move,Love'. It is free and contains a range of workouts, some strength based, some toning, some cardio etc. I run 3 times a week and work out at least twice a week, varying my workouts, and I have started to get muscle definition - I am 53. Over time I have bought a resistance band and a couple of sets of hand weights. I have been doing it longer than 6 weeks (more like 6 months) but there is so much variety (HIIT, yoga, barre, pyramid) it is fun and doesn't feel like a chore. So my advice is to find something that you enjoy and make it a permanent change.

Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred is good for a quick boost.