Honest Question that sounds Stupid

Hi, I'm a little over 5'4" but not quite 5'5" and I weigh 125 which is right smack in the middle of my BMI for good girl.  I will be honest and tell everyone that while I do not have an ED I think I could get one fairly easily as I know I have a faulty perception of what a healthy woman should look like.  All of that being said here are my goals: 1. I want to be as healthy as I can be. 2. I would like to weigh about 10lbs less (this would still be in the range of a healthy BMI for my height according to the research I have done). 3. I want to learn how to tone down the flab on my problem areas (tummy, hips, thighs), I have walked, I have done sit-ups and honestly it just hangs around. 

I have logged what it is I eat on a regular basis on the food log on this site for three days and come up with a "B" which I think is pretty good eating since I grew-up in a family that either struggles with ED's or obesity.  I have been both underweight and overweight in the past and I have no desire to be in either spot again, ever.

AGAIN, ALL I WANT IS TO BE AT MY PEAK HEALTH.

This being said, is it unreasonable to attempt to lose 10lbs to be at the lowest part of my BMI range?  Should my goal be just to tone up the problem areas and maintain this weight (and possibly gain a little since muscle is heavier than the pudge)?

Please advise and understand that I ask this because I am attempting to be healthy and not fall into the trap so many in my family have fallen into.

Thanks in advance.

Espresso

I don't think that's a stupid question at all.

Since you're at a healthy weight, I wouldn't focus on weight loss - I think that trying to lose that 10lbs would really increase the risk of an eating disorder or disordered eating.

Instead, I would focus on improving your diet - eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, etc., and exercising 4-5 days a week.  Keep your calories more or less where they are. Doing this consistently will likely lead to a (slow) change in your body composition,.  You can gradually decrease your body fat, look better, feel better, and improve your health.  It may or may not show up on the scale - but remember that you're already at an ideal weight.

If you can work it in, I would advise a weight work out 3 or 4 times a week.  Even as little as 15 minutes 3 or 4 times a week can help firm up your arms, shoulders, abs, etc.  Buy a couple of cheap dumbbells 5, 8, 10 lb--whatever weights you can handle safely--sets from Walmart or somewhere or, even better, if you have access to a gym, do basic bicep and tricep exercises.  Initially, the wisdom seems to be that first you should get to the weight you want--then firm up the body with some weight-training.  I personally have found that weight-training is always good, whether one is losing weight, gaining weight, or maintaining.  The reason I mention bicep and tricep is that I have found the exercises that I do emphasizing those muscles also have helped firm up my abs, back, shoulders, wrists, forearms, etc. If you Google looking for dumbbell routines and go to Youtube for basic dumbbell exercises, you will find plenty.

I wonder, shane_paladin, do you have some suggestions for toning arms? I haven't gained weight since my weight loss 6-7 years ago, but I've lost all muscle mass and my arms have actually gotten fatter and flabby. I guess with the muscle lost, I am gaining fat, it just doesn't reflect on the scale. My arms have gotten so bad that I don't wear tank tops anymore. I know overall I need to lose some weight and gain muscle, but considering I already don't even own shorts (won't wear them), I really need to wear something during the summer months. People already think I'm crazy, because in the hot summer...I am completely covered. I'm too embarassed to show any skin. How many reps would I need to do daily, to get results. I do some occasionally, but not enough. Do I need to feel some soreness or tightness the day after, to know that I did enough?

Thank you!

miller2607:  My suggestions for toning arms:

• Find, buy, use some light dumbbells such as 3-5-8 pounders.  Go to a gym if you can.  If  not, not a problem, do the weight-exercises at home, watching TV or listening to some of your favorite workout music. 
• If you do a solid workout and not take much time between exercises, you can get firmer arms by doing three (3) to four (4) 10-15 minute workouts each week.  You can eventually work up to more workouts and/or more time per workout, if you wish.  Remember, you must find some enjoyment in doing these weight workouts, or you eventually will quit doing them.  I find that once I start a workout (I only do 20-30 minute workouts 5-6 times a week), I get really pumped up and feel good when I am done.
• You should feel some soreness after a workout (but  not ache and pain).  This is natural as it tells your body that you used muscles you were not used to using.  Eventually, the soreness should go away after a few workouts.  You definitely do not want to hurt yourself.
• I used to in my younger days do 2 and 3  hours of intense weight-lifting.  I basically overdid it and abused my body.  Now, I only do biceps, triceps, and hand grips; but I have found that in doing those exercises, I also have firmed up my back, shoulders, chest, etc.  And I enjoy doing them as opposed to where I got to the point I dreaded doing weights.  So my advice is for you to start with weight exercises that you can enjoy and not make you feel as if you hate the thought of doing them.
• Best of luck.  I know you can do it!

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuFEAtgBbiU =  basic tricep curl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsFfPdd9DHU&am p;feature=related = basic dumbbell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDPJQyXRBS8&am p;feature=related= tricep

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ip4sLoqjbM&am p;feature=related = Although this shows using a bent curl bar, you can do the same exercise by taking one dumbbell and holding it behind your head with both hands.  Follow the same basic directions as given in the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf_UATtNspc = the triceps exercise with two dumbbells, but you can do the same exercise with just one, if that is easier (and safer).

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRYEA3ilo4I = general dumbbell bicep exercises and specific curl exercises

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxEpj6nf6Gw&am p;feature=player_embedded = more dumbbell exercises

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMsxGfACAfo = hand grip ideas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6j6jUFKQNA = another view of same thing; you can just use a tennis ball.

Instead of tennis balls, I bought two relatively cheap hand grip items and squeeze them X number of reps during my triceps workout.  Sometimes I alternate day to day (taking one day off a week) biceps on one day and triceps and hand grips on the other (each workout would be around 18-25 minutes).  Other times, I do all 3 exercises in the same workout (workout time would be 25-35 minutes).  I do use a triceps bar and a bent curl bar along with the dumbbells, but that would not be necessary for you.

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If you look to the right on all the Youtube pages, you see all the many videos about dumbbell exercises.

I agree that a weight workout is important if you want to be healthy.  And I don't think you should try to lose any weight.  Instead focus on losing the fat.  That will help with your problem areas.

My thoughts on weight lifting go a lot farther that miller's though.  I'm guessing your problems areas are much like most women's, hips, thighs, tummy.  And the way to make those firmer and fitter is by lifting heavy weights, and that means deadlifts, squats, push-ups, pull-ups, presses, etc. 

The arm exercises are okay, but light dumbbells are not going to challenging for long.  If you check out the fitness forum and Melkor's stickies there, there are lots og good suggestions on how to pick a good workout. 

Original Post by karozel:

My thoughts on weight lifting go a lot farther that miller's though.  I'm guessing your problems areas are much like most women's, hips, thighs, tummy.  And the way to make those firmer and fitter is by lifting heavy weights, and that means deadlifts, squats, push-ups, pull-ups, presses, etc. 

There is no doubt that you are correct...but only if a person can sustain such workouts.  I have been involved in one way or another (participant-sponsor-coach, etc.) with weight-lifting for many years.  For people who are not into the more intense athletic nature of weight-lifting, I advise to get into it slowly.  Do only what you enjoy and can maintain.  I lifted for over 30 years, but once I quit, within months I lost almost all benefits of that lifting.  So I advise, again, to go into weight-training slowly and make it as enjoyable as possible.  Doing light bicep and tricep exercises is a way to start.  One can increase to whatever intensity, amount, type, and duration he/she chooses once he/she determines the workouts are going to be able to be maintained.

You really think you lost all of the benefits of lifting?  Do you think the bone mass/density you accumulated for that heavy lifting all went away?  That's just the first thing I can think of off the top of my head.  I can't imagine that all the benefits would just disappear. 

Again, this is only my opinion, but light exercises for the arms is not going to have much affect.  If she's not challenging herself, then her muscles are not going to react, and there is no such thing ars spot burning, so essentially it's just cardio, and you can definitely get a better cardio workout using the big muscles. 

If the light weight and isolation exercises for her arms are of little benefit, how are we helping her reach her goals?

"If the light weight and isolation exercises for her arms are of little benefit, how are we helping her reach her goals?"  That's your opinion--not mine.  In fact, light weight-lifting is very beneficial.  Also, it is often counter-productive to encourage beginners to jump into long, intensive weight-training workouts.  Short, light workouts absolutely can be of great value.  I have witnessed far too often people going into weight-training quit entirely because their workout sessions were too long and too rigorous.

Here are a couple of articles you might find interesting:

"A light weight lifting routine is an important element to any workout routine. Lifting weights will improve your muscle strength, increase your core strength, protect your vital abdominal organs, improve balance and coordination and give you an overall feeling of wellness." from

http://www.buildsize.com/Weight_Training/Ligh t_Weight_Lifting_Routine.html

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"In actuality, one does not need to be at the gym three times a week or more for hours on end to maintain the health and physical benefits of exercise through light weight training." from

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/3500 /light_weight_training_benefits_to_women.html ?cat=51

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"Research shows that just two 15-20 minute sessions a week is enough to gain all the potential health benefits of strength training."  from

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/exercise /weight_training/benefits.htm

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"Easy, breezy, light exercise may do more for your energy levels than the hard stuff." from

 http://health.yahoo.com/tips/how-light-workou ts-can-beat-hard-ones/realage--5644.html

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Thank you to everyone that has answered my question so far.  I guess what I want to do is tone up and get rid of fat not weight, since I am in the middle of my optimum BMI.  I was looking at a scale that tracks fat amounts, maybe I will get that.

As for weight lifting, that was one of the few things I actually enjoyed at the gym, though I was unable to do it long since I got pregnant right after joining and had to quit.

I haven't been back to the gym and can't afford to start there again so I will try the walmart weight and the toddler method!

Shane_Paladin, do you have anything for the legs/hips/tummy?  I know arm work requires center stability so it will have some impact on those areas, but those are my biggest (literally) problems!  Hehe

espressoreader:  karozel is correct in the point that to actually build stronger, bigger muscles, one has to engage in "heavier" lifting.  My point, though, is that weight-training requires a rather concerted effort to continue it--I have seen many people begin, but not continue for very long.  People who have gym buddies and a gym to go to definitely have an advantage.  For people confined to home workouts, I maintain that it usually works best for beginning workouts to be relatively short in duration, so a person does not begin to dread doing the workouts.  There are a ton of videos out on the web.  Just Google and you will find them.

lower abs will work the tummy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3cCHBSo7Pk&am p;NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FxYmBrISFE&am p;feature=fvw

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General workout videos:

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-t o-do-the-pilates-stomach-series-270471/ (Pilates)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odrJ1v0NqJk (Planks)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdm_VnrUSvc&am p;feature=fvw (Strength core)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9ucbo_fx64&am p;feature=player_embedded (Home Workout)

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for the thighs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QATNSYGp3w&am p;feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpLcEDWk1zI&am p;feature=fvw

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for the legs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XlI_meRwuA&am p;feature=fvw (first  half of video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdxaunNWx6Y&am p;feature=player_embedded

I can't respond to the weight lifting, but another thought would be for you to strive for an "A" in your diet analysis. A "B" might mean that your diet could be better balanced, although, as you said, a "B" is not bad! How are your nutrients divided up? You should have about 20-25% fat, about 25% protein, and the rest carbs. If you are getting a "B", I wonder if your fat or carb intake is a little too high. Just a thought.