Last 3 inches below butt

During my pregnancy I went from 130lbs. to 198lbs.  within 3 1/2 months after having my son I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight but clearly had some toning to do.  I have basically gotten everything looking better than it ever has before all with my own fitness program and motivation.  My only problem is that I have about 3 maybe 3 1/2 inches below my butt and saddlebag area that I want to lose.  My husband said that he doesn't see it but of course I do.  I just need some exercises that will just target those little areas.  I also could use just a little bit more lifting in the rear but I think that if I tone those areas (the top of the thigh and the little part of saddlebag that I have) the butt will naturally get lifted.  Thanks for the help.

You can't spot reduce, but weighted squats, weighted lunges, and deadlifts will help work your lower body and can give you butt a nice lift. 

To balance it out, don't neglect your upper body - if you need a routine, New Rules Of Lifting For Women (available on Amazon and at most book stores) will help you out.

So many people have said it on this website, but i'm going to repeat :there's no such thing as spot reducing.  You need to be working your total body instead of focusing on one area. Your body is the one that decides where it cuts the fat and where it leaves it.

You should follow a good total body strength training program (I love "The New Rules of Lifting For Women" By Lou Schuler), or if you don't want to buy a book, there's a lot of good total body routines on the exercise portion of this site as well.

If you end up making your own workout up, i would suggest for the lower body doing moves like squats, lunges, deadlifts and step ups. However, don't neglect the other areas of your body and just work on the lower half all the time, then all the hard work you've put in so far will just go away. Good job on your progress so far!

I understand the spot reduce that is why I am so aggravated with this whole process.  I am 5'10 and 130-132lbs.  I am very toned but its like that is the only spot that I cant get to be like "holy crap" you know.  I mean besides the fact that my boobs are not as they once were prior to having my little boy.  I look pretty good.  I didn't get any stretchmarks from the extreme weight gain.  That's why it is like what the heck!  I work my butt off literally but for some reason I just cant get that little bit off.  And I know I sound dumb or like those girls that you see on the plastic surgery shows that are super skinny and want lipo.  Well, I don't want lipo I want to have legitimately taken a body that was almost 200lbs. and making it smoking hot!  All by myself too.  No workout videos, personal trainer, diet pills, fad diets.  Just plain old me.  Thats why I just dont know what to do because I do all of the leg exercises that should make it go away but yet its still there.  But thanks I appreciate it.

Just doing the moves won't make the fat go away. Are you using any weights? If so, maybe you should up the weight you are using so you are really struggling to finish the last rep of your sets. Building muscle isn't going to make you look like Hulk Hogan (not sure if thats a concern of yours, but most women seem to equate using heavy weights with results like arnold schwarzenegger.)

Any workouts that you can find by Alwyn Cosgrove are amazing at stripping fat right off your body and building your muscle. Thats one reason why the New Rules of Lifting is so highly recommended by so many people. (plus you get to eat more!)

Take that workout and pair it with the nutritional info they provide and you are sure to look even hotter than you already are.

I would suggest following a zone type diet. Keep counting your calories, but try to get 40% from Carbs, 30% from Protein and 30% from fat. I've always had the best success at losing body fat with those percentages.

I will have to checkout the book cause I do use 8lb. weights and I also wear 5lb. ankle weights anytime that I can even at work under my straightleg slacks and high heels.  (Sounds nerdy but no one can see them)  I do worry about building the muscle on my upper body because I am one of those people who builds muscle fairly fast.  My arms and my back are very toned (not Madonna toned but that's not the look I am going for).  I think that is why I have basically stuck with the 8lb. weights because I can lift them and not have to worry about building mass in those areas.  I guess that I will just have to go out to the garage and get some of my husbands weights and start using them.  Thanks.

You may want to look into " The Firm". they use hand weights and include squats and lunges in the program. They have many DVD's available,and several pieces of "firm" equipment.

I am also a "fitness loner" but I like the intensity of this work out.

Congrats on pulling it back together after child birth!

I hope this helps.

Go for those "man" weights!

I can't even begin to describe how accomplished i feel each time i can increase the weights of my sets. 

Don't worry too much about building mass.  Unless you are on steroids, you should be just fine :)

I've done the firm videos too - my favorite one was 10 day abs. i really did see a difference in 10 days!

You might want to skip the ankle weights - they can do more harm to your joints than the minimal additional calories they might burn.

Go get your husband's weights and make them your own!

Original Post by vsmama:

I do worry about building the muscle on my upper body because I am one of those people who builds muscle fairly fast. 

Do you pick your kid up? how much does he weigh? Bags of groceries? backpack? suitcase?

If you lift things that weigh more than 8 lbs every day in your normal life and haven't turned into Hulk Hogan, what do you think are the chances that heavier weights during your workout will? 

That is the thing with all of the lifting that I do on a regular basis i.e. lifting my son, groceries, anything else.  I really do not lift weights for my upper body on a regular basis maybe once or twice a week but still am told thatI have a really nice back and really muscular arms all of the time.  I worked for a short period of time at a warehouse after the Army where I lifted all together around 1500 to 2000lbs a day.  Loading and unloading trucks so I am not a weakling at all.  I am not afraid of hard work and that is how I got back down from when I was bigger anyways.  Also my husband is not a very muscular man.  He is just a little bit more muscular than me so I have that fear as well because I do not want to be bigger than him.  Thanks though.

Original Post by vsmama:

That is the thing with all of the lifting that I do on a regular basis i.e. lifting my son, groceries, anything else. I really do not lift weights for my upper body on a regular basis maybe once or twice a week but still am told thatI have a really nice back and really muscular arms all of the time. I worked for a short period of time at a warehouse after the Army where I lifted all together around 1500 to 2000lbs a day. Loading and unloading trucks so I am not a weakling at all. I am not afraid of hard work and that is how I got back down from when I was bigger anyways. Also my husband is not a very muscular man. He is just a little bit more muscular than me so I have that fear as well because I do not want to be bigger than him. Thanks though.

just my 2 cents. that's all fine but look at it this way... you are just about wasting your time lifting 8lbs.  if you normally lift more than that every day i doubt those precious minutes are doing anything progressive for you. i would say to just pick your kid up more, at least as he gets bigger you'll know you are progressing.

anyway i too have that droopy problem with my bum (& hips). i figure it will at least take me another few months to get it where i want it.  actually when i come up from doing a deadlift & hold the bum, it doesn't look too bad, so i know im on the right track. i just need more time & a lower body fat percentage.

also i did a mirror test on how i normally stand & i how should stand. makes some what of a difference to my abs, bum & thighs when i stand properly. like when i lock my knees my bum looks a little more droopy, i'd say about half an inch more.

Are you talking about the back of the thigh where it connects to the glutes/butt?  I couldn't quite tell from your description if this is the area you are trying to target.  If so, it is a difficult area to get to.  Deadlifts, squats and lunges will help.  Try adding in a Step Up (start with no weights and then once you have your form and balance, add dumbells heavy enough to challenge you):  Step up with right foot into the center of a weight bench or fairly high step (using the second riser of your stairs from the bottom would work).  Lift your left knee up to hip height as you step up.  Carefully touch left toes down briefly and then repeat.  It is really important to be sure you have good form and balance with these before adding heavy weights!  They are killer -- and really work the leg and back of the butt/thigh area.