Help! I have a month to look better in my swimsuit!!!

[Violet2]

The good news, I've dropped about 2 sizes and I've been working out like crazy.

And my swimsuit looks great...in the torso.

My arms and legs look horrible despite squats and pushups. My arms are a flabby mess (and I did 40 push ups the other day!) and my legs are a genetic curse.

So I have a month. What would you do???? I need a fast effective workout, ideally with just free weights.

TIA
V

[kittywitty]

The No More Trouble Zones Jillian Michaels dvd really helped me in those two areas. You could try an elliptical machine, too.

[Violet2]

Thank you. How annoying is Jillian in that DVD??? The 30 Day Shred drove me to madness. I've been doing this video instead, which I think is more fun (and less annoying).

But it's time for something new as I'm not breaking new ground anymore.

V

[nola79]

First off, congrats on the loss!!! 2 sizes is awesome, I'm sure you feel better already. You could try some lunges, holding handweights. That has helped to slim my thighs. For arms, work on some tricep moves, like kickbacks and dips off a chair....you can look them up online. Also bicep curls.
Good luck and have fun!

[nola79]

Try a pilates video as well, you can pick out the areas you want to target on some of them.

[kittywitty]

She isn't as annoying as 30DS and I usually mute it and put on music anyway (or did before I got pg!).

[Learning_Mum]

Try burpees and tricep dips.

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by Learning_Mum

Try burpees and tricep dips.

this along with push ups and pull ups Advanced burpees do have push ups in them if you can do them. You can put an over the door pull up bar up. If you can't do it unassisted you can get bands to help.

[Violet2]

Are burpees primarily to burn fat? It looks like more general toning and conditioning.

I can't do pull-ups--never been able to, not even as a kid. Or an adult who could do a hundred push ups.

I am strong for a girl, but not in that movement. Not at all.

I'm going to focus on push-ups, triceps dips and lots of squats. The burpees look interesting so I'll give those a go.

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[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by Violet2

I can't do pull-ups--never been able to, not even as a kid. Or an adult who could do a hundred push ups.


V

that to me says that you may want to look into training for pull ups. If you can get a bar (pretty inexpensive) and the bands you could work on it and that would make a big difference. Good luck!

[greenmom4]

Nothing has made my arms look as good as quickly as Tracy Anderson. I think you can find an arms workout on YouTube. I haven't seen results quite as quickly with the legs, but that could be because I have...more to work with with my legs!

[Violet2]

My jeans are getting loose

I did my 20 min makeover video and the elliptical despite battling an asthma flare up.

I strained my pec somehow and can't do push-ups or much else at the moment I did manage 40 tricep dips.

Hopefully by Sunday I'll be able to do pushups again. If I'm lucky and DH gets home in time tomorrow, I'll do a Zumba class.

And I made a bunch of low carb food.

I'll keep you all posted on my progress, if you don't mind.

V

[crunchy_mama]

Nothing new to add but good luck! Oh, and there are always board shorts for swimming! I ordered some for myself due to modesty reasons and I think they are kind of cool.

[Violet2]

I know! I thought about board shorts, but didn't see any at the store.

I want one of those 1910 swim suits that covers everything!

I'm not trying to be 'thin' either, I'm still fat (and like how I look in the torso in my swimsuit), I just want to look decent and I don't in the thighs and arms. But bad bad cellulite runs in the family. ugh.

I think I'm fighting a losing battle.

Tomorrow we go to the beach. I'm going to workout again while everyone swims.

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[nola79]

You know, I really would not worry about it. People (both men and women) come in all shapes and sizes and I have seen every one of those shapes and sizes at the beach in any and everything. I guess what I'm getting at is just to go and have fun. That's what it's all about anyway.

I did buy a pair of board shorts to wear to the gym pool, and I just felt ridiculous wearing them in the water, not to mention they gave me a wierd tan line!

[Violet2]

weird tan lines

Actually, I have zero problem with strangers looking at my droopy cellulite ridden thighs and my flabby arms. Really don't care and I pity the fool who says something b/c they will get an earful.

The thing is weight is an judgmental issue in my family. While intellectually they understand that I have health issues that make weight a problem for me and they know I work out and follow a strict diet, they judge when they see me. The dynamic is worse with swim suits.

This is, of course, the side of the family that does not have the genetic cellulite problem.

So I told DH I'll at least go swimming with him and DD but not with anyone else in my family. If that is possible.

But this is also a good motivation for me to ramp up the exercise to the next level, so I'm having fun too. I am curious to see if I can change anything in 30 days.

I really like the beach hike I've been doing. Today 1mile, 200 stairs (up 50 from last week), up and down the hill 4x, 60 push ups and 40 tricep dips.

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[kittywitty]

Wow, you are doing great!

I so totally love retro bathing suits, too. They ARE in style now, too. I would look around for one if you're still looking for something with more coverage. They are so awesome.

[nola79]

Originally Posted by Violet2

weird tan lines

Actually, I have zero problem with strangers looking at my droopy cellulite ridden thighs and my flabby arms. Really don't care and I pity the fool who says something b/c they will get an earful.

The thing is weight is an judgmental issue in my family. While intellectually they understand that I have health issues that make weight a problem for me and they know I work out and follow a strict diet, they judge when they see me. The dynamic is worse with swim suits.

This is, of course, the side of the family that does not have the genetic cellulite problem.

So I told DH I'll at least go swimming with him and DD but not with anyone else in my family. If that is possible.

But this is also a good motivation for me to ramp up the exercise to the next level, so I'm having fun too. I am curious to see if I can change anything in 30 days.

I really like the beach hike I've been doing. Today 1mile, 200 stairs (up 50 from last week), up and down the hill 4x, 60 push ups and 40 tricep dips.

V

Funny, I feel more comfortable around strangers, too. (well, in a swimsuit, anyway, it's not like I'm ever going to see those people again!)
Sounds like you're doing great on exercise, I do think you can change a good bit in 30 days.

Originally Posted by kittywitty

Wow, you are doing great!

I so totally love retro bathing suits, too. They ARE in style now, too. I would look around for one if you're still looking for something with more coverage. They are so awesome.

I meant to say this, too. Another cute trend I've seen are the skirt type suits.

[e.naomisandoval]

I notice all the advice in this thread focuses on trying to exercise and address trouble spots. That's great for final stages but the main thing to focus on is diet.

Anyone who can do more than 5 pushups and is female is obviously in good shape strength wise already and should continue doing the sorts of stuff they're doing. I tried for 2 years to out-exercise my diet, which I thought was great, but I made impossibly slow gains. The minute I started dieting, the weight came off very quickly. I'm not saying it was easy, but it was simple and, looking back, very quick.

[Violet2]

Originally Posted by e.naomisandoval

I notice all the advice in this thread focuses on trying to exercise and address trouble spots. That's great for final stages but the main thing to focus on is diet.

Anyone who can do more than 5 pushups and is female is obviously in good shape strength wise already and should continue doing the sorts of stuff they're doing. I tried for 2 years to out-exercise my diet, which I thought was great, but I made impossibly slow gains. The minute I started dieting, the weight came off very quickly. I'm not saying it was easy, but it was simple and, looking back, very quick.

Oh I do diet, believe me! But I'm also on prednisone, have been on prednisone a lot this year for asthma and had non functioning adrenal glands because of the prednisone. I'm either starving and insatiable, or have no appetite combined with constant food aversions. So weight loss via dieting is not linear right now. I'm just trying to hold on and find something I'm willing to eat at all.

I also completely deconditioned as a result of illness, so I'm just now getting back my muscle mass. I'm pretty sure I will soon hit the point of diminishing returns on how much I can tone with exercise alone.

Oh and my swimsuit is an empire waist swim dress, very flattering and slimming. And I have my hourglass back thanks to that DVD I mentioned earlier on--it really has worked wonders on my body shape.
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