Stepping & muscle tone

[Trace]

Hi Cathe,
I have been doing step aerobics on and off for years. I am, of coarse like most, trying to lose weight. I realized that I need to be more consistent with exercise to achieve my goals. So the last 4 weeks I have worked out(mostly your step tapes) 3 to 5 times a week and watched my eating. The scale has barely budged a pound. But today I have a skirt on that is twisting around my body which it never used to. Do you think with all the stepping I have been doing has toned my legs muscles to lose inches and gain poundage in muscle? All my weight is in my legs and butt area so that is where I want to lose it. Any comments from anyone would be appreciated. I thought that if I excercised more consistently and watched what I ate after 1 month I would have lost more weight.

Thank You, Tracy

 

[Shanda]

Hi Tracy,
I don't have an answer to your question but,I feel your pain I have the same issues as you I'm a pear too. Tiny waist good abs but huge hips,butt and thighs. I too, have just started doing Cathe's step tapes hoping it can help me shed my lower body as well. I did powermax at 5:00 this morning and some days I just feel like what's the point. Sometimes the scale says I lost then other times it tells me I've gained like 5lbs and I feel like crying.I've been doing her step tapes like 5 times a week hoping and praying I can get back into a 7/8 and get my hips back to a 36 at this point it's going to take a miracle.

Luckily I have some email buddies in fitness and we email each other for motivation. If you'd like please email me at [email protected] and we can motivate each other. Maybe someone will answer that has had the same dilemma and can tell us we will start losing.

Shanda

 

[jgoycoolea]

You guys may not want to hear this, but I swear you are lucky to be pear shaped. I have narrow hips and tend to gain weight all over. When I do, I just look like a box. At least you guys will always look curvy and still have a good point to emphasize.

Aside from that, in the "Open Discussion" forum there was some talk about "Lower Body Solutions". You may want to check that out. Jeanne

 

[KathyH]

Hi Tracy! You probably have a short torso which means you tend to gain most of your weight in hips and thighs. Yes there was a lengthy discussion in the Open Discussion forum and one woman said you'll have to cross-train with running or power walking to shed those inches off these areas. Doing just stepping won't do it for you. Also lighter weights and high reps were suggested instead of heavy weights. You also might want to check out the website for Theresa Tapp a/k/a T-Tapp. She discusses women that have short torsos. Hopefully Cathe will answer you with more definitive answers. Good luck! Kathy

 

[Marlene123]

I can sympathize with you about working out and not making any porgress on the scale.

When I began working out last spring I wanted to lose 20 pounds and get muscle definition. I watched what I ate (mostly) and did weights three times a week (Pure Strength series) and step bench four to five times a week.

For the first month and a half the scale refused to budge but I did notice that my clothes were not feeling so tight. I nearly quit several times because I could not see numbers changing on the scale. I was too hung up on what my poundage was and how much I wanted to lose but the real way to judge your progress is how your clothes fit you.

The weight will come down eventually.

Throw out the scale. Weighing yourself leads to getting discouraged which leads to quitting.

By the end of the second month things started happening really quickly. The weight came down (I weighed in only once every two or three weeks) and I lost the 20 pounds, gained lots of muscle, and am very very happy with the results.

Give it time. Do not give up. Just get rid of the scale for a while.

Marlene

 

[Aquajock]

RE: THROW THE SCALE AWAY!

I agree 100% with Marlene123 - ditch the scale. Through focused cardio and strength training work for all major muscle groups, as well as a sane eating program, you will lose excess storage fat but you will gain much-needed lean muscle mass. Thus, you've done yourself at least a double- or triple good, but the scale is just going to tell you that you "haven't lost any weight".

Unless the scale can tell you what the composition is of what you've lost and gained, it's MEANINGLESS.

If you're going to measure anything, measure the intensity and length at which you can perform a cardio or strength workout, and measure improvements in those over time. Also, measure how your sleeping and appetite have improved / normalized. Finally, notice how your clothes might feel differently on you!

Annette

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Trace! Everyones body's respond differently to exercise. Some see the results of their efforts within a week or two and some not until 4 to 6 weeks. So give it time. Also, remember that muscle does weigh a bit more than fat yet takes up less space so that would explain why your skirt is loose yet the scale weight is has barely moved. I would also like to recommend that you change your activities around. 3 to 5 times of step, or any one activity, will send your body in plateau mode much sooner. A combination of your continuously good eating, various cardio activities (say kickboxing, running, step) per week, along with a weight training workout (say Power Hour) two times per week should start to swing your body in a more responsive mode. Good Luck!