Losing weight 'there'

[Akira]

I'm not unhappy with my weight. It's quite a healthy amount. Sure, my body isn't anything special, but it's not alarming. However, I do wish that my behind was smaller --- BUT HOW???

 

Does anyone have any tips/suggestions/instructions as to how lose weight in that area? I'd REALLY appreciate it! ...sheeesh, this is embarrassing, but I really wish my rear was smaller!

[fmfisdead]

Hey, I think everyone knows how you feel on this subject. I think we all look in the mirror and see lots of things that other people don't always seem to see. Try to be happy with yourself and if you want work out so that you can possibly feel better about yourself. Don't listen to what the magazines tell you to look like, love yourself. Sorry I don't have any actual tips on what you asked, I was just offering emotional support.

[VictorWard]

Does anyone have any tips/suggestions/instructions as to how lose weight in that area?

From what I know about weight loss, you can't just lose weight in one spot. One thing I do know that may help is that muscle burns more calories than fat. So you may want to start doing some leg exercises to build up the muscle back there. I know this sounds like the opposite of what you want to do, but in the long run you'll be left with a nice muscular butt.

[RayKay]

Well, you can't really "spot lose". Your body has a natural disposition (due to genetics, sex, etc) that means you store fat more in some places then others. So, to lose the fat on the bum you need to still work the entire body...you may still store some fat there, but you can greatly reduce it.

 

Combine regular aerobic activity (start with 3-4 times a week for at least 30 minutes...and work your way uo to an hour or so) and also add in some weight work. Depending on what you are doing for your cardio (cycling) you may be able to limit much of the weight stuff, but you will still need to put a lot of miles in. Since I am a cyclist, I don't do too much lower body weights as I have strong leg and bum muscles from riding more than 15,000 km a year...but that is a lot for most people..and my upper body I do yoga, climbing and some light upper body stuff for tone and strength as well as core work.

 

So in other words, you need to treat the entire body, not just the butt! And watch what you eat as well...healthier, less calories then you burn, etc.

[abcd1234]

As said above, spot-reduction is a myth. I suggest that you start out at about 20 mins running, 4 times per week. Once you start to feel comfortable with running then increase the intensity of the run (do about 30-40 mins) so that you really start to push yourself.

 

If you work hard enough you will find that you can burn up to 20 calories a minute running! Multiply 20 calories by the 30 minutes running time and that equals 600 calories burned in one session! If you are doing this 4 times a week and sticking to the program then you should start to see a difference in about 6 weeks! Also, you will feel great for a number of reasons - you will start to lose fat, you will improve your stamina and overall you will be more healthy!

 

Alternatives include cycling, walking, using a cross-trainer or rowing although i find that none of these are quite as effective at burning calories.

 

If you do decide to start going for a run then make sure that you have a decent pair of trainers that will support your ankle as well as the bridge of your foot, they should be comfortable and fairly tight (not cutting of circulation though!). Another good thing to have would be a training partner to keep you motivated and help stop you getting lonely while your out!

 

One last thing... if you start to feel that the run you are doing is getting a bit mundane and boring then you can spruce it up a little by taking a different route or even running it in reverse!

 

Make sure you balance out any training you do with plenty of healthy food and lots of water!

[BellaDonna]

The advice the others have given is good. Unfortunately you can't really pick and choose where to take the pounds off. Cardiovascular exercise helps to burn fat in general, and you can tone in specific areas. Be careful with weight training, because you are still young and growing, you don't want to over-stress your muscles. Light weight training is good at your age and you don't need expensive equipment. You can buy some ankle weights and use them for low impact floor exercises.

 

There are many types of cardiovascular exerise to choose from too. I think it's important to keep things interesting by trying different exercises and challenging yourself. One day you may want to run for cardio, the next day you may want to use a bike, or another day, an aerobics tape. It all depends on what you like. You don't want your exercise to feel like "torture".... or become boring. I lost a lot of weight recently and variety is what has worked for me. I have to say, of all the tapes I've tried, Taebo has been great for toning my behind. The workouts are high-energy cardio, but also invlove a lot of kicks to not only work your heart, but work your muscles. I've had many a sore butt from doing those tapes!

 

And exercise is only half of it, the other half is in the kitchen. Do not starve yourself under any circumstances. The key is to feed your body often but give it healthy, high-quality foods.

 

Good Luck!

 

-BellaDonna

[JonnyG]

I'm not unhappy with my weight. It's quite a healthy amount. Sure, my body isn't anything special, but it's not alarming. However, I do wish that my behind was smaller --- BUT HOW???

 

Does anyone have any tips/suggestions/instructions as to how lose weight in that area? I'd REALLY appreciate it! ...sheeesh, this is embarrassing, but I really wish my rear was smaller!

 

If its any comfort, i prefer (and so do others) a girl with a bigger than average backside.

 

But if u want to try to get rid of it try running, cycling, swimming etc. Exercises that use the gluteious maximus (your backside muscles). Add a lower calorie/higher protein diet.

[prtybaby21]

excersize. running/jogging and walking, alot and its proven that walking and jogging burns more fat becuase its a more controled movement. but running helps get your heart rate up. if you start by running then move to a jog then to a walk you will be getting the most benefit, since running doubles the amount of fat and calories burn, that you would normally burn during the day.

 

also excersizing the lower body, like those things where you are on your hands and knees and you lift you leg up and point it straight out while balancing on your other 3 limbs. those work well... most fitness magazines have exersizes you can do with details on how to do them. also if you go to the gym and you can look at the machines and they will tell you which muscle they will target helping to lift your butt and make it a better shape and burn any extra fat that isnt supposed to be there.

 

hope this helps

[Stinkweed]

If its any comfort, i prefer (and so do others) a girl with a bigger than average backside.

 

But if u want to try to get rid of it try running, cycling, swimming etc. Exercises that use the gluteious maximus (your backside muscles). Add a lower calorie/higher protein diet.

 

Agreed, lol...