what exercise would be good to tone a slinderbody w/o building big bulky muscles!

[Melindaxl]

I do cardio inleast 3 days a week and now I'm trying to think on what would be good the other 2-3 days! Except these 3 be of working the muscles! Would anyone know what would be the best body weight exercises that would be good for toning the body!
Thanks, have a great raw day!

Melindaxl

[subbacultcha]

The best way to get a slender, toned body?
Yoga, pilates, callanetics!

[sekhmut]

You can get slender and toned by lifting weights too, not everyone who lifts weights does it to build muscle :)

[Nayeli_Raw]

Pilates.. it strengthens while building long lean muscle, not large bulky. But just so you know resistance training is wonderful.. You aren't going to get 'huge' like a body builder or anything. The majority of the people that look like that are on steroids or another drug. Especially the women, you can not get that big with that much estrogen and so little testosterone in your body. You aren't going to get huge by lifting weights if you don't have a needle in your butt! LOL

[Revvell]

You aren't going to get 'huge' like a body builder or anything. The majority of the people that look like that are on steroids or another drug. Especially the women, you can not get that big with that much estrogen and so little testosterone in your body. You aren't going to get huge by lifting weights if you don't have a needle in your butt! LOL

Actually, that's not true. I gained 20 pounds of muscle when I became vegetarian by lifting 6-7 days a week; approx. 5 hours a day. I've never used drugs.

Having said that, it's a shame people think that movement and lifting of weight will give them "big bulky muscles". One would have to work waaaaay harder than most are willing to to do so.

What's been fun for me is learning how to play with other things such as rope, medicine balls, fitness balls, sand bags, Indian Clubs, etc. I get long, refined muscles, am eliminating excess weight, increasing stamina and becoming flexible all at the same time.

Here's some of what I'm doing. I'm wearing a double sport bra which is what's making me look short wasted and chunkier than I am. That will change in my next vids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iXIQN62Bp0

Revvell

[Melindaxl]

Thanks, I've got yoga dvd's by Baron Baptiste, but I don't have pilates! I've tried yoga before, but it was when I was eating too much fats & etc. I'm eating alot more fruits and vegetables now and taking in alot less calories then before! Plus I'm doing high cardio now! Before I was just doing yoga!
Anyway I was just wanting to know if yoga would be good enough or if pilates would be better and if there is just certain kinds of yoga that is good enough for building a slender toned body! I just want to know if I need to buy me some pilate dvd's or if what I got is still good enough? Thanks again!

Melindaxl

[CrazyDelicious]

Oh I had to respond to this!!!
I have been working part time at a gym for 5 years, and have to say that weights are a FANTASTIC way to build a strong toned body. Cardio will make you slimmer, but weights will change the shape of your body. I have seen many women build strong, lean, healthy bodies this way. A huge misconception is that regular weightlifting will give you bulky muscles - it is very difficult for a woman to build that kind of muscle. I know several women who do bodybuilding shows without drugs, and they work out HARD. And I mean hours a day of really hard weightlifting for YEARS.
Regular weight-bearing exercise tones and strengthens the body and will make you look fabulous! 3x a week would be excellent and you will really notice a difference after even a month. Yoga and pilates are also great for creating tone and flexibility. All in all I would say that a combination of weights and cardio, with a bit of yoga or pilates in the mix will give variety and great results!!
Myself, I combine weights with ashtanga yoga and I love the way it makes me feel...strong and lean and flexible and balanced!!! :)

[rawfoodmommy#1]

"Cardio will make you slimmer, but weights will change the shape of your body."
My baby is almost two years old and I am still having trouble getting to my pre pregnancy shape. Do you have any recommendations on what exercises I should be doing to loose my post pregnancy belly and fat around my waist? And how can i tone my stretched skin?
thank you so much

[Revvell]

Look at my videos. Also, anything mentioned on this thread will assist in accomplishing what you're asking. Just gotta choose something and do it.

Revvell


"Cardio will make you slimmer, but weights will change the shape of your body."
My baby is almost two years old and I am still having trouble getting to my pre pregnancy shape. Do you have any recommendations on what exercises I should be doing to loose my post pregnancy belly and fat around my waist? And how can i tone my stretched skin?
thank you so much

[jaurequi]

rawfoodmommy, even lifting heavy just a few days a week for 15 minutes a day will have you burning calories all day long. You ultimately have to burn up more than you take in or burn your excess with exercise. Don't cut calories, just burn them. The fat should come off. Only thing we don't quite like sometimes is that our body chooses where it wants to burn first :).

And eating well will help with the skin. You may be surprised at how much elasticity you can get back by eating healthfully.

Try to incorporate as much variation in your exercise as possible. Just do your best. Most of all when you do work out, work out hard, give it all you got in those sessions.

Best,

[CrazyDelicious]

Hey rawfoodmommy - Losing weight around the waist can be challenging - especially if you are genetically predisposed to gain weight there. For some it can be the last place that they lose. Many people will do cardio and just abs (crunches/ball/other ab workout), but this isn't nearly as effective as weight training the entire body. This is because the more muscle you have, the more energy (calories) your body will burn at rest. And the leaner you will look. Add some type of cardio/exercise you enjoy to the mix, and you will lose even more fat.
Most of all though, pick something you enjoy doing! If it is running, pilates, team sports, etc - the most optimum exercise in the world is worth nothing if you don't do it because you don't like it.
Oh - and remember that if you are doing weights and building muscle, that the scale is not as good a measure of progress as the way your clothing fits...;)

[rawfoodmommy#1]

Thank you all for your quick responses. I am not worried about loosing weight as much as loosing the flab around my belly and fat around my waist. Before I had my baby I weight 125 lb. now I weight 130lbs, so it's just 5 lb difference which I believe I will lose after I stop nursing my baby.
my diet is very healthy, raw-vegan one. Usually for breakfast I drink some kind of smoothie, nut milks, or just plain fruit. For lunch i like to make a huge salad and for dinner is what else i can find in my fridge (raw sandwiches, pasta or another kind of salad or what ever sounds good to me at that time).
I think my problem is I need a company of another person. I have been trying to convince my hubby to exercise with me but he says he is not into exercising now. so my question is where can i find some time of cardio or aerobic class without joining the gym because i can't afford the membership?
thank you all for your kind words of encouragement

[rawfoodmommy#1]

"the most optimum exercise in the world is worth nothing if you don't do it because you don't like it. "
This is so true. If i don't do anything i can't improve anything. So my goal is to start doing at least something. Step by step I will improve the way i look and feel.

[irinam]

You can get slender and toned by lifting weights too, not everyone who lifts weights does it to build muscle :)

Exactly.

Actually building big bulky muscles (especially for a woman) is usally HARD. Often requires use of steroids and such. Most of us are NOT in danger of bulking up because of muscles. (I know I know, statements like that invoke at least one responce of "Well, *I* am a woman and I am bulding muscles like nobody's business :) )

Just don't make it a goal to build muscles (as in doing only a few reps but with as much weight as you can muster, that's a bodybuilder routine)

[futureboy]

I'd also recommend reading the books Naked Warrior and/or Power to the People (also on DVD) from dragondoor.com. Pavel has a great set of workouts where you can build functional strength but not build up muscle. The key, in short, is super heavy workouts of no more than 5 reps per set and no more than 2 sets per exercise. The two exercises with weights are the press and the deadlift. The two bodyweight exercises are the one-armed pushup and the one-legged squat.

If you watch the DVDs you can see the guy is super strong but he isn't huge with muscle. A lot of modern bodybuilding is muscle-building by pumping high reps, not strength training (which is what gymnists do really).

[Revvell]

...Naked Warrior and/or Power to the People (also on DVD) from dragondoor.com. Pavel has a great set of workouts where you can build functional strength but not build up muscle.

A dvd with Pavel Naked???? THIS I've gotta see! :o

I trained with Pavel. He if FINE! Purchase the dvd's just to look at him and it'll boost your workouts.

Steve Cotter has a set too. He's incredible as I've shown on the vids in the "abundance" thread in the Personal Growth section here.

[Melindaxl]

Now that's something I got to see too! It's always been my dream to be able to do a one handed pushup! Thanks! Have a great raw fruitful day!

Melindaxl

[Melindaxl]

Sorry, I ment the one armed pushup! I guess I call them different then what their called! Ha ha ha!

Melindaxl

[rawfoodmommy#1]

so where can I find a place(class) for group aerobics, cardio, or other fat burning classes? I can't afford to join the gym right now, so i think joining a private group class would be ideal.

[Revvell]

Consider this: It's possible a private class could cost you as much as $10 per class whereas a gym "could" cost waaaay less then that. Gyms are all about money. Everything's negotiable AND you'll often have more choices.

If you go to a gym, tell them you'll not pay their "initiation" fee and you WILL pay so much a month for use of ALL their facilities. Remember this, if you're not embarrassed by your offer, it's not low enough. They will negotiate. Gyms are all about $$$.

Where can you find classes? Check local newspapers, online, ask someone in your area. Not knowing where you live, can't be more specific then that.


so where can I find a place(class) for group aerobics, cardio, or other fat burning classes? I can't afford to join the gym right now, so i think joining a private group class would be ideal.

[lanettasmouse]

i don't know where you live, but if you have a local ymca, they offer lots of different classes. not only that but they base your fees off of what you make. as a kid my mom was able to get the whole family on for free because we were very low income and she was a single mom. so that might be something worth checking into, if you have one by you?? good luck

[rawfoodmommy#1]

i don't know where you live, but if you have a local ymca, they offer lots of different classes. not only that but they base your fees off of what you make. as a kid my mom was able to get the whole family on for free because we were very low income and she was a single mom. so that might be something worth checking into, if you have one by you?? good luck
I live in Sacramento, CA but i don't know what you are talking about. What does YMCA stand for? And how can I find one in my area?

[rawfoodmommy#1]

[QUOTE=Revvell;380759]Consider this: It's possible a private class could cost you as much as $10 per class whereas a gym "could" cost waaaay less then that. Gyms are all about money. Every thing's negotiable AND you'll often have more choices.

If you go to a gym, tell them you'll not pay their "initiation" fee and you WILL pay so much a month for use of ALL their facilities. Remember this, if you're not embarrassed by your offer, it's not low enough. They will negotiate. Gyms are all about $$$.

So do you think I can pay as low as $20-30 per month and still use their facilities or am I too crazy to ask for such a low price? I am asking you this question because i don't know what their prices are. And tell me about the initiation fee?
thank you

[Revvell]

YMCA ~ Young Men' Christian Association or YWCA ~ Young Women's. Check your local phone directory. YMCA's in Sacramento: http://tinyurl.com/yv9mso.




So do you think I can pay as low as $20-30 per month and still use their facilities or am I too crazy to ask for such a low price? I am asking you this question because i don't know what their prices are. And tell me about the initiation fee?
thank you

Usually they'll have some kind of "special" where you pay an "initiation" fee or sign-up fee or some such nonsense. Call around, find out how much the cost is, then go in and talk to one of the sales people IF you think they're in the ballpark of what you can pay. IF they are asking for a sign-up fee, tell them you wont pay it.. If the price is $50/month, tell them you'll pay $25. Let them go and ask their manager. They'll eventually come back to you with what they WILL do...

You may end up paying a $25 sign-up and $35 a month which is better than where they started.

Just remember, it's all a game. They wont lose. They've got so many people on HUGE contracts for 1-2 years. These people never go. They just gave their money and left. DO NOT SIGN A YEAR-LONG CONTRACT! Tell them you'll pay month-to-month OR sign a 3-month max. Be in control of your life and your money.

Revvell

[rawfoodmommy#1]

thank you so much Revel. i will have to call around all the gyms in my area and if I get lucky maybe I can pay $25.00 per month.
And I will have to check out the YMCA in here in Sac, too.
And thank you again for being such a quick and helpful responder, I really appreciate any help I can get.
God bless you