I've been on Alli for about a month and a half, TOTALLY changed my activity habits. I am a classic pear shape :(   so I really push hard on my cardio, 5 hours a week. I also dedicate 2 days of strength training. I'm seeing such a difference in my upper body, and that's great, but my problem areas are my butt and thighs. They can't catch up! Should I be pushing even harder with my cardio or with the squats/lunges and other lower body strength exercises?

Hi skyzeternalblue, 

Thanks for writing and congrats on your weight loss and commitment to changing your activity habits!  That in itself is a great accomplishment! 

I am very glad to hear that you're performing cardio as well as strength training.  Cardio will provide you with a great caloric expenditure and wonderful heart-healthy benefits.  However, strength training is crucial to the long-term success of your weight loss program and is the key to changing the shape of your body.  By including 2-3 days of strength training, you'll begin to replace fat mass with lean muscle which is more metabolically active than fat.  Therefore, you'll be burning more calories all throughout the day, even at rest.  Additionally you'll create nice, lean lines, strong muscles and lose those unwanted inches.  

Although you may never be straight up and down, or completely lose your butt, rest assured that you'll be the best that you can be!  That said, if you are already pushing yourself hard on cardio, just make sure that you're really challenging yourself by including a variety of different exercises.  Do some kickboxing, try a Spin class, include some higher intensity intervals in your running or walking by adding in elevation or increasing speed! There are some awesome DVD's such as P90X, The Firm, Yoga Booty Ballet or Taebo that you can perform right in the comfort of your home.

Continue working hard, and exercising on most days of the week.  Your diet is going to play a significant part in your results, so make sure that you're eating a well-balanced diet and taking your alli pill!

Best of luck and keep us posted with your progress!

Kelli 

Thanks, Kelli, for the encouragement :)

I go to turbo kickboxing, cardio and strength, and I just picked up spinning (which kicked my butt!) for my cardio along with the elliptical and treadmill. I will go for those intervals and try to put in another day of  strength.

I guess, with everything, I need to be patient when it comes to results ;)

Hi skyzeternalblue, 

It sounds like you've got a good grip on your exercise program!  Incorporating those higher intensity workouts into your week, will really produce the results!  That doesn't mean that you have to do that EVERY day.  Include a day or two of longer endurance-type workouts, exercising the full 60 minutes or more at a lower intensity. 

Stay patient and consistent and those results will come!  Success typically doesn't come all at once, but by making one good decision at a time!  

Keep us posted with your progress and stay connected to the alli circles for support, encouragement and to get any and all of your health and fitness questions answered.

Your friend in fitness, 

Kelli

Kelli!

I used to go to the gym and have no problems going into the weight room to use really intimidating machines. But I started putting more time into work and at home that I started neglecting exercise in general.

I have been incorporating strength training (along with cardio) since I started 7 weeks ago and for the first time, I stepped back into the weight room (today)!

Well, I confused about building muscle. Something in the back of my mind has always told me that using heavy weights make you "bulk" and build muscle over fat, which I'm feeling isn't a good thing... I'm conflicted because I'm not sure if I am stepping over the line between toning and bulking up. Is there a difference or does your body start to bulk up after you've toned? My objective is decreasing my fat %, getting rid of the FLAB. I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing.

Thanks for your advice.

Hi shyzeternalblue, 

Thanks for writing and I'm glad to hear that you've made it back to the weight room!  By including both cardio and strength training into your weekly workout regimen, you should see great results!

Don't feel alone when it comes to being confused about building muscle under fat, bulking up, and getting toned!  There are lots of theories out there, but the fact is that increasing lean muscle mass is a good..no GREAT thing!  Increasing lean muscle through regular strength training will allow you to become more metabolically efficient.  Muscle requires more calories (energy) to function than fat, so by increasing lean muscle, you'll be burning more calories (therefore promoting weight loss) all throughout the day, even at rest!  Additionally, woman do not have the amount of hormones it takes to bulk up and are typically not genetically prone to do so.  What we as women will notice by including a regular weight lifting program, is lean, long and strong muscles. Feminine, yet firm!  So, if your objective is to decrease fat mass and get rid of the flab, you're doing the best thing possible by adding strength training into your week!  

You may not notice a huge decrease in the # on the scale as you begin to hit the gym more regularly.  This is NOT because muscle weighs more than fat, but because it is more DENSE than fat.  In other words, muscle is compact, and fat is fluffy. More lean muscle can fit into that muscle cell than fat can into the fat cell.  You should notice a change in how your clothes fit as your body becomes leaner and tighter. 

You're doing the right thing!  Keep it up and best of luck to you!

Your friend in fitness,

Kelli

Kelli ~ you're probably sick of seeing my name now, heehee.

Thank you for responding and giving me some great information and advice.

I'm thinking of doing the Extreme Fitness Challenge at my gym that starts Sep 8 and ends Oct 31.

You have empowered me!

 Hi Skyzeternalblue,

That sounds like a great idea!  Taking on the challenge will be so motivational and will help you to achieve your goals.  Let us know how it goes.

Good Luck,

Paul

 Good Luck with the fitness challenge Mimi!  Keep us posted on how it is going.

Judi

Thanks, Paul and Judi!!!! I'm going in tomorrow to register. The challenge starts next Monday. Now I'm kinda getting scared and excited at the same time. Hopefully I'll have some really good things to share with you guys :)

Hi skyzeternalblue,

I am very happy to be here for you and am very proud of you for being consistent and plugged in!  I am excited that you're taking on new challenges and pushing yourself to be the best you can be!  It may be difficult at times, you may get discouraged at times, and you may even feel like giving up....BUT DON'T!!!  You have so much to fight for and have come such a long way!  The alli family is here for you - stay connected, communicate, and use the tools alli provides for you!

I am looking forward to hearing about all of your achievements and successes!  Keep me posted as often as you can! Let's keep the doors of communication always open!

Best in health,

Kelli

 Hi skyzeternalblue,

This is a great opportunity for you to engage in something other than the typical workouts - you'll actually be working toward a goal which is so important and will keep you accountable to your fitness efforts.  In the process, you'll be losing weight and getting stronger, so it's a perfect idea.  There is absolutely nothing to be nervous about: this is about taking control and having a good time doing it.

Please let me know how you like it and keep us posted.

Good Luck,

Paul

Wow, you guys have been really encouraging! When you feel like you're looking up at a mountain you need to climb, it's very easy to get discouraged.  Your words mean more than what I can describe. Thank you!

I am officially locked into this event as of yesterday! We have team events and one of the prizes is a heart rate monitor/watch that I soooo want!!! But more so, I want to be able to do some push-ups on my toes and be in the healthy zone with my BMI and fat %.

I'll periodically update you on my progress :)

5 am everyday is going to be tough!!

 Hi Skyzeternalblue,

Great!  Stay focused and use your desire to win that heart rate monitor as a motivator!

Good Luck,

Paul

 OK I'M ALIVE!! I SURVIVED WEEK ONE! (It's friday morning where I'm at right now - japan)

I wanted to share how crazy it's been for me. I never realized how much humidity affects me until this week. The last time I ran on a track was probably high school... although on occasion, I'd jump on a treadmill and LIGHTLY jog, in the comforts of an AC'd cardio room. So when we went out to the track on day two and were told that we had a TIMED 1.5 mile run, I almost fainted. I just don't run. So I was sooooo nervous about conserving energy.... I didn't do GREAT, but I ran more than I have ever in the last couple of years. But with the humidity, it made the air sooooo thick and it was really hard out there, even though it was 5 am. I am not looking forward to the end of this month when the timed runs are bumped up to two miles and then three by the middle of October.

I'm pretty sore. We do timed push ups and sit ups a lot! And I really can't do much of them at all. And oddly, my abs/obliques are sore from my push ups! So I'm gonna make a conscious effort to be in a plank position to really work my core more at home.

Ok, I'm done complaining. I will say that even though I'm sore, I'm really really glad I'm doing this. I can't stand our track and field days, but if I didn't join this, then I wouldn't jog/run on my own.  I need someone to yell at me, I guess. Hahaha. So I'm grateful for the opportunity.

One week down, seven to go.