The question below, just posted by Susan here at the Truth About Fat Loss Blog, posed such a juicy opportunity for content that I decided to use it as the focus of a new blog entry.
Thanks Susan for providing the inspiration!
Q. Hi Lani,
I'm doing a follow-up on results to working out to the Bar Method DVD's.
I have been working out
faithfully to them, 4/5 x a week since Jan. My arms, and legs/thighs
are toning very nicely. My ab/lower abs, hip/glute area, not so much.
I'm so discouraged, in fact I put on shorts that fit OK a year ago, now
they are tight in the hip/ab area!
I'm 53, maybe I'm just doomed
to carry weight in that area. I am ready to jump back on the boring
treadmill again during the leg lift segments, I hate that
thing(treadmill)!
I don't feel my diet is any
different than before. I'm just not getting the results I was hoping
for from the Bar Method workout. I wish I was, because I enjoy the
workouts and Burr, but not enough to keep doing them if I'm not losing
in the areas I mentioned, but gained in those areas!
I'm very puzzled as to why that
has happened. I have been doing the workouts long enough that it
shouldn't be where the muscle lifts transition the Bar Method speaks of.
Thanks! Susan
Lani: Susan, It
sounds like you have experienced mixed results. Some visible changes
in the direction you wanted to move, and in other areas, not so much.I'd like to address your concerns from several directions.
- the changes you have experienced
- tweaking your exercise form for better results
- taking a closer look at nutrition
Let's take a closer look.
Last hired first fired
I'm betting, first of all, that the first placeyou put on weight is in the lower abs and hips. This is where most
women DO have the greatest deposit of fat cells and they fill up first,
progressing then to the arms and, in your case, down into lower
thighs. So though you may be losing fat overall, it is most noticeable
to you in the areas that you have fewer fat cells to fill.
It will follow
that as you become leaner, these other areas will demonstrate fat
reduction as well. For example, in my case, belly and mid-section are
the first places I will gain. I know those will also be last to go.
Patience and persistence become key.
Have you measured?
Another element to look at is
actual measurements. This I mean in the form of the measuring tape
and/or bodyfat measurements. It may be that your body shape has
changed with the lift of the seat from the Bar Method work, resulting
in a different feel to your clothes. Quite possible. This is what
occurred for me.
Also, taking pictures
tells a better story than we might imagine. Looking in the mirror for
results can be deceptive, as we tend to see ourselves from memory. A
picture can illuminate changes we might not otherwise see.
Tweaking your exercise form
I'd love to step into my studio with you right this minute for a quick form check on your Bar Method work! So play with me a little here...
Are you:
1. experiencing muscle shaking
throughout the thigh work? You want to "go for the quiver". If not,
check your form at knees and shoulders (number 3 below) and challenge
yourself to go lower. You want those muscles (not the joints!)
screaming at the end of these sets. This you accomplish through
correct body positioning and lowering into your point of challenge.
2. experiencing deep muscle burn
in the seat work? Remember it's the fight of the pull to the back
against tail tuck in seat work that is creating the body shaping
isolation you want. Actually, the same in back dancing at the end -
you keep the ribcage connected to the floor while lifting the seat up
and MAXimizing the squeeze over the release.
3. keeping mindful of shoulders
over hips, seat tucked under and gripped, slight forward bend at waist
to keep back vertical, and ribcage lifted up from hips? Check
yourself in a side mirror the next time you work out and make
adjustments. See 3 Pivotal Points of Focus.
Exercise intensity - and effectiveness in muscle shaping - is a function of positioningconcentration. Again, a good measure of this, when it comes to isolation work, is how deeply into the muscle you feel the work. and
You say:
I'm 53, maybe I'm
just doomed to carry weight in that area. I am ready to jump back on
the boring treadmill again during the leg lift segments, I hate that
thing(treadmill)!
Hold on. During
what leg lift segments? The Accelerated Workout? That section is more
cardio if it to which you refer, yet as for other leg lefts, each of these segments is important to the shaping process you are seeking to achieve.
Taking a closer look at nutrition and diet
This can be a hard one.
Yes, your years are more than they were 2, 3, or 10 years ago, which
does present some new challenges - and also some benefits!
Yet
as sure as day follows night, if your body shaping techniques are THERE
and the new shape isn't showing, it is due to body composition. And
body composition is, first and foremost, made in the kitchen. Ouch, I
know.
However, and also:
Hormones:
where you are in your cycles can make a difference. Fluctuating
hormones during menopause and peri-menopause can create puzzling
changes when it comes to our ability to lose bodyfat, and belly fat can
be a bit stubborn. Stress response hormones tend to create more
abdominal fat as well. Put the two together and your challenges
multiply.
In addition,
though "working out", we tend to be more sedentary overall than we may
have been just a few years back. This can sneak up on us. And if we
find that most of our activity is during our "workout" session, and the
other 23 hours are pretty sedentary, this can be a huge player in the
overall picture.
These
all have their implications when it comes to nutrition as well. If our
diet "isn't any different from before" as you mention, it may be that
what your dietary profile was before is not suiting your current body
composition goals given your current activity level and hormonal
profile.
This is usually where the culprit is. And why it is
important to maintain active lives AND take care about the caloric
content of your diet. Remember, you can't out train a bad diet,
and though your dietary choices may be excellent, it may be too high in
caloric content to allow you to reduce body fat stores.
Midlife considerations:
During
the year (s) preceding menopause, there can be an upward shift of
weight that is seemingly beyond our control. Here's the way through
that: maintain your exercise, continue to challenge yourself with
intensity, take vigilant care of eating a healthful diet with less
deviations (less "cheat" times), manage stress and anxiety, and I
promise you that you will come out the other side with everything a
little easier, and those few pounds will come off. Resist the
temptation to diet stringently which quickly backfires. Moderation is
key here more than ever. You may find that you need to reduce
processed foods and fats to help keep things in check.
We've
addressed a review of your changes, tweaking exercise form, and
nutritional considerations. Hope this gives you some points of
clarification and insight into creating even better results!
Thanks again for providing the inspiration, Susan!
© Lani Muelrath 2009 All Rights Reserved
Topics: 1) body sculpting: how to target the muscles that are most responsible for changing the shape of your body; 2) why safe workouts give the best results.
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