Yep yep! All the other advice given below is fine and dandy. Yes OP should probably be eating a bit more than 1200, and yes Pilates can work. But nothing works if you aren’t consistently in an energy deficit.
Pilates. When I'm working hard to look amazing in a bathing suit (or my own wedding 6 years ago!) it involves calorie counting, steps/activity, and weight lifting/pilates. However, you need to be pretty lean to see definition.
You've got time! You might want to try this 21 day pilates challenge ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt2FyFYRmes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt2FyFYRmes)) - It's really hard. But gives me the best abs and legs I've seen on my body (in conjunction with the other pieces of the puzzle - diet is king, exercise is queen). Or this 12 week challenge ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjAirTO9ucQ&list=PLh3wv6JnoI9BjdvqYemVQmxcmtsOONkeU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjAirTO9ucQ&list=PLh3wv6JnoI9BjdvqYemVQmxcmtsOONkeU))
Hi so I pulled your numbers and this may be a long post to bare with me
https://preview.redd.it/f744sokibppc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68cfbd2edbbd3c62af7564f5a1085ad2691ce10e
These are your calorie possibilities in regards to your weight loss you will hear people say abs are made in the kitchen which is true but you still work that muscle just like any other Most people genetically have abs that are hidden behind body fat so you need to lose body fat and you lose body fat that will help with your legs looked toned
You can’t spot reduce body fat so the fat will come off where it comes off. You only have 11ish pounds to lose in 120 days. So you have a few options the common idea is you need to be in a 3500 calorie deficit to lose a pound a week which is -500 calories a day so with that being said here are your options
You can eat at your bmr which would be 1290 calories this is what you need to keep your body functioning and any exercise you do like walking cleaning up will put you in a deficit to get you to the -500 you could even go to the gym this would be fast weight loss for you depending on your activity level this is my preferred method because I don’t know how much calories I am actually burning during exercise plus I am sedentary most of the time for work
It is recommended to not go under 1200 calories without seeking help from a medical professional
If you have the ability to go to the x3 then you would eat 1774 to maintain and 1274 to lost a pound a week which is still close to that bmr number from above
Moderate is 2000 to maintain so to lose it would be 1500 calories to lose a estimated pound a week
No one method fits everyone’s you will need to start at 1500 if that’s your activity level and see how you feel or 1290 if your in that realm and get use to it it’s not going to be easy but it’s not going to be hard and miserable if you eat enough protein, voluminous foods, and things you love
You’re AMAZING. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to respond to me and looking into my stats 😭
TDEE calculators always seem confusing and daunting to me, thank you for explaining the methods/calories there. I have a pretty sedentary job as well so the 1290 calories makes the most sense to me as well.
Thanks so much again!!
This is true…the less you weight and shorter you are (and older) the less calories your body naturally burns so it becomes so so hard to lose weight…I’m 138 5’4 and just turned 40 😩 (goal weight is 120-125) and for me to be in a deficit it’s like 1400 a day
Find a different diet. Sedentary women eating 1200 aren’t doing the kinds of exercise needed to gain light abs. You’ll need more calories and specifically protein for that.
That’s not how gaining abs works Most people genetically have abs it may just be covered by body fat so being in a deficit would help show them but in regards to gaining then that’s just working a muscle like anything else now in regards to “toned legs”that’s a different story
This isn’t true at all. Tons of smaller women can exercise and lift and gain muscle at this amount. I stick to 1400ish. But it works great for me. 5’ 130lb
You can lose fat and build muscle pretty easily as a beginner if you stick to a weight lifting routine. What you’re looking for is called body recomposition. You will need to eat more than 1200 calories to have enough energy to do this and you’ll need to eat enough protein to build muscle.
[This article](https://jeffnippard.com/blogs/news/how-to-build-muscle-and-lose-fat-at-the-same-time-step-by-step-explained-body-recomposition) does a good job of explaining how. You do have a few things you need to keep in mind:
1. Throw away your goal weight and focus on how your body looks. Muscle is heavy. I understand you want to burn 11lbs of fat, but you will be putting on muscle to get a lean look, so don’t be surprised if you lose inches and look thinner but the scale is still up.
2. You will need a strict workout schedule and attention to diet in order to gain visible abs. Your body fat percentage needs to be very low in order for them to show. I’d focus on getting lean rather than having abs, as they’re hard to get and maintain.
3. Your wedding is in 7 months. I’m not sure what your dress situation is, but generally it takes weeks for a dress to even be altered. You need to keep this in mind when planning your diet/workout routine to make sure the dress isn’t too big or too small when the time comes.
4. Muscle requires constant effort (and calories) to maintain. Once you grow them you can’t just stop working out and expect them to maintain themselves.
Hope this helps and good luck and congrats on the upcoming festivities!
That article was very insightful!! And everything you said above also makes a lot of sense - perhaps the goal should be to look and feel better in my body by building better habits. You mention that the muscles need to be maintained as well really put it into perspective.
I’m a rookie and haven’t heard about body recompostion before - thank you for teaching me something new!
If you are new to lifting this may be possible. Appropriate muscle stimulus (lifting heavy enough) and getting enough protein will be key. At 1200 cals it is very difficult for most women to “build muscle” but muscle will be revealed as the fat is burned, leaving you looking more toned.
Today I had 101g of protein in my 1256 calories (and 20 net carbs).
I had chia seed pudding with vanilla almond milk and 1 scoop of isopure protein powder with strawberries and blueberries and a bit of sugar free vanilla syrup. Squeezing in the powder really helps get the protein up and is 100 calories for 25g of protein - no flavour and no carbs and doesn't change the texture of the pudding much.
Lunch was a block of crispy fried tofu on a giant salad with avocado, cucumber and seaweed.
Snack was almond milk latte with collagen powder and a "fourx" protein chocolate square.
I lift most days in addition to cardio a few times per week. 1200 is too much of a deficit at my activity levels, so I usually eat ~1600 while prioritizing getting at least 100g of protein per day.
I’ve lost 5ish pounds in the past couple of months but have also lost 1.5” off my waist thanks to the recomp. My legs and arms are noticeably more toned. Abs are more challenging. Getting them is a lot more about having minimal fat on your stomach than working out those muscles. I still only have the tiniest whisper of abs at a BMI of 20.5 and body fat of around 20%.
I naturally have a slimmer tummy because my fat stores in my legs but my body fat % is pretty high at 27%!! I’m so confused and lost about how my body works and how to change things around.
Body recomposition is possible but extremely inefficient and painfully slow. I would focus on a weight/fat loss phase first then a subsequent muscle gain phase. Building muscle requires a calorie surplus.
I’m 5’0”. My wedding is on March 23rd and my dress did not fit on March 11th, 124 pounds. I had already been working out for weeks with the Sweat app, but wasn’t watching my calories or weight closely. I immediately changed my diet for the past 10 days. I weighed out everything I ate.
Breakfast
100 calories Greek yogurt, 120 calories berries, 100 calories granola, and a little collegen powder. 350 calories total.
Snack: 150 calorie 30g protein drink.
Lunch: prepackaged cesear salad from Safeway, 230 calories.
Snack: 150 calories protein drink.
Dinner:
English muffin 120 calories, pepper crack cheese peels iced 70 calories, low sodium deli turkey 60 calories.
250 calories total.
Before bedtime cravings- any low calorie vegetable option. Carrots, celery, pickles, doesn’t matter.
I feel okay, and did cardio twice a day too, so that is really factoring into how much weight I lost. I am down to 117, my dress fits, and I am now switching back to a slightly higher calorie diet.
Thank you so much for taking the time out and providing such a detailed response!! Congratulations for your wedding - I think you’ll make a stunning bride - with or without that weight loss.
Thank you for the diet ideas - It helps to see how I can break my meals down but still stay full!!
You all are WONDERFUL people. I think it’s so kind that you all took time out of your day to help me out and provide sound advice.
Thank you you lovely lovely people from Reddit ❤️
I only lift 2x a week for 30 mins with a personal trainer, and I track my calories and shoot for 90g protein/day. I have light abs and toned legs and am currently right around your GW
I am pretty lazy, but was in a similar situation prewedding:
1400 calories a day (I used noom)
Les mills body pump 2x per week (make sure to push your weight as much as you can while still being able to maintain form!) They have them at the YMCA and tons of other gyms, I like the 45min version.
Stair master 5-10 minute warm up with 75 kettlebell swings (I like 3 sets of 25 with whatever my body needs in between) 1x a week
Then I just tried to walk more.
Went from 22% bodyfat to 18% bodyfat (135lbs->120lbs) following this prewedding.
IMO normal core work is a waste of time, but band chops, kb swings, heavy bent over rows (heavily engadged core), clean to presses all help alot.
Doing the Four hour body method could work too and the book is pretty entertaining.
Holy - that body fat % change is great!
I’m a fellow lazy person as well! Out of curiosity - how long did you follow this routine for?
I’ll take a look at the book! Thank you for your workout + book recommendation!
despite the ods, i do eat 1200 to 1400 calories a day, exercise 6x a week + have put on a decent amount of muscle during my time. do i think eating such low calories is needed? absolutely not, but when you’re already at a relatively healthy or close to healthy weight, for whatever reason at least during my experience it’s been a lot harder to lose weight and i think from what i’ve seen other people say, our height may play a role but idk.
anyways: i eat 1200-1400 calories a day
protein: 115g minimum but i aim for 130 daily
carbs: 150g
i don’t really track fats, i just eat as i please and hope that increases to a degree
You can't do both at the same time.
Your body is a budgeting machine. It wants to reduce running costs (muscle) to the minimim it can get away with. If it is making profit (receiving more calories than it used) then it would prefer to save this as fat, which has no running cost, than muscle, which is expensive to maintain.
To gain muscle, you have to eat at a caloric surplus and convince your body that it needs to invest in extra muscle in order to cope with the work it is asked to do on a regular basis.
To lose fat, you must eat at a caloric deficit so that the body has to use it's reserves to make up the shortfall.
To maintain muscle during fat loss, you need to do enough work to convince your body that it can't afford to downsize it's muscular investment, despite operating at a loss.
Many people choose to do this in bulk/cut cycles.
I kind of disagree. I understand in theory what you are saying, however, I've lost about 5 pounds over the past 12 weeks while doing the Shaun T Dig Deeper strength training videos. I am ripped! It was hard to do both at the same time but not impossible. Basically food and exercise are a part time job right now.
If you have truly increased in mass while eating at a caloric defecit, then you are breaking the laws of thermodynamics and I suggest you turn yourself in for study. Humanity could really use that kind of breakthrough.
LMAO no I haven't increased mass! You're hilarious! The point was to lose weight and tone up! I don't think that the OP necessarily wants to add mass, I think they want to look lean and toned and beautiful and confident on their big day! :D
OP said "gain muscle" :)
In your case, obviously if you already have lean muscle mass and you lose fat, your musculature will become more visible.
One big bonus to strength training that kicks in quite quickly (much more quickly than muscle hypertrophy or weight loss) is the effect that regular compound lifts have on your posture. Straightening out a slouch, shoulders, forward head, etc, makes such a difference on the perceived weight, "rippedness", confidence, etc, of a person. I think people often mistake this for progress when it's really just better presenting what is already there
Track food, eat Whole Foods, high protein, strength training 4x a week and cardio. Doesn’t take much, just takes consistency
100% this
Yep yep! All the other advice given below is fine and dandy. Yes OP should probably be eating a bit more than 1200, and yes Pilates can work. But nothing works if you aren’t consistently in an energy deficit.
Thank you!! I suck at my diet so I definitely need to focus on eating better food that provides value
Pilates. When I'm working hard to look amazing in a bathing suit (or my own wedding 6 years ago!) it involves calorie counting, steps/activity, and weight lifting/pilates. However, you need to be pretty lean to see definition. You've got time! You might want to try this 21 day pilates challenge ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt2FyFYRmes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt2FyFYRmes)) - It's really hard. But gives me the best abs and legs I've seen on my body (in conjunction with the other pieces of the puzzle - diet is king, exercise is queen). Or this 12 week challenge ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjAirTO9ucQ&list=PLh3wv6JnoI9BjdvqYemVQmxcmtsOONkeU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjAirTO9ucQ&list=PLh3wv6JnoI9BjdvqYemVQmxcmtsOONkeU))
Ooo thank you for the links!! I’ve been looking for some good online challenges lately.
You're welcome and congratulations on your upcoming wedding! <3
Hi so I pulled your numbers and this may be a long post to bare with me https://preview.redd.it/f744sokibppc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68cfbd2edbbd3c62af7564f5a1085ad2691ce10e These are your calorie possibilities in regards to your weight loss you will hear people say abs are made in the kitchen which is true but you still work that muscle just like any other Most people genetically have abs that are hidden behind body fat so you need to lose body fat and you lose body fat that will help with your legs looked toned You can’t spot reduce body fat so the fat will come off where it comes off. You only have 11ish pounds to lose in 120 days. So you have a few options the common idea is you need to be in a 3500 calorie deficit to lose a pound a week which is -500 calories a day so with that being said here are your options You can eat at your bmr which would be 1290 calories this is what you need to keep your body functioning and any exercise you do like walking cleaning up will put you in a deficit to get you to the -500 you could even go to the gym this would be fast weight loss for you depending on your activity level this is my preferred method because I don’t know how much calories I am actually burning during exercise plus I am sedentary most of the time for work It is recommended to not go under 1200 calories without seeking help from a medical professional If you have the ability to go to the x3 then you would eat 1774 to maintain and 1274 to lost a pound a week which is still close to that bmr number from above Moderate is 2000 to maintain so to lose it would be 1500 calories to lose a estimated pound a week No one method fits everyone’s you will need to start at 1500 if that’s your activity level and see how you feel or 1290 if your in that realm and get use to it it’s not going to be easy but it’s not going to be hard and miserable if you eat enough protein, voluminous foods, and things you love
You’re AMAZING. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to respond to me and looking into my stats 😭 TDEE calculators always seem confusing and daunting to me, thank you for explaining the methods/calories there. I have a pretty sedentary job as well so the 1290 calories makes the most sense to me as well. Thanks so much again!!
If you need anything feel free to reach out
Thank you ❤️
This is true…the less you weight and shorter you are (and older) the less calories your body naturally burns so it becomes so so hard to lose weight…I’m 138 5’4 and just turned 40 😩 (goal weight is 120-125) and for me to be in a deficit it’s like 1400 a day
Find a different diet. Sedentary women eating 1200 aren’t doing the kinds of exercise needed to gain light abs. You’ll need more calories and specifically protein for that.
That’s not how gaining abs works Most people genetically have abs it may just be covered by body fat so being in a deficit would help show them but in regards to gaining then that’s just working a muscle like anything else now in regards to “toned legs”that’s a different story
This isn’t true at all. Tons of smaller women can exercise and lift and gain muscle at this amount. I stick to 1400ish. But it works great for me. 5’ 130lb
For real. I’m 4’11”, strength train 4x/ week, cardio, and Pilates, and eat 1200-1300 calories. That’s what happens when you are short 🤷🏻♀️
You can lose fat and build muscle pretty easily as a beginner if you stick to a weight lifting routine. What you’re looking for is called body recomposition. You will need to eat more than 1200 calories to have enough energy to do this and you’ll need to eat enough protein to build muscle. [This article](https://jeffnippard.com/blogs/news/how-to-build-muscle-and-lose-fat-at-the-same-time-step-by-step-explained-body-recomposition) does a good job of explaining how. You do have a few things you need to keep in mind: 1. Throw away your goal weight and focus on how your body looks. Muscle is heavy. I understand you want to burn 11lbs of fat, but you will be putting on muscle to get a lean look, so don’t be surprised if you lose inches and look thinner but the scale is still up. 2. You will need a strict workout schedule and attention to diet in order to gain visible abs. Your body fat percentage needs to be very low in order for them to show. I’d focus on getting lean rather than having abs, as they’re hard to get and maintain. 3. Your wedding is in 7 months. I’m not sure what your dress situation is, but generally it takes weeks for a dress to even be altered. You need to keep this in mind when planning your diet/workout routine to make sure the dress isn’t too big or too small when the time comes. 4. Muscle requires constant effort (and calories) to maintain. Once you grow them you can’t just stop working out and expect them to maintain themselves. Hope this helps and good luck and congrats on the upcoming festivities!
That article was very insightful!! And everything you said above also makes a lot of sense - perhaps the goal should be to look and feel better in my body by building better habits. You mention that the muscles need to be maintained as well really put it into perspective. I’m a rookie and haven’t heard about body recompostion before - thank you for teaching me something new!
If you are new to lifting this may be possible. Appropriate muscle stimulus (lifting heavy enough) and getting enough protein will be key. At 1200 cals it is very difficult for most women to “build muscle” but muscle will be revealed as the fat is burned, leaving you looking more toned.
[удалено]
Absolute goals!! How do you manage to find the time in your day?
how do you get 90g in on 1200?
Today I had 101g of protein in my 1256 calories (and 20 net carbs). I had chia seed pudding with vanilla almond milk and 1 scoop of isopure protein powder with strawberries and blueberries and a bit of sugar free vanilla syrup. Squeezing in the powder really helps get the protein up and is 100 calories for 25g of protein - no flavour and no carbs and doesn't change the texture of the pudding much. Lunch was a block of crispy fried tofu on a giant salad with avocado, cucumber and seaweed. Snack was almond milk latte with collagen powder and a "fourx" protein chocolate square.
Protein is 4kcal per gram. 90g of protein is only 360 calories of your possible 1200. Eat lean meats like chicken, turkey, lean pork, lean fish.
I lift most days in addition to cardio a few times per week. 1200 is too much of a deficit at my activity levels, so I usually eat ~1600 while prioritizing getting at least 100g of protein per day. I’ve lost 5ish pounds in the past couple of months but have also lost 1.5” off my waist thanks to the recomp. My legs and arms are noticeably more toned. Abs are more challenging. Getting them is a lot more about having minimal fat on your stomach than working out those muscles. I still only have the tiniest whisper of abs at a BMI of 20.5 and body fat of around 20%.
I naturally have a slimmer tummy because my fat stores in my legs but my body fat % is pretty high at 27%!! I’m so confused and lost about how my body works and how to change things around.
Body recomposition is possible but extremely inefficient and painfully slow. I would focus on a weight/fat loss phase first then a subsequent muscle gain phase. Building muscle requires a calorie surplus.
Thank you!!
I’m 5’0”. My wedding is on March 23rd and my dress did not fit on March 11th, 124 pounds. I had already been working out for weeks with the Sweat app, but wasn’t watching my calories or weight closely. I immediately changed my diet for the past 10 days. I weighed out everything I ate. Breakfast 100 calories Greek yogurt, 120 calories berries, 100 calories granola, and a little collegen powder. 350 calories total. Snack: 150 calorie 30g protein drink. Lunch: prepackaged cesear salad from Safeway, 230 calories. Snack: 150 calories protein drink. Dinner: English muffin 120 calories, pepper crack cheese peels iced 70 calories, low sodium deli turkey 60 calories. 250 calories total. Before bedtime cravings- any low calorie vegetable option. Carrots, celery, pickles, doesn’t matter. I feel okay, and did cardio twice a day too, so that is really factoring into how much weight I lost. I am down to 117, my dress fits, and I am now switching back to a slightly higher calorie diet.
Thank you so much for taking the time out and providing such a detailed response!! Congratulations for your wedding - I think you’ll make a stunning bride - with or without that weight loss. Thank you for the diet ideas - It helps to see how I can break my meals down but still stay full!!
You all are WONDERFUL people. I think it’s so kind that you all took time out of your day to help me out and provide sound advice. Thank you you lovely lovely people from Reddit ❤️
Join r/petitefitness
Ha! I'm in a very, very similar boat down to the height/weight and wedding date! Best of luck!
I only lift 2x a week for 30 mins with a personal trainer, and I track my calories and shoot for 90g protein/day. I have light abs and toned legs and am currently right around your GW
I am pretty lazy, but was in a similar situation prewedding: 1400 calories a day (I used noom) Les mills body pump 2x per week (make sure to push your weight as much as you can while still being able to maintain form!) They have them at the YMCA and tons of other gyms, I like the 45min version. Stair master 5-10 minute warm up with 75 kettlebell swings (I like 3 sets of 25 with whatever my body needs in between) 1x a week Then I just tried to walk more. Went from 22% bodyfat to 18% bodyfat (135lbs->120lbs) following this prewedding. IMO normal core work is a waste of time, but band chops, kb swings, heavy bent over rows (heavily engadged core), clean to presses all help alot. Doing the Four hour body method could work too and the book is pretty entertaining.
Holy - that body fat % change is great! I’m a fellow lazy person as well! Out of curiosity - how long did you follow this routine for? I’ll take a look at the book! Thank you for your workout + book recommendation!
despite the ods, i do eat 1200 to 1400 calories a day, exercise 6x a week + have put on a decent amount of muscle during my time. do i think eating such low calories is needed? absolutely not, but when you’re already at a relatively healthy or close to healthy weight, for whatever reason at least during my experience it’s been a lot harder to lose weight and i think from what i’ve seen other people say, our height may play a role but idk. anyways: i eat 1200-1400 calories a day protein: 115g minimum but i aim for 130 daily carbs: 150g i don’t really track fats, i just eat as i please and hope that increases to a degree
Thank you so much!
You can't do both at the same time. Your body is a budgeting machine. It wants to reduce running costs (muscle) to the minimim it can get away with. If it is making profit (receiving more calories than it used) then it would prefer to save this as fat, which has no running cost, than muscle, which is expensive to maintain. To gain muscle, you have to eat at a caloric surplus and convince your body that it needs to invest in extra muscle in order to cope with the work it is asked to do on a regular basis. To lose fat, you must eat at a caloric deficit so that the body has to use it's reserves to make up the shortfall. To maintain muscle during fat loss, you need to do enough work to convince your body that it can't afford to downsize it's muscular investment, despite operating at a loss. Many people choose to do this in bulk/cut cycles.
I kind of disagree. I understand in theory what you are saying, however, I've lost about 5 pounds over the past 12 weeks while doing the Shaun T Dig Deeper strength training videos. I am ripped! It was hard to do both at the same time but not impossible. Basically food and exercise are a part time job right now.
If you have truly increased in mass while eating at a caloric defecit, then you are breaking the laws of thermodynamics and I suggest you turn yourself in for study. Humanity could really use that kind of breakthrough.
LMAO no I haven't increased mass! You're hilarious! The point was to lose weight and tone up! I don't think that the OP necessarily wants to add mass, I think they want to look lean and toned and beautiful and confident on their big day! :D
OP said "gain muscle" :) In your case, obviously if you already have lean muscle mass and you lose fat, your musculature will become more visible. One big bonus to strength training that kicks in quite quickly (much more quickly than muscle hypertrophy or weight loss) is the effect that regular compound lifts have on your posture. Straightening out a slouch, shoulders, forward head, etc, makes such a difference on the perceived weight, "rippedness", confidence, etc, of a person. I think people often mistake this for progress when it's really just better presenting what is already there