Hi Sydni,
I lost thirty pounds in the last year and a half or so, and went from a size 12 to a size 8. Unfortunately, a lot of it came from my T and A. Do you have any workout tips for re-inflating a once juicy caboose? I’m hoping to lose another twenty pounds or so, and I want to make sure I don’t lose my backside completely – and would love to build it back up. Also, do you have any cleanses that you love and are vegetarian/nut allergy friendly (I know… sort of high maintenance)? I feel like a cleanse might be a good way to kick start this next round of weight loss, but the options are overwhelming and I don’t know which are good and which are unhealthy or a waste of time.
Thanks,
Anonymous
Hi there!
Thanks for writing in. I want to congratulate you on taking the step to make the changes that you’ve chosen for your body and your life! It’s a huge adjustment learning all about your new body, and if it’s still doing some major shifting you’ll find these moments of ‘hey – where did that go?’ a little frustrating.
I’m still lamenting the loss of my boobs from my own major weight loss, Anonymous, but we can’t spot reduce, no matter how we try. If there’s fat there, and it’s our goal to lose weight, it will go from all of the places, not just the place we’ve been looking at to change.
As for your boobs: short of a boob job, gaining your weight back or getting pregnant, you’re not going to get them back. But I do recommend loving them as ferociously as you did before, and get your new tatas some pretty new bras to celebrate.
Booty wise – and really body-wise – I suggest lifting. If you want your posterior to perk up a bit, dead-lifts, squats, lunges, swimmers kicks; all of it. A trainer can help you determine what physical needs you have and give you some exercises to help, though I should note that if you aren’t dealing with any physical limitations, the exercises I’ve named above will help. Dead-lifts and squats are done with weights. If you’re not familiar with weights, start light (with the idea that eventually you will lift heavier) and practice the movements without weights in your hands first to make sure that you understand what you’re asking your body to do. Spot training isn’t recommended though – get a full body workout created for you by a trainer!
If you’ve no experience with weight training, dole out the dollars to at least have a session or two with a trainer – really. Also, consider asking a buddy who lifts to show you, read books, and watch videos. It really does get easier – I swear.
A note about muscles: without much muscle underneath, tone isn’t there, and muscle on the rear makes things especially POP. Muscle tone gives you shape, and whatever fat you choose to still have on your body will lay over it and create your new pretty curves.
Oy vey – the world of cleansing, fasting and diet is a vast one. As the daughter of body-building, holistic healing, structural integrating and personal trainer hippie parents, I’ve tried many and also researched way too many. I don’t think that you need to ‘cleanse’ to kick-start weight-loss, per se. I feel like doing radical things with diet can make a person rebel in ways they didn’t anticipate, change their mood negatively and feel limited in social interactions. Does any of that sound fun? The last thing we want you doing is eating a whole cake after the Master-Cleanse, you know? Also, radical cleanses and such should be talked about with a physician.
That being said, gentle, gradual changes to diet is pretty easy. The first thing I would suggest to anyone trying to live more healthily is to cut the sugar. By the way – there’s sugar in alcohol my friends (and this is very sad to my whiskey loving ways). Another way to improve your diet is to eat more vegetables. If you’re vegetarian, you should already be doing this! Make sure that you’re getting enough protein though; look for it in sources like quinoa, beans, lentils, tofu, seitan and tempeh. Protein helps maintain and build muscle (which is going to help that booty of yours, remember?). Drink lots of water; half your body weight in ounces is sufficient, though you might want to add a cup or two if you work out and sweat a lot.
Juicing can help too – less bulk with the benefit of all of the nutrients (sans the fiber) in fruits and vegetables. There’s an incredible documentary about juicing called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead that can be found online and on Netflix that is pretty interesting. That being said, talking to a naturopath or a medical doctor should be on your list of things to do before trying anything extreme.
If any protocol sounds absolutely crazy to you, do your research, read a lot, talk to someone who’s tried it, and then make your decisions. After everything I’ve tried, though, nothing has worked as well as a balanced, healthy and vegetable-heavy diet. Fat loss is dependent on what you put in your face, the workouts and lifting give you shape, and your mind gives you the ability to figure out the best way to do it.
There is no quick HEALTHY way to lose weight; no miracle cleanse or pill. Weight is lost by creating a deficit between what you put in your body and what you burn off in your day. No matter what any magazine or ad might say about that, the only thing that works is… eating less and doing more. If you’re concerned about food, consider contacting a nutritionist to create a plan that works with your energetic needs.
I hope this all helps!
Xo
Sydni Deveraux
