Upper body toning

ValleyoftheDoll

Just wondering if I can get some advice, I'm currently about 3 st overweight, I have been doing WW and have lost 1 st. My problem is I tend to lose weight very easily from the waist down, but my upper body (chest, back) doesn't seem to really be moving, Im currently size 16 on bottom and 20 on top. I walk and cycle, but am looking for some good exercises for upper body. I am a single parent and haven't really got the time or money to join a gym, so looking for some suggestions that I can do at home,

Thank you

celestial

Hi there,

You can't 'spot-reduce' specific areas, fat will come off in different areas at different rates according to your genetic make-up, but I would just say be patient, it will come off in some places quicker than others, but if you are doing all the right things it will come off eventually.

When you say 'toning' (don't the ladies love that word:)), you mean losing fat and building a little muscle. Do you have access to free weights? You can also do exercises such as push-ups and pull-ups, great for building upper body strength and muscle (muscle = tone).

BossArky

I know you said your bottom half is ok. I would suggest learning to squat with perhaps a bag of books on your back. This means you'll be doing a heavy compound leg exercise which will burn heaps of calories and cause you to loose weight overall i.e. on top too.

If you just spend the same time doing some upper body stuff you probably won't loose as much weight cos the muscles you will be using are smaller.

rubadub

Unfortunately you can't spot reduce fat, it comes off all over, and can appear to be at different rates. Resistance training will boost your metabolism and aid your fat loss though. It will make you stronger and make daily life easier because of this. You can just start out with body weight exercises, think pushups and bodysquats. You may find it difficult to do many pushups if you are overweight, as it is your own weight you are moving, but you will increase strength fairly quickly. There are methods of making them easier, you can do them against a wall, or do them on your knees to start. Once you are strong enough you can do normal ones, after a while you might want to buy some additional weights. Don't bother with "womens weights", like pink dumbells, you can use family size tins of beans etc instead of these.

Check out www.simplefit.org

eclectichoney

I find 2 litre bottles of water come in useful as well for doing lateral raises and the like.

rubadub

eclectichoney wrote: »

I find 2 litre bottles of water come in useful as well for doing lateral raises and the like.

Yep. A litre of water is ~1kg. You can get containers of washing up liquid or detergent that come with ergonomic handles (shaped for your hand). Some soft drinks bottles do to now. You could also fill them with gravel, sand, or store old coins in them.

Hanley

I imagine those long life shopping bags filled with some heavy things would work too....

ValleyoftheDoll

Thanks for the replies, il give a few of your suggestions a try and let you know how I get on,

Have to get the tins of peas out of the press now:)