Hayley,

How can I lose weight, but keep my booty and boobies? I moved to New Orleans last Easter and, omg, the food is just... to die for. Add to the fact that I'm a camerawoman and between catering and crafty, it's hard. Oh, yeah, and my joy in my relationship. Ttoo much amazingness, my life has become indulgent. And it shows. Luckily on both of us, since it turns out my boo gained just as much weight as I did since we started dating 3.5 yrs ago.

Basically, I FEEL how Emma Stone & Andrew Garfield LOOK. And that's sad, cuz I want to look on the outside how I feel inside.

We've each gained 30 lbs, 15 of which since I moved here. In December, we both started regular exercising- mostly 1 mile runs in the morning and/or evening and lots walking. I also have a Nike Trainer app, which is amazing, but I want very specific body toning and sculpting. I used to play softball, so I'm used to intensive, challenging workouts that I would change up from time to time, however, I want to change my results.

My boobs have grown to a 34D and I'm currently a size 8. At my thinnest (size 2), I was a small B/large A. At my heaviest (size 10), I was a C cup. So, do know that I love this. I also love that I have a full bottom. Is there any way I can have a workout routine tailored to keep my top and bottom as large as possible while whittling away everything else? One thing I hate about losing/gaining weight is that I lose/gain everywhere. One part doesn't get bigger or smaller than any other... well, maybe my arms, ew. Am I just too focused on something that isn't even possible? Is my body not capable of working this way? I'll accept that if you tell me, otherwise... I really hope you can guide me in my fitness goals. Think of what you would do to BEYONCE to get her ass back in shape and apply to me? Or, what works for me and my body, lol.

Thanks,
Clementine


Clementine,

First off I must say I loved hearing from you. It is so refreshing to meet a woman who absolutely loves her body, curves and all, and I can just tell you are vibrant and happy and I wish all women felt that way!.

But… I have some bad news. Unfortunately there is no way you will be able to keep your 34D and your bootylicious behind if you want to lose the 30 lbs you have put on, 15lbs of that coming on in only 8 months. You are lucky that you gain weight evenly all over your body, but with that being said you will also lose the weight the same way.  One of the things that I practice with all of my clients is getting them to truly understand their body and work towards getting the best body that they can based on their particular body type.  We are all born with a genetic makeup that determines how our bodies are shaped and there is no changing it.  If you are pear shaped even at your thinnest you will still represent that shape, same thing if you are apple shaped or if you are tall and lanky.  There are ways of training to strengthen and tone specific areas to help maintain shape but the areas on your body that you love so much are composed mainly of fat tissue so if you are losing weight you’re going to see your bust and your behind start to disappear.  So, with that being said, here are a few things I suggest you do.

1 – Since you’ve moved to New Orleans you have gained 2 lbs a month, or ½ pound a week, which means you are eating about 1800 calories a week more than you need too, about 250 calories a day. You need to stop indulging and start focusing on what you are putting into your body. That means staying away from the catered food at work and instead pack your own lunch (take some of the ideas I posted on Monday and Wednesday). You need to cut out as much sugar from your diet as possible (especially first thing in the morning – try the smoothie recipe that I posted on Monday) and work on trying to balance out your blood sugars to allow your body to break into its stored fat. That is the only way to guarantee that you’ll see the number on the scale start to drop.  This is going to take planning and preparation but if you want to lose weight you have to do it. 80% of the weight loss battle is changing your diet. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy all the amazing food that New Orleans has to offer, you just can’t enjoy them all the time.  Sacrifices need to be made to see results, so choose your indulgences carefully and sparingly.

2 – Your exercise routine should consist of activities that will help build muscle in the areas that you are so desperate to keep shapely. If you can find a women’s boxing class to do 1 or 2 times a week that would be a great addition to the walking and running that you are already doing and also add the following circuits to your workouts.

60 seconds incline power walking on a treadmill (have the treadmill over 10% incline and at a speed you can just barely maintain without needing to hold onto the railing)

60 seconds of  deep squats – Make sure when doing these you lower your butt to 90 degrees as that is what will engage your gluteus maximus, which is the muscle that gives our butt its shape.

50 seconds incline power walking on a treadmill

50 seconds of deep squats

Work your way down all the way to 10 seconds of each without resting between the squats and the treadmill – this is bound to burn mega calories but also helps keep the shape and tone of your butt. This is one of Lainey’s favourite things I make her do in her workouts. (Lainey: no, it is most certainly NOT. Break that down and count how many squats you end up doing. That’s 210. And she’s NEVER nice enough to start at 60 seconds. She usually starts me at 80.)


After that I want you to do –
15 push ups (from your knees so that you can bend your elbows to 90 degrees – most women tend to not have enough upper body strength to do proper push ups from their toes)

20 walking lunges (10 each side making sure as you step forward your front leg bends to 90 degrees without letting your knee extend over your toe – if you have access to dumbbells then hold a 10lb weight in each hand)

30 bicycle crunches

1 minute front plank

30 second side plank (each side) with hip lifts/oblique crunches

Go through this circuit 3 times without taking a break between exercises.

If you don’t make changes now you are going to continue to put weight on and the 30 lbs will turn into 35, then 40 and it is going to be even more difficult to lose.  Weight loss isn’t easy; it takes hard work, focus, sacrifice and determination. It is a long road and it won’t happen overnight.  Keep the big picture in the back of your mind of how you want to look 6 months from now, but stay focused on your daily accomplishments.  1 day at a time and if you fall off the program, don’t worry about it – just get yourself back on.  But most importantly keep loving yourself for who you are.

Attached - Rachel Hunter heading to the gym.